Foreseeing a Sibling Falling-Out, and the Other Successor of Demonic Arts
Foreseeing a Sibling Falling-Out, and the Other Successor of Demonic Arts
“Gu Changge...”
At that moment, Ying Yu was the first to speak.
This was the first time she had ever seen Gu Changge in person, and he was far more terrifying and imposing than the rumors suggested.
The vast entourage of followers trailing behind him alone was enough to say everything.
Not to mention Gu Changge’s cultivation—even as a Quasi-Sacred Realm expert, she couldn’t see through it. It was as if a layer of mist shrouded him.
This reminded Ying Yu of the rumors about Gu Changge clashing with a Sacred Lord Realm existence on the Celestial Ancient Continent.
This man was far more unfathomable than she had imagined.
This made Ying Yu grow much more cautious. She had originally planned to demand an explanation for the humiliation she had suffered at the Gu Family’s mountain gate that day.
But by now, she had already tossed that thought to the back of her mind.
“Oh? May I ask what guidance Miss Ying Yu has for me?”
Hearing Ying Yu call his name, Gu Changge acted as if he had only just noticed her, asking with mild surprise.
Back when he investigated Ying Shuang, he had learned of the existence of his sister, Ying Yu.
He hadn’t expected that, having only just arrived in the Southern Flourishing Heaven, she would deliver herself right to his door.
This gave Gu Changge a bit of a pleasant surprise.
The feeling of chives delivering themselves to the chopping block—how long it had been.
“Gu Changge, don’t you think it’s too arbitrary of you to say that my brother is the Successor of Demonic Arts?”
Ying Yu was quite direct at this point, her silver eyes fixed tightly on him.
Getting straight to the point, she asked this question in front of everyone.
Gu Changge was somewhat surprised at her words. “Did Gu ever say such a thing? Perhaps Miss Ying Yu has made a mistake?”
He was telling the truth.
He truly had never said those words.
Oh wait—it wasn’t a matter of whether he had said it or not. He had never even mentioned Ying Shuang at all.
Back at the Longevity Gu Family, when the black pot was dumped onto Ying Shuang’s head,
Gu Changge had merely echoed the speculation of the Successor of Mortal Palace, Wang Zijin.
If Ying Yu wanted to settle accounts with someone, she should go find Wang Zijin.
It had not a single cent to do with him, Gu Changge.
“You...”
Ying Yu’s expression shifted slightly, and only now did she realize what was wrong with her accusation.
Gu Changge indeed had never said such a thing.
But under those circumstances back then, everyone believed someone was framing Sky Emperor Mountain.
Only Gu Changge and Wang Zijin went against the current, believing it was Sky Emperor Mountain deliberately muddying the waters so that everyone would overlook them.
After all, everyone thought Sky Emperor Mountain had been framed.
So when hunting down the Successor of Demonic Arts, they would naturally overlook Sky Emperor Mountain first, assuming they were victims too.
This kind of tactic was even more despicable than directly saying Sky Emperor Mountain was connected to the Successor of Demonic Arts.
And worst of all, it left them with no way to clear their name.
“Gu Changge, that was clearly what you meant back then, and now you still want to argue your way out. My brother has no grievance or enmity with you—why would you frame and slander him?”
Ying Yu still refused to give up. After all, she had finally met Gu Changge, and she wouldn’t let this go so easily.
At this moment, she actually wished her brother had come here with her to confront Gu Changge face to face.
But ever since Ying Shuang arrived in the Southern Flourishing Heaven, he hadn’t left his residence, saying he was waiting for news of the Eternal Overcast Battlefield.
This left Ying Yu quite helpless, with no other option.
“Why would I need to argue my way out? I never directly concluded who the Successor of Demonic Arts is. Could it be that Miss Ying Yu thinks the matter of the Successor of Demonic Arts is child’s play, something to be casually settled with a verdict?”
“And just as you said, I have no enmity or grievance with Prince Ying. Would I have any reason to do such a thing?”
“What I said to Saintess Zijin back then was merely one possibility.”
“Even if you want to blame someone, shouldn’t you blame Saintess Zijin? Coming to trouble Gu—do you take Gu for a mild-tempered man who’s easy to push around?”
Gu Changge smiled faintly, but as he reached the end, his smile faded away.
His expression carried deep meaning and coldness.
“I...”
“I didn’t mean it that way. Gu Changge, you’re overthinking it.”
Ying Yu gritted her teeth, her divine soul trembling as she felt that terrifying pressure. Her whole body felt as if it were suffocating.
Gu Changge had been fine when he was speaking just moments ago.
But now, with this change of expression, she could feel that heart-palpitating dread all the more directly.
What Gu Changge said next caused the expressions of the many Cultivators in the pavilion and the surrounding area—who had been paying close attention to this place—to change drastically.
After all, the matter of the Successor of Demonic Arts was of grave importance.
Right now, in everyone’s eyes, Ying Yu’s behavior was nothing short of making an unreasonable scene.
Neither Gu Changge nor the Successor of Mortal Palace had ever said Prince Ying was the Successor of Demonic Arts—they had merely voiced their own thoughts at the time.
It was only after many Cultivators discussed it afterward that this conclusion was reached.
No one was a fool who would do thankless work.
At the end of the day, the Mortal Palace had opposed the Successor of Demonic Arts for years, so Wang Zijin’s words carried conviction for many.
Not to mention that some time ago, another Successor of Mortal Palace had also lingered outside Sky Emperor Mountain before finally departing.
All these signs pointed to Sky Emperor Mountain bearing the greatest suspicion.
How could Ying Yu possibly wash that away?
In the ancient city of the Southern Flourishing Heaven, where experts were as numerous as clouds, even though Ying Yu was the blood daughter of Sky Emperor Ying, she dared not provoke the wrath of the masses.
“The way I see it, she simply couldn’t find any solution, so she came to Young Master Changge—she’s already desperate.”
“When the day comes that her brother’s identity as the Successor of Demonic Arts is truly exposed, I’d love to see what expression she’ll have then...”
“I think she’s outright shielding the Successor of Demonic Arts, intending to make an enemy of the entire world.”
“Why don’t we just kill her here today? It’d save us from leaving a future scourge behind.”
At once, the discussions of the surrounding Cultivators, laced with coldness and killing intent, reached Ying Yu’s ears, turning her face somewhat pale.
With Gu Changge’s words, her earlier actions had clearly provoked public outrage.
“Forget it. It seems Miss Ying Yu has a rather innocent temperament—a straightforward person. I’ll let today’s matter slide.”
“I trust you’ll come to understand.”
At this, Gu Changge sighed with seeming helplessness and waved his hand.
Seeing this, the followers behind him immediately understood his meaning and began driving away the surrounding onlookers.
Since even Gu Changge had acted this way,
the nearby crowd understood he didn’t wish to pursue the matter further. Not daring to disrespect him, they all dispersed from the area, no longer daring to watch the excitement.
With the public outrage dissipated, the black-clad man and the others also breathed sighs of relief.
Inexplicably, they felt some gratitude toward Gu Changge.
They knew that if the mob’s fury had erupted, with their strength they could never have held off so many Cultivators—they would have died or been maimed today.
Who could blame them for being so unlucky as to be associated with the Successor of Demonic Arts?
Soon, only Wang Wushuang, Ye Langtian, Chi Ling, and the other Young Prodigies remained in the pavilion, along with the still somewhat pale-faced Ying Yu and her people.
Gu Changge’s sudden intervention to defuse the situation left her somewhat astonished and puzzled.
By all reason, given how aggressively she had come and how directly she had questioned him, Gu Changge should have been angry and struck at her.
Why would he help her instead?
“Since you’re already here, why doesn’t Miss Ying Yu sit down and have a drink?”
At this point, Gu Changge sat down with a calm and natural demeanor, then gestured an invitation to the somewhat dazed Ying Yu.
“Miss...”
“Miss, this is Young Master Changge’s personal invitation. Don’t be stubborn anymore—and while you’re at it, apologize to Young Master Changge for your earlier disrespect.”
The black-clad man beside Ying Yu immediately whispered to her, while looking at Gu Changge with a somewhat fawning, ingratiating expression.
Although his elders had ordered him to follow Prince Ying,
he wasn’t stupid. He understood that Ying Shuang was now like a clay Buddha crossing a river—unable to save even himself.
Until the matter of the Successor of Demonic Arts was resolved, following Ying Shuang meant nothing but getting beaten like a rat crossing the street.
He might as well take this chance to curry favor with Gu Changge.
Whether in status or strength, the current Gu Changge far surpassed Ying Shuang.
This scene left the Young Prodigies—who had just been injured by this ancient freak’s attack—utterly shocked, then silently speechless, their hearts filled with emotion.
When would they ever be like Gu Changge?
Doing nothing at all, yet deterring countless beings with sheer presence alone.
“Gu Changge, thank you for defusing the situation just now.”
Ying Yu was not someone who couldn’t tell good from bad; she knew how to weigh priorities.
At this point, she sat down with graceful composure.
The others were tactful enough to yield the seat beside Gu Changge to her.
She hesitated for a moment, then sat down after all.
Sitting too far from Gu Changge would inevitably seem discourteous.
Gu Changge didn’t seem to mind any of this, drinking his wine on his own and chatting with Wang Wushuang and the others.
After Ying Yu sat down, he paid her no further attention.
Gradually, Ying Yu began to feel rather uncomfortable sitting there, ill at ease all over. It reminded her of the scene back then, waiting at the mountain gate of the Longevity Gu Family.
She had thought Gu Changge’s intervention to help her meant he had some designs on her.
But now it seemed it had merely been a casual act on his part—she had overthought it. Otherwise, why would he ignore her after inviting her to sit?
For a moment, Ying Yu couldn’t figure out Gu Changge’s behavior at all.
He didn’t seem to bear any malice toward her or her brother.
At this point, it was the black-clad man behind Ying Yu who kept signaling her with his eyes, urging her to take the initiative and offer a toast.
After all, standing there like a wooden stump doing nothing at a time like this wasn’t just dull—it was downright stupid.
Ying Yu suddenly came to her senses. When had she become so foolish?
“Gu Changge, this cup is to thank you for defusing the situation just now.”
However, this was clearly her first time offering a toast. She appeared quite unpracticed, and her words came out stiffly.
Hearing this, Gu Changge turned his head to glance at her, his gaze carrying some interest, though he wasn’t surprised.
After all, all of this was within his expectations.
“There’s no need for the wine.”
Then he waved his hand and said casually, “I only acted just now because I saw your innocent and straightforward nature, and knew you bore no malice.”
“If you had come with malice, believe it or not, your head would already be crushed beneath my foot.”
His words were light and casual, yet they carried a bone-chilling coldness.
Ying Yu couldn’t help but shudder, her face paling.
She knew Gu Changge’s words were no empty threat.
Gu Changge absolutely had the ability to do it.
“If I were you, rather than wasting time on me, I’d spend it asking your brother more questions.”
“Perhaps there’s something he’s hiding from you? He won’t even come out to confront me.”
Afterward, Gu Changge smiled again as if nothing had happened.
Of course Ying Shuang wouldn’t dare come out to confront him.
After all, Gu Changge still held his weakness firmly in his grasp.
And Ying Shuang knew this perfectly well.
“I understand...”
Soon after, Ying Yu quickly recovered. From Gu Changge’s various actions, it was clear he truly bore no enmity toward Ying Shuang or Sky Emperor Mountain.
The reason he had made such a conjecture was merely based on the most fitting possibility at the time.
So the problem didn’t lie with Gu Changge.
Then who did it lie with?
Ying Yu fell into deep thought.
Watching this scene, Gu Changge’s expression held a meaningful intrigue.
A Body Possession-type Fortuitous One—his greatest fatal weakness lay with the people closest to him.
Some things, he would only hint at.
As for the rest, as long as Ying Yu wasn’t a fool, she would follow the vine to find the melon... and discover that Ying Shuang had been deceiving her all along!
A drama of siblings turning against each other—Gu Changge could already faintly see it coming.
After that, he began actively pouring wine for Ying Yu. It was obvious she rarely touched alcohol.
And the wine here had a strong aftereffect, even for Cultivators who used their cultivation to neutralize it.
Ying Yu hadn’t expected Gu Changge to actually pour her wine. For a moment she felt somewhat overwhelmed by the favor. Though her alcohol tolerance was poor, she couldn’t very well refuse Gu Changge’s face at this point.
Soon, after several cups went down,
she grew rather dizzy and nearly toppled over.
Fortunately, Gu Changge was quick-eyed and swift-handed, catching her with a steadying arm.
“Thank you, Young Master Gu.”
By now Ying Yu’s head was even dizzier, her face slightly flushed.
Though her form of address for Gu Changge had also changed.
Gu Changge shook his head with slight helplessness. “Miss Ying Yu, your alcohol tolerance...”
The black-clad man named Ah Gu scratched his head and said somewhat obsequiously, “Miss rarely touches wine. We hope Young Master Changge won’t take offense.”
Gu Changge waved his hand. “Then you should take Miss Ying Yu back.”
Once he finished speaking,
Ying Yu’s two maids immediately stepped forward, supporting her as they led her away.
“Young Master Changge, we’ll take our leave then.”
The black-clad man put on a fawning smile, then led his people away as well.
A strange glint flashed through Gu Changge’s eyes.
Apart from himself, no one else could detect anything amiss.
When he had steadied Ying Yu just now, he had taken the opportunity to leave a rune mark on her—perfect for pinpointing her and Ying Shuang’s location.
Moreover, with Ying Yu returning dead drunk, what would that brother of hers think?
After all, the person she had been drinking with was none other than himself.
Afterward, the rest of the Young Prodigies also took their leave one after another.
But in the end, Ye Langtian and Ye Liuli chose to stay behind.
They informed Gu Changge of quite a bit of news about the True Immortal Academy, and even revealed another matter that piqued Gu Changge’s interest further.
“Another Successor of Demonic Arts has appeared?”
Gu Changge raised an eyebrow, his expression barely changing as he asked, “Can you confirm whether this is true or false?”
“My sister and I saw it with our own eyes. Based on my understanding of the Successor of Demonic Arts during this period, it shouldn’t be wrong.”
“That mysterious person seemed to be cultivating at the time, out in some desolate wilderness, using the essence of ancient corpses to cultivate, breathing in and out the moonlight’s radiance. Every sign matched exactly what’s recorded about the Taboo Demonic Arts.”
Ye Langtian said with a heavy expression.
“An ancient artifact auctioned off at the time also involved the Taboo Demonic Arts... and it happened to be won by that mysterious person,” Ye Liuli added.
“I understand.”
After hearing all this, Gu Changge nodded, falling into thought.
Interesting.
Various thoughts flashed through his mind.
A Successor of Demonic Arts other than himself in this world—was he real? Or an impostor?
The Demonic Arts he possessed were innate to him, not inherited from anyone.
So could this newly appeared Successor of Demonic Arts have received the inheritance of some previous generation’s successor?
However... a figure inexplicably surfaced in Gu Changge’s mind.
Whether it was true or not—he would only know once he confirmed it.