The Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being's Practice Ground — The Map Unrolls and the Dagger Appears
The Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being’s Practice Ground — The Map Unrolls and the Dagger Appears
“I wonder what has angered the Ancient Buddha?”
Gu Changge had rushed to this place, seemingly still unaware of what had happened, and asked with a look of surprise and confusion on his face.
The other experts who had arrived first all turned to look at him with varied expressions upon hearing this — some shocked, some puzzled, some watching with keen interest. In short, their reactions were extremely complicated.
In the eyes of many, within the entire vast Divine City, aside from Gu Changge, there was no one else who bore any grudge against Jin Chan, the Chosen Monk.
Now that Jin Chan had been brutally murdered, Gu Changge was naturally the prime suspect.
Young Prodigies like the Gifted Lady and the King of Six Crowns furrowed their brows even more, feeling that Gu Changge was probably a dagger hidden behind a smile, coming here specifically to enjoy the show.
However, they had no evidence to prove that it was Gu Changge who had killed Jin Chan.
Of course, it was even more impossible that Gu Changge had done it personally.
After all, he himself was still right here and had never left the Divine Domain.
“Young Master Changge probably doesn’t know yet? Jin Chan, the Chosen Monk, was murdered on his way back to Buddhist Mountain.”
An elder of a Cult of Immortality sighed softly, seemingly explaining the situation to Gu Changge.
After all, Jin Chan was a towering figure among the younger generation of today, destined to take over Buddhist Mountain in the future.
To die so inexplicably like this...
Buddhist Mountain would certainly not let the matter rest; they would investigate until they found the true culprit.
Hearing these words, Gu Changge was instantly stunned, as if extremely shocked and taken aback.
“Who would be so bold as to kill Jin Chan right under Ancient Buddha Sha Na’s nose?” He furrowed his brows, seemingly unable to believe such a thing.
The One-Eye Daoist, Jin Yang, the Gifted Lady, and the others all watched coldly from the sidelines. Seeing Gu Changge’s expression, they said nothing more.
They could not be certain that all of this was Gu Changge’s doing either.
Logically speaking, Ancient Buddha Sha Na would surely have bestowed life-saving treasures upon Jin Chan.
To kill him swiftly right under Ancient Buddha Sha Na’s perception...
It would take at least a True Daoist, or a terrifying existence whose cultivation surpassed even that.
Ancient Buddha Sha Na looked at Gu Changge expressionlessly and said, “This old monk would like to ask Young Master Changge — where were you before, and where have you been all this time?”
Hearing this, Gu Changge raised an eyebrow slightly, then said, “During this period, I have naturally been within the Divine City. Just now, I was also discussing matters with the Heavenly Ox Demon King. Could it be that Ancient Buddha Sha Na suspects that I sent someone to kill Jin Chan?”
As he explained, the Heavenly Ox Demon King also arrived, leading a host of great demons.
Actually, there was no need for Gu Changge to say anything — many people within the Divine City were aware of this matter.
When the Heavenly Ox Demon King left his residence and headed to the courtyard where Gu Changge was staying, he had not concealed his movements in the slightest.
The One-Eye Daoist, Jin Yang, the Gifted Lady, and the others possessed terrifying perception, so they were naturally clear about all of this.
As for what the Heavenly Ox Demon King and Gu Changge had discussed, that was not something they could pry into.
“It is not that this old monk wishes to suspect you.”
“It is just that, apart from Young Master Changge, this old monk truly cannot think of anyone else who would move against the Chosen Monk.”
Ancient Buddha Sha Na remained expressionless, showing no sign of being mollified by Gu Changge’s explanation.
Hearing this, Gu Changge merely smiled faintly. “Since everyone feels that I am the prime suspect in Jin Chan’s murder, has the Ancient Buddha ever considered — would I really act while shouldering such enormous risk and suspicion? In my view, this matter is nothing more than some villain stirring up trouble from the shadows, attempting to frame me.”
He spoke simply and frankly, his expression calm and composed, without the slightest abnormality.
At these words, many people’s expressions showed a moment of realization, feeling that this made a lot of sense.
Indeed.
Judging from Gu Changge’s usual style of conduct, he did not seem like such a foolish person.
Since he had a grudge against Jin Chan, why wouldn’t he wait for a suitable opportunity to strike? Why did it have to be at this particular moment?
When everyone knew full well of his feud with Jin Chan, to strike at him immediately — wouldn’t that leave him with suspicion he could never wash away?
At a time like this, wouldn’t he be unable to explain himself no matter what?
The Gifted Lady, the King of Six Crowns, and others who knew Gu Changge quite well all felt that this did not seem like something Gu Changge would do.
On the contrary, it really seemed like someone had done this deliberately to muddy the waters and pin the blame on Gu Changge.
Put that way, it did indeed resemble the scheme of some malicious party.
Even though Young Master Changge did have a considerable grudge against Jin Chan, he would not go so far as to kill him at such a critical juncture.
After all, if something happened to Jin Chan at this moment, many people would immediately suspect Young Master Changge.
Quite a few elders and senior figures of various Daoist traditions and forces nodded in agreement one after another.
They felt that what Gu Changge said was reasonable.
Ancient Buddha Sha Na also understood that Gu Changge’s explanation was very reasonable.
But these words alone were not enough to clear Gu Changge of suspicion.
“Then Young Master Changge also cannot prove that it was not you who sent someone to kill the Chosen Monk,” Ancient Buddha Sha Na said with a slightly darkened expression.
Gu Changge seemed to have long anticipated that he would say this, and merely smiled. “Then the Ancient Buddha naturally has no evidence either to say that it was I who dispatched an expert to kill Jin Chan, correct?”
These words made Ancient Buddha Sha Na fall silent.
Although he was proficient in the Dao of Karma, he could not divine anything when it came to Gu Changge.
Let alone confirm that Gu Changge was the murderer of Jin Chan.
Given the current circumstances, this matter could only be set aside for now.
Without concrete evidence...
Ancient Buddha Sha Na dared not make a move against Gu Changge — the consequences were not something he could bear.
But if the matter was simply dropped like this, he did not know whether the true culprit could ever be found.
“It seems the Ancient Buddha has thought it through. Actually, in my view, the most important thing right now is to first go to the place where Jin Chan was killed and see if any clues can be found.”
“Searching aimlessly and without direction like this will only allow the true culprit to escape.”
“Of course, if the Ancient Buddha still feels that I am the prime suspect, and finds anything amiss, you may come to me at any time to verify it.”
Gu Changge said with a smile. After finishing, seeing that Ancient Buddha Sha Na remained silent and voiced no further doubts about his words...
He did not linger any longer and turned to leave the place.
Seeing this, the crowd did not know what to say. Their purpose in coming here had actually been to learn the true reason for Ancient Buddha Sha Na’s fury.
As for whether Jin Chan had been killed by someone sent by Gu Changge, that was not really what they cared about.
“If this brat is not eliminated, the Beyond will never know peace again.” The One-Eye Daoist gazed at Gu Changge’s departing figure, the depths of his eyes growing even darker.
He was at least seventy percent certain that it was absolutely Gu Changge who had sent someone to kill Jin Chan.
Moreover, Gu Changge had been so calm and composed, even personally appearing before the Ancient Buddha.
This bearing alone was enough to dispel the suspicions in many people’s hearts.
What ordinary person would dare do such a thing?
Very soon, news of Jin Chan’s murder spread through the Divine City as if it had grown wings, causing an uproar.
At first, many people did indeed suspect that Gu Changge was behind it.
But once they recalled his calm and composed demeanor at the time, they felt it must be like the previous rumors about the Successor of Demonic Arts — someone was deliberately framing Gu Changge.
As a result, many cultivators instead began crying out against the injustice done to Gu Changge, wanting to clear his name.
The remains of Buddhist Mountain’s Chosen Monk were not yet cold, and not a single trace could be found at the place of his fall, which sent all of Buddhist Mountain into a rage. They began investigating everywhere for the true culprit.
And during this period, another incident occurred in the Divine City — one that could be called big, yet also not so big.
A Young Prodigy had tragically fallen at the hands of the Successor of Demonic Arts, his Source devoured. His corpse was only discovered by his subordinates in his courtyard the next day.
When this news spread, it once again triggered enormous waves. Countless cultivators and living beings were shocked and could hardly believe it.
The Divine City was filled with experts, and there were even several foundation-level figures holding down the fort.
Where exactly did the Successor of Demonic Arts get the audacity to brazenly slaughter a Young Prodigy right before everyone’s eyes, without a single person noticing?
Immediately, all kinds of news and rumors spread.
Everyone was searching everywhere, suspecting that the Successor of Demonic Arts was among the younger generation within the Divine City, wanting to ferret out the true Successor of Demonic Arts.
The four gates of the Divine City were sealed off at the first moment.
All cultivators and living beings were strictly forbidden from entering or leaving — the atmosphere was one of utter panic and tension.
Of course, in the end, the result was still nothing.
Even a foundation-level figure was mobilized, sweeping across the entire Divine Domain with a powerful divine sense, yet still found not the slightest trace.
Although the fallen Young Prodigy could not compare to the likes of the King of Six Crowns or the Gifted Lady, among the younger generation he was still an expert with few rivals, possessing a special physique.
After this incident, the many young heavenly prodigies became like birds startled by the mere twang of a bowstring, growing even more fearful of the Successor of Demonic Arts.
Right before the eyes of a host of ancient existences, the other party dared to hunt them so unscrupulously.
How could this possibly put their minds at ease?
“Gu Changge arranged for Lan Yaofei to strike again? What exactly is that guy’s goal? With his cultivation, he clearly has no need for those prodigies’ Sources.”
Xianer had not yet left the Divine City.
She had naturally received this news as well, and her heart was filled with even greater doubt.
She had wanted to ask Gu Changge about his reasons for doing this before, but figured he probably had some other plan or purpose.
But thinking about it now, it seemed he was purely trying to muddy the waters, shifting the attention of everyone in the Beyond away from himself and onto the Successor of Demonic Arts.
These various actions were gradually beginning to match the scenes of the future she had witnessed within the Lake of Reincarnation, which made Gu Xianer somewhat worried.
“Once this matter of the Absolute Yin Heaven is resolved, the Beyond should be peaceful for a while, right?”
Meanwhile, the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being, having resolved the problem of the Absolute Yin Heaven, also returned to the Divine City.
His purpose in seeking out Gu Changge was naturally to “claim credit,” wanting to gain more of Gu Changge’s trust.
As Gu Changge’s bargain-bin shifu, his personality in certain respects was actually quite similar to Gu Changge’s.
For example, the trait of stopping at nothing to achieve one’s goals.
“Many thanks for Shifu’s intervention — that is only natural. Now, the prestige of you and me, master and disciple, in the Beyond has risen to yet another level.”
“When the time comes, we can naturally raise high the banner of justice, give a rousing call, have the Eight Wastelands answer, and topple mountains and overturn seas.”
Gu Changge was leisurely watering flowers in his courtyard. Hearing this, he smiled and went along with the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being’s words.
The Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being was dressed in a Daoist robe, his garments loose and flowing, exuding an immortal air and Daoist bone. Smiling and stroking his beard, he said, “This old man truly never expected that, after so many epochs, I would encounter a disciple who satisfies me as much as you do.”
As if recalling something, he revealed a look of gratification and satisfaction, then shook his head with considerable regret.
“Speaking of which, aside from leaving you the inheritance token, your shifu has never taught you anything.”
“I have not even personally imparted any Daoist techniques to you — it is truly shameful to speak of.”
“Between you and me, though we have the name of master and disciple, we lack the substance of it. I have never even taken you to your shifu’s Practice Ground. The many jade tablet remnants, immortal enlightenments, and ancient treasures I obtained back then were all actually left at the Practice Ground; I did not carry them with me.”
He spoke with considerable regret, as if lamenting that he had failed to fulfill his duties as a shifu.
Hearing these words, Gu Changge let out a faint laugh in his heart, as if he had long been waiting for this moment.
However, his face still showed a look of astonishment. “Shifu actually still has a Practice Ground? This disciple thought that over all these epochs, Shifu had been slumbering somewhere, rather than cultivating.”
He had long been interested in the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being’s secrets, but worried about alerting the enemy and causing the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being to expose himself prematurely, he had refrained from asking all this time.
The Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being nodded. “Over such a long stretch of years, your shifu does indeed slumber, but I also meditate and cultivate as before, in pursuit of a higher realm. That Practice Ground is actually not too far from here for a round trip — it is just that, considering your wedding day is approaching, my disciple...”
He deliberately mentioned that he had left quite a few good things in his Practice Ground.
Including jade tablet remnants from ancient times, immortal enlightenments, and so on — all to pique Gu Changge’s interest and lure him over.
The Longevity Gu Family’s foundation was far too terrifying. The Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being did not have complete confidence that he could make a move against Gu Changge in this universe without the Longevity Gu Family noticing.
That was why he had been step by step gaining Gu Changge’s trust, planning to lure him away and take him to another universe.
Given Gu Changge’s greedy personality, upon hearing that the Practice Ground contained so many treasures and immortal engravings, he would surely be tempted.
“Shifu’s words are mistaken.”
“The matter of the wedding date is not urgent. In this disciple’s view, the path of cultivation and the bond between master and disciple are actually more important.”
“This bit of time is something this disciple can afford to spare.”
Gu Changge did not disappoint the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being.
Before the latter had even finished speaking, he interrupted him, revealing a look of great interest.
Based on the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being’s observations of Gu Changge during this period...
He also did not believe Gu Changge was the type to place much importance on romantic attachments.
In the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being’s view, this marriage alliance with the Unrivaled Celestial Dynasty was most likely a choice Gu Changge made to consolidate his own power and influence, without much genuine feeling mixed in.
“My disciple, having such intentions truly gratifies your shifu. However, if you really plan to return to the Practice Ground with your shifu, you should still give the Unrivaled Celestial Dynasty a word of notice first.”
Thinking of this, the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being spoke with delight, putting on an appearance of considering things for Gu Changge’s sake.
In reality, what he worried about was that if Gu Changge informed the Unrivaled Celestial Dynasty and the Longevity Gu Family of his whereabouts...
Should an accident occur then, those two powers would come looking for him.
Of course, based on his understanding of Gu Changge, it was unlikely that Gu Changge would publicize such a matter with great fanfare — after all, it concerned his own Practice Ground, which contained numerous fortuitous opportunities.
With Gu Changge being so greedy, how could he tolerate word of this leaking out?
“Such a trivial matter hardly warrants notifying them.”
On this point, Gu Changge naturally did not disappoint the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being. He smiled and waved his hand, indicating that he did not intend to inform the Unrivaled Celestial Dynasty or the Longevity Gu Family of this matter, choosing instead to conceal his own whereabouts.