Demon Slaying, Gaining 60 Years of Cultivation From the Start-Chapter 1618 - 427: The Final Tender Moment_2

"Big brother has come. Stay here tonight; your aunt will cook some of your favorite dishes,"

No matter how lofty Gu Chen’s status was across the myriad realms, in front of his second uncle Gu Chengfeng and aunt Xu Qinge, he would always be a child, unchanged even in the slightest detail.

Gu Qingyan also appeared, she glanced at Gu Chen, hesitated to speak.

"Okay," Gu Chen replied with a smile and a nod: "It’s been a while since I last ate the dishes made by my aunt, I truly miss them."

Previously, after Gu Chen had forged his Dao weapons, every time he left seclusion to preach the Dao, he would spend some time with his second uncle’s family.

Until ten years ago when the epochal calamity approached, his time became even more pressing, and thus his contact with his second uncle’s family diminished greatly.

Now seeing him appear, Gu Chengfeng and Xu Qinge were naturally overjoyed.

Upon hearing he could stay, second uncle Gu Chengfeng hurriedly went to the kitchen with his wife to assist her in cooking.

"Big brother..." At that moment, seeing her parents walk away, Gu Qingyan turned to face Gu Chen.

Gu Chen said, "Qinyan, later, you leave with the second uncle and the others."

Upon hearing this, Gu Qingyan’s pretty face changed, she said, "No way, I want to stay and fight alongside everyone!"

Nowadays, she was also an exceptional figure in the realm of questioning the Dao, with strong abilities. Among the upper realms, she ranked highly, and the Xuan Yin physique was indeed extraordinary.

Gu Chen shook his head, his tone growing somewhat stern: "Qinyan, you must obey your elder brother; second uncle and aunt need you!"

Gu Qingyan was taken aback, as it was rare for Gu Chen to be so stern with her, but soon she realized the extraordinary nature of the epochal calamity.

But she was still hesitant, saying, "But, big brother, if you... if our parents knew, they would go insane."

"That’s why I’m telling you to stay by their side," Gu Chen gazed deeply at Gu Qingyan.

Then, he turned around and headed to the kitchen, treasuring every moment with his second uncle and aunt.

Because in this battle, even Gu Chen was uncertain whether he could survive.

Since he came to Jiuzhou, the closest people to him had never changed; Gu Chengfeng’s family has always occupied the most important place in Gu Chen’s heart, incomparable to anyone else.

That evening, during the meal, Gu Chen had a few drinks with his second uncle, talking about old times, and the family of four was very happy, just like when they were back in Jiuzhou.

In the midst of the conversation, aunt Xu Qinge suddenly had tears welling up, while the second uncle lowered his head, his palm trembling as he clenched Gu Chen’s arm tightly.

Seeing this, Gu Chen was momentarily taken aback.

"Big brother, promise your second uncle, you must survive... you must!" Gu Chengfeng’s voice choked up a bit.

Gu Chen could see clearly; his second uncle’s bowed head was wet with sparkling tears, as a man he did not want his nephew to see his weakness.

That’s why he hung his head and uttered such words.

Although Gu Chen said nothing, in truth, Gu Chengfeng and Xu Qinge knew everything.

"Big brother, have some more to eat. Don’t you love the dishes aunt makes the most?" Xu Qinge, with red-rimmed eyes, forcibly held back her tears, trying to smile as she served food to Gu Chen.

"Dad... Mom..." Gu Qingyan, witnessing this scene, turned her head away quickly, a tear running down her glistening face.

Silent for a moment, Gu Chen finally spoke, "Second uncle, auntie, don’t worry, I will come back alive, and I promise, one day, our family of four will be able to live on like this!"

"Good... good..." Gu Chengfeng and Xu Qinge kept nodding their heads.

...

Late into the night, Gu Chen walked out of the residence, standing there, staring long into the distant Origin Sea, where each wave contained the essence of a world, speechless for a long time.

At this moment, his emotions surged violently, indescribable with a thousand words.

He couldn’t recall a time when his emotions had ever been this complex.

"Big brother, father and mother have fallen asleep," Gu Qingyan appeared beside Gu Chen at this moment.

"Mhm," Gu Chen nodded his head.

He knew that it was Gu Qingyan who had acted to let their uncle and aunt have a proper sleep.

"Big brother... you must come back alive!" After hesitating for a long time, Gu Qingyan finally spoke those words.

Gu Chen said nothing, only nodding at Gu Qingyan with his back towards her.

Afterwards, he vanished instantly from the spot.

Because, if he continued to stay, Gu Chen worried that he would lose his will to fight.

Outside the domain, the stars shone brightly, each little star lighting up the void of the upper realm.

At this moment, standing behind Gu Chen, a dense crowd of silhouettes gathered, with him leading the mighty imperial army of the Eternal Palace, ready to strike at the underworld!

"Is everyone assembled?" Gu Chen stood with his hands clasped behind his back, asking without turning to face the crowd.

"Reporting to the master of the Palace, all personnel have assembled!" Nie Gu of the Void King Clan’s highest realm stepped forward and said with a deep voice.

"Good."

Gu Chen nodded his head and, as he looked up towards the upper realm and the Island of Origin, he extended two fingers and commanded in a low shout, "Exile!"

The next moment, amid a rumbling sound, the Island of Origin connected to the upper realm, as a massive rift opened up in the void, gradually engulfing both until they vanished from sight.

This was the seed and hope; their families, friends, disciples, and their own lineages resided in the upper realm and the Island of Origin.

Everything they cherished, everything they held dear, was there.

Thus, the cultivators here, fighting with all they had, vowed to protect the myriad realms from invasion, defending against the underworld from outside the walls!

"In the last era, when the Ice Emperor and others went to war, was this their sentiment?" whispered Situ Yin, the dean of Qingyun Academy.

Originally, Gu Chen wanted this elder to stay on the Island of Origin, but the latter spoke with righteous conviction, preferring to meet death than to live in disgrace.

"This battle leaves us no choice, victory is the only option, failure is not permitted!" Gu Chen turned around, his presence escalating, his demeanor imposing, as he surveyed the imperial army arrayed behind him.

He rarely did this; even since the founding of the Eternal Palace, Gu Chen had never spoken on such occasions before.

But today, he knew that he must speak.

"I don’t have much to say for the battle rally, I just want to tell everyone, that the myriad realms are our roots, our home, the most precious to us all, lies here. Thus, we must fight with all our might, even if it means battling to the very last drop of blood, we absolutely cannot concede!"

Gu Chen’s gaze was commanding, his aura overpowering, imperial authority pervading; he was like a celestial emperor among men, with one glance commanding the united Eight Desolations!

"Defeat the underworld, protect the upper realm!"

In an instant, the war cries shook the heavens, Gu Chen’s words carried no power within them, but that very sentence rallied everyone’s morale to the highest point, their will to fight soared to the heavens, their blood boiling with fervor.

Even the highest realms were no exception!

Because in this battle, they fought not for others, but for themselves; everything they did, they did for themselves.

What they were protecting, were also the things most precious to them in this life, without equal!

"We have no way out, our forces unstoppable ahead!"

This was the final sound from Gu Chen, and then, leading the thousands upon thousands of troops from the Eternal Palace, a hundred thousand heavenly soldiers, he stood here, the master of the Palace leading at the very front, waiting for the coming of the epochal war!