A mere Immortal King's tribulation, I, the Emperor, can shatter it with one hand.

"Exemption from the trials?" Gu Qingfeng frowned. The Seven Stars Monarch Gu Ruochen was really looking down on him. Did he think the Emperor was the type to take shortcuts?

"Will Yuwen Xiong still participate?"

Gu Ruochen was slightly taken aback. He hadn’t expected Gu Qingfeng to still be fixated on Yuwen Xiong. Just because the man blocked his sunlight for a moment, was it really worth holding such a grudge?

"Even if his pride was wounded today, he will definitely participate. He needs the celestial opportunities within the Feixian Forbidden Zone to break through and become a Great Luo Golden Immortal. This concerns his path to the Dao—he won’t leave."

Hearing this confirmation, Gu Qingfeng immediately said, "Thank you for your kindness, Monarch Gu. But when this Emperor wants something, he prefers to obtain it through proper means. If you truly feel indebted, you could... discreetly arrange for me to face Yuwen Xiong."

Gu Ruochen: "..."

Proper means? Discreet arrangements? Aren’t those two statements contradictory?

"Is this all Young Friend Gu asks for?"

Of course, the Emperor wouldn’t stop at just this. Truthfully, he also wanted Gu Ruochen’s Seven Stars Immortal City—and if possible, a few daughters thrown in as a friendly bonus would be even better.

Though that’s what he thought, Gu Qingfeng merely said, "Worldly possessions are trivial. Too many only hinder cultivation. Didn’t you also refuse the Tribulation Transcendence Pill?"

At the mention of the pill, Gu Ruochen’s expression shifted slightly. Clearly, he still had lingering thoughts about it.

He sighed. "I might as well admit it—I knew from the start that the Vermilion Bird Immortal King would never give me the pill. That’s why I refused so decisively."

Gu Qingfeng smiled faintly. "Even so, acting on that knowledge is another matter entirely. When faced with a life-or-death tribulation, no matter how slim the hope, people will cling to any lifeline."

Gu Ruochen’s mood darkened, unwilling to dwell on the topic further.

"Since Young Friend Gu has no attachment to worldly things, then—"

"Actually, there’s more than one way to survive the Immortal King Tribulation," Gu Qingfeng suddenly interrupted.

Gu Ruochen, who had been speaking, froze. "Do you... have a method?" he asked, unable to hide his eagerness.

But then his eyes dimmed again. He chided himself for losing composure. How could he, in his desperation, think that Gu Qingfeng of all people had a solution?

This was the Immortal King Tribulation—even a true Immortal King couldn’t interfere, let alone a mere quasi-Immortal King. If there were a way, the Sixth Star Ruins wouldn’t have so few Immortal Kings.

Yet the next moment, Gu Qingfeng’s reply left him stunned.

"A mere Immortal King Tribulation? This Emperor can shatter it with a single hand."

Silence fell over the grand hall.

That was an outrageous boast.

Then, one of the princes, Gu Minghao, couldn’t hold back a mocking laugh. "Shatter it with a hand? Hah! What arrogance! Do you even understand what the Immortal King Tribulation is?"

"Minghao, mind your manners!" Gu Ruochen snapped coldly.

The prince, scolded, reluctantly retreated.

Gu Ruochen turned back to Gu Qingfeng. "Young Friend Gu, please don’t jest. Since you’ve only just arrived in Seven Stars Immortal City, you should take in the sights. Ming Yu, escort our guest."

"As you command, Father." A composed prince stepped forward.

Clearly, Gu Ruochen didn’t believe a word Gu Qingfeng had said. But out of courtesy, he refrained from ridicule and simply wanted him gone.

Prince Ming Yu approached politely. "Fellow Daoist Gu, please follow me."

But Gu Qingfeng didn’t move. "This Emperor does not jest."

Gu Ruochen’s gaze sharpened, his expression darkening. If not for Gu Qingfeng’s past kindness to the Seven Stars Ancient Nation, such wild claims would have gotten him thrown out long ago.

When their eyes met, Gu Ruochen stiffened slightly. There was an unmistakable arrogance in Gu Qingfeng’s gaze—an innate disdain for all things, so deeply ingrained it remained even in calm moments.

That kind of look... he had only ever seen in Immortal Kings.

Immortal Kings, aloof above the heavens, gazing down upon the mortal realm, indifferent to life, death, and the turning of ages.

Where did this man get such confidence?

Facing a quasi-Immortal King like himself, how could Gu Qingfeng still carry such an air of superiority?

And when speaking of the Immortal King Tribulation, that faintly dismissive confidence—as if it were a trivial matter—left Gu Ruochen unsettled.

The looming threat of his tribulation made him reluctant to dismiss even the slimmest hope.

He spoke gravely. "Are you serious, Young Friend Gu?"

Gu Qingfeng smiled mysteriously. Hooked.

"If you doubt me, Monarch Gu, simply summon an immortal on the verge of tribulation. A test will prove it."

Gu Ruochen fell into thought. Gu Qingfeng’s confidence was unnerving. He even dared to suggest an immediate demonstration—did he truly possess a method to defy the Immortal King Tribulation?

"Might I ask... what exactly is this method?"

Gu Qingfeng lazily raised his right hand and waved it. "As I said—shatter it with a hand. Literally."

Gu Ruochen stared at that palm, then at Gu Qingfeng’s utterly unshakable demeanor, and wavered. Part of him wondered if he was dealing with a madman.

After all, shattering the Immortal King Tribulation with a hand? Not even an Immortal King could do that.

Gu Minghao, unable to hold back any longer, stepped forward again. "Father, this man is clearly a charlatan spouting nonsense! Throw him out at once!"

Gu Qingfeng’s expression turned icy. If not for the fact that your father is a quasi-Immortal King, next year would mark your death anniversary.

"Hmph. It seems you don’t believe this Emperor. Very well, Monarch Gu—no need to find a test subject. Whether you survive your tribulation or not is none of my concern. I merely thought Seven Stars Immortal City was... pleasant. It would be a shame for it to be destroyed when you fail."

With that, Gu Qingfeng flicked his sleeve and vanished into the void.

"Young Friend Gu—!" Gu Ruochen reached out, hesitation written across his face, but in that brief moment of doubt, Gu Qingfeng was already gone.

Gu Minghao stepped forward, consoling him. "Father, you can’t possibly believe his nonsense! No matter how extraordinary he might be, this is the Immortal King Tribulation! Not even an Immortal King can interfere with another’s trial—what makes Gu Qingfeng so special?"

Gu Ruochen sighed but said nothing. Deep down, he knew Gu Minghao was likely right.

Outside the palace.

Gu Qingfeng’s figure reappeared. He glanced back at the towering imperial palace, a sly smirk curling his lips.

"That Gu Minghao played right into my hands. I was just worrying about how to demand more... compensation."

After all, he had no intention of helping Gu Ruochen for free.

But there's a fine line to walk here—what line, you ask?

It's simple: the line where, once they become a Celestial King, they won’t come after you for revenge.

If you demand too steep a price—say, Seven Stars Immortal City plus all seven of their daughters—even if they agree in the moment, do you really think they won’t kill you once they ascend to Celestial Kinghood?

The problem is, if the reward you ask for is too meager, Gu Qingfeng himself wouldn’t be satisfied either.

But now, none of that matters. Gu Minghao has handed him the perfect opportunity to turn the tables.

As for how to proceed, Gu Qingfeng’s plan is straightforward: he just needs to find a reasonably powerful immortal within Seven Stars Immortal City, help them successfully transcend their tribulation, and then—do you really think Gu Ruochen could just sit back and do nothing?

If helping one immortal isn’t enough, then two. Ten!

Let’s see if Gu Ruochen doesn’t come crawling on his knees, begging for forgiveness.

When that time comes, how much he’ll have to offer to earn Gu Qingfeng’s mercy will be entirely up to Gu Qingfeng—and he’ll still have to grovel in gratitude.