Draining one hundred Luck Points from the Son of Providence yields five hundred Destiny Points.
So the exchange ratio seemed to be one Luck Point to five Destiny Points.
Listening to the System’s prompt echoing in his mind, Gu Changge made a mental note. Later, when he had a moment of peace, he would put these points to good use upgrading his attribute panel.
In the great hall, the unconscious Ye Chen was unceremoniously dragged away by disciples from the Punishment Hall.
The farce had finally come to an end.
The guests watched with bated breath, sighing with a mixture of relief and awe.
“This Young Lord… not only is his strength unfathomable, but his background must be terrifying beyond imagination.”
“Indeed. For the Taixuan Holy Lord to offer up his most beloved daughter to accompany him…”
Most of the guests exchanged meaningful glances, privately speculating on Gu Changge’s true identity. They had all reached a silent consensus: after today, they would report everything that transpired here to their respective Sects immediately.
Building a connection with this Young Lord would bring benefits that far outweighed the risks. It was foreseeable that a massive wave was about to sweep through the Eastern Wilderness.
Soon, the investiture ceremony drew to a close.
At the banquet, the newly anointed Taixuan Holy Son, Chu Xuan, was in high spirits. He looked down upon his peers with a haughty gaze before turning toward the head seat.
With an expression of utter reverence, he offered a toast to Gu Changge.
“I owe this honor to the Young Lord’s grace. If you ever have need of me in the future, Chu Xuan is willing to walk through fire and water to serve you.”
Anyone with eyes could see this for what it was: a very euphemistic, yet public, declaration of servitude. He was volunteering to be a lackey.
I do happen to be short of a dog to handle menial tasks, Gu Changge thought. As the Holy Son of the Taixuan Holy Land, he fits the role well enough.
Gu Changge accepted the cup, smiled faintly, and drained it in one motion. “It was merely a trivial matter, Brother Chu Xuan. There is no need to take it to heart.”
“Thank you, Young Lord!”
Chu Xuan’s face lit up with uncontainable joy.
“This old man also toasts the Young Lord…”
“The Young Lord’s descent to the lower realm is a blessing for our Eastern Wilderness…”
The elders and disciples were no fools. They understood the reasoning and began echoing his words and offering their own toasts.
Inwardly, they cursed Chu Xuan for being so shrewd. They had not realized how skilled he was at flattery. In no time, he had become the Young Lord’s lackey.
…
“Qingge…”
The Taixuan Holy Lord noticed his daughter’s pale complexion and distracted demeanor. He couldn’t help but frown.
Judging from the earlier interaction, Young Lord Gu seemed to have a favorable impression of her. Why, then, was he now ignoring her completely?
“Father…”
Su Qingge shook her head slightly, her face draining of color. She offered no explanation.
How could Gu Changge have any genuine interest in her?
His earlier charm had been a performance—a weapon forged solely to eviscerate Ye Chen’s heart. She didn’t know what grudge existed between the two men to warrant such a cruel public humiliation, but she knew one thing for certain: she must not anger him.
With a status like his, would he lack for proud, heavenly daughters in the Upper Realm? Su Qingge was intelligent; she had enough self-awareness to know her place.
“Sigh…”
The Taixuan Holy Lord was not stupid. Seeing his daughter’s despondent expression, he guessed the truth. A heavy cloud of worry settled over his face.
Hearing her father’s sigh, Su Qingge also felt troubled. She knew what sort of man he was, and that he must have his reasons for doing this.
She glanced at Gu Changge, hesitating for a moment. Finally, she gritted her teeth. As the banquet neared its end, she decided to lower her pride and apologize for the trouble she had caused.
After all, the entire incident with Ye Chen had started because of her.
However, Gu Changge didn’t spare her a single glance. He stood up, chatting and laughing with Chu Xuan as they left the hall, heading straight for his resting palace.
His earlier comment about the beautiful moonlight and his invitation to admire it now seemed like a joke.
Of course, Gu Changge had been joking.
He had no spare time to play romantic games with Su Qingge.
A melon picked before it was ripe might quench his thirst, but doing so could bring a backlash from providence.
He might even be attacked by the dreaded River Crab Beast—the force of censorship—from some unknown dimension.
The risk was simply too great.
Su Qingge was indeed beautiful, her flowing white robes and ethereal grace captivating. Even so, she was not worth the risk.
Seeing Gu Changge disappear into the distance without a backward glance, Su Qingge stood frozen. The apology died in her throat.
Her nature was cold and quiet, and she rarely spoke. But this… this was the first time she had been treated with such utter disregard.
She remembered how Ye Chen would be ecstatic for half a day just to exchange a single word with her. The contrast was brutal.
“This Gu Changge… he is indeed hard to fathom.”
“Much more interesting than that boring Ye Chen.”
A teasing female voice sounded in Su Qingge’s sea of consciousness. It was as lovely as heavenly music, yet carried a frightening, sinister quality.
Su Qingge didn’t flinch. Her expression remained perfectly calm.
She was used to it. From the moment she was born, this voice had accompanied her.
It was a secret even her father didn’t know.
One body, two souls.
…
Late at night.
Inside the opulent palace assigned to Gu Changge.
The air shimmered, and a black-clothed old man with blurred features emerged silently from the void.
“How did the investigation go?”
Gu Changge sat cross-legged on the bed. He withdrew his attention from the system interface, opened his eyes, and asked.
“Young Lord, matters are indeed as you predicted,” the old man replied respectfully.
“The Taixuan Holy Lord summoned Su Qingge earlier and revealed the true reasons behind his desperation.”
“And what are those reasons?” Gu Changge raised an eyebrow.
The old man replied respectfully, “The Taixuan Holy Land’s strongest cultivator, their Supreme Elder, actually passed away three hundred years ago. The outside world has not learned of it, and the Holy Land urgently needs a new backer.”
“Also, the Taixuan Holy Master’s wife was a noblewoman from the Upper Realm, and her own faction took her back there years ago. The Holy Master hopes to use Su Qingge to establish a connection with you and find his wife’s whereabouts.”
“Oh? I didn’t expect to hit the mark so accurately.”
Gu Changge smiled, a flicker of amusement in his eyes.
He had suspected that since Su Qingge was the heroine, there had to be a complex backstory driving the plot. That was why he had sent his protector to investigate.
The black-clothed old man was named Elder Ming.
He was Gu Changge’s Dao Protector, who had descended with him from the Upper Realm. His strength was terrifying.
Forget the Taixuan Holy Land—in the entire Eastern Wilderness, there were few places Elder Ming couldn’t enter as if they were his own backyard.