Disdainful Efforts

The Demonic Heaven Realm.

Gu Qingfeng began cultivating the Feathering Immortal Art. As a man who regarded diligence as his life’s creed, he believed in utilizing every single moment to relentlessly improve himself, leaving no regrets in life.

It wasn’t because the Eternal True World had too many powerful figures—external pressure like this wouldn’t make him cower. Instead, it only fueled his soaring fighting spirit!

The cultivation began. Gu Qingfeng first committed the Feathering Immortal Art to memory, then channeled his magic power according to its methods.

The Feathering Immortal Art stated that cultivating the first layer required one million years’ worth of magic power, the second layer two million, and the third layer four million.

Each layer’s consumption doubled, meaning the fourth layer would require eight million years’ worth of magic power.

To put it into perspective, condensing a True Immortal’s body required 196 million years’ worth of magic power—equivalent to the duration of a Kalpa.

Cultivation was a race against the Kalpa. Few would be willing to expend eight million years’ worth of magic power just to cultivate the fourth layer, let alone the fifth layer’s sixteen million.

Soon, as his magic power surged, an endless radiance of immortality erupted from Gu Qingfeng’s body, accompanied by a vast, transcendent aura.

His magic power transformed into feathering energy, scouring his body from head to toe, inside and out, purging impurities and aligning him closer to the Great Dao.

At this moment, Gu Qingfeng slowly levitated, as if undergoing ascension—shedding his mortal form to become an immortal, completing a qualitative transformation.

Truthfully, his accumulated foundation had long reached unimaginable heights. Now, having stumbled upon this immortal art, it was only natural for him to soar to new heights.

Moreover, the feathering energy also possessed the effect of healing injuries and erasing hidden ailments, allowing the cultivator’s body to reach a flawless state.

A pity, though—Gu Qingfeng had spent his life battling others yet had never been injured, let alone suffered hidden ailments.

Invincible in life, who could harm him?

Though it felt somewhat wasteful, the sensation of feathering was still incredibly pleasant—like taking a bath... definitely not the kind taken at home.

Gu Qingfeng clasped his hands together, and a surge of feathering energy erupted within him, violently scouring his body, causing him to shudder involuntarily.

"Ah!"

With a loud shout, his eyes snapped open, bursting with immortal radiance. His entire body exuded a misty, transcendent aura, like an immortal who had just ascended to the heavens!

Beside him, Shangguan Wan’er was utterly dumbfounded. Having cultivated the Feathering Immortal Art herself, she knew full well its difficulty.

Back when she cultivated the first layer, it had taken her years of effort to barely succeed—a feat already considered top-tier genius material in the Feathering Immortal Dynasty.

But Gu Qingfeng?

Had it even been an hour? And he’d already mastered it?

What Shangguan Wan’er didn’t know was that Gu Qingfeng’s speed had nothing to do with talent—it was simply due to his overwhelmingly vast reserves of magic power.

If the body were compared to a sponge, feathering was the process of saturating it with water to increase its density.

For ordinary cultivators, their magic power trickled out like an unending dribble. But Gu Qingfeng? With trillions of years’ worth of magic power backing him, it was like a dam bursting—a torrential flood, defying the wind with a stream ten zhang high.

Under Shangguan Wan’er’s stunned gaze, Gu Qingfeng began cultivating the second layer. This time, the feathering transformation took noticeably longer—two full hours.

Shangguan Wan’er was completely speechless. Could he go any faster?

In the Eternal True World, every minor improvement for an immortal was measured in centuries. Even mastering a simple divine ability or secret art took at least a hundred years.

Yet Gu Qingfeng had mastered the second layer in just two hours?

Just as Shangguan Wan’er thought he might complete all three layers in a single day, he suddenly stood up and stretched lazily.

"Whew! That’s enough cultivation for today. Another day of hard work!"

Shangguan Wan’er: "..."

......

Half a year later.

Through relentless effort, Gu Qingfeng had finally cultivated the Feathering Immortal Art to the thirteenth layer, undergoing thirteen feathering transformations.

Thirteen might not sound like much, but remember—each feathering required double the magic power of the last. These seemingly simple thirteen transformations had nearly drained his trillions of years’ worth of magic power.

By now, Gu Qingfeng’s physique had reached an unimaginable level of strength. Each doubling of magic power consumption meant his body’s toughness had also doubled—an exponential increase of 2 to the power of 13!

Based on his previous encounters with True Immortals, he estimated that a True Immortal’s body was roughly equivalent to six featherings.

Now, with thirteen featherings—seven more than a True Immortal—his physique was 2 to the power of 7 times stronger.

In other words, Gu Qingfeng’s current body was 128 times tougher than a True Immortal’s!

Of course, this was just a theoretical value. In reality, it was undoubtedly far greater than 128 times, because Gu Qingfeng’s Chaos Body was already immensely powerful—far surpassing all Loose Immortals and second only to a True Immortal’s physique.

Loose Immortals had merely achieved Dao Unity, attaining immortality, but their physiques remained unchanged. Naturally, they couldn’t compare to Gu Qingfeng’s perfected Chaos Body.

However, becoming a "One-Punch Immortal" wasn’t without cost—the Demonic Heaven Realm’s demons had dwindled by another half.

After all, Gu Qingfeng needed to replenish his magic power. Having expended it all on feathering, how could he not replenish?

In the Eternal True World, where powerhouses were as common as clouds, walking around without trillions of years’ worth of magic power in reserve would be downright embarrassing.

Gu Qingfeng calculated silently. With trillions of years’ worth of magic power and a physique over a hundred times stronger than a True Immortal’s, surely this level of strength would at least allow him to survive against an Earth Immortal?

Feeling slightly more secure, he finally decided to step out of the Demonic Heaven Realm—leaving his comfort zone.

At this time, there were still six months until the opening of the Taiyi Secret Realm. Gu Qingfeng, accompanied by the ever-more-skilled Xiao Nu, set off for the Profound Immortal Sect.

The Profound Immortal Sect was a sect located in the lower reaches of the Star River. Unlike most immortal dynasties or sects, which only had a single Loose Immortal, the Profound Immortal Sect boasted deep reserves—multiple Loose Immortals and even a True Immortal Elder overseeing them.

With such terrifying strength, they were undoubtedly a top-tier force in the lower reaches, feared across hundreds of millions of miles.

The reason for heading to the Profound Immortal Sect was simple—before entering the Demonic Heaven Realm, Shangguan Wan’er had tasked them with finding the Taiyi Immortal Token.

Even a mighty sect like the Profound Immortal Sect could only obediently cooperate and curry favor when faced with a midstream power.