Chapter 271: Eternal Empress Who Likes To Hear Flattering Words; Have I Met Him Too Late In Life?

Empress Xiyao's expression remained the same even after hearing Gu Changge's words, and Old Shi1, who was sitting next to her, didn't show any reaction either, looking very indifferent.

Although the story of what happened six thousand years ago had been widely spread throughout the Upper Realm, there were still many bad rumours circulating in various places, even now.

However, other than the people who were truly in power in the Demon Realm, who would know what truly happened?

Thus, the rumours travelling around in the outside world were more or less smearing Xiyao's name.

And these naturally made their way into the ears of these two also.

"Oh, about these rumours, I wonder what's Young Master Changge's opinion on them?"

Empress Xiyao's eyes were crystal clear and filled with divine light.

She stared at Gu Changge.

Her Dharma Body was only a subsidiary of the main body, and yet it still possessed a noble temperament, looking down upon everything.

A once in a millennia Empress, commanding the whole of the Demonic Realm. Who dared disobey her word?

If an ordinary Young Supreme was being scrutinised by her like this, they would probably have panicked and made a mess of themselves.

"In this Junior's humble opinion, I say that these rumours are all nonsense, and should not be trusted."

But Gu Changge seemed to not feel that pressure at all, and just smiled lightly, as if he didn't intend on explaining any further.

"What do you mean by that, Young Master Changge?"

Xiyao was slightly stunned.

The Empress looked a little puzzled, carefully thinking about his words.

Nonsense?

It would indeed be nonsense if an ordinary Young Supreme had said so, and she would've definitely taken it as idle flattery, ignoring them entirely.

However, these words had come from Gu Changge's mouth, so it was bound to be different, and a bit unfathomable.

Just like the man himself.

Did he see something? Or did he understand her good intentions?

To be honest, Gu Changge had piqued her interest. If others dared leave their sentences unfinished by half, she would have already lost patience and killed them with a slap.

Without considering the need for any further questions.

At this time, even the Great Elder and Old Shi looked at Gu Changge in surprise when they heard this.

Xiyao's reputation within the Upper Realm wasn't great; this was almost considered common knowledge by now.

Especially amidst the younger generation of the present, who'd definitely heard of the chaos that occurred within the Demon Realm back then.

Most of them, with only rumours to go off of, knew Empress Xiyao as an eccentric, ruthless, and tyrannical ruler who killed innocents like how one would eat rice, causing the common folk of the demon race to suffer.

So the Great Demons from all over the world united as one and rebelled.

And this rebellion was exactly the reason why figures such as the Heavenly Warden of the Demon Realm existed. Serving Empress Xiyao during those turbulent times, he was known as her executioner's blade, a sharp weapon that could cut through anything.

Alongside countless other rumours.

At this moment, the gazes of the three people fell on Gu Changge.

"Truthfully, in the past, this junior had also thought that Empress Xiyao was a tyrant who committed all sorts of unspeakable acts and that the creatures of the Demon Realm were suffering from disaster as a result."

The scholarly man smiled faintly and replied with a calm expression.

At the same time, he looked at Xiyao and saw her expression change ever so slightly as he continued to smile.

"However, when one carefully thinks about it, then no matter what ancient realm or divine world it is, there will always be one matter that remains unchanging…"

"Unchanging?" Xiyao stared at him, her heart trembling slightly as she carefully repeated those words of his.

She felt a little incredulous. Could it be that Gu Changge's thoughts were the same as hers? That he'd somehow understood the truth?

Gu Changge nodded. "Yes, there's one thing that will never change."

"And that is the price of 'change' itself. To make, to enforce change, the inescapable price that one must pay for it."

"The time period six thousand years ago, when the Six Emperors of the Demon Realm had waged war against one another, was the true hell for the demons. It was even common for demons to exchange their own young to feed themselves. Since territories were ruled by different Demon Emperors, the various creatures inside the Demon Realm weren't united and acted much like beasts."

"If this junior recalls correctly, there was no universal language for the people of the Demon Realm either. In order to survive, they had to turn to cannibalism, murder, thievery… and all sorts of cruelties. For the Demon Realm to continue existing in such a state was not difficult, but progression was almost impossible as a whole."

"The Great Demon Emperors were stubborn and would not change. They only cared about cultivation and held high positions, ignoring the bottom people. In the long run, the prosperity of the Demon Realm would have inevitably declined. "

"After six thousand years of chaos, the Demon Realm's prosperity is rising. The Unification of all demonkind led peace into the once tumultuous Demon Realm, where everyone could now cultivate the Dao, write and speak the same language, and live in harmony… is this not all because of Empress Xiyao?"

"The world is ignorant, only knowing faults and not merits. In this junior's humble opinion, this is actually unfair to the Empress."

Gu Changge's voice still retained its calm, not shifting nor fluctuating.

It gave people the feeling as if he was explaining an indisputable fact or principle in a simple and straightforward manner.

"The world is ignorant? Master has also said this in the past…"

After hearing this, Old Shi was stunned and speechless for a long time.

Gu Changge's words were still echoing in his mind.

Although he possessed unfathomable cultivation and lifespan, he had actually helped Xiyao behind the scenes quite a lot during the chaos.

But even then, he didn't really understand Xiyao's actions very well. He pondered it for many years, yet still could not figure it out in the end.

2

Xiyao too never mentioned the underlying reason.

This puzzled the Old Shi.

However, today, Gu Changge's words had finally relieved him of the itch, oddly reminding him of the feeling of looking for his master when he had encountered bottlenecks in his cultivation.

The revelation. The feeling of seeing green mountains after the clouds and mist have dispersed.

"So this was the reason …"

"I really didn't expect this, this old man was really blind."

For a moment, Old Shi's expression seemed extremely complicated.

Except for Gu Changge, probably no one else would think this way.

"This guy's views are always so different from ordinary people, but this explanation should be very close to what Xiyao is thinking …" The Great Elder also wore a complicated expression and sighed.

Seeing Xiyao's deeply resonant and stunned expression for a long time, he knew that Gu Changge's words were truly echoing her intentions.

"Everybody in the world is ignorant of your merit…"

Xiyao, who was silent for a long time, suddenly smiled at Gu Changge, a different kind of expression shimmering inside her eyes.

And for a moment, the skies seemed to brighten. Compared to her polite expression at the beginning, her smile now was obviously from the heart.

"Young Master Changge, are you perhaps scolding these people for being ignorant in my stead?"

She smiled slightly, with a hint of intimacy, and continued, "Throughout so many years, I didn't expect Young Master Changge to be the first person that would understand me. I never thought that there would be someone with the same idea as me."

At this moment, she actually felt like she had met a confidant in a junior like Gu Changge.

3

4

In more than six thousand years, he was the first person to understand her painstaking efforts. This touched Xiyao's heart greatly, and she felt very incredulous, as if she was in a dream.

Meeting Gu Changge today seemed to be destined.

Even the closest maids beside her found it difficult to understand her actions and countermeasures.

The world said that she was cruel, but they never considered the various things she had done for the Demon Realm.

To maintain the peace of the Demon Realm and the harmony of the four seas, not to mention growing their prosperity, how much thought did she put into it? Did anyone even realise?

For Gu Changge to bluntly state this fact, and even scold those ignorant people, as if speaking out her heart's desire…

Xiyao found it difficult to calm her own heart.

The smile on Gu Changge's face lingered as he continued, "Perhaps it is due to the Empress' royal status that no one dares speak lightly of you. After all, the Empress' efforts are visible to all, and whether or not they are merits isn't a matter for people of the present to judge, but for the future generations that will come."

"The future generations?"

Hearing this, Xiyao was stunned again, staring at Gu Changge, a little curious, "Oh? If Young Master Changge were to say it, what would be your opinion?"

Xiyao regretted her hastiness the moment these words slipped out. This wasn't something she could ask just anyone about, after all.

Why didn't she ask her master, or the others present, but only asked Gu Changge? It was too abrupt.

In the end, this was indeed their first time meeting, yet she had asked a question that might be considered rude. As the Empress of a generation, caring about these rumours would just undercut her dignity.

Nonetheless, even Xiyao didn't know why she suddenly cared about Gu Changge's opinion of her.

Not to mention, at this time, it wasn't only Xiyao, but even Old Shi and the Great Elder became interested as to how Gu Changge would judge Empress Xiyao's character.

From his words earlier, Gu Changge's understanding of Xiyao's actions and intentions should be rather substantial.

"Oh? You want this junior's opinion?"

Gu Changge seemed to be a little surprised, but he didn't refuse, and his expression turned a little thoughtful.

Then, his gaze fell.

Solemnly, and with the utmost seriousness, he spoke: "In this junior's humble opinion, the Empress' legacy may have proven her worthy of the title of 'Eternal Emperor', at least in the Demon Realm."

"Eternal emperor?"

At this moment, Xiyao was no longer the only person stunned, as even Old Shi and the Great Elder were greatly taken aback.

Eternal emperor, how high of a compliment was this?!

Because they understood that the 'Eternal' Gu Changge spoke of wasn't literal, but referred to in a general sense.

An Eternal Emperor was one that appeared only once in a thousand or so years, not much different from a Primordial Emperor, who appeared once in ten thousand, they were both high praises for Xiyao.

"Eternal Emperor? Once in a millennia…"

Empress Xiyao muttered these words under her breath.

As they resounded in her mind like a great bell, ringing and exploding!

It even made her head buzz.

Having said that, Empress Xiyao wasn't a simple person. More than six thousand years of cultivation had already strengthened her state of mind beyond what an average cultivator could achieve in their lifetime.

Soon, the expression on her face returned to normal.

"Young Master Changge's evaluation is really too high."

Her words and her expression contradicted each other, as though a plain refusal left her lips, the smile that it formed indicated her good mood.

Before this, she had encountered all kinds of flattering people, and she was almost tired of listening to their praises and adorations.

Moreover, Empress Xiyao knew that what they said was actually out of fear of her, and not out of simple and relaxed opinions like Gu Changge.

After all, Gu Changge didn't need to be afraid of her right now.

"This junior is merely parroting what the Empress wishes of me to say…" Gu Changge smiled and didn't explain further.

It was perplexing. Although the scholarly man kept calling himself junior in front of Xiyao, he did not act like one at all.

There was no fear nor respect in his voice, and it was more like he was talking to an acquaintance that he had just met.

Empress Xiyao didn't care about Gu Changge's tone. She was used to hearing all kinds of respectful words, so now she found that casual and natural feeling in Gu Changge's conversations more pleasing.

Just like her feelings just now … it was as if she had met a confidant.

"Eternal emperor, huh? I didn't expect to have such a high position in Young Master Changge's heart. It's really unexpected. "

Empress Xiyao smiled.

Gu Changge responded calmly, "Actually, before this, I have always wanted to meet an extraordinary woman such as you. But it's not too late to meet you today."

It was simply a matter of a few words to create a good impression.

So Gu Changge naturally wouldn't refuse.

No matter what kind of person they were, everyone liked hearing praises and beautiful words, especially by someone they paid attention to.

An indescribably noble status, a decent and elegant conversation, and a few casual words of praise would make her heart tremble.

Even if she was the Empress of a generation, it was impossible not to be moved.

Moreover, judging from Empress Xiyao's Fortune Value, she was a person of great providence as well.

Her actions 6,000 years ago triggered a thought of his.

With such providence, he wondered if she would become a Favoured Daughter of Heaven because of his involvement.

But… this lady with the fiancé poisoning trope was probably better left for later on, lest he finds himself in a ditch.

"Not too late?"

Empress Xiyao was suddenly stunned. There was an indescribable emotion in her expression when she looked at Gu Changge.

No matter what, Gu Changge was just a junior, and she was more than 6,000 years older than him.

Although the cultivation world didn't care much about age…

Xiyao still sighed in her heart.

After so many years, she finally met someone who could understand her, but it was a junior who was far too young for her.

This gave her a sour feeling of disappointment and forlorn.

'Have I met him too late in life?'

However, this feeling disappeared very quickly.

Chapter 272: Was I Being Teased by Him? Not Willing to Look Back!

At this moment, Gu Changge also planned to get up and leave. His purpose of coming here to find Lao Shi had already been achieved, after all.

Su Qingge and the others were still waiting for him, not to mention, he had a few plans that needed to be arranged accordingly.

"Where does Young Master Changge plan on going? I've stayed at the True Immortal Academy before, so why don't I take you there? Young Master Changge probably isn't too familiar with the area, since you're a newcomer."

Xiyao spoke again with a smile on her face, exuding a graceful and dignified aura, her tone as natural as ever.

Gu Changge seemed a little stunned, then shook his head and smiled, "There is no need to trouble the Empress for such a small matter"

But Empress Xiyao insisted, "And a small matter is no trouble for me."

Thus, Gu Changge could only relent.

"Since that is the case, I will be troubling the Empress to lead the way for this junior. It is truly a great honour."

The scholarly man stood tall, his white clothes seemingly untouched by the dirt of the mundane, as he smiled wryly, looking like an otherworldly deity.

At this moment, seeing Empress Xiyao standing beside him, made the expressions of the Great Elder and Lao Shi scrunch up strangely.

'Why does it look so awkward, yet so harmonious at the same time?'

Following that, Empress Xiyao swiftly flicked her jade hand, sending waves of immortal light forwards, extending far beyond their eyes. Soon after, the path of Immortal Qi rippled as it solidified beneath their feet, leading far, far away from this place.

A gentle breeze floated by, as both light and shadow changed beneath their feet, the primordial mountains receding into the distance.

The blue lake shone like emeralds, with the mountains and rivers linked like jade belts, and in the farther distance, chaotic mist shrouded the area. As if in an Immortal Land, the spiritual Qi of heaven and earth was extremely dense.

Various colours of light intertwined, rushing out from the various mansions of the True Immortal Academy and illuminating the sky. Terrifying energy and vitality burst through the clouds, seemingly able to pierce the sky.

These were the anomalies caused by the Young Geniuses and monstrous Ancient Freaks practising throughout various areas of the True Immortal Academy.

Gu Changge and Empress Xiyao stood side by side.

A faint fragrance drifted into their noses, a scent akin to orchids, giving a feeling of elegance and purity, as if it were a clear spring flowing under a frigid, icy mountain.

The fragrance was both refreshing and cool, carrying a subtle charm.

"Why are you silent, Young Master Gu?"

Empress Xiyao smiled, and took the initiative to speak, "If you won't tell me, how will I know where you want to go?"

At her words, Gu Changge seemed a bit helpless and let out a sigh. "Does the Empress know the phrase 'To remain chaste even when one has opportunities to be unfaithful'1?"

"Remain chaste even in opportunities to be unfaithful?" Empress Xiyao was a bit stunned.

Why did Gu Changge suddenly bring this up?

But soon, she realized the meaning behind his words, and her expression became more intrigued than ever.

So, it turned out that Gu Changge was teasing her?

Gu Changge meant that he was forcing himself to remain calm and silent because he was afraid that he would lose control.

Why can't he stay calm?

Is it because she's so close to him?

To be honest, this was indeed the first time in over 6,000 years that Empress Xiyao had been so close to a man. Her former fiance, whom she poisoned, had never been this close to her either.

Even Empress Xiyao herself didn't actually know why she'd decided to take the initiative and lead the way for this junior, Gu Changge.

"It is an idiom used in describing a gentleman. However, although this junior is confident and open-minded, he also knows that he is far from being a gentleman. As such, Empress Xiyao should stop torturing this junior, I implore you."

Gu Changge stated calmly.

This made Empress Xiyao want to laugh, but she held back.

Was Gu Changge asking her to stay away from him? On the other hand, was he saying that she was very charming?

It's quite an interesting excuse.

As an Empress and a lady, she naturally enjoyed hearing flattering words.

"Young Master Changge…"

She began to speak, but was interrupted by Changge once again. "In the future, please call me Changge directly. Otherwise, it'll feel like we are maintaining a formal distance between us."

"…Okay."

Empress Xiyao replied, slightly taken aback. A strange emotion rose in her eyes.

She couldn't quite understand what Gu Changge meant.

Nonetheless, she looked at him earnestly and nodded in agreement.

She suddenly realized that her words and actions had been led by Gu Changge the entire time, and were completely out of her control.

"Changge, how do you view the situation in the Demon Realm that you mentioned before?"

Empress Xiyao abruptly spoke up, asking a question that had been troubling her lately.

This was also the reason why she came to the True Immortal Academy: to seek out her mentor and ask for his opinion.

Having said that, upon hearing Gu Changge's unusual opinions, she felt a connection with him and wanted to hear his thoughts.

"The situation in the Demon Realm?"

Gu Changge seemed a bit surprised at the question.

He wasn't an expert in everything, and his previous words were influenced by his past life experiences as a transmigrator.

2

So he just casually made something up.

He knew nothing about the Demon Realm.

But he did remember a tiny detail from his past life3 that intrigued him.

Of course, no abnormalities were leaking through on the surface, as he responded nonchalantly, "The Empress's concern is probably related to the remnants of the Five Emperors, right?"

"After all, passing through thousands of years, the Demon Realm has changed drastically. Outside of the Youyue Demon Emperor, the other five emperors' whereabouts are completely unknown. Not to mention, the forces they left behind are showing signs of a resurgence recently."

In fact, he was merely guessing.

Due to the glimpses of his past life, he did possess some knowledge of the Demon Realm's affairs from bits and pieces of rumours, albeit limited.

"Signs of resurgence? Indeed, there have been more occurrences of chaos recently than in any other period."

Empress Xiyao nodded. She did not hide anything about these secret matters in the Demon Realm.

In her eyes, as the future heir and Young Master of the Ancient Immortal Gu family, Gu Changge was destined to rule over boundless territories.

His prestige then would even exceed hers as the Demon Realm Empress!

"These many signs of resurgence, in the eyes of this junior, should have a reason behind it."

Gu Changge explained matter-of-factly.

"Why not thoroughly investigate which of the remnants from that time are still alive, and sort through those which might pose the greatest of obstacles or harbour the strongest hatred towards you now? The Five Emperors may have prepared contingencies or backhands…"

"Backhands of the Five Emperors?"

Empress Xiyao frowned, "It seems quite possible. However, I've almost dealt with the majority of the Emperor Descendants who have caused me problems or bear ill will."

At this moment, the system's prompt suddenly sounded in Gu Changge's mind.

[Ding! Triggered a random Mission of Fortune event: The Regressing Son of the Demon Emperor!]

Upon hearing the prompt, Gu Changge was momentarily taken aback. This seemed to have come out of nowhere. What could be the reason for it?

Could it be because of what he had just said to Empress Xiyao? After all, the system had not prompted anything prior to this.

But this "The Regressor Son of the Demon Emperor" sounded interesting.

He immediately thought of the fiancé that Empress Xiyao had poisoned to death six thousand years ago.

Were there any other possibilities besides this?

So the reason for the prompt must be that this returning son of the Demon Emperor was seeking revenge against Empress Xiyao.

However, his words just now, by some twist of fate, had also inadvertently reminded Empress Xiyao of such a possibility.

A karmic effect that triggered the random mission.

Gu Changge's emotionless features glimmered with fleeting amusement, before quickly returning to normal.

He glanced over at Empress Xiyao, who was lost in thought, and spoke softly, "Why not investigate whether or not the enemies of the past have been completely eradicated? Some troubles can easily spread like wildfire while one is unaware…"

He didn't mention such things as rebirth or regression.

It would be too obvious, and it might raise unnecessary suspicion. On the other hand, this newly emerged Favoured Son of Heaven seemed to be inseparable from the destiny of the Demon Realm.

Empress Xiyao nodded thoughtfully.

— — —

Later, Gu Changge met up with Su Qingge and the others.

After bringing him to this place, Empress Xiyao had left first, deeply moved by Gu Changge's words, and needing to prepare some arrangements.

"Young Master, who was that woman just now…?"

Su Qingge was surprised, shocked at her imperial pressure.

It was a completely different kind of pressure from that of Yue Mingkong, but one equally high in position.

"She's Empress Xiyao of the Demon Realm," Gu Changge replied casually.

He didn't know what Empress Xiyao thought about her deceased fiancé, and he wasn't even in a hurry to find out these things.

Just like how you let the leeks grow fat before harvesting them.

This newly emerged Favoured Son of Heaven, if it was just a simple rebirth and revenge story, would not be of much concern.

Even someone like the Human Ancestor was easily killed by Gu Changge.

So now, letting Empress Xiyao explore the unknown path first, would also reveal what powerful methods this Favoured Son of Heaven has.

Soon, a senior from the True Immortal Academy arrived and led Gu Changge to the area where the Rankers were located.

There were different training areas arranged for disciples at each level in the True Immortal Academy: Ranker, Numbered, Inner Gate, and Outer Gate.

As a Ranker, Gu Changge's training area was naturally the best, covering an area of nearly ten thousand miles.

There were numerous ancient mountains and trees on the Divine Island, alongside the immortal mist in the sky, dense spiritual energy pervading everything within its surroundings.

As far as the eye could see, rows and rows of palaces stretched out in an orderly fashion, resembling a magnificent celestial kingdom, pressing down from above.

As for the Immortal Birds, Auspicious Beasts, Sacred Medicines and Divine Springs, there were countless of them as well.

Even among the Ranker, there were few abodes that could compare to his current area.

Gu Changge allowed his followers to choose their own mansions and room, before quickly disappearing into the void, since he'd just sensed the familiar aura of the scapegoat prince, Ying Shuang, arriving at the academy.

He had allowed him to leave in their previous encounter with the purpose of using him as bait, in order to draw out the Forbidden Demonic Organization lurking inside the shadows.

Gu Changge was not very familiar with the origin of this organization. If he could use them, that would be best. If not, then was no need for such a loose thread to exist.

A hidden organization of such scale might end up hindering his subsequent future plans. And that wasn't something he wanted to see.

The news of Gu Changge's arrival at the True Immortal Academy spread like wildfire.

Upon hearing this news, the usually apathetic faces of many young geniuses filled in with a variety of colours.

Among the younger generation, if someone didn't know Gu Changge, they would undoubtedly be ridiculed by others, as Gu Changge held a very high position among his peers.

Even the other top ten Rankers did not dare underestimate him.

At this moment, in a mansion surrounded by purple mist and divine light, a young man with a strange scar on his forehead, dressed in a purple robe and with hands clasped behind his back, was murmuring to himself:

4

"Junior Sister Daoxian, I've been waiting for your arrival at the True Immortal Academy."

"In my past life, I bowed before the Buddha countless times, but could not get you to turn back to look at me."

"You refused to stay and pursue the path of the Great Dao… and I also refused to stay and pursue your footsteps. If the reincarnation of this life is fate, then between you and me, only one of us will survive."

"If you refuse to look back at me, it will be the greatest regret of your life."

"I wonder if your Immortal Bone is better than mine, or if my Primordial Dao bone is unparalleled in this world!"

Although his words were spoken softly, they carried a deep and resentful sense of unwillingness and hatred.

A dense purple aura coiled around his body, erupting like a vast primordial mist, as if was hiding an ancient universe by itself.

Embroidered on his robes were countless stars and moons that seemed to be rotating at all times, emitting a thunderous sound that shook the world with a vigorous and terrifying aura.

Buzz!

Suddenly, a light appeared from the scar on his forehead, followed by the opening of a third eye, causing the space in front of him to become hazy.

Terrifying scenes appeared within his Divine Eye technique.

And the pressure exuded by this technique was extremely terrifying, as the primordial violet aura surrounded the world, tracing faint passages through the window of flashing time.

Fragments of scenes appeared before his eyes.

— — —

A dim, dark dungeon.

Vague and mysterious.

He could not see it clearly at all.

He felt an inexplicable tremor in his mind.

In this dim, damp underground cell, a young woman dressed in green was covered in wounds and chained to the wall.

Her expression was stubborn, cold, resolute, and full of hatred…

In front of her, a young man stood expressionless, holding a dagger and drawing blood, filling a stone bowl with it. He then raised it to his lips and drank it all in one go.

"The taste of the blood is getting weaker."

The man in purple robes only heard this vague and unclear sentence.

— — —

Suddenly, his vision darkened and his mind seemed to explode. The crack on his forehead oozed crimson.

Using the Heavenly Eye of the Dao to glimpse into the future fragments was extremely difficult even with his current ability.

But he still glimpsed a faint sign.

"How could this be…"

The man in purple robes was stunned, his fists clenched, unable to believe what he had seen.

Why did he catch a glimpse of this fragmented future?

The woman he loved but could not have, the one he had pursued the path of the Dao for his entire life, was destined to have such a tragic ending in this life?

He could not accept it.

Do you know how long he had waited for this life, waiting for her reincarnation?

He was born with innate intelligence, accompanied by the Primordial Dao Bone, and was also a descendant of the Immortal Dao Sect. He had once surpassed the world and became number one in the Upper Realm.

And by the peak of his life, he had proclaimed himself a Dao Lord for many eras, simply waiting patiently… for her reincarnation to be born.

Chapter 273: No One Left in the Nine Heavens and Ten Regions; Qing Feng's Mysterious Little Bottle!

Inside the cave, divine light flickered and immortal radiance intertwined, while a terrifying aura surged forth.

Even the living beings prostrating outside the cave felt the pressure and heard the commotion coming from within.

Their faces turned pale, and they trembled, unable to understand why their master, who was always calm and in control, was so angry today.

Because no matter what, their master always exuded a confident and indifferent demeanour, seemingly in control of everything.

Even if the sky were to fall, their master's expression probably wouldn't change.

"Could it be that even our master has encountered some difficulty? Could it be that the recent arrival of the Gu Family's successor has something to do with it?"

They all speculated in their hearts.

Prior to this, their master would occasionally inquire about the affairs of the Immortal Gu Family, showing great interest.

Therefore, they subconsciously believed that their master was wary of the Gu Family's successor.

After all, from various rumours, the Gu Family's successor seemed to be excessively powerful and abnormal.

Although their master had once dominated the world and became the number one in the upper realm, he had not appeared in public since then.

Who knew what the outcome would be when facing the Gu Family's successor?

Inside the cave, the man in the purple robe still couldn't believe the result, his eyes filled with disbelief and shock.

"This is impossible. Isn't Gu Changge her cousin? How could he do such a thing…"

"I knew that Gu Changge wasn't a good person. His current appearance in front of everyone is just an act. He is, in fact, a ruthless and indifferent person. The so-called 'digging bones and avenging his sister' is just a joke."

The man in the purple robe calmed down at this point, and many expressions flickered in his eyes.

He did not doubt his ability to see through the world with his Divine Eye technique.

In the image he saw, the young man was undoubtedly Gu Changge.

Although the man in the purple robe had never seen Gu Changge in person, he had seen his portrait, and the person in the vision he saw was almost identical.

As for the young woman in the cold and damp dungeon, hanging on the wall with iron chains piercing through her body, she was his junior sister in his previous life, Daoxian.

In this life, she should be called Gu Xian'er, the beloved daughter of the Gu Family.

But in her childhood, her cousin, Gu Changge, cruelly dug out her Dao Bone, causing her great suffering and hardships.

In the end, Gu Changge was forced to clarify the matter publicly in front of everyone in the Heavenly Dao Ancient City and return the Dao Bone to Gu Xian'er.

The purple-robed man was born later in this life, and when he learned of all this, Gu Changge had already returned the Great Dao bone to Gu Xian'er.

He thought that all grievances had been resolved.

But he never thought that he would see such a glimpse of the future today, which made his heart tremble with horror, unable to calm down.

He originally thought that this life was his destined battle with Gu Xian'er. In the past life, she not only refused to look back at him but also cut off his hope of pursuing her.

At that time, his junior sister was so proud, wholeheartedly pursuing the Great Dao without any distractions. Even their masters in the sect were eventually left far behind by her.

However, a sudden catastrophe destroyed not only him but also his sect, and of course, it also destroyed his junior sister.

The purple-robed man never thought that he could be reincarnated. His talent in his original sect could only be considered mediocre at best.

Compared to his brilliant and dazzling little junior sister, his talents were really far behind.

As a result, he unexpectedly reincarnated, even though the era they were in had become an unrecorded history that no one dared to mention. Even now, he couldn't help but feel desolate, desperate, and fearful when he recalled it.

On that day, the entire world collapsed, and even the Immortals who had lived for ages and were meant to never die were killed by the one spear that crossed the universe and split the eternal. The entire world wept, and even the Immortals perished.

The Immortal Palace that overlooked the myriad of worlds and sat within the cycle of reincarnation was also turned into ashes in a day.

As for living beings? One palm destroyed eight thousand provinces, and there was no one left in the Nine Heavens and Ten Regions.

Since then, no one dared to mention that era, and even he now only heard vague bits and pieces of it, which had become taboo.

The years go by, and countless eras were erased in the cycle of reincarnation.

But he reincarnated.

He believed in reincarnation and even more in his exceptionally talented junior sister, who would one day reappear in the world just like him.

How many lifetimes had he waited for this?

"Why did you end up like this in this life? It doesn't fit your character…"

Then, the man in the purple robe gritted his teeth and once again used the Heavenly Eye of the Dao.

Although it was only a fragment of the future, it still required a great cost for him.

Using the Heavenly Eye of the Dao twice in one day meant that he probably wouldn't be able to use it again for at least six months.

The injury to his Origin from peering into the future was a price that no one could avoid.

In the next moment, the light in front of him once again became hazy, and the signs of time flowed.

The man in the purple robe's face grew even paler.

— — —

Soon, the image appeared again, still the same cold and damp dungeon.

Suddenly, he felt a gaze looking at him from that future image.

The young man had sensed something.

He looked up, his mouth curved with interest.

His calm gaze seemed to pass through layers of space and fall directly in front of him.

"Interesting."

Upon hearing this sentence, the man in the purple robe felt like his head was about to explode.

The third eye on his forehead even cracked with terrifying wounds, oozing blood.

However, what frightened him the most was that the other party had noticed him.

— — —

Puff!

He couldn't help but spew out a mouthful of blood. Although these images quickly disappeared, they still left him with lingering fear and trembling.

"Gu Changge is definitely not as simple as he seems on the surface. He's a hundred times more terrifying than the rumours… How could such a monster appear in this world…"

The expression of the man in the purple robe became unprecedentedly solemn.

— — —

"Brother, all the elders say that I have the Immortal Demon Physique. What kind of physique is that?"

In a pavilion enveloped in rosy clouds and fairy mist.

Qing Xiaoyi and Qing Feng, who had undergone a dramatic transformation, were here talking.

The two of them had a significant difference compared to when they were begging on the street in front of the mountain gate. They now exuded the feeling of disciples of a major sect, their bodies enveloped in a radiant aura.

It could be said that the effect of washing and tempering was excellent, sweeping away all the dirt.

Qing Xiaoyi wore a clean and simple white dress, adorned with simple pendants. The skirt flowed with a faint glow, with various rules and divine chains interweaving, displaying the girl's purity and gentleness.

At this moment, she was asking Qing Feng about her physique.

Qing Feng smiled and said, "Little Yi, all you need to know is that your talent is very powerful. Look, all the elders are eager to take you as their disciple. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have been able to enter the True Immortal Academy."

"Compared to the various cultivation treasures and places we talked about before, the True Immortal Academy is far superior. Even the water we drink here is from a divine spring that is rare outside and of great value."

He sighed with emotion. Without Qing Xiaoyi, he would still be a beggar with nothing.

Not to mention the foundation building, even learning Dao and practising cultivation would be unimaginable for him.

Although he had no spiritual roots for cultivation, the elders had specially transplanted a spiritual root for him to become a little genius with good cultivation talent, all for the sake of impressing Qing Xiaoyi.

Although in a place like the True Immortal Academy, he couldn't even compare to the servants of those Young Supremes, he was already content.

There was no doubt that Qing Xiaoyi's terrifying talent instantly made her a hot commodity in the hands of various old monsters, a coveted treasure.

Everyone wanted to take her in, even though she was only thirteen or fourteen years old and had never practised cultivation.

This was something that couldn't even be considered for other geniuses.

"But brother, I actually don't want to practice cultivation. The way those elders look at me scares me. I feel like they don't see me as a person, but more like an object."

Qing Xiaoyi looked a bit uneasy and worried as she spoke, "For me, I just want you and me to live a good life, have enough to eat, not be bullied by others, and then find the cultivator who killed Grandpa and avenge him. The world of cultivation is too cruel, and it scares me…"

"I know your concerns, Xiaoyi. It's all my fault for being powerless and not being able to protect you, to give you a carefree life…" Qing Feng said with guilt.

"Brother, don't say that. Actually, I think that day in front of the mountain gate, if the elders didn't show up, could we have followed Young Master Changge? He's such a good person. At that time, I felt that only he looked at us with normal eyes, not like the others who looked at us like we were monkeys."

As Qing Xiaoyi spoke, her voice became shy and low. She was only thirteen or fourteen years old.

On that day, in that situation, the only person who stood up to help them was a man who should have been high and mighty, far above the world of mortals.

It made Qing Xiaoyi feel as if it was all a dream.

During this period of time, the scene would constantly replay in her mind.

If the elder had not appeared, she might have ended up becoming a sword-bearer under Young Master Changge with her brother.

As the sword-bearers of Young Master Changge, no one would dare to bully them.

Maybe that wouldn't be so bad.

"Young Master Changge is indeed different from others, but don't overthink things, Little Yi. To him, what happened back then was just a small matter. Don't think he did something special for you. And remember, even if we become disciples of the True Immortal Academy now, the gap between our status and his is still huge…"

"Someone like him probably doesn't even remember our names," Qing Feng said, seeing the expression on his sister's face.

Realizing what his sister was thinking, Qing Feng couldn't help but smile wryly and persuade her.

"Oh… Brother, don't say that. I'm not overthinking things. I just want to repay Young Master Changge's kindness if I have the chance in the future. Don't say things like that."

Qing Xiaoyi quickly waved her hands, denying it. Her fair face was blushing, feeling a little flustered by being caught off guard.

Moreover, she was now a disciple of various old monsters, and maybe she would see Young Master Changge again in the future.

Afterwards, Qing Feng sighed, shook his head, and left.

He and Qing Xiaoyi had different pavilions, so he returned to his room and made sure there was no one around.

Then, Qing Feng carefully took out a bottle from his arms.

It was a very antique bottle, palm-sized, without any patterns, plain and unremarkable.

However, the old beggar who adopted them was killed by cultivators because of this bottle.

And they escaped because they were not there at the time.

Later, based on the clues left by the old beggar, Qing Feng found this bottle in the dilapidated temple well where they usually lived.

It was a relic left by the old beggar.

Qing Feng naturally kept it carefully, but he didn't know what the bottle was for.

It wasn't until these days when he tried to cultivate that he discovered the bottle was absorbing his spiritual energy.

And then it feeds back to him a more pure and profound aura.

The aura is very heavy, one after another, pressing down on the void as if it could collapse at any moment.

Although Qing Feng had little knowledge, he knew that the aura was likely the rumoured Chaotic Qi that could crush a mountain with just one strand.

The Chaotic Qi was nourishing his blood, bones, and internal organs.

With such a precious treasure, Qing Feng naturally handled it with the utmost care, afraid that it would be discovered by others.

In a place like True Immortal Academy, where there are many strong people, even a slight mistake can be noticed by others.

So he didn't even tell Qing Xiaoyi about this.

— — —

"Greetings, Young Master Changge!"

At the same time, the figure of Gu Changge appeared at the Mountain Gate of the True Immortal Academy.

In recent days, the True Immortal Academy has become increasingly lively, with young talents from all over the world rushing to join.

The Young Supremes and the Ancient Freaks were all gathered here, with astonishing aura and vigorous vitality.

At the Mountain Gate, there were now several elders responsible for checking the age of the applicants.

When he saw Gu Changge, the old man in white named Wang Zhongyong immediately smiled and stepped forward to greet him.

"I don't know why Young Master Changge has come here?"

He asked.

The arrival of Gu Changge caused quite a commotion, and almost all the Young Supremes looked over and were extremely surprised.

For many, it was the first time they saw Gu Changge in real life, and they all had expressions of reverence and curiosity in their eyes.

However, there was a layer of mist surrounding Gu Changge, making it difficult to see him clearly, as if he was standing in another world.

The vast expanse of sky and earth made the young man standing on the rocks appear even more ethereal and otherworldly.

Many young women's eyes flashed with admiration when they saw him.

Chapter 274: The Purpose of the Bait has Been Fulfilled; First Impression of Gu Changge!

In the midst of the crowd, a young man dressed in dark gold armour stood out in particular, with a slender figure, and overwhelming eyes that flashed with multicoloured radiance.

When he saw Gu Changge, his expression contorted into one of hatred and anger, but it was quickly suppressed, disappearing into a calm demeanour.

At this moment, even those who knew him best wouldn't recognize that he was once Heavenly Prince, Ying Shuang.

Currently, the royal prince had changed his appearance and became just a random cultivator, another nameless Young Genius among many.

"What's wrong?"

Beside the young man in dark golden armour was an old man in a wide robe, with a clear and refined face, looking like an immortal.

Ying Shuang addressed him as Mo Lao.

This was the unfathomable old monster who had taken him away after he'd been thrown into a desolate place by the three Great Sacred Realm cultivators, following their battle at the All-Devouring Battlefield.

They had told him that someone would come for him in due time.

But Ying Shuang naturally didn't believe it. He always thought that those three Great Sages were people arranged specifically by Gu Changge.

Even those words were deliberately spoken by Gu Changge.

All of this was to make him take the blame for Gu Changge, making him the scapegoat for his crimes.

However, what Ying Shuang didn't expect… was that someone really would come for him at that moment, introducing himself as part of an 'organization of Demonic Art Inheritors', and as a follower of the Demon Lord.

Just like him, or so they said.

Among them, this Mo Lao was one of the most terrifying and unfathomable in terms of strength and cultivation.

Ying Shuang wanted to explain that he was being framed and wasn't really an Inheritor of Demonic Arts.

The real Inheritor was someone else entirely!

Nonetheless, he also knew that once this was confirmed by them, he would not be able to escape death even with a supreme treasure like the Golden Ancient Bell.

Today, Heavenly Emperor's Mountain no longer had a place for him.

He had become a person that everyone hated and was like a rat crossing the street, chased and beaten all the way.

As soon as his whereabouts were known, countless cultivators would no doubt immediately swarm over to kill him.

This made Ying Shuang furious!

Towards Gu Changge, this devious enemy who had taken everything away from him…he only felt an endless resentment.

"Previously, you suffered a great loss at the hands of Gu Changge. But this time, at the True Immortal Academy, it will not be the same."

"With us supporting you from behind, even if it's Gu Changge, he will have to weigh his options before acting."

Seeing Ying Shuang's expression, the old man named Mo Lao couldn't help but smile slightly, as he understood what was going on in his head.

In addition to being a follower of the Demon Lord, his other identity was as an elder at the True Immortal Academy.

Even the other elders of the True Immortal Academy were unaware of this startling, horrifying fact.

Upon hearing this, Ying Shuang also calmed down and nodded:

"I understand."

He didn't know if it was an illusion or not, but he felt as if Gu Changge in front of the Mountain Gate had been observing him.

Nevertheless, since he dared to show up at the True Immortal Academy, it showed that he had absolute confidence and wasn't afraid of being discovered.

"I heard that Mingkong is coming, so I came here to welcome her."

Gu Changge smiled slightly and answered the question from the white-robed old man earlier.

"I see, the relationship between Young Master Changge and Princess Mingkong is really harmonious."

Upon hearing this, the white-robed elder couldn't help but sigh and laugh. The other cultivators also heard this sentence, and many of the Heavenly Daughters became deeply envious.

The one Gu Changge referred to in his words…

Was undoubtedly his fiancee, Princess Yue Mingkong, the current Empress of the Supreme Immortal Dynasty.

"I can't help it, this woman made me personally come to pick her up, so what can I do but comply?"

Despite his helplessness, the smile on Gu Changge's face remained gentle and graceful, and his tone even carried a hint of indulgence.

For some reason, many Young Supreme, especially the Heavenly Daughters, felt sour and envious in their hearts. Had they just eaten dog food without realizing it?

They felt a certain jealousy towards Yue Mingkong.

Is there any other woman in this world worthy of Gu Changge's affection?

Of course, Gu Changge's words were just a casual lie. His main purpose in coming here was actually Ying Shuang, mainly because he perceived his aura at the Mountain Gate.

He felt that the so-called Forbidden Demonic Arts' Organization wasn't a force formed spontaneously, but rather the gathering together of those following a certain individual presence.

As for who the person is, it's not difficult for Gu Changge to guess that he was the founder of the Forbidden Demonic Arts. Who else could it be?

Therefore, he wanted to know what this so-called Forbidden Demonic Organization's goals and motives were, and what exactly it was they wished to achieve.

'From the attitude of those people from the True Immortal Academy, it looks like that old man should be an elder of the academy, so his cultivation is at least at the Realm of Supreme.'

'I guess now it's equivalent to having a Supreme backing him up?'

Gu Changge's expression turned somewhat intrigued.

He was contemplating whether or not to keep Ying Shuang alive, since his identity was already changed and even the Forbidden Demonic Arts Organisation was lured out.

Which basically concludes that… Ying Shuang was now worthless.

However, if Ying Shuang were to die, the Heavenly Emperor might be able to detect it, which would pose a small problem for Gu Changge.

Therefore, he is now considering how to openly kill Ying Shuang without making it seem that the Forbidden Demonic Arts' Inheritor was already dead.

This would require some special methods.

Create a show of the Forbidden Demonic Arts' Inheritor faking his death and escaping.

In addition, Gu Changge planned to let Su Qingge make contact with this organization, however it would require some manipulation. After all, she is this generation's true Inheritor of the Forbidden Demonic Arts.

Although Su Qingge was probing his attitude, she had not openly revealed her identity yet.

Moreover, Gu Changge was even less likely to explain his situation to her, not because he didn't trust her, but because his secrets couldn't be easily revealed to another.

Except for Yue Mingkong, Jiang Chuchu, and Hei Yanyu from the Immortal Ancient Continent, no one else knew that he practised Forbidden Demonic Arts.

And all of them, for various reasons, cannot possibly leak this information.

'Next, Su Qingge will definitely secretly cultivate Forbidden Demonic Arts behind my back. With so many Young Geniuses in the True Immortal Academy, those old fogies may not even notice… she will definitely be unable to resist it.'

'This is the perfect breeding ground.'

As Gu Changge was thinking, outside the Mountain Gate, the clear and melodious cry of a phoenix could be heard!

In the sky to the East, nine black phoenixes stormed towards the academy, pulling a grand chariot behind them.

Their speed was immense, rushing through the high sky before descending in a rain of divine fire.

It was naturally Yue Mingkong who arrived.

At the same time, in another direction, a huge nine-headed golden lion, as if cast from gold, was also rushing towards the heavens.

The sound of chanting echoed, and the light of Buddha shone brightly, appearing very dazzling and bright.

A handsome young monk bearing an extremely peculiar pattern between his eyebrows and wearing a moon-white monk robe, sat cross-legged on top with a dignified appearance, his hands clasped firmly together.

At that moment, there was a tremendous explosion of commotion beneath the Immortal Academy.

Many Young Supremes were stunned, quickly recognizing who it was.

"The Nine-Headed Lion? Is this the Golden Cicada Temple's carriage? The force at the pinnacle of the Buddha Mountain?"

"I heard that the Buddha Mountain's Heir of this generation is named Jin Chan… could this be him? I didn't expect the secluded Buddha Mountain to actually send their heir here. It seems that this is truly a golden age."

"If it really is him, then they're definitely not to be underestimated. Jin Chan, the Maitreya Candidate, is said to possess a total of 108 pieces of Divine Buddhist Bones inside his body. And on the day of his birth, a Buddha's phantom appeared above the Nine Heavens, smiling as he plucked a flower for him alone."

"This Buddhist was said to have gone to the Demon Burial Abyss1 and walked out of it alive… who knows if it's true or false!"

Gasp! "He actually went to the Demon Burial Abyss, how terrifying…"

Many Young Geniuses delved into discussion, shocked by the young monk.

The status of Buddha Mountain was not inferior to that of the Human Ancestral Temple or the Heavenly Emperor's Mountain, and there had not been an heir to the mountain for many generations.

This showed the power and mystery of this monk.

"He went into the Demon Burial Abyss?"

Hearing the discussions nearby, Gu Changge's eyes narrowed slightly.

He was planning to craft a careful plan for the upcoming emergence of the Scarlet Demoness, but he did not expect this generation's Buddhist Heir to suddenly appear.

"Changge…"

At this moment, a familiar and slightly surprised voice sounded in his ear.

Moonlight steps and a light footfall brought her to his side, as the few elders responsible for checking bone age retreated, not daring to inquire further.

She was flawlessly beautiful, with a fairy-like appearance, enhanced by her natural style. A tall, slender figure, with smooth and silky hair, her deep, serene eyes capable of charming everything in the world.

Like an immortal from inside a painting come to life.

The dress she wore, sewn from the silk spun by Quasi-Sacred Realm level Silkworms, glimmered a faint radiance, interweaving various rules and laws in between each strand, which indicated its inestimable value.

Behind her were also a large number of followers.

Turning his head and giving a slight smile, Gu Changge deftly held her small hand, "You're finally here?"

"Yeah."

Standing beside him, shoulder to shoulder, Yue Mingkong was somewhat surprised, "Did you wait for me?"

She couldn't believe that Gu Changge would be so good as to wait there so patiently and willingly for her.

However, seeing him as soon as she arrived at the True Immortal Academy did make her feel a little touched.

"Of course, why else would I be here? Everyone present can testify for me." Gu Changge smiled.

All the Young Geniuses looked at this scene and secretly rolled their eyes, envious to the extreme. Yet what could one even say when the two were a perfect match?

Yue Mingkong still harboured some doubts in her eyes, but then scanned the many Young Geniuses below.

She felt somewhat relieved when she didn't see any suspicious faces.

Following that, her gaze landed on Jin Chan, sitting in meditation on top of the Nine-Headed Lion, and she thought to herself:

'This mysterious Buddhist monk just revealed his true appearance in front of the world for the first time.'

She still remembered, in her past life, when Jin Chan had helped a certain Ancient Freak clear his suspicion of being the Forbidden Demonic Arts' Inheritor, and ended up gaining the attention of Gu Changge.

Later on, the Demon Burial Abyss erupted into chaos, and Jin Chan rushed there. But he had seemingly encountered an unseen danger, and for a long time, there was no news of him.

In her past life, Yue Mingkong didn't know why Gu Changge chose to seal the Demon Burial Abyss.

Although it was not completely successful, he achieved great results and successfully delayed it for some time.

Recently, due to Gu Changge asking her about some things, she indirectly found out quite a bit about the Demon Burial Abyss from him.

However, there was one thing she couldn't figure out in the end.

Many of the situations and events happening currently were ones meant to be postponed for at least a few decades or even centuries!

The emergence of the True Immortal Academy was at least ten or so years earlier than in the past life!

And the eruption of the Demon Burial Abyss was even more drastic!

"Brother Jin."

At this moment, Gu Changge surprisingly took the initiative to greet the new arrival, Jin Chan, a scene everyone watched with bated breath.

As a contemporary Buddhist Heir, Jin Chan was very mysterious, but his nine-headed golden lion was at least in the Sacred Realm.

So to subdue it, he should at least have the strength of the Sacred Realm.

Gu Changge's strength was also unquestionable, as even the elders of the True Immortal Academy treated him with respect. There were also rumours that Gu Changge had even fought against a Great Sacred Realm cultivator and wasn't backed even a step.

All of this made him seem even more mysterious and inscrutable.

At this moment, when the two of them meet, would there be a big collision?

Thinking of this, everyone became excited with anticipation.

"Greetings, Young Master Changge."

As Jin Chan landed, he joined his hands together in front of him and bowed in greeting to Gu Changge, his expression cool and collected.

However, the nine-headed golden lion behind him instead growled lowly, its fur bristling in fear and apprehension towards Gu Changge.

"Oh, and what might this mean?"

Gu Changge asked with great interest.

"Shanjing is very sensitive to various auras, perhaps he was scared by the presence of Young Master Changge or Princess Mingkong."

Jin Chan replied in an unwavering voice.

Shanjing was the name of the nine-headed golden lion who could transform into a human form and be both a servant and a mount. He possessed an almost intuitive talent for sensing various auras, and could discern good from evil with just one glance.

The reason for his disrespectful response was due to the suffocating Qi he felt from Gu Changge, feeling as if he were standing in the middle of a sea, formed from blood and corpses.

'Beneath his refined and gentle appearance lie terrifying methods that can make anyone's heart shudder.'

This was Jin Chan's first impression of Gu Changge.

Although he had just arrived, he had heard numerous rumours about Gu Changge, and all of them were almost perfect praises of him.

However, now it seemed that these rumours had only scratched the surface.

As a descendant of the Gu family, he was not a good person.

"Hm. I haven't done anything, yet it seems Brother Jin Chan has some preconceived notions towards this Gu and Mingkong based on a mere mount's reaction," Gu Changge casually laughed.

"But after all, a mount is just a mount, how can it compare to us at all?"

"I have always heard high praises regarding the mysterious nature of the Buddha Mountain, its various mystical and powerful techniques, and I have been yearning to explore it, although I was never given an opportunity to."

"Today, at the Mountain Gate, I happened to meet Brother Jin… It must be fate. This Gu wonder if Brother Jin can teach me something?"

His voice was natural and amiable, and his words were not grand, but they still spread throughout the Mountain Gate.

"What?!"

For a moment, everyone was shocked.

Realizing the meaning behind Gu Changge's words, was he planning to fight against the mysterious Buddhist disciple Jin Chan in front of them?

Boom!

Instantly, chaos erupted.

Everyone's faces, aside from shock, were filled with intense excitement and anticipation.

After all, they had only seen Gu Changge use his skills a handful of times. Thus, many were curious about just how strong he really was, and whether or not he lived up to his name.

Now, he was publicly issuing a challenge to the mysterious Buddhist Heir in front of them, a top contender in his own right.

It was truly shocking, to the point where even Mingkong was surprised, unable to understand Gu Changge's intentions.

Chapter 275: Establish Dominance; Stronger Than Everyone Else!

"Young Master Changge really want to confront Buddhist Jin Chan?"

The several elderly people in front of the mountain gate were shocked and looked at each other, not knowing what to say for a while.

According to reason, as one of the top ten Rankers now, both Gu Changge and Buddhist Jin Chan should be very cautious in their confrontation.

After all, any unfavourable outcome could easily undermine their status in the True Immortal Academy.

"Is Young Master Changge serious about this?"

Even Buddhist Jin Chan's face showed a serious expression, which was the first time he had revealed any emotion other than calmness.

He stared at Gu Changge intently.

Buddhist Jin Chan didn't think he had offended Gu Changge. This was only their first meeting.

"This Gu Changge is too arrogant. He doesn't even have other Young Geniuses in his eyes and is so self-assured."

Ying Shuang said as he clenched her fists amidst the crowd.

He became more convinced that Gu Changge was the True Inheritor of the Forbidden Demonic Arts. His purpose in taking action was likely only to test Jin Chan's strength, or to display his terrifying power in public.

In the future, the True Immortal Academy, like the Heavenly Dao Immortal Palace, would be dominated by Gu Changge.

"It is just sparring. Brother Jin doesn't have to care much about it."

Gu Changge said with a relaxed smile. "But if Brother Jin Chan refuses, this Gu won't force you."

"As one of the younger generation, there are not many who can pique my interest in sparring," he added.

Although Gu Changge's words were simple, they made everyone present feel as if a great mountain was weighing down on them, leaving them gasping for breath.

His attitude was casual and domineering, and he seemed completely indifferent to his opponent!

They knew that this was not just arrogance on Gu Changge's part, but rather that he truly had the confidence to speak in such a manner, making it impossible for anyone to refute him.

But his words were also a kind of recognition.

To be mentioned by Gu Changge as someone he was interested in sparring with was already a great honour!

"Very well then, I look forward to it!" Jin Chan sighed inwardly, knowing that this battle was inevitable.

He had not come to the True Immortal Academy to compete, but the pressure he felt from Gu Changge was not insignificant.

Soon, news of the incident spread throughout the area.

Streaks of rainbow lights continuously rushed from various parts of the True Immortal Academy, and figures appeared on the peaks to observe the battle.

It was not an exaggeration to say that this was the peak battle among the younger generation in the True Immortal Academy.

It was a battle between two of the top ten rankings in the academy!

Buzz!

In the depths of the sky, the chaotic mist spread, and a golden avenue extended all the way. The elders rushed over, equally eager and curious about the battle.

Many people had guessed the purpose of Gu Changge's action. Wasn't he trying to establish his prestige by taking the initiative to speak up?

As a newcomer, the True Immortal Academy had no accurate hierarchy.

By taking the initiative to fight, he was telling others about his strength, making them aware of their own abilities and acknowledging who was the most powerful in the academy.

Of course, this was just speculation from the crowd.

On top of a mountain peak, a woman with fiery phoenix wings on her back, dressed in a long red gown with flames wrapped around her arms.

Viewed from afar, she was exquisitely beautiful, with a naturally noble bearing, like a phoenix goddess sculpted from red fairy crystals.

She was the Ancient Freak from the Phoenix Mountain, and also one of the top ten Rankers, the Heavenly Phoenix Maiden!

It is said that she is related to the Immortal Phoenix, and there are even rumours that she is the reincarnation of the Immortal Phoenix.

"Gu Changge…"

She whispered these two words.

Then, her phoenix wings trembled behind her, and her figure blurred before she left the area.

— — —

[Inside a Cave]

'Gu Changge took the initiative to challenge Buddhist Jin Chan?'

A man in the purple robe furrowed his brow and thought, 'This is the perfect opportunity to investigate the truth behind the rumours. I must see it with my own eyes.'

With that, he swiftly left the area, surrounded by a magnificent purple aura, heading towards the Mountain Gate.

"Even Ziyang Tianjun is going there?"

This scene caught the attention of many people, causing shock and amazement.

Ziyang Tianjun was the first disciple to arrive at the True Immortal Academy, hailing from the immortal lineage of the Purple Palace.

At the same time, he was also an Ancient Freak who had been sealed for a long time, surpassing his contemporaries and ranking as the number one in the Upper Realm.

The Purple Palace was also an extremely mysterious and ancient immortal tradition, with an incredibly long and enduring legacy.

In front of the mountain gate, it was bustling.

Various figures flickered, all with powerful auras that would be invincible in the outside world, as they were all Young Supremes!

Among them, most were inner disciples and Numbered disciples. Many Rankers have yet to arrive at the True Immortal Academy.

For example, the two descendants of the Human Ancestral Hall were still missing, and the mysterious Six-Crowned King has not appeared.

In addition, the remaining major Rankers were also very mysterious, with elusive traces.

"I wonder who will win this battle? I feel that Buddhist Jin Chan is very mysterious. Before this, I had never heard of him, but being designated as a Ranker by the True Immortal Academy, he must have exceptional abilities."

"This battle is very suspenseful."

"Not necessarily. Without using other means, I think that Young Master Changge is definitely superior based on his own strength alone. After all, he is the only one who has ever been able to resist the Forbidden Demonic Arts' Inheritor."

"Nowadays, there are rumours that Young Master Changge may be the reincarnation of the Human Ancestor."

"Gosh! No wonder…"

Many people were discussing, and at this point, they couldn't help but inhale a cold breath, shocked.

"Young Master Changge!"

"My apologies!"

While everyone was discussing, Jin Chan, who had been sitting on the back of the Golden Nine-headed Lion all along, made a move. His voice was calm.

Radiant light filled the air, and Buddhist chants interwove, exuding unparalleled sacred brilliance.

As soon as he made a move, he displayed incredibly profound and mysterious Buddhist Arts, and an image of a divine halo appeared in his mind, resembling an immortal Buddha.

Moreover, he didn't dare to underestimate his opponent. The strength he displayed was already at the level of a Saint.

The ancient Buddha Dharma evolved, and a towering golden Buddha statue appeared, radiating dazzling light.

The terrifying aura made many Young Geniuses present turn pale and feel as if their bodies were about to burst.

"So strong!"

"Sacred Realm strength. Is this how powerful the current generation of Buddhist disciples is? It's already far beyond us!"

They were shocked and trembling in fear!

Such strength, if displayed earlier, would have definitely caused a sensation in various regions.

Boom!

The huge golden Buddha statue pressed down on Gu Changge, as if it was going to crush him.

"Brother Jin Chan, are you underestimating me? If this is all you can do, then I'm really disappointed."

However, on the face of Gu Changge, there was still a smile, seemingly indifferent.

Buzz!

He just raised one of his hands slightly!

The other hand didn't even move.

Instead, he lightly pressed forward!

The sound of booming exploded in the void as if it was about to burst open.

In the next moment, his palm became incredibly real, and the void collapsed instantly.

It was like the hand of the heavens, with the aura of the Great Dao circulating, accompanied by colourful divine light and immortal mist!

The thousand-zhang tall Buddha image, with its majestic appearance, shattered under this palm and disappeared instantly.

"What!? It shattered with just one strike…"

"It's simply despairing, this is too powerful!"

This scene made everyone present tremble in fear, involuntarily feeling a chill in their hearts.

"It cannot be measured by common sense."

Even the Heavenly Phoenix Maiden and Ziyang Tianjun frowned slightly, secretly comparing and realizing that neither Gu Changge nor Jin Chan had used their full strength.

Soon, Jin Chan made another move and a golden bowl flew out from under his monk's robe.

Buddhist light shone brightly, illuminating all directions and containing Zen, as if it could purify everything.

This was an Ancient Buddhist Artifact, containing the Holy power, and it radiated a terrifying Divine Light like a galaxy falling down.

Gu Changge was unfazed by this.

He only flicked his finger, and a burst of sword aura erupted.

But it produced a terrifying sword chant, and in a trance, everyone seemed to see an unparalleled immortal sword slashing through the universe, with the dazzling sword light falling down!

Everyone involuntarily closed their eyes.

The next moment, they heard a cracking sound, as if billions of rays of light were blooming, and the golden bowl had a crack.

Soon, this trace spread and seemed to be about to shatter.

If it weren't for Jin Chan realizing the situation was not good and quickly retracting it, he would have lost an Ancient Buddhist Artifact today.

"The strength of Young Master Changge is powerful, I'm no longer a match for you."

"I am willing to admit defeat."

Jin Chan's expression changed slightly, but he sighed and chose not to continue his attack, but rather to concede.

"Brother Jin Chan, you are really boring."

"But since you said so, naturally I won't make a move either."

Upon hearing this, Gu Changge seemed a little surprised, but his smile remained unchanged.

Jin Chan's choice to concede was within his expectations.

At times like this, with no grievances or grudges, who would use all their means and fight to the death?

He just wanted to test Jin Chan's strength and assess the feasibility of his subsequent plans.

Of course, he also wanted to establish his dominance and let everyone know that even at the same level, the difference between them was still significant.

In fact, Gu Changge didn't like the feeling of being compared to others.

Before, he was afraid of attracting unnecessary suspicion about his cultivation level.

But now, with the emergence of many Ancient Freaks and the second Inheritor of the Forbidden Demonic Arts, even if his cultivation level was stronger, he will not attract as much attention as before.

Although he was still competing with the younger generation, he wanted to make it clear to them that the gap between them was not small.

In simpler terms, he wanted to show that he was much stronger than them.

Although Gu Changge doesn't really care about the various resources of the True Immortal Academy, it doesn't mean that he doesn't care about the benefits that come with having a stronger cultivation level.

Upon hearing this, Jin Chan shook his head calmly without saying anything.

He did not appear to be defeated or resentful.

He still had many tricks up his sleeve, but he was aware that even with all of them, it would be difficult to defeat Gu Changge. He was just too strong, bone-deep strong!

Today, it was his bad luck to run into Gu Changge, but if he encountered other sequence disciples, Gu Changge would speak just as confidently.

He wanted to establish his dominance and establish a hierarchy so that in the future, he could rule the True Immortal Academy with an iron fist.

"This guy's confidence isn't unfounded."

"You're the only Inheritor who's been suppressed by the other Young Geniuses."

Outside the Mountain Gate, after a long silence, Mo Lao's expression became slightly solemn, and he spoke to Ying Shuang beside him.

For the first time, he felt that things were becoming tricky.

He thought finding this generation's Inheritor of Forbidden Demonic Arts would make things simpler, but why did someone like Gu Changge have to appear?

His strength was beyond belief. The power of Gu Changge was truly despair-inducing.

Ying Shunag estimated that even the original Prince Ying would not be able to compete with Gu Changge.

This made his fists clench tightly, feeling unwilling. Currently, he took comfort in the fact that he was hiding in the shadows, and Gu Changge was unaware of his presence at the True Immortal Academy.

This grudge, he would definitely repay!

— — —

"This matter requires careful consideration."

"Before that, I need to find a way to warn Gu Xian'er about the danger of Gu Changge."

"Although she was so cold to me in the past, I haven't reached the point of turning a blind eye when she's in such danger."

Ziyang Tianjun frowned, his expression was heavy as he muttered to himself.

He didn't know who would come out on top if he went all out against Gu Changge.

For the first time in his life, he lacked confidence when facing someone. Gu Changge was indeed much more terrifying than the rumours had suggested.

On the other side, the Heavenly Phoenix Maiden stared at Gu Changge, as if to remember him firmly, before disappearing quickly.

"This Jin Chan is quite unlucky."

Yue Mingkong spoke lightly, aware of Gu Changge's intentions.

"Unlucky? I think he is quite lucky. After all, he is still alive even after fighting with me." Gu Changge's smile was somewhat intriguing.

Yue Mingkong glanced at him and felt as if he was calculating something again. Was it related to the Demon Burial Abyss?

Soon, the result of the battle in front of the True Immortal Academy's Mountain Gate spread.

The battle at the True Immortal Academy caused great waves in the whole Upper Realm.

The younger generation naturally caught the attention of the major sects.

The fight between Gu Changge and Buddhist Jin Chan was particularly eye-catching.

The result of this battle was recorded on the Image-Recording Stones and spread among the various Ancient Cities.

For a while, Gu Changge's reputation reached a new peak.

Previously, many people felt that he had not cultivated for long enough and was not comparable to those Ancient Freaks.

But today's battle shocked many people and left them speechless.

Even those Ancient Freaks would probably pale in comparison before him.

Many of the older generation felt that they probably weren't even a match for Gu Changge anymore, and unconsciously, he had grown to a point where he was being watched and feared by the older generation.

— — —

[Several Days Later]

"It seems that Qing Xiaoyi has indeed joined the True Immortal Academy."

"The so-called Immortal Demon Physique."

"If my memory serves me right, the bottle is now in the hands of her brother."

These words were spoken in a magnificent palace located very close to where Gu Changge was.

Yue Mingkong spoke softly, with many different expressions flashing in her eyes.

Yue Mingkong had a strong impression of Qing Xiaoyi, who was a legendary figure in her previous life.

Her rise to power shocked the various sects and forces in the upper realm, as she was one of the True Immortal Academy's two most prized disciples.

The other was a peculiar stone that had been sealed by the True Immortal Academy for many years.

Chapter 276 Origin of the Immortal Demon Physique; Gu Xian'er methods.

[In a Palace]

'Qing Xiaoyi, who was called Immortal Qingyi in my previous life, had an Immortal Demon Physique. Even if she started to practice at the age of fourteen, she has reached the top rapidly. Her cultivation surpassed many Ancient Freaks and she was never defeated.'

'And with the mysterious stone in the True Immortal Academy, they were the True Immortals who were the centre of the world.'

'I just don't know if Qing Xiaoyi will suffer the poisonous hand of Changge in this life…'

'Speaking of which, she fell during her most brilliant and splendid time and it caused the anger of True Immortal Academy. In the end, nothing was found, and it became a headless unsolved case. So…she was actually tragically poisoned by Changge.'

'On the contrary, it's that mysterious stone that kept a low profile. After Qing Xiaoyi disappeared, it became more and more low-key, and there are very few people who have seen its true face.'

'However, I heard Changge say that the mysterious stone is the only one who retreated after fighting with him. So it seems that his cultivation base is at least above the Sacred Realm… But there's no telling if Changge was speaking the truth.'

'He said that the other party retreated completely, and that was probably only when he didn't use his real skills.'

Yue Mingkong was sitting on the bed, with a slender figure and a picturesque immortal-like face.

She narrowed her eyes lightly, and all kinds of thoughts flashed through her clear eyes.

She was not only thinking about the next plan but also thinking about how to get the Ancient Artifact from the hands of Qing Xiaoyi's elder brother.

Many memories of her previous life flashed through her mind.

As for Qing Xiaoyi, since she has nothing to do with her, Yue Mingkong naturally didn't care about her.

What will happen to her in this life was something she doesn't care about at all.

Then, she suddenly raised her hand, and an ancient-looking bronze mirror that looked a little rusty suddenly appeared in her palm.

This mirror looks unremarkable, without any pattern.

However, as Yue Mingkong's aura coursed through it, it soon emitted hazy brilliance.

As if it was washed clean by rain, the dirt was washed away, and rust on its surface was removed, and it became crystal clear.

Buzz!

This crystal clear ancient mirror was reflecting a destructive aura flowing in the void.

Looking at this ancient mirror, Yue Mingkong's eyes moved slightly, and she whispered to herself,

"Now, I already have two of the Seven Heavenly Treasures. The Heaven Encompassing Bottle is in the hands of Qing Xiaoyi's elder brother. In the previous life, Changge had the Heaven Encompassing Vase in his hands, and the whereabouts of the others are not clear."

"It is said that the collection of Seven Heavenly Treasures has the power of Heaven, and it is even possible to find the remains of the Immortal Palace that had once collapsed in the river of time."

It's needless to say, how cherished the Immortal Palace's Artifacts are, even the immortals have been searching for a lifetime, but still they haven't seen any traces.

And these Seven Heavenly Treasures happened to be the keys left behind by the Immortal Palace.

Two of the Seven Heavenly Treasures, the Heaven Encompassing Mirror and Heaven Encompassing Ruler's Seal were in her hand.

The other five are the Heaven Encompassing Sword, Heaven Encompassing Wheel, Heaven Encompassing Vase, Heaven Encompassing Bottle, and Heaven Encompassing Pagoda.

According to the memory of her previous life, she had already found the whereabouts of the Heaven Encompassing Mirror and Heaven Encompassing Ruler's Seal, and was the first to seize them.

As for the Heaven Encompassing Vase, she heard that it would appear in an auction, but she didn't go there, knowing that it would end up in Gu Changge's hand.

After all, the purpose of her collecting all these was actually for Gu Changge, which could save him some trouble.

However, for fear of causing unnecessary suspicion to Gu Changge, she hadn't informed him yet.

While Yue Mingkong was thinking about the subsequent plan, on the other side, Gu Changge also started working on his next plan in the cave.

He was planning to make Prince Shuang continue to carry the black pot as there was no suitable candidate for replacing him right now.

Before that, Gu Changge planned to get in touch with the so-called Forbidden Demonic Arts' Inheritor's Organisation.

In his opinion, this organisation was at most a gathering of the followers of the Demon Lord, and actually knows very little about the Demon Lord and the inheritors of the Forbidden Demonic Arts.

But more or less, they still have a role albeit a small one.

Therefore, in a short period of time, Ying Shuang did not dare to reveal his whereabouts, and the elder of the True Immortal Academy would also try to protect him.

It is for these reasons that Gu Changge was considering letting all the Young Supremes know that the current Inheritor of Forbidden Demonic Arts was actually mixed into the True Immortal Academy.

This creates a situation that makes all parties panic, disturbed, and even more chaotic. For him, it's better to fish in turbulent waters.

At that time, something happened to the so-called Young Supremes.

Ying Shuang only dared to bite the bullet and say that it was what he did. After all, the organisation of Forbidden Demonic Arts' Inheritors was his only umbrella right now.

With this premise, Su Qingge dared to do it in secret.

Gu Changge was also creating an opportunity for her.

Of course, he did some tricks in secret, and pushed Su Qingge out of the way, so that the people in the Organisation of the Inheritor of Forbidden Demonic Arts would notice her.

Since then, Ying Shuang's value has been exhausted, and there was no reason to let him live.

"Reaching the peak of the Sacred Realm, I could fight the Great Sacred Realm. I wonder if the Dao Fruit will be able to accept the Origin Essence of Immortal Demonic Physique."

The Dao Fruit was dropped from the Heavenly Treasured Chest when Gu Changge killed the Human Ancestor.

In layman's terms, it was a copying technique.

Nowadays, there were a lot of old monsters and antiques around Qing Xiaoyi. If Gu Changge directly acted on her, it may cause a lot of suspicions.

The losses would outweigh the gains.

Moreover, he felt that Qing Xiaoyi had a good impression of him. If he used her a little, it would be more valuable than directly devouring her Origin.

So, he intends to obtain the Immortal Demon Physique in some other way.

Gu Changge sat down on his knees, a cloud of immortal mist rose up all over his body, and from every pore, Qi and vitality, like a sea of stars spurted out.

The top of his head crown shone even brighter, and the Innate Deities had already transformed into something indescribable, into indecipherable, unnameable Ancient Gods.

Just looking at it would make people palpitate and go crazy, and can't help but want to kneel down.

Finally, these terrifying, heaven-shattering forces coiled in the cave, were suppressed by Gu Changge.

This kind of aura is so terrifying that even if a real Great Sage was standing in front of him, they would feel their body crack, and it would be unbearable to the point they would explode.

Gu Changge, according to his old habit, first exchanged the recently obtained Destiny Points, although there were many things in the system mall.

But attracted his attention the most was the Transcendent Bones.

Now he had 60 Transcendent Bones all over his body, each of which is interwoven with a mysterious colour.

The mysterious intent spreads and the immortal mist shines brightly, like the brightest immortal gold.

Of course, this statement was not accurate, but it was a substance that has metamorphosed to the extreme and contained the supreme aura of heaven and earth, the Immortal Period, the universe and the chaos.

This was no longer a simple skeleton.

Buzz!

Then, a familiar aura shrouded down, followed by a lot of dreamy and mysterious light, filling out the flesh, skin, and heart of Gu Changge.

Then, these ten bones also morphed into Transcendent Bones.

"The perception of the Laws brought by the 70 pieces of Transcendent Bones has far exceeded that of ordinary cultivators in the Great Sacred Realm. Even some Quasi-Supreme ones will be slightly inferior."

Gu Changge's expression was a little thoughtful.

— — —

Soon, there were only three days left until the gates of True Immortal Academy closed.

During this period, Young Geniuses from all over the Upper Realm gathered together.

Including the descendants of the Ancestral Hall, the prince from Heavenly Emperor's Mountain, and the mysterious Six-Crowned King had all arrived.

At this moment, outside the tall and magnificent Mountain Gate, Gu Xian'er walked briskly.

With a beautiful little face, her porcelain white complexion, and with cold and arrogant expression, she stepped on the bluestone stairs and climbed up the stairs.

However, it attracted many Young Supremes nearby to look over, and their eyes were amazed.

This girl didn't look very old, but they can already see her appearance which will bring disaster to the country and the people in the future.

She was dressed in a light blue long dress, looking slender and long, with soft hair, and a big red bird on her shoulders.

After leaving Peach Village and rushing to the battlefield to kill some of the All-Devouring Creatures, she arrived at the True Immortal Academy.

Even as the princess of the Immortal Gu Family, she was not as high-profile as Gu Changge. She was just accompanied by a bird, and looked a little poor and simple.

'During this period of time, I did my best to practise and already broke through the God King Realm.'

'I will soon be able to catch up to Gu Changge!'

Gu Xian'er was in a good mood, her footsteps seemed brisk, and she quickly walked towards the Mountain Gate.

Many Young Supremes wanted to talk to her, but they were rejected thousands of miles away by her arrogant expression.

They could not help but feel palpitations, knowing that they were no match for this girl.

The old man in white who was in charge of checking the bone age was Wang Zhongyong. He was very shrewd and recognized at a glance that she was related to Gu Changge.

He didn't dare to be negligent.

"Miss Xian'er?" He sounded obsequious.

"You know me?"

Gu Xian'er raised her eyebrows slightly, and there was a little doubt in her cold voice.

Could it be that her name, Gu Xian'er, has already spread to True Immortal Academy, and even the elders in front of the mountain gate know about her?

"This old man knows Young Master Changge…" Wang Zhongyong smiled.

The look in Gu Xian'er's eyes looked a little happy, but she still coldly asked, "Did he ask you to come here to pick me up?"

"Uh…this…"

Wang Zhongyong's smile froze, a little embarrassed.

How can he agree to this?

Gu Changge never asked him for something like that. After hearing about Gu Changge's deeds, he deliberately saw the portrait of his cousin beforehand and he recognized Gu Xian'er because of it.

"…"

Gu Xian'er knew at a glance that she was happy for nothing, and she was a little angry, but one still couldn't see anything on the surface.

She thought that Gu Changge would be waiting for her here, and even if he didn't come, he would send someone to pick her up.

But…

This guy actually ignored her again!

Afterwards, Gu Xian'er, who had such an indignant mood in her heart, followed the procedure: first, her bone age was checked, she paid the points, and then entered the True Immortal Academy.

According to her current strength, she should be a Numbered Disciple, and there was still a lot of gap from the Rankers.

However, not long after Gu Xian'er entered True Immortal Academy, she arrived at the mountain peak, and she felt that there were several Young Supremes in front of her, looking at her with a malicious look in their eyes.

The cultivation of these Young Supremes has reached the Heavenly God Realm, and they can be regarded as inner disciples of the True Immortal Academy and the person in the lead was in the God King Realm.

They seem to have been here for a long time, and their eyes have been looking at the new disciples who have entered the mountain gate nearby.

"Is this some kind of rule in the True Immortal Academy?"

"Looking at disciples who just entered the Mountain Gate?"

Seeing their expressions, Gu Xian'er was a little puzzled.

However, seeing Gu Xian'er, these Young Geniuses' eyes seemed to light up and they walked towards her as if she was their target from the start.

"I am Song Fan."

"I wonder what's your name?"

The young disciple at the lead was tall and sturdy, shrouded in divine radiance, and had an impressive appearance.

The rest of the people were like his followers. He walked up to Gu Xian'er with admiration in his eyes, stopped, and took the initiative to smile.

The Young Supreme nearby, seeing this posture, did not dare to stop him at all, and quickly left.

Gu Xian'er frowned, confused.

Why was she inexplicably being targeted when she just entered True Immortal Academy?

The Young Supreme in front of him seemed to be very confident in himself.

Was this person coveting her body?

Gu Xian'er's expression turned cold.

She didn't speak, just looked at him coldly, the temperature of the air dropped sharply, as if frost was condensing.

"Why doesn't Junior Sister speak? Are you looking down on this Song?"

"I think you and I can get closer as we are both Numbered disciples."

However, Gu Xian'er still didn't speak and just looked at him coldly.

Seeing this, Song Fan was slightly taken aback, and seemed to be a little unhappy, and the smile on his face disappeared.

He felt that the person in front of him had a problem with her brain, and how did she enter the True Immortal Academy? Or did she not know him at all?

Seeing that Gu Xian'er was still ignoring her, Song Fan frowned and his tone became unceremonious.

"Junior Sister, you just entered the True Immortal Academy. There are some rules that you need to understand. The most important thing you need to remember is to respect your seniors."

And at this time, hearing his words, the group of Young Supreme behind him also slowly surrounded Gu Xian'er.

"Respect Seniors?"

At this time, Gu Xian'er finally spoke, as if looking at an idiot, "You? Do you even have qualifications to be called Senior?"

Her voice was very calm, but it was also cold, and anyone could feel her disdain and mockery in it.

"Junior Sister, it seems that you have never suffered a loss. You don't know that there are people above people, and heaven above heaven. Today, this Senior Brother will teach you this truth…"

At this time, Song Fan's expression was also very ugly, as if it was the first time he saw someone who didn't give him a face.

"What? You teaching me?"

However, Gu Xian'er's face was still as cold as if it was covered by ice, and even her words had ice daggers in them, which made people shiver.

"This little girl doesn't know how high the sky is, and she doesn't show respect to Senior Brother Song. I think she lacks a beating."

"Senior Brother Song, I think you should take this opportunity today to let her understand the cruelty of True Immortal Academy and that there is no family behind her here…"

Several Young Supremes next to him also laughed at this time, mocking and contemptuous, and their words were full of mockery.

"At first, you could've just answered me and this matter would've been simple but now you;ve forced my hand."

"If this matter spreads, people would think I bully the weak but, you're the one who asked for this."

Song Fan shook his head, seemingly helpless, but as the words fell, his expression turned cold.

Buzz!

The terrifying aura of the God King Realm gushed out from his body, and a golden phantom appeared behind him, like a golden Phoenix, fierce and threatening!

"You are Courting Death!"

Gu Xian'er's voice was also terrifyingly cold. She didn't expect that the other party would be so arrogant. Just because she refused to say her name, he was acting like this?

Boom!

A dazzling light also appeared on her body, with amazing Qi and Vitality, like a small Immortal Phoenix, emerged from her jade hand and turned into a plain white fist.

The void trembled as she rushed forward. Like a wave striking, the void seemed on the verge of exploding.

This power was incomparably astonishing, far exceeding that of ordinary cultivators in the God King Realm.

"Stop!"

"Such arrogance? Breaking the rules of True Immortal Academy in broad daylight?!"

However, at this moment, in the sky, there was a sudden snort.

Chapter 277: Self-Directing, Self-Acting 'Hero Saves the Beauty' Show; Who Do You Think You Are?

As the words sounded, purple mist surged forth like a vast galaxy.

Everyone bore witness as a purple palm manifested, a heaven-lifting hand that covered all, pressing down with the terrifying rules of the Sacred Realm, like a deity's might.

It suddenly struck forth, looking to crush all in its path!

Secret methods, supernatural powers, hidden treasures… under this single palm strike, they were reduced to dust and dissipated in an instant, unable to resist a breath of its Qi.

A terrifying sight!

Puff!

"Not good…"

"It's Ziyang Tianjun, why is he here?"

The expressions of Song Fan and the others suddenly changed, unable to believe the events that had just transpired.

Suffering a direct hit from the palm, Song Fan spurted out a mouthful of blood, flying backwards, knocking down numerous buildings along the way.

His expression changed drastically, slowly twisting into the epitome of dread, as if he had encountered some sort of monstrous existence.

Both voice and body trembled uncontrollably.

The next moment, the giant palm continued to fall, causing them to scream and vomit blood again, leaving them utterly humiliated.

The aftermath of this collision was a brutal explosion that disintegrated many ancient trees, splitting the earth and forming a web of cracks throughout the entire region.

Mountains crumbled and grand structures fell to ruin.

This scene left the wayward Gu Xian'er immensely stunned. But she didn't feel any sympathy for Song Fan and the others, not caring a bit about what happened to them.

"If I hadn't just happened to be passing by, then I'm afraid I would've never borne witness to such a scene. Senior disciples bullying a junior…"

"You have blatantly disregarded the rules of the True Immortal Academy, embarrassing our disciples, and spitting on the image of this sacred place."

Alongside the words was an intense fluctuation that shook the surrounding space.

The man dressed in purple flowing robes emerged from thin air, divine Qi entwining with his every step.

Tall and handsome, with a regal third eye between his brows, adding to his oppressive demeanour.

It was none other than Ziyang Tianjun!

At this moment, his gaze alone chilled them to their core. He frowned, staring at Song Fan and the others who were coughing up blood, and spoke coldly, "There should not be a second time."

"The identity of a True Immortal Academy disciple is not for you to bully the weak with."

"W-we don't dare, don't dare. We don't dare anymore…"

"Please Ziyang Tianjun, please spare our lives!"

"Ziyang Tianjun, please forgive us. We were misguided, and we dare not bully others, never dare to bully the weak again…"

Song Fan and the others were ashamed and quickly begged him.

At this moment, their prior strength and arrogance were no more, and the expression on their faces was more akin to a deer caught in the jaws of a massive tiger.

For the man in front of them was no ordinary person, but a frightening existence which stood at the top.

"Good to know."

Ziyang Tianjun nodded, as if he was satisfied with this, before turning around and yelling coldly, "Are you not going to hurry up and apologize to this junior sister?!"

He looked over towards Gu Xian'er.

"Is this junior sister alright?" The regal man asked with a natural expression, a senior's concern for a junior seemingly written all over his face.

"I'm fine."

Gu Xian'er shook her head, her expression relaxing as she glanced at the purple-robed man in front of her, still harbouring some doubts in her mind.

Ziyang Tianjun?

This name was somewhat familiar.

She seemed to have heard of it before she arrived at the True Immortal Academy.

A very powerful Ancient Freak, and one of the Academy's ranked existences at that.

"Having said that, I don't need your help in this matter. I will be fine on my own."

Gu Xian'er responded. Today was a strange day, in an almost inexplicable manner at that.

Ziyang Tianjun seemed a little taken aback when he heard this.

However, in his heart, he had long expected such a response. That proud temperament of hers…

It was the same as always.

Then, the man smiled slightly, "Then it would appear that my intervention was unnecessary. Seeing junior sister's confidence, I am certain that you must have had some countermeasure prepared."

"This one is named Ziyang, the heir of the Purple Palace, known as Ziyang Tianjun. Might I know how I should address this junior sister? With such strength, you must surely be someone of note."

He'd asked her so casually that none would ever suspect anything out of place.

Hearing this, Gu Xian'er was slightly taken aback, a hint of confusion in her eyes, as she restrained herself.

It was there again, that odd, inexplicable feeling.

One shouldn't hit a person who smiled, let alone one that aided her. It wasn't so strange for a man to rush to a lady's rescue when the lady in question is being harassed by idiots like these.

However, it was simply too perfect.

Noticing her lack of a response, Ziyang Tianjun refrained from pushing further, an indifferent and calm smile still plastered on his face.

He turned back to Song Fan and the others, who trembled as they knelt on the ground, and spoke lightly:

"It seems I have instead helped the perpetrators today. I'm afraid you would've had more fun had I not decided to pass by. The strength of this Junior Sister is not something the likes of you lot can challenge…"

"Fools who do not know life from death."

Song Fan and the others shivered once more, before speaking in unison.

"Many thanks for your grace, Ziyang Tianjun! We will never dare do so again!"

They had been scared completely out of their wits.

Hearing Ziyang Tianjun's words, Gu Xian'er was taken aback again, her brows furrowing even tighter.

Did Ziyang Tianjun have such a temperament? What was his purpose in doing this?

She never expected this Ancient Freak to spout something so unrealistic, let alone be this optimistic about her circumstances. Was he trying to calm her by faking it?

Or had he seen through her tricks?

Before this, the only rumours about Ziyang Tianjun that Gu Xian'er knew was that he was seemingly the number one character in the Upper World, capable of overwhelming all the talents in the realm, wielding a strength unmatched by any within his generation.

But the two had never met face to face before.

Thus, although she felt that Ziyang Tianjun's 'passing by' was a little too coincidental, Gu Xian'er thought it best to not think too deeply about the matter.

An Ancient Freak specifically waiting for her to appear here?

In the first place, was she even important enough to warrant such treatment?

"Don't rush an apology. And your apology shouldn't be directed at me either."

Ziyang Tianjun snorted again, very dissatisfied.

When Song Fan and the others heard Ziyang Tianjun's words, their faces turned ghostly pale, and they hurriedly apologized to Gu Xian'er. They wanted to leave as soon as possible.

She frowned but soon dropped the matter.

She wasn't the type to bite and refuse to let go. The offending party had been grievously injured, they'd apologized, and they'd paid their dues.

[TL/N: TF you mean she ain't that type of person, are we reading the same novel?]

Overall, she could hardly find a way to extort more from them.

"Then I will conclude this matter here. You lot should leave, lest you become eyesores…"

Seeing this, Ziyang Tianjun nodded in satisfaction and waved for Song Fan and the others to scram.

The heroic path arranged today, although old-fashioned…

Would work well enough for the first meeting between him and Gu Xian'er in this life.

He was quite satisfied with it.

Only in this way would he appear both reasonable and natural, making a good impression.

Moreover, only a few people knew that Song Fan was actually his follower, so he was confident that this little 'charade' of theirs would not be discovered by Gu Xian'er.

Song Fan and the others breathed a sigh of relief as they heard that.

But just as they were about to leave—

"Halt."

A faint voice crackled throughout the void, echoing all around them.

And between the emptiness of space, a ripple of fluctuating Qi ignited in a wave, revealing a white-robed man with an indifferent expression, stepping through in an instant.

"I don't believe this Gu has given you his leave just yet."

Gu Changge's imposing figure appeared on the horizon.

His voice, as always, didn't shift much… however, those present would sense an ominous undertone.

Like the calm before the storm.

The scholarly man didn't even spare a glance for Gu Xian'er. She looked at him with surprise, as her beautiful eyes glittered with shock. In contrast, his own were staring down at Song Fan and the others kneeling below.

His own eyes reflected only the darkness of the abyss.

Wang Zhongyong at the mountain gate had actually notified him the moment Gu Xian'er arrived.

Gu Changge was just too lazy to go on a fetch quest… but considering this girl's personality, if he didn't go, she would probably do something drastic to provoke him into going.

When he finally went, he ended up seeing this instead.

Ziyang Tianjun… must've grown tired of living.

Self-directing and self-acting in a classic scene of a daring hero rescuing the damsel in distress. Seeing that this hot-blooded idiot cousin of his didn't react just yet probably meant that she hadn't pieced it together already.

Those old monsters were simply teaching a donut.

[PR/N: WHAT ARE YOU?! AN IDIOT SANDWICH-]

Even he was starting to get a little annoyed.

Gu Changge wanted to knock open her skull and see exactly what was growing inside. Brain or grass?

However, this did lead to an interesting discovery: Ziyang Tianjun. He had never paid the Heir of the Purple Palace any attention before, but now that he observed him personally, Gu Changge was able to discern an oddity within him.

He was a man of great luck, even possessing the faint feeling akin to that of a Favoured Son of Heaven.

"Gu Changge…"

At the same time, Ziyang Tianjun's expression changed slightly. In his gut, he felt that something had gone wrong, as if things had suddenly spiralled beyond his control.

But on the surface, he only seemed a little surprised, not expecting Gu Changge's arrival here.

"Young Master Changge, why have you come here?"

He asked blatantly, as if he didn't understand the relationship between Gu Xian'er and Gu Changge.

"Gu Changge…"

The surprised expression on Gu Xian'er's face lasted for merely a moment more, before returning to a chilling glare, as she snorted coldly, "What are you doing here?"

"Didn't you say you wouldn't be coming to pick me up?"

Nevertheless, Gu Changge continued to ignore the tsundere, his unblinking gaze not moving an inch from Song Fan and the rest, an eerie smile crawling onto his indifferent features.

As for the fools subjected to this deathly stare?

The moment Gu Changge appeared, their faces had turned white and lost all blood.

If their expressions of fear from earlier were fake, then their expressions now were true, genuine fear.

Their very souls shuddered at this development.

Under Gu Changge's watchful eye, they felt as though their spirits had frozen over, held in a vice grip by an unrelenting terror. A puny ant in front of a god.

The fear that Gu Changge brought upon them had easily surpassed their fear of any other individual! They subconsciously wished that they could gaze in Ziyang Tianjun's direction, but they didn't dare to do that either.

Such an action would be tantamount to exposing Ziyang Tianjun's entire plan.

And the consequences would be equally dire.

Abruptly, Gu Changge spoke again, asking them in a light tone, "Do you recognize this Gu?"

His distinct lack of any visible emotion terrified the living hell out of Song Fan and the others.

"Recognize… we recognize…"

They felt their scalps go numb as they replied, their skulls about to be lifted off by the sheer amount of chills storming about, their whole bodies cold and clammy, fearful to the extreme.

In the whole of the True Immortal Academy, who wouldn't know Gu Changge?

"Good to know."

Gu Changge nodded, his tone still casual as ever, "Do you recognize her, then?"

He pointed to Gu Xian'er, the latter of which continued to stare at him.

And the expressions of Song Fan and the others dropped faster than a boulder off a cliff. It was sheer hopelessness now, no longer just fear.

"N-now we recognize…"

They decided to bite the bullet anyway.

"Hm. Well, it's not too late to recognize her now."

Gu Changge continued, walking over to pat Song Fan on the shoulder "However, this Gu remembers quite clearly what I have once said before."

"No one in this world can bully Gu Xian'er except me."

"So…" The scholarly man smiled, "How do you all want to die today?"

His stone-cold voice showed no chance for negotiation.

Upon hearing his words, Song Fan and the others became dead silent, as their souls became fully immersed in despair.

The death in Gu Changge's mouth, was no mere joke.

For a moment, everyone trembled with mortal dread, their sentences fumbled and incomplete. They almost cried and pissed themselves on the spot!

"Young Master Changge, please spare me! Before this, we didn't even know she was your sister!"

"Yes! Young Master Changge, spare our lives! We won't dare anymore, please spare our lives! This is all a grave misunderstanding!"

"If we knew, even if you gave us ten thousand tiger guts, we would never dare to do this…"

Panicking, Song Fan pleaded helplessly, slamming his head into the ground as he kowtowed.

"Gu Changge, you are too much! What do you mean only you can bully me…"

Gu Xian'er was so dissatisfied with his actions that she almost hit him herself.

But she also knew that this was Gu Changge venting her anger for her, for encountering this kind of thing the moment she first entered the Mountain Gate.

She was still holding back a sense of gloom after their so-called apology.

Of course, the death that Gu Changge mentioned was a bit too radical in her opinion. After all, such a crime wasn't enough to warrant death.

Alas, such was Gu Changge's temperament, leaving her as moved as she was helpless.

Of course, it's not like most people would object to Gu Changge's 'concern.'

"Young Master Changge, isn't this punishment too much? Although they spoke harshly, they didn't cause any harm to Miss Xian'er. A true gentleman should not punish those who did not know. This was before they realized Miss Xian'er was your sister, so will you not be lenient?"

At this time, Ziyang Tianjun had no choice but to speak, frowning as he tried to persuade him.

Gu Changge's ruthless personality made him a little helpless.

That man was truly a demon… one that would kill people at every turn.

He never expected that things would develop to this point.

As soon as Gu Changge appeared, he immediately broke all his plans, dashing all his expectations.

However, Ziyang Tianjun still felt that Gu Changge would give him some face.

After all, they are both Rankers, and he has already pleaded for their mercy.

"The punishment is too harsh?"

When Gu Changge heard this laughable sentiment, he just raised his eyebrows slightly.

"I, for one, think that letting them die so easily like this… is rather cheap karmic retribution. Xian'er, though dull, is not a person just anyone can plot against and survive."

"If you dare to plot against her, you will have to pay the due price."

"In my opinion, the sum of them is not as good as one hair of this stupid girl."

"The people in my family, let alone my own sister… do you really think that I would let any random cat or dog bully her?"

Gu Xian'er was stunned, eyeing Gu Changge with suspicion. She'd suffered under some plot? Could it be that all of this was directed and acted by Ziyang Tianjun himself?

For what reason?

But soon, she realized Gu Changge's next sentence, and felt her head buzz, burning blank again.

Her complexion reddened visibly.

'Ugh. This snake! Why did he say such a thing all of a sudden?'

'What 'no one can compare to a single hair of hers'? Gross!'

Gu Changge had levelled up on her list of annoyances.

"Young Master Changge, won't you kindly spare me some face? I assure you, they will surely give Miss Xian'er a satisfactory apology for today's incident. We're all disciples of True Immortal Academy in the end… there is no need to go so far—"

Seeing Gu Xian'er's expression, Ziyang Tianjun's face was a little gloomy for a moment, but he quickly recovered, smiling awkwardly as he tried to placate the rampaging demon.

Unfortunately, Gu Changge was never one to relent.

"For your face? Hmph, who do you think you are?"

Before Ziyang Tianjun even finished speaking, Gu Changge interrupted loudly, snubbing him before he could get another word out.

Gu Changge's expression was as indifferent as ever, without any disturbance.

"If I give you face, would you dare receive it?"

Buzz!

Hearing this, the place suddenly fell into a pinprick silence, where no one dared even breathe.

Song Fan and the others' astonishment had grown to such extremes that they were forcibly shaken from their terror.

But as soon as Gu Changge finished speaking, he made a sudden move, decisive and powerful.

Accompanied by multi-coloured divine light, a palm came down from the air, surging with immortal energy, as if a world-destroying grinding disc had descended, just like Ziyang Tianjun's move earlier.

The monstrous Qi made people's skin explode, and their souls shatter.

"Gu Changge, you…!"

Ziyang Tianjun's expression turned extremely gloomy, his fists clenching tightly.

Such wanton disrespect! He didn't think that Gu Changge would disregard him entirely!

Moreover, he went even further, moving to strike down his followers right in front of him!

Ziyang Tianjun was on the verge of exploding.

Yet he continued to endure…

"Ziyang Tianjun save me…"

"We don't want to die!"

Facing this giant palm that covers the sky, Song Fan and others were desperate to the extreme, their souls were about to burst, wishing to resist in any way they could.

Nonetheless, they were suppressed by his aura and couldn't even move.

"No! All of this was arranged by Ziyang Tianjun! It has nothing to do with us!"

Seeing that Ziyang Tianjun didn't make a move, their last strand of sanity snapped alongside a fading hope. They at least wanted to tell the truth with their last breath.

"You! What are you talking about?!"

"I was kind enough to save you mongrels…!"

Ziyang Tianjun's expression also changed slightly, before morphing into indifference, "How dare you pour dirty water on me at this time."

Pfft!

However, Gu Changge didn't give Song Fan and the others a chance to talk too much, knowing that Ziyang Tianjun had already disregarded their life and death. There was no way he'd admit anything.

When the palm finally fell, Song Fan and the others collapsed and exploded into blood mist.

Crimson red rain drifted away, their bodies and spirits wiped out together, blown in the wind.

The area had become quiet as a mouse.

Chapter 278: Gu Xianer's Initiative; Touch Like a Dragonfly Skimming over Water!

Boom!

A divine glow bloomed and the void cracked, revealing a terrifying rift. The power of this palm strike was unmatched.

In the Tianchen Realm, Gu Changge harvested the opportunities of the Human Ancestor and fused them with the Pure Worldly Lotus, causing every cell to burst with the mighty power of the world.

Six hundred trillion cells were like a resurrected ancient realm.

The power was truly shocking and awe-inspiring.

Gu Changge's palm descended like that of a heavenly emperor, accompanied by colourful divine light, covering Song Fan and his followers.

Puff!

In the next moment, fresh blood spurted out and a strong smell of blood filled the air.

The three companions didn't even have time to scream before they were instantly crushed, both body and spirit.

"These people spoke such slanderous words before they died. They deserve their fate. Ziyang Tianjun even kindly pleaded for them…"

"In this Gu's opinion, they were not worth it."

"However, I believe some people will learn their lesson from today onwards. If they dare to approach Xian'er even half a step closer, the fate of these people will serve as a warning."

Gu Changge stood with folded arms, showing a hint of interest as he glanced at Ziyang Tianjun. Then, he lightly chuckled and spoke in a casual tone.

To him, killing a few Young Geniuses, especially ones who were just Numbered disciples, was like crushing a few ants. He didn't really care.

His words were not loud, seemingly intended for the surrounding cultivators who were watching.

There, towering peaks stood, one after another, incredibly tall, with colourful and white mists flowing like a sacred fairyland.

Many Young Geniuses rushed over when they heard the commotion, witnessing firsthand what was happening in this place.

At this moment, many people felt a chill down their spine when they heard the words of Gu Changge.

The terrifying cold swept through their bodies, making them shudder in fear.

This was the terrifying power of Gu Changge, even in the True Immortal Academy, he was still so dominant.

As a fellow disciple of the True Immortal Academy, he showed no mercy and was decisive in his actions.

Moreover, they knew that the elders of the academy must have noticed what happened just now, but no one dared to show up and stop Gu Changge.

What does this mean?

It means that even the elders of the True Immortal Academy were extremely wary of Gu Changge and unwilling to provoke him easily.

For the few disciples who were crushed to death, they could only say they had bad luck. They offended the wrong person, and that person happened to be Gu Changge.

It's like the saying "The longer the thread, the higher the kite flies" – they picked the wrong person to mess with.

They witnessed what happened just now very clearly. They were not sure whether there was any arrangement or order from Ziyang Tianjun, but one thing was for sure: Gu Changge didn't give him any face. This incident will quickly spread among the disciples.

Ziyang Tianjun's reputation has been damaged, and he may have conflicts with Gu Changge in the future.

As fellow Ranked disciples, Ziyang Tianjun's actions today were a clear indication of his fear of Gu Changge.

It is very likely that Ziyang Tianjun will not be able to hold his head up among the Ranked disciples for a while.

Although Jin Chan was also afraid of Gu Changge, at least he fought against him directly and fell only after a tough fight.

"You're being too reckless. How could you just kill someone in the True Immortal Academy?"

Gu Xian'er was also taken aback by Gu Changge's decisive actions. She was worried that he might get into trouble, especially since this was happening in the True Immortal Academy.

If the forces behind these disciples or the elders took action, wouldn't Gu Changge be in trouble?

"Shut up."

"I will settle accounts with you later."

At these words, Gu Changge's expression turned cold. He gave her a glance but showed no trace of kindness in his tone.

"I…"

Gu Xian'er was flustered, but she felt a little wronged in her heart.

She only wanted to show her concern for him, so why was he picking on her?

What kind of mess had she gotten herself into?

"Thank you, Young Master Changge, for taking care of these scumbags of the True Immortal Academy for me."

"Otherwise, I would have to take care of them myself and rid the True Immortal Academy of this shameful bunch."

Finally, Ziyang Tianjun spoke, his face even bearing a hint of a smile, as if he did not care about what Gu Changge had just said.

Of course, Ziyang Tianjun knew that these words were actually directed at him by Gu Changge.

Gu Changge had already seen through his tricks and warned him not to get too close to Gu Xian'er.

But he did not care. When he saw the shattered future vision, he was destined to eventually stand on the opposite side of Gu Changge and become his enemy.

Gu Changge smiled lightly, "If that's what Ziyang Tianjun thinks, then this Gu will also feel relieved.."

Soon, peace was restored in the area.

Although Ziyang Tianjun was feeling quite gloomy inside, he was skilled at concealing his emotions.

He had gained a deeper understanding of Gu Changge's strength and indifference.

No matter what, Gu Changge's complete disregard for his face today would soon spread.

This caused Ziyang Tianjun to lose face, and made him even more afraid of Gu Changge.

Especially now that Gu Xian'er seemed to have complete trust in Gu Changge and didn't have any guard up against him.

The thought of Gu Xian'er's tragic future only weighed heavily on Ziyang Tianjun's heart.

In a flash of purple light, he didn't hesitate at all and disappeared with a single step, fleeing into the depths of the academy.

— — —

In the depths of the academy, amidst magnificent buildings and structures, a divine island hovered in mid-air, shrouded by chaotic energy.

Many elders witnessed what had just happened, and for a while, everyone had a different expression on their faces.

"Although Ziyang Tianjun was once the number one in the Upper Realm, now he is also afraid of Gu Changge. Today's incident seems to be rational, but it is actually restrained. This state of mind can only be said to be worthy of being a descendant of the Purple Palace."

"If it were someone else, I'm afraid they would have rushed up and fought Gu Changge to the death at the first opportunity."

"Speaking of which, Gu Changge is so dominant and sharp, it seems that he is prepared to suppress all the geniuses of this generation. I wonder if there is anyone among his peers who can compete with him?"

"After the defeat of Buddhist Jin Chan, there has been no news from him. He came to the True Immortal Academy, seemingly to look for the Sacred Buddha's Robe… there were indeed rumours that the Sacred Buddha's Robe was in the True Immortal Academy."

"But the exact location… no one knows."

During their conversation, they didn't mention the few disciples who were suppressed and killed by Changge just now, as they didn't care about them at all. After all, the True Immortal Academy was a place of survival of the fittest.

— — —

"Gu Changge, why were you so fierce towards me just now?"

Colourful clouds drifted and white mist enveloped the surroundings.

On the towering mountain peak, Gu Xian'er stared at Gu Changge, who was silent and indifferent, with some dissatisfaction.

She didn't know why Gu Changge was so angry when she didn't do anything wrong.

She was very puzzled and didn't know why, after entering the mountain gate, she was bullied by a few disciples.

Then, Ziyang Tianjun appeared and helped her resolve this trouble.

She could now see that it was all deliberately arranged by Ziyang Tianjun.

It was a self-directed and self-acted "hero saves the beauty" show.

Could it be that Ziyang Tianjun really has some sort of feelings for her? Or is he trying to use her to scheme against Gu Changge?

Although Gu Changge helped her vent her anger, he shouldn't ignore her and leave her hanging like this. And he's not saying anything.

It's like he only came here to escort her in and that's it.

"Gu Xian'er, are you really stupid or just pretending to be?"

Gu Changge finally stopped and spoke, but his tone was very cold, which made Gu Xian'er a little stunned and scared.

"Gu Changge, don't think you can continue to bully me and call me stupid."

However, Gu Xian'er still had the courage to retort.

"It seems that you are really stupid. What happened to your cleverness from before?"

Gu Changge turned her head and looked at her, asking calmly, "If I didn't come today, would you be grateful to Ziyang Tianjun and thank him for saving you?"

"Gu Changge, what are you thinking? How can that be possible?"

"Do you think I didn't see it? This was arranged by Ziyang Tianjun, although I don't know his purpose…"

Upon hearing this, Gu Xian'er quickly retorted, feeling that Gu Changge was underestimating her and thought she couldn't even see through such an obvious act.

"Oh? Since you've figured it out, why did you let those guys go?"

Gu Changge asked calmly, "This is the True Immortal Academy, not a place for you to show mercy."

"But aren't you here?"

Gu Xian'er muttered under her breath, but seeing that Gu Changge's expression was off, she quickly changed the subject and asked, "How did you know I came to the True Immortal Academy?"

"And also, why did Ziyang Tianjun arrange this act? I haven't even met him before."

This was also something she couldn't figure out.

"How I knew you came to the True Immortal Academy is not important."

"Just remember, that Ziyang Tianjun doesn't have good intentions towards you. Maybe he just wants to gain your favour and enter the Gu family as a son-in-law or something."

Gu Changge shook his head and said, his expression had already returned to calm.

Gu Changge was worried that Gu Xian'er was too foolish to even see through Ziyang Tianjun's small tricks.

But since Gu Xian'er had said that, Gu Changge couldn't be bothered to say anything else. He planned to send someone to investigate the Ziyang Tianjun later on.

Did he really just stage a hero saving a damsel in distress for no reason?

Was he really just after Gu Xian'er's body or did he have other motives?

On Ziyang Tianjun, he smelled the scent of a Favoured Son of Heaven. However, the system did not mention it.

"Hmph, don't talk nonsense, Gu Changge. What do you mean by becoming a son-in-law? I'm not interested in that kind of guy."

"Just forget it. I know you were just worried about me when you were angry just now…"

Upon hearing Gu Changge's indifferent tone, Gu Xian'er felt uneasy for some reason.

What did he mean by gaining her favour and becoming a son-in-law of the Gu family so easily?

Was that how he saw her? Was it so easy for her to trust others?

Besides, how could she possibly be interested in Ziyang Tianjun?

Now, Gu Xian'er felt only confusion and disgust towards him, wanting to know what kind of game Ziyang Tianjun was playing.

"Gu Xian'er, you're quite good at being self-absorbed. Ziyang Tianjun just wants to use you to achieve some goals of his. Think carefully, that guy is likely trying to use you to deal with me…"

"Are you really so deluded to think that I did it for you?"

Hearing this, Gu Changge just sneered and didn't take it seriously.

"Gu Changge… you b*****d…"

Gu Xian'er was taken aback, not expecting Gu Changge to still be so stubborn at this moment.

Her voice became dissatisfied, "When will you change that arrogant personality of yours?"

Clearly, he was just showing concern for her, yet he had to come up with so many reasons, afraid of being exposed of his true intentions.

This guy, why was he so excessive?

"I haven't seen you in a long time, and you seem to have grown more arrogant, do you want to be beaten…"

Although Gu Changge's expression remained calm, he didn't finish his sentence.

Suddenly, he saw that Gu Xian'er's face was a bit angry, and he didn't know where she got the courage, but she suddenly tiptoed forward and approached him.

"…"

Gu Changge only felt a light touch on his lips, as if a dragonfly had skimmed over them. It was clear, cool, soft, and sweet.

Even with his personality, he couldn't help but be slightly stunned at this moment.

"This silly girl…"

Afterwards, Gu Changge sighed softly and looked at Gu Xian'er's blushing face as she ran away. He didn't know what to say for a while.

To be honest, today's events were unexpected for him.

In his view, Gu Xian'er's actions were already very bold and proactive.

"Should I change my attitude towards this girl? But if I treat her well, she'll just ride on top of my head…"

Many thoughts flashed through Gu Changge's mind, but he quickly regained his composure.

However, soon a coldness flickered in his eyes.

"Ziyang Tianjun, you dare to covet my things."

— — —-

"It's over, it's over…"

"Gu Xian'er, how did you suddenly become so stupid? What did you do just now?"

On the other side, Gu Xian'er, who had already turned into a divine light and appeared on another mountain peak, looked like a cooked prawn.

She was very flustered and nervous, not knowing how to face Gu Changge next.

She didn't know what had come over her just now. Where did she find the courage to do such a thing?

It was like a sudden impulse.

Realising what had happened, Gu Xian'er's mind went blank, and she didn't have time to react.

"Ugh, that despicable guy is probably laughing at me now. I'm so embarrassed, I don't know how to face him in the future."

Gu Xian'er couldn't help but feel angry and helpless when she thought of Gu Changge's annoying smirk.

"Forget it, I'll just avoid him for now. I don't want him to catch me and make fun of me."

She was very troubled, full of regret, and then she moved towards the courtyard where the Great Elder was.

When she came earlier, Gu Xian'er knew that the Great Elder was now in the True Immortal Academy, so she had to find him first.

At this moment, deep within the True Immortal Academy, there was no calmness.

Mountains after mountain, some entirely black, some blooming with scarlet radiance, some shrouded in purple mist, and some gleaming with green light. Spiritual energy pervaded the heavens and earth, forming a great waterfall, ancient trees reaching the sky, and towering peaks, like a realm of immortals.

Here, there was a strange stone shrouded in various colours of radiance, trembling lightly, and emitting countless divine lights and auspicious colours.

The strange stone was as tall as half a person, with intertwined Great Dao inscriptions on its surface, and many sealed runes, appearing extremely dazzling.

The many exotic beasts and auspicious birds below all prostrated themselves, remaining extremely silent.

"After calculating the time, it should be time for it to emerge. We have waited for this moment for too long!"

"Yes, this Ninth Heavens Mysterious Stone, which I have nurtured for countless years in the True Immortal Academy, should emerge today."

"It's not easy! I just don't know what kind of monster will appear. Will it be the descendant of a True Immortal?"

Many ancient beings with chaotic aura wrapped around them, with extraordinary blood and ancient clothing style, were excitedly staring at the strange stone in front of them.

Their eyes were like staring at some peerless immortal treasure.

"In this golden era, how can this mysterious stone of the True Immortal Academy be left behind"

They were looking forward to it and staring at it, not blinking at all, afraid of missing anything.

Buzz!

At this moment, the strange stone seemed to sense someone observing it from outside, and even more brilliant radiance surged, intending to actively break through the seal on top!

The ancient runes on the stone came to life and began to dance, floating in the void with an astonishing fairy aura.

The area seemed to have turned into a land of immortals.

"Quick, look!"

"It's about to break the seal and come out!"

The old antiques were shocked but even more excited and expectant.

On the high mountains outside this area, there were also many figures appearing, looking from afar, all of them surprised to hear that this strange stone was about to emerge.

The origin of this stone in the True Immortal Academy can be traced back to a long time ago.

Therefore, many people are aware of its existence.

"Could it be the offspring of the True Immortal that fell from the Ninth Heavens?"

A tall and slender phoenix woman with wings on her back appeared on top of a mountain, with various runes flashing in her eyes, evolving into different scenes.

It seemed like she was trying to see through the stone.

"What is your opinion, Lady Huang Nu?"

Beside her, a divine warrior who controlled a four-spirit chariot appeared, dressed in golden armour.

Even his eyes were multi-coloured, and he had five-coloured divine blood flowing through his body, with a majestic and shocking aura.

He looked like a young god, and he was the son of the Emperor of Phoenix Mountain.

Huang Nu glanced at him and shook her head, "I can't see through it, it's very mysterious."

"Rumours say that Lady Huang Nu is the reincarnation of an Immortal Phoenix, yet there are still things you can't see through?" the Emperor's son smiled and asked.

Upon hearing this, Huang Nu remained silent and didn't bother to respond to him.

Buzz!

At this moment, a golden passage suddenly appeared in the sky, and a seven or eight-year-old girl in white walked out of it.

She was pure and untainted, with black hair that was very soft. Her eyes were like black gems, but with a starry and profound depth.

Seeing this white-clad girl, many old relics' faces changed, and they hurriedly showed respect, "Greetings to the Star Ancestor!"

"Could it be that she is…"

Many Young Geniuses were also shocked. In the first instant, they recognized the identity of this white-clad girl.

Although she looked very young, her age was actually incredibly ancient.

Chapter 279: Senior Disciple Who Returned from the Ninth Heaven; Struck by a Black Pot While Sitting at Home!

Star Ancestor.

This name is not unfamiliar to many of the True Immortal Academy's elders, and at one point, it represented a terrifying entity.

Rumble!

Fluctuations arrived elsewhere, signalling the arrival of a great and terrible being that resided within the True Immortal Academy.

And from it emerged a hunchbacked figure, Lao Shi – the Old Stone – had arrived in human form.

When he appeared, the white-robed girl named Xingzu was surprised.

The other elders' expressions of shock grew as they each began to pay their respects to him.

"Lao Shi!"

The white-robed girl bowed slightly to Lao Shi.

He smiled faintly, "Xingzu girl, there's no need to be polite. It's been so many years, and you've become younger again."

The girl named Xingzu smiled bitterly and replied, "Don't tease me, Lao Shi. You know that I can't help the way my body is."

Hearing this, he chuckled and said nothing more on the matter.

He looked at the strange stone below and said, "Speaking of which, this mysterious stone and I are somewhat similar. We're both rocks. But he has never appeared, and even I can't see his history."

"Surely, you jest? But if even you can't see anything, then it really is a helpless matter," Xingzu said helplessly.

"I'm not joking," Lao Shi chuckled.

If it weren't for this reason, he wouldn't have come here.

In addition to them, many ancient existences with powerful lineages gathered here, including many supremes, almost all of whom came to witness the birth of the mysterious stone.

Everyone's gaze turned towards it!

Crack!

At the next moment, the strange, brilliant, and crystal-clear stone suddenly trembled, emitting a mysterious aura. Various avenues and rune symbols frequently emerged, each more mysterious and unfathomable than the last.

It began to chip off slowly.

Cracks appeared on its surface.

A brilliant light shone, accompanied by chaotic mist, appearing strange and extraordinary.

Mysterious runes flew in the air.

As if in a trance, sentient beings seemed to see a mysterious and vast world appearing, where divine birds, rare beasts, and ancient mountains and trees resided.

"The vision caused by this birth is so frightening. Could it really be the descendant of a true immortal…"

"Even if it isn't, it's probably close… It must have a great connection with the immortals. Just its arrival alone is comparable to the visions of several peerless physiques… could it be that the world we're seeing* is none other than the legendary Ninth Heaven?"

[*Referring to the visions.]

"But I heard that the most frightening one to emerge is the Heavenly Maiden from the Wang Family. It was only recently revealed by the Ancient Immortal Wang Family; it remained hidden well before that."

"After all, she is the descendant of the Human Ancestor Hall, born a Saintess. She can't be compared…"

People discussed with each other, their gazes all focused on the strange stone, filled with anticipation, shock, and curiosity…

No one stopped this process, as they were all waiting for the creature within the strange stone to be born.

Boom!

Soon after, with the last crack opening, a divine symbol soared into the sky.

Immediately after, a figure wrapped in runes, indistinct and unclear, sat cross-legged in the middle.

The most striking thing was the brilliant Immortal Aura emanating from his body.

Like an ancient immortal who had been sealed away for ages.

From his clothes and radiance alone, it was clear that this man had come from many epochs ago.

But which epoch exactly, it was hard to say for the moment.

"Finally…"

"The familiar spiritual energy of heaven and earth, these familiar rules… I've finally left that damned Ninth Heaven."

"Despite having been there for 300 years, it didn't get any easier, how truly troublesome."

At this moment, the man in the strange stone seemed to be muttering to himself, his emotions ranged from ecstasy to excitement, and perhaps a bit of sentimentality.

He spoke in an ancient dialect, a clear indicator that he was not of this era.

Even Lao Shi and the others couldn't understand a word of what he was saying.

However, they could scarcely make out a few words… had he been talking about the Ninth Heaven?

Lao Shi's heart skipped a beat, for this language may very well be from that forbidden epoch, long buried by the river of time.

Is this man someone from the same era as him?

His expression suddenly became extremely complicated, with various thoughts in his mind.

"Finally back in the world, but I don't know how long it's been outside."

"Only 300 years have passed in the Ninth Heaven, so it shouldn't have been that long."

The man inside the strange stone was still muttering to himself, seemingly ignoring all the people around him.

His attention was fully focused on the memories in his mind.

Back then, he was named Qin Wuya, the senior disciple of the Wuyadao Sect.

With outstanding talent, his master had high hopes for him, his junior brother admired him, and he had a little junior sister who was wholeheartedly devoted to the Great Dao, as well as a gentle Dao companion who loved him deeply.

Everything was perfect.

But one day, while he was out on an adventure, he accidentally touched a crack and fell into it.

That crack led to the most mysterious place in legend, the Ninth Heaven.

He never thought he would be so unlucky, but the Ninth Heaven was also a legendary place that countless people dreamed of, and he happened to encounter it.

In Ninth Heaven, he encountered many dangers and opportunities and struggled to survive for three hundred years through life and death.

Finally, he found a piece of Immortal Source Stone and managed to seal himself inside it.

The Immortal Source Stone was the only thing that could pass through the barrier outside the Ninth Heaven and fall into the outside world.

Qin Wuya knew that it was the only way he could leave Ninth Heaven.

Only by leaving the Ninth Heaven could he go to find his sect, his master, his dao companion, his junior brother, and his little junior sister, and reunite with them.

Thus, he sighed with a heavy heart. However, what he failed to notice was the many people around him who looked at him with varying expressions.

'There's something off about this man's bloodline…"

In the eyes of the Lao Shi, Great Dao Runes flashed, as he furrowed his brow, "His aura seems to be of the human race, a rather common kind of human too. What's going on, did I see it wrong?"

The little girl named Xingzu also nodded, confused. "Yes, his aura is indeed of the human race, and his cultivation level is not very high. Could it be a mistake?"

They were very surprised and couldn't quite believe their eyes.

Because they found that after the man's radiance faded, he looked…very ordinary.

Apart from his very ancient clothing, there was nothing particularly unusual about him.

Plain appearance, average build, and even his cultivation level seemed to only be in the Heavenly God Realm.

He was a completely ordinary cultivator.

All the strange phenomena just now seemed to have been caused by the strange stone itself, and combined with the accumulation of various spiritual materials by the True Immortal Academy over the years, it created such a sensation.

"Is this really the descendant of a True Immortal?"

"Forget it, he's just another disappointment."

Meanwhile, among the nearby mountains, many young female disciples were quite disappointed, reality being completely different from what they had imagined.

"I thought he would be a man like the Young Master Changge, but it turns out that this guy has nothing to do with True Immortals."

"It's Young Master Changge who looks like he has something to do with the True Immortals, and what's more, Young Master Changge isn't all talk…"

Whether it was the Young Geniuses or the elders, their expressions were both stiff and unbelieving.

The man's appearance was a bit too far from their expectations.

Compared to their expectations, he was a complete letdown.

The greater the expectation, the greater the disappointment.

It would've been a bit better if his cultivation level was higher.

That said, neither his aura nor his temperament can be said to be related to a True Immortal. To put it bluntly, he seemed more like he just got lucky and happened to come across the stone.

"This…"

Huang Nu and the Divine Prince, who had been looking forward to it, also had stiff expressions and were not expecting such a big reversal.

"The mysterious stone that the True Immortal Academy claims fell from the Ninth Heaven is a bit disappointing."

The Divine Prince couldn't help but shake his head, deeply suspicious of the word "true" in the claim.

Huang Nu didn't say anything, but the expression in her eyes was self-evident.

She thought it would be a formidable enemy, but in the end, she found out that he was just an ordinary person, a little too much so. Of course, this is just an ordinary placement in the True Immortal Academy. If he were elsewhere, he would still be considered an impressive genius.

"In theory, it shouldn't be that simple…"

Lao Shi was still carefully observing Qin Wuya, feeling that there were many secrets hidden within him.

His cultivation was also a bit strange. Being sealed for so many years and constantly nourished by various spiritual energies of the heavens and earth day and night, it shouldn't be like this.

Could it be that this man was deliberately hiding his abilities?

At this moment, Qin Wuya finally realised his current state and noticed that many people were looking at him.

He quickly understood that the crowd was suspicious and dismissive of him, but he didn't mind. Having lived in Ninth Heaven for three hundred years, he learned many lessons, and keeping a low profile was the hard truth.

Moreover, his cultivation was definitely not just in the Heavenly God Realm. That was only his level before he fell into the Ninth Heaven. In the Ninth Heaven, his level increased rapidly, and he also brought back many unique Artefacts from that world.

So unless they challenged him, who cared what they thought?

'The most important thing to do now would be to figure out where I am, as well as how long it's been since I accidentally entered Ninth Heaven.'

Qin Wuya muttered in his heart, thinking about what he needed to do next.

Meanwhile, in the depths of the True Immortal Academy, where many geniuses and old monsters were gathered, Gu Changge's figure was on another towering mountain peak.

His majestic divine sense covered all directions, unable to sense anyone nearby who could detect his presence, allowing him to slightly relax.

'What a delightful new opportunity for me.'

The smile on Gu Changge's mouth seemed to imply something.

Then, his gaze fell and quickly noticed Ying Shuang, who was meditating with closed eyes in the cave below.

Currently, he had other plans for him.

The waters weren't deep enough just yet.

He needed to secretly lend a helping hand.

He then set his sights on a cave not too far from Ying Shuang's, but along the way, he passed through a forest where several geniuses had their own caves.

The forest was quiet, and there were beams of rosy light scattered all around. Ancient herbs grew outside, emitting a rich purple mist from the cracks in the rocks into the void.

In this forest was a cave where a Young Genius was practising. Waves of energy emanated from him, indicating that he possessed a special physique. He didn't notice Gu Changge's gaze as he meditated with his legs crossed.

Buzz!

On the mountaintop, Gu Changge stepped forward, then disappeared into thin air.

"You…"

A shocked and incredulous voice rang out in the cave, then fell silent.

Shortly after, Gu Changge's figure reappeared, with no fluctuations in his expression. Meanwhile, the cave had fallen into a dead silence, devoid of any aura or activity.

Naturally, no geniuses were present.

Gu Changge then glanced at Ying Shuang's cave with an inexplicable smile before disappearing again.

"Reporting to the master, the mysterious stone at the True Immortal Academy has emerged, but the genius who came out seems a bit unusual. Although the origin is ancient and mysterious, his cultivation level does not appear to be very high. It seems to be only in the Heavenly God Realm, causing many people to leave disappointed."

Upon returning to the palace, Gu Changge listened to the reports from his followers below, feeling a little surprised.

"Heavenly God Realm cultivation? It attracted so many people, and this was the result?"

He raised an eyebrow.

Gu Changge naturally knew about this news but didn't go to observe it himself.

After all, he had to take this opportunity to help Ying Shuang prove his identity as the Inheritor of the Forbidden Demonic Arts.

"Yes, many of the elders and disciples rushed there at the time, but they were all disappointed, and the mysterious genius was also taken away by the elders in the end, as if they had something to ask," reported the follower below respectfully.

Gu Changge nodded thoughtfully, feeling that the genius sealed within the strange stone was no simple character.

In terms of cultivation, someone at the Heavenly God Realm wouldn't be worthy of note at the True Immortal Academy.

Alongside the news of the strange stone was another rumour that spread across the mouths of the True Immortal Academy's disciples, causing a great sensation!

A Young Genius with a special physique had disappeared without a trace!

Yes, while practising alone in the cave, the person disappeared without leaving any trace or fluctuation behind.

Even the elders who went to investigate the scene were helpless and found no trace of them.

This news shocked many people and caused panic.

Combined with recent events, many people instantly linked it to the Inheritor of the Forbidden Demonic Arts!

After all, many of the previous events showed that the biggest characteristic of the Inheritor of the Forbidden Demonic Arts was to select geniuses with special physiques, who disappeared without any trace.

So many geniuses and elders came to the conclusion with heavy faces.

Undoubtedly, the Young Genius had fallen into the hands of the Inheritor of the Forbidden Demonic Arts.

This incident indicated that the Inheritor of the Forbidden Demonic Arts had infiltrated and hidden among the geniuses, taking on a new identity that no one knew.

This incident caused a huge sensation and panic, with some of the more reclusive geniuses facing heavy scrutiny from their peers.

Many elders also began to patrol and attempted to find the Inheritor of the Forbidden Demonic Arts.

— — —

"This time, you acted too impulsively and recklessly. You just entered the True Immortal Academy not long ago, and you have already taken action. Although your concealment technique is good, it is still too bold at this time."

"What if you were caught?"

At this moment, in the cave where divine light and rosy clouds interweave, the figure of Mo Lao appeared, speaking to Ying Shuang with a solemn expression and some concern.

A Young Genius had fallen victim to the Inheritor of the Forbidden Demonic Arts.

Mo Lao immediately thought of Ying Shuang, as he had personally brought him in.

Although Ying Shuang had not shown any signs of practising the Demonic Arts in front of him, given the many incidents and rumours that had occurred before, it was almost certain that he was the Inheritor of the Forbidden Demonic Arts.

This time, with the reappearance of the Inheritor of the Forbidden Demonic Arts, Mo Lao believed that it must have been the doing of Ying Shuang.

So he came here to ask him, worried that his identity might be exposed.

Upon hearing this, Ying Shuang remained calm and said, "I know what I'm doing. There won't be any problems."

Although he said this, he tightly clenched his fist hidden under his robe, filled with anger and unwillingness.

Although he needed the identity of an Inheritor of the Forbidden Demonic Arts to allow Mo Lao to protect him from behind, it was still frustrating and unfair to be unjustly accused once again without leaving the cave even for a single step.

He couldn't help but admit it.

Was there anything more frustrating and helpless in this world?

"Since that's the case, take care, and don't be too reckless," Mo Lao nodded and left, relieved.

'Damn it…'

'He's framing me again!'

As soon as Mo Lao had left, Ying Shuang's expression twisted, fierce and filled with fury, carrying both extreme resentment and frustration.

DEMONIC TRANSLATIONS

[Translator – Zain]

[Proofreader – Kshn]

— — —

Chapter 280: The World-Ending Demon Lord Isn't Running Away; The Realms Dare Not Speak My Name.

The news of the Demonic Arts Inheritor's reappearance inside the True Immortal Academy quickly swept through all the disciples present.

During this period, whether they were Elders, Ranked disciples, Numbered disciples, Inner disciples or even Outer sect disciples, everyone panicked and fell into a frenzy.

A Young Supreme with a special physique had inexplicably disappeared from his own abode.

This incident instilled fear into the people, a spine-chilling sensation enveloping their hearts.

The Forbidden Demonic Arts' Inheritor was hiding right beside them.

Who could be sure that the next disciple to be murdered would not be them?

Even Heavenly Phoenix Maiden and the other Ranked disciples turned infinitely more vigilant, aware of the threat that the Forbidden Demonic Arts' Inheritor possessed, hiding so cleverly in the dark.

After all, the Forbidden Demonic Arts Inheritor was an existence capable of escaping from Gu Changge himself.

He also possessed many powerful means and a supreme weapon as well. If anyone were to face the Forbidden Demonic Arts' Inheritor, none would be able to guarantee their safety.

"Ying Shuang used to be a descendant of the Heavenly Emperor's Mountain1, but he has practised the Forbidden Demonic Arts and betrayed the Mountain. Now, as the new heir to the Heavenly Emperor's Mountain, this Divine Prince vows to capture him and restore peace to this world."

Contrary to the fearful disciples, the Divine Prince drove his four-spirit chariot, rolling through the high heavens. His body was shining with brilliance, bright and dazzling, like a radiant, young god.

Following a promise that he would suppress the Forbidden Demonic Arts' Inheritor no matter what.

Meanwhile, the remaining Young Supremes in the Heavenly Emperor Mountain, including Ying Shuang's younger sister, Ying Yu, were searching everywhere in the True Immortal Academy, trying to find clues on the whereabouts of Ying Shuang, who entered in disguise.

Yet even the Elders of the True Immortal Academy were unable to aid them.

Their search seemed fruitless.

"Ying Shuang has already fallen into the devil's way. In his eyes, you are no longer his sister…"

"Do you think he will show mercy when you two next meet?"

Looking into Ying Yu's forlorn silver eyes, the Divine Prince's voice simply grew colder and harsher, leaving no further room for her imagination.

Hearing this, Ying Yu's expression became even gloomier.

"Rest assured, should our paths cross again, I will not show mercy."

She nodded and replied, knowing that the Divine Prince was warning her, worried that she would be too emotional when facing off against her own brother.

"It's good that you understand these things. Making any sudden moves would prove too messy at the moment." The Divine Prince stated lightly.

His own bloodline was by no means weaker than Prince Ying's, no it was actually even stronger.

If it were not for Prince Ying's unexpected betrayal of the Heavenly Emperor's Mountain, he probably wouldn't have even revealed himself to the outside world, preferring to stay within the Mountain.

Moreover, his father was an existence older than even the Ying Emperor, and his status among the Ancient Clans could only be higher than that of the Emperor himself.

So, for a member of the Heavenly Family to show up in person and say such comforting words…

It made the many Young Supremes heave a sigh of relief.

Afterwards, Gu Changge, who was universally recognized by most of the younger generation as the number one powerhouse, stood up and spoke his piece as well.

"Everyone who inherits the Forbidden Demonic Arts shall be punished. This Gu will be cooperating with the Elders from the Academy to track down Ying Shuang's whereabouts and seek justice for the Young Supremes who were brutally murdered."

As soon as he said this, it was like a divine mandate, a reassurance that relieved much of the tension plaguing the many Young Supremes.

If Gu Changge was involved, the hiding Forbidden Demonic Arts' Inheritor would surely be less active, right?

He was the one who first defeated a Forbidden Demonic Arts Inheritor, after all.

Many people regarded the attack on Young Supremes to be his provocation towards everyone.

So for Gu Changge to speak as such, isn't this a public response to the perpetrator?

'I obviously said that first… this arrogant guy is stealing the limelight…'

The Divine Prince couldn't help but frown slightly at this. He came out of seclusion quite late and hadn't been able to spread his fame across the whole world as Gu Changge did.

Thus, during recent times, he would often hear many young talents comparing him with Gu Changge in every area. Moreover, they'd always state that he was inferior to the other party in the end.

And although he knew that Gu Changge was indeed very powerful, it was truly uncomfortable for a person like him to feel as if he'd been reduced into a mere foil for greener leaves…

'I must be the one to find Ying Shuang. If I do, that Gu Changge will no longer be able to suppress me.'

'His strength is at least above the Sacred Realm. Even though I am probably not his opponent now…'

The expression of the Divine Prince dimmed a little, not as confident and calm as people might believe.

Ying Yu and the others behind him were also silent upon seeing his solemn expression.

After coming out of seclusion, the Divine Prince displayed iron-blooded and headstrong methods, severely suppressing the Ying Emperor's lineage. This meant that Ying Yu could only sit quietly and obey the orders and arrangements of the Divine Prince, unable to act on her lonesome.

The True Immortal Academy became more and more restless as the days went by.

Of course, many elders had expected a situation like this to occur. The Forbidden Demonic Arts' Inheritor was a symbol of destruction and anarchy, after all, possessing strange methods and vicious means.

He only needed to hide his true identity to sneak in safely…

This was because the presence of the Forbidden Demonic Arts' Inheritor was truly difficult to detect, and even the Human Ancestral Hall, which often fought against the Forbidden Demonic Arts' Inheritors, would have their hands tied trying to find him.

— — —

Several more days passed in the blink of an eye.

Clang!

Clang!

Clang!

The waking world, accompanied by three resounding bell strikes.

On a high platform, nine-colour clouds flowed and ebbed, as primordial white mist filled the air with a sense of the Immortal Period. An old man, his white hair and beard fluttering in the wind, sat cross-legged in a meditating pose, surrounded by blurry, chaotic air.

This elder possessed an incomparably profound mastery of Great Dao.

He was currently preaching to his many disciples below.

All of a sudden, mystical sounds were echoing everywhere within the miniature world. Golden lotus blossomed, and immortal fauna recited chants of the divine, growing silently in the void of space.

Truly mysterious…

On the nearby mountain peaks, there were flickering figures, densely packed and extremely lively.

Many disciples seemed infatuated, intoxicated by the sights and smells, gasping in amazement at the elder seated below. The infinitely solid foundation of the True Immortal Academy came from exactly this. The might and abilities of the many elders combined.

Just this one daily sermon already contained unparalleled truths.

Many Young Supremes would have surely benefited a lot from this place, having a breakthrough on the spot, their cultivation soaring drastically from the enlightenment they received here.

Before coming to the True Immortal Academy, contacting Supreme-level existences was nothing more than a pipe dream to them. But now? There would be a Supreme preaching the Dao to them daily!

2

This kind of treatment was like comparing the Heavens and Earth!

It can be said that only the True Immortal Academy was worthy of giving such treatment, a heavenly school where all younger generation cultivations would kill to enrol in.

"Changge, why does the Descendant of the Human Ancestral Hall keep staring at you?"

"Did something happen between you two?"

Sitting on a large bluestone, Gu Changge meditated in a relaxed manner. The preaching of these Supreme-level elders was of interest even to him.

For disciples who had just entered the True Immortal Academy, daily sermons were almost a part of their practice routine, and one that should never be missed.

And although Gu Changge wasn't paying much attention to it, at this time, where the concentration of disciples was at its highest… wouldn't he be able to search for some nice targets?

It was at this moment when he suddenly heard Yue Mingkong's nonchalant inquiry.

So he lightly replied, "Maybe they know my identity and are thinking about how to expose me?"

However, Yue Mingkong, sitting side by side with him, only grew even more suspicious, "Really? But with the look I'm seeing, why doesn't it seem like that to me?"

There were two descendants to the Human Ancestral Hall.

One was Wang Zijin, the Wang Clan's Heavenly Princess.

And the other was the mysterious Jiang Chuchu.

Regarding Wang Zijin, Yue Mingkong and her had met before this, so she knew that she was simply being used by Gu Changge as a pawn, not to be taken seriously.

Having said that… the other descendant was another matter entirely.

In her past life, Jiang Chuchu was the one who'd almost exposed Gu Changge's identity to the world. As such, her staring at Gu Changge wasn't something she could just ignore.

Had she realized something?

And yet. Her expression was complicated and evasive, instead of the righteous fury that she should be wearing against the Forbidden Demonic Arts' Inheritor, it was almost as if she didn't want Gu Changge to notice.

That made Yue Mingkong do a double take. She couldn't help but feel a little puzzled.

'However, the Human Ancestor has already disappeared, so it is not a cause for concern.'

Soon, thinking of this, Yue Mingkong felt relieved again.

"What's wrong? Are you worried about what I might have done to her?"

Gu Changge glanced intriguingly towards Yue Mingkong before asking. Jiang Chuchu and Wang Zijin had also naturally become disciples of the True Immortal Academy now.

But he didn't intend to greet either of them, seeing as they were of little use to him currently.

Gu Changge wouldn't be able to utilize their strengths for the time being, not to mention, harvesting their luck points was far less important when compared to the recently appearing Ziyang Tianjun.

Whether it was Wang Zijin or Jiang Chuchu, spending too much time on them would be a loss.

"That's possible."

Yue Mingkong did not deny his claim.

Gu Changge laughed, "The other party is a descendant of the Hall of Human Ancestors. How would I have the ability to attack her?"

". . ."

Of course, Yue Mingkong didn't believe his nonsense. The more Gu Changge denied it, the more that this possibility turned into an inevitability, as per his personality. Something was surely afoot here.

However, she didn't pursue the topic any further.

Additionally, Yue Mingkong had inquired about the cultivation habits of Qing Xiaoyi and Qing Feng, the now-famous brother-sister pair, and knew that there were many elders around them to guide them in their practice.

She still needed to wait for a suitable time to snatch the Heaven Encompassing Bottle from Qing Feng's hand.

And Gu Changge's plan was a big unknown as well.

He intended on letting Ying Shuang take the blame until the end, with no movement towards future plans at the moment.

The Elder's preaching on the Dao Platform ended soon enough.

Many Young Supremes showed regret and loss, as if they wanted the Elder to stay a bit longer.

But before the Elder left, he notified the cultivators present of one thing.

"After half a month, the True Immortal Academy will conduct the first trial after admission. Based on this trial, we will determine everyone's respective resources, along with their rankings."

"At the same time, the various elders will also select disciples based on this trial."

Upon entering the mountain gate, the many Young Supremes had been divided into ranks according to their realm of cultivation instead of actual combat ability, which might not reflect in their realm.

To separate the strong and weak. The leaders and the followers.

Thus, this was the theory of the entrance trials.

Hearing his words, many people were stunned for a moment, before the mood of the place reached its boiling point! Everyone clamoured, and the buzz of discussion hummed between fellow disciples.

How could the younger generation, so energetic and full of fighting spirit, fear competition?

It was their sole purpose to make a name for themselves in this sacred place.

In fact, most of the cultivators were already holding in their animosity, having nowhere to vent it.

So wasn't this trial an opportunity for them to show their hand?

News regarding the situation soon spread, causing a ripple of commotion throughout the academy.

Many Young Supremes, and even the Ranked Disciples, were preparing for it without exception.

Everyone wanted to snatch this chance to shine brighter than the others.

'Although the details of this trial have been withheld… this may be another chance for me.'

Gu Changge's eyes fell on a distant mountain peak, where regal, purple Qi coalesced into the shape of a throne. Where a purple-robed man stood, his head held high, filled with heroism and grandeur.

Ziyang Tianjun.

During his free moments, he had sent someone to investigate his origin.

Original name, Ziyang, born in the Purple Palace, a great Immortal Sect. He was not a character of this time period, but a Young Supreme from an older era.

He had once beaten all his peers and received the title of number one in the Upper Realm.

Then, after proclaiming his dominance, he entered closed-door cultivation and vanished, leaving the Upper Realm until this particular era, where he finally revealed himself once more.

This meant, logically speaking, he and Gu Xian'er should have nothing to do with one another.

Yet, according to Gu Changge's memories, on the day Ziyang Tianjun was born, Purple Qi blanketed the surroundings in a 30,000 mile radius, and he seemed to be accompanied by a mysterious Dao Bone. His talent was terrifying from birth, and he was always far more mature and stable compared to his peers or even seniors.

"One born with immense wisdom, accompanied by a mysterious Dao Bone."

"It just so happens that Gu Xian'er was also born with a Dao Bone…"

Gu Changge's eyes darkened for a while.

Numerous thoughts flashed through his mind.

Coincidence? It was a rare routine, but not uncommon enough for him to never have encountered it.

Ziyang Tianjun and Gu Xian'er…

Might have known each other in a past reincarnation.

In this life, if he hadn't dug out Gu Xian'er's Dao Bones, there would've been the possibility of her awakening some kind of repressed memory from her previous life.

"Gu Xian'er, this lass, sure has some strange templates added to her character. So now even her past self is some kind of bigshot? How troublesome. What a bother, indeed."

Gu Changge's smile grew rather sharp. All these shitty routines… coming one by one… the Heavens really liked to go against him, huh. It seemed he wasn't the Forbidden Demonic Arts' Inheritor for nothing.

However, when new leeks walk towards his door willingly, he could only accept them with a smile.

'System.'

'Ziyang Tianjun's template meets the setting of a Favoured Son of Heaven, and his points are sufficient too…'

'So why isn't the corresponding task being triggered?'

Gu Changge asked the system in his heart. This was something he cared about and was puzzled by.

It stood to reason that an existence like Ziyang Tianjun should also be regarded as a reincarnation of an Immortal, fitting the usual template of a Favoured Son of Heaven quite nicely.

He was just relatively rarer compared to the "Thirty Years in Hedong, Thirty Years in Hexi" trope.

Could it be for this reason?

Gu Changge fell deep into thought.

This was when the system actively responded, [The current Fortune Value possessed by Ziyang Tianjun are actually not enough to trigger the system tasks. During this period of time, due to soaring luck, there are too many individuals with Great Fortune around.]

[The Favoured Son of Heaven that the host needs to trigger is someone else.]

"Someone else?"

Gu Changge raised his eyebrows slightly, slightly perplexed.

For the system to prompt him to this point meant that this so-called Favoured Son of Heaven was not far away.

In other words, inside the True Immortal Academy?

"That mysterious stone from the Ninth Heaven?"

Soon, Gu Changge locked onto the target, sorting out the potential suspects. After all, the rest of the Young Supremes did not seem related to the Favoured Son of Heaven at all in his opinion.

This held true even for the Divine Prince, the son of the Golden Cicada Buddha, the Heavenly Phoenix Maiden, and others like them.

"Maybe a powerful entity who returned from the Nine Heavens?"

Gu Changge couldn't help shaking his head slightly. The consistent style of this routine is to pretend to be a pig and swallow the tiger whole.

He was too familiar with it.

Therefore, the male who walked out of the mysterious stone was definitely stronger than his Heavenly God Realm cultivation would suggest, with him possibly being a very terrifying powerhouse.

He simply looked plain and unassuming, possessing a face that was easy to ridicule and despise.

"That is to say, he should've been a reputable figure in this world. However, due to some reasons, he accidentally strayed into the Nine Heavens, stayed within it for many years, before then being sealed inside a mysterious stone, falling back out…"

The scholarly man wasted no time deducing its origin.

Fortunately, things were much simpler this way.

The return of the strong?

This kind of trope was the most common. When the 'Immortal Emperor' reincarnates and finds his daughter living in a dog kennel, and with a single order, summons millions of heavenly soldiers from the Immortal World…

[Omitted 500 words of cliche trope]*

3

Obviously, the individual whom Gu Changge would meet this time was not some so-called Immortal Emperor, but the strength of that mysterious man should not be underestimated still.

[Ding! Triggering the Favoured Son of Heaven Event: the Senior Brother who returned from the Ninth Heaven.]

By the time Gu Changge sorted out the matter, the system's voice sounded again, as expected.

"The Senior Brother who returned from the Ninth Heaven?"

He muttered under his breath, before asking:

"What about the system hint this time?"

Buzz!

And as Gu Changge finished speaking, a familiar feeling washed over him, light and shadow flashing in front of his eyes, while a projected screen emerged within his view.

— — —

[Boundless Dao Sect]

In front of the reverberating mountain gate, these three words seemed to weather the infinite flow of time, ancient and everlasting, revealing vicissitudes and antiquity.

Although this name wasn't written in characters of this era, Gu Changge recognized them at a glance.

How interesting. It made him ponder a little.

"Master, Senior Brother has been gone for too long. I am afraid this disappearance bodes ill. Please accept this disciple's condolences…"

A young disciple wearing a purple robe approached the old man, standing before the gate.

His eyes were still rimmed red.

"Impossible. Wuya's soul lamp has not been extinguished, it's impossible that his life is in danger."

"He must be trapped somewhere right now. I believe he will definitely come back. As his teacher, I will be waiting for him here!"

But the elderly figure denied his sadness, shaking his head when he heard those words, eyes full of steadfast determination. He would not accept such a reality.

After all, Qin Wuya, was his favourite disciple and also his adopted son.

Mature and stable, shouldering the important task of restoring the Boundless Dao Sect.

How could he have had an accident?

"Father, senior brother, if he is all right, then he will definitely come back."

"Don't worry too much."

A woman with plain, yet graceful features soon appeared as well, persuading the old man.

However, when she mentioned the Eldest Brother, even she couldn't help but reveal a glimmer of sadness and loss, flashing briefly through starry eyes.

"We still have our Junior Sister, even if Senior Brother is not here…"

"Master, Senior Sister, don't be too sad. Senior Brother is an auspicious person who has his own luck, I am sure everything will be perfectly fine."

The young disciple in the purple robe also changed his mind at this time and hurriedly blurted out.

Hearing this, the old man shook his head and sighed, before turning his gaze to the distance.

Sitting cross-legged on one side of the bluestone, a woman in azure clothes meditated intently, her expression cold and apathetic, as lingering Dao Chants enveloped her body, intertwining within.

"Daoxian hasn't let her teacher down…"

There was a slight relief and satisfaction in the eyes of the old man.

Boom!

But suddenly, in the distant universe, a piercing scream tore the world asunder, causing the people in front of the mountain gate to recoil, stunned by the shockwave.

Immediately afterwards, the dome of the Heavens cracked apart! Pieces of space-time, shattering into unimaginable, monolithic cracks, and then collapsing piece by piece, like the melting of snow.

Amidst the chaos was the scene of ten thousand immortal beings, battling against the void, a sight so terrifying that it even made the sky tremble.

The Immortal Palace standing in the centre of the boundless universe crumbled, turning into dust.

An eternal existence, donning a purple-gold crown on his head, whose mere breath could intimidate the aeons, was abruptly pierced by a familiar black halberd, before being split in half, his organs and blood splashing throughout the realm!

"W-what is this…!"

"All the deities are bleeding, the Palace has fallen, and even the Immortal Master has died…"

This scene shocked everyone, as their expressions turned into despair, fear, and horror.

In the tragic scene, only a single, giant hand was left standing, entangled with hundreds of millions of dead souls, emanating demonic energy that could cover the very Heavens!

Worlds fall as the aeons wither away; I alone am Supreme!

Even the legendary River of Time had been broken into countless fragments!

Innumerable orthodox sects and beast clans were all reduced to ashes under this palm, as hundreds of millions of living beings disappeared from the world.

Destroying eight thousand kingdoms with a touch, killing all within Nine Heavens and Ten Regions!

— — —

The screen's recollection ended there.

After witnessing all of this, Gu Changge's expression showed a slight frown.

"Boundless Dao Sect? No wonder I recognize those ancient characters, it turned out to be the era that was buried in the infinite River of Time…" He whispered to himself.

This reminder allowed him to understand quite a few unresolved questions.

The meticulous woman on the bluestone who practised without distraction… should be Gu Xian'er's previous life as a member of the Boundless Dao Sect.

As for the purple-robed young disciple? It was obviously Ziyang Tianjun.

And thus, the Senior Brother who disappeared when he fell into the Ninth Heaven, could only be that mysterious stone that walked back out in this life.

Things had become more coherent in this way.

"The so-called system prompts are actually all dug out from my own suppressed memories. Maybe even the origin of this system itself has a lot to do with the past me."

Gu Changge quickly thought of other things in his mind.

Judging from the pieced-together memory, the matter of the Demon Lord's destruction of the world had not escaped from there.

As for the reason? It didn't really matter to him.

Speaking of which, it seemed he had caused quite a number of troubles during his tenure as Demon Lord, all of which were now heavily involved in his current life.

No wonder even Lao Shi, the stone monster who was originally his cultivation stone, had become so angry and fearful of him.

"I dare say that the final Boss of that forbidden epoch was, in fact, the Demon Lord, but through the tribulations of time it was eventually forgotten, and even the world itself dares not utter his name…"

"The demise of the Boundless Dao Sect is just a drop in the ocean… Why should I care about the ants I trample when taking a step?"

Gu Changge felt a stabbing sensation from the depths of his soul as these images subsided, as if a hidden memory was resurfacing.

The Eight Desolation Demon Halberd within the weapon space was also trembling slightly, giving off a feeling of joy and excitement.

"Those who should return will return sooner or later. I will face them all."

"After all, I am the Demon Lord."

Gu Changge whispered to himself, feeling the beating of his Devil Heart gradually calm down.

Following that, his figure flashed, turning into a divine rainbow as he left the place, wanting to prepare for his next plan.

The Favoured Son of Heaven must be harvested, but this time… the returner involved was far more troublesome than before.

Dealing with Ziyang Tianjun wouldn't be overly complicated. But unfortunately, that guy was not stupid, and was instead rather patient. He didn't dare fight directly against Gu Changge.

It was also impossible for Gu Changge to strike him directly when the time was not right.

Let's not mention whether or not it will work, just the existence of those True Immortal Academy's Elders would hinder his plans greatly.

And the Purple Palace wasn't easy prey either.

Therefore, he still needed to take advantage of the situation to thoroughly crush him. As usual and as expected, he would hold the banner of justice and righteousness in his hands, so that the people knew his intentions, and were then helpless to stop him.

Along the way, he'd associate Ziyang Tianjun with the Forbidden Demonic Arts' Inheritor and ruin him that way, causing even the Purple Palace to think twice before protecting him.

— — —

At the same time, Gu Xian'er, who'd finished listening to the sermon, was rushing towards her personal abode with an expression of enlightenment.

It was in the complete opposite direction of the path Gu Changge took, and was even after his figure had disappeared first.

During this time, she had been avoiding Gu Changge like the plague, not wanting to see or meet him face to face.

However, he was even more straightforward, not bothering to talk to her at all.

This made Gu Xian'er heave a sigh of relief, but at the same time, made her feel a little bit disappointed and hurt.

So, obviously, she became a little pissed at Gu Changge.

It was evident that he had taken advantage of her instead of the other way around, so why was he acting like he had suffered some kind of harsh abuse?