The Dark Gap That Once Appeared, Confirming the Time Node
The Dark Gap That Once Appeared, Confirming the Time Node
## 7. The Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being’s Practice Ground — When the Map Unrolls, the Dagger Appears (Please Subscribe)
No one knew what had angered the Ancient Buddha.
Gu Changge, having rushed over to this place, seemed to still not know what had happened, and asked with a look of astonishment and confusion on his face.
The other experts who had arrived first all looked at him with varied expressions upon hearing this — some shocked, some puzzled, some quite intrigued. In short, their feelings were extremely complicated.
In the eyes of many, within the vast Divine City, aside from Gu Changge, there was no one else who had any enmity with Jin Chan, the Chosen Monk.
Now that Jin Chan, the Chosen Monk, had been brutally murdered, Gu Changge was naturally the prime suspect.
The Gifted Lady, the King of Six Crowns, and the other Young Prodigies furrowed their brows even more, feeling that Gu Changge was probably a dagger hidden behind a smile, coming here specifically to watch the excitement.
However, they had no evidence to prove that it was Gu Changge who had killed Jin Chan, the Chosen Monk.
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 that 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 things for Gu Changge.
After all, Jin Chan, the Chosen Monk, was a towering figure among the current younger generation, 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 also stunned for a moment, as if extremely shocked and taken aback.
“Who would be so bold as to kill Jin Chan, the Chosen Monk, right under the nose of Ancient Buddha Sha Na?” He furrowed his brows, seemingly unable to believe this matter either.
The One-Eye Daoist, Jin Yang, the Gifted Lady, and the others all adopted a cold, spectating attitude. Seeing Gu Changge’s expression, they didn’t say much either.
They couldn’t be certain that all of this was Gu Changge’s doing.
Logically speaking, Ancient Buddha Sha Na would definitely have bestowed life-saving treasures upon Jin Chan, the Chosen Monk.
To kill him quickly 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 just now?”
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, the Chosen Monk?”
While he was explaining, the Heavenly Ox Demon King also arrived, bringing along many great demons.
Actually, there was no need for Gu Changge to say anything — many people within the Divine City knew of this matter.
When the Heavenly Ox Demon King left his residence and went to the courtyard where Gu Changge was staying, he had not concealed his tracks at all.
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 probe into.
“It is not that this old monk wishes to suspect you so.”
“Rather, 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, not showing the slightest relief at Gu Changge’s explanation.
Hearing this, Gu Changge merely smiled faintly and said, “Since everyone feels that I am the prime suspect in the murder of Jin Chan, the Chosen Monk, then has the Ancient Buddha ever considered — would I be so foolish as to act while bearing such enormous risk and suspicion? In my view, this matter is nothing more than some villain stirring up trouble from behind the scenes, 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 sudden realization, feeling that it made quite a lot of sense.
Indeed.
Judging from Gu Changge’s usual style of conduct, he didn’t seem like such a foolish person.
Since he had enmity with Jin Chan, the Chosen Monk, why wouldn’t he wait for a suitable opportunity to strike? Why must it be at this particular time?
When everyone knew full well of his feud with Jin Chan, the Chosen Monk, to strike at him at the first opportunity — 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 the others who knew Gu Changge quite well all felt that this matter didn’t seem like something Gu Changge would do.
On the contrary, it really seemed like someone had deliberately done this to muddy the waters and pin the black pot on Gu Changge.
Put that way, it did indeed resemble the conspiracy of some malicious party.
Even though Young Master Changge did indeed have considerable enmity with Jin Chan, the Chosen Monk, he wouldn’t go so far as to kill him at such a critical juncture.
After all, if something happened to Jin Chan, the Chosen Monk, at this juncture, many people would immediately suspect Young Master Changge.
Many elders and senior figures of various Daoist traditions and forces also nodded in agreement one after another, feeling 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 experts to kill Jin Chan, the Chosen Monk. Am I right?”
These words made Ancient Buddha Sha Na fall silent.
Although he was proficient in the Dao of Karma and Destiny, he could deduce nothing from Gu Changge.
Let alone confirm that Gu Changge was the murderer of Jin Chan, the Chosen Monk.
Judging from the current circumstances, this matter could only be set aside for now.
There was no conclusive evidence.
Ancient Buddha Sha Na also didn’t dare to make a move against Gu Changge — the consequences were not something he could bear.
But if the matter were simply dropped like this, he didn’t 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, the Chosen Monk, was murdered, 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 no longer questioned his words...
He didn’t linger any longer and turned to leave this place.
Seeing this, the crowd didn’t know what to say. Their purpose in coming here was actually to find out the real reason for Ancient Buddha Sha Na’s fury.
As for whether Jin Chan, the Chosen Monk, had been killed by someone sent by Gu Changge — that wasn’t actually 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 disappearing 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, the Chosen Monk.
Moreover, Gu Changge was so calm and composed, even personally appearing before that Ancient Buddha.
Just 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, the Chosen Monk’s murder spread like wildfire through the Divine City, as if it had grown wings.
At first, there were indeed many people who suspected that Gu Changge had done 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 actually began crying out for justice on Gu Changge’s behalf, wanting to clear his name.
The body of Buddhist Mountain’s Chosen Monk was 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, and 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 only discovered by his subordinates in his courtyard the next day.
When this news spread, it once again caused enormous waves. Countless cultivators and living beings were shocked and couldn’t believe it.
The Divine City was filled with gathered experts, and there were even several foundation-level figures presiding over it.
Where on earth did the Successor of Demonic Arts get the audacity to actually dare slaughter a Young Prodigy right in front of everyone, 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 find 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, the final result was still that nothing was found.
Even a foundation-level figure was mobilized, sweeping across the entire Divine Domain with a powerful divine sense, yet there was still not the slightest result.
Although the fallen Young Prodigy could not compare to the King of Six Crowns, the Gifted Lady, and the like, among the younger generation he was still an expert with few rivals, possessing a special physique.
After this incident, the many young heavenly prodigies were like birds startled by the mere twang of a bowstring, growing even more fearful of the Successor of Demonic Arts.
Right in front of a crowd of ancient existences, the other party still dared to hunt them so recklessly and unscrupulously.
How could this put their minds at ease?
“Gu Changge — he arranged for Lan Yaofei to strike again? What exactly is this guy’s goal? With his cultivation, he clearly doesn’t need the Sources of those prodigies.”
Xianer had not yet left the Divine City.
She had naturally received this news as well, and her heart was filled with even more doubt.
Previously, she had wanted to ask Gu Changge why he was doing this, but she figured Gu Changge probably had some other plan or purpose.
But now, thinking about it, he seemed to be 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 seen 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.”
Meanwhile, the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being, having resolved the problem of the Absolute Yin Heaven, also returned to the Divine City.
His coming to find Gu Changge naturally carried the intention of “claiming 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 the 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 wide and flowing, with the bearing of an immortal and the bones of a Daoist. 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 remembering something, he revealed a look of gratification and satisfaction, and then shook his head with considerable regret.
“Speaking of which, as your master, apart from leaving behind the inheritance token, I have never taught you anything.”
“I haven’t even personally imparted any Daoist techniques to you. Thinking about it, it is truly shameful.”
“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 my Practice Ground. The many Jade Tablet remnants, immortal enlightenments, and ancient treasures I obtained back then were actually all left at the Practice Ground — I never carried 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 surprise as he said, “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 and said, “Over such an immeasurably long stretch of time, this master does indeed slumber at times. But I also meditate and cultivate as before, in pursuit of a higher realm. That Practice Ground is actually not too far from here — a round trip wouldn’t take long. It’s just that, considering that your wedding day is approaching, 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 his words and displayed a look of great interest.
Based on the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being’s understanding of Gu Changge during this period...
He also didn’t think Gu Changge was the type to place much importance on romantic attachments.
This marriage alliance with the Unrivaled Celestial Dynasty, in the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being’s view, was most likely a choice Gu Changge made to consolidate his own power and influence, without much genuine affection mixed in.
“Disciple, for you to have such intentions truly gratifies your master. However, if you really plan to return to the Practice Ground with me, you should still inform the Unrivaled Celestial Dynasty first.”
Thinking of this, the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being also spoke with gratification, putting on an appearance of considering things for Gu Changge’s sake.
In reality, what he was worried about was that if Gu Changge informed the Unrivaled Celestial Dynasty and the Longevity Gu Family of his whereabouts...
Then if something unexpected happened, 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 to others. After all, it concerned his own Practice Ground, which contained numerous fortuitous opportunities.
Gu Changge was so greedy — how could he tolerate this matter leaking out?
“Such a trivial matter hardly warrants informing them.”
On this point, Gu Changge naturally did not disappoint the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being. He smiled and waved his hand, having no intention of informing the Unrivaled Celestial Dynasty or the Longevity Gu Family of this matter, instead choosing to conceal his whereabouts.
## 7. Telling a Monstrous Lie — Master and Disciple Tear Off All Pretenses (Please Subscribe)
The Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being indeed did not disappoint Gu Changge.
The moment he mentioned that Practice Ground, Gu Changge knew he intended to lure him over.
So what followed was very simple — nothing more than playing dumb and going along with the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being’s words.
It just so happened that he was extremely interested in the secrets the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being had been hiding all along.
Making a move against the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being in this universe would not only cause enormous commotion, but could also bring about much unnecessary trouble.
The Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being wanted to find a remote place to finish off Gu Changge — but for Gu Changge, wasn’t he also looking for a place to finish off the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being?
This matter could be said to fall right into Gu Changge’s hands.
Afterward, once the two had finished their discussion, they quickly set off from the Divine City, tearing through this universe and heading toward a remote region.
The Beyond’s territories were incomparably vast, and the many immortal Daoist traditions and great sects were all established only in the central regions of the Beyond.
The borderlands held too many unknown risks and great terrors, and resources were extremely scarce as well.
Therefore, the various Daoist traditions and forces were not very interested in the surrounding domains, and had never even sent experts to occupy them.
And in those regions, it was mostly starfield bandits and marauders who operated, specializing in dark and dirty dealings — either intercepting merchant caravans passing through, or specifically targeting cultivators who came to those regions for training.
Of course, in these desolate regions, the most common things were Space Rifts, connecting to other universes.
To cross those suspended Space Rifts, one either needed an overwhelmingly powerful Physique or a multitude of protective artifacts capable of withstanding the spatial turbulence and the various exploding storms of rules.
Ordinary Cultivators would never do such a thing, and True Daoists were even less likely to take such enormous risks to travel to other universes.
In other universes, one might occasionally encounter reclusive clans whose foundations ran so deep they were in no way inferior to the Immortal Dao Lineages.
If a great war were to break out in those universes, even True Daoists ran the risk of falling.
“Actually, your disciple is quite curious—why is the Practice Ground that Shifu chose located so far away from the Beyond?”
With the current cultivation of Gu Changge and the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being, they naturally had no need to worry about the various dangers encountered when tearing through universal tunnels.
Along the way, Gu Changge could not help but ask with keen interest.
The Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being thought Gu Changge had grown suspicious. His eyes narrowed slightly before he smiled. “Mainly, it is to avoid the central regions of the Beyond. Your master worries that while in seclusion, someone might find my Practice Ground and ambush me. On the path of cultivation, there are always too many unpredictable mishaps.”
“Just as even now, your master cannot be certain whether the enemies or old friends of my era have survived to this day.”
“If an old enemy were to find my Practice Ground, would I not be in grave danger while in seclusion?”
His explanation sounded reasonable enough.
However, Gu Changge clearly did not believe it. All along this journey, the path the two of them had traveled grew more and more remote, long since straying beyond the territories known to the Beyond.
Just like now—the two of them stood at the edge of a withered universe, with boundless Chaos Energy surging toward them from ahead, raging and tumultuous.
Countless shattered stars collided within it, exploding into sky-blotting dust.
Here, barely any vitality could be felt anymore; there were not even traces of any living beings ever having existed.
Yet the Practice Ground the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being intended to reach was still far from this place, with no end in sight midway.
The Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being definitely harbored an enormous conspiracy—otherwise, he would never have chosen such a remote location.
Those universes were likely even more ancient, completely cut off from the center of the Beyond, without the slightest possibility of connection.
Gu Changge narrowed his eyes, countless thoughts flashing through his mind, when suddenly a bold guess occurred to him.
Could it be that the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being had specifically turned certain ancient universes into his own private back gardens?
That way, apart from himself, no one else would know anything about it, nor would anyone notice.
Within those back gardens, whatever the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being wished to do, there was basically no one who could stop him.
After all, his strength was even more terrifying than that of the Remnant Immortals.
The farther a universe was from the center of the Beyond, the more broken and incomplete its rules and order became, and the harder it was to break through to higher realms.
In those universes, the birth of a single True Daoist might exhaust the entire foundation and Fortuity of that era.
“If I were the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being, I would indeed choose to do the same—using those universes to accumulate foundation and Fortuity for myself.”
Gu Changge felt a sudden wave of enlightenment in his heart, and he somewhat understood now.
Although he still did not know by what method the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being accumulated foundation and Fortuity, he had guessed a good portion of it.
Over the following days, the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being continued traveling with Gu Changge, tearing through one universe after another.
All the while, he secretly acted to conceal his own aura and traces.
He was extremely cautious, worried that Gu Changge might leave something behind along the way that would allow the experts of the Longevity Gu Family to detect it and track them down.
Finally, after the two of them passed through several more ruined, lifeless, desolate universes, they at last arrived before a universe brimming with vitality.
This universe was vast and ancient, with living beings and races existing across all its star domains.
However, when Gu Changge swept his divine sense across it, he found no aura of a True Daoist—he could not even sense traces of a True Daoist ever having existed.
“It seems the foundation of these universes is still insufficient to support the birth of a True Daoist. Or perhaps... one was born once, but was harvested by someone.”
Gu Changge fell into thoughtful contemplation. He had always wanted to find a suitable ancient universe in which to plant the Tree of Epoch, thereby setting a trap to slaughter the Beyond.
In these ancient universes, he saw an opportunity.
The Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being had indeed not disappointed him.
He wanted more and more to kill the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being and pry open the secrets he had been hiding all along.
These universes were simply too far from the center of the Beyond. Their Dao traditions had even suffered breaks in inheritance; spiritual energy was scarce, rules were shattered—it had become extremely difficult for True Daoists to be born.
Seeing Gu Changge surveying this universe, the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being assumed he was puzzled and could not help but begin explaining.
Of course, as for why this ancient universe had never produced a True Daoist, the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being knew perfectly well in his heart.
After setting up the secret of Immortal Ascension, he had deliberately left behind a Dharma Body behind that Celestial Gate, to harvest the Dao Fruits of the True Daoists born in these ancient universes over the long ages.
This secret, he would certainly never tell Gu Changge.
Because it concerned the opportunity for him to achieve the Dao Fruit of an Immortal King once the Beyond’s environment underwent its great upheaval and the Celestial Path emerged.
Back then in the Absolute Yin Heaven, the Origin Ancestor Artifact runes obtained after slaying the Six Great Ancestors were, in the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being’s view, also tied to a world-shaking secret.
“What a pity. Such an ancient universe, yet it struggles to produce a True Daoist.”
“Though if it accumulates for another tens of millions of years, perhaps it could still give birth to one or two True Daoists.”
Hearing this, Gu Changge acted as if he had noticed nothing of the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being’s intentions, shaking his head gently with an air of deep regret.
Even if it never reached that level, that did not mean the living beings of this universe could be looked down upon.
Gu Changge smiled faintly. “I imagine Shifu would not choose to establish his Practice Ground here either.”
The Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being nodded, swept his great sleeve, and continued tearing through the universal barrier, heading toward yet another universe.
Along the way, the two of them saw more and more ancient universes.
Every universe brimmed with vitality, yet none had the aura of a True Daoist presiding over it.
In some ancient universes, although traces of True Daoists having existed remained, those traces had long since nearly dissipated. Even the Imperial Weapons left behind had lost their divinity, no longer possessing the might to shake a universe.
Witnessing all this with his own eyes, Gu Changge grew ever clearer about the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being’s true objective.
Presumably, the genuine True Daoists once born in these universes had long since been murdered by him, with even their traces thoroughly erased.
While passing through one particular universe, a terrifying, heaven-shaking great battle was unfolding within it.
The entire universe was swept up in it. Countless stars, and a vast, mighty army had descended upon every corner of the starry sky, seemingly intent on fighting their way into some region.
When the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being sensed all this, his expression shifted slightly, a flash of vexation and regret passing through his eyes—but he quickly returned to normal.
He had not expected that, by sheer coincidence along their journey, Gu Changge would stumble upon the scene before them.
He had not divined this beforehand either, and had not realized that this particular universe had already reached the time for harvest.
“Something seems to be happening here?”
Gu Changge understood perfectly well in his heart, but on his face he put on a look of slight confusion and surprise, standing at the edge of the universe and stopping to watch.
The Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being’s face was expressionless as he shook his head. “Your master does not know either.”
The great universe before them was collapsing, its rules and order fracturing.
Within it, cries of slaughter shook the heavens, battle intent surging skyward.
Many supreme powerhouses whose blood qi tore through the firmament let out roars of despair, battling an unspeakable figure from some unknown dimension. Swathes of figures fell and crumbled, turning into sky-filling mists of blood.
“Kill! Kill this terrifying monster!”
They roared, blooming with boundless light, the auras of True Daoists on full display.
This battle was far too tragic. Beneath this shattered sky,
all the powerhouses and living beings roared, their entire bodies burning, wreathed in radiance
that illuminated the whole firmament as they fought that figure standing tall within the unknown dimension.
But that figure was far too enormous, its entire body seemingly cast from Immortal Divine Gold, standing at the very end of heaven and earth.
Golden and resplendent, its features were blurred, its facial features indiscernible.
Only a pair of cold, emotionless eyes could be seen, radiating an icy indifference that regarded all living things as mere straw dogs.
It looked very much like a Human, yet it had three heads and six arms.
Each head was different, resembling dragons and phoenixes; its six arms wielded various divine weapons, and its body was covered in long fur of various colors, enough to make one’s scalp tingle.
With a single downward sweep, the entire universe collapsed and crumbled, shattering to pieces.
Countless powerhouses roared as they burst apart, body and soul annihilated, dissolving into nothing.
Yet even so, there were still those who charged forward without regard for their lives.
Even if they could only inflict the most insignificant wound upon this terrifying monster, they would not hesitate.
It was as if their hearts held only one thought—to destroy this horrifying monster.
The True Daoists charging at the very front attacked with Imperial Weapons in hand, but before they could even touch that dreadful monster, their entire bodies exploded.
In terms of cultivation, they were actually only at the early stage of the True Daoist realm—nowhere near comparable to Remnant Immortals.
The gap between the two sides was simply too vast; there was not the slightest possibility of resistance.
“So that’s how it is. This monster is actually the guardian watching over the Celestial Gate, treating the True Daoists of this universe as food to be devoured.”
“When did the secret of Immortal Ascension begin circulating in these universes—that behind the Celestial Gate lies the Celestial Path?”
“Truly a colossal lie, driving everyone to throw their lives away in pursuit of the Immortal Dao.”
Gu Changge watched this tragic battle with great interest, then swept his divine sense out and instantly discerned everything.
Seeing this, the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being’s expression did not change, as if he had not heard Gu Changge’s words at all.
He also knew there was no way to stop Gu Changge from seeing through the truth.
After all, Gu Changge’s strength had reached this realm as well; with a slight sweep and deduction of his divine sense, he could naturally understand everything.
At this point, since Gu Changge had discovered this secret, there was no longer any need for him to keep hiding it.
“Many things, my disciple, you really need not understand so thoroughly.”
The Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being spoke indifferently, his earlier amiability gone, the dagger now revealed as the map unrolled.
Gu Changge also smiled faintly. “When Shifu says that, does it mean that at this point, you no longer intend to take your disciple to the Practice Ground? What a pity. Your disciple still wanted to see what treasures were hidden within Shifu’s Practice Ground.”
“It seems everything you said before was merely you humoring me with false courtesy.”
“You truly did have other designs all along.”
The Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being narrowed his eyes, naturally hearing the mockery in Gu Changge’s words.
He suddenly felt that he had perhaps underestimated Gu Changge—he had never noticed that the latter had been scheming all along.
Gu Changge was far less greedy than he had imagined—or rather, far less simple than he had imagined.
All along this journey, had the lie of the Celestial Gate not been exposed just now, he would likely still have been kept in the dark by Gu Changge, never knowing that the latter had been playing along with his act.
All of a sudden, a chill crept up the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being’s back.
If, from the very beginning—when he had noticed something wrong with those Absolute Yin Heaven Origin Ancestor Artifact runes—Gu Changge had been deliberately playing along with him...
Then did that not mean that from that moment on, he had been the one being schemed against by Gu Changge?
That he had been used by Gu Changge as a mere tool all along—including his appearance in the Divine City, building up prestige for Gu Changge, resolving the calamity of the Absolute Yin Heaven for him?
“You truly are worthy of being your master’s fine disciple—to have been scheming against me from the very start.” The Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being’s expression turned rather ugly.
“It seems Shifu has realized it a bit too late.”
“Still, I must thank you for resolving so many matters for your disciple, and even personally escorting your disciple all the way to this place.”
Gu Changge smiled faintly. He had originally planned to wait until the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being revealed his own hand—or made his own move—before exposing his true intentions.
But now was not too early either. This place was immeasurably far from the center of the Beyond, with who-knew-how-many withered universes lying in between.
If the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being fell here, it would not cause the slightest ripple or suspicion. Everything had long since been decided—what a pitiful fellow.
“I’m afraid you’ll have to keep being kept in the dark, used by me.”
“Such audacity! Do you truly think this Venerable One dares not kill you?!”
Hearing these words, the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being’s expression instantly turned incomparably icy, his face seemingly devoid of all emotion, while countless horrifying visions surfaced in the depths of his eyes, causing the surrounding star domains to begin collapsing and crumbling.
He was utterly enraged and struck out directly without holding anything back, resolved to kill Gu Changge in this place.
Hong long long—
All eight directions trembled; the entire universe was nearly torn apart.
A vast, mighty pressure descended like the might of Heaven itself, enough to destroy everything.
The entire universe split apart under this power, great webs of cracks spreading across it.
Endless astral winds and Chaos Energy swept in from distant lands, transforming into world-destroying storms.
Now that he and Gu Changge had torn off all pretenses, he no longer bothered to disguise his intentions at this point.
His killing intent materialized, becoming dark divine weapons that seemed solid and real, clanging and ringing as they pierced through this universe.
“Shifu, why must it come to this? Why must we two turn blades upon each other?”
Gu Changge smiled faintly and swept a hand through the air. The void before him split open, revealing a terrifying black hole like a boundless starry sky, devouring all light and all rules and order in this world.
At this point, he naturally intended to kill the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being and take everything of his for himself.
Moreover, in Gu Changge’s view, this place was rather fitting—perfect for burying the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being.
“This Venerable One would very much like to see what ability you have, to be so delusionally bold as to scheme against me!”
The Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being’s face was calm as still water. His Daoist robe glowed, and Grand Runes flew out one after another, evolving into various divine weapons—the Dark Heavenly Sabre, the Golden Ancient Bell, the Violet Bronze Imperial Bell... all divine weapons that had manifested in the Mythological Era.
They were not mere phantoms; rather, they seemed to have been summoned into solid existence, each possessing vast and terrifying might.
Every divine weapon erupted with endless radiance, like scorching suns, their might immeasurable, blooming continuously as they charged to kill Gu Changge.
On top of that, an incomparably terrifying black-and-white millstone emerged behind the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being.
Dense life qi and Death Qi intertwined and spread, while fragments of shattered time fluttered about its surroundings, rumbling down with crushing force, causing the entire universe to explode repeatedly, unable to withstand this aura.
This was the Great Millstone of Life and Death, possessing the power of reincarnation—a single wisp of its aura contained world-destroying might.
It had to be said, as a figure of the Mythological Era, even in the present age, the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being possessed terrifyingly powerful methods.
No True Daoist could possibly withstand his current means; they would be pierced through, body and soul annihilated.
Even a genuine Remnant Immortal would absolutely be no match for him.
“You truly descended from the genuine Celestial Realm, from above—so your strength is a great deal greater than even that of the Remnant Immortals.”
Gu Changge saw through the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being’s true depths, black and white light similarly swirling within his own eyes.
He could clearly see the strands of Immortal Dao rules appearing around the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being’s body.
These Immortal Dao rules were incomparably condensed, transforming into great gates, transforming into heavenly swords, slashing toward him from all directions with overwhelming force.
Beneath the Immortal Dao, all are ants—and even True Daoists are merely slightly larger ants.
“So what if you saw through it? It’s merely the Immortal Dao. So what if it’s destroyed? The pursuit of this Venerable One is something you could never hope to touch.”
The Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being sneered coldly, his methods growing even sharper as the Reincarnation Grand Disc continued to press down.
At the same time, he brought out a tattered great banner. With a sudden weng, it unfurled, blotting out the sky and sun, enveloping this entire universe.
A vast, desolate, iron-blooded aura surged forth from within it.
The great banner was tattered, some places even riddled with holes, stained with five-colored blood that, even now, had never dried.
One could see the stars of the heavens revolving within the banner, forming a world of its own, endlessly regenerating, terrifying beyond measure.
That five-colored blood was horrifying to the extreme, reflecting all the universes of the heavens.
Just a single wisp of its aura leaking out was enough to make the universe explode, Chaos Energy surging toward the desolate edges of the cosmos.
“The Iron-Blooded War Flag, once stained with the blood of an Immortal King. To use it to slay you—you should consider yourself honored.”
The Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being’s gaze was ice-cold. At this moment, he already regarded Gu Changge as a dead man.
He possessed countless treasures, and though he could not unleash their true power, in his view, killing Gu Changge was more than assured.
No matter how powerful Gu Changge was, he was ultimately just a junior. How could his accumulated foundation possibly compare to his own?
Moreover, when it came to methods, he considered himself far superior to Gu Changge.
“A war flag stained with Immortal King blood. What a pity—the ages have already rotted it away.”
Gu Changge shook his head and sighed, his expression unchanged.
Black Grand Runes rose and fell one after another, like a blazing dark ocean, suddenly sweeping forward and transforming into a dark immortal furnace.
From within it burst dark divine flames that scorched the heavens, resisting the pressure of the Iron-Blooded War Flag.
Though his cultivation was indeed inferior to the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being’s, when it came to actual strength, Gu Changge did not believe anyone in the current Beyond could be his match.
“Rotten or not, it’s more than enough to kill you.”
“If you know what’s good for you, hand over the Source Runes you obtained in the Absolute Yin Heaven, and this Venerable One will leave your corpse intact.”
The Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being’s feet flickered with illusory light and shadow. Brandishing the Iron-Blooded War Flag, the Reincarnation Grand Disc suspended above his head, he swiftly charged toward Gu Changge.
Gu Changge smiled faintly and calmly raised his palm to meet the attack. Endless rules and order coiled around him like an ocean as he directly withstood the Iron-Blooded War Flag head-on, emitting a terrifying sound that shook the River of Time.
The shockwaves of their battle had long since burst beyond this universe, sweeping through many surrounding worlds.
Space shattered; the universe collapsed.
All the Cultivators and living beings who had earlier joined forces to resist the monster of the Celestial Gate could not help but tremble, terrified to the extreme, feeling as though their souls were about to freeze.
Such an aura far exceeded their imagination—even the monster within the Celestial Gate could not compare.
At this moment, they even felt as if true Immortals had descended upon the world.
“What on earth is happening? Why does it feel like Absolute Beings are clashing over there?”
“Even the legendary River of Time has manifested!”
They knelt down trembling, their souls quaking, utterly horrified.
Unfortunately, Gu Changge and the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being had long since fought their way beyond the universe, their figures blurred, as if battling within the river of ages itself.
All around them was nothing but void and the Chaos Sea, rules and order boiling, fragments of the Great Dao flying about—a scene horrifying to the extreme.
“I’m actually quite curious what other secrets you’re hiding. Besides raising these True Daoists to serve as your puppets, what other arrangements have you made?”
“And where have you hidden all the Dao Fruits you’ve accumulated over the ages?”
Gu Changge smiled faintly, then threw a punch. Golden light surged, filling this entire space as it collided with the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being. Vast shockwaves bloomed, like sun after sun exploding.
Around him, endless Primal Divine Light permeated, as if three thousand ancient worlds were rising and falling—hazy yet supreme, silver radiance brilliant, shaking out vast and mighty power that annihilated every method before him.
Hong long long—
It was as if the power of the entire universe pressed down, terrifying and vast to the extreme; even the Chaos Sea burst apart.
The Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being spat out a mouthful of blood and was sent flying. The arm that had collided with Gu Changge bore twisted, contorted marks, the sound of cracking bones ringing out as blood splattered, dyeing his Daoist robes red.
His expression gradually turned ugly. He had never imagined that even the Iron-Blooded War Flag, stained with Immortal King blood, could do nothing to Gu Changge.
Though due to the environment of heaven and earth, the Iron-Blooded War Flag could not unleash even a ten-thousandth of its divine might, it was still by no means something a True Daoist could withstand.
Yet around Gu Changge, there seemed to exist an invisible domain that devoured every method directed at him.
It was like the Completely Invulnerable Technique—immune to all the techniques of the heavens.
“What exactly is your origin? You’ve just been probing me all along?!”
At this moment, the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being finally sensed something was wrong and shouted low.
Unless he truly unleashed his Immortal Dao methods, he absolutely could not touch Gu Changge. In this regard, both of them had reached a certain extreme.
Moreover, he felt that Gu Changge seemed to be probing his methods, never having brought out his true trump cards.
That sense of unease suddenly swept over him, beginning to devour his mind.
The Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being could not believe it. He had survived since the mythical era, scheming and plotting countless plans, his methods world-shaking—so why could he not even deal with a single Gu Changge?
The other party was like a bottomless, terrifying black hole—the more one understood, the more one’s heart palpitated with fear.
“How boring. You only noticed at this point?”
“Since you refuse to talk, I’ll just have to dig it out myself.”
Gu Changge shook his head, the faint smile on his face fading away.
He had been probing the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being all along, precisely to thoroughly grasp his methods—he had no intention of simply erasing him.
After all, to Gu Changge, this would make an excellent puppet.
“What do you mean?”
The Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being stared fixedly at Gu Changge. The Reincarnation Grand Disc above his head cascaded down boundless black-and-white qi, forming a self-contained cycle of reincarnation, endlessly regenerating, able to resist everything, completely enveloping him.
That feeling of unease and heart-palpitation struck once again.
In the unseen depths, it was as if an invisible great net was slowly closing in on him.
The next instant, a terrifying black light slashed forth from ahead, as if shattering eternity itself, rupturing the heavens, streaking across the universe and the River of Time. All traces and Dao techniques were erased beneath this single strike, reduced to nothingness.
The Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being’s eyes widened in disbelief. He didn’t even have time to react—he only felt a chill between his brows, as if something ice-cold had suddenly pierced straight through his skull.
His voice came out broken and intermittent, his mind already engulfed and devoured by endless deathly silence and terror.
At this moment, he suddenly recalled that halberd-light from the Forbidden Epoch that had streaked across the myriad worlds of the heavens—just as vast and terrifying, annihilating everything, severing everything.
The Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being’s heart was filled with horror, disbelief, and dread to the utmost extreme.
How could this be possible?
How could Gu Changge possibly be that one?
Unfortunately, at this moment, his life force was already dissipating, and there was no one left to answer his question.
Though his divine soul was incomparably sturdy, tempered over countless ages, it was now covered in dense cracks, beginning to crumble and scatter like porcelain.
Gu Changge, holding the Eight Barren Demon Halberd, pointing south toward the heavens, walked over step by step, crossing the entire expanse in an instant.
His expression remained unchanged; he merely looked at the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being with a trace of pity.
“Come to think of it, you’re rather fortunate—to die beneath the Eight Barren Demon Halberd.”
“After all this time, this is also the first time I’ve truly unleashed the Eight Barren Demon Halberd.”
While in the central region of the Beyond, Gu Changge had never truly unleashed the Eight Barren Demon Halberd, let alone brought out its heaven-defying might.
This was a world-destroying weapon.
If even a wisp of its true aura leaked out, it would be unimaginable for the entire Beyond.
Of course, even Gu Changge now could not possibly bring out its true aura.
Thanks to the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being bringing him to such a remote region, Gu Changge dared to unscrupulously bring out the Eight Barren Demon Halberd like this.
No matter how far the shockwaves of the battle here spread, they could never reach the central region of the Beyond and alarm the Dao lineages and Cultivators there.
All of this had been decided from the very beginning—it was just that the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being was completely unaware, still believing victory was within his grasp.
“Truly a pitiful fellow. In that case, everything you’ve painstakingly accumulated—I’ll gladly accept it all.”
To Gu Changge, this divine soul was not merely nourishment—it also held the many secrets the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being had left behind.
Beyond that, within the Spiritual Palace space of the divine soul lay the accumulations and foundations the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being had amassed over all this time.
Daoist canons and Immortal scriptures, Innate artifacts, damaged Immortal Grade Artifacts, undying medicinal seeds, longevity wondrous roots... far too many good things.
The so-called Practice Ground was, in fact, right here.
Now that he had perished in body and Dao, these foundations naturally became Gu Changge’s.
As for the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being’s physical body, Gu Changge casually put it away as well, planning to refine it when he had time.
What he cared about most now were the Dao Fruits the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being had accumulated over these countless ages.
In the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being’s plans, these Dao Fruits were the key to his breakthrough into the Immortal King Realm.
Back then, the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being cultivated the method of reincarnation and delved into the Great Dao of time, but unfortunately, he eventually made no further progress. Cultivating the Immortal King Fruit Position was so difficult that he could not see even a glimmer of hope.
Thus, the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being, with great resolve, severed his own Celestial Realm cultivation and fell from that height, beginning to seek the Immortal King Dao Fruit through unorthodox means.
“The Dao Fruits he accumulated are all contained within each of his Dharma Bodies, and those Dharma Bodies are scattered throughout the vast ancient universes, enormous in number.”
“From the looks of it, there are quite a few of these Dao Fruits. For me, they’re a shortcut to rapidly raising my realm after breaking through to the Celestial Realm—saving me a great deal of trouble.”
Gu Changge’s thoughts turned as he looked toward the ancient universes he and the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being had passed through earlier.
Speaking of which, the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being truly was his great benefactor, delivering such a grand gift right to his door.
Gu Changge’s gaze fell, and then the Grand Flask emerged in his palm, cascading down boundless dark light, devouring the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being’s rapidly scattering divine soul.
748. Refining the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being, Attempting to Interfere with the River of Time (Please Subscribe)
Gu Changge began sorting through the many grand gifts the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being had left him.
The most precious among them were the Dao Fruits the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being had accumulated across the various ancient universes over these countless ages.
Next was this body that surpassed the level of Remnant Immortals.
As for the many Immortal scriptures, remnants, and damaged Immortal Grade Artifacts stored within the Spiritual Palace space, in Gu Changge’s eyes, none of them were nearly as valuable as these two.
Over the following days, Gu Changge began refining the puppet deep within this withered universe.
Hong long long—
The terrifying True Flame of the Great Dao blazed, its temperature horrifyingly high, billions of crimson rays blooming, directly burning the universe itself into collapse.
Great swathes of Grand Runes wrapped around the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being’s corpse, like a blazing, vast sun.
This place transformed into a terrifying sea of fire—even if a True Daoist stepped inside, they would be instantly destroyed in body and soul, burned to ash.
Compared to ordinary True Daoist puppets, the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being’s corpse was far more difficult to refine.
The difficulty alone was on an entirely different level.
If an ordinary True Daoist’s physical strength could be described as an eggshell, then the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being’s body was nothing short of iron and stone.
The two were simply incomparable.
Refining an ordinary True Daoist puppet did not take Gu Changge much time.
But now, merely erasing the runes within the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being’s body had already consumed a great deal of time.
To refine a perfect puppet, the original aura and the new aura had to be perfectly fused, lest the two auras conflict and cause the body to collapse and explode.
Another important reason was that the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being had cultivated for far too long.
Even though his divine soul had been annihilated, his traces and aura still lingered within this body.
So what Gu Changge needed to do was thoroughly erase those traces and that aura, then refine his own runes into the body.
Hong long—
For the following half month, this place was filled with an aura of great terror, Chaos Energy roiling.
Black Grand Runes rose and fell, interweaving and constructing one after another, evolving the profundities of life, death, and reincarnation.
The entire universe trembled; the surrounding stars all turned to dust, swept up by the escaping aura, reduced to ash in an instant.
A Daoist in feathered robes and a starry crown sat cross-legged at the center of the universe, seemingly breathing along with heaven and earth itself.
Flesh, bones, organs—nearly every inch of skin had the aura of reincarnation flowing and interweaving through it, black and white qi endlessly regenerating, forming a world of its own.
“Finally succeeded. I didn’t expect refining this one puppet to take me so long.”
“But the harvest isn’t bad either. A puppet like this Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being can absolutely pass for the real thing.”
Gu Changge shook his head, waved his sleeve, and put away the puppet before him.
Unless one was extremely familiar with him, no one could possibly tell any difference between this Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being and the previous one.
Of course, during his battle with Gu Changge, the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being’s body had not been torn to pieces.
Only at the spot between his brows was there an extremely horrifying crack, split open and pierced through by the Eight Barren Demon Halberd in a single strike, impossible to heal.
However, when refining this puppet, Gu Changge had already purged the destructive aura remaining in the wound, allowing that crack to fully close.
“Next is to find the Dao Fruits the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being accumulated, and while I’m at it, look for a suitable world.”
Gu Changge did not stop moving. Tearing open a cosmic tunnel, he quickly vanished from this universe.
After all, he had refined the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being’s divine soul, so through perception he could determine the exact locations where the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being had left his backup arrangements in various ancient universes.
Though the main body had been destroyed and perished, those Dharma Bodies still existed in the world and had not disappeared.
The strength of these Dharma Bodies varied—the strongest were comparable to Remnant Immortals, while the weaker ones were merely at the level of True Daoists.
So for Gu Changge, collecting these Dao Fruits was not troublesome; it only required some time.
Fortunately, he was extremely fast. After making a few rounds through the several nearby universes, he found the locations of those Dharma Bodies and directly devoured them.
After devouring these Dao Fruits, Gu Changge naturally did not choose to refine them, because his plan was the same as the Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being’s—to refine them after breaking through to the Celestial Realm.
Dao Fruits were, after all, different from Source.
Source could boost cultivation, but Dao Fruits could enhance realm comprehension and the like—far more wondrous in application.
Gu Changge was now already at the late stage of the True Daoist level, only a single step away from the threshold of the Celestial Realm.
If he wanted to continue increasing his cultivation, he actually only needed Remnant Immortal Source—there was no need to refine Dao Fruits.
These Dao Fruits, saved for later, would be of far greater use.
And while scouring for these Dao Fruits, Gu Changge happened to discover an ancient universe that was incomparably suitable for him.
That universe was boundlessly vast and ancient. The length of time since its birth, in Gu Changge’s view, could even rival the Beyond itself.
It had many life star regions, great swathes of living stars.
Some powerful ancient races occupied vast territories, calling themselves Royal Families, their ancestors having produced True Daoists.
Even now, they had True Daoist weapons suppressing their foundations, having existed for ages. Just this alone...
...a single point, it far surpassed the surrounding universes.
Some vast, ancient powers had established themselves as Holy Lands and great families, likewise because True Daoists had been born among their ancestors. Their family foundations ran deep, and they possessed Dao Artifacts that could be revived at any time.
The rules of this universe were extremely incomplete, yet that did not hinder its long-standing heritage and Fortuity. Far too many True Daoists had been born here. Even now, within some of the ancient royal clans and Holy Lands, there were likely still Quasi-Nirvana Realm existences, sealed and suppressed within Divine Source, waiting for a great era in which to achieve the Dao.
Although the heavenly rules of this universe were incomplete, they carried no suppressive force.
“However, life-sustaining matter is extremely scarce. It can only sustain a True Daoist for a hundred thousand years. They must either prolong their lives with Emperor-grade medicine, or use other methods to live another life, or else sever a part of themselves with a self-inflicted cut, abandon their Heavenly Mandate, and hide away in regions with special rules and terrain, establishing themselves as Forbidden Areas.”
Gu Changge tore open the barrier of this universe and stood in the sky overlooking it, his divine sense sweeping across, perceiving the state of this universe.
Such circumstances, in his view, fit the characteristics of an Age of Dharma Decline perfectly.
The Celestial Path had collapsed, the Heavenly Mandate had been severed, and the lifespans of True Daoists had plummeted—they could only survive a hundred thousand years.
One had to know that in the Beyond, as long as a True Daoist suffered no Great Dao injuries, living ten million years was more than easy. Not to mention the various immortal lineages, which also had longevity medicines and immortal trees to extend life. At worst, they could hide deep within their clan grounds and cling to life through the Five Immortal Decays.
“Since that’s the case, then this universe it is.”
Gu Changge’s figure walked slowly out from the depths of the universe, his form seemingly merging with the void itself. Even a True Daoist standing before him could not possibly detect his aura.
The World’s Will of this universe attempted to resist his arrival. But as Grand Runes emerged around his body, transforming into a terrifying black hole, all rules and matter... the World’s Will of this place also retreated, no longer daring to approach.
“To use this universe as the board for my scheme, I must start from the other end of the River of Time—tell a monstrous lie, or alter the past.”
Gu Changge’s gaze shifted slightly as he probed this universe’s River of Time.
The Rivers of Time of different universes were not the same. Though they all eventually converged into one, along the way they branched off into countless small streams of time.
With Gu Changge’s current realm, he naturally could not interfere with that vast main river that ran through all the heavens. But the Rivers of Time of some broken universes were a different matter.
Affected by the broken heavenly rules, even when wading through the River of Time, or even altering the past, as long as one’s cultivation and strength were powerful enough, one could actually withstand the backlash and karma.
Gu Changge’s idea was simple. Since he intended to use a universe as the board for his scheme, he had to make this universe serve his purposes.
The Ancient Reincarnation Supreme Being treated those universes as his back garden, accumulating Dao Fruits for himself—his ambitions were grand indeed.
But Gu Changge’s goal was merely this one universe before his eyes.
So he did not plan to tell a monstrous lie. Instead, he intended to begin his scheme from the other end of the River of Time, thereby altering the present world.
For Gu Changge to plant the Tree of Epoch in this universe and make everyone believe and know of it, he would inevitably have to let all who had ever existed in this universe know of the matter—turning something that never existed into reality.
He could not possibly rewrite the memories of every single person in this universe.
So the best method was to alter the past, thereby influencing the present world.
Although the consequences of doing so would be severe, and the slightest misstep would bring enormous backlash and karma, Gu Changge did not want to let this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity slip by.
“Xiao Ruoyin’s Celestial Boat of Creation and the Spacetime Stone I obtained back then can both be put to use now. I’ll use the Spacetime Stone to fix the node, then use the Celestial Boat of Creation to traverse the River of Time. That way I won’t easily get lost.”
“What I need to do now is first find a suitable spacetime node and make the changes from there.”
Gu Changge walked through the starry sky, his divine sense sweeping out, searching for long-lived clans and ancient life-bearing stars.
The fastest way for him to learn of this universe’s many past events was, quite simply, to find its most ancient clans.
This universe had no existences surpassing the Celestial Realm. Ever since the Forbidden Epoch, it was as if a gap had appeared—the strongest beings thereafter were merely True Daoists.
So Gu Changge was not worried that, while wading through the River of Time in the present world, he would be detected by the celestial-level powerhouses of the past who might strike out to interfere with him.
Very soon, Gu Changge noticed a vast and mighty aura of life coming from ahead.
It was an incomparably vast and boundless star domain of life, with many ancient life-bearing stars dotted throughout the cosmos, radiating rich vitality.
“The Purple Star Dao Domain... A being called the Purple Star Emperor once appeared here and founded the Purple Star Divine Empire. It is one of the most ancient powers in this universe. Even now, it commands a vast territory, with all under heaven coming to pay homage. The Purple Star Emperor of the current generation is a cultivator on the verge of stepping into the Quasi-Nirvana Realm.”
Gu Changge’s divine sense swept over, easily discerning everything.
He took a step forward, the void blurred, and crossing countless distances, he appeared at once within the imperial palace of the Purple Star Divine Empire.
None of the powerful experts within could sense his existence or aura. Even the grand protective array laid outside the dynasty showed not the slightest sign of being triggered.
Within the palace, golden splendor abounded, spiritual mist curled, runic light flickered, and the atmosphere was grand and majestic. Dense purple Fortuity enveloped the place, forming a purple Fortuity dragon coiling around the great halls. Above, countless stars could be seen revolving and suspended, like a magnificent heavenly palace.
A purple-robed man sat cross-legged here with his eyes closed, a purple-gold crown upon his head, his face naturally imposing without anger, imperial might flowing around him, domineering beyond compare.
It was none other than the current Emperor of the Purple Star Divine Empire, whose cultivation had already reached the peak of the Sacred Emperor Realm.
However, he did not sense Gu Changge’s arrival and continued cultivating, comprehending the rules of heaven and earth, attempting to break into the Quasi-Nirvana Realm.
Gu Changge had no intention of wasting time. With a direct wave of his sleeve, he roused the meditating Purple Star Emperor from his trance.
In truth, he could have chosen to search the man’s soul and directly probe this universe’s past. But it would be better to simply have the Purple Star Emperor search out those hidden histories for him, thereby deducing and determining the space node of the past.
The River of Time was like an ancient history, recording this universe’s past. To determine a certain node within the River of Time, one naturally had to reverse-deduce that position based on this universe’s past.
Moreover, Gu Changge first needed to thoroughly understand this universe, so that based on the present world, he could choose which past to alter—how to reasonably insert something that never existed.
“You are...”
Soon, the meditating Purple Star Emperor awoke.
He was first stunned, then reacted, his eyes widening in horror, filled with dread as he stared at Gu Changge.
He had never imagined that a cold, indifferent young man would suddenly appear before him.
At this moment, the Purple Star Emperor was nearly doubting whether he was dreaming.
He was one of the most powerful beings in the current world, about to step into the Quasi-Nirvana Realm. The Purple Star Imperial Dynasty even had a Dao Artifact holding the fort, ready to be revived at any time.
How had this young man before him appeared within the imperial palace without a sound?
And what horrified the Purple Star Emperor most was that he could not perceive Gu Changge’s existence at all. The man was clearly standing right before him, yet it was like perceiving a boundless void, a fathomless abyss.
“If you don’t want to die, then honestly do as I demand.”
Gu Changge’s eyes were cold and profound. He had no intention of wasting words on the Purple Star Emperor. He pointed directly at the man’s forehead, pouring his many demands straight into his mind.
“Y-yes, Qianbei, rest assured, I’ll arrange it at once.”
The Purple Star Emperor’s heart filled with even greater dread, his voice trembling, not daring to refuse.
He felt as though his head could be pierced through by Gu Changge’s finger at any moment, exploding with a bang.
Although Gu Changge looked very young, his true strength was absolutely terrifying beyond measure, surpassing everything the Purple Star Emperor had ever known.
It was just that he couldn’t understand—why would such a being descend upon the Purple Star Imperial Dynasty, and make such strange demands?
In the days that followed, Gu Changge remained in the star palace of the Purple Star Divine Empire, sitting quietly in meditation, waiting for the Purple Star Emperor to deliver all manner of news and secret records.
He was in no hurry regarding time, planning to begin his scheme only after thoroughly understanding everything about this universe.
The Purple Star Emperor dared not leak word of Gu Changge, nor dared mention the matter to anyone else.
Though he only had cultivation at the peak of the Sacred Emperor Realm, he could still feel the terror of Gu Changge—that vastness like a boundless void, as if it could devour everything in existence.
Even a revived Dao Artifact fell far short of a tenth of such terrifying might.
Before Gu Changge, it was as if all the universes of the heavens were about to collapse.
Such a figure could destroy the entire Purple Star Divine Empire with a single thought—how would he dare offend him?
“Qianbei, these are all the secret ancient histories I was able to gather. I wouldn’t dare hide anything.”
The Purple Star Emperor carefully placed various Jade Tablets and relic engravings before Gu Changge.
He had not only brought out all the records kept by the Purple Star Divine Empire, but had also paid enormous prices to trade with other great powers, all in hopes of satisfying Gu Changge.
“You may leave,” Gu Changge opened his eyes, his expression indifferent, and nodded.
“Yes, Qianbei.”
The Purple Star Emperor inwardly heaved a long sigh of relief and hurriedly withdrew, though he dared not slack off, continuing to send people to gather all kinds of secret ancient histories.
He did not know Gu Changge’s purpose in doing this, nor did he dare ask.
“After the Forbidden Epoch, there was actually a stretch of nearly buried history, with no records at all, and no legacies or lineages left behind. The lineages and powers that came later only slowly developed to their current state based on the texts and relic engravings they excavated...”
After the Purple Star Emperor left, Gu Changge slowly began flipping through these ancient texts and histories.
What interested him most was the Dark Gap that had once appeared in this universe.
After the Forbidden Epoch, the heavens collapsed, and all universes were swept up and affected, the impact enormous.
After that period, returning to a flourishing age of cultivation required an extremely long time. That long stretch of time became the gap in the records.
With no cultivation era arising, naturally no True Daoists were born either.
The impact this universe suffered was evidently extremely severe. That period of the Dark Gap lasted far beyond ten million years, spanning many epochs.
Only after that did this universe slowly recover its vitality.
“In that case, as long as the node coordinates in the River of Time are set after the Dark Gap ended, I can begin my scheme.”
Gu Changge nodded, somewhat enlightened.
However, there was still one thing he had not confirmed—whether any ancient cultivators had existed during that Dark Gap.
After all, the texts had no records of it. If he waded through the river of ages and was detected by ancient cultivators of that time, it might well affect later ages, even the future. The backlash of karma would be enormous, leaving behind terrifying Dao injuries.
“Perhaps it’s worth a try. Even if there were cultivators in that Dark Gap, as long as I erase them, it naturally won’t affect the present. At the very least, there are no ancient cultivators alive in the world now.”
Gu Changge slowly closed the many ancient books and began pondering other matters.
The Purple Star Divine Empire had existed for an incomparably long time, spanning nearly all the ancient history since the Forbidden Epoch. Its territory was vast, ruling over the surrounding star domains of hundreds of millions of miles.
The Divine Empire was full of experts. Deep within, a Dao Artifact held the fort, and in the imperial treasury, Quasi-Nirvana-level figures were sealed away in Divine Source.
Although the Purple Star Divine Empire had only ever produced a single True Daoist to this day, the number of Quasi-Nirvana Realm existences was more than both hands could count.
Speaking of which, for many of the superpowers of this universe, this matter was like a curse—one that simply could not be broken.
For any power whose ancestors had produced a True Daoist, it was nearly impossible for later generations to break through to the True Daoist Realm.
No matter what physique one had, it was all the same. Upon reaching the peak of the Quasi-Nirvana Realm, one had already hit the ceiling, unable to advance even half a step further.
Many speculated that it was because the ancestral bloodline was too powerful, and because they walked the path their ancestors had walked, they could not break that shackle.
A superpower could only produce one True Daoist. This was because the Fortuity and Dao Fruit had long since been plucked away—it was as if that road had been blocked off. If later generations wished to get through, the only way was to carve out an entirely new path.
But with the shelter of their ancestors’ lingering grace, no one had the courage to blaze another trail.
Gu Changge was not surprised by this. In a certain sense, it confirmed his conjecture.
The World’s Will of this universe was extremely incomplete, already powerless to replenish the Fortuity and Dao Fruits that had been lost.
That was why, all these years, no new True Daoist had been born in this universe.
“This works out perfectly. It can be explained thus: because the Tree of Epoch must grow, it has to devour the Fortuity of an entire universe. This is an irreversible process.”
Thinking this, Gu Changge hesitated no longer.
Grand Runes flew out one after another, the rules of time condensing, immortal intent faintly appearing.
A vast fluctuation came from behind him as a boundless and mysterious long river emerged, emitting a hualala sound.
Fragments of time danced within it, Chaos Energy billowing and cascading down, as if falling from the ends of heaven and earth—incomparably vast, displaying all the profundities of this world.
This river was extremely blurry, not very clear—merely a small branch of the River of Time.
Because Gu Changge had not yet broken through to the Celestial Realm, he could not truly control the rules of time, and naturally could not make the River of Time fully manifest.
But for him at present, as long as he could determine a single node within the River of Time, that was enough.
Because of the Celestial Boat of Creation, Gu Changge did not need to physically cross and wade through this river himself, enduring that unimaginable backlash of karma.
Soon, a cyan mysterious Stone Engraving appeared in his palm, dense with the flowing meaning of spacetime and ages, emitting a hazy light, incomparably mysterious.
“The Spacetime Stone. Once the space node is determined, using it to lock the position will keep me from getting lost within the River of Time.”
Gu Changge murmured softly, light flowing in his eyes as he stared intently at the River of Time, determining the positions of certain nodes within it, sensing the vast aura coming from that place.
This process had to be careful. If he determined the wrong node, wading over would only be a waste of time.
The Dark Gap was inextricably linked to the Forbidden Epoch.
Gu Changge’s eyes flickered. Sensing the karma coming from the unseen beyond, he at once determined a small node within the River of Time.
The Spacetime Stone turned into a streak of flowing light, shooting into that place, then descending with a rumble, abruptly rising tall as it sank into the river.
The long river ahead had already collapsed and broken, a terrifying severance appearing. It was impossible to see the scene at the other end of the river—only the vast river rolling onward, kicking up one terrifying wave after another.
“It should be that place.” Gu Changge confirmed it.
The next moment, the Celestial Boat of Creation appeared, dense cyan light manifesting, enveloping Gu Changge entirely, then turning directly into a streak of flowing light, rushing toward that River of Time.
Vast fluctuations surged up in this place, then vanished like a meteor in an instant. The terrifying phantom of the River of Time also slowly dispersed, as if it had never appeared at all.
“What on earth just happened? Why did my mind and soul nearly shatter?”
“That Qianbei suddenly vanished...”
The Purple Star Emperor, sensing the aura of this place, rushed over in alarm.
He was horrified to the extreme, nearly bursting apart under a single remnant wisp of aura. His whole body immediately dropped to his knees, trembling uncontrollably.
A premonition from the unseen beyond told him that something in this entire stretch of heaven and earth was about to be rewritten and reversed.