Couldn't Help But Want to Laugh — What a Kind-Hearted Fellow
Couldn’t Help But Want to Laugh — What a Kind-Hearted Fellow
Inside the Skyward Gate Tower, Bai Lie ultimately did not end up fighting Gu Changge.
This left many young prodigies disappointed. They had all wanted to witness firsthand just how terrifying Gu Changge had become.
In their eyes, Bai Lie’s refusal to fight was perfectly reasonable. If not for his fiancée Yin Mei’s persuasion, he might have made a move — but even then, there was nothing he could have done.
After all, among Young Prodigies of the same caliber, even the slightest gap in cultivation would be infinitely magnified in actual combat.
Until Bai Lie broke through to the middle stage of the Honoured King Realm, he likely would not choose to cross hands with Gu Changge.
Among the younger generation, who wouldn’t feel their legs go weak when facing Gu Changge now?
Of course, Bai Lie’s strength was absolutely beyond question — that went without saying. His Golden Force alone was enough to make many people wary.
Finally, as the banquet drew to a close.
Bai Lie cast a cold glance at Gu Changge, then rose and left the palace without a word, looking very much like a man who intended to settle both old grudges and new hatred another day.
Gu Changge leisurely sipped his wine, not even bothering to lift an eyelid.
“Gu shixiong, Yin Mei must take her leave first.”
At that moment, Yin Mei suddenly stood up and spoke to Gu Changge with some apology. Then, without waiting for his consent, she hurried after Bai Lie out of the palace.
A flash of red skirt quickly vanished through the palace gates.
This scene stunned many of those still inside the palace, who feared Gu Changge would fly into a rage.
However, as Bai Lie’s fiancée, Yin Mei chasing after him at this moment was presumably to explain things.
That, too, was only reasonable.
“Brother Gu, behind Bai Lie stand the Ancient Royal Families. The previous White Tiger Emperor is said to have already touched the threshold of that realm...”
Ye Langtian spoke up at this point, worried that Gu Changge might take offense, wanting to talk him down. After all, the White Tiger Clan’s foundations were still quite deep.
There was no need to fall out over such a trivial matter.
“Brother Ye worries too much. This is Yin Mei shimei’s private affair — why would I meddle?” Gu Changge merely smiled, as if he didn’t care at all.
He showed no sign of anger over Yin Mei’s departure.
This left many people unable to fathom what he was thinking.
They could only sigh inwardly — a man who never showed joy or anger on his face was truly terrifying.
However, from this day forward, the Nine-Lives Gifted Lady Yin Mei’s days at the Skyward Schloss would probably not be easy.
Afterward, the crowd began discussing the matter of the immortal treasure emerging from the depths of the Skyward Schloss, seeking Gu Changge’s guidance and hoping he would look after them when the time came.
With Bai Lie gone, the atmosphere became considerably more harmonious.
Many prodigies naturally cast aside their reservations.
They began calling Bai Lie a fool who didn’t know life from death, an ignorant idiot, and so on in front of Gu Changge — cursing him however they pleased.
Hearing all this, the smile on Gu Changge’s face turned rather meaningful, making Ye Liuli — who had been watching him the whole time — suddenly unable to suppress a shiver.
...
Elsewhere.
After storming out of the Skyward Gate Tower in a rage, the resentment in Bai Lie’s heart still refused to settle.
At that moment, he wished he could find his good brother Ye Ling to drink and chat with, to vent his frustration — otherwise, the fury and killing intent in his heart would find no release.
Gu Changge’s actions today had humiliated him, stripped him of all face, and subjected him to utter disgrace. He wished he could break through soon, trample Gu Changge beneath his feet, and kill him!
But Bai Lie also understood clearly.
Such things were fine to imagine in his heart, and nothing more.
With his current abilities, never mind killing Gu Changge — whether he could even beat him was another question entirely.
“On the Skyward Schloss’s turf, Gu Changge is the local tyrant. Everyone has to read his mood. How detestable.”
“Even Yin Mei is the same. But as a disciple of the Skyward Schloss, she has her own difficulties. I can understand that.”
Thinking this, Bai Lie calmed down.
After all, Yin Mei had no choice — she was being oppressed by Gu Changge.
He planned to stay in Skyward Ancient City for the time being. After all, the fortuitous opportunities within the Skyward Schloss still awaited them.
Naturally, he could not leave at a time like this.
Just then, Bai Lie suddenly noticed footsteps behind him. He turned around and couldn’t help but freeze.
On the street, bustling with crowds, a figure in a red dress walked toward him.
Nine fluffy, snow-white, lustrous fox tails were cradled in her arms.
Her bearing carried both bewitching allure and demonic charm.
At this moment, her face also held a trace of apology.
It was none other than the Nine-Lives Gifted Lady, Yin Mei.
Seeing his fiancée chase after him from the Skyward Gate Tower, Bai Lie was instantly delighted, even somewhat moved.
After all, doing this meant offending Gu Changge to the death!
How would she ever get by at the Skyward Schloss after this?
“Yin Mei...”
Bai Lie was somewhat excited and couldn’t resist reaching for the hand of the beauty before him.
Strictly speaking, this counted as their first proper meeting — what happened inside the Skyward Gate Tower didn’t count.
The two of them hadn’t even exchanged a single word.
Yet Bai Lie’s heart was stirred. After all, this stunning beauty was his fiancée!
Moreover, her actions in the Skyward Gate Tower just now — daring to defy Gu Changge’s oppression — made him feel that Yin Mei was not the kind of person he had imagined.
Yin Mei stopped a zhang away from him and quietly stepped back, not letting Bai Lie touch her.
“I’m sorry about today. Yin Mei failed to consider things thoroughly. I never expected Gu shixiong to suddenly act that way.”
Her face carried a hint of apology as she spoke.
Seeing that Yin Mei wouldn’t let him touch her, Bai Lie felt a bit embarrassed. But on second thought, this was their first meeting — being so forward really was rather rude.
Hearing her words, he quickly shook his head. “It’s fine, I understand your difficulties. After all, you cultivate at the Skyward Schloss, and Gu Changge covers the sky with one hand there — I hear even the elders don’t dare provoke him. That you stood up for me just now already moves me deeply...”
He meant every word.
Especially now, with Yin Mei chasing after him — that said everything.
Hearing this, Yin Mei seemed somewhat moved as well. She nodded. “I was worried you might misunderstand. This puts my mind at ease. With the immortal treasure emerging from the depths of the Skyward Schloss recently, I cannot leave this place. Once the matter of the immortal treasure is settled, I will leave the Skyward Schloss and return to my clan. By then, Gu shixiong won’t be able to coerce me anymore.”
“Mm, I know about that. The immortal treasure matter is of great importance — everything else can be set aside for now. Once I break through to the middle stage of the Honoured King Realm, I will definitely avenge today’s humiliation from Gu Changge...”
“And make him regret bullying and oppressing you!”
Bai Lie nodded at her words, speaking with an air of complete confidence.
After all, he was in front of his fiancée — saying such things made him look good, and he even felt inexplicably more confident.
Besides, don’t all women love a confident man?
Bai Lie had already planned out how he would humiliate Gu Changge and make him regret everything he had done today.
“Mm, I believe in you.”
Hearing this, Yin Mei’s face also showed an expression of deep faith, somewhat moved.
“Right — now that you’ve offended Gu Changge, will things be hard for you at the Skyward Schloss? I’m a bit worried,” Bai Lie said.
After all, if Yin Mei suffered grievances at the Skyward Schloss because of him, his conscience would not rest easy.
Thinking of this, his hatred for Gu Changge deepened.
Yin Mei shook her head. “At the very least, I’m still a true disciple of the Skyward Schloss. Gu shixiong won’t make things too difficult for me.”
Then she glanced in the direction of the Skyward Gate Tower and continued,
“I should be getting back soon. Leaving suddenly for too long would be somewhat rude to the other prodigies.”
Bai Lie had wanted to ask Yin Mei to stay a while longer, but hearing this, he opened his mouth, then finally took out a tiger-shaped Jade Talisman and held it out to her. “I’ll be in Skyward Ancient City during this time. If you want to find me, you can use this Jade Talisman to contact me.”
Hearing this, Yin Mei seemed to hesitate for a moment before accepting the Jade Talisman.
Then she turned and headed back toward the Skyward Gate Tower.
The apology, the emotion on her face — all of it vanished in an instant, replaced by mockery and ridicule.
She had always been deeply dissatisfied with the marriage agreement her clan had suddenly arranged for her, and had been looking for a way to annul it.
Otherwise, she wouldn’t have spent all these years cultivating at the Skyward Schloss without ever once returning to her clan.
A fiancé she had never even met.
Granted, he was a Young Prodigy, a once-in-ten-thousand-years talent of the White Tiger Clan.
But Yin Mei couldn’t care less.
And now, of all people, Bai Lie had to go and offend Gu Changge — what more could she say about that?
Even seeking death didn’t usually look this deliberate.
As for feelings like pity, she had none whatsoever.
Everything was going exactly as she wished.
“Breaking through to the middle stage of the Honoured King Realm will be enough to match him?”
When she heard those words, Yin Mei couldn’t help but want to laugh.
This man was simply too naive.
If they actually fought, she doubted Bai Lie could last three moves against Gu Changge.
Let alone under Gu Changge’s terrifying trump cards — any Young Prodigy who saw them would fall into despair.
She guessed that the reason Gu Changge hadn’t immediately moved against Bai Lie was that he had taken a fancy to his Hepta-Metal Source talent.
After all, she had worked for Gu Changge for all these years and knew very well what kind of cultivation resources he needed.
“I hear Brother Ye Ling will also be coming to Skyward Ancient City soon. I should go catch up with him first.”
On the street filled with passing Cultivators, watching Yin Mei’s figure gradually disappear, Bai Lie finally withdrew his gaze and smiled.
Then he planned to find his good brother Ye Ling to discuss the upcoming emergence of the Skyward Schloss’s immortal treasure.
...
After the Thousands Banquet ended, all the prodigies took their leave and departed the Skyward Gate Tower, each returning to their own cultivation residences and palaces.
Word of what had happened there quickly spread, drawing the attention of many powers. However, the fact that the White Tiger Clan’s Young Master and Gu Changge ultimately did not come to blows left many people disappointed.
At the end of the day, the whole affair amounted to nothing more than a jealous squabble over a woman.
Bai Lie ultimately avoided the fight, and Gu Changge gave face to his fellow disciple, refraining from striking.
But from another angle, it also revealed the terrifying authority Gu Changge now wielded at the Skyward Schloss — every disciple submitted, and none dared disobey.
The so-called “covering the sky with one hand” was nothing more than this.
Inside a magnificent, grand, and towering palace hall.
Gu Changge was stroking a snow-white, fluffy fox tail with one hand.
With the other, he turned over the tiger-shaped Jade Talisman, his expression rather intrigued, and asked, “These were his exact words?”
“I dare not hide anything from Master. These were Bai Lie’s exact words. He gave me this Jade Talisman and said I could use it to find him.”
Yin Mei answered respectfully, having already repeated to Gu Changge everything Bai Lie had said to her.
“Very good. I was just wondering how to find Ye Ling’s whereabouts, and he went and delivered it to me himself. What a kind-hearted fellow.”
Gu Changge nodded, his smile rather amused.
As things stood, Bai Lie was the only person connected to Ye Ling, and Gu Changge still needed him to locate Ye Ling.
Of course, beyond that, Bai Lie had other uses — his Hepta-Metal Source talent, for instance, which greatly interested Gu Changge.
Hearing Gu Changge’s murmured words, Yin Mei was puzzled but dared not ask anything.
She didn’t even dare to speculate or dig deeper. Some things were better left unknown.
She understood this very well.
As long as she never harbored thoughts of betraying Gu Changge, he would not kill her.
Alive, she was far more useful to him than dead.
“Your performance today was quite good. From now on, keep a constant eye on Bai Lie’s movements. If he comes into contact with that man named Ye Ling, inform me immediately,” Gu Changge instructed.
“Thank you for your praise, Master. Yin Mei will definitely handle this matter well,” Yin Mei quickly replied.
As for who Ye Ling was, she had already learned of him from Ye Langtian at the banquet.
With her status as the Gifted Lady of the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan, her informants stretched across the land. Learning of one person’s movements was not difficult at all.