chapter 4

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[Start fusion?]

[Yes or No?]

Looking at the prompt in front of him, Gu Changge immediately chose "No."

Now was not the time to fuse the Immortal Bone.

However, after rejecting it, Gu Changge was pleasantly surprised to discover that it was, indeed, an Immortal Bone! He hadn't expected that after refusing the Supreme Bone, he'd trigger a return mechanism; this fateful twist was interesting.

Could it be his destiny to accept the Supreme Bone?

Good grief.

Gu Changge could only think that he must be brimming with luck.

"Then you are...?"

Gu Qing noticed Gu Changge staring at Gu Qingqiu without blinking and thought he was captivated by her beauty, so he said, "Changge, you don't have anyone serving you. Qingqiu is very talented and possesses the Supreme Bone; she could be your helper. Would you let her serve you as a maid?"

"Huh?!"

Gu Changge was taken aback.

The elders in the room were equally shocked.

After a moment, Gu Changge smiled helplessly. "Head of the family, you must be joking. Qingqiu is a clan sister. How could she be my maid?"

Gu Qing frowned. "If not as a maid, then would you want her as your wife or concubine?"

"..."

The corners of Gu Changge's mouth twitched.

What's with this "father" of his? Either a maid or a concubine—he seemed oddly fixated on that.

"No!"

Gu Changge shook his head.

"Then why were you staring at her just now?" Gu Qing asked, puzzled. Had he misunderstood Gu Changge's look?

Surely not; all men understood that kind of look.

"I just glanced over at her, then started reading the system prompt. I wasn't staring." Gu Changge sighed. "Father, did you misunderstand me?"

"Cough!"

Gu Qing cleared his throat, embarrassed.

Gu Changge calling him "father" instead of "head of the family" made it clear how exasperated he was.

Awkwardly, Gu Qing said, "Really? However, the Supreme Bone is hidden within the flesh and blood, and its true power is restrained. Changge, you rejected the Supreme Bone, so it's difficult to see it for what it really is."

...

As Gu Changge and Gu Qing conversed, Gu Qingqiu listened in a daze.

What the hell?

Gu Changge refused her Supreme Bone?

What was happening?!

Her mind spun. According to her memories from before her rebirth, shouldn't Gu Qing and Gu Changge have extracted the bone as soon as the clans arrived?

Why would Gu Changge refuse?

...

Gu Qingqiu's thoughts churned, unable to believe it.

Gu Changge shook his head and said, "Father, the reason our Immortal Family has endured for eternity, standing above all others, isn't because of inherited bloodlines, but because of our unity—a bond that can cut through iron. You want me to take the Supreme Bone from a clan sister? How could I agree to that?"

Gu Qing was taken aback, then smiled wryly. "Of course, Father knows that."

The elders around them appeared uneasy.

Of course, they understood this too.

But this was the Supreme Bone! Whether it's the Dual Pupils born sacred or the Supreme Bone born supreme, each carries earth-shaking, unrivaled talent. Merging the two would create a genius of unimaginable power.

So they had turned a blind eye to these matters.

Now, with Gu Changge's refusal, they felt a strange sense of relief, as if unburdened from their moral conflict.

After Gu Changge finished, he looked over at Gu Qingqiu. "The girl from the Qingqiu clan is from a branch family. Her parents are gone, she has no one to rely on, and she bears the Supreme Bone. Father, let the Qingqiu girl be my sister. I'll take care of her."

Gu Changge made a decisive proposal.

Let Gu Qingqiu be his sister?

Was this really the same Gu Changge who had once only focused on cultivation and appeared indifferent to his clan?

It seemed his character had changed significantly since becoming the first in line. However, seeing him value family bonds and embrace righteousness was a welcome sight.

Gu Qing nodded. "Very well. Let her be your sister. With the Supreme Bone, she'll achieve at least saint-level status. Building a good relationship from childhood is wise."

"Mm."

Gu Changge nodded, then said to Gu Qing and the elders, "Once Sister Qingqiu wakes, please arrange for her to live in my First Sect Mansion. I'll be leaving now."

"Go on!"

Gu Qing smiled.

Seeing this, the clan elders also beamed.

After Gu Changge left, Gu Qing and the elders remained in the quiet side room.

Some elders continued to look at the peacefully sleeping Gu Qingqiu with regret. "Master, are you really not going to let Changge merge with the Supreme Bone? This would combine Dual Pupils with the Supreme Bone!"

Another elder added, "With Dual Pupils and the Supreme Bone, our Changge would be invincible in the Three Thousand Dao Realm, destined for the throne of the Invincible God."

"You're obsessed!" Gu Qing replied calmly, glancing at the elder. "Didn't Changge just say it? Dual Pupils alone is unmatched. Why would he need to take another's bone, let alone a sister's? Since Changge has made his decision, we shouldn't force it—it might not be for the best."

"Sigh..."

The clansmen sighed collectively.

"Let's go. The coming-of-age ceremony is approaching, and there's another seal loosening. We'll need to reinforce it, or the consequences could be disastrous."

...

Gu Qing and the clan elders left.

After a quarter of an hour, Gu Qingqiu opened her eyes, surprise flickering within them.

"What's going on?"

"This wasn't how things were supposed to play out, according to my memories."

"Gu Changge doesn't want my Supreme Bone?"

"Am I not reborn but merely dreaming?"

She murmured but then shook her head. "Impossible. The techniques and opportunities in my mind are vivid; it's no dream."

She glanced at the door, baffled.

"But Gu Changge rejected my Supreme Bone... and even changed Gu Qing's and the elders' minds?"

"Did I interpret everything wrong?"

"He even said Dual Pupils are invincible—why take someone else's bone?"

"This...this is incredible!"

"In my previous life...he lacked this kind of spirit. He only cultivated it after merging the Supreme Bone and Dual Pupils, earning the title of Divine Child as he fought across realms and contended with thousands of geniuses.

He wasn't this strong; his Taoist heart wasn't so steadfast."

"Not only that, he actually protected me and treated me like his sister."

"What on earth is going on?"

Gu Qingqiu felt numb.

The turn of events was completely beyond her expectations.

In her previous life, it had always been about digging up bones.

Reliving her memories, she was determined to ensure the longevity of the Gu family. Step by step, she would climb back to the top.

Could she go even further this time?

Yet Gu Changge's words and actions left her utterly lost.

Even though she had once been Supreme, it was hard to accept the sudden warmth and closeness from someone of her own.

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