“My name is Gu Qingyu. Could I ask which sect of the Northern Region you’re from, young brother?”

The tall brawny figure let off a gasp of surprise, looking astonished by the fact that Ding Hao could resist his pupil hypnosis.

The next instant, his pupils had retracted to their former sizes, without that profound blackness and those utterly mysterious, ever-changing planetary and starry trails. They were now like an ordinary man’s, staring at Ding Hao and demanding his answer imposingly.

Gu Qingyu?

Ding Hao was stunned. He instantly realized who this man was.

It was rumored that the recent massacres had alerted that supreme presence of the Divine Central Continent, the Super Heaven Pavilion. One of the leading commanders of the Super Divine Guards, Gu Qingyu, had come in person to Yellow Province to apprehend him. Now this legendary master, almost invincible in the surrounding million kilometers, had finally appeared.

It was different from with Luo Xiangcai and the other opponents. Gu Qingyu was indeed a supreme master.

He had fought countless of battles in his life, and had made a reputation during the wars against the Demon Clan. Innumerable Demon Royals and Demon Emperors had died under his feet. Even the most brutal Demons would take a detour to avoid confronting him. He was a true expert of the old generation who had gone through these campaigns of fire and blood.

According to these legends, this man had accompanied the Central Region Supreme God of War in antiquity, greatly esteemed and trusted by that supreme presence of the Divine Central Continent. He was one of the most powerful pillars of the Human Clan in the Central Region.

Ding Hao was curious and could not help observing this legendary expert of the Human Clan, who was like a living fossil.

Gu Qingyu was tall and burly, almost two or three heads taller than any other man. Yet he was not stout, but had a perfectly proportionate physique, giving one a feeling of muscular grandeur. His complexion was like ancient jade. With big eyes and thick eyebrows, his facial features were well-formed and regular, with three dense strands of beard on his chin. Although not a typically handsome man, he had an amicable, prepossessing air which made others greatly admire him.

One could tell that this man was handsome when he was young, definitely one to make countless starry-eyed girls scream in admiration and fall for him.

“This man has an air of awe-inspiring righteousness in him, just like Martial Uncle Sword Intent, or Master Qi Qingshan!”

Ding Hao could not help feeling close to him.

His resistance and hostility against the Central Region fighters disappeared in an instant.

At the same time…

Around the Yellow Crane Tower below, the Warriors of the Divine Central Continent, who had formerly lapsed into silence, suddenly began to erupt uncontrollably. Almost at the same instant, nearly everyone dropped to their knees, showing their respect and awe for this tall burly figure in the sky, prostrating before him in the most exaggerated, primitive way.

Every kind of cheer could be heard in the hubbub.

Almost instantaneously, the awe felt for Ding Hao, who had defeated multiple descendants of the five super forces in one sword strike, completely vanished.

It was an indescribable fanaticism.

In their eyes, this man in the sky was really so unshakably exalted.

In the past few years, it was precisely thanks to this man that the Humans within the surrounding millions of kilometers were able to hold their heads high, resisting the ferocious, cruel, and powerful assaults of the Demons. How many times had Gu Qingyu turned the tide in the battles with the Demon Clan, in face of city destruction, saving their inhabitants from those Demons’ sharp claws and teeth?

So numerous were such incidents that one had lost count.

Many of those present were indebted to Gu Qingyu, both directly and indirectly. If it weren’t for him, many of their grandfathers or even great-grandfathers would have been killed in the massacres perpetuated by the Demons. And naturally, if that was the case, they would not have existed in this world.

His prestige was passed down from generation to generation. Gu Qingyu was honored like a god within the surrounding millions of kilometers.

Ding Hao gazed down at the black sea of kneeling men, also a little shocked.

It was incredible for a person’s prestige to reach such heights. Even at the peak of his prestige in the Swordsmanship-seeking Sect of Snow Province, the adulation Ding Hao had received could not be compared with this man’s before his eyes.

“Your junior is Ding Hao. I’m from the Swordsmanship-seeking Sect in Snow Province, of the Northern Region.” Ding Hao sounded quite respectful too.

For this hero who had been safeguarding the Human Clan for countless years on this dangerous land, preserving their lineages, everyone should give him some respect.

“Snow Province…” Gu Qingyu’s expression froze. He looked Ding Hao up and down several times and asked, “Is your surname Ding?”

“Yes.” Ding Hao’s heart missed a beat. Did Gu Qingyu know something?

Unexpectedly, Gu Qingyu’s complexion soon resumed its former color. He said, “There are so many strong warriors in the Northern Region, all big-hearted and valiant. You indeed live up to your name as their representative. I’ve heard everything about you. Since you didn’t kill any of them, why didn’t you explain to these people? And why did you make such a big fuss over things?”

Ding Hao said calmly, “Even if I’m willing to explain, I’m afraid they won’t listen. Since they want to kill me without any good reason, they ought to suffer a bit.”

“This young lad is quite arrogant.” Gu Qingyu smiled slightly and said, “Although you didn’t kill those people, their deaths must have something to do with you, or you wouldn’t have been made the scapegoat. Come with me to Super Heaven Pavilion. I will dispatch men to investigate this case and give you back justice.”

Gu Qingyu implied that he was inclined to believe Ding Hao.

These words, spoken from his mouth, basically brought this incident to an end.

The final conclusion to this matter.

Those people were not killed by Ding Hao.

Even those warriors in the Divine Central Continent who still doubted Ding Hao would definitely believe Gu Qingyu. Since Gu Qingyu had said this, it meant that Ding Hao was completely free from the charge of being a maniacal murderer.

In the eyes of many martial artists of the Divine Central Continent, Gu Qingyu was doing Ding Hao a big favor, promising to investigate this case through the Super Heaven Pavilion.

The Moonlight Fairy’s complexion changed slightly.

Things were developing in the opposite direction from what she had expected. According to the organization’s intelligence, Gu Qingyu, the black-faced killer, should not be so easy to talk to. Yet now, why was he speaking to Ding Hao so kindly?

There was something strange in this.

Why was it that each time this young man from the Northern Region got involved in a matter, some qualitative change would occur, making it impossible for her to act?

It would be terrible if the Super Heaven Pavilion really came forward to investigate this matter.

Unexpectedly, at this precise moment—

“Thank you for your kindness, Senior Gu, but I have other things to do. I’m sorry, but I can’t go to the Super Heaven Pavilion with you.” Ding Hao cupped his hands in a salute, rejecting Gu Qingyu’s offer.

Even Gu Qingyu was a little stunned. He did not expect himself to be rejected.

“How long has it been since someone dared to disobey me?”

Even the Moonlight Fairy showed surprise on her face. For a brief moment, she really could not understand why Ding Hao had rejected this big favor from Gu Qingyu.

But in the next moment, the long sword in Ding Hao’s hand was pointing at her.

“It’s all because of this demoness, making trouble behind my back. If I kill her today, all these grievances and hatred will disappear,” Ding Hao said firmly.

The Moonlight Fairy soon composed herself and said with a smile, “There must be proof for everything. Ding Hao, you say that I’m the mastermind, the main culprit, but what proof do you have?” She was smiling very confidently. Even if Ding Hao had some information with him, no one would believe him unless there was proof.

She firmly believed that the image she had built up in the Divine Central Continent over these years would not be wrecked by Ding Hao’s one-sided accusation.

Yet—

“What proof do I need to kill a vicious demoness?” Ding Hao burst out laughing and said, “If I say that you’re the chief culprit, then you must be that. If I want to kill you, you’ll have to die. Why do I need to prove anything to the others?”

The Moonlight Fairy’s complexion instantly changed.

It was the first time she had encountered such a difficult opponent, who did not play by the rules.

“Young brother, I’m afraid you cannot attack this woman. There are many things beyond your imagination…” Gu Qingyu gently shook his head, almost about to say something more…

… When at this moment, Ding Hao took out an item, grasping it in his hand, and flashed it at him from a distance.

As soon as Gu Qingyu saw it, his complexion changed greatly. He said in surprise, “You are… I’m really sorry to have treated you so shabbily. Since the Arbitrator insists on doing this, I will not interfere. However, this is the Divine Central Continent after all. I hope that you can act accordingly and with restrain. Goodbye.”

As soon as he finished speaking…

… Gu Qingyu’s figure flashed, disappearing directly into the void.

This sudden scene was beyond everyone’s imagination and expectation.

Gu Qingyu’s status was so elevated, yet he had spoken so humbly to Ding Hao! Judging from his tone, he seemed to be speaking as an equal, or even a lower-ranking subordinate. What wondrous object did Ding Hao show him, to have such an effect?

On the ground, those kneeling warriors of the Divine Central Continent all stared dumbfounded, tongue-tied.

An indescribable feeling came over these men.

All of a sudden, they realized that this young swordsman from the Northern Region, who had been on the wanted list for nearly a month, was not only irresistibly powerful, but also had a status beyond what they had imagined.

A few casual words from him could make a high-ranking, powerful presence like Gu Qingyu retreat. There were such people in the Divine Central Continent, but definitely no more than a score. Each one of them was a super existence that could make the Central Divine Continent quake with just one stamp of his foot.

“Gosh, this teal-robed youth only looks 17 or 18. What kind of a monster is he?”

The Moonlight Fairy’s ravishing face suddenly paled. At the instant when Gu Qingyu departed, she turned into a stream of flowing light like moonlight, escaping to the distant sky without a word!

“Haha, you think you can escape?”

Ding Hao burst into loud laughter. His mind projecting a thought, the golden inscriptions of Chinese characters all around the Yellow Crane Tower suddenly soared into the sky from all directions, fluttering like golden butterflies everywhere. Each character seemed alive, drawing mysterious arcs in the void—so utterly beautiful and heart-stopping.

In the blink of an eye, these Chinese character inscriptions started to interlink, turning into golden chains and forming a gigantic net, suspended over and around the Yellow Crane Tower.

The surrounding escape routes were all sealed in that moment.