Chapter 770: Desperate Situation, The God of Timing? (2-in-1)
"Damn it."
Somewhere in the void, Chu Ruoyao's body was already covered in several wounds of varying sizes.
She stood amidst a shattered star field, her aura surging and her face slightly pale.
Around her, dozens of figures had her completely surrounded.
Each of their auras was extremely thick, incomparable to ordinary Quasi-Emperor Ninth Layer cultivators, and their gazes were sharp and filled with greed.
"Woman, you've already run this far. Are you still going to be so stubborn?"
A burly man stepped forward, holding a giant axe, greed flashing in his eyes. "You can't keep that supreme emperor weapon. You'd be better off handing it over obediently. My Chongyue Immortal Palace might even offer you protection."
Behind him, several other burly men also began to jeer, "Exactly, why continue this futile resistance?"
Shi Potian finally stepped out, holding a greatsword. "My Chongyue Immortal Palace is thirsty for talent. If you are willing to hand over the emperor weapon, I can recommend you as the next Saintess of the Immortal Palace."
"Saintess?"
Chu Ruoyao sneered, her gaze sweeping over Shi Potian with eyes full of mockery. "A bottom-tier bunch from the Ten Immortal Palaces like you... you think you're worthy of shouting in front of me?"
Shi Potian's face instantly darkened.
"What did you say?!"
The disciples of the Chongyue Immortal Palace behind him also flew into a rage.
"Presumptuous! How dare you insult our Chongyue Immortal Palace!"
"You're looking for death!"
The man leading them with the stone axe was beyond furious. His body suddenly swelled, his muscles bulging like a moving mountain.
He raised the giant axe high, carrying a world-destroying momentum as he swung it down toward Chu Ruoyao's head!
As the axe light passed, the void split open, like a violent strike cleaving down from another world.
"Chongyue Thirteenth Form—Heaven Splitting!"
The other Chongyue Immortal Palace disciples also attacked, and the onlookers, unwilling to be left behind, poured down countless attacks like a torrential rain.
Facing such an onslaught, Chu Ruoyao's expression was cold as she held a magnificent pipa across her lap.
The body of the instrument was slender with smooth lines, a deep purplish-red color like clouds dyed by the sunset.
On the face of the pipa, faint phantoms of flowing star rivers and rising and falling suns and moons appeared, emitting a heart-palpitating pressure.
As soon as it appeared, an illusory and magnificent aura enveloped the surrounding thousand-foot radius.
It was the thousand illusions pipa!
Although it hadn't fully recovered, it was originally an immortal artifact and could still exert power no less than that of a supreme emperor weapon.
Held in Chu Ruoyao's hands now, magnificent colors swirled around her, making her look as ethereal and extraordinary as a goddess from the nine heavens.
Her eyes narrowed slightly as her slender fingers gently rested on the strings.
Zheng—
A soft sound.
A seemingly casual pluck, yet it sounded like celestial music from the nine heavens, instantly echoing through the entire void.
Wherever the sound of the pipa passed, the cultivators' attacks froze in mid-air.
The music curled through the air, dreamlike and illusory.
Sword light, blade flashes, axe momentum, fist energy... countless world-destroying attacks were fixed in place, unable to move.
Time seemed to stand still at this moment.
Illusory colors flashed in the eyes of the cultivators, and faint smiles remained on their lips, as if they were immersed in some wonderful dream from which they could not extricate themselves.
Inside Shi Potian's mental world.
A massive attack fell, successfully crushing Chu Ruoyao into dust.
Both the thousand illusions pipa and the previous spear emperor weapon fell into his hands. The young man was in high spirits, sweeping through all directions, and everyone present was completely won over.
He fought his way through, seized the sun-shooting bow, and became famous throughout the Three Thousand Dao Domains.
Finally, he became the Palace Master of the Chongyue Immortal Palace, with countless people prostrating at his feet in worship.
Under his leadership, the immortal locks were shattered; he became an immortal and an ancestor, with eternal life in sight.
Sitting on the throne, Shi Potian's lips curled up unconsciously into a smug arc.
"I am the venerable of the world! I am the lord of all under heaven!!"
Unrestrained and wild.
But—faintly, something seemed wrong.
An Ancient Freak was an Ancient Freak after all; his heart toward the Dao was incredibly firm. One who could give up the temptation of becoming an Emperor to seal themselves away, seeking only a higher breakthrough, would not completely lose themselves to this fleeting fame and power.
"No, it won't be this simple. My Dao... what is my Dao?!!"
"You can't even simulate real Dao laws, yet you want to deceive me!!"
Feeling the vast but hollow power within his body, Shi Potian was completely enraged.
The path he wanted to achieve was the most fierce, domineering, and terrifyingly supreme Dao in this world—a world-shaking Great Dao that would make the entire universe tremble.
For this, he had not hesitated to pay any price, even sealing himself for several lifetimes. But now... all of this seemed achieved, yet it was empty and substanceless.
This was the ultimate desecration and mockery. In his immense shame and fury, he actually managed to forcibly break free from the constraints of the thousand illusions pipa's music.
In the outside world.
After confirming that everyone had fallen into the illusion, Chu Ruoyao dragged her sluggish fingers across the strings.
Zheng—
The music changed, becoming as cold and sharp as a blade.
The originally dreamlike melody suddenly turned into a song of slaughter, like thousands of horses galloping forth, as the gates of the Nine Serene Hells swung wide open!
The cultivators immersed in the illusion didn't even have time to pull back the smiles on their faces.
Puchi—
Puchi—
Successive sounds of spurting blood rang out as blood blossomed everywhere.
The heads of over a dozen cultivators flew off simultaneously, and their bodies were sliced into pieces.
Blood splattered, dyeing the entire void red.
"Ah—!!"
"What's happening?!"
"My hand! My hand!!"
Screams rose one after another. The cultivators who were lucky enough not to die woke up as if from a dream, crying out in terror as they scrambled to set up defenses against Chu Ruoyao's sonic blade assault.
But it was too late. Most low-grade emperor weapon armor could not withstand this terrifying power, and their spiritual energy shields were like paper.
Swish, swish, swish. Like harvesting wheat, countless cultivators fell in batches.
Until the world fell silent, Chu Ruoyao put down the thousand illusions pipa and gasped for breath.
Her face was as pale as paper, fine beads of sweat broke out on her forehead, and a trace of blood leaked from the corner of her mouth.
The thousand illusions pipa was incredibly powerful. If used with the cultivation of a Great Emperor Sixth Heaven, it would be as easy as moving one's own arm, like adding wings to a tiger.
But she only had a Quasi-Emperor Ninth Layer cultivation now. The consumption of such vast spiritual and mental energy was an extremely heavy burden.
That song just now had consumed a massive amount of her strength.
"Damn it... if my cultivation wasn't suppressed... how could I be in such a pathetic state..."
She cursed in a low voice, raising her hand to wipe the blood from her lips.
"No, I have to find Gu Yun. Otherwise, even I might be in danger."
At this life-or-death moment, she could no longer care about her pride.
Just as she was about to leave—
Boom!!
A terrifying fluctuation approached from a distance in an instant, and a figure smashed through the void like a cannonball.
Chu Ruoyao's pupils suddenly constricted. On her chest, a light red piece of armor instantly burst with light, protecting her within.
But the violent impact still sent her body flying. She only managed to stop after smashing through several small asteroids in a row.
Chu Ruoyao knelt on a shattered asteroid, coughing up large amounts of blood. The light of the armor on her chest was dim, and it was nearly broken.
She looked up at the figure that had suddenly appeared.
Shi Potian.
He was no longer as composed as before. His aura surged wildly, his eyes were as red as blood, and he stared fixedly at the thousand illusions pipa in Chu Ruoyao's hand.
"Good... what a fine illusion..."
He spoke through gritted teeth, his voice hoarse and crazed.
"I almost, almost got lost in there..."
Dragging his body, which was riddled with holes from the sonic blades, he moved with difficulty, walking toward Chu Ruoyao step by step.
"As expected of an Ancient Freak. You're truly not that easy to deal with."
Chu Ruoyao gritted her teeth, struggling to stand up.
That strike just now had injured her too severely.
A heavy sword has no edge; great skill lies in simplicity.
Once Shi Potian's wide-open offensive style landed a direct hit, the damage caused was simply incalculable.
The mid-grade emperor weapon heart-protecting mirror on her chest was completely shattered, leaving only a High-Grade Emperor Weapon inner armor to protect her body.
Inevitably, her internal organs suffered violent shocks, and the spiritual energy in her body was in complete disarray.
She forced herself up but could only remain half-kneeling on the asteroid, gasping for breath.
"Run. Why aren't you running anymore?"
Shi Potian approached step by step. With every step he took, the asteroid beneath his feet crumbled into dust.
The wounds on his body carved by the sonic blades were gushing blood, staining his burly frame red.
But his eyes were frighteningly bright right now.
It was a crazed light, the final madness of a beast on the brink of collapse.
"It hurts. Do you know? It really hurts."
"One million and two hundred thousand years. It's been so long since I first began my slumber."
"I've entered the Emperor Road, which opens once every hundred thousand years, three times already."
"I gave up three chances to become an Emperor. Every time, I told myself: wait a bit longer, wait a bit longer. The best era is coming. When it does, the name Shi Potian will echo through the entire Three Thousand Dao Domains!"
"Now... that era has finally arrived."
"But you... you almost made me die here, ruining my million-year wait."
He had already reached a position close to Chu Ruoyao, his voice becoming incredibly low: "I am very angry."
As his voice fell, he suddenly raised the greatsword in his hand!
The giant sword named "Po Tian" was held high above his head. Mysterious patterns appeared on the blade, emitting a heart-palpitating pressure!
"This strike will send you on your way!"
The greatsword slashed down!
No fancy techniques, only the purest, most violent power!
Buzz—
The void shook. The greatsword fell, but it only slammed heavily onto the asteroid.
Chu Ruoyao's figure flickered, and she had somehow appeared three hundred feet away.
Shi Potian turned his head abruptly with a gruesome smile: "You actually still have strength left."
"Excellent. This way, perhaps it won't be so boring!"
He reached out with a grab. The ground between them seemed to shorten in an instant. Chu Ruoyao felt an incredibly strong push against her back, and her whole body flew toward Shi Potian uncontrollably!
Immortal Palace Secret Art—Shrinking Earth to an Inch!
Shi Potian grinned and threw a punch with his right hand. This punch held nothing back.
Chu Ruoyao couldn't dodge in time and had to take the punch head-on.
The terrifying force made her feel as if this avatar was about to explode, but she still gritted her teeth and endured.
At the same time, the One Qi into Three Pures secret art was activated.
Two other avatars immediately appeared from two different directions.
One held a spear, the other a sword.
The spearman aimed for his lower body, while the swordsman aimed to decapitate him.
Caught off guard, Shi Potian only had time to block one of them with his sword.
Ding!
A crisp sound of clashing metal.
The longsword failed to cut off Shi Potian's head, but the spear directly pierced through his lower body.
A shrill scream echoed. Chu Ruoyao felt a pang of regret, then hastily dodged Shi Potian's furious counterattack.
Both of them were heavily injured, and neither had the means for a one-hit kill, so they could only remain locked in a long, drawn-out struggle.
In the shadows.
A figure had been watching this scene from the beginning. It was none other than the Child of Destiny—Su Chen!
"It's that red-clothed woman with the highest return multiplier!!"
Su Chen's eyes lit up instantly. If he remembered correctly, this woman's return multiplier was—four thousand times!
So what if the Sword Fairy died? The woman before him was stronger, more beautiful, and had an even higher return multiplier!
"Heaven is helping me! Heaven is truly helping me!"
Su Chen was so excited he was trembling all over, almost laughing out loud.
But he forcibly suppressed his inner ecstasy and calmed himself down.
The more critical the moment, the less one should rush.
Because his system had a special function: normally it only returned resources according to a fixed multiplier, but if his gift was timely assistance in a crisis, it would trigger a ten-thousand-fold critical hit!
What might have been an ordinary emperor weapon could potentially become a supreme emperor weapon after a ten-thousand-fold critical hit.
And a supreme emperor weapon could potentially return... an immortal artifact!
At this thought, Su Chen's breathing became rapid.
An immortal artifact!
That was an immortal artifact!!
Besides the Immortal Ancient Families, what other power in the Three Thousand Dao Domains possessed an immortal artifact?
If he truly obtained one, wouldn't he be able to walk horizontally through the Three Thousand Dao Domains?!
Thinking about how he was about to turn his life around, Su Chen suppressed his inner agitation.
The battle was currently in its white-hot stage. Stepping in now might earn that woman's favor, but it would definitely not earn her heartfelt gratitude. It would likely be difficult to trigger the critical hit return.
He had to wait until Chu Ruoyao was truly in a desperate situation, on the verge of death, and then descend like a god from heaven to save her. Only then could he maximize his benefits!
With this in mind, Su Chen was in no hurry to act. He stared intently at the battlefield, a crazed light flashing in his eyes.
"Quick, go on, give it some effort! Big guy, what's the use of being so huge if you can't even handle one woman?"
Su Chen secretly cheered for Shi Potian. As time ticked by, Chu Ruoyao finally reached her limit.
Her true body's aura was withered, and her two avatars could no longer sustain themselves.
Shi Potian was also in a bad way, covered in blood with wounds crisscrossing his body.
But a surge of fury drove him forward: "Die for me!!"
Shi Potian roared, lifting his greatsword with all his might. Spiritual energy surged wildly as he condensed all his power into this one strike!
Su Chen's heart stirred.
A great opportunity!
Now is the time!!
"You scoundrel, let go of that girl..."
He leaped out, but then he was completely dumbfounded.
//771//
Chapter 771: The Child of Destiny Becomes a Deserter; Shi Potian's Threat
"You madman—"
Su Chen leaped into the air, his internal spiritual power surging wildly as he prepared to make his entrance in the most dashing way possible.
He even specifically adjusted his angle to ensure that when he descended from the heavens, Chu Ruoyao would get a clear look at his handsome face.
His previous thoughts flashed wildly in his mind, making his blood boil with excitement.
As the saying goes, a carp leaps over the Dragon Gate; the opportunity was right before his eyes.
However—
Just as he was about to charge out, he suddenly felt his vision go blurry.
A wild, unrestrained wave of air swept toward him from directly ahead, carrying a world-destroying momentum that sent him flying backward.
"Holy crap, what is that?!!"
Su Chen only had time to let out a cry of alarm before he was sent flying like a kite with a broken string.
The endless airwaves were like bone-scraping steel knives, wildly tearing at his body.
His protective spiritual power collapsed instantly, his clothes were shredded into rags, and countless fine bloody gashes appeared on his skin.
"Aaaahhh—!!!"
He screamed, somersaulting hundreds of times in the air before crashing heavily onto a meteorite thousands of miles away!
Boom!!
The meteorite exploded, and debris flew everywhere.
Su Chen lay among the rubble, coughing up large amounts of blood, soaked in gore, looking pathetic to the extreme.
He struggled to climb up, only to find that his legs wouldn't obey him at all.
"Wha... what's going on..."
he murmured, his eyes filled with terror.
The remnants of his divine sense imprinted the scene that had just occurred into his mind. Through the haze, he saw a sight he would never forget for the rest of his life—
A figure in black robes was standing in front of Chu Ruoyao.
His black hair flew in the wind, and his robes fluttered.
With just a light lift of his hand, he had blocked Shi Potian's full-strength sword strike.
The greatsword named "Po Tian" struck that hand and didn't budge an inch.
It was as if that wasn't flesh and blood, but eternal divine iron.
"How is it him again?!!"
Su Chen's eyes nearly split with rage. He had just been hit by the mere aftershocks of their collision and was sent flying.
He had observed that Shi Potian just now; although his strength was tyrannical, it was nowhere near this level.
As for the other person... during the previous operation to rescue the Sword Fairy, he had only thrown a flying sword at him from hundreds of miles away, yet he was beaten so badly he had to flee like a dog, barely escaping with his life.
Seeing the young man's arm already around Chu Ruoyao's slender waist, Su Chen finally realized: "No—!!!"
"I was clearly the one who came first!!"
Pfft—
Spitting out a large mouthful of blood, he fainted directly.
Of course, currently embedded in a meteorite, there was nothing he could do.
In the distance, having long noticed Su Chen's little movements, Gu Yun had quietly applied a tiny bit more force while blocking Shi Potian's attack.
[Ding! Host has disrupted the plans of the Child of Destiny Su Chen. Reward: 1,000 villain value. Su Chen's destiny value has decreased by 1,000 points.]
Originally, Chu Ruoyao wasn't part of Su Chen's destiny script, but because of his own appearance, the plot within the Tomb of Emperor Bailian had become bizarre.
The current harvest could be considered somewhat within expectations.
[Ding! Detected Child of Destiny Su Chen. Destiny Plunder Halo activated. Su Chen's destiny value decreased by 30,000 points. Great Luo Dao Pagoda seventh floor opening progress: (416,500/500,000).]
[Ding! Child of Destiny Su Chen has fainted. Luck Protection activated. Successfully plundered 50 system points.]
[Ding! Detected that Child of Destiny Su Chen has left the Tomb of Emperor Bailian.]
A series of system notifications rang out one after another, leaving Gu Yun momentarily stunned.
"Damn, wait, he just ran away like that?"
"I haven't even snatched the supreme emperor weapon in his hands yet!!"
However, he quickly calmed his mind.
He was, after all, a red-quality Child of Destiny and even possessed a system. He was definitely not someone the likes of Han Sanqian could compare to; it was only natural for such accidents to happen.
"Plundered some system points... it seems this time, I've affected his system's origin."
Withdrawing his gaze, he focused his attention on the enemy in front of him.
Shi Potian's giant sword was gripped firmly by him. The blade vibrated violently in his palm, letting out an overwhelmed wail.
"This... how is this possible?!"
Shi Potian's pupils shrank as he looked at the scene before him in disbelief.
He had always been known for his strength, believing in the principle that absolute power could break all techniques.
Relying on this simple and crude combat style, combined with his extraordinary talent, he had always been invincible.
Even when facing the world's geniuses on the Emperor Road, he still acted with ease.
But now—
He pushed his spiritual power to the limit, trying to pull back his greatsword.
However, this High-Grade Emperor Weapon, which was connected to his soul, was now like it was welded into Gu Yun's hand, motionless.
"Decent strength,"
Gu Yun said calmly, "If your attack had actually landed, wouldn't my little maid be covered in bruises?"
"How do you plan to compensate me?"
"Spirit stones, emperor weapons... whatever you want, I can compensate you."
"Young master, it's a misunderstanding. This is all just a misunderstanding. I am Shi Potian of the Chongyue Immortal Palace; you should have heard of my name."
"Once we leave this place, no matter what compensation you want, I can contact the Immortal Palace to give you a satisfactory answer."
As he spoke, he secretly observed Gu Yun's expression, hoping that mentioning the name of the Immortal Palace would make the other party wary.
Unfortunately, he was disappointed. Gu Yun's expression remained calm, without any change.
"A misunderstanding?"
"It began with greed and ends with fear."
"Who are you putting on this act for now?"
"Are all the disciples of the Chongyue Immortal Palace like you?"
"Truly boring."
The young man's mocking words were like needles.
Shi Potian's face turned pale and blue: "You dare to insult my Immortal Palace like this? Aren't you afraid that the elders of my palace will avenge me?"
"Sure. I know you likely have a hidden restriction on you; once you die, the Immortal Palace will be alerted."
"Since you know that, why don't you let me go obediently?"
Shi Potian seemed to see a glimmer of hope and spoke with blustering courage.
"If—"
Before he could finish his sentence, he saw the young man move. With a forceful squeeze and a flick, the Po Tian sword was tossed away.
The massive force almost sent Shi Potian flying along with it, but he was ultimately restrained.
A hand had already gripped his neck.
"Ugh—wugh!!"
Shi Potian was suddenly unable to breathe. His hands pressed against Gu Yun's arm, and his legs kicked incessantly.
"Threatening me?"
"Not bad, you have some guts."
"It's just a pity your background isn't good enough."
"Just a mere Chongyue Immortal Palace... do you think it... compared to the Eternal Imperial Dynasty—"
"How does it fare?"
Gu Yun smiled, a smile that spelled life or death.
Shi Potian's pupils shrank, his Adam's apple bobbed, and he managed to squeeze a few words through his lips: "You... you are..."
"Gu Yun?!!"
//772//
Chapter 772: Stubborn to the Very Last Breath
Shi Potian was dead. This Ancient Freak, who had dominated for three lifetimes, had completely fallen in such a frustrating manner within an ordinary secret realm.
He left this world carrying the most extreme fear and trembling, along with deep regret.
Of course... Gu Yun would not let him go so lonely. With Shi Potian's death, the Chongyue Immortal Palace was bound to be shaken. When that time came—
There would be many people to keep him company on the Yellow Springs Road. After all, a family should be kept together, neat and tidy.
Indeed... he truly was a great benefactor.
After simply refining Shi Potian into a pill, Gu Yun turned to look at Chu Ruoyao and smiled faintly. "Isn't this our invincible Demonic Cult's Blood Pipa?"
"How did you end up in such a state?"
Chu Ruoyao rolled her eyes at him but lacked the strength to kick him again.
She knelt on the meteorite, gasping for breath. Beneath her shattered chest armor, her blood-stained clothes clung tightly to her body.
"N-none of your business."
"Even if you hadn't come, I would have dealt with him myself."
As she spoke, she tried to force herself to stand up, but halfway there, her legs buckled and she fell back to her knees.
Gu Yun was quick and caught her with his arm.
"Alright, stop trying to act tough. Why are you putting on a front in front of me?"
As she was supported by him, the feeling of being protected in the young man's arms earlier flooded her heart, and the blush on her face deepened.
"I'm not acting, it's just... I'm just a bit exhausted."
"I'll be fine after a short rest."
"Right, right, right..."
Gu Yun looked at her while playing with the long spear that had fallen nearby, chuckling softly. "What a fool. It's just a supreme emperor weapon; was it worth risking your life like this?"
"You're truly ungrateful for my good intentions."
Chu Ruoyao leaned quietly against Gu Yun's shoulder. "Your weapon is a spear. This emperor weapon suits you well."
Gu Yun was slightly startled, then smiled. "So, our Senior Chu risked her life for me once again?"
"W-what do you mean 'for you'?!"
"I-I was just afraid that if you didn't get an emperor weapon, you wouldn't be able to enter the Final Room later and wouldn't be able to help me find the dragon tendon."
"O-otherwise, w-who would care if you lived or died!"
As expected of Chu Ruoyao; even though she was so weak she could barely stand, her mouth was still as stubborn as ever.
"Yes, yes. In honor of Senior Chu's kindness, I will certainly... do my duty!"
Gu Yun smiled in agreement, while pressing a hand against her shoulder, steadily pouring Myriad Transformation Power into her body.
Chu Ruoyao felt a warm, gentle power circulating through her limbs. The tearing pain quickly receded, and her lost strength began to slowly recover.
She couldn't help but let out a soft moan, her delicate body losing all its tension as she leaned gently against the young man's shoulder. "Your... your Myriad Transformation Power really is quite useful..."
"W-where are those little girls?"
"Why aren't they with you? Haven't you found them yet?"
"Them..."
"Are you sure you want to see them right now?"
Hearing this, a mischievous smile played on the corners of Gu Yun's mouth.
Chu Ruoyao's expression changed as she realized the impropriety of their current situation. "Wait, don't—"
She wanted to stop him, but it was already too late.
A whistling sound came from the distant void, and four figures approached from afar, quickly appearing within their field of vision.
It was Flame Princess, Moon Dance, Snow Thousand Years, and Xu Lingwei.
"Gu—"
"Yun!!!"
In the void, only Chu Ruoyao's embarrassed and indignant cry remained.
...
After briefly tending to Chu Ruoyao's injuries, the group set off on the journey toward the Final Room.
With the map as their guide, the way was not just smooth sailing but entirely unobstructed.
With no enemies blocking their path, the girls naturally began to tease one another.
And Chu Ruoyao, who was heavily injured and could only be carried on Gu Yun's back the whole way, naturally became the perfect target for their jests.
"Oh my, Sister Chu, it's fine. It's just an injury. Letting Brother Yun take care of you isn't something to be ashamed of."
"Stop struggling; recovering from your injuries is the most important thing."
Moon Dance leaned in, her lively eyes curving into crescents as she looked giggling at Chu Ruoyao, who was slumped on Gu Yun's back.
Chu Ruoyao's face turned red, and she turned her head away.
However, Flame Princess was on the other side. "Oh dear, some people used to look down on this and that before."
"How is it that now... you've become a burden yourself?"
Chu Ruoyao's face grew even redder, and she wished she could bury her head into Gu Yun's back.
"Go away, go away! All of you, get lost!"
A cheerful atmosphere filled the air.
"Big Brother, are you tired?"
"Not tired."
"Do you want some water? Or should we eat something before continuing?"
"No."
"Or maybe I should carry her. This is too hard on you."
The little sister, Xu Lingwei, sidled up to Gu Yun, rubbing her hands eagerly with eyes full of admiration and a desire to please.
"You, get lost already."
Gu Yun shot her a glare and spoke irritably.
"Got it."
The Spunky Girl immediately snapped to attention.
"Master, if the keys to the Final Room are supreme emperor weapons, we only have four weapons but six people. What should we do?"
Among everyone, only Snow Thousand Years remained relatively serious.
"The supreme emperor weapons will be of great use within the Final Room, but they are not the keys to enter it."
Gu Yun spoke calmly, "So, those of you who can refine them should do so. There will be a hard battle ahead."
"I'm not refining it; I don't like using spears."
Chu Ruoyao grumbled.
"Give it a rest. In your current state, you shouldn't go in at the end anyway. Just stay obediently inside the Great Luo Dao Pagoda to heal!"
Flame Princess slapped Chu Ruoyao's perky butt playfully and teased her.
"You!!"
Chu Ruoyao was about to explode with anger. She was being provoked constantly, constantly!!
That damned brat! Once her injuries were healed, she would definitely show her! Definitely!
"Alright, stop fooling around. Ruoyao, Flame Princess is right. Your current condition is not suitable for participating in the final battle."
"Enter the Great Luo Dao Pagoda. Your strength won't be suppressed there, and with the Great Dao Heavenly Spring nearby, your recovery speed will be faster."
"I... I know."
Chu Ruoyao murmured, her voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz.
"What did you say?"
"Y-you're not allowed to call me Ruoyao."
"S-show some respect, I'm a senior!"
The tsundere senior finally compromised and entered the pagoda. Flame Princess also entered to refine the departing fire tassel.
The four remaining outside advanced quickly. Soon, a towering palace became faintly visible.
"We're almost there!"
Moon Dance was slightly excited. In the previous battle, she had let Han Sanqian take the lead, and she hadn't had a chance to fight to her heart's content yet.
"Let's speed up and seize the initiative,"
Snow Thousand Years said, her jade-like feet lightly tapping the frost snow divine sword as a whistling sound suddenly rang out.
But just then, a stern shout rang out: "Halt!"
//773//
Chapter 773: Robbery
"Stop!"
A sharp shout exploded like thunder rolling in the void.
Everyone looked toward the sound and saw a figure standing with hands behind his back in front of the palace gate.
His golden robes fluttered, and his golden pupils were brilliant.
Golden light circulated around his body, and his pressure was as heavy as a mountain.
It was none other than the Ancient Freak of the Daluo Imperial Dynasty—Luo Lie.
He stood before the palace gate with his hands behind his back. As those golden eyes swept over Gu Yun and the others, his lips curled into a proud arc.
"This path is closed."
"If you're smart, hand over the supreme emperor weapons you're carrying, and I'll let you leave."
"Otherwise—"
He paused, and the golden light around him surged, transforming into golden sword shadows that hovered in the void, emitting a sharp killing intent.
"Don't blame me for being impolite."
Just as they were about to reach the final room, someone was blocking the way...
Well, that was normal, but to think they were actually blocking him?
Gu Yun's eyebrows furrowed slightly. He might have the title of Destiny, but he was the big villain.
Why was he being treated like a Child of Destiny?
Something was fishy. Gu Yun's divine sense spread out silently like invisible ripples.
The spreading ability of the Myriad Transformation Power was already the best among those of the same level, and with the great dao heavenly evolution diagram, he was like a tiger with wings.
Before long, he discovered a presence hidden in the shadows—
Qin Xiang!
This guy's aura was very well hidden, almost merging with the surrounding void.
Even Luo Lie hadn't discovered his traces. If those guys hadn't blocked the gate so tightly, Qin Xiang might have chosen to sneak in.
Now, this Child of Destiny was clearly in a bind.
"Another clone. Truly cautious."
Unlike when they were in the Ancient Continent, Gu Yun could now easily see through Qin Xiang's true nature.
Upon reaching this unsurprising conclusion, a faint smile appeared on Gu Yun's lips.
This Qin Xiang was indeed worthy of being a Stealth-style Child of Destiny.
Having suffered quite a bit at Gu Yun's hands back in the Ancient Continent, he was acting even more carefully now.
Gu Yun even doubted if the man's original body had actually entered this secret realm.
"Interesting. Hiding in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity?"
This kind of plot was actually quite common. When the story reached a certain point, the protagonist's power alone would be insufficient to deal with certain enemies.
At such times, they would call upon friends for a hearty team battle.
As for a guy like Qin Xiang, he was likely planning to take advantage of the chaos to scavenge some benefits.
Originally, this position of mine should have been held by the simp protagonist, Su Chen. He would have followed the Sword Fairy here, and then during the battle with Luo Lie, their feelings would have blossomed, or he would have used his Ten Thousandfold Return System to turn the tables, successfully allowing a nobody like Su Chen to gain the Sword Fairy's attention.
Meanwhile, Qin Xiang would have taken advantage of the chaos to enter the room first. In this way... you get to show off, and I get the head start.
It could be called a way for both parties to get what they wanted.
But now, because of his intervention, the Sword Fairy was dead and Su Chen had fled.
With the two main protagonists of the script missing, the situation had naturally undergone incalculable changes.
Of course... for Qin Xiang, there might not be much of a difference.
No matter who it was, as long as they could get involved and cause chaos, he would have an opportunity!
"A smart choice indeed."
A faint smile curled on Gu Yun's lips.
"Hey, kid, His Highness is talking to you!"
"Are you deaf?!!"
Seeing Gu Yun's lack of reaction, a cultivator from the Daluo Imperial Dynasty spoke up impatiently.
Gu Yun, who was still calculating how to counter-trap Qin Xiang, raised his eyebrows at those words and shifted his gaze to the Daluo Imperial Dynasty cultivator.
Though he didn't say a word, his deep gaze still made the cultivator's heart tremble, causing him to subconsciously take a step back.
But remembering that his Highness was right behind him, he immediately straightened his back again.
"What are you looking at? I'm talking to you!"
"If you know what's good for you, hurry up and hand over the supreme emperor weapons, otherwise—"
Before he could finish, his voice cut off abruptly.
"Who is speaking?"
A cold and terrifying voice echoed through the area. In the next instant, Gu Yun teleported and appeared directly in front of him.
A slender hand was pressed gently against the man's head.
"Is it you?"
His voice was very soft and faint.
Yet it made the cultivator feel as if he had fallen into an ice cellar.
He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but found he couldn't make a sound.
Fear submerged him like a tidal wave.
"Since when did a bug... dare to interrupt?!"
Gu Yun glanced sideways at Luo Lie and then, under the latter's startled gaze, he squeezed hard!
Puchi—
The cultivator didn't even have time to scream before his entire body was crushed as if by an invisible giant hand, exploding into pieces.
A mist of blood filled the air, staining the void and Luo Lie's shocked face.
Fast, too fast.
The youth's voice was still echoing in the air, yet the cultivator beside him had already completely perished.
This wasn't just some random nobody, but a genius whose cultivation had reached the Quasi-Emperor Ninth Heaven.
He had died here just like that, so effortlessly.
"You—"
Luo Lie's pupils shrank, and a chill rose in his heart.
But he was, after all, the Golden Pupil Battle Body, a figure who had been invincible among Quasi-Emperors since ancient times. On the Emperor Road, he had faced countless challenges from the geniuses of later generations, yet without exception, they had all died at his hands.
He quickly suppressed the shock in his heart.
"Good, very good."
He said coldly, a dangerous light flashing in his golden eyes.
"You are the first who has dared to kill someone from my Daluo Imperial Dynasty."
"State your name. I, Luo Lie, do not kill nameless nobodies."
"Why is there someone talking again?"
Gu Yun frowned and turned away.
Luo Lie's expression shifted, eventually turning into one of extreme frigidity.
Ignored!
Blatantly ignored!
From start to finish, this youth before him hadn't even spared him a glance.
Preposterous!
"Hahaha, arrogant brat! It's been a long time since anyone dared to speak to me like that!"
"You... are the first!"
"Do you really think you're invincible just because you know a bit of the Law of Space?!"
He took a step forward, a divine glow shining brilliantly in his golden pupils.
"Today, I will show you what true invincibility in the same realm looks like!"
In the next instant, he appeared right beside Gu Yun, throwing a heavy, powerful punch.
Gu Yun used the Law of Space to dodge and appeared behind Luo Lie. The origin divine spear materialized in his hand, ready to pierce through the back of Luo Lie's heart.
However... as if he had foreknowledge, Luo Lie turned his head and grabbed the spear's shaft, a smug smile on his face.
"I've already seen through your movements!"
//774//
Chapter 774: Golden Pupil Battle Body
"Clairvoyance? Does he have the ability to predict the future? Is it the Law of Time?"
Watching from the side, Moon Dance broke into a cold sweat for Gu Yun.
"It shouldn't be the Law of Time."
"Time and space are one; when one is used, space is inevitably affected."
"But in his move just now, no such disturbance occurred."
Snow Thousand Years said.
"It should be those eyes..."
Flame Princess's voice was heavy: "The Golden Pupil Battle Body, capable of seeing through all illusions, the second-ranked ocular constitution in the world."
"Then the one ranked first is..."
"The Ancient Double Pupils."
...
"You're too slow. Now, it's my turn!"
A cold sneer curled on Luo Lie's lips. He gripped the spear shaft, pressing down heavily, and then threw out another punch.
His figure blurred instantly, like a reflection in water scattered by the wind, disappearing from his original spot.
However—
Luo Lie's punch also changed direction at the same moment, smashing fiercely toward the void three zhang to the left!
The wind from the punch howled, hitting its mark with precision.
Bang—
With a muffled thud, Gu Yun's figure had just solidified when he was blasted back dozens of zhang by the punch before coming to a stop.
"Interesting."
He patted the dust off his clothes and smiled faintly.
"I told you, it's useless."
Luo Lie stood with his hands behind his back, his golden pupils filled with arrogance.
"My Golden Pupils can see through all illusions and discern every trajectory."
"No matter how your Law of Space changes, it has nowhere to hide before them!"
"This is my greatest reliance for being invincible. From the very beginning of this battle, you had no chance of winning!"
"Is that so?"
"Are you sure... you can really see through everything?"
Gu Yun asked with a smile. At this moment, a layer of grey mist also veiled his eyes.
"Playing tricks!"
Luo Lie sneered, his golden pupils flashing as he stared fixedly at Gu Yun.
However, in the next moment, his pupils shrank slightly.
Gu Yun's movements were not fast; they were still the same as before.
But—
Pa!
The origin divine spear swept across and landed on his waist. Even though Luo Lie had predicted it long ago, his movements were forced to be half a beat slower, completely unable to keep up with Gu Yun's rhythm.
Luo Lie was sent flying horizontally, smashing through several meteorites before barely coming to a halt.
He clutched his waist, blood leaking from the corner of his mouth, his eyes filled with disbelief.
If not for a High-Grade Emperor Weapon protecting him, this single attack would have been enough to take his life!
"You—"
Before he could finish, Gu Yun's figure appeared before him again.
Without a word of nonsense, he thrust out his spear.
Ding—!
With a crisp sound, the armor on Luo Lie's chest split open and then instantly shattered into pieces.
It could only barely withstand Gu Yun's attack, and the violent force sent him flying backward once more.
Tsk."
"You certainly have a lot of treasures on you."
Gu Yun said, somewhat dissatisfied.
He chased directly in the direction Luo Lie had been sent flying.
However, Luo Lie's eyes had already lost focus from the shock.
His Golden Pupils could see Gu Yun's movements, the trajectory of the attacks, and everything else.
But his body's reaction speed simply couldn't keep up with Gu Yun's rhythm.
He clearly saw the direction the spear was thrusting, but his body didn't have time to dodge.
He clearly predicted where Gu Yun would appear, but when his fist smashed toward it, there was nothing there.
The power of time—of all the powers he knew, only it could achieve this!
"No, impossible! Why are you able to control the power of time? Why?!!"
Time and space were both among the most difficult laws in the world to comprehend.
If an ordinary cultivator could comprehend one of them at the Quasi-Emperor Realm, they would have a very high probability of taking the top spot on the Emperor Road.
Luo Lie had once encountered an enemy who mastered the Law of Space. If that opponent hadn't been too overconfident, he might not have been a match for him.
Since then, he had practiced hard on ways to counter the Law of Space.
This led him to discover that by skillfully using the power of his Golden Pupils, he could predict an opponent's movements through the flow and fluctuations of spiritual energy around them. This move was not only useful against ordinary enemies but also against those with the power of space.
To this end, he had specially trained many times, which led to his initial success against Gu Yun today.
But now, everything was different.
From the moment Gu Yun unleashed the Law of Time, victory had quietly approached his opponent.
"Even among Great Emperor experts, few can touch the Dao of Time!"
"You're just a kid at the Quasi-Emperor Ninth Layer, how can you?!"
He yelled hoarsely and hysterically.
But it was... useless!
Gu Yun stood with his spear, looking down at him from above.
The grey mist in his eyes had dissipated, returning to its usual calm.
"I know many things. Even the pupil technique you take pride in..."
"...is inferior to mine."
"No, impossible. My Golden Pupils are invincible in the world."
Although the outcome was decided, Luo Lie still refused to admit that his Golden Pupils were inferior to anyone else's.
"Invincible in the world?"
Hearing this, a faint smile curled on the corner of Gu Yun's mouth.
What he loved most was crushing his opponents in the fields they were best at.
Relying on this gave him a pleasure that exceeded the ordinary.
For example, now... his pupils underwent a strange change. His originally clear eyes became as deep as an abyss.
Deep within his pupils, it was as if the primordial chaos was just beginning.
The double pupils overlapped; the outer ring was pale gold like a deity descending to the mortal realm, while the inner ring was deep purple like the stars in the dark night.
Gazing into them felt like falling into an endless reincarnation.
With one look, they pierced through the ages.
Those were—the Double Pupils!
"What?!"
Luo Lie's pupils shrank violently, and his whole body froze as if struck by lightning.
What did he see?
The Double Pupils!
The legendary number one pupil technique, a forbidden existence that had gone extinct since ancient times!
"No, impossible... How could you possibly possess the Double Pupils?"
He murmured, his voice trembling.
The power of the Double Pupils was unparalleled in the world.
Compared to them, his Golden Pupils paled in comparison.
Like a firefly to the bright moon, an ant to a divine dragon.
"No..."
He let out a desperate roar, but Gu Yun gave him no further chance.
From within the Double Pupils, two beams of light shot out, instantly piercing through Luo Lie's brow!
Luo Lie stiffened abruptly, and the pupils in those golden eyes gradually dilated.
Shortly thereafter, his body also dissipated.
[Ding! Host has successfully killed the Ancient Freak Luo Lie. Reward: 8,000 villain value points.]
[Ding! Congratulations to the Host for obtaining: Golden Pupil Battle Body Origin *1.]
Quietly refining it, Gu Yun withdrew his gaze and returned to normal.
"The Golden Pupil Battle Body does indeed have some unique aspects."
Gu Yun thought to himself, refining it in an instant.
Glancing to the side, the four women had already completely wiped out the rest of the Daluo Imperial Dynasty's people.
These fellows could never have imagined until the moment they died that there were actually three monsters of the Ancient Freak level by Gu Yun's side!
Even if Luo Lie were to fight them one-on-one, it would be difficult for him to win, let alone these people.
Flame Princess even brought a small 'treasure' before Gu Yun, tossing it aside casually: "Mission accomplished. Look, there was another little rat hiding in the shadows here."
"He was thinking of rushing into the main hall amidst the chaos, but I happened to spot him and caught him."
//775//
Chapter 775: Control (Two-in-One)
The little mouse was tossed aside by Flame Princess, slamming heavily into a meteorite with a dull thud.
It was a youth dressed in grey robes, with an ordinary face and a restrained aura. He was currently curled up among the rubble, trembling all over.
Gu Yun looked down, a faint smile curling at the corners of his mouth.
"Qin Xiang?"
He spoke softly.
The youth snapped his head up, his eyes filled with shock.
"How... how do you know my name?!"
The eerie temperament of the deceiving heaven mask could make anyone who had seen him quickly forget his appearance.
Meeting again now, the Child of Destiny had long since forgotten everything from the past.
Thinking about it, there was a sense of the vicissitudes of life, as if things remained the same while people had changed.
"I think that isn't important."
"In these Three Thousand Dao Domains, there are few people or things I do not know of."
"If you do not believe me, I can offer a small bit of proof."
Gu Yun said indifferently.
Qin Xiang's pupils constricted slightly as a chill welled up in his heart.
Although Gu Yun hadn't said it explicitly, his words were already very clear.
The other party's background was definitely extraordinary, likely an existence he couldn't even imagine.
For such a person to seek him out meant that even if he wasn't here in his true body, he was by no means safe.
His thoughts racing, he said, "You must be joking, Sir."
"I am but a nameless nobody who luckily entered this secret realm, hoping to try my luck."
"How could I be worth the attention of someone like you?"
"I was merely startled by your battle earlier and lost my way in the panic."
"If I have offended you in any way, I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me."
"Offended?"
Gu Yun smiled. He looked very gentle, but for some reason, alarm bells rang loudly in Qin Xiang's heart.
Danger!
Danger!!
"It's not exactly an offense, it's just that I don't like people harboring ulterior motives in front of me."
"Three hundred zhang to your right-rear, there is a broken meteorite belt. If you were to use a Blood Escape Technique now, you could indeed escape into it and hide your aura."
"It's just a pity that no matter what kind of Blood Escape Technique it is, it cannot be faster than my Space Warp."
"Six hundred zhang to your left-rear, there is a narrow space crack leading to an unknown direction. If you could create chaos, you might use it to slip away."
"Unfortunately... surviving within a space crack is not easy. If I were to leave a few spatial technique traps in your hands, do you think—"
"Would this clone of yours still be preserved?"
Qin Xiang's face turned slightly stiff under Gu Yun's casual words.
His inner thoughts had been laid bare by the youth before him; just how terrifyingly deep was this person?
Knowing that resistance was futile, he looked up at Gu Yun with a bitter smile. "You have a keen eye, Sir."
"My trivial little tricks truly have nowhere to hide before you."
"Trivial tricks?"
"Having such methods and the courage to snatch chestnuts from the fire makes you incomparable to ordinary cultivators."
"Since that's the case, why didn't you choose to enter directly? We could have competed fairly. Even if you lost, it would have been a battle worth remembering, wouldn't it?"
Gu Yun spoke with a smile.
Qin Xiang's mouth twitched. A hearty battle?
Luo Lie's end was still fresh in his mind. Against this freak, he feared the other party would be 'hearty' while he would just be 'ended'.
"You joke, Sir. I, Qin Xiang, know my abilities are insufficient. I only thought to gain some benefits amidst the chaos. How would I dare to face you geniuses head-on?"
Gu Yun looked at him, a flash of playfulness in his eyes.
"Quite sensible."
"In these Three Thousand Dao Domains, those who aren't sensible are already dead."
Qin Xiang spoke pointedly, seemingly referring to Luo Lie's fate.
"You are very smart."
"I wouldn't say smart, I just want to survive."
"If you just wanted to survive, you wouldn't have taken this risk."
"It's only a clone, after all. Even if it is destroyed here in the end, I think I can bear that price."
As the saying goes, sincerity is the ultimate move; at this moment, Qin Xiang seemed to be practicing this principle.
"And now? Do you care about this life?"
"That depends on whether you are willing to spare my life, Sir."
Qin Xiang said calmly, "Clearly, this is not for me to decide."
"You see things clearly. Then why don't you guess whether or not I want your life?"
Qin Xiang remained composed. "If you truly wanted to kill me, you probably wouldn't have asked."
"Though I do not know what use I have to you, if I can keep this life, I, Qin Xiang, am willing to... follow your lead!"
Gu Yun's expression turned stern, and his gaze toward Qin Xiang shifted slightly.
"Are you sure?"
"I am!"
Just then, Flame Princess walked up. "Be careful of a trap. This person's concealment methods are extremely sophisticated, and since this is only a clone, he likely has many back-up plans. Trusting him blindly could lead to disaster."
"Don't worry, I am naturally aware of these things."
Gu Yun smiled and walked straight forward, reaching out to lightly tap Qin Xiang's forehead.
In an instant, a demonic flower bloomed, just like it had with Shen Jingshu.
Qin Xiang's previously calm face immediately underwent a drastic change—
He felt it. Not just this clone, but his true body far outside the secret realm also felt an eerie power frantically eroding his soul!
This demonic flower wasn't just planted on his clone.
The youth before him had never intended to let him go from the start.
He wasn't focusing on this clone at all, but... he wanted to catch his entire self in one net!
"You!!"
Amidst his shock, Qin Xiang still tried to save himself.
The eerie power was like thousands of red-hot steel needles, already piercing deep into his soul and climbing toward his true body along that invisible connection.
Qin Xiang understood that what he needed to do now was forcibly sever the connection between the clone and the true body.
Even if he had to abandon this precious clone made from heavenly treasures, he had to ensure the safety of his true body.
"Soul Severing Technique!"
He roared in his heart, and the soul power of the clone instantly became violent.
Even the control of the demonic flower began to become unstable as he tried to forcibly detonate the clone's soul to sever the link with his true body.
This was the best method he could think of in his desperation.
However—
Just as he was about to activate the secret technique, a hand suddenly pressed down on his head.
That hand was slender and powerful, carrying a faint warmth, yet it made Qin Xiang feel as if he had fallen into an ice cellar.
Gu Yun wouldn't give him this chance!
His remaining consciousness was violently gripped by an invisible giant hand. All thoughts, all struggles, all resistance...
In this moment, they all vanished into thin air.
"No—!"
Qin Xiang lost all ability to think. His gaze became vacant, his pupils lost focus, and his entire being seemed as if his soul had been sucked out, freezing him in place.
The secret technique he was about to activate also completely dissipated in this instant.
He wanted to move, but couldn't.
He wanted to shout, but couldn't make a sound.
He wanted to resist, but this body no longer belonged to him.
The eerie power took deep root, blooming in the deepest part of his soul.
The petals unfurled one by one, merging with his soul.
A flash of despair crossed Qin Xiang's eyes.
It was the final struggle, the final unwilling cry from the depths of his soul.
"You already made your choice, didn't you?"
"Since that's the case, what is there to resist now?"
Gu Yun's voice was like a demonic sound piercing his ears, carrying an extremely strong power of seduction.
It pierced straight through everything of Qin Xiang's, stabbing into the deepest part of his soul, destroying that last bit of persistence.
This fellow was quite cautious and knew when to yield, far surpassing ordinary Children of Destiny.
But—
His destiny value still held him back.
With a total of only seventy thousand destiny value, a portion had already been shaved off by Gu Yun back on the Ancient Continent. Meeting again now, the Destiny Plunder Halo activated directly, and another twenty thousand points were deducted.
Now, Qin Xiang was left with a pitiful thirty thousand destiny value.
Thirty thousand points.
At this level, he could still be considered a Child of Destiny.
After all, it was equivalent to fifteen Lin Xiaos or twenty-five Tang Shans.
But for the current Gu Yun, it was truly too meager.
He had already passed the growth period where he needed to carefully calculate to deal with the likes of Lin Xiao and Tang Shan. Now, even against a high-quality Child of Destiny like Han Sanqian with forty-eight thousand points, he could take them down with a single combo.
And the current Qin Xiang was naturally no exception.
If he wanted to kill him, he could do so at any time.
However—
Gu Yun's killing intent toward him wasn't that strong. Since the Ancient Continent, this guy had an attitude of avoiding danger at all costs.
If he were to force such a person to the front stage, what would he look like?
The piece he had placed in the Daluo Imperial Dynasty before was Luo Tiange.
But for this trip to the Tomb of Emperor Bailian, the other party hadn't even appeared in the Imperial Dynasty's team.
He estimated that under the double destiny pincer attack of Qin Xiang and Zhang Chen, Luo Tiange had probably been played to death.
He had been far too busy lately and couldn't attend to everything, but it wasn't a big problem now. He could just start from the source.
Looking at this vacant-eyed Qin Xiang clone, a flash of playfulness appeared in Gu Yun's eyes.
It was just the right time to test how far this so-called'subjugation of a Child of Destiny'—
could actually go.
Would he completely become a puppet, or continue to carry the fate of a Child of Destiny?
Either outcome was beneficial to Gu Yun.
He would be a nail driven into the Daluo Imperial Dynasty, and an incredibly solid one at that. No one would ever imagine that a fellow who had several of his precious clones destroyed by him would actually be his man.
Gradually, the Qin Xiang clone stood completely frozen in place, his eyes vacant like a puppet whose soul had been removed.
Gu Yun withdrew his hand and watched it all quietly.
"What did you do to him?"
Flame Princess was very curious.
"Nothing much, just a small trick. After this, he can be used by me."
"Oh? Does this plain-looking fellow have something special about him that he could earn your attention?"
Flame Princess raised an eyebrow. She really couldn't see what was worth Gu Yun's attention in this ordinary-faced guy with a restrained aura.
"In this world, many times, it is precisely a group of such ordinary-looking people who overturn everything."
Gu Yun suddenly said something for no apparent reason.
Flame Princess was completely confused. "What on earth, why are you being so cryptic?"
Gu Yun smiled. Just then, Qin Xiang's body finished being remodeled.
His eyes regained focus, but this time, the look he gave Gu Yun held a hint of—awe.
It was an awe that came from the depths of his soul.
Like an ant looking up at a god, like a mortal looking up at the Heavenly Dao.
"Master."
Qin Xiang knelt on one knee, his head bowed, his voice respectful and devout.
The demonic flower bloomed, taking deep root.
Whether it was his true self or his clone, they were both now firmly in Gu Yun's grasp.
His memories and thoughts hadn't changed, but he now had a supreme faith.
[Ding! Congratulations to the Host for successfully subjugating the Child of Destiny, Qin Xiang.]
[Ding! Qin Xiang has lost his status as a Child of Destiny. destiny value is being converted... Conversion complete. Congratulations to the Host for obtaining 28,500 destiny value points, a reward of 50,000 villain value points, and 5 Golden Treasure Chests.]
[Ding! Congratulations to the Host for unlocking the Destiny Puppet function. Current conversion limit: 3.]
[Destiny Puppet: Retains the Child of Destiny's original fate, attributes, and destiny script, while being completely loyal to the Host. When the puppet kills an enemy, the Host can obtain equivalent villain value gains.]
[The puppet's cultivation speed can be added to the cultivation network, receiving a certain network bonus as their loyalty level increases.]
[Current loyalty level: 5 (Level 10 is the maximum; only puppets with independent consciousness calculate this item).]
Looking at the prompts on the panel, Gu Yun gained a certain understanding of this new function.
If the rewards for subjugating and killing were about the same, Gu Yun wouldn't bother with subjugating.
After all, subjugating required some effort; it was better to just kill them and be done with it.
Now, it seemed to have its merits.
"cultivation network? If I pull Qin Qingshuang and Yao Qingli in later, wouldn't I just take off directly?"
Of course, these were just thoughts for now. For two Daughters of Destiny with extremely high and growable destiny values, he still had a long way to go to subjugate them.
It was only for someone like Qin Xiang, with less than thirty thousand destiny value, that he could use the demonic flower to forcibly control them.
After calculating for a while, Gu Yun withdrew his thoughts and turned his gaze back to Qin Xiang.
He was still kneeling on one knee, awaiting Gu Yun's command.
"What do you plan to do?"
Flame Princess asked curiously.
"Shh—"
Gu Yun said softly. His divine sense had already spread out. The grand stage was set; what was needed next... were witnesses!
"Qin Xiang."
He said indifferently.
"Your subordinate is here!"
Qin Xiang responded respectfully.
"Next, I'll have to trouble you a bit."
Gu Yun spoke softly. Qin Xiang was slightly startled, then his pupils suddenly contracted. "I obey Master's command!"
Gu Yun nodded. Not bad, it seemed the training was well-done.
He raised his hand and pressed it directly onto the top of Qin Xiang's head.
Then—
Boom!!
In front of everyone, Qin Xiang's body directly exploded.
"Gu Yun!! You bastard, my Daluo Imperial Dynasty will absolutely not let you off!!"
Qin Xiang's voice was extremely piercing, carrying directly across an area of several hundred miles.
It was just enough to ensure all those arriving guests heard it.
//776//
Chapter 776: Setting the Stage
Qin Xiang was dead—though, of course, it was only a clone.
His body instantly exploded, turning into a mist of blood that filled the sky.
The power of the explosion was terrifying, shattering the surrounding meteorites into dust.
The bloody mist spread, dyeing the entire void red!
And that final wild roar echoed through the void like rolling thunder, lingering for a long time.
"You just killed him like that? Then why did you go through all that trouble to subdue him earlier?"
Flame Princess frowned slightly as she watched the scene, her eyes filled with confusion.
The contrast in Gu Yun's actions before and after was truly baffling.
"It was just a clone. As long as it can serve a greater purpose, it can be considered a worthy death."
The young man's words were ambiguous, leaving Flame Princess still somewhat puzzled.
She was about to ask further when she keenly sensed several presences approaching.
"Crown Prince Gu Yun, I didn't expect you to appear in this secret realm as well."
"I failed to pay my respects earlier; please accept my greetings now."
Before long, several figures appeared before them.
The leader was dressed in snow-white clothes, her face cold and stunningly beautiful, with frigid air circulating around her.
It was Luo Shui Xian.
At this moment, she curtsied slightly and gave a salute to Gu Yun.
"Goddess Luo, I hope you have been well. Since we parted on the Ancient Continent, seeing you again today, things are truly different from the past."
Back on the Ancient Continent, the woman before him could only claim dominance among those under two hundred years old.
Seeing her again now, she was already a monstrous existence comparable to an Ancient Freak.
Such a speed of advancement was truly extraordinary, surpassing even a Child of Destiny like Qin Xiang.
Luo Hanyan had been immersed in the Quasi-Emperor Realm for so many years, yet she was overtaken so easily now.
One could only imagine the resources the Cold Frost Immortal Palace had invested in her.
"Crown Prince Gu Yun overpraises me. Your elegance on the Ancient Continent completely crushed all of us."
"Compared to you, we were but a glimmer of light under the bright silver moon."
"Although I have had some fortuitous encounters now, compared to the Crown Prince, it is still like a firefly compared to the bright moon—hardly worth mentioning."
Luo Shui Xian was quite humble. Back on the Ancient Continent, the battle between Gu Yun and Shi Yue had left a deep impression on her heart.
Shi Yue, the prodigy of the Heavenly Human Race, was already considered an Ancient Freak-level figure, yet he was killed across realms by Gu Yun, who had not even reached the Quasi-Emperor Realm at the time.
With such terrifying combat ability within the same realm, even though she had now fused with the power of an Ancient Freak, she still had no certainty of victory.
"Goddess Luo is too modest."
"Such a jade-like body, yet it contains several different kinds of terrifying power."
"This level of providence is rare even across the Three Thousand Dao Domains."
Luo Shui Xian's eyes flickered slightly. Gu Yun's tone was incredibly calm, yet in just a few words, he had laid bare her secrets.
Her heart chilled slightly as she scanned the surroundings, quickly catching a trace: "There seem to be signs of a struggle nearby. Did Crown Prince Gu Yun just have a confrontation here..."
"Shouldn't the Goddess have heard it all already?"
"Why maintain this pretense now?"
Flame Princess spoke coldly, showing the other party no courtesy at all.
Wasn't the reason Luo Shui Xian appeared here because she heard that earth-shaking roar?
To act so affected now was truly nauseating.
Although she didn't know why Flame Princess was showing such strong hostility, Luo Shui Xian tried her best to remain calm.
"This lady misunderstands. Although I heard a sound, I did not know the specific situation here."
"Furthermore, among those from the Daluo Imperial Dynasty, I am only familiar with Luo Lie. I have no impression of the person who made that sound."
"That is why I asked. After all, if that Golden Pupil Battle Body is hiding in the shadows, it would be disadvantageous for us."
"Indeed, Miss Luo is quite right."
"However, I don't think that Luo Lie has the brains to pull off something like this."
As he spoke, another divine light descended, and a handsome man stepped out, possessing an extraordinary bearing and a dignified air.
"Holy Light Son."
Luo Shui Xian's voice was solemn as she nodded slightly. Qin Xiang's roar had certainly attracted quite a few people.
"Goddess Luo."
Holy Light Son returned the salute, then turned his gaze toward Gu Yun. "I have long heard of Crown Prince Gu Yun's reputation. It was a pity I hadn't met you before."
"I think you wouldn't have wanted to meet me before entering this place."
Gu Yun said indifferently.
Holy Light Son's expression stiffened, and he laughed awkwardly. "Brother Gu is joking. To be able to get to know the Young Master of the Immortal Ancient Gu Family in advance is naturally a stroke of luck one could only hope for."
In this initial verbal sparring, Gu Yun could be considered to have taken the upper hand.
"So, does Crown Prince Gu Yun know the whereabouts of Luo Lie?"
"Dead."
Gu Yun said flatly.
The entire area fell silent.
Luo Shui Xian's cold eyes trembled slightly, and the smile on Holy Light Son's face froze for a moment.
"Dead?"
Holy Light Son repeated, his tone carrying a hint of disbelief.
"How is that possible? That Golden Pupil Battle Body is the Daluo Imperial Dynasty's precious darling. How could he just... die?"
"If Brother Saint is skeptical, you can naturally ask around after we leave."
Gu Yun seemed to have a completely indifferent attitude.
Holy Light Son was speechless for a moment. "Why did the Crown Prince kill him?"
"He was in the way."
"But..."
"If someone is in the way, they deserve to die!"
Gu Yun smiled faintly. "Does my Immortal Ancient Gu Family's way of doing things require an explanation to you?"
Holy Light Son's face completely froze.
"If someone is in the way, they deserve to die."
These simple words fully expressed the overbearing dominance of the Immortal Ancient Gu Family.
The shadow of the Eternal Imperial Dynasty's destruction still loomed over everyone's heads, and now Gu Yun's conduct was even more arrogant and domineering.
They truly did not care for the powers within this Dao Domain.
For a moment, everyone had different expressions, not knowing how to respond.
Right then, Luo Shui Xian's words appropriately interrupted everyone's thoughts: "As of now, Mo Wuya and Shi Potian have still not appeared; they must have encountered some accident in this secret realm."
"The treasure land that finally holds the sun-shooting bow is right before us. Let's not waste any more time here."
"Goddess Luo has a point."
"Crown Prince Gu Yun, I shall take my leave first."
Holy Light Son didn't want to continue talking with Gu Yun and directly flew away.
Seeing this, the others also set off one after another.
Luo Shui Xian also cupped her hands slightly.
"Miss Luo, just how many people must your secret technique devour before it reaches completion?"
Just as she was about to turn and leave, Gu Yun suddenly spoke.
"What do you mean by that, Crown Prince?"
Luo Shui Xian turned around, her cold eyes looking at Gu Yun, her tone calm.
"I am a member of the righteous path and I practice the Laws of Ice."
"Isn't the Crown Prince being a bit too abrupt by saying such things?"
Gu Yun looked at her, a faint smile playing on his lips.
He didn't say a word.
"If the Crown Prince has no further business, I shall take my leave."
Luo Shui Xian left as if escaping, seemingly not wanting to stay for another moment.
"Let's go as well."
Gu Yun said indifferently and began to move.
As the group headed toward the Bronze Great Hall, Gu Yun was simultaneously considering another matter.
There were a total of six Ancient Freaks who entered this secret realm. Now, the Sword Fairy, Shi Potian, and Luo Lie had all died at his hands, Mo Wuya had fled with heavy injuries, and Luo Shui Xian and Holy Light Son had already entered the final room.
As for the Children of Destiny, there were four: Zhang Chen, Su Chen, Han Sanqian, and Qin Xiang. Now they were either dead or had fled, unable to participate in the secret realm's struggle any longer.
So, how would the competition for the final room develop next? Would a Child of Destiny he hadn't noticed appear?
Theoretically, there couldn't be any issues with the great dao heavenly evolution diagram's investigation.
Now that things had reached this stage, perhaps it could bring Gu Yun some new surprises.
The young man's steps were light, and he had high expectations for this discovery.
//777//
Chapter 777: The Final Gate
Before the bronze palace, the massive doors had already swung wide open.
Like a final bloody maw, it swallowed all the cultivators who had broken into this resting place of Great Emperor Bailian.
Shortly after Gu Yun's trio vanished inside, several black-robed figures from the Dragon Race arrived one after another.
"These human cultivators are truly possessive of their mediocre treasures."
"They are merely supreme emperor weapons, yet we are still unable to refine them."
Long Yuan was quite dissatisfied; with their abilities, it was naturally impossible for them to come away empty-handed.
However, supreme emperor weapons forged by humans naturally rejected the aura of the Dragon Race.
Long Yuan and Dragon Splendor had exhausted their efforts but could not gain recognition; even getting close was incredibly difficult, and in the end, they had to give up.
"It doesn't matter."
"These emperor weapons are just minor bonuses. What's truly important... is the sun-shooting bow!"
Dragon Splendor said indifferently, her gaze falling upon the wide-open gate.
"That's right, and those dragon tendons!"
"The humiliation that bastard Bailian brought to my Dragon Race back then—I will make them pay it all back, bit by bit!!"
A flash of ruthlessness appeared in Long Yuan's eyes as dragon might surged around him.
Back then, Great Emperor Bailian had used the remains of the Dragon Race's ancestors to forge equipment, a humiliation that the entire Dragon Race could never wash away.
Only because of their previous defeat, the Dragon Race experts could not easily take action. This time... they finally had a chance to settle this blood debt!
"Let's go."
Dragon Splendor said coolly. With a flicker of her silhouette, she sped toward the gate.
The black-robed figures followed closely behind, vanishing into the chaotic void behind the doors.
...
Though Great Emperor Bailian had died, he had created a luxurious tomb for himself.
A preliminary estimate suggested that the small world opened up here was already the size of three star domains.
It could be considered a colossal entity.
And this bronze palace located at its exact center was the most critical part of all.
"Something seems wrong here."
Flame Princess's divine sense had been extending outward, and she sensed something at this moment.
Moon Dance immediately turned serious, no longer skipping along.
Snow Thousand Years's hand tightened on her sword as she looked around vigilantly.
Swish, swish, swish—
Before her voice had even faded, countless fine golden patterns emerged in the surrounding void.
They spread like a spiderweb, enveloping the entire space in the blink of an eye.
"A formation!"
Xu Lingwei exclaimed. As a prodigy of the Dao of Formations, she immediately felt the terrifying pressure contained within those patterns.
"This is... an Emperor-grade Killing Formation!"
Beams of golden light shot out from the patterns, pouring down toward everyone like a torrential rain.
Every single beam carried enough power to pierce through stars.
"Be careful!"
Flame Princess gave a cold shout and lightly waved the departing fire tassel in her hand.
A barrier of blazing flames manifested out of thin air, blocking the path in front of everyone!
Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle—
The golden light struck the flame barrier, erupting in ear-piercing sounds!
Flames surged and light exploded, causing the entire space to tremble violently!
The barrier shook intensely, but it ultimately managed to block this round of attacks.
Flame Princess's expression was quite solemn: "What a powerful formation. If we hadn't obtained this supreme emperor weapon, I'm afraid it would have taken quite some effort."
Although her actions just now seemed easy, they had actually consumed a large amount of her spiritual power.
"This is only the first round."
Xu Lingwei said in a heavy voice, her eyes fixed intently on those golden patterns.
"This formation still has even stronger killing moves that haven't been released."
"What?!"
Flame Princess's pupils constricted slightly.
"Don't move yet, let me investigate."
Xu Lingwei raised her hand to signal everyone to stop, her eyes glued to the golden patterns.
She closed her eyes, and a faint rhythm of the Dao of Formations began to circulate around her.
Xuantian Saint Sect Secret Technique—Array Observation Technique!
In an instant, Xu Lingwei's aura seemed to merge with the formation as her spiritual power spread out to sense its veins and flaws.
Everyone held their breath, waiting for her response.
Time passed minute by minute.
The golden patterns in the surroundings remained suspended quietly, but they no longer attacked, as if they were waiting for something.
Xu Lingwei's eyes were closed, her brow slightly furrowed, and a layer of fine sweat broke out on her forehead.
The speed of her spiritual power movement began to slow down; she looked to be under quite a lot of strain.
Flame Princess and the others looked at each other with concern, but they didn't know how to help.
Fortunately, at this moment, Gu Yun lightly pressed a palm against Xu Lingwei's shoulder, injecting a stream of gentle power.
"Mm..."
Xu Lingwei's furrowed brow relaxed slightly, and her spiritual power, which had been spreading with difficulty, became much smoother.
After another moment, Xu Lingwei opened her eyes and exhaled a long breath of turbid air.
"Did you see it clearly?"
Gu Yun withdrew his hand and asked calmly.
Xu Lingwei nodded, a trace of lingering fear flashing in her eyes.
"This formation... is far more complex than I imagined."
"On the surface, it's an Emperor-grade Killing Formation, but it actually hides three layers of variations."
"The first layer was those golden rain of light just now; that was just a probe."
"The second layer should be some kind of trapping formation; once caught, one will get lost within it."
"The third layer..."
She paused, her voice low.
"Is a Sacrificial Formation."
"Sacrificial?"
Flame Princess frowned.
Xu Lingwei nodded.
"This formation will extract the life essence of those trapped within, converting it into power for the formation."
"The more people trapped, the stronger the formation becomes."
"In the end, everyone will be drained dry, becoming nourishment for this formation."
Hearing this, everyone gasped.
"Why would such an evil formation exist in this tomb? When they built this place, Great Emperor Xuanji and Great Emperor Bailian... what exactly were they trying to do?!"
Everyone felt a chill run down their spines, as if an invisible hand had been controlling everything all along.
"Regardless, we need to break open the trapping formation first."
"How is it? Are you confident?"