His Acting Is Simply Too Good, Inspiring Endless Admiration and Praise
His Acting Is Simply Too Good, Inspiring Endless Admiration and Praise
As Chi Ling and the others departed, far off in the distance of these ruins.
Boom!
Black clouds surged and billowed, the auras of countless fierce beasts vast and boundless, like an enormous dark cloud threatening to swallow heaven and earth.
Many young beings with terrifying blood qi stood there, as if standing at the edge of the sky.
They bore all manner of strange features—a bull-headed man, a dragon-scaled youth, a phoenix-tailed woman... all shrouded in divine radiance, each one outstanding and extraordinary.
This group of young beings was gazing toward the ruins ahead. They didn’t really understand the actions of the prodigies from the outside world.
So many people mobilizing to besiege a single person.
Was that really necessary?
At that moment, a breathtakingly beautiful young woman in white stood atop a cliff, watching all of this as she murmured softly, “What the outside world’s prodigies are doing is actually giving us an opportunity... The Successor of Demonic Arts is a greater threat to them, but our target is Gu Changge.”
“He still hasn’t shown himself.”
The speaker was none other than Hei Yanyu of the Black Hawk Family.
Beside her stood quite a few other young beings, their blood qi as terrifying as furnaces.
There was a young man like a golden rhinoceros, with a single horn, his entire body covered in ancient cyan script.
There were also a white divine elephant, a golden divine crocodile, and a black flying serpent, cold light flickering in all their eyes.
Hearing these words, a beautiful woman with golden wings on her back frowned and said coldly, “No matter what, the outside cultivators are our enemies. Killing Gu Changge or killing them—isn’t it all the same?”
She came from the Feathered Clan and harbored not the slightest goodwill toward Gu Changge or the outside cultivators.
Because some time ago, their clansmen had been slaughtered to the last in an ancient city.
And they didn’t even know who had done it.
They were convinced it was Gu Changge’s doing, but they had no proof whatsoever.
Precisely because of this incident, they had clashed fiercely with the outside cultivators during this period.
“It’s not the same. If we start slaughtering outside cultivators, it will inevitably provoke the fury and displeasure of those outside powers. But if we crusade against Gu Changge, it won’t cause such a huge reaction...”
Another being spoke. His body was covered in fine black serpent scales, his eyes narrow and long, filled with coldness.
A prodigy of the Ancient Flying Serpent Clan, whose status could rival Hei Yanyu’s.
He viewed this matter with more care, analyzing its pros and cons.
“Hmph, you’re all just cowards. Since this Gu Changge won’t show himself, then I’ll go find him. Didn’t they say he was injured fighting the Successor of Demonic Arts? If we don’t cherish such a good opportunity, do you all want to follow in Long Teng’s footsteps and walk his old path?”
The Feathered Clan woman was named Yu Jing. Her gaze was icy, and she was dead set on finding Gu Changge for revenge.
In her view, Gu Changge was heavily injured—this was their best opportunity to crusade against him.
But the rest of them were timid and hesitant, without the slightest bit of courage.
This disappointed her greatly.
“Fine. If you want revenge, then go. We won’t stop you.”
At this point, Hei Yanyu spoke, her voice gentle yet carrying a persuasiveness and authority that was hard to refuse.
“Hmph!”
“Let’s go!”
Yu Jing was somewhat wary of Hei Yanyu. The two had fought before, and she had fallen at a disadvantage from the very first palm strike.
In the Celestial Ancient Continent, strength reigned supreme. Hei Yanyu was stronger than her, so her word carried more weight.
With that, Yu Jing led her Feathered Clan members away, heading in the very direction Chi Ling, Ye Langtian, and the others had departed earlier.
“Perfect—you can test Gu Changge’s current depths for me. What a fool, though.”
Hei Yanyu’s gaze remained unmoved, a strange glint flashing through it, though she only said this in her heart.
Before Gu Changge’s true condition was figured out,
she would not rashly show herself and act.
Hei Yanyu never did anything without confidence. In her view, Gu Changge’s strength was terrifying—even injured, he was not someone ordinary people could deal with.
And this Yu Jing actually wanted to go test him.
This suited her perfectly.
“Hei Yanyu, you’ve been clever since childhood. This time our various clans dispatched so many experts to hunt down a single young man—do you know what’s going on?”
At this moment, the prodigy of the Ancient Flying Serpent Clan spoke. His name was Teng Yu, currently at the Intermediate Partial-Enlightened Realm, quite powerful.
He had not been in the clan’s territory at the time.
After returning, his clansmen were tight-lipped about the matter, unwilling to speak of it.
He was quite puzzled by this and wanted to learn the truth.
“The Successor of the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being from back then has appeared...” Hei Yanyu glanced at Teng Yu and said indifferently.
This matter was no secret among the Black Hawk Family.
Moreover, she was one of the few who knew about the Slave Mark.
Hei Yanyu’s desire to kill the Successor of the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being was even stronger than her desire to deal with Gu Changge and make a name for herself among the Celestial Ancient Races.
She intended to lead the Black Hawk Family to glory.
But at this juncture, a Successor of the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being had suddenly popped up, one who could enslave their clan through the Slave Mark.
How could she possibly tolerate that?
However, she didn’t know exactly who the Successor of the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being was.
She only knew it was a young man who had been hunted relentlessly some time ago.
He had only recently vanished without a trace.
“Perfect—I can use this to investigate the matter, and probe Gu Changge’s depths while I’m at it.” A brilliant gleam shone in Hei Yanyu’s eyes.
...
“Cough, cough, cough...”
“Thank you for your concern, fellow Daoists. This little injury is nothing serious. It will heal soon.”
In the valley, many of the younger generation had gathered.
Wang Wushuang, Ye Langtian, Chi Ling, and other Young Prodigies had all come here to visit Gu Changge.
Even quite a few Young Prodigies who had heard the news, such as Jin Peng, the prodigy of the Golden-Winged Roc Clan, had come.
On a pavilion at the very center,
Gu Changge wore a black robe, wide-sleeved, embroidered with mountains, rivers, the sun and moon, stars and the cosmos—magnificent to the extreme.
He sat there, raising his cup and bringing the wine to his lips, then smiled faintly at everyone before him.
Only, his handsome, elegant face was somewhat pale, his complexion much worse than usual.
Those familiar with him could all see his frailty at this moment.
Many of the heavenly daughters watching this scene couldn’t help but feel their hearts ache.
Back then, when the Young Master of the Gu Family slew Long Teng, the leader of the Celestial Ancient Races’ younger generation, how high-spirited and domineering he had been.
But now... he looked like someone freshly recovered from a serious illness.
As if a slightly stronger gust of wind could blow him away.
This made their emotions complicated, their delicate hands unconsciously clutching the corners of their skirts.
“Young Master Changge ended up like this all because of the Successor of Demonic Arts. He took this injury for the sake of all living beings under heaven...”
Thinking of this, their sympathy and admiration nearly overflowed.
“Brother Changge’s injury has likely damaged his Source. I’m afraid it won’t be nursed back to health anytime soon.”
In the pavilion, after examining Gu Changge’s injuries, Wang Wushuang couldn’t help but sigh.
There was nothing wrong with what he found.
But the injury was indeed serious.
The main problem was that his Source had been damaged.
The strength of the Successor of Demonic Arts could not be underestimated—even Gu Changge had suffered such a great loss.
He couldn’t help shaking his head inwardly, his wariness of Ye Ling rising several more levels.
As for suspecting Gu Changge?
He had never even considered it, nor could he find any reason to.
“Brother Changge, rest and recuperate well. If the Celestial Ancient Races come looking for trouble with you anytime soon, we will not shirk our duty.”
Peng Fei of the Golden-Winged Roc Clan, golden light surging all over his body, spoke up at this moment.
His temperament was unruly and proud, but this time he was truly convinced by Gu Changge.
A few days ago, he had been tied up by a fortuitous opportunity and couldn’t break away to participate in the crusade against Ye Ling, the Successor of Demonic Arts.
Seeing Gu Changge in this state today filled him with admiration.
The Successor of Demonic Arts—everyone had the right to kill him, that much was true.
But who could do what Gu Changge had done?
“That’s right. If the Celestial Ancient Races dare take advantage of this time to cause trouble for Brother Gu, then it’s our unshirkable duty. When the time comes, we might as well go all the way and just wipe out their Celestial Ancient Races entirely!”
Hearing this, one hot-tempered Young Prodigy slapped his thigh and declared as much.
The matter of Gu Changge offending the Celestial Ancient Races had already spread everywhere during this period.
Now that he was heavily injured, it would very likely invite attacks from the Celestial Ancient Races.
“Brother Changge, just focus on recovering. This injury of yours... sigh...” Chi Ling also spoke with unbearable pity in her eyes.
“Rest assured, Brother Gu. Don’t worry about anything during this period,” Ye Langtian said.
A damaged Source was far too fatal for ordinary cultivators—it could even ruin the rest of their lives.
Of course, for a prodigy like Gu Changge, perhaps it wasn’t such a big problem.
But during this period of training in the Celestial Ancient Continent, it was impossible to say it wouldn’t affect him.
“It’s all my fault. If I hadn’t foolishly trusted Ye Ling, Senior Brother Gu wouldn’t have been hurt. Back then, Ye Ling used my life to threaten Senior Brother Gu...”
“He didn’t actually have to take those injuries.”
At this moment, Yin Mei, whose face had been full of guilt all along, also spoke up, her eyes reddening as she did.
This display of genuine emotion moved everyone.
Only in critical moments does one see a person’s true nature. Gu Changge’s actions to save his junior sister were enough to earn their praise and admiration for a long time.
“Thank you all for your concern, fellow Daoists. It truly makes Changge feel unworthy.”
“Besides, Junior Sister Yin, you needn’t blame yourself. Though there was conflict between us, when facing the Successor of Demonic Arts, everyone has the right to kill him. Had it been anyone else, I would have done the same.”
“Don’t take this matter to heart. This little injury doesn’t affect me... cough, cough, cough...”
Hearing Yin Mei’s words, Gu Changge, whose face had been wearing a faint smile all along, couldn’t help but respond thus.
But as he spoke, he began coughing again.
A female follower beside him hurriedly handed over a plain white handkerchief.
Gu Changge covered the corner of his mouth, a glaring crimson spreading across the cloth.
Hearing his words, everyone’s expressions grew complicated, their admiration for him deepening.
Such words, coming from Gu Changge’s mouth, sounded so natural—no one would doubt their authenticity in the slightest.
Afterward, after a round of pleasantries and well-wishes, everyone took their leave, not wanting to disturb Gu Changge’s rest.
For a time, the area around the valley became empty and quiet.
“Brother Changge, take good care of yourself then, and remember to rest. Chi Ling will take her leave first.” Chi Ling also departed.
Finally, Gu Changge waved his hand, dismissing his followers.
Soon, only he and Yin Mei remained.
“Master...” The guilt and sobbing on Yin Mei’s face had already vanished, replaced by an amused expression.
“Now everyone has been played right in the palm of your hand.”
Hearing this, Gu Changge casually scattered the plain white handkerchief in his palm into a sky full of dust, the frailty about him swept away completely.
He smiled faintly. “Nothing but a bunch of fools. What could they possibly see through?”
Unless it was a true ancient existence with transcendent cultivation, who could detect anything wrong with his body?
“It’s that Master’s acting is too good—no one can distinguish truth from falsehood, and the plan is flawless, without a single crack to be found,” Yin Mei said with a smile.
“Next comes the time for me to truly make my move against the Celestial Ancient Races.”
Gu Changge smiled noncommittally, then narrowed his eyes slightly.
The matter of the Successor of Demonic Arts—he could set his mind at ease about it for now.
For a long time to come, no one would connect it to him.
And during this period while Ye Ling had vanished without a trace, it was his best opportunity to act.
...
The appearance of the Successor of Demonic Arts quickly threw the Celestial Ancient Continent into unrest.
Even some of the Celestial Ancient Races discovered, to their fury, that their ancestral tombs had been dug up at some point without their knowledge.
The ancestors buried within had long since been reduced to piles of ash.
Truly living up to that old saying—their ancestors’ ashes had been scattered to the wind.
This matter enraged many of the Celestial Ancient Races beyond measure, making them nearly stamp their feet in fury, and they too vowed to kill the Successor of Demonic Arts.
Their ancestral tombs dug up, even their ancestors’ remains unprotected.
This could no longer be described as mere humiliation!
This was simply a naked slap in the face.
At first, when outside cultivators encountered the Successor of Demonic Arts, they had taken gleeful pleasure in their misfortune.
But when such a thing landed on their own heads, no one could remain calm or sit still.
Even the great clans like the Black Hawk Family, the Ancient Flying Serpent Clan, and the Divine Crocodile Clan were angered to the point of spitting blood.
Many of their ancestral tombs had also been dug up—even the tombs of their prodigies from back then had been looted clean.
For a time, all the races felt a sense of crisis, dispatching clansmen to guard their respective tombs to prevent the Successor of Demonic Arts from sneaking in.
Not only digging up ancestral tombs but scattering the ancestors’ ashes—such a wicked deed, for the Celestial Ancient Races who valued bloodline inheritance, was worse than killing them.
The faces of the older generation all turned ashen with rage.
And during this period, the Successor of Demonic Arts seemed to have quietly vanished, without the slightest news leaking out.
But it was precisely because of this that everyone felt uneasy.
Because no one knew where the Successor of Demonic Arts was hiding.
In the Mountains of Horizons, Yue Mingkong, who was fretting over the matter of the Celestial Gate, naturally learned of this as well.
Chill immediately spilled from her phoenix eyes. With a slap of her delicate hand, the many nearby mountain ranges rumbled and trembled in unison, as if about to collapse.
Gu Changge could fool everyone under heaven, but how could he possibly fool her?
Injured?
Gu Changge getting injured was the most ridiculous joke under heaven—an impossibility.
This was absolutely an act.
“What a vixen! This time you’ve finally shown your tail before this Palace...”
What Yue Mingkong thought of was another matter.
Connecting everything together, it all made sense now.
Whether it was Ye Ling or Bai Lie, there was one woman neither of them could get around.
Yin Mei, the Gifted Lady of the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan.
At first, Yue Mingkong had never imagined she could be connected to Gu Changge.
Conflict between the two of them seemed more like it.
But combined with current events—Gu Changge playing the hero saving the beauty? Rescuing Yin Mei from Ye Ling’s hands?
That story could fool ghosts.
From the very beginning, Yin Mei had been Gu Changge’s person—subdued by him for some unknown reason, made to serve him.
That was why everything afterward had happened.
The “vixen” scent she had smelled on Gu Changge back then really was a vixen.
This made cold light spill from Yue Mingkong’s phoenix eyes, her jade hand smashing the mountain ridge before her into dust with a single palm strike.
Within a thousand kilometers, no living being dared approach.
Even her followers were terrified, assuming Yue Mingkong was flying into a rage over hearing that Gu Changge had been injured.
“It seems Ye Ling has already been killed by Gu Changge. Those things of the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being should have fallen into Gu Changge’s hands as well.”
Soon, Yue Mingkong calmed down.
She knew clearly that the Celestial Gate was the more pressing priority.
As for the “vixen” matter, she would settle accounts with Yin Mei sooner or later.
And just as Yue Mingkong was flying into a rage here,
hundreds of thousands of kilometers away,
on a cliff wreathed in clouds and mist, Gu Xian’er heard the news, her cold, proud little face scrunching up in conflict.