Chapter 176: These people... are all Great Emperors?

Gu Yuan rubbed the back of his head, looking innocently at his own grandfather.

Gu Cangsheng was amused by his little appearance; the strange feeling that had arisen moments ago because his grandson's divine ability was too monstrous instantly vanished.

His stern old face relaxed, and he resumed his indulgent smile, reaching out to ruffle Gu Yuan's hair.

"You little brat, still feeling wronged?"

"That's right." Gu Yuan muttered softly, "Who ever heard of being slapped right after sharing joy?"

"Hmph, I hit you for your own good."

Gu Cangsheng stood with his hands behind his back, speaking nonsense with a straight face,

"Your divine ability is too heaven-defying, it harms heavenly harmony; use it less from now on to avoid great karma. This slap of mine is to pat away your bad luck."

Gu Yuan's mouth twitched, and he thought to himself: Your reason is truly refreshingly unconventional.

But he didn't hold it against him, knowing his grandfather was just messing around.

He stretched his limbs, feeling the surging power within, eager to try: "Grandfather, I feel better than ever! Why don't we start refining this immortal realm right now?"

"What's the rush?"

Gu Cangsheng shook his head, his smile fading, his expression turning solemn: "You just broke through; your foundation still needs consolidation. Moreover... the Eight Boundaries Divine Ability Realm is not enough."

"Not enough?" Gu Yuan froze.

He felt that with one punch he could shatter a star, with three thousand divine abilities at his command, and even the forbidden art of borrowing lifespan; ordinary supremes before him likely couldn't withstand three moves.

Such strength, still not enough?

"Of course not."

Gu Cangsheng extended a finger, tapping the vast, broken land beneath his feet,

"You think refining a world is as easy as eating and drinking? The dangers involved far exceed your imagination.

What we must do is not smash it and swallow it whole, but to peel away its laws, origins, and matter strand by strand, like a silkworm eating mulberry leaves, then perfectly fuse them with the chaos singularity within your body."

"This process demands control of power at an unthinkable level. You now have strength but lack skill—like a three-year-old wielding a divine weapon; one slip and you'll hurt yourself."

Gu Lin Tian also walked over at this moment, his expression grave, and added:

"Your grandfather is right. Yuan'er, the Divine Ability Realm is about using the Dao. Refining a world, however, requires the ability to 'transform use into domain'—the core of the Nine Boundaries Realm. You must first cultivate your own Dao into a stable domain within yourself before you can bear the heavens and earth of an outer world."

Gu Yuan understood.

In short, he now only has a foundation (the chaos singularity) and a pile of top-grade materials (immortal king bones and the World Tree), but lacks a qualified construction crew and a complete blueprint.

"Grandson understands."

Gu Yuan took a deep breath, his eyes firm: "Then I will continue in seclusion, not entering the Nine Boundaries, and swear not to leave the pass!"

"The young can be taught." Gu Cangsheng nodded satisfactorily. "Go on; don't worry about outside affairs—with me and your father here, this heaven won't collapse."

Gu Yuan said no more, bowed respectfully to his grandfather and father, turned, sat cross-legged again, sank his mind into his body, and began a new round of seclusion.

……

Elsewhere, earlier.

Outside those fragments of the broken immortal realm, the true Burial Emperor Star Domain had already been completely overturned.

The Path to Immortality was forcibly opened, then strangely closed.

Next, the Law Stone Gate that had made countless supremes drink their hatred was actually blasted open from inside with a single punch!

These successive upheavals had already plunged all beings of this star domain into great shock and panic.

All eyes of the major holy lands, ancient clans, and supreme dynasties were fixed on the Ancient Forbidden Zone, where a huge spatial vortex had formed, constantly swallowing and exhaling heart-pounding energy.

"What on earth happened? At the end of the Path to Immortality, could an emperor war have broken out?"

"Impossible! I once sensed the auras of over a dozen ancient supremes rushing in, only to vanish like mud into the sea, leaving no trace! What kind of emperor war could silently wipe out over a dozen emperors?"

"Wait! Look! Someone's coming out!"

Suddenly, a cry of alarm broke everyone's discussion.

Only see, within the huge spatial vortex, figures slowly walked out.

Leading them was a middle-aged man in purple-gold imperial robes, his visage stern; as he stepped forward, a wave of perfect, flawless true immortal aura instantly swept across the entire universe!

At that moment, the Heavenly Heart Mark of the Burial Emperor Star Domain trembled violently, myriad wails echoing, as if welcoming the descent of a true sovereign!

"That... that... is an existence surpassing even the Great Emperor!"

"An immortal! A living immortal!"

"Heavens! The Path to Immortality really opened! There truly are immortals in the world!"

All cultivators who witnessed this, regardless of their level or where they were, at this moment uncontrollably fell to their knees.

This was an absolute suppression of life essence, an instinctive awe of mortals toward immortals and gods.

However, this was only the beginning.

Behind that suspected true immortal man, another dozen or so figures walked out in succession.

These people, each exuding an aura far surpassing what they knew as a Great Emperor! That pressure, heavy as an abyss, vast as a sea, pressed so hard on their souls they were nearly solidified.

"Great Emperor Realm... they're all Great Emperor Realm powerhouses!" In the ruins of a life-forbidden zone, an old quasi-emperor who had barely survived used his divine sense to spy on this scene, frightened to the point of his liver and gall bursting, nearly having his Dao heart shatter on the spot.

Great Emperors were already legends in this star domain.

They couldn't even sense them.

Among these people, Great Emperors were merely the starting point.

What has become of this world?

Just as the entire Burial Emperor Star Domain fell into deathly silence, a loud, robust voice broke the stillness.

"Damn it, finally out! Staying in there, even the birds would have faded away!"

Only see, a muscular man bulging with muscles, shouldering a mountain-splitting giant axe, strode out cursing.

He looked around, his gaze sweeping over the cultivators prostrate on the ground, grinned, revealing a mouthful of white teeth.

Hey, it's quite lively—so many people kneeling to welcome us?

It is Gu Zhan.

As soon as Gu Zhan finished speaking, a refined middle‑aged man beside him glared at him.

"War Madman, stop spouting nonsense! We, by the command of the Ancestor and the Clan Head, guard this realm, sweep the outskirts, and must not disturb the Young Master's cultivation," Gu Linjiang said gravely.

That exchange carried a huge amount of information.

Ancestor? Clan Head? Young Master?

The countless cultivators kneeling on the ground heard a buzzing in their minds.

A terrifying group that surpasses the Great Emperor merely following orders? From what they say, it seems there is an even higher‑ranked Young Master still cultivating?

Where on earth did this horde of monsters come from?!