These Sunflower Seeds Are So Fragrant

What Gu Qingfeng didn’t know was that this was already the strongest form of the Bifeng Calamity. The Bifeng couldn’t get any more intense—what else could the Heavenly Dao do?

Soon, the howling of wind suddenly roared in Gu Qingfeng’s ears.

From the unseen depths of the void, an invisible gale swept forth.

This wind was eerie—though it surged with the ferocity of a category-ten tornado, it seemed like an illusion, leaving not a single blade of grass or leaf in the quiet chamber disturbed.

Not even the slightest tremble could be seen in the foliage.

Yet, when it brushed against Gu Qingfeng’s body, a soul-eroding sensation immediately took hold, as if intent on scattering his flesh and spirit alike.

Gu Qingfeng yawned, finding the breeze rather refreshing. Honestly, if not for fear of harming Ling Fei’er, he would’ve preferred cultivating while enduring the tribulation.

The raging Bifeng grew fiercer with each wave, blowing so hard it nearly lulled him to sleep.

An hour later, the wind finally ceased, the skies cleared, and Gu Qingfeng, feeling accomplished, resumed his cultivation.

......

The next day.

Refreshed and invigorated, Gu Qingfeng decided it was time for revenge.

Since the Celestial Court and the Netherworld dared to join forces and attack the Sword Sect, they should have been prepared for retaliation.

Truth be told, after obtaining the Sin Origin, Gu Qingfeng’s mindset had completely changed. Gone was his former cautiousness.

Though not yet invincible in the world, it was no exaggeration to say that no one in existence could kill him—not even suppress him.

The Sin Origin was the root of all evil thoughts in living beings. Unless all life perished or every being became a saint, utterly devoid of wickedness, he simply couldn’t die.

If a powerful foe tried to suppress him? Even simpler—he could just self-destruct.

When Shen Yan and Yang Zhu had sealed him before, that’s exactly what he did—exploding into a mist of evil thoughts that scattered across the world.

Then, by drawing upon Shen Yan and Yang Zhu’s greed for the Celestial Court and Netherworld’s treasuries, he resurrected on the spot.

Of course, even if Shen Yan and Yang Zhu had no evil thoughts, it wouldn’t matter. Gu Qingfeng could revive anywhere with even a trace of wickedness—faster than teleportation.

With such an advantage, how could he not act boldly?

No time to waste.

Gu Qingfeng gathered over a hundred Supreme experts, then immediately activated the Heavenly Delivery Array and headed straight for the Celestial Court.

Meanwhile, in the Celestial Court…

The Celestial Court’s Holy Master and the Netherworld’s Lord were anxiously waiting for their subordinates to capture Gu Qingfeng and bring him back—along with their treasuries.

After all, the treasury contained the Celestial Court’s accumulated wealth over hundreds of millennia. More importantly, it held the resources needed for the Holy Master to ascend to Quasi-Emperor status. With those rare medicines, he could surpass the leaders of other sacred lands in the race for the Emperor’s Path.

In the struggle for supremacy, even the slightest lead could determine who would become the Heavenly Emperor.

Naturally, the Holy Master and the Netherworld’s Lord were restless.

As for why the Netherworld’s Lord was present? Distrust. Gu Qingfeng held both treasuries—what if the Celestial Court seized everything once he was captured?

Thus, he had arrived with an entourage to "visit" the Celestial Court.

The Holy Master understood his concerns and, to maintain harmony, allowed him to stay.

Though the Celestial Court and Netherworld often clashed, both leaders knew full-scale war was impossible.

Both sides had Quasi-Emperors and Imperial Weapons. Even if the Celestial Court was slightly stronger, a fight would only end in mutual destruction.

With the Great Contention Era approaching and the Emperor’s Path about to open, neither would risk conflict now.

Just as their impatience peaked, a subordinate rushed in.

"Holy Master! Lord of the Netherworld! Shen Yan and Yang Zhu have captured Gu Qingfeng!"

The two leaders’ faces lit up with joy.

"Bring them in at once!" they urged.

Soon, the grand hall’s doors swung open.

Shen Yan and Yang Zhu strode in calmly—followed by Gu Qingfeng, who swaggered in behind them with such arrogance that it seemed the two Supreme experts were merely opening the door for him.

But the Holy Master and the Netherworld’s Lord, too elated to notice, fixed their gazes solely on Gu Qingfeng.

"Hahaha! You little bastard, now that you’ve fallen into my hands, I’ll make sure you beg for death!" The Holy Master’s face twisted into a vicious grin, his delight palpable.

"Brother, don’t hog the fun. When it comes to torment, my Netherworld is second to none," the Netherworld’s Lord added with a sinister smile.

"Of course, of course. How about this—you take him for a year, then I take him the next. Rest assured, I won’t kill him. I’ll return him to you intact."

"Splendid. But before you start, I suggest announcing it to the world. Let everyone witness the fate of those who defy the Celestial Court and Netherworld."

"Hahaha! A brilliant idea. It shall be done!"

Gu Qingfeng listened with great interest, nodding along as if eager to hear more.

He turned to Shen Yan. "Shen Yan, fetch me a chair."

Then to Yang Zhu: "Yang Zhu, get me some melon seeds."

"As you command, Supreme One."

Celestial Court’s Holy Master: "…?"

Netherworld’s Lord: "…?"

They gaped as Shen Yan conjured a golden dragon-shaped throne with divine power, then bowed and invited Gu Qingfeng to sit.

Then they watched Yang Zhu retrieve a handful of spirit-infused melon seeds from his spatial ring, presenting them with both hands in deep reverence.

Gu Qingfeng nodded in satisfaction, took his seat, and began cracking the seeds.

"Go on, I’m curious. After announcing it to the world, what’s next?"

Celestial Court’s Holy Master: "…"

Netherworld’s Lord: "…"

They exchanged glances, wondering if they were dreaming.

A moment later, fury erupted.

"Shen Yan (Yang Zhu)! What in the heavens are you doing?!"

The two stood motionless, their faces blank.

A chilling, inexplicable dread suddenly gripped the Holy Master and the Netherworld’s Lord.

"What is going on?! Gu Qingfeng! Did you do this?!"

The Holy Master roared, lashing out instantly. His jade-like fingers, inscribed with divine runes, thrust forward.

The weight of heaven and earth bore down as divine light erupted from his fingertip—a strike from a Nine-Star Supreme, something Shen Yan and Yang Zhu couldn’t hope to block.

But Gu Qingfeng remained unperturbed, leisurely munching on melon seeds.

Just as the attack was about to land, the space before him rippled—

A blood-red figure emerged abruptly, accompanied by a terrifying, world-shaking killing intent!

It was an Eight-Star Dao Slave who had cultivated the Path of Slaughter.

This Slaughter Dao Slave stepped in front of Gu Qingfeng and, facing the Holy Master’s finger strike, countered with a finger of his own.

Instantly, the void echoed with the wails of ghosts and the weeping of gods as countless killing intents from heaven and earth converged at his fingertip, clashing with the Holy Master’s strike.

The two forces annihilated each other on contact, dissipating into nothingness.

The sudden turn of events briefly startled both the Holy Master and the Prefect, but they quickly regained their composure.

“So, you’re the one hiding behind Gu Qingfeng. No wonder he could control Yang Zhu and Shen Yan.

You’ve got quite the nerve. Even if you’re an Eight-Star Supreme, do you really think a lone cultivator like you can waltz into the Celestial Court and act so boldly?”

“Gu Qingfeng, if this is your trump card, I’d advise you to surrender quietly. A mere Supreme—no matter who—isn’t enough to challenge a Holy Master’s might.”

Faced with the threats of two Nine-Star Supremes, Gu Qingfeng acted as if he hadn’t heard a word, treating them like thin air.

Crack!

He cracked another melon seed between his teeth and chewed lazily.

“These seeds are delicious.”