Chapter 45: Gu Changge’s True Face; Heaven Will Eventually Claim You

The system prompt ringing in his mind brought a flicker of satisfaction to Gu Changge.

This random mission was surprisingly simple. A full seven hundred Destiny Points. Added to the one hundred he spent on the Primary Alchemy Guide, he now had a total of three thousand Destiny Points.

It was a veritable fortune.

As for the “Perfect” rating? The System had its own algorithms; Gu Changge couldn’t be bothered to analyze them.

He had merely spoken his mind.

His humility and gentleness toward Su Qingge and the others existed only because they had value to him.

But this Jialou Holy Son, Jin Yang? What was he? Did he truly believe he had the same plot armor as a Child of Destiny? That he could offend Gu Changge and hop around unharmed?

He was an ant—not even qualified to be a leek.

Gu Changge could have crushed him at any moment. He had simply waited for a convenient excuse.

As for Ye Chen’s location?

Gu Changge didn’t care. From start to finish, his only goal was to complete the System’s mission.

Dead silence filled the Star Picking Pavilion. Watching the scene unfold, faces turned pale, and several young prodigies trembled visibly. No one dared to breathe a word.

“My Lord, please forgive me…”

“The Holy Son is foolish… he has offended you…”

Jin Yang and his guardian lay prostrate on the floor, their faces ashen, their hearts consumed by terror.

Gu Changge didn’t even lift an eyelid.

“Elder Ming.”

“Young Master, this Old Servant is here!”

The void rippled violently, and a black-robed elder materialized, his expression filled with utmost reverence. It was Elder Ming.

Although he had returned to his family, he had never truly left Gu Changge’s side, remaining hidden in the void as a silent guardian.

Seeing Elder Ming appear, the crowd was doubly shocked. This was the first time they had laid eyes on the legendary Lin Ancestor who had ascended thirty thousand years ago. And seeing him bow so respectfully confirmed the terrifying rumors about Gu Changge’s background.

“I do not wish to hear that the Jialou Holy Land still exists tomorrow,” Gu Changge said lightly, as if ordering tea.

“Yes. This Old Servant will resolve it immediately.”

Elder Ming bowed deeply. The void blurred, and he vanished as quickly as he had appeared.

Hiss!

A collective gasp echoed through the room. The spectators felt their scalps tingle, a terrifying chill shooting up their spines.

“You…”

Jin Yang spat another mouthful of blood. His eyes bulged in disbelief.

He never imagined his stubbornness would bring such an apocalyptic disaster upon his Sect.

Rage, grief, and regret warred in his heart.

This Young Lord from the Upper Realm… has a heart of stone!

“It’s over… It’s all over…” His guardian’s face was the color of dead ash, his eyes hollow with despair.

The Yuanchu Holy Son, the Wanhua Fairy, and the others turned white. As scions of major Central State powers, they asked themselves: If it were us… the outcome would be the same.

Do not be fooled by this Young Lord’s gentle mask.

In his eyes, they were all ants. There was no distinction.

A single, casual sentence had sealed the fate of a hundred-thousand-year-old Holy Land. They could almost smell the rivers of blood.

Even Su Qingge and Lin Qiuhan felt a chill run down their backs. This was the first time they had witnessed Gu Changge’s true face.

Cold. Aloof. A deity looking down from the heavens, holding the power of life and death in his palm.

This is who he really is.

Thinking of this, Su Qingge felt a sudden wave of gratitude. Gu Changge treated her exceptionally well. One could even say he doted on her.

…

The incident at the Star Picking Pavilion—where the Jialou Holy Son publicly defied the Upper Realm Young Lord—spread from Chongyue Ancient City to every corner of the Central State instantly.

It triggered a massive uproar.

Countless cultivators were shocked, terrified by the implications.

The story was simple: Jin Yang had become sworn brothers with the Young Lord’s enemy, shielded the fugitive, and refused to speak even when questioned. His defiance angered the Young Lord, bringing ruin upon his entire Sect.

Many sighed, calling Jin Yang a fool for dragging his entire Holy Land into the grave for the sake of misplaced loyalty.

Others secretly cheered, claiming he deserved it for courting death.

The Jialou Holy Land had stood in the Central State for over a hundred thousand years. It boasted a Void God Realm ancestor and profound heritage.

But that very day, a colossal palm descended from the heavens, blotting out the sun.

The Sect’s ancestral artifacts revived in a desperate bid for survival, but resistance was futile. The palm crushed down with the weight of the sky.

Pavilions, mountains, and arrays within a five-thousand-mile radius were reduced to dust.

The pressure of a Void God Realm expert suffocated the land, leaving millions of cultivators trembling in fear.

“Those who commit unrighteous deeds will inevitably perish…”

“Sooner or later… Heaven will claim you…”

Those were the final words of the Jialou Holy Master, echoing across the ruins before silence fell.

The Jialou Holy Land was erased from the map.

The destruction caused a seismic shockwave throughout the Central State and beyond. If a Holy Land with a Void God legacy could be wiped out so easily, who was safe?

Terror gripped the cultivation world. The fear of the Upper Realm Young Lord reached its zenith.

For cultivators from the Upper Realm, the Lower Realm was nothing but a playground for ants. They didn’t even bother to look down.

Meanwhile, the name Ye Chen—the cultivator from the Eastern Wilderness—became famous once again. He was viewed as a plague god, a curse that brought ruin to anyone he touched.

Some factions, eager to curry favor with Gu Changge, began actively hunting for Ye Chen, hoping to capture him alive as a tribute.

…

Central State, Central Heavenly Region. A remote, nondescript town.

A young man with a resolute face and ordinary features stood frozen in the street, struck dumb by the news.

“Brother Jin Yang…”

“I will kill Gu Changge! I swear it! I will avenge you and the Jialou Holy Land!”

Ye Chen’s eyes turned bloodshot. He clenched his teeth until they cracked, his body trembling with uncontrollable grief.

He had planned to join the Jialou Holy Land. Jin Yang was his brother, and the Holy Master had appreciated his talents.

But now… the entire Sect was gone. Erased from existence.

A limitless fury burned in his chest. His killing intent turned the air around him to ice. He was mad with hatred.

“Master! Tell me! How can I become stronger quickly?! I want to kill Gu Changge!”

“I want to kill him!!”

Ye Chen’s knuckles turned white. Jin Yang was a true brother—righteous, loyal, and kind. And he had died because of Ye Chen.

Gu Changge was the source of all this misery. Ye Chen wanted to slice him into a thousand pieces, to grind his bones to dust. Even that wouldn’t be enough to quell his hatred.

“Little Chen…”

Inside the ring space, Yan Ji shook her head helplessly. This was the scenario she had feared most.

She gave up on persuading Ye Chen to let go of his vendetta. He was too far gone.

It was useless now.

The outcome was set: either Ye Chen died, or Gu Changge fell.

Yan Ji felt conflicted. Her impression of Gu Changge was actually quite positive. But she couldn’t abandon her disciple…

Sighing, Yan Ji spoke. “According to the fragment you obtained, the Tianyuan Ancient Secret Realm is about to open. It contains a sealed ancient demonic weapon… and the inheritance of the master who sealed it.”

“I will obtain that inheritance. And then… I will kill Gu Changge!”

Ye Chen’s grief vanished, replaced by a cold, terrifying calm. He clenched his fist, his voice dripping with venom.