So-Called Cultivation Resources, Demonic Nature Too Deep to Be the Successor
So-Called Cultivation Resources, Demonic Nature Too Deep to Be the Successor
The entire Skyward Schloss was thrown into quite an uproar over the events caused by Gu Changge on the day of his return.
Disciples were discussing it among the various Godly Islands and mountain peaks, and even quite a few elders emerged from seclusion because of it, feeling they needed to mediate at this critical juncture.
Many speculated that Jin Zhou would not let the matter rest, that he would avenge his younger brother.
After all, there was already no small amount of enmity between him and Gu Changge.
But what no one ever expected was that, in the period that followed, Jin Zhou went into seclusion on Solitary Peak, and not a single word came out of him.
As a Direct Disciple of the Skyward Schloss, Jin Zhou’s every move attracted the attention of many.
Yet his choice to avoid battle and enter seclusion still shocked quite a few people.
Both were Young Prodigies, and back when Jin Zhou’s cultivation suppressed Gu Changge’s, he had been grievously wounded by him.
Now that his cultivation had been overtaken, many felt he simply didn’t dare answer the challenge and had chosen to retreat.
This matter caused enormous waves.
Every Young Prodigy who had made it this far was proud and arrogant, never one to admit defeat easily.
But Jin Zhou’s actions were truly baffling, and even many of his followers grew uneasy. Though they had great confidence in Jin Zhou, faced with such an enormous provocation, Jin Zhou had chosen to enter seclusion without uttering a single word.
Could he really be afraid of Gu Changge?
Moreover, during this same period, the Great Elder—who had not appeared in “six-four-three” many years—actually showed himself once more, with a young woman in green at his side.
Many disciples recognized the green-clad girl’s identity. She was the very girl who, at the mountain gate that day, had caused Jin Yu to be smashed apart by a single palm from Gu Changge. She was suspected to be of the Gu Family, and moreover, Gu Changge’s younger sister.
Though between the two of them, there seemed to be some sort of conflict.
The Great Elder’s appearance drew the attention of many disciples of the Skyward Schloss, and many speculated that the Great Elder intended to take the green-clad girl as his disciple.
One had to know, the Great Elder of the Skyward Schloss was absolutely a figure standing at the very peak of the Beyond, his cultivation unfathomably deep.
The disciples he had accepted in the past were now absolute overlords in their own right out in the world, wielding great power—the kind whose single stomp could send tremors through all sides.
If the Great Elder truly took in that green-clad girl, the Skyward Schloss would very likely gain another Direct Disciple, and by seniority, even many of the ancient old fossils would rank below her.
Once this news spread, it caused a massive sensation throughout the Skyward Schloss.
In no time, the green-clad girl’s identity was dug up by quite a few Cultivators: named Gu Xianer, seventeen years old, with extremely powerful talent, already at the Honoured Noble Realm in cultivation.
As for her origins and background, however, few knew anything.
However, some heard that the Great Elder praised Gu Xianer as a Nirvana Supreme, a darling of the Great Dao, whose foundation was so deep it was simply unprecedented.
Once this statement spread, it caused an even greater sensation. One had to know, back when Gu Changge first entered the sect, the Great Elder had appeared and merely praised him with a single “not bad.”
Did that mean the green-clad girl’s talent was even greater than Gu Changge’s?
This matter even drew the attention of another Direct Disciple, Chu Wuji, the prince of the Great Chu Celestial Dynasty.
Many saw him leading his followers toward the Great Elder’s usual place of secluded cultivation, preparing to pay a visit.
......
Meanwhile, in Skyward Ancient City outside the Skyward Schloss.
Inside an ancient and grand hall, Gu Changge had arrived, leisurely savoring the fine wine before him, his expression carrying a trace of amusement.
At this moment, before him stood a woman born with foxlike allure, her beauty utterly devastating, yet she stood there with some reverence and fear.
The woman’s eyes were watery and limpid, beautiful to the point of enchantment.
Behind her grew several snow-white fox tails, crystalline and translucent, shimmering with luster.
If a powerful expert were present, they would surely cry out in shock—this was a mighty descendant of the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan lineage!
Moreover, judging by the fox tails behind the woman, one could tell her status was absolutely not low; even among the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan, she was supremely noble.
Of course, if a disciple of the Skyward Schloss were here, they would be unable to hold back their horror.
Because this woman was none other than a Direct Disciple of the Skyward Schloss, Yin Mei.
At the same time, she was the Gifted Lady of the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan, high above all, exceedingly mysterious.
“Master......”
At this moment, Yin Mei was calling out to Gu Changge, her snow-white crystalline face filled with deep dread and fear.
A fluffy, soft, pure-white fox tail lay in Gu Changge’s hand, making her legs go weak, nearly unable to stand steady.
“This is the antidote for the Demonic Poison.”
Gu Changge toyed with the fluffy fox tail in his hand while tossing her a strange and peculiar pill.
Receiving the pill, Yin Mei didn’t hesitate in the slightest, swallowing it in one gulp, and only then did a look of relief appear on her face.
“Thank you, Master.”
Gu Changge nodded, his expression giving no hint of what he was thinking.
Combining this with his previous memories.
Yin Mei was the most mysterious of the Five Greatest Direct Disciples of the Skyward Schloss; disciples rarely saw her on ordinary days.
Several years ago, during a secret realm trial of the Skyward Schloss, she had encountered Gu Changge in an underground grotto.
As luck would have it, she stumbled upon the scene of Gu Changge using the Immortal-Devouring Demonic Art to devour the Source of other Cultivators.
This discovery left her utterly shocked.
She never imagined that Gu Changge, long reputed to have the aptitude of a True Celestial Being, was secretly the successor of the Taboo Demonic Arts.
A great battle erupted directly between the two of them at the time. Yin Mei’s strength was formidable, and she had many life-saving means.
Without using the Immortal-Devouring Demonic Art, defeating her would not have been difficult for Gu Changge, but killing her would not have been easy.
So he employed his final resort, revealing his true cultivation, which instantly plunged Yin Mei into despair.
She didn’t want to die, and directly chose to submit to Gu Changge.
But Gu Changge didn’t trust her, so he used the Demonic Poison, in combination with the Demonic Manipulation Urn, to keep her under control.
The Demonic Poison flared up once every six months, and only his antidote could dispel it; otherwise, she would suffer the agony of demons gnawing at her heart.
As for planting the Demonic Manipulation Urn, that was naturally to add another layer of precaution.
Gu Changge no longer had any Demonic Poison on hand now; it required many ingredients to refine, and the process was extremely complicated.
So he was considering having Lin Qiuhan refine it for him in the future.
Of course, the most crucial part of the process would definitely still have to be done by himself, since it involved matters of the Demonic Arts.
“How is the collection going?”
At this moment, his thoughts returned, and Gu Changge released the fox tail in his hand, asking indifferently.
This feeling of stroking a fox’s tail rather reminded him of petting cats in his previous life.
Of course, in this day and age, he was probably the only one who dared to pet a member of the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan like a cat.
If an ordinary person touched their tails, they would absolutely bristle with fury and chop off the offender’s hand.
“Reporting to Master, over the past half year I have collected quite a few geniuses with special physiques, all with clean identities and backgrounds. They are currently imprisoned in the dungeon.”
“In addition, there are quite a few powerful ancient corpses of various races stolen by others, their essence still preserved, all kept for you, Master,” Yin Mei answered upon hearing this, not daring to ask anything more.
Regarding Gu Changge, she understood far more than most people, and so she feared and dreaded him all the more.
Moreover, she knew that the reason Gu Changge kept her around was largely because the Nine-Tailed Fox Clan’s merchant networks spanned the entire Beyond.
Not only could they help him gather all sorts of information, but on the other hand, they could also help him collect cultivation resources.
That’s right, cultivation resources.
These cultivation resources were, naturally, the various physique Sources that Gu Changge’s Immortal-Devouring Demonic Art required.........
The number of Cultivators and living beings in the Beyond was simply incalculable, and the geniuses possessing special physique Sources were beyond count.
That Gu Changge’s Immortal-Devouring Demonic Art cultivation could break through to the Half-Step Enlightened Noble Realm was, truth be told, greatly thanks to Yin Mei.
She could be considered his confidante.
But strictly speaking, she couldn’t quite be called that either, since her submission was born of fear of him.
“Well done.”
Gu Changge praised her.
Afterward, he headed to the dungeon beneath the hall.
With this batch of resources, his true cultivation breaking through to the Enlightened Noble Realm actually wouldn’t take long.
Of course, in front of everyone, he still had to rely on his Skyward Ascension cultivation as a cover.
......
Deep within the Skyward Schloss.
A solitary peak stood amid the void, a hundred thousand zhang tall, with immortal flowers budding and sacred beasts roaming about, presenting a scene of peace and transcendence.
A kindly-browed old man in flowing white robes, with the bearing of an immortal sage, was fishing atop the solitary peak.
The old man’s eyes were incomparably deep, as if they could reflect the heavens of all ages.
This person was none other than the Great Elder of the Skyward Schloss, an ancient figure who had lived for who knew how long.
Beside him, a green-clad girl wore a puzzled expression, watching curiously.
Below, clouds and mist churned as the Great Elder cast down a straight hook, though it was unclear what he intended to catch.
“Great Elder, what are you trying to catch?” Gu Xianer couldn’t help but ask.
She had come to join the Skyward Schloss, and the Great Elder did indeed intend to take her as his disciple.
However, before that, she first had to accomplish one thing.
“Naturally, I’m fishing for a person,” the Great Elder said cheerfully.
Hearing this, Gu Xianer couldn’t help but secretly pout. She was long used to these kinds of unfathomable riddles.
“Coming here, you wish to defeat that brother of yours and take back what is yours, don’t you?” the Great Elder suddenly asked, his eyes seeming to have already seen through everything.
“I already have a new bone. I don’t need to take anything back.”
Hearing this, Gu Xianer fell silent for a moment, then said firmly, “But I will demand justice for all these years and the pain I suffered, and avenge what happened back then.”
“Good. To have such ambition at such a young age! Truly worthy of being the disciple that old monster took a fancy to.”
The Great Elder still wore his beaming smile as he said, “Gu Changge’s Demonic Energy runs too deep. I smelled it on his very first day in the sect. Trying to use a Daoist Bone to conceal his demonic intent—only the Gu Family could come up with something like that......”
“The position of successor of my Skyward Schloss cannot be handed to him.”
“Xianer, for me to take you as my disciple is no problem, but you must first prove to me that you can surpass Gu Changge.”
Hearing this, Gu Xianer’s small hands clenched tight as she asked, “Great Elder, how do I prove it?”
“The Skyward Path. Just surpass Gu Changge’s record from back then. Can you do it?” the Great Elder said with a smile.
Gu Xianer was taken aback. She naturally knew of the Skyward Schloss’s Skyward Path; it was said to be one of the most difficult paths to walk in the entire Beyond, exceedingly mysterious.
For the prodigies who joined the Skyward Schloss, being able to take even one more step on this path was cause for ecstatic celebration, representing talent and recognition, enough to make one’s name famous in all directions.
“I can do it.”
Thinking of this, Gu Xianer’s face immediately showed resolve.
The Great Elder laughed, “So confident? You should know, back then Gu Changge suppressed an entire generation of his peers and set the number one record of the Skyward Schloss in nearly a hundred thousand years.”
“Oh, someone’s taken the bait!”
As he spoke, he suddenly pulled on the hook, and from within the swirling clouds and mist ahead, a golden True Dragon, its entire body resplendent and radiating sharp immortal light, suddenly burst through the clouds.
“Greetings, Great Elder!”
The golden True Dragon landed and transformed into a mighty, heroic man in golden armor—none other than another Direct Disciple of the Skyward Schloss, Chu Wuji.