No One Knows How to Be Flashy Better Than Me

Looking at the Sword Gate Holy Land suspended in the sky, even Gu Qingfeng, who had witnessed many grand scenes, couldn't help but marvel at the majesty of this mountain.

He pondered silently—should he just seize the entire Sword Gate for himself? A celestial mountain floating above the nine heavens would barely befit his esteemed status.

Just then, Sword Maniac, standing beside him, whispered, "Fellow Daoist Gu, since we’ll soon be fellow disciples, do you think you could..."

"No," Gu Qingfeng cut him off bluntly.

Sword Maniac froze. "I haven’t even said what it is yet. How can you refuse outright?"

"You spend all day pretending to be blind—clearly, you’re no decent person. Whatever comes out of your mouth can’t be good, so the answer is no, no matter what."

"Who says I’m not decent?" Sword Maniac protested indignantly.

"Decent people don’t pretend to be blind."

Gu Qingfeng’s retort left Sword Maniac speechless.

After stewing in frustration for a while, Sword Maniac leaned in again. "Could you at least return my Qiankun Ring? It’s my entire life savings."

Gu Qingfeng looked at him as if he were an idiot. "You lost your Qiankun Ring, and you’re asking me for it? Since when is that reasonable?"

Sword Maniac nearly spat blood. Lost? It was stolen—by you!

Suppressing his rage, he gritted out, "If you return it, I’ll tell you something crucial—something that could determine whether you’ll even survive in Sword Gate."

"Fine. Speak."

Seeing Gu Qingfeng relent, Sword Maniac brightened. "Do you know how much pressure the Sword Gate’s Sect Master endured to take you in?

"It’s not just the backlash from the sects and noble families you’ve offended—even within Sword Gate, many oppose your admission.

"They believe you’ve seized the Reverse Scale Sword, stolen the Emperor’s Scripture, and provoked too many enemies. Taking you in would bring disaster to Sword Gate, so they resent you.

"But the Sect Master sees in you the bearing of a Heavenly Emperor. He admires your talent and withstood all that pressure to bring you in.

"However, the Sect Master is busy. He can’t shield you at all times. Once you enter Sword Gate, you’ll be targeted. If those people find a weakness, they’ll strike.

"If you want to avoid trouble, there’s only one way."

"What way?"

"Since the Sect Master values your talent, the more you prove your worth, the more he’ll prioritize you. When others come for you, he’ll have grounds to silence them. After all, Sword Gate wouldn’t go this far for mediocrity."

"Oh." Gu Qingfeng nodded sagely. "So you’re saying I should flaunt my brilliance—act like an arrogant prodigy to assert my value. Don’t worry, no one does ‘high-profile’ better than me!

"Playing the conceited genius? Easy!"

Sword Maniac shook his head. "You misunderstand. After witnessing your antics, I know exactly how flashy you can be. My point is—you should tone it down. No need to act; just rein it in a little."

Gu Qingfeng’s face fell. What the hell? Is he saying I’m naturally incapable of being low-key?

"Sword Maniac, you’re still too naive. You don’t realize that, by my standards, I’ve been extremely restrained lately. Let me show you what true extravagance looks like."

His tone was eerily calm—and truthful. Compared to how he dealt with demons, his recent behavior toward humans had been downright humble.

Now, spurred by Sword Maniac’s warning, Gu Qingfeng understood: in Sword Gate, modesty would only invite pests questioning the Sect Master’s judgment.

To minimize hassle, he decided to treat Sword Gate with one-tenth of the attitude he reserved for demons. Surely, that would suffice.

Watching Gu Qingfeng’s expression grow increasingly domineering, Sword Maniac regretted opening his mouth.

"Ahem, about that Qiankun Ring..."

"Oh? Were you addressing me?" Already in character, Gu Qingfeng cast a disdainful glance his way.

Sword Maniac clenched his fists, resisting the urge to curse.

"Hey, Fellow Daoist Gu, we had a deal! The Qiankun—"

"Relax. I don’t stoop to deception."

Before Sword Maniac could finish, Gu Qingfeng tossed him a Qiankun Ring.

Sword Maniac caught it, elated—until he checked inside. His joy turned to horror.

"Where are the contents?!" he demanded, voice trembling.

Gu Qingfeng frowned. "What contents?"

"The spirit herbs! Divine weapons! Spirit stones! Everything inside!"

"You didn’t specify. You asked for the ring, and here it is. Still unsatisfied? I’ve honored our agreement—don’t push your luck."

#!

Sword Maniac slumped, silently donning his "pain mask."

If only I could beat you up, I’d stab you twice for this!

With Sword Maniac silenced, Gu Qingfeng ignored him and began preparations.

From his Qiankun Ring, he produced a divine-grade Black Python Robe, a Purple Gold Crown, Violet Serpent Scale Boots, a Heaven’s Treasure White Jade Pendant, a Golden Wish Belt, and more...

With a flourish, he transformed.

Clad in divine equipment, Gu Qingfeng radiated opulence and grandeur, his elegance now blinding.

Sword Maniac gaped, dumbfounded.

What kind of showmanship is this?!

Still unsatisfied, Gu Qingfeng added the supreme-grade Reverse Scale Sword to his waist.

But he wasn’t done.

He released the suppression on his Innate Sacred Body. Holy light emanated from him, veiling his form in an ethereal glow. Dao rhythms swirled around him, as if an immortal king had descended.

Then he reconsidered—Sword Gate was an Emperor’s lineage. A mere Innate Sacred Body might not suffice. Why not add another?

Instantly, seven-colored divine light burst from his heart, profound and boundless, weaving threads of cosmic truth. The radiance expanded, shrouding him in a mist of mystical energy.

By now, Sword Maniac had lost all capacity for thought, staring slack-jawed at the celestial figure before him.

If only he knew how to say "Holy shit!", he’d have screamed it twice.

Even Meng Yan, standing atop the sword’s tip, turned around, equally stunned.

"Innate Sacred Body! Seven-Apertures Exquisite Body! You possess two sacred physiques?!" he exclaimed in disbelief.