Hearing Gu Qingfeng's casual acknowledgment, the crowd fell into silence, stunned into speechlessness.
That was the Heaven-Sealing Forbidden Art—one of the Nine Ancient Forbidden Arts, representing the pinnacle of array formations.
If he had truly mastered it, did that mean Gu Qingfeng was now the foremost master of array formations in the world?
Was this the terrifying prowess of a future Heavenly Emperor?
Just as the crowd was about to speak again—BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Deafening thunderous roars erupted from beyond the Sword Gate’s grand formation.
Turning their heads, they saw the enemy forces had assembled into battle formations and begun their assault.
Night had just fallen, but divine light pierced the heavens, dark clouds loomed overhead, and lightning streaked across the sky. The enemies gathered overwhelming forces, launching relentless attacks against the Sword Gate’s protective barrier.
Moonlight cascaded like liquid silver, forming torrents that crashed against the mountain-guarding formation.
Heavenly thunder descended like divine punishment, serpentine bolts lashing down in fury.
A sea of blood surged, waves towering like mountains, threatening to drown the land.
......
For a moment, the sky was painted with dazzling radiance, as if the Sword Gate would be swallowed whole.
Some of the weaker disciples had never witnessed such apocalyptic devastation before. Their legs trembled, faces drained of color.
Yet, no matter how fierce the enemy’s assault, the Sword Gate’s grand formation stood unshaken—like an ancient golden mountain, its golden light deflecting every attack.
But Dugu Wei and the others showed no relief. They knew the principle of erosion—no matter how strong the formation, under such relentless assault, it would eventually crumble.
"How long can the mountain-protecting formation hold?" Dugu Wei asked the elder overseeing the formation.
The elder’s expression was grave. "If the attacks remain at this level, and with our full efforts to reinforce it, it can last a month.
But that’s assuming Wang Yan and the other Heavenly Monarchs don’t intervene. If they join the assault, the time will likely be halved."
"So we have at least half a month?" Dugu Wei said heavily. "Wang Yan and the others won’t act rashly—they fear expending too much strength before facing me."
Then, Dugu Wei suddenly turned to Gu Qingfeng and the others. "How is your Seven Swords Immortal-Slaying Formation coming along?"
The disciples exchanged uneasy glances, their eyes flickering toward Gu Qingfeng and Chu Jingchen.
The truth was, they had never practiced the formation even once.
Still, their talent was undeniable. Over the past month, though they hadn’t rehearsed, they had thoroughly studied the theory.
Dugu Wei observed their hesitation, his expression darkening further. "Junior Brother Gu, how is your progress?"
Gu Qingfeng shrugged. "No problem here. A formation this simple? I mastered it at a glance."
Chu Jingchen quickly added, "This disciple is also ready."
Dugu Wei still seemed uneasy. "We have less than a month before the battle begins. You must practice diligently—no mistakes can be made when facing the enemy."
"Understood," the disciples replied solemnly.
But Gu Qingfeng wasn’t pleased. Since when had he ever endured such humiliation?
Being besieged at home without retaliating?
"Old Wei, do you have any real strategies? Or are we just sitting ducks?"
"Junior Brother Gu, for now, we must rely on the mountain-protecting formation to weaken them before we strike with full force."
"And if we can’t win even then?"
Dugu Wei fell silent for a long moment before murmuring, "Then we’ll have no choice but to summon the Grand Elder... or unleash the Emperor Demon Sword."
Gu Qingfeng’s heart stirred. He had long known of the Sword Gate’s Grand Elder but had never met him.
"What realm is the Grand Elder in?"
"Heavenly Monarch."
"Heavenly Monarch?! Then dealing with these rabble outside should be effortless!"
Dugu Wei shook his head bitterly. "You don’t understand, Junior Brother. Though the Grand Elder is a Heavenly Monarch, he is advanced in years, his lifespan already exhausted. If not for a few longevity elixirs sustaining him, he would have..."
"Even so, his strength has greatly diminished. He cannot act lightly—if he does, he risks burning through his remaining vitality."
Lifespan exhausted?
Gu Qingfeng suddenly remembered—he still had several Ageless Pills!
Gifts from his old friend, the Longevity Heavenly Demon of the Heavenly Demon Realm.
Now was the perfect time to use them.
He pulled out an Ageless Pill. "Old Wei, would this pill help extend the Grand Elder’s life?"
Dugu Wei glanced at it, then sighed in disappointment. "This pill contains some life essence and can indeed prolong life, but its quality is too low.
A Heavenly Monarch’s life essence is on a completely different level. A pill like this would have no effect."
Gu Qingfeng stared at the Ageless Pill in his hand, stunned.
Then, inwardly, he cursed: "Damn it! That bastard Longevity Heavenly Demon gave me defective goods! Only useful for low-level cultivators!"
Sigh. So even the Grand Elder wasn’t a reliable option.
In that case, he’d have to rely on himself!
"Old Wei, since the Sword Gate faces annihilation, why not let me try wielding the Emperor Demon Sword again? Maybe this time—"
Before he could finish, Dugu Wei cut him off. "Absolutely not, Junior Brother! Have you forgotten how you instantly fell into demonic madness last time?
You might not remember clearly, but I do. You were like a demon god possessed, ready to destroy the world.
You are the Sword Gate’s Imperial Son—we cannot take such risks. If it truly comes to life or death, I will personally unleash the Emperor Demon Sword, even if it means my own annihilation."
Gu Qingfeng’s lips twitched. "A demon god possessed? Was it really that bad?"
"Yes," Dugu Wei said gravely.
Gu Qingfeng: "..."
Damn it! My Emperor Demon Sword!!
Fuming, he glared at the enemies outside, their relentless attacks fueling his frustration.
But the enemy forces were overwhelming—how could he fight back?
Was there no choice but to endure?
Wait—
A sudden realization struck him.
They had thrown their full force into this siege!
Didn’t that mean their own sects were left defenseless?
And their treasuries...
Heh heh heh...
The more Gu Qingfeng thought about it, the more excited he became.
He knew exactly what to do now.
He would raid their homes!
While their forces were away, their sects would be vulnerable—and they wouldn’t have taken all their treasures to battle, would they?
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.”
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.
e school belle recognized by the whole school, a genius girl from the kendo club. She also has a hidden identity, the youngest legendary demon hunter. Chen Shuo just transmigrated and found himself turned into a weak, helpless little vampire. He was caught by Su Xiyen and taken home at the very beginning. Since then, Chen Shuo's life creed only had two items. "First, classmate Su Xiyen is always right." "Second, if classmate Su Xiyen is wrong, please refer back to item one." Many years later, Chen Shuo, who had turned back into a human, led a pair of twins to appear in front of all the vampires to share the secret of how he turned back into a human. "It's simple, I tricked a female demon hunter into becoming my wife!"
