Gu Changge's brows furrowed slightly, though that smile never left his face.
"Hoh… bold words from someone as lowly as a mortal from the lower realms."
He paused for a moment, his eyes glinting with faint interest.
"You've begun to intrigue me."
He leaned forward slightly, his voice softer now, yet carrying a clearer weight:
"Tell me… the way you spoke of me earlier suggests you know me quite well. Not only that, you seemed familiar with the Upper World and the hierarchy of families."
He paused, then added in a deeper tone:
"Even though I'm certain… the world you came from has never heard of me. It lies outside the scope of the realms."
His gaze locked directly onto Qing Han.
"Did Lianshu tell you… or does that knowledge come from something else?"
At the side, Lianshu clenched her clothes so tightly her knuckles turned pale. Even she… had no answer.
As for Qing Han—he straightened his posture. His expression hardened, steady, devoid of hesitation. He looked directly at Gu Changge, as though facing an equal, not an existence that terrified worlds.
"Gu Changge…"
His voice began calm, yet firm, free of any trace of unease.
"What I'm about to say may sound like fantasy to you… or like a stray cat daring to roar at a lion."
He paused briefly.
"But… I ask that you hear me out to the end."
He tilted his head slightly, continuing without breaking eye contact:
"You could say… my knowledge encompasses almost everything."
Silence.
"About you… about this world… and about others."
The air in the room shifted. Something unseen… yet tangible. Then—he added, in a lower, heavier tone:
"And to prove it…"
A brief pause.
"Children of fortune."
At that instant, everything froze. The smile vanished. For the briefest, imperceptible moment—Gu Changge's eyes changed.
Qing Han caught that subtle flicker, and a hidden smile formed within him: Got you… you big cat.
Then he revealed it openly, a wide grin, lifting his head with confidence:
"Gu Changge… it seems you've confirmed now that I know more than I should. No doubt you've already thought of a thousand ways to dispose of me without lifting a finger… because—naturally—I know your true nature."
He paused. Then leaned slightly forward, his voice dropping… becoming more dangerous:
"But… here's the thing."
He smiled—a smile that made Lianshu, for the first time, feel something close to fear.
"You want to rule the world… and destroy anyone who stands in your way?"
His smile widened.
"Take me with you."
Silence.
"Nothing in this world deserves to remain."
His gaze grew heavier… deeper.
"And if you're going to destroy this world… I want to be part of that destruction."
The words fell. Their weight… was anything but ordinary.
Lianshu froze in place, her eyes widening, her breath catching, as though her mind refused to process what she had just heard. This was not mere recklessness… not just defiance—this was something closer to madness.
As for Gu Changge—he did not speak. He remained still, watching Qing Han with a gaze devoid of mockery… or amusement this time.
Only cold… precise evaluation. A moment passed. Then another. The silence grew heavier, until it felt as though the air itself had frozen. Then—he laughed. A low, quiet laugh… but unlike before. It carried no amusement—only something deeper.
"Hah…"
He raised a hand slightly, resting it against his chin, his eyes never leaving Qing Han.
"How long has it been… since someone said something like that to my face?"
His smile returned—but colder this time.
"Either you're a fool…"
He paused.
"Or you're far more dangerous than you appear."
He leaned forward slightly, his tone lower, yet carrying irresistible weight:
"You know what I truly am… and you still offer to join me?"
A slow smile formed.
"Is that loyalty… or ambition?"
He didn't wait for an answer, continuing as something unreadable flickered in his eyes:
"Or… do you simply not fear death?"
At the side, Lianshu could no longer remain silent.
"My lord—!"
She stepped forward, her voice tense:
"This… this person—"
She faltered, unable to find the words, then lowered her voice:
"He cannot be trusted. His knowledge… is unnatural."
Qing Han cut her off calmly, his gaze still fixed on Gu Changge:
"Quiet for a moment, Lianshu… you were just being pleasant. I know you don't understand what's happening, so stay out of it."
Lianshu froze—not out of obedience… but shock. Shock at this young man who dared address her so—before her master. As for Gu Changge… he did not intervene. He simply watched, with silent interest. Qing Han continued, his voice steady, every word measured:
"Loyalty? Call it that if you like… or say it's an attempt to ingratiate myself with the Gu family."
He paused, then added in a deeper tone:
"But the one thing I want you to understand…"
His eyes lifted slightly.
"I want the destruction of all realms… even more than you do."
Silence fell. Heavy. Sudden.
Even Lianshu—who had seen much—could not hide the faint tremor in her eyes.
As for Gu Changge—his expression did not change.
But his eyes… flickered with something rare. Qing Han continued:
"I know a great deal… but I lack power."
He raised his hand slightly, as though grasping something unseen:
"And you… with your resources… can set me on the path of cultivation."
He lowered his hand.
"So I want you to help me grow stronger."
He paused. Then said with absolute certainty:
"In return… the power I gain, and the knowledge I hold… will all be devoted to serving you."
A brief silence. Then he added:
"And to dying for the Gu family."
A heavy moment passed. Lianshu held her breath completely.
Then—Gu Changge laughed.
This time… it was not light. It was deeper, slower, as though drawn from a rarely used place.
"Hah… hahaha…"
He raised a hand, touching his temple lightly, his gaze fixed on Qing Han:
"The destruction of all realms… more than me?"
He smiled faintly.
"How interesting…"
He stood up slowly. One step—yet it was enough to make the atmosphere grow heavy at once.
He approached, stopping only a few steps away, looking down at Qing Han as though measuring him.
"You have no power…"
He said calmly.
"And yet… you speak of destroying all realms."
He leaned slightly closer.
"And you ask me to grant you the means… offering your life in return?"
He raised an eyebrow faintly.
"How… ridiculous."
Lianshu's breath caught in her throat, her chest tightening completely. She knew… such words could only lead to one outcome—Qing Han's annihilation… or something even greater.
As for Qing Han—he remained unchanged. His expression steady. His gaze unwavering.
"Ridiculous? Yes… it is."
He said it with strange calm, as though acknowledging something trivial.
"A young man from the lower realms asking the young master Gu Changge for help… it's madness."
He paused briefly.
"But, Gu Changge… you lose nothing either way."
He shrugged slightly.
"You can erase me now… or later, when you decide I'm useless."
A brief silence followed. Then Gu Changge spoke, his tone serious:
"So… you understand that I can erase you without moving?"
He paused, then smiled faintly:
"Good."
His gaze shifted slightly, as though the decision had already been made.
"I don't enjoy spilling blood… without reason."
He looked back at him.
"Elder Sister Yin Wei… will be responsible for your training."
For the first time, Qing Han's expression changed. A blunt, almost amused look appeared, as though something unexpected had finally happened.
"That fox?"
He said it without hesitation.
"She'll definitely kill me… her cunning rivals yours."
A heavy silence. Then—Gu Changge mirrored the same expression. The same flatness. Almost at the same moment.
"Cunning?"
He said coldly.
"What are you talking about…? She's kind."
A moment of silence. Another.
And in this atmosphere—which had somehow shifted into something almost absurd—Lianshu stood completely frozen.
Her eyes darted between the two, her mind struggling—futilely—to comprehend what was unfolding before her.
The words seemed to hang in the air—not because they had ended, but because what followed was too heavy to be spoken easily. Gu Chang's faint smile remained fixed upon his lips, that same smile which revealed nothing, yet concealed nothing either. His eyes observed the finest shifts in Qing Han's expression, as though they were not merely looking at his face, but beyond it—into something deeper, something not yet fully formed.
As for Qing Han, he remained still for a moment, then let out a quiet breath, like someone surrendering himself to a fate he had long known, yet did not mind walking toward. He ran a hand lazily over the back of his neck, then lifted his shoulders slightly, as if everything that had been said was no more than an ordinary agreement—one that did not carry death within every step.
"Nice… training under Yin Wei."
He tilted his head slightly to the side, his eyes narrowing with a look that blended mockery and anticipation.
"At least I won't feel bored before I die."
His words were neither a challenge nor a retreat, but something in between—a cynical acceptance of a hidden desire to test this world he had been thrown into so suddenly.
Gu Chang finally moved, deliberately slow, turning toward the window behind him. His reflection appeared upon the dark glass, as though it belonged to another world—one no hand could reach. He clasped his hands behind his back and stood there in silence for a moment, as if his thoughts were weaving something unseen.
"If you die…"
His voice came out calm, without turning around, as though he were speaking to the air itself.
"That simply means you were never worthy of standing here in the first place."
Then he tilted his head slightly, his tone growing lighter—yet sharper:
"And if you live…"
He paused, as if the next word carried weight.
"Then…"
He slowly turned back, his gaze settling once more on Qing Han. His smile returned—but this time, it was deeper… and far more dangerous.
"I may truly begin… to see you."
In the corner, Lianshu could no longer hold herself back. She took a small step forward, then stopped, as if her own body hesitated between intervening and retreating. The scene before her felt strange—unsettling—not because the conversation had crossed boundaries, but because… it had not broken. It should have broken. That young man should have been crushed from the very beginning.
Yet that hadn't happened. Instead… something seemed to have formed between them—a thin, invisible thread, stretched taut.
A feeling crept into her heart, one she couldn't easily name. Not fear. Not admiration. But… unease. Unease that this young man, who had entered this world with nothing… might not remain that way for long.
As for Qing Han, he received Gu Chang's words without retreating, without bowing more than necessary, and without raising his head beyond what was tolerable. He simply nodded slightly, like someone accepting a deal whose price might be his life—yet was willing to pay it.
"Then… I'll make sure I survive."
He said it calmly. Yet something in his voice… was anything but calm. And in that moment, it was no longer clear which of them was testing the other.
Is this… real?
This exchange… this tone… The young master… joking? And Qing Han… responding? Without fear? Without hesitation?