Who Knows Who's Really Getting the Short End of the Stick — You Lost Again
Who Knows Who’s Really Getting the Short End of the Stick — You Lost Again
“That brat Gu Changge has gone too far! Does he really think that just because he’s the Young Master of the Gu Family, I wouldn’t dare do anything to him?”
“The one sheltering Heavenly Monarch Ziyang is the Great Elder — what does that have to do with me? Not only did he seize my daughter and put her under house arrest, he even dared to spout such outrageous nonsense, saying he’d make me a grandfather!”
“What audacity!”
The speaker was none other than Liu Ming, the Sect Leader of Purple Mansion. Naturally, he had heard all the rumors spreading outside.
By now, he was practically laughing from sheer fury, his eyes brimming with rage.
Originally, he had held a rather favorable impression of Gu Changge.
Such an outstanding young talent, his heart set on the greater good of the world, his every action exuding the bearing of one destined for great things.
But who would have thought that Gu Changge would seize his daughter Liu Ziyan and place her under house arrest, then use that to threaten him, demanding he hand over Heavenly Monarch Ziyang’s whereabouts?
How would he know where Heavenly Monarch Ziyang was?
Besides, the one sheltering Heavenly Monarch Ziyang within the sect was another Great Elder.
That Great Elder’s authority was in no way inferior to his own, and on top of that, an old monster had recently awakened who thought highly of Heavenly Monarch Ziyang.
With that connection in play, Liu Ming had turned a blind eye and stayed out of the matter, leaving it entirely in the Great Elder’s hands.
And now he was taking the blame for something out of nowhere — how could the Sect Leader of Purple Mansion not be furious?
If, when Ziyan returned to the sect, she really did present him with a big “surprise”...
He feared he truly wouldn’t be able to stop himself from storming off in a rage to the Longevity Gu Family to raise hell.
“Sect Leader, please calm your anger. To be fair, we were somewhat at fault in this matter to begin with. But regardless, Saintess Ziyan is currently in Gu Changge’s hands, so we cannot afford to provoke his displeasure.”
“After all, the Saintess’s beauty is unmatched in this world, a rarity among rarities. What if Gu Changge suddenly fails to restrain himself and acts recklessly...”
Hearing this, several Elders spoke up one after another, offering bitter smiles as they tried to placate him.
With things having come to this, if they, as senior experts, were to intervene personally, it would carry the suspicion of the old bullying the young.
The forces behind Gu Changge could not possibly stand by and watch.
And if this matter blew up, Purple Mansion stood to gain nothing — to say nothing of the other orthodoxies and forces lurking in the shadows, eyeing Purple Mansion like tigers watching their prey.
The only ground they could still stand on was that no one could step forward and prove that Heavenly Monarch Ziyang truly had ties to the Successor of Demonic Arts.
However, their attempts at consolation not only failed to help — they made the Sect Leader of Purple Mansion even angrier.
“He wouldn’t dare!”
“Damn it all, this Gu Changge is infuriating me to death!”
“And to think I once believed this boy was destined for greatness, that among the absolute peaks of the Beyond, there would surely be a place for him.”
The Sect Leader of Purple Mansion’s face darkened as he began pacing back and forth within the hall, his expression extremely ugly.
Were it not for his concerns over the sect’s reputation and the other forces and orthodoxies,
he would have wanted to personally appear at the Black Tortoise Empire right now, rescue Liu Ziyan, and teach that brat Gu Changge a lesson while he was at it.
“Husband, why worry over this matter? Ziyan is clever and quick-witted — there’s no way she would suffer any grievance. Besides, speaking of this matter, isn’t it also an opportunity for her?”
At that moment, a gentle, soft voice suddenly drifted in from outside the hall.
An elegant, noble, and beautiful woman walked in, her features exquisite. In her hand she held a Communication Rune, and she spoke with a smile on her face.
“Greetings, Madame Sect Leader.”
The other Elders all paid their respects, then exchanged glances and, with great tacit understanding, took their leave and withdrew.
The Sect Leader of Purple Mansion and his wife were deeply in love, and they doted on their only daughter Liu Ziyan immensely.
“My dear.”
Seeing who had arrived, the anger on the Sect Leader of Purple Mansion’s face melted away.
A gentle expression took its place, and he stepped forward, asking curiously, “What did you mean by what you just said?”
“This is a message Ziyan sent back. Read it yourself and you’ll understand. When the two of us end up holding a grandchild, who knows who’ll really be getting the short end of the stick.”
Madame Sect Leader smiled at his words and handed the Communication Rune in her hand to Liu Ming.
In her view, with Gu Changge’s status, saying such things was merely meant to embarrass Purple Mansion.
There was no way he would actually do anything.
And if Gu Changge really did do something to Liu Ziyan, given his status, he would be obligated to take responsibility — which would conveniently save her a headache.
Liu Ziyan was, after all, the renowned Saintess of Purple Mansion, famous throughout the Beyond, devastatingly beautiful, a flower-like jade of national grace and heavenly fragrance.
She had been worrying that the girl’s standards were too high and she’d never find a Dao Partner.
Whether in talent, cultivation, or background, there was no one more suitable than Gu Changge.
If this twist of fate ended up bringing the two together, it would hardly be a bad thing.
The Sect Leader of Purple Mansion, Liu Ming, had no idea what his wife was thinking. He looked at the Communication Rune in his hand and sent his divine sense probing into it.
“Oh, Ziyan sent a message back? Could it be that fellow Gu Changge bullied her?”
But soon, his face froze, his eyes widened in disbelief, and then his brows furrowed tightly as he let out a deep sigh.
After reading everything within the Communication Rune, Liu Ming could no longer remain calm.
“The house arrest was only a front for the outside world?”
“So that’s how things really are. To think even I could wrongfully blame someone. Given Ziyan’s character, there’s no way she would lie to me.”
“This Gu Changge’s scheming truly cannot be underestimated.”
“As for Ziyan’s concerns... I understand them all too well. Since Gu Changge is now dead set on demanding an accounting from Heavenly Monarch Ziyang, then I might as well cooperate with him.”
The Sect Leader of Purple Mansion pondered for a while, having regained his composure. In the Communication Rune, Liu Ziyan had explained everything clearly.
Including the whole story of how Gu Changge had invited her for tea that day.
It also covered some of her interactions with Gu Changge during this period — drinking tea, playing chess, occasionally discussing the Dao. It was all quite leisurely.
Nothing at all like being under house arrest.
Liu Ziyan was even enjoying herself, having rarely found such a meeting of kindred spirits in a member of the opposite sex.
From this matter, Liu Ming also saw Gu Changge’s unyielding stance.
Only two options now lay before him: first, shelter Heavenly Monarch Ziyang and make an enemy of the many orthodoxies, Gu Changge included.
Second, cooperate with Gu Changge in searching for Heavenly Monarch Ziyang’s whereabouts, and declare that Heavenly Monarch Ziyang had nothing to do with Purple Mansion.
“Husband, you should think this over carefully. After all, this matter concerns the future of Purple Mansion. One careless step, and we’ll be smashed to pieces, without even a place to be buried.”
Madame Sect Leader also urged. How could something like the Successor of Demonic Arts be something one could casually get entangled with?
Liu Ming’s brows knitted tightly as he sighed deeply, feeling the matter was incomparably thorny.
“The lineage behind Heavenly Monarch Ziyang is extremely ancient, and it is inextricably tied to my own lineage. If we expel him from the mountain gate over this... this is not a decision I can make alone.”
Hearing this, Madame Sect Leader said, “Then why doesn’t Husband take a step back and simply declare that this matter has nothing to do with you — that it was solely the Great Elder’s doing? It will offend him, true, but we can’t afford to worry about that anymore.”
“That is indeed the case. Then we’ll do as you say, my dear.”
Liu Ming pondered for a moment, then nodded and began issuing instructions, drafting the relevant decree.
Soon, a piece of news spread out from Purple Mansion, sending shockwaves in all directions.
The Sect Leader of Purple Mansion personally declared: if Heavenly Monarch Ziyang truly had ties to the Successor of Demonic Arts, he would be the first to strike him down, leaving no future trouble behind.
Once this news spread, it quickly triggered a terrifying sensation, like an earthquake.
All cultivators and young prodigies were utterly shocked, never imagining things would suddenly take such a turn.
Was this the Sect Leader of Purple Mansion yielding to Gu Changge?
Or was there some other purpose behind it?
Speculations of every kind abounded.
After all, the Sect Leader of Purple Mansion had said as much, yet Purple Mansion was still sheltering Heavenly Monarch Ziyang — what did that mean?
It meant there was a rift within Purple Mansion!
The moment this interpretation emerged, countless orthodoxies and cultivators were shaken to the core, realizing that Purple Mansion was not of one mind.
Some wanted to shelter Heavenly Monarch Ziyang, while others wanted to handle the matter impartially.
With the Sect Leader of Purple Mansion speaking this way, if the situation later spiraled out of control, it would also leave Purple Mansion some room to maneuver.
It wasn’t as if the whole of Purple Mansion, top to bottom, intended to make an enemy of the entire world.
But regardless, as long as Heavenly Monarch Ziyang failed to show himself for even one more day, the undercurrents of this situation would only surge more violently!
The entire Black Tortoise Empire was steeped in an atmosphere of a storm about to break, wind filling the tower.
During this period, an ancient existence from Sky Emperor Mountain even paid a personal visit to Purple Mansion’s gates, demanding justice.
Needless to say, a terrifying great battle erupted soon after. Outside Purple Mansion, vast stretches of mountains and rivers were reduced to dust, and some cultivators even witnessed stars falling from beyond the heavens.
Many of Purple Mansion’s disciples and cultivators felt deeply uneasy. When traveling outside, they were attacked by quite a few people, treated as accomplices of the Successor of Demonic Arts.
All of this caused many Purple Mansion disciples to develop resentment toward Heavenly Monarch Ziyang — he was the one who had invited this calamity, so why were they the ones suffering for it?
...
Deep within the Black Tortoise Empire.
Inside a resplendent, ancient palace.
Two people sat facing each other.
The fragrance of tea curled upward, the charm of the Dao lingering long.
Da!
As the final piece landed, the situation on the chessboard shifted in an instant — lines crisscrossing, divine light surging, as if a True Phoenix about to soar into the nine heavens had been beheaded by a single blade stroke, its blood splattering across the sky.
“You lost again.”
Gu Changge smiled, looking at the purple-dressed woman before him.