Chapter 72: He Ni — It's Time to Close the Net
Ye Hao didn't even have the courage to step inside, but the formation opened on its own, and Bai Suying's voice drifted out.
After all, Ye Hao had caused such a huge commotion that it shook the entire Divine Phoenix Empire. She was right at the center—of course she could feel it.
Ye Hao's legs felt heavy as iron as he forced himself to walk into Moyang Palace.
"So it really is you…"
The moment he saw Gu Qing, everything clicked in Ye Hao's mind. His vision turned red with rage.
"Hao'er, what are you doing?"
Bai Suying's heart skipped a beat. She scolded him, her brows furrowed in confusion as she glanced at Gu Qing. The rebellious Gu Qing had indeed been bold lately, but he hadn't actually done anything to Ye Hao.
Could the Flying Demoness have attacked again? No… that didn't make sense. There was no grudge between them.
"What have I done, nephew?"
Gu Qing pretended to be puzzled, speaking casually as he pulled the elegant empress into his arms.
"I… you…"
Ye Hao was so furious he almost coughed up blood—and then he really did. A mouthful of blood splattered on the floor as his chest heaved painfully.
He had been betrayed again.
Last time, it was in his own home. Now, it was in his palace.
And worse, he had been bringing this man rare divine delicacies every day!
The thought of Gu Qing eating his food, living in his home, and using his woman drove Ye Hao over the edge. His expression twisted with rage as he screamed in agony.
"Hao'er, what's wrong with you?"
Bai Suying was startled and tried to rush toward him, but Gu Qing held her tightly. He had already been wary of Ye Hao's temper and wasn't about to let his woman show concern for another man.
He wasn't Ye Ritian.
"Aunt, how could you marry such a vile man?"
Ye Hao's eyes were blood-red, like those of a feral beast.
"Impudent!"
Before Bai Suying could speak, Bai Wuya exploded in anger. His hair and beard bristled, his phoenix eyes sharp as blades, staring down Ye Hao like a tiger ready to pounce.
It looked as though he might draw his sword at any moment.
After all, his daughter and Gu Qing were getting along perfectly well. What right did Ye Hao have to ruin it? He would never allow anyone to destroy his daughter's hard-earned happiness.
"My daughter and Gu Qing are a perfect match, a union made in heaven. Since when does a child like you have the right to interfere?" Bai Wuya stroked his beard coldly. Those who knew him well understood that when he wore that expression, his anger had already reached its limit.
Bai Suying quickly followed up, "Hao'er, stop talking nonsense. Gu Qing and I are truly in love."
"In love?"
If Ye Hao believed that, he'd be a fool. Bai Suying had lived deep in the palace all her life and had only met Gu Qing a few times.
Besides, she wasn't the type to chase wealth or status. She had to be under duress.
"Aunt, don't let him fool you. I can protect you now!"
"I'll kill him right here!"
Once Gu Qing was dead, his aunt would belong to him alone again.
Bathed in the power of great fortune, Ye Hao's imperial might surged like a dragon. With the sacred sword Crimson Firmament in hand, his strength reached terrifying levels—almost at the Divine Fire Realm.
His aura pressed Bai Wuya down so hard the old man couldn't even lift his head, forcing him to channel his full power just to resist.
For a moment, Bai Wuya even felt an urge to kneel before Ye Hao. He knew it was the pressure of imperial authority—if he failed to withstand it, he would be enslaved.
A low hum filled the air.
He Ni appeared, her body surrounded by faint immortal light—holy and ethereal. Her figure seemed both distant and near, like a goddess standing beyond the mortal world.
"Evil cultivator, how dare you act so recklessly!"
Wolong and Fengchu arrived beside her. Their combined strength surged to the seventh stage of the Saint Realm, and under the blessing of national fortune, they were nearly as strong as Saint Realm peak experts.
National fortune didn't just empower the emperor—it could also bless his ministers and generals.
"What's happening?"
The overwhelming power of Saints and imperial might spread through the capital. Countless citizens trembled in fear, praying that no battle would break out. If it did, they would be the first to die.
"Two Saints…"
"Ten at the Venerable Realm…"
"Divine Fire Realm…"
Bai Wuya and Bai Suying both felt their scalps go numb.
They couldn't imagine how Ye Hao possessed the divine aura of the Divine Fire Realm, nor why so many hidden powerhouses had chosen to serve him.
Could Ye Hao's identity be something far beyond their understanding? Perhaps these experts came from a mysterious higher faction?
But this wasn't the time to ask questions. Bai Suying stopped Ye Hao before things escalated—if they fought, the entire empire would be destroyed.
With Saint and Divine Fire experts in play, even the Star Temple's Divine Fire cultivators might descend to wipe out the capital.
"Hao'er… why didn't you tell me sooner…"
When Ye Hao finally suppressed his aura, Bai Suying's expression grew complicated.
Gu Qing had tormented her these days with ridiculous outfits and role-playing. If she had known Ye Hao possessed such incredible power, she wouldn't have had to suffer through all that humiliation.
But now it was too late. She already belonged to Gu Qing.
"I…"
Ye Hao saw it clearly—Bai Suying had been forced, likely since the first time they met when she killed Dong Fei.
Now that he understood everything, regret crashed over him like a wave. His chest heaved violently as he struggled to breathe.
If he could do it all over again, he would never have hidden his true strength.
"Enough," Bai Suying said softly. "There's no need to explain."
Chapter 73: He Ni — It's Time to Close the Net
Ye Hao stood speechless for a long time, unable to say a single coherent word. Bai Suying smiled faintly and shook her head, genuinely happy for him.
"You have been blessed with great fortune, Hao'er. Your aunt is truly glad for you."
"Aunt, he…"
"He is your uncle now. From today on, when you see him, you mustn't shout or act rudely, understand?" Bai Suying said gently, still maintaining the tone of an elder.
Those words pierced straight into Ye Hao's heart like a blade. His face stiffened, expression twisted in pain.
"Gu Qing, let's go. It's not appropriate for us to remain in the palace," Bai Suying said telepathically.
Before, she hadn't thought much of it. After all, Ye Hao had always respected her, and she had always treated him like family. But now that Gu Qing's identity was exposed, staying any longer would only bring chaos to the harem.
"Alright."
Gu Qing nodded lightly, glancing at Ye Hao's pained face with faint mockery in his eyes.
He had truly profited off Ye Hao — completely for free.
He hadn't paid any price, only benefited from Ye Hao's perfect act of foolish devotion.
"Aunt…"
Ye Hao watched helplessly as Bai Suying and Gu Qing walked away hand in hand, his expression full of pain and unwillingness.
Around him, the ministers exchanged glances, their expressions growing subtle.
They had once thought Ye Hao's daily offerings were just filial respect, but now… clearly, that wasn't the case.
As for the fact that Bai Suying was his aunt — none of them cared.
This was the cultivation world.
Some clans practiced close bloodline inheritance to preserve the strength of their ancestral blood. Such practices were far from rare.
Once one stepped onto the path of cultivation, who still clung to mortal customs?
Still… it seemed their emperor had simply acted too late. Someone else had beaten him to it.
At that thought, the officials' expressions grew complicated as they looked at Ye Hao.
If they remembered correctly, hadn't he been delivering rare divine delicacies to Bai Suying every day?
"Damn it, Gu Qing… don't get too proud. I won't give up. I'll take my aunt back, no matter what."
Ye Hao clenched his fists so tightly his nails dug into his palms, silently swearing to himself.
That mocking look Gu Qing gave him as he left burned into his mind like a scar.
…
"He Ni, why are you hiding inside the sword again?"
"Just a habit."
He Ni slowly stepped out, her white robes flowing like snow, her beauty ethereal and flawless.
Her presence blended naturally with heaven and earth, her aura lofty and untouchable. She seemed near, yet impossibly far — like a goddess from beyond the mortal realm.
If immortals truly existed in this world, He Ni was one of them.
"So beautiful."
Gu Qing searched his mind for words to praise her, but nothing seemed worthy. Any compliment felt like blasphemy against such perfection.
"Gu Qing, do you have any pressing matters to handle? If not, you should focus on cultivating and improving your strength."
Despite the compliment, He Ni's face remained calm and indifferent. She was, after all, one of the Ten Divine Goddesses of the Nine Heavens Immortal Realm, admired by countless beings.
But fame meant nothing — only strength mattered.
She glanced at Gu Qing discreetly, thinking to herself, "I've waited long enough. It's time to close the net."
With Gu Qing's talent, it wouldn't take him more than a few months to break through to the King Realm.
That would be enough time to cultivate some feelings — slowly drawing him in with tenderness and warmth.
She didn't believe he could resist forever.
Once she conceived his child, she would leave immediately — pregnant and gone.
The more she thought about it, the more tempting the idea became.
After countless years of lonely cultivation, walking the endless road toward the Great Dao alone, perhaps having a blood descendant would end that eternal solitude.
"I was thinking the same."
Gu Qing nodded. He didn't know when Luo Li would appear, and waiting endlessly wouldn't help.
He might as well use this time to advance his cultivation.
After all, he had recently subdued both Su Qingyue and Bai Suying — two top-tier cultivation furnaces.
Anyone else, even those with divine physiques, would have experienced an explosive rise in power from that alone.
But his Chaos Starry Divine Body was already nearly perfect — ordinary furnace physiques couldn't possibly stimulate further evolution.
Still, he had gained something from it.
With that thought, Gu Qing said, "Ji Ning, with He Ni protecting me, I won't need you for now. You should return first."
Ji Ning had already obtained the divine liquid and the Nirvana Rebirth technique. She was probably eager to enter seclusion for cultivation.
"This…"
Ji Ning hesitated, glancing at He Ni.
Bai Suying might not know what was going on, but she certainly did. She knew how mysterious He Ni was — a saint-level being of unknown origin, and her relationship with Gu Qing was unclear.
If she just left now, what if He Ni had ill intentions?
"Go on."
Gu Qing flicked his sleeve and turned toward a nearby cultivation chamber.
His father-in-law was a Supreme Realm expert, and this residence had countless secluded cultivation rooms.
"Thank you."
Ji Ning bowed softly, feeling genuinely moved.
She had been holding immense power in her hands without being able to use it — every moment had been torment.
Now she could finally advance.
"Still… how will I explain this to the Goddess…"
It wasn't often she met someone generous, capable, and considerate like Gu Qing — she had to hold onto this golden opportunity tightly.
But it would be hard to explain things to Zhimeng.
Although she had only pledged herself to Zhimeng for a thousand years — and that term had long expired — the bond between master and servant remained. Zhimeng had treated her kindly; she couldn't simply abandon her without a word.
…
Meanwhile, deep within the Divine Phoenix Mountain's secret realm, Luo Li was merging the Phoenix Spirit Core with the Indestructible Tribulation Source, forming a new divine physique — the Eternal Undying Phoenix Body.
Her cultivation broke through to the peak of the King Realm, her foundation reshaped into an eternal, unparalleled base — transcending the mortal and returning to the innate.
She now possessed true divine essence and an immortal origin — an undying existence.
During the refinement process, she also awakened a unique divine ability that fused with her source power —
The Phoenix Rebirth Aspect.
With a single thought, she could burn everything to ash or be reborn anew.
Looking at the fading soul of Luo Ling, her crimson lips curved slightly. "Father, I'm still kind at heart. I'll send you on your way now. If I can spare you another day of suffering, I won't let you endure two."
If Luo Ling still had blood left, he would have spat it out. His soul was already collapsing — even without Luo Li's hand, he was doomed.
As his soul finally dissipated, relief filled his eyes.
"It's time to close the net…"
Luo Li rose gracefully, her beauty unmatched — divine, proud, and radiant, like a goddess above all creation.
Her presence carried a noble, transcendent aura that separated her entirely from mortals.
Boom!
Lu Bu led his men to bombard the secret realm day and night.
When Luo Li finally stepped out, the world fell silent. Every person froze, staring at her in awe.
Beautiful.
That was the only word that surfaced in their minds.
Luo Li's beauty transcended all limits — it was a perfection of life itself, shining from within, beyond the boundaries of race or form.
She seemed like the manifestation of the Great Dao itself — the most perfect being in existence.
Her presence was divine, her existence entirely apart from the mundane.
"Ants."
Her phoenix eyes were calm and emotionless, her gaze cold and commanding, like a goddess ruling over all beings.
She flicked her sleeve, releasing a light as warm as the morning sun that swept across the crowd.
"Mmm… ah…"
Everyone touched by the light moaned softly, their bodies rapidly melting away.
Even Lu Bu, a peak King Realm powerhouse who had once defeated three others of the same rank, had no power to resist.
His body and Dao law were disintegrated by an overwhelming, indescribable force.
When he finally realized what was happening, his body was already reduced to a mere skeleton — beyond salvation.
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