Chapter 727: Disbandment of the Yin Yang Holy Land
The Yin Yang Holy Lord's rhetorical question left the entire hall in dead silence.
The female elder's face turned pale, and her lips quivered, but she ultimately couldn't find the words to argue back.
The Yin Yang Holy Land could only maintain itself in the Shadows, and its industries were also unsavory.
Naturally, it was no match for the strongest forces on the surface, such as the Myriad Dao Alliance and the Canglan Imperial Dynasty.
Simply from the perspective of the number of Sovereigns, the Yin Yang Holy Land had only three Great Emperors at most, and all of them were in the early stage of the Great Emperor realm; how could they possibly contend with two super forces?
An atmosphere of despair quickly spread throughout the hall.
The faces of all the elders were filled with gravity and unease.
It was as if they could already see the tragic scene of the Holy Land being razed to the ground under the fire of ships and cannons.
"Holy Lord... is there really no other way?"
A white-haired elder asked with a trembling voice. Having lived a muddled life for half a century, he had only recently begun to live like an immortal in the Yin Yang Holy Land. He truly did not want to see the Holy Land fall into complete decline!
The Yin Yang Holy Lord closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
After a long while, he slowly opened his eyes, which were now filled with a grey defeat: "Pass down the order..."
"The Yin Yang Holy Land... as of today, is... disbanded!"
"Holy Lord!!"
"You mustn't!!"
"We beg the Holy Lord to reconsider!!"
Sorrowful cries and pleas immediately rang out within the hall.
"Silence!!"
The Yin Yang Holy Lord slammed his hand on the armrest, his sharp shout suppressing the noise in the hall.
He looked around at everyone, a spark of near-madness igniting in his clouded eyes: "Everyone, the fact that there is no place for us in this Myriad Spirits Dao Domain does not mean there is none in the entire Three Thousand Dao Domains. The Great Dao of Yin Yang is so vast, and there are countless fellow practitioners!"
"Though the Holy Land is disbanded, our 'Dao', our 'Legacy', and our 'Spirit' will never be severed!"
He stood up, as if regaining the high spirits of his youth: "Today's disbandment is to preserve the sparks, for the sake of a future rebirth from the ashes! The Hundred Flowers Holy Land may seem powerful now, but the Golden Age is about to begin. Heroes are rising, and dragons and snakes are contending for supremacy. How much longer can they remain so arrogant?!"
"Fellow disciples, take the core scriptures of the Holy Land's legacy and the resources we have accumulated. Break into small groups and slip into various parts of the Three Thousand Dao Domains!"
"Go to the territories governed by the major Imperial Dynasties and the Ten Immortal Palaces, to those broader worlds!"
"The Great Dao of Yin Yang is eternal, and the secret methods of dual cultivation will never perish!!"
"Perhaps in the near future, the Yin Yang Holy Land will reappear in the world. At that time, we shall reunite and forge an even more glorious era!!"
His words were highly inflammatory. To these cultivators whose brains were filled with dual cultivation, they were like golden rules, as if that alluring future were right before their eyes!!
The Holy Land was merely a shell; the legacy was the foundation!
As long as the people lived and the lineage did not perish, there was hope!!
"The Holy Lord is wise!!"
"Preserve the sparks, rebirth from the ashes!!"
"May the Great Dao of Yin Yang prosper for ten thousand generations!!"
For a moment, the crowd in the hall was impassioned, as if they were not facing a crisis of destruction but were instead conducting a great strategic relocation.
The Yin Yang Holy Lord silently watched these disciples who seemed possessed, a hint of mockery in his expression.
"A bunch of idiots."
Revive the Yin Yang Holy Land?
What a joke. Without their foundation, they were just stray dogs. Being able to live under someone else's roof and barely survive would already be a stroke of luck.
And they were still thinking of revival?
Revival, my ass!
It was fine to give these idiots some unrealistic hopes so that he could take the core team away. When the time came to join the Hehuan Sect, he could still seize some right to speak.
"Alright everyone, let's get moving, for the glory of the Yin Yang Holy Land!"
"For the glory of the Yin Yang Holy Land!!"
As the order was given, the machine that was the Yin Yang Holy Land, which was about to collapse, began its final efficient operation.
Soon, the massive Yin Yang Holy Land was completely empty.
In a remote and dilapidated stone room, Li Jianqiang tightly held the dying Melodious Sound in his arms, his expression full of despair.
He had finally become the Holy Son of the Yin Yang Holy Land, and in the blink of an eye, the damn Holy Land was gone!
Those disciples and elders who usually flattered him were now running faster than anyone else. No one paid any attention to him, a Holy Son in name only.
As luck would have it, the night of the full moon was approaching. The body he had reconstructed for Melodious Sound had certain drawbacks, which were now starting to flare up again.
Feeling the beautiful woman in his arms shivering, Li Jianqiang's face was filled with pain.
"Jianqiang... what's... happening outside?"
Melodious Sound struggled to open her eyes and asked with a voice as thin as a thread.
The speed at which her physical body was collapsing was accelerating, and her consciousness was beginning to blur.
Of course... these were all disguises, just a task assigned by Gu Yun.
The purpose was to keep Li Jianqiang pinned in place and prevent him from escaping the Myriad Spirits Dao Domain.
"It's—it's nothing. Melodious Sound, just rest well. Don't worry about the outside."
Li Jianqiang comforted her softly. He had thought about leaving her more than once, but in the end, he was overcome by the desires in his heart.
This was his white moonlight. Now that he was only one step away from achieving his goal, how could he just let it go without even testing the waters?
"Are we... not leaving?" Melodious Sound's voice was as thin as silk, carrying endless weakness. "The Holy Land... seems to be disbanding..."
"Leave? Where to? In your current state, how could I have the heart to abandon you?!"
"Jianqiang, you don't have to worry about me."
"Perhaps... this is just my fate."
Melodious Sound forced a tragic yet beautiful smile, which made Li Jianqiang's heart ache as if it were being cut by a knife.
"Melodious Sound, don't worry. Nothing will happen to us."
Li Jianqiang tightly held Melodious Sound's cold hand: "The night of the full moon is coming soon. As long as we can hold out until then, I can stabilize your body again."
"I have already made full preparations. Once your body recovers, we can fly far away, find a place where no one knows us, and start over!"
He had always had an obsession with Melodious Sound. To satisfy his inner thoughts, Li Jianqiang was willing to do a lot.
Gu Yun had precisely grasped this degree, allowing Melodious Sound to pull him along.
"Mm... Jianqiang, I—I'll listen to you... We'll... we'll be okay..."
Melodious Sound nodded slightly and leaned her head against Li Jianqiang's chest, her voice faint.
Looking at her, Li Jianqiang felt even more pity. He gently held her soft hand, his gaze incredibly determined... [Ding! Due to the Host's influence, the Yin Yang Holy Land has disbanded ahead of schedule. The Child of Destiny Li Jianqiang has lost his place of shelter and assistance. destiny value decreased by 5,000 points]
[Ding! The Host has completely taken control of the Myriad Spirits Dao Domain. Reward: 100,000 villain value points]
Canglan Imperial City, Gu Yun's exclusive palace.
Time was like sand between fingers, quietly slipping away amidst leisure and charm.
The system notification in his mind sounded as expected, and it did not exceed Gu Yun's expectations.
In the script, not long after Han Qichi became the Empress, the Yin Yang Holy Land disbanded on its own.
His forced intervention had brought this result forward countless times.
"In that case, the timing for Vermilion Bird and Shadow to set out should be just right."
"As expected of me..."
Gu Yun happily held Moon Dance and turned her over.
After a bout of dizziness, the little girl woke up from her sleep: "No—I can't anymore, Brother Divine Son, Xiao Wu's legs are very sore..
//728//
Chapter 728: Heading to the Zhao Family
The pitiful little thing blinked her large, watery eyes, staring straight at the young man's face.
Gu Yun chuckled inwardly, and his movements involuntarily became much gentler.
Last night, he had made the most of this lazy little cat's long legs; it was expected that she would still be somewhat fatigued today.
The lazy morning light filtered through the carved window lattices, spilling onto the soft cloud brocade.
A faint, warm fragrance filled the hall, mingled with a lingering trace of last night's passion.
As Gu Yun slowly rose, Jiang Lan's furrowed brows also gradually relaxed as she opened her eyes.
Seeing that the young master had already awakened, she knelt and moved forward. With her slender, delicate hands, she gently massaged Gu Yun's shoulders with just the right amount of pressure.
"Awake?"
Gu Yun asked softly.
"Mm."
Jiang Lan gave a soft hum, her movements becoming even more meticulous. "The three days are up. Is Your Highness preparing to head to the Zhao Family?"
"The Tomb of Emperor Bailian is also about to open. Is it..."
"There's no need. Rather than letting them trip us up later, it's better to wipe them out in one fell swoop now."
Gu Yun's voice was incredibly calm; from beginning to end, he had never truly regarded this massive Emperor Clan as a threat.
"Then this concubine wishes Your Highness... immediate success!"
Jiang Lan leaned over, lightly pecked Gu Yun's cheek, and spoke with a smile.
Gu Yun lightly stroked the back of her hand and asked with a smile, "I want to take you with me to the Tomb of Emperor Bailian."
Hearing Gu Yun's words, Jiang Lan was slightly stunned. During these days of cultivation within the Great Luo Dao Pagoda, her cultivation had already reached the seventh level of the Quasi-Emperor Realm, and her insights into the Dao of Artifact Refining had deepened.
"What, are you not happy?"
"In terms of the Dao of Artifact Refining alone, Great Emperor Bailian might be the greatest in the Three Thousand Dao Domains."
"Being able to obtain his inheritance, for you..."
Before Gu Yun could finish his sentence, he felt a passionate kiss land heavily on him.
Sweet and mellow, a trace of warm fragrance spread between them.
Gu Yun reached back and pulled Jiang Lan's slender waist close. The morning light was perfect, and the sky was hazy.
After a long time, their lips parted.
Jiang Lan's cheeks were flushed, her eyes shimmering. Her voice carried a slight tremble: "Jiang Lan... will definitely not let Your Highness down!!"
...Outside the Canglan Imperial City, the void rippled slightly.
A long, narrow galley ship hovered quietly, its aura restrained and its movements secretive.
The great emperor warship had taken this form after a slight modification, costing Gu Yun ten thousand villain value points. Combined with his Myriad Transformation Power and the deceiving heaven mask, it was enough to hide from the people of the Zhao Family.
"Master."
On the bow of the ship, the Hall Master You Ming saw Gu Yun approaching through the air and bowed slightly in greeting.
Beside him, the once arrogant Ghost Fiend Hall Master was now as submissive as a servant.
"Netherworld, how has the Demonic Cult been faring lately?"
"With Master's guidance, the Second Branch Headquarters and the Third Main Altar have both developed extremely rapidly."
"The cultivation of the three Saintesses, Feng Yunyun, Leng Huayun, and Hong Yu, is also improving quickly."
It was within Gu Yun's expectations that the cultivation of these three Protagonists of Fortune, who practiced demonic techniques, would rise rapidly.
With the assistance of the Heavenly Demon Seed he had planted, it was a great fortune for the likes of Netherworld, and for the girls, it was more like a cultivation cheat.
Presumably, it wouldn't be long before they could all break through to the Quasi-Emperor Realm and enter the Emperor Road to fight for opportunities.
"By the way, Master, regarding the First Main Altar..."
Ghost Fiend suddenly spoke. Protagonist trope had not returned for a long time, and the patience of the First and Second Sequences was about to run out.
They had decided to choose a new Demonic Son to temporarily take his place to stabilize the internal situation of the Demonic Cult.
"No matter, I will head back when the time comes."
Gu Yun's expression was calm. "Now... to the Zhao Family, set off!"
"Yes!"
The Hall Master You Ming responded, and the flying boat quickly merged into the void, silently disappearing into the vast spatial turbulence... Before long, the flying boat arrived at the agreed meeting place with Zhao Qian.
This was an incredibly desolate mountain range in the Central Region, surrounded by endless poisonous miasma. For cultivators below the Xiantai Realm, it was a forbidden land that could not be stepped into.
The surrounding ten thousand miles were a wasteland, and there were spiritual lights from formations flickering in various hidden locations.
Hiding their entrance here during their seclusion, it was no wonder the Zhao Family could develop peacefully all these years.
The Zhao Family's bronze war chariot was already waiting here.
Zhao Qian stood at the front of the chariot, dressed neatly with a steady expression, showing no signs of anything unusual.
Seeing Gu Yun's flying boat emerge from the void, he immediately showed a respectful yet warm smile and cupped his hands from afar. "Greetings, Prince Gu Yun. Zhao Qian has been... waiting here for a long time!!"
His gaze swept over the long, narrow galley ship with its restrained aura behind Gu Yun, as well as the few people on board. A trace of unknown gloom flashed through his eyes.
The smile on his face remained. "Young Master, please follow me. My father has led the entire clan to welcome your arrival at our ancestral land!"
"The whole clan is welcoming me? The Zhao Family is quite polite. Why don't I see my little brother Zhao Kun?"
The corners of Gu Yun's lips curled slightly as he spoke mockingly.
Zhao Qian's face stiffened, but he still kept his posture very low. "That the Young Master can overlook past grievances and personally visit the Zhao Family is a great honor for us."
"As for Brother Kun, the injuries on his body are truly too severe. Despite the family physicians' treatment for many days, there is still no improvement, so he is truly unfit to receive guests."
"Is that so? Then that's truly a pity."
Gu Yun, the perpetrator, showed a hypocritical display of pity that made Zhao Qian feel nauseous inside.
"Please—"
He stepped aside to welcome them and opened a spatial rift. Strands of spiritual power surged out from it, as if opening a hidden entrance.
Gu Yun's flying boat took the lead and entered directly.
"Master... his attitude is a bit too..."
Netherworld's low voice rang in Gu Yun's mind.
"When things are abnormal, there's bound to be a catch. Don't you want to see what kind of surprise this Zhao Family has prepared?"
Gu Yun's expression remained unchanged as he stood at the bow, speeding through.
After they left, Zhao Qian's face turned grim. "Stay here and guard. Once we have passed through, close the teleportation formation immediately!"
"Yes!"
Several disciples nodded in agreement, and only then did Zhao Qian follow after them.
Once he was gone, the disciples relaxed a bit.
"Hey, what do you think the family is planning to do?"
"Who cares? As long as it doesn't affect us, it's fine."
"That's not for sure. Look at that Young Master's bearing; he's truly noble beyond words. Even Young Master Qian had to be respectful to him!"
"This time, maybe our Zhao Family is about to soar to greatness!"
"But I heard that Young Master Kun suffered a lot at his hands. Coming here this time, it seems like they're going to discuss some kind of compensation?"
"Pah, pah, pah, don't talk nonsense about such things."
"Let's just do our own jobs..."
Whoosh—
A strange wind blew past, bringing a pleasant floral fragrance.
The group felt intoxicated, their consciousness becoming somewhat dazed.
"Did... did something just go past?"
"You must have seen wrong... Alright, it should be about time now!"
As they spoke, the group stepped into the spatial rift together. The massive rift suddenly vanished from the world, as if it had never existed.
//729//
Chapter 729: The Feast at Hongmen
In the void, the flying boat shuttled for about half an hour.
Soon, a mysterious world shrouded in a grey-white nebula appeared ahead.
"Hiding the Zhao Family within a small world—as expected of an Imperial Clan that has existed since ancient times, it is indeed a fine method."
At the edge of the nebula, a towering and ancient stone gate stood out of thin air. Gu Yun stepped down from the flying boat and looked at Zhao Qian, speaking indifferently.
Zhao Qian's expression stiffened, and he said sheepishly, "Your Highness must be joking. The Zhao Family's meager tricks are not worth mentioning, not worth mentioning at all."
As he spoke, a layer of fine cold sweat had already broken out on his forehead.
He didn't dare to meet Gu Yun's gaze again and stepped aside with a gesture of invitation: "Your Highness, this way please. My father has already prepared a banquet and is waiting for Your Highness's grand arrival."
Gu Yun gave him a half-smile but did not expose him, stepping onto the welcoming long stairs of the Zhao Family's ancestral land, paved with warm green jade, with his hands behind his back.
The Hall Master You Ming and the Ghost Fiend Hall Master followed him like shadows, one on the left and one on the right.
Zhao Qian followed behind, his lowered face wearing a grim expression... Zhao Family ancestral land, the peak of a giant mountain.
The canopy of the luck dao divine tree was like a cloud, and the golden-green divine radiance fell like a waterfall, illuminating the entire mountain peak like a dream.
Under the tree, on a temporarily built jade platform, delicacies were laid out, and the fragrance of spiritual wine wafted through the air.
Zhao Hong sat upright with his eyes half-closed, seemingly resting his spirit.
On both sides below, twelve Great Emperor experts sat or stood, their auras as heavy as mountains.
Within the surrounding void, killing intent was hidden.
"Patriarch, Qian'er has sent a message. Gu Yun has stepped onto the welcoming stairs."
An elder stepped forward and reported in a low voice.
Zhao Hong opened his eyes, a flash of ruthlessness appearing in them: "Good!"
"Pass down the order to act according to the plan. Once that little beast steps within a hundred feet of the divine tree, immediately activate the 'Heaven-Prisoning Spirit-Locking Grand Array'!"
"I want him... unable to escape even with wings, unable to live, and unable to die!"
"Yes!"
The elder took the order and retreated, quickly conveying the command to all locations.
Zhao Hong stood up, a trace of madness flashing in his eyes, his lips curling into a sinister arc.
"Wuji, rest assured, your brother will avenge you."
"And Kun'er, rest assured, the humiliation you suffered—as your father, I will reclaim it for you a hundredfold, a thousandfold!!"
"Zhao Hong! Are you truly prepared?"
Between heaven and earth, a thick and aged voice sounded.
Beside that massive divine tree, an old man was sitting cross-legged, wearing grey-white hemp clothes with an ancient-looking face.
He sat on a prayer mat, his extremely long sleeves pressed tightly against the ground.
His aura was ethereal and elusive.
"Ancestor."
Zhao Hong turned and bowed slightly to him, his attitude respectful: "I have made up my mind!"
"That Gu Yun killed my second brother and crippled my own son. If this grudge is not avenged, how will my Zhao Family stand in these Three Thousand Dao Domains in the future!"
"Moreover... he is targeting my Zhao Family so much this time that he must have some scheme. Even if we bow and scrape today, there will be no good end. It's better to fight hard; perhaps there's still a glimmer of hope."
"Do you know that his background is extraordinary?"
"Immortal Ancient Gu Family, everlasting and evergreen."
Zhao Hong's expression was calm: "But Ancestor, you know I have no choice. Instead of being a frog boiled in warm water, it's better to... give it my all!"
"The Golden Great Age is about to begin. Let's use the blood of this Imperial Son to open a brilliant and dazzling era!!"
The Zhao Family Ancestor was slightly stunned. Looking at his somewhat crazed junior, a thousand words turned into a single sigh.
"Fine... since you have decided, I will say no more."
"That Immortal Ancient Gu Family is not to be trifled with. Either don't do it, or... do it thoroughly!"
"Rest assured, Ancestor, today he... shall not escape!!"
...Gu Yun and Zhao Qian walked through the air, and soon saw that luck dao divine tree, crystalline and a thousand feet tall.
It was like the heart of this small world; every time its branches and leaves stretched, it would cause the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to pulse with it.
Within Gu Yun's body, Ling Ling, who had been asleep for a long time, trembled involuntarily again.
"It seems this luck dao divine tree is connected to this small world."
Gu Yun guessed in his heart, his lips curling slightly.
This tree is destined for him!
"Acting Patriarch of the Zhao Clan, Zhao Hong, greets Young Master Gu!"
"Young Master has overlooked past grievances and deigned to visit our Zhao Family's desolate place. Zhao Hong is extremely terrified and deeply grateful!"
Seeing Gu Yun appear, the gloom on Zhao Hong's face vanished. He put on a sincere smile, strode forward, and bowed with hands clasped.
The Zhao Family elders behind him also bowed one after another, shouting in unison: "Welcome, Young Master Gu!"
The voices were uniform and well-trained.
Gu Yun's mouth twitched. Didn't these smiling Zhao Family members know the concept of 'too much is as bad as too little'?
This kind of hypocrisy practically had the words "guilty conscience" written all over their faces.
But Gu Yun said nothing, only giving Zhao Hong a half-smile as he stepped onto the green jade platform under the divine tree with his hands behind his back.
"Patriarch Zhao's hospitality is great. If I don't accept it, it would seem heartless."
He sat down casually. The Hall Master You Ming and the Ghost Fiend Hall Master stood like two iron towers three feet behind him, their eyes scanning the surroundings like hawks.
With Zhao Hong's discernment, he could naturally see that the two were extraordinary.
However, this was also within his plan. After all, when a descendant of an Immortal Ancient Family travels, how could they not bring any followers?
Just get rid of them all together.
"Young Master must be joking! Your presence has already brought great honor to the entire Zhao Family!"
Zhao Hong personally held the pot and filled a cup of spiritual wine for Gu Yun: "This is our Zhao Family's 'Fortune Immortal Brew', cellared for three hundred thousand years. It is made from the divine tree's early spring leaves and nine types of ten-thousand-year spiritual fruits, taking a Thousand Years to produce one jar. Please taste it, Young Master."
The liquid was pale gold. When poured into the cup, it created ripples like a slowly spreading amber, emitting a refreshing fragrance.
Gu Yun picked up the wine cup and sniffed it lightly at the tip of his nose, his lips curling. This Zhao Hong was truly calculating every detail. Clearly, he was already a turtle in a jar, yet he still had to use such low-handed methods.
Quietly using the Myriad Transformation Power to neutralize the medicinal effects within, Gu Yun praised calmly, "It is indeed good wine."
"Then Young Master should drink a few more cups!"
"If you like it, there are still a few jars of fine brew in the Zhao Family. Young Master can take them all!"
Zhao Hong urged him to drink attentively, and the surrounding elders also raised their cups, creating a peaceful scene of guests and hosts enjoying themselves.
After three rounds of wine, a slight flush appeared on Gu Yun's cheeks.
His gaze was fixed on the towering luck dao divine tree.
The golden-green divine radiance fell like a waterfall, and dozens of mature fruits on the trunk pulsed like hearts, each rise and fall causing the aura of heaven and earth to resonate.
"Patriarch Zhao, the wine has been drunk, and the pleasantries have been said."
"The supreme emperor weapon and the Fortune Divine Fruit should be brought out now, right?"
The smile on Zhao Hong's face froze slightly.
The originally noisy banquet also fell silent instantly.
"What... speaking of this matter, why has everyone stopped talking?"
"Could it be... that from the very beginning, you had no intention of handing the things over?"
Gu Yun's lips curled slightly. His body appeared to be swaying, but the aura released from him was still majestic and imposing.
//730//
Chapter 730: The Dagger is Revealed
The smile on Zhao Hong's face slowly faded, as if a mask was being quietly peeled away to reveal the true face beneath, filled with gloom and hatred.
He set down the wine pot in his hand, and his previously attentive posture receded like a tide, replaced by a long-suppressed madness.
"Young Master Gu is indeed sharp."
"Since that's the case, this Family Head won't hide it anymore."
"A supreme emperor weapon? A fortune divine fruit?"
He looked coldly at Gu Yun and said one word at a time, "The Zhao Family won't give you a single thing."
The moment his voice fell—
Boom!!!
The entire giant mountain shook violently!
Beneath the divine tree, the ground suddenly cracked!
Array patterns lit up one after another, instantly weaving into a terrifying cage that covered the entire mountain peak.
The sky turned an eerie dark red, completely enveloping Gu Yun and his two companions.
"The Heaven-Prisoning Spirit-Locking Grand Array!"
The Hall Master You Ming's pupils shrank, and the Netherworld death qi surged out from around him, yet it was forced back three steps as if it had slammed into an invisible bronze wall!
The Ghost Fiend Hall Master's face turned ashen. He tried to tear through space to break out, but found that the surrounding space laws had been completely locked down, like solidified amber.
"Don't waste your energy!"
"With your cultivation, it's impossible to break through this trapping array!"
Zhao Hong spoke with a cold sneer, turning his gaze toward Gu Yun with mockery and playfulness in his eyes. "My dear Imperial Son, wouldn't it have been better to stay safely within the Immortal Ancient Gu Family?"
"You just had to come out and seek your own death!"
"Guess what kind of bloodbath will be stirred up within the Three Thousand Dao Domains if you die here?"
At the same time, the surrounding space fluctuated violently as the twelve Zhao Family Elders also tore off their disguises, erupting with heaven-shaking murderous intent.
Among them were two Four Tribulation powerhouses. Twelve powerful auras soared into the sky, connecting with the killing array to form a destructive pressure sufficient to crush any Quasi-Emperor!
Further away, countless Zhao Family monk surged like a tide from all parts of the ancestral land, surrounding the giant mountain in layer upon layer like an iron barrel.
Banners obscured the sun, and the sound of killing shook the heavens.
However... to everyone's surprise, Gu Yun remained sitting there without making a single move.
On that incomparably handsome face, the last trace of confusion had completely vanished. There was no panic, only a profound calm.
It was as if this grand encirclement and slaughter was, in his eyes, nothing more than a tedious play he had seen a thousand times before.
"Finished speaking?"
Gu Yun looked up, his gaze faintly sweeping over the twelve Zhao Family Elders watching him like tigers, the dense crowd of Zhao Family monk, and finally landing back on Zhao Hong's face.
He reached out and gently touched the halo of the array beside him. To everyone's shocked eyes, the airtight Heaven-Prisoning Spirit-Locking Grand Array seemed to fear his might, actually pushing back in terror to leave an exit just wide enough for a finger to pass through for the youth.
"What?!!"
Zhao Hong's voice trembled as an extremely ominous feeling finally began to rise in his heart.
"To be able to make such arrangements while tucked away in a remote corner..."
"The Zhao Family hasn't wasted these years!"
Hearing Gu Yun's teasing evaluation, the fire of rage within Zhao Hong grew wildly. "Presumptuous! You are already like fish on a chopping block, yet you still dare to boast!"
"Gu Yun! No matter how sharp-tongued you are today, it is impossible to change the outcome of you being slaughtered here!"
The corner of Gu Yun's mouth curled into an arc. "Is that so?"
"You're saying you want to kill me with this broken array and these few measly forces?"
"Do you... have the ability?!!!"
In an instant, the aura on Gu Yun's body exploded.
Zhao Hong's pupils shrank, and he stumbled backward. The triumphant sneer on his face froze like ice and instantly shattered.
Even the Zhao Family Ancestor, who had remained hidden and seated, was forced to instantly cast his gaze over.
"Seven... Seven Tribulation Great Emperor... how is that possible?!"
Having languished at the Six Tribulation level for endless years, he was all too familiar with this power.
The strengthening and transformation he had craved his entire life was something he unexpectedly felt from a youth who was as young as could be.
"Young friend, the power in your body is definitely not from your own cultivation!"
The Zhao Family Ancestor's voice was raspy. "In the Three Thousand Dao Domains, there is absolutely no force that can allow a cultivator to reach the Seven Tribulation cultivation level in their twenties."
"Even the Immortal Ancient Gu Family cannot do it."
"How long can a temporary boost, obtained by burning your life or consuming some supreme treasure, last?"
"A stick of incense? A cup of tea? In the end, you cannot change the outcome of your defeat and death!"
"Old man, since you've merged your body with the fortune tree, don't stand there and lecture me."
"Even if I kill every single member of your Zhao Family today, what could you possibly do?!!"
Gu Yun sneered and took a step forward.
Boom!
An invisible airwave expanded wildly with Gu Yun as the center. The light barrier of the Heaven-Prisoning Spirit-Locking Grand Array was instantly covered in cracks, and the twelve Zhao Family Elders all groaned in unison, with the weaker ones already bleeding from the corners of their mouths!
The gap between Seven Tribulation and Four Tribulation might not be so enormous.
But Gu Yun... was certainly no ordinary Seven Tribulation!!
"Being able to hold on for a moment is decent enough."
Gu Yun's lips curled slightly, and then, under the shocked gazes of the Zhao Family, he took another step forward.
This step was like a heavenly pillar collapsing or the galaxy hanging upside down.
Crack—
The array patterns of the Heaven-Prisoning Spirit-Locking Grand Array finally couldn't withstand this crushing pressure and shattered like fragile glass!
"Pfft!"
All twelve Zhao Family Elders clutched their chests and spat blood, their faces deathly pale and their eyes filled with absolute horror.
Outside the array, Zhao Qian was even more terrified out of his wits.
The killing array they took pride in, the death trap they had painstakingly planned—in the end, it couldn't even withstand the opponent's aura?
Zhao Hong stumbled. As a Five Tribulation, he was the least injured among those present, yet his voice was still filled with an indescribable, hysterical scream: "Impossible! This... how is this possible... It's fake! All of this must be fake! Fake!!"
"Whether it's true or fake, won't it be clear once you take a strike yourself?"
Gu Yun approached slowly, the aura emanating from him having already scared Zhao Hong out of his wits.
He suddenly turned and shrieked at the grey-robed old man sitting beneath the divine tree, "Ancestor! Ancestor, please strike! Kill him! Kill him quickly!!"
"Sigh..."
The Zhao Family Ancestor slowly rose. His grey-white hemp clothes moved without any wind, and his withered body stood straight.
The long sleeves that had been pressed against the ground were slowly raised along with his movements.
Riiip—
The sound of tearing cloth rang out.
Those weren't sleeves, but... roots.
Countless roots, as thin as hair but as tough as divine gold, spread out from his sleeves, his hem, and even the soles of his feet. They were densely packed and buried deep into the earth, merged into one with that towering luck dao divine tree.
Every root was pulsing gently, greedily sucking the origin of the divine tree while also sending a certain aged and decaying life aura into it.
The person before them had actually been living in symbiosis with this divine tree all this time!
//731//
Chapter 731: Battle with the Zhao Family Ancestor
"This old man has sat withered beneath this tree for nine hundred thousand years."
The Zhao Family Ancestor's voice was aged and hoarse, like the rubbing of dry branches, yet it carried an indescribable sorrow.
"I thought I would never have to strike again in this life, only waiting for my lifespan to end and to decay along with this tree."
"I didn't expect... that in the end, I would still have to make an exception."
The Zhao Family Ancestor slowly rose; his legs had long since withered and dried, like two sections of dead wood.
Yet the aura on his body became increasingly unfathomable. Every rootlet pulsed gently like blood vessels, channeling continuous, majestic spiritual energy and golden light of fortune from the luck dao divine tree.
That shell, which had been decaying for untold tens of thousands of years, regained new vitality under these miraculous means.
"Young friend, your methods are indeed formidable, able to shatter the Heaven-Prisoning Spirit-Locking Grand Array with just your momentum."
"But beneath this divine tree, I am the lord of this world."
He raised his murky eyes and looked at Gu Yun.
Those eyes were no longer human; deep within the pupils, the phantom of a towering giant tree was faintly reflected, its branches swaying and golden light flowing.
His aura was no longer that of a pure human cultivator, but a special existence integrated and intertwined with the luck dao divine tree.
Between human and spiritual plant, between life and death.
With the tree as his body and wood as his soul.
Though he lacked the title of Seven Tribulations, he possessed the reality of Seven Tribulations!
"If you wish to destroy my Zhao Family, young man... you should also be prepared to perish!!"
As his voice fell, the entire giant mountain began to resonate with him.
The canopy of the luck dao divine tree shook violently like a parasol. Golden-green divine radiance poured down like a tsunami, and countless leaves rustled, emitting the sounds of clashing bells and tripods, and the slaughter of armored horses!
The ground bulged, and countless thick roots burst forth like ten thousand giant pythons ready to strike, frantically strangling toward the position of Gu Yun's trio from all directions!
Every rootlet was harder than divine iron, flowing with the unique, eerie power of the luck dao divine tree that could twist karma and interfere with fate!
"Master, be careful! This old thing is symbiotic with the divine tree. In this world, his recovery power is nearly infinite!"
The Hall Master You Ming shouted sharply, his surrounding Netherworld death qi transforming into a sky-covering black flame to clash head-on with the several thick roots strangling toward them!
Boom!!!
The black flames collided with the golden-green divine radiance, erupting in a piercing corrosive sound.
The roots were eroded by the Netherworld death qi, charred marks appearing on the surface. But in just a breath, the divine tree injected even more majestic vitality into them; the roots instantly recovered and split into more branches, entangling the Hall Master You Ming instead!
"Damn it, he has no intention of ending this quickly."
"The recovery power of these ghostly things is incredibly strong. He just wants to drag us to death here!!"
The Ghost Fiend Hall Master was also caught in a bitter struggle. His ghost hands could tear through space, but they could not tear through this omnipresent and endless cage of roots.
After only a moment of combat, with their battle intelligence, they quickly saw through the Zhao Family Ancestor's intention.
The opponent determined that the power Gu Yun erupted with could not last, which was why he adopted such a tactic.
And... his method indeed had some effect.
Gu Yun stood in place, the Myriad Transformation Power flowing around him. The roots attacking him would stiffen and retreat as if meeting a natural enemy when they touched the three-zhang range around him.
Although it didn't pose much of a threat to him, it completely controlled his range of movement.
The Dao of Space could not take effect; the surrounding space had been completely destroyed by the luck dao divine tree.
The power of the Dao of Time was insufficient; a brief time stop could not change his predicament.
Breaking through with force was also made difficult by the endless replenishment of vines.
Was it... going to end like this?
Gu Yun still made no move, but the corner of his mouth curled up in an imperceptible arc.
"It's finally here..."
..."Hahaha, with the Ancestor striking, this kid is immediately at his wit's end!"
"Wear him down! Even if we have to wear him down, we'll wear him to death. Erupting with Seven Tribulations strength suddenly—no matter the method, it can never last."
Outside the divine tree's attack range, the Zhao Family elders were now staring fixedly at the battle.
The three seemed to be stuck in a mire, unable to move an inch. The Zhao Family Ancestor's control of the field had completely shifted the scales of victory.
As expected, when the Ancestor acts, victory is certain.
How could nine hundred thousand years of withered sitting and accumulation be resisted by a greenhorn who relied on external objects for a brief boost?
To their expectation, the momentum on Gu Yun's body indeed grew weaker and weaker.
"Ancestor!! He's failing! Quick, move and kill him!!!"
"Avenge Wuji! Wash away the shame for Kun'er!!"
Zhao Hong roared recklessly, the light of hope igniting in his eyes.
The Zhao Family Ancestor naturally wouldn't miss this opportunity either. A sharp light flashed in his murky eyes: "Young man, it ends here!"
Behind him, the thousand-zhang-tall luck dao divine tree suddenly erupted with an unprecedentedly brilliant divine radiance!
It was an ultimate crimson-gold, as if every leaf and every branch was burning.
The majestic source accumulated over nine hundred thousand years converged into a terrifying torrent capable of destroying heaven and earth.
The entire Zhao Family ancestral land trembled violently; mountains and rivers cracked, and rivers flowed backward!
"Go!!"
Just as the Zhao Family Ancestor's momentum reached its peak—
A sudden change occurred!
"Puchi!"
A very faint sound of flesh being pierced was heard clearly on the mountain peak, which was now so quiet that a needle drop could be heard.
A black dagger tip, wrapped in dense death qi, emerged without warning from the back of the Zhao Family Ancestor's heart!
Precise, ruthless, and fatal!
Upon the dagger, an endless, terrifying blood-colored baleful qi was entwined, carrying a pure and ancient intent of slaughter, frantically eroding the Zhao Family Ancestor's already decaying remnant body.
The luck dao divine tree, connected to him by blood, saw the divine radiance on its canopy instantly dim by thirty percent!
The momentum that had been gathered with great difficulty also... collapsed at this moment!
"Wha...t...?"
The Zhao Family Ancestor's whole body shook violently. He looked down in disbelief at the dagger tip piercing through his chest.
How could this be possible?!
His perception was linked to the entire ancestral land and the luck dao divine tree; every blade of grass and tree within a hundred-mile radius, every rustle in the wind, could not escape him!
How could someone sneak behind him within inches and launch such a fatal blow without him noticing?!
He turned his head with difficulty, inch by inch.
What met his eyes was a beautiful face, calm yet carrying a hint of playfulness.
Dressed in men's clothing, her long hair tied up casually, there was a cynical nonchalance in her eyes.
It was... Chu Ruoyao!
//732//
Chapter 732: A Single Misstep, the Whole Game Lost
"Old man, being so focused during battle that you expose your back to the enemy isn't a very good habit."
Chu Ruoyao tilted her head and gave him a sweet smile, but instead of withdrawing her dagger, she thrust it three inches deeper.
The Zhao Family Ancestor let out a muffled groan. Not a single drop of blood flowed from the hideous wound on his chest—all of it had been devoured by the hungry imperial weapon.
Along with his life force, it began to vanish from this world.
"You... how did you know..."
The symbiotic core between him and the divine tree was exactly where Chu Ruoyao's blade had struck.
The Zhao Family Ancestor's voice trembled. He didn't understand how his nine hundred thousand years of preparation could be exposed so easily.
Chu Ruoyao blinked, her gaze instinctively drifting toward the figure in black robes not far away.
She cursed inwardly, "Bastard, lied to me again."
She withdrew her gaze, her expression calm. "I'm sorry, I have no obligation to answer you."
A dazzling brilliance shone from her hand as the dagger let out a soft hum. Killing intent flooded in like a tide, following the pathways of the symbiotic contract and forcefully severing the connection between the two.
"No—!!!"
The Zhao Family Ancestor's wail echoed across the mountaintop. His life... was already like a flickering candle in the wind. It was only because of his connection to the luck dao divine tree that he could cling to life and even exert greater combat power.
But now... all of it was being stripped away inch by inch under Chu Ruoyao's assault.
Already at the end of his rope, he was utterly powerless to resist.
His body began to wither at a visible rate, and the thousands of roots extending out to connect tightly with the luck dao divine tree instantly lost their vitality.
They turned from golden-green to deathly gray, then like weathered dry branches, they snapped and scattered.
His legs completely lost the strength to support his body, and he collapsed like a piece of rotten wood that had been uprooted and exposed to the sun for years.
Zhao Hong and the others snapped out of it. "Quickly, save the Ancestor!!"
They moved immediately but were blocked by another terrifying force.
Gu Yun moved.
He, along with Youming and Ghost Fiend, easily broke through the remaining blockade and stood before them.
"Don't forget, you have other opponents."
A cruel arc curled on Gu Yun's lips as the Myriad Transformation Power around him erupted without reservation!
Behind him, a massive ship appeared out of thin air, its dark muzzles glowing with brilliant prestige.
Under the crushing artillery fire, Gu Yun employed... the most extravagant tactic from his previous life: full-scale fire coverage!
In an instant, the Zhao Family elders fell in swathes under the pincer attack.
Even Zhao Hong was hit head-on by a thick main cannon beam. His protective imperial weapon shattered instantly, and he was sent flying, crashing into a massive crater and being completely buried by endless yellow soil.
He struggled to stand, only to find that his legs had been severed at the knees, his imperial blood staining the rubble beneath him.
He looked up feebly, only to see the thousand-foot-tall luck dao divine tree slowly shrinking.
The old man who lived in symbiosis with the divine tree tottered, his body gradually dissipating.
A thousand feet, a hundred feet, ten feet... as that aged and majestic body crashed down, it signaled the complete failure of the Zhao Family's plan.
And the sun-blotting divine tree finally transformed into an exquisite little tree about a foot tall, crystal clear and swirling with a golden-green halo, floating quietly in Gu Yun's palm.
The last spark of light in Zhao Hong's eyes was completely extinguished.
The Ancestor was dead.
The luck dao divine tree had fallen into someone else's hands.
The entire clan's Imperial-level foundation... only he remained!
All of this... started with a single momentary lapse in judgment.
No... that wasn't it. This young man had calculated the Zhao Family's end from the very beginning.
His purpose was not the supreme emperor weapon, nor the fortune divine fruit.
It was the luck dao divine tree and the destruction of the Zhao Family!
From start to finish, he had merely been led by the nose.
Laughable... tragic!!
"How tragic!!!"
Zhao Hong let out a long cry to the heavens. His spiritual energy surged inward, and he actually... took his own life.
"What a pity, I was thinking of delivering the finishing blow."
The figure of Hall Master Ghost Fiend appeared beside him, a look of slight regret on his face.
Youming collected Zhao Hong's corpse, his voice calm. "As long as the master's requirements are met."
"There are still many Zhao Family members left; enough for you to kill!"
Countless Zhao Family cultivators surrounding the area completely lost their will to fight after witnessing the Ancestor's fall, the Family Head's death, and the divine tree being taken.
The sound of weapons hitting the ground rose and fell like a death knell.
"Mercy... mercy..."
"We are willing to surrender! We are willing to serve the Young Master!"
"We beg the Young Master for mercy, spare our lives..."
However, under the ruthless pressure of the two Great Emperor experts, Youming and Ghost Fiend, none of these people were spared; they all became nourishment for demonic techniques.
People of the Demonic Sect kill without any scruples.
They were even more adept at this kind of clean-up work.
"What, you don't want to explain?"
Chu Ruoyao pulled out her dagger, sheathed it, and came to Gu Yun's side, speaking with a cold sneer.
"Explain what?"
Chu Ruoyao snorted. "Explain why the Sequences of my Demonic Sect would follow you to the Zhao Family and even follow your every lead!"
"Since when did the Demonic Sect become a force of your Gu Family? Why didn't I, the Third Sequence, know about this?!!"
Chu Ruoyao pressed closer, staring straight into Gu Yun's face. "Tell me, don't you owe me an explanation?!"
"Explain what?"
"Perhaps you've mistaken them for someone else."
Gu Yun took a half-step back, looking innocent.
"Bullshit."
Chu Ruoyao grabbed him by the collar, gritting her teeth. "I'm more than familiar with their cultivation techniques. How could I possibly be mistaken!!"
"I don't care what means you used to control them, but don't go stepping into the muddy waters of the Demonic Sect!"
"When the time comes, the life-saving means your family left you might not be enough to protect you!"
"What... is Senior Chu worried about me? Being so anxious, could it be..."
Gu Yun looked into her eyes, which were just inches away, and suddenly smiled.
His voice was calm as he turned from defense to offense.
"You—!"
Chu Ruoyao's face flushed. She released his collar as if struck by lightning and crossed her arms, snorting, "Hmph! Such kindness treated like dirt. Go ahead and act recklessly then; when you end up capsizing in a ditch, don't say I didn't warn you."
"Senior Chu needn't be so worried. Since I've made my move, I naturally have a sense of propriety."
"Bah, if you had any sense of propriety, would you have put yourself in danger time and time again?"
"I think you simply don't value your own life at all."
Chu Ruoyao snorted and rolled her eyes at Gu Yun, mocking him.
The youth strolled slowly, circling to Chu Ruoyao's side. He leaned in slightly, his voice very soft. "Then I must thank Senior Chu. From the Eternal Imperial Dynasty until now—"
"Coming to save a reckless bastard like me time and time again... This sentiment is truly something I, Gu, cannot repay."
"How about..."
As he spoke, Gu Yun directly kissed Chu Ruoyao on the cheek. "I'll give myself to you. What do you think?"
//733//
Chapter 733: Aftermath
Chu Ruoyao froze completely.
That usually cold and aloof face was now as if a freezing spell had been cast upon it; she even forgot to blink.
The warm sensation remained, light as a dragonfly skimming the water, yet it stirred up stormy waves in the depths of her heart.
"You... you..."
Chu Ruoyao retreated repeatedly, her face filled with bewilderment and bashfulness.
Her mind went blank.
As the Third Sequence of the Demonic Sect and the Blood Pipa at the peak of the Six Tribulation, she had traversed the Demonic Sect for over a hundred thousand years and killed without blinking. What great storms had she not seen?
But at this moment, she was like an inexperienced young girl, her thoughts completely thrown into disarray.
"Le-Lewd rogue!!"
"Wh-What are you talking about!!"
"Who wants you to pledge yourself to me? Pui pui pui, disgusting!!"
She took one step back, then another, pointing her finger at him while trembling violently. "Th-This young lady was only afraid that if you died, no one would be able to find traces of the dragon tendon for me. The thousand illusions pipa would only ever be able to maintain its current state, and I just felt a bit of regret deep in my heart."
"It's not that I wanted to save you!!"
As she spoke, her voice grew smaller and smaller. Finally, she gave Gu Yun a fierce glare and turned her back to him. Her voice became cold and overbearing, carrying the chilly elegance of a Demonic Sect Sequence: "As for today's matter, I shall treat it as a first offense out of youthful ignorance. If it happens again, I will certainly not forgive you!"
You Ming and Ghost Fiend returned after dealing with the members of the Zhao family. They stared blankly at the scene before them, their expressions filled with shock.
Especially Ghost Fiend; before this, the Blood Pipa had always been the object of his admiration. Now, she had actually been forcibly kissed by Gu Yun without any violent reaction.
"Is... is this still that violent woman who kills people at the slightest disagreement?"
You Ming asked with a trembling voice, "Hey, Ghost Fiend, you're more familiar with her. Tell me."
"Tell you my ass, fuck!"
Ghost Fiend turned around, his gaze landing on the Zhao family members who had slipped through the net.
As of today, he was heartbroken.
Therefore... he had to vent his fury on these fellows. Who told them to appear before his eyes and block his Master's path!
Looking at Ghost Fiend's back as he fought with all his might, You Ming turned around with sympathy. "Poor kid. Work harder; Master will soon be able to marry a few more Mistresses for you."
"Fine, fine, fine. It wasn't to save me; I was overthinking it."
"Then Gu Yun is here to offer his thanks to Senior Chu."
Gu Yun spoke with a smile, very solemnly cupping his hands in a bow toward Chu Ruoyao.
Chu Ruoyao's back stiffened slightly.
"Hmph... that's more like it."
A tiny, imperceptible smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.
"However... don't think that a few nice words will make this matter go away."
"Because of this dragon tendon matter, plus the fact that my Junior Sister is still in your hands, I will be keeping an eye on you these days!"
"That's perfect. Since Senior Chu has the leisure, accompany me to a certain place."
"The reason I appeared in the Myriad Spirits Dao Domain was precisely because of this news."
"You mean..."
"Exactly. The tomb of Great Emperor Bailian."
"I think... Senior Chu shouldn't want to miss this opportunity either. After all, if you don't participate, and you want to obtain a dragon tendon later, you might have to charge directly into the Demon Domain, catch a pure-blood dragon, and skin it alive!"
"Don't, I still have some self-awareness."
"Isn't it just the tomb of Great Emperor Bailian? I can accompany you. However... if any treasures are obtained then, it will depend on who put in more effort for a reasonable distribution."
"Deal."
Gu Yun directly gave Chu Ruoyao's palm a heavy high-five.
"Y-You, what are you doing!"
Chu Ruoyao jumped back as if she had been electrocuted, her lovely face flushed with embarrassment.
"It's a deal then. A word spoken is a word kept."
"Could it be that Senior Chu's thoughts wandered elsewhere?"
"Wh-Who said that? H-How could I think such things? Y-You're thinking too much."
While Gu Yun was teasing Chu Ruoyao, Hall Master You Ming and Ghost Fiend also finished off all the remnants of the Zhao family.
Their physical bodies were crushed and sent into the heaven and earth furnace, and their souls were transcended and sent into the human emperor banner.
The 'one-stop service' was arranged perfectly.
The treasury was ransacked inch by inch, and the ancient texts were packed up in stacks.
It was like a plague of locusts passing through, leaving nothing behind.
The entire Imperial Clan Zhao family's accumulation over countless eons all went into Gu Yun's pocket.
"Indeed, plundering is the fastest way to get money."
Seeing his small treasury becoming more and more full, Gu Yun increasingly agreed with the saying that the primitive accumulation of capital is bloody and cruel.
"Let's go. Don't forget, there is still an old friend to whom I haven't extended my most sincere greetings."
A smile spread across Gu Yun's face as he looked toward a certain direction in the small world... the Zhao family's side courtyard, an elegant room.
The door was slowly pushed open from the inside.
Zhao Kun stumbled out. His face was still as pale as paper, his eyes were bloodshot, and although his clothes had been tidied up very cleanly, one could still sense an uncontrollable aura of decline from him.
He had gone out once, thinking he had found true love, only to be cruelly betrayed in the end.
He had wanted to rely on his family's power to make a comeback, but he was ruthlessly crushed by reality.
His Second Uncle had perished because of him, countless clansmen had died miserably, and even his Minor Destiny Physique...
While staying in the room, he heard constant noisy sounds outside, making him unable to restrain his state of mind.
Clutching his chest and dragging his crippled body, Zhao Kun walked with halting steps.
"Father!"
"Big Brother!!"
He shouted as he walked, but no one answered.
"Ancestor!"
There was still no answer.
A bad premonition rose in Zhao Kun's heart. Even though his Minor Destiny Physique was sealed, he still possessed an ability similar to danger perception.
Finally, he stumbled to the depths of the ancestral land.
The mountain was still there, but the place where the massive luck dao divine tree should have been was now completely empty.
At the peak of the giant mountain, only a bottomless crater remained.
The terrifying and desolate sense of shock left him dazed on the spot.
The banquet was a mess, wine was spilled, and delicacies were scattered all over the ground.
Thud.
He completely lost all his strength and knelt at the edge of the crater.
In this vast small world, now... only he remained.
[Ding! The Host has successfully annihilated the Imperial Clan Zhao family and stripped away all of Zhao Kun's support. Zhao Kun's destiny value has decreased by 5,000 points.]
"No, don't. How could this happen? How could it be like this?"
He slammed his head heavily onto the ground, his fists pounding the earth in fury until they were bruised and bloody.
"Father... Big Brother... Ancestor!!!!"
"Where did you all go? Answer me, ahhh!!"
"Oh? There's still one fish that slipped through the net?"
Suddenly, a cold voice exploded in Zhao Kun's ear.
A hideous ghostly hand appeared above his head, gripping his crown tightly.
//734//
Chapter 734: Zhao Kun's Dead End
Zhao Kun instantly felt a chill from his head to the soles of his feet. Turning around, he saw the hideous and terrifying smiling face of the Ghost Fiend Hall Master.
Behind him were two others: a handsome man and a clear, elegant woman. Anyone who saw them would praise them as a match made in heaven.
But in Zhao Kun's eyes, it was the most intense irony.
"Gu! Yun!!!"
Zhao Kun gritted his teeth, his entire body trembling violently. "It's you, you did this! You did all of this!"
"Bingo, correct answer. Unfortunately... there's no prize."
A shallow smile curled at the corner of Gu Yun's mouth.
"Bastard! You murderer! You killed my entire family! You'll die a horrible death!!"
"Even if I, Zhao Kun, die today, I will never let you have it easy!!"
Zhao Kun roared like a madman, finally taking out that broken tortoise shell from his storage ring.
"Oh, what good stuff is this? Hand it over!"
Ghost Fiend was quick-eyed and agile. With Zhao Kun's current broken body, how could he possibly dodge his sneak attack?
The moment the broken tortoise shell was taken out of the storage ring, it was snatched away by a hideous ghostly hand.
Zhao Kun felt his hand go empty, and the hope he relied on for a comeback was instantly shattered.
"No—!!!"
He let out a desperate roar and lunged at Ghost Fiend like a madman, only to be kicked straight to the ground by the latter, rolling several yards away in a pathetic state, covered in dust.
In front of Gu Yun, his remaining mere five thousand points of destiny value were completely suppressed; he couldn't manifest the 'over-spec' power a Child of Destiny should have at all.
"A mere ant-like thing dares to bare its teeth before my Master?"
Ghost Fiend snorted with disdain and respectfully presented the tortoise shell with both hands. "Master, this object seems strange. Please have a look."
Gu Yun took the tortoise shell. It felt slightly heavy in his hand, and an aura of ancient vicissitudes washed over him.
Although it was damaged, it still contained infinite mysteries.
On Gu Yun's person, the great dao heavenly evolution diagram, which was missing a corner, began to flicker with a strange radiance.
Taking it out, Gu Yun's heart stirred, and Myriad Transformation Power poured into it even more surgingly.
Hum—
Both items simultaneously burst forth with brilliant profound light. The originally incomplete tortoise shell actually began to melt slowly, turning into countless minute and profound runes that, like swallowlings returning to their nest, flooded into the great dao heavenly evolution diagram.
[Ding! Detected fragment of 'great dao heavenly evolution diagram', merging...]
[Merge successful!]
[Congratulations to the Host for obtaining: great dao heavenly evolution diagram (Complete)]
[New Function: Heavenly Secret Deduction (can be upgraded by consuming Heavenly Luck Stones). Consuming 10,000 villain value points can lock onto all information of a Child of Destiny. Cooldown: Three months]
"Ten thousand villain value points."
The 'Newbie Gift Pack' function he used to find Lin Xiao and Tang San in the lower realm had finally returned to his hands in the form of a treasure.
"Not bad."
A satisfied curve formed at the corner of Gu Yun's mouth.
This Zhao Kun was truly a 'wealth-delivering boy'. Not only did he contribute the Protagonist of Fortune Han Qichi and the divine material secret realm Tomb of Emperor Bailian, but in the end, even this life-saving tortoise shell became nourishment for his great dao heavenly evolution diagram.
"No... give it back... that's mine..."
Zhao Kun lay paralyzed on the ground, watching the tortoise shell that was connected to his bloodline completely merge into Gu Yun's treasure. It was as if the last ounce of his strength had been drained away.
The resentment and madness in his eyes were gradually replaced by despair and emptiness.
[Ding! Congratulations to the Host for refining the Heavenly Secret Tortoise Shell. Zhao Kun's golden finger is completely scrapped. destiny value decreased by 5,000 points]
As the system notification finally sounded, Gu Yun lost his last bit of interest in Zhao Kun.
Looking down at the Child of Destiny who was like a pile of mud at his feet, there was no pity in his eyes.
He who kills will eventually be killed.
If it were him who lost today, the Zhao Family's methods wouldn't have let him off easily either.
The Gu Family had stayed in a high position for too long; there would always be countless people wanting to drag them down from that spot. And he... could only strike first to gain the upper hand!
"Send him on his way."
Gu Yun said indifferently.
Ghost Fiend grinned, revealing forest-white teeth. His hideous ghostly hand reached out again, this time aiming straight for Zhao Kun's head!
"Wait, wait—!!!"
Zhao Kun roared in despair, but it only resulted in Ghost Fiend's swifter movement.
Puchi!
The sound of bone cracking was clearly audible.
Zhao Kun's body stiffened for a moment. The light in his eyes rapidly dimmed and went out, finally returning to a dead silence.
Without destiny, he was just an ordinary Quasi-Emperor, without any ability to resist.
His head drooped powerlessly, and his body slumped at the edge of the giant pit, completely merging with the mess and ruins on the ground.
[Ding! Congratulations to the Host for completely killing the Child of Destiny Zhao Kun!]
[Calculating rewards...]
[Congratulations to the Host for obtaining: Red Treasure Chest *1, Minor Fate Body Origin *1, Fate Dao Minor Achievement, 100,000 villain value points]
Zhao Kun was dead, and his body was swallowed by the heaven and earth furnace, as if he had never appeared in this world.
"Is it over?"
Chu Ruoyao stepped forward to ask.
"There's one more thing."
Gu Yun turned around and looked at this desolate Zhao Family small world.
What was once a flourishing great clan was now nothing but a silent ruin.
Gu Yun took out the luck dao divine tree again. In his sea of consciousness, a childish, milky voice suddenly rang out.
"Master, Master, this smells so good. Can Ling Ling eat this?"
"You mean, the luck dao divine tree?"
"Mm!"
The little fellow nodded vigorously. It was the transformation of the Cangxuan Realm's World Spirit. After becoming Gu Yun's foundation for the Integration Stage, it could still maintain its self-awareness.
It was clearly an extraordinary existence. Now that it had encountered this luck dao divine tree, which was closely related to the origin of this small world, its desire for it was within reason.
"It's yummy, I want to eat it. Master, Master, just let Ling Ling eat it, okay? Please~~"
Ling Ling blinked her big, watery eyes. That pitiful appearance would make anyone's heart soften.
This little fellow usually spent its time sleeping; he didn't expect it to have somehow mastered these tactics. Acting spoiled was actually quite effective.
Gu Yun didn't hesitate much and summoned it with a thought.
A small figure materialized out of thin air beside him.
She looked to be only three or four years old, carved from pink jade, wearing a moon-white dress formed from spiritual qi. Her silver hair reached down to her waist, with star-glow faintly flowing through the strands.
Her eyes were clear and translucent.
Chu Ruoyao was leaning boredly to the side, waiting for Gu Yun to finish the final matters so they could leave, when she suddenly caught sight of this scene—
Her entire body instantly froze.
Those lazy eyes suddenly widened, and her mouth hung open wide enough to fit an egg.
"You... you you you..."
Chu Ruoyao pointed at Ling Ling, her finger trembling. "You have a child?!!"
Ling Ling: "Hello, pretty sister~ Ling Ling is Master's little darling~ I'm not Master's daughter~"
Gu Yun: "..."
"Little darling?"
Chu Ruoyao was in disbelief. When she looked at Gu Yun, it was as if she were looking at a pervert.
Gu Yun's mouth twitched. "Ling Ling is a World Spirit, my Integration Stage Foundation."
"Alright, you little girl, stop making trouble. Hurry up and merge with that luck dao divine tree."
"Okay~~"
//735//
Chapter 735: Absorbing the luck dao divine tree, Desperate Li Jianqiang (Two-in-One)
Ling Ling nodded obediently and turned around, her clear big eyes immediately locking onto the luck dao divine tree.
She opened her small arms and, like a young swallow returning to the forest, threw herself directly at the foot-tall little tree.
"Awoo—!"
Then, under Chu Ruoyao's astonished gaze, she took a bite out of the crystal-clear tender leaf at the very top of the luck dao divine tree.
Crack.
The leaf, containing the power of luck dao, was bitten off by her and chewed with a crunching sound.
"This..."
Chu Ruoyao swallowed hard. If she had any doubts about Gu Yun's words before, they were now completely dispelled.
She still couldn't believe that a plane spirit serving as the foundation for the Combining Realm could still possess self-awareness and even devour the origin of other planes.
If this thing were allowed to grow... Chu Ruoyao dared not think further. This was a secret enough to shock the entire Three Thousand Dao Domains; once exposed, no one would be able to sit still.
And yet... the youth had shown it to her so unreservedly. As expected, he... "Pah, pah, pah, he's just a little thief. Why am I thinking about this?"
"Once he repairs the thousand illusions pipa, I will definitely make him pay for his previous actions!!"
Scenes of humiliation in the Eternal Imperial Capital flashed before Chu Ruoyao's eyes. Combined with just now... settling both old and new scores, she could already see Gu Yun being stepped on by her, begging for mercy in a low voice.
When that time comes, I'll definitely torment him well, Jie Jie Jie!!
Meanwhile, Gu Yun, who was observing Ling Ling merging with the luck dao divine tree, suddenly felt a chill down his spine.
Sensing that the gaze came from Chu Ruoyao, he could basically guess what she was thinking.
Soldiers will be blocked by generals, and water will be covered by earth.
As the Dao grows a foot, the demon grows a yard.
When that time truly comes, she can indeed try more. What if... she actually succeeds?
The corners of Gu Yun's mouth curled up slightly as he continued to calmly watch Ling Ling merge with the luck dao divine tree. For now, he was more interested in seeing what changes would occur after the little one absorbed such a divine object.
Ling Ling's eating manner was hardly elegant; it could even be described as a bit crude.
Opening her small mouth, she took bite after bite, stuffing the leaves, branches, and even the trunk of the luck dao divine tree into her mouth.
Her power of assimilation was inherited from Gu Yun's Myriad Transformations Saint Body, and it had an effect that could be called a special attack against world origins.
Soon, as the devouring progressed, her body underwent a massive change visible to the naked eye.
Her originally crystal-clear skin took on a faint golden-green halo.
Her silver hair fell to her waist, the ends gradually stained with a dreamlike golden-green hue.
At the center of her forehead, a small golden mark quietly emerged, its light growing stronger as Ling Ling's aura intensified.
When the last bit of origin was swallowed by Ling Ling—
Boom!!
The entire Zhao Family small world trembled violently.
The earth cracked, mountains collapsed, and countless fine cracks appeared in the sky.
"Oh no! This small world is collapsing!"
Chu Ruoyao's expression changed.
"This is Ling Ling merging the power of this world. Come, let's retreat into the void."
Gu Yun grabbed Chu Ruoyao's hand, and in a flash, they were outside the small world.
At this moment, this small world, which had been relatively intact, was undergoing an unprecedented upheaval.
Chu Ruoyao watched everything with great interest, like a child watching ants move house.
In the center of the disintegrating small world, a petite figure stood amidst the torrent of destruction. Every time the golden-green light flashed, a massive amount of world origin was sucked into her body.
The scene was both sacred and eerie.
"So this is... world fusion!"
Chu Ruoyao had naturally heard of this concept, but observing it up close for the first time was still quite shocking.
"For Ling Ling, this is just an appetizer."
"She is the foundation of my Combining Realm; how could she be ordinary?"
"Pah! Keep bragging. It's because Ling Ling is special; what does it have to do with you?"
Chu Ruoyao snapped out of it and snorted, crossing her arms.
Not bothered by the retort, Gu Yun said, "Naturally, we complement each other."
"Just as I, though untalented, have Senior Chu protecting me with her life. This sentiment is truly thicker than the heavens and heavier than the earth."
Gu Yun tightened his grip on Chu Ruoyao's hand, spouting cheesy pick-up lines effortlessly.
Chu Ruoyao had never seen such a display; her face instantly turned beet red as she forcefully shook off Gu Yun's hand and stepped back three feet.
"W-what are you talking about!!"
"W-who cares if you live or die."
She turned her face away, not daring to look into Gu Yun's half-smiling eyes.
Her gaze fell directly on Ling Ling. As time passed, the process of refining the luck dao divine tree soon reached its final moment.
"It's almost finished!"
Chu Ruoyao's expression was full of novelty. By now, the originally complete small world had entirely disintegrated.
Mountains, rivers, buildings, and spiritual energy all turned into the most primitive origin energy, gathering into a torrent that poured into the petite figure.
Ling Ling floated in the void, the golden mark on her forehead blooming with dazzling radiance.
Assimilation... completely finished!
Her small body swayed slightly and fell from the void.
Gu Yun flickered and caught her steadily.
The little one's eyes were tightly shut, her breathing steady, with a trace of a satisfied smile on her lips. Her sleeping face was as peaceful as a kitten that had just eaten its fill.
"Master... delicious... Ling Ling wants more..."
She mumbled like she was talking in her sleep and then fell into a deep slumber.
With a thought from Gu Yun, Ling Ling entered his sea of consciousness.
The energy of the Zhao Family small world was too abundant for the little one; she needed some time to devour and refine it.
At the same time—
In the Cangxuan Realm.
Boom!!!
The entire continent shook violently!
The spiritual energy of heaven and earth surged wildly, and clouds churned in the sky as countless rays of rosy light pierced through the clouds and showered the human world!
Countless cultivators in the Cangxuan Realm looked up in horror at this world-shaking phenomenon, their minds trembling!
Feeling yet another sublimation, Lin Qingtian knelt on both knees and prostrated himself in prayer: "Thank you, Lord Imperial Son, for your great grace!!"
"Thank you, Lord Imperial Son, for your great grace!!"
Lin Xian'er, who was in seclusion, opened her eyes, and a vast aura enveloped her.
Combining Realm, achieved!!
Benefiting from Ling Ling's transformation, the natural talent and cultivation conditions of the native beings in the Cangxuan Realm had significantly improved.
The Cangxuan Realm, an originally obscure small world, underwent an unprecedented transformation and was destined to become a rising star of the era!
"Lord Imperial Son... Xian'er will work hard to catch up to your footsteps."
Lin Xian'er clenched her pink fists, her heart filled with that grand and sacred figure.
Although the possibility of this expectation being realized was slim, she... would work hard for this goal all her life.
Now, her cultivation had surpassed her brother Lin Cang, making her the first person of the younger generation to step into the Combining Realm.
But she knew deeply that this was not enough, far from enough.
Now, riding the tailwind brought by Gu Yun, she would continue to fly!!
Gu Yun knew most of what was happening in the distant small world, as Ling Ling was symbiotic with him, and the two complemented each other.
The transformation of the Cangxuan Realm, along with the gratitude and faith of its inhabitants, turned into streams of pure power of vows through Ling Ling's sleeping consciousness, feeding back into Gu Yun.
Although there was no substantial increase in cultivation, it made his Dao heart more stable and his luck more prosperous.
The accumulated changes he brought to the Cangxuan Realm were enough for the people in this small world to revere him as a god.
Karma circulates, and blessings come naturally.
As expected, being this great villain is truly a waste of my talent.
With such actions, it wouldn't be too much to be called a saint.
The corners of Gu Yun's mouth curled up slightly: "Let's go."
"Let's go back and make some preparations. The Tomb of Emperor Bailian is about to open. At that time... I'll have to rely on Senior Chu a lot."
"Let's get this straight beforehand: I'm going for the dragon tendon; it has nothing to do with you."
"Yes, yes, yes. Can we go now?"
"Hmph!!"
Youming and Ghost Fiend had already followed Gu Yun's instructions and returned to the Myriad Spirits Dao Domain ahead of time to prepare the personnel.
In the void turbulence, two figures walked side by side, soon disappearing into the depths of the vast sea of stars... Myriad Spirits Dao Domain, Far North.
Deep within the Yin Yang Mountains.
The once bustling and brightly lit Yin Yang Holy Land was now completely silent.
Most of the buildings were empty, leaving only some heavy furnishings that couldn't be taken away and scattered pages of ancient texts rustling in the night wind.
Only in the deepest part of the mountains, in a remote and dilapidated stone room, a faint candlelight still flickered.
The candle flame flickered, reflecting two figures pressed closely together.
Li Jianqiang sat cross-legged on a simple prayer mat, holding Melodious Sound tightly in his arms.
Melodious Sound curled up in his arms, her eyes tightly shut, her face as pale as paper, and her breath so weak it was almost undetectable.
Her originally flawless body was now, starting from her fingertips, developing fine cracks like breaking porcelain at a visible rate.
Where the cracks spread, the muscle and bone beneath were faintly visible, gradually losing vitality and turning a decaying grayish-brown.
The restrictions of the Suo Yang Technique greatly reduced Li Jianqiang's desires in other aspects.
Because of this, Melodious Sound occupied such an important position in his heart.
Otherwise, given his nature as a "bulldozer," he probably would have made his getaway long ago.
Fortunately... his persistence was not in vain.
The night of the full moon had arrived.
"Melodious Sound, hang in there. I'm going to help you reshape your body right now!"
Holding Melodious Sound's delicate body in his arms, Li Jianqiang arrived at the center of the formation he had long and meticulously prepared.
It was a valley filled with radiant light, where endless moonlight poured down onto a simple bed.
Li Jianqiang carefully placed Melodious Sound's body on it, took a deep breath, and suppressed the tension and excitement in his heart.
He had prepared for too long for this moment.
Ever since the day he became part of the Yin Yang Holy Land, his heart had become extremely twisted due to the restrictions of the Suo Yang Technique.
But at the same time, he still retained a tiny bit of innocence, which was to help Melodious Sound possess a perfect body. Now, he finally had this opportunity!
"Melodious Sound, it will be over soon."
He whispered softly, as if comforting the unconscious woman, and also as if encouraging himself.
Taking out all the belongings he had accumulated over these days from his storage ring, Li Jianqiang unhesitatingly placed them according to the formation's requirements, and buried twelve top-grade spirit stones and three thousand high-grade spirit stones at the formation eye as energy sources.
Everything was ready.
He looked up at the sky.
The bright moon hung high, right in the middle of the sky.
"Now is the time!"
Li Jianqiang formed hand seals, and spiritual power surged out, instantly activating the Moonlight Body Sculpting Great Array beneath his feet.
Buzz—
The formation emitted a low hum, all the spirit stones lit up simultaneously, and the majestic spiritual energy flowed along the formation lines, enveloping all the natural treasures.
Endless pure energy flowed, and even the moonlight seemed to be drawn in, intertwining and tangling with it, painting a beautiful picture in the sky.
Finally, it all poured toward the center of Melodious Sound's forehead.
"It's a success!"
A flash of wild joy crossed Li Jianqiang's eyes.
Everything was going smoothly; his efforts were not in vain.
Next, he only needed to wait for the formation to operate on its own. After ten hours, Melodious Sound's body would completely stabilize.
After three such sessions, it could be completely cured!
And then he could start working on the problem of his own Suo Yang Technique.
Once Melodious Sound had a perfect body and his Suo Yang Technique was cured...
At that time... erotic scenes involuntarily surfaced in Li Jianqiang's mind, and a trace of expectant smile appeared on the corners of the mouth.
However, at this critical moment—
Boom!!!
A world-shaking explosion suddenly echoed from outside the valley!
Immediately after, the entire mountain range shook violently, as if an ancient ferocious beast was rampaging outside!
The Moonlight Body Sculpting Great Array flickered wildly, the flowing energy stream became instantly chaotic, and the twelve top-grade spirit stones exploded simultaneously, turning into shards!
Li Jianqiang's face changed drastically. He didn't have time to feel sorry for those natural treasures and immediately pounced toward the stone bed, shielding Melodious Sound tightly in his arms.
Buzz—
The backlash of the formation struck him. He groaned, a trace of blood leaking from the corner of his mouth, but he forcibly endured it.
"Damn it! Who is it?!"
He looked up in a rage toward the outside of the valley.
In the distant sky, two figures were engaged in a fierce battle!
One fiery red, one deep black!
With every collision, world-destroying aftershocks swept in all directions!
Peaks collapsed one by one under the aftershocks, and bottomless cracks spread across the earth!
That terrifying pressure, even from dozens of miles away, made Li Jianqiang feel suffocated!
"Quasi... Quasi-Emperor?!!"
His voice was trembling.
The aura emitted by those two figures had clearly surpassed the scope of his understanding!
To the point where he couldn't even judge their true strength. However, one thing was certain: despite all his efforts, he hadn't even touched the edge of the Quasi-Emperor realm. If he were caught in the aftershocks of their battle, he might not even leave a corpse behind.
Li Jianqiang was almost going crazy.
He was about to succeed, he was so close to succeeding!!
And then two super-powerful experts suddenly appeared out of nowhere. Is there no justice in this world?
Boom!!!
Another collision.
This time, one of the fiery red figures seemed to be injured and crashed down toward the valley where Li Jianqiang was!
"Oh no!"
Li Jianqiang's pupils constricted. Without time to think, he picked up Melodious Sound and fled wildly toward the depths of the valley!