Chapter 419: A Three-Hundred-Year Seclusion

Chapter 419: A Three-Hundred-Year Seclusion

"Since he is willing to submit to Shenwu, we can certainly accept him!"

Gu Qingfeng shook his head, having no intention of pursuing a complete annihilation.

Although he had no particular fondness for these Ancient Emperors, since they had chosen to align with Shenwu first, Gu Qingfeng saw no reason to eliminate them entirely.

It all came down to one thing:

As long as they didn't stand in his way.

Gu Qingfeng didn't feel the need to settle scores with so many of them.

His goal in exterminating the various forbidden zones was to pave the way for Shenwu, to prevent any unforeseen complications.

Gu Yang nodded in agreement.

He also didn't want to lose an Emperor.

Gu Qingfeng's response aligned with his own thoughts.

After that, Gu Yang left.

Gu Qingfeng, on the other hand, entered seclusion within the Gu family compound.

Now that he had reached the late Emperor stage, the next step would be the peak Emperor stage, which was essentially the pinnacle of the Chaos Universe.

A Half-Step Heavenly Sovereign was essentially at the peak Emperor stage, but their power surpassed many others at that level, hence the title of Half-Step Heavenly Sovereign.

However, after the battle in the Immortal Slaughter Forbidden Zone, where Gu Qingfeng had slain the Blood Demon Emperor, he no longer held much reverence for this level of strength.

Half-Step Heavenly Sovereign!

It was just that.

Before truly facing a Half-Step Heavenly Sovereign, Gu Qingfeng couldn't fully gauge their true power.

But after the battle, he realized his concerns were unfounded.

Half-Step Heavenly Sovereign.

It was still just a half-step.

Compared to a true Heavenly Sovereign, it was a different realm altogether.

To a true Heavenly Sovereign, a Half-Step Heavenly Sovereign was nothing. The residual might of a Heavenly Sovereign's remains clearly demonstrated that such entities were far beyond the so-called Half-Step Heavenly Sovereigns.

With the Chaotic Creation Spirit Treasure in hand, no one in this Chaos Universe could threaten him. Gu Qingfeng was confident of this.

Moreover,

He wasn't entirely dependent on the convenience of the supreme treasure.

In terms of strength,

Gu Qingfeng was already far superior to the so-called Half-Step Heavenly Sovereigns.

But compared to a true Heavenly Sovereign, there was still a significant gap.

"But that's fine. Time is on my side. An Emperor has a lifespan of twelve thousand years, and only two hundred have passed so far. The limit of this universe is the peak Emperor stage, and I am only at the late Emperor stage.

Once I reach the peak Emperor stage, my strength will further improve.

And who can guarantee that the attribute panel won't allow me to directly achieve the Heavenly Sovereign realm in the lower realms—"

Gu Qingfeng couldn't be certain if the attribute panel would enable him to break through to the Heavenly Sovereign realm.

But,

What if it could?

If that were the case, entering the Immortal Domain wouldn't be as crucial.

Gu Qingfeng could grow to the level of a Heavenly Sovereign, or even an Eternal Heavenly Sovereign, in the lower realms before entering the Immortal Domain to wreak havoc.

Although he hadn't learned much about the Immortal Domain from the Deceptive Heavenly Emperor, he could deduce that the number of Eternal Heavenly Sovereigns would be limited.

...

Gu Family.

Inside the Awakening Dao Hall.

Gu Qingfeng entered seclusion.

With his current late Emperor stage perspective, revisiting the Dao Scripture, many of his questions were directly resolved. The path for a Saint to follow was easily deduced.

In the first year,

Gu Qingfeng used the Dao Scripture to break through the ninth level of the Saint stage, officially entering the Great Sage realm.

In the tenth year!

The Dao Scripture reached the peak of the ninth level of the Great Sage realm!

In the thirtieth year!

The Dao Scripture transformed into a Sage King cultivation technique!

In the hundredth year!

The Dao Scripture transformed into an Empire Aspirant cultivation technique!

In the three-hundredth year!

The Dao Scripture reached the peak of the Empire Aspirant stage!

...

While Gu Qingfeng was fully engrossed in seclusion, deducing the Dao Scripture, the Shenwu Divine Dynasty experienced remarkable development over the next few centuries.

In the first hundred years, the Divine Sovereign Gu Yang personally led the Shenwu forces to subdue all the Evil Spirits. With the Azure Heavens Ruler, any Evil Spirit was easily vanquished.

During this period,

An Ancient Emperor from beyond the heavens attempted to overthrow Shenwu's rule.

Gu Yang merely used the Azure Heavens Ruler, and in a single move, the Ancient Emperor was obliterated.

This battle

Silenced the world.

The name of the supreme treasure, the Azure Heavens Ruler, once again spread throughout the Ancient Realm.

Now, everyone knew that Shenwu possessed a Defy Heaven Relic capable of slaying Emperors, and many factions were envious.

Any Imperial Weapon was a treasure capable of securing a clan's status.

Even if a clan had fallen, as long as their Imperial Weapon remained intact, their position was unshakable.

Unless an emperor intervenes.

Even an imperial weapon is no exception.

But the Azure Heavens Ruler is far more terrifying, surpassing imperial weapons by a significant margin.

Under the suppression of such a supreme treasure, even an emperor would shed blood.

To put it bluntly.

Even if the Shenwu Gu family no longer produces emperors, the mere existence of the Azure Heavens Ruler is enough to suppress the entire realm, making it difficult for other cultivators to rise.

What difference would it make if an emperor were to appear?

In the presence of the Azure Heavens Ruler, an emperor cannot stir any waves.

Therefore.

In just a century.

Shenwu has completely pacified the realm.

As a result.

Gu Yang has focused on developing the internal affairs, transforming the landscape of the Ancient Realm. The prosperity of the Da Zheng Golden Age is now entirely different from before.

In the past, during the Da Zheng Golden Age, various forces fought incessantly, with mighty prodigies stepping on the bones of the older generation to reach the pinnacle, all for the sake of becoming invincible on the imperial path.

So.

The so-called golden age.

Was only golden for those few who reached the peak.

For the majority of cultivators, the Da Zheng Golden Age was a burial ground.

But things are different now.

With Shenwu suppressing the realm, various forces no longer wage war against each other. Even if there are occasional conflicts, they do not spread too widely.

After all, under Shenwu's laws, even those aspiring to become emperors cannot slaughter at will. Otherwise, the Shenwu army will arrive, and the perpetrators will face the fate of death and the dissolution of their dao.

Such measures.

Naturally cause some strong individuals to be dissatisfied.

But many lower-ranking cultivators are secretly relieved.

With Shenwu's constraints, they at least have a chance to breathe, instead of being at the mercy of other strong cultivators.

"Your Majesty, this is the latest issue of the Prodigy List!"

In the imperial study, Gu Yi respectfully handed a list to Gu Yang. The latter scanned it with his divine consciousness, and the information appeared before him.

The Prodigy List.

It is a list established by Shenwu.

Any cultivator under a thousand years old, whose strength and cultivation rank among the top hundred, can be listed on the Prodigy List.

Among them,

Strength takes precedence over cultivation.

However.

The current Ancient Realm is brimming with prodigies, and even those at the bottom of the Prodigy List have reached the Sage Realm.

The top ten on the Prodigy List have already entered the Great Sage Realm.

...

Prodigy List First: Gu Xiu!

Cultivation: Second Stage of the Great Sage Realm!

Achievements: Fifty years ago, he subdued a veteran Great Sage Realm first-stage cultivator in three moves. He then entered the chaos and killed a fifth-stage Great Sage Realm cultivator from the Yidi Realms!

...

Prodigy List Second: Gu Xuan!

Cultivation: First Stage of the Great Sage Realm!

Achievements: Thirty years ago, in a battle in the Yidi Realms, he single-handedly killed three first-stage Great Sage Realm cultivators and severely injured a third-stage Great Sage Realm cultivator!

...

"The top ten haven't changed much."

Gu Yang glanced at the list, his expression calm.

The top three on the Prodigy List.

Are all members of the Gu family.

The third-ranked individual is none other than Gu Shengnan, who possesses the Peerless Sword Bone.

He is a direct descendant of the Primordial Sword Sect, and his cultivation has already reached the peak of the ninth stage of the Saint Realm.

Other cultivators naturally have no complaints about this ranking.

After all, the achievements on the Prodigy List are verifiable, and the three members of the Gu family are at the pinnacle of cultivation. Even the weakest, Gu Shengnan, has reached the ninth stage of the Saint Realm, while Gu Xiu and Gu Xuan have entered the Great Sage Realm.

It's worth noting.

The Da Zheng Golden Age has only been ongoing for about three hundred years.

To break through to the ninth stage of the Saint Realm and even enter the Great Sage Realm within three hundred years is nothing short of extraordinary.

Moreover.

They are not just stacking cultivation levels; their battle achievements are also impressive.

The Yidi Realms.

Refers to the forces from other star systems in the universe.

Since the Ancient Realm has stabilized, while focusing on internal development, Gu Yang has never stopped exploring the chaos.

During the Primordial Era, the Taiyi Divine Dynasty reigned supreme, and almost all the star systems in the Chaos Universe were subject to the Taiyi Divine Dynasty.

As a result.

During the peak of the Taiyi Divine Dynasty, it had reached the limit of a divine dynasty.

Now.

Gu Yang intends to follow the path of the Taiyi Divine Dynasty.

However.

Although the cultivators from the Yidi Realms may not be as powerful as those from the Ancient Realm, after years of development, their strength is not to be underestimated.

Some powerful Yidi forces even possess emperor-level combatants.

Faced with the formidable Shenwu, these Yidi forces are not willing to submit, leading to ongoing battles.

In short.

There are now numerous battlefields in the universe where Shenwu and Yidi forces clash.

Many top-tier cultivators have ventured into the Yidi Realms to battle the Yidi cultivators.

For Shenwu's actions, most forces share the same opinion.

Although the Ancient Realm is vast, resources are ultimately limited. With more forces, the share of resources naturally decreases.

In the past, various factions vied for power, all for the sake of resources. The higher one's cultivation, the more resources were needed to advance.

Now.

Shenwu intends to conquer the Yidi Realms.

While other star systems may not match the Ancient Realm in terms of quality, their sheer number compensates for this. If integrated, the resources they could provide would be unparalleled.

Therefore.

With the Ancient Realm's internal competition for supremacy, it is natural for them to target other Yidi forces.

"Of the hundred prodigies on the Prodigy List, how many will ultimately reach the Emperor Realm? This era is Shenwu's only chance. If we miss this opportunity, it may be a long time before the next Da Zheng Golden Age arrives!"

Gu Yang's expression was solemn.

If Shenwu were to ascend as a whole, this would be the only opportunity.

Of course.

Even if Shenwu does not ascend as a whole, Gu Yang still has the intention of entering the Immortal Domain.

However, the Immortal Domain is plagued by Evil Spirits, which led to the downfall of the Taiyi Divine Dynasty.

To truly enter the Immortal Domain, Shenwu must possess sufficient strength.

The Prodigy List, for instance, is a force cultivated by Gu Yang.

Any cultivator who can be listed on the Prodigy List is granted a certain amount of cultivation resources by the imperial court, making the competition for the list particularly fierce.

If judged by the Prodigy List's standards, Gu Yang would normally be able to make it onto the list.

However—

As the ruler of the divine dynasty, Gu Yang naturally cannot remain on the Prodigy List, even at the top, as it would be a loss of face.

On the Prodigy List, there is also a Supreme List.

The Supreme List.

It records the hundred strongest individuals in the Ancient Realm.

Only the hundred strongest can be listed on the Supreme List.

The court does not provide resources for those on the Supreme List; being listed is more a matter of honor.

However.

While the court does not provide resources, Gu Yang has used part of the divine dynasty's fortune to cast the Supreme List. Any cultivator who can be listed on the Supreme List not only gains honor but also receives the divine dynasty's fortune.

To these powerful individuals, the divine dynasty's fortune is extremely valuable.

Especially since Shenwu is not an ordinary divine dynasty; even a strand of its fortune is a rare existence for many top-tier cultivators.

A strand of fortune.

Has the potential to push one to a higher level.

Therefore.

The competition for the Supreme List is even more intense than that for the Prodigy List.

However.

The top three positions on the Supreme List are unshakable.

The top spot goes without saying.

Naturally, it is Gu Qingfeng.

This supreme being, who has cleared all the forbidden zones in the Ancient Realm, is universally recognized as the strongest.

The second place.

Is the sole surviving Ancient Emperor, the Li Chen Emperor.

The third place.

Is Xia Tianjun, the 13th Ancestor of the Primordial Xia Clan.

No one disputes this ranking.

Gu Qingfeng and the Li Chen Emperor need no further explanation; both are Emperors of the current era. While the Li Chen Emperor may not match Gu Qingfeng, his status as an Emperor is enough to suppress all.

As for the third place, Xia Tianjun, though not in the Da Di Realm, his strength can rival an Emperor, and his record of achievements is well-documented.

Unless a new Emperor emerges, no one can displace Xia Tianjun.

Therefore.

The top three positions on the Supreme List have remained unchanged for centuries.

However, the remaining rankings are fiercely contested and frequently change.

Gu Yang glanced at the Prodigy List, then at the Supreme List, and after a moment, he withdrew his gaze.

"Is there any news on the Youmo Realm?"

"In the vast universe with countless star systems, we have yet to locate the Youmo Realm. However, we have discovered many worlds invaded by the Youmo Realm. The inhabitants of those worlds have been entirely slaughtered by the Demon Clan, turning these worlds into breeding grounds for new demons.

While the Imperial Guards have killed many demons from these worlds and used soul-searching techniques, they have not obtained any useful information!"

Gu Yi reported truthfully.

Gu Yang nodded slightly.

"Continue to intensify the search. The Youmo Realm is the strongest of the Yidi forces. If we cannot eliminate the Youmo Realm, I will never feel at ease."

"I will do my utmost to search for the Youmo Realm. Any news will be reported to Your Majesty immediately!"

"Go!"

Gu Yang waved his hand, and Gu Yi bowed respectfully before leaving.

In the imperial study.

Gu Yang was soon alone.

He looked in the direction of the Gu family, his expression tinged with nostalgia.

"Father has been in seclusion for three hundred years. I wonder how far his cultivation has progressed. If Father emerges from seclusion, the Yidi forces will find it difficult to cause much trouble."

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PS: Check out the novel "The River God Daoist: From the Stream at the Door to the River of Time"! (End of Chapter)

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