Chapter 574: The Final Despair; Jiang Chen In Agony

Standing on the snow plain enveloped by both a thick gray fog and blood mist, the Young War Immortal and Niu Tian quivered in fear, feeling the icy grip of terror. Everyone in their expedition group was dead, except for the two of them. Even the True Daoists had fallen prey to Gu Changge's lethal prowess, leaving them to question whether they had any hope of survival.

"Are you trying to threaten me?" Gu Changge smiled, his pristine white clothing remained unstained, seamlessly blending with the snowscape behind him. He slowly walked toward Niu Tian and the Young War Immortal. The sound of snow crunching beneath his feet sounded like bones being crushed, causing Niu Tian and the Young War Immortal to recoil in fear, desperately seeking a way to escape.

"You can't kill me, Gu Changge. If you do, the truth about your maid will be exposed to the public. You better reconsider your action... If you spare me, I promise I won't say a word about today and keep your maid's identity a secret." The Young War Immortal suppressed the fear in his heart and calmly negotiated with Gu Changge, knowing that his desire to eliminate him stemmed from this very issue. He bitterly regretted revealing his shock at the Divine Rock Conference which drew the attention of Gu Changge.

"In my opinion, secrets are only truly kept by those who have passed on from this world. The oath you spoke of holds no weight or significance to me." His handsome and flawless face was a dazzling sight to behold. Niu Tian and the Young War Immortal were both struck with fear in the midst of this chilling snow field.

"If you take my life, my Master will release the content in the photographic stone to the public. Have you considered what will happen once the Upper Realm learns of this truth?" The Young War Immortal put up a brave front while hoping Gu Changge would consider the grave consequences of this revelation

He had taken extra precautions as a means of pressuring Gu Changge to spare his life before coming to Kun Mountain, knowing that any mishap could occur here. In the event of his demise, his Master would reveal the contents of the photographic stone, which contained a portion of his memory, to the public. However, he was still worried that Gu Changge would disregard all consequences, even if it meant exposing his maid's true identity. Given his aloof personality, this was a distinct possibility.

"That reminds me, who is your Master? I'll just take care of him and dispose of that photographic stone." Gu Changge remained smiling indifferently, unfazed to the Young War Immortal's threat.

"You...!" The Young War Immortal was taken aback when he realised that Gu Changge had no intention of sparing him, but was even thinking of eliminating his Master. His fear intensified, causing him to break out in a sweat despite the freezing temperatures on the snow field. His body trembled uncontrollably.

"He never thought of sparing us from the start." At that moment, Niu Tian also came to realise that Gu Changge was enjoying this game of cat and mouse. He was just letting them have a taste of the final despair before ending their lives.

*Buzz!* The atmosphere suddenly quivered with an intense force. The Young War Immortal clenched his teeth and summoned his Heaven Covering Umbrella. His eyes were bloodshot and he looked like he had lost his mind. With a swift flick, the umbrella unfurled like a vast expanse of the sky, bearing down on Gu Changge with incredible force. It was one of his forbidden weapons, but the Young War Immortal was beyond caring. If he could inflict even a single blow on Gu Changge, it would be worth it. Gu Changge remained unfazed as he continued walking toward the Young War Immortal and Niu Tian, undeterred by the appearance of the black umbrella.

*Crack!* As the black Heaven Covering Umbrella drew closer, Gu Changge's aura intensified and radiated outward with a resounding force. The dark clouds dispersed and the umbrella shattered into pieces.

*Clang, clang, clang...* In a moment of desperation, the Young War Immortal unleashed another forbidden weapon, transforming it into thousands of divine swords that charged toward Gu Changge. The dazzling display of light illuminated the surroundings as they resonated with each other. Each one was more than ten metres in length and as thick as a water tank. The radiant divine light was almost blinding, piercing through the void and engulfing Gu Changge in it.

Unfortunately, it was all ineffective against Gu Changge. He made no attempt to block the attack but only shook his head, and all the dazzling light immediately faded before him. His physical body seemed like a black hole, capable of absorbing any attacks. He truly possessed an impenetrable defence, rendering him immune to all divine abilities and techniques. The Young War Immortal was left feeling hopeless and defeated.

*Buzz!!* In the next moment, the dimension seemed to contort and every living being quivered under the weight of this intense disturbance. A giant palm came out of Gu Changge and seized the Young War Immortal in a tight grip. With a resounding boom, the Young War Immortal was reduced to a cloud of crimson mist, and Gu Changge swiftly sealed his soul in a jade jar.

He had no intention of erasing his soul just yet until he dealt with the Young War Immortal's Master. Despite the Young War Immortal's meticulous plans, Gu Changge was confident that his Master would remain oblivious to his current state as long as he refrained from obliterating him immediately. All he had to do was send someone to finish off his Master right after he left Kun Mountain.

"The Hidden Celestial Bloodline..." After dealing with the Young War Immortal, Gu Changge once again looked at the desperate Niu Tian. Gu Channge deemed that Niu Tian's physique had its limitations. After all, it needed to be awakened with the True Blood of the Hidden Celestial. Even so, it still had some value.

"Gu Changge, karma will get you sooner or later... Aaah...!" Niu Tian's unfinished sentence turned into a miserable scream.

*Buzz!!* As Gu Changge extended his finger, a stunning crystal flower bloomed in the air. From its delicate petals, a luminous tendril emerged and approached Niu Tian's forehead. It pierced through his flesh, blood, bones, internal organs and even his soul, until it reached the depths of his spiritual sea, drawing sustenance from his very essence.

An Yan, who had been observing from behind Gu Changge, couldn't help but shudder at the sight. Her face paled as she witnessed the gruesome and peculiar sight.

Gu Changge was actually nurturing a Dao Flower with Niu Tian's blood and Source. With her sharp intellect, she was able to guess what was going on. She lowered her head and pretended to see nothing. As long as she obeyed Gu Changge and did not cross him, she should be able to ensure her safety.

The grey fog quickly lifted, revealing a serene landscape covered with glistening silver snow that resembled the scenery from countries in the north. Amidst the remnants of the fierce battle, there were shattered artifacts and mangled bodies. It was an extremely horrifying sight.

Gu Changge turned his head and glanced in a certain direction, a peculiar glint flashed across his eyes. He swiftly regained his composure and said to An Yan, "Let's go."

He had not brought her along to witness the demise of An Xi and the others, but to use her presence as a shield when the news about the An Clan and War Immortal Mansion inevitably spread.

This was all part of Gu Changge's meticulous strategy to deflect any potential blame. With An Yan by his side, it was unlikely that many would suspect he had anything to do with the An Clan and the War Immortal Mansion's incident because An Yan could easily refute any suspicion by stating that she would not have been cruel enough to harm her own kin.

After Gu Changge and An Yan departed, a figure appeared nearby. It was none other than Xiao Ruoyin.

She furrowed her brow slightly, sensing that Gu Changge had already spotted her earlier. Then again, it was unlikely that he would simply overlook her presence given his ruthless personality.

She let out a small sigh and found a spot to lay Niu Tian's body to rest. She had watched the entire ordeal, but was unable to intervene. Despite her friendship with Niu Tian, she was powerless to save him under such circumstances. If she were to show herself just now she could have been killed by Gu Changge. An indifferent and heartless person like him would not show any mercy to her, just because she was trying to rescue a friend. Even at this moment, she was uncertain of her safety in his presence.

"What secret did the An Clan and the War Immortal Mansion discover about Gu Changge that ultimately led to their demise?" Soon after, Xiao Ruoyin vanished into thin air again.

"The fog has finally lifted. Let's see who is missing..." On the other side, the Ji Family gazed up at the sky and sighed in relief as they watched the grey fog above them dissipating.

The Ancestors, along with Ji Hao, wasted no time in instructing their men to assess the casualties caused by the strange phenomenon. Despite its brief duration, the fog had left everyone on edge, and their backs were drenched in cold sweat.

"We have lost nearly one-third of our clansmen, all of them probably perished in the fog," a member of the Ji Family came back and solemnly announced with a pained look on his face.

Everyone in the Ji Family fell silent for a moment. Even Ji Yaoxing and Ji Chuyue were visibly affected by the news. If they had lost so many people from the strange fog alone, they could not imagine their chances of survival when they reached the heart of Kun Mountain.

[What the hell is Gu Changge trying to do by creating this grey fog? It killed so many yet he's trying to rescue the Prime Ancestor of the Ji Family?] Jiang Chen suddenly felt cold. He couldn't help but feel that he was walking into an invisible net that was going to ensnare not just him, but all of them here.

[How ridiculous that the Ji Family, including Ji Chuyue, are naively convinced that Gu Changge is kind enough to come to their aid and rescue their Prime Ancestor!]

As the Ji Family's anxiety reached its peak, two figures emerged through the wind and snow in the distance. It was none other than Gu Changge and An Yan.

"I knew it, Young Master Changge will be safe and sound." Everyone from the Ji Family breathed a sigh of relief to see that Gu Changge was still alive, but they were also very curious about what had transpired while he was missing.

"Is everyone all right?" Gu Changge came over and asked with a concerned smile.

The Ancestors from the Ji Family sighed. "We have instructed everyone to stay close together, but sadly, a third of our group perished in the peculiar fog. The origin of that fog eluded us and made it difficult for us to defend against it. Even we were powerless against its whims."

A regretful expression appeared on Gu Changge's face upon hearing the news and he explained helplessly, "It was probably a manifestation of the resentment that had been accumulating in this area over the course of many years following the passing of the Immortal King. I tried moving toward the source of the thick fog, but had to stop when I sensed the great danger that lay ahead."

[Considering how long Gu Changge was gone, things are probably looking grim for An Xi, Niu Tian and the others in their group...] Upon hearing these words, Jiang Chen was overcome with a wave of coldness that swept over his entire body as agony consumed him.