Secretly Crossing at Chencang, Swindling Supreme Treasures (Bonus Chapter Thanks to Everyone's Monthly Votes)

Gu Changqing secretly contacted Di Xin and ordered Fei Jian and E Lai to lead the cultivators within the Heavenly Mystery Abode in swiftly sweeping away the forces of the Human and Chan Sects.

After issuing his orders, he quietly activated the Chaos Bell, shrouding both the Wa Palace and this stretch of chaos within it and severing the Wa Palace's connection to the Primordial World.

The negotiations continued the next day.

This time, Gu Changqing relented, saying that the Human and Chan Sects could retain disciples below the Earth Immortal realm.

When Laozi and Yuanshi saw Gu Changqing give ground, they secretly rejoiced. As long as they dragged things out for a few more days, they would surely be able to preserve the foundations of both sects.

Then, so long as Tong Tian and Gu Changqing did not intervene, the Human Realm would still be ruled by the two sects.

Unable to reach an agreement, both sides agreed to negotiate again another day.

That same day, Fei Jian and E Lai each led five thousand Great Luo Golden Immortals and swept through the outer forces of the two sects.

When Antarctic Immortal Elder saw E Lai leading several thousand Great Luo Golden Immortals and clearing out the Chan Sect's outer forces in just one day, his heart trembled in fear.

Where had the Human Race found so many experts?

Every last one of them was a Great Luo Golden Immortal!

What the hell...

Antarctic Immortal Elder wanted to cry.

He wanted to send reinforcements, only to discover that there was no one he could dispatch.

The enemy was too powerful—so powerful it was suffocating.

The pleas for help he sent to Yuanshi Tianzun also vanished without a trace.

Left with no choice, Antarctic Immortal Elder could only gather the sect's experts and retreat to defend the Jade Void Palace.

As the Chan Sect's headquarters, the Jade Void Palace was protected by a grand formation, making it difficult for E Lai and the others to break in.

The Human Sect suffered exactly the same fate as the Chan Sect.

In just one day, the two sects had been reduced to their headquarters alone.

Within Chong City, Martial Accomplishment King received the news and led his army in a counterattack.

Although Chong City had only three hundred thousand troops, hundreds or even thousands of Great Luo Golden Immortals were among those three hundred thousand armored soldiers, including Shi Ji, whose strength rivaled that of a Quasi-Sage.

Jiang Ziya was completely dumbfounded.

Since when had Chong City possessed so many experts?

His plea for help flew back to the Jade Void Palace, only to vanish like a stone sinking into the sea.

Antarctic Immortal Elder could not even spare attention for the Jade Void Palace. How could he possibly have the energy to care about Jiang Ziya?

The million-strong army crumbled after a single charge from the enemy.

Overwhelmed by grief and despair, King Wen died on the spot from rage.

Jiang Ziya could only bring King Wen's body with him, gathering the remnants of his troops as he fled toward Xiqi.

Naturally, Martial Accomplishment King pursued the victory. The Great Shang soldiers had endured humiliation for so long; if they did not wash away their shame now, when would they?

By evening, all the slots on the Investiture of the Gods List in Jiang Ziya's hands had been filled. All that remained was for him to name them.

As soon as he spoke the names, this tribulation would be over.

But he was unwilling to accept it!

The experts of the Human and Chan Sects had not even emerged, yet they had lost like this. He could not accept it.

Once the Saints returned, it would be time for him to turn the tables.

Gu Changqing sent Di Xin a voice transmission. "How is the situation?"

"A complete victory!"

Unable to suppress his delight, Di Xin said joyfully, "It is all thanks to Teacher's brilliant strategy."

Gu Changqing shook his head slightly. With such overwhelming strength, they had still failed before. There was truly nothing to say.

In the current situation, the only ones who could save the Human and Chan Sects were the Buddhas of the Western Sect.

Unfortunately, before the Two Sages of the West departed, they had strictly forbidden the Western Sect from interfering in the affairs of the Eastern Lands.

Though they understood the principle that when the lips were gone, the teeth would be cold, they did not dare defy the strict orders of their two leaders.

They could only toss all the pleas for help into the Eight Treasures Merits Pool to feed the turtles.

Of course, these were not the kind of turtles one might think.

At this moment, Wuyun Xian was still on Golden Turtle Island instructing female disciples.

Gu Changqing was about to cut off the connection when Di Xin added, "The only flaw is that Fei Jian and E Lai cannot break into the Eight Scenery Palace or the Jade Void Palace."

Gu Changqing replied, "There is no need to force an assault. Just besiege them. Kill anyone who enters or leaves without exception." With that, he severed his connection with Di Xin.

On the third day, the negotiations continued as before.

After wrangling for a long while, Gu Changqing said, "It is not impossible for the Human and Chan Sects to retain their foundations."

"Oh?" Laozi asked curiously. "What conditions do you have, Fellow Daoist Changqing?"

Gu Changqing replied, "First Senior Uncle and Second Senior Uncle must not make a move against the Human Race."

"Fine!"

Laozi agreed without even thinking. The Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors were trapped in Flame Cloud Cave, and the Human Race had no experts.

Although Gu Changqing was a member of the Human Race, they did not need to make a move against him.

Because even if they did, they could not beat him.

Even Yuanshi readily agreed.

At this moment, they had overlooked the ten thousand Great Luo Golden Immortals within the Ten Thousand Immortals Formation.

The two only regarded those ten thousand Great Luo Golden Immortals as Gu Changqing's personal troops and paid them no attention at all.

After all, that formation could trap Yuanshi, so they merely assumed it was a trump card Gu Changqing had reserved for himself.

Gu Changqing added, "Changqing cannot watch over the two Senior Uncles forever. Please swear a Heavenly Dao oath."

"You!"

Yuanshi was so angry he wanted to hit someone, but unfortunately, he could not win.

"I swear that I will not make a move against the Human Race."

Laozi directly swore a Heavenly Dao oath. He had not intended to act against the Human Race anyway.

He had already lost face. Losing it once more did not matter.

Oaths were merely words for Hongjun to hear. Once the tribulation ended, if Hongjun was pleased and erased the karmic consequences of the oath, then it would make no difference whether they had sworn one or not.

Seeing that Laozi had sworn a Heavenly Dao oath, Yuanshi quickly understood the trick behind it and swore one as well.

When Gu Changqing saw the two swear their Heavenly Dao oaths, he continued, "As for the second condition..."

Pfft!

Tong Tian could no longer hold it in and burst out laughing.

This was just too damn brilliant!

Laozi and Yuanshi's faces turned as black as the bottom of a pot. Boy, you never said that was the first condition!

Damn it!

If there was a second, there could be a third, a countless number more!

You were screwing with us!

Just because Gu Changqing had omitted three words earlier, he had led them straight into a trap.

The trap might not have been large, and the harm might not have been great, but the humiliation was extreme.

If they had known what was happening in the lower realm, they would have discovered that the trap was enormous, and its harm far outweighed its humiliation.

The Chaos Bell could reveal the principles of the Great Dao, so naturally it could also conceal heavenly secrets.

Moreover, they were in the midst of a tribulation, when heavenly secrets were already obscure. None of the Saints knew that the Human Realm had already changed hands.

Gu Changqing added, "Do not be angered, Senior Uncles. There are only two conditions in total."

Seeing Gu Changqing say this, Laozi's expression improved slightly. He asked, "What is the second condition?"

"The condition is simple." Gu Changqing smiled. "Hand over the Pangu Banner and the Taiji Diagram. Changqing is fated to possess these two treasures."

Zhun Ti: This sounds like my line.

Tong Tian: Boy, you're ruthless! You opened your mouth and demanded their Innate Supreme Treasures. Even a lion would not have such a huge appetite.

"Dream on!"

Yuanshi shot back immediately.

Gu Changqing ignored Yuanshi. Instead, he took out a list and began reading names one by one.

Whoever it was, what their cultivation was, what position they held in the Intercepting Sect, where they had been, who had killed them, and so on...

He read for a full two hours. After finishing, he said to Laozi, "Below Chong City, Xuandu aided Zhou in committing evil. Changqing merely cut away his Three Flowers. His cultivation fell, but it can always be recovered. Once someone dies, nothing remains."

"First Senior Uncle, would you say Changqing showed the Human Sect mercy?"

Laozi nodded helplessly. Given Gu Changqing's cultivation, killing Xuandu would have taken no more than a flick of one finger.

Gu Changqing continued, "But how did your Human Sect deal with the Intercepting Sect's disciples? You killed one when you saw one, and slaughtered a pair when you saw two. Your methods were cruel, your attacks vicious—enough to outrage both Heaven and man."

"Is it excessive to ask First Senior Uncle for one spiritual treasure now?"

Not excessive?

Laozi wanted to vomit blood.

You crippled Xuandu!

And what sort of people did we kill? Don't you know damn well?

Was the Taiji Diagram merely some spiritual treasure?

"It is not excessive."

Laozi forced a smile. No matter what, those trash had been disciples of the Intercepting Sect, while Xuandu had indeed not died.

Once the Taiji Diagram was gone, he could simply ask Hongjun to help retrieve it later.

Gu Changqing oppressing them was equivalent to slapping Hongjun in the face.

No matter how formidable Gu Changqing was, could he be more formidable than Hongjun?

Laozi decisively handed over the Taiji Diagram.

Once the tribulation was over, they would settle all accounts.

Gu Changqing then said to Yuanshi, "If Senior Brothers Taiyi and Guangchengzi had not insisted on putting Senior Apprentice Sister Shi Ji to death, how would they have entered the tribulation?"

"I, Gu Changqing, gave treasures to quite a few of the Twelve Golden Immortals. I even gave the traitor Jiang Ziya a High-Grade Acquired Spiritual Treasure."

"During this tribulation, did anyone from my Intercepting Sect harm anyone else? Even your third-generation disciples remain completely unharmed. Has my Intercepting Sect not shown the utmost benevolence and righteousness?"

"But how did your Chan Sect treat our Intercepting Sect? Kill without exception!"

"The Mystic Gate shares one origin, and the Three Pure Ones are one family. In Second Senior Uncle's eyes, is there not even a trace of affection left?"

"Hmph!" Yuanshi snorted coldly and also took out the Pangu Banner.

It was naturally not because he had suddenly discovered a conscience, but because he was under someone else's roof.

Handing it over willingly was more dignified than having it snatched away.

Had he not seen Nüwa and Tong Tian's expressions change?

Gu Changqing's words had even made Tong Tian want to cry injustice.

Nüwa looked at the master and disciple with immense sympathy, as though they were the victims.

Damn it, we were the ones being bullied, all right?

Laozi and Yuanshi were incomparably aggrieved, but at least they had preserved the foundations of their two sects.

Debts would always be collected.

Vengeance would always be taken!

The two wished they could cut Gu Changqing into a thousand pieces.

He was too damn shameless, too good at twisting words, and far too damn powerful.

The Two Sages of the West looked at Gu Changqing with eyes full of admiration.

This was what a true expert looked like!

After one round of negotiations, he had paid nothing and obtained two Innate Supreme Treasures for free.