Chapter 1276
Chapter 1276: Could he trick you? After waking up from the dream
After leaving the Floating Realm, Gu Changge returned to the current Heavenly Court and began refining the Dao Fruit he had obtained. This Dao Fruit, nearing the level of an immortal emperor, held significant benefits for him.
While the search for Qing Yi’s location remained inconclusive, the unexpected acquisition of this Dao Fruit positively turned his endeavors. In the following days, as he focused on refining the Dao Fruit, Gu Changge also communicated with the immortal kings of various races. He urged them to pay attention to the land of reincarnation.
The land of reincarnation stood as one of the most enigmatic places in the world of mountains and seas. Qing Yi had concealed its location using her divine powers before destroying the immortal domain. Ordinary beings could not discover the land of reincarnation, relying on speculation and tracking the movements of living souls.
Gu Changge speculated that Qing Yi might currently be in the land of reincarnation, orchestrating a plan to bring back powerful ent.i.ties that had pa.s.sed away through a slow process of reincarnation. Understanding Qing Yi’s dedication to protecting the world, he recognized her commitment to sacrificing everything for its preservation.
From the moment he attempted to contact her, he sensed her unwavering dedication to the real world of mountains and seas, possibly rooted in her origin. Her existence seemed intimately tied to the world she aimed to safeguard.
The existence of the true spirit and the Heavenly Dao is contradictory yet symbiotic. From a certain perspective, it’s fitting.
Considering the years that had pa.s.sed, Gu Changge antic.i.p.ated a terrible force emerging if Qing Yi had been executing her plan diligently.
He shook his head pensively, gazing out of the hall with a deep expression. Following their plan, he had a.s.sumed the role of a villain, enduring endless infamy for his ultimate goal.
Beyond the vast mountains and seas lay an expansive and boundless sea. Each wave comprised numerous ancient worlds and universes, overlapping to form a part of many different realms. This immense sea served as a clear boundary, separating the original and extensive mortal worlds. Navigating this boundless sea and crossing through the ages, creatures had to traverse from the familiar realms of the vast mortal world to the original world.
Many eras had crumbled throughout the ages, causing the collapse of infinite real worlds. Only a select few possessed the capability to journey to the original world.
Regardless of their ident.i.ty, these individuals were unparalleled figures, revered for their astonishing achievements in the past. Even those standing at the pinnacle of detachment, anomalies referred to as such, veiled their past and future in mystery.
Gu Changge’s objective was to draw these exceptional individuals out of seclusion. Meanwhile, a small golden tripod occupied a central position in the upper realm within the Human Ancestor Hall. Crafted as if from immortal gold, it suppressed itself while absorbing and acc.u.mulating the power of luck and faith from across the upper realm.
A woman in white, seated in meditation before the tripod, absorbed the surging power of faith. An heavenly image of an immortal materialized behind her, with gradually solidifying facial features. While the two shared identical appearances, the disparity lay in their temperament.
This woman in white was none other than Jiang Chuchu, who, despite achieving Dao-building expertise and condensing the Daoism imprint, fell short in terms of cultivation level within the current great world. She was yet to reach the level of the backbone of the Dao-building experts, emphasizing the existing gap in her spiritual attainments.
Hence, she frequently took time away from the Holy Maiden Palace in the Divine Kingdom to return to the Human Ancestor Hall for cultivation. At this moment, as Jiang Chuchu opened her eyes, the once-blurred immortal figure behind her dissipated and vanished.
A gentle glow emanated from the center of her brows, revealing a palace in the depths of her sea of consciousness. The dormant palace opened a fissure, and an array of brilliance and mysteries escaped, enveloping her entire being. She now resembled the Holy Maiden of Nine Heavens, exuding an aura of cold n.o.bility that inspired reverence and fear.
At this point, a chuckle echoed from outside the hall. w.a.n.g Ziji, a beautiful woman in a long blue dress, walked gracefully with her hands behind her back. Observing Jiang Chuchu deep in meditation, w.a.n.g Ziji couldn’t help but laugh.
Both were holy maidens of the Human Ancestor Hall, yet their personalities differed. While w.a.n.g Ziji maintained a detached and carefree demeanor, Jiang Chuchu exhibited a quieter and calmer disposition, often reticent.
In the past, Jiang Chuchu, burdened with overseeing the Human Ancestor Hall, remained cold and reserved. Even in personal matters, she conserved her words as if every utterance demanded great effort.
Their personalities were once opposite. However, fate took an unexpected turn when the cold and soft-spoken holy maiden fell in love with the devilish Gu Changge. For him, she went as far as betraying the Human Ancestor Hall, disregarding its teachings and responsibilities. Now, having married Gu Changge, she only discovered these things after w.a.n.g Ziji’s return to the upper realm.
This turn of events made her feel incredibly fortunate. Logically, she should have been the first to encounter Gu Changge. What had transpired between Jiang Chuchu and Gu Changge?
w.a.n.g Ziji remained oblivious to the details. If not for the moment in the True Immortal Academy when she noticed Jiang Chuchu’s missing guardian bag, coupled with the observation that Jiang Chuchu frequented the vicinity of Gu Changge’s cave, w.a.n.g Ziji might still be in the dark.
Despite growing up cultivating in the Human Ancestor Hall, their paths had taken them in different directions. After being brought back to the upper realm by Gu Changge, w.a.n.g Ziji spent some time with her family. Eventually, she departed from the Ancient Immortal w.a.n.g house to seek out Jiang Chuchu at the Human Ancestor Hall. Besides the maid Xiu’er from their past, Jiang Chuchu was closest to her.
Initially, Jiang Chuchu was unaware of w.a.n.g Ziji’s feelings for Gu Changge. As Jiang Chuchu opened her eyes, she cast a cold and indifferent glance at w.a.n.g Ziji.
“It’s been a while, but your cultivation hasn’t improved,” Jiang Chuchu remarked.
w.a.n.g Ziji responded with a smile, “Perhaps not, but it’s enough to surpa.s.s you.”
Before w.a.n.g Ziji could finish her sentence, Jiang Chuchu transformed into a white light rushing toward her. Sleeves rolled up, hands bare, she moved gracefully like an immortal dancing under the moon, each move concealing a hint of murderous intent.
Unfazed, w.a.n.g Ziji gracefully leaped backward to evade Jiang Chuchu’s attacks. Her body emitted an immortal light, a fragrance of Daoism permeating the air. Raising her wrist, she met Jiang Chuchu’s palm with her own.
The scene was becoming increasingly blurred as both engaged in combat without utilizing their cultivation, relying solely on physical skills. The air was filled with the beauty of their movements, resembling b.u.t.terflies dancing in a palace. Yet, there was no audience to appreciate the spectacle.
However, after exchanging several moves, both combatants ceased the fight without determining a clear winner. They stood on opposite sides, with Jiang Chuchu subtly lifting her chin, a smug expression momentarily crossing her calm demeanor.
“You managed to gain an advantage in half a move. It seems you’ve made considerable progress over the years,” Jiang Chuchu remarked.
w.a.n.g Ziji remained at the entrance, shaking her head with a hint of bemus.e.m.e.nt.
“That’s only natural.”
Although Jiang Chuchu wanted to snort softly, she decided against it, avoiding further confrontation with w.a.n.g Ziji. They had known each other since childhood, engaging in numerous battles in the Human Ancestor Hall, yet no clear winner emerged. Despite Jiang Chuchu’s talent, she often found herself slightly overshadowed by w.a.n.g Ziji. Even with diligent cultivation, she could only manage to keep up.
w.a.n.g Ziji, not particularly interested in cultivation, rarely devoted time to it. According to the Human Ancestor Hall elders, w.a.n.g Ziji possessed a natural apt.i.tude for Daoism. Regrettably, she never fully realized her potential, often preoccupied with various distractions.
In the following moments, Jiang Chuchu rolled up her sleeves, conjuring a tea set, stone table, and stone bench within the palace. The tea set was complete, even featuring a special ancient wooden box for storing tea.
w.a.n.g Ziji expressed surprise, as she knew Jiang Chuchu had never shown interest in anything beyond cultivation. Jiang Chuchu gave her a sidelong glance, inviting her to sit down. She then rolled up her sleeves and began preparing tea.
Observing the unexpected skill, w.a.n.g Ziji commented, “I didn’t expect the esteemed lady to be proficient in tea-making. Truly unexpected.”
Jiang Chuchu chuckled, “I can do much more than that.”
w.a.n.g Ziji, amazed, speculated, “It seems you’ve learned these skills for him, haven’t you?”
Jiang Chuchu momentarily froze upon hearing this, her expression changing subtly, but she quickly regained her composure.
Considering that their marriage was public knowledge in the Upper Realm, Jiang Chuchu saw no reason to be concerned about w.a.n.g Ziji’s comments. w.a.n.g Ziji’s reference to “him” undoubtedly meant Gu Changge and Jiang Chuchu had no intention of hiding the well-known fact.
They were married, and everyone knew it.
Recalling the past when she was cultivating in the True Immortal Academy, Jiang Chuchu felt a twinge of guilt for having been dismissive of w.a.n.g Ziji’s attempts to converse. However, she was now in a different place emotionally.
“Thanks to that guy, I get to enjoy tea made by the lovely holy maiden,” w.a.n.g Ziji remarked casually as she sat down, placing her hands on the stone table and resting her head.
Jiang Chuchu focused on making tea, paid no mind to the teasing words, and continued her task. She responded with a slight curve of her lips, “You should be grateful to Changge; without him, your luck wouldn’t be so favorable.”
w.a.n.g Ziji teased, “I even called out Changge… Jiang Chuchu, you’ve changed. You’re no longer the cold holy maiden I knew.”
Jiang Chuchu remained unperturbed, still in a good mood while preparing tea.
“Hey, Chuchu, do you really know Gu Changge?
Are you aware of his past and history?” w.a.n.g Ziji, with a playful expression, twirled a strand of her blue silky hair around her finger.
“You’re such a straightforward person. I genuinely wonder if you were deceived by Gu Changge from the beginning,” she added, holding the strand of hair by her ear.
Due to her stay in the Immortal Domain, w.a.n.g Ziji had gathered a wealth of information about Gu Changge. Before meeting him, she was unaware he was the feared Demon Lord. The connection between the two seemed unimaginable to her initially. Nevertheless, she accepted this reality, treating it merely as a narrative.
The person she loved turned out to be the demon who had once wreaked havoc in the heavens, throwing the world into chaos and darkness. Behind him stood an army of tens of thousands of monsters, clad in armor, wielding menacing spears and halberds, silently awaiting the moment to breach the heavens.
w.a.n.g Ziji had a peculiar dream while intoxicated in the Moon King Mansion. In the dream, she embraced the demon lord’s neck, nestled in his arms, humming a gentle song under the sparkling stars. The flowing water beneath her feet vanished into eternity. She found the dream beautiful, but nothing of it remained upon waking.
Upon returning to the Upper Realm, w.a.n.g Ziji fervently sought information from her parents, relatives, and acquaintances about the demon lord. It seemed she sought to compensate for the hundreds of years of her disappearance. Eventually, she learned that her childhood friend, with whom she had grown up and cultivated, had married the devil.
Stunned for a long time, w.a.n.g Ziji eventually allowed herself to accept this reality. She sought out Jiang Chuchu, determined not to look away from the situation.