Beneath a sky shrouded in dark gray rain clouds, Lin Qingtong's flying ship hovered motionless in midair. Its highest-level defensive formations were fully activated. Layers of translucent energy barriers overlapped one another, warping the air around the vessel under the immense external pressure. She stood at the bow of the ship, gripping her sword tightly, her gaze fixed with vigilance on the middle-aged man floating not far away.
That man stood casually in the air. His clothes were plain, his long hair slightly disheveled, a faint scent of alcohol clinging to his body, like an ordinary drunk who had wandered in by mistake. Yet the power radiating from him made Lin Qingtong feel as though an entire mountain were pressing down on her shoulders. He was Gu Heng, an ancestor of the Gu Clan, a cultivator at the peak of the Half-Emperor realm. A being whose mere presence was enough to silence heaven and earth.
Before him, Gu Yisheng's body floated in midair. The head that had once been crushed was slowly regenerating. Black-and-red strands of energy coursed across his skin. Cracks in his bones gradually fused together, torn muscles restoring themselves in an unnatural manner. The Heart of the Heavenly Demon in his chest beat with heavy, steady rhythm. With every beat, negative emotions from the surrounding area were drawn in like a vortex. Anger, fear, despair.
Gu Heng watched the scene with a faint smile and spoke in a relaxed tone, as if recounting an amusing tale.
"My grandson's special body is far stronger than most people could ever imagine. As long as this world still harbors negative emotions, he can practically be called immortal."
He raised a hand slightly. The energy around Gu Yisheng churned more violently, his wounds healing even faster. Then Gu Heng spoke louder, clearly intending for Lin Qingtong to hear.
"He can absorb anger, fear, and despair, turning them directly into power. He can use it to heal his injuries or to increase his cultivation. Even if his body is completely destroyed, as long as there is even a trace of negative emotion left among the people of this world, he can be reborn again and again. Truly a terrifying physique."
Gu Heng turned his gaze toward Lin Qingtong, a glint flashing in his eyes as he spoke in a teasing manner.
"Well then, isn't my grandson quite intriguing, young lady of the Lin Clan?"
Lin Qingtong had no intention of answering any questions. The only thing she could do now was wait, wait for her master who was rushing here at full speed. As for the Lin Imperial Clan, she had not sent them any message at all. This journey had been a private decision, a secret departure meant only to annul an engagement. Yet events had spiraled far beyond anything she had anticipated.
Soon, Gu Yisheng's body finished regenerating. Though he remained unconscious, his life was no longer in danger. Only then did Lin Qingtong, who had been silent all this time, finally speak.
"Are you not afraid that Gu Lanyue might die?"
Gu Heng let out a soft laugh. The sound was casual, yet it made the protective barrier around the ship tremble.
"Die? Do not worry about her. You should worry far more about my grandson."
As he finished speaking, he flicked his hand. Gu Yisheng's body was thrown into the air. Several dark shadows emerged from the void, silently catching his body. Healing energy was transmitted in a continuous flow, like some hidden ritual, before the shadows vanished together with Gu Yisheng.
Gu Heng turned his back to Lin Qingtong and took a single step forward. His figure disappeared instantly, accompanied by a faint tremor in the air. The direction he headed toward was the edge of the ancient beast forest.
Lin Qingtong stood there in silence, staring in that direction. She could not understand why Gu Heng had gone there either.
Inside the water barrier that continued to churn violently, the outside world was completely cut off, as if separated by different dimensions. The roars of power, shockwaves, and tremors gradually faded away, leaving only the heavy breathing of the man standing at the center of the water veil.
Zhang Wen was now in a state that could scarcely be called human anymore. His body was riddled with cracks, veins bulging grotesquely, his skin fissured like parched earth on the verge of collapse. His snow-white hair drifted with the currents of water. The aura of a Saint still surged around him, but it was unstable, flickering erratically.
Even though he had devoured the bodies of all the remaining Saints, Zhang Wen had not consumed all of their power. He deliberately left portions of their energy intact and planted certain seals within their lifeless remains. Absorbing that power did stabilize his inner energy slightly, but only slightly, like using a small stone to prop up a collapsing mountain.
His pseudo-Saint cultivation could not last much longer. He knew this well. It was nothing more than an illusion, forcibly sustained by power that did not belong to him. The continuous battle against the Saint King and numerous Saints had already forced him to create water clones without pause just to buy time.
His strength was being squandered rapidly because the Saint King of the Gu clan destroyed his water clones far too quickly. Every breath he took was burning away his own life. Every movement hastened the collapse of his body.
He lowered his gaze to his twisted arm, the bones within shattered into fragments after being crushed by a sacred palm. Yet his eyes remained calm. Zhang Wen raised his other hand and, using bloodstained fingertips, began drawing complex rune patterns directly into the air. Intricate formations slowly took shape, forming a long-distance teleportation array. The runes trembled violently, yet they were forcibly held together by his stubborn will.
While the remaining water clones outside the water barrier struggled desperately to stall for time, an aura unlike anything before suddenly descended from the heavens. It was heavy, terrifying, and suppressed everything in its path. The entire area felt locked in place. Time and air alike seemed to freeze. The aura of a half-Emperor enveloped the region completely. Even the raging water momentarily slowed.
Zhang Wen did not stop. He continued inscribing the formation with steady focus. Blood dripped from his fingertips into the runes. He clenched his teeth, not from pain, but from the effort of maintaining absolute concentration.
Boom!
The water barrier behind him was torn apart. A middle-aged man stepped through leisurely. His long black hair was messy, his clothes slightly tattered, looking like a wandering beggar. In his right hand he held a wine gourd, a faint scent of alcohol drifting from his body. Yet his mere presence multiplied the pressure in the surroundings severalfold.
"Oh? Trying to run already?" the man said cheerfully. "Stay and chat a bit longer."
Zhang Wen did not bother to respond with even a single word. His gaze remained fixed on the runic patterns before him, his concentration compressed to its absolute limit. Just as the final line of the formation was completed, he bit down on his finger once more. Fresh crimson blood surged out as he began chanting an incantation, his voice soft yet unwavering. The teleportation formation started to glow.
In that same instant, the middle-aged man stepped closer, studying the formation with mild interest.
"Oh, this is quite a long-range teleportation formation," he said casually, then lifted a finger and flicked it lightly toward the runes.
Ping!
A clear, ringing sound echoed through the air. The runic patterns shook violently, then shattered into dust in the blink of an eye. The teleportation formation collapsed completely.
The moment the formation was destroyed, before the sound of shattering runes could even fade, Zhang Wen collapsed. The pseudo-Saint aura that had been raging so wildly vanished instantly. His inner power spiraled out of control, then began to crumble layer by layer with no resistance whatsoever.
Saint…
Heavenly Cavern…
Nirvana…
Body Integration…
Spirit Formation…
Nascent Soul…
Golden Core…
Foundation Establishment…
Qi Control…
Every stage of cultivation was torn from him. His foundations shattered, his internal energy channels snapped apart. Zhang Wen vomited blood continuously. Dark red blood spilled from his mouth as his vision blurred. All the water clones outside vanished at the same time, and the rain that had once poured down like the sky itself collapsing gradually weakened, then finally stopped.
The sky that had been shrouded in gloom slowly opened up, revealing the dim light of a silent world, as everything returned to an uneasy calm once more.
Zhang Wen collapsed onto the ground. The waves of water that had enveloped the surrounding area dissipated completely, leaving behind only the body of a withered old man. His skin was shriveled and dry, his hair completely white with no trace of any other color mixed in. His back was slightly hunched, and his vitality had dwindled to the point of near invisibility. In such a state, even a gentle breeze might have been enough to take his life.
Gu Heng stood not far away, watching the scene with calm eyes. He was still the same middle-aged man who looked like a drunken beggar. He walked closer at an unhurried pace. There was no oppressive pressure, no threatening aura, only the faint scent of alcohol and the gaze of someone who had lived through countless years.
He stopped in front of Zhang Wen and looked down at the young man who had once nearly driven his grandson and granddaughter to death, then spoke in a plain, steady voice.
"Ever since I began living in this world, I have always believed in one saying. Beneath the shade of a great tree, tall grass rarely grows. Yet Gu Lanyue nearly shattered that belief. With her talent and the power of the Gu family behind her, she has barely encountered any real hardship in her life. No matter whether it was the descendants of ancient clans or the holy sons and daughters of sacred lands, all of them were crushed by her with ease."
He lifted the wine jar and took a small drink before continuing.
"Until she met you. You forced Gu Lanyue to grow another step further. For that reason, I will give you a gift. I will heal you, and then allow you to lie in the prison of the Gu family for the rest of your life."
Zhang Wen let out a hoarse laugh, his voice so faint it was barely audible.
"That doesn't sound very pleasant at all. Or rather, you might as well say it directly. There's no need to dress it up with such pretty words. You want to keep me alive to threaten my younger brother, isn't that right?"