The City Lord's Mansion was located at the center of the Imperial District in Heroic Spirit City.

It was divided into two residences: the front hall and the rear courtyard.

The front hall housed the Council Hall, specifically used for discussing major city affairs or for receiving guests.

The rear courtyard, on the other hand, was the residence and living quarters for the City Lord and his family.

Gu Feng had lived here until he was fifteen. After that, he officially became an adult and was granted a cave dwelling by the family, rarely returning since.

At this moment, in the rear courtyard, inside the City Lord's sleeping chamber.

Gu Feng was kneeling silently in front of Gu Liantian.

Sitting upright on a Buddhist mat, Gu Liantian exuded authority without anger. He quietly observed Gu Feng for a long while, then sighed deeply and spoke gently, "Do you realize the trouble you've caused today?"

"I don't know," Gu Feng shook his head.

Gu Liantian looked up helplessly and said, "Your second uncle has always been at odds with me. Now he's targeting you, and you don't know when to advance or retreat, making a bet with him! It's just a title in the Sequence! As long as I'm here, we don't need this empty title!"

"What if one day you are no longer here, Father?" Gu Feng looked up, his gaze resolute. "I can't live under your protection forever."

Gu Liantian was momentarily speechless.

"I'm tired of their sneers and ridicule!" Clenching his fists, Gu Feng said, "I also want to be a carefree young master, but they won't tolerate me!"

Gu Liantian squinted his eyes. How could he not understand this truth? The path of cultivation is fraught with difficulties, and the weak can only become stepping stones for the strong to reach the top!

Just like himself, although he was the City Lord, he couldn't slack off for a single day. Moreover, above him was the Divine King of the Eastern Region. In a word, even someone as powerful as Gu Liantian had to lead by example without complaint!

Caught in the situation, many times, one is not in control of their own fate, whether mortal or cultivator.

As a father, he could only do his utmost to protect his son from harm and humiliation.

This time, Gu Liantian also wanted to attempt breaking through to the Body Fusion Realm during his seclusion, so that his vitality and lifespan could increase by two or three hundred years, allowing Gu Feng to live a carefree life for another two or three hundred years.

The heart of a parent is always concerned for their child. Gu Liantian wasn't afraid of death; what he feared was that in a world without him, Gu Feng would be like a leaf falling into the sea, drifting alone.

"Alas, it's a pity that this time in seclusion, there are still no signs of a breakthrough in my cultivation..."

Gu Feng's eyes were misty with tears. Having lived two lives, how could he not understand his father's thoughts?

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Therefore, he had no retreat and had to act according to his own plan!

"Feng, stand up."

Gu Liantian collected his thoughts, helped Gu Feng up, and asked, "How confident are you in reaching the Golden Elixir stage within a year?"

"Eighty percent," Gu Feng replied.

Gu Liantian was somewhat surprised by Gu Feng's confidence. In his view, having a forty percent chance would already be quite good.

He knew his own son best.

Gu Feng was naturally lazy and optimistic, always resistant to cultivation, and his talent wasn't exceptional.

Where did this confidence come from?!

Seeing Gu Liantian's doubt, Gu Feng smiled wryly and said, "But I need something from you, Father!"

"Speak, what do you need?"

Gu Feng looked up, his eyes flashing, and said, "A trace of your destiny divine sense."

Gu Liantian's eyebrows furrowed slightly, and he was so surprised that he couldn't close his mouth.

A cultivator's divine sense and spiritual soul are two completely different concepts.

The spiritual soul is a life characteristic that both mortals and cultivators possess, like a fingerprint, unique to each individual, serving as a tool for identity verification.

Divine sense, however, is entirely different, being a core component unique to cultivators!

Refining the spirit and returning to the void, the "spirit" refers to divine sense!

The strength of a cultivator's divine sense directly affects their ability to effectively communicate with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth and comprehend the great Dao!

The stronger the cultivator, the more formidable their divine sense!

Currently, Gu Feng's divine sense could only cover a range of five to ten meters around him.

Gu Liantian, on the other hand, could instantly cover the entire Heroic Spirit City with his divine sense. If he wished, he could sense any abnormal spiritual energy fluctuations in any small area within the city.

Destiny divine sense, moreover, is the absolute core of a cultivator's Daoist techniques and cultivation methods.

Gu Feng asking for a trace of Gu Liantian's destiny divine sense was akin to asking Gu Liantian to give up a part of his cultivation talent.

After pondering for a moment, Gu Liantian gently closed his eyes and pointed at his own forehead.

A small cluster of purple light was drawn out by his finger, and with a flick of his hand, it slowly floated in front of Gu Feng.

"Take it."

"Aren't you going to ask what I need it for, Father?"

Gu Liantian smiled slightly and said, "If I can't even trust my only son, I might as well die under the heavenly tribulation."

Unable to hold back his emotions, Gu Feng knelt down again and kowtowed deeply.

"Take this as well." Gu Liantian took something out from his chest and handed it to Gu Feng.

Gu Feng looked up and saw that it was a colorful token, engraved with three large characters—"Order of Heroic Spirit."

Although this "Order of Heroic Spirit" wasn't a powerful cultivation artifact, it was more formidable than any artifact!

In Heroic Spirit City, all cultivators knew that seeing the Order of Heroic Spirit was like seeing the City Lord himself!

It was a symbol of identity!

Even more exaggerated, the holder of this order could command the "Chen Long Army" within Heroic Spirit City at any time!

The Chen Long Army, with a regular strength of about a hundred thousand, was divided into three battalions, each with about thirty thousand soldiers, forming the regular cultivation army of Heroic Spirit City, with the lowest cultivation level being the fifth stage of the Golden Elixir!

In peacetime, they were responsible for the city's security, border defense, and guard duties!

In wartime, the Chen Long Army was a formidable force, invincible and ruthless!

By handing the Order of Heroic Spirit to Gu Feng, Gu Liantian was effectively giving him control over more than half of Heroic Spirit City!

"Father, this..." Gu Feng was a bit overwhelmed, thinking he wouldn't need to secretly establish a private army as some elders suggested! It was all ready-made!

Patting Gu Feng on the shoulder, Gu Liantian laughed and said, "Within this year, as long as you don't turn Heroic Spirit City into ashes, whatever you want to do, I will support you unconditionally. If Old Thirteen were still in Heroic Spirit City, how could those elders dare treat you like this?!"

The Old Thirteen mentioned by his father was his younger brother, Gu Feng's thirteenth uncle!

Unlike Gu Huaisheng and Gu Chunfeng, Thirteenth Uncle Gu Xuanyuan and Gu Liantian were true siblings, having grown up together, sharing a deep brotherly bond. In their youth, they jointly seized the inheritance of Heroic Spirit City. Gu Xuanyuan, respecting the order of seniority, gave up the City Lord position to Gu Liantian, taking only a minor role in the family!

In his early years, Gu Xuanyuan was bold and loved battle, leading the Chen Long Army in numerous life-and-death battles, earning considerable prestige within the army!

In daily life, Gu Xuanyuan also doted on his nephew Gu Feng. However, five years ago, Gu Xuanyuan received the Divine King's decree and went to serve as the Haotian Divine General in the Divine King of the Eastern Region's Heavenly Palace, never returning to Heroic Spirit City.

As he spoke, Gu Liantian stood up, pointed out the window, and cursed, "Those turtle bastards, Old Second and Old Fifth! They couldn't beat me when they were young, and now they want to bully my son? No way!"

Finally witnessing his father's protective nature, Gu Feng couldn't help but laugh and cry.

"Go now. Within this year, I will enter seclusion again, striving to break through to the Body Fusion Realm, hoping to gain more leverage for you in the future." Waving his hand, Gu Liantian sat back on the Buddhist mat, closing his eyes to rest.

Bowing deeply to Gu Liantian, Gu Feng left the room contentedly.

***

Inside the room, Gu Liantian was alone.

Suddenly, he seemed to have aged hundreds of years.

With his hands behind his back, he slowly walked to the window, carefully taking out a portrait from a compartment.

In the portrait was a somewhat frail but beautiful woman with a fairy-like aura.

Filled with memories, Gu Liantian gently caressed the portrait and slowly said, "Shu Ling, our son has finally shown ambition..."