The next hour was exceptionally quiet.
Throughout Stone Long Platform, besides Rong Ye's low lecturing voice, there were no other miscellaneous sounds. Gu Changhuai listened until his head ached and spun. As a member of the Demon Clan, he couldn't stand the cultivation world's scripture recitation. It felt like being spiritually purified.
He could only prop up his jaw in boredom, watching the disciples below, trying to find traces of the male protagonist among them. How strange—how could Xinnan Immortal Sect not have Zhao Qianlin? This was the male protagonist of "Breaking Heaven"!
The original novel had mentioned once that the time point when Zhao Qianlin completely recovered his spiritual veins was during the Discourse on Heaven Assembly. After recovering his spiritual veins, he could come to hear the lectures.
But the Discourse on Heaven Assembly had been going for several days already, yet the male protagonist was nowhere to be seen. What was going on?
Gu Changhuai pondered for a while. Perhaps the timing hadn't arrived yet. There was no reason all other novel characters were here but only the male protagonist had disappeared.
Anyway, the Discourse on Heaven Assembly would last two months. Perhaps he'd appear later.
Just as he was thinking this, his gaze suddenly swept over a brightly colored feather tail. Gu Changhuai abruptly stopped, his dark eyes narrowing slightly.
Sitting there was a refined young master in robes of blue-red tones and a magnificent cape. His jade crown was high-bound. That feather tail that attracted Gu Changhuai's attention was worn at his temple, reflecting several colors brilliantly in the sunlight. Raising his hand to lift his brush, one could see spirit artifacts hanging from his wrist guards.
Looking carefully, basically his entire body was covered in magical artifacts. Dazzling and jingling, covered all over his body, sitting there quietly like the precious young master raised in golden respect and jade honor.
Familiar.
Too familiar.
Gu Changhuai frantically recalled, finally remembering this person's status in the original novel—Villain #1, Xuan Yao. Someone determined to cause trouble for the male protagonist but couldn't beat him, with deep family resources, the Young Manor Master of Scarlet Feather Manor.
The villain had arrived. Then how far could finding Zhao Qianlin be?
Gu Changhuai couldn't help but show a trace of relieved smile. At ease.
Perhaps his gaze was too blatant, lingering without moving. Sensing it, Xuan Yao frowned and looked up toward Gu Changhuai.
Gazing at each other wordlessly.
Gu Changhuai saw Xuan Yao look him up and down once. His chin slightly raised, brows and eyes revealing several traces of arrogant air, eye bottoms revealing a trace of contempt. He silently mouthed with a mocking expression: What are you looking at, waste?
Gu Changhuai was baffled: "...?"
No, you have this energy, go mock the male protagonist. What are you mocking him for? Petty, won't even let people look.
Deserving of being a villain.
Whatever. Take it step by step. Temporarily set aside the original novel plot. Gu Changhuai turned his thoughts back to considering how to submit intelligence reports to the Demon Venerable next.
Using Rong Ye's eloquently lecturing low voice as background, he grasped his brush and lowered his head, carefully considering each word—
Respected Demon Venerable Lord, this subordinate obeying orders has already formally engaged with Qing Lian Immortal Lord. This battle was extremely dangerous, causing earth-shaking tremors. Your subordinate used all his strength, nearly dying with Dao dissipating. Though unable to take Qing Lian's dog life, this subordinate managed to leave a wound mark on his body.
Thinking that afterward this subordinate must still work myself to death for the Demon Venerable, this subordinate dares not easily go to death. After escaping, subordinate hid within Xinnan Immortal Sect. After subordinate recovers from wounds, will continue working hard to assassinate Qing Lian.
Thinking again, Gu Changhuai added another sentence—
Hope the Demon Venerable doesn't worry. A mere Qing Lian is nothing to fear.
...
Mainly—don't add inexplicable obstacles for him.
In the letter, subtly explaining severe injuries, the Demon Venerable, though heartless, probably wouldn't rush him like chasing death in the short term to do assassinations.
After sending this letter out, he could probably relax for a while.
Gu Changhuai's mindset was calm. Upholding the principle of delaying as long as possible to stabilize the Demon Venerable—he had no ability to face Rong Ye directly, nor wanted to die an ugly death.
Lie low. Maintaining the triangle is the most stable form!
After he revised and polished the letter's contents, an hour had also passed.
After Gu Changhuai folded the letter paper, he heard rustling, clamorous sounds around. Turning to look, the disciples listening to lectures on Stone Long Platform's platform below were successively dispersing. Some mutually whispered to each other, occasionally looking toward his direction.
"?"
Gu Changhuai blinked in confusion, suddenly feeling covered by a shadow.
Silent for a moment... Rong Ye seemed to have stopped speaking?
The reacting Gu Changhuai stiffened for a while before slowly raising his head. Rong Ye had somehow stood before his long table. Also didn't know how long he'd been standing there, just quietly gazing at him: "What are you writing?"
"...Some lecture notes." Gu Changhuai changed the subject as if nothing had happened: "Was the Immortal Lord waiting for me?"
He raised his eyes to meet Rong Ye's gaze, smiling: "Immortal Lord, let's go back first. That pit on the path we came by is still there. I'll go fill it in."
As if brushed off, Rong Ye responded lowly with an "Mm," his expression normal: "Return early."
Watching Rong Ye leave, Gu Changhuai quietly breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, Rong Ye wasn't the type to get to the bottom of things. Otherwise, if he said he wanted to see it, he could only choose to eat it...
Thinking this, his divine sense drifted out to transmit to Hua Mei: "Friend, I have an account to settle with you. Come."
Hua Mei smiled happily: "Just so happens I have something to tell you. Guess what I found at Ten Directions Court?"
Gu Changhuai felt a bad premonition in his heart. "What?"
Hua Mei pinched his voice sarcastically: "'Supreme Peak Night Tales: Immortal Lord, Be Gentle, It Hurts' and 'Love Triangle Entanglement: Whose Family Will Gu Fall Into.' Can't tell normally—Official Gu plays quite fancy, huh?"
"..."
Gu Changhuai sneered coldly: "I'm going to skin Zhao of Book Study."
_______
Before settling accounts with Zhao of Book Study, first had to clean up the trap on the small path.
The trap specifically dug to target Rong Ye—if it harmed someone else, that would be bad.
It was still that familiar mountain path. Gu Changhuai walked halfway when his eyes suddenly moved, his gaze keenly sweeping toward the trap's location.
Sensing an unfamiliar presence from the pit bottom, he raised an eyebrow.
Yo, someone had fallen in during this short time.
Leisurely approaching, Gu Changhuai peered down into the pit, seeing a familiar feather tail. Xuan Yao was dusty and disheveled at the pit bottom.
He couldn't help but laugh: "If it isn't the genius? How'd you fall in a pit?"
Hearing the mockery in the words, Xuan Yao angrily raised his head, suddenly meeting a pair of smiling dark eyes.
He was slightly stunned.
Against the light, Gu Changhuai peering down had a lazy, casual expression, his posture lightly leaning forward. Several strands of long hair from his refined, exquisite face fell down, through the hair strands revealing a halo, making his entire person seem to emit scattered, fragmentary light.
At the corner of his lips was a trace of crafty, mocking smile, eyebrow raised. "What are you looking at, genius!"
His speaking tone also took on several traces of casualness, making it impossible to be angry at him.
He quickly realized Gu Changhuai was being sarcastic using the Stone Long Platform incident.
Xuan Yao recovered, instantly his ears burned hot as he cursed: "So what if I looked! Just relying on being Qing Lian Immortal Lord's attendant to occupy a good position. Not even an inner disciple—waste!"
What a terrible temper. Being a villain wasn't unjust.
Gu Changhuai smiled, tone gentle: "Then you stay at the pit bottom for a while first."
Xuan Yao was stifled with anger: "Is this how your Xinnan Immortal Sect treats guests?!"
What Xinnan Immortal Sect's guest treatment way was, Gu Changhuai wasn't clear. But his guest treatment way was specifically poking people's sore spots.
He spread his hands at Xuan Yao, shrugging: "This humble one is merely an attendant, not even an inner disciple—a waste. Forgive this humble one's inability to help."
Just as they were talking, Hua Mei also arrived on scene. Seeing Gu Changhuai crouching by the trap, he said: "Heard you arguing with someone from far away. What's this about?"
Gu Changhuai was succinct: "Someone fell in the pit and is cursing me."
"Cursing you? You're still this good-tempered listening?" Hua Mei's expression was strange.
Know that formerly in the Demon Realm, those who spoke disrespectfully to Gu Changhuai were now mostly with graves three feet high. Gu Changhuai, who never liked arguing with people and only drew his blade when encountering trouble, could actually argue with someone.
Gu Changhuai sighed: "Times are different. Keep a low profile."
By now Hua Mei had walked to the pit edge, smiling as he peered down into the pit, flicking a handkerchief to cover his mouth in amusement: "Where did this fancy peacock come from? This slave has lived all these years and never seen anyone so ostentatiously dressed."
Wearing a body full of spirit artifacts, as Xuan Yao moved continuously, emitting pleasant jingling sounds. At his temple was a feathered jade crown high-bound. Two hairpins pierced through the crown, their ends hanging with silk ribbons reaching nearly to his waist, less than two feet wide... Wait. Gu Changhuai's eyes focused, looking toward the silk ribbon pendants' ends.
The place where beads should hang was empty.
"Pretty boy, who are you calling a fancy peacock? Do you know who I am to speak so wildly!" Xuan Yao glared coldly.
Hua Mei humphed with a laugh: "Fallen in a pit and still this arrogant. Can the fancy peacock get out?"
Xuan Yao pointed at the two in fury. "You... you...!"
He seemed extremely angry. Flicking his sleeve, he pulled at a chain on his wrist bracelet. Suddenly a gold thread lively as a golden snake shot up from the pit bottom, quickly climbing up a nearby tree. A grand spiritual power burst from the pit bottom, bringing up a wild wind. The figure, pulled by the gold thread, suddenly leapt from the pit opening. At the same time, he reached out to grab at Gu Changhuai.
Gu Changhuai: "?"
"Why are you grabbing me?" Gu Changhuai was baffled. "It's not like I called you a fancy peacock."
Turning back to find Hua Mei's figure—however, in that instant just now, the spiritual energy was too rich. For the Demon Clan, it was disgusting and detestable.
Hua Mei had long ago retreated far away, quickly climbing to a treetop to breathe fresh air.
Gu Changhuai: "...!?"
Good, good, good. Running when trouble hits. That's just like you.