Chapter 253: How Can People of the Gu Family Be Subjected to Insults!

Chapter 253: How Can People of the Gu Family Be Subjected to Insults!

2024-11-06 Author: Ri Yue Qi Tian

"Congratulations, Lord Zhuang, on your great achievement in the divine art!"

The moment he saw Gu Qingfeng, Gu Peng bowed deeply, his face beaming with smiles and words of flattery.

Gu Peng had also witnessed the scene of the Dao Intent Shining in the Sky.

It was clear that Gu Qingfeng's strength had made another breakthrough.

Their Lord Zhuang had once been able to suppress the divine consciousness of a Sage. Now, with another breakthrough in cultivation, Gu Peng had no idea how powerful he had become.

But one thing was certain.

Gu Peng understood that the stronger Gu Qingfeng became, the more stable Gu Family Manor would be.

Having spent decades at Gu Family Manor, although Gu Peng did not share the Gu family bloodline, he had thoroughly integrated himself into the Gu family.

Therefore, Gu Peng naturally hoped for the prosperity and growth of Gu Family Manor.

"Your cultivation hasn't advanced much in these years. Have you been slacking off?"

Gu Qingfeng raised an eyebrow as he looked at Gu Peng, seeing through everything about him.

Hearing this, Gu Peng smiled bitterly. "My talent is mediocre. If it weren't for the opportunities granted by Lord Zhuang, I might not have even broken through to the Grandmaster realm. Being able to reach the peak of the Grandmaster realm is already a stroke of luck for me.

As for advancing further, it seems unlikely."

Gu Peng was well aware of his situation. His talent was quite average, and he had only managed to break through to the Grandmaster realm due to the consumption of elixirs.

Now, despite being at the peak of the Grandmaster realm for many years, he had yet to break through to the Divine Transformation realm, precisely because of this.

Without a significant opportunity, he would likely remain at this level for the rest of his life.

But to be honest, Gu Peng was already quite satisfied with his current state.

After all, with the complete cultivation system, a Grandmaster realm cultivator could live for four thousand years.

This was something Gu Peng had never dared to imagine.

Four thousand years of life.

For a mortal, this was equivalent to immortality.

Of course, if he could advance further to the Divine Transformation realm, he would have a lifespan of five thousand years.

But for now, Gu Peng did not dare to think about that.

After all, four thousand years was already an incredibly long time.

Gu Peng was still less than a hundred years old.

Seeing this person who had been by his side for many years, Gu Qingfeng shook his head slightly and then flicked his finger, sending a drop of his blood into Gu Peng's body.

"This is a drop of my blood. You can slowly refine it yourself. I believe it will not be a problem for you to break through to the Divine Transformation realm."

Gu Peng's expression changed, and he immediately bowed deeply.

"Thank you, Lord Zhuang!!!"

The drop of blood entered his body and was sealed by Gu Qingfeng's special technique. Even so, Gu Peng could still feel the terrifying power it contained.

If he could gradually consume the power of this drop of blood, breaking through to the Divine Transformation realm would certainly not be a problem.

Seeing this, Gu Qingfeng did not say much more.

This method of helping someone break through was somewhat akin to pulling up seedlings to help them grow, which could easily lead to an unstable foundation, making future breakthroughs more difficult.

But in Gu Qingfeng's view, these potential issues were irrelevant to Gu Peng.

After all, given his talent, even if nothing unexpected happened, it would be very difficult for him to break through to the Divine Transformation realm in the next few thousand years.

This level of breakthrough was not something that could be achieved simply by waiting.

Otherwise, with the long lifespan of Grandmaster realm cultivators, the Ancient Realm should be filled with Divine Transformation realm cultivators.

In fact, this level of breakthrough also required talent and opportunity.

Therefore, since Gu Peng had no hope of breaking through to the Divine Transformation realm on his own, this opportunity for a breakthrough was certainly not a bad thing.

The only regret was that Gu Yang's breakthrough this time did not trigger the Divine Transformation Ascension Pill. Otherwise, he could have directly advanced Gu Peng to the peak of the Divine Transformation realm, and there would be no need to worry about the stability of his foundation.

Afterward, once Gu Peng left, Gu Qingfeng went to the back mountain of Gu Family Manor and released the three thousand death soldiers he had recently obtained.

These three thousand people were all sixteen-year-old boys and girls.

Gu Qingfeng did not have any special plans for these three thousand people. After granting them the status of secret guards, he allowed them to act freely.

Those who wished to stay at Gu Family Manor to cultivate could stay, and those who did not could go anywhere to seek their own opportunities.

However, before this, Gu Qingfeng had also imparted a cultivation technique that directly pointed to the Dao Palace realm to all of them.

Having a cultivation technique was ultimately a good thing.

Watching the people disperse, Gu Qingfeng mused, "I wonder how many of these people will reach the Dao Palace realm, and how many will become Sages in the future!"

Three thousand people, three thousand hopes.

However, it was inevitable that some of these people would not make it to the end.

The Ancient Realm was perilous, filled with all sorts of unexpected dangers. Even cultivators at the Dao Palace realm could stumble, let alone ordinary people.

But these were matters beyond Gu Qingfeng's control. He had done what he could, and the rest would depend on their own fortune.

...

Half a day later.

A messenger from the imperial court arrived.

Gu Yi respectfully said to Gu Qingfeng, "I pay my respects to Lord Zhuang. His Majesty wishes to invite Lord Zhuang to the imperial palace for important matters to discuss!"

"Very well."

Gu Qingfeng also wanted to see Gu Yang. After all, Gu Yang had recently broken through to the Divine Transformation realm, and they had not yet met. Additionally, he wanted to see the two granddaughters.

Although Gu Sheng'an and Gu Shengxing were not at Gu Family Manor, they had their own residences in the capital. However, because the two granddaughters were too young, they stayed in the imperial palace.

They say that grandparents are especially affectionate, and Gu Qingfeng was quite fond of the two granddaughters.

It was all in order.

Gu Qingfeng entered the imperial palace and, guided by a eunuch, arrived at the imperial study.

"Father, I greet you!"

Gu Yang had been waiting for a long time.

Gu Qingfeng glanced at him and nodded, "Not bad. Your blood and qi are abundant, and your foundation is solid. It seems your breakthrough to the Divine Transformation realm has been well-grounded."

"Thanks to Father's guidance, otherwise, how could I have broken through so easily!"

Gu Yang shook his head with a bitter smile.

"Compared to Father, my cultivation is nothing."

He was not lying. Over the years, Gu Yang had frequently sought advice from Gu Qingfeng on cultivation matters, which was why he had been able to break through to the Divine Transformation realm so quickly.

Without Gu Qingfeng's guidance, Gu Yang would not have broken through so fast.

After all, Gu Yang had only reached the peak of the Grandmaster realm a few years ago.

Breaking through within a few years was not something anyone could do.

If one entered certain ancient secret realms and obtained resources and legacies, rapid advancement would be normal. But Gu Yang had stayed in the imperial palace, where normal cultivation resources were not lacking, yet breaking through was still not that easy.

In the Ancient Realm, there were no shortage of so-called prodigies and geniuses. These beings often spent a decade or more at the peak of the Grandmaster realm before finally breaking through.

Therefore, the Divine Transformation realm was a significant milestone.

Only cultivators who reached this level could be considered true powerhouses in the Ancient Realm.

Gu Yang's rapid breakthrough within a short time, with a solid foundation, was a testament to his exceptional talent.

At this moment, Gu Yang could not help but ask, "May I ask, Father, have you already achieved sainthood?"

"Achieved sainthood?"

Gu Qingfeng shook his head.

"Sainthood cannot be achieved in this era!"

"Cannot achieve sainthood?"

Gu Yang's face showed surprise.

Gu Qingfeng explained, "When you truly reach the peak of the Dao Palace realm, you will understand. In this Dharma-ending era, the laws of heaven and earth suppress the possibility of achieving sainthood. Otherwise, the Ancient Realm would not be devoid of sages."

"If I must say, I am currently considered a half-saint."

"However—"

"Even though I have not achieved sainthood, I am confident that suppressing ordinary sages would not be a problem."

Gu Qingfeng smiled confidently.

If at the eighth level of the Dao Palace realm, Gu Qingfeng had not been confident in facing a great sage, now that he had reached the ninth level and the peak of the half-saint realm, even if a great sage appeared, he would have the confidence to stand his ground.

Half-saint!

Gu Yang was taken aback, then he understood.

He had heard about why sages were absent in this Dharma-ending era, but he had not delved deeply into the specifics. Now, hearing Gu Qingfeng's words, Gu Yang finally understood why no sages had emerged in this era.

Subsequently, Gu Yang took a deep breath and said with a serious expression, "This time, I have invited Father here because the secret guards have gathered information on the whereabouts of the third brother."

"Oh?"

Gu Qingfeng's expression changed.

Gu Xiu?

He glanced at his attribute panel. Gu Xiu was still in the demon realm, suffering through hardships. He did not know when the secret guards had extended their reach to the demon realm.

Although there were secret guards trapped in the demon realm, they had yet to return, and it was impossible for them to transmit messages across realms using a communication jade pendant.

"This is the intelligence gathered by the secret guards. Please review it, Father."

Gu Yang handed over the prepared information to Gu Qingfeng, who read it for a moment before his expression turned grave.

"Third Brother has now entered the ancient transmission array and is out of contact. Additionally, the remnant soul of the Great Sage Huangji may pose a threat to Third Brother, but these matters can only be confirmed once we find Third Brother."

"However, with various forces in the Southern Domain participating in the hunt for Third Brother, the Divine Martial Dynasty cannot just stand by and do nothing!"

"But because this matter involves many parties, I did not dare to make a decision on my own. Therefore, I had to wait for Father to emerge from seclusion before making a decision!"

Seeing Gu Qingfeng’s slightly stern expression, Gu Yang spoke.

If he were alone, he would have already launched an attack on the Southern Domain, making those top forces of the Southern Domain suffer, even if he couldn’t defeat them.

But.

Gu Yang was not alone; he had the Divine Martial Dynasty behind him, with billions of subjects across the Nine Provinces.

In such a situation, Gu Yang did not dare to act rashly. As soon as he learned that Gu Qingfeng had emerged from seclusion, he immediately invited him to discuss the matter.

After a moment,

Gu Qingfeng put down the information in his hands and said calmly, "You don’t need to worry about the remnant soul of the Great Sage Huangji. This person will not harm Xiu’er; on the contrary, it will be an opportunity for Xiu’er."

Hearing this,

Gu Yang’s expression relaxed.

As long as the remnant soul of the Great Sage Huangji was not a threat, everything would be fine.

Gu Yang had no doubt about Gu Qingfeng’s words. He knew that if his father said this, he must have a good reason.

"However—"

"Those forces in the Southern Domain that participated in the hunt for Xiu’er cannot be left unpunished. How can people of the Gu family be subjected to insults!"

By the end of his statement, a cold light flickered in Gu Qingfeng’s eyes.

If it were a fair fight, he would have nothing to say.

But.

The forces of the Southern Domain, such as the Ancient Sanctuary, went so far as to send Dao Palace realm experts to deal with Gu Xiu. If it weren’t for the Great Sage Huangji’s secret assistance, Gu Xiu would have been long dead.

As a father, how could Gu Qingfeng remain indifferent?

He had held back before because he didn’t know where Gu Xiu was, but now that he knew the Southern Domain forces were the culprits, Gu Qingfeng could not stay idle.

Gu Yang said, "What does Father plan to do? If you need to launch an attack on the Southern Domain, the Divine Martial Dynasty will spare no effort!"

"I will handle the Southern Domain. The Divine Martial Dynasty’s foundation is still too weak. A full-scale attack on the Southern Domain would not yield significant results. Additionally, if we suffer any losses, it will take even longer to ascend to an Imperial Dynasty."

"Moreover, the realm has just been stabilized. Rashly starting a war could easily cause unrest among the people."

Gu Qingfeng shook his head in refusal.

He could sense that the Divine Martial Dynasty’s fortune was changing. If nothing went wrong, with a bit more time, ascending to an Imperial Dynasty would be a certainty.

The significance of a dynasty’s ascension was immense.

If a dynasty could ascend to an Imperial Dynasty, it could gather a vast amount of fortune.

A force with abundant fortune would bestow blessings upon its people, making cultivation and nurturing talents much easier than for ordinary forces.

This was another reason why many cultivators vied to join powerful forces.

However,

The fortune of a sect could not compare to that of a dynasty.

But similarly,

Consolidating a dynasty’s fortune was not easy.

With a large population, any natural disaster or human calamity could cause unrest and disrupt the fortune.

In short,

Managing a dynasty was far more challenging than managing a sect or sanctuary.

Of course, there was another factor: not all forces could gather fortune. To establish a dynasty or an Imperial Dynasty, one must have the means to gather the fortune of the people.

For example, the Immortal Court that Gu Yang had obtained earlier was such a method.

Therefore,

Seeing that the Divine Martial Dynasty was about to ascend to an Imperial Dynasty, Gu Qingfeng naturally would not let Gu Yang risk losing fortune.

He had a premonition.

If the Divine Martial Dynasty ascended to an Imperial Dynasty, he might receive a reward from the attribute panel.

Furthermore,

The Divine Martial Dynasty was still too weak.

There were only a few Divine Transformation realm experts, and no Dao Palace realm cultivators besides Gu Qingfeng himself.

With such a foundation, even if they were to launch an attack on the Southern Domain, it would only result in unnecessary casualties.

Just then,

With his recent breakthrough in cultivation, Gu Qingfeng wanted to test his new strength. He wanted to see how much his power had changed after advancing to the half-saint realm.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end