The Greatest Trump Card, Suspecting He's Become the Final Boss
The Greatest Trump Card, Suspecting He’s Become the Final Boss
Skyward Schloss, Supreme Peak.
Palaces and pavilions stretched out in clusters, and beneath the shroud of the setting sun’s afterglow, it looked like an ancient celestial court had settled here.
Along the mountainside were numerous cave dwellings, spewing forth radiant light and immortal mist, with roiling clouds of color, dazzling and resplendent—an utterly divine sight.
This was none other than the peak where Gu Changge resided.
Within the entire Skyward Schloss, it counted as a blessed land with exceptionally dense spiritual energy, its cultivation conditions far superior to those of the other peaks.
Only those Elders with unfathomable cultivation possessed better residences and cave dwellings.
The territory of Skyward Schloss was incomparably vast—the mountain ranges and islands reserved solely for disciples’ cultivation numbered in the tens of thousands, to say nothing of the mysterious regions deeper within.
Countless ancient divine mountains and primordial stone platforms were almost too numerous to tally, and from time to time a disciple would stumble upon a fortuitous encounter in such places, their cultivation surging and their strength soaring.
“Roar...”
A carriage drawn by nine dragons came sweeping across the sky!
At that moment, many young prodigies emerged along the mountainside of Supreme Peak—men and women alike, along with other ancient beings bearing powerful bloodlines and astonishing combat strength.
“Master!”
“We welcome Master!”
Seeing the nine-dragon carriage descend, all the young prodigies came out to pay their respects, their expressions filled with reverence and admiration.
They were all followers Gu Changge had previously subdued, each considered a genius of some renown in the outside world.
The strongest among them had now broken through to the middle stage of the Honoured Lord Realm—the young master of an ancient great clan.
Gu Changge stepped out, his expression calm, and gave them a slight nod. “Rise. During the time I was away, did anything happen?”
After leaving the sect gates, he had paid no further mind to Gu Xianer, returning directly to his own peak.
As far as Gu Changge was concerned, Gu Xianer could no longer affect him in any meaningful way. Her strength lagged far too far behind his—even if she harbored the will for revenge, she lacked the ability.
His main focus remained on the other Direct Disciples.
Supreme Peak was a name bestowed by the current Palace Master of Skyward Schloss.
The peaks of the other Direct Disciples had been named in the same fashion, each carrying a different meaning.
“Reporting to Master, over the past half year, aside from a few Direct Disciples and Elders sending people to inquire about Master’s whereabouts, nothing of note has occurred on Supreme Peak,” one of them answered respectfully.
“Has anything major happened in the sect?”
Gu Changge nodded, then asked further.
“Direct Disciple Chu recently obtained some unknown fortuitous encounter. Since returning from the Cloud Tomb, his cultivation has broken through to the peak of the Honoured Lord Realm, and he now faintly stands at the head of the other Direct Disciples.”
“Additionally, Direct Disciple Yin asked us to inform Master that she has an important matter to discuss with you. If Master returns, she will come to see you again.”
The man answered once more.
The Direct Disciple Chu he spoke of was named Chu Wuji, the Eldest Prince of a celestial dynasty, whose talent was extraordinarily powerful. From childhood he had displayed terrifying strength—a heaven-defying prodigy rarely matched, never once defeated.
As for Direct Disciple Yin, her name was Yin Mei, the Gifted Lady of the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan. The Nine-Tailed Fox Clan was an extremely ancient and venerable Ancient Royal Family in the Beyond, with immensely formidable power.
Hearing this, a strange glint flashed through Gu Changge’s eyes, and he nodded. “I understand.”
With that, he headed straight back to the palace where he usually cultivated.
“Master’s strength has grown even more unfathomable!”
“I already heard the rumors from earlier—at the sect gates, Master slapped Jin Yu’s Partial-Enlightened Realm servant to death with one palm. It seems Master must have already broken through to the Honoured King Realm.”
“We haven’t even heard news of any other young prodigy breaking through to the Honoured King Realm yet.”
Only after Gu Changge departed did the followers begin discussing in hushed, reverent tones, their awe of him deepening.
When Gu Changge had subdued them before, regardless of whether his methods had been honorable, by now every one of them was wholeheartedly convinced.
The other Direct Disciples would have to join forces just to contend with Gu Changge—that alone was the greatest proof.
The situation in Skyward Schloss was almost exactly as he had anticipated.
Behind each of the Five Greatest Direct Disciples stood a different colossal power.
The mightiest among them were the Longevity Gu Family behind him, and the Great Chu Celestial Dynasty behind Chu Wuji.
The forces behind the other three were a notch below theirs.
It was precisely for this reason that the Elders of Skyward Schloss found it difficult to interfere in the struggle for the Successor position among the Direct Disciples—taking sides would curry no favor with the powers behind them and might even give offense.
After all, no one with a functioning brain would do thankless work that only brought trouble.
“The position of Successor should be decided soon. But if I want to scheme against Skyward Schloss itself, even after becoming the Successor, there are still many Elders I’ll have to find ways to deal with—especially the few led by the Great Elder of Skyward Schloss, who is renowned as one of the most terrifying existences in the Beyond...”
Gu Changge couldn’t help but furrow his brow.
According to the plan between him and his father, the first step in the Longevity Gu Family’s gradual devouring of Skyward Schloss was for him to seize the position of Successor.
But even if he succeeded, there would still be a long road ahead.
Skyward Schloss had seen many Palace Masters come and go over the generations, and other forces had held the position before.
But the Great Elder alone had never changed. No matter what rebellion erupted, he could suppress it.
Palace Masters flowed like water; the Great Elder stood firm as iron.
He was the foundation that allowed Skyward Schloss to stand unshaken through the ages—and beyond him, not a single one of the other Elders was easy to deal with either.
Many prodigies joined Skyward Schloss hoping to learn its numerous Transcendent techniques and treasured arts, as well as its many Immortal Scriptures, and to obtain fortuitous encounters and cultivation resources.
Naturally, if they could gain the support of the Elders behind Skyward Schloss, it would also be of immense benefit when they returned to their own forces to vie for position.
But from the very beginning, Gu Changge had harbored the intention of devouring Skyward Schloss whole.
Moreover, the matter of his Demonic Heart seemed to have faintly attracted notice.
That was a matter from his previous memories, so quite a few Elders had always been guarded against him. Compared to the other Direct Disciples, Gu Changge’s motives were far too impure.
Of course, Skyward Schloss possessed no shortage of powerful inheritances, and since ancient times it had produced countless dazzling, peerless talents who made their names known across the Beyond.
Gu Changge himself lacked no powerful inheritances. Most importantly, he bore the Taboo Demonic Arts—with such a cultivation system in his body, he naturally wanted for nothing.
Of course, if it were some powerful Transcendent secret art, that would be another matter.
On one hand, the System Shop could exchange for them, but that cost Fatums.
If a ready-made powerful Transcendent art was placed before him, how could Gu Changge possibly refuse it?
After returning to his palace, Gu Changge dismissed everyone.
He summoned his status interface.
Master: Gu Changge.
Aura: Fated Villain.
Weapon: Eight Barren Demon Halberd.
Identity: Direct Disciple of Skyward Schloss, Young Master of the Longevity Gu Family.
Physique and Bloodline: Demonic Heart, Daoist Bone.
Cultivation: Early Honoured King Realm.
Arts and Techniques: Skyward Ascension (Eighth Layer, 30% progress), Demonization (Innate Talent), Nature God’s Chant (Innate Talent), Force of the Void (Innate Talent), Immortal-Devouring Demonic Art, Endless Immortal Art...
Fatums: 4,000.
Fortuity Points: 2,100 (Black).
System Shop: Open.
Storage: One-third Fragment of the World Seed ×3 (combinable), Fortuity Plundering Talisman ×3.
Of these, his Fortuity Points had automatically risen by one hundred, with another five hundred coming from his fiancée, Yue Mingkong.
Then, after a moment of deliberation, Gu Changge exchanged for another thousand Fortuity Points.
His Fatums reached fourteen thousand.
He directly spent eight thousand points to break through to the middle stage of the Honoured King Realm.
A wondrous clear energy circulated through his limbs and bones, then converged within his Spiritual Sea.
Weng!
The progress of Skyward Ascension advanced along with it, reaching sixty percent.
A multitude of insights and mastered memories, like a string of golden characters radiating brilliant light, flashed through Gu Changge’s mind before gradually settling into stillness.
Finally.
“Middle stage of the Honoured King Realm—as far as the outside world is concerned, this disguise is more than sufficient.” Gu Changge pondered briefly.
Long ago, he had come to possess two different cultivation systems. One relied on Skyward Ascension, which could improve as he added points or cultivated.
That was the strength he displayed before the world.
The other was the devouring path of the Immortal-Devouring Demonic Art—devouring the Sources of all kings, containing heaven and earth itself.
This was utterly heaven-defying and absolutely could not be exposed. The moment it was exposed, not even the Gu Family could protect him.
As for why it was so heaven-defying?
In truth, the current Gu Changge didn’t know either. He only remembered that his greatest trump card was the Immortal-Devouring Demonic Art.
But until the most critical moment, it absolutely could not be revealed.
Why didn’t he know? Because most of Gu Changge’s memories concerning this matter had been sealed away—by himself.
He controlled only the various secret arts of the Immortal-Devouring Demonic Art.
After all, to deceive others, one must first deceive oneself.
Then.
Gu Changge swept his arm, and from within his sleeve shot a series of hazy gray flags, runes interwoven upon them, tearing through the void to seal off the four directions of the palace.
This was a set of Heaven-Deceiving Flags he had refined at great cost, possessing terrifying concealing properties.
With a weng!
A substance like chaotic mist swiftly enveloped the area.
From then on, no one could casually spy upon this place.
Even if a divine sense descended, Gu Changge would detect it at the first instant.
He sat cross-legged, and his entire aura began to change. If just moments ago he had been transcendent as an immortal, exuding an otherworldly celestial air—
Then now, strange black runes began surfacing across his body, rising and falling one by one, archaic and mysterious, as if evolving the birth of primordial chaos and the creation of the universe.
Within his Knowledge Sea, upon the Nature God’s Chant formed by his Primordial Spirit, there were faint sealing patterns.
But at this moment, those sealing patterns turned pitch black.
Then they split apart!
Weng!
The memory seal broke open!
Gu Changge’s aura turned dark and fathomless, his demonic intent surging to the heavens, like a peerless Demon Lord of the ages. Fortunately, he had sealed this place with the Heaven-Deceiving Array Seal, so no one could detect the anomaly.
Pitch-black Grand Runes emerged one after another in his hand, then transformed into a black-gleaming Grand Flask that floated above his head, cascading down billions of strands of divine light.
A terrifying, boundless pressure rose from his body.
His Primordial Spirit metamorphosed, and thick black demonic light suffused his flesh!
Middle Honoured King Realm!
Late stage!
Peak!
Early Partial-Enlightened Realm!
Middle stage!
...
True Enlightened Realm!
Early stage!
Middle stage!
...
Peak!
Half-Step Enlightened Noble Realm!
At this moment, sensing Gu Changge’s aura, even the Eight Barren Demon Halberd couldn’t help but tremble lightly, emitting emotions of joy and jubilation.
Gu Changge absorbed the portion of memories he had sealed away.
His expression couldn’t help but turn somewhat peculiar.
“So this is my greatest trump card—a true cultivation of the Half-Step Enlightened Noble Realm? As expected... if this were exposed, never mind anything else, just this horrifying cultivation speed alone would probably make everyone in the world want to kill me...”
“Using all living beings as nourishment, devouring to strengthen myself—this method is even more addictive than adding points...”
“To make the whole world my enemy—actually, that’s not an exaggeration.”
Gu Changge closed his eyes.
No wonder this portion of memories had been sealed away. The heaven-defying nature of the Immortal-Devouring Demonic Art was indeed enough to shatter the balance of the cultivation world and make the entire world his enemy!
His peers at this age, toiling bitterly at their cultivation, had reached only the Honoured Lord Realm or the Honoured King Realm.
Yet his true cultivation had already reached the Half-Step Enlightened Noble Realm.
What kind of concept was that? Even cheating with point-adding, he couldn’t have cheated to this degree.
Once the world learned of it, the madness would be beyond imagination.
“The villain route? Why do I suspect I’ve become the final boss...”
Soon, Gu Changge reined in the aura of his Immortal-Devouring Demonic Art. As for that portion of memories, after some deliberation, he chose not to seal them again.
This matter was of grave importance, and while caution was warranted, he felt sealing them was unnecessary.
The Immortal-Devouring Demonic Art had left traces long ago; its terror and heaven-defying nature were known to the world, and it should have vanished into the River of Time.
Even if he now sealed away matters concerning his true cultivation, there was little point.
After all, he still commanded numerous secret arts of the Immortal-Devouring Demonic Art—was he supposed to seal those away too?
It was simply unnecessary.
On the surface now, he remained the Direct Disciple of Skyward Schloss, the Young Master of the Longevity Gu Family, with a cultivation of the Honoured King Realm.
Soon, the aura around Gu Changge faded, and calm was restored. Nothing appeared out of the ordinary.
Unless he deliberately exposed it himself, no one could discover his true cultivation. Of that, he wasn’t worried at all.