Demon Slaying, Gaining 60 Years of Cultivation From the Start

Tiandu in the evening, at the residence of the Martial King.

At this moment, within the vast living room, Gu Chen was having dinner with his second uncle's family.

"Eldest son, how about it—are the dishes to your liking?" Aunt Xu Qinge looked at Gu Chen expectantly and asked.

Gu Chen took a bite of the food, smiled, and nodded, saying, "Auntie's cooking has improved quite a bit—if you ask me, it's no less than the imperial chefs in the palace."

"Really?" Hearing this, Xu Qinge's eyes immediately lit up.

"Of course, why would I lie to you, Auntie?" Gu Chen smiled and nodded affirmatively.

"Why do I feel like it's the same as before, no difference at all?" Beside him, his second uncle Gu Chengfeng took a sip of wine, smacked his lips, and muttered quietly.

"Just eat your food, shut your mouth!" Aunt Xu Qinge had good hearing, and upon hearing this, she immediately gave her second uncle an annoyed look.

The latter immediately shrank his neck and dared not speak further.

"The eldest son said my cooking is on par with the imperial chefs, and you, a rough man, how many times have you gone to the palace, have you ever eaten the imperial chefs' dishes?" Aunt Xu Qinge raised her eyebrows and began scolding Second Uncle Gu Chengfeng.

Gu Qingyan, on seeing this, kept her head down and said nothing, her beautiful eyes brimming with mirth.

As for Gu Chen, he didn't care and sat there enjoying the show.

With Aunt Xu getting furious, Second Uncle Gu Chengfeng dared not say a word, his face full of bitterness, hoping Gu Chen would bail him out.

Gu Chen shrugged his shoulders, signaling to his second uncle that he needed to handle his own mess; Gu Chen didn't wish to voluntarily enter the battlefield.

In the end, the dinner was harmonious for everyone except for the second uncle, who hung his head low, his expression somewhat pained.

Because tonight, he could only sleep in the guest room again.

After the dinner ended and the servants had cleared away the dishes, Gu Chen pondered for a moment before speaking up, "Second Uncle, Auntie, and Qinyan, I might have to leave home for a while."

Upon hearing this, everyone was stunned. Second Uncle Gu Chengfeng frowned deeply and turned to Gu Chen, asking, "Eldest son, everything in the Nine Provinces is peaceful now—where are you planning to go?"

Aunt Xu Qinge also looked at Gu Chen with a worried face, and Gu Qingyan blinked her beautiful eyes, saying, "Big Brother, could it be that there's still something unresolved?"

Hearing this, Second Uncle Gu Chengfeng's expression grew even more somber, with his palms subconsciously clenching.

After a long silence, Gu Chen sighed softly and eventually, he didn't want to deceive his second uncle and the rest. He recounted the events.

"What?!"

After hearing Gu Chen's description, his second uncle's family was shocked, Aunt Xu Qinge couldn't help but exclaim, and Gu Qingyan looked at Gu Chen full of worry.

"So the Nine Provinces have such a hidden intrigue behind them?" Gu Chengfeng murmured, clearly deeply shocked by the news.

He had thought that after resolving the issue with the Demon Sect leader Dugu Yun, things would come to an end, and their family of four could live peacefully. But he didn't expect that matters were far from over.

"Are you going to leave the Nine Provinces?" Gu Qingyan couldn't help asking.

"Yes." Gu Chen nodded.

"For how long?" Aunt Xu Qinge looked at him.

"It's uncertain, a few months at the least, maybe one or two years at most," Gu Chen ultimately admitted truthfully.

"That long?!" Gu Chengfeng's frown deepened even more.

"Is it that, aside from you, there is no one else who can undertake this task?" Xu Qinge hesitated for a moment before speaking.

In the past, they wouldn't have said much about Gu Chen's missions, just quietly worried in their hearts, but this time was different.

Although Gu Chen didn't describe it in too much detail, they could sense the danger of this trip, especially since it involved leaving the Nine Provinces.

Gu Chengfeng, being a warrior, faintly perceived even more dangers. This was much riskier than facing the Demon Sect leader Dugu Yun.

After all, this involved leaving the Nine Provinces to face those ghastly things alone—how could Gu Chengfeng not worry?

Gu Chen sighed and said, "Across the entire Nine Provinces, the only one capable of doing this is me."

"Can't you just... not go?" Xu Qinge looked at him with worried eyes, hesitatingly speaking.

"Nonsense!"

At this moment, Gu Chengfeng frowned and rebuked, saying, "This matter concerns the life and death of the Nine Provinces—if it isn't resolved, in not too long, the whole Nine Provinces will be destroyed. By then, there will be countless casualties, rivers of blood—what a colossal price that would be!"

"But... but why does the eldest son always have to be the one to take on these dangerous tasks?" Aunt Xu Qinge began crying softly and sobbing quietly.

"Mother..." Gu Qingyan, too, had tears welling up in her eyes as she held Xu Qinge tightly.

Because this matter was highly confidential, from the beginning, Gu Chen had all the servants leave, and no one saw this scene.

"If one is limited in capacity, one should just ensure one's own good conduct; if one can make a greater impact, one should help the world. With strength and status like the eldest son's, he's among the best in the Nine Provinces. In a matter that concerns the survival of countless living beings, if he doesn't stand up, then who will?"

"Moreover, if this matter really escalates to a certain point in the future, where would you, I, and Qinyan be, and how could the eldest son face himself? Eventually, everyone will die!" Gu Chengfeng said solemnly.

He saw clearly that a big reason why Gu Chen was willing to go was also for their family of three.

"But... but..." Aunt Xu Qinge sobbed.

"There aren't any buts!" Second Uncle Gu Chengfeng said forcefully, cutting off his wife's words. At this moment, he was a far cry from the yes-man he had been at the dinner table.

Gu Chengfeng looked at Gu Chen and said softly, "Some things always need someone to step forward, even if it means facing death."

Hearing this, Gu Chen also had a look of resolve and nodded firmly, saying, "That's right, even if it means facing death!"

"Go then, eldest son." Gu Chengfeng's expression was grave as he said, "Your second uncle believes you will surely succeed!"

"Master..." Upon hearing these words, Aunt Xu Qinge and my sister Gu Qingyan cried even harder.

Gu Chen, dressed in black robes, his hair cascading like a waterfall down to his waist, looked solemn. His hand clenched and unclenched several times, and in the end, he found himself unable to say anything further. Bowing his head in respect, his figure flashed, and he left the place immediately.

Such scenes were difficult for him to bear. With a flicker, he found himself outside Tiandu, where the cold wind hit his face. Gu Chen looked up at the sky, his conviction unwavering, his eyes slightly dry.

Moments later, without looking back, he strode forward, heading beyond the sky!

He would not die; there would come a day of reunion!

At this moment, within the residence of the Martial King, after Gu Chen's departure, Gu Chengfeng stood still, unmoved for a long time.

"Master...you..." At this time, Xu Qinge raised her head, and suddenly seemed stunned.

"Father..." Gu Qingyan looked at her father and felt the same.

In this moment, Gu Chengfeng's tiger-like eyes were filled with tears, his face flushed red. Although he should have been unable to speak through his tears, his lips were tightly pursed, not making a single sound.

The hand he had hidden under his robe was clenched so tightly that it had started bleeding, with the blood dripping steadily down.

Gu Chen was someone he had raised since childhood, having poured countless effort into him. Gu Chengfeng's care for Gu Chen even surpassed that for Gu Qingyan.

In fact, Gu Chengfeng had never imagined that Gu Chen would reach such heights, a position of great power and significance.

If he had a choice, Gu Chengfeng would rather have it otherwise; he simply wished for Gu Chen to live a peaceful life.

Their parting this time made it unknown whether they would ever have the chance to meet again.

...

At this moment, Gu Chen, like a heavenly sword, shot straight toward the dome of the sky, his hair in disarray from the chilling night breeze, his eyes cold, his conviction firm, unstoppable.

According to the Tower Supervisor, to reach beyond the sky, one had to break through the "barrier" of the Nine States.

The barrier was like a protective film of the world of the Nine States. For the people from the upper realms to descend, aside from having the right coordinates, they needed a formidable force to break through the barrier before they could arrive in this realm.

Of course, because of the influence of demons, the rules of the Nine States had weakened nearly to their limit, making the barrier unusually frail. With Gu Chen's cultivation level, it was very easy for him to break through.

Soon, as Gu Chen reached the high skies of the Nine States, with everything beneath him growing hazy, his body glowed and, with a hum, the void rippled. A sensation of being bound washed over him, causing his body to stiffen, but only for an instant.

The next moment, as if penetrating some kind of membrane, Gu Chen effortlessly crossed the barrier and arrived beyond the sky.

"Is this the world beyond?" Gu Chen murmured to himself while looking around.

Far beyond, also known as the external domain, was pitch black, utterly devoid of anything. It was terrifyingly cold and desolate. Breathing was impossible in this space, but with Gu Chen's cultivation, he was long capable of sustaining himself through internal circulation.

At the same time, there was no presence of Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi in the external domain. Thus, warriors in the Divine Intent Realm, although they could survive here, could not replenish their energy, which would be unsustainable over a long period.

"To preside over such a desolate place for over twenty years is indeed deserving of respect." Gu Chen thought of Wei Cang and Luo Xun, who were the former Commander of Jing Tian Department and the former Lord of the Mingjing Department.

At that moment, Gu Chen turned back and saw the Nine States, which, like the homeland of his previous life, was a planet, not a land floating in the external domain.

Upon the surface of the Nine States, a faint light gleamed. It was the willpower and strength of this world, protecting the countless creatures living on the Nine States.

According to the Tower Supervisor, the spatial passageway was very close to the Nine States. Gu Chen, having reached beyond the sky, could find it with a bit of careful searching.

Because if it were too far, Wei Cang and Luo Xun would be unable to guard it, since every once in a while, one of them would leave to return to the Nine States to absorb the Heavenly Earth Essence Qi for replenishment.

Otherwise, it would have been impossible for a warrior's body to survive in the external domain for over twenty years.

Hum!

At this moment, Gu Chen's brow shone with light, his intangible consciousness scanning his surroundings. After leaving the Nine States and without the support of Heaven and Earth, his combat power had declined significantly.

After all, even warriors at the Divine Intent Realm needed to borrow the momentum of Heaven and Earth to bring out their full combat power. But once they left Heaven and Earth and came to the external domain, they naturally could no longer draw upon that power.

This was why the Tower Supervisor initially said Gu Chen should seek strength from within himself.

However, with Gu Chen's current level of cultivation, he was not yet capable of reaching that state. Fortunately, he had the heavenly seed in his body.

Shortly, with his consciousness perceiving, Gu Chen detected the presence of two figures not far from him.

And the moment he noticed them, they naturally detected him as well.

"Hmm?!"

The two figures, one dignified and imposing, the other tall and handsome, were none other than Wei Cang and Luo Xun, who had been guarding this place for over twenty years on the orders of the previous Emperor of Da Xia!

"Someone's there?"

The two had been stationed in this place for a long time with little contact with the Nine States, so they were unaware of Gu Chen's intention to come here.

Therefore, when they sensed Gu Chen's consciousness, they became extremely vigilant, especially Wei Cang, who was poised and ready to strike should Gu Chen show even the slightest malintent.

"Are the two ahead Commander Wei and Lord Luo?" A clear voice, carrying via consciousness, reached the ears of the two.

"Hmm?"

The fact that the newcomer knew their identities and names made Wei Cang and Luo Xun glance at each other, but they still did not let their guard down.

After all, not long ago, they had sensed that something had changed in the Nine States. To this day, they did not know the status of the situation, whether Da Xia still existed or not. Now seeing someone coming to the external domain, they were, of course, on alert.

Understanding this, Gu Chen had conveyed his message from afar.

"You two need not be so wary of me. I come from Da Xia and bear no ill will towards Commander Wei and Lord Luo."

As the voice arrived, Wei Cang and Luo Xun also saw emerging from the darkness a young figure with a handsome face, starry brows, eyes as deep as the night sky, hair dark as ink, features as sharp as if sculpted, undoubtedly Gu Chen who had traveled here from the Nine States.