Guan Lingxiao! . . .
Amid hearty laughter, a substantial figure emerged from the forest, revealing himself to Cha Eun Xiao.
He was precisely as Cha Eun Xiao had imagined.
The man had broad shoulders and a towering stature, easily a head taller than the average person. His emergence from the forest resembled that of a moving iron tower, his footsteps creating a tremor in the earth.
Every aspect of the man's physique was larger than that of an ordinary individual—his arms, head, and waist. Yet, rather than appearing peculiar, he seemed rather imposing.
He strode out without attempting to muster spiritual power or execute martial arts techniques. A natural vitality radiated from him.
Cha Eun Xiao's prediction about the man's prodigious beard was also accurate. The man sported a substantial beard and disheveled hair, yet his appearance was far from sloppy.
"Young man, your singing was splendid!" The big man grinned. "You're so young, yet you managed to convey the genuine essence of that song. Well done."
Cha Eun Xiao smiled and responded, "I'm flattered. I merely learned it spontaneously and gave it a try. What you sang was even more profound and rhythmical. I suspect you must possess extensive experience in the martial world, brother. It came straight from your heart. Might I have the honor of learning your name?"
Cha Eun Xiao was unfamiliar with the man, but since they shared an affinity for the same song, he decided to establish camaraderie.
"As for me? I'm Guan Lingxiao. You've certainly heard of me before, brother!" The big man laughed, radiating confidence in his reputation.
"Guan Lingxiao?" Cha Eun Xiao was momentarily perplexed. Clearing his throat, he admitted, "Well...uh... I'm relatively new to the martial world... I haven't had the opportunity to become acquainted with many of the renowned figures in this realm... I'm somewhat uninformed."
While Cha Eun Xiao genuinely hadn't encountered this name before, the man appeared as though he expected to be recognized and remembered. Cha Eun Xiao didn't wish to wound his feelings.
However, he couldn't feign recognition either, and certainly wouldn't offer remarks like "your name reverberates far and wide!"
"You... Really? You haven't heard of me?" Guan Lingxiao regarded Cha Eun Xiao as if he were a perplexing and ignorant specimen.
"Not... Not really." Cha Eun Xiao shook his head, choosing honesty.
In reality, even though he now inhabited his second life, he had only been absent from the Qing-Yun Realm for around two years. Despite his vast experience, he was viewed as an extraordinary figure in the realm and only remembered individuals who matched his own brilliance. In truth, he could recall the names of only a handful of individuals in the realm.
Guan Lingxiao was a name he had never encountered, suggesting that it wasn't a particularly renowned one.
Initially, Cha Eun Xiao had intended to be patient and considerate towards Guan Lingxiao since they shared an appreciation for the song, and the man had even incorporated exceptional lyrics into it. Nevertheless, after several repetitions of Guan Lingxiao's inquiries about whether Cha Eun Xiao recognized his name, the latter felt not quite repulsed, but slightly irritated.
Guan Lingxiao seemed disheartened, widening his eyes as he turned around. He scratched his head and expressed disbelief, "You genuinely haven't heard of me? How about 'Half Sky'? You've at least heard of 'Half Sky,' haven't you? You may be new to the martial world, hence your lack of knowledge, and I understand that. However, your mentors should have imparted tales of prominent figures from the martial world!"
Cha Eun Xiao was rendered speechless. After pondering for a moment, he said, "I genuinely don't recognize your name. As for 'Half Sky,' if I recall correctly, it was a title bestowed upon a cultivator named Xiao Mengyun... I hope my memory serves me accurately."
Guan Lingxiao directed his gaze at Cha Eun Xiao and spoke in an incredibly desolate tone, "That individual has been deceased for over thirty years, brother..."
Cha Eun Xiao instinctively ran his hand through his hair, an idiosyncratic habit he had developed in his present life. It wasn't an ideal habit, yet he found it difficult to refrain from doing it at times.
Guan Lingxiao scrutinized Cha Eun Xiao intently, hoping for some recognition. He appeared rather crestfallen.
Cha Eun Xiao contemplated the matter for an extended duration before ultimately raising his shoulders in resignation. He regarded Guan Lingxiao with genuine regret but couldn't muster any recollection of the man's name.
This unexpected revelation seemed to agitate Guan Lingxiao to an even greater degree. His agitation was evident in the way he jumped up and exclaimed, "You've actually never heard of my name! You, of all people... you actually haven't..."
He seemed to imply that Cha Eun Xiao was unaware of the seven sects, a singular individual, the two grand halls, and the three palaces.
Cha Eun Xiao was rendered utterly speechless.
Guan Lingxiao adopted a frustrated tone as he spoke to Cha Eun Xiao, his head positioned significantly higher than his companion's due to his impressive stature. The difference in height was simply too pronounced.
"Forget it. Just tell me who you are familiar with in the world. Whose names have you encountered before? You must be acquainted with some names!" Guan Lingxiao inquired, his patience waning.
Of course, it wasn't Cha Eun Xiao's fault that he was so much shorter than Guan Lingxiao.
The man's height was indeed imposing.
"The names... Well... I'm aware of Wu Fa, Xuan Bing of Misty Cloud Palace, the prime masters of the two grand halls, and the prime masters of the seven great sects," Cha Eun Xiao replied with an air of innocence. He had merely cited individuals he considered to be influential in the world.
These individuals comprised a list of truly exceptional figures in the martial realm. In Xiao Monarch's estimation, approximately thirty individuals in the entire Qing-Yun Realm were genuinely significant. This was because each of them was immensely formidable, at the very least, on par with himself. The remaining cultivators didn't warrant the effort of remembering their names.
As Cha Eun Xiao enumerated these names, Guan Lingxiao gaped in astonishment. Following a prolonged silence, Guan Lingxiao inquired, "What else? Whom else do you recognize apart from these monstrously powerful cultivators?"
Cha Eun Xiao ruminated for a brief moment before responding, "Well... individuals such as Zhan Yunfei and Zhu Jiutian from Cold Moon Palace, Gu Jinlong from Saint Sunlight Sect... and..."
The more Cha Eun Xiao spoke, the darker Guan Lingxiao's countenance became.
All of these were prominent figures in the realm...