The Liuli Bodhisattva waited patiently for a moment. From the bottomless abyss came a vast and ethereal voice:

“I don’t know!”

Even the Gu God, a being who had lived for countless ages, didn’t know how to ascend to Martial Divinity… The Liuli Bodhisattva probed cautiously:

“Can you peek into the future?”

The Gu God’s vast and ethereal voice responded:

“Would you dare to believe it!”

This… The Liuli Bodhisattva was momentarily at a loss for words and could only maintain her silence.

The Gu God continued:

“The great calamity is very near. Because it involves Supreme Realm cultivators and those at the threshold of Martial Divinity, I can no longer peer into the future. I can only look within myself.”

Look within himself! The Liuli Bodhisattva respectfully asked:

“May I know what you saw?”

The Gu God didn’t refuse:

“In the future, I have only two endings: either I replace the Heavenly Dao, or I perish completely.”

Isn’t this inevitable? Why need secret arts to peek into the future… Liuli thought, but then she heard the Gu God explain:

“During the last great calamity, I foresaw that I would enter deep slumber in the Southern Borderlands. Therefore, I withdrew from the battle for the Heavenly Dao and came here to sleep. Thus, I escaped that disaster.”

No wonder the Gu God survived. Indeed, the Gu Secret Arts played a crucial role… Liuli thought without much emotional fluctuation.

But soon, her frost-like face revealed a shocked expression.

She suddenly realized that while the Gu God’s revealed information seemed ordinary, it contained a crucial hint:

In this coming calamity, a Supreme Realm cultivator would successfully replace the Heavenly Dao.

During the ancient God-Demon calamity, no god or demon had replaced the Heavenly Dao to become the will of the Nine Provinces, which was why the Gu God had slept in the Southern Borderlands until now.

But this time, the Gu God had no escape route.

“There’s also the possibility that a Martial Divinity will emerge, and the Supreme Realm cultivators will perish.”

The Gu God seemed to see through Liuli’s thoughts and slowly added this point.

The Liuli Bodhisattva first nodded, then frowned:

“But even you and the Buddha don’t know how to ascend to Martial Divinity, let alone Xu Qi’an. Can a Martial Divinity truly emerge?”

“I need to peek into the future once more!”

The Gu God responded.

The Liuli Bodhisattva pressed her palms together and bowed deeply.

She stood silently waiting at the cliff’s edge.

Though she didn’t know if Xu Qi’an had left, or if the Gu Tribe’s leader would return to check the situation, the Liuli Bodhisattva wasn’t worried in the slightest.

With control over the Walker Avatar, she had more than enough confidence.

…

After leaving the Extreme Abyss, the group flew toward the Gu Tribe settlement. Along the way, Xu Qi’an said:

“Please come with me to the capital first. There are matters to discuss.”

Everyone looked toward Granny Gu, who slowly spoke while leaning on her black wooden staff:

“You all return to your tribes first and notify your people to pack immediately, preparing to head north. We’ll meet at the Force Gu Tribe’s territory in a quarter hour.”

The various leaders dispersed.

Xu Qi’an followed Long Tu back to the Force Gu Tribe. The two-meter-tall Long Tu said:

“Please wait a moment, Sir Xu. I need to gather the tribe members and give orders first.”

Xu Qi’an nodded, and then he saw Long Tu sink his waist, his chest rising and falling as he took a deep breath, and then suddenly erupted…

“ROAR!”

The deafening roar echoed across the plains and carried to the horizon.

In an instant, Force Gu Tribe members working in the fields, fishing in the rivers, and hunting in the mountains all abandoned their tasks and sprinted toward the residential area.

Is this… communication purely by roaring? Xu Qi’an was dumbfounded.

In less than ten minutes, over a thousand Force Gu Tribe members gathered outside the clan’s mansion, including men and women, young and old.

Long Tu swept his sharp gaze across the tribe members and said:

“The Gu Beast in the Extreme Abyss has been dealt with by Sir Xu.”

The Force Gu Tribe members cheered.

“But it’s useless, the Gu God is about to crawl out from the Extreme Abyss.”

The Force Gu Tribe members’ smiles vanished.

“But it’s fine, we’re heading north to Great Feng soon.”

The Force Gu Tribe members cheered.

“But we’re about to abandon this fertile land.”

The Force Gu Tribe members’ smiles vanished.

“But it’s okay, we can eat Great Feng’s food instead.”

The Force Gu Tribe members cheered.

Having the Gu Tribe reduced to six divisions isn’t bad, seven major tribes are too bloated… Xu Qi’an’s mouth twitched slightly, his mind full of retorts.

He lowered his head and sent a message through the Earth Book fragment:

[Three: Everyone, please go to the Imperial Study in the palace. I have important matters to discuss. Also, please bring along Senior Kou.]

Xu Qi’an planned to gather all the superhuman experts and key figures for a meeting to discuss how to ascend to Martial Divinity.

Though Master Kou was skilled at scraping therapy, he was still a Second-Grade martial artist and must be shown respect.

…

Imperial Palace, Imperial Study.

Wearing casual clothes and a golden crown, Huai Qing sat behind the great desk. Below the imperial seat, from the left were: Wei Yuan, Luo Yuheng, Kou Yangzhou, Zhao Shou, Wang Zhenwen, Yang Gong, and Chu Caiwei.

From the right were: Golden Lotus Daoist, Asura, Li Miaochen, Li Lingsu, Chu Yuanzhen, Hengyuan Master, and Lina.

At this moment, Xu Qi’an teleported into the hall with the seven Gu Tribe leaders.

He looked around at everyone and nodded slightly:

“Is everyone here?”

Huai Qing promptly had eunuchs bring large chairs, letting the Gu Tribe leaders sit on both sides.

Chu Caiwei raised her hand and said:

“Senior Brother Sun hasn’t arrived yet. He went to the underground to check on Senior Brother Yang’s situation.”

“What happened to Senior Brother Yang?” Xu Qi’an asked questioningly.

“Senior Brother Yang is in closed cultivation, attempting to break through to the Third Grade!” Chu Caiwei said happily.

As the Supervisor, she believed this was proof of Senior Brother Yang’s growth, and she was very pleased.

The show-off finally understood… Xu Qi’an was also gratified.

Because bullying a Fourth-Grade Artificer no longer gave him satisfaction. Making a Third-Grade Fate Master cry out “No, no, this child has stolen my opportunity again” would be a truly joyous thing.

Yang Qianmian had very strong talent, no less than Sun Xuanji’s, perhaps even superior.

He just couldn’t settle his mind to cultivate before.

The old horse’s stumble on the Supervisor, as well as personally experiencing war and natural disasters, finally made this Third Senior Brother, who only wanted to show off in public, decide to improve himself.

Golden Lotus Daoist hurriedly said:

“Then he doesn’t need to come. Ning Yan quickly seals the Imperial Study.”

Li Lingsu nodded like a pecking chick:

“Right, right, right, he doesn’t need to come.”

Li Miaochen and Chu Yuanzhen urged:

“Quickly seal the Imperial Study.”

Everyone chimed in, agreeing, unanimously believing that Sun Xuanji didn’t need to attend the meeting.

The Gu Tribe leaders were puzzled by the attitude of the Great Feng experts, secretly guessing that the Celestial Observatory’s Sun Xuanji must have poor relationships with everyone.

Suddenly, a clear light flashed, and Sun Xuanji appeared in the Imperial Study with a monkey beside him.

Too late… The Great Feng experts felt dejected.

Sun Xuanji swept his gaze across everyone, slightly frowning.

Guardian Yuan’s ocean-blue eyes stared at him, and he couldn’t help saying:

“Senior Brother Sun’s heart tells me: you all seem unwelcoming of me.”

After speaking, Guardian Yuan looked at Li Lingsu:

“The Holy Son’s heart tells me: No, it’s not you we’re unwelcoming, it’s this monkey…”

Guardian Yuan paused, looking crestfallen, but this didn’t stop him from continuing to read minds:

“Brother Chu’s heart tells me: Why aren’t we welcoming you? Don’t you know in your heart?

“Flying Swallow Heroine’s heart tells me: Oh no, I can’t help wanting to come, control your thoughts, control your thoughts.”

To prevent such a serious meeting from becoming Guardian Yuan’s stand-up comedy show, Xu Qi’an interrupted promptly:

“Enough, let’s discuss the important matters!”

Guardian Yuan closed his eyes, strongly resisting the urge to read minds, fighting against his instincts.

At this moment, he received a mental message from Xu Qi’an:

“Quick, tell me what Wei Gong is thinking.”

Guardian Yuan dared not disobey and cast his ocean-blue gaze toward Wei Yuan.

“Wei Gong’s heart tells me: Get lost~~”

Xu Qi’an: “???”

Wei Yuan held his teacup, drinking tea with a calm expression, and said flatly:

“Stop playing these boring tricks, important matters are pressing!”

Is this what they call, your father is still your father? Xu Qi’an coughed once, and at Huai Qing’s gesture, sat down in the large chair beside her.

Side by side with the Empress.

Xu Qi’an cleared his throat and looked at the gathered experts and high-ranking officials, saying:

“At most three months from now, the great calamity will arrive. At that time, the Central Plains will become the target of Supreme Realm cultivators’ competition. Everyone present here, including myself, along with the common people of the Nine Provinces, will be destroyed in the catastrophe.

“To survive this calamity and support the Heavenly Dao, a Martial Divinity must emerge.

“We don’t have much time left. Do any of you have good strategies?”

A clear light surged from Yang Gong’s sleeve, but before it could strike Xu Qi’an, it was firmly suppressed by the Purple Yang Resident.

This student cannot be struck.

Xu Qi’an looked at him expressionlessly:

“Then let’s start with Master Yang’s thoughts.”