Exalted Immortal, Why Have You Come to This Mortal World? Lest You Seem Like One of the Demonic Path
Exalted Immortal, Why Have You Come to This Mortal World? Lest You Seem Like One of the Demonic Path
Boom!
This divine light that pierced through the heavens seemed to have torn through countless universes and spaces, suddenly descending upon this place.
After putting away the Domain-Shattering Artifact, Gu Changge’s figure stepped out from within.
His features were blurred, shrouded in swirling mist that obscured his true face.
His white robes fluttered, sleeves wide and flowing, his bearing divine and his frame like immortal bone. He stood with hands clasped behind his back, expression calm, overlooking the magnificent mountains, rivers, and territories below.
Such a bearing made him appear all the more like a jade-like divinity, transcendent and otherworldly.
“It seems the spatial coordinates weren’t wrong.”
Gu Changge nodded slightly, closing his eyes to sense the aura of this world’s heavenly and earthly laws.
The Heavenly Star Realm was an Overworld located an endless distance away from the Inner Domain.
If Gu Changge hadn’t tampered with Yue Mingkong, tracking her aura to follow her here...
He would have found it hard to imagine that the Reincarnation of the Mortal One of this generation would emerge from a place like this.
Judging from the spatial barriers here, this world could at most produce cultivators of the Sacred Realm, at best experts of the Sacred Lord Realm.
There might also be some Perfect Prodigies who, for special reasons, had sealed away their vitality, chosen not to ascend, and hidden themselves in this world.
“However, since this world could nurture a Fortuitous One like the Reincarnation of the Mortal One, this world must not be so simple. Its worldly fortune is at its peak, flourishing and vigorous.”
As Gu Changge murmured to himself, a layer of mist rose around his entire body, making him appear even more blurred and mysterious.
Unless someone was particularly familiar with him, it would be very difficult to recognize him by appearance.
In the Heavenly Star Realm, aside from Yue Mingkong and the people she brought, there should temporarily be no one who could recognize his identity.
But to be safe, Gu Changge still didn’t plan to easily reveal his true face.
Otherwise, before everything was in place, it would easily alert the enemy.
At the same time, Gu Changge wanted to avoid Yue Mingkong noticing anything, and to avoid the experts of this world noticing any abnormalities.
After all, the people of the Mortal Palace would eventually find their way here. If they discovered that Gu Changge was also in this world... explaining that would be very troublesome.
At that point, once his ill intentions toward the Reincarnation of the Mortal One were exposed, the situation would become very dangerous.
It would be even more detrimental to his plan to replace the Mortal One.
“Right now, the top priority is to learn about this world’s situation, then find Yue Mingkong’s whereabouts... Since she was confident enough to rush to this world first, she should already have learned some things.”
Gu Changge speculated in his heart.
And very quickly, a meticulous plan formed in his mind.
“That light just now... how could it be a person?”
“Could this be an immortal who came from the Beyond?”
At this moment, the many living beings and cultivators drawn here by the sky-piercing divine light were appearing from all directions.
They looked at Gu Changge before them in shock and horror, clearly not yet having recovered their senses.
The sky-piercing divine light just now seemed to have torn the firmament apart, its momentum terrifying. All the powers and cultivators within nearly ten thousand miles had sensed it.
“We pay respects to the Immortal!”
“We pay respects to the Immortal!”
Then, many people kowtowed on the spot, incomparably devout and reverent, as if witnessing a legendary immortal descending to the mortal world.
After all, Gu Changge’s entire body was wreathed in immortal light, transcendent and otherworldly, appearing unfathomably mysterious—one look and it was clear he was no mortal.
In their eyes, he was no different from the banished immortals described in ancient records and legends.
At first, they had all been drawn here by the divine light, thinking some divine artifact had appeared with heaven-shaking phenomena.
But they never expected to see such a mysterious white-robed man.
And this man’s cultivation was immeasurably deep. Just standing there, he gave off a feeling of being the center of the world, making their hearts palpitate with awe.
Legends of ascension to the Beyond circulated in every Overworld, so they naturally knew of the Beyond’s existence.
As the saying goes, ascending is easy, descending is hard.
They understood this principle too.
This incomparably mysterious young man before them, in their view, was far more powerful than any old monster about to ascend, so they naturally regarded him as an Exalted Immortal.
“May we ask why the Exalted Immortal has come to this mortal world?”
At this, some of the bolder cultivators cupped their fists toward Gu Changge and asked.
Their expressions were incomparably respectful, filled with deep awe and caution, fearing that one careless move might anger him.
Gu Changge’s gaze swept over the many shocked cultivators and beings before him, and he wasn’t surprised.
Even when using a domain-breaking artifact, the commotion of descending to an Overworld was still astonishing.
At the very least, everything within ten thousand miles would be affected.
Before this, Gu Changge had already thought through his countermeasures, so he didn’t mind.
“Is this world the Heavenly Star Realm?”
At this moment, hearing their words.
Gu Changge’s eyes flickered slightly, and he quickly comprehended this world’s language, then asked indifferently.
Comprehending this world’s language was no problem at all for him, a being of the Sacred Realm.
“Reporting to the Exalted Immortal, this world is indeed the Heavenly Star Realm.”
The cultivator who had questioned Gu Changge was a burly man with a full beard, possessing cultivation at the True Enlightened Realm.
Within tens of thousands of miles, he was a local overlord whose name shook the region.
Hearing the question, he immediately answered with utmost respect.
The other cultivators and beings, appearing from all directions, watched this scene with mouths tightly shut, not daring to make a sound, lest they disturb the Exalted Immortal.
“Oh, so it seems I didn’t find the wrong place.”
Gu Changge nodded, his expression very calm.
Hearing these words, everyone’s hearts tightened.
How difficult descending to an Overworld was went without saying—it was thousands, tens of thousands of times harder than ascending to the Beyond.
Yet the Exalted Immortal before them merely said he hadn’t found the wrong place.
It seemed that descending to an Overworld was an extremely simple matter for him, something he could do with a wave of his hand.
Thinking of this, everyone’s awe toward Gu Changge deepened. Their heads nearly dropped below their necks, not daring to look up at him.
Gu Changge’s aloof, indifferent demeanor—looking down on everyone from on high—seemed perfectly normal to them.
Though his voice sounded very young, he might well be some ancient Mighty-Transcendent who had cultivated for countless ages, capable of plucking stars and seizing the moon with a raise of his hand, of shattering heaven and earth.
That he would even speak to ants like them was already a tremendous grace.
“Tell this Venerable One about this world.”
Then, Gu Changge glanced indifferently at the middle-aged cultivator before him and spoke.
“Reporting to the Exalted Immortal, Qianbei...”
The middle-aged cultivator’s whole body trembled. He didn’t dare ask anything more, much less hide anything.
Then, honestly, in front of everyone, he began explaining things to Gu Changge.
At the same time, he breathed a small sigh of relief in his heart.
After all, many powerful beings with eccentric temperaments wouldn’t waste time asking questions the way Gu Changge did.
They would usually just grab someone directly and perform a Soul Search.
So he subconsciously assumed that this Exalted Immortal before him had a relatively good temperament, not the type to slaughter innocents.
“The Heavenly Star Realm is divided into eight domains—Heaven, Earth, Wonder, Yellow, Cosmos, Eternity, Water, and Wilderness. The place we are currently in is the Wonder Domain.”
“The Wonder Domain is vast and boundless, with expansive terrain. There are great powers with legacies of hundreds of thousands of years, even approaching a million years, holding dominion here—ancient clans, Holy Lands, and Mystic Mountains aplenty...”
“The one holding the leading position is a power called the Illusion Gates. Its Founding Ancestor ascended to the Beyond eight hundred thousand years ago, leaving behind his heritage and Dao lineage.”
“Besides that, there are three other great powers standing in rivalry, but their strength is somewhat inferior compared to the Illusion Gates.”
And very quickly, Gu Changge’s eyes flickered slightly as he gleaned some information about the powers from this middle-aged cultivator’s explanation.
It was more or less the same as the patterns he was accustomed to.
As for why he didn’t directly use Soul Search, the main reason was that he found it troublesome.
After all, this place was crowded with prying eyes, and he had only just descended to this world. Many things had yet to be arranged and set in motion. While such ruthless methods were simple and convenient...
They would also make him, Gu, seem like someone of the demonic path.
That would be detrimental to his upcoming plans.
If he wanted to know the whereabouts of the Reincarnation of the Mortal One, relying on one person’s strength alone definitely wouldn’t be enough.
What methods Yue Mingkong had, he didn’t know.
But what Gu Changge needed to do was first take control of this domain’s strongest power and make it serve him.
As for finding some convenient excuse, seeking out some fallen power waiting for revival, then slowly developing and growing it—that was pure brain damage.
Directly taking control of an already developed power—isn’t that wonderful?
If you can’t control it, that’s purely a problem of insufficient ability and means.
Gu Changge also didn’t understand why those development-style tropes from his previous life always liked starting from the very bottom.
He figured that wasn’t satisfying at all.
“So this is the Wonder Domain. That works out perfectly.”
Then, Gu Changge nodded, his expression still calm, and asked, “Where are the Illusion Gates located?”
“This Venerable One has old ties with their Founding Ancestor. I owed him a favor back then, and now, passing through this world, I might as well repay that favor.”
“Lead this Venerable One there, and this item is your reward.”
As he spoke, a terrifying great seal wreathed in runes and surging with golden light appeared in Gu Changge’s palm, exuding a heart-palpitating sacred might.
His voice was very calm, without fluctuation, as if he were speaking of some small, insignificant matter.
But falling upon the ears of the many cultivators and beings nearby, it was no different from a thunderclap exploding, making their heads buzz with incomparable shock and horror.
Especially when looking at the golden great seal in Gu Changge’s palm.
Everyone sucked in a sharp breath, eyes wide, filled with burning heat and desire.
Sss!
Had they heard wrong?
That was a Transcendent grade weapon!
Just for casually leading the way, he would bestow a Transcendent grade weapon—what kind of terrifying status was this?
One had to know that the powers behind them, with legacies of tens of thousands of years, at most had a single Enlightened Noble Realm artifact or even an Enlightened King Realm artifact to anchor their foundations.
Yet this mysterious Exalted Immortal before them casually bestowed something like this.
What kind of outrageous wealth was that?
For a moment, their eyes nearly turned green with envy and jealousy, going practically mad, barely holding back from shouting that they were willing to lead the way.
“What? The Exalted Immortal actually has ties to the Illusion Gates?”
Hearing these words, the middle-aged cultivator before Gu Changge was first stunned, as if he hadn’t processed it.
Immediately after, wild joy appeared on his face, and he seemed incomparably shocked and excited.
Because his identity happened to be that of an outer sect steward of the Illusion Gates, ordered to guard an ancient city as its castellan.
Today, seeing divine light piercing the sky in the Great Wilderness, he thought some divine object had emerged, so he rushed to this place at top speed.
That was how the earlier events came about.
He never imagined his luck would be so good—that this incomparably mysterious Exalted Immortal before him actually had old ties with their sect’s Founding Ancestor.
One had to know their Founding Ancestor was a myth-like figure from eight hundred thousand years ago!
Didn’t that mean the Exalted Immortal before him was also a figure from that era?
Thinking of this, this bearded middle-aged cultivator’s face filled with awe and reverence.
He did wonder whether Gu Changge might be an enemy of their Illusion Gates, who had fought his way down from the Beyond to destroy the Dao lineage their Founding Ancestor left behind.
But that possibility was truly too small.
Gu Changge was able to descend to this world—how terrifying his strength was went without saying. Breaking through realms to travel was but a casual matter for him.
Would he need to go to such great lengths?
This was clearly the appearance of someone with deep friendship with their Illusion Gates’ Founding Ancestor!
“There’s no need for the Exalted Immortal’s Transcendent grade weapon. Such a thing—this lowly one is unworthy of possessing it. Since you wish to go to the Illusion Gates, that works perfectly. This lowly one can lead the way for you.”
“Because this lowly one happens to be an outer sect steward of the Illusion Gates, and my son is also a somewhat famous prodigy in the Illusion Gates.”
The middle-aged cultivator was named Zhao Wu. At this moment, looking at Gu Changge, he spoke with a face full of humility and flattery, directly referring to himself as “this lowly one.”
With immense difficulty, he tore his gaze away from the Transcendent grade weapon in Gu Changge’s hand.
Never mind that so many cultivators were watching here—even if he took it, he couldn’t keep it.
After all, this was a Transcendent grade weapon!
Though incomparably precious, carrying it in his pocket would burn terribly, and mishandling it could bring fatal disaster.
Many powers were just short one Transcendent grade weapon to anchor their foundations. If they learned of this matter, they would absolutely try every means to snatch it.
Could he expect this Exalted Immortal to step in and shield him? Dream on.
Secondly, he felt that a Transcendent grade weapon he couldn’t hold securely was less valuable than earning the regard of the Exalted Immortal before him.
At this moment, hearing Zhao Wu say this.
Many cultivators and beings were also incomparably shocked.
Within ten thousand miles, Zhao Wu, as the castellan of Black Martial City, had always been renowned for his ruthless and iron-blooded methods.
Now calling himself “this lowly one” before the Exalted Immortal didn’t surprise them.
They just never expected he would voluntarily give up such an easily obtained Transcendent grade weapon. It truly made them burn with envy, jealousy, and hatred!
“Oh? A mere True Enlightened Realm cultivator, yet unmoved by a Transcendent grade weapon?”
At this, a trace of faint appreciation seemed to appear in Gu Changge’s calm gaze, and he nodded, saying,
“Not bad. Then lead the way.”
Trading one appreciative look for a minor figure of this world to serve him with utter devotion—that seemed like no loss at all.
Hearing this, wild joy immediately appeared on Zhao Wu’s face. He had seen Gu Changge’s slightly appreciative expression.
In his view, this was incomparably important!
Giving up a Transcendent grade weapon to gain this Exalted Immortal’s regard—he knew very well which mattered more.
Perhaps today was his chance to rise to meteoric success!
Thinking of this, Zhao Wu grew even more excited.
Of course, he had no idea whatsoever that Gu Changge had never intended to give away the Transcendent grade weapon from the very beginning.
After all, with one casual sweep just now, Gu Changge had discovered that among the many cultivators and beings before him, the strongest was merely at the True Enlightened Realm.
So who would have the courage to dare take this Transcendent grade weapon?
And Gu Changge’s goal was merely to use this incident to make everyone understand that his relationship with the Illusion Gates’ Founding Ancestor was extraordinary—that he could casually bestow even a Transcendent grade weapon.
Of course, who the Illusion Gates’ Founding Ancestor was, he neither knew nor cared.
What Gu Changge wanted was merely such a legitimate justification, so that the Illusion Gates would lower their guard, saving him a lot of effort in his upcoming plans.
Presumably, the entire Illusion Gates had no idea when their Founding Ancestor had ever formed a friendship with Gu Changge.
Matters of the Beyond—wasn’t it all just whatever Gu Changge casually made up? They could believe it if they wanted... and if they didn’t, it didn’t affect Gu Changge in the slightest.
Then, divine light shot skyward from this place.
Zhao Wu led the way for Gu Changge, returning to the ancient city where he was stationed.
There was a Transportation Array there leading to the Illusion Gates, which he could use to return to the sect.
He had already foreseen the days ahead when, having gained this Exalted Immortal’s regard, his status in the Illusion Gates would rise with the tide.
This made Zhao Wu incomparably excited and delighted.
A castellan governing an ancient city of a million people, before Gu Changge, was like a complete lapdog, humble and fawning to the extreme.
Those who didn’t know better would think their eyes were playing tricks on them, that they were hallucinating.
Yet many cultivators and beings were envious and jealous of this, hating only that they had been too timid back then and hadn’t stepped forward to ask first.
Otherwise, the lapdog at Gu Changge’s side right now might have been them!
“One misstep becomes eternal regret!”
Many people beat their chests and stamped their feet, having missed the great opportunity to cling to this Exalted Immortal’s thigh.
And very quickly, what had happened in this Great Wilderness spread as if it had grown wings, flying rapidly through the great ancient cities and powers, triggering enormous sensation.
An Exalted Immortal who had descended from the Beyond—mysterious and unfathomable, with terrifying cultivation, beyond description.
He had old ties with the Illusion Gates’ Founding Ancestor and owed him a favor, and was now heading to the Illusion Gates.
This matter was like a meteorite crashing into the deep sea, swiftly stirring up terrifying tidal waves, like a great earthquake!
Every cultivator who heard this news was shaken to the core, eyes wide, jaws dropped.
The Illusion Gates could now be called the leading power of the Wonder Domain, with a powerful foundation and deep strength, faintly bearing the title of the number one sect.
If not for the other three Holy Lands standing in rivalry with it, the entire Wonder Domain would likely have become the Illusion Gates’ world.
And now, an Exalted Immortal had actually arrived, one with old ties to their Founding Ancestor.
This news made the other three Holy Lands despair, feeling that their good days of standing in rivalry with the Illusion Gates were coming to an end.
After all, quite a few cultivators and beings had witnessed the event with their own eyes—it couldn’t be faked.
That Exalted Immortal, white robes fluttering, features blurred, immortal mist swirling around him, every gesture filled with transcendent otherworldliness, as if even heaven and earth could be covered by a single palm of his.
Amid such astonishing rumors, the entire Wonder Domain was set astir with waves of commotion.
Meanwhile, in the Water Domain, separated from the Wonder Domain by hundreds of millions of miles.
Inside an incomparably tall ancient city, within a quiet and secluded pavilion, was Yue Mingkong, dressed in plain white clothes with a gauze veil covering her face.
Her delicate brows furrowed slightly as she crossed out some power names in her hands, murmuring to herself.
“According to the timeline, the Reincarnation of the Mortal One should already be somewhat famous by now. Why is it that after investigating so many powers, I haven’t seen any prodigy with such a name?”
She actually wasn’t very clear on the exact location of the Reincarnation of the Mortal One either.
The only method she could use was to eliminate candidates one by one based on names.
The information she currently knew amounted to only two points.
First, the Mortal One’s reincarnation in this life was named Jiang Yang.
Second, the Reincarnation of the Mortal One possessed some kind of powerful physique, suspected to be a legendary Sacred Physique.
But exactly which Sacred Physique it was, she wasn’t very clear either.
So Yue Mingkong subconsciously assumed it would be some extremely famous prodigy.
Yet after searching through all the powers of the entire Water Domain, she hadn’t heard of anyone with such a name.
For a moment, Yue Mingkong was somewhat troubled, planning to go search the other domains.
“Crown Heir, news has suddenly come from the Wonder Domain, saying that a powerful being has descended to this world, seemingly having some connection to the Founding Ancestor of the Wonder Domain’s Illusion Gates...”
At this moment, a faint fluctuation suddenly came from outside the pavilion.
Immediately after, a reporting voice sounded.
“The Wonder Domain?”
Yue Mingkong’s brows furrowed slightly.
The Heavenly Star Realm’s location was very remote. Almost no Dao lineages or great sects of the Beyond would pay attention to this place.
So her quiet descent to this world hadn’t attracted anyone’s notice—she had even managed to keep it from Gu Changge.
So Yue Mingkong didn’t pay much mind to this news, thinking it was merely a coincidence.
The Illusion Gates’ Founding Ancestor—that would have to be a figure from hundreds of thousands of years ago, completely unrelated to her.
At this time, the Mortal Palace probably hadn’t found its way here yet.
Yue Mingkong relaxed slightly.
“The famous Extreme Sun Land of the Heavenly Star Realm also needs attention. From the rumors, the World Purifying Green Lotus growing within it seems very important to the Reincarnation of the Mortal One.”
“It can help the Reincarnation of the Mortal One undergo a physique transformation.”
She began pondering her next plans. If it really came to it, she would search all eight domains first.
After all, on this secret descent to this world, she had brought sufficient manpower, all with powerful cultivation—sweeping through a region would pose no problem whatsoever.