"You know each other?" Qin Xuan asked.
"That's right. Old acquaintances," Liu Kuo said without the slightest hesitation.
"No wonder. No wonder you're being so unfair — turns out you two are acquainted."
"So this is what you call fair and impartial?"
"In my eyes, you're anything but."
"Where's Grandmaster Jiudian? Where is he right now? I demand justice!"
Qin Xuan looked around, shouting his accusations.
He felt like he'd been made a fool of. Played for a sucker.
But as the most talented genius of the Azure Sky Immortal Sect, when had he ever suffered such an insult? When had he ever been treated like this?
"Stop yelling. What are you shouting for? Are you hard of hearing, or did you forget already? Didn't I just say my master is in seclusion?"
"If my master isn't here, then what I say goes. If you're not satisfied, you're free to leave. The door's right there."
Liu Kuo dropped all pretense, his face dripping with impatience.
As he spoke, he pointed toward a narrow path in the distance — the way out.
"You're showing such blatant favoritism — aren't you afraid the world will laugh at you?" Qin Xuan asked.
"Qin Shu colluded with the Green Moon Divine Temple, and he wasn't afraid of being laughed at. So what do I have to fear?" Liu Kuo shot back.
"Stop spouting nonsense!" Qin Xuan snapped, his anger rising.
"You all know the truth." Liu Kuo looked at him with undisguised contempt.
Qin Xuan gritted his teeth, but felt utterly powerless.
The Nine Heavens Summit was already a unique existence in the vast martial cultivation world. Flouting the name of the Azure Sky Immortal Sect simply wasn't enough to intimidate them.
And his earlier outburst had been an attempt to stir up public opinion, to rally support against this injustice.
But the crowd merely whispered among themselves. Not a single person stepped forward to speak on his behalf.
That was when he realized — when you're under someone else's roof, you have no choice but to bow your head. These geniuses from various powers, staying here at the Nine Heavens Summit, none of them dared to offend Liu Kuo.
Apart from the Seven Realms Sacred Manor, probably no one would stand on his side.
And just then, Liu Kuo spoke again.
This time, he addressed the crowd.
"Everyone — when I, Liu Kuo, do things, am I being unfair? You be the judges. If anyone thinks I've been unjust, speak up now."
The moment those words left his lips, the previously noisy crowd fell dead silent.
They didn't even dare to discuss it among themselves anymore, terrified that Liu Kuo might misunderstand.
Seeing this, Liu Kuo nodded with satisfaction, then turned back to Qin Xuan.
"You see? Only you think it's unfair. So the problem isn't me — it's you."
At that moment, Qin Xuan was like a man forced to swallow bitter herbs — he had the anguish but no way to voice it. When had he ever been subjected to such humiliation?
"Brother Chu Feng, come, come — let me show you the quarters the Nine Heavens Summit has prepared for you."
Liu Kuo turned around, grabbed Chu Feng, and broke into a broad smile once more. This complete shift in attitude was as good as laying his cards on the table.
As he walked, Liu Kuo also glanced at Little Fish and the others. "Young ladies, come along too. No — wait, that's not right. I should say, female benefactors. Heh."
Little Fish furrowed her brows slightly but said nothing, since she intended to follow Chu Feng regardless.
"Bro-bro-brother."
"I-I-I... I've got something to do. I-I... I'll head back first. L-L-Later I'll come find you," Wang Qiang said to Chu Feng.
"Go ahead and take care of your business, brother," Chu Feng replied.
"G-G-Great."
With that, Wang Qiang returned to his own quarters.
Chu Feng and the others followed Liu Kuo toward the white mist.
After Liu Kuo and his group departed, the crowd erupted.
"It's over — this is really over. Even the Nine Heavens Summit is backing Chu Feng."
"No wonder Chu Feng dared to come to the Nine Heavens Summit. I think I get it now — there's nobody here who can actually do anything to him."
"But what gives Chu Feng the right? Was his father not trash after all, but actually someone with incredible power?"
"Otherwise, how else would he know so many important figures?"
By now, Chu Feng and his group had followed Liu Kuo through the white mist and arrived at Chu Feng's quarters.
() The first impression — massive!
Massive enough that distant mountain waterfalls and a vast grassland lay within sight, and yet what was visible wasn't even the entirety of the grounds.
Normally, anyone who made it to the Nine Heavens Summit would have quarters so large they resembled an entire world.
In truth, the scenery here wasn't particularly remarkable on its own.
But everything was a matter of comparison.