671 A Moment of Gentleness

"I'm very impressed as well!" Mu Qingfeng nodded.

If he was still unable to figure out the purpose of Gu Yuan's trip and his stance, he would have destroyed the name of Pavilion Leader of the Heaven Dao Pavilion.

But…

How could he resolve this?

Mu Qingfeng furrowed his eyebrows as he pondered the issue. He never thought that Tian Xing would resort to such means - Tian Xing was obviously forcing him to go against the harmony between the 'five sects originating from the same root' and be at odds with the other four sects, which would form a joint resistance.

"With Fu Xi Valley Elder Gu Yuan, First Disciple of Yin Yang Hall 'Wan Lei' and Ling Yun Tower's Cang Yue as witnesses, can Pavillion Leader Mu be assured and leave your beloved disciple to my care?" A faint glint passed through Tian Xing's eyes as he gazed at the look on Mu Qingfeng's face.

"No way!" Mu Qingfeng replied directly.

He knew exactly what Tian Xing was planning - on the surface, he was claiming simply to want to take Chi Guyan back to the Nine Pinnacle Mountain, but his true intention was to force Mu Qingfeng to push Heaven Dao Pavilion into isolation.

Certainly, as Tian Xing had said, even if Chi Guyan really was brought back to the Nine Pinnacle Mountain, Tian Xing would not do anything to her, and after a month, Mu Qingfeng could go to the mountain with something of equal value as the Thousand Years Fire Herb in exchange for her.

However, Chi Guyan was already injured.

At such a time, how could he let Tian Xing take Chi Guyan away?

"Oh? I don't understand, I came here with good intentions. Why are you rejecting someone who travelled so far to apologise?" Instead of being angry however, Tian Xing smiled and continued, "Could it be that Pavillion Leader Mu is unwilling to see the friendship of the five sects stemming from the same root thrive? Or that he thinks the ten-thousand-year treasure of the Nine Pinnacle Mountain, the Thousand Years Fire Herb, has been stolen?!"

When Tian Xing spoke the last line, his tone became obviously aggravated and his imposing manner caused all the surrounding disciples of Heaven Dao Pavillion to step back involuntarily.

"Five sects stemming from the same root, everlasting friendship?"

"The Thousand Years Fire Herb had been stolen? How could that be possible, given how tightly the Black Moon Island is guarded? In fact, three sages are guarding it, how could anyone steal it?"

"What in the world is Tian Xing trying to do?"

The disciples of Heaven Dao Pavilion all felt the weight of Tian Xing's imposing manner, and were very confused - something just felt weird.

At this moment, Mu Qingfeng's eyes narrowed slightly, and he unconsciously clenched his fists, before quickly unclenching them.

"No matter what Leader Tian says, I'd never let you take Guyan away…"

"Master, I'm willing to travel to the Nine Pinnacle Mountain with Leader Tian to recuperate." Chi Guyan's voice was rather weak, but she still managed to interrupted Mu Qingfeng.

Chi Guyan then slowly took a step out.

A wisp of mountain wind blew past.

It blew past Chi Guyan's beautiful black hair and long pink dress, accentuating her pale beauty.

The moment Chi Guyan stepped out, Nangong Hao unconsciously reached behind him, but he did not say a word.

As for the Heaven Dao Pavilion disciples, they exchanged glances with each other upon seeing what was happening. They did not know the motive behind Tian Xing's insistence on asking Chi Guyan to recuperate at the Nine Pinnacle Mountain.

But they could see that...

it wasn't anything good.

Even if Tian Xing did fulfill his promise, and used the Thousand Years Fire Herb to cure Chi Guyan.

"Sister, you can't leave with him!"

"That's right sister, you're heavily injured now, how could you travel on the road now?"

"Exactly, if you want to recuperate, there's no shortage of elixirs in Heaven Dao Pavilion. So what if they have the Thousand Years Fire Herb? We don't care about that, sister, please stay in Heaven Dao Pavilion, don't leave!"

The Heaven Dao Pavilion disciples quickly reacted, trying to dissuade Chi Guyan.

"Guyan, about this…"

"How could I reject Leader Tian's gesture of goodwill?" Chi Guyan spoke again, not waiting for Mu Qingfeng to finish his sentence.

"Ha ha ha… The disciple is clearly more reasonable and knows the true importance of the harmony between the five sects from the same root. Come with me then!" Tian Xing laughed, hearing the conversation.

He was very clear about how important Chi Guyan was to Mu Qingfeng. As long as Chi Guyan went to the Nine Pinnacle Mountain, no matter how extreme the conditions were, Heaven Dao Pavilion was sure to agree to them.

"Alright, Leader Tian, please give me a moment." Chi Guyan said nothing much else, simply nodding her head lightly and turning her gaze towards Mu Qingfeng who was by her side. "Master, leave Fang Zhengzhi to me. I'd take care of him."

"Guyan, don't tell me you're thinking of…" Mu Qingfeng looked at Chi Guyan's eyes and at Fang Zhengzhi in his hands, suddenly thinking of something.

When Chi Guyan was leaving Heaven Dao Pavilion, Yuer looked for him and told him that Chi Guyan was going to Black Moon Island to get the Thousand Years Fire Herb.

However, as to the reason why Chi Guyan wanted the Thousand Years Fire Herb...

Yuer did not elaborate.

That was the act of a servant-girl's loyalty towards her mistress. Mu Qingfeng obviously knew what Yuer was thinking. After all, Yuer simply wanted him to save Chi Guyan, and wasn't telling him about it with the intention of betraying Chi Guyan.

Mu Qingfeng did not ask further.

But now, hearing Chi Guyan's words, he could not help but ponder the answer to that question.

"Master, please don't worry." Chi Guyan spoke again, with an unusually determined expression on her breathtakingly beautiful face. She seemed to know what Mu Qingfeng wanted to say,

But…

How could Mu Qingfeng not worry?

Still, he let the matter go and quietly put Fang Zhengzhi down, while gazing at Yan Qing and Nangong Mu, who were still sparring in the distance, and shook his head.

As to why Mu Qingfeng shook his head…

no one knew.

However, the disciples of the Heaven Dao Pavilion saw a shocking scene.

When Mu Qingfeng was preparing to lower Fang Zhengzhi, Chi Guyan carried Fang Zhengzhi almost immediately, and at the same time, pressed one hand onto his chest.

In this moment, to the disciples' surprise, they saw a flash of anxiety on Chi Guyan's face. In fact, besides anxiety, they also saw gentleness.

Gentleness?!

Despite her years at the Heaven Dao Pavilion and her interaction with various disciples, the Chosen One Chi Guyan had never had any bodily contact with any disciple.

Yet, now...

Here she was, hugging a man, showing such gentleness on her face, even if it was only for a moment, it was enough to drop every Heaven Dao Pavilion disciple's jaw.

"Sister… she… she…"

"That rumor, it can't be true!?"

"What rumor?"

"Word has it that sister and this guy are… are engaged…"

"What?! Surely that's impossible?"

The Heaven Dao Pavilion disciples stared, with wide-open eyes, at the bizarre scene in front of them.

As for Nangong Hao, his face turned rather pale, but it did not last long. He soon recovered, but the hand behind his back grew into a tightly clenched fist.

Two others had their fists likewise tightly clenched.

Great Xia Dynasty Emperor Lin Mubai and Xian King Lin Yun had their fists clenched too, after seeing Chi Guyan hugging Fang Zhengzhi. Their faces betrayed obvious signs of tension.

Meanwhile, Chi Guyan paid no heed to the surrounding noise. After pressing her hand on Fang Zhengzhi's chest a few times, her brows furrowed slightly.

"Leader Tian, I'd leave with you for the Nine Pinnacle Mountain right after taking him to rest and changing my clothes!" Chi Guyan prepared to leave as she finished speaking.

"Wait!" Tian Xing did not know what kind of relationship Chi Guyan and Fang Zhengzhi shared, but he certainly couldn't let her leave just like that. "You don't need to change your clothes, there are plenty of clothes for you to choose from at Nine Pinnacle Mountain!"

"The clothes at the Nine Pinnacle Mountain won't fit me." Chi Guyan slowed her footsteps and slowly turned to look at Tian Xing, with a hint of nonchalance in her bright eyes.

"As soon as you, beloved disciple, reach the Nine Pinnacle Mountain, I'd arrange for your measurements to be taken…"

"Since Leader Tian is here to apologize, then he should at least try to look the part. Besides, as an honored guest and disciple of the Heavenly Dao, I shouldn't be dressed shabbily. Leader Tian need not worry about me taking too long, I'd be back very soon!" Chi Guyan cut Tian Xing off.

"Virtuous Niece…"

"Is there anything else, Leader Tian? Do you not trust that I will follow you to the Nine Pinnacle Mountain?"

"How could I not believe you, it's just…"

"Actually, Leader Tian, you have nothing to worry about. Fu Xi Valley, Yin Yang Hall and Ling Yun Tower are all here bearing witness. No matter how suspicious you may be, it can't be that you don't even trust them, am I right? Besides, Leader Tian believes that the five sects stem from the same root. Since they stem from the same root, then they also naturally need to trust each other." Chi Guyan didn't wait for Tian Xing to speak again, and turned to leave as soon as she finished speaking.

Witnessing this, the Fu Xi Valley Elder Gu Yuan and the First Disciple of Yin Yang Hall 'Wan Lei' moved the corners of their mouths at the same time.

Naturally, they knew the real motive behind the Nine Pinnacle Mountain Leader Tian Xing's visit to Heaven Dao Pavilion.

Precisely because they knew...

It took them awhile to react.

Leave?

How could she be so skilled?!

Only after understanding the significance of what had just happened, watching Chi Guyuan leave hurriedly, did an apparent change appear in Gu Yuan and Wan Lei's expressions.

Ling Yun Tower's Cang Yue was likewise looking at Chi Guyuan at this moment, with a glint in his eyes, despite being previously unmoved.

As for Tian Xing, his face had completely changed. His smile was wiped from his face, and replaced with a cold expression.

He had never expected that Chi Guyan would suddenly use changing as an excuse.

Such a simple excuse.

It was so simple that it wasn't something that someone wise would think of, but such a deceptively simple excuse had used his words back on him.

Five sects stemming from the same root, with three sects as witness.

Passive, very passive.

This passivity should have been undertaken by the Heaven Dao Pavilion, but now, it had been thrown back onto him by Chi Guyan, who had used such a simple method.

Tian Xing obviously could not let Chi Guyan leave.

The reason was simple - the Thousand Years Fire Herb was on her.

Once she leaves…

Would anyone still know where the Thousand Years Fire Herb is?

"Chi Guyan, you… wait!" Tian Xing didn't hesitate at all, grabbing Chi Guyan's shoulder in one swift movement.

At this moment, a figure wearing a white long robe, with snow white shoulder-length hair appeared in front of him.

"Leader Tian, what are you trying to do?" Mu Qingfeng's body was right in front of Tian Xing's, and he glared at Tian Xing with a hint of doubt in his eyes.

"Get out of my way!" Tian Xing was no longer polite and circumvented Mu Qingfeng. However, because Chi Guyan was moving very quickly, even though she was carrying Fang Zhengzhi in her arms, she still disappeared into the distance in an instant.

"Are you intending to start a fight in Heaven Dao Pavilion, Leader Tian? Although I did say that the five sects stem from the same root, but, Leader Tian is here today as well, aren't you" Mu Qingfeng appeared in front of Tian Xing once again.

"Scram!" Tian Xing slapped his palm onto Mu Qingfeng's chest.

That was an ordinary slap, and there wasn't even any glow emitting from Tian Xing's palm, but when the Heaven Dao Pavilion disciples saw the slap, they had an illusion.

Like a landslide, they felt like a large mountain was crumbling.

"It appears that Leader Tian really doesn't care about the harmony between the five sects from the same root anymore?" Mu Qingfeng's voiced rang softly. At the same time, he slapped Tian Xing.

Only, his hand did not hit Tian Xing directly.

Instead, it was twisted at a very odd angle, and he grabbed at Tian Xing's arm from the side. For a moment, Tian Xing's arm also stopped moving.

A tumble without airwaves.

Whether it was Tian Xing's strike or Mu Qingfeng grabbing Tian Xing's arm, they all happened in a moment, so quickly that no one was able to react.

Harmony between the five sects from the same root? Mu Qingfeng, just stop pretending! Chi Guyan came to our Black Moon Island and stole the Thousand Years Fire Herb, injuring the three sages of the Black Moon island and even sunk my island. How dare you say this wasn't your instructions?" Tian Xing's palm reached forward once more, and his body leaned forward with it.

"It wasn't me." Mu Qingfeng said, stepping back along with Tian Xing's actions at the same time, keeping one hand firmly gripped onto Tian Xing's palm.

"You think I would believe that?" Tian Xing's gaze turned cold again, and he let out a thick whistle.

"Howl!"

"Howl howl…"

Numerous beasts started to howl, and at the same time, many black figures jumped down the backs of ferocious beasts, in the direction of the Heaven Dao Pavilion.

Tian Xing had very obviously turned hostile.

Everything had happened so quickly, from Chi Guyan agreeing to follow Tian Xing to the Nine Pinnacle Mountain to recuperate, to Tian Xing turning hostile. It was just like a movie, and the disciples had yet to take in everything that had happened.

However, they all heard...

"Chi Guyan came to our Black Moon Island and stole the Thousand Years Fire Herb, injuring the three sages of the Black Moon island and even sunk my island. How dare you say this wasn't your instructions?"

Tian Xing had directed that to Mu Qingfeng...

But those words boomed in the disciples' hearts like claps of thunder.