When Will Junior Brother Gu Emerge From Seclusion

In the grand hall of the Sword Sect.

"Has Junior Brother Gu still not emerged from seclusion?" Dugu Wei asked with a furrowed brow.

"Reporting to the Sect Leader, not yet," a disciple replied respectfully.

Dugu Wei's frown deepened.

At that moment, the master of Wanren Peak spoke up, "Sect Leader, the situation is urgent. The fate of the entire Verdant Wood Domain now hinges on Junior Brother Gu alone. Perhaps we should forcibly summon him out of seclusion."

Before Dugu Wei could respond, Lin Miaoke suddenly stepped forward. "No! Last time, to help me overcome my inner demon tribulation, Junior Brother Gu recklessly devoured the demon himself. Though he pretended to be unharmed, I knew it was all an act—he didn’t want me to worry.

"That was an inner demon tribulation! With his low cultivation, even the divine nature of his Four Saint Physique couldn’t have shielded him completely. This seclusion must be for recovery. We must not disturb him now. If his foundation is damaged, the Sword Sect will lose a future Heavenly Emperor!"

"Lin Miaoke speaks wisely," Dugu Wei said gravely. "Interrupting a cultivator’s seclusion is perilous—it can ruin their foundation or even drive them to qi deviation. Junior Brother Gu possesses the bearing of a Heavenly Emperor; we cannot afford any mishap.

"Moreover, the sects of the Verdant Wood Domain are spreading rumors to undermine him. Even if he knew of this crisis, with his current strength, he could do little to help."

"Damn it!" Meng Yan, master of Nilin Peak, suddenly roared in fury.

"Who leaked the news? If not for this traitor, our sect would never face such calamity! When I find the culprit, I’ll refine their soul and tear their body to shreds!"

As his rage erupted, a terrifying pressure filled the hall, shaking the space and causing the structure to tremble.

"Meng Yan, calm yourself," Dugu Wei interjected. "I know you and Junior Brother Gu share a deep bond as fellow disciples of Nilin Peak, but we must not let emotions cloud our judgment in this crisis."

Meng Yan’s eyes burned with fury, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white, as if he wished to tear the traitor apart with his bare hands.

After a long moment, he exhaled sharply, his imposing aura dissipating like a deflated balloon. He seemed to age a decade in an instant.

"Heaven envies the talented!" Meng Yan lamented to the skies.

"Everyone, the situation is dire, but not hopeless. We must focus on finding a solution," Dugu Wei urged.

"A solution? Easier said than done," sighed the master of Fengxie Peak.

"These vile cowards can’t bear to see our Sword Sect rise. They’ve slandered Junior Brother Gu relentlessly, claiming he committed atrocities in the Hanging Heaven Secret Realm—slaughtering male cultivators and defiling female ones. The rumors grow wilder by the day, and now the entire Verdant Wood Domain seethes with hatred for him.

"Countless ‘victims’ have come forward, weeping publicly. Some sects have even stooped so low as to send their holy maidens to recount fabricated tales of abuse. The Netherworld Sect has seized this chance to rally other factions, demanding we hand over Junior Brother Gu—this so-called ‘scourge of evil’—or face annihilation.

"Their scheme is vicious. They wield the weight of public opinion to force our hand. In the past, the Sword Sect would’ve scoffed at such threats, but now...

"Ah, Junior Brother Gu made too many enemies outside."

Lin Miaoke couldn’t stay silent. "How can you blame Junior Brother Gu? He may be mischievous, but he’s no villain! Those are blatant lies spread by the Netherworld Sect!"

"Lin Miaoke is right," Dugu Wei agreed. "This isn’t Junior Brother Gu’s fault. Even if he did those things—which he didn’t—they’re just excuses. The factions claim to seek justice, but in truth, they fear his talent and our sect’s resurgence.

"Even if Junior Brother Gu were a saint, they’d still smear him. Lies come too easily."

Lin Miaoke’s eyebrow twitched. "Sect Leader, what do you mean by ‘even if he were a saint’? He is one!

"He risked his life to save me during my inner demon tribulation. What greater proof of his virtue do you need?"

The other peak masters’ lips twitched. Women truly were ruled by emotion—had she already forgotten what Gu Qingfeng said during the Heart Trial?

A saint? Since when did saints dream of riding the most beautiful women?

Dugu Wei rubbed his temples. "Lin Miaoke, that’s not what I meant. Let’s focus on the crisis.

"The Netherworld Sect and their allies demand we surrender Junior Brother Gu to resolve this peacefully.

"Of course, we will never hand him over. Not just because he’s the Sword Sect’s Imperial Scion, but because any disciple under our banner deserves protection. If we fail even in this, how can the Sword Sect hold its head high in this world?"

"Elder Martial Brother Sect Leader, since there are no outsiders here, let’s skip the usual platitudes meant for disciples and get straight to the point," one of the Peak Masters said impatiently.

Dugu Wei’s expression stiffened.

This was the downside of being a sect leader—he had grown too accustomed to empty rhetoric.

In truth, everyone present knew the truth: if this were just about an ordinary disciple, the Sword Sect would have long handed them over. But Gu Qingfeng was no ordinary disciple—he was a future Heavenly Emperor!

Ahem... Dugu Wei cleared his throat tactically before adopting a solemn tone. "This crisis will inevitably lead to a fierce battle. However, while the allied sects may seem formidable, their very numbers mean they’ll need time to assemble their forces before marching on the Sword Sect. We have at least three months before they arrive.

Therefore, the Sword Sect must devote these three months to full-scale preparation!

There are three urgent tasks at hand.

First, once Junior Brother Gu emerges from seclusion, we must immediately gather all the Holy Sons and Holy Daughters to practice the Seven Swords Immortal-Slaying Formation. Among them, only Junior Brother Gu has yet to reach the Heavenly Human Realm—the rest are all Heavenly Human experts, with some even having survived their first tribulation. If the seven of them unite their swords, their combined power should rival that of a Fifth Tribulation Heavenly Human.

Second, after Junior Brother Gu emerges, all Fourth Tribulation Heavenly Humans in the Sword Sect must cease suppressing their cultivation and fully undergo their tribulations. With Junior Brother Gu’s assistance, overcoming the Inner Demon Tribulation should be manageable. Though this may exact a heavy toll on him, survival takes precedence. Afterward, I will compensate him with additional rare treasures to restore his vitality.

Third, once Junior Brother Gu is out of seclusion, I will attempt to have him make contact with the Emperor Demon Sword. The odds are slim, but if he can wield it even slightly, our crisis will be resolved.

Does anyone have anything to add? Speak freely."

The Peak Masters exchanged glances. All three tasks hinged on Gu Qingfeng—everything had to wait for him to emerge.

Then, one Peak Master suddenly spoke up. "I have nothing to add. I just have one question—when exactly will Gu Qingfeng come out of seclusion?"

Dugu Wei’s face fell. In his focus on strategizing, he had completely overlooked the most crucial detail—the man himself was still in seclusion.

Without Junior Brother Gu, none of these plans could even begin.

So... when will Junior Brother Gu emerge?