Afraid You'd Give Her a Hard Time — Finally Bearing Fruit
Afraid You’d Give Her a Hard Time — Finally Bearing Fruit
To this, Gu Changge could only click his tongue. The way the Great Elder talked, it was as if Gu Changge desperately wanted to take him as his master.
In this world, cultivators had always avoided Demonic Energy like a venomous snake, and that went double once they believed Gu Changge possessed an Innate Demonic Nature.
This Demonic Energy wasn’t an aura — it was the demonic nature revealed through one’s conduct and actions.
This outcome left the Great Elder deeply disappointed, especially after noticing that from the moment Gu Changge arrived, he had his eyes fixed on the position of Skyward Schloss’s successor.
As for his goal, the Great Elder could naturally guess it. Certain deep regions of Skyward Schloss could only be entered by those holding the status of successor or elder.
Hidden within those places were secrets that even some ancient existences would find intriguing.
Gu Changge absolutely wanted to get in there.
Moreover, the Longevity Gu Family seemed to harbor ulterior motives toward Skyward Schloss as well.
From the very beginning, Gu Changge’s entry into Skyward Schloss had been impure in motive.
And now, much of what Gu Changge had done matched exactly what the Great Elder had suspected back then.
Digging out his cousin’s Daoist Bone, running rampant and domineering within the sect, showing not the slightest respect to the elders — the Great Elder had always been upright and just. If not for the rules binding him, he would have expelled Gu Changge long ago.
“Xianer’s talent is so extraordinary, and she’s a Young Prodigy of nirvana rebirth — this old man will naturally teach her with all his heart. You, on the other hand, came running over here putting on an act, playing the good person?”
The Great Elder swept a glance at Gu Changge. He had seen countless people in his life — how could such petty little schemes possibly escape his eyes?
Gu Changge remained as casual and unbothered as ever. Hearing this, he wasn’t angered; if anything, he sounded a bit regretful. “Putting on an act and playing the good person? Great Elder, your prejudice against me really runs deep. Naturally, I wish nothing more than for Xianer’s future achievements to surpass my own — where does this ‘playing the good person’ business come from?”
Toward this old man, he naturally had no pleasant tone either.
He couldn’t even be bothered to refer to himself as a junior anymore.
Anyway, the Great Elder wouldn’t dare do anything to him.
Calling him a fake good person? Well, you’re right — but you’d still have to produce evidence for that.
“You, with a kind heart? Then why did you commit the bone-digging back then to cover up your Demonic Energy?” The Great Elder was clearly fixated on this one matter.
With ordinary juniors, he naturally wouldn’t be so petty.
But when it came to Gu Changge, he simply couldn’t help himself — he had no pleasant expression for him whatsoever.
“As for that matter, Great Elder, why must you keep clutching at it? Hasn’t Xianer already grown a new bone by now?” Gu Changge shook his head, looking as though the matter touched upon some hidden secret he was unwilling to discuss.
Hearing this, Gu Xianer couldn’t help but glance at Gu Changge in confusion.
He hoped her achievements would surpass his?
Was that true or false?
And how did he know she had grown a new bone?
Still, judging from the present, Gu Changge hadn’t done anything to her, nor had he made a move against her despite her constant desire to kill him.
The more she thought about it, the more she felt the events of that year might not be so simple — that there were hidden secrets unknown to anyone.
Gu Changge’s current behavior was far too abnormal compared to what she knew of him.
Only, since Gu Changge wouldn’t speak of it, she couldn’t very well ask. And this hatred wasn’t something a few words could dissolve anyway.
“This is a grudge between you and Xianer — this old man doesn’t wish to meddle. Beyond this nonsense, is there anything else you want?”
The Great Elder’s face darkened as he directly issued an order to leave.
Gu Changge’s expression remained perfectly composed. “Since Xianer has taken you as her master, Great Elder, as her elder brother I naturally had to come take a look. Of course, the main reason is that I worried you might, because of me, treat Xianer too harshly.”
Words like these, he could naturally produce off the cuff — they cost him nothing anyway.
To explain: he was worried that because of him, the Great Elder, though having accepted Gu Xianer, might give the girl a hard time — not teaching her earnestly, perhaps even being excessively harsh on her.
Of course, his words were purely intended to disgust the Great Elder.
He still trusted the old man’s upright character — he wouldn’t make things difficult for Gu Xianer over something like this.
The main purpose of saying it was, naturally, to disgust the old man.
And incidentally, to let Gu Xianer know just how much her older brother protected her — worried she’d suffer grievances before the Great Elder.
Even to the point of offending the Great Elder for her sake.
Sure enough, the moment those words landed, the Great Elder’s expression changed instantly, fury rising within him. The sky behind him darkened in an instant, wind and clouds shifting color.
The terrifying pressure was like the wrath of heaven itself, thunder flickering within it.
Many disciples of Skyward Schloss were frightened out of their wits, legs going soft, nearly collapsing to their knees.
“That’s where the Great Elder resides — what happened?”
Many elders also paled, their hearts trembling. In all these years, this was the first time they had felt the Great Elder’s rage.
Palace Masters come and go like flowing water, but the Great Elder stands firm as iron.
That saying was no mere joke in Skyward Schloss — it showed just how terrifying the Great Elder’s cultivation truly was.
“Gu Changge... you must not speak such nonsense.”
“Shifu’s character — how could he ever do such a thing...”
Atop the mountain peak, Gu Xianer was also stunned for a moment before hurriedly crying out.
She had never imagined that Gu Changge’s purpose was actually this, and an indescribably complex emotion welled up in her heart.
Those words had thoroughly, completely offended the Great Elder to the core!
Offending the Great Elder — even as a true disciple of Skyward Schloss, his days ahead would likely not be easy.
“Good, good, good. In all these years, this is the first time a junior has dared speak to this old man like this.”
“Though I know you’re deliberately trying to disgust this old man, I must admit — you’ve succeeded.”
The Great Elder was, after all, no ordinary man. He quickly suppressed his fury, stared at Gu Changge, and laughed in extreme anger. “If you hadn’t said that, fine. But now that you have — this old man will insist on training Xianer until she can easily suppress you!”
“If she cannot do it, this old man will step down from the position of Great Elder — and even establishing you as the successor would not be out of the question.”
This vow caught even Gu Changge somewhat by surprise.
An unexpected delight, one might say.
Of course, on the surface he still smiled lightly, utterly unconcerned. “Since the Great Elder says so, then I can rest assured. I very much look forward to that day.”
“Changge won’t disturb you any further — I’ll take my leave.”
With that, smiling faintly, he glanced at Gu Xianer, then transformed straight into a divine rainbow and departed.
He came with the ease of a gentle breeze and left the same way.
As for offending the Great Elder — did Gu Changge care about that?
At the same time, the System’s notification sounded in his mind.
<*Ding!* Fortuity’s Daughter Gu Xianer’s killing intent wavers. Fortuity Points +800, Fatums +4000.>
This first step had finally borne fruit.
......
Atop the mountain peak, the mountain wind blew, clouds and mist churning, and for a time the atmosphere fell silent.
Gu Xianer kept her head lowered, saying nothing.
Her heart was a tangled mess.
She knew Gu Changge’s purpose — to provoke the Great Elder, and by speaking those words, turn the tables on him so he would teach her with even greater dedication.
Now she truly couldn’t understand Gu Changge anymore.
The Great Elder teaching her more earnestly and meticulously — wasn’t that a bad thing for Gu Changge?
Why would he do something so thankless?
Was he trying to make up for what he owed her all these years?
Or did he have some other scheme?
Gu Xianer’s heart was in turmoil. She simply couldn’t figure out or fathom Gu Changge’s intentions.
Finally, the Great Elder let out a long sigh, looking at Gu Xianer with a complicated expression. “Never did I imagine this old man would one day fall for someone’s scheme. That Gu Changge has come this far — not without reason.”
“In the future, among the peaks of this world, there will surely be a place for him.”
If such words spread, they would inevitably stir enormous waves.
When had the Great Elder ever evaluated anyone this way?
And in such an affirmative tone, no less — it was simply unimaginable.
Hearing this, Gu Xianer lowered her head in silence. She didn’t know what to say at this moment.
Her heart was in chaos.
Recalling the day she met Gu Changge at the mountain gate — he had seemed to bear her no malice at all.
Was all of this actually his way of making amends?
Only, with Gu Changge’s temperament being what it was, everything he did inevitably ended up infuriating her?
“Xianer, there’s no need to worry. Since this old man dared to say it, he will naturally see it done. That junior Gu Changge has truly infuriated me — his conduct goes far beyond what ’overwhelming demonic aura’ could describe...”
Seeing Gu Xianer remain silent, the Great Elder calmed down as well and shook his head.
“Shifu, why do you think Gu Changge conceals his Demonic Energy? Could there be something more hidden behind it?”
At this, Gu Xianer suddenly asked, her expression puzzled.
This should be one of Gu Changge’s secrets — one he hid very deeply.
This point had only just occurred to Gu Xianer.
“Those born with an Innate Demonic Nature can have it for many reasons — this old man isn’t certain either. But this should be a secret Gu Changge has been hiding all along. If you want to know, you’ll have to ask him yourself.”
Hearing this, the Great Elder replied. An Innate Demonic Nature wasn’t rare — it could stem from an Innate Demonic Soul, or be accompanied by Innate Demonic Energy, and so on.
He could only sense that Gu Changge was concealing all of this.
As for what exactly it was, that remained to be investigated.
He wasn’t particularly interested in it either. Right now, he only wanted to teach Gu Xianer well and make Gu Changge regret what he said today.
“Thank you, Shifu. I understand.” Gu Xianer nodded, feeling as though she had grasped onto something.
“The influence of Demonic Energy runs deep. Much of what Gu Changge has done is largely due to its influence. If not for that Demonic Energy, what harm would there have been in this old man taking him as a disciple?”
At this, the Great Elder sighed again, feeling that the Demonic Energy had utterly ruined a fine sapling.
......
After returning to his palace, Gu Changge was in no hurry to attend to other matters.
He first considered his next steps. The matter of offending the Great Elder had long been tossed aside — not worth considering.
He had laid so many schemes upon Gu Xianer; with her intelligence, she would naturally fill in the blanks herself, unable to resist investigating the “truth of that year.”
What came next, and how that “truth of that year” would be arranged — Gu Changge had already planned it all out. So he set Gu Xianer aside for now.
“So, the matter of the Celestial Path needs to be put on the agenda...”
Gu Changge couldn’t help but narrow his eyes.
According to his memories, deep within Skyward Schloss lay the Celestial Path that had vanished from the world long ago.
Within the Celestial Path was the supreme fortuitous opportunity he had been scheming after all this time.
Calculating the time, that supreme opportunity should be emerging soon. His earlier desire to seize the successor’s position had been precisely for this opportunity — to gain access to the depths of Skyward Schloss.
“Speaking of which, it’s about time I fused the World Seed. Combined with my Void Talent, perhaps I could slip in without anyone noticing and fish in troubled waters.”
Thinking this, Gu Changge opened his attributes panel and located the three shattered World Seeds within.
And just as Gu Changge was pondering these matters—
Beyond the Boundless Heaven where Skyward Schloss resided, a black-and-gold phoenix carriage, pulled by nine fierce beasts resembling divine phoenixes, was speeding toward this place.
Seated within was Yue Mingkong, dressed in plain gauze robes, her immortal countenance like a painting, her hair coiled in dark spiral buns — beautiful beyond measure.
Her brows were like slender willow leaves, and her phoenix eyes were calm and profound.
At this moment, she rubbed her brow, revealing a trace of weariness.
“My dear husband... dealing with you really is no easy task...”