? Qin Feng had intended to change the subject, but the young man with the rare charm interjected, "You don't even understand what 'pitting the father' means! After all, you've been living in Huaxia for so long. Let me tell you—'pitting the father' literally means 'hurting the father,' or in simpler terms, being clumsy and doing things that harm those around you. For instance, you might steal your family's secret alchemy formula and give it to someone else." Silence. Qin Feng and Qingya exchanged glances, neither of them speaking. The peach brother suddenly looked enlightened, nodded, and said, "That's exactly what 'pitting the father' means! I never actually knew it before. Though I've been visiting Huaxia frequently lately, I've rarely interacted with ordinary people, so I never came across this term... Wait, though—Qin brother, I really think I showed you the secret formula of Xianhu Fu. Did I then, in fact, 'pit the father'?" Qin's face darkened, and he quickly raised his wine cup, saying, "You're so clever and capable, Huahua—how could you possibly have ' "Tuofa immediately felt at ease: 'That's exactly right. If I fail to keep my word, wouldn't that make me a person who betrays friends? Absolutely not.' This guy is born to be a troublemaker—completely self-taught. At that moment, an old man floated by on a cloud, smiling warmly and saying, 'The four of you must be Qin Feng, Chen Jie, Qing Ya, and Chen Xi.' Qin Feng pointed to himself with his thumb: 'I'm Qin Feng. He's Chen Jie. She's Qing Ya. As for Chen Xi—did you perhaps make a mistake? We don't have anyone here named Chen Xi.' The tall, graceful young man raised his hand weakly, speaking with a tone of mild resentment: 'I am Chen Xi.' Qin Feng immediately adopted an expression as if encountering an extraterrestrial: 'You're named Chen Xi? I've never heard you mention it before.' The young man's face turned green: 'It's not that I haven't told you—it's that you've never asked! You've always called me Chen Xi Shuai or Xi Shuai, never once asking me for my real name.' "Hehe, Chen Xi, Chen Xi—at least two characters are the same, so don't be so picky about it," he said with a cheerful smile. "I still think 'Chen Xi' sounds better than 'Chen Xi'—much better, actually. What do you think, Tao Xiang?" Chen Jie nodded seriously. "I also think 'Chen Xi' is a great name—it sounds really powerful." Chen Xi waved his hand. "Well, 'Chen Xi' is 'Chen Xi,' fine with me—I've gotten used to it. But if you call me 'Chen Xi,' I'll feel a bit uncomfortable." Isn't it true that being a bit silly is usually something you create yourself? If you yourself aren't even particular, then what's there to be polite about? The immortal, seeing that they were so lively and engaged, felt himself about to be completely overlooked, so he quickly said, "Ladies and gentlemen, I'm here to deliver the Emperor's message. Have you heard me out before you continue chatting?" The three immediately put on serious faces—though, of course, Qin the young lord wasn't included. Here is the Celestial Palace, where the Jade Emperor is the head, and his directives are binding law—Chen Jie, Chen Xi, and Qingya have always been raised with this principle. Qin Feng is different; growing up in a modern society where human rights reign supreme, he has no concept whatsoever of ancient imperial edicts. The elder deity continued, "When the Demon Clan invaded China, their crystalline army of tens of thousands was wiped out. Their king appealed to the Celestial Palace, demanding justice. This matter, the Jade Emperor has assigned to you to handle." Qin Feng's eyes widened. "We're to handle it—how exactly? Is there a specific protocol?" The elder deity shook her head. "No, because such a situation has never occurred before. The Jade Emperor's intention is simply: since they're making a fuss, treat them as if they're being crushed—crush them until they're completely subdued, and then everything will be settled." Honestly, what a mess—though I like it. He chuckled and said, "I know now. Go back and tell the Jade Emperor uncle that we will definitely handle this matter." The old deity added, "To demonstrate the grace and dignity of our heavenly court, Laojun has instructed that we follow the principle of 'first courtesy, then force.' If possible, we should resolve the issue through negotiation and avoid direct action—otherwise, we may damage our relations. Well, don't we seem to have strained relations with the demonic clan? Anyway, it's up to you to see that we only gain and never lose. Otherwise, the Jade Emperor will be displeased." Chen Xi replied seriously, "We will certainly complete our mission." After the old deity departed, Qin Feng gently hooked his arm around Chen Xi's neck and said, "How did the Jade Emperor happen to assign such a task to us?" The handsome young man analyzed, "He must think we are young and promising, and therefore not too much to lose. By the way, Qin brother, what exactly does 'courtesy' entail in this case?" Among the four, Qin Feng held the highest rank, and everyone naturally looked to him as the leader. He waved his fist and said, "That's etiquette." "The fist is etiquette—what about the soldiers?" Chen Jie asked, puzzled. Qin Shao placed the Haotian hammer on the table with a solid clatter and said, "That's the soldiers—the weapons." The tall, handsome man raised his thumb in admiration: "Qin brother, you're magnificent. When we meet the Magian delegation, we'll first give them a good beating. If anyone dares to resist, we'll keep hammering them until they've got something to say." Qingya, with her snow-white hands gently massaging her forehead, adopted a look of someone who had made a poor impression, saying, "You're not negotiating at all—you're simply letting whoever has the stronger fist dictate the terms." "Exactly like that," Qin Shao said with pride. "With my current strength, even a King-level Magian can be sent flying with a single blow. As for the smaller ones, they're nothing compared to what we can do." With just a few words, the strategy was firmly established, and they continued drinking. At the Haotian Palace, the cheerful laughter lasted for a long time. The Heavenly Emperor rejoiced greatly—having nurtured so many disciples, he finally saw one truly thrive, bringing honor to himself as their master. Inspired by this, each disciple beamed with happiness. After laughing for a while, the Emperor paused and said, "My final disciple? Is he really that easy to handle? How did the mid-tier immortal spirit, Juling Shen, rise to such a position? He's practically defenseless against the Heavenly Emperor’s hammer!" One disciple nodded in agreement: "Indeed, he's been personally trained by the Master. Not only is Juling Shen a mere junior, but even if he were to walk confidently in the Heavenly Palace, what could others do against him?" The Emperor narrowed his eyes: "How can you put it? To 'walk confidently' in the Heavenly Palace? Isn't that too boastful?" The disciple flushed with embarrassment and hurriedly apologized, "Master, I'm sorry—I was wrong..." The Emperor pointed at him and said, "From now on, never say that again. Though I truly feel the same way, saying it out loud would seem unkind. You simply need to keep it to yourself—only a fool would publicize such things. Of course, occasionally, when I'm present, you may mention it so I can enjoy the moment. Rest assured, I won't punish you. But remember: don't say it too often, and absolutely don't tell anyone outside." The disciple was left stunned—Master, you truly share the same thought.