Deity Seizing Hall, Spirit Mountain, land of the living:
After settling in, Jiangchen redecorated the hall, making it s.p.a.cious and bright. Rows of shelves on the surrounding walls were chock-a-block with books emitting a faint white light.
On one particular wall, numerous wooden racks displayed a plethora of wine urns, like a collection of all the exquisite wines in the world.
Jiangchen reached for a flask and poured himself a gla.s.s of wine. As the flask emptied, it refilled automatically, revealing it to be a spatial wine container.
There were no thrones in the hall, only cozy furnis.h.i.+ngs that made it resemble a comfortable home.
Sitting on an easy chair, Jiangchen held a crystal gla.s.s reminiscent of Earth’s goblet. A splash of red wine sparkled in the gla.s.s.
Jiangchen took a sip, sampling it as he leisurely flipped through a book radiating a soft white light. Suddenly, he turned his head to the north.
“Oh? The Corpse Mound World? Six Paths? Someone awakened you again?” Jiangchen furrowed his brows as he set down the book.
Jiangchen’s eyes could peer into the nether realm from the land of the living, perceiving everything within the Corpse Mound World. He observed silently until Heaven’s eye destroyed Heavenly Gautama’s group and left.
“Little Six, you promised to surpa.s.s me. I’ve been waiting for you to become stronger!” Jiangchen sighed softly in the end.
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Corpse Mound World:
The fact that Jiang Gautama, Heavenly Gautama, Mortal Gautama, and Corpse Worm Heavenly Demon—four consummate Upper Heavenly Palace Realm cultivators—could not even last one strike from Heaven’s eye instantly jolted Gu Hai to his senses.
How powerful was Long Zhanguo in his prime? He could shake the heavens with a single strike! His Heaven Splitting Ax could break Heaven’s eye.
They were all in the consummation of the Upper Heavenly Palace Realm. To think the difference can be this big?
Shangguan Hen was immersed in the joy of annihilating the Spirit Mountain Holy Land. However, Gu Hai fell into silence for some time as he looked at where Heaven’s eye had been.
Although it seemed like I had slain Long Zhanguo and battled Old Mister Guan Qi, in reality, I was on their side all along. I can keep this a secret for now, as the Six Paths Immortal lacks the energy to investigate. However, it will be impossible to cover up once the Six Paths Immortal fully awakens.
I will eventually have to face the Six Paths Immortal head-on. Time is running out. Can I make it in time?
Gu Hai flung his sleeve out.
Whoos.h.!.+
Gu Hai swept up a clump of transparent objects—the fragments of the secret realm immortal firmament that had previously contained the crimson heavenly eye—into his sleeves and put them in the Gu’s Immortal Firmament.
“Unborn Man!” Gu Hai waved his hand again, summoning Kong Xuan, the Unborn Man, and the Divine Demon Army soldiers from the Gu’s Immortal Firmament.
When they emerged from the Gu’s Immortal Firmament, Kong Xuan and the others were still in a daze, having witnessed the awe-inspiring battle moments ago. They had yet to recover fully from the shock.
The Unborn Man sat cross-legged, hovering in the air, apparently contemplating something profound.
“Huh?” Gu Hai looked at the Unborn Man, puzzled by his actions.
Kong Xuan explained, “Your Majesty, it seems the Unborn Man couldn’t resist practicing a cultivation technique you left behind in the Gu’s Immortal Firmament!”
Gu Hai frowned slightly and nodded in understanding.
Kong Xuan looked at Shangguan Hen with a wry smile and said, “Congratulations, Prime Shangguan!”
Shangguan Hen used to be weaker than me. Now, he has reached the consummation of the Upper Heavenly Palace Realm ahead of me. Kong Xuan felt a pang of discomfort in his heart.
Shangguan Hen responded humbly, “Lord Kong, you are too polite. Everything I have was bestowed by His Reverence, from the cultivation techniques to the cultivation process, even the resources for cultivation.”
Kong Xuan sighed softly, “Yes, all thanks to His Reverence!”
I have indeed grown much stronger than before, thanks to Gu Hai. His Reverence is why I have what I have today.
“Greetings, Crown Prince Gu Han. Congratulations on returning to your peak!” Kong Xuan said.
Gu Han smiled. “No need for formalities, Lord Kong. I believe that with your abilities, it won’t be long before you reach consummation as well.”
Kong Xuan’s face suddenly turned solemn as he said, “Achieving consummation of the Upper Heavenly Palace Realm? It’s an incredibly difficult feat, unless, unless…”
That’s right! Achieving consummation in the Upper Heavenly Palace Realm is indeed challenging, but I have a chance.
I need to devour peerless experts who are stronger than me. Didn’t I absorb a Jiang Gautama replica just recently, which strengthened me significantly? Isn’t this the peac.o.c.k race’s path of cultivation?
There are few peerless experts in this world, but I saw some just now.
“Your Reverence!” Kong Xuan exclaimed excitedly, his eyes blazing with antic.i.p.ation as he looked at Gu Hai.
“Yes?” Gu Hai looked at Kong Xuan with curiosity.
“I have an impudent request, and it may seem audacious, but...” Kong Xuan struggled to find the right words.
As a loyal subject, how could one dare ask one’s sovereign for something?
“Speak!” Gu Hai replied directly.
“Your Reverence, the cultivation method of my peac.o.c.k race has a shortcut—devouring powerful individuals to strengthen oneself. Therefore, I would like to request three hundred replicas of Jiang Gautama. No, two hundred will suffice! Even one hundred would be acceptable!” Kong Xuan pleaded.
“Oh? Devouring the Jiang Gautama replicas would aid your advancement to the consummation of the Upper Heavenly Palace Realm?” Gu Hai’s expression changed.
“Yes! I’m not sure about the specific increase in cultivation level, but it will undoubtedly be helpful. Hence, I implore Your Reverence to grant me one hundred Jiang Gautama replicas. I will compensate with my salary!” Kong Xuan expressed his hope.
“Hahaha, you worry that I won’t grant your request? Kong Xuan, is this the first day you met me?” Gu Hai burst into laughter.
“Well, experts at the peak of the ninth-layer Heavenly Palace Realm are extremely rare. I’m concerned that Your Reverence has great use of them, so...” Kong Xuan forced a smile.
“Initially, I did plan to utilize them for ritual arrays. However, since they are beneficial to you, I will grant them all to you. Make good use of them!” Gu Hai stated solemnly.
“Ah? All of them?” Kong Xuan was slightly taken aback.
“All of them! If you don’t mind, you can cultivate in the Gu’s Immortal Firmament. Alternatively, I can have Gu Han and Shangguan Hen seal their cultivations and give them to you!” Gu Hai suggested.
Kong Xuan’s gaze turned uncertain. He took a deep breath before saying, “I will cultivate in Your Reverence’s Gu’s Immortal Firmament!”
“Alright!” Gu Hai waved his hand, and Kong Xuan entered the Gu’s Immortal Firmament.
Kong Xuan didn’t need to say thank you. At this moment, expressing grat.i.tude was unnecessary. Amid his overwhelming emotions, Kong Xuan’s loyalty to Gu Hai maxed out. The fifty-year pledge of loyalty to Gu Hai that Kong Xuan had once pondered faded from his memory.
Buzz!
Suddenly, an eight-trigram diagram emerged from the Unborn Man’s body. Then he awakened from cultivation.
“Oh? Is it over?” the Unborn Man exclaimed in surprise.
Apparently, he had been immersed in his cultivation, oblivious of the previous battle.
“It’s over, Unborn Man. Open the pa.s.sage to the land of the living. We’re going back!” Gu Hai instructed.
“Yes!” the Unborn Man responded promptly.
Just as the Unborn Man was about to open the pa.s.sage to the land of the living, a chilling voice suddenly rang out.
“Hah! You caused the Gautama Heavenly Demons’ and the Corpse Worm Heavenly Demon’s deaths. Do you think you can leave that easily?”
An icy, bone-piercing aura instantly permeated the surrounding s.p.a.ce, causing the temperature to plummet. A murderous intent locked on to everyone present.
“Who is it?” Vairocana’s expression darkened.
Vairocana waved his hand, and golden light radiated, dispersing the surrounding mist. Only a patch of black fog remained, stubbornly unaffected.
Five black-robed figures ambled out of the black fog. Their ident.i.ties were concealed by their robes, but their auras made Gu Han, Shangguan Hen, and Vairocana ready themselves for powerful enemies.
The Divine Demon Army soldiers couldn’t withstand the oppressive aura emanating from the opponents, and their faces instantly paled.
Gu Hai waved his hand and sent the Divine Demon Army soldiers back into the Gu’s Immortal Firmament.
“All five of them have reached the consummation of the Upper Heavenly Palace Realm? Where did they come from?” Shangguan Hen exclaimed in surprise.
It was already a miracle for himself to reach the consummation of the Upper Heavenly Palace Realm, and now, five more had turned up? Furthermore, they seemed hostile?
“Five peak masters of the Heavenly Demon Holy Land’s subordinate peaks?” Gu Han’s expression changed suddenly.
While the others might not recognize them, Gu Han could discern their origins from their auras. The Heavenly Demon Holy Land comprised the main peak and twelve subordinate peaks. These five had reached the consummation of the Upper Heavenly Palace Realm.
Perhaps the commotion earlier had attracted the attention of the five peak masters?
“The Gautama Heavenly Demon’s good earthly soul? Hah! Have you defected from the Heavenly Demon Holy Land? Do you know that those who betray the sect shall die?” said the leader of the black-robed figures with a chilling voice.
Gu Han’s face turned dark, and worry flashed in his eyes. He then looked at Gu Hai and said, “Father, these five individuals are extremely dangerous, surpa.s.sing the threat we faced earlier!”
“Oh? Five consummate Upper Heavenly Palace Realm cultivators?” Gu Hai’s expression turned sullen.
“They are the number five, number six, number eight, number nine, and number ten of the subordinate peaks,” Gu Han said with a bitter smile.
“What do you mean?” Gu Hai asked in confusion.
“The twelve peak masters are ranked by strength. The Purple Jade Heavenly Demon was the twelfth, the Corpse Worm Heavenly Demon was the eleventh, and the Gautama Heavenly Demon was the seventh!” Gu Han said with utmost seriousness.
“The Gautama Heavenly Demon was the seventh?” Gu Hai frowned.
“Your Highness, your strength ranked seventh?” Shangguan Hen questioned in confusion.
“No! It was Jiang Gautama, Heavenly Gautama, Mortal Gautama, and me. The four of us combined made up the seventh position!” Gu Han explained.
“The four of you combined? Seventh?” Shangguan Hen said in shock.
The eighth-ranked, ninth-ranked, and tenth-ranked peak masters aside, there were still the fifth-ranked and sixth-ranked peak masters. Just one of these two equaled the entire group of Gautamas earlier, perhaps even stronger.
Now that five Heavenly Demon Holy Land peak masters had arrived, could Gu Hai’s group handle them?
“Number Seven, tell us, what is your stance? Are you going to escort these people back to our lord with us and wait for our lord to deal with them, or are you going to become our enemy? You should know, all of you will die if we attack—unless you can summon the Six Paths Immortal again,” one of the black-robed men said indifferently.
“Number Six, you want to kill me?” Gu Han said with a sullen expression.
“In the past, the Gautama Heavenly Demons combined were no match for me. Now, you’re just a single weak clone. Haha! Do you want to give it a try? Traitors deserve death, and I don’t mind taking care of you right now!” the sixth-ranked peak master said in a chilling tone.
“Number Seven, our lord still has great expectations of you. It’s just a reincarnation, right? It’s not the first or second time. Besides, he is not your biological father.” The sixth-ranked peak master pointed towards Gu Hai. “If you kill this person and use his head to atone for your crimes, you will still be our Number Seven!”
The sixth-ranked peak master wanted Gu Han to kill Gu Hai?