What He Has Revealed Is Merely the Tip of the Iceberg — Actually, You've Misunderstood
What He Has Revealed Is Merely the Tip of the Iceberg — Actually, You’ve Misunderstood
Hearing this, Ji Qingxuan didn’t even have time to wipe the ink Gu Changge had smeared on her face, and hurriedly got up to go brew tea.
She had asked Gu Changge earlier whether he wanted to prepare anything in advance, since he was, after all, inviting the other party over for tea.
If the guest arrived and there wasn’t even any tea, wouldn’t that make it look like they thought far too little of her?
But Gu Changge had simply waved his hand and said there was no need — tea and such things weren’t important.
Ji Qingxuan hadn’t pressed the matter. She could guess that this Saintess of Purple Mansion probably wouldn’t be walking out of this palace today.
And even if she did walk out, she would likely have to pay a terrifying price.
“Ziyan greets Young Master Changge.”
Liu Ziyan’s expression, which had been ugly when she first entered the palace, quickly returned to calm as she spoke and paid her respects to Gu Changge.
On the way here, she had thought through all the various ways Gu Changge might make things difficult for her.
But she never expected him to go this far — even the tea was being brewed on the spot, with absolutely nothing prepared in advance.
Such a dismissive attitude made Liu Ziyan furious inside.
Yet she had no choice but to suppress it and respond with a courteous smile.
He couldn’t even be bothered to prepare a Hongmen Banquet — this Gu Changge really was as domineering and arrogant as the rumors had always said.
So Liu Ziyan thought to herself, forcing herself to calm down. If a conflict really broke out, she would absolutely be no match for Gu Changge.
Gu Changge’s injuries were only “injuries” by his own standards.
For the other prodigies, even in his current state, Gu Changge remained a terrifying Devil Mountain that none could hope to match.
“Greetings, Young Master Changge!”
The many Purple Mansion disciples behind Liu Ziyan were also incomparably nervous and uneasy as they paid their respects to Gu Changge, deeply fearful.
Although the Gu Changge before them looked harmless, even exuding an otherworldly, transcendent air that seemed not of the mortal world...
A man’s reputation casts a shadow like a great tree.
Only when truly facing him could one feel that terrifying pressure and heart-palpitating dread.
“Take the other disciples to another palace and treat them well. I have some matters to discuss properly with Saintess Ziyan.”
“That said... I truly didn’t expect Saintess Ziyan to arrive so quickly. That girl Qingge does nothing but laze around all day — I told her to prepare the tea banquet early, but she just wouldn’t go... When I have time, I’ll have to teach her a lesson.”
“If our hospitality has been lacking in any way, I hope Saintess Ziyan won’t take offense.”
Gu Changge smiled quite amiably as he gave instructions to Wang Zhong at the palace door, then rose and walked down.
Not far away, Ji Qingxuan heard these words and could only roll her eyes inwardly. What did he mean, she did nothing but laze around all day? She was clearly so diligent!
She had now truly and thoroughly experienced Gu Changge’s skill at casually shifting the blame onto others.
“Young Master Changge jests. Countless heavenly prideful maidens consider it an honor just to glimpse Young Master Changge’s true face.”
“To be able to drink tea together with Young Master Changge is truly Ziyan’s fortune — something countless heavenly prideful maidens could never hope for.”
Hearing this, Liu Ziyan’s heart skipped a beat.
But she still forced herself to remain composed, answering with a smile so flawless it was watertight.
She refused to believe Gu Changge would be bold enough to casually make a move against her.
Even if he had a grudge with Heavenly Monarch Ziyang, there was no way he could vent his anger on her.
If anything happened to her here, Gu Changge would not be able to escape responsibility.
After all, many Cultivators had personally seen her come to Gu Changge’s residence.
“Saintess...”
The many Purple Mansion disciples looked at Liu Ziyan with worried faces.
If they were taken away and something happened later...
They wouldn’t even be able to come to her aid in time.
“Could it be that you don’t even trust Young Master Changge’s character?” Liu Ziyan said indifferently.
The implication being that if anything happened to her...
Gu Changge would not be able to escape involvement — so they could rest assured.
As for character and such, judging from the rumors, Gu Changge’s character wasn’t exactly anything to speak of.
Hearing this, the Purple Mansion disciples couldn’t help but set their minds at ease, and allowed Wang Zhong to lead them away.
Although Gu Changge called it “hospitality,” no one present was a fool — everyone understood it was actually house arrest.
Right now, the entire Black Tortoise Empire was under Gu Changge’s control. Even though the place he had chosen for his trial back then was the Vermilion Bird Empire...
With Heavenly Monarch Ziyang vanished and the King of Six Crowns keeping a low and mysterious profile, never caring to contend for power...
As a result, there was truly no one in the Black Tortoise Empire who dared defy Gu Changge’s word — not even them, disciples of Purple Mansion.
Now that Gu Changge wanted to place them under house arrest...
Even if the Elders of the True Immortal Academy found out, they wouldn’t dare utter a single word of objection — on the contrary, they would turn a blind eye.
“It seems Saintess Ziyan has misunderstood Gu quite deeply, to be so wary and suspicious of my good intentions...”
Gu Changge shook his head and smiled somewhat helplessly, then gestured to the seat before him, inviting Liu Ziyan to sit.
Liu Ziyan nodded and sat down, naturally not believing a word of what Gu Changge said.
She was no three-year-old child — she had her own set of standards for right and wrong, let alone for judging whether a person was good or bad.
Suddenly, her gaze fell upon the chessboard not far away, and she asked with some curiosity, “Does Young Master Changge also enjoy playing chess in his spare time?”
She had dabbled in the Dao of chess — though she couldn’t be called a master, her eye for it was genuine.
Black and white clearly divided, lines crisscrossing — from this simple chessboard, one could actually glimpse heaven and earth, the universe, and countless profundities.
One could even discern the cultivation of the player from the board itself.
In a trance, she actually saw the chessboard come alive — the black and white colors abruptly surged skyward, like a Kunpeng bursting out of the water, a great wind rising as it transformed into yin and yang, spiraling upward ninety thousand li.
Yin and yang merged into chaos; chaos split open and heaven and earth were divided.
Every piece upon it became blurred, as if transforming into living beings, transforming into the various Dao lineages and powers, transforming into ancient supreme beings, transforming into paramount sovereigns...
“Using all living beings of the world as chess pieces...”
In Liu Ziyan’s heart, her voice trembled slightly.
At this moment, regarding Gu Changge, her emotions could no longer be described with any words other than stormy, towering waves.
Unfathomable.
The tip of the iceberg.
Everything he had revealed so far was just like the tip of an iceberg above the sea — how much more lay hidden beneath the surface?
Probably no one knew except Gu Changge himself.
This left Liu Ziyan’s heart unable to settle for a long time. She never expected to witness such a scene today.
Watching her expression, Gu Changge faintly guessed what she had seen.
But he didn’t mind, merely smiling as he said, “I wouldn’t call it a hobby — it’s just something to pass the time when I’m bored.”
“After all, I’m gravely injured right now, so I can only obediently stay inside the palace, unable to go anywhere.”
Liu Ziyan’s eyes gazed deeply at him, and then she sighed, “May I ask what matter Young Master Changge invited me here for?”
She had already made up her mind — she must not offend Gu Changge.
This wasn’t a matter of intuition. The scene she had just witnessed on that chessboard had made her feel a bone-deep terror.
It was as if she had touched upon some unspeakable, horrifying secret.
Just how deeply hidden must one be to possess such grand ambition — to use heaven, earth, and all living beings as chess pieces?
Even those True Daoists wouldn’t dare do what Gu Changge did — they fell far short of his audacity.
“It really is just inviting Saintess Ziyan over for tea. Why can’t you believe me?”
Gu Changge smiled somewhat helplessly, his gaze calm and indifferent, giving people a very reassuring feeling.
“Gongzi, the tea is ready...”
At this moment, Ji Qingxuan also came up carrying the tea, steam curling from it in wisps. Brewed with eight-hundred-thousand-year-old Tree Heart Spring water, it was richly fragrant and incomparably intense.
The tea leaves within resembled Ancient Enlightenment Tea, trailing various divine qualities with Dao rhythms flowing through them — yet they weren’t quite the same; there were considerable differences.
Some were shaped like ancient bells, and with a gentle tremor, the sound of a bell would resound; others resembled great cauldrons, divine swords, ancient seals...
Five-colored divine light swirled and billowed above the tea, as if a Godly Weapons Storage Space had been torn open in the void.
Axes, halberds, hooks, forks, sabers, swords, spears, whips — everything imaginable... all manner of divine weapons took illusory form, as if about to solidify into reality, clanging and ringing, their treasure-light surging.
“This tea is truly extraordinary.”
Liu Ziyan was momentarily stunned. As the Saintess of Purple Mansion, she had seen many things.
But this was still the first time she had ever seen tea like this. Setting aside the preciousness of the tea itself, she had never even seen these rare tea leaves before.
Today had truly been an eye-opening experience.
For a moment, she couldn’t quite figure out Gu Changge’s purpose. Could he really have invited her here just for tea?
But the attitude of the servants and followers Gu Changge had sent earlier — just how arrogant that had been went without saying.
Comparing the two, Liu Ziyan felt it was quite likely that the servants were simply used to acting tyrannically.
After all, bearing the title of Gu Changge’s followers, who would dare casually provoke them?
“This is a nameless ancient tea I planted and cultivated myself. I took branches from an Ancient Enlightenment Tea tree and grafted them together with the branches and leaves of other ancient teas, and in the end produced this odd little mongrel...”
Gu Changge’s smile was warm and refined, his speech elegant, and he took the initiative to introduce the tea to Liu Ziyan.
Of course, these words were definitely made up. He did have quite an interest in drinking tea.
But planting and cultivating ancient tea was far too much trouble — Gu Changge preferred the kind of process where he could simply pluck the final fruit directly.
This nameless ancient tea was something he had exchanged for in the System Shop.
As for its purpose, it merely served as a conversation opener.
“I see. I never expected Young Master Changge to have such leisurely refinement...”
“But to think of such a method for cultivating ancient tea truly leaves Ziyan in admiration.”
There was a strange brilliance in Liu Ziyan’s eyes. These words came from the heart — utterly sincere, not flattery.
Her own interest in cultivation was actually not that great; compared to other pursuits — such as the zither, chess, calligraphy, painting, the tea arts, and dance — those were what she had studied thoroughly.
She was familiar with many of the ancient teas in this world, which was exactly why she could better judge whether Gu Changge’s words were true or false.
She truly hadn’t expected Gu Changge to have such profound insight into the Dao of Tea.
“It seems Saintess Ziyan is actually a fellow connoisseur of tea.”
“Please!”
Gu Changge smiled faintly, then gestured for Ji Qingxuan to fill her cup. And at this moment, he also revealed his purpose.
“Actually, there is another matter behind inviting Saintess Ziyan here today.”
At this point, even without Gu Changge saying it, Liu Ziyan actually knew what he was going to talk about.
Immediately, she smiled somewhat bitterly and said, “I know Young Master Changge is searching for Heavenly Monarch Ziyang’s whereabouts, but the truth is, even I cannot contact him.”
“Over half a month ago, I sent word to him about a certain matter, but to this day there has been no reply from him whatsoever. If Heavenly Monarch Ziyang truly is connected to the Successor of Demonic Arts, I will absolutely not show any mercy.”
“Oh? So that’s what Saintess Ziyan was referring to?”
“However, it seems you have misunderstood.”
But the words Gu Changge spoke next made Liu Ziyan’s expression freeze, somewhat shocked and astonished.
Wasn’t Gu Changge planning to pry clues about Heavenly Monarch Ziyang’s whereabouts out of her? Misunderstood?