A Thriving Chive, the Fortuitous One's Childhood Sweetheart
A Thriving Chive, the Fortuitous One’s Childhood Sweetheart
As Gu Changge departed, the place returned to its earlier clamor.
The many cultivators and prodigies began discussing heatedly, their expressions utterly shaken, unable to recover for a long time.
What they had witnessed today left many in shock.
Whether it was the Sacred Emperor Realm artifact Gu Changge had brought out, or Chu Hao, the Third Prince of the Vermilion Bird Empire who had already reached the Sacred King Realm, either was enough to cause an earthquake.
Sacred Lord Realm experts were already rare enough.
Let alone the fact that today, a peak Sacred Lord Realm existence had been forced by Gu Changge to sever his own arms and damage his own Source in the end.
And what had happened here quickly spread far and wide through the mouths of the various cultivators, causing a huge sensation in all directions.
The Hidden Wang Family might not be considered enormous, but few dared to underestimate them.
Wang Xiao, as a direct descendant of the Hidden Wang Family, had offended Gu Changge.
That he ended up this way was, in truth, within many people’s expectations.
After all, it was Wang Xiao who had struck first and injured Gu Changge’s maid. If no accounting was given, that would be tantamount to slapping Gu Changge in the face.
If such a matter was not handled properly, it could very well trigger a conflict between two great Dao Lineages.
Although the Hidden Wang Family had a long and powerful heritage, before the Longevity Gu Family, they were far from enough.
In the eyes of quite a few people, Gu Changge’s methods were somewhat making a mountain out of a molehill, a bit too domineering.
But many felt this was exactly how it should be.
After all, up until now, whoever had offended Gu Changge had never met a good end.
Gu Changge’s dominance had never been a strange thing from the very beginning. Along his path, how many prodigies had he bullied and humiliated?
Even Ranked Disciples like Jin Chan, the Chosen Monk, and Heavenly Monarch Ziyang had suffered at his hands, tasted humiliation, and been left utterly wretched.
A mere Wang Xiao, casually suppressed and killed, was no more than a small pebble tossed into the ocean, unable to stir even a single ripple.
However, the other matter that drew the most attention was the terrifying strength displayed by Chu Hao, the Third Prince of the Vermilion Bird Empire, in this affair.
The Sacred King Realm!
Before this, almost no one had heard of such a prodigy existing.
If anyone had, it was only some cultivators of the Vermilion Bird Empire who had known of this Third Prince’s deeds in earlier years.
He was simply too low-key. Before this, there had been hardly any rumors about him.
Logically speaking, such a dazzling, brilliant prodigy could not possibly have remained unknown before.
And afterward, many things about Chu Hao were dug up by the various cultivators.
From his birth to the terrifying talent he later displayed, his various deeds were shocking, stirring up monstrous waves.
For example, on the day of his birth, heavenly phenomena shook the skies, and immortal cranes came bearing gifts.
At one year old, he danced with dragons in the Cold Lake behind the palace and obtained a millions-of-years-old Pill of the Cold Lake Water Dragon.
At three years old, he stumbled into an Ancient Immortal’s Cave Mansion and obtained the Cloud-Piercing Celestial Boat and the Red and Azure Dao Sword.
At seven years old, he learned a mysterious scripture in a dream...
Had they not investigated, they would never have known. Once they did, many cultivators were stunned, nearly consumed by envy, jealousy, and hatred.
Compared to him, Chu Hao seemed like one favored by the Great Dao itself, blessed with profound fortune, practically the heavens’ own son.
Such fortune left people at a loss for words.
No wonder a tiny Vermilion Bird Empire could produce such a prodigy.
For a time, Chu Hao was like an incomparably dazzling dark horse, bursting into everyone’s field of vision.
A Sacred King Realm cultivator only a few hundred years old.
According to the cultivators who had witnessed it with their own eyes, Chu Hao’s cultivation had even approached the peak of the Nine Minor Realms within the Sacred King Realm, only one step away from the Sacred Emperor Realm.
Once this news spread, it caused a sensation in all directions.
Many Cults of Immortality, Supreme Dao Lineages, and other ancient forces all turned their attention over, learning of the existence of such a person of great Fortuity.
The mysterious and low-key Supreme Cave Heaven behind Chu Hao also surfaced before everyone’s eyes at this time.
They learned that this force was merely low-key, but its true heritage was not much weaker than some Cults of Immortality or Supreme Dao Lineages.
Quite a few Dao Lineages were moved to recruit him.
A Sacred King Realm cultivator of a few hundred years—such talent was something even the many Ranked Disciples of the current True Immortal Academy could not necessarily claim to achieve.
After all, cultivation grew ever more difficult toward the end. Every minor realm of the Sacred King Realm was incomparably arduous, with closed-door cultivation easily lasting millions of years.
So just how horrifying was a Sacred King Realm cultivator of merely a few hundred years?
However, dazzling as Chu Hao was, another matter made the forces and Dao Lineages that wanted to recruit him hesitate.
According to the words that had spread at the time.
The Vermilion Bird Empire had offended Gu Changge.
And Chu Hao had personally caused all of it.
This made many Dao Lineages begin to weigh whether recruiting Chu Hao at the cost of offending Gu Changge was truly worth it.
......
“Speaking of which, after striking Chu Hao down this time, his Fortuity points should have dropped quite a bit. Why have they risen instead?”
After returning to the palace, Gu Changge noticed the change in Chu Hao’s Fortuity points and was somewhat surprised for a moment.
In front of the crowd, he had suppressed Chu Hao once, causing the hearts of the Vermilion Bird Empire’s people to waver, and Chu Hao’s Fortuity points had indeed declined considerably.
But not long after, he discovered that Chu Hao’s Fortuity points had actually begun rising steadily.
“This Fortuitous One who doesn’t follow the trash-to-hero template—it seems he’ll bring me quite a few pleasant surprises.”
Not only was Gu Changge not annoyed, he was actually somewhat delighted.
In his eyes, this was a chive growing strong and healthy, and thriving most pleasingly at that.
“Going by the usual tropes, at this point some other force should be stepping in. But besides the force behind Chu Hao, what else could there be... That would be Chu Hao’s female lead, then?”
Soon, Gu Changge’s eyes flickered slightly as he guessed this possibility.
Although a reincarnated-mighty-figure Fortuity template like Chu Hao’s was rare, it was not as if he had never seen one.
To sum it up in four words: heaven-defying luck.
Chu Hao’s background sounded decent—Third Prince of the Vermilion Bird Empire—but in a place like the Beyond, it was no different from coming out of some remote countryside.
That was why so many prodigies looked down on the Vermilion Bird Empire, finding the place too desolate and backwater.
“In that case, Chu Hao’s female lead should have quite an impressive background? That’s what would bring him this chunk of Fortuity?”
Thinking of this, a playful smile appeared on Gu Changge’s face.
Afterward, he gave orders for his many followers to keep close watch on the situation in the Vermilion Bird Imperial Capital, and at the same time investigate the women who had been close to Chu Hao back in the day.
Although it still appeared that the Vermilion Bird Emperor ruled the nation, in truth he had long since been hollowed out by Gu Changge.
Including the imperial palace, everything was under Gu Changge’s surveillance.
Of course, to avoid being discovered by Chu Hao, Gu Changge did not send anyone to watch him directly.
Surveilling a Sacred King Realm cultivator was simply not realistic.
“Young Master...”
At this moment, Ji Qingxuan, whose injuries had mostly healed, walked in.
The injuries she had suffered at the time had naturally healed quickly after taking some pills and sacred medicines.
Right now, she was somewhat nervous and uneasy. Though she tried her utmost to remain calm and natural, this was not like the situation outside, and she still had no confidence in her heart.
Facing Gu Changge alone, especially with a guilty conscience, she could feel that terrifying pressure all the more.
Even when she had met the Ancestor at the Ji Family, she had never felt such intense nervousness, unease, and trepidation.
“How are your injuries?”
Gu Changge raised his head, glanced at her, and asked casually.
“They’re mostly healed. Thank you for your concern, Young Master.” Hearing this, Ji Qingxuan hurriedly replied, but felt her words had come out somewhat nervously.
However, Gu Changge seemed not to notice her nervousness—or perhaps he noticed and simply did not care.
He reached out and pulled her into his embrace, asking casually, “That woman who looks exactly like you—do you have no thoughts about her?”
Ji Qingxuan found that she especially loved this feeling of security from nestling in Gu Changge’s arms, where she need fear nothing and worry about nothing.
What in this world could be happier than nestling in the Young Master’s arms?
At this moment, she had completely immersed herself in the role of her sister, Su Qingge.
Hearing his question, she deliberately tilted her pretty face up and explained,
“Young Master, I think she might be my younger sister whom I’ve never met. Back then, when Mother was brought back to the Beyond, she may have already been pregnant...”
Gu Changge gave an “oh,” not seeming to care much. “Then do you not plan to acknowledge her?”
“If there’s a chance, I’d probably go meet her. But her senior brother offended you, Young Master. If you don’t mind...”
Ji Qingxuan answered. These were words she had prepared long before, so her reply was utterly flawless.
“Why would I mind?” Gu Changge smiled.
“Young Master, you’re so good to me.” Ji Qingxuan beamed with an ultra-sweet smile.
“Oh? How am I good?” Gu Changge asked casually.
“Young Master...”
Ji Qingxuan was just about to answer when Gu Changge stopped her mouth, and she let out muffled whimpering sounds.
The next moment, her beautiful eyes suddenly widened, somewhat caught off guard.
Didn’t Sister say that the Young Master had never taken her body all this time?
Why suddenly...
But at this point, Ji Qingxuan could no longer afford to think too much. Her mind went completely blank.
Could it be that she would be ahead of her sister...?
......
Meanwhile, as the outside world was in an uproar over this matter, the Vermilion Bird Empire was equally unsettled.
“Hao’er, how muddled you were...”
Deep within the imperial palace of the Vermilion Bird Empire.
The Vermilion Bird Emperor, having heard the entire sequence of events, wore a face full of helplessness and sighs, his features etched with worry.
Earlier, he had not known what happened and assumed Gu Changge and Chu Hao had simply clashed.
Only now did he learn that Chu Hao had tried to save someone who had offended Gu Changge.
Although that person was Chu Hao’s junior brother, a direct descendant of the Hidden Wang Family, he still felt it was not worth it.
Having offended Gu Changge, even if Gu Changge said nothing on the surface afterward.
The enmity had already been formed. Wanting to resolve it was nearly impossible.
This was simply not worth it at all.
“So when Gu Changge summoned me over back then, it seems it was only to force you to yield. If you hadn’t done as he said, Hao’er, I might already have been struck down by Gu Changge on the spot.”
“And to think I believed he was truly gentle and refined in temperament. I never imagined it was merely a layer of skin worn on the surface.”
The Vermilion Bird Emperor sighed, a trace of lingering fear in his words.
As the Vermilion Bird Emperor, he ruled over countless subjects, yet in Gu Changge’s hands, he was still nothing more than a minor figure who could be crushed at will.
This left bitterness and helplessness in his heart, yet he dared not let resentment grow.
Chu Hao’s expression was none too pleasant either, his fists clenched tight. With his proud and unbending spirit, he still clearly remembered the humiliation of that moment.
“Father, when I saved Wang Xiao back then, it was actually for the sake of the Vermilion Bird Empire as well. You don’t know how difficult the Hidden Wang Family is to deal with. If I hadn’t stepped forward then, the Hidden Wang Family would only have pushed all the blame onto the Vermilion Bird Empire in the end.”
“After all, the Hidden Wang Family simply doesn’t dare provoke the Longevity Gu Family. Even knowing it was Gu Changge who struck Wang Xiao down, they wouldn’t dare utter a single word of complaint...”
“Even if I offend Gu Changge, given the Longevity Gu Family’s standing, they likely wouldn’t stoop to making things hard for a tiny Vermilion Bird Empire.”
Chu Hao explained.
“That may be so, but Hao’er, do you know of those forces who wish to curry favor with Gu Changge, who wish to curry favor with the Longevity Gu Family?”
“Sigh... What you did today was truly muddled.”
The Vermilion Bird Emperor sighed, his face full of sorrow. He naturally understood what Chu Hao meant.
But Chu Hao had thought it all too simply. The Longevity Gu Family might disdain to move against a tiny Vermilion Bird Empire.
But those forces who wanted to ingratiate themselves with the Longevity Gu Family, with Gu Changge—what would they do?
“This...”
Hearing this, Chu Hao quickly figured it out as well, and his face could not help but pale somewhat.
He had underestimated the Longevity Gu Family’s might. Even if they did nothing at all.
There would still be countless forces and Dao Lineages who, to curry favor with the Longevity Gu Family, would move against the Vermilion Bird Empire.
“Father, I didn’t think that far ahead at the time.”
Chu Hao said with some guilt, “This calamity is one I brought upon the Vermilion Bird Empire. Gu Changge’s attitude back then was simply too arrogant and overbearing. Rage rushed to my head, and that’s why I acted impulsively...”
“Enough. What’s done is done; let’s not speak of it. Hao’er, you are now a Sacred King Realm cultivator. Even if other forces and Dao Lineages want to move against our Vermilion Bird Empire, they’ll have to give you face.”
“Your father believes the Supreme Cave Heaven behind you won’t stand idly by either.”
Afterward, the Vermilion Bird Emperor smiled, appearing somewhat gratified. He naturally knew of Chu Hao’s breakthrough to the Sacred King Realm.
One had to know that even the Vermilion Bird Empire’s old ancestor was currently only at the Sacred Lord Realm level.
For Chu Hao to achieve this in a mere few hundred years brought glory to his face as a father.
Truly worthy of being his son!
Chu Hao also revealed a smile and nodded. “Rest assured, Father. With me here, no one can bully the Vermilion Bird Empire.”
At this moment, a guard suddenly came from outside the hall to report, “Your Majesty, Miss Wan requests an audience outside the hall.”
“Miss Wan?”
The Vermilion Bird Emperor was taken aback, then reacted, looking at Chu Hao with a beaming smile. “You’ve come back at just the right time. Miss Wan happens to be in the Imperial Capital these days.”
“The two of you can have a proper reunion.”
“Wan’er...”
Chu Hao’s expression went slightly dazed. The somewhat youthful face of a young girl surfaced in his mind—his childhood sweetheart. In the blink of an eye, how long had it been since they last met?
He wondered how she was doing now.
Soon, a heartfelt smile appeared on his face, and he said with some delight, “She’s actually in the Vermilion Bird Imperial Capital.”
Then he quickly strode out of the hall.
Outside the hall.
A woman of graceful bearing stood poised there, dressed in a plain gauze gown, wearing no powder or rouge, yet her skin appeared fair and delicate, lovely and moving, gentle and elegant.
Her name was Tang Wan.
Tang Wan wore a proper smile, waiting quietly there without any attendants, yet exuding the bearing of a fine upbringing.
Even a stranger here would feel goodwill toward her.
“Today’s events must have dealt Hao-gege quite a blow, but I believe he’ll be fine.”
Tang Wan murmured softly in her heart, having witnessed everything that happened today with her own eyes.
Including how Chu Hao, after revealing his Sacred King Realm cultivation, was pressured by Gu Changge with the Sacred Emperor Realm and ultimately chose to yield.
In her view, had Gu Changge not used the people of the Vermilion Bird Empire to coerce him, Chu Hao would never have yielded so easily.
It was not that Chu Hao’s strength was insufficient, but that he was bound by the Vermilion Bird Empire, with ties holding his heart.
If it had been anywhere else, Gu Changge would not have found it so easy to pressure Chu Hao.
“In just a few hundred years, Hao-gege has already become a Sacred King Realm cultivator. Back then, I was the only one who saw his dazzling brilliance.”
As Tang Wan pondered this, she saw a handsome, upright man walk out of the hall—it was none other than Chu Hao.
“Wan’er...” Chu Hao said in delight, unable to hide the joy in his voice.
“Hao-gege, long time no see...” Tang Wan smiled, her bright eyes filled with longing as well.
Afterward, the two reminisced for a while, asking each other about many things that had happened during this time.
Chu Hao concealed some of his own secrets, but frankly told her of many things, including quite a few of his fortuitous encounters, which left Tang Wan’s eyes full of yearning, admiration, and reverence.
“Hao-gege, no matter where you are, you’re always so dazzling.” Tang Wan said with a smile.
“What use is being dazzling? No matter how strong my cultivation becomes, I still get pressured by others. It seems that once this matter is resolved, I’ll have to go back into seclusion. Once I break through to the Sacred Emperor Realm, no one will be able to easily bully the Vermilion Bird Empire, or bully Father, ever again.”
Chu Hao sighed. Before Tang Wan, he did not hide his current difficulties.
“I believe in you. Then what about me, Hao-gege?” Tang Wan blinked, appearing somewhat playful.
“Naturally, no one can bully you either.” Chu Hao laughed domineeringly, holding a special affection for this childhood sweetheart of his.
Though he was single-mindedly devoted to cultivation and the Dao, his heart was not devoid of romantic feelings.
Moreover, he could tell that Tang Wan seemed to have been waiting for him all along.
“Still, Wan’er, with a background like yours, I doubt many people could bully you. You hid it from me so well back in those years.”
Speaking of this, Chu Hao smiled somewhat helplessly, recalling certain matters of the past.
Back in their youth, he had thought Tang Wan was merely the daughter of a simple merchant, which was why he had treated her as a close confidante, telling her almost everything.
Only later did he learn that behind her stood the enormous Alliance of Thousand Merchants, and that she had been concealing her true identity from him all along.
The Alliance of Thousand Merchants—one of the most renowned merchant alliances in the entire Beyond, with reach extending to the heavens.
Although her grandfather was merely the leader of one branch of the Alliance of Thousand Merchants, the power he wielded was still far beyond what the Vermilion Bird Empire could compare to.
Though he was the Third Prince of the Vermilion Bird Empire, he had not even had the chance to get close to her.
“If I hadn’t done that back then, how would I have known that Hao-gege was different from those other prodigies?”
Tang Wan still smiled at his words.
Then she said somewhat playfully, “Now Hao-gege is a Sacred King Realm cultivator. Even within the Alliance, you’d be a super expert worthy of the higher-ups’ attention. My grandfather couldn’t possibly say anything more...”
“Your grandfather said those things back then for your own good. Wan’er, you mustn’t hold it against him.” Chu Hao hurriedly waved his hand.
“I know. Hao-gege, why do you care so much about other people’s feelings? If you could change this part of your personality, you wouldn’t have been oppressed by that Gu Changge like this.”
Tang Wan sighed softly, smiling somewhat helplessly.
Toward Gu Changge, she had felt nothing from the very start. She knew that for someone like him, no matter how gentle, refined, and approachable he appeared on the surface, the innate loftiness and condescension in his bones could never be erased.
That was why, this time, Gu Changge could so easily use the lives of the Vermilion Bird Empire’s people and the Vermilion Bird Emperor to threaten Chu Hao.
Because in Gu Changge’s eyes, these people were nothing more than ants he could crush at will.
“This Gu Changge is no simple man...”
“Trying to deal with him is truly too difficult.” Chu Hao was also quite vexed, his fists clenching involuntarily.
“I actually have an idea. Hao-gege, why don’t you seek out those prodigies who have offended Gu Changge? I’ve heard that the True Immortal Academy’s Heavenly Monarch Ziyang seems to have a conflict with Gu Changge...”
At this point, Tang Wan took out a Jade Tablet from within her sleeve and handed it to Chu Hao. On it were some matters she had investigated for him.
“Thank you, Wan’er.”
Chu Hao accepted it, swept it with his divine sense, and was immediately deeply moved.
He had not expected that before coming, Tang Wan would have already prepared something like this for him, and even thought out a countermeasure on his behalf.
“As long as it’s useful to you, Hao-gege.” Tang Wan said with a smile.
Afterward, the two chatted for a while longer before Tang Wan finally took her leave. Though Chu Hao was reluctant to part, he knew now was not the time to dwell on such things.
The Vermilion Bird Empire was beset by troubles both within and without, already at a critical juncture of survival.
And Tang Wan, fearing detection by Gu Changge’s spies, directly activated a Space Artifact. With a ripple of fluctuations, she vanished from sight.
She had come the same way, extremely vigilant and careful.