Chapter 280: Chapter 172: Breakthrough! The Divine Seed Is Formed

Having mastered Spatial Blade Intent, Gu Zheng keenly perceived that after the giant head’s projection appeared, a force had been transmitted through the void from afar.

It was just like how the scions of Divine Weapon Families could borrow Divine Weapon Power from thousands of miles away.

The giant head’s appearance, and the tusk that emerged from King Runan’s chest—they were merely an anchor.

The true entity, the source of the power, was somewhere to the northeast!

That’s right. It wasn’t coming from the Demon Realm, but from the mortal world.

’Has the giant-headed Evil God’s true body descended into the mortal world?’

’Impossible!’

’The descent of an Evil God’s True Form would cause a world-shaking commotion.’

’The same goes for an avatar. Its descent would also create a noticeable disturbance.’

’If it’s not a true body or an avatar, then it must be an incarnation!’

’It’s using someone in the mortal world as a host, occupying their body and turning them into an incarnation.’

’The giant-headed Evil God has an incarnation in the mortal world!’

These thoughts flashed through his mind.

Though horrified, Gu Zheng’s expression barely changed as he recalled his blades and charged toward the ground.

The five hundred-some Divine Slaves on the ground were still on a murderous rampage.

SWOOSH SWOOSH SWOOSH~!

Three hundred and sixty blades danced through the air, shooting out like lightning toward the Divine Slaves.

Gu Zheng descended as well. As he passed King Runan’s corpse, he used Spirit Capturing and harvested 81 Demon Points.

Apparently, the giant-headed Evil God had placed high hopes in King Runan, its Sect Leader, and had given him the most Divine Source.

And now, Gu Zheng reaped the benefits.

SHINK SHINK SHINK~

THUNK! THUNK! THUNK!

Gleams of cold light shot back and forth, flashing without end.

Wherever they passed, one Divine Slave after another had their head pierced and shattered before their body collapsed to the ground.

Spirit Capturing!

[Demon Points +19]

[Demon Points +20]

...

WHOOSH~

SWOOSH! SWOOSH! SWOOSH!

The three hundred and sixty blades flew about, spreading out over the main road outside the city gates, the grassy fields on either side, and the foot of a mountain in the distance.

It took nearly a minute to annihilate all five hundred-some Divine Slaves.

Spirit Capturing! Spirit Capturing!

[Demon Points +21]

[Demon Points +20]

...

What a jackpot. Gu Zheng had a blast harvesting it all.

He had obtained over ten thousand Demon Points.

[Demon Points: 93,715 (90,000 required for breakthrough)]

’The panel showed over ninety-three thousand seven hundred. I can finally break through!’

"Yes! Lord Gu is incredible!"

"They’re finally all dead. These cultists are even more terrifying than Demon Fiends when they go berserk."

"That’s right. At least Demon Fiends will try to dodge a crossbow bolt. But these cultists... they don’t even try to dodge. They don’t scream when they’re hit, it’s like they can’t feel pain. All they know is kill, kill, kill."

"Thank goodness for Lord Gu. The city gates would never have held otherwise."

"And King Runan! To think he’d side with an Evil God and become its lackey!"

"..."

On the city walls, the soldiers, constables, and government constables all began to chatter amongst themselves as they finally relaxed.

Their earlier volleys of arrows, spears, and crossbow bolts had only managed to slow the Divine Slaves’ advance; they hadn’t killed a single one.

Even when a thick crossbow bolt impaled a Divine Slave and pinned it to the ground, it would just keep roaring and trying to get back up.

Of course, they were the lucky ones who had made it inside the city in time.

But the people left outside the city gates... they met a tragic end.

Those who were queueing to enter the city and those who were working outside had no time to escape. They were pounced upon by the Divine Slaves and torn to shreds, utterly and completely dead.

It could be said that this surprise attack left no wounded in its wake, only shattered corpses.

Han Ming and Guan Ai looked on, their expressions growing grimmer by the second.

Neither of them had ever left the confines of Qingshi County. They knew the outside world was in chaos, overrun with Demon Fiends and innumerable casualties, but they had never experienced it firsthand, so the reality hadn’t truly sunk in.

Even when the Great Dragon Mountain Domain opened, only two types of Demon Fiends had managed to slip into the city. Gu Zheng had returned just in time to eliminate them one by one before they could cause any real harm.

The scene outside the city now was far more gruesome than that.

Over five hundred Divine Slaves, three or four hundred other people... the ground was littered with corpses.

To be blunt, only a few who were far enough away and ran fast enough to escape into the mountains had survived. Everyone else was dead.

One such incident, and so many people died. One could only imagine the consequences if it happened again.

The fact that the county town had nearly been breached was a major incident with significant repercussions.

However, after an initial bout of panic, the people in the city calmed down.

The reason was simple: not a single person from the Gu Mansion, where Gu Zheng resided, had moved away.

That was enough.

If the Gu Family wasn’t afraid, why should they be?

Besides, being afraid wouldn’t help anyway.

There were Demon Fiends everywhere now. What good would fleeing to another place do?

Comparatively, Qingshi County was already the safest place to be.

King Runan, that traitor to humanity, had tried to make a move on Qingshi County. But hadn’t Gu Zheng immediately discovered him, dragged him out, and killed him on the spot?

And in the end, even that giant-headed Evil God was slain by Gu Zheng!

That’s right. In everyone else’s eyes, Gu Zheng was simply that incredible, that powerful. He could even kill an Evil God.

Therefore, staying in Qingshi County Town offered the greatest security.

Tong Yuanshan, who had been fraught with worry, breathed a heartfelt sigh of relief when he saw this.

As long as the common folk didn’t panic or fall into chaos, everything would be manageable.

Of course, a certain amount of appeasement was still necessary.

Pits were dug to bury the corpses outside the city. The Divine Slaves were piled high and incinerated.

Notices were posted on every street corner and alleyway.

Tong Yuanshan also went to see Gu Zheng, hoping to borrow his name.

Gu Zheng agreed.

After all, Qingshi County was his hometown; he didn’t want to see its people living in fear.

And so, a grateful Tong Yuanshan departed, ordering Lu Guangbei and Han Ming to act swiftly.

Gu Zheng didn’t get involved in handling the aftermath of the casualties.

Compared to the now-eradicated Cult of Evil, the more pressing matter was finding the Evil God’s incarnation behind it all.

The area northeast of Qingshi County was vast.

Gu Zheng used the Demon-slaying Seal to directly inform Meng Taiqi and Xie Bisheng of what had generally transpired.

Finding the Evil God’s incarnation by himself would be both time-consuming and draining.

But it would be a different story if the Demon Slayer Bureau got involved.

In addition, Gu Zheng had kept Tang Qiyun alive!

Ordinarily, with King Runan dead and the Cult of Evil destroyed, Tang Qiyun would naturally have been disposed of.

But with the Evil God’s incarnation still at large, Gu Zheng chose to keep Tang Qiyun alive, hoping for an unexpected lead.

The Equipment Effect of his Nether Heart Slave Seal was stronger than the power the Evil God had blessed Tang Qiyun with.

If the Evil God’s incarnation were to secretly contact Tang Qiyun, then Tang Qiyun could inform Gu Zheng!

Keeping an ace up his sleeve had many advantages.

Of course.

Gu Zheng didn’t keep Tang Qiyun by his side. He had him assume a new identity and travel to several prefectures in the northern and central regions, making occasional appearances to lure the Evil God’s incarnation out.

With matters arranged, Gu Zheng entered Great Dragon Mountain and began preparing for his breakthrough.

First, he spent three thousand Demon Points to completely master the special True Skill, the Nine Breaths Nine Insect Divine Skill.

Then, he spent ninety thousand Demon Points to break through to the third stage of the Heroic Body Realm!

HUMMMMM~~~!

As the ninety thousand Demon Points were consumed, Gu Zheng’s entire body shuddered. All of his power was mobilized, circulating rapidly according to the All Heaven Jade Void Skill Heroic Body Chapter.

The Nine Breaths Nine Insect Divine Skill activated simultaneously, and the four Exotic Insects—the Divine Leech, the Great Sun Golden Silkworm, the Spirit-Eating Ants, and the Mist Shadow Celestial Dragon—floated around him.

Under the synergistic effect of the two True Skills, he began to condense his Divine Seeds.

First came Water Manipulation, corresponding to the Divine Leech. The first Divine Seed successfully formed after five days and four nights.

Next came Earth Manipulation, corresponding to the Spirit-Eating Ants. The second Divine Seed successfully formed after four days and three nights.

Then came Fire Manipulation, corresponding to the Great Sun Golden Silkworm. The third Divine Seed successfully formed after three days and three nights.

Finally, there was Wind Manipulation, corresponding to the Mist Shadow Celestial Dragon. The fourth Divine Seed successfully formed after two days and three nights!

[Gu Zheng]

[Realm: Heroic Body·Divine Seed (Four)]

[Demon Points: 715 (200,000 required for breakthrough)]

[Demon Techniques: Super-speed Self-healing, Spirit Capturing, ..., Fire Manipulation, Steel Claw, Water Manipulation, Earth Manipulation, Spear of the Soul, Underwater Walking, Wind Manipulation, Thunder Manipulation]

[True Skill: All Heaven Jade Void Skill Heroic Body Chapter (Complete), ..., Golden Thousand Blades (Complete), ..., Nine Breaths Nine Insect Divine Skill (Complete)]

[Equipment Effect: Bronze Elephant Body (Inactive), Nether Heart Slave Seal, Deceptive Appearance, Lord of Hundred Insects, Eyes of Golden Flame, Fearless Hero, Electric Light Universe]

...

Heroic Body·Divine Seed!

’I’m at the third stage of the Heroic Body Realm!’