Chapter 272: The Emperor Corpse

Chapter 272: The Emperor Corpse

November 25, 2024

The Heavenly Demon Sanctuary!

The Life Forbidden Zone—

In the memories of the demons, Gu Qingfeng indeed found information about Gu Xiu.

After all, Gu Xiu had entered the Demon Realm through the teleportation array from this place, and the commotion he caused was hard to go unnoticed by the other demons.

From these memories, Gu Qingfeng quickly understood where the Life Forbidden Zone that Gu Xiu was in was located.

Without hesitation, Gu Qingfeng headed straight towards the direction of the Life Forbidden Zone.

---

The Desolate Land!

The dark brown soil seemed to be stained with countless blood, eventually transforming over time.

In a cave mansion, Gu Xiu leaned against the wall, his face pale, and his life force was extremely weak, like a candle in the wind, on the verge of extinction at any moment.

"Gu Xiaozi, are you alright?"

Inside the ring, the voice of the Grand Sage of the Imperial Realm also sounded a little heavy.

Upon hearing this, Gu Xiu's eyelids twitched slightly, and a bitter smile appeared on his face.

"I'm fine for now, and I won't die just yet. But as for the promise I made to help you reincarnate, I'm afraid I won't be able to keep my word!"

"Gu Xiaozi..."

The Grand Sage of the Imperial Realm wanted to say something but stopped.

Gu Xiu looked beyond the cave mansion, and the dim sky seemed to be filled with ferocious beasts that preyed on people. However, his thoughts drifted involuntarily to the Nine Provinces.

"If I die here, my father will probably never know. It's just a pity that I won't be able to see him one last time before I die."

Gu Xiu didn't regret his current situation, but he felt a little regretful.

In the end, he had overestimated his strength and underestimated the demons' methods.

He had forcibly intruded into the ancient secret realm, seizing the opportunity within, which angered the demons. Many powerful beings joined forces to suppress him, and he had no choice but to flee to the Life Forbidden Zone to temporarily preserve his life.

However, the Life Forbidden Zone was perilous.

As the place where the Emperor fell, it was not only filled with curses but also had many bizarre occurrences.

The creatures that had entered the Life Forbidden Zone in the past had perished here, contaminated by the power of this place, and eventually transformed into bizarre wandering spirits. This made it extremely difficult for those who entered the Life Forbidden Zone later to leave alive.

As soon as Gu Xiu entered, he was attacked by curses and heavily injured by the bizarre power. If it weren't for the Grand Sage of the Imperial Realm unleashing his power at the critical moment, Gu Xiu would have perished long ago.

Later, Gu Xiu, despite his injuries, managed to find this cave mansion, which temporarily shielded him from the bizarre power.

According to the Grand Sage of the Imperial Realm, this cave mansion was left behind by a once-powerful being, and the lingering Eternal Dao Aura could barely serve its purpose.

Unfortunately, these were only temporary measures.

Gu Xiu bore the curse of the Life Forbidden Zone on his body, and with his strength, he had no way to dispel the curse.

As his life force gradually diminished, Gu Xiu felt that he couldn't hold on for much longer.

"Gu Xiaozi, I will burn the last of my divine soul power to help you leave the Life Forbidden Zone, but I cannot guarantee success!"

At this moment, the Grand Sage of the Imperial Realm made a decision, and his tone was filled with determination.

If he were in his prime, he would have been confident in bringing Gu Xiu out of the Life Forbidden Zone.

After all, although this was the place where the Great Emperor fell, as long as one didn't venture too deep into the Life Forbidden Zone, a Great Sage's cultivation would give them a good chance of escaping.

Of course, if one were to truly delve deep into the Life Forbidden Zone, not even a Sage King or a Quasi-Emperor would have the confidence to come out alive.

However, the Grand Sage of the Imperial Realm was not in his prime state now. He had only a single strand of remnant soul left, and he had already expended a significant amount of power to rescue Gu Xiu.

At this point, the Grand Sage of the Imperial Realm was making a final attempt.

But with things having come to this, the Grand Sage of the Imperial Realm couldn't just let Gu Xiu perish here.

Gu Xiu's talent was the greatest among all his disciples.

As long as Gu Xiu survived, there was a good chance that he would one day reach the Sage King or even the Quasi-Emperor Realm, and he might even go further, touching upon the rumored Emperor Realm.

Therefore, the Grand Sage of the Imperial Realm did not want Gu Xiu to die here.

"Master..."

Gu Xiu gave a bitter smile.

"Even if I leave the Life Forbidden Zone, what good will it do? Without a way to dispel the curse, I will still inevitably die!"

Upon hearing this, the Grand Sage of the Imperial Realm fell silent.

He knew that Gu Xiu was right.

The biggest problem Gu Xiu faced now was the curse of the Life Forbidden Zone on his body.

If the curse couldn't be resolved, even if Gu Xiu left the Life Forbidden Zone, he would still have no chance of survival.

"Sigh... It's my fault for leading you astray. If I hadn't let you return to the Imperial Holy Land, you probably wouldn't have ended up in this situation."

The Grand Sage of the Imperial Realm sighed, his voice filled with regret.

Everything stemmed from the Imperial Holy Land.

Gu Xiu shook his head slightly, his expression weak, "This was my own decision, and it has nothing to do with Master. Moreover, if it weren't for Master's protection, I would have perished long ago, and I wouldn't have been able to hold on until now."

"It's just a pity..."

"This time, I won't be able to return to the Nine Provinces after my death!"

This was Gu Xiu's only regret—not being able to see his parents one last time before his death.

However, as his life force continued to ebb away, Gu Xiu's vision became increasingly blurred.

Just then, in the silent and lifeless Life Forbidden Zone, a thunderous roar suddenly reverberated, and purple divine thunderbolts rained down from the sky, tearing the entire Life Forbidden Zone apart with their terrifying power.

The overwhelming power startled Gu Xiu, and his blurred vision refocused on a figure in a blue robe, bathed in the thunder.

"Father... Father... It seems I'm truly going to die, as I'm already hallucinating!"

Gu Xiu forced a bitter smile.

What was he thinking about?

This was the Demon Realm, and there was no way his father could be here.

Moreover, this was the Life Forbidden Zone, a place where even Holy Persons struggled to survive. Although his father was powerful, it was impossible for him to possess such an awe-inspiring presence like the one before him.

With this thought, Gu Xiu's voice grew weaker, and the divine light in his eyes gradually dimmed.

"This is good too... Even if it's an illusion, to see my father one last time before I die, I can consider my wish... fulfilled..."

Gu Xiu's voice became softer and softer, and by the end, it was barely audible.

However, the Grand Sage of the Imperial Realm was in a state of extreme excitement.

"This is not an illusion! Your father has truly come!!!"

The Grand Sage's emotions were like a rollercoaster, rising and falling rapidly. Through the ring, he could clearly see the scene outside.

Although he, too, found it hard to believe that Gu Qingfeng, a mere Dao Palace Realm cultivator, could possess such a terrifying might.

But—

This scene was unfolding right before his eyes, and the Grand Sage had no choice but to believe it.

At this moment, divine thunder rained down from the heavens, as if the Wrath of Heaven was purging all the strange and evil spirits in the world.

Gu Qingfeng descended from the void, resembling one of the Nine Heavens Deities.

In that instant, the Life Forbidden Zone trembled.

Numerous ancient beings awakened, and in the next breath, the void shattered. A dark greenish-black palm pierced through the void and reached towards Gu Qingfeng.

This seemingly simple strike contained the terrifying aura of the Great Dao's annihilation, as if the entire universe was sealed, making escape impossible.

"Break for me!"

Gu Qingfeng's expression turned cold, and he unleashed all his vital energy. The Divine Sky Thunder struck down fiercely, and the robust thunderbolts emitted the supreme power of ultimate Yang and rigidity, causing the palm to shatter.

Then, he summoned the Divine Emperor Cauldron, and its mighty power suppressed the starry sky, eradicating all the strange phenomena.

Boom!

Boom!

At this moment, Gu Qingfeng held nothing back, pushing both the Divine Sky Thunder and the Divine Emperor Cauldron to their limits.

This incredible and awe-inspiring power caused more than half of the Life Forbidden Zone to tremble.

Even beyond the Life Forbidden Zone, many ancient and powerful beings from the Demon Realm turned their gazes towards this place.

"Hiss! What terrifying thunder power! What has happened in the Life Forbidden Zone?"

"Inconceivable—"

The ancient and powerful beings from the Demon Realm were all shaken by the terrifying thunder power, and the scattered thunder light carried a scent of destruction.

If this power were to fall upon them, there was no doubt that they would be completely incapacitated.

Additionally, the Life Forbidden Zone's ominous reputation deterred them from daring to venture too deep, despite their curiosity.

Meanwhile, as Gu Qingfeng's slaughter intensified, the entire Life Forbidden Zone gradually boiled with activity, and from the depths, an ancient aura seemed to emerge.

Ancient!

Rampant!

The Great Dao of Heaven and Earth trembled violently, as if some terrifying being was gradually awakening.

Witnessing this, Gu Qingfeng's brows furrowed, and he took a step into the air, landing in the cave mansion. Looking at the dying Gu Xiu, he wasted no time, grabbing him and heading out of the Life Forbidden Zone.

Just as Gu Qingfeng was leaving the Life Forbidden Zone, a furious roar echoed.

"Roar!!!"

The terrifying sound resonated in Gu Qingfeng's mind, causing his sea of consciousness to tremble violently, and his Dao Palace's essence spirit trembled slightly, as if wounded.

"Thunder Strike!!"

Gu Qingfeng's expression remained unchanged. He grabbed Gu Xiu's shoulder with his left hand and made a hand seal with his right, letting out a loud shout that seemed to pierce through heaven and earth. In the next breath, an extremely thick purple divine thunder descended from the Nine Heavens.

"Boom—"

The terrifying thunder pierced through the heavens and the void, annihilating all life, and struck straight towards the depths of the Life Forbidden Zone.

In the next instant, a bizarre and terrifying figure appeared from the depths of life. As the thunderous light rained down, Gu Qingfeng caught a glimpse of the figure's true appearance.

The Emperor Robe was tattered!

Green Face with Fangs!

His entire body was dark greenish-black, and his eyes were crimson and ferocious, unlike any ordinary person.

With a squeeze of his right hand, the heaven-destroying divine thunder disintegrated, and at that moment, Gu Qingfeng left the Life Forbidden Zone.

...

"Huff!"

As Gu Qingfeng left the Life Forbidden Zone, the sense of impending danger that had been lingering in his mind finally dissipated.

Recalling the scene he had just witnessed, his expression grew even more solemn.

"An Emperor Corpse?"

Gu Qingfeng muttered.

That figure didn't resemble a living person, but the aura it emanated was so shocking that it left him in awe.

Even the former Xuan Yu Great Sage would have been insignificant before this being.

This indicated that the strength of such an existence was undoubtedly terrifying.

However, the Life Forbidden Zone itself was the Emperor's Fall Land.

Now, deep within the Life Forbidden Zone, the presence of such a terrifying and bizarre corpse made it hard not to think of an Emperor Corpse.

An Emperor Corpse was, naturally, the corpse of a Great Emperor.

At this moment, Gu Qingfeng seemed to understand what a Great Emperor was and how vast the gap was between himself and such an existence.

He could conclude that if they were to fight head-on, even if he used all his trump cards, it would be difficult to last even one round with his current strength.

Fortunately,

This Emperor Corpse seemed to have just awakened and hadn't had time to make a move. Otherwise, Gu Qingfeng suspected he would have been defeated here.

After leaving the Life Forbidden Zone, Gu Qingfeng's body transformed into a rainbow light and disappeared into the void in an instant.

A moment later, in a desolate mountain range, Gu Qingfeng waved his sleeve, directly creating a cave mansion. He then turned his gaze towards Gu Xiu.

He could sense that Gu Xiu's life force was fading, and a layer of invisible, eerie black mist was swirling within his vital energy, constantly eroding his flesh and blood.

This was the root cause of Gu Xiu's increasing weakness.

"So this is a curse?"

Gu Qingfeng's eyebrows rose slightly, recalling the words from the information panel, and instantly understood what it was.

Without hesitation, Gu Qingfeng infused his vital energy into Gu Xiu's body. The moment the ultimate yang and rigid force touched the black mist, a piercing shriek echoed through the silent cave.

Then, the black mist slowly dissipated from Gu Xiu's body.

After a long while, the black mist dispersed, and Gu Xiu's breathing became much calmer.

Immediately, Gu Qingfeng took out the Divine Blood Pill and directly fed it to Gu Xiu, who instinctively swallowed it.

As the pill entered his stomach, energy surged within him.

Gu Xiu's complexion visibly improved, turning rosy.

Seeing this, Gu Qingfeng relaxed, and then sat down in a cross-legged meditation position beside him, silently recovering his own strength.

The battle in the Life Forbidden Zone had taken a toll on him, and helping Gu Xiu expel the eerie black mist had further increased his exhaustion.

It was only now that Gu Qingfeng had the opportunity to recover.

...

For three consecutive days, Gu Xiu remained in deep sleep.

Gu Qingfeng opened his eyes and looked at the still-sleeping Gu Xiu, suddenly letting out a cold snort.

"Still not awake? How long do you plan to sleep?"

Hearing this, Gu Xiu's body trembled, and his tightly closed eyes opened. The next moment, he hurriedly got up, his face filled with reverence.

"Father!"

He lowered his head, like a child who had done something wrong.

Gu Qingfeng coldly snorted, "Do you still remember that you have a father?"

"I... I'm sorry, Father. I shouldn't have ventured into the Demon Realm alone and entered the Life Forbidden Zone without considering you or Mother."

Gu Xiu's lips moved, but in the end, he could only lower his head and admit his mistake.

Gu Qingfeng spoke in a cold voice, "I'll ask you, when you encountered trouble in the Southern Domain, why didn't you return to the Gu family?"

"I... I offended many powerful forces, and I didn't want to cause trouble for the family!" Gu Xiu replied truthfully.

"Cause trouble?" Gu Qingfeng scoffed.

"I don't see how you've given me any peace of mind. If I had arrived a day later, you would have perished in the Life Forbidden Zone!"

"I'm sorry, Father!" Gu Xiu repeated his previous apology, making no attempt to argue.

Looking at Gu Xiu, who was almost thirty years old and had a repentant expression on his face, Gu Qingfeng was about to continue scolding him, but in the end, he sighed.

"I'll ask you, why did you enter the Life Forbidden Zone?"

Sensing that Gu Qingfeng's tone had softened, Gu Xiu dared to raise his head.

"Not long ago, I entered an ancient secret realm and obtained the Phoenix Essence Blood. This enraged the Demon Realm, and they wanted to join forces to exterminate me. I had no choice but to flee into the Life Forbidden Zone!"

"Phoenix Essence Blood?" Gu Qingfeng's expression changed slightly upon hearing this.

At that moment, Gu Xiu took out a jade box from his storage ring.

"This is the Phoenix Essence Blood!"

"Unfortunately, my cultivation is too weak to refine the power of this essence blood. Now, I can offer it to you as a filial son!"

As he spoke, a flattering smile appeared on Gu Xiu's face.

Hearing this, Gu Qingfeng fell silent for a moment.

Even through the jade box's restrictions, he could sense the terrifying power contained within.

Just from this, he could tell the strength of the Phoenix Essence Blood.

After a while, Gu Qingfeng put the jade box into his Tianyun Ring and said, "The Phoenix Essence Blood is of no use to me, but your second brother unexpectedly obtained the Incomplete Heavenly Phoenix Divine Body, and he needs the Phoenix Essence Blood. So, I'll take it for now."

As he finished speaking, Gu Qingfeng's thoughts moved, and an ancient cauldron suddenly appeared.

"This is the Cloud Thunder Cauldron, a Sacred Weapon-grade artifact. You can keep it for your protection!"

As he spoke, Gu Qingfeng severed his connection with the Cloud Thunder Cauldron and casually tossed this priceless treasure to Gu Xiu.

"A Sacred Weapon!!!"

Gu Xiu stared at the Cloud Thunder Cauldron before him, his expression filled with shock.

He was well aware of the value of a Sacred Weapon.

Gu Xiu never imagined that one day, a Sacred Weapon would be casually thrown in front of him.

For a moment, Gu Xiu's face was filled with emotion. "Father..."

"Enough with the nonsense," Gu Qingfeng interrupted him. "I'll ask you, which faction led the Demon Realm's pursuit of you?"

Gu Xiu was slightly taken aback by the question but still answered truthfully.

"Most of the powerful demons chasing me were from the Heavenly Demon Sanctuary."

"How much do you know about the Heavenly Demon Sanctuary?"

"The Heavenly Demon Sanctuary was established 200,000 years ago. It is said that 80,000 years ago, a great demon emerged from the Heavenly Demon Sanctuary, rivaling the Great Sage. This pushed their strength to its peak.

However, after that great demon returned to the void, although the Heavenly Demon Sanctuary continued to produce many Sage Demon Lords, they never produced a second great demon.

Currently, within the Heavenly Demon Sanctuary..."

Gu Xiu was about to reveal all the intelligence he had on the Heavenly Demon Sanctuary, but before he could finish, Gu Qingfeng interrupted him again.

"Let's go!"

"Where are we going?" Gu Xiu was momentarily caught off guard.

Gu Qingfeng replied indifferently, "Naturally, we're going to the Heavenly Demon Sanctuary!"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end