Ultimate Sin

The Primordial Forbidden Land.

As desolate and silent as ever.

The lifeless mountains stood tall and majestic, like demonic swords piercing the sky. Ancient trees, devoid of vitality yet lush and dense, stretched endlessly into a sprawling forest.

In the next instant, Gu Qingfeng abruptly appeared in the Primordial Forbidden Land, greedily inhaling the air as if he had returned home. The pervasive power of the Heavenly Dao's curse in the atmosphere filled him with an intimate sense of security.

After savoring the moment, Gu Qingfeng swiftly moved deeper into the forbidden land. Along the way, he encountered many barbarian tribes and Dao Slaves, but he paid them no mind—they were far too weak.

At his current level, anyone below the Heavenly Venerable realm was beneath his notice. Even if a Heavenly Venerable offered to become his subordinate, he would first judge their appearance and whether they had the right "aura" to catch his eye.

Thanks to his ability to shift his size at will, as long as he didn’t provoke anyone, his journey remained uneventful.

Soon, Gu Qingfeng reached the edge of the forbidden land’s depths.

This place was extraordinary. Ahead, a thick black mist, visible to the naked eye, churned violently, as if confined by an invisible barrier. No matter how it writhed, it could not spill beyond its boundaries.

"Such concentrated curse energy! Even a Heavenly Sovereign would turn into a Dao Slave under this intensity," Gu Qingfeng remarked excitedly.

This also meant that the depths of the Primordial Forbidden Land likely housed numerous Heavenly Sovereigns.

One should never underestimate the madness of cultivators. Everyone knew the forbidden land held earth-shattering secrets—why else would the Heavenly Dao have cursed the once-mighty barbarian race of ancient times, wiping them out entirely?

The Heavenly Dao rarely intervened in worldly affairs unless the matter was of monumental significance.

For example, the invasion of the Outer Realm Demons was such an event, prompting the Heavenly Dao to act by hastening the arrival of the Great Contention Era.

Similarly, the annihilation of the barbarian race was another instance of the Heavenly Dao’s direct intervention. What did this imply?

It meant the secrets hidden within the Primordial Forbidden Land were on par with an apocalyptic catastrophe!

Who wouldn’t be tempted by such secrets?

Not just Heavenly Sovereigns—even Quasi-Emperors and Celestial Emperors would covet them.

When such formidable beings neared the end of their lifespans, who would willingly await death?

The enigmatic nature of the Primordial Forbidden Land suggested it might conceal the secret to immortality. Thus, countless powerhouses, facing their impending demise, chose to venture into the forbidden land in pursuit of a sliver of hope.

Over millions of years, how many Dao Slaves had accumulated within the forbidden land? No one knew for certain, but one thing was clear—their numbers were far from small.

Thinking of this, Gu Qingfeng grew even more restless. Without hesitation, he plunged into the depths of the forbidden land.

The Heavenly Dao’s curse, which others feared like venom, couldn’t harm him in the slightest. In fact, he even considered collecting some of it to use against his enemies.

Unfortunately, his current strength was insufficient for such a feat.

The black mist swallowed Gu Qingfeng’s figure, reducing his visibility to less than five meters. He immediately activated his Golden Eye of Truth, restoring his normal vision.

Yet what he saw startled him. The true face of the forbidden land was laid bare before his eyes—the void was densely crisscrossed with chaotic, chain-like strands of law, as if a deity had scribbled them haphazardly across the space.

Gu Qingfeng focused his gaze on these law chains, and an eerie, hair-raising sensation crept over him, as though he were staring into an abyss of unimaginable horror.

"This is... a force of suppression! These law chains are imprisoning something!?"

"Tsk tsk... Just what kind of terrifying entity—or being—could warrant such imprisonment by the Heavenly Dao?"

Gu Qingfeng’s unease deepened. He had a growing suspicion that venturing further would reveal secrets far beyond his expectations.

To be honest, even a Celestial Emperor wouldn’t receive such treatment from the Heavenly Dao.

He carefully avoided the law chains, for their suppressive power was overwhelmingly fierce. More importantly, since they were the work of the Heavenly Dao, touching them would likely trap him beyond even the Heavenly Conveyance Formation’s reach.

Thankfully, the Golden Eye of Truth—courtesy of his "good friend" the Heavenly Demon—allowed him to see these chains. Without it, one would need at least the strength of a Heavenly Venerable to perceive them.

As he pressed onward, Gu Qingfeng finally spotted a figure—a middle-aged man radiating five-colored divine light, his aura brimming with the formidable power of the Five Elements.

The man had sharp brows and resolute features, but his eyes were hollow, wandering aimlessly like a mindless zombie.

Gu Qingfeng’s eyes lit up. "A Heavenly Sovereign who cultivates the Dao of the Five Elements! Such terrifying presence—he must be on par with a Five-Star Heavenly Sovereign! Not bad, not bad. Barely qualified to be this venerable one’s subordinate."

Muttering to himself, Gu Qingfeng approached the Dao Slave.

The Dao Slave showed no reaction to his advance, for Gu Qingfeng’s Heavenly Dao aura allowed him to blend seamlessly into the curse-laden black mist, rendering him virtually invisible.

However, as he drew closer, Gu Qingfeng froze. To his shock, the Dao Slave was speaking!

His lips moved almost imperceptibly, his voice faint and broken.

"Zhi... zhi..."

Gu Qingfeng frowned. "Zhi zhi? What kind of nonsense is this? Can’t even speak properly."

To hear more clearly, he transformed into a grain of sand and stealthily attached himself to the Dao Slave’s shoulder, listening intently.

This time, he finally caught the words.

"Zhi... nie..."

Gu Qingfeng was baffled. "Zhi Nie? What is that?"

The moment the words left his lips—

Thud! Thud!

His heart clenched violently, as if gripped by an unseen force.

"What the—?!"

Startled, Gu Qingfeng whipped his head around, searching for an enemy, but found none. The inexplicable palpitations vanished as quickly as they came, like a fleeting illusion.

"Are these words some kind of taboo? Forbidden to even utter?"

"Zhi Nie."

He tested the words again, and sure enough, the heart-piercing sensation returned, stronger this time—as if repeating them would summon something unspeakably horrifying.

"Sinister! This is downright sinister. Better collect my subordinates and leave. I’ll return when I’m stronger."

Without delay, he infused the Dao Slave’s body with his Indestructible Demon Soul.

Since Dao Slaves lacked souls, they offered no resistance. Soon, the Five-Elements Dao Slave was under his control.

Yet Gu Qingfeng’s expression remained grim. Controlling a Five-Star Heavenly Sovereign had cost him a significant portion of his soul fragments.

If he tried to control too many, his Indestructible Demon Soul might not hold up.

Even as empty husks, Heavenly Sovereigns were no ordinary beings. It was like hitching a small horse to a massive cart—without allocating a substantial soul fragment, moving a Heavenly Sovereign’s body was impossible.

Gu Qingfeng estimated that, at his current soul strength, he could control at most ten Five-Star Heavenly Sovereigns. If he prioritized quality over quantity, that number would drop further.

"Looks like I’ll need to devour more heart demons soon."