All heroes under heaven unite to punish the traitor

Fu Yangxi was seething with rage, his aged face flushed red with anger.

"Sooner or later, this old man will slay this demon and uphold righteousness!"

"Elder Fu, I have a plan to eliminate this demon!"

"Speak quickly."

"This Gu Qingfeng is the incarnation of an Outer Realm Demon. The impending Great Calamity of our world must have been triggered by him. If this continues, countless lives will be lost, and the entire Cangming Realm might even be destroyed by his hands. Therefore, dealing with this demon is not just the responsibility of our Celestial Court—it is a matter of the entire Cangming Realm!

This demon must be slain by all!

I’ve observed that Gu Qingfeng himself is not particularly powerful—his strength lies solely in the hundred-odd Supreme experts under his command. To kill him, we need only expose his true identity to the world and rally all righteous forces to join us in exterminating him."

After hearing this, Fu Yangxi’s expression flickered as he weighed the pros and cons.

"Elder Fu, do not hesitate any longer. If we allow Gu Qingfeng to continue wreaking havoc, the Celestial Court may fall before the Great Calamity even arrives."

"Indeed, Elder Fu, this plan is brilliant. First, we use the Celestial Court’s resources to appease the demon, keeping him content so he does not leave and remains unaware of the outside world.

Then, we spread the word to all righteous warriors and unite them for the purge.

Evil has never triumphed over righteousness—if we execute this properly, victory is assured!"

Fu Yangxi remained silent, deep in thought about another matter.

With the Holy Master dead and the Celestial Court yet to elect a new one, if he were to rally heroes from across the land and slay Gu Qingfeng, such an unparalleled achievement would undoubtedly secure him the position of Holy Master.

With that authority, he could command the Celestial Court’s resources—Imperial Scriptures, Divine Weapons, and all manner of treasures—potentially even breaking through to the Quasi-Emperor realm and contending for the path to true Emperorship. The future would be boundless!

"Very well. Since you all agree, this old man shall not refuse. The matter is settled.

Daoist Li, you are the most steadfast among us. You shall be the one to engage with Gu Qingfeng, keeping him placated and fulfilling his demands. This demon is capricious—exercise caution and endure whatever is necessary."

"Rest assured, Elder Fu. For the greater good, I will bear any humiliation."

"Daoist Zhang, Daoist Wang, you two often travel the realm and have connections everywhere. Accompany me in notifying the great holy lands and uniting the heroes of the world."

"The rest of you shall remain in the Celestial Court, sealing off outside information to prevent the demon from catching wind and fleeing."

......

At this moment, Gu Qingfeng was blissfully unaware that a grand campaign to exterminate him was about to unfold.

He was currently engrossed in studying the Imperial Scriptures—records of the Heavenly Emperor’s Dao. Every Heavenly Emperor had been the foremost figure of their era, unrivaled under heaven.

Their teachings were profound and vast.

Even with Gu Qingfeng’s unparalleled genius, mastering them would take at least ten days to half a month—especially since there were three volumes.

Time passed swiftly. Gu Qingfeng spent his days in the Celestial Court, immersed in the scriptures. Leaving was out of the question—the Celestial Court was full of talented individuals, and the conversations were delightful. How could he live anywhere else?

Every day, he was served priceless spirit fruits and delicacies, while the blood of geniuses with unique physiques was freely extracted for his use. There were even divine maidens and holy maidens to warm his bed and ease his boredom.

Life here was even more comfortable than in the Sword Sect. In this state of contentment, his progress in forging the Chaos Body surged dramatically. A few more days in the Celestial Court, and the process would be complete.

Yet, while Gu Qingfeng reveled in luxury, the outside world was already in an uproar.

The Celestial Court had spread the news of his identity as a demonic incarnation, shaking the entire Cangming Realm.

Previously, cultivators had idly discussed which holy maiden was the most beautiful or which genius had challenged whom.

But now, all discourse revolved around three words—Gu Qingfeng!

His name topped the trending charts of the Cangming Realm. Whether in bustling streets or secluded sects, his name was on everyone’s lips.

Rumors about him grew increasingly exaggerated, painting him as a monstrous figure.

Some claimed he was an apocalyptic demon, scouting the Cangming Realm to lead an army of Outer Realm Demons in invasion.

Others insisted he was a traitor who had betrayed the Cangming Realm, exposing its location to the demons for personal gain.

"The Holy Master of the Celestial Court and others joined forces to divine the heavens, seeking a way to avert the Great Calamity. They discovered Gu Qingfeng was the root cause. The Holy Master and his allies, true heroes, fought the demon to the death to save the world.

But alas, Gu Qingfeng’s numbers were overwhelming, and the Holy Master and his comrades, standing alone, perished in battle."

"Ah, the Holy Master of the Celestial Court and the Lord of the Netherworld were true heroes of our time! If only my cultivation were higher—I would slay this demon myself!"

"Under Elder Fu Yangxi’s leadership, the Supreme experts of the great holy lands have mobilized en masse, forming an army to purge the demon. The campaign will begin soon."

"Indeed. I’ve heard the army has gathered over five hundred Supreme experts—nearly every Supreme in the sacred regions has joined. Even many reclusive masters, upon hearing of Gu Qingfeng’s atrocities, have emerged to contribute to the Cangming Realm’s salvation."

"Supreme Tiancheng had secluded himself for over eight hundred years, his lifespan nearly exhausted. He could have spent his remaining days in peace, but upon learning of Gu Qingfeng’s rampage, he cast aside his descendants and joined the purge without hesitation.

As he departed, his five-year-old grandson asked, 'Grandfather, why must you go?'

Supreme Tiancheng replied, 'I go to the Celestial Court, to slay Gu Qingfeng, and protect all living beings!'

The child, deeply moved, burst into tears.

'Grandfather, Gu Qingfeng is powerful. What if you do not return...?'

Supreme Tiancheng: 'Then I do not return!'"

......

Celestial Court.

Initially, when Gu Qingfeng arrived with his hundred-odd Supreme experts, the disciples had been terrified. But after a few days, they realized life went on as usual—eating, drinking, cultivating—unaffected.

Though Gu Qingfeng indulged in spirit fruits, immortal wines, and holy maidens daily, these luxuries were beyond the reach of ordinary disciples anyway.

However, the elite geniuses suffered greatly, for many of these privileges had once been theirs.

Before a picturesque palace, Zuo Feichen—a renowned genius of the Celestial Court—approached with a smile, holding a thousand-year Soul Nurturing Herb as a gift for Holy Maiden Qian Ya.

Soon, he stood before the object of his longing.

"Ya’er, you mentioned your soul felt sluggish lately. This thousand-year Soul Nurturing Herb is for you. Please take it."

Qian Ya seemed distracted as she accepted the herb with a perfunctory thanks.

Zuo Feichen pressed on, "Also, Ya’er, I composed a poem just for you. Let me recite it:

A thousand charms, a sight so sweet,

Elegant grace, my heart’s retreat.

Most enchanting, blushing face,

Divine as flowers, heavenly trace.

What do you think? I spent three days crafting it. There’s even a hidden meaning—listen closely."

But Qian Ya did not savor the verse. Instead, she said calmly, "From now on, don’t come looking for me anymore."

Zuo Feichen’s face paled. "Ya’er, what’s wrong? Did I do something to upset you? Tell me, and I’ll change!"

Qian Ya shook her head: "I've been chosen."

Zuo Feichen was instantly thunderstruck, his face paling dramatically: "You've been chosen!? You were chosen by the Demon Gu Qingfeng!?"