A brief dead silence engulfed Ethereal Peak.
All the senior members of the Alliance of Righteous Unity froze, as if rigidly locked in place, not daring to move a muscle.
Deputy Alliance Leader Zhao Tianqi took several deep breaths, forcing himself to stay calm, but the hand trembling behind his back betraying his inner turmoil.
Gu Changge's personal arrival was something absolutely no one dared imagine.
Even the various true world civilizations hadn't considered it—before this, everyone had been guessing which high-ranking figure the Heaven-Slaying Alliance would send.
One could well imagine the terrifying waves this news would stir across the Vast Expanse once it got out.
As the Alliance Leader of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance, Gu Changge's every move attracted the attention of countless living beings and orthodoxies across the Vast Expanse.
Never mind him appearing in person at the founding ceremony of the Immortal Dao Alliance—even if he were merely to show up somewhere within the Heaven-Slaying Alliance, it would trigger boundless speculation and conjecture.
For a single thought or a single action of his could bring about unpredictable consequences.
Hadn't the great war between the Alliance of Righteous Unity and the Heaven-Slaying Alliance, which engulfed the entire Vast Expanse, erupted from nothing more than a single order issued by the Heaven-Slaying Alliance's Alliance Leader?
"The Alliance Leader gracing Ethereal Peak with his presence is truly our honor."
The Sacred Ancestor of the Ethereal Sacred Domain walked over surrounded by many elders and ancient figures of the Ethereal Sacred Sect, a warm smile on his face as he cupped his hands in salute.
Though of ancient origins and unfathomable strength, he dared not presume before Gu Changge.
His gaze swept over Luo Zhu and the Eternal Primordial God behind Gu Changge, and his heart trembled even more.
If one had to describe it, Gu Changge standing before him was like a hazy, indistinct void—impossible to fathom, making one dare not even entertain the thought of probing.
But that silver-robed man filled him with dread; this was an expert whose strength was in no way inferior to his own.
"Honor is hardly the word. The establishment of the Immortal Dao Alliance bears on the survival of all beings in the Vast Expanse; how could I not come?" Gu Changge answered with a faint smile, ignoring the people from the Alliance of Righteous Unity entirely, as if they were nothing but air.
His gaze only paused momentarily on a certain figure among them before he followed the Sacred Ancestor deeper into the great hall.
As for the other guests and honored visitors present, he had no interest in even glancing at them, as though he simply didn't care about their existence whatsoever.
Yet this attitude of his did not cause the slightest dissatisfaction among those present; on the contrary, everyone found it entirely natural.
After all, this was the Alliance Leader of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance—a figure who truly stood at the absolute peak in the current Vast Expanse. At least from what could be seen now, no existence could compare to or rival him.
If he had actually paid the people here any mind, they would have been flattered and found it inconceivable.
The senior members of the Alliance of Righteous Unity now wore expressions that were both ugly and humiliated.
Yet when Gu Changge led the Heaven-Slaying Alliance members past them, they could only lower their heads in frustration, not daring to so much as breathe heavily.
They did not doubt for a moment that if they dared display even a trace of dissatisfaction, the Alliance Leader of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance would, without the slightest regard for the occasion, crush them on the spot.
Zhao Tianqi's face remained as calm as an ancient well as he stood there, seemingly composed, but his entire body was wound taut. In the instant Gu Changge's gaze swept over him, he felt as if all his secrets had been laid bare.
A startling thought even crossed his mind: if Gu Changge wished to kill him, would it truly take only a thought?
He had once believed that having survived eight Heavenly Decline Tribulations, he was already enough to look down upon the Vast Expanse. But the higher he stood, the more he realized his former ignorance—the truly powerful existences simply dared not show their faces.
An existence like Gu Changge, the Alliance Leader of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance, who scorned the Heavenly Dao, trampled on rules, and feared nothing, was the most terrifying of all.
"How is this possible…"
Behind Zhao Tianqi, Deputy Alliance Leader of the Alliance of Righteous Unity, Zhao Xiuyan's delicate frame trembled. Her originally cold and emotionless eyes now surged with a thousand emotions.
Her entire being shook slightly, and boundless waves rose in her heart.
Her red lips moved; she even wanted to call out the title that had always resided in her heart, but in the end, she forcefully swallowed it down.
She knew Gu Changge was him—the Alliance Leader of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance was also him.
Although just now she had only seen that gaze and hadn't been able to make out his true face, how could she ever forget those gentle eyes that had accompanied her through her darkest and most hopeless days…
"Master…" Zhao Xiuyan murmured inwardly, and then, amidst the entourage of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance, she spotted the familiar silver-haired girl.
A faint smile curved at the corners of her lips. So this was why she'd had the feeling back then that the two of them would meet again sooner or later.
"It's her?" Mo Tong also noticed Zhao Xiuyan's gaze; her indifferent eyes shifted slightly, and she gave her a small nod from afar.
Gu Changge's arrival turned the situation of the Immortal Dao Alliance's founding ceremony unpredictable. The various orthodox powers who had been chatting casually earlier, speculating about the Heaven-Slaying Alliance's intentions, now fell silent, afraid that careless words might bring disaster.
The clamor and heated discussions among the mountain peaks and pavilions gradually subsided, and the atmosphere grew solemn.
Within the vast and boundless great hall, ancient figures appeared one after another, taking their seats in various places.
The leaders from all sides, who had long since arrived, were already prepared to sign this Immortal Dao Alliance treaty.
Gu Changge led the Heaven-Slaying Alliance members to their seats in the observation area. The Sacred Ancestor, as the promoter of this treaty, had originally not planned to appear, but because of Gu Changge's arrival, he had no choice but to come forward and preside over the ceremony.
The senior members of the Alliance of Righteous Unity, on the other hand, remained very silent; some had already sent word of Gu Changge's presence back to their alliance.
The various other orthodox clans and powers did the same, relaying the news the moment Gu Changge appeared at the assembly.
Many had a premonition that something major would happen today. At such a critical juncture, Gu Changge had actually left the Heaven-Slaying Alliance so easily.
Was he not afraid the Dark Clans would exploit his absence?
But no one dared to ask such a question. Even the many Ancestral Dao Realm existences present were extremely cautious and careful.
"Why are you all so nervous? I have never been one to kill innocents indiscriminately. Why do you all look at me with such fearful eyes? Or is it that you are dissatisfied with my Heaven-Slaying Alliance?"
"Ever since our Heaven-Slaying Alliance came into existence, we have taken it upon ourselves to uphold the world and benefit all living beings. We have fought against the Dark Clans for so many years, rescued numerous civilization true worlds from dire straits. This is not something that the Alliance of Righteous Unity, which seeks only hollow fame and deceives the world, can compare to."
"You all are not worried about the Alliance of Righteous Unity stirring up trouble behind the scenes, yet you treat our Heaven-Slaying Alliance with such fear and caution. This does rather chill the hearts of decent folk."
Gu Changge's light laughter rang out, and the originally solemn surroundings fell abruptly silent.
The ultimate experts from the various civilization true worlds all dared not meet his gaze, and as his eyes swept over them, they couldn't help but lower their heads.
Even more beings and cultivators hurriedly bowed their heads, their hearts trembling.
Looking at this scene, the senior members of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance all revealed peculiar smiles. Some were gloating, others full of mockery, and these expressions deepened when they turned to the Alliance of Righteous Unity people.
Only the members of the Alliance of Righteous Unity had faces dark as water, yet no one dared to speak up in rebuttal. Earlier, many leaders of orthodox true worlds had come up to greet them, but with the arrival of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance—especially Gu Changge's appearance—everyone now kept their distance.
Even the many elders of the Ethereal Sacred Sect did the same; they had to weigh every word when speaking to the Alliance of Righteous Unity members, fearing they might say something wrong and cause a misunderstanding.
"The Alliance Leader jests. It is merely that the occasion is solemn, and the guests all hold the Alliance Leader in the highest respect. Naturally, they dare not display any transgression or disrespect."
"The Alliance Leader always keeps the greater picture in mind and cherishes the world and all living beings. This is something known to all; how could a little idle gossip possibly besmirch it?"
The Sacred Ancestor of the Ethereal Sacred Domain had the appearance of a refined middle-aged man, but at this moment, he could feel his scalp tingling. His tone was full of wry helplessness as he could only force himself to keep a smile plastered on his face, brace himself, and speak against his conscience.
According to rumors in the outside world, the Alliance Leader of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance was ruthless, his thoughts unfathomable, his moods unpredictable—extraordinarily difficult to deal with.
Now he was experiencing it firsthand. How could a being of such exalted status as an Alliance Leader personally come down to intimidate the various civilization true worlds?
Like the Alliance Leader of the Alliance of Righteous Unity, the Weiyang Emperor Lord—would he ever personally take the field in this way?
This utterly shattered the transcendent and ethereal image he had cultivated for so long in a single day. But if he didn't appear, who knew what this Immortal Dao Alliance assembly would have turned into.
"In that case, why are you all still hiding, unwilling to reveal your true faces and forms? Do you require me to personally extend an invitation?"
Gu Changge smiled faintly, sweeping his gaze over. From the void ahead came muffled groans, and a terrifying, overwhelming force flickered through, after which several blurry figures with blood trickling from the corners of their mouths tumbled out.
Everyone present was horrified and trembling. Several orthodox powers were even more terrified, not daring to step forward to support their own progenitor-level figures.
"We beg the Alliance Leader to show mercy…" the Sacred Ancestor implored, his scalp prickling even more at the sight.
Though he knew many guests within the void had yet to reveal themselves, only faintly disclosing their auras, he hadn't minded before.
After all, some figures had such habits. Moreover, this place now mixed all sorts—even sinister cults like the Black Lotus Cult had managed to infiltrate. It was hard to guarantee there weren't old enemies present.
Concealing one's true appearance and form was, in truth, understandable.
But…
"I dislike those who hide their heads and show only their tails," Gu Changge said, his tone even.
The Sacred Ancestor choked, and could only manage a stream of bitter smiles, unable to say anything more. Waves of frustration surged uncontrollably in his heart.
A figure like him, who had roamed and dominated the Vast Expanse for countless epochs—how could there ever be a day like this, where he could do nothing but stand by with a forced smile?
The many elders of the Ethereal Sacred Sect could likewise only forcibly suppress their own myriad helplessness and frustration.
They were clearly on the turf of the Ethereal Sacred Domain, and they were clearly the hosts. Yet with Gu Changge's arrival, everything had changed…
Soon, within the great hall, mist swirled and chaotic light pervaded. Meditation mats appeared one after another, each bearing an ancient, timeworn figure seated upon it—all foundational existences the Ethereal Sacred Domain had accumulated over the years.
"We greet the Alliance Leader."
In other seats, the foundational figures of other orthodox civilizations had no choice but to reveal themselves, stepping out from the void and taking their seats in an orderly fashion. They were all very ancient existences, their cultivation and strength terrifying.
Only then did many clan powers realize that Ethereal Peak had actually already gathered so many supreme existences. They had all been hiding earlier, apparently waiting and observing, biding their time. If the situation turned unfavorable, they likely planned to evacuate with all their clan members at the first opportunity.
Many cursed inwardly. It was clearly just an alliance treaty, yet it involved so many schemes and calculations.
But Gu Changge's arrival forced these old fellows to reveal themselves, and now they sat as if on needle cushions, cold sweat beading on their foreheads.
Many disciples of the Ethereal Sacred Sect then brought in various delicacies and fine foods, making preparations for the start of the Immortal Dao Alliance treaty ceremony.
Meanwhile, the outside world had already been thrown into boundless uproar by the news from the Ethereal Sacred Domain.
Gu Changge's descent had truly exceeded the expectations of all civilization true worlds across the Vast Expanse. No one knew his purpose—was he genuinely intent on supporting the Immortal Dao Alliance to resist the Dark Clans, or did he have other motives?
At the same time, some civilization true worlds noticed that certain armies originally stationed in the cosmos surrounding the Heaven-Slaying Alliance seemed to have disappeared, their whereabouts temporarily unknown.
And over at the Weiyang Immortal Dynasty, a heaven-shaking upheaval was also unfolding in recent days.