“That’s right. For the past hundred years, the Holy Mountain has been oppressing China. We have repeatedly backed down, but they have become more and more aggressive. This time, we must defeat them.” Li Shanpo said through gritted teeth. If the Holy Mountain hadn’t been targeting China, would the invasion of China by various countries have happened more than sixty years ago? The root cause of all this is the Holy Mountain.
If it weren't for certain concerns, and if China hadn't been surrounded by enemies on all sides all this time, let alone the God of China and the Four Guardians, Li Shanpo and Huangfu Kui would have long wanted to storm the Holy Mountain, cause chaos, and vent the pent-up anger that China had felt for so many years.
"I wonder what kind of monster is inside?" Huangfu Kui looked at the point of light in front of him.
“I’m curious too! I hope it’s weak so we can take it down quickly and then we can go and help the Four Guardians and Hua Shen,” Li Shanpo said.
Little did they know, the four guardians and the five Hua Shen were also looking at a towering mountain that seemed to reach into the clouds in the distance, their expressions equally solemn.
"This time, we can only win, we cannot afford to lose. If we lose, China may be surrounded by enemies on all sides and face utter destruction," Hua Shen said.
Meanwhile, in the distant void, twelve middle-aged men clad in golden armor stood there, each holding a golden scepter. Each of them wore different armor and carried different scepters.
As for the designs of their golden armor and the canes they hold, they correspond to the twelve constellations.
Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces.
They were the twelve Star Emperors of the Holy Mountain. At this moment, each of them exuded the aura of the peak of the Emperor Realm. They were all waiting for the Northeast Origin Gate to open. Once it opened, they would head straight for China.
"Scorpio Star Emperor, it seems that China is determined to fight us to the death this time," the Gemini Star Emperor said to the Scorpio Star Emperor.
"Hehe..." Scorpio Star Emperor chuckled, "A century of fighting should be over. Even if they fight desperately, they won't be able to get back the Qilin totem. Our goal this time is to kill them and keep their totem."
"Perfect timing. For the past hundred years, we've held back against them, and they still think we're no match for them," said the Golden Bull Star Emperor. He was incredibly strong, not only because his golden armor resembled that of an ox, but also because of his physique.
"All these years of holding back were precisely to make them think we were no match for them, so that this day would come." Virgo Star Emperor was a woman with a deep, bone-revealing scar on her face, left by a fire burn. Her eyes flashed with hatred and killing intent. "That Vermilion Bird Guardian truly deserves to die. Back then, if it weren't for the Vermilion Bird totem in her hand, how could I have been defeated by her?"
"A totem, although it's only a weak divine artifact, it's still a divine artifact after all. However, there hasn't been a supply of Qilin totems for many years, so the power of the totem should be almost gone," said Libra Star Emperor, who was also a woman.
"I don't care, that bitch Zhuque, this time I'm going to tear her face off!" said Virgo Star Emperor.
"What's the rush? I'll help you," said Taurus Star Emperor, rubbing his hands together. "Besides, I think you're even more charming now."
Meanwhile, the Holy See and several countries surrounding China were also waiting.
At this moment, the land of China is decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations. The old year is coming to an end and the new year is about to begin. Families are reunited, and everyone is looking forward to this day with couplets, lanterns, and so on.
Little did they know, there were others who were also hoping that their sons or husbands, who were still not home even though it was almost Chinese New Year, had gone to war. They were hoping that their children, husbands, or fathers who were not home would return safely.
However, the overall atmosphere was joyful and happy.
At this moment, Gu Yu and his group walked out of the Kunlun Source Gate. The old man guarding the gate looked at the fact that there were less than thirty people coming out, and there was a hint of sadness in his eyes.
They were all geniuses! The death of even one would be a huge loss, let alone more than seventy.
"Senior, has the Northeast Origin Gate opened?" Gu Yu asked the old gatekeeper.
"Not yet, but it should be soon. According to reliable sources, the Northeast Origin Gate will probably open on New Year's Day," the old gatekeeper explained.
"New Year's Day?" Upon hearing the old man's words, not only Gu Yu, but also Zhang Huangling, Dugu Xing, Shi Shuai, and several others frowned. There was only one day left until the New Year.
Even a day later would have been fine! Why did it have to be New Year's Day? Is there something fishy going on? It's too much of a coincidence.
"Are you going to support the Northeast Yuanmen?" The old man asked, looking at Gu Yu and the others.
"Hmm!" Before Gu Yu could answer, Shi Shuai replied, "This time we have made great progress in entering Kunlun, and we are now capable of protecting our homeland."
Shi Shuai has made the most progress. He has now entered the General Realm. In the two months since he entered Kunlun Yuanmen, he has improved by five cones in one go. Five cones! What does that mean? Of course, this is largely due to his inheritance seal.
“That’s right. Although we can’t be considered strong now, we have the ability to fight the invaders. If we still hide behind the strong, we will never become strong,” Dugu Xing said.
"Very good, very good." Upon hearing Gu Duxing and Shi Shuai's words, the old man immediately praised them. Sometimes, geniuses not only need talent, but also courage. And most importantly, they need the awareness to defend their homeland, to be fearless and selfless. Otherwise, what's the point of spending so much effort to cultivate them? Isn't it to make them the mainstay in resisting invaders?
Moreover, for a genius to grow, they need to go through countless life-and-death trials; only in that way can they become a true powerhouse.
"Senior, when will the plane that will pick us up arrive? Can it take us directly to the Northeast Province?" Shi Shuai asked the old man.
"Alright, but I must tell you, it's good that you have the desire to protect your country. You do need life-and-death experiences to grow, but you must also act within your capabilities. The fact that you were able to walk out of Kunlun Yuanmen safely proves that you are all geniuses among geniuses, elites among elites, and the hope for the future of China. So, I actually don't want you to go. But people who grow up in a greenhouse will find it difficult to stand on their own in the future. So, I hope you can live. Do you understand what I mean?" the old man said, looking at the crowd.
“Senior, we understand. You mean we should be careful and stay alive. Next time, please explain things more simply, otherwise we really won’t understand,” Gu Yu said.
"Sigh! To be honest, I really don't want anything to happen to you! Out of 100 people, less than 30% came back. This is worse than the previous two sessions," the old man said.
"But we've also gained a lot. You see, our strength has improved by leaps and bounds. Danger and opportunity go hand in hand. To become strong quickly, you have to face danger. This is an unchanging law since ancient times. Moreover, if we were in the outside world, it would probably take us at least ten years, or even longer, to grow to this level. So it's worth it." Zhang Huangling looked at the old man who was heartbroken because fewer than thirty people had come out and said, "In today's world, what we lack most is time to grow."
"Yes!" The old man nodded. "You are all very sensible. With you here, China will never be weak in the future."
“Senior, I have something to say.” Ling Juefeng suddenly said at this moment.
"Speak." The old man looked at Ling Juefeng, thinking that Ling Juefeng was about to say something that would make him admire him. After all, these people, who he considered children, had spoken words that made him very happy. These were all fine young men of China!
“Senior, I will follow your advice. I don’t want to go to the Northeast Source Gate. I want to go straight home.” Ling Juefeng’s words immediately changed the old man’s expression of admiration.
"Aren't you going to go and experience some trials with everyone?" the old man asked.
“Senior, my current strength is weak. It is said that the Origin Gate in the Northeast is about to open, which must be extremely dangerous. Although I also have the desire to protect my country, going there would be suicide. So I would like to ask if you have any planes that can take us home directly. Also, I want to go home for the New Year.” Ling Juefeng said. Seeing that the old man had become serious, he immediately added, “When I am strong enough to become a King, I will definitely protect my country.”
“Senior, me too,” Nangong Yang immediately chimed in.
"I want to go home too," Kong Yue said listlessly. Since everyone thought Kong Yan was dead, no one made things difficult for her.
Kong Yue was deeply saddened at that moment. She had no other thoughts but to go home and bring back the news of Kong Yan's death.
"Alright, I'll follow your advice." Although there was some disappointment in the old man's eyes, he still said. Ling Juefeng and the others were just students. This time, the Dragon Division students were not required to go to the battlefield, so he would not force them. Besides, everyone has their own ambitions.
"Thank you, senior." Ling Juefeng and Nangong Yang said with delight. Going to support the Northeast Source Sect at this time would be tantamount to courting death. In their eyes, Gu Yu and his people were fools.
“Senior, I obtained quite a few source stones during my trip to Kunlun Source Gate, but I am now going to the Northeast Source Gate to provide support, so I don’t have time to donate them to those in need. Therefore, I would like to ask you for a favor.” Gu Yu said to the old man.
"Source Stones?" The old man was taken aback. "How many Source Stones do you have? Aren't you keeping them for your own cultivation?"
In the old gatekeeper's eyes, even if Gu Yu obtained source stones within the Kunlun Source Gate, how much could he possibly get? He had been guarding this place since the Kunlun Source Gate opened. His duties were twofold: firstly, to protect the Kunlun Source Gate from the monsters emerging, and secondly, to prevent others from sneaking in. His other duty was to guide mining teams to extract source stones.
Every so often, a team is sent out. If you're lucky, you can get a lot of loot; if you're unlucky, the team that goes in will be wiped out. It can be said that obtaining Originium from Kunlun is very difficult.
"Senior, I don't need so many," Gu Yu said. Should he keep them for his own cultivation? Gu Yu already had so many source stones that even if he cultivated to the True God realm, he wouldn't be able to use them all. Besides, it would be much better to exchange them for contribution points, as the source energy exchanged for contribution points is of very high quality.
His current contribution points are only enough for him to unleash his ultimate move once. Now he has to go to the Northeast Source Gate to provide support, and there is no time to donate source stones to exchange for contribution points. When he goes to the Northeast Source Gate, he must be prepared for the worst and has to have a trump card. Contribution points and the God-Slaying Array Plate are his biggest trump cards.
"You don't need that much?" The old man frowned. "How much did you actually get?"
"Senior, I've donated all the source stones in this storage bag to the country." Gu Yu said, taking out the Rat King's storage bag. He had already put all the low-level source stones, mid-level source stones, and 500,000 high-level source stones into it.
The old man took the storage bag from Gu Yu. At first, he was quite dismissive of it, but as his primordial spirit sensed the storage bag, the old man's gaze immediately went blank.
My God! So many Originium! My God! Since the Kunlun Origin Gate opened, countless teams have entered the Kunlun Origin Gate to mine Originium. Even if you add them all together, you still wouldn't have this many. You know, Qi Long knows this better than anyone. Every time a mining team returns, the Originium they mine is personally inspected by him.
"Where did you get so many source stones?" Even Qi Long, a powerful expert at the Emperor Realm, was unsettled. Such a huge number of source stones, not to mention the primary and intermediate ones, there were 500,000 high-grade source stones alone. What does 500,000 high-grade source stones mean? The current reserves of high-grade source stones in the national treasury of China are probably only tens of thousands.
What can 500,000 high-grade source stones bring to China? They will cultivate many cultivators and provide resources, which are exactly what China lacks most.
How could he possibly remain calm? He simply couldn't stay calm.
"I orchestrated a fight between the Cockroach King and the Rat King, and then the Rat King died." Gu Yu spoke casually, but Qi Long's eyes widened like copper bells in shock. He was utterly shocked; even a true god would be utterly astonished upon hearing this.
Wait! Qi Long suddenly realized something. Gu Yu, that name sounds so familiar!
"Senior, the mining team won't have to worry about attacks from the rat monsters and cockroach monsters anymore. The cockroach king and I have a good relationship. He has promised me that he will not be an enemy of humans, and will even help them." Gu Yu whispered to Qi Long. The reason he didn't tell Qi Long that he had subdued the cockroach king, rat king, and corpse beetle king was because it was too shocking. Moreover, Gu Yu needed to keep his trump cards to himself. His strength had not yet reached the point where he was fearless.
Nevertheless, Qi Long was already incredibly shocked, and this only made him even more astonished.
Qi Long had never met the Cockroach King, but since it dared to call itself a king, it must be at the king level. Gu Yu actually helped the Cockroach King kill the Rat King and even befriended it…
"Gu Yu, are you the Gu Yu who blew up Black Bull King City in the Southwest Origin Gate World a while ago?" Qi Long suddenly asked. Everyone knew what Gu Yu had done recently, especially his donation of the Origin Stones he had obtained, which made Qi Long admire him greatly. What a young hero! Most importantly, the fact that the Southwest Origin Gate is safe and sound now is inseparable from Gu Yu. The formation that Gu Yu set up for Black Bull King City is more effective than the guards of several peak Emperor Realm experts.
“It’s me.” Gu Yu nodded.
"I should have thought of that sooner," Qi Long murmured upon hearing Gu Yu's reply. Then, as if struck by a sudden thought, he bowed deeply to Gu Yu, startling everyone else. Qi Long, a mere Emperor Realm cultivator, bowing to Gu Yu... this...
Qi Long's actions also surprised Gu Yu. "Senior, what are you doing...?"
"Young Master Gu, you deserve my deepest respect. It is a blessing for China to have you!" Qi Long said sincerely. His eyes were full of admiration as he looked at Gu Yu. In his eyes, Gu Yu was like the rising sun, with the world in his heart, like a clear spring flowing over rocks, selfless and dedicated. He put Gu Yu first, and his character was so noble. Compared with Gu Yu, Qi Long, a powerful expert at the Emperor Realm, was not worth mentioning at all.
"Uh!" Qi Long's words and admiring gaze left Gu Yu speechless. He donated those source stones for contribution points. If there were no contribution points, Gu Yu probably wouldn't have donated them. "Senior is too kind to me. Since I am a member of China, I should do my best to make China strong."
Gu Yu himself felt a little embarrassed by what he said.
"Young Master Gu's character is truly admirable. Compared to Young Master Gu, I am simply..."
"Senior, please deliver these source stones to the nation. I beg you." Gu Yu didn't let Qi Long continue, but instead cupped his hands and said.
"Young Master Gu, rest assured, I will certainly do so, and I will also report your achievements to the country," Qi Long said, bowing in return.
"Yes!" Gu Yu nodded. "Senior, I have some things to instruct my companions."
"Young Master Gu, hurry up and go!" Qi Long said hastily when he heard that Gu Yu still had things to do.
Gu Yu cupped his hands in greeting to Qi Long again, then walked over to the group from the War Department. They were going to support the Northeast Source Gate, but not all of them were there. The War Department still needed someone to go back and lead them. Although Qian Duoduo had made a breakthrough, he wasn't even at the Cone Realm yet. Zhang Yang, Guo Zitao, and Qi Peng were also only at the Third Cone Realm. It would be most appropriate for the four of them to go back and lead the War Department.
"Qian Duoduo, here are 30,000 high-grade source stones. Take them back for the people in the War Department to cultivate with." Gu Yu took out another storage bag and handed it to Qian Duoduo, then looked at Zhang Yang and the other two, "You three, assist Qian Duoduo and help the War Department improve its strength as soon as possible."
"Yes, it's the gang leader." Zhang Yang and the other two bowed and said.
"Lu Yun, Li Zhiran, you two shouldn't go to the Northeast Source Gate to provide support for now. You have more important things to do." Bring these dragon marrows back to your families and help the peak King Realm members in your families break through to the Emperor Realm as soon as possible. This is the most important thing. If an Emperor Realm member can be born in your family, it will be of immense benefit and help to China and to us."
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