Chapter 316: The Capital of Great Zhou

Chapter 316: The Capital of Great Zhou

January 10th, 2025

"This debate on the Dao has been immensely beneficial for me!" Gu Qingfeng said with a faint smile.

Debating with a Sage King.

Many of his previous cultivation doubts and confusions had now been directly dispelled.

It was evident.

Although this debate hadn't lasted long,

it had saved Gu Qingfeng years of seclusion and arduous cultivation.

Therefore,

Gu Qingfeng was in high spirits.

Although the debate hadn't led to a breakthrough in his cultivation or significant improvement in his strength,

the gains from this experience would gradually be digested and truly bear fruit over time.

"It's about time, I'll take my leave and make preparations!" Luo Yang stood up and bid farewell.

Seeing this, Gu Qingfeng didn't try to stop him.

After Luo Yang left, Gu Qingfeng finally turned his gaze to Qin Qingran, who was standing nearby.

She was still in a state of enlightenment,

surrounded by a gathering of heavenly and earthly spiritual energy, which passively refined her, causing her vital energy to tremble and her cultivation to slowly and unknowingly advance.

Witnessing this,

Gu Qingfeng's thoughts stirred, and instantly, a large amount of heavenly and earthly spiritual energy was seized by an invisible palm, providing the necessary energy for Qin Qingran's breakthrough.

"Boom!"

A moment later,

Qin Qingran's aura shook, and her cultivation broke through, reaching the fourth level of the Divine Transformation Realm.

Opening her eyes,

Qin Qingran took in the scene before her, and then her gaze fell upon Gu Qingfeng by her side. Her face slightly flushed as she spoke, "Thank you, Senior, for protecting the Dao!"

Even though Qin Qingran was in a state of enlightenment, it didn't mean she was oblivious to the outside world.

On the contrary,

she was well aware of what was happening around her.

Originally, her breakthrough hadn't been an easy task.

But with Gu Qingfeng seizing a portion of the heavenly and earthly spiritual energy, her breakthrough had finally succeeded.

However,

for Qin Qingran,

the greatest gain from this enlightenment wasn't her cultivation breakthrough but the progress in her Divine Ability.

The true intent that had been difficult to grasp in the past was now gradually taking shape as a domain.

This breakthrough in the realm of true intent was far more valuable than an advancement in cultivation.

"The time is right," Gu Qingfeng glanced at her and said indifferently, "You've just broken through, so stay here to solidify your foundation. With your strength, there's no need for you to participate in the battle in Ancient Moon Province."

Hearing this, Qin Qingran's cheeks turned slightly red, and she felt a sweet sensation in her heart for some unknown reason.

Gu Qingfeng looked at Qin Qingran, who was bowing her head, and was momentarily speechless.

However,

he didn't pay it much mind and immediately returned to his seclusion.

This lecture had given Gu Qingfeng some insights, and with time on his hands, he intended to slowly digest them.

The next day,

Gu Qingfeng emerged from seclusion and appeared directly in the grand hall of Qin Imperial City.

At that moment,

Luo Yang and the other Saint King-level ancestors from various factions had gathered there.

Upon seeing Gu Qingfeng's arrival, Qin Xiongdao spoke up, "Since everyone is here, let's set off!"

Hearing this,

the others didn't object.

Then,

led by Qin Xiongdao, the group of powerful cultivators flew through the air and landed on the walls of Qin Imperial City.

At the same time,

within Qin Imperial City,

cultivators from various factions had already gathered.

These factions all hailed from the Central Domain.

However, the target of this campaign was the Deceptive Heaven Emperor, a malevolent being who had destroyed an entire province and was known as the 'Deceptive Heaven Emperor'.

Therefore,

the participating cultivators were all at least at the Divine Transformation Realm.

Those below this level didn't have the qualifications to join this battle.

To put it bluntly,

even Great Masters

weren't qualified to be cannon fodder.

When Qin Xiongdao and the others arrived, the previously chaotic scene suddenly quieted down.

Everyone's gaze turned to the five figures in the air, their faces filled with reverence.

"Qin Family's ancestor, Qin Xiongdao, is rumored to have reached the Sage King level!"

"That's Luo Yang, the ancestor of Red Dust Immortal Sect, also a powerful Sage King!"

The identities of these ancient and powerful cultivators were recognized by the experts from various factions.

Although these cultivators didn't belong to this era, news of their awakening had already spread far and wide.

Therefore,

when they saw Qin Xiongdao and the others in person, the cultivators could identify them at a glance.

However,

most people's attention was focused on Gu Qingfeng.

This was simply because he was incredibly captivating.

Among the five, four were ancient Sage Kings, while Gu Qingfeng stood out as the youngest, devoid of the decline aura typical of ancient powerful cultivators.

It should be known that for cultivators, youth is not solely determined by appearance, but rather by their physical age and aura.

After all, for many cultivators, they can maintain their youthful appearance even after a thousand years.

However, some cultivators do not wish to retain their youthful looks, and by the time they reach a hundred years old, they appear aged and frail.

Therefore, judging a cultivator's age solely based on their appearance is not advisable.

To accurately determine a cultivator's age, one should either examine their bone age or sense the aura of decline emanating from their body.

Once a cultivator reaches a certain age, even if their face remains youthful, the aura of decay and corruption surrounding them is impossible to hide.

Gu Qingfeng's bone age was barely a hundred years old, and he did not possess any aura of decline.

At such a young age, standing alongside four ancient Sage Kings, it would be difficult to go unnoticed.

"This person is Gu Qingfeng from the Divine Might Dynasty!"

"I've heard that even though he's only a Demi-Sage, his strength is comparable to the Sage King Realm, and now it seems the rumors are true!"

"Not only is he on par with Sage Kings, but when he arrived in Qin Imperial City, he even attracted the Emperor Phantom, and the Ancient Qin Clan considers him the future Great Emperor!"

"The future Great Emperor..."

Many who recognized Gu Qingfeng's identity couldn't help but gasp in awe.

At the same time, their faces showed a hint of reverence.

Although many powerful cultivators in the Central Domain had never witnessed Gu Qingfeng's abilities, the fact that he could stand alongside four Sage Kings spoke volumes.

No one would dare question Gu Qingfeng's strength.

It would be foolish for anyone to openly challenge and provoke him, claiming that he was unworthy of standing alongside the four Sage Kings.

After all, how many fools are there among those who have cultivated to the Divine Transformation Realm or higher?

Even if there are some with simple-minded thoughts, they wouldn't dare provoke a top-tier expert in such a setting.

Doing so would only bring trouble and no benefits.

Without any conflict of interest, there's no need to offend him.

If one were to voice doubts, it would not only be an insult to Gu Qingfeng but also to the other Sage Kings and the four Great Emperor's forces.

As various cultivators had different thoughts running through their minds, Qin Xiongdao spoke in a deep voice.

"In Ancient Moon Province, a maleficent force has emerged, causing the Great Zhou Empire to collapse, resulting in the demise of countless lives. The entire province has transformed into a land of ghosts."

"As humans, it is our duty to eradicate this evil.

"In this battle, we must slay the Deceptive Heaven Emperor, purge the world, and restore order to the universe!"

Qin Xiongdao paused for a moment, then waved his hand.

"Let's go!"

With that, Qin Xiongdao took a step and tore through the void, disappearing from sight.

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Immediately after, Gu Qingfeng and the others tore through the space in front of them and quickly vanished into it.

As the five of them took action, other cultivators from various factions also flew through the air, heading towards Ancient Moon Province.

Some even summoned precious artifacts to carry their fellow cultivators from their own factions.

This was done to conserve the energy of most cultivators.

Although flying through the air didn't consume much energy, it still weakened their strength indirectly.

Even if this weakening was not apparent, in life-and-death battles, victory and defeat could be decided in an instant.

Preserving every bit of strength increased the chances of success.

---

On the other side, the space shattered, and the five, led by Qin Xiongdao, appeared.

"This is Ancient Moon Province!"

"The maleficent aura here is so strong; it seems that all life has indeed been extinguished in Ancient Moon Province!"

The group gazed at the pitch-black land before them, filled with eerie and ominous energy, and their brows furrowed in concern.

Ordinary people would not be able to survive in such an environment with this pervasive maleficent aura.

Even if the maleficent force didn't actively slaughter, its mere presence within the body could cause strange changes, leading to one's fall and transformation into a new maleficent force.

Gu Qingfeng's expression was equally grave.

The maleficent aura in Ancient Moon Province was far more potent than any he had ever encountered.

Even the mysterious divine statue in the Ancient Beast Mountains couldn't compare to the power emanating from this place.

Qin Xiongdao spoke, "The Deceptive Heaven Emperor is a world-devastating maleficent force. The strange power it emits is not something ordinary people can withstand.

"Those below the Sage Realm don't even have the qualifications to face the Deceptive Heaven Emperor."

Under such circumstances, how can the people of Ancient Moon Province possibly survive?"

Qin Xiongdao's face was filled with apprehension as he spoke.

The existence of malevolent beasts was mysterious and unpredictable.

More importantly, some powerful malevolent beasts were so bizarre and incomprehensible, possessing extremely formidable powers of corruption.

Even the Deceptive Heaven Emperor, who had just reached the World Devastating Level and was comparable to a Quasi-Emperor, was enough to corrupt cultivators below the Sage Realm.

Even Half-Saint level powerhouses would struggle to resist such power.

If it were a true top-tier World Devastating Level malevolent beast, with strength comparable to that of a Great Emperor, Qin Xiongdao dared not imagine what would happen.

At that time, should such a malevolent beast appear, its mysterious power would envelop the entire province, enough to make the whole province fall under its influence.

Or even...

The entire Central Domain, and possibly the Ancient Realm, could be at risk of falling.

"Malevolent beasts have existed since ancient times, and attempts to eradicate them have been unsuccessful. Even with the strength of the Taiyi Divine Dynasty, they couldn't completely annihilate them."

Luo Yang's face darkened, and his gaze remained fixed on the depths of Ancient Moon Province.

With his terrifying perception as a Saint King, Luo Yang could sense the terrifying aura hidden within the province.

This aura caused even a Saint King like Luo Yang to tremble.

"The origins of malevolent beasts are beyond our understanding, but the fact that this race has survived from ancient times to the present, and their numbers remain despite countless attempts to eradicate them, is proof of their fearsome nature!"

"In this battle!"

"We must give it our all and not give the Deceptive Heaven Emperor any chance to catch his breath."

"If we miss this opportunity, it will be much harder to kill him in the future!"

Qin Xiongdao's face was filled with murderous intent, and his determination was unwavering.

The extermination of malevolent beasts was urgent.

If they failed this time, the next time they would have to face Quasi-Emperor-level powerhouses from various major forces.

But until that moment, no one wanted to reveal their Quasi-Emperor's trump card.

After all, for these Great Emperor-level forces, a slumbering Quasi-Emperor was their ultimate ace in the hole.

This trump card had to be played at just the right time to truly make an impact.

Every Quasi-Emperor was a potential future Great Emperor.

Such existences could not be used lightly.

Once the time was right, and another Great Emperor emerged from their ranks, they could restore their former glory.

Subsequently, Qin Xiongdao took the lead, heading towards the depths of Ancient Moon Province.

Seeing this, the others followed suit.

As they ventured deeper into the province, they encountered many malevolent beasts with decaying bodies, ready to attack them.

Some could even fly, displaying formidable strength.

The tattered clothes they wore revealed their identities.

These malevolent beasts were once cultivators of Ancient Moon Province.

But now, the cultivators had perished, corrupted by the power of malevolent beasts and fallen.

"Malevolent beasts deserve to die! Not only do they harm cultivators of the Ancient Realm, but they also disturb the peace of the dead!"

The old ancestor of the Sun and Moon Dynasty, Xiang Shantong, had a cold expression. With a single palm strike, he obliterated a malevolent beast's body, instantly destroying it.

The Saint King's furious attack seemed capable of destroying heaven and earth.

Destroying a ten-thousand-li land was a simple task.

At the same time, the others also took action, annihilating numerous malevolent beasts in the blink of an eye.

However, no one deliberately pursued and killed other malevolent beasts. Instead, they followed the powerful aura, unwaveringly advancing deeper into Ancient Moon Province.

For them, killing other malevolent beasts was merely a side task.

The true purpose of this journey was to slay the Deceptive Heaven Emperor.

Once he was dealt with, the other malevolent beasts in Ancient Moon Province would no longer be a concern.

---

Three days later, the five of them arrived at the ancient capital of the Great Zhou Dynasty, which had stood for countless years.

However, the once-glorious capital now lacked its former splendor.

Bloodstains marred the city walls.

Numerous broken corpses of cultivators were scattered everywhere.

Upon closer inspection, many of the bodies showed signs of being devoured.

Silently, they told the story of a fierce battle that had taken place here.

When they first entered Ancient Moon Province, many malevolent beasts had blocked their path. But now, within a ten-thousand-li radius of the capital, all malevolent beasts seemed to have vanished into thin air.

Inside and outside the capital, an eerie silence prevailed.

However, everyone's expressions were solemn, their gazes fixed on the Great Zhou capital.

The aura emanating from it was like a black fog, obscuring the sun and sky, causing even Saint Kings to feel a sense of heart-pounding dread.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end