"The Holy Maiden?!"
Though they had already suspected as much, the crowd could hardly believe their eyes and ears, their astonished gazes widening in shock.
Only Yi Feng, standing at the forefront of the crowd, froze momentarily.
After leading the respectful greetings, Luo Buqun's face brimmed with pride, basking in the glory of his perceived success, as if he had already leaped through the dragon's gate. He couldn't be bothered to spare another glance at the insignificant ants before him.
With a casual sweep of his eyes, he noticed Yi Feng's sudden daze.
Just as he had expected.
A mere Saint—how could such a person dare to resist in the face of such an overwhelming display?
It was only natural.
Not only had this pretty-faced fool been frightened witless, but even Luo Buqun himself hadn't anticipated being able to summon such a terrifying force. After today, the status of the Tianyin Sect would surely soar!
The more he thought about it, the more smug he became. Luo Buqun seized the opportunity to cement his reputation.With a sweeping gesture, he turned a triumphant smile toward Yi Feng and the crowd.
"This esteemed lady is none other than the Holy Maiden of the Moon God Pavilion!"
"And the distinguished figures behind her are all senior experts of the Moon God Pavilion! You insignificant insects who dared to humiliate our Tianyin Sect—today, you will pay the price!"
The Moon God Pavilion?!
The name, renowned as the rising sun, struck like thunder, draining the color from the faces of the hundreds gathered in the Song residence!
Such a legendary and terrifying existence had actually sent envoys—even the Holy Maiden, a peerless genius of this era, stood before them now. Despair spread across every face.
Song Decai collapsed to the ground, his expression twisted in terror, as if all hope was lost.
"We're doomed..."
Within moments, he gritted his teeth and kowtowed, leading his people in a frantic plea for mercy.
"Spare us, Holy Maiden!"
"We are but humble villagers—we would never dare offend the Moon God Pavilion!!!"
Their eyes fell upon the ethereal figure in white, her beauty as flawless as jade, her aura transcendent and awe-inspiring. The sheer power radiating from her made even Saints pale in comparison.
Song Yuting, too, lost her usual composure, kneeling fearfully beside her father.
Seeing the hundreds of ants trembling in fear, everything was unfolding exactly as planned.
Luo Buqun's lips curled into a satisfied smirk, his heart swelling with delight. The only thing that irked him was Yi Feng, still standing there like a fool. His disdain and contempt deepened, and a vicious glint flashed in his eyes.
"Audacious! You insolent wretch, how dare you refuse to bow before the Holy Maiden?! Disrespecting her divine majesty and murdering our sect’s elder—you are guilty of a capital crime!"
His words were perfectly calculated, placing the Holy Maiden’s dignity above all else and subtly escalating the hatred to new heights. It was as if Yi Feng had already been sentenced to death.
"Today, you—"
But before he could finish, a bone-chilling coldness crept up his spine.
Before Luo Buqun could even turn around, a foot suddenly lashed out at him!
Thud!
With a dull impact, Luo Buqun was sent skidding several feet to the left!
His aged face scraped against the ground, peeling skin as he howled in pain. Struggling to rise, he clutched his face in horror—his already sparse beard seemed to have vanished entirely!
This beard was his most treasured possession! To have it ruined like this—this grudge was unforgivable!
Furious and bewildered, Luo Buqun whipped his head around—only to see Feng Tianquan retracting his foot.
Instantly, his face paled, his eyes darting in shock and disbelief.
Why…
Why would Uncle Feng kick him?!
Had he said something wrong?!
As he stood frozen in confusion, Qing Yin Xianyun glided forward with graceful steps, approaching the entrance of the Song residence. The Song family immediately erupted into terrified pleas, wails filling the air.
Seeing this, Luo Buqun finally snapped back to reality.
Ah—he must have spoken too much earlier, stealing the Holy Maiden’s thunder!
This kick…
This kick wasn’t just deserved—it was perfectly timed!
Hastily, he scrambled to his feet, suppressing his arrogance, not daring to show the slightest hint of anger. Instead, he watched eagerly, anticipating what would unfold next.
All eyes were now fixed on the scene before the residence.
The Holy Maiden continued forward, closing the distance to Yi Feng. The moment everyone had imagined was about to happen—the Song family wept in despair, while Luo Buqun’s eyes gleamed with malicious triumph.
Under the gaze of hundreds, the Holy Maiden stopped just a few steps away from Yi Feng.
Then, with a gentle voice and a graceful bow, she spoke.
"Yi Feng, it’s been a while."
Silence.
Deafening silence.
Luo Buqun, the trembling Song family, every last one of them—all stood frozen, as if struck by lightning.
Before anyone could react, Feng Tianquan and Hu Weifang stepped forward as well, bowing respectfully.
"Yi Feng, it’s good to see you again."
The words sent shockwaves through the crowd.
Luo Buqun’s eyes bulged, his face twisting in disbelief.
The Holy Maiden… and Uncle Feng… were actually exchanging pleasantries with this pretty-faced nobody?!
How was this possible?!
Weren’t they supposed to be here to avenge him?!
Judging by their demeanor…
Did they already know him?!
The moment the thought crossed his mind, Luo Buqun’s heart clenched in dread.
At that moment, Yi Feng smiled warmly, as if greeting old friends.
"Oh, it’s you guys!"
"It’s been so long. I came to Lanxing specifically to find you—didn’t expect to run into you here first. How have you all been?"
Qing Yin Xianyun’s face lit up with joy. With Yi Feng’s arrival, her invitation was as good as secured.
"Your presence is most welcome, Yi Feng."
"We’ve been well."
Feng Tianquan and Hu Weifang also responded eagerly, grateful for Yi Feng’s humble demeanor.
"Thanks to you, we’ve been doing splendidly!"
……
The casual banter spoke volumes of their deep connection.
To any onlooker, this was a heartfelt reunion between old friends, filled with genuine warmth.
The Song family stood petrified, barely daring to breathe. Sensing the relaxed atmosphere, Song Decai and his daughter finally mustered the courage to peek upward.
What they saw left them gasping—the four of them were chatting and laughing like old comrades!
Gasp—!
The servants behind them nearly choked on their own breath.
Good heavens!
Yi Feng actually knew the Holy Maiden of the Moon God Pavilion?!
What…
What kind of terrifying connections did he have?! What was his true identity?!
As the group continued their lighthearted exchange, the hundreds gathered at the Song residence stood dumbfounded, their minds utterly blown. Wide-eyed and slack-jawed, they could hardly process what they were witnessing.
Off to the side, Luo Buqun rubbed his eyes furiously, as if trying to wipe away an illusion.
But no matter how hard he rubbed, the scene before him remained unchanged—the Holy Maiden smiling warmly, Feng Tianquan bowing respectfully…
This was beyond anything he could have imagined. The more he watched, the more his stomach twisted in dread.
This pretty-faced fool… actually knew the Holy Maiden?!
The undeniable truth stared him in the face, leaving his mind in chaos.
Something wasn’t right…
Where had things gone wrong? This wasn’t how it was supposed to play out.
It was as if there had been some colossal misunderstanding.
Had the Holy Maiden come here… not because of Uncle Feng’s influence?
This should have been his golden opportunity to climb the social ladder, to secure an unimaginable connection. Yet, his mortal enemy had already forged such ties—and treated it as nothing out of the ordinary.
Could this really be happening…?
Had he overestimated himself?
A storm of doubts and fears raged in Luo Buqun’s heart, making him question everything.
But no matter how much he refused to believe it, the truth was undeniable.
The more he watched, the more his panic grew. A sense of impending doom settled over him.
Instinctively, he took a step back—only for his legs to give way beneath him.
Coincidentally, he collapsed right into the freshly dug earthen pit!
"Thud!"
The faint sound, amplified by the silence at the estate's entrance, rang out sharply.
All eyes turned toward the source, revealing the panicked Luo Buqun under their scrutiny.
Yi Feng also noticed the head eunuch.
Frowning slightly, he turned to Qing Yin Xianyun with a puzzled question.
"What’s this man’s connection to your Moon God Pavilion?"