Once the Dao Plague was temporarily suppressed, the upper echelons of the Hunyuan Sect were forced to face the issues left behind by the Yuandian Pavilion.
Shen Yuanbai’s records were read publicly. Several old elders who had participated in the decision to expel him years ago sat in the hall, their faces ashen, yet they were unable to offer any rebuttal.
Gu Chengming watched coldly, his mind as clear as a mirror.
Most of the primary decision-makers from back then were no longer in the sect. The few still alive today had been mere secondary supporters or marginal figures who had kept silent.
Digging up old history to demand full accountability was neither meaningful nor possible.
Being able to restore Shen Yuanbai’s name to the sect’s official records and bringing the classics that had gathered dust in the old pavilion for decades back into the light was already the best possible outcome they could strive for.
However, compared to the slow, step-by-step progress at the sect level, the activity within Gu Chengming’s Sea of Consciousness came much faster.
After the turmoil, the 《Cangxian Wine Sword Art》 had become significantly more talkative.
In the past, this Miss Wine Sword Immortal would at most throw out a few harmless pleasantries when she was sober, only starting to criticize the world after three rounds of wine.
But since the battle at the old pavilion, even without a single drop of wine, the wine sword art had begun to blatantly output her viewpoints.
【《Cangxian Wine Sword Art》: The Hunyuan Sect’s current elder council system is essentially a hegemony of the body-cultivation lineage. The seats for the Yuandian Pavilion are a mere formality. What’s the use of just writing Shen Yuanbai’s name back? Without changing the system, in another fifty years, a second Shen Yuanbai will be kicked out just the same.】
Gu Chengming secretly complained to himself. It was only because Miss Wine Sword Immortal was a cultivation technique; if she were a rogue cultivator, she probably would have been on the blacklist of Great Qian or some other sect long ago.
【The 《Zhou Rites Heavenly Rectifying Art》 uncharacteristically failed to voice a rebuttal.】
Even the most rule-abiding Zhou Rites didn't interject, showing that the wine sword art’s words had indeed hit the mark.
Of course, besides that, the biggest change was...
【The 《Cangxian Wine Sword Art》’s tone suddenly softened: Forget it, mentioning the sect’s mess is a buzzkill. Rather than those murky schemes, I’d much rather talk about you, young friend.】
Gu Chengming was about to think "talk about what," but the other party’s romantic words had already flowed out smoothly, without a hint of a young girl’s shyness, appearing perfectly bold and natural.
【The 《Cangxian Wine Sword Art》 chuckled softly: During that trip to the old pavilion, I’ve kept the image of you holding me tight in my heart. There are thousands of skilled swordsmen in this world, but the only one who can make me willingly put away my drunkenness and wish only to accompany him through the red dust while sober is you, young friend.】
【《Cangxian Wine Sword Art》: If you ever grow tired of the heights of the imperial court or the distance of the martial world, take me with you. Never mind the southwest of Great Qian—even if it were the Nine Springs of the Underworld, as long as the one holding the sword is you, I would find even a mountain of blades or a sea of fire to be fine scenery. Those pedantic scholars always seek eternal youth, but I feel that being able to see you year after year is better than anything else in the world.】
And the most direct impact this change had on Gu Chengming was—
【The 《Huiyuan Sword Manual》’s alarm bells rang loudly, its sense of crisis exploding.】
Originally, after unlocking the "Huiyuan Sword Manual of Love," Xiao Huiyuan felt she was firmly seated on the throne of the primary consort.
Gu Chengming practicing other sword arts? Let him. Regardless, she was unique; no one could surpass her.
But the current situation had changed completely.
The Cangxian Wine Sword Art had not only entered the threshold, but its favorability was soaring, jumping directly from friendly to like.
More lethally, these romantic lines came one after another. It was a fierce offensive of the same type as the Qingxin Art but in a different direction.
In the eyes of the Huiyuan Sword Manual, this was practically a blatant home invasion!
【The 《Qingxin Art》 watched the excitement with great interest for a while, teasing: Does Xiao Huiyuan really think that all the opponents in the world are like Little Flowing Cloud?】
Well, it might have indeed underestimated the world’s sword manuals because of the "female bystander" attribute of the Flowing Cloud Following Moon Sword Art.
Now, thinking back to her own words, "Chengming, you can practice other sword arts with peace of mind," how generous and composed she had been!
【The 《Huiyuan Sword Manual》 was going crazy.】
Unfortunately, there was no medicine for regret. The primary consort’s tolerance and generosity had already been displayed. If she jumped out now and acted like a shrew, saying, "No, you’re not allowed to talk to her," wouldn't she become a resentful woman?
【She spoke stubbornly: I am still the Number One Sword Art for Gu!】
【The 《Cangxian Wine Sword Art》 hummed an out-of-tune folk song, completely unaware that she had already been listed as the number one imaginary enemy by a certain primary consort.】
Putting aside the interaction of the techniques, the main business of Gu Chengming’s trip to the Hunyuan Sect was halfway done.
The original intention was to investigate the anomalies of the Great Qian southwest cultivators. Getting involved in the Dao Plague by accident had pointed him in the right direction. The mess at the Cloud Moon Sect was almost certainly related to the Dao Plague.
The seal beneath the Cuiping Mountains connected the two sects. Since the Hunyuan Sect’s side was leaking like a sieve, how could the Cloud Moon Sect be well?
The displaced shadows and the sect-protecting array closing inward mentioned by Ji Yixi were likely alarms of the collapse at the other end of the seal.
As for the Hunyuan Sect...
Gu Chengming could only describe it as a literal ragtag bunch.
Back then, they had personally destroyed the Yuandian Pavilion’s inheritance, leading to the Cross-Reference Array being incomplete. Those who knew how to repair it were either driven away or missing.
The records he brought out from the old pavilion were complete, but they were all theoretical deductions. To actually implement them would require a massive amount of manpower, resources, and time.
Right now, the Hunyuan Sect was deploying people to forcibly suppress the seal. To put it bluntly, they were just barely muddling through, delaying the spread of the Dao Plague.
Gu Chengming had considered reporting this to the Night Guard Division and having Zhou Qingmu step in to coordinate.
But distant water cannot save a nearby fire. Moreover, the Dao Plague involved the very foundation of the Hunyuan Sect; too much external intervention could easily backfire.
The most stable method was for him to personally oversee the repair progress, at least plugging the most critical gaps first. But a realistic problem stood before him: he had no official standing.
Strictly speaking, the Night Guard Division investigation order signed by Zhou Qingmu did give him the authority to inspect all sects, but this authority was limited to "looking" and "asking." It did not include "commanding" or "making decisions."
He could point out where the seal was leaking, but he had no right to order the Hunyuan Sect elders on how to fix it. The elders’ attitude toward him was also quite subtle.
There was certainly gratitude. He had risked his life to enter the old pavilion for data and had saved many disciples with a single sword strike; there was no shortage of polite words.
But to let a Third Realm disciple from an external sect boss them around and tell them how to allocate resources to fix the seal?
The crude body cultivators couldn't bring themselves to lose face like that.
...
At night, inside Hua Daiyi’s annex.
The two sat opposite each other at the stone table in the courtyard as usual, one flask each, drinking alone under the moon.
Tonight, Hua Daiyi uncharacteristically didn't touch much wine. Most of the flask was still sitting safely inside. He swirled his wine bowl a few times and suddenly spoke.
“Little Gu, there’s something I need to be honest with you about.”
Gu Chengming set down his wine cup.
“It’s not that they don't appreciate your help.” Hua Daiyi spoke quickly, cutting straight to the point. “It’s that you don't have a status that would make them willingly follow your orders.”
The words were blunt but true; this was indeed the crux of the matter.
The direct descendant prodigy of the Wenjian Sect and the Night Guard Division inspector were titles that sounded impressive, but in the Hunyuan Sect’s territory, they were all labeled as "outsiders."
Gratitude was gratitude, and taking orders was taking orders—two different things.
Gu Chengming pondered for a moment. “What does Martial Uncle Hua mean?”
Hua Daiyi set his wine bowl down heavily, his gaze becoming subtle.
“Do you know about the Chenyuan Platform?”
Gu Chengming shook his head.
【《Hundred Bones Resonating》 instantly pricked up its ears.】
Hua Daiyi leaned forward, his tone no longer like casual chat as he spoke seriously. “The predecessor of the Hunyuan Sect was called the Huntian Gate. The founding patriarch was an ancient body cultivator who achieved sagehood through his physical body. This old gentleman had a fierce personality and established a rule before he died: anyone who can withstand the ‘weight of the Dao’ he left behind is qualified to walk the world on his behalf and take charge of the sect.”
“This rule is called the Chenyuan Trial.”
Hua Daiyi stood up, walked to the courtyard wall, and pointed distantly toward the depths of the Back Mountain.
“The testing ground is at the Chenyuan Platform in the Back Mountain. Standing on the platform is a pitch-black stone pillar called the Abyss Pillar. It’s about twelve feet high, its surface covered in ancient body-cultivation inscriptions, forged from meteoric iron mixed with the essence of the earth.”
“The strange thing about this Abyss Pillar is,” Hua Daiyi turned back and held up a finger, “its weight changes dynamically according to the challenger’s realm, physique, and even their will.”
“To ordinary disciples, it’s just a heavy rock. But to someone who truly touches the weight of the Dao contained within the Abyss Pillar—” He paused slightly, his tone lowering.
“What presses on the shoulders is the weight of an entire path. All of an ancient body cultivator’s lifelong understanding of ‘what is the path of body cultivation’ is poured into it.”
Gu Chengming realized, thinking to himself, is there a sword-in-the-stone segment?
【《Hundred Bones Resonating》 listened with glowing eyes.】
“That’s right.” Hua Daiyi nodded. “Even if you have brute strength, even if you are a Fifth Realm body cultivator, if your will does not align with the pillar’s intent, it is a dead object. It won't move an inch; don't even think about letting it leave the ground.”
“How high you can lift the Abyss Pillar proves how much potential you have on the path of body cultivation.” Hua Daiyi changed the subject and spread his hands.
“So far, no one has been able to lift it completely off the platform.”
He stared at Gu Chengming, his eyes showing a hint of testing. “If someone truly does it, they can be directly conferred as the Holy Son of the Huntian Gate. Although it’s called the Hunyuan Sect now, the old ancestor’s rules have been passed down to this day, and no one dares to abolish them. According to the old rules, the Holy Son’s status in the sect is equal to that of a senior elder.”
Having said this much, the subtext was already clear.
By taking this status, Gu Chengming could rightfully intervene in the Hunyuan Sect’s internal affairs, oversee the seal’s repair, and even directly allocate personnel.
Not as an external disciple pointing fingers, but as the Holy Son of the Hunyuan Sect presiding over the overall situation.
Gu Chengming was slightly surprised. The Hunyuan Sect actually hid such a tradition.
But he quickly followed the logic. He wasn't exactly a person of the Hunyuan Sect; was it appropriate to just go and pull out someone else’s legacy artifact?
“Martial Uncle Hua.” Gu Chengming chose his words carefully. “I am, after all, a disciple of the Wenjian Sect. This Chenyuan Trial—”
Hua Daiyi waved his hand, directly cutting off his concerns.
“The Abyss Pillar recognizes the person, not the sect.” His tone was resolute. “As long as you can lift it, never mind being a Wenjian Sect disciple—even if you were a traitor from the Longevity Sect, that Holy Son position would be yours. The iron rule established by the ancient body cultivator means the Abyss Pillar comes first and the sect comes second. Who in the Hunyuan Sect would dare to say a word of disagreement?”
After a slight pause, he added unhurriedly.
“If you can’t pull it out, they won't make things difficult for you, given your status as a Night Guard Division inspector and a direct descendant of the Wenjian Sect. At most, the entire sect will laugh at me for being blind, adding a few days of gossip for them to enjoy.”
At this point, the old man chuckled and pulled a dusty gray token from his waist, spinning it between his fingers.
“While the night is dark and the wind is high, and everyone has dispersed. I’ll use my elder authority to lead you into the Back Mountain. I guarantee no one will notice.”
Seeing Hua Daiyi’s practiced manner, Gu Chengming silently gave him a thumbs up.
As expected of Martial Uncle Hua.
This way of doing things was practically carved from the same mold as his own master.
On the surface, they say "no rush, no rush, it all depends on fate," but in the background, they’ve already paved the smooth road, just waiting to push your head to nod.
【《Hundred Bones Resonating》 was already boiling with excitement, quickly cheering: Emperor Gu! It’s the weight of the Dao! It’s an ancient inheritance!】
【The 《Cangxian Wine Sword Art》, in her sober state, uncharacteristically felt interested: It sounds somewhat interesting. That an ancient body cultivator’s rule can last until today shows that no matter how much of a ragtag bunch the Hunyuan Sect is, they still have reverence for their founding patriarch.】
【The 《Zhou Rites Heavenly Rectifying Art》 nodded slightly: Grand excellence. This act conforms to ancient rites—testing aptitude regardless of origin or sect, selecting based only on talent. The founding patriarch of the Huntian Gate was indeed a transparent person.】
Zhou Rites and the wine sword art actually reached a consensus on the same thing?
Gu Chengming was somewhat surprised. He stood up and casually brushed the hem of his robes.
“Then I shall trouble Martial Uncle Hua to lead the way.”
...
Late at night, the moon hidden behind clouds.
Hua Daiyi led Gu Chengming along a stone path in the Back Mountain of the Hunyuan Sect that was almost swallowed by wild grass.
The two deliberately restrained their auras, their figures close to the mountain wall, looking like two large rats stealing grain in the night.
“Martial Uncle Hua, there seems to be movement ahead?” Gu Chengming lowered his voice, his tone still steady.
Hua Daiyi’s steps stopped abruptly, and he pulled Gu Chengming into the bushes by the road.
Spiritual light lit up at the fork ahead. A burly middle-aged cultivator was walking briskly with a wind lantern—it was Elder Sun of the Rock Peak of the Hunyuan Sect.
Hua Daiyi’s face changed slightly, and he secretly complained: This Old Sun has always been a light sleeper, but what is he doing in the Back Mountain in the middle of the night?
Elder Sun reached the fork and paused slightly, as if hearing something in the wind. He raised the wind lantern and shone it toward the bushes.
As the light swept past, Hua Daiyi crouched as steady as a mountain. The two operated their auras and concealment techniques to the limit.
The leaves overhead rustled, barely covering their figures. Elder Sun stared suspiciously for a few breaths, finally shook his head, muttered "probably a wild rabbit," and turned toward another path, walking away.
Only then did Hua Daiyi withdraw his hand and let out a long sigh. “Go, before he returns.”
【《Hundred Bones Resonating》 was furious at this: A mere elder! Why does Emperor Gu need to retreat? Just crush him head-on!】
Gu Chengming sighed in his heart: Old Bai, we’re here to secretly pull a pillar tonight, not to smash the place and challenge the sect.
After another fifteen minutes of walking, a stone platform half-covered by weeds and rubble came into view.
The Chenyuan Platform.
The platform surface was carved from a single piece of gray-blue giant rock, with faded array patterns remaining at the four corners. In the exact center of the stone platform stood a pitch-black stone pillar.
The Abyss Pillar was about twelve feet high, its thickness such that it required both arms to encircle. The surface of the pillar was densely carved with ancient body-cultivation inscriptions, which faintly glowed with a dark gold luster under the moonlight.
Hua Daiyi stood below the platform, watching Gu Chengming walk leisurely onto the stone platform. He muttered "go on," but in his heart, he didn't hold much hope.
To be honest, he brought this kid mostly to fulfill a sentiment and give some comfort.
See? Your Martial Uncle has done all he can and pointed out the way; it’s all the Abyss Pillar’s fault for not giving face.
In the future, don't take it too much to heart; at worst, we’ll find another way.
After all, no one had moved this object since the sect was founded.
The last time it made a sound was eight hundred years ago, by the Rock True Monarch—the only body-cultivation powerhouse in the history of the Hunyuan Sect to step into the Seventh Realm. Rumor has it that when the Rock True Monarch challenged the Chenyuan Trial with a Fifth Realm body, he only made the Abyss Pillar vibrate twice, unable to even lift it off the platform.
For eight hundred years, successors had been like carp crossing a river—Fifth Realm, Sixth Realm, and even body-cultivation experts from other sects who came because of its fame—all without exception returned in defeat.
Over time, this Chenyuan Platform had degenerated from a "Holy Son selection trial ground" to a "sect day-trip photo spot."
Gu Chengming was indeed extraordinarily gifted, and his performance at Floating Islet City was stunning, but no matter how you put it, a Third Realm, Eighth Level sword cultivator coming to pull the guardian pillar of a body-cultivation sect...
Hua Daiyi shook his head repeatedly in his heart, hoping this kid wouldn't be too disappointed later.
Gu Chengming stood before the Abyss Pillar and firmly pressed his hands against the cold pillar body. The moment his palms touched the inscriptions, an indescribable pressure as heavy as the entire Cuiping Mountains condensed within the twelve-foot stone pillar crushed down on him.
He took a deep breath, and the 《Hundred Bones Resonating》 in his body was fully activated.
In terms of body cultivation, Gu Chengming asked himself: among all the techniques he knew in his life, he couldn't find one more pure than 《Hundred Bones Resonating》.
What was purity? Ordinary body-tempering techniques focused on a powerful physical body and abundant blood qi, aiming to turn the body into a handy weapon.
But 《Hundred Bones Resonating》 was different; it pursued the "Body-Cultivation Emperor," the so-called ultimate of the Dao.
The polishing of the physical body during daily cultivation could be described as obsessive.
Others felt that as long as the meridian capacity was enough, it was fine, but it insisted on tempering every single meridian to flawless perfection; half an inch was not enough. Others felt that if bone density hit a bottleneck, they could take a detour, but it insisted on repeatedly clashing with it without tiring, never being perfunctory even if the results were minimal.
Even while Gu Chengming was fast asleep, it would operate on its own to fine-tune his blood qi.
Once, Gu Chengming woke up in the middle of the night to find himself tempering his body and almost thought he was possessed, only later learning that Emperor Bai was secretly adding extra training while he slept.
This sincerity toward the path of body cultivation could not be found anywhere else in the entire cultivation world.
With this, Gu Chengming felt he had a good chance of winning.
If he didn't believe in himself, he should at least believe in Emperor Bai!
【《Hundred Bones Resonating》 blood qi roared, and the emperor qi enhancement was fully opened: Come! Let this Emperor see just how much weight this ancient body-cultivation relic actually has!】
Blood qi surged, pouring into his arms like a raging tide.
Gu Chengming gritted his teeth, his waist and horse stance as one, and pulled up with all his strength!
At first, the Abyss Pillar didn't move an inch. However, in the next instant, the pillar inscriptions suddenly lit up, and the dark gold glow flowed slowly along the patterns. Immediately after, the entire Abyss Pillar let out a low-pitched hum.
The pillar body began to vibrate, but the amplitude was weak. If Gu Chengming’s hands hadn't been pressed tight against it, he wouldn't even have been able to perceive it.
Below the platform, Hua Daiyi’s eyes widened, and he took a sharp breath.
He had stayed in the Hunyuan Sect for most of his life and had personally seen no fewer than twenty body cultivators challenge the Chenyuan Trial, but not one could make the Abyss Pillar produce such a reaction.
Who was the last one to do it? The Rock True Monarch a thousand years ago, and that was only a record in the classics!
Hua Daiyi stared fixedly at the platform, forgetting to even put down the wine bowl in his hand.
However, the anomaly ended there.
The vibration lasted for a few breaths and then gradually subsided, the Abyss Pillar returning to dead silence.
Gu Chengming exerted force again, the blood qi enhancement of 《Hundred Bones Resonating》 pushed to its peak, but the Abyss Pillar seemed to have grown roots in the platform. It vibrated, but refused to lift even a bit.
Gu Chengming slowly released his hands and stepped back half a pace, lowering his eyes to stare at his palms, his brow full of confusion.
Even Emperor Bai couldn't do it?
The body-cultivation purity of 《Hundred Bones Resonating》 was already the peak of his knowledge. If even it couldn't align with the Dao intent within the Abyss Pillar, could any body cultivator in the world actually succeed?
【《Hundred Bones Resonating》 muttered unwillingly: It makes no sense...】
There was indeed resonance; otherwise, the Abyss Pillar wouldn't have vibrated.
But resonance alone was clearly not enough; something critical was missing.
Just as Gu Chengming was about to give up and was planning to shake his head at Hua Daiyi below the platform, there was a sudden movement within his body.
—It was the Unfettered Freedom Art!
Gu Chengming’s heart skipped a beat.
A wisp of aura rose leisurely from the depths of his dantian. It was the aura of the ancient body cultivator within the Abyss Pillar inscriptions, simulated by the Unfettered Freedom Art.
Gu Chengming hesitated for a moment and pressed his hands onto the Abyss Pillar again. This time, before he even exerted force, the Abyss Pillar detached from the platform cleanly and decisively, with a terrifying ease.
Gu Chengming was stunned, and so was Hundred Bones Resonating.
【《Hundred Bones Resonating》: ?!】
Just now, exerting all his strength only yielded a few vibrations, but now, without even using much force, the pillar came up on its own? This had nothing to do with the "weight of the Dao" that body cultivation emphasized.
Gu Chengming held the Abyss Pillar with both hands, lost in thought.
So the Abyss Pillar didn't recognize "attainment in the path of body cultivation" at all, but rather "that person’s own aura"?
Could this be a backdoor the founding patriarch left for himself?
Thinking about it carefully, an ancient powerhouse who achieved sagehood through his physical body, as his lifespan was ending, left behind an Abyss Pillar containing his own Dao intent and established a rule saying "anyone who can withstand the weight of the Dao can be the Holy Son." It sounded grand and encouraged the younger generation.
But what if it didn't recognize will or Dao intent at all, but only the founding patriarch’s own aura?
Then wasn't it so that in the future, when he himself reincarnated or returned through possession, he could use this object to reach the heavens in one step and rightfully take a high position?
Thinking of this, the previous line from the 《Zhou Rites Heavenly Rectifying Art》, "selecting based only on talent, the founding patriarch of the Huntian Gate was indeed a transparent person," became quite ironic.
What a way to recruit talent regardless of background—it turned out the talent he was recruiting was himself.
While Gu Chengming was frantically complaining in his heart, the Abyss Pillar in his hands could no longer hold back.
The inscriptions suddenly burst with light. It was no longer the dark gold glow from before; the entire Abyss Pillar lit up from bottom to top in sequence, the dark gold turning into crimson gold, and the crimson gold turning into a piercing white light.
A pillar of light shot straight into the sky.
The array patterns at the four corners of the Chenyuan Platform were activated simultaneously, and a crimson-gold light pillar rose from the ground, piercing the clouds. The ancient restriction that had slept for thousands of years roared into operation, and the entire Back Mountain’s ley lines resonated together.
Then, the celestial phenomena changed.
The cloud layer above the Hunyuan Sect was forcibly torn apart by a majestic force, revealing the brilliant star river.
Within the star river, a vast purple mist surged from the eastern horizon, spreading for thousands of miles and enveloping the entire Huntian Plain under a dreamlike curtain of light.
Purple Qi from the East, stretching for thirty thousand miles.
At the same time, dozens of ancient bells deep in the Back Mountain were activated by the phenomenon, letting out a deep and distant long chime in unison.
The bell chimes continued one after another, echoing among the peaks of the Cuiping Mountains. Ten thousand rays of radiance followed, shooting out from the top of the Abyss Pillar in all directions, illuminating the night sky like broad daylight.
Gu Chengming stood steadily in the very center of this light, holding the Abyss Pillar high, the expression on his face unable to be described as either shocked or speechless.
He looked at the spectacular "Purple Qi from the East for thirty thousand miles" special effect above his head, then at the ten thousand rays of radiance surging in the array patterns beneath his feet, feeling only absurdity in his heart.
Sure enough, this was the presentation the founding patriarch had carefully prepared for his own return.
Just by looking at this combination of special effects, one could grasp this old senior’s aesthetic preferences during his lifetime: Purple Qi from the East, ten thousand rays of radiance, and bells chiming through the nine heavens.
Old senior, this combo might have been considered top-tier in ancient times.
But what year is it now? Nowadays, when a Fifth Realm great cultivator breaks through, it has to be "Dao bells chiming together, heavenly flowers falling, and golden lotuses emerging." Purple Qi from the East is at most a basic starter pack.
Is it really this simple and unadorned?
There were even ten thousand rays of radiance.
Gu Chengming clearly remembered that a few days ago, when he was buying spirit wine in the Market City, the dharma shop next door had a discounted item called the "Ten Thousand Rays of Radiance Firework Tube," three spirit stones for two, buy five get one free.
While Gu Chengming was complaining like this, the purple mist overhead showed no sign of dissipating; instead, it grew increasingly dense, threatening to swallow the entire Huntian Plain.
In the distance, toward the Hunyuan Sect’s Main Peak, several sounds of breaking air exploded in succession.
The elders had been alerted. With the flight speed of Fifth Realm great cultivators, they would reach the scene in a hundred breaths at most.
He turned to look at Hua Daiyi below the platform. The old man had completely petrified, the hand holding the wine bowl frozen in mid-air, motionless, completely unaware that most of the wine in the bowl had spilled.
Just as Gu Chengming was calculating how to face the Hunyuan Sect elders who were rushing over and how to solidify his status as the Holy Son.
The 《Unfettered Freedom Art》 operated on its own again.
A majestic suction force suddenly exploded from the depths of his dantian, shooting straight through his arms to his palms, firmly locking onto the Abyss Pillar.
The ancient body-cultivation power contained within the Abyss Pillar inscriptions was being frantically absorbed by the 《Unfettered Freedom Art》 at a speed visible to the naked eye, turning into a scalding torrent forcibly poured into Gu Chengming’s meridians.
Gu Chengming’s face changed drastically.
—Wait, what are you doing?!
The light of the Abyss Pillar inscriptions began to fade rapidly, from crimson gold to dark gold, then from dark gold to gray-white. Fine cracks quietly crawled over the surface of the pillar, and the originally majestic humming sound became increasingly weak.
However, in the next instant. A line of a prompt he had never seen before suddenly popped up on the system panel before Gu Chengming’s eyes.
【CG evolution in progress.】
Gu Chengming was stunned.
CG? At this moment? You can't be joking!
At the very moment the Hunyuan Sect elders were racing toward the Back Mountain at top speed, you’re going to show me a CG?
The panel ignored his complaints, and the screen spread out directly. At the same time, the other two techniques in his Sea of Consciousness also operated together.
Three techniques activated simultaneously—
—《Unfettered Freedom Art》, 《Cangxian Wine Sword Art》, 《Zhou Rites Heavenly Rectifying Art》.
Characters jumped on the system panel.
【Multiplayer CG started.】
This prompt caused Gu Chengming to fall completely silent, for a moment even forgetting his current situation.
A multiplayer CG? This was a first.
Although the current situation clearly didn't allow him to look into it closely, Gu Chengming still felt a bit of curiosity toward this multiplayer CG.
—Dammit, the Gal Master was going to be hard-controlled by a CG again.
Immediately after, the CG screen slowly unfolded.
In the center of the screen stood a thick wooden stake, with a person tied to it. To be precise, it was a petite young girl.
Her hands were tied behind the wooden stake, and dry wood and kindling were piled at her feet. A cold wind blew, and the withered grass at the edge of the woodpile rustled.
The girl’s head hung low, her face hidden in the shadows. Gu Chengming had never seen her, but a thought instinctively jumped into his mind.
This should be the Unfettered Freedom Art, right?
He carefully studied the scene before him.
A girl tied to a wooden stake, stepping on firewood—this composition...
His first reaction was a saintess in distress. He thought to himself, where did this take me? Is this still the cultivation world?
The stake, the binding, the sacrifice—it carried a sense of sacred and tragic epicness. What exactly was this scene trying to achieve? What had the 《Unfettered Freedom Art》 glimpsed from the Abyss Pillar’s power?
Gu Chengming was about to look deeper when the CG plot continued to evolve.
Below the wooden stake, two figures appeared out of thin air.
On the left stood a girl in green robes, her temperament upright, a bamboo slip at her waist, her brow full of an awe-inspiring noble qi.
On the right was a woman with a lazy aura, her collar slightly open, shaking half a flask of leftover wine in her hand, her standing posture as casual as a vagrant passing by to watch the excitement.
《Zhou Rites Heavenly Rectifying Art》 and 《Cangxian Wine Sword Art》.
The two stood by the woodpile, calmly watching the girl on the wooden stake.
And at their feet, Gu Chengming’s gaze shifted slightly. A pile of miscellaneous items was scattered on the ground. At first, he couldn't see them clearly, but as the screen zoomed in, he finally recognized them.
Hats, a large pile of hats.
The hats were covered in crookedly written words. Some said "Traitor," some said "Spy," and some said "Treacherous Subject." Among them, one particularly eye-catching large hat had three large characters written in vermilion ink in a flying, cursive style—
"Ambitious Schemer."
Gu Chengming stared fixedly at that pile of hats, an ominous feeling rising in his heart.
Wait!
He re-examined the whole situation. A girl tied to a pillar, fire at her feet.
Two people standing below watching. And a large pile of shame hats filled with crimes prepared next to them.
What kind of saintess martyrdom was this?!
In the screen, the 《Zhou Rites Heavenly Rectifying Art》 bent down to pick up a hat, studied it for a moment, and solemnly handed it to the girl on the wooden stake.
She spoke, her tone as upright and polite as ever:
“This accusation is well-founded; it is only right that you be punished.”
Beside her, the 《Cangxian Wine Sword Art》 tilted her head back to gulp down a mouthful of strong wine, let out a "tsk," and casually picked up a hat to toss upward.
“I agree with this one too; she definitely deserves to be criticized.”
The two of them, one handing a hat and the other throwing one, coordinated as perfectly as if they had rehearsed it a thousand times in private.
Gu Chengming finally knew what this scene was doing.
No, dammit, why is it a shame hat wholesale meeting!?
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