I fabricated myths to guide the revival of spiritual energy.

The helicopter's rotors tore through the thin air of the plateau.

The moment Li Guozhong and Zhao Feng jumped off the plane, they both felt a chill run down their spines.

Even though they had seen it countless times on satellite images before coming, when they stood on this land with their own eyes and looked up at the spectacle overhead, all words seemed pale and powerless.

What should have been the core area of ​​the Nalenggele Canyon now has a huge, bottomless pit in the ground, as if some great force had forcibly dug a piece of the earth away.

Above the deep pit, at an altitude of about two thousand meters.

A majestic main peak, defying the laws of physics, silently floats there.

Clouds and mist swirl around the mountainside, and countless silver waterfalls cascade down the edge of the suspended mountain, only to dissipate into mist in mid-air, forming dazzling rainbows.

The sunlight shone unhindered on the magnificent palaces atop the mountain, and the reflected golden light made the entire mountain look like a sun hanging in the sky.

"This is... a miracle."

Li Guozhong tightened his grip on the red document bag in his hand. He had seen countless grand occasions in his life, but at this moment, his palms were sweaty.

This is not a meeting with the head of state of some major power, nor is it a negotiation of any border treaty.

He was going to meet a living "myth".

"Chief, how do we get up there?"

Zhao Feng tilted his head back, his Adam's apple bobbing. "That's two thousand meters above the ground, and there's an extremely terrifying magnetic storm around it. Helicopters simply can't get close."

indeed.

Surrounding the floating mountains was a visible ring of purple lightning. That was the [Nine Heavens Thunder Tribulation Array (Pseudo)] that Gu Qing had spent a fortune to acquire, both for defense and for show.

Li Guozhong took a deep breath and straightened his Zhongshan suit, which was completely wrinkle-free.

Instead of using a megaphone, he faced the floating immortal mountain, focused his energy in his dantian, and shouted with all his might:

"Special Envoy of China, Li Guozhong!"

"By order of the leader, I have come to pay my respects at the mountain with a letter of state!"

"Please—Immortal Master, grant me an audience!!"

The sound echoed across the vast plateau, scattered by the cold wind.

one second.

two seconds.

Ten seconds passed.

Apart from the thunder, there was no response from the sky.

Zhao Feng's expression was somewhat grim: "Chief, what if he...?"

"Wait," Li Guozhong interrupted him, his posture as straight as a pine tree. "Liu Bei had to wait in the snow when he visited Zhuge Liang's thatched cottage three times. We're seeking the path to immortality; don't we have even that much patience?"

The moment Li Guozhong finished speaking.

hold head high--!!

A clear and resounding dragon roar suddenly erupted from the clouds.

Immediately afterwards, the purple lightning that had enveloped the mountain suddenly parted to the sides, as if to welcome a king.

A golden avenue, visible to the naked eye, stretched out from the entrance of the Taiqing Palace in the clouds, like a golden carpet, spanning a vertical drop of two thousand meters, and lay straight down to Li Guozhong and Zhao Feng's feet.

The golden light wasn't dazzling; instead, it carried a warm, gentle glow. Stepping on it even gave it a tangible feel.

"We are sorry for failing to greet our distinguished guest properly."

That ethereal, indifferent yet authoritative voice rang in their ears.

"Come on up."

Li Guozhong and Zhao Feng exchanged a glance.

Without hesitation, the two stepped onto the "Golden Road" leading to the Heavenly Court.

……

On the Golden Road

This is an extremely wonderful experience.

Despite the sheer drop beneath their feet, walking on the band of light felt like walking on flat ground. As they ascended, the vehicles and tents on the ground gradually shrank to the size of ants.

As a special forces soldier, Zhao Feng instinctively observed his surroundings.

"The air here... feels off."

He whispered, "The oxygen content is extremely high, and with each breath, the fatigue in my body subsides. Is this what they call 'Reiki'?"

Li Guozhong nodded without speaking. His gaze remained fixed on the magnificent palace that was drawing ever closer.

Finally, the two stepped through the last meter of golden light and stood on the huge square paved entirely with white marble.

The scene before them once again assaulted their retinas.

Eight colossal dragon pillars support the sky, and an enormous incense burner burns with unknown spices, the smoke swirling into the shape of auspicious beasts.

And in the very center of that hall, atop the high steps.

A young man dressed in a black robe with long hair draped over his shoulders stood with his back to them, hands behind his back, looking at the surging sea of ​​clouds in the distance.

He didn't turn around.

But as he stood there, it was as if he were the center of this world. The wind, the clouds, and even the light around him seemed to pulsate with his breath.

"Li Guozhong and Zhao Feng of China."

Li Guozhong stepped forward, picked up the red document bag with both hands, and bowed deeply.

"Greetings, Immortal Master."

This bow represents not only his personal gesture, but also the entire secular regime's respect for the extraordinary power.

Gu Qing slowly turned around.

This time, he did not use clouds and mist to cover his face or use spiritual light to blur his figure. Now he was no longer afraid of mundane means, and naturally he no longer needed to be as cautious as before.

The moment that face came into full view of Li Guozhong and Zhao Feng, both of them involuntarily held their breath.

What kind of face did she have?

But at this moment, Gu Qing's skin was as clear and translucent as jade, as if even his pores were breathing in spiritual energy, without a single flaw. His eyebrows and eyes were as exquisite as an ink painting, possessing both the youthful handsomeness and the vicissitudes of time.

What's most unsettling are those eyes.

Those were not human eyes. Deep and dark as an eternal night, with stars seemingly rising and falling slowly within the pupils. When he looked at him, Li Guozhong felt as if he were gazing into an endless abyss, a gaze that conveyed both compassion for all living beings and absolute indifference as if all things were mere straw dogs.

This is a shock that transcends the concepts of "beauty" and "ugliness".

This is an absolute sense of oppression brought about by a leap in the level of life—like an ant facing a dragon, instinctively wanting to submit.

The system had already activated "Divine Pressure" to its maximum. At this moment, in the eyes of mortals, Gu Qing seemed to be shrouded in a faint glow, like an immortal who had stepped out of an ancient scroll, untouched by the dust of the mortal world.

This was the first time Li Guozhong and Zhao Feng had seen Gu Qing's true face, and both of them were shocked. The face had a vague sense of familiarity, but they dared not have any other thoughts, and could only suppress all their emotions deep in their hearts.

"No need for such formalities."

Gu Qing waved her hand gently.

A gentle yet irresistible force lifted Li Guozhong and Zhao Feng, preventing them from bending over any further.

"I know why you have come."

Gu Qing walked down the steps, and with each step, a phantom blue lotus bloomed beneath her feet, a natural and harmonious Daoist charm.

He approached the two of them, his eyes, which seemed to see through everything, swept over the red file folder, and a half-smile curled at the corner of his mouth, instantly adding a touch of "humanity" to the originally cold hall.

"You want me to come out of seclusion?"

Li Guozhong felt as if all his secrets were laid bare under those eyes, and even his heartbeat became uncontrollable. He suppressed his shock and presented the letter of credence with both hands.

"Yes, sir."

"Those nine children were lucky, but for China's 1.4 billion people, it's just a drop in the ocean."

"The void is coming; this is your warning to the world."

"Since disasters affect all of humanity, then... power should also belong to all of humanity."

Li Guozhong raised his head, his eyes revealing a tragic and resolute look:

"The nation is willing to devote all its resources to cooperating with you, sir."

"We don't need your obedience, we only ask that you..."

He paused, then uttered that weighty word:

"To serve as the Imperial Advisor."

"Possessing a rank equivalent to a vice-national leader, you enjoy supreme decision-making power. For matters involving extraordinary fields, your word is sufficient to make the decision."

Zhao Feng, who was standing to the side, was terrified.

Imperial Advisor.

This ancient title has almost disappeared in modern society. It means that the state is willing to relinquish some of its "governing power" or even "military power" to this young man.

Gu Qing did not reach out to take the document.

He simply looked quietly at Li Guozhong, at this old man who had devoted his entire life to serving the country.

After a moment, Gu Qing smiled.

It wasn't the kind of condescending mockery, but rather a smile tinged with slight relief.

"The Imperial Advisor?"

Gu Qing shook his head, turned around, and walked back to the jade throne.

"Fame is nothing to me. If I wanted power, I could make the emperor of this planet with a flick of my wrist. Do you believe me?"

That's incredibly arrogant.

But Li Guozhong and Zhao Feng both remained silent.

Looking at the celestial mountain suspended two thousand meters in the air, and at the man before them who was so perfect he seemed almost inhuman, they had no choice but to believe. If Gu Qing truly wanted to rule the world, whether current nuclear weapons could even hit him was a question.

"but……"

Gu Qing's voice suddenly turned serious.

He turned around abruptly and waved his sleeve.

boom!

The air in the entire Taiqing Hall froze instantly.

"I will not be an emperor, nor will I be a national advisor."

"Because what I have to do is much harder than these."

Gu Qing stretched out a finger and pointed to the sky above.

"Do you think I'm cultivating immortality on the mountain?"

"No."

"I'm building a dam."

Gu Qing raised his hand and waved.

The next moment, in the vast universe, the projection of that incomparably powerful void army suddenly unfolded before the two of them.

"One year from now, the first wave will arrive. It won't be the flood you think of; it will be a swarm of insects that can devour even steel."

Gu Qing stared at Li Guozhong, her eyes like knives:

"Director Li, do you think these nine outer disciples can hold them off?"

Li Guozhong, pale-faced, shook his head: "We can't stop it."

"Can your missiles and nuclear weapons stop it?"

"...In most cases, it won't be able to stop it."

"so."

Gu Qing walked up to Li Guozhong and took the red file bag from his hand.

But he didn't open it; instead, he casually placed it on the table beside him.

"I don't need this title of Imperial Advisor."

"But I accept your 'request'."

Gu Qing's gaze passed through the main hall and landed on the vast land of China outside.

"I will come out of seclusion."

"But I won't come down the mountain to be your advisor or mascot."

"Since we're going to cooperate, then let's do it my way."

Gu Qing turned around, looked at the two of them, and said, word by word:

"I want to turn Kunlun into a university."

"A war academy that teaches people how to kill, how to survive, and how to defy fate."

"I will transform cultivation into a system that can be replicated, mass-produced, and used to form combat power."

"And you..."

Gu Qing stretched out her hand and pointed at Li Guozhong.

"What you need to do is to continuously supply me with 'military personnel' and... tilt the entire country's resources toward me."

Li Guozhong's eyes suddenly lit up.

Academy!

This is far more valuable than simply having a "national advisor"! A national advisor is just one person, while an academy... represents inheritance and mass production!

This is exactly what the nation desires most!

"Sir!" Li Guozhong's voice trembled with excitement, "As long as you're willing to make this exception... whatever you want, just name it!"

Gu Qing nodded and sat back down on the chilling jade throne.

He regained his indifferent expression, but a glint of shrewdness shone deep in his eyes.

"very good."

"Since your superior sent you with blank checks, then I won't stand on ceremony."

Gu Qing held up two fingers.

"I want two things."

"First, is the earth."

"Secondly, it's people."