Chapter 1696. Is this the experience you’ve had recently?

In a secluded hall of the Fatian Alliance, the incense burner emitted a thin wisp of smoke as Gu Changge lowered his gaze, leisurely sipping his tea, casually asking.

Luo Xiangjun, dressed in a golden gown, with a tall and slender figure and a snow-white neck as graceful as a swan’s, looked elegant and noble. Her eyes shone with a golden hue, giving her a sun-like beauty.

She sat opposite Gu Changge, her hands resting on her knees, dignified and poised, with a hairpin of beads and jade hanging from her hair, resembling laurel branches.

To anyone who didn’t know her, they might assume she was a princess from a celestial dynasty, exuding an air of refinement and grandeur. It would be hard to associate her with the “thief” from the vast and desolate wilderness.

“Not hiding anything from the Alliance Leader, what I said is absolutely true, without any deception.”

“When I got the key from you, I rushed to the location of the Eternal Secret Vault, but to my surprise, there were terrifying prohibitions inside, which is why I was trapped there for thousands of years. I only recently escaped.”

“Just the key alone was not enough to open the Eternal Secret Vault. These prohibitions can only be passed through by someone with the bloodline of the Eternal God Clan. I estimate that I must find a member of the Eternal God Clan to open the vault…”

She nodded and briefly recounted her experience of being trapped in that spatial tomb.

Luo Xiangjun dared not reveal any information related to the Eternal First God, as there were restrictions planted in her consciousness, controlling her life and death at any moment.

Her main goal now was to contact Mu Yan through Gu Changge, and then, by utilizing the bloodline of the Eternal God Clan within Mu Yan’s body, find the migration location of the Eternal God Clan.

At that moment, Luo Xiangjun’s emotions were quite complicated. When she first met Gu Changge in the Celestial Spirit Civilization, he had yet to dominate the Corrupt Clan, let alone establish the now powerful Fatian Alliance.

In just a few thousand years, such a dramatic transformation had taken place, which made Luo Xiangjun feel both astonished and nostalgic.

During her journey to Xiyuan Civilization, she heard news about the Fatian Alliance every day, with some people respecting and worshiping it fanatically, while others despised and hated it so much that they wanted it destroyed. The reactions were extremely polarized.

Of course, the actions of the Fatian Alliance over the years, as well as the events of the Xiyuan Alliance, had shocked and shaken her deeply.

A once mighty civilization had “fallen,” now entirely under Gu Changge’s rule.

This was such an unimaginable and absurd thing.

If she hadn’t had her eyes set on the Eternal Secret Vault and stayed by Gu Changge’s side, would she have had a place in the Fatian Alliance now?

“I see, I thought you had died along the way,” Gu Changge nodded slightly, setting down his tea cup.

Luo Xiangjun’s expression froze.

She thought that Gu Changge would be concerned that she might have taken the Eternal Secret Vault for herself and fled, but it seemed that he trusted her quite a bit. It made sense since his strength was overwhelming, and he likely thought she wouldn’t dare do such a thing.

But the part about “dying along the way” sounded quite awkward.

“After I escaped, I immediately tried to return to the Celestial Spirit Civilization, hoping to find members of the Eternal God Clan. But to my surprise, the Eternal God Clan had already migrated and was no longer at their original ancestral land…” Luo Xiangjun elegantly took a sip of the tea in front of her, her bright red lips parted as she spoke.

“If they are not there, then forget it.”

Gu Changge continued to nod slightly. He had already guessed Luo Xiangjun’s intentions, but now he no longer needed the Eternal Secret Vault.

Luo Xiangjun had no value to him anymore.

Naturally, he wouldn’t waste time and effort helping her.

“If you still want to open the Eternal Secret Vault, you would have to find…”Luo Xiangjun wanted to continue her earlier statement, attempting to bring up the reason for her visit, but upon hearing Gu Changge’s words, she froze for a moment, then realized what it meant and was left dumbfounded.

“Alliance Leader, do you really no longer care about the Eternal Secret Vault?”

Luo Xiangjun stood up abruptly from her chair, her hand that was holding the tea cup trembling slightly from the force.

At that moment, her heart was anything but calm; it was in turmoil. She had made all kinds of preparations before coming, but she never expected Gu Changge to be so indifferent, as though he no longer cared about the Eternal Secret Vault.

After all, that vault could potentially hold the Supreme Dao Codex, which the Eternal First God obtained, a treasure that caused countless ancient sages to covet, even waging chaotic wars that tore the heavens apart.

“I don’t care.”

Gu Changge shook his head, his expression calm as he looked at Luo Xiangjun. “Do you have anything else?”

“Alliance Leader, but it’s the Eternal Secret Vault…”

Luo Xiangjun grew somewhat anxious and almost reached out to grab Gu Changge’s sleeve.

If Gu Changge no longer cared about the Eternal Secret Vault, how would she contact Mu Yan, and then find the Eternal God Clan, to break free from the Eternal First God?

“What about the Eternal Secret Vault? I have lost interest in it now. If you had come to me earlier, perhaps I might have changed my mind,” Gu Changge said with a slight shake of his head.

Seeing Gu Changge’s firm refusal, even as he was about to turn and leave, Luo Xiangjun was stunned. She quickly moved to block his way, no longer concerned with maintaining her graceful composure. She urgently said, “Alliance Leader, please wait.”

Gu Changge raised an eyebrow and looked at her, saying, “If you want to find the Eternal God Clan, then go ahead. I won’t stop you, and I won’t leak any information about the Eternal Secret Vault. Whatever benefits you gain from it, I won’t interfere.”

“It’s not like that…”

Luo Xiangjun quickly shook her head, her beautiful eyes locking onto him. “Alliance Leader, I would like to ask for your help…”

She bit her silver teeth and bluntly asked to find Mu Yan, to borrow the Eternal God Clan’s bloodline from her to locate the migration place of the Eternal God Clan.

“Seems like you haven’t given up on the Eternal Secret Vault at all,” Gu Changge’s gaze swept across Luo Xiangjun’s face, as if seeing through her thoughts.

He smiled faintly and continued, “But I can’t help you with that. I can’t force Mu Yan. However, I can pass on your message to her. Whether she agrees or not, that’s not something I’ll interfere with.”

Hearing this, Luo Xiangjun immediately felt a sense of joy, a bright smile blossoming on her stunning face. “Thank you, Alliance Leader. Mu Yan is kind-hearted, so she surely won’t refuse. I’ll make sure she gets a satisfactory reward for helping.”

“In the future, if the Alliance Leader needs anything, just tell me, and I will be sure to repay you.”

With that, she didn’t linger to waste any more of Gu Changge’s time. After bidding her farewell, she left with joy in her heart.

“Mu Yan is not as kind-hearted as you think…”

Gu Changge’s gaze, tinged with a slight difference, watched as Luo Xiangjun left, but he did not stop her.

“Master, this woman seems to have the aura of a follower. I suspect she might belong to one of the factions.”

In the hall, an elder with a cold and ominous aura, the Crowscar Elder, appeared after Luo Xiangjun left. His presence sent a shiver down one’s spine.

The elder had already left Xiyuan Civilization and returned to the Tianshuai faction, following Gu Changge’s orders to search for the whereabouts of the other six followers.

Meanwhile, the Crowscar Elder stayed behind to handle some matters for Gu Changge.

In the past, Gu Changge would assign many tasks to the Bone Ancestor King and Hun Yuanjun, but now the Crowscar Elder, Jing Tianyuan, and Chu Heng were more efficient, their power far surpassing that of ordinary Ancestor Realm beings.

The Bone Ancestor King, Hun Yuanjun, and others still had a long way to go to reach the Ancestor Realm.

“Oh?”

“Looks like she really has a lot of secrets and valuable things hidden. But a mere female thief, who isn’t even at the Ancestor Realm, dares to lay hands on a First God’s secret vault. As expected, she’s in trouble now,” Gu Changge smiled faintly.

Although the aura was well concealed, the ancient, decaying energy emanating a sense of imminent death and decay could never escape his eyes.”Master, should I follow her?”

The Crowscar Elder, despite his strong abilities, hadn’t sensed the aura of the Eternal First God and was confused by Gu Changge’s words.

“No need. She has no value for now, and she’ll likely come looking for me again soon.”

“I want to see if I can draw out some interesting old monsters.”

Gu Changge waved his hand, not particularly concerned about the matter.

…

Back at the inn, Luo Xiangjun hadn’t even had a moment to relax when a portal appeared within the Sumeru space. The blurred figure of the Eternal First God emerged, carrying the jade stone, which flew directly onto the table.

“Looks like you’re smart enough not to expose my presence,” the Eternal First God sneered coldly.

“Things are basically settled. I hope you’ll keep your promise.”

Luo Xiangjun coldly looked at him, her eyes showing unmasked indifference and disgust.

“Don’t worry, once I find my people, I’ll leave. I can’t last much longer without a physical body to sustain me,” the Eternal First God said lightly.

Luo Xiangjun’s eyes flickered. She didn’t know whether he was being truthful or testing her, trying to see if she dared act.

“But you’re quite lucky. The Fatian Alliance Leader hasn’t noticed your emotional fluctuations. Although he’s reckless, he does have the strength and foundation to stand tall. In the short term, it seems there’s no one in Cangmang who can handle him…”

“Unless…” The Eternal First God’s eyes suddenly narrowed, a hint of fear flashing through them as if he had thought of something, his voice turning lower.

Luo Xiangjun was taken aback, not understanding what he was hinting at. She, of course, knew the terrifying strength of Gu Changge. She had realized this when she first encountered him in the Celestial Spirit Civilization, and it was a gut feeling she trusted as a thief.

Many times, her intuition was what allowed her to survive perilous places and escape death.

“Heh, after countless eons, I’m feeling the aura of the Ancient God again, but didn’t expect it to come from him.”

“Either he’s enslaved an Ancient God, or he’s killed one.”

“I never would have guessed…”

The Eternal First God paid no attention to Luo Xiangjun’s surprise, continuing to sneer. His eyes turned cold and deep, with visions of universal extinction, shattered stars, and terrifying scenes flashing within them, sending shivers down one’s spine.

Many years ago, he was known as the Eternal Ancestor God. Today, he once again felt the presence of his kind, but he never imagined it would be in this situation.

“What?”

Luo Xiangjun froze, her body stiffening with shock, feeling the hairs on the back of her neck rise.

Ancient Gods were different from the Ancestor Realm beings of the Celestial Dao Civilization, which could be reached through later cultivation.

In this age, those called Ancient Gods had lived for countless eons, with lifespans so long they couldn’t be counted. They were true, innate deities.

Before such an Ancient God, even the histories of the strongest civilizations might pale in comparison to a mere fraction of their lifespan.

As far as Luo Xiangjun knew, in Cangmang, many of the most powerful divine nations, with foundations rivaling the greatest civilizations, were established by an Ancient God.

…

Meanwhile, deep within the palace complex of the Yuxian Palace, an ancient and towering library stood proudly.

The library had a hundred floors, each magnificent and grand, surrounded by chaotic mist and flashing array patterns that radiated earth-shattering waves.

The floors exuded an ancient, weathered aura, seemingly housing the world’s oldest books and scriptures.

At the highest level, a tall, slender figure, sleeves rolled up and hair casually tied, was frowning deeply as she read through several handwritten notes.

She was fully focused, her eyes glued to the papers, but her brows furrowed tighter with each passing moment, and soon, shock and disbelief filled her face.

“How is this possible…”

Ling Yuxian clutched the notes tightly, taking a deep breath to calm herself.

Recently, Ling Yuxian had been both consolidating the situation in Yuxian Palace and investigating the reasons behind her sister’s creation of the Xiyuan Alliance Treaty.Fortunately, the heavens did not disappoint those with determination. While reading through some notes left by Ling Yuling, Ling Yuxian finally found some clues.

In the middle of a medicinal formula manuscript, she came across a note documenting the first-generation civilization’s treasured artifact, the Reincarnation Mirror. It was written on a thin sheet of paper, which was relatively new, and the handwriting was clear, elegant, and freshly written. It clearly recorded the mysterious properties and methods of control for the Reincarnation Mirror.

She then flipped through several other manuscripts and, unsurprisingly, found the same notes.

Each note was inserted in the middle of the manuscript, with clear, graceful handwriting, which was extremely familiar to her.

This shocked Ling Yuxian greatly, leaving her in disbelief. She immediately recognized that the handwriting was from her sister, Ling Yuling.

Unbeknownst to her, her sister had secretly written down and backed up records about various first-generation civilization treasures, hiding them among her collection.

How did her sister even find out about these?

As she was shocked, Ling Yuxian also found this situation hard to believe. She and her sister shared a special bond, able to sense each other’s thoughts. This meant that her sister had intentionally concealed her true intentions and hidden her mind from Ling Yuxian.

Had her sister always been in contact with someone, or a certain force?

Otherwise, why would she suddenly want to create the Xiyuan Alliance Treaty and even forge the treaty’s golden document?

It seemed that everything had been planned long ago.

“It looks like during that time, my sister must have been in contact with someone or some faction. Everything she did was most likely directed by them.”

“My sister has always denied this and tried to conceal it, but what exactly was she planning? The real mastermind behind all of this, the one who framed my senior brother Gu, should be the person who informed her about these records.”

“Maybe my sister didn’t even trust the so-called helpers, who were actually setting her up and placing the blame on her.”

Ling Yuxian tried to suppress the unease and chill she felt, quietly taking the notes with her. Over the next few days, she repeatedly inquired with the elders about her sister’s whereabouts and activities during the time she was absent from Yuxian Palace.

She suspected that during this period, her sister had made contact with outsiders and devised the method to create the Xiyuan Alliance Treaty.

With these doubts in mind, Ling Yuxian ultimately focused her investigation on the deepest part of Yuxian Palace.

Deep within Yuxian Palace lay a chaotic space-sea. When her sister, Ling Yuling, founded the palace, she had constructed the palace here to prevent terrifying creatures from the chaotic space-sea from entering the Xiyuan Civilization and causing havoc. She also forged nine Dragon Pillars to prevent the tides of the space-sea from sweeping in and destroying everything.

Ling Yuxian suspected that her sister had gone to the chaotic space-sea during that time. The elders of Yuxian Palace had told her that her sister had never left the palace, nor had she made contact with anyone else.

Moreover, Ling Yuxian knew that while the chaotic space-sea was considered a forbidden zone for living creatures, only the most powerful beings could survive there, over countless ages, anomalies and changes might arise, leading to certain areas suitable for life to exist.

Her sister might have known about these places and ventured there.

“With my current strength, I am unable to cross the chaotic space-sea, but I can inform senior brother Gu. Together, we can expose the real mastermind and clear my sister’s name.”

“The truth behind the Xiyuan Alliance Treaty also needs to be uncovered for the Xiyuan Civilization.”

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