The Fourth Princess of the Unrivaled Celestial Dynasty — One Glance That Ruined a Lifetime
The Fourth Princess of the Unrivaled Celestial Dynasty — One Glance That Ruined a Lifetime
“Changge, what a cruel heart you have...”
“I never thought the one who would kill me in the end would be you. The one I loved most and hated most — also you.”
Yue Mingkong gazed at the empty divine hall and couldn’t help but murmur as she closed her eyes.
There was a trace of tears at the corners of her eyes, but it quickly vanished. When she opened them again, there was only coldness.
Her voice was calm, steadying her own heart. This heart had ached for half a year; by now, she had grown used to it.
Yue Mingkong didn’t know why she had returned to three thousand years ago.
Half a year had passed since the day of her rebirth.
Yet in her mind, the day she and Gu Changge were wed kept surfacing again and again.
All realms resonated in harmony, the Dao’s music descended from the heavens, golden lotuses bloomed, and clear springs gushed from the earth.
She had worn her wedding dress, phoenix crown and rosy bridal cape, shy and timid, while he was handsome beyond compare, unmatched in all the world.
On their wedding night, she had gently raised her cup, and he had lifted his head to exchange toasts with her.
She had thought that after waiting for him so long, helping him build the number one Celestial Dynasty in the world, even nearly falling out with her own father for his sake, clearing him of suspicion as the Successor of Demonic Arts... after doing so much for him, they could finally reap the fruit of their devotion.
But she never expected that the wedding night she had waited three thousand years for would bring only his mocking words and cold, indifferent eyes.
Then came boundless darkness and heart-piercing pain.
She finally realized... the man she loved most had never once been moved, from beginning to end.
Everything he did was only for the greatest profit.
Especially that final attack on her — it was all a self-inflicted ruse to wash away the name of Successor of Demonic Arts.
All the blame was dumped onto her head.
And she had trusted him so completely, never once suspecting he could be the Successor of Demonic Arts.
Yue Mingkong only wanted to say one thing to her former self: how stupid you were, deceived and spun in circles by Gu Changge’s hypocritical facade.
A man like him simply had no heart at all.
Countless people in this world were deceived and toyed with in the palm of his hand without ever knowing it.
“Should I call you Gu Changge, or should I call you Gu Wuxin — Gu the Heartless? A man without a heart, cold and unfeeling. I waited for you three thousand years without complaint or regret, yet it couldn’t buy back even a single moment of your softness. Since the heavens have given me another chance, I will not repeat the same mistakes...”
Yue Mingkong’s expression gradually turned cold. She had matured so much. At this point in her previous life, she had still been utterly naive, too childish, almost obsessively infatuated with that nearly perfect man.
As a princess of the Unrivaled Celestial Dynasty, she had made her father lose all face.
But now, in just half a year, she had defeated every royal competitor — even her eldest brother had fallen to her today.
Such thunderous methods could be said to have broken every record since the Unrivaled Celestial Dynasty’s founding.
Even her father the Emperor, who had once been so disappointed in her, now praised her endlessly.
This was all thanks to living a second life. Her memories of her past life’s experiences were crystal clear, her schemes flawless at every step, leaving not the slightest flaw for anyone to find.
“In the end, I was nothing but a tool for you to use, your final means of washing away the name of Successor of Demonic Arts...”
“In this life, Gu Changge, things will no longer go as you wish. Everything you have, I will take away. I will make you experience everything I felt...”
“No — you’re a man without a heart. How could you ever experience what I felt? What a pity. Otherwise, I would have made you gradually fall in love with me, only to be killed by me in the end.”
“As things stand, I’ll just have to cripple everything you have and keep you by my side. After all, a life worse than death — that is the greatest torment for you... hehe...”
Yue Mingkong’s imperial robes fluttered as she stood with her hands clasped behind her back, her breathtakingly beautiful face calm and profound.
She looked toward the distant east.
That was where the Longevity Gu Family lay.
She knew that at this time, Gu Changge had already returned from the Overworld and had already obtained what he wanted.
She also knew that soon, her father the Emperor would take her to the Longevity Gu Family to discuss the marriage between her and Gu Changge.
The marriage alliance between the Unrivaled Celestial Dynasty and the Longevity Gu Family involved the Fourth Princess of the Unrivaled Celestial Dynasty and the sole son of the Gu Family’s patriarch.
For the Beyond, this was an absolutely sensational event, drawing the attention of every force and every Cultivator.
Most importantly, her father the Emperor had always wanted to borrow the Longevity Gu Family’s power to annex another Celestial Dynasty.
The uniqueness of the Longevity Gu Family was known to all in the Beyond — no force or orthodoxy had ever gained the slightest advantage over them.
Even the Unrivaled Celestial Dynasty, vaguely regarded as the foremost Celestial Dynasty, was no exception.
In her previous life, she hadn’t understood any of this. As the Fourth Princess, though her talent had been outstanding since childhood, she lacked the methods of her other royal brothers and sisters, which left her father the Emperor deeply disappointed.
And in the imperial family, that made her seem utterly ordinary and mediocre.
As for why the Gu Family would agree to the marriage between her and Gu Changge — the Yue Mingkong of back then hadn’t understood, but now she did.
Because her father had secretly promised the Gu Family enormous benefits, and she had become a tool for marriage to the sole son of the Gu Family’s patriarch.
Back then, she was still young. The first time she saw Gu Changge, he was cultivating atop a bluestone, morning mist swirling around him, Grand Runes blooming, divine radiance resplendent — at such a young age, he already showed the divine bones and immortal bearing of his future self.
She was struck dumb, as if beholding a celestial being.
That such a figure would be her future husband.
Who knew that this one glance would ruin her entire previous life.
“Fortunately, it’s not too late for anything now. We’ll meet again very soon, Gu Changge...”
Withdrawing her thoughts from her memories, Yue Mingkong slowly closed her eyes.
Gu Changge’s greatest weakness was in her hands.
Once his identity as the inheritor of the Immortal-Devouring Demonic Art was exposed—
He would become the enemy of the entire world.
That was no mere figure of speech.
But she also knew that exposing it without evidence was useless; no one would believe it.
Gu Changge was still very cautious now, rarely revealing any trace of the Immortal-Devouring Demonic Art.
And in the deepest part of her heart, she faintly didn’t want to do it, didn’t want that day to ever come.
A situation where the whole world was his enemy...
Yue Mingkong sighed.
In the end, she still loved him too much.
Even reborn, her heart was still too soft, too kind.
“No — how could I still love him? Such a despicable method as exposing his demonic arts, I disdain to use. What I do, I’ll do openly and honorably — I’ll take everything from him fair and square...”
Soon, Yue Mingkong shook her head again, telling herself this.
...
“Greetings, Young Master!”
“The Young Master has returned!”
The ancient welcoming palace traversed over from the edge of the Beyond, passing through multiple great Transportation Arrays along the way.
Gu Changge and his party finally arrived at the mountain gate of the Longevity Gu Family.
Before the gate, a crowd of Gu Family disciples waited in respectful greeting, extremely deferential.
Gu Changge nodded slightly.
Before his eyes floated billions upon billions of Godly Islands and immortal mountains in the sky, divine light soaring to the heavens, auspicious mist roiling — this was where the Gu Family resided. The terrifying protective Grand Array shimmered with flowing brilliance, like the sun and moon resonating together.
This level of pressure was merely a trace of its usual state.
If it were truly fully revived, even a great expert of the Enlightened King Realm would have to halt their steps.
“Is this the foundation of a Family of Immortals?”
Lin Qiuhan’s and Su Qingge’s heads were buzzing.
Although they had been shocked nearly numb along the journey here, seeing such a magnificent and vast sight still left them unable to calm down.
This could no longer be described as clan grounds — this was simply an entire great world!
“Let’s go.”
Gu Changge said, thinking to himself that he ought to let them see the wider world — especially Lin Qiuhan, whom he intended to send to the Guild of Alchemy.
Although no one would dare bully her because of him, accidents always happened. After all, she came from the Overworld, and in the Beyond she was naturally part of the layer that got bullied.
“Ming Lao, arrange their lodgings first.”
Gu Changge instructed Ming Lao at his side.
The main reason was that the Gu Family’s rules were strict, divided into outer and inner islands. What they saw now was merely the outer islands.
The true inner islands could only be inhabited by direct-line clan members.
Until their status was settled, Lin Qiuhan and Su Qingge could not go to the inner islands.
With that, Gu Changge had already transformed into a streak of light, heading straight into the depths.
Now that he had returned to the Gu Family, his most urgent task was naturally to speak with his father. Some matters were not his schemes alone.
After all, his father was also involved in them.
“The Young Master has gone to the inner islands. This old servant will first take you to learn the Gu Family’s rules. In the future, by the Young Master’s side, don’t bring shame upon him.”
“After all, you can now be counted as people who have seen the Longevity Gu Family. Don’t go gasping at every little thing.”
Seeing Gu Changge leave, Ming Lao led them inside, weaving between the Godly Islands and immortal mountains while speaking to Su Qingge and Lin Qiuhan.
Su Qingge’s state of mind was steadier than Lin Qiuhan’s, so she remained fairly composed.
Lin Qiuhan nodded like a chick pecking at rice. “Understood, Founding Ancestor.”
Hearing this, Ming Lao’s expression changed — he was startled — and he hurriedly said, “From now on, in the Gu Family, don’t call me Founding Ancestor anymore. It’s enough that you know it in your heart.”
No matter what, Lin Qiuhan was quite valued by the Young Master. What if their relationship went a step further in the future?
Then where would that leave his status as Lin Qiuhan’s ancestor? Especially since the Gu Family’s hierarchy was extremely strict.
If that happened, he would inevitably face punishment as well.
Lin Qiuhan didn’t understand any of this.
But since the Founding Ancestor had said so, she would naturally comply.
Though in her heart she kept marveling that Young Master Gu’s family was truly terrifying.
All along the way.
More than her eyes could take in.
Her eyes were nearly dazzled.
These Godly Islands and immortal mountains were too stunning — she had never seen anything like them before.
Everywhere she looked were divine islands and palaces suspended in the air, scattered like stars, clouds and mist roiling, majestic and grand.
Immortal fog drifted like clouds, waterfalls hung upside down like bolts of white silk.
Ancient beasts as massive as mountain ranges roamed about, their blood vitality blotting out the sky.
The spiritual energy of heaven and earth was so dense it was nearly liquefying.
Ming Lao was not surprised by her reaction. The first time he had seen it was tens of thousands of years ago.
Back then, he had been just as shaken.
That had been his first glimpse of even the tip of the iceberg of a Family of Immortals’ foundation.
Compared to it, the families and sects of the Overworld were like an Immortal Palace compared to a doghouse — or even worse.
Countless thoughts ran through Ming Lao’s mind, and he couldn’t help but smile. “This is only the outer islands. Compared to the inner islands, it’s nothing much.”
“As for the Godly Island where the Young Master resides — that is a true immortal paradise. I don’t even have the qualifications to enter.”
“As for you two, though...”
At this point, he suddenly felt quite envious.
Meanwhile, Gu Changge had already used the clan’s Transportation Array to pass through the outer islands and arrive at the inner islands.
The grand, majestic hall before him.
Suddenly opened wide before him.
“Changge has returned?”
From within came the warm voice of a middle-aged man.