Body Possession Is No Unfamiliar Term, Though Your Shifu Isn't Entirely Certain Either
Body Possession Is No Unfamiliar Term, Though Your Shifu Isn’t Entirely Certain Either
“You despicable, shameless man! You’re a great figure, yet you deceived Yao Yao! You don’t deserve to be her brother!”
“You deserve to die! Give my body back to me, now!”
After returning to his cave dwelling, the calm indifference finally vanished from Jiang Yang’s face. His brows furrowed tightly, and there was even a faint trace of anger.
“Shut up! Since when is it your place to point fingers at me?”
He barked at the voice inside his mind.
Jiang Yang felt that this whole affair had become troublesome, slipping beyond his control.
Gu Changge, who had suddenly descended from the Overworld, had not come looking for him.
And the cultivators of the Mortal Palace had yet to find this place.
Jiang Yang felt it was a coincidence, yet somewhere deep in his bones, he sensed that Gu Changge harbored profound malice toward him.
He didn’t know if it was just his imagination, but he kept feeling that Gu Changge meant him no good.
He just couldn’t figure out why.
“No matter what, my little sister Yao Yao cannot fall into that Exalted Immortal’s hands... I need her trust in me...”
A sharp glint flashed through Jiang Yang’s eyes. Before this, he had held onto his last shred of principle, unwilling to touch that consciousness.
But if he didn’t fully merge with it, many of his actions and words would show glaring flaws in Yao Yao’s eyes.
Just like today in the great hall—why else would Yao Yao refuse to even listen to his explanation of his difficulties?
Thinking back on it now, he must have been too deliberate, too eager at the time.
On top of that, the appearance of Gu Changge, this Anomaly, forced him to take precautions.
“Great deeds don’t fuss over small details... since when did I become so wishy-washy...”
“At worst, things will just be a bit more troublesome when all worlds return to one.”
Shaking his head with a smile, Jiang Yang’s expression quickly returned to calm.
“What are you going to do? Didn’t you say you wouldn’t touch me? I can’t die, I have to protect Yao Yao...”
Within his Knowledge Sea, a voice full of unwillingness and fury rang out, then gradually faded into silence.
“From this day forth, you are me, and I am you. Accepting me is also a tremendous opportunity for you.”
“Rest assured, I will take good care of our sister and Grandma. Because from another perspective, I am Jiang Yang too.”
As Jiang Yang murmured softly,
light began to emerge at the center of his brow, as if strands of golden radiance were falling within fathomless darkness.
Weng!!
Symbols of Reincarnation, each one intricate and profound to the utmost extreme, abruptly surfaced. Their brilliance seemed capable of Illuminating the Skies across All of Heaven and Its Thousand Worlds, and at this moment they branded themselves firmly onto his divine soul.
Kacha!
At that instant, accompanied by a cracking sound,
one of the Symbols of Reincarnation split with fissures, and five-colored auspicious light burst forth from within, dazzling and resplendent like immortal rain.
“Borrowing just one percent of a single lifetime’s Dao Fruit won’t affect me too much.”
Jiang Yang murmured to himself, his expression perfectly calm.
Had it not come to a critical juncture, he truly hadn’t intended to use his final Symbol of Reincarnation trump card.
But if he didn’t use it now, he would appear far too weak before Gu Changge, this Anomaly.
Conventional cultivation methods were no longer of any use.
And this was precisely the Mortal Palace’s signature technique—Dao Fruit Extraction!
Only, what he was borrowing was the Dao Fruit of one particular lifetime.
This body could not yet withstand too much.
And at that moment, Jiang Yang’s aura was quietly undergoing a transformation—rising from the Transcendent Realm toward the Mighty-Transcendent Realm, then the Honoured Noble Realm... climbing at a horrifying speed, a terrifying ascent.
He also closed his eyes, intending to use a secret art to stir the grand momentum of the Celestia Holy Land.
So that he wouldn’t end up like today—slapped flat to the ground before he could even make a move, utterly humiliated.
...
“Tonight won’t be peaceful, it seems. The Fortuity and terrain of this entire Celestia Holy Land are rapidly shifting.”
“The Reincarnation of the Mortal One really is scheming to deal with me. I slapped his face hard today, and now he holds a grudge...”
Elsewhere, an inexplicable smile played at the corners of Gu Changge’s mouth.
His figure stood above a palace of the Celestia Holy Land, overlooking the entire scene.
Black and white light surfaced in his eyes, and the countless rules of heaven and earth, the flowing of aura and runes—all appeared within his gaze.
He could clearly see the current terrain of the Celestia Holy Land converging from all directions, as if alive, a hundred rivers flowing into the sea, gathering toward a single location.
And that location was obviously none other than the place where Jiang Yang usually cultivated.
He was definitely employing some technique, planning to use it against Gu Changge at a critical moment.
Too bad Gu Changge had already anticipated it—and even planned to turn the scheme back on him.
“Is this everything you know about Jiang Yang?”
Gu Changge withdrew his gaze and indifferently glanced down at the green-faced, fanged creature kneeling prostrate below.
“Reporting to the Exalted Immortal, this is everything. I wouldn’t dare hide the slightest thing...”
The creature kneeling on the ground was none other than Qing Gui, the one who had taken Jiang Yang away from Northern Mountain Village back then.
With just a casual inquiry to Yao Yao, Gu Changge had tracked down this creature.
Certain matters regarding Jiang Yang still had to be learned from his mouth.
Fearing that Gu Changge might casually erase him, Qing Gui naturally spilled everything he knew without reservation—including the Celestia Holy Land’s secret forging of the Immortal Path, which he confessed in full.
Afterward, Gu Changge waved him away.
Gu Changge’s expression turned somewhat peculiar as many thoughts crossed his mind at once.
He had previously assumed that although the Reincarnation of the Mortal One liked to put on airs, he should at least be a righteous, honorable character. But now it seemed that wasn’t necessarily the case.
This method of reincarnation looked more like a cuckoo occupying another’s nest—forcibly stuffing a divine soul into a physical body.
Then, when the other soul awakened, it would take over that body.
“Reincarnation with a purpose—so everything that follows was arranged in advance.”
“Forging the Immortal Path, the campaign to defy Heaven, the Barren Sacred Physique, the inability to cultivate... heh, looks like besides me, the Reincarnation of the Mortal One is probably an Anomaly to the Heavenly Star Realm as well. His method of reincarnation is clearly not aboveboard.”
Gu Changge couldn’t help but laugh.
Following the normal script, Jiang Yang should have worked himself to death forging the Immortal Path, after which Yao Yao would rise to power all the way.
Though she couldn’t cultivate, she was the Dao Fruit of some Absolute Being. As long as she could draw upon even a sliver of that power, avenging her brother would be effortless.
Then, with a single palm strike, she would annihilate the Celestia Holy Land.
She would leave behind a legend of the Flying Immortals in the Heavenly Star Realm and become a ruthless figure of her generation.
That was the proper script.
Yao Yao was the true Fortuity-blessed daughter of the Heavenly Star Realm.
But now, Jiang Yang had suddenly become the Reincarnation of the Mortal One, and Yao Yao’s brother at that, twisting the ending of the Immortal Path’s construction.
As a result, all the benefits and Fortuity fell onto the Mortal One.
Even Yao Yao was deeply tied to him.
“What a fine calculation indeed.”
Gu Changge couldn’t help but laugh. He had now seen through the Mortal One’s scheme completely.
In his view, for the Mortal One to think he could succeed right under his nose was pure wishful thinking.
When the time came, the Mortal One would not only gain nothing—he would end up burying himself right here.
“Jiang Yang is on guard against me now, but he shouldn’t be on guard against Yao Yao. Both of them carry the Fortuity of the Heavenly Star Realm, so even if the Mortal One borrows the realm’s fortune, the effect will likely be minimal. That saves me some effort.”
“Having Yao Yao make the move against him...”
As Gu Changge pondered, he took a step forward.
The void before him blurred, ripples spreading out one after another as he walked into his Internal World.
There were quite a few things about the Mortal One that he still needed to ask Jiang Chuchu.
At that moment, Jiang Chuchu, who had been sitting cross-legged in meditation on a cliff within the Internal World like an old monk in deep trance, sensed Gu Changge’s arrival and suddenly opened her eyes.
Her gaze was utterly calm, without the slightest ripple.
“It seems you’re fairly satisfied with your current surroundings.”
Gu Changge looked at her and spoke with a casual smile. Then, with a thought, a stone chair materialized behind him.
This act of creating something from nothing made Jiang Chuchu pause slightly, but remembering that this was Gu Changge’s Space Artifact,
it wasn’t impossible for him to perform such a feat.
“What have you come to see me for?” Jiang Chuchu asked indifferently.
As the Saintess of Mortal Palace, she had been trapped here all this time, with nothing to do but cultivate.
It had even made her wonder if Gu Changge had forgotten about her entirely.
Perhaps she would grow old and die within this place.
Gu Changge’s sudden visit today came as something of a surprise to her.
Gu Changge sat down, regarding her at his leisure, then smiled. “I want to ask you some questions. If your answers satisfy me, I can consider letting you go.”
Jiang Chuchu looked at him, a trace of disbelief flickering through her crystalline eyes.
“What do you want to ask? If it’s about the Mortal One, don’t bother. I don’t know anything, and even if I did, I wouldn’t tell you,” she said flatly.
“Why are you such a foolish woman? Obey meekly and you could regain your freedom. Do you really want to grow old and die in here?”
Gu Changge let out a soft laugh and reached out to pinch her chin.
He had always sneered at this attitude of hers—refusing a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit.
It was the same last time.
She wouldn’t shed a tear until she saw the coffin, and only learned fear once she saw it—but by then, it was too late.
“Gu Changge, how can you be so despicable...”
“Is this the only trick you know?”
Seeing Gu Changge’s actions, Jiang Chuchu’s expression changed.
No matter how good her mental fortitude was, it shattered at this moment.
Gu Changge looked at her indifferently. “If you won’t talk, I’ll come every day. I don’t believe you can hold out that long.”
Hearing this, Jiang Chuchu’s face went pale with rage. She wished she could cut him into a thousand pieces.
In the end, she relented and gave Gu Changge the answers he wanted.
“The Mortal Palace’s Dao Fruit Extraction technique actually originates from the Mortal One’s Symbol of Reincarnation? In other words, the Reincarnation of the Mortal One’s greatest trump card is his Symbol of Reincarnation?” Gu Changge asked with keen interest.
This matched his own guess fairly well.
“Refining a Symbol of Reincarnation is incomparably difficult, but each one contains the strongest Dao Fruit of one of the Mortal One’s lifetimes.”
“So give up any thought of opposing the Mortal One. Accept your fate, Gu Changge,” Jiang Chuchu said flatly.
“Does the Symbol of Reincarnation have no weakness at all?” Gu Changge looked at her.
Jiang Chuchu shook her head. “I don’t know.”
“Stop lying. I’ve already figured it out. Fusing with the Dao Fruit within the Symbol of Reincarnation is actually extremely difficult—it requires an immensely powerful body.”
“Isn’t that the whole reason behind the Mortal One’s plan for all worlds to return to one?”
Gu Changge couldn’t help but laugh.
Jiang Chuchu’s face went white. She hadn’t expected Gu Changge to see through it.
Her resolve wavered.
Gu Changge was so confident, so certain—could he truly be plotting to murder the Mortal One and take his place?
A terrifying chill crept up her back.
Soon after, Gu Changge left the Internal World and went to find Yao Yao.
The little girl hadn’t rested yet despite the late hour. She was talking with her Grandma about what had happened in the great hall that day.
Jiang Yang was, after all, family to the two of them.
Not something so easily cast aside.
“Shifu...”
Seeing Gu Changge arrive, Yao Yao was startled and hurriedly called out obediently.
Gu Changge nodded gently, his expression warm.
Grandma Yin Hua, being tactful, made to leave on her own, figuring Gu Changge might have something to tell Yao Yao.
To her surprise, however, Gu Changge actually called out to stop her.
“You should hear this as well.”
Gu Changge said indifferently.
“Yes, Exalted Immortal.”
Grandma Yin Hua was somewhat taken aback, then quickly responded respectfully.
Yao Yao was also a little curious. What would Shifu tell them so late at night?
Then, Gu Changge began to recount everything Jiang Yang had suffered at the Celestia Holy Land over the years.
Even if he didn’t say it now, Jiang Yang would probably find a time to explain his hardships to Yao Yao himself.
He might as well say it for him.
The effect would actually be better this way.
Hearing this, Yao Yao’s eyes went wide with disbelief.
“Brother was actually thrown into slave labor... This Celestia Holy Land really went too far!”
An indignant expression appeared on Yao Yao’s little face.
But soon, seeing Gu Changge’s furrowed brows and pensive look,
Yao Yao also realized something was off. She asked cautiously in a small voice,
“Shifu, you didn’t tell Yao Yao all this just for the sake of telling it, right?”
Gu Changge glanced at her and said softly, “Your Shifu originally didn’t intend to tell you any of this, fearing you couldn’t accept it...”
Hearing all this, even Grandma Yin Hua, a cultivator herself, felt a chill run down her spine.
Let alone Yao Yao, a little girl whose face had turned deathly pale.
A Miasma had suddenly been unearthed, and then all the slave laborers died.
Yet Jiang Yang alone survived, his cultivation advancing by leaps and bounds, his status in the Celestia Holy Land rising like a boat on a swelling tide.
Was he just that lucky? That fortunate?
Grandma Yin Hua shook her head.
Even though he was her own grandson, she felt a bone-deep dread. This was far too strange.
“There are quite a few suspicious points in this matter. How did Jiang Yang survive? Could his physique alone have carried him through? Back then, he didn’t have a shred of cultivation.”
Grandma Yin Hua thought it over and spoke earnestly.
She had, after all, once been an outstanding disciple of a holy land, and she knew a thing or two about things like the Miasma.
Hearing this, Gu Changge nodded as well, a trace of deeper meaning surfacing in his expression. “Unearthing a Miasma is indeed an extremely dangerous affair.”
“As far as I know, even a Sacred Realm cultivator risks sudden death upon contact with a Miasma. Jiang Yang was a mere mortal who couldn’t even cultivate back then—how did he survive the Miasma’s aura?”
“This matter is indeed full of suspicious points.”
“Exalted Immortal, you mean... something went wrong with the Miasma that day? Jiang Yang, he... is no longer himself?”
Hearing these words, Grandma Yin Hua’s face couldn’t help but turn white.
Actually, without Gu Changge needing to say more, she had already guessed it by now.
The term Body Possession was hardly unfamiliar in the Heavenly Star Realm.
As for why the Celestia Holy Land showed no reaction, the one now occupying Jiang Yang’s body likely had deep ties to them.
Thinking of this, Grandma Yin Hua’s face filled with grief and fury—helplessness, bitterness, sorrow, every emotion at once.
“Shifu... you mean, Brother is actually already gone, and the one occupying his body now is someone else?”
Yao Yao’s expression seemed far calmer than Grandma Yin Hua’s.
Though her little face was equally bloodless and pale at this moment.
She bit her lip hard.
Her voice trembled.
This news had come far too suddenly, without the slightest warning.
She would honestly rather believe Jiang Yang had simply changed than accept that her brother Jiang Yang was already gone.
That the one occupying his body now was a complete stranger whose identity no one knew.
As for her Shifu Gu Changge’s words, Yao Yao now believed them without the slightest doubt.
And even Grandma said the same.
Could there be any other possibility?
Especially today in the great hall—Jiang Yang’s words, his conduct, even his way of speaking had been completely different from the brother she used to know.
“Your Shifu isn’t entirely certain either. This matter requires further deliberation. In any case, Yao Yao, when you interact with your brother these next few days, you must be careful.”
“Rest assured, with your Shifu here, even if he really is a problem, he won’t be able to hurt you.”
“Your Shifu also hopes his suspicions are merely overthinking.”
Gu Changge sighed, patted her head, and spoke as if with helpless resignation.