Chapter 38: The Golden Cicada Sheds Its Shell; Familiarity Breeds Affection

Footsteps echoed outside the courtyard, drawing closer with every second. It wasn’t just Lin Qiuhan; she had brought others.

Lin Tian’s face was deathly pale, his body trembling uncontrollably. His heart sank into the abyss.

What do I do?

Charge out? Or surrender and wait for execution?

But his condition was catastrophic. His origin was damaged, causing a violent backlash that left him unable to even walk steadily. How could he possibly run?

Despair washed over him.

It felt exactly like that moment in his past life—when he tore through the void to ascend, only to be swallowed by a spatial rift halfway to the Upper Realm.

That same sense of crushing helplessness surged in his heart.

Does tonight truly lead to a dead end?

I am unwilling! I finally gained a second chance at life! I haven’t returned to my peak yet! How can I fall here again?!

Lin Tian roared silently in his heart, his mind racing against the inevitable.

Perhaps the Heavens heard his plea, or perhaps fate left him a sliver of opportunity. A flash of inspiration struck him like lightning.

Feign death!

That’s it!

To make the deception convincing, Lin Tian chose a ruthless path. He didn’t just stop his breathing; he severed his own heart meridian. Simultaneously, he used a secret technique to wrap his remnant soul in a protective barrier and hid it in the deepest recesses of his Sea of Consciousness.

Unless someone possessed heaven-defying perception, no one would see through this technique.

The original Lin Tian’s soul had long been devoured. All that remained was an empty shell. Once the heart meridian snapped, the body would naturally display zero vitality.

The brilliance of this method lay in its timer: in three days, the technique would dissolve, and he would automatically awaken, his heart meridian repairing itself.

By then, even if the Lin Family discovered him alive, he could claim amnesia or a miracle to muddle through.

Lin Tian didn’t hesitate for a second.

Wah!

He vomited a mouthful of dark blood, his eyes rolled back into his head, and his body convulsed before collapsing heavily onto the cold ground.

Thud!

At that exact moment, the courtyard gate burst open.

“Xiao Tian! What’s wrong?!”

“Lin Tian…”

The scene before them caused Lin Qiuhan and the others to freeze, their faces draining of color.

…

The next day.

Dawn broke, painting the sky in faint hues of gray and gold.

Gu Changge opened his eyes, awakened by the commotion outside the Grand Hall.

He felt refreshed. After devouring the horde of Outer Realm Demons and consuming the wisp of Lin Tian’s lifespan origin last night, his Primordial Spirit had strengthened significantly.

That wisp of origin belonged to a God King. Even a fragment contained potent life force.

He slept soundly, unlike traditional cultivators who needed to meditate constantly to maintain their state. With his System adding points directly to his stats, why should he suffer through tedious cultivation?

“Young Master, many people are waiting outside for you.”

Su Qingge was already dressed, her black hair cascading smoothly down her back. Her face was exquisite and flawless, glowing with a soft luster.

She called out to him while glancing toward the hall entrance with curiosity.

What exactly happened while she was asleep?

Gu Changge hadn’t told her, and the atmosphere outside was heavy. Why did the entire Lin Family, Elder Ming included, look so terrified as they stood in formation?

“It seems they caught the culprit.”

Gu Changge stretched lazily, his tone casual.

Su Qingge helped him dress, her brow furrowing slightly. “Who is this ‘culprit’ Young Master refers to?”

“The person who tried to kill me last night, of course.”

Gu Changge replied offhandedly. Under the Lin Family’s complete lockdown, even if Lin Tian grew wings, escape was impossible. Gu Changge was confident of that.

“Someone tried to kill you? And I slept through it?” Su Qingge was stunned.

Did she really sleep that soundly? Or… did the Young Master deliberately suppress the commotion to let her rest?

Thinking of this, a warmth bloomed in her chest.

A man of Gu Changge’s status—lofty, powerful, and arrogant—usually acted on whim without regard for others. Why would he care about a maidservant’s sleep?

Yet he had been so considerate. How could she not feel it?

It was precisely this unexpected tenderness that made her sink deeper into his grasp.

Gu Changge, naturally, had no idea she was overanalyzing his actions. He simply checked his System logs and noted another increase in Luck Points. It seemed Su Qingge’s submission had deepened yet again.

Truly, as the old saying goes: Familiarity breeds affection.

“You slept like a pig last night. How could you possibly know?” Gu Changge teased as he walked toward the door.

Su Qingge wrinkled her nose at him, then asked, “Could the assassin be that youth named Lin Tian?”

“Oh? How did you guess?” Gu Changge asked, feigning mild surprise.

“Based on your conversation with Miss Lin yesterday… I sensed that the ‘good-for-nothing’ brother had too many anomalies surrounding him,” Su Qingge explained.

“You are quite clever. I haven’t spoiled you for nothing.”

Gu Changge praised her, though Su Qingge remained puzzled. Why would a youth like Lin Tian be foolish enough to target Gu Changge? Was living too burdensome for him?

Sometimes, ignorance and jealousy really do kill.

…

Gu Changge stepped out of the hall.

A sea of heads greeted him. The entire upper echelon of the Lin Family was present.

“Young Master… this Old Servant failed in his discipline. I beg for punishment.”

Elder Ming stood at the front, his face etched with guilt. He stepped forward and bent his knees, preparing to kneel.

“Did you find the person?”

Gu Changge waved a hand, sending a gentle surge of Qi to stop Elder Ming from kneeling. His expression remained calm, unreadable.

He was asking a question he already knew the answer to.

The fault didn’t lie with Elder Ming. No one expected a useless cripple to attempt an assassination using forbidden arts.

But on the surface, Gu Changge had to play the role of the oblivious victim. It was far more entertaining to watch the Lin Family uncover Lin Tian’s secrets than to expose them himself.

“Reporting to Young Master… the culprit has been found, but…”

Elder Ming paused, his guilt deepening.

Behind him, the Lin Family members trembled, afraid to breathe too loudly. The Patriarch was drenched in cold sweat, his legs shaking. If this Young Lord unleashed his anger, the entire clan—ancestors included—would be wiped out.

They waited like prisoners awaiting the Emperor’s decree of execution.

Among them, Lin Qiuhan’s face was pale, her eyes hollow with shock. She still hadn’t recovered from the events of the previous night.

“Oh? What about him?”

Gu Changge asked, genuine interest sparking in his eyes.

He wanted to know what trick Lin Tian had played. Escape was impossible. Had he tried to plead innocence? Feign ignorance?

“Last night…”

Elder Ming took a deep breath and began to explain, his voice heavy with shame.