I became an immortal in the mountains

Chapter 956 Using War to Stop War
Li Miaoxuan said, "The most important thing in fighting against someone from the ancient realm is to control the degree of conflict. After all, this person is related to the Demon Lord. If we push him too far, we might really end up fighting to the death!"

"Don't worry, I understand. This great cultivator from the ancient realm is likely far stronger than Wei Zhao, so I won't underestimate him."

Gu Yuanqing paused for a moment, then continued, "The previous battle was, in the end, just a test between us. Wei Wuji's silence at this moment is also a way of assessing my strength. If I were to back down now, he would only think that I am nothing special and that I would definitely come back to haunt him in the future. Only when he sees clearly that if he continues down this path, he will have to pay far more than he will gain, will he truly restrain himself."

Li Miaoxuan said softly, "So, you still want to continue?"

“Of course we must continue,” Gu Yuanqing said. “I will bypass the capital and take the outer perimeter first. If he wants to weigh his options, I will give him time to do so; if he wants to test the waters, I will let him see things more clearly. Once he understands that continuing the conflict will only damage his foundation, he will naturally sit down.”

Li Miaoxuan nodded slightly and said nothing more.

She also felt that Gu Yuanqing was right; ultimately, cultivators should speak with their strength.

Without sufficient strength, so-called peace is merely a matter of being at the mercy of others.

Only by demonstrating the necessary strength can one be qualified to sit at the table and negotiate.

The reason why the Ancient Divine Sect and the Ancient Realm had been pressuring them was ultimately because they felt that as great cultivators and powerful figures in the divine path, they did not take the Qian Yuan Realm and Gu Yuanqing, a demigod cultivator, seriously.

Even if they might know that Gu Yuanqing has some trump cards up his sleeve, the vast difference in their cultivation levels makes them feel superior. If Gu Yuanqing is unwilling to cooperate, then he will force you to cooperate and force you to take action.

Now, Gu Yuanqing's counterattack on the Ancient Realm is to prove that he has the strength and determination to fight to the death.

Only in this way can we truly make these old guys who have lived for countless years be wary and willingly give up.

At least temporarily, things may stop, but perhaps many years later, due to certain changes, the situation will resurface.

But for Gu Yuanqing and Beiquanjie, the longer the time goes on, the more confident they will be in dealing with the situation.

……

Seven days passed in the blink of an eye.

The Great Wei Dynasty has a vast territory, with thirty-six major cities, three hundred and sixty main cities, and tens of thousands of cities below the main cities.

Gu Yuanqing's harvesting speed was quite fast, but within this vast territory, it would still take a considerable amount of time to truly inflict serious damage.

Although Wei Wuji did not take action, it did not mean that the Great Wei Dynasty did nothing.

With the army of the Great Wei stationed in major cities, relying on magic arrays to try to contend with Gu Yuanqing, there were also experts of the Yin-Yang and Hun Tian realms who rushed towards Gu Yuanqing like moths to a flame.

Without the participation of experts of the same level, having more people is of no use.

In fact, if the Great Wei Divine Dynasty were a normal human territory, inhabited by normal people, the resistance it would generate would be far greater than it is now. However, in most of the cities, order has already collapsed, and they are almost like ghost towns.

Although there are many cultivators above the Heavenly Change Realm, after millions of years of trials and tribulations, a large portion of them have long lost their attachment to this world, and death is nothing short of a liberation for them.

The system and order of the Great Wei Dynasty from top to bottom had long been a mere formality.

Some even arrived at the city where Gu Yuanqing was about to arrive ahead of time, all for the sake of throwing their lives away!

This includes the sword demon Lü Chen.

When he saw Gu Yuanqing, a look of surprise and delight appeared in his eyes: "It really is you. I knew back then that you could kill me."

Upon seeing this old acquaintance, Gu Yuanqing finally showed some interest: "So eager to die?"

Lu Chen slung the knife over his shoulder and said, "You've killed so many people from the Ancient Realm, one more won't make a difference."

Gu Yuanqing said, "Do you know that if you die this time, you're really dead?"

Lu Chen grinned: "That's great. I was afraid he wouldn't die completely and would come back to life after a few days. That would be torture."

"Your mindset is good. Then so be it, make your move!" Gu Yuanqing nodded.

"Great! If it were millions of years ago, I would definitely want to be your friend!"

Lu Chen laughed loudly and suddenly drew his sword.

Gu Yuanqing drew his finger, the blade shattered, and the figure vanished into nothingness, only laughter still echoing in the air.

With a swift movement, he gathered up the remaining Yin energy of Lü Chen, preparing to take it back to the Northern Spring Realm along with the people of this city.

……

In the blink of an eye, the night of the full moon has passed.

On this night every month in the past, a silent reset would take place in the ancient world.

The spirits that died in the flames of war, their torn bodies, and their scattered consciousness will all be reassembled under the power of the rules.

The dead will awaken, collapsed houses will rise again, and shattered cities will be restored to their former glory.

Everything will return to its starting point, as if nothing had ever happened.

But this time, it's different!
On the ruins of Tiansheng City, several figures arrived as dawn broke.

The leader was a general from the Great Wei Divine Dynasty, with a cultivation level of the Chaotic Heaven Realm.

He was ordered to come and investigate whether the city that Gu Yuanqing had slaughtered would recover as usual.

He didn't have much hope, but when his gaze swept over the desolate ruins, his heart sank.

There was no one, no cultivators, not a trace of life.

Only broken walls and ashes from countless bones remain, and only the mournful sound of the wind whipping up dust.

This once prosperous city, which had thrived for millions of years, is now nothing but a desolate shell.

"General..." someone behind him spoke, their voice trembling, "There's no one left, they're really dead!"

……

In another city.

An old man in a gray robe stood alone; he had been standing there all night.

As a cultivator at the peak of the Heavenly Transformation Realm, he has lived for millions of years and witnessed countless cycles of life and death.

He thought he had long since become numb to death, but at this moment, he felt a complex feeling he had never experienced before rising from the bottom of his heart.

He knew this city; he had lived here for countless years and knew most of the people in it, though most of these 'people' might not know him.

The old man who sold tofu, the schoolteacher who always played chess on the street corner, and the young monk who liked to play the flute on the city wall—they are all dead, and they will never return.

The old man closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"That's for the best," he murmured to himself. "If I die, I won't have to suffer anymore."

In other cities, many cultivators above the Heavenly Transformation level also arrived. Seeing the morning sun shining down, and the cities still only showing signs of ruin, they remained silent for a long time.

"This world has finally changed. Is everything coming to an end?"

“Gu Yuanqing…”

……

One day later.

Within the imperial city of the Great Wei Dynasty.

This place is the center of the Great Wei Dynasty, and can also be considered the center of the ancient world.

Most of the major repairs in the Great Wei Divine Dynasty were concentrated within the imperial city. This was because the Divine Dynasty was different from ordinary courts; those in high positions had to be major repairers, otherwise they wouldn't have the ability to hold their positions.

Millions of years have passed, and many of them have been suppressed in the Heavenly Prison. Most of the remaining people live in seclusion or use certain secret methods to entrust themselves to illusions or dreams.

In recent years, the Demon Lord's power has manifested in the world, and the appearance of the Red Moon has once again pulled these great cultivators out of their illusions and seclusion.

The morning sun shone through the glazed tiles on the roof, illuminating the main hall.

The hall is divided according to cultivation level and duties. Those who can enter this hall must be at least at the Shattering Heaven Realm, and those who are truly qualified to speak are great cultivators at the Chaotic Undying Realm.

Having lived for millions of years, they had long been accustomed to the cycle of life and death, and to the absurdity of everything being reset on the night of the full moon. But today, the atmosphere in the hall was completely different from usual.

Because the night of the full moon had passed, those who were killed by Gu Yuanqing did not come back to life.

Many cities remain desolate to this day.

Feng Yue died, Zhou Wei was seriously injured, dozens of cities were destroyed, and tens of millions of Wei citizens were completely wiped out.

There were only about twenty people standing in the hall, but these twenty-odd people represented the true strength of the Great Wei Dynasty.

Situ Xuan, at the peak of the Undying Realm, is in charge of internal and external surveillance within the Divine Dynasty.

Lü Zhang, at the peak of the Undying Realm, commands military affairs in all directions.

Chen Heng, a late-stage Undying cultivator, is in charge of the political affairs of the cultivation dynasty.

These three men were known as the Three Ministers, and their positions were above all other officials.

Following them were the generals from all sides.

The one with the highest cultivation level in the hall was Zhou Wei, the Director of the Imperial Observatory, who stood on the left side of the front row and was at the demigod level.

At this moment, he watched all of this with cold eyes, without saying a word.

"Your Majesty, Gu Yuanqing has slaughtered my people, destroyed my cities, and seized the fortune of my dynasty. He has already captured dozens of cities." Lü Zhang spoke first. "General Feng Yue has died in Tiansheng City. We can no longer stand idly by. I request that you gather the forces from all directions and fight him."

When Feng Yue was mentioned, the expressions of the people in the hall varied.

Feng Yue is a great general who protects the country and has the cultivation of a demigod. He and Zhou Wei are the two pillars of the divine dynasty.

Even he had fallen, which had a tremendous impact on those present.

"A battle?" Situ Xuan said calmly, "In the battle of Tiansheng City, General Feng died and Supervisor Zhou was seriously injured. Even His Majesty's intervention failed to suppress them. General Lü, do you think that simply gathering military strength will be enough?"

Lu Zhang frowned slightly, but did not refute it, knowing that what Situ Xuan said was true.

"What should we do about Situ's intentions?" Lü Zhang asked.

Situ Xuan remained silent for a moment, then slowly said, "Gu Yuanqing's strength is well known. He possesses strength above the demigod level, and ordinary methods are simply ineffective against him, unless... we use the Floating City and bring out the national treasure artifact."

A brief silence fell over the hall.

Beneath the imperial city lies a great demon, and it is for this reason that Emperor Wei Wuji of the Great Wei Dynasty has never left his throne for millions of years.

The Floating City is the battle fortress of the Great Wei Dynasty, and the national treasure is the foundation of the dynasty. It has been used to suppress the great demon since ancient times. If it is used to resist Gu Yuanqing, it may bring some changes.

Upon hearing this, everyone in the hall had their own thoughts.

Millions of years and countless cycles of the full moon have worn down the fighting spirit of most people.

Many others remained indifferent, as if the content of the court discussion had nothing to do with them; it wasn't that they didn't care, but rather that they didn't care.

For them, living is an endless torment, and death may truly be a relief.

Some people, affected by the blood moon, recovered some fragments of their memories, leading to even more complex feelings.

They vaguely sensed that they might not be real people, but rather avatars of some powerful being, but this conjecture could not be confirmed, nor did they dare to confirm it.

Others interpreted those fragments of memory as awakenings from past lives, believing they were once powerful figures who were reincarnated into the Great Wei Dynasty and trapped by a curse. They stood in the hall, silent, their gazes shifting.

The twenty-odd people in the hall each had their own thoughts, but no one spoke again.

Only Emperor Wei Wuji can decide this matter.

Zhou Wei remained silent throughout, coldly observing the various thoughts and intentions of these veteran officials, but his heart was completely unmoved; he knew far more than he did.

Although Su Ming was still in his hands, he used the Su Ming Sword in a battle against Gu Yuanqing, and nearly a thousand years of planning was destroyed in an instant.

Moreover, if ordinary methods are used, even if it consumes one's own essence, it will still be restored on the night of the full moon because of the power of the Rebirth Mirror; however, when one's own power is used on the Rule Artifact, the Sword of Destiny, the power of the Rebirth Mirror will lose its effect.

For him, who was determined to break free from his fate, this was simply unacceptable.

Wei Wuji closed his eyes slightly, completely ignoring the discussions in court, since he had not initiated today's court meeting.

Situ Xuan frowned, cupped his hands to Zhou Wei, and said in a deep voice, "Supervisor Zhou, you have fought with Gu Yuanqing. Could you please enlighten us on what Gu Yuanqing is trying to do? Back then, our Ancient Realm attacked the Qian Yuan Realm suddenly. Now, could you reveal something to us?"

Zhou Wei looked up and glanced at Wei Wuji.

"Granted!" Wei Wuji suddenly spoke.

……

Three days later.

Cangwu City is one of the main cities of the Great Wei Dynasty.

Gu Yuanqing stepped outside the city and glanced around with his Void Heavenly Eye. Everything in the city seemed normal, but a smile suddenly appeared on his lips.

"Finally couldn't hold back anymore?"

The thought had just crossed my mind.

The clouds suddenly burst open, and a colossal city slowly descended from the heavens, blotting out the sun and covering the entire sky.

The city was entirely black, covered with runes, and countless cultivators stood atop it.

On the city wall, countless soldiers of the Great Wei Dynasty stood ready, their magical artifacts shimmering like a sea of ​​stars.

On the city wall, a huge battle flag fluttered in the wind, embroidered with an ancient Wei character.

Three figures stood side by side, clad in armor and wielding sharp blades; they were none other than Situ Xuan and his companions.

At the same time, a shout of "Charge!" was heard.

The surrounding mountains and rivers trembled, and beams of spiritual energy shot into the sky, transforming into a massive magic array that sealed off the entire void.

Gu Yuanqing hovered in mid-air, looked around calmly, and said indifferently, "Where is Wei Wuji?"

“If His Majesty wanted to kill you, he wouldn’t need to do it himself!” Lü Zhang said.

Gu Yuanqing chuckled: "Even Zhou Wei didn't come, but there are quite a few people. Wei Wuji is really willing to send you all to your deaths. But it doesn't matter. Once I kill you all, he will naturally come out."

As soon as the words fell, the illusory image of the Northern Spring Realm unfolded, and with a wave of his hand, the Myriad Paths Returning to the Void Palm descended upon the Suspended City.

"Don't be mad!"

With a loud shout, Lü Zhang slashed out with his sword.

As the blade was drawn, the suspended city trembled violently, countless runes lit up from the city walls, and the surrounding天地元气 (heaven and earth energy) swirled and converged into the city, with immense天地力 (heaven and earth power) empowering this strike.

The blade energy that burst forth instantly rose from the level of the Undying Chaos to that of a demigod, and finally even faintly possessed the power of a true god!
(End of this chapter)