My son is about to break through.

Xuan Tian Immortal Dynasty.

Inside the main hall of the celestial palace.

It wasn't as magnificent as I had imagined, nor as ethereal as I had envisioned.

The entire hall seemed to be a universe in itself.

Above the dome, the endless starry sky flows, with billions of stars moving along mysterious trajectories, each star emitting a different rhythm of the Great Dao.

The ground was a chaotic void, from which mountains and rivers would sometimes emerge, and from which the world would sometimes be born and die.

The four walls were completely empty, as if directly connected to the chaotic void, with countless Great Dao rules intertwined and flowing like chains.

And in the very center of the main hall.

A figure dressed in a black imperial robe sat quietly in the void.

He emanated no light, yet he seemed to be the center of the entire hall, and even the entire universe.

All the rules of the Great Dao, all the trajectories of the stars, and all the evolution of chaos revolve slowly around him.

This person was none other than Gu Qingfeng.

At this moment, his eyes were closed, and his breathing was long and deep.

With each breath, the chaotic energy within the entire hall surged into his body.

With each exhale, endless Daoist principles transform into tangible runes, dispersing into the void and resonating with heaven and earth.

But what's most striking isn't him personally.

Instead, it was behind him—the slowly expanding darkness.

It was a scene completely different from the main hall, the immortal realm, and even the entire endless immortal realm.

A dark and eternal realm was spreading out from behind Gu Qingfeng.

In that realm, the Yellow Springs River flows ceaselessly, its murmuring waters mingled with the wails of countless departed souls.

There is a Bridge of Helplessness spanning the void, with figures moving about on it, all of them bewildered souls.

There are eighteen layers of phantom hell, one after another, with endless tortures being performed on each layer, and screams that are heart-wrenching.

Furthermore, the Wheel of Reincarnation rotates slowly in the depths, radiating supreme authority that determines the next life of all beings.

This.

It was none other than the Netherworld.

The void trembled slightly.

That was the collision and fusion of the power of the underworld and the rules of the endless immortal realm.

In dimensions imperceptible to the naked eye, this newly formed underworld is slowly expanding in all directions, with the Xuan Tian Immortal Realm at its core.

Gu Qingfeng's will is the boundary of the expansion of the underworld.

As the ruler of the underworld and the embodiment of the Netherworld, he possesses absolute control over this newly born underworld.

At this moment, his will was clear.

expansion.

Expand at full speed.

Let the power of the underworld cover the entire Xuan Tian Immortal Dynasty!
"The four and a half million immortal realms... have all been brought under the jurisdiction of the Underworld."

Gu Qingfeng silently recited in his heart.

His divine sense, like invisible tentacles, extended along the expanding borders of the underworld, reaching every inch of the Xuan Tian Immortal Dynasty's territory.

……

Time flows on in silence.

I do not know how long it has been.

In the center of the main hall, Gu Qingfeng slowly opened his eyes.

Deep within his eyes, a faint, ethereal light swirled and shifted, as if containing the secrets of the entire underworld.

But in the next instant, the eerie light vanished, returning to a deep, abyss-like stillness.

He let out a small breath.

The aura transformed into a hazy, gray river-like phantom, flowing through the hall for a moment before dissipating.

"Ten million years..."

Gu Qingfeng muttered to himself, his voice carrying a rare hint of solemnity.

Ten million years have passed since the time they went into seclusion.

For ordinary people, this is an unimaginably long period of time, enough for civilizations to rise and fall countless times.

But for someone of Gu Qingfeng's caliber, ten million years is not actually a very long time.

Many Nine Tribulation Celestial Venerables spend hundreds of millions of years in seclusion at a time.

But the key issue is—

"His cultivation level remains at the initial stage of the Ninth Tribulation."

Gu Qingfeng looked inward at himself.

"After advancing to the ninth level of the Netherworld Dao, every step forward is as difficult as climbing to the heavens."

Gu Qingfeng frowned slightly.

This is the biggest bottleneck he has encountered in his cultivation so far.

Before this, his cultivation speed was terrifying.

From mortal to celestial being, from the first kalpa to the ninth kalpa, he swept through almost the entire path with unstoppable momentum.

But now——

its stuck.

They were completely stuck at the initial stage of the Ninth Tribulation.

"Unless one can obtain another Chaos Treasure like the Nine-Aperture Exquisite Fruit, or an opportunity of similar level, it would take at least hundreds of millions of years to break through to the middle stage of the Nine Tribulations through secluded cultivation alone."

"And to reach the peak of the Nine Tribulations and touch the threshold of immortality, the time required is probably immeasurable."

This estimate weighed heavily on Gu Qingfeng's mind.

He finally understood why there were so few Nine Tribulation Celestial Venerables in the Endless Immortal Realm, and even fewer who could reach the Immortal Realm.

The difficulties involved far exceeded expectations.

Each breakthrough requires accumulating an even greater foundation.

The difficulty increases exponentially as you progress.

Many Nine Tribulation Celestial Venerables spend their entire lives trapped in the initial stage, unable to make even the slightest progress.

"I don't have that much time..."

A sharp glint flashed in Gu Qingfeng's eyes.

Three hundred billion years.

This is the time when the Ziwei Heavenly Emperor undergoes his tribulation of transcendence.

If the Ziwei Heavenly Emperor fails to overcome his tribulation and perishes in the calamity, then the human race will lose its greatest support.

At that time, the immortal beings of the evil god race will surely make a full-scale attack and sweep across the human territory.

Now, the Xuantian Immortal Dynasty has broken ties with the Evil God Clan, and has even destroyed many divine kingdoms and killed countless top Evil Gods.

Once war breaks out, I and the entire Xuantian Immortal Dynasty will definitely be the first to be affected.

Among them, even the immortal gods would personally take action to erase their own existence.

If by then he still doesn't have the combat power of an immortal, the outcome is predictable.

"We have to be faster!"

Gu Qingfeng stood up, his black imperial robe fluttering without wind, and the void around him subtly distorted.

He walked to the edge of the main hall, his gaze piercing through the palace walls, looking into the endless chaos.

"Normal lockdown won't work."

"Then... we can only rely on external forces."

He quickly considered possible paths in his mind.

"First, continue to instigate war between the two races, use war to sustain war, comprehend the true meaning of the Netherworld in life-and-death battles, and nourish the Great Dao with the blood of evil gods."

"Secondly, we can seek out rare and precious materials, such as the Nine-Aperture Exquisite Fruit, a chaotic treasure that can directly help top-tier Celestial Venerables break through their bottlenecks. However, such opportunities are hard to come by and are rare."

Thirdly—

He shook his head.

There is no third way.

At least for now, he can't think of a better solution.

"The Xuantian Immortal Dynasty has just undergone expansion and needs time to digest its gains and consolidate its territory. It would be unwise to start a major war at this time."

Gu Qingfeng quickly made a judgment.

"Then... we can only search for rare and precious materials."

He took a deep breath, a resolute glint in his eyes.

Disaster?
No matter how difficult it is, we must do it!

Sitting idly by and waiting for death has never been his style.

……

Once the decision was made, Gu Qingfeng no longer hesitated. With a slight thought, his figure disappeared from the main hall of Xuantian Palace.

next moment.

In the royal garden.

Within a garden shrouded in ethereal mist, exotic flowers and rare herbs abound, and a divine spring flows ceaselessly.

But Gu Qingfeng didn't even look at it, he just stood quietly under an ancient tree, his hands behind his back.

soon.

Several streaks of light sped from afar and landed outside the Imperial Garden.

"My son, I pay my respects to my father!"

The leader, dressed in the crown prince's python robe, possessed an elegant and dignified air; he was none other than Crown Prince Gu Yang.

Behind him followed two young men dressed in royal robes, namely the Second Prince Gu Xuan and the Third Prince Gu Xiu.

The three bowed respectfully, not daring to be negligent in the slightest.

Gu Qingfeng slowly turned around, his gaze falling on the three of them.

In an instant, Gu Yang and the others felt an invisible pressure enveloping their entire bodies, as if the whole world was scrutinizing them.

Under this gaze, all their secrets, all their cultivation, and all their thoughts were laid bare.

"What terrifying eyes..."

Gu Xuan was horrified.

He was already a Second Tribulation Celestial Venerable, a powerful figure in the outside world.

But in front of this emperor, he felt as insignificant as an ant.

"It seems that you have not neglected your cultivation over the years."

Gu Qingfeng's voice rang out, calm and undisturbed.

Gu Yang quickly bowed and said, "Your Majesty's guidance and the blessings of the Celestial Dynasty are the only reasons for my success today. I dare not take credit for it."

Gu Qingfeng nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the three of them.

Gu Yang, a Four Tribulation Celestial Venerable, possessed a profound aura and a solid foundation, clearly demonstrating that he had not slacked off in the past ten million years.

Gu Xuan and Gu Xiu are both Second Tribulation Heavenly Venerables. Although they are not as advanced as Gu Yang, their progress is still quite remarkable.

"Your cultivation has progressed the fastest, which is due to the favor of the Celestial Dynasty and also to your own hard work."

Gu Qingfeng said calmly.

"As for the fact that you two have been able to enter the Second Tribulation, that's not bad. If you have any doubts about your cultivation in the future, you can come to me at any time."

Gu Xuan and Gu Xiu breathed a sigh of relief and quickly replied, "Thank you, Father Emperor!"

They knew that this was their father's approval.

In Gu Qingfeng's view, Gu Yang, as the crown prince, enjoys the most resources and the strongest fortune of the Immortal Dynasty, so it is only natural that his cultivation is superior.

Although Gu Xuan and Gu Xiu held royal titles, their achievements were ultimately inferior to those of the Crown Prince. Their accomplishments were already quite remarkable.

If they can truly surpass the Crown Prince and rise to the same level, then it would be worth investigating further.

……

"Where's the fourth child?"

Gu Qingfeng suddenly asked.

Gu Yang quickly replied, "Father, my fourth brother has returned to the palace more than ten times over the years. The most recent time was 30,000 years ago, but because Father was in seclusion, I did not dare to disturb him."

He paused and continued:
"My fourth brother is exceptionally talented and his cultivation is progressing very quickly. According to my observation, he has now reached the peak of the third tribulation and is probably not far from the fourth tribulation."

A hint of satisfaction flashed in Gu Qingfeng's eyes.

Gu Xianlin was the most talented of his four sons, and his progress was within his expectations.

"very good."

He nodded and then asked about the recent situation of the royal family.

Gu Yang reported everything.

Over the past ten million years, the Gu family's royal family has made significant progress in strength.

Among the new generation, three more have reached the Celestial Venerable Realm.

After hearing the report, Gu Qingfeng remained silent for a moment.

Then, he spoke slowly, his voice soft yet carrying an undeniable authority.

"I have a matter that requires your full attention."

Gu Yang and the other two looked solemn: "Please give your orders, Father!"

Gu Qingfeng gazed into the chaos and said, word by word:

"By imperial decree: From this day forward, all the power of the Celestial Dynasty shall be mobilized to search for the Nine-Aperture Exquisite Fruit, as well as all other rare and precious materials that can help the Nine Tribulations Celestial Venerable cultivate and break through bottlenecks."

"This matter is the most important task for the Immortal Dynasty at present. All other matters must give way to it."

He paused, a resolute glint in his eyes.

"Announce to the four and a half million immortal realms of the Immortal Dynasty: Whoever presents such treasures, regardless of their background or cultivation level, will be richly rewarded by me."

"I can bestow upon him top-tier inheritances, resources for longevity, or even grant him a prosperous immortal realm as his fiefdom, making him a king of a different surname!"

"My son obeys the order!"

Gu Yang and the other two knelt down to receive the order, their voices firm.

They knew that since their father had made such a decision, even going so far as to offer a prosperous immortal realm as a reward, it was clear that this matter was absolutely not to be taken lightly.

"Go."

Gu Qingfeng waved his hand.

Gu Yang and the other two bowed and withdrew hastily, clearly to make arrangements for this matter.

Silence returned to the Imperial Garden.

-

the other side.

Following Gu Qingfeng's orders, Gu Yang and the others mobilized their manpower extensively in an attempt to collect such rare and precious materials.

The Xuan Tian Imperial Guard and other forces were mobilized in full force.

For a while.

The entire Xuantian Immortal Dynasty was shaken.

Many cultivators even speculated that Gu Qingfeng, the Xuan Tian Immortal Emperor, might have already entered the Nine Tribulations Realm.

After all, if the other party had not stepped into the Nine Tribulations Realm, why would they need the rare and precious materials for the Nine Tribulations Celestial Venerable to cultivate?

"Nine Tribulations Celestial Venerable!"

"Could it be that the Xuan Tian Immortal Emperor has truly entered this realm?"

"That doesn't make sense. Such a tribulation of immortality must be a grand event. If that person were to break through, how could there be no commotion at all? Could it be that this person is going to the borderlands of chaos to break through?"

Some people looked surprised and uncertain, which seemed to be the only explanation.

After all, the Chaos Realm is vast, and many places are desolate. Many ancient celestial beings chose to go to these places when they underwent tribulations.

There's no other reason than prioritizing security.

As for the fact that Gu Qingfeng didn't need to undergo the tribulation of immortality, no one thought about it.

after all.

Since ancient times, Heavenly Venerables have always had to undergo the Tribulation of Immortality to break through to a higher realm. This is an unchanging truth and the order of the Heavenly Dao.

Even immortal celestial beings find it difficult to defy the order of the heavens, let alone mere celestial beings.

and so.

Since Gu Qingfeng's breakthrough to the Tribulation was uneventful, there was only one possibility left: he was undergoing his tribulation in some remote, desolate place in the Chaos Realm, which was why it didn't cause any commotion.

This also explains why Gu Qingfeng is so powerful.

To say that the Seven Tribulations Celestial Venerable is comparable to a half-step Immortal would only seem unbelievable.

But if we say he is the Nine Tribulations Celestial Venerable, then it makes much more sense.

Of course--

Even so, many powerful individuals were still shocked.

After all, Gu Qingfeng has only been in the Endless Immortal Realm for a mere tens of millions of years.

Over tens of millions of years, he progressed step by step from the Great Emperor Realm to the Nine Tribulations Heavenly Venerable Realm. Such a cultivation speed can only be described as monstrous.

Even before the Immortal attained enlightenment, he did not have such a cultivation speed.

Gu Qingfeng was aware of the commotion from the outside world, but he ignored it.

From the moment I decided to have the Xuan Tian Immortal Dynasty collect numerous rare and precious materials, some news was destined to become impossible to conceal.

What's more.

Gu Qingfeng never concealed his cultivation level.

He is very clear.

As long as the Ziwei Heavenly Emperor lives, the immortals of the Evil God Clan will not make any significant moves.

Moreover, to those immortals, whether it's a Seventh Tribulation Celestial Venerable or a Ninth Tribulation Celestial Venerable, they are merely ants; the other side wouldn't care much about them. (End of Chapter)