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Translator: Fate
Translation Checker: Silavin
*Boom!*
When the fluctuations were as vast as a mighty sun sweeping across the periphery of the hall. It was as if the blue sky was about to fall and completely smash this place. A series of vague and terrifying figures walked out of Sky Deer Sanctum. Their faces were as indifferent as sculptures that had remained unchanged since ancient times. As they stared at the hall without an ounce of emotion, the energy in their bodies was like an enclosed abyss. It felt like they would wipe out whoever disagreed with them.
“What is the meaning of this, Gu Changge?” The faces of the crowd in Sky Deer Sanctum immediately fell. Many Domain Rulers and Wasteland Leaders promptly took out their artifacts. Huge waves emerged, and there was a bright and dazzling brilliance manifesting.
The clan leaders also readied their own artifacts, runes, and other things to defend themselves. All their faces were dignified and vigilant. Instead of sitting back and allowing Gu Changge to do as he pleased, they would rather fight back with all their might if Gu Changge insisted on making everyone stay.
However, Gu Changge didn’t seem to mind as he smilingly watched them. “I gave you your chance, but you didn’t appreciate it. In that case, you can’t blame me for what happens next.”
“Is this what you call a ‘chance’? Just say it if you want us to submit to you. What’s all this nonsense about a truce!?” Many Domain Rulers looked upset. Some were even furious from the mockery. The Domain Rulers of the Great Cloud Domain, the Crimson Shack Domain and many others were extremely grim.
After all, Gu Changge didn’t show one bit of sincerity. This truce was obviously his bait to lure all of them here for him to take them down in one go. [The talk about a truce is all a farce.]
Gu Changge lightly shook his head and asked tauntingly, “Surely you’re not hoping I would recall my troop? That beautiful fantasy of yours will never happen in the real world. I’m sure all of you are aware of that already.”
To him, that kind of hope was merely a pipe dream. The Upper Realm had spent so much effort to break through Sky Deer City and wiped out everyone in sight all the way to the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains. Despite that, they were still hoping that the Upper Realm would withdraw their army without them having to pay a price because he asked for a truce? [Ridiculous! They sure think too kindly of me and the Upper Realm Forces.”
“You’re right. The Upper Realm has done so much to break into the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains. They wouldn’t just withdraw their army for nothing.” The Supreme Mountain Elder seemed to ponder for a while before he sighed and nodded in agreement.
“We’ll be able to stop the happening of some disasters and reduce many unnecessary casualties if the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains were to submit to the Upper Realm.” He sounded like he was explaining to himself as much as he was talking to the leaders of the many Forces from the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains.
In fact, even though the majority of people were angry and unwilling to submit., there were still some of them who had been willing to surrender from the very beginning. However, they chose to remain silent because none of the Domain Lords and the remaining Leaders of the Three Powerful War God Clans spoke up. Hearing the words of the Supreme Mountain Elder now made them waver a little. At that moment, they thought they wouldn’t mind a truce if it meant submission. After all, the entire Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains only had two ways out: they either surrender or face destruction. Only a handful of people in this world would choose death over submission. The reason the many leaders let their anger show just now was to gauge if there was room for compromise.
They were retreating to advance.
“What do you mean, Supreme Mountain Elder…” The Great Cloud Domain Ruler looked slightly alarmed. He didn’t think the Supreme Mountain Elder would react in such a manner. He even seemed to be debating the possibility of accepting Gu Changge’s condition.
The Supreme Mountain Elder seemed to be aware of what everyone else was thinking. Resigned, he sighed, “We have no other choice at this point.”
Gu Changge let out a smile that turned his eyes into slits as he sized the Supreme Mountain Elder up with an interested gaze. “You’re smart.” he hummed. He had a feeling that there was a hidden meaning behind the Supreme Mountain Elder’s words, which was somewhat different from what he expected. [But that’s okay. It’s in line with my plan.]
Seemingly needing time to mull over it, the Supreme Mountain Elder calmly spoke again. “We will consider the truce, Young Master Gu. But we hope you give us time to make a decision.”
“I can give you time, no problem,” Gu Changge nodded, “but know that I’m not a patient man.”
[Now I’m curious to see what the Supreme Mountain Elder intends to do by dragging it out. Could he be trying to save the Second Mountain Elder? Or is it Luo Feng that he’s trying to save? Either way, I won’t let him live for long.]
“Three days,” the Supreme Mountain Elder told him calmly. “You only have to give us three days. We will give you our answer here in three days. What do you think?”
The rest of the Leaders and Domain Lords could feel their hearts thundering away, and they opened their mouths to speak, only to end up closing them again. They didn’t expect the Supreme Mountain Elder to say something like this. However, they didn’t have another choice. These three days would allow them to think about whether to submit or not.
“Three days?” Gu Changge slightly quirked his eyebrows before answering in a casual tone, “Sure, but you are not allowed to leave Sky Deer City during the three days. If I find anyone who tried to leave, don’t blame me for being ruthless.”
“No problem. We will not walk about these three days.” The Supreme Mountain Elder unhesitantly nodded. He was now the backbone of the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains. With him as the overall leader, everyone naturally would listen to his opinions. With that, many of the others only looked at each other helplessly.
The Sanctum soon regained its peace. It was as though the tense atmosphere earlier was a mere illusion. Everyone sat down again. Everyone was feeling different emotions, but all of them could barely swallow the delicious food served. During the banquet, the dancers were graceful and charming like goddesses from the Nine Heavens, who had descended to the mortal world. They were too beautiful a sight to behold.
Gu Changge, who was in the main seat, didn’t seem bothered by the little episode as he kept a smile on his face. The way he would occasionally talk to Sky Deer Goddess beside him made him look carefree and easygoing.
Many leaders of the clans had been paying attention to Gu Changge’s expression. As their hearts trembled, they whispered orders to the clansmen around them. [We’ll have to try to see if this method works.]
…
Gu Wudi was seated across from the glum-looking Xiao Yang during the banquet. He seemed compassionate as he advised Xiao Yang, who was bitterly downing his drink. “Please don’t do anything rash anymore, Junior Xiao Yang. You have to know that your every action today will affect the life and death of the trillions of people in the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains. You will be the in the whole of the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains if you got on Gu Changge’s bad side, and he ordered to have everyone here killed.”
These words caught the attention of the other leaders of the clans as they frowningly glanced at Xiao Yang. They were sure he was going to mess things up for them. However, they couldn’t blame him with the Supreme Mountain Elder around.
“I know. I don’t need you to nag me about something like this,” Xiao Yang warned rudely with his eyebrows pulled together. He was slightly upset with Gu Wudi. They might have had their fair share of hardships together during this period, and his attitude towards Gu Wudi had taken a turn for the better because of that, but it was not to the extent that he would put up with Gu Wudi telling him what to do.
A gloomy look flashed in the depths of Gu Wudi’s eyes when he heard that. Even so, he only sighed and shook his head as though he was doing this for Xiao Yang’s own good. He sneaked a glance at Gu Changge who was sitting on the main seat then. His eyes only further dimmed when he saw that Gu Changge hadn’t spared a glance in his direction. He had been putting up with Xiao Yang for some time now. If it wasn’t because he had to follow Gu Changge’s order, he would have dealt with Xiao Yang a long ago. He didn’t dare act rashly before Gu Changge ordered him to do anything. However, Gu Wudi knew that Xiao Yang’s days here were numbered.
The banquet ended soon enough. Having gone through the shock of their life, only to come out unharmed, everyone from the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains let out a breath of relief before the servants from the Gu Family Residence walked them to their abode.
The three days Gu Changge gave them also meant that they had three days to put their minds at ease. They would give Gu Changge their answer which would determine the fate of the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains after the next three days.
Among the crowd from the Great Cloud Domain, the composed Fairy Qingyue suddenly looked to the Great Cloud Domain Ruler at this moment and uttered under her breath, “Uncle…”
“Alright. It’s going to be hard on you.” He inwardly sighed in regret. However, his expression gradually grew determined as he gave a nod. He then said to Gu Changge, who was about to leave the main seat. “Please wait, Young Master Changge. I would like to have a private conversation with you.”
The moment he suggested that, a dozen pairs of eyes darted towards him in surprise.
“What does the Ruler of the Great Cloud Domain wish to speak to him about?”
“His son, Zhao Yunze, had been killed by Gu Changge. There is bad blood between them. Is he trying to avenge his son by asking Gu Changge to stay?”
As shocked as the majority of the crowd was, they didn’t think that the Great Cloud Domain Ruler had the guts or ability to do anything. Even the Supreme Mountain Elder was frowning at the thought of the Great Cloud Domain Ruler sabotaging his grand plan. [It’ll be hard to even cause Gu Changge any harm even with the strength of everyone here combined. Revenge is but a faraway dream.]
Right then, the crowd could only pray that the Great Cloud Domain Ruler didn’t do anything stupid.
“Oh?” Upon hearing that, Gu Changge smiled and stopped to look down at the older man from the main seat. “Is something the matter?”
If Gu Changge’s memory served him right, Zhao Yunze was this man’s son, and he… happened to have been killed by Gu Changge himself. [Can he put up with something like this?]
With hatred deep in his eyes, the Great Cloud Domain Ruler held his fists together respectfully and requested again, “I would like to have a private conversation with you, Young Master Changge.” For the sake of the Great Cloud Domain, he had no choice but to hide his grudge towards Gu Changge who killed his son.
“What could you possibly want to talk about for you to request to have a private conversation?” The corners of Gu Changge’s mouth curled, but he didn’t seem like he was going to reject the Great Cloud Domain Ruler’s request.
When the rest of the people saw this, they were suddenly hit by realisation. They knew that they shouldn’t stay for long, and so they left the Sanctum under the guidance of the Gu Family servants.
Many people took notice of Fairy Qingyue beside the Great Cloud Domain Ruler. [That old man! How can he sacrifice Fairy Qingyue for his own benefit?!]
To them, Fairy Qingyue was Zhao Yunze’s lover who was supposed to get engaged to Zhao Yunze. But now that Zhao Yunze had passed away, this old bastard was actually using her in exchange for the Great Cloud Domain’s safety! [The soul of his dead son would not be able to rest in peace if he knew about what his father is about to do.]
Soon, only the Great Cloud Domain Ruler, Fairy Qingyue, Gu Changge, and the Sky Deer Goddess were left in the hall.
Gu Changge took an interested glance at Fairy Qingyue, and he had a rough idea of what the Great Cloud Domain Ruler was up to. “Go on. What did you want to talk to me about?”
He couldn’t help feeling curious about why the Great Cloud Domain Ruler, a supposed man of patience, would bring him a beautiful woman as a means to appease him. [I wonder if he has other intentions.]
Before the Great Cloud Domain Ruler could answer, Fairy Qingyue suddenly took a step forward and bowed to Gu Changge. “Qingyue greets you, Young Master Changge,” she greeted him respectfully.
Gu Changge lightly nodded in acknowledgement. “Is this what you wanted to have a private talk with me about?”
The fists hidden behind the Great Cloud Domain Ruler’s sleeves tightened. Still, the older man smiled. “I’ve heard that you surround yourself with beauties, Young Master Changge. I thought that you would be interested in another one, and Qingyue happens to be known for years as the most beautiful woman in all of the Great Cloud Domain. So…” He didn’t finish his words, but any sensible person would have known what he meant.
Sky Deer Goddess let out a small frown in surprise as well. She didn’t think someone like the Great Cloud Domain Ruler would give up on avenging his son, and would sacrifice a woman for his own benefit instead.
Despite the smile the Great Cloud Domain Ruler had on to please Gu Changge, he was filled with humiliation. He wanted nothing more than to leave the hall right this instant. He couldn’t even begin to think how he should face his dead son after his own death. Even though this was Fairy Qingyue’s idea from the get-go, and he had never forced her nor even thought about doing this, he was still the one who ultimately gave the green light. He would have to live with the reputation of being a selfish man who wanted to live more than anything and would use women for his own benefit.
“The most beautiful woman in all of Great Cloud Domain?” Gu Changge took a careful look at Fairy Qingyue, his eyes puzzled. Neither the Great Cloud Domain Ruler nor Fairy Qingyue could tell what he was thinking at this moment.
“Yes,” the Great Cloud Domain Ruler forced himself to answer.
Gu Changge smiled slightly and asked with a mysterious glint in his eyes, “But from what I heard, the most beautiful woman in all of the Great Cloud Domain is someone really close to your son, Zhao Yunze, no? Sure this isn’t who I think it is?” Gu Changge was surprised by the Great Cloud Domain Ruler’s courage. It was either he was conspiring something, or he really was a man of extreme forbearance.
Fairy Qingyue calmly answered Gu Changge before Lord Great Cloud could say a word. It sounded as though she didn’t want Gu Changge to misunderstand her. “To be honest, Yunze and I were indeed close. However, we were only friends. Our relationship was nothing beyond that.”
“How interesting.” Gu Changge smilingly asked, “And you want me to let go of the Great Cloud Domain with this?”
Hearing that, the Great Cloud Domain Ruler blurted out, “I wouldn’t dare have such presumptuous thoughts, Young Master Changge. My Domain will cooperate with you after we establish the truce. We will never betray you.”
“Oh, that’s great then,” Gu Changge simply commented as he nodded.
The Great Cloud Domain Ruler also seemed to heave a sigh of relief at Gu Changge’s response. After throwing Fairy Qingyue a knowing look, he excused himself first and had the servants of the Gu Family outside the hall take him to another area.
After he left, Gu Changge peered at Fairy Qingyue with a small smile on his face. “I killed Zhao Yunze. Are you not going to avenge him?”
Fairy Qingyue looked unperturbed as she shook her head and explained, “It’s a hopeless dream to have to avenge him with my strength. It’s an unnecessary worry for you to have, Young Master Changge. The Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains is in a state of instability now, and I’m like a floating leaf. I would like to have someone I can rely on.”
“Is that so?” He smiled nonchalantly. “But I can feel the overwhelming killing intent from you. Something tells me you want to kill me, and you want it more than anyone else.”
The look on her face changed slightly when she heard that. However, even though she didn’t know why Gu Changge said that, she quickly returned to looking unperturbed. “Why do you say that, Young Master Changge? If there is something about me that you are dissatisfied with, you can—”
Gu Changge swiftly waved and cut her off. “Do you know what’s the biggest taboo for an assassin?” He smiled.
Qingyue still looked confused by his words. “You overthink it, Young Master Changge. I am not an assassin.”
“An assassin’s greatest taboo is to throw straws against the wind.” The smile on his face fell as his demeanour turned cold. He then stretched out a hand and loudly landed a palm on her torso, sending her across the place as she coughed up blood.
A broken stone fell out of her sleeve with a clang right then.
Countless dazzling, terrifying powerful runes looked like they could catch on fire any time reflected on the stone. The blood immediately drained from her face when this happened, and her body froze and turned cold in disbelief.
“You want to kill me with a broken immortal stele?” Gu Changge shook his head, his eyes were indifferent and deep. He didn’t even have to give an instruction anymore before Sky Deer Goddess behind him glided forward and subdued Fairy Qingyue.
“Gu Changge, you are a lunatic who has committed so much evil! Karma will get you someday… I will keep coming for you for as long as I live.”
Seeing that he had seen through her plan, the bloodied Fairy Qingyue, with a dishevelled appearance, raised her head and shrieked like a banshee. Her eyes were filled with hatred and rage. She couldn’t figure out what she had done wrong for Gu Changge to realise what she was about to do.
However, she knew that she couldn’t avoid death today. Not only that, but her failure to execute her plan would also drag the entire Great Cloud Domain down with her.
Fools 😂