My son is about to break through.

"Seven Tribulations Celestial Venerable...not bad."

Gu Qingfeng stood atop the ruins of the divine kingdom, with the slowly flowing, seemingly even larger, yellowish-brown Yellow Spring beneath his feet.

His profound gaze seemed to pierce through the endless void, landing on the Xuan Tian Immortal Realm billions of miles away.

The faint smile at the corner of his mouth carried a sense of satisfaction, as well as a calm acceptance that everything was under control.

How could the Lord of the Celestial Court not know about Gu Yang's breakthrough to the seventh tribulation?

Their fates are intertwined, their destinies are interdependent.

When the Celestial Court was promoted, the torrent of fortune of the thirty-six-petaled green lotus was mainly divided into three streams.

The largest stream, like the Milky Way pouring down, fell into his body.

The second best, noble and magnificent, belonged to Crown Prince Gu Yang.

The countless other streams then spread throughout the celestial court and its inhabitants.

Gu Yang's sudden surge and qualitative leap in fortune was as clear as a torch in the dark night.

He rose from the fourth level of Heavenly Venerable to the seventh level in one step.

Such a leap would be astonishing to outsiders, but in Gu Qingfeng's view, it was perfectly natural.

"The power of destiny generated by the ascension of the Celestial Dynasty to the Celestial Court, which gathers the wishes and power of billions of living beings, is so powerful that it can create a Nine Tribulation Celestial Venerable out of thin air!"

Gu Qingfeng understood perfectly.

This means that if he had stepped down before his promotion and completely transferred the authority and karma of the Celestial Court Lord to Gu Yang, then at this moment, the other party would already be standing at the Ninth Tribulation Celestial Venerable realm.

Although the position of Crown Prince is second only to the Lord of the Celestial Court, the fortune he shares is already extraordinary.

It would not be difficult to propel Gu Yang from the fourth kalpa to the seventh kalpa in this way.

His decision not to pass on his position and create a second Nine Tribulations stemmed from deeper considerations.

"The significance of having one more ordinary Ninth Tribulation Celestial Venerable is limited in the current overall situation."

Gu Qingfeng's gaze seemed to transcend the shattered stars and the remnants of the divine kingdom before him, and instead fall upon the terrifying battlefield in the depths of endless dimensions, where fierce clashes were taking place.

"The true adversaries of the Xuantian Immortal Court are no longer these divine kingdoms that can be easily swept away."

Rather, they were the twelve immortal god-lords who reigned high above the Great Dao, nearly immortal and indestructible.

In the face of true immortality, ordinary nine tribulations are no different from ants.

Quantity pales in comparison to the power of qualitative change.

He needs this groundbreaking fortune to propel him through the final barrier and glimpse a higher level of power.

Only by becoming strong ourselves can we fundamentally cope with all changes.

Although this promotion did not allow him to immediately reach the peak of the Ninth Tribulation, the gap at that crucial moment has been infinitely narrowed. His cultivation has been solidified to the extreme of the later stage, and his control over the Netherworld Dao has become increasingly profound and mysterious.

"Before I was promoted, I was already able to suppress the first-level immortal realm like the Void God Lord."

Now that his skills have improved further, victory would be even easier if he faced him again.

However, a hint of seriousness crept onto his brow.

"However, to truly slay an immortal... is as difficult as ascending to heaven!"

Gu Qingfeng was well aware of the key points involved.

The Immortal Celestial Venerable merged with the Dao, the Great Dao is indestructible, and the True Spirit endures forever.

Defeating the suppressor, or even destroying its fundamental source of power to the point of exhaustion and silence, is not impossible.

But to kill means to erase its existence from its source and sever all its connections with the Great Dao it belongs to, which involves the most fundamental rules of the universe.

It is absolutely impossible for a mere Celestial Venerable to achieve this.

The illusory god lord feigned death to avoid battle precisely because of this immortality.

He can remain silent for billions of years, waiting for his origins to slowly recover before making a comeback.

This is what makes immortality so awe-inspiring—a life that is almost eternal and an indelible existence.

"His Majesty."

A calm voice interrupted his thoughts. Luo Tian arrived, stopped a foot away, and bowed respectfully.

His armor was stained with the lingering scent of divine blood and gunpowder, but his spirit and energy were even more refined and fierce than they had been ten thousand years ago, and the aura of a peak Three Tribulations Celestial Venerable was contained within.

"The Kingdom of No Life has been completely eradicated. According to His Majesty's decree, all 137 evil gods at the Heavenly Venerable level and above have been exterminated."

Gu Qingfeng nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over this once eerily powerful territory, now reduced to ruins and dimly lit streams, and said calmly.

"Bring all the immortal realms under this divine kingdom into the territory of the Immortal Court, and send people to restore order and appease the remaining human race."

This campaign has come to an end.

The order was given to the three armies to rest and recuperate, preparing for their return to the capital.

"Sir, obey the order!"

Luo Tian's spirits lifted, and a look of relief appeared on his face.

After ten thousand years of bloody battles, and the defeat of twenty or thirty divine kingdoms, even with the invincible Gu Qingfeng in charge, the army was exhausted and its resources were depleted.

More importantly, the newly incorporated territories are like tough bones. Although they seem to be swallowed, the internal resistance, the remnants of evil gods, and the chaos brought about by the collapse of the original order all require a lot of time and energy to digest.

If expansion continues, the foundation may be in danger of crumbling.

Gu Qingfeng's order to rest at this time was a mature and prudent move.

As the Marshal of the Celestial Court, he also benefited greatly from the Celestial Court's fortune, rising from the second tribulation to the peak of the third tribulation, and is only one step away from the fourth tribulation.

While the improvement in his cultivation level was gratifying, the continuous years of warfare and command, as well as the mental and physical exhaustion, also left him feeling deeply weary.

Upon receiving the order, he immediately went to arrange the withdrawal of troops.

After Luo Tian left, Gu Qingfeng stood alone in the void, his gaze once again fixed on the direction from which terrifying fluctuations emanated from the darkness.

That was the battlefield where humans clashed with the evil gods and immortals.

Even with his divine sense, he could only catch some vague, unsettling aftershocks.

"Ten thousand years have passed... and the war on the immortal level remains deadlocked."

Gu Qingfeng silently recited in his heart.

At that level, the concept of time becomes blurred; a single collision, a clash of the great principles, can transcend the long years that are understood by ordinary people.

Both sides have clearly committed their full strength, but it will be no easy task to determine an overwhelming winner.

"The human race has the Ziwei Heavenly Emperor in charge, while the evil gods are ruled by the Eternal Silence God Lord."

Unless these two supreme powerhouses, standing at the pinnacle of the twelfth level of the Immortal Realm, undergo a decisive change, this war will likely remain in a stalemate for a long time.

Nine against twelve, the human race is at a numerical disadvantage, but the existence of the Ziwei Heavenly Emperor is the greatest stabilizing force, enough to offset part of the numerical gap.

However, the battles at that level are beyond his current ability to intervene directly.

Even with the combat power to suppress the Void God Lord, Gu Qingfeng had a clear understanding of the situation.

If he were to truly be drawn into the heart of the immortal war, facing those veteran immortals who had been immersed in this path for countless years and wielded all sorts of incredible powers, even someone as strong as him would face a great risk of perishing.

The biggest gap is not just in terms of strength on paper, but also in terms of immortality.

The Void God Lord can make countless mistakes, as long as the root of the Great Dao is not severed, he will have a chance to make a comeback. But for Gu Qingfeng, one fatal mistake could mean utter ruin.

This is the essential difference between being comparable to immortality and being truly immortal—a seemingly subtle but insurmountable chasm.

"The Xuan Tian Immortal Court has reached its limit."

He turned his gaze back to examine the foundation he had built.

Millennia of warfare have led to a frenzied expansion of its territory. From its initial size, it now boasts twelve million immortal domains. The vastness of its territory and the strength of its fortune are enough to leave countless ancient forces speechless.

It was this terrifying accumulation of power that ultimately gave birth to the Thirty-Six Grade Azure Lotus of Fortune, transforming the Immortal Dynasty into the Immortal Court.

But behind the rapid expansion lie countless hidden worries and undercurrents.

Many immortal realms have only nominally submitted; remnants of evil gods remain hidden within, the collapse of the original order has led to widespread chaos, resource integration is slow, and loyalty remains to be tested.

These problems were temporarily set aside or forcefully suppressed when the company was expanding with all its might in order to ascend to the Celestial Court.

Now that the promotion is complete, if we do not settle down to sort out the internal affairs and consolidate our rule, this seemingly enormous Celestial Court may very well fall apart due to internal problems, just like a magnificent palace built on quicksand.

"Right now, stability is better than expansion."

Gu Qingfeng made a decision.

Moreover, this stroke of luck has given him an unprecedentedly clear understanding of the peak of the Nine Tribulations realm.

The threshold is now clearly visible. Pushing it open no longer requires brute force, but rather a deep retreat and enlightenment.

Once he reaches the peak of the Nine Tribulations, he can truly begin preparing to break through to the supreme realm of immortality.

"Only by proving immortality and merging with the Dao, thus obtaining that near-immortal characteristic, can one truly stand invincible."

At that time, even if facing an existence like the Eternal Silence God, even if they were no match, they would have the confidence to maneuver and protect themselves.

This goal, like the brightest star in the night sky, guided his path forward.

……

A year is but a fleeting moment in the grand scheme of things in the Immortal Realm.

The main force of the Xuantian Immortal Court, led by Gu Qingfeng, crossed countless star rivers and finally returned to the Xuantian Immortal Realm.

When the majestic imperial ship carrying the Immortal Emperor pierced through layers of defensive arrays and appeared above the core of the Immortal Realm, the entire Xuan Tian Immortal Realm was in an uproar.

A myriad of rays of light and auspicious clouds filled the sky, accompanied by ethereal music. Hundreds of millions of human cultivators and commoners spontaneously gathered, their cheers and shouts of worship shaking the heavens.

"Welcome back in triumph, His Majesty the Immortal Emperor!"

"His Majesty the Celestial Emperor possesses boundless divine might, and the Celestial Court is eternal!"

The outcry contained a fervent faith and a sense of belonging.

Ten thousand years of war, territorial expansion, ascension to the Celestial Court, and a series of glorious victories have propelled Gu Qingfeng's prestige to an unprecedented peak.

He is not only the ruler of the Celestial Court, but also an invincible myth and totem of faith in the hearts of countless humans.

Gu Qingfeng did not hold a grand ceremony. He simply made an appearance, received the homage, and then went straight back to the Imperial Study Hall deep in the Heavenly Palace.

Inside the hall, an ethereal atmosphere pervaded the air, and the Taoist spirit was naturally present.

Gu Yang was already waiting there.
Today, he wears the crown prince's robes and a seven-tasseled flat crown. His face is still handsome, but the sharpness between his brows has settled into a deeper and more restrained majesty and composure.

The aura of the Seven Tribulations Celestial Venerable was perfectly harmonious and flawless, subtly aligning with the pulse of the entire Celestial Court's fortune. Standing there, he was like an unshakeable divine mountain.

"Your subject pays respects to Your Majesty, and congratulates Your Majesty on your triumphant return! The Celestial Court's might shakes the world!"

Gu Yang bowed deeply, his posture respectful and heartfelt.

Gu Qingfeng sat on the throne and slightly raised his hand: "Rise. You have done very well in this advancement of the Celestial Court. You have reached the Seven Tribulations Realm with a solid foundation and have not disappointed me."

"It is all thanks to the Emperor's blessings and the celestial court's fortune; your son dares not take credit for it."

Gu Yang made a humble remark, then got to the point, his expression becoming serious.

"Father, since the Celestial Court's advancement and the manifestation of its fortune, people have been coming to serve us in an endless stream. Among them are many reclusive cultivators who have lived in seclusion for many years, as well as powerful figures with considerable prestige from other forces."

This is a list of Celestial Venerables who have recently expressed interest in joining my Celestial Court, and who, after initial screening, have relatively clear backgrounds and considerable strength, along with their relevant information. Please review this list, Father Emperor.

As he spoke, he presented a jade slip shrouded in purple mist with both hands.

The jade slip is adorned with dragon and phoenix patterns, indicating that it is a specially made information carrier that is both secure and has a large capacity.

With a slight thought, Gu Qingfeng summoned the jade slip, which floated gently to his side.

As one's mind becomes immersed in it, a massive amount of information instantly floods into one's consciousness.

Each name, cultivation level, background, and specialty is presented in detail.

Clearly, Gu Yang has put a lot of effort into this matter.

In a short time, Gu Qingfeng had grasped all the information.

If these forces are properly integrated, their addition can indeed greatly enhance the strength of the Celestial Court's middle and upper management, fill the talent gap caused by rapid expansion, and especially in governing the newly conquered territories.

Gu Qingfeng withdrew his divine sense, casually placed the jade slip on the imperial desk, looked down at Gu Yang whose eyes held a hint of expectation, and slowly spoke, his voice calm yet carrying an undeniable decisiveness:
"You are in charge of handling this matter."

Gu Yang was slightly taken aback, then a glint of light flashed in his eyes.

Gu Qingfeng said, "As long as there are no major problems, it can be considered for use by the Celestial Court!"

"My son understands!"

Gu Yang took a deep breath and bowed solemnly.

"I will act with caution, share the burdens of my father, and select the pillars of the Celestial Court."

Gu Qingfeng nodded, said no more, and waved for him to leave.

After bowing respectfully, Gu Yang turned and left the Imperial Library Hall with steady steps, his mind already racing as he considered how to implement the plan.

Silence returned to the hall.

Gu Qingfeng slowly closed his eyes, his aura gradually becoming calm and merging with the immortal realm beneath his feet and the celestial court's fortune that shrouded heaven and earth in the darkness.

"Peak of the Nine Tribulations!"

Gu Qingfeng muttered to himself.

He's too lazy to get involved in the affairs of the Celestial Court anymore; he's left most of the work to Gu Yang.

Over the years, Gu Qingfeng has been grooming Gu Yang, who now holds the position of Crown Prince and acts as an emperor, so his prestige is no longer an issue.

If it were someone else, they might worry that the crown prince's high position and power would affect their own status.

But for Gu Qingfeng, these problems simply do not exist.

Not to mention that he has enough trust in Gu Yang, even if the other party really has some ideas, in Gu Qingfeng's view, it is impossible for him to shake his position.

Therefore.

Gu Qingfeng delegated as much authority as possible, letting Gu Yang handle all the matters.

Especially now that the other party has reached the Seventh Tribulation Heavenly Venerable Realm, their strength and prestige have advanced even further, and they can handle many things on their own without me having to show my face.

For Gu Qingfeng, his main task now is to reach a higher level.

As for the trivial matters of the Celestial Court, they would naturally avoid them if possible. (End of Chapter)