The Golden Cicada Escapes its Shell is an idiom that means 'escaping with petty tricks' OR 'using tricks to escape'.
The footsteps outside arrived closer and closer, and Lin Qiuhan was definitely not alone.
Lin Tian's face paled further, and his body kept trembling due to weakness. His heart kept sinking.
What could he do at a time like this?
Rush out? No, he would be caught red-handed on the spot!
He was in a sorrowful state right now. His origin had been damaged, and he had also received a violent backlash.
To begin with, how could he rush out when he couldn't even walk straight?
Lin Tian couldn't help but feel a deep sense of despair. The despair was no different from what he felt when he shattered through the void and tried to Ascend, but met a spatial rift halfway through his Ascent and had his existence almost obliterated.
He felt that exact despair and powerlessness in his heart again.
Will he really reach his end tonight? He couldn't accept that! After finally receiving a chance at resurrection, instead of reaching the peak of his life, he was only falling further down.
Lin Tian roared in his heart as unwillingness welled up inside him.
But right at this time, it seemed as if the Heavens had heard his despairing call, and he saw a ray of light in the darkness of Hell he was falling down into. A gleam of hope suddenly flashed through Lin Tian's mind.
Suspended Animation!
That's right!
He could fake his death and escape from this calamity. Lin Tian was a ruthless man who could do anything if need be. Immediately, he cut off his heart's vein, and hid his remnant soul in the deepest depths of his Sea of Consciousness using a secret technique.
No one should be able to see through his secret technique.
After all, the Predecessor's soul had long perished, and all that was left behind was nothing more than an empty shell. And now that he cut off his heart's vein, all of the body's vitality would naturally disappear.
And as fate would have it, this secret technique worked in the following manner: 'after three days, the technique's effect will disappear, and he will automatically wake up and his heart's vein will also begin to repair itself.'
Even if the members of the Lin Family discovered him, he could use amnesia as an excuse to confuse them.
Lin Tian didn't hesitate to act upon his plan as soon as he thought it through. He gave out a loud cry and sprayed blood from his mouth. His eyes rolled back, and his trembling body fell to the ground.
[Bang!]
At the same time, someone pushed open the courtyard's gate and entered.
"Little Tian, what's wrong?!"
"Lin Tian…"
Lin Qiuhan and the others were greatly shocked by what they saw in front of them.
….
[The next day when the sky had barely brightened up.]
Movements outside the hall awakened Gu Changge from his sleep.
After devouring that large number of demons last night, as well as Lin Tian's lifespan, the power of his soul had strengthened to newer heights. That strand of lifespan belonged to a mighty God King, after all, even if he was no longer as strong as he was at his prime. It still contained a lot of power in it.
After Gu Changge digested everything, he fell sound asleep. After all, unlike the other cultivators, he didn't need to stay awake twenty-four-by-seven and sit cross-legged to comprehend and raise his cultivation base. Since he could raise his cultivation base by adding points to his stats, why would he make himself suffer?
"My Lord, a lot of people are waiting for you outside."
Su Qingge was already dressed in a neat and silky soft dress that accentuated her figure. Her exquisite and flawless face shimmered under the faint sunlight.
While talking to Gu Changge, she looked outside with some curiosity and doubt.
Just what had happened while she was asleep last night?
Gu Changge told her nothing, so she was still not clear on the events that transpired. She wondered why all the members of the Ancient Lin Family, including Old Ming, looked afraid and stood outside, respectfully waiting?
It wasn't hard to tell that they were waiting for her Young Lord.
"It seems they have caught the rat."
Gu Changge stretched his limbs and replied. Su Qingge couldn't wait to find out the answer, and asked in wonder, "Who are you talking about, My Lord?"
"Obviously, I am talking about the one who tried to murder me last night."
Gu Changge replied as if it were something insignificant.
Even if Lin Tian sprouted wings, he wouldn't be able to escape from the Lin Family's encirclement. Gu Changge had no doubts about this matter.
"Something like that happened, and I didn't even feel a thing?!"
Su Qingge was taken aback by his sudden words. Just how soundly was she sleeping last night? How did she sleep through such a massive matter?
Or, could it be that her Young Lord had deliberately suppressed the movements to not disturb her? Su Qingge's heart skipped as she thought about this.
A person as aloof and esteemed as Gu Changge could do anything without caring about others. Yet he was so careful and kept her in his considerations? How could Su Qingge not be touched after this realization hit her?
These small gestures and acts of care from him were the reason she kept sinking deeper and deeper into his 'trap.'
Gu Changge obviously didn't know Su Qingge's thoughts. After all, even he couldn't claim to read a woman's mind like the back of his hand.
The System, however, told him through a prompt that his Fortune Value had improved. It was from that he could tell that Su Qingge's heart was surrendering to him more and more.
Sure enough, it was as the ancients said: 'familiarity breeds fondness.'
"You slept like a pig last night, so how would you know?"
Gu Changge said with a hearty laughter and then walked out. Su Qingge, on the other hand, snorted in response and asked with curiosity, "Was the one who tried to attack you last night that boy named Lin Tian?"
"How could you tell?"
Gu Changge was a tad surprised by her words.
"Well, I felt that there was a problem with that waste called Lin Tian after listening to the dialogue between My Lord and that girl called Lin Qiuhan."
Su Qingge explained.
"You are a smart woman, indeed. I didn't spoil you all this time in vain."
Gu Changge praised.
It's just that Su Qingge still had some questions that puzzled her.
Why would that youth called Lin Tian lose his mind and come to attack her Young Lord?
Was he tired of living?
Sometimes, ignorance and jealousy can really send one to their deaths.
Soon, Gu Changge arrived outside and watched the large swaths of faces that belonged to the people of the Ancient Lin Family.
"My Lord, this old slave couldn't disciple his descendants well…please punish this slave, My Lord!"
With his face covered in guilt, Old Ming stood at the forefront. As soon as Gu Changge appeared, he walked a step forward and knelt down to plead himself guilty.
"Have you found the assailant?"
Gu Changge's might surged in response, but he made no movement. His face was still as indifferent as ever, and no one could tell whether he was angry or happy.
Obviously, he already knew the answer to his question.
What's more? It wasn't Old Ming's fault to begin with. Let alone Old Ming, even the people of the Ancient Lin Family would have never imagined that their piece of trash would commit such an atrocity.
Still, he couldn't show that on his face. It would be far more interesting to watch the Ancient Lin Family discover the truth about Lin Tian's possession, instead of him exposing it himself.
"My Lord, we have found the person, but…"
Old Ming's guilt expounded and he couldn't complete his words. The people of the Lin Family standing behind him also trembled, and none among them dared to even breathe loudly.
The one in the worst condition was none other than the Ancient Lin Family's Patriarch. Cold sweat covered his forehead and back, and he felt his legs soften under the pressure of what was to come.
Once the Young Lord in front of him became enraged, he won't be the only one going down. The entire Ancient Lin Family and even their Ancestor will suffer.
Everyone in the Ancient Lin Family had a mood similar to his own. They couldn't suppress the panic in their hearts, and stood on their toes as if waiting for the Emperor's wrathful punishment.
Lin Qiuhan was no exception either. Her face was pale, and she had yet to recover from the blow she received last night after reality hit her. She still couldn't bring herself to believe it all.
"Oh! What's the matte? Did something happen to the assailant?"
Gu Changge asked with interest. He wanted to know what other tricks Lin Tian held in his sleeves. Or were the people before him going to use some excuse and say he escaped? Or will they pretend not to know anything?
"Last night…"
Then, with great guilt holding him down by his throat, Old Ming began explaining everything that happened last night.