Chapter 281: Schemes Within Schemes; Prince Ying is Actually an Imposter!
“Miss Xian’er, it would appear that we’ve met once again.”
Just as Gu Xian’er was lost in her thoughts, a figure suddenly descended from the sky and appeared before her.
It made Gu Xian’er’s expression change in an instant. What was once cold and aloof had turned into biting frost, with a tinge of disgust.
“Ziyang Tianjun, I told you last time not to appear before me again.”
Her tone was frigid and indifferent, as she stared at him
Ever since she’d caught onto his little charade at the Mountain Gate, Gu Xian’er has since harboured nothing but disdain for him.
However, Ziyang Tianjun seemed oblivious to it all, greeting her whenever he had the opportunity.
No matter how many times she told him off, it went through one ear and out the other. He stuck to her like a stick of unwanted chewing gum.
As a Ranked Disciple of the True Immortal Academy and the former top figure in the Upper Realm, Ziyang Tianjun’s reputation was not small.
Many onlookers believed that he was pursuing Gu Xian’er, the princess of the prestigious Gu family.
“If you didn’t notice already, what you’re doing makes people sick.”
Gu Xian’er’s voice carried a sense of disgust.
However, Ziyang Tianjun seemed completely unfazed, shaking his head and smiling: “Beautiful ladies will always be desired by gentlemen.”
“I merely happened to see Miss Xian’er and came to say hello, there’s no need for you to be so nervous.”
Upon hearing this, Gu Xian’er looked at him coldly and expressed her disdain, saying, “If you dare to do it again, I will make sure you’re not able to do anything else afterwards.”
With that, her figure transformed into an azure aura, as she promptly disappeared.
What’s worse is that he didn’t even do anything; he only came to say hello.
Gu Xian’er felt helpless. She had a strong fist, but she couldn’t throw a punch in such a situation.
With her personality, she couldn’t bring herself to extend a friendly hand to someone with a false smile.
At this moment, she wished Gu Changge was by her side. Given his personality, he would probably disregard everything and step on that disgusting face of Ziyang Tianjun.
“Her personality is so similar to Junior Sister’s.”
After Gu Xian’er’s figure disappeared, Ziyang Tianjun shook his head and didn’t care in the slightest. He knew that after Gu Changge had disrupted their previous encounter, it had left a negative impression on Gu Xian’er.
In his view, as long as he was sincere enough, Gu Xian’er would be able to feel his good intentions and understand that everything he did was for her own good.
“I just don’t know if the man who came out of the mysterious stone is really…”
Soon, Ziyang Tianjun’s expression became puzzled. He wasn’t present when the strange stone appeared, but based on the recorded scenes from his followers who were present, the man who emerged from the stone seemed familiar to him. However, without personally seeing him, he couldn’t believe it.
“If it’s really Senior Brother, then it’ll truly be heaven-sent…”
With these thoughts, Ziyang Tianjun couldn’t help but feel excited and elated.
— — —
‘The inheritor of the Demonic Arts has indeed infiltrated the True Immortal Academy. Although I don’t know why there are two Demonic Arts inheritors existing at the same time in this world, it’s the best opportunity for both of us.’
On the other side, within a cave, Su Qingge had a calm expression on her delicate, porcelain-like face, resembling a beautifully carved jade.
At this moment, she was in conversation with another voice in her mind. She had naturally heard about the talented individuals falling victim to the Forbidden Demonic Arts’ Inheritor.
Initially, Su Qingge had some concerns because taking action in secret could raise suspicions and ultimately expose her as the Inheritor of the Forbidden Demonic Arts.
However, now that another Forbidden Demonic Arts’ Inheritor had emerged, even if she targeted other talented individuals, no one would suspect her.
They would likely focus on investigating the whereabouts and traces of Ying Shuang.
‘I just need to be careful and avoid drawing the elders’ attention. There won’t be any problems then…’
‘By that time, all the blame will be thrown onto Ying Shuang’s head.’
Various thoughts were revealed in Su Qingge’s gaze. Due to her cultivation of the Forbidden Demonic Arts, her cultivation level and abilities were not inferior to those of a Ranked Disciple. She had kept this a secret from Gu Changge.
But she didn’t know how long she could keep it hidden, as Gu Changge was incredibly clever and could potentially uncover her tracks.
‘I just hope that day can be delayed a little longer…’
Su Qingge sighed lightly, before her figure flashed, exiting the cave. She had her own goals as well.
The True Immortal Academy now gathered the most outstanding young talents from the Upper Realm.
Each person had different bloodlines and constitutions, including a special few that caught her interest.
Having grown accustomed to the Forbidden Demonic Arts, she naturally couldn’t follow the conventional path of cultivation.
At the moment Su Qingge left the cave, Gu Changge, who was in the palace, sensed it. He had naturally left some means on Su Qingge.
‘Is Su Qingge finally making a move?’
He opened his eyes, his expression filled with interest. After all, he had been waiting for Su Qingge to take action. Of course, it’s rather inconvenient for him to draw Mo Lao’s attention to himself.
Subsequently, Gu Changge took a step forward and followed along. However, before that, he first went to a divine mountain deep within the True Immortal Academy.
Inside the divine mountain, within a magnificent palace, several elders were gathered, seemingly discussing matters. They were puzzled by Gu Changge’s sudden visit.
“Young Master Changge, may I ask the reason for your midnight visit? Do you have any matters to discuss?” They spoke politely to Gu Changge.
Upon hearing their words, Gu Changge seemed somewhat helpless, “I wish to speak of the recent matters regarding the Forbidden Demonic Arts’ Inheritor. Have the elders uncovered any clues?”
Upon hearing these words, the expressions of the elders stiffened, and they felt somewhat embarrassed. The atmosphere grew more awkward by the moment, as at one point, they thought that Gu Changge had come to accuse them.
As elders of the True Immortal Academy, they couldn’t find any trace of a Forbidden Demonic Arts’ inheritor, a humiliating truth that they would not wish to make public.
Mo Lao, in particular, furrowed his brows lightly, feeling that something seemed amiss.
‘Could it be that Gu Changge had a way to find the whereabouts of the Demonic Arts Inheritor?’
He felt a sense of unease, worried that Gu Changge had indeed discovered some clues.
“It seems that the elders, like the juniors, are clueless,” Gu Changge remarked, seemingly unsurprised by the expressions of the elders.
He shook his head slightly, feeling a bit troubled, and said, “In truth, I made a large promise in front of many disciples, claiming that I would find the trace of the Forbidden Demonic Arts’ Inheritor. But as of now, I have achieved nothing. To be blunt, it is rather embarrassing.”
“As such, I came to inquire if any of the elders have any clues or leads.”
Upon hearing his words, including Mo Lao, everyone breathed a sigh of relief and smiled.
Gu Changge’s sincere attitude was quite appreciated by them. It also gave them an opportunity to save face.
“It’s not your fault, Young Master Changge. This Forbidden Demonic Arts’ Inheritor is too cunning; they hadn’t left even a single trace. We also find it difficult and haven’t come up with a countermeasure yet.”
“Yes, Young Master Changge, you have done your best.”
Several elders spoke up, their voices filled with helplessness.
“Young Master Changge, there’s no need to blame yourself. This matter is indeed tricky,” Mo Lao added, nodding his head. He also felt relieved as it seemed that Ying Shuang’s methods were truly concealed, which explained his confidence at the time.
Even Gu Changge had trouble and felt the need to ask them, allowing him to let go of his worries.
“If it weren’t for this matter, I wouldn’t have bothered the elders in the middle of the night,” Gu Changge sighed, appearing even more helpless. He continued, “However, I do have a method here that might help in finding the trace of the Demonic Arts inheritor. Alas, it is both troublesome and time-consuming.”
“It just so happens that the elders have some time to spare. Perhaps we should try this method and explore together.” Gu Changge suggested.
“Explore together?” Mo Lao’s heart chilled. His worst fear had come true. Was Gu Changge really not afraid of trouble?
“On a night like tonight, dark and windy, it’s the perfect opportunity for the Demonic Arts inheritor to strike. There couldn’t be a better time,” Gu Changge confirmed.
“Well… exploring together… that’s indeed troublesome, time-consuming, and relies heavily on luck. What if we don’t encounter anything?” Upon hearing this, the elders fell silent, their expressions flickering. Clearly, they found it troublesome and were unwilling to help.
“Then we could all pretend that I never said anything,” Gu Changge remarked, seemingly unsurprised. He had a slightly mocking expression and planned to take his leave.
Seeing this, the elders appeared awkward, but none of them spoke up. They didn’t want to waste their time on a thankless task.
Just how many disciples did the True Immortal Academy have? Exploring together? Were they even sure of the fact that the Demonic Arts’ Inheritor would strike tonight?
There were too many uncertainties. Like finding a needle in a haystack, and that’s assuming there even was one.
They didn’t have a single clue, so how could this be an investigation? This was nothing more than a matter of luck.
Nevertheless, the determination and perseverance of Gu Changge impressed them. It was fair to say that he lived up to his reputation as the top talent of the younger generation.
“Young Master Changge, wait. How about this? Tonight, I’ll accompany you and conduct an initial investigation…” Suddenly, Mo Lao spoke up, as if he had made a difficult decision.
Gu Changge’s words had unsettled him. Would Ying Shuang truly make a move tonight? He mustn’t be discovered by Gu Changge. Hence, he planned to join Gu Changge in the investigation, so they could find a way to cover up for Ying Shuang.
The other elders looked at Mo Lao in surprise. They hadn’t expected him to agree to Gu Changge’s request. It caught them off guard.
“Oh? Then let me first express gratitude to Elder Mo on behalf of all the disciples.”
Gu Changge appeared slightly surprised, with a faint smile on his face, but in reality, he was not surprised at all.
All this talk was just to make sure Elder Mo discovers that Ying Shunag was not the true Inheritor of the Forbidden Demonic Arts.
Without that, his subsequent plan would never succeed.
“There’s no need for that, Young Master Changge. After all, it’s for the sake of all the disciples. This bit of trouble is nothing.”
Elder Mo waved his hand, appearing dignified and righteous.
“Elder Mo, how about we investigate separate locations? I can explore this area, while you handle the other side.”
“Afterward, we can move to the next region. This way we can cover more ground. How does that sound?”
Later, Gu Changge and Elder Mo transformed into divine rainbows and quickly arrived at the area where the outstanding cultivators were practising.
Gu Changge scanned the nearby divine peaks and then pointed to the area where Su Qingge had gone, smiling at Elder Mo.
“No problem.”
Elder Mo contemplated for a moment, nodded, and didn’t refuse, fearing that Gu Changge would suspect anything further.
Immediately, the two separated.
Elder Mo’s expression showed a hint of peculiarity as his divine sense swept through, probing all the way.
— — —
“Sun Hao, Pure Cold Physique, contains the essence of coldness, originating from the ancient Sun family…”
Meanwhile, Su Qingge, taking advantage of the moonlight, quickly arrived at a particular location.
Towering mountains stood adjacent to one another in an immensely grand fashion, shimmering with clear radiance and Dragon Qi, crowned with a myriad of mystical phenomena.
Fortunately, the True Immortal Academy was vast. Therefore, one would hardly stumble upon others, especially at night.
Su Qingge acted very covertly, having carefully calculated her timing. No one should find her.
In front of her was a cave mansion situated among various divine peaks, emitting various hues of light.
As she arrived at the location, Su Qingge’s expression became unusually indifferent, and her countenance appeared even more serene, like a piece of jade.
She walked forward and naturally knocked on the door of the cave mansion, simultaneously activating the array formation at the entrance, making him aware of her presence.
The outstanding cultivator who was cultivating inside, upon hearing the sound, was somewhat puzzled and asked, “Who could it be at this hour?”
He wasn’t foolish enough to just open the door. With the recent commotion surrounding the Forbidden Demonic Arts’ Inheritor, many people were on high alert, and he was no exception.
A visitor arriving at such a late hour was suspicious, at the very least.
What if the Forbidden Demonic Arts’ Inheritor had come for him?
“Senior Brother Sun Hao, it’s me…”
“Chen You.”
Su Qingge spoke, her voice calm yet melodious, resembling that of a young girl.
“What… Chen You, Junior Sister?”
Upon hearing these words, the outstanding cultivator inside the cave mansion was somewhat stunned, with an image of a shy and delicate face appearing in his mind.
Could it be that Chen You actually… had feelings for him?
During the day, he went to find Chen You to express his affection, but she had run away.
Thinking of this, his excitement grew as he understood what was happening.
‘So that’s how it is. There were too many people during the day, and she was simply too shy. Only during the quietness of the deep night did she come to find me…’
His previous doubts vanished completely.
After all, the Forbidden Demonic Arts’ Inheritor was a man, so how could it be his Junior Sister?
At the entrance of the cave mansion, Su Qingge calmly watched as the other person opened the door for her, not surprised in the slightest. After all, she had already investigated everything beforehand.
Soon, a face filled with excitement and anticipation peeked out, but as soon as he saw Su Qingge, his expression suddenly froze.
“Who… who are you?”
However, before he could finish his sentence, Su Qingge waved her hand, and a clear radiance pervaded the area.
He felt a terrifying dark aura enveloping him.
A vast array of Dao Runes emerged, transforming into translucent flowers that rooted themselves from his brow, causing his consciousness to go black.
He couldn’t even resist; his senses were lost.
In the next moment, this flower continued to spread and eventually bloomed, bearing a dark fruit that fell.
“Smooth indeed.”
A faint smile appeared on Su Qingge’s face as she prepared to pluck the fruit.
‘Oh no…’
‘An elder has arrived!’
But in the next moment, her expression drastically changed as she sensed a horrifying spiritual awareness sweeping down from the sky, like a galaxy, and then landing on her.
She instantly felt a chill throughout her body, her limbs went numb, and her back was covered in cold sweat.
Su Qingge couldn’t believe it.
‘But why?’
She had planned everything meticulously, ensuring that no elder would investigate tonight and that every opportunity was seamless. Why did someone suddenly show up?
‘It’s over.’
‘My identity has been exposed!’
Another voice trembled within her sea of consciousness.
Subconsciously, she thought of Gu Changge. If he were to know of her true self, would he still trust her?
Buzz!
In the sky above, Mo Lao’s expression underwent a drastic change. He could hardly believe what he was seeing.
‘Why could that female disciple below use the Forbidden Demonic Arts?’
As a member of the organisation of Forbidden Demonic Arts’ Inheritors, he naturally understood the Forbidden Demonic Arts.
Therefore, he immediately recognized her technique’s origin.
‘How is this possible…? Why is there another Inheritor of the Forbidden Demonic Arts? Could I have been mistaken?’
‘But that’s impossible. There can only be one inheritor in a lifetime. Could it be that Prince Ying Shuang was actually an imposter? A fake?’
Mo Lao’s emotions underwent a rapid change, taking a step forward as his figure descended from the sky, his expression devoid of any emotion as he looked at Su Qingge.
Su Qingge’s complexion also turned pale, and though her back remained stiff from the fear that she felt, she forced herself to remain calm.
Before her stood a Supreme, and even if she exhausted all her means, she couldn’t escape this encounter, let alone contend with the other party.
Today was a complete deadlock! No shred of hope remained!
Thinking of this, Su Qingge felt a tinge of bitterness. Everything that happened today was far beyond her expectations, driving her to despair. She felt that she could no longer face Gu Changge.
The Inheritor of the Forbidden Demonic Arts that Gu Changge had been pursuing all this time was actually right beside him, and she had been hiding it from him.
“Follow me.”
However, to Su Qingge’s surprise, the elder in front of her didn’t do anything. His expression changed for a moment, but he didn’t say much. He simply waved his sleeve, urging her to leave quickly.
“Do not speak of today’s events to anyone, or else no one will be able to protect you.”
On another mountain peak, the two figures appeared once again. Mo Lao’s expression was extremely solemn as he spoke to Su Qingge.
At this moment, Su Qingge was still a bit dazed, unable to comprehend what had just happened.
What was this development?
Rather than make a move against her, the elder is trying… to help her?
“It wouldn’t be good if Gu Changge notices later…”
Mo Lao’s expression changed for a moment, feeling that the situation had gone awry. Su Qingge was under heavy suspicion, and it would be difficult to clear her name.
At that moment, while Mo Lao was speaking, a divine rainbow flew toward their location from another direction. The person who arrived was Gu Changge, his expression slightly solemn.
“Elder Mo, as I expected, one of our disciples has indeed fallen victim to the hands of the inheritor of the demonic arts.”
“We are still half a step too late-“
As he spoke, Gu Changge’s voice slightly paused as he noticed Su Qingge by Mo Lao’s side, appearing somewhat surprised.
“Qingge, why are you here?”
Then, he seemed to realise something, his expression turning grave.
“Young Master…”
Su Qingge’s voice trembled, filled with panic and unease.
“Don’t be afraid. I’m here.”
Gu Changge glanced at her, and his gaze finally shifted to Mo Lao. His voice was slightly heavy.
“Elder Mo, have you captured the wrong person? Qingge belongs to me.”
“She couldn’t possibly be connected to the Inheritor of the Forbidden Demonic Arts. I can guarantee this.”
