The Visitor from Jianmen

Gu Qingfeng meticulously studied the totems on the barbarian's body. Though intricate, he estimated that within a month, he could fully extract and adapt them for his own use, engraving them onto his skin.

Just as he was wholly absorbed in his task, a thunderous rumbling echoed from nearby, as if a mountain were shifting. Gu Qingfeng swiftly turned his gaze and saw several barbarians—some twenty meters tall, others even thirty—charging toward him.

His heart lurched. The aura radiating from the twenty-meter barbarians was already comparable to that of a Heavenly Realm expert, while the thirty-meter ones were several times more formidable.

Damn, it’s like poking a hornet’s nest.

Without hesitation, Gu Qingfeng stashed the barbarian corpse into his spatial treasure and immediately retreated into his Palm World—a perfectly safe space for studying the totems.

......

At the Sword Gate’s encampment, an elder with a youthful face, white hair, and an immortal’s bearing stood atop a flying sword, accompanied by a blindfolded youth. Together, they streaked across the sky like a beam of light.

These two had been dispatched by Dugu Wei to retrieve Gu Qingfeng.

The blindfolded youth was none other than Sword Maniac.

The elder, with his ageless visage, was none other than Meng Yan—one of the seven peak masters of Sword Gate, the master of Reverse Scale Peak.

The two soared through the skies, heading straight for the Primordial Forbidden Land.

"Uncle Meng, slow down a little. I can barely keep up," Sword Maniac gasped, struggling against the fierce gales of the upper heavens. Even with his blindfold, the wind was unbearable.

Meng Yan chuckled. "I deliberately brought you through this wind layer to temper your body with its force. Such a rare opportunity, and you’re complaining?"

Sword Maniac forced a bitter smile. "Uncle Meng, I’ve been a disciple for twenty years—I’m no novice. Please spare me the jokes. You’re just in a hurry to find Gu Qingfeng and bring the Reverse Scale Sword back to the mountain."

Meng Yan’s beard bristled in mock outrage. "Sharp-eyed brat! Each of Sword Gate’s seven peaks has its own sacred sword, yet Reverse Peak has been without one for a thousand years, leaving us at the bottom of the hierarchy. Those old fools never let me hear the end of it. Now that the Reverse Scale Sword has resurfaced, of course I’m eager!"

He paused, then added gravely, "Besides, I’ve already received word that the Little King of Hell and the Blood River Sage both fell to Gu Qingfeng’s hands. The Netherworld Sect is furious—they’ve deployed multiple Heavenly Realm experts to seal off a radius of ten thousand miles around the Primordial Forbidden Land, waiting for him to emerge.

If we don’t hurry, the kid might not make it."

"Right, right. You’re the elder—whatever you say goes."

Three days later...

Meng Yan and Sword Maniac arrived at the outskirts of the Primordial Forbidden Land.

Immediately, they spotted the Netherworld Sect’s forces, who had already set up an inescapable net, sealing off the entire area, lying in wait for Gu Qingfeng to walk into their trap.

A Heavenly Realm expert from the Netherworld Sect stepped forward to block Meng Yan’s path. "Esteemed Daoist, the Netherworld Sect is conducting business here. Kindly step aside."

Meng Yan smiled faintly. "What a coincidence. Sword Gate also has business here. You step aside."

"Sword Gate?!" The expert’s expression shifted. "Might I ask which esteemed elder you are?"

"This master is Meng Yan of Sword Gate."

The Netherworld Sect expert paled. "Peak Master Meng Yan of Reverse Scale Peak! This junior was blind—forgive my disrespect!"

Meng Yan waved a hand. "No need for formalities. I know why your sect is here, but let me make one thing clear: Gu Qingfeng is a disciple of Sword Gate. Whatever plans you have, abandon them now and withdraw."

"Elder Meng, that boy killed our young master and a Heavenly Realm elder. This matter cannot be settled with just a few words," the expert said through gritted teeth.

Meng Yan sighed. "Very well. It seems this master will have to stretch his limbs today."

With that, he drew his sword.

The moment the blade left its sheath, his demeanor transformed—his gaze sharpened to an almost unbearable intensity.

An overwhelming sword intent erupted from his body, piercing the heavens and tearing a hole through the clouds!

Every member of the Netherworld Sect shuddered, their souls trembling in fear.

"E-Elder Meng... are you truly willing to wage war against the Netherworld Sect for Gu Qingfeng?"

"Can you even represent the Netherworld Sect? Scram! If your sect leader has grievances, let him come find me!"

"Sword Gate is an imperial immortal sect, yet you act with such tyranny. Aren’t you afraid of becoming a laughingstock?"

"Have you lost your mind from cultivation? If imperial immortal sects aren’t tyrannical, who do you think gets to be—your Netherworld Sect?

Get lost. I won’t say it again."

"Curses! Let’s go!"

Seeing no other choice, the Netherworld Sect forces wisely retreated.

Meng Yan sheathed his sword, his fierce aura dissipating as he returned to his usual benevolent, immortal-like demeanor.

"Sword Maniac, wait here. Don’t wander off. This master will take a quick look around the Primordial Forbidden Land to find Gu Qingfeng."

With that, he vanished in a streak of sword light.

A long while later, Meng Yan came scrambling out of the forbidden land in a panic.

Sword Maniac rushed forward. "Uncle Meng, are you alright?"

Meng Yan didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he hastily swallowed several pills, then exhaled deeply. "Ah... I’m alive!"

"That Primordial Forbidden Land is no place for mortals—or even immortals!"

Seeing that Meng Yan was unharmed, Sword Maniac ventured, "Uncle Meng, if even you can’t endure long in there, then Gu Qingfeng, even with some protective treasure, probably..."

"Alive or dead, I must see proof. Even if he’s gone, I’m bringing the Reverse Scale Sword back. We’ll rest here for now. After I recover for a few days, I’ll search again."

......

Inside the Palm World, Gu Qingfeng continued his research on the barbarian totems. He believed in balancing work and leisure—dedicating at least an hour each day to study before spending time with Shang Xinyan or disciplining his demonic slaves.

Only Little Corpse Charm remained in seclusion. Her breakthrough to the Divine Realm seemed to have triggered an unusual transformation, prolonging her ascension.

A full month passed.

Finally, on this day, Gu Qingfeng fully deciphered the barbarian totems. After adjusting them to suit his physique, he engraved a set onto himself.

For aesthetics, he didn’t cover his body in chaotic markings like the barbarians. Instead, he concealed the totems, revealing them only when activated.

Initial tests showed that activating the totems tripled his physical strength—an explosive boost!

His power had skyrocketed.

Now, even if the Blood River Sage resurrected, Gu Qingfeng could crush him with pure physical force—no need for the Gengjin Sword Array.

Moreover, the totems held untapped potential. The ones he’d acquired came from five- and ten-meter barbarians. If he obtained totems from twenty-meter, thirty-meter, or even larger barbarians, his physique would reach unimaginable heights!