Chapter Sixty-Eight: I Call Them—The Gates of Heaven and Earth! A Daring Plan Beyond Imagination!

Embracing the conviction that he must succeed, Lin Qiye felt utterly fearless.

His willpower, innate true energy, Purple Star true energy, and spiritual power—all these forces poured into his wings, coalescing into a swirling mass of midnight black. It resembled a black hole, as if it connected to some ineffable world, an enigmatic power surging within its depths.

After a while, two points of starlight emerged from the black hole, like comets streaking toward the moon, tearing through the darkness, drawing ever closer, ever brighter, ever more dazzling!

Soon, the two points of starlight transformed into two towering heavenly gates radiating purple-gold light, standing majestically within Lin Qiye's wings.

"Interesting... they’re actually purple-gold? Completely different from the color of the other eight gates..." Lin Qiye arched an eyebrow in astonishment.

"Judging by the aura, they seem even more powerful and vigorous than the other gates..." Lin Qiye analyzed carefully.

But before he could ponder further, the two grand gates thundered open, and a torrent of purple-gold nectar surged forth ceaselessly! Like swollen rivers, like crashing waves, the divine strength of purple-gold transformed into boundless streams, washing through Lin Qiye's meridians.

A deafening roar, as though a waterfall crashed from the heavens, reverberated with an intensity that could awaken the dead.

Within Lin Qiye, the wings that had been crushed inch by inch were restored at a speed visible to the naked eye!

Suddenly, a pair of wings unfurled from Lin Qiye's back, and the resplendent purple-gold gates gleamed within them.

Then, that purple-gold nectar flowed along the junction of wings and body, flooding Lin Qiye’s inner being, dyeing the five previously lit gates with the same dazzling purple-gold hue.

"The quality of the five gates has actually improved! There’s even a tendency for them to transform into purple-gold gates?"

"The quality of the winged gates is truly terrifying," Lin Qiye mused in surprise.

"If the five gates within my body all turn purple-gold, then crushing the Wolf Lord will be child’s play."

He exhaled deeply, opened his bright eyes, and gazed at Zhu Yuheng with a smile.

Zhu Yuheng, who had been staring at him in a daze, suddenly snapped back to herself. "You... you truly lit two gates on your wings? But... why are they purple-gold?"

Lin Qiye pondered for a moment. "Perhaps the gates on the wings are unique. Not only have they increased my speed and combat power twentyfold, they’re also improving the quality of the astonishment, scenery, du, wound, and death gates within me. Once all five have become purple-gold, killing the Wolf Lord will be effortless."

"I wish to call them the Qian Gate and the Kun Gate!"

Feeling the oceanic strength within him, Lin Qiye smiled serenely. All seven gates within him blazed with light, their commanding aura overwhelming, as though ready to suppress all beneath the heavens.

Even Zhu Yuheng, possessing seven gates herself, felt a shiver of awe.

"Your progress is astonishing. A year ago, you’d only lit three gates, but in just one year you’ve lit five more. You even found your own path, lighting the purple-gold gates on your wings."

"And your seven gates can suppress eight-gate masters! Truly... monstrous! Compared to you, my own talents are merely average."

At this moment, even Zhu Yuheng could not help but be shaken by Lin Qiye's cultivation talent and speed.

She herself was once a top-tier prodigy—she had taken just over twenty years to progress from three to five gates.

Yet in front of Lin Qiye, her gifts seemed insignificant. In only a year, he had successively lit four more gates and, forging a new path, lit the Qian and Kun Gates!

Such monstrous talent!

It must be noted that the Wolf Clan’s so-called prodigy, the Wolf Lord, had taken two hundred years to light the eighth gate. Compared to "Xia Ji," he was pathetically weak.

At this realization, Zhu Yuheng’s phoenix eyes shone with open admiration for the first time.

She had to admit it—"Xia Ji" was a true monster.

To her awe, Lin Qiye replied calmly. No one in the world could match his gift for cultivation. After all, he was only eight years old!

And in total, he’d cultivated for just three years.

Three years to catch up with the Wolf Lord’s two centuries of foundation—what else could that be but invincibility?

Lin Qiye smiled, but did not grow arrogant.

"It’s all thanks to these wings, and to you letting me study your heart. Thank you. A third of my achievement is due to you."

He looked at Zhu Yuheng with sincere gratitude.

Her cheeks suddenly flushed. "Do I really deserve a third of the credit?"

"Yes, even more than a third!"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yuheng grinned heroically. "Hmph! I already knew how formidable I was—even if you hadn’t said it!"

"But... our Human Clan is still at a huge disadvantage. The Dragon of Destiny has been slain, so no one can break through the bottleneck anymore—no more Golden Core cultivators will appear."

"The Wolf Clan has twenty million Golden Core cultivators. The Great Qin Empire has several hundred thousand cultivators who want to run to the Wolf Clan and become their lapdogs. I see your father is barely holding back the tide of public opinion they’ve stirred up."

"From my analysis, those hundreds of thousands of cultivators won’t help defend us. So the Great Qin Empire only has two million Golden Core cultivators available for war. Two million against twenty million—there’s almost no chance for victory."

She warned him seriously.

Lin Qiye nodded slightly. "I know the situation is grave, but the scales of victory have already tipped toward humanity."

His eyes blazed with confidence.

Zhu Yuheng remained skeptical. "Truly?"

"Absolutely. Now that I have the power to kill the Wolf Lord, he will be forced into caution and not attack. After all, he’s already fired the Arrow of Doom—he need only wait for humanity’s destiny to rot away."

"In fact, if not for my status as a wild card, the Wolf Lord could simply wait ten years, and the Human Clan would be crushed under the Wolf Clan’s iron heel. But... but..."

Lin Qiye’s gaze grew profound.

The Wolf Lord was indeed strong, able to grasp lesser immortal arts—his talent rivaled Qin Xingtong’s to a degree. Without Lin Qiye, he would be assured victory!

If Lin Qiye hadn’t repeatedly upended expectations, all the Wolf Lord’s plans would have been flawless.

Alas...

Lin Qiye smiled. "The Wolf Lord believes that victory will come with patience. I will use that time to nurture scientific geniuses and mass-produce army-expanding potions."

A perfect plan unfurled in Lin Qiye’s mind.

"However, while waiting, I must complete one of the SSS-grade tasks. I can’t miss the opportunity. If they catch on, it’ll be too late!"

He muttered to himself.

After all, without an SSS-grade rating, the rewards would be drastically reduced! Then he would lose his Purple Star true energy, his Storm and Thunder Sword Qi, and the five golden-tier martial arts—an absolute loss.

So, Lin Qiye thought quickly.

"Of the SSS-grade requirements, the hardest is to eliminate the two remaining golden walkers."

"They’re deep in Wolf Clan territory. If they’re determined to flee, there’s nothing I can do from the Great Qin Empire!"

His brow furrowed in thought.

Suddenly, a bold idea blazed in his eyes.

He immediately shared his plan with Zhu Yuheng.

As she listened, her phoenix eyes fixed on him in disbelief, as if he were joking.

"Are you sure? What if you fall into an ambush, get surrounded by the Wolf Lord, or are overwhelmed by sheer numbers—do you have a way out?"

Lin Qiye nodded with confidence. "Now that I’ve lit the Qian and Kun Gates, I possess speed beyond the Golden Core, even approaching a Nascent Soul cultivator. As long as I don’t linger to fight, no Golden Core encirclement can contain me. Even if the Wolf Lord and the Ten Heavenly Kings attack together, it’s useless."

His words rang out with conviction, exuding the kind of confidence that could command the world.

Still, Zhu Yuheng remained dubious.

Even she could not guarantee escape from a million-strong horde of Golden Core cultivators. Three million would be almost certain death.

Could Lin Qiye truly break free from twenty million enemies?

She had her doubts.

"I don’t believe your speed is truly immune to such tactics—unless you show me!"

Lin Qiye smiled calmly. "Then let me show you."

With that, Lin Qiye and Zhu Yuheng left the cultivation chamber, and in a flash they stood atop the flying eaves of the Waterside Palace.

"Watch carefully. I’ll show you just how formidable the Qian and Kun Gates are."

With those words, Lin Qiye’s wings fluttered lightly, and the two purple-gold gates burst with radiant light.

Instantly, Lin Qiye became a streak of lightning, vanishing upward at a speed barely perceptible to the naked eye!

He disappeared from Zhu Yuheng’s sight in a heartbeat. Not even at full strength could she track his movements.

She raised a surprised eyebrow. "No wonder you’re so confident. At such speed, you could come and go in Wolf Clan territory as you please!"

She nodded.

Suddenly, Lin Qiye hovered silently behind her and tapped her shoulder.

A wave of dread and crisis washed over her, making her heart pound wildly.

She held her breath and glared at him. "Are you looking to die?!"

He smiled. "Just a demonstration, so you’ll believe me. Do you?"

Zhu Yuheng nodded. "I believe you now. The plan is audacious, but with such speed, it’s not as dangerous as I thought."

She eyed his wings enviously.

"How did you get those wings? Could I ever have a pair? If I had wings, with my extra heart, I could light three more gates—a total of eleven, even stronger than you!"

Her beautiful eyes sparkled with yearning.

Lin Qiye chuckled. "I can’t give you wings. But if you ever meet the genius Qin Xingtong, or encounter the Great Xia Universe, you’ll have a chance."

"Truly? Qin Xingtong... the Great Xia Universe... but when will I meet them?"

He shook his head. "It’s all in your fate."

Zhu Yuheng fell silent. "It feels like I may never meet them," she sighed. "No matter. Even without wings, I’ll still be the destined empress."

She raised her chin proudly, her brows radiating heroism, her phoenix eyes full of confidence and pride.

Inside the palace, Consort Ning looked up and beckoned to Lin Qiye from the rooftop, her expression full of motherly affection.

"My dear child, you’ve finished your closed-door training? Come down—don’t stand on the roof! Your father will be here soon for the dinner banquet. Miss Zhu, you come down and join us as well!"

She invited them warmly, treating Zhu Yuheng as family.

Just then, the old emperor entered the Waterside Palace. Seeing Lin Qiye, he gave a habitual nod. "Seventeenth, you’ve finished your seclusion?"

Suddenly, he froze, gasping in shock.

"You—your aura has surpassed the seventh gate? How is that possible? It’s only been six months since your last breakthrough! And you lit two gates at once?!"

He knew Seventeenth was a genius, but never imagined this level of prodigy.

To light four gates at eight years old was already remarkable.

To light seven at eight years old was simply unheard of.

The Wolf Lord, called a prodigy of his generation, had only reached seven gates at two hundred years old.

If the Wolf Lord was called a prodigy, what should Seventeenth be called? A god?

Undoubtedly, Seventeenth truly deserved to be called a god!

The old emperor exhaled deeply.

Lin Qiye met his astonishment with composure. "Just happened to break through—no need to make a fuss. In truth, it’s all thanks to Miss Zhu. She inspired me."

He spoke modestly.

Zhu Yuheng glanced at him, her heart sweet but her expression aloof. "What does it have to do with me... Honestly!"

The emperor and Consort Ning exchanged knowing smiles, saying nothing.

Suddenly, the old emperor frowned. "By the way—you’ve lit seven gates, but why haven’t you lit the Life Gate at the dragon’s head, or the Rest and Open Gates in your brain?"

"Which gates have you lit?"

"I lit the two on my wings. As for the Life Gate at the dragon pillar’s head and the Rest and Open Gates in my mind, their difficulty is much higher—I haven’t managed yet."

The old emperor’s shock deepened, his worldview overturned.

"Wings can also have gates? I’ve truly broadened my horizons."

After a moment, he realized another key point.

"So, Seventeenth, you can light a total of ten gates—two more than most half-step Nascent Soul powerhouses?!"

Lin Qiye nodded. "That’s right."

The emperor stood stunned, then broke into a broad, hearty laugh.

"Excellent! Seventeenth, you’re remarkable!"

He laughed with pride and relief.

"Damn that Wolf Lord—every so often he opens the bloody red curtain to shake our army’s spirit. The capital is in turmoil, the powerful are stirring up trouble, and the people are incited to challenge the national destiny."

"I’ve suppressed some nobles by force, but this has also made the common people panic and despair..."

He spoke through clenched teeth about the events of recent months.

"I have to admit, the current Wolf Lord is cunning. He not only killed the Dragon of Destiny, but also provoked dissent among the aristocracy and cultivators, stirring up surrenderist sentiment nationwide."

"But now that you’ve lit seven gates, those hundreds of thousands of nobles and cultivators will have no choice but to submit!"

As he spoke, Lin Qiye’s expression was cold, a ruthless fire flickering in his eyes.

"Have you found out who’s behind it? Whoever is involved, kill them all—one or a hundred thousand, it makes no difference. Show no mercy."

The emperor hesitated. "But that’s hundreds of thousands of Golden Core cultivators! The Great Qin Empire already has fewer than the Wolf Clan. The six great sects killed over a million, the national infrastructure plan another hundred thousand. Now you want to kill hundreds of thousands more? We’ll suffer enormous losses before the war even begins. Seventeenth, you’ll have no army left."

He was reluctant, full of worry.

Lin Qiye shook his head unconcernedly. "Don’t worry. Once the first batch of scientific geniuses matures, the empire can have as many Golden Core cultivators as it wants. As for the traitorous nobles and cultivators—kill them all and confiscate their wealth."

With a wave of his hand, Lin Qiye decreed the fate of hundreds of thousands.

The emperor remained skeptical. "Can scientific geniuses really create so many Golden Core cultivators?"

"Of course."

"So, for those who fan the flames and seek to betray us—just kill them. No need for hesitation."

The emperor nodded. "Since you’re so confident, I’ll begin the purge tomorrow."

…

The next day, a new round of purges began.

The emperor produced box after box of ledgers, each recording the names of hundreds of thousands of traitorous cultivators and nobles and their crimes.

The evidence was overwhelming; no one could escape!

Squads of peak Golden Core cultivators swept through the imperial city.

That day, blood flowed through the streets like rivers.

Outside the capital, Lin Qiye and Zhu Yuheng watched the blood clouds drifting across the sky, their gazes calm.

Zhu Yuheng asked curiously, "Can these scientific geniuses really create so many Golden Core cultivators?"

"They can. The last time I mentioned Qin Xingtong, she was a scientific genius—my wings are thanks to her. Don’t worry. So long as the Wolf Lord can’t break Destiny Pass, humanity will prevail."

"Come, let’s head to Wolf Clan territory for a killing spree!"

With that, Lin Qiye and Zhu Yuheng notified the three generals of the Meng family, then soared from Destiny Pass and darted toward enemy lands.

The wind howled past their ears.

Below them stretched Wolf Clan villages, cities, and strongholds. One careless move and they would be discovered and besieged.

If millions or even tens of millions of Golden Core experts surrounded them, even an eight-gate master would die of exhaustion!

It was a venture with the slightest miscalculation meaning total annihilation.

Few dared such a risk.

Yet Zhu Yuheng’s eyes blazed with excitement.

"Seventeenth, are we really attacking the Wolf Clan palace? Isn’t that a bit too thrilling? And... could there be a true Nascent Soul master lurking there?"

Both her hearts pounded with nervous excitement.