https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-223-Subduing-with-a-Single-Finger/12833121/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-225-The-Remnant-Soul-of-a-Mighty-Warrior-Happy-National-Day-/12833134/
Chapter 224: Dao Palace Restrictions
Chapter 224: Dao Palace Restrictions
2024-10-07
“Lord, I have something important to report!”
Outside the Grinding Hall, a voice rang out. Gu Qingfeng opened his eyes, a terrifying blade intent flashing through them.
“Come in!”
As his voice fell, the tightly shut doors of the Grinding Hall seemed to be opened by an invisible hand. Hongye walked in from outside.
“Lord, this is a message from the Imperial Palace. Please review it, Lord.”
As she spoke, she presented a sealed letter with both hands.
Gu Qingfeng opened the letter and scanned it, his eyes flickering with a mix of emotions.
Then, he turned his gaze to the information panel.
...
“Your offspring, ‘Gu Yang,’ encountered an invading enemy and suppressed a Sixth Stage Divine Transformation Realm cultivator with a severed finger!”
“Your offspring, ‘Gu Yang,’ suppressed a person from the Return Origin Empire!”
“Your offspring, ‘Gu Yang,’ ...”
...
“Return Origin Empire!”
Gu Qingfeng murmured to himself.
When he saw that Gu Yang had suppressed a Sixth Stage Divine Transformation Realm cultivator with a severed finger, Gu Qingfeng understood where the severed finger had come from.
Although that severed finger was left behind when Gu Qingfeng had just entered the Dao Palace Realm, it was far inferior to his current realm.
Even so, that severed finger still carried the might of the Dao Palace Realm.
Suppressing a Sixth Stage Divine Transformation Realm cultivator was nothing to be surprised about.
Afterward, Gu Qingfeng left the Grinding Hall and headed for the Imperial City.
In less than half a day, Gu Qingfeng arrived at the Imperial City.
Gu Yang came to meet him immediately.
“Son greets Father!”
“I heard that cultivators from beyond the Nine Provinces have invaded. Where are they now?”
Gu Qingfeng asked straightforwardly.
Gu Yang replied, “Son has already imprisoned them all in the Heavenly Prison. I await Father’s arrival to interrogate them!”
Gu Yang knew that making such powerful individuals speak the truth was no easy task, so he invited Gu Qingfeng to see if he had the means to make them talk.
More importantly, Han An and the others were involved with a force known as the Return Origin Empire, and Gu Yang did not dare to be careless.
A Fate Empire!
That was a power that towered above all kingdoms.
Now that Gu Yang had become the ruler of a kingdom, he understood the immense power of controlling a kingdom's fate.
If a kingdom was this formidable, then an empire would be even more terrifying.
—
The Heavenly Prison was dim, filled with the damp smell of moss.
Gu Qingfeng and Gu Yang entered the prison, with no other guards following them.
“This prison has nine levels. The first five levels house common criminals, while the last four levels are reserved for experts at the Grandmaster level and above.”
“Currently, the two are temporarily imprisoned on the ninth level. It is constructed entirely of black iron, making it nearly impossible for even a Grandmaster to escape, even with their full strength.”
“If a Divine Transformation Realm expert is imprisoned, they can be suppressed as long as their cultivation has not fully recovered.”
After entering the prison, Gu Yang patiently explained to Gu Qingfeng. He had put a lot of effort into building this prison.
The black iron needed for the ninth level was a rare treasure in the Nine Provinces. Even a small piece, when mixed into a weapon, could create a blade that could cut through steel like butter.
This demonstrated the preciousness of black iron.
If not for Gu Yang's position as the ruler of the Nine Provinces, it would have been impossible to gather so much black iron to build the ninth level of the prison.
When the two entered the ninth level of the prison, it was as bright as daylight.
In two adjacent cells, an old man and a young man were imprisoned.
Both were covered in blood, their pectoral bones pierced by iron hooks, but no blood flowed from their wounds.
When they heard someone approaching, the old man, Ke Lao, opened his cloudy eyes and sneered at Gu Yang.
“I advise you to be reasonable and let us go. The Return Origin Empire is not something you can afford to offend, even if your Martial Valor Kingdom has a Dao Palace Realm expert protecting it.”
“The Return Origin Empire has countless strong cultivators, and there are at least a handful of Dao Palace Realm experts.”
“Additionally, we have left soul tokens in the Return Origin Empire. If we die, the empire will know immediately.”
“By the time the imperial army arrives in the Nine Provinces, it will be too late for you to regret it!”
At this point, Ke Lao was not overly panicked. He still tried to intimidate them by invoking the name of the Return Origin Empire.
In his view, Gu Yang had not killed him because he feared the Return Origin Empire and did not dare to act rashly.
After all, even in the Eastern Region, the Return Origin Empire was a major force. A mere Martial Valor Kingdom was nothing to them.
However, Gu Yang's expression remained cold.
“I will give you one more chance. Tell me your purpose here and everything you know about the Return Origin Empire, and perhaps I will spare your life.”
“Humph!”
Ke Lao snorted and did not respond.
Seeing this, Gu Yang's expression turned even colder, and he looked at Gu Qingfeng.
“This man is a half-step Dao Palace Realm expert from the Return Origin Empire. Unfortunately, he is too stubborn. I will leave it to Father to handle him.”
Hearing Gu Yang's words, Ke Lao finally turned to look at Gu Qingfeng, his expression uncertain.
“Are you the Martial Saint, Gu Qingfeng?”
”
This name.
Elder Ke was no stranger to it.
However, in his calculations, this cultivator should have reached the Divine Transformation Realm. If not for Gu Yang's mention, Elder Ke might have mistaken him for an ordinary person.
Thinking of this,
Elder Ke was once again startled.
Even with his current cultivation sealed, a Divine Transformation Realm cultivator shouldn't be able to hide from him. The fact that he couldn't gauge the other's strength was intriguing.
"Looks like you've heard of my existence."
Gu Qingfeng slowly approached Elder Ke, looking at him calmly.
Elder Ke remained silent.
Gu Qingfeng shook his head. "From your expression, you're not willing to speak. Very well, since you won't talk, I'll see for myself."
"You want to probe my soul!"
Elder Ke’s expression changed dramatically, then he sneered.
"You think you can probe my soul? Dream on—"
However,
Before Elder Ke could finish his sentence, a terrifying divine consciousness from Gu Qingfeng forcefully invaded his mind.
At that moment,
Elder Ke's face turned pale, his eyes filled with terror.
"Palace of Dao—"
He managed to utter only two words before his expression turned blank.
At the same time,
Gu Qingfeng's divine consciousness searched through the other's memories, quickly uncovering a wealth of information.
The only downside was that the person before him was a quasi-Palace of Dao cultivator. Although he hadn't truly opened the Palace of Dao or cultivated a Primordial Spirit, his divine consciousness was still formidable.
Moreover, having lived for thousands of years, his memories were extensive. Even for Gu Qingfeng, it was difficult to review all of them.
However,
Gu Qingfeng still obtained the information he needed.
"Guiyuan Empire!"
"Imperial Advisor!"
"Beast Taming Technique... Sage Legacy!"
Gu Qingfeng murmured to himself, his gaze now clear.
In Elder Ke's memories, the Guiyuan Empire was founded by a half-Sage over a hundred thousand years ago.
Since then,
The Guiyuan Empire's power had steadily grown.
Now,
Although the Guiyuan Empire no longer had a half-Sage, it still had several Palace of Dao cultivators. The current emperor, Han Huang, was a peak Palace of Dao Ninth Rank cultivator.
As long as he didn't meet an untimely end, he was likely to reach the half-Sage realm in the future.
At the same time,
Gu Qingfeng understood why Elder Ke and his companion had found the Nine Provinces. They used the Beast Taming Technique to control numerous beasts in the Ancient Beast Mountains, then used the information gathered by these beasts to locate the Nine Provinces.
This method indeed surprised Gu Qingfeng.
It also explained why the Nine Provinces had been plagued by beast attacks recently.
As for their purpose, it was exactly as Gu Qingfeng had guessed—they were after the Sage Legacy.
Even a top-tier empire like the Guiyuan Empire, which once had a half-Sage, placed great importance on the Sage Legacy.
Having the Sage Legacy versus not having it made a world of difference in strength.
When Gu Qingfeng withdrew his divine consciousness, Elder Ke's face was ashen, his gaze a mix of horror and mockery.
"You now know the power of the Guiyuan Empire. If you let us go, there's still room for negotiation. Otherwise, it's a dead end—"
"Bang!"
Before Elder Ke could finish, Gu Qingfeng flicked his finger, causing his head to explode, ending his life.
A Divine Transformation Realm cultivator could regenerate limbs, but not a head.
"Ke Elder!!"
Han An, in the adjacent cell, saw the headless body and could no longer suppress his terror. His face was now filled with fear as he looked at Gu Qingfeng.
"Don't kill me!"
"I am the Sixth Prince of the Guiyuan Empire. If you kill me, my father will never forgive you!"
Seeing Gu Qingfeng approach his cell without a word, Han An's fear grew.
"I'll talk!"
"I'll tell you everything, just don't kill me... don't..."
As he spoke,
A warm stream flowed from Han An's crotch, the Sixth Prince of the Guiyuan Empire utterly terrified.
"I still believe what I see."
Gu Qingfeng shook his head and then used his soul-probing technique.
Searching Han An's memories was much easier than searching Elder Ke’s, given their significant cultivation gap.
The former was only at the Divine Transformation Sixth Rank, while the latter had reached the quasi-Palace of Dao level.
Soon,
Han An's memories were almost entirely uncovered.
Just as Gu Qingfeng was about to focus on the Guiyuan Empire's cultivation techniques, a massive divine consciousness suddenly appeared.
"Who dares to probe the legacy of the Guiyuan Empire? You're courting death!"
The divine consciousness burst forth, its terrifying aura enough to crush ordinary Palace of Dao cultivators.
But Gu Qingfeng's eyes turned cold, and he countered with his own divine consciousness.
"Boom—"
The two forces collided, and the intruding divine consciousness was easily defeated.
But in the instant the divine consciousness was suppressed, Han An's head exploded, and he fell silent.
"Such a pity!"
Seeing Han An's death, Gu Qingfeng shook his head in regret.
The Guiyuan Empire, as a top-tier force, had once produced a semi-Saint Realm powerhouse. The inheritance of this force was certainly formidable, possibly even surpassing that of the Divine Sun Holy Land.
As the sixth prince of the Guiyuan Empire, Han An was very likely to possess the complete inheritance of the empire.
Unfortunately.
A powerful restriction had been placed deep within his mind by a strong cultivator. If any cultivator attempted to probe and search for his inheritance memories, this restriction would be triggered.
This restriction would either kill the intruder or, if that failed, eliminate the host to prevent the empire's inheritance from being leaked.
Recalling that vast divine consciousness, which carried the domineering aura of an emperor, Gu Qingfeng suspected it was the work of the Guiyuan Empire's Emperor Han.
A peak cultivator at the ninth level of the Dao Palace Realm.
However.
Although Emperor Han was powerful, the divine consciousness he left in Han An was just a fraction of his strength and was no match for Gu Qingfeng.
"The ninth level of the Dao Palace Realm isn't as strong as I imagined!"
Gu Qingfeng's eyes flickered, and then he returned to his usual composure.
Gu Yang, looking at Han An's dead body, asked, "Father, how did the soul search go?"
"It's about done. I had hoped to obtain the Guiyuan Empire's inheritance from this boy, but his mind has a Dao Palace restriction. Anyone attempting to probe his soul would trigger this restriction."
Gu Qingfeng said with a hint of regret.
Hearing this, Gu Yang's expression turned serious. He then turned to the jailer who had followed them and gave an order.
"Clean up these bodies!"
"Yes, sir!"
The jailer immediately complied.
---
Ancient World.
Eastern Domain.
Within the Guiyuan Empire.
On the imperial throne, a middle-aged emperor sat with a stern expression, his dark eyes deep and profound, exuding the domineering aura of a ruler.
"Hmm..."
While listening to the reports of his ministers, Emperor Han suddenly frowned, and his eyes shot out a chilling killing intent.
"Who dares to spy on the Guiyuan Empire's inheritance!"
Before he could finish speaking, an overwhelmingly domineering aura erupted, causing the entire grand hall to tremble.
All the ministers were startled, instinctively kneeling on the ground and trembling in fear under the oppressive aura.
Soon.
Emperor Han realized his outburst and reined in his aura. The ministers breathed a sigh of relief and slowly rose from the ground.
Then, an elderly minister bowed and asked, "May I ask, Your Majesty, why are you so angry?"
"The inheritance restriction on the sixth prince has been triggered!"
When these words were spoken, the ministers' faces changed again.
They understood what Emperor Han meant by the inheritance restriction. When the restriction was triggered, it meant someone had attempted to probe the prince's soul.
At this moment.
After his initial rage, Emperor Han was contemplating who could have done this.
After all, although Han An was not particularly strong, he was protected by a royal elder, Elder Ke, who had one foot in the Dao Palace Realm and was a formidable opponent.
Moreover, Han An had a life-saving trump card given to him by the royal family.
Under normal circumstances.
Even if he encountered danger, escaping should not have been a problem.
Furthermore, Han An was backed by the Guiyuan Empire, and other forces would certainly be aware of this.
Immediately.
Emperor Han had some suspicions.
At that moment.
A guard rushed in and bowed to Emperor Han, saying, "Your Majesty, Elder Ke's and the sixth prince's soul tokens have shattered!"
These words sent shockwaves through the hall.
A shattered soul token meant the person had perished.
If it had just been a royal elder, it would not have been so serious, but the death of a prince had far-reaching consequences.
However, Emperor Han did not react as expected. When he learned that someone had attempted to probe the prince's soul to steal the empire's inheritance, he had already anticipated Han An's fate.
Clearly.
The other party had completely torn off the mask of civility with the Guiyuan Empire.
"Dismissed!"
Emperor Han said coldly, immediately declaring the court session over.
The ministers dared not say anything more and bowed as they left. Only one person remained standing in place.
After everyone had left, Emperor Han looked at the person before him and said,
"Han An was sent by my command to the Ancient Beast Mountains to search for the Sage's inheritance. Now that he and Elder Ke have perished, it is likely related to the Sage's inheritance.
"Take the Divine Emperor Army to the Ancient Beast Mountains immediately. Bring back the Sage's inheritance, and find out who killed Han An.
"Anyone who dares to oppose the Guiyuan Empire will meet their end!"
As he spoke, Emperor Han's face was filled with killing intent.
He had many descendants, and the death of just one prince would not have enraged him so much.
What truly infuriated Emperor Han was the affront to the Guiyuan Empire's dignity and the possibility that this was related to the Sage's inheritance.
These two factors.
Were what Emperor Han truly valued.
Before him stood Ji Meng, a general of the Guiyuan Empire. Ji Meng’s cultivation had long reached the Seventh Level of the Dao Palace Realm, making him one of the top-tier powerhouses in the Guiyuan Empire. His command over the ten thousand Divine Emperor Army was no small feat.
Now, Emperor Han had entrusted Ji Meng with leading the Divine Emperor Army into the Ancient Beast Mountains, a clear indication of the gravity of the matter.
"Your subject understands!"
Ji Meng bowed and accepted the order.
...
Back in the imperial palace.
Gu Qingfeng relayed all the information he had gathered from the soul search to Gu Yang.
"The strength of the Guiyuan Empire is formidable, ranking among the top empires in the Eastern Domain. It was founded ten thousand years ago by a semi-Saint, and even after that semi-Saint’s demise, the empire’s power did not wane much. The current ruler of the Guiyuan Empire is a Ninth Level Dao Palace Realm powerhouse."
"As the old man said, they have soul tokens registered with the Guiyuan Empire. With the deaths of the two, the Guiyuan Empire must have been informed."
This news made Gu Yang’s expression turn serious.
The Dao Palace Realm was a realm above the Divine Transformation Realm, and a Ninth Level Dao Palace Realm was almost a step away from the Saint Realm.
Such a powerhouse.
Naturally, this put immense pressure on Gu Yang.
"What is the purpose of the Guiyuan Empire’s visit?"
Gu Yang asked, voicing his doubts.
Gu Qingfeng replied calmly, "They are here solely for the Sage Legacy."
He then continued, explaining the matters of the Divine Martial Sect and Murong Xiu. Only then did Gu Yang fully understand the Guiyuan Empire’s intentions and the challenges the Divine Martial Dynasty would face.
Excluding Gu Qingfeng and the four elders of the Gu Family Manor, the Divine Martial Dynasty had no Divine Transformation Realm powerhouses. Even with the four Ninth Level Divine Transformation Realm elders, they were still no match for a Dao Palace Realm powerhouse.
Moreover, the Guiyuan Empire had a Ninth Level Dao Palace Realm powerhouse as their anchor.
Thinking of this, Gu Yang looked at Gu Qingfeng and asked, "Father, what is your current cultivation level? If the Guiyuan Empire were to attack, how confident are you?"
"For now, consider me at the Dao Palace Realm. As long as the Sages do not intervene, there should be no major issues."
Gu Qingfeng pondered for a moment before revealing his approximate strength.
To be honest, although he was currently at the Fourth Level of the Dao Palace Realm, his foundation was far beyond what a typical Fourth Level Dao Palace Realm cultivator could match. From the restrictions in Han An’s mind, it seemed that a Ninth Level Dao Palace Realm was not as formidable as he had imagined.
Therefore, if a Ninth Level Dao Palace Realm were to face him, Gu Qingfeng had the confidence to fight.
This statement reassured Gu Yang, and his eyes filled with admiration.
If the presence of a Sage would not be an issue, then the Ninth Level Dao Palace Realm powerhouse of the Guiyuan Empire should not pose much of a threat either.
Taking a deep breath, Gu Yang said, "With your words, Father, I am relieved. Since they are here for the Sage Legacy, the two from the Guiyuan Empire are just the beginning. I will order a thorough search of all the provinces and closely monitor the Ancient Beast Mountains. If any more Eastern Domain powerhouses arrive, the court will be informed immediately."
"Also—"
"I believe White Stone Road is too small. How about I find a suitable location within the capital for the Gu Family Manor to establish its roots?"
Before Gu Qingfeng could respond, Gu Yang added with a bitter smile, "I hope Father won’t laugh, but in the current situation, the court lacks a strong anchor. If Father could stay in the capital, I believe it would prevent many troubles. Of course, if Father is unwilling, I will not force you."
Though he said this, the burning gaze in Gu Yang’s eyes made it clear that Gu Qingfeng had no choice but to agree.
However, it didn’t matter to Gu Qingfeng whether the Gu Family Manor was in White Stone Road or the capital.
"Very well, since you have asked, I will fulfill your wish."
Gu Qingfeng nodded in agreement under the expectant gaze of his son.
Upon hearing this, Gu Yang was overjoyed.
"Excellent. Father, please rest in the palace for now. I will immediately arrange for the relocation of the Gu Family Manor. There are many suitable places in the capital. Where would you like the Gu Family Manor to be located?"
"Arrange it as you see fit."
Gu Qingfeng waved his hand, showing no interest in these matters.
Gu Yang did not hesitate. First, he arranged for someone to take Gu Qingfeng to rest, then he immediately dispatched people to find a suitable location for the Gu Family Manor.
Simultaneously, in White Stone Road, Gu Yang initiated the relocation process.
The Gu Family Manor had been rooted in White Stone Road for decades, accumulating a strong foundation. Moving the entire manor would not be a simple task. However, with the support of the court, the process became much smoother.
Within ten days, the entire Gu Family Manor had been relocated to the capital.
The former Guangyang Prince's residence was completely demolished and rebuilt as the new Gu Family Manor.
This news sent shockwaves through the capital.
On the day the Gu Family Manor reopened, officials and martial factions from all over came to pay their respects. Gu Qingfeng did not personally handle these matters, leaving them to Gu Peng while he continued to meditate and study the Ancient Heavenly Saber.
(End of Chapter)
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