The people around the Main Peak started to disperse after the position of the future Patriarch was settled.
There were countless Immortal mountains and islands in the Gu Family, and only those with high ranks in the Family were allowed to step foot on the Main Peak from the various lineages. Now that Gu Changge had become the future Patriarch, they had to announce the matter to everyone inside the Gu Family, and the forces that were affiliated with them!
A matter as major as an Immortal Heritage selecting their heir could easily cause a sensation in the Upper Realm. Now, Gu Changge was the true Young Master of the Ancient Immortal Gu Family, and no one could point a finger at him.
"Congratulations, Young Master!"
"Young Master will lead our Gu Family to greater heights and an even brighter future!"
Many members of the Gu Family visited Gu Changge to congratulate him. In any case, Gu Changge's position as the future Patriarch was now set in stone. The terrifying might he showed at that time amazed everyone in the Gu Family. Even if they didn't mention anything else, Gu Changge's strength and talent alone were unparalleled.
He deserved the position of their Young Master!
Gu Changge accepted their gesture with a nod. All of this was within his expectations, except for the attitude of the Elders. He couldn't help but feel touched. This unity and magnanimity was one of the reasons the Ancient Immortal Gu Family could stall tall through eons!
Although there were minor conflicts and frictions among the members of the Family, overall, they lived in harmony. They were completely different from the families he read about in the novels from his previous life, all of which were lost in deep struggles and infighting that wouldn't stop unless one side died.
All of the Elders of the Gu Family put the Gu Family's interest above everything else. It was because of this that they didn't say or do anything when he, someone from the younger generation, stepped over their heads and arrogantly refused to give them any face.
This brought great surprise to Gu Changge. But he felt that it wasn't all that impossible. If a family was full of scheming people trying to pull each other down, would it still be able to stand tall through the winding river of time? They would have long been ransacked and obliterated.
Since they had handed over the future of the Gu Family in his hands, he would naturally do his best and make them flourish even more.
Of course, he was only the Young Master right now, and the entire Gu Family was still in the hands of his father.
"Changge, follow me."
Gu Lintian said to Gu Changge with a gentle expression after everyone dispersed from the Main Peak. At the same time, a brilliant rainbow appeared under his feet, and he disappeared into the sky, leaving Great Dao lotuses blooming in his wake. He had gone back to the palace where he usually cultivated.
"Understood, Father!"
Gu Changge nodded and followed. He knew that his Father had many questions for him, but he had already planned his words and actions. He was prepared for anything that came his way.
Soon, the two stood face to face in the Patriarch's Hall.
"Changge, did you carefully consider the decisions you made today?"
Gu Lintian mulled over his words, and then asked in a warm voice. He felt relieved now that the position of the future Patriarch was settled, but he knew Gu Changge's nature far too well. Unless it involved a threat to his interests, he would have never bothered with the position of the future Patriarch so early.
It was for this reason that Gu Lintian wondered if Gu Changge had encountered some difficulty which prompted him into taking these actions?
Gu Changge nodded to him in response, and said, "Of course, this Child carefully thought about his actions. The position of the future Patriarch had to be settled, and it's a matter that couldn't be dragged out for long."
"Secondly, Father, you must have guessed my intentions if you are wondering about why I want to bring back Thirteenth Uncle's lineage."
"What happened back then was all my fault, and that incident left a thorn in the hearts of many people in the Family. If I hadn't resolved that matter, the others in the Family wouldn't accept me as their Young Master so readily."
"I decided to take advantage of today's incident to give face to the other Elders so we could ease the friction inside the Family. This will also help me become the Young Master without any more opposition."
"Besides, Father, haven't you always felt guilty over what happened to Thirteenth Uncle's lineage back then? One of the reasons I brought them back was to relieve those feelings of guilt in your heart."
Gu Changge explained calmly. Of course, he wouldn't say he wanted to use them to threaten Gu Xian'er. Some things were better left to one's imagination. Although he was selfish, he still kept the Gu Family's overall situation and interests in his mind.
Gu Lintian was momentarily stunned after hearing Gu Changge's words, but then a smile emerged on his face, and he said, "Changge, it's good that you are thinking like that. I indeed feel sorry towards Brother Linxuan…"
"Still, you don't need to bear this burden alone. Your Thirteenth Uncle and the others won't let the matter rest so easily. Back then, it was I who took the shots at their lineage, so when they return from the world they are trapped in, I will make sure to protect you even if I have to lower my face or something…"
The Gu Linxuan he mentioned was Gu Xian'er's father. Back then, the two competed for the Patriarch's position, but in the end, Gu Lintian came out at the top by a small margin.
His words touched Gu Changge's heart, and he couldn't help but feel moved. There was no need to say much as he already considered Gu Lintian to be his own father.
He shook his head, and replied to Gu Lintian, "Father, you don't need to say anymore. This matter started because of me, so it's only right that I bear the hatred alone without implicating anyone else. Besides, I was the one who persuaded you back then, and you did all that for me…"
Gu Lintian fell silent after listening to his words, and a complicated feeling rose in his heart. Gu Changge, who had always been indifferent and ruthless, suddenly said such words, so he couldn't help but have mixed feelings in his heart.
How good would it have been if Gu Changge wasn't born with the Devil Heart?
"Changge, why are you suddenly saying such things? Are these your true thoughts?"
Gu Lintian's expression turned serious as he said these words, and he stared at Gu Changge with deep eyes that showed visions of the Universe's destruction, fall of ancient gods, and such. He was like a Heavenly behemoth who stood at the pinnacle of the Upper Realm, with an unfathomable majesty.
Now that he turned serious, his oppressive aura appeared as if it could destroy the world and tear open the dome of Heaven!
"Father, you must be wondering why I suddenly did all of that, right?"
Gu Changge nodded with an incomparable calm.
Gu Changge's current performance and actions weren't all that different in the eyes of the outsider — if one considered his past temperament — but to his close relatives, he was a completely different man.
It would be better for him to say some words sooner rather than later.
Right then, he asked his father with a soft tone, "Father, you do know that I have a demonic nature, right?"
[Om!] OmO
As soon as Gu Changge's words fell, his eyes turned pitch black, and a deep, cold, and emotionless demonic aura spread around him.
'This demonic nature is too heavy…this damned Devil Heart…'
Gu Lintian sighed in his heart, and immediately locked the surroundings of his Island and palace to prevent anyone from detecting Gu Changge's devilish aura.
He understood Gu Changge's meaning.
"The rise of my cultivation base is increasing my control over my demonic nature…"
Gu Changge calmly explained.
Of course, these words were said at random as he already had full control over his demonic nature. Still, since he had a Devil Heart, he could use it as a scapegoat for everything.
"You used to be dominated by your demonic nature, right?"
Gu Lintian felt depressed when he heard Gu Changge's words. In his opinion, the current Gu Changge must feel deep remorse over his past actions, and his conscience must be condemning him all the time.
Alas! The Devil Heart was too weird and ethereal, and even he couldn't find any solution to do something about it.
Gu Changge's ability to now control his demonic nature showed that he had been working hard on restraining himself over the years. Since he was dominated by his demonic nature, it was only natural that his temperament would become like this.
"Father, you don't need to worry about the Devil Heart affecting my reasoning and nature. What's more? It's existence helped me hone my Primordial Spirit and will…"
Gu Changge continued, and didn't forget to blame everything on the Devil Heart.
"You have suffered much over the years."
Gu Lintian said with a sigh, but soon, joy filled his heart. The greatest knot in his heart was finally resolved, after all.
After that, Gu Changge bid him farewell and took his leave.
An expression of worry masked his face on his way back. He couldn't help but wonder if he had crossed over to this world long ago, but his mind had been dominated by his demonic nature right from the moment of his birth?
Did he finally awaken his reasoning and memories of his past life because of the System?
'System, did you cross over with me?'
Gu Changge questioned the System.
[That's correct, Host!]
'How long has it been since I crossed over to this world?'
[Twenty-one years, Host!]
The System's response stunned Gu Changge — it was as he thought.
'Why didn't you turn on earlier then? Why didn't you help me awaken the memories of my past life sooner? I wouldn't be in such a troublesome situation if you had done that…'
Gu Changge couldn't help but question.
[Host, do pardon me! I used up all of my energy when we crossed over, so I had been accumulating energy for the past twenty-one years.]
The System responded.
[Also, Host, please don't worry about your identity. The System's features were decided according to the Host's situation at the moment of initialization.]
[If the Host were a waste when the System initialized, then the System would have turned into a Waste's Counterattack and Life Altering System.]
[As for your Devil Heart? Its hidden dangers were also resolved by the System at the time of initialization, so you don't need to worry about it either, Host!]
'I never expected you to be so thoughtful, System. As expected of a transmigrator's Golden Finger…'
Gu Changge couldn't help but praise.
He felt relieved now that he knew his own history.
The greatest hidden danger to him was the Devil Heart, and it had already been resolved. Back then, his Original's mind was completely dominated by the Devil Heart, but the System's initialization had solved that trouble for him.
It was also because of the System that his memories from his past life were unaffected. Indeed, for him, watching the memories of his Original who was dominated by the Devil Heart was like watching a movie — a movie starring an indifferent and cruel protagonist.
It's just that he couldn't run away from the sins of his Original. After all, those were acts committed by his body.
...
Gu Changge habitually opened his Attributes Panel after returning to his God-Child Island.
— — — — — —
Host: Gu Changge
Halo: Destined Heavenly Villain
Weapon(s): Eight Desolate Demon Halberd
Identity: True Disciple of the Heavenly Immortal Dao Palace | Young Master of the Ancient Immortal Gu Family
Bloodline(s): Devil Heart | Dao Bone
Cultivation: Conferred King (Initial Stage)
Mystical Abilities:
Heavenly Immortal Dao Codex [8th Layer]
Myriad Changes Demonic Physique (Talent)
Innate God's Spirit Temple (Talent)
Void Ability (Talent)
Immortal-Devouring Demonic Art
Infinite Immortal Wisdom
…
Destiny Points: 1000
Fortune Value: 1000 (Dark)
System Shop: Open
Warehouse:
Domain-Traversing Talisman x1
One-Third Fragment of a World Seed x3
Fortune Plundering Card x3
— — — — — —
The entire Attributes Panel had a brand-new look. There was the [Infinite Immortal Wisdom] listed under his Mystical Abilities, and Young Master of the Ancient Immortal Gu Family listed in his Identity information.
'Even if I try to nurture a world using the fragments of the World Seed, my current strength wouldn't be able to put it to any good use, so I should save it for later.'
Gu Changge decided to put off this matter for now. After that, he took out the [Deity-grade Soul Nourishing Jade].
"Yan Ji…"
Yan Ji, who was dressed in red and sitting cross-legged inside the void, immediately turned into a wisp of crimson smoke and appeared from the [Soul Nourishing Jade].
"Young Master…"
Her voice sounded cold yet pleasant to the ears. As soon as she appeared, an expression of confusion appeared on her face as she wondered why she was in an unfamiliar place. Just one glance at her magnificent and majestic surroundings was enough to let her know that the Heritage this place belonged to had a deep and terrifying background.
She had spent all of her time cultivating her Primordial Spirit over the last period of time. Either way, because of the restrictions of the [Spirit Nourishing Jade], she couldn't sense the world outside the Jade, so she didn't know that Gu Changge had already returned to the Upper Realm.
Gu Changge looked at her and said with a slight smile, "There's something I need you to do for me."