I Want to See Your Current Value — Is Your Heart Made of Iron and Stone?

“Young Master Changge, rest assured. From beginning to end, I have never harbored the slightest ill intent toward Xianer.”

Within the grand and empty great hall, An Yan’s complexion was slightly pale, though she still maintained her composure.

She knew Gu Changge’s purpose in keeping her behind alone.

This made her somewhat nervous. A person’s reputation precedes them like a tree’s shadow — she believed there were few people in this world who could be alone with Gu Changge without feeling nervous.

Not to mention, she had her own little schemes in mind, leaving her somewhat uneasy.

“Then what is your purpose in getting close to Xianer?”

Hearing this, Gu Changge merely smiled faintly, without turning his head back.

“I...”

An Yan’s expression faltered slightly. She knew this kind of thing could never be hidden from Gu Changge’s eyes.

She could disguise herself flawlessly before others — innocent, radiant, pure, and harmless.

But in the eyes of an existence like Gu Changge, such a disguise was clearly useless.

“You don’t want to say?”

Gu Changge’s tone remained casual and indifferent, without much change.

Yet it made cold sweat break out on An Yan’s forehead.

Her delicate hands clenched tightly. Suddenly mustering her courage, she raised her head, stared at Gu Changge’s back, and said, “Because I wanted to use Xianer to get close to you, Young Master Changge. I harbor no ill intent toward Xianer whatsoever, and I am also very willing to befriend someone like her.”

“Oh, is that so?”

Gu Changge’s face still wore that faint expression, seemingly unsurprised. However, An Yan’s frankness did surprise him somewhat — he had expected her to take the opportunity to argue and make excuses.

Of course, this was fine too. It showed she was a smart person, not as simple as the rumors claimed.

That harmless appearance before others was, it seemed, all an act.

At this point, Gu Changge suddenly narrowed his eyes, growing somewhat interested. In other words, for these past twenty-plus years, An Yan had been disguising herself, lying low, treading carefully...

And she was also an elder sister — no, a legitimate eldest daughter — whose mother had died for unknown reasons, with a father who paid her no heed.

This kind of background template seemed somewhat familiar.

“Yes. My getting close to Xianer was, in large part, to get close to you, Young Master Changge.”

“I harbor ulterior motives toward you, Young Master Changge — the same as other women, attempting to climb up by attaching myself to the powerful, wanting to possess greater and greater authority.” An Yan raised her head, staring straight at Gu Changge’s back as she spoke.

She was very smart, which was why she had tread carefully all these years, hiding her talents and biding her time, even using a pure and harmless exterior to disguise herself, thereby greatly reducing how threatening she appeared in others’ eyes.

So An Yan could also see that if she lied in front of Gu Changge, it would absolutely provoke his displeasure. Before him, the best approach was to honestly confess everything, without harboring any thought of concealment.

“Unfortunately, your method is wrong.”

Gu Changge said indifferently, “Even if you get close to me, I have no interest in you whatsoever.”

In An Yan, he actually saw a shadow of Ji Qingxuan.

An Yan was not surprised by Gu Changge’s words, yet she refused to give up in the slightest.

“I know. Whether it’s my status and power, or my cultivation and looks, none of it can catch your eye, Young Master.”

She gritted her teeth and continued.

She had finally encountered such an opportunity — she didn’t want to miss it, much less give up.

“Oh? Then you still try to get close to me?”

Gu Changge raised an eyebrow, turned his head back, and carefully looked her over.

In terms of appearance, her features were exquisite, her figure stunning — truly a rare beauty of national-toppling caliber.

But this clearly had no effect on him whatsoever.

Then he probed An Yan’s Fortuity points. They looked merely average — she couldn’t even be called someone of great Fortuity, let alone a Daughter of Fortuity.

Could it be that his guess was wrong?

“If I don’t do this, then I will never have a chance to turn my life around.”

An Yan’s expression dimmed slightly, then she gritted her teeth and spoke with resolve, the depths of her eyes holding a firm determination that would shake any cultivator’s heart.

Before this, she had actually considered many possible scenarios of meeting Gu Changge.

But she never imagined it would be today’s situation, facing Gu Changge like this — all her prior preparations had come to nothing.

“What a fine ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Dao Heart indeed.”

Gu Changge’s face showed some interest. Just now, he had personally witnessed An Yan’s Fortuity points increase considerably due to some unknowable reason.

So in other words, she was actually the kind of... Daughter of Fortuity who had yet to truly take shape?

Currently still in the process of accumulating Fortuity?

Thinking of it this way, he grew somewhat interested, wanting to see just how far An Yan could go.

“If my Dao Heart weren’t firm, I’m afraid I would have collapsed long ago.”

A bitter smile appeared at the corner of An Yan’s mouth. Then her expression grew somewhat solemn as she said, “Actually, there is one matter I wish to report to you, Young Master Changge.”

“What matter?”

Gu Changge’s gaze fell upon her face, and a strange sensation suddenly arose in his heart.

At his realm, his reach extended boundlessly, beyond all measure.

Sometimes, in a single thought, he could sense certain faint, hidden threads of karma.

It seemed the matter An Yan was about to speak of was perhaps related to him.

“It concerns my elder sister, An Xi. Some time ago, at her secluded cultivation grounds, she rescued a strange man.”

“Once, I happened to overhear her conversation with that strange man...” An Yan laid everything out truthfully, without the slightest concealment.

This matter had actually occurred not long ago.

At that time, the Beyond had not yet begun its invasion of the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains, and news of the Boundary Marker Sea drying up had not yet spread.

Her sister An Xi, due to her cultivation technique, did not conduct her usual secluded cultivation within the clan, but rather in a Peach Blossom Village in some small nation.

That Peach Blossom Village was cut off from the world, having had no contact with the outside for nearly ten thousand years — a span of a hundred generations. So Peach Blossom Village was very peaceful, almost undisturbed by the outside world, with only a slow-flowing stream connecting it in all directions.

And one day, her sister An Xi’s maid discovered in that slow stream an unconscious man who had drifted down from afar along the river.

That man seemed to have suffered very heavy injuries before, having drifted alone in the river for a long time in a comatose state.

Yet strangely, there were no wounds on his body — it was more as if the injuries he had previously suffered had already healed on their own.

Moreover, in those great marshes and rivers, fierce beasts were numerous; even cultivators dared not drift through them alone, for fear of losing their lives. Yet that man clearly had no cultivation, and still no fierce beast dared approach him.

This discovery led An Xi to suspect that this strange man possessed some kind of heavy treasure or special physique, so she rescued him.

Hearing this, Gu Changge had already guessed who An Xi had rescued.

Back then, outside the Vermilion Bird Empire, he had sent his subordinates to hunt down Jiang Chen, Niu Tian, and the others who had crossed over from the Overworld. In the end, only Jiang Chen and Niu Tian escaped.

Although this was deliberate on his part...

He truly hadn’t expected Niu Tian to give him such a pleasant surprise.

As for Jiang Chen, the Fortuitous One reincarnated from the Artifact Spirit of the Celestial Boat of Creation, that went without saying.

“That strange man remained unconscious the whole time. He was then brought back to the clan by my sister, who found spirit physicians to wake him. After an examination, they discovered he possesses the Hidden Celestial Bloodline.”

“From that strange man’s mouth, my sister learned of the enmity between him and you, Young Master Changge.” An Yan continued, glancing at Gu Changge. Seeing his expression showed little change, she couldn’t help but feel somewhat apprehensive.

These matters were actually all insignificant. What truly made her feel her sister An Xi was courting death was that, even after clearly learning of the enmity between that strange man and Gu Changge...

Not only did she not capture him, she instead aided his cultivation, intending to make him serve her in the future.

The Hidden Celestial Bloodline was actually not a simple bloodline, but a mysterious physique — though no one knew exactly what kind of physique it was.

In the Beyond, there were many rumors about the Hidden Celestial Bloodline. It was said that when this physique reached completion, one could possess the power of an Immortal — though not a true Immortal, one could still challenge an Immortal.

That was why it was called the Hidden Celestial Bloodline.

Of course, cultivators possessing ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠this bloodline were exceedingly few in number.

And the cost of nurturing one was truly terrifying, always counted in massive quantities.

Throughout the countless aeons of the Beyond’s existence, only a handful had ever appeared.

As for why her clan understood this matter so deeply — it was because one of the ancestors of the Hidden An Clan was precisely one of those who possessed the Hidden Celestial Bloodline.

“The Hidden Celestial Bloodline, of all things. Had I known, I wouldn’t have let him go back then.”

After listening, Gu Changge’s face showed a faint smile; he wasn’t particularly concerned.

At most, what surprised him slightly was that he had been blind at the time, failing to see through Niu Tian’s bloodline.

However, regarding this matter, he had actually laid a backup plan back then. The Common Knowledge Fruits that Niu Tian and the others had eaten were not so simple.

If Gu Changge wanted to use that to find his location, it actually wouldn’t be difficult.

“This is everything I know about my sister and that strange man, without the slightest concealment.”

Seeing Gu Changge’s unsurprised expression, An Yan felt somewhat puzzled.

“I understand. So you want me to help you deal with your sister, is that it?”

Gu Changge nodded, his gaze falling once more on An Yan’s face, speaking with some interest.

An Yan’s thoughts were easy for him to guess. Within a great clan like the Hidden An Clan, the internal struggle for succession was actually quite severe.

An Yan’s current position was very awkward. If she wanted to win the succession struggle, she needed the support of another force.

In her view, An Xi was courting death — knowing full well it would offend him, she still took Niu Tian in, so he would surely not let An Xi off.

Therefore, whether in terms of power or in terms of justification for acting, he was the most suitable candidate.

“Does Young Master Changge not care about An Xi’s actions?” An Yan asked somewhat apprehensively.

This was naturally her goal. But judging from Gu Changge’s expression, she wasn’t entirely sure.

If Gu Changge could stand on her side, then her situation within the clan would absolutely undergo an enormous reversal.

The various clan elders would no longer dare to look down on her because of this, nor treat her as inconsequential as they had before.

She could also gradually gain some voice within the Hidden An Clan and take back what belonged to her.

“You seem to have overestimated your sister’s capabilities. Do you think the Hidden An Clan would dare, for the sake of a man of unknown origins...”

“Especially since he’s merely a Hidden Celestial Bloodline who hasn’t even grown up yet—would your clan really offend me over him?”

“How many resources would it take for him to mature? Is that deal even worth it?”

Gu Changge merely smiled faintly, not believing the Hidden An Clan would offend him over Niu Tian.

Hearing this, An Yan froze. In truth, she had considered this point before.

But the current Hidden An Clan was already under her sister An Xi’s control. In many matters, her sister’s decision was the decision of the entire Hidden An Clan.

If the entire Hidden An Clan were to offend Gu Changge over a man of unknown origins, even her sister wouldn’t dare do it.

“I understand. I was overthinking it.”

The light in An Yan’s eyes dimmed. If Gu Changge wished it, a single word from him could probably make the Hidden An Clan hand over Niu Tian.

As for the grudge between her and her sister An Xi, Gu Changge had no need to intervene at all.

“Actually, if you want my help, it’s quite simple.”

“You just need to prove to me that you’re worth helping.”

Just as bitterness welled up in An Yan’s heart, Gu Changge’s voice rang out again, startling her.

She raised her head, her silver eyes brimming with intense joy.

“Worth?”

An Yan’s voice trembled slightly. She took a deep breath, calmed herself, and said, “If I take ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠control of the Hidden An Clan, then from then on, the entire clan, top to bottom, will follow Young Master Changge’s lead.”

“I, An Yan, am willing to serve you as a slave, attending you at your side.”

However, hearing this, Gu Changge frowned and shook his head. “You seem to have misunderstood what I meant by worth.”

What he asked An Yan to prove was her current worth, not her future worth.

An Yan quickly realized this too. She knew her words amounted to nothing more than empty promises, meaningless to Young Master Changge.

So after thinking for a moment, she said, “What I told Young Master Changge before isn’t everything.”

“I also know that she will soon go to our Ancestor’s resting place to retrieve the blood, to help that strange man cultivate.”

The blood An Yan spoke of was no ordinary An Clan blood—it was one of the three drops of True Blood left by that ancient Ancestor who possessed the Hidden Celestial Bloodline, incomparably precious.

It contained genuine Immortal Dao fragments.

Even a Sacred Emperor Realm being wouldn’t dare absorb it lightly, for it carried the risk of shattering one’s Spiritual Sea and Spiritual Palace.

Her sister intended to create another Hidden Celestial, and the price she was paying for it was enormous.

At this point, An Yan calmed down. Staring fixedly at Gu Changge, she said, “I will find a way to seize that drop of Ancestor’s True Blood for you, Young Master Changge.”

“Hidden Celestial Blood? That could work. I didn’t expect your clan to still have three drops of True Blood.”

Hearing this, Gu Changge gave her a meaningful look, then smiled. “However, one drop isn’t enough. I want all three drops of your clan’s Ancestor’s True Blood.”

Gu Changge was just worrying about lacking cultivation resources.

If all three drops of True Ancestor Blood contained Immortal Dao fragments, they could help him break through the threshold of the Chaotic Dao Realm.

To this demand, An Yan naturally agreed without hesitation.

The three drops of True Ancestor Blood were extremely precious to their clan. Even with her sister’s current authority, it had taken great effort to persuade the clan elders before they agreed to retrieve them.

However, over these years, she hadn’t been without her own arrangements.

Since Gu Changge wanted her to demonstrate her worth, An Yan was willing to risk exposing the disguise she had maintained all these years to seize that drop of True Ancestor Blood before her sister could.

Afterward, An Yan left the palace. Compared to before, she now carried an indescribable confidence about her.

That confidence came from having seized the opportunity placed right before her eyes.

As long as she could obtain Gu Changge’s help, her current disadvantageous situation would be instantly reversed. All these years of caution, disguise, and lying low would vanish like smoke.

The vast Hidden An Clan would fall into her hands.

“I do hope you give me a pleasant surprise, you not-yet-formed Daughter of Fortuity...”

Inside the palace, a faint smile lingered on Gu Changge’s face as he watched An Yan leave, only then withdrawing his gaze.

As for Niu Tian’s matter, even if An Yan hadn’t mentioned it, he would have dealt with it anyway.

Besides, he had been free-ranging that Fortuitous One Jiang Chen for quite some time now. Once this Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains affair was settled, it would be time to check how that leek was growing.

Then there was Xiao Ruoyin, the reincarnation of the High Priestess of Destiny who had come from the Lower Realm together with Jiang Chen, Niu Tian, and the others—she had shown no signs of her memories awakening. Gu Changge had ordered Yan Ji to keep close watch on Xiao Ruoyin’s condition, and every so often Yan Ji would report any changes in her.

This made Gu Changge suspect whether Xiao Ruoyin had been injured too severely back then, causing damage to her divine soul.

Otherwise, as the High Priestess of Destiny—one who commanded the Celestial Boat of Creation, could reverse the River of Time, and remained untouched by karma—how could her memories fail to awaken?

Or was she merely still merging, or hiding, such that Yan Ji hadn’t noticed? Gu Changge kept this in mind, planning to investigate personally after returning to the Beyond.

“In a few months, the Beyond’s army will storm Sky Deer City.”

“Are you not planning to do anything?”

Then, Gu Changge looked toward a certain patch of empty space behind him and smiled faintly.

The Sky Deer Goddess’s figure materialized from within—an immaculate white dress, a slender and graceful figure, smooth dark hair, and a cold, holy countenance.

“What can I even do now? I only hope that when Sky Deer City falls, Gongzi Gu will show mercy and spare lives.”

The Sky Deer Goddess’s expression was calm, her eyes serene. She knew that choosing to serve Gu Changge was no different from bargaining with a tiger—she had understood this long before.

So if Gu Changge simply didn’t care, paying no heed to Sky Deer City or her pleas, there was nothing she could do.

This was a gamble from the very start.

During this time, she had done everything in her power, and Gu Changge understood her sincerity.

The destruction of the great mountains and the crushing defeat of the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains’ army at the Aether Abyss—she had participated in all of it, playing a significant role.

But what Gu Changge truly thought in his heart, she couldn’t quite fathom.

So she could only gamble that, in the end, Gu Changge would be moved by her.

“Actually, the method is quite simple. You only need to show yourself and have Sky Deer City surrender. With your status, I’m sure it would carry considerable weight.”

“Don’t you want less bloodshed in Sky Deer City? This would work better than anything else.”

Gu Changge gently caressed her cheek, a faint smile on his face.

The Sky Deer Goddess pressed down on his hand, her eyes resting on his face as she said softly, “Gongzi Gu, you know this—the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains consist of far more than just Sky Deer City. If I were to show myself, I’m afraid it would only provoke greater fury and hatred from them. This war would become even more of a fight to the death.”

By now, Gu Changge no longer restricted her freedom.

If she wanted to, she could actually take this chance to return to Sky Deer City. But the Sky Deer Goddess did no such thing. Because doing so would only render all her previous efforts wasted, and it would be beyond saving anyway.

The Beyond was simply too powerful. In this war, the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains had no chance at all.

The Sky Deer Goddess knew Gu Changge understood this too, which was why he wasn’t worried about her escaping.

“Then that’s rather unfortunate. I could instruct those under me to spare lives where possible, but the other clans and Daoist traditions won’t necessarily listen to me.”

“There’s truly nothing I can do.”

Gu Changge sighed with some regret, his tone sounding quite wistful.

But the Sky Deer Goddess understood what Gu Changge meant, and her expression immediately grew complicated.

With Gu Changge’s current might, a single order from him could command all the armies of the Beyond.

How could there possibly be clans or Daoist traditions that wouldn’t obey him?

Him saying this was clearly meant to pressure her further.

“Gongzi Gu, is your heart made of stone?”

The Sky Deer Goddess lowered her eyes, her voice becoming unusually calm at this moment.

She had thought that during this time, her relationship with Gu Changge would have grown closer—the two of them were only a step away from consummating their union.

Yet he remained as cold and heartless as ever, no different from the very beginning.

“How can you say that?”

Gu Changge smiled, his expression unchanged, and gently pulled her into his embrace. “I’m only thinking of your future. Sooner or later, you’ll be exposed to the world. What identity will you stand before them with then?”

If she appeared before Sky Deer City fell, no matter what, it would be a tremendous blow to the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains.

Moreover, the Formation Core of Sky Deer City’s barrier was intimately tied to her. Gu Changge had indeed given Lin Wu half a year, but breaking the barrier outside Sky Deer City in the very first assault was clearly unlikely.

In that case, her appearance would serve as a signal to everyone inside Sky Deer City.

Even ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the Sky Deer Goddess had already surrendered to the Beyond—let alone the other ancient beings. After all, this world had never lacked cowards clinging to life, nor those riddled with suspicion.

“I understand.”

The Sky Deer Goddess lowered her eyes, her gaze like a lake without ripples. Leaning against Gu Changge’s chest, she neither agreed nor disagreed with his words.

She understood that Gu Changge had other plans.

Soon after, a major event that shook the many Daoist traditions and powers of the Beyond occurred.

Countless ancient beings felt their minds go boom, blank with shock, frozen in place, utterly unable to react.

The guardian deity of Sky Deer City of the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains—the Sky Deer Goddess—had actually appeared at Gu Changge’s side!

This news swept through like a hurricane, shaking everyone.

The sensation it caused was no different from a meteor crashing into the deep sea.

Before this, only the Immortal Gu Family knew of the matter, and even then only the upper echelons. Now, the Sky Deer Goddess had openly revealed herself, accompanying Gu Changge at his side. It left every cultivator—whether of the younger generation or ancient beings—collectively shaken, horrified, and unable to believe it.

To the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains, what kind of existence was the Sky Deer Goddess? Describing her as transcendent, revered, and noble beyond measure would not be an exaggeration in the slightest.

Moreover, she was Sky Deer City’s guardian deity. In an era past, she had stood before Sky Deer City and resisted the Beyond, slaying an accomplished Daoist of the Ancient Royal Families—her power was nothing short of terrifying.

How could she appear at Gu Changge’s side?

What did this mean?