His Face Was About to Turn Green—Could There Be Anything More Maddening Than This?
His Face Was About to Turn Green—Could There Be Anything More Maddening Than This?
Outside the palace, Tang Wan stood, her face carrying a worried expression as she tried to persuade him, her dress fluttering, her snow-white skin lustrous.
Hearing these words, Chu Hao couldn’t help but freeze, unable to react for a long while.
Tang Wan was actually advising him to endure it, to let this matter slide—he truly couldn’t believe these words had come out of Tang Wan’s mouth.
Back then, she had been full of conviction, saying that as long as they united Gu Changge’s enemies, they could find a way to wash away the humiliation from last time.
Although Chu Hao carried pride in his bones, that didn’t mean he was stupid or incapable of enduring. When facing an enemy he couldn’t defeat, he naturally wouldn’t act recklessly.
Although Gu Changge had a powerful background, it hadn’t yet reached the point where Chu Hao would choose to retreat.
In terms of cultivation, he would soon reach the Sacred Emperor Realm. Even if Gu Changge could wield a Sacred Emperor Artifact, he was still just a young junior—there was no way he could be Chu Hao’s match.
If it were an ordinary man hearing his childhood sweetheart say such things, he would surely have long since grown angry and furious, but Chu Hao did not.
Countless thoughts flashed through his mind, and he quickly calmed down, not suspecting that Tang Wan had any ulterior motive.
Because he understood Tang Wan’s character very well and knew she would never harm him.
Her saying this must be because she had learned some news.
“Wan’er, there must be some reason for you saying this. You know my temperament—asking me to endure it is fine, but you have to tell me the reason.”
He took a deep breath, his gaze clear as he looked at Tang Wan and asked.
During this period, he had not been in the Vermilion Bird Imperial Palace and wasn’t very clear about what had happened to Tang Wan.
Could it be that Gu Changge had noticed something and was coercing her?
But during this time, wasn’t Gu Changge also in the land of the Eternal Overcast calamity, leading the prodigies of the True Immortal Academy in slaying Yin Spirits?
Where would he find the time?
So what exactly was the reason?
Tang Wan sighed. Standing there, all sorts of thoughts flashed through her heart. Regarding Gu Changge’s affairs, she could not reveal them to Chu Hao.
The reason she had told Chu Hao so bluntly just now was also because she understood him well and wasn’t worried he would misunderstand or get angry.
“Chu Hao gege, you have to believe me—I would never harm you. After you resolve the Eternal Overcast calamity during this period, you should return to your sect and lay low for a while.”
“As long as you don’t provoke Gu Changge, he shouldn’t take the initiative to move against you,” Tang Wan said.
“What exactly happened? Can’t you even tell me?” Chu Hao asked, puzzled.
Tang Wan shook her head, bitterness in her heart, and could only smile bitterly. “Chu Hao gege, you have to believe me. As for the reason, I can’t tell you for now.”
Hearing this, Chu Hao fell silent. He thought of the Alliance of Thousand Merchants behind Tang Wan—could it be that her actions had been noticed by the Alliance?
And then they warned Tang Wan? After all, offending Gu Changge brought the Alliance of Thousand Merchants no benefit whatsoever.
Thinking of this, Chu Hao nodded and said,
“I understand. I understand you.”
“But Wan’er, rest assured, I will soon become the next Lord of the Supreme Cave Heaven. By then, the forces behind you won’t be able to easily coerce you anymore.”
His fists clenched tight, a grand aspiration in his heart.
The Vermilion Bird Empire had risen from decline; because it was weak, it had been pressured by numerous orthodoxies and great sects. So when he took hold of the Dao,
he would establish a supreme immortal dynasty, with all eight directions coming to pay homage, the Nine Heavens coming to court, ruling over all the heavens!
In the unseen depths, as if sensing Chu Hao’s grand aspiration, his divine soul at the Nine Minor Realms within the Sacred King Realm suddenly blazed with ten thousand zhang of golden light, from which Chu Hao actually glimpsed a faint, blurry sign.
“What is this?”
Chu Hao was somewhat shocked, seeing that above his divine soul, a ring of mysterious radiance seemed to emerge.
Then that ring of mysterious radiance transformed into a small, weak sparrow.
He personally witnessed this little sparrow rise from weakness, growing stronger step by step, finally becoming a python, intending to leap and transform into a dragon, ascending to the Nine Heavens.
Chu Hao felt as if he had become that little sparrow, personally witnessing its growth and metamorphosis—one day, even a sparrow could transform into a dragon and soar into the sky.
“What’s going on? This emotion... is it crying out to me for help?”
Suddenly, Chu Hao was startled, his eyes involuntarily widening, thinking he had sensed wrong.
He actually saw the sparrow’s eyes—the pleading, the cry for help within them made Chu Hao’s heart palpitate.
“How can I save you...” he couldn’t help asking.
But the next moment, Chu Hao froze. Terrifying blood-light bloomed before his eyes.
He saw a boundless black blade descend, and this little sparrow, in the midst of transforming into a dragon, had its head severed clean through, blood spraying like a fountain.
Even at the moment of its dissipation, the sparrow’s eyes still held terror and despair.
Faintly, through that sparrow’s eyes, he saw the blurry figure of a young man.
Though that young man wore a smile, gentle as a breeze, there was not a trace of warmth in his eyes.
“Gu Changge?”
“What does this mean?”
Chu Hao’s scalp tingled.
He kept feeling that this sparrow was intimately connected to him—that in the unseen depths, something very important was rapidly slipping away from his side.
Could it be that fate had decreed his great enemy would be Gu Changge?
“Hao gege, what happened to you just now?”
Soon, Tang Wan’s voice brought Chu Hao back from his daze. He looked at Tang Wan, and for a moment didn’t know what to say.
“Then Hao gege, think it over carefully yourself. I’ll take my leave first.”
Seeing this, Tang Wan sighed. She also knew the decision rested entirely with Chu Hao; she could hardly sway his choice.
Then Tang Wan directly took her leave. Only this time, unlike before, she didn’t need to use a Space Artifact to leave—instead, she departed directly through the palace gates.
This scene made Chu Hao frown, somewhat puzzled.
He understood Tang Wan’s character very well—she was cautious and careful in all her dealings.
Before, she had always been careful; whether coming or leaving, she used a Space Artifact and never walked through the palace gates, precisely because she worried about being noticed by Gu Changge’s people.
It was impossible for her to have carelessly failed to notice this. It could only mean Tang Wan felt... there was no need to hide anymore, that she could openly come to see him.
“What exactly is going on?”
“Wan’er is being so mysterious today, looking like she has some unspeakable difficulty, yet she won’t tell me.”
A sense of foreboding arose in Chu Hao’s heart as he thought this.
The next moment, he suddenly made a decision—with his Sacred King Realm cultivation, if he secretly followed Tang Wan, she surely wouldn’t detect him.
If it were before, given Chu Hao’s character, he would never have done something like secretly tailing someone.
But today, Tang Wan’s behavior truly left him too puzzled and uneasy—she was clearly hiding something from him, refusing to tell him.
“Forgive me, Wan’er. I’m doing this for your own good.”
Weng!!
Thinking this, Chu Hao’s expression returned to calm. He stepped forward, his figure vanishing directly into the void, closely following Tang Wan as she departed ahead.
However, what put Chu Hao somewhat at ease was that after leaving the palace, Tang Wan didn’t go anywhere else, but returned to the merchant building—the property of the Alliance of Thousand Merchants.
“Could it be I was overthinking?”
Chu Hao let out a breath of relief and was about to leave, but soon his expression froze, and his figure hidden in the void nearly failed to stay concealed.
Because his divine sense swept over and discovered Tang Wan leaving through the merchant building’s back door, heading in another direction—where great swaths of towers and palaces stood, incomparably majestic and grand.
It was precisely the temporary residence of the True Immortal Academy’s prodigies.
When they had first descended, the Vermilion Bird Emperor, in order not to offend them, had specially arranged for them to stay there.
“Wan’er is hurrying along? Her expression isn’t good?”
“What’s wrong? Why would she come to a place like this?”
Ordinarily, Chu Hao would absolutely never come to such a place.
Because he couldn’t stand the high-and-mighty attitudes of these young prodigies.
But now, he had no choice but to step into that area.
With his Sacred King Realm cultivation, Chu Hao didn’t believe anyone here could easily detect his presence.
“How can this be?”
“Why would Wan’er come here to see Gu Changge?”
But soon, as Chu Hao’s divine sense followed Tang Wan and swept over, he discovered within the tower that figure he hated to the bone.
He couldn’t help but freeze, his expression changing drastically, unable to believe it.
After leaving him, Tang Wan had actually come here to see Gu Changge?
A nameless fire rose in Chu Hao’s heart, and he instinctively wanted to reveal himself and go demand answers.
But reason told him
that now was not the time to act. Judging from Tang Wan’s ugly expression just now, she must have been forced to come here.
“Damn it, it must be the family behind Wan’er coercing her, making her rush here to see Gu Changge.”
“Merchants chase profit. The power and influence behind Gu Changge are unimaginable—the Tang Family certainly won’t pass up such a good opportunity at a time like this.”
Chu Hao’s expression shifted rapidly, and he quickly figured this out, forcibly suppressing his fury.
He wanted to see exactly what it was that Tang Wan was hiding.
......
The Pavilion of Clouds, located deep in the eastern part of the Vermilion Bird Imperial Capital, was a pavilion built by the Alliance of Thousand Merchants.
It was normally used to receive honored guests. The tower stood thirty-three floors tall and was generally not open to the public.
Resplendent in gold and jade, magnificent and grand.
On the topmost floor, when Tang Wan arrived with a complicated expression, Gu Changge had his back to her, writing something, as if he hadn’t noticed her arrival at all.
Rather, it was the Woman in White beside Gu Changge who caught Tang Wan’s attention.
If it hadn’t been for her back then, how would the conflict and enmity between Gu Changge and Chu Hao have arisen?
This countenance could truly be called devastatingly beautiful, enough to topple kingdoms.
Tang Wan didn’t know what Gu Changge wanted with her, so she didn’t speak.
In front of this Woman in White, asking her to call Gu Changge “Master”—she truly couldn’t bring herself to say it.
“In front of others, there’s no need to address me that way.”
“Though I did think you would return straight to the Tang Family and simply choose not to show your face.”
“It seems you still care about Chu Hao quite a bit.”
“Rest assured, I keep my word. As long as Chu Hao doesn’t come provoke me, I can’t be bothered with him. Otherwise, you should know—crushing him would be as easy for me as crushing an ant.”
Gu Changge finally spoke at this point, though he still didn’t turn around, still writing something, his tone utterly casual.
He didn’t take Chu Hao seriously at all.
Hearing this, Tang Wan fell silent, standing there, not knowing how to respond.
Gu Changge not making her directly call him Master let her breathe a small sigh of relief—that form of address was truly too awkward, too humiliating.
Of course, what Gu Changge said was also correct. If she didn’t care about Chu Hao, why would she have run over to warn him?
But right now, Chu Hao was still hesitating and hadn’t made a decision.
“What does Gu Changge mean by this?”
“Where does he get the confidence that he can casually crush me?”
Chu Hao, hidden in the shadows, naturally heard these words too. A surge of anger immediately rose in his heart—he who carried such pride, when had he ever been so belittled?
And Tang Wan didn’t even speak up to defend him.
But from this, he also learned why Tang Wan had advised him to endure earlier. Although Tang Wan meant well, Chu Hao still felt very uncomfortable.
········Seeking flowers·····
Why was she so certain he couldn’t defeat Gu Changge?
Why did he have to keep enduring?
“It seems Wan’er really has been pressured hard by the family behind her. I just don’t know what role Gu Changge played in all this.”
Soon, Chu Hao pressed his anger down, not planning to alert the enemy. After learning of the bitterness in Tang Wan’s heart,
he felt much more at ease. The trace of unease he’d had before, worrying that Tang Wan had betrayed him, was completely dispelled.
“Gu... Gu Changge, do you mean what you said?”
Meanwhile, inside the tower, Tang Wan still didn’t know that because of one small oversight of hers, Chu Hao had followed her and was now hiding in the shadows.
Hearing Gu Changge say this, hope couldn’t help but rise in her heart.
She didn’t know what Gu Changge’s purpose was in summoning her here, but thinking it over, what scheme could Gu Changge possibly have regarding Chu Hao?
She truly couldn’t think of one.
“Do you think I have any need to care about a mere little Chu Hao?”
Gu Changge chuckled lightly, speaking casually, still not turning around, still writing whatever he was writing.
“Then I promise I’ll persuade Chu Hao gege to let go of this grudge. If possible, meeting with a smile and burying old enmity would actually be best...”
Tang Wan nodded and said.
“No need. I didn’t summon you for something like that. So what if he holds a grudge against me? Do I need to care?”
Gu Changge interrupted her, saying indifferently, “You’re being a bit too full of yourself.”
Tang Wan’s expression froze, and she fell silent.
Having witnessed Gu Changge’s terrifying methods, she understood these words were no empty boast.
Whether in strength or background, Gu Changge had no need to take Chu Hao seriously.
“Gu Changge is too arrogant, acting with such an attitude!”
“One day, I’ll make him regret this!”
Seeing this scene, Chu Hao, hidden in the shadows, had an extremely ugly expression, his fists involuntarily clenching tight.
......0
If not for his powerful mental state, he would probably have already exposed his Sacred King Realm pressure by now.
His heart burned with rage.
Gu Changge’s repeated disdain and dismissive attitude—especially saying such things in front of Tang Wan—made Chu Hao feel stifled and furious.
If Gu Changge had said this in front of ordinary people, he would at most laugh it off, thinking the other party blind, and not take it to heart.
But it was said in front of Tang Wan, which made him feel that Tang Wan also looked down on him, underestimated him.
As a man, how could he endure this?
However, Chu Hao ultimately endured it. He didn’t want Tang Wan’s painstaking efforts to go to waste. If he suddenly appeared now and struck at Gu Changge,
never mind whether he could succeed—the Vermilion Bird Empire behind him and the Tang Family behind Tang Wan would absolutely be thrown into a sea of fire, facing a terrifying catastrophe.
“Then Gu... Gu Changge, what exactly did you summon me for?”
After hesitating, Tang Wan, somewhat puzzled, asked again.
Hearing this, Gu Changge set down the brush in his hand and turned around. He didn’t answer, just smiled casually,
“Writing for so long, my neck is a bit sore.”
Seeing Tang Wan’s expression shift slightly,
Gu Changge continued, still perfectly composed, “The Tang Family’s current position within the Alliance of Thousand Merchants isn’t very good.”
Tang Wan looked at him in confusion, not understanding why he suddenly brought this up.
But Gu Changge didn’t continue on that topic, instead changing the subject. “Actually, summoning you isn’t anything major. Seeing as your looks are passable, I thought I’d have you help warm my bed tonight.”
Tang Wan’s expression changed drastically. If anyone else dared speak like this, she would have long since chopped them into mincemeat.
But as it happened, the one before her now was Gu Changge, and she had been planted with a Slave Mark.
A wave of panic and unease suddenly rose in her heart.
“Perhaps in the future, I might consider taking on a Concubine or something...” Gu Changge was still smiling with calm ease.
“Damn it, Gu Changge, this is simply going too far...”
Hearing these words from the shadows, Chu Hao, despite years of cultivating the Dao and a stable state of mind, couldn’t help but feel his face turn green at this moment.
His killing intent boiled, his hatred threatening to split the heavens. At this moment, he cast all consequences aside and was about to move, to take Tang Wan away.
But at that moment, Gu Changge spoke again, still perfectly composed. “Of course, those words were false. I don’t have the slightest interest in you.”
“However, my neck being sore is true.”
He smiled somewhat meaningfully.
Hearing this, Chu Hao, who had been about to strike, also abruptly halted, his face shifting between dark and light, changing several times.
His teeth nearly shattered from grinding. He had never hated a person so much in his life.
Tang Wan’s expression also changed several times. She wasn’t stupid—she heard the meaning in Gu Changge’s words.
He simply wanted to humiliate her, to make her do a maidservant’s work.
A sore neck?
How could a Cultivator have a sore neck?
But the situation was stronger than she was. No matter how unwilling she was, she had no choice but to submit.
Because she didn’t know whether, if she angered Gu Changge, the things he had just said would become real.
A Concubine?
If the Tang Family behind her heard of this, they’d probably be eager for it.
“How hateful...”
Seeing Tang Wan, unwilling and gritting her teeth, walk toward Gu Changge, Chu Hao, hidden in the shadows, could watch no longer.
His figure swiftly vanished, but the hatred and stifled rage in his heart—how could “boundless” even begin to describe it?
Mad with hatred!
To personally witness the woman he loved being ordered around like a maidservant before Gu Changge, yet not daring to stop it?
Was there anything more stifling and infuriating in this world?
At this moment, Chu Hao wished he could cut Gu Changge into a thousand pieces, tear him limb from limb, grind his bones to ash, and annihilate his body and soul!
Only then could his hatred be appeased!