The Matter Is Settled, No Denying the Craving for His Source
The Matter Is Settled, No Denying the Craving for His Source
The First Mountain Elder was dressed in white robes, his face lean and refined. Though he was blind, he carried an immortal bearing and Daoist bone, exuding an air of transcendent Daoist charm.
He had once founded the Nine Great Mountains and forged the Celestial Seal of the Nine Mountains, a Supreme Treasure of Fortuity.
As the person with the deepest cultivation in the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains today, and also the one who had lived the longest, his strength was naturally unimaginable—it could only be described as unfathomable.
Back then, the First Mountain Elder had even joined the Ancestor of Wind and others in the Heavenly Dao Authority War, attempting to seize the Heavenly Dao Authority.
Although he had suffered heavy damage in that battle and his cultivation was no longer at its peak, so many years had passed that even if he could not stand within the Immortal Realm, he was not far from that level.
Within the vast Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains, finding anyone who could rival the First Mountain Elder was now practically impossible.
Even in the current Beyond, the First Mountain Elder ranked among the very best, standing at the absolute pinnacle.
That was why Gu Changge had been so cautious, using Luo Feng, the Second Mountain Elder, and the others as bait, waiting for him to enter the net, seeking to capture and slay the First Mountain Elder.
Judging by the current situation, his plan had been a great success.
No matter how shrewd and calculating the First Mountain Elder was, he never imagined that this trap had been laid by Gu Changge specifically for him.
The target of this Hongmen Banquet was none other than the First Mountain Elder!!
In Gu Changge’s eyes, all the other clans of the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains were far less important than taking down the First Mountain Elder.
“Qianbei is so cautious—if I didn’t put in some effort, how could I possibly kill you?” Gu Changge said, a faint smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.
“Are you so certain that this handful of people can kill me?”
A terrifying aura surged from the First Mountain Elder’s body, like an endless volcano about to erupt, and his expression darkened involuntarily.
Although he still didn’t know the details of how Gu Changge had schemed against him and lured him into this trap of his own accord,
at this point, if he didn’t flee, he might well be left here today—his very life could be in danger.
“And how is Qianbei so certain that I can’t kill you?”
Gu Changge still smiled faintly, his expression calm and breezy, as if he didn’t take the matter to heart at all.
Seeing his demeanor, the First Mountain Elder’s heart sank once more.
Gu Changge was the first person he had ever found impossible to read, and the words he spoke now only left him more uncertain.
“Well played, Gu Changge. This old man admits he has fallen into your trap. But this old man wishes to know—how did you scheme against me, without me detecting the slightest flaw?”
At this point, the First Mountain Elder seemed somewhat unwilling and resigned, and he sighed as he asked.
This was the greatest doubt in his heart.
Otherwise, given his level of caution, there was no way he could have fallen for the scheme. He could only say that Gu Changge’s methods were truly brilliant—even racking his brains, he couldn’t figure out which step had gone wrong.
“Could it be that among these people, there is a chess piece of yours?”
Suddenly, a flash of insight struck his mind. He swept his gaze over Xiao Yang, Gu Wudi, and the others, his tone carrying a trace of coldness.
Looking at it now, apart from this possibility, there was no other explanation.
Hearing these words, Xiao Yang and the others felt their hearts jolt, and they all began eyeing the people around them with suspicion and scrutiny.
If the First Mountain Elder hadn’t said it, fine—but once he did, they couldn’t help but wonder whether a traitor had emerged among them.
“As expected of the First Mountain Elder, you saw through it so quickly.”
“This junior is impressed.”
Hearing this, Gu Changge’s expression didn’t change in the slightest. He still smiled faintly, unsurprised.
And the moment his words fell—
Pu!!
Blood splattered, dazzlingly bright, accompanied by a muffled groan.
Xiao Yang’s eyes went wide, his face deathly pale. He stared in disbelief at Gu Wudi beside him, clutching his chest tightly. He never imagined that at this moment, Gu Wudi would actually strike at him.
The others were equally shocked by this scene, their bodies going cold, frozen in place. They never imagined that Gu Wudi, the Chosen One of the Nine Great Mountains, would suddenly strike to kill—and with such cold-blooded ruthlessness, showing no mercy whatsoever, wishing he could end Xiao Yang’s life with a single blow.
“You...”
“Gu Wudi, you...”
Xiao Yang’s face turned pale from blood loss.
Endless fury and hatred surged in his eyes, but the terrifying pain left him unable to speak, his voice trembling.
Xiao Yang never imagined that Gu Wudi, who had shared his hardships all this time, was actually a hidden piece Gu Changge had planted beside him, striking at him today.
That feeling of betrayal filled his heart with boundless rage and hatred.
In his heart, he had been on the verge of forgiving Gu Wudi for his past disrespect toward his Eldest Shijie.
“I’ve put up with you for a long time. If I weren’t worried about ruining Gongzi’s plan, I would have killed you long ago.”
At this moment, Gu Wudi’s face was utterly cold, his words merciless, filled with icy killing intent.
Combined with the blood-stained artifact in his hand, it was enough to make one tremble, struck with fear and dread.
As a being of the Sacred Emperor Realm, if Xiao Yang hadn’t possessed a protective treasure that had just offset that blow, he would likely already be dead, his Dao extinguished.
Among everyone present, if there was anyone unsurprised by this, it was the Second Mountain Elder, bound in chains.
But right now, his senses were sealed off—even knowing the truth, he couldn’t possibly speak up to warn Xiao Yang.
This filled his heart with grief; he had never wanted Xiao Yang to risk coming to rescue him.
“Your departure from the Nine Great Mountains... was also part of Gu Changge’s plan...”
Hearing these words, blood once again spilled from Xiao Yang’s mouth. His voice trembled, unable to believe it.
If that was the case, then from the moment he left the Nine Great Mountains, every move and action he made had actually been under Gu Changge’s control.
He himself had simply been completely unaware of it.
“Laughable. Did you really think, you fool, that I genuinely wanted to be on good terms with you? It was all just Gongzi’s orders.”
Gu Wudi’s face held undisguised sneering mockery.
“This old man miscalculated. I never imagined it would be you...”
The First Mountain Elder hadn’t expected Gu Wudi to be a hidden piece Gu Changge had laid long ago. His expression turned somewhat ugly, but he quickly recovered and sighed.
“If the First Mountain Elder knows what’s good for him, don’t try to resist. None of you are a match for Gongzi.”
Gu Wudi’s face showed not the slightest guilt. He sneered, filled with a sense of release.
After today, his mission would be complete, and he would no longer need to play along with Xiao Yang.
“You’ve worked hard during this time.” Gu Changge nodded slightly, a faint smile on his face.
“It was no hardship.”
“To serve Gongzi, I would walk through fire and boiling water—it is my honor.”
Gu Wudi spoke respectfully, stepping over to stand behind Gu Changge, utterly deferential and natural.
Though Xiao Yang and the others were filled with hatred and fury toward him, at this moment none dared make a move.
Everyone’s hearts were gripped by dread and anxiety. Whether they could escape with their lives today was still unknown—perhaps in a while, all of them would die miserably here.
“In that case, let’s see whether you can keep this old man here today.”
The First Mountain Elder’s face turned cold. He understood that a vicious battle today was unavoidable.
Since Gu Changge had laid an Inescapable Net, there was no way he would let him leave easily.
Boom!!
A terrifying, boundless aura erupted, like the Astral River bursting its banks, sweeping across the ages. Fortunately, this place contained its own space, long since inscribed with numerous runes, with formations set in place.
Otherwise, it would have been destroyed in the first instant, reduced to ashes.
“Kill!!”
The Bone Ancestor and the others all struck in unison, unleashing supreme laws and divine abilities that crushed down toward the First Mountain Elder, determined to keep him here.
Each of them seemed to stand within another world, their bodies shrouded in Grand Runes, their faces blurred, their auras profound and vast.
It could be said that the battle force assembled in this dungeon could easily sweep across the heavens, overwhelming the vast majority of the clans and legacies of the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains today.
Rumble!!
The terrifying commotion shook the eight directions, even spreading outward—the many sealing measures around them couldn’t fully contain it.
At this moment, all of Sky Deer City was shaken.
Countless Cultivators and living beings felt this fluctuation, their faces changing drastically, utterly terrified, their souls trembling, unable to stop themselves from bowing down in that direction.
“These methods are indeed beyond what an ordinary True Daoist could compare to. Unfortunately, you still haven’t reached that other realm.”
“So today, you will not escape.”
Gu Changge stood there in white robes, peerlessly handsome, transcendent and otherworldly, a smile on his face, the Dao of Chaos flickering in and out of visibility around him. He merely watched, in no hurry to act.
He did not deny his intense craving for the First Mountain Elder’s Source.
A powerhouse like this was exceedingly rare even in the current Beyond.
With such an opportunity before him, Gu Changge naturally would not let it slip away easily.
Soon, the place grew blurred, descending into chaos, all manner of rules and orders interweaving, cascading down like waterfalls.
In the course of this great battle, Gu Changge’s Dao resonated with those of the others, bursting forth with all kinds of Grand Runes, divine might vast and boundless, as if about to burst beyond the domain itself.
Standing amid it all, countless lights and shadows flashed through his eyes, as if he were personally witnessing the creation of a great world, the evolution of primordial chaos—like a sovereign ruler.
“Open for me!!”
The First Mountain Elder’s strength was heaven-defying. Knowing he faced many opponents, at this instant he roared in fury and unleashed a supreme technique. Behind him, Dao Flowers bloomed, within which strands of immortal light shone, and then several figures walked out from within.
The strength of these figures was terrifying—some didn’t even belong to this era, their clothing ancient, their weapons varied. For some unknown reason, the First Mountain Elder had borrowed them.
“Xiao Yang, come here!!”
At the same time, he roared, his large hand reaching out to seize Xiao Yang, who was trying to heal his wounds.
“First Mountain Elder...”
Xiao Yang was horrified. He felt his life force rapidly draining away, his entire body withering at speed, becoming skin and bones.
This filled him with terror and unease—why was the First Mountain Elder devouring his life force?
“This old man will borrow the bloodline of you and your sister.”
The First Mountain Elder offered no further explanation. His brow furrowed—feeling it wasn’t enough, his large hand reached out again, shattering the chains on Luo Ying’s body with a single strike and seizing her as well.
At this moment, dazzling cyan radiance surged from the bodies of Xiao Yang and Luo Ying, this pair of siblings. The radiance contained some mysterious power, transforming into mysterious runes one after another, finally pouring into the Dao Flowers behind the First Mountain Elder.
With this power infused, the figures walking out of his Dao Flowers became noticeably more terrifying and solid.
Even the Bone Ancestor now felt somewhat troubled, facing these figures head-on, shattering streak after streak of divine light of order with a wave of his hand.
Boom!
“The talent of the Family of Protectors?”
Gu Changge raised an eyebrow, stepping forward from where he stood, striking out with a palm toward a supreme figure charging at him. In an instant, it was as if boundless mountains and rivers were ground to dust, as if billions of star domains overturned.
Radiance surged, blindingly bright—no one could open their eyes.
This was the ultimate technique, being performed, being displayed.
Endless, dazzling radiance, like divine chains of rules, interwove here.
Blazing Grand Runes emerged in Gu Changge’s palm, as if they could illuminate this universe, as if Illuminating the Skies, sweeping across Sky Deer City.
Terrifying energy, accompanied by Daoist thunder-light, exploded all at once!
The sight was like heaven and earth splitting open, the Astral River flooding down, about to destroy all living beings.
Under the clash of such fluctuations, those living beings and Cultivators who had not reached the True Daoist realm
felt their very blood thundering, surging violently, their bones creaking, their legs going weak.
...........
Their bones and Physiques felt about to burst, and they couldn’t help wanting to kneel.
The next moment, the figure that had walked out shattered, turning into dust filling the sky, unable to hold out long before Gu Changge.
“Nothing but a cornered beast’s struggle.” Gu Changge’s eyes were cold as he strode forward, taking the initiative to charge at the First Mountain Elder.
The place was utter chaos, all manner of terrifyingly extreme radiance and order erupting—the slightest touch could annihilate a living being.
This great battle lasted a long time. It had to be said, the First Mountain Elder’s strength was immense, leaving many opponents coughing blood, heavily wounded.
But in the end, he had not returned to his peak. Facing the assault of numerous True Daoists, he gradually fell into a disadvantage, coughing blood and flying backward again and again.
Within the chaotic mist shrouding the surroundings, a figure struck, as if killing its way over from the dawn of creation itself, carrying terrifying killing intent, a palm slamming down onto the First Mountain Elder.
“Sister...”
In the aftermath of this blow, Luo Ying failed to resist in time, and the First Mountain Elder couldn’t protect her either—she exploded on the spot.
This made Xiao Yang’s eyes split with rage, his entire being frozen in a daze.
But at this point, the First Mountain Elder could barely protect himself—how could he protect the two siblings?
Chi!
However, just then, the First Mountain Elder, locked in battle with the Bone Ancestor and the others, suddenly changed expression, his scalp feeling like it would explode, his whole body going cold.
He sensed a terrifying aura rushing at him head-on, as if he were standing at the end of a withering epoch, about to freeze and crack the souls of all beings.
A peerless sword light, dark cyan, mingled with bloody killing intent, without any luster, yet seeming to pierce through the universe and starry sky in an instant, then boring toward his body.
This was peerless killing intent, capable of withering all things—unspeakably terrifying.
A yellow gourd appeared in Gu Changge’s hand, sword light bursting forth from within, capable of slaughtering all living things under heaven.
This was the might of the Immortal-Killing Gourd. After this period of nurturing, its power had clearly grown even more terrifying, rising to a whole new level.
Pu!!
The next moment, blood splattered—the First Mountain Elder was pierced through by this sword, his aura instantly withering.
Yet even then, enduring the pain, he still summoned an artifact, immortal light blazing upon it, even carrying a trace of Immortal Realm charm, attempting to grievously wound Gu Changge.
Boom!!
Gu Changge’s gaze turned icy in an instant. With a raise of his palm, a black-and-white interwoven Daoist diagram emerged, upon which the Principles of Reincarnation boiled like an ocean, brimming with endless vitality, blocking directly before him.
This was the Supreme Treasure of the Supreme Cave Heaven—the Supreme Dao Diagram, combining offense and defense in one.
But under the First Mountain Elder’s hateful strike, it still shook violently, nearly being broken through—a testament to how terrifying his strength was.
Gu Changge’s gaze was deep and dark. He suppressed the urge to bring out his other methods. At this point, everything was already settled.
All of this was over.
The others seized the opportunity as well, unleashing all manner of rules and orders, terrifying to the extreme, shaking this corner of the cosmos, directly engulfing the First Mountain Elder.
“To think this old man roamed unchallenged for countless years, only to meet his calamity here today...”
“Falling at the hands of a junior.”
The First Mountain Elder’s body burst apart. He coughed blood continuously, his aura withered, laughing miserably.
Seal the Heaven and Earth—the void within a million miles was locked down. Today, he had nowhere left to run!