The Group of Mysterious People Hei Yanyu Captured, Possibly Visitors from Earth, Everything Under Control
The Group of Mysterious People Hei Yanyu Captured, Possibly Visitors from Earth, Everything Under Control
“If they want to break this deadlock, the only way is to use the momentum of the masses to pressure me. But this so-called momentum of the masses—does it really work on me?”
“Chu Hao has overestimated the so-called will of the people. In the face of absolute power, in the face of the fear of death, who would still dare to resist? It’s simply laughable.”
Inside the palace, Gu Changge stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his robes fluttering, gazing distantly out the window, a faint smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
Everything was proceeding according to his plan.
Every method Chu Hao could possibly think of, he had already thought through for Chu Hao in advance.
The Vermilion Bird Empire’s Dragon Vein had long since been devoured by him; its destined destruction was an unchangeable fact.
Even if Chu Hao was a Fortuitous One, he could never hope to reverse any of this.
Human strength has its limits, and this matter was already beyond salvation!
The only thing Chu Hao could do now was watch in despair as the Vermilion Bird Empire was destroyed and reduced to ashes!
And just as Gu Changge was pondering, the voice of a follower reporting came from outside the hall.
“Young Master, the successors of the various Celestial Ancient Races request an audience.”
Gu Changge withdrew his thoughts and said indifferently, “Let them in.”
Soon, accompanied by footsteps, several people walked in from outside the hall.
Their auras surged like rolling clouds and mist, flickering with divine radiance of various colors, their blood qi incomparably powerful.
The ones leading them were precisely the successors of the various clans, their scales and armor jagged and imposing.
Behind them stood the ancestor-level figures of each clan, faintly suppressing the void of this place, as if they could fill every inch of space at any moment—powerful to the extreme.
Their cultivations were all at the Sacred King Realm, and they had once stood on the opposing side of Gu Changge within the Celestial Ancient Continent.
But afterward, Gu Changge had schemed against them, passing down the Entanglement Immortal Art and taking control of the entire Celestial Ancient Races. They were naturally no exception—all of them controlled and enslaved by Gu Changge.
Everyone looked at Gu Changge with expressions of reverence.
“Greetings, Master.”
“No need for formalities.”
Gu Changge nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over them calmly, somewhat satisfied.
The Black Hawk Clan, the Ancient Soaring Serpent Clan, the Divine Crocodile Clan, the Celestial Ancient Dragon Clan... nearly all of them had come, and the experts they had dispatched were not weak either. It seemed they had not been paying lip service to his orders while defying him in secret.
Then, his gaze paused on one person among them. “How is the matter I entrusted to you going?”
“Reporting to Master, the matter you previously instructed—Yanyu has been carrying it out all along, not daring to disobey in the slightest.”
“This time, upon leaving the Celestial Ancient Continent, I brought them all along, just waiting for you to inspect them.”
The speaker wore a long black dress, her face veiled in light gauze, her skin white as porcelain, her eyes like autumn waters, her hair soft and smooth—she appeared serene and moving.
Her eyes looked toward Gu Changge, her words carrying respect.
It was none other than Hei Yanyu, renowned as the number one beauty of the Celestial Ancient Continent.
The current ruler of the Black Hawk Clan, not advanced in years.
Yet she was deeply valued by Gu Changge and now held terrifying authority within the Black Hawk Clan.
The prodigies of the other Celestial Ancient Races could not help but lower their heads before her, quite fearful of her.
“Is that so?”
Gu Changge smiled casually. “Since you say so, I’ll take your word for it for now.”
Back then, he had instructed Hei Yanyu to secretly collect various cultivation resources for him. The task was actually similar to Yin Mei’s—finding various prodigies with rare physiques and Sources.
Only now, those resources were no longer very important to him.
Gu Changge’s cultivation was already approaching the Sacred King Realm; the resources Yanyu had collected were of little use to him anymore.
Still, over this period of time, Yanyu should have collected quite a few special physiques. He could take a look at them later.
“The matter Master instructed, Yanyu would not dare forget.”
Hei Yanyu’s eyes lowered gently, her voice soft as she spoke respectfully.
“Come over here. No need to stand so far from me. Am I some kind of flood or savage beast?”
Gu Changge said with a smile.
“Yes, Master.”
Hearing this, Hei Yanyu was somewhat delighted, and then, with light lotus steps, she walked to Gu Changge’s side, her demeanor quite demure.
At first, she had been somewhat worried and apprehensive, fearing that Gu Changge would be dissatisfied with the task he had given her.
If he laid blame, disaster would befall the entire Black Hawk Clan.
She knew very well just what methods and identity Gu Changge was hiding.
There was probably no one in this world more terrifying than him. Combined with the many events currently unfolding in the Beyond, this made Yanyu all the more uneasy and fearful.
Her current outward calm and composure was merely something she deliberately displayed; in truth, her heart was in turmoil.
Serving a lord is like keeping company with a tiger!
After all, not just her, but the entire Black Hawk Clan behind her—their little lives were all clutched in Gu Changge’s hand, ready to be crushed at any moment depending on his mood.
To the other Celestial Ancient Races, they all believed Gu Changge had made the Black Hawk Clan, the Ancient Soaring Serpent Clan, and the Divine Crocodile Clan submit because of his identity as the Successor of the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being.
But only Hei Yanyu knew clearly that this was not the case!
The true Successor of the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being had actually long since been killed by Gu Changge!
The so-called identity of the Successor of the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being was nothing more than an impersonation.
Now, seeing Gu Changge’s attitude, it showed he was still quite satisfied with her, and Hei Yanyu’s heart let out a long sigh of relief.
Beneath her veil, the corners of her mouth also revealed a faint smile.
After receiving Gu Changge’s decree, she had immediately assembled the Black Hawk army. Previously, Gu Changge had given her a cultivation technique and told her to pass it down.
Hei Yanyu did not dare disobey.
Although she knew that technique was probably nothing good, she did not dare fail to comply.
“Work for me, and there will be no shortage of benefits for you,” Gu Changge said with a casual smile.
“To work for Master is Yanyu’s honor.”
Hei Yanyu’s eyelids drooped slightly as she spoke, but she still could not conceal the joy and happiness at the corners of her brows.
“Is that so?”
Gu Changge still wore a smile as he casually wrapped an arm around her waist.
“Mm.”
Rosy clouds rose on Hei Yanyu’s cheeks, her heart somewhat shy, but she went along with it and leaned lightly into his embrace.
Seeing this scene, the members of the various Celestial Ancient Races felt envy in their hearts. Such an intimate gesture showed that Hei Yanyu was deeply valued by Gu Changge.
As for what task Gu Changge had actually given Hei Yanyu, they did not know either.
Now, besides envy, what else could they do?
With her status as the number one beauty of the Celestial Ancient Continent, it had to be said, she held quite an advantage.
From now on, the Celestial Ancient Races would probably all have to treat her with three parts more reverence.
And Hei Yanyu was very clever. From the reverent and envious gazes of the Celestial Ancient Races, she also understood the intention behind Gu Changge’s action just now.
He was letting the Celestial Ancient Races understand that she was his person, deeply valued by him.
In this way, her voice among the Celestial Ancient Races would carry more weight from now on, and the others would not dare show her disrespect.
Her handling of matters for Gu Changge would also become much more convenient and smooth.
“So this is the benefit Master spoke of...”
Realizing this, Hei Yanyu felt an inexplicable trace of disappointment.
That’s right.
Given Gu Changge’s temperament, how could he suddenly make such an intimate gesture toward her?
She had overthought it—and thought rather beautifully of herself, too.
Afterward, Gu Changge gave a few more instructions before waving his hand to dismiss the Celestial Ancient Races, keeping only Hei Yanyu behind.
“Master, would you like to go see those imprisoned Cultivators?”
Hei Yanyu’s gaze fell upon Gu Changge’s face as she asked softly.
“Let’s go.”
Gu Changge nodded, casually releasing her, and then the two left the palace, with Hei Yanyu leading the way.
Hei Yanyu’s heart faintly brimmed with disappointment, but she did not dare show it on her face.
The Ancient Battleships of the Celestial Ancient Races hovered in the sky eight hundred thousand li away from the Vermilion Bird Imperial Palace.
The cultivation resources Hei Yanyu had brought for Gu Changge were naturally all imprisoned within them.
For Gu Changge to rush over from here would not actually take much time.
“Oh right, Master. Some time ago, outside the Forbidden Area of the Ancient Celestial Continent, I captured a group of mysterious people. At the time, they seemed to have been brought over by something unknown. The substances within the Forbidden Area of the Ancient Celestial Continent had no effect on them.”
“Moreover, that group of mysterious people wore strange clothing, and in their hands they held a strange kind of metal weapon that could fire a type of silver metal. Its lethality was not small—even ordinary wild beasts were no match for them.”
“However, those mysterious people all seemed to have never cultivated. Their physiques were very weak—even the weakest children of my clan could bully them at will.”
On the way to the Ancient Battleship, Hei Yanyu suddenly remembered another matter and reported it to Gu Changge.
“Mysterious people outside the Forbidden Area of the Ancient Celestial Continent? Strange clothing? Brought over by something? Metal weapons?”
Hearing this, Gu Changge raised an eyebrow slightly. This origin story sounded very familiar.
Could they be visitors from Earth?
He seemed to already smell the scent of leeks ready for harvesting.
The Celestial Ancient Continent was a continent that had once been moved over by a being of the Skyward Schloss using supreme methods. At that time, the Forbidden Area of the Ancient Celestial Continent had also been brought over along with it by that being.
Although it had always been hidden deep within the Skyward Schloss, after Gu Changge made his move some time ago to subjugate the Celestial Ancient Races,
the Celestial Ancient Continent was also opened to the outside world. Now, Cultivators from outside could occasionally be seen heading there to temper themselves, attempting to seek out fortuitous encounters.
However, the Forbidden Area of the Ancient Celestial Continent was called a forbidden area for a reason.
Even some Sacred Emperor Realm beings did not dare set foot in it lightly, sensing that a great terror lay hidden within.
Moreover, within the Forbidden Area of the Ancient Celestial Continent, mist surged, shrouding a mysterious domain field.
If a Cultivator dared approach carelessly, they would be directly shattered into a bloody mist by that domain field, body and soul annihilated.
Even if one luckily escaped, they would ultimately be entangled by misfortune, living a fate worse than death.
Many people speculated that within the Forbidden Area of the Ancient Celestial Continent hid Remnant Immortals who had survived from a past epoch.
Even the being who had moved the Celestial Ancient Continent over did not dare say outright what exactly was hidden within.
The many rumors shrouded the Forbidden Area of the Ancient Celestial Continent in a veil of mystery.
“Mm. At the time, I was cultivating within the clan when I suddenly heard a clansman come to report that a heaven-shaking disturbance had come from the Forbidden Area of the Ancient Celestial Continent, its momentum toppling the heavens. So I rushed over, but I never expected to see more than a dozen mysterious people running out from within, their expressions terrified, as if they had witnessed something extremely horrifying...”
Hei Yanyu nodded.
Then she recounted in detail how she had captured that group of mysterious people outside the Forbidden Area of the Ancient Celestial Continent at the time.
She didn’t know how to handle this matter either, and since she happened to receive Gu Changge’s decree, she brought that group of people along with her.
“Then did you see what it was that brought them to the Forbidden Area of the Ancient Celestial Continent?”
Hearing this, Gu Changge asked with a rather intrigued look in his eyes.
“No. After I captured these mysterious people, I tried to get answers out of them, but they didn’t seem to understand our language here.”
“I attempted a Soul Search, but I found that their souls were extremely fragile—they shattered at the slightest touch, and I couldn’t glean anything at all.”
“After that, I gave up.”
Yan Ji said.
“I understand.”
Gu Changge smiled, though in his heart he already had a vague guess.
As for whether they were visitors from Earth, that wasn’t important to him.
Among the billions upon billions of Overworlds under the Beyond’s jurisdiction, there were actually quite a few that leaned toward the technological side.
Only, in those Overworlds, Cultivators rarely appeared, and even if there were Cultivators, they could never amount to much—at most, they lived a few hundred years longer than ordinary people.
Soaring through the heavens, plucking stars and grasping the moon—all of that was far too distant for those Cultivators.
As for ascending to the Beyond, that was even more impossible.
But regardless, among this group of mysterious people, there was bound to be the leeks Gu Changge wanted—of that there was no doubt.
If they really were visitors from Earth, he might even be able to use this opportunity to figure out the reason behind his transmigration.
Gu Changge didn’t believe his transmigration had happened for no reason, especially after learning of his identity as the Demon Lord.
But Gu Changge felt the possibility of them being visitors from Earth was quite small. The most likely scenario was that they came from some distant Overworld.
......
“Hao’er, there’s no need to rush this matter.”
“If we go to Gu Changge right now, whether he agrees or not, our Vermilion Bird Empire will be at a disadvantage.”
“If we pressure him with the weight of the greater situation, it might actually work... In any case, the image Gu Changge has built up before the public is a positive one. Unless he truly wants his persona to collapse, it’s impossible for him to directly move against our Vermilion Bird Empire.”
“This is our only chance right now.”
At this moment, within the imperial palace of the Vermilion Bird Empire, seeing that Chu Hao could no longer hold back from laying his cards on the table with Gu Changge—
The Vermilion Bird Emperor’s eyes flickered with sharp light. Thinking of something, he suddenly stopped Chu Hao and spoke thus.
It had to be said, having ruled the Vermilion Bird Empire for so many years, he wasn’t without some ability.
He knew even better that at this moment, using the weight of the greater situation to force Gu Changge to agree and take Heavenly Monarch Ziyang away was the most correct course of action.
Though the Vermilion Bird Empire was small, it still had a population of several billion.
If Gu Changge refused then, and those billions of Cultivators suffered calamity, he would inevitably have to bear the infamy of causing the deaths of billions of Cultivators.
Unless Gu Changge truly didn’t care about any of that.
“What the Vermilion Bird Emperor says is indeed a viable plan. Though at this point, the worry is that Gu Changge truly doesn’t care about the lives of these beings of the Vermilion Bird Empire...”
Hearing this, Bai Yang’s eyes lit up as well, and he gave the Vermilion Bird Emperor an appreciative look.
The art of imperial statecraft, though it couldn’t hold up before absolute power, might actually prove useful at a time like this.
“Then we’ll do as Father says.”
Chu Hao nodded, a trace of a smile appearing on his face.
Thinking it over this way, he felt the situation had taken a great turn for the better, no longer shrouded in the gloom that had hung over his heart moments ago.
After that, the Vermilion Bird Emperor, Chu Hao, and Bai Yang, now brimming with confidence, deliberated together and came up with quite a few schemes, all knowing that at this point, their own strength alone was not enough.
To pressure Gu Changge with the weight of the greater situation, the one thing they absolutely had to do was build momentum.
And so the Vermilion Bird Emperor issued an order, and soon every aristocratic family and sect in the entire Vermilion Bird Empire received an invitation to attend a banquet at the imperial palace three days later.
As for the contents of the invitation, he concealed nothing.
Heavenly Monarch Ziyang was currently imprisoned in the Vermilion Bird Empire, and the Purple Mansion could attack at any moment to rescue him.
When that happened, the army behind Gu Changge would clash with the Purple Mansion, and the shockwaves alone could destroy the Vermilion Bird Empire ten million times over.
Once this news spread, it quickly shocked the many aristocratic families and sects of the Vermilion Bird Empire.
Yet at this moment, the entire Vermilion Bird Empire was, for once, united as one.
After all, this was a matter of life and death. If they didn’t want to abandon the foundations they had built over the years, leave their homes behind, and flee far from the Vermilion Bird Empire—
Then the banquet three days later was one they absolutely had to attend.
And they had to think of every possible way to make Gu Changge retract his previous order.
When all the aristocratic families and sects of the Vermilion Bird Empire first learned of this news, they were stunned, sensing that this matter was no small affair.
Before Gu Changge, the entire Vermilion Bird Empire was nothing more than an ant.
To him, whether the Vermilion Bird Empire perished or not was something he wouldn’t care about—he wouldn’t even spare it an extra word of inquiry.
But to them, this was the land where their families and sects stood. If it collapsed, they too would not be far from destruction and being swallowed up by others.
Harboring this thought—
The various sects and aristocratic families, along with many of their foundation-level existences, all emerged into the world one after another, not daring to show the slightest negligence.
Of course, these foundation-level existences of the aristocratic families and sects were all old monsters of the Sacred Realm; the highest cultivation among them was merely the Sacred Noble Realm, still a far cry from the Sacred Lord Realm.
At this moment, they were all deliberating over this matter.
“The current situation concerns the very survival of the Vermilion Bird Empire. When the lips are gone, the teeth grow cold—if the Vermilion Bird Empire falls, then our families and sects will not be far from destruction either.”
“The reason all clan members have been summoned today is to prepare for the banquet the Emperor will hold three days from now. Do any of you have a way to make that Gu Changge retract his previous order...”
“As far as I know, the Vermilion Bird Empire has never offended him, so why is he targeting us like this? This scheme can only be called vicious—without lifting a finger, he can destroy us all.”
At this moment, in the Royal Tutor Mansion of the Vermilion Bird Empire.
A white-haired old man, whose bearing nevertheless brooked no underestimation, was speaking in a deep voice.
This man was none other than the current Tutor Wang, who had taught the reigning Vermilion Bird Emperor and had likewise taught the Third Prince Chu Hao.
He was a figure of great virtue and prestige in the Vermilion Bird Empire, with disciples all over the land.
Below him stood, in order, all the great figures of the current Royal Tutor Mansion.
They were also all the people in power of the Royal Tutor Mansion, holding important positions in the Vermilion Bird Empire.
Among these people, there were quite a few young ones, both men and women, all prodigies of the current Royal Tutor Mansion.
Their future achievements were limitless, and they bore the responsibility of making the Royal Tutor Mansion even more glorious.
Aside from them, the rest were all experts of the Royal Tutor Mansion. The strongest among them was a middle-aged man dressed in blue robes.
Between the opening and closing of his eyes, strands of golden light flickered and Divine Chains of Order swirled, exuding the pressure of the Sacred Realm—he was at the Peak of the Sacred Noble Realm.
His name was Yi Tian, and he was a retainer of the Wang Family.
“Father, we understand everything you’ve said. If the Vermilion Bird Empire falls at this time, where are we supposed to go?”
A middle-aged man asked. His face bore a seventy-percent resemblance to the Tutor—he was Tutor Wang’s eldest son.
“If the Vermilion Bird Empire falls, our Wang Family will naturally have to find another way out. It’s impossible for us to perish here together with the Vermilion Bird Empire.”
Hearing this, the person beside him immediately spoke up. “What the Vermilion Bird Empire is doing now is offending Gu Changge. Would he really change his mind for the sake of a tiny little ant?”
“We and he are simply not people of the same world. Do you really think he’d care about our considerations and opinions? Father, in my view, the most urgent matter is to leave this place as quickly as possible.”
He was Tutor Wang’s second son, and he too held an important position in the Vermilion Bird Empire.
His words immediately won the agreement of the Wang Family members, none of whom were willing to take this risk.
“As long as the green hills remain, there’ll be no shortage of firewood. Father, let’s leave overnight. This is plainly the Vermilion Bird Empire’s Third Prince Chu Hao having offended Gu Changge back then, and this is simply his retaliation.”
“Do you still not understand at this point? The Vermilion Bird Empire cannot be saved.”
The Wang Family members all urged him one after another, seeing this matter very clearly—unless they were fools, who would be willing to perish together with the Vermilion Bird Empire?
To them, this was a true calamity falling from the sky.
“But... but if we leave the Vermilion Bird Empire, where can we go? The foundation we’ve built over all these years!”
Tutor Wang sighed deeply.
Looking at the expressions of the many clan members below, he also understood that there was no room left to maneuver in this matter.
“Forget it, forget it. I’ll listen to you all. There’s no need to stay in this Vermilion Bird Empire any longer. Having offended Gu Changge, in the vast Beyond, there will no longer be any place for us.”
After that, he made his decision and stopped agonizing over it.
The Wang Family members also began packing up everything, taking what could be taken and not bothering much with what couldn’t.
Anyway, the Vermilion Bird Empire would fall sooner or later, and all these things would be destroyed. No one felt any attachment.
That night, a divine rainbow flying vessel streaked across the sky, incomparably dazzling, rumbling with great commotion as it departed into the distance.
And scenes such as this were also playing out among the great aristocratic families and sects of the Vermilion Bird Empire.
On one side was defending the homeland; on the other was offending Gu Changge.
As long as one wasn’t a fool, anyone knew what choice to make at a time like this.
Almost everyone chose to relocate. The Vermilion Bird Emperor’s invitation letter, in their eyes, had instead become a life-saving reminder to flee for their lives.
Quite a few people even felt a surge of gratitude toward him. If the Vermilion Bird Emperor hadn’t explained things so clearly in his letter, they wouldn’t have realized the severity of the matter.
When calamity arrived, they wouldn’t even know how they died—that would have been truly miserable.
But thoughts were just thoughts. At a time like this, no one was foolish enough to be willing to perish together with the Vermilion Bird Empire.
So-called love for one’s home and country, in the eyes of Cultivators, counted for nothing—how could it compare to one’s own family and sect?
And the next day, many Cultivators of the Vermilion Bird Empire were dumbfounded.
Some of the once-glorious and ancient aristocratic families and sects were already deserted, leaving only empty mansions and sect grounds, with not a single person remaining.
And this scene was not limited to just one family.
Across the entire Vermilion Bird Empire, every power with even a bit of strength and history had relocated—and they had moved out overnight, not daring to linger.
It was clear that some powers had been quite panicked at the time; some rather valuable items hadn’t been taken away and were still left behind, as if they feared that staying even a moment longer would invite disaster.
And scene after scene of this instantly shook the entire Vermilion Bird Empire.
All the Cultivators fell into panic and terror, feeling that some great event was occurring, that a great calamity was about to descend upon them all.
For a time, many Cultivators, in their shock and fear, also chose to flee this place one after another, without even asking what the reason was.
Of course, there were also clever Cultivators who figured out the cause of it all.
The million-strong army currently hovering within the borders of the Vermilion Bird Empire, the vast and boundless Ancient Battleships—didn’t that say enough?
The Vermilion Bird Empire fell into great chaos. Panic spread everywhere, bandits taking advantage of the chaos appeared in various places, and the empire was not far from complete collapse.