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Translator: Fate
Translation Checker: Silavin
Upon departing from the Floating Nether Realm, Gu Changge made his way back to the Heavenly Court, eager to refine the Dao Fruit. Possessing immense power almost akin to that of an Immortal Emperor, this Dao Fruit held immeasurable value for Gu Changge’s growth. Although he had not been able to locate Qingyi, the acquisition of this Dao Fruit proved to be a delightful surprise.
Over the next few days, as Gu Changge meticulously refined the Dao Fruit, he also ordered the Immortal Kings of every Family to keep an eye out for the Land of Reincarnation.
It was one of the most mysterious locations in the Mountains and Oceans True World. Before the Immortal Domain was destroyed back then, Qingyi had utilised her peerless ability to conceal the Land of Reincarnation, making it virtually impossible for the average person to locate. Instead, one must rely on the direction in which the living Souls were headed to deduce its whereabouts.
Gu Changge had a strong inkling that Qingyi was currently in the Land of Reincarnation, with the intention of repeating the cycle of rebirth to bring back all the powerful beings who had passed on. This was a slow process, and he suspected that Qingyi had already begun it long ago.
As the True Spirit of the Mountains and Oceans True World, Qingyi had devoted herself tirelessly to protect it. From the very beginning of their communication, Gu Changge could sense her unwavering dedication to this cause.
The Mountains and Oceans True World held immeasurable significance to her, and she would not hesitate to sacrifice everything to keep it safe. Perhaps this stemmed from her very essence, as her being was intertwined with the fate of this True World.
“The coexistence of the True Spirit and the Heavenly Dao may seem contradictory, but in truth, they complement each other. It’s a fitting paradox. As time has passed, if she has been executing the plan, then she must have amassed a formidable power in the shadows.” Gu Changge’s gaze drifted outside the hall, as a profound expression appeared on his face.
As per their scheme, he assumed the role of a villain, bearing infamy. All of this was in pursuit of his ultimate objective.
The Boundless Fallen Ocean lay beyond the Mountains and Oceans True World. Each wave, each towering swell was made of numerous ancient worlds and overlapping universes. This Boundless Fallen Ocean served as a divide between the Source Realm and the vast ocean of True Worlds, with a clear boundary demarcating each.
If those who lived in the vast ocean of True Worlds for generations wanted to go to the Source Realm, they would have to cross the Boundless Fallen Ocean to reach it.
However, countless epochs and True Worlds had collapsed since ancient times. Only a select few had been able to truly make it to the Source Realm, and these individuals were nothing short of extraordinary. They were all peerless figures throughout the ages. Gazing upon the long River of Time, there was scarcely anyone who could rival them.
These figures were known as anomalies, whose past and future were shrouded in mystery. Even those who stood at the end of Transcendence could not peer into their past, present and future. What Gu Changge intended to do now was to lure these individuals out.
…
Meanwhile in the Upper Realm, a small golden cauldron sat in the middle of a hall in the Mortal Palace. It seemed to be crafted from Immortal Gold and was drawing in the Power of Faith and Fortuity from all corners of the Realm.
Countless silver strands of Power of Faith flooded towards the cauldron with the intensity of a massive ocean wave.
The woman in white sat gracefully with her legs crossed before the small cauldron, cultivating with the Power of Faith. Behind her, a blurry image of an Immortal began to take shape.
As the image became more defined, the once indistinct facial features of the Immortal began to solidify. Compared to the woman, the Immortal’s face was even colder and devoid of emotion. Although their faces were identical, their temperament set them apart.
The woman in white was none other than Jiang Chuchu. Despite having become a True Daoist, she understood that in the vast expanse of the world, this accomplishment alone fell short of being sufficient, let alone constituting the pinnacle of power.
She would frequently take the time to exit the Saintess Palace in the Divine Empire and return to the Mortal Palace to cultivate.
As Jiang Chuchu’s eyes fluttered open, the blurry Immortal figure behind her gradually dissipated before completely vanishing. The centre of her forehead glowed, and within the depths of her consciousness, a palace that had been asleep for ages suddenly stirred. Its doors creaked open, unleashing a torrent of dazzling light and enigmatic power that enveloped her entire being. She exuded an aura of icy nobility that inspired both reverence and fear, akin to the Nine Heavens’ Goddess.
“It appears that even in my absence from the Upper Realm, you have been cultivating diligently, Chuchu.” A chuckle suddenly came from outside the hall. A stunning woman dressed in a flowing blue dress walked in, her hands clasped behind her back. As Wang Zijin’s gaze fell on Jiang Chuchu, who was cultivating seriously while sitting cross-legged on her cushion, she could not help but giggle.
The two women were both Saintesses of the Mortal Palace. In contrast to Wang Zijin’s lively and carefree personality, Jiang Chuchu was quiet and aloof. In fact, she was a woman of few words. Prior to her encounter with Gu Changge, Jiang Chuchu shouldered the immense responsibility of the Mortal Palace. She felt as if she had to maintain world peace and harmony.
During that time, Jiang Chuchu was extremely cold. Even in the presence of Wang Zijin, she spoke sparingly, as if every word required a great deal of effort. It could be said that their personalities were once complete polar opposites.
No one would have expected the once cold and aloof Saintess to fall in love with that devil called Gu Changge. For him, she could even betray the Mortal Palace, even disregarding her responsibilities and its teachings. They were now married. and Wang Zijin only learned about it after returning to the Upper Realm. This left her feeling as though fate was toying with her.
She was the first to become acquainted with Gu Changge, but the specifics of what transpired between Gu Changge and Jiang Chuchu remained a mystery to her. If Wang Zijin had not accidentally discovered that the Purity Mark on Jiang Chuchu’s arm had disappeared during their time at the Immortal Academy, and noticed that Jiang Chuchu was frequently loitering around Gu Changge’s residencies, she would have never been able to figure it out.
Wang Zijin and Jiang Chuchu had a strong bond that developed during their training at the Mortal Palace from a young age. After Gu Changge brought Wang Zijin back to the Upper Realm, she stayed with her Family for a while before she left the Immortal Wang Family’s residence to seek out Jiang Chuchu at the Mortal Palace.
Aside from her trusted maid, Xiu Er, Jiang Chuchu was the person closest to her. Yet Jiang Chuchu was unaware of the feelings Wang Zijin used to have for Gu Changge.
“It’s been quite a while since we last met, but I see that your cultivation hasn’t progressed much.” Jiang Chuchu cast a brief glance at Wang Zijin, looking cold and aloof as usual.
“Even if it haven’t, I can still suppress you without a problem,” Wang Zijin said with a smile.
Before she even finished her sentence, Jiang Chuchu, who was seated on the cushion with her legs crossed, transformed into a blur of white and launched herself towards Wang Zijin. Her sleeves fluttered as her hands moved with the gentle grace of a fairy dancing in the Moonlight. She was mesmerizingly beautiful, yet her every move carried murderous intent.
Wang Zijin remained unfazed as she gracefully leapt backwards, evading Jiang Chuchu’s attacks. Her body radiated a divine aura, and the fragrance of Dao filled the air.
With a flick of her wrist, she delivered a powerful palm strike that connected with Jiang Chuchu’s palm.
Their figures became blurry as they began exchanging blows, relying solely on their physical prowess rather than their cultivation abilities. Their graceful forms danced like fluttering butterflies within the palace hall, but alas, there was no one present to admire their performance.
After exchanging several blows, they both halted and stood apart, leaving the victor undetermined. Jiang Chuchu tilted her head up, maintaining her aloof facade, yet failed to conceal a hint of smugness in her eyes.
“You actually won by half a move. It seems that you have indeed made a lot of progress over the years.” Wang Zijin stood at the entrance of the hall, shaking her head with a hint of annoyance.
“Of course.” Jiang Chuchu suppressed the urge to snort because she did not want Wang Zijin to continue pestering her.
Both of them had been acquainted with each other since childhood. They had fought many times when they were in Mortal Palace, but neither emerged victorious. Despite her exceptional talent, Jiang Chuchu could not help feeling inferior to Wang Zijin. Even with rigorous training, she could barely match up to her prowess.
Wang Zijin never had a strong interest in cultivation and rarely dedicated time to it. Many Elders in the Mortal Palace recognised her natural aptitude for cultivation, but it was a shame that she never lived up to any of those expectations and often allowed herself to be distracted by less important things.
With a graceful sweep of Jiang Chuchu’s sleeve, a stone table and stools suddenly appeared in the hall. On the table was a tea set, complete with an ancient wooden box containing tea leaves.
“Wow, I never expected the Saintess Chuchu would know how to brew a cup of tea. What a delightful surprise,” Wang Zijin exclaimed. She had never seen Jiang Chuchu show any interest in anything other than cultivation. In fact, Jiang Chuchu was not even skilled in any other arts, such as playing guqin, chess, calligraphy or painting.
“I know more than brewing tea.” Jiang Chuchu cast a glance at her, motioning for her to take a seat. She deftly rolled up her sleeves and began preparing tea.
Wang Zijin was in awe and asked, “You must have learned this for his sake, right?”
Jiang Chuchu froze upon hearing that remark. The expression on her face shifted momentarily, but she swiftly regained her composure. Considering the fact that the entire Upper Realm already knew that they were married, there was no point for her to continue fretting over it.
Of course, Jiang Chuchu knew that Wang Zijin was referring to Gu Changge. Since the entire Upper Realm already knew about their relationship, there was nothing for her to hide at this point. However, she could not help but feel a tinge of remorse towards Wang Zijin as she recalled how she had brushed off Wang Zijin’s many attempts to probe into this matter during their time at the Immortal Academy.
“I never dreamed that I would be blessed enough to savour the tea personally brewed by Saintess Chuchu, all thanks to that guy.” Wang Zijin settled into her seat, placing her hands on the stone table and resting her head on them.
As she admired the steam rising from the teapot, she engaged in casual conversation with Jiang Chuchu.
Jiang Chuchu was focused on brewing the tea and didn’t seem to mind the playful banter.
“Precisely, you should thank Changge. If it weren’t for him, you wouldn’t have been blessed with such good fortune.” A small smile graced her lips.
“To think that you call him Changge… You have really changed, Jiang Chuchu. You’re no longer that cold Saintess I knew.” Wang Zijin’s beautiful eyes widened in surprise. She instinctively patted her chest, as if to calm her racing heart.
Jiang Chuchu ignored her and continued brewing tea, but she appeared to be in a very good mood.
“Hey, Chuchu, do you really know Gu Changge’s background? Have you heard anything about his past? You are a very naive girl, and I really suspected that Gu Changge has tricked you in the beginning,” Wang Zijin said while absentmindedly twirling a strand of her hair near her ear.
Having spent a considerable amount of time in Immortal Domain, she had heard numerous tales about Gu Changge. Prior to meeting him, she was oblivious to the fact that Gu Changge was the infamous Demon Lord that instilled fear in the hearts of many. Before this, she could never associate them together. Nevertheless, she embraced this reality as a mere facet of the story.
The person she liked was the Demon Lord of great power, who once wreaked havoc in the world and plunged it into turmoil and darkness. He commanded an army of countless Demons clad in armour, wielding spears and halberds. They lay in wait within the shadows for the day when they could rise up and trample Heaven.
When Wang Zijin succumbed to drunkenness in the Queen Lunar Residence, she had a strange dream where she found herself embracing that Demon’s neck, nestled safely within his arms as she hummed a soothing melody. The stars above her shone brilliantly, while water flowed beneath her feet as it continued its journey towards the unknown. It was a beautiful dream, yet she had nothing left after waking up.
Upon returning to the Upper Realm, Wang Zijin was consumed with a fervent desire to make up for the centuries that had slipped away. She tirelessly sought out information about the Demon from her parents, relatives, and acquaintances.
Finally, she received the startling news that her childhood friend and partner in training had married the very Demon in question. Though stunned, Wang Zijin eventually reconciled herself to the situation. She sought out Jiang Chuchu in an effort to move on from it all.
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I like how button “Remember me” works in comments, the same way the EA launcher works… Right , it doesn’t work