"Young Master Gu, you flatter us. That is merely a reputation and cannot be taken seriously." Zi Wanhe also smiled upon hearing this and said, "Young Master Gu's origins are mysterious, and even the two elderly servants following you possess such unfathomable strength. It is truly awe-inspiring and admirable."
"Your visit has brought great honor to Purple Dew Mountain."
He was speaking the truth. Of the two elderly men following Gu Changge, he could discern the strength of one, who had only survived six Heavenly Decline Tribulations and had not yet entered the Ancestral Dao Realm.
But the other one filled him with dread and terror, undoubtedly surpassing the ordinary Ancestral Dao Realm level.
He might be comparable to someone who had survived eight or even nine Heavenly Decline Tribulations. Did such a figure truly exist in the current Prime-Origin Civilization?
Zi Wanhe considered himself invincible, having traversed countless epochs without finding a worthy opponent. He could be called the true strongest in the Prime-Origin Civilization, with only a handful of individuals capable of rivaling him.
This was because he was an Ancestral Dao Realm existence who had survived eight Heavenly Decline Tribulations. The eighth Heavenly Decline Tribulation was a terrifying threshold to the Transcendence Realm.
Even those with extraordinary talent, who could be called anomalies, might spend their entire lives stuck before the seventh Heavenly Decline Tribulation.
As far as Zi Wanhe knew, aside from Di Li, the ancestor of the Demon Court, and the Buddha of the Tathagata Buddha Kingdom, it was difficult to find another Ancestral Dao Realm existence in the current Prime-Origin Civilization who had survived eight Heavenly Decline Tribulations.
This included Chu Gucheng, the ruler of the Immortal Chu Dynasty, and his master, the Law Sage, both of whom were stuck before the eighth Heavenly Decline Tribulation.
Not long ago, the master of the World-Birth Hall in the Endless Yang True World had succumbed to old injuries during his eighth Heavenly Decline Tribulation, resulting in his complete annihilation.
Generally, the leaders of the many immortal orthodoxies within supreme civilizations were Ancestral Dao Realm existences who had survived seven Heavenly Decline Tribulations. Only a rare few, like Zi Wanhe, could survive the eighth Heavenly Decline Tribulation and undergo a earth-shattering transformation.
The high-ranking members of Purple Dew Mountain present in the hall could sense a different meaning in Zi Wanhe's words.
Zi Wanhe had always been stubborn, strong, and arrogant. Even Chu Gucheng, who had established the Immortal Chu Dynasty, was not worthy of his attention.
Yet now, he was speaking so kindly and respectfully to a young man like Gu Changge.
"Brother Gu."
Zi Yunchuan, standing behind his elders, was also deeply shocked by this scene.
"Oh?"
"Mountain Lord, you may have misunderstood something. Old Man Jing is not my servant."
Gu Changge still smiled faintly.
Zi Wanhe was stunned. He didn't know who Gu Changge was referring to as Old Man Jing.
"I am Jing Tianyuan. Greetings, fellow Daoist."
At this moment, Jing Tianyuan, who had been silently standing behind Gu Changge, suddenly stepped forward and slightly cupped his hands toward Zi Wanhe.
His tone was calm. Although he addressed Zi Wanhe as "fellow Daoist," it seemed he did not regard him as an equal.
His demeanor was casual and perfunctory.
"So, the Old Man Jing Young Master Gu mentioned is this senior."
Facing Jing Tianyuan, Zi Wanhe did not dare to be presumptuous. He paid no mind to the calm tone and cupped his hands, saying, "Might I ask what your identity is, senior?"
Everyone in the hall was surprised by this scene.
"The Mountain Lord is addressing this person as 'senior'?"
"Moreover, since Gu Changge said this person is not his servant, does that mean the other black-robed old man is?"
"Identity is not important. For now, I am merely following Young Master and working for him."
Jing Tianyuan spoke indifferently.
Everyone was shocked again. Even such an unfathomably powerful existence was working for Gu Changge?
What kind of origin and identity did he have?
Zi Wanhe's eyes flickered slightly, as if he had suddenly thought of something. He cupped his hands and said, "I never expected a senior of your strength to work for someone else."
Jing Tianyuan glanced at him, his expression unchanged, and said, "Oh? Why not? Young Master has done me a great favor. It is only right that I work for him."
Zi Wanhe nodded slightly, as if understanding, and said, "I see. It seems Young Master Gu must have a reason for earning the trust of a senior like you."
Jing Tianyuan stared at him and asked, "It seems you know my identity?"
"Since you bear the surname Jing, and the Jing Clan has recently reappeared in the Sheng Yang Ancient Domain, causing a stir throughout the Prime-Origin Civilization, although I have not sent anyone to investigate, I have heard some news. It seems you must be the ancient ancestor of the Jing Clan."
Zi Wanhe cupped his hands, his tone respectful and polite.
As soon as he said this, everyone in the hall was shocked, including the hidden Ancestral Dao Realm existences.
They found it hard to believe.
This refined old man before them was actually the ancient ancestor of the Jing Clan, a contemporary of the founder of the Imperial Immortal Palace?
This was a truly immortal figure.
Jing Tianyuan seemed somewhat surprised, then smiled faintly and said, "You are quite clever."
Zi Wanhe had only speculated and was not certain. Now that it was confirmed, he was equally shocked.
"We pay our respects to the senior."
Immediately, the high-ranking members of Purple Dew Mountain in the hall all spoke up, their attitudes even more respectful than before.
Facing such an immortal being who had lived through countless epochs and overlooked countless eras, they naturally dared not show disrespect.
The current Purple Dew Mountain had no such existence capable of rivaling him. The ancient ancestor of Purple Dew Mountain had long since disappeared into some forgotten era, lost in the river of time.
The origins of Purple Dew Mountain were untraceable, and they were unclear which era it had been born in, as the traces of their ancestors had faded and become blurred, making it difficult for later generations to trace.
However, everyone in the hall firmly believed that the ancestors of Purple Dew Mountain must have been beings who overlooked the rise and fall of myriad worlds. If they were still in the world, they would not be weaker than the ancient ancestor of the Jing Clan before them.
Zi Wanhe was also tactful and did not continue to ask further questions. He immediately arranged a banquet.
Since Gu Changge harbored no ill intentions, he naturally dared not have any ulterior motives.
Moreover, with an existence like the ancient ancestor of the Jing Clan following Gu Changge, he was even more afraid to entertain other thoughts.
Previously, he had indeed sent people to investigate the events at the Riverside Pavilion and even called Zi Yunchuan to probe for clues, but they had found nothing and eventually gave up.
Many forces and cultivators in the Prime-Origin Civilization speculated that Gu Changge was connected to the Forbidden and Mysterious Lands.
Even those who had interacted with Gu Changge, such as Zi Yunchuan, believed this.
But such matters were unclear. Who had ever truly encountered the Forbidden and Mysterious Lands?
Cultivators and beings who went in search of such places ultimately disappeared, with no one ever returning.
"Not long from now, the Prime-Origin Civilization will face a great calamity, and the Immortal Chu Dynasty will bear the brunt of it. I assume the Mountain Lord is already aware of this."
At the banquet, Gu Changge sat at the same table as Zi Wanhe. Rare and precious delicacies were laid out, glowing with radiant light, divine splendor, and faint grand dao runes. Even ordinary fruits had grand dao-level patterns interwoven within them.
Even the rich wine seemed to reflect the myriad worlds and countless timelines.
Facing Zi Wanhe's inquiry about his purpose, Gu Changge smiled faintly and spoke.
He casually played with the cup in his hand, as if casually mentioning an insignificant matter.
However, the other high-ranking members of Purple Dew Mountain nearby all set down their cups and utensils, listening intently.
They knew that this must be the true purpose of Gu Changge's visit to Purple Dew Mountain. He would not come without reason, nor would he simply visit an old friend.
"I have indeed heard of this, but what does Young Master Gu mean by this?"
Zi Wanhe personally filled Gu Changge's cup with wine, his eyes flickering slightly as he spoke.
Although he did not regard Chu Gucheng highly, he had intentions of dealing with him and could not allow him to continue growing, lest he become a great threat in the future.
The enmity between the two had long since reached an irreconcilable point.
If not for the current prestige and connections of the Immortal Chu Dynasty, Zi Wanhe would have already taken action.
Behind the war between the Demon Court and the Immortal Chu Dynasty, there were also shadows of Purple Dew Mountain, fanning the flames.
"The Immortal Chu Dynasty will be destroyed, and Chu Gucheng will die. This is my meaning."
Gu Changge took a light sip of wine, his tone calm and indifferent.
Zi Wanhe's pupils contracted. Even he felt a sense of dread and trembling at Gu Changge's words, as if a terrifying aura enveloped him.
It was as if the Immortal Chu Dynasty would be annihilated in the next moment, vanishing from the myriad worlds.
He suddenly felt as if he had overlooked something very important. He had always thought that Gu Changge had an astonishing background and terrifying origins. But now, it seemed this young man was even more terrifying than the ancient ancestor of the Jing Clan.
In the hall, the previously lively atmosphere suddenly turned deathly silent because of Gu Changge's words.
The high-ranking members of Purple Dew Mountain all had drastic changes in their expressions.
The graceful women who had been singing and dancing also turned pale, their breathing almost stopping, unable to withstand the terrifying pressure.
"There is an irreconcilable enmity between the Immortal Chu Dynasty and Purple Dew Mountain. If the Immortal Chu Dynasty is destroyed, it would naturally be a good thing for Purple Dew Mountain."
Zi Wanhe suppressed his unease and forced a smile, breaking the silence.q