Chapter 154: Although his heart is a million shades dark, it is not as indifferent as I once thought.

Yin Mei could not believe it.

She thought she was going to die just now.

After all, she was going up against existences in both the Heavenly God Realm and the God King Realm all the while gravely injured, not to mention that she had already exhausted most of her life-saving treasures.

Yin Mei could choose to be humiliated, but her death was set in stone. So what was there to do?

She was merely Gu Changge's sacrificial pawn in the first place.

Since her value was exhausted, there was naturally no need for such a pawn to exist anymore.

No one would take the time to care about her life and death.

However. . .

The moment she witnessed that familiar falling sword light, her mind blanked as an overwhelming buzzing threw her thoughts into disarray. She half-believed she was having a dream. A hallucination.

Yin Mei really didn't expect the always indifferent Gu Changge to show up and save her.

The scene felt unbelievable to the point of impossibility.

Her first reaction upon seeing the sight in front of her was thinking that she had went insane.

But a hallucination from an addled mind could never be so vivid.

Gu Changge's breath was all too familiar to her.

Yin Mei was so happy that she became unable to restrain herself, throwing herself into Gu Changge's arms without even first considering the consequences.

Shiny tears dripped down her pale face.

She was truly touched. From despair to hope, and from life to death, one can only understand this kind of situation after experiencing it personally.

Furthermore, Gu Changge's strength is terrifying. Even if the opponent is a God King cultivator, she believed nothing bad would come to pass.

As long as Gu Changge showed up, it meant that all danger would simply cease to exist.

This made Yin Mei feel extremely at ease.

"What are you thinking about all day? How could I not want you?"

Gu Changge patted her fluffy head.

With a faint smile on his face, he let her throw herself into his arms.

At the same time, he raised a single hand and slashed out mountainous sword energy, mixed with the horrifying dark-gold Gengjin laws as a peerless edge rushed out!

Clack!

The dazzling sword intent made a sound as if it had broken free from its scabbard.

The void was suddenly ripped apart as the inconceivable slash flitted through the very fabric of the universe, falling right above the dazed God King Realm creature in an instant.

"How is this possible...?" His face suddenly paled.

Eyes widened in fright, he tried to avoid it but found the nearby space had been locked.

The sword intent only lightly moved forward, and yet… it seemed to split the whole universe in two!

"This..."

A ghastly expression of despair appeared on the God King's face.

'Just who the hell is this monster!?'

He was a dignified God King Realm cultivator, renowned among many nearby ethnic groups as one of the strongest, an insanely difficult opponent to face.

And yet!

The creature screamed wildly in his heart.

'Who is this young man that appeared from who knows where?'

'How can he be so strong? Using the power of rules so casually and without caring? Moreover, it seems that he even controls the void!'

The God King was cold all over.

'Too late!'

He only felt a chilly breeze blow on his neck, before the world around him suddenly turned dark.

Puff!

Blood splattered in all directions, as the screech of a blade rang across the heavens, smiting the body and soul of the being in God King Realm, extinguishing his primordial spirit, and erasing him from the world entirely!

Gu Changge did not even raise his eyes to take a second look.

The two pests died with open eyes.

Gu Changge glanced back at Yin Mei, who was still sobbing softly and shook his head. He took a step forward as the void shifted yet again, taking them away from this bloody place.

Nowadays, many powerhouses are chasing Ye Ling's tracks, so the movement here will inevitably attract others to pay a visit.

Finding them amidst the scene of a crime would not be conducive to his plans.

Moreover, he did not understand why Yin Mei thought that he would simply abandon her. She seemed to have a misconception that he treated her as merely a sacrificial pawn.

How could he let her die in this dingy spot?

Yin Mei, as the Holy Maiden of the Nine-tailed Celestial Fox Family, was in charge of the resources he needed for his cultivation. No matter whatever aspect you view it from, her being alive was a great benefit for him.

Even though Gu Changge has been using her and coercing her with her life, he was not a person who was extremely indifferent to the point of insanity like the previous 'Gu Changge'.

It was not possible to act so indifferently to the life and death of Yin Mei, who has been honestly working for him with all her heart to the point she almost died for it.

Yin Mei truly thought too badly of him.

'Though this Gu admits to having a blackened heart, it's not so black that I would do such a thing as discard my own pawns willy-nilly.'

Gu Changge oddly felt that he should be slightly nicer to Yin Mei in the future, lest a situation like this occurs again, causing her to look as if all hope was lost and her death was imminent.

Soon, Gu Changge took Yin Mei and left the mountain. On the way, he casually took down a few masters of the Ancient Serpent Clan who noticed the bloodstained battle.

At last, he and Yin Mei stopped at the mouth of a relatively remote and quiet underground cave, bristling with strong spiritual energy.

The sound of dripping water tickled the senses.

"Master. . ."

At this moment, Yin Mei had also calmed down as she left Gu Changge's embrace, still blushing.

She was a little embarrassed to look up at Gu Changge.

Her actions today were a little overboard, in all honesty.

She jumped directly on him without even obtaining his permission first.

Yet Gu Changge didn't even blame her for this.

"This period of time has caused you much suffering." Gu Changge smiled, before leading the way further into the cave, fully intending to find a place to stay and rest.

"For the Master's mission, this is nothing."

Yin Mei shook her head at the words. Her nose was a bit sour as she became emotional.

With this sentence, the grievances and injuries she suffered during this time suddenly became far less important.

In the beginning, she abided by Gu Changge because he held her life in the palm of his hand. But since then, she gradually accepted her fate and realized that there was nothing wrong with following him, slowly changing her mentality towards him.

And once it had arisen, this feeling quickly snowballed, becoming more and more difficult to reverse.

She found herself sinking deeper and deeper instead.

Gu Changge's mind is vicious, his methods cruel, and his character indifferent and unfeeling, having all sorts of bad qualities characteristic of a great villain.

But a Gu Changge like this also made her feel complicated inside, to a level where she was willing to do anything for him...

Now that 'that' same villainous Gu Changge was asking about her wellbeing with concern, Yin Mei trembled with joy at the unprecedented matter.

Even if this was probably just a random question from Gu Changge.

Even if it was a throwaway question not from the heart.

It still made Yin Mei very happy, feeling as if the injuries and suffering she had gone through for so many days were worth it in the end.

To be cared about, to be praised. . . it lets her know that she is still useful to Gu Changge.

Yin Mei's emotions spiralled fast as her heart filled with affection.

Gu Changge chuckled inwardly. Obviously, as meticulous and observant as he is, Gu Changge knew and understood Yin Mei's current mental state. Appeasing her and levelling up her affection towards him was a piece of cake when taking everything into consideration.

Roar!

At this moment, deep in the cave, ferocious scarlet eyes like burning lanterns appeared.

A beast shaped like a dragon-tortoise roared and rushed forward, ready to feast on the two uninvited guests who had broken into its territory.

Gu Changge glanced at it, before flicking a finger, distorting the void.

It eerily rippled in front of him like a murky mirror, as if it contained a maze with endless layers.

The fear of the beast stunned it. Its movement immediately halted, right until the moment it was smashed into ashes by the power of the void, dissipating into nothingness with a loud bang.

Yin Mei was stunned into silence but didn't think much about it.

After all, the breath of Gu Changge, his strength was indeed far from what she could comprehend.

She was afraid that, with the sole exception of Gu Changge himself, no one else can truly understand the depths of his unfathomable might.

"Let's rest here." Gu Changge stated, easily cleaning out the cave.

Yin Mei's injuries were grave.

She needed to take care of herself and rest for a while.

Then… she needs to suffer again. Unfortunately for her, for the purposes of Ye Ling's downfall, Yin Mei is irreplaceable.

Gu Changge soon took out a variety of magical medicinal pills.

The Supreme Amethyst Order of the Supreme Amethyst Pill Sect was in his hands.

Therefore, he was by no means short of medicinal pills and the like and can get as many as he wants.

Thus, he casually took out a few of each.

The dense pill fragrance wafted through the air, ever so enchanting, lingering here and there.

Pills of all functions were present. From nourishing the primordial spirit, restoring the body and limbs, and even those that specialize in stabilizing the Sea of Consciousness…

"Don't worry about anything. Let's take care of the injury first." Gu Changge said with a slight smile.

"Thank you, Master."

Yin Mei said no more than was necessary and simply took a few of the medicinal pills that worked best on her injuries.

At this moment, the various panaceas and medicines on her body had already run dry. Her injuries would not have dragged on for so long if not for this reason.

Yin Mei, who had swallowed the elixir, soon began to meditate in a lotus position. The Holy Maiden had lost most of the sexual allure she usually exuded, her charming and moving features instead smoothing into a pure and peaceful stillness.

Cold sweat beaded her clean and pale face.

Hum!

A hazy rune appeared on her body, while nine fluffy, snow-white foxtails shimmered with lustre.

Her injuries were gradually improving.

Gu Changge took a peek and nodded in acknowledgement before his figure left the cave.

Simple words are meaningless. At times like these, actions speak louder than words.

The meditating Yin Mei almost instantly noticed the disappearance of Gu Changge's familiar aura.

She opened her previously closed eyes, looking at the empty karst cave with hints of disappointment and reluctance, her drooping ears clearly displaying her saddened mood like an abandoned puppy.

However, she quickly shook herself out of it, discarding the strange emotion.

'What am I thinking?'

'I'm just a pawn, just a replaceable toy. It was enough that Master even came to my assistance.'

'What did I. . . still hope for?'

Of course, although Yin Mei comforted herself like this - deep down - she felt a bit lost.

It was inevitable that she would feel a bit of self-pity thanks to her current state.

In a blink of an eye, the sky outside turned dark.

Yin Mei withdrew from the state of recuperation, mostly healed. Naturally, the medicinal pills given by Gu Changge were more than enough, and their healing effect was of excellent quality.

The lone fox girl glanced at the night outside that gradually grew darker.

Her expression showed a hint of regret as if she was expecting something. Unfortunately, it was only a wishful thought, an anticipation that would dissipate without ever achieving fruition.

Gu Changge saved her, and then he left.

Simple as that.

As she thought of this, Yin Mei created a bonfire.

But the heat could not reach her, it was still cold.

Ruby-like eyes shone melancholically as they quietly stared at the bonfire, almost as if they could see a certain person's imposing figure within the bright and dancing flames.

If only...

At that moment, Yin Mei's ears moved slightly, hearing footsteps from outside the cave.

She turned to look.

Some clean fruits and melons in one hand, and a green lotus leaf to hold water in the other. The shadow of a figure walked in leisurely from the entrance of the cave.

The slight firelight fell upon a familiar face, as Yin Mei's heart pounded in her chest.

It turned out that Gu Changge did not leave.

"Master. . ."

Gu Changge had a slight smile on his face, "How is your injury?"

A bonfire danced freely between them.

Yin Mei propped her head up, tilting her pale and tiny face to stare at the bonfire. Her chin rested on her knees, as the embers of a raging fire were reflected within her beautiful, watery eyes.

She looked at him in amazement, surprise overflowing in her eyes.

Gu Changge walked over and handed her the fruits and water.

"Are you hungry?"

"I solved some troubles while I was gone." Gu Changge casually spoke once more.

It seemed as if he was explaining to Yin Mei why he left so suddenly.

Of course, it did not matter what trouble he solved or what people he had killed, the important thing was that he did not plan to leave her here.

That alone was enough for Yin Mei.

Gu Changge handled the situation very well, knowing how to comfort the injured Yin Mei, and he also knew the best way to soothe her resentment.

Upon hearing his gentle words, Yin Mei took the melons and fruits that Gu Changge specially washed for her as she felt even more touched.

Her previous speculations and assumptions vanished with the wind.

When she was injured, Gu Changge did not choose to leave but instead stayed to take care of her. Yin Mei felt as if she had imagined him as too uncaring before this. Gu Changge was not as cold or indifferent as she once thought.

Seeing that the desired effect had been achieved, Gu Changge couldn't help but smile in his heart, though the expression on his face did not change at all.

Yin Mei did actually help him a lot.

And he was in control of Yin Mei's life.

Yin Mei did things for him, so he lets Yin Mei live, making for an equivalent transaction.

Even if Gu Changge doesn't do anything, Yin Mei didn't have ill intentions toward him.

But this was much more interesting.

"Master, the gap between Chi Ling and Ye Ling has been created. If my guess is correct, Chi Ling should leave this place soon."

While eating the spirit fruit, Yin Mei slowed her breathing and softly reported the situation.

Gu Changge nodded with an unrestrained smile, and even told her a bit about his plan, "That is good news, but Ye Ling can't die yet."

With the relationship between Ye Ling and Chi Ling broken…

[Ding!]

He took note of a familiar prompt.

In any case, Chi Ling had the Vermillion Bird Clan, and she could be regarded as Ye Ling's backbone and primary source of support in the Immortal Ancient Continent.

To rupture this relationship, Gu Changge needed to put in only the most insignificant of effort, and yet the rewards were quite sizable.

"Indeed, I believe that Master still needs Ye Ling to continue helping you by carrying the black pot." Yin Mei also nodded in agreement.

That was true. No matter what, Ye Ling was still the successor of an Ancient Deity, so the force he hides and conceals behind his back will not be small.

An Ancient Deity was an existence that was infinitely close to True Immortals—perhaps even surpassing True Immortals—since ancient times.

One that did not leave any lineages or clans, but instead left all his inheritance to the future successor.

How profound was this opportunity? It can be said that even those supreme Daoists and great immortal sects will be moved to action.

Yin Mei's careful observation of Ye Ling during this time was not wasted, and she recognized the abnormality of his actions and situation.

The successor of the Ancient Deity didn't dare to reveal the Inheritance he had, so he had to swallow his anger and bite the bullet for Gu Changge, even if he was unwilling.

Hence, Gu Changge's plan could be described as vicious and seamless. It will be difficult for any individual to find flaws in it for at least a good while.

Moreover, Ye Ling himself would cooperate and hide his origins, even if cultivators all over the world insulted and chased him like a mouse crossing the street.

'In the end, this pot-bearing leek escapes unharmed anyway.'

In fact, in terms of taking the blame for Gu Changge, there was none quite like Ye Ling.

"Ye Ling's worth in being alive is greater than his worth in being dead. I'm still waiting for him to help me find the Immortal Cave of the Ancient Deity of Reincarnation." Gu Changge smiled lightly.

The words did not take Ye Ling's life and death to heart.

With his current strength, killing Ye Ling was actually an incredibly simple matter.

But what's the use of a so-called Favored Son of Heaven if you didn't squeeze out every single drop of value step-by-step?

"Don't worry, master. As long as you still need it, Yin Mei will definitely try her best to help you."

Yin Mei spoke with a serious face, looking at Gu Changge with eyes like glazed, blood-coloured gems.

"That's a relief."

Gu Changge smiled, reached out, and took her into his arms as he patted her fluffy head, "Unfortunately, I would have you suffer yet again. Can you accept that?"

He was still thinking about how to let Yin Mei continue hiding beside Ye Ling for a while.

Now that she herself spoke first, it spared Gu Changge the effort to come up with a line for her.

"If Master commands it, there is nothing that I can't accept." Yin Mei said so with a serious tone.

This was a statement that came straight from her heart, without the slightest hint of falsehood.

"What a pitiful girl. . ." Gu Changge looked at her and sighed softly.

When she heard this, Yin Mei looked at him with anticipation and a little shyness, her watery eyes shining with unspoken emotions.

A great villain like Gu Changge naturally knew what to do.

The nine, snow-white tails of the Heavenly Fox Clan curled around them, forming a sealed cocoon.

And soon, a deluge of heart-tugging noises rang out from the fluffy cell, filling the tiny cave with a sense of aromatic desire.

. . .

A sleepless night for both.