The Trap Was Set Long Ago—Did You Think He'd Wait Around to Watch You Show Off?
The Trap Was Set Long Ago—Did You Think He’d Wait Around to Watch You Show Off?
“Gongzi, is there something special about that woman?”
With no outsiders around, Yan Ji was quite direct. Her gaze fell upon Gu Changge’s face as she couldn’t help but ask.
Regarding Xiao Ruoyin’s matter, Gu Changge hadn’t told her much—only that he had found her a disciple with decent aptitude and asked her to provide some guidance along the way.
However, Yan Ji could tell that Gu Changge likely had other designs on that woman.
Otherwise, given his personality, he would never go to such trouble, treating a woman so well.
So well that it even made her a little envious.
But this feeling only lasted a moment. Yan Ji knew that her cheap disciple probably possessed some kind of special physique, and Gu Changge planned to devour it once her cultivation reached a higher level.
Put that way, she was quite a pitiful person.
“She is quite special. She may be of great use to me in the future.”
Toward Yan Ji, Gu Changge had nothing much to hide, and he smiled somewhat lazily.
“Then I will definitely teach her well.” Yan Ji nodded.
“Actually, there’s no need. Perhaps before long, she’ll remember some things on her own. You only need to let her know that everything we’re doing is for her own good.” There was a deeper meaning in Gu Changge’s smile.
A look of realization crossed Yan Ji’s face. “That woman is the reincarnation of some great being?”
Gu Changge smiled without saying more. Yan Ji was clever—telling her this much was enough for her to know what to do next.
“Haven’t seen you for a while, and your cultivation has deepened considerably.”
Then, he gently wrapped an arm around Yan Ji’s waist and chatted idly with her, asking about her recent affairs.
Yan Ji shot him a slightly reproachful look. “Cultivating all day long, wanting for nothing in techniques or resources—even a pig would have broken through by now.”
But although she had broken through to the Sacred King Realm, she still couldn’t perceive Gu Changge’s realm. It was forever as if shrouded in mist—unfathomable, immeasurably deep.
Sensing the faint resentment in her words,
Gu Changge smiled faintly. “Which is exactly why I found something for you to do.”
“Those mortals—are they all in league with my cheap disciple?”
Yan Ji was rather curious about Jiang Chen and the others.
“Yes, they’re all together. They come from a remote Overworld and were transported here by sheer coincidence.”
Gu Changge said with a smile.
Suddenly, Yan Ji tilted her head, her glass-like eyes staring at him. “Gongzi?”
“Hm? Go ahead, I’m listening.” Gu Changge wore a smile.
“Gongzi hasn’t forgotten me. That’s wonderful.”
......
Meanwhile, during the time Gu Changge left the Vermilion Bird Imperial Capital and temporarily resided aboard the Ancient Battleship, the Vermilion Bird Empire was anything but peaceful.
From distant lands, in the territory where Purple Mansion resided, the mountain-protecting Grand Array was breached, and the armies of various Dao Lineages charged in. The great battle shook heaven and earth.
Corpses piled into mountains, blood flowed into rivers, heaped across the land. Countless living beings and Cultivators perished in this great war.
Endless territories collapsed in the battle, seas churned and heavens overturned, shocking everyone.
The terror of the Immortal War left countless Dao Lineages of the Beyond aghast.
Ten Sacred Emperor Realm beings of the Longevity Gu Family appeared, virtually invincible and unstoppable. Purple Mansion brought out all its hidden foundations, yet it was useless—they simply could not hold the line.
In the end, Sacred Emperors coughed blood and died on the spot. Sacred Emperor Artifacts were shattered in the skies, breaking into countless fragments that scattered across the lands.
In this battle, forces like Sky Emperor Mountain, the Ancient Ye Family, and the Endless Fire Kingdom also suffered heavy losses.
Because the people of Purple Mansion fought with the resolve to perish together with their enemy, and the army dispatched by the Longevity Gu Family was simply too massive—enough to be described in the hundreds of millions, blotting out the sky, boundlessly terrifying.
As a result, it was instead the forces like Sky Emperor Mountain, which had sent smaller armies, that suffered the combined assault of Purple Mansion’s people.
Later on, from within Purple Mansion, Quasi-Emperor powerhouses emerged—beings who had broken free from their seals among the sect’s deepest foundations, displaying matchless battle prowess. Though their glory did not last long.
Cultivators observing the battle noticed that from within the Longevity Gu Family’s Ancient Battleships, Emperor Realm powerhouses also emerged, appearing in the outer domains to do battle.
The horror of this fight far exceeded wars between Sacred Emperors—even the starry sky shattered, countless cracks appearing as if it would collapse, a sight that struck terror into all who saw it.
Purple Mansion’s many powerhouses could not hold out and planned to retreat back into their mountain gates, but before they could withdraw, several more Quasi-Emperor auras surged forth from the Longevity Gu Family’s army.
In this battle, Purple Mansion’s Quasi-Emperors failed to escape unscathed and died miserable deaths on the spot!
The Immortal War raged on. Nearly every Dao Lineage and great sect in the Beyond was watching, feeling their hearts palpitate, a dreadful chill rising within them.
Gu Changge and the Longevity Gu Family’s dominance were cut from exactly the same cloth—it made one’s heart tremble!
With such power, Purple Mansion could not possibly hold out. The only question was how long they could last.
Some powerhouses also noticed that within Purple Mansion, an army seemed to suddenly open a Space Tunnel and vanish without a trace.
Some speculated that this army intended to secretly rescue Heavenly Monarch Ziyang!
During this time, the Vermilion Bird Emperor’s face was shrouded in gloom, even his hair had turned much whiter. The entire vast empire was already facing disintegration—or rather, it was already on the very edge of it!
In just a few short days, nearly all the great families and sects had moved away.
Even the other Cultivators did the same. Not a single person chose to remain here.
Even if Gu Changge now ordered Heavenly Monarch Ziyang to be taken elsewhere, it was too late. The collapse of the Vermilion Bird Empire was nearly unavoidable.
But the Vermilion Bird Emperor still refused to let the empire decline in his hands. No matter what, he had to keep holding on—otherwise, he would have no face to meet his ancestors in the afterlife.
To this end, he could only keep begging Chu Hao, but unfortunately, Chu Hao was also at his wit’s end.
After angering Tang Wan away that day, seeing her again had become very difficult.
Tang Wan shut her doors and refused to see him.
Chu Hao wanted to ask Tang Wan to plead on his behalf, but she wouldn’t even meet him. Because of what happened that day, a rift had formed between her and Chu Hao.
With no other choice, Chu Hao could only search everywhere for information on where Heavenly Monarch Ziyang was being held.
He harbored a bold plan—to take the initiative and move Heavenly Monarch Ziyang out of the Vermilion Bird Empire himself.
He would claim that he had received orders from Gu Changge to take charge of guarding and detaining Heavenly Monarch Ziyang. In doing so, he might just avert a catastrophe.
With his Sacred King Realm cultivation and his Shishu Bai Yang’s Sacred Emperor Realm cultivation, guarding Heavenly Monarch Ziyang would be more than sufficient.
By then, even if Gu Changge was displeased with his actions, there would be nothing he could do. This was what they called acting first and reporting after.
Unfortunately, he still hadn’t found out where Heavenly Monarch Ziyang was being held.
And while Chu Hao searched everywhere for Heavenly Monarch Ziyang’s location,
another man in disguise was also making inquiries everywhere—none other than Qin Wuya.
Although he had already enlisted the help of the ancient being from the Lake of Reincarnation, the opportunity would come only once. If he couldn’t find where Heavenly Monarch Ziyang was imprisoned, all his previous efforts would be wasted.
During these days, although Qin Wuya hadn’t found Heavenly Monarch Ziyang’s location, he had encountered Tang Wan.
The feeling struck him as quite wondrous.
But with pressing matters at hand, he didn’t reveal himself to reunite with Tang Wan.
“Right now, Purple Mansion has drawn everyone’s attention. This is the perfect opportunity for me to rescue Ziyang Shidi. Once I save him, I’ll come reunite with you! Wan’er!”
Watching that graceful figure in the distance, Qin Wuya thought silently to himself. Little did he know that after he turned away, Tang Wan also turned her head back, staring at his retreating figure with a complicated expression.
“Why must you all insist on opposing such a terrifying person?”
She shook her head and sighed.
According to Gu Changge’s instructions, a great net had already been woven, just waiting for the two of them to stumble into it. Unfortunately, though she was unwilling, none of this was up to her.
......
At this moment, in a wide-open grounds, auspicious beasts roared, immortal birds flapped their wings, majestic Mystic Mountains towered, and grand palaces stood in splendor.
Xiao Ruoyin brought Jiang Chen, Niu Tian, and the others to this place. Along the way, she had already explained to them how the talent and physique testing would work.
Hearing this, everyone appeared excited and thrilled.
Especially when they heard that Xiao Ruoyin’s aptitude was excellent—displaying a full seven colors, even stronger than some young prodigies—they grew even more excited and impatient.
In their view, Xiao Ruoyin had transmigrated here together with them.
If her aptitude was that powerful, then theirs should be about the same.
At the thought that they would soon be able to display all kinds of divine abilities like immortals, they were beside themselves with excitement.
Even Jiang Chen felt some anticipation in his heart.
He didn’t know how his own aptitude was, but after asking the Celestial Boat of Creation’s Artifact Spirit in his mind, it said his aptitude was very powerful.
This made Jiang Chen breathe a sigh of relief, feeling somewhat happy. The pent-up frustration he’d been holding could finally be released.
In this world, wasn’t it all about competing in talent and aptitude?
Then the aptitude he tested out in a moment might even surpass that Gu Gongzi’s—stealing his thunder. Just thinking about it felt pretty great.
Xiao Ruoyin’s aptitude was excellent, but his own aptitude wouldn’t necessarily be weaker than hers!
“I wonder how my aptitude is. If I don’t even qualify to cultivate, that would be humiliating.” Niu Tian said somewhat nervously.
At this, it was Jiang Chen who comforted him instead. “Your body’s in great shape—you’ll definitely be able to cultivate. Don’t worry too much.”
As the two were talking, someone up ahead nervously stepped forward. It was a man named Song Ming, whose relationship with the two of them was average.
But he was Wang Ning’s simp.
Jiang Chen and Niu Tian fixed their eyes on Song Ming, watching as he nervously placed his hand on the Test Stone.
The next moment, the radiant brilliance everyone expected did not appear. Forget radiant brilliance—there wasn’t even a speck of light.
This scene left everyone’s minds somewhat dazed. Even Xiao Ruoyin’s brows furrowed slightly.
But she didn’t say much. Aptitude varied from person to person—before the test, who could know the result?
“Could the Test Stone be broken?” Song Ming couldn’t believe it. His eyes went wide, his lips trembling. This fact struck him like a bolt from the blue, nearly making him lose his footing.
If he had no cultivation talent, what would he do in this world? His dream of cultivation—wouldn’t it be shattered?
“The Test Stone is broken? What a joke. No cultivation talent means no cultivation talent. Can’t you even understand that much?”
“Without cultivation talent, in this world you’re nothing but a cripple.” A tall, burly creature nearby sneered at the sight, seemingly full of disdain.
Song Ming glanced fearfully at the towering creature, then walked down in a daze, looking utterly despairing.
With this scene before them, the people behind couldn’t help but grow nervous. After all, this world was just that cruel—the strong preyed on the weak.
Many people were speculating whether Xiao Ruoyin had caught Gu Changge’s eye because of her powerful talent.
Soon, four people in a row were tested, and the result for all of them was nothing.
The Test Stone didn’t budge in the slightest, not the tiniest change.
The remaining Jiang Chen, Niu Tian, and the others also furrowed their brows.
Xiao Ruoyin’s expression also turned rather unpleasant, feeling helpless on their behalf.
Then it was the turn of the woman named Wang Ning. Her pretty face was also filled with nervousness and unease, cold sweat soaking her back.
Weng!!
Finally, there was a change on the Test Stone—a faint red glow emerged.
But it quickly dimmed again.
Seeing this, her eyes suddenly lit up, and she nearly jumped up on the spot, extremely excited and overjoyed.
“I have cultivation talent! I can cultivate!”
Wang Ning couldn’t help but cry out excitedly, her voice trembling, the heart she had been holding in suspense finally settling. The others all cast envious and jealous looks at her.
“It’s only a tiny bit, that’s all. With talent like this, even the worst sects wouldn’t want you. You’re trash just like them—what’s the difference?”
However, the towering creature beside her, seeing this, still showed disdain in its eyes and mocked her.
At these words, Wang Ning was instantly dumbfounded. Even the worst sects wouldn’t want her? Then what about her future cultivation techniques and resources? Thinking of all this, she too fell into despair. The hope from just moments ago was instantly extinguished—it was practically like falling from heaven straight into the deepest abyss.
Xiao Ruoyin glanced at this Wang Ning, who used to oppose her at every turn, and at this moment felt rather emotional. If she were like Wang Ning and the others, without any cultivation talent, she would probably be just as despairing as they were.
Just as Wang Ning and the others were all dejected and utterly despairing, Niu Tian also took a deep breath and stepped forward.
Weng!!
On the Test Stone, a bit of red light spread out, then quickly dimmed—exactly the same scene as when Wang Ning was tested.
Seeing this, Wang Ning and the others, for some reason, all breathed a sigh of relief in unison, feeling much more balanced. People were just like that—they couldn’t stand others being better off than themselves, even if that person was a companion they were on good terms with.
“Perhaps this is just our fate.” Niu Tian’s mouth was bitter, equally dejected.
Having a tiny bit of talent and having no talent at all—there really wasn’t much difference. In this world, sometimes talent truly did represent everything.
“This...” At this moment, Jiang Chen didn’t know how to comfort his brother either, his expression very heavy.
“Niu Tian, don’t worry. I will definitely find a way for you to cultivate in the future.”
He still remembered what the Celestial Boat of Creation had told him—his talent was very powerful. So he only needed to cultivate diligently, and once he became strong in the future, he would definitely find a way to help his brother.
Hearing this, Niu Tian forced out a bitter smile, thinking Jiang Chen was just comforting him, and didn’t think too deeply about it.
But Wang Ning and the others were very displeased at this moment. The way Jiang Chen said it made it sound as if he was certain he had cultivation talent.
And he acted so calm about it.
“Jiang Chen, do you really think you’re like Goddess Xiao, with that kind of good luck? ‘In the future,’ you say? I think all of our cultivation talents are actually the same. Except for Goddess Xiao, you can stop dreaming.”
At once, the man named Song Ming couldn’t help but start mocking him, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
The others, seeing this, didn’t stop him or argue back at all. If at this moment Jiang Chen really was tested to have talent, that was when they would truly feel unbalanced, mad with envy and jealousy.
Why should Jiang Chen have cultivation talent while they didn’t?
“Truly a dog’s eyes looking down on people.”
“Just you wait and see.”
0·········Seeking flowers0····
Jiang Chen had long known the result, so he appeared very calm. At this moment, he merely furrowed his brow slightly, having seen through the true character of this group of classmates of his.
With that, he strode directly toward where the Test Stone was, his expression calm, without the despair and dejection on everyone else’s faces.
At this moment, even Xiao Ruoyin felt something was off. Where did Jiang Chen’s confidence come from? Why did he believe he definitely had cultivation talent?
Although in her heart she also hoped Jiang Chen really could set foot on the path of cultivation—otherwise, once her cultivation succeeded in the future, she would turn around to look and find that her former classmates had all turned to withered bones, without a single person left to talk to.
“Where does Jiang Chen’s confidence come from? Or is he actually just showing off at a time like this, putting on an act?”
Xiao Ruoyin furrowed her brows, a trace of displeasure rising in her heart. In the past, she had thought Jiang Chen was mature and steady, reliable in his actions, someone worth trusting. But Jiang Chen’s behavior today made her feel that perhaps she had misjudged him.
The Jiang Chen of the past would never do something so brainless.
Unless Jiang Chen truly had the confidence to display a terrifying talent, he would absolutely become the laughingstock and object of ridicule of everyone.
In the distance, atop a magnificent pavilion, Gu Changge and Yan Ji stood side by side by the window, watching everything happening there.
“Truly interesting. I just wonder how wonderful his expression will be in the next moment.” The corners of Gu Changge’s mouth carried a faint smile, looking quite amused.
“Gongzi, that Test Stone—you actually had someone tamper with it long ago, didn’t you?”
At this moment, Yan Ji also noticed something was amiss.
Among the people tested just now, there were actually two whose talent, in her view, was quite decent. Yet the reaction on the Test Stone was only a faint glimmer of light.
That already explained everything.
For that group of people, cultivation talent was the crucial thing that determined their future fate.
But how could they know now that the stone testing their talent actually had a problem?
“That’s right. If I didn’t tamper with it, would I just wait for that guy to show off in a bit?” Gu Changge smiled, saying it very naturally, without the slightest awareness of having done anything underhanded.
One small move of his was, for this group of people, a matter concerning their future fate.
No, that wasn’t right—because this group of people had no future to begin with. Except for that leek Jiang Chen, Gu Changge had no intention of sparing any of the others.
....................
“I can tell that this person named Jiang Chen seems to have a somewhat special physique.”
Yan Ji nodded, not finding anything wrong with it. After all, even the lives of this group of people were given by Gu Changge. As for how to decide their future, wasn’t that entirely up to Gu Changge?
In the field, as Jiang Chen, incomparably confident and composed, placed his palm on the Test Stone.
Almost everyone’s gaze turned over, wanting to see whether Jiang Chen really was as he himself had said—that they were dogs looking down on people.
Soon, one breath of time passed, and the Test Stone remained motionless, without the slightest change.
Jiang Chen furrowed his brow, his expression turning somewhat wrong, though his hand still didn’t come away. “How is this possible?”
He was rapidly questioning the Artifact Spirit of the Celestial Boat of Creation in his mind—what was going on? Didn’t it say his talent was very strong? Why did this Test Stone have no reaction at all?
“Jiang Chen, how much longer are you going to keep your hand on it? It’s not like the longer you hold it there, the more talent will show up. If you don’t have it, you don’t have it. What are you still pretending for? Dogs looking down on people? I’m dying of laughter.” Song Ming, who had just been rebuked by Jiang Chen, now mocked him again, full of contempt.
The others also all revealed gloating expressions.
“Jiang Chen, if you don’t have talent, stop forcing it...” Xiao Ruoyin’s delicate brows furrowed, her expression growing more displeased. She knew that at this moment, Gu Changge was actually watching from afar. Jiang Chen’s behavior, in her eyes, was very embarrassing.
Hearing the words around him, cold sweat appeared on Jiang Chen’s face, his complexion faintly revealing ugliness and awkwardness. Why was things turning out differently from what he had expected? Could it be that the Artifact Spirit of the Celestial Boat of Creation had screwed him over?
“Jiang Chen, this Test Stone has been tampered with—it’s broken. Someone deliberately wants to make a fool of you.”
At this moment, the voice of the Artifact Spirit of the Celestial Boat of Creation sounded again, filled with indignation.
“So that’s how it is. This Test Stone is broken.”
Hearing this, Jiang Chen breathed a sigh of relief in his heart. He had already guessed who had done this, and his heart turned ice-cold.
But on his face, he quickly regained his composure and said, “This Test Stone is broken. Let me switch to another one and test again.”
Hearing this, everyone was stunned for a moment. When they came to their senses, even Niu Tian felt deeply speechless. The Test Stone was broken? What kind of excuse was that? He even suspected whether Jiang Chen had gone mad today.
“I’m dying of laughter. Jiang Chen, so this is the reason you came up with? I thought you were so amazing, but you’re just the same as me. The Test Stone is broken? Maybe the next one will be broken too.”
Soon, a burst of mocking laughter erupted here.
Even with Jiang Chen’s good self-restraint, at this moment his face alternated between green and white, feeling extremely stifled and humiliated.
“Jiang Chen, what nonsense are you spouting? When I tested my talent back then, I also used this Test Stone. How could it be broken?”
Xiao Ruoyin was also quite exasperated with Jiang Chen. She hadn’t expected that after failing to test out any talent, he would choose such a clumsy excuse.
“This Test Stone really is broken. If you don’t believe me, test it yourself again?”
Jiang Chen stared at her, still trying to explain, but Xiao Ruoyin could no longer be bothered with him.
“I know this result may be hard for you to accept, but this world is just that cruel. If you don’t have cultivation talent, being an ordinary person in peace isn’t bad either. I believe that with your abilities, even as an ordinary person, you’ll live better than everyone else.” Xiao Ruoyin calmed down and said this.
Jiang Chen still wanted to say something, but at that moment the towering creature had already waved its hand, its face cold, its voice carrying sneering mockery as it blocked in front of him.
“Xiao-guniang is long since no longer of the same world as you people. A bunch of trash without even cultivation talent, yet still dreaming of becoming immortals.”
“In the future, when you all die of old age and turn to withered bones, Xiao-guniang will still be as beautiful as she is now—her face won’t even change in the slightest. I’ve made my words this clear. If you still won’t give up, then don’t blame me for taking action.”
As the words fell, a terrifying aura surged from its body, causing the faces of Jiang Chen, Niu Tian, and the others to turn deathly pale, nearly unable to keep themselves from kneeling to the ground.
Xiao Ruoyin watched this scene, seemingly unable to bear it in her heart.
But at that moment, Gu Changge’s figure walked over from the distance, saying with a smile, “Sometimes this world is just that cruel. Mortal ties being what they are, what should be severed should be severed. Lingering attachments bring nothing but harm and no benefit to future cultivation.”
Hearing this, Xiao Ruoyin fell silent for a moment, then looked at Jiang Chen and the others. “Take care of yourselves.”
With that, she turned and walked toward Gu Changge.
“Ruoyin...”
“Xiao Ruoyin.”
The expressions of Jiang Chen, Niu Tian, and the others changed drastically.
The next moment, several creatures with terrifying auras, divine light flowing around them, appeared around them, surrounding them all.
“Take them away from this place,” Gu Changge instructed indifferently.