My son is about to break through.

Chapter 698 Keeping the Promise

Inside the main hall of the ancient and sacred site.

This grand hall is the most magnificent building in the ancient Netherworld Holy Land. It is entirely cast from star-stone iron, standing a thousand feet tall and a hundred miles wide. Inside, the hall is adorned with carved beams and painted rafters, resplendent in gold and jade. Ancient array patterns are engraved on each pillar, emanating vast star power.

Above the dome of the main hall, nine fist-sized star beads are inlaid, emitting a soft light that illuminates the entire hall as if it were daytime.

However, at this moment, this usually majestic hall appeared exceptionally solemn.

It was all because of the person sitting upright in the hall.

Gu Qingfeng sat upright in the main seat.

It was a throne carved from millennia-old warm jade, with a high back, wide armrests, and a warm, lustrous sheen throughout.

On the throne, Gu Qingfeng wore a black imperial robe, his long hair was tied up with a purple-gold crown, his face was calm as an ancient well, and his aura was as deep as an abyss. If it were not seen with the naked eye, it would be difficult to even detect his presence.

He sat there, as if the heavens were hanging high above, looking down upon all living beings.

The Ancient Netherworld Saint Lord, as the master of the Holy Land, is now relegated to one side.

His seat was to Gu Qingfeng's left, a full three steps lower than the head seat.

This was supposed to be his grand hall, this was supposed to be his throne, but he sat there without feeling any discomfort.

On the contrary, he took it for granted.

Given this senior's status and abilities, it is only natural that he should be in this position.

And then—

These include many ancient celestial beings such as Feng Xuan and Li Chenzhou.

They sat on either side of the main hall, according to their cultivation level.

Now, they sit here with respectful expressions and humble postures, like disciples meeting their teachers.

No one thought it was inappropriate.

Because the person sitting in the main seat deserves their utmost respect.

At this moment, Gu Qingfeng reappeared after eight million years of seclusion, his aura becoming increasingly unfathomable.

That feeling is hard to describe in words.

He sat there like a bottomless abyss, calm on the surface but containing a terrifying power capable of swallowing the heavens.

Feng Xuan secretly looked up at Gu Qingfeng, then quickly looked down again.

With just one glance, he felt his very soul tremble.

That feeling is like an ant looking up at the sky, or a mortal looking up at a god.

"Terrible...so terrifying..."

Feng Xuan was secretly amazed.

……

Gu Qingfeng looked down at the crowd below, his gaze calm as still water.

His gaze swept over the Ancient Nether Saint Lord, over Feng Xuan, over Li Chenzhou, over the dozen or so Eight Tribulation Heavenly Venerables, and finally returned.

"I once said that."

He spoke, his voice not loud, but clearly reaching the ears of everyone present.

"As long as you serve me wholeheartedly, I will grant you the chance to live forever."

Upon hearing this, everyone in the hall tensed up.

An opportunity for immortality!

These four words exploded in everyone's hearts like a thunderclap, shaking them to their core and making them almost unable to control themselves!
"Now that the time has come, I shall fulfill my promise."

These words, however, sounded like heavenly music to everyone, like a chorus of celestial melodies!
The time has come!

Keep your promise!

The chance to achieve immortality is right before your eyes!
The hand of the Ancient Nether Saint Lord was trembling slightly.

In this starry sky, even celestial beings cannot attain immortality; this is an immutable law.

He has witnessed countless geniuses rise and fall, and countless powerful figures rise and fall to become nothing but bones.

Which of those people wasn't exceptionally talented? Which of them wasn't incredibly gifted?

But the result?

Those who cannot live forever will eventually turn to dust.

He had thought that his fate would be the same.

until--

He met Gu Qingfeng.

That being from the outside world, who has broken through the five supreme forbidden zones.

That being who granted him the chance to live forever, giving him hope.

The Ancient Nether Saint Lord took a deep breath, suppressing his excitement, and stared intently at Gu Qingfeng, afraid of missing a single word he said.

Feng Xuan and Li Chenzhou were equally excited.

An opportunity for immortality!

They were willing to risk their lives for Gu Qingfeng not only because they feared his strength, but also because of the promises he made.

Fear can only lead to submission.

Hope is what makes people follow.

All I seek is the four words "longevity and lasting vision".

If one cannot achieve immortality, no matter how strong one is, after many years one will turn into a handful of dust, no different from those ants that were once trampled underfoot.
Through the ages.

In the starry sky, there have been countless brilliant talents and powerful figures who once suppressed an era, swept across all directions, and awed the heavens.

But the result?

Whether you are the supreme ruler or not!
Regardless of whether you sweep away everything or suppress an era!
Ultimately, without immortality, nothing is truly meaningful.

Where are those supreme beings now?
Where are those powerful figures now?

It's nothing more than a pile of bones, a forbidden zone, and a legend occasionally mentioned by later generations.

Thinking of this, Feng Xuan was filled with emotion.

He lived too long, long enough to witness far too many rises and falls.

Of those peers who once rivaled him, how many are still alive today?

Of those predecessors he once looked up to, how many are still alive today?

Very few.

Even those who have survived to this day are merely hiding in the forbidden zone of life, barely clinging to life, like walking corpses.

He was not reconciled.

He refused.

He wanted to live, to truly live, not just to eke out a living, not to be a walking corpse.

And at this moment—

Hope is at hand.

Li Chenzhou was equally excited.

"You should open your minds and not resist in any way."

Gu Qingfeng's voice rang out again.

This time, his tone carried an undeniable air of authority.

"Yes!"

Everyone responded in unison, their expressions solemn, daring not to hesitate in the slightest.

To open one's mind means to completely entrust one's life and death to the other person.

If the other party harbors ill intentions, they can be annihilated in an instant.

But they did not hesitate at all.

As everyone relaxed, Gu Qingfeng extended his right hand.

His hands were fair and jade-like, long and strong, with his five fingers slightly spread and his palm facing upward.

The next moment—

"Om-"

A faint light appeared in his palm.

The eerie light was semi-transparent, appearing and disappearing as if it might vanish at any moment, but the instant it appeared, the entire void of the hall trembled violently!
Ancient Nether Saint Lord, Feng Xuan, Li Chenzhou, and others simultaneously felt the terrifying power.

That faint light, though seemingly weak, seemed to contain the power to sever everything in the world.

What terrifying supernatural power this is!
Feng Xuan and Li Chenzhou exchanged a glance, both seeing the shock in each other's eyes.

Gu Qingfeng looked calmly at the faint light in his palm.

Sever the cause and effect.

It took him five million years to comprehend this supernatural power.

"go."

Gu Qingfeng's mind stirred.

That wisp of light flew up from his palm, transforming into countless rays of light as thin as hair, shooting towards everyone present!

The light was silent and swift as lightning, instantly disappearing into the center of everyone's foreheads!

In that instant—

A sudden warning signal made Feng Xuan and the others almost instinctively want to take action to defend themselves!

That is the fighting instinct honed through countless years of battles, the survival instinct etched into the bones and integrated into the soul!

That eerie light gave them an extremely terrifying feeling—as if being struck by it would mean losing something extremely important!

Instinct told them: Get out of the way! You must get out of the way!

But as soon as the thought arose, they forcefully suppressed it.

You can't hide.

Relax your mind and don't resist.

If Gu Qingfeng wanted to kill them, he wouldn't need to go through all this trouble.

In the blink of an eye, they could be annihilated, body and soul.

……

No one hid. No one resisted.

The next breath—

A ghostly light entered the body.

In that instant, everyone felt as if something had suddenly snapped.

That feeling is hard to describe.

It was as if a chain that had bound them for their entire lives had finally broken at this moment.

An unprecedented sense of ease welled up inside me.

Like a caged bird breaking free of its cage, or a true dragon escaping from shallow waters and returning to the vast ocean.

That feeling almost made them groan with pleasure.

however--

At the very moment that feeling of relief welled up inside me—

"Boom!!!"

Outside the ancient sacred land, in the sky above, thunder suddenly rumbled!

That thunder was no ordinary thunder, but heavenly thunder containing the majesty of the heavens!
Thunder rumbled from the sky, shaking the entire star field!
Countless stars trembled in the thunder, and countless living beings prostrated themselves in worship!
When the Ancient Nether Saint Lord and the others looked up, they saw that the sky above was filled with churning tribulation clouds!

The calamity clouds were as black as ink, tens of thousands of feet thick, and covered the entire star field!

Within the tribulation clouds, countless bolts of lightning flashed, like countless thunder dragons rolling and roaring within the clouds!
The center of the tribulation clouds was directly facing the Ancient Netherworld Holy Land!

The oppressive aura, the imposing presence, the terrifying power that seemed to ignite the wrath of the heavens caused Feng Xuan and the others to change their expressions drastically!
"Heavens...Heavenly Tribulation?!"

"This is the wrath of Heaven..."

Li Chenzhou muttered to himself, his voice filled with barely concealed fear.

He finally understood.

Severing the karmic ties with this starry sky is going against the will of Heaven!

Heaven will not allow it!

Therefore, the heavenly tribulation descended!

"boom--!!!"

A bolt of lightning, as thick as a pillar, crashed down from the clouds of calamity!

The lightning was purplish-gold in color, containing the majesty and destructive power of the Heavenly Dao. Wherever it passed, the void collapsed and the Great Dao was annihilated!
The power of this strike is enough to kill any Eight Tribulation Celestial Venerable on the spot!

Feng Xuan and the others turned pale and tried to dodge, but found that their bodies were locked by the pressure of the Heavenly Dao and they could not move at all!

They could only watch helplessly as the lightning bolt struck them!

At that very moment—

Gu Qingfeng made a move.

He remained seated on his throne, without even rising.

He simply extended his right hand, fingers spread, and gently clenched it towards the descending bolt of lightning.

"boom!!!"

The lightning that was powerful enough to bring down any Eight Tribulation Celestial Venerable shattered like fragile glass under his grasp!

Countless fragments of lightning scattered and flew everywhere, then turned into specks of light rain in the void and disappeared without a trace!

"Boom—!!!"

More thunder is brewing within the clouds of calamity!
The Heavenly Dao seemed to be enraged; the tribulation clouds surged wildly, lightning flashed wildly, and an even more terrifying power was gathering!

Gu Qingfeng looked up and glanced at the tribulation clouds.

Just one glance.

There was no oppressive aura, no imposing presence, and no supernatural powers.

Just a casual glance.

however--

The tribulation clouds seemed to have seen something extremely terrifying, and their wildly churning motion suddenly stopped!
The thunder that was brewing was instantly annihilated in that single glance!

The tribulation clouds trembled violently, as if hesitating or struggling.

After a while.

The calamity clouds slowly dissipated.

The heavens above were clear again.

The Way of Heaven has retreated.

The main hall was deathly silent.

Feng Xuan and the others stared in disbelief at the scene, speechless for a long time.

One hand, crushing the heavenly tribulation?
One glance, and the Heavenly Dao is forced to retreat?

What... what kind of power is this?!

They have lived for hundreds of billions of years and have never seen anything so incredible!

Heavenly tribulation is the manifestation of the will of Heaven!

That is the manifestation of the rules of heaven and earth!
That is a supreme power that no cultivator can resist!

And the person in front of me—

One hand crushed the heavenly tribulation!

One glance was enough to force back the Heavenly Dao!

It was as if, in the face of the Heavenly Dao, he was the more terrifying being!

Feng Xuan took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in his heart.

Gu Qingfeng withdrew his gaze, his tone indifferent, as if he had just done something insignificant.

"I have severed your karmic ties with this starry sky. Once you leave this starry sky, you will be able to live forever."

His voice wasn't loud, but it reached the ears of everyone present clearly.

"Thank you, senior!"

Upon hearing this, everyone hurriedly bowed and knelt down, their faces beaming with barely suppressed joy.

This bow was performed willingly.

This bow was one of heartfelt submission.

Without Gu Qingfeng saying anything more, they could feel the changes within themselves.

When that dark light of the Great Dao struck, all the constraints in the darkness vanished.

Although there was no change in his own cultivation level, it was as if a shackle had been removed, and an unprecedented sense of ease welled up in his heart.

This feeling is like a caged bird breaking free from its cage, or a true dragon escaping from shallow waters and re-entering the vast ocean.

free.

True freedom.

It is not the freedom to hide in the forbidden zone of life and eke out a living.

It is not about instigating darkness and turmoil to plunder the freedom of living beings.

Instead, one can leave this starry sky, travel to the outside world, and pursue the freedom of immortality!

next moment.

Gu Qingfeng's figure quietly disappeared from the throne.

……

The Chaotic Sea.

When Gu Qingfeng stepped into this chaotic star field again, everything seemed unchanged.

It remains a chaotic and disorderly current of rules, and it remains a destructive storm that could descend at any moment.

But the moment his figure appeared above the chaotic sea—

The entire chaotic sea suddenly trembled!

"Boom—!!!"

The chaotic currents of rules surged wildly, and fragments of the Great Dao scattered and flew everywhere!
In the deepest part of the Chaos Sea, that dormant aura suddenly awakened!
The next moment—

An enormous, indescribable figure rose from the depths of the chaotic sea!

That was a giant.

A giant that is a million feet tall!
The opponent stood with the sky above his head and nothingness beneath his feet, surrounded by chaotic mist. His face was ancient and majestic, like a statue carved at the beginning of time. His eyes were like two bottomless abysses, containing the mysteries of the birth and death of the universe.

He is the Lord of All Stars.

The ruler of the Chaos Sea.

The primordial demon gods that existed since the beginning of time.

"You've arrived."

The Lord of Myriad Stars spoke, his voice like thunder rolling across the sky, shaking the entire Chaos Sea.

His tone carried an undisguised anticipation.

Gu Qingfeng stood with his hands behind his back, looking up at the giant.

"I made a promise back then, and I will fulfill that promise today."

His voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached the ears of the Lord of Ten Thousand Stars.

The Lord of Myriad Stars' chaotic eyes suddenly burst forth with an unprecedented light!
"Is this really true?!"

His voice trembled slightly.

That was excitement, anticipation, and a longing that had been suppressed for countless years!
Keep your promise!