"Father Emperor!"
"Congratulations, Father Emperor, on becoming an Immortal King!"
Gu Ruochen's children gathered around, offering their congratulations one after another.
This gave him some small comfort; at least someone was still paying attention to him.
However, right after the congratulations, the group of children all made their way towards Gu Qingfeng.
"Lord Gu, thank you for your assistance. If not for you, my father would have found it difficult to overcome the Immortal King Tribulation. I once doubted you, for which I am truly and deeply sorry."
"Yes, yes. We were blind and failed to recognize your eminence before, Lord Gu. Please forgive us."
These once arrogant and lofty princes and princesses were now the picture of reverence and deference, their attitudes exceedingly respectful and humble.
After exchanging pleasantries, they more or less expressed their own desires to undergo tribulation.
Watching this, Gu Ruochen could only fume silently, his beard practically bristling.
Then, suddenly!
An unimaginable sense of oppression abruptly descended.
The clamor of the crowd instantly died, as if everything had been put on pause.
Everyone, as if by prior agreement, looked towards the depths of the firmament. There, winds gathered and clouds swirled, lightning flashed and thunder rumbled. Deep within the clouds, a figure of unimaginable presence seemed to stand.
Its form was indistinct, as if concealed within immeasurable layers of time and space. Only a pair of eyes, filled with the essence of the Dao and utterly indifferent, were visible.
Countless people gazed upon those indifferent eyes, feeling only a sharp pain in their own and a violent tremor in their hearts and minds.
An Immortal King!
Horror struck everyone's hearts. Another Immortal King!
Gu Ruochen's gaze sharpened, meeting the eyes from the depths of the firmament. A light smile curled at the corner of his mouth as an unparalleled Immortal King's aura slowly rose from his person, not conceding an inch of ground.
Gu Qingfeng also instantly perked up. Is it family? Is it family!?
"Immortal King Tiandu honors us with his presence. This Emperor failed to welcome you from afar," Gu Ruochen said with a light laugh.
Tiandu?
Gu Qingfeng immediately lost interest. Not family. How boring.
Among the Immortal Kings he knew of, only the Chongming Immortal King and the Star Extreme Immortal King were family.
"Congratulations, Fellow Daoist Gu, on your advancement to Immortal King." The indifferent, majestic voice of Immortal King Tiandu echoed from the firmament, like rolling thunder, causing heaven and earth to tremble.
"Hahaha... After hundreds of millions of years, who would have thought we would gain another Fellow Daoist today."
A hearty laugh came from the starry sky in the far distance, followed by another supreme figure descending upon the firmament.
Gu Ruochen recognized the newcomer and smiled, "So it's Fellow Daoist Xuanjun."
"Hahaha, it's not just me. Other Fellow Daoists have also come to offer congratulations."
Then, boom! Boom! Boom!
The starry sky continuously trembled as the Chongming Immortal King and the Liuyun Immortal King arrived one after another.
For a time, five Immortal Kings had gathered at the Seven Stars Ancient Nation. Their mere presence there was nearly enough to crush this stretch of starry sky.
Everyone present dared not even breathe loudly, oppressed by the Immortal Kings' auras to the point of suffocation.
Only Gu Qingfeng was different. Seeing the Chongming Immortal King appear, his eyes widened like bronze bells, seeming to burst with intensely scorching flames—flames named desire.
"Fellow Daoist Gu, please come up for a discussion," invited Immortal King Tiandu, who had arrived first.
Clearly, the Immortal Kings wished to discuss matters and had no intention of letting the ants below listen in.
Gu Ruochen showed no fear whatsoever. He immediately soared into the sky, arriving high above in the firmament.
For a time, five Immortal Kings gathered high in the firmament. The immortals below could not clearly see their forms, only making out five immeasurable, majestic figures concealed within boundless time and space.
High in the firmament.
"Fellow Daoist Gu has encountered no small opportunity," said Immortal King Tiandu calmly. He wore purple robes, carried a long sword on his back, and his entire body was shrouded in immortal light and the essence of the Dao.
Gu Ruochen smiled slightly. He naturally knew what Immortal King Tiandu was referring to.
"It was simply a matter of being in the right place at the right time," he replied lightly, offering no detailed explanation.
"This King originally intended to send Fellow Daoist Gu a few Tribulation Passage Pills as a modest contribution. Who would have thought Fellow Daoist had another opportunity," said the Chongming Immortal King with a laugh. His body was wreathed in black light, with only a pair of double-pupiled eyes visible.
Gu Ruochen's gaze instantly turned cold. Back then, for those Tribulation Passage Pills, the Chongming Immortal King had fleeced him thoroughly. Later, Yuwen Xiong had blatantly ignored the Seven Stars Ancient Nation's airspace ban, showing just how much the entire Chongming clan looked down on him.
He had never forgotten this grudge.
"Hmph, there's no need for Immortal King Chongming to trouble himself," he said coldly.
An awkward silence fell for a moment.
Then, Immortal King Liuyun stepped in to smooth things over with a smile: "Today is a day of great celebration for Fellow Daoist Gu's ascension. Let's not harm the harmony between Fellow Daoists."
A soft, clear, and ethereal female voice sounded.
So, Immortal King Liuyun was actually a woman.
After a few more exchanges of pleasantries, Immortal King Tiandu said, "Enough with the formalities. Let's discuss serious matters."
Gu Ruochen composed himself slightly, knowing this was about the division of interests.
"The Tianzong Star Domain, the Yaoguang Star Domain, and the Haokong Star Domain can all serve as your Daoist abode, Fellow Daoist Gu."
Gu Ruochen was immediately taken aback—not because what was offered was too little, but because it was far too much.
The Sixth Star Ruins were divided into countless regions called Star Domains. While there were many Star Domains, most were desolate, containing scarcely any life-bearing ancient stars and were extremely resource-poor, utterly useless.
But the three Star Domains Tiandu mentioned—Tianzong, Yaoguang, and Haokong—were not comparable to those garbage domains. They were rich in resources, teeming with life, and exceedingly prosperous.
Tiandu seemed to notice Gu Ruochen's surprise and continued calmly, "Three conditions."
Gu Ruochen sneered inwardly. Sure enough, there was no such thing as a free lunch.
"I'm listening."
"One, the Star Extreme Immortal King. Two, the Immortal Fall Battlefield. Three, Gu Qingfeng."
Immortal King Tiandu seemed disinclined to speak much, merely stating three key terms.
However, upon hearing these three conditions, Gu Ruochen's pupils constricted sharply. He immediately said coldly, "Impossible."
Hearing this resolute refusal, the previously smiling Immortal Kings' expressions instantly turned cold. The atmosphere grew extremely oppressive.
After a moment of silence, Gu Ruochen spoke again, "This Emperor can agree to the first two conditions. But Gu Qingfeng alone is out of the question. He is my benefactor."
Immortal King Tiandu said calmly, "This King has no interest in the man himself. I only want the Primordial Thunder Extreme on his person."
"Primordial Thunder Extreme?" Gu Ruochen frowned.
"Fellow Daoist Gu, you have just become an Immortal King. There may be some secrets you are not yet aware of," Immortal King Liuyun explained from the side.
"The so-called Primordial Thunder Extreme is the ultimate expression of all thunder in the world, the limit that exhausts all variations of the Dao of Thunder.
It is a rare and precious divine object! Others of its kind include the Primordial Fire Extreme, the Primordial Ice Extreme, and so on.
The reason Gu Qingfeng was able to help you overcome the Immortal King Tribulation relied on the Primordial Thunder Extreme. Only this object can absorb a portion of the heavenly tribulation's power when facing the Immortal King Tribulation, greatly increasing your chances of success."
A portion!?
Gu Ruochen's heart stirred. That Gu Qingfeng hadn't absorbed just a portion of the tribulation; he had absorbed all of it, even charging into the tribulation clouds themselves.
His mind raced through a hundred thoughts. He felt these Immortal Kings must have misunderstood. What Gu Qingfeng relied on was definitely not some Primordial Thunder Extreme.
The Primordial Thunder Extreme clearly couldn't achieve that degree of effect.
Compared to Lei Ji, when Gu Ruochen recalled Gu Qingfeng's disdainful gaze, his immense confidence, and his various mysteries, he was more inclined to trust his own judgment.
Gu Qingfeng was very likely a terrifying existence from legend, one that surpassed even an Immortal King.
It was precisely because he had considered this layer that Gu Ruochen naturally found it even more impossible to hand over Gu Qingfeng. On the contrary, he decided to exert himself to make a good impression and maintain their relationship.
e bizarre and supernatural had descended. The previous emperor was a thoroughgoing tyrant; no longer satisfied with human women, he had set his sights on a stunningly beautiful supernatural entity. He met his end in his bedchamber, drained of all his vital essence. As the legitimate eldest son and crown prince, Wang Hao was thus hastily enthroned, becoming the young emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty. No sooner had he awakened the "Imperial Sign-In Intelligence System" than he was assassinated by a Son of Destiny—a classic villain's opening. The Great Zhou, ravaged by the former emperor's excesses, was in national decline. The great families within its borders harbored their own treacherous schemes, martial sects began to defy the imperial court's decrees, and border armies, their pay and provisions in arrears, grumbled incessantly against the central government. Fortunately, the central capital was still held secure by the half-million Imperial Guards and fifty thousand Imperial Forest Army who obeyed the court's orders, along with the royal family's hidden reserves of power, barely managing to suppress the realm. As the Great Zhou's finances worsened and supernatural activities grew ever more frequent, the court sat atop a volcano. Ambitious plotters everywhere dreamed of overthrowing the dynasty, and even some reclusive ancient powers emerged, attempting to sway the tides of the world. At the first grand court assembly, the civil and military officials nearly came to blows, fighting tooth and nail over the allocation of fifty million taels of silver from the summer tax revenues. The spectacle opened Wang Hao's eyes—the Great Zhou's bureaucracy was not only corrupt but also martially proficient, a cabinet of all-rounders. Some officials even had the audacity to suggest the emperor release funds from the imperial privy purse to address the emergency. Wang Hao suddenly felt weary. Let it all burn.
ine. During your journey, you save an abandoned baby girl and become her elder brother】 【You rely on each other, becoming each other's support】 【At the end of the simulation, you shield the now-grown girl with your life, sacrificing yourself to block numerous demonic cultivators. You die, and the light in the girl's eyes fades】 …… 【Second Simulation: You are transported to a world where steam and magic coexist】 【You immerse yourself in the study of magic, obsessed with its research. One day, while out, you encounter a half-blooded demon girl wandering the streets. You take her in as your student】 【You teach the demoness what it means to be human, show her the beauty of the world, and nurture her into a miracle that surpasses even the gods】 【At the end of the simulation, you die of old age in front of the nearly immortal demoness due to your mortal lifespan】 …… One simulation after another, one encounter after another. Xu Xi suddenly felt something was off: "Wait, you said you're coming to the real world to find me?"
【Prologue: The Beginning of It All – Use holy water to heal the saintess tainted by demonic energy, then converse with her.】 Shen Nian stared at his older sister sipping yogurt, lost in thought. So you’re telling me my sister is the saintess, and yogurt is the holy water? 【Main Quest 1: Brave Youth, Become an Adventurer! Reward: Rookie Adventurer Title.】 【Side Quest 1: Find the Adorable Kitty! Reward: 1000 Gold Coins.】 Shen Nian: "Wait, I’m a high school senior here—did some guy who got isekai’d accidentally bind his system to me?" Hold on, completing quests gives gold rewards? Titles even boost stats? Is this for real? (A lighthearted, absurd campus comedy—not a revenge power fantasy.)
transmigrates into the world as the sect master of the Heavenly Yan Sect, which is on the verge of being wiped out. He binds a system that grants him cultivation power based on the number of disciples he has: for each disciple, he automatically gains a year's worth of cultivation every single day! Take one disciple: every day he gains 1 year of cultivation power. While others struggle through a year of bitter training, he gets the same just by sleeping through a single night. Take ten disciples: every day he gains 10 years of cultivation power. Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, Nascent Soul—he breezes through all bottlenecks without lifting a finger. Take one hundred disciples: every day he gains 100 years of cultivation power. Even a Soul Transformation Venerable before him can’t survive a single blow. Take ten thousand disciples: every day he gains 10,000 years of cultivation power! With a wave of his hand, he topples empires. With a single step, he crushes the sacred grounds of the universe. ... While others fight tooth and nail for secret techniques, Lin Yan casually hands out Nascent Soul-level cultivation manuals as beginner textbooks. While others strain to find talented recruits, Lin Yan opens his doors to anyone—so long as they’re human. In just three short years, the Heavenly Yan Sect went from a backwater sect made up of three crumbling huts to a sacred land that every cultivator under heaven would kill to enter. ... One day, otherworldly demon gods invade, with a million demon soldiers pressing down upon the realm. Lin Yan, yawning, rises from his lounge chair and glances at the system panel: [Current Disciples: 1.28 million] [Daily Cultivation Increase: 1.28 million years] He waves his hand casually, and the countless demon soldiers are reduced to ashes in an instant. “So noisy… interrupting my fishing.”
