To Think Such a Ruthless Person Exists in This World, Exterminating Everything Without Leaving a Way to Survive
To Think Such a Ruthless Person Exists in This World, Exterminating Everything Without Leaving a Way to Survive
Pavilions stretched out in rows, palaces towered majestically, gorgeous divine radiance flowed through the air, and in the distance one could see auspicious beasts roaring and divine birds beating their wings.
“You need not worry. As for your companions, I will send people to deliver them all to a safe place. Just as you said, although they cannot cultivate, living as ordinary mortals is not a bad thing.”
“The world all says how wonderful it is to be an immortal, yet how would they know the sorrows of immortals?”
Gu Changge walked over.
A gentle smile graced his face as he spoke thus, seemingly wanting to help her let go of all this.
“What Young Master Gu says is right. The separation between immortals and mortals is a destined chasm. Since they cannot cultivate, then properly living as mortals is not bad either. I believe they can come to terms with all of this. This world... truly is this cruel.”
Hearing this, Xiao Ruoyin nodded gently and walked to Gu Changge’s side. Her gaze held a trace of complexity, but by now her emotions had already returned to calm.
Although she had felt some reluctance just moments ago, matters like this, if not severed swiftly with a sharp blade, would only become troublesome.
Lingering, entangled attachments would be no good thing, neither for her nor for Jiang Chen and the others.
And from today onward, she would formally set foot upon the Path of Cultivation, so naturally she had to bring closure to her former mortal affairs.
“Starting today, you will follow Yan Ji in cultivation. Everything about the cultivation world, she will teach you.”
“With your talent, I believe it won’t be long before you make your name known across the Beyond and become a young prodigy of your generation.”
Gu Changge said, a strange glint flashing through his eyes. Just now, he had noticed considerable changes in the Fortuity points on Xiao Ruoyin.
One could only say she was truly worthy of being the reincarnation of the High Priestess of Destiny. Her heart devoted to the Dao was indeed far beyond what ordinary people could match.
After severing her mortal ties, her state of mind was clearly much stronger than before.
“Mm.”
Xiao Ruoyin nodded, her expression much more relaxed. Perhaps for her, severing this mortal bond was also a kind of liberation.
At this moment, she appeared even more otherworldly than before, her dress flowing gracefully, a faint luminescence seeming to flicker between her brows.
At this time, Yan Ji approached with light, lotus-like steps from the distance.
Her flawlessly beautiful face bore a cold, tranquil expression, as if nothing in the outside world could stir any ripple within her.
She gazed at Xiao Ruoyin and said, “Starting today, you will cultivate alongside me. In a while, I will teach you some common knowledge of this world’s cultivation, and incidentally impart to you some relatively simple and easy-to-learn Transcendent techniques and spells.”
Yan Ji had previously served once as a bargain-bin shifu, so teaching a disciple was not a difficult matter for her.
Not to mention Gu Changge had already told her of Xiao Ruoyin’s origins. Many things actually required little teaching from her at all—before long, Xiao Ruoyin should be able to awaken some memories of her past life. “Five-three-zero.”
At most, it was just going through the motions of being a shifu.
“This disciple thanks Shifu.”
Hearing this, Xiao Ruoyin hurriedly said, showing great respect toward Yan Ji, while her heart filled with anticipation for the cultivation life ahead.
Gu Changge nodded slightly, signaling for Yan Ji to take Xiao Ruoyin away. Yan Ji understood, and under the pretext of imparting cultivation techniques to Xiao Ruoyin, led her away from this place.
In the distance, Jiang Chen, Niu Tian, and the others were still calling out Xiao Ruoyin’s name, but although Xiao Ruoyin heard them, her expression did not change in the slightest, and she still did not look back.
Just as Gu Changge had said, her mortal bonds had run their course. They and she were already people of different worlds.
A thousand years from now, she would still be as beautiful as ever, but Jiang Chen, Niu Tian, and the others would be bones turned to ash, impossible to even find where they were buried.
Better to sever everything now, otherwise it would only leave behind sorrow in the end.
“Come.”
Gu Changge’s gaze swept over Jiang Chen and the others, then with a wave of his hand he summoned several beings of powerful aura, casually issuing a decree to them.
“Yes, Master.”
The expressions of these beings turned solemn as they respectfully replied.
Afterward, Gu Changge left this place, his figure appearing within a pavilion, where Hei Yanyu had already brewed him a pot of tea. The pale green tea was wreathed in curling mist, appearing quite elegant and fragrant.
“Arrange the army and enter combat readiness. The people of Purple Mansion should be arriving soon.”
Gu Changge unhurriedly took a sip of tea and said indifferently.
Although he had not personally participated in this Immortal War, the various reports from the front lines had all been transmitted back to him in short order.
So regarding Purple Mansion secretly dispatching an army in an attempt to rescue Heavenly Monarch Ziyang, Gu Changge was in fact well aware.
Although the Vermilion Bird Empire now faced a situation of collapse and disintegration, it was still one step short of actual annihilation.
Gu Changge’s main intention was to use this to pit Chu Hao against Qin Wuya. Otherwise, he would not need to go to such trouble—a tiny Vermilion Bird Empire was hardly worth this much of his attention.
“Yes, Master.”
Hearing this, Hei Yanyu set off to deliver the orders.
After Hei Yanyu left, Gu Changge began to turn his attention to another matter.
The Hidden Ji Family behind Su Qingge and Ji Qingxuan—if handled with the proper methods, could be brought under his control.
At the very least, it counted as a considerable force.
During this period, Gu Changge had also observed that Ji Qingxuan harbored a particular ambition for power. Her own methods were in no way inferior to her sister’s.
If Ji Qingxuan were to take control of the Hidden Ji Family, it would be much more convenient for him. After all, Ji Qingxuan’s fear of and dependence on him ran very deep.
Beyond that, within the Alliance of Thousand Merchants, the Tang Family—Gu Changge had now infiltrated them almost completely.
The hidden piece he had planted back then on Tang Wan’s bargain-bin little brother Tang Tian should be coming into play about now.
Where in this world were there so many lucky coincidences? This so-called pie falling from the sky was nothing more than a trap someone had laid in advance.
The terror of the Entanglement Immortal Art was such that it could control even the entire races of the Celestial Ancient Continent.
Controlling a mere Tang Merchants Family was more than sufficient.
It just so happened he could have Yin Mei take over the Tang Merchants Family. In this way, the majority of power within the entire Alliance of Thousand Merchants should fall into her hands.
As for Tang Wan, Gu Changge did not intend to let her take over anything.
Her only use was to serve as a fuse between the two Fortuitous Ones, igniting conflict between them.
Beyond that, she was of no use whatsoever to Gu Changge.
“During this time, that fellow Yue Mingkong should be busy collecting the Seven Tools of World Domination. Besides the Jar of World Domination and the Flask of World Domination in my hands, she should have gathered quite a few herself.”
“Once matters here are settled, I’ll have to go ask her for them.”
Thinking of this, the corners of Gu Changge’s mouth could not help but curl into a faint smile.
Though he suspected that even if he did not ask, once Yue Mingkong finished collecting them, she would deliver them to him in the end anyway.
Then, Gu Changge thought of something. With a casual wave of his hand, a black-robed figure shrouded in black mist appeared in the void behind him, its expression cold and appearing utterly heartless, yet exuding the terrifying pressure of the Sacred Lord Realm.
A Demonic Puppet!
“Greetings, Master!”
This puppet spoke respectfully toward Gu Changge, a trace of spiritual awareness gradually emerging in its eyes.
Gu Changge nodded slightly and waved his hand again. The black mist over its face dispersed, revealing the ordinary face of a middle-aged man.
After a moment of thought, a faint, indistinct smile hung on his lips.
“Go. Find him.”
The next moment, the face of the puppet before him began to shift and change.
Very quickly, it became a somewhat sinister-looking elderly man, with a high-bridged nose like an eagle’s talon, giving off a bone-chilling feeling.
“Yes, Master.”
The Elderly Man in Black Robes took a single step and instantly vanished from this place, disappearing without a trace in an instant.
......
Meanwhile, on the other side, Jiang Chen, Niu Tian, and the others were being driven off the Ancient Battleship, about to be taken down below.
“At a time like this, still dreaming of a toad eating swan meat—it absolutely kills me with laughter. Why don’t you take a look at your own cultivation talent? You’re nothing but a cripple!”
“You’re already not of the same world as Miss Xiao. Why aren’t you leaving yet? Do you want to stay here and humiliate yourself?”
Around the few of them, several beings of terrifying aura watched them coldly, exuding dreadful pressure that turned their faces pale, made their souls tremble, and filled them with fear.
In their view, previously it was because of Xiao Ruoyin that the various beings aboard the Ancient Battleship had treated them relatively politely.
But now, once they were tested to have no cultivation talent whatsoever, the true faces of these beings were revealed—utterly cold and merciless, their words showing no quarter.
This world was just this cruel!
The one who spoke was one of them, carrying undisguised mockery and derisive laughter. With a wave of his large hand, terrifying might poured down, about to drive Jiang Chen and the others off the Ancient Battleship.
“Ruoyin...”
Hearing this, Jiang Chen’s expression was filled with dejection and helplessness, while his heart was full of worry.
As for these mocking words, he dared not even talk back. He did not doubt in the slightest that if he so much as uttered a single word of rebuttal, that palm the size of a prayer cushion would come smacking down on his head.
With his current physique, wouldn’t he be slapped into meat paste?
“At least you know your place.”
Seeing Jiang Chen stay silent, the being who had spoken earlier gave a cold laugh, his expression returning to indifference.
A gloomy look flashed across Jiang Chen’s face as he swore viciously in his heart that if he ever got the chance in the future, he would definitely suppress and kill this being before him.
Although what Xiao Ruoyin had said to them earlier was very heartless and cold, he knew it was something that could not be helped, because Xiao Ruoyin simply did not believe that the Test Stone had been tampered with by Gu Changge.
It was not that he lacked cultivation talent—it was just that Xiao Ruoyin did not know.
“If Ruoyin had listened to just one word of my explanation, things wouldn’t have turned out like this. But at that time, that Young Master Gu showed up, and he wouldn’t have given me the chance to explain...”
Jiang Chen clenched his fists, but quickly calmed down as well, though a stifled breath of resentment remained pent up in his heart.
But he also understood clearly that opposing Gu Changge right now would be no different from seeking death.
Once Xiao Ruoyin parted from them, if she were to suffer Gu Changge’s poisonous hand afterward, what then?
Right now, he did not even have the chance to confess everything to Xiao Ruoyin.
In his view, Xiao Ruoyin had already been kept in the dark by Gu Changge, knowing nothing at all—she did not even know that Gu Changge harbored ill intentions toward her.
How could this be described by the word “dangerous” alone?
“What do we do? Master is right beside that terrifying man now, and disaster could befall her at any moment. Jiang Chen, we can’t just abandon her...”
The Artifact Spirit of the Celestial Boat of Creation said with extreme unease and worry.
By this time, Jiang Chen had already steadied himself. Hearing this, he said calmly, “The most urgent matter, I think, is still raising my strength. As long as my strength rises, I’ll be able to see Ruoyin again in the future, confess all of this to her, and let her see clearly that Young Master Gu’s true face.”
“That Young Master Gu may have designs on Ruoyin, but it shouldn’t be happening anytime soon, so that gives me time to cultivate properly.”
“Besides, don’t I still have you? I refuse to believe that by then, I still won’t be able to beat that Young Master Gu.”
At this, hope rose in Jiang Chen’s heart. The current situation was equivalent to him being in the dark while that Young Master Gu was in the light—very much to his advantage.
“For now, this is all we can do. After we leave this place, I’ll first find you a cultivation technique. If possible, you could even join a sect first—if you remain a rogue cultivator, you won’t have enough cultivation resources...”
Hearing this, the Artifact Spirit of the Celestial Boat of Creation fell silent for a moment before explaining.
At the same time, it was making plans for Jiang Chen. The two of them were now grasshoppers tied to the same rope—one’s glory was the other’s glory, one’s loss the other’s loss.
On the way off the Ancient Battleship, Jiang Chen discussed matters with the Artifact Spirit of the Celestial Boat of Creation the whole time. Once they had a plan, his expression quickly returned to calm.
Niu Tian, Wang Ning, and the others, on the other hand, still looked utterly devastated, their souls seemingly elsewhere, as if they hadn’t recovered from the blow just now.
“Jiang Chen, at a time like this, what are you still pretending for? We’re all the same now. We can’t cultivate in this world—who knows, someday two Cultivators might fight nearby, and the shockwaves alone would be enough to kill us a thousand times over...”
Seeing Jiang Chen’s calm and indifferent expression, Song Ming, who had mocked him earlier, couldn’t hold back anymore and spoke up again, his words most impolite.
He was extremely displeased with Jiang Chen’s attitude.
After all, things had come to this point, yet Jiang Chen was still putting on an act of not caring.
It had been the same just moments ago. Everyone had thought that with Jiang Chen being so calm, perhaps he was about to pull off some miracle—only for him to be brutally slapped in the face the next moment.
Didn’t the Test Stone show no reaction all the same?
He even claimed the Test Stone was broken and demanded a new one to test again. Only Jiang Chen could do something so humiliating.
Song Ming felt his own face burning on Jiang Chen’s behalf. It was downright embarrassing.
Hearing this, the others also chimed in one after another, their gazes full of mockery. Perhaps at this moment, this was the only way they could think of to vent the frustration in their hearts.
“Shut up!”
Niu Tian frowned and swept a glance over this group of companions.
He was burly and tall, and he had tested as having talent back then—mediocre, perhaps, but still far beyond what they could compare to.
This group was quite afraid of the towering Niu Tian. After a few mutters, they shut their mouths.
“I already said that Test Stone was broken, but none of you believed me. And now you’re blaming me.”
“Heh, how laughable.”
Jiang Chen spoke indifferently. He knew in his heart that he possessed cultivation talent, and that he would soon no longer be on the same path as these snobbish classmates who judged people like dogs looking down on beggars—so he let them say whatever they wanted.
He appeared completely unbothered, as light as wind and clouds.
“Sigh...” Niu Tian glanced at him and shook his head.
Jiang Chen smiled and said to him, “You don’t need to worry. That Test Stone back then really was broken. The truth is, both you and I have cultivation talent.”
“Really?”
Seeing how certain he was, Niu Tian grew doubtful too. Could the Test Stone really have been broken?
But he didn’t ask these questions aloud.
After all, there were so many terrifying creatures around them. If he said something that displeased them, who knew what would happen.
“Jiang Chen, was that Test Stone really broken?”
Just then, Jiang Chen suddenly felt a fragrant breeze drift to his side.
Hearing this voice, he turned around to look—it was Wang Ning, her face carrying a trace of unease.
For some reason, Wang Ning felt that Jiang Chen’s calm confidence, combined with his usual behavior, must have a reason behind it.
He must know something.
“Mm.” Jiang Chen glanced at Wang Ning and nodded.
He had never felt anything toward Wang Ning before—after all, his heart had been entirely set on Xiao Ruoyin...
But now, he suddenly realized that Wang Ning seemed quite nice too. They were old classmates, after all, so he didn’t mind telling her a few things. He lowered his voice and said,
“That Test Stone was actually tampered with. The goal was to have a proper excuse to drive us away...”
Hearing this, Wang Ning’s expression shifted slightly, and she immediately thought that it must have been Xiao Ruoyin’s doing—just to have an excuse to shake them off.
“So you’re saying we actually all have cultivation talent?”
Thinking of this, she couldn’t help but grow excited.
It was truly like finding a new village beyond the dark willows and bright flowers—a light at the end of the tunnel.
Jiang Chen was about to answer when one of the creatures beside them spoke coldly, “We’re here.”
“But this is a primeval forest! Are they just going to dump us here? Didn’t they say they’d take us somewhere safe?”
“This place isn’t safe at all!”
Hearing this, someone looked around the area, their voice carrying a hint of discontent.
As far as the eye could see, the surroundings were filled with towering ancient trees, endless mountain ranges, thickets of vines and thorns, and mist shrouding the distance—no border in sight.
Moreover, they could hear the roars of all kinds of beasts, and even see quite a few strange birds whose spread wings blotted out the sky like dark clouds—utterly terrifying.
If they were thrown here to fend for themselves, how was that any different from killing them?
Even ordinary Cultivators wouldn’t dare barge into a place like this. They hadn’t even begun cultivating—how could they possibly survive?
“I said we’re here. Can’t you understand human speech?”
The creature that had spoken earlier grinned, revealing teeth like sharp blades, looking incomparably ferocious.
Everyone was so frightened their faces turned pale. They trembled all over, not daring to say another word.
At this moment, Jiang Chen, Niu Tian, and the others all sensed something was wrong.
Because the creatures beside them were looking at them with cold, mocking gazes, saying nothing more.
“Run!”
“They’re going to kill you all!”
In Jiang Chen’s mind, the Artifact Spirit of the Celestial Boat of Creation shouted at him, extremely frantic.
Boom!!!
The instant Jiang Chen heard these words, he had almost no time to react and bolted straight toward the ancient forest ahead. The very moment he moved, a terrifying aura swept in from behind him.
A crimson radiance suddenly erupted, and the nearby mountains seemed to tremble, on the verge of collapsing.
He looked back, his pupils contracting.
He saw Wang Ning, her face still carrying that excited expression, not even having time to react before the crimson radiance struck her. Her entire body burst apart, instantly turning to ash.
As for the other companions, some also failed to react in time and were enveloped by the crimson radiance, vaporized on the spot without even a chance to scream.
Those who did react were scared half to death, wishing their parents had given them more legs, scrambling and crawling as they fled into the distance.
“Run, then. Let’s see how far you can run.”
The creatures sneered, their gazes carrying the amusement of cats toying with mice. “Even if you manage to escape today, you won’t make it out of this dense forest alive.”
Their expressions were cold and unhurried. After killing a few people, they finally set off in leisurely pursuit, as if deliberately giving Jiang Chen and the others time to flee.
Jiang Chen hid in a patch of dense forest, his heart pounding nonstop, extremely tense and uneasy. His back was drenched in cold sweat, and his hands and feet had gone cold.
If his reaction had been even slightly slower just now, he would have definitely met the same fate as Wang Ning and the others—blasted into ash by that crimson light.
This filled him with utter dread. Even his legs were going weak.
In all his life, this was the first time he had encountered something like this.
In this world where the strong prey on the weak, without some means of preserving his life, his fate would truly be no different from an ant’s—crushed to death at someone’s whim.
Moreover, Jiang Chen never imagined that these creatures would be so bold and vicious. After delivering them to this ancient forest, they hadn’t even intended to spare them.
This must be that Young Master Gu’s order!!!
Realizing this, Jiang Chen’s hair stood on end.
The other party didn’t kill them in front of Xiao Ruoyin, choosing instead to strike at this moment—all just to put on the act of a good person in front of her.
Back at the banquet, he had looked so gentle and kind, yet in the blink of an eye, he sent people to take their lives.
How could there be someone so vicious in this world!
You can know a person’s face but not their heart!
His companions likely wouldn’t have his luck. There was no way they could escape these powerful creatures who could ride clouds and mist.
“Niu Tian, you mustn’t let anything happen to you...”
Jiang Chen glanced worriedly in another direction. Just now, he had noticed that Niu Tian had fled in a different direction from him.
And Niu Tian’s stamina was far greater than his. If even he could escape, then Niu Tian should be able to as well.
“Gu, you and I are irreconcilable! If anything happens to Niu Tian, I will never let you off in the future...”
Jiang Chen gritted his teeth, his heart turning cold.
He knew that so-called Young Master Gu was no good person, but he truly never imagined the man could be this malicious.
On the surface, he agreed to spare them, but in secret, he sent people to exterminate them all.
When he first met Gu Changge, the man was dressed in white whiter than snow, transcendent and otherworldly, immortal-pure and divine-graced, handsome as jade—truly not like someone of the mortal world.
But why were his methods so cruel? Was he really not going to leave them any path to survival?
There was clearly no enmity between them!
Jiang Chen had never hated anyone like this before. Xiao Ruoyin staying by the side of such a terrifying person—it was enough to make one’s back go cold and hair stand on end.
“Ah...”
Just then, Jiang Chen heard a scream from the distance.
His expression changed drastically. He recognized the voice as one of his companions—it seemed that person had already met a cruel end.
This made his heart grow even colder. Not daring to linger, he turned and hurriedly fled deeper into the dense forest.
In the sky above, streaks of divine rainbows swept over, riding clouds and mist, blotting out the heavens.
After reverting to their true forms, these creatures were incomparably terrifying, each like a small mountain, black clouds roiling as they hunted them down.
That terrifying aura was like a great mountain pressing down on their heads, making it impossible to breathe.
Jiang Chen fled nonstop, heading ever deeper into the dense forest.
The ancient trees around him grew taller and taller, flourishing beyond measure—their branches and leaves alone could blot out a small patch of sky.
“To kill a few mortals like us, they actually sent this many people...”
Jiang Chen clenched his fists. At this moment, he didn’t know where the strength came from, but something kept him fleeing.
The further he went, the thicker the miasma and mist became. Jiang Chen even felt his body was about to be corroded, barely able to withstand the aura.
“Artifact Spirit, hurry up and think of something! If I die, you’ll lose your host and won’t survive either...”
Jiang Chen gritted his teeth and communicated with the Artifact Spirit of the Celestial Boat of Creation in his mind.
“Keep fleeing straight ahead. The terrain here won’t do. Once we’re deeper inside, as long as I can draw upon the lay of the mountains and rivers, I’m confident I can hold off those creatures behind us...”
The Artifact Spirit of the Celestial Boat of Creation was equally anxious, its voice trembling with worry. It never imagined things would turn out this way—that Gu fellow was simply too despicable.