Comparable to a Second Life, the Final Harvest
Comparable to a Second Life, the Final Harvest
The great battle was over, without any surprises.
Even though the First Mountain Elder’s strength was heaven-defying, making him the being closest to the Immortal Realm in this world today,
under the combined siege of numerous True Daoists, he was still defeated and fell.
Accompanied by a furious roar that shook heaven and earth,
unimaginable fissures split open across this place, and a rain of blood burst forth.
The many inscribed runes were ground away, and this underground prison completely collapsed, its vast shockwaves sweeping through all of Sky Deer City.
Countless living beings and Cultivators trembled beneath this aura, unable to keep from prostrating themselves, their very souls seemingly about to freeze and crack.
A torrential rain of blood appeared between heaven and earth. Even in the night, it was unmistakably clear, illuminating the sky for a million miles in every direction.
This was heaven and earth reacting—the phenomenon of a supreme being’s fall.
At this moment, whether in the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains or in the distant Beyond, many powerful figures felt it in their hearts and could not help but gaze over from afar.
“In countless years, this is the first time I’ve felt such a disturbance...”
“It seems the one who died was no simple Cultivator.”
Someone gazed over from a distant universe, unable to help but sigh.
Although the dungeon contained its own internal space, it was still mostly destroyed in this battle.
This space had originally been refined by Gu Changge using a certain secret treasure, and it even contained several fragmented universes within.
Now even those universes had been pierced through, filled with vast and chaotic energy. Any ordinary being who stepped inside would instantly explode into dust.
“Young Master, how should we deal with the First Mountain Elder’s accomplices?”
“They’re all outside the dungeon, and they’ve all been captured.”
After the battle, the Bone Ancestor and the others all bore injuries, but wounds of this degree meant little to existences of their level.
At this moment, they had brought over the First Mountain Elder’s many accomplices and asked respectfully.
The vast majority of these accomplices were members of the other Three War God Clans. The strongest among them was at the True Daoist level, and the cultivation of the rest was not weak either.
“Lock them up for now. As for how to deal with them, I’ll decide later.”
Gu Changge swept his gaze over the group and spoke indifferently.
With the First Mountain Elder dead, the faces of these people were filled with despair and terror.
In their hearts, the First Mountain Elder had been an invincible existence, his cultivation peerless—the very last hope of the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains.
But now, even that hope had been shattered before their eyes, dying a miserable death in this place.
How could this not leave them in despair?
Gu Changge truly had no mind to deal with this group right now.
Although the First Mountain Elder had fallen, much of his life Source had scattered throughout this dungeon space.
When he had set this place up, his choice to arrange it with a Space Artifact had been made with precisely this purpose in mind.
Then, with a roll of his sleeve, he took in this entire space.
As for the scattered life Source within, he planned to refine and devour it when he had the time.
“At this rate, I should be able to step into the peak of the Quasi-Nirvana Realm, just one step away from the threshold of Nirvana.”
Gu Changge pondered inwardly, then strode away from this place.
For Sky Deer City, tonight was destined to be a sleepless night.
Whether the beings of the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains or the Cultivators of the Beyond, all felt as if they were facing a cataclysm, utterly terrified.
A battle of that level—even a single wisp of its aftershock was enough to destroy heaven and earth.
Though they didn’t know what had happened, they could vaguely guess a thing or two, and they trembled without end.
The people of the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains, in particular, were seized with dread and unease.
In their view, for something like this to happen in Sky Deer City, it was clearly inseparable from the True Daoists of the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains.
At this critical juncture, when the two worlds were negotiating the Peace Treaty, wasn’t something like this courting death?
Many even connected it to Fairy Qingyue’s earlier assassination attempt on Gu Changge, thinking that perhaps the True Daoists of the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains had tried to assassinate Gu Changge.
Otherwise, how could such a terrifying clash have erupted?
In short, speculation ran wild, and opinions varied.
But soon, the true news spread.
Many people froze on the spot at once, eyes wide with disbelief.
“The First Mountain Elder broke the agreement and secretly went to rescue the Second Mountain Elder and the others, only to be forcibly suppressed and killed in the dungeon...”
“The First Mountain Elder has fallen. So that phenomenon was caused by the First Mountain Elder’s death...”
The people of the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains were dumbstruck.
The moment they heard this news, their entire bodies trembled with terror, frightened to the extreme.
They had never imagined that the First Mountain Elder would break the agreement and secretly go to rescue the Second Mountain Elder and the others, only to be suppressed and killed by experts sent by Gu Changge.
The sensation this news caused was too horrifying, like a bolt from the blue. Many couldn’t even believe it.
What kind of existence was the First Mountain Elder?
He had existed since the very birth of the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains, had never fallen, stood aloof and above all, his Dao attainments unfathomable.
He was the backbone of the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains today, the anchor of reassurance in the eyes of countless Cultivators and beings.
How could he have fallen?
Carrying such emotions of terror, unease, and doubt,
the leaders of the great clans, as well as the Domain Masters and Wasteland Masters, arrived early the next morning at the previously agreed-upon Sky Deer Divine Hall to decide the matter of the Peace Treaty.
No one had found peace that night; their hearts were full of unease and fear.
Even inside the divine hall, they sat restlessly, waiting in extreme apprehension for Gu Changge’s arrival.
“It seems the Great Cloud Domain Master truly had foresight, choosing to surrender a step ahead of everyone. I just wonder whether we’ll have such an opportunity today.”
“Judging from last night’s phenomenon, the likelihood of the First Mountain Elder’s fall is very high...”
The many Wasteland Masters and Domain Masters discussed in low voices, incomparably anxious and tense. In all their countless years of cultivation, this was the first time they had felt such emotions.
It was as if they were awaiting judgment, their lives and deaths to be decided.
Previously, they had dared to haggle with Gu Changge because of the First Mountain Elder.
Now that the First Mountain Elder had fallen, they naturally no longer had the courage to negotiate terms with Gu Changge.
Looking at it now, the only option was to choose submission and allegiance.
Finally, under everyone’s uneasy and tense gazes, Gu Changge appeared outside the great hall and walked in.
“Young Master Changge, regarding this Peace Treaty, we have discussed it thoroughly over these three days.”
“We understand your kind intentions, so we have unanimously decided to sign this Peace Treaty and bring an early end to this calamitous war.”
Several Wasteland Masters spoke first, their expressions carrying reverence and awe.
With someone taking the lead, the rest exchanged glances, sighed inwardly, and made the same decision.
“It seems you are all smart people. I have always appreciated smart people.”
Gu Changge wore a smile and nodded slightly.
He was not surprised by their decision. At a time like this, anyone whose brain wasn’t broken would understand what to choose.
Unless they truly wanted to follow in the First Mountain Elder’s footsteps, or be exterminated like the other War God Clans.
And the most important thing was the matter of the First Mountain Elder’s death.
As the last hope of the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains, once the First Mountain Elder died, wouldn’t the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains become a heap of loose sand? Where would they find the courage to resist?
“Young Master Changge flatters us. From this day forth, we are willing to submit to the Longevity Gu Family and serve you like dogs and horses.”
Seeing this, the leaders of the great clans declared their loyalty one after another.
Whether these words came from the heart or not, at a time like this, they had to show their intent to submit.
“In that case, you’ve saved me quite a bit of trouble.”
Gu Changge smiled faintly, then directly had people go draft the contents of the treaty.
After all, it would be bound by a Dao Heart Oath—at a time like this, no one dared lightly violate such an oath.
Except for him, of course.
This so-called Peace Treaty would certainly not involve only the Longevity Gu Family.
The other Cults of Immortality and Supreme Dao Lineages would not pass up such a good opportunity; they all wanted a share of the spoils.
The Longevity Gu Family could not possibly monopolize the vast Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains alone.
However, Gu Changge would take the biggest share. As for how the remaining portions were divided among the other Dao Lineages and powers, that was their business.
After settling the matter of the Peace Treaty, Gu Changge turned his attention to Luo Feng and Xiao Yang, the two Fortuitous Ones.
Although Luo Feng still had a wisp of his soul remaining, he was now little different from a living dead man.
So Gu Changge didn’t hesitate much and harvested him first. Besides obtaining a large sum of Fortuity points and Fatums,
this time’s Heavenly Gift Treasure Chest yielded something that surprised him somewhat.
A Symbol of Epoch!
From the outside, it was a cluster of light shrouded in hazy golden mist, exuding a profound and vast aura.
There was also an ancient, weathered charm flowing and interweaving within it, and faintly, fragments of time could be seen emerging.
An incomparably mysterious river flowed through all the worlds of the heavens.
In Gu Changge’s Knowledge Sea, there were already two Symbols of Reincarnation serving as life-saving measures.
This Symbol of Epoch clearly differed greatly in function from the Symbols of Reincarnation, but both shared the same ingenious purpose of preserving one’s life.
The reason Luo Feng had been able to survive the battle of the Heaven Theft could be credited in no small part to the Symbol of Epoch he had condensed.
For the Symbol of Epoch condensed all the traces of a Cultivator’s entire life, involving birth, aging and death, reincarnation, and many other profound mysteries.
In a certain sense, it was even comparable to a Cultivator’s second life.
However, Gu Changge knew that the mysteries of the Symbol of Epoch went far beyond just this.
Compared to the Symbol of Epoch that burst out of Luo Feng, what came out of the other Fortuitous One, Xiao Yang, was much simpler.
“Summoning Altar...”
“It can summon Ancestral Heroic Spirits through karmic links such as bloodlines...”
With Gu Changge’s current strength, he didn’t really need such a chicken-rib item.
Still, he kept it, intending to use it as a hidden trump card.
Perhaps one day, if he encountered an unbeatable opponent, he could try summoning the heroic spirit of the Gu Family’s Founding Ancestor.
As for the Fatums and Fortuity points obtained this time, Gu Changge, without exception, exchanged them all for Absolute Detachment bones.
Now, throughout his entire body, he had over two hundred Absolute Detachment bones.
His comprehension of the many rules of the Great Dao even far surpassed that of ordinary True Daoists...
As for this Peace Treaty, it was jointly signed by the most powerful and ancient clans of the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains, along with the Domain Masters and Wasteland Masters of the various domains.
The many Beyond Dao Lineages and powers that had participated in this campaign against the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains naturally also got their share at the first opportunity.
This news quickly spread from Sky Deer City throughout the entire Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains, stirring enormous waves.
Countless Cultivators and beings were shaken.
Some rejoiced while others grieved, and naturally there were those who cursed in rage, feeling that the clans who signed this Peace Treaty were cowardly and servile, groveling to become the running dogs and slaves of the Beyond.
But all in all, this calamitous war that had swept through the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains finally came to an end with this Peace Treaty.
The emotions of the billions upon billions of beings and Cultivators of the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains were complicated—both relieved and unreconciled.
But even the First Mountain Elder had died miserably within Sky Deer City, shattering their last hope.
Even if they were unreconciled, what could they do?
This had been a war without any suspense from the very start.
At the same time, the various Dao Lineages and powers of the Beyond seized this opportunity to send their clansmen in droves to search all over the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains, hoping to find that legendary item.
Conquering the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains was merely one step in their plan.
In their view, if they couldn’t find that item, conquering the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains would be meaningless.
After all, the ultimate goal of every Dao Lineage and power was to take that step toward the Immortal Realm.
However, apart from some of the Gu Family’s upper echelons, no one knew that after annihilating the Blood Dragon War God Clan, Gu Changge had obtained a mysterious divine tree.
The Tree of Epoch was currently hidden by Gu Changge within his Inner Universe, waiting for its fruit to ripen.
Before he himself touched the Immortal Realm, Gu Changge had no intention of exposing the Tree of Epoch’s existence.
Revealing it prematurely would only bring him unnecessary trouble, and besides, he was still very far from the Immortal Realm.
In the time that followed, Gu Changge arranged for Gu Family clansmen to take over affairs in the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains while refining and devouring the True Daoist Source obtained from this great battle to raise his cultivation.
Sky Deer City was under the Sky Deer Goddess’s control. Although he was at ease with that, he still needed to send some clansmen over to keep watch.
In the eyes of outsiders, the Sky Deer Goddess was his person, so naturally no one dared have any objections.
Of course, to the many clansmen and subordinates who had rendered meritorious service in this great battle, Gu Changge rewarded each according to their contributions, bestowing quite a few things. Even Gu Wudi received an extraordinary Quasi-Nirvana Grade Artifact, leaving him somewhat overwhelmed by the favor.
Next, the entire Bone Clan had their criminal status washed away, restoring their ancient status as a subservient clan of the Longevity Gu Family, and returned to their ancestral lands.
In this great war against the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains, Gu Changge’s might and prestige had also reached an unimaginable level.
Quite a few clan elders were suggesting that after he returned to the family, he could try gradually taking over the entire Longevity Gu Family.
That way, his father Gu Lintian could also focus on cultivation and devote more of his time to it.
However, quite a few clan elders felt this was inappropriate, worrying that if Gu Changge assumed the position of family head, it would cut into his cultivation time—not that they worried he would lead the family astray.
Gu Changge had already proven everything with his ability.
There would be no problems whatsoever with him taking over the Longevity Gu Family.
Rather, because of his age, everyone felt that having Gu Changge take over the Longevity Gu Family so early would distract him.
Gu Changge should spend more of his time on cultivation.
After all, his peers were all shining brilliantly in this golden age, contending and vying for supremacy, trying every means possible to raise their cultivation.
Regarding this matter, Gu Changge actually didn’t care much.
Given his current might and status, whether he took over the Longevity Gu Family or not made no real difference.
The many clan elders who had once been quite wary of him were now respectful and deferential before him, seeking his opinions and suggestions on many matters.
Let alone the various Cults of Immortality and Supreme Dao Lineages of the outside world.
“Though I did hear that Mingkong has taken over the Unrivaled Celestial Dynasty during this time, and in the struggle for power, she defeated many imperial uncles of the older generation, being honored as Empress Mingkong...”
Gu Changge smiled faintly, a trace of interest in his eyes as he suddenly brought up the matter.
“Changge is right. Although Mingkong didn’t participate in this battle, during this time she has firmly grasped the vast majority of the Unrivaled Celestial Dynasty’s authority in her hands.”
“Once you two husband and wife are married and join forces, the entire Beyond will likely tremble in fear.”
Hearing this, the clan elder before him also smiled slightly, extremely satisfied with this prospective daughter-in-law of the Gu Family.
“As the publicly acknowledged foremost Celestial Dynasty of the Beyond today, the Unrivaled Celestial Dynasty’s existence can be traced back to before the Forbidden Epoch... For Mingkong to achieve this much is naturally no small feat.”
Gu Changge nodded, a trace of amusement in his eyes.
What he was thinking about was another matter. Of the Seven Tools of World Domination, apart from the Sword of World Domination, the other six were now in his and Yue Mingkong’s hands.
Although he hadn’t paid attention to the Sword of World Domination during this time, Yue Mingkong surely hadn’t been idle—she was probably already scheming toward that end.