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Translator: Fate
Translation Checker: Silavin
Graced by serenity and harmony, the mountains were filled with Celestial Mists as spiritual springs splashed and silver waterfalls rushed.
Seemingly out of the world, numerous Divine Beasts and Divine Birds howled and cried. Their feathers reflected the glows of Principles and radiant sunlight. It was as though these creatures were in the legendary backyard of an Immortal’s residence.
Having travelled across many islands, Gu Xianer finally arrived at the Divine Island, wherein Gu Changge usually rested.
Upon her arrival, the guards on duty dared not to hinder her path or report her presence. After all, Gu Xianer was one of the two exceptions of the Immortal Gu Family members who could enter the Divine Island anytime without Gu Changge’s permission, with the other exception being Gu Qingyi.
“Gu Changge’s not in the palace?” Gu Xianer came to the chamber where Gu Changge usually entered seclusion to cultivate, but he was nowhere to be found. Dazed by that, she walked around the chamber, unable to fathom where Gu Changge went.
[Did he sneak out of the Immortal Gu Family Residence behind everyone’s back and is now plotting some grand scheme elsewhere?] With that in mind, Gu Xianer visibly grew disheartened.
On her way here, she had already planned how to confront Gu Changge, as what she wanted to say needed tremendous courage. Yet, he was nowhere to be seen. As such, she could only keep her thoughts to herself, unsure whether she would have the courage to express them whenever she next saw him.
“What am I to do if Gu Changge actually becomes the bringer of disasters to the Upper Realm in the near future?” Recalling the future scenes in the Lake of Rebirth, Gu Xianer felt anxious and terrified. She couldn’t believe that Gu Changge would make the entire Upper Realm enter the Epoch of Darkness in the near future, leaving all lives to live in gloom and fear of him.
At the very least, the Gu Changge she knew would never do such a thing. Rather, only the Gu Changge in his childhood, who was manipulated by his Demonic Heart and shrouded in a terrorising demonic aura, would commit such atrocities.
Thinking that, she felt pained and conflicted.
“What’s the point of the Lake of Rebirth showing me the fate of the entire Upper Realm? Does it intend to have me prevent the future disaster?” Gu Xianer subconsciously muttered, her eyes revealing a hint of sadness. Even now, she could still remember the sight in Peach Village back then.
Tao Yao told her of Gu Changge’s Demonic Heart and explained that he possessed an Innate Demonic Heart. Only by suppressing his demonic nature could he remain conscious. Although his digging of her Dao Bone was manipulated by his demonic nature, most of his actions were done consciously.
Back in the Nirvana Pool of the Immortal Gu Family, as a result of Gu Changge’s returning of her Dao Bone, he failed to suppress his demonic nature and almost caused an unsalvageable calamity. Despite that, he had rather broken his own arms than harm her.
These scenes still vividly wafted in Gu Xianer’s mind.
In Peach Village, when she insisted on extracting her Dao Bone affected by the Nirvana Pool to help Gu Changge keep his demonic nature under control, he displayed never-seen hostility and aggression. He even threatened her against doing that, urging her to take good care of her Dao Bone, or he would make her understand true pain.
Of course, Gu Xianer understood that he didn’t mean to threaten her as he intended to disallow her from committing such a foolish act.
“He even said that he would rather die than let me get hurt…” she mumbled.
In that instant, faint redness surged on her snowy, skinny face as she grew even more distraught.
Then, she unknowingly left the palace and looked towards the mountaintop.
There, clouds billowed as if concealing the depths of the wide and boundless sky that oversaw everything within the Immortal Gu Family Residence.
“Gu Changge…” All of a sudden, Gu Xianer was stunned as she saw a familiar figure by a boulder on the mountaintop. There was the familiar black robe and inky black hair, as well as the delicate features that were more defined than those of gods.
Apparently, Gu Changge’s eyes were shut as he napped by the boulder, carrying extraordinary calmness that was undisrupted by all things.
“How did he fall asleep here out of all places?” Gu Xianer silently looked at Gu Changge, not making a noise that would interrupt his sleep.
As it was rare to see Gu Changge so unguarded, she couldn’t bring herself to distort his peace.
During the war against Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains, after Gu Changge was heavily injured from his battle against numerous True Daoists, he was also similarly at ease.
When she visited him, he was also sound asleep, resting his head on her shoulder, and she could still remember the clear, steady sound of his breath.
“Constantly standing in the spotlight of the world, he must be exhausted…” In that instant, Gu Xianer felt a gush of sympathy in her heart.
To everyone else, Gu Changge was an incomparably glorious, powerful man who was widely celebrated, but no one was worthy enough to see his vulnerable side.
Suddenly, the scenes from the Lake of Rebirth replayed in her mind. Although her end was brutal, Gu Changge was most likely to have lost control over himself by then.
“If I were to give him my Dao Bone, it might be able to suppress his demonic nature. If so, then everything I’ve seen in the future wouldn’t happen.” The idea persistently recurred in her mind, rendering her helpless as she idly peered at Gu Changge.
If sacrificing her Dao Bone could really rewrite the future, nothing else could make her happier.
[I’ve survived my childhood with my Dao Bone stripped away. What could lacking one now possibly do?]
“What’s wrong, Xianer? Why are you looking at me like this?”
Right as Gu Xianer was sunk in her thoughts, a calm voice suddenly sounded before her.
Gu Changge opened his eyes and asked her a question with a faint smile. Although he was resting, his senses weren’t sealed. Thus, he sensed her the moment she stepped on the mountaintop and woke up.
“Did I interrupt your sleep?” Not expecting Gu Changge to wake up so suddenly, Gu Xianer panicked. She swiftly shifted her gaze away as if she was embarrassed by Gu Changge catching her staring at him.
“So, did I look good? You’ve been staring at me for so long. How could I not sense it?” Gu Changge got up and smilingly approached her.
“Nonsense. Nobody stared at you ‘for that long.'” Gu Xianer was visibly flustered, quickly denying his ‘accusation’ as if she was thrown off by Gu Changge’s exposure of her mind. She had so many things to say to him, but now that he ridiculed her, she couldn’t bring herself to express them anymore.
“I must have made a mistake then.” Gu Changge chuckled as he glanced at her.
Her cultivation had grown much greater compared to the last time they had met. Evidently, she must have encountered many opportunities and had a major breakthrough. Perhaps, there was no longer anyone among the younger generation that could rival her.
“You must have made a mistake, sleepyhead.” Gu Xianer snickered.
Ignoring her childish gesture, Gu Changge smilingly asked, “Right. Where have you gone all this time? I was about to send my men to look for you if you hadn’t returned.”
Although he was merely joking, he was sincerely curious about what Gu Xianer had encountered, given how she would look at him with such a complicated gaze after coming back to the Gu Family Residence.
“That’s none of your business. I’m not busy destroying Neraka like you.” Gu Xianer had no desire to speak about the Lake of Rebirth. Having regained her usual coldness, she no longer wanted to entertain Gu Changge. Besides, she wasn’t prepared to explain the visions to Gu Changge.
The Lake of Rebirth predicted that Gu Changge would become an enemy of the world in the future and be targeted by various Forces as he was accused of being the Successor of Demonic Arts, but that was no problem to him.
The Forces, on the other hand, would pay a great price as the entire Upper Realm would be engulfed in Gu Changge’s terrifying shadow.
“Nevermind then. I won’t force it out of you. Can’t care to do it anyway. Well, since you’re back, I could use the convenience of your accompaniment during my visit to Peach Village in a few days.” Gu Changge chuckled without pursuing the matter.
Coincidentally, he planned to go to Peach Village to consult Tao Yao regarding certain matters and also pay Yao Yao, his cheap disciple from the Lower Realm, a visit before his wedding.
Of course, he still remembered the old stone, Elder Shi, from the Immortal Academy. He was also from the same generation as Tao Yao, Chan Honyi, and the Demon Lord.
“You’re going to Peach Village?” Upon those words, Gu Xianer’s eyes dimmed as she was reminded of a future scene in the Lake of Rebirth. In order to avenge her, her Masters were all savagely slaughtered by Gu Changge. In the end, Tao Yao was left alone standing in the abandoned village with only her burnt trunk left.
Thinking that, Gu Xianer’s mind faltered.
If the vision shown by the Lake of Rebirth were true, in the future, not only her, but even Yue Mingkong, Gu Changge’s soon-to-be wife, her Masters, and her other close ones—too many people would ultimately face a miserable fate.
Peach Village was located in the depths of the Land of Abandoned Celestials, the centre of which was a barren region—the home to terrorising beasts that had lived since ancient times.
As of late, due to the massive changes throughout the Upper Realm, many old True Daoists gradually reawakened. Thus, the danger of the barren region substantially spiked.
In the past, cultivators in the Sacred Lord Realm could pass through the region, but now, even those in the Sacred Emperor Realm grew fearful, not daring to step into the region.
…
Filled with traces of sunlights and swirling mists, this place was tranquil, as if separated from the rest of the world. A jade-like pond was surrounded by a grassy plain, on which spiritual deers were grazing with their heads lowered.
Children were playing in the village as the old folks sat in a circle, casually smoking some dried tobaccos.
A vibrant, exuberant peach tree stood at the village entrance, beautified by its captivating flowers that were saturated with redness. Traces of divine lights showered upon the land with hints of Chaos Qi, making it seem sacred yet alluring.
Beasts with frightening auras that passed by the village from a distance would subconsciously glare at it with their eyes full of fear and reverence.
Apart from the peach tree that possessed immeasurable, alarming powers, the old folks in the village also possessed fathomless cultivation that allowed them to effortlessly kill someone in the Sacred Emperor Realm.
At that moment, from the sky right outside the village, divine beams shot downwards as a man and a woman slowly descended.
She’s kinda annoying