Translator: AnubisTL
She seemed to have come from a distant era, her presence exuding an ancient aura of time, vast and ethereal.
Her plain white robes, the most beautiful color in the world, were noble and elegant.
Her face and figure were obscured by the laws of nature, blurred, yet one could still sense her unparalleled beauty and supreme grace.
It was truly miraculous; everyone could even see her eyes, bright as stars.
Dao essence swirled around her, and divine sounds echoed everywhere.
Brilliant rosy clouds enveloped her, a majestic aura radiated, and the songs of the Goddess and the chants of angels filled the air...
Various divine beasts surrounded her, bowing and murmuring in submission and reverence.
She walked slowly, traversing the river of time, descending into the present era.
Everyone prostrated on the ground, looking up in awe at her figure, their hearts filled with fear. It was a suppression from the soul, compelling them to bow their heads, not daring to make a sound, lest they disturb the presence of the Goddess.
They were both shocked and terrified, yet utterly bewildered.
'Who is she?' The question echoed in their minds.
Gu Feng, however, felt invigorated. Strong, so strong!
Perhaps because he had been in contact with Zhu Qingyan for so long, Gu Feng did not feel the same spiritual awe towards her. He was the only cultivator present who remained standing.
"Five thousand years have passed in the blink of an eye. Has my Sunset Glow Sect fallen to such a state?"
Her ethereal voice resonated, causing everyone's hearts to tremble slightly, their faces filled with astonishment.
The Founder of the Sunset Glow Sect?
A figure from five thousand years ago?
Heavens, she was still alive in this world!
Including the three Crown Prince's marshals and the hundred subordinates of the Crown Prince, as well as the five elders of the Qiu family, they were all petrified, their bodies trembling as if struck by lightning, the tremors growing more intense with time.
Lin Xinhua and the others were also terrified to the extreme. Who could fathom the thoughts of such a powerful being? Though they had not come to harm the Sunset Glow Sect, what if the Founder took a dislike to them? Would she strike them down with a single palm? It was an unknown.
Many of the powerful figures prostrated on the ground, silently tidying their disheveled robes, trying to wipe away the bloodstains from their faces.
As for the Elders and Supreme Elders of the Sunset Glow Sect, their faces flushed with excitement, their lips trembling, their limbs unresponsive.
"Greetings... Greetings... Founder Qingyan!"
A Supreme Elder stammered, perhaps too nervous to speak clearly.
"Greetings, Founder Qingyan!!"
After a moment of adjustment, everyone shouted in unison!
Even the disciples who were far from the Sunset Glow Sect knelt on the ground, following the Elders' lead.
"Greetings, Founder Qingyan!!!"
The mountains and seas roared with passion, over a hundred thousand cultivators shouted with all their might, their voices filled with reverence.
"How dare you bully my appointed successor!!!"
Her reprimand echoed through the heavens and earth, the clouds churning, a vast Spirit Wind sweeping through.
Everyone seemed to foresee something, their heads turning towards a certain direction.
There, a solitary figure stood tall and proud, walking among the crowd.
"Gu Feng, today you may kill whomever you wish. Even the ruler of this world would not dare show a hint of resentment in my presence!"
Gu Feng nodded slightly, his gaze indifferent as he surveyed the scene, though inwardly he was panicking.
He was well aware of Zhu Qingyan's situation—her outward strength was merely a facade, and all the extraordinary phenomena, including her invincible aura, were conjured through a specific Cultivation Method.
It was all just a bluff. If it came to an actual fight, the truth would be exposed immediately.
As Gu Feng walked, he glanced around. When he passed by the five Crown Princes of the Qiu family, he paused for a moment, a move that terrified the five of them.
He then leaped into the air, hovering beside Zhu Qingyan, his gaze sweeping over the crowd below.
"Can we kill someone to establish our authority?"
"What are you thinking? Of course not! If I could kill, I would have done it already!" Zhu Qingyan replied through a mental transmission, exasperated.
"At the beginning, I could have killed a few, but after creating these phenomena, I'm nearly exhausted. This form can only last for half an incense stick's time before it dissipates."
Gu Feng was speechless. Using all his reserves just to create illusions—who else would do such a thing?
But it seemed to be working quite well!
Gu Feng's eyes remained cold as they swept across the crowd. Finally, he smiled nonchalantly and said, "Killing someone? Of course, it's more satisfying to do it myself. I'll wait until I'm stronger!"
"You, you, and all of you—slap yourselves three times, shout 'I was wrong,' and then you may leave!"
As he spoke, Gu Feng pointed at the over a hundred subordinates of the Crown Princes and the five supreme elders of the Qiu family, his voice icy.
In any other situation, even if they were facing a cultivator above the Sea Condensation realm, such a humiliating demand would have provoked a fierce counterattack.
But now, standing above them was the Founder of the Sunset Glow Sect, a figure from five thousand years ago. They wouldn't dare to act, even if they had a hundred times the courage.
Without hesitation, and without even daring to harbor resentment, the sound of slaps echoed through the air.
"I was wrong!"
"I was wrong!"
The scene was somewhat comical, but no one dared to laugh. Yan Hanyun and the others lay on the ground, their expressions solemn, not daring to make a sound.
After slapping themselves and shouting "I was wrong," the group slowly retreated while still lying on the ground.
"Get out of here! Quickly!"
Knowing that Zhu Qingyan's state wouldn't last much longer, Gu Feng barked at them.
His shout was like a heavenly melody to their ears. They scrambled to their feet, not daring to fly, and instead ran at high speed along the ground, exiting the Sunset Glow Sect. Only when they were far away did they dare to summon their Divine Rainbows and flee without looking back.
It was terrifying. How could the Sunset Glow Sect have such a terrifying foundation?
They were like frightened rabbits, fleeing for their lives, determined never to return to the Sunset Glow Sect—or even the Cloud Prefecture, which they now considered a forbidden zone.
The scene remained silent, with everyone still lying on the ground.
"You, get up!
Gu Feng, follow me!"
"Yes!"
Gu Feng and Zhu Qingyan quickly flew toward the Inner Sect.
The people below felt as if they had been granted amnesty. They rolled over onto their backs, lying on the ground, gasping for breath. It took a long time before they gradually got up, many of their backs soaked with sweat, as if they had been pulled out of water.
They exchanged glances, each seeing the shock in the other's eyes.
The events had been full of twists and turns, like a mythical tale, leaving them in a dazed and confused state.
The Founder of the Sunset Glow Sect, who had fallen five thousand years ago, had suddenly descended into the world, and Gu Feng was her successor!!
Although all of this was quite bizarre, when combined with Gu Feng's rapid advancement in cultivation in such a short time, it began to make perfect sense.
"This high-stakes gamble was a complete victory!" Yan Hanyun exclaimed, his voice filled with awe. Beside him, Su Qiu, who had been pale and shaken, regained some color in her cheeks. She gently nodded while holding her husband's hand, saying, "I never expected Gu Feng to have such a powerful backer."
"That kid hid it well. If he hadn't been pushed to the brink, we might still be in the dark. No wonder he was fearless—if I had such a powerful backer, I'd be even more audacious!" Gu Santong sighed with mixed emotions.
"Gu Feng has been incredibly low-key, never showing off. With the Sunset Glow Sect Founder backing him, he can go anywhere in the world!" Bao Tian, the head of the Bao family, said with envy.
"Sect Leader, your wisdom saved us. If not for your wise decision, our Unwavering Sect would have faced certain destruction!" an Elder from the Unwavering Sect said, his eyes still filled with lingering fear, as he whispered to Lin Xinhua.
"Just luck, just luck!" Lin Xinhua wiped the sweat from his forehead, his smile somewhat stiff.
"Mother... the senior who taught me that mysterious cultivation method in my dream seems to be Founder Qingyan!" Yan Xixi said softly as she approached her mother.
"What? It was her? That's wonderful! My daughter, you must work hard in your cultivation and not disappoint Founder Qingyan's expectations," Su Qiu said excitedly.
Beside her, Yan Hanyun clenched his fist and said, "Daughter, since Founder Qingyan has passed on her cultivation method to you, it means she recognizes your potential. You have an advantage over Chu Youhuan. Keep it up!"
Yan Hanyun, who was usually serious and rarely smiled, puffed out his chest after saying this, making Yan Yexue roll her eyes in exasperation.
"The Boss is truly the Boss—his backer is so powerful!" Sima Juncong laughed wildly, already imagining how he could flaunt this newfound advantage.
Beside him, Tuoba Lei and the others were so excited they were practically trembling, completely forgetting themselves.
Most of the Elders and disciples of the Sunset Glow Sect were exhilarated, but the eight Supreme Elders looked deeply worried.
"Don't worry. Later, just apologize properly to Gu Feng. He's not a petty person!"
Liu Wuxiang strode over to the eight Supreme Elders with an air of confidence, patting their shoulders and whispering words of comfort.
Under normal circumstances, being patted on the shoulder and lectured by a junior would have infuriated them. But now, they all forced smiles, not only refraining from anger but even instinctively lowering their posture.
"Please, Elder Liu, put in a good word for us later!"
"We beg you!"
"Actually, we were forced into it. We are absolutely loyal to the Sunset Glow Sect and Founder Qingyan, and we fully support Gu Feng's position as Sect Leader..."
"Gu Feng is the most outstanding prodigy our Sunset Glow Sect has seen in five thousand years, second only to Founder Qingyan. It would be a travesty if he didn't become Sect Leader..."
"I've always said that Gu Feng is the right person for the role, but you just wouldn't listen..."
"..."
The eight Supreme Elders smiled obsequiously, trying to justify themselves while secretly slipping their storage rings into Liu Wuxiang's hands, their demeanor utterly subservient.
"Very well. I'll hand these over to the Sect Leader. I'm sure he won't pursue the matter further," Liu Wuxiang said with a grin, knowing better than to embezzle Gu Feng's property.
"This is for the Sect Master? That's too little, add more!"
"Right, right! I have a few pieces of high-quality Artifact Crafting Materials here, they've almost rusted from being kept with me. I'll offer them to the Sect Master!"
"My great-granddaughter is sixteen, fresh and lovely. If the Sect Master fancies her, she can serve by his side!"
"Shameless!"
Though they said so, almost all the Elders were racking their brains, trying to think of any female disciples among their descendants who were both beautiful and talented, in hopes of currying favor with Gu Feng.
Even the forces from Cloud Prefecture were considering this possibility.
"The Sect Master is young and accomplished. Though I can't compare to Chu Youhuan, I'm quite alluring. Maybe I have a chance."
"Even the most delicious food can become tiresome after a while. Someone like me, plain and simple, might be just what the Sect Master needs for a change of taste."
"My skills are good, I might have a chance too!"
"..."
Some female cultivators who didn't want to work hard were already thinking about taking shortcuts.
Just as everyone's thoughts were running wild, a deafening explosion suddenly erupted from the Inner Sect.
The entire Sunset Glow Sect trembled violently!
Everyone stared in shock towards the Inner Sect, only to see the sect's iconic building—the Sect Master's Hall—reduced to dust!
"This place is a forbidden zone. No one is allowed to enter!"
The ethereal voice rang out once more.
(End of the Chapter)
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