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Translator: Fate
Translation Checker: Silavin
“So, in short, this child is easy to raise, right?” Gu Changge waved his hand and interjected, seeing everyone rambling about the Little Wang Yue.
“It is.” An Elder nodded. “And because it’s a Celestial Beast, it can survive just by consuming all sorts of spiritual energy in the universe.”
“In that case, just chuck it to a random Star Territory. Given its ability, it shouldn’t starve to death,” Gu Changge commented plainly.
“Are you not going to raise it yourself?” Another Elder asked in shock.
Gu Changge was the one who brought it back, and it wasn’t just any beast. It was the offspring of a rare Wang Yue. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have all gathered here out of curiosity.
“Since it’s so easy to raise, just raise it however is convenient. Besides, I don’t have time to raise it myself,” said Gu Changge as he shook his head. If it weren’t because he found it troublesome, he wouldn’t have brought this little thing back here, would he?
The group of Elders fell somewhat silent in response.
This child belonged to Gu Changge. It was truly his business in regards to how he should raise it. It wasn’t in their position to tell him what to do either.
Besides, this Little Wang Yue was a Celestial Beast to begin with. Though it was still just a cub, its ability had already surpassed other beasts. Hence, even if it was raised in the wild, it could still live a pretty decent life. Furthermore, the Gu Family’s Territory stretched to the horizon, and there were also endless rich star territories within. Unless there were people audacious enough to not worry about retaliation from the Immortal Gu Family, who would dare steal this Little Wang Yue from them!?
On the other hand, the Little Wang Yue evidently understood what Gu Changge was saying, as grievance had laced its big crystal-clear eyes. However, it seemed fearful, not daring to express anything but only lying in its spot, motionlessly.
It also remembered well that this wasn’t what Gu Changge had agreed on back in the Palace of World Domination. The man claimed it wouldn’t be a problem if it devoured ten star territories worth of food, but now, he wasn’t even willing to raise it!
Sure enough, one should never believe a pretty man’s words.
“What? You’re not happy about this arrangement?” Gu Changge asked with great interest when he noticed Little Wang Yue’s emotional change.
It was apparent that the beast cub never expected Gu Changge to ask for its opinion, for it instantly backed up towards the platform like it had been startled, looking absolutely defenceless, vulnerable, and pitiful as fear enveloped its big eyes.
“Well…” The group of Elders were at a loss for words as they watched the scene develop.
For some reason, Little Wang Yue was fearful of Gu Changge but would barely react to anyone else.
[Had it experienced something unpleasant sometime ago?] they couldn’t help wondering.
Meanwhile, Gu Changge chuckled. “Are you not satisfied with living a good life with me when I can even let you devour an entire star territory? Don’t tell me you want to go back to that useless piece of garbage?”
Little Wang Yue shook its head at once and looked googly-eyed at him.
Sure, Gu Changge was frightening, but at least it wouldn’t starve. Instead, if it followed that mortal it saw back in the Palace of World Domination, it would surely starve to death.
“What are you so upset about then? You want to stay by my side?” Gu Changge asked with a smirk.
To that, the beast cub looked hesitantly at him for a while before finally nodding with affirmation. Despite knowing full well Gu Changge was dangerous, its instinct told it that it wouldn’t suffer if it followed the man.
“Then, what makes you think I’ll let a burden follow me?” Gu Changge countered with great interest.
At that, Little Wang Yue drooped its head dejectedly and spat bubbles.
“I’ll raise it for you if you don’t want to.” A crisp voice sounded out just then, and a newcomer showed themselves in. Though her face was obscured, she had a tall and slender figure, and her fluttering hair gave her an otherworldly vibe. She was none other than Gu Qingyi.
Many Elders were surprised by her appearance, clearly never expecting Gu Qingyi to show up, and their attitude towards her was obviously different towards Gu Changge, who, despite being the young master, was still just their Junior. However, Gu Qingyi had a much higher seniority than them. Moreover, her powers were also fathomless. Word was that she would become a True Daoist before Gu Lintian, the current Head of the Gu Family.
Of course, none of them knew just how far Gu Qingyi had advanced at this point. In fact, they weren’t even sure if this was her true form.
Right as she showed up, Gu Qingyi looked at the beast cub on the Celestial Jade Platform with mixed emotions. However, it lasted for only a split second before returning to impassiveness.
Gu Changge, too, was surprised she would show up, but he didn’t ask why either.
“You have my thanks then, Aunt Qing,” he thanked with a smile.
At that, Gu Qingyi glanced at him and nodded in acknowledgement.
Meanwhile, Little Wang Yue behaved affectionately towards Gu Qingyi. In fact, it even swam towards her, wanting to be closer to her.
The woman also pulled a rare smile. Though it only happened for a split second, Gu Changge still caught it perfectly, and he quirked a brow in response. He knew the woman well enough to know that she would rarely reveal such an expression.
[Can it be that she has a history with this little one?] He made a mental note of it.
“Since this Little Wang Yue is yours, you should give it a name,” suggested Gu Qingyi crisply after drifting her gaze to Gu Changge.
“A name?” Gu Changge pondered for a moment before saying resolutely, “Since it’s beautifully white all over, Xiao Bai it is.”
(Silavin: This just means Little White. Obviously, the lamest name possible that most Chinese kids would give to their pets.)
At that, the Eight Barren Demon Halberd came to his mind. He had also given it a name when he first found it. [Xiao Hei, Xiao Bai… rolls off the tongue pretty well.]
“Xiao Bai?” Gu Qingyi tilted her head, causing her raven-black hair to drift down and cover half of her face. It was as though she was asking for his confirmation.
The Little Wang Yue, on the other hand, didn’t like its name. Even if it feared Gu Changge, it shook its head non-stop in opposition.
“You don’t like it?” Gu Changge smirked. “How about an even more random name? It’ll be even easier to raise you.”
Gu Qingyi personally didn’t make much of the name. However, because she sensed the Little Wang Yue’s displeasure, she shook her head impassively. “I honestly don’t know what to say about your name-giving standard.”
That said, Gu Changge was the one who brought this little one back, so he should still have the final call in naming it and whatnot, so she didn’t retort much.
As for renaming it, it wasn’t really necessary. Xiao Bai was good enough.
Just like that, the beast cub’s name was finalised. Even if the Little Wang Yue was upset and opposed to it, Gu Changge had no intentions of renaming it. It wasn’t like Gu Changge was trying to be mean. Rather, he purely did it because he thought it was too troublesome and like things to be simple.
Subsequently, Gu Qingyi took Gu Changge and the Little Wang Yue to the Small Universe she normally cultivated in, where there was nothing but a sea of clouds and mountain ranges. It looked majestic and otherworldly.
No one else but Gu Qingyi resided in this world as a sentient being. Even the beasts here were ordinary, that had just barely developed any real intelligence. Even the fauna did not develop consciousness after being alive since ancient times.
However, the way Gu Changge saw it, Gu Qingyi had probably done something to the plants so that they couldn’t develop sentience. After all, for her, changing the Principles of this place was as easy as snapping her fingers.
Plus, she was aloof, reserved, and didn’t enjoy having company. If she hadn’t led the way, Gu Changge would certainly never have found this Small Universe.
After arriving at this Small Universe, Xiao Bai was released from the pool. It blended into the sea of clouds. It looked like it was enjoying itself.
Though it was just a Small Universe, its essence as a universe was incredibly intense.
“You should be relieved now knowing it’ll be raised here,” said Gu Qingyi with a barely noticeable smile while watching Xiao Bai enjoy its freedom at the mountaintop.
“What’s there to even worry about? No one would dare do anything to it even if I chuck it somewhere random,” commented Gu Changge with a chuckle before changing the topic. “By the way, Aunt Qing. What’s your relationship with the Immortal Palace?”
Gu Qingyi’s expression stiffened evidently for a second before she turned to Gu Changge with an unfathomable gaze.
“Has something come to you?” she asked so instead of asking why he would ask such a question.
Gu Changge nodded in response but didn’t answer her directly either. “You still haven’t answered my question, Aunt Qing,” he said while keeping up his smile.
“Come and ask me again when you remember something.” It was evident she didn’t want to answer it, and she had put on her usual aloof countenance.
“Hmm…” Gu Changge chuckled under his breath and made nothing of her answer as he had established from his probing that Gu Qingyi evidently had a history with the Immortal Palace.
Plus, she seemed to have known him for a long time. Of course, this ‘Gu Changge’ was certainly not who she knew him to be. Nonetheless,whether it was the Demon Lord, the question remained unknown.
Later, Gu Changge threatened Xiao Bai, who running around wildly afar, “You, stay right here. If you dare run away, I don’t mind finding out what Wang Yue meat tastes like.”
Seeing that it instantly stood petrified, looking vulnerable and piteous, Gu Changge chuckled and left the Small Universe.
Meanwhile, Gu Qingyi shook her head lightly.
Though she thought it was mean of him to scare the child, on the one hand, it also meant the man didn’t intend to just leave it here and not care about it anymore. [As I thought. He has become more humane than before…]
…
In between the time Gu Changge took Xiao Bai to the Gu Family Residence and returning to the Immortal Academy, the Hidden Ji Family had dutifully sent the Wheel of World Domination over, not daring to delay for a second.
Apart from that, the secret treasure he had brought to the Heavenly Arms Domain for forging was ready. However, it encountered a setback during the delivery process as someone let slip, and just like that, many found out an astounding treasure had been created in the Heavenly Arms Domain. Thus, the caravan tasked to transport it was ambushed by the bandits of the Chaos Star Territory mid-travel. Despite the serious casualty, they managed to secure the treasure.
“They dare to even steal something that’s mine? These Chaos Star Territory bandits sure are audacious.” Gu Changge narrowed his eyes while drumming his fingers on the table rhythmically.
The Chaos Star Territory bandits were infamous for being audacious, unscrupulous, and lawless. Many caravans had become victims of their crimes. But because of the Chaos Star Territory’s terrain, the bandits would vanish into thin air very quickly after entering the area. Thus, they were hard to hunt down, and many forces had lost to them even when planning an ambush.
That said, those bandits weren’t idiots either. After knowing what was being transported belonged to an Immortal Family or Immortal Sect, they would stop at once.
Since they dared to try and seize his treasure, it could only mean one of the two: they didn’t know it was his, or someone enticed them to do it. Either way, neither were valid reasons for the bandits to make a move on him.
At that, Gu Changge wrote an order down and beckoned a follower to pass the message along. “Come!”
However it may be, it was just a minor episode to him. Thus, he didn’t care about it anymore after making the necessary arrangements.
Days passed in the blink of an eye, and word of his return had spread under many disciple’s intentional probing.
While many were clueless about Gu Changge’s trip to the Sky Jade Mountain Range, the likes of The King with Six Crowns Jun Yao and Chosen Monk Jin Chan got word that the Tower of World Domination had seemingly landed in Gu Changge’s hands.
Now, including the Flask previously owned by Qing Feng, and the Wheel given by the Hidden Ji Family, the man in question would have at least three out of the seven Tools of World Domination, and it shook them to the core.
For all they knew, the Seven Tools of World Domination might all eventually fall into Gu Changge’s hands.
During this time, Gu Changge had also been closely monitoring Qin Wuya’s actions.
According to Tang Wan’s updates, Qin Wuya could do nothing despite wanting to avenge his Junior. Furthermore, because of his relationship with Tang Wan, he had no intentions of leaving her just yet. Instead, he continued to be her guardian. Hence, Gu Changge began reevaluating Qin Wuya’s final value.
Although Qin Wuya and Chu Hao had become enemies, Chu Hao had clearly grown wiser as the man returned to his Sect to enter retreat and hadn’t shown himself since. Though their fights had to do with their destinies, which, at the root of it, all had to do with Tang Wan.
In the end, Gu Changge decided to put the two aside and only go for the final harvest when the time was right.
Just then, a voice came from outside his chamber. “Young Master, the Saintess of Mortal Palace wishes to see you.”
“Saintess? Jiang Chuchu or Wang Zijin?” Gu Changge mused after coming to his senses, guessing who it could be between the two. [Then again, the possibility of it being Jiang Chuchu is quite low.]
“Let her in,” Gu Changge ordered plainly while heading outside.
It had been quiet in the Immortal Academy for some time.
Though there was still hearsay of the Successor of Demonic Arts popping up in the outside world every now and then, it had nothing to do with him anymore. Thus, he speculated the visitor was Wang Zijin. Just that he didn’t know her purpose for visiting.
However, Gu Changge honestly wanted nothing to do with this tool of a transmigrator unless necessary.
Sure it was a piece of cake to steal her Fortuity, but he wouldn’t get much out of it. Furthermore, she had an aloof temperament. It was such that if it did not directly affect her, she would not care about it – even if the world burns. As much as she was a busybody, obtaining opportunities from her was extremely exhausting. For her, life was pretty much smooth sailing, and she wasn’t short of anything. Thus, Gu Changge couldn’t bother to waste his time on her.
In fact, to him, the only thing valuable about her was her Celestial Physique.
A general physique was already useless at his cultivation level. Even unique physiques were just barely helpful to him only when they were close to his current cultivation level.
Very quickly, the sound of footsteps travelled from outside the chamber. The visitor was dressed in white, and had an emotionless countenance. Nonetheless, she had a fog shrouding her facial features, obscuring it.
It wasn’t Wang Zijin but the other Successor of Mortal Palace, Jiang Chuchu.
The reveal surprised Gu Changge. After all, this woman would normally stay as far away from him as possible. [To think she would come to me for once.]
Though Jiang Chuchu tried her best to look calm, Gu Changge could tell she was just putting up a front, and she wasn’t as composed as she looked.
He waved his hand, signaling for everyone else to leave, then casually sat down while asking with a smile, “Are you in some sort of trouble?”
However, the young woman said nothing but only fixed her gaze on him as she stood rooted on the spot.
“Go on, tell me. Where is the Eternal Overcast outbreak this time? Have you found the Source? But let me make it clear that you can forget about getting everything without doing anything. I will help, but what can I get in return?” Gu Changge asked casually. He happened to have reached Peak Sacred Lord Realm, on the verge of advancing to the Sacred King Realm. If he could find another Eternal Overcast Source, he’d be able to breakthrough.
Speaking of which, Gu Changge realised Jia Nan, the Eternal Overcast Kingdom First Princess, still hadn’t delivered him the Eternal Overcast Source she had promised. Still, he doubted she would forget about it when her sliver of her Divine Soul was in his hands.
[Can it be that something has happened to the Eternal Overcast Kingdom?]
Meanwhile, Jiang Chuchu was visibly stumped as she hadn’t expected Gu Changge to ask so right off the bat. [Does he really think the only reason I come to him is to solve a problem? That I can’t handle myself? Is there really no other possibility?!]
“Gu Changge…”
“Hmm? Are you really expecting to get everything while doing nothing?” Gu Changge teased despite noticing the subtle change in her emotion.
To be frank, he was rather surprised that she hadn’t come to him because of another Eternal Overcast crisis. But he had no intentions of bursting the bubble, for he could evidently sense her loathing for him was long gone.
“Can you not play dumb, Gu Changge? Can I not find you for something else?” the Saintess asked with grievance despite her composed front.
She had initially followed Wang Zijin’s suggestion only to discover that Gu Changge would really just leave her be, given his character, if she really ignored the man.
For instance, he had never even asked about her after returning to the Immortal Academy for days, and Jiang Chuchu had a hard time settling with this.
He had saved her and even helped her resolve the Eternal Overcast crisis without taking any of the credit back then, so why was he acting so indifferently towards her now?
“What else can there be between you and me? Let’s not forget that you are the righteous Saintess of Mortal Palace while I am the evil demon that you are supposed to slay. We will ultimately end up on opposing sides and fight to the death.” Gu Changge chuckled bluntly.
many thanks