Sudden Craze

Amidst the crowd's bewilderment, powerful auras continued to rush in from afar!

Several streaks of light descended to the ground in unison, and the sound of reverent greetings echoed throughout the city!

"We pay our respects to the esteemed seniors!"

In mere moments, thousands of cultivators had already bowed before them, each bending at the waist with hands clasped in utmost reverence. Among them were even Saint-level experts—such a scene would never occur even if the Pavilion Master himself were present!

Elder Wang was utterly dumbfounded, his throat bobbing nervously as he tentatively spoke.

"Y-you may rise?"

At his soft utterance, the thousands of cultivators actually obeyed, standing up with eyes full of admiration!

Stunned by the realization that his words had moved so many, Elder Wang's eyes widened in shock.

Beside him, Elder Li nearly gasped aloud!

These thousands of cultivators…

Were they truly here to pay respects to them?

Good heavens.

In all honesty, while the Moon God Pavilion had recently gained some renown, and they, as elders, held a modicum of influence, they were nowhere near this level of prestige!

It was unimaginable—since when did they command such overwhelming respect?

Under the fervent gazes of thousands, Elder Wang could hardly believe his eyes. Feeling the situation slipping beyond his control, he hastily spoke again with a deferential tone.

"There's no need for such courtesy, we are hardly deserving…"

Yet before he could finish, the surrounding cultivators grew even more fervent, their fists clasped in excitement as praises poured forth like an unending tide!

"Senior, you are far too humble!"

"Esteemed seniors, your eradication of the vile scum from the Scarlet Heaven Sect is a deed of immeasurable merit! We can only express our gratitude through this humble greeting!"

"Senior! Everyone speaks the truth—I witnessed it myself that night! You and the other elders struck together, annihilating the Scarlet Heaven Sect's airship in one fell swoop! Such righteousness is beyond repayment, even with ten thousand bows!"

"Brother Fang speaks wisely! The seniors' heroic act of justice has avenged our blood feuds. We would gladly serve as your oxen or horses in gratitude!"

"Seniors, you humble yourselves too much. This humble maiden has long heard of your righteous deeds. To meet you today is the honor of a lifetime…"

"The esteemed seniors are the heroes of the Southern Li Heavenly Domain! It is only right that we pay our respects!"

The crowd of thousands grew increasingly fervent, their faces flushed with excitement as words of admiration and gratitude rose like waves.

Among them were righteous youths with reddened eyes, elderly scholars in flowing robes, promising young talents of noble bearing, and even many stunningly beautiful female cultivators, their eyes brimming with tears as they stepped forward to bow.

Listening to the flood of reverent praise and feeling the overwhelming enthusiasm, the two elders barely managed to regain their wits.

Exchanging hushed words, they remained half-convinced this was all a dream.

"This…"

True, they had destroyed a single Scarlet Heaven Sect airship, and these people didn’t seem mistaken in recognizing them. But it was just one airship—nothing more! Was such fervor really necessary?

The excessive admiration and overwhelming enthusiasm were downright exaggerated!

Before the elders could even voice their confusion, the crowd's excitement was already spiraling out of control!

Around the younger elite disciples, people bowed incessantly—many of them stunningly beautiful female cultivators, their eyes shimmering with admiration as they curtsied gracefully.

"Esteemed seniors, today is an honor I shall never forget!"

"We pay our respects to the seniors! This humble maiden is blessed beyond words to meet you…"

"Senior, this one is Xue Fang…"

Though the disciples had trained for years and weathered many storms, none had ever encountered such a scene.

Faced with a sea of beauties bowing before them, their faces alight with reverence—some even boldly offering personal gifts with shy, flustered expressions—the thirty disciples staggered back, utterly at a loss.

Even the two elders, seasoned as they were, found themselves overwhelmed by the sheer intensity of the reception!

Such glory and reverence was unprecedented. Even if they had slain an entire squad of Scarlet Heaven Sect disciples, they would never dare accept such adoration from thousands of cultivators.

The roaring tide of cheers and worship was nearly suffocating!

Elder Wang's eyes darted between his disciples, silently urging them to maintain decorum lest they tarnish the Moon God Pavilion's reputation. Elder Li, meanwhile, was utterly unnerved by the bizarre, exaggerated spectacle, not daring to respond recklessly.

Despite their vast experience, both elders were paralyzed by the surreal scene, as though trapped in a dream.

Just as they struggled to speak, a graceful noblewoman stepped forward, offering a deep curtsy.

"Esteemed seniors."

"This humble one has long admired your righteousness. In honor of your deeds, I have prepared a modest banquet at my residence. If you would deign to grace my humble abode with your presence, I would be eternally grateful…"

The noblewoman, though no longer in her youth, retained an alluring charm. Dressed in exquisite silks adorned with jade hairpins exuding profound Daoist energy, her every detail spoke of extraordinary refinement. Her beauty and bearing suggested she had once been a peerless beauty in her prime, and her cultivation and background were clearly exceptional.

As the saying goes—

Thirty, fierce as a wolf; forty, untamed as a tiger; a thousand years seated, capable of swallowing the earth…

This noblewoman was undoubtedly a rare gem.

And yet, such a woman was lowering herself to bow before them?

The two elders exchanged stunned glances, their unease growing!

They knew their own limits.

In terms of cultivation, they were merely Saints—far from the pinnacle of power. In terms of charm, they were hardly irresistible.

Yet here they were—two old men—suddenly the center of such fervent attention?

Absurd…

This was beyond absurd!

Though they had served the Moon God Pavilion for years and attained elder status, they weren’t so naive as to believe they deserved this. Never in their wildest dreams had they imagined such a reception!

No matter how they racked their brains, they couldn’t fathom what could possibly warrant this level of reverence.

According to the crowd’s words…

Just by killing a few Scarlet Heaven Sect lackeys, their status had skyrocketed to unimaginable heights?

This was utter nonsense!

At most, they’d eliminated a handful of insignificant pests. Since when did that make them deities in the eyes of an entire city?

Something had to be wrong here…

As the fervor around them swelled to unbearable levels, Elder Li, his face etched with panic, raised his hands in protest.

"Everyone! Everyone!"

"There’s no need for this! We merely disposed of a few minor villains—it was nothing noteworthy, truly unworthy of such praise!"

His booming reassurance caused the crowd to freeze.

Every face, brimming with admiration, suddenly stiffened as though struck by thunder. Whether it was the peerless beauties or the seasoned experts, all widened their eyes in shock!

Then, a collective gasp echoed through the air!

"Hisss—!!!"

First came stunned disbelief, then—

Their reverence multiplied a thousandfold!

"Merely disposed of…"

"Minor villains…"

"Nothing noteworthy…"

Just listen to that!

Such transcendent composure!

They had annihilated a demonic scourge that had plagued the land for millennia, effortlessly slaying Tu Daofang and his ten elders—yet they spoke of it as though it were a trivial matter!

Their tone suggested they had merely crushed a few ants beneath their feet!

To the uninformed, it might seem as though these venerable figures had merely eliminated a few minor troublemakers.

But in truth!

Tu Daofang and the ten elders, leading the Scarlet Heaven Sect, were terrifying existences who had annihilated several major sects—a ruthless scourge feared by tens of thousands!

For these seniors to eradicate such a menace, wiping out the Scarlet Heaven Sect in a single stroke, their deeds extend far beyond mere benevolence—they are nothing short of saviors to the countless sects of the Southern Li Heaven Domain!

Despite such world-saving intentions, they speak with such calm detachment, without a trace of pride or self-aggrandizement—such a mindset is beyond ordinary comprehension.

This selfless nobility, free from the taint of fame, is truly unparalleled in this world!

And the serene ease in their tone only further highlights their terrifying cultivation and supreme confidence, their understated demeanor radiating an invincible aura of mastery.

These seniors, whether in power or bearing, have reached heights beyond imagination!