In the true Dark Realm.
The Dark Emperor and the others were intently watching the massive bronze mirror, which displayed Gu Qingfeng's actions within the second layer of the Eternal Dream.
The Eternal Dream consisted of two layers.
The first layer primarily served to lull people into lowering their guard, while the second layer was the true test.
A true demonic infiltrator would have prepared themselves mentally for such trials. The first layer of the Eternal Dream might be bypassed by those with strong wills and thorough preparations.
This was why the second layer existed—as a failsafe.
Imagine this: you are an infiltrator attempting to blend into an organization. You’ve prepared extensively to face the test, and once you pass it, your tense nerves relax, and your guard drops. You believe the trial is over, unaware that the real challenge has only just begun.
This is the moment when one is most vulnerable to exposing flaws. Moreover, the second layer of the dream was designed to perfectly replicate the Dark Realm, with every detail and person copied from reality.
It was a flawless reconstruction.
The only difference was that the events unfolding were not real.
The more realistic the dream, the harder it became to distinguish illusion from reality.
Only by passing the second layer could one truly be considered to have overcome the trial.
The Dark Emperor and the others were deeply concerned about the safety of the Dark Realm, as it represented humanity’s last hope. Not a single traitor could be allowed within—one slip-up, and the Dark Realm’s location might be exposed, leading to utter ruin.
At this moment, the bronze mirror showed Gu Qingfeng picking up the divine sword. The Dark Emperor and the others watched closely, awaiting his choice.
Would he side with humanity or the demons?
Truthfully, the Dark Emperor and the others didn’t believe Gu Qingfeng was a spy. In the dream, they had deliberately fed him false information about the demon-slaying weapon and their strategic plans as a test.
An infiltrator who obtained critical intelligence would surely try to relay it.
Thus, the dream had deliberately left Gu Qingfeng alone in a secluded cave.
If he were a spy, he would have seized this perfect opportunity—yet he did nothing but sleep.
This greatly reduced the likelihood of him being a traitor.
Therefore, the most probable outcome was that Gu Qingfeng would take up the sword and fight for humanity.
"Shut the hell up, all of you!"
A thunderous roar erupted from the bronze mirror.
The Dark Emperor and the others froze. What was happening? What was this newcomer doing?
Their eyes remained fixed on the mirror as Gu Qingfeng pointed his sword at the crowd and began hurling insults.
The Dark Emperor and the others were utterly baffled.
"Why is this newcomer cursing at us too?" one divine realm expert muttered in confusion.
The others exchanged glances, unsure how to respond.
"I’ve lived for centuries, and this is the first time I’ve seen someone so bizarre. In this situation, there are only two choices—help humanity or the demons. But this guy? He curses both sides! Tell me, does this count as passing the trial?"
"Keep watching," the Dark Emperor interjected, silencing the discussion.
"Hey, lady! Take your people and get the hell out of the Dark Realm. Stop getting in my way."
The Dark Emperor: "???"
Everyone turned to look at the Dark Emperor with strange expressions.
Unfortunately, her face was hidden behind a mask, making her emotions unreadable. However, the faint trembling of her fair, delicate hands betrayed her inner turmoil.
After watching a while longer, someone suddenly exclaimed, "I get it! This kid is trying to save all of us! He’s driving us out of the Dark Realm so he can face the demons alone!"
"Fellow Daoist Jue Mingzi, it seems you’ve found an extraordinary newcomer. Though his words are crude, his heart is pure, and his actions are truly admirable."
Then, the Dark Emperor’s cool, composed voice emerged from behind the mask: "While his intentions may be noble, his approach is flawed. The correct course would be to unite everyone to slay the demons.
With his strength, a single strike from the divine sword could kill the Azure Demon Emperor, but many lesser demons would remain. Once his power is exhausted, how will he fight them? Instead of ensuring survival for all, he chooses to play the lone hero—this will only lead to tragedy."
The others exchanged glances. Though they agreed with her logic and her tone remained steady, they couldn’t shake the feeling that her criticism stemmed from being called "lady" earlier.
Truly, even the most composed women harbored a hint of pettiness.
"Fellow Daoist Jue Mingzi, let’s extract Gu Qingfeng from the dream. His actions prove he’s no spy—there’s no need to watch further," someone suggested.
Jue Mingzi nodded, about to comply—when suddenly, another person gasped.
"Look! What is he doing now?!"
Everyone turned back to the mirror—and froze in stunned silence.
"He... he actually gave the divine sword to the Azure Demon Emperor?!"
"Traitor! A traitor to humanity!" someone roared in fury.
Others were puzzled. "But if he truly wanted to betray us, why did he send the others away?"
"What’s there to question? Maybe he got cold feet and switched sides at the last moment!"
"Dark Emperor, his behavior suggests he isn’t a spy, but his cowardly betrayal means he must never be allowed into the Dark Realm. We implore you to—"
"Wait." The Dark Emperor raised a hand, cutting them off. Her brow furrowed as she stared at the mirror, captivated by Gu Qingfeng’s next move.
The others followed her gaze—and were dumbfounded again.
Wait, wasn’t he surrendering? Why is he charging at the demons now?!
"What—what is he doing?! Why is he fighting them again?!"
"Just like in the first layer, where he single-handedly surrounded a horde of demons! Now he’s doing it again in the second layer?!"
"How does this newcomer’s mind work? Why isn’t he afraid of those powerful demons? Does he have some deep-seated vendetta?"
"I don’t care if he’s afraid or not—what I don’t understand is, if he hates demons so much, why didn’t he just use the divine sword? Why throw it away and fight bare-handed?!"
Countless questions swirled in the minds of the divine realm experts. Gu Qingfeng’s baffling actions left them utterly perplexed, and silence fell over the group.
After a long pause, someone finally spoke up.
"So... does this mean he passed?"
"He didn’t side with the demons, he helped humanity escape, and then he single-handedly fought tens of thousands of demons. Based on those three points alone, he not only passed—he excelled. By all accounts, he’s a hero of humanity."
But setting aside these three points, his behavior was so bizarre it hardly seemed human.
lities. One day, Qi Yuan was buying groceries when he unfortunately came face-to-face with a monster. Just when he thought he was going to die on the spot, he suddenly heard the monster's thoughts... "This aura, he's definitely not an ordinary master!" "So terrifying, so terrifying." "A fight with my back against the wall, I can't take it anymore." Qi Yuan: Ah, no one told me that my awakened ability isn't telepathy, but rather the stronger my enemies imagine me to be, the stronger I truly become. PS: Zhou Hai in the first chapter is not the protagonist.
grated, and just when he finally managed to get into an elite academy, he discovered that he actually had a system, and the way to earn rewards was extremely ridiculous. So for the sake of rewards, he had no choice but to start acting ridiculous as well. Su Cheng: "It's nothing but system quests after all." But later, what confused Su Cheng was that while he was already quite ridiculous, he never expected those serious characters to gradually become ridiculous too. And the way they looked at him became increasingly strange... (This synopsis doesn't do it justice, please read the full story)
tions: attribute allocation, analysis, proficiency, and simulation. Specializing in mechanical alchemy, from crafting sorcerous battle armor to handcrafting mechanical maidens, his mechanical legion conquers endless realms... Relying on his wits, he begins with a student-teacher romance, wins over a female director, enslaves a female assassin and a underworld queen, becoming the husband of a Grand Duchess... He enslaves the Goddess of Magic from the divine realm, developing his power simultaneously in both the Wizard World and the Realm of Gods...
invincible power, Gu Changge transmigrates into a fantasy world, bound to a sign-in system that grants him cultivation rewards and various peerless treasures daily. While others struggle desperately to break through their cultivation realms, he has long since reached the pinnacle of the Great Dao, becoming a reclusive Emperor whose true strength even he himself cannot fathom. Originally planning to lie low and retire peacefully on Purple Bamboo Peak, the system suddenly issues a new task — take on disciples. With no other choice, Gu Changge casually picks up a few disciples: The eldest disciple, born with a War God Constitution, is thrown a copy of "War God Stratagems" by him, and ends up conquering the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, becoming a peerless War God who sweeps across the cosmos. The second disciple, possessing a Chaos Sword Body, can break all techniques with a single sword, his swordsmanship unmatched throughout history. He points his sword at the heavens: "My master said, the sword and the man stand together. If the sword perishes... my master will give me another one." The third disciple, a reborn Empress who returns to her throne, her elegance and grace overshadowing all beings. And without anyone noticing, his own sect, the Qingxuan Sect, has become the number one sect on the continent. Looking at these unbelievably formidable disciples, Gu Changge, holding the "Primordial Purple Qi" he just signed in for, falls into deep thought: — Wasn't this supposed to be a peaceful retirement? How did I become the ultimate master?!
