For Zi Wanhe, the Immortal Chu Dynasty was not exactly a sworn enemy, but it was still a significant threat.
If given the opportunity, he would undoubtedly want to destroy the Immortal Chu Dynasty and kill Chu Gucheng.
But such a thing was not so easily accomplished.
If Gu Changge's purpose in coming to Purple Mist Mountain was this, then perhaps he could really consider it.
"Young Master Gu, are you perhaps planning to take action against the Immortal Chu Dynasty?"
After some thought, Zi Wanhe finally asked.
The high-ranking members of Purple Mist Mountain in the hall all wore serious expressions, as this matter was of great importance. If word got out, it could very well trigger a war between the Immortal Chu Dynasty and Purple Mist Mountain.
After all, this was equivalent to plotting to take action against the Immortal Chu Dynasty.
It wasn't that Purple Mist Mountain feared the Immortal Chu Dynasty's power, but rather that the timing was not right. With Chu Gucheng's birthday approaching, friends and guests from all sides were coming to congratulate him.
Why should Purple Mist Mountain provoke public outrage at this time?
Everyone instinctively believed that Gu Changge's words indicated his intention to take action against the Immortal Chu Dynasty.
But how could it be so easy to destroy such an immortal orthodoxy?
Yet, the tone in which he spoke was so calm and commanding, as if crushing an ant with a flick of his finger.
The atmosphere in the hall remained extremely tense.
Even though Zi Wanhe had broken the silence, everyone else remained quiet.
Zi Susu, accompanying her elders, also felt a sense of unease.
The Immortal Chu Dynasty, which could rival Purple Mist Mountain in power, was spoken of by this mysterious Young Master Gu as if it were a mere mortal faction, utterly unworthy of attention.
She glanced surreptitiously at Ye Suyi in front of her, feeling deeply unwilling.
From now on, she would never have the chance to take action against Ye Suyi. Ye Suyi knew her secrets and held a grudge against her. Sooner or later, she would find a way to deal with her.
But even Zi Wanhe, the ancestor, probably wouldn't dare to do anything to Ye Suyi now.
As a junior, how could she dare to entertain any other thoughts?
"Mountain Lord Zi seems to have misunderstood my meaning. Those who follow the dao receive much help, while those who lose the dao receive little. This is the natural order of things, and retribution is inevitable."
"The Immortal Chu Dynasty is destined to face this calamity. It is a matter of fate, not something I can decide."
Gu Changge gently rubbed the wine cup in his hand, then slowly set it down before answering Zi Wanhe's question.
"Those who follow the dao receive much help, while those who lose the dao receive little?"
Zi Wanhe was stunned.
He felt that Gu Changge was hinting at something. Could it be that the great calamity the Prime-Origin Civilization was about to face was truly aimed at the Immortal Chu Dynasty?
And in this calamity, would the Immortal Chu Dynasty truly be destroyed?
He found it hard to believe. If this were true, what kind of calamity would it be?
And would Purple Mist Mountain be able to remain unaffected?
"The tide of heaven is like a raging flood. Those who stand in its way will be crushed to pieces. The Immortal Chu Dynasty is going against the heavens, so it is only natural that it cannot escape disaster."
Gu Changge smiled faintly.
The banquet continued, but no one in the hall had any appetite left.
Gu Changge's origins were mysterious, and he was accompanied by a true immortal figure—the ancient ancestor of the Jing Clan.
Naturally, no one dared to underestimate his words.
Zi Wanhe's mind was in turmoil. He had originally thought that the so-called great calamity of the Prime-Origin Civilization was mere speculation without basis.
Even those ancient beings skilled in divination and prophecy could not predict it.
Moreover, even if a tribulation were to descend, the Prime-Origin Civilization could protect itself. Why would it care about calamities in other worlds?
But now, he suddenly realized that this calamity was not a natural disaster but a man-made catastrophe. It had come without warning, perhaps already silently enveloping the entire Prime-Origin Civilization.
They had simply been unaware of it all along.
After the banquet, Gu Changge did not leave the council hall immediately. Instead, he stayed behind and asked Zi Wanhe to remain as well, saying he had more to discuss.
The other high-ranking members of Purple Mist Mountain wanted to stay, fearing something might happen.
But Zi Wanhe remained calm and waved them all away, including the hidden Ancestral Dao Realm existences.
"Young Master Gu, what else do you wish to discuss with me?"
Zi Wanhe was direct, not beating around the bush.
Gu Changge's purpose in coming to Purple Mist Mountain was not actually about the Immortal Chu Dynasty.
He didn't want to waste any more time, so he directly brought up the matter of Ye Suyi.
Hearing this, Zi Wanhe was slightly surprised. He hadn't expected Gu Changge to suddenly mention Ye Suyi.
As the ancestor of the Zi Clan, he didn't have the time to keep track of the younger generation.
But because of Zi Susu, he knew a little about Ye Suyi.
Back then, Zi Susu had been worried that Ye Suyi would expose her secrets and had come to him to discuss the matter.
Zi Wanhe hadn't paid much attention at the time, as even if the forbidden technique were exposed, Zi Susu would take the blame, and it wouldn't affect him.
He had thought Gu Changge was here to support Ye Suyi and seek justice, so he was about to explain the matter.
But Gu Changge's next words left him stunned, his pupils contracting in shock and disbelief.
"Where did your clan learn the Bridal Robe Immortal Technique?"
Gu Changge had been standing with his back to him but now slowly turned around.
His eyes were deep, as if vast universes were churning within them before settling into silence.
At this moment, Zi Wanhe felt his heart tighten, as if an invisible hand had gripped it.
His entire fate was in Gu Changge's hands, and his life or death depended on a single thought from him.
"How is this possible?"
He was utterly terrified, his scalp practically crawling.
Facing Gu Changge now was like facing a true master, someone who could decide his life and death at will.
This was the first time in his countless years of cultivation that Zi Wanhe had experienced something like this.
Moreover, he didn't even have time to react or think about why Gu Changge knew the name of the Bridal Robe Immortal Technique.
Aside from him, no one else in Purple Mist Mountain knew the name of that forbidden technique.
"Who are you?"
Zi Wanhe's voice trembled uncontrollably. At his level, he had actually experienced what it meant to be truly terrified.
During the banquet, he had sensed that Gu Changge was extraordinary, likely even more terrifying than the ancient ancestor of the Jing Clan.
But this was still Purple Mist Mountain's territory. No matter how powerful Gu Changge was, could he really threaten him here?
That was why Zi Wanhe had the confidence to send everyone away and face Gu Changge alone.
But now, he deeply regretted it, his eyes filled with fear.
"Who I am is not important. Mountain Lord Zi, it would be best if you honestly answer my question first."
Gu Changge's expression remained calm as he looked at Zi Wanhe, his tone indifferent.
Zi Wanhe suppressed the fear in his heart and answered, "The Bridal Robe Immortal Technique was passed down from my ancestors. By my father's generation, it had already been classified as a forbidden technique, and later generations were forbidden from practicing it. I practiced it in secret, not daring to tell anyone."
Quickly, he recounted everything he knew about the origins of the Bridal Robe Immortal Technique, not daring to hide anything.
It was true that the Bridal Robe Immortal Technique was a forbidden technique. Those who practiced it never met a good end.
Zi Wanhe had also practiced it in secret, behind his father's back.
He had passed the technique to Zi Susu in the hopes of using her to experiment and find a way to break free from the Bridal Robe Immortal Technique.
At first, Zi Wanhe hadn't known why the Bridal Robe Immortal Technique was considered a forbidden technique.
Only after he began practicing it did he gradually discover its terrifying nature, enough to drive any cultivator to madness and obsession.
But the consequences were also horrifying and difficult to escape.
The ancestors of the Zi Clan had classified it as a forbidden technique and strictly prohibited later generations from practicing it after realizing its dangers.
As the creator of the Bridal Robe Immortal Technique, Gu Changge naturally understood the true nature of this technique.
It did not belong to any category of heavenly techniques or cultivation manuals. It was a cultivation method akin to the heavenly dao, taking from the surplus to make up for the deficit. It consumed one's lifespan, talent, fortune, and destiny to greatly enhance one's cultivation.
This led to a situation where practitioners believed it was a heaven-defying cultivation technique, with a speed of progress that surpassed all past and present methods, driving them to madness.
In reality, what it consumed was their own potential and future.
At a certain point, Zi Wanhe naturally became aware of these terrifying consequences and sought a way to break free, which was only natural.
"Where did your ancestors obtain the Bridal Robe Immortal Technique?" Gu Changge asked calmly.
Zi Wanhe quickly shook his head. "I don't know. This has always been an unsolved mystery of the Zi Clan. I only vaguely understand that it seems to be related to the River of Annihilation in the Innate Five Fate Rivers."
"It's possible that my ancestors found this technique in the traces left by the River of Annihilation."
Gu Changge's eyes showed a hint of contemplation.
The Innate Five Fate Rivers consisted of the River of Fortune, the River of Fate, the River of Annihilation, the River of Tribulation, and the River of Endings.