Chu Xinyue was directly annihilated by Gu Changge, leaving everyone on the flying vessel stunned. The many Chu Family disciples who were still hesitating and struggling now wore expressions of fear and trembling. They had never expected Gu Changge to be so decisive in his killing, not wasting any words on them.
Immediately, many of them collapsed to their knees, their legs giving way, and began to beg for mercy, hoping to survive.
Ouyang Ji and the others from the Carefree Heavenly Palace were also completely stunned, their faces filled with shock and trembling.
"I gave you a chance to choose," Gu Changge said softly, shaking his head. With a flick of his sleeve, the people begging for mercy instantly turned to ash, not even leaving a trace behind.
Annihilating Chu Xinyue was as simple as crushing an ant to him.
As for what these remnants of the Chu Family were thinking, he knew it all too well. Naturally, he could not let them live and become a future threat.
After leaving the area, Gu Changge had the White Bone Ancestor King deliver the white jade bottle containing the trace of Chu Wushang's true soul to Chu Heng, the Champion Marquis.
Upon seeing this white jade bottle, Chu Heng would know what to do and would no longer need to fight desperately.
After all, he was the most prestigious figure in the Immortal Chu Dynasty aside from Chu Gucheng. As long as the ministers who were unwilling to die were not fools, they would understand what choice to make.
Gu Changge did not plan to involve himself further in the aftermath, leaving it to others to handle the remaining mess.
The Turbid Clan and Hun Clan from the Immortal Spirit Civilization had already infiltrated and were stationed in various locations. Now that chaos reigned throughout the Immortal Chu Dynasty, it was the perfect time for them to fish in troubled waters.
For Gu Changge, this was also an opportunity for the Heaven-Slaying Alliance to infiltrate and take over, gradually replacing the Immortal Chu Dynasty's influence.
As for the various factions and powers that wanted to take a share of the spoils, Gu Changge had no intention of stopping them. These factions would eventually be subdued and become part of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance.
Whatever resources they plundered now, they would eventually have to spit them all out.
With Chu Gucheng dead, the Immortal Chu Dynasty was destined to collapse.
Chu Heng, the Champion Marquis, was the one Gu Changge had chosen to support and handle the aftermath.
On the side of the Demon Court, there was the Seventh Prince Di Kun, and on the side of Purple Mist Mountain, there was Zi Wanhe. These were the pieces Gu Changge had carefully selected.
He did not plan to unify the Prime-Origin Civilization as he had done with the Dao Prosperity True World. Instead, he intended to divide and rule, allowing these factions to become part of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance.
What he needed to do was control these pieces and make them serve his purposes.
The grand scheme targeting the Immortal Chu Dynasty had finally come to an end. Now, what he needed to do was erase all traces of his involvement and withdraw from the matter.
"Master, how should we deal with this guy?"
The Eternal Life Spirit, its faint figure flickering, emerged from Uncle Fu's brow. It looked at the hunched, despondent old man with a cold tone.
"The Immortal Chu Dynasty has fallen just like that..."
At this moment, Uncle Fu did not pay attention to the Eternal Life Spirit. Instead, he gazed at the distant Immortal Chu Dynasty, now engulfed in war and flames. His aged face was filled with bitterness, confusion, and pain.
During the time the Eternal Life Spirit had possessed his body, he had been able to see what it was doing but had been unable to stop it. However, at times, the Eternal Life Spirit had been influenced by his strong will.
Still, to avoid disrupting Gu Changge's plans, the Eternal Life Spirit had not dared to fully consume Uncle Fu's consciousness.
"Yes, the Immortal Chu Dynasty has fallen," Gu Changge nodded slightly, his tone calm.
To him, it was now impossible for anyone to know that he was the one who had destroyed the Immortal Chu Dynasty.
During the time the Eternal Life Spirit had possessed Uncle Fu's consciousness, he had naturally overheard the conversations between the Eternal Life Spirit and Gu Changge, learning of Gu Changge's many actions.
This filled Uncle Fu with dread, fear, and trembling. He had never imagined that the conflict between the Demon Court and the Immortal Chu Dynasty had also been orchestrated by Gu Changge.
The Sun-Shooting Bow, which Chu Bai had obtained, had actually been crafted by Gu Changge himself and then cast into the world.
The innate spirit within the Sun-Shooting Bow had been planted by Gu Changge.
The spark that ignited the war between the Immortal Chu Dynasty and the Demon Court had been carefully orchestrated by Gu Changge behind the scenes.
All of this had been set in motion by him, manipulated from the shadows.
Chu Gucheng had long believed that there was an invisible, terrifying hand behind the Immortal Chu Dynasty, pushing it step by step toward its doom.
Now, it seemed that Chu Gucheng's intuition had been correct. It was not that he had intentionally led the Immortal Chu Dynasty to such a state, but that there had been a manipulator behind the scenes, plotting and scheming.
"So this is the great calamity that Law Sage foresaw. Even I was part of the scheme..." Uncle Fu's face was filled with despair and bitterness, tears streaming down his aged face, his heart filled with pain and regret.
But what use was it to realize this now?
Even if they had known all of this earlier, would they have had any other way to deal with Gu Changge, this great enemy?
He had personally witnessed the Immortal Chu Dynasty grow from a weak nation into an immortal dynasty, overlooking the myriad worlds.
Now, he had also witnessed this immortal dynasty collapse in a single day, like a fleeting dream, leaving nothing behind.
"The Immortal Chu Dynasty no longer exists. Do you still wish to avenge it?" Gu Changge looked at the old man weeping in despair, his eyes devoid of emotion.
Logically speaking, Uncle Fu was the only one who knew the truth behind the fall of the Immortal Chu Dynasty. By eliminating him, all traces would be erased from the world.
Then, Gu Changge could truly withdraw from this matter, and no one would know of his involvement.
The Heaven-Slaying Alliance could rightfully take over and replace the Immortal Chu Dynasty.
Chu Heng, the Champion Marquis, would never know that the one who had truly schemed against him was Gu Changge.
But as he looked at the old man, overwhelmed by despair and grief, Gu Changge was reminded of another figure. The hand he had raised slowly lowered.
"Can this old man still avenge it? Dust to dust, ashes to ashes. It has all vanished. Now, this old man no longer has the strength to avenge it," Uncle Fu said with a bitter smile.
During the time the Eternal Life Spirit had possessed his body, his true soul had been constantly eroded. Now, his strength was likely no match for even an ordinary Dao Realm cultivator.
To expect him to avenge the Immortal Chu Dynasty? To expect him to confront Gu Changge? It was nothing but a pipe dream.
"Lord Gu, if you wish to kill this old man, then do it. Whether this old man lives or dies no longer matters," Uncle Fu said despondently, collapsing to the ground. His cloudy eyes seemed to be swallowed by the darkness of the collapsing Immortal Chu Dynasty.
Gu Changge looked at him calmly and said, "You once said that if it weren't for Chu Gucheng still needing your help, you would have long sought a peaceful village to live out your remaining years, enjoying the simple life of a mortal, playing with grandchildren."
Hearing this, Uncle Fu's eyes flickered with a trace of nostalgia. He had not expected Gu Changge to remember these words.
This was something he had said during a conversation with Gu Changge in a teahouse, back when Gu Changge had come to the Immortal Chu Dynasty to find him on Chu Gucheng's birthday.
"I never expected Lord Gu to remember this old man's words..." Uncle Fu's face showed a trace of bitterness.
"I was once just a servant of the Chu Family, serving Chu Gucheng's father. If he had not achieved great cultivation and taken me away from the Chu Family, I would never have experienced such a vast and boundless world, nor lived this long. I would have turned to dust long ago."
"This old man is grateful to Chu Gucheng, but to be honest, I have never had any ambition for cultivation. I never wanted to live for so long, nor did I desire great power. At first, I just wanted to take good care of Chu Gucheng and his generation, earn a good reputation, and then retire to my hometown in my old age. I wanted to brag to the old men and children in the village about the things I had seen and done in my youth, watching their admiring gazes. That kind of life would have been so comfortable..."
"But later, Chu Gucheng brought me into the cultivation world, and I became an immortal in the eyes of mortals, capable of flying and vanishing into the earth. But that kind of life... this old man was not happy."
As Uncle Fu seemed to fall into reminiscence, Gu Changge remained silent, not interrupting him.
"Perhaps this old man has no right to say such things to someone like Lord Gu, but in your eyes, that supreme Great Dao, that endless, boundless cultivation... does it truly bring you happiness?"
"Lord Gu, how long has it been since you felt genuine joy and happiness? When Chu Gucheng was young, he would be overjoyed for a long time after breaking through a minor realm or comprehending a new divine ability. But as his cultivation grew stronger, he no longer felt satisfied. The smiles on his face grew fewer and fewer."
"When he became the ruler of the Immortal Chu Dynasty, he was busy every day. Sometimes, a single session of seclusion would last thousands or even tens of thousands of years. His strength grew greater, and the divine abilities he comprehended became more terrifying. But he no longer had the genuine, joyful smiles of his youth. This old man once asked him if this kind of cultivation was the life he had once pursued. That day, Chu Gucheng remained silent for a long time, and in the end, he could not answer me."
"He had realized that he had changed. What he was pursuing... even he no longer knew."
Uncle Fu gazed at the burning palaces and the galaxies gradually dimming in the depths of the cosmos, eventually falling silent.
"As you said, everyone's pursuits are different. Cultivation and becoming stronger are not the only pursuits, but they are the only path to survival in this vast world. If you want to live, you must become strong. You may think it is wrong, but it is not," Gu Changge said calmly.
"This old man understands that everyone has different interpretations of these things. But in my view, I do not need to live for so long. When I look back on my life, if there are no people or things that I regret, and if I can still smile genuinely when I think of certain memories, then that is enough for me."
Uncle Fu no longer looked at the Immortal Chu Dynasty, now engulfed in war. In the final moments of his life, he seemed to recall something, a satisfied smile appearing on his lips as he closed his eyes.
He chose to end his own life, not allowing Gu Changge to kill him.
"Master, this old man, even in death, sought to damage your Dao heart. Letting him die like this is too merciful," the Eternal Life Spirit said disdainfully as it floated in mid-air, watching Uncle Fu's suicide.
Gu Changge, however, did not respond. After a moment of silence, a flame ignited in his palm, and he let it fall onto Uncle Fu's body, reducing it to ashes.
The scattered ashes fell like snow, burying Uncle Fu alongside the Immortal Chu Dynasty.
By the tranquil, mirror-like surface of a jade-green lake, a woman of unparalleled beauty sat quietly, playing a zither. A veil covered her face, and her black hair swayed gently in the breeze.
Her slender, jade-like fingers plucked the strings, as if plucking the threads of the Great Dao. An aura of profound mystery surrounded her, inspiring awe in those who beheld her.
"The Heaven-Slaying Alliance has grown increasingly formidable over the years. Compared to it, the Immortal Chu Dynasty was like a small fish facing a giant. It didn't even have the right to be compared," said a stunningly beautiful woman with cloud-like hair adorned with jade hairpins. She stood on the surface of the calm lake, her brows slightly furrowed.
"The Heaven-Slaying Alliance has remained relatively stable in recent years, showing no signs of recklessness. Although its growth is indeed alarming, it is within reason. Are you thinking of intervening, Senior Sister?" The woman playing the zither released the strings and raised her bright eyes, asking calmly.
"I wouldn't dare. It's just that the rapid growth of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance makes me somewhat uneasy. As for you, Junior Sister, ever since you escaped from the Immortal Chu Dynasty, you've been focusing on self-cultivation and have stopped concerning yourself with the affairs of the Prime-Origin Civilization," said the stunning woman, who was none other than Xi Yin. She looked at the Saintess Xiyuan before her and shook her head slightly, thinking that her talented and proud junior sister had been deeply affected by that incident.
"Whether I concern myself or not, it makes no difference. Senior Sister, you've been so busy since coming out of seclusion. You've barely had a moment to rest after dealing with the aftermath of the Immortal Chu Dynasty. Now you're worrying about other matters. Don't you fear exhausting yourself?" The Saintess Xiyuan stood up, her snow-white feet stepping lightly on the surface of the lake. Her tone carried a hint of teasing.
Xi Yin had always doted on her junior sister and could only smile helplessly at her teasing.
"It's been a thousand years since the fall of the Immortal Chu Dynasty," she sighed softly.
The Saintess Xiyuan's expression also became slightly complicated.
"Yes, it's hard to believe that a thousand years have passed since that battle. It feels as if it happened just yesterday."
The Immortal Chu Dynasty had been destroyed by the joint forces of various factions and powers, and now a thousand years had passed since that event.
In that earth-shattering siege, Chu Gucheng, the ruler of the Immortal Chu Dynasty, had perished in battle, and his master, the Law Sage, had also met his end.
In addition, the casualties among the divine generals, ministers, and Dao Realm existences had been severe.
The Immortal Chu Dynasty, already weakened, had been unable to resist the onslaught of the allied forces.
The Elder Xingying from the Yinxu Cave had fled in the end, while her junior brother, the White-Browed Star Lord of the Immortal Chu Dynasty, had been captured after being besieged by the Ancestral Dao Realm existences of various factions.