The Entanglement Is a Great Success — The Bigger the Bragging, the Harder the Beating
The Entanglement Is a Great Success — The Bigger the Bragging, the Harder the Beating
Meanwhile, outside the territory of the Black Hawk Family.
Hidden within a stretch of ruins, Gu Changge was in the midst of refining and devouring the essence of a Sacred Realm ancient corpse when his ears twitched slightly — he had detected the sound of living beings approaching outside.
And among their words, they had even mentioned him.
Weng!
Gu Changge took a single step forward, abruptly appearing, and brought a palm down to cover them, directly suppressing the several young creatures who had been in the middle of their discussion.
“S-spare... spare us...”
Their faces were filled with terror and dread; one of them nearly wet himself from fright.
Gu Changge couldn’t be bothered with words and directly performed a Soul Search.
Very quickly, he obtained the information he wanted from the minds of these few.
During this period, he had essentially been living in seclusion, so he was unaware of what had happened in the other regions.
“The True Dragon Clan’s successor, Long Teng, wants to challenge me?” He couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow, somewhat baffled.
He had been wondering — he had never even met this Long Teng, so how had he inexplicably drawn the man’s attention, to the point of declaring he would suppress and kill him, vowing to seize everything he had?
Gu Changge’s first reaction was that he had encountered an idiot.
Then, combining it with the information the Celestial Ancient creatures had about Long Teng, he quickly reached a conclusion.
He had definitely been set up by Yue Mingkong.
First Gu Xianer set him up, and now it was Yue Mingkong’s turn.
Gu Changge felt he must have been treating them too well — one after another, they kept directing trouble his way.
“Still, this Long Teng really does have something wrong with his brain.”
“Even Long Aotian wasn’t this arrogant. ‘True Dragon aptitude,’ wanting to take everything of mine — he’s practically delivering himself to my door to bring me warmth.”
Gu Changge couldn’t help but sneer, not taking such a trivial matter seriously at all.
He already knew Long Teng’s goal — it was nothing more than coveting Yue Mingkong, intending to make a move and snatch his fiancée.
Leaving everything else aside, Yue Mingkong’s looks and figure were absolutely beyond reproach.
Otherwise, Gu Changge wouldn’t have been so “unable to put her down.”
There was no man who could look at her and not be moved.
Someone like Long Teng, running a harem-protagonist template, was naturally no exception.
After all, no matter the time or place, everything came down to looks.
If Yue Mingkong were ugly, Gu Changge wouldn’t have bothered with so much, let alone indulged her so.
Once every bit of useful value had been squeezed dry, he would have tossed her aside without a second thought.
Though he, Gu, was no shallow man, he was a sucker for a pretty face.
Moreover, he felt he was already treating Yue Mingkong well enough — with ordinary women, he had nowhere near this much patience.
Yet this woman actually dared to secretly scheme against him.
This made Gu Changge’s eyes narrow slightly.
“Forget it. Considering her decent performance these past days, I won’t make things difficult for her. But this Long Teng insists on courting death...”
Thinking of this, Gu Changge couldn’t help but laugh.
It had always been him coveting other people’s things — yet this Long Teng had the audacity, guts fattened to such a degree.
Gu Changge also felt he had been keeping too low a profile lately; these Celestial Ancient creatures all dared to step on his face now.
Thereupon, he closed his eyes slightly and, through the Entanglement Immortal Spell, conjured in his mind the scene of Hei Ming’s location within the Black Hawk Family, checking on his current progress.
He was considering whether, if time permitted, he would first go deal with that eyesore Long Teng.
Within the Black Hawk Family’s territory, atop a mountain peak.
It was a dimly lit courtyard.
A pair of black wings spread out behind Hei Ming, dark light flowing over them, gleaming with a layer of snow-bright yet pitch-black luster.
He was cultivating, and at this moment he muttered to himself with a somewhat fanatical expression, “I’ve only planted the Entanglement in three people, and it’s already brought me such enormous gains. Even cultivating on my own now, my speed is several times faster than usual.”
“This technique is simply too heaven-defying. Soon I’ll surpass everyone and become an existence above all else!”
He was incomparably excited, having already verified the terrifying might of the Entanglement Immortal Spell.
He had merely passed the Entanglement portion of the technique to three of his lackeys.
By the very next day, he discovered his cultivation talent had grown much stronger, and his cultivation had even broken through a minor realm.
At this rate, it wouldn’t be long before he could raise his cultivation, break through to the Mighty-Transcendent Realm, and even beyond to Honoured Noble, Enfeoffed Marquis... catching up to his sister and becoming the number one of the clan’s younger generation.
None of that would be a problem.
And so now, Hei Ming harbored even greater ambitions.
Dong dong dong...
At that moment, a knocking sound came from outside the courtyard.
Brilliance flashed across Hei Ming’s body as he hurriedly reined in his fluctuations. With a delighted expression, he strode straight over to open the door.
“Jiejie, you’ve come...”
he said.
The young woman outside the courtyard, though Hei Ming’s elder sister, looked no more than seventeen or eighteen. Dressed in white, clouds and mist swirling around her, her features were exquisite.
Her raven hair flowed like clouds, pinned with a Nine-Phoenix Hairpin; she wore a jade-threaded robe embroidered with rivers and mountains, holy as a divine lotus, her lovely face unmatched.
It was none other than the current heaven-blessed daughter of the Black Hawk Family — Hei Yanyu, whose cultivation had reached an extremely profound level.
“Hei Ming, what did you want to see me about?” Hei Yanyu asked softly.
Toward this good-for-nothing little brother of hers, she didn’t hold much in the way of extra sentiment.
After all, he was her brother by the same mother, so she ordinarily looked after him somewhat, to keep others from bullying him.
It was just that Hei Ming’s cultivation talent was truly hopeless — all these years, despite the many resources poured into him, he had barely advanced an inch.
There was nothing she could do about it, so she simply stopped bothering and let him be a playboy young master.
Today Hei Ming had said he had something to discuss with her, so Hei Yanyu had squeezed out a bit of time to come see what it was.
“Jiejie, come in quickly. I have something very important to tell you.”
Hei Ming’s expression was somewhat serious. He glanced left and right, and seeing that no one had followed behind Hei Yanyu, he relaxed a little.
According to the records, the Entanglement portion of the Entanglement Immortal Spell carried no danger whatsoever and would cause no harm to cultivators.
On the contrary, some of its insights were profoundly deep, touching upon the mysteries of the Dao.
He was planning to pass this portion of the technique to his sister.
For both himself and Hei Yanyu, it was a matter of killing multiple birds with one stone — mutual benefit all around.
Hearing this, Hei Yanyu, carrying her doubts, followed Hei Ming into the courtyard.
She asked, “Hei Ming, what is it? Have you gotten into trouble again?”
She instinctively assumed Hei Ming had run into some problem again and needed her, his sister, to step in and resolve it.
“Jiejie, it’s not that. The reason I asked you here this time is that I want to show you something good.”
Hei Ming spoke with a somewhat excited expression, pulling a handwritten copy of the Entanglement portion from his robes, and casually made up an excuse, saying he had stumbled upon it at a street stall.
“What is this? Some ancient Transcendent art?” Hei Yanyu frowned, unimpressed.
At first, she didn’t quite believe it.
But as her second glance, then her third, fell upon the technique, she soon found she couldn’t tear her eyes away, her expression even turning to astonishment and shock.
“What a profound ancient art... your luck is actually this good...” Hei Yanyu was shaken, her face unable to hide her shock and delight.
At the same time, she felt somewhat gratified.
Her kindness toward Hei Ming hadn’t been wasted — obtaining such a mysterious and profound ancient art, he had actually told her at the first opportunity.
“Jiejie, memorize this technique. If it really proves useful, then pass it on to Father and the Elders...”
Hei Ming now appeared to have calmed down, suppressing the excitement in his heart so as not to reveal anything unusual.
“Hei Ming, you really are thoughtful! The family has treated you this way, yet upon obtaining this ancient art, your first reaction was actually to give it to the family.”
At this moment, Hei Yanyu was also somewhat moved, and the gaze she turned on Hei Ming grew even gentler.
Hei Ming’s actions today truly made even her, his sister, unable to help but admire him.
“Jiejie, you know how it is — I’m just a good-for-nothing with mediocre cultivation talent. Keeping this technique with me would be a complete waste. Better to give it to the family and make the family a bit stronger... that way, my life as a playboy second-generation will be all the more comfortable!”
Hearing this, Hei Ming smiled as he spoke, seemingly open and frank, though there was more self-mockery in it.
This sight made Hei Yanyu fall silent for a moment, then sigh, “These years have truly been hard on you. But rest assured, Hei Ming — I’ll speak to Father and Grandfather about this. Whatever credit the family owes you, not a single bit will be missing.”
“With those words from you, Jiejie, I can rest easy.” Hearing this, Hei Ming nodded, putting on a very pleased and satisfied look.
Afterward, the two chatted about a few more things.
Hei Yanyu expressed her concern for Hei Ming, then left the courtyard, intending to find the clan elders to discuss the matter.
After all, it concerned the overall strength of the family and could not be ignored.
She had a faint feeling that this ancient art touched upon the Immortal!
So Hei Yanyu’s heart was also somewhat excited.
“It worked...”
And watching Hei Yanyu depart, Hei Ming, back in the courtyard, finally couldn’t hold it in any longer — an expression of wild joy broke across his face, his whole body trembling!
As long as it passed through his sister’s hands, the ancient art would then be taught to the family.
The rest of the clansmen who cultivated it would become his Entanglement...
At the thought of this, Hei Ming couldn’t help but reveal an excited smile.
“All of this is truly thanks to the Absolute Being!” he sighed with emotion, feeling all the more reverence toward the Absolute Being he had met only once!
And over ten thousand li away, Gu Changge — who was witnessing all of this through Hei Ming’s eyes — now wore a smile tinged with deeper meaning.
“That acting really isn’t bad!”
“It seems good-for-nothings do have their uses sometimes. For Hei Ming to have such plans and ambition — he truly hasn’t disappointed me.”
Gu Changge couldn’t help but laugh, quite satisfied.
This was all an unexpected delight.
Hei Ming had performed beyond expectations.
After all... he himself was the source of the Entanglement Immortal Spell — even Hei Ming was merely one of its branches.
The sub-branches extending out from Hei Ming would likewise have their life and death within his grasp. The Entanglement indeed contained not the slightest danger, nor would it affect its cultivators.
On the contrary, it contained countless profundities, truths of the Dao... the finest bait.
But the Entanglement... was also the thread controlling their life and death.
With a single thought from Gu Changge, that thread could be severed in an instant.
The thread breaks, the person dies.
After all, everything was within his schemes!
“When every high-ranking member of the Black Hawk Family has become an Entanglement, that will be the time for me to show myself. The gains then will far exceed running all over the place digging up ancestral tombs!”
Gu Changge revealed a smile.
However, this process would still take some time.
So afterward, Gu Changge rose and left the place, preparing to first go trouble Long Teng.
...
Meanwhile, news of Long Teng setting out spread rapidly, causing a huge sensation among the various Celestial Ancient Races of the Celestial Ancient Continent.
Cultivators from the outside world might not know, but to the races of the Celestial Ancient Continent, Long Teng was the strongest representative and symbol of his generation.
Even those ranked among the Ten Great Young Experts turned pale at the mention of Long Teng, deeply wary, admitting to themselves they could never be his match.
Now that Long Teng had made his move, it naturally shook the Celestial Ancient creatures; even some of the older generation were astonished.
“Master Long Teng has declared that he will suppress that young man from the outside world named Gu Changge.”
“He will take everything from him!”
Some Celestial Ancient creatures spread such words, causing shock and horror among the many young people of the outside world.
The Celestial Ancient creatures knew little of Gu Changge.
But to the young prodigies of the outside world, it was all too clear... Gu Changge’s strength could even be said to have stepped into the domain of the Walking Taboo.
To call him the leading figure of the outside world’s younger generation within the Celestial Ancient Continent would be no exaggeration at all.
“What kind of brain-dead thing is this Long Teng? He actually dares to declare he’ll suppress and kill Young Master Changge — that’s the biggest joke under heaven.” Immediately, across various regions, the young prodigies burst into mockery.
“Hahaha, I’m laughing my head off. If he said he wanted to suppress some other Young Prodigy, I’d think his chances were pretty good...”
“But he just had to say he’d kill Young Master Changge — does he not know what a Walking Taboo is?!”
“Insane, truly insane. Finally, a chance to witness what they call ‘the bigger the bragging, the harder the beating.’ Just wait and see how this Long Teng fellow gets his face slapped...”
Many of the young prodigies who heard the news were nearly laughing themselves silly, tears almost coming out.
How vast was the Inner Domain of the Beyond? It was hard to describe simply.
Even calling it boundless wouldn’t do it justice.
Yet within the Inner Domain, one who could shake all sides with his fame, hailed as a True Celestial Being, a Walking Taboo...
How could any random Tom, Dick, or Harry clamor against him?
That’s right — in their eyes, this young man named Long Teng was nothing but a prancing clown.
After all, which of Gu Changge’s battle records hadn’t been carved out through terrifying strength?
Not long ago, even the Seventh Princess of the Ancient Sea Palace, who possessed invincible aptitude, had been easily suppressed and killed by Gu Changge.
With such a record, no one dared utter a word of denial anymore.
And of course, there was the main reason — Gu Changge was, after all, someone from the outside world, not a native creature.
Facing such clamoring from a native creature, they were naturally indignant.
The Celestial Ancient creatures’ cultivation might be strong, but they were merely enjoying the advantages of favorable timing and terrain.
“Daoxiong Changge’s strength is unfathomable. It’s this Long Teng, though — I hear he’s a thorny character.”
“I just wonder how much of his strength Daoxiong Changge will be forced to reveal...”
Upon a mountain peak, having shattered a terrifying python before him with a single palm strike and plucked a strange flower, Ye Langtian couldn’t help but shake his head as he spoke.
Thinking of this news, he didn’t much care.
In any case, he found Gu Changge increasingly impossible to see through.
By contrast, Long Teng — whose fame across the Celestial Ancient Continent was fearsome — was, in his view, nothing to worry about.
A truly powerful existence was the kind where you could sense he was strong, yet had no idea just how strong — that kind of terror.
Gu Changge had always given him exactly that feeling.
“If the two of them end up fighting, I might as well go watch. If I can glimpse a bit of Daoxiong Changge’s true strength, the trip won’t have been wasted.”
Thinking of this, Ye Langtian turned and headed in another direction, somewhat eager for the two to meet sooner.
Scenes like this were playing out everywhere; the Young Prodigies from the outside world were all shaken in their hearts.
Long Teng’s strength lay in his powerful talent and profound cultivation, but Gu Changge’s strength... was the kind of unknown and unfathomable depth that made even their hearts palpitate and their backs run cold.
No matter who it was, none dared underestimate Gu Changge — they would rather avoid him entirely.
Now, Long Teng’s declaration made their eyes light up.
“This blockhead didn’t even bother to find out about Gu Changge’s situation before running his mouth.”
“Perfect — he’s done what we’ve all wanted to do but never dared... A Walking Taboo — is that Gu Changge’s true strength?”
Some Young Prodigies murmured; they had long harbored the intention of challenging Gu Changge.
But lacking confidence, they had kept dragging it out, dragging it out until now.
Hong!
Before an emerald-green lake, divine light flared and hazy immortal radiance flickered. An immortal-herb-like plant, crystalline and translucent, bore several fruits.
A world-shaking battle erupted here, with many people fighting over the immortal herb.
Among those making a move were Young Prodigies from the outside world, as well as quite a few young Celestial Ancient creatures.
In the end, amid the void, skirts fluttering, Yue Mingkong — besieged by several people — swept her jade hand, her slender fingers pointing out. A chilling aura emerged between heaven and earth, as if she were a peerless empress.
Ruling over all under heaven, supreme and unrivaled.
Terrifying exquisite arts blossomed, covering everything like a great expanse of immortal rain, and all her attackers fell back in horror.
Her figure flashed, skimming across the lake’s surface, and she snatched up the immortal herb.
“Celestial Spirit Fruits containing the aura of a Celestial Spirit...”
Yue Mingkong nodded. In the end, she had taken these fruits without the slightest effort.
She was confident that with them, she could very soon step into the Partial-Enlightened Realm.
By then, with the Celestial Spirit Fruits’ aid, achieving a flawless immortal foundation would be effortless.
“Princess, regarding the declaration of Long Teng of the True Dragon Clan...”
Afterward, Yue Mingkong prepared to leave this place and find somewhere to enter seclusion for a while.
A follower behind her suddenly stepped forward and reported the matter.
Hearing this, Yue Mingkong seemed entirely unsurprised. Her gaze shifted slightly, and she asked in return, “Do we know Changge’s movements?”
In her previous life, she had never come to the Celestial Ancient Continent, so she had never encountered Long Teng back then.
Everything she knew about the various fortuitous opportunities here had been pieced together from the rumors and information of her previous life.
Back then... Long Teng had never become enemies with Gu Changge.
She guessed that Gu Changge had been plotting something big and had chosen to ignore Long Teng.
But in this life, Long Teng was clamoring so, even intending to snatch her away.
Given Gu Changge’s personality, he would definitely not let Long Teng off.
After all, this matter... was something she had deliberately steered back then, casually mentioning Gu Changge in passing.
Scheming against Gu Changge once in a while was, for her, not without its small pleasures.
Who told Gu Changge to always love teasing her?
Of course, such a little trip-up meant nothing at all to Gu Changge — utterly insignificant.
No matter how powerful Long Teng’s talent and strength were, he could never be Gu Changge’s match.
Meeting Gu Changge, Long Teng had only one road — death.
Yue Mingkong had never even considered a second possibility.
“The bigger the bragging, the harder the beating.”
Even in her mind, that was the phrase. Long Teng’s character was such — self-styled invincible, never taking anyone seriously.
What she wanted to know now was where exactly Gu Changge was; after all, he had vanished without a trace for some time.
“Reporting to the Princess, we don’t know Young Master Changge’s whereabouts during this period either...”
Then, receiving her follower’s answer, Yue Mingkong wasn’t surprised. If his whereabouts could be so easily discerned, he wouldn’t be Gu Changge.
“By then, with how shrewd he is, he’ll probably easily guess that I was the one who schemed against him, pushing him into the eye of the storm...”
Yue Mingkong figured that for the time being, she’d better keep out of Gu Changge’s sight — after all, she was a little... guilty at heart.
Gu Changge had clearly been planning to quietly grow stronger in the shadows.
Then she pulled this stunt, directly setting him up — there was no way Gu Changge would be in a good mood about it, and he’d inevitably come to settle accounts with her.