Translator – Misty

Chapter 8: Yun Hong

“Hehe, then thank you. Rest assured, once this is over, I’ll treat you to a feast of delicacies and find you a respectable job, so you won’t have to wander anymore.”

As she spoke, Ouyang Ye plucked a strand of hair from Gu Qingfeng’s head, and then one from her own. Tying them together, she cast a spell, and the strands transformed into two hair-thin rings.

“Here, wear this. With these rings, we can secretly communicate with each other. Just follow my commands.”

Gu Qingfeng took one of the rings, somewhat surprised, and commented, “You’ve thought this through well.”

“Remember not to speak out of turn later. Just follow my lead, do as I say, or we’ll give ourselves away. Now, put on the ring quickly, they’re coming.”

Gu Qingfeng looked at the ring, smiled, and slipped it on his index finger. Just then, a woman’s voice came from behind.

“I thought I was seeing things just now. Isn’t that Junior Sister Ouyang?”

Ye Hui appeared quite young, seemingly in her early twenties, but her attire was mature. She wore various jewelry pieces, including a blue jade necklace, four bracelets on her wrists, and five or six rings on her fingers. Her heavy makeup and flamboyant demeanor made her look less like a sect disciple and more like a frivolous woman.

“I heard from Li Sen that the Young Master of Crimson Flame you fell in love with at first sight has finally shown up. Is it true?”

Ouyang Ye ignored her, but Ye Hui, uninvited, sat down opposite them and burst into laughter upon seeing Gu Qingfeng.

“Ye Hui! What are you laughing at!”

Ouyang Ye despised the woman in front of her, filled with an urge to harm her every time she saw Ye Hui.

“Is this guy the so-called ‘dragon among men,’ the Young Master of Crimson Flame? Really? Hahaha… That’s hilarious!”

Ye Hui sat, fiddling with her rings, and scornfully scrutinized Gu Qingfeng.

“Junior Sister Ouyang, if you were going to find someone to impersonate the Young Master of Crimson Flame, at least find someone decent. If not graceful and charming, at least handsome and imposing. I don’t understand how you picked someone with neither charisma nor spirit to impersonate your fictional Young Master of Crimson Flame.”

“Fictional? That’s funny, Senior Sister Ye Hui. Your ignorance of the Young Master of Crimson Flame’s reputation only shows your lack of knowledge,” Ouyang Ye coldly sneered. “An impostor? Sorry, Senior Sister Ye Hui, the man sitting before you is indeed the Young Master of Crimson Flame.”

The two women were at each other’s throats from the moment they met. Ye Hui was evidently troublesome, constantly mocking and taunting, while Ouyang Ye, undaunted by the falseness of her claim, spoke with unblushing confidence and arrogance, as if Gu Qingfeng was truly the Young Master of Crimson Flame. Gu Qingfeng had to admire the young girl’s acting skills.

“Junior Sister Ouyang, stop putting on an act. You’re just jealous of my Dao companionship with Yun Hong, so you made up a fake partner for yourself. Haha… It’s laughable…”

“Jealous of you?” Ouyang Ye laughed maniacally, as if hearing the funniest joke in the world, and then glared at Ye Hui, retorting, “Please, Senior Sister Ye Hui, don’t forget, Yun Hong was pursuing me at first. It was only after I ignored him that he partnered with you. Jealous? You’re really funny…”

“You!”

Perhaps Ouyang Ye struck a nerve, as Ye Hui’s face darkened.

Gu Qingfeng, still leisurely seated, shook his head at the young people’s messy private lives.

Just then, the hall stirred. Gu Qingfeng looked to see a man causing the commotion. About thirty, dressed in white, he had an air of elegance. His appearance drew admiring glances from many young men and women. He greeted everyone with a gentle, refined demeanor. Beside him was Li Sen.

“Hehe, Yun Hong over here.”

Ye Hui stood up and waved. As Yun Hong and Li Sen approached, perhaps to show everyone that the musical prodigy Yun Hong was her partner, Ye Hui naturally pulled him beside her, holding his arm.

“Junior Sister Ouyang, we meet again…”

Ouyang Ye nodded and asked, “Why are you sitting here, Senior Brother Yun Hong? There are so many seats in the hall.”

“Hehe, aren’t we welcome?” Yun Hong smiled faintly, then turned to Gu Qingfeng, “I heard from Junior Brother Li Sen that the elusive Young Master of Crimson Flame is here too, so I wanted to meet him. I’m also curious to know who the Young Master of Crimson Flame is that captivated Junior Sister Ouyang at first sight.”

Ye Hui poured wine for Yun Hong and laughed, “Brother, you know as well as I do that the Young Master of Crimson Flame is a figment of Junior Sister Ouyang’s imagination. She’s afraid we won’t believe her, so she brought someone to pretend today. Haha! Brother, now you know what Junior Sister Ouyang is really like.”

“Senior Sister Ye Hui, watch your words. And I reiterate, he is the Young Master of Crimson Flame, with whom I fell in love at first sight.”

Ouyang Ye’s mood clearly soured, and she increasingly felt that this had been a mistake from the start. If she hadn’t claimed Gu Qingfeng as the Young Master of Crimson Flame to Li Sen, none of this would have happened. Despite Ye Hui’s constant doubts, without concrete evidence, Ouyang Ye could simply assert the Young Master of Crimson Flame’s existence, leaving Ye Hui with no leg to stand on.

But why did I impulsively claim this guy was the Young Master of Crimson Flame?

Damn it! Now what?

What if Ye Hui demands proof that he’s the Young Master of Crimson Flame?

How will I handle this?

It’s giving me a headache!

What should I do?

Why did I choose him to pretend? Remembering that Gu Qingfeng was a Foundation Building failure, Ouyang Ye regretted her decision even more.

What now?

I can only brazen it out!

I must not let the truth come out!

Nor can I slip up!

With this in mind, Ouyang Ye steeled herself, put on a smile, sat next to Gu Qingfeng, holding his arm, and said, “Qingfeng, let me introduce you. You’ve met Li Sen. This woman is Ye Hui, and this is Yun Hong. They, like me, are disciples of the Cloudy Rosy Heaven Sect.”

“Qingfeng? Hehe! Junior Sister Ouyang.” Ye Hui played with her rings, showing them off, and laughed, “I remember very clearly you said he’s the Young Master of Crimson Flame.”

“Yes, Young Master of Crimson Flame is just his title. His family name is Gu, given name Qingfeng. Is there a problem?”

“Heh, Junior Sister Ouyang, you’re still denying it… Haha! I…”

Ye Hui was about to say something when Yun Hong, sitting beside her, smiled and said, “If Junior Sister Ouyang says he is the Young Master of Crimson Flame, then he must be. I believe Junior Sister Ouyang’s words.” Ye Hui, seemingly caught off guard by Yun Hong’s response, was about to speak when Yun Hong interrupted her with a wave of his hand, then turned to Gu Qingfeng with a teasing smile.

“Junior Sister Ouyang mentioned that the Young Master of Crimson Flame possesses exceptional talent and unparalleled intelligence, a true ‘dragon among men.'”

Gu Qingfeng, appearing relaxed and at ease, continued to sit leisurely with his legs crossed, eating spiritual fruits and sipping wine. As Yun Hong spoke, Ouyang Ye’s whispered message came through the ring: “Hey, you’re not a failed cultivator now, you’re the ‘dragon among men.’ Be arrogant, proud, haughty, and aloof. Your reply must be domineering!”

Alright.

Gu Qingfeng found the situation amusing but decided to play along as Ouyang Ye had instructed. Puffing out his chest, he poured himself a glass of fine wine, looked at Yun Hong with an arrogantly tilted chin, and challenged, “I am the so-called ‘dragon among men,’ the Young Master of Crimson Flame. What about it? You have a problem with that?”

Excellent!
Just like that!
Keep it up!

Stay arrogant!
Ouyang Ye gave him an approving look.

“Oh?” Yun Hong lifted a glass of wine to his lips, smiling faintly, “I heard you’re skilled in all ten arts of immortality, especially in music. I wonder if you could enlighten me a bit.”

“Enlighten?” Gu Qingfeng replied with a grin, “No problem, feel free to ask.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Ouyang Ye’s frantic whisper came through the ring: “Damn it! Why did you agree? He’s obviously testing you!”

Gu Qingfeng replied in kind: “Didn’t you tell me to be more arrogant and bold?”

“I told you to be arrogant, not to agree to everything! Damn it, if you slip up and they expose you as an impostor, I’ll never be able to show my face again!”

“Don’t worry, it’s just a little music teaching. I’m an expert in this area; I won’t give us away.”

“You an expert? You’re going to be the death of me!”

What to do?
Should we take this guy and make a quick exit?

No!
That’s not an option!

If we leave now, wouldn’t that be admitting guilt? Then Ye Hui, that annoying girl, would certainly…

Heavens!

If we don’t leave, what do we do? Once Yun Hong starts asking about music, we’ll definitely be exposed!

What to do!
Ouyang Ye was on the verge of madness, collapsing from stress, and regretted her actions to the point of wanting to strangle herself!

(End of Chapter)