Translator: Fate Translation Checker: Silavin Of course, in order to establish the Divine Empire, Gu Changge spared no effort and used the Resplendence Universe as its foundation. He had also refined numerous fragmented universes. He especially paid attention to the Tree of Epoch he planted in the Divine Empire, as it held up the universe while being surrounded by the vast Sea of Chaos. Within the Heavenly Palace, Gu Changge sat there, blurry and hazy as he was enveloped in traces of the Great Dao, making it difficult to see him clearly. It was as if he was seated high above the Nine Heavens, detached from the mortal world while he overlooked all of eternity. Only an unparalleled pressure and majestic Immortal aura permeated the surroundings, which overwhelmed everything. The cultivators and followers who arrived in the Divine Empire were now outside the Heavenly Palace. They couldn’t help but kneel down as they witnessed this awe-inspiring scene. People filled the sky and the earth, and within the palaces on both sides, many Star Kings, who ruled vast Star Territories, came to pay their respects. Divine Generals and Heavenly Soldiers were abundant in this Divine Empire; they were ready to obey Gu Changge’s command and patrol all across the Upper Realm. “We pay our respects to the Divine Lord.” The many guests who came were shaken. When they arrived outside the grand hall, they bowed and respectfully put their hands together as they saluted Gu Changge above. There was no way they wouldn’t show respect to the Founder of the Divine Empire, especially when Gu Changge was an extraordinary figure in the cultivation world. Even if they came with fear in their hearts, they didn’t dare utter a word about it. They chose to turn a blind eye, staying obediently in their respective territories and not coming to offer their congratulations. After all, Gu Changge was the ruthless individual who killed countless hidden experts and had manipulated the Upper Realm from the shadows, setting up that trap in the Resplendence Universe. It was a given that everyone was intimidated and frightened. Among these guests, there were actually many from the younger generation. Since many were from the same generation as Gu Changge, there were many familiar faces. There were also some young people of the current generation who were full of vigour and self-confidence. This determination was within their unshakable Dao Hearts, in which they firmly believed they were the best. They gazed at the figure above the Divine Empire in awe, knowing that he was the most invincible existence of the current era. Not only that, he was also responsible for the deaths of countless hidden experts. The ones with the most conflicted expressions were undoubtedly from the Immortal Gu Family and the Unrivalled Celestial Dynasty. Gu Changge’s whereabouts had been elusive over the years. Not to mention the outside world, even the members of the Immortal Gu Family rarely saw him. Therefore, they couldn’t help but speculate. There were many intelligent people in this world. Although Gu Changge had never once shown his face, and no one had explicitly announced that he was the Master of Dark Heaven, this was already an accepted fact in the hearts of many Immortal and Formidable Forces. … All the guests soon arrived in the grand hall as vast as a universe. It was like a grand gathering of all under heaven to pay their respects. Everyone’s expressions were somewhat dazed. They had seen too many experts here, including some from extremely remote universes who had also come bearing gifts to show their utmost respect. While each guest was feeling a different emotion, Gu Changge, who was sitting above the Divine Empire, stood up. “Please, there is no need to stand on ceremony,” he said slowly, his voice calm and gentle without the terrifying pressure one might expect. Instead, it was like a gentle spring breeze that could calm restless hearts. At the same time, the Chaos Mist around him slowly dissipated, revealing his true appearance. There was no sign that time had passed on his exquisitely handsome face. He was radiantly and incomparably beautiful, making it difficult to associate him with the cold-blooded person who set the Upper Realm up and killed countless beings. When the guests saw Gu Changge’s true appearance, silence fell upon the vast grand hall. Some cultivators who were unaware of the truth widened their eyes in astonishment but forced themselves to cover their mouths in case they made a sound. Some of the guests’ eyes had gone wide in surprise when they saw how youthful Gu Changge was. That was because they recognised Gu Changge. Even though a few decades had passed since the last batch of young prodigies, time did nothing to dwindle the horrifying rumours left by the previous generation of young prodigies. The most eye-catching figure in the crowd was naturally Gu Changge. At the age of just over 20, he had already reached the level of a hidden expert. In fact, he far surpassed even ordinary hidden experts. Although it was because he was the reincarnation of an Absolute Being from the Forbidden Epoch, and had most likely relied on the Dao Fruits of his past life, he was still shockingly powerful. Many people speculated whether Gu Changge had quietly secluded himself in a certain place during this period as he attempted to break through to higher realms. However, no one had imagined that he would be the Master of Dark Heaven. Of course, these were the thoughts of those who had not previously speculated anything related to this. As for the Forces that had guessed it but had no evidence to prove it, they were shocked and conflicted. They couldn’t calm their emotions. Compared to baseless absurd speculations, they found that reality was even more unbelievable after witnessing it. They had no idea how Gu Changge had achieved all of this and how he surpassed all his peers and plotted everything behind the scenes. It was something they could never comprehend, but it didn’t diminish the shock they felt. If it weren’t for Gu Changge’s recent actions aligning with those of Dark Heaven, they might not have been able to guess this fact. Shock, astonishment, horror, fear… These were almost the same emotions and thoughts in the hearts of everyone in the grand hall. Even the members of the Immortal Gu Family and the Unrivalled Celestial Dynasty couldn’t calm down. They didn’t know what to say or express either. “It is indeed Changge…” an Ancestor of the Immortal Gu Family, who felt conflicted, muttered as he silently let out a deep sigh. However, his fear of Gu Changge couldn’t be hidden. After all, Gu Changge was the ruthless person who had turned the Upper Realm upside down with his own strength. Many people turned pale, and they struggled to stand as their legs quivered. Gu Changge looked down at the scene in the grand hall, took a few steps forward slowly, and then silently observed as if lost in thought. The aura of the Great Dao on him was heavy, lofty and ethereal as if integrated into the heavens and the earth beyond the myriad realms. Occasionally, wisps of dazzling, multicoloured Immortal Light radiated from him, as if he could ascend to the Nine Heavens at any moment. As everyone watched him, they unknowingly took a few steps back. Gu Changge remained silent when his gaze slowly swept over familiar faces and strangers alike. There were also peers who had once fought against him, such as Jun Yao, the King with Six Crowns, the Phoenix Lady, as well as former followers and Elders from the Immortal Academy and Skyward Schloss among the many. But regardless of who it was, their gazes towards him held a hint of fear. Although Gu Changge had long anticipated all of this, he still felt all sorts of emotions coursing through him. Other than having a few people he cared for by his side, he was alone.