Chapter 401: The Nine Heavens' Defense Line

Chapter 401: The Nine Heavens' Defense Line

The Gu Family.

Gu Yang arrived in casual attire.

"Father, I've heard that the Wilted Mountain Realm has collapsed. I wonder what exactly happened?"

Upon seeing Gu Qingfeng, he immediately asked point-blank.

The collapse of the Wilted Mountain Realm and the retreat of many cultivators from the Demon World had already spread far and wide. Gu Yang had learned of it as soon as the news broke.

So, upon learning that Gu Qingfeng had also returned from the Demon World, he hurried back to the Gu Family.

Gu Qingfeng's expression remained calm. "With the Demon Emperor's intervention, it was inevitable that the Wilted Mountain Realm could not withstand it."

"Demo Emperor!"

Gu Yang's face changed, as if those two words exerted an immense pressure on him.

Indeed, it was so.

The name "Demon Emperor."

For anyone, it was like a mountain pressing down on their heart, making it almost impossible to breathe.

Gu Qingfeng continued, "That Demon Emperor has been slain by me, but there is another ancient and mysterious existence within the Demon Clan. I have yet to gain the upper hand in our confrontation.

However, for that being to awaken will not be easy. As long as the Imperial Divine Dynasty can ascend to the Divine Dynasty, we will have a chance to deal with such an existence!"

Gu Qingfeng did not elaborate much on the Demon Clan, only mentioning the ascension to the Divine Dynasty, naturally to put some pressure on Gu Yang.

Upon hearing this, Gu Yang's expression fluctuated, clearly understanding much from the few words Gu Qingfeng had spoken.

As for why Gu Qingfeng mentioned that the Imperial Divine Dynasty's ascension to the Divine Dynasty would allow them to resist such an existence, Gu Yang believed it might have something to do with the dynasty's fortune.

If the Imperial Divine Dynasty truly succeeds in ascending, the dynasty's fortune will greatly increase. At that time, if Gu Qingfeng can harness the divine dynasty's fortune, his strength will become even more formidable.

"Father, rest assured. In at most ten years, the Imperial Divine Dynasty will ascend to the Divine Dynasty!"

Gu Yang said solemnly.

The One Hundred and Eight Eastern Provinces are now mostly under the control of the Imperial Divine Dynasty. However, even if all one hundred and eight provinces fall under the dynasty's control, it will not immediately ascend to the divine status.

To ascend,

it will still require some time for consolidation.

This time will not be too long, with ten years being the maximum estimate.

If everything goes smoothly, it might take only three to five years.

Gu Qingfeng nodded in response.

"In the coming days, your younger generations can visit the Gu Family more often."

"Thank you, Father!"

Gu Yang's face lit up.

He naturally understood the meaning of "visiting more often."

If his father could provide guidance, it would greatly benefit his younger generations.

For years,

Gu Qingfeng had been in seclusion in the Wilted Mountain Immortal City, rarely stepping foot in the Imperial Divine Dynasty. Even if Gu Yang had some ideas, he could not implement them.

Now that Gu Qingfeng has returned to the Gu Family, this issue is naturally resolved.

Soon,

Gu Yang left the Gu Family and immediately issued orders, informing everyone that Gu Qingfeng had returned.

In no time,

the younger generations of the Gu Family were overjoyed and flocked to the Gu Family to pay their respects to Gu Qingfeng.

These younger generations held great respect for their patriarch.

Of course,

it would be impossible for them to come without any ulterior motives.

"Patriarch, I have some questions about cultivation. I hope you can enlighten me!"

Gu Fenghao respectfully said.

Gu Qingfeng glanced at him and said indifferently, "Speak up. I happen to have some free time these days and can provide guidance on your cultivation issues!"

"Yes—"

Gu Fenghao's face lit up with joy, and he immediately recounted the problems he had encountered during his cultivation.

As a mainline descendant of the Gu Family and a royal descendant, Gu Fenghao had received guidance from powerful cultivators.

However,

these so-called powerful cultivators were at best in the Palace of Dao Realm or half-saints.

Gu Fenghao himself had already entered the Divine Transformation Realm, and receiving guidance from cultivators of this level should have been sufficient.

But guidance from such levels was ultimately no match for their patriarch.

As Gu Fenghao began to ask for advice, the other younger generations of the Gu Family also started to speak up. Gu Qingfeng patiently provided guidance to each of them without any annoyance.

...

"Your offspring, Gu Fenghao, has gained insights in cultivation and slightly improved his strength!"

"Your offspring, Gu Fenghao, has advanced to the fourth level of the Divine Transformation Realm!"

"Reward points increased by 300!"

"Your offspring, Gu Fengyuan, has gained insights into the Heavenly Blade, and his Heavenly Blade Domain has advanced to the second level!"

"Your offspring..."

...

The information panel in Gu Qingfeng's mind continuously refreshed, with someone's cultivation or understanding improving almost every moment.

At Gu Qingfeng's level, a single word from him could shake the great Dao, and various Dao patterns would manifest before everyone. Enhancing the strength of these younger generations was naturally not a difficult task.

Gu Qingfeng had discovered another method to rapidly enhance the strength of the younger generation of the Gu family.

Lectures!

Although frequent lectures would significantly reduce their effectiveness, even with the reduced benefits, these teachings were invaluable opportunities for the Gu family’s younger generation, who were still at the Divine Transformation Realm.

During this period, Gu Qingfeng personally ventured into the starry sky and engaged in battles with several chaotic beasts, bringing them back to the Gu family.

These chaotic beasts ranged from the strength of an Empire Aspirant to that of a Great Sage. Their flesh and blood were supreme essences, perfect for enhancing the strength of the Gu family’s younger generation.

However, to ensure the continuation of the Gu family’s mainline, Gu Qingfeng primarily focused on cultivators who were at least twenty years old or had already started families and had offspring.

Only in this way could they improve their strength without any reservations. The so-called foundation issues would naturally be resolved with sufficient resources.

Under these circumstances, the overall strength of the Gu family rapidly advanced.

...

"Your offspring, Gu Yunyue, has broken through to the first level of the Palace of Dao Realm!"

"Reward: 500 enhancement points!"

"Your offspring, Gu Yunfeng, has broken through to the second level of the Palace of Dao Realm!"

"Reward: 500 enhancement points!"

"Your offspring, Gu Yunyu, has broken through to the third level of the Heavenly Blade Domain!"

"Your offspring, Gu Yunjie, has broken through to the Ninth Stage of Divine Transformation!"

"Reward: 300 enhancement points!"

"Your offspring..."

...

As the Gu family’s offspring continued to break through, Gu Qingfeng watched his own attribute panel, where the enhancement points were increasing explosively.

The continuous flow of enhancement points quickly pushed his remaining points, which were originally less than ten thousand, to over thirty thousand in a short period.

"At this rate, breaking through to the later stages of the Empire Aspirant realm shouldn't take much longer!"

Gu Qingfeng mused.

Of course, this was only temporary.

Once they broke through to the Palace of Dao Realm, advancement would become much more challenging. Even with his personal lectures, it would no longer be possible to break through a realm every few days.

At this level, cultivation required accumulation and a deeper understanding of the true essence.

Even with lectures from powerful cultivators, one’s comprehension was still crucial.

Once they reached the ninth level of the Palace of Dao Realm, the suppression from Heaven’s Path would make it extremely difficult to break through to the Sage Realm.

However, if all the Gu family’s offspring could reach the ninth level of the Palace of Dao Realm, it would be a tremendous boost of enhancement points for Gu Qingfeng.

Breaking through to the first level of the Palace of Dao Realm granted 500 enhancement points. For a single offspring to advance from the Ninth Stage of Divine Transformation to the ninth level of the Palace of Dao Realm, it would be 4,500 enhancement points.

With just eleven offspring breaking through, Gu Qingfeng could almost reach the next realm.

In addition, Gu Qingfeng had the Shadow Guard continuously gather information about the mysterious demon from the Demon World.

However, the main source of information was the Three Emperors Clan.

Thanks to this, Gu Qingfeng quickly obtained information about the mysterious demon.

"Demon Ancestor!"

"The first emperor of the Demon Clan and the most ancient powerhouse within the clan!"

"The Demon Ancestor achieved enlightenment in the Ancient Era and led the Demon Clan to invade the Ancient Realm during the Desolate Ancient Era, sparking the first great calamity since the end of the Ancient Cataclysm."

Numerous pieces of information about the Demon Ancestor flooded Gu Qingfeng’s mind, and he held the first emperor of the Demon Clan in high regard.

From the information obtained from the Three Emperors Clan, Gu Qingfeng understood that the Ancient Realm had suffered severe losses after the Ancient Cataclysm. Faced with the Demon Clan’s invasion, the realm suffered immense damage.

If not for a few emperors who had survived from the Ancient Era, who sacrificed themselves to achieve the ultimate ascension, they wouldn’t have been able to repel the Demon Ancestor.

If that had happened, the Ancient Realm would have long ceased to exist as a place for humans.

Since then, the Demon Ancestor had vanished, and the Three Emperors Clan speculated that he might have perished. However, it now seemed that the Demon Ancestor had not died but had sealed himself within the Demon Clan, awaiting a chance to revive.

"In the Desolate Ancient Era, the first great calamity was sparked by an Emperor who attained the Dao. The power of such a being is indeed formidable!"

Gu Qingfeng took a deep breath, gradually calming his mind.

No matter how powerful the Demon Ancestor might be, as long as he had time, suppressing such a being was not impossible.

For Gu Qingfeng, the most crucial task at hand was to break through to the Imperial Realm.

Once he reached the Imperial Realm, even if the Demon Ancestor’s strength was formidable, Gu Qingfeng would have the confidence to stand against him.

...

While Gu Qingfeng remained steadfast in the Gu family, the Ancient Realm was undergoing significant changes.

First year!

The Imperial Divine Dynasty subdued the remaining provinces, thus bringing all One Hundred and Eight Eastern Provinces under its control.

Other major domains approached this situation with caution, fearing that the Imperial Divine Dynasty might turn its military might against them.

However, after unifying the entire Eastern Domain, the Imperial Divine Dynasty halted its expansion and focused on internal recovery and rest.

This development brought a sigh of relief to the various forces in other domains.

While many understood that the Imperial Divine Dynasty’s pause was only temporary and that, once it had recovered and accumulated enough strength, it would inevitably target other domains, they still felt a sense of relief.

After all, the ambitions of the Imperial Divine Dynasty were clear for all to see.

Moreover, rumors in the Ancient Realm suggested that the Imperial Divine Dynasty might be the ultimate power to unify the entire Ancient Realm, following in the footsteps of the Taiyi Divine Dynasty.

In such a situation, these forces dared not let their guard down.

However, these were future concerns.

For now, any opportunity to catch their breath was not to be missed.

As for forming an alliance to attack the Imperial Divine Dynasty, that was simply out of the question.

As long as the old patriarch of the Divine Gu family was still alive, no one would dare set foot in the Imperial Divine Dynasty.

The battle against the Demon Emperor, though it took place in the Demon World, could not be kept entirely secret. The news of Gu Qingfeng slaying the Sun Demon Emperor and awakening the Demon Ancestor gradually spread.

In this Era of Decline, a being capable of making an Emperor bleed was naturally feared.

If the Imperial Divine Dynasty’s army were to invade, these forces would have no choice but to resist.

But with the Imperial Divine Dynasty focused on internal recovery, they were not foolish enough to initiate a war.

Engaging in a battle with such a formidable entity would have dire consequences.

Not to mention the slim chances of victory, even if they did win, the cost would be unbearable.

Furthermore, the Demon Clan’s arrival from beyond the heavens had pushed the great calamity to its peak, leaving the various domains struggling to manage their own affairs, let alone having the energy to concern themselves with the Imperial Divine Dynasty.

Thus, even as the Imperial Divine Dynasty held sway over the Eastern Domain, the forces in other domains turned a blind eye, refraining from further intervention.

Second year!

Third year!

...

Fifth year!

After unifying the Eastern Domain, Gu Yang focused on developing the livelihood of the people, striving to instill the authority of the court and increase the people’s loyalty to it.

Even when some rebels and traitors attempted to incite internal unrest, they were quickly suppressed by the court.

Under these circumstances, the Imperial Divine Dynasty’s fortune steadily rose.

Of course, despite internal stability, external conflicts did not cease.

The reason was simple: the invasion of the demons and the awakening of more Chaotic Beasts from the Ancient Era forced the Imperial Divine Dynasty to remain vigilant.

Fortunately, despite its recent unification of the Eastern Domain, the Imperial Divine Dynasty’s overall strength was not lacking. Even when facing both the demons and the Chaotic Beasts, it held its ground.

—

“Boom!”

Gu Xiu’s punch unleashed a terrifying and domineering force, causing a demon half-sage’s face to turn in horror. Just as he raised his hand to block, he was instantly killed.

His flesh shattered, and blood splattered.

After slaying the demon half-sage, Gu Xiu’s expression remained unchanged as he continued to move through the battlefield.

This was not an ordinary battlefield but one on the Nine Heavens.

Since the Demon Clan came from beyond the heavens, the Imperial Divine Dynasty had set up nine layers of defense on the Nine Heavens, aimed at blocking the demons.

Gu Xiu was on the ninth layer, the closest to the chaotic starry sky, serving as the first line of defense.

Here, the Nine Heavens Gale raged, and only those at the peak of the Palace of Dao Realm could truly survive.

Those below the peak of the Palace of Dao Realm struggled to protect themselves, let alone engage in battle.

Thus, the first line of defense had the fewest numbers but the highest quality.

Among them, the three Imperial Clans and other ancient sacred families and clans had their top-tier experts stationed here, representing the Imperial Divine Dynasty, naturally, was the Imperial Great Sage Huang Jie. "(End of Chapter)

Chapter end