There Are Monsters in Jianmen

On this day, Gu Qingfeng emerged from the Palm World and left the Taichu Forbidden Land.

He felt he had gained enough strength to protect himself and could now venture out to hunt demons and monsters.

In the past, he hadn’t dared—afraid he might die halfway. But now, he could even challenge Celestial Realm experts, making him a true powerhouse in the Cangming Realm.

Moreover, with his Ten-Tier Perfect Divine Pill now fully condensed, his cultivation progress was no longer restricted. Naturally, he sought out demons and monsters to aid his advancement.

Though his innate talent was extraordinary, and his cultivation speed was already fast, who would bother with hard work when they could grow stronger without lifting a finger?

Thus, Gu Qingfeng stepped out of the Taichu Forbidden Land.

But the moment he did, he froze.

Outside the forbidden land sat two ragged, pale-faced beggars—one old, one young—both severely injured.

The old man was unfamiliar, but the young one looked vaguely familiar, especially the black silk blindfold wrapped around his eyes.

"Well, if it isn’t Sword Maniac? How’d you end up in such a sorry state in just a few days? Did the Sword Sect go bankrupt?" Gu Qingfeng teased.

The two immediately snapped their eyes open and turned toward him.

Sword Maniac’s eyes welled with tears. "Gu Qingfeng! You’re finally out! Great, now we can go back to the Sword Sect. I’ve had enough of this damned place!"

Sword Maniac had truly reached his limit. Over the past month, Meng Yan had repeatedly forced his way into the Taichu Forbidden Land. On good days, he’d emerge with only minor soul injuries. On bad days, he’d provoke vicious beasts, barbarian tribes, or even enslaved Daoists, dragging Sword Maniac into the chaos.

The two had suffered immensely, and Sword Maniac had long wanted to give up.

But Meng Yan was obsessed with the Reverse Scale Sword, refusing to quit until he achieved his goal. He’d recover from his injuries, charge back in, get hurt again, rest, and repeat.

No wonder he was so emotional upon seeing Gu Qingfeng.

"You’re Gu Qingfeng? Where’s the Reverse Scale Sword?" Meng Yan demanded.

"Oh?" Gu Qingfeng gave him a disdainful once-over. "And who might you be? Daring to covet this venerable one’s treasures the moment you open your mouth—do you want to follow in the footsteps of the Blood River Sage?"

Gu Qingfeng sized him up. The old beggar’s aura was elusive, difficult to gauge, but he was likely within the Celestial Realm.

So Gu Qingfeng felt no fear, referring to himself as "this venerable one."

Meng Yan’s beard bristled with anger. "This seat is one of the Seven Peak Masters of the Sword Sect—Meng Yan! By the Sect Master’s order, I’ve come to escort you back!"

Gu Qingfeng narrowed his eyes. He’d expected this day would come. After all, he held the Sword Sect’s supreme treasure and the Emperor’s Scripture—of course they’d send someone.

"A mighty Immortal Court Sect, and they dispatch a beggar to capture this venerable one? How laughable."

"Gu Qingfeng, watch your tongue! We’re not here to capture you, but to bring you back to the Sword Sect. Don’t you know? The Sect Master has publicly acknowledged you as the disciple of the 13th-generation Holy Maiden. Once you return, you won’t have to worry about the Hell Sect or any other faction hunting you down.

In the Greenwood Domain, no one dares touch a Sword Sect disciple. You won’t need to hide in the Taichu Forbidden Land anymore," Sword Maniac explained.

"Keh keh keh... What a joke! This venerable one acts as he pleases—since when does he need others’ protection? And ‘hiding’? What nonsense!

The Taichu Forbidden Land is one of the world’s deadliest zones, hiding earth-shaking secrets. This venerable one was exploring it alone—how is that hiding?"

Gu Qingfeng had no intention of returning to the Sword Sect. Whether their claims were true or false didn’t matter. Even if they were genuine, what did the Sword Sect have to offer him now?

He already had the Emperor’s Scripture. Why would he care about the Sword Sect?

Hunting demons was far more appealing.

Sword Maniac grew frantic, laying out the stakes. The Sect Master admired Gu Qingfeng’s talent, and since he’d gained the Reverse Scale Sword’s recognition and mastered the Emperor’s Scripture, he was a born Sword Sect disciple.

The Sect Master had overruled opposition to protect him, even at the cost of offending other sects.

If Gu Qingfeng refused, not only would his past enemies come for him—even the Sword Sect would turn against him.

Despite Sword Maniac’s earnest pleas, Gu Qingfeng’s reply was simple: "Not going."

What a joke.

Could the Sword Sect compare to a demon nest?

The demons there were all talented, spoke sweetly, and even gave massages. What did the Sword Sect have?

As for offending the sects of the Greenwood Domain?

No problem—this venerable one never planned to stay here anyway. With so few demons around, only a fool would linger.

"You insolent brat! Today, you’re coming whether you want to or not!" Meng Yan, already seething from a month of frustration, finally snapped.

He immediately reached out to grab Gu Qingfeng.

Gu Qingfeng smirked, standing his ground without dodging.

This was the perfect chance to test his current physical resilience and see where he stood among Celestial Realm experts.

But the moment Meng Yan’s hand clamped onto his shoulder, something unexpected happened.

Ding!

Host attacked by Human-Demon Meng Yan.

Divine Power +100+100+100+......

Congratulations! Host’s cultivation has reached Human Yuan Divine Pill Second Heaven.

What the—!?

Human-Demon!?

Gu Qingfeng was stunned. What was going on?

He was utterly baffled. Wasn’t Meng Yan one of the Seven Peak Masters of the Sword Sect? Since when was he a Human-Demon!?

The surge in Divine Power didn’t surprise him. Upon reaching the Divine Pill Realm, all his true essence had transformed into Divine Power—a higher-tier energy formed from the fusion of essence, energy, and spirit, possessing a living quality.

It was precisely because of Divine Power that Human Yuan Divine Pill experts could effortlessly crush Soul Realm cultivators—Divine Power and true essence were on entirely different levels.

But none of that mattered now. The real shock was Meng Yan’s identity!

The Seven Peak Masters were the Sword Sect’s highest echelon!

Aside from the Sect Master, they held the highest authority, even above the elders.

And yet, one of them was a demon?

Had the Sword Sect been infiltrated? If even the leadership was compromised, how many demons lurked within its ranks?

Meng Yan, seeing Gu Qingfeng’s stunned expression, assumed it was awe at his strength—not realizing his cover had been blown.

After all, he’d hidden among the Sword Sect for years, even fooling the Sect Master. How could a junior below the Celestial Realm see through him?

Little did he know, Gu Qingfeng possessed a system that grew stronger when attacked by demons. That single strike had exposed Meng Yan’s carefully concealed identity.

Meng Yan tightened his grip on Gu Qingfeng’s shoulder. "Boy, don’t think just because you’ve schemed against Celestial Realm experts that you can look down on them. The Blood River Sage was nothing but an unascended Celestial. This seat is a Four-Tribulation Celestial!"