The Demon God Descends, Bringing Chaos to the Mortal World

"Undying Sword Qi!"

A sinister voice echoed across the battlefield as a dazzling, annihilation-filled streak of gray-white sword energy shot forth.

It aimed directly at the core of the Hell Sect's mountain-protecting formation.

By now, the formation's core was crowded with people, scrambling to activate the array. But no matter how fast they moved, they could never outpace the Undying Sword Qi unleashed by a perfected Undying Sword Body!

Boom!

Wherever the Undying Sword Qi swept, all things turned to silence and ruin.

The Hell Sect disciples at the formation's core—along with the core itself—were instantly reduced to dust.

Faced with this terrifying apocalyptic scene, the remaining Hell Sect members were utterly terrified. Their strongest, Elder Netherghost, was already dead, and their mountain-protecting formation had been shattered. The survivors couldn't muster even a shred of resistance—their only thought was to flee.

"Kekeke... Trying to run? Did any of you bother to ask if this venerable one permits it?" Gu Qingfeng sneered arrogantly, his body abruptly shooting into the sky.

From high above, he gazed down upon the mortals below, his aura overwhelming, his demonic might shaking the world!

With a swift motion, he formed hand seals and chanted incantations. As he did, the heavens and earth began to tremble violently.

A thunderous roar erupted!

"Infinite Law Domain! Eight Directions Sealed! Heaven and Earth Reversed! Nine Dragons Shackle the Skies!!"

Whoosh!

The world darkened abruptly as eight massive pillars of light erupted from all directions. Brilliant radiance surged between them, forming interconnected barriers that stood tall across the eight directions.

The very fabric of space twisted—those attempting to escape through spatial formations were violently dragged back, tumbling out of the void.

From the unseen depths came nine draconic roars, followed by the appearance of nine intangible dragons coiling in the sky. Boundless divine light transformed into sealing power, locking down the entire Hell Sect!

This was the might of the Heaven-Sealing Barrier!

As the pinnacle of formations, the Heaven-Sealing Barrier was far more than just a teleportation array for Gu Qingfeng. It could not only break formations—it could also create them!

At this moment, the Hell Sect disciples were paralyzed with fear. They realized there was no escape—no path to the heavens, no door to the earth. Every route to survival had been sealed by this godlike, demonic man before them.

Gu Qingfeng greedily scanned the crowd, gripping the Banner of Ten Billion Souls with a sinister grin. "What excellent nourishment you all are! With the souls of cultivators like you, this venerable one's banner will surely ascend to new heights!"

Suddenly, the Banner of Ten Billion Souls trembled violently. The air filled with the wails of countless tormented spirits. In the next instant, billions of vengeful ghosts surged from the banner, swarming Gu Qingfeng and beginning to devour him.

Within moments, no one could see Gu Qingfeng anymore—he was completely engulfed by the endless tide of ghosts, leaving not a single gap.

The Banner of Ten Billion Souls was an artifact of utmost evil, one that easily turned on its master. And Gu Qingfeng wasn't even its true owner yet. The ten billion souls, filled with murderous resentment, sought to tear him apart.

"Look! The demon is being devoured by his own banner!"

"Praise the heavens! We're saved!"

The Hell Sect members erupted in ecstatic relief—the joy of surviving certain doom.

Little did they know, this was all part of Gu Qingfeng's plan. He wanted the banner's backlash—how else could he grow stronger?

Ding ding ding!!!

The system notifications rang out frantically, one after another, so chaotic that Gu Qingfeng couldn't even distinguish the words—all because of the overwhelming number of vengeful spirits.

He could only feel his cultivation skyrocketing. From the peak of the Earth Yuan Realm, he broke through to the Heaven Yuan Realm in mere moments!

And it didn't stop there—Heaven Yuan First Layer, Second Layer, Third Layer... His cultivation soared like a rocket!

Only when he reached the peak of Heaven Yuan did the growth halt.

Then, his physical body began to strengthen.

This sudden shift left Gu Qingfeng momentarily stunned.

"What the hell? Why did my cultivation stop and switch to my body?"

This had happened once before—right before condensing his Divine Core. Back then, it was because he lacked the method to form it. But now, he had already obtained the Emperor's Scripture and Sword Codex—he should theoretically be able to cultivate all the way to the Heavenly Emperor realm!

Thinking of the Sword Codex, he recalled the section on the Heavenly Human Realm and instantly understood.

The simplest explanation for a "Heavenly Human" was this: the Heavenly Dao recognized you as a person.

Those below the Heavenly Human Realm were mere ants. Only by becoming a Heavenly Human could one barely be considered human.

Thus, the key lay in whether the Heavenly Dao acknowledged you as human.

This realization enraged Gu Qingfeng. "Damn this Heavenly Dao! Dares to not recognize this venerable one as human!? Just wait—this venerable one will destroy the heavens one day!"

He suspected this had to do with him not being native to this world. Not only was his soul from the modern era, but after transmigrating, he wasn't even from the Cangming Realm—he was from the Qing Realm.

He was essentially an illegal immigrant.

Drawing from modern experience, gaining the Heavenly Dao's recognition likely required "payment"—proof of value. Here, "payment" probably meant contributing to this world, perhaps through merit or virtue.

Gu Qingfeng scoffed. He'd never spent money in his life, and he wasn't about to start now—not even for the Heavenly Dao!

As for how to break through to the Heavenly Human Realm, he had no immediate solution. If pushed, he could always take the path of strength—cultivating until he could shatter the heavens with a single punch. At that point, whether the Heavenly Dao acknowledged him wouldn't matter.

Fortunately, his physical body faced no such restrictions. With the Banner of Ten Billion Souls fueling him, his physique improved at a terrifying rate!

It was as if a Heavenly Monarch-level demon was pouring all its power into him.

Under such overwhelming assistance, his Innate Sacred Body and Prison-Suppressing Dragon-Elephant Body both reached perfection!

Combined with his already-perfected Undying Sword Body, Gu Qingfeng now possessed three perfected saintly physiques!

He had shattered the limits of the Heavenly Human Realm, attaining strength rivaling a Heavenly Monarch! And this was without even activating his Barbarian Tribe's totem. With the totem, he'd be invincible among Heavenly Monarchs!

As for his Seven-Apertures Exquisite Body, it hadn't improved at all. This physique governed comprehension, requiring unique attributes that the Banner of Ten Billion Souls couldn't enhance.

But it didn't matter—his current level of insight was more than sufficient.

Once his three saintly physiques reached perfection, the banner's backlash ceased. Though the vengeful spirits lacked reason, they weren't fools—they instinctively avoided harm.

To them, Gu Qingfeng was like a rock in a cesspit—hard, unyielding, and only weakening them the more they gnawed at him. Gradually, they gave up.

Seeing the Banner of Ten Billion Souls subdued, Gu Qingfeng immediately began the process of claiming ownership. It went smoothly, as if destined.

"Kekeke... Truly a fine treasure. This venerable one is most pleased!" Gu Qingfeng stroked the banner lovingly, as if caressing a lover's skin.

What delighted him most wasn't just the power boost—it was the banner's limitless potential. If ten billion souls rivaled a Heavenly Monarch, what about a hundred billion? A trillion?

If he collected only the strongest cultivators' souls, even one could be worth a million. And as the banner grew stronger, so would he.

With greater personal strength, he could hunt even more powerful cultivators—or other races. The two would feed into each other, creating a cycle that might one day propel him to the Heavenly Emperor realm!

"He... He's still alive!"

"By the heavens, he has mastered the Banner of Souls!"

"It's over...all is lost. The Hellgate Sect is doomed!"

Gu Qingfeng gazed down from the sky at the insignificant ants of the Hellgate Sect, his eyes burning with greed.

"Become nourishment for this venerable one!

To aid my cultivation is the greatest honor of your wretched lives!

Keh keh keh..."

With a sinister laugh, he swept his arm forward, and the Banner of Souls whipped violently through the air. A horde of ghouls, as if clawing their way from the depths of hell, surged forth in a frenzied tide, swallowing the Hellgate disciples whole.

Screams of agony, desperate pleas, and horrified shrieks filled the air—unending, relentless. The spectral horrors ran rampant, turning the world into a living nightmare.

High above, Gu Qingfeng reveled in the carnage. The howling winds lashed at his wild black hair, while the Banner's crimson glow cast eerie shadows across his pale, merciless face.

Beneath him, the wailing masses became mere scenery—a backdrop to his descent. Like a demon god descending upon the mortal realm, he brought chaos and ruin!