Chapter 168: How Virtuous and Kind I Am; The Show Must go on!
Rumble!
An impossibly terrifying pressure emerged, like the awakening of a divine sun, it blinded and astonished the ma.s.s of creatures and cultivators who were battling in the ruins.
This feeling... their keen perception swiftly answered their unasked questions.
There was no mistaking it.
A Divine Artifact!
And it wasn’t just any Divine Artifact, it was a Sacred-grade Divine Artifact.
A mere wisp of its Qi could level mountain ranges that span hundreds of miles, causing the deaths of millions and wiping them from the face of the earth.
In its aftermath, entire ancient cities would be reduced to rubble!
And now, this Divine Artifact in the sky was rousing from its slumber, sweeping the world with an incomparable terror.
Of course, this was not the true awakening. The Divine Artifact was only able to, at most, wield a sliver of its actual power.
Unfortunately, Yu Jing’s own strength merely lay in the False G.o.d Realm.
She had completely relied on her own blood essence and talent to forcefully awaken the Sacred-grade Artifact, aiming to kill Gu Changge by borrowing its might.
Golden heaven-piercing light congealed within the Divine Artifact. If a rampaging fire had sparked, with the strength to collapse the sky.
“Not good. Get out of here! The Tiangou Clan is really trying to use the Sacred-grade Artifact to slaughter us all...” One Young Supreme’s expression changed drastically.
“d.a.m.n it, I wouldn’t have come to join in on the fun if I knew about this earlier!”
The paled youth immediately pulled away and retreated into the distance.
However, like scattered embers, there were still strands of golden runes falling from the sky. An inconspicuous rune grazed his shoulder during the hasty escape.
And with a puff of hot air, his entire being had suddenly been burnt to ash.
“Stop.”
“Aren"t you afraid of incurring the wrath of the various Daoist Sect Lineages by harming innocents?”
Gu Changge’s brows wrinkled. His eyes shone cold and deep as he stretched out his hand to make a move, forming a monstrous divine light that surged in that man’s direction…
Yet it was still half a step too slow to save the man.
Naturally, Gu Changge was merely posturing. Who cares if that guy died?
‘The number of dead young geniuses is still too few.’
‘Now how can I ensure that this scene goes on? It would be great if they would turn on each other a bit more.’
“Heh, you should have thought of this when you slaughtered my people.”
Yu Jing sneered. Killing Gu Changge was currently impossible, so she decided to start by slaughtering the others around him first.
Hum!
She activated the Artifact once more, sending another wave of divine energy as it burnt the empty void. The people panicked and were outraged at this turn of events, activating their Movement Techniques one by one.
In the prior agreements they had with the Ancient Immortal Continent, those in the Sacred Realm were barred from intervening throughout this trip.
So how many people here could defend against a force from the Saint such as this?
At this moment, the outside cultivators were extremely angry, yet they could only try to escape from the situation. They did not dare resist, for they would most definitely die to the Artifact’s flames.
The charred sh.e.l.l of the Young Supreme just now was the best example.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
In the ensuing destruction, a fog of blood enveloped the plains, before turning into ash the next second. Underneath the indiscriminate power of the Divine Artifact, many cultivators and even some natives had died without being able to react in time.
“No one can escape. This day marks your death, and the following year will be your anniversary.” Yu Jing spat with a sneer. She didn’t care that her body"s energy was being drained by the Divine Artifact.
At this moment, she was invincible! She could kill anyone here!
Soon, everyone left in the ruins had retreated far away. Otherwise, they would lose their lives for no reason, swept away by the aftermath of Yu Jing’s actions.
The power of the Sacred-grade Artifact is far from something that False G.o.d Realm cultivators can contend with.
“Slaughter your clan? There is a debtor for every debt; one must pay attention to evidence and reason. With which eye did you see me do such an act?”
“Although a Sacred-grade Artifact is strong, you cannot wield it for too long.”
Gu Changge spoke lightly while walking through the void.
At this moment, his surface-level False G.o.d Realm cultivation base undoubtedly revealed itself to the world, and he easily avoided the falling rays of divine fire as he stepped forward leisurely towards his enemy.
However, as he dodged, he did not forget to cough a few times to show that his ‘peak state’ was ‘finally receding.’
‘The secret technique’s duration is almost over, his injury must be relapsing.’
‘At most, he is now just a seriously wounded person with whatever worldly righteousness lies in his heart.’
Unfortunately for them, it was simply impossible to see through Gu Changge’s lie.
“Gu Changge, what are you proud of? How long can this state of yours last? I will kill all of you with the Divine Artifact long before that!”
Yu Jing dismissed her worries, believing it to be Gu Changge’s plan to slow down the army using falsehood and deception. He was but a spent candle. What flames could there be?
Gu Changge shook his head without saying a word, and with a pinch, a sword pill emerged from his seemingly empty sleeve.
One of his so-called ‘precious heritage’.
Was there any better time to use it?
Swoosh!
The pill broke through the air and morphed into a shocking sword light, like a divine chain of rules, slashing at the Divine Artifact floating in the air.
“You actually still have more pills...”
The indestructible sword Qi struck the Artifact, causing Yu Jing to cough up blood instantly as her body trembled violently from the backlash.
She had always been wary of Gu Changge"s methods, but in the end, she didn"t expect that even a Sacred-grade Artifact could not stop him and even injure her directly.
“You can use these pills to kill those of us in the Ancient Immortal Continent, so why can"t I use a Sacred-grade Artifact?!”
The wounded girl shouted loudly before swallowing a few elixirs to suppress her injury.
“You can use it, I didn"t say you couldn"t. In fact, I should thank you for using it.”
Hearing her angry words, Gu Changge’s face flashed with hints of playfulness. His shadowy figure swiftly vanished from the spot. The void rattled as he arrived next to Yu Jing.
Obviously, his prior sentence was spoken under his intentional control and was not heard by the others looking in on the battle.
The Yu Jing who was crazily urging the Divine Artifact with all her strength became stunned after hearing his reply, and couldn’t help but doubt the functionality of her ears.
Gu Changge actually wanted to thank her?
‘Is he insane? What did he mean by that?’
Her first reaction was to suspect that Gu Changge was trying to confuse her.
Even the Sacred-grade Artifact that floated in the sky became stagnant, as the terrifying divine fire continued to pour down, drowning all the mountains in sight.
Seeing this scene, the remaining Young Supremes, both native and outsider, experienced a sudden shift in their expressions and retreated further, making it difficult to see the proceedings clearly.
However, many people intuitively felt that Gu Changge was weakening.
‘I’m afraid time’s up…’
The outsider cultivators knew, and they were right to be worried.
The natives also believed that no matter how strong Gu Changge was, it would be difficult for him to compete with Yu Jing, who wielded a Divine Artifact, unless he also possessed one himself.
“Some thanks are indeed in order. After all, without an idiot like you, my plan wouldn’t have worked so swimmingly.”
Within the blazing fire, the void blurred.
Inside this area, only two people were left. The rest of the cultivators dared not approach for fear of imminent death.
Gu Changge smiled lightly, his features a smooth mask of calm as he became immersed in the s.p.a.ce, simply ignoring the terrifying pressure of the Divine Artifact above his head.
He casually walked over.
“Hah. I don’t think I even need to kill you myself. Once you return to the clan, I’m sure the elders of your clan will be unable to help themselves.”
At the same time, these words reached Yu Jing"s ears.
“Plan? What plan?”
Yu Jing’s murderous aura faltered. Her head went blank with a buzz.
Chills crept throughout her body as Gu Changge came nearer and nearer.
‘Why does the pressure of a Sacred-grade Artifact have no effect on Gu Changge?’
‘Could it be that he also carried a Sacred-grade Artifact on him, but did not show it?’
‘Otherwise, how might this incomprehensible feat be explained?’
‘Wait... was Gu Changge just pretending to be weakened this whole time?’
Yu Jing suddenly felt a vivid sensation of being submerged into the icy depths of some ice-berg, her hands and feet clad in chains of frost, with a shadowy figure holding the reins tight.
She had thought too simply of the matter.
The Divine Artifact was especially handed over to her by the elders, who were worried that she might be killed by Gu Changge. It was meant to save her life when she needed it, but no more.
However, the most important thing was Gu Changge’s state. He was seriously injured, but his fighting prowess and performance looked completely contrary to the fact!
And now he was wearing that all-knowing, calculating expression.
As if the entire world lay within his grasp.
Boom!
Gu Changge smirked slightly as if he understood her frantic thoughts before he slammed down a palm without any further deliberation.
The way he carried himself so casually… it was horrifying.
Golden light surged with the ability to level hundreds of thousands of mountain ranges all at once.
“You...”
Yu Jing, in her terror, was about to dodge and run away. Unfortunately, the void stagnated abruptly in its place. It restrained all movements like an endless boggy swamp.
“How is this possible? Your strength… You are not injured at all!”
She vomited blood, looking extremely horrified and desperate.
Her scalp was numb. She had finally discovered Gu Changge’s secret.
“It looks like you"re not that stupid.” Gu Changge replied with a light smile.
“Why aren’t you afraid of my Sacred-grade Artifact? Do you also possess one yourself?” Yu Jing’s voice shook, her soul trembling in disbelief.
“Divine Artifact? I can kill Sacred Realm cultivators with my bare hands, yet a piece of trash that hasn’t been fully awakened wants to kill me?”
[PR/N: changge a menace]
Gu Changge could not help but laugh.
‘How pitiful. Given her desperation, shouldn’t she at least be rewarded with the truth?’
“What?!”
Yu Jing could not react properly. The amount of hidden information contained within Gu Changge’s words was truly absurd and impossible to believe.
No. It was because she did not want to believe it.
Though it did not matter either way.
In the next moment, Gu Changge’s palm fell, and no matter how much she tried to resist or to struggle, its momentum was ultimately unshakable.
Her body exploded directly with a bang.
Along with her primordial spirit, every facet of her being was simultaneously reduced to nothingness.
She couldn’t defend against even a random strike from Gu Changge’s palm!
Before she died, Yu Jing could only look on with despair and anguish, unable to change her fate as she vanished from the realms.
Screech!
Sensing that its user was dead, the Divine Artifact fell lifelessly into the void and exploded. It burned like a holy sun. A phantom figure then rose from the ashes, an aged being that seemed to seethe with anger.
The smothering flames fell, like a vast galaxy, trying to drown Gu Changge…
To no avail. The white-robed man merely raised an eyebrow as he glanced at it. With a pointed finger lifted, a supreme sword energy wiped out the phantom with a single blow.
The brilliance of the Sacred-grade Artifact dimmed.
No one would ever see how this battle had played out.
But the show was not over yet.
Gu Changge suddenly spurted out a mouthful of blood without warning as his body’s vitals and complexion seemed to weaken several times more than it previously was.
Shaky and bloodless, he fell to the ground, silently conditioning himself.
He was already very familiar with how to control and shape the plotline in his favour, so he was not worried about any risk of exposure at all.
———
“I’m afraid the Young Master Changge’s current state won’t last much longer. After all, secret techniques are bound to have time limits, and as for those pills, Master Changge might not have many of them.”
“To have shamed me using a Sacred-grade Artifact! This act will not be forgotten, and the elders of my sect will soon know as well. My Rising Sun Sect will not stand for this humiliation! The Tiangou Clan must all perish. Even if they shrink back like the cowards they are into the depths of the Ancient Immortal Continent, we will hunt them down and slaughter them all!”
Many Young Supremes who had fled to the horizon soon saw the soaring fire dissipate.
Alas, they were unable to see through the smoke, leaving everyone hesitant.
It was only natural that they would be afraid of a Sacred-grade Artifact.
A Sacred-grade Artifact was an extremely precious thing, even among the sects behind these young individuals. Ordinary figures, even elders, would find it difficult to gain access to one.
For this woman of the Tiangou Clan to bring one out, it was obvious that her level of power and position within her clan was quite strong.
This matter would implicate the entire Tiangou Clan.
’Fools, they fell right for his plan. By forcing the hand of the various clans of the Ancient Immortal Continent, they’ve crossed the line, and Gu Changge created an excuse to butcher them.’
On the other side, Gu Xian"er finally finished off her opponents.
She had already guessed Gu Changge’s intentions when she first witnessed his actions.
The tyrannical sword technique he used utilized the power of rules. Gu Changge could have definitely saved many young geniuses just now.
Yet he did not do so.
This already explained the situation to her.
“Awakening a Sacred-grade Artifact, that girl is crazy...”
The expressions of Hei Yanyu and the other tribe members further away morphed into visages of both shock and mild anger. They stood in the rolling black clouds, stunned, the situation as unexpected to them as it was for the Young Supremes.
At first, they thought the Divine Artifact was only a deterrent.
A path of life in dire situations.
Now it had turned into a killing weapon to murder Gu Changge? Unbelievable.
“There is no longer any room for negotiations. If Gu Changge doesn"t die today, I"m afraid the entirety of the Ancient Immortal Continent will devolve into chaos...”
“That man truly possesses a deep and cunning mind. Whether intentionally or unintentionally, he has succeeded in inciting the rest of the Young Supremes to band together by creating a mutual enemy, our Ancient Immortal Races. How terrifying.”
A Young Supreme of the Ancient Serpent Clan opened his mouth and spoke out his thoughts, a bright light gleaming in his long and narrow eyes.
He stared at the phantom of the Divine Artifact in the distance, feeling chills in his heart.
“That said, is it really Gu Changge’s plan? He looks to have used a secret technique to forcibly push his body back to its peak. Can that kind of desperation be faked?”
“Furthermore, Gu Changge should have a Divine Weapon of his own that can deal with Yu Jing, otherwise it would be impossible for him to act in such a suicidal way...”
He continued to a.n.a.lyse the situation.
However, his remarks only made his fellow peers frown, thinking that it was unlikely.
Gu Changge was already seriously injured. Moreover, he was using a secret technique that forcibly elevates his cultivation back to its peak. This type of technique usually came with a mighty backlash that one must suffer later on.
How long could he possibly hold on?
In addition, Yu Jing possessed the heavenly power of a Divine Artifact, how could an injured Gu Changge ever deal with that?
‘How odd. Why do I always feel so strange when someone brings ‘him’ up? Gu Changge, this person, gives me a very dangerous feeling... facing him actually makes me...‘
‘Scared.’
Hei Yanyu muttered to herself in her heart.
She wondered if it was just her own delusion.
When looking at Gu Changge, there was always this deep disturbing feeling that came from the depths of her soul. Her heart always beats faster when thinking about him.
It was an indescribable feeling she had never experienced before.
It was as if Gu Changge could decide her life and death with a single thought.
Hei Yanyu shook her head and threw this unlikely thought out of her mind.
‘Seriously, I’ve never even met Gu Changge, so how could I feel this way? I’m probably just overthinking things.’
“Well. Regardless, the situation is quite dire. I’m afraid that from today onwards, we must carefully examine the future of the Ancient Immortal Races.” The moment Yu Jing activated the Divine Artifact; Hei Yanyu realized that this matter was inevitable.
She sighed. Yu Jing probably did not expect her actions to have such consequences.
That la.s.s underestimated the status of Gu Changge in the hearts of the younger generation.
Furthermore, to force Yu Jing to sacrifice her life and activate the Divine Weapon meant Gu Changge was still unbelievably powerful, even when seriously injured.
“Huh, has the battle already finished? Wait... Yu Jing"s breath and aura... they’re gone? The phantom of the Divine Artifact is not present either.”
Hei Yanyu was stunned as she observed the place where Gu Changge and Yu Jing had last exchanged blows.
The more she looked, the more her brows wrinkled. Her body tingled from the shock, unable to believe this ludicrous situation.
“Yu Jing died… despite awakening the Divine Artifact?”