Chapter 398: The Temptation of Immortality

Chapter 398: The Temptation of Immortality

"Your offspring, Gu Yang, has increased the Divine Martial Dynasty's fortune, and his cultivation has broken through to the Third Tier of the Human Saint Realm!"

"Reward: 1,200 enhancement points!"

"Reward..."

"Your offspring..."

...

Gu Qingfeng glanced at the information panel, then looked at his own attribute panel.

So far,

He had accumulated 17,000 enhancement points, but to reach the Mid-Stage Empyrean, he still needed a lot more.

It would take 50,000 enhancement points for a single promotion.

From Early-Stage Empyrean to Peak Empyrean, it would require a total of 150,000 enhancement points.

This number of enhancement points, while not astronomical, was still quite substantial.

If he followed the usual routine, it would take at least ten years to accumulate enough.

But if the Divine Martial Dynasty could ascend to a Divine Dynasty, it might instantly meet his needs for a breakthrough.

At the same time,

The Shadow Guard also relayed some information to Gu Qingfeng.

"Blood Sacrifice of Living Beings!"

"The Black Abyss Emperor is still alive, and I can't put my mind at ease!"

Upon learning that the Black Abyss Emperor was sacrificing countless beings in the Ancient Realm to restore his strength, Gu Qingfeng could vaguely understand the other party's intentions.

As the saying goes, one cannot be vigilant against a thief for a thousand days.

With an ancient emperor lurking in the shadows, even Gu Qingfeng couldn't truly feel at ease.

If there was an opportunity,

He would naturally hope to completely eliminate the Black Abyss Emperor.

However,

Eliminating the Black Abyss Emperor was no easy task.

A powerful being of that level could easily slip away, and Gu Qingfeng would find it difficult to detain him.

Unless,

Gu Qingfeng's strength could continue to break through, reaching the point where he could easily suppress an ancient emperor. Then the Black Abyss Emperor would pose little threat.

But the problem was that reaching this level would take a considerable amount of time.

Even reaching the Mid-Stage Empyrean, Gu Qingfeng doubted he could achieve such a feat.

With this in mind,

Gu Qingfeng continued to meditate, deducing the Dao scriptures.

—

While Gu Qingfeng was in seclusion, in the vast chaos of the void, a blood-colored immortal boat traversed the starry sky, carrying a large number of demons.

When the vast expanse of the world came into view, the demon cultivators on the boat were overjoyed.

"Quickly inform the Demon King, we have found the Ancient Realm!"

Soon,

A four-armed Demon King stepped out of the boat, looking at the world before him. His green-faced, fanged visage was contorted with a fierce expression, his eyes filled with a blood-red cold light.

"Such a vast world, even stronger than the Demon Realm by a margin. This must indeed be the Ancient Realm!"

"After wandering the chaos for many years, we have finally found the Ancient Realm's location—"

The four-armed Demon King's expression was one of pleasant surprise. To locate the Ancient Realm, they had paid a heavy price.

Many demon cultivators had even lost their lives.

There was no way around it.

The chaos was unpredictable.

Not only were there extremely powerful chaos beasts, but there were also many indescribable dangers. In recent years, a mysterious coffin had even killed many of the Demon Clan's strong cultivators, including some Demon Kings.

The four-armed Demon King's group was relatively lucky. Despite encountering many dangers, they managed to avoid major issues. They even encountered other worlds, but unfortunately, none of them was the Ancient Realm they sought.

As for the fate of these worlds, it goes without saying.

The Demon Clan excelled in warfare. Any world they encountered would become a source of nourishment and a breeding ground for more demons.

Looking at the Ancient Realm before him, the four-armed Demon King did not rashly enter. Instead, he directed the immortal boat towards an ancient star near the Ancient Realm.

When the boat landed on the ancient star, the four-armed Demon King gave a stern order.

"You lead half of the array masters to carve a teleportation array here. You lead the remaining array masters and other demons back along the route, carving a teleportation array at regular intervals. Do not fail!"

"Yes!"

Several powerful demons, each comparable to a Great Sage, bowed in acknowledgment.

Immediately,

The demons scattered.

Some powerful demons used new immortal boats to head deeper into the chaos.

The rest began carving the teleportation array on the ancient star.

The four-armed Demon King did not order them to attack the Ancient Realm immediately, as the current Ancient Realm was not something a mere Demon King could shake.

If it were in the past,

The four-armed Demon King would not have hesitated.

What could the Ancient Realm of the Age of Decline possibly have in terms of strength?

Let’s not talk about the Demon King.

Even a great demon or a Demon Lord can slaughter countless humans.

But things are different now.

Despite the Era of Decline, many ancient human powers have awakened, and there is even a terrifying existence capable of slaying several demon emperors.

In such a situation, the Four-Armed Demon King naturally dares not act rashly.

If he were to invade the Ancient Realm and end up in the Divine Martial Dynasty’s territory, the joke would be on him.

So.

What the Four-Armed Demon King needs to do now is to use the ancient stars as a foundation, build a city, and construct a teleportation array. This will serve as a stronghold for the Demon Clan’s invasion of the Ancient Realm.

Once the array is complete, the Demon Clan can continuously invade the Ancient Realm.

However.

No matter how powerful the teleportation array is, it cannot span the vast chaos and starry sky. Only by connecting multiple arrays can the Demon Realm truly be linked to the Ancient Realm.

Meanwhile.

In the Ancient Realm, Eastern Domain.

The Divine Martial Dynasty is launching a massive military campaign.

With the submission of the Three Emperor Clans, the Divine Martial Dynasty has no rivals in the Eastern Domain. Most forces have surrendered without a fight, daring not to oppose the Divine Martial Dynasty.

But there are still a few forces that refuse to submit, hoping to resist the entire Divine Martial Dynasty with their own strength.

However.

Under the overwhelming tide of events, the fate of these forces is predictable.

For these forces.

Gu Yang has only one attitude.

Kill—

He will not allow any force to obstruct the Divine Martial Dynasty’s rise to a Divine Dynasty. Any who dare to impede the Divine Martial Dynasty’s progress will face only destruction.

In this situation, the Eastern Domain has erupted in bloodshed and turmoil.

The Divine Martial Dynasty has wielded its blade, slaughtering countless cultivators.

In a short time.

Gu Yang has been labeled as a tyrant.

But the emperor of the Divine Martial Dynasty is not concerned. A tyrant is only a temporary title.

Once the Divine Martial Dynasty suppresses the entire Eastern Domain and ascends to a Divine Dynasty, the Grand Scholar Debates will take place.

In just five years.

The Divine Martial Dynasty’s military might has spread throughout the entire Eastern Domain.

One hundred and eight states.

Most have raised the flag of the Divine Martial Dynasty.

In this situation, the Divine Martial Dynasty’s fortune has surged. The former ten-rank azure lotus has directly ascended to the eleventh rank.

The moment the eleventh-rank azure lotus bloomed, Gu Yang’s aura suddenly surged, and his cultivation broke through from the Third Tier of the Human Saint Realm to the Fourth Tier without any hindrance.

“Fourth Tier Saint!”

“Eleventh-rank Azure Lotus!”

Gu Yang smiled slightly, the surge of power bringing him even greater joy than the rise in the Divine Martial Dynasty’s fortune.

This means the Divine Martial Dynasty has reached the pinnacle of an imperial dynasty. One more step, and it can break free from the constraints of an imperial dynasty and truly ascend to a Divine Dynasty.

“Your Majesty, of the one hundred and eight states in the Eastern Domain, ninety-three have fully submitted. The remaining fifteen, though there is some resistance, are not a significant threat.”

“The biggest problem now is that some remnants of these forces are still active in the Eastern Domain, attempting to obstruct the court’s progress. Many important officials have been assassinated, though the casualties are not severe. However, if we do not address this, it will be a major problem in the future.”

A minister said solemnly.

His words made Gu Yang’s smile fade, and his expression turned stern.

“Gu Yi!”

“Your subject is here!”

Gu Yang said, “The Imperial Guards are spread throughout the Eastern Domain. I want you to uncover the whereabouts of all the rebels and traitors within a year.”

“Your subject obeys!”

Gu Yi bowed and accepted the order.

Then.

Gu Yang turned to another person.

“Nanyue Shan!”

“Your subject is here!”

“You, as the commander of the Heaven Patrol Guard, have the responsibility to maintain order. With the rebels and traitors causing chaos, I order you to work with the Imperial Guards to eliminate all of them within a year. If there are still rebels causing trouble after a year, and the news reaches my ears, you can step down from your position as commander of the Heaven Patrol Guard.”

Gu Yang’s face was expressionless, and his voice betrayed no emotion.

But these words made Nanyue Shan’s heart tremble, and he hurriedly bowed and accepted the order.

“Your subject will do everything in my power to eliminate all the rebels and traitors!”

“Hm—”

Gu Yang nodded slightly, then changed the subject.

“Now that the imperial fortune has ascended to the eleventh-rank azure lotus, once all one hundred and eight states are under our control, the ascension to a Divine Dynasty will be imminent. The Eastern Domain currently has a severe shortage of officials. I plan to hold the imperial examinations in ten days to recruit talented individuals for the court.”

“Your Majesty is wise!”

All the ministers said in unison.

Over the years, the imperial examinations have been held multiple times, attracting a large number of talented individuals to join the Divine Martial Dynasty. However, the rapidly expanding territory of the Divine Martial Dynasty still suffers from a severe shortage of officials, leaving many positions vacant.

More importantly, the quality of officials varies greatly, and many engage in corruption and lawlessness. Due to the current shortage of personnel, Gu Yang can only turn a blind eye for now. If the situation improves and more people become available, he will certainly take action to rectify these issues.

However, Gu Yang understands that the Divine Martial Dynasty has expanded too quickly, and there are bound to be shortcomings in various areas. These issues will require time to gradually improve and perfect.

Fortunately, overall, the Divine Martial Dynasty continues to thrive and grow stronger. Compared to five years ago, the difference is significant.

Subsequently, Gu Yang asked, "Have there been any updates on the Ancient Emperor who emerged from the Primordial Ancient Land?"

"About a year ago, there were rumors that the Ancient Emperor appeared in the Southern Region, slaughtering many cultivators. Six months ago, a powerful figure saw him enter the Ninth Heaven, suggesting he might have left the Ancient Realm!" Gu Yi reported truthfully.

Upon hearing this, Gu Yang's expression changed slightly.

The matter of the Black Abyss Emperor has always been a thorn in his side.

Fortunately, the Black Abyss Emperor is well aware that the Divine Martial Dynasty is not to be trifled with. Thus, over the years, he has not ventured into the Eastern Domain or taken any action against the Divine Martial Dynasty.

Even so, Gu Yang continues to search for the Black Abyss Emperor's whereabouts, and if an opportunity arises, he hopes to completely suppress the Black Abyss Emperor once and for all.

"Have there been any unusual activities in other forbidden zones?"

Over the years, numerous forbidden life zones in the Five Great Regions have exhibited heavenly phenomena, and several forbidden life zones in the Southern and Northern Regions appear to have ancient beings emerging.

Moreover, the Primordial Ancient Land has seen frequent anomalies. I suspect there is more than one Ancient Emperor sleeping there.

If these Ancient Emperors emerge, the consequences will be dire. We must take precautions!"

Gu Yi said.

His words caused the ministers to exchange uneasy glances.

Ancient Emperor!

In the past, this title held little significance. However, since the Black Abyss Emperor's emergence, the term "Ancient Emperor" has been associated with endless bloodshed and the deaths of countless lives.

One Ancient Emperor is already a formidable threat, but if more were to awaken, the consequences would be severe.

A minister's face darkened. "These Ancient Emperors were once human Emperors, yet now they slaughter their own kind, inciting heavenly wrath and human resentment. What is their true intention?"

"These Ancient Emperors have had a different purpose since they sealed themselves away. For them, the pursuit is eternal life. If they can achieve immortality, the sacrifice of the entire human race is of little consequence!"

Gu Yang's lips curled into a cold smile, showing his disdain for these Ancient Emperors.

"According to my knowledge, the emergence of these Ancient Emperors is due to the fact that this world is both in great calamity and an unprecedented era of prosperity. The long-lost Xian Gates may reappear.

They have slept until now with the goal of entering the Xian Gates to achieve immortality!"

Immortality!

Upon hearing this, everyone's expressions changed once more.

Liang Jin couldn't help but ask, "Dare I ask, Your Majesty, if the Xian Gates truly exist?"

"The legend of the Xian Gates has been passed down since ancient times. The so-called Evil Spirits also originated from behind the Xian Gates. In ancient times, the Taiyi Divine Dynasty attempted to ascend as a whole, ultimately opening the Xian Gates and unleashing the Evil Spirits.

In the end, this supreme divine dynasty vanished into the annals of time.

However, regardless of that, the Xian Gates should exist. Otherwise, these Ancient Emperors would not have slept until now. Their goal is to wait for the Xian Gates to appear!"

Seeing the ministers' reactions, Gu Yang did not hide his thoughts. As he spoke, the ministers were deeply shaken.

The existence of the Xian Gates!

Does that mean immortality is also real?

Seeing this, Gu Yang smiled again. "The matter of the Xian Gates is too distant for us. The most important task at hand is to unify the entire Eastern Domain and elevate the Divine Martial Dynasty to a divine dynasty.

Once we achieve this, the Divine Martial Dynasty may one day follow in the footsteps of the Taiyi Divine Dynasty and attempt the imperial ascension.

At that time, all of you will have the chance to achieve immortality!"

Finally, Gu Yang presented an irresistible temptation.

Despite everyone being aware that the imperial ascension is an extremely difficult task, even the powerful Taiyi Divine Dynasty failed.

However, as long as there is a glimmer of hope, no matter how small, it still stirs the hearts of these ministers.

Eternal life!

Who could resist such a temptation?

Seeing the changes in the ministers' expressions, Gu Yang knew he had achieved his goal.

Under the allure of immortality, the Divine Martial Dynasty's unification of the Eastern Domain will proceed more swiftly. (End of Chapter)

Chapter end