Moreover, it was precisely due to the profound mysteries of the Book of Scavenging that Gu Changge was able to learn in advance about the various materials Ling Yuling needed to refine the Alliance Golden Book and capture the aura of the Alliance Golden Book from the River of Time.
He extracted a strand of the Book of Scavenging's artifact spirit and fused it with the aura of the Alliance Golden Book, allowing the strand of the artifact spirit to attach itself to the pile of materials used to refine the Alliance Golden Book.
Through this method of deception, he successfully allowed the Book of Scavenging's artifact spirit to take control of the refined Alliance Golden Book.
Thus, the scene during the signing of the Alliance Golden Book came to be.
Apart from the Book of Scavenging's artifact spirit and Elder Xianyun, no one else knew about Gu Changge's actions.
Now, the situation in the Prime-Origin Civilization is evolving exactly as he desires. In the coming period, the Heaven-Slaying Alliance will completely replace the Xiyuan Sacred Hall and other orthodox forces, truly taking over the Prime-Origin Civilization.
Moreover, it will be done in a just and rightful manner.
High in the sky, golden clouds surged, and mist rolled as ancient warships and chariots rumbled past, as if a thousand armies were galloping by.
A Dao Realm existence took action, opening a golden path through the cosmic void. The vast forces of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance departed from the now-ruined Mountain of Myriad Wonders, not troubling the surrounding cosmic regions or their inhabitants.
The trembling clans and forces felt the terrifying pressure above them finally recede like a tide, and they breathed a sigh of relief.
The surviving cultivators and beings, still shaken, quickly transformed into beams of light and left the area, not lingering.
In the following days, many clans and forces sent scouts to the Mountain of Myriad Wonders to investigate what had happened. However, upon arrival, they were all shocked by the residual battle energy and the horrifying scenes they witnessed, utterly terrified.
Especially the immortal orthodox forces that had participated in the event felt their hearts tremble with fear.
Their sect leaders, leaders, and elders who had come to sign the Xiyuan Alliance had all disappeared, as if vanished into thin air.
Many orthodox forces and clans sent people to inquire about the events, wanting to know what had happened.
Although many ancient existences had escaped, they dared not return to their respective forces during this time. Instead, they found places to recover from their injuries and waited to see how the situation would develop, fearing that Gu Changge and the Heaven-Slaying Alliance would catch them if they returned.
This led to many immortal orthodox forces in the Prime-Origin Civilization being completely unaware of what had happened on the day of the Xiyuan Alliance signing, living in constant tension and unease.
After several days, through the joint efforts of various forces, the details of the events on the day of the Xiyuan Alliance signing finally came to light. The entire Prime-Origin Civilization was stunned and horrified, unable to believe it.
No one could have imagined that in such a short span of days, the Prime-Origin Civilization had undergone such a terrifying and earth-shattering upheaval.
The so-called Xiyuan Alliance was not intended to bring a period of relative peace for all beings but was instead a conspiracy orchestrated by Ling Yuling, the founder of the Imperial Immortal Palace, and various orthodox forces to trap and kill Gu Changge, the leader of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance.
Ling Yuling had tampered with the Alliance Golden Book, attempting to kill Gu Changge when he signed the Xiyuan Alliance.
Unfortunately, the plot failed. The strength and terror of Gu Changge far exceeded everyone's imagination.
Not only did the Alliance Golden Book fail to harm him, but he also easily tore it apart, reducing it to ashes.
Subsequently, the strongest existences from various orthodox forces joined forces to attack him, but they were all severely wounded and defeated, including Ling Yuling, who was captured after a crushing defeat.
All the orthodox forces involved in the plot were suppressed by Gu Changge. Their sect leaders and leaders either died tragically or were sealed, and now all of them were in the hands of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance.
This news was like a meteor crashing into the deep sea, instantly causing shockwaves across the cosmic void.
Countless cultivators and beings were stunned, and the leaders of smaller clans who had not made it to the Xiyuan Alliance signing felt their hearts pounding with fear and dread.
In the following days, the events at the Mountain of Myriad Wonders spread throughout the Prime-Origin Civilization without fail.
Even beyond the Vast Expanse, the news reached other civilizations, causing a massive uproar.
Countless forces and clans following the events were left speechless, unable to believe what had happened.
Many True Worlds had considered the Xiyuan Alliance signing a learning opportunity, but none had expected that Ling Yuling, the founder of the Imperial Immortal Palace, would have such means and courage.
Unfortunately, the heavens' calculations are no match for human calculations. Even though she had planned everything, she had not anticipated that Gu Changge's strength had already reached an unimaginable level.
One misstep, and the entire chessboard was overturned. As the chess player, she ultimately reaped what she sowed, becoming a prisoner.
After this event, the strongest figures and ancient existences from various True Worlds deeply suspected that Gu Changge's strength had surpassed the limits of the Nine Heavenly Decline Tribulations, making him a Path's End existence of the current era.
Within the Prime-Origin Civilization, the situation continued to fluctuate. The various immortal orthodox forces and ancient clans, after the Xiyuan Alliance incident, were severely weakened.
Many powerful figures were lost, and even clan leaders and sect masters were captured and imprisoned by the Heaven-Slaying Alliance. Even if they closed their gates and rested to recover, it would take hundreds of epochs to return to their peak state.
Many clans and forces were also worried, fearing that Gu Changge would settle accounts later and that they would be implicated.
Although they had not initially known about Ling Yuling's plot with their sect masters and clan leaders to trap Gu Changge, the incident still implicated their respective forces.
At this point, how could this account truly be settled? How could their forces and clans not be affected?
Of course, some clans and orthodox forces were secretly plotting ways to mobilize all their resources to rescue their sect masters and elders before the Heaven-Slaying Alliance could settle accounts, not wanting to sit idly by.
However, such cases were rare, as most clans and forces dared not act rashly, fearing that any move that angered the Heaven-Slaying Alliance would lead to the persecution or even death of their captured sect masters and elders.
This situation was not only unprecedented in the Prime-Origin Civilization over countless epochs but was also nearly inconceivable in other civilizations.
Almost all the leaders and sect masters of the top clans and forces were captured and imprisoned by a single force, cutting the Prime-Origin Civilization's top strength in half.
Holding the emperor to command the world is nothing more than this.
Of course, because of this, the Heaven-Slaying Alliance's influence continued to rise, even approaching the peak of the Xiyuan Sacred Hall's former glory.
During the Xiyuan Alliance incident, Gu Changge not only displayed unparalleled terrifying strength but also demonstrated a broad-minded and benevolent heart, caring for all beings.
To prevent the situation and chaos from expanding and affecting innocent cosmic regions, he spared the lives of many cultivators and beings and did not trouble the smaller clans and forces, truly considering the welfare of all living beings.
In contrast, the various immortal orthodox forces that claimed to protect all living beings appeared hypocritical.
To deal with Gu Changge, they resorted to all sorts of despicable methods, earning nothing but disdain.
During the Xiyuan Alliance, Gu Changge's views on the greater good for all beings spread across many cosmic regions through the retelling of countless cultivators and beings, earning deep respect and reverence.
For a time, Heaven-Slaying Alliance shrines sprang up like mushrooms across various cosmic regions, with thick incense smoke and flourishing faith.
Many clans and forces voluntarily joined the Heaven-Slaying Alliance, becoming part of it.
The Heaven-Slaying Alliance expanded at a rate hundreds of times faster than before, rapidly spreading to deeper and farther reaches of the Prime-Origin Civilization.
At the same time, many powerful figures within the Heaven-Slaying Alliance began leading armies to settle accounts and maintain order, ensuring the peace and security of the clans and forces that had joined the alliance.
The Heaven-Slaying Alliance's influence and prestige reached an unimaginable level.
From Dao Realm existences to ordinary cultivators and mortals, there was no one who did not know of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance.
The orthodox clans and forces involved in the Xiyuan Alliance remained uneasy, not yet facing the Heaven-Slaying Alliance's reckoning but not daring to leave their territories, instead closing their gates and observing the situation.
During this period, many clans and forces summoned their powerful figures to secretly discuss plans to visit the Heaven-Slaying Alliance's headquarters in the Prime-Origin Civilization, located in the former territory of the Immortal Chu Dynasty, to find out where the Dao Realm existences, elders, and disciples of various orthodox forces were being held and devise rescue plans.
Unfortunately, their plans were discovered in advance by the Heaven-Slaying Alliance's scouts.
Subsequently, many powerful figures from the Heaven-Slaying Alliance led armies to surround and suppress those orthodox clans and forces under the pretext of settling accounts.
For a time, many cosmic regions in the Prime-Origin Civilization were filled with bloodshed and fierce battles, and many ancient clans and forces vanished into the river of time.
The Heaven-Slaying Alliance's strength and iron-fisted authority earned both reverence and fear from countless clans and forces.
Of course, they also understood that if they abided by the rules and order set by the Heaven-Slaying Alliance, they would not need to worry about such purges.
After the Xiyuan Alliance, the various orthodox forces tacitly stopped mentioning the incident, and none dared to send powerful figures to the Heaven-Slaying Alliance's headquarters to demand the release of their people.
Without a central figure like Ling Yuling to control the situation, the various immortal orthodox forces were like scattered sand. Forces like the Divine Ascension Cavern, Temple of Light and Darkness, and Buddha Kingdom could only remain silent.
Even now, the Light Lord of the Temple of Light and Darkness remained imprisoned in the Heaven-Slaying Alliance, and the temple dared not take any action.
As for other ancient clans and forces, they lacked the courage to act, only hoping to avoid the Heaven-Slaying Alliance's reckoning and even considering abandoning their sect masters and leaders.
In a dim, foggy cell, Elder Xianyun sat in a daze, as if still unable to process what had happened at the Mountain of Myriad Wonders.
The cell was not large, surrounded by a hazy black mist that carried a bone-chilling cold, as if it could pierce through one's soul.
At this moment, as ripples spread before her, Gu Changge's figure slowly stepped inside.
Elder Xianyun's initially empty and茫然 eyes finally focused as she saw him arrive.
Her expression, previously blank, suddenly turned bitter and cold, and her hands clenched tightly beneath her sleeves.
"Why have you come to see me now?"
"You are untrustworthy, despicable, and shameless," she said coldly, almost spitting out each word.
At this moment, she seemed fearless, unafraid of anything.
Even if Gu Changge threatened the lives of everyone in the Imperial Immortal Palace, she would not compromise or believe him again.
"Why do you say that, Elder Xianyun? Have I not fulfilled my promises to you? No one in the Imperial Immortal Palace has died this time," Gu Changge said lightly.
"But the founder..."
Elder Xianyun's cold gaze faltered as she suddenly remembered Ling Yuling's attempt to end her life to prove her innocence at the Mountain of Myriad Wonders. Her heart ached, and overwhelming guilt and self-blame surged within her.
If it weren't for her, how could Ling Yuling have been humiliated? How could such a pure and proud existence suffer such great injustice and misunderstanding?
"Ling Yuling is tough. Those injuries won't kill her. At most, she'll suffer a bit and learn a lesson," Gu Changge said indifferently.
He naturally would not kill Ling Yuling, as she was still key to his plans to retrieve the Sixfold Celestial Abyss.
"You promised me you wouldn't harm anyone in the Imperial Immortal Palace, but you still hurt the founder..." Elder Xianyun looked at Gu Changge's calm and indifferent attitude, still filled with bitterness and anger.
Why did Gu Changge have to involve her? Why did she have to be caught up in this?
Back at the Xianyun Dao Academy, she had never intended to expose Gu Changge's identity or oppose him.
She only wanted to cultivate in peace, staying away from all matters and avoiding trouble.
Yet Gu Changge repeatedly sought her out, bringing endless trouble and problems.
"That was her own doing. It's not my fault."
Gu Changge shook his head, his gaze calm as he looked at Elder Xianyun. Then he reached out a hand and placed it on her forehead.
"What... what are you doing? Kill me if you must. I will no longer assist you in any way, nor will I care about the lives of those in the Imperial Immortal Palace."
Elder Xianyun took a step back, then glared at Gu Changge with unyielding and determined eyes.
"Relax, you are no longer of value to me. Whether you live or die has nothing to do with me."
Gu Changge spoke lightly, his tone still as calm as water.
His hand glowed, and it seemed to pass directly through Elder Xianyun's brow. A black, mist-like seed was quickly extracted and crushed into ash with a gentle pinch.
Elder Xianyun stared blankly at his actions, feeling a sudden lightness in her mind. Her previously muddled consciousness became clear and serene.
"This is the restriction you placed on me back then..."
Her gaze grew complicated, never expecting Gu Changge to remove the restriction he had placed on her.
Back at the Xianyun Dao Academy, Gu Changge had planted a restriction in her consciousness to control her life, preventing her from revealing his identity.
Through this restriction, Gu Changge could control her life and detect any thoughts she had against him.
If she harbored such thoughts, Gu Changge could instantly end her life.
"You may not be the smartest, but you are honest and obedient. Following the path of cultivation, you have reached this point, which is no small feat."
"I doubt you would do anything foolish."
Gu Changge's finger lightly traced Elder Xianyun's neck, and the collar and shackles binding her instantly shattered into dust.
Elder Xianyun was still pondering what he meant by "honest and obedient" when she noticed the shackles and collar disappear, and her suppressed cultivation instantly returned, filling her limbs.
She was stunned.
Did Gu Changge mean to let her go?
Gu Changge paid no further attention to Elder Xianyun's confusion. After releasing her shackles, he left.
As for whether Elder Xianyun's existence would expose his schemes during the Xiyuan Alliance, it no longer mattered.
Instead, his "magnanimous" act of releasing the Imperial Immortal Palace members would play a crucial role in his next plans.
The hazy black mist dissipated as Gu Changge vanished.
While Elder Xianyun was still stunned by her newfound freedom and Gu Changge's words, she saw several familiar figures appear before her.
"Elder Jiulin, Elder Liyu, Elder Qiufeng..."