Suddenly, a collective gasp swept through the great hall.
Whether they were ancient patriarchs or young prodigies, everyone’s eyes widened in shock. They stared up at the dais where a young man had just… appeared.
There was no spatial fluctuation. No sound. It was as if he had simply materialized from nothingness, or perhaps, he had always been there, unnoticed by the world.
The young man’s expression was calm and indifferent. He wore a simple dark robe devoid of any ostentatious ornaments, yet he radiated an innate sense of nobility that looked down upon all creation.
Behind him stood the respectful Taixuan Holy Lord and a woman in white, her face half-hidden by a light veil. Her eyes were like autumn water, her brows like distant mountains—instantly captivating the hearts of the younger generation.
“That’s the Taixuan Holy Lord…”
“And the Holy Maiden, the ‘Number One Beauty of the Eastern Wilderness’…”
“Then the man in front… there is no mistake.”
“We pay our respects to the Young Lord!”
In an instant, every powerhouse in the hall bowed in unison, their posture radiating utmost humility.
Zhao Tian, Chu Wuji, and Xiao Huo were deeply shaken. The young man’s strength was unfathomable: they could not sense his aura, yet his presence felt as oppressive as an abyss or a prison.
“There is no need for such ceremony,” Gu Changge said indifferently.
Making an appearance to flex his status? He certainly wouldn’t refuse.
He could also warn the other major powers of the Eastern Wilderness. Quite a few were close to Ye Chen, but with his status, a casual word should be enough to stop any of them from contacting Ye Chen again.
Those who follow the Dao have many helpers; those who lose the Way stand alone.
He was curious to see how long Ye Chen’s pathetic Luck Points could keep him afloat.
One by one, the leaders stepped forward to introduce themselves, desperate to leave a good impression. Gu Changge listened with disinterest, his expression remaining placid.
His mind was elsewhere, contemplating how to optimize his attribute interface.
As for Ye Chen? He had been harvested enough. It was almost time to finish him off. Follow the newest chapters on g.com.
The Spirit Gathering Pill wasn’t a gift without strings. Gu Changge had embedded a tracking mark within it using a secret technique from the Immortal Devouring Demonic Art.
If Yan Ji were at her peak, she might have noticed. But in her current weakened state? Impossible.
Where could Ye Chen run? He was nothing more than a treasure-seeking mouse in the palm of Gu Changge’s hand.
No one noticed Gu Changge’s wandering thoughts. He lowered his eyelids, sipping his wine with elegant languor.
Fortunately, his natural aura did the heavy lifting. As long as he didn’t smile, he exuded a sense of profound, terrifying mystery.
In common parlance: Natural Swagger.
His silence made the crowd even more apprehensive, afraid of angering him. Every major power tried cautiously to please him, probing for his purpose in coming to the Lower Realm or asking indirectly about his interests.
Gu Changge enjoyed the adulation. Being a Villain really was sweet.
Everyone could see the dynamic: the Taixuan Holy Land’s closeness to Gu Changge was entirely due to Su Qingge. The title “Number One Beauty” wasn’t for show; she was a fairy in the hearts of men.
Many of the older men began wondering whether their clans had any exceptionally beautiful young women. Anyone far less attractive than Su Qingge would only embarrass them if sent to him.
Suddenly, Gu Changge’s gaze landed on a beautiful woman in the crowd.
“What is your name?” he asked, standing up.
“Ah… My Lord, are you speaking to me?”
The woman was delighted and excited, her voice trembling and her eyes full of admiration. She had never expected Gu Changge to notice her.
“Wang Xue. A disciple of the Ten Thousand Flowers Palace.”
The hall fell silent. Envious gazes pricked her from all sides. To be addressed directly by the Young Lord was a supreme honor! What had she done to deserve this?
“Have we met before?” Gu Changge asked, his voice flat. “What is your relationship with Ye Chen?”
“Ah… Ye Chen…”
“Xue’er, the Young Lord is speaking to you!” Her master was even more anxious than she was, wishing she could speak to Gu Changge in her disciple’s place.
“Reporting to the Lord!” Wang Xue stammered, forcing herself to calm down. “Ye Chen was my former fiancé. Three years ago, I annulled the engagement…”
“A while ago, at the edge of the Ten Thousand Beasts Forbidden Zone, you slew a terrifying beast of the Conferred Lord Realm with a single sword strike. I was nearby… you saved my life. So…”
Ye Chen’s ex-fiancée? The one from the “Three Year Pact” trope?
And I saved her by accident?
Gu Changge searched his memories. The original owner of his body had indeed visited the Ten Thousand Beasts Forbidden Zone recently to look for opportunities, only to come away disappointed.
No wonder she looked at him with admiration. Their connection had begun back then.
Hiss!
“A single sword strike… slaying a Conferred Lord Realm beast?”
The hall erupted in gasps of cold air.
Zhao Tian and Chu Wuji exchanged horrified glances, their scalps tingling.
Did we hear that correctly?
Great Power Realm elders could range across ten thousand li. Holy Lord Realm experts could lead a holy land and rule a million li of territory, standing virtually unmatched unless a Conferred Lord appeared. Only in forbidden zones could traces of such beings be found.
And this Young Lord… killed one with a single strike?
Did that mean none of the great powers in the Eastern Wilderness could withstand even one sword strike from him?
No one doubted Wang Xue.
Even Su Qingge was shocked. This was the first time she truly understood the scale of Gu Changge’s power. The “Young Geniuses” of the Eastern Wilderness weren’t even ants in front of him—they were dust.
“Thank the heavens I didn’t ask about Ye Chen,” the Supreme Elder of the Yangxu Holy Land thought, his back soaked in cold sweat.
“From now on, my granddaughter is forbidden from seeing that boy.”
“That Ye Chen is seeking death! How could he offend an existence like this?!”