One Must Always Guard Against Others—After Waiting So Long, the Fish Has Finally Taken the Bait
One Must Always Guard Against Others—After Waiting So Long, the Fish Has Finally Taken the Bait
A night of tender passion, a thousand shades of charm.
“Is a man like you worth entrusting one’s true heart to?”
Empress Yao Xi was somewhat languid, but more often than not, she was murmuring softly to herself.
Gu Changge stroked her silky hair and smiled. “Why not?”
“But the deeper I understand you, the more uneasy I feel. Sometimes I truly want to know—are you really only in your twenties?”
Empress Yao Xi did not dwell on the question, instead letting out a soft sigh.
For Empress Yao Xi, she did indeed need someone to rely on right now, and there was no better choice than Gu Changge.
Given this premise, Gu Changge’s plan to use her to meddle in the affairs of the Demon World naturally proceeded all the more smoothly.
Of course, Empress Yao Xi was also well aware that, apart from providing her with necessary support at critical moments...
...everything else—he would not give, even if he could.
To put it plainly, this was more like a transaction.
Gu Changge’s way of doing things could not be called utterly selfish, but it was absolutely rational to the extreme—he would never alter any of his actions because of personal feelings.
So one should not expect him to mix in even a shred of emotion.
This left Empress Yao Xi inevitably feeling somewhat lost and disappointed.
In the period that followed, the entire Demon World was thrown into panic over the assassination attempt on Empress Yao Xi.
Nearly every day, patrols of living beings could be seen near the Imperial Capital.
All suspects were intercepted and examined repeatedly; at the slightest abnormality, they were immediately thrown into the Heavenly Prison.
The assassination attempt on the Empress weighed on the hearts of countless beings across the Demon World.
The other domains were shaken as well. In many places, great demons heard the news and, believing it a once-in-a-millennium opportunity, began gathering troops in an attempt to rebel.
The vast Demon World was no longer the peaceful, stable place it once was.
Many common folk of the Demon World harbored bone-deep hatred for those traitors who had attempted to assassinate Empress Yao Xi, spontaneously searching for suspicious persons and reporting them to the court.
It had to be said—over the past six thousand years, under Empress Yao Xi’s rule, the beings of all races had largely come to support her.
“All these years, Empress Yao Xi has certainly spent considerable effort winning hearts, to think so many people are willing to support her.”
Within the Quelling Chaos King’s residence, Jun Fan, dressed in blue, sat quietly sipping tea in the courtyard.
Hearing the many rumors circulating outside during this period, his expression remained quite calm.
What surprised him slightly, however, was that the assassination attempt on Empress Yao Xi had actually provoked fury among the beings of the Demon World, rather than wild joy.
In his view, this could only mean that Empress Yao Xi had indeed invested considerable thought and effort into winning people’s hearts.
The Demon Race was cold-hearted by nature; often, even when their own kin met with misfortune, they would remain indifferent and unmoved.
A display of fury like the current one was truly rare.
“Uncle Ye still hasn’t sent any word. Based on the information from Father, Uncle Ye should have escaped from Gu Changge’s hands.”
“Those were Gu Changge’s own words... but why has Uncle Ye still not contacted me by now?”
Jun Fan’s brows knitted tightly, a faint unease stirring in his heart.
Uncle Ye was his greatest reliance at present, and with the Solar Heavenly Blade he had given him, there was no reason anything should have gone wrong.
Nor did he believe Uncle Ye would abandon him and flee.
“Perhaps Uncle Ye was injured and is recuperating somewhere right now. I needn’t make a fuss over nothing.”
So Jun Fan thought, sinking into contemplation. The plan ahead was, in his view, the true priority.
If he were to give up his revenge against Empress Yao Xi just like this, he would never be reconciled to it.
During this time, Empress Yao Xi had sent people everywhere to search for his whereabouts. Based on Qing Zhu’s movements, the scope of the investigation had been narrowed down to the Black and White Academy.
This was not good news for Jun Fan.
Because this way, they would eventually trace things back to him, and he always had the feeling that Gu Changge seemed to know something.
Thinking back carefully afterward, when Gu Changge had called him Jun Bufan at the summit of the Sacred Mountain, perhaps it had been a probe.
His reaction at the time—though Empress Yao Xi had not thought much of it then, there was no guarantee she wouldn’t think more of it afterward.
“That is the only flaw I’ve left behind so far. But unless Yao Xi performs a Soul Search on me, there’s absolutely no way she can learn my identity.”
On this point, Jun Fan was quite confident.
As the third son of the Quelling Chaos King, his status was incomparably illustrious. Not to mention, during this assassination attempt on Empress Yao Xi, he and his father had fought bravely against the enemy and rendered meritorious service.
If Empress Yao Xi were to perform a Soul Search on him merely out of suspicion, it would absolutely chill the hearts of many, his father included.
Therefore, for the sake of the bigger picture, even if Empress Yao Xi guessed at his identity, she could not move against him without ironclad evidence.
“Father said back then that an old acquaintance would come to deliver something to me. I wonder when that will happen.”
Jun Fan paced about the courtyard.
Back then, his father’s subordinates had not been limited to Uncle Ye alone.
So during this period, he also needed to follow up on those hidden arrangements and find that group of people.
Within the imperial palace, the poison in Empress Yao Xi’s body had been mostly purged.
She sat upright at the head seat, still handling memorials, though the female officers by her side now numbered only three.
“Any results?”
She asked indifferently while flipping through the memorials.
“Reporting to Your Majesty, all the young prodigies of the Black and White Academy who had contact with Qing Zhu have now been identified.”
Qing Lan reported respectfully.
“Is that so? Did Qing Zhu have any contact with the elders back then, or was it only with the younger generation?”
Empress Yao Xi nodded and continued asking, her delicate brows furrowing as Gu Changge’s words from that night echoed in her mind.
Even if you now know who Jun Bufan is, you have no way to act.
Those had been Gu Changge’s exact words.
At the time, Empress Yao Xi had not understood what he meant, only guessing that perhaps Gu Changge already had a target in mind but had not told her.
In response, she had launched a large-scale investigation, starting with the beings near the Sacred Mountain that day, and finally narrowing the scope to the Black and White Academy.
So now, the prime suspects were among the current younger generation of the Demon World.
These were all people she had once declared, right in front of Gu Changge, to be trustworthy.
Yet in the end, the suspects were among them—it had to be said, this was quite the irony.
It reminded her of what Gu Changge had said back then: naive.
“Among those identified so far, there are no elders of the older generation. When Qing Zhu went to the Black and White Academy, she was acting on your orders, so the academy’s elders don’t know whom she met with or where.”
Qing Lan answered respectfully.
Empress Yao Xi nodded and waved her jade hand. “In that case, investigate every prodigy who had contact with her. I refuse to believe there won’t be a single flaw.”
“Also, bring me the list of prodigies who had the most contact with Qing Zhu.”
She intended to see for herself exactly who they were.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Soon, Qing Lan presented a list, clearly enumerating all the current prodigies of the Black and White Academy.
Certain names had been specially marked.
“Song Youwei, Luo Tian, Ye Geng, Jun Fan, Chen Xiao...”
She murmured these names softly, her eyes narrowing, a dangerous glint flickering within them.
After experiencing Qing Zhu’s betrayal, she had indeed learned her lesson.
The prodigies before her were all people she knew inside and out—some had even ranked in the top ten at this Banquet of Prodigies, dazzling in their brilliance, fighting valiantly against the assassins and earning merit.
In the past, she would never have suspected them.
But now, in her eyes, these people were the most suspicious of all—even Song Youwei, despite being a woman, was no exception.
“One must always guard against others. Those were his words. Just like him—never fully trusting anyone...”
“And what I’ve seen of them is nothing more than the surface they choose to show.”
Empress Yao Xi sighed softly, then issued her orders. “Keep a close watch on these people’s movements. Whatever they do, report to me at once.”
“Yes.”
Qing Lan received the command and quickly withdrew.
Afterward, Empress Yao Xi sank into deep thought.
Since the suspects were among these people, the families behind them would certainly need watching as well.
Among them were even the family of her teacher, the Grand Tutor; her most capable subordinate, the Quelling Chaos King; and the Marshal who commanded the most military power.
If the problem lay with the offspring of these three, matters would truly become difficult. No matter whom she moved against, it would be a bone-deep wound with far-reaching implications.
“So this is what he meant. Even if I know who Jun Bufan is, I have no way to act—unless I can produce complete evidence.”
At this moment, she recalled Gu Changge’s words again, the smile at the corner of her lips tinged with self-mockery.
“Right—speaking of which, what he said at the summit of the Sacred Mountain back then must have held a deeper meaning... Jun Fan, Jun Bufan... could there really be a problem...”
“Jun Fan’s behavior at the time, thinking back on it now, was indeed somewhat strange.”
Empress Yao Xi’s brows furrowed tightly as she considered the matter. She had not suspected anything at the time.
But thinking about it now, perhaps that was the flaw.
“Did he say it offhandedly, or does he know something?”
Empress Yao Xi couldn’t help rubbing her brow, feeling a headache coming on.
Gu Changge’s methods, as she now saw them, could no longer be described as merely unfathomable—yet he never revealed more than a sliver of what she wanted to know.
And just as Empress Yao Xi fixed her suspicions on the various young prodigies...
On the other side, news finally arrived regarding Bai Lian’er, whom Gu Changge had kept under surveillance all this time.
“Young Master, per your instructions, we have been patrolling near the Quelling Chaos King’s residence during this period, and we finally spotted a highly suspicious man and woman. They look no different from ordinary herb farmers, coming every day with baskets on their backs, carrying simple medicinal herbs, setting up a stall near the Quelling Chaos King’s residence.”
“However, the woman among the two has an extremely powerful sense of perception. The moment anyone steps within a hundred paces of her, she notices. So we dared not alert them. And judging by her appearance, she seems to be in disguise—highly suspicious.”
Within the palace, the fragrance of tea drifted faintly through curling mist. Tian Ze stood behind Gu Changge, speaking respectfully.
Hearing this, Gu Changge set down the game piece in his hand and smiled. “Well done. After waiting so long, the fish has finally taken the bait.”
“It seems my bait wasn’t left out there in vain.”
He knew that at the Sacred Mountain, Bai Lian’er must have learned Jun Bufan’s true identity.
So during this period, she would inevitably be unable to resist showing herself, intending to meet him and fulfill the task her father had entrusted to her.
And he only needed to have people keep watch nearby, waiting for Bai Lian’er to walk right into the net.
With that, Gu Changge prepared to rise and go reel in the catch.
This time, he refused to believe Bai Lian’er could slip away as easily as she had back in Northcreek Ancient City.
Seeing this, Jiang Luoshen, seated across from him, said with some displeasure, “Can’t you at least finish this game of chess with me first?”
“You can’t win anyway, so why subject yourself to the misery?”
Gu Changge said casually, walking past her with no intention of continuing the game.
During this period, Jiang Luoshen had grown resigned and gradually accustomed to it all.
Though before outsiders, she remained the lofty, cold, and noble princess of the Godly Illusion Clan—the future Godly Illusion Emperor.
“No. Even if I lose, you have to finish the game with me.”
Jiang Luoshen turned her head to look at him, deeply displeased. Having finally glimpsed a hope of beating Gu Changge, she naturally didn’t want him walking away at this moment.
Gu Changge suddenly smiled. “Who gave you the courage to speak to me like that? Have I been treating you too well these past few days?”
Hearing this, Jiang Luoshen gave a cold snort and stopped pestering him.
Over this period, she had come to understand Gu Changge quite well. When he needed her, it was all sweet words and honeyed phrases; when he didn’t, he practically wished he could kick her far, far away.
Soon, Gu Changge led a host of powerful experts toward the district of the Quelling Chaos King’s residence. The Imperial Capital of the Demon World was vast, spanning nearly a million li.
The Quelling Chaos King’s residence lay due east.
It was a grand and imposing complex of palaces and mansions; viewed from afar, it presented a magnificent spectacle.
Countless Array Patterns interwove, rosy clouds flowed—it was like a Heavenly Palace descended upon the mortal world...
West of the gates of the Quelling Chaos King’s residence lay an extremely broad street.
Palaces and towers lined both sides, towering immensely, shrouded in curling mist, hazy and indistinct, exuding a majestic aura.
Numerous shops, taverns, and Stone-Gambling Stalls were located here, bustling with activity, Cultivators and living beings coming and going in an endless stream.
“Lian’er-jie, the two of us have already been waiting here for a full five days. How much longer do we have to wait?”
At that moment, at a simple street stall, a man and a woman were selling common medicinal herbs—huangjing, poria, gastrodia, ginseng, and the like—still flecked with soil, looking quite fresh.
The man speaking had a sallow face and a gaunt frame, looking malnourished, and was whispering something to the woman beside him.
The woman’s expression was quite cold; of every ten sentences the man spoke, she answered only two.
Only her gaze drifted from time to time toward the Quelling Chaos King’s residence, as if watching for something.
Though she wore coarse hemp clothing, it could not conceal a stunning allure.
Many passing Cultivators and beings couldn’t help but glance at her—only to lose their appetites and nearly vomit.
Because the woman was simply too ugly. Not only was there a large black blotch on her face, but her eyes were mismatched in size, and even her nose was crooked.
Such an appearance, if not outright frightening, was close enough.
It was precisely for this reason that their stall had few customers and was quite deserted.
“Wait a little longer. The Demon World is far from peaceful these days. If we rashly make a move, it will absolutely arouse Yao Xi’s suspicion and cause a great deal of unnecessary trouble.”
The woman spoke indifferently at his words, her tone quite cold.
The two were none other than Bai Lian’er and Bai Hua, who had left the vicinity of the Sacred Mountain and were temporarily residing in the Imperial Capital.
After witnessing Jun Bufan’s failed assassination attempt on Empress Yao Xi, the two had quietly slipped away from the Black and White Academy without drawing attention.
After some discussion, they had decided to follow Bai Kun’s instructions and deliver that Brocade Bag to Jun Bufan.
However, the Demon World was currently in great turmoil, with unrest everywhere.
So the two had decided to first observe from outside the Quelling Chaos King’s residence, waiting for a suitable moment to meet Jun Bufan and hand over the item.
Hearing Bai Lian’er’s words, Bai Hua nodded as well.
Since arriving in the Demon World, Bai Lian’er had been the one making most of the decisions; he was only occasionally responsible for divination and deduction.
“Lian’er-jie, look to the east—that’s Gu... Gu Changge!”
“Why would he come here?!”
Just then, Bai Hua’s voice rang out, trembling slightly and filled with immense terror, causing Bai Lian’er—who had been watching the Quelling Chaos King’s residence—to withdraw her gaze and look in the direction Bai Hua indicated.
She saw a man dressed in black robes, tall and straight of figure, radiant as a young god, walking over surrounded by a host of powerful experts.
All the Cultivators and beings near the street, in shock and awe, scrambled out of the way, not daring to block his path.
Bai Lian’er’s pupils couldn’t help but contract.
“What do we do, Lian’er-jie? Why would Gu Changge suddenly appear here?”
Bai Hua’s voice carried uncontrollable fear and trembling.
In this world, the person he feared most, the person he least wanted to see, was absolutely Gu Changge.
“Don’t panic. Calm down first, and don’t show any abnormality.”
“Gu Changge appearing here most likely means he intends to investigate the Quelling Chaos King’s residence. It has nothing to do with us. Don’t be nervous—don’t scare yourself.”
Bai Lian’er quickly calmed down and spoke coolly.
Over the years, running the Nephrite Breeze Pavilion from behind the scenes, she had weathered all manner of storms; her mental fortitude was formidable.
In her view, there was no way Gu Changge could know she was here.
So in all likelihood, he was merely passing through, his true destination being the Quelling Chaos King’s residence.