Demon Slaying, Gaining 60 Years of Cultivation From the Start

Soon after Gu Chen's breakthrough to the Divine Intent Realm, more time had passed, and he had yet to emerge from seclusion.

Of course, no one dared to disturb him since Gu Chen hadn't come out, and even without his presence, the entire Nine Provinces were still full of rumors about him.

By this time, Qin Wu, the deputy leader of the Jing Tian Department who had gone to the Great Yuan, had also returned. After Bastu's death, Emperor Toumuer of the Great Yuan also died, leaving the entire Great Yuan in utmost chaos, unable to withstand Da Xia's advance by even the slightest.

Effortlessly, in a very short period of time, Da Xia conquered Great Yuan and completely integrated it into its own territory.

From then on, the world was completely unified!

And Ji Yuan's name was fortunate enough to be recorded in the annals of history, becoming the first emperor ever to unify the Nine Provinces.

Of course, Ji Yuan was very aware that all he had was thanks to Gu Chen. Without Gu Chen, the dynasty of Da Xia that had lasted for more than five hundred years would have perished long ago, let alone its current splendor.

But Ji Yuan did not regard this as shameful, on the contrary, he took pride in it because, sometimes, having a keen eye for people is in itself a talent.

In Ji Yuan's opinion, an emperor did not necessarily need to be exceptionally talented personally, as long as he had the vision and could choose the right people, he could still manage the country properly.

After incorporating Great Yuan's territory into Da Xia, Ji Yuan, as the emperor, naturally became very busy, dealing with the people of the Great Yuan, the martial artists, and the various factions within the former territories of the Great Yuan.

He didn't want his own mistakes to cause trouble for future generations; some things could and should be ended by him personally.

Fortunately, after King Huai's death and through this period of time, Ji Yuan had cultivated some talents who were loyal to him and to Da Xia, who were able to help him resolve his worries.

One day, after the morning court, Ji Yuan went to his imperial study to work. It wasn't until evening that he finally had a moment to catch his breath.

"Your Majesty, you have not eaten or drunk for a whole day. The imperial kitchen has prepared meals for you long ago, wouldn't you like to eat something?" Eunuch Huang said with concern.

Ji Yuan did not speak immediately but after some contemplation, he said, "Go, summon Qin Wu, the deputy leader of the Jing Tian Department, to see me."

Upon hearing this, Eunuch Huang was startled at first, but since it was the emperor's order, he dared not refuse and hastily went to carry out the task.

Soon, Qin Wu received the message and came to the palace to see the emperor.

"Your Majesty wished to see me?" Qin Wu said with a bow, speaking respectfully.

Qin Wu's initial skepticism of Ji Yuan had turned to respect, as from Ji Yuan's ascension to the throne to the present, he had weathered many storms. While major issues had been resolved by Gu Chen, Ji Yuan indeed managed Da Xia effectively and was willing to listen to advice, proving himself a wise ruler.

Thus, unwittingly, Qin Wu's respect for Ji Yuan grew even more.

Ji Yuan smiled warmly and said, "Qin Command, my summoning you here is to discuss the matter concerning Gu Chen's reward."

Qin Wu's eyes lit up upon hearing this and said, "It seems Your Majesty already has a plan?"

"Indeed," Ji Yuan replied with a nod and a smile. "It hasn't been long since King Huai's incident, and the promised reward has always been on my mind. Now at last, I know how to reward Gu Chen."

At the end, Ji Yuan looked at Qin Wu, who appeared hesitant, and teased with a smile, "Qin Command, I won't allow you to back out now. You are in the prime of life; if you wish to retire now and tend to flowers and gardens, I will not agree to it."

Hearing this, Qin Wu gave a wry smile and respectfully said, "I would not dare."

...

With the unification of the realm and the news of Gu Chen's breakthrough to the Divine Intent Realm spreading, the Nine Provinces became calmer, with even the number of demons and apparitions decreasing.

And not a single prison-level demon had appeared since.

In this way, although legends of Gu Chen were still circulating, overall, the world was very peaceful, and three more days passed quietly.

Whoosh!

On this day, in the secret chamber of the Jing Tian Department's headquarters, Gu Chen, who had been in seclusion for nearly a month, suddenly opened his eyes. A dazzling divine light flickered, and within the depths of his pupils, a resplendent golden flame burned ferociously.

Brilliant golden light shot out from his eyes like two heavenly swords, nearly splitting the entire chamber apart, but, fortunately, in the last moment, Gu Chen deliberately reined in his power, preventing such an occurrence.

"So this is the Divine Intent Realm?" Gu Chen's features were chiseled and handsome, like sculptured by a knife and an ax, his skin fair and translucent, like the finest suet jade, and a faint rosy light shone across the surface of his body.

Now, Gu Chen felt that with just a thought, he could move the forces of heaven and earth, cause winds to howl, lightning to flash, thunder to roar, rain to pour, fire to burst forth, or even turn summer into winter.

Yes, all of this was within a mere thought of his; such was the power of the Divine Intent Realm, the might of a martial artist's Divine Intent!

Moreover, with the birth of Divine Intent and its enhancement, every move Gu Chen made, even a casual strike, carried immense power.

"Illuminating the heart to see the nature, the high unification of spirit, vigor, and mind, connecting with the external world, only then can one truly break through to Divine Intent," murmured Gu Chen.

Having broken through to the Divine Intent Realm, Gu Chen had a crystal clear view of his future goals and the path ahead, his thoughts integrated and free from any obstructions.