It goes without saying that after Gu Qingfeng condensed his Divine Core, the cultivators within the Palm World would experience an explosive surge in strength. Soon, a wave of cultivators would emerge, reaching the Human Yuan Divine Core realm.
Gu Qingfeng was never stingy with the residents of the Palm World, as they were considered his foundation—people he could control through the Heavenly Dao. Who knew when they might come in handy? Besides, it wasn’t like the cultivation manuals cost him anything.
If war ever broke out, wouldn’t it be spectacular to summon billions of people with a single wave of his hand?
......
While Gu Qingfeng was immersed in his cultivation, the entire Green Wood Domain outside the Primordial Forbidden Land was in an uproar because of him. Though he was absent from the outside world, his legends were everywhere.
In every street and alley, teahouses and taverns, sects and noble clans—no matter how big or small—people were discussing one name: Gu Qingfeng!
Through the combined investigations of the major clans and sects, Gu Qingfeng’s name had long been exposed to the public. Even his past movements—where he had gone, what he had bought—had been thoroughly uncovered.
The reason was simple: he hadn’t offended just one person or one faction, but an entire crowd, an entire network of powers.
Those who entered the Hanging Heaven Secret Realm were mostly the proud geniuses of the Green Wood Domain. Yet Gu Qingfeng had robbed every single one of them. The consequences were predictable—it was equivalent to offending the entire Green Wood Domain.
Thus, the name "Gu Qingfeng" was undoubtedly the hottest topic in the region.
His deeds had also become widely known:
Instantly killing the Little Yama King, the top genius of the Netherworld Sect!
Crushing thousands of prodigies single-handedly!
Commanding a thousand divine swords to withstand a strike from a Heavenly Being!
Escaping unscathed from the pursuit of over a dozen Heavenly Beings!
Entering the Primordial Forbidden Land unharmed—even slaying the Blood River Sage!
Any one of these feats would have been enough to shock the world, yet all of them had happened to one person. It was simply unbelievable.
Moreover, due to the incident with the Heavenly Thunder Seed, Gu Qingfeng’s righteous deeds in the Black Market were also dug up and became the talk of the town.
Though Gu Qingfeng had disappeared for some time, the rumors not only persisted but grew wilder and more exaggerated.
"Shocking! A man surnamed Gu did THIS to a thousand prodigies in the Hanging Heaven Secret Realm!"
"Horrifying! The proud daughters of noble clans and sects were all brought to tears by one man!"
"According to an anonymous Flame Cloud Sect genius, Li XX, the month in the Hanging Heaven Secret Realm was the darkest time of her life—subjected to unspeakable humiliation and exploitation every day!"
Though the facts had been twisted by rumors, one thing was unanimously agreed upon:
Gu Qingfeng was an absolute monster!
How else could one man suppress all the proud geniuses of the Green Wood Domain?
Though legends claimed he was only at the Divine Soul realm, no one believed it—because it was simply impossible.
Most preferred to believe that Gu Qingfeng possessed a treasure capable of concealing his true cultivation.
After all, if he could casually produce a thousand divine swords—even Saint-grade weapons—what was a mere cultivation-hiding treasure?
......
Sword Gate Holy Land.
Inside a grand hall.
A young man with black silk wrapped around his eyes was reporting to the Sword Gate’s high-ranking elders.
Seated at the head of the hall was a dignified, imposing middle-aged man with an aura of natural authority.
Though he appeared no older than forty, his hair was entirely white, meticulously combed and adorned with a violet-gold crown. He wore black-gold robes embroidered with mystical patterns, exuding a terrifying pressure that made others tremble.
This man was none other than the Sword Gate’s Sect Master, the Sword God of this era—Dugu Wei!
"So, one of the Seven Swords, the Scalebane Sword, is in Gu Qingfeng’s possession?" Dugu Wei asked solemnly.
The moment he spoke, the previously murmuring hall fell silent.
"Reporting to the Sect Master, this disciple saw it with his own eyes. Among Gu Qingfeng’s Golden Metal Sword Formation, the Scalebane was indeed present," Sword Maniac replied respectfully.
"Scalebane vanished six thousand years ago when the 13th-generation Holy Maiden took it away. Who would have thought it would resurface now, even choosing a young man as its master?"
Dugu Wei paused in contemplation before continuing, "The Seven Swords of Sword Gate are sentient. They only acknowledge masters whose attributes align with theirs and whose talent is peerless."
After a moment of silence, he asked, "Sword Maniac, how would you assess his strength?"
"Unfathomable," Sword Maniac answered after some thought. "This disciple is no match for him. Gu Qingfeng is shrouded in mystery—his methods and weapons are anything but ordinary."
"In the Hanging Heaven Secret Realm, disciples like myself and the Little Yama King couldn’t even withstand a single move from him. At first, I thought he relied solely on the power of his sword formation. But later, when he faced a Heavenly Being, he actually commanded a thousand divine swords to block a Heavenly Being’s strike. Such reserves of power… this disciple pales in comparison."
"Then, the speed he displayed surpassed even that of a Heavenly Being. Even without the sword formation, I doubt I could last a single move against him."
Dugu Wei nodded.
At that moment, Elder Qian interjected, "Sect Master, this boy possesses our sect’s treasure, numerous secret techniques, and—most importantly—he can survive in the Primordial Forbidden Land! There must be earth-shattering secrets on him. In my opinion, we must capture him!"
A cold glint flashed in Dugu Wei’s eyes as he turned to Elder Qian.
The elder instantly felt as if he had been plunged into an icy abyss, his body trembling uncontrollably.
"Elder Qian, as sword cultivators, we should focus on honing our own blades, not coveting external treasures. This world is full of secrets—do you intend to seize every one you encounter?"
Cold sweat dripped down Elder Qian’s back as he hastily bowed. "The Sect Master’s teachings are wise. However, even if we disregard external treasures, Gu Qingfeng is not a disciple of our sect yet possesses our sacred sword and has stolen the Emperor’s Scripture. This violates our sect’s bottom line. If we do nothing, Sword Gate’s dignity will be lost!"
"Who said he isn’t a disciple of our sect?" Dugu Wei suddenly countered.
The crowd was stunned.
"He wields the Scalebane Sword, bestowed by our 13th-generation Holy Maiden, and has cultivated our sect’s supreme secret manual. With such orthodox roots, how is he not one of us?"
After a moment of stunned silence, everyone realized—the Sect Master had taken a liking to Gu Qingfeng!
No wonder he was the Sect Master; his vision was simply on another level.
While they had been fixated on seizing Gu Qingfeng’s treasures, secret techniques, and hidden knowledge, the Sect Master had set his sights on the man himself!
Gu Qingfeng wasn’t just rich in treasures—his talent was extraordinary. He had shaken off the impact of the Sword Canon’s heavenly truths in less than three seconds, a testament to his genius.
And it wasn’t just his talent—his reputation was unparalleled.
These days, Gu Qingfeng’s name was known to all. Though no one openly admitted it, everyone silently acknowledged one fact:
The number one prodigy of the Green Wood Domain was undoubtedly him!
If they could recruit him into Sword Gate, wouldn’t that mean the top genius of the Green Wood Domain was one of their own? For a sect in gradual decline, this would be a tremendous boost to their prestige.
"Immediately spread the word that Gu Qingfeng is the legacy disciple taken in by the thirteenth-generation Holy Maiden in the mortal world. The Reverse Scale Sword in his possession is irrefutable proof of this," Dugu Wei commanded.
"Gate Master, but Gu Qingfeng's reputation is... problematic. He has offended nearly every major faction. Bringing someone like him into the Sword Sect might—"
"Hmph!" Dugu Wei snorted coldly. "Foolish! Though Gu Qingfeng's true cultivation remains unclear, the fact that he entered the Hanging Heaven Secret Realm proves he has not yet reached the Heavenly Human realm. As all know, the Heavenly Human realm is a watershed. Throughout history, unless one is a young Heavenly Emperor, who could defy a Heavenly Human while still mortal?
Yet all you see are the treasures on him, the enemies he’s made—blind to the fact that his talent is the most valuable thing he possesses!
Which of you, at his age, could wield a thousand divine weapons—even a single sacred artifact—to withstand a strike from a Heavenly Human?
Which of you, below the Heavenly Human realm, could evade pursuit from over a dozen Heavenly Human experts, even slaying one in return?
How could we turn away such a genius over petty grievances?"
Dugu Wei’s words struck like thunder, leaving the assembly in deep contemplation.
For a moment, the great hall fell into silence.
After a pause, Dugu Wei sighed faintly, murmuring as if to himself, "That boy Gu Qingfeng... bears the makings of a Heavenly Emperor."
s the Eldest Princess, renowned for her cold and aloof detachment, became the most docile of lambs, obeying his every command without question. But when the final move was played on the chessboard, as Gu Chenghan seized everything and ascended on the verge of apotheosis, that very Princess suddenly embraced him from behind, her tone carrying a dependence never heard before: "Wait... you haven't yet... commanded me to love you forever." Gu Chenghan froze abruptly. She... hadn't been hypnotized?! ... [The Eldest Princess's Diary] [When my soul was extracted, becoming the sole spectator outside my own shell] [At first, there was overwhelming fury, until I saw] [How he used my sword to effortlessly shatter my inescapable doom] [How he wielded my authority to eradicate fatal conspiracies I had never even detected] [Like a deity, he rescued me from the deep mire I was trapped in] [If not for those annoying vixens, he and I would be a match made in heaven] [I think I am ill, gravely ill] [My deity should belong to me alone] ... "Hypnosis? Oh, it succeeded, my dear Master." "Only this time, it's my turn to hypnotize you."
to panic—he has a system. As long as an investment target dies, he can claim a reward. And since he is immortal, the one thing he has plenty of is time. ... Countless years later. “Immortal Emperor of Longevity? I invested in him.” “Supreme Celestial Venerable? I invested in him.” “Undying Empress? I invested in her.” “...” “Heh. Once they’ve all died, even the Heavenly Dao will have to kneel and call me Dad.”
m back to his original world. In the end, he realized he had overthought things. [Hey, why is Shen Manni, the female lead, acting strange? Shouldn't she be fawning over the male lead at this point?] [Zhou Qiaoqiao, are you sick? Weren't you supposed to break off your engagement today?] [Damn it! An Youyi, please do your job as an undercover agent and sell my information to the protagonist, you idiot!] ... At this moment, Xu Mo himself didn't know that these female leads had already heard his inner thoughts. Then they decided not to play by the rules. Xu Mo: Please respect my profession as the big villain!
e bizarre and supernatural had descended. The previous emperor was a thoroughgoing tyrant; no longer satisfied with human women, he had set his sights on a stunningly beautiful supernatural entity. He met his end in his bedchamber, drained of all his vital essence. As the legitimate eldest son and crown prince, Wang Hao was thus hastily enthroned, becoming the young emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty. No sooner had he awakened the "Imperial Sign-In Intelligence System" than he was assassinated by a Son of Destiny—a classic villain's opening. The Great Zhou, ravaged by the former emperor's excesses, was in national decline. The great families within its borders harbored their own treacherous schemes, martial sects began to defy the imperial court's decrees, and border armies, their pay and provisions in arrears, grumbled incessantly against the central government. Fortunately, the central capital was still held secure by the half-million Imperial Guards and fifty thousand Imperial Forest Army who obeyed the court's orders, along with the royal family's hidden reserves of power, barely managing to suppress the realm. As the Great Zhou's finances worsened and supernatural activities grew ever more frequent, the court sat atop a volcano. Ambitious plotters everywhere dreamed of overthrowing the dynasty, and even some reclusive ancient powers emerged, attempting to sway the tides of the world. At the first grand court assembly, the civil and military officials nearly came to blows, fighting tooth and nail over the allocation of fifty million taels of silver from the summer tax revenues. The spectacle opened Wang Hao's eyes—the Great Zhou's bureaucracy was not only corrupt but also martially proficient, a cabinet of all-rounders. Some officials even had the audacity to suggest the emperor release funds from the imperial privy purse to address the emergency. Wang Hao suddenly felt weary. Let it all burn.
