Chapter 410: A Slice Through the Imperial Path

Chapter 410: A Slice Through the Imperial Path

"Your Majesty's strength is indeed beyond my reach, but you must not forget that this is the Shenwu Dynasty. If I risk the nation's fortune, you will not fare well either.

Furthermore, the one currently ascending the Imperial Path is the ancient patriarch of the royal Gu family. Although an emperor is obstructing his path, who can guarantee that the patriarch will not succeed in breaking through?"

"If the patriarch of the Gu family succeeds, you will surely regret your actions!"

Gu Yang directly invoked the name of Gu Qingfeng. His words made the proud Lichen Emperor's expression stiffen.

Gu Qingfeng!

The figure on the Imperial Path was no stranger to the Lichen Emperor.

The fall of the dynasty's ruler and the bloodshed of other emperors were testament to the patriarch's strength, which could defy the heavens.

As Gu Yang said, if the patriarch truly breaks through to the Da Di realm, it would be beyond the Lichen Emperor's ability to contend with him.

However—

The Lichen Emperor had his own concerns.

After all, if an emperor did not enter a forbidden zone to sleep in self-imposed isolation during their twilight years, they were destined to clear numerous forbidden zones. The Lichen Emperor dared not gamble on what the patriarch of the Gu family might think.

This is why many ancient emperors emerged from life-prohibited zones.

An uncontrollable danger.

It was best to eliminate it early.

Gu Yang, seeing the Lichen Emperor's concern, calmly continued, "Your Majesty's concerns are clear to me. The Shenwu Dynasty has always been inclusive. If you are willing, you can join the Shenwu Dynasty as a royal retainer, receiving royal stipends and overseeing a region.

If you are unwilling, you can leave now. I can assure you that the patriarch of the Gu family will not seek retribution in the future!"

"Of course—"

"If you wish to fight, I am ready to accompany you!"

As Gu Yang spoke, nine ancient bronze tripods transformed into beams of light, circling around him. The formidable power of the nation's fortune gathered, emitting a terrifying aura.

Silence!

The Lichen Emperor remained silent.

From the changing expressions on his face, it was clear that his mind was not at peace.

"Remember what I have said today!"

The Lichen Emperor gave Gu Yang a deep look and finally left the Eastern Domain.

Submitting to the Shenwu Dynasty was out of the question.

An emperor has his own dignity. If Gu Qingfeng had extended the offer, it would be a different matter, but Gu Yang alone was not enough to make him bow his head.

Even though Gu Yang was the ruler of a divine dynasty, so what?

An emperor is an emperor.

The status of a divine dynasty ruler allows for dialogue with an emperor, but that is all.

Therefore,

The Lichen Emperor could not possibly agree.

Seeing the other leave, Gu Yang secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

If the Lichen Emperor had decided to fight, even if he could repel him, it would come at a great cost.

Fortunately,

The Lichen Emperor, wary of Gu Qingfeng's presence, ultimately retreated.

Of course,

Gu Yang was well aware.

The Lichen Emperor's retreat was not solely due to fear of his father, but also because of the threat posed by the mobilization of the entire dynasty's power, which the Lichen Emperor had sensed.

After all,

The Lichen Emperor had only recently emerged and had not yet fully recovered his strength. Compared to an emperor at the peak of his power, there was still a gap.

His unwillingness to engage in a mutually destructive conflict with the Shenwu Dynasty was understandable.

"However... solving one emperor leaves others. If Father cannot succeed in his ascension, the entire Shenwu Dynasty may crumble!"

Gu Yang watched the invincible figure on the Imperial Path, his eyes filled with reverence.

The survival of the Shenwu Dynasty now rested entirely on that one person.

There was no other way.

When these ancient emperors emerged from the forbidden zones, the situation had escalated to a terrifying stage.

The Shenwu Dynasty, being a newly established divine dynasty, could not compare to the truly ancient divine dynasties in terms of its foundations. If an emperor deliberately targeted the Shenwu Dynasty, it would be difficult to avoid destruction.

In fact,

Even the established divine dynasties could resist one or two emperors, but it would be hard to withstand many.

Unless—

The Shenwu Dynasty could, like the Taiyi Divine Dynasty of old, dominate the entire Ancient Realm, rendering mere forbidden zone emperors powerless.

Unfortunately,

The gap between the Shenwu Dynasty and the Taiyi Divine Dynasty was vast.

Reaching that level would not be easy.

But if Gu Qingfeng could break through to the Da Di realm, Gu Yang believed that the Shenwu Dynasty could take a significant step toward that goal.

Then,

With a wave of his sleeve, Gu Yang had the nine ancient tripods repress the various regions of the Eastern Domain to stabilize the dynasty's fortune. His shadow then vanished.

...

Ancestral Continent.

Inside the Imperial Palace.

In the grand hall, Gu Yang sat on the imperial throne, his aura heavy and deep, giving the impression of an abyss. Below him, the officials and ministers stood with respectful expressions, the vast hall falling into a profound silence.

After a long while.

Gu Yang’s aura fluctuated, and the expressions of those present changed accordingly.

"Mount Nanyue, Jiang Nanfeng, Gu Yi!"

Gu Yang called out several names in one breath, and those mentioned immediately stepped forward.

"Your servant is here!"

"Now that the ancient beings in the forbidden zones are awakening and wish to sacrifice human lives to steal the essence of life, such actions are a crime against both man and deity. You must immediately lead the armies to defend all fronts. Any cultivator who dares to slaughter our Shenwu citizens is to be killed without hesitation.

Furthermore, when necessary, you may borrow the auspicious qi of the dynasty to fight.

My only requirement is to minimize casualties as much as possible. Do not fail me!"

Gu Yang looked at the few men below and issued his orders.

They all respectfully accepted the command.

Then,

Gu Yang turned his gaze to the others, issuing a series of commands. In an instant, the grand hall was nearly empty.

At this moment,

Gu Yang raised his head to the ninth heaven. The Imperial Path stretched across the heavens and earth, and the war there, even the aura that leaked out, was enough to make one’s heart tremble.

"Unfortunately, I cannot interfere with the matters on the Imperial Path. Shenwu is still too weak. If not, how could I let my father fight alone on the Imperial Path!"

Gu Yang sighed.

Though Shenwu has ascended to the level of a divine dynasty, its strong cultivators are still limited. The strongest among them is the imperial guardian, Emperor Jidasheng, who has reached the ninth level of the Great Sage realm.

This level of cultivation would normally be sufficient.

However, on the Imperial Path, it is far from enough.

But there is no other way.

Shenwu has only been established for about a hundred years.

To have reached this point is already a feat that defies heaven.

The other ministers immediately said, "Your Majesty, please rest assured. The Supreme Emperor’s cultivation is unparalleled; he will surely achieve the Dao and ascend to emperor in this world!"

"May it be so... Gentlemen, you must also prepare. If the situation worsens, we will have to use all our resources to fight!"

Gu Yang looked at the crowd, speaking calmly, but his gaze remained fixed on the Imperial Path.

...

On the Imperial Path.

The battle never ceased.

One by one, emperors tore through the void, entering the Imperial Path, and one by one, emperors fell. Gu Qingfeng could not remember how many strong cultivators he had slain.

Imperial blood rained down upon the void, and the bones of the fallen lay thick beneath his feet.

"Boom!"

When Gu Qingfeng threw another punch, an ancient emperor’s physical body exploded, his life and soul extinguished in an instant, ceasing to exist.

At the moment of the emperor’s demise, the Imperial Path trembled, and a terrifying hand, filled with profound Daoic essence, emerged from the chaos, pressing down upon Gu Qingfeng.

Such a terrifying force made the entire Imperial Path shudder, as if it could not bear the weight and was about to shatter completely.

"Ancestral Demon!"

Gu Qingfeng looked at the hand pressing down, his expression calm. He would never forget this aura.

However,

Back in the You Mo realm, when faced with the Ancestral Demon’s attack, Gu Qingfeng could only retreat.

At that time, the Ancestral Demon had not fully awakened, and his strength was not as great as it is now.

But now,

The Ancestral Demon has fully awakened.

Gu Qingfeng is no longer the same as before.

Facing the Ancestral Demon’s attack once again, Gu Qingfeng rarely summoned his imperial weapon. The moment the Exorcism Blade was wielded, a river of the Great Dao pierced through the universe, and the supreme force of annihilation caused the vast Imperial Path to crack.

The void withered!

The heavens and earth were extinguished!

Only the Great Dao spanned the heavens and earth, its vast and mighty power overwhelming everything, making the other ancient emperors who witnessed this scene shudder in fear.

"Rumble!"

At the moment the two forces collided, the Ancestral Demon’s hand suddenly shattered, and a large amount of golden blood rained down from the sky. The remaining force of the blade cut through the entire Imperial Path, piercing into the depths of the Chaos Starfield.

The heavens and earth were extinguished!

Countless ancient stars shattered.

Innumerable desolate star regions were pierced through by Gu Qingfeng’s blade, completely extinguished and destroyed.

At the same time,

The demon cultivators guarding the Ancient Realm were also mostly annihilated, whether they were Empire Aspirants or Demon Emperors, none could truly survive under this blade.

When the force of the blade finally dissipated, the entire Ancient Realm and the Chaos Starfield fell into a deathly silence.

The figure on the Imperial Path was deeply etched into the minds of all cultivators, like an unscalable peak.

"This... this blade!!!"

The Lichen Emperor, who had just left the Eastern Domain, trembled involuntarily when he saw the scene. His face turned pale with shock, and his voice faltered.

Even with his Emperor’s disposition, he found it hard to remain truly calm.

Despite the vast distance and the fact that he had not yet stepped onto the Imperial Path, the power contained in that single strike still made the Lichen Emperor’s heart race.

There was no other explanation.

It was simply too powerful!

In the Lichen Emperor’s eyes, Gu Qingfeng’s strike had completely transcended the bounds of the rules, elevating it to a higher realm.

This level of power surpassed even that of an Emperor, a force no other Emperor could hope to contend with.

Witness this:

Under that strike, no fewer than ten Emperors had fallen. Any who were directly affected had no chance of survival.

Once mighty and awe-inspiring, these supreme beings now seemed as weak as ants in the face of that strike.

Seeing this, the Lichen Emperor understood.

In the entire Ancient Realm, and even in the Chaos Starfield, there was no one who could stand in the way of Gu Qingfeng’s ascension.

The Shenwu Gu Family was destined to produce a supreme existence on par with the Ta yi Divine Master.

At this moment, the Lichen Emperor felt a profound sense of relief.

Fortunately!

He had not truly slaughtered the cultivators of the Eastern Domain. Otherwise, if such a being had set his sights on him, it would have been a death sentence.

Even now, the Lichen Emperor felt a twinge of regret for not accepting Gu Yang’s invitation. If he had managed to forge a connection with the Shenwu, he might have had a chance to advance further.

"During the ancient era, when the Immortal Gate appeared, the Ta yi Divine Dynasty was established. This time, based on my calculations, the Immortal Gate is likely to appear again. With Gu Qingfeng as a guardian, there might indeed be a connection!"

The Lichen Emperor had calculated that the Immortal Gate would appear in this era, but he could not be certain of the accuracy of his predictions.

Thus, he chose to remain dormant in the forbidden zone, waiting for the right moment.

If not for the tremendous commotion caused by Gu Qingfeng’s ascension, he would not have emerged prematurely.

Now, truly witnessing the terror of Gu Qingfeng, the Lichen Emperor couldn’t help but think more deeply.

Every appearance of the Immortal Gate was associated with a Heaven-Defying powerhouse.

According to the Lichen Emperor’s knowledge, the two times the Immortal Gate opened were linked to two such beings.

In the ancient era, it was the Ta yi Divine Master, and in the Primeval Era, it was the Xuan Emperor.

In this era,

It was very likely Gu Qingfeng.

Thinking of this, the Lichen Emperor’s heart stirred.

What had he been waiting for all these years? Naturally, it was to step into the Immortal Realm and attain immortality.

During the opening of the Immortal Gate in the Primeval Era, the Lichen Emperor had a chance to emerge, but he hesitated due to the dangers that lay beyond the gate.

This hesitation cost him the opportunity to enter the Immortal Realm.

This time,

The Lichen Emperor would not hesitate.

If the opportunity arose, he would seize it, step through the Immortal Gate, and enter the legendary Immortal Realm to see if the chance for immortality truly existed.

---

On the Imperial Path,

Silence reigned.

Gu Qingfeng’s strike had not only cleaved through the chaos but also severed the last hopes of the Emperors.

Gazing at the lingering traces of the strike’s power, these ancient Emperors were afraid.

They had chosen to sleep because they feared death.

Now,

These ancient Emperors could sense the same aura of death emanating from Gu Qingfeng.

Such a terrifying strike would cause even an Emperor to bleed if faced directly.

In the face of the inevitable, any attempt to resist would be courting death.

On the other side,

Gu Qingfeng walked slowly toward the end of the Imperial Path.

To be honest,

This was the first time he had used the Heavenly Lord’s divine power.

The strike’s power was indeed impressive, but the cost was enormous, depleting at least half of his qi and blood.

However,

Seeing the power of the Annihilation Heavenly Blade, Gu Qingfeng became even more satisfied with this divine power.

Looking at the now quiet Imperial Path, Gu Qingfeng knew that no other cultivators would dare to obstruct his ascension.

Even the Ancestral Demon.

That strike had inflicted significant damage on the Ancestral Demon as well.

Without sufficient confidence, the Ancestral Demon would not dare to strike again.

Moreover,

Gu Qingfeng suspected that the Ancestral Demon had not fully awakened yet.

After all, a supreme Emperor from the ancient era could not be so easily underestimated.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end