"Jiang Weiyang greets the Alliance Leader."
Jiang Weiyang, though unable to see, sensed Gu Changge's arrival. She hastily stood and performed a graceful bow while speaking, but because she stood too quickly, she accidentally stepped on the hem of her skirt. Letting out a soft cry, she pitched straight forward.
In that instant, a multitude of embarrassing thoughts flashed through Jiang Weiyang's mind. She had not expected that her very first formal meeting would involve such a humiliating mishap.
Yet the next moment, without the imagined pain of hitting the ground, a warm hand reached out and steadied her.
Accompanied by a voice as warm and smooth as jade, "Miss Weiyang, there is no need for such a grand salute."
"I am truly making a fool of myself before the Alliance Leader."
Jiang Weiyang's cheeks flushed. She hurriedly steadied herself, feeling somewhat embarrassed. At such a close distance, Gu Changge's voice was even warmer and more pleasant than she had imagined, like a clear spring flowing over mountain stones, carrying a jade-like texture.
She shook her head inwardly, hurriedly suppressing her various messy thoughts.
The person before her was the Alliance Leader of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance. Even her father would have to treat him with courtesy, not daring to show any disrespect or negligence.
If she let her mind wander like this, he would surely perceive it.
Gu Changge seemed somewhat amused, then gestured for Jiang Weiyang to sit beside him. He casually poured a cup of light tea and pushed it toward her.
"Miss Weiyang, there's no need to be so formal. You are Yao Yao's friend, so just consider me your elder," he said warmly.
Jiang Weiyang held the teacup in both hands, unsure for a moment what to say. All the many things she had planned to say on her way here seemed to vanish from her mind in this moment.
She stood stunned for a while, until a rosy glow spread across her cheeks. Then she took a few deep breaths and gradually calmed her heart.
"It is my first time meeting the Alliance Leader, so I am somewhat nervous..."
As expected of someone who had been used to grand occasions since childhood, she quickly steadied herself and broke into a smile.
Gu Changge waved his hand, his expression as composed as ever. "There's no harm. May I ask what matter Miss Weiyang wishes to see me about?"
Jiang Weiyang took a deep breath and said earnestly, "To be honest, the reason I've presumptuously visited this time is to ask the Alliance Leader about matters related to the Dark Clans. I learned from Yao Yao that the Alliance Leader seems to possess a method to help beings cleanse Dark Matter, allowing those who have fallen into darkness to return to the world."
Having spoken, she stared directly at Gu Changge—though of course she could not see him—but was keen to know how he would answer.
At this moment, she herself did not realize that as she spoke these words, her entire body had tensed up, and her palms were sweaty.
This question bore implications far too immense, carrying extraordinary significance for all the clans and lineages of the Vast Expanse.
If Gu Changge truly had a solution, then perhaps the various Dao lineages and civilizations would not seem so passive and helpless when facing the Dark Clans.
Gu Changge seemed to ponder for a moment upon hearing this, then nodded and said, "I do indeed have a method to cleanse Dark Matter, but this method is not without its drawbacks. Moreover, at present, I am unable to cleanse Dark Matter for many people at once, because this requires me to use my cultivation to suppress and dissolve it..."
Hearing this, Jiang Weiyang understood. Her expression immediately dimmed somewhat.
"Does even the Alliance Leader have no way?"
She murmured.
Jiang Weiyang thought of the various rumors she had heard about Gu Changge during her time in the Heaven-Slaying Alliance. The most frequently mentioned was that within the Alliance, one need not worry about invasions from the Dark Beings.
Even if one accidentally suffered the contamination and corrosion of Dark Matter, the Alliance Leader had the means to expel and cure it.
This had filled Jiang Weiyang with hope. She had long suspected and worried that her father, Jiang Yun, might have also been secretly eroded by Dark Matter at some unknown time, which would explain why his temperament had drastically changed and why he had committed so many acts inconsistent with his usual nature.
Including having her stay far away from the Weiyang Immortal Dynasty, away from any place related to the Alliance of Righteous Unity.
At first, Jiang Weiyang had not understood, until later when State Preceptor Xingming appeared and attempted to capture her and bring her back. Then she suddenly realized: perhaps even her father was now no longer in control of himself.
And the only thing she, as his daughter, could do seemed to be to find a way to help him cleanse the Dark Matter.
"There is a way, but it depends on the situation," Gu Changge said after sipping some tea, his expression still composed.
To him, Dark Matter was no different from ordinary spiritual energy. Whether he wanted to cleanse or contaminate it was merely a matter of a single thought.
He also understood Jiang Weiyang's intention. It was simply that there was a major problem with the current Weiyang Emperor Lord Jiang Yun. She suspected that Jiang Yun might also have been corroded by Dark Matter, and so wanted him to intervene and save her father.
And Jiang Yun sending Jiang Weiyang to the Heaven-Slaying Alliance was not without this very consideration.
However, this offered no substantial benefit to Gu Changge. He still needed the pawn Jiang Yun to lure the Master of Fate out on his own.
"'Depends on the situation'?" Jiang Weiyang mulled over these words. So it meant it was possible, but only under certain conditions?
In truth, she did not dare to directly reveal her father Jiang Yun's condition to Gu Changge. It wasn't that she did not trust Gu Changge, but she felt that this news was far too shocking and could easily cause widespread panic.
After all, her father was not only the Emperor Lord of the Weiyang Immortal Dynasty, but also the Alliance Chief of the Alliance of Righteous Unity.
If even her father had been contaminated by Dark Matter, then where in the current Vast Expanse was still safe?
"Thank you for clarifying, Alliance Leader."
Jiang Weiyang rose and performed a graceful bow. Beneath her veiled hat, her expression carried a complexity. She could not help but ask, "If in the future, I should wish to request the Alliance Leader to cleanse Dark Matter, may I ask what kind of price would be required?"
Upon hearing this, Gu Changge seemed to ponder, not answering directly. Instead, he asked, "Do you have a friend or relative who has been corroded by Dark Matter?"
Jiang Weiyang's eyes trembled, her lashes quivering. Her voice turned slightly dim. "I am worried that such a situation may arise in the future."
Gu Changge merely smiled and said, "If it is but a small matter like that, there should be no problem. Seeing that you are Yao Yao's friend, I can consider lending a hand once."
"Really?" Upon hearing this, Jiang Weiyang was overjoyed, her voice trembling slightly.
Realizing that her tone sounded somewhat like she was doubting Gu Changge, she hurriedly added, "It is not that I do not believe the Alliance Leader's words, but I am simply a bit too overjoyed. I hope you will not take offense."
Gu Changge blew on his tea and casually smiled. "No matter. However, I do have one request."
Jiang Weiyang immediately said, "Please tell me, Alliance Leader. Whatever I can do, no matter the request, I will agree."
Seeming to feel that such phrasing was somewhat strange, a faint blush suddenly rose on her flawless, snow-white cheeks.
Gu Changge said unhurriedly, "You are so clever, you surely know the current situation in the Vast Expanse. The Immortal Dao Alliance is about to be established, and the Alliance of Righteous Unity will likely join forces with the Immortal Dao Alliance afterward to jointly contend against my Heaven-Slaying Alliance. Although the Weiyang Emperor Lord is your biological father, judging from his current state, he is barely able to protect himself. So it is impossible to count on him to do anything."
"Over on the Weiyang Immortal Dynasty's side, someone capable of stabilizing hearts is needed. Though during this period, an old ancestor has emerged within the Weiyang Immortal Dynasty, do you think this person can command the masses and make the entire Weiyang Immortal Dynasty obey?"
Hearing this, Jiang Weiyang was first taken aback.
How did Gu Changge know that her father was already struggling to protect himself?
But quickly, she grasped the meaning of the latter part of his words. Her elegant brows furrowed slightly. She pondered a moment, then asked tentatively, "Alliance Leader, do you mean you want me to act as regent of the Weiyang Immortal Dynasty in my father's name?"
Although she was the Weiyang Emperor Lord's sole heir, expecting her to command the masses was overestimating her somewhat.
First, she had refused the arranged marriage with the Ninth Prince of Nanzhao Ancient Kingdom, which was why she had fled the Weiyang Immortal Dynasty. Even if she returned now, her status would not be legitimate.
Moreover, the current Weiyang Immortal Dynasty was nothing short of a dragon's pool and tiger's den, countless times more dangerous than the Heaven-Slaying Alliance.
She could not forget that some time ago, State Preceptor Xingming had come to capture her and bring her back on orders.
As for that old ancestor, she had also heard about her. She seemed to have emerged from the ruins of the former Radiant Ancestral Court, her seniority terrifyingly high.
Now that her father was not in the Weiyang Immortal Dynasty, all affairs were managed by that old ancestor as regent.
Under her governance, the Weiyang Immortal Dynasty was stable and orderly; no news of unrest or rebels had emerged.
Gu Changge shook his head and said, "What I mean is to give the Weiyang Immortal Dynasty a legitimate reason not to obey the Weiyang Emperor Lord's orders."
"When your father arranged for you to flee the Weiyang Immortal Dynasty, he should have given you something, no?"
Although Ji Hanjing, in terms of seniority, was an old ancestor to Jiang Weiyang and the others,
the Weiyang Immortal Dynasty had, after all, been founded single-handedly by the Weiyang Emperor Lord Jiang Yun. He now still presided over the Alliance of Righteous Unity and had not passed away, so his prestige remained.
Even if Ji Hanjing insisted that Jiang Yun had colluded with the Dark Clans and sought to depose him as Emperor Lord, it would be difficult to achieve much.
As long as Jiang Yun still existed for a single day, he remained the true master of the Weiyang Immortal Dynasty.
And as clever as Jiang Yun was, to have schemed so skillfully to send his daughter Jiang Weiyang to the Heaven-Slaying Alliance, he must have long anticipated the many events to follow. He would certainly have left some token as a backup plan.
Rather than saying he was now the Emperor Lord of the Weiyang Immortal Dynasty, it was more accurate to say he was the puppet of the Master of Fate. The Weiyang Immortal Dynasty was merely one of the Master of Fate's tools.
Hearing Gu Changge's words, Jiang Weiyang was stunned once more. Then she reacted, her beautiful eyes wide, her face full of incredulous shock.
How did Gu Changge know all of this? She had told him nothing at all.
Such a secret, aside from her father, only she herself knew.
Not even the few maids who were utterly loyal to her were aware.
The Weiyang Emperor Lord had indeed given her a brocade pouch at the time, which contained quite a few items.
Aside from some life-preserving objects, there were also items whose purpose Jiang Weiyang herself did not know.
And what truly astonished her was this: how did Gu Changge know that her father had deliberately let her flee the Weiyang Immortal Dynasty?
In the entire Weiyang Immortal Dynasty, there was likely not a third person who knew of this matter. Yet Gu Changge, separated by countless billions of miles, knew it as clearly as if he had seen it himself.
"There is no need to be surprised. These matters can be deduced with a bit of calculation and guesswork."
"The Weiyang Emperor Lord would not, without reason, send his own daughter into an alliance marriage with Nanzhao Ancient Kingdom," Gu Changge said, blowing the mist from his tea and taking a light sip, his tone casual.
"Nothing can be hidden from the Alliance Leader."
Jiang Weiyang quickly recovered, but her eyes shone with brilliant light, full of admiration and reverence.