Chapter 017: Just This? Not Panicked at All, Though He Is No Saint

“Sect Master! Disaster! Disaster is upon us!”

“Ten thousand miles from the Sect’s borders, multiple major forces are converging! The Yangxu Holy Land, the Great Sun Divine Dynasty, the Ancient Xiao Family… they’re all there!”

“Judging by their formation, they are marching to annihilate us!”

Inside the main hall of the Taixuan Holy Land, the atmosphere was tense. A disciple had rushed in, his face pale as a sheet, stammering out the terrifying news.

This was a calamity.

For so many ancient powers to join forces… even from ten thousand miles away, the disciple could feel the suffocating pressure of their killing intent. Although the Taixuan Holy Land prided itself as an overlord of the Eastern Wilderness, facing a coalition of this magnitude was enough to make anyone’s legs tremble.

However, after delivering his frantic report, the disciple froze.

He looked around the hall, bewildered.

Whether it was the Sect Master or the high-ranking Elders, none of them showed even a flicker of fear. There was no panic. No chaos. Just… calm.

“Just this?”

One of the Elders frowned, looking displeased not by the news, but by the disciple’s lack of composure. “Panicking over such a trivial matter… what kind of behavior is that? Where is your dignity?”

His tone suggested that the invading army was nothing more than a minor nuisance.

“Sect Master,” another Elder chimed in, smiling broadly, “as expected, your foresight is unparalleled. You anticipated this day would come and secured our relationship with Young Lord Gu in advance.”

“Indeed, indeed! Sect Master is wise!”

The other Elders joined the chorus of flattery.

The Taixuan Sect Master stroked his beard, clearly enjoying the praise. However, he maintained his dignified facade, waving a hand dismissively.

“Since the Grand Elder passed away, our Taixuan Holy Land has been like a boat in a storm—unstable and vulnerable,” he said gravely. “It is only thanks to Young Lord Gu’s presence that we have found an anchor.”

“Save your praise for him.”

Though he spoke humbly, the Sect Master was smug.

A Young Lord from the Upper Realm. A background so terrifying it could shake the heavens.

Aside from the Elders and a few trusted disciples, no one else knew Gu Changge’s true identity. The invading forces were marching into a trap, completely unaware they were about to kick an iron plate.

It had to be said: the Taixuan Sect Master was a cunning old fox. He had long been waiting to deliver this “surprise.”

“Sect Master,” an Elder whispered conspiratorially, “it seems the Holy Maiden has been getting quite close to Young Lord Gu recently. If not for her… I fear we would truly be doomed today.”

“Yes, yes! Sect Master, you really raised a good daughter!”

The flattery flowed like wine, and the Sect Master’s smile deepened.

Indeed. When it comes down to it, Su Qingge is the true savior. Without her beauty and charm, how could we possibly catch the eye of someone like Young Lord Gu?

The messenger disciple stood frozen, his brain short-circuiting.

The Grand Elder… is dead?

And that mysterious Young Lord… is he really that powerful? Powerful enough that the Sect leadership treats an invasion like a tea party?

His head buzzed with confusion.

“Men!”

The Taixuan Sect Master stood up, his eyes flashing with golden light. A majestic aura erupted from him as his voice boomed through the hall.

“Open the mountain gates! Follow me to ‘welcome’ our guests!”

…

Meanwhile, in a quiet pavilion overlooking the chaos.

“Young Lord Gu’s stories are truly fascinating. Is the Upper Realm really so vast?”

Su Qingge smiled softly, pouring wine for the man seated across from her.

She pulled back her sleeve, revealing a wrist as white and delicate as a lotus root. Her movements were graceful, her demeanor relaxed.

Listening to Gu Changge recount tales of the Upper Realm, she felt a sense of yearning.

Having let go of her prejudices, her perception of him had shifted entirely.

Yes, Gu Changge was deep, scheming, and dangerous. He was certainly not a “good man.”

But it was undeniable that he possessed a fatal attraction.

As the Holy Maiden of Taixuan—a woman of dual souls and supreme intelligence—she had met countless young prodigies. Yet, not a single one could hold a candle to Gu Changge.

Comparing them to him felt like an insult.

His appearance alone was peerless. Add to that his knowledge, his eloquence, his cultivation, his terrifying background…

Even her father admitted he was far inferior to this young man.

Gu Changge might not be a saint, but he was the kind of powerful, capable partner that women instinctively yearned for. Su Qingge was no exception.

Hearing her question, Gu Changge smiled—a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

“Whether it’s vast or not… why don’t you come up and see for yourself?”

Over the past few days, Su Qingge had lowered her defenses significantly.

However, Gu Changge was puzzled by one thing: Why haven’t I gained any Luck Points from her since the dungeon incident?

Does her Providence have nothing to do with Ye Chen?

Is she a ‘Person of Great Luck’ in her own right?

Her mother was a noblewoman from the Upper Realm, so her bloodline was extraordinary. Or perhaps she was the reincarnation of some ancient existence? Even the System couldn’t provide a clear answer.

It seems there are people in this world who possess Great Providence but operate independently of the Protagonist, Gu Changge mused.

Regardless, Ye Chen hasn’t given up on her yet. There’s still one more harvest to reap there.

“Without reaching the Void God Realm, one cannot shatter the void and ascend,” Su Qingge said, a trace of regret in her voice. “For those of us born in the Lower Realm… touching the sky is easier said than done.”

Void God Realm experts were myths in this world.

Even in the prosperous Central State or the mysterious Southern Ridge, such beings were rarely seen. The founder of the Taixuan Holy Land had only reached the Half-Step Void God Realm.

In the current era, the strongest experts in the Eastern Wilderness barely scraped the Half-Step Conferred Lord Realm.

Ascension was a dream too distant to grasp.