Tribulation

"Go ahead, just remember to leave them breathing." Gu Qingfeng lazily waved his hand.

The auras of 106 Supreme Sovereigns erupted in unison, divine light shooting skyward as they charged toward Shen Yan and Yang Zhu.

As for why there were exactly 106, it was because two female Dao Slaves stood respectfully behind Gu Qingfeng.

One conjured a luxurious throne with divine power, while the other materialized a fan to cool him with gentle breezes.

Gu Qingfeng lounged leisurely on the throne, enjoying the refreshing wind as he idly watched Shen Yan and Yang Zhu get surrounded and beaten to the ground by the crowd.

Of course, they resisted—but what could two mere Three-Star Supreme Sovereigns do against 106?

Every profound divine technique or secret art they attempted was swiftly interrupted and suppressed by the Dao Slaves. Soon, both were battered beyond recognition, kicked around like ragdolls.

An hour later, the two disfigured Supreme Sovereigns were dragged before Gu Qingfeng like lifeless dogs.

"Spare... spare us!"

"Please, no more... we beg you!"

Gu Qingfeng couldn’t be bothered with their pleas. He activated his Sin of Domination power, flooding their minds with endless corruptive thoughts until they were fully enslaved.

His Sin of Domination wasn’t yet strong enough, which was why he had to break them down first—only when their mental defenses crumbled could he take control.

With this, the number of Supreme Sovereigns under his command reached 110.

"Ah, life... truly lonely as snow." Gu Qingfeng sighed before turning to lead his army of Supreme Sovereigns through the Sword Gate.

At that moment, even the immortal mountain of Sword Gate seemed to tremble beneath the weight of their presence.

Dugu Wei and the others stared in shock at the overwhelming force, not daring to utter a word.

Countless questions burned in their minds—Why were these Supreme Sovereigns following their sect master? Why were Shen Yan and Yang Zhu among them? And so on...

But as they watched Gu Qingfeng, surrounded like the moon amidst stars, not a single person dared approach him.

Gu Qingfeng waved dismissively at the stunned crowd. "Alright, scatter. Get back to whatever you were doing."

Only then did the onlookers dare to breathe. Dugu Wei mustered his courage and stepped forward. "Sect Master, what about the Celestial Court and the Netherworld...?"

"The Celestial Court and Netherworld?" Gu Qingfeng scoffed. "Tomorrow, this sovereign will trample the Celestial Court and purge the Netherworld! For now, summon Ling Fei'er."

"Yes, Sect Master."

......

"Uncle Gu~ Are those Supreme Sovereigns really your subordinates? Are you secretly the son of the Heavenly Emperor, and they’re your inherited guardians?" Ling Fei'er gazed at him with starry-eyed admiration.

Gu Qingfeng hooked a finger under her delicate chin, smirking. "The Heavenly Emperor’s son? What a joke. This sovereign will become the Heavenly Emperor himself."

Hearing his domineering declaration, Ling Fei'er’s peach-blossom eyes shimmered with emotion.

If anyone else had said it, she might’ve dismissed it as bravado—but after witnessing over a hundred Supreme Sovereigns bow to him, she knew it was anything but empty boasting.

By now, Ling Fei'er had fully surrendered. Her heart clung to Gu Qingfeng like a vine.

After all, what was the point of cultivation? She’d never become the Heavenly Emperor. Better to master the arts of charm and aim for the title of Heavenly Empress instead.

Yet the moment she envisioned herself as empress, the image of Little Corpse Charm surfaced—that vixen was the biggest obstacle in her path.

She’d have to work even harder!

Just as Ling Fei'er redoubled her efforts, Gu Qingfeng suddenly stiffened, sensing something.

Then he erupted in fury. "Damnable Five Calamities of Heaven! Couldn’t you have picked any other time but now? Damned Heavenly Dao—you’re targeting me on purpose!"

And thus, another reason to annihilate the Heavenly Dao was added to his list.

Grudgingly, Gu Qingfeng dressed and retreated to a quiet chamber to face his tribulation.

The calamity awaiting him was the first of the Five—the Gale Tribulation.

Though he’d barely cultivated since reaching the Heavenly Human realm, the sheer volume of divine treasures he’d consumed to nurture his Chaos Embryo had inadvertently stimulated his growth.

Bit by bit, the residual energy had pushed him to the threshold of the Gale Tribulation.

How infuriating.

Gu Qingfeng sat cross-legged in the chamber, sulking as he waited for the tribulation to descend.

Suddenly, the skies above Sword Gate darkened. A terrifying pressure descended, pressing down like a towering divine mountain upon the hearts of every disciple.

"Is that... the Gale Tribulation?!"

"You’ve got to be joking... Since when was it this terrifying?"

"Legends say prodigies with divine or saintly physiques face tribulations far beyond ordinary cultivators. Could this be one such genius?"

"Genius? What kind of genius could survive this? This isn’t just deadly for Heavenly Humans—even a Heavenly Monarch would perish!"

Dugu Wei and the other elders stared aghast at the sky, their minds reeling.

"Look at the tribulation’s focus—isn’t that where the Sect Master is? Is he undergoing the first Heavenly Human tribulation?"

Someone reflexively retorted, "Nonsense! The Sect Master dominates the world—how could he...?"

But the speaker froze mid-sentence.

The others, too, seemed to realize something, their faces paling.

An inconceivable thought struck them.

"So... the Sect Master is only at the Heavenly Human realm?!"

Gu Qingfeng’s overwhelming strength had made them all overlook his actual cultivation level.

Coupled with his habit of referring to himself as "this sovereign," they’d long since subconsciously assumed he was a Heavenly Venerate.

Yet the Gale Tribulation’s arrival forced them to confront the truth—their sect master hadn’t even reached the first Heavenly Tribulation.

It was absurd. A cultivator below the Gale Tribulation, capable of slaying Heavenly Venerates and commanding countless Supreme Sovereigns? Not even the wildest tales would dare write such a thing.

But the evidence was undeniable.

Inside the chamber, Gu Qingfeng perked up as he sensed the tribulation’s approach.

"Finally. I’ve got important matters to attend to—hurry up."

He could tell this Gale Tribulation was far more ferocious than usual. Its intensity could obliterate even a Heavenly Monarch.

But he wasn’t concerned. Since ancient times, the greater the talent, the fiercer the tribulation.

Frankly, he found this one almost insulting. A tribulation of this level? Any random Heavenly Venerate could pass it. Was the Heavenly Dao mocking him?