Chapter 389: I have nothing left to lack now!

Nezha died as quickly as he went.

When Gu Qing was practicing the Seventy-Two Transformations, Yang Chan had already returned with Nezha’s corpse slung on her back.

“You just carried him back like that?”

Gu Qing asked curiously—was there not a single twist or turn?

“Nezha killed himself, so the heavenly soldiers and generals withdrew.”

Yang Chan’s heart ached, her eyes brimming with tears; though influenced by Gu Qing, she had avoided events like Nezha’s jailbreak, yet during their brief time together, she had come to regard him as a friend.

As for Yang Chan, though wanted by the Heavenly Court, her adult appearance had never been revealed, so she passed before the heavenly soldiers unharmed.

“True Immortal, please save Nezha!”

Yang Chan knelt on the ground, pleading; her keen mind had realized that Gu Qing and Taiyi Zhenren’s calmness implied Nezha still had a chance—so upon returning, she immediately begged for help.

“Nezha can indeed be saved.”

Taiyi Zhenren said: “But his body must receive incense offerings for three years.”

Upon hearing this, Yang Chan acted at once, carrying Nezha’s corpse back to Huashan, where she sculpted a divine statue, converted the temple where her parents had first pledged their love into Nezha’s shrine, and became its temple keeper to gather incense for him; Yang Tianyou also helped, and as the incense gathered, Nezha’s soul coalesced and his consciousness slowly stirred.

At this time, Gu Qing quietly cultivated, quietly waited.

Until the three-year term was complete!

Yang Jian and Yang Jiao, having learned great skills under Yu Ding Zhenren, returned to Huashan to meet Yang Tianyou and Yang Chan, preparing to find their mother and reunite their family.

“Your mother is at peace.”

Yang Tianyou whispered, pressing his hand to his chest.

When Yaoji’s heart had shattered, Yang Tianyou had shared one with her; their hearts were linked, and though separated by mountains and rivers, he knew Yaoji was at peace.

“Father!”

Yang Jian insisted: “Mother chose to surrender to the Heavenly Court for our sake. She is at peace knowing we are safe—but we are not. I will not rest until we bring her home!”

Yang Jiao added beside him, reassuring Yang Tianyou: “Father, you have no idea how strong we’ve become—and we know why.”

In the world of the Magic Lamp, love and hatred could both be transformed into immense power; while training under Yu Ding Zhenren, Yang Jiao and Yang Jian had grasped this core truth—Yang Jian’s ability to cleave through anything stemmed from his extreme hatred.

Now, Yang Jiao and Yang Jian fought for their mother.

“But we don’t even know where your mother is.”

Yang Tianyou said softly.

“We will find out.”

Yang Jiao and Yang Jian turned to the black dog beside them.

During these three years, Yang Jian and Yang Jiao endured hardship, took in a black dog named Xiaotianquan, who braved countless trials with them, and by chance ate a dragon pearl, transforming into human form and learning an immortal art under Yu Ding Zhenren.

“Heaven and Earth without limit—ten thousand li tracking!”

Xiaotianquan raised his hand, casting a spell; using Yaoji’s discarded clothing, he searched the Three Realms and quickly pinpointed her location.

Thus, the family rejoiced.

“Yang Jian!”

In the midst of their joy, Gu Qing suddenly appeared before them, extending his hand to reveal a crimson cloak—feminine in cut, exquisite and noble.

“When you go to see your mother, carry my regards with you.”

Gu Qing placed the cloak in Yang Jian’s hands: “She’s been imprisoned three years—give her something new to wear.”

Wait, bro…

Yang Tianyou studied Gu Qing from head to toe—was this guy trying to steal his daughter?

“What do you mean?”

Yang Chan stepped forward, frowning, eyes puzzled—when had you developed feelings for my mother?

“This is a divine artifact.”

Gu Qing explained to Yang Chan, easing her doubts while gathering a bit of good karma: “I saw many things in Qianyuan Mountain’s Golden Light Cave. I sensed your path to rescue your mother would be arduous, so I prepared this for your protection.”

Hearing this, Yang Chan believed him, and turned to Yang Jiao and Yang Jian, urging them to take the cloak.

This rescue mission would involve only Yang Jiao and Yang Jian; Yang Chan must remain at Nezha’s shrine to guard his body—but now she studied Gu Qing intently. For three years, this was the first time he had left Qianyuan Mountain’s Golden Light Cave.

“Aren’t you afraid of being caught?”

Yang Chan whispered.

Gu Qing had fought alongside Nezha against the heavenly soldiers—he had contributed the most, caused the most chaos, and was most hated by the Heavenly Court. For three years, he hadn’t dared step out of Qianyuan Mountain’s Golden Light Cave—yet now he had come to Huashan.

“Not anymore.”

Gu Qing smiled.

In this world, those who cultivate deeply face the Three Calamities—fire, wind, and thunder—natural trials of the Dao. The Seventy-Two Transformations are the skill to evade them, a method to find flaws in heavenly law. The Jade Emperor enforces the most laws, yet Gu Qing, having mastered the Seventy-Two Transformations, could shift endlessly to evade his decrees.

Indeed, the Jade Emperor had always been weak when facing Yang Jian or Sun Wukong, both of whom knew the Seventy-Two Transformations.

But…

Gu Qing’s form flickered, ascending to the Heavenly Court. With the Seventy-Two Transformations, he slipped past its countless seals, inquired after the Seventh Princess’s whereabouts, and appeared before her in a palace of the Jade Pool, bearing its finest delicacies.

“How did you get in?”

The Seventh Princess was delighted to see Gu Qing.

When Yaoji had surrendered to the Heavenly Court, the Seventh Princess had pleaded for her aunt, and Yaoji had been sealed beneath Taoshan, bound by heavenly law—while the Seventh Princess herself had been imprisoned within the court.

“I came to see you—and to bring good news.”

Gu Qing smiled: “The two Yang brothers have learned great skills and are coming to rescue your aunt.”

The Seventh Princess did not rejoice—she grew anxious: “They’ve only trained three years…”

She had little faith in their rescue attempt.

Gu Qing coaxed her to eat more delicacies, and they chatted idly of heaven and earth; when the feast ended and the wine was drained, a faint blush colored her cheeks, her eyes bright as she gazed at Gu Qing and softly asked: “Are you my real brother?”

Gu Qing gently shook his head.

At that moment, a great weight lifted from her heart; her feet felt light, floating. Looking at Gu Qing, her eyes sparkled with joy. Having spent years lonely in the Heavenly Court, watching her aunt and uncle’s love, she had longed for human affection—but no one had ever suited her.

Gu Qing not being her real brother filled her with delight.

Gu Qing, watching her radiant smile, slowly reached out and placed his hand on her cheek.

“Then who are you…?” The Seventh Princess began to ask—when suddenly the Heavenly Court trembled, darkness fell. Startled, she leapt to her feet: “What’s happening? Why has the sun vanished?”

Gu Qing rose solemnly, gazing at her, a flicker of regret in his eyes—for the harem, he must suffer you.

“I am Gu Qing.”

Gu Qing gave her his name, then vanished in a streak of light.

Outside the Southern Heavenly Gate.

The Jade Emperor and the Queen Mother sat here, as the Heavenly Court’s armies pressed toward Taoshan. Gu Qing, disguised, overheard heavenly servants whispering: Yang Jian and Yang Jiao had repeatedly tried to rescue their mother; Yang Jian had even found an axe capable of splitting mountains, and had already cracked open the Taoshan that crushed Yaoji.

One or two golden crows were no match for Yang Jian and Yang Jiao, so to uphold heavenly law, the Jade Emperor deployed all ten golden crows to form the ancient Golden Crow Array.

Ten suns in the sky—no living thing can survive.

“Jade Emperor, if ten suns rise…”

The Queen Mother whispered a warning, urging restraint.

“Heavenly law cannot be defied!”

The Jade Emperor replied coldly.

In his eyes, this was not merely the suppression of his sister—it was the Jin Immortals, led by Yuanshi Tianzun, subtly challenging his authority by nurturing the Yang family to oppose him.

“Burn them to ash!”

The Jade Emperor ordered sharply.

On Taoshan below, Yaoji’s prison had been split open—but she still sat upon a lotus throne, bound by chains, immobile; the throne and chains were manifestations of the Jade Emperor’s heavenly law.

“Mother, we will free you!”

Yang Jian and Yang Jiao gritted their teeth; one wielded the mountain-splitting axe, the other used divine strength to tear at the chains—but no matter how hard they strained, the lotus throne remained, the chains remained.

As they struggled, ten suns silently coalesced in the sky.

At this moment, all creation suffered calamity!

Rivers dried, mountains ignited, people baked, homes burned. The disaster struck swiftly—once its power manifested over Taoshan, it swept across the mortal realm; common folk, amid ruins and fire, looked upward and saw the despairing sight of ten suns hanging in the sky.

“Great Hou Yi, shoot down the suns once more…”

Many dying souls whispered this final prayer.

As the ten suns blazed, countless lives were incinerated; the City of the Wrongly Dead filled instantly. The Black and White Imperators, staring at the mortal ghosts, dared not approach to guide them.

“Uncle…”

Yang Jian, seeing the devastation wrought by the Golden Crow Array, immediately changed his tone, calling the Jade Emperor “Uncle”: “I won’t save Mother anymore—please stop!”

“Burn them to ash!”

From the Southern Heavenly Gate, the Jade Emperor remained unmoved, his voice cold and merciless as he continued issuing orders.

The ten suns scorched the mortal realm dry.

Gu Qing, bow in hand, had returned to the mortal world. He walked through the burning wastelands until he halted on a hill, drew his bow full, channeled Hou Yi’s archery technique—and at that moment, all his will and power flowed into a single arrow.

“Swoosh!”

The arrow flew like a falling star, striking true.

One of the suns in the sky suddenly developed a black hole, then plummeted rapidly toward the mortal realm.

“Great Golden Crow!”

The Heavenly Court erupted in cries—the Great Golden Crow, previously knocked unconscious by one arrow, was now instantly slain!

“Hou Yi!”

In the Moon Palace, the Immortal Chang'e had been helplessly watching the suffering below, but when this arrow appeared, she leapt to her feet, gazing at the mortal world, recalling the past. Her eyes fixed on Gu Qing’s figure, blazing like a radiant sun—golden and brilliant, yet not scorching—as he slammed into the falling sun, just as the sun sinks into the sea. All around dimmed, cooled, yet only Gu Qing emitted a different crimson glow.

Golden light blazed, immortal power surged.

Gu Qing stood midair, bow in hand. After devouring the Golden Crow via the Absorbing Meridian Technique, he felt an unparalleled force surging within him. His body, refined through countless trials, and his meridians strengthened by the Great Brahma Sutra and the Ninefold Solar True Scripture, now became a brook meeting an ocean—this power rushed back in torrents, pressing relentlessly toward his Dantian.

“Good Deeds! Allocate points!”

At this moment, Gu Qing bore the hopes of all beings. Infinite Good Deeds transformed, aiding his Ninefold Solar True Scripture to channel and refine this boundless power, guiding it into emptiness and making it his own.

“Swoosh!”

After firing that arrow, Gu Qing drew another, and at that very instant, surged toward the Golden Crow Array in the sky.

Beneath the ruins of Taoshan, Yaoji sat upon a lotus throne, draped in Gu Qing’s crimson cloak, like a crimson lotus in bloom. This was meant to be Yaoji’s deathly trial during the ten suns’ reign, but Gu Qing’s cloak shielded her from the sun’s heat and allowed her to witness the fates of her nephews.

Another sun fell upon Gu Qing.

One sun’s power surged, still bearable; two suns’ power roared, utterly out of control—but Gu Qing paid no heed. Using Good Deeds, he crushed the force, then pushed the Ninefold Solar Scripture forward, and at this moment, plunged into the Golden Crow Array.

Scorching solar energy flowed through his body. His meridians, bones, flesh, and spirit were all melted at once. At this moment, Gu Qing could not say what form he had—only the Ninefold Solar True Scripture and Good Deeds sustained him, causing his power to surge, intensify! Entering the Golden Crow Array, he was like a tiger among sheep.

“Absorbing Meridian Technique!”

The ten Golden Crows of the Baolian Deng world had long been prized by Gu Qing as perfect elixirs. Now, as he activated the Absorbing Meridian Technique, his body became a vortex like a black hole. This martial art from the “Number One Under Heaven” scripture, refined through the Heavenly Book, the Ninefold Solar True Scripture, and other immortal texts, now nearly became a true black hole, tearing at sun after sun, dragging them into his body.

To be fair, the ten Golden Crows of Baolian Deng looked mighty but performed pathetically…

“My son!”

Before the Southern Heavenly Gate, the Jade Emperor leapt to his feet, watching the scene below, his face filled with unspeakable rage.

These were his proud sons—each a Celestial Immortal, the most precious combat force of the Heavenly Court. Yet now, history repeated: last time, when ten suns rose together, Houyi killed nine. This time, ten suns rose again—and were slaughtered again.

“Crack…”

Another sun shattered under the tearing force, boundless power converging into Gu Qing’s body. At this moment, his internal energy flowed chaotically yet orderly—violating all cultivation norms. He should have gone berserk and lost his mind, yet strangely, he remained calm.

“Crash! Crash! Crash! Crash!”

As the Jade Emperor raged, each Golden Crow’s body shattered, its power sucked in. In the Jade Emperor’s eyes, he saw those masses of energy coalesce, structured by the Golden Crow Array into a stable flow, then reforming into a body—Gu Qing emerged before all.

“I lack nothing now…”

Gu Qing slowly opened his eyes and gripped the neck of the last tiny Golden Crow.

(End of Chapter)