A Chill Down the Spine, Gu Changge's Plan
A Chill Down the Spine, Gu Changge’s Plan
The day after Gu Changge was “injured” by Gu Xianer.
Gu Changge was established as the successor by the various elders and the Palace Master, a matter personally confirmed by the Great Elder himself.
This news quickly caused a massive uproar throughout Skyward Schloss.
All the disciples were shocked.
Because they all knew that the Great Elder and Gu Changge had never gotten along, and the two had even had quite a few disputes not long ago.
The Great Elder had even flown into a rage over it, causing countless stars beyond the domain to tremble and nearly fall from the sky.
Yet now, of all times, Gu Changge was suddenly established as the successor.
Many disciples found this hard to believe, though none dared to question it. Even though they felt unwilling that the successor position had been settled so quickly...
Facing Gu Changge, they didn’t dare compete for it—they didn’t even dare harbor the thought of seizing the successor position.
Even the true disciples chose to avoid Gu Changge, either departing for training journeys or going into secluded cultivation.
As for the remaining inner disciples and outer disciples, what could they possibly do?
Not to mention that Gu Changge had long since held absolute power within Skyward Schloss. Even without being named successor, it made no difference—to him, it was merely an empty title.
No one dared voice the slightest objection.
Moreover, the day before, Gu Changge had seemingly been injured by his so-called sister Gu Xianer, and hadn’t shown his face for an entire day.
Gu Xianer had once again caused quite a sensation in Skyward Schloss.
After all, she could be considered the only disciple who dared to challenge Gu Changge, to actually strike at him.
However, many heard that Gu Changge hadn’t resisted at the time and was seriously wounded.
For a while, everyone was speculating about what past grievances existed between Gu Xianer and Gu Changge.
Eating melons, watching the drama, digging up rumors—no matter where you go, these are things people never tire of.
Gu Xianer’s formidable strength also drew the attention of many disciples.
After all, she was the Great Elder’s personal disciple, and her talent on the Skyward Path was no weaker than Gu Changge’s.
Many felt her future was limitless, that she would surely become a powerful figure of the Beyond!
During this period, an elder announced that the Canonization Ceremony for Skyward Schloss’s successor would be held seven days later.
At the same time, Skyward Schloss also informed the various lineages and powers of the Beyond that it intended to open the Celestial Ancient Continent deep within its grounds, to jointly investigate the secret of the immortal treasure that had emerged some time ago.
Once this news spread, all the lineages and powers of the Beyond’s Inner Domain were shaken—including numerous Cults of Immortality, Ancient Immortal Races, imperial clans, and even Longevity Families.
Even some ancient taboo successors who hadn’t contacted the outside world in ages showed signs of emerging.
That place was not merely ruins—it was also a secret realm.
Back then, a terrifying existence of Skyward Schloss had moved it there from the Celestial Ancient Lands.
It contained countless immortal fortunes, but also countless dangers. The regions shrouded in flowing mist were places even the elders of Skyward Schloss dared not set foot in.
Beyond that, the Celestial Ancient Continent was home to quite a few natives and living beings, cut off from the world, ordinarily guarded by the old antiques of Skyward Schloss.
Once the Celestial Ancient Continent opened, a horde of young prodigies would surely flood in—who could predict their life or death within?
Regarding this, Skyward Schloss also set requirements for the various powers: each faction could send at most ten young prodigies, and must also have a person in charge.
Once this news spread, it caused an earthquake.
Of course, Skyward Schloss was also fair to young rogue cultivators, setting no rules forbidding them from entering.
This was also Skyward Schloss’s act of helplessness—just how many disciples of various powers were now stationed in Skyward Ancient City?
That went without saying.
However, within Skyward Schloss, one had to abide by its rules.
This move made many cultivators instantly understand: Skyward Schloss establishing Gu Changge as successor at this time was probably also to deal with this situation.
“Skyward Schloss is quite clever! Among the younger generation today, who has the prestige of the Gu Family’s Young Master? When the younger generation all gathers at Skyward Schloss, clashes will be inevitable...”
“But with the Gu Family’s Young Master present, many people should restrain themselves considerably. This move can truly be called clever!”
“Not necessarily though. Recently, quite a few Young Prodigies have broken through to the Honoured King Realm. I’m afraid a dragon-tiger battle will still be unavoidable.”
“And I heard that during this time, the successor of the Ancient Ye Family, Ye Langtian—the prodigy known as the Reincarnation of an Ancient Emperor, once on par with the Gu Family’s Young Master—suffered a great loss at the hands of a clansman named Ye Ling...”
“That clansman named Ye Ling had cultivation inferior to Ye Langtian’s at the time, yet fought him to a draw. That shows how formidable he is.”
“Perhaps that young man named Ye Ling might even be able to fight the Gu Family’s Young Master when the time comes...”
“And I heard from someone that the prodigy named Ye Ling indeed intends to challenge the Gu Family’s Young Master—he even made a public declaration. Who knows when the two of them formed their grudge.”
...
In Skyward Ancient City, within a divine pavilion by the street, Ye Langtian listened to the discussions of the cultivators outside, a trace of gloom on his face.
“Brother Gu, I never expected this matter would drag you into it...”
Somewhat apologetic, he raised his cup toward Gu Changge before him.
Gu Changge’s incomparably handsome face wore a calm, indifferent expression. He raised the white jade cup to his lips and drained it in one gulp.
Hearing this, he smiled faintly and said,
“A mere little grasshopper—I could swat it dead with a casual slap. Why should Brother Ye take it so to heart?”
Seeing how casually he spoke, the purple-robed maiden beside Ye Langtian couldn’t help but nod in agreement. “Yes, Gu Changge is absolutely right. Brother, why do you care so much? Ye Ling is nothing but a branch-line clansman who only knows how to pull petty schemes and tricks. You’re far too wary of him.”
In her view, no matter how strong Ye Ling was, he merely relied on tricks and external objects. If he truly faced Ye Langtian head-on, he definitely wouldn’t be Ye Langtian’s match.
Their statuses simply couldn’t be compared. Even if quite a few clan elders looked favorably upon Ye Ling, that changed nothing.
Ye Langtian was being overly anxious about this matter.
She quite agreed with Gu Changge’s assessment—Ye Ling was just a little grasshopper; no matter how high he jumped, he’d still get swatted dead.
Thinking this, the purple-robed maiden’s fair, lovely face carried a hint of dismissiveness, her eyes curving slightly with amusement.
She was none other than Ye Liuli.
During this period, she and her brother Ye Langtian had been staying in Skyward Ancient City, waiting for Skyward Schloss to open the Celestial Ancient Continent.
They never expected to chance upon Gu Changge today.
To be precise, they chanced upon Gu Changge and Yue Mingkong together.
Beside Gu Changge sat a woman with immortal beauty like a painting, exuding a lofty, noble aura. Her phoenix eyes were slightly lowered, yet she gave off an indescribable pressure.
The Crown Heir of the Unrivaled Celestial Dynasty—the future Empress of the Unrivaled Celestial Dynasty.
Ye Liuli somewhat envied their relationship. Like a pair of immortal lovebirds, sitting there together, they seemed perfectly matched.
Especially below the table, she noticed Gu Changge’s little movements.
Though Yue Mingkong was also drinking, her other small hand was gently held in Gu Changge’s grasp.
Yet Yue Mingkong’s face showed no abnormality whatsoever—perfectly natural, still radiating that lofty, inviolable air.
If their relationship weren’t intimate, how could a woman of her temperament allow anyone to touch her?
Ye Liuli felt envious. She had always harbored some indescribable emotion toward Gu Changge.
Especially since coming up from the Overworld.
But from the scene before her, Gu Changge and Yue Mingkong were clearly very close—not at all the discordant pair outsiders imagined.
“Brother Gu speaks sense. At first, I thought the same—that Ye Ling wasn’t worth worrying about.”
“But it was precisely because of that that I suffered a great loss at his hands. I also don’t know why such rumors have been spreading lately—that Ye Ling actually wants to challenge Brother Gu.”
Hearing this, Ye Langtian shook his head. His words seemed sincere enough, but he had his own agenda.
As a fellow clansman and the Young Master, if he casually struck at Ye Ling, it would likely provoke impeachment and discontent from the clan elders.
As luck would have it, that damned Ye Ling had recently declared he would challenge Gu Changge—which gave Ye Langtian the idea of borrowing a knife to kill someone.
Ye Langtian hadn’t become the Ye Family’s successor by being any sort of kind soul; many of his actions were carefully deliberated.
Of course, if Gu Changge didn’t care about this, there was nothing more he could say.
“Oh? Going by what Brother Ye says, that Ye Ling does seem to have some ability.”
Hearing this, Gu Changge’s expression remained natural, leaving Ye Langtian unsure whether he’d taken it in, feeling helpless inside.
“Ye Ling has only the Ye Family’s branch line behind him, yet he’s come this far—that’s no simple feat. Does Brother Ye know anything about it?”
At this point, Gu Changge suddenly changed the subject, asking indifferently about Ye Ling’s origins.
Gu Changge wasn’t surprised that Ye Ling would make such declarations.
Not only could Ye Ling ride his “popularity” to make a name for himself among the various powers in one stroke, he could also make his stance clear.
After all, Ye Ling’s sworn brother, the White Tiger Clan’s Young Master Bai Lie, had suffered a great loss and enormous humiliation at Gu Changge’s hands, and Ye Ling himself had been ambushed by his fiancée Yue Mingkong.
That being the case, it was perfectly normal for Ye Ling to pin his hatred on him.
After all, as a Fortuitous One, he was naturally at odds with Gu Changge. And after obtaining the legacy of the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being, Ye Ling had swelled with boundless arrogance.
He didn’t even take Ye Langtian—who was on par with Gu Changge—seriously, let alone Gu Changge himself.
How could Gu Changge fail to see through such petty scheming?
As far as he was concerned, the higher Ye Ling jumped now, the harder he would fall later.
Moreover, Gu Changge had long since arranged the means to deal with Ye Ling. When the time came, not only could he leave Ye Ling utterly disgraced, he could also comfortably reap the benefits as the fisherman.
Thinking this, the smile on Gu Changge’s face deepened, and he couldn’t help squeezing Yue Mingkong’s small hand beneath the table.
Slender and delicate, like flawless immortal jade—holding it, he was reluctant to let go.
This earned him a glare from Yue Mingkong, who let out a soft cold snort through her nose.
But since they were in public, she couldn’t be bothered to make a fuss with Gu Changge. She also knew he was deliberately teasing her.
The wound from Gu Xianer’s blade that day had long since healed, and thanks to that self-inflicted injury scheme...
Yue Mingkong’s attitude toward him had softened considerably, no longer as cold as before.
Being this intimate with her now wouldn’t provoke much resistance from her.
When Gu Changge left the mountain gate to handle matters in Skyward Ancient City, Yue Mingkong saw him and followed along, wanting to know what exactly he was up to.
As it happened, Gu Changge sensed Ye Liuli’s presence and orchestrated this “chance encounter,” and the group made their way to this divine pavilion to drink, chat, and discuss the recent situation.
This divine pavilion had already been cleared out by Gu Changge’s followers—no other cultivators remained—so it wouldn’t cause much of a stir.
The little “flirtatious exchanges” between Gu Changge and Yue Mingkong didn’t escape Ye Liuli’s eyes, further confirming that the two were on very good terms, which filled her with envy.
At this moment, hearing Gu Changge’s question, Ye Langtian pondered for a moment before saying, “Regarding what Brother Gu mentioned, I have considered it. Behind Ye Ling there is very likely some expert guiding him, or perhaps he obtained some inheritance. When I fought him, his techniques were extremely bizarre—able to neutralize quite a few of my transcendent abilities...”
He had also investigated Ye Ling, but in the end found nothing remarkable about him—nothing suggesting an expert’s guidance.
So it was very likely that Ye Ling had obtained some ancient, powerful inheritance.
“It seems Brother Ye’s guess is about the same as mine. For Ye Ling to act so high-profile and arrogant, he must have something to rely on.” Hearing this, Gu Changge smiled faintly.
Ye Langtian nodded. “Even Brother Gu thinks he obtained some inheritance?”
At this, Yue Mingkong, listening from the side, couldn’t help glancing at Gu Changge in puzzlement.
Ye Ling’s Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being inheritance—was Gu Changge planning to expose it?
Otherwise, why would he say this, steering the conversation in that direction?
But Yue Mingkong quickly shook her head inwardly.
Given Gu Changge’s personality, he would wish that Ye Ling’s secret was known to him alone.
If her relationship with Gu Changge weren’t special, he might well have silenced her to keep the secret from leaking.
So before killing Ye Ling and seizing his inheritance, Gu Changge would absolutely never reveal this secret on his own initiative.
Then what exactly was his goal?
Yue Mingkong was still puzzling over this when she heard Gu Changge say casually, “Oh right, Brother Ye, I heard that recently quite a few outstanding disciples of various sects and lineages have mysteriously gone missing. Do you know anything about that?”
Hearing these words, Yue Mingkong was first stunned.
Then her pupils couldn’t help but shrink slightly, a chill running down her spine. Even in broad daylight within the divine pavilion, she felt a terrifying coldness rise.
In an instant, she knew what Gu Changge was planning.