Chapter 329: Gu Xuan's Return

Chapter 329: Gu Xuan's Return

"Gu Family!"

Dressed in white, Gu Xuan gazed at the scene before him, and a hint of nostalgia flashed in his eyes, but it quickly faded away.

Since he left home, several decades had passed.

During these years, Gu Xuan had been cultivating in the Grand Void Sacred Land, rarely returning to the Nine Realms.

Until now.

Gu Xuan had finally returned from the Grand Void Sacred Land.

For a Dao Palace Realm cultivator like Gu Xuan, a few decades were nothing.

Even so, Gu Xuan still felt a sense of hesitation as he approached his hometown.

Then, his gaze fell upon the river in front of him, and the hundred-zhang deep waters did not hinder his vision.

"This is... a Spirit Beast?"

When he saw the carp at the bottom of the river, Gu Xuan's expression showed a hint of surprise.

Spirit Beast!

He had seen them in the Grand Void Sacred Land as well.

Therefore, Gu Xuan was no stranger to Spirit Beasts.

However, the Spirit Beasts cultivated in the Grand Void Sacred Land were not weak; they were comparable to Half-Sage level beings and could be considered Elder-level experts.

This was the foundation of some ancient sacred lands.

Now, the Carp King lurking in this river, in Gu Xuan's eyes, was at most a Spirit Beast in the Enlightened Spirit Stage.

The Enlightened Spirit Stage, in comparison to humans, was equivalent to the Five Body Refinement Stages.

After the Enlightened Spirit Stage, the Spirit Beast would undergo a transformation comparable to the Human Realm's Transcendent Stage.

Then, there was the Demon Transformation Stage, which was on par with the Great Master Stage.

Above that were the Demon General, Demon Commander, and Demon Lord stages.

Strictly speaking, the ranking of Spirit Beasts was quite similar to that of demons.

In Gu Xuan's opinion, the Carp King before him was at the Enlightened Spirit Stage, the weakest among Spirit Beasts.

However—

One should always consider things from different perspectives.

Undeniably, the Carp King was indeed an ordinary Spirit Beast at the Enlightened Spirit Stage.

But Gu Xuan could tell that this seemingly ordinary river had actually connected with the earth's veins, continuously drawing spiritual energy to this place.

With such abundant spiritual energy, even the ordinary river water was imbued with a rich spiritual aura.

The Spirit Beast growing up here was truly blessed by heaven.

From this, one could also deduce that the Gu family placed great importance on this Spirit Beast.

Otherwise, why would they allow it to live here?

Apart from the Carp King, which had already entered the Enlightened Spirit Stage, the remaining carps were also on the verge of breaking through to the Enlightened Spirit Stage, transforming into Spirit Beasts.

Then, Gu Xuan retracted his gaze, crossed the arch bridge, and walked straight to the entrance of the Gu family manor.

"The Second Young Master has returned!"

The two Gu family guards who saw Gu Xuan's arrival were overjoyed.

It was clear that these guards were elderly members of the Gu family, and they were very familiar with Gu Xuan.

"Uncle Wang, Uncle Zhang, it's been a long time!"

Gu Xuan nodded and greeted them with a smile.

He was no stranger to these two individuals.

The group that initially accompanied Gu Qingfeng was known as the Gu family guards, and their strength was not weak. With the resources provided by the Gu family, they had now entered the Spirit Transformation Realm.

Seeing this, Gu Xuan couldn't help but marvel.

Spirit Transformation Realm cultivators guarding the gates—the Gu family's foundation was indeed becoming more and more profound.

In the Grand Void Sacred Land, Spirit Transformation Realm cultivators were considered powerful experts. If they could advance to the Dao Palace Realm, they would be eligible to become elders.

"The Second Young Master has returned; I'll go and inform the Manor Master right away!"

The guard whom Gu Xuan addressed as Uncle Zhang immediately headed towards the Gu family manor, while the other guard respectfully escorted Gu Xuan inside.

...

Upon learning of Gu Xuan's return, Xu Yulan hurried to meet him.

"Xuan'er!"

"Mother!"

Gu Xuan looked at the woman before him, his face filled with excitement.

But soon, Gu Xuan realized that he couldn't see through Xu Yulan's cultivation.

This change surprised Gu Xuan.

As one of the Nine Great Saints of the Grand Void Sacred Land and possessing the Heavenly Phoenix Divine Body, Gu Xuan had reached the Fourth Tier of the Dao Palace Realm before the age of one hundred.

And this was because Gu Xuan had spent these years meticulously refining his foundation without rushing to break through.

Otherwise, even reaching the Seventh or Eighth Tier of the Dao Palace Realm would not have been a problem.

But even so, ordinary cultivators at the Seventh or Eighth Tier of the Dao Palace Realm would not give Gu Xuan the same sense of unfathomable depth that Xu Yulan did.

"Mother, what cultivation level have you reached now that I can't see through it?"

Gu Xuan couldn't help but ask.

Xu Yulan casually replied, "I'm at the Ninth Tier of the Dao Palace Realm now."

"Ninth Tier of the Dao Palace Realm—!"

Gu Xuan's heart trembled.

He was well aware of his mother's average talent, and he had planned to give her some pills from the Grand Void Sacred Land to help improve her cultivation and extend her lifespan.

Xu Yulan informed Gu Xuan that she had reached the ninth level of the Daoist Palace Realm.

This news left Gu Xuan astonished.

Reaching the ninth level of the Daoist Palace Realm was an extremely rare feat, even within the Vast Saintly Land. Without exceptional talent, it was nearly impossible to attain such a level of cultivation.

Noticing Gu Xuan's fluctuating expression, Xu Yulan smiled. "You should thank your father. If not for his resources, I wouldn't have been able to break through to the ninth level of the Daoist Palace Realm so quickly."

However, Xu Yulan's expression turned somewhat annoyed. "You, on the other hand, left home without a word for decades. You didn't even send a message, causing your mother to worry endlessly."

"I'm sorry, Mother!" Gu Xuan hastily apologized.

Facing Xu Yulan, he dared not show any disrespect. Even one of the Nine Great Sacred Sons of the Vast Saintly Land stood respectfully beside her, allowing her to scold him.

Seeing his demeanor, Xu Yulan's anger dissipated, and her face showed a hint of concern. "Never mind. Since you're back, stay for a while longer."

"If possible, why not stay here at home instead of going to the Vast Saintly Land?"

"After cultivating for so many years, you're still at the fourth level of the Daoist Palace Realm. Going to the Vast Saintly Land is no different from not going. Your eldest brother has already reached the ninth level of the Daoist Palace Realm, and your nephew is at the fifth level. And as for you, well, your third brother is also a worry. He's been gone for years without any news, causing his mother to worry every day..."

Xu Yulan rambled on, and Gu Xuan didn't interrupt, but his expression was somewhat embarrassed.

At the same time, his face also showed signs of shock.

Gu Yang had broken through to the ninth level of the Daoist Palace Realm!

Gu Xuan wasn't entirely surprised by this.

Although he had been in the Eastern Domain for many years, he was somewhat familiar with Gu Yang's achievements.

His eldest brother's combat prowess was comparable to that of the Demi-Sage Realm.

However, thinking that his eldest brother was the most outstanding among the three brothers, and now he was ruling over a region as the emperor, favored by their father, it was understandable for him to have such cultivation.

But—

What was this about a nephew?

His eldest nephew was the oldest among them, still about twenty years younger than Gu Xuan.

For someone of that age to reach the fifth level of the Daoist Palace Realm, it seemed like a fantastical tale to Gu Xuan.

"Enough. The Vast Saintly Land is an ancient and profound sacred land, and its foundation is extraordinary. Gu Xuan's progress is inseparable from the cultivation of the Vast Saintly Land."

At this moment, a slightly imposing voice sounded.

Gu Xuan followed the voice and respectfully greeted the speaker. "Greetings, Father!"

"Your foundation is solid, having reached the fourth level of the Daoist Palace Realm. It seems you haven't been slacking off these past years."

Gu Qingfeng looked at the person before him, briefly appraising him, and then nodded.

At the same time, when Gu Qingfeng's gaze fell upon Gu Xuan, the latter felt a terrifying pressure suddenly rush towards him, causing his vital energy and soul to stagnate as if the sky were collapsing.

The fourth level of the Daoist Palace Realm was comparable to the top-tier combat power of the seventh or eighth level of the Daoist Palace Realm, but at this moment, it seemed like a mere illusion.

This sudden change left Gu Xuan's heart in awe.

Before he could recover from the shock, the pressure suddenly vanished.

It was only then that Gu Xuan realized his back was drenched in sweat.

At this moment, Gu Xuan deeply understood the true extent of his father's power.

His own strength, which he had been proud of, was insignificant before his father.

If Gu Qingfeng were an enemy, it would only take a thought for him to annihilate Gu Xuan.

Seeing Gu Xuan's relatively calm expression, Gu Qingfeng nodded inwardly.

Good!

At least he could withstand his pressure and wasn't a useless person nurtured by the Vast Saintly Land.

In fact, from the information panel over the years, Gu Qingfeng could see that Gu Xuan wasn't a delicate flower nurtured under the careful protection of the Vast Saintly Land.

...

In the following days, Gu Xuan stayed within the Gu Clan, spending most of his time with Xu Yulan.

The mother and son shared a deep bond.

After being apart for decades, they cherished their time together.

Five days later, Gu Xuan went to the Sword Sharpening Hall to meet with Gu Qingfeng.

As Gu Xuan entered the Sword Polishing Hall, a terrifying aura immediately hit him, and the immense pressure made his shoulders sink as if he were carrying an invisible mountain, making it difficult for him to take even a single step.

At the same time, the interior of the hall came into view.

Inside the hall, the furnishings were simple, with various weapons displayed on the left and right walls. Any one of these weapons would be considered a Divine Weapon if taken outside.

In the center of the hall stood a Divine Sword, planted upright.

A majestic imperial might emanated from it, as if suppressing the heavens and all eternity.

The pressure Gu Xuan felt originated from this sword.

Behind the sword, on a meditation cushion, Gu Qingfeng sat cross-legged.

"Come over here and do your best!" Gu Qingfeng instructed.

Hearing Gu Qingfeng's words, Gu Xuan's expression became determined, and he took a step forward, bearing the pressure.

Each step was heavy with pressure.

After just three steps, Gu Xuan felt as if he had engaged in a fierce battle, his spirit already exhausted.

But remembering Gu Qingfeng's words, he gritted his teeth and continued forward, step by step.

The fourth step! The fifth step! The sixth step! ...

The thirteenth step!

When he took the twentieth step, Gu Xuan's aura suddenly surged, and his soul seemed to undergo a transformation. Initially at the Fourth Tier of the Daoist Palace Realm, he finally broke through, advancing directly to the Fifth Tier.

At the moment of his breakthrough, all the pressure suddenly dissipated as if it had never existed.

However, the sudden increase in his cultivation made Gu Xuan realize that what had just happened was not an illusion.

"Not bad. You withstood the pressure of the Demon-Slaying Sword and advanced twenty steps, even using this pressure to break through!" Gu Qingfeng nodded in satisfaction.

It must be said that Gu Xuan's performance was quite impressive.

"I am ashamed, Father!" Gu Xuan said, his face filled with embarrassment.

In front of his father, there was no difference between the Fourth and Fifth Tiers of the Daoist Palace Realm.

The gap between them was simply too vast to imagine.

Gu Xuan was well aware that the Demon-Slaying Sword was just his father's sidearm.

The pressure from this Divine Weapon, which had been by his father's side for so long, was almost more than he could bear. Not to mention his father's true strength.

Seeing Gu Xuan's reaction, Gu Qingfeng smiled silently.

"Don't underestimate the Demon-Slaying Sword. This sword has been with me for many years and has already ascended to the rank of Imperial Weapon. If you can fully unleash its pressure, even an Emperor would have a hard time against it!"

"The fact that you can withstand the pressure of such an Imperial Weapon is already quite remarkable."

"If it were any other cultivator at the same level, it would be a challenge for them to take even seven steps."

Gu Qingfeng's words relieved Gu Xuan's mind, and when he looked at the Demon-Slaying Sword again, his face was filled with shock.

"An Imperial Weapon!"

He never would have guessed that the Demon-Slaying Sword was an Imperial Weapon.

Gu Xuan was all too familiar with the concept of Imperial Weapons.

Even with the strength of the Vast Expanse Sacred Ground, they only possessed a single Great Saint Weapon.

Even so, that Great Saint Weapon was the most powerful asset of the Vast Expanse Sacred Ground.

But soon, Gu Xuan calmed his mind.

He had been surprised too many times since returning home.

Now, even when faced with an Imperial Weapon, he could quickly regain his composure.

"I called you here today because I have something to give you," Gu Qingfeng said, taking out an Immortal Godly Herb and using an invisible force to levitate it in front of Gu Xuan.

Looking at the Immortal Godly Herb, Gu Xuan, despite not recognizing its true origin, could sense the vibrant life force emanating from it, and he knew that this treasure was no ordinary item.

"This is the Immortal Godly Herb. When consumed, it can grant a cultivator another lifetime, and the power within it is sufficient to help you breakthrough to the Demi-Sage realm!"

"The Immortal Godly Herb... Father, you mean this is the legendary Immortal Godly Herb?!" Gu Xuan exclaimed, his face filled with astonishment as he stared at the herb in his hand, his eyes reflecting disbelief.

The Immortal Godly Herb!

After spending so many years in the Vast Expanse Sacred Ground, how could he not be aware of such a divine herb?

In the past, when the Great Saint of the Vast Expanse Sacred Ground was in his later years, he had sought the Immortal Godly Herb to extend his life and live another lifetime.

However, in the end, even after exhausting all the resources of the Vast Expanse Sacred Ground, not a trace of the Immortal Godly Herb could be found, and so the Great Saint passed away with regret.

This also indirectly demonstrated the rarity and value of the Immortal Godly Herb.

Gu Xuan never expected that Gu Qingfeng would possess such a divine herb that defied the heavens, and even more so, that he would bestow it upon him.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end