Just as the old patriarch forced me to my death, I achieved the unity of Dao and fruition.

After Gu Changjin finished speaking, he slowly landed back in the center of the Xuan Yang Sect camp.

Just moments ago, he stood high in the sky, with a cavern behind him, the Black Water River stretching across the heavens, and the phantom of the Devouring Heaven Serpent coiled in the Ruins of Return.

In the next instant, all his aura vanished, and he stood there looking like an ordinary old man.

But no one around dared to look up and look directly at them.

Returning to simplicity and becoming one with heaven and earth—is this the Daoist Master of Transformation?

The Xuan Yang Sect's main camp was densely packed with kneeling cultivators.

Qi Refining, Foundation Establishment, Golden Core—each of them kept their heads extremely low, barely daring to breathe heavily.

Yue Mingchuan was the first to react, and immediately stepped forward and bowed deeply.

"Junior Yue Mingchuan congratulates Elder Gu on attaining the Dao and transforming into a Divine Being!"

"From this day forward, our Xuan Yang Sect shall reign supreme in the Western Wilderness!"

The other Golden Core cultivators felt a chill run down their spines upon hearing this.

Oh no, we were too late.

When everyone shouted together just now, that's called going with the flow.

To offer my congratulations in person now, even if it's just to show my face and become a familiar face, is an incredible opportunity.

So the Golden Core cultivators who were still kneeling on the ground quickly stepped forward and bowed in unison.

"This junior offers my congratulations to Master Gu!"

"Gu Daojun's divine might is unparalleled; his attainment of Dao today is a great fortune for our Xuan Yang Sect for ten thousand years!"

"We are willing to die for the Daoist Lord!"

Gu Changjin nodded lightly, offering neither praise nor reprimand.

The more this was the case, the more awe and reverence the Golden Core cultivators felt.

The Daoist Master's silence is a sign of his profound and unfathomable nature.

A single glance from the Daoist Master is an act of divine favor beyond measure.

Gu Changjin ignored their little schemes and simply looked up at the void.

There, a crimson figure slowly emerged.

Li Chenyuan, the Supreme Elder of the Crimson Cloud Sect, no longer had the composure he had shown while drinking and laughing earlier; only a bitter smile remained on his face.

He was about to cup his hands and call out "Fellow Daoist"

But before the word "Tao" could even be uttered, it was forcibly changed.

"senior."

Li Chenyuan's bitter smile deepened.

"Are you... hiding your true strength all along, just toying with me?"

He was truly convinced.

How could an old guy who has just formed his Nascent Soul possibly advance all the way from the early Nascent Soul stage to the Divine Transformation stage?

That's a lie to ghosts; even ghosts would shake their heads in disbelief.

The only reasonable explanation is that Gu Changjin is no longer the Golden Core cultivator whose lifespan is about to end, nor is he a newly promoted Nascent Soul cultivator.

He most likely reached the late stage of the Nascent Soul realm very early on.

They had even been standing at the threshold of the Nascent Soul stage for some time.

All those previous events—the Gu family tragedy, the Nascent Soul Ceremony, the frontline battles—were just an act by this Gu Daojun, or rather, a worldly cultivation of the heart.

The thought that he had actually become sworn brothers with a great cultivator who was about to become a Nascent Soul cultivator, sharing profits, acting together, and swindling resources from the sect together was truly shocking.

Li Chenyuan broke out in a cold sweat; he had almost gotten himself into trouble, but luckily he was smart enough to know what was going on.

Fortunately, I didn't actually fall out with this cunning old man... this senior.

Gu Changjin glanced at Li Chenyuan and knew what he was imagining.

However, he was too lazy to explain; it was fine if others patched the loopholes themselves.

Gu Changjin was no stranger to the cultivation world of the Western Wilderness.

The true foundation of these great sects has never been limited to just a few Nascent Soul cultivators or Supreme Elders.

The Xuan Yang Sect has its own Nascent Soul cultivators, as does the Chi Xiao Sect; all the major sects in the Western Wilderness have them.

However, those Nascent Soul Dao Lords rarely stay in the sect.

Five hundred years ago, when Gu Changjin was only at the Foundation Establishment stage, the Nascent Soul ancestor of the Xuan Yang Sect, along with Nascent Soul ancestors from several other major sects, left the Western Wilderness and followed the old road that their ancestors had used to open up the Central Continent's Great Luo Heaven Domain, heading to the Central Region to explore.

These major sects were originally pioneers.

They all came from Zhongzhou, and their cultivation methods, lineages, and social circles were far superior to those of the small sects that had grown up in the Western Wilderness.

Therefore, it's not without reason that the leaders of these major sects look down on these local small and medium-sized sects and independent cultivators.

You are just a rogue cultivator at the Nascent Soul stage, from a small sect. Your cultivation techniques are incomplete, your grotto-heaven is not fully formed, and your knowledge is shallow. What makes you think you can compare with cultivators of the same level from major sects?

The so-called great sects are those whose ancestors produced Nascent Soul cultivators, and some even still have Nascent Soul cultivators traveling outside.

As for the minor sects, they were just grasses that slowly grew after the Western Wilderness was reclaimed.

They're not even in the same circle.

Now that Gu Changjin has attained the Dao and transformed into a Divine Being, his status within the Xuan Yang Sect has completely changed.

Even if the Nascent Soul ancestor of the sect who had gone far away to the Central Region returned, he would still address him as a fellow Daoist.

As for the Nascent Soul Grandmasters within the sect today?

Sorry, but from now on, they'll have to consider Gu Changjin's expression before discussing anything.

Gu Changjin snapped out of his thoughts.

Now that he has attained the Dao and become a deity, it's time to find an opportunity to refine his natal spirit sword, which has been fused with the Star Sword Embryo.

However, this matter is not urgent. Reforging the Divine Sword requires top-grade blood sacrifice items.

Right now, there's a ready-made material waiting for him.

Pei Xuandu, a famous Nascent Soul cultivator.

Moreover, when Gu Qingxiao and Gu Xiaolou accidentally entered the Mystic Realm of Transformation, Pei Xuan even dared to invite him to discuss Dao outside the Mystic Realm.

He was only in the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm before, so he had to do more calculations.

Now? Discussing the Dao?

Then all I can do is reward him with a chance to discuss the Dao with the Nascent Soul Dao Lord.

Li Chenyuan was quick-witted and observant.

Suddenly inspired, he quickly took out a jade slip from his sleeve and presented it with both hands.

"Senior, this is the information I found out earlier."

Pei Xuandu is currently outside the Luoxia Mountains in the westernmost part of the Western Wilderness.

"That mysterious realm is called Falling Star Ancient Ruins, which is about 70,000 miles away from the Broken Cloud Mountains."

"The two younger members of the Gu family should be inside the secret realm."

Gu Changjin took the jade slip and scanned it with his divine sense.

It contained not only a map, but also marked Pei Xuandu's location, the outer formation of the secret realm, nearby sects and forces, and recent news from the Chixiao Sect's spies.

The detailed and thoughtful explanation made Gu Changjin nod in approval.

"good."

"You've got potential, kid."

Li Chenyuan felt relieved and quickly lowered his head.

"I dare not accept such praise. It is an honor for me to serve you, senior."

Gu Changjin looked out of the Broken Cloud Mountains.

"This battle is almost over."

Li Chenyuan's heart tightened, fearing that this newly promoted Nascent Soul Dao Lord would make exorbitant demands.

Should I bring up some old ties with my sect's ancestors then? Or...?

Gu Changjin said calmly, "The Xuan Yang Sect has won."

"The Crimson Cloud Sect retreated three thousand miles."

"This battle ends here."

Li Chenyuan's lips twitched slightly, but he secretly breathed a sigh of relief; it was within his expectations.

Even though it's only three thousand miles, it's still a considerable price to pay.

This means that all the spiritual veins, affiliated sects, resources, and spirit mines within these three thousand miles must be given up.

Of course, the most crucial point is that these three thousand miles were still lost in his own hands.

But he quickly realized what was happening.

No, what do you mean by "losing three thousand miles for the sect"?

In front of a newly promoted Nascent Soul Dao Lord, he lost three thousand miles just for the sake of his sect.

The Crimson Cloud Sect shouldn't punish him; they should reward him!

Once the logic made sense, Li Chenyuan immediately cupped his hands in respect.

"I understand."

"The Crimson Cloud Sect shall immediately retreat three thousand miles and never again provoke the Xuan Yang army."

Gu Changjin then looked at Yue Mingchuan.

Yue Mingchuan immediately stepped forward, bowed respectfully, and awaited the imperial decree.

"This junior is here!"

"Lead the army to advance."

"We've taken the spiritual veins that were rightfully ours, and we've taken over the affiliated sects that were rightfully ours."

"Military merits, compensation, and resource allocation shall be handled according to the rules."

Yue Mingchuan's voice trembled with excitement; there was no way around it, the credit was too great.

Moreover, this person has already attained the Nascent Soul stage and would not bother competing for merit with a junior like myself. But for me, this is an immense fortune!

"This junior obeys! I will certainly handle the matter well and satisfy His Majesty!"

Gu Changjin understood immediately, smiled and nodded, then said no more. He took a step forward, his figure transformed into a beam of light, and instantly disappeared into the sky above the Broken Cloud Mountains.

The direction in which the spiritual light disappeared was precisely the Luoxia Mountains in the westernmost region.

Li Chenyuan stared at the void where Gu Changjin had disappeared, remaining silent for a long time.

A moment later, he let out a soft breath.

"Pei Xuandu, oh Pei Xuandu."

"You're really done for this time."

"The first newly promoted Nascent Soul cultivator in the Western Wilderness in a thousand years has actually been provoked by you."

I don't know whether to say you're lucky or not.

"I'm just unlucky."