Choosing to Believe Without Reservation—Gu Is Confident in His Own Uprightness
Choosing to Believe Without Reservation—Gu Is Confident in His Own Uprightness
A dense spatial aura permeated the air as several cultivators emerged from within, bringing this news with them.
“Young Master Changge is coming here?”
“Wonderful! With Young Master Changge’s strength, even if we face the real Successor of Demonic Arts, we won’t need to worry.”
At the entrance to the Eternal Overcast Battlefield, the many young cultivators who heard this were all stunned in unison.
Then their expressions shook, some growing excited and thrilled.
For a moment, the entire place boiled over.
After all, Zhao Xiaoyao, the Second Senior Brother of the Confucian Saint School, had suddenly vanished without a trace, suspected of having fallen victim to the Successor of Demonic Arts.
The matter had left everyone on edge, many feeling uneasy, which was why they had come here—to see how the Confucian Saint School would resolve this matter of the woman in white.
If she truly was connected to the Successor of Demonic Arts, then everyone would rise up and attack her together. There was no way they would let her leave safely.
“Young Master Changge...”
Jun Gou was also taken aback upon hearing this, then a cold smile appeared on his face.
But his expression grew even colder as he stared at Su Qingge and said indifferently, “Now even Young Master Changge has been drawn here. If you don’t give an explanation today, no one can save you. No matter what powerful backing you have behind you, at this point, it won’t be of the slightest use.”
“Truly refusing to shed tears until you see the coffin. Even now, you still won’t willingly open your Knowledge Sea. Are you waiting for the Successor of Demonic Arts to come rescue you?”
In his view, the reason Su Qingge remained so composed was likely that she had some confidence or trump card.
Or perhaps her background was extraordinary, which was why she was so calm.
But at this point, with the matter involving the Successor, and especially with Gu Changge himself being alerted, this affair had already escalated to an entirely different level.
As everyone knew, Gu Changge was the foremost of the younger generation, and he also bore the responsibility of opposing the Successor of Demonic Arts.
If he learned that the woman before him was connected to the Successor of Demonic Arts, the consequences she would face were simply self-evident.
Gu Changge’s methods, if not cruel, were certainly far from gentle.
Jun Gou’s original plan had been to make Su Qingge give an explanation so he could report back to his school.
If he did nothing about it, as the Big Brother, he would have difficulty standing before the disciples and elders.
If Su Qingge didn’t know what was good for her, he would have no choice but to take action.
“Gongzi is coming...”
However, to the surprise of Jun Gou and the others, upon hearing that Gu Changge was coming, the woman in white before them showed no panic whatsoever.
Instead, her perpetually cold and tranquil eyes revealed an expression of delighted surprise.
She appeared even more composed than before, and a faint smile even appeared on her previously icy face.
This made Jun Gou frown, unable to understand Su Qingge’s behavior. Shouldn’t she be even more panicked at a time like this?
“Do you think Young Master Changge will be tender toward the fairer sex?”
He couldn’t help but say indifferently, “When it comes to matters involving the Successor of Demonic Arts, Young Master Changge’s methods will only be crueler than mine.”
“No need to trouble yourself. I understand Gongzi better than you do.”
Su Qingge’s voice was as calm as ever, only now it carried a trace of mockery.
“What do you mean? Gongzi?”
Jun Gou’s expression couldn’t help but shift slightly.
Judging from Su Qingge’s behavior, she seemed to know Gu Changge—and she even called him Gongzi?
This gave rise to an ominous feeling in his heart. Things seemed to be developing in a direction he hadn’t anticipated.
At this moment, many of the young prodigies nearby also noticed this change, their expressions turning intrigued and peculiar.
This woman in white seemed to actually know Young Master Changge—she wasn’t the background-less person they had assumed.
After all, being acquainted with Gu Changge meant her status was at least at a level where she could come into contact with someone of his standing, unlike ordinary young prodigies like themselves.
The Confucian Saint School’s coercive tactics just now had been somewhat overbearing and bullying.
If the woman in white was connected to the Successor of Demonic Arts, that would be one thing, but if she wasn’t... Many people who thought of this couldn’t help but break out in cold sweat for the Confucian Saint School’s members, their backs going cold.
“Big Brother, you must get justice for Senior Brother Zhao! Senior Brother Zhao’s body isn’t even cold yet, and we can’t even find where he is...”
At this moment, the female disciple who had berated Su Qingge earlier was still crying and complaining to Jun Gou, completely failing to notice that the situation was undergoing a subtle shift.
Along the way, Senior Brother Zhao had shown Su Qingge all kinds of care and attention, but she had never given him the time of day.
This had been unbearable for her, who harbored feelings of admiration for Senior Brother Zhao. Now that something had happened to him, in her eyes, all the responsibility lay with Su Qingge.
“Shut your mouth.”
Seeing this, Jun Gou’s brow furrowed as he rebuked, “I know better than you how to handle this matter.”
The terrifying Enlightened Noble Realm pressure from before had now completely dissipated.
Seeing that their Big Brother seemed somewhat angry, the members of the Confucian Saint School all fell silent.
But the gazes they directed at Su Qingge still carried hatred, quite hostile, as if demanding she pay for Senior Brother Zhao’s life.
Su Qingge, at this moment, was very peaceful and quiet, saying nothing more.
What she was considering now was how to explain to Gongzi, when she saw him, her reasons for coming to the Southern Flourishing Heaven.
After all, when she left the Primal Celestial Temple, she had told Gu Changge’s mother that she wanted to search for her birth mother.
But she hadn’t gone. Instead, she had first gone to an auction house to bid on an ancient artifact connected to her.
Then, hearing that the Eternal Overcast Battlefield had appeared in the Southern Flourishing Heaven and that killing Yin Spirits could earn one a slot to enter the True Immortal Academy, she had come here.
Just then, the portal at the entrance suddenly rippled with spatial fluctuations, divine light shining brilliantly.
A cultivator’s figure emerged from within.
“Someone’s coming.”
Everyone present turned to look.
Su Qingge did the same, her gaze unblinking, somewhat expectant, fixed tightly on that portal.
“It’s Young Master Changge...”
The next moment, many people couldn’t help but cry out, their expressions immediately turning respectful.
The young man who walked out was tall and straight, dressed in moon-white robes, his countenance peerlessly handsome, possessing a natural jade-like elegance. His every movement gave off a feeling of natural unity, of being one with the Dao.
The newcomer was none other than Gu Changge, who had rushed over after hearing that the Successor of Demonic Arts had appeared here.
Behind him followed quite a few followers, all with astonishing vitality, far surpassing many of the Young Prodigies present.
“Greetings, Young Master Changge!”
At once, many people respectfully called out, holding deep reverence for Gu Changge.
Gu Changge nodded slightly, his voice gentle and natural. “No need for formalities, everyone. I heard traces of the Successor of Demonic Arts appeared here, so I came to take a look. Judging by this scene, have you found some clues?”
His attitude was very amiable, without any air of superiority.
Yet before him, everyone couldn’t help but feel a sense of awe, growing somewhat nervous as they spoke.
“Reporting to Young Master Changge, we have indeed found clues related to the Successor of Demonic Arts. They concern this woman in white before us...”
A young figure immediately spoke up upon hearing this, pointing at Su Qingge, whose expression appeared somewhat delighted and joyful.
“Gongzi...”
Su Qingge took the initiative to speak at this moment, her eyes fixed on Gu Changge, her voice somewhat apprehensive, carrying the joy of reunion after a long separation, and also a trace of uneasy worry she didn’t even want to admit to herself.
After all, they hadn’t seen each other for so long. She was somewhat worried whether Gu Changge might have forgotten about her—especially since during this period, her other soul had frequently brought up this matter in her ear.
“Qingge, what are you doing here?”
At this moment, hearing this voice, Gu Changge looked over and asked with some slight surprise, as if only now noticing Su Qingge.
But quickly, the surprised expression on his face disappeared, and he rubbed his brow somewhat helplessly.
“Mother told me you left the Primal Celestial Temple to come find me. I was wondering when you would arrive...”
“Why did you run off to the Eternal Overcast Battlefield alone? Don’t you know how dangerous it is here?”
His words carried some reproach, but more than that, concern and worry.
“Gongzi, I...”
Hearing this, Su Qingge was momentarily at a loss for words, and then her eyes grew slightly moist.
She had thought Gu Changge would first ask what had happened, but she never expected that he would immediately come to her rescue, not asking about the reasons at all.
Her earlier worries had been completely unnecessary.
With Gu Changge’s intellect, he could probably grasp the entire sequence of events with a single glance.
Yet he chose to believe her without reservation. This made Su Qingge’s heart tremble, and apart from being moved, there was nothing else in her heart.
At this moment, even the other soul in her mind fell silent, dumbfounded.
“Young Master Changge, you know Miss Su?”
But upon hearing these words,
Jun Gou’s expression couldn’t help but change, and he cautiously opened his mouth, probing.
The Confucian Saint School members behind him also sensed something was wrong, their faces faintly paling.
After all, given Gu Changge’s concerned and worried tone, even a blind person would know that this woman in white had a deep relationship with him.
From the Primal Demonic Temple? And involving Gu Changge’s mother?
The few disciples who had berated Su Qingge earlier had faces utterly drained of color.
They only felt their vision go dark, as if the sky was collapsing. If the people beside them hadn’t hurriedly supported them, they probably would have collapsed limply to the ground.
“What is it? Qingge is a maid by my side. Did she do something?”
Hearing this, Gu Changge’s brow couldn’t help but furrow as he asked, “Could it be that the clues about the Successor of Demonic Arts you mentioned are related to her?”
His demeanor was as if he had only just realized what had happened here.
However, hearing Gu Changge’s words, many of the young prodigies present reacted, their expressions changing drastically.
This woman in white—even if she was merely a maid by Gu Changge’s side—had a status far beyond what they could compare to.
One had to know how many heavenly blessed maidens wanted even a single word with Gu Changge and never got the chance, let alone serving as his maid.
Moreover, what Gu Changge had just said seemed to involve his mother from the Primal Celestial Temple.
Many people subconsciously assumed that this woman in white was a maid raised for Gu Changge since childhood.
Such things were not strange among the various Supreme Dao Lineages and Cults of Immortality.
A maid now—who knew, she might become a concubine in the future...
For a time, the way many young prodigies looked at Su Qingge changed, carrying respect, no longer daring to act as they had before.
“Young Master Changge, here’s what happened. I believe this should be a misunderstanding...”
At this moment, Jun Gou’s forehead was covered in cold sweat as he hurriedly spoke to Gu Changge. “Before this, we didn’t know Miss Su had this kind of relationship with you.”
“If we had known, we wouldn’t have dared to offend her like this.”
No matter what, ignorance was no crime.
At this point, unless one’s brain was broken, no one would keep harping on what had just happened.
He had actually wanted to search this woman in white’s Knowledge Sea just now.
If that had actually happened, forget about him—even the Confucian Saint School behind him would have been flayed a layer of skin, suffering unprovoked calamity.
Thinking of this, Jun Gou no longer had the slightest bit of his earlier coldness. His face was pale, his back drenched in cold sweat, and his intestines turned green with regret.
He even cast a fawning look toward Su Qingge, hoping she wouldn’t take offense.
Such an enormous change in attitude didn’t seem strange at all in the eyes of the crowd. In their view, this was exactly how it should be.
This woman in white actually had such an identity—why hadn’t she said so earlier?
Some of the Young Prodigies who hadn’t spoken earlier couldn’t help but secretly sigh in relief, wiping away cold sweat.
“Misunderstanding? What misunderstanding? The matter hasn’t even been clarified, and you’re already calling it a misunderstanding.”
“Could it be that you think Gu would show favoritism?”
Gu Changge’s brow remained tightly furrowed as he looked at the cautious Jun Gou before him and asked,
“Gu is confident in his own uprightness. If Qingge did something wrong, even if she is my maid, I would not show the slightest leniency.”
Hearing this, Jun Gou smiled even more bitterly, feeling that this matter probably wouldn’t end well.
“Qingge, what are you doing here?”
Then, Gu Changge looked at Su Qingge before him, his expression carrying a hint of severity. “If you dare hide anything from me, you know the consequences.”
Seeing this, Su Qingge also hurriedly responded, knowing this was Gu Changge giving her a chance to clear things up.
At once, she hid nothing and recounted the entire sequence of events.
“Qingge dares not hide anything from Gongzi. After I arrived in the Southern Flourishing Heaven, I originally planned not to rely on Gongzi, but to rely on my own abilities to kill Yin Spirits and earn a slot to enter the True Immortal Academy...”
“At the entrance, I encountered the members of the Confucian Saint School. At the time, Zhao Xiaoyao invited me to travel together with them. Thinking it would be safer that way, I agreed...”
Including meeting the Confucian Saint School members, then killing Yin Spirits together.
Then her choosing to leave, Zhao Xiaoyao following after her, but losing track of her along the way—she recounted everything in great detail.
Even the Confucian Saint School members who had been with them at the time couldn’t find anything wrong with her account.
And after listening, the image of a simp-like Zhao Xiaoyao immediately sprang to life in everyone’s minds.
Su Qingge had given him no face because she was Gu Changge’s person.
What business did a Zhao Xiaoyao have joining in the excitement?
Many Young Prodigies secretly clicked their tongues, feeling disdain.
This Zhao Xiaoyao, as the Second Senior Brother of the Confucian Saint School, was an upright man, yet he had actually fallen for Gu Changge’s maid and acted in such a manner.
If nothing had happened to him, his end probably wouldn’t have been much better, would it?
Everyone thought to themselves, increasingly feeling that this whole matter was entirely of Zhao Xiaoyao’s own making.
He went off alone to chase after the departing Su Qingge—if she didn’t hurry to shake him off, what else was she supposed to do?
And then, the lone Zhao Xiaoyao had the bad luck of encountering the Successor of Demonic Arts.
The Confucian Saint School dumping all the responsibility onto Su Qingge—wasn’t that just because they wanted to find some convenient explanation?
Su Qingge knew full well that if she killed Zhao Xiaoyao, she would be the prime suspect. Would she do such a thing? Only if she were truly stupid.
Moreover, no one had expected that behind Su Qingge would stand Gu Changge.
Suspecting Su Qingge—didn’t that mean suspecting Gu Changge?
At this moment, Su Qingge continued speaking, her voice very calm.
“Afterward, Zhao Xiaoyao suddenly went missing, and the disciples of the Confucian Saint School concluded that I had secretly harmed him. They stopped me here at the entrance and demanded I open my mind and let them probe my Knowledge Sea...”
“That is the entire course of events. I dare not hide a single word from Gongzi.”
After hearing this, the Confucian Saint School members, including Jun Gou, had not a trace of color left on their faces.
Some couldn’t even stand steadily and collapsed limply to the ground.
Probing the Knowledge Sea—such a thing was fine as long as it wasn’t mentioned, but once spoken aloud, it meant Su Qingge didn’t intend to let them off so easily.
“Oh? Probing the Knowledge Sea?”
Gu Changge’s eyes grew very deep.
He slowly repeated these words, then looked at Su Qingge and said indifferently, “Qingge, since the Confucian Saint School suspects you’re connected to the Successor of Demonic Arts, then open your Knowledge Sea and let them take a look.”
His voice was without the slightest fluctuation.
“Oh, right. Qingge is my person. If she’s connected to the Successor of Demonic Arts, doesn’t that mean I’m also connected to the Successor of Demonic Arts?”
“After all, the Successor of Demonic Arts has repeatedly escaped from my hands. Does the Confucian Saint School also suspect me? Why not probe my Knowledge Sea while you’re at it?”
This last sentence was directed at Jun Gou before him.