《Demon Slaying, Gaining 60 Years of Cultivation From the Start》


 Chapter 1: Martial Arts Realm and Demon Level Division (Known Part)_1

    Some readers have mentioned they find the martial arts realms and demon ranks a bit confusing, so I''ll take this chapter to exin the martial arts realms and demon ranks that are known thus far in the text.


    Martial Arts Realms:


    Body Refining Stage, Blood Refining Stage, Gathering Breath Stage, Meridian Opening Stage, External Qi Stage, Vajra Stage, Gang Qi Stage, Returning to True Stage, Hundred Orifices Stage, Innate Stage, Divine Connection Stage.


    The Divine Connection Stage is not the limit; if higher realms are mentionedter in the text, I will update the information here. Each major realm is divided into four minor stages: early, middle,te, and great perfection.


    Demon Ranks:


    Trickster (the lowest level, equivalent to Human n warriors at the Body Refining Stage and Blood Refining Stage)


    Panic Level (equivalent to Human n warriors from the Gathering Breath Stage to the Meridian Opening Stage)


    Specter Level (equivalent to Human n warriors from the External Qi Stage to the Vajra Stage)


    Sin Level (equivalent to Human n warriors from the Gang Qi Stage to the Returning to True Stage)


    Disaster Level (equivalent to Human n warriors from the Separation Stage to the Hundred Orifices Stage)


    Nether Level (equivalent to Human n warriors from the Innate Stage to the Divine Connection Stage)


    Lastly, there is one more thing I''d like to share with everyone. Some readers might wonder why the protagonist''s cultivation progress over decades or even a hundred years is inferior to others.


    The worldview of this book is as follows: Every year of cultivation for the protagonist equates to the umtion a martial artist of ordinary talent would gain in a year, which is worth one point of cultivation value.


    However, in this book, geniuses differ from ordinary people. Some genius martial artists can cultivate in one day what takes an ordinary person a month, or even three months, and sometimes even one or two years.


    The disparity in talent leads to differences in cultivation levels. The higher the talent, the faster the umtion of cultivation and the quicker the breakthroughs in realms, resulting in a more profound internal cultivation.


    This book is not the kind that features an utterly invincible protagonist who suppresses everything right from the appearance, a protagonist without any rivals can only be considered semi-invulnerable; the protagonist still needs to cultivate.


    Because the author believes that if it were a story aboutplete invincibility, there would be nothing to write about once the protagonist stepped into the scene, which would be less interesting.


    For more specific details, I invite everyone to read and experience for themselves. As a new author, there are certainly aspects I might not have fully considered, and I hope for everyone''s understanding and thank everyone for their support.

 Chapter 2: Chapter 1 Nine Provinces_1

    In the year 518 of the Da Xia calendar, in the capital city.


    Late at night, a torrential downpour fell upon Tiandu city ¡ª this heavy rain had continued uninterrupted for three days and three nights.


    At that moment, a zing bolt of lightning tore across the dark and heavy sky, apanied by a deafening rumble. It slit through the pitch-ck curtain of the night and illuminated the entirend.


    Inside a small courtyard at the entrance to the South Gate alleyway, Gu Chen opened his eyes.


    At first, his vision was blurry and he looked stunned, until several minutes passed by, and then his eyes began to regain color and his expression returned to normal.


    "I didn''t die?" Gu Chen explored his surroundings with a somewhat vacant gaze and found that the room''syout and decoration were very retro, as if he had returned to ancient times.


    "Where am I¡­" As Gu Chen spoke, he tried to get up, but at that moment, he suddenly felt a searing pain inside him, causing cold sweat to immediately form on his forehead.


    "Can someone tell me what exactly is going on?"


    Gu Chen''s face was pale, and he wore an agonized expression, attempting to relieve the pain in his body through deep breathing.


    Then, a flood of strange memories suddenly surged forth, swarming into Gu Chen''s mind, causing him to grunt and shiver as he felt a severe pain in his head.


    The sensation was as if countless steel needles were simultaneously puncturing his brain and then chaotically scrambling inside it.


    The pain was excruciating.


    With the agony tormenting both his body and spirit, Gu Chen''s eyes rolled back, and he fainted once again.


    It was unknown how much time had passed when Gu Chen gradually opened his eyes once more.


    He remained silent for a long while, his eyes lifelessly fixated on the ceiling.


    "Kyushu..."


    "Da Xia..."


    "Jing Tian Department..."


    "So, I''ve transmigrated¡­" After assimting some of the original owner''s memories, a bitter smile appeared on Gu Chen''s face.


    Gu Chen, twenty-nine years old, started his ownpany after graduation. After several years of ups and downs, it began to improve. Perhaps due to the immense mental stress of entrepreneurship without an outlet, Gu Chen found himself obsessed with extreme sports at some point.


    Free solo climbing, BASE jumping, cliff diving... By engaging in various extreme sports, he sessfully released the pent-up mental stress lurking within.


    Of course, as a result, he fell in love with the sport and seized every opportunity to perform various attempts and challenges.


    This time, the reason he ended up in this world was because Gu Chen, in his pursuit of thrill, chose the most difficult challenge in extreme sports and, unsurprisingly, he failed.


    The oue of such failure goes without saying...


    Fortunately, it seemed as if heaven held a special fondness for him and gave Gu Chen the chance to experience life for a second time.


    Of course, this second life seemed somewhat extraordinary.


    Through the memory integration just now, Gu Chen learned that the original owner of this body also carried the name "Gu Chen," sharing both the same name and surname.


    "This seems to be a universal benefit for transmigrators... Well, it''s just as well that, having been called by this name for nearly thirty years, a sudden change might indeed take some getting used to," Gu Chen chuckled.


    With the original owner''s memories, Gu Chen had gained a certain understanding of this world.


    This world was called Kyushu, and the ce he was in was the capital of the Da Xia Dynasty, named Tiandu.


    The Da Xia Dynasty had ruled over the world for 518 years. When Gu Chen saw this part of the memory, he was genuinely surprised; in his previous life, throughout the five thousand years of history, there were rarely dynasties thatsted so long.


    Of course, Da Xia was different from the major dynasties of his previous life. The reason it had existed for so long was due to the uniqueness of this world.


    If Gu Chen''s previous life was set in a world of technology, then Kyushu was a world of martial arts.


    No, it was not just a world of martial arts, it also carried a peculiar attribute.


    It was abination of a martial arts world with an element of the bizarre.


    And the Jing Tian Department, where the original owner belonged, was a forceful institution specifically designated to suppress the increasingly numerous demons, phantoms, and strange creatures.


    The original owner of this body, Gu Chen, was twenty years old when he passed away. Both his parents had died, with his mother unfortunately encountering a monstrous and strange creature during her early pregnancy. Though she survived by a stroke of luck, she was left gravely ill and died not long after his birth.


    His father also met his end at the hands of a monstrous creature shortly after Gu Chen was born.


    Therefore, Gu Chen harbored a bone-deep hatred for these demons and specters, and this was also the reason he chose to join the Jing Tian Department.


    "Both parents dead, that''s almost be a standard for transmigrators..." After reading this segment of memory, Gu Chen couldn''t help feeling a little helpless.


    Orphaned at an early age, Gu Chen was raised by his uncle.


    This was the background of the original owner, Gu Chen.


    "However, why did ''I'' get injured, and so severely at that?" Gu Chen frowned, searching through his memories.


    Soon, he found the answers, remembering the causes and consequences.


    The main reason stemmed from the internal selection for the next Metropolitan Procurator within the Jing Tian Department.


    The Jing Tian Department was one of Da Xia''s most critical institutions, reporting directly to the Emperor of Xia and ountable only to His Majesty, with no one else having the authority to intervene.


    Although dealing daily with the perilous threats of monsters and strange creatures, which could easily im one''s life, the power and authority that came with the position were excessively great.


    Even the lowest-ranking Metropolitan Procurator was equivalent to a sixth-grade official in Da Xia, and even with welfare benefits, they exceeded other officials.


    And these were just the overt benefits.


    The martial arts secrets within the Jing Tian Department, as well as various medicinal pills and divine weapons, were not things that money could buy.


    Even more so, if one made significant contributions, one could gain direct ess to the royal secret vault. With some luck, one might even attract the Emperor''s favor and secure an audience.


    Such treatments were not avable to ordinary officials.


    Hence, every Patrol Officer of the Jing Tian Department aimed to be a Metropolitan Procurator.


    Gu Chen, with his considerable talent, ranked among the top of his peers as Patrol Officers. With his simple nature and deep-seated hatred for demons, having devoted himself to eradicating them since joining the Jing Tian Department, he was highly valued by the higher-ups.


    Indeed, many spected that the Jing Tian Department''s leaders had already shortlisted the original Gu Chen as a "reserve" for the Metropolitan Procurator, just waiting for him to attain the necessary cultivation level to be promoted officially.


    This naturally incited the envy and hostility of others aspiring to the same position.


    Among them, a fellow called "Liu Zheng" was particrly at odds with the original Gu Chen.


    Both joining the Jing Tian Department together, they were always inpetition. Their personalities were vastly different; Gu Chen was taciturn and inept at speaking, making few friends, whereas Liu Zheng was tactful and good atworking.


    Both were closely matched in all aspects. Learning this news, Liu Zheng naturally became even more anxious and, above all, resentful.


    So, a few days earlier, after the original Gu Chen had returned from a mission, Liu Zheng set a trap, provoking Gu Chen, who was straightforward andcked cunning. Unable to stand being mocked, he epted the challenge without a second thought.


    In truth, if one were to speak purely of strength, Gu Chen and Liu Zheng were nearly equals, with the oue of their battle uncertain. However, Gu Chen had been injured whilebating demons during his previous mission and had not fully recovered. Thus, he fell into a disadvantage during the fight with Liu Zheng, who seized the opportunity to strike fiercely, inflicting severe injuries on him.


    After lying unconscious for three days and nights, Gu Chen ultimately couldn''t hold on and diedpletely.


    Upon this thought, Gu Chen couldn''t help but shake his head. The original Gu Chen was too young and rigid, unable to tolerate insults, which is why he fell into Liu Zheng''s plot and suffered greatly, losing his life in the process.


    As Gu Chen was digesting the memories, suddenly, a bright light appeared before his eyes, and a screen simr to the game panels of his previous life materialized in front of him.


    Name: Gu Chen


    Martial Arts: Iron Shirt Technique (Great Sess), Thirteen Grand Protectors'' Horizontal Skill (Great Sess), Red me Palm (Minor Sess), Dragon-Sinew Tiger-Bone Fist (Beginning)


    Internal Technique: Pure Yang Technique


    Cultivation: Twenty years


    Stage: Early Stage of Essence-Gathering


    Merit Points: 0


    As the panel floated before his eyes, a surge of information simultaneously appeared in Gu Chen''s mind.


    "Merit Points... can increase cultivation and enhance martial arts realm?" Gu Cheny in bed, murmuring to himself, a smile unconsciously forming at the corner of his mouth.

 Chapter 3: Chapter 2: Improve Cultivation_1

    The original master, being a first-ss patrol officer of the Da Xia''s Jing Tian Department, naturally possessed a certain level of cultivation.


    The Concealing Breath Realm was the third realm of martial arts, with the previous two realms being the Body Refining Stage and the Blood Refining Stage, respectively.


    The Body Refining Stage tempered the physique, polishing one''s self; the Blood Refining Stage stewed the vital energy, mobilizing the body''s essence to nourish oneself; and, as the name implies, the Concealing Breath Realm nurtured the inner breath, strengthening it.


    These were the first three realms of the martial way in this world.


    And only after reaching the Concealing Breath Realm and umting a certain amount of merits could one serve as a first-ss patrol officer of the Jing Tian Department.


    A first-ss patrol officer was roughly equivalent to a seventh-rank official of Da Xia; going further up from there would be the Metropolitan Procurator.


    However, that step required years of umtion.


    At this moment, a series of footsteps suddenly came from not far away, someone was braving the pouring rain and heading in this direction.


    Merged with the original master''s memory, Gu Chen knew that it must be his Second Uncle, Gu Chengfeng,ing at this hour in the heavy rain; there would be no one else.


    With a creak, the door was pushed open, and a middle-aged man wearing a cloud-patterned official robe with a standard-issue long saber at his waist walked in.


    Indeed, it was Gu Chen''s Second Uncle, Gu Chengfeng.


    Gu Chengfeng had a tall build, a square face, regr features, thick eyebrows, and when he saw that Gu Chen was awake, he immediately rejoiced, hurried over, and said, "Eldestd, you''ve finally awakened; you''ve been unconscious for three whole days and nights, how do you feel now?"


    Having merged the original master''s memory and already seeing Gu Chengfeng as his own uncle, upon hearing this, Gu Chen smiled and said, "Second Uncle, rest assured, I''m fine."


    "Knowing full well that your heart meridian had been eroded by the evil energy, why did you still insist on fighting?" Gu Chengfeng asked with a stern face.


    Upon hearing this, a bitter smile couldn''t help but appear on Gu Chen''s face; regarding this question, he truly didn''t know how to answer.


    Seeing his reaction, Gu Chengfeng''s expression softened, he sighed, and knowing the original master''s stubbornness, he did not continue to me him and instead said, "It''s good that you''re awake. The doctor from Changchun Hall said you were injured by a fierce palm strike to your organs, and I''ve boiled some medicine for you, drink it while it''s hot."


    After speaking, Gu Chengfeng took out a bowl of medicine and began to feed it to Gu Chen.


    Gu Chen wanted to take it himself, but realizing he was seriously injured and it was difficult to even move, he let it be and allowed Gu Chengfeng to feed him the medicine.


    Gu Chengfeng had looked after Gu Chen for so many years and hade to regard him as his own son. When the doctor from Changchun Hall said Gu Chen''s heart meridian had been invaded by the evil energy and his life was hanging by a thread, it nearly broke his heart.


    Fortunately, Gu Chen had now regained consciousness.


    Of course, there were some things he hadn''t said to Gu Chen; the doctor from Changchun Hall had mentioned that even if Gu Chen miraculously recovered, because the evil energy had taken hold of his heart meridian, he might not be able to practice martial arts in this lifetime; because if he did, the evil energy might attack his heart, and then there would be no saving him.


    He couldn''t bring himself to say this news yet; he knew his nephew''s strong-willed nature, and Gu Chengfeng feared Gu Chen wouldn''t be able to bear it if he knew this now.


    Soon, seeing Gu Chen obediently finishing the medicine, Gu Chengfeng nodded with satisfaction, and then he extended his palm and ced it on Gu Chen''s wrist.


    "Second Uncle, what are you..." Gu Chen was immediately puzzled.


    Then, Gu Chen felt a warm current flowing from Gu Chengfeng''s hand, along his wrist, coursing into his body, making him feel as if he were soaking in a hot spring, alleviating the intense pain within.


    This was Gu Chengfeng using his inner breath to regte Gu Chen''s body while also helping him absorb the medicine''s effects more quickly.


    Only upon reaching the Concealing Breath Realm would a martial artist''s flesh and blood generate inner breath; Gu Chen naturally had it within him too, but in his current state of serious injury, he was too weak to mobilize it.


    Moreover, Gu Chen''s Second Uncle, Gu Chengfeng, was at the fourth realm of martial arts, the meridian-unblocking stage, having opened all twenty-eight channels within the body, with his inner breath being much more profound than Gu Chen''s.


    "Second Uncle, that''s enough," Gu Chen said in time, stopping Gu Chengfeng from continuing to expend his inner breath.


    "No bother," Gu Chengfeng smiled and didn''t stop, continuing to transfer energy into Gu Chen''s body.


    Seeing this, Gu Chen felt somewhat helpless, but did not say anything more.


    The original master was stubborn, but he also followed his roots; the Gu Family was made up of such characters, both the original master''s father and his Second Uncle, Gu Chengfeng.


    All these days, Gu Chengfeng had not returned home but chose to stay here to look after Gu Chen.


    On the second day, as the ceaseless rain that poured over Tiandu for three days and nights finally ceased, the radiant sunshine bathed the earth. Gu Chengfeng rose early to prepare breakfast and a medicinal meal for Gu Chen, whose health had gradually improved with the help of his second uncle, Gu Chengfeng.


    Time flew by, and before long, a month and a half had passed.


    After a month and a half of recuperation and the daily expenditure of inner energy by Gu Chengfeng to nurture him, Gu Chen''s internal injuries were finallypletely healed. The only exception was the demonic yin energy that still lurked around his heart.


    Once his injuries had healed, Gu Chen tried to mobilize his inner energy in an attempt to dispel the yin energy, but his cultivation was too weak, merely at the early stages of the Body Refining Stage. His inner energy was not profound enough, so he waspletely unable to eradicate the yin energy entrenched in his heart meridian.


    Whenever he tried to exercise his martial skills, a dull pain would emanate from his chest.


    Each time this urred, Gu Chengfeng would timely appear to prevent Gu Chen from continuing.


    Over time, Gu Chen came to understand that with this yin energy within him, he might never be able to engage in martial arts for the rest of his life.


    Fortunately, Gu Chen was not an ordinary person; he still had the help of the face panel.


    One evening, persuaded by Gu Chen, Gu Chengfeng did not stay but chose to return home.


    After all, he had not been home for over a month. Gu Chengfeng, who already had a family and a daughter with his aunt, had been away for so long that his wife and daughter were naturally worried.


    After his second uncle left, Gu Chen opened the mechanism set up by the original owner and took out a package. Inside, there were about ten irregr ck crystals when he unwrapped it.


    The instant he saw them, Gu Chen felt a chilling and eerie coldness assault him, making his whole body shiver.


    These irregr ck crystals, known as "Soul Crystals," contained the core power essential to demons and spirits, a profound darkness like ink, created after the extermination of the evil spirits.


    Gu Chen picked up a Soul Crystal, which felt cold to the touch, carrying an intense yin coldness that seemed to prate the skin and enter his body.


    Gu Chen paid it no mind. As his thoughts focused, the Soul Crystal in the palm of his hand began to disintegrate from the edges, as if eroded by the wind, gradually dissipating into the air.


    At the moment the Soul Crystal vanished, a bizarre, cold sensation traveled up Gu Chen''s hand and entered his body.


    Immediately, Gu Chen had the thought, and the face panel appeared before his eyes.


    Name: Gu Chen


    Martial Arts: Iron Cloth Technique (Great Achievement), Thirteen Grand Protectors'' Horizontal Skill (Great Achievement), Red me Palm (Minor Achievement), Dragon Sinew Tiger Bone Fist (Initial Insight)


    Internal Energy: Pure Yang Technique


    Cultivation: 20 Years


    Stage: Early Body Refining Stage


    Merit Point Value: 5


    The originally zero merit point value had now be five points.


    After awakening the face panel, Gu Chen had learned that ying demons and fiends could earn him merit points.


    Upon learning this, Gu Chen immediately thought of the original owner. Having absorbed and integrated the original owner''s memory, he knew that the original owner had joined the Jing Tian Department years ago and had in many demons, umting quite a few Soul Crystals.


    Therefore, once his injuries had healed, he couldn''t wait to begin his attempt.


    "It really works!"


    Seeing that he had sessfully increased his merit point value to five, Gu Chen was exhrated and without hesitation, he began to absorb those Soul Crystals one by one.


    After absorbing the Soul Crystals, his merit point value increased from zero to a substantial fifty-two points.


    Looking at the abundance of merit points on the panel, Gu Chen struggled to contain his excitement. It reminded him of the time in his previous life when he received his first investment in starting a business, filled with the same exhration.


    Taking a deep breath to suppress the thrilling emotions within him, Gu Chen instantly wished, and immediately, five merit points disappeared, transforming into five years of cultivation that emerged within his body.

 Chapter 4: Chapter 3 60 Years of Effort _1

    As Gu Chen''s thought stirred, five points of his ability points were transformed into five years of cultivation experience. It was as though someone was infusing him with power. A great surge of inner energy suddenly emerged within him, merging into his original inner energy. Thebination caused his inner energy to increase significantlypared to before.


    Feeling the abundant inner energy within his body, Gu Chen did not hesitate. With another thought, five more points of ability points were transformed into cultivation experience.


    In an instant, another great surge of inner energy emerged within him, and it could be seen that on the panel, his cultivation had also reached thirty years.


    At this time, Gu Chen maneuvered the inner energy that came from thirty years of cultivation to his chest and began to slowly refine the malevolent residual Yin energy lingering there.


    This refining process took a full half-hour before it was sessful.


    The reason it took so long was mainly that Gu Chen''s cultivation was only at the realm of Containing Energy; he hadn''t reached the Vessel Opening Stage. His heart''s blood vessels were too fragile, so he could only proceed with caution.


    If he had reached the Vessel Opening Stage and cleared the blood vessels of his heart, he could have refined that bit of Yin energy in mere moments.


    With the Yin energy gone, Gu Chen felt his body lighten. The previously persistent pain in his chest vanished as well.


    With the hidden trouble eliminated, Gu Chen felt even more unrestrained. Looking at the remaining forty-two points of ability points on the panel, he moved his mind and this time, the ability points on the panel decreased by twenty points instantly, which were exchanged for twenty years of cultivation experience.


    Boom!


    Gu Chen''s entire body trembled as a great amount of inner energy emerged from all over his body, and at that moment, he heard a ''pop''. Blood sttered from all over his body.


    This was because the sudden surge in power was too much for his physical body to bear, causing numerous capiries throughout his body to burst.


    Fortunately, Gu Chen still maintained some reason and did not rashly turn all the remaining forty-two points of ability points into cultivation experience. Otherwise, he suspected that the sudden emergence of a vast amount of inner energy could have easily burst his body apart.


    If that had been the case, then Gu Chen might have been the first martial artist in history to die from having inner energy that was too overwhelming.


    "Huu¡ª"


    Gu Chen let out a long breath. After carefully checking himself, he found that aside from some capiry ruptures, he had no other injuries.


    This allowed his hanging heart to finally rx.


    He then took off his clothes, washed his body thoroughly, which, covered in blood, looked quite frightening.


    During this time, Gu Chen had been distracted managing the explosive growth of inner energy within his body. As the inner energy circted continuously, he felt his flesh getting stronger bit by bit.


    This was because inner energy is derived from one''s flesh and blood. Only when a martial artist in the Blood Refining Stage breaks the limits of their physical body does the inner energy naturally arise. Therefore, the stronger the inner energy, the more the martial artist''s physical body will benefit, increasing its strength as well.


    After washing, Gu Chen''s mind delved back into the panel.


    Name: Gu Chen


    Martial Skills: Iron Shirt Technique (Complete), Thirteen Grand Protectors'' Horizontal Training (Complete), Red me Palm (Novice), Dragon Sinew Tiger Bone Fist (Entry-level)


    Inner Technique: Pure Yang Technique


    Cultivation: Fifty years


    Realm: Latter Stage of the Containing Energy Realm


    Ability Points: 22


    "After increasing my cultivation by thirty years, I''ve only reached thetter stage of Containing Energy?"


    Gu Chen had a puzzled look on his face. He felt the vigorous inner energy within him and,bining it with the original owner''s memories, such a level of inner energy would not be an exaggeration to call the greatpletion of the Containing Energy Realm. So why did the panel indicate that it was only thetter stage?


    But the panel would naturally not be mistaken, which meant that in this realm, he could umte more power.


    So, with a thought, Gu Chen did not proceed as recklessly as before and chose to only transform ten points of ability points.


    Whoosh¡ª


    Instantly, along with the disappearance of ten points, a full ten years'' worth of cultivation inner energy emerged within Gu Chen.


    At that moment, Gu Chen experienced a sensation of fullness in his body, simr to the feeling of being overstuffed from eating too much. It was because the inner energy had increased too rapidly within a short time, and his physical body couldn''t bear it, reaching a critical point where it needed time to assimte.


    Continuing to force a promotion could likely lead to the same result as before, or even worse.


    Therefore, Gu Chen set aside thoughts of further increasing his cultivation.


    Now, he turned his attention to martial skills.


    In thend of Jiuzhou, martial skills are distinct from inner techniques and have different stages or realms. Hence, in the distant past, martial sages categorized martial skills into several stages that have been followed to this day.


    These are: Entry-level, Beginner, Novice, Complete, and Perfection; a total of five realms.


    Moreover, the ability points on the panel can be used not only to increase cultivation but also to enhance the realm of martial skills.


    Thus, as Gu Chen''s mind stirred, three points of ability points vanished, and on the panel under martial skills, the status of Iron Shirt Technique changed fromplete to perfection.


    In the instant the Iron Shirt Technique reached perfection, Gu Chen felt his skin tighten all over, and a great amount of corresponding martial knowledge flooded into his mind.


    At that moment, his body began to shed its old skin, a phenomenon that only urred when Iron Shirt Technique reached great perfection.


    Soon, Gu Chen shed his old skin, revealing new skin underneath. His new skin appeared fair, taut, and glossy. Of course, there was more to it than that. With Iron Shirt Technique at perfection, it meant that no matter what, his body was as if d in an iron shirt, and ordinary swords would have a hard time prating his defenses.

 Chapter 5: Chapter 3 60 Years of Hard Work_2

    ```


    To reach perfection in Iron Shirt Technique, it would normally take over a decade of hard work, even for the genuine disciples from top sects or children from prominent families, who have ess to various pills and ointments, it still requires at least several years of dedicated study and practice.


    However, once a martial artist''s physical body has reached a certain level and inner breath has started to nourish the body, entering the Conduit Opening Realm, rarely anyone still focuses solely on external techniques like the Iron Shirt Technique.


    After all, even if the Iron Shirt Technique is perfected, it still can''t withstand a palm strike from a martial artist in the Conduit Opening Realm - there''s a gap in cultivation level and strength.


    But Gu Chen had the panel, so naturally, he had no such concerns.


    Thus, Gu Chen spent another three power points to also advance the Thirteen Grand Protectors'' Horizontal Training to the state of perfection.


    Once the Thirteen Grand Protectors'' Horizontal Training reached perfection, the martial arts knowledge surged into his mind, and Gu Chen suddenly felt great enhancement throughout his body - his muscles, skin, and other parts all greatly strengthened.


    At the same time, the feeling of physical bloating that came with too swift an increase in cultivation also seemingly dissipated considerably.


    However, Gu Chen chose not to continue increasing his cultivation but instead spent five power points to bring Red me Palm to the state of perfection as well.


    Immediately thereafter, the corresponding martial arts knowledge poured directly into Gu Chen''s mind.


    Raising Red me Palm to great achievement cost two power points, while reaching perfection cost three.


    "It seems that different states of martial arts require different amounts of power points," Gu Chen thought to himself.


    Logically speaking, at Gu Chen''s age, there were few patrolling enforcers in the Jing Tian Department who could perfect a martial art. Reaching the great achievement state was already a sign of exceptional talent. Perfecting a martial art requires not only time but also a higher natural talent andprehension.


    Keep in mind, no matter what rank the martial art is, reaching perfection is much harder than thebined effort of advancing from the initial stage to great achievement.


    Gu Chen was only able to easily bring three martial arts to perfection one after another because of the panel''s existence.


    Now, after a series of upgrades, only one point remained on the panel.


    Name: Gu Chen


    Martial Arts: Iron Shirt Technique (perfection), Thirteen Grand Protectors'' Horizontal Training (perfection), Red me Palm (perfection), Dragon Sinew Tiger Bone Fist (initial glimpse)


    Inner Power Technique: Pure Yang Technique


    Cultivation: Sixty years


    Realm: Full Circle of Epassing Breath Realm


    Power Points: 1


    After spending fifty-one power points, Gu Chen''s strength underwent an earth-shattering change, his inner power cultivation in particr reaching a full sixty years.


    Ordinarily, such a level of inner power should have exceeded the Epassing Breath Realm, which for anyone else could lead to a breakthrough to the Conduit Opening Realm. Yet, the panel still indicated that Gu Chen was at the Full Circle of the Epassing Breath Realm.


    Additionally, Gu Chen himself sensed that his body could still amodate more inner power.


    For this reason, he wasn''t in a hurry to make a breakthrough.


    Gu Chen found he was somewhat addicted to the sensation of his cultivation surging. It was simr to his addiction to extreme sports in his previous life; the feeling of increasing strength was simply too delightful.


    Moreover, he knew well that in such an ancient feudal society, the fist is power. Moreover, the world wasn''t safe; thend of Da Xia was showing signs of chaos, and demons and evil spirits might appear at any time. And as a member of the Jing Tian Department, he needed to be ready to confront these threats head-on.


    Therefore, strength was what Gu Chen needed the most at this stage.


    Having shed his old skin, Gu Chen once again cleaned himself thoroughly and then went straight to bed.


    The next day, in the early morning, after washing up, he changed into a set of dark clothes and hung a treasured sword at his waist. He stepped out of his house, ready to head to the Jing Tian Department.


    In this life, his physical appearance was quite impressive: tall and well-proportioned, with handsome features and striking looks, especially a pair of nted eyebrows which added a touch of valor to his visage.


    Regarding such an appearance, Gu Chen himself was quite satisfied, feeling it was on par with his looks from his previous life.


    ```


    Tiandu City, as the capital of Da Xia, was the finest ce under the heavens, extraordinarily flourishing. The streets were endlessly bustling, with a steady stream of pedestrians and a constant flow of carriages and horses. Dazzling buildings could be seen everywhere, and hawkers were incessantly hawking their wares.


    It was indeed a scene of prosperity and peace, which Gu Chen silently admired in his heart.


    This was merely the outer city. Tiandu was divided into an inner and outer city, with the inner city being even more prosperous. It was a ce where only princes, nobility, and high-ranking officials had the privilege to reside.


    Even someone like Gu Chen, who was equivalent to a seventh-rank official of Da Xia, couldn''t afford a house in the inner city of Tiandu.


    The reason was that the housing prices were too high, and Da Xia did not have installment payments.


    Listening to the lively hawking sounds around him, Gu Chen wasn''t in a hurry. He enjoyed the scenery while making his way toward the Jing Tian Department.


    The headquarters of the Jing Tian Department was also located in the inner city. The Jing Tian Department branch in the outer city was like those in other prefectures, merely a branch.


    No sooner had Gu Chen stepped through the gates of the Jing Tian Department than someone secretly reported his arrival to Liu Zheng.


    ...


    At that moment, Liu Zheng was cultivating in the martial training ground at his home when a servant suddenly ran over.


    Liu Zheng, who was exercising his physique with his upper body bare, frowned in displeasure when the servant interrupted him.


    However, when he heard that Gu Chen had appeared at the Jing Tian Department, he was greatly shocked.


    "How is that possible? That brat actually didn''t die?" Liu Zheng''s eyebrows knitted together.


    He had been quite precise in his attack. Back then, his palm had struck Gu Chen''s chest, directly injuring Gu Chen''s internal organs. As a result, Gu Chen''s existing injuries worsened, and the sinister yin energy of the demon seeped into his heart vessels.


    In Liu Zheng''s view, Gu Chen was virtually guaranteed death in such a situation, with the demonic yin energy corroding his heart vessels.


    The Jing Tian Department encouraged martial practice and did not prohibitbat but did forbid deliberately injuring someone to the point of disability or death.


    Therefore, Liu Zheng had controlled his force well; even if Gu Chen died, the me wouldn''t fall on him.


    For the cause of death would be the demon, not greatly rted to him.


    A month and a half had passed since the incident, and Liu Zheng had thought Gu Chen was dead. Unexpectedly, Gu Chen had appeared at the Jing Tian Department today, unharmed.


    "Good, I just perfected my Iron Sand Palm and was worried I had no one to spar with, yet you''vee to me on your own." A cold smirk appeared on Liu Zheng''s lips.


    He felt that, even if Gu Chen had miraculously survived, he would likely be unable to practice martial arts ever again. Moreover, since defeating Gu Chen, his understanding had deepened. In thest month and a half, his cultivation had greatly advanced, and he was on the verge of breaking through to the mid-stage of the Yunqi Realm.


    That was why Liu Zheng didn''t think Gu Chen would still be a match for him.


    "Someone, prepare my bath and change of clothes," Liu Zheng ordered, and immediately, maidservants attended to his washing and dressing.


    Once everything was ready, the servants at his home had prepared everything needed; he quickly left, heading toward the Jing Tian Department.


    ...


    "Gu Chen!"


    From some distance away, Gu Chen heard someone calling his name. Turning around, he saw a young man of average build with a sinister look in his eyes.


    It was precisely Liu Zheng, who had inflicted severe injuries on the original host.


    "So you really didn''t die." Liu Zheng strode up to him, watching Gu Chen with a cold smirk appearing on his lips.


    Gu Chen''s expression remained calm as he met Liu Zheng''s gaze and said, "What do you want from me?"


    With a snort, Liu Zheng said, "Last time the fight wasn''t satisfying. Do you dare to have another match with me?"


    Upon hearing this, Gu Chen immediately smiled, with a yful look in his eyes as he gazed at Liu Zheng, and said, "You want to challenge me?"

 Chapter 6: Chapter 4 First Battle_1

    "Not bad, do you dare to fight me?" Liu Zheng''s mouth curled into a cold sneer, his gaze bearing down on Gu Chen.


    Gu Chen''s expression remained calm as he lightly said, "Why should I agree to fight you?"


    Liu Zheng was initially stunned upon hearing this; he hadn''t expected Gu Chen to actually refuse.


    But then, a thought shed through his mind, and he pressed, "What, are you scared?"


    Upon hearing this, Gu Chen slightly smiled. He looked at Liu Zheng and said, "Are you so eager to fight me?"


    "Of course!" Liu Zheng replied quickly, as if he feared Gu Chen would not agree.


    "Fine, then I will give you this opportunity."


    With a soft chuckle, Gu Chen then took the lead and walked towards the training grounds inside the Jing Tian Department.


    As one of Da Xia''s most important institutions, although not the headquarters, the Jing Tian Department upied a vast area with multiple buildings and facilities, including a huge training ground specifically for the use of patrols like Gu Chen.


    At the moment, the training ground was bustling, with many patrol officers practicing there. The ground was equipped with numerous training aids, such as stone pirs and rollers, all intended for physical conditioning.


    And at the very center, there was a massive tform designated for the sparring matches between patrol officers.


    After all, the Jing Tian Department could be considered Da Xia''s most important martial institution, so naturally, it didn''t ban weapons and even encouraged sparring among patrol officers, because sometimes, such confrontations could promote growth in cultivation more than solitary training.


    Of course, the prerequisite was that no lives were lost.


    Therefore, from time to time, patrol officers would be seen sparring on the tform.


    And a month and a half ago, the original owner of this body was defeated by Liu Zheng right here, under everyone''s watchful eyes.


    Most of the patrol officers training here were at the Body Refining Stage and the Blood Refining Stage, because it''s at these two stages that physical conditioning is emphasized. Once someone reaches the third stage of martial cultivation like Gu Chen, the focus shifts more towards the growth of internal energy.


    When Gu Chen and Liu Zheng appeared, the actions of the patrol officers in the training ground all came to a halt.


    The feud between Gu Chen and Liu Zheng was no secret, and they knew that. Now, some were surprised to see Gu Chen, as most of them had been present when he had been injured by Liu Zheng some time ago.


    "Master Gu, good day."


    "Greetings to Master Gu."


    Although they were a bit surprised at how well Gu Chen had recovered, all of these patrol officers, who were only at the first or second stages of martial cultivation, greeted Gu Chen and Liu Zheng warmly.


    Gu Chen responded with a smile, nodding at each person who greeted him.


    Those who had greeted Gu Chen were now even more puzzled, feeling as if Gu Chen had be a different person.


    Because, in the past, the original owner was mostly silent and reserved, rarely showing a smile on his face.


    Liu Zheng, standing by Gu Chen''s side, was slightly astonished as well, but he didn''t dwell on it. When he reached the tform, he lightly jumped up onto it.


    "Come on, Gu Chen!" Liu Zheng looked at Gu Chen, almost unable to wait. He was very eager to show off his perfected Iron Sand Palm, and he looked forward to the shocked and terrified expression on Gu Chen''s face at that time.


    Upon hearing this, Gu Chen also lightly leaped,nding on the tform.


    "Let''s make it clear, just likest time, no matter the situation, I will not hold back, so don''t say I didn''t warn you," Liu Zheng said confidently, looking quite self-assured.


    "Bring it on," Gu Chen said calmly. He certainly caught the deeper implication in Liu Zheng''s words, but he didn''t take it to heart.


    Whoosh!


    At that moment, Liu Zheng made his move, swift as an arrow released from its bow. With the sound of the wind whistling, he charged ferociously towards Gu Chen.


    This could be said to be Gu Chen''s first battle since arriving in this world. Although he had absorbed the original owner''s memories and had the relevantbat experience, the feeling was somehow different when it came down to the actual fight.


    Compared to Liu Zheng''s smooth and practiced movements, Gu Chen''s seemed somewhat rigid.


    After all, it was his first time, much like everyone''s first time in general. Everyone has theoretical experience and can talk expertly when the moment calls for it, but when it trulyes to battle and realbat, it still takes time to adapt.


    Of course, Gu Chen was no exception. It was only when Liu Zheng got close that he btedly raised his arm, seemingly reluctantly blocking the strike.


    Bang!


    The collision of fist against palm produced a dull sound in the air, and Gu Chen was forced back a few steps.


    Seeing this, a smirk of triumph appeared on Liu Zheng''s face. Indeed, even if his injuries had healed, a month and a half of recuperation had caused Gu Chen''s martial skills to decline.


    Liu Zheng was now certain that today, Gu Chen would still not be his match!


    Even more, he wanted to achieve a breakthrough in his cultivation at the moment he defeated Gu Chen, reaching the mid-stage of the Essence Condensation Stage!


    "Gu Chen, try taking another palm strike from me!"


    Liu Zhengughed loudly, his other arm shooting out like lightning, hammering towards Gu Chen''s chest.


    Seeing this, the Circuit Protectors watching the bout all shook their heads, feeling that Gu Chen was about to lose to Liu Zheng once again.


    Bang!


    Another muffled sound, but to everyone''s surprise, Gu Chen actually caught the palm strike.


    A sh of surprise crossed Liu Zheng''s face. He had felt that with Gu Chen''s reaction speed, his palm strike should have been guaranteed to hit, but unexpectedly, there had been a mishap.


    However, it didn''t bother him. A cold smile appeared on the corner of Liu Zheng''s mouth as he sped up his attack. Both arms became blurs, as ifunching countless strikes at the same time, making it impossible to discern which palm strike was real and which was a feint.


    "Master Liu''s inner strength is so robust and smooth, supporting him tounch such fierce and rapid attacks," a second-tier Circuit Protector marveled from below.


    "It looks like Master Liu is about to break through to the mid-stage of the Essence Condensation Stage, what incredibly swift cultivation speed," another envious third-tier Circuit Protectormented.


    "Master Gu is in a tough spot; it''s too difficult to defend," the watching Circuit Protectors said, shaking their heads at the mention of Gu Chen.


    On the tform, at first, Gu Chen did indeed find it a bit difficult to evade, but thanks to his deep inner strength for support, he came out unscathed for the moment.


    As time psed, Gu Chen''s movements became sharper and smoother. With continuous exchanges of blows with Liu Zheng, he gradually assimted the previous owner''sbat experience.


    Seeing this, Liu Zheng felt increasingly uneasy. Gu Chen''s movements were getting faster. Later on, it was he who struggled to keep up with Gu Chen''s pace.


    Liu Zheng knew that if this continued, he might be the one to lose!


    With this thought, Liu Zheng''s expression darkened. Soon, seizing an opportunity when Gu Chen left an opening during an attack, Liu Zheng channeled his internal energy to his left palm. At that moment, his left palm turned as red as a branding iron, emitting waves of scorching heat.


    "The Iron Sand Palm of the Advanced Stage!" someone eximed.


    "Master Gu is finished!" the Circuit Protectors inwardly sighed.


    At that moment, on the tform, Liu Zheng''s Iron Sand Palm, now perfected, solidly stamped onto Gu Chen''s chest with a bang.


    Liu Zheng looked at Gu Chen with a smug face and sneered, "It''s over."


    But the pained expression he anticipated on Gu Chen''s face did not appear. Instead, Gu Chen looked normal, smiled at him, and asked, "Why did you stop?"


    "Huh?!"


    Seeing this, Liu Zheng was shocked and instinctively withdrew at high speed, putting distance between himself and Gu Chen.


    One could see some scorched marks at the very center of Gu Chen''s chest, proof that Liu Zheng''s Iron Sand Palm had indeed hit Gu Chen squarely.


    "How is this possible, how can you be unharmed after taking a hit from my Iron Sand Palm?" Liu Zheng asked, his face filled with disbelief. Last time, it was his Iron Sand Palm that defeated Gu Chen. His palm had caused the scalding palm force of the Iron Sand Palm to injure Gu Chen''s organs, thereby making him unable to repress the evil qi, which then invaded his heart meridian.


    This time, his Iron Sand Palm had reached perfection, striking Gu Chen without effect. Moreover, looking at his opponent''s expression, it seemed more like a tickle?


    Liu Zheng naturally didn''t know that Gu Chen had long since be iparable to the past. Having perfected the Iron Shirt Technique and the Thirteen Grand Protectors'' Horizontal Training, Gu Chen''s physique had reached a non-human level, trulyparable to hardened steel, and even stronger.


    Furthermore, that was just the surface. Internally, Gu Chen was protected by sixty years of amassed strength. Liu Zheng, with only an initial stage Essence Condensation cultivation, could not injure Gu Chen even with a fully-realized Iron Sand Palm.


    Let alone a single palm strike, even if Gu Chen were to stand there and let him strike ten times, Liu Zheng could still not harm him.


    The gap between the two was too great. If it weren''t for the fact that this was Gu Chen''s first actualbat experience, Liu Zheng would have already been carried out.


    "Impossible, absolutely impossible!"


    Liu Zheng shouted, his expression manic as he widened his eyes and stared at Gu Chen, saying, "You must be faking it, yes, you must be pretending. I don''t believe you''re fine after taking my Iron Sand Palm!"


    "The Iron Sand Palm of the Advanced Stage, coupled with the strength I''ve bitterly cultivated for twenty years; this palm strike, you can''t possibly withstand it!"


    Liu Zheng roared, charging forward again, funneling all his strength into one palm and striking at Gu Chen with all his might, intending to settle the battle with this one blow.


    His palm glowed red, faintly emitting a scorching heat, showcasing the undeniable power of the perfected Iron Sand Palm.


    Seeing this, Gu Chen remainedposed and slowly said, "Since that is the case, take a palm strike from me and give it a try!"

 Chapter 7: Chapter 5 Family_1

    Boom!


    As Gu Chen''s words fell, the inner energy he had cultivated for up to sixty years surged like a river within him, flowing along his flesh and blood to his palms.


    At this moment, Gu Chen''s hand turned a fiery red color, and faintly, ayer of mes emerged, enveloping his palm.


    Only a Red me Palm that had reached the perfect realm could manifest such a phenomenon!


    Liu Zheng, upon seeing this, shed a look of horror in his eyes. He wanted to dodge, but Gu Chen was too fast, and it was already toote to avoid the attack.


    Bang!


    The instant Gu Chen''s Red me Palm came into contact with Liu Zheng''s Iron Sand Palm, a cracking sound was heard, and Liu Zheng''s entire arm twisted into an irregr shape. Then, Gu Chen''s palm, unstoppable as a bamboo splitter, solidly imprinted on Liu Zheng''s chest.


    "Ah¡ª"


    With a miserable scream, Liu Zheng was sent flying by Gu Chen''s palm, tumbling out of the arena and falling to the ground with his eyes tightly shut, having fainted.


    It was visible that Liu Zheng''s clothes on his chest had been burned away, leaving behind a charred palm imprint.


    Due to the Jing Tian Department''s internal rules that sparring should not result in loss of life, Gu Chen had held back at thest moment, withdrawing seventy percent of his strength. Otherwise, that palm could have exploded Liu Zheng''s entire body.


    One must know, the Pure Yang Technique is inherently a masculine type of internal energy. With sixty years of inner energy cultivation, Gu Chen could bring the Pure Yang Technique to its peak state, making his inner energy burn like mes.


    In addition, there was the perfectly mastered Red me Palm, also a masculine martial art. Combined together, their power doubled, and Liu Zheng, merely at the initial stage of energy cultivation, naturally couldn''t withstand it.


    With that palm strike, many of Liu Zheng''s bones were broken, and the organs and meridians within his body suffered extremely severe burns. Even if he didn''t die, the hidden injuries he sustained from today''s battle meant his martial path was essentially over; there was little chance he would achieve anything significant in this lifetime.


    Many of the onlooking Royal Sword Guards below the stage were stunned. Liu Zheng had been dominating throughout, but somehow, the roles were suddenly reversed.


    "Master Gu had been recuperating for over a month, hasn''t he? Howe his cultivation seems even more terrifying than it was a month ago?"


    "Master Gu''s palm strike just now was too frightening. If I''m not mistaken, Master Gu must have perfected the Red me Palm!"


    "What?! How is that possible, for real? I''ve been practicing this martial art for three years, and I''ve only achieved minor sess!"


    ¡­


    Gu Chen was unaware of the other people''s discussions, nor was he interested in listening to them.


    His purpose foring to Jing Tian Department today was to exchange the original owner''s remaining merit points for soul crystals to enhance his own strength.


    Within the Jing Tian Department, there was a building known as the Hall of Merits. Following the original owner''s memory, Gu Chen easily found his way there and exchanged the remaining merit points for two soul crystals at the hall''s office.


    It is well known that soul crystals are the remnants left behind after the death of demons and ghosts. The higher the level of the demon or ghost, the more powerful the energy contained within its soul crystal.


    Being extremely yin and wicked in nature, the force within soul crystals is of the same origin as the demons and ghosts themselves, which is why sometimes soul crystals are used as materials in alchemy or weapon forging.


    Of course, some cultivators who practice yin attribute techniques also use soul crystals to cultivate.


    Therefore, Gu Chen wasn''t worried that swapping merit points for soul crystals would arouse suspicion.


    The only regret for Gu Chen was that the merit points left to him by the original owner were too few, only enough to exchange for two of the lowest-level soul crystals.


    Merit points have many uses within the Jing Tian Department; they can be exchanged for various elixirs, martial arts manuals, weapons, and items like soul crystals, among other things.


    And only bypleting tasks assigned by the Jing Tian Department can one obtain merit points.


    These tasks include, but are not limited to, ying demons and strange creatures.


    After all, the responsibilities of the Jing Tian Department are not limited to just this.


    After exchanging for the two soul crystals and returning home, Gu Chen absorbed them, resulting in ten more merit points on his panel.


    However, Gu Chen did not immediately convert the merit points into cultivation because it had only been a day, and his body was still in a "satiated" state, needing some time to digest.


    If he were to blindly convert, it might cause some irreparable hidden dangers or injuries to his body.


    If that''s the case, then it would be a big loss.


    Fortunately, Gu Chen was not the type to panic or rush; he was a patient man and never hurried his actions.


    So, for the entirety of the next day, Gu Chen stayed at home to cultivate.


    Following the methods recorded in the Pure Yang Technique, he continuously circted the thick internal energy within his body to nourish his flesh. Over the course of the day, his physical strength subtly improved once again.


    At dinner time, his second uncle Gu Chengfeng paid a visit.


    "Second Uncle, what brings you here?" Gu Chen was somewhat surprised. His second uncle had just returned home two days ago and had alreadye back.


    Gu Chengfeng was dressed in his official uniform, with a long saber hanging at his waist. He was amander of the Royal Sword Guard in Tiandu, holding the rank of a seventh-grade official. He was mainly responsible for maintaining the peace within the capital city of Da Xia, patrolling daily with his subordinates.


    "Your aunt heard that your injuries have healed and has specially prepared a table full of delicious dishes today. She is waiting for you at home right now. I came to fetch you as soon as my patrol ended," said Gu Chengfeng with a smile.


    Gu Chen thought about it for a moment. He didn''t want to refuse the kindness of his uncle and aunt, so he nodded and said, "Alright, Second Uncle, please wait for me for a moment. I''ll get ready and then follow you there."


    "Good, then hurry up, bigd. Don''t keep your aunt and your sister waiting too long," Gu Chengfeng instructed.


    "Don''t worry, Second Uncle."


    Gu Chen said as he went to the inner room and swiftly changed his clothes. Then he followed Gu Chengfeng out, passing through the bustling streets and shops to reach Gu Mansion.


    As a seventh-grade official of Da Xia, Gu Chengfeng received an annual sry of over two hundred taels of silver. Although Tiandu city was the foremost ce of excellence, he resided in the outer city where he had bought a house with three courtyards in and out and maintained some servants and maids, the entire estate having over a dozen people.


    "The master has returned."


    Upon reaching the front of the estate, an old servant saw Gu Chengfeng return and hurriedly pushed open the main gate.


    "Hmm."


    Gu Chengfeng nodded, entered through the gate, and there were maids who quickly came over to take his official uniform and saber.


    "Young Master." A young maid greeted Gu Chen sweetly.


    Gu Chen smiled and nodded in response.


    Seeing this, a flicker of surprise crossed Gu Chengfeng''s eyes, but he said nothing more and led Gu Chen through the outer courtyard to the inner hall.


    All in all, the Gu Mansion was pretty decent. Although it couldn''t measure up to some of the sprawling estates of the nobility within Tiandu, it was already considered very good in the outskirts of the city.


    The young maid was slightly astonished, as in the past when Gu Chen came here, he would always have a cold face and was unenthusiastic toward everyone, softening only in the presence of Gu Chengfeng''s family.


    There was no helping it, given that the original owner of the body had lost his parents at a young age, and despite Gu Chengfeng''s care, it was inevitable that he developed such a solitary personality.


    Inside the inner hall, there were a woman and a young girl sitting there, with seven or eight dishesid out on the table, looking colorful and emitting a delicious fragrance.


    The woman had a melon-seed face with fair and beautiful skin. It was clear that she had been a delicate beauty when she was young. Even though she was nearly forty now, she still took good care of herself and retained her charm, though slight crow''s feet betrayed her age.


    This beautiful woman was Gu Chengfeng''s official wife and Gu Chen''s aunt, Xu Qinge.


    The young girl sitting next to Xu Qinge was Gu Chengfeng''s daughter, Gu Chen''s sister, named Gu Qingyan.


    Gu Qingyan could be said to have perfectly inherited her mother Xu Qinge''s looks, and perhaps even surpassed her, born extremely beautiful.


    She had a melon-seed face just like her mother''s, with fair, translucent, glowing skin, bright and animated eyes, eyshes flicking like dancing butterfly wings, a high, aquiline nose, and fresh, rosy lips. Her face was exquisitely pretty, truly a rare beauty in the world.


    "My boy is here,e sit." On seeing Gu Chen, Xu Qinge''s face immediately lighted up with a warm smile.


    "Auntie."


    Gu Chen greeted Xu Qinge and then sat down at the dining table next to Gu Qingyan.


    "Qinyan, long time no see," Gu Chen smiled at his sister.

 Chapter 8: Chapter 6 The First Task_1

    Gu Qingyan was four years younger than the original owner of the body, and had just turned sixteen this year. Seeing Gu Chen sit down, she also called out "Big Brother."


    Her voice was extremely pleasant and melodious, with a distinctive charm, crisp like the striking of ice or chime of jade.


    "Master, you''ve juste back, go wash your hands quickly," Xu Qinge said to Gu Chengfeng.


    "Alright, I''ll be right back," Gu Chengfeng replied.


    After Gu Chengfeng had left, Xu Qinge turned to Gu Chen, asking with concern, "Eldest son, I heard from your second uncle that you were injured some time ago. How are you feeling now? It''s nothing serious, I hope?"


    "Thank you for your concern, Auntie. I''vepletely recovered," answered Gu Chen. He could tell that Xu Qinge genuinely treated him as family.


    The original owner had been raised by Gu Chengfeng and Xu Qinge since he was a child. Since they had only one daughter, Gu Qingyan, they treated the original owner as their own son.


    Xu Qinge had a very good nature, kind-hearted, and her care for the original owner was meticulous. In his heart, the original owner actually regarded Xu Qinge as his mother.


    It''s just that the original owner was a loner and rigid by nature, and not skilled at expressing himself, so he never revealed his feelings.


    Additionally, the original owner often had to face all sorts of demons and strange creatures in the Jing Tian Department, and because Auntie Xu Qinge and his sister Gu Qingyan were ordinary people, he seldom visited the Gu Mansion. Even if he did visit, he would quickly leave after a meal, fearing that they would be affected by some misfortune because of him.


    "It''s good that you''re alright. Come, let''s eat," Xu Qinge said with a gentle smile. Before marrying her second uncle Gu Chengfeng, she too was from a distinguished family. While speaking, she served Gu Chen some dishes.


    At this moment, Gu Chengfeng, having changed his clothes, returned to the dining table. Looking at the fragrant dishes before him, heughed and said, "Wife, you seem a bit biased. It''s rare for you to cook, and you''ve made all of Eldest Son''s favorite dishes. How should Qingyan and I feel?"


    "You talk too much," Xu Qinge nced at Gu Chengfeng.


    Gu Chen smiled, picked up his chopsticks, and began to taste the food. After one bite, his eyes lit up and he praised, "Auntie''s culinary skills have improved even more after not seeing you for a while."


    Upon hearing this, Xu Qinge, with a beautiful smile on her face, said, "If you like it, eat more. Juste by more often, and I''ll cook for you regrly."


    "Alright, I won''t be polite in the future then," Gu Chen said with a smile.


    Xu Qinge was taken aback, as if she hadn''t expected Gu Chen to actually agree, but then her smile deepened as she said, "No problem,e over whenever you want."


    The original owner had always been silent and rarely showed emotions, and he also didn''t have many friends, so Gu Chengfeng and Xu Qinge had always been worried about this.


    But now, seeing Gu Chen''s cheerful appearance and the frequent smiles on his face, they felt as if he was a different person.


    Deep down, they of course hoped that Gu Chen would continue to be like this.


    Sitting next to Gu Chen, Gu Qingyan also felt surprised. She looked at her brother a few more times, feeling that he seemed very different from before, no longer always expressionless as he had once been.


    For her, this was definitely a good thing; at least her parents wouldn''t have to worry about it anymore.


    Moreover, having grown up together since they were young, the original owner always treated his sister well, so their rtionship had always been good.


    Under Gu Chen''s lead, the meal was naturally full of joyful harmony.


    Meanwhile, Gu Chen timely informed his second uncle about the full recovery from his injuries. Gu Chengfeng, upon hearing this news, was so overjoyed that he almost lost himself in the moment and ended up drinking too much on his own.


    And afterward, with his face flushed from drinking, Gu Chengfeng even insisted on Gu Chen joining him for drinks.


    ...


    Meanwhile,pared to theughter and chatter in the Gu Mansion, the atmosphere was much more somber in Liu Zheng''s home.


    At that moment, in the Liu Mansion, Liu Zhengy in bed, his body wrapped in bandages, his breathing weak and faint.


    Next to him were his parents and a physician from Changchun Hall.


    "Doctor, how is my son''s condition?" Liu Ningyuan asked with a furrowed brow.


    The physician from Changchun Hall took Liu Zheng''s pulse and after a moment of contemtion, said, "The young master''s injuries are severe, with multiple fractures throughout his body, especially his left arm. Moreover, his internal organs have been injured by a forceful and vigorous palm strike.


    If he is to recover, it will likely take at least a year and a half of convalescence, and there may be residual internal injuries that could even affect his future martial arts training."


    "That serious?" Liu Ningyuan''s expression turned grave as he looked at Liu Zheng lying unconscious on the bed.


    "That''s in the best-case scenario. Master Liu, you should prepare for the possibility that it might take even longer," said the physician from Changchun Hall. After prescribing several medicines for Liu Zheng, he then took his leave.


    "It''s all your fault! If you hadn''t insisted on making Zheng practice martial arts, he wouldn''t have ended up like this - it''s all your mistake!"


    Next to them, Liu Zheng''s mother wailed and cried as she med Liu Ningyuan, "Now look, Zheng has been crippled. Are you satisfied?!"


    "Shut up!"


    Liu Ningyuan snapped angrily, "That''s a typical woman''s perspective. If I hadn''t let Zheng practice martial arts, would you have him stay by your side for the rest of his life? It''s your coddling that spoiled him and led him to this state!"


    "Moreover, he was inferior in skill and was injured by someone else. It''s his own fault for being useless. Who else can be med for him turning out like this?" Liu Ningyuan roared sternly.


    "You..."


    Liu Zheng''s mother pointed at Liu Ningyuan and shouted, "What do you mean by that? Are you saying you''re not going to take care of Zheng? Let me tell you, if you won''t, who knows, I might just die right here and now!"


    With a furrowed brow, Liu Ningyuan said, "When did I ever say I''d stop taking care of Zheng? After all, he is my son. If he''s been bullied, as his father, of course I need to seek justice for him."


    "Furthermore, it was just a contest and yet such a vicious move was made to hurt my son like this." Liu Ningyuan''s face darkened, a cruel light shing in his eyes.


    "What do you n to do?" Liu Zheng''s mother asked anxiously.


    "There''s no rush," Liu Ningyuan pondered, "I am about to be promoted to a second-level Holder of the Mirror. Once that happens, everything will be easier."


    "Master, you''re going to be promoted?" Upon hearing this, Liu Zheng''s mother''s face brightened with joy, and she quickly asked.


    A trace of a smile also appeared on Liu Ningyuan''s face as he said, "Indeed, so we need to be patient for a while."


    "But the Mingjing Department and Jing Tian Department are twopletely different systems. Even if you''re promoted, Master, what can you do to that little beast?" Liu Zheng''s parents had heard the details of the incident from their servants and had some understanding of Gu Chen.


    Of course, even knowing that it was Liu Zheng who had provoked the incident first, and that there had been bad blood between the two of them, Liu Zheng was after all their son. Whatever the case, Liu Ningyuan and his wife were certainly inclined to side with their own offspring.


    Liu Ningyuan gave a cold smile, "The Mingjing Department supervises hundred officials, and along with the Jing Tian Department, they are the two most important institutions since the founding of Da Xia. It''s true that the Jing Tian Department is special and that little beast isn''t easily touched, but he has family. As far as I know, his second uncle is just a seventh-grade Royal Sword Guard.


    Once I''m promoted to second-level Holder of the Mirror, won''t I be able to manipte them however I like?"


    "We must make those who hurt Zheng pay the price!" Liu Zheng''s mother said viciously.


    "Madam, rest assured, their whole family will pay the price," Liu Ningyuan said with a coldugh.


    ...


    The next morning, Gu Chen was practicing in the outer courtyard of Gu Mansion.


    Having shared a few drinks with his second uncle the previous night, it was quitete by the time they finished. Persuaded by his aunt, Xu Qinge, Gu Chen had stayed the night there.


    With continuous practice, Gu Chen felt the "swollen" sensation caused by the rapid growth of his inner energy slowly subsiding.


    Once his body fully adapted, he would be able to enhance his cultivation through the panel again.


    "Young Master, here is a letter for you."


    At that moment, an old servant approached and brought him a letter.


    Gu Chen opened it and found it was a dispatch order from the Jing Tian Department.


    "There are evil spirits in Qingyang County, and I am being sent to suppress the evil there?" Gu Chen read the content of the order and sighed to himself at how quick the Jing Tian Department was to act.


    Yesterday, he had defeated Liu Zheng, and knowing that his injuries had healed, today the Jing Tian Department had already assigned him to exorcise demons.


    Qingyang County was located near Tiandu, directly under its jurisdiction, adjoining Qiongtian Mansion, it was roughly a thousand li away from Tiandu City.


    Da Xia, the orthodox rule of the Nine Provinces, sits in the Central ins, upying thirteen of the world''s provinces; each province has three major mansions, totaling thirty-nine. Below the mansions are the counties and prefectures.


    The "Chronicles of the Geography of the Nine Provinces" say, "In ancient times, the world was divided into nine parts, hence named the Nine Provinces. Later in the ancient era, as a result of great changes,nd movements, and separations, the Nine Provinces were divided once more."


    In ancient times, there were only nine continents in the world, thus it was called the Nine Provinces. But in the early ancient era, with the evolution of heaven and earth and the shift of thendmass, the nine continents split, and the world evolved into its current state.


    "Fortunately, the distance is not too far. A round trip should not take too much time," Gu Chen thought to himself.


    Last time, the original host had gone to execute a mission in a county under the jurisdiction of Qiongtian Mansion. The trip alone had taken more than half a month.


    Afterward, having enjoyed a breakfast made by his aunt, Xu Qinge, at Gu Mansion, Gu Chen greeted his second uncle and aunt, then went home to pack his bags, found a fast horse, and immediately set off for Qingyang County.

 Chapter 9: Chapter 7 Ning City_1

    ```


    Qingyang County, Ning City.


    About twelve hundred li from Tiandu, Gu Chen had spent a day and a night following the Jing Tian Department''s orders to get here.


    As a martial artist at the peak of the Body Refining Stage, staying up all night didn''t affect him much.


    It was nearing noon, and the streets of Ning City were bustling with people and vendors loudly hawking their wares.


    In Qingyang County, Ning City was not small, with a poption of one hundred and fifty thousand.


    Gu Chen, dressed in dark robes with a long sword at his waist, first found an inn to leave his luggage and rest his eyes for a moment, refreshing himself to the best condition.


    Name: Gu Chen


    Martial arts: Iron Cloth Technique (perfection), Thirteen Grand Protectors'' Horizontal Skill (perfection), Red me Palm (perfection), Dragon Sinew Tiger Bone Fist (novice)


    Inner Strength: Pure Yang Technique


    Cultivation: Sixty years


    Stage: Body Refining Stage (peak)


    Merits: 11


    Previously, he had exchanged the original owner''s merits for two soul crystals and absorbed them, increasing his merit points by ten.


    Feeling the earlier "sense of fullness" in his body receding, Gu Chen thought for a moment, and the ten merit points on the panel disappeared, transforming into ten years of cultivation and pouring into his body.


    Whoosh¡ª¡ª


    Immediately, as the merit points vanished, the internal energy within Gu Chen''s body grew, reaching seventy years.


    Gu Chen clenched his fist, feeling the vigorous internal energy within, and he thought that, with his current strength, he couldpete with those in the Blood Refining Stage.


    After that, Gu Chen headed out and ordered some Ning City specialties at the inn, rewarding himself with an early meal.


    Once he had his fill, Gu Chen made his way to the county yamen of Ning City.


    The yamen faced south with two stone lions standing guard at the north gate, and two yamen runners stood sternly before the reddish-brown doors.


    "All idlers, halt!"


    As Gu Chen approached the entrance, the two gatekeeping runners sternly extended their hands to block him.


    "I am Gu Chen from the Jing Tian Department, the Metropolitan Procurator of Tiandu."


    Gu Chen produced his identity token. The bronze token, beautiful in its simplicity, had the character "Jing" written on it with great flourish on one side, while the other side had Gu Chen''s name and position engraved in fine print.


    Upon hearing that Gu Chen was from the Jing Tian Department of Tiandu, the runners'' expressions changed instantly, and they bowed with fists sped, speaking respectfully, "Lord Gu is seen."


    "Don''t mention it."


    Gu Chen gestured for the two to rise, and then, under their escort, he entered into the yamen of Ning City.


    Gu Chen followed the two runners down the corridor to a side hall, where he met the head constable of Ning City, Wu Qian.


    "Boss, the representative from above has arrived. This is Lord Gu Chen, the Metropolitan Procurator from the Jing Tian Department of Tiandu," the runners announced as they approached Wu Qian.


    Wu Qian, of medium height and resolute appearance, quickly stood up and saluted with sped hands, "I am Wu Qian, and I have seen Lord Gu."


    "Constable Wu is too polite, there''s no need for formalities. Just call me by my name," Gu Chen said with a smile. After all, he came from the modern era and wasn''t much concerned with the strict protocols of ancient times.


    ```


    "I dare not!" Wu Qian quickly shook his head.


    Seeing this, Gu Chen knew that the concept of hierarchy was rather strong in ancient feudal society, and didn''t press the issue, so he said, "Then just call me Master Gu."


    "Yes." Wu Qian nodded, then said solemnly, "Master Gu, please follow me, the county magistrate has been waiting for quite some time."


    "Alright, I''ll trouble Constable Wu to lead the way." Gu Chen spoke as he followed Wu Qian''s lead, the two of them heading towards the county government office.


    After Gu Chen followed Wu Qian out of the side hall and walked away, some of Wu Qian''s subordinates, the yamen runners, started discussing, "Zhang Long, Zhao Hu, what were you two saying earlier, is this Lord Gu a Metropolitan Procurator?"


    Zhang Long and Zhao Hu, the yamen runners who had led Gu Chen here earlier, replied upon hearing this, "Yes, after we saw the token presented by Lord Gu, he is indeed a first-rank Metropolitan Procurator from the Jing Tian Department."


    "What''s the matter, is there a problem?" A newly appointed yamen runner asked, puzzled.


    "A first-rank Metropolitan Procurator means that Lord Gu''s martial cultivation is at the third realm, the Body Refining Stage, just like our boss," they exined.


    Since monsters and evil spirits had been ravaging Da Xia for many years, the local veteran constables from Ning City had had many dealings with the Jing Tian Department and had a rough understanding of the internal rank divisions.


    With a poption of 150,000, Ning City was not small, so there were quite a few constables in the county government -- dozens in fact. Constable Wu Qian was at the Body Refining Stage, while most of the rest were at the Blood Refining Stage, with only a few at the Body Refining Stage.


    The neer, still somewhat puzzled, said, "What''s the problem with being like our boss?"


    The first yamen runner to speak scolded, "You''re really dense, use your pig brain to think about it. The evil creature that appeared in Ning City this time isn''t like themon monsters we''ve faced before. It''s very likely to be a Panic Level Demon, or even stronger. Even the boss is somewhat wary and doesn''t dare to act recklessly.


    Now the Jing Tian Department has only sent a single first-rank Metropolitan Procurator. Do you think the problem can be solved?"


    "Yeah, exactly."


    Hearing this, the other yamen runners nodded in agreement, thinking the speaker had a point. Being at the same level, Body Refining Stage, how much stronger could he be than Wu Qian?


    It should be known that a Panic Level Demon, even the weakest, possessed cultivation at the Body Refining Stage, and some even possibly reached the Blood Refining Stage -- they were not something a first-rank Metropolitan Procurator from the Jing Tian Department could contend with.


    This was also the reason Wu Qian had not acted rashly and chose to report the situation after consulting with Ning City''s county magistrate.


    Because suchmon monsters would not be reported by the prefectures and counties under Da Xia''s jurisdiction; the local yamen could handle it themselves.


    Only when the situation exceeded a certain limit and the local yamen found it too difficult to handle, and the local constables and runners couldn''t deal with it, would they opt to report, and then the Jing Tian Department would send someone to handle the issue.


    Gu Chen, after all, was a cultivator at the peak of the Body Refining Stage, and also possessed seventy years of internal cultivation; his senses were incredibly sharp, so he naturally heard very clearly what those yamen runners were discussing.


    Wu Qian, who was also at the Body Refining Stage, also heard the conversation. He frowned slightly, nced at Gu Chen, and said apologetically, "Master Gu, I''m sorry. It is myck of discipline that has led them to dare to discuss Metropolitan Procurators behind their backs. I will definitely punish them severelyter, to give you a proper exnation."


    Gu Chen waved his hand with a smile at Wu Qian''s words and said, "It''s alright, Constable Wu speaks too seriously. They''re just a few jokes, and I won''t take it to heart."


    With Gu Chen''s broad-mindedness and status, he naturally would not bother with what those yamen runners had to say.


    Seeing this, Wu Qian looked deeply at Gu Chen and bowed with his hands sped, saying, "Lord Gu is magnanimous, and I thank you on their behalf."


    Wu Qian was an old hand in Ning City, already thirty-five years old and having served as a constable for a number of years. During this period, he had seen quite a few people from the Jing Tian Department. People from Qingyang County, which was directly under the jurisdiction of Tiandu, all came from inside Tiandu and were either rich or noble, with a deep-seated sense of pride.


    Most of these people, upon hearing those yamen runners'' disrespectful remarks, usually wouldn''t have a good temper, with a small portion of them, due to their status, would frown and either reprimand them or remain silent.


    However, very few people like Gu Chen wouldpletely disregard it, and Wu Qian had really not seen many.


    Of course, it isn''t surprising that these yamen runners would discuss such matters; even Wu Qian himself was very puzzled as to why the Jing Tian Department had sent only Gu Chen.


    It should be known that when reporting, he had specifically highlighted the dangers of this incident, as there was a high likelihood of being a Panic Level Demon and a small chance of exceeding the Panic Level. If the Jing Tian Department had received the news, they should have sent at least a Metropolitan Procurator.


    Even if it was a Metropolitan Procurator, they should have sent more than one person, not just Gu Chen alone.


    This was the part Wu Qian could not understand, and he also understood why those yamen runners would discuss it behind their backs.


    Nevertheless, since Gu Chen had already arrived in Ning City, Wu Qian naturally couldn''t say much. Thus, he led Gu Chen into the inner hall, where they met the county magistrate of Ning City.

 Chapter 10: Chapter 8 Disappearance in One Night_1

    Ning City''s County Magistrate, named Fang Yong, was a middle-aged man with a gaunt face and a few whiskers on his chin. He had been serving in Ning City for twelve years and was deeply loved by the people.


    "Lord, this is Gu Chen, Master Gu, an Inspection official from Jing Tian Department in Tiandu," Wu Qian said to Fang Yong with a fist-and-palm salute and respectful tone.


    Upon hearing this, Fang Yong looked at the youthful appearance of Gu Chen, his eyes suddenly brightened. He quickly walked over to greet him, performed a courtesy, and said, "Ning City''s County Magistrate Fang Yong, has seen Lord Gu Chen."


    The County Magistrate of Ning City held a seventh-rank official position, whereas Gu Chen, as an Inspection official of the first order of Jing Tian Department, did not have a specific title. But in truth, he ranked half a level higher than a seventh-rank official in Da Xia.


    "No need for such formalities, Lord Fang," Gu Chen said as he helped Fang Yong back to his feet.


    Afterward, the two sat down, and Fang Yong personally poured a cup of tea for Gu Chen and asked, "Lord Gu, when did you arrive in Ning City?"


    Gu Chen picked up the teacup, took a sip and replied, "I set out directly from Tiandu after receiving the message yesterday and arrived in Ning City this morning."


    "Do you have a ce to stay, Lord Gu? If you don''t mind, there are many vacant rooms in the Ning City government office," Fang Yong said with a smile.


    "There''s no need, thank you for your kind offer, Lord Fang," Gu Chen politely declined. He added, "Lord Fang can simply call me by my name or Master Gu. There''s no need to be so formal; it makes us seem too estranged."


    "Absolutely, Master Gu is right," Fang Yong nodded, smiling warmly, and said, "Master Gu has just arrived in Ning City, and you probably haven''t had the chance to eat yet. I''ll have Constable Wu go buy some food."


    With that, he was about to give instructions to the reverent Wu Qian who was standing aside.


    "There''s no need, Lord Fang. I had already tasted the local snacks of Ning City before I came. These minor matters can be put off untilter. For now, let''s discuss the urgent matter at hand," Gu Chen interrupted.


    "Of course, there''s no problem, it was remiss of me," Fang Yong pped his forehead and then instructed Wu Qian, "Constable Wu,e and exin the specifics to Master Gu in detail."


    "Yes!"


    Wu Qian nodded and briefed Gu Chen on theplete circumstances of the case.


    Several days earlier, someone had reported to the county office that, overnight, all the vigers of Liu Family Vige, located fifty miles away, had disappeared.


    The person reporting was a viger from Liu Family Vige who, having stayed in Ning City for business overnight, found the entire vige empty upon his return, even the livestock was gone.


    This bizarre urrence terrified the viger, prompting him to hurriedly return to Ning City to report the incident.


    After learning of the situation, Fang Yong had immediately sent Wu Qian to the scene to investigate. Despite searching inside and out numerous times, aside from the slightly dense and sinister aura in the vige, no useful clues were discovered.


    Therefore, Wu Qian could only bring his men back to Ning City and report the situation to Fang Yong. After discussing, they decided not to dy, fearing the situation may worsen with time, and immediately reported the incident to allow the Jing Tian Department in Tiandu to dispatch someone to handle it.


    After listening to Wu Qian''s description, Fang Yong looked at Gu Chen and asked, "May I ask if Master Gu has any insights?"


    Gu Chen pondered for a moment and said, "Insights are a stretch to say; it seems we''ll have to visit the scene first to determine more."


    With the original host''s memories integrated, Gu Chen knew that dealing with such fiendish beings was tricky due to their unpredictable and cunning methods.


    In the original host''s memories, there were several instances where, despite being stronger than those evil beings, he nearly suffered defeat at their hands precisely because of this.


    So, to confront these demonic creatures, merely listening to Wu Qian was useless; he must see the situation for himself to draw conclusions.


    "Alright, I''ll immediately have Wu Qian apany you, Master Gu, to the site for an investigation," Fang Yong said. Then, turning his head, he issued an order to Wu Qian, "Constable Wu, Imand you to gather the men immediately and escort Master Gu to Liu Family Vige as quickly as possible. During the entire process, you are to prioritize Master Gu''s orders and show no neglect.


    If there''s any issue, you alone will answer to me, do you understand?"


    "By yourmand!"


    Wu Qian bowed with his hands in salute and then said to Gu Chen, "Master Gu, please follow me."


    "Lord Fang, I entrust this matter to you. On behalf of all the people of Ning City, I thank you in advance. I await your safe return to Ning City!" Fang Yong stood up, his expression serious, and gave a formal bow to Gu Chen.


    "Rest assured, Lord Fang, it is my duty," Gu Chen said solemnly, bowing back with his hands folded in salute.


    After that, he left the hall with Wu Qian. On the way, Gu Chen asked Wu Qian, "Constable Wu, is Lord Fang also a martial artist?"


    Wu Qian was slightly startled by the question but still answered, "Lord Fang did have a period of martial arts training before bing an official, though it wasn''t for long. Over the years, my impression is that Lord Fang does not seem like a martial artist; if he is, he probably wouldn''t have surpassed the Body Refining Stage."


    Gu Chen nodded, not asking further. After the two arrived in the outer hall, Wu Qian began calling roll. The constables he called out promptly stepped forward and stood behind him.


    "Depart!"


    Following Wu Qian''smand, Gu Chen followed them out of the city and arrived at Liu Family Vige, which was fifty miles away from Ning City.


    As they neared Liu Family Vige, Gu Chen suddenly felt a wave of difort.


    There was a faint coldness that appeared, seeping through his skin, trying to burrow into his body through his pores.


    This feeling was just like the sensation Gu Chen experienced when he held a soul crystal in his hand, the distinct aura that belonged solely to evil spirits. They were excessively sinister and opposed to all living beings, with every single one of the evil spirits being like this.


    Based on the original host''s experiences, Gu Chen was certain that an evil spirit must have lingered in Liu Family Vige for a long time, or else the aura wouldn''t have been so intense.


    Gu Chen frowned slightly. A gentle cirction of the robust energy within his bodypletely eradicated the cold sensation that had infiltrated him.


    "Master Gu, we have arrived," Wu Qian said to Gu Chen at that moment.


    Gu Chen nodded, and he discovered that upon actually stepping within the boundaries of Liu Family Vige, the previously faint cold feeling had be much stronger.


    It was only because their group wasprised entirely of martial artists, with even the weakest among them at the great perfection of the Body Refining Stage, that they were able to remain unharmed for the time being.


    If an ordinary person were here, they wouldn''t need to stay more than half an hour before they would likely fall seriously ill, or in more severe cases, with a weaker constitution, they might even die on the spot.


    This was the danger that evil spirits posed to ordinary people.


    Moreover, judging by the intensity of the residual evil aura in this ce, it seemed unlikely that it was caused by any random malicious entity. No wonder Wu Qian had opted to report to the Jing Tian Department.


    d in ck garments and with a long sword at his waist, Gu Chen took the lead and walked towards the vige. Along the way, the entire Liu Family Vige was eerily quiet, to the extent that the silence was frightening, without a single sound to be heard or a living being in sight.


    What was most peculiar was that everything in the vige was well-ced, showing no signs of disturbance, appearing extremely neat.


    This gave people the impression that all the vigers had vanished into thin air at the same exact moment.


    "How can it be this quiet, not even a bird in sight?" Gu Chen murmured with a slight frown, immersed in this unsettling calm.


    By his side, some of the constables seemed to be struggling to adapt to the ambiance here, rubbing their hands and even a few reached back to touch their necks, as if they felt a draft passing through.


    "Master Gu, have you discovered anything?" Wu Qian asked, as puzzled as Gu Chen had been on his first visit, unable to find any clue.


    Moreover, because he had stayed too long during his previous visit, searching the vige inside and out, several of his weaker subordinates fell severely ill upon returning and had yet to recover.


    For this reason, the constables he brought today were some of the strongest avable.


    Gu Chen didn''t answer; he was busy probing house by house.


    Seeing this, Wu Qian simply sighed and said no more, quietly following behind Gu Chen.


    After all, upon their arrival, Fang Yong had said to follow Gu Chen''s lead. Besides, Wu Qian was merely a constable from Ning City, whereas Gu Chen was the Inspector from the Jing Tian Department in Tiandu; he had no right to say much in Gu Chen''s presence.


    As time went by, more and more constables began to feel ufortable, with waves of coldness seeping into their bodies. They wanted to leave, but without a word from Gu Chen or an order from Wu Qian, naturally, they could do nothing.


    Meanwhile, seeing that some of his subordinates seemed unable to bear it any longer, Wu Qian was about to suggest something to Gu Chen again.


    But just then, he saw Gu Chen''s expression change suddenly, and then Gu Chen''s body shuddered as he stamped his foot violently on the ground. Wu Qian, standing by his side, felt a surge of mighty wind rush towards him, almost causing him to lose his bnce.


    Just as he was confused, something horrifying happened before everyone''s eyes: their world, like a shattered mirror dropped on the ground, was covered with countless ck cracks spreading all around.


    The terrifying sight stunned everyone.


    Then, the next moment, with a loud crack, the entire world before their eyes burst apart.


    It was not until that moment that the true view was revealed before them.

 Chapter 11: Chapter 9 Dark Souls_1

    The tranquil Liu Family Vige had disappeared without a trace, reced by a terrifying sight that made their hearts pound with horror.


    What Wu Qian and the others felt first was the sudden surge of coldness. Many constables shivered; the chilling sensation seemed to prate their flesh and seep into their bones.


    Next came the overwhelming, nauseating stench of decay that nearly knocked them out.


    The scene before them now was the true appearance of Liu Family Vige.


    Gu Chen looked at the dposing bodies scattered across the ground and could vaguely identify them by their clothes as the vigers of Liu Family Vige from before their deaths.


    Time had passed since the incident, and the bodies of the vigers had decayed to various extents. The piercing stench they smelled was indeeding from these corpses.


    "Master Gu, what is this..." Wu Qian stammered as he stared at the scene before him, utterly dumbfounded.


    "This is the real Liu Family Vige. What we saw before was nothing but an illusion created by demonic entities," Gu Chen said.


    When Gu Chen first arrived at Liu Family Vige, he indeed hadn''t found any clues; he only felt an unnerving silence.


    But as he continued to explore, he detected a faint smell of decay, and the longer he stayed, the more he felt a sense of unreality about everything before his eyes, along with the strange quiet. So he grew suspicious and decided to test the waters.


    As expected, his probing revealed the truth.


    However, the methods of the demonic entities were indeed cunning, and not everyone could, like Gu Chen, amass seventy years of internal energy cultivation at the Body Refining Stage. If other officers from the Jing Tian Department hade here, they might not have found any clues, just like Wu Qian. Even if they had, they might not have been able to break the previous illusion.


    It was only Gu Chen, with seventy years of internal energy cultivation at the Body Refining Stage, who could unleash his full power to shatter the illusion created by the demonic entities with a single blow.


    Had it been Wu Qian or any other officer, even if they had perceived the discordance and smelled the decay, they still wouldn''t have been able to break through the illusion.


    "Boss... look quickly, what is that?!" Suddenly, a constable cried out in horror, drawing Gu Chen and Wu Qian''s attention.


    Right behind several constables stood a few pitch-ck infants with ghastly appearances, clinging to their necks, crouched there with eerie smiles on their faces, feeding on the constables'' lifeforce.


    Earlier, their difort was indeed due to this reason.


    "Yin spirits!"


    Upon seeing this sight, Gu Chen frowned. He and Wu Qian recognized the origin of these ghastly infants.


    Yin spirits were a peculiar kind of entity that relished absorbing human lifeforce, especially from robust martial practitioners, which were their favorites.


    Suffering from the absorption of lifeforce by a Yin spirit could lead to serious illness at best and life-threatening danger at worst.


    "Hee hee hee hee..."


    When the Yin spirits noticed Gu Chen and the others looking their way, they all let out a sinisterugh that sent chills down one''s spine.


    At that moment, Gu Chen shed behind the constables, his robust internal energy flowing through the pathways of the Pure Yang Technique. With a fierce swipe of his hand, he unleashed the Red me Palm. Apanied by sharp screams, the intense heat of his palm force instantly turned all the Yin spirits into ashes.


    Seeing this, Wu Qian let out a sigh of relief; he had also thought to act, but his reaction was not as swift as Gu Chen''s.


    "Thank you, Master Gu!" Wu Qian was the first to speak, cupping his fists in gratitude.


    Upon hearing this, the constables rescued also came to their senses and hurriedly voiced their thanks: "Thank you, Master Gu, for the rescue."


    They weren''t foolish; they knew that if Gu Chen hadn''t taken action to shatter the illusion, allowing the Yin spirits to continue feeding, their bodies would have been in grave danger.


    Although they had killed the Yin spirits, the constables''plexions were ghastly due to the loss of lifeforce, and their bodies felt weak.


    Seeing their condition, Gu Chen transferred a stream of his inner breath to each of them. The constables, upon receiving Gu Chen''s inner breath, all trembled as nourishment flowed through them, theirplexions instantly improving.


    They looked at each other in disbelief; it seemed they had not anticipated that someone of Gu Chen''s status would actually show them favor, and they all froze on the spot.


    "What are you standing around for? Hurry up and thank Master Gu!" Wu Qian eximed, quickly speaking up.


    "No need to worry, these are but trifles. The pressing matter is to deal with the spirits here," Gu Chen waved his hand, dismissing the formalities.


    Upon hearing this, Wu Qian''s brows furrowed. He looked around and said, "There are still spirits present in this ce?"


    Gu Chen didn''t respond. Suddenly, several shadows shed out from the corners, identical to the previously seen spirits.


    Simultaneously, a stronger presence appeared. Behind those few shadows, a more solid figure materialized.


    "A Panic Level Demon?!"


    The moment Wu Qian saw the towering shadow, his face changed color. Sensing the aura radiating from it, equivalent to a martial artist of the Human n''ste Blood Refining Stage, he knew he was no match.


    "No wonder Liu Family Vige disappeared overnight."


    Confronting this formidable shadow, Gu Chen realized the answer. Without mentioning anything else, just this single Panic Level Demon alone was enough to devour all the vigers of Liu Family Vige in one night.


    Spirits, these types of strange beings, are best at concealing themselves. Unless discovered, they will not attack directly, but instead hide away, stealthily absorbing yang energy ¨C this is their instinct for survival.


    This Panic Level Demon seemed to have been asleep before, and if it weren''t for Gu Chen shattering the illusion, it likely would not have awakened.


    However, without Gu Chen''s arrival, this ce would likely be a dangerous area near Ning City. Once the spirits finished digesting the yang energy of Liu Family Vige''s vigers and left this ce to wander nearby, there''s no telling how many ordinary people would lose their lives.


    "Master Gu, we should retreat for now and report the situation here. With the current state of affairs, I''m afraid the two of us cannot handle it," Wu Qian said with a grave expression.


    Hearing this, Gu Chen remained calm and slightly shook his head, saying, "No matter, they are merely a few minor demons. Constable Wu, just stand aside and protect your subordinates. Leave the rest to me."


    "Master Gu, this is not advisable..." Upon hearing this, Wu Qian''s expression changed. He was well aware of the terror of demons and was about to continue persuading Gu Chen, but saw that Gu Chen had already dashed towards the group of spirits.


    Strange beings are the weakest among the demons, with strength equivalent to the martial artists of the Human n''s Body Refining or Blood Refining Stage.


    Wu Qian, being a martial artist of the Inner Breath Technique Stage, could handle even arger number of ordinary strange beings. Spirits have some peculiar methods, but if they confront him head-on, they still would not be his match.


    However, the situation today was different. The spirits that appeared before them had surpassed the level of strange beings; they were facing a Panic Level Demon.


    Demons, transcending the rank of strange beings, even the weakest Panic Level Demon is equivalent to a martial artist at the early stages of the Inner Breath Technique Stage of the Human n.


    The stronger ones could evenpare to those in the Meridian Unblocking Stage; they are certainly not something that an ordinary first-rank officer of the Jing Tian Department or a small constable like Wu Qian can handle.


    The spirit before them, though not reaching the Meridian Unblocking Stage, based on the aura it emitted, was powerful enough to beparable to a martial artist at thetter stages of the Inner Breath Technique Stage.


    It was much stronger than any demon the original host had encountered; if the original host were here, Wu Qian''s advice would be correct, and the two of thembined would not be a match for this Panic Level Demon.


    However, the one standing here today was Gu Chen. He was different from the original host. At this moment, he held seventy years of inner breath cultivation, and his realm had reached the greatpletion of the Inner Breath Technique Stage. In every aspect, he far outmatched the Panic Level Demon, so naturally, there was no reason for him to retreat.


    In Gu Chen''s eyes, the Panic Level Demon before him was nothing but a walking source of cultivation points. Having encountered it, he naturally would not let it slip by.


    "Die!"


    Apanied by Gu Chen''s cold shout, the inner breath that he had cultivated for seventy years circted through his flesh, reaching his left palm. Driven with full force by Gu Chen, the fully consummated Red me Palm was pushed to its limit.


    In that instant, Gu Chen''s left palm zed bright red like a searing iron, and ayer of me barely visible to the naked eye enveloped his palmpletely.


    This was indeed the sign that Gu Chen had pushed the consummated Red me Palm to its extreme!


    In the blink of an eye, Gu Chen crossed the distance of several meters, reaching the Panic Level Demon. He then swiftly brought his left palm down, and with a thunderous boom, terrifying palm force exploded in an instant. The demon in front of him melted away without even a chance to scream!

 Chapter 12: Chapter 10 Dragons Tendon, Tigers Bone_1

    The Pure Yang Technique and Red me Palm, both inherently masculine martial arts, had a restraining effect on demons and ghosts. Coupled with Gu Chen''s seventy years of internal breath cultivation, the Panic Level yin spirit, equivalent to thete stages of the Contained Breath Realm, was simply not a match. Along with a few other bizarre yin spirits, all were turned to ash by Gu Chen''s palm.


    Witnessing the power of Gu Chen''s palm strike, a trace of shock shed through Wu Qian''s eyes, never expecting Gu Chen''s strength to be this terrifying.


    "This Master Gu, could it be that he has already reached the Pulse Connecting Realm?!"


    Suppressing the shock in his heart, Wu Qian, with a group of subordinates, approached and, cupping his fists, said respectfully, "Master Gu''s strength is formidable, I am impressed. If not for Master Gu today, I''m afraid we would have been no match at all."


    Gu Chen was checking the panel, wanting to see how many merit points the extermination of these monsters and demons had brought him. Hearing Wu Qian''s words, he smiled and said, "Constable Wu, you are too kind. This is but my duty."


    Wu Qian nced over and saw that not even the corner of Gu Chen''s clothes was damaged, his admiration for Gu Chen growing even stronger.


    As for Wu Qian''s subordinates behind him, they had already been so shocked they were at a loss for words.


    "Master Gu, what do you think we should do now?" Wu Qian asked in a low voice.


    Gu Chen said, "The evil spirits here have all been eradicated, and the matter of the Liu family vige is concluded. We can return now."


    Upon hearing this, Wu Qian''s eyes lit up with joy, and he hastily said, "Yes!"


    Afterward, under Gu Chen''s lead, they returned to Ning City.


    In the county government office, the magistrate Fang Yong had been waiting. Seeing Gu Chen return with Wu Qian and the others, he looked at Gu Chen with an inquiring gaze.


    Seeing this, Gu Chen smiled and, cupping his fists, said, "Lord Fang, I am pleased to report that I have in all the demons in the Liu family vige, leaving none behind."


    Upon hearing this, Fang Yong stood up, his expression solemn, and bowed deeply to Gu Chen, saying, "On behalf of the many people of Ning City, I thank you, Lord Gu!"


    Gu Chen quickly stepped forward to help Fang Yong up, and afterward, the two chatted andughed for a while. During that time, Fang Yong asked Gu Chen to stay longer in Ning City so he could show him proper hospitality as the host.


    After all, Gu Chen had resolved a huge problem for Ning City.


    Moreover, Fang Yong even wanted Gu Chen to stay at the county government office during this time, which would be more convenient for everything.


    However, Gu Chen tactfully declined Fang Yong''s proposal. With Ning City''s affairs resolved, he intended to stay one more night and set out early the next morning, leaving Ning City to return to Tiandu.


    Seeing that Gu Chen had made up his mind and that any attempt to detain him would be futile, Fang Yong expressed his regret but could do nothing about it.


    Finally managing to excuse himself from Fang Yong, Gu Chen left the Ning City county government office and let out a sigh of relief.


    "Dealing with these government officials is really quite troublesome," Gu Chen shook his head. The tussle with Magistrate Fang Yong felt even more exhausting to him than battling demons and ghosts.


    Then, Gu Chen returned to the inn, and after closing the door tightly behind him, he sat cross-legged on the bed. He took out an irregrly shaped, pitch-ck and profound crystal, and the temperature in the room plummeted immediately. This was the soul crystal obtained from ying that Panic Level yin spirit earlier.


    Amongst the evil spirits, only those at the level of demons would leave behind a soul crystal upon death, which was the essence of a demon''s strength.


    As for the bizarre creatures, they would not produce a soul crystal upon being killed, which also proved that the power of the bizarre creatures,pared to demons, was much more dispersed and difficult to condense into a single entity.


    With a thought from Gu Chen, the soul crystal in his hand began to erode from the edge, slowly dissipating before his eyes.


    After absorbing the soul crystal, Gu Chen''s consciousness sank, and the next second, the panel appeared.


    Name: Gu Chen


    Martial Arts: Iron Shirt Technique (perfection), Thirteen Grand Protectors'' Horizontal Skill (perfection), Red me Palm (perfection), Dragon Tendon Tiger Bone Fist (Initial Insight)


    Inner Strength: Pure Yang Technique


    Cultivation: Seventy Years


    Realm: Complete Great Perfection of the Contained Breath Realm


    Merit Points: 20


    For ying the bizarre creature level yin spirits, Gu Chen received a total of seven merit points. As for the demon level yin spirit, after absorbing the soul crystal, he received twelve merit points. Coupled with the initial remaining point, it made a total of twenty points.


    After Gu Chen''s cultivation had reached the strength of seventy years, his body once again experienced a sensation of fullness. Therefore, this time he did not choose to further improve his cultivation level but decided to first advance the realm of his martial skills.


    At this moment, on his status panel, one could see a total of four martial skills. Three of them had already reached the realm of perfection, with only the "Dragon Sinew Tiger Bone Fist" remaining in its initial insight phase.


    This technique was not obtained from the Jing Tian Department but was left by the original host''s father.


    Whenpared to the "Iron Cloth Technique," the "Thirteen Grand Protectors'' Horizontal Skill," and the "Red me Palm," the "Dragon Sinew Tiger Bone Fist" was somewhat more profound.


    In the world of Jiuzhou, martial skills and internal cultivation were divided into detailed grades from low to high: Common-Grade, Lower-Grade, Middle-Grade, Upper-Grade, Superior Martial Skills, Earth Grade, Heavenly Grade, and finally the peerless techniques.


    Among these, Common-Grade was also known as ''Inferior,'' in simple terms, Common-Grade martial skills were farmhand moves, not fit for public disy, hence being considered ''Inferior.''


    Gu Chen''s "Iron Cloth Technique," "Thirteen Grand Protectors'' Horizontal Skill," and "Red me Palm" were all martial skills redeemed in the Jing Tian Department using his military exploits, and belonged to the Lower-Grade category.


    Meanwhile, the "Pure Yang Technique" and the "Dragon Sinew Tiger Bone Fist" were of Middle-Grade.


    But one should never underestimate Lower-Grade martial skills, as even the most casual Lower-Grade martial skill, if brought to the world of martial arts, would be worth at least a few hundred taels, or even over a thousand. If it''s internal cultivation, the price would be even higher.


    And for a Middle-Grade martial skill or internal cultivation technique, the starting price would be at least a few thousand taels of silver.


    Upper-Grade martial skills and internal cultivation could be so expensive that they may be worth up to hundreds of thousands of taels.


    As for Superior Martial Skills, they would typically cost at least several hundred thousand taels of silver, and they were often priceless and not avable on the market.


    As for martial arts above the Superior grade, they could not be measured in mary terms, being both rare and invaluable treasures, they are the foundation of every major force''s heritage and are not easily imparted to others.


    From this, one can see the preciousness of martial arts in the world of Jiuzhou.


    Of course, it''s not always better to have a higher-grade martial skill, as a higher grade indicates that the martial art is more profound. Without the corresponding martial arts experience, one would find it difficult toprehend suchplex martial arts, making even the entry level impossible to achieve; attempting to force it would only result in deviating and going mad.


    The original host had practiced the "Dragon Sinew Tiger Bone Fist" for quite a long time and couldn''t find the key to its entry level, which was part of the reason why.


    Even for Gu Chen, without relying on the status panel, it would take him another five years to perfect the three martial skills, including the "Iron Cloth Technique."


    If Lower-Grade martial skills were this challenging, let alone others.


    Therefore, even inrge families and major sects, or among the princes and princesses in the royal pce, they all started practicing martial arts with lower-grade skills to build a foundation, gradually umting martial arts experience to prepare for theprehension of higher-grade martial arts.


    Then, Gu Chen brought his thoughts back to focus, and with a single thought, five points of skill points disappeared. At this point, one could see on the status panel''s martial arts section that the "Dragon Sinew Tiger Bone Fist" had progressed from initial insight to the entry level.


    Subsequently, a surge of corresponding martial arts experience poured into Gu Chen''s mind.


    Crackle and pop!


    At that moment, while sitting cross-legged on his bed, a crisp sound suddenly emanated from within Gu Chen''s body, which was the sound of his tendons and bones resonating in harmony.


    The "Dragon Sinew Tiger Bone Fist," although a form of fist technique, one could tell from its name that the core essence of this martial art was primarily in the tempering of tendons and bones. With robust tendons and bones, one''s muscles and fasciae would also be strengthened, greatly enhancing one''s physique and explosive power.


    Moreover, ording to what the original host''s father had said, if one were to perfect this martial art, they would possess the strength of dragons and tigers, lifting thousands of pounds would not be a problem.


    Unfortunately, the original host''s father failed to perfect this martial art before he passed away.


    Furthermore, due to his early death, there was no one to exin this martial art to the original host, which was one of the reasons why the original host could not find the key to its entry level.


    But now, with the status panel at his disposal, Gu Chen had no such concerns, as he could elevate his skills by expending skill points.


    "It seems that the cost of improving Middle-Grade martial skills is notparable to that of Lower-Grade," Gu Chen thought to himself.


    Previously, even raising the "Red me Palm" to perfection had only cost Gu Chen three skill points.


    But now, just by bringing the "Dragon Sinew Tiger Bone Fist" to the entry level, he had spent five skill points, a significant difference.


    This also highlighted the gap between Middle-Grade and Lower-Grade martial skills.


    Feeling the greatly enhanced tendons and bones inside his body, along with the boiling vital energy, Gu Chen thought to himself, and another five skill points disappeared. What followed was the "Dragon Sinew Tiger Bone Fist" reaching the stage of minor achievement.

 Chapter 13: Chapter 11 Yi Xiang Building_1

    ```


    Boom!


    When his Dragon Tendon Tiger Bone Fist reached the Minor Achievement Stage, Gu Chen suddenly felt his whole body shake, his tendons and bones began to tremble and rub against each other incessantly, as if electrified, with tingling sensationsing from every part of his body.


    This feelingsted for the duration of half a cup of tea before finally ending.


    "Whew¡ªrefreshing!"


    After the transformation of his tendons and bones wasplete, Gu Chen opened his eyes and let out a breath, feeling better than ever before.


    He gently clenched his fist and felt that, after undergoing two enhancements, his pure physical strength had increased by at least two or three thousand jin.


    Taking into ount his original strength, if calcted by his physical strength alone, with just a swing of his arm, he possessed no less than five thousand jin of force.


    If his substantial inner strength were added to the equation, his physical constitution would be even more terrifying.


    One must know, even some martial artists at the Meridian Unblocking Stage, when it came to pure physical strength, might notpare to him.


    Of course, this was mainly because Gu Chen hadid a solid foundation; as his inner strength grew continuously, his physique naturally also improved considerably.


    Gu Chen nced at the remaining ten cultivation points on his panel and, with a thought, raised the Dragon Tendon Tiger Bone Fist directly to the Major Achievement Stage.


    In an instant, eight cultivation points disappeared from the bottom of the panel, leaving Gu Chen with only thest two points.


    The sensation of trembling tendons and bones came again and the buzzing sound was constant; Gu Chen could very clearly perceive that the major tendons in his body were gradually stretching and bing more resilient, his bones bing denser and morepact, with the density continuously increasing. This transformationsted for a quarter of an hour before finally ending.


    Afterward, looking at the remaining two cultivation points on the panel, Gu Chen adhered to his principle of not wasting anything and added thesest two points to his cultivation.


    In an instant, his inner strength cultivation leaped from seventy years to seventy-two years, a rather small increase, which did not contribute much to Gu Chen''s enhancement.


    The Dragon Tendon Tiger Bone Fist was elevated from a rudimentary level to a Major Achievement in a short period, leading to a drastic increase in Gu Chen''s strength; he felt as if he had be a one-punch man, seemingly able to shatter everything in sight.


    Of course, Gu Chen knew this was just an illusion created by the sudden increase in strength; the sensation would fade after a while.


    Having reached Major Achievement with the Dragon Tendon Tiger Bone Fist, Gu Chen had gained about four or five thousand jin in strength, and now, his pure physical strength had reached ten thousand jin.


    What his adoptive father said was indeed true: without even perfecting the Dragon Tendon Tiger Bone Fist, Gu Chen already possessed the strength of ten thousand jin.


    Moreover, the increase in strength was only the most obvious change. As his tendons and bones grew stronger, his blood and qi naturally became more vigorous, and when the blood and qi were prosperous, his vitality grew stronger.


    Therefore, after this enhancement, Gu Chen''s entire physique underwent an extremely great transformation; his stamina, endurance, speed, and other aspects were all markedly improved.


    At this point, Gu Chen''s enhancement wasplete. With the Dragon Tendon Tiger Bone Fist reaching Major Achievement and the evolution of his physique, the previous feeling of fullness in his flesh from his overly robust inner strength had also vanished.


    Soon, the evening arrived, and since it was hisst day in Ning City, Gu Chen did not stay in the building the entire time; he did not even choose to have his dinner there, but instead, went out onto the street.


    In this world for less than two months, even when he was in Tiandu, Gu Chen hardly ever went out. Frankly speaking, he was somewhat curious about this world.


    Moreover, he was leaving Ning City tomorrow, so Gu Chen chose to stroll around Ning City tonight to properly appreciate the local customs and culture.


    Thus, Gu Chen wandered the streets of Ning City.


    Night in Ning City was quite bustling; the streets were teeming with people, vendors shouted their wares continuously, offering many fragrant snacks and various shops with unique Ning City characteristics.


    Immersing in the city''s lively atmosphere, Gu Chen used his keen sense of smell to find several snacks to his liking and filled his stomach.


    Normally, martial artists haverge appetites, especially those at the Body Refining Stage and Blood Refining Stage of martial arts because these two stages focus on tempering the physique and rely heavily on food to obtain the necessary nutrients.


    Only when one reaches the third stage of martial arts, the Energy Condensation Stage, does inner energy begin to nourish the body, causing a martial artist''s food intake to decrease. Those with profound cultivation could even go days and nights without food or water.


    But before this stage, martial artists were considered to have a "bottomless pit" level of appetite, with the yearly expense on food alone being a considerable sum.


    This was precisely the meaning behind the phrase "poverty in schrship, wealth in martial arts."


    ```


    Fortunately, Gu Chen had achieved great perfection in the Body Refining Stage, his internal cultivation of seventy-two years protected him, making his appetite within controble limits.


    As he walked, Gu Chen arrived in an alley in Ning City. There was an archway on the street with threerge characters written on it: Yongle Street.


    Looking around, Gu Chen noticed that each building here had pinknterns hanging, and the entire street was permeated with a faint scent of rouge and powder. In front of every pavilion stood several women, dressed to attract, smiling brightly at the passersby.


    Gu Chen immediately realized where he hade ¡ª the Red Light District of Ning City, an ancient ce of pleasure,monly known as the brothel area.


    Continuing on, as the mboyantly dressed women saw such a handsome young man as Gu Chen approaching, their eyes lit up. With what they deemed their most seductive smiles, they extended their palms and leaned forward, hoping to draw Gu Chen into their pavilions for a chat.


    Gu Chen smiled at them while declining each offer. The heavy scent of their makeup was not to his liking.


    Then, Gu Chen suddenly saw a three-story building that was arguably the most eye-catching on the entire street.


    Moreover, unlike the other brothels, there weren''t women but rather two sturdy men guarding the door.


    Looking up, Gu Chen saw threerge characters on the que above the pavilion: Yi Xiang Building.


    "It seems this is thergest brothel in Ning City," Gu Chen mused as he looked at Yi Xiang Building before him.


    "Esteemed sir, you seem quite interested in our Yi Xiang Building. If so, why note inside and take a look? Our Yi Xiang Building is known as the most famous ce of pleasure in Ning City," said one of the doorkeepers when he noticed Gu Chen standing in front of the building, approaching to make an inquiry.


    Of course, this was mainly because Gu Chen had a heroic brow and starry eyes, a handsome countenance, and wore fine clothes of considerable value. He carried himself with an extraordinary bearing, much like a young master from a noble family out for a stroll. Otherwise, if an ordinary person were loitering here, the doormen might havee directly to chase them away.


    Hearing this, Gu Chen pondered for a moment, then nodded with a smile and replied, "Good, lead the way."


    "Of course, pleasee in, young master!" the doorman said with an earnest smile.


    Nodding, Gu Chen walked forward and casually tossed a piece of broken silver. Seeing this, the doorman quickly caught it, and his smile became even more genuine, his attitude more humble.


    After entering, the noise grew louder and the scent of makeup stronger. The sound of women''sughter was incessant, and the pinknterns hanging all around the three-story pavilion created an exceedingly romantic atmosphere.


    A casual nce revealed women in revealing attire, snuggled up to tipsy or outright drunk men, whispering to each other with infatuated smiles on their faces.


    "Is this your first visit, young master?" asked the doorman in a hushed, chuckling voice as he bowed.


    Gu Chen nodded and said, "Indeed, I just happened to pass by."


    "Well, you''vee to the right ce today," said the doorman with a smile. "May I ask, young master, do you have a preferred type or any games you particrly enjoy?"


    Gu Chen thought for a moment, scanned the area, then suddenly pointed somewhere and asked, "What is that ce?"


    The doorman followed the direction of Gu Chen''s finger and replied with a grin, "Young master has a keen eye. That is the boudoir of Yi Xiang Building''s top courtesan. Are you interested?"


    Gu Chen knew a bit about the innuendos of these ces and detected the insinuation in the doorman''s words, asking, "Oh? Is there some rule?"


    With a fawning smile, the doorman said, "There''s no particr rule, it''s just that if you want to enter and behold the visage of our top courtesan, you need to pay five taels of silver."


    "An entrance fee?" Gu Chen raised his eyebrows slightly.


    "Exactly, exactly," the doorman hurriedly nodded, his tone and manner exceedingly modest, leaving no room for criticism.


    Gu Chen said nothing, but casually tossed another silver piece.


    "Thank you, young master!"


    The doorman''s eyes brightened as he shouted, "A distinguished guest has arrived!"


    Immediately, a woman with heavy makeup and brightly colored attire, looking mature yet striking, appeared from the second floor, hurried over, and called out loudly, "She''sing, she''sing."


    "Young master, just follow her, and she will lead you to our top courtesan," said the doorman.

 Chapter 14: Chapter 12 Courtesan_1

    Gu Chen ascended to the loft and was led to the private room he had previously pointed out. Along the way, many women gave him the eye, and even those with a bit more audacity stealthily grabbed his palm, tracing circles on it.


    Of course, all of that was ignored by Gu Chen.


    What a joke, how could he, Gu Chen, possibly be such a shallow person?


    Lust is a bone-scraping knife; feminine allure only hinders the speed of his sword drawing.


    "Young Master, we are here. Please, just go inside," said the heavily made-up woman in her middle years with a fawning expression.


    Gu Chen let out a soft "hmm," pushed open therge door to the private room, and walked inside.


    Inside the brothel, more than a dozen guests were already seated, intertwined with wine cups, creating quite a lively scene.


    These people, without exception, were dressed in dazzling attire, each one from a prominent family in Ning City. Those without money could not even enter this ce.


    The room''s atmosphere was quite pleasant, and the temperature was just right. Of course, the most enticing was the woman seated at the center. With her almond-shaped eyes and rosy cheeks, her luscious lips below brows framing a sprightly gaze, she radiated an indescribable charm.


    Even Gu Chen, who had seen his fair share of artificially and naturally beautiful women in his previous life, couldn''t help but inwardly admire her beauty.


    Kneeling there with a winsome smile, she was dressed boldly in a sheer gown that left her shoulders bare, her fair skin glowing, and her sleek figure highlighted, her delicate corbones clearly visible.


    To think that Ning City, merely a county under Qingyang County, would have such a stunningly beautiful woman.


    Indeed, ced in the pleasure district of Tiandu, this top courtesan could easily hold her own.


    And in Ning City, not to mention others, just with this courtesan alone, Yi Xiang Building would have no problem being the best.


    "Another young master has arrived. I wonder if this new young master would introduce himself?" The courtesan, brimming with smiles, turned her gaze toward Gu Chen who had just entered, her voice sweet and mellow, the kind that would involuntarily stir a protective instinct from deep within the listener.


    Gu Chen, with a smile on his lips, gave a slight bow and said, "I am Gu Chen. Greetings to everyone."


    "So it''s Young Master Gu. Please take a seat. We are ying a drinking game here ¨C please feel free to join," said the courtesan Yin Yin with a softugh, her pale and translucent skin gleaming, every move seemingly capable of ensnaring souls.


    Indeed, it was the case: the guests within the brothel were all fixated on her, not daring to even blink, as if they feared that with a single blink, the courtesan would vanish.


    Gu Chen chuckled and nodded, finding a corner to sit down to watch them, led by the courtesan, ying the drinking game.


    A brothel woman able to host a drinking game also signifies a certain level of literary cultivation, which is definitely an added bonus.


    Which man doesn''t like a cultured beauty?


    Moreover, this courtesan has a gentle demeanor and is as beautiful as a flower; there probably aren''t many men in Ning City who can escape from beneath her "pomegranate skirt."


    This round of the drinking game was about poetry. Led by the courtesan, everyone exerted all their effort, squeezing out everything they had learned in their lifetimes, just to earn a second nce from Yin Yin.


    Soon, it was Gu Chen''s turn. He pondered for a moment, smiled, picked up the wine cup from the table, and emptied it in one gulp.


    No helping it, he had graduated quite a while ago, and without contact for a long time, the poetry and verse of his previous life had all but blurred in his memory, leaving him unable to conjure any at the moment.


    Seeing Gu Chen''s straightforwardness, the courtesan Yin Yin covered her mouth with a lightugh, her eyes flickering enticingly. The other guests, witnessing this, couldn''t help sinking into the scene, gazing at her foolishly.


    Yin Yin tapped the table lightly, and the guests immediately snapped back to their senses, and the drinking game continued.


    To be honest, the poetry of the other guests wasn''t much to speak of, merely the tallest of the short, after all, they did not reallye here topose poems and verses.


    Soon, the drinking game switched to finger-guessing games, something that Gu Chen was quite good at, winning more than losing.


    After several rounds of drinking games, the atmosphere within the room grew increasingly amorous. The courtesan Yin Yin''s gauzy skirt was nearly slipping off her chest, a hint of her deep cleavage intermittently peeking through.


    Most of the guests were somewhat tipsy by now, and upon witnessing this scene, their breathing grew heavier. Had it not been for their self-restraint and the fact that most of them were acquainted as regr patrons, they might have lost control and pounced on her by now.


    Of course, Gu Chen was an exception to this. His cultivation was profound; even after drinking several jars of wine, a slight cirction of his inner Qi would evaporate all the alcohol from his system.


    The courtesan Yin Yin had also drunk quite a bit, and now, with one hand supporting her forehead, her porcin cheeks flushed with a rosy tint, she softly said, "This humble one grows weary, let us end here for today. I thank all the gentlemen for their patronage."


    As she spoke, she bowed ever so gracefully, her ample cleavage glistening before the guests'' eyes. Heart melting at the sight, every one of them stared fixedly, not blinking for a long while.


    Soon, a maid came forward to assist the courtesan Yin Yin into the inner room.


    As the courtesan departed, a hint of regret shed in the eyes of many present.


    However, they quickly perked up, for what was toe next was the main event, the very reason they hade here.


    If the courtesan took a liking to someone, a maid would soone out and lead the chosen man inside.


    If not, it equated to making a wasted trip that day.


    All the customers in the tavern were staring intently in the direction the courtesan had left, each one full of eager anticipation, hoping to be tonight''s lucky man.


    Shortly, as a quarter of an hour passed and everyone was beginning to despair, thinking no one had been chosen tonight, a maid emerged from the inner room.


    Seeing this, the guests'' eyes lit up, eager to find out who would be graced with the courtesan''s favor tonight.


    The young maid scanned the room and set her eyes on a corner, sweetly saying, "My mistress invites Young Master Gu to join her for a private word."


    Hearing that it wasn''t them, the crowd was filled with disappointment, their gaze simultaneously turning towards Gu Chen in the corner.


    Gu Chen''s expression remainedposed, a smile ying on his lips. He rose to his full height upon hearing the maid call for him and followed her into the inner room, leaving the onlookers with the sight of his tall, retreating figure.


    After Gu Chen left, sighs echoed around the outer room, the crowd heaved long and short breaths of resignation.


    Guided by the maid, Gu Chen made his way into the main bedroom of the inner chamber, where ents of peach adorned the room and incense wafted an enticing scent. A painting of a woman bathing, unabashedly revealing, adorned the wall by the bed.


    The entire room was suffused with the essence of desire.


    "Please wait a moment, Young Master Gu, my mistress is still bathing," said the maid.


    Gu Chen nodded. After bowing, the maid withdrew.


    Of course, ording to the rules of the Yi Xiang Building, Gu Chen was wee to call for thepany of the maid and the courtesan together in his bed, should he desire it.


    And Gu Chen knew that the courtesan Yin Yin had three maids.


    In any world, a woman''s bathing time is quite extensive. Gu Chen waited for quite a while, and finally, the courtesan Yin Yin came in.


    The freshly bathed Yin Yin carried a special allure; her almond-shaped eyes were seductive, her hair was draped loosely, her skin was as smooth as jade, and her figure undted with curves. Embracing a faint fragrance, which lingered at the tip of the nose andbined with the room''s incense, it incited an involuntary stirring of lust.


    After her bath, the courtesan Yin Yin changed into a transparent silk dress. Under the candlelight, her slender form appeared both concealed and revealed, exuding irresistible temptation.


    She walked towards Gu Chen with measured steps, lifting her long, jade-like leg and gently cing it upon his thigh. Leaning forward, her delicate features drew ever closer in intimate proximity. Looking into each other''s eyes, they could both clearly hear one another''s breathing.


    Then, with her lips parting and her breath as fragrant as orchids, she asked, "My lord, do you find me beautiful?"

 Chapter 15: Chapter 13 Possession_1

    With the soft jade in his arms and the fragrance overwhelming, the courtesan Yin Yin''s lips, small and plump, approached Gu Chen''s lips, bringing the atmosphere inside the room to an enchanting peak.


    Inhaling the orchid and musk-like fragrance emanating from the other''s body, Gu Chen smiled slightly and said, "Beautiful, of course, you''re beautiful."


    "Giggle..."


    The courtesan let out a coyugh, then swiftly retreated, her movements incredibly agile, creating a distance between herself and Gu Chen, standing before him, she spun around in a twirl.


    "Does the young master like it?"


    In the dim candlelight, her snow-white skin was revealed without reserve.


    Gu Chen chuckled and said, "Everyone has a love for beauty, especially for a woman as beautiful as Miss Yin Yin."


    As he spoke, he rose to his feet, seemingly wanting to embrace the courtesan in front of him.


    Seeing this, Yin Yin dodged with a swift move, avoiding Gu Chen''s gesture and ran towards the bed, her jade body barely hidden beneath her translucent gown.


    With a smile ying on her lips and ripples swirling in her almond-shaped eyes, as if to ensnare one''s very soul, her voice soft and tender, she said, "My lord, this servant is thinking..."


    Gu Chen''s eyes held a teasing light, a smile on his face. Hearing her words, he walked slowly to the bed, and as he approached, the courtesan Yin Yin pulled on the curtain beside the bed, causing it to fall in flutters.


    "My lord..." she called softly, her eyes looking as if they could shed water, her snow-white arms wrapped around Gu Chen''s neck, her breathing beginning to quicken.


    Subsequently, Yin Yin''s hands began to slide downwards, intending to undress him.


    "No need to rush," Gu Chen said, lifting his hand to stop the courtesan''s movements.


    Taken aback by this, Yin Yin immediately looked startled and asked, "My lord, what''s wrong, do you not like this servant?"


    By the end, her demeanor turned somewhat aggrieved, with mist appearing in her eyes, portraying a pitiable sight that made one wish to immediately take her into their arms to console her.


    Gu Chen''s tall figure blocked the candlelight, making the environment between the two grow dim, his facial expression obscured. One could only hear his voice.


    He said, "Of course not, it''s just that I haven''t bathed yet."


    Yin Yin cooed, "Forget about it, my lord, every moment of the spring night is worth a thousand pieces of gold."


    Gu Chen fell silent for a moment, time seemed to stop at that instant.


    But soon after, Gu Chen gave her a response, uttering just one word.


    "Fine."


    Somewhere in the haze, a relieved sigh escaped from Yin Yin on the bed, followed by the sounds of fumbling with clothes.


    "My lord..."


    The courtesan called out with her uniquely soft and sweet voice, and as she continued to explore, it seemed she found something hard on Gu Chen''s body.


    "What is this?" she asked in confusion.


    Gu Chen chuckled and replied, "Nothing much, just the token from Jing Tian Department."


    At these words, the courtesan''s hand instantly froze in ce.


    "Why stop? Why don''t you continue?" Gu Chen asked.


    Seeing Gu Chen''s seemingly mocking smile, the courtesan''s seductive face suddenly bore a trace of ferocity as she raised her hand and fiercely struck at Gu Chen.


    p!


    Gu Chen firmly caught her arm in mid-air, his gaze yful as he looked at the courtesan lying beneath him, and said, "You really are not normal."


    The courtesan, seeing this, put on an uneasy smile and coquettishly said, "My lord, how could this servant be abnormal..."


    Gu Chen smiled without saying a word, simply gazing at her quietly.


    Seeing this, the courtesan Yin Yin''s smile also faded away, as she calmly met Gu Chen''s gaze.


    "When did you discover it?" she asked.


    "After all, you are no longer human. No matter how well you disguise yourself, there will still be ws," Gu Chen said.


    Earlier, the reason he had paused outside the Yi Xiang Building was that he felt an unusual aura there, one that was unlike that of humans, making Gu Chen vaguely ufortable.


    Otherwise, why would he enter this ce of pleasure? It wasn''t really because he was one of those outsiders with a penchant for frolicking with flowers and ying with jade, was it?


    Everything before was just a probe. After entering, Gu Chen relied on his acute senses to detect the unusual aura emanating from here, which was why he had someone bring him here.


    It had to be said, Yin Yin was indeed in a good disguise, and with other people outside, Gu Chen actually didn''t realize it at first.


    It was not until he had juste to the inner room and sensed the same aura that Gu Chen confirmed that something was wrong with the courtesan Yin Yin.


    And the reason Yin Yin had chosen him was because she saw his youthful vigor, wanting to absorb his essence to strengthen herself.


    For a long time, who knows how many people had died by her hand, but what she didn''t expect today was that she would fail against Gu Chen.


    "Looking at you, you should be very aware that you''ve been tainted by a demon," Gu Chen said.


    Yes, the current Yin Yin was no longer human but had been assimted by a demon, or one might say possessed.


    Demons have strange methods, some of which can imperceptibly influence ordinary people, corrupting their minds, causing them to lose themselves and thus fall into decay, bing puppets controlled by demons.


    Even more, demons can possess their bodies, manipting them to do evil deeds.


    Once this happens, the aura of the demon mixes with that of the human, bing difficult to distinguish, and such demons, hidden among people, are much harder to detect.


    And normally, from the moment one is tainted by a demon, the real them is essentially already dead, or rather, assimted as part of the demon, losing humanity, their mindspletely lost to corruption.


    But the courtesan Yin Yin before him was an exception; her gaze was clear, showing no sign of being controlled.


    This meant that even though she was possessed by a demon, she had not "died", her mind was notpletely corrupted, and she had not fallen. This was also the reason Gu Chen had dyed taking action until now; he had never heard of such a case and wanted to investigate more closely.


    "Do you want to know the reason?" Courtesan Yin Yin asked, a very clever person herself, she guessed Gu Chen''s purpose right away.


    "Unfortunately... I won''t tell you. Die!"


    The expression of the courtesan suddenly turned ferocious, and a ck aura emanated from her, as the temperature in the room abruptly dropped, filling the entire space with the unique sinister aura of a demon.


    Whoosh whoosh whoosh!


    The ck aura aimed for Gu Chen''s pores, trying to drill into his body.


    Just then, with a cold snort from Gu Chen, the robust inner energy in his body surged wildly, and in an instant, a terrifying wave of energy exploded from within him as the center, with a loud bang, the entire room was sted to pieces.


    Up close, the courtesan Yin Yin''s face changed, and she looked shocked as she was blown away, vomiting arge mouthful of fresh blood.


    In the past, even when facing martial artists with cultivation, her unbeatable methods would have been toote to counter upon close discovery. Yet today, they had failed in front of Gu Chen.


    She naturally didn''t know that inside Gu Chen''s body was a deep cultivation of seventy-two years. If she had known, she would not have chosen Gu Chen as her target today, even if it killed her.


    Themotion immediately attracted the attention of many people. Gu Chen walked out from the ruins, dressed in dark clothes, tall and slender, with a handsome face and a calm expression, he slowly walked towards the courtesan Yin Yin.


    Seeing the way Gu Chen looked, her heart sank to the bottom, as each of his steps felt like a heavy hammer striking her heart, instantly covering her body with cold sweat.


    But the next moment, as if thinking of something, she panicked and shouted loudly, "Help... Help me, there''s been a murder... Someonee save me..."


    While shouting, she struggled to get up, running towards a direction far from Gu Chen, where there were more people.


    Seeing this, Gu Chen''s eyebrows immediately furrowed.

 Chapter 16: Chapter 14 Solution_1

    The leading courtesan, Yin Yin, her clothes disheveled and her expression one of panic, ran off towards the distance, calling for help as she ran.


    When the house had exploded earlier, themotion had attracted the attention of many people. Now, seeing the state Yin Yin was in, arge crowd quickly gathered around her.


    "Oh my, what happened here? What''s going on?"


    The madam who had led Gu Chen here rushed over, steadying Yin Yin just as she nearly fell, a look of urgency on her face.


    "Young Master Gu... Young Master Gu, he..."


    Yin Yin, pointing at Gu Chen with a tear-stained face, evoked pity in the onlookers, and inevitably, they felt a surge of resentment towards Gu Chen.


    "Miss Yin Yin, don''t be afraid. Tell us what happened. We''ve got your back. I''d like to see who would dare touch you!"


    A luxuriously dressed young master approached Yin Yin, looking ready to support her. He too had been sitting in the outer room earlier.


    "Yes, that''s right, don''t be afraid, Miss Yin Yin. We''re here for you. You have nothing to worry about. If someone has wronged you, just tell us, and I will help you get revenge!"


    Those who had sat in the outer room earlier all stood up one by one, gathering around Yin Yin. Seeing her frail and delicate form, their hearts nearly broke, and they red angrily at Gu Chen.


    "I beg you, gentlemen, to stand up for Yin Yin." The courtesan''s almond eyes were filled with mist, and tears streamed down her porcin face, making her look pitiable.


    "Yin Yin, what exactly happened? How did thingse to this?" the owner of the Yi Xiang Building, the madam, asked urgently.


    Through sobs, the courtesan spoke in a trembling voice, "Initially, I had invited Young Master Gu to the inner room for a chat. Everything was fine at the start, but midway through our talk, out of nowhere Young Master Gu seemed to go insane. He pinned me down on the bed and humiliated me in various ways. Naturally, I was terrified and tried to get him to leave, perhaps angering Young Master Gu.


    In a fit of rage, he destroyed the whole room."


    "Actually, I don''t me Young Master Gu. It''s my fault. What right does a woman of the night have to refuse? But I was really too scared just now. I didn''t mean to refuse you, Young Master Gu..." Yin Yin continued to speak, her crying intensifying as she did so.


    Gu Chen stood at a distance, quietly observing Yin Yin''s performance. He had to admit, the courtesan was quite talented, her acting was so convincing, it seemed genuine. In his previous life, she would undoubtedly have been a great actress, perhaps even award-winning.


    In contrast to Gu Chen''s calm, the crowd around the courtesan, seeing her vulnerable state, became incensed. The luxurious young master pointed at Gu Chen''s nose and cursed, "You beast with a human face! It was Yin Yin''s favor to choose you, and yet you dare to dishonor her? You scoundrel, do you even deserve it?!"


    "How dare you hurt Miss Yin Yin, causing her such fear! It''s unforgivable! Which family are you from in Ning City? State your name; I''ll make sure you have no ce to hide in all of Ning City!"


    "No one is allowed to harm Miss Yin Yin. Anyone who dares to hurt her, I will never let them off!"


    Instantly, the crowd''s anger red, and at that moment, Gu Chen became the viin in everyone''s eyes.


    Beauty is a disaster; perfectly exemplified by this situation, as beautiful women indeed know how to deceive.


    Yin Yin, hiding in the back and seeing Gu Chen vilified, had a glint of triumph in her eyes. These were the influential men of Ning City; it would not be easy for Gu Chen to extricate himself.


    Gu Chen watched the scene with a serene expression, undisturbed. He took a light step forward, and Yin Yin, like a startled rabbit, hurriedly retreated while softly eximing, "No..."


    Her actions only further ignited the protective instincts of the men around her.


    The young master who had earlier pointed at Gu Chen roared, "With all of us here, you still have the gall to roughen up Miss Yin Yin? Somebody, seize this man!"


    "We are here; you won''t even hurt a hair on Miss Yin Yin!"


    "Don''t be afraid, Miss Yin Yin. We''ve got your back. Just stand there and watch us give him a lesson!"


    They kept talking among themselves, and upon hearing their voices, the household guards rushed from downstairs¡ªa good dozen of them, each with some level of skill.


    "Please, sirs, stand up for me." The courtesan''s tear-stained face gazed pleadingly at the crowd.


    "Rest assured, Miss Yin Yin. Stand there and enjoy the show. Attention, take him down quickly and make him kneel before Miss Yin Yin to apologize!" the luxurious young master said arrogantly. He was a member of the prestigious Sun family of Ning City, the only grandson of the current family head, and had been doted on since childhood.


    Afterying eyes on Yin Yin, he fell head over heels and wanted to redeem her and make her his wife without a second thought.


    This evening, Yin Yin hadn''t chosen him but had selected Gu Chen instead, which had upset him. He had intended to investigate Gu Chen and find an opportunity to teach him a lesson. He never expected the opportunity woulde so soon.


    "Yes!"


    The guards shouted in unison and charged toward Gu Chen, aiming to capture him and bring him before the young master.


    Their actions showed practiced ease, no doubt this wasn''t the first time for such an affair.


    Witnessing this scene, Gu Chen remained calm and collected. He stood his ground, allowing the guards to close in andy their hands on him.


    Upon seeing this, the guards looked triumphantly at each other, each trying to secure their hold on Gu Chen, hoping to earn merit in front of their young master.


    But the next second, without any visible move from Gu Chen, a thundering thud was heard, and the guards surrounding him flew out like ragdolls. While they were still midair, they spat out mouthfuls of blood and uponnding, they writhed in agony and screamed piteously.


    The onlookers saw that Gu Chen possessed such strength, and one by one their expressions changed as they were startled into retreating several steps.


    "Hmph!"


    It was a dandy who sneered and broke away from the crowd, charging towards Gu Chen.


    Seeing his approach, a hint of admiration shed in Gu Chen''s eyes for the man''s courage.


    "Die!"


    Sun Jie arrived in front of Gu Chen, coldly smiling as he sent out a straight palm strike aimed directly at Gu Chen''s chest.


    Sensing the inner energy surging in the other''s palm, Gu Chen immediately understood that this dandy actually possessed the early stage cultivation of the Nurturing Breath Realm. No wonder he was so confident in rushing forward.


    In Ning City, such a county town, being in the Nurturing Breath Realm was already considered a master, especially since even the chief constable of the county yamen, Wu Qian, was merely in the mid-stage of the Nurturing Breath Realm.


    Although Sun Jie was very confident, his fate was the same as his family''s guards. The moment his palm touched Gu Chen''s body, his whole person was flung back like a straw man, flying out even faster than he''de.


    "Pfft!"


    After he crashed to the ground, a mouthful of fresh blood sprayed out, his eyes filled with disbelief. After one more look at Gu Chen, he passed outpletely.


    Gu Chen slightly shook his head and continued walking towards the courtesan Yin Yin.


    Seeing this, panic flickered in the eyes of the courtesan Yin Yin, who cried out loudly, "Save... save me... Noble gentlemen, please save Yin Yin..."


    The dignitaries of Ning City came back to their senses, with some braving to use their statuses to warn Gu Chen.


    Seeing this, without another word, Gu Chen took out the Jing Tian Department''s authority token and held it in front of him, saying, "Do any of you recognize what this is?"


    Upon seeing therge character "Jing" written in a dragon and phoenix dance on the token, those people were immediately shaken. Ning City might be a county town, but the Jing Tian Department was renowned throughout all nine provinces, being the most important institution of Da Xia. How could they, the elites of Ning City, not be aware?


    "Jing... People from the Jing Tian Department..." they said in shock.


    "Jing Tian Department is handling matters here. All unrted folks, step aside," Gu Chen dered.


    "How could Miss Yin Yin be involved with the Jing Tian Department..." Although they were puzzled, they didn''t dare to obstruct Gu Chen any further.


    "This time, let''s see what tricks you have left," Gu Chen said, his eyes fixed on the courtesan as he took steps towards her.


    "Aah¡ª"


    The courtesan let out a piercing scream as sinister and evil ck qi emerged from all over her body. The madam of the Yi Xiang Building, who hadn''t expected her courtesan to be like this, couldn''t avoid it from such a close distance. The ck qi entered her body, and in a blink, she was drained into a dried corpse.


    This sight immediately terrified everyone, who screamed and ran for the exits.


    The elites of Ning City couldn''t imagine that the courtesan they had dreamt about could have such a side. Each of them was shocked, looking incredulously at the scene before them.


    "You filthy men, all of you go to hell!"


    In this moment, the courtesan was no longer the charming and beautiful figure of before. Instead, Yin Yin was engulfed in ck qi, brimming with malevolent energy, her long hair flying wildly, her expression fierce and frightful like a terrifying female ghost.


    Gu Chen''s face remained calm, his heart as still as water, and in a sh, he was standing in front of Yin Yin, moving incredibly fast.


    "Why, why did you have to show up here and ruin my n? It''s all your fault; you have to die, and I must kill you!" the courtesan Yin Yin murmured incessantly as if possessed, ck qi emerging in her pupils, corrupting her consciousness.


    Then, with a piercing scream, numerous ck qi enveloping her body rushed towards Gu Chen in an instant, intending topletely devour him.


    Boom!


    At that instant, Gu Chen was like a massive furnace, a fierce fiery aura radiating outwards. The ck qi, upon touching his body, met their nemesis and were instantly incinerated.


    Seeing this, the courtesan Yin Yin''s consciousness regained a bit of rity. With a look of terror, she turned to run away, but Gu Chen''s hand shot out like lightning, hitting her squarely in the chest.


    Bang!


    With Gu Chen''s palm strike connecting, Yin Yin''s body shook, and strands of ck qi were forced out from her pores,busting midair, soon burning to nothingness.


    At the same time, her eyes, tainted by the ck qi, regained their rity.

 Chapter 17: Chapter 15 Fang Yong_1

    Gu Chen stepped forward, steadying Yin Yin''s body just as she was about to stumble and fall.


    She seemed to have lost all her strength, copsing directly into Gu Chen''s arms. At this moment, as the dark aura dissipated, herplexion became peaceful, and her face regained its prior delicate beauty.


    But herplexion was incredibly poor, pale as paper, devoid of all color.


    Seeing her like this, Gu Chen knew that as the demon within her had beenpletely eradicated, and with the loss of the demon''s power, the life of Yin Yin, the courtesan, had also reached its end.


    Although she was different from the others contaminated by the demon and still retained her consciousness, she had been a mere ordinary person before, and her body had beenpletely corroded during the merging with the demon. With the demon''s death, she too would die.


    The power of a demon, to any living being, is like a deadly poison, inherently antagonistic. Even if a warrior is corrupted by a demon, they too cannot survive.


    "Do you have anything else you''d like to say?" Gu Chen asked softly, looking at Yin Yin in his arms.


    The courtesan''s mouth was stained with fresh blood. Upon hearing the question, she smiled wistfully and said, "I hate... I hate everything here. I was sold here at the age of eight and lived here for ten years. In this ce, I was forced to smile day after day, living an inhuman life for a decade. I''ve lost everything!"


    As she became emotional, she began to vomit blood incessantly. No matter how Gu Chen tried to channel his internal energy into her, it was futile. Soon, her chest was covered in bloodstains, which also smeared onto Gu Chen''s clothes.


    "I... had sworn... if given the chance... I would... certainly... destroy this ce...


    destroy... everything..."


    As she spoke, her breath grew fainter, like a candle flickering in the wind, and her voice softened until it disappeared entirely.


    Gu Chen''s hand gently caressed her face, just as Wu Qian arrived with numerous constables from the county yamen.


    It turned out that the Yi Xiang Building''s servant, having witnessed the earlier scene, thought Gu Chen was causing trouble and had reported it to the authorities.


    Seeing Gu Chen there, Wu Qian was visibly startled and hurried over, bowing with a cupped fist greeting, "Master Gu.


    He had, of course, seen the blood on Gu Chen and the mess on the floor, as well as the courtesan in his arms. However, Wu Qian, who had been a constable for so long, was certainly not foolish enough to ask unnecessary questions. He would not utter a word more than needed, acting as if he had seen nothing.


    Gu Chen, holding the courtesan''s body, stood up and said to Wu Qian, "A demon was hiding in the Yi Xiang Building and has been eradicated by me. Imand you to immediately seal off this ce."


    "Yes!" Wu Qian responded respectfully, his head bowed.


    "Also, see that she is properly buried," Gu Chen said, handing over the courtesan''s body to Wu Qian.


    "Understood," replied Wu Qian, carefully taking the body from Gu Chen.


    Afterward, Gu Chen turned to leave.


    "Lord Gu, please wait."


    Wu Qian suddenly called out to Gu Chen, walking up to him and saying, "Lord Gu, Metropolitan Procurator Fang Yong is waiting for you at the county yamen. I was on my way to find you when I encountered the servant here and detoured to this ce."


    Hearing this, Gu Chen''s eyebrows lifted slightly. What could Fang Yong want with him sote at night?


    However, he did not voice his question. Wu Qian was just a constable and probably did not know anyway. Nodding his head, Gu Chen turned and walked away.


    Only after Gu Chen''s figure hadpletely vanished did Wu Qian lift his head, nced at the courtesan''s body in his hands, and then in the direction Gu Chen had left, heaving a soft sigh.


    In a mere moment, Wu Qian had conjured up a dramatic tale in his mind, silentlymenting that heroes struggle to cross the hurdles of love, believing that the death of a beloved woman by a demon must be weighing heavily on Gu Chen''s heart.


    Then, noticing his subordinates watching him, Wu Qian''s expression darkened as he barked, "What are you looking at? Didn''t you hear what Master Gu just said? Get moving, lock this ce down!"


    "Yes!" the constables hurriedlyplied.


    Meanwhile, the influential figures of Ning City, who had been hiding on the sidelines, saw that Gu Chen left without troubling them and finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    Although they were considered big fish in Ning City, they were still small fry in the face of the Jing Tian Department. If Gu Chen insisted on settling scores with them, they would have no recourse but to endure.


    Now that Gu Chen had departed directly, they naturally felt overjoyed.


    ...


    After leaving the Yi Xiang Building, Gu Chen directly made his way to the Ning City county yamen.


    At the same time, he was somewhat perplexed. Why would Fang Yong not be sleeping and instead summon him, a grown man, in the middle of the night?


    Upon entering the county yamen, Gu Chen''s brow furrowed slightly. Tonight, the yamen was unusually quiet, without even a guard at the gate.


    Gu Chen entered the dark courthouse, pitch-ck with not a hint of light, eerily silent.


    Following the path ingrained in his memory, he made his way to the inner hall where, in the darkness, he saw Fang Yong with his head lowered, sitting on the mentor''s chair, as if asleep.


    Gu Chen''s expression remained calm as he spoke, "It''s quitete, may I inquire the reason Master Fang has summoned me here?"


    In the vast courthouse, only Gu Chen''s voice could be heard. Fang Yong sat in the mentor''s chair, head down, not uttering a word.


    Frowning, Gu Chen approached and ced his hand on the shoulder of the magistrate of Ning City, giving it a gentle shake, "Master Fang?"


    Whoosh!


    Suddenly, a swooshing sound pierced the darkness. Gu Chen instantly turned and struck out with his hand, but hit nothing but air; the sound seemed like an illusion.


    Then, with a bang, Gu Chen''s body shook as he turned his head to see Fang Yong, who had been motionless in the chair, suddenly open his eyes with a fierce re, looking somewhat terrifying in the dark.


    The sound hade from his palm striking Gu Chen''s body.


    "Lord Gu, how does it feel?"


    Seeing Gu Chen''s gaze turn his way, a smug smile crept up on Fang Yong''s face. His voice was unnaturally hoarse, and his appearance, demeanor, and the aura he gave off seemed like those of a different person.


    "Master Fang, I didn''t expect even you to bepromised," sighed Gu Chen softly.


    "Hmm?"


    Upon hearing this, Fang Yong was momentarily taken aback before he realized what was happening. His palm surged with power, intent on shattering Gu Chen''s internal organs.


    Bang!


    At that moment, Gu Chen''s robes billowed without any wind and quickly puffed up. Simultaneously, he spun around, striking back at Fang Yong with his hand.


    Whoosh!


    Gu Chen was quick, but Fang Yong''s reaction was equally swift. He dodged, evading the spot just in time as Gu Chen''s palm strike caused the mentor''s chair to splinter into pieces, exploding on the spot.


    Fang Yong moved a distance away and, eyeing the unscathed Gu Chen, his gaze darkened, "Impossible, how could you bepletely unharmed after taking my palm strike?"


    Instead of answering, Gu Chen said, "So, you too have been tainted by a demon."


    In fact, right from his first meeting with Fang Yong, Gu Chen had felt something amiss. During their contact, he detected a dormant power within Fang Yong, which was why he had asked Wu Qian whether Fang Yong was also a martial artist.


    After receiving Wu Qian''s response, Gu Chen didn''t think much of it, but what he didn''t expect was that Fang Yong, just like Yin Yin, the courtesan of Yi Xiang Building, had been contaminated and assimted by a demon.


    The difference was that the courtesan Yin Yin still retained her own consciousness and was rtively lucid, whereas Fang Yong, at this moment, seemed to havepletely be a puppet of the demon, his mind thoroughly corrupted.


    Of course, even Yin Yin was to some extent influenced by the demon inside her previously, which was inevitable.


    Without answering, Fang Yong just sneered coldly, his figure a blur, ghost-like as he darted toward Gu Chen.


    Gu Chen watched calmly, standing still until Fang Yong suddenly appeared before him,unching an attack, only then did Gu Chen fiercely strike out with his hand, his palm glowing red-hot, the Red me Palm!


    Demons are the epitome of yin and evil, while Gu Chen''s Pure Yang Technique and Red me Palm were both fierce martial arts, belonging to the yang category, capable of suppressing demons. Therefore, feeling Gu Chen''s strike, Fang Yong''s expression darkened instantly, choosing not to confront it head-on, but instead, moved to behind Gu Chen.


    Bang!


    Fang Yong struck out with his palm, but Gu Chen didn''t even bother to dodge, allowing the strike tond on his body.


    "How is this possible?!"


    Seeing that Gu Chen was unharmed, Fang Yong was startled. The next second, he felt a terrifying rebound force emanating from Gu Chen''s body, which sent him flying backward, his whole body trembling.


    "Puh!"


    Afternding on the ground, Fang Yong spat out a mouthful of blood. He paid no attention to it and stared at Gu Chen in horror.


    "Your strength... you''re not a patrol envoy, you''ve reached the Channeling Realm, you''re the Metropolitan Procurator of Jing Tian Department, you deceived me!"

 Chapter 18: Chapter 16 Truth_1

    Gu Chen didn''t speak; instead, he was observing Fang Yong and at this moment, he also understood a lot more.


    Gu Chen was well-versed in Horizontal Training, possessed a robust physique, was full of vigor, and had strong blood vitality. In the eyes of demons, he was undoubtedly top-notch sustenance.


    The demon inside Fang Yong certainly wouldn''t let such a rich blood meal as Gu Chen slip away from its sight.


    This was also the real reason why Fang Yong was so enthusiastic during the day, insistently urging Gu Chen to stay. After being rejected by Gu Chen, and since Gu Chen would leave early the next day, Fang Yong devised another n, intending to take action tonight to finish off Gu Chen for good.


    What Fang Yong didn''t expect was that Gu Chen''s strength was so overpowering, having already exceeded the confines of the Essence-Gathering Realm. It was for this reason that he believed Gu Chen had deceived him by deliberately concealing his own strength.


    In fact, Fang Yong couldn''t really be med, as for someone of Gu Chen''s age and realm to have fully mastered two low-grade martial arts, achieved great mastery in a mid-grade martial art, and with seventy-two years of inner strength cultivation, it was indeed incredibly inconceivable.


    Perhaps the world would not find a second person who could achieve such aplishments in the Essence-Gathering Realm.


    "Roar!"


    Suddenly, with a low growl, Fang Yong''s body discharged arge amount of dark qi, simr to the state of Yin Yin, the courtesan at the Yi Xiang Building earlier.


    Gu Chen knew that the demon hidden inside Fang Yong had officially awakened. As the demon revived, a dense and sinister aura poured out from within Fang Yong, giving an unpleasant and chilling sensation.


    At the same time, the power within Fang Yong''s body began to climb steadily, and soon surpassed the limits of the Essence-Gathering Realm, reaching the level equivalent to the fourth realm of martial arts, the Meridian-Opening Realm.


    "Oh?"


    Sensing this aura, Gu Chen slightly raised his eyebrows. This was his first encounter with a demon at the strength of the Meridian-Opening Realm.


    No wonder it had hidden so well; even under Gu Chen''s watch, he had not detected it.


    Boom!


    Fang Yong''s expression was ferocious, like a vicious demon. Power surged throughout his body and amidst a billow of dark qi, he threw a punch at Gu Chen. The air itself seemed almost unable to withstand this force, emitting a roaring sound.


    Bang!


    Gu Chen held out one hand horizontally in front of himself, blocking Fang Yong''s punch.


    "Roar!"


    Fang Yong let out a roar. At this moment, his pupils were covered by dark qi,pletely losing his senses and bing a puppet of the demon. His body, manipted by the demon, showed ck qi on his fist, attempting to take this opportunity to corrode Gu Chen''s body.


    Suddenly, Gu Chen''s eyes darkened. He activated the Pure Yang Technique, and the seventy-two years of inner strength cultivation within him burst forth explosively. The intense aura spread out from his body in all directions, instantly incinerating the ck qi.


    "Die!"


    With a cold shout, Gu Chen raised his hand and struck with a Red me Palm. His palm was enveloped in ayer of me, the high temperature twisting the air around it.


    Bang!


    Fang Yong crossed his arms in front of him, the dark qi around his body gathering to form a shield. Gu Chen''s palm struck down and on contact, along with a sizzling noise, countless strands of dark qi dispersed.


    Despite this, Fang Yong still managed to block Gu Chen''s palm. This was the first opponent since Gu Chen''s transmigration who had blocked his full-strength strike.


    "I wonder how many more palms you can block!"


    Gu Chen''s face was grim, like an indefatigable engine, continuously delivering palm strikes, one after another. His profound inner strength cultivation,bined with his fearsome power at this realm, was too much for a demon possessing the strength of the Meridian-Opening Realm like Fang Yong to withstand.


    With over ten thousand jin of force and seventy-two years of inner strength cultivation, Gu Chen delivered twelve consecutive palms. Fang Yong was already trembling all over, bleeding from every orifice, foam mixed with blood at his mouth. He could only take the hits and had no chance to fight back; he looked as if he couldn''t hold on any longer.


    Bang!


    Apanying Gu Chen''s thirteenth palm strike, Fang Yong could no longer hold on. He vomited arge mouthful of blood, and his whole body emitted a series of eerie crackling noises from his bones. His body was flung out straight away.


    When Fang Yong fell to the ground, thin wisps of ck qi emerged from his pores, rushing toward the outside of the county office.


    "Trying to flee?"


    Gu Chen''s eyes turned sharp as lightning as he charged out, appearing at the door in a sh, blocking the escaping ck qi. He struck out several Red me Palms in session, while inner strength circted within him, his robe billowing. The scorching aura unique to the Pure Yang Technique spread and directly incinerated the pervasive dark qipletely.


    "Howl¡ª"


    Amidst the waning ck qi, a faint, agonized scream echoed. As the ck qi vanished, a dark and profound crystal fell from the sky, which Gu Chen caught steadily.


    "Lord... Gu..."


    At this time, Gu Chen heard a faint call, so weak that he might not have heard it had his hearing not been exceptional.


    Turning around, Gu Chen discovered that it was in fact Fang Yong calling him.


    He quickly approached Fang Yong. With the demon gone and its possession over Fang Yong''s body destroyed, Fang Yong''s eyes had somehow regained rity.


    Seeing this, Gu Chen let out a soft sigh, knowing it was but a fleeting return of light before death, and Fang Yong could only regain this brief moment of lucidity before dying.


    "Prefecture Fang, I''m here. Do you have something to say?" Gu Chen approached Fang Yong and asked softly.


    "There is... a demon... in Ning City..." Fang Yong, with blood frothing from his mouth, was at the brink of death. After stuttering out this sentence, his head tilted, and he breathed no more.


    At this moment, Gu Chen''s expression became somber. The message Fang Yong ryed before his death indeed rmed him.


    There was still a demon in Ning City?!


    ounting for the one in Liu family vige, in just over the course of a day, he had already in three demon ghouls, yet now Fang Yong was telling him that there were still demons lurking in Ning City?


    "I hadn''t expected that the demon cmity in Ning City had already reached such a level!" Gu Chen''s expression was grave.


    If such was the cmity that befell a single county, one could imagine that the number of demons throughout Da Xia must also be increasing rapidly.


    Of course, this was not for Gu Chen to worry about, for the moment; what he needed to concern himself with was how to deal with the entire Ning City.


    Thest words left by Fang Yong must havee from the fusion of his memory with the demon''s, after theirbination, the specifics of which would need investigation to conclude.


    While Gu Chen was deep in thought, amotion arose outside the county government office; Wu Qian had returned with his subordinates.


    As they entered the inner hall and saw Gu Chen, along with Fang Yong lying on the ground, covered in blood and thoroughly dead, they were all taken aback.


    ng!


    In their panic, many constables quickly drew their weapons.


    Wu Qian was naturally shocked, but he forcibly suppressed his desire to act, his Adam''s apple moving as he carefully approached the expressionless Gu Chen and whispered, "Lord Gu, what... what has happened here?"


    While they scrutinized Gu Chen, he also appraised them, looking to see if any among Wu Qian''s group had been tainted or possessed by a demon.


    Overall, these constables seemed normal, with nothing amiss, and so Gu Chen did not strike out immediately.


    Seeing Gu Chen remain silent, Wu Qian dared not ask further questions. The constables behind him stood there trembling, unsure whether to sheathe their weapons or keep them drawn.


    After a long pause, they heard Gu Chen say, "Is everything at Yi Xiang Building taken care of?"


    Wu Qian hurriedly replied, "Everything has been dealt with ording to your orders."


    Gu Chen nodded and said, "Just like the courtesan of Yi Xiang Building, Fang Prefecture was contaminated and possessed by a demon and has been in by me."


    Upon hearing this, Wu Qian jerked his head up, his expression one of shock. He found it hard to believe, yet deep down, he also felt that Lord Gu had no reason to deceive him.


    After all, if Gu Chen wanted to kill them, the group of constablesbined would be no match for him.


    "Believe it or not, there are still unknown demons lurking in Ning City. I dere that, as of this moment, I am temporarily taking charge of Ning City''s county office," Gu Chen stated in an unquestionable tone.


    Hearing this, the constables exchanged nces, unsure of what to do next.


    "I believe in Master Gu!"


    At this, Wu Qian suddenly spoke out. He looked at Gu Chen and said sternly, "I believe what Master Gu just said. Please give any further instructions directly, Master Gu."


    In Wu Qian''s view, Gu Chen''s strength was more than enough to overwhelm everything; there really was no need for him to lie to these minor constables.


    Hearing Wu Qian''s words, the constables behind him sheathed their weapons and said in unison, "We await Master Gu''s orders."


    Gu Chen said, "Many constables have gone missing from the county office, but they must not have left the premises. Go and look for them."


    "At once," said Wu Qian, bowing deeply and epting themand respectfully.


    Soon, they made a discovery, just as Gu Chen had anticipated; aside from the constables Wu Qian had taken with him, all the others had been drained into mummies by Fang Yong.


    Throughout the night, they dealt with the bodies of Fang Yong, the county magistrate, and those of the other constables and runners.


    After a thorough cleaning of the county office, having endured a night of turmoil, dawn was nearly upon them.


    In the inner hall, Gu Chen sat in the seat of honor, with Wu Qian below, reporting in detail all events from Liu family vige to the present, sparing no detail and recounting everything.


    Gu Chen hoped to find clues about the demons among these minor details.


    "Wait, you said that after the incident at Liu family vige, you discussed with Fang Prefecture to request a Metropolitan Procurator from Jing Tian Department toe?" Gu Chen interrupted Wu Qian, raising his hand to ask.


    Wu Qian nodded and said, "Yes, because the situation in Liu family vige was somewhat peculiar, we couldn''t make a decision, so we thought of reporting to Jing Tian Department, asking them to send a Metropolitan Procurator to handle the matter, which would be more secure. But we didn''t expect that it would be Master Gu who came in the end."


    At the end, Wu Qian let out a few dry chuckles.


    Gu Chen did not respond; the dispatch he received from Jing Tian Department had not described the situation as severe. The dispatch simply noted that Ning City was suspected to have a demon causing trouble, one not very powerful but cunning, and the local county office couldn''t handle it, so they reported to Jing Tian Department.


    It dawned on Gu Chen, realizing the reason behind it. Undoubtedly, it was Fang Yong''s doing.


    The demon upying Fang Yong''s body certainly wanted to devour more martial warriors'' flesh and essence. If the person Jing Tian Department sent was too strong, it would naturally be a problem, so the demon would need to find someone weaker.


    If Gu Chen had perished here, Jing Tian Department would surely send another, and relying on the means Fang Yong used against Gu Chen, the demon would repeat the process, creating a cycle. In this way, the demon''s strength could skyrocket in a short period of time.


    By the time Jing Tian Department realized something was wrong, it would be toote; by then, the demon might have broken through the Panic Level boundary. If that happened, the entirety of Ning City could be annihted.


    By that point, it would be toote for everything.


    It had to be said, it was indeed a good n, except the demon''s first encounter was with Gu Chen.


    "Master Gu, you said earlier that there are still demons hiding in Ning City, is that true?" Wu Qian asked cautiously.


    "Of course, it''s true," replied Gu Chen. "Tomorrow morning, after breakfast, take me to Fang''s ce."


    "This subordinate obeys!" Wu Qian bowed and acknowledged the order respectfully.

 Chapter 19: Chapter 17 through Pulse Realm_1

    ```


    After Wu Qian left, Gu Chen sat in the inner hall, his eyes slightly lowered, and with a thought, the mystical panel appeared before his eyes.


    Name: Gu Chen


    Martial Arts: Iron Shirt Technique (perfection), Thirteen Grand Protectors'' Horizontal Training (perfection), Red me Palm (perfection), Dragon Sinew Tiger Bone Fist (great achievement)


    Inner Strength: Pure Yang Technique


    Cultivation: Seventy-two years


    Realm: Complete Great Perfection in the Containment Stage


    Power Points: 32


    By ying the demon lurking within the flower leader Yin Yin of Yi Xiang Building and absorbing the soul crystal thereafter, Gu Chen was awarded fourteen power points. ying the demon within the county magistrate Fang Yong and absorbing the soul crystal then earned him eighteen power points.


    Therefore, Gu Chen''s power points also reached thirty-two.


    "Increase!"


    As soon as Gu Chen thought it, eight power points on the panel vanished, transforming into eight years of inner strength cultivation and merging into his body.


    At this moment, although Gu Chen''s realm still remained in the Containment Stage, his internal strength cultivation had reached a fearsome eighty years.


    No one at the Containment Stage could possess such a level of internal strength. It should be known that even some martial artists in the Pulse-Connecting Realm might not have internal strength cultivation as profound as Gu Chen''s.


    Searching throughout the nine provinces andparing with the ancient records, it would probably be very difficult to find a second person who could boast such profound foundations at the Containment Stage like Gu Chen.


    With Gu Chen''s inner strength cultivation increased to eighty years, some changes appeared on the panel as well.


    Name: Gu Chen


    Martial Arts: Iron Shirt Technique (perfection), Thirteen Grand Protectors'' Horizontal Training (perfection), Red me Palm (perfection), Dragon Sinew Tiger Bone Fist (great achievement)


    Inner Strength: Pure Yang Technique


    Cultivation: Eighty years (not upgradeable)


    Realm: Complete Great Perfection in the Containment Stage


    Power Points: 24


    "It seems that eighty years of inner strength cultivation is the limit that can be achieved in the Containment Stage," Gu Chen pondered as he looked at the information disyed on the panel.


    At this moment, Gu Chen truly felt an overwhelming sense of fullness. His body was brimming with inner strength, which saturated every inch of his flesh and blood, leaving no more space for amodation.


    There is a limit to every realm, and even with the help of the panel, Gu Chen never thought it was possible to keep elevating endlessly within the Containment Stage. That would be unrealistic.


    "Since that''s the case, then break through!"


    The next moment, as Gu Chen willed it, the majestic eighty years of inner strength within his body coursed through, surging like a long river, charging towards a meridian in his body.


    Boom!


    It was as if thunder burst beside Gu Chen''s ears as he breached the first meridian in an instant. Soon, the internal strength tumultuously filled the entire meridian.


    But this was just the beginning.


    Boom! Boom! Boom!


    With sessive booming sounds echoing in his ears, meridian after meridian within Gu Chen''s body were sessively breached. With the profound umtion from the Containment Stage and his eighty years of inner strength cultivation, Gu Chen breached eleven meridians in a short span of time.


    When he reached the twelfth meridian, Gu Chen finally felt some fatigue and encountered substantial resistance.


    Without hesitation, another ten power points disappeared from the panel, transforming into ten more years of inner strength cultivation. His already formidable inner strength grew by another measure.


    When Gu Chen''s inner strength cultivation reached ny years, in an instant, two more meridians were breached, and then the pace of the breakthrough slowed down once more.


    ```


    "Again!"


    Gu Chen silently roared in his heart, and thest remaining fourteen cultivation points on his panel vanished. Correspondingly, his inner energy cultivation within his body instantly increased by fourteen years.


    As of now, the inner energy in Gu Chen''s body broke through the hundred-year barrier, reaching a formidable one hundred and four years.


    Boom!


    With the final few thunderous sounds, Gu Chen made a determined effort, and several more meridians were unblocked. The inner energy surged through sixteen meridians like a tumultuous river, and Gu Chen felt an unprecedented level of power.


    Afterward, Gu Chen tried to unblock the seventeenth meridian. However, it seemed that the current sixteen meridians were the limit at this stage. After several unsessful attempts, he gave up.


    He shifted his attention back to the panel.


    Name: Gu Chen


    Martial Arts: Iron Shirt Technique (perfection), Thirteen Grand Protectors'' Horizontal Skill (perfection), Red me Palm (perfection), Dragon Sinew Tiger Bone Fist (great sess)


    Internal Strength: Pure Yang Technique


    Cultivation: One hundred and four years


    Realm: Early Tongmai Stage


    Cultivation Points: 0


    "Sixteen meridians... Early Tongmai Stage?" Gu Chen pondered thoughtfully as he looked at the information disyed on the panel.


    The Tongmai Stage is the fourth realm of martial arts. Upon reaching the limit of what their bodies can contain with inner energy in the Yunqi Stage, martial artists must unblock their meridians to further strengthen their physique, allowing for the amodation of more inner energy.


    And the Tongmai Stage has several levels depending on how many meridians one has unblocked.


    This realm can be considered a watershed in the martial arts of the nine provinces because the more meridians unblocked in the Tongmai Stage, the more solid the foundation and deeper the umtion of energy, giving one even greater potential for the future.


    Typically, only by unblocking eighteen meridians can one externalize their inner energy, reaching the fifth realm of martial arts, the External Qi Stage.


    In other words, eighteen meridians are the minimum threshold to break through the Tongmai Stage.


    The limit of the Tongmai Stage is fifty-six meridians. Of course, this is a number that is aspired to but not attainable. It''s rare for someone to reach this level, perhaps once in a hundred years.


    To know, those who can unblock more than twenty meridians in the Tongmai Stage are considered to have some talent. If one can unblock more than thirty meridians, they are regarded as a genius throughout the nine provinces. Unlocking over forty meridians is even more terrifying; such individuals would undoubtedly be renowned, ranking among the foremost in the nine provinces.


    As for unblocking fifty meridians, it is rare for such a person to emerge in an entire era.


    For the time being, Gu Chen having unblocked sixteen meridians in his body was merely the beginning.


    Having been reborn and aided by the panel, Gu Chen naturally wouldn''t settle for mediocrity. His primary goal in the Tongmai Stage was to reach the extreme number of fifty-six meridians.


    While this might be difficult for others, it was not so for Gu Chen.


    Moreover, the innate talents of this life''s body were not inferior.


    At this moment, Gu Chen stepped out of the inner hall and found that it was already broad daylight. He called over a constable and had him buy some food from the street. After washing up and having breakfast, Wu Qian arrived at the government office on time.


    Subsequently, as previously arranged, the two of them left the county office and made their way to the Fang family''s residence.


    At present, the Fang family''s home was draped in white, indicative of mourning. Sad cries could asionally be heard from within.


    It turns out that, after much deliberation the previous night, Gu Chen had Wu Qian transport Fang Yong''s body back to the Fang family and provided a simple exnation.


    Fang Yong had served as the magistrate of Ning City for twelve years, and the Fang family was a prominent local n with many members. Fang Yong could be considered the absolute core of the Fang family, so his death was a colossal blow to them, akin to the sky falling.


    At the gate, two servants dressed in mourning clothes were guarding the entrance. Their eyes hardened at the sight of Gu Chen and Wu Qian. They stepped forward to block the two men.


    "Gentlemen, please go back the way you came. Today, the Fang family is closed to visitors and will not be seeing anyone."

 Chapter 20: Chapter 18: Fang Family_1

    Having been immediately met with a closed door upon arrival, Wu Qian''s face couldn''t help but show some embarrassment as he was blocked by two servants at the door.


    "Audacious!"


    Wu Qian''s face showed anger as he reached for the long knife at his waist, stepped forward, and bellowed, "Are you blind, you dogs? Lord Gu Chen of the Jing Tian Department of Tiandu is here. Who gave you the boldness to block Lord Gu at the door? Summon your master of the Fang family at once!"


    "Sorry, but we''ve received strict orders not to entertain guests for the time being. It''s the same for everyone," one of the servants said coldly.


    "Impudent! Lord Gu is here on official business to investigate a case. If you''ve done nothing wrong, you have nothing to fear from ghosts knocking at your door. What''s the meaning of this, stopping Lord Gu here?"


    Wu Qian''s eyes turned frosty as his finger touched the hilt of his knife, lightly pushing it, revealing three inches of the de as it glinted with cold light. "I''ll say it one more time, notify your master and let us pass quickly, or do not me my de for being heartless!"


    Seeing Wu Qian getting serious, the two servants''plexions changed, feeling uneasy.


    After all, the Fang family was a major n in Ning City and, generally speaking, Wu Qian, even as constable of Ning City, was not keen on provoking them without good reason.


    After all, Wu Qian couldn''t be constable for life and would have to step down one day. If he offended the Fang family, his future would not be easy.


    Moreover, with Fang Yong serving as the prefecture magistrate of Ning City, the status of the Fang family had risen by threefold in Ning City, and few dared to provoke them.


    If it weren''t for Gu Chen standing by his side today, giving Wu Qian support, he would never have dared to be so bold, decisively drawing his knife.


    Gu Chen stood by, silent, calmly watching Wu Qian handle the situation.


    "Who''s the blind one daring to trespass into the Fang residence, seeking death?!"


    Just then, with a creaking sound, the gates of the Fang residence opened, and a young man dressed in brocade stepped out, followed by a dozen servants.


    Uponying eyes on Wu Qian, the young man sneered coldly and said, "So it''s you, Constable Wu."


    "Young Master Fang," Wu Qian said, greeting with a fist salute.


    The neer bore a resemnce to Fang Yong, being his younger son named Fang Tangjin.


    "I don''t deserve such a title," replied the young man, Fang Tangjin, who then began to mock Wu Qian. "Constable Wu, our family treated you well when my father was the prefect. Now that my father is dead, you''ve changed masters and can''t even remember the kindness of our Fang family. At a time like this, you even have the gall to barge into our residence and think about harming others.


    Your sense of authority is quite immense, Constable Wu."


    Wu Qian''s expression turned sour as he replied, "I have always been true to my conscience in my conduct and not only served the Fang family, but all the citizens of Ning City. I''m saddened by the death of the magistrate, but there was no alternative."


    Fang Tangjin listened with disdain, then sneered and turned his gaze to Gu Chen, saying sarcastically, "Is this your new master?"


    "You..."


    Wu Qian looked at Fang Tangjin with anger, his forehead''s veins bulging. He could clearly hear the insinuationparing him to a dog, which made him furious, yet he restrained himself, unwilling to act rashly, and kept his rage bottled up inside.


    "Humph, what now, Wu Qian, you want to strike me? You must be incredibly bold if you think you can trespass in the Fang residence and even contemte raising your hand against me. It seems you, Wu Qian, truly wish to rebel against the heavens!" Fang Tangjin sternly said, even boldly stepping in front of Wu Qian, pointing at his nose, and sttering his face with spittle while scolding.


    Wu Qian clenched his fists and held back, without uttering a single word.


    At that moment, Gu Chen spoke up, saying, "Who gave you the guts to insult an imperial official?"


    Fang Tangjin turned his eyes towards Gu Chen, snorted coldly, and said, "And who are you? If Wu Qian wishes to be scolded, what''s that to you? I haven''t even held you to ount for barging into the Fang residence yet, and you dare to counterattack?"


    p!


    Suddenly, a p from Gu Chennded on Fang Tangjin''s face. He cried out in pain, spinning around several times on the spot, falling to the ground with blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, his cheek swelling visibly at a rapid rate, as several teeth were knocked out.


    Gu Chen''s strength was tremendous, and this was with him holding back; had he not done so, that p could have sent Fang Tangjin''s brains flying.


    Fang Tangjin himself waspletely dazed, seeing stars before his eyes, lying on the ground, taking a long time toe to his senses.


    Inside the Fang residence, there were people paying attention to everything happening outside. Seeing Fang Tangjin get hit, a whole group of people rushed out.


    "Jin''er!"


    A woman in the crowd cried out in rm upon seeing Fang Tangjin''s terrible state, rushing over as she ran.


    "Who is so presumptuous as to dare tomit violence in the Fang residence? Are you tired of living?!" someone shouted in a deep voice.


    Seeing this group approaching, Wu Qian began to whisper their identities to Gu Chen.


    Wu Qian, how dare you cause trouble at the Fang residence!"


    From among the Fang people emerged a lean middle-aged man. He was Fang Yong''s younger brother named Fang Zhen. With Fang Yong deceased, everything concerning the Fang family had been left in his hands.


    "Lord Fang," Wu Qian began respectfully, "there''s a reason for all this; what happened just now was due to..."


    "I don''t want to hear your exnations!"


    Fang Zhen, wearing a displeased expression, interrupted Wu Qian''s words sharply, "Wu Qian, you''lle into my Fang residence causing uproar, trespassing, and now you''re so bold as to attack violently. Do you think just because you''re a constable, you can behave so arrogantly? Do you really believe that there''s no one in Ning City that can deal with you?"


    Wu Qian looked ufortable and attempted to exin further, but Gu Chen stopped him, stepping forward and saying, "It has nothing to do with Wu Qian, he is but following orders. The person I hit was struck by me, and that''s that. If you have a problem, take it up with me."


    "And who might you be?" Fang Zhen asked with a frown.


    Wu Qian quickly introduced, "This gentleman is Lord Gu Chen from the Jing Tian Department of Tiandu. We are here for an official investigation."


    Hearing this, Fang Zhen''s expression darkened as he retorted, "Lord Gu certainly has quite the authoritarian streak. You bring your investigation to the Fang household and even behave with such brusqueness, resorting to violence without discussion. Even imperial officials shouldn''t have such liberties, should they?"


    Gu Chen looked at Fang Zhen calmly, "It didn''t, but now it does."


    Fang Zhen''s face turned ashen at his words.


    "I am an imperial official, tasked with investigating a case in Ning City. You people obstruct every step of the way, causing a ruckus, and even dare to insult an imperial official. I''ve only pped him once, which is being lenient. If I had decided to take his life, what can the Fang family do about it?"


    Gu Chen stood his ground, his tone steady and devoid of any anger, yet the cold look he gave Fang Zhen caused thetter''s heart to tighten inadvertently, as a cold sweat broke out on his back.

 Chapter 21: Chapter 19 Submission_1

    ```


    Fang Zhen took a deep breath, calmed his emotions, and said, "My Fang family has lived in Ning City for many years, deeply rooted here. My elder brother was even the magistrate of Ning City, loving his people like his own children. As to how my Fang family has been regarded in Ning City all these years, Lord Gu does not believe, he can go ask around in the streets.


    What is there to investigate about a family like ours?"


    "Furthermore," Fang Zhen paused for a moment before continuing, "even if there is a case to be investigated, it can be discussed amicably. Lord Gu came in with force and even resorted to violence, injuring people. What is this, does a court-appointed official, armed with authority, have the right to be so unreasonable, so overbearing?!"


    Right from the start, Fang Zhen had ced a heavy usation on Gu Chen, and his words immediately lit up the eyes of the Fang family members.


    Seeing that Gu Chen did not respond, Fang Zhen took advantage of the situation, unrelenting in his argument, "When my elder brother was alive, he once said, ''Court-appointed officials, wielding great authority, must set an example. Therefore, when investigating cases, one must adhere to legal principles and evidence.


    If all the officials in Da Xia were to behave like Lord Gu, abusing power as soon as they have it, relying on their status to injure people and forcefully enter the homes of themon people, I''m afraid the world would have fallen into chaos long ago!''"


    "Lord Gu''s actions today, I think I must report them directly, taking the matter to Tiandu. I believe the princes and nobles of the court will never tolerate someone disturbing thews and regtions of Da Xia so wantonly!"


    "Yes, that''s right!"


    "Abusing power, injuring people, we must take it to Tiandu!"


    With these words from Fang Zhen, the Fang family members immediately erupted into an agitated chorus of support.


    Seeing this, Wu Qian felt a surge of apprehension and his face showed panic as he looked towards Gu Chen.


    Gu Chen, however, remained unfazed, a slight smile even appeared on his face. He looked at Fang Zhen, who was speaking eloquently and confidently, and said, "You said you need evidence?"


    "Exactly," Fang Zhen stated emphatically, "We need evidence; without it, our Fang family will absolutely not ept any charges. If Lord Gu has evidence, then by all means, bring it out. If the evidence is conclusive, the members of the Fang family will have nothing to say and will submit to Lord Gu''s judgment."


    Fang Zhen dared to say this because he was certain that Gu Chen had no evidence.


    Moreover, their family head, Fang Yong, the magistrate of Ning City, had died at Gu Chen''s hands. They were already amodating by not going to question Gu Chen, and now Gu Chen even dared toe to the Fang''s doorstep, iming to investigate the Fang family. Naturally, Fang Zhen disagreed.


    In fact, Gu Chen could tell as much. He knew the Fang family had grievances regarding Fang Yong''s death, and the Fang family harbored resentment, deliberately targeting him here.


    But that was to be expected. Without Fang Yong, the Fang family''s status would undoubtedly drop significantly, and the family''s interests would suffer great loss.


    But even so, what of it?


    Gu Chen indeed had no evidence in his hands, but today, he was determined to investigate the Fang family!


    Gu Chen looked on calmly at Fang Zhen, who was hopping mad, and facing the Fang family members, he stood there and uttered just seven words.


    "My word is the evidence!"


    Upon hearing this, Fang Zhen''s face suddenly stiffened; he had not expected Gu Chen topletely defy convention.


    Gu Chen stood there, dressed in ck robes, tall and straight, his handsome face expressing serene confidence, his sword-like eyebrows nting into his temples, exuding an air of utterposure. He dered, "If the Fang family refuses to ept this, feel free to take it to Tiandu. I will wait for you. But that is a concern forter.


    Right now, I am here to investigate, and if the Fang family refuses to cooperate, I will have no choice but to take every single member of the Fang family into custody for interrogation."


    "You wouldn''t dare?!"


    Hearing Gu Chen threaten to take the entire Fang family into custody, Fang Zhen immediately lost his nerves, no longer maintaining his earlier smugness.


    "Do you question whether I dare? The magistrate of Ning City, Fang Yong, was possessed by a demon, intending to bring chaos to Ning City, and had been in by mest night. Given the attitude of your Fang family today, I highly suspect that all of you have been tainted by the demon, deliberately opposing the court. If that is the case, I may have to take drastic measures!"


    At this moment, Gu Chen''s gaze was sharp, his presencemanding, exuding a daunting force that quelled Fang Zhen''s arrogance and left him choking on his words, unable to utter a single one.


    Looking at Gu Chen before him, Fang Zhen had no doubt that this young man meant what he said.


    "Impossible!"


    ```


    "At that moment, the woman who had run to Fang Tangjin''s side shouted loudly, "Nonsense! How could my lord possibly be possessed by a demon? He loved the people as his own children; everyone in Ning City knows this. And now, after his death, you dare nder him like this. Your intentions are despicable. I will sue you, I will go to Tiandu and sue you!"


    Fang Yong''s wife clutched Fang Tangjin, constantly yelling, but Gu Chen paid her no attention.


    Turning his gaze, Gu Chen said to Wu Qian by his side, "Constable Wu, Imand you to go to the county office immediately and deploy personnel to arrest all members of the Fang family and jail them, awaiting their fate."


    Upon hearing this, Wu Qian nced at the Fang family, hesitation showing on his face, and said, "Lord Gu, this..."


    Gu Chen, serene as ever, spoke lightly, "Don''t worry, with this official here, they cannot turn the sky upside down!"


    Seeing Gu Chen''s resolve, Wu Qian bowed and said with a salute, "Wu Qian obeys themand!"


    Witnessing Gu Chen''s determination, Fang Zhen knew that Gu Chen meant serious business. A misstep today and the entire Fang family could truly end up in jail. If that happened, it would be toote for anything, let alone going to Tiandu to file aint.


    If our lives are at risk, who will go to sue?


    At this moment, all members of the Fang family were thrown into panic, each standing there, unsure of what to do.


    "This is all a one-sided im from you. The Fang family refuses to ept this. You can''t do this. Without any evidence, you actually want to throw all the members of our family into jail. You''re going too far!" Fang Zhen was truly desperate, his eyes bloodshot.


    Gu Chen nced at him, his expression impassive, as he spoke, "All matters rted to demons are top priority in Da Xia, and the Jing Tian Department has the authority to decide on such cases independently. I have the power to execute and reportter even for an imperial official, let alone a minor family such as yours."


    "You dare speak ofws and evidence without even knowing Da Xia''s legal code. Ridiculous!"


    Wu Qian nced at Gu Chen by his side, never expecting Gu Chen, at such a young age, to not only be highly skilled but also so tough and resolute.


    For the Fang family to encounter someone like Gu Chen and still think they could cause trouble¡ªit''s like a long-lived old man courting death by swallowing poison."


    "Wu Qian, why are you still standing there?"


    At those words, Wu Qian was visibly shaken and reverently said, "Lord Gu, please wait a moment, I will go now."


    "Wait!"


    Fang Zhen hastily said, "Lord Gu, Lord Gu, let''s talk this out, please don''t do this, we can discuss everything."


    At this point, seeing how adamant Gu Chen was, Fang Zhen was thrown into utter disarray, his attitude making aplete one-eighty turn, no longer daring to act as before.


    "What, you know fear now? Too bad, it''s toote." Gu Chen said, while simultaneously signaling Wu Qian to call for reinforcements from the county office.


    "Lord Gu, I beg you, spare our lives. It was the Fang family who caused all this trouble, we were in the wrong. Please, Lord Gu, show magnanimity and spare us this once," Fang Zhen begged, his face ashen, continuously pleading with Gu Chen.


    One could say, the prouder he was before, the more remorseful he was now.


    It takes a viin to subdue another. Gu Chen naturally felt no sympathy for someone like Fang Zhen. Without giving them a harsh lesson, they would really think they could get the better of Gu Chen.


    However, considering the Fang family was so numerous and the county office had just lost many of its officers the day before, they were short on manpower. Arresting all members of the Fang family would be a waste of time.


    Now that the Fang family had shown submission, there was no longer a need for that. Therefore, Gu Chen said, "Since that''s the case, now immediately, in the shortest amount of time, gather every single one of your family, no matter man or woman, old or young, before me."


    "Yes, as youmand," Fang Zhen said weakly, no longer daring to defy Gu Chen and hurriedly gave orders to his servants nearby, instructing them to pass on themand quickly.


    This time the Fang family truly learned their lesson, showing great efficiency. Within a short while, all members of the Fang family stood before Gu Chen.

 Chapter 22: Chapter 20 Ning Citys Prominent Family_1

    When all the n members had gathered, Fang Zhen came to Gu Chen''s side, his demeanor respectful, and said with his hands sped, "Lord Gu, everyone from the Fang family, young and old, is here."


    Gu Chen did not respond. He stood there, surveying the Fang family members and servants who were all standing not far away, many of whom instinctively shrank their necks when they caught Gu Chen''s sweeping gaze.


    Clearly, the previous confrontation had revealed Gu Chen''s assertiveness to the Fang family, and they naturally felt intimidated in the face of such authority.


    Among the crowd was Fang Tangjin, whose one cheek was still swollen but had been simply treated. He was no longer the arrogant figure he was before and did not dare to meet Gu Chen''s eyes. He stood there with his head bowed, silent.


    Wu Qian stood aside, watching this scene with some confusion, not knowing what Gu Chen had in mind for summoning all the Fang family members.


    But he believed there must be a reason for Gu Chen to do this.


    Gu Chen stood still. His purpose in gathering all the Fang family members in front of him was to investigate whether there were any more demons lurking within the family.


    Gu Chen had taken Fang Yong''s words before his death to heart.


    If even the Prefecture of Ning City could be possessed by a demon without anyone noticing, it was possible that other members of the Fang family who had frequent contact with Fang Yong could be in a simr situation.


    Having reached the meridian-opening realm, Gu Chen''s cultivation and physique had both greatly improved, which made his already keen senses even sharper. Though a demon''s aura blended with that of its human host might be difficult to distinguish, Gu Chen was confident that with face-to-face, close range interaction, he could still identify them.


    In this way, a quarter of an hour passed. With Gu Chen not speaking, no one dared to utter a word. The silence grew almost fearsome, gradually bing oppressive, and the longer Gu Chen remained this way, the more tense the Fang family members became.


    "Disperse," Gu Chen finally said.


    "Hm?"


    At his words, Fang Zhen''s expression shed with confusion. He had not yet grasped Gu Chen''s approach and was quite puzzled by it.


    To call out all the Fang family members just for a look and then conclude the matter after a casual stroll?


    What did that mean?


    However, seeing that Gu Chen had no intention of exining, Fang Zhen did not dare to ask.


    After confirming that there were no demons hiding among the Fang family, Gu Chen called out to Wu Qian, preparing to leave.


    At that moment, Fang Zhen hesitated for a moment before suddenly calling out to Gu Chen.


    "Lord Gu, please wait a moment."


    Upon hearing this, Gu Chen turned around, looked at Fang Zhen, and said, "What else is it?"


    Fang Zhen bit his lip and, after hesitating for a while, asked, "Lord Gu, I want to know, was my elder brother truly possessed by a demon?"


    All members of the Fang family were baffled by Fang Yong''s death, eagerly wanting to know the answer, to have some closure.


    "I am an inspector from the Jing Tian Department of Tiandu. You should be well aware of what the Jing Tian Department does. If Fang Yong was not possessed by a demon, what benefit would there be for me in killing him?"


    After dropping this statement, Gu Chen, along with Wu Qian, left the Fang residence directly.


    In fact, with his status, position, and power, even if he didn''t give Fang Zhen or the Fang family an exnation, they would be powerless to do anything about it.


    Fang Zhen stood in silence on the spot without speaking.


    Meanwhile, Gu Chen, along with Wu Qian, quickly returned to the county office and entered the inner hall.


    Gu Chen sat in the chief seat, pondered for a moment, then said to Wu Qian below, "Constable Wu, immediately summon all the prominent families of Ning City in my name. They are toe to the county office within the hour, as I have important matters to discuss."


    "Yes!" Wu Qian responded.


    Thus, Gu Chen sat in the county office''s inner hall, closed his eyes for a moment of rest, and quietly waited. Soon, an hour had passed.


    "Lord Gu, the people from the Fang family have arrived."


    Gu Chen opened his eyes and saw Wu Qian leading Fang Zhen in, Fang Zhen, upon seeing Gu Chen, cupped his fist in salute and said, "Lord Gu, we meet again."


    Gu Chen nodded slightly but did not speak.


    Fang Zhen didn''t mind and casually found a ce to sit down.


    Before long, Wu Qian led a second person in.


    "Lord Gu, Elder Zhou has arrived."


    At the doorway, an old man with white hair and a lively spirit followed Wu Qian into the inner hall.


    "I''ve seen Lord Gu, I am the humble Zhou Rang," the old man said with a smile and a hand sp greeting.


    "Elder Zhou," Gu Chen stood up, returning the smile and the courtesy.


    This Elder Zhou was no simple figure; he had previously held the esteemed position of the governor of Qingyang County, governing thend of an entire county. Towns like Ning City were countless under Qingyang County''s jurisdiction, with Ning City being quite unremarkable.


    Logically speaking, after retiring from his position as governor, Zhou Rang would have had better ces to go, with countless people wishing to retain him, but Ning City was the Zhou family''s ancestral home, and with the excuse of an old man''s nostalgia, Zhou Rang brought his family back to Ning City upon stepping down.


    Not only that, Zhou Rang was known for his integrity when in office and for his support of the younger generation; there were countless officials in Qingyang County who had been discovered and promoted by Elder Zhou. For instance, Fang Prefecture of Ning City had received many favors from Zhou Rang in his youth.


    Even the current governor of Qingyang County was said to have been supported by Zhou Rang, who is visited by the governor in Ning City every year.


    It''s fair to say that Elder Zhou was the true personage of Ning City; even after being out of office for many years, he still wielded substantial influence in Qingyang County.


    The Zhou family held a pivotal position in Ning City, only that the Elder Zhou kept a low-profile in fame and gain and rarely involved himself, which made the Zhou family''s presence in Ning City less prominent than a few otherrge families.


    Nheless, as long as Zhou Rang lived, not a soul dared to slight the Zhou family.


    "Greetings, Elder Zhou."


    Seeing that Zhou Rang had arrived, Fang Zhen quickly got up and bowed deeply as a sign of respect.


    Elder Zhou, smiling amiably, nodded his head to signify Fang Zhen could sit down, then found a ce for himself to sit as well.


    There were seven major families in Ning City, and they controlled the city''s economic arteries, covering multiple domains with arge poption; they were the true nobility of Ning City, also known as the local powerbrokers.


    In all of Ning City, only the prefecture office, which was part of the official power of the Da Xia dynasty, had the authority to overshadow them.


    And the task Gu Chen had to undertake this time required the aid of these seven major families.


    As time passed by, the heads of the remaining families arrived at the prefecture office, with only the Sun family yet to appear.


    "Constable Wu, has there been any word from the Sun family?" Gu Chen asked Wu Qian.


    Wu Qian looked embarrassed, nodded, and said, "They were notified and said they woulde, but..."


    Gu Chen gestured with his hand to show it was not a problem. Whether they came or not, he had no intention of waiting any longer, so he stood up and said, "All the family heads here, I am Gu Chen from the Jing Tian Department of Tiandu. Today, I have called you together because there is a matter I need your help with."


    "Please speak, Lord Gu."


    "Lord Gu, please speak without hesitation."


    Seeing their willingness to cooperate, Gu Chen nodded slightly and said, "Yesterday, I encountered two demons in Ning City, one was the courtesan from Yi Xiang Building, and the other was our prefecture of Ning City, Fang Yong. Both were possessed by demons and were discovered and in by me on the spot yesterday. This news, I suppose, you are all aware of."


    Zhou Rang and the others nodded. Ning City was not very big, and with their own channels of information, they all knew of these happenings shortly after they urred.


    In fact, any movement in Ning City would certainly be first known by these people.


    Seeing this, Gu Chen continued, "Last night, before Fang Prefecture passed away, he informed me that there were still demons lurking in Ning City..."


    Before Gu Chen could finish his words, a loudughter suddenly came from outside, interrupting what he was about to say next.

 Chapter 23: Chapter 21 Unconventional_1

    ```


    "Hahaha, gentlemen, my sincerest apologies. Something urgent came up and made me slightlyte. I''ve kept you all waiting. Please don''t hold it against me."


    With a burst ofughter, two figures walked in from outside.


    The first was an old man with a robust build, albeit with one blind eye, which gave him a somewhat fierce appearance. He was the patriarch of the Sun family, known as Sun Li.


    The other was a middle-aged man who bore a striking resemnce to the old man. This person was Sun Li''s son, named Sun Changzhi.


    Upon entering the room, Sun Li spotted Zhou Rang and his eyes lit up. He approached Zhou Rang andughed heartily, "Haha, so the venerable Brother Zhou is here. It''s not easy to meet you! It seems that today''s visit is worthwhile¡ªabsolutely worthwhile!"


    Following behind Sun Li, Sun Changzhi also cupped his fists, greeted Zhou Rang with a bow, and called him Uncle Zhou.


    Zhou Rang stroked his beard, offering a slight smile, and nodded his head in greeting without saying a word.


    Sun Li, unconcerned, looked around the room, nced at everyone, and said, "Oh, it looks as though everyone has been here for a while. We really do have a full house today."


    After saying this, he beckoned Sun Changzhi to sit down with him, and then turned to Fang Zhen, saying, "My talented nephew, please ept my condolences. I''ve heard about what happened to the Fang Prefecture. Many details remain unclear, and to think that someone who loved his people like his own children met with such a sudden disaster.


    If you need to investigate and require any assistance from the Sun family, please do not hesitate to ask. We will certainly support you wholeheartedly, no questions asked."


    Fang Zhen responded with a slight smile, but didn''t engage in further conversation.


    Seeing this, Sun Li turned to greet the patriarch of the Zhao family, exchanging pleasantries. The patriarch of the Zhao family returned the gesture with a polite smile and a few perfunctory replies.


    In Ning City, among the seven major families, only the patriarchs of the Sun and Zhou families held the highest seniority and were the oldest. The leaders of the other five families were all about the same age as Fang Zhen.


    In this way, Sun Li went on to exchange greetings with the heads of the several major families from Ning City, one after the other.


    It was almost as if the gathering was like a tea party hosted by his own family, with constantughter as if Gu Chen didn''t exist at all.


    Wu Qian stood at the doorway, observing the scene, and couldn''t help but nce at Gu Chen, who sat at the head of the table. He noticed that Gu Chen''s expression remained unchanged, giving no sign of pleasure or anger.


    This inwardly impressed Wu Qian, who mused that Lord Gu''s depth of character was truly extraordinary. If it were anyone else of a simr age, being so ignored would likely have caused them to lose theirposure and disy their anger by now.


    A fair amount of time passed before Sun Li eventually looked toward Gu Chen, who sat in the seat of honor, and said with a beaming smile, "Is this the esteemed Gu Chen, the Master Gu from the Jing Tian Department in Tiandu?"


    "What can I do for you, Patriarch Sun?" Gu Chen asked, his face calm as he looked at him.


    Sun Li replied, "I wouldn''t dare to instruct. It''s merely that someone as young as Master Gu has achieved such a position and authority over us. I can''t help but feel admiration and sigh to myself that truly, heroes emerge young.


    "Compared to you, my own grandson, Sun Jie, truly pales in significance," hemented while shaking his head as thoughmenting his grandson''sck of achievement.


    Meanwhile, Sun Li covertly watched Gu Chen''s expression. When he noticed that the mention of "Sun Jie" provoked no reaction from Gu Chen, he couldn''t help but snort inwardly.


    Sun Jie was none other than the young master who had insulted Gu Chen at Yi Xiang Building and subsequently attempted to attack him, only to end up injured himself.


    At this moment, Sun Jie was still lying unconscious in the Sun family residence, while the assant, Gu Chen, was sitting herepletely fine, even seemingly ready to issue orders to them. Seeing that Gu Chen had no recollection of Sun Jie at all, Sun Li was even more furious inside.


    Of course, despite this, Sun Li still maintained an amiable facade and a smiling expression.


    "Since entering, Patriarch Sun has been quite talkative. Have you said enough by now?" Gu Chen said, his voice devoid of emotion.


    "Hahaha, please don''t take offense, Master Gu. It''s just that our families haven''t met for a long time, and today we happened to gather here. Old age makes one prone to talking more than one should. I trust Lord Gu has an open heart and won''t me this old man, right?" Sun Li replied with a smile, resembling a one-eyed smiling tiger.


    Seeing this, the corners of Gu Chen''s mouth also showed a hint of a smile as he said, "Since Patriarch Sun is so warm and hospitable, then tomorrow we shallmence our search starting with the Sun family. I trust Patriarch Sun should have no objections, right?"


    "Search? What search?" Sun Li''s face changed dramatically upon hearing this.


    ```


    Gu Chen said indifferently, "Yao gui are lurking in Ning City, and they are very likely to have possessed someone. This is true for both the lead courtesan of the Yi Xiang Building and the prefect of Ning City, Fang Yong. Therefore, for the safety of the entire city and for everyone present here, it is necessary to conduct a city-wide search. Starting tomorrow, we will begin with your Sun family."


    Upon hearing of yao gui lurking in Ning City and Gu Chen''s intention to search the entire city, many people''s faces changed.


    But Fang Zhen felt a sense of relief inside, exhaling quietly. It seemed Gu Chen didn''t specifically intend to target the Fang family, which alleviated his worries significantly.


    "Where did Master Gu get this news from? Of course, I''m not doubting Master Gu, but if we are to conduct a search, we should at least be informed of the reasons," Sun Li said with a furrowed brow.


    Upon hearing this, the other family heads also nodded in agreement. They would naturally not be willing to have their homes searched without any reason.


    Gu Chen replied, "It was Fang Prefecture who told me before he died."


    "Fang Yong?" Sun Li said with some confusion. "But didn''t Master Gu just say that Fang Prefecture was possessed by a yao gui? As I understand it, a person''s mind bes tainted when possessed by a yao gui, turning them into the puppet of the yao gui. Can we still trust what such a person says?"


    Hearing this, Fang Zhen''s expression changed instantly. He stood up and red at Sun Li, saying, "What do you mean by that?"


    Sun Li smiled and replied, "Nephew Fang, please don''t be agitated. I was merely stating one possibility."


    Fang Zhen looked at Gu Chen, took a deep breath, and sat back down.


    Gu Chen said, "Whether to believe it or not is my affair. You only need toply. Besides, didn''t Sun family head mention just now that there are many doubts regarding Fang Prefecture''s affair? Why are you not insisting on that now?"


    Stroke his beard, Sun Li looked towards Gu Chen with his one eye and said with a smile, "No, no, as I mentioned earlier, my previous words were only a possibility. Until now, I still harbor the greatest suspicion about Fang Prefecture''s death, as there were no witnesses at the time and no evidence to prove that Fang Prefecture was indeed possessed by a yao gui."


    Upon hearing this, Gu Chen''s expression remained calm as he looked at Sun Li and said, "Are you implying, Sun family head, that you are doubting me?"


    Laughing, Sun Li said, "Master Gu, please don''t take offense. We are, after all, handling a case, and this matter is of great importance¡ªit affects over a hundred thousand citizens of the city. We cannot simply rush to conclusions. There must be some discussion. Since we are discussing, then we must speak frankly and openly express our thoughts. Do you not all agree?"


    Thest question was directed at the other family heads present.


    Upon hearing this, the family head of the Zhao family and several others nodded, showing some agreement with Sun Li''s remarks.


    They thought Sun Li was right. There were indeed many doubts regarding this matter.


    Moreover, since the incident had urred so suddenly and even Fang Yong had died, and as this was their first encounter with Gu Chen, it was inevitable for them not to trust him.


    Thisck of trust was only amplified by Sun Li''s remarks.


    As Gu Chen sat at the head of the table, his brows furrowed slightly. He could see clearly; Sun Li was deliberately inciting everyone. Whatever Gu Chen wanted to do, Sun Li seemed intent on preventing that, and his tactics were quite clever. Normally speaking, Gu Chen indeed had no way to prove anything.


    It had to be said, Sun Li was truly a sly fox, having managed to grasp Gu Chen with just a few words.


    Unfortunately, Sun Li made the same mistake as the Fang family, which was misjudging Gu Chen''s character.


    It might be difficult to make a case using normal reasoning, but Gu Chen didn''t n on following the usual rules.


    Who said that one must always y by the book?


    At this moment, Gu Chen spoke, "ording to what Sun family head is saying, no matter what, it seems impossible for me to conduct a search throughout the city, does it not?"


    Sun Li did not speak, only watching Gu Chen with a smile and silence.


    Then Gu Chen stood up, looking down at Sun Li with increasingly sharp eyes, and said, "Well, if that''s the case... if I persist in searching the entire city, what can you do about it!"

 Chapter 24: Chapter 22 Rules_1

    In fact, if Gu Chen, as an official of the Jing Tian Department, forcefully demanded their cooperation, Sun Li and the others indeed wouldn''t have much of a choice.


    But that would be thest resort because, if he did so, Sun Li and the others would undoubtedly harbor dissatisfaction. They would pretend to cooperate on the surface, but it''s very likely they would drag their feet in private, slowing down the progress.


    What''s more, like Sun Li, some may even sabotage the efforts in secret.


    Moreover, with over a hundred thousand inhabitants in Ning City and a severe shortage of manpower in the county yamen, Gu Chen must have the cooperation of several major families in the city to conduct a thorough search of the entire city.


    This was also the purpose of Gu Chen''s meeting with them today.


    But obviously, Sun Li saw through this point and didn''t want Gu Chen to have it his way, therefore he kept obstructing Gu Chen.


    Upon hearing what Gu Chen had just said, Sun Li remained silent, but Sun Changzhi, standing beside him, rose to his feet, his brows furrowed, and said to Gu Chen, "What does Lord Gu mean by his words just now?"


    "It means just what it literally says," Gu Chen replied indifferently.


    Sun Changzhi said, "Is Lord Gu preparing to forcefully demand our cooperation?"


    Gu Chen, with a calm expression, neither affirming nor denying, said, "What if I am?"


    Sun Changzhi''s expression darkened as he said, "Lord Gu''s actions, how are they different from those of a bandit? Using the power in his hand to do as he pleases. If Lord Gu really intends to force a city-wide search like this, even if my Sun family endures it, we will absolutely not ept it. I believe the other major families feel the same."


    The other family heads nodded in agreement upon hearing this, expressing their stance.


    The seven great families of Ning City were as close as branches on a tree, and Gu Chen was, after all, an outsider. Once their interests were infringed upon, naturally, they would join forces to stand united against the adversary.


    With the support of the Zhao family head and others, Sun Li and Sun Changzhi''s confidence grew stronger. Sun Changzhi continued, "Searching the entire city isn''t something that can bepleted overnight. Who knows how much manpower and time will be wasted. Moreover, it could easily cause panic throughout the city.


    If Lord Gu cannot provide a satisfactory exnation, I expect that the hundreds of thousands of citizens in Ning City won''t agree either."


    Sun Li nced at his son with satisfaction and nodded in approval. He thought these words were enough to make Gu Chen unable to step down.


    Although Gu Chen came from the Jing Tian Department in Tiandu and indeed held great power, if he forcefullymanded them, they would have no choice but to obey.


    However, after all, the seven great families had deep roots in Ning City for many years. They were the local powerhouses and could easily stir up the popce and create public opinion.


    The families indeed had no way to deal with Gu Chen, but once the public was angered, if the hundred thousand citizens of Ning City all criticized Gu Chen, even if he came from the Jing Tian Department and was an official, he would still be in big trouble and would be punished by Tiandu.


    As expected, Sun Changzhi then said loudly, "If Lord Gu still insists on this approach, then we, the seven great families, have nothing more to say. We will naturally execute Lord Gu''s orders, but once this matter is settled, we will jointly report to Tiandu, informing them in detail about all the incidents that have happened in Ning City recently.


    I believe the princes and ministers in Tiandu will certainly give us justice."


    At that moment, Fang Zhen, who had been sitting and had not expressed any opinion, heard these words and couldn''t help but nce at Sun Changzhi.


    Seeing Fang Zhen''s gaze, Sun Changzhi''s face broke into a smile as he nodded in goodwill.


    Fang Zhen hurriedly looked away and internally shook his head in disapproval.


    "Are you threatening me?" Gu Chen''s eyes shifted as he looked at Sun Changzhi.


    "I wouldn''t dare," Sun Changzhi said with a fist-and-palm salute. "I am simply speaking to the matter at hand. After all, it concerns the safety of the hundreds of thousands of citizens in Ning City. I still hope that Lord Gu will think thrice before acting."


    A hint of a smile appeared at the corner of Gu Chen''s mouth. He looked deeply at Sun Changzhi and asked, "Are you the son of the Sun family head?"


    "Indeed," Sun Changzhi replied with a smile and a nod.


    "If so," Gu Chen looked at Sun Changzhi, the smile gradually fading from his face as his expression turned somewhat stern, and said, "then you should also polish your eyes and take a good look around. Among all the people here, aside from the heads of each family, there is only me, a civil official. Where is your ce to speak?"


    "Today, I''ll teach you on behalf of the Sun family head what it means to have a sense of propriety and order, to think before speaking, and to discern the situation. In today''s setting, is it a ce where you can just rudely interject?"


    "You!"


    Upon hearing these words, Sun Changzhi suddenly stood up from his seat with a furious gaze fixed on Gu Chen, who sat at the head of the table. Being reprimanded by someone more than twenty years his junior, Sun Changzhi''s face flushed red with rage, unable to save face.


    The other family heads, upon hearing this, also secretly snickered. Putting themselves in his shoes, they thought that if they were Sun Changzhi, they might feel like they were better off dead at this moment.


    "Lord Gu, aren''t your words a bit too much? Certainly, Lord Gu called us here today hoping that we can all discuss and reach a suitable oue and n. Besides, the words that Changzhi spoke earlier were on my behalf.


    Were your previous remarks not a bit inappropriate?" Sun Li could not sit idly by, especially since his own son, who was well into his forties, was being taught a lesson by a mere youngster.


    "You are wrong there, Patriarch Sun," Gu Chen shook his head.


    Sun Li frowned and asked, puzzled, "Which statement is wrong?"


    Gu Chen gave a faint smile and replied, "When I discipline him, he can only listen. Never mind your son, even if I wanted to discipline you, you would be just like your son, sitting below me, bearing it quietly."


    "Gu Chen!"


    At that moment, Sun Li could no longer remain seated. He never imagined Gu Chen would be so disrespectful. He stood up abruptly, his face as gloomy as if it could drip water.


    The Sun family had not gained prominence through honorable means. Before, thergest underground gang in Ning City was the Sun family, or rather, the Sun family used to be the underworld boss of Ning City. Over the years, however, the Sun family gradually moved from the shadows into the light, stepping from behind the scenes to center stage.


    In his youth, Sun Li was known for being brave and fierce. The reason he lost an eye was due to a fight over gang territory in his younger days.


    Now, staring at Gu Chen, Sun Li''s heart burned with rage. If not for a sliver of rationality that remained and the worry about the Jing Tian Department behind Gu Chen, he might have already ordered an attack.


    "Patriarch Sun can''t bear this?" Gu Chen sat at the head of the table, his expression cold as he looked at Sun Li. "There is something you still haven''t understood. The words I said before were not seeking your opinions, but giving you orders. This is something all the family heads should clear up."


    Upon hearing this, Sun Li''s face turned ashen. He red at Gu Chen and roared, "You insolent brat, barely grown, dare to order us around? Do you really think that because you have the Jing Tian Department behind you, you can do as you please, act recklessly in Ning City?!"


    Gu Chen looked at Sun Li with an amused smirk and said, "Indeed, I am relying on the Jing Tian Department. What can you do about it?"


    "You!"


    Sun Li was instantly enraged, his violent temper ring up as he trembled in anger, eyes nearly bursting. He stared at Gu Chen and eximed, "Gu Chen, you disregard evidence and say that we should search the entire city with you¡ªthis is simply ridiculous! You have no respect for thew, you don''t follow the rules, you ignore Da Xia''sws and regtions.


    Just wait, I will certainly report you in Tiandu!"


    He bellowed out thatst sentence in a fit of rage.


    At this point, Gu Chen slowly rose to his feet, his gaze bing piercingly sharp, his entire being like an unsheathed sword, radiating danger. "Thew? Rules? I''ll say it once more¡ªin this ce, my word is proof, and my rules are the rules!" he dered.


    "You¡ª" Sun Li roared, nearly exploding with anger.


    "Gu Chen, you overbearing brat, you''ve gone too far!" Sun Changzhi, too, was unable to contain his rage, standing there pointing a finger at Gu Chen''s nose and cursing.


    "Gone too far?" Gu Chen''s face remained expressionless as he said, "Very well, today, I shall enlighten you to what''s truly excessive!"


    No sooner had the words left his mouth than with a whoosh, Gu Chen, who sat at the head of the table, turned into a blur, his speed astonishing as he dashed toward Sun Changzhi. His deep inner strength surged as he thrust a palm directly into Sun Changzhi''s chest.


    "Pu!"


    Sun Changzhi had no time to react and was struck by Gu Chen''s palm. He spat out a mouthful of blood and was sent flying like a broken sack, crashing against the wall. After hitting the wall, his body slid down slowly and fell to the floor, his condition unknown.


    Everything happened in the blink of an eye, changing too swiftly for anyone to react, not least Sun Changzhi. Everyone''s minds were dazed, and the whole room was stunned into silence.


    "Changzhi!"


    The first to snap out of it was naturally Sun Li. Seeing his son bleeding from the seven orifices, lying on the ground possibly dead, Sun Li panicked.

 Chapter 25: Chapter 23: Blocking the Entire City_1

    Sun Li saw his son lying on the ground, his face deathly pale and bleeding from all seven orifices, his breath as thin as a thread, as if he would stop breathing at any moment, and could no longer contain his fury towards Gu Chen.


    zing with anger, he red at Gu Chen and roared, "You little beast, you''re courting death!"


    At that moment, Sun Li, with hair and beard bristling, charged at Gu Chen like an enraged old lion, aiming a palm strike at Gu Chen''s head, intending to kill him on the spot.


    "Uncle Sun, no!"


    "Patriarch Sun, stop!"


    The other family heads were rmed at this sight, and though Gu Chen had seriously injured Sun Changzhi, Gu Chen came from the Jing Tian Department in Tiandu and had a different status. If Gu Chen were to be killed by Sun Li here today, once the Jing Tian Department sought ountability, they would all be dragged down with him.


    Gu Chen was calm, standing his ground, neither dodging nor evading. Observing Sun Li''s energy, he knew that the other was a martial artist of the Meridian Opening realm, but people age, and martial artists are no exception. At Sun Li''s age, with declining vigor and vitality, his strength had likely diminished to half or at most three-fifths of its peak.


    Even before breaking through to the Meridian Opening realm and opening the sixteen meridians in his body, Sun Li would not have been a match for Gu Chen.


    "Die, old man!"


    With an angry shout, Sun Li''s aura swelled mightily as he aimed a direct palm strike at Gu Chen.


    Just then, Gu Chen, who stood in ce, suddenly furrowed his brow, and his figure shed; he vanished on the spot, causing Sun Li to miss his strikepletely.


    "Think you can run?!"


    Suddenly, a cold shout echoed from inside the county office. Not far away, Sun Changzhi, who had been lying there unconscious, suddenly had bouts of sinister, dark energy erupting from his body. Gu Chen''s figure shed before arriving up close, his scorching inner breath circting within him, and he pped a palm directly towards the ck energy coalescing midair.


    "Aaah¡ª¡ª"


    From the air, a faintly discernible wail of agony could be heard as the ck energy spontaneouslybusted, quickly burning awaypletely and dispersing into the air.


    "Is this¡­ a demon?!"


    Witnessing the ck energy emerging from Sun Changzhi''s body, the crowd''s expressions changed as they recognized its origin. They quickly retreated, keeping their distance from Sun Li with visible caution on their faces.


    Sun Li himself was stunned, not understanding how his son could be involved with a demon, standing there dumbfounded.


    Gu Chen put away the soul crystal, not even ncing at Sun Changzhi on the ground. He turned and calmly faced the crowd, saying, "Now, do you believe my words?"


    "This¡­"


    The family heads exchanged looks, having not anticipated that Sun Changzhi would be possessed by a demon and despite having been around him for so long, they had never noticed.


    If it wasn''t for Gu Chen exposing it today, merely thinking of the possible oues was terrifying; they might well die without knowing how.


    "Lord Gu, we were disrespectful earlier, please forgive us," the Zhao family heads and others bowed and offered a salute to Gu Chen. Now, they harbored no more doubts towards him.


    A living example was right before them, what else was there to say?


    Moreover, having seen Gu Chen''s firm and upromising approach before, they now fully trusted him after the matter had been rified, and dared not raise any objections.


    "Lord Gu, Patriarch Sun¡­ oh no, Sun Li, could he also be?" The crowd turned to Sun Li, their faces not hiding their wariness.


    Now, at just a word from Gu Chen, they would definitely act against Sun Li, apprehending him at the first moment, without any sentiment.


    "I¡­"


    Sun Li looked anxious; he wanted to exin but didn''t know how to start, after all, his own son had been tainted, and it was only natural for him to be suspected.


    Gu Chen nced at Sun Li, shook his head, and said, "Family heads, rest assured, Patriarch Sun is normal."


    Upon hearing this, everyone breathed a sigh of relief and no longer guarded against Sun Li as before, but they still kept their distance.


    Seeing this, Sun Li opened his mouth, and after a long moment, he sighed and bowed deeply to Gu Chen, saying, "Thank you, Lord Gu, for your discernment."


    Gu Chen did not speak; he merely stated the facts. If Sun Li had beenplicit, he would have taken both father and son into custody just now.


    Afterwards, Gu Chen walked past Sun Li and returned to the head of the room to sit down.


    "Wu Qian, handle this," Gu Chen instructed Wu Qian.


    "Yes, sir."


    Wu Qian saluted and was about to drag away the body of Sun Changzhi.


    "Wait!"


    Seeing everyone looking at him, Sun Li hastily said, "Lord Gu, Changzhi... Changzhi is after all my son. May I take his body back with me?"


    At this moment, Sun Li''splexion was ashen. In just a short amount of time, his vitality seemed to have faded significantly. The look in his eyes as he gazed at Gu Chen was tinged with a plea, no longer possessing the earlier arrogance.


    "Granted," Gu Chen nodded.


    Seeing Gu Chen''s approval, Sun Li bowed again to Gu Chen.


    "Fellow family heads, since there are no objections to my earlier words, then tomorrow we shall begin the city-wide search. The county office is currently short-handed, so I hope for everyone''s full cooperation tomorrow," Gu Chen said slowly as he surveyed the room.


    "Rest assured, Lord Gu, we will offer our full support tomorrow," they promised.


    The family heads all nodded in agreement. Now that it was confirmed that monsters were still lurking in Ning City, they were obviously even more anxious than Gu Chen to find these creatures.


    After all, no one knew if Ning City harbored another case like that of Sun Changzhi.


    No one could guarantee whether their closest rtives had been possessed by monsters. If there were truly others like Sun Changzhi, it would be horrifying, as one could lose their life unexpectedly at any moment.


    "In that case, the family heads may go back and rest for now. First thing tomorrow morning, we shall start the city-wide search."


    "Yes."


    The crowd nodded, preparing to disperse, but at that moment, Gu Chen suddenly spoke up, "Mr. Zhou, please stay behind for a moment."


    Zhou Rang, who was about to stand up, sat back down. Regardless of the earlier chaos, he had remained calm andposed, demonstrating a mental resilience far superior to the others.


    Once everyone had left, Gu Chen approached Zhou Rang and said respectfully, "There is a matter for which I hope Mr. Zhou can offer assistance."


    Zhou Rang smiled slightly, "Lord Gu speaks too gravely. You are concerned for the safety of Ning City, and as a member of thismunity, I will naturally do everything in my power to meet your requirements."


    Gu Chen nodded and without dy said, "I would like to ask Mr. Zhou to temporarily assume the position of Ning City''s magistrate. With Fang Yong''s death, Ning City is like a dragon without a head. With the searchmencing tomorrow, I fear that the citizens may be panicked, and the situation could spiral out of control.


    Since you are the most respectable person in Ning City, I believe you are the most suitable candidate to stabilize the people."


    Zhou Rang nodded, finding Gu Chen''s consideration to be very thorough despite his youth, "Since Lord Gu has ced such trust in me, I will not decline and shall ept this appointment."


    Gu Chen revealed a hint of a smile upon hearing this, "In that case, I am greatly appreciative, Mr. Zhou."


    Zhou Rang stroked his white beard andughed, "It''s nothing, it''s my duty. On the contrary, Lord Gu, it''s rare to see a young hero handle matters with such meticulous care. It''s been a long time since I''ve seen a young man as outstanding as Lord Gu."


    Gu Chen smiled and responded, "Mr. Zhou tters me."


    "Oh, that reminds me, I have a suggestion regarding the search tomorrow," Zhou Rang suddenly said.


    "Please speak, Mr. Zhou," Gu Chen gestured for Zhou Rang to continue without concern.


    Zhou Rang nodded slightly and exined, "Since monsters are possessing ordinary people, naturally everyone, including my Zhou family and the seven great families of Ning City, are suspects. I''m concerned that the tainted individuals, once they learn of this, may take desperate actions or attempt to flee overnight.


    Therefore, my suggestion is that we should immediately seal off the city and increase security to prevent this from happening."


    Gu Chen immediately agreed, "Mr. Zhou''s point is very valid; this is something I overlooked. Wu Qian!"


    Then, Gu Chen called over Wu Qian and ordered him to inform the city guard to lock down the city gates and prevent anyone from passing through.


    After that, Gu Chen and Zhou Rang discussed the details of the next day''s search throughout the night, and quickly, an entire night had passed.

 Chapter 26: Chapter 24 Investigation_1

    As expected, conflict arose at the city gatesst night. Some people sensed something amiss and attempted to flee under the cover of darkness, but fortunately, Gu Chen was well-prepared. He ordered Wu Qian to seal off the city throughout the night, and with his timely arrival, he subdued these individuals on the spot, turning them into points of merit, which contributed to his own standing.


    Having been up all night, Gu Chen was in the prime of his youth and strength, and as a cultivator of some aplishment, theck of sleep had no effect on him.


    But Zhou Rang was different. Already old and being just an ordinary person, staying up all night with Gu Chen had indeed taken a toll on the elderly gentleman.


    The next morning, Zhou Rang sat in the county government office drinking tea, leaning back in his chair, his aged face looking extremely haggard.


    "Youth is truly wonderful," Zhou Rang remarked, admiring the still lively and spirited Gu Chen after a half night''s rush and an all-nighter.


    In response, Gu Chen offered a slight smile and said, "This night has truly been trying for Elder Zhou."


    He then extended his palm and ced it on Zhou Rang''s wrist, channeling his robust inner energy through the meridians, transferring it into Zhou Rang''s body.


    With the nourishment of Gu Chen''s inner energy, Zhou Rang instantly felt reinvigorated. The deficit in his body was replenished, warmth spread through him, dispelling the weariness on his face.


    The elderly gentleman pinched the teacup, squinting his eyes as he leaned back, looking rather content.


    "I''m indebted to Lord Gu," Zhou Rang said with a smile, sping his hands towards Gu Chen as he withdrew his palm.


    "Not at all, Elder Zhou is being too polite," Gu Chen said with a smile on his face. He nced at the sky and added, "It''s about time. The heads of the families should be ready by now."


    "Wu Qian."


    Gu Chen called Wu Qian over and ordered him to set out immediately with his men.


    After that, Gu Chen and Zhou Rang also left the county government. They had discussed the previous night that Ning City had a poption of 150,000. Searching every household was too time-consuming, and it was uncertain how long a thorough search would take. Temporarily sealing the city was feasible, but if prolonged, it would inevitably cause public anxiety.


    Therefore, after discussions, Gu Chen and Zhou Rang decided to divide Ning City into four areas, searching one area per day. If all went as nned, they would need only four days topletely eliminate all the demons lurking in Ning City.


    Of course, Gu Chen dared to do this, to gather everyone together because of his absolute confidence in his own power. Should any demon appear, he would suppress it immediately, preventing any harm to other citizens.


    After all, if the demons in Ning City truly had formidable strength, they would not choose to hide; they would have already devoured everyone in the city.


    And the first to be searched today were naturally the prominent families of Ning City because the three demons foundst night all came from these families.


    The first family Gu Chen visited was the Sun family. Sun Li had been waiting with his n for a long time, and he no longer possessed the arrogance he had the night before. He stood there respectfully, awaiting Gu Chen''s arrival.


    Upon arrival at the Sun family''s residence, Gu Chen didn''t waste words. The Sun family had roughly the same number of members as the Fang family. After spending some time confirming that there were no demons besides Sun Changzhi in the Sun family, Gu Chen left.


    Ning City had seven noble families in total. The Fang family had already been searched by Gu Chen, and with the Sun family just inspected, that left five more, including the Zhou family.


    Next, Gu Chen visited each of the remaining households in turn. Afterst night''s incident, it seemed that all the demons in each family had been eradicated, with no new discoveries made.


    After searching these families, Gu Chen arrived at a temporary venue set up by Wu Qian and the county government staff. The citizens of Ning City had already gathered in groups, waiting there early on.


    The abrupt sealing of the city, coupled with today''s events, had left the citizens feeling bewildered and fearful. However, fortunately, Zhou Rang was by Gu Chen''s side, and with him addressing the crowd, the people were somewhat pacified.


    The Zhou family had been respected in Ning City for many years, and Zhou Rang had once been the governor of Qingyang County, known for his integrity and fairness. He also had a ster reputation in Ning City, oftenmanding people to set up tents and distribute porridge to benefit the poor of the city.


    With this elderly gentleman present, the people of Ning City were naturally very cooperative.


    By the time the search ended, the sun had already set, marking the end of the day''s investigation. No demon spirits had appeared in this area.


    As time passed, another three days went by. Gu Chen had thoroughly searched Ning City, and during this period, he discovered three demon spirits hiding among the crowd, all of which he subdued with a single palm strike, minimising themotion.


    After four consecutive days of exhausting his mind and senses to detect demon spirits, Gu Chen also felt drained, a trace of fatigue showing on his face.


    Since Gu Chen''s arrival in Ning City, in just a few short days, he had already in nine demon spirits, including one as powerful as a martial artist in the channel-opening realm. Fortunately, it was Gu Chen who came to Ning City this time; any other city guard would have been unable to deal with the situation and might have even been ensnared themselves.


    Of course, although the process was somewhat arduous, the rewards were also extremely rich. These few days of searching had brought Gu Chen more than sixty merit points.


    Apart from initially inheriting the legacy of his predecessor upon arriving in this world, Gu Chen had never been so wealthy.


    So many merit points were enough to bring Gu Chen a significant improvement, allowing him to open up more meridians and umte a more profound foundation in the channel-opening realm.


    Even the usuallyposed Gu Chen felt a surge of excitement and exceptional joy at this moment.


    However, beyond the joy, Gu Chen also felt a sense of urgency.


    If a single county in Ning City was already in such a state, it was hard to imagine how many demon spirits lurked in other ces across Qingyang County, or even in Qiongtian Mansion, throughout Da Xia, and the rest of the nine states.


    And how many innocent people would these numerous demon spirits cause to die tragically?


    "It seems that the scourge of demon spirits has be increasingly serious and is likely already eating away at Da Xia, even the entire nine states," Gu Chen pondered.


    The threat of demon spirits was not only to Da Xia but to the entire nine states. By their very existence, demon spirits inherently stood in opposition to all of the Human n, or rather, all living beings, as no creature could escape their predation.


    No one knew the origins or source of the demon spirits, nor how they came to appear in the nine states.


    At least, Gu Chen couldn''t find any trace of them in the memories of his predecessor, and the Jing Tian Department had no rted records, either.


    The only thing Gu Chen knew was that the demon spirits first appeared over three hundred years ago, which was when the nine states first became aware of their existence.


    Now, after more than three hundred years, the Human n of the nine states still had not figured out the source of the demon spirits. They seemed to appear out of nowhere, leaving no trace or method to be found.


    As a member of the Jing Tian Department, whose duty it was to eliminate demon spirits, battling against them was an inevitable part of Gu Chen''s life.


    Even if he were to leave the Jing Tian Department, the mystery and unpredictability of the demon spirits meant that no ce was absolutely safe. Furthermore, the number of demon spirits had been increasing over the years, so leaving the Department did not equate to safety.


    On the contrary, as long as he was with the Jing Tian Department, Gu Chen could continuously enhance his own strength by unceasingly ying demon spirits, thus ensuring his ability to protect himself in such a dangerous world, and perhaps even safeguard his family.


    Moreover, as the Jing Tian Department was one of Da Xia''s most important organizations, Gu Chen could exchange the merits earned from ying demon spirits for various techniques and treasures to further strengthen himself.


    After searching for four consecutive days, Gu Chen was mentally and physically exhausted. At dusk and back in his room, he chose not even to practice his inner energy as usual but to fall into a deep sleep instead.


    With this, the matters of Ning City were considered toe to a close. However, what Gu Chen did not know was that at this moment, the Gu Family was facing a crisis.

 Chapter 27: Chapter 25 Gu Mansion Crisis_1

    Tiandu, Gu Mansion.


    Dusk had fallen, just in time for dinner, as Xu Qinge and Gu Qingyan sat at the dining table, which wasden with an array of fragrant dishes, waiting for Gu Chengfeng.


    Xu Qinge raised her head to nce at the sky, her slender eyebrows slightly furrowing as she said, "Howe the Master hasn''t returned at this hour?"


    Seated by the side, Gu Qingyan''s face was fair with shapely brows and a high nose bridge. She spoke softly, "Perhaps something has dyed him."


    A touch of worry crossed Xu Qinge''s face as she said, "I don''t know why, but since the Master left this morning, I''ve felt restless all day, as if something is going to happen. And with the eldest son out at the maternal grandfather''s, I''m truly concerned."


    "Don''t worry, Mother. The eldest brother will be fine since good people will be protected by Heaven, and nothing will happen. Father is in Tiandu, so it''s even less likely for any mishap to ur. He might have had some urgent affair or perhaps went to have drinks with colleagues," Gu Qingyan reassured her.


    "I hope so," sighed Xu Qinge softly, but she still looked uneasy.


    "Let''s reheat the dishes when Father returns," suggested Gu Qingyan.


    Xu Qinge nodded without another word.


    Gu Qingyan nced at her mother''s expression, feeling a bit of doubt herself. Gu Chengfeng had promised toe home for dinner in the evening, so it made no sense for him to not be home yet. The possibility of a spur-of-the-moment drink with colleagues was quite rare¡ªit was merely aforting spection she had offered Xu Qinge.


    "Xiao Yu, please take the dishes to the kitchen and reheat them," said Xu Qinge.


    "Yes, Madam," responded the maid standing to the side, ready to take the dishes to the kitchen.


    However, at this moment, a mor suddenly erupted from outside; then, they saw the doors of Gu Mansion pushed open as a dozen or more people barged in.


    "What are you doing? You can''t go in..." Uncle Zhang, the gatekeeper, tried to stop them, but being advanced in years, was easily pushed to the ground by one of them.


    "What''s happening?" Hearing the noise, Xu Qinge and Gu Qingyan hurried out from the inner room.


    "Madam, they... they say they need to search our Gu Mansion," stammered Uncle Zhang, flustered as these people insisted on conducting a search without exnation, leaving him unable to stop them.


    Xu Qinge frowned. She stepped forward to help Uncle Zhang up and saw that the intruders invading Gu Mansion were all wearing official uniforms, swords at their waists, and had a mirror embroidered on their chests.


    Seeing these uniforms, Xu Qinge instantly felt a sinking feeling in her heart.


    Having lived in Tiandu for so long, while Gu Chengfeng held office, Xu Qinge had grown familiar with some of Da Xia''s key institutions. The men in the official uniforms with the mirror embroidery were from Da Xia''s "Mingjing Department."


    The Mingjing Department was as renowned as the Jing Tian Department, representing two vitally important institutions in Da Xia. If the Jing Tian Department''s duty was to monitor the world beyond, Mingjing Department''s was to keep watch internally.


    The Jing Tian Department was responsible for overseeing thend, while the duty of the Mingjing Department was to supervise civil officials. In essence, the Mingjing Department was a sharp de looming over the heads of Da Xia''s nobility and governmental officials.


    In Da Xia, from the highest-ranking princes and dignitaries to the nine-rank officials and minor bureaucrats, there was not a single one who did not dread or fear the Mingjing Department.


    Mingjing Department, symbolizing a high-hanging mirror, embroidered a mirror at the center of their official attire, signifying the hope that every one of Da Xia''s officials fullyprehend their duties, keeping a clear mirror in their hearts to distinguish between right and wrong.


    Whenever an official engaged in corruption and injustice, the Mingjing Department would intervene. Since the establishment of the Mingjing Department, countless high officials had been apprehended and delivered to the Department''s prison, meeting with exceedingly dire fates, sometimes even implicating their families.


    Once the Mingjing Department caught an official on charges and ced them in their prison, no one could save them.


    There was even a time when a prince of Da Xia, having vited thew, was captured by Mingjing Department and died in their prison.


    It could be said that the mere three words "Mingjing Department" were enough to terrify many officials in Da Xia.


    Seeing the people from the Mingjing Department storm into the Gu Mansion, Xu Qinge knew for certain that something had befallen Gu Chengfeng.


    "May I ask what brings you all here?" Xu Qinge feigned calm as she asked.


    Gu Qingyan, with her slender figure, stood beside Xu Qinge, and seeing her mother''s serious expression, she too became anxious.


    Twelve people from the Mingjing Department hade, led by a middle-aged man with a grim face¡ªthe father of Liu Zheng, Liu Ningyuan.


    Liu Ningyuan looked Xu Qinge up and down a few times; a mysterious light flickered in his eyes. Despite her age, Xu Qinge still had charm and a shapely figure. Frowned upon by such scrutiny, Xu Qinge''s brow wrinkled in displeasure.


    After sizing up Xu Qinge, Liu Ningyuan''s gaze turned toward Gu Qingyan and a cold smirk appeared on his face. He said, "Gu Chengfeng is indeed blessed to have such a wife and daughter, hmm."


    Then, his expression turned cold, he waved his hand and shouted, "Search!"


    "Yes!"


    His subordinates from the Mingjing Department rushed into the Gu Mansion and began their violent search. Sounds of crashing resonated intermittently as the group ransacked the ce; it wasn''t long before countless pieces of furniture and porcin were destroyed.


    "What are you doing?" Witnessing this, Gu Qingyan''s eyebrows knit tightly, and she red at Liu Ningyuan with widened eyes.


    "Qinyan." Seeing this, Xu Qinge''splexion tightened, and she hurriedly pulled Gu Qingyan''s hand, drawing her back to her side.


    "Hmph."


    Liu Ningyuan let out a cold snort, his eyes fierce as he dered, "Gu Chengfeng is audacious, corrupt andw-breaking, daring to buy and sell official positions. He has been caught red-handed by this official. We are searching the Gu Family today to see just how much he has embezzled over the years by betraying his conscience!"


    Boom!


    Liu Ningyuan''s words struck Xu Qinge''s heart like a bolt of lightning from a clear sky. Buying and selling official positions was always a capital offense through the ages!


    Xu Qinge''s vision darkened, her heart felt as if it stopped, and her legs nearly gave way beneath her, almost fainting.


    "Mother!"


    Gu Qingyan immediately tightened with worry and quickly supported Xu Qinge, whose body almost copsed.


    Afterward, she turned her head and stared angrily at Liu Ningyuan, saying, "That''s impossible, my father would never do such a thing!"


    In Tiandu, the capital of Da Xia, Gu Chengfeng had served for many years, and although only a seventh-rank official, he did have plenty of gray ie, which were all minor benefits that didn''t reach the level of viting thews of Da Xia.


    Moreover, having been an official for many years, Gu Chengfeng was clear about what could be done and what couldn''t, what could be epted and what couldn''t.


    Besides, Gu Chengfeng was never one to only seek profits, so Gu Qingyan simply didn''t believe what Liu Ningyuan had just said.


    With a cold smile, Liu Ningyuan said, "Still trying to defend yourselves? Gu Chengfeng was caught with evidence of his crimes. It''s not for you to say what he did or did not do!"


    Saying that, he disregarded Gu Qingyan''s gaze, walked past Xu Qinge, and as he brushed past her, he nced at Xu Qinge''s prominent chest and whispered in her ear, "Your nephew has injured my son gravely, nearly crippling his martial arts. Today, I''ve arrested your husband as payback. When that Gu Chen returns, I''ll make sure he suffers the same fate, just like your dead husband!"


    "If you want to save them, then exchange their freedom for yourself or your daughter."


    After he spoke those words, Liu Ningyuan chuckled coldly several times and walked away.


    Upon hearing this, Xu Qinge''s vision went ck, and she fainted on the spot.


    "Mother, what''s wrong with you, mother¡­" Gu Qingyan cried in rm, calling out repeatedly.


    Liu Ningyuan, with his back to the two, listened to Gu Qingyan''s cries, a hint of satisfaction shing in his eyes, his smile extremely intense.

 Chapter 28: Chapter 26 Return_1

    Ning City.


    The next day, early in the morning, Gu Chen opened his eyes, washed up, and began his morning training for the new day.


    Nearing noon, Zhou Rang suddenly visited, which surprised Gu Chen somewhat.


    "Please have a seat, Elder Zhou. May I ask what brings you here this time?" Gu Chen sped his hands together in greeting.


    After a night''s rest, Zhou Rang looked much better. He chuckled as he stroked his white beard and said, "This visit is primarily to express my gratitude to Lord Gu. If not for you, Lord Gu, Ning City might have faced the threat of copse, and the lives of all 150,000 citizens might have perished."


    "Elder Zhou, you''re too kind. It was all just part of my duties. If Ning City had really fallen, the Jing Tian Department would certainly not have let me off," Gu Chen replied.


    Indeed, that was the case. If Ning City had truly fallen, the Jing Tian Department would have undoubtedly held Gu Chen responsible.


    "Even so, Lord Gu, you still saved the lives of 150,000 citizens of Ning City. On behalf of all the citizens, I extend my deepest thanks to you, Lord Gu."


    As he spoke, Zhou Rang stood up, bent over, and bowed deeply to Gu Chen.


    "Please, Elder Zhou, rise quickly," Gu Chen hurriedly helped Zhou Rang to stand.


    Once on his feet, Zhou Rang smiled and said, "There is another matter I must discuss with Lord Gu. My tenure as the temporary Prefect of Ning City should being to an end. Tiandu has already learned of Ning City''s situation, and the new Prefect is on his way. It won''t be long before he arrives in Ning City."


    Gu Chen nodded; he was naturally aware of this. He said, "Having someone like Elder Zhou in Ning City is a blessing for us all. Without your support, things might not have gone so smoothly."


    Gu Chen meant every word. Without Zhou Rang''s help, those citizens might not have trusted him, and the search throughout the city would not have been so easy.


    Zhou Rang''s aged face showed a rich smile as he said, "The truth is, the third matter I''m here for today is the most important one. Of course, it''s also a personal affair of mine."


    "Please speak freely, Elder Zhou," Gu Chen gestured to Zhou Rang.


    "Alright," Zhou Rang nodded and said, "Here''s the situation: my eldest son holds a position in Tiandu. I''m getting on in years, and the journey there is difficult for me to endure; it has been a long time since Ist saw him. I have a letter here that I''d like to trouble you, Lord Gu, to deliver when you return to Tiandu. Would you be willing to do this favor for me?"


    Upon hearing this, Gu Chen smiled faintly and replied, "Of course, it''s a small matter. You needn''t mention any trouble, Elder Zhou¡ªit''s easily done."


    "Good, Lord Gu is refreshing straightforward. I thank you in advance," Zhou Rang said.


    He then took a letter from his bosom and handed it to Gu Chen.


    Gu Chen took it and nced at the address on the envelope, his eyebrows immediately raising.


    "This is... If I am not mistaken, your son resides in the inner city?" Gu Chen looked up and asked Zhou Rang.


    "Correct," Zhou Rang stroked his beard with a smile and nodded, "He is a First-Rank Mirror Holder in the Mingjing Department of Da Xia."


    "What?!"


    Hearing this, Gu Chen was taken aback, not expecting Zhou Rang''s son to have such a status.


    The Mingjing Department was on equal footing with the Jing Tian Department to which Gu Chen belonged, but the internal ranks of the Mingjing Department were not as detailed as those of the Jing Tian Department.


    Within the Mingjing Department, apart from the four great Surveince Envoys, there were the Mirror Holders, divided into First-Rank, Second-Rank, and Third-Rank Mirror Holders.


    Among these, the First-Rank was the highest, and the Third-Rank, the lowest.


    Although the divisions were straightforward, even a Third-Rank Mirror Holder had a status equivalent to that of a Circuit Inspector in the Jing Tian Department.


    A Second-Rank Mirror Holder was equivalent to a Metropolitan Procurator within the Jing Tian Department, while a First-Rank Mirror Holder''s status was as esteemed as that of a Commandant within the Jing Tian Department.


    One must know that within the Jing Tian Department, even the lowest-rankingmander has a status equivalent to, or even half a step higher than, a third-rank official of Da Xia. From this, one can see the lofty status and immense power held by a first-grade Mirror Holder.


    Essentially, the whole operation of the Mingjing Department was handled by these first-grade Mirror Holders. Unless it was a matter of great importance, it wouldn''t stir the Department''s four great Supervising Censors.


    Now, with Zhou Rang sending Gu Chen to deliver a letter to a first-grade Mirror Holder¡ªwho was also his son¡ªit was clear that Zhou Rang wasying the groundwork for Gu Chen.


    No wonder people had often said that the Prefect of Qingyang County, Zhou Rang, was excellent at mentoring juniors. Many officials in Qingyang County were either his disciples or had received his favor.


    Based on what Gu Chen had learned thus far, this elder indeed served the country and its people without any personal agenda.


    Gu Chen looked at Zhou Rang with deep respect, and with a formal bow, he said, "Thank you very much, Elder Zhou."


    Zhou Rang, gently stroking his beard, replied with a kind and approachable smile, "Where does thise from, Lord Gu is too courteous."


    After that, he stood up and said, "I believe we''ve covered everything. I won''t disturb you from resting any longer. Oh, when do you n to start back to Tiandu, Lord Gu?"


    Gu Chen replied, "Today."


    Upon hearing this, Zhou Rang nodded and said, "In that case, I wish Lord Gu a smooth journey and hope we have the opportunity to meet again."


    "Certainly," Gu Chen nodded solemnly, personally escorting Zhou Rang downstairs and watched as the old man boarded his carriage and gradually disappeared into the distance.


    After that, Gu Chen packed up and set off immediately, arriving in Tiandu the following afternoon.


    The city of Tiandu was as bustling as ever, with never-ending streams of people on the streets, flowing like water and horses like dragons, and the hawkers'' cries were incessant, creating a rich atmosphere of life and culture.


    Tiandu, the capital of Da Xia, spanned an immense area. From the city gate, one could not see the end at a nce, as if it were a boundless mountain range standing upon the earth, grand and vast.


    This city had witnessed the rise and fall of countless dynasties. Its walls were thick and dark gray in color. In some ces, one could still see scars from swords and holes from arrows, all marks of the passage of time, giving one a sense of historical depth.


    Tiandu is divided into four parts, organized from the periphery to the center as the Outer City, Inner City, Imperial City, and Pce City.


    Each of these parts could stand alone as an immensely vast city. Combined, these four cities form the vast expanse of Tiandu.


    The Outer City is where themon folk or lower-rank officials reside. The Inner City is the domain of dignitaries and the powerful elite of the current regime. Commoners need a permit to enter the Inner City and even then, their stay is limited, as they cannot linger indefinitely.


    Compared to the Outer City, the Inner City''s defenses were much stricter, and it also had a curfew, aimed at ensuring the personal safety of the distinguished residents.


    As for the Imperial City and Pce City, those were rted to the royal family and nobility and were beyond the reach of someone at Gu Chen''s level.


    Upon his return to Tiandu, Gu Chen first went home to change his clothes. Having traveled for a day and night, it was inevitable that he would be coated in dust. Afterward, he hired a carriage and set off for the Inner City.


    The distance between the Outer and Inner City was vast, taking around one to two hours to traverse by foot for someone with Gu Chen''s capabilities.


    Soon, the carriage reached the juncture between the Inner and Outer City. Gu Chen disembarked, presented his token, and the guards allowed him through.


    It is worth mentioning that, as a Patrol Commander of the Jing Tian Department, entering the Inner City did not require an additional identity token or proof. The token of the Jing Tian Department was the best pass.


    Of course, if he needed to spend the night in the Inner City, he would have to choose the Jing Tian Department and could not stay anywhere else.


    After paying for the carriage, Gu Chen entered the Inner City and immediately felt a difference. In contrast to the Outer City, the buildings here were more sophisticated, in various styles, and the streets wider and crisscrossed, with lush trees and verdant greenery everywhere. Each person walking the streets was well-dressed, clearly of considerable means.


    The prosperity of the Inner City was beyondparison to the Outer City. The streets were paved with bluestone, and there was an abundance of food, clothing, and more. Even for someone like Gu Chen, who came from an era of information explosion, the bustling Inner City was overwhelming, much like Grandma Liu entering the Grand View Garden, curious about everything around her.


    Yet Gu Chen did not forget the main purpose of his visit to the Inner City. Following the address in the letter, it took some time, but he eventually reached his destination.

 Chapter 29: Chapter 27 Zhou Qing_1

    ```


    Gu Chen stood at the entrance, looking at the gilded que on the gate not far away, inscribed with tworge, dragon-and-phoenix-dancing characters: Zhou Mansion.


    This was one of the busiest streets within the inner city of Tiandu, and those who lived here were mostly people with real power in Da Xia.


    He took out the letter given to him by Zhou Rang,pared it for confirmation, and after ensuring there were no mistakes, he approached the gate, where the guards immediately stopped him.


    There were two guards at the entrance. Gu Chen observed their aura and, if he wasn''t mistaken, both guards should possess a cultivation not less than the Gang Qi Stage.


    Although the Gang Qi Stage is only the fourth stage of martial arts, the martial path is incredibly arduous. Just to establish a foundation requires over a decade of time; most warriors in the Jianghu remained within the first three stages of martial arts.


    Even Gu Chen, without panel support, would have needed several years of hard cultivation to possibly reach the Gang Qi Stage.


    A martial artist in the Gang Qi Stage could at least hold a position of a seventh rank official in Da Xia, and those with stronger talents and abilities could suffice to hold the position of Metropolitan Procurator in the Jing Tian Department.


    Yet at this moment, these two warriors of the Gang Qi Stage could only stand guard. This meant that,pared to Gu Chen''s level,ing to the Zhou Mansion, he was at the same level as Uncle Zhang, the gatekeeper of the Gu Mansion.


    This difference showed the staggering disparity in status between the two.


    If not for the letter from Zhou Rang, Gu Chen would have had no chance to stand here.


    Soon after, Gu Chen took out the letter and handed it to the guard, saying, "Please announce that there is a letter from Lord Zhou."


    "Please wait."


    After ncing at the letter, the guard took it and pushed open the big gate to go in; the other guard stayed to watch over Gu Chen.


    It didn''t take long for the guard to return and say to Gu Chen, "Please follow me."


    "Alright."


    Gu Chen nodded and followed the guard into the Zhou Mansion.


    Once inside, the estate seemed even more spacious than it had looked from the outside, with an expansive view. The courtyard was filled with pavilions, towers, rockeries, and waterside pavilions, lush greenery, and thick vegetation, much like the scenery of a royal garden.


    The Gu Mansion, although also a residence with three entries, paled inparison to this ce¡ªit was likeparing a cesspool to a vi.


    In the inner city, every inch ofnd is worth its weight in gold, and property prices are much more expensive than in the outer city. This street is one of the busiest in the inner city. To own such arge estate here, merely having money is useless; what is most important is power.


    "This is truly bustling," Gu Chen couldn''t help but inwardly sigh at the sight before him, knowing that with his current sry, even if he added Gu Chengfeng''s, it would take ten lifetimes to afford such a residence.


    The estate was vast, and under the guidance of the guard, they zigzagged through several corridors to arrive at the main hall of the mansion.


    Sitting in the main seat within the hall was a stern-faced, tall, ck-haired man with thick eyebrows and big eyes, who was looking down at the letter Gu Chen had brought.


    The guard silently withdrew after bringing Gu Chen here.


    Gu Chen stood inside the hall, discreetly observing the middle-aged man sitting on the main seat. He was dressed in an official robe, embroidered with a mirror on the chest, edged with pale golden patterns¡ªthis was the uniform of a first-tier examiner of the Mingjing Department.


    A second-tier examiner would have a silver-edged mirror, and a third-tier examiner a bronze-edged one.


    The middle-aged man before him was Zhou Rang''s eldest son, named Zhou Qing.


    Zhou Qing had inherited some of Zhou Rang''s character. He was known for his integrity and uprightness, forthright in his dealings, and possessed a strong disposition. He loathed corruption, and officials who flouted thew would meet a grim fate if they ever fell into his hands.


    In Zhou Qing''s eyes, royal nobles or powerful ministers alike, anyone who vited Da Xia''sws would be treated the same, and he would not hesitate to throw them directly into the dungeons of the Mingjing Department.


    ```


    Having held high positions for a long time, Zhou Qing naturally developed an air of superiority. Moreover, being a martial artist of the seventh realm, the Gang Qi Stage, he had considerable mastery. Even though he intentionally concealed his aura, he still exerted a heavy pressure on others, like a mountain pressing down, making it difficult for them to breathe.


    Many officials, when interrogated by Zhou Qing, would confess simply because they couldn''t withstand this pressure, often without the need for him to use any special techniques.


    "Gu Chen?"


    Zhou Qing slightly lifted his head, his majestic eyes looking down at Gu Chen with a cold and hard demeanor, his facial features sharp and distinct, void of any hint of a smile.


    "Indeed, it is this officer."


    Gu Chen bowed with his fist in his palm, speaking respectfully. The difference in their status was too great; Zhou Qing was the equivalent of amander in the Jing Tian Department, someone Gu Chen ordinarily wouldn''t even have the chance to meet, let alone speak with.


    In Da Xia, Zhou Qing was definitely considered a top figure.


    Even if they were not in the same system, Zhou Qing could find a hundred ways to deal with Gu Chen in an instant.


    Zhou Qing silently observed Gu Chen below him, uttering not a word. He knew his father''s character well, and he understood why he had sent Gu Chen with the message ¡ª it was to give him an opportunity to take Gu Chen under his wing.


    But from Zhou Qing''s lofty position, Gu Chen was simply too insignificant. Da Xia was broad and rich, the number one power among the nine provinces, with Tiandu teeming with talented individuals. Countless young talents emerged every year. Yet, over the years, very few had made any significant achievements or caught his eye.


    He knew Zhou Rang intended for him to take Gu Chen under his wing, but to Zhou Qing, not everyone deserved such attention, and those who did had to be special ¡ª he was not one to foster just anyone.


    At the very least, what Gu Chen had done thus far was far from sufficient.


    It wasn''t that Zhou Qing looked down on Gu Chen; it was simply the reality.


    Without a word from Zhou Qing, Gu Chen naturally didn''t dare to speak either. He remained standing with his head lowered, his muscles tensed, skin beneath his clothes starting to prickle with goosebumps due to the growing pressure from Zhou Qing ¡ª as if a great mountain was approaching and pressing down on him.


    The gap in strength between the two was huge. In the path of martial arts, the further one advanced, the greater the disparity. For a master of the seventh realm like Zhou Qing, he didn''t even need to make a move to crush Gu Chen; his mere presence was overwhelming.


    Gu Chen also understood that Zhou Qing was intentionally testing him. Only by passing this test would he earn the right to converse with Zhou Qing.


    Time seemed to stretch indefinitely until, just as sweat was about to break out on Gu Chen''s forehead, Zhou Qing finally spoke.


    "I have read the contents of the letter, and I understand my father''s intentions. You saved Ning City, which is tantamount to saving my father''s life. I''m not one to remain indebted to others. State your needs openly if you have any. Of course, you must have heard of my personality. If youe bearing expectations of gratitude or hopes of ''Ascending to Heaven'' in one step, you can forget it.


    Go back where you came from."


    As Zhou Qing spoke, the pressure on Gu Chen dissipated in an instant, and he felt significantly more rxed. Gu Chen looked up at Zhou Qing, who sat at the head of the room, his eyes clear and neither servile nor overbearing, and said, "Lord Zhou, I have no such desires. It was just that Uncle Zhang entrusted me to deliver a letter to you.


    Now that my task is done, I shall take my leave if there''s nothing else."


    Gu Chen was not foolish; he could see that Zhou Qing had little regard for him. Of course, he also understood that he might have responded the same way if their positions were reversed ¡ª how could a dragon concern itself with an ant?


    Moreover, Gu Chen had never thought of using this opportunity to bond with Zhou Qing and ''Ascend to Heaven''. He believed in his potential, confident that one day he could reach, or even surpass, Zhou Qing''s level.


    What hecked now was only time.


    Of course, Gu Chen appreciated Zhou Rang''s kind offer, which was why he had epted the errand in the first ce.


    Hearing Gu Chen''s response, Zhou Qing remained as still as a sereneke, his face expressionless. "If that''s the case, then you may leave," he said.


    Whether Gu Chen had any requests or not meant little to Zhou Qing; Gu Chen''s answer did not change the way Zhou Qing viewed him.


    "Yes."


    Gu Chen nodded, then turned and left.

 Chapter 30: Chapter 28: Returning Home_1

    Tiandu, inner city, Mingjing Department prison.


    Unlike the Jing Tian Department, which has branches in various provinces of Da Xia and even the outer city, the Mingjing Department only has one location, situated within the inner city of Tiandu.


    The prison of the Mingjing Department is divided into severalyers, all underground, dark and damp. Staying for long easily leads to various diseases. Even without applying any torture, an ordinary person would not survive for long in this ce.


    At this moment, in an interrogation room of the first level of the Mingjing Department prison, Gu Chengfeng''s hair was disheveled, wearing prison clothes, with handcuffs and shackles, locked onto an execution rack. His face was deathly pale, and his body was covered in thick bloodstains; some parts had even be a blur of blood and flesh after being subjected to severe torture for a long time.


    On either side of him stood a prison guard, each looking at him with a cold face, their instruments of torture covered in fresh blood, dripping drop by drop to the floor.


    In front of Gu Chengfeng, Liu Ningyuan''s mouth curled into a cold smile as he sat there calmly, enjoying the sight of Gu Chengfeng''s misery.


    On the desk, a sheet of paper was ced¡ªit was the confession Liu Ningyuan had drafted earlier.


    "Gu Chengfeng, now you have two choicesid before you," said Liu Ningyuan offhandedly. "Either you obediently confess and sign your name, or after being tortured, I will help you confess and sign your name. The first option, well, you get to suffer less. The second option, you know the consequences."


    Gu Chengfeng had been severely tortured for a long time and had no strength left. If not for the torture device binding him, he would have fallen long ago.


    Hearing Liu Ningyuan''s words, Gu Chengfeng let out a coldugh. He had been an official for many years and knew all the ins and outs; after entering here, whether or not he confessed or signed his name had be irrelevant. The Mingjing Department had a hundred, even a thousand methods to make him sign.


    Liu Ningyuan''s words were nothing more than an attempt to torment him further and break down hisst line of defense.


    Liu Ningyuan wanted to see Gu Chengfeng beg for mercy, groveling for his life¡ªthe moment he did, Liu Ningyuan''s purpose would be achieved.


    Seeing Gu Chengfeng''s unyielding attitude, Liu Ningyuan snorted coldly and said, "I didn''t expect you, a mere leader of the Royal Sword Guard from the outer city of Tiandu, a minor official of the seventh rank, to have such backbone. Too bad, this is the prison of the Mingjing Department, and no one who enters leaves alive."


    Then, Liu Ningyuan shook his head slightly and let out a sigh, continuing theatrically, "Do you realize that someone like you is but a grain of sand in the desert, easily overlooked? Every year, the Mingjing Department prison executes countless people like you. Moreover, you''re guilty of buying and selling official posts, a serious crime.


    Even if you were a high-ranking noble, you couldn''t escape the fate of beheading. You''re just a seventh rank officer; it''d be best for you to simply confess and ept your fate. Of course, you could choose to beg for mercy. I''m quite reasonable. Who knows, I might be in a good mood and allow you to suffer a bit less."


    Gu Chengfeng remained silent, knowing what Liu Ningyuan''s words meant. He was telling him that if Gu Chengfeng died there today, no one would ask any questions. Aside from a very few people, no one would know what was happening here because, after all, Gu Chengfeng was indeed insignificant and no one would seek justice for him.


    Actually, from the moment he entered the Mingjing Department prison, Gu Chengfeng had no thoughts of living to get out. All he hoped for now was that he could spare his wife, daughter, and nephew from any further harm.


    Liu Ningyuan sat there leisurely, looking down at Gu Chengfeng with an expressionless face and said, "What''s wrong? Still holding on? Refusing to confess, unwilling to beg for mercy?"


    Gu Chengfeng''s face was resolute as he said, "Why should I confess to something I didn''t do?"


    "Tsk, tsk."


    Liu Ningyuan shook his head. He waved for the two prison guards to withdraw. Once the two men left the interrogation room, he stood up, approached Gu Chengfeng, and whispered in his ear, "Of course, I know you''re innocent."


    Hearing these words, Gu Chengfeng''s eyes sharpened instantly as he turned his head quickly to look at Liu Ningyuan.


    Liu Ningyuan met Gu Chengfeng''s gaze and said nonchntly, "This all is a trap I set, but it''s not just aimed at you¡ªit''s aimed at the entire Gu Family."


    At this point, Liu Ningyuan''s face darkened, and he red at Gu Chengfeng ferociously, saying viciously, "Your nephew severely injured my only son, who''s still lying unconscious in bed up to this moment. My son''s martial arts path is nearly destroyed. Tell me, shouldn''t I seek revenge? I will not just take revenge on you but on the entire Gu Family, especially your nephew.


    I will make him wish he were dead. Don''t worry, it won''t be long before he joins you here."


    "You!"


    Upon hearing these words, Gu Chengfeng exploded with rage. He struggled violently, the handcuffs and shackles nking, while Liu Ningyuan stood to the side, watching him with cold eyes.


    "If anyone''s to me, me your damned nephew. If it weren''t for him, why would I, a second-ss holder of the mirror, go to such lengths to target you, a mere seventh-rankmander of the Royal Sword Guard?"


    "Pah!"


    Gu Chengfeng spat a mouthful of blood right onto Liu Ningyuan''s face and shouted angrily, "Looking at you, I can tell what kind of person your son is. Like father, like son. Dng did well. If it were me, I would have been even harsher and more merciless. Your son got what he deserved!"


    "You''re asking for it!"


    Liu Ningyuan''s face turned vicious as he swung his hand, delivering a p to Gu Chengfeng''s side. There was a crack as this p broke several of Gu Chengfeng''s ribs.


    Gu Chengfeng, with a resolute face, bit his teeth in fury, ring at Liu Ningyuan without making a sound.


    Liu Ningyuan wiped the blood from his face, his expression darkening as he said coldly, "Keep up the act. I hope that in the end, you can maintain this stubbornness. Rest assured, after you die, it won''t be long before your nephew joins you. And as for your wife and daughter, hmph, I''ll make sure to ''take good care'' of them."


    At the end, a cold smile emerged on Liu Ningyuan''s face.


    "You scum, I''ll fight you to the death!"


    Hearing Liu Ningyuan''s words, Gu Chengfeng''s eyes immediately turned bloodshot, teeth clenched, he strained with all his might to break free of his restraints to fight Liu Ningyuan to the death.


    Liu Ningyuan watched the scene with cold indifference and said, "I''ve already told your wife and daughter that as long as they are willing toply with my demands, your life can be spared. Tell me, do you think your wife and daughter would agree?"


    "Ah ¡ª I''m going to kill you!"


    Gu Chengfeng kept roaring, his brain congested with blood, and as he struggled incessantly, many of the wounds on his body that had stopped bleeding began to burst open again, with fresh blood spattering out.


    Liu Ningyuan, expressionless, paid no attention to Gu Chengfeng and turned away to leave.


    ...


    Outer City, Gu Mansion.


    By now it was nearing dusk, dinner time, but not a single person in the Gu Family felt like eating; the atmosphere inside the house was exceptionally oppressive.


    Xu Qinge sat there, having be significantly more haggard in just a day, herplexioncking color. Since waking up, she had been sitting there in silence, not having had a drop to eat.


    Gu Qingyan sat beside Xu Qinge. Seeing her mother in such a state, and thinking that her father might be suffering, she pressed her lips tightly together. After a long silence, she seemed to have made a decision and said softly, "Mother, what if¡­ I..."


    Xu Qinge knew exactly what her daughter was thinking and immediately interrupted Gu Qingyan with an extremely firm tone, "No, I won''t let you do that, I cannot sacrifice you no matter what. If it reallyes to that point, I still have¡­"


    As she spoke, Xu Qinge''s palms began to tremble slightly.


    "Mother¡­"


    Gu Qingyan bit her red lips tightly, and seeing her mother in such a state, she could no longer hold back her emotions. Tears, like pearls, started to roll down inrge drops from her eyes.


    In that moment, Xu Qinge found herself unable to maintain a fa?ade of strength any longer. Tears began to slide down her own cheeks as mother and daughter embraced each other, sobbing continuously.


    The maids and servants nearby, having served in the Gu Mansion for many years and been treated well by the Gu family, were also standing there, secretly wiping away tears, sharing the family''s grief.


    The entire Gu Mansion was engulfed in an atmosphere of sadness.


    It was hard to tell how much time had passed before the crying eventually subsided.


    "Don''t worry, Qinyan, everything will pass, everything will get better," Xu Qinge said softly, caressing Gu Qingyan''s long hair tofort her.


    "Mother, is it true? Everything will get better? Will Fathere back?" Gu Qingyan lifted her head from her mother''s embrace, looking teary-eyed at Xu Qinge.


    "Yes, it will get better," Xu Qinge said with tears in her eyes, continually nodding as if to reassure herself as well.


    "Right, and big brother, should we tell big brother? He might have a way to solve this, right, mother?" Gu Qingyan''s eyes suddenly brightened as she thought of Gu Chen, who was serving in the Jing Tian Department.


    Xu Qinge shook her head. Having been by Gu Chengfeng''s side for a long time, she knew some things. Not to mention that the Jing Tian Department and the Mingjing Department were two different agencies. Gu Chen was only a junior patrol officer of the Jing Tian Department, while that Liu Ningyuan, Xu Qinge had seen his uniform *and knew he was a second-ranked Mirror Holder from the Mingjing Department.


    She was very clear about the influence of a second-ranked Mirror Holder, and this matter was not something Gu Chen could resolve.


    Moreover, Xu Qinge thought, given Gu Chen''s stubborn nature, if he knew about this matter, he might lose control of his temper and forcibly seek revenge against Liu Ningyuan, which would be like an egg hitting a rock. Furthermore, this would y right into Liu Ningyuan''s hands.


    Now that Gu Chengfeng had already run into trouble, Xu Qinge did not want Gu Chen to be in trouble as well. If possible, she would rather Gu Chen never learn of this affair.


    Upon hearing this, Gu Qingyan''s eyes immediately dimmed again.


    "Qinyan, remember, you must not tell your brother about this matter. He must not know about it, understand?" Xu Qinge said with a heavy expression.


    "I understand," Gu Qingyan replied softly.


    Just then, the door of the Gu Mansion was pushed open. Xu Qinge and Gu Qingyan heard the noise, and, like startled rabbits, stared at the doorway with great anxiety, thinking Liu Ningyuan might have returned.


    But the next second, when they saw a familiar figure appear at the door, their hearts settled back down.


    Gu Chen entered the Gu Mansion, his keen senses immediately detecting that the atmosphere inside was amiss, especially seeing that the eyes of his aunt Xu Qinge and his sister Gu Qingyan were red. He frowned at once.


    "What''s happened since I''ve been out? Did something ur?"

 Chapter 31: Chapter 29: Wrath_1

    Gu Chen looked around and noticed that his second uncle, Gu Chengfeng, was not there; he then asked, "Where is Second Uncle? Why isn''t he at home?"


    When Xu Qinge saw that it was Gu Chen who had returned, she quickly pinched her daughter Gu Qingyan''s hand, signaling her to calm her emotions, and to make sure that nothing was revealed to Gu Chen.


    Afterward, Xu Qinge forced a smile onto her face and said, "Your Second Uncle had something to do today; he''s out drinking with his colleagues. He mentioned that he might be assigned a task and won''t be returning for a few days."


    Xu Qinge was determined not to let Gu Chen know about this matter; she decided to keep it from him for as long as possible, not wanting Gu Chen to get involved in this messy situation.


    "Eldest Young Master, why didn''t you notify us in advance of your return? I would have had the kitchen prepare some good dishes."


    As Xu Qinge spoke, she turned her head to a servant and said, "Xiao Yu, go tell the kitchen that the Eldest Young Master has returned, have them prepare some fine dishes."


    "Yes, Madam."


    The lowly kneeling maid responded and quickly wiped the tears from her eyes as she turned, scurrying off toward the kitchen.


    Gu Chen sensed something was amiss. After entering the room and sitting down, he saw his aunt and sister with red eyes; his eyebrows knitted together, he inquired, "Has something happened at home?"


    Xu Qingeughed awkwardly and said, "Everything is fine at home. What could have possibly happened? Just now, Qinyan and I were reminiscing about the past and got a bit sentimental; it''s nothing."


    Gu Chen turned his head, looked at his sister Gu Qingyan, and upon seeing him, she quickly nodded.


    Gu Chen remained silent. He surveyed the room and noticed that many pieces of furniture were damaged and that many things were missing.


    "Where is Second Uncle''s favorite porcin piece? Why is it missing?"


    Gu Chen pointed to a spot where there used to be a porcin piece that Gu Chengfeng had acquired at great expense, purportedly an antique from a previous dynasty. Its authenticity was uncertain, but Gu Chengfeng always cherished it, always keeping it there and wiping it several times a day.


    Xu Qinge was startled at first; then she hurriedly replied, "As you know, Xiao Yu can be quite clumsy sometimes. She identally broke that porcin piece."


    Upon hearing this, Gu Chen''s gaze turned toward the maid who had just returned from the kitchen.


    Xiao Yu''s face became tense at once, and after hemming and hawing, she ultimately could only nod, taking the me upon herself.


    Gu Chen turned his head again to look at Gu Qingyan, and said solemnly, "Qinyan, tell me, has something happened at home?"


    "Nothing has happened, Big Brother; everything is as usual at home. What could have happened?" Gu Qingyan''s fairplexion and bright eyes forced an unconvincing smile.


    Gu Chen wasn''t a fool. He could see that everyone was deliberately hiding something, and considering that his Second Uncle had not returned home, he immediately sensed something was wrong.


    "Did something happen to Second Uncle?"


    A sh of panic appeared in Xu Qinge''s eyes, as she said, "Eldest Young Master, don''t think nonsense. What could possibly happen to your Second Uncle..."


    Before Xu Qinge could finish speaking, Gu Chen interjected, "Auntie, we are a family; if something has happened, we muste clean. We will face it together; don''t hide it from me. If anything really happened to Second Uncle because of this, I will regret it for the rest of my life."


    Seeing Gu Chen''s serious expression and intense gaze, Xu Qinge opened her mouth but could no longer speak the words she had intended to conceal.


    "Qinyan, you tell me."


    Gu Chen''s gaze fell on Gu Qingyan; his eyebrows furrowed as he said, "Don''t hide anything; tell me everything that happened. No matter what it is, I will find a solution. If we dy any longer, it may truly be toote."


    Upon hearing these words, Gu Qingyan couldn''t hold back any longer. Her eyes reddened, and tears rolled down as she cried, "Big Brother, our father, he..."


    Then, Gu Qingyan recounted the entire affair to Gu Chen without leaving anything out.


    After hearing the full story from Gu Qingyan, Gu Chen flew into a rage; he stood up abruptly, a surge of anger welling up within him. His fists clenched tightly, his expression was cold and fierce, and a hint of murderous intent shed in his eyes.


    Seeing his reaction, Xu Qinge was startled and, worried that Gu Chen would act impulsively, said hastily, "Eldest Young Master, you must not act rashly, or else you''ll fall right into their trap."


    Gu Chen took a deep breath to calm his vtile emotions and sat back down, "Auntie, rest assured, I will not rush directly to the Mingjing Department to save him."


    Relieved by his words, Xu Qinge sighed heavily. She was really afraid Gu Chen, with his stubborn temper, would charge straight into the Mingjing Department without a second thought.


    In fact, if it were the original master, he probably would have done such a thing, for the original master ced Gu Chengfeng on the same pedestal as his father. Now that Gu Chengfeng was in trouble, the original master would unquestionably be blinded by rage and would barge into the Mingjing Department.


    But Gu Chen wouldn''t do that. Although his heart was filled to the brim with anger at the moment, he wouldn''t allow his emotions to control him. Instead, he calmly analyzed the situation to find a solution.


    "After all, this matter arose because of me. Rest assured, I will find a way to save Second Uncle and bring him back," said Gu Chen.


    "Eldest Young Master, it''s not your fault; you''re not to me," said Xu Qinge, speaking hurriedly.


    "Big Brother, do you really have a way to save Father?" Gu Qingyan looked at Gu Chen with tearful eyes.


    Gu Chen, with a grave expression, nodded and said, "Rest assured, I will definitely bring Second Uncle back."


    "There''s no time to lose; I''m leaving now. Auntie, Qinyan, be at ease and wait for my news at home," said Gu Chen as he got up to leave.


    "Eldest Young Master, be careful in everything," Xu Qinge said, her eyes filled with worry as she watched Gu Chen leave.


    "Rest assured, Auntie."


    After speaking those words, Gu Chen left the Gu Mansion. He looked up at the sky, found a carriage, and rushed toward the inner city as quickly as possible.


    The only person Gu Chen could think of who might save his Second Uncle Gu Chengfeng was Zhou Qing.


    Soon, Gu Chen entered the inner city and arrived once again at the gates of the Zhou residence.


    "Please announce my arrival. Tell them Gu Chen seeks an urgent audience," Gu Chen said to the two guards at the gate, giving them a bow.


    One guard hesitated and then said, "Lord Zhou is currently resting."


    Gu Chen spoke with urgency in his voice, "This matter is of utmost urgency, a matter of life and death. I implore you, brothers, to amodate and report to Lord Zhou at once."


    The two guards hesitated for a moment, exchanged looks, then nodded.


    This was mainly because Gu Chen had recently visited, and the guards remembered him. If somemoner had approached wanting to see Zhou Qing for no legitimate reason, these guards definitely would not have agreed to report it. But since Gu Chen had already met with Zhou Qing before, the guards agreed to let one of them go in and report.


    After a while, as Gu Chen was growing anxious, the guard who had gone to report finally returned.


    "Please."


    "Thank you!"


    Gu Chen expressed his gratitude with a bow and entered the Zhou residence. Led by the guard, he arrived at the hall where he had previously met with Zhou Qing and saw him once again.


    This time, before Zhou Qing could speak, Gu Chen took the initiative to bow and said in a serious tone, "I implore Lord Zhou to save my Second Uncle''s life."

 Chapter 32: Chapter 30: Lifting People_1

    ```


    Zhou Qing''s features were resolute, with his ck hair hanging loose, sitting there expressionless, he said, "Is this what you request?"


    Gu Chen replied, "My uncle has been wrongly used and is now imprisoned in the Mingjing Department dungeon. I implore Lord Zhou to lend a hand and save my uncle''s life."


    Zhou Qing remained unmoved, his tone indifferent, "On what grounds do you im your uncle has been wrongly used?"


    "My uncle has served in Tiandu for many years; though he has epted minor favors, he is still someone who can hold his own bottom line. He knows what should and should not be done. Engaging in corruption, like buying or selling official positions, are things my uncle absolutely cannot and would not dare to do," Gu Chen said solemnly.


    "By rights, I shouldn''t get involved in such matters. Each person has their own responsibility. If I were to act, it would disrupt the internal order of the Mingjing Department," Zhou Qing said while sitting there, his expression unchanged.


    Gu Chen remained silent, just standing quietly there.


    A momentter, Zhou Qing spoke again, "I''ve said before, I''m not someone who likes to owe favors. You''ve saved Ning City and my father''s life. This time I can help you, but if I find out there is truth to the matter, you should know the consequences."


    Immediately, Gu Chen bowed with his fists sped and said, "With Lord Zhou''s status, if he wishes to investigate, I''m sure it won''t take long to have a result."


    Zhou Qing didn''t reply. Gu Chen wasn''t mistaken. With his status, if he chose to investigate, it wouldn''t take long to uncover the truth. Tiandu rarely had anything that could be hidden from him.


    In fact, after Gu Chen left, Zhou Qing had indeed conducted an investigation into Gu Chen, learning in detail about him. The only thing that caught his eye was that Gu Chen had, in just two years'' time, broken through from the Yunqi Stage to the Tongmai Stage.


    Of course, this fact was just enough to make Zhou Qing take a second look. In Da Xia, talents abound, and Tiandu being the capital, was the ce with the most gifted individuals and sacrednd. Every year, countless geniuses emerged, many of whom could break through from the Yunqi Stage to the Tongmai Stage in just one year. To Zhou Qing, Gu Chen''s achievement was not particrly significant.


    To impress Zhou Qing and to earn his recognition of Gu Chen, he needed to, at least at this stage, breakthrough to the Tongmai Stage and open more than forty meridians. Only then would Zhou Qing take note and care a bit more.


    But aplishing this was incredibly difficult. Across the whole of Tiandu, not many among the younger generation could achieve this. For someone like Gu Chen, without any family background, Zhou Qing wasn''t very optimistic.


    At that moment, Zhou Qing said, "Tell me the details of this matter."


    "Yes."


    Gu Chen nodded, then recounted the entire story, leaving out no details or secrets.


    In the presence of Zhou Qing, there was no need for any cunning thoughts. Should there be any concealment, once unearthed by Zhou Qing, the consequences would be unbearable not just for Gu Chen but for the entire Gu Family.


    Of course, the very reason Gu Chen dared to seek Zhou Qing''s help was because he knew of Zhou Qing''s integrity and his hatred for evil; Liu Ningyuan''s conduct would undoubtedly be abhorrent to Zhou Qing.


    Furthermore, his uncle may have epted some minor favors, but those alone did not constitute criminal wrongdoing. At worst, he would be fined a portion of his sry, a far better oue than losing his life.


    After hearing Gu Chen''s ount, Zhou Qing frowned slightly, and after a long pause, he said, "Do you wish for me to retrieve him immediately?"


    Gu Chen replied gravely, "That would be best, Lord Zhou. You must be aware of the conditions in the Mingjing Department dungeon. If it''s dyed, I fear my uncle may no longer be alive."


    Zhou Qing didn''t deny it. He nodded and said, "Alright, then I''ll apany you on this errand."


    He chose not to spend time verifying the truth of the matter because he knew Gu Chen wouldn''t dare to deceive him.


    Upon hearing this, Gu Chen was immediately overjoyed and said, "Thank you, Lord Zhou."


    Zhou Qing''s face was expressionless, "It''s nothing. If such things are happening inside the Mingjing Department, I naturally have to intervene."


    "Prepare the carriage."


    At Zhou Qing''smand, servants outside promptly obeyed, and soon, the carriage was ready. Gu Chen got into the carriage with Zhou Qing, heading towards the Mingjing Department.


    ¡­


    At this moment, within the Mingjing Department''s dungeon, in the interrogation room, Gu Chengfeng, who was manacled and unconscious on the rack, was abruptly awakened with a ssh of cold water.


    Gu Chengfeng, clothed in prisoner''s garb, was spattered with bloodstains. His face was severely pale, and as a martial artist of the fourth realm, the Tongmai Stage, to be reduced to such a state, he must have undergone extreme torture.


    Liu Ningyuan was standing in front of Gu Chengfeng. Seeing him awake, he smiled faintly and said, "How do you feel? There are a total of one hundred and eight torture devices in the Mingjing Department, and you''ve experienced only twelve so far. You''re already in such a state; if this continues, I''m afraid you won''t survive."


    Gu Chengfeng''s breathing was slow, scarcely having the strength left to respond.


    Liu Ningyuan said, "Actually, this has nothing to do with you. I''ve made some changes to the confession. Just take a look. As long as you insist that your nephew, Gu Chen, was involved in this as well, I might consider lessening your punishment. With enough cooperation, I might even release you. After all, the whole affair started because of your nephew.


    There''s no need to protect him, right?"


    ```


    "You... dream on!" Gu Chengfeng gritted his teeth as he looked at Liu Ningyuan.


    Liu Ningyuan shook his head and continued to persuade Gu Chengfeng, saying, "Why bother? He is just your nephew, not your son. Why sacrifice your own life for someone else?"


    "Do you think... everyone is like you, a heartless beast?" Gu Chengfeng''s gaze towards Liu Ningyuan was full of disdain.


    Instantly, Liu Ningyuan''s face darkened, and he said coldly, "Stubborn fool!"


    However, his expression changed again, and a disgusting smile appeared on his loathsome face, "Fine then, tonight, your wife and daughter will be in my bed. Whatever happens is no longer important. Tomorrow, after I have tasted this vor, I wille back and tell you all about it in detail."


    "Ah... I''m going to kill you... I''m going to kill you!"


    Gu Chengfeng roared lowly, his eyes blood-red, as if he had gone mad, struggling incessantly with the sound of nging chains. But the more he did so, the happier Liu Ningyuan became. In the end, he even started tough out loud, his brazen and triumphantughter echoing in the interrogation room.


    Suddenly, the door of the interrogation room was knocked, and a jailer walked in, whispering to Liu Ningyuan, "Lord Zhou is here."


    Hearing this, Liu Ningyuan frowned, "What is he doing at the Mingjing Department at this time?"


    The jailer shook his head, indicating he didn''t know.


    Liu Ningyuan nced back at Gu Chengfeng and said, "Fine, I will deal with you tomorrow."


    Then, he said to the jailer, "Take good ''care'' of him tonight. When Ie tomorrow, I don''t want him to have the strength to speak."


    "Yes."


    The jailer bowed his head to take the order, sparing Gu Chengfeng a sympathetic nce from the corner of his eye.


    Liu Ningyuan smiled slightly, straightened his official robe, and walked out, leaving Gu Chengfeng behind to continue his hoarse roaring.


    In a grand hall inside the Mingjing Department, Zhou Qing sat in the seat of honor, with Gu Chen sitting below, waiting for Liu Ningyuan''s arrival.


    "I have seen Lord Zhou. May I ask why Lord Zhou hase at this time, is there an urgent matter?" Liu Ningyuan walked into the hall, bowing deeply with the utmost respect.


    Zhou Qing sat tall and expressionless, saying, "I heard you''ve arrested someone?"


    Liu Ningyuan felt a jolt in his heart, unsure why Zhou Qing would ask about this, but he still replied respectfully, "Reporting to Lord Zhou, it was a member of the Royal Sword Guard from the outer city. This person was corrupt and dared to engage in the buying and selling of official posts.


    He has been apprehended on the spot by this subordinate, with both the criminal and evidence captured, currently awaiting disposition in the jail."


    "Go bring the man up to me," Zhou Qingmanded, leaving no room for argument.


    Liu Ningyuan felt his heart shake and quickly said, "It''s but a trifling matter. There is no need to trouble Lord Zhou with this. I can handle such affairs myself."


    But as he finished speaking, he saw Gu Chen sitting there, staring at him with a cold face.


    This instant raised a foreboding feeling in Liu Ningyuan''s heart.


    "How can this little beast be sitting here? How could he possibly know Zhou Qing?" Liu Ningyuan was rmed, sensing something was wrong, his mind filled with questions.


    "Are you deaf to what I say? I said, bring the man up to me." Seeing Liu Ningyuan still standing there, Zhou Qing''s expression turned even colder.


    Liu Ningyuan, seeing this, tensed up, his heartbeat nearly stopping at that moment. His face changed as he said, "This..."


    Zhou Qing, with a cold face, asked a clerk beside him, "Where is the man?"


    The clerk bowed and respectfully said, "Reporting to Lord Zhou, in the interrogation room on the first floor."


    "Take me there," Zhou Qing ordered.


    "Yes."


    The clerk hastened to obey, leading Zhou Qing and Gu Chen towards the interrogation room. Liu Ningyuan stood in ce, his back soaked with cold sweat. It took him a long while to recover, and seeing that Zhou Qing and Gu Chen had already walked far away, he hurried to catch up with quick steps.


    In the interrogation room of the Mingjing Department''s jail on the first floor, a jailer was at that moment smiling fiercely, holding a red-hot iron, and slowly pressing it toward Gu Chengfeng''s chest.


    When the rushing Gu Chen saw this scene, it felt as if his chest were about to split open, a boundless rage surged in his heart, his eyes immediately reddening as he bellowed, "Stop it!"

 Chapter 33: Chapter 31 Reunion_1

    In this moment, a boundless rage surged within Gu Chen''s heart, and he couldn''t contain his fury. His eyes were bloodshot, his sanity nearly lost as the majestic internal energy umted over more than a hundred years burst forth instantaneously, conjuring a fierce wind out of nowhere within the interrogation room.


    Sensing this energy, Zhou Qing raised his eyebrows in surprise, his gaze toward Gu Chen filled with a trace of unusual interest.


    Whoosh!


    In an instant, Gu Chen was in front of Gu Chengfeng, sending the jailer with the branding iron flying to the side with a direct hit.


    Thest vestiges of his sanity kept him from using lethal force; otherwise, that jailer would likely have died on the spot.


    "Uncle..."


    Seeing Gu Chengfeng covered in blood, his breathing weak, Gu Chen trembled with an anger he had never felt before.


    Gu Chengfeng lifted his head, and upon seeing Gu Chen, showed clear confusion. He spoke feebly, "Eldest Son... why are you here..."


    At that moment, Liu Ningyuan also arrived. His face changed dramatically, and his heart pounded uncontrobly at the sight.


    Hearing the noise, Gu Chen''s head snapped around, his eyes still bloodshot and his eyebrows inverted in anger, as he pointed his unhidden killing intent directly at Liu Ningyuan.


    Seeing Gu Chen looking so fierce, Liu Ningyuan''s heart went cold, goosebumps covered his entire body, and he felt as though he had fallen into an ice cer.


    If Zhou Qing had not been present, Gu Chen might truly have been unable to control the surging intent to kill, and he could have in Liu Ningyuan right then and there.


    He endured, shifting his gaze away from Liu Ningyuan, and acted swiftly to shatter all the shackles binding Gu Chengfeng with several nking sounds.


    Gu Chengfeng almost copsed, his legs giving way, but thankfully Gu Chen was by his side to support him.


    "Uncle, it''s okay, let''s go home." Gu Chen''s voice was shaking.


    Gu Chengfeng nodded, his face stretching into a forced smile, "Alright, let''s go home."


    As they passed by Zhou Qing, Gu Chen whispered, "Lord Zhou, my uncle is severely injured, I must take him to get medical treatment right now."


    Zhou Qing nodded his head, indicating that Gu Chen could leave.


    Gu Chen took a deep breath and without saying another word. As he walked past Liu Ningyuan, he gave him a cold nce, then left the ce with his uncle, Gu Chengfeng.


    Meanwhile, during this time, Gu Chen constantly transferred his internal energy into Gu Chengfeng''s body. Nourished by Gu Chen''s energy, Gu Chengfeng gained a bit of strength and left the ce alongside Gu Chen.


    Watching Gu Chen lead Gu Chengfeng away, Liu Ningyuan kept his head down, not daring to utter a word, standing there as silent as a frozen cicada.


    After Gu Chen and Gu Chengfeng had left, Zhou Qing coldly turned to Liu Ningyuan, "Now, I strip you of your second-level mirror holder status. Leave this ce immediately, get out!"


    Hearing this, Liu Ningyuan went pale with shock. His legs gave out and he nearly fell over. Decades of effort had been nullified in an instant; he couldn''t ept this oue.


    Trembling with fear, he pleaded, "Lord Zhou, please give me another chance, I..."


    But before he could finish, Zhou Qing had already passed by him, leaving the ce.


    As the oue was sealed, Liu Ningyuan''s face instantly paled, his demeanor dejected. His body went limp, and he copsed to the ground.


    The clerks nearby, as well as the jailers who witnessed the scene, looked at him with pity, then one by one they left the ce, leaving only Liu Ningyuan behind.


    ...


    Gu Mansion.


    Ever since Gu Chen left, Xu Qinge and Gu Qingyan had been on edge, anxiously waiting here. The two of them looked distressed, constantly ncing towards the main gate, eyes filled with longing, hoping for the appearance of two figures.


    As time slipped away without any news, their anxiety only intensified. Having not eaten or drunk for a long time, Xu Qinge and Gu Qingyan''s originally delicate and beautiful faces had begun losing their color, lips dry and bloodless.


    "Madam, Miss, please eat something, or at the very least drink some water. It''s no use waiting like this. If the master and the eldest son don''t return soon, the two of you might copse," Maid Xiao Yu tried to persuade them.


    "Yes, Madam, Miss, you must look after your health. The kitchen has prepared food, why not eat something first?" the other servants also urged.


    But right now, neither Xu Qinge nor Gu Qingyan had any appetite for food. Xu Qinge did not speak, only shook her head.


    Seeing this, all the maids and servants sighed in unison.


    At that moment, a voice full of surprise came from the gatekeeper Uncle Zhang, "The master is back, the master is back, the eldest son has brought the master back!"


    Upon hearing this, Xu Qinge and Gu Qingyan sprang up, their gazes filled with intense yearning as they hurried outside.


    The main gate swung open, and Gu Chen entered, supporting Gu Chengfeng. When Xu Qinge and Gu Qingyan approached and saw Gu Chengfeng covered in injuries, Xu Qinge''s eyes instantly reddened.


    "Master, you..." Xu Qinge reached out and grasped Gu Chengfeng''s hand, tears falling uncontrobly.


    "Father..." Gu Qingyan reacted simrly, unable to hold back her tears when she saw her father in such a state, drops rolling down her lovely face.


    On the way back, Gu Chen had been continuously transferring inner energy into Gu Chengfeng''s body. Gu Chengfeng had regained some strength and, seeing his wife and daughter safe and sound, his eyes reddened as the weight on his heart was finally lifted.


    "I''m back now, it''s all right, it''s all right..."


    Gu Chen stood to the side, watching the tearful embrace of Gu Chengfeng and his family, feeling a sense of warmth. This was what family was about.


    "Right, Eldest son, and the eldest son, if it weren''t for you this time, I might really have been unable to return alive and never see you all again," Gu Chengfeng looked towards Gu Chen.


    "Thank you, elder brother," Gu Qingyan said softly, her beautiful face still streaked with tears, but her moist eyes had regained their usual sparkle.


    "Eldest son, thank you..." Auntie Xu Qinge also said with the tears, equally grateful.


    Gu Chen smiled gently and said, "We are all family; there''s no need for such formalities."


    "Yes, we are all family, we are all one family," Gu Chengfeng nodded repeatedly and embraced Gu Chen in his arms.


    Just then, Xu Qinge suddenly felt dizzy. The prolonged worry had drained her, and she had not consumed food or water. Now, overwhelmed with happiness, her body could hardly support her.


    "Mother..." Gu Qingyan eximed in rm.


    Fortunately, Gu Chen reacted quickly, supporting Xu Qinge. With one on each side, his left hand supporting Gu Chengfeng and his right hand supporting Xu Qinge, he began to transfer inner energy into both their bodies.


    "Eldest son, you have grown up..." Gu Chengfeng looked at Gu Chen. Less than two months ago, when Gu Chen first came into this world, it was Gu Chengfeng who had taken care of him. Now, after such a short period, their roles had reversed, and it was Gu Chen taking care of their family.


    Gu Chen just smiled, not saying much, and helped the two of them into the hall, saying, "Uncle, Aunt, I''m hungry, let''s eat."


    "Yes, yes, let''s eat, let''s have a meal," Xu Qinge agreed and called out to Xiao Yu to have the kitchen hurry up with the food.


    The young maid Xiao Yu, with a joyful expression, said, "I will have the kitchen prepare some good dishes right away."


    Gu Chen nodded. Soon, the meal was served, and the family sat together, happily enjoying their dinner.

 Chapter 34: Chapter 32: Murderous Intent on a Rainy Night_1

    Late at night, as the heavy rain fell on Tiandu, Gu Chen once again stayed overnight at the Gu Mansion thanks to the persistent retention of his family.


    What happened to his second uncle, Gu Chengfeng, also made Gu Chen realize something important¡ªthe significance of identity and status. In Jing Tian Department or in the broader context of Da Xia, or even the entire nine provinces, the key to elevating one''s status was to possess corresponding strength.


    Although Jing Tian Department and Mingjing Department were two separate institutions, had he been a rank one Metropolitan Procurator or even a Commander in Jing Tian Department, how could Liu Ningyuan dare to harm his family members?


    As it was, there was no need for Gu Chen to appeal to Zhou Qing.


    Gu Chen was never one to rely on external forces. He knew well that in this world, the only person you can truly rely on is yourself.


    Favors are things that lose their value once used. This time, Zhou Qing was willing to help him mainly because of his deeds in saving Ning City. If it weren''t for that, Gu Chen wouldn''t even be able to see Zhou Qing''s face, let alone save Gu Chengfeng.


    As long as he was strong enough, he could hold a higher position in the Jing Tian Department¡ªone of the three most important organizations in Da Xia. The higher his position in the Jing Tian Department, the more influence he held in the whole of Da Xia.


    Thus, the sort of incident that had befallen his second uncle, Gu Chengfeng, would never happen again.


    Therefore, enhancing his strength was the current top priority.


    After all, this was a feudal world where status matters immensely, and it was also fraught with demons and relentless danger. Only with sufficient strength could one break through all the crises that came knocking.


    What relieved Gu Chen was that he was different from others. As long as he worked hard on his own and used the help of the spirit panel, one day, he would achieve what he desired.


    But then again, to enhance one''s strength, ying demons was the primary condition. Therefore, the Jing Tian Department was undeniably the best ce for Gu Chen in the nine provinces¡ªwithout a doubt.


    Fortunately, during this mission in Ning City, he had in many demons, earning a considerable amount of merit points, which could bring a significant boost to his own capabilities.


    Just as Gu Chen was about to ess the panel to utilize the merit points for his own improvement, he suddenly sensed something wrong.


    He detected a familiar coldness, a sensation that only appeared in the presence of demons.


    "How can there be demons in the Gu Mansion?" Gu Chen frowned slightly. However, the origins of demons were always a mystery, with no one knowing how they came to be.


    Then, Gu Chen''s expression changed abruptly, for he sensed that the demon was not rushing towards him but towards another direction¡ªtowards Gu Qingyan''s room.


    Gu Chen swiftly stood up and without making a sound, stepped outside his room.


    Outside, heavy raindrops poured incessantly from the sky. Now deep into the night, everyone in the Gu Mansion slept, and Gu Chen, following his senses and ignoring the downpour, moved through the mansion like a ghost,pletely noiseless.


    "Two demons?"


    Gu Chen''s brow furrowed as he discovered that one demon headed for Gu Qingyan''s room while the other made its way to the room of Gu Chengfeng and his aunt, Xu Qinge.


    These two demonscked a physical body and were the same kind of yin spirits Gu Chen had encountered before at the Liu family vige.


    Having been tormented for a long time in the Mingjing Department''s prison, Gu Chengfeng was severely injured. Before going to bed, Gu Chen had transferred inner breath to Gu Chengfeng and applied medicine. Now he was sleeping deeply,pletely unaware of his surroundings.


    Gu Chen stood there pondering for a moment. Then, with a sh of his figure, he arrived first at Gu Qingyan''s boudoir. He heard two regr breathing sounds inside the room.


    One belonged to Gu Qingyan, and the other to the maidservant apanying her in sleep, which wasmon practice amongrge households.


    As soon as Gu Chen arrived there, a demon appeared close on his heels. The demon''s fierce eyes lit up at the sight of Gu Chen and pounced towards him with incredible speed.


    The two demons, oneparable to a warrior in the Condensed Breath Realm, and the other having reached the Through Veins Realm.


    The demon that came to Gu Qingyan''s door only had the cultivation of the Condensed Breath Realm. Before making any sound, Gu Chen moved swiftly, eliminating it with a single palm strike without a whisper.


    Afterward, he hurried to Gu Chengfeng''s door. The other demon, in the Through Veins Realm, had just arrived there. As it was about to enter the room, Gu Chen appeared close by and captured it within his palm using a surge of force.


    Suddenly, Gu Chen hesitated for a moment; during that brief pause, the demon broke free from Gu Chen''s hold and fled, rushing out of the Gu Mansion.


    Seeing this, Gu Chen''s figure shed as he left the mansion and followed the demon.


    His momentary hesitation was due to the realization that something was amiss; the demon had appeared in the Gu Mansion but did not devourmoners first nor seek out the strong vital energy of Gu Chen. Instead, it headed straight for the rooms of Gu Chengfeng and Gu Qingyan with a clear purpose.


    It was this realization that alerted Gu Chen to the anomaly. Recalling the day''s events, he surmised there was a spection forming in his mind, which also exined why he let the yin spirit go.


    There was no curfew in the outer city of Tiandu, and its defense was far less formidable than the inner city''s. Plus, it was now deep into the night and raining heavily, with not a soul on the streets and no soldiers in sight patrolling.


    Gu Chen moved through the rain, trailing the yin spirit through the winding streets of the outer city. After a while, the spirit arrived at a manor and silently slipped inside.


    Gu Chen stopped there and looked up to see tworge characters on the que: Liu Mansion!


    In that moment, everything made sense. Gu Chen, dressed in ck, stood still as rain continuously fell from the sky, merging him perfectly with the surrounding environment.


    Boom!


    Suddenly, a bolt of lightning streaked across the sky, and in the darkness, it illuminated Gu Chen''s face. He looked up at the mansion before him, his expression cold and an unmistakable intense killing intent present in his eyes.


    At this moment, within a study in Liu''s Residence, Liu Ningyuan sat with a sullen face, waiting for the return of the sinister spirits.


    Ever since he returned from the Mingjing Department, he had been sitting there, and as he thought about everything that had happened today, a raging fury burned within him, breeding boundless resentment towards Gu Chen.


    After toiling his entire life and finally bing a second-level Mirror Holder in the Mingjing Department, his efforts were rendered useless overnight. How could Liu Ningyuan not hate, not harbor resentment?


    Furthermore, because of Gu Chen, he had also offended Zhou Qing. Although someone like Zhou Qing would not take him seriously enough to target him specifically, at the very least, his life was ruined and his future was bleak.


    Only by killing everyone in the Gu Mansion, sparing neither chicken nor dog, could he slightly quell the intense resentment in his heart.


    But taking action personally was clearly not an option. In Tiandu, privately killing a court official was a capital offense. Fortunately, Liu Ningyuan had once stumbled upon an evil secret technique that could control sinister spirits, and he had never mentioned this to anyone, not even his wife or son, Liu Zheng.


    In Da Xia, raising spirits and manipting them in secret was a grave crime. He thought he would never have to use it, had nearly forgotten about it, yet tonight, this wicked secret art came into y.


    He did not choose to attack Gu Chen with the sinister spirits because he felt Gu Chen, after all, was young and strong and as an officer of the Jing Tian Department, was most skilled at dealing with such things, which could likely raise the rm.


    Therefore, he manipted the spirits to first kill the severely injured Gu Chengfeng, as well as the ordinary Xu Qinge and Gu Qingyan.


    After the family of Gu Chengfeng died, the spirits would devour everyone in the Gu Mansion, and only then would they deal with Gu Chen.


    Even if Gu Chen survived, if the spirits devoured the rest of the Gu Mansion, it would be enough. Even if Gu Chen lived, the event would torment him tremendously, being worse than death.


    In Liu Ningyuan''s view, this was no different than killing Gu Chen himself.


    The thought of everything about to happen to the Gu Mansion made Liu Ningyuan''s heart much lighter, a smile spread across his face, brimming with satisfaction.


    Whoosh!


    At that moment, a shadow rushed in from outside the window and then dove into a small bottle on the desk in front of Liu Ningyuan.


    "What''s going on?"


    Liu Ningyuan frowned, sensing something was amiss. Why had only one of the two sinister spirits returned?


    He did not believe that the Gu Mansion had a way to counter the two spirits. Although Gu Chen was a first-order patrolling officer of the Jing Tian Department, he had only reached the Breath Concealment Realm, and the Gu Mansion had just two martial artists in total. The other, Gu Chengfeng, was severely injured and definitely without the ability to resist.


    Boom, boom!


    Suddenly, thunder roared in the heavens, and an enormous lightning bolt split the sky, illuminating the dark night of Tiandu.


    Creak!


    The wind howled, and the study''s door was abruptly pushed open. A figure stepped in, apanied by the lingering thunder that remained in the sky.


    The person was none other than Gu Chen!


    Seeing Gu Chen walking in, Liu Ningyuan''s face changed, his heart lifted, and he instinctively cried out in rm, "Impossible, how could you... how could you have not died?"


    "Today, it is you who should die!"


    Gu Chen''s face was stern, his eyes as sharp as knives and threatening. He did not give Liu Ningyuan any chance to speak. With a sh, he rushed forward to Liu Ningyuan, not holding back at all. The inner strength of more than a hundred years coursed through the sixteen meridians he had opened in the Channel Thriving Realm, spreading to his palms.


    Bang!


    The palm filled with Gu Chen''s boundless killing intent solidly struck Liu Ningyuan''s chest, and the robust palm force shattered his heart in an instant.


    "You!"


    Liu Ningyuan''s eyes widened, pointing at Gu Chen with bloody froth spilling from his mouth. He tried to say something, mustering all his strength, but he couldn''t utter a single word.


    In that moment, he finally understood why tonight''s assassination attempt had failed, but he could notprehend how Gu Chen had be so powerful.


    After all, do note he, too, had attained the Channel Thriving Realm, having opened twenty-three meridians within his body, yet he couldn''t withstand even a single palm strike from Gu Chen.


    Thump, Liu Ningyuan fell to the ground, endless darkness invading his consciousness. As thest moments of life approached, a torrent of emotions flooded his heart ¨C regret, rage, unwillingness, resentment ¨C a mix of many feelings intertwined.


    If he had known what would happen today, even if his son, Liu Zheng, had died at the hands of Gu Chen, he certainly would have refrained from any thoughts of retaliation.


    But unfortunately, there is no medicine for regret in this world, and life cannot be rewound. Liu Ningyuan''s life ended just like that; his consciousness sank into boundless darkness as he took hisst breath before Gu Chen.

 Chapter 35: Chapter 33 Warmth_1

    After killing Liu Ningyuan, Gu Chen stood still, the intense killing intent in his heart slowly receding like the tide after Liu Ningyuan''s death.


    His eyes swept the room and soon noticed the small bottle on the desk, covered with profound ck patterns.


    Earlier, Gu Chen had clearly seen the demon spirit return here and dive straight into that small bottle.


    Gu Chen stepped forward, took the small bottle in his hand, and after examining it for a few moments, his palm''s energy surged, shattering it instantly.


    Swoosh!


    As the vessel containing the demon spirit broke, a malevolent soul rushed out immediately. It tried tounch an attack on Gu Chen, but when it sensed Gu Chen''s presence, its movements halted abruptly.


    Then, it saw Liu Ningyuan''s corpse on the ground and pounced on it instantly, the gruesome crunching noises continually sounding.


    Gu Chen stood quietly, watching the shadowy soul devour Liu Ningyuan''s corpse. Devouring living beings was an innate instinct, or perhaps the nature, of demon spirits; not one could defy its instincts.


    Once the malevolent soul had gnawed Liu Ningyuan''s corpse down to mere remnants, he lifted his hand and unleashed the Red me Palm, executing the demon spirit alongside.


    In doing so, no one would discover the true cause of Liu Ningyuan''s death.


    Then, Gu Chen''s figure shed, and he left the scene.


    With the death of Liu Ningyuan, the Liu family was left with only Liu Zheng, but he was no longer fit topete with Gu Chen. Liu Zheng had been struck into grievous injury by Gu Chen''s palm, nearly crippled, and even once he would recover from his injuries, he wouldn''t be able to catch even a glimpse of Gu Chen''s shadow.


    Furthermore, Gu Chen had never regarded Liu Zheng as a rival; in Gu Chen''s eyes, Liu Zheng was nothing more than a tool to help him gauge his strength when he first arrived in this world.


    Soon, after spending a little time ensuring no one had noticed anything, Gu Chen quietly returned to the Gu Mansion and slipped into his room.


    The next day, as daylight broke, everyone at Gu Mansion, including Gu Chengfeng, woke up sessively. Gu Chen, as if nothing had happened, went to Gu Chengfeng''s room after he got up to transfer inner breath to him and regte his body.


    "Eldest son, that''s enough, don''t expend your inner breath for me any longer," Gu Chengfeng said, feeling distressed as he saw his nephew continuously spending his energy for him.


    Upon hearing this, Gu Chen smiled and said, "Uncle, it''s fine. I''ve already broken through to the Meridian Opening Realm, and this bit of inner breath is nothing."


    "You''ve broken through to the Meridian Opening Realm?!"


    Hearing this, Gu Chengfeng''s eyes widened in disbelief, as if he thought Gu Chen was deceiving him.


    He had painstakingly practiced martial arts his whole life and was in his forties, only at the Meridian Opening Realm himself. His nephew was only twenty years old and had already caught up to him?


    "That''s right. In a few days, I''m nning to apply for the Metropolitan Procurator''s assessment at the Jing Tian Department," Gu Chen said, adding another sentence to convince Gu Chengfeng, concerned that his uncle might not believe him.


    The primary condition to be a Metropolitan Procurator of the Jing Tian Department was to possess the martial prowess of the Meridian Opening Realm, the fourth stage of martial arts cultivation.


    Gu Chengfeng was rendered speechless for a long moment before he digested the news, then said, "Eldest son, you''ve really grown. If I remember correctly, it was two years ago that you advanced to the Energy Gathering Realm, right?"


    "Yes."


    Gu Chen nodded. The original owner had indeed broken through to the Energy Gathering Realm two years ago. However, his pace of advancement wasn''t considered fast, and since Gu Chengfeng was his closest rtive, there was no harm in sharing this fact.


    "Eldest son, your rapid advancement won''t affect your foundation, will it?" Gu Chengfeng looked at his nephew with some concern. In the path of martial arts, one must avoid rashly seeking quick progress, leading to potential devastating repercussions such as going berserk.


    Gu Chen smiled and said, "Don''t worry, Uncle, my foundation is very stable."


    "That''s good to hear." Gu Chengfeng nodded, pleased by his nephew''s progress, for his martial prowess had considerably improved. Moreover, he could see that Gu Chen had be much more mature andposed than before.


    Immediately after, Gu Chengfeng remembered the "assessment" that Gu Chen mentioned earlier, his bushy eyebrows furrowed, and he said, "Eldest nephew, you have just broken through to the Tongmai Realm; there''s no need to rush into applying for the Metropolitan Procurator''s assessment at Jing Tian Department. As someone who has been through it, my advice is to consolidate further.


    After all, the Tongmai Realm is extremely important for a martial path; it concerns a martial artist''s future."


    "Uncle, I understand all of that, so please don''t worry. I broke through to the Tongmai Realm some time ago and have opened some meridians. I''m confident about the Metropolitan Procurator''s assessment," Gu Chen assured Gu Chengfeng.


    Hearing this, Gu Chengfeng hesitated before asking, "Eldest nephew, how many meridians have you opened within your body?"


    Gu Chen simply smiled, choosing not to answer. It wasn''t that he didn''t want to share, but he feared it would shock Gu Chengfeng. After all, even after many years, Gu Chengfeng had only opened twenty-eight meridians.


    Furthermore, Gu Chen had arge pile of achievement points yet to be used, and his cultivation level might undergo dramatic changes soon. Thus, mentioning it now felt unnecessary.


    Gu Chen wasn''t concerned that his uncle would leak his secrets, but that revealing specific numbers might hurt his uncle''s self-esteem.


    Gu Chengfeng seemed to have sensed something from Gu Chen''s expression, and without pressing further, his gaze was filled with satisfaction.


    "Big brother, sister-inw, your spirits in heaven can rest easy now, your eldest son has be aplished." He silently said to himself.


    Raising Gu Chen well and nurturing him into a capable person was the only thought Gu Chengfeng had since taking over thed''s care from Gu Chen''s father.


    At that moment, Xu Qinge pushed open the door and walked in, saying with a warm smile, "Alright, alright, you two men stop discussing official matters at home. Dinner is ready;e out and eat."


    "Right, dinner. Let''s go, let''s eat. Eldest nephew, Uncle has to tell you, food is still very important for a martial artist, and although you''ve reached the Tongmai Realm and don''t rely as much on food, good food is still¡­"


    Xu Qinge, hearing this, turned her head and nced at Gu Chengfeng with exasperation, saying, "Eat, eat, eat, all you ever think about is eating. Eldest nephew, don''t listen to your uncle. In the future, don''t be like him, only growing an appetite."


    "Auntie is absolutely right," Gu Chen agreed with augh on the side.


    Gu Chengfeng, upon hearing this, smiled awkwardly.


    At the dining table in the Gu Mansion''s main hall, where the meal was already prepared, Gu Qingyan was sitting there, chatting with Maid Xiao Yu about something. Seeing the handsome Gu Chen approach, both girls blushed, and Xiao Yu swiftly pulled out a chair, gesturing for Gu Chen to sit down.


    Gu Chen was as clear-headed as a mirror. He knew Gu Qingyan and Xiao Yu must have been talking about him, but he never pried into the affairs of girls. Pretending to be unaware, he began to call Uncle and Auntie to the table to eat.


    Over the meal, Gu Chengfeng began to ask how Gu Chen came to know a person like Zhou Qing. So, Gu Chen briefly recounted the events in Ning City, mentioning his fortuitous acquaintance with Zhou Qing through Zhou Rang.


    Of course, he did not go into detail; although the mission in Ning City hadn''t involved any crisis from start to finish, he didn''t want to cause unnecessary worry for Gu Chengfeng and the others.


    "For someone like Lord Zhou to be willing to help you is indeed a stroke of luck for our Gu Family," Gu Chengfeng said. "You must remember this, Eldest Nephew. I won''t be able to repay him in this lifetime. It''s all on you now. If Lord Zhou ever needs help, and we can oblige, we definitely must not refuse."


    "Don''t worry, Uncle, I understand," Gu Chen replied, nodding. He was someone who clearly distinguished between debts of gratitude and grievances. Although Zhou Qing had helped him because of Zhou Rang, Gu Chen still took the favor to heart. His currentck of ability to help Zhou Qing didn''t mean he couldn''t do so in the future.


    At noon, Gu Chen left the Gu Mansion and headed for the Jing Tian Department branch outside the city.


    This trip to Ning City had yielded many achievement points, and Gu Chen had also earned corresponding merits. His visit to the Jing Tian Department on this day was to exchange for martial arts techniques.

 Chapter 36: Chapter 34: Exchange of Martial Arts_1

    After entering the Jing Tian Department, Gu Chen followed his memory and made his way familiarly to a three-story pavilion.


    This pavilion was known as the "Hall of Merits," dedicated for internal members of the Jing Tian Department to exchange their merits.


    Upon entering the Hall of Merits, what faced him was arge hall, divided into many rooms, each staffed with corresponding personnel. There were a lot of these staff members, essential for maintaining the daily operations within the Jing Tian Department.


    They were also part of the Jing Tian Department but, unlike the Metropolitan Procurators and patrol envoys, they did not have to go out on missions and had no cultivation to speak of.


    At the moment, the Hall of Merits was bustling with peopleing and going, all of them patrol envoys. After all, this was only a branch located in the outer city of Tiandu, and once a patrol envoy passed the assessment to be a Metropolitan Procurator, they were qualified to enter the headquarters of the Jing Tian Department in the inner city.


    Since Gu Chen was a first-tier patrol envoy of the Jing Tian Department, many people along the way took the initiative to greet him, to which Gu Chen didn''t act arrogant or ignore them. Instead, he responded with a smile, acknowledging each one of them.


    Afterward, making his way through the crowd, Gu Chen arrived at one of the rooms for checking merits and handed over his Jing Tian Departmentmand token to the clerk across him. Through the roster, the clerk quickly found out the current merit points Gu Chen had.


    "Master Gu, you currently have a total of twenty-eight merit points."


    Before leaving the Jing Tian Department, Gu Chen had already spent all of the original owner''s remaining merits, which meant that the twenty-eight merit points were entirely the result of this Ning City mission.


    Do not underestimate the mere twenty-eight merit points. It''s important to know that merits from the Jing Tian Department are hard toe by, and everything depends on one''s strength. The more demons one kills, and the higher their rank, the greater the merits.


    As for the merits Gu Chen obtained from this mission, it was much more than what the original owner had earned over several years.


    Of course, this was mainly because in the beginning, the original owner''s cultivation was weak, and the missions involved killing strange creatures, which only granted one or two merit points each time. When the original owner reached the Containment Stage and could deal with demons, the merits started to increase.


    However, even then, each mission only rewarded three to four merit points, which shows just how precious Jing Tian Department''s merits are.


    You should know that within the Jing Tian Department, there are countless treasures and martial techniques. The original owner''s martial arts, aside from the Pure Yang Technique received for free upon joining, the rest, like the Iron Shirt, Red me Palm, and Thirteen Grand Protectors'' Horizontal Skill, were all hard-earned through missions and then exchanged from the Jing Tian Department.


    In the Jing Tian Department, as long as you have enough merits, whether it is a mid-grade technique or a high-grade technique, even a super-grade, or even Earth Grade and Heavenly Martial Skills, all can be exchanged for.


    This is different from the various major sects and noble families in the Nine States martial world.


    For these powers, important martial techniques and secrets are only passed on to a few individuals. Some may never learn them in their lifetime. But it''s different in the Jing Tian Department, which embraces all rivers, as long as you have enough merits, you can get everything you want.


    Of course, the prerequisite is that you have enough merits.


    Because the higher the level of the martial technique, the more merits it costs. Some lower-grade techniques may require only three to four points, mid-grade techniques are around five to six points, with the better ones at seven points, and high-grade techniques are even more expensive.


    As for super-grade and even higher, ordinary patrol envoys or even Metropolitan Procurators can hardly earn that many merits in a lifetime.


    Apart from martial techniques, there are various divine weapons, natural treasures, and even elixirs inside the treasure vault of the Jing Tian Department.


    Of course, these all require merits to exchange for as well.


    Therefore, within the Jing Tian Department, merits y a tremendously important role. The twenty-eight merit points Gu Chen acquired this time, if mentioned, would be enough to make all first-tier patrol envoys throughout the Nine States envious to death.


    The main reason for this was that Gu Chen, on this journey, had in nine demons and saved Ning City, which is why the Jing Tian Department awarded him so much merit. Apart from Gu Chen''s own strength, a part of it was also due to luck.


    Gu Chen had long decided on his purpose foring to the Jing Tian Department this time, which was mainly to exchange for martial techniques. Apart from the Dragon Tendon Tiger Bone Fist, all of his martial techniques had reached aplete state and had no room for improvement.


    As for internal techniques, the Pure Yang Technique was mid-grade, and there was no need to change it for the time being. Besides, internal techniques required more merits and were outside his financial capabilities, so he did not consider internal techniques and high-grade martial arts.


    "I want to exchange for martial techniques," Gu Chen said to the clerk.


    "Alright, Master Gu, please wait a moment," the clerk nodded, then took out another roster and handed it to Gu Chen.


    "Master Gu, this includes all the low-grade and mid-grade martial arts within the Jing Tian Department. You can take a look and tell me your choice afterward."


    Gu Chen looked at the thick roster before him, which was much thicker than any of the exercise books he had used during his college entrance exams in his previous life.


    After opening the roster, it contained the names of the techniques, their general effects, and the merit points required for exchange.


    The Iron Shirt Technique and Red me Palm martial arts practiced by the original owner were both prominently listed.


    Beforeing here, Gu Chen had already decided on the direction of his exchange. After flipping through a few pages and making severalparisons, he had chosen the martial arts he needed.


    Of course, his options weren''t many, after all, the merit points he received for this mission, though much more than other Guards of the same rank, were still limited.


    "Master Gu, have you decided on choosing the Seal Meridian Finger, Phantom Traceless Step, and Astonishing Swan Swordsmanship Skills as your three martial arts?" the clerk asked.


    "Yes," Gu Chen nodded. Seal Meridian Finger was a technique of the fingers, capable of sealing a martial artist''s meridians, causing their inner qi to circte poorly, or even temporarily disabling their ability to mobilize inner qi, losing seven or eight parts out of ten of their full strength. It was an extremely practical martial art.


    The Phantom Traceless Step was a movement technique thatpensated for Gu Chen''sck of speed. Up until now, although Gu Chen was fast, it relied on the robustness of his inner qi which would naturally lead to great bursts of speed.


    However, if he encountered an opponent whose realm was higher and whose cultivation was not far off from his, that speed could very likely be Gu Chen''s weakness.


    Generally speaking, martial artists would specialize in one area of cultivation because everyone''s energy is limited. It is impossible to master every technique unless you''re some kind of genius or exceptionally gifted individual, but those are the minority.


    Although Gu Chen''s aptitude was not poor, more importantly, he had the support of a panel. As long as he had enough merit points, he could cultivate many techniques to perfection.


    Therefore, he naturally aimed towardsprehensive development, to eliminate as many weaknesses as possible.


    Thest martial art, Astonishing Swan Swordsmanship Skills, filled the gap in Gu Chen''s weaponry.


    Hand-to-handbat skills are important, but at times, when facing formidable enemies, the importance of a weapon is self-evident.


    The main reason he didn''t choose a heavenly-grade martial art was because Gu Chen''s merit points were limited. Uplifting a heavenly-grade martial art would consume a significant amount of merit points, which could be inferred from his previous experience upgrading the Dragon Tendon Tiger Bone Fist.


    "Master Gu, these three techniques together will cost twenty-one merit points, would you like to proceed with the exchange?"


    "Exchange," Gu Chen nodded.


    "Alright," the clerk nodded and said, "The exchange for the techniques isplete, but you will need to go to the libraryter to collect them."


    This was a standard procedure, and Gu Chen already knew it from the memory of his predecessor, so he naturally had no issue with it.


    "I should still have seven merit points left, please help me exchange for a weapon," Gu Chen said.


    "Of course," the clerk nodded, and handed over another roster to Gu Chen.


    Gu Chen looked through it, chose a suitable weapon based on his merit points, and confirmed the exchange.


    Afterward, Gu Chen left the Merit Hall and headed for the library. He picked up Seal Meridian Finger, Phantom Traceless Step, and Astonishing Swan Swordsmanship Skills, memorized them quickly, and then returned them.


    By the time Gu Chen returned to Gu Mansion, it was already the afternoon. After helping his second uncle with some health adjustments and having dinner, he returned to his room.


    Next was the real highlight of the day. Tonight, Gu Chen nned to use his merit points for a dual breakthrough in both strength and cultivation.

 Chapter 37: Chapter 35 Deduction and Promotion_1

    Gu Chen sat cross-legged on the bed, and as his thoughts moved, a panel appeared before his eyes.


    Name: Gu Chen


    Martial Arts: Iron Shirt Technique (perfection), Thirteen Grand Protectors'' Horizontal Skill (perfection), Red me Palm (perfection), Dragon Tendon Tiger Bone Fist (major achievement), Seal Meridian Finger, Phantom Traceless Step, Astonishing Swan Swordsmanship Skills


    Internal Strength: Pure Yang Technique


    Cultivation Age: 104 years


    Stage: Initial phase of Meridian Opening Stage


    Merit Points: 89


    Among these, three low-grade martial arts including the Iron Shirt Technique had reached perfection, while the Dragon Tendon Tiger Bone Fist had reached major achievement. The remaining three techniques had just been acquired today, and could not even be considered rudimentary.


    After some contemtion, Gu Chen did not choose to directly enhance his martial arts but decided to first improve his cultivation. While martial arts were very important, cultivation was fundamental to a martial artist. Even if one''s martial arts realm were high, without the corresponding cultivation to bolster it, one could not exhibit its full power.


    Of course, likewise, if one''s cultivation was sufficiently high butcking appropriate martial arts, one might only be able to exert forty to fifty percent of one''s full potential.


    However, a good martial art could allow one''s full potential to be exerted to 120 percent, or even higher.


    Therefore, both cultivation stage and martial arts wereplementary and extremely important to a martial artist.


    Boom!


    With another thought from Gu Chen, twenty merit points immediately vanished, transforming into corresponding internal strength cultivation which emerged within his body.


    Now, the strength of Gu Chen''s physical body had increased many times overpared to when he began and was fully capable of enduring the conversion of twenty years of cultivation to strengthen himself.


    Like thunderous roars, the sounds resonated in Gu Chen''s ears as his internal strength cultivation of 124 years circted within him. In one fell swoop, he opened six meridians, the torrential internal strength raging through the newly essed channels.


    The seventh meridian was just a bit shy of being opened.


    By now, he had opened twenty-two meridians in the Meridian Opening Stage, and his cultivation had finally advanced from the initial to the middle phase of the Meridian Opening Stage.


    As the meridians within his body were opened, Gu Chen''s physical strength also increased significantly, but a sense of fullness reemerged distinctly.


    If a martial artist''s body werepared to a container, then internal strength would be the water. The reason Gu Chen experienced this was primarily that he had too much "water" within him, which had filled the container of his body.


    Therefore, to continue advancing his cultivation, it was necessary to increase the capacity of the container and make it more durable, to amodate more internal strength.


    If the physical body''s strength was insufficient, then excess internal strength would not be an asset but a burden, capable of bursting his body.


    Thus, following that, with another thought from Gu Chen, he raised the Dragon Tendon Tiger Bone Fist to perfection.


    Crackling!


    Sessive bursts of loud popping sounds came from all over his body, as if setting off firecrackers. His tendons underwent transformation, stretching and bing more resilient; his bones vibrated slightly as they collided and expelled various impurities.


    At this moment, Gu Chen felt like he was being electrocuted, with an intense itching sensationing from all the joints in his body, akin to excruciating torture.


    Gu Chen clenched his teeth and silently endured this extreme difort. After two quarters of an hour, the transformation finally ended.


    During this period, his physical strength continued to increase. Once the transformation wasplete, Gu Chen gently clenched his fist to feel the change. Martial artists had a strong control over their own bodies; without being intimately familiar with every part of their body, it was impossible to break through the Body Refining Stage and the Blood Refining Stage.


    Having the Dragon Tendon Tiger Bone Fist reach perfection added a full 10,000 jin of strength to Gu Chen!


    Including his previous strength, Gu Chen now possessed a colossal force of twenty thousand jins, even without internal energy, relying only on his flesh and blood.


    Of course, strength was just the most direct manifestation. Reaching perfection in Dragon Tendon Tiger Bone Fist would enhance all aspects of the body, significantly increasing physical and endurance capabilities.


    Gu Chen was overjoyed; he hadn''t expected that achieving perfection in Dragon Tendon Tiger Bone Fist would bring such a significant improvement. Of course, the main reason for this was that Dragon Tendon Tiger Bone Fist was a Body Refining technique. If it were another martial art like Red me Palm, even reaching perfection wouldn''t enhance the body''s strength at all.


    As he perfected Dragon Tendon Tiger Bone Fist, the sensation of fullness in his body that Gu Chen had previously felt immediately disappeared.


    Despite the huge increase in strength, it also cost a considerable amount of effort points.


    To perfect Dragon Tendon Tiger Bone Fist, Gu Chen had spent sixteen effort points, which was twice the amount when it reached major achievement!


    This revtion rmed Gu Chen. If a mid-grade martial art was already so demanding, he truly doubted whether all the effort points he had obtained this time would suffice to improve a high-grade martial art even just once.


    Subsequently, Gu Chen essed his panel to review the relevant information.


    Name: Gu Chen


    Martial Arts: Iron Shirt Technique (perfection, can deduce), Thirteen Grand Protectors'' Horizontal Skill (perfection, can deduce), Red me Palm (perfection), Dragon Tendon Tiger Bone Fist (perfection, can deduce), Seal Meridian Finger, Phantom Traceless Step, Astonishing Swan Swordsmanship Skills


    Internal Technique: Pure Yang Technique


    Cultivation: 124 years


    Realm: Middle phase of the Channel-Opening Stage


    Effort Points: 53


    Merely two enhancements had already cost almost half of the effort points, once more making Gu Chen aware of the insufficiency of effort points.


    At the same time, it made Gu Chen realize the importance of demons and ghosts. To others, demons and ghosts were a source of dread, but to Gu Chen, they were stepping stones, the more the better.


    "It seems necessary to intensify the ying of demons and ghosts," Gu Chen resolved in his heart. He would definitely take on more assignments at the Jing Tian Department in the future, to y more demons and ghosts for his enhancement.


    At this moment, Gu Chen suddenly noticed that behind the three martial arts, Dragon Tendon Tiger Bone Fist, Iron Shirt Technique, and Thirteen Grand Protectors'' Horizontal Skill, three extra words had appeared.


    "Can deduce?" Gu Chen was somewhat astonished, and a conjecture emerged in his mind.


    "To know if it is or isn''t, I just need to try deducing!"


    As soon as Gu Chen''s thought moved, arge amount of martial knowledge appeared in his mind. This was all about the three martial art techniques, Dragon Tendon Tiger Bone Fist, Iron Shirt Technique, and Thirteen Grand Protectors'' Horizontal Skill.


    Right after, this martial knowledge continuously blended and refined, discarding the dross and keeping the essence. Soon, a substantial amount of brand-new martial knowledge emerged.


    "Is this a new martial art?"


    Gu Chen absorbed this spontaneously appearing martial knowledge in his mind. As Dragon Tendon Tiger Bone Fist was the highest grade among them, a mid-grade martial art, the new technique was based predominantly on Dragon Tendon Tiger Bone Fist, integrating the strengths of Iron Shirt Technique and Thirteen Grand Protectors'' Horizontal Skill, thereby deducing apletely new martial art.


    This new martial art was named "Dragon''s Chant Tiger''s Roar Horizontal Training"!


    "A high-grade martial art?!"


    After absorbing this entirely new martial knowledge, Gu Chen was greatly shocked. Although he had never seen what a high-grade martial art looked like, the new martial art that had appeared in his mind was far more profound andplex than Dragon Tendon Tiger Bone Fist by countless magnitudes. It obviously transcended the category of mid-grade martial arts.


    Gu Chen also had not anticipated that the panel possessed such a function. Apart from increasing cultivation and enhancing the realm of martial arts, it could also deduce new martial arts.

 Chapter 38: Chapter 36: Great Improvement in Cultivation_1

    Name: Gu Chen


    Martial Arts: Dragon Roar Tiger Howl Horizontal Training, Red me Palm (perfection), Seal Meridian Finger, Phantom Traceless Step, Astonishing Swan Swordsmanship Skills


    Internal Technique: Pure Yang Technique


    Cultivation Age: 124 years


    Realm: Mid-stage Meridian Opening


    Skill Points: 35


    With the sessful deduction of martial arts techniques, the information on the panel was renewed, bing much tidier.


    At this moment, Gu Chen''s heart skipped a beat as he noticed the skill points at the bottom had been reduced to thirty-five.


    In other words, the recent deduction of martial arts had cost Gu Chen a full eighteen skill points, even more than what it took to raise Dragon Tendon Tiger Bone Fist to perfection!


    "This... These skill points really don''tst..." Gu Chen shook his head inwardly, his urgency to y demons rising significantly once more.


    Not long ago, he had eighty-nine skill points, nearing the hundred-point milestone, yet in such a short time, only thirty-five points remained, the consumption was truly too rapid.


    Gu Chen had a premonition that as his strength continued to increase, the need for skill points would be ever greater.


    Gu Chen also understood that he hadmitted himself to the path of ughtering demons.


    To this end, Gu Chen did not feel any burden because the demons were the primary enemy of the Human n in the Nine Provinces, and their instinct was to devour living beings. In killing demons, Gu Chen felt no sense of guilt whatsoever.


    Because, the more demons he killed, the more members of the Human n could be saved.


    Of course, Gu Chen''s goal was not so lofty at the moment. He slew demons mainly to enhance his own strength and to survive better in this world.


    Currently, his cultivation had reached 124 years. Weighing the remaining thirty-five skill points, Gu Chen decided not to increase his cultivation just yet. He wanted to see what was so extraordinary about this superior-grade martial art deduced from the panel.


    After all, it was his first contact with a superior-grade martial art, and curiosity filled Gu Chen''s heart.


    Thus, with a thought, eight skill points disappeared from the panel, and the Dragon Roar Tiger Howl Horizontal Training reached the realm of initial understanding.


    Buzz!


    At that moment, Gu Chen''s entire body shook. He felt every piece of flesh, bone, and even every vein humming and trembling. This transformation covered his whole body, including his skin which began to shed, old skin falling away. In just moments, arge amount of ck impurities seeped out from the pores of his skin.


    Since the Dragon Tendon Tiger Bone Fist had been perfected, his body underwent transformation once again, and the process was not much weaker than when the Dragon Tendon Tiger Bone Fist had reached perfection.


    Moreover,pared to Dragon Tendon Tiger Bone Fist, the enhancement of the body by the deduced Dragon Roar Tiger Howl Horizontal Training was moreprehensive.


    Dragon Tendon Tiger Bone Fist improved physical quality by strengthening muscles and bones, but the Dragon Roar Tiger Howl Horizontal Training changed Gu Chen''s entire body, including every piece of flesh.


    It could be said that the enhancement brought by the Dragon Tendon Tiger Bone Fist was too one-sidedpared to the Dragon Roar Tiger Howl Horizontal Training.


    Furthermore, as a horizontal training technique, Dragon Roar Tiger Howl Horizontal Training not only improved physical quality, but as the martial level increased, the body''s defensive power would also be greatly enhanced. This was the advantage inherited from Iron Shirt Technique and Thirteen Grand Protectors'' Horizontal Skill.


    A superior-grade martial art was indeed much stronger than a mid-grade one, Gu Chen silently marveled in his heart.


    Looking at the remaining twenty-seven skill points on the panel, Gu Chen moved his thoughts, and the remaining twenty-seven skill points all disappeared, transforming into twenty-seven years of internal breath cultivation, emerging inside his body.


    This time, Gu Chen did not choose to enhance Dragon Roar Tiger Howl Horizontal Training further. The current initial realm was already sufficient, and the skill points needed to enhance a superior-grade technique once more were too many. It wasn''t economical with limited skill points.


    Therefore, Gu Chen converted the remaining twenty-seven skill points entirely into cultivation.


    Boom!


    A full twenty-seven years of internal breath cultivation manifested within his body, and Gu Chen''s internal breath instantly increased to 151 years.


    At that moment, Gu Chen felt his body was at its limit, with a massive amount of internal breath filling his body, the meridians all packed, and his body swelling intensely, as if it would burst in the next second. Fortunately, as the physical strength had been enhanced by both the Dragon Tendon Tiger Bone Fist and Dragon Roar Tiger Howl Horizontal Training, his body did not explode immediately.


    The surging internal breath rolled like rivers within him, and in just an instant, ten meridians were opened.


    With a focused mind, Gu Chen ignored the sensation of fullness and did not choose to stop. Instead, he continued to maneuver the surging internal breath to flow through the meridians. With persistent efforts, three more meridians were opened by him.


    By this point, Gu Chen had opened up thirty-five meridians in the Meridian Opening Realm, yet his realm remained in the mid-stage of the Meridian Opening Realm.


    Even among the entire Nine Provinces, thirty-five meridians qualified him as a genius, because eighteen meridians were already the limit for most martial artists in the Nine Provinces.


    Moreover, you should know that even for some genius individuals who reach this level, they are usually nearing their limit in the Meridian Opening Realm, but Gu Chen clearly still had more potential to open up even more meridians.


    The vigorous and majestic internal power surged wildly through the thirty-five meridians, and Gu Chen felt an unprecedented strength. There was still a hint of that feeling of his flesh being overly full, but this wasn''t an issue.


    Name: Gu Chen


    Martial Arts: Dragon''s Roar and Tiger''s Howl Horizontal Training (rudimentary), Red me Palm (perfection), Seal Meridian Finger, Phantom Traceless Step, Astonishing Swan Swordsmanship Skills


    Internal Skill: Pure Yang Technique


    Cultivation Age: One hundred fifty-one years


    Realm: Mid-stage Meridian Opening Realm


    Contribution Points: 0


    Looking at the reset contribution points, Gu Chen exhaled deeply. With this, his current advancement was consideredplete.


    At the moment, although he was still in the mid-stage of the Meridian Opening Realm, he possessed one hundred fifty-one years of internal power cultivation age and had opened thirty-five meridians within his body.


    Although the newly acquired Seal Meridian Finger, Phantom Traceless Step, and Astonishing Swan Swordsmanship Skills had not even reached the stage of preliminary understanding, there was no hurry for that.


    Given Gu Chen''s current situation, there were very few people in the Meridian Opening Realm who could be his match.


    Leaving cultivation aside, not everyone could master an upper-grade martial art in the Meridian Opening Realm like Gu Chen had.


    With his enhanced physical condition, Gu Chen''s five senses became increasingly sharp. Smelling the foul and pungent odor on his body, he quickly cleaned himself to remove all the unpleasant smells.


    The next morning, Gu Chen rose early, or rather, he hadn''t slept at all through the night.


    For him at this stage, unless he was as mentally drained as he had been in Ning City, which required sleep to replenish his spirit, going for several days and nights without sleep didn''t affect him at all.


    At this moment, Gu Chen was practicing in the garden of Gu Mansion in the morning. Although the martial arts experience would be directly infused into his mind through the panel, experience was just that¡ªan experience¡ªit still required persistent training to increase proficiency, to get the body ustomed, and to turn that experience into instinct.


    Otherwise, when facing an enemy, your mind might react, but your body could fail to keep up.


    After practicing for a while, as the sun slowly rose in the east, Gu Chen came to his uncle Gu Chengfeng''s room after thetter had awakened, as usual, to help him regte his body.


    With the treatment over this period, medication, and the fact that Gu Chengfeng was also a warrior in the Meridian Opening Realm, his recovery was swift. Now, he didn''t need anyone to support him anymore.


    While Gu Chen was helping Gu Chengfeng regte his body, Gu Chengfeng suddenly raised his eyebrows with a look of surprised suspicion and said, "Eldest son, how do I feel that your internal powerpared to yesterday seems much more profound?"


    Gu Chen nodded and replied, "I''ve made some progress."


    Seeing Gu Chen''s nonchnt manner, Gu Chengfeng was left speechless. This wasn''t just some progress; Gu Chengfeng felt that Gu Chen''s internal power had not only surpassed him but by more than just a little bit.


    Furthermore, this was merely after one night. If this was just ''some progress'', what did Gu Chengfeng''s lifetime of cultivation amount to, marking time?


    At that moment, Gu Chengfeng even doubted if his nephew might be an unprecedented genius?


    Or perhaps, had he had an epiphany because of the previous events?


    Of course, there were some things that were Gu Chen''s own secrets. If Gu Chen didn''t keep them from him, it meant that Gu Chen trusted him, but Gu Chengfeng knew his boundaries, and he wouldn''t pry too much into his nephew''s secrets.


    Thus, three days passed. During this period, aside from familiarizing himself with martial arts and helping his second uncle Gu Chengfeng regte his body, Gu Chen also submitted an assessment application to the Jing Tian Department.


    On this day, in the early morning, news came from the Jing Tian Department. After helping his second uncle with his body regtion, Gu Chen immediately rushed to the Jing Tian Department.


    The outer city''s Jing Tian Department wasprised of patrolling officers. Only a first-rank patrolling officer who had reached the Meridian Opening Realm and passed the assessment could advance to be a Metropolitan Procurator and enter the inner city''s Jing Tian Department headquarters.


    In the outer city Jing Tian Department, aside from the patrolling officers and some staff, the overall management was handled by a Commandant assigned from the inner city Jing Tian Department headquarters.


    The Commandant of the outer city Jing Tian Department was rotated every three years, designated by headquarters. Any first-rank patrolling officer wishing to apply for assessment to be promoted to Metropolitan Procurator needed the Commandant''s consent to proceed.


    Gu Chen arrived at the Jing Tian Department, passed through many buildings, and came to the front of a three-story pavilion. After showing his token, he entered and met the Commandant in charge of overseeing the outer city''s Jing Tian Department.

 Chapter 39: Chapter 37 Metropolitan Procurator Assessment_1

    At the top floor of the attic, there was a great hall where a young man with a handsome face and schrly temperament, dressed in a light blue robe, sat at the head of the room.


    Gu Chen ascended to the attic and, upon seeing the young man, greeted him with cupped hands, "Gu Chen pays his respects to Commander Chen."


    This young man, whose features were as striking as the morning stars, was none other than the Commander of the Jing Tian Department responsible for supervising the city''s outskirts, known as Chen Yu.


    This Commander Chen was also a legendary figure within the Jing Tian Department, with astonishing talent. At just twenty-seven years of age, he had reached the seventh realm of martial arts, the Gang Qi Stage, and was promoted to be the youngest Commander in the entire Jing Tian Department of Da Xia, creating history and possessing boundless prospects for the future.


    Now, two years had passed, and no one knew the extent of his martial cultivation because since reaching the rank of Commander, Chen Yu had always been stationed at the Jing Tian Department''s outer city.


    For a prodigious talent like Chen Yu, his level of cultivation was advancing daily and monthly. You should know, the more one progresses in martial arts, the harder it bes to improve, not to mention a breakthrough in a minor realm ¨C even incremental progress required a great umtion of effort.


    Indeed, for many people, even some talented ones, breaking through a minor realm within the Gang Qi Stage could take years or even decades. Yet for him, after two years, even if he had not broken through the Gang Qi Stage, there was a high possibility that he had reached the peak of this stage.


    It could be said that he was a figure in no way inferior to Zhou Qing, and what was more, Chen Yu was much younger than Zhou Qing, ensuring his future achievements would undoubtedly surpass those of Zhou Qing.


    Moreover, this Commander Chen came from an ordinary background. Having reached his current position without relying on anyone, he climbed up step by step on his own merits.


    Within the Jing Tian Department, who knows how many patrolling officers and Metropolitan Procurators of humble birth took Chen Yu as their role model.


    Youthful in appearance, Chen Yu looked to be about the same age as Gu Chen just from the outside, and he did not carry the imposing aura of Zhou Qing. At first nce, he seemed to be a very approachable person.


    "Not bad."


    Chen Yu cast his gaze down and looked at Gu Chen with a smile in his eyes and nodded.


    Gu Chen remained silent, not knowing whether Chen Yu had seen through his true abilities. After all, apart from Zhou Qing, he had only seen Chen Yu among figures of this level and had no idea about the prowess granted by the Gang Qi Stage.


    Of course, Gu Chen had never intended to hide his abilities. After all, in the Jing Tian Department, strength was what spoke loudest. The stronger Gu Chen''s talents and the higher his strength, the easier it would be for him to be entrusted with important tasks.


    However, there was a limit to this; if one''s talent was excessive, surpassingmon sense, it would draw the suspicion of those with ulterior motives.


    The subtlety of handling this was something Gu Chen had to contemte and decide for himself.


    "Thank you for the praise, my lord," Gu Chen said.


    Chen Yu nodded slightly, "In two years, to have broken through from the Embryonic Breath realm to the Meridian Opening realm, your talent can indeed be considered good. I notice your vitality is abundant and your breath is long; you must have a rather profound umtion in the Meridian Opening realm."


    "You tter me too much, my lord. My achievements are nothingpared to yours," Gu Chen responded.


    Hearing this, Chen Yu smiled lightly, "There''s no need to be so formal. We''re about the same age, and I''m not as set in my ways as those old-timers. It''s good to rx a bit in conversation."


    After a pause, he continued, "The Jing Tian Department is a ce where strengthes first, or to put it another way, in the Jing Tian Department, things like seniority and age are worthless. No one can rest on theirurels here. We only look at strength. With your talent and strength, there''s no need to hide or be timid. When it''s time to be bold, you should be bold.


    If a young man isn''t spirited, what kind of young man is he? Don''t you agree?"


    At those words, a hint of a smile appeared on Gu Chen''s face, "What my lord says is absolutely right."


    This Commander Chen''s character was indeed just as rumored, unfettered and easygoing. It was said that when his temper red, he even dared to stand up to the garrisonmanders of the Jing Tian Department.


    And who were the garrisonmanders? Within the entire Jing Tian Department of Da Xia, there were only twelve suchmanders. Each of them was a colossus in the martial arts world, having established immense merits for Da Xia. Otherwise, they could not hold the rank of garrisonmander.


    The garrisonmanders were among the highest echelons of Da Xia, and even royalty and nobles were their peers.


    Even against such figures, Chen Yu was unafraid, which spoke volumes about his character.


    At that moment, Chen Yu casually pointed, and Gu Chen saw that not far from him on a tabley a scroll, as Chen Yu said, "Your assignment for the Metropolitan Procurator examination is on there. Take a look."


    Gu Chen nodded, picked up the scroll and quickly skimmed through it.


    Chen Yu exined, "There are two tasks for your Metropolitan Procurator assessment. First, in Li Mountain County of Qiongtian Mansion, there have been reports of demons afoot, the number unknown, but after investigation, their strength should be at the Panic Level. One of your tasks is to purge the demons from the local area of Li Mountain County."


    Gu Chen nodded, which was within his expectations, as the duty of the Jing Tian Department was to y demons. Naturally, the assessment for the Metropolitan Procurator could not bypass this aspect.


    Panic Level Demons, with a strength equivalent to martial artists from the Embryonic Breath to the Meridian Opening realms. This assessment was difficult yet not difficult,pletely reliant on individualbat capability.


    "Your second task is to investigate Zheng Jinan of Huaiyang City in Li Mountain County. There is intelligence suggesting that he is a remnant of the Evil Heart Sect. After you have thoroughly investigated the matter, report back. If the intelligence is confirmed, someone will handle it."


    Gu Chen examined the scroll, which noted that Zheng Jinan was an External Qi Stage martial artist, fifty-three years old and quite renowned locally in Huaiyang City. He was seen as a great benefactor by themon people, often contributing to the localmunity. His rtionship with the local magistrates was also well managed; he was friends with the county magistrate.


    The scroll provided detailed information about Zheng Jinan, and at a nce, it appeared there was no fault to be found with him.


    He also had a son, who was admitted into one of the prominent local martial sects in Li Mountain County and became a core disciple, further boosting Zheng Jinan''s reputation and making him the talk of the town for a time in the local rivers andkes.


    Even if an External Qi Stage expert was aged and in decline, generally, they were not something that a Meridian Opening Stage martial artist could contend with. And exactly for that reason, the second task was just for Gu Chen to investigate and did not require him to confront Zheng Jinan directly.


    After all, this was only an examination, not a suicide mission for Gu Chen.


    After going through the scroll, Gu Chen closed it and put it back.


    "Have you memorized it all?" Chen Yu asked with a smile.


    "Yes," Gu Chen nodded.


    "Good, then you shall depart tomorrow," Chen Yu said.


    Gu Chen bowed and turned to leave, but at that moment, Chen Yu said, "I heard that you have some acquaintance with Zhou Qing from the Mingjing Department?"


    Gu Chen replied with a bow, "To answer my lord, my acquaintance with Lord Zhou was purely coincidental. With Lord Zhou''s esteemed position, I do not have the status to be acquainted with someone of his caliber."


    The Jing Tian Department and the Mingjing Department were two of the most important organizations in Da Xia, with different responsibilities; one was outward-facing while the other looked inward. Though there were asional frictions, there was no real animosity between them.


    Chen Yu nodded slightly and did not say more, waving his hand to dismiss Gu Chen.

 Chapter 40: Chapter 38: Huaiyang City_1

    After leaving the ce, Gu Chen arrived at the Hall of Merit and took possession of the weapon he had previously exchanged for. It was a longsword named Red Refinement.


    This sword was about three feet long, with its de emitting a red glow throughout. It was made from a type of ore known as Red Refinement Steel, forged and refined through thousands of hammerings, forming a low-grade treasure weapon.


    Treasure weapons stood above ordinary martial weapons, divided into upper, middle, and lower grades. Gu Chen''s previous sword could only be considered a sharp weapon, made frommon iron, vastly inferior to a treasure weapon.


    Even an ordinary person wielding a treasure weapon could easily y a martial artist at the peak of the Body Refining Stage, and even a martial artist at the second realm, the Blood Refining Stage, wouldn''t dare to face it head on¡ªsuch was the power of a treasure weapon.


    The divine weapons of legendary prowess that some roaming martial artists spoke of referred exactly to these treasure weapons.


    Only in a ce like the Jing Tian Department could one exchange for a treasure weapon with merely seven points of merit.


    After securing the Red Refinement Sword at his waist, Gu Chen left the Jing Tian Department and returned to Gu Mansion.


    Upon his return to Gu Mansion, after reporting the matter to Gu Chengfeng and Xu Qinge, Gu Chen set off from Tiandu the next day, hurrying toward Li Mountain County.


    Da Xia governed thirteen provinces and Tiandu was situated in Shen Zhou. Everything in Shen Zhou rted to demons or the martial world was managed by the Jing Tian Department of Tiandu.


    The existence of the Jing Tian Department can be traced back to the very founding of Da Xia, when the realm had only recently unified and the situation was not yet stable, with no demons appearing in the nine provinces. The Jing Tian Department''s duty was mainly to intimidate thend and govern the martial world of the Central ins.


    At that time, the Jing Tian Department was like a sharp de hanging over the heads of various sects, ns, and noble families. Should anyone dare to rise in rebellion, the Jing Tian Department would directly intervene, and in severe cases, would annihte the offender''s entire family.


    Over the years, countless forces were quashed by the Jing Tian Department, and arge portion of the Department''s extensive archives originated from these acts.


    It was only over three hundred years ago, with the emergence of demons across the nine provinces, that the Jing Tian Department took on another duty: the purging of demons across thend.


    These were the two most important responsibilities of the Jing Tian Department, from which its name was derived.


    One could say that the Jing Tian Department was Da Xia''s sharp de outward, an institution crucial to Da Xia; the stability of the realm was greatly influenced by the Jing Tian Department.


    And indeed, it was for this reason that Gu Chen''s Metropolitan Procurator assessment included, apart from ying demons, the issue of remnants of the demonic sect.


    For both fell within the scope of the Jing Tian Department''s responsibilities.


    Li Mountain Countyy in the eastern part of Qiongtian Mansion, and Huaiyang City within it was also a rather famous city, nearly eight thousand miles from Tiandu.


    By noon on the eighth day, Gu Chen arrived at Huaiyang City.


    Huaiyang City could also be considered an ancient city with a long history. Though it could notpare with Tiandu, it was sizable. With a permanent poption in the hundreds of thousands, it far exceeded Ning City, which Gu Chen had previously visited.


    Although Gu Chen''s Metropolitan Procurator assessment involved two tasks, the dossier indicated that thest activity range of the demon was around Huaiyang City, and since Zheng Jinan was in Huaiyang City, Gu Chen headed directly there.


    After his arrival in Huaiyang City, Gu Chen first found an inn to rest and meditated for an hour to bring himself into optimal condition.


    As he had been busy traveling these past few days, Gu Chen had been subsisting on dry rations, which left a nd taste in his mouth. Therefore, after leaving the inn, he sought out a restaurant to indulge his pte.


    Although there was no time limit for the Metropolitan Procurator assessment, focusing solely on taskpletion, this was no excuse for dallying; undue dy would eventually prompt inquiries from the Jing Tian Department.


    In the second floor of the restaurant, Gu Chen ordered several local delicacies from Huaiyang City, as well as a pot of fine wine. Before long, as the dishes were served, Gu Chen ate while sitting by the window, enjoying the view of Huaiyang City.


    At the same time, he pondered how to proceed with his mission.


    The most straightforward method would be to confront the issue directly. If Gu Chen was strong enough, he didn''t believe that Zheng Jinan wouldn''t reveal the demonic sect''s techniques even on the brink of death.


    After all, life is of utmost importance, and there is only one.


    However, with his current strength, Gu Chen did not have full confidence in facing an Exterior Realm martial artist. Although the dossier stated that Zheng Jinan had opened up twenty-seven meridians in the Thoroughfare Realm before breaking through to the Exterior Realm, Zheng Jinan had immersed himself in the Exterior Realm for half his life and hadn''t fought anyone in many years.


    Thus, the Jing Tian Department was unsure of how much of his martial prowess remained.


    This was why the Jing Tian Department only asked Gu Chen to investigate and not to kill Zheng Jinan outright.


    The gap between the Exterior Realm and the Thoroughfare Realm was sizeable. Thetter focused on umtion, while an Exterior Realm martial artist could externalize their inner qi, releasing various sword qis and de qis. Those with profound cultivation could even reach the fabled state spoken of in the martial realm, where even plucked leaves and flying petals could wound someone.


    Thus, once a martial artist reached the Exterior Realm, they could be considered a significant force in the martial realm. Gu Chen was only at the Thoroughfare Realm. Though his internal qi was dense and far exceeded his peers, Zheng Jinan had practiced martial arts all his life. Even if his cultivation was not as profound as Gu Chen''s, it certainly wouldn''t be much less.


    Of course, if Zheng Jinan dared to sh head-on, Gu Chen felt confident about his chances of victory.


    However, as an Exterior Realm martial artist, Zheng Jinan had no need for a direct confrontation with Gu Chen. By attacking Gu Chen with internal qi from a distance, he could easily exhaust Gu Chen, making it difficult for him to respond.


    Unless Gu Chen once again obtained a substantial amount of merit points and elevated his cultivation and martial realm, he would then be able to face Zheng Jinan directly.


    As Gu Chen was engrossed in his thoughts, a disturbance suddenly erupted on the second floor of the restaurant, drawing everyone''s attention.


    At the staircase, several figures dressed in red robes ascended with a fierce momentum. Each of them had a longsword at their waist, clearly indicating they were disciples of a certain sect.


    ng!


    Suddenly, the leader¡ªa young man¡ªdrew his sword and pointed its tip at a corner of the second floor, shouting, "Luo Feng, I''ve finally caught up with you. This time, I''ll see where you can run!"


    Then, the young man''spanions, all wearing angry expressions, drew their swords as well and rushed over with him.


    At that moment, in the corner of the second floor, a man was quietly eating his meal. Hearing themotion, he sighed and lifted his head, revealing an incredibly ordinary face, one that wouldn''t stand out in a crowd.


    "Your Sunset Sword Sect is really like a dogskin ster, sticking wherever you go. I can''t even shake you off; you''re annoying the hell out of me."


    Hearing the words "Sunset Sword Sect," the other diners on the second floor immediately changed their expressions.


    The Sunset Sword Sect was a highly esteemed top-ranking sect known throughout the martial realm, and the strongest martial force in Qiongtian Mansion. Throughout the entire Qiongtian Mansion, few in the martial realm dared to provoke them.

 Chapter 41: Chapter 39: Sunset Sword Sect_1

    Sunset Sword Sect was considered the first major sect of Qiongtian Mansion and ranked among the "Seven Sects." Its reputation was so renowned throughout the entire Da Xia that it was as if thunder had pierced the ears.


    In the entire Qiongtian Mansion, with the exception of the government, the Sunset Sword Sect was the strongest power, holding sway over the martial world. No other forces could stand shoulder to shoulder with them.


    This was why the patrons in the tavern changed color at the mention of the four words "Sunset Sword Sect."


    "Can''t even let a man eat his meal in peace, annoying as hell."


    In a corner of the tavern''s second floor, a man named Luo Feng saw the people from Sunset Sword Secting to kill him; his expression unchanged, until the tip of the sword neared his eyes, his entire figure suddenly vanished. It turned out that what was left in his ce was just an afterimage.


    Seeing this scene, Gu Chen''s eyes flickered slightly. Regardless of anything else, based solely on this footwork, the man named Luo Feng was already standing on invincible ground.


    At least, the current Gu Chen did not possess such nimble footwork.


    One sword stroke missed, and the disciple''s expression did not change as he shouted sternly, "Luo Feng, you can''t escape. Today, I must stab twenty-seven holes in your body to avenge Sister Tian!"


    Luo Feng, who looked in and inconspicuous, heard the words and sneered dismissively, "Is there a need for such an overreaction? It''s not as if I did much; all I did was strip Sister Tian and hang her up in the wilderness for a night. She didn''t die. Why are you after me without letting go?"


    "Shut up!"


    The disciple of Sunset Sword Sect turned cold with his gaze, cutting off Luo Feng''s words, preventing him from continuing.


    This matter, if it were to spread, would negatively impact not only Sister Tian but also the Sunset Sword Sect.


    As a top-ranking sect, it certainly would not tolerate negative rumors about itself circting in the martial world.


    The disciples of Sunset Sword Sect had a fierce look, and their chilling gaze swept across the room. Anyone on the second floor of the tavern who caught their gaze trembled and turned away, pretending they hadn''t heard anything.


    "I remember now; that''s why the name sounded so familiar. Luo Feng, he''s ''Skrk'' Luo Feng, the most cunning flower thief in the entire Qiongtian Mansion!" muttered a martial artist on the second floor.


    "I''ve also heard about him. ''Skrk'' Luo Feng, with unparalleled lightness skill and first-ss in escape, it''s said that he once toyed with an External Qi warrior for an entire day and night using his lightness skill.


    Only when that warrior was exhausted did Luo Feng casually leave; the moniker ''Skrk'' refers to his high skill in lightness, meaning that even a de of grass could lend him support, as if walking on t ground," a few martial artists on the second floor discussed in whispers.


    Luo Feng heard this and smiled faintly, "Everyone, if I said I''m not some flower thief but a bright-hearted champion of justice, would you believe me?"


    The disciple of Sunset Sword Sect sneered upon hearing this, "A champion of justice? Luo Feng, you are infamous throughout Qiongtian Mansion. Lord Qian''s beloved daughter, the second young miss of Song Family Castle, and so on; these powers are still offering rewards for you. Your crimes are too numerous to count. What else do you have to say for yourself?"


    Luo Feng, unconcerned, shrugged his shoulders, "They got what they deserved; I can hardly be med."


    "Bullshit!"


    The disciple of Sunset Sword Sect was furious, saying, "You vile lecher, such shamelessness! Are you also going to im they seduced you first?!"


    "That''s not the case," Luo Feng shook his head.


    "Luo Feng, I don''t care who else you provoke, but you''ve made the grave error of crossing our Sunset Sword Sect. From the moment you dared toy a finger on Sister Tian, you will have no ce to hide in the entire Da Xia, let alone Qiongtian Mansion. This time, you cannot escape your doom!"


    The eyes of the disciple from Sunset Sword Sect were icy as he shouted, "Attack!"


    ng!


    The sound of swords rang out as all of the Sunset Sword Sect members charged at Luo Feng at that moment, surrounding him in an instant.


    "You can''t stop me," said Luo Feng, his expression unchanged, shaking his head.


    "To hell you go, you lecher!"


    With a hum, bright sword light appeared on the second floor of the tavern. Most of these disciples from Sunset Sword Sect were at the level of Pulse Connection realm, and as soon as they made a move, their powerful energy burst forth, causing many tables and chairs to directly explode.


    All the people on the second floor of the tavern became silent with fear and backed away when they saw this scene. Some wanted to leave but found it difficult to find an opportunity amidst the intense fight. One wrong move could very well cause harm to themselves.


    The manager of the tavern saw this and his face grew pale. He wanted to stop them but dared not speak, fearing he would incur the wrath of Sunset Sword Sect.


    After all, the domineering ways of Sunset Sword Sect in Qiongtian Mansion were not merely a day or two''s doing.


    Whoosh whoosh whoosh!


    The swords shed; although Luo Feng was surrounded, his footwork was truly exquisite. He swayed and dodged, and after a flurry of attacks, he had not taken the slightest injury, not even a corner of his clothes was damaged.


    Swish!


    Suddenly, Luo Feng leapt up, attempting to break free and escape.


    "You won''t get away!"


    The disciples of Sunset Sword Sect shouted coldly, waving their long swords and forming a sword, blocking Luo Feng once again.


    Bang!


    A table split in response, with half of it flying into the air, crashing towards the edge of the second floor of the tavern,


    where an elderly man well past his prime was with two children. Seeing the table flying towards them, his expression turned to panic; in a hurry, he could only turn around, hold the children in his arms, close his eyes, and choose to withstand the impact with his own body.


    G Gu Chen, seeing this scene, frowned, his figure shed like lightning to the front of the old man, and with a palm strike, he shattered the iing table into pieces, protecting them.


    When the old man heard the noise and turned around, seeing that it was Gu Chen who had helped him, gratitude spread across his aged face as he repeatedly said, "Thank you, thank you..."


    Gu Chen shook his head to indicate it was nothing, then shifted his gaze back to the nearby battlefield.


    ording to Da Xia''sws, it was strictly forbidden to fight within the city, as every move of a martial artist could potentially endanger the lives of ordinary people. That''s why Da Xia''sws explicitly stated this rule.


    These disciples of Sunset Sword Sect were indeed overbearing, ignoring thews of Da Xia, daring to start a fight within the city, even in the cramped space on the second floor of the tavern, disregarding the existence of ordinary citizens.


    Whoosh!


    As another chair flew over, Gu Chen casually swatted it to one side. At this point, the disciples of Sunset Sword Sect couldn''t take Luo Feng down, and the fight became extremely stuck; due to their conflict, the entire tavern was about to copse.


    "Stop!"


    Hearing the shout, the disciples of Sunset Sword Sect showed no sign of stopping; the leader even turned back to give Gu Chen a cold re as if trying to remember his face so he could deal with himter.


    The other martial artists seeing Gu Chen daring to stop the disciples of Sunset Sword Sect changed their expressions and moved further away from him, putting distance between themselves and Gu Chen, fearing they would be coteral damageter on.


    Seeing that the disciples of the Sunset Sword Sect showed no sign of stopping, Gu Chen''s eyes grew cold. He grabbed a chair next to him and smashed it towards the disciple who had just red at him with disdain.

 Chapter 42: Chapter 40: Making a Move_1

    Bang!


    The disciple from the Sunset Sword Sect reacted extremely quickly. The instant the chair smashed behind him, he drew his sword and sliced the chair thrown by Gu Chen into two halves.


    "Do you have a death wish?" the disciple from the Sunset Sword Sect asked, his face dark with anger, as he looked at Gu Chen.


    Seeing this, the other disciples from the Sunset Sword Sect also stopped their fight against Luo Feng, turning their heads to re furiously at Gu Chen.


    Gu Chen remained calm and said, "Who gave you the audacity to make trouble in broad daylight within the Huaiyang City?"


    "Ha!"


    Upon hearing this, the lead disciple from the Sunset Sword Sect sneered, "What did you say?"


    The other martial artists present looked at Gu Chen with a look of disbelief, as if looking at a fool.


    "To say nothing of me making a move here, even if I were to tear down this inn, no one could do anything to me!" the disciple from the Sunset Sword Sect coldly said, his arrogance evident in his tone.


    At the same time, his gaze swept over to the innkeeper. The innkeeper immediately shrank his neck and turned his head away, not daring to utter a single word.


    Gu Chen frowned slightly and said, "Such rampant behavior, does the local government not intervene?"


    "The local government?"


    The disciples from the Sunset Sword Sectughed as if they had heard a joke. After a while, one retorted, "What ignorant country bumpkin hase here? You''re clueless to the point of stupidity. Haven''t you heard about the rtionship between our Elder Brother Zheng from the Sunset Sword Sect and the local officials?"


    The other martial artists also whispered among themselves, "Where did this outsidere from? He dares to act rashly without knowing anything; now he''s in trouble."


    When Gu Chen heard the name "Zheng Yan," he instantly understood.


    The dossier given by the Jing Tian Department mentioned part of Zheng Jinan''s background. Zheng Yan was indeed the only son of Zheng Jinan.


    And Zheng Jinan had an exceptionally close rtionship with the magistrate of Huaiyang City. It was no wonder then that with the backing of the Sunset Sword Sect, these people had been fighting for so long without anyone intervening.


    Whoosh!


    At that moment, Luo Feng suddenly dashed and leaped out the window to escape. His movements were incredibly fast, and he disappeared from the crowded street in just a few shes.


    "Damn it!"


    By the time the disciples from the Sunset Sword Sect realized what happened, Luo Feng was long gone. They redirected their hostility towards Gu Chen.


    "So, you''re in cahoots with that scoundrel Luo Feng. If it weren''t for you, he could never have escaped our grasp today!"


    Seeing Luo Feng''s escape, the disciples of the Sunset Sword Sect vented their rage on Gu Chen.


    "Get over here!"


    One of the disciples from the Sunset Sword Sect barked at Gu Chen, demanding him toe over and apologize.


    It must be said, these disciples from the Sunset Sword Sect had be ustomed to being overbearing. They had no qualms about starting fights in the city and wreaking havoc on the innocent. Now they even had the gall to demand Gu Chene over and apologize.


    Hearing this, Gu Chen immediatelyughed. Anyone who had spoken to him like that had never ended well.


    "You still dare tough?!"


    One of the disciples, in the middle stage of the Meridian Opening Realm from the Sunset Sword Sect, saw Gu Chen''s reaction as a provocation. With a cold face, he stepped forward, reached out his hand to grab Gu Chen by the neck, and attempted to lift him into the air.


    "Foolishness!"


    Gu Chen''s expression was cold. As soon as he spoke, without any visible movement from him, the disciple who had just reached out to grab him was sent flying through the air, vomiting three mouthfuls of blood while still mid-flight.


    "Insolence!"


    "Audacity!"


    Seeing this, the other disciples from the Sunset Sword Sect were immediately enraged. There were eight of them in total, and the remaining seven, with swords in hand, swiftly surrounded Gu Chen.


    The leader of the group on site, named Chen Song, had a grim face. Wielding his sword, he made a vicious move by thrusting it directly at Gu Chen''s throat, clearly intending to kill. His actions were both a show of strength and a promation of the might of the Sunset Sword Sect.


    ```


    There''s no denying that the Sunset Sword Sect is domineering to the extreme, with no regard for right or wrong. They dare to strike, regardless of the situation or identity, as long as someone defies them.


    If their disciples behave this way, can the ones in charge really be any better?


    Actually, the strength of these Sunset Sword Sect disciples isn''t weak. If Gu Chen hadn''t made his breakthrough, facing them might have been dicey, but now the situation is quite different.


    "Who gave you the right to point your sword at me?" Gu Chen''s facial expression turned stern as a cold light shed in his eyes.


    "Die!"


    Chen Song had a fierce look, and the force in his hand did not lessen as the tip of his sword thrust straight for Gu Chen''s throat.


    ng!


    A crisp sound of sword shing rang out, and to the shock of everyone present, Gu Chen broke Chen Song''s long sword with his bare hands.


    Shh!


    With a casual flick, Gu Chen threw the broken sword tip, which grazed Chen Song''s cheek, leaving behind a trail of blood.


    "Elder Brother Chen!"


    The other Sunset Sword Sect disciples eximed in shock at the sight.


    Chen Song himself was stunned, unable to believe Gu Chen possessed such strength. But the Sunset Sword Sect was standing behind him, so even now, he showed no fear whatsoever.


    "I am a disciple of the Sunset Sword Sect; you dare hurt me, beware lest your whole family be exterminated!" Chen Song said threateningly.


    This remark instantly touched Gu Chen''s raw nerve. His face became grim, his gaze piercing. With a slight step forward, the entire establishment seemed unable to bear this weight, beginning to shake and nearly copsing.


    Chen Song felt apprehensive, but the arrogance honed over the years made him stick to a pattern. In past encounters, just hearing the four words "Sunset Sword Sect" would prompt even experts of the outer realms to switch their attitude by a full one hundred and eighty degrees. He never imagined there would be someone in the nine provinces who wouldpletely disregard the Sunset Sword Sect.


    Boom!


    A terrifying aura erupted, stirring up a gust of wind inside the tavern. The 151 years of internal breath within Gu Chen surged through his 35 opened meridians, and without evenunching an attack, he had already intimidated everyone present.


    "Such terrifying cultivation!"


    Feeling this momentum, everyone''s faces changed color.


    "You..."


    Before Chen Song couldplete his words, Gu Chen''s figure shed, and with a touch of his palm from afar, without using any martial arts, just the force of the internal breath from 151 years of cultivation caused all the Sunset Sword Sect disciples in front to be blown away.


    "Pfft!"


    Each of them vomited three mouthfuls of blood in midair, just like the previous man, and then fell haphazardly to the ground, continuous moaning filling the air.


    At that moment, Gu Chen approached Chen Song. Even now, Chen Song''s mouth was hard, unwilling to submit, still trying to intimidate Gu Chen. But Gu Chen kicked out, breaking his jaw, silencing himpletely.


    "Ah..."


    Chen Song, lying on the ground, screamed miserably, his eyes filled with malice as he looked at Gu Chen.


    Seeing that he was as defiant as a pig unafraid of boiling water, Gu Chen''s eyes were cold and merciless, no longer holding back, ready to finish him with one blow.


    It was only at this moment, at such close distance, feeling the genuine killing intent from Gu Chen, that Chen Song finally felt fear. His face filled with panic, his throat moved continuously, trying to say something, but with his jaw broken, he could only make unintelligible noises, unable to form a single coherent sentence.


    Just as Gu Chen was about to deliver the killing blow, the tavern''s manager suddenly rushed out, hugged Gu Chen, and pleaded on his knees: "Esteemed hero, please... please spare them..."


    Gu Chen''s brows furrowed upon seeing this.


    "Esteemed hero, please spare them. They are disciples of the Sunset Sword Sect. If these people die here today, my tavern can no longer operate, and even, even my family and I may lose our lives..." the tavern manager pleaded on the ground, continuously begging Gu Chen.


    Gu Chen''s brow slightly furrowed and, after a moment, ultimately did not deliver the killing blow. He turned his head to the disciples of the Sunset Sword Sect lying on the ground and shouted, "Scram!"


    Hearing this, those Sunset Sword Sect disciples scrambled to their feet, helped Chen Song up, and without looking back, fled as if in a disaster, using their fastest speed to escape the scene.


    After the Sunset Sword Sect members were gone, the tavern manager let out a long sigh and slumped to the ground, not getting up for quite some time.


    A few martial artists approached and looked at Gu Chen with concern, saying, "Young hero, do you realize the grave trouble you''ve just stirred up!"


    ```

 Chapter 43: Chapter 41 Luo Feng_1

    "Sunset Sword Sect is one of the seven sects, and the strongest Jianghu force in Qiongtian Mansion; they are extremely domineering and notorious throughout Qiongtian Mansion. Young hero, by teaching them such a harsh lesson this time, Sunset Sword Sect will certainly not let you off the hook. You''ve brought a cmity upon yourself that threatens your life!" the several Jianghu individuals sighed.


    "It doesn''t matter," Gu Chen replied, shaking his head slightly, not taking the matter to heart.


    Even if Sunset Sword Sect is strong, can they be stronger than Da Xia, stronger than Jing Tian Department?


    Moreover, Sunset Sword Sect was at fault this time, having vited thews of Da Xia by starting a fight in the city and involving innocent people. Gu Chen''s intervention was justified and part of his duty.


    Even if he had killed Chen Song on the spot, there was nothing Sunset Sword Sect could say once they found out.


    This was why Gu Chen was not afraid of Sunset Sword Sect, nor was he afraid of the threats from Chen Song.


    It is unfortunate that Chen Song does not realize that he threatened the wrong person and said the wrong thing, which nearly brought great cmity upon himself.


    Seeing Gu Chen''s indifferent demeanor, the several Jianghu individuals did not say more, only sighing privately that Gu Chen was young and had not experienced the hardships of society, impulsive in his actions.


    At this moment, the elderly man whom Gu Chen had saved previously came forward with two children, his face full of gratitude. "Thank you, young hero, for your help," he said.


    Gu Chen smiled slightly and replied, "It was but a small effort, no need for the elder to keep it to heart."


    "Thank you, big brother," said the two children by the elder''s side, their faces innocent and their big eyes sparkling as they spoke candidly.


    Gu Chen squatted down and gently caressed the children''s faces, speaking tenderly, "Good kids, how old are you two?"


    "I''m five."


    "I''m six!"


    The two children spoke one after the other, their faces full of naive smiles, and in their childish voices, they said, "In the future, we will be just as powerful as big brother to protect grandpa."


    Gu Chen''s smile was warm as he nodded and said, "Good, you surely will be very powerful in the future, and then you must take good care of grandpa."


    "Mhm!" The two children nodded vigorously.


    Then, Gu Chen stood up and said to the elder, "Elder, you should take the children and leave this ce of trouble first."


    "Alright, young hero, you also take care," the elder said earnestly.


    Gu Chen smiled and nodded, then watched as the elder left with the children.


    After the elder had gone, Gu Chen helped the tavern keeper up and asked, "How much damage has been done to the tavern this time?"


    The tavern keeper was startled by the question, then realizing what Gu Chen meant, hesitated and said, "This... how embarrassing..."


    Without a word, Gu Chen took out a banknote and ced it in the tavern keeper''s hand, then he turned and left.


    As Gu Chen was about to depart, the tavern keeper called out loudly, "Young hero, Sunset Sword Sect is no ordinary foe, it''s best if you leave Huaiyang City soon."


    Gu Chen did not reply but simply waved his hand and left the ce without looking back.


    In the following three days, Gu Chen searched around Huaiyang City, hoping to find any trace of demon spirits, even just one, because he was in dire need of merit points.


    Unfortunately, he didn''t find a single demon spirit, returning empty-handed for three consecutive days.


    For some reason, Sunset Sword Sect also did note to seek troubles with Gu Chen.


    One noon, Gu Chen sat in the tavern, twirling his cup and sipping on a local specialty from Huaiyang City named Jade Sun liquor.


    The liquor was rich in vor, mild like a fruit drink, but once inside the stomach, it released a warmth that made one''s whole body feel cozy. It was well-liked by locals and outsiders alike and very famous.


    "May I sit here, brother?" Suddenly a figure appeared opposite Gu Chen.


    Gu Chen looked up and saw a young man, not particrly handsome but not ugly, the kind that was quite average, a person of modest demeanor.


    "Since brother is silent, I''ll take it as consent," the young man said with a slight smile, not waiting for Gu Chen to speak; he sat down directly opposite him.


    Then, as ifpletely familiar, he picked up a cup and poured himself a drink.


    "Hmm, it seems brother also likes Jade Sun liquor. However, in my opinion, while Jade Sun liquor is good, it''s too mild. A real man should enjoy a more potent drink to feel truly satisfied," the young man said squinting his eyes, visibly enjoying himself.


    Gu Chen replied, "It''s fine to want to drink, but you''d better pay with your own money. Oh, right, first give me back the money you owe for the damages from the other day."


    As he spoke, he extended his palm toward the young man across from him.


    Upon hearing this, the young man''s smile froze, and after a long pause, he said with a forcedugh, "What''s that, brother? I don''t understand what you''re saying. We''re meeting for the first time today; what money are you asking from me?"


    Gu Chen smiled slightly and said, "Believe it or not, if I just shout out ''The lecher Luo Feng is here'', a crowd will swarm over, and by then, I doubt you''ll be able to sit here leisurely drinking my liquor."


    The young man, who was in fact the grass on the wind, Luo Feng, let out a faint smile upon being recognized, and, with an air of casualness, said, "Brother truly has sharp eyes. Everyone knows of my unmatched lightness technique, but little do they know that what I am most proud of is my Face-Changing Skill, which is truly unparalleled in this world."


    Gu Chen remained nonmittal; Luo Feng''s Face-Changing Skill was indeed strong, but with so many capable individuals in the vastnds of Jiu Zhou, iming to be unmatched in the world was an overstatement.


    "How may I address you, brother?" Luo Feng asked.


    "Gu Chen."


    "So, you are Brother Gu," Luo Feng nodded, then, with a touch of curiosity, asked, "I consider my Face-Changing Skill to be the best in the world; how did Brother Gu recognize me?"


    "Return my money, and I will tell you," Gu Chen replied with a smile.


    Luo Feng''s expression immediately turned sour.


    It had to be said, his Face-Changing Skill was truly exceptional; most face-changing skills couldn''t seamlessly coordinate with facial muscles to produce lifelike and subtle expressions.


    Of course, the reason Gu Chen managed to see through it was mostly conjecture. He had only recently arrived at Huaiyang City and barely knew anyone. With so many empty seats around, who else would be so free and interested in bantering with him?


    But more importantly, Gu Chen had a keen sense of perception, and he vaguely felt a familiar aura on Luo Feng, which led him to boldly guess and verify it, indeed seeing that it was Luo Feng without a doubt.


    Luo Feng said, "Brother Gu, to be frank, I''vee here with an important piece of information that I need to tell you."


    Gu Chen heard this but directly shook his head and declined, "I don''t want to hear it."


    Luo Feng''s expression stiffened, with his about-to-speak words silenced in his mouth, not expecting Gu Chen to be so unamodating.


    "What good could a renowned lecher in Jianghu possibly have to say to me?" Gu Chen casually kept eating while speaking indifferently.

 Chapter 44: Chapter 42 Evil Heart Sect_1

    Hearing Gu Chen''s words, Luo Feng was momentarily at a loss for words.


    "Not only that, you also owe me money. You tell me, with your kind of reputation and character, how am I to trust you?" Gu Chen said slowly.


    Luo Feng became anxious and said, "I guarantee with my personal integrity that every word I say is true!"


    Gu Chen nced at him, took a sip of wine, and said with indifference, "A debauchee has integrity?"


    "I''ve said it before, I''m a righteous person with a heart full of brightness," Luo Feng corrected him seriously.


    Seeing that Gu Chen was ignoring him, Luo Feng continued, "Brother Gu, by risking so much toe to you today, I have already shown my sincerity. As for what I''m about to say, whether you believe it or not is up to you."


    Without any hesitation, he went on, "Brother Gu, do you know that Zheng Jinan of Huaiyang City is a remnant of the Evil Heart Sect of the demonic cult!"


    Upon hearing this, Gu Chen''s eyebrows slightly raised, wondering how Luo Feng came to know such secret information.


    The Jing Tian Department monitored the world, and although it didn''t have agents everywhere in Da Xia, it was pretty close. Many pieces of intelligence that were unknown even to some of the top sects and ns were clear to the Jing Tian Department, which, backed by Da Xia, had the capability to know these things. To Gu Chen, this was not unusual.


    But how could Luo Feng, a notorious debauchee, possibly know this kind of information?


    After all, Zheng Jinan had a very good reputation in Li Mountain County. Not to mention that his son, Zheng Yan, was a core disciple of the Sunset Sword Sect, Zheng Jinan himself, in the eyes of the local people, was practically a great benefactor, often aiding the poor.


    In the martial arts world, Zheng Jinan, who was at the External Qi Stage, had once made quite a name for himself in the vicinity of Huaiyang City. In hister years, he mixed well with various factions, thriving like a fish in water.


    Such allegations from Luo Feng would be hard to believe for anyone other than Gu Chen; some people who were on good terms with Zheng Jinan might even go as far as to start a fight with Luo Feng over it.


    A notorious debauchee using someone else of being a demonic cult remnant was not something anyone would believe.


    Seeing that Gu Chen wasn''t speaking, Luo Feng said with a bitter face, "Brother Gu doesn''t believe what I say?"


    Gu Chen looked up at him as if to say, what credibility does a debauchee have?


    Just as Luo Feng fell silent, Gu Chen suddenly asked, "What about Lord Qian''s daughter, the second young miss of the Song family estate, and Sister Tian from the Sunset Sword Sect?"


    Upon hearing this, Luo Feng hurriedly exined, "Each of these women is no good person. They seem nice enough on the outside, but each has a venomous heart. Take Lord Qian''s daughter, for instance; she almost beat a young maid to death just for identally breaking a teacup."


    "Then there''s the second young miss of the Song family, exceptionally ugly, and yet she won''t allow anyone to say so. I could have epted that much, but when she took a fancy to a local man who was already married, and he rejected her, she actually ordered her servants to vite his wife in front of him, leading the couple to take their own lives in shame."


    "Lastly, there is Sister Tian from the Sunset Sword Sect. She may be slightly better than the others, but not by much. Arrogant and disdainful, she has an extremely strong jealous streak and once stripped a girl more beautiful than her and hung her naked in the woods for an entire night."


    "They''re all scum, and I wouldn''t be in the wrong even if I killed them. But their elders are somewhat powerful and naturally wouldn''t let such news spread. Over time, my reputation has naturally soured."


    Gu Chen looked at Luo Feng, and the anger in thetter''s eyes didn''t seem feigned. It was hard to believe that such an infamous libertine could be such a person, possessing such kindness and sympathy for the ordinary people.


    "So, you decided to fight fire with fire?" Gu Chen asked.


    "Exactly," Luo Feng nodded firmly. Even if he knew it would be of little use, he had to vent his frustration and let them taste their own medicine.


    Then, Luo Feng continued, "Brother Gu, everything I just said came straight from the heart. After my investigation, Zheng Jinan is undoubtedly a remnant of the demonic Evil Heart Sect. You must have heard of the notorious reputation of the Evil Heart Sect.


    On the surface, Zheng Jinan pretends to be a great phnthropist, but in the shadows, he devours the hearts of his kin to cultivate demonic powers, an act against naturalw!"


    Gu Chen nodded. The Jing Tian Department had records pertaining to the demonic cults and the Evil Heart Sect; he was naturally aware of them.


    The full name of the demonic cult is the Six Union God Sect. ''Demonic cult'' is the term used by the people of the martial world, while internally, they prefer to call themselves the ''God Sect'' or ''Holy Gate''.


    Over three hundred years ago, before demons and ghosts had emerged, the Six Union God Sect raged like wild fire across thends. The sect leader of that generation possessed an astonishing talent for strategy and conquest, dominating all under heaven; no power in the Nine Provinces could contend with him.


    It could be said that it was the most prosperous era for the Six Union God Sect. The sect leader of the time suppressed his contemporaries, such that no one in all of the Nine Provinces could hold their heads up high against him.


    That period was the darkest era for the Nine Provinces. As the demonic cult rampaged across thend, countless perished, and all forces were so intimidated that they dared not speak out¡ªfar more tyrannical than the current Sunset Sword Sect by countless degrees.


    However, ording to records from the Jing Tian Department, due to the Six Union God Sect''s unbridled arrogance and disregard for consequences, they provoked a united opposition from martial artists across the world, including Da Xia. At that time, all the top forces banded together to storm the headquarters of the Six Union God Sect.


    After countless deaths and injuries, they finally managed to destroy the demonic cult with great difficulty.


    Despite this, many members of the demonic cult escaped when the situation turned dire. However, with the death of the Six Union God Sect''s leader, the cult fragmented and lost its former might, bing vermin that everyone wanted to eliminate. Since then, over the course of more than three hundred years, they could only hide in the shadows, not daring to reveal their identities.


    The Evil Heart Sect was a branch of the demonic cult, rumored to practice methods requiring the consumption of human hearts for cultivation¡ªutterly evil and resented by countless warriors. During the assault on the demonic cult''s headquarters, the martial artists of the Evil Heart Sect were targeted heavily, suffering numerous casualties.


    It was unexpected that their legacy would persist to this day.


    One could only say it was like a centipede that does not die easily.


    "Zheng Jinan sustained a hidden injury during a fight in his youth and, as a result, was stuck at the External Qi realm for the rest of his life. To heal his injuries, he secretly employed the methods of the Evil Heart Sect, consuming the hearts of martial artists to supplement himself and finally break through his constraints," Luo Feng said.


    "Why are you telling me this?" Gu Chen asked.


    Luo Feng looked solemn and said, "On the day when the Sunset Sword Sect''s disciples besieged me, you daringly acted regardless of the consequences to save ordinary people and courageously spoke up for them, questioning Chen Song and his group from the Sunset Sword Sect. That''s when I knew, Brother Gu, you are like me, a person with a heart full of righteousness and justice."


    Gu Chen raised his hand and said, "Stop right there. You don''t need to put me on a pedestal. The only reason I intervened that day was because I couldn''t stand those people, nothing more than that."


    Unperturbed, Luo Feng went on, "Just so, I also can''t stand the behavior of these well-established forces, acting as if the world can''t turn without them, looking down on everyone else. Especially the Sunset Sword Sect¡ªthe likes of Chen Song show that the entire sect is rotten to the core.


    If things continue this way, it won''t be long before the Sunset Sword Sect''s millennium legacy might be destroyed because of it."


    Gu Chen gave him a somewhat surprised look, not expecting Luo Feng to be so bold in his words. If someone with an agenda heard this and let it slip to the ears of the Sunset Sword Sect, Luo Feng''s days would surely be numbered.


    "So, what''s your purpose in looking for me?" Gu Chen looked at Luo Feng.


    Luo Feng''s expression was grave as he said, "Seven days from now, it will be Zheng Jinan''s fifty-fourth birthday. At that time, all of Huaiyang City and the surrounding area, including many martial artists and local government forces, wille to celebrate.


    Then, the two of us can infiltrate the gathering and publicly reveal Zheng Jinan''s true face, exposing his identity as a remnant of the Evil Heart Sect. That alone should be enough to incite everyone to rise against him!"

 Chapter 45: Chapter 43 Star Rankings_1

    Upon hearing this, Gu Chen raised his eyebrows and said, "Do you have evidence?"


    Luo Feng gave a sheepish smile and said, "I don''t have any yet."


    Gu Chen''s eyes narrowed, and had he not known that Luo Feng wasn''t ying him, Gu Chen would have been tempted to strike him there and then.


    Seeing this, Luo Feng hurriedly said, "Although there is no evidence now, we can gather it. We still have seven days, which should be enough time."


    Gu Chen''s face was expressionless. He stretched out his palm and said, "Give me my money back, then you can get lost."


    Luo Feng''s face showed embarrassment as he said, "Brother Gu, this... you''re being a bit unreasonable. You can''t pin the teahouse damage on me. There''s a clear distinction between debts and their patrons. You should be seeking out the people from the Sunset Sword Sect."


    Gu Chen gave him a nce and said, "But it all started because of you."


    At those words, Luo Feng was suddenly at a loss for words.


    Then, Gu Chen said, "Why didn''t you consider informing the authorities and having them arrest Zheng Jinan?"


    Upon hearing the word "authorities," a sneer appeared on Luo Feng''s face. He said, "The local magistrate is in Zheng Jinan''s pocket. Over the years, he has received no small amount of favors from Zheng Jinan, inside and out. The magistrate won''t lift a finger against Zheng Jinan who is his major financier."


    Sighing, Luo Feng continued, "It''s not that I don''t trust the authorities, it''s just that ever since the Emperor went into seclusion twenty-three years ago, the world was peaceful during the reign of the current sovereign, and the officials of Da Xia were dedicated to their duties. The Jianghu of the nine provinces was extremely stable, and no one dared to cause trouble.


    But now, with the Emperor in seclusion for twenty-three years and not attending to court affairs, the world has begun to show signs of chaos."


    "Moreover, with demons appearing more frequently, their numbers are showing signs of bing uncontroble. If this continues, it won''t be long before the world falls intoplete disarray."


    At these words, Gu Chen, too, fell silent. This time he did not contradict Luo Feng. As a member of the Jing Tian Department and though not holding a court position, he could also genuinely feel that the world had indeed changed from before.


    The current Emperor of Da Xia was illustrious in both civil and military exploits and unparalleled in the world. Even in the declining years of the previous Emperor,pounded by the scourge of demons, the world had shown tendencies towards chaos. Yet after the current sovereign ascended the throne, he ruled with an iron fist¡ªfirst straightening out the court and purging many corrupt officials.


    Then he personally led campaigns, riding into the Jianghu, and subjugated various martial factions, thus restoring order to a nearly chaotic realm and bringing a new era of prosperity and strength to Da Xia.


    However, twenty-three years ago, the current sovereign announced his intention to enter a life-endangering seclusion to break through the celestial barrier and advance to the Divine Realm, a level that countless had failed to reach over many years.


    As soon as this announcement was made, the court was in an uproar. Naturally, many nobles opposed the idea. After all, the Emperor was in his prime and there seemed no need for this risky endeavor. However, for reasons unknown, the Emperor was resolute and insisted on his decision, leaving the Crown Prince to manage the court affairs with the assistance of his brother, King Huai.


    This seclusion had nowsted for twenty-three long years. Over these years, the Emperor had never appeared, and there was no news of his whereabouts. Gradually, unsavory rumors began to surface.


    The Emperor''s retreat had a profound impact. As time passed, below the seemingly tranquil surface of the Nine Provinces, the situation was bing more and moreplex and the undercurrents more turbulent.


    Not to mention others, even the martial factions of the Jianghu no longer held the same fear of Da Xia as they had during the Emperor''s rule, including their treatment of the Jing Tian Department.


    Fortunately, during his reign, the Emperor had brought prosperity and unprecedented national strength to Da Xia, and the Jing Tian Department was full of high-level experts, so for the moment, it could still deter any challenges. However, as time passed, it was uncertain how long this couldst.


    "By the way."


    Luo Feng suddenly remembered something. His expression turned serious as he said to Gu Chen, "Brother Gu, you had a conflict with the Sunset Sword Sect before. You need to be very carefultely. Zheng Jinan''s heir, Zheng Yan, is sure to return for his father''s celebration.


    Considering how harshly you dealt with Chen Song and the others from the Sect, and given their notorious protectiveness, coupled with Huaiyang City being Zheng Yan''s territory, he definitely won''t let you off."


    In fact, the reason why the disciples of the Sunset Sword Sect came to Huaiyang City was precisely to celebrate Zheng Jinan''s birthday.


    Gu Chen asked, "How strong is this Zheng Yan?"


    Luo Feng''s face turned serious as he answered, "Although the Sunset Sword Sect is overbearing and protective, their strength truly cannot be underestimated. Especially in recent years, they have be even more powerful. Zheng Yan, as a core disciple of the Sunset Sword Sect, has strength enough to rank within their top disciples. He is even listed twelfth on the Star Ranking.


    Although he is still in the Meridian Opening Realm, it is said that he has already opened forty meridians within his body."


    "You must guard against this man, Brother Gu. At this stage, even if I encountered Zheng Yan, I would be utterly defeated in a confrontation, with no choice left but to flee."


    Hearing this, Gu Chen''s expression shifted slightly. The dossier that the Jing Tian Department had given him hadn''t detailed Zheng Yan''s prowess to such an extent; he hadn''t expected Zheng Jinan''s sole heir to possess such strength, ranking as the twelfth on the Star Ranking.


    The Star Ranking was a list published by an organization in the Jianghu known as Diancang Pavilion, which recorded the top one hundred young talents of the world. To be listed there, even at the hundredth position, meant one possessed extraordinary talent.


    You see, there are countless martial practitioners in the world, and emerging as one of the top hundred is an extremely difficult feat. Every young martial artist regards being listed in the Star Ranking as an honor and fame across thend.


    Being twelfth on the Star Ranking was enough to attest to Zheng Yan''s strength and potential. Even within the Sunset Sword Sect, there were barely any of his peers stronger than him.


    Moreover, opening forty meridians in the Meridian Opening Realm indicated Zheng Yan''s power. Even some masters in the Outer Qi Realm would not be considered his match.


    After hearing Luo Feng''s ount, Gu Chen felt that he indeed needed to be more vignt and not take things lightly, lest he suffer an unexpected setback.


    "Luo Feng, you''re really here."


    A clear voice rang out. Hearing this, Luo Feng''s face changed immediately, and he looked toward the staircase leading to the second floor of the teahouse, where a young man in red robes with a sword at his waist was steadily ascending.


    Gu Chen also frowned, sensing a locking aura. He knew that any reckless action from him would lead to a devastating blow.


    Without a doubt, this young man was the core disciple of the Sunset Sword Sect, the son of Zheng Jinan, and the individual ranked twelfth on the Star Ranking - Zheng Yan.


    Zheng Yan was handsome, with a remarkable presence, and his tall and powerful physique was entuated by the characteristic red robes of the Sunset Sword Sect, disying his charisma for all to see, making him stand out in any crowd.


    "Zheng Yan!" Luo Feng''s expression darkened as he said, "How did you find out I was here?"


    Zheng Yan smiled slightly upon hearing this. Dignified and handsome, he looked at Luo Feng and said, "You have our Sunset Sword Sect''s special tracking powder on you. Even if you ran to the ends of the earth, you wouldn''t escape the pursuit of my Sunset Sword Sect."


    He paused for a moment before continuing, "However, your lightness skill is truly exceptional. It made me put in quite the effort and took some time to find you."


    Then, his gaze shifted toward Gu Chen, "You must be Luo Feng''s aplice, the one who injured my fellow disciples a few days ago. Fortunately, you are here today, saving me the trouble of looking for you."

 Chapter 46: Chapter 44 Confrontation_1

    Zheng Yan looked at Gu Chen and Luo Feng with a rxed demeanor and a casual tone, as if he were looking at two ants. He gave off the impression that he could squash them with a flip of his hand, showingplete disregard for their presence.


    Whoosh!


    With a swift movement, Zheng Yan had already advanced close to Gu Chen and Luo Feng. He swung both arms and simultaneously struck out with two palms, aiming for both of them.


    Zheng Yan indeed did not take the two seriously and wanted to take them down with a singlebined strike.


    Seeing such disdain, Gu Chen''s expression turned cold; however, instead of dodging, he countered with a palm strike towards Zheng Yan.


    On the other side, Luo Feng flickered away, avoiding Zheng Yan''s palm strike.


    Bang!


    The sh of palms between Gu Chen and Zheng Yan set off a gust of wind, sending tables and chairs around them flying.


    At that moment, Luo Feng, who had dodged to the side, suddenly appeared behind Zheng Yan and pointed a finger towards his back.


    "Trivial skills!"


    Zheng Yan smiled indifferently, extremely confident and not even bothering to dodge, clearly believing that Luo Feng''s strength was insufficient to breach his defenses.


    Chit!


    Luo Feng''s finger made contact with Zheng Yan''s back, sending back a shock, causing Luo Feng to tremble and feel as though he had jabbed a steel te, his finger throbbing with pain.


    Meanwhile, in the front, Gu Chen, who had struck Zheng Yan with a palm, drifted backward unharmed. Seeing this, Zheng Yan''s eyes revealed a trace of surprise.


    Sensing the tide turning against him, Luo Feng turned to flee.


    "You won''t escape!"


    Emotionless, Zheng Yan shed in front of Luo Feng and reached out, attempting to grab Luo Feng''s neck and hold him in ce.


    Gu Chen frowned slightly and did not stand by idly. He too darted forward, delivering a palm filled with robust internal energy toward Zheng Yan''s body.


    Feeling the force of Gu Chen''s palm, Zheng Yan''s expression shifted slightly. This time he opted not to meet the attack head-on, countering with a palm aimed at Gu Chen, intent on trading blow for blow.


    Bang!


    Both attacks struck their targets at the same time. Their robes red as they both shook with the impact: Gu Chen retreated three steps back, while Zheng Yan stepped back five steps.


    At that moment, Luo Feng, seizing the opportunity, pointed another finger out, and with a hiss, it struck Zheng Yan''s chest.


    Just as Zheng Yan was about to mock Luo Feng, his face suddenly changed. He felt an insidious force prate his body''s defenses and seep inside him.


    "Hmph!"


    Zheng Yan snorted coldly. His internal energy surged, swiftly neutralizing the invasive force, then he drew back, extricating himself from their encirclement.


    Zheng Yan looked down at a hole in his chest; his typically easy-going expression darkened as he looked at Gu Chen and Luo Feng with brooding eyes and said, "You two little vermin have seeded in infuriating me. You refused the toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit!"


    Boom!


    A massive surge of internal energy burst forth from Zheng Yan, and both Gu Chen and Luo Feng immediately felt a pressure bearing down on them. Gu Chen was better off, with his profound cultivation mitigating much of the pressure, but it was different for Luo Feng; among the three, his cultivation was the weakest, and he naturally felt the greatest strain.


    "I''ll start with you!"


    Zheng Yan''s gaze shifted, focusing on Gu Chen. In his eyes, Luo Feng was most famous for his lightness skill and agility, which made it difficult for Zheng Yan to capture him quickly. Comparatively, Gu Chen seemed like an easier target to deal with.


    Seeing this, Gu Chen''s eyes narrowed coldly; he could clearly see that the opponent regarded him as an easy mark.


    Swift!


    Gu Chen proactivelyunched an attack, not one to sit idly by. He arrived in front of Zheng Yan, with muscles and bones in unison and his body''s strength concentrated together, and threw a punch straight at Zheng Yan''s face.


    "How audacious!"


    Zheng Yan let out a cold cry. Having gauged Gu Chen''s strength from their previous sh, he didn''t choose to counter the punch head-on this time but instead raised his hand to block the strike.


    Bang!


    Gu Chen''s punch was heavy and forceful, shaking Zheng Yan to his core. The arm that took the punch felt numb, prompting a change in his expression.


    Little did he know that gone by mere physical strength, Gu Chen possessed nearly thirty thousand pounds of force, augmented by internal energy that had been cultivated for one hundred and fifty-one years. Zheng Yan''s decision to meet force with force was evidently unwise.


    "You have some brute strength, but it''s useless against me!"


    Zheng Yan moved his tingling hand behind his back, allowing his internal energy to flow and alleviate the numbness, though it would still take a few seconds. At the same time, with his other hand, he pointed his fingers like a sword towards Gu Chen''s chest.


    "Shattered Gold Finger!"


    Zheng Yan bellowed deeply. The Shattered Gold Finger was an intermediate skill of the Sunset Sword Sect. Once mastered, a single finger strike could easily prate gold and stone. Having perfected this skill and fortified by his profound internal energy, this strike was strong enough to pierce through Gu Chen, creating a bloody hole.


    However, the next scene rmed Zheng Yan. Gu Chen did not dodge; instead, he counterattacked with a palm strike, his hand seemingly enveloped in mes, the palm burning like a red-hot iron brand, radiating waves of scorching heat.


    It was the perfected level of the Red me Palm!


    ng!


    Zheng Yan''s attack reached first, his Shattered Gold Finger striking Gu Chen''s chest, but instead of the expected sound of piercing flesh, a nging sound simr to metal striking metal resonated. Zheng Yan felt as though his own finger bones were about to shatter.


    Bang!


    Then came a muffled sound as Gu Chen''s Red me Palm impacted Zheng Yan''s body, the heat seeping into his flesh, causing Zheng Yan''s face to redden and a charred palm print to appear on his chest.


    Having received a direct hit from Gu Chen''s Red me Palm, Zheng Yan felt a sweetness rise to his throat. He managed to stifle the urge to spit out blood, looking at Gu Chen incredulously. He couldn''t believe that after taking a hit from his Shattered Gold Finger, Gu Chen waspletely unscathed, while his own finger ached from the impact.


    Was this truly a body of flesh and blood?


    Zheng Yan even suspected that Gu Chen might be wearing a protective vest, but from their exchange, it seemed unlikely.


    What he didn''t realize was that Gu Chen had already reached an initial understanding of the superior martial skill Dragon Roar Tiger Howl Horizontal Training, which focused on strengthening the body. Even at this rudimentary stage, it had significantly enhanced the toughness of Gu Chen''s body, surpassing ordinary metal and steel and no longer confined to the realm of mere flesh and blood.


    Moreover, with one hundred and fifty-one years of internal energy protecting him, not even Zheng Yan''s fingers¡ªnor some of the finest mundane weapons¡ªcould inflict real harm. At the most, they could cause him a bit of pain.


    Perhaps only a treasure weapon could truly harm the current Gu Chen.


    At that moment, Luo Feng, seizing the chance during the exchange, once again fled through the window. Zheng Yan''s face darkened with a change of expression.


    Immediately after, Gu Chen''s lightugh could be heard not far away, speaking indifferently, "The core disciple of the Sunset Sword Sect, ranked twelfth on the Meteoric Ranking, is only this much."


    "You''re courting death!"


    At this moment, Zheng Yan''s expression darkened fiercely, his eyes as cold as a b of ice, filled with murderous intent as he looked at Gu Chen.

 Chapter 47: Chapter 45: Sleeping Tiger Mountain_1

    Zheng Yan''s face was filled with anger, the earlier ease and casualness no longer present. He nced in the direction Luo Feng had fled, then looked at Gu Chen, weighing his options before ultimately deciding not to continue the fight.


    He had thought he could easily capture Gu Chen and bring him back to kneel before Chen Song and the others to apologize, but he hadn''t expected Gu Chen''s strength to be so formidable, to exchange so many moves with him.


    Of course, Zheng Yan was confident that if he put forth all his strength, Gu Chen would stand no chance against him, but he had his own considerations. It would still take some time to take down Gu Chen. Luo Feng''s lightness skill was peerless; with that time, he would surely have escaped far away.


    The effect of the Tracking Powder was about to wear off, and once it was gone, it would be difficult for the Sunset Sword Sect to find Luo Feng again.


    With that thought, Zheng Yan extinguished the idea of continuing the fight with Gu Chen. After all, Gu Chen was here, and unlike Luo Feng, he didn''t know the Face-Changing Skill, so finding him would still be easy.


    "I, Zheng Yan, never kill the nameless under my hand. Which sect''s disciple are you? State your name," Zheng Yan said in a deep voice.


    "A mere independent cultivator, a person of no renown," Gu Chen replied, standing with his hands behind his back in ck robes, exuding an extraordinary demeanor.


    Hearing this, Zheng Yan scoffed coldly. He didn''t believe for a second that Gu Chen was just an independent cultivator. How could an independent have such strength?


    He knew Gu Chen must be wary of the Sunset Sword Sect behind him, afraid of the sect seeking revenge against his own, so he dared not reveal it.


    "Today is your lucky day. After I capture Luo Feng, I''lle back to deal with you. If you''re brave enough, don''t run away!" After dropping that line, Zheng Yan immediately pursued in the direction Luo Feng had left.


    Gu Chen didn''t stop him, letting Zheng Yan go. To be honest, although they both didn''t use their full strength in the encounter, Zheng Yan hadn''t either.


    It was known throughout the world that what made the Sunset Sword Sect famous was their swordsmanship, not their unarmedbat, which was why Gu Chen had managed to gain some advantage just now.


    Gu Chen estimated that with his current strength, it was uncertain who would win in a fight against Zheng Yan. He had no absolute confidence in defeating Zheng Yan, especially with a treasure sword hanging at Zheng Yan''s waist.


    As a sword repairer with a treasure weapon in hand, his strength would undoubtedly double. After considering everything, Gu Chen chose not to engage Zheng Yan in a fight to the death.


    Besides, the whole affair started because of Luo Feng, and there was no need for Gu Chen to clean up after him. With Luo Feng''s lightness skill, he must have already run far away by now, and Zheng Yan wouldn''t be able to catch up to him.


    Zheng Yan''s reputation was known to everyone in Huaiyang City, and the martial artists from around the area who saw an unknown warrior like Gu Chen exchange blows with Zheng Yan to such an extent, all looked at him with faces full of shock.


    Seeing his business severely disrupted, the innkeeper intended to approach Gu Chen forpensation, but the thought of Gu Chen''s strength made him hesitate, and so he could only stand there in extreme embarrassment.


    Gu Chen noticed the innkeeper''s awkwardness, walked over, took out a banknote from his bosom, and ced it in the innkeeper''s hand before leaving the ce.


    This time, including thest, Gu Chen charged the expense to Luo Feng and the Sunset Sword Sect''s ount, intending to collect from them if given the chance.


    It wasn''t that Gu Chen was overly petty, but his annual sry was only so much, and these two incidents had cost him over a hundred taels¡ªwhich was painful to bear.


    When Gu Chen returned to the inn, he found a note on the table in his room.


    Gu Chen picked it up and read the small script, "Tomorrow, fifty li outside of Huaiyang City at Tiger Rest Mountain, relics of the demon cult are rumored to appear, possibly rted to Zheng Jinan."


    Without thinking, Gu Chen knew this must be from Luo Feng. The fellow''s intelligencework was impressive, having ascertained his lodging clearly, not to mention his audacity. It seemed like he had sessfully shaken off Zheng Yan.


    "Demon cult relics¡­" Gu Chen looked at the note in his hand, lost in thought.


    The next morning, after his early exercises, Gu Chen set out, leaving Huaiyang City and heading east for fifty li until he saw arge mountain - the famous Crouching Tiger Mountain thaty in the vicinity of Huaiyang City.


    It was called Crouching Tiger Mountain because from high above, the mountain looked like a tiger lying on the ground. The mountain was over a thousand meters high and quite steep, and the local mountaineers would often go up the hill to gather herbs, then sell them in Huaiyang City for some money or supplies.


    At this moment, at the foot of Crouching Tiger Mountain, there was a dense crowd of people. At a rough nce, there were hundreds of them, none of whom were locals. They were all dressed in martial arts attire, armed with weapons, gathered here.


    To the ignorant, it might look like they were assembling here toy siege to Huaiyang City.


    This group of martial artists, seeing neers joining, were already used to it by now. Many of them were not from Huaiyang City but came overnight from other cities around Li Mountain County after hearing the news.


    At that time, several martial artists saw Gu Chening alone and approached him. The man in the lead bowed with his fists and said, "I am Zhang Chi."


    Gu Chen, dressed in ck with a sword at his waist and a handsome appearance, also returned the gesture and said, "I am Gu Chen."


    Zhang Chi, a middle-aged man with a beard and a sabre slung on his back, smiled upon hearing this and asked, "Brother Gu, did youe here alone?"


    "Yes," Gu Chen nodded.


    "Would you like to team up and explore together?" Zhang Chi asked. Observing Gu Chen''s imposing stance and steady steps, he knew Gu Chen must be skilled with considerable strength, hence the desire to make his acquaintance.


    Gu Chen hesitated upon hearing this.


    Zhang Chi did not rush him but instead asked, "Brother Gu, how much do you know about this ce?"


    Gu Chen shook his head and said, "I must confess, I have no understanding of this ce. I only heard the news, and since it''s not far, I thought I woulde see the excitement."


    Zhang Chi nodded, not surprised. Most of the martial artists here were like that.


    "Brother Gu, I arrived a day earlier. Let me fill you in on the situation here," he offered.


    As Zhang Chi said this, some of the young martial artists behind him suddenly changed their expressions. Gu Chen was not one of their own, and it would not do to carelessly divulge information. They were just about to interject when Zhang Chi silenced them with a look.


    Gu Chen certainly noticed this, but he didn''t mind. Then, Zhang Chi began to recount the situation here to him.


    It turned out that the ruins had appeared three days ago, discovered by locals who had gone up the mountain to collect herbs. Somehow, the news had leaked, attracting numerous martial artists who had arrived yesterday.


    Most of these martial artists did not have formal masters and were mostly self-taught. Even those with some inheritance had not acquired particrly powerful techniques, so for all of them, the ruins represented a great opportunity.


    The importance of a strong technique need not be said. Many martial artists had missed their prime cultivation years simply because theycked proper instruction and suitable techniques, which led to a lifetime''s regret.


    They all knew that the ruins belonged to a demonic sect, but no one cared. Moreover, over three hundred years ago, the Six Union God Sect had dominated the world, collecting numerous strange and wonderful techniques, further kindling the envy of these martial artists.


    The ruins in front were said to be a treasure site of the Evil Heart Sect in the past.


    "The ruins are at the base of the mountain. Many have explored in thest two days, and while there have been some gains, the deaths and injuries have been even greater. The demonic sects are cruel and ruthless, and the ruins are filled with all sorts of traps and ambushes.


    One could easily fall victim if not cautious, and withoutpanions, it is very possible to be overwhelmed," Zhang Chi said with a serious tone.

 Chapter 48: Chapter 46 Exploration_1

    "How is it, Brother Gu, the ruins inside are fraught with danger. Would you like to join us in exploring them? That way, we can also look out for each other," Zhang Chi said.


    Gu Chen nced over. Zhang Chi''s team, including him, consisted of five people, with the other four being rtively young, only a few years older than Gu Chen himself.


    After some thought, Gu Chen still declined. After all, it was their first meeting, and he knew nothing about Zhang Chi and his people. Yet, since most martial artists in Jianghu prioritized their interests, he didn''t want to get into conflicts over uneven distribution once inside.


    Seeing that Gu Chen had refused, Zhang Chi was not angry, but the four young warriors behind him sank into a gloomy mood, feeling like Gu Chen was purposely trying to tease Zhang Chi with his words.


    "Can''t appreciate what''s good for him!"


    "Don''t let me run into you inside!"


    Upon hearing this, Zhang Chi''s brow furrowed, and he nced back sternly. It was clear that he held some sway over the young warriors; annoyed by Zhang Chi''s reaction, they shrank back and dared not speak further.


    "Sorry, Big Brother Zhang," Gu Chen said with some regret. Regardless, he did indeed get some information from Zhang Chi.


    Zhang Chi let out a heartyugh, sounding very open and easygoing as he said, "What''s there to apologize for? Even if you didn''t get this information from me, you could have learned it somewhere else. It''s all public knowledge. No big deal, don''t worry about it."


    It was apparent that Zhang Chi had a good nature, but Gu Chen really had no intention of teaming up, so he had to let the idea go.


    Afterward, Zhang Chi cupped his hands in farewell and left with the young warriors behind him. Before leaving, they red at Gu Chen once more, obviously very displeased with him.


    Subsequently, several other teams approached and invited Gu Chen to join them, but without exception, they were all turned down by him.


    Of course, the reason why so many people invited Gu Chen was that his appearance and attire gave off the impression of a disciple from a prestigious sect, and most of them were hoping to ride on his coattails.


    Before long, the crowd surged again, and many people entered the ruins beneath the mountain.


    Gu Chen followed the crowd and entered as well.


    The ruins were at the bottom of the mountain. Initially, they were discovered when a hill folk who had been gathering herbs on the mountain stepped into a void while descending and fell in.


    The entrance was a pitch-ck cavern. Walking down from the cavern, a wave of cold, damp air hit them in the face.


    About the time it takes to drink a cup of teater, Gu Chen arrived at the bottom of the mountain with a throng of Jianghu folks. Some luminous pearls had been embedded into the surrounding rock walls, but they were all taken by the warriors who entered first.


    Although it was somewhat dark, it wasn''t enough to hinder Gu Chen''s sight. He saw a corridor nearby with many bodies sprawled haphazardly around it, and there were numerous small holes in the surrounding rock walls.


    These warriors were killed by the hidden arrows shot from the holes.


    "Everyone can rest assured and go ahead. The traps here have already been tested, and there won''t be any more hidden arrows shooting out," dered a martial artist from the crowd.


    But how many in Jianghu are fools? No one was willing to be the first to risk it, and the situation became tense for a while.


    "Gentlemen, if we keep hesitating like this, all the good stuff inside will be taken by others," a one-eyed warrior said.


    "Kou Lao Liu, that''s easy for you to say. Didn''t you see all those bodies next to us? Why don''t you lead the way?" someone objected.


    The warrior known as Kou Lao Liu snorted coldly at thement and said nothing further.


    Seeing the stalemate, Gu Chen didn''t say much. He stepped out of the crowd, his movements light and quick. With a few shes, he crossed the corridor and disappeared from everyone''s sight.


    Seeing that Gu Chen had passed through unscathed, the rest of the Jianghu folks were motivated and rushed forward like a swarm of locusts, fearing they''d fall behind and miss out on the spoils.


    "Ah!"


    Suddenly, a few screams came from the front. Not everyone had Gu Chen''s keen eyesight; many didn''t see the hidden traps and were struck by several hidden arrows, adding to the bodies on the ground.


    Walking in front, Gu Chen heard the faint screams behind him and shook his head, not paying them any mind.


    This was Jianghu ¨C fate decided life and death. If you wanted to gain something, you''d naturally have to give something in return.


    Even knowing the dangers, more and more people from Jianghu kepting, clearly having considered everything before arriving.


    As he moved forward, Gu Chen discovered one secret chamber after another, but almost all of them were empty, having been looted by others. Some still had corpses lying on the floor.


    Going deeper, Gu Chen heard the sounds ofbat nearby. Suddenly, he caught sight of a secret chamber in the corner that was still closed and had not been opened.


    Gu Chen approached and pushed hard, but the door didn''t budge, which surprised him. No wonder this secret chamber hadn''t been searched.


    You should know, after several stages of enhancement, Gu Chen''s physical strength was close to thirty thousand jin. Even though he was just tentatively pushing with thirty percent of his strength, the door to the secret chamber didn''t move.


    Do not underestimate that thirty percent effort; it''s likely that ny-nine percent of the warriors who entered the ruins didn''t even have a third of Gu Chen''s strength.


    "Open!"


    Gu Chen exhaled forcefully, this time using sixty percent of his strength. There was a creaking sound, apanied by copious amounts of dust falling down, and the door to the secret chamber was finally opened.


    This scene was witnessed by two martial artists hiding in another secret chamber. They exchanged nces but opted not to rush out immediately, instead deciding to wait awhile. They feared there might be more traps inside and wanted to let Gu Chen clear the way first.


    After pushing the door open, Gu Chen walked closer. The top part of the chamber was embedded with several luminous pearls the size of goose eggs, casting a dim light and illuminating the entire chamber.


    The chamber wasn''t veryrge, in fact, it was rather small, with only two chests inside.


    Gu Chen stepped forward. Due to the long passage of time, the chests were covered in dust and nearly rotted through. He casually flipped them open with ease.


    One chest was filled with glittering gold and silver treasures and banknotes, dazzling to behold.


    The other chest was filled with bottles and jars, containing various elixirs.


    But everything has a shelf life, nothingsts forever against the ruthlessness of time. With over three hundred years passed since the fall of the demonic sect, the gold and silver treasures were still fine. Gu Chen also nced at the banknotes, which were from the Da Xia money houses affiliated with the imperial court and were still valid for use.


    As for those elixirs, after more than three hundred years, they were no longer safe to consume. Eating them could very likely be fatal, and Gu Chen had no intention of trying them.


    Just as he was about to inspect these items further, there were two loud shouts at the entrance of the secret chamber.


    "Stop right there!"


    "Don''t move, move again and I''ll kill you!"

 Chapter 49: Chapter 47: The Wealthy Generation_1

    At the entrance to the secret chamber, two martial artists, armed with swords, entered. They had been waiting for their prey for quite a while.


    This secret chamber had been discovered by others, but it was imprable. The two men believed that the contents of the chamber must be even more valuable due to its fortifications.


    Therefore, with that thought in mind, and the fighting outside growing increasingly fierce, they had chosen to stay here, ready to y the role of the mantis stalking the cicada, with the oriole following close behind.


    "Put the stuff down, you snotty little brat who hasn''t even grown a full set of hair, what right do you have to touch anything here?"


    "That''s right, everything here is ours!"


    Upon entering the chamber and seeing the box filled with glittering gold, silver, and jewels, their eyes lit up with nothing but greed.


    Even, between them, nces began to carry a hint of wariness.


    "Get lost!"


    The swordsman with the knife pushed Gu Chen aside as he approached, squatting down with eyes only for the treasure. He scooped up an armful, eximing joyously, "Fantastic, we''ve struck it rich! There''s so much treasure here."


    The other, wielding a sword, came forward and squatted down like hispanion, their eyes glowing as they fantasized about the wonderful life they would lead once they obtained the treasure.


    Unaware of their surroundings, the two stood there, entranced, smiling foolishly for quite some time.


    Gu Chen felt somewhat reluctant to shatter their daydreams, but staying put was not an option. "Gentlemen," he voiced, "perhaps it''s time to snap out of it?"


    At his words, the two snapped out of their reverie. Irritated at being interrupted by Gu Chen, they red at him and snapped, "You little pest, what are you babbling about? Mind your manners or I''ll cut you down!"


    "Gentlemen, I found this ce first. You barged in without a word and started taking things; isn''t that a bit impolite?" Gu Chen said.


    "Polite?"


    The pair exchanged a look, then burst into haughtyughter, finding Gu Chen''s naivety amusing. They then sneered at him, saying, "Alright, we might as well teach you a lesson today. That''s how the world works: the one with the stronger fist makes the rules. It doesn''t matter if we rob you of your goods or even kill you¡ªwhat can you do about it?"


    "While we''re still in a good mood, scram!" the two said impatiently, shooing Gu Chen away as if he were a pesky fly.


    Though aware that Gu Chen had the strength to open the chamber door, they thought little of it. So what?


    In the martial world, there are plenty of strong folks. A cksmith has the strength to hammer iron, but are they a match for a warrior?


    Having strength doesn''t mean much; as long as the two of them avoided a head-on confrontation and fought Gu Chen guerri-style, they were certain he could do nothing to them.


    Bear in mind, both had reached the realm where their meridians were clear, having unlocked twenty-three meridian channels within their bodies. Among all those who rushed here, they considered their strengths to be non-negligible.


    Most importantly, seeing Gu Chen''s youthful appearance, not more than twenty or so, they assumed his strength couldn''t be significant¡ªhow could it surpass theirs, when they had been practicing martial arts for decades?


    Even if their martial prowess was somewhat simr, they could still wear Gu Chen down gradually by leveraging their numerical advantage.


    It must be said, their greed blinded them; their eyes and minds were filled only with visions of gold and silver.


    Hearing their words, Gu Chen nodded and said, "So, might makes right, correct?"


    "Now that you understand, get the hell out of here and stop dawdling. I''m tempted to slice you up," said the swordsman with the knife, visibly irritated.


    Gu Chen kept his expression calm, replying indifferently, "Since we''re talking about strength, then please leave."


    "What did you sa..."


    Their ire was palpable as they eyed Gu Chen furiously, but before they could finish their sentence, Gu Chen casually sent out a palm strike. A surge of air swept through the chamber, sting the two of them out the door.


    Thump!


    Tossed from the chamber by Gu Chen, they tumbled on the ground like rolling gourds, finallying to a stop covered in dust.


    Lying face down on the ground, their eyes revealed utter confusion. They were dumbfounded, unable toprehend how Gu Chen, so young, could possess such strength.


    "How terrifying," one of them muttered. "Could he be... an old monster?"


    "That... that can''t be possible..."


    The duoy there, afraid to rise, dreading another strike from Gu Chen that could cost them their lives.


    In their minds, theybeled Gu Chen as an old monster.


    Strong young fighters existed, but they were famed in the rankings, recognizable figures, and it was improbable they wouldn''t know them.


    To them, Gu Chen''s youthful appearance and great power, absent from the rankings, could only mean he was an old monster.


    Gu Chen ignored the two men, flipping through the medicinal pills. As he opened the bottles, many of the pills turned to dust upon exposure to the air.


    Gu Chen shook his head, deciding not to inspect further, as the pills were mostly beyond use. Then, his attention shifted to the box of treasures.


    "What a pity, it would have been nice to have a storage ring." Gu Chen''s face showed regret, imagining if he had a storage ring like those described in novels from his previous life, he could''ve taken all the treasure with him.


    Unfortunately, he had no such item. Not to mention him, even the Jing Tian Department or the entire region of Jiuzhou may not have such spatial artifacts.


    Gu Chen had never heard of one, at any rate.


    Fortunately, Gu Chen wasn''t someone who was extremely covetous of wealth, and he hadn''te here for money.


    Besides, while he couldn''t take away all the treasures, Gu Chen wasn''t going to leave empty-handed. He started by pocketing the thick stack of banknotes, easily amounting to at least tens of thousands of taels.


    Then, he picked out some gold and silver jewelry, choosing items that looked valuable and were easy to carry.


    After taking the most precious items, Gu Chen closed the box and left the ce.


    On his way out, he made sure to close the great door of the secret chamber.


    The remaining treasures, Gu Chen decided to leave for someone with destiny on their side.


    The two men were still not daring to rise from the ground; seeing Gu Chen passing without a nce and not taking the entire box with him, their hearts leapt in delight at the thought of going back to scavenge what was left.


    But, reaching the door of the secret chamber and finding it firmly closed, they were stunned.


    Unaware of those men''s baffled actions, Gu Chen walked deeper, patting the banknotes and jewelry snug against his body, he chuckled self-deprecatingly, "No matter how you look at it, I''m now a scion of wealth, right?"


    With these riches, even if he left the Jing Tian Department, finding life in another city would be more thanfortable.


    Of course, this was a mere jest.


    Continuing on his way, the number of corpses Gu Chen encountered increased, and soon, the sounds of fighting he had heard were now distinctly clear. He saw arge hall not far ahead, where a throng of martial artists were engaged in a chaotic battle, clearly contesting for something.

 Chapter 50: Chapter 48 Narrow Path for Enemies_1

    "Hand over the items!"


    The hall was expansive, but fights were breaking out everywhere, some over elixirs, some over weapons, and others over gold and silver treasures. Of course, most were fighting over martial arts techniques.


    As a treasure trove of the Evil Heart Sect, how could there not be martial arts manuals? Along the way, Gu Chen had passed through chambers housing such manuals, but they had all been imed by the fighters of the Jianghu already.


    Of course, the fiercest battle was at the very center of the hall, where waves of energy surged, and martial artists dared not approach within several zhang.


    Because thebatants there were prestigious figures from Huaiyang City and its surrounding Jianghu, each with a cultivation level not lower than theter stages of the Channel Opening Realm.


    "Hand over the superior martial arts technique!"


    "You wish!"


    As the two sides fought and argued, Gu Chen instantly understood that they were fighting over a superior martial arts technique.


    A superior martial arts technique, if introduced to the Jianghu, was worth at least several hundred thousand taels of silver. Even for practitioners in the External Energy Realm, let alone the Channel Opening Realm, there were few who owned or had learned one.


    Only the renowned ns in the Nine Provinces, or some of the top sects, could possess such resources.


    A superior martial arts technique, even if one could not learn it, could be sold or used to repay a favor.


    Of course, many martial artists would choose to pass it down through generations. Even if they couldn''t learn it themselves, someone in their lineage might.


    The value of a superior martial arts technique was self-evident, which exined why it incited such a scramble. The remaining Jianghu fighters would have likely joined the fray if they were strong enough.


    Of course, it was also possible someone wasying in wait for these people to be mutually wounded, so they could swoop in and reap the benefits like a fisherman.


    Gu Chen nced over and soon lost interest. Though valuable, a superior martial arts technique couldn''t drive him to the frenzy it did those people.


    For one, the Jing Tian Department had countless internal techniques, and Gu Chen himself possessed a superior martial arts manual, so his need for another was not as intense as those Jianghu fighters.


    More importantly, the reason Gu Chen hade was that he felt something was amiss with the whole situation, which most likely rted to Zheng Jinan.


    He was here primarily for Zheng Jinan, hoping to find some evidence.


    If it were not for this reason, Gu Chen might have indeed chosen to join the fray.


    At that moment, a figure suddenly appeared beside Gu Chen, whispering, "Brother Gu."


    Gu Chen turned his head and saw a young man with ordinary features and a particrly noticeable mole at the corner of his mouth.


    "Luo Feng?" Gu Chen looked at the young man, recognizing who he was.


    Luo Feng gave a slight smile and said, "Brother Gu still has sharp eyes."


    Gu Chen didn''t take his ttery to heart. He scrutinized Luo Feng and noticed his chest looked bulgingly full, clearly indicating a significant haul.


    Gu Chen moved swiftly, his slender fingers brushing past Luo Feng''s chest and snatching a stack of silver notes.


    Luo Feng''s expression changed instantly, not expecting Gu Chen to make such a move. He clearly hadn''t been on his guard against Gu Chen, or else he would have reacted in time.


    Of course, the speed of Gu Chen''s action was indeed fast enough to send a chill through Luo Feng, causing him to reassess Gu Chen''s strength once more.


    Gu Chen nced at the silver notes, estimated the amount, pocketed them, and said, "We''re even now."


    Luo Feng could only force a bitter smile, not knowing what to say.


    Then, he spoke formally, "Brother Gu, do you know the reason why I''ve asked you toe here?"


    "Speak," Gu Chen said calmly, his gaze drifting towards the chaotic brawl in the distance within the hall.


    Luo Feng said, "The appearance of these ruins is highly suspicious. I suspect Zheng Jinan intentionally set this trap to lure Jianghu martial artists here, so he can wait until the end to gain the benefits of a fisherman."


    Upon hearing this, Gu Chen looked at Luo Feng and asked, "You''re saying, he''s treating everyone here as bait?"


    "Exactly," Luo Feng nodded gravely, "I suspect that the moment we leave, Zheng Jinan will show up, kill us all, and use us as nourishment for his demonic cultivation."


    The techniques of the Evil Heart Sect are extremely sinister, requiring the devouring of hearts for cultivation. The higher a martial artist''s cultivation, the greater the benefit to them.


    Even in rumors, if one were to cultivate the Evil Heart Sect''s techniques to their pinnacle, it''s said that a second heart could be nurtured within the body. At that point, one''s cultivation realm would reach an entirely different ne, and even the physical body would undergo a transformation from head to toe.


    As Gu Chen and Luo Feng were conversing, a loud shout suddenly came from not far away.


    "Everyone stop!"


    Gu Chen and Luo Feng, along with many others from the jianghu, looked towards the entrance of the great hall upon hearing the cry. There, a group of teenagers from the Sunset Sword Sect, dressed in red robes and carrying an air of arrogance, slowly walked in.


    "Sunset Sword Sect!"


    "How did they appear here?"


    "The one leading them¡­ the one leading them is Zheng Yan, who ranks twelfth on the Star Ranking!"


    Anyone in the jianghu would know about the Star Ranking published by Diancang Pavilion; it showcased Zheng Yan''s prestige to stand out among young martial artists from all over the world and be ranked twelfth.


    No one present in the jianghu could match him in a fight.


    Those martial artists struggling for superior martial arts saw Zheng Yan leading a group of Sunset Sword Sect disciples and frowned slightly, not expecting that even a top sect like the Sunset Sword Sect would be interested in the demonic techniques of the Evil Heart Sect.


    "We''ve seen Young Master Zheng." Despite some dissatisfaction in their hearts, these people still greeted Zheng Yan with a gesture of respect. Even though most of them were much older than Zheng Yan, they couldn''t help it since Zheng Yan was strong and backed by a good lineage.


    Zheng Yan had a handsome face and remained silent. Standing behind him was Chen Song, who still had some bruises on his face, but his injuries had mostly healed.


    At that moment, a cold smirk crossed Chen Song''s face as he shouted, "Put down all your weapons immediately, and hand over everything you''ve obtained here."


    Upon hearing this, the jianghu martial artists present suddenly became agitated; they had fought with their lives for their gains, and now Chen Song wanted them to give everything up with just onemand, which was unreasonable.


    Seeing that no one was moving, Chen Song''s expression chilled as he shouted with a stern voice, "You have thirty breaths of time, those who don''tply will die!"


    His words instantly incited chaos among the crowd below.


    "Silence!" Zheng Yan''s expression darkened, and his voice, empowered by his internal energy, echoed through the great hall. This disy of power alone intimidated all the jianghu people present.


    At this time, a middle-aged martial artist stepped forward, cupping his fist and saying, "Young Master Zheng, the Sunset Sword Sect is a renowned and esteemed sect. How could you have an interest in the demonic techniques of the Evil Heart Sect?"


    This man was one of those who had contended for the superior martial techniques earlier in the great hall and was the owner of a martial hall near Huaiyang City.


    "Our Sunset Sword Sect is one of the top sects in the nine provinces, and we possess countless divine techniques and secret teachings, which are inexhaustible. Naturally, we would not be interested in heretical techniques of the demon cult."


    Zheng Yan paused, then continued, "However, even among the many branches of the demon cult, the Evil Heart Sect is known to be particrly sinister.


    Now that the ruins of the Evil Heart Sect have emerged, it is both the responsibility and duty of our Sunset Sword Sect, as the leader of the various forces of the Qiongtian Mansion and the holder of power in the jianghu, to ensure that such demonic techniques do not persist in this world, but are instead permanently sealed within our sect to avert future disasters."


    Zheng Yan spoke with an air of righteousness, but everyone present was no fool; they all knew it was just an excuse, yet no one dared to point it out.


    The middle-aged martial artist responded, "Since Young Master Zheng has said so, naturally, we agree. We will surrender any heretical techniques rted to the Evil Heart Sect, but for the other techniques, we ask for Young Master Zheng''s indulgence to let us examine them before submitting them."


    "Nonsense!"


    Zheng Yan''s expression chilled, and in a swoosh, his figure shed, closing the distance to the middle-aged martial artist. With a speed like lightning, he struck the man''s chest with his palm.


    "Pugh!"


    The middle-aged martial artist was far less powerful than Zheng Yan and couldn''t react in time. He was struck directly in the heart by Zheng Yan''s palm, which shattered it, causing blood to burst forth, resulting in an unequivocal death.


    "Master!"


    The disciples of the middle-aged martial artist cried out in grief at the sight, tears in their eyes.


    Zheng Yan paid no attention, instead he coldly swept his gaze across the entire hall. Anyone he looked at shrank their neck back, daring not to meet his gaze.


    Everyone knew that Zheng Yan was making an example out of the dead man, and hesitation would likely lead to their own demise.


    Seeing Zheng Yan exert his formidable power, killing a martial artist in the vessel-passing stage with one palm strike, Chen Song and the other disciples of the Sunset Sword Sect had a smug smile on their faces.


    They felt that they could get a piece of the spoils as long as Zheng Yan got the lion''s share.


    Suddenly, Chen Song''s eyes shed as he spotted a familiar figure in the corner. His body trembled as he recalled the miserable state he had been in not long ago. Anger surged to his heart, and he pointed at Gu Chen, shouting coldly, "You little bastard, so you''re here too!"

 Chapter 51: Chapter 49: Battling Zheng Yan Again_1

    Chen Song had already etched Gu Chen''s appearance deep into his mind, he secretly swore that should Gu Chen ever fall into his hands, he would make him wish for death, tormented for seven days and nights before he could vent the hatred in his heart.


    As a disciple of the Sunset Sword Sect, wherever he went, he was nearly always treated like a star surrounded by moons. Yet, it was only Gu Chen who dared to attack him and nearly killed him.


    Chen Song would never forget that pain and fear that had tormented him up to this day. If it hadn''t been for the high-quality healing medicines he had brought from the sect this trip, his wounds would still be unhealed.


    Now, upon seeing Gu Chen, Chen Song immediately clenched his teeth in anger. The memories surged back into his mind, and he wished nothing more than for Gu Chen to kneel before him, subjected to all kinds of humiliation.


    When Gu Chen saw Chen Song pointing at him, he merely nced at him indifferently before withdrawing his gaze. This calm demeanor only served to fan the mes of Chen Song''s rage even more.


    "Elder Brother Zheng, that bastard is here too!" Knowing he was no match for Gu Chen, Chen Song prepared to call over Zheng Yan to deal with him.


    Zheng Yan had seen Gu Chen as soon as Chen Song spoke, and concurrently, he also noticed the young man standing beside Gu Chen.


    The tracking powder had long lost its efficacy. Without a doubt, on that day, Zheng Yan indeed lost track of Luo Feng. However, he was not a fool like Chen Song and had a sharp mind. Seeing that man standing beside Gu Chen, he could guess there was likely a connection.


    The other Jianghu people in the hall who saw Gu Chen had a grudge with the Sunset Sword Sect were also somewhat surprised. Some were eager to watch the drama unfold, while others inwardly sighed for Gu Chen, feeling that by offending the Sunset Sword Sect and Zheng Yan, his fate would be exceedingly grim.


    Zhang Chi, apanied by his disciples, also stood among the crowd. Seeing this scene, he frowned slightly with a trace of worry for Gu Chen.


    His journey had been quite smooth, and his disciples only had minor injuries. Seeing their master''s expression, those who knew Zhang Chi''s character became tense and quickly grabbed his arm.


    "Master, you must hold steady. This isn''t something we can meddle in. That''s the Sunset Sword Sect!"


    Zhang Chi''s brow furrowed even more. Although he had only met Gu Chen once, he still admired him somewhat. If it were any other power, he might have gone up and tried to help Gu Chen out of the predicament. But now, the enemy was the Sunset Sword Sect, led by Zheng Yan, ranked twelfth on the Stargleam List.


    Either of these were not something Zhang Chi, a mere martial arts school owner, could afford to provoke.


    Zheng Yan had killed that man with a single palm strike, whom Zhang Chi recognized. Although both were martial school owners, the other man was much stronger than Zhang Chi, yet he still was killed by Zheng Yan with a single palm. If Zhang Chi went, he would simply be going to his death.


    In the end, Zhang Chi could only let out a helpless sigh.


    Naturally, Gu Chen did not know what Zhang Chi was thinking, and even if he did, he wouldn''t me him. After all, they barely knew each other, having only met once and exchanged a few words. It was within reason for the other party not to help him.


    In the Jianghu, it was rare for someone to draw their sword to aid another against injustice. And even when it did happen, it was based on confidence in one''s strength.


    In the Jianghu, only the strong had the right to speak ethics.


    The weak could only be targeted, exploited, and ostracized.


    This could not be said to be reality but was rather a fact.


    "Last time, you were lucky that I spared you. I never expected that this time, you would throw yourself onto my de. You are truly seeking death."


    Zheng Yan said coldly, "Don''t think that I will let you go this time."


    Upon hearing this, Gu Chen chuckled and, with a clear voice that filled the entire hall, said, "Anyone can talk big. Last time, it was clearly you who couldn''t fight and ran away disgracefully. The disciples of esteemed sects like yours are really hypocritical, turning ck into white with your words. Shameless, to say the least."


    As soon as Gu Chen spoke these words, a buzz of discussion filled the hall.


    "What? Zheng Yan isn''t a match for this young man before us?"


    "Impossible, what kind of person is Zheng Yan? A core disciple of the Sunset Sword Sect, ranked twelfth on the Stargleam List, a hero known throughout the world. How could he fail to defeat an unknown youngster?"


    "But the way it looks, what the young junior said doesn''t seem like a lie, right?"


    "Perhaps there''s more to the story."


    People of Jianghu, regardless of gender, age, or status, all ce great importance on reputation and honor, especially someone prideful like Zheng Yan. Listening to the Jianghu people''s discussions, Zheng Yan''s expression darkened, and without further words, he drew his sword from his waist with a ng, the tip aimed directly at Gu Chen.


    Whatever about Luo Feng, Zheng Yan no longer cared. All he wanted now was to kill Gu Chen.


    Previously, he fought Gu Chen with fists and feet, which was not his strong suit, allowing only forty percent of his full capabilities.


    This time, Zheng Yan got serious from the start, intending to y Gu Chen with the force of thunder right there, to silence the Jianghu people. He felt that being mentioned in the same breath as Gu Chen was not only his disgrace but also the disgrace of the Sunset Sword Sect.


    Only by killing Gu Chen could hepletely silence these discussions.


    "To kill you with a treasured weapon is indeed an overkill," Zheng Yan said with a cold face.


    With the long sword drawn, a prating cold light dazzled onlookers'' eyes, making them squint, and a faint glow circted on the de ¨C indeed, it was a lower-grade treasured weapon.


    The precious nature of a treasured weapon was self-evident. The sharp aura made all the Jianghu people in attendance shrink their necks and bristle with apprehension.


    Such was the power of a treasured weapon, merely unsheathed, yet already so formidable. They all looked enviously at the long sword in Zheng Yan''s hand, a luxury they would never experience in their lives, and their hearts sunk further for Gu Chen.


    "You''re as good as dead!"


    Seeing Zheng Yan draw his sword, it was clear that he was serious, and Chen Song sneered coldly, confidently deciding Gu Chen''s fate with a single statement.


    "Brother Gu, do you need help, or shall we retreat for now?" Luo Feng spoke softly from the side.


    Gu Chen did not reply; a single Zheng Yan was not enough to make him turn tail and flee.


    Shh!


    Sharp sword light shed through the great hall, like a streak of lightning, illuminating the dim hall by a fraction.


    Zheng Yan lunged forward with his sword, aiming directly for Gu Chen''s throat, intending to end his life with a single strike!


    Gu Chen''s face remained serene, like a pond without the slightest ripple, saying to Luo Feng, "I''ll be back soon."


    At that moment, Gu Chen''s figure shed, leaping from a high ce, like a great roc, not retreating but advancing, heading straight for Zheng Yan.


    "Hmph, courting death!"


    On the other side, Chen Song''s face was filled with malice, wishing for nothing more than Gu Chen''s immediate demise.


    Seeing Gu Chen charging towards him, Zheng Yan''s face was cold, and his sword speed seemed to increase by a third.


    ng!


    In the hall, another clear ring of sword chimes sounded; Gu Chen, in mid-air, drew out his Red Refinement de, shing with Zheng Yan''s long sword.


    ng!


    Where the two low-grade treasured weapons collided, countless sparks erupted, but as they were of equal quality, neither could ovee the other.


    "You actually have a low-grade treasured weapon?!"


    Zheng Yan saw Gu Chen draw his long sword, initially scoffing, thinking he could break Gu Chen''s weapon with one slice and pierce his chest, but to his surprise, Gu Chen, like him, possessed a low-grade treasured weapon.


    As Zheng Yan spoke, disorder once again filled the great hall, with Chen Song''s eyes widening in disbelief on the other side.


    "How is that possible, how can that good-for-nothing have a low-grade treasured weapon just like Elder Brother Zheng?!"


    Chen Song roared in his heart; treasured weapons, even within the Sunset Sword Sect, were only issued to core disciples of profound strength, which he naturally did not possess.


    At that moment, the emotion known as envy burned within Chen Song like a wild fire, distorting his face.


    Zheng Yan felt the force transmitted through Gu Chen''s sword, his expression also shifting slightly, as the de''s edge slowly pressed against his chest with Gu Chen''s growing force.


    One must know, Zheng Yan was not as rumors suggested, having opened only forty meridians in the Pulse-Connecting Realm; he had now cleared forty-three meridians in his body, far surpassing Gu Chen, and was considered to have profound cultivation.


    Unfortunately, his physical strength paled inparison to Gu Chen''s, at least, he did not have a superior body-cultivating martial art by his side.


    Still, Zheng Yan was no ordinary warrior; knowing he could not match Gu Chen''s strength, he activated his cultivation and a mid-grade sword technique of the Sunset Sword Sect, employing finesse to deflect Gu Chen''s long sword.


    ng ng ng!


    The two continuously exchanged blows, with Gu Chen relying on his physical strength, nearly 30,000 catties, and his deep internal cultivation, matching Zheng Yan equally for a short time.


    This spectacle immediately caused the surrounding spectators from the martial fraternity to gasp in shock.


    Even Zhang Chi had not anticipated that a young man he was casually conversing with would possess such strength topete equally with Zheng Yan, a core disciple of the Sunset Sword Sect.


    But these wereymen, seeing only the surface; only thebatants Gu Chen and Zheng Yan knew the specifics of their confrontation.


    As the battle continued, Zheng Yan''s expression gradually steadied; he could see that Gu Chen knew no sword techniques, or rather, had no foundation at all.


    Gu Chen was merely using his strength and cultivation to il about with his sword inbat.


    Going on like this, Zheng Yan was confident that before long, Gu Chen would be defeated.


    Indeed, it was so; after dozens of moves, seizing the moment Gu Chen''s technique faltered, there was a ng, and Zheng Yan struck with a radiant sword light at a tricky angle, knocking the Red Refinement de out of Gu Chen''s hand.


    With the treasured weapon out of hand, everyone in the hall knew that Gu Chen''s end was sealed.


    At that moment, the oue seemed certain, as people envisioned Zheng Yan emerging victorious, with Gu Chen impaled by a sword.


    Luo Feng''s face changed abruptly, while Chen Song''s features were spread with a smug smile.


    "Die!"


    Zheng Yan gave a cold shout; the treasured weapon in his hand glimmered as he thrust toward Gu Chen''s chest with the speed of lightning.

 Chapter 52: Chapter 50 Demon Appears_1

    Swoosh!


    Zheng Yan''s sword strike was both fast and fierce, seemingly tearing through the air itself, leaving a white trail in its wake.


    As everyone in the arena watched closely, thinking that the next second would see Gu Chen be another lost soul under Zheng Yan''s sword, a scene that shocked them into silence urred.


    With the treasure de slipping from his grasp, the long sword thrusting forward, and death looming, Gu Chen astonishingly made no move to dodge or evade but stretched out his bare hands to intercept Zheng Yan''s treasured sword.


    "Overestimating yourself!"


    Zheng Yan let out a coldugh, thinking Gu Chen had been scared witless. After all, that was a treasure de capable of slicing through iron as if it were mud, not something flesh and blood could withstand, even if it was the lowest quality of inferior treasured weapons.


    "It''s over!"


    Luo Feng was also greatly shocked, not understanding why Gu Chen would make such a choice.


    Just as everyone thought Gu Chen''s hands would be severed first before his life was taken, they saw Gu Chen''s expression turn icy as he, with a snap, actually caught the treasured sword stabbing towards his chest securely between his hands.


    "How is that possible?!"


    Witnessing this, let alone the others, even Zheng Yan himself was stunned.


    At that moment, Gu Chen, d in mysterious ck clothes, his face icy, had a faintyer of golden light shimmering around him. This was a phenomenon that only urred when he pushed his Horizontal Training to its current limits.


    Indeed, the treasure sword was extremely sharp, any hard object was like paper before it, but fortunately, Gu Chen''s Horizontal Training was effective, allowing him to block the sword without incident.


    Although that was the case, Gu Chen could feel the long sword in his palms emitting bursts of sharp aura, cutting through his skin and flesh, with droplets of blood flowing down along the de to the ground.


    But this was a minor injurypared to what would have happened if Zheng Yan''s sword had pierced through his chest.


    Zheng Yan naturally saw the blood on the de, but he still found it hard toprehend how flesh and blood, a pair of bare hands, could possibly withstand his treasured de.


    Under normal circumstances, shouldn''t Gu Chen''s hands have been chopped off at the first encounter?


    Zheng Yan''s mind was filled with questions at this moment, but Gu Chen obviously was not going to provide answers.


    The next moment, seizing the opportunity while Zheng Yan was still dazed, Gu Chen stepped forward, closing the gap between them, and ferociously struck at him with his palm.


    "You!"


    Zheng Yan was instantly shocked, and in his haste, he had no time to swing his sword but could only raise his other palm horizontally in front of him to block Gu Chen''s strike.


    "Pugh!"


    Despite his effort, he was still sent reeling by Gu Chen''s palm, blood spurting from his mouth as he staggered backward more than a dozen steps.


    Just a second ago, Zheng Yan seemed to have the absolute advantage, but the next, the situation was reversed. Even with the treasured sword in hand, Zheng Yan was made to spit blood by Gu Chen''s palm. The battle was full of twists and turns, intensely gripping, and no one dared to let their guard down even slightly.


    "Elder Brother Zheng!"


    Seeing Zheng Yan stagger and spit blood, the disciples of the Sunset Sword Sect immediately tensed up to the extreme. They hade on behalf of the sect to celebrate Zheng Jinan''s birthday. When they stepped out, they represented the face of the Sunset Sword Sect. If Zheng Yan suffered defeat at the hands of Gu Chen today, they too would face severe punishment upon their return.


    Zheng Yan red fiercely at the group of disciples, then wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. He admitted he had been careless just now; otherwise, even if Gu Chen had blocked the first strike, he would not have been able to stop his second.


    Just as Zheng Yan was about to continue and take the opportunity to kill Gu Chen, the entire great hall suddenly began to shake.


    "What''s going on?"


    "What happened?"


    "Is the great hall about to copse?!"


    The hall shook, and all the martial artists were thrown into a panic. They were at the bottom of a mountain, more than a hundred meters underground. If it copsed, none of them would escape.


    At that moment, Gu Chen, who stood still, suddenly furrowed his brows as he sensed an unusual aura.


    Suddenly, a chilly wind swept through the grand hall, followed by an extremely sinister presence that appeared abruptly, lowering the temperature dramatically. Everyone shivered involuntarily.


    "Demonic apparitions!"


    Feeling this familiar aura, Gu Chen''s sword brows knit slightly, as he uttered these two words.


    "What, demonic apparitions?!"


    Before they could react in horror, at the entrance, numerous figures with pitch-ck bodies, sharp horns and ws, looking like fierce demons or malevolent spirits, appeared.


    "It''s really demonic apparitions, run for it!"


    Upon the apparitions'' emergence, everyone panicked¡ªincluding those slightly famous in the martial world and who had reached the Pulse Opening Realm.


    The infamy of demonic apparitions was known throughout the world, not only to ordinary folk but even more so to these martial artists.


    "Run...!"


    As soon as the demonic apparitions appeared, several martial artists who were too close were drained of their vitality and died.


    Seeing this, the crowd became even more frantic, scrambling towards the exit, abandoning all thoughts of techniques, treasures, and wealth in the face of their fear of the apparitions, focusing only on escaping with their lives.


    The disciples of the Sunset Sword Sect also panicked, unsure of what to do. Chen Song hurriedly led them to Zheng Yan, his expression filled with rm as he said, "Elder Brother Zheng, what should we do, there are demonic apparitions, we should run."


    Zheng Jinan''s face was cold as he red at Chen Song, then cast a look towards Gu Chen not far away. After hesitating for a moment, he finally chose not to continue the fight.


    Even if he could kill Gu Chen, the influx of demonic apparitions could mean danger for himself as well.


    In Zheng Jinan''s eyes, as a disciple of the Sunset Sword Sect and ranked twelfth on the list of rising stars, his future was bound to be bright. He wasn''tparable to the likes of a petty thief like Gu Chen; it wasn''t worth endangering himself just for the sake of killing Gu Chen.


    "Let''s go!"


    At Elder Brother Zheng''smand, Chen Song immediately felt a great sense of relief, having truly feared that Zheng Jinan would insist on settling a life-and-death struggle with Gu Chen.


    Afterward, Zheng Jinan took the lead, rushing out with the disciples of the Sunset Sword Sect. Along the way, many martial artists, thinking the Sunset Sword Sect was strong, tried to follow them to escape, but Zheng Jinan''s fierce re forced them to back off.


    At that time, Luo Feng came to Gu Chen''s side and whispered, "Brother Gu, let''s hurry and leave too."


    "No rush."


    Gu Chen looked at the rampaging demonic apparitions in the hall, a smile actually appearing on his lips, leaving Luo Feng momentarily stunned.


    Thinking he had misheard, Luo Feng was about to ask again but saw Gu Chen''s figure sh as he charged directly toward those demonic apparitions.


    Luo Feng opened his mouth, the words he wanted to say getting stuck in his throat. He knew that most martial artists, upon seeing demonic apparitions, would choose to avoid confrontation and retreat. It was the first time he had seen someone looking so eager¡ªalmost impatient¡ªto face them.


    In Luo Feng''s eyes, Gu Chen''s demeanor was like that of a dog seeing... well, in any case, Luo Feng was extremely surprised and somewhat vexed.


    "Sigh, forget it, who asked me to be an upstanding paragon of justice?" Luo Feng sighed and then also charged forward, helping Gu Chen battle the demonic apparitions.


    There were quite a few demonic apparitions, but most of them were only at the Cultivation Realm. Gu Chen found them easy to kill. In his eyes, these were all walking points of cultivation experience, so how could he not be pleased?


    Gu Chen was enjoying the fight when he caught a glimpse out of the corner of his eye and saw Luo Feng killing demonic apparitions on the other side. He suddenly felt helpless and even had the urge to swear loudly.


    He knew Luo Feng was trying to help him, but this kind of help was, to Gu Chen, better left ungiven.


    Then, Gu Chen''s gaze shifted and he spotted a demonic apparition at the Pulse Opening Realm. In order to prevent Luo Feng from getting there first, Gu Chen quickly rushed toward it.

 Chapter 53: Chapter 51 The Sparrow behind_1

    "Ao!"


    A demon with ox horns and tiger ws, resembling a bone demon, roared up to the sky. The terrifying sound waves made many warriors tremble, causing severe pain in their minds.


    Gu Chen targeted it; this was his prey. With a sh of his body, he closed in and sent it flying with a direct palm strike.


    However, the creature''s body was extremely hardy. Despite taking a palm strike from Gu Chen, it only lost a few bones and didn''t die right away.


    In fact, under normal circumstances, the strength of demons is superior to that of warriors of the Human n at the same level.


    This is because demons employ bizarre methods, and some have strong regenerative abilities and are extremely ferocious. Not to mention their attacks, even the innate yin and evil auras they carry are threats to warriors, and can be deadly.


    Therefore, upon encountering a demon, warriors would usually not want to entangle with them, opting to withdraw quickly. Winning a fight wouldn''t bring much benefit to them, but losing would undoubtedly mean death.


    This bone demon-like demon was about mid-Panic Level in strength, equivalent to a warrior of the Human n who had opened around twenty meridians in the Tongmai realm. To Gu Chen, its power was not considered strong.


    Initially, Gu Chen had only used thirty percent of his strength in the first palm strike. Following that, he unleashed three sessive palm strikes without giving the demon any time to react, and with a bang, the creature exploded.


    Gu Chen stretched out his hand to catch the soul crystal and refined it on the spot.


    The number of demons that appeared in the great hall wasn''t actually thatrge; the main threats were various strange creatures. There were only three demons at the Tongmai realm level, and as soon as Gu Chen finished off one, Luo Feng also faced one.


    Gu Chen felt helpless; it seemed Luo Feng was really determined topete with him.


    He shook his head and found thest demon of the Tongmai realm, which was hunting down several warriors. When Gu Chen arrived, he sent it flying with a palm strike.


    "Thank you, Brother Gu."


    Hearing the voice, Gu Chen turned his head and saw that the demons were actually pursuing Zhang Chi and his party.


    Although Zhang Chi possessed the strength of the Tongmai realm, he was no match for the demon, especially since he had to protect his own disciples. The perilous escape had left him covered in blood and badly injured.


    If Gu Chen hadn''t arrived, he might have truly died here.


    In contrast, his four disciples were in much better condition, having been well-protected by Zhang Chi and sustaining little injury.


    "Don''t mention it, Big Brother Zhang. You''d better hurry and leave this ce," Gu Chen said before turning to pursue the demon.


    Zhang Chi watched Gu Chen leave, opened his mouth but found himself unable to say anything. Gratitude? Gu Chen didn''t need it; saving them was just a casual deed for him.


    By Zhang Chi''s side, the young disciples hadplicated looks in their eyes. Perhaps out of jealousy, they didn''t like Gu Chen at first, but in the end, it was Gu Chen who saved them again.


    Gu Chen caught up with the demon, a fierce beast resembling a lion and tiger. Seeing Gu Chen in pursuit, it opened its wide mouth, intending to swallow him whole.


    Chi!


    With the Red Refinementde in hand that he had just retrieved, Gu Chen made a swift cut, splitting the lion-tiger-like demon in two. Its body dissipated, turning into wraiths of ck mist, vanishing into thin air.


    Just then, the great hall suddenly shook, and a shower of dust fell. After many years of holding up, coupled with today''s battle, this ruin could no longer sustain itself and was on the verge of copse.


    "Brother Gu, we need to go!" Luo Feng''splexion changed abruptly.


    The ruins were deep underground, over a hundred meters from the surface. Even if Gu Chen were stronger, he was still human and wouldn''t survive the hall''s copse.


    Actually, there were no demons or strange creatures left in the hall; Gu Chen and Luo Feng had killed some, and the rest had chased the group of warriors out of here.


    Immediately, Gu Chen and Luo Feng left the great hall and headed back the way they hade.


    On the way, they saw even more bodies than they had on their way in. These were the warriors killed by demons, dying terrible deaths. Some looked like mummies, others were left with only limbs.


    "These damned ghostly things!"


    Seeing this scene, Luo Feng''s face filled with anger. That was the hatred towards demons shared by everyone in Da Xia, mixed with fear, yet with no real solution.


    Because no one knew the origin of the demonic ghosts, they seemed to appear out of nowhere, and to this day, no power in Jiuzhou, including Da Xia, had any means to prevent the arrival of the demonic ghosts. It was a disaster that could not be avoided.


    Gu Chen''s expression remained calm, as a patrolling envoy of the Jing Tian Department, he had long since grown ustomed to such oddities. Indeed, demonic ghosts were the number one hazard in Jiuzhou.


    If things continued this way, in a few years, Jiuzhou might very well be a purgatory, because, as of now, the number of demonic ghosts seemed infinite, and with the passage of time, both the number and strength of the demonic ghosts appearing in Jiuzhou continued to grow.


    This was a disaster targeting the whole of Jiuzhou. As long as one lived in Jiuzhou, there was no escaping it, no matter where one hid, it was all the same.


    Unless someone could find the source of the demonic ghosts'' emergence and eradicate it once and for all.


    Of course, this idea was currently too far-fetched and not something Gu Chen needed to consider. For the moment, all he needed to do was perform his own duties well.


    As they approached the entrance, Gu Chen and Luo Feng suddenly heard a series of screams. Exchanging a nce, they sensed something was off, concealed their presence, and made their way to the ground with extreme caution.


    The sky was now dark, clouds shrouded overhead with no moon in sight, and within the Crouching Tiger Mountain, a figure shuttled back and forth, reaping the lives of the martial artists fleeing from the ruins.


    His methods were extremely brutal, all of the people were killed by having their hearts gouged out; he would then hold a steaming heart, still slowly pulsating, in his hand, crush it forcibly, and hot blood would spurt out into his mouth.


    "Exhrating, exhrating, such fresh heart blood!"


    The manughed loudly, tossed the heart aside, and then went off to find his next target. His casual demeanor, as if he considered everyone else as mere bait, cattle bred in captivity, easily ughtered at a whim, was apparent.


    Witnessing this scene, Luo Feng''s eyes widened with rage, and Gu Chen''s face also turned cold, a murderous intent surfaced in his sharp eyes.


    "Zheng Jinan, this man must unquestionably be Zheng Jinan," Luo Feng said through gritted teeth.


    Gouging out hearts and sucking human blood was the practice of the Evil Heart Sect; these practitioners of demonic skills, who harmed their own kind, were even more detestable than demonic ghosts.


    Gu Chen, after all, was not from this world; in his view, demonic sects were not necessarily evil, as the nature of the techniques was not inherently good or bad, the distinctiony in the people and how they chose to use them.


    But looking at Zheng Jinan now, it was clear that he hadpletely fallen into the demonic path, unscrupulous in achieving his goals, not only bringing disaster to the innocent but also deliberately setting traps to harm others. Such behavior, in Gu Chen''s eyes, no longer qualified as human.


    If the demonic sects were all like Zheng Jinan, devoid of humanity, then the destruction of the Six Union God Sect three hundred years ago was justified.


    "Help... help me... ah..."


    There were screams from martial artists, but no one could save them. Zheng Jinan sneered, directly gouged out the heart, and in front of the martial artist, he sucked the blood from the heart dry, as if drinking wine.


    The martial artists who hade to explore the ruins mainly had a cultivation of merely opening their meridians, and naturally, none could be an opponent to Zheng Jinan. Gu Chen assessed the strength of both parties and determined that at this stage, he was not a match for Zheng Jinan either.


    Zheng Jinan was at the forefront, followed by demonic ghosts and strange creatures. Every time he killed a martial artist, a demonic ghost or strange creature would pounce on the corpse to devour it.


    This spectacle made Luo Feng shudder. How could demonic ghosts and Zheng Jinan possibly stand together so harmoniously?


    And it seemed that those demonic ghosts and strange creatures were acting under the direction of Zheng Jinan.


    Gu Chen''s eyebrows knit together, contemting a possibility. Soon, Zheng Jinan disappeared into the dark night.


    Luo Feng''s face was filled with anger as he said to Gu Chen, "Brother Gu, you''ve seen it too, Zheng Jinan is devoid of humanity. He must have done such things countless times. This time, we must expose him so everyone can see his true face and prevent more people from bing victims."


    Gu Chen didn''t speak but nodded, agreeing to meet with Luo Feng a few dayster at Zheng Jinan''s birthday banquet, then the two of them parted ways.


    Back at the inn, Gu Chen thought again of the scene where Zheng Jinan cruelly ughtered those martial artists, and a surge of killing intent welled up in his heart.


    Gu Chen didn''t consider himself a good person, but he at least had a bottom line that he maintained.


    Yet Zheng Jinan seen that day had no bottom line at all and had lost his humanity entirely,pletely falling into the demonic path andmitting unspeakable atrocities.


    Whether it was to fulfill the mission of the Jing Tian Department or for some other reason, Gu Chen had made up his mind, he must kill Zheng Jinan!


    Calm down his turbulent emotions, Gu Chen''s thoughts stirred, and the interface suddenly appeared before his eyes.

 Chapter 54: Chapter 52 Late Stage of Meridian Connecting_1

    Name: Gu Chen


    Martial Arts: Dragon Roar Tiger Howl Horizontal Training (Initial Glimpse), Red me Palm (Perfection), Seal Meridian Finger, Phantom Traceless Step, Astonishing Swan Swordsmanship Skills


    Internal Power: Pure Yang Technique


    Cultivation Age: 151 years


    Realm: Mid-stage of Meridian Unblocking


    Merit Points: 43


    Following the recent battle in the underground ruins, Gu Chen gained forty-three merit points, the majority of which came from the two Meridian Unblocking realm demons.


    With forty-three merit points at his disposal, Gu Chen intended to transform them all into cultivation age, but he knew his current body definitely couldn''t bear it, and there was a high probability he would explode and die.


    Therefore, with a thought, he first elevated his Dragon Roar Tiger Howl Horizontal Training into the entry-level stage.


    Boom!


    As the martial knowledge flooded into his mind, Gu Chen''s whole body quivered, and at this moment, he was enveloped in ayer of pale golden light from head to toe, looking solemn and dignified, like a high monk who had attained enlightenment.


    Roar!


    Soon after, a faint sound akin to a dragon''s roar and a tiger''s howl resonated, with dragon and tiger phantoms shing briefly behind Gu Chen.


    In that instant, arge amount of impurities were expelled from Gu Chen''s body, while his muscles and bones became even morepact, and his physical quality received yet another enhancement.


    Skin, flesh, tendons, bones, membranes¡ªevery part was bing stronger.


    Even as his bodily strength continued to increase, Gu Chen''s figure grew more slender and well-proportioned. He did not be a muscle-bound man because of the increase in his physical strength.


    His body had undergone several baptisms, and at this moment, his skin was like jade stone, fair and lustrous. Although it was not apparent from the outside, Gu Chen was aware that now, even if someone attacked him with a sword, it was likely to shatter against his skin.


    Of course, divine weapons were an exception, as they transcended the category of ordinary weapons.


    However, should he continue to progress, Gu Chen felt that once Dragon Roar Tiger Howl Horizontal Training reached a significant level ofpletion or even perfection, not even divine weapons would be able to easily harm him.


    After a long while, when the transformation subsided, Gu Chen opened his eyes, the pungent smell assaulting his brain and causing him to frown slightly, muttering to himself, "Every improvement causes arge number of impurities to be expelled from the body, what a nuisance."


    He then washed himself, changed his robe, and sat casually on the bed with his chest bare, its jade-like, lustrous and muscr surface evident for all to see, as his thoughts moved and the panel immediately appeared before his eyes.


    Name: Gu Chen


    Martial Arts: Dragon Roar Tiger Howl Horizontal Training (Entry-level), Red me Palm (Perfection), Seal Meridian Finger, Phantom Traceless Step, Astonishing Swan Swordsmanship Skills


    Internal Power: Pure Yang Technique


    Cultivation Age: 151 years


    Realm: Mid-stage of Meridian Unblocking


    Merit Points: 35


    It cost eight merit points to bring Dragon Roar Tiger Howl Horizontal Training to entry-level, but Gu Chen knew that to elevate this technique to minor achievement stage would require much more than that.


    As his physique was enhanced once more, the bloated sensation in his fleshpletely vanished.


    "Huff¡ª"


    Gu Chen took a deep breath, steadied his heart, and with a thought, an additional twenty merit points disappeared from the panel, transforming into twenty years of power, surfacing within him.


    Amidst the roaring sounds, one by one, his meridians were unblocked, until progress came to a halt at a certain point.


    Without hesitation, Gu Chen took the plunge and transformed all his remaining merit points into inner power cultivation.


    By now, Gu Chen had umted a cultivation age of one hundred and eighty-six years. Such a level of cultivation would have already caused anyone else to explode and die due to insufficient physical strength.


    Not everyone could refine their inner power and constantly enhance their physical strength like Gu Chen.


    At this moment, his robust inner power flowed like an unending river within him, his meridians functioning like channels, allowing his inner power to reach all parts of his body in the shortest time possible.


    Meridians were unblocked continuously; with the bolstering of his substantial inner power, no bottlenecks appeared, nor would any arise.


    Soon, a night passed.


    Gu Chen sat cross-legged on the bed with closed eyes, his facial features handsome, chiseled, with sword-like eyebrows extending into his temples, white skin, and evenly distributed muscles. He was d in a loose robe, with his ck hair casually spread behind him, sitting motionlessly, resembling a perfect statue carved out of jade stone.


    As the sun rose at dawn, Gu Chen opened his eyes, a sharp glint shing within his pupils.


    A night''s time had gone by, and the number of meridians within his body had reached fifty.


    What did this signify?


    It had been less than a month since Gu Chen broke through to the Meridian Unblocking realm, and he had already opened up fifty meridians. If word of this got out, the entire Jiuzhou would be shaken. Even with the backing of the Jing Tian Department, countless people would seek out Gu Chen, abduct him, and investigate the reasons behind it.


    Perhaps even some within the Jing Tian Department couldn''t resist making the first move, the reason being, the speed of his progress was too astonishing, beyond what the term ''monstrous talent'' could describe, akin to riding a rocket to ascend.


    Moreover, with fifty meridians, looking at the whole of Jiuzhou, an era might not produce such an individual. Although this generation of Jiuzhou is brimming with exceptional talents, with Gu Chen''s current strength, making it into the top five of the Star Ranks would be a certainty.


    Name: Gu Chen


    Martial Arts: Dragon Roar Tiger Howl Horizontal Training (Entry-level), Red me Palm (Perfection), Seal Meridian Finger, Phantom Traceless Step, Astonishing Swan Swordsmanship Skills


    Internal Power: Pure Yang Technique


    Cultivation Age: 186 years


    Realm: Late-stage of Meridian Unblocking


    Merit Points: 0


    "Fifty meridians, could this be my limit?" Gu Chen pondered as he looked at the information on the panel.


    He had a feeling that with the panel, his achievements in the Meridian Unblocking realm might not stop here.


    He might be able to break the limit that no one in Jiuzhou has broken for countless years, setting a new record in the Meridian Unblocking realm, creating a legend.


    At that moment, Gu Chen stretched out his hand and casually dragged it across the corner of the nearby table. There was a hissing sound, and the corner of the table fell off, the cut so neat it seemed as if it had been sliced by some sharp instrument.


    In this act, Gu Chen did not use any inner power at all¡ªit was solely depending on his own physical quality.


    This extent had transcended the category of ordinary weapons; even if it was notparable to divine weapons, it wasn''t far off.


    "Dragon Roar Tiger Howl Horizontal Training is indeed a high-grade body refining martial art, and it''s one that was derived with the help of the panel. It''s definitely not just an ordinary high-grade martial art," Gu Chen reflected.


    Although this martial art was only derived from a medium-grade and two low-grade martial arts, it was all under the guidance of the panel. Thus, the Dragon Roar Tiger Howl Horizontal Training, even among other high-grade martial arts, would not be of a low level. The various mysterious aspects are still waiting for Gu Chen to discover.


    Feeling the strong power within his body, and thinking of Zheng Jinan''s actions from the previous night, Gu Chen''s eyes became chilly, and a hint of murderous intent surfaced.


    "It seems there''s no need for the Jing Tian Department to send someone else to deal with Zheng Jinan."

 Chapter 55: Chapter 53 Birthday Banquet Begins_1

    The city of Huaiyang was bustling with excitement on this day. In the heart of the city, a grand estate was a hive of activity, with peopleing and going in a never-ending stream. Carriages halted at the entrance of the estate, as figures from the Jianghu ¨C martial artists and influential individuals from Huaiyang City and its surrounding area ¨C entered the residence.


    Within the household, every servant''s face was brimming with joy. Today was their master''s birthday, and every servant was set to receive a generous red envelope, which was reason enough for their happiness.


    Course after course of exquisite dishes were brought forth, and heartyughter echoed from every corner. Each guest who entered borevish gifts and the sounds of well-wishing for Old Master Zheng''s birthday celebration were ceaseless.


    In the main hall of the estate, tables of banquet wereid out, and Zheng Jinan upied the seat of honor. He had a broad back, a face that seemed formidable, and though he was over fifty years old, he still had a full head of ck hair and appeared extremely vigorous.


    For martial artists, especially those with significant cultivation, living past a hundred was not an umon feat.


    However, such longevity is rare to see in the Jianghu, and not because cultivation can simply be advanced by shutting oneself away from the world. Fighting against others is an essential part of martial training. Moreover, a mere fit of anger can lead to bloodshed within five steps, and most martial artists are of a fiery and impetuous nature.


    Frequent battles inevitably lead to injuries. Over time, the umtion of internal wounds means that many martial artists, even if they reach the External Qi Realm, might be riddled with sickness. Even if these ailments do not manifest in their youth, they will certainly cause problems as they age.


    This is why very few martial artists live to see their hundredth year.


    Zheng Jinan sat at the head, and on this day of his grand birthday, he looked at each and every prestigious and influential figure from Li Mountain County who came to offer their congrattions. His delight was evident for all to see.


    Of course, what truly thrilled him was that his long-standing hidden ailment was soon to be cured, which meant that he might have the chance to further advance his stagnant cultivation of many years and reach a new pinnacle of power.


    Being in the External Qi Realm might have made him somewhat famous in the region, but Zheng Jinan was far from satisfied. Despite being in his fifties, he felt that his heart was still full of passion and his blood still hot; he had no intention of retiring quietly.


    In the Jianghu, life is all about power and prestige, and no one who lives in this world is free from the desire for these two things.


    Everyone has desires; who doesn''t want to be renowned across thend?


    Wielding power over the world when awake, and lying in the embrace of a beauty when drunk is what every jianghu martial artist yearns for.


    Of course, on the surface, Zheng Jinan still had to put on an act as if he were declining with age. Today, he was nning to announce at his birthday feast that he was washing his hands clean of worldly affairs and retiring, but in secret, he intended to gradually improve his abilities using the techniques of the Evil Heart Sect.


    His face seemed to wear a smile, but inwardly, he itched to rip out the hearts of everyone there to celebrate his birthday and devour them.


    The taste of a human heart was truly exquisite, Zheng Jinan thought to himself, and a subtle shade of darkness flickered in his eyes.


    At times, Zheng Jinan truly wondered, if these people ever found out one day that he was a member of the Evil Heart Sect, what kind of expressions would appear on their faces?


    With this thought, the smile on Zheng Jinan''s face grew even wider, almost to the point of distortion.


    At that moment, a voice from the servant guarding the door rang out loudly, "Young Master Zheng has arrived!"


    Hearing this announcement, Zheng Jinan immediately stood up. Zheng Yan was his only son and pride, having lived up to his expectations to be a core disciple of the Sunset Sword Sect, and even securing the twelfth spot on the prestigious Star Rankings, with prospects of bing an heir to the Sect''s legacy.


    Seeing Zheng Jinan stand up, everyone else in the hall rose to their feet as well and looked towards the entrance.


    There, the handsome and talented Zheng Yan led a group of disciples from the Sunset Sword Sect into the hall. Upon seeing his father, a smile appeared on Zheng Yan''s face as well.


    He bowed with his hands sped and said, "Unfilial son Zheng Yan is here to celebrate Father''s birthday."


    "Hahaha, Yan''er, there''s no need for such formalities, no need at all," Zheng Jinan replied with a robustugh as he walked down from his ce to where Zheng Yan stood, helping his son straighten up from his bow.


    With a beaming face, Zheng Yan turned to Chen Song behind him and instructed, "Bring forth the birthday gift."


    "Yes."


    Chen Song took a sizable gift box from a disciple beside him and presented it, handing it over to Zheng Jinan.


    "Father, this is a Longevity Pill refined by our Sunset Sword Sect''s pill chamber, known for its power enhancement and life-prolonging effects."


    "Oh?"


    Upon hearing this, Zheng Yan''s eyes lit up immediately. He hurriedly took the gift box and upon opening it, he found a pill inside that was round and the size of a longan. Waves of medicinal fragrance wafted out, refreshing the spirit and heart just by smelling it.


    "A true case of ''like father, like son.'' The head of the Zheng family is indeed fortunate. This Longevity Pill, I''ve heard that the Sunset Sword Sect can refine only one batch every ten years, with no more than thirty pills each time. Not only can it prolong life, but it can also add fifteen years of cultivation effortlessly, sparing one from many years of arduous cultivation.


    It truly is a rarely seen superior-grade treasure pill."


    The person speaking was named Wang Cheng, a warrior in the External Qi realm from Huaiyang City and also a friend of Zheng Jinan for many years.


    Pills that could enhance one''s power were extremely rare on the market and very seldom seen. Each time one appeared, it would be frantically pursued by various forces, only top-tier sects like the Sunset Sword Sect would have them, and even then, the quantity was limited each year.


    Typically, such pills were only allowed within the confines of a sect and were forbidden to be shared externally, hence, only outstanding figures from the Sunset Sword Sect such as Zheng Yan had the privilege to gift them.


    Of course, mainly because this person was his father, if it were someone else, the Sunset Sword Sect would not have agreed to it.


    Hearing that it could increase as much as fifteen years of cultivation, Zheng Jinan''s smile grew even wider as he said, "Yan''er, your father understands your sentiment, but let''s forget about the pill. It''s too precious¡ªkeep it for your own use. I am old now and don''t have many years left, but it''s different for you; your future will be much stronger than your father''s."


    "Indeed, Young Master Zheng, at such a young age, is already ranked twelfth on the Star Ranking, and also a core disciple of the Sunset Sword Sect. In the future, a ce in the top ten of the Star Ranking is definitely waiting for you. It''s even highly possible that you''ll secure a position as a direct sessor of the Sunset Sword Sect," Wang Cheng said beside him withpliments.


    Within arge sect like the Sunset Sword Sect, the internal hierarchy was extremely strict, divided into outer sect disciples, inner sect disciples, core disciples, and finally, direct disciples.


    Among them, outer sect disciples were the most numerous, while direct disciples were the fewest in number and held the highest status, with only ten in total.


    Only the disciples of the Supreme Elders or the Sect Master of the Sunset Sword Sect could be called direct disciples. The future leaders of the sect, including the Sect Master, would also emerge from these ten individuals.


    At this moment, Zheng Yan''s primary goal was to be one of the Sunset Sword Sect''s direct disciples.


    Zheng Yan said, "Father, this is a token of my filial piety, please ept it. This year, the sect produced a slightlyrger batch of Longevity Pills, and I received three."


    What Zheng Yan left unsaid was that it was precisely because he had consumed two Longevity Pills that he had managed to open up forty-three meridians at the Channel Opening realm.


    Zheng Yan was preparing, once the birthday celebration for Zheng Jinan was over, to challenge the individual ranked tenth on the Star Ranking and vie for a ce among the top ten.


    Of course, with so many people present and much chatter, these were things he did not need to mention now. Once the celebration was over, he would tell Zheng Jinan personally.


    "Good, good, good!"


    Zheng Jinan said the word ''good'' three times in a row, clearly showing the joy in his heart.


    With this Longevity Pill, his goal of healing his hidden injuries and reaching a higher level had just be more attainable.


    "Master Liu has arrived."


    At that moment, the voice of a servant came from outside the door. In Huaiyang City, the only person entitled to be called ''Master'' was Liu Tong, the magistrate of the city.


    Liu Tong was a middle-aged man with a goat beard, dressed in official robes, followed by a group of constables as he walked in.


    "Head of the Zheng family, congrattions on your joyful asion," Liu Tong said with a bigugh.


    "Hahaha, Master Liu, your presence is what truly adds to the joy and brings brilliance to my residence," replied Zheng Jinan with a beaming smile. Looking at all the guests in his hall, each was a person of influence in the martial world of Li Mountain County. And now, with the magistrate of Huaiyang City present in person, his sense of vanity was greatly satisfied.

 Chapter 56: Chapter 54 Breaking away from the past_1

    Gu Chen and Luo Feng stood among the crowd, watching Zheng Jinan greeting Liu Tong with a beaming smile, weing him to the seat of honor. They sat down, one on each side of him.


    In the entirety of Huaiyang City, it was only Liu Tong, the magistrate leaning on Da Xia''s support, who could sit on par with Zheng Jinan, a testament to his great power and influence.


    "This Liu Tong, as the magistrate of Huaiyang City, is colluding with Jianghu figures like Zheng Jinan solely for his own gain, amassing vast wealth without any regard for the lives of the people; he deserves death!" In the crowd, Luo Feng looked at Liu Tong, and murderous intent shed in his eyes.


    Standing by his side, Gu Chen nced at Luo Feng and hadn''t anticipated that this flower thief had such a potent killer instinct, daring enough to even contemte killing a court-appointed official.


    "Brother Gu, it seems difficult today to expose Zheng Jinan''s true face to the public," Luo Feng said with a tinge of regret.


    These past few days, he had been secretly searching for evidence, but s, Zheng Jinan was too cunning, leaving no trace in his actions, and no martial artist he had targeted had survived.


    Though Luo Feng had gathered some evidence, it was far from sufficient to prove that Zheng Jinan was a remnant of the Evil Heart Sect.


    In fact, their best opportunity was that day outside the ruins, but unfortunately, Zheng Jinan was extremely cautious, employing only the techniques of the Evil Heart Sect whenmitting murder, preventing any suspicions from being cast on him.


    Every time Luo Feng thought about Zheng Jinan still roaming freely while countless innocents were bound to die terribly, he felt consumed by rage. Had his strength been adequate, he would have wished to execute Zheng Jinan on the spot.


    "No matter, he won''t live past today," Gu Chen spoke nonchntly.


    "Huh?!," Luo Feng eximed, suddenly startled.


    "Brother Gu, what do you mean by that?" Luo Feng asked.


    Gu Chen remained silent, not saying more.


    Seeing Gu Chen''s demeanor, a conjecture vaguely emerged in Luo Feng''s mind, yet he was somewhat incredulous.


    Just then, following an order given by Zheng Jinan, the birthday banquet officially began.


    In the course of the event, continuous toasts were made to Zheng Jinan, praising his contributions to Huaiyang City over the years and mentioning some of his achievements.


    Everyone loves to hear ttering remarks, and Zheng Jinan clearly relished them. Although the figures from the Jianghu seemed rough around the edges, they all had delicate minds; without some smarts, they wouldn''t have survived this long in the Jianghu.


    Not only Zheng Jinan but even his son Zheng Yan received countlesspliments. To be called ''promising at a young age'' was an understatement; they nearly exalted Zheng Yan to the heavens.


    Indeed, the praises for Zheng Yan even outdid those for Zheng Jinan. After all, in their eyes, Zheng Yan was a young talent from the Sunset Sword Sect, renowned on the List of Stars and across thend. In the future, as long as Zheng Yan remembered them, a little help from his part could easily lead to enormous wealth and rank.


    Hearing the endless praises for his only son, Zheng Jinan seemed to enjoy that even more than the praise for himself, his smile unwavering.


    Even the magistrate, Liu Tong, spoke up, iming that Zheng Yan had a great future ahead, subtly alluding to the intention of betrothing his sheltered daughter to him.


    Zheng Jinanughed heartily, deeply enjoying the conversation.


    Time passed, and after the third round of wine, at the climax of the banquet, Zheng Jinan suddenly stood up, silencing all the noise in the banquet hall instantly.


    "Today is my grand birthday celebration, and I am very pleased to have so many from the Jianghu and Master Liu here to congratte me. However, today, I have an announcement to make," Zheng Jinan said, pausing for a moment.


    "As of today, I, Zheng Jinan, am fifty-four years old. My family was poor when I was young, and I ventured into the Jianghu when I was only thirteen. It has been forty-one years since then. In the world of Jianghu, where there''s constant fighting and deceiving, I have grown somewhat weary over the years. From now on, I just want to be an ordinary old man, gardening and nting trees.


    Then, I''ll make some contributions to Huaiyang City, and that will be enough for this life."


    "Therefore, I am announcing today, from this moment on, I, Zheng Jinan, will officially wash my hands of the Jianghu and will no longer involve myself in any Jianghu affairs."


    As soon as these words were spoken, the Jianghu people below immediately began to say, "Patriarch Zheng, you are in your prime, how can you retire from the Jianghu?"


    "Patriarch Zheng, you must not."


    "Brother Zheng, if you leave Huaiyang City, it might be chaotic. Various viins might emerge. Please rethink this," someone from the city spoke with an anxious expression.


    Zheng Jinan heard the words andughed, "No matter, I am old, and this world belongs to the young. I will notpete with them anymore. The affairs of Huaiyang City are in the hands of Master Liu, and I trust that Master Liu will certainly make Huaiyang City prosper, and the lives of the people will be increasingly affluent."


    Liu Tong heard this and smiled faintly, stroking his goatee without saying a word, as it was obvious he had already known about Zheng Jinan''s intention to retire from the jianghu.


    Seeing that Zheng Jinan''s mind was made up, Wang Cheng pretended to be regretful and nodded, "All right, since Brother Zheng is so determined, it is not our ce to say more, but in the future, wherever we can be of service, I, Wang Cheng, will certainly not refuse!"


    "Same for me!"


    "Us too!"


    Many figures from the jianghu echoed the sentiment, and Zheng Jinan''s smile deepened on his face.


    "Yan''er, the world will soon be yours, the younger generation''s," Zheng Jinan said, turning to his only son.


    Zheng Yan stood up with a solemn face and said, "Father, rest assured, I will not disappoint you."


    Zheng Jinan nodded and then called out, "Bring out the golden basin!"


    The attendant who had been prepared brought the golden basin forward at themand.


    In the unwritten rules of the jianghu, once someone washes their hands of it with the golden basin, all conflicts within the jianghu cease to involve them, and even enemies cannot seek revenge.


    Zheng Jinan wanted to use the ritual of washing hands with the golden basin as a way to retire behind the scenes, to achieve his goals more quickly.


    At that moment, a clear voice suddenly rang out.


    "Patriarch Zheng, have you considered those innocents that you brutally killed? Many of them are barely cold in the ground yet!"


    No one had expected someone to cause a disturbance in such a situation, and upon hearing these words, the jianghu figures present red angrily.


    In a corner stood Gu Chen, tall and handsome, his eyes like morning stars, his ck hair loose, d in dark clothes, exuding a distinctive and extraordinary air, standing out among the other jianghu figures nearby.


    He held a wine cup, standing there, locking eyes with Zheng Jinan without showing the slightest hint of fear.


    "Who is this greenhorn who dares to spout nonsense here? Which family in Huaiyang City do you belong to? Didn''t your elders teach you anything about proper respect?!" Before Zheng Jinan could speak, Wang Cheng already jumped to his feet, pointing at Gu Chen''s nose and began scolding him.


    Zheng Yan saw Gu Chen daring to make a scene on the asion of his father''s birthday and his eyes immediately turned cold.


    Gu Chen, upon hearing this, looked towards Wang Cheng and said indifferently, "You really are a fine dog raised by Zheng Jinan, loyal to your master even at death''s door. Do you know that in Zheng Jinan''s eyes, you are nothing more than bait, no different from pigs and sheep waiting to be ughtered?"


    Upon hearing these words, Zheng Jinan''s pupils contracted slightly, but his face still wore a smile. He raised a hand to signal Wang Cheng to sit down, finally turning his gaze to Gu Chen.


    "What makes you speak such words, young man? It''s one thing to speak of me, but Brother Wang is a dear friend of many years. You know nothing and dare to speak such impolite words. Considering your youth and that you''ve not been in the jianghu for long, I will let this pass just this once. However, you are not wee here. Please leave at once," said Zheng Jinan.


    Zheng Jinan waved his hand, issuing an order for Gu Chen to leave.


    "Yeah, get out!"


    "Get out!"


    Hearing this, many jianghu figures present also echoed the sentiment, with mocking looks and nasty attitudes, telling Gu Chen to scram.


    Luo Feng, standing to the side, furrowed his brow upon seeing this and looked at Gu Chen, unsure of how he would handle what came next.


    Despite the pointing fingers, Gu Chen remained calm andposed, his expression unchanged. He ignored the crowd that went with the flow and instead set his gaze on Zheng Jinan.


    In that moment, Gu Chen''s eyes suddenly zed, and his words fell with weight, "Zheng Jinan, you have killed many, your sins are grievous. You secretly practiced the evil arts of the Evil Heart Sect, devouring the hearts of your own kind to strengthen yourself. Tell me, do you not deserve to die, should you not be killed?"

 Chapter 57: Chapter 55: Taking Action_1

    Gu Chen''s words were like a bomb thrown into ake, stirring up a thousand ripples and stunning everyone present.


    Zheng Jinan''s face stiffened, with countless thoughts swirling in his heart. He wondered, where had he slipped up, allowing someone to grasp his weakness?


    Hearing Gu Chen''s words, Zheng Yan couldn''t sit still. If his father, Zheng Jinan, really was a demonic cult martial artist, what should he do?


    Zheng Yan sprung to his feet, pointed at Gu Chen, and shouted sternly, "Stop spouting nonsense! You, a petty thief and scum of the martial world, have the audacity to nder my father? Where is Luo Feng? Is he the one instructing you to do this?"


    Who was Luo Feng? He was the notorious flower thief of Li Mountain County. Gu Chen being associated with Luo Feng, in their eyes, certainly meant he was no good person either. Hence, no one cared about what he said.


    Zheng Jinan''s expression rxed slightly, he let out a sigh of relief inwardly, but maintained hisposure and asked, "Yan''er, who is this person?"


    Zheng Yan replied, "Father, this man is an aplice of the infamous ''Skrk'' Luo Feng, just a petty thief. When I was tracking Luo Feng before, I dealt with him twice by chance. It seems he harbors resentment and seeks revenge today."


    Hearing this, Zheng Jinan smiled lightly and said to Gu Chen, "Today is my birthday, and I''m ready to wash my hands of my past and no longer involve myself in the troubles of the martial world. Today, I''ll spare your life for my son''s sake. Take the opportunity and leave quickly."


    "Master Zheng is magnanimous," Wang Chengplimented from the side.


    "Hmph!"


    Upon hearing this, Zheng Yan let out a cold snort and sat down, brushing his sleeve.


    Seeing Gu Chen still standing there, Zheng Jinan frowned and said, "What? You''re not leaving? Do you really need to see a coffin before shedding tears?"


    Gu Chen, with his handsome features and tall and straight stature stood like a pine tree, epitomizing calm and unpped, and said, "Zheng Jinan, you may fool people temporarily, but you cannot fool everyone forever. A few days ago, outside the ruins on Coiled Tiger Mountain, you guarded the entrance and ughtered countless martial artists, extracting their hearts for your cultivation.


    Did you think no one saw that? Now, their bodies are still warm, and yet you talk of retiring? You should ask them if they agree!"


    Upon hearing this, Zheng Jinan''s face darkened instantly, cursing himself for being toocent back then to notice Gu Chen hidden to the side and for not eradicating all evidence.


    "Nonsense, deserves death!" Zheng Yan couldn''t sit still anymore and was ready to make a move and kill Gu Chen.


    "Wait, do you have evidence?"


    At that moment, the county magistrate Liu Tong spoke up, his brow tightly furrowed. Hearing Gu Chen use Zheng Jinan of being the remnant of the Evil Heart Sect, he naturally felt uneasy. If Zheng Jinan were a remnant of the Evil Heart Sect, what would he do? Being entangled with demonic cult martial artists was something Da Xia would not overlook.


    At this moment, everyone''s eyes turned toward Gu Chen. They were also aware of the incidents outside the ruins and had thought they were the work of ghosts. Inside the hall, the atmosphere became as still as if it had frozen, so quiet you could hear a pin drop.


    Even Zheng Jinan became extremely nervous.


    Gu Chen, now the focus of the entire hall, said calmly and with an airy demeanor, "No."


    Standing next to him, Luo Feng heard this and immediately felt helpless. He knew it would turn out this way.


    "You little brat, you dare to y us?!"


    Hearing Gu Chen''s words, the group of martial artists couldn''t sit still anymore. Wang Cheng, in particr, was furious, as he had also been extremely tense just a moment ago.


    Zheng Jinan and Liu Tong both rxed, almost simultaneously a smile creeping onto their faces.


    Liu Tong said, "To nder someone without just cause, considering this is your first offense and today is the birthday celebration of Master Zheng, I do not wish to see bloodshed. Thus, I have decided to throw you into the dungeon to await your fate."


    Although Huaiyang City was muchrger than Ning City, Liu Tong, as the county magistrate, was still a seventh-rank official. Regardless of the fact that Gu Chen was about to be promoted to Metropolitan Procurator, even now, his rank within the courts of Da Xia was half a grade higher than Liu Tong''s. And yet Liu Tong dared to imprison him?


    Gu Chen looked at Liu Tong and said coldly, "As the county magistrate of Huaiyang City, you have done nothing but reap the benefits for many years without any achievements, skimming from the people, increasing theirbor, and even colluding with Zheng Jinan to amass a fortune.


    That might have been overlooked, but the Sunset Sword Sect has been rampant and caused trouble openly in a tavern within the city, and yet you turn a blind eye. With such behavior, do you really deserve to be the ''parent'' official of Huaiyang City? How can you face the hundreds of thousands of citizens of Huaiyang City? Has your conscience been eaten by a dog?"


    "Insolence!"


    Liu Tong, being exposed in front of so many people by Gu Chen, was immediately furious, his voice shrill as he shouted, "You are no more than a petty thief. It was generous of me not to pursue your crime, yet you dare to publicly insult a court official. It seems you truly wish to die. Guards, Captain Lin, I order you to take him down immediately, dead or alive!"


    "Yes!"


    Standing behind Liu Tong was a robust man, with a forceful presence, wearing official robes, and equipped with a long saber at his waist¡ªa warrior in the External Strength realm, a captain in Huaiyang City, far more powerful than Ning City''s Captain Wu Qian.


    "Searching for your own death."


    ```


    In the royal city, along with a crowd of martial artists from the Jianghu, they all shook their heads looking at Gu Chen, feeling that he was too young and impetuous, too reckless for fame, daring to step out in such a situation. Was this not seeking death?


    Chen Song also had a cold smile on his face; he did not believe Gu Chen would be a match for an External Qi stage martial artist, not to mention his senior brother Zheng Yan, who might not even be able to defeat Captain Lin.


    But Gu Chen remained fearless, his face calm. Seeing this, Chen Song couldn''t help but mockingly said, "Pretending to be something you''re not!"


    At that moment, just as Captain Lin was about to make his move, Zheng Yan spoke up. All he said was, "Master Liu, for such a petty thief, there''s no need to trouble Captain Lin. I have some scores to settle with this person myself. Would it be alright if I take care of him?"


    Liu Tong leaned back in his chair, waved his hand at the words, signaling Captain Lin to step back, then uttered a nomittal "Hmm".


    Upon seeing this, Zheng Yan stood up, walked in front of Gu Chen, and spoke indifferently, "You previously escaped from me by sheer luck, and that was fine. But why do you have no self-awareness at all? Why would youe to me, seeking your own death? Isn''t living well enough for you? Why insist on being a joke?"


    It was evident that he truly did not take Gu Chen seriously at all and was utterly confident in his own strength.


    On several asions, Zheng Yan believed he could have killed Gu Chen on the spot, but unexpected incidents always intervened, allowing Gu Chen to live until now.


    "You don''t think that being able to escape from me twice means that you are really my match, do you? I will let you know that killing you is no different from crushing a bug."


    With a nging sound, Zheng Yan drew the long sword from his waist; its cold light dazzled, causing numerous people to squint and turn their heads instinctively, unable to look directly at it.


    All the spectators came with the mindset of watching a good show, none believed in Gu Chen''s chances.


    Zheng Jinan watched with a look of anticipation, eager to see how far his son''s martial arts had progressed.


    "Die!"


    With a cold shout, Zheng Yan shed his sword toward Gu Chen''s neck, aiming to kill him in one strike to prevent any further idents.


    Gu Chen''s expression remained calm, his eyes deep, just standing there, waiting for Zheng Yan''s sword toe at him.


    "This kid looks like he''s been scared silly," mocked someone from the royal city.


    "It seems there will be blood at the birthday banquet of the Zheng family head today," Liu Tong said.


    "He chose to be aughingstock; he''s asking for it. Daring to nder the Zheng family head, insulting an imperial official, he deserves to die!"


    Chen Song said viciously, as he had long wished for Gu Chen to die. Because of Gu Chen, he had acquired a scar on his face, and every time he saw it, he was reminded of that day''s experience, filled with rage, nearly driving him mad.


    Zheng Yan, seeing Gu Chen not drawing his weapon but simply standing there, he thought Gu Chen intended to trap his sword de as before. A trace of cold smile emerged in his eyes.


    Did he really think that Zheng Yan was a straw man, to stumble twice in the same ce?


    "This day next year will be the anniversary of your death!"


    With a metallic ring, the bright sword light illuminated the entire field. Just as Zheng Yan''s sword tip was about to pierce Gu Chen''s throat, Gu Chen finally moved.


    Boom!


    An extremely ferocious wave of energy appeared out of nowhere, originating from Gu Chen.


    There stood Gu Chen, with one hundred and eighty-six years of internal breath bursting from his body, causing a powerful and vigorous energy wave. Zheng Yan bore the brunt of it, hisplexion changed, and he could barely stand steady, let alone continue his attack on Gu Chen.


    "This is bad!"


    Zheng Jinan''s expression turned stern, sensing trouble, but by then it was already toote.


    In the blink of an eye, with just one palm, using the flesh of his body, Gu Chen firmly grasped Zheng Yan''s treasured sword, making itpletely immobile. The sharp aura emanating from the de couldn''t harm him in the least.


    Zheng Yan was shocked to his core; he wanted to dodge, but it was already toote¡ªGu Chen was too fast!


    "Pfft!"


    In a sh, Gu Chen''s palm struck Zheng Yan. Blood spurted from Zheng Yan''s mouth; he could no longer hold his weapon, and like a ragdoll, he flew out,nding on the ground like a lump of mud.


    ```

 Chapter 58: Chapter 56: Confrontation with External Qi Realm_1

    "Yan''er!"


    Upon seeing Zheng Yan''s miserable state, Zheng Jinan was suddenly struck by terror and could no longer keep seated.


    At this moment, Zheng Yan''s mouth was full of blood foam, and hey on the ground like a lump of mud, staring at the distant Gu Chen with eyes filled with disbelief.


    Who was he? A core disciple of the Sunset Sword Sect, ranked twelfth on the Star Rankings, beaten by an unknown little thief?


    And it was done so dominantly, so swiftly, that he was defeated in just one encounter.


    Zheng Yan was a person who cared greatly about face, just like Zheng Jinan. Today, in such a setting, in front of so many people and his fellow disciples, being taught such a harsh lesson, Zheng Yan felt his cheeks burning hot, wishing he could find a crevice in the ground to crawl into.


    The physical injuries, along with the mental torture in his heart, nearly became too much for Zheng Yan to bear, as hey there rolling his eyes back.


    "Yan''er!"


    Zheng Jinan, greatly rmed and thinking his son was at death''s door, continuously transmitted his internal energy to Zheng Yan, hoping to hang on to his life, and simultaneously hurriedly instructed his servants to fetch a physician.


    On the other side, Chen Song and other disciples of the Sunset Sword Sect saw Zheng Yan beaten and also had their expressions change dramatically, especially Chen Song, who in his heart cried out in disbelief, thinking this was all a dream.


    "Zheng Jinan, your heart is truly ruthless, to actually let your own son take the disaster for you," Gu Chen said coldly, dressed in a dark robe, his tone indifferent.


    As for defeating Zheng Yan, Gu Chen felt not a trace of joy. After all, he had already opened up fifty meridians. Such talent and strength were among the top tier in the entire Jiuzhou, with few able topare.


    Although Gu Chen didn''t know how many meridians Zheng Yan had opened in the Meridian Opening Realm, he was certain it wasn''t as many as his own. And even if they had the same number of meridians, Zheng Yan was no match for him.


    After all, the foundation he umted in the Condensing Breath Realm was exceedingly profound. If word got out, it would be enough to make history, and no one of his generation in the whole Jiuzhou couldpare, let alone Zheng Yan.


    Hearing Gu Chen''s words, Zheng Jinan violently turned his head, his gaze towards Gu Chen filled with undisguised murderous intent, and even, for a fleeting moment, threads of ck qi could be seen flickering in his pupils.


    This moment was naturally captured by Gu Chen, and he instantly made a judgment in his heart.


    "How dare you, you cur, you must have used some shady trick! In a fair one-on-one fight, how could you possibly be a match for my nephew Zheng?"


    Before Zheng Jinan could speak, Wang Cheng jumped out again. Being a martial artist in the External Energy Realm, Gu Chen could defeat Zheng Yan, but it was not certain he could defeat him,


    This was the source of his confidence, using his realm to suppress Gu Chen.


    Truth be told, Wang Cheng jumping out again and again truly tested Gu Chen''s patience. With a ng, Gu Chen picked up Zheng Yan''s treasured weapon and chopped directly towards Wang Cheng, the de''s sharp aura overflowing, startling the people around Wang Cheng to quickly distance themselves from him.


    "Seeking death!"


    Wang Cheng stood in ce, but merely smirked coldly, wholly unafraid.


    Boom!


    Immediately after, he threw a backhand palm strike, and instantly a powerful palm force erupted from his body, like a gust of wind, sting towards Gu Chen.


    That was the power of a martial artist in the External Energy Realm, who could project his energy outward. Those with profound realms could reach the level spoken of in legends, where every gesture could pick flowers and flick leaves, capable of harming others.


    This was also why he was unafraid of Gu Chen. In Wang Cheng''s view, what good was Gu Chen''s treasured weapon? He couldn''t even get close to him, not even able to touch him, so how could he fight him?


    Even if Gu Chen managed to get close, Wang Cheng prided himself on his not-too-shoddy talent, having immersed himself in martial arts for half his life. He didn''t believe that Gu Chen''s martial arts realm could be higher than his own.


    Bang!


    Gu Chen swung his sword, colliding with the palm force that Wang Cheng had sent out. The treasured weapon''s power was indeed extraordinary; it directly shattered Wang Cheng''s palm force at first contact.


    But at the same time, Wang Cheng''s expression didn''t change, and he sent out three more palm forces in rapid session, determined to use his profound cultivation to exhaust Gu Chen to death right here.


    It must be said, Wang Cheng was also an old hand in the game, extremely cautious, not giving away a single opportunity.


    But regrettably, his opponent was Gu Chen, a man who disliked ying by the usual rules.


    Boom!


    Gu Chen, d in dark clothing, stood in ce, his foot stomping down viciously. Tens of thousands of pounds of force exploded in that moment, shaking the entire hall. The floor tiles beneath his feet were thrown into the air, apanied by a gust of wind, shooting towards Wang Cheng.


    "Trivial tricks!"


    Wang Cheng let out a coldugh, striking out with his palm, and the tiles rushing toward him instantly burst into powder.


    But the next moment, Wang Cheng''s expression changed, because in that brief instant, Gu Chen had already closed the distance between them.


    Swish!


    The sword''s light was bitterly cold and sharply bright, causing Wang Cheng''s pupils to shrink. Fortunately, he dodged quickly, as the sword tip grazed past his neck, leaving behind a line of blood.


    Wang Cheng leapt back, and while his soul was still unsettled, Gu Chen pursued him again.


    Swearing inwardly, faced with Gu Chen''s shing sword, Wang Cheng grabbed a table and threw it, only to hear a "pfft" sound as the table split in two.


    It wasn''t that he didn''t have a weapon, but he dared not use his own against a treasure de. Although his weapon was also forged at a high price, it was not a treasure weapon. It would probably be ruined after a few exchanges, and he was not willing to let that happen.


    Thus, Gu Chen, a martial artist at the Meridian Opening realm, was actually chasing Wang Cheng, a martial artist at the External Energy realm, back and forth, causing countless jaws to drop in disbelief.


    Wang Cheng also felt extremely ufortable, being chased around by a younger junior like this. His reputation would be ruined if this continued.


    "Damn it, you little bastard, you''re looking to die!"


    Unable to bear it any longer, Wang Cheng stopped running and turned to deliver a palm strike at Gu Chen.


    Seeing this, a hint of amusement appeared in Gu Chen''s eyes. He had been waiting for Wang Cheng to confront him head-on.


    Bang!


    Their palms met, and Wang Cheng''s body shook violently. Every bone in his body made a faint, cracking noise, overwhelmed by the force.


    This palm strike from Gu Chen was unrestrained. His Dragon''s Cry and Tiger''s Roar Horizontal Training once again intensified, providing a significant upgrade in strength. At this stage, Gu Chen possessed at least close to forty thousand pounds of force.


    Wang Cheng, although a martial artist at the External Energy realm, only had average physical strength and had never faced someone as strong and formidable as Gu Chen, who was akin to a muscr dragon. Merely blocking one palm strike from Gu Chen had numbed half of his body.


    That was under the protection of his internal energy. If he faced someone with slightly weaker cultivation, Gu Chen''s palm could have burst them open directly.


    Bang bang bang bang bang!


    But what came next for Wang Cheng was a storm of attacks from Gu Chen, one palm after another. Gu Chen was like a tireless perpetual motion machine, his energy unceasing, each palm strike at full force.


    Wang Cheng did prove himself extraordinary, deserving of his status as an External Energy realm martial artist, managing to withstand eighteen palm strikes from Gu Chen. But on the neenth, Gu Chen did not strike down.


    Crackle and pop!


    Wang Cheng stood expressionless in ce, his bodypletely numb. As Gu Chen ceased his attack, continuous popping sounds came from within Wang Cheng''s body, as if firecrackers were being set off.


    "Puh!"


    Apanied by thest rumbling inside his body, Wang Cheng looked up to the sky, suddenly spewing out arge mouthful of fresh blood, then fell straight backward onto the ground, thoroughly dead.

 Chapter 59: Chapter 57 Stunning the Whole Scene_1

    King City connected with Gu Chen''s eighteen palms, and even as a martial artist at the External Qi stage with internal breath protecting his body, he couldn''t withstand the attack. His bones, tendons, veins, and even his internal organs were shattered into dust, naturally, he could not survive.


    Seeing King City beaten to death by Gu Chen, those martial artists from the rivers andkes were looking at Gu Chen as if they had seen a ghost.


    Even Luo Feng had his mouth wide open, shocked to the extreme, wondering how Gu Chen had be so strong, or had he been hiding his strength all along?


    If it were thetter, it would be somewhat eptable, but if it were the former, it would be too horrifying. At that thought, Luo Feng''s eyes became somewhatplicated.


    After this battle, Gu Chen first defeated Zheng Yan, and then beat King City to death. The news here would surely spread, and by then, Gu Chen''s name would be known throughout Li Mountain County, and even the whole nine provinces.


    People looked at Gu Chen as if they were witnessing the rise of a new star in the martial world. By now, no one dared to underestimate Gu Chen anymore.


    Though young in age, hemanded absolute authority here by virtue of his own strength.


    Even now, many martial artists began to doubt whether Gu Chen''s words were true, and their nces towards Zheng Jinan began to waver, no longer as convinced as before.


    This is the benefit of strength: when your fist is big enough, people naturally believe what you say, and even if they don''t, they have to consider it seriously.


    After killing King City, Gu Chen first looked at the county magistrate Liu Tong. Seeing Gu Chen looking at him, Liu Tong shuddered instantly. In his eyes, Gu Chen was now a desperado who had beaten even a martial artist at the External Qi stage to death, and at this moment Liu Tong felt very insecure.


    "Captain Lin!" Liu Tong screamed.


    Seeing Liu Tong''s frightened appearance, Captain Lin frowned but still stepped forward, standing in front of Liu Tong. After all, Liu Tong was the magistrate of Huaiyang City.


    Gu Chen didn''t care, his gaze passed over Captain Lin and looked towards Zheng Jinan, saying, "Even now, do you still want to hide?"


    The implication of Gu Chen''s words was to tell Zheng Jinan that if he continued to hide, his fate would be the same as King City''s¡ªhe would be beaten to death by him.


    After all, even if Zheng Jinan were stronger than King City, he couldn''t be much stronger unless he abandoned everything, used demonic powers, andpletely exposed himself as a remnant of the Evil Heart Sect.


    Zheng Jinan''s eyes were red with anger. Seeing Gu Chen''s strength, he also felt a chill in his heart, suppressing his rage without taking action, and growled, "Who exactly are you, who sent you, and why do you nder me!"


    Gu Chen didn''t speak, his face expressionless as he watched Zheng Jinan''s performance.


    Zheng Jinan was furious, roaring, "You have no evidence, on what grounds do you determine that I am a remnant of the Evil Heart Sect? Attacking without a word, you''ve seriously injured my son and beaten my friend to death¡ªare there nows of the king in your eyes?!"


    "I, Zheng Jinan, have been in Huaiyang City for many years; who I am, what I''ve done over these years, the whole city knows well. You say I am a remnant of the demonic cult; do I be one just because you say so? Is it up to you to make decisions here in Huaiyang City, not even asking if Master Liu agrees!"


    With that said, Zheng Jinan turned towards Liu Tong, his face filled with sorrow, saying, "Master Liu, this man is audacious andwless, his actions are ruthless, and I suspect he may actually be a real remnant of the demonic cult. I implore Master Liu to grant me permission to join forces with Captain Lin and capture this viin!"


    Zheng Jinan had thought it through clearly; if he took action himself, he was not confident, so he decided to drag Liu Tong down with him. He didn''t believe Gu Chen would dare to kill Liu Tong outright.


    Once Gu Chen did that¡ªkilling an official of the court¡ªno matter what power Gu Chen came from, Da Xia would not let Gu Chen go.


    Liu Tong wasn''t stupid either; he understood that whether Zheng Jinan was a remnant of the demonic cult or not, he could not be. Once confirmed, not only would Zheng Jinan die, but he would not fare well either. Even if it were less severe, he would lose his ck gauze cap.


    Moreover, Liu Tong didn''t care whether Zheng Jinan was really a remnant of the demonic cult; as long as Zheng Jinan could bring him benefits, that was enough. What did it matter to him if some martial artists or ordinary citizens died?


    At that thought, Liu Tong stepped out from behind Captain Lin. His eyes cold, he said to Gu Chen, "I don''t care which n or sect youe from, but you''vee to the wrong ce today. As long as I''m here in Huaiyang City, no one can run wild. I give you a chance to surrender now while there''s still time. I will consider this and be lenient when I deal with you, otherwise, hmph!"


    Gu Chen remained unflustered, looking at Liu Tong and saying, "Otherwise, what?"


    Liu Tong snorted coldly, "Have you heard of the Jing Tian Department''s reputation? Even if you happen to escape today, I will surely report today''s events to the Jing Tian Department in Tiandu. Once they take action, there will be no ce for you anywhere in the world, no matter where you are from, or what background you have."


    Upon hearing this, Gu Chenughed. Seeing his reaction, Liu Tong''s face grew cold and he shouted, "You''re still so ignorant at the brink of death. Captain Lin, why aren''t you arresting this man immediately!"


    Captain Lin, upon hearing the order, stepped deliberately to Zheng Jinan''s side, ready to join him in capturing Gu Chen.


    But at that moment, Gu Chen barked, "Liu Tong, just look at what this is!"


    Gu Chen pulled something from his chest and threw it casually. With a thunk, a ck object embedded itself in the floor tiles before Liu Tong.


    "Jing... the Jing Tian Department''s token?!"


    Staring at the ck token in front of him, which bore a boldly calligraphic "Jing" character, Liu Tong was suddenly petrified, his eyes bulging in disbelief.


    "What?!"


    Upon hearing this, Zheng Jinan was also bewildered. Not just him, all the martial artists present were stunned.


    "You... you''re the Metropolitan Procurator of the Jing Tian Department?!" Liu Tong looked at Gu Chen with shock written all over his face,pletely dumbfounded.


    "Liu Tong, didn''t you just say you wanted to report to the Jing Tian Department? Well, I am right here. Whatever you want to say, now is the time," Gu Chen said indifferently.


    "This..." Liu Tong stammered, his face flushed with nervousness. Captain Lin, observing the situation, silently stepped back to Liu Tong''s side, inwardly relieved that he had not acted rashly.


    "You... ah no, are you from Tiandu?" Liu Tong asked, pain etched across his face, his voice full of panic and faltering.


    Gu Chen ignored him and turned his gaze to Zheng Jinan, his voice cold as ice, "Zheng Jinan, your evil deeds are numerous, and you have killed the innocent without restraint - your crimes are worthy of death!"


    As the words fell, Gu Chen struck like a bolt of lightning, swift and thunderous.


    "Wait, I have something to say..." Zheng Jinan, in utter disarray, attempted to defend himself, but Gu Chen gave him no chance. Approaching swiftly, he delivered a crushing palm strike to his head.


    Bang!


    Caught off guard, Zheng Jinan raised his hand to block. His entire skeleton trembled from the impact, and he finally understood why the prince had been beaten to death by Gu Chen¡ªthe young man''s physical strength was simply too overwhelming, even for a martial artist of the External Qi realm to withstand.


    "Master... there''s been a misunderstanding, please let me exin..." Zheng Jinan''s face reddened, struggling not to reveal his true identitypletely.


    Gu Chen''s expression remained stern. His fingers closed into a fist, and his muscles and tendons coiled tight. In an instant, in the blink of an eye, he unleashed a barrage of twelve punches.


    "Ah..."


    Zheng Jinan cried out, his face expressing the utmost shock. Up close and personal, Gu Chen''s fists fell like a violent storm, and even as an External Qi realm martial artist, Zheng Jinan could only block the punishing blows; he had no opportunity to counter.


    He didn''t dare to flee because if he did, there would be a moment of vulnerability, and Gu Chen''s punch woulde crashing down, a force his body couldn''t withstand.


    "Puh!"


    After enduring Gu Chen''s twelve punches, Zheng Jinan spat out a mouthful of blood, hisplexion immediately paled, his entire skeletal structure rattled apart as though it was about to disintegrate, blood faintly trickling from his every orifice.


    "Zheng Jinan, even now, you continue to hide your true self. Are you really willing to lose your very life?" Gu Chen''s eyes were ice-cold, showing not the slightest hint of mercy or intention to stop.


    Seeing this, Zheng Jinan''s color changed dramatically. He knew if this continued, he would meet the same fate as the prince, beaten to death by Gu Chen.


    Facing death, he could no longer care for anything else. What was there to speak of if his life was on the line?


    At that moment,rge amounts of ck air surged from Zheng Jinan''s pores, and even his pupils had strands of ck mist rising,pletely enveloping his eyes.


    At that moment, the power of demons and ghosts began to formally awaken, and Zheng Jinan''s consciousness started to sink into oblivion.

 Chapter 60: Chapter 58: Mysterious-Level Demon Ghost_1

    "A demon?!"


    "The head of the Zheng family is actually possessed by a demon!"


    A terrifying chill spread; seeing Zheng Jinan''s appearance like this, all of the martial artists in the hall suddenly changed their expressions.


    Liu Tong also widened his eyes, his heart in utter chaos to the extreme point, and he quickly hid behind Captain Lin.


    Captain Lin frowned, nced at Liu Tong, and then came to Gu Chen and bowed with his fist, saying, "Sir, let us confront this foe together."


    Gu Chen did not refuse but simply said, "Be very careful."


    Captain Lin nodded, standing shoulder to shoulder with Gu Chen as they both stared at Zheng Jinan.


    At this moment, Zheng Jinan was surrounded by sinister ck qi, emitting waves of eerie aura all over, causing difort to all. His eyes had also beenpletely enveloped by the ck qi, the demon eroding his consciousness.


    "I want you dead!"


    Zheng Jinan roared furiously like a vengeful ghost howling, with the piercing soundwaves entering through both ears, causing the many warriors to scream out in pain.


    Whoosh!


    It was then Captain Lin made the first move. Drawing the long saber from his waist, his figure shed toward Zheng Jinan and shed down at his head.


    "Scram!"


    Zheng Jinan bellowed angrily, swinging his arm. A corrupting ck qi swarmed towards Captain Lin, who changed color, withdrew, and retreated. However, his long saber had been tainted with a trace of ck qi, hissing as it corroded, and in a moment, the de was half-eaten away.


    "Specter Level Demon!"


    Gu Chen''s face became solemn. A Panic Level Demon would not possess this kind of strength that could easily repel warriors at the Exterior Qi Stage.


    Only a Specter Level Demon could do this, far surpassing the Panic Level Demon, several times more troublesome and powerful.


    If a Panic Level Demon isparable to a cultivator''s state from Condensed Essence Stage to Meridian Unblocking Stage, then even the weakest Specter Level Demon isparable to a warrior of the Human n''s Ou Exterior Qi Stage.


    It was evident that the one possessing Zheng Jinan was a Specter Level Demon, and for Gu Chen, this was his first time facing one directly.


    "Sir, this is too dangerous. We should withdraw for now and devise a long-term n," Captain Lin looked towards Gu Chen with a somewhat scared expression. Without even being able to get close, Captain Lin did not believe that together with Gu Chen they could ovee Zheng Jinan as he now was.


    Gu Chen didn''t speak but handed over the treasured weapon he had received from Zheng Yan to Captain Lin; he didn''t need Lin to do much, only asionally harass from a distance.


    The strength of this Specter Level Demon could corrupt ordinary weapons, but it couldn''t damage a treasured weapon.


    Captain Lin was startled at first, then came to an understanding, grasping Gu Chen''s intention. He quickly caught it, and though he, a warrior of the Exterior Qi Stage, was touching a treasured weapon for the first time.


    "Sir, be careful!" Captain Lin said gravely.


    Gu Chen nodded, and at that moment, Zheng Jinan had already rushed over. The sinister ck qi swirling around him, like tentacles, attacked Gu Chen and Captain Lin.


    Seeing this, Captain Lin immediately dodged to one side, leaving sufficient space for Gu Chen, not wanting to be a drag on him.


    Confronting the evil ck qi, Gu Chen neither dodged nor avoided, his internal energy of one hundred and eighty-six years of cultivation crazily circting, pushing the Pure Yang Technique to the ultimate limit of his current stage.


    Boom!


    At this moment, Gu Chen''s body emitted intense heat from every pore, the Pure Yang Technique being a type of yang force martial art and the nemesis of demonic energy. With his profound internal energy, the ck qi ignited the moment it touched his skin, unable to prate his body at all.


    "Die!"


    Gu Chen gave a cold shout, his inner Qi surging to its peak as he struck out with a Red me Palm at itsplete stage.


    "Roar!"


    Zheng Jinan howled to the sky, his body controlled by the demon, but his instincts remained. At this moment, he dropped all pretense, using the Evil Heart Sect''s demonic techniques, wanting to sh head-on with Gu Chen.


    Bang!


    Where the Red me Palm passed, all the ck qi began to burn. Gu Chen''s palm firmly imprinted onto Zheng Jinan''s chest.


    "Heart-piercing w!"


    Struck by Gu Chen''s palm, Zheng Jinan''s body trembled, and he reached out with his five fingers sharp as ws, using the Evil Heart Sect''s demonic power, he reached for Gu Chen''s chest, determined to rip out his heart.


    Seeing this, Gu Chen''s eyes shed with a cold light. He also stayed put, ready to resist Zheng Jinan''s attack head-on.


    Hum!


    At that moment, Gu Chen''s body shook, and faint golden light appeared on his skin, as if he were a high monk.


    Bang!


    Zheng Jinan''s w, charged with demonic power, left five marks on Gu Chen''s chest, the sinister ck qi seeking to invade Gu Chen''s body through them, but it was all stopped by the faint golden light around Gu Chen, unable to prate the slightest bit.


    Horizontal Training Technique with the Roar of Dragons and Tigers!


    It was precisely because he had relied on a superior martial arts technique for tempering the body that Gu Chen dared to withstand Zheng Jinan''s strike head-on.


    "Ha!"


    At this moment, Captain Lin, seeing that Gu Chen and Zheng Jinan were at a stalemate, circled behind Zheng Jinan. With a sh of his sword, the treasured de sliced across Zheng Jinan''s back, and a spray of ck blood burst forth.


    Captain Lin hastily dodged to avoid the ck blood, which, as it hit the ground, corroded and pitted the surface.


    This was the power of a demon, akin to containing a deadly poison, highly corrosive and erosive.


    Wounded, Zheng Jinan howled like a wild beast gone mad. Gu Chen, seeing this, poured all his strength into the fight, pushing the Pure Yang Technique and Horizontal Training he practiced to their limits with his profound energy.


    Roar!


    At that moment, faint sounds of dragons roaring and tigers howling echoed through the air. The ethereal images of a dragon and tiger shed behind Gu Chen for an instant, and theyer of golden light around his body grew even more intense.


    There was no holding back any hidden strength; Gu considered wanted to crush Zheng Jinanpletely in the shortest time possible.


    Boom!


    Gu Chen''s ck hair whipped about wildly, his dark garb rustling in agitation. With a steely expression and dazzling eyes, he reached his utmost limit. Skin, flesh, sinews, and bones seemed to fuse into a single entity, as infinite power erupted within him. His strength soared again at this moment, and as his breath surged, his palms appeared to be enveloped in mes.


    In an instant, Gu Chen unleashed a flurry of ?Red me Palm? strikes.


    Fifty meridians and one hundred eighty-six years of cultivation,bined with the mastery of Horizontal Training and the perfected Red me Palm¡ªeven a Panic Level Demon inhabiting Zheng Jinan''s body couldn''t withstand it.


    "Aaagh¡ª"


    Zheng Jinan screamed. If Gu Chen''s assault was a raging storm, then Zheng Jinan at this moment was a fragile boat amidst the tempest, open and vulnerable, continuously hit by Gu Chen''s strikes, with the sound of cracking reverberating from his bones.


    St!


    The next moment, numerous streams of ck blood spurted from Zheng Jinan''s pores, and the dark aura swirling around him momentarily paused, bing stagnant midair.


    Thud!


    After Gu Chen ceased his attack, Zheng Jinan''s body fell stiffly backwards onto the ground, with copious amounts of ck blood flowing out. His life force had dwindled to a mere whisper.


    Having unleashed so many attacks in such a short span, not holding anything back, even someone as resilient as Gu Chen couldn''t help but feel slightly winded and weary.


    But right now, he couldn''t afford to let out that breath.


    Gu Chen approached Zheng Jinan, whoseplexion was deathly pale and who was barely hanging onto life. If not for the demon''s possession granting him strength, Zheng Jinan would have died long ago.


    Just as Gu Chen was about to finish off Zheng Jinan, a loud cry suddenly erupted nearby.


    "Father!"


    It turns out that Zheng Yan had awakened. Seeing the sorry state of his father, Zheng Yan''s eyes immediately reddened with rage, his murderous intent towards Gu Chen skyrocketing.


    "Ah... I will kill you, I will kill you!"


    Zheng Yan, having lost his mother at an early age, was raised by Zheng Jinan. Regardless of Zheng Jinan''s actions, he was his father in Zheng Yan''s heart.


    With eyes bloodshot, Zheng Yan red at Gu Chen, his eyes nearly bleeding with hatred. He med Gu Chen for destroying everything¡ªhis life, his father, and their home.


    He could no longer return to Sunset Sword Sect!


    In an instant, years of effort crumbled, and Zheng Yan ced all the me on Gu Chen.


    "It''s all your fault, all because of you, I want you dead¡ª"


    Zheng Yan roared to the heavens. Perhaps responding to the overwhelming negative emotions within him, the demon that had possessed Zheng Jinan burst out from his body in a ck mist, which entered Zheng Yan''s head and possessed him.


    Crack, crack!


    The moment the demon possessed Zheng Yan, who had been lying on the ground with most of his bones shattered by Gu Chen, he suddenly stood up. The grinding sounds were his bones painfully knitting back together.


    Had it been just Zheng Yan himself with such grave injuries, he would have been left either dead or crippled for life.


    But with the demon''s power within him, those severe injuries began to heal rapidly, and Zheng Yan''s inner energy continued to surge, barely holding back a breakthrough from the Meridian Opening stage to the Qi Externalization stage.


    Meanwhile, Zheng Yan swallowed the Longevity Pill that was originally meant for Zheng Jinan, not for any other reason except to elerate the healing of his wounds.


    "I¡ªwant¡ªyou¡ªdead!"


    Zheng Yan, with vengeance seething in his eyes and his visage ghastly as a fierce ghost, stared at Gu Chen, his body wrapped in a cloak of ck aura.


    Seeing this, Gu Chen''s brows furrowed slightly. He could feel the speed of Zheng Yan''s recovery was not slow¡ªin fact, it was rather swift.


    If Zheng Yan were to fully recover, Gu Chen, after enduring several fierce battles, might indeed not be a match for him in his Qi Externalization stage.


    Unfortunately for Zheng Yan, Gu Chen wasn''t about to give him that chance.


    ng!


    With the sound of a sword cry, Gu Chen drew the Red Refinement de, then hurled it with great force. The treasured sword turned into a streak of light, piercing at a breakneck speed through Zheng Yan''s chest and straight through his heart.

 Chapter 61: Chapter 59 Diancang Pavilion_1

    "You..."


    Zheng Yan stood frozen, a blood hole appearing in his chest, where fresh blood constantly flowed out, tinged with an eeriness of darkness. As the blood would turnpletely ck after the demon fully merged with Zheng Yan.


    The heart is the fountain of life; once shattered, even a Panic Level Demon cannot be brought back to life.


    After all, the power of a demon is not without limits, and if it could truly reverse life and death, then Shen Zhou would have been overrun by demons long ago.


    Gu Chen gazed at Zheng Yan, his tone indifferent, "You don''t really think I''m so foolish as to wait for your wounds to heal beforeing to kill me, do you?"


    "Er..."


    Zheng Yan''s mouth was full of blood foam, his throat convulsing as he tried to say something, but he could not utter a single word anymore.


    Whoosh!


    At that moment, the demon possessing Zheng Yan, seeing the dire situation, tried to escape. But Gu Chen would not allow it to have its way. In the instant that dark energy was about to surge to the sky, Gu Chen intercepted it on the spot. With a single strike, he turned it into ash, dispersing it between heaven and earth.


    Fortunately, this Panic Level Demon''s strength was average, and after possessing Zheng Jinan and Zheng Yan father and son, coupled with helping Zheng Yan heal, its power had already been significantly depleted. Otherwise, Gu Chen would not have been able to eliminate it so effortlessly.


    Gu Chen held the soul crystal in his hand. Compared to a Panic Level Demon, the soul crystal of a Panic Level Demon was slightlyrger. A soul crystal generated from a Panic Level Demon''s death was roughly the size of a coin, but the soul crystal of a Panic Level Demon was about the size of a small stone.


    Taking advantage of everyone''s inattention, Gu Chen willed it and absorbed the soul crystal, as strands of cold energy entered his body through his pores.


    Instantly, his panel increased by a full twenty-eight merit points. Seeing this number, Gu Chen was immediately startled.


    Indeed, a Panic Level Demon was far stronger than a Panic Level Demon, which could be inferred from the merit points alone.


    After losing the power boost from the demon, Zheng Yan''s life force rapidly dissipated, and soon he followed Zheng Jinan to his demise, falling to the ground unwillingly, with eyes wide open in death.


    But all of this was his own doing, truly leaving no one else to me.


    The battle had been full of twists and turns. Gu Chen first defeated Zheng Yan, then executed Zheng Jinan, and finally killed the demon. Even with Gu Chen''s current physique and cultivation, he still felt a sense of depletion.


    At this moment, Gu Chen''s eyes shifted, looking towards Liu Tong.


    "Lord... Lord Gu, this is your token, please keep it safe," said Liu Tong with a forced smile, handing back over the Jing Tian Department''s token to Gu Chen.


    Gu Chen looked at him emotionlessly, "You colluded with the cult martial artists; do you plead guilty?"


    With a sullen face, Liu Tong knew that with the irrefutable evidence, what else could he do but whisper, "I plead... I plead guilty..."


    At this moment, he was filled with regret. He didn''t regret colluding with Zheng Jinan but why did he have to provoke Gu Chen? Even now, he didn''t know that the purpose of Gu Chen''s trip to Li Mountain County in Huaiyang City was to target Zheng Jinan, and he still thought Gu Chen was just passing by, considering himself unlucky.


    "I will report this matter to Tiandu, and you''ll wait for the questioning of Mingjing Department," Gu Chen said ndly. In fact, he had the authority to execute Liu Tong on the spot, but after several battles, Gu Chen was feeling tired. He decided to leave such trivial matters to the Mingjing Department to handle.


    "I..."


    Upon hearing this, Liu Tong''s face fell, and he slumped to the ground.


    On the other side, Chen Song, seeing that things were going south, prepared to flee. But Gu Chen, without even turning his head, casually picked up a chopstick from the table next to him and flung it.


    Thud!


    Blood sttered, and Chen Song''s body stiffened in ce, a blood hole in his throat through which steaming blood gushed. He wore an expression of disbelief, seemingly unable to ept that he was truly going to die there.


    Chen Song opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but like Zheng Yan, he couldn''t speak and quickly, his life faded as his gaze dimmed, he fell to the ground, and died.


    Seeing this scene, the disciples of the Sunset Sword Sect next to Chen Song all disyed faces of panic and stood frozen, not knowing whether to leave or stay.


    The other martial artists trembled inwardly, counting themselves fortunate they had no collusion with Zheng Jinan, and at the same time couldn''t help but remark internally that this Lord Gu''s lethality was indeed no small matter.


    Gu Chen remained calm. Killing Chen Song was something he had long intended to do. His principle was always not to offend others unless offended. Chen Song had provoked him repeatedly with Zheng Yan, and their fates were a result of their own actions, and no one else was to me.


    With the death of Zheng Jinan and Zheng Yan, the affairs of Huaiyang City were essentially resolved, and Gu Chen had aplished the majority of his assessment task.


    Everyone present knew that after Gu Chen executed Zheng Jinan and Zheng Yan, it wouldn''t be long before Zheng Yan''s ranking on the Star Ranking would be reced by Gu Chen.


    ...


    Diancang Pavilion.


    Diancang Pavilion is the most famous information organization in the Jianghu, capable of learning about various major events urring daily within the Jianghu almost instantaneously.


    The origin of its name, "Appraising the Mortal World," speaks to its renown; the celebrated Star Ranking, as well as rankings like the "Seven Sects and Eight Factions" of the Jianghu, are all established and published by Diancang Pavilion.


    The power of Diancang Pavilion is not weak, in fact, it''s quite strong and not inferior to the Sunset Sword Sect. Otherwise, Diancang Pavilion wouldn''t have the capability to publish various Jianghu rankings and assign ces for martial artists and major sects and ns across the world.


    Reputation is of utmost importance to those in the Jianghu. If Diancang Pavilion were not strong, it would have been destroyed long ago and would not have been able to reach its current level of influence.


    The headquarters of Diancang Pavilion is also located in Shen Zhou, but not in Qiongtian Mansion. It''s situated in another major mansion within Shen Zhou.


    At this moment, within the Diancang Pavilion headquarters, pavilions, terraces, and pagodas are plentiful, with small mountains and waterside pavilions scattered throughout, creating a picturesque scene of beauty.


    In a three-story small pagoda, a middle-aged man wearing luxurious brocaded clothes was sitting in a wicker chair by the window, basking in the sunlight and looking utterly content.


    This person is the Deputy Pavilion Master of Diancang Pavilion, named Qi Zhen.


    Diancang Pavilion has a total of three Deputy Pavilion Masters and one Pavilion Master, serving as the high-level management, orchestrating the overall operations of Diancang Pavilion.


    Of course, generally speaking, the Pavilion Master seldom appears; the daily operations of Diancang Pavilion are the responsibility of the three Deputy Pavilion Masters.


    And the Star Ranking is managed by Qi Zhen.


    Just as Qi Zhen waszily soaking up the sun, a Diancang Pavilion warrior walked in.


    "I pay my respects to Deputy Pavilion Master Qi."


    This Deputy Pavilion Master Qi, it could be said, was the most easy-going among the three deputies and, of course, he was the one who handled the fewest affairs.


    His days were not spent on anything other than nting trees, watering flowers, or basking in the sun.


    In Qi Zhen''s own words, having worked hard for most of his life, it was finally time to enjoy himself; naturally, he wanted to fully savor life''s pleasures.


    If it weren''t for the Pavilion Master''s intervention, Qi Zhen might have already left Diancang Pavilion to wander the world.


    Qi Zheny in the wicker chair and responded with a nonchnt "Hmm."


    The middle-aged warrior didn''t mind and, ustomed to Qi Zhen''s demeanor, earnestly said, "Deputy Pavilion Master Qi, news hase from Li Mountain County of Qiongtian Mansion. It is said that Zheng Yan, a core disciple of the Sunset Sword Sect, has been killed."


    Upon hearing this, Qi Zhen continued to lie in his chair, squinting and asking, "The Zheng Yan who is ranked twelfth on the Star Ranking?"


    "Yes."


    Qi Zhen, continuing to bask in the sunlight, said, "Who dared to show such disrespect to the Sunset Sword Sect by killing him outright? Over the years, the Sunset Sword Sect has grown increasingly strong and domineering, and indeed many within the Jianghu have grown discontent with them. But as long as that old guy from the Sunset Sword Sect remains alive, not many dare to provoke them."


    At these words, a chill went through the middle-aged warrior. Only Qi Zhen dared to refer to the Supreme Elder of the Sunset Sword Sect as "that old guy." Such words, if heard by the Sunset Sword Sect, would surely not end well.


    "Reporting back to the Pavilion Master, it was the work of someone from the Jing Tian Department of Da Xia."


    "Oh?"


    With that, Qi Zhen''s interest was piqued. Ever since the God Emperor of Da Xia went into seclusion, the world indeed began to be tumultuous,bined with demons causing havoc, the Jianghu over these years has been anything but tranquil, even turbulent beneath the surface.


    However, the major Jianghu forces have still been rtively restrained, not having any conflicts with the Jing Tian Department. This was one of the few instances, especially in recent years.


    Moreover, one of the parties involved was the Sunset Sword Sect, which piqued Qi Zhen''s interest even further.


    "Bring the intelligence report to me," said Qi Zhen, sitting up to take the scroll handed over by the middle-aged warrior and beginning to scrutinize it in detail.


    After a moment, having finished reading, Qi Zhen nodded and said, "There hasn''t been much movement in the top twenty of the Star Ranking for quite some time. It''s good to see new blood emerging. Moreover, it''s been a long time since someone from the imperial court has made the list; the ranking is due for some changes."


    The middle-aged warrior said, "I''ll carry out the task now, having Gu Chen rece Zheng Yan''s ranking."


    "No."


    Qi Zhen stopped the middle-aged warrior, a smile appearing on his face, and said, "Gu Chen, Star Ranking... number eight."

 Chapter 62: Chapter 60: Ranking of Stars, Number 8_1

    "Ranked eighth?"


    The middle-aged martial artist''s heart trembled slightly, and with some hesitation, he said, "Master of the Pavilion, is this... isn''t this somewhat against the rules?"


    Qi Zhen, basking in the sun,zily replied, "What''s against the rules about it? Gu Chen defeated Zheng Yan with just one move, and he also killed two martial artists of the External Qi Realm and shed a ghost of the You ss. This strength, far surpassing Zheng Yan of the Sunset Sword Sect by who knows how much, ces him without question at the eighth position on the Stars Ranking.


    If it weren''t for the fact that this is his first time on the list, I would have even considered ranking him higher."


    "But... Master of the Pavilion, the top ten of the Stars Ranking effectively all have records of ying multiple External Qi Realmbatants. Directly cing him in the top ten, isn''t it a bit too... I fear that the martial artists of the jianghu, and even those sects and ns, will use us of being unfair, saying that out of fear of the court, we did this."


    Qi Zhen said with nonchnce, "Let others say what they will; remember that our Diancang Pavilion has always acted fairly and justly, not influenced by any person or power. You may go."


    Seeing that Qi Zhen had spoken thus, what more could the middle-aged martial artist say? He could only nod in agreement and then retreat.


    "This jianghu is finally getting a bit livelier."


    After the middle-aged martial artist left, a hint of a smile appeared on Qi Zhen''s face. The Stars Ranking had been too tranquil for too long. The young generation of this era had seemingly lost their ambition, not even trying to challenge the ranking. It had been a long time since there had been any changes to the Stars Ranking.


    This time, with Gu Chen''s meteoric rise¡ªappearing out of nowhere and directly entering the Stars Ranking at eighth ce¡ªhe didn''t believe that the young prodigies listed on the Stars Ranking could continue to remain indifferent.


    Especially so for that individual from the Sunset Sword Sect, and the one originally ranked eighth, now ninth, who must surely have some thoughts on the matter.


    With this thought, the smile on Qi Zhen''s face grew a bit richer. His actions were not out of fear for Da Xia, nor was it out of favoritism for Gu Chen; he simply wanted to make things in the jianghu a bit more interesting¡ªotherwise, life would be too boring for him.


    Shortly after, he closed his eyes and pretended to nap.


    Outside the headquarters of the Diancang Pavilion hung a huge golden list; this was the Stars Ranking that recorded the top one hundred talented youths of the entire jianghu.


    After leaving Qi Zhen''s loft, the middle-aged martial artist came to this spot and first used a special solvent to erase Zheng Yan''s name. Then, beginning with the eighth rank, he moved everyone else''s ranks down one by one, freeing up the space to fill in Gu Chen''s name along with a brief introduction of his deeds.


    "Gu Chen, age twenty, Cirction Realm, first rank Patrol Envoy of Jing Tian Department (soon to be promoted to Metropolitan Procurator)¡ªdefeated Zheng Yan in a single move, slew two martial artists of the External Qi Realm, and killed a ghost of the You ss."


    Many martial artists of the jianghu were present outside Diancang Pavilion, as well as members from various sects and ns responsible for gathering intelligence. They stayed here so that as soon as the Diancang Pavilion released any news, or any major events urred in the jianghu, they would be the first to know.


    The crowd was instantly reinvigorated upon witnessing changes to the Stars Ranking, which had not seen any movement for quite some time. Whose scion had ascended to the Stars Ranking this time?


    After the middle-aged martial artist had departed, these individuals crowded forward to observe the changes on the list.


    "Look, Zheng Yan, originally ranked twelfth from the Sunset Sword Sect, has been erased."


    "The eighth ce on the Stars Ranking has changed hands¡ªthe new entrant Gu Chen is the one who defeated Zheng Yan."


    Upon hearing this, everyone''s gaze immediately fixed upon Gu Chen''s name.


    "So, it''s someone from Jing Tian Department. It''s been a long while since someone from the court has made the Stars Ranking. To think that upon his very first appearance, hended at eighth."


    "The one originally in the eighth position was Yu Qiushi of the Canghai Sect. With Gu Chen''s arrival, Yu Qiushi has been pushed down to ninth."


    The Canghai Sect, ranked among the top seven sects and eight schools, isparable to the Sunset Sword Sect as one of the world''s top powers. However, in recent years, due to the death of the old sect leader of Canghai, and with no worthy sessors in the sect, it had seen some decline.


    Yu Qiushi was the leading figure of the young generation within the Canghai Sect, the head amongst all the disciples, said to be treated with great expectation by the sect, being nurtured as the future sect leader.


    "Humph!"


    Unsurprisingly, there were members of the Canghai Sect among the crowd. Upon hearing this, someone scoffed coldly, nced at the ranking list as ifmitting Gu Chen''s name to memory, and then left, clearly heading to report this news to the Canghai Sect.


    Of course, other than the Canghai Sect, the rest of the seven sects, eight schools, and other powers all had representatives stationed there, including members from the Sunset Sword Sect.


    Like the person from the Canghai Sect, after taking a long, hard look at Gu Chen''s name, he left the area to make his report.


    "Now there''s going to be quite a show." The others thought to themselves excitedly.


    Yu Qiushi could be described as the future of the Canghai Sect, as well as the face of the sect in external affairs. The Canghai Sect would undoubtedly go to great lengths to cultivate him, and naturally hope that he could carve out a higher reputation in the jianghu, which would also greatly benefit his future session as the sect leader. The Canghai Sect was pleased to see such a development.


    But now, with Yu Qiushi bumped down by a hitherto unknown Gu Chen, the Canghai Sect would naturally be discontented, and it''s likely that Yu Qiushi himself might feel aggrieved. After all, without having faced a challenger, he had lost a ranking position for no apparent reason¡ªsomething that anyone would find displeasurable.


    On the other hand, there''s also the Sunset Sword Sect. This generation''s number one on the Stars Ranking happens to be the youngest of the true disciples of the Sunset Sword Sect. Like Yu Qiushi, this person is also the future hope of the sect.


    But unlike Yu Qiushi, this true disciple of the Sunset Sword Sect possessed talent that could be described as suppressing his peers, having reached the very limit of the Tongmai Realm. He unlocked a total of fifty-six meridians, news of which immediately sent shockwaves throughout the world.


    As a result, the reputation of the Sunset Sword Sect subtly rose a notch in the martial artsmunity. It is said that even the old sect master of the Sunset Sword Sect was stirred by this event, which goes to show the extent of the importance they ced on him, treating him as if he was being cultivated to be the next sect master.


    Everyone across thend knew that the Sunset Sword Sect was extremely overbearing in protecting its own, and Gu Chen had stepped over Zheng Yan to reach the top of the Star Ranking.


    It was inevitable that the sect would take displeasure in this, it was just unknown whether the number one of the Star Ranking, a leading figure among the younger generation of Da Xia, would take it upon himself to teach Gu Chen a lesson.


    Even though Gu Chen was an inspector of the Jing Tian Department, backed by the imperial court, Da Xia''s majesty had greatly diminished over the years. Moreover, as long as no one was killed, normal sparring would not provoke any reaction from the Jing Tian Department.


    Just like Qi Zhen, they were all in the intelligence business, with keen senses. Through the changes in the Star Ranking, they could see that the martial arts world seemed to be bing more lively.


    And soon enough, news of the changes in the Star Ranking would sweep through all the states.


    ...


    Gu Chen naturally wouldn''t know about the events that took ce at the headquarters of the Diancang Pavilion; even if he did, he wouldn''t care. After all, even if he was ranked first on the Star Ranking, it wouldn''t bring him any merit points.


    Moreover, Gu Chen understood the saying, "The higher the tree stands, the stronger the wind blows," and unlike most people, he always left himself a way out and would never fully expose his strengths.


    Several days had passed since he killed Zheng Jinan and the others. At the moment, he was drinking with Luo Feng in a restaurant.


    This restaurant was the very one where they first encountered each other, when Luo Feng was being chased by Chen Song and the others.


    The deeds of Gu Chen had already spread throughout Huaiyang City in less than half a day, and even many ces in Li Mountain County had heard about it. Naturally, the restaurant owner was also aware.


    Seeing Gu Chen dine at his restaurant, the owner was extremely enthusiastic, specially instructing the kitchen to prepare several fine dishes for Gu Chen and bringing out his many years'' collection of fine wines for Gu Chen to taste.


    Of course, the price... might correspondingly be a bit higher.


    However, Gu Chen didn''t mind. He had made a considerable fortune at the treasure grounds of the Evil Heart Sect. Moreover, no matter what, this meal shouldn''t be on Gu Chen''s tab.


    "Brother Gu, I never thought you were actually from the Jing Tian Department of Tiandu. You really kept me in the dark," said Luo Feng.


    Hearing this, a smile appeared on Gu Chen''s face as he replied, "If I told you I was from the Jing Tian Department, wouldn''t you, a flower thief, be scared and go straight into hiding?"


    A wry smile emerged on Luo Feng''s face as he said, "Brother Gu, stop making fun of me."


    Over this period of interactions, Gu Chen found Luo Feng to indeed have a good nature and apatible personality, so the two became friends.


    Of course, up to this moment, Gu Chen had never seen Luo Feng''s true face, but everyone has their secrets, and Gu Chen had no intention of prying.


    "Brother Gu, I will be leaving Huaiyang City tomorrow," Luo Feng said after drinking a cup of wine suddenly.


    Gu Chen nodded and replied, "So will I."


    After killing Zheng Jinan, he hadpleted half of his Metropolitan Procurator assessment task. Over the next period, Gu Chen nned to wander around the vicinity of Huaiyang City to see if there were any demons lurking about.


    "Brother Gu, after this parting, who knows when we will meet again," Luo Feng said, seemingly a bit drunk after several cups of wine, his eyes slightly unfocused.


    Gu Chen thought to himself that Luo Feng''s capacity for alcohol was really not that great; the man had even dared to look down on him for drinking Yuyang Winest time, iming he wanted to drink stronger spirits.


    Shaking his head with a chuckle, Gu Chen said, "The mountains are high and the roads long; we''ll meet again in the jianghu."


    "Hahaha, yes, let''s meet again in the jianghu!" Luo Fengughed loudly, raising his ss.


    The two clinked their sses and then drained them in one gulp.


    "By the way, Brother Luo, I''ve already arranged with the owner that you''ll be picking up the tab for this meal. Don''t even think about running away this time."


    "What?!"


    "Hahahahaha..."

 Chapter 63: Chapter 61: Promotion to Metropolitan Procurator_1

    The next day, Luo Feng left Huaiyang City, and after his departure, Gu Chen also left, nning to spend some time traveling around Li Mountain County toplete the final task of his Metropolitan Procurator assessment.


    Fortunately, Gu Chen had intelligence provided by Jing Tian Department, giving him a rough understanding of the area where demons were active. Otherwise, Li Mountain County was so vast¡ªwith over a dozen cities on the scale of Huaiyang City¡ªthat a aimless search would take more than a month and waste a tremendous amount of time.


    Thus, after spending half a month, Gu Chen thoroughly eradicated the demons in the vicinity andpleted his Metropolitan Procurator assessment task, then returned to Tiandu.


    Looking at the majestic city before him, towering like great mountains, no matter how many times he had seen it, Gu Chen couldn''t help but feel a sense of awe. It was unimaginable how much manpower, material resources, and wealth were expended in building this city in the old days.


    Entering Tiandu, Gu Chen first went back to his home, changed his clothes, and rested for a while to restore his condition to its peak.


    After all, his return to Tiandu involved a long journey, naturally filled with the dust and wear of the road.


    Later, Gu Chen headed to the Jing Tian Department and arrived in front of the pavilion. After a junior official announced his arrival, Gu Chen once again entered the grand hall and met themander of Jing Tian Department''s external operations in Tiandu, Commander Chen Yu.


    Chen Yu wore a blue robe, his appearance dignified and handsome, sitting at the head of the hall, engrossed in a page of scripture in his hands.


    Gu Chen could see clearly that it was a martial arts manual. Given Commander Chen Yu''s rank, the manual that caught his interest was at least superior-grade, or even a Superior Martial Skill.


    Gu Chen''s Horizontal Training skill was a superior-grade martial art, and he had only attained the introductory level but already possessed such formidable power. It was beyond imagination how powerful a legendary Superior Martial Skill could be?


    But such things were still far too distant for the present Gu Chen; the gap between him and Chen Yu was just too great.


    "I''ve seen Commander Chen," said Gu Chen, standing at a lower position and bowing with cupped hands.


    Upon seeing Gu Chen''s arrival, Chen Yu put the martial arts manual aside, and in his admiring gaze towards Gu Chen, there was no attempt to conceal his praise, "You performed very well in this assessment."


    Gu Chen''s expression remained unchanged, neither servile nor overbearing, "Commander Chen tters me."


    Chen Yu smiled slightly, "As I''ve said before, talent is talent; you don''t need to be modest. One of your tasks for the Metropolitan Procurator assessment was merely to find evidence that Zheng Jinan is a demonic cult martial artist, but unexpectedly, you ended up killing him directly, as well as a ghost-rank demon, overachieving the task.


    This also spares Jing Tian Department the trouble of dealing with him."


    "You must understand that when it''s time to be fierce, you must be fierce; otherwise, others will see you and think you are easy to bully."


    Hearing this, a hint of a smile appeared on Gu Chen''s face, "Thank you for the guidance, Commander Chen."


    "It''s nothing."


    Chen Yu shook his head slightly; there was not a leader who did not appreciate a genius, especially in a ce where strength reigned supreme like Jing Tian Department.


    He was well aware of Gu Chen''s exploits in Li Mountain County; defeating Zheng Yan, ying Zheng Jinan and the ghost-rank demon, both achievements were exceptionally dazzling, no matter which one was considered.


    At the same time, he knew that for Gu Chen to aplish this as a Meridian Opening realm practitioner, he must have opened at least forty meridians in his body, a feat rare in the world.


    However, Chen Yu did not pay too much attention to it. In his own time at the Meridian Opening realm, he had opened up to fifty-three meridians, just three shy of the realm''s limit.


    Of course, those three were a chasm apart, like ditches in the heaven.


    But indeed, Gu Chen was remarkable. Having been in the Meridian Opening realm for only a few months, he had improved so quickly. Chen Yu did not believe that Gu Chen had no fortuitous encounters.


    However, he did not intend to pry. There weren''t many but also not too few methods to elerate one''s training in the Meridian Opening realm. Moreover, each genius had their own fortunes, and he had his as well.


    At this moment, Chen Yu said, "Are you aware that recently, the entire Jianghu has been talking about your name?"


    Gu Chen was slightly surprised upon hearing the words. Seeing his expression, Chen Yu smiled and exined, "By defeating Zheng Yan, in theory, you have qualified to ascend the Star Rankings, taking Zheng Yan''s ce. However, you have also consecutively killed two Outer Qi warriors and a Yu-level demon.


    On the Star Rankings, Diancang Pavilion holds you in high esteem, cing you eighth right from the start, squeezing out Yu Qiushi of the Canghai Sect."


    Upon hearing this, Gu Chen immediately understood. He had heard of Diancang Pavilion and the Canghai Sect, but he knew nothing about this Yu Qiushi.


    "Eighth on the Star Rankings is certainly not low," Chen Yu nced at him.


    "This is also thanks to myte father, who left me a set of superior martial skills," Gu Chen said. "I have been studying it for years and finally reached the entry-level realm recently. It is for this reason that I was able to defeat Zheng Jinan and Zheng Yan."


    Gu Chen said this to avoid revealing the astonishing fact that he had already opened fifty meridians in the channel-opening realm. After all, it wasmon knowledge that within the entire Nine Provinces, among the younger generation, those who could achieve this were exceedingly rare.


    Indeed, the further one progressed in the channel-opening realm, the more difficult it became to open new meridians. While it was not unheard of for someone to open forty meridians, every generation had a few individuals who aplished this. However, to open fifty meridians in the channel-opening realm was so rare that sometimes not even one person would emerge in an entire era.


    Chen Yu nodded slightly upon hearing this. With such an understanding, perfecting superior martial arts at this age, Chen Yu thought highly of Gu Chen''sprehension skills.


    When ites to cultivating martial arts, insight is the most crucial. Those with high insight can naturally grasp martial arts faster.


    "Would you be willing to join my ranks?" Chen Yu suddenly asked.


    Seeing Gu Chen slightly startled, Chen Yu smiled and exined, "The position of Metropolitan Procurator is different from that of a patrol officer. You''ll see once you enter the inner city, each Metropolitan Procurator is led directly by amander. Although I am stationed in the Jing Tian Department of the outer city, I do have my own personnel.


    However, having just been promoted tomander recently, my staff is quite limited."


    Upon hearing this, Gu Chen immediately sped his hands in gratitude, "Thank you, Commander Chen, for your high regard."


    Chen Yu had a pleasant personality and strong power. Most importantly, he was very young with a promising future. With his knowledge from a previous life, Gu Chen understood how crucial it was to follow the right leader in an institution like the Jing Tian Department that was directly under the control of the state.


    Moreover, not knowing anyone else in the expansive Jing Tian Department apart from this onemander, Gu Chen decided it was much better to follow Chen Yu than to be randomly assigned within the department after entering the inner city.


    Noticing Gu Chen''s sensible response, Chen Yu was naturally very pleased. After all, there was alsopetition amongmanders.


    "Our ages are not far apart, and since you''ve joined my ranks, there''s no need to call me Commander Chen anymore, it sounds too impersonal. If you''re willing, you can call me Brother Chen from now on," Chen Yu said with a smile, evidently happy to have recruited a talent like Gu Chen.


    "There are many extraordinary skills and treasures within the Jing Tian Department. Having just been promoted to Metropolitan Procurator, you now have greater authority and can exchange for more treasures and skills. Among them, there''s an elixir called ''Meridian Opening Pill'' within the department that works wonders for practitioners in the channel-opening realm.


    With the merits frompleting this mission, you should have just enough to exchange for it."


    Gu Chen''s eyes shone with joy upon hearing this and hastened to thank Chen Yu.


    Chen Yu chuckled, "With the Meridian Opening Pill, you still have great hope of opening fifty meridians in the channel-opening realm."


    As for more than fifty, that possibility was extremely slim. Even Chen Yu, with the aid of the Meridian Opening Pill and various opportunities, had only managed to open fifty-three meridians during his time in the channel-opening realm.


    Not having been able to open fifty-six meridians in the channel-opening realm was always a regret for Chen Yu.


    "If there''s nothing else, you may leave now. After exchanging for the Meridian Opening Pill, go back and settle your thoughts. Report to the headquarters of the Jing Tian Department in the inner city tomorrow," Chen Yu said.


    "Yes."


    Gu Chen sped his hands and then turned to leave. First, he went to the Hall of Merit to exchange the merits from this mission for the "Meridian Opening Pill" Chen Yu had mentioned, and then he picked up a new waist badge.


    The Metropolitan Procurator''s waist badge was still ck, with arge "Jing" character on the front. The only difference was on the back, where, aside from Gu Chen''s name, his rank had changed from patrol officer to Metropolitan Procurator.


    Once everything was ready, Gu Chen did not return to Gu Mansion; instead, he went back to his own home. After all, he had umted some merit points from this mission, and with the added help of the Meridian Opening Pill from the Jing Tian Department, Gu Chen wanted to see how far he could progress this time.

 Chapter 64: Chapter 62: Breaking the Limit_1

    The sun dipped to the west, and the moon hare rose, stars twinkling above, casting the pure moonlight down from the high sky, prating the window and shining upon Gu Chen''s body.


    At this moment, Gu Chen was sitting cross-legged on the bed, with a thought, he called up the panel.


    Name: Gu Chen


    Martial Skills: Dragon Roar Tiger Howl Horizontal Training (Beginner), Red me Palm (Perfection), Seal Meridian Finger, Phantom Traceless Step, Astonishing Swan Swordsmanship Skills


    Internal Skill: Pure Yang Technique


    Cultivation Age: One hundred eighty-six years


    Realm: Late Meridian Connecting Stage


    Merit Points: 68


    Out of those, twenty-eight merit points were obtained from ying the spectral ghost inside Zheng Jinan''s body, the rest were all from other ghosts in Li Mountain County.


    Regrettably, in Li Mountain County, Gu Chen had only found that one spectral ghost; otherwise, his merit points could have been higher.


    Feeling the abundant internal energy within his body, Gu Chen opened his eyes and took out the Meridian Connecting Pills that he had exchanged for during the day at the Jing Tian Department.


    Meridian Connecting Pills required substantial contributions to acquire, one bottle cost Gu Chen ten points of merit, even pricier than an inferior ss treasure weapon.


    All the honors Gu Chen had received from his mission were exchanged for Meridian Connecting Pills, a total of three bottles.


    A single bottle of Meridian Connecting Pills, if released into the rivers andkes, was enough to provoke a frenzied grab among countless martial artists, not much less coveted than the Longevity Pills of the Sunset Sword Sect.


    Gu Chen opened the bottle cap, a faint fragrance spilled out, the Meridian Connecting Pills were pale green, the size of pellets, Gu Chen took one and swallowed it.


    As the name implies, Meridian Connecting Pills are made to aid martial artists in the Meridian Connecting Stage to better break through the meridians within their bodies.


    You should know that when a person is just born, they actually possess the innate body, where all meridians are open and all the orifices are clear.


    However, when theye into the human world, that breath of innate air cannot reside long and gradually dissipates, along with the polluted air from the great world eroding, the infant''s innate body will degenerate into an acquired physique in a short time.


    Once the innate air disperses and the polluted air enters the body, it would clog the human meridians, and all the orifices and various mystical gates, thus, if martial artists want to be stronger, they need to spend time and effort to break through these locks that bind the human body, only then can they regenerate a breath of innate air.


    The path of a martial artist''s cultivation is actually a process of gradually returning from the acquired to the innate.


    When the Meridian Connecting Pill entered the stomach, it quickly turned into a stream of burning medicinal effect, traveling throughout Gu Chen''s body along the meridians. Seeing this, Gu Chen willed it, and ten and five merit points immediately disappeared from the panel, transformed into ten and five years of internal breath cultivation age that appeared inside his body.


    The sudden addition of ten and five years of cultivation power made Gu Chen''s meridians, already brimming with internal breath, swell to the point of fullness in an instant.


    By then, Gu Chen''s internal breath cultivation age had surpassed the maximum of two hundred, reaching an astonishing two hundred and one years.


    Boom!


    Explosions like spring thunder began echoing continuously by Gu Chen''s ears, and in a short period of time, six meridians were broken through by Gu Chen; then, the progress slowed down and met with great resistance, the meridians felt painfully swollen, and his body felt the same.


    At this moment, Gu Chen had reached the limit recorded in the Nine Provinces for martial artists in the Meridian Connecting Stage, which was fifty-six meridians.


    But Gu Chen knew that this was the limit of other martial artists, not his own.


    From the moment he had the panel, Gu Chen was very certain that he could break through the limit of the Meridian Connecting Stage and create a new record.


    Without hesitation, Gu Chen opened the cap, swallowed two more Meridian Connecting Pills, noting that one bottle of Meridian Connecting Pills only had five pills after all.


    Two Meridian Connecting Pills, along with the increased cultivation power of two hundred and one years, rushed through his body like a river. At that moment, countless capiries on Gu Chen''s body burst, blood sprayed from all over his body, drenching him into a blood-soaked figure.


    Gu Chen seemed to feel nothing, wholeheartedly manipting the vast internal breath within his body to open more meridians.


    Seven...


    Eight...


    Nine...


    Ten...


    Eleven!


    After a long time, Gu Chen, knowing he had reached his limit, opened his eyes. Ignoring the sorry state of his body, tiny specks of light converged in his pupils, shining brighter than the stars in the night sky outside the window.


    This time, with the help of the Channel-Opening Pill, Gu Chen had opened up a total of eleven meridians in his body, far surpassing the limit that martial artists in the Nine Provinces could achieve at the Meridian-Opening Stage!


    To open up sixty-one meridians in the Meridian-Opening Stage was an earth-shattering event capable of shaking the entire Nine Provinces.


    You must know, even some martial artists at the External Qi Stage had not opened as many meridians as Gu Chen had.


    At this moment, the records of the Meridian-Opening Stage held for countless years in the Nine Provinces were broken by Gu Chen.


    But obviously, this was a secret belonging solely to Gu Chen himself, and he would not tell anyone.


    At this moment, Gu Chen felt waves of pain emanating from the meridians within his body, and even his flesh was no different.


    This might just be the "side effect" of breaking the limit. It''s worth mentioning that Gu Chen''s physical strength far exceeded that of martial artists at the same realm, yet he felt this way, let alone others.


    This was also why many martial artists at the Meridian-Opening Stage couldn''t even manage to open twenty meridians.


    The practice at the Meridian-Opening Stage ced great emphasis on one''s constitution and physical quality. Only someone like Gu Chen, with the assistance of the panel, who could continuously increase his cultivation level and improve his martial arts realm to strengthen his body, constantly breaking limits, could achieve such a feat at the Meridian-Opening Stage.


    If others tried forcibly to open their meridians, they would have sumbed to cultivation deviation and exploded to death long ago.


    The next moment, Gu Chen brought up the panel once again.


    Name: Gu Chen


    Martial Arts: Dragon-Tiger Roaring Horizontal Training (entry-level), Red me Palm (perfection), Seal Meridian Finger, Phantom Traceless Step, Astonishing Swan Swordsmanship Skills


    Inner Strength: Pure Yang Technique


    Cultivation: Two hundred and one years


    Realm: Late Meridian-Opening Stage


    Cultivation Points: 53


    "Why am I still at thete Meridian-Opening Stage?" Gu Chen frowned, unable to believe that after breaking his limits and opening sixty-one meridians in his body, he hadn''t reached the perfectpletion of the Meridian-Opening Stage.


    "Could it be that, at the Meridian-Opening Stage, I can still open even more meridians?"


    At this thought, even Gu Chen himself was startled, sixty-one meridians and still not his limit; heaven knows how many more he could open at the Meridian-Opening Stage, it was truly astonishing.


    "Keep a low profile, I must keep a low profile..." Gu Chen kept whispering to himself, reminding himself not to be arrogant because of this and never to let anyone know of this secret. Otherwise, every martial artist in the Nine Provinces would go insane with desire and woulde after him, wanting to dissect him to discover the truth.


    At this stage, Gu Chen''s strength was not enough for self-preservation, so he must be discreet and keep this secret well-guarded.


    "It looks like I''ll have to spend even more time in the Meridian-Opening Stage," Gu Chen said, the corner of his mouth curving in a smile. If some other martial artist, even a genius like Chen Yu, heard this, they would certainly be unable to resist the urge to beat him to death.


    No other reason, it was just too infuriating, something countless martial artists couldn''t achieve even in their dreams.


    But now, he had reached his limit and could not continue to open any more meridians. Thus, with a thought, Gu Chen saw twelve cultivation points disappear from his panel, and the Dragon-Tiger Roaring Horizontal Training martial art had reached minor aplishment.


    Hum!


    At that moment, Gu Chen''s entire body trembled violently. As the Dragon-Tiger Roaring Horizontal Training reached minor aplishment, the cultivation of his body began anew. His muscles and bones underwent another cycle of refinement, and the dragon and tiger phantoms quickly shed behind him once more.


    If one''s eyes were sharp enough, they could see that the phantoms looked much more solid than before.


    At the same time, Gu Chen radiated light, a pale golden glowpletely enveloping him. At that moment, even his hair seemed to turn a pale golden color.


    Gu Chen sat crossed-leg, his presence dignified, appearing as a transcendent Buddha descending into the mortal world.

 Chapter 65: Chapter 63 Inner City Jing Tian Department_1

    Spending twelve skill points, the Dragon Roar Tiger Howl Horizontal Training was raised to minor aplishment, bringing anotherprehensive enhancement to Gu Chen''s physical body.


    After a long while, the golden light faded, and Gu Chen opened his eyes, at this moment, even his pupils flickered with specks of golden radiance.


    After sensing his body''s condition, Gu Chen frowned slightly. Despite the Dragon Roar Tiger Howl Horizontal Training reaching minor aplishment, he still felt a faint sensation of swelling pain in his body, and his meridians were not as before. After enhancement, he couldn''t just enhance his cultivation again.


    "It seems that sixty-one meridians are indeed the limit at my current stage," Gu Chen pondered.


    Of course, if Gu Chen was willing to invest more, raising the Dragon Roar Tiger Howl Horizontal Training to perfection, perhaps he could continue enhancing his cultivation.


    But one must know, this was a superior martial art. Just raising it to minor aplishment had already cost Gu Chen a total of twenty-eight skill points. The points needed to achieve perfection would only be higher.


    At this moment, the remaining skill points on Gu Chen''s panel were insufficient. Even if he forced the Dragon Roar Tiger Howl Horizontal Training to perfection, it might not be enough for him to enhance his power.


    Therefore, after pondering, Gu Chen decided to first raise the level of the Seal Meridian Finger, which was among the three martial arts.


    After all, having sufficient cultivation level butcking corresponding martial arts would make it difficult to perfectly utilize one''s power.


    As soon as Gu Chen''s thought moved, eleven skill points disappeared, and Seal Meridian Finger was directly elevated to minor aplishment.


    Next, Gu Chen followed the same process, enhancing both the Phantom Traceless Step and the Astonishing Swan Swordsmanship Skills to the minor aplishment stage as well.


    In an instant, twenty-two skill points disappeared, and a torrent of martial art experience flooded into his mind, all belonging to the three aforementioned martial arts.


    Name: Gu Chen


    Martial Arts: Dragon Roar Tiger Howl Horizontal Training (Minor Aplishment), Red me Palm (Perfection), Seal Meridian Finger (Minor Aplishment), Phantom Traceless Step (Minor Aplishment), Astonishing Swan Swordsmanship Skills (Minor Aplishment)


    Internal Skills: Pure Yang Technique


    Cultivation: 201 years


    Realm: Later Stage of Meridian Unblocking Realm


    Skill Points: 8


    As the Phantom Traceless Step reached minor aplishment, Gu Chen immediately felt a lightness in his legs. Although he had already unblocked the meridians in his legs, with the step technique at minor aplishment, Gu Chen''s speed had at least doubled from before.


    Looking at the remaining eight skill points on his panel, Gu Chen considered for only a moment before arriving at a decision. He spent thest eight skill points to raise the level of Astonishing Swan Swordsmanship Skills to major aplishment.


    Hum!


    Immediately, a great deal of swordsmanship experience was infused directly into Gu Chen''s mind, and in just a short moment, he went from aplete novice in swordsmanship to a master sword practitioner with solid fundamentals and exquisite skills.


    The reason he chose to enhance the Astonishing Swan Swordsmanship Skills, and not the other two martial arts, was because Gu Chen possessed a low-grade treasured weapon. With Astonishing Swan Swordsmanship Skills at major aplishment, it would be more beneficial to himpared to the other two martial arts.


    Otherwise, he might face the embarrassing situation he had with Zheng Yan where his weapon could be knocked out of his hands.


    With this, the skill points on the panel dropped to zero, and Gu Chen''s enhancement session came to an end.


    This enhancement was a surpassing breakthrough for Gu Chen; it was a transformative changepared to before. After all, he had exceeded the limits of the Meridian Unblocking Realm by opening up sixty-one meridians within his body.


    Gu Chen''s body was like a precisely tuned instrument, and these meridians were the pathways that allowed the robust inner energy in his body to reach every part of it in the shortest time possible, exploding out instantly.


    This also piqued Gu Chen''s own curiosity; even he wanted to know how far he could push the limits within the Meridian Unblocking Realm.


    Soon, a night passed.


    The next day, in the early morning, after eating breakfast outside, Gu Chen started to familiarize himself with the three martial arts he had improved the day before in his small courtyard.


    When noon came, Gu Chen left his residence, carrying his token, he found a horse carriage and headed towards the inner city of Tiandu.


    Today was the day he was to head to the inner city''s Jing Tian Department, the headquarters, to report for duty.


    The inner city of Tiandu remained bustling as ever, surpassing any other city within the nine provinces. This was Gu Chen''s second visit here.


    Tiandu, the Capital of Heaven, implies it''s the foremost city in the world. It wouldn''t bear such a name if it weren''t immensely prosperous.


    Following the directions given by Chen Yu the day before, Gu Chen made his way to the headquarters of the Jing Tian Department.


    The headquarters of the Jing Tian Department covered an extensive area, resembling a small city within itself, where numerous pavilions towered high, with many people bustling about, all with solemn expressions, creating a very serious atmosphere.


    At the entrance, two guards stood watch, their demeanor firm and their presence daunting, standing as straight as pirs, clearly skilled warriors with considerable cultivation.


    Gu Chen approached and was immediately stopped by the two, only allowed to pass after he showed his waist token.


    The scale of the Jing Tian Department''s headquarters could indeed not bepared to its outer city branches. The number of warriors was just as iparable. If one were to draw an analogy, one was like a bustling economic metropolis, while the other was a poor and barren vige in the countryside.


    Following Chen Yu''s instructions from the previous day, Gu Chen first stopped by a small courtyard to report in. Here, a clerk registered Gu Chen''s name in the record book, then gestured that he could leave.


    With this, he officially became a Metropolitan Procurator at the headquarters of the Jing Tian Department.


    Jing Tian Department differed from Mingjing Department in that it was not located in just one ce. Within the thirteen provinces of Da Xia, excluding Shen Zhou''s Tiandu, every province had a branch of the Jing Tian Department.


    Due to the vastness of the nine provinces and the ever-increasing danger of demons and ghosts, the Jing Tian Department had established branches in each province of Da Xia, enabling them to suppress any trouble on the rivers andkes with the utmost speed.


    All matters rted to the rivers andkes that urred in Shen Zhou were managed by the Tiandu Jing Tian Department.


    Everymander-level figure within the Jing Tian Department had their own independent office space. Following what Chen Yu had said, Gu Chen arrived outside a certain pavilion.


    Therge doors of the pavilion were wide open. Gu Chen nced around and, seeing no one, walked in unassumingly.


    All along the way, Gu Chen didn''te across a single soul. Just as he wondered if Chen Yu really had no subordinates other than himself, stepping into the main hall, he saw two figures cracking melon seeds and sipping tea in leisure.


    "May I ask how to address the two of you? I am a third-rank Metropolitan Procurator, Gu Chen."


    After entering, Gu Chen greeted first. Just like patrolling officers, Metropolitan Procurators were also divided into three ranks, with first-rank being the highest and third-rank the lowest.


    Above a first-rank Metropolitan Procurator would then be amander.


    The two individuals who were eating melon seeds and drinking tea in the hall, one with a handsome appearance and a slim physique, his face bearing a smile, and the other more serious with a burly build and a mustache, were both around the age of twenty-one or twenty-two.


    "Is something the matter?" The handsome-looking Metropolitan Procurator asked with some confusion.


    "Commander Chen sent for me. Here are my orders," Gu Chen said, showing them the relevant orders and his waist token.


    "Ah, a colleague! Please, have a seat." Realizing the situation, the handsome Metropolitan Procurator''s face lit up with a smile. "Let me introduce ourselves. My name is Song Yu, and this big fellow is Wang Yan. From now on, we will be colleagues."


    The burly and somewhat stern-faced Wang Yan also nodded at Gu Chen in greeting.


    "It''s nothing, don''t mind him, he''s just like that. Not old, yet he insists on acting all mature and steady, who knows for whom," Song Yu said with augh.


    Upon hearing this, Wang Yan immediately gave him a stern nce. Gu Chen could tell that the rtionship between the two was quite good.


    "Please, take a seat."


    Song Yu gestured for Gu Chen to sit down, and then, together, the three of them chatted while cracking melon seeds.


    It turned out that both of them were third-rank Metropolitan Procurators like Gu Chen. Song Yu had joined Chen Yu''s ranks a year ago, while Wang Yan hade onboard five months prior.


    "It seems our job is quite leisurely?" Having chatted for a while and feeling somewhat acquainted, Gu Chen finally voiced his curiosity.

 Chapter 66: Chapter 64 Metropolitan Procurators Task _1

    Song Yu said with a smile, "You''vee at just the right time. There''s a task that we need to undertake right now."


    "What task?" Gu Chen''s interest was immediately piqued.


    "A raid," Song Yu said.


    Hearing this, Gu Chen''s eyebrows rose slightly. "Which martial sect or power?"


    Song Yu shook his head slightly. "It''s a Da Xia official."


    Gu Chen asked in surprise, "A court official? Isn''t that the jurisdiction of the Mingjing Department?"


    Song Yu took a sip of tea, moistened his throat, and exined to Gu Chen, "This case is special. It should have been a matter for the Mingjing Department, but the Commandant suddenly died under mysterious circumstances two days ago. ording to the intelligence, it might have been the work of a demon or ghost, which brings it under our Jing Tian Department''s jurisdiction."


    "Brother, you''ve just arrived, and luck is on your side. This is a good job," Song Yu said to Gu Chen with a smile and a knowing look.


    Gu Chen immediately understood; how could he not grasp what Song Yu meant? It was simply a hint that during the raid, they could conveniently take some valuable items for themselves. It was the norm, and everyone tacitly understood without discussing it openly; no one would interfere.


    Moreover, they were in charge of this task. As long as they didn''t go too far, there would absolutely be no problem.


    After all, who would determine how much property there was other than them?


    Of course, from what Song Yu had said, this time the Jing Tian Department was joining forces with the Mingjing Department to enforce thew, a situation that had urred a few times before though not often.


    "When?" Gu Chen asked.


    "Tomorrow. Meet here," Song Yu replied.


    Gu Chen nodded, learned a bit more about the detailed situation at the Jing Tian Department headquarters, and then left.


    When there were no tasks, life at the Jing Tian Department was rather leisurely. One could arrange their time freely, as long as they did not leave Tiandu.


    "This is the beauty of being a government official," Gu Chen silently mused to himself.


    After leaving the Jing Tian Department headquarters, Gu Chen wandered around the inner city for a while, picking out some antiques for his uncle Gu Chengfeng, and buying some jewelry, rouge, and powder for his aunt Xu Qinge and sister Gu Qingyan.


    Thest time he was in the inner city, he only experienced its prosperity, not daring to look too closely at anything, aware that with his yearly sry of a few hundred silver taels, he definitely couldn''t afford anything too fancy.


    But times had changed. Gu Chen was now a wealthy man. After the Evil Heart Sect ruins, he had obtained tens of thousands of silver taels in banknotes, and after selling those gold and silver pieces of jewelry, he would have at least tens of thousands more. Plus, he had robbed several thousand silver taels in banknotes from Luo Feng, so he was quite financially secure.


    Gu Chen, looking at the wide streets and bustling crowds in the opulent inner city, suddenly felt like buying a property there.


    But then heughed at himself and shook his head, knowing that, even with his newfound wealth, it still wasn''t enough to settle down in the inner city.


    After all, purchasing a home was not just for him but for his uncle''s family and the servants of Gu Mansion as well.


    A decent residence in the outer city could be had for a few thousand taels, but in the inner city, it would take at least tens of thousands of taels to buy an average house.


    Living in the capital was by no means easy.


    "If only Da Xia had installment ns," Gu Chenmented.


    Carrying a pile of gifts, Gu Chen rented a horse-drawn carriage, left the inner city, and returned to Gu Mansion.


    "The eldest young master is back!" Upon Gu Chen''s return, Uncle Zhang, the gatekeeper, saw him and greeted him with a warm smile on his aged face.


    Gu Chen took out some gifts from the package and handed them to Uncle Zhang, saying, "Uncle Zhang, thank you for your hard work all these years."


    Seeing this, Uncle Zhang''s face bloomed with happiness, and he felt somewhat embarrassed, but at Gu Chen''s persistence, he epted the gifts.


    Later, upon entering Gu Mansion, Gu Chen found his uncle Gu Chengfeng stretching his body and practicing his martial arts in the courtyard, evidently almost fully recovered from his injuries.


    At the end of the day, Gu Chengfeng was a martial artist who had reached the Meridian Opening stage, and with a strong foundation,bined with good healing medicine and the regtion of his inner breath, his recovery was swift.


    "Da Lang is back," Gu Chengfeng said, his eyes lighting up at the sight of Gu Chen.


    "Now that my injuries have healed and I haven''t practiced martial arts for quite some time, my body feels incredibly stiff. I''ve been worried that I didn''t have a sparring partner. Since you''re back, elder nephew, it''s the perfect opportunity to test my skills and see how much your martial arts have improved recently."


    Upon hearing this, a smile spread across Gu Chen''s face. Since Gu Chengfeng was in the mood, Gu Chen was naturally not going to refuse. He handed the things he was holding to a servant by his side and joined Gu Chengfeng to spar for a short while.


    Of course, during the entire process, it was mostly Gu Chengfeng who made the moves, with Gu Chen defending. After all, with his current strength, even a casual blow from him was more than Gu Chengfeng could withstand.


    "Elder nephew, why are you only defending and not attacking? Have you be too confident and now look down on your second uncle?" Gu Chengfeng feigned displeasure.


    Gu Chen''s eyes twinkled with mirth as he replied, "Second Uncle, I shall make a move then, do be careful."


    "Bring it on," said Gu Chengfeng nonchntly.


    Boom!


    The next second, they exchanged a palm strike, and Gu Chengfeng was sent flying through the air by Gu Chen, who used a clever force to push him a great distance away.


    Afternding, Gu Chengfeng''s eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at Gu Chen. He hadn''t expected that his full-strength attack would be so effortlessly neutralized by his nephew.


    "Second Uncle, you''ve let me win," Gu Chen said with a light chuckle.


    "Good!"


    Seeing Gu Chen''s strength, Gu Chengfengughed heartily, "Worthy of being a scion of the Gu Family. You''ve not wasted all the years I''ve painstakingly taught you."


    Just then, Xu Qinge arrived with Gu Qingyan. She gave Gu Chengfeng a white look, saying, "My Lord, you really know how to sing your own praises."


    Gu Chengfeng didn''t mind her words and justughed heartily, clearly very happy.


    "Elder brother, you''re back, and yet, why do you bring so many gifts as if you''re an outsider?" Xu Qinge nced at the numerous packages in the servant''s hands and cast a reproachful look at Gu Chen.


    Gu Chen replied with a slight smile, "I just stopped by the inner city and happened to see some trinkets that seemed toplement aunt and Qinyan very well, so I thought I''d buy them to see how they looked."


    "That''s thoughtful of you," Xu Qinge said with a pursed smile.


    "Thank you, big brother," Gu Qingyan added softly from beside them.


    Love for beauty is a woman''s nature; in any world, it''s the same. Seeing the jewelry, rouge, and other cosmetics that Gu Chen had bought, Xu Qinge and Gu Qingyan could not take their eyes off them. They began trying them on right there in the courtyard.


    "You two women, what''s so good about these rouge and cosmetics? Elder nephew, you too, why waste money on buying such useless things?" Gu Chengfeng shook his head as he watched, thinking that Gu Chen was not frugal and didn''t know how to manage household affairs.


    Hearing this, Xu Qinge immediately red at Gu Chengfeng, scolding, "If you were half as considerate as elder nephew, I wouldn''t hold so much frustration against you."


    "Father is indeed a blockhead," Gu Qingyan concurred, nodding gently in agreement.


    Upon hearing that, Gu Chengfeng felt utterly embarrassed.


    At that moment, Gu Chen said, "Second Uncle, I''ve collected some antiques, but I can''t tell if they''re genuine or not. I know you''re an expert in this area; could you help me identify their authenticity?"


    "Oh?" Upon hearing about antiques, Gu Chengfeng''s eyes lit up immediately, and he hurriedly squeezed through to get a closer look.


    Being a martial artist with a robust frame, he unintentionally pushed aside the frail Xu Qinge and Gu Qingyan.


    The mother and daughter exchanged nces, both feeling a bit helpless. Xu Qinge, somewhat annoyed, punched Gu Chengfeng, but at the moment, Gu Chengfeng''s eyes were only for the antiques. He was so engrossed in them that he paid no mind to everything else.


    At the dining table, Gu Chen informed his second uncle and the family that he had be the Metropolitan Procurator. Gu Chengfeng was overjoyed and began to drink with Gu Chen, even Xu Qinge couldn''t stop them.


    After several rounds of drinks, Gu Chen was fine, but Gu Chengfeng had drunk too much, his speech was slurred, and he clung to Gu Chen, reminiscing about the past. When he mentioned the parents of Gu Chen, his eyes grew red.


    Several more drinkster, Gu Chengfeng''s eyes were bleary, and he was thoroughly drunk. He clung to Gu Chen''s sleeve, repeatedly saying how proud he was that Gu Chen had grown up and achieved so much.


    Gu Chen felt somewhat helpless as it seemed he wouldn''t be able to leave tonight; the drinkingsted untilte into the night.


    The next morning, dressed in dark clothes with the Red Refinement de at his waist, Gu Chen headed to the inner city.

 Chapter 67: Chapter 65 Liyang Mansion_1

    This time, the task of confiscating property was jointly enforced by both the Jing Tian Department and the Mingjing Department. The Jing Tian Department was responsible for searching for and ying demons, while the Mingjing Department handled the confiscation of properties.


    Although that was the case, during the task, members of the Jing Tian Department could also participate and incidentally reap some benefits, an unspoken agreement between both sides.


    This time, the destination was Beiyuan County of Liyang Mansion. After Gu Chen arrived at the headquarters of the Jing Tian Department within the inner city of Tiandu, he met Song Yu and Wang Yan.


    It was Gu Chen''s first task since his promotion to Metropolitan Procurator, and also his first time undertaking such a task, so he had no experience. The reticent Wang Yan did not speak, while Song Yu briefed Gu Chen on some key points.


    Afterward, Gu Chen joined Song Yu and Wang Yan, heading to the rendezvous point to meet the people from the Mingjing Department.


    This time, the Mingjing Department''s team was led by two second-level mirror holders, including eighteen third-level mirror holders and thirty-two clerks.


    The two second-level mirror holders from the Mingjing Department were about twenty-five or twenty-six years old. One had an average build and ordinary appearance, but bore a mean look with coldness in his eyes, making it clear at first nce that he was not an easy person to get along with.


    The other second-level mirror holder, having a physique not much different from that of Wang Yan, bore a fierce look in his eyes, standing there without uttering a word.


    "May I know how to address the two gentlemen?" asked Song Yu with a smile, greeting them with a bow.


    The mean-looking second-level mirror holder sized up Gu Chen and the others for a moment, saying nothing.


    He turned his head and shouted to the people behind him, "Depart!"


    Following this, the people from the Mingjing Department mounted their swift horses and left in a cloud of dust.


    Seeing this, Song Yu frowned and said in a low voice, "It seems that the ones leading the Mingjing Department this time are not easy to get along with."


    Wang Yan nodded, and soon after, the three of them also mounted their swift horses and quickly followed.


    It took three days for Gu Chen and the others to travel from Tiandu to Beiyuan County in Liyang Mansion. Along the way, Song Yu tried several times to cozy up to the two second-level mirror holders from the Mingjing Department but was met with rejection. The other partypletely ignored Gu Chen and hispanions, treating them as if they were air.


    Despite feeling annoyed, Song Yu refrained frommenting further.


    Thus, three dayster, they arrived at the county seat of Beiyuan County in Liyang Mansion. A Commandant held the rank of a fifth-grade official in Da Xia and wielded considerable authority in a county, second only to the local county governor.


    At that moment, the Commandant''s Mansion had already been thoroughly sealed off, with outsiders unable to enter and insiders unable to leave. There were guards on duty for the past few days, and anyone daring to trespass or attempt to escape faced the risk of death.


    The two second-level mirror holders from the Mingjing Department, the mean-looking one named Yan Hua and the other named Cheng Song, now arrived at the entrance of the Commandant''s Mansion with an imposing air. Yan Hua waved his hand and said coldly, "Confiscate!"


    Hearing thismand, the followers immediately kicked open the gate, rushing in like a horde of bandits and thieves.


    The Commandant of Beiyuan County, surnamed Zhang, had arge estate with several courtyards. On the day Commandant Zhang''s troubles began, the entire Zhang Mansion was sealed, and even the funeral proceedings couldn''t be carried out.


    At the moment, faint sobbing could be heard from within Zhang Mansion. The servants, taken aback by the aggressive intrusion of Yan Hua and Cheng Song, were all startled.


    They had no idea what was happening or what they were about to face.


    The abrupt incursion by the Mingjing Department naturally provoked panic among the people of Zhang Mansion, with ady eximing, "Who are you, and what do you want?"


    "Get out of the way!"


    Yan Hua pushed the woman, who was thewful wife of the Beiyuan County Commandant Zhang, to the ground with excessive rudeness andmanded, "Search!"


    Male members of the household rushed out, attempting to interfere, but before they could even speak, they were struck down by a heavy p from Yan Hua. His eyes were chilling as he pointed his de at the man''s throat and said coldly, "If you don''t want to die, then stay in line!"


    The man, who was pped by Yan Hua, had several teeth shattered, and now found himself stunned, trembling uncontrobly as he saw Yan Hua''s de pointed at his throat.


    "You, you, you, and you, stay here and make sure no onees in or out. Anyone daring to obstruct the case will be executed without mercy!" As he said this, Yan Hua coldly nced at Gu Chen and hispanions, clearly directing his words at them.


    Song Yu''s expression darkened immediately as he said, "We are also here for the case. What do you mean by this?"


    Yan Hua snorted and replied, "You can participate in the case, but I fear some might use it as a pretense to indulge in unclean practices."


    Hearing this, even the consistently silent Wang Yan''s expression grew stern as he red at Yan Hua.


    "What, are you thinking of starting a fight?" Cheng Song''s eyes shed fiercely as he spoke in a threatening tone.


    Gu Chen''s brow furrowed slightly, knowing that Yan Hua and Cheng Song were clearly doing this on purpose, fearing that Gu Chen and hispanions would take advantage of the situation to harvest benefits for themselves, intending to monopolize the loot.


    Normally, in such jointw enforcement matters, both sides would have an unspoken understanding. The Mingjing Department would take therger share, and the Jing Tian Department would also grab something for themselves. Everyone would benefit, ensuring that no one left empty-handed.


    But clearly, this time, Yan Hua and Cheng Song simply did not want to let Gu Chen and his twopanions get off so easily. All along the way, they purposefully gave them the cold shoulder.


    Seeing this, the third-tier mirror-holders sneered coldly, as they naturally did not wish for Gu Chen''s trio to share the spoils. More hands meant less for these subordinates.


    Upon hearing this, Wang Yan''s forehead vein throbbed, clearly unable to bear it much longer, but Song Yu, perceptive and observant, quickly pulled at Wang Yan.


    "Hmph!"


    Yan Hua and Cheng Song, extremely smug, nced at Gu Chen''s trio and headed toward the inner courtyard to start looting their spoils.


    "Let''s go too," said Song Yu.


    Following suit, Gu Chen''s trio also entered the inner courtyard. As soon as they stepped in, countless eyes darted their way, fearing they would stealthily take something.


    Gu Chen''s trio did not care, for after all, raiding a house was indeed within the purview of the Mingjing Department''s responsibilities. If they really started a fight over this, they would be in the wrong.


    This was the cunning of Yan Hua and Cheng Song. They knew they had no right to stop the Jing Tian Department from conducting its investigation but could keep an eye on Gu Chen''s trio, preventing them from gaining any advantages and intentionally causing them trouble.


    They were certain that Gu Chen''s trio could only swallow their anger and endure it.


    Song Yu and Wang Yan were indeed aggrieved, but there was nothing they could do. Gu Chen followed these two to the location where the Commandant had died, and the three began to look for clues.


    Meanwhile, Yan Hua and Cheng Song, along with their men from the Mingjing Department, were grabbing everything in sight. Before long, the entire Commandant''s Mansion had been piged, as if locusts had swept through.


    "You bandits, you''re nothing but bandits!" cried the family members of the Commandant, Yan Hua, feeling irritated, barked, "If you don''t want to die, then shut your damn mouths!"


    Upon seeing this, the people from the Mingjing Department''s faces darkened, and they made gestures as if to draw their swords.


    Yan Hua''s sinister gaze swept across the crowd, and seeing his fierce demeanor, everyone fell silent, their bodies trembling like sieves¡ª the scene quieted down instantly.


    "That''s more like it," Yan Hua sneered coldly, with a cruel smile.


    At this moment, a third-tier mirror-holder stepped forward and whispered to the two, "Boss, the count is off; there''s a shortage of silver. All together, there''s barely thousands of taels."


    Upon hearing this, Yan Hua''s eyes darkened. He grabbed a person by the neck and demanded, "Speak! Where have you hidden the embezzled silver?!"


    The woman trembled with fear, unable to produce a coherent sentence. Seeing this, Yan Hua coldly said, "Speak, or die!"


    "I... I don''t know..." The young maid, terrified by Yan Hua, was nearly crying.


    Smack!


    With a p from Yan Hua, the maid''s face instantly swelled, and then he threw her aside as if discarding trash.


    The people trapped in the Commandant''s Mansion, whether servants or womenfolk, had never witnessed such a scene. Each of them was terrified, tears and snot streaming down, but the fear of Yan Hua''s brutal expression prevented them from uttering a sound.


    With the amount of silver off, Yan Hua grew increasingly irritable. He roughly dragged up the Commandant''s principal wife and interrogated, "Speak, where is the silver hidden!"


    The woman was so frightened that herplexion turned deathly pale, devoid of any color, and she cried incessantly as Yan Hua struck her with another p.


    "Mother!"


    A child of five or six, seeing his mother struck, mustered courage from who knows where and charged at Yan Hua, biting fiercely into his thigh.


    Enraged by this, Yan Hua eximed, "Seeking death!"


    A savage light shed in his eyes, and he kicked out.


    A child of five or six could never withstand Yan Hua''s powerful kick. One kick like that and the child would undoubtedly be killed.


    "Chen''er!" The child''s mother cried out in rm, struggling incessantly in Yan Hua''s grasp.


    Gu Chen''s trio had just finished investigating the scene of the Commandant''s death, thinking of questioning his family about some doubtful points. They had just arrived when they witnessed this scene.


    "Stop!"


    Gu Chen''s eyebrows furrowed in anger, his heart ame with rage as he charged forward.

 Chapter 68: Chapter 66: Self-inflicted Humiliation_1

    ```


    Boom!


    At the critical moment, Gu Chen rushed forward and blocked Yan Hua''s strike.


    "You dare obstruct an investigation?" Yan Hua''s eyes immediately darkened.


    Seeing Gu Chen charge ahead, Song Yu and Wang Yan''s expressions changed, and they inwardly cried out in dismay.


    "You''re not conducting an investigation; you''remitting murder!" Gu Chen''s eyes were piercingly cold as he locked gazes with Yan Hua, not giving an inch.


    Upon hearing this, Yan Hua cracked a smile with a chilling look in his eyes, saying, "So what? Dare to obstruct the investigation of the Mingjing Department, or even assault an official of the Mingjing Department in public; that is a capital offense. It''s not just this child; even if I ughtered everyone here, no one could do anything to me!"


    "You''re wee to try!" Gu Chen''s eyes were icy and sharp.


    "Courting death!"


    Cheng Song, who was nearby, saw Gu Chen daring to make a move and became furious. He drew his sword and stepped forward, while the other third-rank Mirror Holders seeing this, also turned cold, drawing their long swords and pointing them at Gu Chen.


    Song Yu and Wang Yan changed color, quickly running over and standing in front of everyone, Song Yu making a cating smile, saying, "A misunderstanding, it''s all a misunderstanding. We''re all on the same side¡ªwhy turn it into this?"


    "Ask him!" Yan Hua said coldly, hisplexion exceedingly grim.


    Song Yu tugged at Gu Chen''s sleeve, signaling him not to escte the situation, while whispering, "What are you doing, don''t be impulsive!"


    In fact, Gu Chen understood Song Yu''s meaning. After all, the Jing Tian Department and the Mingjing Department were two separate entities. With the Mingjing Department conducting an investigation, Gu Chen''s obstruction was inappropriate both emotionally and logically.


    If things blew up, Gu Chen alone would bear all the consequences, and it might even lead to discord between the Jing Tian Department and the Mingjing Department.


    If such a scenario unfolded, the higher-ups of the Jing Tian Department certainly wouldn''t protect Gu Chen. His fate would be extremely bleak, with the lightest consequence being expelled from the Jing Tian Department.


    Moreover, Yan Hua and Cheng Song had been second-rank Mirror Holders for some time, and both were martial artists of the External Qi realm. If it really came down to a fight, Gu Chen, who was only at the Meridian Opening realm, was obviously no match. If Yan Hua decided to teach him a harsh lesson, the Jing Tian Department couldn''t say much.


    But Gu Chen remained unswayed, still standing there, confronting Yan Hua.


    Seeing Gu Chen so resolute, Yan Huaughed, "Brave indeed, it seems you are truly unafraid of death."


    Yan Hua was not at all concerned, in fact, somewhat hoping for Gu Chen to make a move so that he could justifiably strike and profoundly humiliate Gu Chen.


    What did beating a few people count for? In his many years at the Mingjing Department, Yan Hua had done this plenty. In his view, the very fact he hadn''t killed anyone was already a grand disy of mercy.


    Gu Chen attacking Mingjing Department officials was no small matter. Even if Gu Chen was with the Jing Tian Department, if things got out of hand, as long as he held onto this point, Yan Hua would be invincible.


    Forget about Gu Chen¡ªin fact, today, Yan Hua was prepared to teach both Song Yu and Wang Yan a lesson as well.


    Cheng Song also sneered coldly, his hand on his sword as he strode forward, ready to take action.


    Song Yu''s face turned pale. He gripped Gu Chen''s sleeve tightly, his voice rising as he said, "Yan Hua and Cheng Song are martial artists of the External Qi realm; you''re no match for them. Even with me and Wang Yan helping, just look at all the third-rank Mirror Holders around us; if a fight breaks out, we''re the ones who will suffer!"


    Even the usually reticent Wang Yan urged, "Calm down for a moment."


    "I am quite calm now," Gu Chen said expressionlessly, his hand already on the hilt of the Red Refinementde at his waist.


    Song Yu watched Cheng Song and the host of third-rank Mirror Holders closing in with swords drawn, growing increasingly anxious. He saw Gu Chen ready to draw his sword and said through clenched teeth, "Have you lost your mind, Gu Chen? Look around; see how many people there are!"


    At that moment, Gu Chen''s gaze suddenly became tranquil, and his grip on the sword hilt rxed. Seeing this, Song Yu was overjoyed, thinking that Gu Chen had heeded his advice and was about to back down.


    But then, seizing the opportunity, Yan Hua''s eyes turned cold, and as Gu Chen''s body rxed, he erupted into action. His inner breath surged as he raised his hand and struck toward Gu Chen''s chest.


    "Thinking of withdrawing now? It won''t be that easy!"


    The moment Gu Chen made his move, Yan Hua had no intention of letting Gu Chen leave unscathed. He was determined to give Gu Chen a lesson he would never forget.


    Energy gathered in Yan Hua''s palm, his vital energy surging. Song Yu''s face changed dramatically; he hadn''t expected Yan Hua to strike at this moment. He instinctively tried to intervene, but it was already toote.


    "Not good!"


    ```


    Wang Yan''s expression changed as well, and his stout body leaped up, but Cheng Song, who had been waiting for just this moment at his side, sneered mockingly and blocked the rushing Wang Yan with a single sh.


    Boom!


    Suddenly, a muffled sound rang out, as a figure flew backward at an extremely fast speed¡ªit was Yan Hua.


    "Pu!"


    Mid-air, Yan Hua spat out arge mouthful of blood, and after falling to the ground, he was so numb he couldn''t stand up for a long time.


    "Audacious!"


    Seeing Yan Hua injured, Cheng Song was instantly enraged. He hadn''t expected that Yan Hua, a martial artist at the Outer Qi Realm, would be so easily defeated by Gu Chen of the Pulse-Connecting Realm, and so effortlessly at that.


    His body soared into the air, and with a sh from afar, terrible knife energy left a lingering shadow in mid-air, shooting ferociously towards Gu Chen.


    "Are you trying to kill someone?!" Song Yu shouted angrily, immediately drawing his sword.


    But at that moment, Gu Chen moved even faster. With a slight movement, he evaded the knife energy to everyone''s astonishment, appearing at Cheng Song''snding spot and delivering a solid palm strike to Cheng Song''s chest.


    "Pu!"


    Cheng Song''s fate was not much better than Yan Hua''s; he too spat out blood and was sent flying.


    ng!


    Seeing their superior injured, eighteen third-tier Mirror Holders drew their swords and rushed towards Gu Chen.


    Swish!


    At this moment, Gu Chen moved like the wind, swiftly passing through the hall. The eighteen third-tier Mirror Holders were struck down one after another, wailing in pain.


    "You¡­ you dare to strike and injure people?!" Yan Hua and Cheng Song stared wide-eyed at Gu Chen.


    "Dissatisfied?"


    Gu Chen''s eyebrows lifted slightly, and he took a few light steps forward. Seeing this, the people from the Mingjing Department turned pale with panic, scrambling backwards on hands and feet.


    Yan Hua and Cheng Song were also somewhat fearful, not expecting Gu Chen to have such strength. Nheless, they said with a feigned firmness, "You¡­ wait for us. Interfering with the Mingjing Department''s case and daring to injure people, when we return to Tiandu, I will definitely file a report against you, and you won''t get away with it!"


    "I''ll be waiting." Gu Chen responded indifferently, his face unconcerned.


    This attitude from Gu Chen infuriated Yan Hua and Cheng Song to the point where they nearly ground their teeth to dust, yet they found themselves utterly helpless against Gu Chen. The two of them could only hastily get up and make an embarrassed retreat with the rest of the Mingjing Department personnel.


    Song Yu and Wang Yan looked at Gu Chen with surprise, not having expected this newly promoted Metropolitan Procurator to possess such strength that he could easily subdue Yan Hua and Cheng Song.


    Song Yu took a breath and said, "Thank goodness you kept your cool. I was really afraid you''d let your blood heat up and end up ughtering them outright."


    Gu Chen smiled slightly, replying, "I''m not that foolish."


    After all, Yan Hua and Cheng Song were second-tier Mirror Holders from the Mingjing Department,¡ªa scolding was one thing, but they were all officials of Da Xia, and Yan Hua had been the first to initiate the fight, so Gu Chen felt justified.


    But had he truly killed the two men that day, the matter would have escted, and even Chen Yu wouldn''t have been able to protect him.


    "Once those two make aint against you when they return, you''d better be careful," Song Yu cautioned.


    Gu Chen smiled faintly and said, "It''s fine, isn''t there Commander Chen?"


    Upon hearing this, Song Yu gave a resigned smile; indeed, with Gu Chen''s strength, Chen Yu would certainly shield him thoroughly. His own worry had been superfluous; after all, this was no big deal. It had been Yan Hua and Cheng Song who had started the trouble, and their beating was well deserved.


    Even Wang Yan couldn''t help but show a hint of amusement at the corner of his mouth as he thought about how the two would look after their setback.

 Chapter 69: Chapter 67 Complaining_1

    After the matters at the Commandant''s Mansion were resolved, Gu Chen, Song Yu, and Wang Yan left the ce. Over the course of three days, they found a Panic Level Demon around the county seat of Beiyuan County and with a single palm strike, Gu Chen annihted it, making Song Yu and Wang Yan realize once again the extent of Gu Chen''s strength.


    Thereupon, Gu Chen found an opportunity and spent sixteen cultivation points to directly bring his Astonishing Swan Swordsmanship Skills to theplete state.


    With their business concluded, the three rode their fast horses and headed straight back to the Jing Tian Department in Tiandu.


    ...


    Inside the Tiandu inner city, at the headquarters of the Mingjing Department.


    At this moment, in a courtyard within the Mingjing Department, a first-rank Holder of Mirrors Zhu Ting sat at the head of the main hall looking over documents, when suddenly, a clerk walked in and said in a low voice, "Sir, Yan Hua and Cheng Song are requesting an audience."


    Without lifting his head, Zhu Ting ordered, "Let the two of them in."


    "Yes."


    Soon, Yan Hua and Cheng Song were brought in. As soon as they saw Zhu Ting, they knelt on one knee and said with sped fists in a serious tone, "We implore you, sir, to uphold justice for the two of us."


    Zhu Ting looked up, his brow slightly furrowed, "What''s the matter? Weren''t you two on a mission to Liyang Mansion? What happened?"


    The case at the Beiyuan County Commandant''s Mansion was precisely Zhu Ting''s responsibility.


    Yan Hua said with a stern face, "Sir, we were acting on your orders to deal with the case at the Beiyuan County Commandant''s Mansion and to carry out a search seizure. Three people from the Jing Tian Department were also with us during the investigation, but they acted arrogantly and unfriendly. Moreover, they hindered our work and resorted to physical confrontation, injuring many of our brothers.


    We had no choice but toe back and seek justice from you, sir."


    "Sir, the members of the Jing Tian Department were overly arrogant. They not only interfered in our case, but they even dared to harm others. After our repeated but futile admonishments, we had no other choice but to return and request you to decide what is to be done," Cheng Song said with a pretense of helplessness. The two of them glossed over and narrated the events one more time.


    In their ount, the entire incident originated from provocations by Gu Chen''s trio while they were conducting the search seizure, as they attempted to sneak away with benefits and were rejected, which led to resentment and then resulted in physical harm.


    "Such a thing urred?" Zhu Ting''s thick eyebrows lifted, and an angry expression crossed his face.


    Among the first-rank Holders of Mirrors in the Mingjing Department, his temper was rtively vtile, which was why Yan Hua and Cheng Song sought him out directly upon their return.


    The two saw Zhu Ting''s reaction and felt a surge of joy in their hearts, quickly adding, "Sir, this matter is absolutely true. If you doubt us, you can go out and see for yourself; the brothers under us are injured, everyst one. Their blows were far from light, and relying on the Jing Tian Department''s support, they simply did not take us, the Mingjing Department, seriously at all."


    With a fierce re, Zhu Ting stared at Yan Hua and Cheng Song and demanded angrily, "You two just watched your men getting beaten up?"


    Upon hearing this, Yan Hua and Cheng Song looked embarrassed and said, "We did fight back, but¡­"


    Before they could finish, Zhu Ting already understood. He nced at Yan Hua and Cheng Song and said sternly, "You couldn''t beat them?"


    "Yes¡­" Yan Hua and Cheng Song said sheepishly. It wasn''t something to be proud of. Moreover, feeling embarrassed and scorned by Zhu Ting, they ced all the me on Gu Chen''s head.


    "Hmph!"


    Zhu Ting snorted coldly, "The Jing Tian Department is getting bolder and bolder. Not content with overseeing martial forces, they now dare to extend their reach into my Mingjing Department and attack my men. They really think with His Majesty in seclusion, no one can handle the Jing Tian Department?"


    Although rtions between the Jing Tian Department and Mingjing Department had not been significantly strained, there were some disputes over certain issues. After all, as two of the most important institutions in Da Xia, there were bound to be conflicts of interest.


    Thus, within the Mingjing Department, there were some who were dissatisfied with the Jing Tian Department, among whom was Zhu Ting.


    The Jing Tian Department monitored the world while the Mingjing Department was responsible for overseeing officials. Although both had their respective duties, in Da Xia, more resources were tilted towards the Jing Tian Department. Byparison, the Mingjing Department received fewer resources annually.


    Some within the Mingjing Department felt that the Jing Tian Department was nothing more than a group of warriors who only knew how to fight and kill. What the Jing Tian Department could do, the Mingjing Department could also do, but not everything within the Mingjing Department''s capabilities could be handled by the Jing Tian Department.


    This was another point of contention between the two sides, although not a serious one. Both sides had typically shown restraint, but now, due to the words of Yan Hua and Cheng Song, it had be a touchpoint with Zhu Ting.


    "Where are those three now?" Zhu Ting asked with a dark face.


    Yan Hua hurriedly answered, "They should be on their way back."


    Zhu Ting said coldly, "For the next few days, you two will watch the gates of Tiandu. Once you see those three returning, bring them directly to me at the Mingjing Department."


    Yan Hua hesitated, "Sir, if they resist¡­"


    "Do you think they will dare?" Zhu Ting asked expressionlessly. "Once they return to Tiandu, if they still dare to be so arrogant, I will personally capture them and have them executed on the spot!"


    "Understood!" Overjoyed by Zhu Ting''s words, Yan Hua and Cheng Songplied.


    ...


    Meanwhile, to return to Tiandu as quickly as possible, Gu Chen''s trio had not rested along the way. With their surging inner energy, they made it back from Liyang Mansion''s Beiyuan County in less than two days.


    Just as they reached the main gate of Tiandu and before they had a chance to enter the city, they saw a group of people rushing out, led by Yan Hua and Cheng Song.


    "Seize them!" ordered Yan Hua, waving his hand, and immediately seven or eight third-rank Holders of Mirrors surged forward.


    This scene drew the attention of countless passersby at the Tiandu gate.


    Noticing Yan Hua and Cheng Song, Song Yu and Wang Yan''s expressions changed, sensing trouble brewing.


    "We are Metropolitan Procurators from Da Xia''s Jing Tian Department. By what right do you detain us?" Song Yu demanded in a stern voice.


    With a metallic ring, Yan Hua drew his long sword from his waist and stepped forward. Pointing the de at Song Yu, he said with a cold smile, "I''m here to detain you. What will you do about it?"


    Cheng Song followed beside Yan Hua, his eyes yfully fixed on Gu Chen. He was eager to see if Gu Chen would dare to make a move.


    Gu Chen''s eyebrows furrowed as he said, "Let the two of them go, and I wille with you."


    Song Yu''s expression changed, and he hurriedly said, "No, you can''t go with them."


    If Gu Chen left with these men, he would undoubtedly be taken to the dungeons of the Mingjing Department. Once there, Gu Chen''s safety would be uncertain; who knows what means Yan Hua and Cheng Song would use to torment him.


    "None of you will leave today!" Yan Hua bellowed. "What are you waiting for? Apprehend all three of them immediately!"


    Click!


    The third-rank Holders of Mirrors, with their shackles at the ready, promptly mped down on Gu Chen and hispanions. Gu Chen did not resist. Yan Hua and Cheng Song dared to act here, clearly prepared, just waiting for him to make a move.


    This yed right into their hands.


    "I demand to see the Commandant! You have no right to detain us!" Song Yu said, his face cold, but he also did not dare to resist.


    "Hmph!"


    Yan Hua and Cheng Song both snorted coldly, paying no heed as they led Gu Chen and hispanions away like criminals.

 Chapter 70: Chapter 68: Face to Face Confrontation_1

    At the main gate of Tiandu, the scene of Gu Chen and his twopanions being taken away by the Mingjing Department was not only witnessed by many passersby but also by the Royal Sword Guard stationed at the city gates.


    "Look, isn''t that Old Gu''s nephew?"


    "Indeed, it seems to be him. Didn''t Old Gu say his nephew is the Metropolitan Procurator of the Jing Tian Department? How could he be arrested by the people of the Mingjing Department?"


    "He must have done something wrong. Old Gu is always boasting about how formidable his nephew is, saying his nephew''s abilities are sky-high. Now look, he''s just like that."


    "Stop making careless remarks here and hurry up to inform Old Gu that his nephew is in trouble!"


    So, after Yan Hua and his group had left, a member of the Royal Sword Guard quickly jogged off to the Gu Mansion.


    ...


    "What, my nephew was taken away by people from the Mingjing Department?!"


    Gu Chengfeng had just recovered from his injuries and was still resting at home when he stood up abruptly upon hearing the news brought by his colleague.


    Xu Qinge also looked very anxious.


    Gu Qingyan''s pretty face changed, and she looked at Gu Chengfeng somewhat panicked, "Father, big brother he..."


    "You guys stay at home and don''t go anywhere, I''m going to find someone to save your elder brother!"


    As he spoke, Gu Chengfeng quickly put on his clothes and rushed out of the Gu Mansion, heading for the Jing Tian Department.


    He didn''t go to seek Zhou Qing, for two reasons: firstly, because the inner city was quite far from the outer city, and Gu Chengfeng was worried about not having enough time. Secondly, Zhou Qing was, after all, a member of the Mingjing Department, which was not very reliable.


    Gu Chengfeng had heard from Gu Chen that he had entered under themand of the Head Commander, and figured that now, only this Head Commander could save Gu Chen.


    ...


    Gu Chen and his twopanions, with shackles on their hands like criminals, attracted much attention as they were brought through the streets into the inner city by Yan Hua and Cheng Song to the Mingjing Department.


    Upon arriving at arge hall, Gu Chen and his twopanions saw Zhu Ting sitting at the head.


    "My lord, the people have been brought here," Yan Hua and Cheng Song said respectfully with a bow.


    Zhu Ting sat at the head, his gaze darkening as he saw the three captives. A terrifying pressure emanated from him, weighing down on Gu Chen and the others.


    Song Yu and Wang Yan let out muffled groans; the overwhelming qi invaded them, and they couldn''t withstand it. Blood seeped from their mouths and noses, and they were pressed into a kneeling position on the ground by Zhu Ting''s qi.


    Being a top-level Mirror Holder in the Mingjing Department, Zhu Ting''s cultivation was undoubtedly no less than Zhou Qing''s, possessing at least the seventh realm of martial arts. It was all too easy for him to deal with Song Yu and Wang Yan, who had only reached the fourth realm of Pulse Connection.


    But at that moment, seeing that Gu Chen, despite a grave expression, remained unscathed and stood firmly in his ce, Zhu Ting frowned and selectively directed most of the pressure onto Gu Chen''s body.


    Suddenly, Song Yu and Wang Yan felt their bodies lighten as the pressure eased significantly, allowing them to catch their breath.


    Creak... crunch...


    Suddenly, a subtle sound could be heard, but everyone present had at least the cultivation of the Pulse Connection realm, and their hearing was extraordinary. Their gazes shifted to the source of the sound.


    Under Zhu Ting''s intentional targeting, every bone in Gu Chen''s body made cracking noises, as if unable to bear the burden. Yet, he had trained his Horizontal Training to a minor level of proficiency and, for the moment, could withstand it.


    Gu Chen''s body trembled, but his feet stood rooted to the spot as if nted there, not kneeling as Song Yu and Wang Yan had done.


    Seeing Gu Chen like this, a hint of appreciation shed in Zhu Ting''s eyes. In ordinary times, he would have admired a martial artist with Gu Chen''s tenacity, but now, it was not eptable.


    Just as Zhu Ting was about to increase the pressure topletely crush Gu Chen, Gu Chen spoke, "May I dare to ask this lord, what crime have wemitted?"


    Gu Chen, enduring the pressure without showing weakness, met Zhu Ting''s gaze.


    Zhu Ting replied coldly, "Feigning ignorance? You obstructed the Mingjing Department during an investigation and even dared to attack and harm people. With such arrogance and recklessness, who gave you the authority?"


    Gu Chen, dressed in ck, with a resolute look in his eyes and standing there without humility or arrogance, responded, "Then, when they abused their authority and arbitrarily harmed ordinary citizens, treating human life with contempt, who gave them that authority? Was it you, my lord?"


    "Audacity!"


    Yan Hua let out a cold rebuke, "Have you lost your respect? Do you know who this is? He is none other than Lord Zhu Ting of the Mingjing Department, a first-grade holder of the Mirror. How dare you speak to him in such a manner? Do you not see the hierarchy, or do you simply disregard our Mingjing Department and Lord Zhu, utterly flouting thews?"


    At this moment, Cheng Song also spoke, "My lord, these three are obstinate and unenlightened. There is no need to trouble yourself with interrogating them. You, who deal with countless matters every day, can hand them over to the two of us. We will escort them to the grand prison of the Mingjing Department to let them understand what it means to respect hierarchy and order."


    "You!" Song Yu and Wang Yan were immediately gnashing their teeth, ring furiously at Yan Hua and Cheng Song.


    Upon hearing their words, Gu Chen did not even nce at the two, clearly treating them as if they were air.


    Zhu Ting, with a stern face, said, "Your tongues are indeed sharp. Since that''s the case, escort them into the grand prison. I want to see whether it''s your mouths or the torture devices of the Mingjing Department that are harder."


    "Yes!" Yan Hua and Cheng Song both eximed with delight upon hearing these words.


    However, at this moment, a figure entered the main hall. The neer was dressed in the official robe of the Mingjing Department, and the mirror on his chest was even edged with light golden patterns¡ªa first-grade holder of the Mirror, identical to Zhu Ting''s position.


    "Old Zhou, what brings you here?" Zhu Ting frowned upon seeing the neer.


    The person was Zhou Qing. He said, "I heard someone dared to attack an officer of the Mingjing Department, and I''vee to see what the matter is."


    While speaking, Zhou Qing''s gaze swept over the room andnded on Gu Chen standing there.


    "I have seen Lord Zhou." Gu Chen nodded slightly. It was not easy for him to stand here under the pressure exerted by Zhu Ting.


    Zhou Qing did not respond but sat down to the side and asked expressionlessly, "Tell me what happened."


    As he sat down, the pressure in the hall dissipated instantly. Zhu Ting, seeing this, nced at Zhou Qing with displeasure but said nothing.


    Yan Hua, on seeing this, hurriedly repeated everything that had been said to Zhu Ting to Zhou Qing.


    "Is that so?" Before Zhu Ting could speak, Zhou Qing turned his gaze to the three used by Gu Chen.


    "He''s lying!"


    After listening, Song Yu became furious and said, "You twist the facts! That''s not what happened at all. You were the ones with the overbearing attitude, showing none of the dignity expected of Mingjing Department officers, just like some bandits or ouws on the streets, striking out and injuring others at will, not even sparing a child of five or six.


    Gu Chen could not stand by and that was why he intervened."


    Meanwhile, Wang Yan added, "As things escted, Gu Chen had already stopped after our persuasion. But this one, unable to contain his anger, attacked in the very moment Gu Chen let down his guard, attempting to injure him. This enraged Gu Chen, who then taught them a lesson."


    "Nonsense!"


    "Bullshit!"


    Yan Hua and Cheng Song, upon hearing this, immediately became frantic.


    "Silence."


    Zhou Qing spoke, ncing at Yan Hua and Wang Yan, both of whom instantly fell silent.


    "Old Zhou, this is my matter," Zhu Ting said with a firm voice.


    Zhou Qing spoke indifferently, "This is a matter for the Mingjing Department. You know my disposition. If what Yan Hua and the others have said is not false, I shall not interfere with how you punish these three. But is that the truth of the matter?"


    Upon hearing this, Zhu Ting fell silent.


    Seeing this, Song Yu and Wang Yan''s eyes lit up with hope, sensing a turn in the tide.


    In contrast, Yan Hua and Cheng Song stood there, tense and nervous.


    Just then, an incredibly formidable aura appeared out of nowhere; a violent wind swept through the hall.


    When the wind had ceased, a figure appeared. Dressed in a blue robe, handsome and distinguished, it was Chen Yu.

 Chapter 71: Chapter 69: Such Arrogance, Part 1

    "Chen Yu, what are you doing here at my Mingjing Department?" Zhu Ting''s face darkened upon seeing Chen Yu barge in.


    Chen Yu didn''t speak. When he noticed the bloodstains on the corners of Song Yu''s and Wang Yan''s mouths, his eyebrows raised slightly, and a faint sound of wind howling arose within the hall.


    "What happened here?" he asked.


    At that moment, Zhu Ting spoke with a cold voice, "I should be asking you that. How do you train your subordinates? It''s one thing to obstruct my Mingjing Department''s investigation, but to dare to openly attack and injure people in public, Jing Tian Department has be increasingly domineering over the years!"


    "Did I ask you?" Chen Yu turned around, his gaze turning frosty.


    "You!"


    Hearing this, Zhu Ting instantly flew into a rage. In the entire Mingjing Department, no one had dared to rebuke him in such a manner. He stood up abruptly, his eyes filled with malice.


    Ignoring him, Chen Yu treated Zhu Ting as if he were thin air. Turning his head, he said to Song Yu, "Speak, what happened."


    Then, Song Yu recounted the events from beginning to end, one by one.


    "Well done."


    This remark was directed at Gu Chen. Afterward, Chen Yu turned around and set his gaze on the trembling Yan Hua and Cheng Song.


    "Master Chen, we..." The two of them panicked and subconsciously began to exin.


    "Pfft!"


    But at that moment, without any visible action from Chen Yu, just a cold snort, Yan Hua and Cheng Song were struck as if by lightning. Their bodies shuddered uncontrobly, spewing out mouthfuls of fresh blood, their expressions rapidly withering.


    "No one can just attack my people with impunity. This is the consequence," Chen Yu said indifferently.


    "Insolent brat!"


    Zhu Ting could clearly hear that Chen Yu''s words were meant for him, and he flew into an even greater rage, no longer able to contain the surging qi within him.


    Chen Yu''s expression remained cold and unmoving, standing his ground against Zhu Ting. The two powerful auras collided, the air crackled as if with thunder, and the entire hall began to shake.


    "Enough!"


    At this moment, Zhou Qing, sitting on one side with a grim expression, uttered a cold shout, "Are you two trying to tear this ce down?"


    Upon hearing this, Zhu Ting let out a cold snort and sat back down.


    He truly had not expected that Gu Chen and the others were Chen Yu''s subordinates. Chen Yu, this shameless individual, was much younger than him but had an even more explosive temper, daring to confront even the head enforcer of the Jing Tian Department, let alone him.


    Zhu Ting could only consider himself unlucky for having encountered Chen Yu because, should ite to blows, he was not necessarily Chen Yu''s match.


    Seeing Zhou Qing speak up, even the ill-tempered Chen Yu retracted his aura, giving Zhou Qing some respect.


    After all, in the vast Mingjing Department, Zhou Qing was one of the few whom Chen Yu deemed worthy of his respect.


    Chen Yu, his gaze indifferent, nced at the listless Yan Hua and Cheng Song lying on the ground and said, "Today''s punishment was just a warning. If you dare to go behind my back and pull any stunts, bear the consequences yourself!"


    Having said that, Chen Yu, with Gu Chen and his group in tow, left without giving Zhu Ting any face.


    Zhu Ting watched as Chen Yu departed so arrogantly, his face ashen, yet he found himself without any means to deal with him.


    After all, Chen Yu was the apple of the Jing Tian Department head enforcer''s eye, a likely candidate for the head enforcer in the future. Even Zhu Ting wouldn''t ordinarily have any way to do something against Chen Yu, much less beat him in a fight.


    It could be said he had no choice but to swallow this bitter pill in silence.


    Zhou Qing, sitting there, spoke indifferently, "Old Zhu, you''re well aware of the nature of your subordinates. I''ve told you before to keep them in line. We are officials of Da Xia, not bandits or ouws."


    Zhu Ting angrily retorted, "Why didn''t you take action just now? It was clear that it was their Jing Tian Department who started the altercation. Not only have they benefited from their wrongdoing, but now it''s be our fault!"


    Zhou Qing remained silent and instead fixed his gaze on Yan Hua and Cheng Song, who had not gotten up and said, "I''ll give you two onest chance to recount the matter, in its entirety, once more."


    Yan Hua and Cheng Song gritted their teeth, standing by their previous assertions, and repeated the same story to Zhou Qing.


    "You heard them, it''s clearly the Jing Tian Department that''s being overly domineering!" Zhu Ting said with a dark face.


    Zhou Qing replied, "Alright, I''ve already sent someone to Beiyuan County to investigate the matter. We should have a result in no more than two days. At that time, if there are discrepancies with your ount, you know what the consequences will be."


    Boom!


    Zhou Qing''s words were like a bolt from the blue, crashing down upon Yan Hua and Cheng Song''s hearts. Their bodies shook, their lips trembled, wanting to say something, but they found themselves at a loss for words.


    Seeing their reaction, Zhou Qing knew the oue already. He said, "I''ve given you your chance, Old Zhu, deal with these two as you see fit."


    Having said this, Zhou Qing stood up and left, leaving Zhu Ting sitting there with a gloomy expression.


    "Useless!"


    Zhu Ting roared at Yan Hua and Cheng Song, "Don''t let me see you two again, get out!"


    Hearing this, Yan Hua and Cheng Song fled from the ce like dogs that had lost their home.


    ...


    After leaving the Mingjing Department, Song Yu began to heap praise on Chen Yu.


    "Boss, you were truly majestic just now. Zhu Ting was so dark-faced, hahaha¡­"


    Wang Yan also nodded in agreement, feeling that this is how a real man should act, with an expression full of yearning.


    At that moment, Chen Yu exuded a gentle temperament, looking entirely different from just before. Hearing this, heughed and said, "Since that''s the case, you should cultivate diligently and strive toplete missions, so you can bemanders one day and stand alongside me."


    Song Yu and Wang Yan nodded vigorously.


    Then, Chen Yu turned to look at Gu Chen and asked, "How about you? Are you injured?"


    "Master, rest assured, I am unharmed," Gu Chen replied.


    Chen Yu nodded without minding the formality of Gu Chen''s address; he was, after all, a carefree and casual person.


    At that time, Gu Chen asked with some confusion, "Master, how did you know we were here?"


    Chen Yu smiled slightly and said, "It was your second uncle. He''s very clever; he knew to go to the Jing Tian Department and seek help from me."


    Upon hearing this, Gu Chen suddenly understood.


    Just then, Chen Yu spoke again: "You should also thank Zhou Qing properly. If he hadn''t arrived on time, you all would have inevitably suffered some physical torment."


    Gu Chen nodded. He indeed felt grateful to Zhou Qing. Initially, he thought that after the incident with Liu Tong, there would be no further interaction between them. Unexpectedly, Zhou Qing had helped him once again.


    "You all should hurry back and heal. In three days,e to the Jing Tian Department in the outer city, I have a mission for you," said Chen Yu. After finishing his words, his figure shed, and he disappeared right before the eyes of Gu Chen and the others.


    "Is this the power of a Gang Qi Stage martial artist?" Song Yu said with a face full of longing.


    Gu Chen had a deep understanding of this. When he first saw Zhou Qing, although he had experienced it, Zhou Qing was not like Zhu Ting today; he was just testing Gu Chen and did not target him specifically.


    It was only after witnessing Chen Yu and Zhu Ting today that Gu Chen gained a basic understanding of martial artists at the Gang Qi Stage, the seventh stage of the martial path.


    Afterward, Gu Chen bid farewell to Song Yu and Wang Yan and returned to the outer city.


    Back at Gu Mansion, the Gu Chengfeng family was anxiously waiting. Seeing Gu Chen returning safe and sound, the family breathed a sigh of relief, finally able to exhale the breath they had been holding.


    After briefly exining the situation to his family, Gu Chengfeng advised Gu Chen not to be so recklessly forting in the future.


    Gu Chen smiled and nodded as if to agree, but if he had to do it over, he would still take action.


    Because Gu Chen was a man with his own principles and bottom line. In his view, a person without principles and bottom line did not deserve to be called human.


    Showing off one''s strength and power wasn''t necessarily wrong, but it depended on who it was directed at. A martial artist who bullied ordinary people and behaved arrogantly and oppressively to both men and women was the kind of person Gu Chen despised.


    In his previous life, he was powerless, so that was that. But in this life, now that he had the ability, if he couldn''t enjoy taking revenge and showing kindness, then what was the point?


    After having dinner with the family of three at Gu Mansion, Gu Chen went to Zhou Mansion in the inner city early the next morning.


    Zhou Qing was reading at the time and, seeing Gu Chen approaching, said without raising his head, "What is it?"


    Gu Chen bowed and said formally, "Yesterday, I am grateful for Lord Zhou''s assistance."


    Zhou Qing shook his head and replied, "I didn''t do much. You should thank Chen Yu instead."


    Gu Chen said, "If Lord Zhou hadn''t arrived on time, I might not have been able to hold out until Master Chen came."


    Zhou Qing was nomittal, he looked up at Gu Chen and said, "Ranked eighth on the List of Stars, that''s quite the reputation. You really have guts."


    The first time Zhou Qing met Gu Chen, he was just a small martial artist who had stepped into the Tong Mai Stage. After some time apart, Gu Chen had astonishingly be the eighth on the List of Stars, with considerable reputation in Jianghu¡ªsomething Zhou Qing truly did not expect.


    Of course, more importantly, Gu Chen''s upright and unyielding character was what he appreciated.


    Gu Chen, hearing this, just smiled and kept silent. He wasn''t surprised that Zhou Qing knew this news.


    After all, though Zhou Qing resided in Tiandu, his status was such that neither Song Yu nor Wang Yan, much less Yan Hua or Cheng Song, couldpare. Even if he didn''t pay much attention to matters of Jianghu, if he wished to inquire, he could easily acquire all the information about Gu Chen.


    "Would you like to join my ranks?" Zhou Qing suddenly asked.


    Gu Chen was slightly startled, seemingly not expecting Zhou Qing to make such an offer. After a moment, he politely declined, "Thank you, Lord Zhou, for your high regard, but I currently have no such intention, especially since Master Chen has also been kind to me."


    This was just one reason; more importantly, while the Mingjing Department was alluring, it did not suit Gu Chen because he needed to y demons and ghosts to acquire merit points.


    Zhou Qing nodded slightly, not feeling regret, and said, "Don''t worry about yesterday''s incident. After all, you saved my father''s life. What happenedst time was an internal affair of the Mingjing Department and should not be counted. If you need anything, you cane to me anytime."


    "Thank you, Lord Zhou." Gu Chen bowed in gratitude.


    Zhou Qing nodded in acknowledgement and said no more. Seeing this, Gu Chen tactfully left.


    Two dayster, he came to the Jing Tian Department in the outer city with Song Yu and Wang Yan at the appointed time and met with Chen Yu.

 Chapter 72: Chapter 70 Swordsmanship Tournament_1

    "We have seen the lord." Gu Chen and his twopanions saluted with sped fists.


    Chen Yu sat at the head of the table, dressed in a flowing blue robe and exuding elegance. Upon seeing Gu Chen and hispanions arrive, he offered a slight smile and said, "No need for formalities, please sit."


    "How are your injuries?" Chen Yu asked, looking towards Song Yu and Wang Yan.


    "My lord, we''re no longer troubled by them," replied Song Yu and Wang Yan, saluting with their fists.


    Chen Yu nodded and said, "There''s a mission that I need the three of you to undertake."


    "Please, my lord, speak," they said.


    Chen Yu said, "Before long, the Sunset Sword Sect will hold its martial arts tournament. The Jing Tian Department dispatches people to oversee the event every year, and this year, the task falls to us. Therefore, I''m sending the three of you."


    The Sunset Sword Sect, considering itself the leading swordsmanship authority in the martial world, conducts a martial arts tournament annually. It invites sword sects across the realm to partake ¡ª in reality, though, the tournament is just a stage for the younger disciples of the Sunset Sword Sect to showcase their prowess and promote their sect''s fame.


    Almost without exception, the first prize at each year''s tournament has always gone to a disciple of the Sunset Sword Sect.


    It also serves as an asion for the Sunset Sword Sect to disy its strength; the victors of each tournament receive rewards from the sect.


    Although the other factions in the martial world know that their disciples are merely going through the motions, they arepelled to attend, because to do otherwise would be to disrespect the Sunset Sword Sect.


    Once, a sect who received an invitation from the Sunset Sword Sect chose not to participate. Within a month, the sect leader died an untimely death, and the whole sect disintegrated.


    With such a lesson from history, no one dares to slight the Sunset Sword Sect, one of the most formidable powers in the nine provinces.


    Because the Sunset Sword Sect''s event gathers various yers from the martial world, the Jing Tian Department dispatches people every year to deter any possible disturbances.


    "That is one task; there''s another. You are to eliminate Qi Changyun of the Canghai Sect. ording to our investigations, this man is akin to Zheng Jinan, a remnant of the nefarious Evil Heart Sect. Here is his dossier; take a look," Chen Yu said.


    Gu Chen and hispanions picked up the scroll beside them, detailing Qi Changyun''sprehensive profile.


    "Qi Changyun, male, 45 years old, of the External Qi Realm, serves the Canghai Sect as an officer but is in truth a remnant of the Evil Heart Sect, a subsidiary of the demonic cult. Originally named Lu Ou, he once roamed the martial world in his youth,mitting arson, murder, and robbery, an embodiment of evil, having over a hundred lives on his hands.


    Twenty years ago, he assumed the name Qi Changyun and joined the Canghai Sect as an external disciple."


    A hint of coldness shed in Chen Yu''s eyes as he said, "Qi Changyun has remained well hidden over the years, but his mistake was harboring thoughts of instigating trouble between Da Xia and the Canghai Sect, most likely as instructed by the Evil Heart Sect, which led to hisplete exposure."


    Upon hearing this, Gu Chen felt a surge of astonishment in his heart. He had not expected the Jing Tian Department to have such extensive intelligence, even within the Canghai Sect.


    Chen Yu, seemingly perceiving what was on Gu Chen''s mind, smiled and said, "The Canghai Sect has been weakening over the years. Although it is still ranked among the major sects, it exists in name only. It''s not difficult to infiltrate it with a few people, but cing our eyes and ears into the Sunset Sword Sect would be significantly more challenging."


    After pondering for a moment, he continued, "The demonic cult hasin dormant for a long time, and Qi Changyun is surely but one of their many spies. It is quite possible other factions are experiencing simr infiltration. During this mission, be wary of everything."


    Gu Chen nodded, indicating he understood. Chen Yu was right; the demonic cult had been obliterated over three hundred years ago and its sudden resurgence now undoubtedly signified a premeditated scheme. Ever since the current emperor subjugated the martial world, Da Xia had long suppressed the various factions.


    Although these factions held resentment, they had been rtivelypliant due to the emperor and the Jing Tian Department. Now, with the cult''s spies risking exposure to stir trouble between the factions and the state, there had to be somerger conspiracy at y, perhaps to instigate chaos in the martial world and benefit amidst the turmoil.


    The timing was also sensitive. The emperor had been in seclusion for twenty-three years without any news. If he were to emerge, the entirend would settle down.


    Even the domineering Sunset Sword Sect had been reprimanded by the current emperor, forced into submission and dared not to disobey.


    Not even the Great Founder of Da Xia had aplished this.


    In this world, the imperial court and the martial world were clearly divided, never encroaching on one another. The court turned a blind eye to the factions. No emperor before in any dynasty had managed to suppress the world''s heroes as the current emperor had, trulymanding the respect of all under heaven.


    With these thoughts, Gu Chen became even more intrigued by the Da Xia emperor responsible for the empire''s revival.


    Discover worlds on m-v le-mpyr


    "There''s one more thing." At this point, Chen Yu set his gaze upon Gu Chen.


    Gu Chen said, "My lord, please speak."


    With his handsome features and extraordinary demeanor, Chen Yu smiled slightly from his seat at the head and said, "I want you to defeat Yu Qiushi of the Canghai Sect."


    At these words, Gu Chen''s eyebrows raised slightly.


    "Yu Qiushi is the hope of the Canghai Sect, held in high regard. Originally, your eighth ce on the star ranking belonged to him, but now you have disced him to the ninth position. He will certainly hold a grudge because of this. Moreover, as you attempt to deal with Qi Changyun, he will not stand idly by.


    If you confront him, you must win this battle; defeat is not an option," said Chen Yu with gravity.


    "Understood!" Gu Chen responded, bowing with sped fists.


    Song Yu and Wang Yan exchanged nces, their expressions revealing their surprise. They hadn''t been out on a mission from Tiandu for some time and weren''t aware of recent developments in the martial world. They had not expected Gu Chen to have knocked Yu Qiushi of the Canghai Sect down to ninth ce on the Diancang Pavilion''s star ranking.


    Seeing Gu Chen ept the task, a smile appeared on Chen Yu''s face as he said, "If you win, I will personally give you a reward upon your return."


    Upon hearing this, Gu Chen quickly stood up, saying, "Thank you, my lord."


    As amander in the Jing Tian Department, anything given by Chen Yu was bound to be substantial¡ª at the very least, a high-quality martial arts technique.


    "Both of you are at the Meridian Opening Realm, not far from breaking through to the External Qi Realm. On this mission, follow Gu Chen''s lead. The three of you together should have no issue taking down Qi Changyun," Chen Yu evidently said to Song Yu and Wang Yan.


    Song Yu and Wang Yan nodded. On this point, they had no objections.


    "If there''s nothing else, you should set out without dy," Chen Yu said.


    This year, the Sunset Sword Sect had chosen to hold the martial arts tournament at Phoenix Crying Mountain in Anyang County of the Qiongtian Mansion, over six thousand li away from Tiandu.


    After leaving the Jing Tian Department, Gu Chen and hispanions went home to pack, taking some changes of clothes with them. They then mounted their swift horses and headed towards Phoenix Crying Mountain in Anyang County.

 Chapter 73: Chapter 71 Drunken Phoenix Tower_1

    ```


    Three dayster, Qiongtian Mansion, Phoenix Sun City.


    Phoenix Sun City is thergest city in Anyang County closest to Phoenix Crying Mountain, with arge poption, and Drunken Phoenix Tower is the foremost winehouse in the city.


    Legend has it, countless years ago, a phoenix was born on Phoenix Crying Mountain. Its cry echoed throughout the nine provinces before it soared into the heavens and vanished from sight.


    This scene was witnessed by countless people, causing an uproar throughout thend, and many martial artists came in pursuit of the phoenix''s trail. However, regrettably, they found nothing, as if it had all been a mere dream.


    The name Phoenix Crying Mountain thus originated from this legend.


    And Drunken Phoenix Tower got its name from this tale and, through the efforts of generation after generation, eventually became thergest winehouse in Phoenix Sun City.


    With the martial arts tournament fast approaching, Drunken Phoenix Tower, already bustling with visitors, had be even more popr these past few days, filled to the brim with all manner of guests, the majority of whom were martial artists.


    Many among them were there merely for the spectacle; after all, the annual martial arts tournament hosted by Sunset Sword Sect was considered a grand event within the martial artsmunity.


    It was a rare asion where one could see the prodigious youth from major sects, including the phenomenons from the Stars Ranking, who would mostly make an appearance. Such a scene was typically a rare urrence, thus drawing countless martial arts practitioners to flock like moths to me.


    Some unaffiliated young warriors even harbored dreams of "Ascend to Heaven," hoping to participate in the tournament and catch the eye of some major sect or powerful faction. Such things had indeed urred in the past.


    Even just witnessing these young talents spar was a valuable experience. Perhaps a certain move or technique could enlighten onlookers, helping them break through a bottleneck in their martial cultivation.


    At this moment, the sun dipped behind the mountains, stars appeared in the firmament, and the bright moonlight spilled from the sky. After the third round of drinks, the atmosphere inside Drunken Phoenix Tower was exceedingly warm as people intermingled with mirth to the point of fervor.


    The discussions varied, ranging from interesting martial arts anecdotes to significant recent events across the world, with plenty of topics to go around. Of course, the mosmonly discussed was the imminent martial arts tournament.


    "The tournament officially starts tomorrow. I wonder who wille out on top and im the title of ''Champion of Swords'' this time?" said a burly, bearded warrior.


    Each year, the victor of the martial arts tournament hosted by Sunset Sword Sect is bestowed with the title of "Champion of Swords," symbolizing the forefront of the young generation in the way of the sword.


    Another warrior at the same table with a curled lip responded, "Is that even a question? Surely it still belongs to Sunset Sword Sect!"


    A lean and wiry warrior nodded in agreement, adding, "In the past decade, the champions of every tournament have been disciples of Sunset Sword Sect. I believe this year will be no different."


    At that moment, a warrior from an adjacent table held a different opinion, saying, "I''m not so sure about that. This year, the other sects have quite a few impressive young heroes who have emerged, far more than in previous years. Many have made it onto the Stars Ranking. This year''s tournament might just be a fierce battle of dragons and tigers."


    The lean and wiry warrior from the burly one''s table scoffed at thisment. "So what? Even with their strength, you barely see any of these people ranking within the top twenty of the Stars Ranking. Moreover, don''t forget that Sunset Sword Sect has the number one of the Stars Ranking."


    Hearing this, the previously outspoken warrior fell silent, no longer speaking.


    Qin Mu, the youngest true disciple of Sunset Sword Sect, was only twenty this year and had already unlocked fifty-six meridians, reaching the peak of the Pervasive Vessel Realm. He stood as the uncontested first ce on this year''s Stars Ranking.


    When Qin Mu first burst onto the scene, he fought against the current second and third ranked warriors on the Stars Ranking by himself. Despite theirbined efforts using their full repertoire of skills, neither could match Qin Mu. He fought them both single-handedly, with absolute superiority, defeating them in what could only be described as a pinnacle battle.


    Because of that battle, Qin Mu officially took the top spot on the Stars Ranking, and not long after, Sunset Sword Sect announced that Qin Mu had reached the limit of the Pervasive Vessel Realm.


    As soon as this news spread, it caused an uproar throughout the martial world as everyone was astonished by Qin Mu''s monstrous talent.


    One could say that Qin Mu was like a towering peak pressing down on the heads of all young martial artists, unshakable and only to be looked up to.


    Even the imposing Sunset Sword Sect took pride in Qin Mu, with none among the younger generation from any power in the martial world being a match for him.


    "Given the strength and status of that number one on the Stars Ranking, I reckon nobody in this tournament is worthy of his contest," someone remarked.


    "If he were to make a move, the tournament would lose all suspense. iming first ce would be like taking something out of one''s pocket¡ªtoo uninteresting."


    "No, I''m actually more eager to see Qin Mu take action. As the first ranked of the Stars Ranking, I really want to know what kind of power he possesses now!"


    "I heard Qin Mu is not satisfied with just fifty-six meridians. He hasn''t broken through to the External Qi Realm just to try and surpass the limits of the Pervasive Vessel Realm!"


    "What? Has he seeded?"


    "That''s anyone''s guess."


    As soon as the name Qin Mu, the top of the Stars Ranking, was mentioned, the martial artists on this floor of Drunken Phoenix Tower all joined in the discussion. Their eyes shone with admiration and envy when talking about Qin Mu.


    Just then, a warrior spoke up, "Do you know about Gu Chen, who recently rose to eighth ce on the Stars Ranking?"


    The burly warrior asked, "The one from Jing Tian Department?"


    ```


    "Yes," nodded the warrior, "He defeated Zheng Yan, who was ranked twelfth on the Star Ranking, and killed two martial artists in the External Energy Realm as well as a Ghost of the Spectral Grade. Because of this, Diancang Pavilion has ranked him eighth, pushing Yu Qiushi of the Canghai Sect down a notch."


    "Humph!"


    Suddenly, a cold snort emanated from a private room in the tavern; curtains were drawn up, revealing the inside. There, at the table, sat six or seven young men dressed in deep blue robes.


    Seeing this attire, the big bearded man and the other martial artists'' expressions changed as they said, "The Canghai Sect!"


    The group of young men in deep blue robes were none other than disciples of the Canghai Sect, which was among the Seven Sects and Eight Factions.


    And among them, a man with a resolute face and a solemn aura, his body strong and muscr, was the leading figure among the young generation of the Canghai Sect, Yu Qiushi.


    "The Diancang Pavilion''s ranking is undeserving; with my elder brother''s strength and status, without even aparison, they have audaciously ced that Gu Chen in the eighth spot, bumping my elder brother to ninth. Clearly, Diancang Pavilion is out of fear for the court that they have made such a decision," said the young warrior who had snorted earlier, his face full of disdain.


    Yu Qiushi said nothing, silently drinking, as he sat there looking straight ahead. The disparity in their status meant he had little to say.


    At this tournament, he intended to prove everything with his strength; everything else was pointless to discuss.


    Gu Chen was not considered a concern by him. Whether he was ranked eighth or ninth on the Star Ranking did not matter; his true target was Qin Mu. Even if he knew he was outmatched, he still wanted to have a bout to understand the gap between them.


    Seeing the topic of their conversation appear before them, the big bearded man and the other warriors instantly sobered up, all wearing sheepish expressions. They were just independent martial artists of the Jianghu; they could not afford to offend anyone from the Canghai Sect and fell silent.


    The young disciple of the Canghai Sect arrogantly said, "It''s just a pity that the people of the Jing Tian Department won''t be participating in the tournament. Otherwise, my elder brother would give Gu Chen a hard time. Against my elder brother, Gu Chen wouldn''tst an exchange!"


    The man spoke confidently because he knew that Gu Chen''s strength, no matter how extraordinary, would not be a match for the current Yu Qiushi.


    Before the tournament, Yu Qiushi had secluded himself and made another breakthrough, in both his cultivation level and his martialprehension.


    The entire Canghai Sect was invigorated by this. They felt this tournament would be Yu Qiushi''s perfect stage and that with his current strength, he would undoubtedly secure a spot within the top three of the Star Ranking.


    The reputation of the entire Canghai Sect would also rise because of this, regaining some of the prestige lost with the death of the old sect leader.


    This was also Yu Qiushi''s goal and mission.


    The revival of his sect rested entirely on his shoulders.


    "This tournament, my elder brother will surely astonish everyone!" The disciples of the Canghai Sect were all excited.


    The big bearded man and the other Jianghu warriors fell silent, not daring to offend either Jing Tian Department or the Canghai Sect.


    However, in their eyes, Yu Qiushi did indeed seem to have been wronged. After all, rankings in the Jianghu are primarily based on strength, and since Gu Chen had not actually fought Yu Qiushi before usurping his ce, even amongst themselves, this seemed somewhat improper.


    After all, Yu Qiushi''s battle achievements had been fought and witnessed by everyone in the Jianghu. And they felt that in a real fight, Gu Chen might not necessarily be his match.


    Although the Canghai Sect had weakened over the years, its legacy remained. Yu Qiushi was the future hope of the Canghai Sect. Within the sect, he could peruse any technique he wished.


    Gu Chen of the Jing Tian Department might not be afforded such a privilege. Exclusive content from m,v le


    Then, Yu Qiushi, who had been silently drinking, cast a nce at the young disciples of the Canghai Sect. They felt a jolt though their bodies, silencing them immediately.


    Not far from them, at another table, sat three men. One of them, dressed in dark clothes, with sword-like eyebrows reaching into his temples and a handsome face with jet-ck hair, was Gu Chen, who had traveled from Tiandu.


    Song Yu whispered, "Brother Gu, they are talking about you. Those people are really too arrogant."


    Having witnessed Gu Chen''s strength, he knew that Gu Chen was nowhere near as frail as these people imagined.


    Gu Chen kept a calm demeanor, not taking the words of these people to heart. Strength is not spoken; it is shown throughbat. With his current strength, Gu Chen believed that no one on the Star Ranking would be his match.


    No matter how powerful Yu Qiushi was, as long as he remained in the Ventricr Realm, he simply could not be Gu Chen''s match. Unless he broke through to the External Energy Realm ¨C that level of prodigy would be an entirely different story once they held a realm advantage.


    Gu Chen nced at Yu Qiushi, who, sensing something, swiftly turned his head. Their eyes met briefly before both looked away.


    Seeing Gu Chen remained silent, Song Yu did not mind and muttered to himself, "Brother Gu, why are you as taciturn as Wang Yan? Sigh, looks like it''s going to be another solo act for me."


    Wang Yan, who was seated at the side munching on his food, also ignored Song Yu''s words, quietly eating.


    Soon, the night passed, and when dawn broke, at the foot of Phoenix Crying Mountain outside Phoenix Sun City, the crowd buzzed with activity. Countless figures of the Jianghu had gathered, with many young warriors eager and ready, awaiting this day.


    The eighth day of the eighth month, the Tournament would officially begin today!


    ```

 Chapter 74: Chapter 72 Disdain_1

    At the summit of Phoenix Crying Mountain, there was a tform resembling a square, immensely spacious, where disciples of the Sunset Sword Sect had already set up seats. Invited factions with their invitations in hand took their seats in an orderly fashion.


    This year''s martial arts tournament was presided over by none other than the current number one on the Stars Ranking, Qin Mu.


    Qin Mu was only in his twenties, but there was nothing childish about him. His demeanor was exceptionallyposed. He was a handsome man with a sharp nose, clear eyes, and an imposing stature. Standing tall with a cascade of ck hair flowing down his back, his presence was overpowering, impossible to ignore.


    "Young Master Qin."


    "Greetings to Young Master Qin!"


    Despite his youth, none of the participating forces or martial artists dared show the slightest bit of disrespect, all paying their respects with a courteous bow.


    After all, Qin Mu''s status was well-established¡ªgiven his talent, and with the support of the Sunset Sword Sect, his potential for future achievements was boundless.


    One could say Qin Mu was the most favored candidate for next head of the Sunset Sword Sect.


    Qin Mu nodded slightly, not saying much, watching as representatives from one faction after another took their seats.


    Basically, all who received invitations from the Sunset Sword Sect arrived very punctually, including those ranked equally with the sect, such as the Canghai Sect, which were among the Seven Sects and Eight Factions.


    Even those ranked within the top twenty of the Stars Ranking had mostly arrived, and they were the leading figures of their respective sects and factions.


    After all, the martial arts tournament was geared towards the younger generation, and the older generation of famous figures generally did not participate.


    Under the leadership of Yu Qiushi, the Canghai Sect approached when they saw Qin Mu sitting at the highest ce, Yu''s gaze suddenly sharpened as he looked over.


    Qin Mu had extremely keen perception and immediately noticed Yu Qiushi''s gaze. But after merely a nce, he paid no further attention.


    Ever since ranking first on the Stars Ranking, there was no one in the younger generation of the martial world he deemed worthy of attention.


    He no longer considered being number one on the Stars Ranking an honor; to him, it was nothing more than what was expected.


    His ambition reached far beyond, concerned only with those much older than himself, upying even higher statuses among martial artists.


    Only by climbing that list could one truly be world-renowned. The Stars Ranking, in his eyes, was too insignificant, merely covering martial artists under twenty-three years of age.


    To be on the Stars Ranking meant only a modicum of fame in the martial world. It was topping that list that would prove his true power, prospect the entire realm, and possess the ability to stir the winds and clouds of the world.


    Of course, even for him, climbing to the top of that list still seemed a daunting challenge.


    But today''s asion was trivial in his eyes, simply a task for the sect. If it weren''t for the sect''s strong insistence, he wouldn''t havee at all today.


    In his view, a youth martial arts tournament was no different from children ying house, terribly dull.


    His vision was iparable to anyone else attending today''s tournament, and that''s why he paid no heed to Yu Qiushi''s fervent gaze.


    Unless Yu Qiushi, like him, had reached the limit of the Meridian Opening realm, perhaps then Qin Mu would hold him in higher regard as a peer.


    But clearly, no one amongst the younger generation in the martial world was capable or fit to stand shoulder to shoulder with him.


    Seeing Qin Mu''s indifferent manner, Yu Qiushi did not get angry because, if he were in Qin Mu''s ce, he would feel the same.


    Subsequently, Yu''s gaze swept around andnded on Tang Ming from the Stars Ranking, ranked second, and Huo Zhi, ranked third, his eyes brimming with fighting spirit.


    Tang Ming and Huo Zhi also noticed Yu Qiushi and frowned, sensing his will to fight.


    For them, after experiencing Qin Mu''s strength firsthand, they no longer entertained any thoughts of vying with him.


    In the martial world, everyone knew the top three on the Stars Ranking were strong, but how strong, no one could urately say. Only the two of them knew just how terrifying Qin Mu''s true strength was.


    Seeing Qin Mu again today, both knew that if they were to fight again, even together they might notst ten moves, no, not even five against him.


    So, to those on the Stars Ranking who entertained thoughts of challenging Qin Mu, both sneered, considering them vastly overrating themselves.


    Without fighting Qin Mu, one could never fathom his strength.


    ```


    "Let''s find a ce to sit as well," suggested a few elders and stewards from the Canghai Sect beside Yu Qiushi. They all had the cultivation of the Outer Energy Realm, and although their cultivation was higher than Yu Qiushi''s, their status was not. The Canghai Sect had sent them primarily to assist Yu Qiushi on this mission.


    Yu Qiushi withdrew his gaze and nodded, having made up his mind to challenge Tang Ming and Huo Zhi at this martial arts tournament and, after climbing to the second ce on the Star Ranking, witness Qin Mu''s strength for himself.


    Soon, everyone had arrived, and those jianghu martial artists without an invitation could only wait at the foot of the mountain, or, to put it another way, find a spot in a corner at the summit to watch the grand event.


    At that moment, a disciple from the Sunset Sword Sect approached Qin Mu and whispered, "Elder Brother Qin, everyone has arrived. Do you think, should we start the martial arts tournament now?"


    Without a word, Qin Mu simply nodded indifferently and unapologetically took the seat at the head of the gathering, looking down from above.


    "I dere that this martial arts tournament is now officially..."


    However, just as that Sunset Sword Sect disciple was about to continue, several more people arrived at the summit. They were from Tiandu, led by Gu Chen.


    The Sunset Sword Sect disciple guarding the perimeter frowned and asked, "Which sect or school are you from, and why are youte?"


    Song Yu and Wang Yan stood two steps behind Gu Chen, clearly following his lead, just as Chen Yu had said: on this mission, they were under Gu Chen''smand.


    Stay tuned to m v l e m p y r


    Gu Chen, with a calm expression, simply stated, "Tiandu, Jing Tian Department."


    Upon hearing this, the crowd of jianghu people turned their gaze towards them¡ªsome calmly, some with surprise, some frowning, and others with disdain in their hearts.


    The court and the jianghu have always been at odds with each other, and this was nothing new. However, the current Emperor''s strategic brilliance and unparalleled governance in both literature and martial prowess had pressed the jianghu of Da Xia into submission, albeit reluctantly.


    Therefore, seeing the trio from Jing Tian Department, Gu Chen''s group, naturally stirred discontent among many.


    This was particrly the case when they saw the ages of Gu Chen''s trio¡ªhow strong could such young people be?


    Song Yu and Wang Yan were easily seen through, being at only theter stages of the Meridian Channeling Realm. It was only Gu Chen, the leader, who seemed to have a condensed aura and appeared to have decent martial arts skills, but that didn''t catch much attention either.


    After all, today gathered the top fifty, even the top twenty, of the Star Ranking¡ªno one bothered much with Gu Chen and hispanions.


    Also for this reason, the various jianghu forces believed that with the Emperor''s seclusion and Jing Tian Department''s years of losses against demons and ghosts, their power was increasingly weakened.


    In the past, Jing Tian Department would at least send martial artists of the Outer Energy Realm to the event. However, this year, they only sent three young individuals like Gu Chen, which exined some of the disdain.


    Gu Chen certainly noticed their underestimation but didn''t care, for although the jianghu was turbulent in the shadows, openly, these forces still abided by the rules, and over the years, they had little dealings with Jing Tian Department.


    This was mainly because, for the past couple of decades, Jing Tian Department had focused on countering the ever-increasing number of demons and ghosts.


    "He... he seems to be Gu Chen."


    "Gu Chen? The Gu Chen who''s eighth on the Star Ranking?"


    At this point, some martial artists recognized Gu Chen, sparking a wave of discussions, and even those in the top ten of the Star Ranking, such as Tang Ming and Huo Zhi, cast their eyes over and took a nce.


    However, the disciples of Sunset Sword Sect frowned upon hearing Gu Chen''s name as they were not pleased¡ªtheir fellow sect member Zheng Yan had been ousted from the ranking by Gu Chen.


    No matter what, Zheng Yan was a disciple of the Sunset Sword Sect, and in their view, it should be the Sunset Sword Sect''s responsibility to deal with their own, not for Gu Chen to y.


    After all, Zheng Yan''s direct killing outside had tarnished the face of Sunset Sword Sect, which was unustomed to anything less than dominance, hence their discontent.


    A young disciple next to Qin Mu whispered a consultation with him, then ced Gu Chen''s trio at the very edge of the seating arrangement.


    In the jianghu, seating at such gatherings mattered, and being ced at the edge implied insignificance and ack of importance.


    It was clear that the Sunset Sword Sect was intentionally slighting Gu Chen and hispany. Song Yu and Wang Yan frowned and were about to react, as they were representing Jing Tian Department''s dignity on this mission.


    But without a word from Gu Chen, they knew better than to speak, and so they took their seats there first.


    Gu Chen remained calm and unaffected by their targeting and disdain; after all, to him, it didn''t matter where he sat. He wasn''t there to participate in the martial arts tournament, but to assassinate.


    ```

 Chapter 75: Chapter 73 Start of the Big Meeting_1

    Soon, under the loud announcement by a disciple of the Sunset Sword Sect, the Martial Arts Tournament officially began.


    The rules of the Martial Arts Tournament were simple, any martial artist who wished to participate would stand in the center and challenge others one by one until no one else stepped onto the stage. The remaining person would be the victor of the Martial Arts Tournament, earning the title of Sword Champion and a reward prepared by the Sunset Sword Sect.


    The first two young martial artists to take the stage, one from the Guangping Sect and one from the Liuhe Sect, were both second-rate sects within the Qiongtian Mansion. Both were at the early stage of the Meridian Opening Realm, attending the Martial Arts Tournament purely to make themselves known and to see the world.


    Keep the excitement alive on m-vl-em,pyr


    Whoosh!


    Swiftly, the two exchanged blows, and after dozens of moves, it was clear that the disciple from the Liuhe Sect had the upper hand, forcing the Guangping Sect''s disciple to drop his longsword.


    The young disciple from the Guangping Sect''s face turned red with shame as he picked up his weapon and hurried off the stage. The victor, the disciple from the Liuhe Sect, gave a courteous bow to the surroundings but chose not to continue the challenge and instead returned to his fellow sect members.


    Following this, more martial artists took to the stage in session, but these were just appetizers; what people were really interested in was the struggle between the ranked warriors on the Star Ranking List.


    Suddenly, a martial artist dressed in green stepped to the center of the stage. He was tall and straight, with handsome features, and carried a long sword on his back.


    "Look, look, a Star Ranking List martial artist has taken the stage."


    "That''s Yang Hun, the Swift Sword, ranked thirty-eighth on the Star Ranking List. Who is he challenging?"


    "If nothing unexpected happens, it should be Xu Pingzhi, ranked thirty-fifth. The two of them have held a grudge for a long time, but in their past encounters, Yang Hun often came out on the losing end."


    In a corner, a group of wandering martial artists quietly discussed the situation, and as expected, Yang Hun, d in tight-fitting attire, stood there and called out Xu Pingzhi for a challenge.


    Xu Pingzhi snorted coldly and stepped out of the crowd. The twomenced fighting without further words. Their battle was far more intense than any that had urred before, full of ingenious moves and surging power. After all, both were listed on the Star Ranking List, and rather high at that. Naturally, their fight drew much attention.


    Song Yu and Wang Yan, sitting beside Gu Chen, watched the battling pair and remarked, "The reputation of the Star Ranking List is well deserved; these listed warriors indeed possess remarkable strength."


    Wang Yan also nodded his head. Their own strength was not weak, but since the Jing Tian Department had not shed with the martial world for a long time, and because the Star Ranking List was geared towards martial artists from that world, the Diancang Pavilion''s primary considerations whenpiling the list were the martial forces and warriors.


    In truth, given their strength, it wasn''t impossible for either of them to be ranked within the top thirty of the Star Ranking List, but since court officials usually paid little attention to the list, they didn''t feel the urge topete for a ce on it.


    Gu Chen sat calmly on the side, feeling that the confrontations he witnessed were somewhat boring. With the level of skill demonstrated, if he were to take the stage, he estimated thesebatants wouldn''t even be able to withstand a single move from him.


    Soon, a victor emerged between Yang Hun and Xu Pingzhi. Surprisingly, it was Yang Hun who won. It was evident that he had made great progress in his cultivation over time, managing to leapfrog three ranks and defeat Xu Pingzhi.


    The victorious Yang Hun wore an air of triumph, whereas Xu Pingzhi, having lost the bout, had a dark expression and left in a huff.


    After winning, Yang Hun amazingly did not choose to step down. Instead, he consumed several elixirs, rested briefly to regte his breath, and then prepared to ept another challenge, clearly very confident in his abilities.


    All attending observed Yang Hun''s strength. Those who were weaker naturally did not dare to step onto the stage, and the stronger ones were not interested in him. For a moment, the scene actually grew somewhat deserted.


    But at that moment, a sudden sound of a sword ringing out pierced the air. From the very front, next to the Sunset Sword Sect''s Qin Mu, a young disciple with a youthful face and clear, handsome features lightly leapt up like a great roc, arriving in front of Yang Hun.


    "I will challenge you," the young disciple said with an expression full of pride.


    "Who are you?" Yang Hun frowned. After all, he was now ranked thirty-fifth on the Star Ranking List, not someone anyone could casually challenge, even if this young disciple was from the Sunset Sword Sect.


    "Long Chen," the young disciple reported his name.


    "So that''s Long Chen, the Sunset Sword Sect''s most talented rising star."


    "I heard he''s only seventeen this year, yet he''s already reached theter stages of the Meridian Opening Realm, clearing over thirty meridians in his body," people murmured among themselves.


    Recognizing the name after hearing the chatter of the assembled martial artists, Yang Hun suddenly understood. He certainly had heard of Long Chen before.


    Although the opponent was three or four years his junior, Yang Hun did not dare underestimate him and went all out right from the start.


    Long Chen''s countenance was proud. He waited until Yang Hun was nearly upon him before leisurely drawing his long sword and shouting, "Die!"


    With a ng, Yang Hun''s expression changed. His sword was deftly deflected by Long Chen''s clever move. Just as Long Chen''s sword was about to pierce Yang Hun''s chest, Yang Hun used his vastbat experience to dodge the lethal blow.


    Afterward, the two engaged in intensebat. But from the start, Yang Hun was at a disadvantage. After nearly a hundred moves, unsurprisingly, he was defeated by Long Chen.


    Long Chen looked arrogantly triumphant and didn''t even nce at Yang Hun. This time, it was Yang Hun''s turn to taste defeat as he walked down with a dark expression.


    Long Chen stood in the center, continuously epting challenges. One opponent after another was defeated by him¡ªeven a young prodigy ranked twenty-eighth on the Star Rankings was no match for Long Chen.


    People knew that the champion of this martial arts tournament was likely to be Long Chen.


    Soon, only Long Chen was left in the center of the arena. No one else stepped forward to challenge him.


    After this martial arts tournament, everyone witnessed the strength of Sunset Sword Sect. They knew the strength of a sect was not just based on its leadership but also depended on the performance of its young disciples. Both were indispensable.


    Otherwise, there was a high risk of generational gaps. But Sunset Sword Sect needn''t worry about this issue. At the middle and upper levels, there were the Supreme Sect Leader, the Sect Leader, and various Elders of Sunset Sword Sect. Among the younger generation, there were Qin Mu and Long Chen. Looking at the current situation, Sunset Sword Sect could prosper for at least another hundred years.


    Just when everyone thought that Sunset Sword Sect was about to dere Long Chen the winner, suddenly the young martial artist with a youthful face turned his gaze to Gu Chen.


    "Do you dare toe up and fight me?" His consecutive victories had inted Long Chen''s confidence, and he directly issued a challenge to Gu Chen.


    Upon hearing this, everyone''s eyes turned to Gu Chen. They all knew that Gu Chen''s rise on the Star Rankings was achieved by stepping over Zheng Yan of Sunset Sword Sect, which naturally displeased the domineering and aggressive sect.


    If Gu Chen had not been a man of the imperial court, Sunset Sword Sect would have killed him already. Gu Chen wouldn''t be alive today.


    Hearing this, Gu Chen chuckled and said, "Kid, go y on your own."


    Long Chen was immediately enraged by these words. Gu Chen was only twenty years old, just three years older than him. They were essentially peers, but now Gu Chen was speaking to him in the tone of an adult reprimanding a child, which Long Chen couldn''t tolerate.


    In Sunset Sword Sect, even those older disciples who were much older than he respected him greatly. Even Qin Mu treated him slightly warmer. Now that Gu Chen dared to speak to him in such a manner, Long Chen''s anger was uncontainable.


    Hisss!


    With a low-grade treasure weapon in hand, Long Chen disregarded everything and charged directly towards Gu Chen in the crowd.


    "Hmph!"


    Seeing this, Song Yu let out a cold snort. He drew his sword from his waist and engaged with Long Chen inbat without waiting for Gu Chen to make a move.


    The surrounding warriors quickly moved away, not wanting to be caught in the crossfire.


    Sword light shed between the two, and energy surged. Song Yu was not weak. In fact, he seemed to even be suppressing Long Chen. After taking a nce, Gu Chen stopped paying attention.


    Since the fight had already started, Gu Chen didn''t wait any longer. He found the whole martial arts tournament utterly boring, having watched the entire event.


    He had thought it would be like the wuxia fantasy novels he''d read in his previous life, with grand scenes and various heroespeting on stage. But now, he was extremely disappointed.


    These people were too weak, and he had no interest in fighting them.


    At that moment, Gu Chen''s gaze shifted toward where Canghai Sect was situated.


    Yu Qiushi, seeing Gu Chen''s gaze, narrowed his eyes, and his hand subconsciously rested on his long sword at his waist.


    He thought Gu Chen wanted to challenge him. But to his surprise, Gu Chen merely nced at him before moving his gaze on to Qi Changyun behind him.


    "Qi Changyun, for some matters, would you rather I speak out here in front of everyone, or would you like to admit your fault and confess willingly?"

 Chapter 76: Chapter 74: Defeating Yu Qiushi_1

    Qi Changyun heard the words and was startled, but he managed to feign a puzzled expression on his face and said, "Esteemed official, I have no idea what you''re talking about."


    Yu Qiushi furrowed his brows and turned his gaze towards Gu Chen.


    Gu Chen slightly smiled, not the least bit annoyed. These devil sect warriors were all the same, refusing to shed tears until they saw the coffin. They needed to be beaten to death and reveal their identities with their dying breath before they felt satisfied.


    "Qi Changyun, you may fool others, but you cannot fool Jing Tian Department. Your identity as a devil sect warrior has been exposed. There''s no need for you to keep hiding," Gu Chen said indifferently.


    His words were like a stone stirring up a thousand ripples. All who were present were shocked by Gu Chen''s statement, including Qin Mu, who turned his attention away from Long Chen towards this scene.


    After all, the matter concerned the Six Union God Sect from over three hundred years ago. No one could remain indifferent.


    "What nonsense are you spouting!"


    Before Qi Changyun could even speak, the disciples of Canghai Sect could no longer sit still. The devil sects were public enemies of the martial artsmunity, and no faction wanted to be suspected of harboring devil sect warriors. Suspicions would lead to exclusion and scrutiny from everyone, and in serious cases, could lead to the destruction of the entire Canghai Sect.


    Moreover, Canghai Sect had been weakening over the years and their status in the martial artsmunity had been declining. They could not withstand much more turmoil. All they hoped for was Yu Qiushi to grow up quickly to take over the position of the sect leader.


    Good news stays within the walls, while bad news spreads far and wide. In the martial artsmunity, such negative news spread particrly fast.


    "It''s true that Canghai Sect isn''t as strong as before, but it isn''t a ce where devil sect warriors can easily infiltrate," Yu Qiushi''s eyes also darkened.


    Gu Chen spoke, "Qi Changyun, you are a disciple of the Evil Heart Sect, originally named Lu Ou. Qi Changyun is just an alias you used to infiltrate Canghai Sect. You were ordered to hide in Canghai Sect for twenty years. It must have been quite difficult for you."


    Qi Changyun''s heart was pounding, but he maintained hisposure on the surface, putting on a confused look as he said, "My lord, I don''t understand what you''re saying. Could you have mistaken me for someone else?"


    "Absurd!"


    A Canghai Sect disciple scoffed, "It has been over three hundred years since the devil sects were annihted. They have long since broken the lineage and vanishedpletely. You are utteringplete nonsense!"


    "What do you say about Zheng Jinan?" Gu Chen said dispassionately.


    The young disciple from Canghai Sect''s face stiffened, and then he retorted, "How do you know that Zheng Jinan is not thest remnant of the devil sect?"


    Upon hearing the words st remnant of the devil sect," Qi Changyun, who had his head lowered, shed a look of murderous intent in his eyes.


    But no one noticed this momentary nce. Everyone''s attention was focused on Gu Chen. Even Song Yu''s defeat of Long Chen did not draw much consideration.


    At this moment, the imposing and steady Yu Qiushi stepped forward and asked in a deep voice, "Do you have evidence?"


    Gu Chen nodded and replied, "Young Master Yu, please wait a moment. I will show you the evidence."


    Hearing that Gu Chen had evidence, the people from Canghai Sect were suddenly on edge, and Qi Changyun, in particr, was extremely anxious and fearful.


    Song Yu exchanged a look of confusion with Wang Yan. When they hade, Chen Yu had not provided them with any evidence. What was Gu Chen nning to use as proof?


    At that moment, Gu Chen''s figure shed past Yu Qiushi, moving directly towards the unsettled Qi Changyun, and mmed down a palm strike straight at his head.


    Boom!


    At this instant, Qi Changyun was tremendously shaken, both physically and mentally. The air above his head burst with a boom. He felt as though a mountain, not just a palm, was pressing down upon him. Before Gu Chen''s attack couldnd, Qi Changyun felt like his entire body was about to explode.


    "How dare you!"


    Seeing that Gu Chen didn''t bother with words and attacked directly, Yu Qiushi flew into a rage. He moved quickly, and with his afterimage still flickering, he arrived beside Qi Changyun at thest moment. Without time to draw his sword, he could only ce the scabbard above his head to block Gu Chen''s strike.


    A loud thump resounded as Gu Chen''s palm collided with the scabbard, stirring up a wave of energy. Yu Qiushi''s face changed immediately; the force of Gu Chen''s palm was immense. Having to counter it unexpectedly, he felt his entire skeleton trembling and a sweetness in his throat.


    Yu Qiushi looked deeply at Gu Chen, not expecting him to have such strength.


    "How audacious!"


    The disciples of Canghai Sect were furious to see Gu Chen dare to act against Qi Changyun, quickly drawing their weapons and surrounding the trio.


    No matter what, Qi Changyun was an elder and steward of Canghai Sect. Gu Chen''s assault was a challenge to their entire sect.


    "Is the imperial court so eager to make a move against our Canghai Sect?" a Canghai Sect disciple said sharply.


    "If you wish to use our Canghai Sect to assert your authority, just say it outright. There''s no need for all these twists and turns, smearing us with false usations!" many disciples of Canghai Sect said in unison.


    The rest of the martial artists present watched the scene unfold, standing aside to enjoy the spectacle.


    They too were wondering if the court, having been quiet for so long with the Emperor in seclusion, feared chaos in the martial artsmunity and thus sought to make an example of the weakened Canghai Sect.


    Although Canghai Sect''s delegation to the martial arts tournament mainly consisted of younger disciples, including Qi Changyun, there were three elder stewards, all in the External Energy Realm. But in truth, even with their strengthsbined, they still fell short of Yu Qiushi''s, for talent was a clear advantage.


    At most, Qi Changyun and the others had less than thirty meridians opened when they broke through to the External Energy Realm.


    "Lackeys of the imperial court!" some of the younger Canghai Sect disciples cursed. Upon hearing this, Song Yu and Wang Yan''s expressions darkened immediately.


    "What now?" they asked in a low voice, feeling that since Gu Chen dared to make a move, he must be confident of his action.


    "No need to bother with so much detail, just capture Qi Changyun," Gu Chen said, his tone calm and his demeanorposed as if capturing Qi Changyun was a simple task.


    This attitude was seen by many disciples of Canghai Sect, who immediately felt that Gu Chen was belittling them,pletely disregarding their sect, which stoked the mes of their anger even more.


    Yu Qiushi was even more decisive, saying directly, "With me here, you can''t take down Elder Qi!"


    Upon hearing this, Qi Changyun immediately looked at Yu Qiushi with a face full of gratitude.


    Gu Chen looked towards Yu Qiushi and said, "Young Master Yu, have you really never considered that Qi Changyun might indeed be the remnants of the Evil Sect?"


    Upon hearing this, Yu Qiushi''s expression remained unchanged. No matter what, he couldn''t let Gu Chen take down Qi Changyun in public. He had already made up his mind that after returning, he would report the incident to the sect leader and let the leader deal with it. If Qi Changyun truly were the remnants of an evil sect, then the Canghai Sect would deal with him secretly.


    If Gu Chen exposed Qi Changyun as the remnants of an evil sect in public, how would the world view the Canghai Sect?


    The already faltering reputation of the Canghai Sect would likely plummet even further, plummeting to the bottom of the valley.


    At the same time, the Canghai Sect would be viewed with suspicion by everyone, given that no one knew if there were any other remnants of the evil sect within the Canghai Sect or, to put it another way, why would the Canghai Sect harbor remnants of an evil sect?


    This was not to me the people of the world, mainly because, over three hundred years ago, the Six Union God Sect brought too much harm to the world. Even now, various schools and sects cannot forget and do not dare to give the Six Union God Sect any chance to rise again.


    "Impossible!" Yu Qiushi said cut-and-dried, "Elder Qi has been with our Canghai Sect for twenty years. Over these years, Elder Qi has always worked hard for the good of our sect, a fact seen by all disciples. How could such a person possibly be the remnants of the Evil Heart Sect?"


    The disciples of the Canghai Sect nodded in agreement, supporting Yu Qiushi.


    Gu Chen, dressed in ck, with a tall figure and dark, deep eyes, looked at Yu Qiushi and said, "Qi Changyun is just an alias; his real name is Lu Ou. In his youth, hemitted evil deeds in the Zhouping region, engaging in murder, arson, and looting, engaging in all kinds of evil. If Young Master Yu doesn''t believe me, the Canghai Sect can look into it."


    Yu Qiushi''s face darkened, saying, "Stop talking nonsense. Anyone wishing to join our Canghai Sect must first have their past and background thoroughly checked. We wouldn''t ept anyone with an unclear or tainted history. Don''t spout any more nonsense!"


    A slight frown creased Gu Chen''s brow as he could see that Yu Qiushi was determined to protect Qi Changyun. He sighed and nodded, saying, "If that''s the case, then Young Master Yu, don''t me me for being ruthless in my actions."


    With a stern face, Yu Qiushi responded, "Bring it on!"


    He had been injured earlier because he had acted too hastily. Now, knowing that Gu Chen had formidable strength, Yu Qiushi naturally would not attack Gu Chen''s strengths with his weaknesses. He prepared to use his solid cultivation to suppress Gu Chen.


    His cultivation had broken through once again, opening up fifty-two energy channels; he didn''t believe Gu Chen''s cultivation could surpass his own.


    But the next instant, at the very moment Gu Chen made his move, Yu Qiushi''s face turned ashen.


    Whoosh!


    In that moment, Gu Chen seemed to turn into a st of wind, moving too swiftly to trace. In just an instant, everyone only had a glimpse before all the disciples of the Canghai Sect were lying on the ground, screaming in agony.


    Qi Changyun and the other two managing elders also changed their expressions, not expecting Gu Chen''s strength to be this formidable. They were ready to assist Yu Qiushi, but Yu Qiushi stopped them.


    "There''s no need for you to take action; let me do it!"


    With a determined look in his eyes, Yu Qiushi remembered feeling indignant when he learned that he had been bumped off the rankings by Gu Chen. As a result, he chose to break through in seclusion.


    After emerging from seclusion, with greatly improved cultivation and martial skills, he no longer regarded Gu Chen as a concern. In his eyes, his goal was only the top three ranks in the Star Rankings.


    But at this moment, Gu Chen had refreshed his understanding. In his view, Gu Chen was no weaker than Huo Zhi and Tang Ming.


    "sh!"


    A cry erupted from Yu Qiushi and, with a sh of light, his long sword was unsheathed from his waist and shed towards Gu Chen.


    "Canghai Sword Skill!"


    Some sharp-eyed people from the martial world recognized this move. It was the unique martial art of the Canghai Sect, the Canghai Sword Skill, an advanced martial art.


    The Canghai Sword Skill had a vast and hefty sword force. Each sh was like an endless surge of sea waters rushing forth, unavoidable, forcing one to confront it head-on.


    This was the second major gain from Yu Qiushi''s recent retreat. He hadprehended the advanced martial art, Canghai Sword Skill, to the entry level. It could be said that Yu Qiushi had given it his all from the start, aiming to decide the oue with Gu Chen in a few moves and establish his dominance with this fight.


    ng!


    Gu Chen drew his crimson sword from his waist and parried with an extended hand, catching the sword.


    Unfazed by this, Yu Qiushi struck down with another overhead sh. The Canghai Sword Skill was relentless, like the surging waves of the ocean, wave after wave stronger than thest, each sh more powerful than the preceding one, intensifying as the battle progressed.


    ng, ng, ng!


    Gu Chen''s expression remained calm as he parried three sessive swords from Yu Qiushi without moving an inch from his position, clearly demonstrating that he was far from exerting his full strength.


    Just as Yu Qiushi was about to execute the fifth sword strike, Gu Chen finally spoke up.


    "Young Master Yu, try taking one of my sword strikes!"


    The words had barely left his mouth before Yu Qiushi could reply, when suddenly, a sharp nging sound of sword cry pierced the air, followed by a dazzling sh of sword light that zipped by, brilliant as a celestial aurora. The ring sword light caused everyone unconsciously to shut their eyes.


    A momentter, the crowd opened their eyes eagerly, only to be left agape at the scene before them.


    There stood Gu Chen, with his sword in one hand, the tip just inches away from Yu Qiushi''s throat. The natural sharpness emitting from the treasured de had already nicked the skin at Yu Qiushi''s neck, with tiny droplets of blood emerging.


    With just a slight push, Gu Chen could end Yu Qiushi''s life on the spot. Find your next tale on m-vl-em|p-yr

 Chapter 77: On-shelf Statement_1

    ```


    Well¡­ as the title suggests, the book will be up on the shelves at midnight tonight, which is the early morning of June 1, 2022.


    From then on, the chapters released will be VIP chapters.


    The shelf introduction was quite sudden¡­ This morning, I only intended to ask the editor about the follow-up readership since I was curious about the situation on Twitter, but then the editor asked me if I wanted to go live because I''m a newbie and didn''t understand much; I chose to do so.


    I also considered whether to go live on June 1, as this date is quite special to me¡ªan asion I would prepare for and remember for a lifetime, every year on this day.


    As for the specific reason¡­ I''ll save that forst, let''s talk business first.


    As I said when I started this book, I am a new author, through and through, without any experience in going live, not even a failed attempt to my name.


    The book''s performance, for my situation, is not bad, but of course, it still falls short of the goal I set when starting the book (I hoped for 10,000 favorites before going live, currently at 8,000).


    The editor I asked this morning mentioned the book currently has 500 followers, but of course, that doesn''t mean all 500 readers are willing to pay for the book.


    Nevertheless, I still hope that you can support me more, after all, I am a neer and also a named author. How well the book does and whether it''s written well are ultimately determined by the market.


    Let me briefly share my experience. I started reading novels in the early 2000s, back when I had to rent books from bookstores. A book would be worn and tattered from countless readers, and my gateway novel was "Zhu Xian" (I''m sure many readers share this experience).


    After over a decade of reading novels, I''ve umted some ideas, or perhaps sense of chivalry, or even heroic ardor, to write an exhrating and emotionally gripping novel.


    After all, who wouldn''t want to earn money doing what they love?


    But it was only when I actually started writing that I realized writing novels isn''t so simple. Reading is one thing, but personally crafting a story is another entirely.


    When I was a reader, I used to mock authors, thinking some plot lines were foolish, that the author was brainless, or the protagonist was an idiot.


    Now that I''ve experienced it firsthand, I''vee to understand how difficult it is to create a novel that''s logical, thrilling, and has perfect character settings.


    Ahem¡­ I''ve gone off-topic, sorry.


    I switched from reading pirated copies to legitimate ones, and while I understand, authors also need to make a living; we can''t live on love alone. So, I still hope everyone can understand and support me more.


    I also realize there are areas in this book that aren''t well-written, with logical inconsistencies. As a new author, it''s hard to take everything into ount sometimes. Thank you all for being so understanding and apanying this book to 180,000 words.


    Starting from the next chapter, it will be a paid chapter. With nearly 8,000 favorites, I don''t know how many readers will stay, but I still hope that those who can support will do so.


    Having written so much, I''ve gained a lot of experience and am slowly improving. I will strive to write better and better, and the only way I can repay you as the author is to deliver better story content and work hard to update more chapters.


    Although I''m new to this, I''ve made detailed outlines for this book.


    So, after going live, the minimum guarantee will be five updates. I n to finish this current segment of the story, not necessarily making it thrilling, but at least smooth.


    Let me talk about the additional chapter principles, though I''m not sure if I''ll reach them.


    My ideal first subscription count is 300, but ideals are merely ideals, and reality might be harsh. However, people should have dreams, and I want to give it a try.


    If the first subscription count reaches 300 and the goal is met, I will add one chapter, making it six chapters.


    From there on, for every additional 100 first subscriptions, I''ll add one chapter, with no upper limit (hopefully, the subscription will increase too).


    Of course, if there are readers willing to enable automatic subscription, the author will certainly be very happy (hehe).


    Regarding rewards¡­ well¡­


    Five chapters for the League Master (updated on the same day).


    Silver League (although I know it''s unlikely, if there is such, I''ll add ten chapters, updating on the same day).


    Golden League (let me dream, haha, for the Golden League I''ll add thirty chapters, to bepleted within three days!)


    Discover more at m''vl em|p yr


    That''s it, haha, although my hopes aren''t high, I have a realistic sense of my own capabilities.


    I won''t ask for monthly votes yet, considering I''m still a newbie and don''t quite understand the rules. I''ll focus on subscriptions, but those with monthly votes can also cast them to support me, thank you all.


    Only after going live can one truly test how well a book is written. Your support is my greatest motivation, so I must say it again, I really hope everyone can support me. Your support determines how far this book can go.


    Without subscriptions and interest, it''s like being a salesperson with no performance, and under such circumstances, the book will meet a terrible fate.


    Last but not least, I want to thank my editor Zi Liang. Zi Liang is really a great editor who has been very friendly to a greenhorn author like me, teaching me a lot about writing. Without him, this book wouldn''t exist and wouldn''t have made it this far. I sincerely thank Editor Zi Liang.


    I didn''t realize I''d written so much. It''s my first time going live, my first time giving a speech, so forgive me if I''ve been rambling.


    Oh, right, I should mention why June 1 is special to me¡ªit''s my birthday, haha. Yes, I celebrate Children''s Day, and will do so every year, even as I get older~


    I also hope that everyone reading this book can always maintain their original passion, never losing that childlike innocence, and enjoy every day.


    In the years toe, on each birthday, I''ll remember this book because it''s my first, and I''ll cherish it for a lifetime.


    This acknowledgment ends here. I''ll roll up my sleeves and start writing now, and I''ll deliver five chapters after midnight.


    Please support me. Thank you, everyone!


    ```

 Chapter 78: Chapter 75: Drastic Change (1st update, seeking first subscription!)_1

    Yu Qiushi''s eyes were wide open, disbelief stered across his face as he stared at the sword tip mere inches from his throat, losing allposure in that moment.


    He couldn''t fathom that he had been defeated by Gu Chen with just a single thrust, and such a thorough defeat at that.


    However, in Gu Chen''s view, it was only to be expected. Not to mention that he had perfected the Astonishing Swan Swordsmanship Skills, the main reason was the sheer gap in cultivation between them¡ªthere was simply noparison.


    Thud!


    At that moment, Gu Chen withdrew the Red Refinement de and closed the gap to Yu Qiushi, unleashing a palm strike at lightning speed, hitting him squarely in the chest.


    "Puh!"


    Yu Qiushi spat out a mouthful of blood and was sent flying backward. Read exciting tales at m_vl_em_p_yr


    "Brother Yu!"


    It was then that the members of the Canghai Sect finally reacted, ignoring their own injuries and running towards Yu Qiushi with faces full of shock.


    But obviously, their worry was unnecessary, as Gu Chen had not intended to kill; otherwise, he wouldn''t have retracted thatst thrust.


    After all, he wasn''t the kind of person who indiscriminately ughtered the innocent. Gu Chen only killed those who deserved it. Although Yu Qiushi had obstructed him, ording to his past exploits and the investigations of the Jing Tian Department, Yu Qiushi''s nature wasn''t malicious. He had simply been doing what he thought he should, so there was no need for Gu Chen to kill him.


    The palm strike Gu Chen had delivered was merely to incapacitate Yu Qiushi to prevent any further interference.


    The other martial artists in attendance were also shocked, never having imagined that Yu Qiushi, ranked in the top ten of the Group Star List, could be defeated so swiftly.


    They weren''t without discernment and knew that to decide the oue so rapidly, like a bolt of lightning, indicated that Gu Chen''s strength vastly outssed Yu Qiushi''s, leaving him without even a sliver of a chance to fight back.


    Even Tang Ming, ranked second on the list, and Huo Zhi, ranked third, had faces full of astonishment. When Yu Qiushi had used the Canghai Sword Skill, both of them felt a chill, knowing full well that neither of them had yet to grasp a high-grade martial art.


    In other words, facing Yu Qiushi, they were more likely to lose than win.


    Yet unexpectedly, Yu Qiushi, with such formidable strength, was so effortlessly defeated by Gu Chen from the Jing Tian Department. His ease reminded them of the battle they had once fought against Qin Mu.


    Suddenly, both turned their heads instinctively to look at Qin Mu, seated at the head.


    At that moment, Qin Mu raised his eyebrows slightly, a hint of interest flickering in his eyes. Among everyone present, he alone had clearly seen Gu Chen''s sword thrust.


    Indeed, Gu Chen''s disy had piqued his interest, albeit just a little.


    In terms of cultivation, he had connected fifty-six meridians. As for the martial arts, he had mastered two high-grade martial arts¡ªone at the beginner level and the other at minorpletion. From any angle, Yu Qiushi was far from his match.


    Had Qin Mu not been so proud and ambitious, aiming to break through the limits of the Meridians-Unblocking Realm, desiring to unlock even more meridians within this realm, he would have reached the External Qi Realm by now.


    He believed a fight with Gu Chen wouldn''tst beyond ten moves before Gu Chen would be defeated.


    Qi Changyun''s face was filled with dread. Seeing that Yu Qiushi had been defeated so quickly, he cursed inwardly, considering Yu Qiushi worthless, but on the surface, he feigned a pained expression, ceaselessly channeling his inner energy to Yu Qiushi, stabilizing his injuries to prevent them from worsening.


    "Qi Changyun,e and meet your end!"


    In a sh, Gu Chen appeared in front of Yu Qiushi, with his Phantom Traceless Step now at minorpletion due to the recent opening of leg meridians. His speed had increased manyfold, leaving only an afterimage in the air, his figure already far away.


    Startled, Qi Changyun nheless refused to ept his doom sitting down. Pushing both palms forward, his internal energy flowed out, striking towards Gu Chen.


    Gu Chen''s expression remained calm as his mighty internal energy circted through his meridians, with just a palm strike, he sent Qi Changyun flying backward, blood spurting from his mouth.


    "Wait, I have something to say!"


    Qi Changyun cried out, but Gu Chen didn''t relent, shadowing him closely and striking down with a palm.


    With his mind in turmoil from Gu Chen''s relentless assault, Qi Changyun caught a glimpse of Qin Mu, sitting off to the side, watching the battle unfold. A spark of inspiration flickered through his panicked mind, and he hatched a n.


    "Young Master Qin, save me, please save me!"


    Struggling valiantly yet taking another palm strike from Gu Chen, Qi Changyun staggered toward where Qin Mu sat.


    Seeing that two palm strikes hadn''t killed Qi Changyun, Gu Chen''s brows furrowed, feeling something wasn''t right.


    Just now, a chilling energy had flickered briefly over Qi Changyun''s body.


    Qin Mu watched with a cold gaze as Qi Changyun ran towards him, unmoved.


    Undaunted, Qi Changyun gritted his teeth and shouted, "Young Master Qin, the people from Jing Tian Department are too overbearing! This is the Sunset Sword Sect martial arts event, which hasn''t yet concluded, but they''ve already caused such disorder. I beg Young Master Qin to stand up for me!"


    Upon hearing this, the disciple from the Sunset Sword Sect beside Qin Mu''s expression changed as he looked towards Qin Mu. After all, today was supposed to be Sunset Sword Sect''s main event, and though it was yet unfinished, Gu Chen had stolen the limelight.


    Qin Mu, sitting there, shifted his gaze and looked down at Gu Chen, saying, "Enough, restrain yourself."


    His tone was indifferent, more like he was giving orders to a subordinate than mediating a conflict.


    Gu Chen acted as though he hadn''t heard, delivering another palm strike to Qi Changyun. This time he clearly saw a faint and obscure dark energy sh away upon impact ¨C the power of a demonic spirit.


    No wonder Qi Changyun could withstand several strikes from Gu Chen and yet not die. A martial artist of Qi Changyun''s ordinary strength in the External Qi Realm would typicallyst only three strikes before Gu Chen could kill them on the spot.


    Seeing that Gu Chen ignored his words as if they were unheard, treating him like air, Qin Mu''s brow furrowed and he thundered, "I said, restrain yourself!"


    His cold shout carried the weight of his profound cultivation, causing many of the weaker warriors to feel a sharp pain in their heads and their vision to darken momentarily.


    Gu Chen, being the closest, should have been the first to be affected, but unfortunately for Qin Mu, he had not yet reached the External Qi Realm; his internal energy couldn''t be externally projected, making the intimidation through his voicepletely ineffective against Gu Chen.


    "Ah¡ª"


    Qi Changyun screamed as Gu Chen''s strike caused him to bleed from his seven orifices, his entire skeleton nearly bursting.


    Seeing Qi Changyun on the verge of death, Qin Mu''s face showed a trace of unease, his expression turning stern as he prepared to teach Gu Chen a lesson.


    But at that moment, chaos erupted. Around Qi Changyun, countless tendrils of ck energy surged forth, enveloping himpletely.


    A chilling, ghostly sensation began to spread over the summit of Phoenix Crying Mountain.


    "Demonic spirits, these are demonic spirits!" cried out a martial artist, and people''s faces turned pale with fear.


    At that instant, Qi Changyun''s expression turned ferocious, resembling that of a vengeful ghost. He red at Gu Chen with an ominous tone and said, "Damn brat, you''ve disrupted my ns, forcing me to reveal myself prematurely. I want you dead!"


    His voice had changed, his throat corroded by the spirit''s power, emitting sounds more beastly than human, sending shivers down the spines of the listeners.

 Chapter 79: Chapter 76: Evil Spirits (Second update, please subscribe!)_1

    Qi Changyun naturally knew that in Huaiyang City, Gu Chen had in Zheng Jinan, who''d been possessed by a specter of ghostly level. But he dared to be so arrogant because he had his reasons.


    It must be understood that even specters of ghostly level have their strengths and weaknesses, and the one inhabiting his body was more powerful than the one that had possessed Zheng Jinan by more than just a notch.


    Furthermore, his situation differed from Zheng Jinan''s. Zheng Jinan was just an experimental subject. After being possessed by the specter, his consciousness gradually deteriorated, being eroded by the specter. But Qi Changyun''s case was different. After merging with the specter, the strength he could exhibit was entirely beyond what an experimental subject like Zheng Jinan couldpare to.


    His eyes were threaded with tendrils of ck qi, turning his entire pupils ghostly ck, creating a profoundly intimidating presence.


    At the same time, his fingernails were growing in length, as was his height. His bones were booming from within, and the injuries on his body were healing at an extremely fast pace.


    The Qi Changyun standing before them was nearly ten feet tall, with a sharp mouth and fangs, a twisted face, long and sharp fingernails, and shrouded with whirling ck qi, havingpletely lost the appearance of a human and turned into a monster.


    Gu Chen''s brows were tightly furrowed. He had seen several martial artists possessed by specters, but it was his first time seeing one like Qi Changyun, especially crucial was that Qi Changyun seemed to still retain his clear consciousness.


    What he didn''t know was that after being possessed by a specter, the strength exhibited varied with the degree ofpatibility.


    Some people, though forcibly fused with a specter, fundamentally remained ipatible, and thus could not merge thoroughly to unleash the specter''s full power, only bing puppets controlled by the specters.


    Ning City''s Magistrate Fang Yong and Zheng Jinan of Huaiyang City were both such cases.


    But Qi Changyun was entirely different. Hispatibility with the specter was extremely high, and their deep fusion allowed his power and the specter''s power to fullybine, multiplying his strength several times over.


    The most important aspect was that even if the specter''s power revived, he would notpletely lose his consciousness and be a puppet to the specter. On the contrary, he could control the specter''s power while maintaining his clear mind.


    It must be realized that specters have little wisdom and fight entirely on instinct. But now, Qi Changyun, merged with the specter, was in control, meaning that Gu Chen was facing a ghostly-level specter with martial experience and the ability to use various martial arts techniques, significantly increasing the difficulty.


    The current Qi Changyun, having merged with the specter, could no longer be called human; he had wholly fallen into the demonic path, abandoning human nature and bing an abomination, a monstrous entity.


    Yet even so, Gu Chen did not care, for although Qi Changyun had grown much stronger, he would still not be his match. What Gu Chen was worried about was how many others like Qi Changyun were there across the nine provinces?


    Or rather, within the demonic sects, were there many who had be like Qi Changyun?


    Song Yu and Wang Yan, seeing Qi Changyun''s transformation, were also shaken and somewhat at a loss, for in the files of Jing Tian Department, there was no record of human martial artists merging with specters to be such beings.


    Qin Mu likewise furrowed his brows, looking puzzled at Qi Changyun, apparently encountering a situationpletely unprecedented and beyond his understanding.


    As for the other martial artists, feeling the terrifying aura emanating from Qi Changyun, they all retreated far back, their faces filled with fear.


    Now, looking at the entire scene, only Gu Chen and Qin Mu were capable of facing Qi Changyun inbat; anyone else would simply be courting death.


    "Hehehehe..." At that moment, Qi Changyun''s voice was grating like metal scraping, and the cold aura exuding from him seemed as though it could pierce through pores and freeze one stiff.


    Gu Chen stimted the Pure Yang Technique, and the ck qi touching his body''s surface instantly turned to ash. Brought to you by m-vl_em|p,yr


    "Today, every single person here will die!"


    Qi Changyun''s sinister gaze swept over the crowd; to him, these martial artists were like delicious blood meals. After fusing with the specter, he was no different from the specter itself. Like it, he could strengthen himself by devouring flesh and blood.


    The more powerful the martial artists were, and the richer their life force, the greater the improvement he would receive after devouring them.


    "Speaking of which, I should thank you."


    At this time, Qi Changyun''s dark, cold eyes turned toward Qin Mu, saying, "If it weren''t for the Sunset Sword Sect''s arrogance, sending such a greenhorn like you, perhaps I truly might have died here today."


    Hearing Qi Changyun mocking him, Qin Mu''s expression darkened as he said coldly, "Do you wish to die?"


    "Hahahahaha..."


    Upon hearing this, Qi Changyun burst into uproariousughter. Hisugh, piercing in nature, caused many martial artists'' eardrums to burst, akin to demonic sounds invading their ears that brought intense pain to their heads.


    Even Gu Chen furrowed his brows, continuously circting the vigorous inner strength within his body, which greatly alleviated his difort.


    "Die!"


    Qi Changyun let out a strange scream, eroding Gu Chen''s mind with sound waves, and at the same time, he forcefully swung his sharp ws. In an instant, a jet-ck w strike surged toward Gu Chen.


    ng!


    Gu Chen defended himself with the Red Refinement de, withstanding Qi Changyun''s strike. The de trembled instantly, and Gu Chen took a small step backward.


    Defense was not Gu Chen''s style. After taking Qi Changyun''s strike, Gu Chen stepped forward, his afterimage remaining in ce, while his real body had already approached Qi Changyun, delivering a forceful and fiery Red me Palm towards him.


    "Useless, you can''t hurt me!"


    Qi Changyun was extremely confident, actually intending to take Gu Chen''s palm strike head-on. While martial arts of the yang style were the bane of specters, it also depended on the rtive strength of both sides. He was originally a martial artist in the External Qi Realm with the added strength of specter power, so he felt, what could Gu Chen, a mere Meridian Opening Realm warrior, do to him?


    Seeing Qi Changyun''s confidence, Gu Chen''s expression turned solemn, and his palm firmly imprinted on Qi Changyun''s chest.


    Bang!


    With the force of tens of thousands of pounds, plus two hundred and one years of profound inner strength, Qi Changyun''s body shook violently, and he spat out arge mouthful of pitch-ck blood.


    "You!"


    Qi Changyun''s eyes widened in disbelief. How could Gu Chen, a mere Meridian Opening Realm martial artist, umte such profound inner strength, far surpassing his own?


    As it turned out, in the previous battle with Gu Chen, he had not even exerted half of his strength, leading Qi to misjudge and assume that was the extent of Gu Chen''s abilities.


    At that moment, having taken Gu Chen''s palm strike squarely, Qi Changyun''s body stiffened, needing several breaths'' time to recover. But this provided Gu Chen an opportunity.


    Bang bang bang bang bang!


    Gu Chen''s palms followed one after another, and in a short moment, he hadnded over a dozen strikes on Qi Changyun''s body. Had it not been for the specter''s power reinforcing him and repairing his injuries, Qi Changyun would have exploded on the spot.


    But even so, he was in extreme difort, with various parts of his body bursting open and ck blood spurting out.


    "Heart-piercing w!"


    Qi Changyun seized the opportunity, bellowing loudly as his sharp ws pierced directly towards Gu Chen''s heart. Seeing that Gu Chen had no intention of defending himself and was ready to trade injury for injury, Qi Changyun was overjoyed.


    With the specter''s possession, he could continually recover from his injuries. Gu Chen was merely a mortal with flesh and blood. Qi was eager to see what Gu Chen would use to counter his attack!


    He was confident that with this strike, he could directly extract Gu Chen''s heart and then devour it in front of everyone.


    Hum!


    However, at this moment, Gu Chen''s body shook, and a faint protective golden light emerged on the surface of his body. After piercing through the golden light, the might of Qi Changyun''s attack dissipated, and it failed to inflict any injury on Gu Chen.


    "Are you a body-hardening martial artist?!"


    Qi Changyun eximed in shock, realizing that Gu Chen had practiced a superior body-hardening technique with extreme physical resilience, otherwise he couldn''t have blocked that strike just now.


    Shick!


    At that moment, a dazzling sword light appeared before his eyes. Qi Changyun felt a chill on his neck, knowing that if his head got severed, not even the possession of a specter could save him.


    Just when Qi Changyun thought he was about to meet his end, suddenly, a sword light shed, and Qin Mu appeared close to Qi Changyun, blocking Gu Chen''s startling sword for him.

 Chapter 80: Chapter 77: Confrontation with Qin Mu (3rd update, please subscribe!)_1

    Seeing Qin Mu intervene to stop him, Gu Chen''s eyes immediately turned cold.


    Qin Mu''s expression was stern. He nced indifferently at Gu Chen and said in a detached tone, "Back down."


    That demeanor and tone were as if he was giving orders, treating Gu Chen as if he were a subordinate.


    The reason for Qin Mu''s intervention was not because he feared Gu Chen would be overpowered, but because Qi Changyun had previously insulted him¡ªthat was the real reason he stepped in.


    Otherwise, he had absolutely no interest in either Gu Chen or Qi Changyun.


    Gu Chen stayed silent, not responding. How could he possibly let Qin Mu take Qi Changyun away? After all, there was a ghost of the spectral grade within Qi Changyun, and for Gu Chen, that was worth dozens of points of cultivation.


    Seeing that Gu Chen was unwilling to step aside, Qin Mu''s eyes darkened, hinting at his displeasure. Gu Chen had ignored him when he first asked him to stand down, and was still doing so now. It was clear that Gu Chen did not take him seriously at all, which irked Qin Mu, causing his brows to furrow.


    Qi Changyun, with his robust figure, stood there and saw that Gu Chen and Qin Mu were ignoring him, treating him like an object to be imed. They did not regard him as anything significant, which immediately filled him with intense anger.


    "Die!"


    He roared furiously, his sharp, beast-like fingers clenched into a fist, and his huge fist smashed down, immediately creating a buzzing in the air.


    His punch was incredibly powerful¡ªif a steel column were ced before him, he was confident he could smash it into a disk, let alone a body of flesh and blood.


    Of course, his main target was Qin Mu since he knew that Gu Chen had practiced a body strengthening martial art and didn''t want to sh directly with him.


    Seeing Qi Changyun daring to attack him, Qin Mu snorted coldly. He extended two fingers, energy brimming from his fingertips, dangerously sharp, and collided with Qi Changyun''s iing punch, causing Qi Changyun to cry out in pain as a bloody hole appeared on his fist.


    "Sunset Sword Sect''s One Yang Sword Finger?!" Qi Changyun looked at Qin Mu in shock,pletely taken aback that Qin Mu had mastered this high-grade martial technique from the Sunset Sword Sect.


    Qin Mu remained expressionless and silent. The One Yang Sword Finger was not simply practiced to the rudiments by him; he hadprehended this high-grade martial technique to the beginner''s level. Couple that with his profound cultivation, and creating a bloody hole in Qi Changyun''s body was almost effortlessly simple.


    Gu Chen didn''t bother with their showdown, and taking advantage of the moment Qi Changyun was caught off guard, he pped Qi Changyun''s chest. The Red me Palm''s burning energy surged, and Qi Changyun immediately spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, feeling as if all his internal organs were ignited.


    Red me Palm might be only a low-grade martial art, but Gu Chen had perfected it. Driven by Pure Yang Technique, a masculine inner energy, and with his 201 years of inner breath cultivation, the damage it dealt to Qi Changyun was not much less than Qin Mu''s One Yang Sword Finger.


    Qi Changyun was greatly shocked. He couldn''t understand how two young people, barely over twenty years old, could be so powerful. Qin Mu was one thing, being the first on the Star Rankings. But how could Gu Chen also be such a monster? To him, Gu Chen didn''t seem much weaker than Qin Mu, and in terms of cultivation, he felt Gu Chen might even have the upper hand.


    "This won''t do, if this continues I''ll really die here!"


    Qi Changyun was in a state of panic. He might not be able to handle one Gu Chen, and now with Qin Mu also here, it was even less likely he could be a match.


    Although after merging with the demon ghost, both his lifespan and recovery powers had significantly increased, they weren''t limitless. If he was fatally wounded, he would die just the same and not live through it.


    "I need to get out of here!" Qi Changyun''s eyes darted around, and his thoughts whirled as he contemted a way to escape.


    "Roar!"


    All of a sudden, he let out a loud cry. The numerous shadows of dark, sinister energy that swirled around him surged towards Gu Chen and Qin Mu like long snakes, while he took the chance to turn and flee.


    "You can''t escape!"


    Qin Mu''s eyes turned icy, his energy exploded, creating a wave of force that crushed the ck energy, and he stepped forward, chasing after Qi Changyun.


    Gu Chen''s eyes were fierce. Pure Yang Technique in motion, his scorching inner breath coated his body, and the iing ck energy was instantly burned to ashes.


    At that moment, he seemed to transform into a phantom. He took a light step and swiftly caught up to Qi Changyun.


    "These two monsters!"


    Qi Changyun cursed inwardly. He thought that after merging with the demon ghost and with his Outer Energy Realm cultivation, he would be able to dominate the field, take whatever he wanted. He did not expect Gu Chen and Qin Mu, especially Gu Chen, to make him so embarrassed and hard-pressed.


    It could be said that Gu Chen''s appearance waspletely unexpected to Qi Changyun and had disrupted his n.


    "Damn Jing Tian Department, one day I''ll see you and all the imperial hounds obliterated!"


    Qi Changyun cursed as he fled, his speed was not slow, but Gu Chen and Qin Mu were somehow even faster. The two raced against each other as ifpeting, their figures shing intermittently as they quickly caught up to Qi Changyun.


    Bang!


    Gu Chen struck out with a palm, but missed Qi Changyun, his attack once again blocked by Qin Mu.


    "I told you, he''s my prey," Qin Mu said coldly to Gu Chen, his expression arrogant and domineering. This was typical of the Sunset Sword Sect''s usual behavior, exceedingly assertive. What they wanted, others had to yield.


    In Qin Mu''s view, he could kill Qi Changyun all by himself; coborating with Gu Chen was an insult to him.


    Moreover, in terms of strength, Gu Chen didn''t even qualify to join forces with him.


    Even though Gu Chen was not weak, having defeated Yu Qiushi, he still wasn''t good enough in Qin Mu''s eyes, far from it.


    "Scram!"


    Gu Chen couldn''t be bothered with more nonsense with Qin Mu. For some reason, he had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach as if a beast could sense an imminent danger. As his body continually became stronger and transformed, Gu Chen now also possessed this kind of intuition.


    He thought of swiftly killing Qi Changyun and then taking Song Yu and Wang Yan to leave this ce.


    "You''re seeking death!"


    Upon hearing this, Qin Mu''s expression immediately darkened, and he ignored Qi Changyun,unching an attack directly at Gu Chen.


    "Do you have a death wish?" Gu Chen swiftly turned, his eyes icily intense.


    Without a word, Qin Mu pointed his finger at Gu Chen, energy surging on his dual fingers like the sharpness of sword Qi¡ªit was the One Yang Sword Finger.


    Seeing this, Gu Chen didn''t dodge or evade, but extended two fingers as well, colliding them against Qin Mu''s One Yang Sword Finger.


    Bang!


    Their fingers met as if needle against wheat awn, evenly matched.


    Gu Chen was employing the Seal Meridian Finger, and although it was not as high-grade as Qin Mu''s One Yang Sword Finger, Gu Chen''s cultivation was evident. Even though Qin Mu had opened fifty-six meridians, he still couldn''tpare with Gu Chen in this regard.


    Of course, it wasn''t realistic for Gu Chen to defeat Qin Mu the same way he did Yu Qiushi. Qin Mu was far superior to Yu Qiushi, not even on the same level. Gu Chen would need to exert some effort to defeat Qin Mu, but he didn''t have the time for that now.


    Qin Mu''s eyes showed surprise, not expecting Gu Chen to be his equal. He said coldly, "You''ve got some skill, but you''re still not my opponent. I''ll give you a chance to back off now while you still can."


    As Gu Chen stood against Qin Mu, this scene captured the attention of everyone present. When they saw that Gu Chen could spar with Qin Mu, they were thoroughly shocked.


    Tang Ming and Huo Zhi, ranked second and third on the Star Ranking, shook their heads, feeling that Gu Chen was overestimating his abilities. One must understand that Qin Mu hadn''t even shown his true capabilities yet. In their eyes, it would be wise for Gu Chen to recognize his ce. Qin Mu was not Zheng Yan or Yu Qiushi; there was simply noparison.


    "Ah..."


    Suddenly, a series of battle cries and screams came from the foot of the mountain, changing theplexion of the people at the top.


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    On the other hand, Qi Changyun''s face lit up with joy. He knew the reinforcements from the Evil Heart Sect had arrived.


    "Hahaha, today, all of you will die here! Not a single one will escape!" Qi Changyun said viciously as he extracted a martial artist''s heart and ate it on the spot.


    "What does that mean?"


    "Could it be that the devil''s cult has attacked?"


    "Talking nonsense, the devil''s cult has been destroyed for over three hundred years!"


    The martial artists of the jianghu were discussing in confusion, it was clear they were somewhat panicked.


    At this moment, they heard Qi Changyun bellow, "Today, I, the Six Union God Sect, reemerge in the jianghu, and I will take all of you as a sacrifice for our Sect''s great banner!"

 Chapter 81: Chapter 78: Reappearance of the Demonic Sect (4th update, subscription wanted!)_1

    "What, the demon cult has reemerged in the Jianghu?!"


    As soon as these words were spoken, the whole room exploded in an uproar, all the warriors wore expressions of disbelief and vehemently eximed that it was impossible.


    It was known that the Six Union God Sect had been destroyed for over three hundred years, with no news in all that time; everyone thought the demon cult''s legacy was nearly extinct, but unexpectedly, today Qi Changyun told them that the demon cult had reemerged in the Jianghu.


    "This won''t do, we must inform the higher-ups of our sect!" The warriors thought to themselves, determined to spread the news of the Six Union God Sect''s resurgence throughout the Nine Provinces, to gather the strength of the entire Nine Provinces and once again obliterate them.


    "None of you will get away today!" Qi Changyunughed triumphantly, continuing to devour the hearts of several warriors.


    On the other side, Gu Chen''s expression darkened, as he finally understood where his ominous premonition wasing from; he knew he had to send word back to Jing Tian Department as quickly as possible.


    Qin Mu also changed his expression upon hearing the news of the Six Union God Sect''s resurgence, his brows deeply furrowed as he contemted the veracity of this matter.


    At that moment, Gu Chen''s figure shed, as he moved to strike down Qi Changyun, but Qin Mu followed suit.


    Qin Mu had grown up in the Sunset Sword Sect, ustomed to being overbearing, and after all, he was only in his twenties, at the peak of his youthful vigor. Today, after being insulted by both Qi Changyun and Gu Chen, anger welled up in Qin Mu, unwilling to let the two of them off the hook.


    In Qin Mu''s eyes, Gu Chen was no different from a wild grass by the roadside, and today he was determined to teach Gu Chen a lesson.


    Gu Chen knew that today, without dealing with Qin Mu, he would have no hope of killing Qi Changyun.


    Whoosh!


    Gu Chen''s figure shed, turning into a phantom and appearing behind Qin Mu, astonishing him with his incredible speed.


    Hiss!


    Suddenly, Gu Chen extended a finger, hitting Qin Mu squarely in the back of the heart.


    Qin Mu let out a coldugh, unconcerned, as he had absolute confidence in his cultivation, able to withstand Gu Chen''s strike.


    Indeed, Gu Chen''s jab did not inflict much damage on him.


    But what followed was Gu Chen changing shapes, turning into countless phantoms, flickering incessantly around Qin Mu.


    Qin Mu frowned slightly, sensing that something was amiss; he attempted to maneuver his internal energy to repel Gu Chen, but his body trembled first, for he discovered he could no longer mobilize his internal energy.


    "You sealed my meridians?!" Qin Mu looked at Gu Chen with furrowed brows.


    The move that Gu Chen had just used was the Seal Meridian Finger, whose force was subtle and gentle; if one did not activate their internal energy, it was extremely difficult to notice.


    A warrior with sealed meridians would see a significant drop inbat power. Gu Chen did not wish to waste words with Qin Mu, delivering a kick straight to Qin Mu''s chest and sending him flying a great distance.


    "You!"


    Qin Mu''s face changed, having never before been treated like this.


    The crowd was shocked to see Qin Mu at a disadvantage, staring open-mouthed in astonishment. After all, that was Qin Mu, the top talent on the Stars Ranking, reaching the peak of the Through-Pulse Realm, a figure the younger generation in Jianghu couldn''t even look straight at, and now he was kicked away by someone?


    The disciples of the Sunset Sword Sect also had their expressions change drastically, their faces filled with incredulity; their esteemed Elder Brother Qin, could he really be defeated by Gu Chen?


    Tang Ming and Huo Zhi slightly frowned, they could see clearly. Although Gu Chen was strong, he should not have been able to defeat Qin Mu so easily; it was Qin Mu''s carelessness that had presented Gu Chen with an opportunity.


    Even now, both believed that if Qin Mu used his full strength, Gu Chen''s chances of winning were still very low.


    Gu Chen paid no attention to the shocked gazes of the others; at this moment, his eyes were fixed solely on Qi Changyun.


    Qi Changyun was in pursuit of a warrior, his sharp ws extending and about to pierce the warrior''s chest in the next second when suddenly, his body trembled, and he felt a great fear rise from the depths of his heart.


    Hiss!


    A sh of brilliant sword light appeared, and Qi Changyun felt a chill on his neck. He instinctively reached to touch it but grasped at nothing.


    Then, he realized his vision was rising, and he saw below, his own headless body.


    St!


    Arge quantity of ck blood sprayed from the wound on Qi Changyun''s neck, spattering up to three feet high.


    Thump!


    Qi Changyun''s headless body fell, and a wisp of ck air tried to escape from his wound. However, in that moment, Gu Chen suddenly appeared and forcefully pressed the ck air back in.


    "Ao!"


    A mournful howl sounded vaguely, but Gu Chen remained expressionless. In the blink of an eye, he struck out eighteen palms in rapid session, turning both Qi Changyun''s body and the demon spirit into ashes.


    Seeing Gu Chen y Qi Changyun, Song Yu and Wang Yan also decided to approach. Earlier, when Gu Chen was engaged inbat with Qi Changyun and Qin Mu, the two of them werepletely unable to intervene. In order not to cause any trouble for Gu Chen, they had been watching from a distance.


    "What do we do now?" asked Song Yu, her brow furrowed. By now, the peak of Phoenix Crying Mountain had descended into chaos, with cultist warriors swarming up the mountain side. They had nowhere to run.


    "I''ll send you two off first," Gu Chen said.


    "Hm?" Upon hearing this, Song Yu''s eyes widened, and she eximed in a heightened voice, "You''re not leaving?"


    Wang Yan was also looking at him, confused.


    Gu Chen shook his head slightly. He wanted to stay and see if among the attacking cultist warriors there were any with a situation simr to Qi Changyun''s.


    Besides, to Gu Chen, someone like Qi Changyun was akin to walking cultivation points. He was in need of improving his strength and was even less willing to leave now.


    Of course, all this confidence stemmed from Gu Chen''s belief in his own power. He felt that with his currentbat prowess, he could afford to stay and observe. However, it was different for Song Yu and Wang Yan.


    If they stayed, they would only hinder Gu Chen.


    Since Gu Chen had made up his mind, the two of them didn''t say much more and nodded in agreement.


    And so, the three of them charged down the mountain together. Before long, they encountered a group of sinister-looking cultists, d in ck, rushing towards the peak.


    "Kill them!"


    Most of these cultists were from the Evil Heart Sect, the main instigators behind the current events.


    These cultivators were merely ordinary ones at the Meridian Opening stage, none requiring Gu Chen''s intervention. Song Yu and Wang Yan swiftly dispatched them.


    The trio fought their way as they went, and in no more than the time it takes an incense stick to burn, they had already in twenty or thirty cultists.


    "How could they possibly have so many people?" Song Yu and Wang Yan were bewildered. The Six Union God Sect had been destroyed for many years, yet on their first emergence, they already had such arge force, which inevitably shocked them.


    Moreover, this was just one of the branches of the Six Union God Sect.


    Gu Chen''s expression was solemn too. He knew that the cult must have been umting power in secret for a long time, only choosing to reveal themselvespletely to the world when they were fully confident in their strength.


    Continuing in this way, they made it halfway down the mountain when a chilling energy approached, causing Song Yu''s and Wang Yan''s faces to change.


    They saw an old man rushing up from the base of the mountain. With formidable presence, simr to Qi Changyun''s, he was an External Energy realm martial artist, surrounded by swirling ck air.


    "Where do you think you''re going!"


    The old man''s face was fierce, and his pupils were engulfed in ckness. Upon spotting Gu Chen and the others, a sinister smile appeared on his face.


    "You two go on ahead," Gu Chen said. In a sh, he intercepted the old man, allowing Song Yu and Wang Yan to continue their escape.


    The two nodded, saying nothing further, heading straight down the mountain.


    The old man nced back but wasn''t concerned. In his view, among the three of them, Gu Chen had the most vigorous vitality, far stronger than thebined force of Song Yu and Wang Yan. Therefore, he didn''t care about letting them escape.


    "Die!" The old man let out a wild cry, his body leaping into the air, diving toward Gu Chen like a bat.


    Boom!


    Yet, as soon as he reached Gu Chen, Gu Chen pushed out with one palm, and the old man flew back even faster than he hade.


    Realizing the strength of Gu Chen, the old man''s expression changed, and he asked in shock, "Where''s Old Lu?"


    Old Lu, also known as Lu Ou, was Qi Changyun''s real name. Given Gu Chen''s ability to make it this far, it meant either Lu Ou hadn''t stopped Gu Chen, or he had been killed by him.


    Gu Chen stood in his dark robe, his gaze lowered and his demeanor detached as he responded, "He''s waiting for you down below."


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    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 82: Chapter 79: Astonishing Guess (5th update, please subscribe!)_1

    "Insolent youngling, what grandiose nonsense!"


    The elder bellowed sharply, raising his hand and hurling a palm strike through the air. A pitch-ck palm print flew towards Gu Chen.


    He considered himself to be significantly stronger than Qi Changyun and, coupled with the fact that Gu Chen was only at the Tongmai Stage, he did not fear Gu Chen.


    Without any hesitation, Gu Chen drew his Red Refinement de with a ng, channeling all his power into a single strike.


    ng!


    Suddenly, a sword''s cry pierced the air, apanied by a brilliant sh, a colossal head soared towards the heavens.


    Astonishing Swan Swordsmanship Skills!


    This swordsmanship prioritized speed; in the world of martial arts, speed was unparalleled. Gu Chen had perfected the Astonishing Swan Swordsmanship, and his striking velocity was akin to lightning, with hardly anyone able to evade his attack.


    Of course, since it was a swift swordsmanship, the first move was always the most unpredictable and difficult to defend against. If the first strike was blocked, then the sessive moves of the Astonishing Swan Swordsmanship were unlikely to achieve much.


    This differed greatly from the Canghai Sword Skill that Yu Qiushi employed against Gu Chen earlier.


    Blood spurted out, and a demonic spirit burst forth from the body. Without any hesitation, Gu Chen struck again, killing the ghostly demon on the spot and converting it into contribution points for his own use.


    Gu Chen''s eyes flickered; the contribution points from a ghostly demon were indeed considerable. ying two ghostly demons had granted him nearly sixty points of contribution value.


    However, at the same time, a trace of concern arose in his heart. The situation with Qi Changyun was apparently not an isted case; the old man, just like Qi Changyun, had retained his own consciousness after being possessed by a demon and could manipte the demon''s power.


    Gu Chen suspected that the demonic sect might have acquired a secret technique that allowed for the perfect fusion of a demon with a martial artist.


    If that were the case, it would be terrifying. This matter had to be brought to the attention of the Jing Tian Department, and even reported to Da Xia, for the court to take timely measures. For if this were true, the entire world would fall into chaos.


    Demons possessed unpredictable and formidable power, making them exceedingly difficult to guard against.


    The Jing Tian Department has been able to suppress them until now, allowing the world to remain undisturbed by demons, for two reasons: first, the number of demons was not toorge, and the Jing Tian Department suppressed them swiftly; second, demonscked intelligence, acting purely on instinct.


    Yet, if demons could perfectly fuse with martial artists,bining their powers, Gu Chen had seen the extent of Qi Changyun''s transformation¡ªhis strength would skyrocket several-fold, including physical strength, stamina, speed, etc. The demons would bring an all-around enhancement to the martial artist, a prospect that was chilling to even contemte.


    Consider that a martial artist at the level of Qi Changyun, an ordinary External Qi Stage fighter, could easily be killed by Gu Chen. But after merging with a demon, he managed to match Gu Chen in many moves. And that was just thebination of a ghostly demon with an External Qi Stage martial artist. What if a higher-tier demon perfectly merged with a Gang Qi Stage martial artist?


    The stronger the demon, the greater the boost it could provide to a martial artist post-possession.


    And could martial artists be like demons, no longer needing to cultivate with arduous effort, but instead increasing their power simply by devouring flesh and blood?


    If this were the case, then the reemergence of the Six Union God Sect into the martial fraternity could indeed be a reality, and Jiuzhou, peaceful for over two decades, would once more witness a storm of bloodshed.


    Even more so, it was quite possible that the Six Union God Sect might be even more powerful than it was three hundred years ago!


    The more Gu Chen thought about it, the more rmed he became. If this were true, as the Metropolitan Procurator of the Jing Tian Department, he would be the first to face the brunt of the crisis.


    Boom!


    All of a sudden, a loud explosion emanated from the mountaintop, sending dust everywhere and countless rocks hurtling into the sky, along with many screams of agony.


    Gu Chen''s expression grew solemn as he looked towards the summit of Phoenix Crying Mountain. There, he sensed a distinctly extraordinary and terrifying aura, strikingly simr to the oppressive feeling he had experienced at the Mingjing Department from Chen Yu and Zhu Ting.


    Gang Qi Stage martial artist!


    Gu Chen inwardly tensed; he hadn''t expected the Evil Heart Sect to deploy a Gang Qi Stage martial artist. Fortunately, he hadn''t overestimated himself and stayed on the mountaintop. Otherwise, escape would be difficult now.


    Once a martial artist reached the Gang Qi Stage, the internal breath inside their body would transform into Gangqi. The level of Gangqi far surpassed internal breath, and its destructive power was beyond anyparison with internal breath.


    A casual strike from a Gang Qi Stage martial artist possessed tremendous lethality. A highly skilled Gang Qi Stage martial artist, like Chen Yu for instance, could easily shatter mountains and split the earth.


    Not to mention, this Gang Qi Stage martial artist likely harbored a demon within himself as well.


    Gu Chen knew that he should not linger any longer in this ce; without further hesitation, he ran down the mountain.


    On his way, Gu Chen encountered over a dozen warriors from the Evil Heart Sect. They were all warriors at the Meridian Opening Stage, one of whom was like Zheng Jinan, possessed by a demon but had lost his sanity.


    After swiftly ying this group of people, Gu Chen reached the foot of Phoenix Crying Mountain and saw the ground littered with corpses, none intact, the pungent smell of blood rising into the sky.


    Witnessing this hellish scene, Gu Chen''s brows furrowed tightly, and he hurriedly left the ce.


    If the demon cult warrior at the peak of the mountain finished killing and noticed him descending, facing such a great master at the 7th Stage of martial arts, Gu Chen''s chance of survival would be zero.


    After leaving Phoenix Crying Mountain, Gu Chen reached the previously agreed rendezvous with Song Yu and Wang Yan and met with the two.


    "How did it go?" Gu Chen asked.


    Song Yu and Wang Yan had grave expressions as they said, "The news has already spread. The whole Phoenix Sun City is now in chaos, and no doubt the imperial court will soon learn of it."


    Gu Chen nodded. With so many bodies at the foot of the mountain, and the smell of blood spreading far, it would be difficult not to notice, not to mention the martial arts tournament was a highly anticipated event.


    After this battle, the various martial factions of Qiongtian Mansion would suffer greatly, for countless young talents had perished here.


    "The remnants of the demon cult, they are indeed cunning!" Song Yu spoke with hatred. By now, he knew that everything had been calcted by the demon cult, aiming for the martial arts tournament to kill young talents of the martial world and to announce their return to the whole of Da Xia.


    In this aspect, they resembled the Six Union God Sect from over three hundred years ago ¡ª equally arrogant.


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    "The demon cult must have secretly umted a lot of strength over the years, otherwise they wouldn''t dare create such trouble now," Wang Yan also said.


    "It''s all because the Human Emperor is in seclusion. If the Human Emperor was present, these scoundrels wouldn''t dare to jump out. The whole world would be at peace, and the people would live and work in contentment," Song Yu said coldly.


    Hearing this, both Gu Chen and Wang Yan strongly agreed, for the strength of the current Human Emperor of Da Xia was not lesser than the leader who brought the Six Union God Sect to its pinnacle more than three hundred years ago. In fact, he might even be stronger.


    Because the current sovereign had achieved what even the Six Union God Sect leader had not been able to do.


    Moreover, Da Xia''s strength now was not necessarily weaker than the Six Union God Sect at its heyday.


    "Now, you two should return to Jing Tian Department immediately," Gu Chen said, sharing his spections about the events at Phoenix Crying Mountain with Song Yu and the others.


    Upon hearing Gu Chen''s conjecture, the expressions of Song Yu and Wang Yan changed drastically, and they also realized the severity of the situation. They decided to immediately return to Tiandu to inform Chen Yu.


    Such a matter was beyond Chen Yu''s decision-making power; he too must report it, informing the imperial court so they might decide.


    "What about you?" Song Yu and Wang Yan looked at Gu Chen.


    "I n to stay here and observe for a while longer," Gu Chen said solemnly.


    Song Yu and Wang Yan nodded. With the Six Union God Sect just reemerging in the martial world, it was uncertain what they might stir up next. With Gu Chen''s strength, as long as he was careful, he should not encounter any greater danger.


    "Alright, then take care of yourself and be very careful!" With decisive finality, after speaking these words, the two left Phoenix Sun City and rushed towards the Jing Tian Department in Tiandu.


    Gu Chen watched them leave before returning to the inn. After instructing the inn''s errand boy not to disturb him in theing days, he began his seclusion.


    At this moment, the hearts of the people in Phoenix Sun City were filled with trepidation, and many influential figures were packing their belongings, ready to flee the ce.


    With a minimal sense of knowledge, it was well-known that Phoenix Crying Mountain was just tens of miles from Phoenix Sun City, so they greatly feared whether the demon cult warriors would attack the city.


    But Gu Chen was aware that this operation involved mostly warriors from the Evil Heart Sect''s subordinate branches. The young talents at the martial arts tournament were their targets, not likely to attack Phoenix Sun City anytime soon nor could they muster thatrge a force in a short span of time.


    Moreover, with the imperial court soon to be aware of the situation here, they would undoubtedly send additional forces to Phoenix Sun City. The people of the Evil Heart Sect were not so foolish; as arge city of Anyang County, Phoenix Sun City was not so easily breached, with strong defenses.


    Back in his room at the inn, Gu Chen cast aside distractions and calmed his mind, bringing up the panel.

 Chapter 84: Chapter 81 Rumors_1

    In the following days, three more passed, and Phoenix Sun City regained its tranquility. After the martial arts tournament, the members of the demonic cult seemed to have never appeared, vanishing without a trace, and their disappearance was thorough indeed.


    Only the bodies strewn across the mountains served as proof of what had urred before.


    With the disappearance of the demonic cult''s warriors, the nobility and prestigious families of Phoenix Sun City, after observing the situation, also chose not to leave.


    However, the news of the Six Union God Sect reemerging in Jianghu had spread throughout the world, plunging all nine provinces into turmoil. Countless martial artists were talking about this matter, causing storms and feelings of insecurity in every city.


    At this moment, in Drunken Phoenix Tower, martial artists were discussing what had happened on Phoenix Crying Mountain three days earlier.


    On that day, before the demonic cult''s Gang Qi Stage warriors arrived, thanks to Gu Chen killing Qi Changyun, there were still some martial artists who, sensing the adverse turn of events, managed to flee.


    "The Six Union God Sect, which disappeared for more than three hundred years, has actually reemerged. I''m afraid this world is about to experience a bloody storm," said a martial artist with a worried expression.


    "I''m not so sure about that. Maybe this is just a smokescreen by the demonic cult. The Six Union God Sect has been gone for over three hundred years. After that battle back then, their lineage was nearly extinguished. Plus, with all the suppression towards the cult over these years, how could they possibly have recovered?" another martial artist argued with a different opinion.


    But someone disagreed with this view and shook their head, saying, "I don''t think so. The number of demonic cult warriors assaulting Phoenix Crying Mountain this time was massive. They must have been hiding and umting strength in the dark over the years. You know, not even an insect with a hundred legs dies easily, let alone the once-dominant Six Union God Sect.


    Theplete eradication of such a sect is surely not so simple."


    "Maybe it''s only the Evil Heart Sect branch that didn''t die out?" a martial artist said, harboring a stroke of luck.


    The warrior who spoke earlier nced at that person and shook his head.


    "With the resurgence of the demonic cult, there are endless unknown demon spirits bringing chaos to the world. The nine provinces are facing the onset of troubled times," said an elder, who was an elder from a sect in Anyang County. Upon hearing the news of the demonic cult''s resurgence, he had hurried to Phoenix Sun City to stay abreast of thetest developments.


    Upon hearing this, everyone fell into a moment of silence.


    But then someone said, "Don''t be so disheartened. If the sky falls, there will be taller people to support it. Da Xia is a powerful nation, filled with numerous experts in the Jing Tian Department, not to mention the various major sects in Jianghu. If the Six Union God Sect wants to make aeback, I''m afraid it won''t be so easy."


    Suddenly, a martial artist said in a low voice, "I''ve heard a rumor that the demonic cult has found a way to control demon spirits, allowing martial artists to merge with them and harness their power for their own use. As a result, not only does it greatly increase their lifespan, but their cultivation level also skyrockets. No matter the injury, they can heal in the shortest possible time."


    Upon hearing this, many martial artists in Drunken Phoenix Tower had their eyes light up with interest.


    "Evil heretics!"


    The elder who had spoken earlier snorted disdainfully. "Merging with such demonic entities, can you still call yourself human? How will your families, your friends look at you then? Do you really want to be inhuman, monstrous creatures that only know how to suck blood and consume flesh?!"


    "Moreover, controlling demon spirits is not so easily done. Haven''t you seen enough of those who have been possessed, lost their minds, and turned into ythings?"


    The moment the elder uttered these words, countless martial artists grew apprehensive, shaking their heads and quickly erasing such thoughts from their minds.


    Yet, there were still many martial artists whose thoughts were active, contemting the feasibility of this matter.


    In the world of Jianghu, the greatest desires of all martial artists are might and power; no one could escape that. Everyone hoped to live forever, remain in this world eternally and possess unparalleled strength.


    The elder knew that once such a discussion began, many martial artists with ill intent would be lured. He turned his gaze to the martial artist who mentioned this news and shouted, "Spreading rumors and causing confusion, could it be that you are a spy from the demonic cult?!"


    "I... I am not, I have been wronged, I only heard it through the grapevine," the martial artist said in panic, his face filled with bitterness.


    "Hmph!"


    The elder huffed coldly and said no more.


    "Alright, let''s not discuss this any further. Just as we said before, if the sky falls, there will be taller people to hold it up. This isn''t something for us little folks to worry about," someone stepped forward to smooth things over.


    At that moment, someone said in a low voice, "By the way, during the tournament, did any of you see Gu Chen fight with Qin Mu, who''s ranked eighth on the Star Ranking List?"


    "What about it?" a martial artist asked with a frown, clearly unaware of this piece of news. After all, everyone''s attention was on the Six Union God Sect reentering Jianghu.


    "Qin Mu was defeated by Gu Chen!"


    "What?!"


    The martial artists at Drunken Phoenix Tower showed shock and said, "How is that possible, the number one on the Star Ranking List, Qin Mu, defeated?"


    "Impossible, where did you get this rumor? How could Qin Mu, who has reached the limit of the Meridian Opening Stage, be defeated by Gu Chen?"


    Obviously, everyone was skeptical of the veracity of this news and began to question it.


    The martial artist who had spread the news hurriedly said, "It''s true. I was there and saw it myself, from a corner. It couldn''t have been fake!"


    The group of martial artists shook their heads, still disbelieving. In Qiongtian Mansion, after all, Qin Mu''s reputation was considerable. He was ranked first on the Star Ranking List, the youngest true disciple of Sunset Sword Sect, a candidate for the future sect leader, having reached the limit of the Meridian Opening Stage.


    There were so many des attached to Qin Mu that their disbelief was natural. Even if Gu Chen was from Jing Tian Department, he hadn''t been well-known before, and while Jing Tian Department was strong, that was due to the strength of its higher echelons.


    Moreover, even if the Jing Tian Department was incredibly powerful, it was still not likely that someone could just appear out of nowhere and defeat Qin Mu.


    People felt that the news must be hearsay, and they dismissed it, even choosing to ignore it entirely.


    "This is true, I also saw it with my own eyes!" At this time, another martial artist spoke up.


    "What, so it''s true?"


    "Impossible, it sounds like a fantasy."


    It could be said that Qin Mu''s strength was ingrained in the hearts of these people. They were somewhat unwilling to believe it and resumed their discussions.


    At this point, disciples from Sunset Sword Sect happened to appear at the stairway. Upon hearing the news, they scoffed.


    Seeing the disciples from Sunset Sword Sect, the martial artists in the tavern changed their expression and fell silent, not daring to discuss it any further.


    But the words had already been spoken, and those Sunset Sword Sect disciples looked displeased, even to the point where one jeered, "What''s Gu Chenpared to my brother Qin Mu, deserving to be mentioned in the same breath?"


    "Junior brother, quiet down!"


    The leading disciple turned and red at the younger one. Whatever the case, Gu Chen was a member of the Jing Tian Department, and they had to be cautious with their words.


    The young disciple looked indignant but did not dare to say more.


    The leading disciple from Sunset Sword Sect, named Qian Yuan, swept his gaze over the group of martial artists as a warning. Their conversation must not spread, or else the Sunset Sword Sect would remember them and pay each a personal visit.


    "Let''s go, back to the sect!"


    Qian Yuan intended to report this matter to Qin Mu as soon as possible. Qin Mu was the face of the Sunset Sword Sect, and any insult to Qin Mu was an insult to the sect. The news of Gu Chen defeating Qin Mu could not be allowed to spread through Jianghu.

 Chapter 84: Chapter 81 Rumors_1

    In the following days, three more passed, and Phoenix Sun City regained its tranquility. After the martial arts tournament, the members of the demonic cult seemed to have never appeared, vanishing without a trace, and their disappearance was thorough indeed.


    Only the bodies strewn across the mountains served as proof of what had urred before.


    With the disappearance of the demonic cult''s warriors, the nobility and prestigious families of Phoenix Sun City, after observing the situation, also chose not to leave.


    However, the news of the Six Union God Sect reemerging in Jianghu had spread throughout the world, plunging all nine provinces into turmoil. Countless martial artists were talking about this matter, causing storms and feelings of insecurity in every city.


    At this moment, in Drunken Phoenix Tower, martial artists were discussing what had happened on Phoenix Crying Mountain three days earlier.


    On that day, before the demonic cult''s Gang Qi Stage warriors arrived, thanks to Gu Chen killing Qi Changyun, there were still some martial artists who, sensing the adverse turn of events, managed to flee.


    "The Six Union God Sect, which disappeared for more than three hundred years, has actually reemerged. I''m afraid this world is about to experience a bloody storm," said a martial artist with a worried expression.


    "I''m not so sure about that. Maybe this is just a smokescreen by the demonic cult. The Six Union God Sect has been gone for over three hundred years. After that battle back then, their lineage was nearly extinguished. Plus, with all the suppression towards the cult over these years, how could they possibly have recovered?" another martial artist argued with a different opinion.


    But someone disagreed with this view and shook their head, saying, "I don''t think so. The number of demonic cult warriors assaulting Phoenix Crying Mountain this time was massive. They must have been hiding and umting strength in the dark over the years. You know, not even an insect with a hundred legs dies easily, let alone the once-dominant Six Union God Sect.


    Theplete eradication of such a sect is surely not so simple."


    "Maybe it''s only the Evil Heart Sect branch that didn''t die out?" a martial artist said, harboring a stroke of luck.


    The warrior who spoke earlier nced at that person and shook his head.


    "With the resurgence of the demonic cult, there are endless unknown demon spirits bringing chaos to the world. The nine provinces are facing the onset of troubled times," said an elder, who was an elder from a sect in Anyang County. Upon hearing the news of the demonic cult''s resurgence, he had hurried to Phoenix Sun City to stay abreast of thetest developments.


    Upon hearing this, everyone fell into a moment of silence.


    But then someone said, "Don''t be so disheartened. If the sky falls, there will be taller people to support it. Da Xia is a powerful nation, filled with numerous experts in the Jing Tian Department, not to mention the various major sects in Jianghu. If the Six Union God Sect wants to make aeback, I''m afraid it won''t be so easy."


    Suddenly, a martial artist said in a low voice, "I''ve heard a rumor that the demonic cult has found a way to control demon spirits, allowing martial artists to merge with them and harness their power for their own use. As a result, not only does it greatly increase their lifespan, but their cultivation level also skyrockets. No matter the injury, they can heal in the shortest possible time."


    Upon hearing this, many martial artists in Drunken Phoenix Tower had their eyes light up with interest.


    "Evil heretics!"


    The elder who had spoken earlier snorted disdainfully. "Merging with such demonic entities, can you still call yourself human? How will your families, your friends look at you then? Do you really want to be inhuman, monstrous creatures that only know how to suck blood and consume flesh?!"


    "Moreover, controlling demon spirits is not so easily done. Haven''t you seen enough of those who have been possessed, lost their minds, and turned into ythings?"


    The moment the elder uttered these words, countless martial artists grew apprehensive, shaking their heads and quickly erasing such thoughts from their minds.


    Yet, there were still many martial artists whose thoughts were active, contemting the feasibility of this matter.


    In the world of Jianghu, the greatest desires of all martial artists are might and power; no one could escape that. Everyone hoped to live forever, remain in this world eternally and possess unparalleled strength.


    The elder knew that once such a discussion began, many martial artists with ill intent would be lured. He turned his gaze to the martial artist who mentioned this news and shouted, "Spreading rumors and causing confusion, could it be that you are a spy from the demonic cult?!"


    "I... I am not, I have been wronged, I only heard it through the grapevine," the martial artist said in panic, his face filled with bitterness.


    "Hmph!"


    The elder huffed coldly and said no more.


    "Alright, let''s not discuss this any further. Just as we said before, if the sky falls, there will be taller people to hold it up. This isn''t something for us little folks to worry about," someone stepped forward to smooth things over.


    At that moment, someone said in a low voice, "By the way, during the tournament, did any of you see Gu Chen fight with Qin Mu, who''s ranked eighth on the Star Ranking List?"


    "What about it?" a martial artist asked with a frown, clearly unaware of this piece of news. After all, everyone''s attention was on the Six Union God Sect reentering Jianghu.


    "Qin Mu was defeated by Gu Chen!"


    "What?!"


    The martial artists at Drunken Phoenix Tower showed shock and said, "How is that possible, the number one on the Star Ranking List, Qin Mu, defeated?"


    "Impossible, where did you get this rumor? How could Qin Mu, who has reached the limit of the Meridian Opening Stage, be defeated by Gu Chen?"


    Obviously, everyone was skeptical of the veracity of this news and began to question it.


    The martial artist who had spread the news hurriedly said, "It''s true. I was there and saw it myself, from a corner. It couldn''t have been fake!"


    The group of martial artists shook their heads, still disbelieving. In Qiongtian Mansion, after all, Qin Mu''s reputation was considerable. He was ranked first on the Star Ranking List, the youngest true disciple of Sunset Sword Sect, a candidate for the future sect leader, having reached the limit of the Meridian Opening Stage.


    There were so many des attached to Qin Mu that their disbelief was natural. Even if Gu Chen was from Jing Tian Department, he hadn''t been well-known before, and while Jing Tian Department was strong, that was due to the strength of its higher echelons.


    Moreover, even if the Jing Tian Department was incredibly powerful, it was still not likely that someone could just appear out of nowhere and defeat Qin Mu.


    People felt that the news must be hearsay, and they dismissed it, even choosing to ignore it entirely.


    "This is true, I also saw it with my own eyes!" At this time, another martial artist spoke up.


    "What, so it''s true?"


    "Impossible, it sounds like a fantasy."


    It could be said that Qin Mu''s strength was ingrained in the hearts of these people. They were somewhat unwilling to believe it and resumed their discussions.


    At this point, disciples from Sunset Sword Sect happened to appear at the stairway. Upon hearing the news, they scoffed.


    Seeing the disciples from Sunset Sword Sect, the martial artists in the tavern changed their expression and fell silent, not daring to discuss it any further.


    But the words had already been spoken, and those Sunset Sword Sect disciples looked displeased, even to the point where one jeered, "What''s Gu Chenpared to my brother Qin Mu, deserving to be mentioned in the same breath?"


    "Junior brother, quiet down!"


    The leading disciple turned and red at the younger one. Whatever the case, Gu Chen was a member of the Jing Tian Department, and they had to be cautious with their words.


    The young disciple looked indignant but did not dare to say more.


    The leading disciple from Sunset Sword Sect, named Qian Yuan, swept his gaze over the group of martial artists as a warning. Their conversation must not spread, or else the Sunset Sword Sect would remember them and pay each a personal visit.


    "Let''s go, back to the sect!"


    Qian Yuan intended to report this matter to Qin Mu as soon as possible. Qin Mu was the face of the Sunset Sword Sect, and any insult to Qin Mu was an insult to the sect. The news of Gu Chen defeating Qin Mu could not be allowed to spread through Jianghu.

 Chapter 85: Chapter 82: The Battle Letter_1

    At this moment, inside thergest inn of Phoenix Sun City, Qin Mu''s face was grim as he listened to the report from Qian Yuan who had just returned from the Drunken Phoenix Tower.


    As the top-ranked individual on the Stars List, the youngest genuine disciple of the Sunset Sword Sect, and recognized as the most exceptional among the younger generation worldwide, Qin Mu''s pride was beyond question.


    Originally, being kicked away by Gu Chen at Phoenix Crying Mountain had been a source of humiliation for him, and now, being talked about in such a manner only served to infuriate him further.


    Moreover, just three days ago, Qin Mu had almost died at the hands of a Gang Qi Stage martial artist from the demonic cults, and he med Gu Chen for this as well.


    Had it not been for Gu Chen blocking his meridians, he wouldn''t have been in such a predicament. Fortunately, with his profound inner strength, he managed to unblock the meridians sealed by Gu Chen in a very short time, and sensing the impending danger early on, he hastily led the disciples of Sunset Sword Sect to retreat.


    If they had left even a littleter, Qin Mu might have indeed died.


    After all, being the top entry on the Stars List, he was naturally the prime target of the demonic cults, and the involvement of a Gang Qi Stage warrior from the Evil Heart Sect was not only a precaution but indeed an attempt to kill Qin Mu.


    In Qin Mu''s view, he hadn''t even settled ounts with Gu Chen yet, and now he was being humiliated because of him, which naturally irritated him to no end.


    "Elder Brother Qin, how should we handle this matter?" Qian Yuan asked.


    With a stern face, Qin Mu said, "No one can insult the Sunset Sword Sect, not even the Jing Tian Department. Go and issue a challenge to that Gu Chen, tell him that three days from now, outside of Phoenix Sun City, we will decide the victor."


    "Yes!"


    Joy was written all over the faces of the disciples of Sunset Sword Sect; they didn''t believe for a moment that Qin Mu could lose. His strength had be a legend over time, and those following him were well aware that what happened that day at Phoenix Crying Mountain was simply a result of Qin Mu''s carelessness, an unlucky advantage seized by Gu Chen.


    They believed that this time, Elder Brother Qin would surely crush Gu Chen with the force of thunder, silencing the lowly talk of the martial artists and proving to the entire world the might of the Sunset Sword Sect.


    Word of the challenge sent by Qin Mu of Sunset Sword Sect to Gu Chen quickly spread throughout Phoenix Sun City. With both individuals ranked on the Stars List¡ªone at number eight and the other at the top¡ªthe uing battle was a highly anticipated event. If not for the current unrest in the world due to the Six Union God Sect''s activities, this event surely would have drawn even more attention.


    Nheless, the news still managed to spread throughout Anyang County, which was exactly what Qin Mu intended. Three days were enough for many to be apprised of the news.


    Qin Mu intended to defeat Gu Chen in full view of everyone, to shut those people up while proving his own strength and the power of the Sunset Sword Sect.


    Even the officials from Tiandu, from the Jing Tian Department, were no match for him.


    He wanted everyone to understand that not all talents are equal, and that he, Qin Mu, was the strongest of them all.


    The whole of Phoenix Sun City was abuzz with conversations about this matter, but the man himself, Gu Chen, was entirely unaware.


    For he was still in seclusion, tempering his inner strength, familiarizing himself with his enhanced power, and the suddenly increased physical prowess resulting from the sessful mastery of Horizontal Training.


    For two consecutive days, there was no word from Gu Chen, nor was there a sighting of him. This lead to much spection among the martial artists, some of whom wondered if Gu Chen had left Phoenix Sun City, otherwise, why was there no response?


    Some even believed that Gu Chen was afraid, and that was why he hadn''t stepped forward. Of course, nobody dared to say this out loud, given Gu Chen''s affiliation with the Jing Tian Department, but the whisperings behind closed doors were ceaseless.


    At this moment, the disciples of Sunset Sword Sect wore expressions of delight, thinking that Gu Chen was afraid, knowing he couldn''t defeat Qin Mu and therefore did not dare to ept the challenge.


    After all, should Gu Chen be defeated, it would tarnish the reputation of the Jing Tian Department.


    As for the possibility of Gu Chen winning, they hadn''t even considered it.


    But the only one without a trace of a smile on his face was Qin Mu. In his eyes, the humiliation Gu Chen had brought upon him at Phoenix Crying Mountain had to be avenged, and the payback had to be double.


    No one dared to look down on him like that, and certainly not Gu Chen.


    The pride in his heart wouldn''t allow him to let Gu Chen go so easily.


    As Qin Mu had said, no one could insult him. Those who had dared to offend him would have to pay a price.


    It could be said that the pride of Qin Mu, or rather that of the martial artists of the Sunset Sword Sect, truly ran deep in their bones.


    With their growing might, the entire sect had be increasingly arrogant and overbearing.


    If they continued down this path, their ultimate fate could only be one.


    "Find him for me. He might not have left Phoenix Sun City. I want him found!" Qin Mumanded coldly.


    The disciples of Sunset Sword Sect were baffled, not understanding why their Elder Brother Qin was so insistent on fighting Gu Chen. Wouldn''t victory without fighting be better?


    But they obviously didn''t dare to refute Qin Mu''s words, and could only obediently start searching within Phoenix Sun City.


    It has to be said, Sunset Sword Sect''s intelligence capabilities were not bad either, they quickly located the inn where Gu Chen was staying at in Phoenix Sun City.


    "You can''t enter, you can''t go in, the guest said that he can''t be disturbed these few days..." The inn''s attendant was desperately trying to stop them.


    "Get lost!"


    The disciples of the Sunset Sword Sect were extremely domineering and rude, pushing the attendant to the ground with a single move, leaving the innkeeper standing to the side with a troubled expression, not daring to say a word.


    Inside the room, as Gu Chen''s physical condition had improved yet again, his senses had greatly enhanced. With exceptional hearing, he could clearly hear themotion outside. Opening his closed eyes, his pupils shone brightly, lighting up the entire room instantly.


    When the disciples of Sunset Sword Sect walked to the door, they were just about to push it open when they felt an enormous forceing from inside the room, sending them flying out.


    "Ah..."


    They screamed miserably as they fell to the ground, each of them battered and bruised.


    This scene immediately terrified the innkeeper and the attendant, who hurriedly backed away as if there was some ferocious beast inside the room.


    At that moment, with a creak, the door opened, and Gu Chen, dressed in dark clothes, tall and slim, stepped out.


    He nced down at the people lying on the ground and said indifferently, "I wondered why I heard insects chirping early in the morning, turns out it was you."


    "You..."


    The disciples of Sunset Sword Sect were filled with resentment, but considering Gu Chen''s strength, they didn''t dare to speak harshly, and could only say, "Elder Brother Qin has issued you a challenge, why don''t you dare to ept the fight?"


    "A challenge?"


    Gu Chen looked puzzled, but he was quick on the uptake and soon guessed most of it vaguely. He smiled and said, "What, I have to respond just because a challenge was issued?"


    "Could it be that you''re scared?" one of the disciples of Sunset Sword Sect said with a haughty look.


    Gu Chen was not annoyed, but instead, a smile appeared in his eyes as he said, "If you want to challenge me, that''s fine, but there should be some stakes, right?"


    "What do you want?" They frowned.


    Gu Chen said, "I''ve heard that Sunset Sword Sect''s sword techniques are unparalleled. It''s not impossible for Qin Mu to fight me, but bring out a high-grade martial arts manual, and then I''ll be willing to fight him."


    "In your dreams!"


    Seeing that Gu Chen was making outrageous demands, the disciples of Sunset Sword Sect were immediately flustered. High-grade martial arts were something that not many core disciples of Sunset Sword Sect were qualified to practice, as they required immense contributions to the sect to acquire.


    Now that Gu Chen was casually asking for a high-grade martial arts manual, it was naturally impossible for the disciples of Sunset Sword Sect to agree, and Qin Mu wouldn''t agree either.


    Gu Chen also knew that Sunset Sword Sect would never agree to this; his real purposey elsewhere.


    "If that''s the case, then bring out five vials of Passage Meridian Pills," Gu Chen continued. "That is my final bottom line; otherwise, forget it!"


    Now that Gu Chen''s stock of Passage Meridian Pills had run out, he urgently needed them to open more meridians in his body. With Sunset Sword Secting to him, it saved him a trip back to Jing Tian Department to exchange merit points for the pills.


    After all, one vial of Passage Meridian Pills would cost him ten points of merit.


    The disciples of Sunset Sword Sect were furious but dared not speak out. This time, they didn''t refuse, they helped each other up and left to report to Qin Mu.


    The innkeeper and the attendant looked at Gu Chen with respect. The Sunset Sword Sect was arrogant and overbearing, using their status as the number one force of Qiongtian Mansion to threaten others. It was the first time they had ever seen someone dare to threaten the Sunset Sword Sect.


    It must be said, having the backing of the imperial court certainly gives one confidence.


    At that moment, Qin Mu, hearing the report of Sunset Sword Sect''s disciples, had a gloomy expression. Five vials of Passage Meridian Pills, Gu Chen''s demand was like asking for half of Qin Mu''s life.


    In the jianghu, one vial of Passage Meridian Pills was worth a fortune, needing at least ten thousand taels of silver, and that was if it was even avable for sale, let alone five vials.


    However, with Sunset Sword Sect being a top force in the jianghu with abundant resources, five vials of Passage Meridian Pills were not much to speak of. It was only somewhat pressuring for Qin Mu to bear the costs individually, as he felt the pinch.


    Grinding his teeth, Qin Mu said, "Go tell him, I agree. Five vials of Passage Meridian Pills, I''ll give them to him!"

 Chapter 86: Chapter 83: Life and Death are Decided by Destiny (Third update, please subscribe!)_1

    At this moment, thirty miles outside Phoenix Sun City on a in, a great number of martial artists had gathered.


    For today was the day the number one on the Star Ranking, Qin Mu, and the eighth-ranked Gu Chen, had agreed to duel.


    Even though a group of martial artists had recently perished at the hands of the demon sect, today, many bold warriors hade to witness the battle. After all, if Qin Mu and Gu Chen were not afraid, then they had even less to fear.


    Moreover, as days passed, the lord of Anyang County had issued an order, and the defensive forces within Phoenix Sun City had been strengthened several times over than before, always vignt against the possible reappearance of the demon sect''s martial artists.


    When the day was three bamboo sticks into the morning, a group of disciples from Sunset Sword Sect arrived here, led by a man in a crimson robe, handsome in appearance with a tall and slim figure, bright eyes, and a distinct air of profound and collected energy¡ªit was Qin Mu.


    Seeing that the appointed time had arrived and Gu Chen had still not appeared, Qin Mu couldn''t help but slightly frown.


    "Elder Brother Qin, this Gu Chen hasn''t shown up yet, could he be scared?" asked Qian Yuan in a soft voice from behind Qin Mu.


    Qin Mu remained silent, offering no response, and walked to the very center of the in himself, waiting for Gu Chen''s arrival.


    He was also not worried about the Gang Qi Stage martial artist from the demon sect showing up again because an elder from Sunset Sword Sect was on the way; it wouldn''t be long before he arrived, and if a warrior from the demon sect dared to appear again, Sunset Sword Sect would not be polite.


    This was where Qin Mu''s confidencey; otherwise, knowing he was targeted by the demon sect, how could Qin Mu dare to challenge Gu Chen so brazenly¡ªeverything was well-prepared in advance.


    Quickly, a quarter of an hour passed, and seeing that Gu Chen still had not appeared, even the martial artists who hade to watch began to discuss among themselves.


    Among the crowd, Yu Qiushi, Huo Zhi, and Tang Ming were also present. On the day of the sword conference, when they saw the situation turning sour, they also managed to escape in time just like Qin Mu. And by some stroke of luck, although some disciples died, they too escaped.


    After it was confirmed that Qi Changyun from Canghai Sect was the remnant of the demon sect, a major upheaval happened within Canghai Sect, and everyone rted to Qi Changyun was detained.


    Under normal circumstances, Yu Qiushi should have hurried back to his sect after such an incident, but upon hearing of the duel between Gu Chen and Qin Mu, he chose to stay.


    After all, he had a profound understanding of Gu Chen''s strength, having been effortlessly defeated by him, and he was also curious if Gu Chen could match Qin Mu.


    At the same time, he wanted to know just how massive the gap between himself and these two was.


    It could be said that among the many martial artists present, he was one of the very few who had confidence in Gu Chen, having experienced it firsthand.


    Just as everyone was getting a bit impatient, at the end of the horizon, a figure finally appeared.


    "It''s Gu Chen."


    "Gu Chen has arrived!"


    As they saw the figure in the distance, dressed in a ck robe with sword-like eyebrows stretching to his temples, all the martial artists began to shout excitedly.


    Whoosh!


    Gu Chen moved at an extremely fast pace, his steps light and swift. With each step he took, he left an afterimage in his wake, and in just a moment, he had approached the crowd.


    "I''ve waited for you a long time," Qin Mu said solemnly.


    Undeniably, at this moment, Qin Mu regarded Gu Chen as a rival. After all, he had suffered a defeat at Gu Chen''s hands before and certainly didn''t want to face a second loss under the watchful eyes of all present.


    Gu Chen simply smiled faintly and extended his palm towards Qin Mu, saying, "The item?"


    Qin Mu''s expression darkened, but he still pulled out five bottles of meridian-opening pills from his bosom and tossed them hard, saying, "For you!"


    The forceful wind indicated that Qin Mu was already probing Gu Chen, but Gu Chen seemed indifferent and casually caught the bottles.


    Seeing this, Qin Mu''s gaze tightened slightly.


    "Seeing that you are somewhat honest, I will indulge in a round with you," said Gu Chen, clearly in a good mood as he got the meridian-opening pills.


    However, his remarks were too casual and his attitude likewise,pletely disregarding Qin Mu. Qin Mu hadn''t spoken yet when the disciples from Sunset Sword Sect could no longer stand it and red furiously at Gu Chen.


    In the world, which Gang Qi Stage martial artist would dare to belittle Qin Mu like that? Gu Chen must be the first!


    "I really don''t know what gave you such courage to slight me so. Is it the Jing Tian Department?" Qin Mu''s expression was grim.


    He felt that Gu Chen believed that with the support of Jing Tian Department at his back, Qin Mu would be hesitant, not daring to strike decisively.


    Gu Chen just smiled faintly, unconcerned, and signaled that Qin Mu could begin anytime.


    "Wait."


    Qin Mu said, "In a duel between martial artists, injuries aremon, and even idental deaths can ur. For this battle, to ensure that we can both give it our all, our lives are in the hands of fate. Do you dare to agree?"


    Upon hearing these words, the cluster of Jianghu folk immediately began whispering among themselves; the death of either man would certainly cause a significant stir in the martial world.


    After all, one side was backed by Jing Tian Department, representing the Da Xia imperial court, and the other by Sunset Sword Sect.


    Gu Chen gave no definitive answer, simply stating, "I can."


    With his current strength, Qin Mu could not possibly be his match, so Gu Chen saw no reason not to agree.


    "Good!"


    Qin Mu gestured with a wave of his hand and shortly after, money was exchanged for a life-and-death agreement, which both men signed with their names.


    "I hope you won''t regret this," Qin Mu said, looking deeply into Gu Chen''s eyes after signing.


    With this agreement in ce, even if he were to kill Gu Chen on the spot today, the Jing Tian Department could not say much, because after all, Gu Chen was a willing participant, with all the surrounding witnesses to attest to this.


    Gu Chen looked at Qin Mu and asked, "Are you so confident in your own strength?"


    Qin Mu''s expression was frosty as he replied, "Why shouldn''t I be confident? I''ve reached the limits of the Meridian Opening Stage, and if not for the sake of breaking through this limit and opening more meridians, I would already be a martial artist of the Outer Qi Stage, and it''s very likely I could have even broken through.


    Facing that version of me, you would stand even less of a chance, not even worthy to face me."


    His implication was clear: Gu Chen should feel fortunate that Qin Mu was still in the Meridian Opening Stage.


    Gu Chen nodded, clearly not taking the words to heart, an attitude which made Qin Mu extremely ufortable. Now that the life-and-death agreement was signed, there was nothing holding him back, and he promptly pointed a finger at Gu Chen.


    The One Yang Sword Finger of Sunset Sword Sect!


    If Qin Mu had reached the Outer Qi Stage, a casual flick of his finger could unleash a sharp sword qi to kill an enemy; even now, at close quarters, the power of this technique was not to be underestimated.


    In the crowd, Yu Qiushi furrowed his brow. He knew well that Gu Chen''s physical body was frighteningly powerful, easily delivering strikes with astonishing force. He must have trained in some advanced kind of body strengthening martial arts. It was indeed not a wise decision for Qin Mu to engage in closebat with Gu Chen.


    At this stage, not even an inferior quality treasure weapon could harm Gu Chen, let alone Qin Mu''s One Yang Sword Finger.


    After all, though the One Yang Sword Finger was a superior martial art, Qin Mu''s cultivation level meant that he had only just managed to scratch the surface of this technique.


    Gu Chen''s expression remained serene, his dark eyes undisturbed by any ripples as he faced Qin Mu''s One Yang Sword Finger, responding with a casual punch.


    Boom!


    With that casual strike, the air in front of Gu Chen seemed to bear an immense pressure, exploding outward with a thunderous noise, sending a rush of air towards Qin Mu.


    Feeling the force of the strike, Qin Mu''s expression darkened, and he quickly withdrew his One Yang Sword Finger, hastily sidestepping the attack.


    Even so, as the st of air grazed him, it left Qin Mu with a stinging sensation on his cheek.


    His abundantbat experience allowed him to recognize that Gu Chen possessed truly astonishing strength based on that one strike.


    "I thought you had some trick up your sleeve, but it turns out you''re a body cultivator," Qin Mu stated coldly. That one exchange told him he might truly not be a match for Gu Chen in closebat. Unfortunately for Gu Chen, the outstanding specialty of Sunset Sword Sect was swordy, often the bane of body cultivators.


    With a ring of metal, Qin Mu drew the long sword from his waist. The de was three feet two inches long with clear patterns, its body flickering with a cold and forbidding light.


    This sword had barely been revealed, without even being swung, yet many felt a chill down their spines, those closer feeling their hairs standing on end.


    "A middle grade treasure weapon!"


    Tang Ming, ranked second on the star ranking list, drew in a sharp breath. As expected of Sunset Sword Sect''s chosen, he had indeed been gifted a middle grade treasure weapon.


    The surrounding martial artists from the Jianghu widened their eyes; they couldn''t even afford an inferior grade treasure weapon, let alone a middle grade one, which they had never even seen.


    Gu Chen''s eyes also shed with a hint of surprise, not expecting Qin Mu to possess a middle grade treasure weapon. From the look of it, the sword was far superior to the Red Scaled Sword at his own waist.


    He hadn''t immediately struck to defeat Qin Mu because he wanted to know the extent of his own power. Given how much it had grown, it was difficult to find peers who could withstand a strike from him. Qin Mu was a suitable candidate for testing his prowess.


    Now aware of Gu Chen''s difficulty, Qin Mu hesitated no more, preparing to finish Gu Chen with one blow.


    "Shaoyang Sword Skill!"

 Chapter 87: Chapter 84 Effortless Domination_1

    Elder Brother Qin let out a fierce shout, the treasured weapon in his hand gathering a radiant light, intense and brilliant to the point where the temperature of the surrounding air began to abruptly rise, as if time itself had reversed to the height of a sweltering summer.


    The Shaoyang Sword Skill, also a superior martial art within the Sunset Sword Sect, had already reached a minor level of proficiency in Elder Brother Qin''s hands.


    It must be said that Elder Brother Qin''s talent was indeed extraordinary. For someone else, even with superior martial artsbined with a medium-grade treasured weapon, if they practiced horizontal training, they still absolutely wouldn''t be able to withstand this strike.


    But unfortunately, he was facing Gu Chen.


    This time, Gu Chen chose not to meet the attack head-on. After all, even if his horizontal training had reached perfection and he roared like a dragon or a tiger, such a strike would still cause injury.


    "Die!"


    Elder Brother Qin bellowed, a blinding light shing upon his sword de. He moved with teleport-like speed, arriving directly in front of Gu Chen, and brought his sword down squarely atop his head.


    Fortunately, Elder Brother Qin''s cultivation was not high. Had he reached the External Qi Stage and used the Shaoyang Sword Skill, those martial artists spectating around would certainly not be able to withstand it; the scorching sword qi would destroy everything beside Elder Brother Qin.


    Yet, despite this, Yu Qiushi and others still felt an immense pressure. If they were to face this sword, there would only be one oue: instantaneous death, with no ability to fight back whatsoever.


    Whoosh!


    But at that moment, Gu Chen''s movement technique was incredibly swift. He stepped on the Phantom Traceless Step, leaving behind an afterimage in his original spot, while his body flickered to Elder Brother Qin''s side in a sh, casually extending a finger to strike.


    Seeing Gu Chen handle the situation with overwhelming ease, a shocking conjecture emerged in the minds of everyone present.


    Elder Brother Qin... might truly be defeated!


    Elder Brother Qin frowned deeply, knowing that if this finger strike hit, the meridians within his body would certainly be sealed again. At that point, unable to harness his inner breath and facing a physical cultivator like Gu Chen, he would be no different than a fish on a cutting board.


    Boom!


    At that moment, the energetic qi around Elder Brother Qin surged wildly; the robust inner breath from the fifty-six meridians he had opened suddenly erupted, attempting to repel Gu Chen directly.


    But Gu Chen seemed unaffected, as if a light breeze had brushed his face, untouched by the assault, his fingernding on Elder Brother Qin''s body.


    With the Seal Meridian Finger hitting its mark, Elder Brother Qin immediately let out a muffled grunt, feeling the cirction of his inner breath through his meridians suddenly be extremely obstructed.


    Thud!


    Gu Chen''s palm struck against Elder Brother Qin''s chest. In this palm strike, he only used forty percent of his strength, but it still caused Elder Brother Qin to stagger back continuously, blood seeping from the corner of his mouth.


    "Elder Brother Qin!"


    Qian Yuan and many other disciples of the Sunset Sword Sect shouted; their faces were filled with disbelief. Could it be that the legendary figure of the Sunset Sword Sect, Elder Brother Qin, was destined to be defeated?!


    "How can he be so strong? Could it be that he, like Elder Brother Qin, has opened fifty-six meridians, reaching the limit of the Through-Meridian Stage?"


    Tang Ming and Huo Zhi were also looking at Gu Chen in stunned silence; they felt it had to be the case. Otherwise, how could Gu Chen possibly defeat Elder Brother Qin.


    Yu Qiushi silently watched, aware that his own defeat at Gu Chen''s hands was not unjust. Ridiculously, he had previously looked down upon Gu Chen; a true dragon was before his very eyes, yet he was unaware.


    Yu Qiushi knew this battle was lost by Elder Brother Qin, thoroughly and utterly, just like himself, not even forcing out all of Gu Chen''s true strength.


    But Gu Chen let out a slight sigh; Elder Brother Qin was too weak andpletely unable to test the limits of his current strength. Now it seemed, it was time to end this.


    "I can''t possibly lose!"


    At this moment, Elder Brother Qin clenched his teeth, letting out a loud shout. In spite of his meridians being damaged, he forcibly used his inner breath to break through the blockages caused by the Seal Meridian Finger. Strands and wisps of fresh blood seeped from his pores, staining his clothes red.


    "I am the true disciple of the Sunset Sword Sect, having reached the limit of the Through-Meridian Stage; I am the number one on the Star Ranking. How could I possibly lose?!"


    Elder Brother Qin, like a man possessed, refused to ept defeat in his heart. His pride demanded that he be the first, forever at the top.


    "Die!"


    Elder Brother Qin roared, pouring all of his power into a single sword strike and invoking the Shaoyang Sword Skill, determined to perish together with Gu Chen.


    Boom!


    Suddenly, ayer of golden light emerged around Gu Chen, making him appear like a divine warrior descending from heaven, d in golden armor. He raised his hand and struck out with a palm, causing a massive explosion in the air and waves of heat to roll out.


    It was the perfected Red me Palm.


    Though the Red me Palm was a low-grade martial art, with Gu Chen''s more than two hundred years of internal breath empowering it, the might of this palm strike was iparably terrifying. Before the power was even fully unleashed, Qin Mu let out a miserable scream and was sent flying straight out.


    Had this palm strike truly hit Qin Mu''s body, it likely would have blown him into pieces, killing him on the spot.


    At this moment, the arena fell silent; no one could have imagined that Qin Mu, who upied the top spot on the Star Ranking, would suffer defeat, and such a tragic one at that.


    The observing martial artists weren''tpletely blind to what was happening; they could all see that the entire fight was dominated by Qin Mu''s aggressive attacks, while Gu Chen barely made a move, not to mention revealing his full strength.


    Was the gap between the two men really so vast?


    "The number one on the Star Ranking, from today onward, changes hands," a martial artist said in a low, emotional voice.


    "I think, Gu Chen won''t stay at the number one spot on the Star Ranking for long either," another martial artist suddenly dered, and everyone''s gaze turned to him.


    He continued, "Can''t you tell? Gu Chen''s internal breath is terrifyingly deep. Surely after this battle, he will soon break through to the External Qi Stage."


    All the martial artists nodded, expressing their agreement.


    In the arena, Qin Muy on the ground, bleeding profusely, his eyes void of spirit; even now, he could not believe he had truly been defeated.


    Gu Chen walked over to the prone Qin Mu, picked up his treasured weapon, and hung it at his own waist. It was his spoils of war, and towards enemies, Gu Chen was never merciful.


    "Are you going to kill me?" Qin Mu''s eyes widened as he looked at Gu Chen.


    Gu Chen''s tone was t as he said, "What, it was you who wanted to sign the life-and-death pact. Are you having second thoughts now?"


    "I..." Qin Mu was at a loss for words, temporarily unable to speak. Who could have foreseen that he would be the one to lift a rock only to drop it on his own feet?


    But at that moment, a loud shout suddenly came from the sky.


    "Impudent youth, halt!"


    The voice carried an immensely deep internal breath; it wasn''t just others who were affected, even Gu Chen staggered, almost unable to withstand it.


    His face became grave as he looked into the distance. At the end of the ins, a figure was rushing towards them, with an aura terrifying like a colossal mountain soaring across the sky, full of oppressive force.


    A Gang Qi Stage warrior from the Sunset Sword Sect!


    Seeing the neer, Qin Mu''s eyes lit up as he yelled, "Master Mei!"


    No one wants to die, and Qin Mu was no exception. At this moment, the fear of death overcame the pride in his heart.


    Gu Chen''s eyebrows knitted tightly; he truly hadn''t expected someone from the Sunset Sword Sect to appear at this time.


    "Release him!" Master Mei approached and directlymanded Gu Chen in a very impolite tone.


    "Why should I?" Gu Chen retorted, unyielding.


    "Hmm?"


    Master Mei''s expression darkened. He had not anticipated that Gu Chen, this junior, would dare to defy him. As a Gang Qi Stage warrior, he could end Gu Chen''s life with a mere strike; yet, Gu Chen dared to resist him?


    In his view, he had already shown leniency by not striking Gu Chen. Gu Chen should appreciate the gesture and obedientlyply.


    "If you don''t want to die, then hurry up and release him, and hand over the treasured weapon as well!" Master Mei had sharp eyes; he had instantly noticed Qin Mu''s treasured weapon now hung at Gu Chen''s waist.


    Qin Mu''s face brightened with joy, knowing he''d lived to see another day.


    Having learned his lesson from this defeat at the hands of Gu Chen, Qin Mu epted it. The Vessel Opening Stage was just a beginning, and a momentary setback meant little; one day, he would once again have Gu Chen beneath his feet.


    After all, where there''s life, there''s hope.


    It must be said, Qin Mu''s resilience was quite impressive as he quickly adjusted his mindset.


    The onlooking martial artists, seeing a Sunset Sword Sect elder arrive, backed away to a safe distance. Who didn''t know the sect''s domineering way of doing things? If Master Mei lost his temper, what would stop him from ughtering them too?


    Master Mei, with a fierce aura and a dark expression, hadn''t expected Qin Mu to be defeated either. But regardless, Qin Mu was a peerless genius among the young disciples of the Sunset Sword Sect, and he absolutely could not die here today.


    Seeing the Sunset Sword Sect elder treating him with such amanding tone, Gu Chen''s eyes deepened, and he said coldly, "You say release him, and I should just release him? Who do you think you are!"

 Chapter 88: Chapter 85: Ranked First in the Collective Stars List_1

    "Audacious!"


    Master Mei was immediately enraged. Gu Chen was merely a junior at the Meridian Stage, yet he dared to insult him. It must be known that he was a master at the seventh stage of martial arts, the Gang Qi Stage, and moreover, a respected elder of the Sunset Sword Sect.


    The surrounding crowd all watched the scene with shocked faces, thinking that Gu Chen''s audacity knew no bounds. He even dared to insult a martial artist of the Gang Qi Stage?


    "Kneel before me!"


    Master Mei''s face darkened, his aura surging around him. With just a light tap of his finger, he could take Gu Chen''s life.


    At this moment, Gu Chen was like a small boat in a violent storm, feeling an immense pressure and facing the crisis of death at any moment.


    But Gu Chen''s expression remained unchanged, and he even went on to scold Master Mei, saying, "The audacious one is you! Do you think you live too long, daring to harm an official from the Jing Tian Department?!"


    Upon hearing this, Master Mei''s expression instantly stiffened. Nevertheless, as a warrior of the Gang Qi Stage, how could he lose face in front of a junior like Gu Chen? His face as grim as still water, he said in a low voice, "Little bastard, release the person at once, or you''ll regret it!"


    Gu Chen''s brows rose as he asked coldly, "Are you threatening me?"


    "Yes, I''m threatening you, what are you going to do about it?" Master Mei couldn''t believe that Gu Chen actually wasn''t afraid when facing a martial artist of the Gang Qi Stage. Killing Gu Chen would be as easy as ughtering a chicken for him, and Gu Chen''s life was already in his hands.


    At the same time, he released his aura, continuing to oppress Gu Chen.


    In Master Mei''s view, Gu Chen was merely bluffing. The imposing pressure of a warrior at the Gang Qi Stage was extremely strong, and just by standing there, he would be testing both Gu Chen''s physical and mental endurance. He didn''t believe Gu Chen could hold on to the end.


    ng!


    Suddenly, the sound of a sword ringing echoed, followed by a ''pu-chi'' sound. Gu Chen''s sword rose and fell swiftly, piercing through Qin Mu''s chest cleanly.


    Qin Mu''s eyes were wide open, staring dead at Gu Chen, never expecting that right in front of an elder of the Sunset Sword Sect, Gu Chen would act so fiercely, killing him just like that.


    Gu Chen''s eyes were cold and fierce. Although he was not someone who enjoyed senseless killing, he was always ruthless towards his enemies. Qin Mu had entered into a life-and-death agreement with him, and had harbored no good intentions in the first ce. Now that he had killed Qin Mu, the Sunset Sword Sect could only endure it.


    Yu Qiushi, Tang Ming, Huo Zhi, and others were shocked to see that Gu Chen had really killed Qin Mu and in such a resolute manner. They all felt that Gu Chen was incredibly audacious.


    In the presence of an elder of the Sunset Sword Sect, killing the Sect''s most outstanding young disciple made everyone believe that Gu Chen was a madman.


    Was he truly unafraid that Master Mei would be enraged and y him on the spot?


    "You little bastard, I will kill you!"


    Master Mei howled towards the sky, his anger reaching a peak. His eyes reddening, he could not believe that Gu Chen truly had such audacity, not giving any face, and ughtering Qin Mu right before him. Master Mei''s anger nearly made him lose his reason, and he was about to take action right there and then.


    However, Gu Chen''s next words made Master Mei''s heart skip a beat.


    "Phoenix Sun City is only thirty miles from here, if you kill me, you will die as well!"


    Gu Chen''s demeanor was cold andposed. As a Metropolitan Procurator of the Jing Tian Department, his battle with Qin Mu was also under a prior life-and-death agreement. If Master Mei dared kill him, the imperial court would definitely not let him off. Once the officials in Phoenix Sun City learned about this, they would directly send people to hunt him down.


    Furthermore, an incensed Jing Tian Department might very likely wage war directly against the Sunset Sword Sect. Even if the Sunset Sword Sect was powerful and had immense strength, they would not be able to contend against the Jing Tian Department.


    Their end would be having the Jing Tian Department tten thempletely, leaving neither chicken nor dog alive.


    Countless forces in the martial world had offended the Jing Tian Department and all had met with such a fate.


    With the lesson of history before him, and thinking of the series of consequences after taking action, Master Mei felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over him, extinguishing the mes of his anger and cooling down his agitation.


    Taking action now to kill Gu Chen would satisfy his anger, but not only he himself but also the entire Sunset Sword Sect might have to apany Gu Chen in death. In such a trade-off, it clearly wasn''t worth it.


    ```


    But Gu Chen''s behavior, which offered Zheng Jinan not the slightest face, brutally pped him across the face, truly made Master Mei unable to swallow his anger. However, unable to strike, he was left seething, his face flushed red, nearly vomiting a mouthful of fresh blood.


    A warrior at the Gang Qi Stage was actually reduced to such a state by Gu Chen. The gathered warriors couldn''t help but secretly admire Gu Chen''s audacity.


    And that wasn''t all. With a cold expression, Gu Chen then said, "From today onwards, I am the number one on the Star Ranking."


    "You!"


    Master Mei was livid. Pointing at Gu Chen, he trembled with rage, but ultimately didn''t dare to make a move. He could only shout loudly before turning and leaving the ce without looking back.


    To continue staying would only subject him to more of Gu Chen''s sharp words. In Master Mei''s opinion, Gu Chen had a sharp tongue and it would be wise to leave quickly.


    Otherwise, he truly might have spewed a mouthful of fresh blood in anger, and then his "reputation" would be known throughout the martial world.


    Seeing Master Mei leave, the disciples of the Sunset Sword Sect wore bitter expressions, standing there unsure of what to do next.


    But Gu Chen didn''t even spare them a nce and turned around to leave the ce.


    Until long after Gu Chen had gone, dead silence remained. No one spoke a word. What had happened today had left them all greatly shocked.


    At the same time, they also realized that the events of today, along with Gu Chen''s name, would soon spread throughout the entire martial world.


    And in fact, that was exactly what happened.


    ...


    Diancang Pavilion.


    "Master, Master, something terrible has happened, something terrible!"


    At that moment, Qi Zhen was basking in the sun when suddenly, a warrior rushed in shouting.


    Interrupted from his leisure, Qi Zhen frowned and said, "What happened that you''re so flustered? Can it be something that terrible? Could it possibly be worse than the Demon Cult re-emerging in the martial world?"


    The warrior, gasping for breath, hurriedly said, "Master, Qin Mu of the Sunset Sword Sect, he... he was killed by Gu Chen!"


    "What?"


    A look of surprise appeared on Qi Zhen''s face as he said, "You''re telling me that Qin Mu, the number one on the Star Ranking, was killed by the eighth-ranked Gu Chen?"


    Qi Zhen was naturally aware of the news from the Sword Contest, but he had not expected Gu Chen to possess such strength to kill Qin Mu. How much time had passed since then?


    The intelligence-gathering ability of Diancang Pavilion was top-notch in the world. Qi Zhen knew the detailed information about how Gu Chen had killed Zheng Yan and Zheng Jinan; back then, Gu Chen was nowhere near as strong as now. Qi Zhen was already surprised when Gu Chen defeated Yu Qiushi, but in such a short span of time, Gu Chen had also killed Qin Mu, which was astonishing.


    It must be understood that Qin Mu had reached the limits of the Meridian Opening Stage, having mastered two superior martial arts disciplines¡ªclearly not someone like Zheng Yan couldpare to.


    Even Yu Qiushi was far inferior.


    "Could it be that at that time, he didn''t use his full strength?" Qi Zhen furrowed his brow in deep thought, while the warrior beside him remained silent.


    To be able to defeat Qin Mu was naturally proof that Gu Chen had reached the limits of the Meridian Opening Stage; otherwise, it would have been impossible for him to do so.


    But it had only been a few months since Gu Chen''s breakthrough to the Meridian Opening Stage. Even for a genius, it was impossible to achieve this in just a few months.


    Unless...


    Suddenly, Qi Zhen''s eyes lit up as he thought of a possibility, saying, "Could it be that this Gu Chen possesses a natural-born martial body?"


    ```

 Chapter 89: Chapter 86 Reactions from All Sides_1

    Upon hearing this, a warrior beside him asked with a puzzled face, "Leader, what is an innate martial body?"


    Qi Zhen''s eyes were deep as he said, "As the name suggests, those born with an innate martial body are born for martial arts. They make extremely swift progress in martial cultivation, it can be said they advance a thousand miles a day. As for martial arts, they also possess a naturalprehension ability, and their physical constitution is far stronger than that of ordinary people.


    Such individuals are rare, perhaps one in several hundred years."


    The warrior, seemingly half-understanding, nodded and said, "Looking at it this way, Gu Chen indeed fits what you described as an innate martial body. His progress in martial arts is incredibly fast, saying he advances a thousand miles a day is not an exaggeration.


    Moreover, in martial arts, it''s very likely that he has mastered several mid-grade martial arts and even a high-grade martial art to a high level of proficiency!"


    If Gu Chen were here, he would be greatly surprised, as the Diancang Pavilion had nearly figured him outpletely.


    Upon hearing this, Qi Zhen nodded slightly, but there was one thing he still couldn''t understand. ording to the intelligence, Gu Chen, before the age of twenty, had some talent but was definitely not this strong. Logically, someone with an innate martial body should have stood out from an early age.


    "Perhaps it has something to do with his parents?" Qi Zhen thought to himself.


    At that moment, the warrior beside Qi Zhen hesitated before asking, "Leader, Gu Chen killed Qin Mu of the Sunset Sword Sect. Surely the Sunset Sword Sect won''t let him off easily, right?"


    Qi Zhen gave a faint smile and said, "That depends on the Sunset Sword Sect itself. Given their nature, they definitely won''t let this matter slide. But if they act brazenly, they would give the Jing Tian Department a reason to step through their gates."


    The warrior nodded slightly then listened as Qi Zhen said, "Alright, go update the Star Rankings."


    "Yes."


    After the man left, Qi Zhen looked out the window. He knew that with the revival of the Six Union God Sect, the long-silent Jiuzhou would once again be turbulent. Regarding Gu Chen, Qi Zhen also had a bit of interest, but just a bit.


    After all, a genius who hasn''t grown up yet isn''t really a genius.


    To be in the Gang Qi Stage, after all, is still too naive. Even with the backing of the Jing Tian Department, it is very easy to be nipped in the bud.


    Moreover, with the return of the Six Union God Sect to the rivers andkes, the world will once again be chaotic, with the Jing Tian Department bearing the brunt.


    Even bing number one on the Star Rankings doesn''t really prove anything. For the vastnd of Jiuzhou, the Star Rankings are just a beginning; the rankings can hardly cover all the heroes of the world.


    As the Star Rankings were updated with the warrior''s name at the top, the crowd gathered around the rankings immediately erupted, while the intelligence agents from the Sunset Sword Sect turned ashen.


    And soon after, the news spread, shocking the martial world.


    If it wasn''t for the return of the demonic cults to the rivers andkes, Gu Chen''s rise to the top of the Star Rankings would have been thetest headline.


    ...


    In the eastern part of Qiongtian Mansion, there is a massive mountain range that is extremely expansive and primitive, with abundant spiritual energy and an excellent geographical location.


    At the very center of the mountain range, there is a tall mountain that reaches into the clouds, the location of the Sunset Sword Sect''s gate.


    Above the peak, precious beasts dwell, rocky crags tower, waterfalls cascade, and exotic flowers and rare fruits are everywhere, making it a remarkably beautiful scene.


    Clearly, this is an excellent feng shui location for cultivation, with the Sunset Sword Sect having stood here for over a thousand years.


    When Qian Yuan and other disciples of the Sunset Sword Sect returned with the news of Qin Mu''s death at the hands of Gu Chen, the entire sect was in an uproar and the news caused an earthquake within.


    After all, leaving aside Qin Mu''s reputation for a moment, the Sunset Sword Sect had only ten core disciples, and Qin Mu was one of them. Each core disciple was a pir of the sect''s future, and now one had died, dealing a huge blow to the Sunset Sword Sect.


    It has been many years since someone dared to provoke the Sunset Sword Sect like this.


    But unfortunately, the Sunset Sword Sect was absolutely powerless against the killer of their core disciple.


    At this moment, inside arge hall at the top of the Sunset Sword Sect''s mountain, it was a scene of utter chaos.


    Among them was Master Mei, who had threatened Gu Chen that day.


    "We must kill him, we must! Otherwise, how will the world view our Sunset Sword Sect?"


    "We can''t kill him. This child is from the Metropolitan Procurator of the Jing Tian Department. Killing him would be a tant defiance of the imperial court!"


    "We should defy the imperial court. Let them see that our Sunset Sword Sect is not to be trifled with!"


    "Are you mad? Do you want the Sunset Sword Sect destroyed?"


    In the great hall, the elders argued. Some believed they should execute Gu Chen on the spot to demonstrate the stance of the Sunset Sword Sect. Others felt this action was not feasible because killing Gu Chen would mean offending the Jing Tian Department, creating endless trouble.


    "What is there to fear? The Six Union God Sect has resurfaced, Da Xia will be the first to face the brunt, and isn''t the Jing Tian Department supposed to oversee the world? I see now with the emergence of the demonic sects, they''ll have their hands full. Plus, over the years, dealing with demons has cost them a lot of manpower.


    In my opinion, the Jing Tian Department is no longer as powerful as it once was."


    "If you ask me, old Mei is just a coward. If I were him, I would have directly ughtered that little bastard on the spot!"


    Upon hearing this, Master Mei''s face darkened, and he retorted angrily, "Nonsense, killing him is easy, but have you thought about the consequences? You''re nothing but a thoughtless brute!"


    An elder, with his beard and hair both bristling like an old lion, roared, "I think you''re just afraid to die. You''re afraid that if you kill that little bastard, you won''t be able to escape either."


    "Nonsense!"


    The two of them immediately started quarreling, and the other elders tried to mediate the dispute, causing a scene of utter chaos in the great hall.


    "Silence!"


    Suddenly, an elder seated at the head of the table bellowed, and his profound cultivation caused the entire hall to tremble. The elders below shuddered, and the room immediately quieted down.


    This elder had white hair and a beard, yet his skin was rosy and showed no signs of old age. He was the Seventh Master of the Sunset Sword Sect.


    At this moment, both the Supreme Master and the Sect Master of the Sunset Sword Sect, as well as several of the top-ranking elders, were in seclusion. All matters of the sect were being managed by the Seventh Master.


    His cultivation was also the highest in the room. He had already surpassed the Gang Qi Stage, otherwise, he wouldn''t have such a powerful deterrent effect.


    "To kill a Sunset Sword Sect disciple, and one who is ranked among the true inheritors no less, is tantamount to cutting flesh from the Sunset Sword Sect. This matter must not be left as it is," said the Seventh Master slowly.


    "Exactly, I''m willing to take action. Before that little bastard returns to Tiandu, I will cut him down!" said the elder with bristling beard and hair, who was known for having the most fiery temper among all the elders present.


    Master Mei became anxious and said, "Seventh Master, we must reconsider. Gu Chen is just a minor character at the cirction stage. Killing him would bring disaster upon our entire Sunset Sword Sect, and it''s simply not worth it. Please, Seventh Master, think thrice."


    "Nonsense, I think you''re just afraid of death!"


    "You!"


    Seeing that the two were about to argue again, the Seventh Master immediately red and shouted, "Shut up!"


    Upon hearing this, both of them closed their mouths.


    The Seventh Master pondered for a moment and then said slowly, "We can''t just let this issue go. Offending the Sunset Sword Sect means that the Jing Tian Department must pay a price. The Emperor has been in istion for many years, and in my opinion, it''s very likely that something has happened. The current Da Xia is no longer as formidable as it was."


    They were highly skilled in martial arts and had traveled far on the path. With their cultivation, they were considered among the top in the nine states, which was exactly why they knew how difficult the tasks the Da Xia Emperor wanted to aplish were.


    The Heaven Man Stage is not so easily achieved, otherwise, we wouldn''t have gone so many millennia in the nine states without seeing a martial artist reach that realm.


    Therefore, they all agreed with the Seventh Master''s words. With no sightings or news for twenty-three years, they all believed that the Da Xia Emperor might already be dead.


    "But even so, for us alone to go against the Jing Tian Department is quite difficult," said another elder.


    After all, setting aside the Emperor of Xia, just looking at the Jing Tian Department, the number of enforcers alone is not small, and with twelve Guardians, breaking through the gates of the Sunset Sword Sect is, frankly, not difficult¡ªat least, it can be said to be quite easy.


    The Seventh Master nodded slightly and said, "Of course, we can''t take action in this matter. It''s not worth inviting big trouble over a minor character."


    "What do you suggest?" asked Master Mei, furrowing his brows.


    "Find an assassin from Blood Garment Tower and issue a bounty. Let Blood Garment Tower send someone to decapitate that boy named Gu Chen," said the Seventh Master coldly.


    The rest were immediately taken aback. Blood Garment Tower was an enormous assassin organization in the nine states, infamous and fearsome. The strength of Blood Garment Tower was not less than that of the Sunset Sword Sect; in fact, it might even be stronger.


    They operated in the shadows, their headquarters location unknown to all. Only very few methods could contact Blood Garment Tower assassins or locate their branches to assign bounties.


    Blood Garment Tower took on all kinds of missions, iming there was no one under heaven they dared not kill. Having remained concealed over the years, their headquarters had never been exposed; hence they were not as fearful of the imperial court as the Sunset Sword Sect was.


    Moreover, Gu Chen was merely a minor character. It was very likely that Blood Garment Tower would ept the job.


    "But Seventh Master, if Gu Chen dies, won''t the Jing Tian Department suspect us?" Master Mei was still worried.


    The Seventh Master replied indifferently, "No matter. Once some time has passed after the incident, we''ll go to Blood Garment Tower to issue the bounty. By then, no one will suspect us. We can also have Blood Garment Tower disguise itself as the demonic cult to eliminate Gu Chen, ming the matter on them."


    He paused, then continued, "What''s more, even if they do know, so what? The murder will have been carried out by Blood Garment Tower. The Jing Tian Department cannot retaliate against the Sunset Sword Sect alone; they would have to find Blood Garment Tower first. By then, we could ally with Blood Garment Tower.


    For the Jing Tian Department to take action against both of us over a minor character, they would have to weigh their options carefully."


    The Seventh Master cast his gaze towards Master Mei and said, "In a few days, you will go to Blood Garment Tower to issue the task. I will give you their contact details."


    Master Mei immediately stood up, sped his fist and said, "Understood!"

 Chapter 90: Chapter 87 Night Raid_1

    Deep in the night, Gu Chen sat crossed-legged in his inn room, polishing his inner breath and nurturing his meridians.


    Two days had passed since his battle where he had killed Qin Mu, and the reason he had yet to leave Phoenix Sun City was that the Jing Tian Department had sent him a message, ordering him to await further instructions for his next mission.


    Since the point value for his martial skill had reset to zero, he could no longer rely on the panel to boost his power and unblock his meridians, leading Gu Chen to attempt it on his own.


    However, with his current achievement in the Meridian Unblock Stage, it was difficult for him to advance even a little bit. Despite the continuous cultivation over two days and nights, he had yet to unblock even a single meridian.


    Of course, Gu Chen had always held onto the Meridian Unblock Pills, not consuming them, and nned to use them when his point value was replenished.


    At that moment, a tiny crack suddenly opened in the window of the room and wisps of thick smoke seeped in.


    Gu Chen, who was meditating with his eyes closed, felt a slight movement in his eyebrows and suddenly opened his eyes.


    "Who?!" Gu Chen''s eyes turned frosty as he scanned the area near the window.


    With a bang, the door was kicked open, and several men dressed in ck wielding knives rushed in, aiming at Gu Chen and shing fiercely.


    Gu Chen''s eyes darkened as he reacted, pping back with his hand and sending the men flying with a forceful blow, spitting blood as they were hurled backward.


    Whoosh!


    But at that moment, a shadow shed by the window and rushed into the room with a ferocious move, extending inner breath through his palm aimed at Gu Chen''s fontanelle.


    An Exterior Breath Stage martial artist!


    The projection of inner breath outwards was a clear mark of an Exterior Breath Stage martial artist, and Gu Chen also sensed a faint cold aura from this person.


    "A demonic sect martial artist?" Gu Chen''s brows sharply rose as he lifted his other palm over his head and shed directly with the attacker.


    Bang!


    The cot where Gu Chen was seated instantly copsed, but with a swift change in motion, he stood his ground firmly.


    The Exterior Breath Stage martial artist, having taken a palm strike from Gu Chen, vibrated all over, but still refused to retreat, engaging Gu Chen in a contest of power.


    At the same time, his body emitted countless strands of dark qi, which took advantage of the situation to infiltrate Gu Chen''s body.


    At the doorway, another group of men in ck brandishing knivesunched an attack, trying to strike Gu Chen''s body while he was entangled in a power struggle with their leader.


    It''s known that in the world of martial arts, a sh of inner breath is extremely dangerous: a singlepse could allow the opponent''s inner breath to invade one''s body, leading to madness or even shattered meridians and death.


    Moreover, this was a moment that demanded full concentration, making it very difficult to divert attention to counter other attacks.


    The timing of these demonic sect warriors was very well-chosen.


    Seeing the assaults of those demonic sect warriors entering his field of vision, Gu Chen remained calm and collected, showing no signs of panic.


    Crack!


    Numerous swords struck Gu Chen but caused him no harm; however, the des themselves burst apart from the middle, breaking in two.


    Gu Chen''s Horizontal Training, having reached perfection, was not something ordinary weapons could damage.


    But the group persisted, one after the other, pressing their palms against Gu Chen''s body, sending countless strands of inner breath attacking his innards at the same time.


    Hiss!


    At that moment, a dazzling de light appeared, its edge sharp as it cleaved towards Gu Chen''s neck, revealing yet another Exterior Breath Stage warrior armed with a treasured weapon.


    It must be said that this group of demonic sect warriors were very well-prepared and had a remarkably detailed understanding of him.


    Seeing this, Gu Chen''s brows furrowed, he let out a cold snort, and without further concern, let out a blinding golden light from his body. The terrifying inner breath that had umted for two hundred and twenty-one years suddenly exploded outward, a profound wave of energy burst around him, sending those demonic sect warriors flying back, violently spurting blood.


    Even the two Exterior Breath Stage warriors were shocked and dismayed. They had believed themselves to be fully prepared, but they hadn''t expected Gu Chen''s strength to be so formidable, several times stronger than the power he had shown in his battle with Qin Mu.


    How could a Meridian Unblock Stage martial artist possess such tremendous power? He was even stronger than Exterior Breath Stage warriors possessed by demons!


    Those who suffered the most were the demonic sect warriors who had contested inner breath with Gu Chen, including the Exterior Breath Stage warrior who felt tearing pain in his meridians, bleeding profusely from the mouth.


    He was somewhat better off, as he was possessed by a demon that could help heal his injuries, but the others weren''t so lucky. With their meridians shattered within their bodies, there was no chance of survival.


    As Gu Chen''s body exploded with power, the entire floor of the inn copsed amidst billowing smoke, and countless people inside the inn screamed in rm. The two Exterior Breath Stage warriors, seeing the bad turn of events, tried to flee.


    But how could Gu Chen let them get away? After all, one of them housed a demon inside his body¡ªit was points, a raremodity that Gu Chen greatly needed at this stage.


    "Where do you think you''re going?!"


    With a cold shout, Gu Chen stepped with Phantom Traceless Step, channeling inner breath into his legs, his entire body soaring like a roc into the sky, and grabbed the shoulder of the Exterior Breath Stage warrior possessed by the demon. His Horizontal Training, perfected to the highest level, exploded with golden light converging on his fist, and with a bang, he struck the man.


    Crack!


    With this punch, the man''s bones shattered and tendons snapped, eliciting a horrific scream.


    "Die!"


    Gu Chen''s expression was icy as he smashed down another punch, a loud boom echoed, and the man''s entire skeletal structure and meridians shattered. He died on the spot, not even a demon could save him from this fate.


    Seeing that things were going south, the demon tried to escape, but Gu Chen simply grabbed and crushed it to death.


    It was merely an early-stage specter. How could it possibly be a match for Gu Chen at this stage?


    Another martial artist at the External Qi Stage witnessed this scene, terrified out of his wits, as though his soul was about to flee his body. He didn''t dare look back and started a frantic escape.


    But Gu Chen''s Phantom Traceless Step was close to perfection; his speed had reached an extreme. He became a blur, catching up to the man in an instant, and struck down on the crown of his head. With a crack, the man bled from all seven orifices and died instantly.


    Themotion here was significant. Although it was deep into the night, Phoenix Sun City didn''t have a curfew, and there were still many pedestrians on the streets. Witnessing this scene, they scattered, shouting as they fled.


    Soon, the city guards discovered the disturbance and a troop rushed over, stern-faced, intent on capturing everyone involved, including Gu Chen. However, when Gu Chen produced the Jing Tian Department''s token, the soldiers'' expressions changed drastically, and they hurriedly greeted him with respect.


    Gu Chen quickly issued instructions for them to clean up the scene, while he hastened away from the ce.


    Without any surprise, judging by their fighting techniques, this group was undoubtedly from the Evil Heart Sect. Gu Chen had not yet taken the initiative to seek them out, yet the Evil Heart Sect had dared to attack him, which inevitably ignited fury in his heart.


    The next day, information came from the Jing Tian Department, informing Gu Chen of several strongholds of the Evil Heart Sect martial artists around Phoenix Sun City and ordering him to exterminate them.


    The information from the Jing Tian Department was reliable. Ordering him to carry out the extermination meant that the strongest individuals in these locations would not surpass the External Qi Stage, something that Gu Chen at his current stage could handle.


    After all, with the re-emergence of the Six Union God Sect, each Metropolitan Procurator was incredibly valuable, let alone someone as talented as Gu Chen. The Jing Tian Department would certainly not order Gu Chen on a suicide mission.


    Gu Chen looked over the scroll. The martial artists of the Evil Heart Sect sure had the guts; they actually had a stronghold right within Phoenix Sun City, no wonder they could dispatch so many at the sword fightingpetition, having been hidden here all along.


    And this stronghold was none other than a well-known brothel in Phoenix Sun City.


    After nightfall, Gu Chen arrived there, looking at the fragrance-filled pavilion in front of him, and strode in.


    It had been so long since he hade to this world, and this was only his second time visiting such a ce of pleasure.


    The first time was in Ning City, and both times Gu Chen''s purpose for visiting the brothel was the same: to kill.


    "Good evening, sir. You look unfamiliar, is this your first time here?" A servant from the brothel greeted him with an ingratiating smile.


    Without a word, Gu Chen walked straight in. Seeing this, the servant still smiled. He had seen many such stern customers before, but once inside, they would change and be all smiles.


    Gu Chen nced around. The brothel was big, muchrger than the Yi Xiang Building in Ning City, but of course, Ning City was far smaller than Phoenix Sun City.


    "Sir, if it''s your first time ying here, would you like me to introduce you to someone?" The servant asked humbly, still sporting a fawning smile.


    Upon seeing such a handsome young master like Gu Chen enter, a brightly dressed woman''s eyes lit up, and she hurried over.


    But before she could speak, suddenly, the brothel''s doors were kicked open with brute force, and a group of officers stormed in.


    The brothel servant''s face paled as he eximed, "What are you doing here, officers?"


    Nearly a hundred officers entered, their expressions cold and serious. Upon seeing Gu Chen, they saluted him and stood behind him.


    "This... Sir, what is..." No longer could the brothel servant fail to recognize that Gu Chen was a high official, and his face became filled with panic.


    Gu Chen ignored him and, turning his back to the officers, said indifferently, "Seal off this ce."


    "Yes!"


    The officers nodded and began the task of sealing off the establishment with a formidable air. The entire brothel was thrown into chaos; many customers were forced out of private rooms, half-dressed and disheveled.


    There was incessant shouting and cursing, but Gu Chen seemed deaf to it all as he walked further in.


    "Sir, please, let''s talk this over... you..." The brothel servant tried to block his path with all his might, but was no match for Gu Chen.


    The Evil Heart Sect martial artists were hidden within the brothel''s underground chamber.


    Everyone looked on in fear, unsure of what Gu Chen was about to do.


    When they saw the direction Gu Chen was heading, the servant''s face changed dramatically, and without caring about anything else, he blocked Gu Chen''s path, his eyes revealing a sh of ruthlessness.


    Without a word, Gu Chen''s face emotionless, heunched a palm strike.


    "Thud!"


    The servant''s eyes bulged, and before he could utter a word, he met an untimely death.


    "Xiao Yuan!"


    A shout came as countless ck-d figures appeared. With such amotion, the Evil Heart Sect martial artists had been rmed for some time. Despite all their calctions, they hadn''t anticipated that Gu Chen could find this ce.


    Among them, there were actually two martial artists at the External Qi Stage, one of whom possessed an aura that was all too familiar to Gu Chen.


    Seeing this, a cold smile flickered in Gu Chen''s severe eyes.

 Chapter 91: Chapter 88: Annihilating the Base_1

    Dozens of officials and soldiers had surrounded the area, and more troops were continuously arriving; the martial artists from the Evil Heart Sect''s first reaction was to flee.


    Otherwise, if they dyed, they all would die there.


    "Run!"


    One of the martial artists from the demonic sect, at the Outer Breath realm, shouted, pulling hispanion to escape. At the same time, several demonic sect martial artists began to engage with the city''s defending troops.


    Seeing the two Outer Breath realm warriors attempting to break through, Gu Chen''s figure shed, blocking their path.


    Their expressions changed, and one of them immediately made a move, yelling, "Get out of the way!"


    They naturally had information about Gu Chen, and even the forces that had been sent to attack himst night belonged to them. To their surprise, not only had the assault failed, but many of their own were killed, which led to the discovery of their hiding ce.


    Their strength was on par with the two who had attacked Gu Chen yesterday, and knowing that they were no match for Gu Chen, they feigned an assault, with the real goal of escaping with their lives.


    Now, with Gu Chen defeating Qin Mu and the title of the number one in the Star Ranking nearly spreading throughout the Qiongtian Mansion, there wasn''t a martial artist who didn''t recognize Gu Chen.


    Gu Chen paid no attention to the other Outer Breath realm martial artist; his entire focus was on the demonic sect martial artist possessed by a demon.


    ng!


    Gu Chen drew the mid-grade treasure sword from his waist, and with a sh of the sword light, one Outer Breath realm warrior was immediately beheaded. He hadn''t even had a chance to release the demon''s power before Gu Chen killed him on the spot.


    As the dark aura dispersed, Gu Chen struck with another sword, and with a piercing scream, the ghost-ss demon was also in by him.


    The remaining Outer Breath realm warrior, seeing how Gu Chen killed hispanion as effortlessly as chopping melons and cutting vegetables, knew his end hade and that there was absolutely no chance of escape.


    "Ah¡ª"


    He let out a loud cry, utilizing a secret method of the Evil Heart Sect. His heart beat like a drum, and his blood flow elerated; his entire skin flushed red, looking very much like a cooked shrimp.


    This secret method was extremely damaging to the human body but could enhance one''s strength in a short period of time. The cost was one''s life and potential, and the longer it was used, the greater the damage to the body and internal organs.


    Clearly, the martial artist from the Evil Heart Sect had resolved to die; that''s why he took such actions.


    Still, it was futile. In the face of Gu Chen''s over two hundred years of martial prowess, even with the secret method, the martial artist was no match and was burst apart alive by Gu Chen, blood and bones scattering in all directions.


    With Gu Chen''s current strength, unless it was some martial artist who had opened at least forty meridians in the Tongue Channel realm, breaking through to the Outer Breath realm and had at least the cultivation of the middle tote stages of the Outer Breath realm, they could barely fight with Gu Chen.


    Of course, if one had outstanding talent and mastered multiple high-grade martial arts, that would be a different story.


    But these martial artists from the Evil Heart Sect were obviously not in this category; after all, such geniuses were in the minority, and the entire Evil Heart Sect might not even have one.


    After killing the two leading martial artists of the Evil Heart Sect, the following battles were like crushing dry weeds and smashing rotten wood; the remaining people from the Evil Heart Sect could no longer resist, the dying dead, the captured caught.


    Having cleaned up this ce, Gu Chen, without stopping for rest, rushed to the next stronghold of the Evil Heart Sect, located in arge mountain outside Phoenix Sun City.


    Gu Chen had already made arrangements with the magistrate of Phoenix Sun City, and the city''s defense army would deploy several teams to follow him and eradicate the remnants of the Evil Heart Sect.


    This stronghold of the Evil Heart Sect was not heavily manned, with only one Outer Breath realm martial artist and no ghost-ss demons present. After Gu Chen casually quelled him, Gu Chen left the ce.


    Using the intelligence provided by the Jing Tian Department, in less than half a month, Gu Chen had discovered five or six strongholds of the Evil Heart Sect, showing that, even in a dormant phase, the demonic sect had amassed a significant amount of power.


    It''s worth noting that during the heyday of the Six Union God Sect, the Evil Heart Sect was just one of the many affiliated forces, a sect that wasn''t considered prominent, without much strength.


    Yet now, the Evil Heart Sect alone could have so many manpower, and that''s just within one county; it was foreseeable that the entire Six Union God Sect was definitely not as decayed and vulnerable as imagined.


    They had been licking their wounds in the dark, waiting for the moment to rise again.


    In the following period, Gu Chen sessively eradicated five strongholds of the Evil Heart Sect, each with at least one or two, and at most three or four Outer Breath realm martial artists stationed there.


    But even when facing four Outer Breath realm martial artists alone, Gu Chen still did not feel much pressure.


    Since breaking the limit of the Tongue Channel realm, Gu Chen''s strength had be more formidable, to the point that even he couldn''t see his own limits, not knowing where they were.


    Also, Gu Chen found that the martial artists from the Evil Heart Sect who perfectly merged with the demons were still in the minority. Out of the five strongholds he eradicated, including the one in Phoenix Sun City, there were only three in total; the rest were ordinary martial artists who could not bring Gu Chen any contribution points.


    This confirmed Gu Chen''s spection: the demonic sect indeed had obtained some secret method that allowed martial artists to merge with demons and thereby greatly increase their strength.


    But at the same time, Gu Chen also discovered that maintaining one''s sanity after fusing with a demon spirit, instead of bing its puppet, was not so easy.


    Otherwise, the number of martial artists in the Evil Heart Sect who had merged with demon spirits would far exceed the current count.


    This was also something that Gu Chen found quite regrettable; he even wished the Jing Tian Department could provide him with more intelligence, allowing him to annihte more Evil Heart Sect strongholds.


    However, Gu Chen knew that within Anyang County, the strongholds of the Evil Heart Sect were limited in number. Even if some remained, after sensing the movements of the Jing Tian Department, they could only hide cautiously in the shadows, daring not to make another move.


    This was the most advantageous counterattack by the Jing Tian Department against the heretical sects, and moreover, this was only Gu Chen''s assignment.


    With the Jing Tian Department spread across the world, should the Six Union God Sect dare to show itself, it would face the most powerful blow from the Jing Tian Department.


    At the same time, the Jing Tian Department was also signaling to the Six Union God Sect that even with demon spirits causing havoc, it could still spare manpower to deal with the Six Union God Sect. As long as any heretical martial artist dared to surface, the Jing Tian Department would not hesitate to eradicate thempletely.


    Even now, the situation remained within the control of the Jing Tian Department.


    When eradicating thest Evil Heart Sect stronghold, Gu Chen finally encountered trouble.


    This stronghold had only one Outer Qi Realm martial artist, a young man only a few years older than Gu Chen, with a fierce appearance and sinister eyes, holding in his hand a fresh, blood-red heart, clearly just extracted from someone''s chest, still emitting warmth.


    The young martial artist named Lv Ming was the most outstanding disciple of the Evil Heart Sect''s current generation, having opened nearly fifty meridians in the Communicating Channels Realm before advancing to the Outer Qi Realm and had now reached the mid-phase of Outer Qi Realm cultivation, with his internal energy extending outward a full ten feet.


    Lv Ming, holding a long saber, had faint streaks of ck qi swirling in his pupils. In front of Gu Chen, without a care, he opened his mouth wide and crushed the vibrant heart in his hand, sttering his face with a surge of blood.


    He stuck out his tongue, licking it with an insatiable look. His face smeared with fresh blood and those sinister eyes made him look like a demon straight from hell.


    "You''re Gu Chen?" His voice was hoarse, devoid of a young person''s vitality, more like a gloomy old man.


    Of course, Lv Ming had heard of Gu Chen. When the Evil Heart Sect learned that the Jing Tian Department was eliminating their members, theymanded Lv Ming to return immediately to headquarters, but Lv Ming did not agree.


    As the strongest among the younger generation of the Evil Heart Sect and a direct disciple of the sect leader, Lv Ming''s status within the sect was high. If he didn''t wish toply, there was little the others in the Evil Heart Sect could do about it.


    Unless the sect leader of the Evil Heart Sect personally emerged from seclusion and issued an order, perhaps then Lv Ming would listen.


    Even some of the sect elders'' orders were often ignored by Lv Ming, leaving them helpless.


    Because of rumors that he was the sect leader''s illegitimate child, Lv Ming could do as he pleased within the sect, killing whomever he wanted.


    This was the way of the heretical sect martial artists, with a very strict internal hierarchy and where a slight misstep could result in death.


    After all, for the Six Union God Sect, killing was as normal as ordinary people eating and drinking.


    This was also the most important reason why the Six Union God Sect was denounced by all under heaven¡ªthey truly regarded human life as worthless, killing without any scruples.


    "Evil heretic!"


    A cold light shed through Gu Chen''s deep pupils. To deal with someone like Lv Ming, only by giving them a taste of their own medicine could one make them experience true pain.


    Upon hearing this, a fierce light shed in Lv Ming''s dark eyes, but his expression remained unchanged, even smiling broadly, showing off his snow-white teeth. "You''ve got guts. I didn''t expect you to actually show up at my doorstep. I''ve been waiting for you, indeed. I really want to try what it tastes like, the heart of the number one on the Stars Ranking!" he said.


    Before the sound of his voice had faded, Lv Ming made his move in an instant. He swung his saber andunched a pitch-ck saber qi straight at Gu Chen.


    As Gu Chen had not yet reached the Outer Qi Realm, he could notunch saber qi like Lv Ming, so he drew the mid-grade treasure weapon he got from Qin Mu. Relying on its sharpness, the sword light shed, instantly shattering the dark saber qi.


    Lv Ming''s face changed instantly, feeling a surge of jealousy in his heart. To think that even as a direct disciple of the Evil Heart Sect leader, he only had a low-grade treasure weapon.


    Seeing that Gu Chen, merely at the Communicating Channels Realm, possessed a mid-grade treasure weapon, he was evidently very envious.


    "Good, after killing you, not only will your heart be mine, but your weapon will be mine as well!" Lv Ming said with a smile, yet the expression held not a trace of warmth but was eerily sinister.


    Gu Chen remained silent as his figure shed, using Phantom Traceless Step to get close to Lv Ming, pointing a finger straight at Lv Ming''s chest.


    Without having reached the Outer Qi Realm, Gu Chen would be at a disadvantage in a long-range fight against Lv Ming. A closebat would fully leverage his advantages.


    Lv Ming''s eyes darkened as he said icily, "I''ve heard you''re a body cultivator, with a physique far stronger than your peers. Well, it just so happens, I am too!"

 Chapter 92: Chapter 89 Harvest_1

    Boom!


    Lv Ming countered with a palm strike, colliding with Gu Chen''s Seal Meridian Finger. He felt a soft and yin finger force prate his skin, rushing towards his meridians.


    "Humph, child''s y!"


    With a cold snort, Lv Ming''s internal energy burst forth, instantly crushing the soft Seal Meridian Finger force.


    Gu Chen''s expression remained unchanged as he lifted his hand to deliver a Red me Palm.


    "Did you really think, that by reaching the great perfection of the Meridian Unblocking Realm and opening fifty-six meridians, you could contend with me?" Lv Ming sneered, and the internal energy around his body gathered on his surface, forming a wall of energy that blocked Gu Chen''s palm strike.


    Though he proimed himself a physical cultivator, he took no chances with Gu Chen''s attacks. After all, demon sect warriors grew up in constantbat, with abundant fighting experience and a very cunning nature.


    More importantly, Lv Ming didn''t want to capsize in a shallow ditch by being killed by Gu Chen. He was thinking of killing Gu Chen to make a name for himself in a single battle.


    As a physical cultivator, Gu Chen''s vigor was robust. Devouring Gu Chen''s heart and flesh would greatly benefit Lv Ming.


    This was why he chose to stay put and wait for Gu Chen instead of leaving.


    It could be said that Lv Ming was absolutely confident in his own strength, after all, he was at the mid-stage of the External Qi Realm.


    "Die!"


    Lv Ming reversed his palm towards Gu Chen and struck, his palm wreathed in ck qi and brimming with a chilly aura.


    Seeing this, Gu Chen''s eyes flickered, and he met the strike with his own palm. With a bang, in a direct sh, Lv Ming naturally wasn''t a match for Gu Chen and staggered several steps backward.


    Lv Ming''s face darkened. He had refined a mid-grade physical cultivation skill to perfection. Moreover, with the strength of the demonic specters and his realm suppression, he believed his physique was no weaker than Gu Chen''s. Yet, to his surprise, he was at a slight disadvantage after this blow.


    "Good, the stronger your body, the more I want to consume you!" ck qi surged within Lv Ming''s pupils, and at that moment, he lost all resemnce to a Human n member, no different from a devil that had fallen into hell.


    Gu Chen''s expression was stern. With a slight movement of his fingers, a resplendent sword light, akin to the aurora, shed across.


    Whoosh!


    Lv Ming''s reaction was extremely quick. The moment the sword light shone, he retreated backward like lightning, evading Gu Chen''s Astonishing Swan Swordsmanship.


    Even so, a few strands of his hair fell by the side of his forehead. It was a close shave, as Gu Chen was just a hair''s breadth away from cutting off Lv Ming''s head.


    This scene turned Lv Ming''s face ashen. He thought he could easily defeat Gu Chen, but instead, he had been bested by him twice in session, and had even nearly perished under Gu Chen''s sword just now. Especially since Gu Chen was seemingly at ease the whole time, not even using his full strength, which infuriated him greatly.


    Boom!


    ck qi burst forth from his entire body, attacking Gu Chen like numerous long snakes.


    With aposed and undisturbed expression, Gu Chen circted his Pure Yang Technique. His intensely hot internal energy wrapped around his body, quickly burning the ck qi to nothing.


    "Crush Heart Palm!"


    The attack just now was a ruse by Lv Ming; his real killing movey here. The Crush Heart Palm, a high-grade martial skill of the Evil Heart Sect, and Lv Ming had almost brought it to the pinnacle of mastery.


    With this palm strike, Lv Ming was confident he could severely injure Gu Chen, if not kill him on the spot.


    However, to his surprise, Gu Chen stood his ground, not dodging or avoiding. Seeing this, Lv Ming''s pupils contracted instinctively feeling a trick, but in a split second, he gritted his teeth and stillunched the palm strike.


    Dong!


    A sound like a great bell rang out as the Crush Heart Palmnded on Gu Chen''s chest. Suddenly, a point of golden light shone on Gu Chen''s body, quickly spreading across his entire body. Then Lv Ming only heard the sound of a dragon''s roar and a tiger''s howl ringing in his ears, and he was sent flying backward with blooding out from his orifices.


    Since the Horizontal Training had reached perfection, this was the first time Gu Chen had fully employed it. He had not expected even its sonic waves to be offensive weapons.


    Horizontal Training, truly a high-grade martial art.


    Gu Chen pursued his advantage, wielding a precious weapon and chopping at Lv Ming''s head with his sword.


    Seeing this, Lv Ming was shocked and dismayed, using his long knife to block. With a crisp ng, the long knife in his hand broke into two pieces and fell to the ground.


    "Ahh..."


    Lv Ming''s expression was ferocious as he howled to the sky, like a wounded beast. In just one exchange, his precious weapon had been broken by Gu Chen, fueling his rage.


    "I''ve changed my mind, I want to pound you into mincemeat!"


    Lv Ming red at Gu Chen, gritting his teeth as the power of the demonic specter exploded within him. His body suddenly grew taller, his fingers sharpened, his face twisted, and a great amount of ck qi rushed out of his pores. In an instant, he transformed into a monster resembling a demonic beast.


    Gu Chen''s brows furrowed slightly. With the demonic specter''s power infused, Lv Ming''s strength surged dramatically. Now, even an ordinary martial artist at the great perfection of the External Qi Realm wouldn''tst a few rounds against Lv Ming and would be brutally torn apart.


    Merging with a demonic specter did indeed amplify a martial artist''s strength, not by a mere fraction but exponentially.


    Lv Ming let out a sky-shaking roar, and the next moment, he extended his sharp ws and, clenching them into a fist, smashed towards Gu Chen.


    The power of the demonic specter fully erupted, and his strength multiplied several times over. Wanting to gauge it, Gu Chen circted his Horizontal Training, and a trace of golden light appeared in front of his chest, soon spreading over his entire body, cloaking his skin.


    Thud!


    A muffled sound echoed as the fists collided, creating ripples of energy waves that caused sand and stones to fly and dust to rise all around.


    Lv Ming cried out in pain, his fist aching intensely. Without the specter''s strength, Gu Chen''s punch could have crippled half of his body.


    Yet even so, Lv Ming''s entire arm went numb, and even with the demonic specter''s power aiding his recovery, he still needed some time to recuperate.


    But Gu Chen was relentless. Covered in golden light from head to toe, with even his hair turning pale gold, he leapt up like a great roc and struck another heavy punch at Lv Ming.


    In the rush, Lv Ming could only hurriedly raise both arms to protect his chest. As Gu Chen''s fist came pounding down, Lv Ming''s entire body shook, and his face trembled uncontrobly.


    Thump thump thump!


    Lv Ming staggered backwards a full ten feet before he barely managed to dissipate the force.


    But who would have expected, in the next moment, Gu Chen''s fist was upon him again.


    Boom boom boom!


    Gu Chenunched three consecutive punches, leaving Lv Mingpletely stunned. Every bone in his body trembled with an extremely unsettling creaking sound; many of his bones were cracked.


    If not for the demon ghost inside his body helping him recover, Lv Ming would have died on the spot.


    Upon witnessing Gu Chen''s terrifying strength, Lv Ming was greatly frightened and turned to flee, but Gu Chen wouldn''t give him the chance.


    At this moment, Gu Chen mustered all his strength. The terrifying power of two hundred and twenty-one years coursed through the seventy-one meridians he had opened up, and his body resonated with bursts of rumbling.


    That wasn''t all, as Gu Chen also spurred his Horizontal Training technique to its limit. The golden light on his body suddenly became extremely dazzling. The sound of dragons and tigers roared, and their spectral shadows coiled behind Gu Chen, as if they were about toe to life.


    In such a spectacr sight, Gu Chen was as intimidating as a descending deity, his hair flying in the wind, his clothes rustling loudly. Lv Ming''s pupils contracted, and he couldn''t help but tremble with fear from the depths of his heart.


    This was like a rabbit in the jungle suddenly encountering the king of beasts, with boundless fear surging up from the very depths of its heart.


    This punch, Gu Chen exerted his full strength¡ªit was his most powerful blow!


    Boom!


    Gu Chen''s punchnded on Lv Ming''s body, and in an instant, Lv Ming exploded into a cloud of blood mist, with countless pieces of flesh and shattered bones scattering in all directions, not even aplete corpse left behind.


    Even the demon ghost inside him died along with Lv Ming under Gu Chen''s punch.


    Gu Chen, d in ck robes, tall and lean, stood on the spot as the light that enveloped him slowly faded, reducing to a single point and disappearing from Gu Chen''s body.


    If it were an ordinary person unleashing the previous terrifying attack, they would surely have been drained of all strength within their body, but Gu Chen still looked as if nothing had happened.


    After all, his internal energy was profound and his strength enduring, far beyond that of an ordinary person.


    Gu Chen raised his hand and caught the soul crystal, absorbing it on the spot.


    With this, all six strongholds of the Evil Heart Sect in Anyang County, as detailed by the information provided by Jing Tian Department, were eradicated, and Gu Chen also reaped arge number of merit points.


    Right away, Gu Chen led his men back to Phoenix Sun City immediately. After returning his men, he found a rtively secluded ce and began seclusion.


    With a thought, the panel appeared before his eyes.


    Name: Gu Chen


    Martial Arts: Horizontal Training (perfection), Red me Palm (perfection), Seal Meridian Finger (major achievement), Phantom Traceless Step (minor achievement), Astonishing Swan Swordsmanship Skills (perfection)


    Inner Strength Technique: Pure Yang Technique


    Cultivation: Two hundred twenty-one years


    Realm: Advanced Stage of Meridian Opening


    Merit Points: 110


    This operation against the four Ghost-ss demons of the Evil Heart Sect contributed a whopping hundred and ten merit points to Gu Chen, which was the first time Gu Chen''s merit points had breached the hundred mark.


    This clearly excited Gu Chen, for it meant that his strength was about to experience an unprecedented major breakthrough.


    Mind you, when it came to merit points, the more Gu Chen had, the better.


    Of course, the top priority right now was to break through to the great perfection of the Meridian Opening realm, and Gu Chen was eager to find out, with the help of the panel, just how far he could go in this realm.


    Immediately, Gu Chen took out a bottle of Meridian Opening Pills and swallowed them.


    Five Meridian Opening Pills entered his stomach, and the scorching medicinal power surged at the pit of Gu Chen''s stomach. As his thought moved, the merit points on the panel began to disappear.


    Apanied by a thunderous roar, two more meridians in his body were opened up.


    But soon, much like before, Gu Chen encountered a tremendous resistance, and the medicinal power of a bottle of Meridian Opening Pills had been exhausted.


    As he continued to consume them, the efficacy of the Meridian Opening Pills weakened, and eventually, they might not work at all.


    But, undeterred, Gu Chen swallowed two bottles of Meridian Opening Pills this time and began to assault the next meridian with the overwhelming energy within his body.


    Boom!


    Another meridian was opened, but the further he went, the more difficult Gu Chen found it to be, and even with the aid of the Meridian Opening Pills, it proved to be quite challenging.


    When five bottles of Meridian Opening Pills had been consumed, Gu Chen had opened seventy-eight meridians in his body.


    At this point, he had opened most of the meridians in his body, including those in his limbs, torso, and even his internal organs.


    But Gu Chen felt this number was not his limit.


    He gathered all his inner energy at one point, and then stormed through with force.


    "Open for me!"

 Chapter 93: Chapter 90: Comprehensive Improvement (3000 words, 1st update)_1

    ```


    Boom!


    With a st erupting from within Gu Chen''s body, his whole frame shuddered as countless droplets of fresh blood spattered from his skin, staining his clothes red.


    Yet there was not the slightest trace of pain on Gu Chen''s face; his expression remained eerily calm.


    At this moment, the number of meridians inside his body had reached seventy-nine.


    Like a long river, his internal energy surged through his body. Gu Chenposed his mind and, with a burst of effort, once again charged toward the next meridian.


    Without the passage-opening pill, it was extremely difficult to forge new meridians at Gu Chen''s level, but fortunately, the panel helped him improve his cultivation. The robust internal energy coursed through the seventy-nine meridians. Under Gu Chen''smand, it seemed to transform into a drill bit, striking toward the eightieth meridian.


    Boom!


    The eightieth meridian was prated, and once again, blood erupted from all over Gu Chen''s body. His flesh,parable to a low-grade magic weapon, was turned to such a state, which indicates the ferocity of the internal impact.


    If it had not been for the Horizontal Training technique reaching perfection, sounding like the roar of dragons and the cry of tigers, Gu Chen would never have dared to act so recklessly.


    Although he had unblocked eighty meridians, as the internal energy circted within, he still felt a vague sense of heaviness¡ªthe result of excessively thick internal energy stretching the meridians to bulge.


    Gu Chen''s brow furrowed slightly. In the next second, rather than giving up, he maneuvered his internal energy and once more charged at another meridian.


    Boom!


    It was like being struck by a thunderbolt, and for an instant, Gu Chen lost his senses, his mind wentpletely nk, a void.


    He didn''t know how much time had passed before Gu Chen''s consciousness slowly returned. He felt the flow of his internal energy and no longer encountered any prior sense of blockage or heaviness. A slight smile appeared on his face.


    At this moment, a total of eighty-one meridians had been unblocked within Gu Chen''s body. These eighty-one meridians were like a series of expressways, allowing his mighty internal energy to run wild within him.


    The more meridians unblocked in the Through-Meridian Stage, the more the cultivator''s physical body is nourished in return. Gu Chen felt that his body, which had beparable to a magic weapon after reaching perfection in the Horizontal Training technique, seemed to have grown slightly stronger.


    Gu Chen could feel it¡ªeighty-one meridians were his limit in the Through-Meridian Stage. He could not continue to forge ahead. His internal energy was brimming, threatening to break through his body.


    Immediately afterward, Gu Chen had a thought and opened the panel.


    Name: Gu Chen


    Martial arts: Horizontal Training (perfection), Red me Palm (perfection), Seal Meridian Finger (major achievement), Phantom Traceless Step (minor achievement), Astonishing Swan Swordsmanship Skills (perfection)


    Internal technique: Pure Yang Technique


    Cultivation age: 240 years


    Realm: Complete Through-Meridian Stage


    Skill points: 91


    "I''ve finally reached theplete Through-Meridian Stage..." Gu Chen exhaled softly. Eighty-one meridians¡ªit can be said that this was a number unprecedented in the Nine Provinces, and very likely unsurpassed by future generations.


    No one could unblock so many meridians at the Through-Meridian Stage, surpassing the recorded limit of the Through-Meridian Stage by a full twenty-five meridians.


    Should this news spread, the entire Nine Provinces would be shaken, and Gu Chen''s fame would even overshadow the Six Union God Sect''s return to the martial world, bing the foremost person in the Through-Meridian Stage throughout the history of the Nine Provinces.


    Even the vast majority of Outer Qi Stage martial artists couldn''t match the number of meridians Gu Chen had unblocked.


    At this moment, Gu Chen''s foundation in the Through-Meridian Stage was incredibly solid. In fact, his internal energy inside was so full that it seemed to be leaking out of his body. With just a thought, Gu Chen''s internal energy could break out of his skin and push through to the Outer Qi Stage.


    Boom!


    As soon as the thought arose, Gu Chen''s vigorous internal energy burst forth from his body, forming a tiny whirlpool in the palm of his hand.


    "So this is the Outer Qi Stage?"


    Gu Chen looked at the whirlpool in his palm. The external control of internal energy was much more challenging than when inside the body, but with just a little effort, Gu Chen was able to manipte his internal energy as if it were his own limb, extremely smoothly.


    "Go!"


    With a light tap of his finger, Gu Chen turned his internal energy into an almost imperceptible thin line, shooting it out a full ten feet.


    Sharpening internal energy into such a fine line is a true test of a martial artist''s control over it. Gu Chen had just broken through to the Outer Qi Stage and was already capable of this feat, which showcased his extraordinary talent.


    After the internal energy extended beyond ten feet, Gu Chen felt a strain, struggling to control it precisely.


    Moreover, if it went too far without additional support, the internal energy would dissipate into the air and earth.


    Although he had just be an Outer Qi Stage martial artist, Gu Chen was still aware of the basic knowledge of externalizing internal energy.


    The fact that he could extend his internal energy out a full ten feet upon his initial breakthrough far exceeded many early-stage Outer Qi martial artists.


    Bear in mind, martial artists just entering the Outer Qi Stage can barely coalesce their internal energy on the surface of their bodies, with only a few capable of extending it outwardly, but no one could match Gu Chen in extending his internal energy a full ten feet upon breakthrough.


    Only some mid-stage Outer Qi martial artists with deep cultivation could aplish this.


    Then, Gu Chen attempted to externalize his internal energy in front of him, forming a wall of Qi. This was a defensemonly used by all Outer Qi Stage martial artists.


    But the thickness of his Qi wall far surpassed that of ordinary Outer Qi martial artists¡ªEvil Heart Sect''s Lv Ming included.


    Afterpleting his trial, Gu Chen reined in his scattered thoughts. He did not allow himself to grow arrogant because of his achievements.


    ```


    ```


    After all, be it the Channeling Stage or the External Energy Stage,pared to the vastness of Jiuzhou, they are hardly worth mentioning.


    As Qi Zhen has said, a genius who has yet to grow is not truly a genius.


    Even the number one on the Star Ranking could only be considered as having a bit of fame in the entire martial world, but is far from catching the eyes of real powerhouses.


    Only by breaking through the External Energy Stage to reach the sixth stage of the martial path, the Vajra Stage, can one be considered a top-notch expert and officially join the ranks of Jiuzhou''s mighty.


    The current Gu Chen, in the eyes of the whole world, can barely be considered as a second-rate practitioner.


    It is precisely because he understands this that, even though Gu Chen has far surpassed the limit in the Channeling Stage, he has not grown the slightest bit arrogant.


    Many practitioners with great talent and major progress in the Channeling Stage, once reaching the Vajra Stage, be listless and their rate of breakthrough slows down.


    The cultivation of martial arts emphasizes umtion and is a task of repetition and refinement; no one can achieve it overnight.


    Even with the help of the panel, Gu Chen couldn''t just Ascend to Heaven in one step.


    Looking at the remaining ny-one points of merit on the panel, Gu Chen had a thought and sixteen points of merit were used up while Seal Meridian Finger moved from the grand proficiency realm to perfection, and the corresponding martial arts experience was infused into Gu Chen''s mind.


    After Seal Meridian Finger reached perfection, the words "can be deduced" appeared next to this martial art, simr to Red me Palm on the panel.


    Without hesitation, having had prior experience, twelve points of merit disappeared from the panel, while the martial experience corresponding to these two martial arts appeared in his mind, intermingling and fusing, separating the wheat from the chaff, as new martial experience emerged continuously.


    Soon, a new martial art was deduced topletion.


    This new martial art, named Burning Vein Finger, is a mid-grade martial art that inherits the benefits of the Red me Palm and Seal Meridian Finger. With a single press, the fiery force of the finger can seal meridians and scorch the body, causing the one struck to feel as if all five viscera are burning.


    Looking at the remaining sixty-three points of merit, Gu Chen had a thought and thirty-five points disappeared as Burning Vein Finger was immediately brought by Gu Chen to perfection.


    Arge amount of martial experience poured into him in an instant, causing Gu Chen to furrow his brows slightly, feeling a bit of swelling in his mind, which took a good while before easing.


    Subsequently, Gu Chen spent another twenty-four points of merit to bring the Phantom Traceless Step to the perfection realm.


    As this step technique reached perfection, Gu Chen felt his legs be even more agile, and his entire being seemed to have the sensation of soaring into the air.


    With every step on the ground, his body felt incredibly light, as if stepping on tufts of cotton, as though a light leap could send him soaring into the sky.


    At this moment, there were only four points of merit left on Gu Chen''s panel.


    With a thought, these four points of merit were added to his cultivation level.


    The reason he did not choose to allocate all the points to his cultivation was that, with Gu Chen''s current prowess, his martial realm was struggling to keep up; thus, this time, he chose to enhance several martial arts first.


    After all, no matter how profound one''s internal power is, without corresponding martial arts to unleash it, its full potential cannot be realized.


    Name: Gu Chen


    Martial Arts: Dragon Roar Tiger Shout Horizontal Training (perfection), Burning Vein Finger (perfection), Phantom Traceless Step (perfection), Astonishing Swan Swordsmanship Skills (perfection)


    Internal Skill: Pure Yang Technique


    Cultivation Age: 244 years


    Realm: Early External Energy Stage


    Merit Points: 0


    Thus, one hundred and ten points of merit were used up, and looking at the panel with several martial arts reaching the realm of perfection, Gu Chen nodded in satisfaction.


    Once the mission is over and he returns to the Jing Tian Department, Chen Yu had promised him a private reward, which Gu Chen was also looking forward to.


    Given that Chen Yu is amander of the Jing Tian Department, he is sure not to be stingy, and at the very least, it will be a high-grade martial art.


    With this thought, Gu Chen was filled with even more anticipation.


    The next day, Gu Chen went to the Drunken Phoenix Tower to have a meal, and afterward, he would leave Phoenix Sun City to return to Tiandu.


    By today, who doesn''t recognize the number one on the Star Ranking, Gu Chen? His dining at the Drunken Phoenix Tower naturally attracted a lot of attention, but no one dared toe up and disturb him, instead they watched stealthily from a distance.


    Even some women with beautiful and delicate appearances frequently cast admiring, shy nces toward Gu Chen.


    All this Gu Chen was naturally aware of, but he didn''t pay any attention to it; he just felt that once famous, it can be rather troublesome, and now he understood why those celebrities from his previous life would wrap themselves up so tightly when they went out, finding the feeling of being constantly under scrutiny quite unfavorable.


    Gu Chen sat by the window, looking out at the view while eating the local delicacies of Phoenix Sun City, when he suddenly remembered the Luo Feng he had met in Huaiyang City.


    At that moment, a servant of the Drunken Phoenix Tower approached with a smile and respectfully said, "Sir, this is a dish that our owner has specially added for you, one of the specialties of the Drunken Wind Tower. Please have a taste, sir."


    Not far away, the owner of the Drunken Wind Tower stood with a smile, bowing to Gu Chen when he saw him looking over.


    Gu Chen nodded in acknowledgement, then picked up his chopsticks and tasted the dish, but the moment he did, his expression changed abruptly and he spat it out immediately.


    Seeing this, the servant of the Drunken Wind Tower, puzzled, said, "Sir, what''s wrong? Is the dish not to your liking?"


    Gu Chen said gravely, "There''s poison in this dish."


    ```

 Chapter 94: Chapter 91: The Blood-Robed Building (2nd update, 3000 words)_1

    Upon hearing the news, the proprietor of the Drunken Phoenix Tower''s face changed dramatically, and he eximed in shock, "Impossible! How could the dishes possibly be poisoned?"


    The waiter was also panic-stricken, shaking his head like a rattle-drum, and said, "I don''t know, I really don''t know, it has nothing to do with me."


    The other martial artists in the Drunken Phoenix Tower also had their faces change colors, hastily putting down their chopsticks.


    The restaurant proprietor''s expression was in utter chaos; as restaurateurs, if word got out that their dishes were poisoned, it would be the end of the Drunken Phoenix Tower.


    Moreover, Gu Chen was not only the top-ranked on the Star Ranking but also the Metropolitan Procurator of the Jing Tian Department. If he were to die today from eating the poisoned dishes at the Drunken Phoenix Tower, the entire restaurant, including his family members, would not be able to escape their fate.


    Gu Chen''s expression was solemn, but he didn''t immediatelysh out, for he knew that this had nothing to do with the Drunken Phoenix Tower; the proprietor wouldn''t be foolish enough to dare to poison a court official.


    "I... I''ll go get the chef who made this dish right away, just a moment, please."


    After finishing this sentence, the proprietor hurriedly scampered towards the kitchen and soon returned with a middle-aged man whose appearance was honest and whose stature was average.


    "Did you make this dish?" Gu Chen eyed the middle-aged man before him.


    "Yes," the honest-looking middle-aged man nodded.


    "During the cooking process, did you see any suspicious people?" Gu Chen asked, frowning.


    "No," the honest man shook his head; Gu Chen asked, and he answered sinctly, and it was easy to see that he was a man of few words.


    "I see," Gu Chen nodded, signaling to the proprietor that he could take the man away.


    The proprietor hastily said, "Lord Gu, as you can see, this matter has absolutely nothing to do with our restaurant. Perhaps it was just an ident?"


    Gu Chen was just about to speak, but the next moment, he suddenly felt a strong surge of murderous intent.


    Swish!


    In the Drunken Phoenix Tower, a gleaming cold light shed in somebody''s eyes. A flying knife, no bigger than a thumb, zipped through the air at an incredible speed, aiming for Gu Chen''s throat.


    Faced with this sudden danger, Gu Chen''s pupils dted, and the silhouette of the flying knife became clearer in his vision. In the nick of time, with a flick of his expression, Gu Chen extended two fingers and deftly caught the flying knife in his hand.


    This seemingly inconspicuous, thumb-sized flying knife was incredibly sharp, barely visible in terms of quality it actually surpassed a low-grade treasure weapon, almost cutting through his skin.


    However, its strength and other aspects were far inferior; with a gentle effort, the flying knife in Gu Chen''s fingers snapped into two pieces.


    It seemed the assant was quite familiar with Gu Chen''s situation, knowing that he was a martial body practitioner, and thus had specifically prepared this specially crafted weapon to deal with Gu Chen.


    Seeing Gu Chen attacked in his own restaurant, the proprietor was horrified. He was just about to speak when Gu Chen beat him to it.


    "Get out of the way, quick!"


    On hearing this, the proprietor was taken aback and suddenly felt a burst of strong wind behind him, causing his body to instinctively shiver.


    Bang!


    At that moment, Gu Chen appeared behind him, blocking the hit for him.


    Gu Chen looked at the honest-faced middle-aged man before him, his eyebrows slightly furrowed, and said, "That was a close call."


    If it weren''t for that man''s move, Gu Chen would have almost failed to notice that this person had martial skills; the way he had concealed his abilities was truly exquisite, well-suited for assassination, assuring near-certain sess with few able to react in time.


    "Are you an assassin from the Blood Clothing Pavilion?" Gu Chen asked coldly; such extreme secrecy in concealing one''s presence was very rare in the martialmunity, and given the strong murderous intent that the man had just released, Gu Chen had his suspicions.


    By gathering all his vital energy within his body, hiding it at a single point and releasing it at the critical moment with the speed of thunder, this was a secret technique of the Blood Clothing Pavilion.


    "An assassin from the Blood Clothing Pavilion?!"


    Inside the Drunken Phoenix Tower, upon hearing the three words "Blood Clothing Pavilion," the other martial artists'' faces turned pale as if they were facing a great disaster, and they scattered, each running a good distance away.


    The Blood Clothing Pavilion, one of the "Three Unorthodox Paths," referred to the three most notorious assassin organizations in the world, with the Blood Clothing Pavilion being one of them.


    Among the Three Unorthodox Paths, the Blood Clothing Pavilion had been the most active in recent years, and so its notoriety was the greatest.


    The Blood Clothing Pavilion imed that there was no one under heaven they dared not kill. In reality, it was indeed true; from royal nobles and high-ranking officials of the court to the major powers of the martial world of the nine provinces, the Blood Clothing Pavilion dared to send people to assassinate them.


    It could be said that merely the name "Blood Clothing Pavilion" was enough to evoke fear and trepidation in the martialmunity.


    After all, they were a group of assassins, who knew no bounds; offending them meant endless pursuit, relentless until death.


    Before the current Emperor of Da Xia sequestered himself, he had once contemted eradicating the scourge that was the Blood Clothing Pavilion, but to no avail, as the pavilion was too elusive, always lurking in the shadows, never exposed. Hence the task remained unaplished. Stay updated on m v l e mpyr


    Of course, due to the Emperor, the Blood Clothing Pavilion had been somewhat restrained until thesest few years while the Emperor continued to remain in seclusion, only then daring to re-emerge.


    The honest-faced middle-aged man did not speak. With a casual tear, he ripped his clothes apart, revealing a blood-colored garment underneath, and on the chest, embroidered with a ck "Kill" character.


    "A ck List assassin!"


    Some martial artists couldn''t help eximing in rm. The ck List was an internal ranking within the Blood Garment Tower. Being on the ck List implied that one''s strength exceeded that of other assassins of the same level, marking the person as an elite.


    At the same time, ck List assassins did not make their move lightly, only targeting renowned veterans of the martial world or prodigies like Gu Chen, who had risen to the Stars Ranking. Only for such targets did the Blood Garment Tower dispatch ck List assassins.


    And once a ck List assassin was mobilized, it meant that the person had entered the Blood Garment Tower''s must-kill list, with a relentless pursuit until death.


    "Who would pay such a huge price for the bounty?" All the warriors were puzzled.


    To prompt the Blood Garment Tower to send a ck List assassin, the price had to be extremely steep, only warranted by deep-seated hatred and grudges.


    Of course,


    it was also possible that the Blood Garment Tower, seeing Gu Chen''s rise to the top of the Stars Ranking, wanted to assert their power, hence they sent a ck List assassin to kill Gu Chen.


    After all,


    during the current Emperor''s campaign against the martial world, although he did notpletely destroy the Blood Garment Tower, he did deal a major blow to them, killing many of their experts, including one of their Vice Masters.


    Because of this, the Blood Garment Tower held a grudge against Da Xia, but due to the current Emperor, they had remained hidden and inactive.


    After all,


    if the Blood Garment Tower had dared to emerge back then, they might have beenpletely eradicated by now.


    The current Emperor of Da Xia was universally recognized as the top martial artist in the nine provinces, his strength and status unrivaled, standing at the pinnacle, overseeing the world.


    Had it not been for his pursuit of breaking through to the Heaven-Man Realm, spending twenty-three years in closed-door cultivation, perhaps the nine provinces would have achieved unification long ago, with the people living in peace and contentment.


    Whoosh!


    At that moment, the ck List assassin made his move. Gu Chen saw clearly that the other party had barely shifted the fingers at his sides, when instantly a cold gleam shot toward Gu Chen.


    It was still a throwing knife!


    But this time, Gu Chen was ready. His eyesight was exceptionally sharp, and when the knife almost reached him in mid-air, he flicked his finger, producing a "ng." The de shattered into countless fragments, scattering in all directions.


    "Go!"


    Gu Chen threw a palm strike, gathering the fragments with his inner breath and incorporating them into his palm wind, directing them toward the ck List assassin.


    Expressionless as if suffering from facial paralysis, the ck List assassin did not show any emotion from beginning to end. Seeing Gu Chen''s palm wind approaching, he also struck with a palm, his energy robust. The two palm winds collided, and with a loud bang


    the inn copsed in an instant, people screaming as they fled outside.


    The assassin showed not the slightest surprise at Gu Chen also being at the External Qi Realm; evidently, all this was within his expectations.


    As an assassin, frontalbat was not their way; fleeing thousands of miles after a failed strike was what they should do. Having tested Gu Chen''s strength, the Blood Garment Tower''s ck List assassin was ready to flee.


    "You can''t escape!"


    Gu Chen coldly shouted, his expression grave, not about to let someone who tried to assassinate him escape so easily.


    Hiss!


    Gu Chen pointed his finger, and a burst of force with searing heat shot out, aiming for the assassin''s back. Sensing the power behind Gu Chen''s attack, the ck List assassin''s eyebrows furrowed slightly, but without turning back, he released his inner breath to form an air wall behind him, intending to block Gu Chen''s strike.


    Bang!


    The force from the Burning Vein Finger prated the air wall and hit the assassin''s back, causing his body to tremble, disbelief in his eyes.


    He was ate-stage External Qi Realm practitioner; how could he not block an attack from someone in the early stage of the same realm?


    The force of Burning Vein Finger exploded inside him, his meridians and internal organs experiencing a burning sensation. Acknowledging Gu Chen''s difficulty, he knew he had to leave as quickly as possible.


    Otherwise, once Phoenix Sun City''s defense forces arrived, he would not be able to escape.


    As an assassin, concealing one''s presence and escaping were top skills. His footwork was extraordinary, his speed swift, yet suddenly, he felt a gust of wind in his face¡ªit was Gu Chen, who had quickly reached his side.


    Boom!


    Without a word,


    Gu Chen threw a punch, and the assassin felt as if a small mountain had hit him, the force astonishing.


    "How can he be so fast?" the ck List assassin wondered, but as ate-stage External Qi Realm practitioner with richbat experience, he tilted his body backward, almost parallel to the ground, narrowly dodging the punch. Gu Chen''s fist wind scratched his cheek, causing stinging pain.


    Gu Chen, unfazed as if expecting this, suddenly spread open his gathered fingers and smacked downward fiercely.


    "Ahh!"


    The ck List assassin cried out in agony, apparently not expecting Gu Chen''s change of moves to be so swift. Even with inner breath protection, Gu Chen''s palm strike made him feel as if his internal organs were about to shift, and he spat out a mouthful of fresh blood.


    He had just truly felt Gu Chen''s majestic inner breath, a strength far deeper than his own, even though he was an External Qi Realmte-stage martial artist.


    Fear shed in the man''s eyes. Even if Gu Chen were a genius, the first on the Stars Ranking, how could he have surpassed him in power right after advancing to the External Qi Realm?


    Not caring for the man''s thoughts, Gu Chen saw him trying to flee and pointed into the air again, a scorching force leaving a scorched trail in the air as it charged forth.

 Chapter 96: Chapter 93 Pure Yang Wuji Gong_1

    "King Huai wants to see me?" Gu Chen''s expression changed upon hearing this, and he was immediately taken aback.


    This King Huai was no ordinary figure. Currently in Da Xia, aside from those aged royal rtives who had retired, there was only one prince like King Huai.


    King Huai was the current Emperor of Summer''s own younger brother by the same mother, undoubtedly the most powerful individual in the entirety of Da Xia, and perhaps even the whole world.


    Because when the current Emperor of Summer underwent seclusion twenty-three years ago, he had appointed a Crown Prince and entrusted the administration of the state to him. However, at that time, the Crown Prince was too young, merely a few years old. Therefore, the Emperor appointed King Huai as the Regent to supervise the nation, assisting the Crown Prince in handling state affairs.


    And now, after the Crown Prince hade of age, King Huai had already transferred power and stepped back. But even so, the Crown Prince would still asionally summon King Huai to the pce to discuss state affairs together.


    Even with major issues where the Crown Prince was indecisive, he would first consult King Huai before finalizing the way forward.


    It could be said that the rtionship between the Crown Prince and King Huai was exceptionally close. They were not father and son, yet their bond was stronger than that of a father and son. The Emperor''s image had already be blurry in the Crown Prince''s memory after twenty-three years of seclusion, far less intimate than his decades-long daily interactions with King Huai.


    During King Huai''s governance of Da Xia, the nation had been well-ordered, and its national strength had greatly increased. People used to say that King Huai possessed better capability in governance than the current sage Emperor. Regrettably, when the old Emperor selected his sessor to the throne, the realm was in turmoil, urgently needing a powerful martial Emperor to suppress the world.


    Moreover, as the Emperor was the eldest son, he was chosen to inherit the throne.


    In the eyes of some, it would have been better for King Huai to seed to the throne. The current Emperor would be more suitable as a great general, the pir of the state, to awe the world.


    If that were the case, there would not have been the urrence of the Emperor secluding himself for twenty-three years and neglecting state affairs.


    Moreover, what made the people sigh was that King Huai''s martial talent was not remarkable, and he suffered from a weak constitution and poor health from a young age. Otherwise, he would truly have been the uncontestable choice for the throne


    "What does King Huai want with me?" Gu Chen was somewhat puzzled. A personage like King Huai, possessing immense power, could view Gu Chen as less significant than an ant, light as a feather. Why would he suddenly summon him?


    Chen Yu shook his head and said, "I''m not aware of the specifics. The news came from Prince Huai''s Mansion. Perhaps King Huai wishes to understand the matter of the Six Union God Sect re-emerging in the martial world. After all, you have firsthand experience; you''ve interacted with them quite a bit recently. His Highness King Huai probably wants to inquire about some details from you."


    Even someone as proud as Chen Yu held great respect for a figure like King Huai. In all of Da Xia, no one could speak ill of King Huai.


    After a pause, Chen Yu chuckled and said, "This might not be a bad thing. It''s well known that King Huai harbors concern for the world and is especially keen on nurturing talent. Because his own martial talent is average, he ces great emphasis on those with exceptional martial prowess.


    Over the years, whether they are civil officials or militarymanders, in Tiandu or the border armies, King Huai has cultivated numerous talents for Da Xia. Even I was weak once, and I owe much to King Huai''s benevolence for reaching my position today."


    Gu Chen nodded. He had also heard of King Huai''s reputation for valuing talent, nurturing them regardless of the cost.


    Of course, should one dare tomit acts detrimental to Da Xia after rising in power, King Huai would decidedly not let them off.


    Find your next read on m_v l|e-NovelFire


    Therefore, whether among themon folk, within the court, or within institutions like the Jing Tian Department and the Mingjing Department, King Huai''s reputation was exceedingly positive.


    As Chen Yu mentioned, King Huai''s summoning of Gu Chen was likely to inquire about the Six Union God Sect, and it was very possible he intended to mentor Gu Chen as well.


    "King Huai is no ordinary person. When you meet with him, you must be careful and tactful, taking great care not to say anything amiss." Chen Yu seriously advised.


    "Do not worry, my lord. I understand," Gu Chen said solemnly, sping his fists.


    After all, King Huai was recognized as the most prominent individual in the contemporary Da Xia. Even if his temperament was amiable and unconcerned with strict formalities, someone like Gu Chen still needed to be mindful of the necessary etiquette.


    Chen Yu nodded. He knew Gu Chen to be a man of measure, and through their interactions, Gu Chen had proved to be reliable. Chen Yu also hoped King Huai would take a liking to Gu Chen and cultivate him substantially.


    Regardless, Gu Chen was his man, and his temperament and talents were in line with Chen Yu''s own. Chen Yu did not want Gu Chen''s potential to be cut short. If Gu Chen matured, Da Xia might gain another figure capable of being a greatmander.


    The Jing Tian Department oversaw the world, always vignt against external threats. Now, with the rise of the demonic cults and the heightened danger of missions, Chen Yu did not wish for a talent like Gu Chen to perish prematurely.


    If King Huai provided guidance, Gu Chen''s future path would certainly be much smoother.


    Finally, the moment Gu Chen had been eagerly awaiting arrived.


    "Before you set off on your mission, I had said that if you could defeat Yu Qiushi andplete this task, aside from the due rewards, privately, I would give you an additional reward," Chen Yu said.

 Chapter 97: Chapter 93 Pure Yang Wuji Gong_2

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    Chen Yu slowly said, "You''ve done an excellent job on this mission and even went above and beyond, eliminating six bases of the Evil Heart Sect in Phoenix Sun City and shattering their prestige. We''ll set aside your merits for now, but on a personal note, I''ve prepared a superior internal energy practice for you. Take a look."


    As he spoke, Chen Yu picked up a book from the table next to him. Gu Chen got up quickly to take it, then immediately began to read eagerly.


    Originally, Gu Chen thought Chen Yu would reward him with a superior martial arts technique, but to his surprise, Chen Yu actually gave him a superior internal energy practice, which was much more expensive and rare.


    "This internal energy practice is called ''Pure Yang Wuji Skill,'' which is an advanced version of the Pure Yang Technique you are currently cultivating. If you were to exchange it on your own at the merit hall, even with a discount for a second-rank Metropolitan Procurator, it would still cost at least thirty or forty merit points."


    Chen Yu then exined the key points and precautions of cultivating the Pure Yang Wuji Gong to Gu Chen. He was very familiar with this practice since he had cultivated it himself for a while.


    Thanks to Chen Yu''s exnation, Gu Chen quickly mastered the basics of this technique. The vigorous internal energy within his body started to circte through his meridians in the way dictated by the Pure Yang Wuji Gong, immediately bing hotter and purer.


    Gu Chen''s aura instantly strengthened on the spot, and this was just the beginning of his practice, having just entered the threshold.


    The gap between mid-grade and superior-grade internal energy practices was immediately clear.


    Seeing that Gu Chen had mastered the basics of Pure Yang Wuji Gong in just a short while, Chen Yu''s eyes brightened. While his exnation yed a part, it also had a lot to do with Gu Chen''s own talent.


    Inwardly, he couldn''t help but admire, "Truly a natural martial body."


    To be honest, Chen Yu was a bit envious of Gu Chen''s rapid progress in strength and skill, but these were not things he would say out loud.


    After all, as amander, Gu Chen was his subordinate, and he too had his pride to maintain.


    Seeing that Gu Chen had grasped the basics, Chen Yu stopped the exnation and continued, "Now that you have just entered the External Qi Realm, I have something to say about the realms in martial arts."


    Hearing this, Gu Chen felt a surge of gratitude towards Chen Yu. Chen Yu indeed valued him highly and took good care of him. Therefore, with a solemn expression and a fist salute, he said, "Sir, your kindness is etched in my heart. In the future, should you need anything, Gu Chen will not hesitate to go through fire and water!"


    Chen Yu heard this and simply smiled, not taking Gu Chen''s words to heart. After all, there was a vast difference between their cultivations¡ªtwo full major realms separated them.


    Gu Chen indeed had extraordinary talent and a natural martial body that allowed him to advance quickly in his cultivation. But Chen Yu was no ordinary individual. He considered himself second to none and, what''s more, the higher one climbs in martial arts cultivation, the harder it gets.


    By the time Gu Chen reached his level of cultivation, Chen Yu might have already reached a whole new realm, perhaps even attaining the status of a grandmaster.


    That''s why Chen Yu didn''t take Gu Chen''s words to heart. With an eight-year age difference, those eight years wouldn''t be easy to catch up on. If Gu Chen managed to catch up with him so casually, Chen Yu felt he might as well die.


    He then proceeded with the exnation, "Whether it''s the Meridian Opening Stage or the External Qi Realm, they''re both transitional realms. The really important thing in martial arts, or the first major challenge that martial artists face, is the sixth realm¡ªthe Vajra Stage¡ªwhich is what you''ll be confronting next."


    "Only when you reach the Vajra Stage can you be considered among the strong in Kyushu and be called a first-ss expert. Before that, no matter how talented, it''s just potential. Throughout history, many Meridian Opening Stage geniuses have fallen at the hurdle of the Vajra Stage. The Outstanding Stars List is nothing significant when you look at the whole world.


    Being first on that list carries some weight, but it''s still mainly pursued by individual cultivators and martial artists."


    Chen Yu spoke slowly, meaning to tell Gu Chen that even if one reaches the limits of the Meridian Opening Stage, opening up fifty-six meridians, it doesn''t mean one should becent.


    Because many gifted individuals at the Meridian Opening Stage, including those who opened four or five dozen meridians, have failed at the challenge of the Vajra Stage.


    This is why Chen Yu said that Vajra Stage is the first real challenge for martial artists.


    With Chen Yu''s exnation, Gu Chen gained a much deeper understanding of the sixth realm of the martial path, the Vajra Stage, which he was about to face.


    Vajra Stage, derived from Buddhism''s concept of the "indestructible vajra," resonates through the entire sixth realm of martial arts, the Vajra Stage.


    The martial path is an internal quest to return from the acquired to the innate state. To ept and even merge with innate Qi, one needs to prevent innate Qi from dissipating and transcend mortal limits. This requires breaking free from the physical shackles of flesh and bone, so a powerful body is essential in the martial journey.


    Thus, physical cultivation is also extremely important in martial arts, and the Vajra Stage demands the cultivation of an indestructible body.


    Of course, the aspiration isudable, but very few can actually achieve it at the Vajra Stage¡ªeven one in a few hundred years might be giving too much credit.


    Like the Meridian Opening Stage, the Vajra Stage is divided into four levels: impervious to fire and water, cast of copper and iron, body like a savage dragon, and ultimately the indestructible vajra.


    Only when one reaches the indestructible vajra level does one trulyprehend the essence of the Vajra Stage, but this is immensely difficult¡ªso much so that even Chen Yu has not achieved it.


    And it''s not just Chen Yu¡ªlooking across the whole Jing Tian Department, no one has reached this stage in hundreds of years.


    This is why Chen Yu previously cautioned Gu Chen not to becent with some achievements in the Meridian Opening Stage.


    Even if he could reach the limit in the Meridian Opening Stage, it doesn''t mean that Gu Chen will be able to do the same in the Vajra Stage.


    Many talents who stood out in the Meridian Opening Stage be ordinary in the Vajra Stage, because this stage emphasizes physical cultivation even more. Many talents from the Meridian Opening Stage only reach the first level, impervious to fire and water, and cannot even achieve the level of being cast of copper and iron.


    Of course, the first level of the Vajra Stage should not be underestimated. Those who achieve impervious to fire and water stand firm, and mid-grade treasures can''t even scratch them.


    If one reaches the second level, cast of copper and iron, they will have unified their internal and external Primordial energies, and even the inherently fragile internal organs such as the viscera will no longer be weak points.


    As for the third level, body like a savage dragon, it is all the more challenging. Among thousands of Vajra Stage martial artists, it''s rare to find one who can reach this level.


    And the final state, the indestructible vajra, Chen Yu could not describe in detail to Gu Chen because even he was unclear. He only knew that achieving this level meant forging an indestructible body, so that even a Gang Qi Stage martial artist like him might not be able to break through their defense.


    To say they would be unparalleled in the world wouldn''t be an exaggeration.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 98: Chapter 94: Exchange for Soul Crystal_1

    ```


    After listening to Chen Yu''s description, Gu Chen had gained a more detailed understanding of the four levels of the Vajra Stage.


    The vast majority of martial artists at the Vajra Stage were at the first level, impervious to fire and water, among which three tenths were at the second level, as sturdy as if cast from copper and iron.


    Only about ten percent of Vajra Stage martial artists could reach the third level, with bodies as powerful as savage dragons.


    As for the final state, the indestructible Vajra, looking across the nine provinces and countless martial artists, it was difficult to find one even in hundreds of years.


    Meanwhile, Chen Yu also told Gu Chen that in the practice of martial arts, a temporary lead means nothing, as there are many who only managed to open thirty-something meridians at the Meridian Opening Stage, yetter made great achievements in the martial path, reaching impressive levels in the Vajra Stage and even the Gang Qi Stage and beyond.


    Chen Yu took great pains today not only to exin to Gu Chen themon knowledge of martial arts practice, but also to temper him, cautioning him never to be arrogant or underestimate the people of the world because of his achievements.


    In truth, Gu Chen never had a superior attitude about his own breakthroughs in the Meridian Opening Stage and, after Chen Yu''s martial arts exnations, his mindset became even more level-headed.


    Even with the help of the system, there were still many strong and talented individuals in the world, so although Gu Chen was special, that didn''t necessarily mean others were inferior.


    A lion must put forth its full strength even when hunting a rabbit; one should never disdain other martial artists due to one''s achievements.


    Sometimes, the more unassuming a person is, the stronger they may actually be.


    "For this mission, you have earned quite a bit of merit. Apart from internal skills, you can choose martial arts yourself in the Hall of Merit."


    After saying this, Chen Yu signaled that Gu Chen could leave and also reminded him not to forget about meeting King Huai tomorrow.


    Gu Chen nodded, then cupped his fists in a salute and left for the Jing Tian Department in the inner city.


    The techniques avable in the Jing Tian Department of the outer city were only partial, obviously not asplete as those at the headquarters in the inner city. Arriving at the boundary between the outer and inner city, Gu Chen showed his waist token and entered the inner city smoothly.


    The inner city was as bustling as ever; Gu Chen, familiar with the route, made his way directly to the headquarters of the Jing Tian Department. Song Yu and Wang Yan, ording to Chen Yu, were currently in closed-door cultivation to break through to the External Qi Stage, so Gu Chen went straight to the Hall of Merit.


    After all, apart from Song Yu and Wang Yan, Gu Chen really didn''t know anyone else well within the vast Jing Tian Department.


    Upon reaching the Hall of Merit, Gu Chen nced at his own merits. After this mission, he had umted dozens of merit points, which was truly not a small amount.


    Then, he looked at thepletely empty merit points value on his panel. Without hesitation, Gu Chen chose to exchange for soul crystals first.


    The soul crystals of ghost-level spectres were extremely expensive, as they were greatly useful, whether for refining tools or for other materials.


    Gu Chen had also calcted that exchanging for lower-level spectre soul crystals inrger quantities was less efficient than directly exchanging for ghost-level spectre soul crystals.


    Thus, Gu Chen first exchanged for a few soul crystals of early-stage ghost-level spectres, which took away more than half of his merit points. The soul crystals were stored in the Hall of Merit, and uponpletion of the exchange, the clerk handed them over to Gu Chen on the spot.


    After putting away the soul crystals, Gu Chen asked the clerk to bring out the registry of martial skills; he nned to exchange for two sets of martial arts.


    Luckily, as a second-rank Metropolitan Procurator, he enjoyed some merit discount when exchanging for martial skills. After much consideration and with Chen Yu''s guidance, he chose two high-quality martial arts that suited his preferences.


    In terms of weapons, he had one of medium-grade quality from Qin Mu and did not need to rece it. As for the low-grade treasure weapon, the Red Refinement de, Gu Chen nned to give it to his second uncle, Gu Chengfeng.


    Gu Chengfeng, a man in his forties, had never handled a treasure weapon. When he learned that Gu Chen had exchanged for a treasure weapon at the Jing Tian Department, he was incredibly fascinated, so Gu Chen decided to give the Red Refinement de directly to Gu Chengfeng.


    After selecting the martial arts, the clerk deducted the merit points, and Gu Chen, carrying the authorization token, went to the Jing Tian Department''s scripture vault. After spending some time to memorize the two sets of martial arts, he left the Jing Tian Department and returned to the Gu Mansion in the outer city.


    Discover hidden content at m,v l''e-NovelBin


    At the entrance of the Gu Mansion, the gatekeeper Uncle Zhang, though aged, still had good eyesight. He spotted Gu Chen from a distance, carryingrge and small bundles, and called out with joy.


    "The young master has returned!" eximed Uncle Zhang with a joyful face.


    "Uncle Zhang."


    When Gu Chen reached the entrance of the Gu Mansion, he greeted Uncle Zhang and handed him some items. Uncle Zhang hurriedly opened the grand doors of the Gu Mansion, and Gu Chen walked in.


    At this moment, inside the Gu Mansion, the second uncle, Gu Chengfeng, was not present; his aunt, Xu Qinge, was trimming the flowers in the courtyard with her daughter, Gu Qingyan. Seeing Gu Chen, whom they hadn''t seen in a long time, return, the eyes of both mother and daughter instantly lit up.


    Of course, Gu Chen knew that his aunt and sister''s attention was mostly on the packages in his hands.


    "Eldest young master, haven''t we already talked about this? There''s no need to spend so much; we''re all family, why do you bring these things every time youe back?" Xu Qinge said this, but her eyes locked onto the items in the bundle and couldn''t move away anymore.


    Standing next to Xu Qinge, Gu Qingyan was slender and graceful, wearing a floral dress that swayed with the wind, hinting at the ivory-like whiteness of her skin.


    As she grew older, Gu Qingyan became increasingly charming. With her lively eyes, a prominent nose, and rosy lips, she possessed a long oval face and an excellent figure. Every time Gu Chen saw his younger sister, he couldn''t help but sigh inwardly, wondering which scoundrel would benefit from her beauty in the future.


    Such a fine ''cabbage'', he thought, would one day be taken by some pig.


    The two women stood by, picking out cosmetics and jewelry. Although they spent a considerable sum on these items each year, the products from the outer city could notpare to the exquisite ones from the inner city.


    The maid Xiao Yu looked on with envy. Seeing this, Gu Chen magically produced a piece of jewelry and handed it to Maid Xiao Yu.


    ```


    Seeing this, the little maid''s face lit up with delight, and she cheerfully called out, "Thank you so much, Big Brother."


    At that moment, Gu Qingyan looked at Gu Chen with her sparkling eyes and said crisply, "Big Brother, are all these pieces of jewelry you brought back from the inner city this time?"


    Gu Chen smiled and nodded, saying, "Indeed, every time I pass by the Jing Tian Department, I think to pick up some for Auntie and you, especially now that you''re at an age where dressing up is bing, such that it matches your exceptionally beautiful face."


    At his words, Gu Qingyan''s pretty face flushed red, and she said, "Tha... thank you, Big Brother."


    Xu Qinge asked, "Big Brother, that must have cost quite a bit of money, right?"


    Gu Chenughed, "No worries, I''m now a second-rank Metropolitan Procurator, and my sry has increased a lot. These expenses are nothing."


    Xu Qinge nodded her head, seemingly understanding although not entirely. She wasn''t a part of the bureaucracy and didn''tprehend what being a second-rank Metropolitan Procurator entailed. If Gu Chengfeng were here, he would have been dumbfounded, wondering if his nephew had bribed his superiors, otherwise how could he have been promoted so swiftly and changed his status with each return?


    This was only within the Gu Mansion. If this were elsewhere, Gu Chengfeng, upon meeting Gu Chen, would have to bend over and respectfully call him "Lord Gu."


    "Do you often go to the inner city, Big Brother?" asked Gu Qingyan, her beautiful eyes shimmering with curiosity.


    Hearing this, Xu Qinge also turned her gaze toward Gu Chen, as after all, entry into the inner city was highly restricted, and one couldn''t get in without the corresponding badge or official document.


    Even though Gu Chengfeng held an official position, he was merely a seventh-rank official, and even he himself had seldom visited the inner city, not to mention his family.


    Thest time Gu Chengfeng took Xu Qinge and Gu Qingyan to the inner city was several years ago. The mother and daughter duo couldn''t forget the prosperity of the inner city they witnessed.


    With his acute perception, Gu Chen immediately discerned his aunt and sister''s thoughts. A smirk shed in his eyes as he asked, "What, Auntie and Qinyan are interested in the inner city?"


    After all, Gu Qingyan was a youngdy of marriageable age and rather bashful. Overhearing what Gu Chen said, her face turned red, and it was not easy for her to broach such a request, even if Gu Chen was her big brother.


    Seeing her daughter''s demeanor, Xu Qinge knew that Gu Qingyan must be yearning for the inner city and spoke up, "Your second uncle holds an official position, but he can''t always take us into the inner city. Qinyan and I haven''t been there many times. Big Brother, could you amodate us on a visit?"


    "Since Auntie and Qinyan are interested, of course, it''s no problem," Gu Chen readily agreed. After all, as a second-rank Metropolitan Procurator, he didn''t require any official documents; his badge alone was sufficient to bring people into the inner city.


    Moreover, he was scheduled to visit the inner city the next day and could directly take Xu Qinge and Gu Qingyan with him.


    Of course, unlike Gu Chen, Xu Qinge and Gu Qingyan wouldn''t be able to stay overnight in the inner city and would have to leave before curfew.


    Seeing Gu Chen agree, joy appeared on the faces of mother and daughter, and even the little maid by their side felt the same. She was Gu Qingyan''s personal maid, and wherever Gu Qingyan went, she would follow, naturally benefitting from the opportunity to visit the inner city with her.


    "That''s wonderful, thank you, Big Brother!" Gu Qingyan said, bowing gracefully to Gu Chen, her lovely figure fully evident.


    That evening, when Gu Chengfeng returned and heard that Gu Chen had be a second-rank Metropolitan Procurator, he was so shocked his jaw nearly dropped.


    And that was not all. Gu Chengfeng, who had recently advanced in his own cultivation, insisted on testing his skills with Gu Chen. But when Gu Chen disyed his ability to project internal energy, Gu Chengfeng was instantly deted, feeling that his nephew''s cultivation was improving too rapidly, perhaps indeed a peerless genius?


    During dinner, Gu Chen mentioned to his uncle that he would be taking Auntie and Gu Qingyan to the inner city the next day. Gu Chengfeng pondered for a moment, then told Gu Chen to be careful, as the inner city was not like the outer city. Anyone met there could be a high-ranking noble or official, and their family, the Gu Family, absolutely could not afford to offend such individuals.


    Gu Chen nodded, indicating his understanding. At the same time, he chose not to mention that he would meet King Huai the next day. After all, with King Huai''s high station, sharing such news with his uncle would be of no use and would only lead to incessant questions. It was better kept to himself.


    Gu Chengfeng, knowing Gu Chen was no longer the same as before, having matured a great deal, was the reason he agreed to Gu Chen taking his wife and daughter to the inner city.


    After dinner, Gu Chen took out the Red Refinement de and presented it to Gu Chengfeng, who was ecstatic. He spent a good part of the night waving the de about.


    No doubt, the next day, he would boast to his colleagues about his nephew''s aplishments, showing off the de.


    Gu Chen didn''t mind how his uncle Gu Chengfeng chose to celebrate; he simply returned to his room and with a thought, summoned the panel.


    Name: Gu Chen


    Martial Arts: Horizontal Training (Complete), Burning Vein Finger (Complete), Phantom Traceless Step (Complete), Astonishing Swan Swordsmanship Skills (Complete), Golden Bell Shield, Great Vajra Fist


    Internal Work: Pure Yang Wuji Gong


    Cultivation: 244 years


    Realm: Early Gang Qi Stage


    Merit Points: 106


    During the day, at the Jing Tian Department, he exchanged a few soul crystals and, after absorbing them, the merit points on the panel once again broke through a hundred.


    The Golden Bell Shield and the Great Vajra Fist were the two high-grade martial arts skills Gu Chen exchanged at the Jing Tian Department that day.


    Looking at the merit points on the panel, Gu Chen felt a surge of intent and murmured, "Panel, increase my level!"

 Chapter 100: Chapter 96 Meeting King Huai_1

    Upon reaching the boundary between the inner and the outer city, the soldiers guarding the gate immediately stopped the carriage. After Gu Chen showed his waist badge, they let them pass.


    Even so, the soldiers still instructed, "Please make sure to leave the city before curfew."


    Gu Chen nodded, signaling his understanding. Because his aunt and sister wanted to go shopping, they got off the carriage after entering the inner city, and Gu Chen apanied the two as they began their stroll.


    Seeing the bustling traffic in the inner city, the streetsid with green bricks, and the intersections extending in all directions, Xu Qinge eximed, "I thought the outer city was already quite nice, butpared to the inner city, it''s as simple as the countryside.


    Gu Qingyan and Maid Xiao Yu, standing beside her, kept nodding their heads, obviously in full agreement with this statement.


    Every building in the inner city was exquisite and extremely refined. On both sides of the streets, merchant calls were incessant, and pedestrians were all dressed in luxurious clothes, either rich or noble.


    The eyes of Gu Qingyan sparkled with curiosity. Her lively big eyes roamed around, as she was extremely curious about everything in the inner city. Thest time she came to the inner city, she had been very young, and her memories were already somewhat blurred, with only a vague impression remaining.


    Seeing that they still had time, Gu Chen continued to apany his aunt and cousin as they leisurely wandered.


    It must be said, even in the vast inner city, Gu Chen''s group attracted a lot of attention.


    After all, Gu Chen had a handsome face and an extraordinary temperament. By his side, his aunt Xu Qinge and Gu Qingyan were like two gorgeous flowers; Xu Qinge was mature and seductive while Gu Qingyan was gentle and lovely. Moreover, the aunt had taken good care of herself, and standing together, they looked not like mother and daughter but more like sisters.


    On the streets, countless men''s gazes turned towards them periodically, and if Gu Chen weren''t standing beside them, some might have even approached to inquire about Gu Qingyan''s name.


    Even Gu Chen, when he first saw the mother and daughter, had secretly marveled at his uncle Gu Chengfeng''s luck in marrying Xu Qinge and having a daughter as beautiful as Gu Qingyan.


    Aware of the many gazes, Gu Qingyan did not feel too ufortable, as she had gotten used to it since childhood.


    After apanying the three women for a while, Gu Chen looked at the sky and said to his aunt Xu Qinge, "Auntie, I have some matters to attend to and will leave for a while. You and Qinyan keep shopping and buy whatever you like, don''t be polite."


    Hearing this, Xu Qinge, knowing that Gu Chen was now busy with his promotion, nodded and said, "Alright, my boy, if you have matters to attend to, then go ahead."


    Soon after, Gu Chen arranged a time and ce to meet up with themter and then went his own way.


    Prince Huai''s Mansiony deep in the inner city, not far from the imperial pce. Technically, given Prince Huai''s status, he had a residence in the imperial city as well, but due to personal preference, he favored living in the inner city. Only when there were major matters requiring him to stay overnight in the pce did he choose to reside within the imperial city.


    Prince Huai''s mansion was situated on the most central street of the inner city, in an excellent location. The entire mansion was grand and imposing, the huge doors adorned with Vermilion Paint Gold ted Bronze Nails, extremely luxurious and spectacr. With countless halls and courtyards, it covered an area of thousands of acres.


    In front of the mansion''s gate stood two solemn-faced warriors, their aura very focused, their vital energy exceedingly robust, evenparable to Gu Chen''s, each like a small mountain guarding the entrance, giving an inscrutable impression.


    A thought emerged in Gu Chen''s mind¡ªwithout a doubt, the warriors guarding this gate must possess the cultivation of the Vajra Stage.


    Otherwise, they would certainly not have made him feel this way.


    When he arrived at the main gate of the mansion, Gu Chen adopted a solemn expression, took out his waist badge, and said, "I am Gu Chen from the Jing Tian Department, second-grade Metropolitan Procurator, here by the order of Prince Huai. I would trouble you to pass on the message."


    One of the Vajra Stage warriors nodded, took the waist badge, and went inside to make the announcement.


    Inside the mansion, adorned with green zed tiles and dotted with pces, pavilions, and waterside gazebos, the towering pavilions and painted halls revealed a grand atmosphere, luxurious yet maintaining dignity.


    Within one of the great halls of the mansion, Prince Huai, dressed in a simple cyan attire, was reviewing some documents.


    This man, renowned throughout Da Xia and holding immense power, was not as willful and overbearing as one might imagine; rather, he was a handsome, schrly, and gentle middle-aged man.


    Standing behind Prince Huai was an elderly man with grizzled temples and a ruddyplexion, whose presence seemed to meld seamlessly with the surroundings, like a sculpture without the slightest breath of life.


    He was Prince Huai''s confidant and personal bodyguard, known with respect by the people of Prince Huai''s Mansion as Mr. Gongsun.


    At that moment, a servant arrived to report, "Prince, Gu Chen from Jing Tian Department is here."


    Prince Huai, immersed in his documents, looked up with some surprise and said, "Someone from the Jing Tian Department?"


    The old man standing behind Prince Huai said in a low voice, "Your Highness, previously you had ordered me to find someone from the Jing Tian Department; that person is this Gu Chen."


    Upon hearing that, Prince Huai pped his forehead and said, "Right, I recall now. There was such a matter. It seems that after a certain age, the mind indeed doesn''t serve as well as it used to."


    Mr. Gongsun heard this and a look of concern crossed his face, "Your Highness, you haven''t rested for several days. Please pay attention to your health."


    Prince Huai smiled slightly and said, "Don''t worry, as the emperor is in seclusion now, the world shows signs of chaos. When he went into seclusion, I promised him that I would help him protect thends of Da Xia."


    As he spoke, Prince Huai suddenly coughed a few times, clearly indicating that his health really wasn''t good.


    Seeing this, Mr. Gongsun hurriedly transferred a few strands of internal energy into Prince Huai''s body, making Prince Huai''splexion instantly ruddy.


    "All these years, it has been hard on you, Mr. Gongsun," Prince Huai said with a faint smile, seemingly unconcerned about his chronic illness.


    After all, he had been frail since childhood, it was innate, and over the years, he had gotten used to it.


    Upon hearing this, Mr. Gongsun said gravely, "Your Highness, this matter is truly nothing for me, but it is you who should not let these trifles harm your body. There is no need to personally attend to everything. Some matters can be handled by your subordinates.


    The Six Union God Sect has been gone for many years, even if they re-enter the jianghu, with the strength of Da Xia, they won''t be able to stir up any trouble."


    Prince Huai smiled without saying much and then ordered the servant, "Alright, don''t keep the guest waiting. Go and summon Gu Chen."


    "Yes," the servant replied and silently withdrew.


    Shortly after, Gu Chen was brought in by the servant and met this renowned figure, who in all of Da Xia, was second only to one but above millions.


    "Greetings to Your Highness," Gu Chen said with a bow, fists sped. As the Metropolitan Procurator of the Jing Tian Department, unlike other officials of Da Xia, he could meet with the princes and nobility, or other dignitaries without having to kneel, a simple salute was sufficient.


    This was a special privilege granted by the Emperor of Da Xia to the Jing Tian Department.


    "Please, take a seat," Prince Huai nodded, indicating for Gu Chen to sit down.


    Gu Chen, upon hearing this, didn''t hesitate and obediently took the seat below the host, only then noticing Mr. Gongsun standing behind Prince Huai.


    Gu Chen''s heart grew cold; he hadn''t realized someone was behind Prince Huai until he actually saw him with his own eyes. Unlike the two martial artists at the entrance, Gu Chen couldn''t feel even a trace of internal energy from Mr. Gongsun, and if he were to close his eyes, it would be as if this person didn''t exist at all.


    No, or rather, this elderly man seemed to have blended in with the world around him, bing a part of nature itself, which was why, in Gu Chen''s perception, it was as if no such person existed.


    Without a doubt, one who could reach such a state was definitely a great master of the Innate Realm!


    Gu Chen hadn''t expected that today, apart from meeting Prince Huai, he would also have the chance to see a martial arts grandmaster with his own eyes.


    One should know, within the Jing Tian Department, those of such a level of cultivation, aside from the twelve Protectors stationed in various states, were only a few Commanders with considerable seniority.


    Yet such a powerful figure was the personal protector of Prince Huai.


    Moreover, Gu Chen knew that Prince Huai couldn''t just have this one protector. While he couldn''t sense them, Gu Chen spected that within this room, there might be many hidden operatives, it was just that the opposition was too strong for Gu Chen to detect.


    Upon seeing Gu Chen, Mr. Gongsun maintained his silence; after all, in the vast Prince Huai''s Mansion, apart from Prince Huai himself, there were few who could prompt him to speak, let alone a junior like Gu Chen.


    Prince Huai, with a gentle demeanor and deep, restrained eyes, seemed to perceive Gu Chen''s thoughts and said with a smile, "Don''t be tense, and don''t pay too much attention to Mr. Gongsun; let''s just have our chat."


    At this, Mr. Gongsun also said, "Indeed, you may act as if I''m not here."


    "Yes," Gu Chen responded respectfully.


    At the same time, he took the opportunity to observe Prince Huai. The Prince appeared to have a ruddyplexion, but his body was thin, his internal energy weak, no different from an average person, and there were wrinkles by his eyes, making him look just like the rumors suggested, a man with mediocre natural talent in martial arts, truly devoid of any real cultivation.


    "I summoned you because of your encounter with the demon sect members on Phoenix Crying Mountain a few days ago; you were the first to get a close look at demon sect martial artists merging with demonic spirits. Thus, there are some issues I would like to inquire about," Prince Huai said slowly.


    "Your Highness, please proceed," Gu Chen replied with a fist salute.


    Prince Huai nodded, "Please recount the events that took ce in detail."


    "Yes." Immediately, Gu Chen described everything that had transpired during the martial arts tournament in exhaustive detail.


    After listening to Gu Chen''s ount, Prince Huai''s brows slightly furrowed and said, "As I suspected, I knew the Six Union God Sect hadn''t beenpletely eliminated; they''ve been lurking in the shadows. But now with the increasing number of demonic spirits over the years, we haven''t had the resources to address it, and I never expected it to grow into such a menace."


    "I''ve heard Chen Yu''s spections, and you''ve encountered quite a few demon sect martial artists recently. What do you think, how many martial artists within the demon sect have perfectly merged with demonic spirits?"


    After pondering for a moment, Gu Chen replied, "The proportion is small; merging with demonic spirits is not easy. I''ve killed quite a few demon sect martial artists, but the instances of such perfect mergers are not many."


    "But..." Gu Chen hesitated for a moment, then, after Prince Huai nodded to him, continued, "We don''t know how many operatives the demon sect has been amassing in secret, and moreover, the martial artists who have merged with demonic spirits advance greatly in strength.


    Demonic spirits are inherently mysterious and unpredictable; the Jing Tian Department has expended a great deal of energy just to suppress them and maintain bnce. Now, however, the emergence of demon sect martial artists has broken this bnce, and I fear many people in the jianghu will secretly pledge allegiance to the demon sect."


    "Furthermore... demon sect martial artists are ruthless and after merging with demonic spirits, they maymit mass ughter, mercilessly killing innocents to boost their own power. The Jing Tian Department confronting them will be countless times more difficult than dealing with mere demonic spirits," Gu Chen said gravely.


    Prince Huai nodded slightly at this, it was indeed one of his concerns. While there were many demonic spirits, due to their low intelligence, they could be eliminated once found. But with demon sect martial artists merging with demonic spirits and bing malevolent and otherworldly, hidden among the popce, the difficulty had greatly increased.


    Consequently, the strength of the Six Union God Sect would multiply greatly, which was the very confidence behind dering their return to the jianghu.


    "Mr. Gongsun, if an Innate Realm great master were to merge with a hell-ss demonic spirit, would you be confident in handling it?" Prince Huai asked Mr. Gongsun, still facing away from him.

 Chapter 101: Chapter 97: Secret News_1

    "This..."


    Standing behind King Huai, Master Gongsun seemed hesitant. Dark-level demons, just by strength alone, were already not weaker than a Human n''s innate realm grandmaster. If they were to merge with the devil sect''s innate realm martial artists, as Gu Chen had said, their strength would be amplified several times over. Even he would not be entirely confident when facing them.


    The calm gaze of King Huai gradually sharpened, and an overwhelming aura surged within the great hall, oppressing all hearts. Gu Chen instantly felt a chill in his heart.


    Only to hear King Huai speak in a cold voice, "These malevolent spirits have invaded the territory of the Human n and are the public enemy of all under the heavens in Da Xia. They should be executed by everyone. Regardless of everything else, the devil sect''s martial artists are fundamentally still part of the Human n.


    However, now they have chosen to fall into the evil path and merge with demons, which is even more despicable than these evil beings. They are no longer worthy of being part of the Human n. From today on, by my decree, Da Xia will suppress the Six Union God Sect with full force. Any martial artist from the devil sect will be in without mercy."


    "Yes!" Master Gongsun responded in a deep voice.


    At this moment, King Huai''s gaze shifted, looking towards Gu Chen, saying, "You have worked hard today."


    "This is part of this official''s duties. If Your Highness is unharmed, then I shall take my leave first."


    After receiving King Huai''s nod, servants came forward to lead Gu Chen away.


    After Gu Chen had left, King Huai''s expression became grim, saying, "Three hundred years ago, after Dugu Yun of the Six Union God Sect died, Da Xia, together with the major forces of the martial world, ascended to the total headquarters of the Six Union God Sect andpletely obliterated the devil sect.


    It is unexpected that, after more than three hundred years, they have revived from the ashes with the help of demons."


    Dugu Yun was the leader of the Six Union God Sect over three hundred years ago, the person who had brought the sect to its peak.


    Master Gongsun spoke solemnly, "Dugu Yun was truly a personage like a hero. It is a pity that with him, the devil sect prospered, and with him, it fell. If he had not harbored the ambition toy hands on the entire world, aspiring extravagantly, the Six Union God Sect would not have been annihted because of it."


    Although he had reached the innate grandmaster level, one of the very few at the pinnacle in Da Xia, facing a person like Dugu Yun, even an innate realm grandmaster would still not be enough. Although the martial world despised the devil sect and called for their elimination, it did not mean that they did not admire Dugu Yun.


    At this point, Master Gongsun seemed to remember something. His eyes flickered, and he looked at King Huai, saying, "Your Highness, do you think that with the emergence of the Six Union God Sect back into the martial world, the Six Great Holy Lands will make a move?"


    Upon hearing this, King Huai harrumphed coldly, saying, "Don''t expect the Six Great Holy Lands to deal with the devil sect. They have always maintained an aloof posture, condescendingly looking down upon the millions of living beings in Da Xia, unless the Six Union God Sect can reach the zenith of Da Xia and threaten them like before, otherwise, they definitely will not get involved.


    The death of themoners is insignificant in their eyes."


    Hearing this, Master Gongsun nodded slightly, looking towards the sky with a trace of yearning in his eyes. The Six Great Holy Lands, that''s a ce every martial artist in Da Xia dreams of reaching; regrettably, the Holy Lands remain detached, never interfering with worldly matters.


    Perhaps, in Da Xia, only personages like the Emperor Xia and Dugu Yun could attract the attention of the Six Great Holy Lands.


    All these matters discussed by the two were secrets of the martial world, known to few in thend of Da Xia.


    "What I am most curious about now is where the devil sect obtained such secret methods that allow the fusion of the Human n and demons?"


    King Huai knitted his brows. Demons are unique; their existence is the pr opposite of the Human n and all other living beings, even more so than the opposition of water and fire. Now that the devil sect has such secret methods that allow for a perfect fusion of a martial artist and a demon, this was the most puzzling aspect for King Huai.


    "Your Highness, I will immediately dispatch people to investigate," said Master Gongsun.


    "Hmm."


    King Huai nodded. This matter was crucial, and only by finding the source could they devise ways to cope. The power of demons was like a fatal poison to living beings, and he did not believe that there truly existed some method that could achieve perfect fusion between humans and demons without any consequences.


    "By the way, Master Gongsun, what do you think of the Gu Chen that we saw today?"


    At these words, Master Gongsun was taken aback, not expecting King Huai to suddenly make such an inquiry.


    After a moment of contemtion, he replied, "This junior''s cultivation is currently only at the External Energy Stage, but I note that his vitality is abundant, his physique robust, and for some reason, his inner breath is exceptionally vigorous. Even some of the martial artists at the peak of the External Energy Stage may not possess such profound cultivation as his. This does puzzle me somewhat."


    Immediately, Master Gongsun looked at King Huai, saying, "Your Highness, are you thinking of recruiting this young man?"


    King Huai, with his handsome features and elegantly warm demeanor, smiled, "Let''s observe him for a while longer. Today I summoned him to see for myself just how much substance there is to this newly-risen top contender on the River of Stars List. After seeing him today, I can truly say his reputation is well-deserved, far surpassing his predecessors."


    Hearing this, Master Gongsun was quite surprised. With his status, there are few matters in the martial world that could capture his attention; usually, only those of his own caliber would invoke his interest. He had not expected King Huai to have such a high opinion of a junior like Gu Chen.


    "Indeed, as with each era of the martial world, new talents emerge, dominating for hundreds of years. This Gu Chen has achieved no small feat in the Meridian Opening Stage," King Huai murmured to himself.


    Master Gongsun didn''t speak. No matter the achievements, what difference does it make? After all, Gu Chen had only opened fifty-six meridians. In his view, the aplishments of Gu Chen in the Meridian Opening Stage were hardly worth mentioning.


    After all, he was an innate realm grandmaster, and Gu Chen was far too inferior to him; not to mention Gu Chen, even Chen Yu, or even some of the veteranmanders of the Jing Tian Department, were not worth an extra nce from Master Gongsun.


    Throughout his life, he had seen many talents, and some had reached the limit of the Meridian Opening Stage. Still, very few could be true grandmasters of martial arts. It wasn''t that opening more meridians guaranteed sess in martial arts, bing a monumental figure. Countless difficulties and dangers line the path, and Gu Chen would face many more challenges.


    Not to even speak of bing a great grandmaster, it was a question even to reach the master level in Master Gongsun''s eyes.


    "Master Gongsun, how about we make a wager?" King Huai said with a smile.


    Taken aback, Master Gongsun asked, "What would Your Highness like to bet on?"


    "Let''s bet on the boy''s achievement in the Vajra Stage. If I lose, I''ll take out a set of Heavenly Martial Skills for you to see," King Huai said indifferently.


    Upon hearing this, Mr. Gongsun''s eyes lit up. Heavenly Martial Skills, even for someone like him who was a master at the Innate Realm, were still highly coveted. Only someone like King Huai could remain so indifferent to Heavenly Martial Skills.


    Concerning a set of Heavenly Martial Skills, Mr. Gongsun could not afford to be careless. He pondered for a good while before saying, "I bet the boy can reach the third level of the Vajra Stage, with a body as strong as a savage dragon."


    Mr. Gongsun felt he had already greatly overestimated Gu Chen. After all, in the vastnds of the nine provinces, those who could reach the third level of the Vajra Stage were rare indeed.


    However, upon hearing this, King Huai slightly shook his head. Seeing this, Mr. Gongsun immediately frowned and asked, "What would Your Highness suggest?"


    Clothed in a cyan casual outfit, King Huai looked handsome and refined, gentle and amiable, sitting there with scrolls in hand. He smiled faintly and uttered just four words.


    "Vajra Indestructible!"


    The moment these words came out, Mr. Gongsun''s pupils instantly contracted.


    ...


    Elsewhere, after leaving Prince Huai''s Mansion, Gu Chen nced up at the sky and then headed towards the ce he had agreed to meet with his aunt Xu Qinge and her daughter.


    The agreed ce was a restaurant which had a good reputation in the inner city. Xu Qinge and Gu Qingyan had difficultying to the inner city, so Gu Chen decided to take the two to have a good meal; after all, he was not short on money now.


    But when he arrived at the restaurant, he found that his aunt Xu Qinge and her daughter hadn''t arrived yet. Knowing that it was not yet the appointed time he found an empty table, sat down, and began to wait.


    However, after waiting for half an hour, which was past their scheduled time, they still had not arrived.


    Gu Chen''s expression changed immediately, sensing that something might have gone wrong.


    He left the restaurant to start looking for them on the streets, but the inner city was just too big, and Gu Chen did not know where the three of them could have wandered off to. He searched for quite some time but did not find Xu Qinge and the others.


    Just then, Gu Chen''s ears twitched slightly as he faintly heard a voice in the distance. It was his aunt Xu Qinge''s.


    So, Gu Chen activated his movement technique and turned into a phantom on the streets of the inner city. Passersby only felt a gust of wind sweep past, and the person who had been standing there a moment before vanished, leaving them looking at each other in bewilderment.


    At this very moment, on one of the bustling streets of the inner city, Xu Qinge was surrounded by several young men in fine clothes, with her daughter Gu Qingyan and Maid Xiao Yu.


    Behind them followed several robust followers, each with calloused hands and cultivation at the External Strength Realm. That these young masters could garner such skilled warriors indicated their exceptional status.


    Protecting her daughter behind her, Xu Qinge looked at the group of men warily. "What do you want?" she asked.


    The young men in fine clothes wore unruly smiles. "Nothing serious. We just saw that thedy is beautiful and were moved with admiration. We merely wanted to ask for her name," one said.


    Another young master eyed Xu Qinge''s voluptuous figure and said with a smile, "The sister here looks good too. Might I inquire as to your name?"


    Xu Qinge''s face darkened upon hearing this. She was old enough to be the mother of these men, and yet they were daring to harass her so tantly. To say she wasn''t angry would be a lie.


    Now she finally understood the significance of the words her husband had said before leaving. Most of the residents in the inner city were dignitaries, and her daughter was extremely beautiful. Walking on the street, it was sometimes inevitable to attract the attention of those with ill intentions. She was now somewhat regretting bringing Gu Qingyan to the inner city.


    One of the men pointed at Maid Xiao Yu. "That little maid looks good too. She''s my type. Ha ha, I''ll take her." Xiao Yu, with her pretty looks, was only fourteen years old, and had never seen such a scene before. She immediately became flustered, her legs turning to jelly.


    "You are far too bold. This is Tiandu, and you dare to behave like this in the streets!" Xu Qinge eximed angrily, her eyebrows lifted in a manner that added a certain charm to her still attractive demeanor.


    A young master replied with augh, "What of Tiandu? You are wee to report us. Besides, we haven''t done anything. We just feel that the threedies are quite pretty and wanted to make their acquaintance. We haven''t evenid a hand on you."


    The young men shrugged their shoulders, disying an air of unconcern and audacity. They clearly didn''t take Xu Qinge''s words to heart, obviously having strong backing to dare such behavior on the street.


    Xu Qinge wanted to escape with her daughter and Xiao Yu, but seeing the fierce-looking followers behind the young masters, she knew it was not possible.


    The three women, with no martial abilities among them, stood no chance against this group of men.


    Gu Qingyan was also somewhat panicked. When they lived in the outer city, her father, Gu Chengfeng, was a member of the Royal Sword Guard and would patrol daily. Although she attracted attention on the streets, such things had never happened there.


    "What''s the matter with thisdy? Did some serious illness suddenly strike? Why the pale face? I do know a bit of medicine. Perhaps, I could take a look?" said one of the young masters, reaching out his hand toward Gu Qingyan.


    Xu Qinge and Gu Qingyan''s faces changed immediately, especially Gu Qingyan, who, like a startled deer, screamed and backed away.


    "Stop!"


    This scene was exactly what Gu Chen, who had just arrived, saw. He became furious at once.

 Chapter 104: Chapter 99: Engagement_1

    The next day, Gu Chen arrived at the Jing Tian Department in the outer city and reported to Chen Yu the details of his meeting with King Huai and their conversation from the previous day.


    Upon hearing this, Chen Yu nodded slightly and said, "I have already received the orders. The main task now is to thoroughly eradicate the remnants of the Six Union God Sect. Recently, there have been no sightings of the sect''s martial artists, which means they must be plotting something in the shadows. Be ready at all times; an urgent mission coulde at any moment."


    "Yes." Gu Chen responded with a fist salute.


    At this moment, a hint of a smile appeared in Chen Yu''s eyes. He sized up Gu Chen and said, "If I am not mistaken, you have yet to be married, correct?"


    Taken aback by this, Gu Chen did not quite understand Chen Yu''s implication, but he still replied, "Reporting to my superior, I am not."


    "Do you have a childhood sweetheart you are acquainted with?"


    "No." Gu Chen shook his head. Given the original owner''s dull nature, it was unlikely to attract a woman''s affection, and he himself had never entertained such thoughts either.


    "Do you have any woman in mind you admire?"


    Chen Yu asked again, and Gu Chen still shook his head, indicating he did not.


    Chen Yu nodded and said slowly, "At your age, you should also be of marriageable age by now. I thought you might have someone in mind, and I could have stepped forward to propose on your behalf. But since you don''t have a suitable candidate, I could arrange one for you."


    Upon hearing this, a bitter smile appeared on Gu Chen''s face. He was only twenty years old in this body, an age at which, in his previous life, one would not even have graduated from college, let alone be able to obtain a marriage certificate.


    Yet now, Chen Yu seems to have the intention of arranging a marriage for him.


    In Da Xia, men generally marry between the ages of fifteen and twenty, while women do so between fourteen and sixteen.


    In the Gu Family, whether it was Gu Chen or Gu Qingyan, they would be considered quite old for marriage in another year or two in the context of Da Xia.


    However, Gu Chengfeng had always been open-minded about these matters; he himself married ratherte, so he was never in a hurry.


    Gu Chen did not expect that while his uncle was not anxious, Chen Yu would start to show concern.


    Of course, Gu Chen knew that this was because Chen Yu thought highly of him. Otherwise, for anyone else, such treatment would have been unheard of; having the Commander personally arrange a marriage for them would astonish many.


    Only that Commander Chen himself was twenty-eight and still unmarried, yet he was concerned about Gu Chen''s marital status, leaving Gu Chen somewhat speechless.


    Seeing Gu Chen''s reluctance, Chen Yu asked with a smile, "What, you wouldn''t want a marriage arranged by me personally?"


    "I wouldn''t dare."


    Gu Chen quickly stood up and replied with a fist salute, "My lord, with the current turmoil in the nine provinces, with demons harassing themon folk in broad daylight and the remnants of the Six Union God Sect stalking in the dark, and with various factions in the martial world stirring, as a member of the Jing Tian Department, I am solely focused on how to eliminate these evil demons to stabilize the world.


    I truly don''t have any thoughts of marriage at the moment."


    Chen Yu nodded slightly and said with a faint smile, "In that case, you must be aware that the situation in the world is bing increasingly dangerous and unstable. As members of the Jing Tian Department, we are at the forefront, potentially sacrificing our lives in the line of duty at any moment. It is only right that you think of a contingency n for yourself."


    "As I understand it, your Gu Family has only you for a male heir. If something unforeseen were to happen to you one day, wouldn''t your Gu Family be without a sessor? I believe that if I were to discuss this matter with your Uncle and Aunt, they too would strongly agree."


    Upon hearing this, Gu Chen''s expression immediately stiffened. If Chen Yu were to truly speak of this matter to Gu Chengfeng, there was a good chance Gu Chengfeng would indeed encourage Gu Chen to marry soon.


    "This..." Gu Chen looked troubled, as he genuinely had no intention of marrying and did not want to waste time on it.


    Rtionships between men and women are the most unpredictable and incredibly draining.


    Chen Yu said earnestly, "I am doing this for your own good. Your Gu Family has rather shallow roots; if you wish to aplish anything in the future, relying solely on yourself will not suffice. Tomorrow is the Duke of the Liang State''s birthday banquet. His granddaughter is seventeen and unmarried, and she is also quite attractive. I have a good rtionship with the Duke and could introduce you."


    Gu Chen knew that Chen Yu wasying the groundwork for him. The path of martial arts bes increasingly difficult, and it also requires a substantial amount of resources to support it. No one can be sure that they will always advance boldly on the martial path; there is always a limit.


    Even though in Chen Yu''s eyes, Gu Chen was a natural-born martial talent, he still needed various resources to truly grow.


    If Gu Chen were to marry the Duke''s granddaughter, not to mention other benefits, the first to profit would be his Uncle Gu Chengfeng''s family,  and Gu Chen himself would receive the Duke''s full support.


    With the Duke''s Mansion having no male heirs in this generation and only this granddaughter, the resources of a Duke''s Mansion leaning towards Gu Chen would be of great benefit, both for him personally and for the entire Gu Family.


    But Gu Chen did not see it that way; he had the advantage of his abilities, and he might not need anyone else''s help. As long as he stayed with the Jing Tian Department and kept ying demons continuously, his strength would keep improving.


    Gu Chen was inclined to refuse, but then he heard Chen Yu say, "I won''t force you. Tomorrow at the Duke''s birthday banquet, join me, and I will arrange for you two to meet. If you are willing, we can proceed with further discussions; if you are still unwilling, then let''s pretend I never mentioned it."


    "Thank you, my lord." Gu Chen replied with a fist salute, maintaining a serious demeanor.


    After setting the time for attending tomorrow''s birthday banquet, Gu Chen hurried off, with quite the air of fleeing the scene.


    Dressed in blue robes, the handsome Chen Yu saw Gu Chen''s reaction and a smile appeared on his face.


    ...


    After leaving the Jing Tian Department in the outer city, Gu Chen headed back to the Gu Mansion.


    He barely visited his own house in the outer city anymore; after all, the environment there was rtively mediocre. Plus, with the persuasion from his uncle''s family, Gu Chen had essentially moved to the Gu Mansionpletely.


    Upon returning to Gu Mansion, Gu Chen found several carriages parked at the entrance, and about a dozen servants lined up in a long queue, each holding a gift box.


    Gu Chen furrowed his brows slightly and found Uncle Zhang, the gatekeeper, and asked, "Uncle Zhang, what''s happening here?"


    Uncle Zhang replied in a low voice, "It''s Lord Marquis''s son, Cao Zhen, the heir of Pingxi. He hase to our Gu Mansion, and these are the gifts he has brought for Miss Gu."


    Gu Chen''s eyes narrowed; it seemed that Cao Zhen''s intentions hadn''t died, and he still had his sights set on Gu Qingyan.


    Gu Chen walked past the entrance and into Gu Mansion. Inside, his second uncle, off from his duties for the day, was having tea in the courtyard with Xu Qinge and Gu Qingyan, a family of three keeping Cao Zhenpany.


    Seeing Gu Chen return, the eyes of Gu Chengfeng''s family lit up, "Has our eldest son returned?"


    "Second Uncle, Aunt."


    Gu Chen greeted them before sitting down to one side.


    "Big brother, you''ve returned." Seeing Gu Chen, Gu Qingyan, who had been expressionless, also showed a bright smile on her pretty face, starkly different from her demeanor towards Cao Zhen.


    "Brother Gu, we meet again," Cao Zhen greeted with a smile.


    Gu Chen looked at the gifts arrayed on the table, each one a treasure radiating splendor, exceptionally extraordinary. There were also some servants holding delicate silks, standing by and waiting for instructions.


    The entire Gu Mansion seemed to be filled with people brought by Cao Zhen.


    "Young Lord Marquis, what does this mean?" Gu Chen directed his gaze towards Cao Zhen.


    Cao Zhen smiled slightly and said, "Nothing much. I just thought of presenting some gifts to Miss Gu as an apology for yesterday''s matter. It happened that Uncle Gu was also at home, so I took the opportunity to sit and chat for a while."


    Though of average stature and ordinary looks, perhaps because of his military background, Cao Zhen had a firm and masculine face, and his smile seemed sincere, leaving no impression of deceit.


    If it weren''t for yesterday''s experience in the inner city, Gu Qingyan might indeed have developed some fondness for Cao Zhen.


    Upon hearing Cao Zhen address him as "Uncle Gu," Gu Chengfeng''s face turned to a bitter smile. That was the son of Lord Marquis; who was he to dare to be addressed as an uncle by him?


    In the entire Gu Mansion, only Gu Chen was deemed fit to converse as an equal with Cao Zhen.


    Yet, it had to be said that Cao Zhen''s approachable manner did make it easy for others to be fond of him.


    Hearing this, Gu Chen said, "We appreciate the thought, Young Lord Marquis, but these gifts are truly too precious. I must ask you to take them back."


    "Yes, yes, indeed. Please take them back," Gu Chengfeng also nodded in agreement.


    Cao Zhen gazed at Gu Chen and said with a light smile, "The gifts sent by Pingxi Marquis Mansion are not meant to be taken back; Brother Gu, you are really pping my face by doing so."


    At these words, Gu Chengfeng and Xu Qinge became stiff, and Gu Qingyan''s delicate eyebrows creased slightly as she sensed Cao Zhen''s domineering attitude.


    Gu Chen, however, remained unconcerned, speaking with ease, "It''s not that I am not giving face to Pingxi Marquis Mansion. It''s just that as we have made very clear yesterday, my cousin genuinely has no such feelings for you, Young Lord Marquis. If we ept these gifts, how would outsiders view Gu Mansion?"


    Cao Zhen said, "No feelings? That''s not an issue. This is only the second time I meet Miss Gu. Feelings can be cultivated. My words remain the same - I fell for Miss Gu at first sight. If Miss Gu agrees, I am willing to marry her in an honorable fashion, as mywful wife and the futuredy of Pingxi Marquis Mansion." Continue your adventure with m|v-l''e -NovelBin


    "Uncle Gu, my intentions for Qinyan are sincere and true, and I hope Uncle Gu and Auntie can grant this wish." With that, Cao Zhen rose to his feet, bent over, and gave a respectful bow to Gu Chengfeng and his wife.


    Seeing this, Gu Chengfeng hastily got up, saying in a fluster, "This¡­ Young Lord Marquis, you mustn''t do this, please get up immediately."


    Sitting there, Gu Chen''s gaze was profound. He could see that Cao Zhen was set on Gu Qingyan and wouldn''t rest until he got what he wanted.


    Although Cao Zhen presented himself as earnest and sincere, Gu Chen could see that he was a deeply calcting man with a cold nature. He was speaking like this now just to secure a marriage with Gu Qingyan. As for being thewful wife, Gu Chen didn''t believe it at all.


    Once Gu Qingyan was married off, with the standing of Gu Mansion, even if she wasn''t thewful wife, what could Gu Chengfeng and Xu Qinge say?


    As for Gu Chen, merely a cousin, once they were married, he would have even less reason to intervene in their family affairs.


    Lord Marquis guarded the frontier all year round, where conditions were deste and difficult. In winter, the weather was extremely cold. Gu Qingyan, a delicate woman without martial skills, would suffer greatly there.


    But at that moment, Cao Zhen spoke again, "I havee to Tiandu primarily to attend Duke of the Liang State''s birthday feast tomorrow, and secondly to join the Jing Tian Department''s War Hall. I will stay in Tiandu for a long time. I have already bought a residence in the inner city and if Qinyan agrees, we can move there today."


    "You said yesterday you disliked leaving Tiandu. If that''s the case, then let''s live here," Cao Zhen said with a sincere look at Gu Qingyan.


    Gu Qingyan''s eyebrows furrowed slightly, finding Cao Zhen to be more annoying than clingy candy. But due to his status, she couldn''t say anything harsh and knew she wouldn''t get help from her parents on this matter. She turned to Gu Chen, looking for help with an almost pleading gaze.


    Seeing this, Cao Zhen also directed his gaze toward Gu Chen.


    When everyone looked to him, Gu Chen twirled his tea cup, took a sip, and spoke slowly, "Young Lord Marquis, I wonder if Lord Marquis has ever told you that there are many things in this world that one should not force, such as matters of the heart. Qinyan truly has no such feelings for you, and no matter what you do, these cannot be coerced."


    "Furthermore, with your status, Young Lord Marquis, what kind of woman could you not have? Why insist on clinging to my cousin? Moreover, you propose to marry my cousin as yourwful wife. If this news spreads, it may invite idle gossip. Worse still, if heard by political adversaries of Lord Marquis, it could even be a pretext to attack Pingxi Marquis Mansion.


    I urge you, Young Lord Marquis, to think this through."

 Chapter 105: Chapter 100 Duke of the Liang State Mansion_1

    ```


    Cao Zhen heard the words, and his eyebrows suddenly raised. At that moment, the atmosphere in the Gu Mansion seemed to freeze.


    He gazed at Gu Chen for quite some time before shifting his attention to Gu Qingyan and said, "No matter what, my feelings for Qingyan are sincere. Regardless of what others say, I won''t give up easily."


    After saying this, Cao Zhen turned around and left. Seeing this, the servants hurriedly put down their things and closely followed Cao Zhen out of the Gu Mansion in session.


    As Cao Zhen departed, the three members of the Gu Chengfeng family breathed a sigh of relief. Gu Chengfeng looked at the silks and various jewels and said to Gu Chen, "Eldest son, what should we do with these things?"


    Gu Chen smiled faintly and replied, "Since they are willing to give them, we might as well ept them."


    "But..." Gu Chengfeng hesitated before saying, "Isn''t it a bit inappropriate?"


    Gu Chen said, "It doesn''t matter, Uncle. These things are nothing to the Pingxi Marquis Mansion, just a drop in the bucket. We might as well take them. Why not, when it''s free?"


    Seeing that Gu Chen had spoken, Gu Chengfeng could only nod in agreement and "reluctantly" epted the items, ordering the servants to take them away.


    After arriving in the study, Gu Chengfeng wore a worried expression and said to Gu Chen with a heavy heart, "Eldest son, since Cao Zhen didn''t get his way today, I''m afraid he might harm Qingyan in secret."


    Gu Chengfeng, being of advanced age, had only this precious daughter, Gu Qingyan, and naturally did not wish her to suffer any harm.


    Gu Chen consoled him, "Don''t worry, Uncle. For the time being, that Cao Zhen won''t dare to do anything."


    With Gu Chen there, he wasn''t worried that Cao Zhen would use any means. If worst came to worst, he would simply apany Gu Qingyan every time she went out.


    But if he, who belongs to the Jing Tian Department, were to have a task and thus leave Tiandu, then nobody could guarantee Gu Qingyan''s safety, and that was what Gu Chen was concerned about.


    Although there were a few people behind Gu Chen that Cao Zhen was wary of, in a fit of desperation, who knows what Cao Zhen might do.


    Gu Chen''s brow furrowed slightly, not expecting Cao Zhen to actually be such a big nuisance.


    ...


    The following evening, Gu Chen apanied Chen Yu to the Duke of the Liang State''s Mansion in the inner city.


    The Duke''s Mansion covered hundreds of acres, with countless pavilions, towers, and courtyards. The entire estate was bustling and exquisite, second only to the Prince Huai''s Mansion that Gu Chen had visited before.


    Today was Duke Lu Sheng''s seventy-second birthday, and many of the city''s dignitaries, including some senior court officials and nobles, hade to attend the banquet.


    The Duke''s Mansion was instantly filled to capacity, buzzing with activity and exceptionally lively.


    Upon the carriage''s arrival at the mansion gate, Chen Yu stepped down with Gu Chen, handing his invitation to a servant at the door, who after receiving it, announced loudly, "Commander Chen Yu of the Jing Tian Department has arrived!"


    Duke Lu Sheng, seventy-two years old this year, came from a military background with exceptional leadership skills in his youth. He was one of Da Xia''s most talented generals and had earned considerable military merits. After retiring from the army, the emperor granted him the noble title of "Duke" in recognition of his services.


    Even the Marquis of Pingxi, who currently excels in leading troops in Da Xia, holds high respect for the Duke of the Liang State. Before the present emperor''s ascension, it was the Duke who had sat at the border and helped Da Xia deter foreign invaders.


    The Duke was a tall, stalwart old man with a resolute face and white hair and beard, exuding the presence of an old lion,manding immense authority.


    "We pay our respects to the Duke."


    Chen Yu led Gu Chen into the hall, and both of them bowed to Duke Lu Sheng seated at the head.


    "No need for formalities, please rise."


    The Duke, smiling, spoke. He hade to know Chen Yu when he was still the Metropolitan Procurator, and liked Chen Yu''s character. During Chen Yu''s growth, the Duke had helped him considerably.


    Their friendship had been forged during that time.


    In truth, Chen Yu himself did not disappoint and quickly became one of Da Xia''s youngestmanders within just a few years.


    The Duke, being a military man, did not get along too well with the schrly officials and had a greater appreciation for unruly warriors like Chen Yu. In his eyes, a true man ought to be such.


    Of course, as he was now stationed in Tiandu after retiring from the border, he maintained a facade of harmony, despite the daily court assemblies. Therefore, many schrly officials came to his birthday banquet, but the majority were still military officers.


    The other nobles and the various ministers of Da Xia present were also aware of the Duke''s favor for Chen Yu. With Chen Yu being the youngestmander of the Jing Tian Department and a man of great promise, they came forward to greet him.


    In this great hall, those with the lowest rank were either high-ranking court officials of the fourth rank or various nobles and military officers. Gu Chen, just a small Metropolitan Procurator, was quite unremarkable and not of much interest to the others.


    Due to Chen Yu''s connection, at this moment, the Duke turned his gaze to Gu Chen and asked, "And who is this?"


    Chen Yu bowed and said loudly, "This is one of the procurators under mymand, named Gu Chen. His talent is notable, surpassing even my own during my younger years. Today is the Duke''s birthday, so I thought I would bring him here to meet high society."


    "Oh?"


    Upon hearing that Gu Chen''s talent exceeded that of Chen Yu, the Duke became instantly interested and observed Gu Chen carefully. He nodded and said, "Strong and full of vitality, indeed not bad. He is a promising candidate for the martial path. Without any setbacks, he might be another candidate for amander."


    Gu Chen bowed respectfully and said, "The Duke tters me. Compared to Master Chen, my aplishments are truly insignificant."


    At that moment, Chen Yu smiled slightly and asked, "Lord Duke, where is Miss Xin Lan?"


    ```


    Duke of the Liang State chuckled, "She''s with the young people in the side hall, not willing to keeppany with us older folks."


    As he spoke, heughed again, jesting, "I almost forgot, Master Chen, your age is also not much."


    Chen Yu smiled slightly, seeming unconcerned, and said, "Gu Chen is also a young person, and I think that Miss Xin Lan is as well. The two young people together should have plenty to talk about."


    The elites and dignitaries present immediately understood that Chen Yu had brought Gu Chen for a matchmaking visit.


    Naturally, Duke of the Liang State also picked up on the deeper meaning in Chen Yu''s words. He nodded with a smile, "Good, young people indeed should not stick with us, or they''ll be too old-fashioned. Fu, call over Xin Lan."


    "Yes, my lord."


    An elderly man at the side of Duke of the Liang State responded, quietly withdrew, and soon returned with a young woman.


    This woman, named Lu Xin, was Duke of the Liang State Lu Sheng''s granddaughter, beloved by Duke of the Liang State and adored since childhood, yet she had not developed an arrogant and overbearing character.


    "Grandfather."


    Lu Xin greeted Lu Sheng with a bow, her clear eyebrows and white teeth, eyes bright and kind, her nose high and her chin slightly pointed. Her ck hair was bound with a jade sp, without any powder or rouge, yet she was still incredibly beautiful.


    "Xin Lan pays her respects to all," she then greeted Chen Yu and the others with a bow, also noticing Gu Chen standing beside Chen Yu.


    "Miss Xin Lan grows ever more lovely with time,"ughed Uncle Dingyuan from Da Xia.


    "Uncle Liang is too kind," Lu Xin smiled lightly, speaking in a soft, melodious voice that was as pleasant to the ear as a musical note.


    "This is Gu Chen from Jing Tian Department, brought by Master Chen. You two are both young, so you''ll probably have a lot to talk about. You can take him around and show him Duke''s Mansion," said Duke of the Liang State warmly.


    "Yes."


    Lu Xin responded, approached Gu Chen, and said softly, "Lord Gu, shall we go? Xin Lan will take you on a tour of the mansion."


    "I appreciate it, Miss Xin Lan."


    Gu Chen nodded, gave a bow to the many powers within the great hall, and then followed close behind Lu Xin as they left.


    This situation was not suited for his participation; with these high-ups gathered, there were surely important matters to discuss, which were not Gu Chen''s to meddle in.


    Once outside the great hall, the bright moonlight cascaded from the sky, illuminating the figure of Lu Xin walking ahead, making her seem to radiate light.


    Not only was she beautiful in appearance, but her figure was also excellent, a woman no less outstanding than his sister, Gu Qingyan.


    Unfortunately, Gu Chen really had no such intentions, rendering Chen Yu''s thoughtful nning in vain.


    "Lord Gu, what are you thinking about?" Lu Xin turned back and, noticing Gu Chen seemed somewhat distracted, asked.


    Gu Chen snapped back to reality and apologized, "Sorry, I was just pondering some things. Miss Xin Lan needn''t call me ''Lord Gu''. Given your status, you may simply call me by my name."


    Lu Xin nodded, not saying much else, as there was still a certain distance between them, given it was their first meeting.


    She understood her grandfather''s intention for her to get closer to Gu Chen. After all, at seventeen, she was of age to be married, and it wouldn''t sound good if she remained unmarried for too long.


    But Lu Xin had her own considerations. Influenced by Lu Sheng, the Duke''s Mansion was steeped in martial spirit, and even Xin Lan herself had reached the level of circting her meridians.


    She had thought about her own standards for a partner, believing her martial talents to be decent, wanting to find someone with shared aspirations.


    However, before achieving certain aplishments in martial arts, she wasn''t really focused on such matters.


    Still, as it was Lu Sheng''s instruction, she couldn''t be too impolite, so she led Gu Chen around the mansion while engaging in intermittent conversation.


    Gu Chen could tell that she didn''t seem to take a particr liking to him, but he didn''t mind much¡ªafter all, he knew his ce. Although he was not unattractive, he wasn''t the kind to make hearts flutter at first sight.


    As they walked, they finished touring the Duke''s Mansion, and then Lu Xin said, "Young Master Gu, there''s a gathering of young people in the side hall nearby. Let''s join them."


    "Alright," Gu Chen nodded.


    Together, they arrived at a side hall of the Duke''s Mansion, a ce with beautiful scenery, a pond at the entrance with babbling water, and delightful blooms all around.


    The young people inside were the offspring of those dignitaries from the great hall, socializing and talking.


    When Xin Lan entered, she attracted many gazes, prompting everyone to look her way. As she walked through the entry, people also noticed Gu Chen, who followed behind.


    "Miss Xin Lan, who is this?" a tall, rugged-looking man asked.


    He was Liang Wei''s son, Liang Xu, who had long been fond of Xin Lan and pursued her with the permission of his father, Uncle Dingyuan.


    At that moment, Gu Chen spotted Cao Zhen, who appeared somewhat surprised to see him.


    Then, holding a wine cup, Cao Zhen stepped forward to introduce, "Brother Liang might not be aware, but this is Young Master Gu Chen, currently the most promising Metropolitan Procurator of Tiandu, highly regarded by Commander Chen, and quite renowned in the martial world, ranked first on the List of Stars."

 Chapter 106: Chapter 101: Threat (Three more ten thousand words, asking for subscription!)_1

    "Hmm?"


    Upon hearing this, Liang Xu''s brows furrowed slightly. He was aware of the close rtionship between Chen Yu and Lu Sheng, and now, as Lu Xin walked over with Gu Chen, he instantly understood what it meant.


    This was his rival in love!


    "The Star Ranking? Never heard of it!" Liang Xu said with a faint smile.


    The officials of the imperial court had always paid little regard to the people of Jianghu, viewing them as a group of uncivilized ruffians. They had long been subdued by the present emperor; anyone who dared defy him would see their sect headquarters directly trampled by Da Xia.


    Therefore, in their eyes, the geniuses from the Jianghu sects counted for nothing and couldn''t make a show in high society, far from attaining the noble birthright and abundant martial resources of their royal and aristocratic offspring.


    In the face of Jianghu forces, people from Da Xia always maintained a superior attitude. Even the demons wreaking havoc across the nine provinces were not taken seriously by this group.


    Some even felt that the Jing Tian Department was too inadequate; after the Emperor of Da Xia went into seclusion, they couldn''t even handle mere demons.


    After all, none of them had ever ventured far from Tiandu or witnessed the true terror of demons.


    If it weren''t for the help of the Vajra Stage, Gu Chen, who hadpleted so many missions, wouldn''t even be alive today.


    ustomed to wealth and luxury, living in gilded cages for so long, they had no idea what the outside world was truly like.


    Seeing this group of people, Gu Chen could predict the kind of ipetent officials that would appear on Da Xia''s court in the not-so-distant future.


    With the demon cmity worsening and the Six Union God Sect causing chaos, the world was in a state of strife, yet these people, protected by the legacy of their forebears, imagined a peaceful realm.


    The copse of a dynasty often began from such ignorance.


    Gu Chen didn''t care about Liang Xu''s words. It was clear that they were not on the same path and had nothing to say to each other. He walked inside, sticking close to Lu Xin''s side.


    Seeing this, Liang Xu''s resentment grew, his teeth clenched tightly.


    "Brother Gu, it seems we are truly fated to meet again," Cao Zhen, holding a wine ss, said with a smile as he approached Gu Chen.


    Actually, Gu Chen somewhat admired Cao Zhen; he could tell that there was no hint of a smile in Cao Zhen''s eyes, and his heart felt the same, yet he could still manage to force a smile and initiate conversation.


    His mouth spat out insincere words without any hint of embarrassment.


    "Quite fated indeed," Gu Chen replied dismissively.


    Cao Zhen didn''t take offense, continuing, "Brother Gu, I have truly fallen for Miss Qinyan at first sight. There might have been some misunderstandings between us causing Miss Qinyan to resist me a bit. May I ask Brother Gu to help persuade her on my behalf?"


    Gu Chen nced at him but didn''t respond.


    Cao Zhen said with a smile, "Brother Gu, I sincerely wish to marry Miss Qinyan, and my status is certainly fitting. With Miss Qinyan by my side, I can assure you she will not suffer. If she likes Tiandu, I am also willing to stay with her here. As long as Brother Gu is willing to help, everything is negotiable."


    It was quite evident from Cao Zhen''s words that he was trying to buy Gu Chen over, especially since his position as the heir to the Marquis of Pingxi was so much more elevatedpared to the Gu Mansion that, as long as Gu Chen had any desire, he was not afraid of failing to buy him over.


    A glint of amusement appeared in Gu Chen''s eyes as he said, "That sounds good. Since Lord Marquis is so sincere, would he also be willing to show some goodwill, so that our Gu Family can see?"


    Cao Zhen''s face showed genuine pleasure as Gu Chen agreed, saying, "Of course, that''s no issue at all. What does Brother Gu wish for?"


    In his view, even if Chen Yu favored Gu Chen, Chen Yu was not likely to be overly biased toward him, as the rules of the Jing Tian Department were clear. Gu Chen would still need toplete missions for the department to earn merit and exchange it for what he wanted.


    Cao Zhen was ready to offer benefits to Gu Chen, confident that Gu Chen would not be able to resist, given the disparity in their wealth and status. This disparity was what made him confident in being able to buy Gu Chen''s support.


    However, Gu Chen''s next words caused Cao Zhen''s face to darken for the first time.


    Gu Chen spoke indifferently, "If Lord Marquis is willing to share a Superior Martial Skill for my perusal, then I will believe that Lord Marquis''s feelings for Qinyan are genuine."


    Despite Cao Zhen''s preparedness for Gu Chen''s possible lofty demands and his willingness to make expensive concessions, who could have expected Gu Chen to make such a bold request?


    Cao Zhen suppressed his anger, turning an ashen face toward Gu Chen and said, "Brother Gu must be joking, right? Do you realize how valuable a Superior Martial Skill is?"


    Gu Chen looked at Cao Zhen with an amused smile and responded, "What''s wrong, Lord Marquis is unwilling?"


    Cao Zhen''s eyes darkened with anger. He knew Gu Chen was taunting him; Superior Martial Skills were indeed in his possession, but they were extremely precious to the entire Pingxi Marquis Mansion. There were only two, and how could he possibly give one to Gu Chen so casually?


    Even if the Marquis of Pingxi spoiled him greatly, he would not tolerate such prodigality. For the sake of a woman, to part with a Superior Martial Skill¡ªshould Cao Zhen dare to make such a move, his own father would begin to doubt if his son had lost his mind.


    Biting his teeth, Cao Zhen whispered fiercely to Gu Chen, "Do you really think that with Chen Yu from the Jing Tian Department and Zhou Qing from the Mingjing Department backing you up, I''m without recourse?"


    Upon hearing this, Gu Chen''s eyes sharpened as he looked at Cao Zhen.


    Cao Zhen felt a chill in his heart, but still pressed on, "With my standing, there''s no woman I can''t have. My current humble approach and earnest pleas are already quite exceptional. I hope Brother Gu doesn''t forget the difference in our statuses!"


    His words implied that, to him, the Gu Family was no different from weeds by the roadside. His condescension to personally pay a visit and bring gifts was already a big favor.


    Indeed, had Gu Chen not been in the picture, Gu Qingyan would have found herself delivered to Cao Zhen''s bed that very night of their first meeting, sparing him all this effort.


    This was the disparity that status and position brought forth. When the powerful wanted to oppress themon folk, what could thetter do?


    If Cao Zhen was truly determined to pursue Gu Qingyan, he could simply take her by force and the Gu Family would be powerless to oppose¡ªwhat could Gu Chen do then?


    Could it be that Gu Chen would go and tattle to Chen Yu and Zhou Qing?


    Even if he did, would Chen Yu and Zhou Qing bother to intervene?


    Even if they did intervene, it would only lower Gu Chen''s standing in their eyes.


    The reason Cao Zhen did not do so was partly because he genuinely had some fear of Chen Yu and Zhou Qing, and secondly because he indeed felt differently towards Gu Qingyan and the other women.


    But now, since Gu Chen remained unyielding, he no longer hid his intentions andid everything bare.


    "You dare?!"


    Gu Chen''s eyes darkened, a flicker of murderous intent passing through their depths.


    Cao Zhen felt a chill, but he didn''t care and instead pped Gu Chen on the shoulder with a smile, "Brother Gu, why deceive yourself? Isn''t it better to have the best of both worlds?"


    At that moment, Lu Xin approached. Her beautiful eyes sparkled, noticing something off with the atmosphere between the two men, and she asked, "What are you two talking about?"


    "Nothing much." Cao Zhen smiled and once again donned his trademark insincere grin, "They say seeing is believing, I''ve long heard that Miss Lu Xin of the Duke of Liang State is unparalleled in beauty, a delicate flower of Tiandu. Seeing you today, the reputation is indeed well-deserved."


    Lord Marquis is too kind," Lu Xin said with a light smile, her charming face radiant.


    "Please, continue your conversation," said Cao Zhen to Lu Xin with a nod before he took his leave. As he departed, he cast a nce at Gu Chen, his eyes carrying an inscrutable look.


    "Do you know Cao Zhen?" Lu Xin''s bright eyes turned towards Gu Chen.


    Gu Chen replied, "We''ve met a few times by chance."


    Lu Xin nodded and the conversation between her and Gu Chen resumed. This time they discussed martial arts, and before long, Lu Xin''s eyes shone with interest, her distance from Gu Chen noticeably closer than when they first met.


    Liang Xu watched from the side, his eyes practically spitting fire with jealousy.


    Meanwhile, Cao Zhen approached Liang Xu and whispered, "Brother Liang, it seems that the Duke of the Liang State and Commander Chen have ns to bring Miss Lu and Gu Chen together. In my view, Gu Chen is merely a second-rank Metropolitan Procurator from the Jing Tian Department, inferior to you in every aspect. Not to mention, his family background is miles apart from yours.


    Now that Miss Lu is captivated by his honeyed words, you must be careful, Brother Liang."


    This Liang Xu, at twenty-three, already had the cultivation level of the peak External Qi Stage, even within a step''s reach from the Vajra Stage. Cao Zhen intentionally stirred the pot, hoping to provoke Liang Xu into giving Gu Chen a lesson.


    Gathering all the intelligence he had on Gu Chen, his strength was indeed extraordinary. However, Liang Xu was the legitimate heir of Uncle Dingyuan, with decent martial talent and not just an empty shell. The martial skills he learned were strong, and with his realm suppressing Gu Chen, it seemed that Gu Chen was at a disadvantage no matter how one looked at it.


    It didn''t matter to Cao Zhen whether Gu Chen won or lost; his goal was to cause trouble for Gu Chen. Win or lose, Liang Xu would bear a grudge against Gu Chen, achieving Cao Zhen''s purpose.


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    "Gu Chen!"


    Seeing Gu Chen and Lu Xin''s increasing closeness, Liang Xu couldn''t bear it any longer and bellowed angrily.


    "You should take a look in the mirror. What is your statuspared to Miss Xin Lan?"


    Instantly, everyone around turned their attention towards themotion, watching with the anticipation of a good show.


    Lu Xin too was surprised by Liang Xu''s reaction but, as if Gu Chen hadn''t heard him, he continued speaking.


    Seeing himself ignored, Liang Xu could no longer contain his rage. Was this nobody really ignoring him?


    Liang Xu, furious, marched towards Gu Chen and said, "I am talking to you. Are you deaf?"


    Only then did Gu Chen turn around, gave Liang Xu a few looks, and responded, nonchntly, "Sorry, there was a bug chirping just now, I really didn''t catch it. What did you just say?"


    "You!"


    Liang Xu''s face reddened instantly, pointing his finger at Gu Chen.


    Hearing Gu Chen''s provocative words, everyone around chuckled.


    Even the usually reserved Lu Xin couldn''t help but disy a hint of amusement in her eyes, finding Gu Chen''s words quite funny, almost aggravating Liang Xu to death.


    Standing at a distance, Cao Zhen let out a coldugh, knowing that the enmity between the two men had just deepened. Given Liang Xu''s narrow-mindedness and the loss of face before Lu Xin, he wouldn''t let the matter rest.


    "You''re courting death!" Liang Xu roared, his eyes bloodshot.


    Seeing Liang Xu pointing his finger at him, Gu Chen''s expression also cooled, "I detest being pointed at with a finger the most. Do you no longer want those fingers?"


    He realized that the more he kept a low profile, the more some people took him for granted. Since this was the case, Gu Chen decided he no longer wished to maintain that approach, but rather to strike back with force.


    "I''ll butcher you, you bastard!"


    Liang Xu bellowed, ready to act, and Gu Chen''s eyes instantly turned icy.


    But at this moment, Lu Xin spoke up. Her pretty face turned stern as she said in a cold voice, "Today is my grandfather''s birthday feast. Do you intend to start a fight, Master Liang?"


    At her words, Liang Xu''s expression stiffened, his hand stopping mid-air.


    Seeing this, Cao Zhen stepped forward, affecting the role of a peacemaker, "Brother Liang, indeed it would be inappropriate to fight today. If you really cannot swallow this anger, perhaps we can find another solution?"


    "What solution?" a red-eyed Liang Xu asked Cao Zhen.


    "I hear that martial prowess is valued in the Duke''s Mansion, and even the servants know a move or two. I''ve been told that there are three great cauldrons in the mansion, used by the Duke himself for strengthening his body and training his physical force. How about, we have a contest of lifting cauldrons?"

 Chapter 107: Chapter 102: Lifting the Cauldron_1

    Uncle Dingyuan, a born military man, honed his skills primarily through the practice of Horizontal Training, and Liang Xu, as his legitimate son, also showed considerable talent in the path of physical martial arts.


    It was precisely because of this that Cao Zhen had suggested that Gu Chenpete with Liang Xu in lifting cauldrons, having calcted every step carefully.


    "Good!"


    Liang Xu''s eyes widened as he bellowed, "Let''spete in lifting cauldrons, Gu Chen, do you dare?"


    Lu Xin''s brows furrowed slightly, and just as she was about to speak, Cao Zhen interjected, "Miss Lu, the Duke of the Liang State is from a military background where strength is always the deciding factor. If two people do not see eye to eye and have disagreements, they resort to proving themselves through strength.


    Today is the Duke''s birthday feast; let Gu Chen and Brother Liang celebrate his longevity through this contest."


    Lu Xin nced at Gu Chen and Liang Xu, her beautiful eyes stirring as she said, "This¡­ both of you are guests. It wouldn''t be good if anyone gets hurt."


    Those three cauldrons were indeed what the Duke of the Liang State used to train his body normally. But what was the Duke''s cultivation level? He was a martial artist at the seventh realm, the Gang Qi Stage. Even in his old age with a deteriorating physique, his strength was not something that Gu Chen and Liang Xu, the two juniors, couldpare with.


    Even the lightest cauldron weighed thirty thousand jin (approximately 15 tons).


    "Gu Chen, cut the nonsense. Do you dare or not?" Liang Xu challenged, his face full of provocation. As a body refining martial artist on the verge of stepping into the Vajra Stage, he had been constantly honing his physique and had reached a strength of sixty thousand jin (approximately 30 tons). He did not believe that Gu Chen could be stronger than him.


    "Good!"


    Before Gu Chen could respond, a loud shout suddenly came from afar. A group of people approached, led by the Duke of the Liang State himself, followed by Chen Yu, Uncle Dingyuan, and others.


    The "Good!" that had just been heard was from the Duke, his voice robust and full of breath.


    "What my nephew Cao Zhen said is correct. In the army, we speak through strength. Since both of you are eager to pursue my granddaughter, then prove with your strength who is more deserving of Xin Lan," said the Duke of the Liang State.


    "Grandfather¡­" Seeing the Duke so direct, Xin Lan''s face turned slightly red.


    Seeing this, the Dukeughed heartily and did not mind, continuing, "Consider this performance as a part of my birthday celebration. It has been quite a while since I''ve watched young peoplepete. Don''t hesitate or dilly-dally; is that how a true man behaves?"


    Upon hearing this, Gu Chen instantly turned his gaze towards Chen Yu, who gave a slight nod after noticing the look.


    Chen Yu was not at all worried about Gu Chen''s strength.


    Liang Xu also looked towards Uncle Dingyuan, who smiled subtly, signaling not to worry.


    Immediately after, Uncle Dingyuan turned his gaze towards Chen Yu and joked, "Master Chen, you seem quite confident in your subordinate?"


    Chen Yu responded calmly, "There''s no need for Uncle Dingyuan to worry on this ount."


    Uncle Dingyuan did not appear to be annoyed. He smiled slightly and said, "My son is about to enter the Vajra Stage. Isn''t it a bit too bullying topare strength?"


    He said this because he was worried that if Gu Chen lostter, Chen Yu might make excuses.


    "Not at all. We in the Jing Tian Department live by martial prowess and have never feared anyone''s challenge," said Chen Yu, his expressionposed, showing no worry at all.


    Uncle Dingyuan raised his eyebrows and said, "Good. I hope Master Chen can maintain thisposureter."


    "Just wait and see," said Chen Yu, his face expressionless.


    At this moment, the Duke of the Liang State, Lu Sheng, said, "Since this is apetition, let''s add a wager. Xin Lan is my granddaughter, so naturally she can''t be the prize. It''s up to her to decide who she favors. That said, whoever wins this contest, I shall reward with a superior martial arts technique."


    Liang Xu, hearing this, was immediately overjoyed and dered, "Good!"


    Gu Chen also nodded slightly. Since Chen Yu had spoken, then thepetition was on. In terms of strength, Gu Chen had never feared anyone.


    Moreover, he too wanted to know just how far his current strength had developed. Liang Xu was on the brink of entering the Vajra Stage, which made him a suitable test subject.


    "Bring in the cauldrons!"


    At themand of the Duke of the Liang State, it wasn''t long before a group of more than twenty servants arrived, carrying the three cauldrons.


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    These servants all had cultivation at the external qi level, but they still struggled with the heavy cauldrons, their faces flushed with exertion.


    Especially for thest cauldron, which needed the most hands to carry. They had to rest every few steps, indicating the staggering weight of the cauldron.


    Dong!


    The cauldronnded, and the ground trembled. The sight caused many to hold their breath in suspense.


    Uncle Dingyuan furrowed his brows as well, the weight of the cauldrons being great. He, too, felt uncertain about Liang Xu''s performance, but after ncing at Gu Chen and discerning his cultivation level, he felt reassured.


    Then, the Duke of the Liang State stepped forward to introduce the cauldrons, "These three cauldrons are what I used during my cultivation at the Vajra Stage and have apanied me for half my life. After returning to Tiandu, in order not to let my martial skills degrade too much, I have practiced lifting them daily. This first cauldron weighs thirty-three thousand jin!"


    As these words were spoken, the crowd immediately gasped in shock. The first cauldron alone weighed over thirty thousand jin?


    That was not all. The Duke of the Liang State pointed to the second cauldron and continued, "This cauldron weighs seventy-seven thousand jin."


    Hearing this, Chen Yu slightly raised his eyebrows, looking towards Gu Chen. Seeing Gu Chen still calm, a hint of a smile appeared in his eyes.


    "This third cauldron weighs one hundred and eight thousand jin. It was for my attempt to break through the thirdyer of the Vajra Stage, achieving the body of a savage dragon. Unfortunately, in the end, I failed," said the Duke of the Liang State with a mix of solemnity and disappointment on his face.

 Chapter 108: Chapter 102: Lifting the Ding_2

    ```


    But then his eyes shone bright as he looked at Gu Chen and Liang Xu, saying, "Today, let us see the strength of you two, which will also determine your future achievements at the Vajra Stage!"


    At that moment, the attention of everyone present focused on Gu Chen and Liang Xu. Liang Xu had never experienced such attention, especially from such important figures. This made his blood surge with excitement.


    As for the military officers, there''s no need to mention them. Some of the more belligerent ones were rubbing their hands together, itching to enter thepetition.


    The civil officials, however, were not interested in thepetition itself, but they were curious about the oues, so they watched from the sidelines.


    Uncle Dingyuan and a group of nobles stood together. As nobles of Da Xia faced with a foreign enemy, they naturally needed to band together.


    Uncle Dingyuan looked at Chen Yu, saying, "Master Chen, you''ve heard it yourself, even the first cauldron weighs thirty-three thousand catties. In my opinion, we should just forget about it. It won''t be good if anyone gets hurt."


    Chen Yu remained silent, just watching. Uncle Dingyuan noticed this and let out a cold snort.


    He wanted to see how long Chen Yu could maintain hisposure, waiting for the moment when Gu Chen would copse, bloodied, exhausted, and unable to stand. Then he would see if Chen Yu could still remain as unfazed as he was now.


    "Which one of you two will go first?" the Duke of the Liang State asked Gu Chen and the others.


    "I''ll go first!"


    Liang Xu''s face lit up with excitement as he spoke first. He gave a challenging look at Gu Chen before walking up to the first cauldron, extending his arms, and embracing it.


    "Lift!"


    With a shout, Liang Xu exerted his strength; his muscles bulged, and his clothes stretched tight. As he continued to apply force, the cauldron gradually raised higher, and soon he was holding it aloft above his head.


    With the cultivation of Chen Yu and the others, it was certainly apparent whether Liang Xu was secretly using his internal energy, so they weren''t worried about any cheating.


    After lifting the first cauldron, Liang Xu clearly still had strength to spare. His mouth curving into a smile, he looked toward where Gu Chen was standing and tilted his chin upward in a show of confidence.


    However, Gu Chen did not even lift his eyelids, ignoring Liang Xu''s challenge.


    Seeing this, Liang Xu''s face darkened and with a loud thud, he ced the cauldron back to its original spot.


    "You can rest for a while before attempting the second cauldron," said the Duke of the Liang State.


    "No need, just watch," Liang Xu replied, bowing slightly, without any dy he approached the second cauldron.


    ng!


    He fiercely embraced the cauldron, slowly exerting force. But the second cauldron, weighing seventy-seven thousand catties, was beyond his strength to lift. Despite his face turning red and straining, the cauldron only lifted slightly off the ground.


    Not willing to ept defeat, and with the desire to impress Lu Xin, Liang Xu''s eyes filled with blood as he roared, "Lift¡ª"


    At that moment, specks of golden light emerged from Liang Xu''s body. Uncle Dingyuan saw this and immediately lit up with joy.


    As someone with experience, he knew what this signified.


    The other military officers upon seeing this scene also congratted Uncle Dingyuan, "Congrattions, Uncle Dingyuan. After this battle, young Master Liang will likely soon step into the Vajra Stage."


    "Hahahaha..." With his son''s cultivation making a breakthrough, Uncle Dingyuan was obviously very happy. He nced at Chen Yu with a smug look and said, "We must also thank Master Chen for making this possible."


    "Master Chen, why not let this be the end? Surely there''s no need for furtherparison, right?" Uncle Dingyuan looked at Chen Yu with a full smile on his face.


    The Marquis of Wuwei added, "I think so too. The gap between the two is toorge; there''s really noparison. One is still in the external strength stage, and the other is about to reach the Vajra Stage. Isn''t this like an adult bullying a child?"


    "Hahahahaha..."


    Upon hearing this, the group of nobles all burst intoughter, and even some of the military officers shook their heads, feeling that Gu Chen had no chance of victory.


    The Duke of the Liang State frowned slightly and looked towards Chen Yu. But Chen Yu shook his head, indicating to continue.


    "Ah¡ª"


    At that moment, in the center of the arena, Liang Xu let out a great shout, and the second cauldron lifted from the ground, reaching up to his chest, but he could lift it no further.


    Liang Xu knew this was his limit. His muscles quivered slightly, and if he forced himself to lift the cauldron further, he would only injure himself.


    ```


    He was already very satisfied. Having crossed the threshold of the Vajra Stage, after his return, he would only need a little time to consolidate his gains before he could break into the Vajra Stage.


    With a bang, the cauldron was ced back on the ground by Liang Xu; at this point, whether Gu Chen lifted the cauldron or not was no longer important, because everyone already knew the oue.


    Lu Xin looked at the Duke of the Liang State, her red lips parted slightly as she spoke softly, "Grandfather, should we just call it off?"


    The Duke of the Liang State looked at his granddaughter with a smile and said, "What, feeling pity for him already before you''re even married?"


    "Grandfather..." Lu Xin protested, "Don''t say nonsense. I just think there''s no need to continue, it''s not worth getting hurt over this."


    The Duke of the Liang State chuckled and said, "What''s the rush? Haven''t you noticed that Chen Yu''s boy isn''t even worried? Maybe the junior he brought with him can really give us a surprise."


    At that moment, Uncle Dingyuan looked at Chen Yu and said with a light smile, "Master Chen, are we stillparing or not? Your man hasn''t stepped forward yet, could it be he is afraid?"


    When Liang Xu passed by Gu Chen, he gave him a very mocking nce.


    Cao Zhen stood on the side, also watching the drama unfold with a smile.


    Just then, Chen Yu dered in a loud voice, "Gu Chen, what are you dawdling for? Show the esteemed guests your strength, you don''t have to hold back, give it your all."


    "Yes."


    Upon hearing this, Gu Chen bowed respectfully and walked calmly to the center of the arena.


    Upon seeing this, Uncle Dingyuan''s brow furrowed, and he had an uneasy premonition. Could it be that Gu Chen could also lift the second cauldron?


    The Duke of the Liang State also watched with great interest, as did Xin Lan.


    Gu Chen first came to the first cauldron, stopped for a few moments, shook his head, then moved on to the second cauldron. Just when everyone thought he was going to lift it, he looked at it, bypassed it, and walked in front of the third cauldron.


    "Delusional!" Cao Zhen said indifferently.


    "You''re courting death!" Liang Xu said fiercely, not believing that Gu Chen could lift the third cauldron, which weighed a staggering 180,000 pounds.


    Uncle Dingyuan frowned and looked at Chen Yu, saying, "Master Chen, what is your subordinate doing, trying to grab attention? We don''t have time to indulge his antics here. Call him back quickly, don''t let him embarrass himself."


    The others were also shaking their heads incessantly, thinking that Gu Chen wascking self-awareness. He wanted to prove he was stronger than Liang Xu by skipping to the third cauldron after seeing Liang Xu lift the second one?


    Such was the mindset of the young man, unwilling to lose, yet blind to his own strength.


    With a solemn expression, the Duke of the Liang State watched Gu Chen. Only in his prime could he lift the third cauldron, and now as age and decay sapped his vigor, it was extremely difficult for him to move the third cauldron.


    "Master Chen, what are you doing, not calling your man back!" Uncle Dingyuan shouted, even contemting going onto the field to scold Gu Chen directly.


    "Enough noise! Just watch quietly," Chen Yu frowned and rebuked him.


    "You!"


    Uncle Dingyuan''s face changed, not expecting Chen Yu to be so impolite to him, but under the persuasion of others, he still suppressed his anger.


    After all, he wasn''t sure if he was Chen Yu''s match, and since thetter was about to make a fool of himself, there was no need to rush things.


    "I''d like to see how the two of you get out of thister!" Uncle Dingyuan snorted coldly.


    But at that moment, Gu Chen finally moved, and once he did, everyone''s gaze was drawn back to him.


    Gu Chen ced his hands on either side of the cauldron, his fingers gradually exerting force, and a faint humming sound began to emerge.


    Witnessing this scene, the Duke of the Liang State''s pupils contracted, his eyes unblinking as he watched intently.


    "Lift!"


    With a light shout from Gu Chen, he applied force with his arms, and the cauldron that weighed a massive 180,000 pounds was, under the watchful eyes of all, lifted forcefully above his head!


    In that moment, all was quiet, and the silence was deafening.

 Chapter 109: Chapter 103 Condensing Pulse Sword Wave_1

    At this moment, everyone present, regardless of who they were, stared dumbfounded at the scene before them.


    What did they see? Like something out of a dream, the massive cauldron, weighing a hundred and eighty thousand catties, was actually hoisted above Gu Chen''s head!


    Cao Zhen was also stunned, never having anticipated Gu Chen to possess such strength.


    As for Liang Xu, he waspletely dumbstruck, standing there with a nk look and unseeing eyes.


    Duke of the Liang State and the rest of the nobility were even more shocked, their mouths moving like mutes, unable to utter a single word.


    Lu Xin''s beautiful eyes widened, her delicate hand gently covering her red lips, her lovely face filled with astonishment, her long eyshes blinking rapidly, feeling the scene before her was too unreal.


    Even Chen Yu himself felt somewhat astonished. He watched Gu Chen with slightly raised eyebrows. He had anticipated Gu Chen could lift this third cauldron, but he did not expect it to be done with such apparent ease.


    "Good!"


    At this moment, the Duke of the Liang State shouted loudly, awakening everyone from their shock. Right then, his expression was exhrated, his aged face flushed with excitement, his eyes shining as he looked at Gu Chen in the field as if he were a rare uncut jade.


    Bang!


    At this time, Gu Chen put down the cauldron, and the ground shook once more, proving to the crowd that the cauldron was indeed extraordinarily heavy.


    "I don''t believe it, I can''t ept it!"


    Liang Xu also snapped out of it at this moment. He shouted and ran up, trying to lift the third cauldron as well.


    "Xu''er!"


    Seeing this, Uncle Dingyuan''s expression changed dramatically, wanting to stop Liang Xu, but at that moment, Liang Xu mustered all his strength, even using every ounce he had, yet the third cauldron still did not budge.


    The Duke of the Liang State saw this and shook his head.


    "Master Liang, won''t you take a look? It seems your son has suffered a great deal," Chen Yu said with a slight smile, looking at Uncle Dingyuan who stood there.


    Uncle Dingyuan gritted his teeth at Chen Yu, and then looked at Gu Chen with an extremely gloomy expression.


    Suddenly, Chen Yu''s expression changed, and in a cold tone, he said, "I advise you not to mistake yourself. If anything happens to Gu Chen, you will be the one to answer for it."


    "Chen Yu, how arrogant you are!" Uncle Dingyuan could no longer hold back and shouted angrily at Chen Yu.


    Chen Yu''s expression was cold as he looked at Uncle Dingyuan and said, "Before, I didn''t want to stoop to your level. If you dare to pester me again, feel free to try!"


    "Chen Yu!"


    In front of everybody, Chen Yu showed no regard for Uncle Dingyuan''s dignity, causing Uncle Dingyuan''s face to turn ashen. He was about to make a move.


    "What is this behavior!"


    At this point, the Duke of the Liang State''s expression darkened as he looked at Uncle Dingyuan and said, "Liang Wei, remember your status. Do you want to lose face in front of the younger generation?"


    Upon hearing this, Uncle Dingyuan Liang Wei looked around and saw that all eyes were focused on him. He snorted coldly and, without another word, took the disoriented Liang Xu and turned to leave.


    "Remember my words!" Chen Yu said coldly.


    Uncle Dingyuan paused in his step but did not look back and quickly left the area.


    Having lost so much face, how could he stay any longer?


    At this time, everyone''s gaze towards Gu Chen had changed, and even the civil officials felt the same way.


    Gu Chen was merely at the external air stage, yet he possessed such colossal strength. What would it be like if he reached the Vajra Stage?


    The Duke of the Liang State wore a look of joy, came up to Gu Chen, looked him over from left to right, making Gu Chen feel extremely ufortable.


    Even Lu Xin was sizing up Gu Chen with a curious gaze, her beautiful eyes lingering on him for a long time.


    Just when Gu Chen felt he could take no more, Chen Yu came over and freed him from the encirclement.


    "Duke of the Liang State, what are you looking at? Just to be clear, he''s my man," Chen Yu said with a smile.


    "A genius of a generation, such an extraordinary talent," the Duke of the Liang State couldn''t stop praising Gu Chen. He looked at Chen Yu and said gravely, "He definitely has the potential to reach the third level of the Vajra Stage!"


    Initially, the Duke of the Liang State wanted Chen Yu to hand over Gu Chen for him to train, but upon further thought, he realized the resources of the Jing Tian Department far exceeded those of a duke''s mansion, so he extinguished that thought.


    Chen Yu also nodded; he did not deny this, as he saw Gu Chen as a natural-born warrior. It was only natural for him to reach this point, but what Chen Yu did not expect was Gu Chen''s rapid growth.


    The Duke of the Liang State looked at Gu Chen and said, "Tell me, what is it that you desire? As long as it''s within my power, I will grant it to you."


    Because of Gu Chen''s potential, the Duke of the Liang State did not mind offering a more substantial reward.


    Gu Chen was tempted to ask for a look at the Superior Martial Skills, but after considering it, he remained silent.


    After all, that would be asking for too much. Under the watchful eyes of all, the Duke of the Liang State might be unable to save face, and the goodwill towards Gu Chen could dissipate.


    "As for that request, I will make it on behalf of Gu Chen. That''s not a problem, right?" Chen Yu said at this moment.


    Thest sentence, however, was directed at Gu Chen.


    Gu Chen naturally had no objections and nodded hurriedly.


    "What do you want?" Duke of the Liang State looked towards Chen Yu.


    "I''m not greedy, a set of high-quality martial arts as agreed. I''ll choose the Condensing Pulse Sword Wave," Chen Yu said with a light smile, dressed in a blue robe.


    At his words, Duke of the Liang State raised an eyebrow. Chen Yu really knew how to pick. The Condensing Pulse Sword Wave was indeed high-quality martial arts but certainly ranked amongst the top tier of high-quality martial arts. It was also his famous special skill in his youth.


    The Condensing Pulse Sword Wave was a superior martial art that could transform inner breath into sword qi. Once the veins in the hands were condensed, each of the ten fingers was like a sharp sword, capable ofunching sword qi at enemies at any time and ce.


    When the sword strike wasunched, it was as rapid as lightning and incredibly swift. Changing breath into sword qi, it could kill someone in the blink of an eye.


    The power of each sword qi depended on the individual cultivation of the martial artist using it. If the cultivation was sufficient, the sword qi emitted by both hands could be as strong as attacks from mid-tier or even high-tier treasured weapons.


    Moreover, each sword qi was extremely well-condensed. At the very least, it could shoot out several meters, making it a divine skill for long-range encounters. With this martial art, the Duke of the Liang State had killed countless barbarians on the frontier in his youth. The enemy would not even see him before a sword qi burst forth, taking their lives in the sh of lightning.


    Duke of the Liang State gave a wry smile. Now, how could he not understand that everything had been premeditated by Chen Yu, who took advantage of the opportunity to speak up?


    Even if there had been nopetition between Gu Chen and Liang Xu today, Chen Yu would have found a way to secure this martial art for Gu Chen before departing.


    He was aware of Chen Yu''s character; he would not have brought Gu Chen on this trip for nothing.


    "You, you¡­" Duke of the Liang State shook his head and chuckled, but he didn''t refuse. He ordered his servants to fetch the secret manual.


    "This technique must not be disclosed. You better memorize it here before you leave." The Duke of the Liang State then passed the secret manual to Gu Chen.


    Gu Chen quickly took it, focusing entirely on memorization. The secret manual wasn''t lengthy, totaling less than a thousand words. Gu Chen was sharp-minded and didn''t take long to memorize it.


    Then, Gu Chen returned the manual. Their purpose aplished, Chen Yu prepared to leave with Gu Chen.


    Before leaving, Duke of the Liang State said, "If it''s not too much trouble, the young ones should get together more in the future."


    Chen Yu smiled lightly and replied, "Of course, no problem."


    Before departing, Gu Chen nodded to Lu Xin as a way of greeting, then followed Chen Yu and left the ce.


    They had just left the Duke''s Mansion when, after getting on the carriage, Chen Yu advised, "Don''t underestimate the Condensing Pulse Sword Wave just because it''s a set of high-quality martial arts. If you practice it well, it might not be much inferior to Superior Martial Skills. With your profound inner breath, this kind of martial art is most suitable for you to bring into full y."


    Gu Chen nodded, keeping the training method of the Condensing Pulse Sword Wave in mind, realizing the strength of this martial art. His gratitude towards Chen Yu grew even more.


    At that moment, as the carriage was making its way, it was suddenly stopped. Several clerks were waiting outside with anxious expressions.


    Chen Yu stepped out of the carriage and, seeing this, frowned and asked, "What''s happened?"


    A clerk, in a panic, hurriedly said, "A terrible disaster, Commander Chen, Xu''an County has fallen!"


    Chen Yu''s expression changed and he demanded, "What''s going on, exin in detail!"


    The clerk quickly recounted everything.


    Xu''an County, located in the western part of Liyang Mansion, had just sent an urgent message. Inside the county, five towns had been ughtered to the ground, and even the County Magistrate of Xu''an County had been killed overnight!


    It was confirmed to be the doing of the Red me Demon Sect under the Six Union God Sect.


    The reason for the swift knowledge was that after the killing, the murderers left behind a bloodstain in the shape of a flower, blooming like mes, which was the mark specifically used by the Red me Demon Sect within the Six Union God Sect over three hundred years ago.


    Five towns, nearly hundreds of thousands of people, were unjustly killed and devoured by demons. In just one night, all five towns became ghost towns with no survivors.


    Moreover, the Demon Sect was so brazen as to leave their marks, tantly provoking Da Xia, provoking the Jing Tian Department.


    After listening, Chen Yu was furious, his brows nearly standing on end, and the killing intent emanating from him was near tangible. Gu Chen felt a bone-chilling cold.


    "Red¡ªme¡ªDemon¡ªSect!"


    Chen Yu pronounced each word distinctly, his tone icy beyond measure, and his killing intent extremely dense.


    Gu Chen knew that by doing this, the Six Union God Sect was essentially dering war on Da Xia, on the Jing Tian Department.


    The deaths of hundreds of thousands, including the suicide of the County Magistrate, highlighted the Demon Sect''s extreme arrogance. At this moment, Gu Chen''s eyes were also chillingly cold. Hundreds of thousands of lives had vanished just like that.


    The people of the Demon Sect, indeed, were no different from soulless beasts, capable ofmitting such acts of city ughter.


    "Tomorrow, bring Song Yu and Wang Yan with you to see me at the Jing Tian Department. Right now, I must make a trip to the Inner City to see the Vice Commander of Jing Tian Department," Chen Yu said in a stern voice.


    Gu Chen nodded, and Chen Yu vanished instantly from the spot without even boarding the carriage again.


    Looking up at the dark sky, Gu Chen knew that the world was about to descend intoplete chaos. The Demon Sect had evidently lost its patience and had made its move.


    Furthermore, their initial strike came with the ferocity of thunder, catching Da Xia off guard.


    That very night, inside the Inner City of Tiandu, countless people were restless, kept awake by the news.


    It was said that King Huai was furiously enraged and had summoned the Vice Commander of the Jing Tian Department in the middle of the night. Both sought a unified goal: this time, the Demon Sect must pay the price it owed.


    After returning to Gu Mansion, Gu Chen informed his uncle and the family of the incident. With such a grave situation unfolding, it was uncertain how long his departure from Tiandu would be dyed. If it was brief, that would be manageable, but it might take a considerable amount of time, so letting his uncle''s family know in advance would save them undue worryter on.


    The next day, Gu Chen located Song Yu and Wang Yan, who had sessfully broken through to the next stage and emerged from seclusion, and they went together to see Chen Yu at the Jing Tian Department.

 Chapter 112: Chapter 105: The Great Vajra Fist Shows its Power_1

    A tall and burly man emerged, shrouded in dark energy, his skin faintly exuding a luster like that of dark gold.


    His head was smooth, void of a single hair, entwined with ck patterns, and his eyes were pitch ck, devoid of any trace of emotion.


    The moment this person appeared, Xu Qing''s eyes sharpened, his face bing extremely solemn.


    From this Vajra Stage martial artist of the Red me Demon Sect, he felt a tremendous pressure.


    Vague golden light began to emanate from Xu Qing''s skin as the two started a standoff.


    On another front, Gu Chen was facing off against three martial artists of the External Qi Stage who had merged with demonic spirits.


    They all had reached theplete mastery of the External Qi Stage, and with the power of demonic spirits, they were barely able topete with Vajra Stage practitioners.


    "Roar!"


    One of them roared to the sky, his inner breath infused with demonic, sinister energy, mixed in with the sound waves, creating ripples in the air as they struck towards Gu Chen.


    "Aaauuugh!"


    Suddenly, a resonant cry like the roar of dragons and the howl of tigers echoed throughout.


    Gu Chen, d in ck robes, stood in ce, his gaze calm and undisturbed. At this moment, a phantom of a dragon and a tiger coiled behind him.


    The roar of the dragon and the howl of the tiger were lofty and proud, causing the Red me Demon Sect''s three External Qi Stage martial artists to tremble, their minds throbbing with pain, their brows involuntarily furrowing.


    Seizing this opportunity, Gu Chen acted, transforming into an afterimage and appearing behind one of the Demon Sect martial artists. He pointed a finger, carrying with it a burning inner breath, which twisted the surrounding air.


    Theplete Burning Vein Finger!


    Boom!


    The ck energy swirling around the Demon Sect''s External Qi Stage martial artist formed a shield, blocking Gu Chen''s attack.


    Hiss!


    At that moment, another Demon Sect martial artist brandished a long de, shing at Gu Chen.


    ng!


    The ferocious shnded on Gu Chen''s body, failing even to break his skin and resulting in sparks flying as if two treasured weapons had collided.


    This scene made the Demon Sect martial artist stagger, his mind going nk for an instant.


    It was in this instant that Gu Chen''s arm moved, a stroke of startling sword light suddenly emerging.


    Ssh!


    The next moment, blood spurted as a huge wound appeared on the chest of the de-wielding Demon Sect martial artist, nearly being cut in half by Gu Chen''s sword.


    If not for the protection of the demonic spirits'' power, he would have died then and there.


    Gu Chen''s sword was incredibly swift and fierce. At that moment, one could barely see the injured martial artist''s internal organs through the wound.


    But then, the power of the demonic spirits came into effect. ck Qi began wrapping around the gory wound, and the injury started to slowly heal.


    Though slow, the healing was steady.


    With a pale face, the man staggered backward, quickly rendered incapable of fighting.


    This scene greatly startled the other two Demon Sect martial artists. With the lesson learned from theirrade, they dared not let their minds wander, and so, biting the tip of their tongues, they focused intently on Gu Chen before them.


    Boom!


    Suddenly, a loud explosion sounded, capturing the attention of everyone present.


    It turned out that Xu Qing had started a grand duel with the Vajra Stage martial artist from the Demon Sect. Their fierce strength erupted in the air, piercing the ground into a sieve, creating numerous holes.


    After a nce, Gu Chen no longer paid attention.


    Xu Qing was not weak, and it was unlikely that a victor would be decided quickly between them.


    In front of Gu Chen, however, there were still two opponents to deal with, and he was not about to let them get away.


    After all, in his eyes, these were all points of merit.


    Boom!


    At that moment, Gu Chen stretched out his arm, his fingers clenching into a fist to punch.


    Continue reading on m|v-l''e -NovelBin


    The air exploded with a bang, wave after wave of force spreading outwards. Gu Chen''s punch was powerful and fierce, like the descent of Vajra himself, wielding a demon-subduing staff, ying demons and exorcising spirits.


    The Great Vajra Fist!


    Although the Great Vajra Fist was only at a minor stage of mastery, it was still a profound Buddhist martial art with immense power. His fist struck out, and the two Demon Sect''s External Qi Stage martial artists were instantly struck with horror. They had a premonition that even with the power of demonic spirits, they would still be pulverized by this punch.


    "Retreat!"


    The two shouted urgently and hurriedly retreated.


    But Gu Chen wouldn''t let them have their way. He stepped with the Phantom Traceless Step, his speed rapid as he left a string of afterimages, and caught up with them in an instant,nding a punch.


    "Spurt!"


    The wall of Qi in front of the two shattered instantly, and Gu Chen''s punch, unstoppable, hit them squarely. They spat out arge mouthful of blood and flew backward as if their bodies were torn sacks.


    At that moment, they felt all their bones creaking under the strain, about to break, their entire bodies going numb, unable to muster any strength.


    Whoosh!


    Gu Chen, like a shadow, caught up again and extended his arm, dealing another blow with the Great Vajra Fist.


    The two couldn''t withstand a second punch and their bodies exploded on the spot, their blood and bones scattering in all directions.


    Gu Chen''s inner breath surged, and in front of him, a wall of Qi emerged, blocking the filth from reaching him, not a drop staining his clothes.


    Even the ghoul-level demonic spirits that possessed them were directly reduced to ashes by this punch from Gu Chen.


    Thest Demon Sect martial artist with the de wanted to flee, but his injuries were not yet healed. As he took a step, a dazzling sword light shed by, and his head was severed by Gu Chen''s sword.


    The demonic spirit inside him was crushed to death by Gu Chen''s grip.


    With that, the Red me Demon Sect''s three External Qi Stage martial artists had all fallen in mere moments.

 Chapter 113: Chapter 105 Great Vajra Fist Shows its Power_2

    ```


    Boom!


    At that moment, a sound akin to thunderous roar filled the air, followed by a figure sent flying.


    It was actually Xu Qing!


    Gu Chen''s eyes immediately sharpened as he leaped forward to support Xu Qing.


    "Lord Xu, are you alright?" Gu Chen asked with a frown.


    Coughing up blood, Xu Qing said, "It''s nothing serious. The strength of a demonic sect martial artist fused with a wicked ghost is indeed formidable!"


    Mainly because, not only did he have to face the Vajra Stage martial artist, but he also had to be constantly on guard against the power of the malevolent spirit invading his body, essentially facing two opponents at once. It was inevitable that he would be at a disadvantage.


    "I will join forces with you against the enemy, Lord Xu," Gu Chen said.


    "You..."


    Xu Qing slightly frowned. Although he was aware of Gu Chen''s extraordinary strength, no matter what, Gu Chen was only at the mid-stage of the External Qi Realm. Moreover, the person across from them was not an ordinary Vajra Stage martial artist.


    Not to mention that his body had reached the level where it was impervious to fire and water, he also had a wicked ghost attached, doubling his strength, which was notparable to the three External Qi Realm martial artists they had faced before.


    Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!


    At that time, another dozen or so martial artists of the External Qi Realm sprang out from the side, surrounding Gu Chen and the rest.


    It seemed that the Red me Demon Sect had been prepared, lying in wait here for the Jing Tian Department toe, intending to test their strength against the Jing Tian Department.


    "Today, none of you will escape," said the Vajra Stage martial artist coldly, possessed by the wicked ghost.


    "You''re not going anywhere!"


    During the speech, another Vajra Stage martial artist from the Red me Demon Sect appeared.


    However, he seemed different from the previous one; he hadn''t merged with a wicked ghost but was simply a pure Vajra Stage martial artist.


    Even so, the situation on the field had already turned exceedingly unfavorable for Gu Chen and his allies.


    All of a sudden, Xu Qing''s eyes hardened, and he turned to address the newly appeared Vajra Stage martial artist, "I recognize you. You''re a frence martial artist from Xu''an County, ''Broken Gold Hand'' Yang Ming. You''ve actually sided with the Red me Demon Sect!"


    With a faint smile, Yang Ming said, "And what of it if I''ve sided with the Red me Demon Sect? A wise man submits to the circumstances."


    As a frence martial artist, reaching the Vajra Stage was already incredibly difficult, and climbing any higher was even harder, especially given his age and some internal hidden injuries. Maintaining his current status was already quite an achievement.


    As soon as the news spread that the Six Union God Sect could enable martial artists to perfectly merge with wicked ghosts, allowing the martial artists to dominate the power of the ghosts, heal injuries, and significantly extend their lifespans, Yang Ming was intrigued and joined the Six Union God Sect.


    To present a gesture of allegiance, more than ten thousand civilians had died at his hands during the time the Red me Demon Sect massacred the city!


    "I''ve had enough of the imperial control. We martial artists, especially those at the Vajra Stage, are top-notch in the world. Why should we be restrained by you? Now, having joined the Six Union God Sect, I can do whatever I want¡ªisn''t that delightful?"


    "If you ask me, you should do the same and join the Divine Sect. It''s a thousand times, no, ten thousand times better than serving in the Jing Tian Department. Especially you, Gu Chen; I''ve heard your name. A martial artist of your talent will be greatly weed by our Divine Sect," Yang Ming said at that moment, not only devoid of any regret but even trying to persuade Gu Chen and the others.


    Upon hearing this, the bald martial artist merged with the wicked ghost also said, "Indeed, our Divine Sect is rising again, and now is when we need people the most. If you''re willing to join us, not only will you save your lives today, but you might also have the chance to attain immortality like me in the future."


    If they could convince the people of the Jing Tian Department to defect, such news would deal a severe blow to the morale of Da Xia, while also showcasing the strength of the Six Union God Sect to the world.


    That could potentially attract even more people to join.


    "Heresy and deviancy. I disdain to be associated with the likes of you!" Xu Qing shouted angrily.


    The bald martial artist of the Red me Demon Sect immediately darkened his gaze and said coldly, "In that case, there''s only one oue for you today, and that is death!"


    Yang Ming shook his head, "Stubbornly ignorant."


    Then, Gu Chen whispered to Xu Qing, "Lord Xu, leave this man to me."


    ```


    With that, he pointed his hand at the bald brute.


    Xu Qing frowned slightly, looking at Gu Chen with some hesitation. Seeing Gu Chen''s resolute gaze, he finally nodded and said, "Be careful in everything!"


    Then, drawing the long sabre from his waist, he charged towards Yang Ming, shouting coldly, "Come over and die!"


    The bald brute from the Red me Demon Sect, seeing Xu Qing had picked Yang Ming, nced at Gu Chen with a sh of surprise in his eyes.


    But immediately, a cold sneer appeared on his face as he disdainfully said, "You think you can take me on?"


    "Die!"


    With a roar of rage, his palm, wide as a fan, mmed down from the air; even the air was directlypressed into a mass, and the fierce force gathered in his palm, striking at Gu Chen with an incredibly wild power.


    Hum!


    Gu Chen''s expression remained unchanged as he activated the Horizontal Training technique, a glint of golden light blooming on his chest, then spreading throughout his body.


    "You are at the Vajra Stage too?"


    The bald brute''s eyes widened, his expression turning stern before he said, "No, this is a body-cultivating technique, and you have perfected it?!"


    Gu Chen paid him no heed, and that wasn''t all¡ªas another streak of golden light shed by, the energy within his body surged, and a golden bell materialized out of thin air, enveloping him within.


    Dong!


    The next moment, the bald brute''s palm collided with the Golden Bell Shield, creating a sound akin to the tolling of a bell at dawn or dusk.


    The defensive power of the Golden Bell Shield was astounding; the fierce recoil forced the bald brute to stagger backwards several steps with a thud.


    He looked at Gu Chen with shock, unable to believe that someone of Gu Chen''s age could have mastered so many Horizontal Training techniques.


    Having never sparred with a warrior at the Vajra Stage, Gu Chen had used his full power at the outset just to be safe. But he realized that warriors at the Vajra Stage were not as formidable as he had imagined, at least, with that palm strike, Gu Chen was confident he could take it without any problems.


    Soon after, the golden bell disappeared, and Gu Chen walked straight ahead.


    Seeing this, the bald brute from the Red me Demon Sect revealed a cruel smile.


    But Gu Chen, as if he saw none of it, extended his arm, clenched his fingers into a fist, and smashed his Great Vajra Fist down directly.


    The bald brute didn''t even try to dodge. Relying on his body which was immune to both fire and water and the added strength of a demonic spirit''s possession, he did not believe Gu Chen could break through his defenses.


    Bang!


    The force of Gu Chen''s punch was ferocious, causing the bald brute to shudder, disbelief reaching its peak.


    Because he realized that Gu Chen''s strength was even greater than his own.


    "Die!"


    Gu Chen''s eyes were cold, and with a sharp shout, he continued with the Great Vajra Fist¡ªgrand and mighty in style, wild and violent in force¡ªone punch after another forced the bald brute into defense, leaving him no chance to counter and constantly retreating.


    "Ah¡ª"


    The bald brute bellowed in rage. Being battered like this by a junior at the External Qi Stage like Gu Chen, how could he reconcile with it? Dark energy surged around him as he began to confront Gu Chen''s attack with his own, both unleashing a tempest of fierce exchanges!


    After dozens of blows, each given one''s all, the bald brute couldn''t help but breathe a little heavily, but Gu Chen''s expression remained the same.


    "Kill!"


    At that moment, there was a sudden re in Gu Chen''s eyes, the light in his pupils almost tangible, the thick energy inside his body, aged to two hundred and ny-four years, coursed wildly through his meridians. All his strength was condensed to an extreme, and then a fierce punch was hurled forward.


    Boom!


    The astounding force erupted at that moment, like a wrathful Vajra swinging the demon-subduing staff in the heavens to suppress the contemporary world, with the terrifying fist light shing and gone in an instant.

 Chapter 114: Chapter 106: Slaying the Vajra Stage_1

    Pfft!


    A spray of blood burst forth, and the bald brute''s body shook, blood oozing from the corner of his mouth.


    At this moment, a thoroughly prating bloody hole had appeared on his chest, from which blood was gushing continuously.


    The bald brute lowered his head to look at the wound on his chest, his eyes filled with disbelief.


    He knew he had been careless; he had underestimated Gu Chen, and overestimated himself.


    He felt that, having reached the Vajra Stage, he should be able to crush his opponent with his physical body, but he hadn''t expected that although the other''s realm was not high, his physical strength was not the slightest bit inferior to his own.


    If he had fought Gu Chen squarely, he would not have been defeated so quickly, but he had chosen to engage Gu Chen in the very field where Gu Chen was most confident, and the oue was already predetermined.


    But the Vajra Stage was still the Vajra Stage. Reaching this realm, a martial artist''s vitality was incredibly tenacious¡ªand even though Gu Chen''s punch had shattered his heart, he didn''t die instantly.


    The bald brute roared in rage, as demonic energy permeated the air, briefly maintaining his life force. Of course, this moment was very fleeting.


    And he intended to use this short time to drag Gu Chen down to the underworld with him.


    "Die!"


    The bald brute roared fiercely, his face twisting, vicious and ghastly. Heshed out with a palm strike, his five fingers, long and sharp like ws, gleamed with a dark luster, and a raging purple demonic me emerged¡ªnone other than Red me Demon Sect''s superior martial technique, Big Purple Sun Hand.


    At this moment, his very lifeblood was burning fiercely, this was his peak attack!


    Seeing this, Gu Chen''s expression turned solemn, the robust internal energy within his body surged, and immediately a golden bell appeared on his body''s surface.


    At the same time, a golden glow surfaced on his skin, and the roar of dragons and tigers echoed¡ªthe Horizontal Training was pushed to its limit at this moment.


    ng!


    As the bald brute swung his palm down, the golden bell trembled, emitting waves of sonorous hums, transferring the powerful force to Gu Chen, who immediately shook, with a trickle of blood flowing from the corner of his mouth.


    But still, Gu Chen didn''t retreat but advanced instead, the golden bell on his body''s surface disappeared in an instant, and a brilliant sword light shed by.


    Pfft!


    Blood sttered; the bald brute''s chest now sported a massive wound that almost cleaved him in two. He, however, ignored it and, like a possessed demon, lunged at Gu Chen,


    Gu Chen''s pupils darkened, and without any visible movement, his body moved horizontally half a zhang to the left, then he pointed his finger from a distance, and the scorching finger force struck the bald brute''s chest.


    Hissss!


    Gu Chen didn''t pause for a moment; his index finger continued to point five times through the air, leaving five scorched traces, all of which hit the bald brute.


    "Ahh..."


    With a scream, all the organs, meridians, and flesh in his body burned, his internal energy cirction became hindered, and his whole body stiffened in ce.


    Whoosh!


    Having disposed of that ghostly fiend, Gu Chen''s figure shed, stepping on the Phantom Traceless Step, moving as fast as lightning, and in the blink of an eye, he was near the bald brute, mming down a peerlessly fierce Great Vajra Fist.


    "Pfft!"


    The bald brute''s body shook violently; another thoroughly prating bloody hole appeared on his body, and this time, even with the aid of demon power, he couldn''t hold on, copsing to the ground with lifeless eyes, dead.


    A Vajra Stage demon sect martial artist had been in by Gu Chen like that. Of course, the battle was also extremely difficult for Gu Chen, as he too had exerted all his strength.


    After all, the gap in their cultivation was too great; he was only at the middle phase of the Gang Qi Stage, and there were several levels of disparity between them.


    Nevertheless, Xu Qing and Yang Ming, who were embroiled in a fierce battle on the other side, were both tremendously shocked.


    Especially Yang Ming, who turned pale with shock, a hint of fear arising in his heart for Gu Chen, this junior who was merely at the Gang Qi Stage.


    His strength was simr to that of the bald brute from the Red me Demon Sect, on par, but if Gu Chen could kill one, he could naturally kill him as well.


    Right then, Gu Chen''s piercing gaze happened to nce toward him, causing Yang Ming to involuntarily tremble.


    "Run!" That was the only thought in his mind at that moment.


    "Where do you think you''re going!"


    When Xu Qing saw Yang Ming trying to flee, he bellowed, and as he swung his long de, the de lights connected into a barrage, the de wind sharp and relentless, cutting off all of Yang Ming''s escape routes.


    Xu Qing couldn''t hide his shock at witnessing Gu Chen, a second-rank Metropolitan Procurator, engage in a one-on-one duel and y a Vajra Stage martial artist.


    Moreover, if his men were this valiant, he naturally couldn''t fall behind.


    It could be said that at this moment, Xu Qing''s fighting spirit had beenpletely ignited by Gu Chen.


    "Scram!"


    Yang Ming bellowed, striking with his palm, his powerful palm wind capable of shattering gold and splitting stones, which was also the origin of his "Gold-shattering Hand" moniker.


    Whoosh!


    Just then, having dealt with that demonic brute, Gu Chen''s silhouette shed and he appeared behind Yang Ming. A low dragon and tiger''s roar sted in Yang Ming''s ear, causing his head to ring, his vision to ck out momentarily.


    "Pfft!"


    The next moment, Gu Chennded a solid Great Vajra Fist on Yang Ming, causing him to spurt a mouthful of blood and his body to be flung far away.


    You should know that he didn''t have demonic power within him to resist attacks or heal injuries; Gu Chen''s punch directly caused him severe bone and tendon injuries.


    "You...what kind of monster are you?!"


    Yang Ming looked at Gu Chen in horror, the force of Gu Chen''s punch was too great, even his Vajra Stage''s first level invulnerable flesh couldn''t withstand it.


    He finally realized why the bald brute from the demon sect couldn''t defeat Gu Chen; Gu Chen''s physical strength surpassed even those of the Vajra Stage martial artists.


    Gu Chen had no inclination for idle chatter with him, his sword rapidly unsheathed from his waist, he beheaded Yang Ming with a single stroke.


    Blood spurted three feet into the air, Yang Ming''s vision turned ck, and he died, leaving a heart full of endless regret.


    "Master Xu, how are your injuries?" After killing Yang Ming, Gu Chen turned to Xu Qing.


    Upon hearing this, Xu Qing quickly waved his hand and said, "There''s no need to address me as Master Xu any longer. Although you have not reached my level in cultivation, your strength has alreadypletely surpassed mine. I''m a bit older than you. If you''re willing, let us be peers. Just call me Big Brother Xu."


    "All right," Gu Chen nodded without making a fuss.


    The remaining martial artists of the Red me Demon Sect, seeing their baldrade and Yang Ming dead, were so frightened that they lost their souls,cking any courage to continue the fight, and turned to run away.


    However, Gu Chen had no intention of letting them get away. After all, tens of thousands of civilians had perished at the hands of these cultists, so naturally, Gu Chen would not show them mercy.


    Soon, blood flowed like rivers, and all the Demon Sect''s warriors were executed.


    ...


    At this moment, in thergest private room of the county''s biggest tavern, Liang Xu and others were living it up, reveling with courtesans and ying games.


    Compared to the people from Jing Tian Department, who were fighting life-and-death battles outside, they were utterly rxed, enjoying themselves to the fullest.


    "I''ve realized thatdies from outside the capital have their unique charm and are not much inferior to those in Tiandu," a noble''s offspringughed heartily, holding a courtesan in his arms.


    His eyes were hazy, and, even in the middle of the day, he was already somewhat drunk.


    Liang Xu also had an arm around a courtesan and smiled, "That''s natural. Tiandu has its merits, and so do ces beyond it. Besides, at home in Tiandu, our families are too controlling. Nowhere can you find the freedom we have here, where we can do as we wish."


    "Brother Liang speaks the truth," the others nodded in agreement.


    At this time, Cao Zhen and Huang Xiu sat by themselves. On this trip, Huang Xiu basically served as the guard for Liang Xu and the others, he was naturally bound to protect them closely.


    Given the extraordinary backgrounds of these individuals, should any mishap ur, the powers-that-be would assuredly hold him ountable, so Huang Xiu dared not to be careless.


    Then, Huang Xiu looked at Cao Zhen and asked, "Young Lord Marquis, won''t you join in the fun?"


    Cao Zhen offered a faint smile and shook his head, feeling a deep disdain in his heart. He had absolutely no interest in these vulgar creatures. The games Liang Xu and the others were enjoying were ones he had outgrown since his teenage years.


    Now, his thoughts and dreams were filled with only one person¡ªGu Qingyan. Ever since leaving Tiandu, he had missed Gu Qingyan immensely, her voice and smile constantly appearing before him.


    Only such ady was worthy of his, Cao Zhen''s, status. Those vulgar creatures, Cao Zhen couldn''t even be bothered to give them a nce.


    Regrettably, Gu Chen trulycked awareness, daring not to give Cao Zhen face. Whenever Cao Zhen thought of Gu Chen, he felt an itching hatred. Sometimes, he wished he could kill Gu Chen on the spot and crush his bones to dust.


    "None who stand in my way, Cao Zhen, ends with a good fate!" Cao Zhen thought with a cold sneer in his heart. On the surface, however, he maintained a polite and smiling demeanor.


    Huang Xiu nodded upon hearing this, saying nothing further.


    But the next moment, Huang Xiu''s expression changed drastically. He sensed a terrifying Qi abruptly appearing, rivaling his own in strength.


    "Not good!"


    Huang Xiu was greatly shocked. Then he heard a thunderous boom, as a fierce Gang Wind invaded, causing the entire building to copse in an instant, with people screaming out in terror.


    "Run!"


    Huang Xiu''s face was panic-stricken, and at the same time, the Gangqi within his body surged, forming a protective barrier around Cao Zhen, Liang Xu, and the others.


    It was fortunate that he was situated close by, otherwise, he might not have been able to ensure their safety.


    Liang Xu and the others were lucky to have Huang Xiu''s protection, but others were not so fortunate. Struck by a Gang Qi Stage martial artist, their bodies exploded on the spot, flesh and organs scattering across the ground, filling the air with the stench of blood.


    Liang Xu and other noble offspring had never seen such a scene. Some vomited on the spot.


    Huang Xiu frowned slightly at the sight, deep down finding the group to be utterly useless. But there was nothing he could do as he was under orders to protect them. He reluctantly pulled each one of them close to his side.


    At that moment, two elders d in ck robes, their chests embroidered with a ming flower, stepped forward.


    "Red me Demon Sect!"


    Huang Xiu''s pupils shrank, not expecting the Red me Demon Sect''s members to be bold enough to remain in Xu''an County without leaving, despite knowing Jing Tian Department wasing for them, even waiting in the county town.


    The two elders had fierce expressions and chilling gazes, like vultures scanning the area, indifferent to the dismembered corpses around them.


    "Surrender, or die!" they asked in a hoarse voice.


    Huang Xiu''s brow furrowed. How could he possibly surrender? Chen Yu was still at the County Governor''s house. If he surrendered, Chen Yu would be the first to y him.


    But with two Gang Qi Stage martial artists before him, he didn''t believe he possessed the strength like Chen Yu to take on two opponents. A heavy pressure suddenly weighed on Huang Xiu''s mind.


    Cao Zhen''s brow also furrowed deeply, feeling a sense of deadly crisis. The two elders before them could easily strike them down¡ªnone could withstand their power.


    Liang Xu and the others were profoundly shocked. At this point, some were even shouting, ordering Huang Xiu to quickly take them away.


    Huang Xiu was displeased and didn''t respond. He did want to escape, but the enemy''s Qi hadpletely locked onto him. Any slight movement on his part would invite a thunderous strike.


    If he tried to flee, he would not only fail to escape but might end up dead on the spot.


    "Die!"


    Seeing Huang Xiu remain silent, the two Demon Sect elders acted decisively. One of them stretched out their hand and pushed it downward, unleashing a terrifying burst of Gangqi that caused the ground to sink.


    "An external Gang Qi warrior!"


    Huang Xiu''s pupils dted, and his body hair stood on end. His abilities only ranked in the Inner Gang Stage; he was no match for an Outer Gang practitioner.


    But at that moment, an icy voice suddenly pierced the ears of everyone present.


    "Red me Demon Sect''s people? Since you''vee, then don''t even think about leaving!"

 Chapter 116: Chapter 108 Late Stage of External Qi Environment_1

    The Kunyuan Sect is a top-tier force within Xu''an County, with fame that spreads far and wide. Its sect master possesses the cultivation level of the Gang Qi Stage, though advanced in age. His direct disciples, including some elders, are also at the Vajra Stage, making their overall strength extraordinary.


    Xu Qing hesitated before asking, "Are you going to join us?"


    Chen Yu shook his head, "I need to remain in the county seat. Just now, two martial artists of the Gang Qi Stage from the Red me Demon Sect attacked; I must always be here to guard against unforeseen incidents in the county seat."


    Upon hearing that Chen Yu had fought with the two martial artists of the Gang Qi Stage just a moment ago, everyone who had just returned suddenly looked distressed.


    The intelligence did not mention that the Red me Demon Sect had martial artists of the Gang Qi Stage, and yet two appeared so suddenly.


    The demon sect, silent for three hundred years, had actually amassed such strength in the shadows? This was indeed a surprise to them!


    At this moment, Xu Qing, with a frown, said, "Master, how should we deal with the sect master of the Kunyuan Sect then?"


    There were only nine of them at the Vajra Stage, and even if they were to act together, they might not be a match for the sect master of the Kunyuan Sect.


    At this point, Chen Yu turned his gaze toward Huang Xiu, who was sitting at the side, and said indifferently, "You go."


    Huang Xiu''s expression changed immediately, "Me, go?"


    Chen Yu just looked at him silently, not saying a word.


    Seeing this, Huang Xiu wanted to offer to stay and guard the county seat, but on second thought, the martial artists of the Red me Demon Sect were too terrifying. If he were to stay and any mishap urred, Da Xia might execute him on the spot.


    Still, he had reservations, hesitatingly said, "But... Master Chen, I''m afraid that isn''t quite proper. I''m from the Martial Arts Hall, and I came here to protect the students of the hall."


    Chen Yu answered with a colder look in his eyes, "King Huai has said that I am in charge of this mission. If I tell you to go, you go."


    Huang Xiu''s expression changed, Chen Yu''s words were very much impolite, but he couldn''t refute them.


    With Jing Tian Department having lost manpower and the Red me Demon Sect potentially attacking the county seat at any moment, Chen Yu had no choice but to remain stationary. The only one present capable of facing the sect master of the Kunyuan Sect was him.


    As long as Chen Yu was in the county seat, the Red me Demon Sect would not dare to attack, for his strength was too terrifying. Unless they were willing to pay a huge price, having at least two martial artists of the Gang Qi Stage desperately hold Chen Yu back, there might be a slim chance of sess.


    However, martial artists of the Gang Qi Stage were extremely precious. The Red me Demon Sect, though ruthless and crazy in its actions, would not make such a move that would inflict heavy losses on themselves.


    But Huang Mou still didn''t really wish to go; who knew if the demon sect had set an ambush within the Kunyuan Sect? Yet Huang Mou could feel that Chen Yu was in a very bad mood, and if he said much more, Chen Yu might actually take action.


    With this thought, Huang Xiu could only nod and said, "Alright, then I will follow Master Chen''s orders. However, for these students of the Martial Arts Hall, I hope Master Chen can help take care of them."


    Seeing Huang Xiu agree without too much fuss, Chen Yu''s expression eased, "Not only do you have to go, but the Martial Arts Hall must also send people. What, did you really think you brought them here just for a trip outside?"


    "Master Chen!"


    Huang Xiu became anxious at once; it was bad enough that he had to go, but now the Martial Arts Hall had to send people too. If anything happened, how would he exin it to the nobility of Da Xia? Chen Yu was asking for his life.


    "What, you''re unwilling?"


    Chen Yu''s gaze was slightly cold as he looked at Huang Xiu, ready to act if thetter dared to refuse.


    Feeling Chen Yu''s gaze, Huang Xiu instantly felt like a bucket of cold water had been dumped over him and dared not speak any further.


    At this moment, Cao Zhen, who was next to him, smiled and spoke up for Huang Xiu, "That''s right, Master Chen makes sense. It was our intention to directly experience the current state of the world and to cultivate ourselves throughbat with the demon sect''s warriors. Just watching without doing anything would indeed reduce the effect by half. I agree with Master Chen and am willing to go."


    Seeing this, Huang Xiu could not say anything else when even Cao Zhen had agreed. He could only sigh and nod his head.


    Liang Xu then proudly said, "I am also willing to go."


    Having broken through to the Vajra Stage, he was very confident in his own strength. Although he had witnessed the horror of martial artists at the Gang Qi Stage, that was ultimately due to the suppression of their cultivation levels. If it came to a fight within the same realm, he believed he was not inferior to those demon sect martial artists.


    Ever since he lost to Gu Chen in a test of strength, Liang Xu had been quite resentful. He felt that if it came to a real fight, Gu Chen would not possibly be his match.


    Gu Chen''s strength was greater, probably innate physical power, but that didn''t necessarily mean his cultivation was higher. After all, cultivation levels were apparent.


    "What about you, are you going or not?" After speaking, Liang Xu turned to look at Zhuo Zhibin.


    Zhuo Zhibin hesitated, under everyone''s gaze he didn''t want to lose face, or else if word got back to Tiandu and his father, the Marquis of Wuwei, heard of it, he would inevitably get a scolding.


    So, he bit the bullet and said, "Fine, I''ll go too!"


    Chen Yu nced at Cao Zhen, Liang Xu, and Zhuo Zhibin, who were among the most prominent in strength from the Martial Arts Hall. The remaining people were either inadequate in cultivation orcked actualbat experience, mere straws worth nothing in a fight. There was no gain in sending them.


    Seeing that Chen Yu did not call upon them, the rest breathed a sigh of relief.


    Chen Yu''s reason for involving people from the Martial Arts Hall was that he knew Huang Xiu''s character well. If things turned critical, there was a high chance Huang Xiu would flee alone, leaving people like Gu Chen behind.


    But if Cao Zhen and the others were present, it was different. His task was to protect them. If he abandoned Cao Zhen and others to escape, Huang Xiu would not be able to return to the Martial Arts Hall. Even if he did, the nobility would surely not forgive him.


    This time, heading to the Kunyuan Sect, Chen Yu dispatched seven first-rank Metropolitan Procurators, along with fifteen second-rank ones.


    As for Chen Yu himself, there was no need for so many people given that he remained in the county seat. After all, the county defense forces were not weak either. Moreover, he would also request reinforcements from Tiandu, asking them to send more people to support Xu''an County.


    He was curious to see just how many the Red me Demon Sect could afford to lose to his de.


    "Tomorrow, you will all set off together to the Kunyuan Sect. After obliterating them, follow the records and exterminate all the wandering fiends in Xu''an County as well. That is your mission this time," Chen Yu immediately stated.


    "Yes!"


    Gu Chen and the others all sped their fists in response.


    "You may leave now,"


    Chen Yu waved his hand, indicating that Gu Chen and hispanions could withdraw; there were still some matters he needed to think over carefully.


    The county governor''s mansion was quiterge,pletely sufficient to amodate Gu Chen and his group. After returning to his room, Gu Chen sat cross-legged on the bed and immediately brought up the panel.


    Name: Gu Chen


    Martial Skills: Horizontal Training (Perfected), Burning Vein Finger (Perfected), Phantom Traceless Step (Perfected), Astonishing Swan Swordsmanship Skills (Perfected), Golden Bell Shield (Minor Mastery), Great Vajra Fist (Minor Mastery), Condensing Pulse Sword Wave


    Internal Strength: Pure Yang Wuji Gong


    Cultivation Age: 294 years


    Realm: Mid-stage Gang Qi Stage


    Merit Points: 134


    By ying four specter-ss spirits, Gu Chen had also gained one hundred thirty-four merit points, among which, the spirit that had possessed a martial artist in the Vajra Stage of the Red me Demon Sect yielded the most points.


    With these merit points, it waspletely possible for him to have another breakthrough in his strengths before he set out tomorrow.


    As Gu Chen''s thoughts moved, instantly, thirty merit points vanished, and his body suddenly gained thirty years'' worth of qi cultivation.


    Feeling the extent to which his body could contain it, Gu Chen did not hesitate. With another thought, thirty more merit points disappeared from the panel, and his qi increased to 354 years, breaking through the mid-stage Gang Qi Stage to thete stage.


    The sense of fullness in his body reappeared, and Gu Chen knew that his qi cultivation had reached its current stage''s limit.


    The reason he chose to improve his qi was that Gu Chen''s current goal was to break through to the Vajra Stage in the shortest time possible.


    Now, with his cultivation improved, there were still seventy-six merit points remaining on the panel.


    After Gu Chen''s cultivation broke through to thete-stage Gang Qi Stage, the range of his qi projection had reached six zhang, far surpassing that of a martial artist at the great perfection of the Gang Qi Stage.


    After pondering for a moment, Gu Chen spent forty-six merit points to directly upgrade his Golden Bell Shield to the Perfected Realm.


    Hum!


    As Gu Chen''s qi moved unconsciously within him, specks of golden light sprinkled down, and arge golden bell quietly emerged, enveloping him inside. Looking closely, the golden bell was now extremely solid, almost like a real object, and even the patterns on it were very clearly visible.


    After the Golden Bell Shield reached the Perfected Realm, Gu Chen saw the phrase "Can be deduced" appear behind both the Horizontal Training and Golden Bell Shield techniques.


    "I wonder if I can sessfully deduce a Superior Martial Skill this time?" Gu Chen thought, but the attempt was unsessful.


    Seeing that he couldn''t continue the deduction, Gu Chen felt puzzled and thought, "Could it be that there aren''t enough merit points?"


    Currently, there were still twenty-eight merit points remaining on his panel.


    "To deduce a Superior Martial Skill actually requires such arge amount of merit points?" Gu Chen was shocked; after all, the original deduction of the Horizontal Training had only cost him eighteen merit points.


    Since he couldn''t continue the deduction, Gu Chen looked at the remaining twenty-eight merit points on the panel. After thinking for a moment, he added them all to the newly acquired Condensing Pulse Sword Wave, which then directly reached the Minor Mastery Realm.


    As a massive amount of martial arts experience flooded into his mind and qi automatically flowed into his palms, Gu Chen felt a tingling in his fingers and an itchy sensation in his meridians.


    He knew this was the qi refining his hand meridians. Once the refinement wasplete, a sharp sword qi would be released with a mere flick of his hand.


    Chen Yu held the Condensing Pulse Sword Wave in high esteem, and Gu Chen wanted to see for himself just how formidable this high-grade martial skill was.


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    Immediately, Gu Chen stood up and went to the small courtyard outside, stretching out his finger and lightly tapping in mid-air.


    Swoosh!


    A sh of cold light vanished in an instant, agile and swift, extremely sharp. It seemed to slice the air itself, shooting out rapidly for several zhang.


    Bear in mind, this was just a casual strike from Gu Chen.


    Even this casual strike was almost as powerful as when he wielded the Red Refinement Sword with all his might.


    Controlling the sword with qi, killing in the blink of an eye, that was the essence of the Condensing Pulse Sword Wave.


    If Gu Chen were to use his profound 354-year qi to propel it, the power of the Condensing Pulse Sword Wave would undoubtedly be even stronger.


    Thus, with methods for self-defense, long-range attacks, and closebat at his disposal, Gu Chen was now in an unbeatable position, no matter what kind of enemy he faced next.


    Moreover, the Condensing Pulse Sword Wave''s sword qi varied in power depending on which meridians of the hand were employed, truly formidable to the core.


    Just now, Gu Chen had used his little finger. Next, he used his index finger to press against the void, and instantly, a sword qi burst out from his fingertip, dancing in mid-air, extremely clever and nimble.


    As Gu Chen experimented with each, he found that in a head-on battle, the sword qi emitted by the thumb and middle finger were the most powerful, whereas the sword qi from the index and little fingers excelled in being ingenious and agile, with subtle variations.


    The ring finger''s sword qi, on the other hand, was clunky and simple, yet solid as a mountain.


    After testing the power of the Condensing Pulse Sword Wave, Gu Chen was quite satisfied with this martial skill.


    Soon, the night passed, and the sun rose from the horizon. Today, it was the day Gu Chen and hispanions were set out to annihte the Kunyuan Sect of Pingshan.

 Chapter 117: Chapter 109: A Reward of One Hundred Thousand Taels _1

    At dawn, in a courtyard of the Prefectural Magistrate''s Mansion, Gu Chen and a group of others gathered here.


    Including Gu Chen, Song Yu, and Wang Yan, this operation saw the Jing Tian Department dispatch a total of fifteen second-ranked Metropolitan Procurators and seven first-ranked ones.


    In addition, there was Huang Xiu, a martial artist at the Gang Qi Stage, as well as three individuals from the martial arts hall, led by Cao Zhen.


    Only Chen Yu and two first-ranked Metropolitan Procurators remained to defend the county city.


    "Depart!"


    At themand, Gu Chen and the others mounted their swift horses and set out for the Kunyuan Sect.


    The Kunyuan Sect was located atop a mountain surrounding Yufeng City in Xu''an County, seven thousand li from the county city. Even traveling day and night, it would still take a full five days and nights to reach it.


    By the third night on the road, Zhuo Zhibin was finding it increasingly hard to bear.


    Although he possessed the cultivation of the External Qi Stage, he was usually pampered and indulged and was now feeling somewhat impatient from the constant travel.


    Thus, he went directly to Huang Xiu to express his thoughts.


    Hearing this, Huang Xiu nodded and lightly spurred his horse to approach the seven first-ranked Metropolitan Procurators, saying, "Traveling continuously for three days and nights, we are somewhat fatigued. Let''s find an inn in the city ahead and rest a bit."


    Hearing this, Xu Qing and the others frowned slightly. They took out a map and pointed at it, saying, "Lord Huang, the nearest city from here is three hundred li away, but it''s a detour from our path. If we rest there, we will have to make a detour. Since we are tired, why don''t we set up camp right here and rest for the night?"


    Upon hearing this, Zhuo Zhibin immediately became displeased. He was now exhausted and simply wished to find a warm ce to take a hot bath, eat and drink his fill, and preferably find a pretty girl to warm his bed for him.


    In all his life, he had never slept outdoors and naturally was unwilling to agree.


    Huang Xiu nced at Zhuo Zhibin and addressed Xu Qing and the others, "Three hundred li isn''t far; let''s make a detour then. With our speed, we should reach our destination in two or three days at most. Please give me this face."


    Xu Qing and the others frowned even deeper. Sess in battle relies on the swiftness of the troops; by striking the Kunyuan Sect with the force of thunder before they could detect the Jing Tian Department''s movements, they could annihte them.


    Now, Huang Xiu was causing them to detour because of Zhuo Zhibin, and dissatisfaction arose in the hearts of Xu Qing and the others. Nheless, Huang Xiu was after all a warrior of the Gang Qi Stage. They needed his help to subdue the Kunyuan Sect, so in the present situation, it was quite difficult for them to refuse Huang Xiu''s request.


    Left with no choice, Xu Qing and the other seven first-ranked Metropolitan Procurators could only nod in agreement, leading the group on a detour to the city three hundred li away to rest and regroup briefly.


    Among the second-ranked Metropolitan Procurators, Song Yu pursed his lips in disdain and muttered under his breath, "Blockhead!"


    Huang Xiu''s ears twitched slightly, his sense of hearing extremely sharp, and his gaze turned towards Song Yu amidst the crowd.


    Feeling Huang Xiu''s gaze, Song Yu''s body involuntarily shuddered. In front of Huang Xiu, he felt like a harmless little rabbit, while Huang Xiu was the tiger.


    The gaze of a tiger upon a rabbit would naturally cause thetter to tremble with fear and their legs to go weak.


    At that moment, a slender figure seated atop a horse shielded Song Yu, smiling towards the observing Huang Xiu.


    The person who came forward was Gu Chen.


    Huang Xiu nced over and didn''t pay much attention. He knew that Gu Chen was currently favored by Chen Yu and should not be offended, or else Chen Yu would not hesitate to kill him.


    Seeing Gu Chen blocking Huang Xiu''s gaze, Song Yu breathed a sigh of relief.


    Subsequently, the group found an inn in the small city to rest temporarily for the night.


    After all, it was only a small city; the inn was notrge and the environment was rather ordinary. Liang Xu and Zhuo Zhibin frowned slightly at the sight.


    "Would you all like to go out and grab something to eat?" Huang Xiu asked Xu Qing and the others.


    Xu Qing and the others shook their heads and returned to their rooms to refine their inner Qi.


    After all, having reached the Vajra Stage, the next level would be the Gang Qi Stage. To break through to the Gang Qi Stage, they must refine their inner Qi to the utmost limit to convert it into the first thread of Gangqi.


    This was a painstaking process, counted in years, and it would take a very long time to achieve. Each of the first-ranked Metropolitan Procurators, including Xu Qing, aimed for the Gang Qi Stage.


    After all, only by reaching the Gang Qi Stage would they qualify to be a Commander.


    Thus, they wouldn''t waste a single moment, and whenever they had time, they would refine their inner Qi, striving to step into the Gang Qi Stage as soon as possible.


    Seeing this, Huang Xiu led Cao Zhen, Liang Xu, and Zhuo Zhibin out of the inn to find pleasures at the restaurant.


    Gu Chen returned to his room and started refining his inner Qi, nurturing his body''s meridians and flesh with it.


    After all, inner Qi was born from the flesh after the body had reached its limits; strong inner Qi, in turn, nourishes the body.


    As the inner Qi in Gu Chen''s body increased to three hundred and fifty-four years, his physique grew stronger by the day, and his senses became sharper as well.


    At this moment, in a brothel within the city, Cao Zhen and Huang Xiu were sitting on the side, while Liang Xu and Zhuo Zhibin both had their arms around two women with ample snowy white flesh exposed through their thin veils.


    Huang Xiu sat there with closed eyes, seemingly dozing off, while Cao Zhen sat silently drinking.


    The private room was spacious, the ambiance sensuous, with several scantily d women dancing gracefully on the side.


    Zhuo Zhibin''s eyes were hazy as he drank, saying, "Brother Cao, why are you drinking alone? What are you all waiting for? Go attend to Young Master Cao!"


    Upon hearing this, severalely women moved their bodies towards Cao Zhen, their gestures gentle, their gazes sultry.


    Seeing this, Cao Zhen immediately raised his hand to halt them, saying, "It''s fine, just enjoy yourselves."


    Liang Xuughed, "Brother Cao disdains the ordinary here, having eyes only for one person. Am I right, Brother Cao?"


    As he spoke, Liang Xu also winked at Cao Zhen yfully.


    Cao Zhen remained silent at the implication, managing just a faint smile.


    Zhuo Zhibin said carelessly, "Brother Cao, are you giving up so easily?"


    Liang Xu added, "Brother Cao, you couldn''t have really taken a liking to Gu Chen''s cousin, could you?"


    Cao Zhen still just smiled without speaking.


    Actually, Gu Qingyan did mean something special to him, but in Cao Zhen''s eyes, women were no different frommodities. He was willing to make sacrifices for Gu Qingyan, but only to a certain extent.


    At this moment, Zhuo Zhibin cursed and said, "If you ask me, that Gu Chen really doesn''t know what''s good for him. Brother Cao, with your noble status, graciously lowered yourself, yet the Gu Family still has the nerve to refuse. It must be that Gu Chen causing trouble behind the scenes. If I were you, I''d just take her by force and see what Gu Chen could say about it!"


    The mention of Gu Chen immediately darkened Liang Xu''s expression. His hand, resting in a swath of voluptuous whiteness, slightly tightened, causing the brows of the woman in his arms to furrow instantly.


    Seeing this, Zhuo Zhibin, even more intoxicated,ughed and said, "I forgot that Gu Chen also offended Brother Liang, snatching away the woman Brother Liang fancied. In my opinion, this Gu Chen really deserves to die. Why don''t we find an opportunity to kill him?"


    "Hmph!"


    Hearing this, Liang Xu let out a cold snort, his eyes flickering with murderous intent as he remembered everything that had happened at the Duke of the Liang State''s Mansion.


    At that moment, Cao Zhen said indifferently, "Killing him wouldn''t be difficult."


    Liang Xu and Zhuo Zhibin''s eyes lit up, and they looked at Cao Zhen, asking, "Do you have a way?"


    Cao Zhen smiled faintly, "With Brother Liang and I both at the Vajra Stage of cultivation, dealing with a mere External Qi Stage martial artist is like capturing something in the palm of our hands, isn''t it?"


    "But if we act directly, what about the Jing Tian Department?" Zhuo Zhibin asked with a frown.


    Cao Zhen spoke dispassionately, "Isn''t it simple? During our fight with the Kunyuan Sect, we''ll just find the right moment, kill him, and then pin the me on the demon sect martial artists."


    They didn''t know that Gu Chen had in a Vajra Stage martial artist from the Red me Demon Sect, otherwise, they wouldn''t have thought the matter was so simple.


    Liang Xu and Zhuo Zhibin''s eyes brightened again when they heard this, saying, "This n, it''s not unworkable."


    The Kunyuan Sect was not weak, and during the battle, they could indeed take advantage of the distraction of the Jing Tian Department''s people, lure Gu Chen away, discreetly kill him, andter pin the me on the demon sect martial artists.


    In this case, without evidence, the people from the Jing Tian Department wouldn''t be able to object.


    Cao Zhen said, "Of course, we''ll need to n for this long term."


    Afterward, the three men discussed how to silently eliminate Gu Chen during the battle, while Huang Xiu sat to one side, feigning sleep as if he hadn''t heard anything, not uttering a single word and just letting them be.


    Some timeter, after their discussion was over, they looked at each other and burst intoughter.


    A cold light flickered in Cao Zhen''s eyes. Gu Chen had offended him time and again, incessantly obstructing him from Gu Qingyan, and had even made a fool of him before. Cao Zhen had long harbored murderous intentions towards Gu Chen, and they were premeditated.


    This time, the reason he proposed to go out with the Jing Tian Department was precisely because he had this in mind.


    After all, in Tiandu, it was really not easy for him to act, with many eyes watching him and scarce opportunities to find.


    Now, this mission, Cao Zhen believed, was the perfect opportunity.


    After killing Gu Chen, there would then be no more obstructions between him and Gu Qingyan. He would be able to do as he pleased, and Gu Qingyan would be within easy reach.


    ...


    Late into the night, Huang Xiu returned with Cao Zhen and the others. Liang Xu and Zhuo Zhibin were clearly drunk, their eyes unfocused, being supported by Huang Xiu.


    But Cao Zhen''s eyes were clear, evidently, he hadn''t drunk at all from the beginning to the end.


    Needless to say, Huang Xiu, being the close guard to Cao Zhen and the others, naturally had to remain sober at all times.


    Moreover, with his level of cultivation, ordinary alcohol could no longer intoxicate him.


    Soon after, Liang Xu and Zhuo Zhibin returned to their rooms and fell into a deep sleep.


    Cao Zhen returned to his room, stretched out his finger, and tapped the table lightly twice, producing a distinct knock.


    "Lord Marquis!"


    In an instant, a figure appeared in Cao Zhen''s room, kneeling on the ground.


    This was a personal guard assigned to Cao Zhen by the Marquis of Pingxi, possessing aplete Vajra Stage cultivation, tasked with ensuring Cao Zhen''s safety.


    Actually, when Cao Zhen left the Pingxi Marquis Mansion, the Marquis of Pingxi had intended to send a Gang Qi Stage martial artist to closely protect Cao Zhen, but given some disturbances on the borders at the time, after considering the whole picture, he only sent a few martial artists at the peak of the Vajra Stage to follow Cao Zhen''smands.


    This time, apanying the Jing Tian Department, Cao Zhen brought along a Vajra Stage guard for personal protection. Apart from Chen Yu and Huang Xiu, no one else was aware of this.


    Cao Zhen said, "This is the contact method for Blood Robe Tower. Go to Blood Robe Tower now, find their person in charge, and issue a bounty. As for the bounty amount, one hundred thousand taels."


    The guard, with his head bowed, asked, "Whom does Lord Marquis wish to put a bounty on?"


    "Gu Chen!" Cao Zhen''s eyes were filled with coldness and sternness.


    Frankly, after discussing with Liang Xu and Zhuo Zhibin about dealing with Gu Chen, he pondered it over and felt that sess was not guaranteed, so he came up with this n.


    "A mere External Qi Stage martial artist is not worth mentioning. I can help Lord Marquis kill him right now!" said the Vajra Stage martial artist with a full-circle cultivation in a deep voice.


    Cao Zhen frowned and said, "Not possible, you would lose your life doing so."


    "As long as Lord Marquismands it, what is my life worth?"


    Cao Zhen said, "There''s no need for that. We don''t need to act ourselves, the people from Blood Robe Tower will kill him. Moreover, in my view, your life is far more important than that of Gu Chen."


    "Thank you, Lord Marquis!"


    "There''s no time to dy, you must leave immediately."


    "Yes!"


    In a sh, the Vajra Stage martial artist had disappeared from sight.

 Chapter 119: Chapter 111 Ambush_1

    The leader of the Kunyuan Sect, named Hu Lie, had lost his parents at a young age and be an orphan, with an empty stomach more often than not, until he was taken in by the Red me Demon Sect. Blessed with a talent for martial arts, after decades of arduous cultivation, he finally became a warrior at the Gang Qi Stage.


    The Kunyuan Sect itself was a branch under the control of the Red me Demon Sect, taking in talents in secret to build up their strength.


    However, the Kunyuan Sect had always kept a low profile. Aside from gathering various kinds of intelligence from across the nine provinces for the Red me Demon Sect and engaging in ndestine activities, they did not participate in thest massacre, which puzzled Hu Lie. He wondered how the Jing Tian Department came to know about them.


    Or rather, for what reason their existence had been exposed.


    Now that the Jing Tian Department hade knocking, Hu Lie had nothing to say, and immediately engaged inbat with Huang Xiu.


    Boom!


    Ferocious Gangqi burst forth from his body, and as Hu Lie''s Daoist robe fluttered noisily, heshed out with a palm strike. The Gang Wind was overwhelming, the force of the palm was violent, and its power immensely strong.


    Yet, Huang Xiu''s heart rxed slightly. It was a good thing that the leader of the Kunyuan Sect, Hu Lie, was at the inner Gang Qi Stage and not yet at the exterior Gang Qi Stage; otherwise, he would have to consider taking Cao Zhen and the others and fleeing immediately.


    Seeing Hu Lie''s palm strikeing, Huang Xiu refused to show weakness. With a cold snort, his qi energy exploded around him. He channeled the Gangqi into his palm and forcefully struck out.


    Boom!


    Another explosion rang out, the dense waves of qi radiating in all directions, reducing everything within several yards of Huang Xiu and Hu Lie to dust.


    Every casual strike of a Gang Qi Stage warrior held immense power, and no one below that stage could withstand it.


    For warriors wishing to reach the Gang Qi Stage must first convert the internal energy within their bodies into Gangqi, which is far more powerful and numerous times more solid and pure than internal energy. Therefore, each Gang Qi Stage warrior, across the nine provinces, can be regarded as a top-tier fighter.


    Even for powers like the Seven Sects and Eight Factions, which are the top-notch forces in the nine provinces, Gang Qi Stage warriors could hold the position of elders.


    Even those exceptional warriors who had reached the second level of the Vajra Stage, with bodies forged like a unified cast of copper and iron, were no match for a warrior at the Gang Qi Stage.


    It can be said that there is a chasm between the Vajra Stage and the Gang Qi Stage.


    And for Vajra Stage warriors hoping to reach the Gang Qi Stage, it is exceedingly difficult; converting internal energy into Gangqi is no easy feat. Even a genius like Chen Yu had to undergo difficult cultivation for two years, plus various opportunities he encountered, to reach the Gang Qi Stage so quickly.


    Otherwise, relying solely on personal cultivation, even a genius would need at least five years to umte the first strand of Gangqi within their body.


    Thus, the sh between Gang Qi Stage warriors is terrifyingly formidable, and not even the aftereffects are something any of the bystanders can handle, including those at the inner Gang Qi Stage.


    Seeing Huang Xiu and Hu Lie engage, everyone quickly retreated a great distance, lest they be coteral damage.


    "Kill!"


    Song Yu and Wang Yan, along with a group of second-order Metropolitan Procurators, coldly shouted as they charged forward, brandishing their swords and engaging in fierce battle with the external Qi Stage disciples of the Kunyuan Sect.


    Meanwhile, Xu Qing and the other seven first-order Metropolitan Procurators sought out the Vajra Stage warriors of the Kunyuan Sect. But at that moment, several more Vajra Stage warriors emerged from the depths of the Kunyuan Sect''s stronghold.


    At this juncture, the number of Vajra Stage warriors on the side of the Kunyuan Sect increased to twelve, who in turn surrounded Xu Qing and the others.


    But Xu Qing and hispanions remained unfazed. Those who could attain the rank of first-order Metropolitan Procurator in the Jing Tian Department were all seasoned veterans. Compared to the unpredictable and sinister demons, these Vajra Stage warriors from the Kunyuan Sect did not warrant much attention from Xu Qing and the others.


    "Die!"


    Xu Qing and the other seven first-order Metropolitan Procurators bellowed in rage, and a faint golden luster shimmered on their skin ¨C a phenomenon unique to the corporeal bodies of those at the Vajra Stage.


    Bang!


    In just the blink of an eye, the twelve Vajra Stage warriors of the Kunyuan Sect were sent flying. They were no match for Xu Qing and hispanions.


    At this moment, Cao Zhen, Liang Xu, and Zhuo Zhibin stood to the side without joining the fray. Zhuo Zhibin, in particr, was pampered and rarely participated inbat. Watching the countless people engaged in a melee, his legs began to tremble.


    Liang Xu was equally dazed and shocked. Having mostly stayed in Tiandu, they both believed the world to be at peace and had never witnessed such scenes of battle. Blood spattered intermittently, the scent of it growing increasingly pungent, and even a head with eyes wide open in death rolled to their feet, startling both Liang Xu and Zhuo Zhibin.


    As for Cao Zhen, he appeared much moreposed. Marquis of Pingxi had been stationed at the borders for years. Although there were no major conflicts in recent years, there were still frequent small-scale skirmishes. Under the Marquis of Pingxi''s orders, Cao Zhen had participated in many battles, so he wasn''t particrly disturbed by the scene before him.


    Hu Lie was engaged in fierce battle with Huang Xiu, but his eyes darted to the sidelines and saw his disciples being steadily defeated, clearly no match for the forces of the Jing Tian Department, which made him increasingly anxious.


    Seeing the situation stabilize, with the Jing Tian Department''s forces gaining the upper hand, Huang Xiu was in no rush. He began to fight a guerri battle against Hu Lie, not seeking to defeat the enemy, but merely to hold Hu Lie at bay.


    "What are you waiting for?!"


    Just then, Hu Lie saw one of his Vajra Stage elders in by the Jing Tian Department''s forces, and he became urgently rmed.


    "Master Hu, do not panic. How can a warrior grow without experiencing life-and-death battles?"


    A cold and indifferent voice suddenly sounded. From the deepest part of the Kunyuan Sect stronghold, a group of ck-d warriors with red blossoms embroidered on their chest, representing the Red me Demon Sect, rushed out.


    At a nce, there were easily fifty or sixty people, among them eight Vajra Stage warriors.


    And this was not all. Behind these people, three figures emerged, two of whom were a pair of gloomy-eyed old men who had nearly been caught by Chen Yu in the county town.


    "Three Gang Qi Stage warriors?!" Xu Qing caught a glimpse from the corner of his eye and was immediately struck with rm.


    The other first-order Metropolitan Procurators also frowned upon seeing this, sensing that the situation was taking a turn for the worse.


    The appearance of those three Gang Qi Stage warriors immediately put the Jing Tian Department''s team at a disadvantage.


    The two elders made their way to Hu Lie''s side without dy, and the three of them together began to besiege Huang Xiu.


    "So you had a n in advance!"


    Huang Xiu''s face suddenly changed, filled with extreme horror, for he knew these two elders possessed the strength of exterior Gang Qi, something he could not contend with.


    The two elders spoke menacingly, "We thought we could lure in the big fish, Chen Yu, and then capture all of you in one fell swoop. But it turns out Chen Yu is quite cautious, staying hidden in the county town and noting out. No matter, today you will be his scapegoat!"


    "Pfft!"


    After just a brief encounter, Huang Xiu spit out blood and suffered severe injuries.


    Meanwhile, four of the eight newly emerged Red me Demon Sect Vajra Stage warriors joined the fray, moving to confront Xu Qing and the rest.


    The remaining four individuals targeted Cao Zhen and hispanions, with one of them proceeding to massacre those of the Jing Tian Department at the second rank of Metropolitan Procurator.


    Seeing that they were being targeted, Cao Zhen and his twopanions'' expressions changed drastically, and their hearts filled with panic. Zhuo Zhibin, especially, became so flustered he couldn''t even speak clearly, stammering, "What¡­ what should we do?"


    The threat of death loomed over him, and he was so anxious he was nearly crying.


    Liang Xu''s eyes were filled with panic as he looked toward Cao Zhen.


    Cao Zhen''s expression was solemn as he said, "There''s no escaping, fleeing will only get us killed faster, we can only fight!"


    Showing resilience, he immediately faced the challenge head-on as soon as he finished speaking.


    Seeing this, Liang Xu quickly followed behind Cao Zhen, and the two managed to block two Vajra Stage warriors.


    The remaining Red me Demon Sect Vajra Stage warrior, with a savage smile, advanced towards Zhuo Zhibin.


    "Help... help me!"


    Zhuo Zhibin''s face went pale with terror, and he turned to run in sheer panic.


    But with only the cultivation level of the Outer Qi Stage, he stood no chance against the Demon Sect''s Vajra Stage warrior. With a coldugh, the Vajra Stage warrior dashed forward, simply reaching out with a hand.


    Thump!


    Zhuo Zhibin suddenly stopped in his tracks; blood flowed incessantly from the corners of his mouth. Looking down, he saw a ck hand protruding from his chest, holding a bright red heart in its palm.


    "This is mine..."


    As the thought shed through his mind, Zhuo Zhibin''s world went dark as he plunged into an endless abyss.


    "Zhibin!"


    Seeing Zhuo Zhibin fall, Liang Xu''s eyes reddened with rage. The two had been close since they were young and had always gotten along well; he was heartbroken by the loss of Zhuo Zhibin.


    "Focus on the enemy before you!" Cao Zhen shouted. If Liang Xu were to die as well, their opponent would be free toe after him next.


    At that moment, Cao Zhen felt a pang of regret. He had not anticipated the Red me Demon Sect''s thorough preparation. He should not have sent his personal guard to the Blood Garment Building with a bounty on Gu Chen''s head.


    Together, they might have stood a chance.


    After all, that was a warrior of the Vajra Stage at full culmination, immensely powerful.


    "Go there!"


    Cao Zhenmanded coldly, directing Liang Xu to lead their foe in a particr direction, toward where Gu Chen was located.


    At that moment, Gu Chen too was facing off against thest of the Red me Demon Sect''s Vajra Stage warriors.


    This Demon Sect warrior had not fused with any demons, but his cultivation was high, significantly stronger than the bald Red me Demon Sect warrior Gu Chen had in.


    But even so, he was no match for Gu Chen, who forced him into a steady retreat.


    Bang!


    A punch from Gu Chen executed the Great Vajra Fist, causing his opponent to spit out blood. The Demon Sect warrior was astonished, having assumed Gu Chen would be an easy target, only to find his teeth shattering on contact.


    At that moment, Gu Chen''s gaze shifted as he noticed Cao Zhen and Liang Xu running towards him, chased by three Vajra Stage warriors.


    "Brother Gu, save us!"


    As he ran, Cao Zhen also shouted for help, convinced under the watchful eyes of the crowd that Gu Chen would not stand by without aiding him.


    Among the three Demon Sect warriors pursuing Cao Zhen, one, surrounded by swirling ck smoke and the strongest of the trio, had fused with a demon.


    Noticing this, Gu Chen''s eyes lit up, and he actively stepped forward to intercept Cao Zhen and Liang Xu.


    "Brother Cao, this one is injured; I''ll leave him to you!" Gu Chen said.


    Seeing this, Cao Zhen''s eyes lit up with joy, and he quickly responded, "Alright, no problem, Brother Gu, be careful!"


    But Liang Xu''s face fell. What about him?


    Gu Chen''s expression was one of regret, as if to say, you''re on your own.


    Then, he took on two of the Demon Sect''s Vajra Stage warriors by himself.


    "Thump!"


    Liang Xu, who had only recently broken through to the Vajra Stage, was no match for his opponent, a long-time Vajra Stage fighter withte-stage cultivation. It was already a feat that he had managed to hold on for so long.


    "I..."


    Liang Xu''s mouth was full of blood, trying to speak, but his foe didn''t give him a chance.


    Thump!


    The punch from the Demon Sect''s Vajra Stage warrior pierced right through Liang Xu''s chest.


    Liang Xu''s lips moved, his face showing utter unwillingness to ept his fate. As a descendant of the Marquis of Pingxi, he was quite aplished for his age, having reached the Vajra Stage with great potential ahead. Even if he did nothing else, he could have lived a life of luxury.


    But Liang Xu could never have imagined dying here.


    Before leaving, he had treated this as a mere formal outing.


    For no apparent reason, resentment towards Cao Zhen began to well up inside Liang Xu. It was Cao Zhen''s suggestion that had led them to apany the Jing Tian Department on this mission.


    In his final moments, Liang Xu died with his eyes wide open, bulging in a dead stare towards the direction where Cao Zhen was.

 Chapter 120: Chapter 112 The Death of Cao Zhen_1

    Cao Zhen naturally saw the look in Liang Xu''s eyes just before his death, but he didn''t care at all.


    In fact, he was inwardly cursing Liang Xu for being worthless, feeling that he was too easy to defeat, and died after just a few moves.


    With Liang Xu dead, that Vajra Stage martial artist went after Cao Zhen.


    As the legitimate son of the Marquis of Pingxi, Cao Zhen was in the early stages of the Vajra Stage, but his strength was extraordinary. Fighting two against one, he was only at a disadvantage, yet he still managed to hold on for a moment.


    Gu Chen naturally saw this too. He was unhurriedly entangled with the two Vajra Stage martial artists from the demon sect, but he feigned a somewhat strenuous appearance.


    Cao Zhen saw this and was somewhat displeased. Gu Chen had killed those two assassins from the Blood Cloth Tower without much effort just a while ago, but now, against the two Vajra Stage martial artists from the demon sect, his movements had actually slowed down.


    He had keen eyes and could tell that Gu Chen was clearly not using his full strength; he was deliberately dying.


    "Gu Chen, if I die today, you will be miserable. My father will not let you off!" Cao Zhen threatened Gu Chen.


    Upon hearing this, Gu Chen smiled and said, "Brother Cao, I am but an Outer Gang Stage martial artist, and it''s already quite difficult for me to withstand two Vajra Stage martial artists. What do you expect me to do?"


    "You''re hiding your strength!" Cao Zhen angrily said.


    The four martial artists from the Red me Demon Sect saw that Gu Chen and Cao Zhen were actually infighting and were happy to witness this scene, a hint of a smile emerging on their faces as they watched the spectacle.


    Of course, Gu Chen''s strength truly rmed them. So, they made up their minds to kill Cao Zhen while he was at odds with Gu Chen, and then, the four of them would join forces to deal with Gu Chen.


    Whoosh!


    One of the Vajra Stage martial artists fighting Gu Chen soared away to confront Cao Zhen, leaving only the martial artist merged with the demon ghost to battle Gu Chen.


    Gu Chen, seeing this, didn''t interfere, letting the opponent leave. He was actually d to see this, as it suited his intentions perfectly.


    "Gu Chen!"


    Cao Zhen was furious to the extreme. It must be said, hisbat strength wasn''t weak. Facing three opponents, he still managed to hold on.


    "Young Lord Marquis truly hasmendable strength!" Gu Chen eximed.


    His demeanor infuriated Cao Zhen even more. His eyes were bloodshot, but he could do nothing about Gu Chen.


    As the battle continued, Cao Zhen''s injuries multiplied. Now, no one could save him; even Huang Xiu was tied up in his own fight, his life hanging by a thread.


    Cao Zhen took a deep breath and said, "Gu Chen, I promise you, if you save me today, I will remember your kindness. Once back in Tiandu, I will never bother Gu Qingyan again!"


    Gu Chen nced at him but did not respond.


    Cao Zhen ground his teeth and said, "I can swear to you!"


    "You boys really look down on us, don''t you!"


    At this moment, those three Vajra Stage martial artists of the Red me Demon Sect were not happy. They had not yet defeated Cao Zhen despite being three against one, and the man still had the leisure to talk. They were also somewhat displeased.


    "Big Purple Sun Hand!"


    The three shouted in unison, their palms igniting with a shocking purple demonic me, mming fiercely towards Cao Zhen.


    "Heavenly Gang Body Protection Skill!"


    Cao Zhen''s pupils dted, and he bellowed, his palms suddenlying together, mobilizing all of his bodily strength. His skin took on a faint golden hue, and as his inner qi surged, a semi-transparent protective qi barrier appeared around his body.


    Boom!


    Three palms stamped onto the protective barrier formed by Cao Zhen''s body, and with a sound, Cao Zhen immediately spewed out a mouthful of fresh blood, hisplexion quickly bing ashen.


    Given the foundation Cao Zhen had built in his martial arts journey, if he were given time, he could very well reach the second level of the Vajra Stage, where one''s body bes as sturdy as bronze and iron.


    But now, having recently entered the Vajra Stage, with shallow cultivation and fighting one against three, he simply couldn''t be a match for those three Vajra Stage martial artists from the demon sect.


    Quickly, Cao Zhen''s protective barrier exploded, and he was sent flying sideways.


    In mid-air, Cao Zhen kicked powerfully, miraculously rebounding through the air, and shot directly towards the distance.


    The three martial artists from the demon sect changed expressions, not expecting that after all this, they had not managed to kill Cao Zhen but instead allowed him to escape.


    Gu Chen also narrowed his eyes, surprised that Cao Zhen had such a skill. Worthy of being the legitimate son of the Marquis of Pingxi, he did indeed possess a wealth of superior martial arts.


    Gu Chen understood that if Cao Zhen escaped today, it would be difficult to have another opportunity to kill him in the future.


    The three martial artists from the demon sect were also unwilling to give up and chased after him directly. Clearly, they had also realized the extraordinary status of Cao Zhen, which the Red me Demon Sect had investigated beforehand.


    Cao Zhen fled rapidly, his inner qi being consumed quickly, but he did not hesitate for a second, continuously throwing medicinal pills into his mouth to replenish his inner qi as if they were candy beans.


    But just then, a faint sound reached his ears.


    "Young Lord Marquis, let me apany you on your journey."


    Cao Zhen, hearing this, was startled immediately. That was Gu Chen''s voice!


    He saw, about ten meters away, Gu Chen standing there, his fingers moving slightly, and at once, an invisible force shot out.


    Whoosh!


    Cao Zhen''s ear twitched at the extremely slight sound, then his entire body suddenly stiffened, halting in ce.


    That brief pause sealed Cao Zhen''s fate.


    "Die!"


    The three martial artists from the demon sect shouted and came upon Cao Zhen, their palms imprinting simultaneously onto the back of his heart.


    "Pfft!"


    Cao Zhen violently coughed out arge mouthful of fresh blood, his face pale as paper.


    His clothes ripped, revealing the soft armor underneath made from golden silk¡ªa superior treasure weapon.


    This was what the Marquis of Pingxi had given Cao Zhen for his protection, which was why he hadn''t died from the blow just now.


    Gu Chen''s eyes grew sharp as he made a split-second decision, leaping into the air and shouting, "Young Lord Marquis, don''t panic, I''ming to your aid!"


    Now Cao Zhen felt as though all his organs were burning, his throat was scorching, and his mouth was full of blood froth. His Adam''s apple moved, leaving him unable to utter a word.


    He could only re at Gu Chen with intense resentment, his eyes ferocious like a vengeful ghost. If given a chance, Cao Zhen truly wished to tear Gu Chen to pieces and eat his flesh raw.


    The three martial artists from the demon sect frowned and swung a palm at Gu Chen.


    "Pfft!"


    ```


    Gu Chen took their palm strike, hisplexion turned pale, and he directly "spit" out a mouthful of fresh blood.


    "Young Lord, run quickly!"


    At this moment, Gu Chen was still shouting for Cao Zhen to run first. If someone who didn''t know their rtionship were here, they would definitely think that Gu Chen was truly unmatched in loyalty and righteousness.


    But at this point, Cao Zhen''s legs were weak, his inner breath had been depleted, and he could not muster any strength at all. Where could he run? He could only stand there, staring furiously at Gu Chen.


    "You two can go down to the underworld together!"


    The three Vajra Stage martial artists from the demon sect sneered, and six palms simultaneously struck towards Cao Zhen and Gu Chen.


    Bang!


    Gu Chen took a hit and was sent flying horizontally through the air, vomiting several more mouthfuls of fresh blood while mid-flight; after all, he had to follow through with the act.


    "Ah¡ª"


    On the other side, Cao Zhen let out a loud cry as his body was torn apart, with his limbs being thrown far away.


    Gurgle...


    The only intact head rolled on the ground,ing to a stop in front of Gu Chen, squarely facing him with its eyes.


    At the brink of death, Cao Zhen''s eyes shed with endless unwillingness and remorse.


    But it was toote. What had happened could not be undone, and life only came once.


    Seeing Cao Zhen''s death, Gu Chen gently exhaled, with Cao Zhen''s status being what it was, Gu Chen couldn''t possibly kill him personally. He could only use such methods to plot against Cao Zhen.


    To tell the truth, this indirect approach really wasn''t as satisfying as fighting a real battle.


    From a distance, Huang Xiu saw Cao Zhen''s death and was immediately enraged, roaring with all his might, "Young Lord!"


    The Martial Hall had sent out three people with Huang Xiu, and now all three were dead. Even Huang Xiu himself wasn''t far from death.


    The three Gang Qi Stage warriors were like cats ying with mice, not striking fatally; otherwise, Huang Xiu couldn''t have held on till now.


    "I''ll give you a chance. Join our divine sect, and I can spare your life today," Hu Lie, the leader of the Kunyuan Sect, said coldly.


    Upon hearing this, a hint of hesitation shed in Huang Xiu''s mind. He did not want to die. He had finally reached the Gang Qi Stage and was guaranteed a lifespan of at least one hundred and fifty years. He was only in his sixties, still in his prime, and there was so much he had yet to enjoy.


    Seeing Huang Xiu''s wavering, Hu Lie enticed him further, saying, "Just nod your head and today, not only can you escape death, but if you perform well, our divine sect can even offer you a secret technique to merge with a nefarious demon, allowing you straight passage to the External Gang Stage, long life and vision, and the hopeful future of achieving true personhood!"


    Hearing this, Huang Xiu''s eyelids twitched. Truth be told, he was really tempted.


    Gu Chen, watching from afar, saw this scene and instantly frowned. If Huang Xiu surrendered, then everyone here would die.


    At this moment, Huang Xiu was struggling internally. With the deaths of Cao Zhen and the others, even if he returned to Tiandu, not to mention the distant Marquis of Pingxi, even Uncle Dingyuan and the Marquis of Wuwei wouldn''t let him go.


    Huang Xiu gritted his teeth. Just as he was about to agree, suddenly, a clear voice echoed from afar.


    "Devils and heretics, leading people astray with your facies!"


    Suddenly, a figure appeared out of nowhere at the entrance of the Kunyuan Sect, wearing a blue shirt and moving with grace. It was none other than themander of the Jing Tian Department, Chen Yu.


    At this moment, Chen Yu, seeing the wreckage on the mountaintop, furrowed his brows.


    After Gu Chen and the others had left, he pondered over the matter for a long time and felt that something was wrong. So, he left the city at night without informing anyone.


    But, regrettably, it seemed he was still a little toote; many of Jing Tian Department''s personnel had died, including all three with Cao Zhen.


    Huang Xiu had also sustained severe injuries, and had he arrived anyter, Huang Xiu might have already betrayed Da Xia.


    "To join the demonic cult and betray Da Xia is a crime that implicates nine ns! Can you escape, but can your family?" Chen Yu said indifferently.


    Upon hearing this, Huang Xiu''s face was filled with shame, and he was unable to utter a single word.


    "Chen Yu, you''ve finally arrived. We''ve been waiting for you for a long time!" At this time, the two elders who had shed with Chen Yu sneered.


    Chen Yu nced at them and said nonchntly, "Defeated underlings!"


    "You!"


    Theplexions of the two elders changed, their gazes towards Chen Yu bing incredibly grim.


    At that moment, the demon sect martial artist who had yet to act stepped forwardnguidly to the forefront.


    He was a middle-aged man with a pale, beardless face and sharp features; within his eyes, streaks of ck energy subtly shimmered.


    Upon seeing the neer, Chen Yu felt a surge of danger and instantly became alert.


    "Elder Wei!"


    When they saw the middle-aged man, Hu Lie and the others immediately bowed and greeted him.


    This man, named Wei Jiang, was an elder of the Red me Divine Sect, ranking significantly higher in status and strength than Hu Lie and his twopanions.


    "Are you Chen Yu?" he asked in a t tone.


    Chen Yu frowned, sensing Wei Jiang''s profound cultivation which was not much weaker than his own.


    Moreover, seeing the tendrils of ck energy seeping out of his pores, he knew that this man had likely fused with a nefarious demon.


    Nefarious demons were as powerful as the Gang Qi Stage warriors of the Human n.


    Seeing Wei Jiang made Huang Xiu''s heart beat wildly; he knew that a casual strike from this man was not something he could withstand.


    He nced at Chen Yu and whispered, "Master Chen, this looks bad. Shouldn''t we retreat first?"


    Chen Yu gave him a cold look and said nothing.


    As Gang Qi Stage warriors, if they wanted to leave, the four on the other side might not necessarily be able to stop them. After all, Chen Yu was very strong, and leaving was not an issue for him.


    And Huang Xiu, despite anything else, possessed the cultivation of the Gang Qi Stage. With Chen Yu, he also had a great chance of escaping.


    In Huang Xiu''s opinion, staying here was akin to waiting for death.


    But Chen Yu had different thoughts. He could leave, but what about Gu Chen and the others?


    Without him to counter Wei Jiang, Jing Tian Department''s personnel would likely all be killed with a single strike from Wei Jiang.


    Then, with eyes cold and detached, Wei Jiang looked towards Chen Yu and delivered the final ultimatum, "Submit, or die."


    ```

 Chapter 122: Chapter 114 Holy Shadows Sect_1

    Boom!


    The sound of wind and thunder echoed in everyone''s ears, making Wei Jiang''s mind reel and bringing a sharp pain that caused him to unconsciously furrow his brows.


    At this moment, countless sparks of electricity red around Chen Yu''s body, setting him off like the Thunder God descending to the mortal realm.


    Boom!


    Chen Yu struck out with a palm, and numerous sparks burst forth from the pores of his body, converging in mid-air into a thunderous palm print that struck towards Wei Jiang.


    The power of thunder, the force of heavenly punishment, was awe-inspiring and captivating. Even though Chen Yu''s palm was not as potent as the natural lightning from the heavens, its power was not to be underestimated.


    This utmost yang and rigid force was the natural enemy of demons and ghosts; even nefarious demons could not evade it.


    At this point, Wei Jiang could only feel the demon inside him bing panicked, its power chaotically surging out of control, prompting him to let out a muffled grunt.


    "Break!"


    With a fierce shout, Wei Jiang once again wielded the Great Red Demon Saber. Now, clutched in his palm, as he swung his arm, the saber cleaved towards the thunderous palm print.


    Sizzzzz!


    At this instant, countless sparks of electricity surged and danced in the air. Though Wei Jiang blocked the strike with the Great Red Demon Saber, numerous sparks traveled along the saber to his body, electrocuting him into a trembling shock.


    Were it not for the power of the demon possessing him, Chen Yu''s palm would have certainly turned Wei Jiang into charred remains.


    "Ahhhhhh¡ª¡ª"


    Wei Jiang let out a long howl to the heavens, forcibly suppressing the restless nefarious demon within him. In the face of Chen Yu''s cultivation of a unique kind of Gangqi, especially one with the attributes of lightning and thunder, many of the nefarious demon''s abilities were difficult to execute.


    Of course, the main reason was that the nefarious demon inside him was not strong enough. If it had been a mid-stage nefarious demon that had fused with him, Chen Yu would certainly not be his match.


    Alternatively, if he had also cultivated a unique kind of Gangqi, the situation would not be so passive.


    Unfortunately, cultivating a unique kind of Gangqi was extremely difficult; it was rare in the world. Only someone of Chen Yu''s caliber, along with certain opportunities, could seed.


    Wei Jiang knew that he could not defeat Chen Yu today. Moreover, there was even a chance that he might die by Chen Yu''s hand.


    Thus, making a quick decision, he shouted sharply, "Go!"


    No sooner had he spoken than he turned and fled.


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    "You think you cane and go as you please? It''s not that easy!"


    Chen Yu let out a cold shout, stretching out his palm and pointing through the air, dering, "Startled Dragon Finger!"


    This Startled Dragon Finger, propelled by Chen Yu''s unique Gangqi, shot forth from his fingertip as a dragon-shaped energy, surprisingly shimmering with a five-colored brilliance, truly dazzling to behold.


    Seeing this, Wei Jiang''s face instantly filled with shock and rm as he cried out, "You''ve actually cultivated the Five Thunder Gangqi?!"


    The Five Thunder Gangqi, stronger than a single elemental thunderous unique Gangqi, contained the five elements: metal, wood, water, fire, and earth.


    The five-colored dragon-shaped energy, flickering with lightning, moved with incredible speed. With a "whoosh" it passed through the void and struck Wei Jiang.


    "Pfft!"


    Wei Jiang immediately spat out a mouthful of blood. Fortunately for him, the demon''s power formed a ck qi armor on his body''s surface, bearing much of the brunt. If not for that, he would have either died or been gravely maimed by that strike.


    At the same time, the nefarious demon''s power surged within him, and Wei Jiang''s injuries quickly began to heal.


    Upon seeing this, Chen Yu remained impassive. He extended his hand and, through the void, made a fierce downward swipe.


    "Five Thunder Hand!"


    At this moment, the winds howled and thunder roared continuously, and five-colored lightning gathered in the void, forming a palm print several meters in size. This palm strike was like a mountain copsing!


    Wei Jiang looked frantic, mustering all his power to escape. If he had been arrogance personified earlier, now he was the epitome of downcast.


    However, no matter how fast Wei Jiang was, how could he outpace lightning?


    With a thunderous boom, the Five Thunder Hand struck Wei Jiang, its impact causing his bones to break and his mouth to fill with blood, flinging him far away.


    Yet despite it all, Wei Jiang managed to escape, leaving only Hu Lie and the other two behind.


    Indeed, it was only by abandoning Hu Lie and the others that Wei Jiang managed to save his life from Chen Yu''s hands, for Huang Xiu alone could not hold back Hu Lie and the other two.


    At this moment, the two elders from the Red me Demon Sect and Hu Lie saw Wei Jiang escape in such a sorry state, abandoning them, and their expressions changed dramatically.


    Taking a deep breath, Hu Lie feigned calmness and said, "Chen Yu, since you dared to leave the county town, haven''t you considered that our sect might strike against it?"


    Seeing that the situation was well in hand, Chen Yu smiled indifferently and replied, "So what if you do?"


    Witnessing Chen Yu''s confident demeanor, Hu Lie''s pupils constricted, but thinking of the power umted by his sect, he calmed down once again.


    "If you hurry back now, you might just make it in time. If you''re toote, Xu''an County''s town will fall, and tens of thousands of civilians will not be spared!"


    But Chen Yu was not worried, for he knew that not long before, reinforcements from the Jing Tian Department had already arrived. This time, Tiandu had dispatched an additional two Commanders, along with a multitude of troops, to join the town''s defensive forces. There was absolutely no way for the Red me Demon Sect to breach the town''s defenses.


    Hu Lie sneered, "Do you think that the God Sect has only sent us?"


    Chen Yu''s expression remained cold as he replied, "No matter what, you will die today!"


    Just as Chen Yu was about to make his move, two elders from the Red me Demon Sect suddenly shouted, "Chen Yu, if you continue to waste time here, the county city will definitely fall! Do you think those bodies from the five cities we ughtered just disappeared? Do you really think they were all devoured by evil spirits?!"


    "Leaving now is the wisest decision you can make!"


    Hearing this, Chen Yu furrowed his brows, and a momentter, as if realizing something, hisplexion changed and he said gravely, "The Holy Shadows Sect?"


    Hu Lie gave a cold smile and said, "Correct, at least you''re somewhat knowledgeable."


    The Holy Shadows Sect, like the Red me Demon Sect, was one of the six most powerful demon cults under the Six Union God Sect. One of the Holy Shadows Sect''s specialties was refining and controlling corpses.


    Holding the Duster, Hu Lie spoke indifferently, "So I say, it''s not toote for you to go back now. You must have heard about the methods of the Holy Shadows Sect; huge armies of corpses, coupled with the experts from our God Sect. Will the county city be able to hold out?"


    More than three hundred years ago, when heroes from all over the world climbed the main altar of the Six Union God Sect, the Holy Shadows Sect should havepletely ceased to exist. In that battle, they suffered heavy losses. It could be said they were the most devastated among the six demon cults; not a single one of their high-ranking leaders survived.


    What Chen Yu hadn''t expected was that despite this, the tradition of the Holy Shadows Sect had somehow continued.


    The fact that the Jing Tian Department had deployed threemanders was already an unprecedented event in recent years, disying enough attention to the Six Union God Sect. Yet, he hadn''t expected the God Sect to be so thoroughly prepared.


    Among the six major demon cults, not only had the Red me Demon Sect and the Holy Shadows Sect been resurrected; it could be assumed that the other four were likely the same.


    Chen Yu simply couldn''t imagine, even with the constant build-up of strength in the shadows, the Six Union God Sect had been defeated for so long, who had managed to integrate them once again, and who had the power to do so?


    Moreover, what puzzled Chen Yu was why the Red me Demon Sect would join forces with the Holy Shadows Sect?


    After all, the Six Union God Sect was a demonic sect, and the rtionships between its six major demon cults weren''t particrly good. In fact, they could be described as extremely poor; they fought over power and harbored contradictions, seldom uniting in action.


    This was also a crucial reason why the Six Union God Sect''s main altar was able to be breached back then.


    If all six demon cults under itsmand had worked together, it wouldn''t have been easy for the world to ascend the main altar and annihte them, especially after the leader of the Six Union God Sect was injured.


    But now was not the time to think about these things.


    "Even so, I can kill all of you in an instant, it''s not toote to rush back after killing you," Chen Yu said.


    At the sound of Chen Yu''s words, Hu Lie and the others immediately turned pale and started to run.


    "Dragon Capturing Hand!"


    Chen Yu let out a cold shout, his fingers fluttered and curved into ws, and from his palm emanated a terrifying suction force that pulled the three from the Red me Demon Sect closer to him.


    The three had terror in their eyes, screaming continuously, but they couldn''t break free from the confinement of the Dragon Capturing Hand. They felt an incredibly strong suction forceing from Chen Yu''s palm, like a whirlpool in the heart of the sea, holding them tight. At the same time, the Gang Qi in their bodies was draining continuously, flowing into Chen Yu.


    The eyes of the three from the Red me Demon Sect were filled with fear; they realized Chen Yu was absorbing their cultivation. No wonder Chen Yu''s strength had progressed so rapidly, allowing him to be the youngestmander of the Jing Tian Department.


    Chen Yu''s expression was stern as the cultivation of the three flowed continuously from his palm into his body, then filtered by the Five-Thunder Gang Qi within him to remove impurities. The refined essence was merged with his own Gang Qi, gradually enhancing his cultivation.


    "As amander of the Jing Tian Department, you actually practice such evil techniques?!" the three enragedly shouted.


    But Chen Yu remained unfazed, continuing to drain the cultivation of the three unceasingly. Soon, they became weak, their cultivationpletely absorbed by Chen Yu.


    Chen Yu casually tossed the three aside; after absorbing their cultivation, he was a step closer to reaching the level of a True Person.


    Of course, despite this, the distance to achieving the state of a True Person was still significant for Chen Yu at this moment.


    Thinking of the possibility that the Demon Sect might be attacking the county city, Chen Yu had no desire to linger any longer. With Huang Xiu there, the rest of the Red me Demon Sect''s martial artists posed no threat.


    Worried about changes in the county city, after giving a few orders, his figure shed and he disappeared from the spot.


    On the other side, Gu Chen and others, upon seeing Chen Yu''s disy of divine might, felt relieved as he killed or chased away the four Gang Qi Stage warriors of the demon cult.


    At the same time, Gu Chen also took note of the so-called "unusual Gang Qi" that Chen Yu had just demonstrated, finding it greatly intriguing.


    However, currently being only at the External Qi Stage himself, these matters were still premature for him.


    In this ambush set by the Red me Demon Sect at the Kunyuan Sect''s mountain gate, there were a total of twenty Vajra Stage warriors, but only two had merged with demon spirits.


    This indicated that even within the Six Union God Sect, not just anyone could merge with demon spirits;patibility was extremely important.


    Although the enemy had far more Vajra Stage warriors than Gu Chen''s side, they still had Huang Xiu. Despite Huang Xiu''s serious injuries, he was not something Vajra Stage warriors could contend with.


    However, Huang Xiu was not in a better mood after surviving death, for Cao Zhen and the other two had died.


    He was now pondering how he would exin to Uncle Dingyuan, Marquis of Wuwei, and Marquis of Pingxi upon returning. The thought alone gave Huang Xiu a headache.


    Meanwhile, on the other side, Gu Chen was fighting fiercely against a Vajra Stage warrior who had merged with a demon spirit. He pushed his Horizontal Training to its limit, using the Great Vajra Fist and Condensing Pulse Sword Wave against the enemy.


    Even if the enemy had merged with a ghostly-grade demon spirit, they were no match for Gu Chen, whose cultivation was much superior.


    Thud!


    After fifty-three exchanges, Gu Chen clenched his fist, his presence asmanding as an angry Vajra, and punched through the enemy, creating a gaping, bloody hole.

 Chapter 123: Chapter 115 Martial Arts True Meaning_1

    After the Vajra Stage warrior died, the ghostly-grade demon spirit within his body burst out. Gu Chen reached for the treasured weapon at his waist, and instantly a splendid sword light, resembling an aurora, shed by, ying the ghostly-grade demon spirit with a single stroke, turning it into wisps of ck smoke that dissipated between heaven and earth.


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    At that moment, thest Vajra Stage warrior fused with a demon spirit set his sights on Gu Chen,unching a joint attack on him with two others.


    "I''ming to help you!" Xu Qing saw this and charged over with his sword.


    "Me too!" Another rank one Metropolitan Procurator, seeing Gu Chen''s ferocious fighting, also charged over.


    Seeing this, Gu Chen quickly met the attack of the demon sect warrior enveloped in dark aura. Afterpletely unleashing the power of the demon spirit, his face turned fierce, his pupils pitch-ck, and his fingers as sharp as knives, stretching out his palm to seize Gu Chen''s neck.


    ng!


    A golden bell appeared on Gu Chen''s body, the strong repulsive force sending the demon sect warrior stumbling several steps backwards.


    Immediately after, a sound of dragon''s roar and tiger''s howl echoed, and the body of the man instantly stiffened as the phantom images of a dragon and a tiger appeared coiled behind Gu Chen.


    Witnessing this scene, Xu Qing and the other rank one Metropolitan Procurators were greatly surprised, eximing, "The true meaning of martial arts?!"


    The dragon and tiger phantoms that had just appeared behind Gu Chen were precisely the true meaning of martial arts mentioned by Xu Qing and the others.


    Toprehend the true meaning of martial arts requires extremely high perceptiveness from a warrior, as only by perfecting a high-grade martial art is there a chance to condense the true meaning.


    Know that perfecting a high-grade martial art is not an easy feat.


    Not everyone is as special as Gu Chen. For many warriors, they focus on improving their cultivation, and regarding martial arts, it''s best to perfect them, but if not, there''s nothing that can be done.


    Because, for most warriors, just achieving minor or major sess in martial arts is already incredibly difficult. To attain perfection in martial art is not something achievable by mere hard training; instead, it requires strong insight, as it involvesprehending the mood and spirit of the art.


    Only by understanding the mood and spirit contained within high-grade martial arts can one perfect them.


    However, the concept of mood and spirit is too esoteric, ineffable in words and actions; it can only beprehended by the individual, with no assistance from others possible.


    Even Xu Qing and those who had reached the Vajra Stage as rank one Metropolitan Procurators had not perfected a single high-grade martial art, at most achieving major sess.


    It can be said that the barrier of perfection has stumped many people. Even for the prodigious Vajra Stage warriors, it is very difficult to perfect each high-grade martial art and give birth to the true meaning of martial arts.


    Once the true meaning of martial arts is condensed, the power of that high-grade martial art will greatly increase, vastly different from before it was perfected.


    The true meaning of martial arts considerably enhances a warrior''sbat strength, and it is also rted to the cultivation after reaching the Innate Stage.


    The more true meanings of martial arts oneprehends, the more advantageous it is for cultivation after the Innate Stage.


    It is said that the true meanings of martial arts have various wondrous aspects, but those are not something warriors below the great grandmaster level can fathom.


    Xu Qing and the others were not clear about the specifics of the true meaning of martial arts. They knew very little, having only heard some veteranmanders mention it involves "divinity," but the details were not exined because, at their current stage and vision, it would be pointless. They simply wouldn''t understand, and it would only lead to unnecessary trouble.


    At this stage, all they needed to do was refine their physical bodies. The cultivation of "divinity" was something to consider after reaching the Innate Stage, a concern for martial arts grandmasters.


    But Gu Chen was unaware of these facts. After all, the true meaning of martial arts is a vast field, and even the Vajra Stage rank one Metropolitan Procurators need not delve deeply into it, not to mention a rank two Metropolitan Procurator of the Outer Qi Stage. Therefore, Gu Chen had never seen rted materials, nor had anyone told him about it.


    He thought it was not such a difficult task and thus didn''t hide it.


    Even Huang Xiu gave Gu Chen a second nce, for even as a Gang Qi Stage warrior, he had not managed toprehend a single true meaning of martial arts. He would not have expected a junior of only the Outer Qi Stage to have perfected a high-grade martial art and condensed the true meaning of martial arts, surpassing him by a great margin.


    "A martial arts genius!" Xu Qing and the others exchanged nces, their hearts secretly astounded. At the same time, they also understood why Chen Yu held Gu Chen in such high regard.


    On the other side, as the dragon and tiger phantoms appeared behind Gu Chen, with the roar and howl resounding in everyone''s ears, the demon sect''s Vajra Stage warrior tensed up. In that instant, Gu Chen pressed his thumb against the void, a vigorous and powerful sword qi shooting forth from his fingertip.


    St!


    Blood sttered as a blood hole appeared at the brow of the demon sect''s Vajra Stage warrior. The sword qi directly turned his brain into mush, killing him thoroughly.


    "Awooo!"


    The ghostly-grade demon spirit inside him tried to escape, but Gu Chen met it head-on with a heavy and forceful Great Vajra Fist, reducing the demon spirit to ashes.


    With two soul crystals in hand, Gu Chen immediately absorbed them, and his panel was rewarded with dozens of merit point values.


    At that time, Gu Chen joined Xu Qing and others in their battle. With Huang Xiu also by their side, they swiftly wiped out everyone from the Red me Demon Sect.


    The once scenic mountain peak was now scattered with rolling heads and blood flooding the ground, the smell of blood pungent to the nostrils.


    This battle was extremely fierce; the Jing Tian Department also suffered numerous casualties, and both Song Yu and Wang Yan were injured, although fortunately, not too severely.


    Before leaving, Chen Yu had said that after dealing with the matters of the Kunyuan Sect, they should split into two groups. Under Xu Qing''s leadership, Gu Chen, Song Yu, and Wang Yan were to form a temporary team to eliminate the wandering demon spirits in Xu''an County.


    The remaining personnel, led by Huang Xiu, were to return immediately to the county city for support.


    Huang Xiu was also aware of the severity of the situation; the county city of Xu''an County absolutely could not fall. Therefore, despite his injuries, he was the first to take people and leave.


    "How are you two holding up? Can you still move?" Xu Qing looked towards Song Yu and Wang Yan.


    Both gritted their teeth and responded, "We''re fine, just give the orders, Mr. Xu."


    Gu Chen furrowed his brows slightly but knew the urgency of the situation. The Red me Demon Sect was very well-prepared this time, not only did they join forces with the Holy Shadows Sect to attack the city, but the demons that suddenly appeared in Xu''an County were also likely connected to them.


    Even the Kunyuan Sect mighthave been deliberately exposed by them to set up an ambush to deal with the Jing Tian Department.


    Soon after, having ingested a few medicinal pills and applied some healing salve to their wounds, the group pressed on without further dy.


    ording to the intelligence provided by Chen Yu, there were five demons that had appeared within Xu''an County. However, their strength wasn''t great. With Xu Qing and Gu Chen present, they could be easily killed.


    Subsequently, Gu Chen and hispanions hurriedly spent three days to clear Xu''an County of these suddenly emerged demons.


    Yet, over the next five days, a great chaos unfolded within the county town.


    After the incident with the Kunyuan Sect had settled, Chen Yu returned to the county town on the third day. The two newly assignedmanders from the Jing Tian Department had already arrived in town as well. It was their presence that reassured Chen Yu enough to leave with peace of mind.


    Chen Yu initially thought that the alliance of the Red me Demon Sect and the Holy Shadows Sect was already besieging the city, but instead, everything was calm with nothing happening.


    This inevitably led Chen Yu to suspect that Hu Lie might be deceiving him just to save his own life.


    It wasn''t until the fifth day, as Chen Yu was sitting in the county''s prefectural office, that a soldier from the city guard rushed to report.


    "Sir, enemies have been spotted fifty li from the city!" the reporting soldier knelt on one knee and said with a fist to his chest.


    Chen Yu shot up from his seat upon hearing this. Fortunately, he had not let down his guard during this time and hadn''t left the county. Otherwise, the county might truly have fallen that day.


    Before he could reply, the ground of the county town suddenly shook, and a chilling voice echoed aloud.


    "Chen Yu,e out and meet your death!"


    Such a powerful cultivation could only belong to a Gang Qi Stage martial artist, without a doubt!


    At this moment, a servant rushed in reporting anxiously, "Sir, it''s terrible. Nearly a hundred martial artists from the demon sect suddenlyunched an attack from inside the town. Outside is already in chaos."


    Chen Yu''s gaze turned sharp upon hearing this, and at that moment, the other twomanders also appeared, their expressions grave as they dered, "The demon sect is attacking the town!"


    "How many are there?" Chen Yu asked with a frown.


    Commander Cui Yu spoke rapidly, "There are over a hundred martial artists in the city and the number is still increasing. Most of them are at the Gangqi Stage. Outside, the Red me Demon Sect has joined forces with the Holy Shadows Sect, not inconsiderable in number, and they are advancing towards the county town."


    The othermander, Deng Zi An, said in a deep voice, "That''s not the most critical part. The most important thing is that the demon sect has dispatched six Gang Qi Stage warriors who are currently shouting outside the city gates."


    Originally, the Red me Demon Sect was able to ughter five cities in Da Xia for two reasons. One was because it was entirely unexpected, catching Da Xia off guard.


    The second reason was that the forces deployed were Gang Qi and Vajra Stage warriors, who simply overpowered their opposition. Moreover, it was said that there were also Specter and Fiend ss demons assisting from the side.


    Next, the three gavemands, instructing the people from the Jing Tian Department to join forces with the city defense army to suppress the riots within the city. Then, they went to the top of the city walls and confronted the scene outside the city.


    In the forefront were six Gang Qi Stage warriors, followed by over a hundred martial artists from the Red me Demon Sect and over a hundred from the Holy Shadows Sect. Additionally, there were hundreds of dried corpses, shrouded in ck mist with skin gleaming a metallic sheen.


    Each of the corpses had been specially refined by the Holy Shadows Sect, making them as tough as iron and capable of being harmed only by precious weapons.


    However, it was impossible for all the city defending soldiers to possess precious weapons.


    The reason they could muster such a number of undead armies was due to the power of the demons, who manipted these corpses. Without the demons, even Gang Qi Stage warriors from the Holy Shadows Sect couldn''t spare the concentration to control so many corpses at once.


    The demons, on the other hand, were different. Their methods were special and bizarre, and directing their power to control the mindless corpses was effortless for them.


    The power of the demonsbined with the corpse refining techniques of the Holy Shadows Sect could be described as adding wings to a tiger.


    Had it not been for this, they wouldn''t have dared to attack the county town, no matter how numerous they were, as they would not be sufficient against the army.


    At this moment, the previously speaking Gang Qi Stage warrior from the demon sect coldly dered, "Surrender and open the gates, and you may be spared. Otherwise, today, Xu''an County town will be reduced to ashes, and tens of thousands of its citizens will die. Simultaneously, the entire Xu''an County will fall."


    Cui Yu let out a coldugh, "What rmist talk."


    As amander of the Jing Tian Department, who had experienced many battles in his life, he was not the kind to lose nerve before the fight.


    "The city guards number well over ten thousand. You are wee to try!" Deng Zi An added coldly.


    The Gang Qi Stage warrior spoke ominously, "Have you considered carefully? Our Holy Shadows Sect can refine and control corpses; as long as there are bodies, we will have an endless army. Do you truly believe you can withstand us?"


    "Furthermore, we have six Gang Qi Stage warriors. As soon as we enter the city, it will be reduced to ashes in a sh."


    The destructive power of a Gang Qi Stage warrior was undeniably formidable. Once inside the city and striking recklessly, the civilian casualties would be catastrophic.


    Chen Yu and others had not anticipated that the members of the demon sect would be so audacious as to attack a city with the force of a single sect.


    "Why waste words? Let''s fight!" Chen Yu said icily.

 Chapter 125: Chapter 117: Immune to both water and fire_1

    Boom!


    As Gu Chen''s mind moved, the Superior Martial Skill, Golden Bell Shield, was elevated to the initial mastery, and a corresponding wave of martial arts knowledge poured into his mind.


    At the same time, a mysterious force emerged from within his body, transforming every part of him¡ªskin, flesh, tendons, bones, membranes, and even his internal organs¡ªlittle by little.


    Not only that, Gu Chen felt that every part of his body, no matter how minute, was being tempered and sublimated.


    It could be said that the Golden Bell Shieldprehensively enhanced his physical body, caring for even the most minute details.


    Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!


    The sound of tidal surges came from within his body, the noise of his blood washing through his veins. In fact, the sound faintly escaped his body; his heart beat like a drum, and with every thump, vigorous vitality burst forth from his pores, diffusing across his skin.


    Within his limbs and bones, a mystical power flowed, immensely warm andfortable. Gu Chen felt as if he were submerged in a hot spring, or returned to the womb. His body, like being electrified, faintly glowed from his flesh and bones.


    Gu Chen was acutely aware that his physical body was steadily growing stronger, bing lighter and more robust. Everything was developing in a positive direction.


    And as his physical body improved, Gu Chen''s senses also sharpened. His hearing, in particr, could now detect the slightest rustle of wind and grass within a dozen yards.


    Moreover, he began to perceive something profound and mysterious.


    This was a result of a significant enhancement of his intuition; also, Gu Chen felt that his thoughts were quicker than before, or rather, his spiritual power had increased.


    Even with his eyes closed, he could sense the presence of Song Yu, Wang Yan, and Xu Qing very clearly.


    This was not the previously known sense of energy, which, although now clearer and more precise, could notpare to his current perception.


    Gu Chen felt as if his surroundings had formed a three-dimensional image in his mind. The figures of the three people, Xu Qing included, and all the nearby scenery were vividly projected in his mind.


    Of course, achieving this required Gu Chen to concentrate.


    This was the power of the "spirit."


    The martial path is divided into detailed realms, but overall, it can be grouped into three parts: essence, energy, and spirit.


    That is to say, cultivating in martial arts involves refining the essence, energy, and spirit.


    Though they seem independent, they are interconnected.


    Indeed, martial cultivation begins with tempering the body, refining the essence.


    When the physical body reaches a certain level, and the first thread of inner energy emerges from the flesh, the refining of energy begins.


    Gu Chen, having cultivated physical martial arts and experienced several transformations, plus his profound cultivation level and abundant essence and energy, as well as condensing true martial intent, had a "spirit" that already surpassed ordinary martial artists by a significant margin.


    Now, after deducing the Superior Martial Skill, Golden Bell Shield, and reaching its initial mastery, his body received a considerable boost; the physical enhancement fed back to the "spirit",bined with earlier umtions. That''s why the scene just now took ce in his mind.


    From this point alone, Gu Chen''s "spirit" had surpassed most martial artists in the world, even those in the Gang Qi Stage.


    Buzz!


    Suddenly, Gu Chen''s body trembled. The purification of his flesh was nearing its end. In that moment, his flesh and organs vibrated in unison, resonating together. Under the night sky, his skin was incredibly pale and appeared as beautiful as artwork, glistening with a translucent sheen like jade.


    Xu Qing, as if sensing something, abruptly opened her eyes to witness this scene and eximed in shock, "Your body is like jade, your defenses like fortified walls, impervious to water and fire. Have you reached the Vajra Stage?!"


    With those words, even the sleeping Song Yu and Wang Yan were startled awake. They stared at Gu Chen''s robust body under the night sky, shining with a faint jade light, and were too astonished to speak.


    When they first met, they had all been at the Meridian Opening Stage, but now, in just a few months, while they had only just broken through to the External Energy Stage, Gu Chen had reached the Vajra Stage?


    Truly,parison is the thief of joy; both Song Yu and Wang Yan were struck with envy, their desire to sleeppletely erased.


    Of course, Xu Qing found it even more unbelievable. After all, she had spent four to five years polishing herself in the External Energy Stage before breaking through to the Vajra Stage, and Gu Chen had only started how long ago?


    Then, Gu Chen''s eyelids fluttered open, and he saw Xu Qing and the others looking at him in shock. He exined, "I am still in the External Energy Stage and have not broken through yet."


    The panel does not lie¡ªGu Chen indeed had not advanced in his cultivation, and he was truly in thete External Energy Stage.


    Xu Qing was immediately filled with surprise and uncertainty, "But, you''ve cultivated a Vajra Stage physical body."


    Gu Chen looked at his long, sturdy body. He had a detailed understanding of the Vajra Stage and knew that indeed, he had reached the first level of the Vajra Stage, impervious to both water and fire.


    However, his cultivation level had not yet reached the Vajra Stage; he was still in thete External Energy Stage.


    "It seems you truly have a talent for physical martial arts," Xu Qing said, her eyes filled with envy.


    The Vajra Stage primarily focuses on tempering the physical body. Usually, martial artists reach the boundary of the Vajra Stage in terms of cultivation, then polish their physical bodies through various methods before breaking through to the Vajra Stage.


    But with Gu Chen, it was reverse; his physical body reached the Vajra Stage, yet his cultivation did not.


    Such a thing, Xu Qing had never heard of, even within the Jing Tian Department.


    Moreover, this situation was quite special. As long as Gu Chen had enough cultivationter on, he would be able to break directly into the Vajra Stage without encountering any bottlenecks.


    Given Gu Chen''s talent in physical martial arts, Xu Qing knew he would advance rapidly in the Vajra Stage, and she couldn''t help but envy him.


    Shaking her head, Xu Qing no longer dwelled on it, continuing to refine her inner energy.


    Even now, she was still in the first level of the Vajra Stage, impervious to water and fire, and she no longer harbored hopes for reaching the state of cast copper and iron, for she knew she didn''t have the talent.


    Whether it''s water and fire resistance, cast copper and iron, the strength of a savage dragon, or the indestructibility of the Vajra Stage, all four levels of the Vajra Stage are rted to the physical body and are unrted to cultivation level.


    ```


    Even with a body that is only impervious to fire and water, one could still break through to the Gang Qi Stage.


    However, facing a warrior at the Gang Qi Stage, who had reached the copper cast iron level of the Vajra Stage, Xu Qing of this kind was clearly no match for them.


    It''s just that tempering the body is extremely difficult and time-consuming, and few warriors have the patience to stay at the Vajra Stage. Most of them don''t have the talent either.


    Only a small part of those with exceptional talent are able to reach the second level of the Vajra Stage, the copper cast iron.


    As for the third level, the body as tough as a wild dragon, that depends on one''s luck, mere talent may not be enough.


    Seeing such a breakthrough in Gu Chen''s strength, neither Song Yu nor Wang Yan had the mind to sleep, both sitting up to meditate in the lotus position.


    Gu Chen saw this, smiled, then closed his eyes again and called up the panel.


    Name: Gu Chen


    Martial Skills: Golden Bell Shield (Beginner), Burning Vein Finger (Mastery), Phantom Traceless Step (Mastery), Astonishing Swan Swordsmanship Skills (Mastery), Great Vajra Fist (Minor Achievement), Condensing Pulse Sword Wave (Minor Achievement)


    Inner Strength: Pure Yang Wuji Gong


    Cultivation Age: 354 years


    Realm: Late Stage of Outer Qi


    Merit Points: 60


    At this moment, there were only sixty merit points left on his panel, as reaching the Beginner level of Golden Bell Shield had cost Gu Chen eighteen merit points.


    The consumption of merit points also shows that there is indeed a significant gap between Superior Martial Skills and high-grade martial skills, thetter requiring only eight merit points to advance to the Beginner level.


    Feeling his body full and powerful, Gu Chen did not hesitate to use all sixty merit points in two installments, converting them all into cultivation age.


    With this increase, the merit points hit zero and Gu Chen''s cultivation age broke through the four-hundred-year limit, reaching an astonishing four hundred and fourteen years.


    Yet, as expected, his realm continued to be in the Late Stage of Outer Qi, failing to reach Great Perfection.


    Gu Chen did not feel troubled by this; it was a good thing to umte more cultivation age. Others could not even manage to do this.


    What''s more, with the panel''s help, as long as he had merit points, he could break into the Vajra Stage at any time.


    And with more than four hundred years of profound cultivation age, even Great Perfection of the Vajra Stage could notpare.


    However, despite this, Gu Chen did not conceive the idea of arm-wrestling with warriors of the Gang Qi Stage.


    After all, he had seen the strength of Gang Qi Stage warriors that day; the qualitative difference between inner breath and Gangqi was iparable, and they should not to be mentioned in the same breath.


    The next morning, Gu Chen and hispanions set out again, riding fast horses towards the county city of Xu''an County.


    At this point, they were still unaware that the great battle at the county city had reached a critical stage.


    ...


    In the dead of night, the Red me Demon Sect and the Holy Shadows Sectunched a surprise attack on the county city. Although the city''s defenders kept a watchful eye out for the enemy, the city almost fell, plunging into the direst of circumstances.


    It was because the Holy Shadows Sect controlled hundreds of iron corpses and somehow managed to tunnel their way from outside the city directly into the county city.


    The reason why the Demon Sect had been quiet over the past few days was that they were secretly undertaking this task.


    Only the iron corpses, specially refined by the Holy Shadows Sect, could tirelessly create such a passage in just a few days, catching Chen Yu and the otherspletely by surprise.


    "Kill them!"


    Inside the county city, cries of battle were incessant. In order to protect themon people from harm, most of the city defense forces were deployed inside the city, guarding the tunnels to prevent the cultists froming through the tunnels and ughtering the innocents.


    But the cultists were very shrewd too; they sent iron corpses, each one hard as copper and iron, very difficult to kill. Even if their heads were chopped off, the bodies would still move, posing a significant threat.


    Meanwhile, at the city gates, Chen Yu, Deng Zi An, and Cui Yu, threemanders, were leading the Jing Tian Department and Metropolitan Procurators in battle against the people from the Red me Demon Sect and the Holy Shadows Sect.


    "Chen Yu, today the fall of the county city is imminent, and you won''t be able to defend it!" an elder of the Holy Shadows Sect said with a coldugh.


    In fact, the Six Union God Sect had been nning this day for a long time and was very prepared. They intended to capture the county city of Xu''an and the hundreds of thousands of civilians within it.


    Even more, they nned to capture the lives of Chen Yu and the other Jing Tian Department''s officers. With so much flesh and blood for demons to consume, and with Chen Yu and two other Gang Qi Stage warriors, it was not impossible for them to raise a Hell-grade demon!


    Yes, this was the real purpose of the Six Union God Sect. Otherwise, they would not have expended so much effort in sieging the city.


    Demons can evolve, not through the hard cultivation that the Human n warriors undergo, but by devouring flesh and blood, through which demons can continuously grow stronger.


    The flesh and essence of over a millionmoners,bined with numerous warriors, as well as the three Gang Qi Stagemanders, made the Six Union God Sect believe that there was a high probability of raising a Hell-grade demon this time.


    Hell-grade demons are extremely terrifying in strength, with the weakest among themparable to the Human n''s Innate Realm. There haven''t been many Hell-grade demons in Jiuzhou over the years.


    The emergence of each Hell-grade demon is a disaster for Jiuzhou, and the Jing Tian Department has to dispatch at least one Town-keeping Envoy to suppress it.


    Otherwise, if a Hell-grade demon were to run rampant, the entire Jiuzhou would be in catastrophe.


    And the Six Union God Sect wanted to use this operation to raise a troop of Hell-grade demons and then merge them with the innately capable grandmasters of the Demon Sect, thus creating a force that no one in the Innate Realm could rival.


    Chen Yu was also a quick thinker and could vaguely guess the Six Union God Sect''s motives.


    "Today, with me here, your ns will not seed, and all of you are going to die!" Chen Yu said coldly, his face stern.


    ```

 Chapter 126: Chapter 118 Blood Is Burning _1

    Boom!


    Chen Yu activated the Five Thunder Gangqi within his body, his figure flickering with five-colored electrical lights, which converged to form a gigantic five-colored palm imprint.


    Seeing this, the six martial artists from Red me Demon Sect at the Gang Qi Stage made their moves, with fierce Gang Wind sweeping out to block Chen Yu''s strike.


    At that moment, an elder from the Holy Shadows Sect coldly said, "Chen Yu, it''s useless. You can''t stop us. Our sect has been nning for a long time, and it''s not just the county city¡ª the entire Xu''an County is ours!"


    Indeed, after breaching the county city, the martial artists of the Holy Shadows Sect would refine iron corpses at the fastest speed and then, using the power of demon ghosts, control these iron corpses to attack the next city.


    Because they were not interested in upying the cities but only needed the flesh and to reanimate the corpses, they could clear the battlefields quickly. After conquering one location, they could rush to the next.


    By the time the people from Jing Tian Department caught up, it would be muchter, and with even one dark-level demon ghost cultivated, they would not fear the Jing Tian members. They might even wish for more toe.


    The Metropolitan Procurators couldn''te out, and without them, nobody from the Jing Tian Department could match a dark-level demon ghost. The more that came, the more nourishment they would have.


    By the time the Metropolitan Procurators of the Jing Tian Department arrived, they would have long since left, dusting off their trousers and departing.


    It could be said that the strategiesid down by the Six Union God Sect were watertight. Of course, their sess was mainly due to the power of the demon ghosts.


    Otherwise, with their scant numbers, as long as those at the Gang Qi Stage didn''t engage, the tens of thousands of city defenders would have been enough.


    "Ah!"


    Suddenly, a scream came from the city walls as more than a dozen soldiers defending the city bled from all seven orifices and died on the spot.


    Chen Yu''s eyes narrowed as he saw a dozen or so martial artists from the Holy Shadows Sect whispering something nearby, seemingly forming a technique. Among them, the martial artist in the center was enveloped in flickering ck qi, with the power of the demon ghost surging continuously, emitting a chilling coldness that Chen Yu found abhorrent.


    The demon ghosts had tricky and unpredictable methods. Against ordinary people or even some martial artists with lesser cultivation, they didn''t need to possess bodies, their mere aura was enough to erode the victim, either dissolving them into a pool of blood or turning them into mindless puppets.


    The stronger the demon ghost, therger the range they could affect.


    Paired with some of the secret arts of the Holy Shadows Sect, their might was amplified considerably.


    "Look quickly!"


    At that moment, Cui Yu and Deng Zi An pointed, only to see, not far away, hundreds of warriors with nk eyes and pupils swirling with ck qi slowly approaching the city gates.


    These people were not possessed by demon ghosts but had been in by the members of the Demon Sects, after which a small amount of demon ghost power invaded their bodies, awakening the remnants of instinct in their corpses, turning them into emotionless puppet automatons.


    The elder from Holy Shadows Sectughed loudly, "You have no idea just how terrifying the power of demon ghosts is. It''s something that human n warriors can''tpete with. I''m giving you onest chance, join our god sect and I will spare your lives."


    "As long as we kill you, the rest of those scatterbrains are nothing to worry about," Chen Yu said coldly.


    Seeing that his attempts to recruit Chen Yu had failed three times, the elder from Holy Shadows Sect''s expression darkened as he said, "You''re courting death. Today, nobody can save you. Everyone will die. Since you''re so stubborn, then you will be buried along with the county city!"


    As the words ended, both sides shed again. The three from Jing Tian Department were very strong, but the members of Red me Demon Sect and Holy Shadows Sect were not weak either.


    Among the three from Jing Tian Department, only Chen Yu had cultivated a unique type of Gangqi, but he was facing the two strongest from the visiting Red me Demon Sect and Holy Shadows Sect. In a one-on-one fight, Chen Yu wasn''t afraid, but taking on two at once, he couldn''t kill both of them quickly.


    After all, the Holy Shadows Sect had sinister methods, and that elder continuously harassed Chen Yu from a distance, making it difficult for Chen Yu to engage wholeheartedly with the martial artist from Red me Demon Sect at the Gang Qi Stage.


    Meanwhile, on another front, although some iron corpses had invaded the city through tunnels, there were still over a hundred outside.


    These iron corpses were devoid of any emotions, merely over a hundred killing machines. With extremely tough bodies, they were used as shields at the forefront, heedless of the Jing Tian members'' attacks, they only focused on besieging the city gates, eager to breach them as soon as possible.


    At the same time, in another area, martial artists from Red me Demon Sect and Holy Shadows Sect were harassing from the side. Now with a few hundred puppet warriors rushing towards the city walls, the situation on the battlefield gradually started tilting in favor of the Demon Sects.


    Unless Chen Yu''s side could swiftly determine the victor, the city gates wouldn''t hold much longer before being breached, and then the Demon Sects'' forces would charge straight through, ughtering the civilians at will.


    In fact, when Chen Yu had first learned that the Demon Sects were going to attack the county city, he had thought of evacuating the civilians. However, time was extremely pressing and the county city had hundreds of thousands of civilians. Without sufficient time, evacuation was not feasible.


    Even more likely, the Demon Sects had anticipated this, preparing to ambush at certain locations outside the city. Because of these concerns, Chen Yu did not decide to evacuate the civilians of the county city.


    Moreover, homnd is hard to leave. Some people have lived here for decades, and even if asked to evacuate, some of the elderly might not agree.


    Pu pu pu!


    The sound of blood sttering came; one after another, members from the Jing Tian Department and the city defense forces were killed on the city gates. Even some puppet warriors and iron corpses climbed up onto the city wall, with both sides engaging in close-quartersbat.


    "Kill!"


    A first-tier Metropolitan Procurator along with a second-tier one jumped off the city wall, directly engaging with the enemy up close.


    An unclear and unsatisfying death was too frustrating for them to ept.


    If the end was going to be death anyway, then even in death, they wanted to choose their own way to die.


    "Charge!"


    A few more first-tier Metropolitan Procurators followed by second-tiers leaped from the city wall, prepared to use their bodies as shields to dy the Demon Sects'' forces'' advance.


    "Hold the city gates!"


    Seeing this scene, Chen Yu''s eyes reddened. He yelled loudly, not wanting his subordinates to throw away their lives in vain.


    At the same time, screams came from inside the city; these were the people from the Jing Tian Department and the city defense forces, clearly, the battle inside the city was also turning against them.


    The fall of the county city and the Demon Sects'' forces'' march seemed imminent.


    Cui Yu and Deng Zi An''s eyes also reddened as they fought the enemy desperately, wanting to kill them quickly and then move to support the others. Unfortunately, the Demon Sects were well-prepared this time, and their enemies were strong, firmly holding down Chen Yu and the other two.


    "Jing Tian Department is nothing special after all," said an elder of the Holy Shadows Sect with a faint smile.


    "The world talks of Jing Tian Department and Da Xia''s fame, but in my view, they are no match for our sect whatsoever!" A martial artist from the Red me Demon Sect, who was fighting in close quarters with Chen Yu, made the same remark.


    Boom!


    At that moment, Chen Yu let out a heavenward roar. The Gangqi of the Five Thunders burst forth from his body, soared into the sky, separated into five colors, and transformed into five differently hued long swords that hung in the air above Chen Yu''s head.


    "sh!"


    Chen Yu''s expression turned fierce. With a loud shout filled with chilling killing intent that nearly materialized, he pointed his finger, and a violent Gang Wind erupted. Sword energy overflowed, cutting through all tangible things.


    Five long swords of various colors seemed to tear through the void, turning into a blur of light that charged towards the elder of the Holy Shadows Sect and the martial artist from the Red me Demon Sect at the Gang Qi Stage.


    "Block it!"


    Witnessing this scene, the two men''s eyes nearly burst with rage, feeling a bone-piercing chill of murderous intent. They exerted all their strength and unleashed the power of a lifetime to barely withstand this strike.


    Having released this attack, Chen Yu''s face turned pale, but without a word, he turned his head and swiftly flew towards the city gates.


    "Soul Extinguishing Skill!"


    At this moment, the elder of the Holy Shadows Sect was bleeding from mouth and nose. He performed the Soul Extinguishing Skill, mumbling words as an invisible force acted upon Chen Yu''s mind. In an instant, Chen Yu''s orifices began bleeding profusely.


    "Die!"


    The martial artist from the Red me Demon Sect at the Gang Qi Stage teleported instantly, crossing dozens of yards in one step to arrive right in front of Chen Yu. With explosive power in his fist, he aimed a punch directly at Chen Yu''s back.


    "Chen Yu!"


    Seeing this, Deng Zi An and Cui Yu were immediately shocked and became pale.


    "Get lost!"


    Chen Yu roared in anger. Dazzling electrical sparks flickered all over his body. He countered with a palm strike, and the Gangqi between the two exploded, their energies surging unstoppably. The ground trembled, and everything within a ten-yard radius was reduced to dust.


    Immediately afterward, the elder of the Holy Shadows Sect caught up, and the two of them surrounded Chen Yu once more.


    Screams of killing, wails of anguish, and the sound of blood sttering never ceased as time went by. With each passing moment, Chen Yu''s heart sank further into an abyss.


    He knew that Jing Tian Department had lost. At this point, even he was out of options.


    Without any surprises, it wouldn''t be long before the demon sect''s army could break through unstoppably and storm into the county town. Tens of thousands of civilians would be dismembered and meet with tragic deaths right where they stood.


    Deng Zi An and Cui Yu felt the same, their faces darkened, foreseeing the inevitable oue. The situation was beyond control.


    The only reason they hadsted this long was that Jing Tian Department had been filling the gaps with human lives. They disregarded their own safety, using their bodies as shields, hoping to even slightly slow down the demon sect''s onught.


    In just this short period of time, over a dozen first-order Metropolitan Procurators and upwards of thirty second-order ones had perished.


    At this moment, the members of the Red me Demon Sect and the Holy Shadows Sect all wore smiles on their faces. Although they were injured, taking down the county town was a good thing.


    But just then, suddenly, a cloud of dust was stirred up in the distance, and a troop of soldiers approached rapidly.


    "Master Chen!"


    Hearing this, Chen Yu''s expression shook. He turned his head and saw Xu Qing leading Gu Chen and two others, racing towards him.


    "Let them go!"


    "Saving one is better than none!"


    Cui Yu and Deng Zi An spoke one after the other. The current situation was chaotic, and it was pointless to continue throwing away lives.


    "Today none of you will escape!" the elder of the Holy Shadows Sect said with a coldugh, full of confidence.


    At this moment, Gu Chen and hispanions charged from another direction. When they saw the ground littered with corpses, mostly theirrades, Xu Qing and the others felt their eyes redden.


    Xu Qing had been with Jing Tian Department for many years, undertaken many missions and made many friends, but now, most of themy buried in foreignnds, dying far from home.


    "Wake up!" With tears in his tiger-like eyes, Xu Qing found a first-order Metropolitan Procurator with a faint breath among the pile of the dead, grasping his blood-stained hand.


    "Old... Xu..." The first-order Metropolitan Procurator was on the verge of death; his breath was so faint it was nearly imperceptible.


    "Quick... go..." As he spoke, a steady stream of blood flowed from the corner of his mouth, soon staining Xu Qing''s palm red.


    "No!" Xu Qing roared with tears rolling down from his eyes, while both Song Yu and Wang Yan beside him had eyes filled with red, their killing intent skyrocketed.


    Gu Chen stood still, looking around at the scene of havoc, silently observing everything.


    Among the dead were many Gu Chen did not know or were not intimate with, nothing like his rtionship with Song Yu and Wang Yan. Yet, having been on missions together for so long, he had seen nearly all the faces at least once.


    Besides, he had conversed with many among them, and even during the little rest time they had, they had good-naturedly teased Gu Chen, inquiring if he had never been with a woman.


    After all, among the Metropolitan Procurators, Gu Chen could be said to be the youngest.


    Now, these colleagues, whose voices and smiles were still fresh in Gu Chen''s mind, had all turned into lifeless bodies.


    At this moment, for some reason, a surge of hot blood rose from Gu Chen''s chest, rushing to his brain.


    The roaring blood within Gu Chen felt like an inferno zing fiercely; his eyes immediately reddened.

 Chapter 128: Chapter 120: Like a War God_1

    "Wulna!"


    Seeing Wulna being hammered and sent flying by Gu Chen''s punch, the ck-robed elder of the Holy Shadows Sect instantly turned pale, his demeanor tensing to the extreme.


    One must know that warriors of the Vajra Stage, built as tough as bronze and iron, were exceedingly rare even within the Holy Shadows Sect, with not a single one internally as tough as a barbaric dragon.


    It could be said that Wulna was a crucially important young genius within the Holy Shadows Sect.


    Yet now, he was sent flying by a punch from a mere outer Gang Qi Stage youth from the Jing Tian Department?


    The ck-robed elder of the Holy Shadows Sect couldn''tprehend it at all.


    Concerned that something might happen to Wulna, he shed towards him to check his status, but at this moment, Chen Yu said, "Old guy, if you leave, he''s as good as dead!"


    Hearing this, the Holy Shadows Sect''s ck-robed elder''s gaze wavered, hesitating as he looked at the Red me Demon Sect warrior who was battling Chen Yu at the Gang Qi Stage.


    Just moments ago, he had been threatening Chen Yu, holding him back from leaving. Unexpectedly, in the blink of an eye, their roles were reversed.


    "What are you thinking? If I die, we are certain to lose today without doubt!" the outer Gang Qi Stage warrior of the Red me Demon Sect roared loudly.


    At that time, wisps of ck energy emerged from the pores of the not-far-distant Wulna, and his injuries were healing at a tremendous speed.


    Seeing this, the ck-robed elder rxed, turning his head to continue dealing with Chen Yu.


    Wulna, who was already over three meters tall, now grew even taller, resembling a small giant as he looked down upon Gu Chen and coldly dered, "Die!"


    Empowered with the force of demonic spirits, his strength surged once again, reaching 120,000 jin. He refused to believe Gu Chen could withstand it!


    Simultaneously, other martial warriors from the demon sects coordinated their attacks on Gu Chen, with warriors from the Holy Shadows Sect casting secret spells at a distance to curse Gu Chen and disrupt his mind and spirit.


    Vajra Stage warriors from the Red me Demon Sect killed their way to close quarters, joining Wulna in the encirclement and assault of Gu Chen.


    There were also some outer Gang Qi Stage warriors at a distance unleashing distracting strikes at Gu Chen.


    Facing all this, Gu Chen remained calm and collected. He nced around and said indifferently, "A rabble."


    As soon as his words fell and Wulna''s attack reached him, the countless strands of Gangqi within Gu Chen''s body, which had been condensed to a single point, suddenly burst forth. The explosive wave of energy blew away Wulna and those Vajra Stage warriors.


    At the same time, an impressive and ancient golden bell abruptly surfaced around Gu Chen''s body, more majestic and profound than the protective Golden Bell Shield created by the martial skill earlier. Each line on the great bell seemed to bear the weight of years, as if a world-protecting bell from a holy Buddhist mountain had descended into the mortal world.


    "The Golden Bell Shield has such tremendous power?" Cui Yu and Deng Zi An exchanged puzzled nces, surprised at the extraordinary strength of this martial skill wielded by Gu Chen.


    Chen Yu was also taken aback but remained silent.


    On the surface of the golden bell, a dragon and tiger shadow coiled, the protective Golden Bell Shield enveloping Gu Chen within. At this moment, he was impervious to all attacks, in an absolute state of defense.


    Dong!


    The Protective Golden Bell trembled lightly, emitting an immense and distant chime, akin to dawn bells and dusk drums. Ripples appeared in the void, the sound waves mingling within, and with a ''puff'', dozens of demon sect warriors exploded into dust on the spot.


    In another direction, several ck-robed warriors of the Holy Shadows Sect, just as they were about tounch a curse to kill Gu Chen, heard the grand tolling of the bell. They shuddered, vomited blood, and theirplexions quickly fell.


    Only the leading warrior of the Holy Shadows Sect, possessed by a demonic spirit, seemed somewhat better off.


    This was the might of a Superior Martial Skill, the Dragon Roar Tiger Howl Golden Bell Shield!


    Having only a preliminary grasp, its mystical qualities were already emerging, hinting at the profoundness within. With this skill, even faced with a thousand warriors of lesser cultivation, Gu Chen was inherently invincible.


    Unless Wulna reached the robustness of a barbaric dragon, he definitely wouldn''t be a match for Gu Chen.


    But Wulna wouldn''t concede. Roaring, he charged at Gu Chen again and again. Meanwhile, observing Gu Chen standing there like a war deity, the remaining fighters of the Red me Demon Sect grew timid, thoughts of flight shing through their minds.


    Speckles of golden light fell from the Protective Golden Bell, rendering Gu Chen extraordinarily radiant at this moment, as if a golden-armored war god from the heavens had descended. Merely standing there, he emitted a terrifying majesty that forbade direct sight and inspired fear.


    Dong!


    Wulna punched at the golden bell enveloping Gu Chen''s body. The Protective Golden Bell trembled lightly, emitting a faint chime. Gu Chen stood his ground, while Wulna was sent flying by the rebounding force of the bell.


    This was one of the abilities of the Superior Martial Skill, Dragon Roar Tiger Howl Golden Bell Shield: damage rebound.


    However, this skill was only at a preliminary level, capable of rebounding less than half of the power. Should it reachpletion, it could reflect an opponent''s attack in full, allowing Wulna to inflict serious injuries on himself.


    Regardless, relying on the power from possessing demonic spirits to repair his body, Wulna charged repeatedly, refusing to admit defeat, insisting on contending with Gu Chen.


    And so, a peculiar scene unfolded on the battlefield¡ªagain and again, Wulna struck and was repelled, over and over.


    Witnessing this, Chen Yu smiled, looking at the people from the Holy Shadows Sect. "This is your genius? Truly unable to withstand a single blow!"


    The faces of the demon sect members darkened, silent, for they could hardly imagine that a victory once so close at hand was now ruined by the emergence of Gu Chen.


    Could a lone external Gang Qi Stage warrior really hold off a thousand?


    Even for those demon sect warriors possessed by demonic spirits, such a feat was utterly impossible!


    "Retreat!" Bellowed the ck-robed elder of the Holy Shadows Sect, ready to withdraw.


    But then, Chen Yu''s eyes sharpened as he coldly dered, "You think you can juste and go as you please? What kind of ce do you think this is?"


    The faces of the demon sect members shifted, but they knew too well that today, with Gu Chen here, they definitely couldn''t breach the city of Xu''an County.


    "Wulna, retreat!" the ck-robed elder of the Holy Shadows Sect shouted urgently.


    Wulna was the Holy Shadows Sect''s genius and could not be allowed to fall here¡ªan oue the sect could not ept.


    "Kill him!" Chen Yu also saw the importance of Wulna to the Holy Shadows Sect and directly ordered Gu Chen not to hold back any longer, to y him.


    After hearing Chen Yu''s order, Gu Chen no longer continued to test the strength of the "Roaring Dragon and Roaring Tiger Golden Bell Shield," a Superior Martial Skill.


    Dong!


    The prolonged sound of a bell tolled again, even louder than before. Numerous evil cultists clutched their ears as some bodies burst on the spot, while others bled from all seven orifices.


    Zheng!


    Between heaven and earth, a clear and cold sword cry resonated, and Gu Chen stood his ground, his protective Golden Bell Shield deflecting all attacks and securing an invincible position from the outset.


    At the same time, his ten fingers continuously pressed upon the void, killing enemies as if strumming a harp, with sword qi of varying power characteristics shooting out one after another like the scythe of the Grim Reaper, relentlessly reaping the lives of many evil cultists on the battlefield.


    "Run!"


    Witnessing this scene, the cultists were terrified and paled, spirits all but fled, neglecting all else and madly running away as if trying to outdo each other.


    At that moment, they only wished they had more than two legs and envied not having a pair of hidden wings, for they couldn''t run fast enough.


    But how could their speedpare to that of Gu Chen''s sword qi? With a mere flick of his fingers, the lives of several individuals were snuffed out in an instant, killing just as effortlessly as mowing grass.


    At this time, Wulna, feeling defiant, didn''t flee but charged at Gu Chen again.


    This time, Gu Chen didn''t hold back. His surging inner breath circted within him, a tumultuous aura coalescing in his left hand. As he slowly clenched his fingers, it seemed as though the entire world was condensed into his fist.


    "Die!"


    With a soft shout from Gu Chen, his cold voice echoed between heaven and earth, a terrifying burst of punch light suddenly appeared, piercing the void and spanning across the cosmos.


    Pu!


    In the blink of an eye, Wulna''s entire body exploded, his strong and robust frame reduced to dust by Gu Chen''s punch in an instant.


    "No¡ªWulna!"


    The elders of the Holy Shadows Sect nearly split their eyes and howled to the sky, their sect''s prodigy had fallen!


    "I said today you too must die!"


    Chen Yu''s aura was icy as he brought his palms together, the five colors of Gangqi orbiting his body. He manipted the sword with his qi, forming a great sword of thunder, cleaving at his foe.


    Pu!


    This was a sword stroke containing the entirety of Chen Yu''s life''s strength. In an instant, the ck-robed elder of the Holy Shadows Sect was split in two.


    The remaining Gang Qi Stage cultists from the evil sects all turned pale, losing any will to fight and turned to flee.


    "Pursue!"


    Deng Zi An and Cui Yu shouted coldly, directly giving chase.


    On another front, Gu Chen too was reaping the battlefield, especially those evil cultists fused with demons; he wouldn''t let any of them go.


    But s, such individuals were too few. The Holy Shadows Sect only had two, and the Red me Demon Sect had just one. Gu Chen ughtered his way through, and none of the evil cultists, except for those in the Gang Qi Stage, could match him¡ªhe was like a war deity descended, killing them with as little effort as blowing away dust.


    As for these evil sect members, Gu Chen felt not a speck of guilt for killing any number of them.


    After all, in his eyes, they were no longer human. Having ughtered tens of thousands of civilians, they were no different from cattle.


    It didn''t take long for this battle to draw towards its end.


    Although the defense of the county city was sessful with Gu Chen''s help, Jing Tian Department, or rather Da Xia, still paid a significant price.


    The fight inside the city soon came to an end as well. Fortunately, Chen Yu had made good preparations, having Huang Xiu stay in the city the whole time, which prevented the Gang Qi Stage cultist who had sneaked through the tunnels from seeding.


    Upon learning of their victory, all the soldiers and the remaining forces of the Jing Tian Department cheered aloud. Experience new stories with m v|-NovelBin


    For the soldiers in the county city, this battle was unlike any they had experienced before, with the devious methods of the demons leaving manyrades to die without understanding how, keeping them in a constant state of fear, unsure of when they would be next.


    Now that the battle was over, everyone needed to vent properly.


    "We''ve won, we''ve won!"


    "We have triumphed!"


    People cheered, and Chen Yu, Deng Zi An, and Cui Yu all watched the scene with smiles in their eyes.


    Of course, their eyes also revealed an undeniable exhaustion.


    "Today, you did very well!" Chen Yu patted Gu Chen on the shoulder.


    Even Deng Zi An and Cui Yu, who had only recently met him, looked at Gu Chen with smiling faces, clearly very pleased with him.


    "He is our hero!"


    Before Gu Chen could respond, Chen Yu suddenly pointed at him, and Gu Chen paused in surprise.


    Many had seen Gu Chen''s god-of-war-like pursuit and ughter of the countless evil cultists; it had been an utterly one-sided battle.


    Without Gu Chen''s intervention, they would never have won this battle, nor would they be here now.


    "Hero, hero!"


    The surviving soldiers gathered around and with joyful faces surrounded Gu Chen, then enthusiastically threw him into the air.


    They celebrated the victory of the battle in this most primal way.


    Meanwhile, news of the victory spread at lightning speed toward Tiandu!

 Chapter 129: Chapter 121: Famous in Tiandu_1

    Tiandu, Imperial City, Eastern Pce.


    Da Xia''s Crown Prince, approaching thirty, resided in the Eastern Pce. Dressed in a bright yellow dragon robe, he had a fair and handsome face with gentle lines, a prominent nose, and deep-set eyes, resembling the current Emperor by about seventy percent.


    At this moment, dressed in a green robe, King Huai, refined and gentle, was seated to the side as the two were discussing something.


    Even though King Huai had already transferred his powers, entrusting the role of regent to the Crown Prince, the Crown Prince had been brought up by King Huai himself. As such, when faced with difficult decisions, the Crown Prince would often summon King Huai to the pce for consultation.


    At that time, the Crown Prince seemed to remember something and suddenly asked, "Uncle, how is the situation in Xu''an County now?"


    The Red me Demon Sect had massacred five cities of Da Xia, with hundreds of thousands of civilians dead, an action of extremely malicious nature. This news had spread throughout thend, and as the Crown Prince, he was naturally very concerned.


    King Huai frowned slightly and said, "Chen Yu has already sent several messages to the Jing Tian Department asking for help. The situation is not optimistic. The Jing Tian Department has already suppressed the sudden emergence of demons in various regions with the fastest speed and is leading a joint army towards Xu''an County."


    The Crown Prince''s expression changed, "Does that mean the county is at risk of falling?"


    King Huai remained silent, nodding his head. After Chen Yu had sent back the information and requested aid, he had already prepared for the worst.


    The Six Union God Sect not only controlled the method of merging with demons but could even manipte them to a certain extent.


    At present, demons were appearing everywhere in Shen Zhou, causing chaos. The situation forced the Jing Tian Department to dispatch forces to suppress them.


    "What is your opinion, Uncle, on the strength of the Six Union God Sect, now that they have re-emerged?" asked the Crown Prince.


    Currently, there was peace in the nine provinces thanks to the Jing Tian Department, but the emergence of the Six Union God Sect had disrupted this delicate bnce, plunging the world into turmoil once again.


    King Huai said, "The Demon Sect wouldn''t dare be so brazen without several Xiantian-stage martial arts grandmasters to back them up. Their act of ughtering five of our Da Xia''s cities in session is not just dering war on Da Xia; it''s also announcing their return to the nine provinces."


    Now among all the forces in the entire nine provinces, excluding the six major sacrednds that did not concern themselves with worldly matters, Da Xia''s strength was undoubtedly the strongest.


    As long as the Six Union God Sect could defeat Da Xia, they would have the capacity to contend for dominance over the nine provinces and rule the world.


    After all, there were very few grandmasters at the Xiantian Stage, even for Da Xia at its peak of national power.


    The Crown Prince said with some regret, "It''s a pity that Father Emperor is still in seclusion. Otherwise, if the Father Emperor woulde out of seclusion, these demons would not dare to be so bold and would forever have to hide in the shadows."


    King Huai looked deeply into the mountains behind the royal pce, "No one knows what the Emperor is thinking. He''s been in secluded cultivation for twenty-three years. It would be excellent if he could break through to the Heavenly Human Stage. By then, even the six major sacrednds would have to bow down to Da Xia, and the whole nine provinces could achieve unprecedented unity."


    The Crown Prince sighed, "The Heavenly Human Stage..."


    His martial talent was simr to King Huai''s, not very remarkable, and with the burden of state affairs, his cultivation had only reached the External Qi Stage, bolstered by various pills.


    However, his ability to govern was strong, and with a benevolent and open-minded character, he was the Emperor''s choice for Crown Prince over the eldest imperial son¡ªanother significant reason.


    Of course, even to this day, the eldest imperial son harbored resentment, and the rtionship between the two was not good.


    Even so, while not focused on martial practice, the Crown Prince was aware of what reaching the Heavenly Human Stage represented. Once the Emperor reached the Heavenly Human Stage, unification of thend under one rule would be inevitable.


    By then, even demons would be no cause for fear as a Heavenly Human Stage martial artist would be enough to guard the nine provinces and protect this world.


    Regrettably, since the ancient times, the world had changed drastically. Tens of thousands of years had passed, and no martial artist had reached the Heavenly Human Stage. In the nine provinces, it had be a legend.


    "Uncle, if Xu''an County falls, what should we do?" Worry flickered in the Crown Prince''s eyes. Since taking on the role of regent, he had never encountered such a significant event. If mishandled, it would greatly affect him.


    Even some who coveted his position might take the opportunity to emerge, fabricating harmful rumors about him among the popce.


    Before the current Emperor went into seclusion, he had always taught the Crown Prince that only with the people''s hearts can one be unstoppable.


    Though an emperor sits high above, he must always be vignt and must never lose the people''s hearts. The people''s hearts are the foundation. Once lost, the seemingly prosperous and mighty Da Xia could copse in an instant.


    This saying was something the Crown Prince always remembered to this day, constantly reminding himself to be a benevolent ruler, always putting the people first.


    At that moment, King Huai spoke solemnly, "Your Highness, chaos will rise throughout thend soon. Please prepare early."


    Upon hearing this, the Crown Prince was deeply shaken, his brows heavy with concern.


    Seeing this, King Huai''s brow furrowed slightly. The sessor chosen by the Emperor was good in many aspects, but there was one point that King Huai found to be particrly unsatisfactory¡ªhis hesitancy andck of decisiveness.


    "Your Highness, Lord, I have an urgent report."


    Just then, a eunuch appeared at the entrance of the hall. He knelt down with a plop, his eyes brimming with irrepressible joy.


    The Crown Prince frowned, "What is it?"


    The eunuch lifted his head, speaking excitedly, "Your Highness, great joy, great joy!"


    King Huai raised his brow, seemingly guessing something, "Is there news from Xu''an County?"


    The eunuch nodded vigorously. The Crown Prince, seeing this, urged, "You ve, speak quickly!"


    "Your Highness, Lord, there has been a great victory in Xu''an County. Commander Chen has won, the Demon Sect has been defeated and fled!"


    The eunuch spoke rapidly as if firing a string of cannonballs, rying Chen Yu''s message that had quickly reached Tiandu.


    After all, for such a significant event, Chen Yu needed to inform the Jing Tian Department first, as well as the court.


    At that moment, the Crown Prince spoke up, interrupting, "Wait, what did you say? A second-ranked Metropolitan Procurator from the Jing Tian Department held off thousands alone, one person against a thousand from the Demon Sect?"


    King Huai also frowned slightly, wondering if this was an exaggeration.


    A Second-Rank Metropolitan Procurator, a martial artist of the External Qi Stage, single-handedly holding off a thousand?


    What a joke! Not to mention those at the External Qi Stage, even martial artists at the Vajra Stage couldn''t do it, unless they reached the third level of the Vajra Stage, with a body as robust as a wild dragon and a never-ending flow of brute strength; only then would it be a remote possibility.


    The Crown Prince also found it hard to believe and asked, "Are you certain?"


    The eunuch who came to deliver the message hesitated slightly but still said, "This servant is certain. That''s exactly what was written in the letter Master Chen sent back. Would Your Highnesses like to take a look for yourselves?"


    Then, he presented the letter for King Huai and the Crown Prince to review.


    "So it''s Gu Chen!" King Huai suddenly understood.


    The Crown Prince, looking at King Huai, asked with a puzzled tone, "Uncle, you know of this man?"


    King Huai smiled slightly, not expecting Gu Chen to have grown so quickly. It wasn''t long since theirst meeting, and yet Gu Chen had given him such a big surprise.


    It appeared he was indeed a talent worth recruiting.


    Thereupon, King Huai said to the Crown Prince, "Your Highness, if all goes as expected, this man is likely the legendary martial genius born with martial body. It won''t be long before Da Xia has another Guardian General."


    "Oh? Uncle, are your words in earnest?!" The Crown Prince eximed, his spirits lifting at the news.


    The importance of a Guardian General from the Jing Tian Department to Da Xia was self-evident, for they were the mighty warriors who could preside over an entire province.


    King Huai nodded slightly and said, "It''s true. How else could he possess such strength if not for being born with a martial body?"


    "Good, good! When he returns, this pce must reward him handsomely!" The Crown Prince''s face was brimming with a thick smile.


    "Of course!" agreed King Huai.


    At this moment, the Jing Tian Department had also received the news from Chen Yu, and countless people across Tiandu were awaiting news from Xu''an County because the matter had vast implications.


    Right away, the Crown Prince ordered the news to be released, and the first to be informed were those royal and noble court officials.


    "What? To fight a thousand single-handedly, one man equal to an army?"


    "Since when did the Jing Tian Department produce such a monstrous talent, a warrior at the External Qi Stage taking on a thousand soldiers by himself, is it real or fake?"


    "Gu Chen, isn''t that the same young fellow that Commander Chen brought to Duke of the Liang State''s mansionst time? Does he possess such formidable strength?"


    The various court officials and nobles were all discussing it, and even the Duke of the Liang State''s mansion had received the news.


    At that moment, the Duke of the Liang State said to Lu Xin, "Chen Yu has sent back news. There was a great victory in Xu''an County. Gu Chen alone held off a thousand, he alone annihted nearly a thousand rebels of the Red me Demon Sect."


    Upon hearing this, Lu Xin''s eyes widened in shock, and she covered her mouth with her hand, utterly astounded.


    Evenmon folk had heard of this news. The great victory in Xu''an County and the tale of Gu Chen fighting a thousand had spread quickly from one to ten, ten to a hundred, and in no time, everyone in Tiandu, high and low, from royals and nobles to ordinary citizens, knew of it.


    After all, following the demon sect''s ughter within the city, countless people were eagerly anticipating how Da Xia would react, especially ordinary citizens who paid the most attention to such news.


    "Have you heard? Lord Gu of the Jing Tian Department from Tiandu, in Xu''an County, took on a thousand enemies by himself and killed over a thousand people¡ªtruly, a sight of rolling heads!"


    "Nonsense! I heard that Master Gu faced ten thousand enemies, ying over ten thousand of them himself!"


    "You''re talking rubbish. Where would the demon sect get so many people? Even his de would have be blunt from killing ten thousand enemies. Both of you are wrong!"


    "What did you hear, then?"


    "I heard that Master Gu Chen took down thousands of the enemy with a single sword strike. His sword light is like a surprising heron or a flying immortal. In a mere instant, heads rolled, and all enemies bowed in submission."


    As the news spread further and further, more and more people learned of it, and with each retelling, it became more distorted.


    There were tales of Gu Chen ying hundreds of enemies, others of thousands, and some even said Gu Chen''s sword so terrified the enemies that they died of fright at the mere sight of its sh.


    The most oundish ims were the versions where Gu Chen was said to have in tens of thousands of enemies through a single sword strike; even Gu Chen would have to shake his head at these stories.


    The news reached outside the walls of Tiandu, where Gu Chengfeng was on patrol. Suddenly, a colleague approached him.


    "Old Gu, did you hear? Your nephew disyed divine prowess in Xu''an County, with one sword strike ughtering tens of thousands!"


    Gu Chengfeng was startled by thement and said, "What did you say?"


    It left him dumbfounded. His nephew ying tens of thousands with a single sword strike? Could it be true or was the person who said this not fully awake yet?


    He knew Gu Chen all too well; how could he possibly have that kind of strength?


    Seeing Gu Chengfeng''s disbelief, his colleague said, "Still don''t believe it? Isn''t your nephew named Gu Chen, the one who went with the Jing Tian Department to Xu''an County?"


    Gu Chengfeng, looking bewildered, nodded.


    The colleague continued, "Then there''s no mistake. Unless it''s a coincidental namesake, it must be your nephew, no doubts about it. The news came from the Eastern Pce; the Crown Prince wouldn''t deceive us. Now the word has spread. Your nephew, Gu Chen, with a soul-chasing sword strike, has in tens of thousands!"


    "My nephew, Gu Chen, ying tens of thousands with a single strike, saving Xu''an County?" Gu Chengfeng murmured in a low voice, repeating the words until, finally, his expression turned to exhration, and he couldn''t even care about his patrol any longer. He rushed home to tell his wife and daughters the news.


    Indeed, because of this, Gu Chen had officially made a name for himself in Tiandu. His legend reached every echelon, from the lords and generals to themoners and the poor, everyone knew of Gu Chen.


    Everybody was now aware that this Master Gu, with a soul-chasing sword strike, could take on ten thousand enemies single-handedly!

 Chapter 130: Chapter 122: Imperial Reward (Three more ten thousand words, please subscribe!)_1

    Yan State, DaHuang Mansion, the border.


    Yan State was located in the western part of the Nine Provinces, and beyond its borderid the endless, undting Hundred Thousand Mountains.


    The climate at the border was particrly strange and changeable, scorching hot during the day, yet it transformed into bitter winter at night as temperatures plummeted drastically.


    Therefore, the people living here usually had some level of martial cultivation, as without it, they couldn''t withstand the unpredictable climate.


    It was said that beyond the border, the environment and climate within the Hundred Thousand Mountains were several times more severe than here, infested with countless venomous insects and ferocious beasts, unsuitable for the Human n to inhabit.


    That ce belonged to the barbarians, and it was precisely to deter them that Da Xia stationed troops at the border, with such a capable military leader as Marquis of Pingxi, Cao Shuang, in charge.


    Because of the erratic climate and harsh environment of the Hundred Thousand Mountains, the barbarians would asionally raid Da Xia''s borders to loot food supplies.


    The lifelong goal of the barbarians was to break through the Hundred Thousand Mountains and upy the Nine Provinces.


    In the eyes of the barbarians, even the bordends with their harsh climate were a thousand times, no, ten thousand times better than the conditions within the Hundred Thousand Mountains, where they couldn''t farm and could only survive by hunting venomous creatures and beasts.


    One could say that the barbarians led a life far inferior to that of the Human n, surviving almost primitively on raw meats and bloods, so their yearning for the Nine Provinces was hardly surprising.


    Before the old emperor passed away, the barbarians indeedunched an attack on Da Xia and even nearly captured Yan State.


    Fortunately, the current Emperor, unrivaled in the Nine Provinces, ascended the throne and cleared the Eight Destions, swept through the Six Harmonies, and with his peerless martial cultivation, along with the Jing Tian Department, drove the barbarians back deep into the Hundred Thousand Mountains.


    If not for the treacherous nature of the Hundred Thousand Mountains, it was possible that the Emperor of Da Xia himself would have led troops deep into them to eradicate the barbarianspletely.


    But as a result, the barbarians had been quiet for nearly twenty years until recently, when the Emperor of Da Xia remained in seclusion with no news from him, emboldening them to extend their reach beyond the Hundred Thousand Mountains and harass the border once again.


    At this moment, within a military tent at the border, a man wearing armor, with a heroic appearance and distinct facial features, was presiding over the location.


    He exuded a serene aura without leaking a trace of Gangqi, and his mere presence, like a towering mountain, brought an extraordinary sense of security.


    This man was none other than Marquis of Pingxi, Cao Shuang, who, by the decree of the current Emperor of the Human n, was responsible for defending the border and deterring the barbarians.


    Right now, this Marquis of Pingxi was perusing the archives, which contained recent movements of the barbarians.


    Suddenly, the tent p opened, and a burly figure, dressed in heavy armor, strode in.


    "Lord Marquis!"


    The man approached, knelt on one knee, and performed a salute to the Marquis of Pingxi seated at the head of the tent, showing great respect for Cao Shuang.


    "What is it?" Marquis of Pingxi''s face was firm, his skin a bronze hue, and his eyes alone revealed a character of extreme resilience¡ªthere was little in this world that could shake his spirit.


    The armored man hesitated, taking quite some time before he spoke, finding it for the first time difficult to broach a subject with Marquis of Pingxi.


    "Stop beating around the bush, Xu Wei. Just speak, what has happened?" Marquis of Pingxi, Cao Shuang, said indifferently.


    Xu Wei, the man in heavy armor, took a deep breath, his rugged face speaking in a deep voice, "Lord Marquis, news hase from Tiandu...your son, he...he has had an ident."


    Upon hearing this, Marquis of Pingxi remained unflustered, not even lifting his head as he inquired, "What kind of trouble has Zhen''er gotten into? Did he provoke someone in Tiandu, or offend someone?"


    "Your son... he... has been sacrificed," Xu Wei chose his words carefully before speaking.


    For a rough man like Xu Wei, reporting such news was mentally exhausting, putting him in a difficult position.


    Suddenly, Xu Wei''s breathing becamebored, feeling a crushing weight descending upon his shoulders as the air itself seemed to freeze, almost ttening him to the ground.


    The immense pressure, like a mountain falling upon him, was unbearable even for someone of the Gang Qi Stage like Xu Wei, causing hisplexion to redden and his bones to creak under the strain.


    "Lord Marquis..." Xu Wei''s face flushed as he struggled with great difficulty to utter those two words.


    At his words, the terrifying pressure in the tent dissipated instantly, the air resumed its flow, and Xu Wei felt the weight lift off his shoulders.


    He felt as though he had returned from hell to the realm of the living. In just a few short moments, he was drenched in cold sweat and now breathed heavily.


    Cao Zhen was Marquis of Pingxi''s legitimate son and his only offspring, the one who was destined to seed his title and continue the Cao family legacy.


    Moreover, Marquis of Pingxi held great expectations for Cao Zhen, who indeed lived up to them, never disappointing him in either martial cultivation or military leadership.


    He had already regarded Cao Zhen as his sessor, and it was for this reason that he had sent Cao Zhen to Tiandu¡ªto establish his own connections there before seeding the title.


    He didn''t want his son to be like him, spending all his days stationed in this deste and frigid ce, day in and day out, year after year.


    But now, he was being told that his cherished son was dead?


    Xu Wei was terrified. In all the years he had known him, he rarely saw Marquis of Pingxi loseposure. Although Cao Shuang remained silent, Xu Wei could sense that at this moment, Cao Shuang was like a live volcano, poised to erupt at any second.


    No one could withstand the wrath of Marquis of Pingxi, and Xu Wei was no exception. As he trembled in fear, he suddenly heard Cao Shuang say, "What exactly happened? Tell me every detail."


    The voice of the Marquis sounded as usual, but there was a subtle quiver within it, a clear sign of the turmoil in his heart.


    Subsequently, Xu Wei ryed the intelligence he had gathered to the Marquis of Pingxi in great detail. Enjoy more content from mvl


    At the end, he said, "Lord Marquis, this time the failure lies with Huang Xiu and the guards of the Jing Tian Department. We have helped Da Xia defend its borders for many years without a hint of reward, not to mention the young lord lost his life after visiting Tiandu. The court and the Jing Tian Department must give us an exnation!"


    The Marquis of Pingxi did not respond but instead asked, "What about Cao Ying?"


    Cao Ying was the Vajra Stage consummate personal guard by Cao Zhen''s side. He was an orphan taken in by the Marquis of Pingxi. Due to his good performance and outstanding abilities, he was given the surname "Cao" and named Cao Ying, which means the shadow of Cao Zhen for life.


    Xu Wei knelt on one knee, head bowed, and said, "Cao Ying is still alive. At that time, the young lord gave him another task, which is why he could not stay by the young lord''s side. If he had been there, the young lord might very well not have died."


    "Lord Marquis, Cao Ying is prepared to die a hundred deaths for this. He has sent word that he is willing to die, but before he does, he wants to kill someone."


    "Kill whom?" The voice of the Marquis of Pingxi showed no hint of pleasure or anger, returning to its usual calm.


    "A man by the name of Gu Chen, the Metropolitan Procurator of the Jing Tian Department, had some conflict with the young lord in Tiandu. It was to deal with this person that the young lord asked Cao Ying to leave temporarily." Then, Xu Wei recounted the grudge between Gu Chen and Cao Zhen to the Marquis of Pingxi, omitting no detail.


    After Xu Wei finished speaking, a prolonged silence fell over the tent. After a long while, the Marquis of Pingxi spoke in a somber tone, "Zhen''s death is shrouded in mysteries. Tell Cao Ying he need not die. Let him remain in Tiandu and investigate this matter thoroughly for me. Once everything is clear, it will not be toote for him to atone with his death."


    He knew the life-saving tricks Cao Zhen possessed. Even besieged by four Vajra Stage martial artists of the demonic sect, Cao Zhen would have had a chance to escape.


    Xu Wei hesitated before asking, "Should we have Cao Ying kill Gu Chen and his entire family?"


    Upon hearing this, the Marquis of Pingxi fell silent for a moment before replying, "No need for now. First, have him thoroughly investigate the matter."


    "Yes!"


    Xu Wei fist-palmed, then slowly backed away, leaving the Marquis of Pingxi once again alone in the tent.


    "My son, no matter who it is, as long as they had the slightest connection to your death, I will not let them go. Do not rush on the road to theherworld. Take your time. Your father will send them to apany you."


    ...


    In Tiandu, the early morning imperial court session.


    In the imperial pce''s grand hall, civil and military officials were lined up in two rows. Crown Prince Ji Yuan, donned in a bright yellow dragon robe, was seated above the Jinluan Hall, overseeing his ministers.


    "This time, the members of the Jing Tian Department have made great contributions in the battle at Xu''an County. All of you present here are the pirs of Da Xia. What do you think should be the way to acknowledge their merits and reward them?"


    A civil official stepped forward and said, "Your Highness, the court already provides the Jing Tian Department with ample resources every year, and monitoring thends is part of their duty. In my humble opinion, there''s no need for rewards; a few words of oralmendation should suffice."


    "I concur."


    "I concur."


    One by one, the civil officials stepped out, expressing agreement. The court has always had some friction between civil and military officials, and Da Xia tended toward emphasizing the military over the civil. This was why the civil officials did not wish for the Crown Prince to reward the people from the Jing Tian Department.


    Moreover, the entire Tiandu, even the whole world, was now abuzz with this matter, especially regarding the Jing Tian Department''s second-ranked Metropolitan Procurator Gu Chen. His ''Soul Chasing Sword'' that slew tens of thousands has be a widely told tale, recounted over and over again by storytellers in Tiandu''s taverns.


    Even other governmental states have heard of this deed; its spread was extraordinary and fantastical.


    With such notoriety surpassing that of the court ministers, in their view, this was already the best form of reward.


    At this moment, the Duke of the Liang State stood up and said gravely, "Your Highness, I believe that rewards are due, and they must be generous, especially for Gu Chen, who was instrumental in this battle. To reward achievements and punish errors is the longstanding principle of Da Xia. Your Highness must not let this damage the hearts of the Jing Tian Department''s soldiers and officers."


    "Your Highness must be aware that once these hearts grow cold, it will be difficult to win them back."


    Hearing this, Crown Prince Ji Yuan nodded in agreement. The words of the Duke of the Liang resonated with his thoughts. Besides, Gu Chen and others did indeed save Xu''an County; failing to award them was truly unjustifiable.


    If it were so, who would be willing to serve Da Xia in the future?


    At this point, a first-rank minister stepped forward and said, "Although Chen Yu and others have merits, they also have faults. Chen Yu did not protect the people from the Martial Arts Hall well, and there were significant losses, including the legitimate son of the Marquis of Pingxi, who died in Xu''an County. What will the Marquis of Pingxi stationed at the border think?


    In my opinion, we should first stabilize the Marquis of Pingxi''s emotions."


    The Duke of the Liang State frowned slightly at these words.


    The Crown Prince also felt the situation was difficult. The Marquis of Pingxi was crucial to Da Xia, a piece that could not afford mistakes. The death of the Marquis of Pingxi''s legitimate son Cao Zhen was indeed a problem.


    "Royal Uncle, what do you think?" With no other options, the Crown Prince turned to King Huai for advice.


    King Huai, dressed in a python robe with handsome features and a schrly demeanor, spoke in a gentle voice, "As for the Marquis of Pingxi, I will handle it. Please rest assured, Your Highness."


    "Very well, then I''ll trouble Royal Uncle with this matter." Seeing King Huai take personal charge relieved the delight in the Crown Prince''s handsome face, easing some of his burden.


    The conversation continued as King Huai added, "Regarding the Jing Tian Department, I believe indeed we should reward them, especially Gu Chen, who was critical in this battle."


    "Royal Uncle, how do you think we should reward him?" The Crown Prince asked earnestly.


    "Just confer upon him a baronial title," King Huai replied indifferently.

 Chapter 131: Chapter 123 Promotion and Nobility_1

    Hearing that King Huai had spoken, on the court above, all the civil and military officials, no matter who they were, ceased to speak.


    The face of King Huai must be given where it''s due.


    In any case, all the civil and military officials were filled with awe towards King Huai.


    Soon, the morning court concluded, and the civil and military officials departed in session.


    The morning court did not involve members of the Jing Tian Department or the Mingjing Department; after all, these two institutions were somewhat special. Strictly speaking, they held no official positions in the court, and unless necessary, the deputy leader of Jing Tian Department and the four major inspectors of Mingjing Department did not attend court.


    Among them, figures such as Marquis of Wuwei and other nobles walked together, their expressions extremely somber.


    Because, after the battle in Xu''an County, these nobles had lost their sons. How could their expressions be anything but grim?


    After the court session, Uncle Dingyuan and others gathered together, each with an exceptionally grim face.


    "Huang Xiu, that waste!" Uncle Dingyuan raged.


    Although he had many wives and concubines, he had only one son, Liang Xu, just like Marquis of Pingxi to Cao Zhen. He had high hopes for Liang Xu.


    Now that Liang Xu was dead, Uncle Dingyuan felt that life was bleak, wondering if his vast estate would only be left to his daughter.


    The expression of Marquis of Wuwei was no better; although he had more than just Zhuo Zhibin as a descendant, Zhuo Zhibin was his eldest son. Having raised him for so many years, to lose him so suddenly, how could he bear it?


    The remaining nobles felt simrly, all of them loathed Huang Xiu deeply.


    As for Cao Zhen, they felt indifferent; although it was Cao Zhen who had proposed this ordeal, after all, even Cao Zhen himself had perished. What more could they me?


    Moreover, behind Cao Zhen stood Marquis of Pingxi, a Lord Marquis with great power in his grasp. He was not someone that Uncle Dingyuan and the others could afford to offend.


    Even the Duke of the Liang State couldn''t afford to offend Marquis of Pingxi.


    "Once Huang Xiu returns, I must ughter that bastard!" Marquis of Wuwei said angrily.


    "Huang Xiu is truly incapable. He couldn''t even handle such a simple task. And that Chen Yu, he really doesn''t take us seriously. He dared to let our descendants be on the front lines!" The nobles began using Chen Yu.


    Read exclusive chapters at mvl


    Of course, they could only talk about it among themselves. In the presence of Chen Yu, they would never dare to speak like this.


    Just then, a servant came to report that a guard of Cao Zhen hade to visit.


    Uncle Dingyuan and the others exchanged nces but still let the servant bring him in.


    The visitor was indeed Cao Zhen''s personal guard, Cao Ying.


    After learning of Cao Zhen''s death, Cao Ying, while filled with fear, immediately sent news to Marquis of Pingxi, and after understanding the relevant situation, rushed back to Tiandu with the greatest speed. In his raging fury, he intended to kill Gu Chen''s entire family as a sacrifice to Cao Zhen.


    But then, a message from Marquis of Pingxi stopped him, and he sought out Uncle Dingyuan and the others, wishing to join forces with them against Gu Chen.


    "May I know who you are?" Uncle Dingyuan and the others looked at Cao Ying with puzzled expressions; they had never seen Cao Ying before.


    "I am the personal guard of the young lord," Cao Ying said with a stern face.


    "May I ask why you havee?" After Cao Ying showed a token to verify his identity, Uncle Dingyuan and the others asked.


    "I am here to tell you that the deaths of the young lord, Liang Xu, and Zhuo Zhibin are rted to Gu Chen!" Cao Ying said solemnly.


    "What?!"


    At these words, Uncle Dingyuan and Marquis of Wuwei''s expressions instantly shifted.


    The two furrowed their brows and looked at Cao Ying, saying, "Your words must be true; do not deceive us. Our descendants were clearly killed by the warriors of the devil sect. Why do you say they''re rted to Gu Chen?"


    Cao Ying spoke coldly: "The young lord, Liang Xu, and Zhuo Zhibin had once conspired to kill Gu Chen. You must be aware of their grudges, I presume."


    Uncle Dingyuan and Marquis of Wuwei nodded. They had perceived as much during their visit to the Duke''s Mansion.


    "But that alone doesn''t prove that Gu Chen killed them, does it?" Uncle Dingyuan asked with a frown.


    The news that came back was clear; Cao Zhen, Liang Xu, and Zhuo Zhibin were all in by the devil sect''s warriors, in full view of an audience, many of whom saw it happen. This was an indisputable fact since Huang Xiu was present at the time.


    Cao Ying''s face darkened as he said, "But are you aware that they once pleaded for Gu Chen''s help? With Gu Chen''s strength, if he had wanted to save them, would they have died?"


    Upon hearing this, Uncle Dingyuan and Marquis of Wuwei''s expressions grew stern. This information was new to them; apparently, Chen Yu had deliberately concealed it.


    Furthermore, upon reflection, they concurred; with Gu Chen''s ability to withstand nearly a thousand warriors of the devil sect, how could he fail to save Cao Zhen and the others against only four of the sect''s warriors?


    "Are you suggesting that Gu Chen, taking advantage of past grudges, deliberately stood by and schemed against my son?" Uncle Dingyuan''s eyes turned cold.


    "Indeed, I am here on Lord Marquis''s orders to investigate the young lord''s cause of death, and I am certain that this matter cannot be separated from Gu Chen!" Cao Ying said decisively.


    A chill appeared in Uncle Dingyuan and Marquis of Wuwei''s eyes. If it were true, then they would certainly not let Gu Chen off the hook.


    They thought Gu Chen''s mind was too sinister, resorting to such methods to harm their offspring over some trivial grievances.


    Neither considered for a moment that the whole affair had nothing to do with Gu Chen; it was Cao Zhen and the others who had sought trouble with Gu Chen first and who had harbored the intent to kill him.


    Regarding the talk of Cao Zhen and the others plotting against Gu Chen, Uncle Dingyuan and the others conveniently ignored it.


    Moreover, even if it were so, how could it matter? Liang Xu and Zhuo Zhibin were their sons; could they favor Gu Chen over their own flesh and blood?

 Chapter 132: Chapter 123 - Promotion and Nobility_2

    This was clearly impossible.


    At this moment, a noble frowned and said, "However, King Huai and the Crown Prince have just decided to confer the title of viscount on Gu Chen, and now, thanks to his fame from the battle at Xu''an County, it''s probably not a good idea for us to move against him right now, is it?"


    "What, he was awarded a viscount title?!" Cao Ying, upon hearing this, a strong jealousy shed in his eyes.


    It was all Gu Chen''s fault that Cao Zhen died. Cao Ying knew that even if he could survive and return to the frontier, he would no longer be favored in this lifetime.


    Even worse, his end would likely be death; the Marquis of Pingxi might very well force him to take his own life.


    Whether Cao Zhen''s death had anything to do with Gu Chen or not, Cao Ying had made up his mind. He could not allow the Marquis of Pingxi to think his protection was insufficient; he had to shift most of the me onto Gu Chen, giving the Marquis of Pingxi an outlet for his wrath.


    Otherwise, it would be Cao Ying himself who bore the brunt of the Marquis of Pingxi''s fury, and he was all too aware of the Marquis''s fearsome nature.


    If he had to die, Cao Ying was resolved to drag Gu Chen down with him, for if not for Gu Chen, he would never have left Cao Zhen''s side.


    Therefore, Cao Ying ced all the me on Gu Chen''s shoulders.


    Upon hearing Cao Ying''s words, Uncle Dingyuan and the Marquis of Wuwei were also filled with suspicion. They had their own resentments toward Chen Yu and Gu Chen, but since their reputations in Tiandu were at their peak, and Gu Chen had been conferred a noble title, they had held their tongues in court.


    With a cold face, Uncle Dingyuan said, "Now that this little bastard has been conferred a title, he is no longer amoner. His status has be as noble as ours."


    The Marquis of Wuwei said, "In this case, it won''t be easy to deal with him anymore. Should we stop his ennoblement? We could go find King Huai and the Crown Prince now and inform them of the situation?"


    "That''s not advisable," Uncle Dingyuan stopped the Marquis of Wuwei, saying, "After all, we were not present at the scene, and our words won''t count for much. Besides, King Huai and the Crown Prince have already issued the order¡ªwe can''t embarrass His Highness now. Once Huang Xiu returns, I will personally question him.


    If it''s true that Gu Chen stood by and did nothing, even if it costs me my title, I will have him buried with my son!"


    The Marquis of Wuwei nodded, believing about seven-tenths of what Cao Ying said and reserving three-tenths of doubt. Who knew if Cao Ying was simply using them as pawns.


    The specific details, as Uncle Dingyuan had said, still required waiting for Huang Xiu''s return and further inquiry before making a decision.


    Afterward, they discussed the matter at length once again.


    ...


    Seven dayster, Chen Yu and the three Commanders returned to Tiandu with Gu Chen and his troops.


    The reason they had returned to Tiandu sote was that, after repelling the demonic martial artists, they fortified the county town for a few days to prevent their return. Only after the arrival of therge army along with the new County Protector did Chen Yu lead Gu Chen and the others to leave.


    Once back in Tiandu, the group first returned to Jing Tian Department. Chen Yu, Deng Zi An, and Cui Yu personally reported the situation to the high-ranking officials of Jing Tian Department and the court.


    At the same time, they were informed of their own personal rewards from the court, which were nothing more than some silver and silk fabrics, while Jing Tian Department internally granted them corresponding merits.


    The first-tier and second-tier Metropolitan Procurators received the same, all but Gu Chen, whose name was not mentioned.


    This immediately made everyone curious; Xu Qing, Song Yu, and Wang Yan all looked at Chen Yu with puzzled faces, as it was Chen Yu who announced this news to them.


    "Boss, what about Gu Chen?" asked Song Yu.


    Chen Yu gave a mysterious smile and said to Gu Chen, "You''ll find out when you get home."


    Seeing this, Gu Chen was instantly puzzled but didn''t say much. He did indeed miss home after being away for so long and his uncles family must have been worried sick.


    In fact, Gu Chen wasn''t very concerned about the court''s rewards. After all, for him, no amount of wealth was that useful¡ªwhat he needed, he could obtain through merits in Jing Tian Department.


    "Alright, everyone is dismissed. You''ve been away from home for so long, you must all be missing it," said Chen Yu, granting them a full three days of leave.


    Despite having rested for a few days in the county town, upon their return to Tiandu, they all felt a wave of exhaustion, including Gu Chen.


    Soon, everyone dispersed. After arranging to meet Xu Qing, Song Yu, and Wang Yan for drinks the next day, Gu Chen hastened towards the outer city, returning to Gu Mansion.


    There was some distance between the inner and outer city, and at that moment, Gu Chen once again contemted buying a residence in the inner city, so he wouldn''t have to shuttle back and forth.


    When he arrived at Gu Mansion, the doorkeeper, Uncle Zhang, saw Gu Chen and rejoiced loudly, shouting, "The eldest young master has returned, the eldest young master is back!"


    At these words, everyone in Gu Mansion rushed out, as if expecting Gu Chen''s return today, including Gu Chengfeng.


    "Eldest young master, you''ve finally returned!" When Gu Chengfeng saw that Gu Chen was safe and sound, he instantly breathed a sigh of relief.


    No matter how powerful Gu Chen was, as long as he returned from each assignment unscathed, that was what mattered to Gu Chengfeng.


    "Uncle, Auntie, Qinyan, I''m back," Gu Chen said, with a warm smile on his face, seeing his rtives.


    The tense string in his heart finally rxed.


    The group moved toward the courtyard when suddenly, Maid Xiao Yu asked out of the blue, "Eldest young master, is it true that you slew tens of thousands of demonic martial artists in Xu''an County with a single swing of your sword?"


    At this, Gu Chen was taken aback. What was she talking about?


    Gu Qingyan, graceful as a lily, her beautiful eyes sparkling, frowned at Xiao Yu and said, "What nonsense are you spouting? Big brother clearly slew tens of thousands of demonic martial artists with a single sword strike."


    Seeing his cousin saying the same, Gu Chen was even more confused. He had been eager to get home and had not paid attention to the gossip amongst the people of Tiandu, nor did he know about these wild tales.


    Gu Chengfeng gave his daughter a stern look and said, "Qinyan, what are you talking about? Don''t trust the storytellers in the tavern. How could the eldest young master kill so many people alone? He would have died of sheer exhaustion."


    Upon hearing this, Gu Qingyan yfully stuck out her tongue.


    At this moment, Gu Chengfeng proudly dered, "The eldest young master is known for his soul-chasing sword strike, singlehandedly ying ten thousand enemies with one swing."


    "???"


    Confusion written all over his face, Gu Chen didn''t understand what his uncle and others were talking about¡ªwhy were they exaggerating so wildly?


    Just then, a sharp voice came from the entrance of Gu Mansion, "Imperial decree has arrived!"


    Suddenly, faces changed between Gu Chen and his uncle''s family, exchanging looks, all a bit stunned. Why would there be an imperial decree for the Gu Family?


    Gu Chen, being from Jing Tian Department, and Gu Chengfeng, from Royal Sword Guard, it seemed unlikely they were the subjects of the decree.


    "Let''s go quickly," urged Xu Qinge, pushing the two men.


    Then, the whole family hurriedly made their way to the courtyard to see the steward in charge of imperial affairs holding the golden imperial decree, followed by a group of guards.


    Once the main subjects arrived, the eunuch stepped forward with the imperial decree in hand, unfolding it before Gu Chen and his family, and proimed in a loud voice, "Jing Tian Department''s second-tier Metropolitan Procurator Gu Chen, receive the decree."


    At these words, everyone immediately turned their gazes to Gu Chen.

 Chapter 133: Chapter 124 Vajra Stage_1

    "This imperial edict, is it for me?"


    Gu Chen''s expression was taken aback. At that moment, he suddenly remembered the mysterious and inscrutable smile on Chen Yu''s face earlier at the Jing Tian Department.


    "Aren''t you going to ept the edict quickly!" Gu Chengfeng, his second uncle, pushed Gu Chen forward.


    Gu Chen suddenly realized. To be honest, this was his first time dealing with such a matter, so the entire family hurriedly came forward, standing by to listen to the decree.


    The chief eunuch nodded slightly, holding the imperial edict, and began to read out its content slowly. As he reached the end, the Gu family heard that Gu Chen had been conferred the title of a viscount and their eyes widened in shock.


    Especially Gu Chengfeng, who had never imagined that Gu Chen could receive such a reward; his heart thumped uncontrobly.


    "To bring honor to the ancestors, to bring honor to the ancestors!" Gu Chengfeng murmured to himself in a daze.


    The current emperor was in seclusion, with King Huai and the Crown Prince acting as regents. Since it was a seclusion of life and death, the emperor gave the Crown Prince considerable authority, including the deployment of troops and the bestowal of noble titles.


    However, these decisions couldn''t be made by the Crown Prince alone; they also required the consent of King Huai. Once both agreed, their decision was no different from that of the emperor himself.


    However, at the end of the imperial edict, it was noted that it was issued on the Crown Prince''s behalf, and the actual implementation of the noble title would still have to wait for the emperor toe out of seclusion.


    But even so, the matter was as good as settled, and from then on, Gu Chen was no longer just anybody; he was now part of the influential elite of Da Xia.


    "Gu Chen epts the edict." Finally, Gu Chen took the imperial edict from the hands of the chief eunuch.


    "Since the imperial edict has been announced, our household will take our leave," said the supervisor of internal affairs, his face rosy and smiling.


    Gu Chengfeng, very shrewd, stepped forward and from his chest took out several silver banknotes, handing them to the chief eunuch, saying, "Your hard work is appreciated."


    Seeing this, the chief eunuch smiled even more broadly and said, "Not at allborious, not at all, who could be more hardworking than Lord Gu, who single-handedly held back a thousand enemies and saved the entirety of Xu''an County; Lord Gu is now famous throughout Da Xia."


    "A thousand enemies? Wasn''t it ten thousand?" Gu Chengfeng was full of doubts but still saw the group off.


    However, in the face of Gu Chen''s title, those small discrepancies were quickly forgotten by Gu Chengfeng.


    "A title has been conferred, the first son has been titled!" Gu Chengfeng was extremely excited, his face turning red as if it were he who had been ennobled.


    Beyond the title, the court also rewarded fine silk fabrics and numerous gold pieces.


    "From now on, our Gu Family is also a distinguished and reputable household!" Gu Chengfeng shouted to the heavens, overjoyed.


    Aunt Xu Qinge was also in a daze, feeling like she was dreaming; she never thought that Gu Chen could one day be one of the powerful elite of Da Xia.


    "Does that mean, from now on, I will be the aunt of a viscount?" Xu Qinge''s eyes widened as she stared unblinkingly at Gu Chen.


    "Yes, aunt," Gu Chen smiled and nodded; he didn''t really care much about these things.


    "Big brother, you''re now Lord Viscount." Gu Qingyan looked at Gu Chen with admiration.


    With this title and the protection of the Jing Tian Department, Gu Mansion will be untouchable from now on.


    Bing an elite of Da Xia, he was no longer an ordinary citizen; he could bless his descendants, which was why people like Liang Xu were so arrogant.


    Gu Chen had no parents, so naturally, it was his second uncle''s family that benefited. However, he didn''t mind, for Gu Chengfeng and his family had indeed been very good to Gu Chen.


    The numerous servants of the Gu Mansion also looked at Gu Chen with admiration, unable to imagine that the eldest son, who always wore a gloomy face and rarely spoke, could have achieved what he had today.


    "Second Uncle, you don''t have to keep holding the imperial edict, put it down," Gu Chen said with augh upon seeing Gu Chengfeng still embracing the edict.


    "No, I need to have the edict framed and find a good ce for it so that everyone can see it as soon as they enter," Gu Chengfeng said as he looked around, really intending to do so.


    "Second Uncle, let it be," said Gu Chen.


    Xu Qinge chuckled and said, "Big brother, just let your second uncle be happy."


    As expected, Gu Chengfeng drank heavily yet again that evening.


    Reeking of alcohol, he began rambling to Gu Chen again, saying those things he always said when drunk.


    Xu Qinge and Gu Qingyan eventually grew impatient with listening and, yawning, they left.


    Late into the night, Gu Chengfeng was still talking to Gu Chen, who was growing impatient, almost wanting to knock his second uncle out cold.


    Helplessly, Gu Chengfeng was just too talkative.


    In the end, out of necessity, Gu Chen did just that; a gentle touch to his second uncle''s neck and Gu Chengfeng passed out.


    "Phew..."


    Gu Chen sighed in relief, now free from dealing with his second uncle''s spittle.


    Afterward, he carried his second uncle to a guest room, then he went back to his room to rest.


    Gu Chen was truly exhausted. Returning to bed, he fell into a deep sleep, not awakening until the sun was three poles high the next day.


    The people of the Gu Mansion were considerate, not disturbing him, knowing he was utterly spent.


    When Gu Chen awoke the next day, his second uncle Gu Chengfeng was not at home, presumably off boasting to his colleagues.


    Having slept until that time, Gu Chen felt refreshed and clear-headed. Then, at the agreed time, he went to a tavern in the inner city and met with Xu Qing, Song Yu, and Wang Yan.


    They had agreed to drink there that day.


    Having gone through the events in Xu''an County, though Xu Qing held the position of a first-rank Metropolitan Procurator, he had forged a profound friendship with Gu Chen and the other two, having experienced life and death together, and Xu Qing did not put on airs when dealing with them.


    "Oh, isn''t this Lord Gu Chen, the Viscount?" Song Yu teased with a chuckle. Their sources were very well-informed, and they had already heard about Gu Chen''s ennoblement as Viscount overnight.


    Xu Qing and Wang Yan also looked at Gu Chen with smiling faces and said, "Do you know that you''ve already be famous in Tiandu?"


    Upon hearing this, Gu Chen''s eyebrows twitched, thinking they were joking.


    But soon after, as the three of them began to drink, the storyteller from the restaurant arrived and started telling tales.


    The first story he recounted was how Gu Chen, with a single sword strike, killed tens of thousands of people in Xu''an County, causing Gu Chen to shake his head and smile wistfully, finally understanding why his uncle''s family had spoken so the day before.


    Xu Qing, Song Yu, and Wang Yan immediately looked at Gu Chen with faces full of glee, obviously having known about it beforehand.


    After drinking with Xu Qing and the others, Gu Chen went to the Jing Tian Department in the inner city. He had earned considerable merits for this mission and after exchanging these for corresponding rewards in the Jing Tian Department, Gu Chen returned to Gu Mansion by evening.


    That night, his uncle had not returned home, clearly having gone out to treat his colleagues to a drink. Xu Qinge and her daughter Gu Qingyan did not mind, knowing Gu Chengfeng was happy and let him be.


    Moreover, the Gu Family''s wealth was actually quite substantial now, so they did not concern themselves with Gu Chengfeng''s expenditures.


    At this stage, a hundred and eighty taels of silver were no longer a significant amount in the Gu Mansion.


    After having dinner with his aunt Xu Qinge and his sister Gu Qingyan, Gu Chen returned to his room and, with a thought, summoned his status panel.


    Name: Gu Chen


    Martial Arts: Golden Bell Shield (nced), Burning Vein Finger (Complete), Phantom Traceless Step (Complete), Astonishing Swan Swordsmanship Skills (Complete), Great Vajra Fist (Elementary), Condensing Pulse Sword Wave (Elementary), Four Extremes Propping Heaven Fist


    Inner Strength: Pure Yang Wuji Gong


    Cultivation: 414 years


    Realm: Late-stage External Qi Stage


    Merit Points: 202


    For the first time, the merit points on Gu Chen''s panel had broken through the two-hundred mark.


    That was mainly because Gu Chen had visited the Jing Tian Department during the day and exchanged most of his merits for soul crystals, in addition to the kills of the three martial practitioners fused with demonic spirits in Xu''an County, allowing him to reach such a high number of merit points.


    This time, Gu Chen nned to first advance his cultivation to the Vajra Stage, for he had already remained in the External Qi Stage long enough.


    Along with a thought from Gu Chen, fifty merit points vanished from the panel, and immediately turned into fifty years of cultivation, flowing into his body.


    Now that Gu Chen''s physical body had reached the first level of the Vajra Stage, impervious to fire and water, he could absorb even more inner breath.


    Whoosh!


    The majestic inner breath circted within Gu Chen''s body. At this moment, his hundred meridians were all connected, and every acupoint throughout his body was opened up, allowing his inner breath to pass unimpeded, instantly moving from one side of his body to the other.


    At the same time, Gu Chen''s body, clear and lustrous like polished ze, was faintly shimmering with a pale golden glow.


    Vajra Stage!


    Without a doubt, even without looking at the panel, Gu Chen knew he had reached the Vajra Stage.


    Because, in addition to his body which had already reached the stage of being impervious to fire and water, another sign of reaching the Vajra Stage was having one''s hundred meridians fully connected with unhindered cirction of inner breath.


    "Hundred meridians" is a figurative expression; only by opening up all the meridians in one''s body can one fulfill one of the requirements to enter the Vajra Stage.


    The other requirement is achieving a body impervious to fire and water.


    At this stage, Gu Chen had met both criteria, hence he naturally reached the Vajra Stage as a matter of course.


    And his cultivation also reached an astonishing 464 years.


    Looking at the remaining 152 merit points on the panel, Gu Chen chose not to further increase his cultivation this time; instead, with a thought, twenty-four merit points disappeared, and the Superior Martial Skill, Golden Bell Shield, advanced from nced to Entry-level.


    The reason for choosing to enhance martial skills rather than cultivation was mainly that the cultivation at the Vajra Stage ces more emphasis on the physical body, while cultivation level is secondary.


    Moreover, Gu Chen''s current cultivation was already sufficient, and even warriors at the Vajra Stage Full Mastery could not surpass him. Combining the two, Gu Chen chose to first upgrade his martial skills, especially the Superior Martial Skills.


    Hum!


    An ancient bell of protection materialized on its own, enveloping Gu Chen, radiating golden light within and making him appear like a living Buddha.


    At the same time, the strength of Gu Chen''s physical body soared once again. However, it did not meet his expectations to reach the second level of the Vajra Stage, Cast Iron and Poured Bronze.


    "It seems that because my body''s foundation is stronger than others, it''s also more difficult to achieve Cast Iron and Poured Bronze," Gu Chen thought silently to himself.


    This was something he had anticipated, for each individual''s bodily condition varies, and so do their bottlenecks.


    Just like how Gu Chen''s possession of the panel allows him to have such profound cultivation, which would be impossible for others.


    Yet, it''s also because of the panel that Gu Chen''s physical body far exceeds those at the same stage by a significant margin. Therefore, to achieve a major enhancement and transformation of his physical body to reach the second level of the Vajra Stage, Cast Iron and Poured Bronze, is much more challenging for himpared to others at the same realm.


    Correspondingly though, once he does break through, Gu Chen''sbat prowess at the Cast Iron and Poured Bronze level will be far superior to others.


    Just as Gu Chen had engaged in battle with Wulna only with a body at the stage of being impervious to fire and water, and was not outmatched merely in physical strength.


    Looking at the remaining merit points on the panel, Gu Chen did not hesitate, his mind made up, and once again chose to elevate the Superior Martial Skill, Golden Bell Shield.

 Chapter 135: Chapter 126 Qintian Monitor_1

    The next day, at dawn.


    Atop the Jinluan Hall, the Crown Prince discussed state affairs with the court officials while King Huai listened from the side, correcting them if something was amiss.


    At this moment, Uncle Dingyuan and Marquis of Wuwei stood in their respective spots, as if they had fallen into a doze, not participating in the discussions.


    It was not until finally, when the chief eunuch announced that those with affairs could present them and those without may leave, Uncle Dingyuan and Marquis of Wuwei nced at each other, the former leading as he stepped forward.


    "Your servant, Liang Wei, has a matter to report," said Uncle Dingyuan, bowing deeply.


    The Crown Prince had a handsome face and a gentle demeanor, slightly nodding his head, then the chief eunuch loudly proimed, "You may speak."


    Upon hearing this, Uncle Dingyuan immediately fell to his knees, touching his head to the ground, and said, "I beg the Crown Prince and His Highness King Huai for justice on behalf of this old servant."


    King Huai''s expression remained calm, showing no trace of joy or anger, while the Crown Prince''s brows furrowed, saying, "Uncle Dingyuan, what do you mean by this? If you have something to say, speak frankly."


    Uncle Dingyuany prostrate on the ground, tears streaming down his face, he said, "This servant''s, this servant''s only son, Liang Xu, is dead..."


    Atop the Jinluan Hall, the court officials watched this scene, eyes on noses and noses on hearts, acting as if they saw nothing.


    The Crown Prince''s brows knitted together, saying, "Wasn''t this matter discussed some time ago? Liang Xu died serving his country, and this pce would not neglect him."


    Uncle Dingyuan lifted his head, eyes bloodshot, saying, "But just yesterday, this servant found out that my only son Liang Xu died wrongfully!"


    "Why wrongfully?" the Crown Prince asked, puzzled.


    Uncle Dingyuan''s acting was quite superb; with tears and snot running down, he said, "My son Liang Xu, although he did perish at the hands of demon cult evildoers, he was also killed by traitors!"


    Of course, not all the tears and snot were fake¡ªLiang Xu was indeed his only son, and Uncle Dingyuan truly grieved for Liang Xu''s death.


    At this moment, before the Crown Prince could speak, Marquis of Wuwei stepped forward and also prostrated himself on the ground, saying, "This servant also has a report."


    "Speak," the Crown Prince sighed.


    "My legitimate son, Zhuo Zhibin, was also killed by these traitors, his life taken by the hands of those demon cult evildoers," said Marquis of Wuwei with a grave voice.


    "Then whom do you im is responsible for the deaths of Liang Xu and Zhuo Zhibin?" the Crown Prince inquired.


    At this, both spoke in unison, "Gu Chen."


    "Hmm?"


    At these words, the Crown Prince''s expression suddenly changed, while King Huai remained as unperturbed as before.


    Duke of the Liang State also furrowed his brows upon hearing this.


    "How could Gu Chen harm your sons? Is there perhaps some misunderstanding?" the Crown Prince asked with a frown.


    Uncle Dingyuan said, "Your Highness, this Gu Chen is petty and narrow-minded. He had previously shed with my son, as well as Zhuo Zhibin and the young Lord Marquis Cao Zhen, in the streets within Tiandu. Harboring resentment, on that day, right in front of the Kunyuan Sect''s gateway, Jing Tian Department fell into a demon cult''s ambush.


    My son, together with the young Lord Marquis and Zhuo Zhibin, knew they were outmatched but still stepped forward to hold off four demon cult Vajra Stage fighters. s, the enemy was too strong, and in desperation, my son and the others sought Gu Chen''s aid."


    Seeing the opportunity, Marquis of Wuwei continued, "The Crown Prince is aware of Gu Chen''s strength, capable of fighting a thousand alone. How can it be that he couldn''t rescue my son and the others facing only four demon cult warriors? Those four demon cult warriors brutally killed my son and the young Lord Marquis right before Gu Chen, who simply stood by indifferently.


    With such temperament and conduct, how is he fit to hold the title of a viscount?"


    Uncle Dingyuan, banging his head on the ground, said loudly, "I earnestly request Your Highness to withdraw the decree and strip Gu Chen of his viscount title."


    Marquis of Wuwei echoed, "I earnestly request Your Highness to withdraw the decree!"


    At that moment, a civil officer came forward, saying, "Your Highness, if what Uncle Dingyuan and Marquis of Wuwei im is true, then Gu Chen''s character must indeed be seriously considered. With such a narrow heart, he simply watched hisrades die without aid during critical peril, all over a small quarrel.


    Such a person, no matter how powerful, if he bes the stately enforcer of Jing Tian Department, will only be a bane to our great Da Xia. Please, Your Highness, consider this thoroughly."


    "Please, Your Highness, consider this thoroughly," echoed the others.


    Many of the civil officers who were in league with Uncle Dingyuan and Marquis of Wuwei stepped forward, as the court, after all, was divided into factions.


    For example, Duke of the Liang State, although a part of the Da Xia nobility like Uncle Dingyuan and Marquis of Wuwei, was clearly not from the same interest group.


    "This¡­" The Crown Prince found himself in a difficult position and looked helplessly towards King Huai.


    King Huai let out a soft sigh. The Crown Prince was still too soft-hearted. In the future, if he ascended the throne, facing these old foxes of the court, he would suffer many losses.


    But now that the Crown Prince had sought his assistance, King Huai naturally could not turn a blind eye. At this moment, King Huai said, "How will you prove that what you say is true?"


    "Everyone present from Jing Tian Department can testify to this scene, and I am willing to confront Gu Chen directly," said Uncle Dingyuan.


    Enjoy exclusive adventures from mvl


    Marquis of Wuwei also said, "This servant is willing as well."


    The Crown Prince''s brows furrowed. Was it really necessary to summon Gu Chen and those from the Jing Tian Department to the Jinluan Hall for a confrontation over this issue?


    Moreover, Gu Chen currently had a good reputation in Tiandu. Should this incident be leaked, the repercussions would be extremely negative¡ªnot only would Gu Chen''s reputation be tarnished, but the public might secretly say that the Crown Prince was blind to elevating a treacherous official.


    At that moment, King Huai spoke indifferently, "Summon them to the Jinluan Hall, and if you each stick to your own story, are you expecting the Crown Prince and me to watch you argue here?"


    "This¡­"


    Uncle Dingyuan, Marquis of Wuwei, and the assembled civil officials were all suddenly at a loss for words.


    "What does the imperial uncle suggest?" the Crown Prince turned to King Huai.


    King Huai pondered for a moment, then said, "In that case, let''s bring in someone from the Qintian Monitor."


    "Qintian Monitor?" The crown prince raised an eyebrow.


    Upon hearing the words "Qintian Monitor," a low murmur of discussion immediately broke out among the ministers in the great hall.


    "Silence!"


    With a crack, the grand eunuch snapped his whip, and the ministers immediately fell quiet.


    In previous dynasties before Da Xia, the Qintian Monitor was a department for observing the astronomical phenomena, calcting the sr terms, and formting the calendar.


    But in the Da Xia dynasty, the Qintian Monitor had taken on a different meaning¡ªlike the Jing Tian Department and Mingjing Department, it was one of the most important institutions in Da Xia.


    The Qintian Monitor, along with the Jing Tian Department and Mingjing Department, revered as "One Monitor and Two Departments," constituted the three most critical institutions in Da Xia.


    It was precisely because of these three institutions that Da Xia had been able to sit securely in power for five hundred and eighteen years.


    Unlike the Jing Tian Department and Mingjing Department, the Qintian Monitor was neither involved in foreign affairs nor internal investigations. Its main duties, aside from observing celestial phenomena and setting the calendar, were to predict fortune and misfortune.


    It was rumored that the current Tower Supervisor of the Qintian Monitor possessed an unparalleled mystical technique, the "Heavenly Human Gazing Skill." He could observe the multitude of stars and constetions above, the energy veins of thend below, and even all the changes within the Nine Provinces.


    And if the "Hevenly Human Gazing Skill" could observe the entire world, it was even more proficient in reading people. As a result, the Qintian Monitor was exceptionally urate in judging people. In some major cases, when the court couldn''t find any leads, they would request someone from the Qintian Monitor to interrogate the suspects.


    All beings have their destinies, the Nine Provinces have their fate, and the Heavenly Human Gazing Skill can perceive all destinies and trends, even foreseeing the overall future of the world.


    However, the Qintian Monitor''s current Tower Supervisor had been seated there for over two decades but had never shown himself. Thest time was 23 years ago, when the current sage emperor was facing a critical juncture in life and summoned the Tower Supervisor of the Qintian Monitor into the pce.


    What the two discussed that day, no one knows.


    Because whether it is the Tower Supervisor of the Qintian Monitor, the grandmander of the Jing Tian Department, or the Supervisor of the Mingjing Department, they all stand at the pinnacle of power in Da Xia. In their younger years, they had grown up together with the emperor and yed a crucial role in supporting his rise.


    Therefore, besides the Emperor of Da Xia himself, no one has the right to inquire or interfere with the actions of these three individuals.


    The same goes for King Huai.


    It can be said that these three individuals transcend all the power structures of Da Xia and are responsible only to the emperor.


    Now, with the emperor in seclusion, the grandmander of the Jing Tian Department and the Supervisor of the Mingjing Department had also disappeared. Some say they are in seclusion with the emperor, while others specte that they have traveled the world.


    Of course, some believe they are still stationed in Tiandu and have simply never appeared in public.


    The current administration of the Jing Tian Department and Mingjing Department is managed by their deputymanders and four major inspectors.


    Among the three, only the whereabouts of the Qintian Monitor''s Tower Supervisor are well-known; he has always been seated on the Star Gazing tform of the Qintian Monitor''s Bagua Building.


    At this moment, King Huai slowly said, "Go to the Qintian Monitor and ask for someone."


    ...


    The Qintian Monitor is located in the northwest corner of the inner city of Tiandu, covering a vast area, yet it is seldom frequented, with not even a guard in sight.


    The Bagua Building is very tall, with flying eaves and upturned corners,prising eight floors. It is the highest structure within the inner city of Tiandu, overlooking the entire city.


    The topmost floor of the Bagua Building, known as the Star Gazing tform, is where the Tower Supervisor of the Qintian Monitor ordinarily resides. Standing there, it feels as though one can reach out and touch the stars; hence, it is also called the Star Picking tform.


    The Qintian Monitor has few people inside, and with the Tower Supervisor always on the eighth floor at the Star Gazing tform, the day-to-day operations are managed by the Tower Supervisor''s seven disciples.


    Even the seven close disciples of the Qintian Monitor''s Tower Supervisor haven''t seen their master for some time, only asionally hearing his orders whispered to them, to carry out certain tasks on his behalf.


    Right then, on the eighth floor of the Bagua Building, a young man about twenty-one or twenty-two years old was speaking with a disciple of the Qintian Monitor when he suddenly heard a voice ethereal as if from beyond the heavens.


    An ancient voice said in his ear, "Yu''er,ter you will visit the imperial pce and act ording to the situation."


    Qi Yu knew it was the voice of his teacher; he had long be ustomed to his teacher''s unpredictable manners. He saluted toward the rooftop of the Bagua Building and respectfully said, "Yes, Teacher."


    He was the youngest disciple of the Qintian Monitor''s Tower Supervisor, and he was in charge of the eighth floor of the Bagua Building on a daily basis.


    The seven disciples of the Qintian Monitor''s Tower Supervisor each managed a floor of the Bagua Building, and the topmost Star Gazing tform belonged to the Tower Supervisor.


    It was quite a coincidence that while there were seven floors to be managed in the Bagua Building, the Tower Supervisor had taken seven disciples¡ªwhether there was any connection between the two was a mystery.


    The ancient voice had left only a sentence before vanishing once more. After Qi Yu instructed the disciple of the Qintian Monitor, he stood by the door, silently waiting.


    The Qintian Monitor had no guards around it, nor did it need any, as if the Tower Supervisor did not wish it, not a single soul could approach the Qintian Monitor.


    Themon people of Tiandu recounted legends that atop the northwestern Bagua Building lived an old immortal who was indifferent to worldly affairs and was the protective deity of Da Xia.


    Even the civil and military officials, including those from the Jing Tian Department and Mingjing Department, as well as the deputymanders and the four major inspectors, held the Qintian Monitor in high respect thanks to the presence of its Tower Supervisor.


    Indeed, he was a figure of renown, on par with the grandmander of the Jing Tian Department and the Supervisor of the Mingjing Department¡ªa legendary character who was the only one with traces to be found at present.


    As expected, it wasn''t long before the imperial guards sent by King Huai arrived at the Qintian Monitor.


    This guard was visibly nervous. He had heard his colleagues say that the Qintian Monitor was an eerie ce, where many would experience the ghost-hitting-the-wall phenomenon, wandering around in circles, unable to find their way until, after a while, when they came to their senses, they would find themselves far from the Qintian Monitor.


    Moreover, with the Tower Supervisor himself stationed there, the Qintian Monitor, in everyone''s eyes in Da Xia, was full of legendary mystique.

 Chapter 136: Chapter 127: Qi Watching Skill_1

    The top level of Bagua Building, Star Gazing tform.


    The scope of the Star Gazing tform is vast; the Bagua Building rises from the ground and soars into the clouds. Standing here on the Star Gazing tform, one could overlook the entire city of Tiandu.


    At this moment, on the Star Gazing tform, there was an elder sitting cross-legged. His hair and beard were both white, hisplexion rosy, and his long, snow-white beard hung down to his chest. With an air of immortal gravitas, his ancient robes were adorned with the patterns of countless stars.


    This elder was none other than the Tower Supervisor of the Qintian Monitor. Since the emperor of Da Xia had entered seclusion, the Supervisor had been sitting here on the Star Gazing tform, overseeing the mortal world.


    At this time, the Supervisor of the Qintian Monitor suddenly opened his eyes, casting his gaze toward the direction of the imperial pce and lingering there for a moment.


    Then, with profound depth in his eyes, he looked past the pce to the mountains behind. In his line of sight stood a divine aura that stretched between heaven and earth, like a pir stabilizing the seas.


    In the faintest glimpse, one could see a trace of grey-ck air swirling around the divine aura. Even for the Tower Supervisor, it was extremely difficult to detect without close examination.


    To the Supervisor who had mastered the supreme technique "Heavenly Human Gazing Skill," standing upon the Star Gazing tform, he could see the overarching trends of the world without stepping outside.


    For twenty-three years since the emperor of Da Xia had been in seclusion, the great trends of the world that should have been thriving were showing signs of decline.


    At this moment, the Tower Supervisor of the Qintian Monitor suddenly recalled the words the Human Emperor had said to him before entering seclusion twenty-three years ago.


    "Tower Supervisor, since my ascension, how have the great trends of the world fared?"


    "Your Majesty''s emergence has extended the fortunes of the Da Xia by several decades."


    "My emergence has only extended the fortunes of the Da Xia by several decades?"


    "Yes."


    "And what about after those decades?"


    "The world will be in chaos, the nine provinces will crumble and disperse, bing a hell on earth, and not a single soul will be spared."


    "Then, what if I break through to the Heavenly Human realm?"


    "If the Heavenly Human realm could be achieved, the nine provinces could remain stable for several more centuries."


    "Then why did you just say that in a few decades, the nine provinces are bound to fall into chaos?"


    "..."


    "I cannot achieve the Heavenly Human realm?"


    "...Given the current natural environment of the nine provinces, the chances of achieving the Heavenly Human realm are less than one in ten."


    "I do not believe in fate, I only believe that man is destined to triumph over heaven. How could one know the oue of something that has never been attempted?"


    "What does Your Majesty wish to do?"


    "Starting tomorrow, I will practice seclusion in the mountains behind Tiandu. If I do not achieve the Heavenly Human realm, I shall not emerge from seclusion. In my absence, you will oversee the nine provinces on my behalf, and as for Da Xia, I will have Jing Tian administer the state. Yuan''er is too young; he will stay by Jing Tian''s side and learn for a while."


    "Your servant obeys."


    "Tower Supervisor, watch and see if I can triumph over heaven."


    "... Yes."


    At this moment, the Tower Supervisor of the Qintian Monitor seemed lost in thought, staring intently at the mountains behind Tiandu. With the current Holy Sovereign''s achievements in both civil and military spheres, iming him as a once-in-eternity emperor would not be an overstatement.


    Throughout the dynasties, the nine provinces had never seen an emperor like the current ruler of Da Xia, who could suppress the entire world.


    Yet, even so, when the emperor of Da Xia was unifying and stabilizing the nine provinces, the Tower Supervisor, observing the countless stars and the great trends of the nine provinces, still sensed a dark future awaiting.


    Thus, since the emperor had gone into seclusion, the Supervisor, sitting on the Star Gazing tform to this day, had been contemting one thing.


    And that was how to change fate, the fate of the nine provinces.


    Unfortunately, even after ceaselessly calcting with the Heavenly Human Gazing Skill, simting the vital qi of the heavens and the earth, and exhausting all possibilities, the eventual oue was always the same.


    But at this moment, a few months earlier, an unprecedented heavy rain in Tiandu brought a slender chance for a turnaround in this world on the brink of ruin.


    Sitting cross-legged on the Star Gazing tform, the Supervisor of the Qintian Monitor took a deep nce toward the imperial pce before closing his eyes once again.


    At this moment, aside from the whistling winds that passed by, the Star Gazing tform fell back into utter silence.


    ...


    At the final level of Bagua Building, Qi Yu stood at the doorway, waiting for the arrival of someone from the imperial pce.


    The guard sent by King Huai was nervous, but as he walked on, he found the Bagua Building growing closer without any unexpected incidents urring along the way.


    This secretly relieved the guard, and before long, he saw a young man at the entrance to the Bagua Building, dressed in white with a delicate and handsome appearance.


    Approaching closely, the guard sped his fists and bowed, respectfully saying, "His Highness the Crown Prince and His Highness King Huai have sent this servant to request someone from the Jing Tian Department."


    He did not borate on what the person from Qintian Monitor was needed for at the imperial pce, as King Huai had told him before his departure that it was enough for him to reach the Jing Tian Department, and the specifics did not need to be detailed.


    Because the Supervisor of Qintian Monitor knew everything.


    Qi Yu''s expression was calm. Upon hearing this, he nodded and said softly, "Lead the way."


    "Yes."


    ...


    Imperial Pce, Golden Throne Hall.


    The Crown Prince, King Huai, and the hundreds of civil and military officials were all waiting when a voice announced loudly from outside the hall, "Jing Tian Department''s Lord Gu, Gu Chen, has arrived."


    "Summon him."


    Following that, a man dressed in dark robes, tall and slim, with a handsome face, Gu Chen, was escorted into the Jinluan Hall.


    The officials of the court¡ªall men of power and position¡ªturned their eyes to the young man whose name had been causing a stir in Tiandu recently, bing the center of attention in no time.


    Gu Chen''s expression wasposed as he strode confidently towards the front of the great hall, bowed with his hands sped, and said, "Your Highness, I greet thee."


    The Crown Prince, his face stern, nodded and motioned for Gu Chen to stand aside.


    Honestly speaking, Gu Chen was still somewhat bewildered by the situation; he was at home when he was suddenly informed that the Crown Prince and King Huai had summoned him to court, and without further ado, he was brought over.


    Gu Chen was aware of some of the customs in the court of Da Xia. Even if he had achieved great merit and been ennobled as a viscount, with his status, he wasn''t qualified to attend the morning court session, much less stand in the Jinluan Hall.


    After all, his title as a viscount was in name only and came with no authority. He certainly did not have the standing to face these dukes and ministers in the Jinluan Hall.


    At this moment, Gu Chen stood to one side, head bowed, mulling over his thoughts.


    On the other side, Uncle Dingyuan and the Marquis of Wuwei watched Gu Chen with cold eyes.


    But at that moment, King Huai suddenly spoke, "Gu Chen."


    Gu Chen immediately raised his head, took a step forward, bowed with his hands sped, and said, "I am here."


    King Huai''s gaze was profound as he looked at him and spoke calmly, "During the battle in Xu''an County when the Kunyuan Sect was being eradicated and you fell into the ambush set by the demon cult, did Cao Zhen, Liang Xu, and Zhuo Zhibin beg you for help?"


    "They did," Gu Chen replied.


    King Huai''s tone was gentle as he asked, "Some say that you saw them in distress and did nothing to help. Is this true?"


    Gu Chen''s demeanor remained calm, his voice even andposed, "Lord Marquis, no, it''s not true."


    He paused, then continued, "Many witnesses were present at the time and saw that I did not ignore their plight. On the contrary, I immediately went to assist Lord Marquis and the other two when they were surrounded by the demon cult''s martial artists. However, due to my limited cultivation, I was not their match and was injured in the process. Many can attest to this."


    King Huai nodded slightly and turned to Uncle Dingyuan and the Marquis of Wuwei, "What do you think?"


    "He''s lying!"


    Uncle Dingyuan''s face turned icy as he stepped forward and said, "It was Gu Chen who deliberately concealed his true strength with dark intent, wanting to harm my son''s life. Even before the mission started, he had some altercations with my son at the Duke of the Liang State''s Mansion, and he also had conflicts with Lord Marquis and Zhuo Zhibin on the streets of Tiandu.


    Many can attest to all of this."


    Then, the Marquis of Wuwei also stepped forward, speaking coldly, "In my view, all of this was a premeditated plot by Gu Chen. Because of mere trivial conflicts, he deliberately framed my son. Such a sly and cunning nature, in my opinion, should result in the immediate stripping of Gu Chen''s title of nobility, the nullification of his martial skills, and his expulsion from the Jing Tian Department.


    This should be proimed to all under heaven as a warning to others!"


    Upon hearing this, the Crown Prince''s brow furrowed slightly; the punishment seemed excessively harsh. But he knew that the Marquis of Wuwei was just speaking harshly. This is how the bureaucracy operated: start with extreme demands, so there is room to negotiate downwards.


    "I concur," Uncle Dingyuan said coldly.


    "I concur," a group of ministers friendly with Uncle Dingyuan and the Marquis of Wuwei echoed in agreement.


    Gu Chen stood in his ce, following the discipline of "eyes on nose, nose on heart," and did not utter a word. He wasn''t ustomed to court politics; it wasn''t his forte. The more one speaks, the more likely they are to make a mistake, so it was better to remain silent.


    Even so, Gu Chen was already formting his words, preparing to reveal the situation where Cao Zhen and the others had intended to kill him.


    Discover exclusive content at mvl


    Seeing Gu Chen remain silent, Uncle Dingyuan snorted coldly, "Your Highness, Gu Chen''s silence is equivalent to an admission of guilt. Please, Your Highness, punish him immediately!"


    "Please punish him!" echoed the Marquis of Wuwei and other officials in unison.


    The Crown Prince found the situation difficult and turned his gaze to King Huai.


    There was no helping it; these were seasoned veterans, and without King Huai keeping order, he, though the Crown Prince, could not handle these people on his own.


    Seeing the Crown Prince''s searching look, King Huai spoke calmly, "There is no need to rush to conclusions about the matter. Look at the time¡ªthe people from the Qintian Monitor are almost here. When they arrive, have them take responsibility for this."


    Uncle Dingyuan and the Marquis of Wuwei exchanged nces and silently nodded their agreement. The Qintian Monitor had a technique called "Qi Watching Skill," which was derived from the "Heavenly Human Gazing Skill" practiced by the Tower Supervisor of the Qintian Monitor.


    However, the Heavenly Human Gazing Skill was an exceedingly profound art, a rare and matchless technique in the nine provinces,plex and obscure, with few capable of mastering it.


    Therefore, disciples of the Qintian Monitor were taught the Qi Watching Skill first. Only after achieving a certain level of understanding through gradual practice would they be taught the ultimate Heavenly Human Gazing Skill.


    The Heavenly Human Gazing Skill allowed one to perceive all matters and beings, and while its simpler version, the Qi Watching Skill, couldn''t predict the future trends of the world, it was unparalleled in scrutinizing individuals.


    All humans have a prescribed fate and aura, also known as Qi, and the Qi Watching Skill allows one to observe these. If someone were lying, a practitioner of the Qintian Monitor would see through it instantly.


    In essence, a Qintian Monitor disciple who mastered the Qi Watching Skill was like a walking human lie detector. Whenever the court facedplicated cases or uncertainties about the veracity of information, they would call upon someone from the Qintian Monitor to deploy the Qi Watching Skill for verification.


    That''s why when King Huai suggested bringing in someone from the Qintian Monitor to make the judgment, Uncle Dingyuan and the Marquis of Wuwei did not object and chose to agree.


    After all, people from the Qintian Monitor were known for their fairness and impartiality. With their transcendent status, they would be truthful without favoring any side.


    Uncle Dingyuan and the Marquis of Wuwei were both eager to see Gu Chen''s lies exposed by a member of the Qintian Monitor in front of the assembly of civil and military officials, as well as King Huai and the Crown Prince.


    This would undoubtedly result in the Crown Prince and King Huai passing judgment on Gu Chen.


    The Duke of the Liang State stood aside with a slightly furrowed brow. He wanted to help Gu Chen, but in the current situation, he truly had no good solution. He could only sigh in resignation.


    Even Chen Yu, were he present, would find the current situation just as challenging.


    Moreover, if the usation were true, Uncle Dingyuan and the Marquis of Wuwei would certainly have orchestrated their own maneuvers behind the scenes to ensure that neither the Crown Prince nor King Huai would let Gu Chen off easily.


    And the reputation Gu Chen garnered from his actions in Xu''an County would bepletely ruined.


    Just then, the Jing Tian Department''s Qi Yu, dressed in white, who had been dispatched by King Huai, arrived at the Jinluan Hall.

 Chapter 139: Chapter 129: First Rank Metropolitan Procurator_1

    Soon, the morning court came to an end, and both Uncle Dingyuan and the Marquis of Wuwei left like beaten dogs, with their tails tucked between their legs.


    As for those ministers and nobles who had just echoed their remarks, they were, one by one, acting as if they didn''t know these two at all, remaining silent.


    That is the nature of the royal court, where everything is dictated by self-interest.


    Before leaving, Qi Yu also cast a meaningful nce at Gu Chen.


    Upon stepping out of the Golden Luang Hall, the Duke of the Liang State approached Gu Chen, and the two walked together.


    "My respects to Your Grace," Gu Chen said with a bow and a sped hand salute.


    The Duke of the Liang State, Lu Sheng, responded with a smile, "No need for such formalities."


    Then, giving Gu Chen a few appraising looks, his eyes brightened as he said, "Goodd, I felt something was off when I saw you in the royal court just now, and indeed, you have reached the Vajra Stage."


    Gu Chen smiled and replied, "I''ve only broken through in thest couple of days. The Duke has keen eyesight."


    The Duke of the Liang State, eager, asked, "Have you broken through to the realm of Cast Copper and Forged Iron?" Stay tuned for updates on mvl


    Gu Chen shook his head, "Advancement isn''t that quick."


    Hearing this, the Duke of the Liang State nodded and said, "I was a bit too eager. Even with a natural martial body, it''s not possible to advance so swiftly and step into the realm of Cast Copper and Forged Iron immediately after reaching the Vajra Stage."


    Afterwards, he patted Gu Chen on the shoulder andughed loudly, "In the future, when you have time,e and visit my residence more. You and Xin Lan are about the same age; she''s also crazy about martial arts. The two of you young people must have a lot to talk about. Although she''s a girl and won''t say it, I can tell she has thoughts about you, and I think highly of you."


    At this, Gu Chen felt helpless but didn''t want to refuse the Duke of the Liang State''s offer outright and simply nodded in agreement.


    Seeing this, the Duke of the Liang State pretended to be displeased and said with a stern face, "What, is my Xin Lan not good enough in family background or looks to be unworthy of you, young man?"


    "Of course not," Gu Chen quickly shook his head.


    The Duke of the Liang State showed a ''that''s more like it'' expression and continued, "You should know, now that you''ve been conferred a viscount, you are also one of Da Xia''s elites. You can actually resign from the Jing Tian Department, especially now when chaos looms throughout the world; staying in the Jing Tian Department is far too dangerous.


    With the status of a viscount, you can join the appropriate circles and try to get involved in the royal court sooner. There''s no need to remain within the Jing Tian Department, skirting the line between life and death every day."


    Hearing this, Gu Chen replied with a faint smile, "I appreciate the concern of the Duke, but Commander Chen has done me great kindness, and I cannot leave the Jing Tian Department. Besides, with the world in such disarray, the Jing Tian Department is in dire need of people. I have even less reason to withdraw."


    "Well done!"


    The Duke of the Liang State burst intoughter, "Goodd, I underrated you. When I was young, I had the same thoughts as you. As one grows older, one bes more cautious; it seems I was the one short-sighted."


    Gu Chen responded, "Your Grace''s considerations are correct, but everyone has their own path to follow after all."


    As they walked and talked, the two had already left the imperial city. When the Duke of the Liang State arrived at his coach, an old servant was waiting there for him.


    "Well, this is it then. Remember, when you find some free time,e and visit Xin Lan at my residence," he said.


    After these words, the Duke of the Liang State boarded his coach. The old servant nodded to Gu Chen, then drove the coach away.


    Afterwards, Gu Chen also returned to Gu Mansion.


    That morning, when the royal guards had taken Gu Chen away, Gu Chengfeng''s whole family had seen it. Gu Chengfeng, out of worry, didn''t even go to report for his duties, and had a colleague ask for leave on his behalf so he could keep watch at home.


    After all, given Gu Chen''s current reputation, Gu Chengfeng, as Gu Chen''s uncle, had indeed received some privileged treatment within the Royal Sword Guard.


    Asking for leave was hardly an issue.


    "Big brother has returned!" Uncle Zhang, the gatekeeper, shouted loudly.


    In an instant, everyone from Gu Mansion rushed out, fearful that something had happened to Gu Chen.


    Seeing that Gu Chen was all right, Gu Chengfeng sighed with relief and asked, "What did the Crown Prince and the princes call you for?"


    Seeing how worried his uncle''s family was about him, Gu Chen felt warmth in his heart, and he proceeded to tell them about what had happened at court that morning.


    In fact, Gu Chen had not mentioned the death of Cao Zhen to avoid causing his uncle and the rest of the family undue worry.


    As expected, once he told them, they were all shocked.


    "Cao Zhen is dead?!"


    Gu Chengfeng looked at Gu Chen in astonishment and said, "Big brother,e with me. I need to talk to you."


    Immediately, Gu Chengfeng pulled Gu Chen aside. With a serious expression, he asked Gu Chen, "Tell your uncle the truth, big brother. Was it you who killed Cao Zhen?"


    Seeing no one else around and since Gu Chengfeng was his uncle, Gu Chen had nothing to hide and simply nodded, acknowledging it candidly.


    "During the mission, I overheard that Cao Zhen and his aplices were nning to deal with me. Once I was dead, they would turn their attention to the Gu Family. Therefore, I had to act first for self-preservation," Gu Chen said.


    Hearing this, Gu Chengfeng inhaled sharply, not expecting his nephew to have such audacity, which bordered on recklessness. He dared to kill a scion of Da Xia''s nobility.


    "Big brother, Cao Zhen is the sole heir of the Marquis of Pingxi!" Gu Chengfeng said anxiously, looking at Gu Chen worriedly, "Given the Marquis of Pingxi''s status and position, if he investigates this matterter and finds out, he definitely won''t let it go easily. By then, you''ll be in danger!"


    Gu Chen''s demeanor remained calm and assured as he said, "No need to worry. In the short term, he won''t make a move. That''s enough for now."


    Just give Gu Chen some time to settle into the Vajra Stage; afterwards, unless the Marquis of Pingxi takes action personally or leads an army himself, Gu Chen will have nothing to fear.


    Having dared to take action, he had naturally taken the Marquis of Pingxi into consideration. Moreover, Cao Zhen had pushed him too far and intended to kill him, so leaving Cao Zhen alive was only asking for trouble; it was better to deal with the matter once and for all.


    As for the Marquis of Pingxi, it''s fine as long as he''s not targeted in the short term.


    But Gu Chengfeng still wore a worried expression. He knew Gu Chen was doing this mostly for Gu Qingyan, and it was because of Gu Qingyan that Gu Chen had incurred the hatred of Cao Zhen.


    "Second uncle, there''s no need to worry. Now that I''ve be a viscount, I belong to the same level as them. I am a noble of Da Xia, so if anyone wants to deal with us in the future, it won''t be so easy," Gu Chen said with a smile, appearing very rxed.


    For some reason, as he watched Gu Chen''s smiling face, the weight on Gu Chengfeng''s heart gradually lifted.


    He chose to trust Gu Chen, who, after all, had proven himself time and again.


    "Let''s put this matter to rest, second uncle. Don''t let auntie and Qinyan look into it any further," Gu Chen said to Gu Chengfeng with a serious tone.


    Gu Chengfeng took a deep breath, his expression solemn. He understood that the more one knew, the more dangerous it was; he nodded firmly in acknowledgment.


    Afterward, the two of them, along with Xu Qinge and Gu Qingyan, returned to Gu Mansion and had a reassuring breakfast.


    They had been so worried that they hadn''t eaten breakfast while waiting for Gu Chen.


    During breakfast, Gu Chen said, "Second uncle, auntie, Qinyan, let''s go to the inner city to buy a set of rooms."


    As soon as he spoke, Gu Chengfeng and his family were stunned. Gu Qingyan''s beautiful eyes twinkled incredulously as she looked at Gu Chen and said, "Big brother, what did you say?"


    Gu Chen smiled and repeated, "I said, after breakfast, let''s go buy a set of rooms in the inner city."


    Gu Chen had always nned to buy a residence in the inner city of Tiandu. Today was a good opportunity, since his second uncle, Gu Chengfeng, was around. It would be perfect for the whole family to pick out a house together in the inner city.


    With the resurgence of the Demon Sect and the world on the brink of chaos, Gu Chen might be tasked with a mission at any time with an indefinite return. Rather than dy, he decided to take the family to choose a residence in the inner city that day.


    "Bigd, are you serious?" Auntie Xu Qinge asked, looking steadily at Gu Chen, her beautiful face filled with great expectation.


    "Of course," Gu Chen responded with a smile and a nod.


    Gu Chengfeng frowned and said, "Bigd, do you know how expensive the houses in the inner city are? We can''t afford them."


    "We can afford it," Gu Chen said with a lightugh.


    "Big brother, it''s not possible. I''ve done the calctions. Even with what the court awarded you before, we''re still short by quite a lot," Gu Qingyan said softly from the side.


    Having seen the prosperity of the inner city, she naturally yearned for it as well, but because of the incidentst time, she seldom went out to the streets.


    However, after hearing from Gu Chen that Cao Zhen was dead, Gu Qingyan felt much clearer at heart, and her mood greatly improved.


    Seeing the disbelief on his uncle''s family''s faces, Gu Chen''s eyes held a hint of amusement. Reaching into his bosom, he suddenly pulled out a stack of banknotes and ced them on the table. There were several tens of thousands of taels.


    Auntie Xu Qinge''s mouth instantly formed an "O" as she eximed, "Bigd, where did you get so much money from?"


    Gu Qingyan''s delicate face was also full of shock as she asked, "Big brother, this¡­ did you strike it rich?"


    Gu Chengfeng pondered deeply and with a furrowed brow asked, "Bigd, you haven''t done anything against the heavens, have you?"


    Upon hearing this, Gu Chen immediately said, "Second uncle, where did your mind go? Rest assured, the sources of this wealth are all legitimate, fortuitously gained from a mission."


    "That''s good to hear," Gu Chengfeng said, feeling relieved as he nodded.


    Upon hearing that they were going to the inner city, the servants of Gu Mansion were also very happy. They would share in the good fortune and would be able to live in the inner city in the future.


    Later, after breakfast, Gu Chen took his second uncle''s family to the inner city, found a broker, and began their search for a house.


    The broker was very enthusiastic. After all, those who could afford houses in the inner city were either rich or noble, and they could not afford to offend any of them. They warmly introduced various options to Gu Chen and his uncle''s family.


    After spending the whole afternoon looking, they finally found a ce that suited their hearts. Of course, it took an entire afternoon mainly because Auntie Xu Qinge and sister Gu Qingyan were rather picky.


    In the end, they chose a triple courtyard house that was about the same size as the current Gu Mansion in the outer city, but the price was much higher due to its excellent location.


    But Gu Chen wasn''t concerned about the money now. After all, wealth had limited use to him. Once he saw that everyone agreed, he paid without hesitation.


    With the actual gold and silver in hand, the broker became even more excited and told Gu Chen they could move in within a few days; they would clean up the property as fast as possible.


    Gu Chen nodded. Having bought the house, he felt as if he had settled a matter in his heart.


    ¡­


    Time passed quickly, and the leave granted by Chen Yu came to an end. Gu Chen and the others returned to the Jing Tian Department.


    Upon seeing Gu Chen, Chen Yu''s eyes brightened, evidently noticing that he had reached the Vajra Stage.


    "The speed at which one with a celestial martial physique cultivates is truly astounding!" Chen Yu did not hide his admiration for Gu Chen.


    Then, Chen Yu added, "Since you are now a martial artist of the Vajra Stage, starting today, you are the first-rank Metropolitan Procurator of the Jing Tian Department."


    Upon hearing this, Gu Chen immediately stood up, sped his hands, and said, "Thank you, my lord."


    Chen Yu smiled faintly and shook his head, stating, "Your achievements today have little to do with me; it''s all due to your own efforts. Ordinarily, to be promoted to first-rank Metropolitan Procurator, you would need to pass an assessment mission, but you have aplished a great feat in Xu''an County, so that requirement can be waived."


    After saying this, Chen Yu became serious and said, "I''ve called you here because there is something I need to discuss with you. Early signs of disorder are emerging in Qiongtian Mansion, and I need you to go there and hold down the fort in the mansion city."

 Chapter 140: Chapter 130: New Task_1

    Chen Yu, wearing a blue robe, sat at the head of the table and said, "With the resurgence of the Six Union God Sect in the martial world, signs of unrest have already begun to appear. Furthermore, not long ago, the Red me Demon Sect and the Holy Shadows Sect ughtered the inhabitants of five of Da Xia''s cities.


    Although you stopped them when they reached the county town, the Six Union God Sect definitely has other schemes in the works and will not cease their pursuit so easily."


    Hearing this, Gu Chen nodded slightly. Knowing the Six Union God Sect had mastered the method to control demonic spirits, they would never be content to stay out of trouble. They would continue to stir chaos across thend to reap the benefits amid widespread disorder.


    After all, demonic spirits could only grow stronger by devouring the flesh and blood of living beings. Last time, their n to cultivate Hades-level demonic spirits in Xu''an County had failed, but that didn''t mean the Six Union God Sect would give up.


    They would keep inciting conflicts because the more people died, the faster they could grow stronger.


    In fact, over three hundred years ago, the Six Union God Sect did the same. However, back then, there were no demonic spirits tomand; now that they had them under their control, they would be even less likely to remain quiescent.


    Chen Yu said, "ording to intelligence from the Jing Tian Department, members of the Six Union God Sect have been spotted around Qiongtian Mansion''s city. It''s very likely they are plotting something in the city.


    Now that you have reached the Vajra Stage and have be a first-rank Metropolitan Procurator of the Jing Tian Department, after consulting with the deputymander, we have decided to dispatch you to situate yourself within Qiongtian Mansion''s city."


    After a pause, Chen Yu continued, "Once there, you can go directly to the Lord of Qiongtian Mansion. He has already received the news. Once you arrive there, the entire city''s army will be at your disposal, and the Lord of Qiongtian Mansion will have no second words."


    Upon hearing this, Gu Chen immediately stood up and said with a fist in the palm, "Gu Chen receives the order."


    Seeing Gu Chen''s agreement, Chen Yu nodded slightly and added, "Once you''re there, should you require anything, you can send a message to Tiandu at any time."


    "Alright," Gu Chen nodded, indicating his understanding.


    At that moment, Chen Yu''s gaze shifted subtly as he looked at Gu Chen, "Is the issue with Uncle Dingyuan and the Marquis of Wuwei resolved?"


    Clearly, Chen Yu had heard something about the matter.


    Gu Chen replied, "Rest assured, my lord, the matter has been resolved."


    Chen Yu nodded and said, "Go to the city with peace of mind, I will take care of your family while you''re away."


    At these words, Gu Chen was instantly overjoyed and hurriedly said, "Many thanks, my lord."


    After all, no matter how one put it, Chen Yu was amander of the Jing Tian Department whose strength and status far exceeded Gu Chen''s¡ª at least, that was the case for now.


    Therefore, with him present, Gu Mansion could truly be at ease, and Gu Chen could leave without further concerns for his family''s safety.


    "You may leave," Chen Yu said.


    Hearing this, Gu Chen stood up and bowed with his fists before leaving the Jing Tian Department.


    No sooner had he left Chen Yu''s presence, than Song Yu, Wang Yan, and Xu Qing found him.


    They too had evidently heard about the incidents involving Gu Chen, Uncle Dingyuan, and the Marquis of Wuwei, and had hurried over to inquire about Gu Chen''s condition for fear that he had encountered some trouble.


    Upon seeing Gu Chen safe and sound, the three were reassured.


    Song Yu sized up Gu Chen and said somewhat sourly, "You''re moving up the ranks awfully fast, aren''t you? I''ve just be a second-rank Metropolitan Procurator, and you''ve already reached first rank. After this mission, you might even be fit to serve as amander, right?"


    Wang Yan, though typically straightforward and not much of a talker, nodded vigorously, his eyes filled with envy.


    Of course, at the same time, both of them were sincerely happy for Gu Chen.


    Xu Qing also chimed in with a rare bout of teasing, "Looks like we''re now equal in rank. Perhaps the next time I see you, I should also address you as Lord Gu, right?"


    Gu Chen heard this, shook his head with a lightugh, and paid no mind to their teasing. Then, they found a tavern in the inner city, listening to the music while drinking.


    Knowing that Gu Chen had set up a residence in the inner city, Chen Yu postponed the mission''s deadline by a few days, giving him time to move into Gu Mansion before departing.


    That evening, after a few rounds of drinks, Song Yu, somewhat inebriated, mored for some fun.


    Tiandu''s inner city was extremely bustling, especially at night, when it was aglow with lights and abound with ces for entertainment.


    Coming from a well-off background, Song Yu lived in the inner city but was single, having not taken a fancy to anydy. As for Wang Yan and Xu Qing, they were bachelors too. When Song Yu suggested going out for fun and offering to treat them, his proposal shone in their eyes.


    However, Gu Chen did not agree, as he currently had no such desire. Seeing Gu Chen unwilling, the three could say no more and left with regret.


    At night, Gu Chen left the inner city and returned to Gu Mansion in the outer city. As he approached the gate, his movements suddenly halted.


    "Ugh..."


    His handsome face was slightly flushed as he let out a belch, then he pushed open the gate and walked into Gu Mansion.


    In the darkness, on the rooftop of a house a dozen yards away from Gu Mansion, a figure lurked, eyes filled with malice, watching Gu Mansion closely.


    This person was none other than Cao Ying, who had been keeping a close watch on Gu Mansion. Just now, upon seeing Gu Chen staggering drunk, he was truly tempted to make a move and kill him on the spot.


    But his rationality held him back. Cao Ying knew that even though he had reached the full Vajra Stage, making him as tough as copper and iron, he was absolutely no match for Gu Chen.


    After learning of Uncle Dingyuan''s and Marquis Wuwei''s failures in the court, Cao Ying silently cursed the two as ipetent for not being able to handle a small matter. However, failing to have any other options, he would have to find another way.


    Marquis Pingxi had ordered him to investigate the true cause of Cao Zhen''s death, but no matter how much Cao Ying pondered, he felt sure that the culprit had to be Gu Chen.


    ```


    Finding the cause of Cao Zhen''s death had be the only purpose and value of Cao Ying in the eyes of the Marquis of Pingxi.


    He was well aware of the Marquis''s personality. Even though he had stood out from a young age, been granted the "Cao" surname, and even became the personal bodyguard of Cao Zhen, the Marquis''s legitimate son, Cao Ying never let his guard down for a single day, living in constant fear and trepidation.


    For no other reason than the deep understanding he had of the true thoughts in the heart of the Marquis¡ªthat he was valued by the Marquis solely for his usefulness, his worth.


    In the eyes of the Marquis, there was a measure for everyone, and as soon as someone lost their utility, the Marquis would undoubtedly abandon them without hesitation.


    And Cao Ying''s only valuey in following Cao Zhen. Now that Cao Zhen was dead, his value had vanished, and the only reason the Marquis hadn''t ordered his death immediately was because the Marquis wanted to know the truth.


    If he couldn''t even do that, the Marquis certainly wouldn''t keep him around any longer.


    Cao Ying''s only hope was to kill Gu Chen and then present Gu Chen''s head to the Marquis, telling him that Cao Zhen had been killed by Gu Chen.


    In this way, the Marquis would have a target for his rage, and perhaps then Cao Ying would have a slim chance of survival.


    Even though the Marquis was far away at the frontier and he himself was in Tiandu, a vast distance apart, Cao Ying never once thought of fleeing.


    Because he knew too well the terrifying reach of the Marquis''s power. The thought of escape was absolutely forbidden; should he choose to flee, Cao Ying would plummet into an abyss from which there was no return.


    The reason he had been watching the Gu Mansion so closelytely was that he had been contemting taking advantage of Gu Chen''s absence to kill everyone in the Gu Mansion, letting Gu Chen taste the pain of losing his loved ones.


    But s, Cao Ying had not found the right opportunity to act, especially since this was Tiandu, and Gu Chen had gained the favor of the Crown Prince and King Huai, and had just been ennobled as a viscount, a not insignificant status.


    During the days he watched Gu Chen, he often saw several strong warriors hanging around the Gu Mansion, silently protecting it.


    Cao Ying feared that even after killing the Gu Chengfeng family, it would be difficult for him to escape.


    Therefore, he changed his strategy. After all, Gu Chen was part of the Jing Tian Department, and there woulde a day when he had to go on a mission. It didn''t matter that Cao Ying was no match for him on his own; among Cao Zhen''s guards, there were not only himself who had reached the peak of the Vajra Stage.


    He didn''t believe that seven or eight Vajra Stage warriors attacking Gu Chen all at once wouldn''t result in Gu Chen''s death.


    After all, among them were two who, like him, had reached the second level of the Vajra Stage, the Iron-Cast.


    With three Iron-Cast level warriors at the peak of the Vajra Stage, assisted by five others at the invulnerable level of the Vajra Stage, Cao Ying believed that Gu Chen certainly stood no chance of survival.


    In the following days, after the house affairs in the inner city were settled, they informed Gu Chen, who then moved in immediately with the Gu Chengfeng family.


    The three-section courtyard was about the same size as the Gu Mansion in the outer city, but the environment was much better, and the location was good too, not far from an extremely bustling street in the inner city.


    Moving into the new home, Gu Chengfeng, Xu Qinge, and Gu Qingyan were all very happy, and even the maidservant Xiao Yu and gatekeeper Uncle Zhang were equally pleased.


    Seeing that family matters had been settled, Gu Chen could finally rx. He had informed Chen Yu that he would set out the next day for Qiongtian Mansion.


    The next morning, Gu Chen left Tiandu on horseback, heading for the city of Qiongtian Mansion.


    Stay connected through §Þ??


    Though Qiongtian Mansion was adjacent to Tiandu, the city was still over seven thousand li away from Tiandu, and even with the superior horses provided by the Jing Tian Department, it would take Gu Chen five days and nights to arrive.


    This mission was different from thest; no one else apanied him, and it was just Gu Chen alone. However, Gu Chen was ustomed to solitude and didn''t find it lonely.


    After traveling continuously for three days and nights, Gu Chen nned to rest for the night. Instead of entering a city, he found a ins area with open terrain where he intended to spend the night.


    In the nine states, wild animals often passed through the wilderness, but they were not like the fantasy beasts in the novels from his previous life that possessed intelligenceparable to humans¡ªthat would be demons, not beasts.


    Beasts generally had low intelligence, and even those with exceptional bloodlines had, at best, intelligenceparable to that of human children.


    It could be said that in the nine states, if there were no demons or ghosts, humans stood at the top of the biological chain.


    Late at night, under a clear sky scattered with sparse stars, Gu Chen sat cross-legged on the ins, settling his mind, nurturing the inner qi within his body.


    Since reaching the Vajra Stage, as his physical strength continuously improved and his meridians grew ever more resilient, they could fully withstand the surging inner qi in his body, which had reached a massive four hundred sixty-four years of cultivation.


    It could be said that as long as there were cultivation points, Gu Chen''s cultivation could rise swiftly within a short period of time.


    With such a vast cultivation of inner qi, he was considered to have profound cultivation even among those at the Gang Qi Stage, let alone the Vajra Stage.


    The only aspect in which Gu Chen fell shortpared to a Gang Qi Stage warrior was the Gangqi, aside from the physical body.


    Gangqi is formed by refining and condensing countless inner qi, with a qualitative difference between the two. Therefore, even with such profound cultivation, at this stage, Gu Chen had less than a thirty percent chance of winning against a Gang Qi Stage warrior, even one with Inner Gangqi.


    And as for those like Chen Yu who had reached the Outer Gangqi, the pinnacle of the Gang Qi Stage, Gu Chen was even less of an opponent. There was an insurmountable gap between Inner and Outer Gangqi.


    Even among those with Inner Gangqi, many might never be able to break through to the Outer Gangqi Stage.


    Not to mention, Chen Yu had also cultivated an exotic Gangqi. Even among the many Gang Qi Stage warriors in the nine states, and even within the Da Xia Jing Tian Department at the same level, Chen Yu''s strength was among the very top.


    At that moment, Gu Chen, who was in meditation, suddenly twitched his eyelids and lifted the corners of his mouth in a smirk, muttering to himself, "The beast has arrived."


    No sooner had he spoken than seven or eight figures rushed out from the surroundings, enclosing Gu Chen who was sitting in the in.


    The leader was none other than Cao Ying.


    ```

 Chapter 142: Chapter 132 Late-Stage Phantom-grade Monster _1

    ```


    The lord''s mansion of Qiongtian City upied a sizable area, with pavilions, towers, waterside pavilions, and courtyards, making the scenery quite appealing.


    After Gu Chen handed his horse to a servant, Wen Ziyun pulled Gu Chen into a courtyard and exined the situation to him.


    It turned out that just a moment ago, citizens of Qiongtian City who gathered herbs hade to report to the authorities. They said they had seen several vague ghostly shadows devouring the corpses of wild beasts in arge mountain outside Qiongtian City. Terrified by the sight, they hastened to escape and reported to the lord''s mansion.


    Wen Ziyun said, "Originally, I intended to dispatch the garrison to suppress them, but I feared it might be a trap set by the demon sect. Just when you, Lord Gu, happened to arrive, what do you think?"


    Gu Chen certainly would not refuse; killing demons and ghosts was a good thing for him. Hearing this, he smiled broadly, nodded, and said, "Of course, there''s no problem; I''ll set out immediately."


    "Good, there''s certainly no problem. Lord Gu is truly as the rumors say, caring for the people. When you return victorious, Lord Gu, I will certainly host a grand feast to wee you," Wen Ziyun said, visibly delighted by Gu Chen''s agreement.


    Moreover, what was most important was that Wen Ziyun found Gu Chen easy to speak with, which would make cooperation between the two much smoother moving forward.


    After all, young and promising individuals like Wen Ziyun had seen many; because they were young, they all tended to be proud and ambitious. He feared that after making such a name for himself in Xu''an County, Gu Chen might be arrogant and look down upon him, the lord of this mansion, not taking his words seriously.


    If such a self-important person came, and if it was hard to get along, Wen Ziyun would have really been troubled. Thankfully, Gu Chen now seemed to be a very amiable person.


    All that mattered was that Gu Chen was not troublesome; this had been Wen Ziyun''s only thought upon Gu Chen''s arrival.


    At this moment, Gu Chen said, "There''s no time to dy. I will set out now."


    Hearing this, Wen Ziyun quickly asked, "Does Lord Gu need to bring some men along?"


    Gu Chen, now in possession of great skill and courage, and since the mountain was not too distant from Qiongtian City, was confident that even if an ident urred, he could still manage to escape, even if he encountered a martial artist of the Gang Qi Stage.


    Besides, should someone dispatched by Wen Ziyun y a demon, would he then have to ask for the soul crystal? After all, that would be regarded as their spoils of war, and it wouldn''t be proper for him to request those spoils from others.


    Therefore, Gu Chen declined Wen Ziyun''s kind offer.


    Before arriving, Chen Yu had shown Gu Chen Wen Ziyun''s dossier, and he knew that Wen Ziyun was a good official who, over the years, had made considerable contributions to Qiongtian Mansion and was dearly loved by the citizens.


    Moreover, observing Wen Ziyun''s extraordinary demeanor and the faint halo around him, he knew that this lord of Qiongtian Mansion also possessed cultivation, not the ordinary kind of schr with no strength to truss a chicken.


    Of course, this cultivation was different from martial cultivation. In Da Xia, civil officials cultivated the Confucian Path, perfecting the righteous qi within their chests, which was apletely different concept from martial artists.


    They remained very vulnerable physically, no different from ordinary folks, but possessing that righteous qi meant that once their cultivation reached a certain level, they were protected from external evil and immune to many illnesses, enabling them to live a stable life until a natural death.


    However, this righteous qi was not very effective against enemies and could notunch many attacks; it merely provided some degree of self-protection.


    Of course, some highly skilled schrs of the Confucian Path could infuse their writings with this qi, giving their words the power to suppress evil and exorcise demons.


    Moreover, some grand schrs could confront demons and ghosts, as their righteous qi did have a restraining effect on such beings, but that was merely to the extent of posing a challenge or repelling them. To y demons or ghosts still required martial strength.


    Most importantly, this righteous qi was closely linked to their vitality;rge expenditures could harm their essence, which was why members of the Confucian Path would not use their righteous qi against enemies unless absolutely necessary.


    For external battles and skirmishes, martial artists were still more adept.


    Wen Ziyun then informed Gu Chen of the exact location, and Gu Chen immediately left the city, heading straight for the mountain Wen Ziyun had mentioned.


    The mountain was only fifty miles from Qiongtian City. With Gu Chen''s speed, he didn''t need a horse; in a short while, he had arrived.


    Many herbs grew on this mountain peak, which is why vigers living in nearby mountain viges frequently gathered them to sell in Qiongtian City for a living.


    The mountain was quite lofty, hundreds of feet tall, with lush forests within. Arriving here, Gu Chen sensed a faint and sinister presence upon entering.


    "It seems there really are demons here," Gu Chen thought to himself. The presence of demons meant he could collect merit points, allowing his stalled cultivation to advance once again.


    Following his sense of the sinister qi, Gu Chen steadily made his way deeper into the mountain.


    As he moved on, the scent of blood grew stronger; the higher he climbed, the more wild beasts there were. Generally, the vigers only dared to venture halfway up the mountain before refraining from climbing further.


    After all, though the vigers had some strength, they were no match for the more powerful beasts.


    Soon, Gu Chen saw numerous corpses of wild animals, blood scattered everywhere, and the pungent smell he had detected was emanating from here.


    "Roar!"


    Suddenly, a fierce howl echoed from beside Gu Chen''s ears, and a dark shadow darted out from the dense jungle.


    Boom!


    Gu Chen responded with a backhand palm strike, sending the shadow flying away.


    But at that moment, Gu Chen felt a chill envelop his body as several cold auras appeared, targeting him.


    "Four ghost-ss demons?" Gu Chen looked around, slightly surprised. Not far from him, there were four bizarre creatures with pitch-ck bodies and blood-red pupils.


    ```


    Some had the heads of oxen, yet sported tails like those of lions, standing erect on their back legs as if they were half beast, half human.


    Others crawled on all fours, resembling lone wolves, but were covered in fish scales, looking incredibly bizarre.


    Gu Chen paid them no heed. Specters were always varied in shape, and he had seen all sorts in the files of Jing Tian Department, so none were particrly strange to him.


    After all, specters didn''t belong to the species of the Nine Provinces, nor could they be understood ording to themon sense of the Nine Provinces.


    "Ao¡ª¡ª"


    The specter with the ox''s head and the stance of a minotaur let out a long howl to the sky, the cold and sinister aura it exuded being the strongest among them. Its blood-red pupils, resembling two blood-rednterns, stared fixedly at Gu Chen.


    Gu Chen''s eyebrows lifted in slight surprise as he said, "Ate-stage You-level specter?" Discover more stories at §Þ??


    The Jing Tian Department had ssified specters into several levels ording to different martial arts realms, and because the strength of specters varied, there were also subtle distinctions between the levels.


    Ate-stage You-level specter was equivalent in strength to a martial artist at the grandpletion of the Vajra Stage of the Human n. Simultaneously, it was possible that they were not weaker than some martial artists at the thirdyer of the Vajra Stage with a physique as strong as a savage dragon''s.


    Even, some within the Jing Tian Department spected that if a You-level specter reached the extreme limit, it could very well match an unbreakable Vajra Stage martial artist from the Human n in arm-wrestling.


    However, these extreme cases of specters were rare, and in recent centuries, the Nine Provinces hadn''t seen a Vajra Stage martial artist reach the unbreakable level.


    Therefore, all of this was just conjecture by the Jing Tian Department.


    "I wonder how much merit points ate-stage You-level specter is worth?" Gu Chen thought to himself, but showed no mercy as he stopped hesitating and made his move at once.


    Chi!


    Pressing his finger into the void, a razor-sharp Sword Qi suddenly burst from his fingertip, cutting through the emptiness and striking thete-stage You-level specter in the form of a minotaur.


    "Ao!"


    The minotaur specter screamed in pain. As specters fundamentally had no physical bodies and thus no blood, they were formed from condensed energy. Gu Chen''s Condensing Pulse Sword Wave tore a hole in its body, but as dark energy gathered, the wound healed in the blink of an eye.


    Swish swish swish!


    Just then, as Gu Chen was fully focused on the four specters before him, suddenly, several dark figures shed out of the grass behind him, one of them with a sinister palm strike aimed directly at Gu Chen''s heart.


    Sensing the attack, Gu Chen didn''t even bother to dodge, letting the palm strikend squarely on his body.


    Bang!


    The malicious palm strike tried to prate Gu Chen''s body to shatter his heart, but vainly so. Gu Chen''s physical body was extremely robust. Even without using any martial arts, the rebounding force inherent in his body caused the ambusher to let out a muffled grunt, blood dripping from the corner of their mouth as they stumbled backwards.


    "People from the Evil Heart Sect?" Gu Chen nced at the attacker, a trace of surprise in his eyes.


    The palm strike just now was the unique martial skill of the Evil Heart Sect, Crush Heart Palm.


    Having been on numerous missions, Gu Chen had had several encounters with the Evil Heart Sect. As soon as they made a move, he recognized them.


    It seemed the intelligence of Jing Tian Department was correct; magi practitioners were indeed lurking near Qiongtian City.


    "Gu Chen, we''ve been waiting for you for a long time!" the martial artist from the Evil Heart Sect coldly huffed.


    Gu Chen regarded them, counting six or seven people, all of Vajra Stage cultivation. Around them were the four You-level specters, with one specter barely matching a Vajra Stage martial artist with a physique strong as a savage dragon. Their lineup was undeniably formidable.


    "This is our gift to you. Do you like it?" the Evil Heart Sect martial artist sneered and said, "You''ve disrupted our sect''s ns time and again, even in many of our followers. Particrly, our sect''s most famous prodigy fell by your hand.


    Beforeing here, our sect leadermanded us to cripple your cultivation and bring you back alive, to thoroughly enjoy the tortures of the Evil Heart Sect."


    Gu Chen, upon hearing this, was momentarily puzzled; he had killed too many sorcerous martial practitioners to immediately recall which one was the Evil Heart Sect''s prodigy.


    Seeing Gu Chen''s reaction, the leader of the Evil Heart Sect let out an irritated snort as air seemed to choke in his chest.


    The ability of sorcerous sects to gather intelligence was indeed extraordinary, to have known that the Jing Tian Department would send Gu Chen, thus lying in wait here for his arrival.


    In fact, had it not been for the Six Union God Sect requiring the Evil Heart Sect''s services elsewhere, the sect leader of the Evil Heart Sect might have taken action personally or, at the very least, sent an elder of the Gang Qi Stage.


    Nevertheless, despite this, the forces the Evil Heart Sect brought this time were so formidable that the majority of the Metropolitan Procurators of Jing Tian Department would have nothing to do but flee.


    After all, thete-stage You-level specter was terrifyingly powerful, and with the other three specters and their Vajra Stage martial artists, the Evil Heart Sect''s preparations were thorough.


    But had they known that Gu Chen had killed eight Vajra Stage martial artists with a single palm on his way here, they would probably not be so confident.


    Be that as it may, the Evil Heart Sect was an old rival of Gu Chen''s, and the two had shed on numerous asions. Since they were so ''enthusiastic'', Gu Chen could not afford to treat them lightly.


    A hint of a smile appeared in Gu Chen''s eyes as he said, "Since you''ve delivered such a grand gift to me, naturally, I must respond in kind."


    ng!


    Before the Evil Heart Sect''s leader could speak, Gu Chen''s inner qi swelled, his breath surged like ocean waves, and he unleashed a vast and powerful Condensing Pulse Sword Wave. With a resonance shattering like the heavens, one You-level specter was turned to ashes by this move in just one sh.

 Chapter 143: Chapter 133: Casting Copper and Iron_1

    Swoosh!


    Gu Chen''s figure shed, ghostlike, as he moved close and caught the soul crystal securely in his hand.


    "You..."


    The few Vajra Stage martial artists from the Evil Heart Sect instantly turned pale.


    "Roar!"


    At that moment, thete-stage Ghoul Minotaur let out an angry roar and charged straight at Gu Chen, bulldozing his way forward, its two sharp horns aiming directly at him.


    Seeing this, Gu Chen decided to gauge its strength and reached out with his palm to grasp one of the bull''s horns. At that moment, Gu Chen felt an overwhelming force from the other side. Caught off guard, he stumbled backward five or six steps.


    "What tremendous strength!" Gu Chen was inwardly shocked. If he were to talk about physical strength alone, at this stage, where he was impervious to both fire and water, he was indeed no match for the Minotaur before him.


    He had always been the one to overpower others with his physical strength. Sinceing to this world, this was the first time Gu Chen had lost in a contest of strength, although his opponent was but a ghoul.


    It should be noted that Gu Chen''s current strength was already over a hundred and fifty thousand catties. As one''s strength grew, it became increasingly difficult to make advances. The fact that Gu Chen had reached his current level wasrgely thanks to the enhancement provided by the Superior Martial Skill, the Golden Bell Shield of Tiger''s Roar and Dragon''s Cry.


    Even so, in the test of strength just now, Gu Chen was inferior. It could be foreseen that this Minotaur ghoul might well possess a strength of two hundred thousand catties.


    What concept was that?


    In Gu Chen''s previous life, that was a hundred tons of force!


    What a formidable strength!


    The reason why the third level of the Vajra Stage is called "Body of the Savage Dragon" is precisely this. Martial artists reaching this stage experience an explosive increase in physical strength, and calling them humanoid tyrannosaurs is no exaggeration.


    And the Savage Dragon, in the ancient times of the Nine Provinces before the Human n existed, was synonymous with strength.


    However, as the heavens and earth gradually evolved, the terrifying species from the ancient era have all but vanished, leaving only sparse records on certain scrolls, with no other traces to be found.


    A Vajra Stage martial artist that reached the "Body of the Savage Dragon" level could, with just their physical strength, easily raze cities to the ground, without even mentioning their cultivation.


    But reaching this level is extremely difficult; in the vast Nine Provinces, among the many Vajra Stage martial artists, fewer than one in ten could achieve this.


    This shows just how difficult it is to cultivate the physical body to the Vajra Stage.


    If we put aside Gu Chen''s cultivation, he might not be a match for this Minotaur ghoul.


    It was clear that within the Evil Heart Sect, this ghoul was a heavyweight figure. If nurtured a little, it might very well advance to the fiendish level, on par with a Human n martial artist of the Gang Qi Stage.


    Of course, the people of the Evil Heart Sect were already doing so.


    Although he was not a match for it in a contest of pure strength, once Gu Chen mobilized the vigorous inner energy within his body, the ghoul started to falter.


    The life form of a ghoul is extremely peculiar; though made of energy, when gathered together, it feels no different from a solid body.


    Crack!


    As the mighty inner energy surged within Gu Chen, his palm became as hard as metal, and with one forceful move, he broke off one of the Minotaur ghoul''s sharp horns.


    Seeing this scene, the martial artists from the Evil Heart Sect became even more fearful, with several of them harboring thoughts of fear.


    Even if they were all at the Vajra Stage, Gu Chen was far too fierce, not on the same level as them at all.


    If there weren''t solid evidence that Gu Chen had only recently broken through to the Vajra Stage, they would have suspected whether Gu Chen had reached the third level, "Body of the Savage Dragon," or even broken through to the Gang Qi Stage.


    Otherwise, how could he possess such power? Ate-stage ghoul was like a toy in his hands.


    "Roar!"


    At that moment, the Minotaur ghoul bellowed in pain. ck energy gathered at the tip of its other horn, transforming into a beam of light that pierced towards Gu Chen.


    The ck light was extremely fast, and at such a close distance, Gu Chen couldn''t dodge. This time, he didn''t act recklessly but activated the Golden Bell Shield of Tiger''s Roar and Dragon''s Cry. A golden shield emerged around his body, protecting him from the strike.


    "You actually have some strength," Gu Chen nodded slightly, and then, as the inner energy within his body surged, he activated the Pure Yang Wuji Gong. In that moment, Gu Chen seemed to transform into a giant furnace, emitting astonishing heat, his blood boiling as if about to overflow from his body.


    The scorching breath spread all around, and the martial artists from the Evil Heart Sect who had been moving to surround and attack him suddenly turned red, like boiled shrimp, retreating nonstop.


    At the same time, the remaining two ghouls also screamed incessantly, with countless streams of ck energy evaporating from their bodies.


    Pure Yang Wuji Gong, of extreme yang and hardness, being mobilized by four hundred and sixty-four years of terrifying inner energy, its power could only be imagined. Even fine iron tempered a thousand times would melt into ashes given enough time near Gu Chen.


    At the same time, the Minotaur ghoul that was fighting Gu Chen also screamed miserably as mes zed upon it. Even with its rapid recovery rate, it couldn''t hold on any longer.


    At this time, the hair and eyebrows of those few martial artists from the Evil Heart Sect were burning; even with inner energy to protect their bodies, they couldn''t bear it. Gu Chen''s inner energy was just too profound.


    "How can his strength be so strong?!" They were shocked to their core and turned to flee.


    ng!


    But at that moment, Gu Chen drew his treasured sword from his waist. A burst of dazzling sword light like an aurora shed through the void, and suddenly, a line of blood appeared on the necks of the martial artists from the Evil Heart Sect.


    "With one sword... souls are shocked!"


    The people''s eyes bulged, and they sped their throats with both hands, but the scalding fresh blood still flowed uncontrobly.


    Gu Chen remained silent; his strength was simply too formidable, entirely surpassing his current level. At the Vajra Stage, it was difficult for anyone to be his match; ying Vajra Stage warriors was as simple for him as slicing melons and cutting vegetables.


    Whether it was in terms of cultivation level, martial arts realm, physical strength, or the true essence of martial arts, Gu Chen had an almost absolute dominance within the Vajra Stage.


    Unless a warrior who had attained the Indestructible Vajra emerged, perhaps only then could someone truly be a match for Gu Chen.


    Even if it were a Vajra Stage warrior with a physique as formidable as a wild dragon and unparalleled strength, Gu Chen''s physical power might not match the opponent''s, but with his supreme cultivation, the opponent would still find it difficult to stand as his match.


    Unfortunately, up until now, no warrior with the Indestructible Vajra had appeared in the Jiuzhou region.


    "Let it end."


    Gu Chen whispered softly, no longer concealing his power. As the terrifying internal energy of 464 years erupted within him, he employed the Condensing Pulse Sword Wave, his unmatched sword intent contained in the movements of his palms and fingers. With each flick of his fingers, it was as if he was executing one exquisitely intricate sword technique after another.


    After just a few moves, the bull-headed demon was dissected by Gu Chen''s Condensing Pulse Sword Wave into countless pieces, then with a bang, it directly turned into dust, leaving only a soul crystal behind.


    Gu Chen immediately reached out to catch it, then with a thought, the soul crystal in his hand slowly dissipated like vanishing in the wind. Chilled power flowed into his body, and as Gu Chen checked his status panel, his achievement points immediately increased by a full forty-two points.


    "The achievement points contributed by ate-stage Spectral Demon are indeed considerable," Gu Chen nodded to himself, clearly satisfied with the oue of this venture.


    Soon after, the soul crystals from the other three Spectral Demons were absorbed by Gu Chen one after another. In no time at all, the achievement points on his panel broke through the hundred mark again.


    The only thing that Gu Chen found regrettable was that the members of the Evil Heart Sect at the Vajra Stage were too worthless, not a single one had fused with a demon spirit.


    Otherwise, the achievement points he gained could have been even more.


    Gu Chen looked around, then sat down cross-legged, choosing to break through right there.


    After all, in the deep mountains and old forests, there were not many people around, and having just released such a terrifying aura, not even beasts would dare to approach.


    The very next moment, as Gu Chen''s mind moved, his status panel appeared before his eyes.


    Name: Gu Chen


    Martial Arts: Golden Bell Shield of Dragon Roar and Tiger Howl (minor achievement), Burning Vein Finger plete, can be extrapted), Phantom Traceless Step plete), Astonishing Swan Swordsmanship Skills plete), Great Vajra Fist plete), Condensing Pulse Sword Wave plete, can be extrapted), Four Extremes Propping Heaven Fist


    Internal Skill: Pure Yang Wuji Gong


    Cultivation: 464 years


    Experience exclusive tales on §Þ??


    Stage: Early Vajra Stage


    Achievement Points: 122


    Looking at the achievement points on the panel, Gu Chen''s mind moved, and his thoughts turned into a tendril that reached out and gently tapped on the panel. At that moment, a full fifty-two achievement points vanished.


    Simultaneously, as therge number of points disappeared, in the Martial Arts section, Golden Bell Shield of Dragon Roar and Tiger Howl also directly advanced from minor achievement toplete mastery.


    Although Gu Chen had been prepared, he hadn''t expected that reachingplete mastery with Superior Martial Skills would require so many achievement points.


    Boom!


    At that moment, as a wealth of rted martial arts experiences surged in his mind, Gu Chen''s body also shook, and his Protective Golden Bell automatically emerged.


    With the Golden Bell Shield of Dragon Roar and Tiger Howl reachingplete mastery, the bell''s shadow was extremely close to solidification, and the virtual images of the dragon and tiger became more realistic, roaming up and down along the Protective Golden Bell.


    Roar!


    As the Protective Golden Bell gently rippled, a distant sound of bell tolling echoed, apanied by the reverberation of dragon''s roars and tiger''s howls, permeating the forest. It lingered atop the mountainside, buffeted by strong winds and resounding for a long time.


    At this moment, the many fierce beasts on the mountain bowed their heads, trembling, worshipping in the direction of Gu Chen, as if on a pilgrimage.


    At the same time, the vigers in the surrounding viges also heard this remote and magnificent bell toll, along with the majestic sounds of the dragon''s roars and the tiger''s howls, resembling the worship of a deity; they knelt down in veneration, bowing towards the mountain, prostrating themselves over and over, while murmuring prayers.


    Located in the midst of the mountains, Gu Chen naturally did not know all this; at this moment, he only felt his flesh, tendons, bones, and membranes once again undergoing enhancement. His veins were stretching, and impurities were continuously expelled through his pores, his flesh bing more crystal clear, and so were his bones and organs.


    Even as time passed, the five viscera and six bowels within Gu Chen''s body, along with his bones, began to reveal a faint ck gold sheen.


    This was the second level of the Vajra Stage, Iron-Cast and Copper-Poured!


    Once this level was reached, the martial artist achieved a body as tough as iron and steel, wholly integrated. At the same time, it seemed as if Gu Chen''s pores were closing and his skin became exceptionally smooth and clean, greatly increasing his body''s defensive power.


    The density of bones and muscles were all improving in session, and even Gu Chen''s physical strength further enhanced, approaching but not yet reaching two hundred thousand catties.


    At Iron-Cast and Copper-Poured, reaching this level made Gu Chen''s entire aura extremely restrained. Simultaneously, his flesh, bones, viscera, and bowels all condensed into one, bing tougher than even a thousand times hammered fine steel.


    With this realm achieved,mon attacks, even those prating his body, struggled to harm him anymore, his body unified as one, any casual strike could unleash peerless physical power.


    Gu Chen''s control over his physique also reached an unprecedented level, with every inch of his flesh under hismand, capable of unleashing even greater strength.


    At the same time, Gu Chen''s whole body, in a certain sense, preliminarily transcended the category of flesh and blood, appearing as if constructed of steel.


    This enhancement did not stop there; it was just the beginning of Gu Chen''s ascent to a body of iron and steel. With the Golden Bell Shield of Dragon Roar and Tiger Howl reachingplete mastery, his power also climbed to a new height, harboring inexplicable wonders.

 Chapter 145: Chapter 135: Yao Platform Gala _1

    "The Yao tform Grand Assembly?"


    Gu Chen''s eyes flickered slightly as he looked at the exquisitely crafted invitation in his hand, his expression thoughtful.


    The Yao tform Grand Assembly was hosted by the Yao tform Sect, which, like the Sunset Sword Sect and the Canghai Sect, was ranked among the "Seven Sects and Eight Orders," situated in the western region of Qiongtian Mansion.


    Although the Sunset Sword Sect was nominally the top sect of Qiongtian Mansion, this was mainly because they had been very active in the martial world in recent years. Additionally, their disciple Qin Mu had previously monopolized the top spot on the Star Ranking, which greatly amplified their reputation.


    In reality, the power of the Yao tform Sect was no less than that of the Sunset Sword Sect. It''s just that the Yao tform Sect, a sect led by women, acted in a more low-profile manner, unlike the Sunset Sword Sect''s more mboyant and imposing approach, which is why the Yao tform Sect was not as widely known to some extent.


    Although Gu Chen had never had any contact with the Yao tform Sect, he knew that it was said their women were all exceptionally gentle in character and beautiful in appearance. It was not to say that every one of them was a beauty capable of causing the downfall of cities and states, but they were all certainly above average.


    It was a point of pride among martial artists to marry a woman from the Yao tform Sect, and indeed, countless sects and powers sought their hands in marriage every year.


    However, given the strength of the Yao tform Sect, there was no need to maintain alliances through marriage, and the women of the Yao tform Sect were not so easily married off.


    Nevertheless, the longing for the Yao tform Sect remained exceedingly high among the people of the martial world.


    The Yao tform Grand Assembly was held every three years. Each time, it extended invitations to all the major martial sects, who all showed great respect by attending without fail.


    Not only did this provide an opportunity to enter the Yao tform Sect and catch a glimpse of their many female disciples'' beauty, but each Yao tform Grand Assembly also featured a rare treasure from within the sect, used to entertain the guests¡ªa gift from nature seldom seen in the world.


    This rare treasure was called the Jade Spirit Ice Liquid, a unique specialty of the Yao tform Sect that was of great utility to martial practitioners. It could temper the body and refine the inner breath, making it one of the world''s rare and treasured items.


    In the realm of martial arts, practitioners at the Vajra Stage mainly focused on physical cultivation. With the aid of the Jade Spirit Ice Liquid, after consumption, those at the Vajra Stage could expect a significant enhancement to their physical bodies, akin to a transformation.


    Those who consumed the Jade Spirit Ice Liquid, at the very least, would reach the second level of the Vajra Stage, with bodies as solid as cast copper or iron. Furthermore, many martial artists at the Vajra Stage saw a considerable chance to reach the third level of the stage, their bodies as powerful as those of wild dragons, after consuming the liquid.


    Even for those who had reached the peak of the Vajra Stage, the Jade Spirit Ice Liquid had substantial efficacy, as it not only tempered the body but also refined the inner breath, allowing martial artists to progress faster to the next realm, the Gang Qi Stage.


    Precisely because of the miraculous effects of the Jade Spirit Ice Liquid, this treasure was coveted by countless martial artists. Although the Yao tform Sect was among the "Seven Sects and Eight Orders," the possession of such a treasure made them an object of envy, which is why they would host the Yao tform Grand Assembly to share it with the world''s martial artists.


    However, treasures like the Jade Spirit Ice Liquid were exceedingly rare, only being able to be collected once every three years, and each collection produced only a small amount. Naturally, not just anyone had the privilege of consuming the Jade Spirit Ice Liquid, and only the top three martial artists at the Yao tform Grand Assembly were qualified to partake of it.


    It was the existence of the Jade Spirit Ice Liquid that caused the Yao tform Grand Assembly to be an incredibly grand event each time it was held, far surpassing the Sunset Sword Sect''s martial artspetitions. Each Assembly would see countless powers participate, with its influence extending far beyond just Qiongtian Mansion.


    As for the Jade Spirit Ice Liquid, Gu Chen certainly had some interest, but not much.


    After all, with the support of his system, even without these heaven-sent treasures, he could continuously strengthen his body as long as he had enough points.


    What puzzled Gu Chen was why, as someone from the imperial court, he had suddenly received an invitation to the Yao tform Grand Assembly, a grand event of the Jiuzhou martial world, typically aimed at martial factions?


    It was known that although many forces submitted to the Da Xia Emperor out of awe for his power, many of these martial sects harbored deep resentment towards Da Xia in their hearts.


    After all, most martial artists were proud and unruly by nature, with deadly weapons at their disposal, which inevitably brought forth a killing intent. Once they possessed strength, they would naturally not regard ordinary people highly. However, the existence of Da Xia forced them to restrain their nature.


    Having power but not being able to act on a whim, and having to obey the orders of Da Xia, naturally frustrated many martial artists. Yet, due to Da Xia''s overwhelming strength, no one had dared to oppose it openly to date.


    The Jing Tian Department, as a violent institution of Da Xia charged with monitoring the entirend, was mockingly referred to by these martial artists as the "imperial hounds." Most martial artists did not harbor much fondness for the members of the Jing Tian Department, feeling both fear and aversion towards them.


    For this reason, Gu Chen was somewhat surprised to receive an invitation from the Yao tform Sect.


    What Gu Chen did not know was that he had been invited by the Yao tform Sect because he had previously defeated Qin Mu in Phoenix Sun City, taking the number one spot on the Star Ranking, and his fame had spread far and wide in the aftermath of the battle in Xu''an County, prompting the Yao tform Sect to extend the invitation.


    Had it been any other first-rank Metropolitan Procurator of the Jing Tian Department, the Yao tform Sect would not have issued an invitation.


    After all, not just anyone could casually attend the Yao tform Grand Assembly.

 Chapter 146: Chapter 135: Yao Platform Banquet_2

    ```


    Gu Chen pondered for a moment, then set aside the exquisite invitation in his hand. To tell the truth, he wasn''t very interested in the Yao tform Sect gathering.


    The event hosted by the Yao tform Sect was scheduled for the seventh of next month, still a month away. Invitations were sent out early for fear that martial forces from the other two major mansions were too distant. It was with this consideration that the Yao tform Sect had dispatched the invitations at this time.


    Afterwards, Gu Chen continued practicing martial arts in the courtyard, familiarizing himself with the sudden sixty years'' increase in his power.


    To be honest, with Gu Chen''s currentbat prowess, if he were to attend the Yao tform Sect gathering, he would likely be second to none.


    With his current strength, even those prodigious characters from the Vajra Stage within the Seven Sects and Eight Factions were like children to him, and that with him, an adult, wielding a precious weapon¡ªa gap too vast to draw anyparisons.


    This was another reason why Gu Chen wasn''t very interested.


    In the following days, since thest incident, the members of the Six Union God Sect seemed to have recognized Gu Chen''s strength. Knowing his presence in Qiongtian Mansion, they appeared to have be more subdued, leaving the entire mansion in tranquility.


    No demon cult fiends caused trouble, nor did any evil spirits appear.


    With Qiongtian Mansion at peace, the mansion''s lord, Wen Ziyun, was happy, but Gu Chen felt somewhat uneasy. Simply put, without evil spirits, there were no merit points, and without merit points, he could only rely on gradual cultivation to improve his own abilities.


    However, after reaching the Vajra Stage, the progress of martial cultivation became extremely slow. Even though Gu Chen cultivated relentlessly day and night, his abilities barely improved, to a pitifully negligible extent.


    This was mainly because his current level of power was too profound¡ªat over five hundred years, it was incredibly difficult to improve further through his own cultivation.


    The same was true for his physical body. Without merit points, Gu Chen''s strength had hit a small bottleneck in the short term.


    At that moment, Gu Chen was considering whether or not to attend the so-called Yao tform Sect gathering and use Jade Spirit Ice Liquid to enhance his physical body.


    But just then, news arrived from the Jing Tian Department: they had located traces of the demon cult. Chen Yu assessed that the demon cult might also have designs on the Jade Spirit Ice Liquid and were highly likely to send people to attend the Yao tform Sect gathering.


    Upon receiving this intelligence from the Jing Tian Department, Gu Chen''s spirits rose. He had already been entertaining the idea of participating in the Yao tform Sect gathering, and now, with the possibility of demon cult members appearing, it meant there was a great chance of evil spirits being involved. For Gu Chen, attending the Yao tform Sect gathering had now be a must.


    The Yao tform Sect was located in the western part of Qiongtian Mansion and quite a distance from the mansion city. Since the city had been peaceful recently, Gu Chen took the opportunity to inform the lord of Qiongtian Mansion, Wen Ziyun about the gathering.


    Gu Chen''s position in Qiongtian Mansion was implicitly higher than Wen Ziyun''s, and his actions within the mansion were extremely free, with no one to restrict him.


    Moreover, as this was a mission from the Jing Tian Department, Wen Ziyun had even less reason to stop Gu Chen from going. Thus, after speaking with Wen Ziyun, Gu Chen promptly set off, riding a fast horse towards the Yao tform Sect.


    The journey from the mansion city to the Yao tform Sect required approximately ten days. With about half a month until the gathering began, there was ample time, so Gu Chen was not in a hurry. Instead, he appreciated the scenery along the way.


    After all, on previous missions, he was always in a rush, traveling day and night as if it were the norm. Now, with sufficient time, Gu Chen naturally wasn''t as anxious as before.


    On the night of the fifth day en route to the Yao tform Sect, a light rain suddenly began to fall from the sky. Gu Chen, in his dark robe, with a handsome face and a long sword at his waist, cut a striking figure on horseback. Not a single drop of water from the sky fell upon him.


    Upon closer inspection, a faint aura could be seen surrounding his body, enveloping him and causing the rainwater to slide off. Even in the face of violent storms, Gu Chen remained untroubled.


    This was a minor application of inner qi, essible to warriors in the External Qi Stage, let alone Gu Chen, who had already reached the mid-Vajra Stage.


    Since there was no rush for time, Gu Chen nced at the sky and noticed an inn not far ahead. He decided to spend the night there.


    As he entered the inn, the rain had gathered quite a few people inside. Some were martial artists from Jianghu, others were traveling merchants.


    In Da Xia, merchants were numerous, and many trade routes had been established for them to peddle their goods.


    The inn was sizeable, built to amodate the needs of traveling merchants. Thoughrge, it was nearly at capacity, with only a few tables still vacant.


    Upon seeing Gu Chen enter, the crowd inside gave him a few extra nces. Noticing that he walked through the rain without getting wet, their expressions grew serious.


    After all, warriors at the External Qi Stage were already considered second-tier experts in Jianghu, and most merchant caravans would invite protectors from this stage.


    First-tier experts from the Vajra Stage, however, were beyond the reach of ordinary merchants; onlyrge tradingpanies could afford to hire Vajra Stage warriors.


    Though Gu Chen was well-known throughout thend for his deeds in Xu''an County, because it was ancient times, information did not spread as swiftly as in his previous modern life, so the people in the inn did not recognize him.


    The innkeeper, noting Gu Chen''s extraordinary demeanor, warmly weed him in. Once Gu Chen was seated, the innkeeper smiled and asked, "What would you like to have, sir?"


    He then introduced the specialties of the inn to Gu Chen, who nodded slightly and ordered some dishes along with a pot of wine.


    Seeing Gu Chen order quite a bit, the innkeeper''s smile grew thicker and he said, "Alright, sir, just a moment, and I''ll bring your food and drink to you."


    With these words, the innkeeper hurried towards the kitchen.


    But just then, therge doors of the inn were pushed open, and a group of more than a dozen warriors carrying long sabers entered.


    Leading them were three individuals: an austere-looking elder with white hair and beard, and two young people, a man and a woman.


    The man was dressed in a brocade robe, around twenty-three or twenty-four years old, with an extraordinary air, handsome features, a tall and slim figure, and fair skin. The woman wore a white pce gown, was beautiful, with superior looks, yet her eyes and brows carried an aura of arrogance.


    Some sharp-eyed Jianghu warriors recognized the decorations on the group''s attire and the emblem embroidered on their robe fronts. Their eyes widened in shock as they whispered in astonishment, "Heavenly Saber Sect?!"


    ```

 Chapter 147: Chapter 136 Top of the World_1

    Upon seeing over a dozen martial artists with a lofty aura walk in, the server hurriedly rushed out from the kitchen again, greeting them with a keen smile, "Esteemed gentlemen and thisdy, pleasee inside."


    The gracefully beautiful young woman in white pce attire stepped back slightly with a look of disdain when the server approached, simultaneously fanning her nose with her hand.


    Seeing this, the server immediately felt somewhat embarrassed. It was then that the man in brocade clothes spoke up, "We have quite a few people, will your ce have enough space to seat us all?"


    "There''s plenty of room, plenty of room, honored guests pleasee this way!" the server quickly nodded and led the group from Heavenly Saber Sect inside.


    After all, this group looked exceedingly prestigious and there were quite a number of them, so naturally, the server was keen to retain them.


    Although there were many patrons in the inn, there were still three empty tables. The dozen or so people from Heavenly Saber Sect sat together, and especially since most of them were burly men, it immediately seemed a bit crowded.


    The woman in pce attire frowned, showing her disdain unabashedly as she stood there refusing to sit down.


    "Junior Sister, it''s a light drizzle outside now, and it''s not easy to find an inn to settle in; please make do for now," the man in brocade clothes said softly to the young woman in pce attire.


    It was precisely because of this young woman, not wanting to travel in the rain, that they had chosen to stop at this inn.


    Upon hearing this, the young woman was still somewhat reluctant; she didn''t want to dine crowded together with a bunch of smelly men.


    "Junior Sister, be obedient," the man in a brocade robe said with a sense of helplessness upon seeing this, but his words could not be too harsh.


    After all, the woman before him, Yang Mingyue, was the only daughter of the Heavenly Saber Sect''s leader. She had been pampered since childhood, living in luxury, and was ustomed to being wilful, which sometimes really gave people a headache.


    He was the only one, as the leader''s direct disciple and the chosen sessor to the next leader of Heavenly Saber Sect, who had the authority to somewhat restrain the young woman before him, and she would also listen to some of his words.


    But still, his words could not be too severe.


    Yang Mingyue furrowed her brows and suddenly, her gaze shifted and saw Gu Chen eating alone at a distance, upying a table by himself.


    Immediately, she ignored the man in brocade clothes calling out to her and approached Gu Chen with contempt, casually tossing a silver ingot and lifted her head high, saying condescendingly, "Take the money and eat somewhere else."


    Gu Chen heard this but did not spare her a nce, continuing to eat his meal.


    Seeing Gu Chen dare to ignore her, anger shed across Yang Mingyue''s eyes, and her voice suddenly rose several degrees, saying haughtily, "Are you deaf? Didn''t you hear what I said?"


    At that moment, there was a click, and Gu Chen put down his chopsticks and bowl, lifted his head, and calmly looked at Yang Mingyue with profound eyes.


    Feeling Gu Chen''s gaze, Yang Mingyue suddenly felt a chill in her heart, and involuntarily stepped back several paces.


    She quickly recovered, angered by the fear she felt towards Gu Chen, and loudly said, "What do you want to do!"


    "Scram!"


    Gu Chen said indifferently, his tone casual as if he was shooing away a fly.


    Hearing these words, Yang Mingyue was immediately enraged, her eyes brimming with ferocity, and she raised her hand to p Gu Chen.


    Sensing this, a sh of cold light flickered in Gu Chen''s eyes.


    "Junior Sister, stop!"


    At this moment, the color drained from the man in brocade clothes'' face, and he quickly stepped forward, catching Yang Mingyue''s wrist at thest moment.


    "Senior Brother, why are you doing this? He dared to be rude to me!"


    When Yang Mingyue saw the man in brocade clothes appear and grab her wrist, she was somewhat unwilling and stomp her feet in a fit of pique.


    "Junior Sister, do you think you are still at the sect''s gate? How can you act so recklessly!"


    The man in brocade clothes'' face darkened, and Yang Mingyue''s expression stiffened, her arrogant demeanor slightly subdued.


    But then she lifted her head proudly, baring her fair neck, and said haughtily, "What of it? They''re nothing but country bumpkins. If we were at the sect''s gate, I would have long since driven them all out. I''ve even given him silver, and he dares to not give me face, and to be rude to me!"


    "Junior Sister, have you forgotten what our master said before we left? Didn''t he tell you that when you are out, you should listen to me? If you continue to be disobedient, I will have to send you back!" the man in brocade clothes said gravely.


    Upon hearing this, Yang Mingyue''s expression was still somewhat defiant, but she dared not say anything more and could only humph coldly, walking back unwillingly.


    Seeing this, the man in brocade clothes let out a sigh of relief. Then, he turned his head and cupped his hands towards Gu Chen, saying, "This one is Mo Zilin from Heavenly Saber Sect. My junior sister offended you just now, and I offer my apologies for any offense caused."


    A moment ago, when Yang Mingyue made her move, Mo Zilin sensed an aura of dread and reacted instantly, realizing Gu Chen was no easy adversary. That''s why he hurriedly stopped Yang Mingyue, preventing her p fromnding.


    Gu Chen heard this and remained calm, not speaking and only nodding slightly.


    Mo Zilin had introduced himself to let Gu Chen know their background, signaling not to go too far.


    "Please ept this silver ingot as our apology for the earlier rudeness," Mo Zilin said, cupping his fists. Seeing Gu Chen still remain silent, he didn''t get annoyed, but turned back to his own seat.


    But then, a quiet sound arose, and a shadow fell near Yang Mingyue. Startled by this sudden development, Yang Mingyue was scared and let out a cry of shock.

 Chapter 148: Chapter 136 The Top of The World_2

    The dark figure was none other than the silver ingot that Yang Mingyue had flung at Gu Chen before.


    Seeing this, Yang Mingyue''s anger surged, her face murderous, and she was about to look for Gu Chen.


    "Junior Sister!"


    The man in the brocade robe, Mo Zilin, saw her reaction and promptly took hold of his junior sister, his expression extremely serious.


    "Hmph!"


    After attempting several times to break free to no avail, Yang Mingyue could only snort coldly and sit down furiously.


    The onlookers inside the inn, witnessing the scene, were also secretly impressed by Gu Chen''s audacity.


    Everyone knew that the Heavenly Saber Sect had a thunderous reputation within the Jianghu of the Nine Provinces, easily matching the influence and power of the Sunset Sword Sect and the Yao tform Sect.


    Their leader, Tian Dao Yang Ling, was rumored to have been a master of martial arts for decades, just a step away from the supreme Vajra Stage of martial arts mastery, with terrifying strength that allowed him to split mountains and rivers asunder with a single strike.


    And the Heavenly Saber Sect was ranked alongside the Sunset Sword Sect and the Yao tform Sect among the renowned Seven Sects and Eight Factions.


    Because the Nine Provinces were vast and full of martial arts sects and noble families, Diancang Pavilion had summarized the top powers of the Jianghu with four lines:


    These four lines were: "Seven Sects and Eight Factions, three Great Teachingsid; Nine Gates, four Valleys, and three Heterodox Paths; Six Families'' legacy through ages, myriad heroes vie in Jianghu''s fray."


    The forces mentioned in these four linespiled by Diancang Pavilion were all extremely powerful. Even the Canghai Sect, which was in slight decline among the Seven Sects and Eight Factions, had master martial artists within its ranks. Prominent sects like the Sunset Sword Sect and the Yao tform Sect had at least one master martial artist of the Vajra Stage standing strong.


    Only such powers could im to be the pinnacle of the Jianghu.


    The Heavenly Saber Sect was one of the Nine Gates, and Mo Zilin was the most outstanding disciple of this generation within the sect, already designated as the next Sect Leader.


    As for Yang Mingyue, she was the only offspring of the current Sect Leader of the Heavenly Saber Sect, Yang Ling, and hence extremely doted on. Growing up indulged in Yang Ling''s affection, she developed a proud and unruly temperament. Few within the Heavenly Saber Sect dared to provoke her, which is not surprising given the nature she developed as she grew up.


    This time, the Heavenly Saber Sect hade to attend the grand event organized by the Yao tform Sect. Among the leading trio, aside from the heir to the sect leader, Mo Zilin, and the sect leader''s own daughter, Yang Mingyue, the silent elder was an elder of the Heavenly Saber Sect with inner Qi cultivation at Vajra Stage.


    His purpose in apanying them was to protect Yang Mingyue, as assigned by Yang Ling.


    Gu Chen was well aware of the Heavenly Saber Sect and had recognized the elder''s cultivation level, but still showed no hint of fear. To him, the Heavenly Saber Sect was just another faction. Should the Vajra Stage elder dare to make a move on him, he wouldn''t hesitate to report to Tiandu and have the Jing Tian Department level the Heavenly Saber Sect.


    He also understood that Mo Zilin and the elder had not taken action against him right away because they had discerned hisposure. Unlike Yang Mingyue, who was inexperienced in the ways of the Jianghu, these two were seasoned veterans. To be able to sit so calmly despite hearing the name of the Heavenly Saber Sect meant either a confidence in one''s own strength or an extraordinary background.


    If it were anyone else showing even a shred of weakness, Mo Zilin would have had them thrown out long ago.


    Seeing Yang Mingyue a bit upset and silent, Mo Zilin had no choice but to approach the other patrons at the neighboring tables and offer them some silver to vacate, which they did eagerly.


    After all, these people didn''t dare to offend Mo Zilin or the Heavenly Saber Sect and thusplied.


    The inn''s busboy worked efficiently; seeing people leave, he quickly cleaned up the table. Yang Mingyue finally showed a hint of a smile on her tense face and joined Mo Zilin and the elder from the Heavenly Saber Sect.


    "Junior Sister, try this dish, it''s quite good," Mo Zilin said, seeing Yang Mingyue''s mood improve, and he swiftly served her a dish.


    "Thank you, Senior Brother," Yang Mingyue called out sweetly, feeling content, but the presence of Gu Chen put a damper on her mood, wishing in her heart that he would finish eating and leave as soon as he could.


    While they were eating, the Vajra Stage elder suddenly said, "Zilin, at this Yao tform event, there are said to be even more talented participants than thest one. Do you feel confident about securing one of the top three ces?"


    Before Mo Zilin could respond, Yang Mingyue spoke up with an air of arrogance. "With Senior Brother''s skills, who in this world could be his match? Winning first ce at the Yao tform event will be a breeze."


    In Yang Mingyue''s eyes, the Heavenly Saber Sect was the strongest force in the world, with few sects that could match it, and Mo Zilin was the most formidable young hero in the Jianghu.


    After all, she had grown up with Mo Zilin since childhood. With his extraordinary talent and handsome appearance, her heart had long since been set on him, and she had even discussed her intentions with the Sect Leader Yang Ling, nning to get engaged to Mo Zilin before long.


    This was something Mo Zilin was well aware of.


    And so, in Yang Mingyue''s mind, within the same realm of cultivation, Mo Zilin was undoubtedly the strongest.


    Hearing Yang Mingyue''s words, the Heavenly Saber Sect elder shook his head inwardly, feeling that Yang Mingyue was really missing therger picture and underestimating the people of the world.


    However, he refrained from saying more; after all, Yang Mingyue, who had been pampered all her life, didn''t have a high level of martial prowess, and even with the Sect Leader''s support, her current cultivation was only at the level of the outer Qi realm. Not being involved in major Jianghu affairs, she only had eyes for Mo Zilin and couldn''t see the breadth of the Jianghu.


    Mo Zilin, well aware of the affairs of the world, took the conversation seriously and replied, "Although I am somewhat confident, I cannot im to bepletely sure. All I can say is that I will strive to do my best and not let down our Heavenly Saber Sect or my master''s reputation."


    The Heavenly Saber Sect elder nodded. He spoke as he did to ensure that Mo Zilin didn''t underestimate thepetitors like Yang Mingyue might. But it seemed Mo Zilin was very much aware of the situation.


    Though Mo Zilin was strong, even when a lion hunts a rabbit it must exert full effort. It would be truly regrettable to lose a match due to carelessness.


    After all, the Yao tform Sect''s Jade Spirit Ice Liquid was extremely beneficial to martial artists at the Vajra Stage, the very treasure Mo Zilin urgently needed at present.


    At that moment, Mo Zilin suddenly said, "I''ve heard that for this Yao tform event, the Yao tform Sect even sent an invitation to Gu Chen of the Da Xia Jing Tian Department. I wonder if he will attend?"


    Hearing his own name mentioned, Gu Chen''s expression shifted, and he turned his attention towards Mo Zilin and the group.

 Chapter 150: Chapter 138: The Return of Blood-clothed Building_1

    Gu Chen sat in a corner of the inn, in fact, as soon as Yu Qiushi had just walked into the inn with people from the Canghai Sect, Gu Chen, although he did not even lift his head, had already conjured an image of the Canghai Sect''s group in his mind. Naturally, he had also noticed Yu Qiushi.


    However, the two were not exactly acquainted, they had even crossed hands before, with no amicable rtions, but some grievances, which is why Gu Chen did not call out a greeting.


    But now, since Yu Qiushi had recognized him, Gu Chen also put down his chopsticks and nodded at Yu Qiushi, as a form of greeting.


    Seeing this, Mo Zilin and the others from the Heavenly Saber Sect felt somewhat awkward, especially Mo Zilin, who didn''t expect that the very Gu Chen he had just mentioned happened to be sitting right beside them.


    Especially since Yang Mingyue had been extremely rude to Gu Chen just now, no wonder, knowing that they were from the Heavenly Saber Sect, Gu Chen still dared to remain so calm, and almost made a move on Yang Mingyue, he truly had no fear.


    Mo Zilin''s face was thick-skinned enough, not revealing a single bit of his inner thoughts, as he sped his fists towards Gu Chen and said with a smile, "So it turns out this is Lord Gu Chen, who has been the hot topic of discussion in the world recently. Mo is truly shortsighted for not recognizing you sooner.


    It is indeed true that hearing of someone''s reputation cannotpare to meeting them in person. My earlier offense was truly unwarranted, I hope Lord Gu does not take it to heart."


    Upon hearing this, Gu Chen responded with an indifferent expression, "Such a little reputation is not worth mentioning. Compared to the acim Young Master Mo has in the martial world, I am far behind."


    Sitting next to Mo Zilin, Yang Mingyue''s pretty face immediately darkened upon seeing Gu Chen, clearly, she still harbored the recent events in her heart.


    Hearing Gu Chen''s words, she proudlyughed, her head held high, "Of course that''s true. How could a nobody like youpare with my brother Zilin? Do you think you''re worthy?"


    Gu Chen looked at Yang Mingyue, his gaze unfathomable, wondering if there was something wrong with her head, how had she managed to survive until now with such a personality?


    Faced with such an idiot, Gu Chen didn''t want to waste his words and simply ignored her outright.


    Yu Qiushi beside them was also somewhat speechless, knowing full well the reputation and power behind Gu Chen, and with the backing of the Jing Tian Department of Da Xia, even if the Heavenly Saber Sect was strong, it couldn''tpare with Da Xia. Was this woman''s brain damaged, to utter such words publicly?


    Seeing Yang Mingyue behave as she did, both Mo Zilin and Master Hu Wanyuan of the Heavenly Saber Sect showed somewhat embarrassed expressions, with Mo Zilin even tugging at Yang Mingyue''s sleeve, "Mingyue, show some respect."


    Upon seeing this, Yang Mingyue felt indignant and said with an aggrieved tone, "What''s wrong? Did I say something incorrect? Brother Zilin, you possess theplete Vajra Stage cultivation and have even reached the third level, like the robustness of a wild dragon. How can just any Tom, Dick, or Harry bepared with you?"


    At her words, Mo Zilin''s face darkened, and he scolded, "Enough, don''t say another word!"


    "Brother Zilin, you..." Seeing Mo Zilin''s changing expression, and his stern tone, even not taking her side, Yang Mingyue was also a bit stunned.


    Master Hu Wanyuan also softly said from the side, "Miss, this Gu Chenes from the Jing Tian Department of Da Xia. It''s better not to be too disrespectful, please mind your words."


    Seeing that even Hu Wanyuan wasn''t taking her side, Yang Mingyue immediately felt discontented and shouted, "I don''t care, all I know is he bullied me, and even threatened me. And not only do you not speak up for me, but you also dare to scold me. What Jing Tian Department or not, once we return, I''ll tell my father how you''ve bullied me. I''ll have him chop this bumpkin into pieces!"


    Hearing Yang Mingyue speak in such a manner, Mo Zilin, as well as Hu Wanyuan, instantly changed their expressions and thought to themselves that this was bad.


    "Junior Sister, you..."


    Before Mo Zilin could finish speaking, Gu Chen''s gaze was already on him. With an expressionless face, he stated, "The head of the Heavenly Saber Sect, Tian Dao Yang Ling, has an illustrious name and great renown in the martial world, revered by many as a grandmaster-like figure. How is it then that he has a daughter as foolish as this?"


    About Yang Mingyue''s identity, Gu Chen had already overheard discussions from martial artists at the neighboring table while eating, and he was indeed curious as to how, with Tian Dao Yang Ling''s temperament, his daughter could be such a dimwit?


    "You dare insult me?"


    Upon hearing Gu Chen call her an idiot, Yang Mingyue couldn''t take it anymore and shouted as she rushed towards Gu Chen, her mouth screaming that she would kill him.


    Seeing this, both Mo Zilin and Hu Wanyuan were startled and quickly grabbed hold of Yang Mingyue, while Mo Zilin said in a deep voice to Gu Chen, "Lord Gu, I admit my junior sister said some things she shouldn''t have, but with your status, was there a need to stoop to the level of a girl of her age? Aren''t you losing dignity by doing so?"


    Gu Chen heard this and smiled faintly, "Since Young Master Mo says my status is above hers, yet she dared to utter those words to provoke me, if an idiot who doesn''t understand her ce is not taught a lesson by me, I presume Tian Dao Yang Ling wouldn''t have anything to say about it, right?"


    The Canghai Sect members sitting nearby watched the scene unfold, silently sitting on the sidelines, enjoying the spectacle.


    Hearing what Gu Chen said, Mo Zilin''s face instantly darkened and he replied, "Lord Gu, this seems a bit too much. What status does my master have? He is a world-renowned martial arts grandmaster. Although youe from the Jing Tian Department and hold a remarkable position, you are still not on the same level as my master, let alone qualified to discipline my junior sister on his behalf.


    It''s better if you don''t make such statements in the future, to avoid beingughed at."

 Chapter 151: Chapter 138: The Appearance of the Blood Robe Building Again_2

    Upon hearing the words, Gu Chen remained silent. He gently picked up a chopstick from the table and weighed it in his hand.


    Whoosh!


    The next moment, Gu Chen casually threw the chopstick out. It turned into a cold glint in the air, shing briefly before piercing towards Yang Mingyue''s neck.


    "Gu Chen!"


    Seeing Gu Chen daring to make his move right in front of him, Mo Zilin was instantly furious. Of course, he couldn''t just stand by and watch Yang Mingyue get hurt. His arm flickered, turning into a blur, and he caught the chopstick just before it could strike Yang Mingyue''s throat, pinching it between his fingers.


    Yang Mingyue was also terrified by Gu Chen''s sudden move. In that instant, she genuinely felt the threat of death, her pores standing on end and ayer of cold sweat breaking out on her back. After a long while, she still stood there, dumbfounded, as if she had lost her senses.


    Seeing this, Mo Zilin''s eyes were urgent as he quickly asked, "Junior sister, junior sister, what''s wrong with you?"


    Yang Mingyue, as if soulless, had a vacant look on her face. After Mo Zilin continued to shake her shoulders, she finally seemed to snap back to reality, feeling as if she had returned from another world, and suddenly burst into loud tears.


    "Gu Chen, you''ve gone too far!" Mo Zilin pointed at Gu Chen, his face full of anger.


    Hu Wanyuan also said with a stern face, "Lord Gu, what is the meaning of this?"


    Gu Chen was just about to speak when suddenly, he felt a chilling sensation, and an image vaguely appeared in his mind.


    Shhh shhh shhh!


    The next instant, countless silver lights burst forth, turning into streaks of cold glint in the air, all aiming at Gu Chen.


    "Thousand Mechanism Sect''s Rainstorm Pear Flower Needles?!" Mo Zilin''s pupils shrank, and he quickly retreated with Yang Mingyue and the others from the Heavenly Saber Sect, avoiding the threat as if it were a gue.


    On the other side, seeing the dazzling silver lights in midair, Lu Changyun from the Canghai Sect also changed his expression and quickly pulled Yu Qiushi and the others to dash aside.


    Ordinary hidden weapons couldn''t possibly cause such a sensation for Gu Chen. At this moment, he felt the hair on his body stand on end. Ever since his Horizontal Training had reached perfection, he hadn''t experienced such a feeling in a long time.


    The streaks of silver light were incredibly fast, so fast that they left no time to react!


    Fortunately, as soon as the silver light appeared, Gu Chen sensed something. As his internal energy surged within him, a faint golden light coalesced on his body''s surface, forming arge golden bell that enveloped him.


    Dang dang dang dang dang!


    The silver lights that burst forth collided with the protective Golden Bell Shield around Gu Chen, causing one dull thud after another. Fortunately, Gu Chen''s Golden Bell Shield had reached maturity, and he waspletely unharmed, sessfully blocking this sudden strike.


    "A fully mastered Golden Bell Shield?" Mo Zilin saw Gu Chen''s protective golden bell, and his eyebrows lifted slightly in a thoughtful expression.


    The dragon-roar tiger-shout Golden Bell Shield was a technique that Gu Chen had deduced from the panel, a technique never seen before in the Jiuzhou world. Thus, even Mo Zilin couldn''t recognize it; anyone who saw it would mistake it for the Buddhist high-level physical training technique Golden Bell Shield.


    As the attack had clearly targeted Gu Chen, everyone in the inn had run out to observe, leaving only Gu Chen alone in the vast inn.


    Swoosh swoosh swoosh!


    At that moment, the inn''s windows shattered and five figures dressed in blood-red garments, wearing ck iron masks, rushed in and surrounded Gu Chen.


    Gu Chen''s brow furrowed as he looked at the five figures and spoke coldly, "Blood Garb Tower, it''s you again."


    "It''s actually assassins from the Blood Garb Tower!" Everyone was surprised, wondering how Gu Chen had managed to provoke the Blood Garb Tower.


    Clothed in blood-red garments and wearing ck iron masks, these were assassins cultivated by the Blood Garb Tower itself, possessing strength beyond some on the ck List and specializing even more in assassination.


    This was also Gu Chen, havingprehended several martial truths, leading to a great enhancement of his mind and incredibly sharp intuition, enabling him to sense the assants'' movements in that instant.


    Had it been anyone else in that scenario, with the Blood Garb Tower assassins using their unique breath-holding technique and attacking abruptly, they would have been turned into sieves by those countless silver lights before they could react, unlike Gu Chen, who still stood unharmed in the same spot.


    "You from the Blood Garb Tower really are like a dogskin ster, relentless and unyielding," Gu Chen said coldly. Having been targeted for assassination by the Blood Garb Tower assassins time and again, even a y figure would have gotten angry, let alone Gu Chen.


    He had made up his mind that once this matter was settled, he would definitely demand information about the Blood Garb Tower from the Jing Tian Department. He wouldn''t rest until he annihted several of their strongholds.


    Passively taking hits was never Gu Chen''s style.


    Boom!


    So, Gu Chen made his move. His ten fingers pressed on the void, casting the Condensing Pulse Sword Wave. At that moment, countless sword qi crossed and intertwined within the vast space of the inn, nging loudly, shing towards the five Blood Garb Tower assassins.


    Hum!


    The five assassins from the Blood Garb Tower were not weak. Knowing Gu Chen''s strength, the Blood Garb Tower still dared to send people to assassinate him; they must have been fully prepared.


    They were all Vajra Stage warriors, having reached the level of copper-cast iron-forged. At this moment, a dark glow appeared on their bodies, each using their techniques to block Gu Chen''s Condensing Pulse Sword Waves.


    "Kill!"


    The four assassins wearing ck iron masks from the Blood Garb Tower had hoarse voices and no emotion in their eyes. Holding iron swords, they chopped at Gu Chen from different directions and angles, targeting all the vital points on his body.


    Whoosh!


    Meanwhile, thest assassin stood at a distance, wielding a hidden weapon from the Thousand Mechanism Sect, a cylindrical device. The sound of gears turning was heard, and a dazzling golden light shot out from within, incredibly fast, aiming for Gu Chen''s chest.


    The Thousand Mechanism Sect was a faction on the rivers andkes that specialized in making hidden weapons. Although not as prominent as the Sunset Sword Sect or the Heavenly Saber Sect, its strength was not weak, and its wealth was astonishing.


    Their hidden weapons were incredibly powerful enough to threaten Vajra Stage and even Gang Qi Stage martial artists.


    However, the more powerful the hidden weapon, the more expensive its price and the lesser its quantity. For this assassination, the Blood Garb Tower had indeed spent a considerable amount.


    Seeing this, Gu Chen''s expression turned cold, his eyes sharp like the edge of a knife. He stood his ground as an immense inner strength of five hundred and six years surged through his limbs. The next moment, he raised both arms and then vigorously pushed them forward across his chest.


    Boom!


    Like a thunderous explosion in the dark night, echoing in everyone''s ears as if thunder had descended, the surging inner strength resembled a violent storm. The assassins from the Blood Garb Tower, with just one encounter, were struck by such fierce inner strength and flung back even faster than they hade, spurting blood from their mouths non-stop.

 Chapter 152: Chapter 139 Meeting an Acquaintance_1

    "Ah..."


    The five assassins from the Blood Garment Tower, wearing iron masks, screamed miserably as they were hurled away. Their internal organs were nearly dislocated, and their mouths spurted out blood uncontrobly.


    Mo Zilin and others, who were watching from a distance outside the inn, also felt a fierce wind against their faces when Gu Chen unleashed that palm strike, causing a stinging pain on their cheeks.


    Even those who were standing far away and watching felt this, it was imaginable what kind of fate befell those assassins of the Blood Garment Tower who were close at hand.


    Among the crowd, the pupils of Mo Zilin and the elder of the Heavenly Saber Sect, Hu Wanyuan, suddenly constricted. Such terrifying cultivation shocked both of their hearts deeply.


    To think that these were five Vajra Stage martial artists made from copper and iron, and yet they were injured to such an extent by just one palm strike from Gu Chen?


    Especially Mo Zilin, who was originally full of confidence, believing Gu Chen could not possibly be his match and had not taken Gu Chen seriously. But after witnessing that scene, Gu Chen''s status in his mind had skyrocketed.


    In Mo Zilin''s view, perhaps Gu Chen''s physical body could not reach his level in the Vajra Stage, but in terms of cultivation, Gu Chen was already not much weaker than him.


    At the same time, a question emerged in his mind. How could Gu Chen, who was only in his twenties and had just broken through to the Vajra Stage, possess such profound cultivation?


    Meanwhile, in the crowd of the Canghai Sect, Yu Qiushi felt a sense of gloom after witnessing Gu Chen''s strength.


    Back at Phoenix Crying Mountain, he could still consider himself Gu Chen''s opponent, exchanging a few moves, but to his surprise, only a few months had passed, and Gu Chen''s progress had been so rapid that he could no longer even see his back.


    However, Yu Qiushi had a resolute disposition and was not discouraged. Instead, a surge of motivation rose in his heart.


    At this moment, inside the inn, the five assassins from the Blood Garment Towery scattered on the ground, and it took them a long while to stand back up.


    Gu Chen stood still, his demeanor calm and indifferent, as if that palm strike had been a casual effort that did not deplete much of his internal energy.


    With his current level of cultivation, even without using martial arts, merely relying on the profound and mighty internal energy within him, he was more than any Vajra Stage martial artist could withstand.


    If Gu Chen were to exert his full strength, the entire inn would copse in an instant, and even Mo Zilin and others watching from not far away would be greatly affected.


    But these were no ordinary men - they were killers personally trained by the Blood Garment Tower. Despite some discement in their internal organs and multiple bone fractures, they bit down on their teeth and stubbornly stood up.


    The next moment, they flipped their palms, and five dark cylindrical hidden weapons appeared in their hands, all aimed at Gu Chen.


    A faint sense of crisis surfaced in Gu Chen''s heart, and the next moment, apanied by a series of piercing sounds, silver light burst out from five directions, sealing off all possible escapes for Gu Chen.


    Mo Zilin, standing in the distance, felt a chill run through his body. With so many Rainstorm Pear Flower Needles, even if he had reached the level of his body as sturdy as a wild dragon, he would have to be very careful and not take anything for granted.


    Yang Mingyue stood next to Mo Zilin, her gaze venomous as she watched Gu Chen being besieged. She stared unwaveringly at Gu Chen, wishing nothing more than for him to be dismembered on the spot by those assassins from the Blood Garment Tower.


    Hum!


    Ayer of golden light spread from Gu Chen''s body. The protective Golden Bell Shield emerged once again, enveloping Gu Chen within it. The silver needles struck the Golden Bell Shield, and its surface rippled like water, withstanding wave after wave of the relentless Rainstorm Pear Flower Needles.


    In the heart of it all, Gu Chen stood firm like a rock on the seashore, unmovable despite the fierce crashing of the waves.


    The five cylinders ejected over a thousand Rainstorm Pear Flower Needles, the dazzling silver light making it nearly impossible to keep one''s eyes open. Even a Vajra Stage martial artist with a body like a wild dragon standing there would be riddled through, yet Gu Chen, protected by the Golden Bell Shield chant,pletely blocked them all.


    Upon seeing this, Mo Zilin thought to himself, "It looks like Gu Chen has perfected the Golden Bell Shield, understanding the corresponding martial truth. Otherwise, the Golden Bell Shield would not be so powerful."


    Hu Wanyuan nced at Mo Zilin and asked in a low voice, "What do you think, are you confident?"


    The appearance of Gu Chen here also proved that he was going to participate in the Yao tform Festival, naturally bing Mo Zilin''s opponent andpeting for the Jade Spirit Ice Liquid.


    Upon hearing this, Yang Mingyue also raised her head to look at Mo Zilin, naturally hoping her ''Brother Zilin'' would be able to crush Gu Chen beneath his feet and take revenge for her.


    Mo Zilin smiled slightly and said with an air of arrogance, "Although a fully-mastered Golden Bell Shield is somewhat troublesome, it is nothing to worry about. After all, the Vajra Stage puts more emphasis on physical cultivation, and having reached the level of my body as a wild dragon, the Golden Bell Shield alone will not be able to stop me."


    In Mo Zilin''s opinion, even if Gu Chen had a deep understanding of martial arts and had perfected the Golden Bell Shield,prehending merely one martial truth would not be enough. He had perfected two superior martial arts, understanding two truths, easily overpowering Gu Chen in quantity.


    Furthermore, judging by the time Gu Chen had been at the Vajra Stage, even if his progress was rapid, his physical realm could definitely notpare with his, so facing Gu Chen, Mo Zilin felt very confident in his chances of victory.


    "Brother Zilin, you must take revenge for me!" Yang Mingyue put on an extremely aggrieved facade and looked at Mo Zilin.


    Mo Zilin smiled faintly, his eyes filled with pride, and said, "Don''t worry, elder brother will surely take revenge for you. It''s not time yet, though. When the Yao tform Festival begins, I will defeat Gu Chen in front of everyone. By then, I want the whole world to know that the reputation of the Heavenly Saber Sect is not just a rumor, and Gu Chen''s name is merely exaggerated."


    "Mhm!"


    Upon hearing his words, Yang Mingyue nodded heavily, her gaze towards Gu Chen filled with a hint of triumph.


    Hu Wanyuan also nodded slightly, as he had a favorable opinion of Mo Zilin''s capabilities. After all, even the Sect Master Yang Ling had praised Mo Zilin''s talent, and he was the unrivaled choice for the next Sect Master of the Heavenly Saber Sect.


    ```


    At this moment, inside the inn, the Rainstorm Pear Flower Needles had already been fired, and although the five assassins from the Blood Clothes Tower had their faces covered with ck iron masks, one could still see from their eyes just how shocked they were now.


    "Time to send you on your way!"


    Gu Chen, in a ck gown, handsome in appearance, with ck hair cascading down his back, had very cold eyes.


    Boom!


    As soon as he finished speaking, he struck with the force of thunder, his body shooting out like electricity. He approached a Blood Clothes Tower assassin and struck out with a palm, directly shattering the man''s heart meridian.


    After that, Gu Chen repeated the process, his figure shing repeatedly in the darkness. Those assassins from Blood Clothes Tower couldn''t react in time and had their lives taken away with a single palm from Gu Chen.


    Gu Chen didn''t leave any survivors, because these assassins of Blood Clothes Tower had been trained from a young age and were all extremely stubborn. Interrogating them would be a waste of effort.


    Seeing Gu Chen so effortlessly y five assassins from Blood Clothes Tower, the various martial artists of the Jianghu looked at him with shock in their eyes, starting to believe that the rumors of Gu Chen''s soul-shocking swordsmanship might indeed be true.


    Mo Zilin floated over and fist-palmed towards Gu Chen, saying, "Lord Gu has impressive strength, Mo admires it. My junior sister was quite offensive to you just now. Here, I would like to apologize on her behalf. If Lord Gu doesn''t feel this is enough, please voice any demands you might have."


    On the other side, Yang Mingyue, who had been promised something by Mo Zilin, wasn''t causing a scene anymore and stood there with a stiff face, silent.


    Gu Chen nced at Mo Zilin. He had thought Mo Zilin approached him because he wanted to take advantage of his post-battle weariness and strike against him, but it seemed that the reputation of the Jing Tian Department had its effects. With this identity, there were few martial artists in the world who would dare to openly attack a Metropolitan Procurator from the Jing Tian Department.


    Of course, the likes of Blood Clothes Tower and the demonic cults didn''t count. After all, they had always hidden in the shadows, and even if they didn''t strike at the Jing Tian Department, Da Xia wouldn''t let them off.


    But the Heavenly Saber Sect was different. Their sect''s gates were right there. Mo Zilin had to choose the right timing and reason for any action.


    After the battle, Gu Chen had no desire to stay there any longer. He didn''t say a word, ignoring Mo Zilin and his group, and simply left the ce.


    If it weren''t for the fact that Gu Chen wasn''tpletely confident in dealing with Hu Wanyuan, who had reached the Gang Qi Stage, he would have already made his move and left Mo Zilin and his group behind right there.


    As he passed by the Canghai Sect, Gu Chen nodded at Yu Qiushi, who nodded back.


    This time, Yu Qiushi hade to the Yao tform gathering to broaden his horizons. The younger generation of the Canghai Sect truly had few outstanding individuals to offer, and they could only be onlookers at the Yao tform gathering.


    Seeing himself ignored by Gu Chen, a hint of irritation shed in Mo Zilin''s eyes. He felt that Gu Chen was really not very perceptive, but he still held it in, took a deep breath, and did not act out.


    Everything would be clear at the Yao tform gathering.


    ...


    Quickly, another three days passed. Gu Chen had been traveling without rest, and on this day, he arrived at a ce known as Cloud Smoke City.


    Dozens of miles outside Cloud Smoke City was ake, and beside theke stood a mountain shrouded in mist¡ªit was where the gates of the Yao tform Sect were located.


    However, since the Yao tform gathering hadn''t started yet, the Yao tform Sect wasn''t receiving visitors at this stage, so Gu Chen came to Cloud Smoke City to wait.


    Today, Cloud Smoke City was bustling, with rednterns hanging along the streets and peopleing and going. Although it was night, it felt like day.


    Walking down the street, following the crowd, Gu Chen was looking for an inn to stay in, but after inquiring at several ces, all were already full with no rooms left to offer him.


    This made Gu Chen somewhat puzzled. How had all the powers arrived so quickly? The Yao tform gathering wouldn''t start for another seven or eight days, yet they had all already arrived?


    At that moment, as Gu Chen walked down the street, someone suddenly patted his shoulder. Turning around, he saw a young man with an unremarkable appearance and a smile on his face.


    Gu Chen felt a sense of familiarity emanating from the man, but he was sure he had never seen this person before.


    After all, Gu Chen''s mental acuity was not weak; if he had seen someone before, he would certainly remember them.


    This was quite strange then. Never having met, yet feeling familiar, a spark of insight suddenly shed through Gu Chen''s mind, and he instantly recognized the identity of the man before him.


    "You are... Luo Feng?!"


    Indeed, the person before him was "Grass on the Wind," Luo Feng, whom Gu Chen had encountered in Li Mountain County.


    The young man smiled faintly, saying, "Brother Gu really has sharp eyes. After so long without seeing each other, you recognized me at a nce upon our meeting. I even start to wonder if you''ve drugged me, or if you have some personal designs on me, to remember me so vividly?"


    Upon hearing this, several ck lines appeared on Gu Chen''s forehead, saying, "Are you really this thick-skinned?"


    Chapter Enjoy:


    "Thick-skinned? What do you mean by that?" Luo Feng looked puzzled.


    Gu Chen shook his head, realizing that Luo Feng didn''t understand this kind of "avant-garde"nguage from a previous life. He took another look at Luo Feng and said, "Never mind, it doesn''t mean anything. What about you, how did you end up here?"


    ```

 Chapter 154: Chapter 141 Red Dust Tower_1

    Xue Jun, dressed in a red robe, was tall and imposing. Upon hearing the name of Gu Chen, he instantly turned his gaze towards him, his formidable aura flickering in and out as it pressed toward Gu Chen.


    No wonder he felt Gu Chen looked familiar. After Gu Chen killed Qin Mu, Xue Jun naturally saw a portrait of Gu Chen. However, he had only nced at it and hadn''t paid much attention at the time. He did not expect to encounter Gu Chen here today.


    If possible, Xue Jun wouldn''t mind making a move right there and then, sttering Gu Chen''s blood three feet into the air, but considering that Gu Chen was from the Jing Tian Department, even though he was a true disciple of the Sunset Sword Sect, he could not attack Gu Chen at will and needed a suitable pretext.


    However, there was no need to worry about pressuring him with his aura, as it wouldn''t kill anyone. Xue Jun simply wanted Gu Chen to make a fool of himself in public.


    Gu Chen stood his ground, clearly feeling the pressure of Xue Jun''s aura. Yet, it didn''t affect him in the slightest. What was his cultivation level? Saying that he could crush Xue Jun was no exaggeration. To Gu Chen, Xue Jun''s release of aura was like a light breeze.


    Seeing Gu Chen standing unscathed, Xue Jun''s eyes narrowed.


    As a true disciple of the Sunset Sword Sect, Qin Mu was his junior brother. Although their rtionship was average and theypeted for the position of sect leader, regardless of that, Gu Chen''s killing of Qin Mu was a loss of face for the Sunset Sword Sect.


    Therefore, if it were possible, Xue Jun wouldn''t mind taking on Gu Chen. Doing so would also allow him to curry favor with the higher-ups in the sect.


    Upon hearing the name Gu Chen, Dong Liang and Wang Sihai also recalled something. Wang Sihai, in particr, trembled as he said, "Could it be... Could it be that you are the legendary, soul-shaking swordsman, Lord Gu Chen?"


    Luo Feng snorted, "Now that you know Brother Gu''s identity, what are you still standing there for?"


    Upon hearing this, Wang Sihai hurried over with a fawning smile on his face, saying, "I was blind as a bat, blind as a bat. I didn''t realize it was Lord Gu Chen, how truly sorry I am."


    Whether it was the reputation of the Jing Tian Department or Gu Chen''s current fame in the martial world, neither was someone Wang Sihai could afford to offend.


    With a slight smile, Luo Feng said, "Weren''t you just saying that we were a couple of nobodies? And what about the other guy who wanted to throw us into the river? Why don''t you continue with that?"


    Instantly, ayer of cold sweat appeared on Wang Sihai''s body, and he cursed Dong Liang inwardly. If not for Dong Liang, why would he be in such a situation?


    "What nonsense are you talking about? Just now, I was the fool who couldn''t recognize a great man. Please forgive me, forgive me," Wang Sihai said, bowing at a ny-degree angle and continually offering apologetic smiles, now treating Luo Feng as a member of the Jing Tian Department as well.


    Dong Liang stood by, watching Wang Sihai continuously apologize, his face ashen.


    Especially upon seeing Luo Feng''s smug look, Dong Liang felt even more infuriated.


    But he could notsh out, as even though he was a descendant of a prominent family in Cloud Smoke City, he certainly could not afford to offend someone from the Jing Tian Department. Moreover, Gu Chen''s reputation was soaringtely. Rumor had it that he had killed ten thousand with a single sword strike and was considered a living embodiment of ughter. Dong Liang truly didn''t dare provoke him.


    He was genuinely afraid that Gu Chen would act on impulse and execute him with a single sword strike, leaving the Dong family with no ce to seek justice.


    "What are you still standing there for, kid? Do you want to be tossed into the river?" Luo Feng taunted, and it had to be said, his mouth was truly formidable, almost driving Dong Liang to his wit''s end.


    "And you, what are you still standing there foolishly for? Throw that kid into the river for me; don''t let him stand there and be an eyesore to us brothers," Luo Feng said, turning his gaze to Wang Sihai.


    Seeing this, Wang Sihai felt extremely troubled. Although Gu Chen held a high status, he couldn''t afford to offend Dong Liang either. He stood still, not knowing whether to move or not, nearly dying of anxiety.


    Luo Feng''s eyes narrowed as he said, "What''s the matter? Do you want my brother and me to throw you into the river to feed the fish?"


    "Great Sir, Great Sir, I was blind to the mountain before me earlier, please forgive me!" Wang Sihai fell to his knees with a thud, bowing his head to Gu Chen and Luo Feng.


    Without a word, Gu Chen paid no attention to a person like Wang Sihai. He walked past him and entered the pavilion ahead.


    As he passed by Xue Jun, Xue Jun suddenly said, "Gu Chen, you will attend the Yao tform event, won''t you?"


    Gu Chen turned back, nced at him indifferently, and said, "Whether I attend or not, what difference does it make?"


    Observing the disdainful manner with which Gu Chen treated Xue Jun, the disciples behind Xue Jun from the Sunset Sword Sect couldn''t help but feel agitated.


    After all, they were aware of the grudge between Gu Chen and their sect, having killed two of their fellow disciples and even insulted Master Mei.


    All the disciples of the Sunset Sword Sect regarded Gu Chen as their arch-enemy and were extremely hostile towards him.


    Unable to bear it any longer, a young disciple stepped forward, pointed at Gu Chen, and said, "Watch your tone!"


    This young disciple was only half a step behind Xue Jun in status and was also a true disciple of the Sunset Sword Sect, brimming with vitality and not weak in strength.


    But Gu Chen only gave him a nce beforepletely ignoring him.


    Luo Fengughed and said, "Hey hey hey, what are you yelling for? I''ll have you know, it''s not just any Tom, Dick, or Harry that can catch my brother''s eye."


    "You!"


    Shi Sen was immediately enraged and was about to erupt, but Xue Jun held him back. He ignored Luo Feng and focused his attention on Gu Chen, saying, "At the Yao tform event, if you dare toe, we must have a fight."


    After dropping this line, Xue Jun took a step to enter the Pavilion of Flowers.


    But just then, a figure d in dark clothes moved even faster than him, entering ahead of Xue Jun.


    Shi Sen growled, "Senior Brother, these two are too arrogant!"


    Xue Jun''s eyes were heavy with thought. A touch of anger had also risen in his heart, though he had yet to lose hisposure. After taking a deep breath, he said, "As long as Gu Chen has his eye on the Jade Spirit Ice Liquid, during the Yao tform event, I have a way to make him aughingstock. Then, in fairpetition, even the Jing Tian Department won''t be able to say much."


    Shi Sen sneered, "Senior Brother, maybe there''s no need for you to take action. I alone am enough to deal with him!"


    On hearing this, Xue Jun nodded. Shi Sen''s strength was formidable, merely half a step away from reaching the ''Body Like a Savage Dragon'' realm, with his physical power already at 150,000 jin, and he had alsoprehended a true martial intent.


    Taking action himself, to deal with Gu Chen, was a good way to gauge Gu Chen''s strength.


    If Shi Sen were to be defeated, then it would not be toote for Xue Jun to step in.


    Afterward, they too entered the Pavilion of Flowers.


    At this moment, the Pavilion of Flowers was adorned with pinknterns everywhere. There was also ake inside, crystal clear to the bottom, where colorful flowers were nted in the water, vying for beauty, a vibrant riot of purples and reds.


    Upon entering, several women in long dresses, with sweet appearances, were waiting there, bending over with a smile to give Gu Chen and Luo Feng a deep bow.


    Many hade to attend the Night Banquet of Flowers, some from Cloud Smoke City and others from afar. Each person had an extraordinary identity, either a disciple of a sect with a certain reputation in the martial world, or a scion of a major family, or an offspring of some noble.


    "The number of people attending the Night Banquet of Flowers is truly not small," noted Gu Chen, his eyes lightly flickering as he surveyed the whole ce, recognizing many individuals from great powers.


    Luo Feng chuckled, "Of course. Even without the Yao tform event, each year''s Night Banquet of Flowers attracts a continuous stream of guests. It''s a grand affair of the Qiongtian Mansion."


    Gu Chen nodded slightly upon hearing this. He hadn''t been in this world for long and was not particrly aware of many things. Besides carrying out missions and improving his cultivation every day, he truly hadn''t taken the time to enjoy life much.


    Lust can be a boning knife; this is something many know, but on the martial path, few can truly let go of either power or beauty.


    Ascetic-like martial artists existed, but they were few.


    Besides, the martial path required a bnce of rxation and tension. Overzealous cultivation not only brought no benefits but could also lead to deviating from the path or even harming oneself.


    "Brother Gu, the Pavilion of Flowers has ten courtesans, each residing in a different courtyard. What type are you fond of?" asked Luo Feng, looking at Gu Chen with a smile.


    Since he hade here, Gu Chen didn''t feel the need to be reserved. After some thought, he replied, "Perhaps someone gentle and amiable would be nice."


    Upon hearing this, Luo Feng seemed toe to a realization, "No wonder, Brother Gu, you''vee to attend the Yao tform event. I thought, with your personality, you wouldn''te here."


    Gu Chen looked at him puzzledly, "Why do you say that?"


    With a mysterious expression, Luo Feng leaned closer to Gu Chen and whispered, "Are you really unaware or just pretending, Brother Gu? This Yao tform event is not just about allocating the Jade Spirit Ice Liquid. It''s said that the Yao tform Sect intends to choose a husband for their heir. Although it''s just a rumor, there''s a high chance it''s true."


    Gu Chen was slightly surprised upon hearing this. He hadn''t expected Luo Feng to be privy to such secretive news. Back in Li Mountain County, Luo Feng knew clearly the identities of the Evil Heart Sect martial artists, including Zheng Jinan. At this moment, Gu Chen''s interest in Luo Feng''s identity piqued.


    Looking at Luo Feng, Gu Chen said, "Brother Luo, we''ve known each other for a while now. You know my identity clearly, thoroughly. Yet, I know nothing about you."


    Luo Feng looked startled and said, "Oh? Are you interested in my identity, Brother Gu?"


    Gu Chen nodded and replied, "Of course, I am really curious why Brother Luo is so well-informed about certain information and intelligence."


    Luo Fengughed, "What identity could I have? I''m not as formidable as you, serving in the Jing Tian Department. My information is all gathered through some unsavory means, hardly worth mentioning."


    Gu Chen was persistent, "Brother Luo, saying that makes me feel like you don''t truly consider me a friend. It seems to me that our rtionship is merely that of passing acquaintances."


    Upon hearing this, Luo Feng gave a wry smile, "Brother Gu, don''t corner me like this. I''ll talk, isn''t that enough?"


    Enjoy exclusive chapters from M V L


    Seeing Luo Feng acquiesce, Gu Chen nodded in satisfaction.


    Luo Feng straightened his expression and whispered to Gu Chen, "Brother Gu, to tell you the truth, I am from the Red Dust Tower."


    "You are from the Red Dust Tower?" Gu Chen eximed with a flicker of astonishment in his eyes.


    The Red Dust Tower, like the Blood Garment Tower, ranked among the ''Three Unorthodox Paths.'' The difference, however, was that the Red Dust Tower did not engage in notorious deeds like the Blood Garment Tower. Although the Red Dust Tower was also an assassination organization, it was not as high-profile, and they did not kill just anyone.


    The Red Dust Tower only killed the wicked and, apart from assassination, dealing in intelligence was another way they made their living.


    No wonder Luo Feng was so well-informed. The Red Dust Tower''s internal intelligence was so rich, their speed in obtaining information so swift, they were not much inferior to the Diancang Pavilion.


    Moreover, though the Red Dust Tower was an assassin organization, they operated with far more principles than the Blood Garment Tower. Because of this, Da Xia turned a blind eye to the Red Dust Tower''s existence, without delving too deeply.


    Furthermore, the Red Dust Tower and the Blood Garment Tower had apetitive rtionship, or rather, had mutual enmity since their inception, frequently shing with each other as rivals.


    Having been targeted for assassination by the Blood Garment Tower several times, Gu Chen was nning to request intelligence from the Jing Tian Department to retaliate against the Blood Garment Tower, eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth. But now, having encountered Luo Feng, there was no need for him to look far afield.


    Thus, Gu Chen shared his intentions with Luo Feng.

 Chapter 155: Chapter 142: Physical Contest_1

    Upon hearing that Gu Chen was going to deal with the Blood Robes Tower, Luo Feng was immediately taken aback and said, "What, Brother Gu, you''re going to deal with the Blood Robes Tower?!"


    Gu Chen nodded, saying, "That''s right."


    Upon hearing this, Luo Feng tentatively asked, "Brother Gu, may I ask whether this is your own decision or the Jing Tian Department''s?"


    If it was the Jing Tian Department, then everything would be easy to discuss, but if it was Gu Chen himself, Luo Feng was ready to persuade him otherwise.


    After all, the Blood Robes Tower was an assassin organization with a fearsome reputation in the Jianghu, and even one of their subordinate strongholds was full of hidden dangers, with countless assassins lurking within. Gu Chen alone, I''m afraid, would not be able to cope with it.


    Although the Blood Robes Tower and the Red Dust Tower were hostile toward each other, and people would naturally like to see someone confront the Blood Robes Tower, Luo Feng hade to regard Gu Chen as a friend and naturally did not want him to take risks.


    Gu Chen was very calm and had nothing to hide from Luo Feng. He said, "It''s my own decision."


    "This..." Upon hearing that, Luo Feng hesitated for a moment.


    Seeing Luo Feng''s hesitation, Gu Chen said, "Don''t worry, you just need to inform me about the locations of several strongholds of the Blood Robes Tower in Qiongtian Mansion. Although I am dealing with it on my own, mobilizing the army of Qiongtian Mansion to assist from the side should not be difficult. I never do anything without assurance."


    Reassured by these words, Luo Feng nodded and said, "Alright, Brother Gu. However, the strongholds of the Blood Robes Tower are extremely secretive, and not even the Red Dust Tower is likely to know them all. I can only do my best. I will send a message to the headquarters and inform you as soon as I have news."


    "In that case, I thank you," said Gu Chen. "When the timees, you can let me know about the costs of the intelligence."


    Although the two were friends, business transactions should still be clearly settled. Gu Chen did not want to take advantage of Luo Feng for no reason.


    Moreover, the Red Dust Tower made a living by selling intelligence. To uncover information on the well-concealed strongholds of the Blood Robes Tower would likely be costly, but Gu Chen was certainly able to afford it.


    Upon hearing this, Luo Feng gave a slight smile and said, "Brother Gu, what are you talking about? It''s just a small matter. There''s no need to discuss these things between brothers."


    Hearing this, Gu Chen did not say anything more, keeping the kindness in his heart.


    "Alright, Brother Gu, we are here today to rx and have fun. Let me tell you, sometimes you have to enjoy yourself. If you like gentle and amiable women, I can take you to them," Luo Feng said with a smile.


    The Pavilion of Flowers was extensive and covered arge area. Under Luo Feng''s lead, Gu Chen followed him to a small courtyard which was already bursting with people.


    This small courtyard, named Snow Stacking Garden, belonged to one of the courtesans of the Pavilion of Flowers. Now, many warriors had gathered here.


    There were a total of ten small courtyards within the Pavilion of Flowers, each belonging to a courtesan of the Pavilion of Flowers, and only a courtesan could own her small courtyard within the Pavilion of Flowers.


    Inside the Snow Stacking Garden, the sound of a zither could be faintly heard. The zither music was clear, and the notes seemed to dance like a babbling brook, very pleasing to the ear.


    In the garden, a woman with a clean and beautiful appearance, soft facial features, and picturesque eyebrows and eyes was sitting there, her delicate, jade-like fingers ying the zither.


    By her side sat many young and promising men, with the members from the Sunset Sword Sect, including Xue Jun, seated at the forefront, right beside the courtesan.


    It turned out that while Gu Chen and Luo Feng had been discussing the Blood Robes Tower, they had alreadye here first.


    Gu Chen and Luo Feng had excellent eyesight and immediately saw Xue Jun and Shi Sen sitting there.


    Luo Feng muttered softly, "Indeed, it''s a small world."


    Out of the many choices among the courtesans and the hundreds of singers in the Pavilion of Flowers, it just so happened that the Sunset Sword Sect''s Xue Jun and others had made the same choice as Gu Chen.


    Of course, this was mainly because the courtesan of the Snow Stacking Garden, even among the courtesans of the Pavilion of Flowers, was ranked in the top three, worthy of the title.


    And for that reason, Xue Jun and others came well-rmended, and upon seeing her, they were instantly smitten.


    The courtesan was named Autumn Snow, beautiful in appearance with a gentle nature. Her ck hair was pinned up with a jade hairpin, her skin fair, and she especially excelled in ying the zither.


    Xue Jun and Shi Sen, keen-eyed as they were, spotted Gu Chen and Luo Feng standing at the entrance to the Snow Stacking Garden.


    Shi Sen sneered, "I''m sorry, Lord Gu, but there are no seats left here. Perhaps you''d better find another ce."


    Dong Liang, sitting beside them, also had a darkened expression and did not speak.


    At that moment, the courtesan Autumn Snow also raised her head to look toward Gu Chen standing at the doorway.


    The courtesan''s eyes were as clear as water,plementing her exquisite appearance, no wonder she was pursued by countless people in Qiongtian Mansion, ranking among the top three courtesans of the Pavilion of Flowers.


    Upon hearing Shi Sen, Luo Feng was not willing to show weakness and retorted, "If it''s full, it''s no big deal. You can just give up your seats."


    "How arrogant!" said Shi Sen coldly.


    The others around also turned their attention to Gu Chen and Luo Feng, wondering who these two were. They dared to speak so boldly to the true disciples of the Sunset Sword Sect, with such a presumptuous attitude.


    Suddenly, someone recognized Gu Chen and conveyed his identity to those around them.


    Upon learning of his identity, everyone''s eyes became more intense. No wonder Shi Sen had addressed him as Lord Gu. So, this was Gu Chen, who had stirred up a lot of buzz in the Jianghu recently.


    Moreover, many among them had heard of the grudge between Gu Chen and the Sunset Sword Sect.


    The rise of Gu Chen''s reputation in the Jianghu began by stepping on the Sunset Sword Sect, one could say, their enmity had been festering for a long time.


    The Pavilion of Flowers had a rule because the number of people each courtesan''s small courtyard could amodate was limited, not all followers could be hosted. Thus, to ensure that the courtesans did not miss out on talented individuals, the Pavilion of Flowers set a rule.


    That was, positions could be obtained throughpetition¡ªthe stronger the strength, the closer the seat to the front.


    When the members of the Sunset Sword Sect arrived, due to their renown, they were given seats by the others without even needing topete.


    And this challenge, in order not to harm the good atmosphere, was divided into a literary contest and a martial contest.


    Seeing an opportunity to teach Gu Chen a lesson so quickly, Shi Sen said coldly, "I''m sure you''re aware of the rules of Pavilion of Flowers. When all positions are filled, if one wishes to obtain a spot, one must prove their strength. Even if Lord Gues from Jing Tian Department, he cannot ignore the rules and use his power to oppress others, can he?"


    Upon hearing this, Gu Chen immediately knew Shi Sen''s intention. He spoke indifferently, "Do you wish topete with me?"


    "Indeed."


    Shi Sen stood up, his body strong and powerful, and looking towards Gu Chen, he said, "Does Lord Gu dare to?"


    At that moment, Dong Liang beside him spoke up, "I''ve heard that not long ago, Lord Gu killed hundreds of demon sect warriors with a single sword strike in Xu''an County, earning the title of ''Soul-Shocking de'' from the world. It''s just a pity that the only witnesses to that event were from Jing Tian Department.


    I''m sure everyone present would like to witness Lord Gu''s true strength for themselves."


    His words were tinged with sarcasm, clearly implying that since the only witnesses to the battle were from Jing Tian Department, he did not believe in Gu Chen''s strength nor the events that transpired in Xu''an County.


    Upon hearing this, Gu Chen''s expression remained calm, as he turned his gaze towards Dong Liang and said, "What about you, do you also wish to battle with me?"


    Dong Liang, on hearing this, stiffened, as he thought it was no joke. He was well aware of his own talents or theck thereof in martial arts, having given up long ago and just indulging in food and y. How could he possibly be a match for Gu Chen?


    If he were to enter the fray, he probably couldn''t even withstand a single palm strike from Gu Chen.


    Seeing that Dong Liang stayed silent, Gu Chen said, "If you''re not brave enough, then sit quietly in your ce and keep your mouth shut."


    At Gu Chen''s words, Dong Liang''s face alternated between red and white, but he couldn''t say anything in response.


    At this point, Shi Sen said in a gloomy tone, "Why must Lord Gu bully others? If you have the guts, just fight me. We''ll speak through our strength."


    Then, Autumn Snow, the top courtesan, spoke up. Her voice was exceedingly gentle, just like the music from her zither before. She said, "Since both gentlemen are willing to grace Snow Stacking Garden, you are, of course, honored guests of Autumn Snow. If you really mustpete, I hope you can choose a literary contest and avoid harming the harmony here."


    A literary contest involved not using internal power, just purelyparing techniques and physical prowess.


    Upon hearing this, Shi Sen smiled slightly and said, "I have no objections, and I''m willing to save face for Miss Autumn Snow."


    Having said this, he turned to look at Gu Chen. Read exclusive chapters at M V L


    Little did they know, he was only half a step away from breaking through to the third level of the Vajra Stage, possessing a body as mighty as that of a primal dragon, with brute strength being his forte.


    He didn''t believe that Gu Chen, who had only recently advanced to the Vajra Stage, could match him in terms of physical strength.


    Gu Chen didn''t mind at all, confident in his strength no matter what waspared. Moreover, with Shi Sen provoking him repeatedly, Gu Chen was willing to teach the man a lesson.


    Hearing that both agreed topete, the crowd hurriedly cleared a space for them.


    Xue Jun observed Gu Chen, who was full of confidence, and his eyebrows furrowed slightly. Yet, he thought of how Shi Sen was about to step into the strength of a primal dragon, harnessing the force of a hundred and fifty thousand jin. Surely, Shi Sen had no reason to lose to Gu Chen.


    "Lord Gu, have you thought it through? If you lose to me, the reputation you''ve just started to build will be gone," Shi Sen said with a smile at the corner of his mouth, extremely confident.


    Gu Chen, growing impatient, said, "If we''re going to fight, let''s fight. Why waste words?"


    Shi Sen immediately huffed coldly. A stomp of his foot and he burst forth toward Gu Chen, his palm the size of a fan sweeping towards Gu Chen''s face.


    The challenge had been epted by Gu Chen himself. Under the watchful eyes of the public, even if he seriously injured Gu Chen, Jing Tian Department couldn''t say a thing.


    As the fierce wind approached, Gu Chen neither dodged nor fled. He stood his ground, his feet rooted in ce, and returned a palm strike to Shi Sen, who was within arm''s reach.


    Bang!


    The palms collided, and Shi Sen''s body trembled immediately, feeling a force much stronger than his own emanating from Gu Chen''s palm.


    "Impossible!"


    Shi Sen''s pupils dted; how could Gu Chen, who had only recently advanced to the Vajra Stage, possess strength greater than his own?


    Unbeknownst to him, even without using the Superior Martial Skill "Golden Bell Shield", Gu Chen''s strength was nearly eighteen thousand jin, much stronger than Shi Sen.


    If Gu Chen reached the strength of a primal dragon, his physical strength would undergo yet another tremendous surge.


    The overpowering force sent Shi Sen''s body stiffening; seeing this, Gu Chen didn''t hesitate and smacked down with another palm strike.


    "Puh!"


    This palm strike, employing a taste of his own medicine, struck Shi Sen''s swollen face, leaving half of his teeth knocked out by Gu Chen''s p.


    Seeing Shi Sen''s miserable condition, the members of Sunset Sword Sect could no longer sit still; Xue Jun''s face changed immediately.


    "Enough!" he eximed.


    Upon hearing this, Gu Chen ignored him. After all, the challenge had been initiated by Shi Sen. He couldn''t simply say stop and end it¡ªthat''s not how things worked! What did they take him for? It wasn''t that easy to back out.


    In Gu Chen''s eyes, Xue Jun was nothing special. Although Xue Jun might have had stronger physical strength due to being at the Vajra Stage, once Gu Chen employed "Golden Bell Shield", who would win and who would lose was not yet determined.


    Moreover, with Gu Chen''s cultivation, he didn''t need to rely on physical strength alone to suppress both Xue Jun and Shi Sen.


    Bang!


    Gu Chen struck with another palm, making Shi Sen''s face intimately contact the ground. Seeing stars, Shi Sen''s mouth filled with blood.


    Xue Jun''s expression changed in shock; he never expected Gu Chen''s strength to have improved so quickly. Could it be that Gu Chen had achieved the strength of a primal dragon immediately upon breaking through to the Vajra Stage? But that was impossible!


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    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 158: Chapter 144: Easy Suppression_1

    Feng Zhi stood over ten feet tall and was extraordinarily burly, his skin a dark bronze. His muscles bulged notably, and his mere presence exerted an intense oppressive force.


    At this moment, his eyes were wide open as he red at Gu Chen, issuing a challenge.


    Seeing this, Autumn Snow nervously clutched Gu Chen''s sleeve.


    On the flower boat where Feng Zhi was standing, there was a coquettish-looking woman, dressed provocatively, who was clinging onto Feng Zhi''s arm, smiling teasingly as she watched Autumn Snow by Gu Chen''s side.


    This woman was also the top courtesan of the Pavilion of Flowers, known as Red Jade.


    Last year at the Pavilion of Flowers, she ranked fourth, firmly surpassed by Autumn Snow. Over the past year, Red Jade had been scheming to overtake Autumn Snow at the Banquet of Flowers.


    It was precisely for this reason that, upon learning Feng Zhi was a top disciple of the Shen Martial Sect, she seduced him by every means necessary, all for today.


    At this moment, seeing Feng Zhi challenge Gu Chen, Red Jade felt an intense excitement.


    Gu Chen''s eyes shifted slightly as he looked at Feng Zhi and said, "You want to challenge me?"


    "Indeed, Gu Chen, do you dare to fight me!"


    Feng Zhi was full of confidence, for he had reached the thirdyer of the Vajra Stage, Body Like a Savage Dragon, with physical strength surpassing two hundred thousand catties. He did not fear Gu Chen.


    In terms of cultivation, he had reached theplete Vajra Stage and had already begun to condense Gangqi.


    Although Feng Zhi had heard of Gu Chen''s reputation in Xu''an County, he clearly thought it was all fabricated, either promoted by Jing Tian Department to boost Gu Chen''s fame or simply an exaggeration spread among themon people, its authenticity questionable.


    Gu Chen, dressed in ck, was calm and said indifferently, "You''re not worthy."


    Gu Chen genuinely felt this; from the bottom of his heart, he considered Feng Zhi, or even Xue Jun for that matter, too weak to spark any interest in him.


    But this statement, when heard by Feng Zhi, darkened his face, as he felt Gu Chen was deliberately insulting him.


    After all, he was three years older than Gu Chen, and both in terms of realm and physical cultivation, he should have been able to crush Gu Chen. And now, Gu Chen had the audacity to say he was unworthy?


    "Arrogant!"


    Unable to contain his temper, Feng Zhi leapt forcefully, propelling himself high into the air,nding on the flower boat where Gu Chen was and swung his palm down directly at him.


    Autumn Snow turned pale as she witnessed this, Feng Zhi''s descending palm was like a mountain plummeting from above, suffocating her, seeming to turn the air around her into a vacuum.


    Xue Jun, watching from a distance, was slightly taken aback by Feng Zhi''s move. Even he felt pressured and would have to exert his full strength to withstand it. He wondered how Gu Chen would respond.


    Buzz!


    Gu Chen stood in his ce, his eyes slightly lifted, his robes flowing. A tinge of golden light radiated from him, tinting his hair a faint golden hue, illuminating the surroundings.


    Bang!


    Gu Chen raised his arm and struck, colliding with Feng Zhi''s descending palm, causing the flower boat to shake violently, with ripples spreading across theke.


    "Hmph!"


    Seeing that Gu Chen had caught his palm, Feng Zhi''s expression did not change. Afternding, his muscles twisted like coiled dragons, he threw a furious punch at Gu Chen.


    "Suppressing Mountain Fist!"


    Feng Zhi roared, using a high-grade martial skill from the Shen Martial Sect. He had mastered the Suppressing Mountain Fist to perfection, condensing its martial intent. His punch carried the force of a bearing mountain, pouring out immense power.


    With this punch, air swept aside, forming a barrage of white waves rushing towards Gu Chen and the courtesan, Autumn Snow, by his side.


    Startled, Autumn Snow''s face drained of color, terror reaching an extreme.


    But at that moment, Gu Chen pulled Autumn Snow behind him and stood in front. It was a subtle move, yet Autumn Snow suddenly felt the overwhelming pressure dissipate into nothingness; behind Gu Chen, she felt an unsurpassed sense of safety.


    In that moment, Gu Chen became her sole reliance between heaven and earth. She looked at his silhouette, her eyes misty and tender, as if to melt everything within.


    As Feng Zhi''s punch imbued with martial intent viciously approached, Gu Chen''s form was dignified, his golden radiance intensified, and under its glow, amidst the pitch-ck night, he appeared like a transcendent Buddha.


    Boom!


    Gu Chen clenched his five fingers, forming a fist seal as if a Vajra descended to vanquish demons. A heavy pressure loomed over everyone''s hearts, Gu Chen emanated an awe-inspiring grandeur, and behind him emerged a wrathful Vajra phantom.


    It was evident to the discerning observer that Gu Chen''s martial intent far surpassed Feng Zhi''s, the two not even on the same level.


    "Pfft!"


    With just one punch, Gu Chen unleashed the Great Vajra Fist, and Feng Zhi was instantly defeated, left wide open. His bones made a rattling sound simr to crackling beans as he was sent flying, coughing up blood uncontrobly.


    Witnessing this scene, Xue Jun was shocked, his gaze at Gu Chen filled with disbelief.


    Just one punch had defeated Feng Zhi, who possessed a Body Like a Savage Dragon and aplete Vajra Stage cultivation? Was this truly Gu Chen''s strength? How could it be so terrifying?


    At this moment, Xue Jun''s mind was filled with questions.


    At the same time, the people on the surrounding flower boats also witnessed the scene, their looks towards Gu Chen filled with wariness.

 Chapter 159: Chapter 144: Effortlessly Crushed_2

    After punching Feng Zhi away, Gu Chen did not choose to pursue him, for he knew that Feng Zhi was already done for. The Great Vajra Fist he had just unleashed had shattered Feng Zhi''s bones throughout his body; whether the man could even survive was an unknown.


    Then, Gu Chen''s gaze shifted, looking towards Xue Jun not far away.


    How could Gu Chen not see through the other''s provocation?


    Seeing Gu Chen''s gaze turn towards him, Xue Jun subconsciously felt a chill in his heart, and his skin broke out in goosebumps.


    "Since you''re so eager to know my strength, why note and weigh it yourself?"


    As his words ended, Gu Chen''s body soared into the air. With his present profound internal energy cultivation, although he could not glide through the air, it was no problem to leverage off the air a few times.


    Especially after his Superior Martial Skill, the Roaring Dragon and Howling Tiger Golden Bell Shield, had reached great achievement, he was light as a feather. One could see his movements were extremely agile; with a light tap of his toe in mid-air, hended on the flower boat where Xue Jun was.


    Xue Jun, seeing this, forcefully squeezed out a smile and said, "Brother Gu, just now, I..."


    But Gu Chen was not going to give him the chance. Since he dared to provoke him, then he must prepare for the consequences.


    Boom!


    Gu Chen raised his hand and threw a light punch, but in Xue Jun''s sensation, it seemed like a pir holding up the sky had copsed, smashing down on him.


    It was the Four Extremes Propping Heaven Fist!


    Although Gu Chen had only cultivated this fist technique to the minor achievement stage, with his profound cultivation as a boost, it was not something Xue Jun could easily handle.


    Feeling the power of Gu Chen''s punch, Xue Jun''s face changed dramatically, and he dared not hold back, exerting his full strength.


    Bang!


    His physical cultivation had also reached the level where his body was like a wild dragon, stronger than Feng Zhi by a bit. But when his body collided with Gu Chen''s punch, he still felt a terrifying force, like a mountain copse, pressing fiercely upon him.


    Crack crack!


    Sounds of unbearable strain came from within Xue Jun''s bones. At this moment, he exerted all his strength, his face turning beat red, but Gu Chen''s punch still advanced towards him at a visibly slow pace.


    "Brother Gu, I have something to say!"


    Xue Jun clenched his teeth with fresh blood streaming from the corner of his mouth. In his perception, the surging of internal energy within Gu Chen''s body seemed boundless like the tumultuous ocean, filling his heart with extreme fear.


    It was impossible for someone who had been cultivating from the womb to umte such profound power unless Gu Chen had consumed some kind of heavenly material or earthly treasure that greatly enhanced his own, to be this powerful.


    At this moment, Xue Jun had no doubts about Gu Chen''s exploits in Xu''an County. Had he known this earlier, he never would have dared to provoke Gu Chen.


    Hence, Xue Jun quickly began to beg for mercy in rapid session, "Brother Gu, I was blind to your greatness, I was wrong. I hope you can spare me this once for the sake of Sunset Sword Sect."


    Upon hearing this, a trace of amusement appeared in Gu Chen''s eyes. He looked at Xue Jun, who was already at his limit, mockingly and said, "Spare you for the sake of Sunset Sword Sect?"


    Seeing this, Xue Jun quickly nodded, but Gu Chen''s next words made him feel deste.


    "Before Jing Tian Department, what does your Sunset Sword Sect count for?"


    As the words fell, Xue Jun felt an overwhelming force transfer from Gu Chen''s fist. Even before Gu Chen''s fist hit him, Xue Jun could no longer withstand the mighty internal energy and immediately suffered bleeding from all orifices, his body flying backwards and crashing into a ship''s mast not far away with a bang.


    "I... I survived!"


    Lying on the ground at this moment, Xue Jun was pale, his body''s bones broken in countless ces. But he felt nothing but gratitude, relieved that he hadn''t been smashed to death by Gu Chen''s fist.


    In front of Gu Chen''s frighteningly profound cultivation, he couldn''t even use the true intent of martial arts he had cultivated.


    Mainly, the gap in their cultivation was much toorge. Even if he had cultivated a higher martial dao true intent than Gu Chen, Gu Chen could still suppress it with sheer force.


    "You think it''s over?" Gu Chen stepped forward, walking to the side of Xue Jun.


    At the moment, Xue Jun was powerless to lift his head,pletely devoid of strength, only able to see the ckbat boots on Gu Chen''s feet.


    "Brother Gu, to spare others is to spare oneself... I know I was wrong, please spare my life," Xue Jun said, coughing up blood.


    As a true disciple of the Sunset Sword Sect and ranking high in the sect, when had Xue Jun ever suffered such humiliation? He was so angry he could crush his teeth, but he had no choice; to save his life, he could only do this.


    Seeing Xue Jun severely injured, a group of Sunset Sword Sect disciples rushed out from the flower boat, standing in the distance, trembling with fear, but daring not toe closer.


    Just then, amidst the central waters of theke, threads of mist began to disperse, revealing a huge ck ship.


    On the tall sail, hung a g with the emblem of a flower condensed from zing mes.


    "Red me Demon Sect?!" Someone with sharp eyes saw the emblem and immediately cried out in shock.


    Upon hearing the name, Gu Chen''s eyebrows knit together, and he also turned to look.


    On that ck ship belonging to the Red me Demon Sect stood numerous demonic martial artists, their eyes ferocious as they looked over theke towards the ten flower boats of the Pavilion of Flowers, like predators in the jungle eyeing their prey.


    Xue Jun''s expression changed, saying, "How... How could demonic martial artists appear here!"


    Then, he said to Gu Chen, "Brother Gu, with the demonic martial artists showing up and a great enemy before us, we should set aside our differences. We ought to join forces against the enemy."


    Hearing this, Gu Chen''s gaze shifted, deep and profound, looking at Xue Jun whoy on the ground. Just when Xue Jun thought Gu Chen might spare him, he saw Gu Chen extend his foot and step on his head.


    St!


    Long having unblocked the meridians in his feet, when he reached the Vajra Stage, all his meridians throughout his body were open, allowing his internal energy to be released from any part of his body, including the soles of his feet.


    Like crushing an ant, the surge of energy beneath Gu Chen''s foot instantly turned Xue Jun''s brain into a mush, leaving him utterly dead.


    Until thest moment of his life, Xue Jun was bewildered. If he could do it all over again, he would definitely not provoke Gu Chen.


    Gu Chen was indifferent to all this; from beginning to end, he had never taken the likes of Xue Jun and Feng Zhi seriously.


    After dealing with Xue Jun, he shifted his gaze towards the distant ck ship.


    On that ck ship, a vigorous figure stood, eyes shining bright, looking right at Gu Chen.


    As their gazes met in mid-air, it was as if a myriad of sparks were ignited.

 Chapter 160: Chapter 145 Half-Step Gangqi_1

    On Lake of Waving Mist, a wisp of fog curled up, and in the distance, a ck vessel belonging to the Red me Demon Sect could be seen.


    At the very front of the ship stood a young man dressed in ck, with a tall figure and profound eyes. He stood there in silence, quietly watching as Gu Chen crushed Xue Jun of the Sunset Sword Sect like stepping on ants.


    The appearance of the Red me Demon Sect warriors threw the martial artists on the ten flower boats into a panic.


    Just then, with a sh, Luo Feng appeared beside Gu Chen with a grave expression and said, "Brother Gu, we''re in trouble. The members of the demon sect have heard the news and havee too, no doubt they n to wipe out all the talents who will be attending the grand assembly at the Yao tform in one fell swoop."


    Gu Chen''s eyebrows knitted slightly. Although he had received intelligence from the Jing Tian Department and knew that the demon sect''s warriors would appear at the grand assembly at the Yao tform, he thought the Red me Demon Sect would wait until the assembly started before acting. He hadn''t expected the enemy to be so impatient as to prepare for a massacre tonight.


    Luo Feng pointed at the young figure at the front of the ck ship and said, "Brother Gu, do you see that person? His name is Lian Xing, and he is one of the most outstanding sessors of his generation in the Red me Demon Sect, as well as the most likely candidate for the next sect leader."


    Lian Xing, dressed in ck with the Red me Demon Sect insignia embroidered on his chest, seemed to sense something and instantly directed his gaze over.


    His face was calm, showing no emotion, and as the ck ship drew closer, he spoke indifferently, "Submit, or die."


    His voice, amplified by his internal energy, resonated continuously over Lake of Waving Mist. Such rich internal energy caused many faces to change on the flower boats of the Pavilion of Flowers.


    As the ck ship moved closer, the faces of the members of the demon sect became clearer, and many martial artists recognized the identities of many of the demon sect''s warriors.


    "It''s you, Zhao Qin of the Green Stone Hand!"


    "And you, Hu Jin of the Piercing Soul Sword!"


    "..."


    As name after name was called out, those demon sect warriors who had been named all wore mocking grins. They were all well-known figures from the underworld of Qiongtian Mansion and the other two great mansions, all wanted by Da Xia.


    Without exception, after the emergence of the Six Union God Sect, they all pledged allegiance to it.


    After all, in Da Xia, they were all fugitives who had to live in darkness. As long as they showed their faces, they would be hunted, leading extremely difficult lives.


    The resurgence of the Six Union God Sect, in urgent need of manpower, attracted this group through various secret channels to join their ranks.


    After all, the Six Union God Sect had the means to control demons and ghosts, which could extend life and greatly increase strength, helping them break through their bottlenecks, making these underworld martial artists extremely tempted.


    Even though this required devouring the flesh and blood of living people, for these brutal and evil figures, human life really didn''t count for much.


    It was precisely because of the addition of these people that the strength of the Six Union God Sect had greatly increased in just a few months.


    Zhao Qin, known as the Green Stone Hand among the martial artists, had been a notorious bandit within Qiongtian Mansion, who ughtered several viges and was wanted by Da Xia. After joining the Six Union God Sect, he had the good fortune of sessfully integrating with a demonic ghost, and since then led a prosperous life.


    At this moment, he sneered and said, "Join the divine sect, and you may be spared from death."


    Hu Jin also spoke in a cold voice, "Those who refuse to join, die!"


    At that moment, the flower boats had been sailing for some time, at a distance from Cloud Smoke City. Even if reinforcements were toe, it would take some time.


    Thus, hearing this, many martial artists started to hesitate, but after all, there were many disciples from reputable sects on the flower boats, and naturally, these people wouldn''t possibly defect to the demon sect.


    "You think we would join the demon sect? Dream on!"


    "Even if it means death, we will not collude with demons and monsters!"


    "Everyone, don''t be afraid. Cloud Smoke City has several Gang Qi Stage masters stationed, along with Da Xia''s troops. As long as we hold on for a while, these demon sect warriors will surely flee in defeat!"


    "That''s right, we mustn''t fall for the demon sect''s tricks. We have numbers on our side and should not falter without a fight!"


    Hearing this, Zhao Qin, Hu Jin, and the rest of the demon sect warriors showed a hint of mockery on their faces, without the slightest fear.


    After all, the Red me Demon Sect also had masters in Cloud Smoke City. Those who were waiting for rescue were merely deluding themselves.


    This time, the Red me Demon Sect had made all kinds of preparations to hunt down the talents from the major sects on the rivers andkes during this night banquet.


    Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!


    At that moment, shades flickered as one demonic ghost after another emerged from the ck ship of the Red me Demon Sect, charging toward the ten flower boats of the Pavilion of Flowers.


    "They''re demonic ghosts, everyone be careful!"


    "Let''s join forces against the enemy and y these demon sect fiends!"


    Suddenly, the battle began in an instant as the ck ship approached the ten flower boats. Over a hundred demon sect warriors, apanied by a dozen specter-level demons and ghosts, charged toward the crowd.


    Among them, there were more than ten Vajra Stage warriors, and some of these people''s bodies flickered with a faint ck light, their skin tight, having reached the second level of physical realm, like bronze poured iron cast.


    The Red me Divine Sect''s purpose was to use the opportunity of this night banquet to first assassinate a part of the martial artists, then let the demonic ghosts devour them to increase their strength.


    Seeing this, quite a few martial artists on the flower boats of the Pavilion of Flowers panicked.


    But they were all disciples of major sects, and their strength was not weak. Although only two top sects, the Shen Martial Sect and the Sunset Sword Sect, were present here, the rest of the people also came from first-rate forces in the Nine States and were not so easily defeated. For a time, they actually fought on par with the warriors of the Red me Demon Sect.


    Gu Chen saw the demonic ghosts appear and was immediately pleased, but just as he was about to take action, Lian Xing from the Red me Demon Sect moved in close to confront him.


    "Brother Gu, this man has already reached the level of a ''Body as Sturdy as a Wild Dragon,'' and he is not weak. He is far stronger than Feng Zhi and Xue Jun; you must not take him lightly," Luo Feng said with a serious look as he noticed Lian Xing approaching Gu Chen.


    In the martial world, some forces did not believe in the authenticity of Gu Chen''s battle in Xu''an County, but as a sessor of the Red me Demon Sect, Lian Xing was very clear about Gu Chen''s strength.


    Moreover, he had just witnessed Gu Chen so easily ying Xue Jun, so at the very start of the fight, Lian Xing went for Gu Chen.


    Because without him, it was feared that no one from the Red me Demon Sect would be a match for Gu Chen.


    This was also the true purpose behind the Red me Demon Sect sending him over.


    As Lian Xing approached, Gu Chen remained calm andposed, not in a hurry to y those ghostly demons of the ghostly rank.


    Because inside Lian Xing, there resided an even stronger demon spirit!


    This was Gu Chen''s real target.


    "The power that had been stagnant for so long can finally begin to increase again," a hint of a smile appeared in Gu Chen''s eyes.


    When Lian Xing saw that his approach caused no panic in Gu Chen, who instead showed a slight smile, he was somewhat puzzled.


    However, he didn''t care about it, nor did he choose to waste words with Gu Chen, and simply sent a light and floating palm strike toward him.


    This palm strike seemed to burst forth without any force, but his palm was wrapped in a sinister power capable of instantly melting the body of a Vajra Stage martial artist.


    As soon as Lian Xing made his move, he used his full power!


    Upon seeing this, Gu Chen said to Luo Feng, "Brother Luo, step back further."


    Luo Feng, upon hearing this, had a grave expression and retreated.


    Bang!


    The next moment, their palms met without any explosive force, but theposed Lian Xing frowned, his body sent flying backwards.


    Seeing this, Gu Chen''s figure shed like a shadow, immediately following up with another palm.


    Bang!


    Lian Xing continued to match palms with Gu Chen; this time, Gu Chen increased his strength, causing Lian Xing''s body to tremble and blood to flow from the corner of his mouth.


    His eyes showed shock; although he had heard of Gu Chen''s strength, Gu Chen had not reached the Vajra Stage at that time, so when the higher-ups of the Red me Demon Sect proposed this battle n, he volunteered to deal with Gu Chen.


    Lian Xing thought he had estimated Gu Chen''s strength highly enough, but this exchange proved him wrong.


    The speed of Gu Chen''s improvement was simply too fast.


    Fortunately, he hade prepared. With a long howl from Lian Xing, in the face of another palm strike from Gu Chen, a wild and sharp force burst forth from inside him, clinging to his body.


    "Gangqi?"


    A look of surprise shed in Gu Chen''s eyes; he hadn''t expected the Lian Xing before him to have cultivated Gangqi.


    Bang!


    The contact between Gu Chen''s palm and Lian Xing''s Gangqi caused pain to surge through him, and blood flowed from his palms.


    This was the power of Gangqi; even Gu Chen''s physical body couldn''t withstand it, because even the slightest bit of Gangqi was refined from countless internal breaths.


    Byparison, the difference between internal breath and Gangqi was like that between ordinary iron and thoroughly tempered fine steel ¡ª they were iparable.


    At this moment, Lian Xing had already converted half of his internal breath into Gangqi; if not for this, he would not have dared to exchange blows with Gu Chen after witnessing his strength.


    Although still not on par with a true Gang Qi Stage martial artist, with half of his internal Gangqi, Lian Xing was already a formidable opponent within the Vajra Stage.


    "So you''re relying on Gangqi!" Gu Chen smiled lightly, still unconcerned.


    Seeing this, Lian Xing frowned, Gangqi gathered in his palms, and he used a high-grade martial art from the Red me Demon Sect to strike at Gu Chen.


    Boom!


    Facing Lian Xing''s palm infused with Gangqi, Gu Chen stretched out his body, his arms turning into pirs that seemed to support the heavens as he smashed them towards Lian Xing.


    Bang!


    Even with Gangqi protecting him, Lian Xing couldn''t resist the tremendous force from Gu Chen''s arms and was sent flying once more, vomiting arge mouthful of blood.


    Had it not been for the possession of a demon spirit, that one strike would have nearly taken Lian Xing''s life if it didn''t kill him.


    If Lian Xing had truly ascended to the Gang Qi Stage, Gu Chen would definitely have been much more cautious; but now, even with half of his Gangqi cultivated, he was still no match for Gu Chen.


    After all, Lian Xing still fell far short of a true Gang Qi Stage martial artist.


    Boom!


    Gu Chen didn''t give Lian Xing a chance to catch his breath and immediately threw another punch with astonishing power, causing a thunderous sound to rip through the air.


    Lian Xing''s brow knit tightly; he didn''t understand where this freak, Gu Chen, hade from. His cultivation of Vajra Stage perfectionbined with half his Gangqi couldn''t even force Gu Chen to use all his strength?


    Seeing Gu Chen''s nonchnt demeanor, he knew that Gu Chen did not take him seriously at all.


    But luckily, he still held onest trump card ¡ª the demon spirit within him!


    "Ao!"


    With a fierce howl that echoed over Cloud Smoke Lake, theke surface burst open, and four water columns soared into the sky.


    At the same time, numerous martial artists who heard the howl had expressions of agony, as blood flowed from their seven orifices, and they fell to the ground, unable to rise.

 Chapter 162: Chapter 147: Opening of the Grand Event_1

    A rich golden light enveloped Gu Chen, making his hair seem to glow. Seated in meditation, his flesh exuded a fragrant scent, and he bore the solemn and sacred appearance of one who had attained bodily sanctification.


    Inside his body, the flesh, bones, meridians, and even the internal organs were undergoing transformation. They gleamed with the translucence of jade, while a mysterious energy refined Gu Chen''s physique, continuously enhancing and strengthening his body''s condition.


    Hum!


    At this moment, Gu Chen''s protective Golden Bell Shield condensed to an extreme, shining brilliantly, twinkling with dazzling light, indistinguishable from a real, majestic, and solemn bell ¡ª as if it were the great, world-steadying bell from the Great Thunder Sound Monastery.


    Simultaneously, the images of dragons and tigers on it grew considerablyrger, vividly coiled atop the Golden Bell Shield, incredibly solid as if they were living creatures, possessing their own spirituality. Their eyes exuded majesty, filled with immense authority, as if true dragons and white tigers from the celestial realm had descended to the world, overlooking all creation.


    At this moment, anyone standing beside Gu Chen would feel an overwhelming pressure within the room. Whether it was mental or physical, those who were slightly weaker in cultivation or spirit would not even be qualified to stand in front of him.


    Having perfected the Golden Bell Shield with the roars of dragons and the cries of tigers, Gu Chen instantlyprehended the corresponding martial truth. One must understand, this was the martial truth of a Superior Martial Skill, and the enhancement it offered to Gu Chen''s spirit was immensely significant.


    Currently, Gu Chen felt his vitality, energy, and spirit were at their peak, his perception was keener than ever, intuition greatly heightened, the range of the imagery in his mind expanding further, and every movement carried unparalleled strength. A violent force surged within him, and he felt as though he could split the heavens and earth.


    As Gu Chen''s flesh underwent cleansing, it expanded and then contracted, with countless ck impurities being expelled from the pores. This process continued until dawn before finallying to an end.


    Ultimately, Gu Chen''s physique returned to its previous appearance: tall and well-constructed, with muscles that were well-defined but not overly pronounced, evenly distributed across his frame.


    Gu Chen''s features became even more defined, handsome, exuding a very intense masculine charm.


    Whoosh!


    Gu Chen opened his eyes, which at this moment were like two goldenmps, prating and bright, seemingly more dazzling than the rising sun on the horizon.


    It took another cup of tea''s time for the extraordinary light in Gu Chen''s eyes to gradually dissipate.


    Within the room, the terrifying pressure and the surging blood qi also began to recede like the tide.


    Gu Chen sped his hands together, seated on the bed, his pupils clear and his gaze sparkling.


    Then, Gu Chen gently clenched his fist, feeling the surging power within him, and muttered to himself, "Now that I''ve reached the third level of the Vajra Stage with my body as sturdy as a savage dragon, I should possess a strength of two hundred and fifty thousand catties."


    With Gu Chen''s control over his physical body, knowing his own strength was naturally no problem.


    This was still under normal conditions. If Gu Chen were to exert his full strength, using the perfect realm Superior Martial Skill, Golden Bell Shield with the Dragon-Tiger power, his physical strength could be even greater.


    Gu Chen estimated that reaching three hundred thousand catties would not be a problem.


    Don''t underestimate the mere five thousand catties of strength that the Superior Martial Skill provided Gu Chen. Considering he already possessed two hundred and fifty thousand catties of tremendous strength, being able to further enhance it by five thousand catties was indeed something only a Superior Martial Skill could achieve.


    Superior Martial Skills are so rare that even those in the Gang Qi Stage rarely achieve perfection. In fact, a significant portion of martial artists at the Gang Qi Stage might not even grasp a Superior Martial Skill.


    Whether it''s martial skills or cultivation techniques, once they reach the Superior tier, they differ from the former like heaven and earth. Simr to the martial realm, the farther one advances, the greater the disparity bes.


    It might seem easy for Gu Chen to increase his Superior Martial Skill, but that''s due to the enhancements from his panel. Even so, to perfect the Golden Bell Shield to the ultimate realm, Gu Chen still spent over two hundred points.


    For amon martial artist, even those at the peak of the Gang Qi Stage, merely reaching the entry level of a Superior Martial Skill would already signify exceptional talent.


    Indeed, many martial artists in the Gang Qi Stage use only high-quality martial skills. Only some powerful external Gang Qi warriors or prodigies like Chen Yu canprehend Superior Martial Skills.


    Looking across the world, there is not a single young Vajra Stage martial artist who has cultivated a Superior Martial Skill toplete perfection.


    With two hundred and fifty thousand catties of strength, plus Gu Chen''s terrifying cultivation age of five hundred six years, he now felt confident enough to arm-wrestle with martial artists of the Gang Qi Stage, even defeating them.


    Of course, this was limited to the internal Gang Qi realm, for external Gang Qi warriors could externalize their Gangqi. Unless in closebat, Gu Chen would certainly not be their match.


    External Gang Qi warriors, possessing much deeper powers than those of the internal realm, and being generally much stronger overall, wouldn''t be weaker than Gu Chen in explosive power due to the might of Gangqi. They could even surpass him.


    Therefore, even after achieving a body as sturdy as a savage dragon, Gu Chen did not overestimate himself, believing he could face enemies across an entire realm.


    His true aim was to achieve what no one in the Nine Provinces had reached in hundreds of years: the state of indestructible Vajra.


    Also known as the ultimate realm of martial physicality, one could rely on the body alone to match an external Gang Qi warrior without defeat, where even Gangqi would struggle to break through their defense.


    If it came to close-quartersbat, external Gang Qi warriors would be undoubtedly defeated and killed instantly.

 Chapter 163: Chapter 147 Opening Ceremony_2

    Of course, even now, if a high-grade treasure weapon were to strike Gu Chen''s body, it would shatter on the spot.


    Gu Chen''s gaze lowered slightly as his thought moved, and the status panel appeared once again.


    Name: Gu Chen


    Martial Skills: Golden Bell Shield (Perfected), Burning Vein Finger (Perfected, can extrapte), Phantom Traceless Step (Perfected), Astonishing Swan Swordsmanship Skills (Perfected), Great Vajra Fist (Perfected), Condensing Pulse Sword Wave (Perfected, can extrapte), Four Extremes Propping Heaven Fist (Minor Achievement)


    Internal Cultivation: Pure Yang Wuji Gong


    Cultivation Age: 506 years


    Stage: Mid-Vajra Stage


    Merit Points: 22


    Looking at the mere twenty-two merit points disyed on the panel, Gu Chen decided to apply them to the Four Extremes Propping Heaven Fist.


    In an instant, the Four Extremes Propping Heaven Fist reached the stage of Major Achievement, and with it came a corresponding influx of martial arts experience into Gu Chen''s mind.


    Afterward, only four merit points remained on the panel. Gu Chen could only add these to his cultivation age, which went from 506 to 510 years, rounding it out nicely.


    Afterpleting all this, Gu Chen did not immediately leave his closed-door cultivation, because the Golden Bell Shield, as a Superior Martial Skill, although perfected through the panel, required more than just experiences to fully understand its profound mysteries. Gu Chen needed to grasp them through personal insight.


    This was also why Gu Chen had previously instructed the servant not to disturb him.


    ...


    Soon, several days passed, and during this period, the news of the demon sect''s surprise attack on Cloud Smoke City had spread. After all, on theke of Yanbo, many young warriors from various powers had died or been injured.


    This also once again demonstrated the strength of the Six Union God Sect to the world, which was growing at an unparalleled rate.


    The various major sects were deeply worried, afraid that the events of over three hundred years ago might recur. They sought to locate the headquarters of the Six Union God Sect in advance and then join forces to obliterate it.


    However, the Six Union God Sect had always been well-concealed, learning from their past failures and not fully exposing themselves.


    Even organizations like the Jing Tian Department and Diancang Pavilion, known for their precise intelligence-gathering, failed to locate their headquarters.


    For a time, the demonic might of the Six Union God Sect swept through the martial world once again, making everyone feel threatened.


    At the same time, the news of Gu Chen ying Xue Jun and Feng Zhi also spread far and wide. It was said that the higher-ups of the Sunset Sword Sect were furious. Two of their direct disciples, Xue Jun and Shi Sen, one dead and one crippled, not to mention Qin Mu from earlier.


    In just a few months, three direct disciples of the Sunset Sword Sect had fallen to Gu Chen''s hands.


    It was rumored that the seniors of the Sunset Sword Sect were livid to the point of bursting lungs, but due to the existence of the Jing Tian Department, they dared not do much to Gu Chen and had to swallow this humiliation in silence.


    Because of the incidents with Xue Jun and Shi Sen, the Sunset Sword Sect''s reputation in the martial world plummeted, and many people wereughing at their misfortune.


    Naturally, while their reputation decreased, Gu Chen''s reputation in the martial world increased once again. Many people no longer doubted the strength Gu Chen had exhibited during the battle at Xu''an County.


    Of course, Gu Chen neither knew nor cared about these matters; to him, his own strength was the most important thing.


    As time passed, the day for the grand event of the Yao tform Sect soon arrived.


    On this day, countless warriors from Cloud Smoke City bustled about, heading toward the mountain gate of the Yao tform Sect outside the city.


    Despite the recent appearance of demon sect warriors, the Yao tform Sect was still one of the top sects in Shen Zhou, and it was clear that the demon sect was not currently nning a major attack on such a powerful sect''s base.


    Thus, the Yao tform grand event was naturally safe, and moreover, countless talented youths would sh at the event, vying for the distribution rights of the Jade Spirit Ice Liquid, a fact that naturally attracted many people from the martial world who enjoyed spectacles.


    However, not everyone was qualified to ascend the Yao tform Sect''s mountain; martial artists without an invitation could only wait at the base of the mountain, hoping to hear thetest news firsthand.


    The mountain gate of the Yao tform Sect was towering, shrouded in mist, situated beside Yanbo Lake, offering an unobstructed view of the beautiful scenery.


    At this moment, in the early morning, several female disciples of the Yao tform Sect stood guarding the gate, receiving the many powers that hade to attend the grand event.


    These female disciples were dressed in white, beautiful in appearance and graceful in demeanor, wearing gentle smiles as they collected the various invitations.


    At the peak of the mountain, numerous pavilions, towers, gardens, and lodges were built, but now, a vast tform was filled with the gathering of numerous powers.


    Of course, the Sunset Sword Sect was absent today. Xue Jun and Shi Sen, who were supposed to attend the grand event, were dead and crippled. Moreover, other disciples of the Sunset Sword Sect had suffered heavy casualties on Yanbo Lake, so they had been recalled by the high-level officials of their sect a few days ago.


    After all, staying here would only be embarrassing and serve as fodder for ridicule.


    Among today''s attendees at the grand event were not only the Yao tform Sect but also five other top powers listed in the four lines by the Diancang Pavilion, assessing martial world forces.


    These included the Shen Martial Sect, Canghai Sect, Heavenly Saber Sect, Giant Spirit Gate, and finally, the Huan Yu Sect.


    Adding the Yao tform Sect, the top six most formidable martial world powers were gathered here. Other sects and powers either had too long a journey to attend or simply chose not toe.


    After all, although there are many top powers, they too are scattered across the world, and many are not located within Shen Zhou''s borders but in other states.


    To traverse between states is no small feat, as the distance between them is much more than just thousands of miles.


    The costs of such a distant journey didn''t quite warrant the effort, leading many powers unable to arrive.


    Even with only the six top powers present, the grand event was still a rare and magnificent asion. Usually, there wasn''t such an opportunity to gather so many exceptional individuals from the martial world, attracting such an array of top powers.


    As for the other martial warriors and first and second-tier forces, their numbers were even greater; many could not even set foot on the mountain of the Yao tform Sect.


    After all, if tens of thousands of warriors were to arrive, the Yao tform Sect would be overwhelmed.


    The female disciples of the Yao tform Sect were just as charming as rumored, each delicate and pleasant with gentle dispositions, moving between the crowds as they weed the guests from the martial world, creating what was indeed a beautiful sight at the Yao tform Sect.


    At the forefront, the Shen Martial Sect and other powers were seated in an area, among which were the figures of Mo Zilin and Mingyue.

 Chapter 164: Chapter 148 Da Guangming Sect_1

    Shen Martial Sect sent two individuals to attend the Yao tform Sect''s grand event this time, one being Feng Zhi and the other, a true disciple by the name of Xu Shu.


    Xu Shu was a young man with a heroic appearance, bushy eyebrows, and a prominent nose. In Shen Martial Sect, his strength and status far surpassed Feng Zhi, having reached the third level of the Vajra Stage, akin to a wild dragon, for some time now.


    From Giant Spirit Gate came a burly man named Dian Chu, towering and massive, with a rugged face that seemed to belong to someone older, but he was actually only twenty-three years old, though he appeared somewhat mature for his age.


    Heavenly Saber Sect sent two individuals, Mo Zilin, and Yang Mingyue.


    Lastly, the disciple sent by Huan Yu Sect was a young man of average height, with ordinary features.


    Yet among those present, no one dared to underestimate him due to his ordinary appearance. This person was named Liu Feng and, just like Mo Zilin and others, had reached the third level of the Vajra Stage, akin to a wild dragon.


    Moreover, he had already transformed the majority of his inner breath into Gangqi and was only half a step away from the Gang Qi Stage.


    Of course, even if it was just half a step, if relying solely on oneself, it would take at least several months or even a year to possibly make a breakthrough.


    But, with the aid of heaven-sent treasures like Jade Spirit Ice Liquid, it would be different. It wouldn''t be impossible to enter the Gang Qi Stage overnight.


    After all, Liu Feng was already very close to the Gang Qi Stage.


    As for Canghai Sect, which was also among the world''s top powers, its heir Yu Qiushi, who was only at the exterior Qi cultivation level, naturally didn''t have the qualifications to sit together with Mo Zilin and the others and had to sit in a position slightly to the rear.


    It could be said, every seat for visiting guests at the Yao tform Sect''s celebration was carefully considered.


    Sitting beside Mo Zilin and the others was ady from Yao tform Sect, one of the top three true disciples of this generation, named Zi Qing.


    Zi Qing had delicate features, crescent eyebrows and white teeth, her hair ck like clouds, her eyes bright and clear. She wore a Yunwen Baisha Skirt, with an elegant demeanor, like a graceful orchid in a solitary valley.


    As for Gang Qi Stage elders from Heavenly Saber Sect and Shen Martial Sect who hade to apany the celebration at Yao tform Sect, they were seated even further away, entertained by Gang Qi Stage martial artists from Yao tform Sect.


    Yang Mingyue, sitting beside Mo Zilin, looked at him as he smiled and chatted with the bright-eyed, beautiful-toothed Zi Qing, and she was so agitated she nearly ground her teeth to dust.


    She firmly pinched Mo Zilin''s hand. Mo Zilin frowned slightly, imperceptibly, but still did not turn his head.


    Actually, in Mo Zilin''s heart,pared to the unbearably arrogant Yang Mingyue, he naturally preferred the gentle-natured disciples from Yao tform Sect, especially as Zi Qing''s appearance far surpassed Yang Mingyue''s.


    Zi Qing was like a well-educateddy from a prestigious household, with a very soothing voice, unlike Yang Mingyue, who was overbearing and unreasonable, only knowing how to cry and make a fuss.


    If it weren''t for Heavenly Saber Sect''s sect leader Yang Ling, Mo Zilin would definitely not be willing to take Yang Mingyue as his wife.


    To the side, Shen Martial Sect''s Xu Shu, the Giant Spirit Gate''s big man Dian Chu, and Huan Yu Sect''s Liu Feng, all sat silently, not uttering a word.


    In fact, today''s grand meeting at Yao tform was essentially held for these few individuals.


    While there were a few other Vajra Stage martial artists from different sects who wanted to participate, it was merely a formality.


    In front of the prodigies from these top sects, even the warriors from first-rate sects would definitely not be a match for the likes of Mo Zilin and Xu Shu.


    Xu Shu had a grave expression, feeling very upset, as his junior brother Feng Zhi had died at the hands of Gu Chen from Jing Tian Department, leaving him with nowhere to seek revenge.


    Feng Zhi had an extraordinary talent and was definitely going to achieve the Gang Qi Stage in the future. Even within a top sect like Shen Martial Sect, those in the Gang Qi Stage could be considered as pirs.


    Feng Zhi''s death led to messagesing down from the higher echelons of Shen Martial Sect recently, questioning Xu Shu, asking why he hadn''t kept a better eye on Feng Zhi, knowing his temperament was poor.


    Toward Gu Chen, inevitably, Xu Shu also harbored some anger in his heart, but he also knew of the battle between Gu Chen and the Red me Demon Sect on Yanbo Lake that day. Therefore, Xu Shu was very wary of Gu Chen.


    Unless absolutely necessary, he still did not intend to act against Gu Chen.


    After all, winning would be good, but if he lost, his reputation would be destroyed, and he would be a stepping stone for Gu Chen.


    Unable to vent his frustration, Xu Shu naturally felt extremely ufortable.


    At this moment, just as the grand meeting at Yao tform was about to begin, suddenly, a burst of discussion and exmations came from outside. Everyone saw a young man in a white robe, untarnished by dust, enter the room.


    This young man was extremely handsome, with clear eyebrows and bright eyes, and skin like jade. There seemed to be a faint glow radiating from his body, giving him a unique charm that made people involuntarily want to immerse themselves in it.


    "Da Guangming Sect!"


    Mo Zilin, Xu Shu, and others saw this person and immediately their expressions changed, appearing extremely solemn.


    Da Guangming Sect, ranked among the three great sects, was as famous as Shen Martial Sect, Sunset Sword Sect, and the other seven sects and eight factions, being a pinnacle force on the martial arts scene with nearly a thousand years of history in Shen Zhou.


    You should know that even among the top forces, there are differences in strength.


    For example, Canghai Sect is obviously the weakest among top forces such as the seven sects and eight factions and has even shown a tendency to decline to a first-rate sect in recent years.


    And Shen Martial Sect, Sunset Sword Sect, Heavenly Saber Sect, Huan Yu Sect, and Yao tform Sect have simr strength, being closely matched.


    But the three great sects, any one of them taken out, would be among the strongest in the top forces, in terms of overall strength.


    The reason is that in these few top sect forces like the three great sects, there exist beings that have surpassed Grandmasters of the martial arts in the Innate Realm.


    It''s also for this reason that they surpass Shen Martial Sect, Sunset Sword Sect, and Yao tform Sect in sect strength.


    As for Canghai Sect, which has already declined among top sects, it cannot bepared with Da Guangming Sect at all. One is in the heavens, the other on the earth.


    However, what puzzled Mo Zilin and the others was that the Da Guangming Sect was not in Shen Zhou but in Yangzhou, which is exceedingly distant from Qiongtian Mansion. They wondered how a disciple of the Da Guangming Sect hade to participate in the Yao tform Sect''s grand event hosted by Qiongtian Mansion.


    Upon seeing this, the crowd also stood up one after another, paying respect to the Da Guangming Sect.


    Zi Qing was slender with a light and clear voice. She turned her bright eyes towards the glowing young man and said, "I didn''t expect that the Da Guangming Sect, despite being far away in Yangzhou, would still send someone to our Yao tform Sect''s event. May I ask for your esteemed name, sir?"


    The young man from the Da Guangming Sect bore a smile as he made a fist and palm salute and said, "My uninvited presence is truly presumptuous; my name is Tang Xiao."


    His voice was warm, and the corners of his mouth upturned in a smile. He seemed to emanate a warm glow at all times, and there was an indescribably strange charm about him that made him instantly likeable.


    "Tang Xiao? I''ve heard of him. In Yangzhou, he once single-handedly battled against thirteen Vajra Stage warriors and defeated them effortlessly. Moreover, he managed to escape unscathed from the pursuit of a ck path warrior of the Inner Gangqi Stage."


    "What, does he really possess such strength?"


    "Is he still in the Vajra Stage now?"


    "I don''t know, but by the looks of it, he probably hasn''t broken through to the Gang Qi Stage yet."


    "I guess he also wants to try reaching the physical limit of the Vajra Stage and achieve the indestructible state of Vajra."


    The gathered warriors whispered among themselves, revealing quite a few of Tang Xiao''s past exploits.


    With a smile still on his face, Tang Xiao spoke slowly, "After leaving my sect, I traveled the world. Recently, I happened to be near Shen Zhou''s Qiongtian Mansion when I heard that the Yao tform Sect was going to host the grand event. I took the liberty ofing uninvited, and I hope the members of the Yao tform Sect will not take offense."


    His behavior was extremely polite, making it hard for anyone to find fault. Many warriors, seeing this, instinctively took a liking to him.


    Furthermore, upon seeing Tang Xiao handsome and radiant, appearing like the son of a deity, some of the women couldn''t help but have their hearts flutter wildly, gazing at him with a dreamy look, unable to extricate themselves.


    At this moment, a beautiful middle-aged woman approached. She was an elder of the Yao tform Sect and said to Tang Xiao with a smile, "Having a distinguished disciple like you from the Da Guangming Sect participate in our event is certainly a great pleasure for the Yao tform Sect. Bring a seat for Young Master Tang."


    Instantly, a female disciple of the Yao tform Sect gracefully brought a chair and ced it beside Zi Qing.


    Tang Xiao with a fist and palm salute, said, "Thank you, elder."


    The middle-aged woman nodded and, turning to Zi Qing, said, "Zi Qing, Young Master Tang has traveled from afar to our Yao tform Sect. Make sure to host him properly and not neglect Young Master Tang."


    "Understood," Zi Qing said softly.


    "I am in your care, Miss Zi Qing," Tang Xiao said with a smile, his smile so warm that one couldn''t help but want to bask in it.


    Ordinary warriors might not understand why, but Mo Zilin and others knew that this was the unique martial skill of the Da Guangming Sect called the Bewildering God Skills, which directly affects a person''s spirit. When practiced to a high level, the cultivator could, like Tang Xiao, exude a unique charm that made people infatuated and unable to extricate themselves.


    Those with weaker perseverance might, after spending time with Tang Xiao, even start to regard him as a supreme deity in their hearts, willing to die for him without a second thought if he asked.


    Of course, for people like Mo Zilin and Xu Shu with firm resolve, they naturally wouldn''t be easily beguiled by Tang Xiao.


    However, the Da Guangming Sect was known for being both righteous and wicked, acting on whim, and even Mo Zilin and others were extremely wary of Tang Xiao.


    In the past, the Emperor of Da Xia had thought about exterminating the Da Guangming Sect. But, since the sect hadn''tmitted any significant evil deeds and had timely expressed their submission to Da Xia, the Emperor spared them from beingpletely obliterated.


    In recent years, the disciples of the Da Guangming Sect roaming the world have mostly been doing acts of punishing the evil and promoting the good.


    "May I inquire how to address everyone here?" Tang Xiao, handsome with jade-like smooth skin glowing all about, looked absolutely divine.


    "Heavenly Saber Sect, Mo Zilin."


    "Shen Martial Sect, Xu Shu."


    "Giant Spirit Gate, Dian Chu."


    "Huan Yu Sect, Liu Feng."


    Mo Zilin and the others introduced themselves one by one to Tang Xiao.


    "Tang Xiao has met all of you," Tang Xiao said, giving a fist and palm salute.


    "Brother Tang, please don''t be overly courteous," the crowd hastily returned the gesture.


    At that moment, Tang Xiao''s gaze shifted towards Yang Mingyue standing beside Mo Zilin and asked, "And may I ask who this youngdy is?"


    At his words, Yang Mingyue''s gaze turned, and inadvertently, she caught sight of Tang Xiao''s pupils, which seemed to lead into an abyss. Her expression immediately stiffened, a hint of fervor emerging in her eyes as she gazed at him mesmerized.


    "Brother Tang!" Seeing this, Mo Zilin immediately grew displeased, his face slightly darkened.


    "My apologies, my apologies," Tang Xiao hastily said, apologizing. The next second, Yang Mingyue returned to normal, as if everything was just a dream, and she was still confused, not understanding what had happened.


    At this point, most of the people attending the Yao tform event had arrived, except for one seat at the very front that remained empty.


    Noticing this, Tang Xiao changed the subject and pointed to the vacant seat, asked with a smile, "May I ask, who is this empty seat reserved for?"


    Upon hearing his words, Mo Zilin and the others all looked towards Zi Qing.


    Seeing the curious nces, Zi Qing spoke softly, "It is reserved for Lord Gu Chen of the Jing Tian Department of Da Xia."

 Chapter 166: Chapter 150 Gu Chen Appears_1

    ```


    The clear voice echoed throughout the entire tform, and upon hearing this, everyone turned their gaze towards the entrance.


    At this moment, a slender figure with a sword on his waist, dressed in dark clothes, and with a handsome face and starry eyebrows, was slowly walking toward this ce.


    Gu Chen stood tall and dignified, and after showing the invitation from the Yao tform Festival, he entered without any hindrance.


    It must be said, these top sects really knew how to choose a location; every single sect gate had been carefully selected in the past, and could be considered a rare paradise on earth.


    Walking here, Gu Chen felt as if all the pores on his body had opened up, continuously inhaling and exhaling Gangqi, giving him a sensation of being refreshed and invigorated.


    This was Gu Chen''s first time visiting the mountain gate of a top force in the Nine Provinces.


    At this moment, when the martial artists of the Yao tform Sect caught sight of Gu Chen, a wave of discussions immediately started.


    Among them, most people looked at him with unfriendly eyes, yet very subtly, not daring to show it openly.


    After all, the Jing Tian Department was subordinate to the Great Xia Dynasty and acted as the emperor''s instrument for suppressing the world, like a sword hanging over all the heads of the martial artists, one that could fall at any moment.


    Over the years, countless forces had had their sect doors broken down by the Jing Tian Department. Even the Seven Sects and Eight Sects, and other top forces of the Nine Provinces, had survived only by making concessions and pay a certain price back then.


    The secret martial arts tomes within the Jing Tian Department? A vast majority of them were contributions from these Jianghu sects!


    Indeed, for this reason, the emperor at that time spared their lives, notpletely annihting these forces.


    It could be said that in the entire Jianghu, the Jing Tian Department of Great Xia held significant prestige, but at the same time, it was despised by many martial artists.


    Because in their eyes, the people of the Jing Tian Department were the emperor''s hounds, serving the court, naturally standing on the opposite side of themselves, and thus disliked by them.


    In the year when Emperor Xia rode across the Jianghu, hemanded the respect of the masses, amand that no one dared to disobey. It was truly as though "under the heaven allnd is the emperor''s, and at the shores of the earth all were subjects of the emperor." Looking through the history of the Nine Provinces, no other emperor had achieved what Emperor Xia had done.


    Apart from the six aloof and worldly detached sacrednds, when have these top forces of the Nine Provinces, including the Da Guangming Sect, ever been so oppressed by others?


    Even the six sacrednds were never treated so, because their disciples were few, and they rarely ventured into the world. One could say in the Jianghu of Nine Provinces, only the top forces such as the Da Guangming Sect were truly revered.


    Even Tang Xiao, when looking at Gu Chen, had a touch of gloom in his eyes, because once Emperor Xia had intended to obliterate the Da Guangming Sect. At that time, the Grand Commander of the Jing Tian Department had already attacked the gates of the Da Guangming Sect and severely injured its leader.


    If the Da Guangming Sect had not paid a huge price and other circumstances hadn''t arisen, the Sect would have been eradicated and its thousand-year legacy destroyed.


    Though Tang Xiao was young at the time and did not experience it personally, this incident was considered a disgrace within the Da Guangming Sect, with no one wishing to mention it.


    Gu Chen, with his current level of perception, although these people were extremely subtle and their gazes intentionally evasive, could clearly sense the hostilitying from all directions. If possible, this group of martial artists wouldn''t mind swarming over and keeping Gu Chen here forever.


    But, with Gu Chen''s current cultivation and strength, if no martial artist of the Gang Qi Stage intervened, there would be no one in the Nine Provinces who couldpete with him.


    Among the several hundred martial artists present, there were only a few at the Gang Qi Stage, and the higher ranks of the Yao tform Sect were not all present here.


    Therefore, Gu Chen ignored the veiled hostility from the crowd, walked to the very front as calmly as if walking through a barrage of needle-like gazes.


    He bowed to the middle-aged beautiful woman of the Yao tform Sect and said, "I was dyed by some matters, Gu Chen has arrivedte, please forgive me, senior."


    The middle-aged beautiful woman smiled slightly, looked Gu Chen up and down a few times, and feeling the hidden oppressive force emanating from within him, she was secretly astonished and said, "Lord Gu is indeed as the rumors say, talented with strong capabilities, a rare prodigy of the Jing Tian Department of Tiandu that hasn''t been seen in a hundred years."


    Gu Chen, with his handsome face and striking figure, with eyebrows nted high into his temples,posed and at ease, said, "Senior tters me too much. The Jing Tian Department has many talents; I am nothing special, you praise me too much."


    The middle-aged beautiful woman nodded and said, "Lord Gu, please take your seat."


    Subsequently, Zi Qing, with her graceful figure, came winding over, leading Gu Chen to the foremost seat; beside him were martial artists from all sects who came to participate in the Yao tform Festival. Upon seeing Gu Chen, they also nodded slightly to him as a greeting.


    Seeing this, Mo Zilin and others felt somewhat displeased internally. They were of the same age, but why could Gu Chen sit at the foremost seat, looking down upon them?


    They didn''t see themselves as much weaker than Gu Chen, but the reason Gu Chen had such a status was not only because of his fame and strength, but more importantly, because of the Jing Tian Department behind him.


    Therefore, both Mo Zilin and Xu Shu had no words to object.


    Beside Mo Zilin, Yang Mingyue, upon seeing Gu Chen, a strong hatred shed in her eyes. If it weren''t for Mo Zilin and Hu Wanyuan repeatedly cautioning her before they arrived, she might have already jumped out to confront Gu Chen.


    Sitting at the foremost seat, Gu Chen naturally also saw Mo Zilin and Yang Mingyue, and he clearly noticed Yang Mingyue''s hatred, but he didn''t care.


    In the eyes of the current Gu Chen, he had set his sights much higher. Since he had mastered the "Golden Bell Shield" - a Superior Martial Skill to perfection a few days ago, no one in the Vajra Stage throughout the Nine Provinces could be his match.


    In Gu Chen''s view, Yang Mingyue was no different from a clown. If this woman dared to speak out again and make a fuss unreasonably, he wouldn''t mind teaching her a lesson on behalf of Heavenly Saber Sect''s leader Yang Ling, or even just killing her outright.


    ```


    However, when Gu Chen saw Tang Xiao from the Da Guangming Sect, his gaze lingered for a brief two seconds, but that was all.


    Seeing Gu Chen''s gaze fall upon him, Tang Xiao''s face bore a gentle smile. Just as he was about to nod in greeting and try to strike up a conversation with Gu Chen, he noticed that Gu Chen quickly shifted his attention away, clearly showing that he didn''t regard him highly.


    Observing this, Tang Xiao managed to maintain hisposure on the surface but in his heart, he snorted coldly, finding Gu Chen to be truly arrogant.


    What he didn''t know was that he thought he had well-concealed his hostility towards Gu Chen, but it had already been seen through by Gu Chen.


    With Gu Chen''s perception, anyone in the vicinity who bore hostility towards him would find it hard to conceal, and would be clearly sensed by him.


    If someone held hostility towards him, how could Gu Chen possibly show them a friendly face?


    At this time, Mo Zilin sent a voice transmission to Tang Xiao, saying, "Brother Tang, don''t mind him. That''s just the way Gu Chen is. Relying on the support of the Jing Tian Department and his reputation in the martial world, he has be arrogant and conceited, not giving a second thought to the heroes of the world. With such pride and arrogance, he''s bound to take a big fall one day."


    Upon hearing this, Tang Xiao nced at Mo Zilin, aware that there must also be some grudge between Mo Zilin and Gu Chen.


    Meanwhile, an elder of the Yao tform Sect at the Gang Qi Stage, a middle-aged beautiful woman, personally approached Gu Chen to exin the purpose of the Reflecting Jade Bi.


    Gu Chen was somewhat surprised by her words, having not expected the Yao tform Sect to possess such a treasure. Upon entering, he had noticed that huge, smooth stone wall, sensing something extraordinary about it, but he hadn''t realized that it had such a function.


    Gu Chen''s interest was piqued. After all, treasures that could enhance a martial artist''s mental strength and help them condense the true essence of martial arts were exceedingly rare, and he had not encountered them even within the Jing Tian Department.


    Moreover, even for Gu Chen, who had the support of interface panels, improving mental strength was not an easy feat, since his gained points could only be used to increase his power and raise his martial art level, not directly help him enhance his mental strength.


    At that moment, Tang Xiao from the Da Guangming Sect let out a faint smile and stood up, striding toward the nearby Reflecting Jade Bi.


    Seeing Tang Xiao make a move, many people''s gaze sharpened, with everyone turning their attention to him.


    After all, Tang Xiao hailed from the Da Guangming Sect, which was far away in Yangzhou and rarely mingled with the martial artists of the Qiongtian Mansion.


    Furthermore, the Da Guangming Sect being one of the top three sects, its prestige spread far and wide. Its strength was so formidable that even the top forces like the Shen Martial Sect and Yao tform Sect seemed inferior inparison. His appearance naturally drew the attention of countless onlookers.


    Everyone wanted to witness the peculiarities of the martial skills from the Da Guangming Sect, as it was a rare opportunity.


    Hum!


    In just a moment, Tang Xiao sat down with a serious demeanor in front of the Reflecting Jade Bi, and an eye-blinding radiance immediately shone brilliantly from him, so intense that even the Vajra Stage martial artists instinctively squinted their eyes.


    Boom!


    The Reflecting Jade Bi trembled slightly, and behind Tang Xiao, four phantoms suddenly emerged. Astonishingly, at the Vajra Stage, he had cultivated four Superior Martial Skills to perfection, surpassing Mo Zilin from the Heavenly Saber Sect!


    It is known that a person''s energy is limited, and Superior Martial Skills are quite intricate. Cultivating a single Superior Martial Skill to perfection is extremely challenging, requiring a vast amount of time for in-depth study and rigorous practice, which is precisely why true martial arts essence is so rare.


    Only those young prodigies from the top powers, through their exceptional talent and guidance from renowned masters, could cultivate Superior Martial Skills to perfection by their twenties and thereby condense the true essence of martial arts.


    Still, with limited energy, having to hone the physical body, enhance cultivation, and practice martial arts, even these geniuses if they could condense two true essences of martial arts, would already be considered exceptionally remarkable.


    Mo Zilin''s ability to condense three was a testament to his extraordinary aptitude in the martial arts.


    But now, Tang Xiao had at the Vajra Stage cultivated four true essences of martial arts, which could only mean that his martial insights were nothing short of astonishing!


    Moreover, the four phantoms behind him were much more solid than those of people like Mo Zilin, indicating that his mental strength also greatly surpassed that of Mo Zilin and Xu Shu.


    This was the advantage of practicing spiritual martial skills, which were extremely rare and required a profound natural gift in the mental sphere. Evenpared to people like Mo Zilin and Xu Shu, Tang Xiao was far more gifted.


    Tang Xiao then meditated for a full half hour because the higher the mental strength, the longer one couldprehend the Reflecting Jade Bi.


    After half an hour, Tang Xiao opened his eyes and they were deep and clear, showing he had gained a lot during that time. As visible from the solidity of the four true essences behind him, his mental strength had once again improved, and he was close to perfecting the Superior Martial Skill, Bewildering God Skills.


    "Thank you for your sect''s hospitality," Tang Xiao said as he stood up, bowing to the middle-aged beautiful woman from the Yao tform Sect to express his gratitude.


    "Brother Tang is truly extraordinary," Mo Zilin congratted him as Tang Xiao returned. Hearing these words, Xu Shu and others also bowed, though their expressions were somewhat unpleasant.


    After all, they too were extraordinary talents rarely seen, and being surpassed consecutively by others naturally did not put them in a good mood.


    At this moment, the middle-aged woman turned her gaze to Gu Chen, who was on the sidelines, and said, "Lord Gu, would you like to give it a try?"


    Before Gu Chen could speak, Tang Xiao, with a smile in his eyes, looked at Gu Chen and also said, "Ie from Yangzhou, and upon arriving in thend of Shen Zhou''s Qiongtian Mansion, I heard of Lord Gu''s fame for his soul-chasing swordsmanship. I''ve long admired you and never imagined I''d have the honor to meet you in person today.


    I''d be truly grateful if Lord Gu could demonstrate his skill, so that I might see for myself just how great the gap is between you and me."

 Chapter 167: Chapter 151: True Integration_1

    ```


    After Tang Xiao finished speaking and noticed that Gu Chen still did not pay him any attention, as if he was treating him like thin air, his eyebrows immediately furrowed.


    This Gu Chen, isn''t he a bit too arrogant?


    Although Tang Xiao kept hisposure on the surface, he coldly snorted in his heart. He hadprehended four true meanings of martial arts at the Vajra Stage, which even in the Da Guangming Sect ced him among the best. No one among the martial artists at the Vajra Stage could match him, and he did not believe Gu Chen could be stronger than him.


    Even if Gu Chen was an outstanding genius, it was impossible for him to haveprehended four true meanings of martial arts by the age of twenty. After all, no matter how high one''sprehension is, it still requires appropriate time and the umtion of martial arts knowledge.


    Mo Zilin, standing beside him, saw Tang Xiao being slighted and stepped in to help, smiling as he said, "Actually, for someone of Brother Gu''s age, being able toprehend two true meanings of martial arts is already quite impressive. With the help of the Reflecting Jade Mirror, Brother Gu will definitely gain a lot, so why not give it a try?"


    Yang Mingyue, who was standing next to Mo Zilin, let out a coldugh and said mockingly, "I think he''s simply afraid. Could it be that he hasn''t even managed toprehend a single true meaning of martial arts?"


    "Noisy!"


    Gu Chen''s eyebrows knit together slightly, and his eyes shifted to look at Yang Mingyue, who immediately felt a shiver down her spine as a chill emanated from the depths of her heart, causing goosebumps to rise all over her body.


    Mo Zilin''s own eyebrows furrowed as he too felt a pressure that made him inwardly shiver, not expecting Gu Chen to have such strength.


    He was convinced that when they first met, Gu Chen definitely wasn''t this strong, not with a mere gaze capable of imposing such pressure.


    At this point, basically, everyone except Gu Chen had taken their turn in front of the Reflecting Jade Mirror. With the tension in the atmosphere, all eyes turned their attention here.


    "Will Lord Gu really not give it a try?" asked the middle-aged beauty from the Yao tform Sect. Like others, she was keen to find out how many true meanings of martial arts Gu Chen from the Jing Tian Department hadprehended.


    Upon hearing this, Gu Chen slowly stood up and walked towards the enormous stone wall not far away.


    As he moved, all gazes followed him, including Xu Shu, Dian Chu, and Liu Feng, whose eyes were fixed intently on Gu Chen.


    At this moment, Gu Chen became the center of attention for everyone present.


    Gu Chen approached the Reflecting Jade Mirror, sat down cross-legged, and looked at the huge stone wall before him, his eyes slowly closing.


    He concentrated and focused his mind, soon entering a deep state of meditation. He excluded everything from the outside world, which could no longer affect him in the slightest.


    Subsequently, Gu Chen''s consciousness extended like tendrils, slowly touching the Reflecting Jade Mirror before him. In just an instant, he felt as if his entire spirit had been sucked in, catching him by surprise.


    He thought for a moment that the Yao tform Sect had tampered with it in some way.


    But in the next moment, within Gu Chen''s vision, he "saw" countless spheres of light, like a neb upying this space.


    This was the inner space of the Reflecting Jade Mirror, a vast stone wall made from a strange rock from outer space. Through hundreds and thousands of years of umtion and exposure to the elements, it underwent a mutation, giving birth to this strange space that could store a martial artist''s true meanings of martial arts.


    For each martial artist who had used the Reflecting Jade Mirror to refine their true meanings of martial arts, correspondingly, their true meanings were preserved by the Reflecting Jade Mirror.


    What Gu Chen didn''t know was that at the moment his consciousness was absorbed by the Reflecting Jade Mirror, the true meanings he hadprehended involuntarily emerged.


    "Three true meanings of martial arts?" Seeing the three radiant shadows that appeared behind Gu Chen, Tang Xiao''s mouth curved into a smirk.


    It seemed that this mystical Gu Chen was not so extraordinary after all. Althoughprehending three true meanings of martial arts was very impressive, he was still a bitckingpared to him.


    Mo Zilin and the others inwardly nodded their heads and breathed a sigh of relief. Three true meanings of martial arts was significant but still within their realm of eptance.


    But at that moment, an elder at the Gang Qi Stage with a grave expression suddenly said in a deep voice, "True meanings fusion!"


    At these words, Tang Xiao, Mo Zilin, and the others immediately had a change in their expressions.


    "True meanings fusion? What is that?" A martial artist, full of puzzlement, couldn''t help but ask.


    Whoom!


    Before anyone could reply to his question, suddenly, the three true meanings behind Gu Chen became exceptionally brilliant, especially the phantom of the Golden Bell Shield, which was particrly eye-catching. Inside, there were faint sounds of dragons roaring and tigers howling, reverberating and stirring the hearts of many.


    A deep sense of fear arose from the depths of many martial artists, a feeling akin to a rabbit facing the king of all beasts in the forest.


    At the same time, in the next moment, the till-then still Reflecting Jade Mirror began to tremble.


    Seeing this, all the spectators''s expressions changed dramatically.


    The fact that the Reflecting Jade Mirror was shaken indicated that Gu Chen''s spiritual strength, as well as the true meanings of martial arts he hadprehended, were incredibly formidable, overpowering the true meanings stored within the Reflecting Jade Mirror.


    "True meanings fusion!" Tang Xiao muttered under his breath, realizing he had been mistaken in his assessment, not expecting Gu Chen to have achieved this step.


    Logically speaking, the true meanings of martial arts Gu Chen hadprehended were not limited to three. Among them, the Horizontal Training with dragon-like roars and tiger-like howls and the Golden Bell Shield, with the help of this revtion tform, were being deduced and fused, giving birth to a new martial art.


    As a result, these two true meanings were also merged, forming a brand-new true meaning.


    This was the essence of true meanings fusion, something extremely difficult for other martial artists to achieve. Toprehend multiple true meanings of martial arts and fuse them together was even harder than Ascending to Heaven.


    ```

 Chapter 168: Chapter 151: True Fusion_2

    Among this, the slightest carelessness could result in irreparable spiritual damage.


    Therefore, everyone was shocked to find that Gu Chen, at his age, was able to achieve true integration of intent.


    What they didn''t know was that Gu Chen''s aplishment wasn''t just a simple integration of true intent, but rather, he had cultivated the Superior Martial Skill, Golden Bell Shield, to perfection, giving birth to a Superior True Intent!


    The highest cultivation level present was only at the Gang Qi Stage, and furthermore, it was internal Gangqi, which naturally did not endow them with the kind of keen sight to recognize it with just a few nces.


    At this moment, those who did not understand what true integration of intent was, after being informed by others, also came to understand clearly and looked towards Gu Chen with amazement in their eyes.


    They felt they had already overestimated Gu Chen''s strength enough, but they didn''t expect him to still be so surprisingly powerful,pletely out of their expectations.


    This group really couldn''t figure it out; Gu Chen was only twenty years old, how did he manage to achieve this step? Even his martial true intent far exceeded theirs; even if one were to cultivate from the womb, such progress would be impossible.


    "A peerless monster!" The middle-aged beauty of Yao tform Sect murmured to herself, her eyes shining brightly.


    Zi Qing also had a splendid light in her eyes, unblinkingly staring at Gu Chen with her clear pupils.


    Of course, Gu Chen didn''t know, nor did he care about, the reactions of the people outside.


    At this moment, inside the internal space of the Jade Spirit Mirror, Gu Chen had already probed into several light spheres. He discovered that each light sphere represented a martial true intent; by shattering them, he could receive thin threads of spiritual nourishment, slightly enhancing his spiritual strength.


    Just now, the reason the Jade Spirit Mirror trembled was only because Gu Chen had shattered ten light spheres in an instant.


    After all, the martial true intents represented by these light spheres all belonged to superior martial skills and naturally had no resistance in front of the Superior True Intent of the Golden Bell Shield.


    "If I can shatter all these martial true intents, my spiritual strength should greatly improve," Gu Chen thought to himself.


    However, the internal space of the Jade Spirit Mirror was vast, and with many years of umtion by the Yao tform Sect, there were countless light spheres within it, so dense that one couldn''t see the end at a nce. Even if Gu Chen had realized Superior True Intent and with his spiritual strength, he couldn''t stay inside the Jade Spirit Mirror for too long.


    If he stayed too long, it would burden his spirit, and he would need to exit immediately; otherwise, he would only harm himself.


    Outside, the Jade Spirit Mirror, towering several tens of feet, trembled continuously, signifying that the number of true intents inside was rapidly decreasing, and the virtual shadows formed by the three true intents behind Gu Chen were also bing more solid.


    Just the aura emitted by those three true intents was enough to frighten countless onlookers.


    Even Tang Xiao reined in his underestimation of Gu Chen, knowing that although Gu Chen was a few years younger than him, he was indeed a formidable adversary.


    After the initial surprise, the middle-aged beauty was suddenly a bit worried; Gu Chen wouldn''t have shattered most of the martial true intents inside the Jade Spirit Mirror, would he?


    If so, how would the disciples of the Yao tform Sect refine their martial true intents in the future?


    All she could do was silently pray that Gu Chen''s spirit would quickly reach its limit and then exit.


    At this moment, inside the Jade Spirit Mirror, relying on the Superior True Intent, Gu Chen had shattered dozens of light spheres in session, feeling his spiritual strength had increased at least twenty to thirty percentpared to before.


    Gu Chen''s heart was filled with joy; indeed, the Jade Spirit Mirror of the Yao tform Sect was a great artifact. However, as he spent more time inside the Jade Spirit Mirror, Gu Chen also began to feel a bit tired.


    He knew he couldn''t continue to stay any longer, so he made a decisive decision and withdrew his spirit from the Jade Spirit Mirror.


    Outside, Gu Chen, who had been sitting cross-legged in front of the Jade Spirit Mirror, slowly opened his eyes.


    Seeing that Gu Chen had awakened, the middle-aged beauty finally let go of the heart she had been holding up; she had really feared that Gu Chen would refuse toe out.


    As Gu Chen opened his eyes, the virtual shadows condensed by the three true intents on his back also began to dissipate slowly.


    "Lord Gu, how do you feel?" the middle-aged beauty approached and asked upon seeing Gu Chen''s eyes open.


    Gu Chen smiled slightly and said, "I feel very good, thank you, Yao tform Sect."


    Subsequently, Gu Chen returned to his seat. Next up was the highlight of the Yao tform event, the fight for the Jade Spirit Ice Liquid.


    Although the top three were sure to be among Gu Chen, Tang Xiao, and Mo Zilin and their group, it did not dampen the enthusiasm of other martial artists for the event of the Yao tform Sect.


    Following that, martial artists continuously stepped onto the stage, fighting in pairs, both to verify what they had learned and to showcase themselves in front of the major top forces, enhancing their own fame.


    As for these martial artists'' fights, Gu Chen had no interest, so he sat in his chair and began to meditate and recuperate.


    At this moment, Tang Xiao of the Da Guangming Sect shifted his gaze towards Gu Chen, intending to gauge Gu Chen''s strength.


    After all, the reason he had left the mountains to travel from Yangzhou to Shen Zhou was to train himself by battling numerous masters, which would allow him to break into the Gang Qi Stage faster.


    And from the time Tang Xiao left the mountain until now, he had never been defeated. He could see that among all present, only Gu Chen was worthy of being his opponent.


    "Lord Gu, would you like to join me on stage for a friendly match?" Tang Xiao stood up, gave Gu Chen a respectful gesture, and said with a smile.


    As soon as Tang Xiao spoke, Mo Zilin and others perked up with interest. Whether it was Gu Chen or Tang Xiao, they all wanted to personally witness what was so extraordinary about them.


    After all, one was from Bright Sect in Yangzhou, and the other from Jing Tian Department in Tiandu; both were extremely extraordinary, shrouded in mystery.


    Although Mo Zilin had previously promised Mingyue that he would defeat Gu Chen at the Yao tform event to avenge her, after seeing Gu Chen''s strength, Mo Zilin hesitated and dared not challenge Gu Chen openly.


    Now, seeing that Tang Xiao wanted topete with Gu Chen, he immediately became interested. This was a good opportunity to gauge Gu Chen''s true capabilities.


    Upon hearing Tang Xiao''s words, Gu Chen''s closed eyes opened, and he nced at him, saying indifferently, "You are not my opponent."


    Seeing himself being underestimated by Gu Chen once again, Tang Xiao''s eyes hardened, and a whirl of energy surrounded him.


    Tang Xiao said, "Lord Gu, that may be somewhat contemptuous of you. Surely you don''t assume that just because youe from the Jing Tian Department you can underestimate everyone else in the world?"


    Dressed in deep ck robes, Gu Chen had calm and steady eyes that did not waver. Since these people had more or less hostility towards him, he no longer bothered with pleasantries.


    He slowly stood up and with a sharp gaze sweeping across the room, he said, "Well, since we''re all here topete for the Jade Spirit Ice Liquid, testing each other one by one is too slow. Why don''t you alle at me together!"

 Chapter 170: Chapter 153: The Grace of War_1

    Gu Chen, with his own strength alone, had fought against five great experts and had severely wounded four of them in a short while. This scene immediately caused countless martial artists present to stare in shock and be speechless.


    Mo Zilin, Xu Shu, and Dian Chu, along with Liu Feng,y on the ground, feeling an intense burning sensation within. Gu Chen''s punch just now was too powerful; even if the four of them joined forces, they were still no match for him.


    They forced themselves to stand up. After all, their physical bodies had reached a state like that of a barbaric dragon, and they also possessed the full cultivation of the Vajra Stage inside them, so they were not so easily defeated.


    However, Gu Chen''s strength indeed shocked them.


    Gu Chen had a calm expression on his face, standing in ce with his robe fluttering about him, exuding an extraordinary demeanor.


    "Brother Tang, how much longer do you n to watch from a distance?" Mo Zilin asked with a somber face, ncing toward Tang Xiao.


    It was clear to any discerning eye that Tang Xiao had never used his full strength. Otherwise, the five of them fighting together would not have been defeated so miserably.


    Tang Xiao''s eyes were closed as he stood still, stabilizing the injuries caused by the bacsh he had just suffered.


    A momentter, he opened his eyes and stepped forward to stand in front of Mo Zilin and the others.


    Even Tang Xiao had to admit that in a one-on-one fight, he truly was no match for Gu Chen.


    With the five young prodigies joining forces and Gu Chen still losing today, his reputation would be thoroughly spread far and wide.


    "Attack!"


    With a deep shout from Mo Zilin, he took the lead with his saber and charged forward. Specializing in saber techniques, Mo Zilin had perfected three superior martial skills from the Heavenly Saber Sect. At this moment, as he approached Gu Chen, he disyed one that he was most adept at.


    Long River Saber Technique!


    This technique was continuous and unending, with numerous saber lights linking together as Mo Zilin''s internal energy surged through his meridians. Like a long river manifesting, it released astonishing cold brilliance as it cleaved toward Gu Chen.


    ng!


    A glint of golden light blossomed on Gu Chen''s body as he utilized the Golden Bell Shield, not pushing it to its extreme, but instead, with a light flick of his finger, he struck the back of the saber.


    A light hum sounded, and Mo Zilin''s body trembled immediately. The robust internal energy and fierce force of Gu Chen''s punch transmitted along the long saber into Mo Zilin''s body, causing him to spit out a mouthful of fresh blood once again.


    In the next instant, Gu Chen casually threw a palm strike, and Mo Zilin was sent flying backward.


    "Big brother Zilin!"


    Yang Mingyue, who was in the back, was startled and turned pale. She quickly addressed Hu Wanyuan not far from her, "You must go and help brother Zilin!"


    Upon hearing this, Hu Wanyuan frowned. What business did he have getting involved in the squabbles of these youngsters?


    But Yang Mingyue was the daughter of the Heavenly Saber Sect''s leader, Yang Ling, so Hu Wanyuan could notpletely ignore her request, putting him in a difficult position.


    "Kill!"


    At this moment, Dian Chu looked frenzied as he charged forward once again. It had to be said that he was indeed resilient, with a strong ability to recover. Even after suffering several attacks from Gu Chen, he had not fallen and stayed on the ground.


    Dian Chu''s burly body approached Gu Chen, his vehemence condensed in his fists, as he unleashed another fully mastered superior martial skill aimed at Gu Chen''s face.


    "Bewildering God Skills!"


    Before Gu Chen could make a move, Tang Xiao''s pupils further away released a strange light, using the Bewildering God Skills, a spiritual martial skill, to its greatest potential to disturb Gu Chen''s mind.


    Hum!


    A sense of difort surged in his mind once again. Gu Chen, seeing this, raised his eyebrows. Focusing his attention, the roar of the dragon and the howl of the tiger rose sharply, canceling out Tang Xiao''s attack.


    Simultaneously, as he faced Dian Chu''s punch, Gu Chen did not dodge but resisted it with his iparable physical body.


    "Dark Thunder Strength!"


    In an instant, Xu Shu of the Shen Martial Sect looked fierce, holding a long spear as he charged forward. His muscles quivered in a particr manner, his internal energy circled through specific meridians, and the long spear he wielded began to tremble. A peculiar strength was contained at the tip of the weapon, apanied by crackling sounds, as strands and streaks of electrical light appeared.


    This was another superior skill from the Shen Martial Sect, which Xu Shu had perfected and understood the corresponding martial meanings.


    But unfortunately, such a fierce attack was still no match for Gu Chen.


    Gu Chen responded with the Four Extremes Propping Heaven Fist. With the Golden Bell Shield perfected, he did not need any weapons to protect himself. His own body was not inferior to any superior treasure weapon in Shen Zhou.


    At this moment, Gu Chen''s internal energy followed the special path of the Four Extremes Propping Heaven Fist, the ferocious energy prating to his fists. His punch created a thunderous explosion in the air, even more powerful than Xu Shu''s strike with the Dark Thunder Strength.


    Bang!


    After their exchange, Xu Shu nearly failed to hold onto his weapon. A gush of fresh blood poured from his mouth, the wound on his tiger''s mouth widened, and his entire palm was almost torn apart.


    As for the punch Dian Chunded on Gu Chen, with the Golden Bell Shield resonating with the roar of the dragon and the howl of the tiger, Gu Chen did not sustain any injury. Instead, Dian Chu was injured by the strong rebound force, causing him to spurt blood from his mouth.


    Another round of fighting, and the four great experts were still defeated.


    But at this time, Tang Xiao from the Da Guangming Sect finally took action, no longer simply harassing Gu Chen from a distance with his spiritual martial skills.


    "Mysterious Light Finger!"


    Tang Xiao''s face was stern as he pointed out from afar, and immediately, a beam of light shot out from his fingertip at incredible speed, as if it truly reached the speed of light, leaving no time to dodge.


    Hisss!


    Gu Chen saw the situation and responded with the Condensing Pulse Sword Wave. With a flick of his finger, sword intent congealed into sword energy, making grand sweeping gestures, with an imposing vigor. It collided with the mysterious light finger that Tang Xiao had unleashed in midair, and then both dissipated into nothingness.


    But that was not the end. Gu Chen''s ten fingers kept pressing down on the void, wave after wave of sword energy carrying astonishing sword intent incessantly shot out, filling the void and heading straight for Tang Xiao not far away.


    Tang Xiao saw this and his face instantly changed. He had not expected that the internal energy within Gu Chen''s body was so profound, allowing him tounch so many sword energy attacks at the same time.


    Moreover, facing the encirclement and attack of the five of them, Gu Chen was still breathing smoothly without the slightest pause, which showed the meridians inside his body were also incredibly tough; otherwise, it would have been impossible.


    "Strong Wind Palm!"


    At this moment, thest of the heroes, Liu Feng from the Huan Yu Sect, made his move. He stood in the distance with a solemn expression and slowly pushed out his palms from his chest. A hurricane, condensed from exquisite internal energy,nced towards Gu Chen, and in a radius of several zhang around him, a wild wind suddenly rose, whipping up the sand and rocks.


    Gu Chen remained unchanged inposure, battling until now, always with an air of calm and ease. Compared to Mo Zilin and the others who fought with all their might, it made people utterly unable to perceive the limit of his abilities.


    Boom!


    Inside Gu Chen''s body, the internal energy of five hundred and ten years flowed through his meridians. Without using any martial arts techniques, he simply pushed out an ordinary palm strike. Over five hundred years of internal energy burst forth from the palm meridians, and a fiercer gale suddenly appeared out of nowhere, causing many warriors to struggle even to stand firm.


    "Pu!"


    Even the attack Liu Feng hadunched was rolled back by the gust from Gu Chen''s palm, striking Liu Feng himself and sending him flying horizontally away.


    Fortunately, half of his internal energy had already been converted into Gangqi; otherwise, based on that one attack, Gu Chen could have taken his life.


    Strictly in terms of cultivation, Liu Feng was a cut above Xu Shu, Mo Zilin, and others, not much different from Tang Xiao.


    Liu Feng managed to halt his backward flight in midair forcibly, using half of his body''s Gangqi and gritting his teeth, he moved to Gu Chen''s rear and delivered a palm strikeden with Gangqi towards Gu Chen''s back.


    This was Liu Feng''s all-out attack!


    ng!


    Suddenly, waves of golden light fell like a golden rain. A Golden Bell Shield appeared out of nowhere, protecting Gu Chen''s front.


    Liu Feng''s hit struck the Golden Bell Shield. The surface of the bell rippled, and a powerful force rebounded back, sending Liu Feng flying once again into the distance,nding on the ground and raising a cloud of dust, lying there for a long time without getting up, already without the strength for another bout.


    Chuff chuff chuff!


    Tang Xiao was in a very sorry state, exhausting every trick to just barely fend off the dense sword energy attacks from Gu Chen. At this moment, his clothes were greatly torn, and he no longer retained theposed demeanor of before.


    His eyes were chilling, and he had never anticipated that after descending the mountain, he would meet someone like Gu Chen in Shen Zhou, a monstrously talented individual. Seeing that even Liu Feng, who had cultivated half of his internal energy into Gangqi, could not injure Gu Chen at close range, Tang Xiao''s heart sank immediately.


    But fortunately, he still had onest ace up his sleeve!


    At this moment, Tang Xiao looked solemn and cold as he slowly brought his palms together and called out in a low voice, "Holy Light Skill!"


    Whoosh¡ª


    In an instant, countless blinding rays of light burst from Tang Xiao''s body, illuminating the heavens and earth. At this moment, Tang Xiao seemed to transform into a miniature sun, releasing dazzling light.


    "The Superior Martial Skill of the Da Guangming Sect, Holy Light Skill!"


    Several Gang Qi Stage warriors saw Tang Xiao utilize this move, their eyes sharpened, and the ability of the six Vajra Stage warriors to fight to this point dazzled countless onlookers.


    They all wondered whether Gu Chen could withstand this attack of Superior Martial Skill from Tang Xiao.


    Numerous blinding rays of light shot out from Tang Xiao''s body, shing through the air, akin to golden small swords, piercing towards Gu Chen.


    It was rumored that if one could fully master the Holy Light Skill, a Superior Martial Skill, just the light emitted by oneself could destroy and incinerate things around, proving its overwhelming power.


    However, at the moment, Tang Xiao had only just barely cultivated it to the introductory stage, yet even so, it was a Superior Martial Skill. In the past, once the Holy Light Skill was unleashed, Tang Xiao found himself on invincible ground, and he believed this time would be no different!


    Gu Chen will not be able to withstand a Superior Martial Skill!


    But just then, in the void, there suddenly came a resounding ng, a deep bell toll echoing as if morning and evening temple bells were resonating in everyone''s ears.


    On Gu Chen''s body, he officially activated the Dragon Roar Tiger Howl Golden Bell Shield, a Superior Martial Skill. The Golden Bell Shield became more solid, even the patterns on it clearly visible as if it were a real object, magnificent and imposing as if a world-subduing bell from the Great Thunder Sound Monastery in the Buddhist sacred mountain had descended to the world.


    "Golden Bell Shield? No, this is not just the Golden Bell Shield. Even if it reached perfection, it couldn''t emit such a terrifying aura. It is a Superior Martial Skill. Gu Chen has also mastered a Superior Martial Skill, and it''s more than just the introductory stage!" one of the Gang Qi Stage warriors eximed sharply, greatly rmed.


    The glowing rays emitted by the Holy Light Skill shone on the surface of Gu Chen''s Golden Bell Shield barely causing ripples and were utterly unable to break through.


    Seeing that Gu Chen had also mastered a Superior Martial Skill, and to a higher realm than himself, Tang Xiao could no longer maintain hisposure, feeling extreme panic in his heart.


    He had exhausted all his techniques and had not even managed to touch a thread of Gu Chen''s clothing; a deep sense of defeat and powerlessness arose in Tang Xiao''s heart.


    "I''m defeated..." Tang Xiao said dejectedly.


    Bang!


    Gu Chen showed no mercy, as a gust of wind surged from his palm and struck Tang Xiao, whose internal energy was exhausted. He spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, and his expression swiftly wilted.


    At this moment, of the six great prodigies, Gu Chen had fought the five alone, knocked all of them to the ground, and stood there alone, his expression serene, disying the poise of a dragon and the dignity of a phoenix.


    It seemed as if those present were witnessing the rise of a new star in martial arts, nearing its zenith in the firmament.


    This was a demeanor forged of battle, as he fought alone against the top powers of Vajra Stage experts in the Nine Provinces, and subdued them one by one. After today, Gu Chen''s fame would climb to new heights in the Jianghu!


    Among all the Vajra Stage warriors across the world, there would be none who could rival him!

 Chapter 171: Chapter 154 Life and Death Crisis_1

    ```


    The battle came swiftly and ended just as quickly,sting only a short duration before Mo Zilin and hispanions were all defeated by Gu Chen.


    At this moment, the field fell into a profound silence, with not even a bird chirping, as the warriors remained immersed in the aftermath of the recent battle, their hearts filled with aplex mix of emotions, unable to extricate themselves.


    "Brother Zilin!"


    Then, Yang Mingyue of the Heavenly Saber Sect let out a startled cry and ran toward Mo Zilin, whoy on the ground, long unable to get up.


    Mo Zilin was covered in blood, with numerous broken bones throughout his body, disced internal organs causing waves of burning pain, and his chest rising and falling ever so faintly.


    Seeing this, Yang Mingyue grew even more frantic, repeatedly calling out, "Brother Zilin, Brother Zilin, how are you? Look at me, how are you..."


    "Junior...sister..." Mo Zilin''s face was as pale as paper, his breath weak, and it took him a long time to catch his breath after just one sentence.


    Upon seeing this, Yang Mingyue''s eyes turned bloodshot, and she lifted his head and red at Gu Chen with a mad scream, "Ah¡ªI''ll kill you, I will kill you, Gu Chen, I will kill you!"


    Her face was ferocious, her expression twisted, like a vengeful ghost, her obsession with Gu Chen devouring her sanity, driving Yang Mingyue nearly to the brink of madness.


    Due to her status as the heavenly prodigy daughter of the Lord of the Heavenly Saber Sect, everyone she met from childhood had coddled and pampered her. Gu Chen, however, had not given her face upon their first meeting, and to make matters worse, he had dared toy hands on her directly.


    This naturally made Yang Mingyue intolerable, feeling personally offended, and she wished she could execute Gu Chen on the spot. Eventually, only after much persuasion from Mo Zilin and Hu Wanyuan had she managed to suppress her murderous intent toward Gu Chen, waiting until now.


    Yet she didn''t expect that Mo Zilin, whom she respected second only to her father, would be gravely injured by Gu Chen right before her eyes, causing Yang Mingyue''s murderous inclination toward Gu Chen to intensify to its limits.


    She couldn''t care less who Gu Chen was or what the Jing Tian Department meant, Yang Mingyue only knew that anyone who defied her, provoked her, or made her ufortable had to pay the price!


    After all, within the influence of the Heavenly Saber Sect, Yang Mingyue could be said to be extremely spoiled, getting whatever she wanted, with no one daring to provoke her. The sect leader, Yang Ling, showed her excessive favoritism and indulgence.


    And it was this indulgence that had fostered such a stubborn and imperious character in Yang Mingyue, who required everyone to bepletely submissive to her in order to be content.


    Otherwise, she would lose her temper as she did now, but as crazed as she was today, it was the first for Yang Mingyue.


    It was evident how much she truly hated Gu Chen.


    At this moment, not knowing what she was thinking, Yang Mingyue actually charged forward, desiring to strike at Gu Chen.


    Finding her own repeated provocation tiresome, Gu Chen had initially thought her to be an idiot and had not intended to pay her any heed, but now, she had unexpectedly rushed toward him.


    "Miss!"


    Seeing Yang Mingyue charging in, Hu Wanyuan''s expression changed instantly, and with a sh, he hurried over here.


    Having just witnessed Gu Chen''s strength, and knowing that Yang Mingyue, only at the External Qi Stage¡ªbuoyed by elixirs¡ªwould likely not withstand even a single move from Gu Chen.


    Master Hu was afraid that Gu Chen would hurt Yang Mingyue and shouted with urgency, "Our miss is the legitimate daughter of the Heavenly Saber Sect leader, Gu Chen, you must not harm her!"


    Gu Chen''s expression remained calm, intending to deal with Yang Mingyue swiftly, but then, an image shed through his mind, and his intuition sent him a frenzied warning. A strong sense of crisis emerged in Gu Chen''s heart, causing his expression to change immediately.


    Crack!


    Yang Mingyue, her expression manic, pulled a dark cylindrical object from her bosom, and the sound of a mechanism rotating rang out. In an instant, a streak of silver light burst forth.


    "Breaking Gang Arrow?!" a warrior at the Gang Qi Stage eximed, his face turning pale with shock.


    The Breaking Gang Arrow, a secret weapon developed by the Thousand Mechanism Sect, just as the name suggests, could prate the protective Gangqi of a warrior at the Gang Qi Stage. The Thousand Mechanism Sect had spent countless efforts, resources, and a significant amount of time to create this formidable weapon, which was expensive to produce and rarely circted in the outside world.


    For this journey, the Lord of the Heavenly Saber Sect, Yang Ling, had spared a huge cost to provide Yang Mingyue with this weapon specifically for her protection. Not even Mo Zilin and Hu Wanyuan were privy to it, but now she had used it against Gu Chen.


    With the potency of the Breaking Gang Arrow at close range, even a first-burster martial artist might not be able to withstand it. For an internal Gang Qi Stage warrior, it was almost certainly fatal, let alone a Vajra Stage warrior like Gu Chen.


    Such was the power of the Breaking Gang Arrow!


    At this moment, everyone present felt certain Gu Chen was doomed.


    Gu Chen, as the Metropolitan Procurator of Tiandu''s Jing Tian Department and possessing such cultivation and strength, if he were to die here, one could imagine the consequences¡ªthe Jing Tian Department would likely go into a frenzy, leveling any forces involved in the incident.


    "Miss, you mustn''t!" Master Hu also thought of this, his face filled with horror to the extreme.


    But unfortunately, it was toote. The current Yang Mingyue was past listening to any persuasion.


    "Go to hell!"


    Yang Mingyue screamed, and from the dark cylinder in her hand, a dazzling and blinding silver light emanated. At that moment, Gu Chen truly felt the threat of a fatal crisis!


    Boom!


    Instinctively, Gu Chen activated his Golden Bell Shield to the utmost, and just as the protective Golden Bell began to form around him, the Breaking Gang Arrow, glittering silver, arrived in an instant.


    ng!


    Proving its worth as a masterful secret weapon devised by the Thousand Mechanism Sect, despite being wielded by someone like Yang Mingyue who was not particrly skillful in martial arts, the Breaking Gang Arrow had the potential to y a warrior at the Gang Qi Stage if used well.


    The unstoppable force of the Breaking Gang Arrow struck against Gu Chen''s protective Golden Bell, causing it to vibrate violently, emitting a sonorous hum as ripples uncontrobly spread across its surface, as if it were the surface of ake disturbed by a thrown stone.


    Luckily, Gu Chen had perfected his Golden Bell Shield, supported by a sufficiently profound internal Qi, and his instincts were sharp enough to react quickly.


    Otherwise, if the arrow had struck Gu Chen''s body, relying solely on his physical defenses to withstand the blow, he certainly would not have survived, and even if he didn''t die, he would be severely wounded.


    Feeling the taste of a death threat was naturally not pleasant. Gu Chen had not experienced such a sensation in a long while, especially not one brought on by a woman.


    Suddenly, a trace of coldness appeared on Gu Chen''s calm face, making his gaze as sharp as a knife.


    Fortunately, the Breaking Gang Arrow had only enough power for a single strike. Having blocked that strike, it was as if Yang Mingyue had exhausted all her tricks.


    "Impossible, impossible, how are you not dead..." Yang Mingyue, with her hair disheveled, yelled madly, disbelief written all over her face.


    But before she could finish her words, Gu Chen took a step forward and was already close to Yang Mingyue. He reached out his hand, grabbed her neck, and lifted her up like picking up a chick, pulling her off the ground.


    "Ugh..."


    Such was the strength of Gu Chen''s hand that Yang Mingyue couldn''t withstand it. She couldn''t breathe, her face turned red, and her eyes rolled back as she was on the verge of fainting.


    "Since you wish to die so much, then I will send you on your way!" Gu Chen said coldly, his intent to kill Yang Mingyue was true.


    All this happened in the blink of an eye. Although the other martial artists didn''t understand how Gu Chen survived the Breaking Gang Arrow, now was not the time to investigate that.


    Hu Wanyuan, seeing his young miss captured by Gu Chen, immediately shouted sternly, "Gu Chen, release our young miss at once!"


    "Save... Save me..."


    Yang Mingyue''s eyes rolled back, a purplish hue appearing on her face; she was close to her limit.


    In truth, Gu Chen could have easily crushed her to death, but he wanted Yang Mingyue to experience the feeling of death slowly approaching.


    At this moment, Yang Mingyue''s feet kicked unconsciously, striking Gu Chen, but it had no effect on him¡ªit was like scratching an itch.


    Seeing that Gu Chen did not reply, and as Yang Mingyue was about to die, Hu Wanyuan became desperate. He could no longer care about anything else and immediately made a move against Gu Chen.


    "Gu Chen, are you deaf? I told you to release our young miss at once!"


    At this moment, Hu Wanyuan couldn''t care less if Gu Chen was from the Jing Tian Department; if Yang Mingyue were to die here today, Hu Wanyuan would also be killed by Yang Ling upon returning.


    Instantly, he struck out with his palm, and a mighty gust ensued, stirring up sand and rocks, while the ground cracked in numerous ces.


    This was the strike of a martial artist at the Gang Qi Stage, and Hu Wanyuan, even at the inner Gang Qi Stage, was terrifyingly powerful.


    Whoosh!


    Gu Chen''s body shed, like a shadow shifting shape, and he instantly dodged Hu Wanyuan''s attack.


    At that moment, Gu Chen''s expression was icy cold, showing no intention of releasing his grip. As he gradually exerted more force, a snapping sound followed, and Yang Mingyue''s head twisted at an unnatural angle. Her body stiffened on the spot, motionless.


    "Young Miss!"


    Seeing this, Hu Wanyuan was shocked, never having imagined that one day he would witness Yang Mingyue dying before his very eyes.


    With Yang Mingyue dead, Hu Wanyuan knew his own life was not safe. Anger surged in his heart and he brimmed with intense murderous intent towards Gu Chen, the root cause of this disaster.


    "Gu¡ªChen!"


    Hu Wanyuan seemed to squeeze these words out from between his teeth with extreme hatred, his aura swelling with anger.


    "Master Hu, calm down!"


    At this moment, a middle-aged beautiful woman from the Yao tform Sect quickly stood out, blocking Hu Wanyuan''s advance, fearing he would continue to attack Gu Chen.


    When Yang Mingyue earlier used the Breaking Gang Arrow to attack Gu Chen, she had been terrified; if Gu Chen had died at Yao tform, who knew if Jing Tian Department would also hold them ountable?


    "Master Hu, Lord Gu is from the Jing Tian Department. You must stay calm!" the middle-aged woman urgently pleaded.


    "I... I..."


    Hu Wanyuan''s chest heaved violently with anger, struggling to utter aplete sentence.


    To provoke such a reaction from a Gang Qi Stage martial artist like Hu Wanyuan, it was clear how tumultuous his inner emotional turmoil was.


    Gu Chen casually tossed Yang Mingyue''s body to the side, his own mood extremely foul. His indifferent gaze fell on Hu Wanyuan as he said, "What was that you just said? You wanted to kill me?"


    At this moment, Hu Wanyuan was shaking with rage. He could already envision how furious the leader of the Heavenly Saber Sect, Yang Ling, would be when he received the news. Without a doubt, he would be the first to be punished!


    "Junior Sister!"


    At this point, Mo Zilin, who had just caught his breath, saw that Gu Chen had actually killed Yang Mingyue. He was both shocked and afraid, knowing that even though he was a true disciple of the Heavenly Saber Sect and Yang Ling''s chosen sessor, Yang Ling would not spare him either if he returned after Yang Mingyue''s death.


    "Gu Chen, you¡ª"


    Mo Zilin pointed at Gu Chen with his hand, his eyes bloodshot, barely able to restrain his impulse to tear Gu Chen apart on the spot.


    Gu Chen, still burning with anger and without a chance to cool down, saw Mo Zilin daring to point at him and coldly said, "Since you like your junior sister so much, then go down and apany her!"


    Boom!


    As soon as he spoke, Gu Chen made his move, his powerful inner energy surging forth and transforming into a violent palm wind, instantly turning Mo Zilin into a mist of blood.


    Until hisst moment, Mo Zilin waspletely dumbfounded, never having expected that after killing Yang Mingyue, Gu Chen would dare to kill him on the spot without a word of disagreement.


    The remaining martial artists were shocked. They knew things had escted¡ªGu Chen''s killing intent had indeed red up!


    The rumors of Gu Chen from Xu''an County, who with a single sword could hunt souls and y thousands, now seemed very likely to be true!

 Chapter 172: Chapter 155: Battle Within (Three Updates of 10,000 Words, Asking for Subscription!) _1

    ```


    Everyone present, including members of the Yao tform Sect itself, never expected that this year''s grand event at Yao tform would end up like this.


    Originally, when they saw Gu Chen single-handedly battling against five of the young martial arts masters including Tang Xiao from the Da Guangming Sect, they only felt dazzled and mesmerized as they watched the spectacle.


    But now, in merely the blink of an eye, the situation had developed to the point of no return, spiraling out of control.


    Some martial artists sighed in admiration, feeling that Gu Chen''s courage was indeed great and his actions were decisive; his strength was formidable, and the incident in Xu''an County was probably true rather than an exaggerated rumor.


    Others thought that Gu Chen was too impulsive, recklessly killing the genuine sessor of the Heavenly Saber Sect along with the sect leader''s daughter, and being short-sighted.


    There were also those who cursed Yang Mingyue for being brainless, daring to provoke someone from the Jing Tian Department, and with Gu Chen''s violent nature, this was purely seeking her own death.


    And yet, there were those who were envious, feeling that Gu Chen only dared to act this way because the Jing Tian Department supported him; if they were in Gu Chen''s shoes, they were certain they could do better.


    The myriad attitudes and thoughts of all beings were fully disyed at this moment; there were all kinds of opinions.


    Of course, most were secretly admiring Gu Chen for his decisiveness in executing Mo Zilin and Yang Mingyue from the Heavenly Saber Sect without hesitation and facing Hu Wanyuan, a Gang Qi Stage martial artist from the same sect, without a trace of fear.


    However, such a decisive character, who killed upon a word of disagreement, also made the crowd of martial artists feel a sense of dread.


    "Gu Chen, you young fool, you... you dare¡ª"


    Hu Wanyuan pointed at Gu Chen, so angry his lips trembled uncontrobly, his entire body shaking, unable to utter aplete sentence.


    Gu Chen''s eyes were cold and sharp as he looked at Hu Wanyuan and said, "What, you want to join them down there too?"


    Upon hearing this, Hu Wanyuan''s face changed color; his eyes were bloodshot as he pointed at Gu Chen, his teeth clenched in anger, and he shouted, "Arrogant!"


    "If you don''t want to die, then scram!" Gu Chen''s face was stern, his sword-like eyebrows raised.


    Seeing Hu Wanyuan, a Gang Qi Stage warrior, being scolded by a junior like Gu Chen, his face couldn''t hold up, making the crowd worry for Hu Wanyuan.


    Gu Chen had always been this way, adhering to the principle of not provoking others unless provoked. But now, since the Heavenly Saber Sect had provoked him numerous times, Gu Chen had no reason to be polite with them any longer.


    What of the Gang Qi Stage? With his current strength, he might not be weaker than a Gang Qi Stage opponent!


    "Presumptuous!"


    Hu Wanyuan could no longer suppress the raging fury in his heart. With Yang Mingyue and Mo Zilin dead, given Yang Ling''s temperament, even if he returned, he was not likely to be well-received. It was very possible that Tian Dao Yang Ling would demand Hu Wanyuan to pay with his life for his beloved daughter!


    With this thought, facing death either way, he might as well drag Gu Chen down with him before dying, since all of this disaster was brought about by Gu Chen.


    Seeing Hu Wanyuan make a move, many martial artists who held animosity towards Gu Chen and the Jing Tian Department secretly sneered, thinking that Gu Chen was truly too arrogant, relying on the support of the Jing Tian Department to even dare challenge a Gang Qi Stage warrior.


    Was that something you as a Vajra Stage warrior could do? Many martial artists thought so.


    "Presumptuous, today I will show you what Gangqi is. I''ll make you regret today''s actions for the rest of your life!" Hu Wanyuan bellowed, immediately taking action, his entire body surging with energy, and his Gangqi fluctuating violently.


    "Master Hu!" The middle-aged beautiful woman from the Yao tform Sect''splexion changed, wanting to make a move to help Gu Chen.


    But at that moment, they heard Gu Chen''s long howl: "Elder, there''s no need to intervene!"


    As soon as the words fell, Gu Chen''s figure shed, actively moving to meet the challenge. Even the middle-aged beautiful woman from the Yao tform Sect changed her expression, and those who had harbored doubts about Gu Chen thought he was being utterly reckless and arrogant.


    "Gu Chen is clearly delirious with sessive victories, arrogantly overestimating himself, to the point of daring to engage with a Gang Qi Stage warrior!"


    "Just wait and see, it will only take a few moves before he is beaten to the ground by Master Hu!"


    A group of martial artists hostile to the Jing Tian Department and extremely envious of Gu Chen secretly had such thoughts.


    "Lord Gu!" The middle-aged beautiful woman from the Yao tform Sect also didn''t have high hopes for Gu Chen, and Zi Qing was slightly shaking her head, thinking that Gu Chen was a bit too conceited.


    After all, the gap between the Vajra Stage and the Gang Qi Stage was simply too vast. Even if Gu Chen had achieved a body as strong as a savage dragon, it was unlikely that he could stand against a Gang Qi Stage martial artist.


    Because once Gangqi was condensed, even the weakest Gang Qi Stage martial artist, after tempering their body with Gangqi, would have a body strength that would not be weaker than that of a Vajra Stage warrior with the body of a savage dragon.


    And if the warrior already possessed an extreme physical strength, then after being tempered by Gangqi, they would certainly reach even greater heights.


    What''s more, the difference between Gangqi and inner energy was likeparing hundred-refined steel to tenderness that could twist around one''s finger; there was simply noparison at all.


    This was precisely why there was such a huge gap between the Vajra Stage and the Gang Qi Stage, and why most people were not optimistic about Gu Chen''s chances against Hu Wanyuan.


    In the entire Nine Provinces, even amongst the most talented martial artists, when at the Vajra Stage and facing a Gang Qi Stage opponent, even just inner Gangqi, the best they could hope for was to fight a few rounds and then sessfully escape.


    Nobody had ever heard of a Vajra Stage warrior defeating a Gang Qi Stage one. At least in the past several hundred years, there was no such incident in the Nine Provinces.


    Boom!


    Hu Wanyuan''s robust Gangqi surged, his hair and beard stood on end, his robe fluttered loudly, and with a palm strike, the palm wind was so fierce it was akin to a de scraping the flesh.


    Merely standing from a great distance, the onlookers could feel this sensation. Consider then Gu Chen, who was engaging Hu Wanyuan at close range.


    ```


    In the center of the battlefield, facing the palm strike from Hu Wanyuan, Gu Chen''s expression also became somewhat solemn. This was his first time crossing hands with a warrior at the Gang Qi Stage.


    He had witnessed the formidable power of warriors at the Gang Qi Stage in Xu''an County. If it weren''t for the fact that Hu Wanyuan cultivated internal Gangqi and he had perfected the Superior Martial Skill known as the Golden Bell Shield, there was no way Gu Chen would have acted so recklessly.


    Engaging Hu Wanyuan was also a chance for Gu Chen to test his full strength and see just how much hisbat power had reached at present.


    The fierce palm wind rushed towards his face, messing up Gu Chen''s hair. As his robe fluttered, he chose to meet offense with offense against Hu Wanyuan''s iing palm.


    "Ignorant fool!"


    Hu Wanyuan''s hair and beard stood on end, and his expression was ferocious. Seeing Gu Chen''s response, he let out a cold shout, believing that Gu Chen was courting death.


    Bang!


    The collision of their palms instantly set off boundless waves of energy, with turbulent white crests rippling outward in a circle, causing the earth within several tens of feet to shake violently and countless small stones to shoot up into the sky.


    In Hu Wanyuan''s palm was a sharp, unrivaled energy, which even made Gu Chen''s sturdy body feel bursts of pain in his palm.


    It should be noted that his body had reached a level where evenmodity-grade treasured weapons would not harm him, but he still felt a twinge of pain at that moment.


    Seeing that Gu Chen could withstand his palm strike and not die, with only a few drops of crystal-clear blood beads flowing from his hand, Hu Wanyuan''s face suddenly changed.


    Boom!


    The next moment, the robust inner energy that Gu Chen had cultivated for 510 years surged within him, and a strong burst of energy gushed out from his palm, causing Hu Wanyuan to stagger backward several steps.


    This scene shocked the numerous warriors present, causing them to exim in shock.


    "What?!"


    "How is that possible, Gu Chen... Gu Chen actually managed to repel a warrior at the Gang Qi Stage?"


    "Is this real, or are my eyes deceiving me?"


    The discussions among the warriors naturally reached Hu Wanyuan''s ears, which further wounded his pride. He called out loudly, "You brat, if you dare, then take another palm from this old man!"


    Gu Chen''s demeanor was chilly, his figure tall and slender, as he looked down at Hu Wanyuan and said, "It''s not just one palm, even ten would be of no concern!"


    "Arrogant!"


    With a fierce scream, Hu Wanyuan soared into the air, his hands revolving up and down before his chest, gathering powerful energy between them, and then he violently pushed it towards Gu Chen.


    "me Wind Knife!"


    This was a high-quality martial skill of the Heavenly Saber Sect. Although named a knife technique, it was actually a palm technique. As Hu Wanyuan pushed out with both palms, countless tiny red wind des gathered in his palm, eventually forming a dazzling three-foot-long fiery red de light, which shed in mid-air, arriving almost instantly in front of Gu Chen.


    The power of a high-quality martial skill unleashed by an Inner Gang Qi Stage warrior far surpassed that of Vajra Stage warriors.


    In the face of this strike, Gu Chen also had to be cautious. He stood straight, staying in ce, holding his breath and concentrating, with his palms spread t and slowly raising from his lower abdomen. As Gu Chen drew breath, the fierce and vast inner energy in his body also followed the cirction of his meridians towards his limbs.


    Hum!


    A dazzling golden light suddenly appeared on the surface of Gu Chen''s body. It was a dragon-shaped illusion about three-feet long that coiled around Gu Chen''s body, twining up and down as his hands kept raising.


    "Break!"


    The next second, Gu Chen exhaled and shouted, his pupils dting and his gaze sparkling, more brilliant than the dawn''s first stars.


    Only to see Gu Chen punch out, with the Golden Dragon Illusion wrapping around the arm he used to punch, emitting a high-pitched dragon roar.


    Roar!


    With this punch, Gu Chen channeled the essence of his full 510 years of cultivation!


    Even though his inner energy was far inferior in quality to Gangqi, hepensated for theck of quality with quantity!


    As Gu Chen''s punch was thrown, a fierce wind erupted, not to the extent of changing colors in the sky, but enough to stir up dust and rocks, causing the ground beneath him to start sinking, and a heavy pressure loomed over everyone''s hearts.


    Only now did people realize that, in his previous fights with Tang Xiao and others, Gu Chen had been concealing his strength!


    Seeing Gu Chen''s true power, Tang Xiao and others, who were seriously injured, all looked dejected, filled with a deep sense of powerlessness.


    Members of the Yao tform Sect were also staring wide-eyed, unable to believe what they were seeing.


    Feeling the intensity of the strike, everyone, even those warriors who had previously doubted Gu Chen''s strength, had the same thoughte to mind.


    "Could it be that Gu Chen can actuallypete with the top warrios at the Gang Qi Stage while only at the Vajra Stage?!"


    At the very heart of the battlefield, Hu Wanyuan saw Gu Chen''s punching, with the intense pressure and vigorous energy bearing down on him, causing his expression to shift dramatically, filled with disbelief as he yelled, "Impossible, you are but a Vajra Stage warrior, how could you cultivate such profound power!"


    But at this moment, there was no chance for Gu Chen to answer him. The fierce and explosive punch had already closed in right in front of Hu Wanyuan''s face!

 Chapter 173: Chapter 156: Dominantly Slaying _1

    Seeing the fierce punch closing in, Hu Wanyuan''s pupils shrank, and as the Gangqi surged within him, it clung to the surface of his body.


    If one were a Gang Qi Stage expert who could release Gangqi externally, it would be possible to form a Gangqi shield around oneself. However, internal Gang Qi warriors couldn''t achieve that, as the Gangqi inside their body wasn''t thick enough to leave their bodies by arge distance, only able to release a thinyer to protect the surface.


    Bang!


    The next moment, the punch from Gu Chen struck Hu Wanyuan. Even with Gangqi protecting his body, Hu Wanyuan''s face turned pale, a sweetness rose in his throat, and a mouthful of fresh blood surged up, which he forcibly swallowed down.


    Despite this, Hu Wanyuan still felt intense pain all over his body, as if he were about to fall apart.


    As the Gangqi inside him continued to circte, this sensation gradually subsided.


    Clutching his fist hidden within his sleeve robe, Hu Wanyuan''s eyes couldn''t hide his shock. He hadn''t expected Gu Chen to have such battle strength that enabled him to contend with him, an inner Gang Qi master.


    Looking at Gu Chen, in that moment after exchanging a few moves, the anger in Hu Wanyuan''s heart had lessened as he realized how troublesome Gu Chen was.


    Moreover, Hu Wanyuan had a premonition that if the fight continued, he might end up the one defeated.


    Hu Wanyuan took a deep breath, looked at Gu Chen, and said coldly, "You must have consumed some treasure from the Jing Tian Department to have cultivated such a thick internal power at the Vajra Stage!"


    With these words, the martial artists around understood at once. When Gu Chen threw that punch, everyone in the arena felt a thrill of fear, including warriors at the Gang Qi Stage, and no one could easily take that punch from Gu Chen without being hurt.


    Gu Chen could clearly see that Hu Wanyuan forcefully taking his punch had resulted in some internal injuries.


    Seeing Gu Chen remain silent, Hu Wanyuan spoke again, "Gu Chen, I will remember today''s event. Relying on the Jing Tian Department to conduct yourself so arrogantly in the martial world, indulging in cruel acts over minor disputes, treating us martial artists with utter contempt¡ªyou will one day receive the retribution you deserve!"


    He directly used Gu Chen of belittling everyone, hoping that the events of the day, once spread, would cause all the martial artists and powers of Jiuzhou to bear hostility towards Gu Chen.


    This way, even with the support of the Jing Tian Department, having too many enemies would still lead to great danger for Gu Chen.


    If the direct approach failed, there were plenty of subtler methods.


    Gu Chen, with a cold gleam in his eyes, knew that Hu Wanyuan was thinking of retreating and wanted to leave the situation at that.


    As expected, Hu Wanyuan said, "Let''s put an end to today''s affair for now. Out of respect for the Jing Tian Department backing you, I''ll spare you this time. When I return to my sect, I''ll report this matter to the sect leader to make a judgment!"


    Although Hu Wanyuan didn''t explicitly state it, the presence of many warriors at the scene meant that no one was a fool¡ªthey all knew that by saying so, Hu Wanyuan was implying he wasn''t confident he could defeat Gu Chen easily.


    Or rather, in a fight with Gu Chen, he might not be able toe out unscathed.


    The onlookers were astonished and shaken. Was Gu Chen really so powerful that even an inner Gang Qi master would fear and seek to retreat?


    Hu Wanyuan knew that by saying so, he would tarnish his own reputation as an inner Gang Qi warrior, but it was better than losing to Gu Chen and being reduced to a stepping stone.


    As for what to say upon his return, he had already thought it through. If he couldn''t defeat Gu Chen, then what could Tian Dao Yang Ling say when Gu Chen cut down Mo Zilin and Yang Mingyue right in front of him?


    It wasn''t that he had failed in protecting them; rather, it was simply that Gu Chen was too strong.


    ming everything on Gu Chen and shifting Tian Dao Yang Ling''s target was Hu Wanyuan''s strategy for self-preservation.


    But while Hu Wanyuan wished to leave, Gu Chen disagreed. With an expressionless face and an indifferent tone, he said, "You fight when you wish and leave when you please. Who do you think I, Gu Chen, am? I don''t need to show respect to the Jing Tian Department!"


    Hu Wanyuan, upon hearing this, flew into a rage and eximed, "Impudent boy, truly reckless!"


    Shaking with anger, he continued, "I intended to spare your life, but you are too foolish to appreciate it. So be it..."


    "Enough talk!"


    Gu Chen, tired of Hu Wanyuan''s incessant babbling and unwilling to listen any longer, didn''t wait for Hu Wanyuan to finish speaking and attacked straight away.


    He pressed his ten fingers into the void, and one after another, beams of sword qi appeared in midair, piercing towards Hu Wanyuan.


    Upon seeing this, Hu Wanyuan''s expression changed. He then shouted, "Gu Chen, even if your cultivation is extraordinary, I am still a Gang Qi Stage warrior. How many times can youunch an attack like the one before?!"


    "You are wee to try!"


    As soon as Gu Chen finished speaking, countless dense and sharp sword qi had already arrived close to Hu Wanyuan.


    "Since you refuse to see reason, then I''ll show you the true power of a Gang Qi Stage warrior!"


    Hu Wanyuan yelled as Gangqi flowed through his meridians. Reaching to his waist, he drew a treasured de, a thinyer of de Gangqi umting on the de. Facing the sword qi, he struck down powerfully.


    Swish!


    A sh of bright de light suddenly appeared, and many warriors grunted, blood spurting from the corners of their eyes as they clutched their faces and screamed in pain.

 Chapter 174: Chapter 156: Strong Kill_2

    Shiik, shiik, shiik!


    With every swing of Hu Wanyuan''s long saber, a brilliant saber light appeared. In no time, all the sword qi released by Gu Chen was scattered by Hu Wanyuan.


    The reason the Heavenly Saber Sect was so named was that their entire strengthy in their saber. Just now, Hu Wanyuan had underestimated Gu Chen, and that''s why he hadn''t used his weapon.


    Now, realizing how troublesome Gu Chen was, he treated Gu Chen as an opponent of equal caliber. Naturally, there was no longer any need to hold back.


    "Youngster, die for this old man!"


    Hu Wanyuan let out a fierce shout. Swift was his movement, for when he entered the Gang Qi Stage, he was already not young, and his talent was limited. If there were no idents, he would likely not break through to the External Gang Qi Stage in this lifetime.


    For this reason, over the years Hu Wanyuan focused all his attention on martial skills, delving into their study, and indeed he had mastered a good number of Superior Martial Skills to mastery.


    As for achieving perfection, that was too difficult. With his talent, even now, he had not managed to perfect even a few martial arts essences.


    Facing Hu Wanyuan''s sh, Gu Chen did not draw the long sword at his waist. He knew only one swordsmanship skill, the Astonishing Swan Swordsmanship Skills. Although powerful, it was after all just a mid-tier martial skill. Against an Inner Gang Qi martial artist like Hu Wanyuan, it wasn''t very effective.


    Roar!


    The Golden Dragon Illusion appeared again, coiling around Gu Chen. This was the mystical aspect that could be shown after reaching perfection in the Golden Bell Shield andprehending the corresponding martial essence.


    Protected by the Golden Dragon, Gu Chen''s defensive power greatly increased. Without using any weapon, he caught Hu Wanyuan''s shing saber firmly between his palms.


    For Inner Gang Qi martial artists, closebat was where they could show their advantages, for their Gangqi could not be externalized. At most, it could be condensed on the surface of their body.


    Seeing that even his Gangqi-infused sh couldn''t do anything to Gu Chen, Hu Wanyuan instantly felt a sinking feeling in his heart.


    Dong!


    The next moment, a golden bell emerged around Gu Chen, followed by the resonant sound of a bell echoing, striking at Hu Wanyuan''s spirit.


    "Pu!"


    Hu Wanyuan''s face went pale, his spirit injured, and he immediately spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, his expression bing somewhat sluggish.


    "Long River Saber Technique!"


    Enduring the pain in his head, Hu Wanyuan utilised one of the few Superior Martial Skills he hadprehended the martial essence of. The Long River Saber Technique he wielded was several times stronger than the one previously performed by Mo Zilin.


    Shiik!


    The saber light was cold and ringly bright, numerous saber glints converged at the tip, and as Hu Wanyuan swung his saber, the de cut through the air, the saber qi gathered together, forming a nearly ten feet long saber aura that shed towards Gu Chen.


    Bang!


    At this moment, the protective Golden Bell around Gu Chen shone brightly. The Golden Bell Shield, a Superior Martial Skill that Gu Chen had perfected, had reached an extremely high level of imperviousness to water and fire, immune to des and swords, and resistant to external forces. Not even an Inner Gang Qi martial artist could break through it.


    Bang!


    The brilliant saber qi collided with the golden bell, instantly releasing a tremendous repelling force. Hu Wanyuan''s body shook violently, blood trickling from his orifices, as he uncontrobly staggered back nearly ten feet.


    Immediately afterward, Gu Chen ignored the shock in Hu Wanyuan''s eyes. The vigorous inner strength flowed through his limbs and bones, activating his inner cultivation method¡ªthe Pure Yang Wuji Gong¡ªto its limit.


    Boom!


    An incredibly terrifying heat burst from Gu Chen''s pores, dramatically increasing the temperature around him, with the moisture in the air evaporating at an rming rate!


    Though the Pure Yang Wuji Gong was only a Superior Cultivation Method, it was still an inner cultivation technique. Now, pushed to its limit by Gu Chen, it showcased its extraordinary nature.


    After all, it was a gift from Chen Yu. Anything that caught the interest of a freak like Chen Yu was naturally no ordinary item.


    At this moment, Gu Chen was like a human-shaped furnace, radiating waves of scorching heat, with rolling heat waves emanating from his pores, causing Hu Wanyuan''s robe to begin burning, and even his eyebrows and hair were likewise affected.


    Boom!


    The heavens and earth were suddenly swept by fierce winds. With indifferent eyes and hair dancing in the wind, Gu Chen''s robe rustled. He pressed his palm towards the void, releasing his terrifying inner strength of five hundred and ten years without any reservation. An amazing scorching aura condensed in mid-air, forming a fiery palm print, striking toward Hu Wanyuan from afar.


    Feeling the potent presence emanating from Gu Chen, Hu Wanyuan was utterly terrified and shrieked, "Impossible¡ªthis is impossible, what heavenly treasure did the Jing Tian Department give you to consume? How could you, at such a young age, cultivate such terrifying power?!"


    Such a degree of inner strength was beyond even Hu Wanyuan''sparison!


    A heavy pressure emerged in the hearts of the onlookers. Facing the unleashed inner strength of over five hundred years from Gu Chen, the air became exceptionally viscous and hot in that moment, leaving everyone struggling to breathe, their eyes filled with fear as they looked at Gu Chen as if they were witnessing a monster.


    At that moment, like boulders hurtling from the skies and waves crashing against the shore, Gu Chen''s aura was too overwhelming. The surroundingnd trembled non-stop, as if an earthquake was urring.


    In the center of the battlefield, Hu Wanyuan bore the brunt of it. The ground beneath him sank instantly, and he shrank in height. But at that moment, he had no time to care about anything else but the palm strike from Gu Chen.


    "Ahh¡ª"


    Hu Wanyuan yelled, exerting all his strength. All of his power converged for the most formidable strike of his life.


    "Pu!"


    Even so, upon contact with Gu Chen''s powerful palm strike, Hu Wanyuan immediately vomited arge mouthful of fresh blood, his expression quickly wilting.


    But fortunately, he barely managed to block that hit.


    The next second, before he could catch his breath, Gu Chen''s true form was already upon him, in close proximity.


    "You¡ª"


    Seeing Gu Chen closing in, Hu Wanyuan was panic-stricken. He was just about to plead with Gu Chen, but Gu Chen gave him no chance for mercy.


    Boom!


    With an indifferent expression, Gu Chen struck down. In Hu Wanyuan''s perception, Gu Chen''s palm magnified infinitely, and at that moment, in his eyes, there was nothing but Gu Chen''s palm.


    "Pu!"


    It sounded like a watermelon smashing open. Hu Wanyuan''s head burst instantly, his brains and blood scattering across the ground.

 Chapter 175: Chapter 157: Earning a Name With a Single Battle_1

    ```


    With a bang, another explosion tore through the air, as Hu Wanyuan''s headless body burst apart, transforming into a cloud of blood that scattered in all directions, along with pieces of bone.


    Gu Chen stood his ground, his ck hair reaching down to his back, his clothes fluttering in the wind, not a single drop of blood had sshed onto him, his robes spotless.


    As the crowd looked upon Gu Chen''s tall and majestic silhouette, which seemed both godlike and demonic, they were left speechless for a long time.


    The word ''astonishment'' was no longer sufficient to describe what they felt about Gu Chen at that moment.


    To be able to single-handedly defeat a martial artist at the Gangqi Stage with the strength of the Vajra Stage, looking back over the past hundred or two hundred years in the Nine Provinces, no one had ever achieved such a feat.


    One could say that Gu Chen''s battle achievements were myth-like to all the martial artists present, something only legendary figures of lore could possibly match.


    Tang Xiao, Xu Shu, and others hadplex expressions as they witnessed this scene. They knew they had no grounds for grievance in their defeat; if Gu Chen could kill a martial artist at the Gangqi Stage, let alone them.


    Because, even if they were to join forces, they would still not be a match for Hu Wanyuan.


    Xu Shu felt the most relieved in his heart. Although Gu Chen had killed Feng Zhi, fortunately, he had been rational and had not provoked Gu Chen too much with his words.


    Otherwise, he would probably be lying there like Mo Zilin, as a motionless corpse.


    No, to be more urate, he wouldn''t even leave behind a corpse, Xu Shu thought as he nced surreptitiously at Gu Chen not far away.


    No one amongst the crowd had anticipated that things would escte to this point.


    Even the martial artists at the Gang Qi Stage present no longer dared to see Gu Chen as a junior.


    Previously, they had given Gu Chen special attention because he was the Metropolitan Procurator of the Jing Tian Department; it was not Gu Chen they respected, but the Jing Tian Department behind him.


    But now, things were different. Gu Chen had the power to y Hu Wanyuan, which meant he also had the power to kill them.


    For this reason, they regarded Gu Chen as an equal, no longer daring to harbor the slightest hostility or contempt in their eyes.


    Gu Chen remained where he stood, the surging energy that had been emanating from within him slowly receding back into his body.


    Suddenly, the high temperature in the air began to decline, and it would not take long for things to return to normal.


    The battle with Hu Wanyuan had given Gu Chen a very clear understanding of his own strength; after perfecting his Golden Bell Shield to its limit, he truly possessed the power to fight and even y a martial artist at the Gangqi Stage.


    In other words, had he not brought his Superior Martial Skill, the Golden Bell Shield, to perfection, Gu Chen indeed would not have been able to y Hu Wanyuan, regardless of the extraordinary stoutness of his breath.


    After all, in a martial confrontation, one does not solely rely on cultivation level, unless one''s cultivation surpasses boundaries and is able topletely dominate.


    But obviously, even with his enhanced abilities, Gu Chen could not bridge an entire realm and simply overpower a martial artist at the Gangqi Stage with his breath alone.


    The battle with Hu Wanyuan could be said to be Gu Chen going all out, nearly exhausting every technique in his arsenal to sessfully vanquish him.


    What Gu Chen did not know at that moment was that with so many martial artists present witnessing his one-on-one battle with a Gangqi Stage martial artist, it wouldn''t be long before the news spread like a whirlwind across the world.


    Following the confrontation in Xu''an County, Gu Chen''s fame in the martial world would skyrocket once more, even more so than after the previous battle.


    After all, only those from the Jing Tian Department and the demon sect knew of the Xu''an County battle, and certainly, those from the demon sect would not extol Gu Chen''s prowess, so not many in the martial world believed in Gu Chen''s achievements.


    But today, with so many martial artists and different forces having witnessed Gu Chen''s strength in two major battles, when word got out, no one in the martial world would have any doubts about Gu Chen''s abilities.


    Gu Chen was to be the number one figure of the Vajra Stage in the Nine Provinces!


    If among all the Vajra Stage martial artists in the Nine Provinces, anyone was thought to have the greatest chance of reaching the rarely-seen extreme limit of the Vajra Stage, the Vajra Indestructible, everyone agreed it could only be Lord Gu from the Jing Tian Department.


    This was no longer merely a case of a martial arts rising star; he was clearly a zing sun ready to rise to the vault of heaven and shine upon the world!


    Despite harboring hostility towards both the Jing Tian Department and Gu Chen, everyone present could not help but look at Gu Chen with respect and fear at this moment.


    The martial world has always been thus, always valuing strength above all, where might is the ultimatew.


    "Lord Gu."


    At that moment, the middle-aged beauty from the Yao tform Sect approached, her gazeplex as she looked at Gu Chen and bowed to him.


    From her tone and attitude alone, it was evident that there had been many subtle changes since her first meeting with Gu Chen.


    "Senior." Seeing the middle-aged beauty approaching, Gu Chen also sped his hands together in greeting.


    The middle-aged beauty from the Yao tform Sect smiled and said, "Lord Gu, there''s no need for such politeness. To call me ''Senior'' is enough; my name is Huang Wei. If Lord Gu is willing, he can just call me by my name."


    This was the acknowledgment and respect that came with power, but it would be somewhat inappropriate to address her by name, given that she was much older than Gu Chen.


    Therefore, Gu Chen said, "Elder Huang, with the Yao tform event concluded, I should be the first one, right?"


    Hearing this, Huang Wei gave a wry smile and replied, "Of course."


    With the power that Gu Chen had just disyed, who else but he could take first ce in the Yao tform event?


    "Then, the second and third ce in this Yao tform event..." Huang Wei''s gaze shifted, turning to Tang Xiao and the others.


    ```


    Tang Xiao, Xu Shu, and the others, upon seeing this, fell silent for a moment. They no longer had the face topete for second or third ce, nor did they have the mood.


    After witnessing Gu Chen''s strength, they felt the Jade Spirit Ice Liquid was no longer so important. No matter what, they wouldn''t be able to catch up to Gu Chen.


    Huang Wei saw that no one was speaking and felt a sense of helplessness. She knew that these talents had lost their fighting spirit after seeing Gu Chen''s strength.


    Then, Huang Wei turned to Gu Chen and said, "In that case, Lord Gu, the Jade Spirit Ice Liquid for this Yao tform Sect''s grand event will all be yours."


    "Oh?"


    Gu Chen raised an eyebrow slightly at this and nced at Tang Xiao and the others. He didn''t say much; such heavenly and earthly treasures were naturally better in abundance.


    It didn''t matter if he could not use them all up. If there were any left over, it would be good to have them for his close ones.


    Seeing that Gu Chen agreed, Huang Wei breathed a sigh of relief and said to the rest of the sect martial artists, "If there are no objections, then the allocation of this year''s Jade Spirit Ice Liquid is settled. This grand event of the Yao tform Sect hase to an end. Thank you all for gracing us with your presence."


    With that, Huang Wei gave a salute to everyone.


    The martial artists, upon hearing this, also came out of the shock of Gu Chen ying Hu Wanyuan and btedly returned the gesture to Huang Wei.


    As for objections? Who would dare to have any?


    Even now, the image of Gu Chen unleashing his full power for thest time, like a demon god, was still lingering in many people''s minds, unable to be dispelled.


    Soon, under the guidance of the disciples from the Yao tform Sect, the martial artists from various sects and powers left one after another. As they passed by Gu Chen, many bowed their heads, not daring to meet his gaze.


    These people bowing their heads were naturally the ones who had previously harbored hostility toward Gu Chen.


    Gu Chen paid them no mind; he didn''t consider these people important. Anyone who dared to jump out at him was someone he was willing to kill.


    Suddenly, Gu Chen frowned slightly; he realized that as his strength increased, his killing intent grew heavier as well.


    When he first came to this world and skirmished with others, although he did not show it, he still felt somewhat ufortable inside.


    But now, after countless battles, Gu Chen had grown ustomed to such a life. He even felt that human life was not so important anymore.


    Gu Chen himself didn''t know whether this change in mentality was good or bad.


    However, Gu Chen knew that in such a world full of crises and sinister gazes, a cold heart and decisive killing were necessary for someone like him, the Metropolitan Procurator of the Jing Tian Department.


    But Gu Chen also understood himself; he would definitely not ept bing a cold-blooded, unemotional killing machine that would exterminate a lineage at the slightest provocation.


    To this day, Gu Chen could say that although his hands were stained with blood, those he killed deserved to die, and each had their path to death.


    For example, people like Mo Zilin, Hu Wanyuan, and even Yang Mingyue, killing them wasn''t a burden on Gu Chen''s conscience.


    Do not offend others if they do not offend me; this was Gu Chen''s principle. Now, anyone who dared to challenge him, Gu Chen wouldn''t mind cutting them down.


    Soon, Gu Chen put this matter behind him and no longer thought about it.


    At that moment, Huang Wei said to Gu Chen, "Lord Gu, please follow me; I will take you to retrieve the Jade Spirit Ice Liquid."


    Gu Chen nodded and responded, "Elder Huang, thank you for the trouble."


    The venue for the Yao tform Sect''s grand event was just a small area at the entrance of the Yao tform Sect. The mountain upied by the Yao tform Sect was vast. Following Huang Wei, Gu Chen had the chance to appreciate the scenery of the Yao tform Sect along the way.


    It had to be said, the rumors were indeed true; the Yao tform Sect consisted entirely of women. Gu Chen had not seen a single man during his walk.


    As if she knew what was on Gu Chen''s mind, Huang Wei chuckled and said, "The martial techniques of our Yao tform Sect lean towards yin properties, making them suitable only for women. If a man were to practice our techniques, they would be more and more feminine until..."


    Huang Wei didn''t finish her sentence, but Gu Chen immediately understood that if men practiced women''s martial techniques, the oue didn''t need to be stated: they would either go mad from inner demons or... end up with self-muttion.


    Immediately after, Huang Wei changed the subject and began conversing with Gu Chen.


    As they continued to talk, Huang Wei also realized that Gu Chen was quite easy to get along with in normal times.


    Huang Wei had just met Gu Chen and, having heard some rumors about him in the martial world, she had thought that Gu Chen would be a young man who never smiled and was full of arrogance.


    However, aftermunicating more deeply, she found that Gu Chen was gentle and was not as aggressive as he was during the fight; his way of speaking and acting waspletely different from hisbat style.


    Although Huang Wei was older, she still possessed charm and was attractive. Looking at the handsome, tall, and slender Gu Chen, a flicker of a peculiar light passed through her eyes.


    If she were twenty or thirty years younger, Huang Wei might have actually pursued Gu Chen. After all, with his strong abilities, high talent, and affiliation with the Jing Tian Department of Da Xia, both his individual qualities and background were outstanding.


    The Yao tform Sect didn''t object to its disciples marrying outside, but because of the sect''s strength, the female disciples, despite their gentle personalities, also had high standards. Winning the heart of a Yao tform Sect disciple wasn''t easy.


    But for someone as remarkable as Gu Chen, he was clearly the perfect choice for the women of the Yao tform Sect.


    If a woman from the Yao tform Sect were to marry Gu Chen, it would symbolize an alliance through marriage with the Jing Tian Department. And given time, Gu Chen was sure to be a Commander or even a Guardian of the Jing Tian Department.


    In that case, the Yao tform Sect would benefit greatly, and even the current difficulties would be insignificant andrgely resolved.


    At this moment, Huang Wei''s eyes shifted and, smiling, she looked at Gu Chen and asked, "What does Lord Gu think of Zi Qing?"

 Chapter 177: Chapter 159: Leaderboard of Heroes_1

    Surrendering to Da Xia was something the Yao tform Sect had long considered, and it was a decision made out of necessity.


    After all, under themand of the Six Union God Sect were six great demon sects, and now, just one Red me Demon Sect was more than the Yao tform Sect could handle.


    It wasn''t even necessary for others from the Red me Demon Sect to act; the leader of the Red me Demon Sect alone had the power to annihte the entire Yao tform Sect.


    This was the astonishing martial force of a Grandmaster at the Innate Stage of martial arts!


    At that level, except for warriors of the same realm, numbers were utterly useless.


    The head of the Yao tform Sect and the supreme elder at the Innate Stage, after much contemtion, sought a way to break the impasse. Fortuitously, they heard that Gu Chen of the Jing Tian Department had arrived at Qiongtian Mansion, which sparked the idea in their minds to seek allegiance with Da Xia.


    After all, Da Xia had suppressed the world for twenty-three years. Despite the Human Emperor''s seclusion, the power of the Jing Tian Department was still not to be underestimated and was feared by the Six Union God Sect.


    After careful deliberation, they realized that aligning with Da Xia was the only way for the Yao tform Sect to survive under the current circumstances.


    Indeed, aside from the six lofty holynds that overlook worldly affairs and remain uninvolved, Da Xia could be considered the foremost power in all of Shen Zhou.


    With the protection of Da Xia, even if the Six Union God Sect wanted to make a move against the Yao tform Sect, they would have to think twice.


    Of course, from now on, the Yao tform Sect would be tied to Da Xia''s imperial court, bing a subordinate force, but so long as the legacy of the Yao tform Sect could be preserved, these were minor concerns.


    Although twenty-three years ago when the current sovereign came to power, all the forces in Jianghu had expressed their submission, that form of submission was only superficial and of a different nature from what the Yao tform Sect was proposing.


    This was something that Gu Chen clearly understood; however, such a significant decision was not his to make.


    So, after pondering for a moment, Gu Chen said, "I understand the intentions of your sect. Once I return to the mansion city, I will report your thoughts to my superiors."


    Hearing this, the leader of the Yao tform Sect let out a sigh of relief, her tense face slightly rxing as she said, "In that case, we are grateful to Lord Gu."


    Gu Chen shook his head slightly. It was fortunate that the Yao tform Sect was willing to seek refuge with Da Xia. Nowadays, with demons guing the world openly and demon sects covertlyying watch, growing increasingly rampant in their actions, Shen Zhou was beset by troubles of various kinds.


    In the short term, the Jing Tian Department might cope, but in the long run, it possibly could not handle everything on its own.


    After all, unless driven to absolute necessity, these sects and noble families in Jianghu would not go all out to assist Da Xia.


    Because both Da Xia and the demon sects are their enemies, a hanging sword above their heads.


    To weaken the power of Da Xia meant to strengthen their own power.


    Of course, between Da Xia and the demon sects, they still preferred Da Xia, but to expect them to wholeheartedly devote themselves to Da Xia''s cause was extremely difficult.


    Having concluded this matter, Gu Chen prepared to take his leave, since the Yao tform Sectprised entirely of female disciples, and it was not appropriate for him to stay overnight.


    Therefore, after expressing his intentions, the head of the Yao tform Sect called for Huang Wei and took Gu Chen down the mountain.


    After Gu Chen left, the head of the Yao tform Sect looked to her personal disciple LiuLuo and asked softly, "What do you think of Gu Chen of the Jing Tian Department, Lord Gu?"


    LiuLuo, dressed in a flowing moon-white gown, pondered for a moment before replying in an ethereal voice, "Reporting to my master, this Lord Gu is very strong, even inscrutably so. Even I, at my Vajra Stage, could not have ovee Hu Wanyuan."


    The head of the Yao tform Sect nodded slightly, knowing all too well the gap between the Vajra Stage and the Gang Qi Stage as a person who had crossed it herself.


    It was for this reason that she understood just how extraordinary Gu Chen''s talent and strength really were.


    The head of the Yao tform Sect sighed softly and said, "I had previously asked Huang Wei to test Gu Chen''s thoughts, asking him what he thought of Zi Qing, but Gu Chen was unwilling. He wouldn''t even ept Zi Qing as a concubine.


    Otherwise, if it were possible, their union could have given our Yao tform Sect a certain degree of influence within the imperial court, now that we are seeking to join Da Xia."


    LiuLuo nodded lightly in agreement, highly regarding Gu Chen''s strength. Zi Qing was her junior sister, and marrying Gu Chen would have indeed been a fine choice.


    But s, since the other party was unwilling, they could not force the issue.


    The head of the Yao tform Sect continued, "I expect that soon, when word of today''s events spreads, Gu Chen will be listed on the Leaderboard of Heroes by the Diancang Pavilion, just like you."


    The Leaderboard of Heroes, simr to the Collected Stars List, was a ranking that the Diancang Pavilion created to assess the strengths of various warriors in Jianghu.


    However,pared to the Collected Stars List, the Leaderboard of Heroes held much more prestige, as those who were listed on it typically had the cultivation of the Gang Qi Stage.


    LiuLuo, being the most talented true disciple of the Yao tform Sect and possessing inner Gangqi cultivation at a young age, had talent not inferior to Chen Yu of the Jing Tian Department. She was the pride of the Yao tform Sect head and the hope for the sect''s future.


    After all, the Leaderboard of Heroes was so named because the Diancang Pavilion believed that every warrior listed had the capacity to stir up significant events in the world, which was also recognized by numerous people in Jianghu and the top-tier sects.


    Of course, even as LiuLuo, her ranking on the Leaderboard of Heroes was rather low, at the bottom end of the list.


    After all, with merely the cultivation of inner Gangqi and being young, she fell short in many aspectspared to others on the list.


    The higher one''s ranking on the Leaderboard of Heroes, the stronger one''s abilities, and many listed even had cultivation surpassing the Gang Qi Stage, reaching another level entirely.


    Based on the Diancang Pavilion''s usual practices, Gu Chen''s inclusion on the Leaderboard of Heroes was not because his strength sufficed, but because he had defeated Hu Wanyuan, aplishing what others could not. Such potential warranted including his name on the list.


    Naturally, his ranking would undoubtedly be at the very bottom, either at one hundred or in the nies, for he could not match the veteran inner Gangqi warriors.


    Even so, Gu Chen had every reason to be proud, for it had been many years since a warrior of the Vajra Stage had appeared on the Leaderboard of Heroes.


    "By the way, how are your injuries?" The leader of the Yao tform Sect looked at her disciple LiuLuo with concern in her eyes. After all, LiuLuo was the future of their sect.


    When the leader of the Yao tform Sect was young and traveling the world, she had taken a liking to LiuLuo, who was still in swaddling clothes, and had brought her back to the sect.


    LiuLuo was naturally endowed with a constitution that was extremelypatible with the cultivation techniques of the Yao tform Sect. Therefore, her cultivation progressed at a remarkable pace, surpassing even Chen Yu in reaching the inner Gangqi stage.


    Of course, with such rapid progress, there were naturally some hidden dangers.


    The cultivation method of the Yao tform Sect was divided into several stages. At a certain level, one would need to neutralize the yin energy within the body with masculine forces, for solitary yang does not endure, and solitary yin does not give birth.


    However, generally speaking, this was a problem only considered by a grandmaster, but due to LiuLuo''s exceptional talent, she had reached such a state even in the Gang Qi Stage, which was both her opportunity and her trouble.


    Even the leader of the Yao tform Sect had not anticipated that LiuLuo could progress at such a rate with their sect''s cultivation techniques.


    Due to the special nature of the technique, the founding grandmaster of the Yao tform Sect had devised a method that could reverse this situation without the need for masculine forces and take one''s cultivation to the next level.


    However, this secret technique could only be effective when used at the grandmaster stage, relying on the special challenges faced by grandmasters, and LiuLuo, currently at the inner Gangqi level, naturally could not use this secret method.


    Therefore, she needed purely yang and masculine forces to help neutralize the yin energy in her body.


    This yin energy was both a threat and an opportunity. If she could suppress all the yin energy while in the Gang Qi Stage, aplishing what should only be possible at the grandmaster level, LiuLuo would have no bottlenecks in her martial path from then on.


    Surpassing her predecessors and bing a congenital grandmaster in the martial dao, thanks to her affinity with the Yao tform Sect''s techniques, would not be a problem.


    Thus, the Yao tform Sect naturally was very eager to help LiuLuo resolve the yin energy within her, but despite the vastness of Shen Zhou and its abundance, divine items and treasures were still extremely hard to find. Throughout the years, although some had appeared, none were suitable for LiuLuo.


    At that moment, LiuLuo softly replied, "Master, rest assured, for the short term, I am untroubled."


    The leader of the Yao tform Sect nodded. Although the yin energy would not erupt in the short term, its continuous umtion in LiuLuo''s body would greatly hinder her cultivation.


    "Once we align ourselves with the Jing Tian Department, we''ll see if we can spend some resources to exchange for some treasures from the treasury within Jing Tian Department," said the leader of the Yao tform Sect.


    After all, the Jing Tian Department, as part of the Da Xia, had countless extraordinary powers and treasures. Perhaps there would be some divine item or treasure that could aid LiuLuo.


    And it was for this reason that Hu Wanyuan had previously suspected that the Jing Tian Department must have given Gu Chen some kind of divine item or treasure, enabling him to possess such profound strength while in the Vajra Stage.


    Not just Hu Wanyuan, even the leader of the Yao tform Sect believed this, since it was impossible for Gu Chen to umte such profound inner energy solely on his own at the Vajra Stage.


    Moreover, with such profound cultivation, it would be countless times more difficult for Gu Chen to break through to the Gang Qi Stagepared to ordinary martial artists.


    To break through to the Gang Qi Stage, one needs to refine the inner energy within the body. The more inner energy there is, the more time it naturally takes.


    ...


    Meanwhile, after leaving the grand hall of the Yao tform Sect, Huang Wei handed Gu Chen a jade bottle filled with a pale blue liquid, which was a unique treasure of the Yao tform Sect¡ªJade Spirit Ice Liquid.


    Gu Chen took the Jade Spirit Ice Liquid and bid farewell to Huang Wei, leaving the Yao tform Sect and heading straight down the mountain.


    Having left the Qiongtian Mansion''s city for some time, once affairs with the Yao tform Sect had concluded, Gu Chen did not choose to stay any longer. He found a fast horse and rode through the night toward Qiongtian City.


    As for the Jade Spirit Ice Liquid, Gu Chen nned to take it after returning to the city. He was not short on time.


    Additionally, once back in the city, Gu Chen would pass on the news of the Yao tform Sect''s intention to align with Da Xia to the Jing Tian Department in Tiandu. The details of operation and whom to report to would be decided by Chen Yu.


    Night fell with a nket of stars filling the sky, and all was silent¡ªa stark contrast to the hustle and bustle of the world. It had been five days since Gu Chen left the Yao tform Sect.


    For the past five days, Gu Chen had not eaten or drunk, nor touched a drop of water, but he did not feel the slightest bit of fatigue.


    After all, with his current level of cultivation and physical strength, going without food or drink for a month was not difficult.


    In the mountains at night, the howling of wild beasts was frequent and chilling.


    However, Gu Chen was not afraid in the slightest; should any beast dare to block his path, he didn''t mind a little exercise to satisfy his hunger.


    Swish!


    Suddenly, in the pitch-ck night, a cold gleam shed by, darting through the air and aimed at Gu Chen.


    Gu Chen''s intuition was sharp, with keen ears and eyes. He reacted immediately, visualizing an image in his mind¡ªthe cold gleam was a razor-sharp arrow.


    Bang!


    Steadily seated on his horse''s back, Gu Chen swung his arm, turning his palm into a de, and with a single swipe, he split the arrow''s tip in two.


    "Who''s there? Show yourself!" Gu Chen''s brows furrowed as he called out sternly.

 Chapter 178: Chapter 160: Siege and Kill Gu Chen_1

    Whoosh whoosh whoosh!


    From the dense forest not far away, seven or eight figures charged over, encircling Gu Chen.


    Looking at the prominent symbol on their chests, Gu Chen said coldly, "It''s you again, Red me Demon Sect!"


    This time, the Red me Demon Sect had dispatched, foremost among them, two emaciated old men whose skin resembled tree bark, covered with wrinkles. The pupils of one of them glowed with a wolf-like green light in the dark night, sending chills down one''s spine just by looking.


    They hadid an ambush on Gu Chen''s inevitable route, and their intentions were self-evident.


    "Attack!"


    One of the gaunt old men said in a hoarse voice, and as the words fell, an extraordinarily strong aura surged from within him.


    Gang Qi Stage, an inner Gangqi warrior!


    And that wasn''t all; the other old man''s body also shook, and his vigorous aura burst forth.


    To think there were two inner Gangqi warriors!


    Gu Chen''s brows furrowed; he had not expected the Red me Demon Sect to send two inner Gangqi warriors to deal with him.


    The remaining Vajra Stage warriors did not step forward, but instead stood at a distance, each holding a crossbow aimed at Gu Chen.


    It could be said that their preparations were very thorough.


    Thud!


    The twang of bowstrings resonated as five crossbow bolts, each about three feet long and carrying a terrifying prative force, shed through the air, hurtling towards Gu Chen.


    The power of each bolt was no less than a full-powered strike from a Vajra Stage warrior wielding a superior treasure weapon.


    Boom!


    At that moment, Gu Chen extended his limbs and used the Four Extremes Propping Heaven Fist, using his hands and feet to prop up a small world that belonged solely to him.


    Bang!


    The five crossbow bolts struck Gu Chen''s fists, and upon contact, they were instantly reduced to powder.


    "Wuu¡ª"


    Just then, one of the inner Gangqi old men from the demon sect pursed his lips and emitted a strange sound.


    The next moment, Gu Chen felt an inexplicable force eroding him, causing his mind to reel from the intense pain.


    This was the power of a demon!


    The power was cold and eerie, far surpassing any spectral demon Gu Chen had encountered before.


    "Demon-ss demon!"


    After suppressing the pain in his mind, Gu Chen looked solemnly towards the two gaunt old men.


    The strength of a demon-ss demon surpassed that of a human Vajra Stage warrior; even the weakest wereparable to the Gang Qi Stage!


    The one who emitted the strange sound was the old man with the flickering green pupils. Seeing how quickly Gu Chen had recovered without sustaining damage, he felt somewhat astonished.


    "Not bad, young one," his hoarse voice said, as he offered Gu Chen a cold smile.


    The Red me Demon Sect had sent them, confident in their victory, believing that this time they would certainly capture Gu Chen.


    The Red me Demon Sect also loathed Gu Chen to the extreme, not only for foiling their ns in Xu''an County but also for ughtering their prized disciple Lian Xing. The name Gu Chen had surely made it to the Red me Demon Sect''s kill list.


    With two inner Gangqi warriors, one of whom had merged with a demon-ss demon, and a group of Vajra Stage warriors, using hidden weapons from the side to assist, the Red me Demon Sect believed that there was no way for Gu Chen to escape this time.


    No matter how strong Gu Chen was, he could not possibly slip through their grasp.


    The other old man sneered coldly, "Surrender now, kneel before us, and you shall not die."


    This was to undermine Gu Chen''s fighting spirit, for they had also heard of Gu Chen ying an inner Gangqi warrior at the Yao tform assembly. If they could capture Gu Chen without bloodshed, it would be the best oue.


    Gu Chen''s eyes zed fiercely. Kneeling down? That was absolutely impossible. What did it matter if there were two inner Gangqi warriors? He would fight!


    The next moment, Gu Chen let out a long howl, a cry that shook heaven and earth; the air around him trembled slightly, rippling outwards like water waves.


    Boom!


    His majestic internal energy was released without restraint, his forceful aura nketing the sky, making the surrounding air viscous and the heavy pressure weighing on everyone''s hearts.


    Especially for those Vajra Stage warriors, at this moment, they felt they were hardly able to breathe!


    "Just as the rumors describe, possessing strength far beyond his current stage!" the two old men grinned sinisterly. They hade prepared, believing that Gu Chen would undoubtedly die today.


    Boom!


    With the unrestrained release of internal energy from within him, Gu Chen pushed the Pure Yang Wuji Gong to its limits, and a fiery red aura burst out of his pores, striking in all directions.


    "Retreat!"


    The two old men shouted harshly, and the Vajra Stage warriors of the Red me Demon Sect changed color, hastily retreating.


    Whoosh!


    A fierce and scorching aura converged in mid-air, forming a fiery palm print that struck towards the two men.


    "Mere child''s y!"


    Watching the fiery palm print bear down from above, the two men joined forces and executed a high-grade martial art from the Red me Demon Sect.


    With a loud bang, the two attacks collided and dissipated into nothingness.


    Whoosh whoosh whoosh!


    At this moment, the Vajra Stage warriors holding crossbowsunched another round of attacks at Gu Chen. They did not seek victory but to simply harass Gu Chen.


    Gu Chen''s eyes turned icy as he struck out with a palm across the air; intense heat sted from his palm, transforming into streams of fiery red light, which snapped the iing bolts in two, causing them to fall from mid-air.

 Chapter 179: Chapter 160: Surrounding and Killing Gu Chen_2

    "You brat, prepare to die!"


    At that moment, the two elder Inner Gang practitioners from the Red me Demon Sect advanced in attack. Even when faced with Gu Chen''s five hundred and ten years of internal energy cultivation, these two still managed to resist the pressure and closed in on Gu Chen.


    Although their united front yed a role, it was clear that each of these two, taken individually, was significantly stronger than Hu Wanyuan.


    Bang!


    A thinyer of Gangqi enveloped their palms. Their strike was incredibly tricky, the palm force sinisterly cold, aiming for Gu Chen''s vital parts.


    Boom!


    At that moment, Gu Chen''s body trembled. His vigorous blood energy radiated from within, andbining this with his immense internal energy, he executed the Great Vajra Fist with all his might.


    Bang!


    Gu Chen, taking on both adversaries, exchanged blows with the two elders. They immediately felt a powerful force from Gu Chen''s palms and, despite theirbined strength, they could barely resist. Digging their heels into the ground, they slid backwards a considerable distance.


    However, they did not suffer any injuries.


    "Impressive, young man. Now I see why even our leader gave us a direct order to kill you at all costs," said one of the elders with a cold voice.


    Upon hearing this, Gu Chen''s brows lifted, surprised that even the master of the Red me Demon Sect, a martial arts grandmaster of the Xiantian realm, was disturbed by his actions.


    "No matter what tricks you have up your sleeve, you cannot escape death this time!"


    The elder whose pupils were flickering with a ghostly green light let out a fierce cry. Countless streaks of ck qi surged from his body''s pores, and his stature gradually grew, transforming in an instant from a stooped old man into a towering giant.


    The power of a monstrous demon continued to pour out from his body. The elder felt as if he had returned to his prime¡ªor even beyond it. He reached an unprecedented peak, feeling confident in facing even an Outer Gang martial artist.


    "Die!"


    With a fierce shout, the elder''s palm descended, and the air exploded instantly. A heavy pressure loomed over Gu Chen''s heart. With the strength of the demon added to his own, this palm alone had already surpassed Gu Chen in sheer force.


    Bang!


    As another Inner Gang elder interfered, Gu Chen could only make a hasty counter, unable to block it, and was sent flying far away by the opponent''s palm.


    Twang¡ª


    The sound of vibrating bowstrings was heard as Gu Chen, still mid-air, faced several streaks of cold light. His face grew stern, his internal energy surged, and he used the Dragon''s Roar and Tiger''s Howl Golden Bell Shield. The protective Golden Bell Shield immediately materialized, blocking the attacks.


    Whoosh!


    But then, the two elders from the Red me Demon Sect pressed their attack once more,unching a fierce assault aimed directly at Gu Chen.


    ng!


    Luckily, with the Dragon''s Roar and Tiger''s Howl Golden Bell Shield deployed, it perfectly defended against the two men''s assault, allowing Gu Chen to break free from the encirclement and retreat to a distance.


    "Superior Martial Skills?"


    The two gaunt elders narrowed their eyes, recognizing the grade of the Dragon''s Roar and Tiger''s Howl Golden Bell Shield.


    Before they could reflect further, suddenly, the next moment, from a distance, a formidable aura emanating from Gu Chen''s position made their hearts palpitate.


    They saw Gu Chen spreading his arms wide as his vigorous blood energy spilled out. He clenched his five fingers into a fist, readying the Great Vajra Fist.


    The specter of a wrathful Vajra appeared behind Gu Chen. Together, theyunched a punch through the air.


    Boom!


    A tremendous force mixed with immense internal energy struck through the void. Faced with this mountain-crushing blow, the two elders from the Red me Demon Sect shouted deeply as they joined hands. The surging Gangqi within them erupted, cloaking their bodies as they simultaneously struck back at Gu Chen.


    Bang!


    In that sh, all three were sent reeling backwards. Among them, the elder not possessed by the demon, had traces of blooding from his seven orifices.


    Gu Chen and the other elder, one with a robust physique and the other possessed by a demon, were both unscathed.


    Whoosh!


    Seizing the opportunity, Gu Chen spun his body in mid-air and, like a beam of light, rushed forward with a fierce fist aimed straight at the elder not possessed by the force of a specter.


    "How arrogant, junior!"


    The elder, seeing Gu Chen treat him as prey, was immediately furious. He mobilized his lifelong cultivation to unleash a perfect realm superior martial skill, causing a fierce wind to assail the face and the earth to tremble.


    Bang!


    Gu Chen''s expression was cold and callous, with disheveled ck hair and eyes as sharp as des, intimidating. He met the attack head-on with a direct punch.


    However, at that moment, another elder with green light in his pupils, upon seeing this, brought his palm down hard on Gu Chen''s back.


    But Gu Chen, paying no heed, stirred his inner breath, and the protective Golden Bell Shield materialized to fend off the vicious strike.


    "Spurt!"


    On the other side, Gu Chen engaged the elder with attack for attack. In a blink, Gu Chen threw several punches. Even if the elder''s cultivation was profound, he suffered grievous injuries, as hecked a perfect realm Superior Martial Skill for protection, and blood spurted from his mouth.


    Indeed, the Dragon Roar Tiger Howl Golden Bell Shield mastery of the Superior Martial Skill at the perfect realm was an immense asset to Gu Chen.


    "Great Red Demon Saber!"


    In that moment, the elder with the flickering green light in his eyes, seeing hisrade wounded, decisively activated the Superior Martial Skill previously used by Wei Jiang in Xu''an County.


    Atop his head, a ck saber appeared, shrouded in swirling dark energy and imbued with the power of specters, chilling to the bone.


    "sh!"


    With a fierce cry, the elder swung the Great Red Demon Saber through the air towards Gu Chen''s neck. The pitch-ck saber light was menacing.


    With a ng, a dazzling golden light emerged. The attack cleaved upon Gu Chen''s protective Golden Bell Shield. As the Superior Martial Skills collided, the Golden Bell shuddered and buzzed resonantly.


    Being a Superior Martial Skill, the terrifying force of the strike transmitted through the protective Golden Bell Shield and shook Gu Chen''s body, causing him to slide backward a great distance.


    Capitalizing on this opportunity, the two elders joined palm to palm, their Gangqi converging to power the Great Red Demon Saber above them, chopping at Gu Chen ceaselessly from the sky.


    ng, ng, ng!


    Gu Chen held his breath and focused, countering with Dragon Roar Tiger Howl Golden Bell Shield. Had it not been for this protective skill, he would have perished many times over in this battle.


    At least, against the Red me Demon Sect elder fused with a cmity-level specter, Gu Chen would never be a match, let alone an adversary.


    But as the Great Red Demon Saber continued to hack down, the rebounding force prated into Gu Chen''s body, causing him difort and some internal injuries.


    He knew he couldn''t keep defending passively like this.


    In that moment, a fierce light shed briefly in Gu Chen''s eyes as the inner breath of five hundred and ten years within him suddenly circted.


    Boom!


    A rich golden light radiated from Gu Chen''s body. He activated the Dragon Roar Tiger Howl Golden Bell Shield with all his might. Behind him emerged huge dragon and tiger phantoms, one on each side, as if upying the heavens and the earth themselves.


    "Roar!"


    The sound of dragons roaring and tigers howling echoed, and the phantoms seemed as substantive as real creatures, like true dragons and white tigers descending as sacred spirits, their imperious gaze surveying all beings below.


    "Spurt!"


    Several Vajra Stage martial artists from the Red me Demon Sect standing at a distance heard the majestic and potent dragon and tiger roar. Unable to bear the sound, their spirits were damaged, and they spat blood, their faces ashen as they copsed, unable to rise.


    The two Gang Qi Stage martial artists from the Red me Demon Sect also suffered, feeling a wave of dizziness and their minds reeling, with a stabbing pain at their temples.


    "Die!"


    Gu Chen coldly shouted as he threw a punch. The intent of the Great Vajra Fist, unmatched and unstoppable, imbued within. Simultaneously, the dragon shape behind him rapidly shrank to about three feet and, apanying Gu Chen''s punch, it, too, struck out.

 Chapter 181 Chapter 163 Jade Spirit Ice Liquid_1

    In the dark of night, the high-hanging silver moon poured down light like water, all was silent, and the earth was riddled with scars.


    Blood mist scattered across the sky, and Gu Chen stood in the midst of the field, his ck hair dancing wildly, eyes sharp and fierce, his body radiating golden light bright enough to illuminate the pitch-ck night. His formidable presence captivated souls as he stood there like an invincible god of war.


    That punch was Gu Chen''s ultimate strike, a concentration of all his strength and inner breath, pushing the Superior Martial Skill, Dragon Roar and Tiger''s Howl Golden Bell Shield, to its limit with his current level of mastery.


    The inner Gangqi elder, along with the demon beast within him, was obliterated by Gu Chen''s devastating punch.


    Having delivered that pinnacle blow, even Gu Chen, who had just advanced in his cultivation, felt a wave of fatigue wash over him.


    Whoosh!


    Now, only one demon beast remained in the field. Despite its low intelligence, it recognized the difference in strength and fled after letting out a mournful howl.


    "You won''t escape!"


    Upon seeing this, Gu Chen huffed coldly. Apanied by a dragon''s roar, a brilliant fist imprint broke through the night like a sudden thunderp, and Gu Chen himself became a streak of light that vanished in a sh.


    St!


    Gu Chen burst right through the body of that demon beast, causing a mass of ck mist to scatter in all directions with the creature letting out a dire scream.


    But it must be said, the beast''s regenerative abilities were exceedingly strong. Despite taking such a forceful punch from Gu Chen, it rapidly began to heal and transformed into a stream of ck smoke drifting toward the distance.


    "Great Vajra Fist!"


    With a light shout, Gu Chen executed the Great Vajra Fist. Clenching his fist as if grasping the very heavens and earth, the Shadow of Furious Dharma King materialized behind him. A gigantic golden fist thunderously crashed forward.


    "Roar!"


    The demon beast roared, a mass of ck mist exuding from its body, transforming into numerous tentacles to counter Gu Chen. But ultimately, as a newly advanced beast, its strength was meagerparable only to a martial artist in the early stages of Gang Qi Stage. How could it possibly stand a chance against Gu Chen now?


    With each sessive Great Vajra Fist from Gu Chen, the beast''s screams grew fainter, its wounds healed slower, and with Gu Chen''s final blow, the swirling ck mist in mid-air abruptly stalled and then exploded with a bang, scattering into nothingness.


    Whoosh!


    Gu Chen swiftly caught the remnant soul crystal left by the dead demon beast.


    Only now was this great battle finally over, and Gu Chen himself abruptly rxed.


    Upon rxing, Gu Chen felt a soreness emanating from all over his body. Had his physique not been exceptionally robust, he might have fainted on the spot.


    This battle had drained so much of his strength, it was as though he had fought solo against three inner Gangqi martial artists.


    Such a feat, if known, would shake the world once more, perhaps even more so than the news of his victory over Hu Wanyuan.


    But clearly, there were no onlookers to this battle, and naturally, the news would not reach others.


    As for Gu Chen himself, he was not one to spread such tales of his own deeds.


    The battle ended, and as he rxed, Gu Chen felt a deep weariness, not just physically, but mentally as well.


    His condition was far from good, and who knew if the Red me Demon Sect had more in store. Hence, Gu Chen nned to rest for the night to recover his optimum condition before making a determined journey back to Qiongtian City.


    Gu Chen''s horse had perished in the battle, so he sat and regted his breath on the spot until dawn, when he traveled over a hundred li to enter a small town and checked into an inn.


    Once in his room and after sending the attendant away, Gu Chen sat cross-legged on the bed, took out a jade bottle from his bosom¡ªwithin it was the stored Jade Spirit Ice Liquid that he had acquired from the Yao tform Sect.


    The bottle was filled with a light blue liquid, a substantial amount. Normally, treasures like these were measured drop by drop.


    However, in this instance, Gu Chen dominated the congregation at the Yao tform event, yielding to no one''s challenge, so the Yao tform Sect awarded him the Jade Spirit Ice Liquid, which was usually divided among the first, second, and third ce finishers of previous events, all to himself.


    Then, Gu Chen removed his robe, revealing his strong and lean physique, and with a pop, unstoppered the bottle, spreading the pale blue liquid over key parts of his body.


    ording to the Yao tform Sect, the best effects of Jade Spirit Ice Liquid came from topical application. However, those who had obtained Jade Spirit Ice Liquid in the past had used it for ingestion.


    The reasoning was simply that even those who won first ce at the events never received as much Jade Spirit Ice Liquid as Gu Chen, making external application unfeasible, so they had to ingest it instead.


    But Gu Chen had no such concerns. He emptied the Jade Spirit Ice Liquid from the small bottle, heedless of the amount, and smeared it all over himself.


    Within moments, Gu Chen felt a refreshing chill throughout his body¡ªa notable sensation given his level of physical resilience, unreachable by the heat or cold of ordinary conditions.


    Soon, this cool sensation, bit by bit, seeped through his pores, reaching the flesh, meridians, and even his bones and internal organs.


    "Hiss¡ª"


    The Jade Spirit Ice Liquid lived up to its reputation as a heavenly treasure; as time passed, the coolness intensified. Even Gu Chen began to feel a deep, prating cold, as if his very insides were freezing solid.


    Keep in mind, Jade Spirit Ice Liquid was nurtured in special conditions through centuries of ice cultivation, naturally possessing extreme low temperatures. Ordinary martial artists would take it drop by drop, and even for external use, none would apply it to their whole body as Gu Chen did.


    Gu Chen was aware of this; he had even been informed by the Yao tform Sect, but his boldness stemmed from the robust store of inner strength, far exceeding any ordinary martial artist.


    Boom!


    With a thought, Gu Chen''s vigorous inner breath surged through his meridians, following the path of Pure Yang Wuji Gong. His body released a burning warmth, diminishing the inner cold to a tolerable degree for himself.


    With Gu Chen''s current mental strength, he was now capable of internal introspection. He saw that the strands of pale blue aura, emanating from the Jade Spirit Ice Liquid as it entered his body through the pores, merged into the flesh, bones, meridians, and even the internal organs of his body.


    This pale blue aura seemed to contain some kind of extraordinary power. The parts inside his body that were nurtured by the Jade Spirit Ice Liquid naturally began to strengthen gradually, with flesh bing transparent like crystal, sinews and bones even more tenacious, internal organs gleaming with luster, and bodily strength slowly increasing.


    Even the internal energy within his body became purer as this pale blue aura integrated into it.


    It was a gradual process, and about an hourter, the effects of the Jade Spirit Ice Liquid gradually faded.


    Gu Chen opened his eyes and felt that, with the help of the Jade Spirit Ice Liquid, his strength had increased by a good fifty thousand catties.


    In other words, at this stage, even without using the Golden Bell Shield that reverberated with a dragon''s roar and a tiger''s bellow, his body already possessed a natural strength of three hundred thousand catties.


    An increase of fifty thousand catties in strength was no small feat, especially since the Jade Spirit Ice Liquid had also enhanced Gu Chen''s physical toughness. At levels of pure strength like Gu Chen''s, every bit of progress was extremely difficult.


    As a rare natural treasure, the Jade Spirit Ice Liquid truly lived up to its reputation. Gu Chen felt that his body could continue to improve if there was more of it.


    However, such treasures from heaven and earth are scarce, and the Yao tform Sect did not produce much each year. To be able to distribute so much to the other martial artists of the Jianghu was already quite difficult.


    This also indirectly showed how hard it was to elevate one''s physical realm at the Vajra Stage.


    Fortunately, aside from the Jade Spirit Ice Liquid, Gu Chen also had the system interface to help him improve his cultivation level and physical strength.


    The next moment, Gu Chen closed his eyes again and summoned the interface.


    Name: Gu Chen


    Martial Skills: Golden Bell Shield with Dragon''s Roar and Tiger''s Bellow (Perfected), Burning Vein Finger (Perfected, can be extrapted), Phantom Traceless Step (Perfected), Astonishing Swan Swordsmanship Skills (Perfected), Great Vajra Fist (Perfected), Condensing Pulse Sword Wave (Perfected, can be extrapted), Four Extremes Propping Heaven Fist (Great Achievement)


    Internal Cultivation: Pure Yang Wuji Gong


    Cultivation Age: 580 Years


    Realm: Late Vajra Stage


    Martial Points: 146


    Looking at the Martial Points on the interface, if he added the seventy points he had used for his breakthrough in the middle of battle, it meant that the battle had provided Gu Chen with a total of two hundred and sixteen Martial Points. Enjoy new stories from empire


    The two demon-ss specters each contributed nearly fifty Martial Points to Gu Chen. Despite this, Gu Chen still felt that the Martial Points were insufficient.


    After all, at this moment, there were still two mid-grade Martial Skills on his interface.


    But for now, Gu Chen''s priority was to quickly elevate his cultivation level and physical realm in order to reach the fourth level of the Vajra Stage, the indestructible Vajra, as soon as possible.


    This was the rumored ultimate physical realm in Jiuzhou. If one could reach this realm, they would undoubtedly reap unknown tremendous benefits. With the enhancement of the interface, Gu Chen certainly wanted to push every realm in his martial journey to its limit.


    Moreover, for reasons unknown, Gu Chen always felt an urgency within him. He kept feeling that soon, there would be a great upheaval, plunging the whole world into chaos.


    Only the strength at an absolutely supreme level could possibly protect both himself and Gu Chen''s family in the uing turmoil.


    Ever since Gu Chen came to this world and discovered the existence of the interface, he never doubted that one day he would reach the pinnacle of Jiuzhou''s martial path. However, he needed time.


    But whether the unstable situation of this world could wait until the day of Gu Chen''s true rise remained an uncertainty.


    Gu Chen took a deep breath, cast aside all distractions, and stopped thinking about anything else. Instead, he concentrated all his attention on the interface before him.


    "Interface, upgrade!"


    As Gu Chen willed it, twenty-eight Martial Points disappeared from the interface, and the Superior Martial Skill, Four Extremes Propping Heaven Fist, was directly elevated by Gu Chen to the Perfected realm.


    Boom!


    At this moment, when the Martial Skill reached perfection, the corresponding true intent of the martial path emerged. With a sh before his eyes, Gu Chen saw a figure suddenly appear in the void. Although its face was unclear, standing there, its limbs seemed like four pirs propping up heaven and earth, supporting its own unique realm.


    The next instant, the figure moved. As it swung its limbs, the entire world in front of Gu Chen trembled as if it could not bear the weight and was on the verge of copse.


    Rumble!


    Apanying the figure''s full-body stretch, each of its strikes seemed capable of shattering heaven and earth. Instantly, the world before Gu Chen, like a mirror, was filled with countless cracks that spread outwards like a spider web, then burst apart with a loud bang.


    This was the true intent of the martial path contained within the Superior Martial Skill, Four Extremes Propping Heaven Fist!


    A single blow, as if tipping the heavens!


    Upon reaching perfection in the Martial Skill, Gu Chen naturallyprehended this martial path''s true intent, his mental strength subtly increasing again, and his senses and intuition were also significantly enhanced.


    However, this was not the end, but merely the beginning.


    As expected, once the Four Extremes Propping Heaven Fist Martial Skill reached the realm of perfection, the words "can be extrapted" appeared next to it as well as the Great Vajra Fist.


    All of this was exactly as Gu Chen had anticipated.


    Seeing this, Gu Chen did not hesitate. With a thought, the names of Great Vajra Fist and Four Extremes Propping Heaven Fist on the interface became blurry, and the extraption of Martial Skills officially began.

 Chapter 182 Chapter 164 Deduction of Martial Arts, the Great Vajra Divine Power_1

    At the moment Gu Chen''s mind stirred, a wave of excitement surged from deep within his heart, for he knew that once the fusion of the Great Vajra Fist with the Four Extremes Propping Heaven Fist was sessful, another Superior Martial Skill would inevitably appear on his panel!


    And this would be Gu Chen''s second Superior Martial Skill.


    Hum!


    At this instant, extensive martial arts knowledge began to emerge continually in Gu Chen''s mind. He seemed to fall into a state of enlightenment, with countless shes of insight. Sifting the chaff from the wheat, the essence of the two high-grade martial skills fused and collided unceasingly, apanied by the birth of new martial arts insights, causing Gu Chen''s head to swell with information.


    Based on the excellence of these two high-grade martial skills and continuously extending from there, very soon, a new Superior Martial Skill thatbined the strengths of Great Vajra Fist and Four Extremes Propping Heaven Fist, along with other extraordinary aspects, was born!


    On the panel in front of Gu Chen, the two martial skills, Great Vajra Fist and Four Extremes Propping Heaven Fist, disappeared after the deduction process, and a new martial skill appeared on the panel.


    The name of this martial skill was¡ªGreat Vajra Divine Power!


    The Great Vajra Divine Power, which primarily enhances the physical body, is a supreme body refining technique. It is based on the thirty-two Vajra Dharma phases rumored in Buddhism, which, once cultivated, grant immense demon-subduing power, unreachable by mortals.


    If cultivated to a higher level, one can transcend the reliance on Dharma phases for strength. The form ispletely dissolved, leaving only the divine intent. With divine intent alone, one can reach a realm where mere thought can summon force, and sitting still can injure others!


    Of course, when we speak of Dharma phases, we actually refer to the true intent of martial arts formed upon reaching perfection.


    After mastering this martial skill, in terms of vigor, one bes unmatched, possessing an unparalleled physical body!


    Deducing this martial skill had cost Gu Chen forty merit points.


    But Gu Chen felt it was well worth it. After all, this was a Superior Martial Skill, and he was eager to discover the differences between the Great Vajra Divine Power and the Golden Bell Shield.


    Boom!


    As soon as Gu Chen''s thought arose, eighteen points of merit disappeared from the panel, and the Great Vajra Divine Power instantly reached the realm of initial understanding.


    Hum!


    In an instant, Gu Chen''s body swelled, with his robes pushed outwards by the robust strength coursing throughout his body.


    At the same time, a faint golden silhouette emerged behind Gu Chen, its features blurred yet dignified in its aura.


    But this was just the beginning. Gu Chen looked at the remaining seventy merit points on the panel, without hesitation, he invested them all into the Great Vajra Divine Power.


    Rumbling!


    At that moment, with the addition of seventy merit points, the Great Vajra Divine Power instantly leapt from initial understanding, passed the beginner stage, and reached the realm of minor achievement. Simultaneously, countless martial arts experiences and Buddhist scriptures insights appeared in Gu Chen''s mind, with images of the Vajra Dharma phase shing continuously.


    After all, part of the Great Vajra Divine Power was based on the Great Vajra Fist, so it still retained a strong Buddhist style.


    Buddhist martial arts were always known for their body refining prowess.


    As Gu Chen continued to assimte this influx of martial arts knowledge and insights, he felt as if he had practiced the Great Vajra Divine Power for countless years, dedicating day and night to diligent practice.


    Hum!


    Meanwhile, the faint golden silhouette behind Gu Chen also became more solid, majestic in appearance, hands forming seals, and radiating dazzling Buddha light, exuding the grand aura of subduing demons and pacifying the world!


    At this moment, Gu Chen''s physical body was rapidly strengthening. His muscles bulged immensely, undting continuously as if numerous small dragons were traveling through his body. His bones and muscles emitted a humming vibration.


    Simultaneously, at the very depths of his body, a faint glow was emerging, with mysterious energies surging forth, baptizing his physical body.


    Before cultivating the Superior Martial Skill of the Great Vajra Divine Power, after consuming the Jade Spirit Ice Liquid, Gu Chen''s physical strength was only three hundred thousand catties without utilizing any martial skills.


    Even with the power of the dragon and tiger from the Superior Martial Skill Golden Bell Shield, his physical strength would not exceed three hundred and fifty thousand catties.


    But now, having cultivated the Great Vajra Divine Power to the realm of minor achievement, his mere physical strength has frighteningly increased to five hundred thousand catties!


    Just at the realm of minor achievement, it added a tremendous fifteen thousand catties of vigor to Gu Chen!


    The terrifying power of five hundred thousand catties brought Gu Chen to an unprecedented peak state. He felt his entire being was brimming with vitality and spirit, and a single punch seemed as though it could break half of the sky.


    It''s important to understand that even the Superior Martial Skill Golden Bell Shield could not achieve such a significant increase in Gu Chen''s strength.


    Based solely on physical power, the enhancement provided by the Superior Martial Skill Great Vajra Divine Power to Gu Chen far exceeded the strength provided by the Golden Bell Shield.


    Of course, this is mainly due to the different focuses of the two Superior Martial Skills.


    The Golden Bell Shield focuses more on defense and internal refinement. Its protective power is well-known; ordinary Gang Qi Stage martial artists and monstrous apparitions of the nefarious kind are simply unable to break it.


    In a way, this martial skill had saved Gu Chen countless times. With the Golden Bell Shield, from birth, Gu Chen stood on invincible ground.


    Even Gu Chen suspected that with his current power, perhaps even an outer Gangqi martial artist would not be able to easily breach his defense.


    On the other hand, the newly deduced Superior Martial Skill, the Great Vajra Divine Power, represents external refinement, or specifically, power cultivation. From its name, it is evident it is a skill for cultivating strength, greatly benefiting the enhancement of a martial artist''s physical power and vigor.


    One should note that the third level of the Vajra Stage, ''Body Like an Ancient Savage Dragon'', also has its gradations. Typically, one with a mere physical strength of one hundred and eighty thousand catties can enter this stage.


    Those with strong innate abilities, or those who intensely refine their bodies, may have even more power, reaching around two hundred thousand catties.


    Three hundred thousand catties can be considered the limit for a vast majority of martial artists at the stage of "body like a savage dragon."


    Four hundred thousand catties, already exceedingly rare, hard to find in the world, unless one is extremely talented in the realm of physical cultivation or body strengthening, one could possibly reach this level.


    Now, Gu Chen possesses a pure physical strength of a full five hundred thousand catties, which means, even without relying on his profound internal strength or those perfected martial skills, just with his brute strength alone, it''s hard to find a match within the Vajra Stage, and to say he''s invincible is no exaggeration.


    In the primeval times, such physical strength would not have rivaled the younglings of the Ancient Savage Dragons but would havee close.


    And as his physical strength continued to heighten, Gu Chen''s figure became even more statuesque, his facial features more distinctly masculine, with sharp contours, extremely alluring. His jade-like skin radiated a faint lustre and fragrance.


    At the same time, his muscles had returned to normal after the enhancement, well-defined as ever, streamlined, and not at all transforming him into a mere muscle man.


    It can be said that Gu Chen''s advancement was quite perfect. No one could imagine that such a slender and fit body could contain an appalling strength of five hundred thousand catties.


    Now, even if Gu Chen simply flicked his fingers lightly, a buzzing sound would emanate in the air, followed by rippling waves.


    Splitting open monuments and rocks was just a trivial task.


    Gu Chen silently felt the explosive power contained within his body. Now, even without relying on any lightness techniques, his speed might well be no slowerpared to those martial artists who had cultivated superior lightness skills.


    Of course, if he had a high-grade lightness technique along with his explosive power and internal strength, his speed would be even faster.


    However, with limited function points now, Gu Chen could only prioritize enhancing his physical strength. Only after reaching the grandpletion of the Vajra Stage and the ultimate state of the indestructible body would Gu Chen consider improving other aspects of his martial arts.


    Otherwise, no matter how high his cultivation or how strong his body, without the corresponding martial skills, he wouldn''t be able to fully exert all his power.


    Crackling and popping!


    With Gu Chen stretching his body, a session of explosive sounds came from within, resembling the crackling of fireworks.


    The increased density of his muscles and bones also significantly augmented Gu Chen''s weight, but fortunately, he could control every muscle in his body, gaining an extremely fine degree of control over his own power.


    For this reason, he wasn''t worried that his current level of strength would affect his daily life.


    Afterpleting his enhancement, his function points were reset to zero. Gu Chen spent the whole morning familiarizing himself with the newly acquired Superior Martial Skill. When noon arrived, he found a fast horse and once again set out, heading towards Qiongtian City.


    ...


    Three dayster, Qiongtian City, City Lord Manor.


    Upon receiving news of Gu Chen''s return, Wen Ziyun, the City Lord of Qiongtian Mansion, had been waiting for him for quite a while.


    Wen Ziyun naturally became aware of the reputation Gu Chen had established during the time at the Yao tform feast.


    Gu Chen''s name had spread throughout the entire Qiongtian Mansion and even Shen Zhou with time.


    In the current situation where the Six Union God Sect had reemerged in the martial world, causing subtle disturbances, the stronger Gu Chen''s abilities, the more reassured Wen Ziyun could be with him holding fort at Qiongtian Mansion.


    Moreover, with the strength Gu Chen demonstrated at the Yao tform feast, his appointment as a Commander was a foregone conclusion!


    Unlike the Metropolitan Procurator, every Commander within Jing Tian Department was noteworthy. Regarded highly even across all of Da Xia, their status wasparable to a third-ranked official.


    And considering Gu Chen''s age of only twenty, the chance of his future appointment as a garrisonmander was not small.


    One must know that every garrisonmander in the Jing Tian Department is at least a martial arts grandmaster in the Innate realm with an extremely transcendent status!


    Even high-ranking officials of Da Xia, nobility and royalty included, might not have a statusparable to a garrisonmander of Jing Tian Department.


    After all, throughout the vast Jing Tian Department, considering other provinces, there are only twelve garrisonmanders in total.


    Such a figure, Wen Ziyun naturally wanted to forge a good rtionship with before Gu Chen fully matured, so that if something came upter, he could conveniently seek Gu Chen''s help.


    Moreover, not to mention the distant future, even in Qiongtian Mansion, Wen Ziyun had many matters in which he needed to depend on Gu Chen.


    Now, in the entire Qiongtian Mansion, although Wen Ziyun was nominally the number one person in charge, if Gu Chen had a need, all affairs of Qiongtian Mansion would prioritize him.


    This was the authority given to Gu Chen by the Jing Tian Department upon his arrival, as they too were highly optimistic about his talent, hence granting him such privilege.


    Wen Ziyun, an old hand in officialdom, could clearly see this, which is why he had shown such reverence for Gu Chen upon his initial arrival in Qiongtian Mansion.


    But now, Wen Ziyun''s attitude towards Gu Chen had transformed from reverence to respect.


    Hearing the news from the gate guards that Gu Chen had returned, this time Wen Ziyun personally waited at the entrance for Gu Chen.


    The soldiers by his side were silent, having never seen their City Lord exhibiting such a demeanor.


    As the City Lord of a mansion, Wen Ziyun held a lofty position. He oversaw over a dozen counties within Qiongtian Mansion, possessing great authority, and being called an emperor in his own right was no understatement.


    At that moment, as Gu Chen led his horse to the entrance of the City Lord Manor, he saw Wen Ziyun, the City Lord, waiting there. Readtest chapters on empire


    "Wee back, Lord Gu, victorious!" As soon as they met, Wen Ziyun greeted him with a smile, bowed slightly, and paid his respects to Gu Chen.

 Chapter 184 Chapter 160 News from Red Dust Tower_1

    "Oh?"


    Gu Chen''s sword-like eyebrows rose as he asked, "Is there news about the Blood Robe Tower?"


    Previously, at the Pavilion of Flowers in Cloud Smoke City, upon learning that Luo Feng came from the Red Dust Tower, one of the three notable unorthodox factions of equal fame to the Blood Robe Tower, Gu Chen had solicited Luo Feng''s help to investigate the locations of the Blood Robe Tower''s strongholds within Qiongtian Mansion.


    After all, the Blood Robe Tower had made several assassination attempts on Gu Chen. Being passively attacked was not in Gu Chen''s nature, so he prepared to take the initiative, to let the Blood Robe Tower know that he, Gu Chen, was not to be trifled with.


    Luo Feng heard this and nodded, a light smile on his face as he said, "Indeed, Brother Gu, how do you n to repay me?"


    Gu Chen countered, "How would you like me to repay you?"


    "How about you repay me with your body?" Luo Feng''s eyes brimmed with intense mirth.


    Hearing this, Gu Chen looked at Luo Feng with a half-smile and pped out directly, the air rippling like water waves, generating ripples upon ripples.


    Feeling the power behind Gu Chen''s palm, Luo Feng''s heart skipped a beat. He quickly withdrew, retreating backward as he eximed in surprise, "Brother Gu, has your strength improved again?"


    It wasn''t surprising that Luo Feng was shocked. It hadn''t been long since hest met Gu Chen, and Gu Chen''s cultivation level had actually increased again? Luo Feng felt speechless.


    Seeing Luo Feng move in such a manner, Gu Chen was also somewhat astonished. He wanted to test Luo Feng''s strength, so he did not respond but instead shed forward to approach Luo Feng once more.


    "Brother Gu, isn''t it enough that I realize my mistake?" Luo Feng forced a bitter smile as he continuously dodged around the small courtyard, his afterimages popping up everywhere.


    A trace of amazement flickered through Gu Chen''s eyes. Luo Feng''s lightness skill was truly remarkable, and judging by his appearance, he had also reached the Vajra Stage. His progress was far from slow.


    Considering the miraculous degree of the footwork beneath his feet, Luo Feng must have perfected this high-grade lightness skill.


    Seeing this, Gu Chen let out a soft chuckle. The inner Qi within him surged, and a gust of wind suddenly swept through the courtyard.


    Luo Feng, moving at high speed, felt his body be unstable. A fierce suction force came from Gu Chen''s palm, and despite Luo Feng exerting all his strength to break free, he still found himself being involuntarily pulled towards Gu Chen.


    "Brother Gu, I admit my mistake, I truly do!" Seeing this, Luo Feng yelled repeatedly, admitting his fault to Gu Chen.


    Upon hearing this, Gu Chen''s inner Qi became as gentle as the breeze, and just as easily, the strong winds in the courtyard disappeared as if they had never been there.


    "Brother Gu, such impressive skills." Luo Feng, unable to do otherwise, gave Gu Chen a salute.


    Gu Chen smiled and asked, "Tell me, where is the Blood Robe Tower''s stronghold?"


    Luo Feng spoke seriously, "After our Red Dust Tower''s investigation, the Blood Robe Tower has a total of thirteen strongholds in Qiongtian Mansion."


    Upon hearing this, Gu Chen''s expression immediately turned cold as he said, "The Blood Robe Tower really has some nerve to have set up so many strongholds within Qiongtian Mansion. It seems Da Xia has been too lenient with them over the years!"


    Thirteen strongholds, already upying a significant portion of the cities within Qiongtian Mansion, no wonder they had such detailed knowledge of his whereabouts.


    In recent years, since the Emperor went into seclusion, the number of demons and monsters in the nine provinces had increased, and Jing Tian Department had focused most of its efforts on this issue, so their suppression and monitoring of these martial factions had weakenedpared to the past.


    But it was a situation that couldn''t be helped. Even Jing Tian Department had limited resources and would naturally deal with more pressing matters first, especially since over the years, the Blood Robe Tower had been rtively quiet, not causing any major incidents, as they too feared attracting the attention of Jing Tian Department.


    It wasn''t until the demons had reemerged and the current Holy Emperor remained in seclusion that the Blood Robe Tower dared to make another appearance in the martial world.


    Luo Feng asked, "Brother Gu, what do you n to do?"


    Gu Chen made a resolute decision, coldly saying, "Of course, we must eradicate all these strongholds without leaving a single one!"


    Upon hearing this, Luo Feng''s brows furrowed slightly as he said, "Brother Gu, I don''t mean to dissuade you, but the Blood Robe Tower hasin dormant for many years, their strength is definitely not just what they show on the surface. Our Red Dust Tower has been their adversary for generations, so we know a bit about them.


    Among these strongholds, there might be hidden traps or assassins from the ck List."


    "No matter." Gu Chen''s expression was calm, his tone light and breezy, as if he was not nning to annihte the infamous Blood Robe Tower''s strongholds but rather going for a casual outing.


    After all, even before breaking through, facing two inner Gangqi martial artists from the Red me Demon Sect and two monstrous demons, Gu Chen had dared to fight. Let alone now.


    You must know that Gu Chen now possessed two Superior Martial Skills, with external strength reaching an additional 500,000 pounds and profound cultivation of 580 years. Even if he encountered outer Gangqi martial artists, as long as they had not cultivated extraordinary Gangqi, Gu Chen would dare to battle them, not to mention he also had the right tomand the armies of Qiongtian Mansion.


    With so many favorable conditions, what had Gu Chen to fear?


    However, what worried Luo Feng was not whether Gu Chen could ovee the challenge, but the aftermath of wiping out these strongholds.


    Luo Feng spoke gravely, "Brother Gu, I have brought you the news, but you must think it through carefully. With the formidable power of the Blood Robe Tower, if you eradicate all their strongholds in Qiongtian Mansion, they will surely intensify their retaliation against you."


    Luo Feng''s concerns were not without reason. After all, though Gu Chen was powerful, he was but one man; it was impossible for the Jing Tian Department''s experts to always be by his side.


    However, it was different for the Blood Robe Tower¡ªone of the three notorious and wicked factions. Should they decide to target Gu Chen and were willing to pay the price, killing him wouldn''t be all too difficult for them.


    After all, Gu Chen''s current strength was not yet enough to dominate the world. Compared to the top forces of the nine provinces, he was still somewhat inexperienced.


    Blood Robe Tower''s assassination attempt on Gu Chen wasn''t a concern of what he might do to them. What they were considering was whether the subsequent pursuit from the Jing Tian Department and the price to be paid for assassinating Gu Chen were worth it.


    If Gu Chen eradicated all thirteen of Blood Robe Tower''s strongholds in Qiongtian Mansion this time, it''s quite possible that the Blood Robe Tower would go mad.


    For establishing a stronghold is no easy task, especially since the Jing Tian Department''s intelligencework spread across the world. It had taken the Blood Robe Tower a very long time, measured in years, to establish as many bases as they had in Qiongtian Mansion.


    The destruction of years of careful operations would leave Blood Robe Tower blind in Qiongtian Mansion without intelligence and reinforcements¡ªa consequence that would certainly drive them to desperate measures.


    At the very least, a Gang Qi Stage master woulde to assassinate Gu Chen. Moreover, Blood Robe Tower might even bypass the Gang Qi Stage and directly send a True Master.


    A True Master is the venerable title for Returning to True Stage martial artists. In the nine provinces, a Vajra Stage expert could be called a first-ss master, while a Gang Qi Stage master stood among the top experts.


    But once one transcended the Gang Qi Stage and reached the Returning to True Stage, they would be regarded as surpassing the group of top experts and would be honored by countless martial artists as True Masters.


    Such a powerful being would pose a challenge even for themanders of the Jing Tian Department. Chen Yu might not necessarily be their match, let alone Gu Chen, who was only at the Vajra Stage.


    Even within the top forces, a Returning to True Stage expert would be significant enough to be part of the core decision-making.


    Prior to this, although the Blood Robe Tower had been sending assassins after Gu Chen, he had never given them much thought nor had they sent their top assassins.


    However, should Gu Chen dare to eliminate all of Blood Robe Tower''s strongholds in Qiongtian Mansion, he would undoubtedly provoke them, potentially cornering them into a frantic response.


    Unless Gu Chen remained in the city of Qiongtian Mansion and never left, Blood Robe Tower would certainly retaliate fiercely against him.


    Gu Chen, however, was indifferent. In a casual tone, he said, "Let theme then!"


    In Gu Chen''s view, since the Blood Robe Tower dared to assassinate him, it was already a fight to the death between them. Sooner orter, when his strength was sufficient, he would eradicate Blood Robe Tower himself.


    For now, he was merely collecting some interest. If Blood Robe Tower dared toe, he wouldn''t mind killing them one by one.


    Moreover, after eradicating their strongholds in Qiongtian Mansion, Blood Robe Tower would be blind there, making it much harder to track his movements.


    By the time they managed to reestablish their intelligencework in Qiongtian Mansion or obtain his whereabouts, Gu Chen''s strength might have already reached the Gang Qi Stage.


    At that point, those sent by Blood Robe Tower would only be delivering themselves to him.


    Unless Blood Robe Tower was willing to directly dispatch a martial arts grandmaster to assassinate Gu Chen. However, if they did so, after killing Gu Chen, that grandmaster would definitely not be able to return alive. Blood Robe Tower might not be able to ept such a cost.


    Every grandmaster-level individual is extremely valuable to any faction, even one like Blood Robe Tower, whose leader is likely at the grandmaster stage.


    Getting Blood Robe Tower''s leader to personally assassinate Gu Chen? That was clearly impossible!


    Seeing Gu Chen''s unwavering resolve, Luo Feng chose not to continue advising him. Though they hadn''t known each other for long, Luo Feng hade to understand some of Gu Chen''s character: when Gu Chen made up his mind, nothing anyone else said could sway him.


    What''s more, given Gu Chen''s conduct, he didn''t seem like someone who would act without certainty, so Luo Feng shifted the conversation, "Brother Gu, do you know why Blood Robe Tower is so persistently targeting you?"


    At these words, Gu Chen suddenly frowned. "Isn''t it because I killed their ck List assassin?"


    Luo Feng shook his head, "But what was the reason for their initial attempts to assassinate you? Have you ever thought about that, Brother Gu?"


    Hearing this, Gu Chen''s eyes sharpened as he looked at Luo Feng, "Do you know?"


    Luo Feng said, "This time, whilemunicating with our headquarters, I also found some information. Someone has ced a bounty on you at Blood Robe Tower, which is why they are sending assassins."


    Gu Chen nodded. He had contemted this possibility before¡ªthat it might be not only for Blood Robe Tower''s enmity towards the Jing Tian Department.


    Now, he learned the answer from Luo Feng: someone had indeed ced a bounty on him at Blood Robe Tower.


    Luo Feng continued, "Brother Gu, you truly have many enemies. Do you know that there are two individuals who have ced bounties on you at Blood Robe Tower? And the amounts are not small either."


    Upon hearing this, Gu Chen''s eyes narrowed, and in a deep voice, he asked, "Who is it?"


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 185 Red Flame Demon Sect_1

    The Qingfeng Faction was a second-tier sect within Linyang County of Qiongtian Mansion, renowned within the county. Its sect master possessed a cultivation of the great circle of the Gang Qi Stage, and the gate of their mountain was located in a scenic area of Linyang County with clear mountains and beautiful waters.


    At this moment, at the gate of the Qingfeng Faction''s mountain, stood a figure in ck. He had sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes, handsome features, a tall stature, loose ck hair, and skin as translucent as jade.


    Leaning against the mountains and waters, the Qingfeng Faction was located beside a towering and exquisite peak. It was now early morning, and there was a light mist encircling the lush green mountain. Besides, there was a waterfall, with water droplets creating a light spray of mist as they fell, contributing to the verdant and beautifulndscape.


    Alongside the mountain, the water murmured as it flowed, surrounded by flowers blooming like a vibrant tapestry, which added much vitality and spirit to this picturesque ce.


    It must be said, the Qingfeng Faction truly knew how to choose a location. The scenery here was extremely pleasant, and establishing the sect gate here meant the daily view of the mountains and waters would surely make one''s mood utterly different.


    However, what seemed like a prosperous Qingfeng Faction was, in reality, a branch of the Red me Demon Sect. Gu Chen was very clear about this fact: here, several demon sect martial artists were lurking, who from time to time woulde down from the mountain to hunt for blood food, providing it to ghouls for absorption.


    Although their actions were extremely covert, and they mainly killed loose cultivators and mountain vigers, they were still discovered by the intelligence officers of the Jing Tian Department and reported.


    Upon learning this, Chen Yu from the Jing Tian Department in Tiandu promptly assigned the task to Gu Chen, who was stationed in Qiongtian Mansion, to deal with the situation.


    The Jing Tian Department was naturally aware of the reputation that Gu Chen had made for himself in the martial world recently, and Chen Yu believed that with Gu Chen, plus the armies of Qiongtian City, eliminating the Qingfeng Faction would not take much effort.


    But at this moment, Gu Chen came here alone, without leading the armies of Qiongtian City.


    This was because he was in urgent need of points to break through, and he did not want to bring others along. In case any ghouls were killed by someone else, it would be a great loss for Gu Chen.


    Now, even a single point was something Gu Chen did not wish to miss out on. One could say that, in order to reach the limit of his physical body and to break through to the Gang Qi Stage, Gu Chen had tried every possible method.


    Of course, the reason why Gu Chen dared toe here alone was also due to his absolute confidence in his own strength. In recent times, he had already sent people to investigate the surroundings and found no other demon sect forces lurking.


    Moreover, the number one assassin of the ck List from the Blood Shadow Sword had sustained heavy injuries and would note to assassinate Gu Chen again so soon.


    And after some time, Gu Chen became even morepatible with the Blood Shadow Sword. Even if he faced a powerhouse like that assassin again, even if he could not win, Gu Chen would still be able to escape.


    Thest time in Qiongtian City, Gu Chen did not flee mainly because there were countless citizens around him. If he had fled, the assassin would have gone on a killing spree in the city.


    At this moment, in front of the Qingfeng Faction''s mountain gate, stood two martial artists. Seeing Gu Chen approaching with a formidable presence, they both reached out an arm and shouted in unison, "Halt!"


    Since he already knew the Qingfeng Faction was the Red me Demon Sect''s base, and that its disciples were demon sect fiends, Gu Chen naturally had no hesitation. With a light flick of his finger, a gust of wind shot out, shattering the que at the mountain gate that bore the three characters "Qingfeng Faction."


    The two martial artists guarding the gate changed their expressions immediately and shouted, "Who are you, looking for death?!"


    While the Qingfeng Faction was only a second-tier sect, it had a considerable reputation in Linyang County and was home to a martial artist at the great circle of the Gang Qi Stage within its ranks. Few in Linyang County dared to provoke them.


    Witnessing this scene, many surrounding martial artists were shocked. Someone with sharp eyes, recognizing Gu Chen''s appearance and figure, thought deeply for a moment and then shouted, "It''s Lord Gu, Gu Chen from the Jing Tian Department!"


    The two martial artists guarding the gate of the Qingfeng Faction, who were in fact from the demon sect, had also heard of Gu Chen''s recent fame and their expressions changed instantly upon hearing this.


    They were just about to say something when they saw Gu Chen simply wave his sleeve. In an instant, a gust of wind hit them, and the bodies of the two demon sect martial artists exploded into a shower of blood.


    "Hiss!"


    Seeing Gu Chen''s ruthless moves, the nearby martial artists were all startled and quickly retreated a great distance.


    After killing the two demon sect martial artists, Gu Chen acted as if he had done something trivial. His expression calm, he looked toward the gate of the Qingfeng Faction.


    There was a staircase paved with bluestone in front of the gate, resembling a long dragon lying there, stretching far upwards to the mountain top.


    Gu Chen stepped forward, ascending the stairs. His demeanor was calm, not showing the slightest intent to kill.


    It was as if he had note here to kill, but instead to enjoy the mountains and waters.


    Along the way, Gu Chen encountered quite a few demon sect martial artists. Seeing Gu Chen, their expressions darkened, puzzled by how he had managed to make his way up.


    Gu Chen did not speak. Each time, with a wave of his sleeve, the bodies of these demon sect martial artists would burst open.


    After killing several groups of demon sect martial artists, Gu Chen shook his head slightly; none of these people had fused with ghouls, and naturally, killing them did not grant Gu Chen even the slightest amount of points.


    Nevertheless, Gu Chen also marveled inwardly at the demon sect''s ability to hide. The Qingfeng Faction had been established here for at least a hundred years, and yet no one had ever discovered that it was a branch of the demon sect.


    One might foresee that with the Six Union God Sect hidden for more than three hundred years, there could be many more ces like Qingfeng Faction in the world, and even within the top forces, one could not be sure whether there were warriors from the Six Union God Sect or its subordinate powers hidden among them.


    The mere spread of this power was enough to send chills down one''s spine.


    "A centipede dies but never falls," refers precisely to the Six Union God Sect.


    At this time, because Gu Chen had killed quite a few people along the way, the higher-ups of the Qingfeng Faction became aware of him. Not far away, more than a dozen figures appeared, rushing towards Gu Chen.


    "Who has a death wish, daring to cause trouble at our Qingfeng Faction?!" one of them shouted. They were fast, nearly all at the Vajra Stage, and a few even possessed the cultivation of the Gang Qi Stage.


    However, when they saw Gu Chen, their expressions changed. As martial artists of the demon sect, they clearly knew Gu Chen''s face.


    After all, not long ago, Gu Chen had killed one of their hall masters, Zhao Xingxuan, in the Chilong mountain range.


    "Lord Gu, why are you here? Could there be some misunderstanding?" Seeing Gu Chen''s ruthless actions, one of the old men, ate-stager of the Gang Qi Stage, felt a chill, but still clung to some slim hope and pretended to be puzzled as he looked at Gu Chen.


    At his words, Gu Chen simply stated three words lightly, "Red Demon Hall?"


    Hearing these three words, the dozen or so demon sect martial artists'' expressions changed instantly, no longer harboring any hope. They decisively attacked Gu Chen, and in just an instant, over a dozen assaults approached Gu Chen''s vicinity.


    Gu Chen''s expression remained unchanged, his ck eyes tranquil and profound, as still as a pool of stagnant water, intimidating to behold.


    ```


    At that moment, seeing the attack approaching, Gu Chen extended his five fingers, pure white as jade, and pressed forward.


    Boom!


    With such a seemingly effortless palm strike, the air in front of Gu Chen instantly exploded, and to the several demon sect warriors observing, Gu Chen''s five fingers seemed like five pirs supporting the heavens, instilling in them a profound fear from the depths of their souls.


    "Pfff!"


    In just an instant, the demon sect warriors spat out blood and were sent flying.


    Among them, those at the Vajra Stage were pped to death by Gu Chen''s palm, while only a few at the Gang Qi Stage survived, though they too sustained serious injuries and fell to the ground, unable to rise.


    "Who dares to act so recklessly in my Qingfeng Faction!"


    A loud shout came from the deepest part of the Qingfeng Faction''s gates, followed by the sight of a figure rushing out. This person had a highly concentrated aura and was the sect leader of the Qingfeng Faction, a warrior with aplete mastery of the Gang Qi Stage.


    This man, with his white hair and robe, sunken cheeks, and gloomy eyes, was clearly not a kind-hearted individual.


    "Gu Chen?!"


    Upon seeing Gu Chen, the sect leader of the Qingfeng Faction was immediately startled and blurted out, "How can you be here?"


    The news of Gu Chen''s assassination had somehow spread, and everyone thought he should be recuperating in Qiongtian City at this time. Unexpectedly, in just a few days, Gu Chen appeared here.


    "Demon scum, die!"


    Gu Chen''s expression was cold as he raised his hand and struck, sending out a dazzling dragon-shaped st of energy.


    Seeing this, the Qingfeng Faction''s sect leader turned pale with shock, hurriedly extending both hands to shield his chest while his internal Gangqi surged, forming a protective barrier around him.


    Bang!


    The dragon-shaped st of energy from Gu Chen hit the Gangqi barrier conjured by the Qingfeng Faction''s sect leader, causing the old man to shake violently as pain surged through his body.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    At this moment, as he looked at Gu Chen, his eyes were full of shock. One strike, just one strike had almost injured him?


    He was a master at the grandpletion of the Gang Qi Stage!


    Even if he was aged and had declined in strength, it should not havee to this.


    Not long ago, at Chilong Mountain Range, Gu Chen had relied on a divine weapon to kill Zhao Xingxuan. How had Gu Chen''s strength be so formidable in less than half a month''s time?


    Moreover, a few days ago in Qiongtian City, Gu Chen had been attacked and was supposed to be seriously injured. How could he still possess such power?


    He didn''t know that Gu Chen''s injuries had already healed.


    Seeing his attack blocked by the opponent, Gu Chen remained unfazed. He stood firmly, rooted to the spot, his arms swinging and in the blink of an eye, more than a dozen dragon-shaped sts of energy surged out, bombarding the Qingfeng Faction''s sect leader.


    "Ha!"


    The Qingfeng Faction''s sect leader, with eyes wide open, used a superior martial art of his faction. His Gangqi converged into a giant palm strike, countering the multiple dragon-shaped sts of energy from Gu Chen.


    But at that moment, Gu Chen, who had been standing still, shed forward, closing the distance with the Qingfeng Faction''s sect leader. At close range, he threw a fierce punch, and the air instantly emitted a boom as a tumultuous wave of energy burst in all directions.


    "Ah¡ª"


    The Qingfeng Faction''s sect leader, seeing Gu Chen''s aggressive approach, roared loudly, extending his palms to strike Gu Chen.


    Bang!


    Upon collision, Gu Chen remained in ce, while the Qingfeng Faction''s sect leader was forced to stumble back several meters.


    "Die!"


    The Qingfeng Faction''s sect leader, now truly enraged, couldn''t believe he was being bested by someone as young as Gu Chen and charged forward aggressively.


    Gu Chen, naturally, did not show any sign of weakness. A fierce battle between the two unfolded, and they exchanged over a dozen moves in an instant.


    With Gu Chen''s current strength, he could contend with a master at the grandpletion of the Gang Qi Stage, but to kill such an opponent would still require some effort.


    Therefore, Gu Chen did not want to waste time and used his full power from the start!


    With a thunderous boom, Gu Chen unleashed the Great Vajra Divine Strength, instantly embodying the Vajra Buddha''s might. With one blow, he sent the Qingfeng Faction''s sect leader flying, who then coughed up blood incessantly.


    The surrounding demon sect warriors watching this scene turned pale with fear.


    Ao!


    The sound of a dragon''s chant echoed, and the Golden Dragon Illusion manifested, coiling around Gu Chen. Heshed out with a fierce punch, and the Golden Dragon Illusion surged forward.


    "Wei Jiang, save me!"


    Upon witnessing this scene, the Qingfeng Faction''s sect leader cried out in rm.


    "Wei Jiang?" Stay tuned to empire


    Hearing this familiar name, Gu Chen''s brows lifted sharply.


    ```

 Chapter 186 Killing Wei Jiang (Three more ten-thousand-word chapters, please subscribe!)_1

    At this moment, from the depths of the Qingfeng Faction''s gate, a long howl resounded, followed by billowing dark and cold ck mist appearing and rushing toward Gu Chen.


    Seeing this, Gu Chen''s expression remained indifferent. The internal energy within him, reaching as high as six hundred years, suddenly surged, and ayer of scorching me waves erupted from the pores all over his body, incinerating any ck mist that tried to approach and invade him into nothingness.


    Whoosh!


    A shadowy figure d in ck suddenly appeared in front of Gu Chen, violently mming a palm toward him.


    Gu Chen, unfazed, countered with offense, throwing a punch. With a loud ''bang,'' the figure trembled and staggered backward.


    The person before him was none other than Wei Jiang, who had fled in disgrace from Xu''an County after being defeated by Chen Yu.


    "It seems you are the hall master of the Red me Demon Sect''s Red Demon Hall," Gu Chen said to Wei Jiang with a hint of indifference.


    Wei Jiang frowned; he had not expected that Gu Chen, who had seemed no more than an ant before him just a few months ago, now actually had the capacity to spar with him.


    Moreover, from that single strike just now, Wei Jiang had felt the surging internal energy from Gu Chen''s body, along with that terrifying force.


    Such a talent was truly demonic, the speed of cultivation improvement too swift, startling Wei Jiang. Even by devouring the flesh of demons and ghosts to increase his power, he could not match the rapid progression of Gu Chen.


    No wonder the Red me Demon Sect was so intent on killing Gu Chen.


    Wei Jiang''s gaze swept over and immediately fixed on the Divine Weapon Blood Shadow Sword hanging at Gu Chen''s waist, his eyes filling with intense wariness.


    But verbally, Wei Jiang refused to submit. He looked at Gu Chen and said coldly, "Youngster, have youe here seeking death?"


    Upon hearing these words, Gu Chenughed and responded, "What gives you the confidence to talk to me like that?"


    Hearing Gu Chen''s words, Wei Jiang let out a cold snort and said, "Arrogant! Today, this will be your burial ground. Killing you will surely pain Chen Yu''s heart!"


    At once, waves of ck mist surged forward, and one fierce gaze after another targeted Gu Chen¡ªeach belonging to a demon or ghost.


    Seeing this, Gu Chen''s expression brightened with excitement; this was exactly what he had been waiting for!


    At that moment, Wei Jiang let out a roaring shout, and his body too began to emanate bursts of ck qi. After his battle with Chen Yu in Xu''an County, he recognized his shorings and, upon returning here, had searched everywhere for blood offerings to feed the demons within him.


    At this moment, the malevolent level demon inside him was only a step away from advancing to the middle phase of the malevolent level, and once that happened, he too would be nourished in return, and would directly advance to be a Returning to True Stage entity!


    Wei Jiang, who had long reached the great culmination of the Gang Qi Stage, after many years, finally saw a glimpse of hope for breaking through to the Returning to True Stage.


    As long as he devoured Gu Chen''s flesh and blood, he would certainly break through today, refine the gangqi into truth, and be a true immortal!


    At this point, Gu Chen, in the eyes of Wei Jiang, was the most sumptuous meal.


    It was for this reason that Wei Jiang did not fear Gu Chen.


    Inside him, the malevolent level demon roared, and countless streams of ck qi surged toward Gu Chen like wild snakes.


    Simultaneously, within the nearby ck mist, a malevolent level demon apanied by several ghostly level demons rushed toward Gu Chen.


    Moreover, the fighters of the demon sect, led by the Qingfeng Faction''s leader, all charged toward him together, nning to besiege Gu Chen.


    Seeing the numerous fighters of the demon sect bearing down on him powerfully, Gu Chen remainedposed and calmly shouted, "Blood Shadow!"


    With a whooshing sound, the Blood Shadow Sword hanging at Gu Chen''s waist unsheathed itself and flew in front of him, where he grasped it with his hand.


    "Fine, then let them all witness the power of a divine weapon!"


    Gu Chen''s eyes turned cold. Holding the Blood Shadow Sword, he swung it fiercely, and immediately, a sharp sword qi shot forth from the de, its keen edge enveloping heaven and earth.


    This single sword stroke drained nearly one-third of Gu Chen''s internal energy!


    The divine weapon''s power was terrifying, but the consumption was equally so. This was why Gu Chen was reluctant to use the divine weapon lightly.


    If he couldn''t kill his enemy within a few moves, then the one to die would be Gu Chen.


    Read exclusive adventures at empire


    As he swung out this sword qi, even the void seemed to be cleaved open, rippling inyers. Feeling this sharp qi, Wei Jiang and the others immediately changed their expressions, with some fighters even sensing a deadly threat.


    Sss!


    The dreadful sword qi seemed capable of splitting heaven and earth, and with but a single stroke, swathes of fighters copsed like mowed wheat, their blood spattering all over and flowing continuously, turning the ground red with a nose-stinging smell of blood.


    "Ahhh!"


    The ghostly level demons also let out a tragic cry and were shattered by the sword qi.


    As for the malevolent level demon, although it was affected by the sword qi, it did not perish immediately, its shattered body slowly regenerating.


    "Great Red Demon Saber!"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    At that moment, Wei Jiang, who had evaded that previous attack from a distance, let out an angry shout and once again executed the Superior Martial Skill of the Red me Demon Sect.


    The long saber, wreathed in pitch-ck demon mes, appeared above Gu Chen''s head and cleaved down toward him from the sky.


    Hum!


    At that moment, Gu Chen''s body shone with golden light as he activated the Golden Bell Shield''s dragon and tiger roar, and the protective golden bell emerged on the surface of his body, blocking Wei Jiang''s Great Red Demon Saber attack.


    Along with the evolution of the malevolent level demon inside him, Wei Jiang''s strength had also improved significantlypared to when he faced Chen Yu in Xu''an County.


    Now, he was not far off from Wu Jian, the number one assassin of the ck List from Blood Shadow Building who had once attempted to assassinate Gu Chen in Qiongtian City!


    It''s no wonder that Wei Jiang was so confident, believing that even though Gu Chen wielded the Divine Weapon Blood Shadow Sword, he still dared to engage inbat.

 Chapter 188 Transforming Gangqi_1

    ```


    Gu Chen looked at the merit points value on the panel, and with a thought, eighty merit points disappeared from the panel, transformed into eighty years'' worth of inner breath cultivation, which materialized within his body.


    Whoosh!


    Suddenly, the eighty years of inner breath cultivation surged through the meridians inside Gu Chen''s body, making a sound like a tidal wave crashing.


    At this moment, Gu Chen''s power had increased to a total of six hundred and eighty years.


    Given Gu Chen''s physique that had reached the Vajra Stage, he could easily handle the instant transformation of eighty years of inner breath. If the meridians in his body were once like a stream, they now resembled a vast ocean, expanded who knew how many times over.


    To break through from the Vajra Stage to the Gang Qi Stage, the most crucial step is to transform all the inner breath within the body into Gangqi.


    But for Gu Chen, this was an extremely difficult task.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    The reason being, his inner breath was far more abundant than others of the same realm.


    As such, condensing his entire power into Gangqi was akin to a massive project.


    Ordinarily speaking, it would take at least one or two years topletely transform the inner breath into Gangqi.


    The quality of Gangqi far surpasses inner breath, and that is why those at the Gang Qi Stage are considered among the top masters in Jiuzhou.


    Were it not for Gu Chen having perfected Superior Martial Skills, and his physique and power far exceeding his peers, also having broken the limit in the Tongmai Stage and opened up eighty-one meridians in his body, it was precisely because he met so many prerequisites that Gu Chen could confront and even y the top masters at the Gang Qi Stage while still at the Vajra Stage.


    Other martial artists, even the prodigies from top forces, simply couldn''t achieve what Gu Chen had.


    Due to the extraordinary nature of the Gang Qi Stage, it showed just how difficult it was to transform inner breath into Gangqi.


    Not to mention Gu Chen''s six hundred years of inner breath.


    Of course, the more abundant the inner breath, the more powerful and profound the Gangqi bes after transformation.


    Given Gu Chen''s current situation, even if he were to return to the Jing Tian Department and exchange his merits for various heaven and earth treasures, it would still take at least two years topletely convert all his power.


    Gu Chen frowned slightly. It had been just over a year since he started his cultivation journey, and the idea of spending two years refining his inner breath was something he found difficult to ept.


    Immediately after, Gu Chen turned towards the panel. He wanted to know whether his current power level had reached the Great Perfection of the Vajra Stage.


    Name: Gu Chen


    Martial Skills: Vajra Indestructible Divine Skill (Entry-Level), Burning Vein Finger (Perfected, can be deduced), Phantom Traceless Step (Perfected), Light Shadow Sword Skill (Entry-Level), Condensing Pulse Sword Wave (Perfected, can be deduced)


    Inner Cultivation Technique: Pure Yang Wuji Gong


    Cultivation: Six hundred and eighty years (Convertible)


    Realm: Vajra Stage Great Perfection


    Merit Point Value: 20


    Upon examining the panel, Gu Chen suddenly noticed that next to his cultivation, there was a new phrase "convertible".


    Gu Chen''s eyebrows shot up, and a guess began to form in his mind.


    Then, discarding the many distractions in his heart, he focused his mind and inwardly chanted, "Convert!"


    Whoosh¡ª¡ª


    The next moment, the six hundred and eighty years of inner breath within Gu Chen''s body began to flow slowly. Without any maniption from others, it automatically started circting through his meridians.


    Gu Chen could feel that as the inner breath constantly circted in his meridians, his power became purer and purer. However, the total amount was getting smaller and smaller.


    This was because, as the panel continued to refine, any "impurities" in the inner breath were being removed, leaving only the "essence" behind.


    This was why the quality of Gangqi could far surpass that of inner breath.


    With the panel''s aid, the speed at which Gu Chen''s inner breath was being purified was incredibly fast, sweeping through like a whirlwind. In just a few days, Gu Chen would be able topletely convert all his inner breath into Gangqi.


    At that time, his cultivation would officially step into the top ranks of Jiuzhou. With enough merits and passing the assessment, Gu Chen could be promoted to a Commander in the Jing Tian Department.


    And Gu Chen would surpass Chen Yu, setting a new record within the Jing Tian Department.


    ...


    Tiandu.


    At this moment, inside one of the pces of the imperial city, the Crown Prince was discussing state affairs with the ministers. King Huai was sitting on the side, listening with his eyes downcast.


    He would also chime in to supplement any points if there were inadequacies.


    Suddenly, the Minister of the War Department stepped forward and said to the Crown Prince with hands sped, "Your Highness, I have something to report."


    The Crown Prince smiled warmly, looking at the Minister of the War Department, Chen Yuanli, and said, "Please speak, my beloved official."


    Chen Yuanli spoke gravely, "Your Highness, I''ve received news that there have been some disturbances at the border recently. It is said that Da Yuan has been amassing troops on arge scale and frequently drilling them. Several times, their troops have passed by our Da Xia borders, performing various provocative acts, almost leading to conflicts on several asions."


    The Crown Prince''s face darkened upon hearing this, "Has such a thing urred?"


    Even King Huai, who had been attentively listening, cast his gaze upon hearing this.


    In Jiuzhou, Da Xia was not the only country. It was just that Da Xia was located in the Central ins, with a prime location, being the orthodoxy of Jiuzhou.


    Yet, apart from Da Xia, there''s another country in Jiuzhou called "Yuan".


    Da Yuan Country was powerful and hardly weaker than Da Xia, distinguished for its cavalry. It was said that their children could ride horses at the age of three, start body strengthening exercises at five, and at eight years old, they would fight against young beasts, creating a fierce and martial culture.


    ```

 Chapter 190 Aftermath_1

    ```


    Time unknowable passed, and the world fell into silence, as if but a moment and yet perhaps several hours had gone by.


    In the imperial pce, people opened their eyes and instinctively looked up at the sky.


    At this moment, the vault of heaven was bathed in bright sunlight, the sky was clear, as if all that had transpired was merely an illusion.


    "Where is Father... Where is the emperor?" the crown prince murmured softly, looking bewildered.


    King Huai''s face was expressionless, betraying no emotion.


    Mr. Gongsun, along with numerous ministers and nobles, were all scanning the surroundings, searching for the figure of the Emperor of Da Xia.


    At that time, King Huai slightly turned his head, looking toward Mr. Gongsun.


    His intent was to inquire whether Mr. Gongsun could sense the emperor''s qi.


    Having associated with King Huai for many years, Mr. Gongsun naturally understood his intent and slightly shook his head, indicating that he could not sense it.


    In fact, even Mr. Gongsun himself was extremely curious; did the emperor seed in his celestial breakthrough?


    Seeing this, King Huai, still expressionless, nodded slightly.


    At this moment, the crown prince''s eyes were frantic as he looked at King Huai and said, "Uncle, my father... "


    The rest of the ministers and nobles, as if they had found their support, shifted their gazes and turned to look toward King Huai.


    King Huai furrowed his brows slightly. After pondering for a while, he said, "We''ll know once we go see."


    Immediately after, everyone hastily nodded and rushed toward the back mountain of the imperial pce.


    At that moment, not only the citizens of Tiandu but also people from other ces, as well as the martial artists from jianghu, all looked confused. Just moments ago, thunder and lightning were rampant, so howe suddenly the sky had cleared? Was everything that just happened an illusion?


    Even some martial artists were not sure and even some great masters of martial arts felt the same way, finding the recent events iprehensible, their expressions tinged with oblivion.


    Only the great grandmasters of martial arts who had reached the Innate Realm and had attracted the qi of heaven and earth into their bodies could know that everything that had just happened was indeed real.


    The kind of qi that surged forth with the emperor''s birth, the sensation that the heavens and earth were moving in rhythm, left them profoundly shaken, a feeling hard to forget for a long time.


    It was only these grandmasters of the Innate Realm who could appreciate from the recent imposing manner just how fearsome the emperor''s strength was.


    The moment that had just passed would be engraved in their memories for a lifetime.


    In their lives, witnessing a supreme martial figure attempting to breach the celestial realm was already worth it.


    Indeed, many grandmasters, after witnessing the showdown between the emperor and the tribtion, were inspired by the qi of heaven and earth and chose to immediately enter seclusion.


    Meanwhile, the people of the imperial pce hurried toward the back mountain of the pce.


    None of them knew where the emperor had gone, whether he had seeded or failed.


    If he seeded, all was well, but if he failed... the consequences were unimaginable!


    After all, the scene of the emperor''s emergence from seclusion was witnessed by people all over the world. If the emperor truly met with any mishap while breaking through to the celestial realm, the whole of Da Xia would inevitably be plunged into turmoil.


    At the top of the Star Gazing tform atop the Bagua Building of Qintian Monitor within Tiandu''s inner city, the white-haired and bearded Tower Supervisor, one of the few who knew what had just happened, stared at the sky for several breaths after the emperor''s disappearance before closing his eyes once again.


    At this moment, the crown prince, King Huai, and the multitude of ministers had also arrived at the back mountain of the imperial pce. Witnessing the true scene before them, everyone''s pupils shrank, and deep within their eyes, a profound shock surged.


    The back mountain of the imperial pce spanned an infinite range of high mountains, intertwined and lofty. Twenty-three years ago, the Emperor had chosen this ce for his seclusion.


    Whenbating the tribtion lightning, the Emperor had ascended from the back mountain; now, one could see the aftermath, a vast wastnd created in its wake.


    At a nce, countless mountain peaks were ttened, and many entire mountains simply vanished, leaving behind scorched earth.


    After the event, Da Xia sent people to tally the damage and the conclusion was that the back mountain of the imperial pce, within a five-hundred-mile radius, had all turned to boundless scorched earth, a devastated sight to behold.


    Across the entirend, marks of singed earth were everywhere. Within a five-hundred-mile radius, there was not a single spot left intact. Under the terror of that tribtion lightning, everything turned to ashes, leaving a scene of utter ruin.


    No life or objects could survive or remain in this ce, and the ground itself had sunk countless fathoms due to the event, changing the terrain of the mountains forever.


    The residual force of the tribtion lightning had prated deep into the earth, and it would be many years before this ce could once again give birth to a hint of life.


    And this was only the aftermath of a fraction of the tribtion''s power; one could hardly imagine how much pressure the Emperor, at the center of the tribtion, had to endure.


    Even now, the area still emitted a terrifying heat, with ck smoke rising from the earth and arcs of electricity jumping intermittently.


    Luckily, amongst those in attendance was an Innate Realm grandmaster, Mr. Gongsun, who, under King Huai''smand, quietly protected everyone.


    Of course, he also led the group to avoid the worst-affected areas, for the residual power of the tribtion there was too intense; even an Innate Realm grandmaster wouldn''t dare to touch it lightly for a short period.


    Even for Mr. Gongsun, a grandmaster of the Innate Realm, facing such a catastrophic tribtion lightning that could end the world, he might not be able to withstand a single spark of it.


    At this thought, Mr. Gongsun felt all the more acutely that the gap between him and the Emperor was beyond measure. To say their difference was like that between heaven and earth would be an understatement; there was simply no basis forparison.


    "Split up and look around. Report back immediately if you find any clues," King Huai ordered.


    ```


    "Yes!"


    Suddenly, a group of guards epted their orders and dispersed in all directions to look for clues. Under Mr. Gongsun''s guidance, of course, they also avoided those ces they were not supposed to go to.


    "Royal Uncle, Father, my father¡ª," at this moment, even the palms of the Crown Prince''s hands were trembling. He forced himself to remain calm, looking at King Huai.


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    In that instant, the gaze of King Huai turned sharp. He locked eyes with the Crown Prince, speaking firmly, "Your Highness, you are Da Xia''s chosen heir. How can you be so unsettled? Even if the sky were to fall, the mountains to crumble before you, you must remainposed. Otherwise, if even you, destined to be the Emperor, be flustered, what would be of the subjects under yourmand?"


    The gaze of King Huai was so piercing that the Crown Prince almost didn''t dare to meet his eyes, subconsciously wanting to lower his head.


    But then, King Huai sharply rebuked him, "Your Highness, until when do you n to avoid the problem?!"


    At these words, the Crown Prince''s body jolted. Then, King Huai continued, "Remember, you are Da Xia''s chosen heir. In the future, you will be Da Xia''s human Emperor, ruling countless miles of Da Xia''s rivers and mountains, with innumerable subjects depending on you. If the Emperor is here, of course, all is well, but if not, then you must shoulder the entire Da Xia."


    Silently, the Crown Prince clenched his fists. After a long while, he raised his head, a look of determination on his face, and said to King Huai, "Thank you, Royal Uncle, I understand now!"


    Seeing that the Crown Prince truly took the words to heart, King Huai nodded slightly.


    Suddenly, a guard called out in rm, "Your Highness, my Lord, over here¡ªthis... this ce!"


    At those words, the Crown Prince''s expression changed, and he immediately rushed over with King Huai and the others.


    When the Crown Prince and King Huai, along with others, arrived, they saw at first nce, scattered on the ground, a clump of ck ashes. Apart from that, there was nothing else.


    In a low voice, a guard said, "Your Highness, my Lord, we only found these. We did not see the Emperor..."


    Boom!


    Upon hearing this, the Crown Prince almost staggered on the spot; hisplexion turned instantly pale,pletely devoid of any color.


    Those words, for him, were akin to a bolt from the blue, even more so!


    Many ministers and the nobility shook at these words, theirplexions turning deathly pale in an instant.


    Several elderly officials, loyal to the Emperor, went weak in the knees, nearly copsing on the spot; fortunately, they were quickly supported by the alert guards nearby.


    At this moment, King Huai cast a sharp gaze around the room. Gone was his usual gentleness, as he coldly stated, "Everyone here is a pir of Da Xia. You all understand what this signifies. I won''t say much else. If anyone leaks today''s events, it will warrant the extermination of their entire family, with no one spared!"


    Thest three words, even though King Huai had no martial prowess and was merely an ordinary man, struck a frigid chill into all the ministers, nobles, and guards present, as though a terrifying cold was emerging from the depths of their beings; their backs instantly covered in dense cold sweat.


    "Did everyone hear that?" King Huai scanned the crowd, asking in a deep voice.


    "Yes!" they all hurriedly responded, including the guards, without exception.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    At this, the Crown Prince also came to his senses, remembering King Huai''s earlier words to him. He forcibly suppressed the turmoil in his heart and addressed the crowd, "What the Royal Uncle just said is correct. Today''s matter must not be leaked by anyone. For the time being, my dear ministers will need to remain within the pce, and we will discuss state affairs together throughout the night."


    "As youmand."


    Though they spoke of discussing state affairs, in reality, this amounted to a veiled house arrest. But everyone present, being in high positions, clearly understood what the disappearance of the Emperor implied, and they could only agree to it.


    Moreover, they were well aware that anyone daring not toply might not live to see even tonight''s moon, risking implicating their entire families as well.


    Seeing that no one raised any objections, the Crown Prince nodded in agreement.


    Then, he looked towards King Huai, speaking softly, "Royal Uncle, you..."


    King Huai replied, "Don''t worry. I too will stay in the imperial pce during this time to discuss the subsequent actions with you."


    At this, the Crown Prince felt a great weight lifted from his heart. Somehow, with King Huai there, he felt much more at ease.


    After all, over the years, it seemed there was nothing King Huai couldn''t resolve for the Crown Prince.


    But the thought of the Emperor''s disappearance swiftly dispelled any sense of relief the Crown Prince had just felt, reced by a heavy sadness.


    "Father..." he mumbled, his expression downcast.


    ...


    Soon, several days passed, and the word of the Emperor''s supposed emergence had spread over several days. Common folk confirmed the news with each other, bing aware that what happened that day was not an illusion.


    Da Xia made no attempt to hide it; moreover, with so many eyewitnesses, they couldn''t have concealed it even if they tried.


    The entirend of Tiandu was immediately abuzz, as after all, this concerned the Emperor of Da Xia, and there was no one in the world who wasn''t paying attention.


    Especially the Six Union God Sect, as well as the barbarian tribes and the Great Yuan, their spies and intelligence agents paid even closer attention to these events.


    They were eager to know, after that horrific tribtion of thunder, was the human Emperor alive or dead?


    At this moment, people all over the world were anxiously anticipating, wanting to know the current whereabouts of Da Xia''s human Emperor.


    Countless individuals awaited the follow-up reaction from the imperial pce of Tiandu.

 Chapter 194 Gu Chen Comes Out_1

    Soon, as Ananda sat atop the tform outside Tiandu and lectured, numerous citizens gathered around and unwittingly fell into his teachings, bing devout followers. The news reached the Crown Prince and King Huai in the pce.


    "What?!"


    Upon learning this, the Crown Prince instantly flew into a rage and ordered, "Send someone immediately to drive that young monk away!"


    The order swiftly passed out of the pce, but it wasn''t long before news came back.


    The mission had failed; they couldn''t drive Ananda away because, by the time the Royal Sword Guard arrived in the outer city, Ananda had already attracted hundreds of citizens with his Buddha''s light, turning them into his most devout followers.


    Seeing the Royal Sword Guard trying to drive Ananda away, thosemoners were the first to resist, knowing that these people had been beguiled by Ananda, yet they were helpless to stop it.


    Even Ananda had once said, "I open my lectures to benefit the people; why is Da Xia unwilling¡ªis it a guilty conscience?"


    When this message was ryed back to the pce, the Crown Prince''s face turned ashen. He looked at King Huai, not knowing what to do, and asked, "Uncle, what should we do now?"


    ording to the reportsing back, the number of followers Ananda now had in the outer city of Tiandu was increasing steadily. The street was practically packed with people,pletely clogged up.


    King Huai''s brows furrowed slightly; something seemed to have crossed his mind as he said to the Crown Prince, "Your Highness, that young monk could very well be the reincarnation of a living Buddha from the Great Snow Mountain Dragon Elephant Buddhist Sect."


    Seeing the Crown Prince''s puzzled face, King Huai exined what reincarnation of a living Buddha meant.


    After listening, the Crown Prince became even more anxious and eximed, "Uncle, what should we do? If he continues to lecture for several days in a row, all the citizens of Da Xia Tiandu might be his followers!"


    King Huai remainedposed and said, "Your Highness, do not panic. The young monk''s cultivation is not profound enough; even if he is the reincarnation of a living Buddha, he is limited by his cultivation and cannot take in too many followers."


    There are many millions of inhabitants in Tiandu alone; how many can Ananda, with his modest cultivation, truly take away?


    Besides, as some people leave, otherse. Da Xia governs thirteen provinces and has countless citizens under its rule.


    But the Crown Prince did not see it this way. Influenced by the Emperor of Xia, he believed that every citizen was vital to Da Xia, which is why he felt such urgency but could think of no effective solution and was simply fretting.


    "Uncle, don''t we have any means to counteract him in our great Da Xia?"


    Upon hearing these words, King Huai slightly shook his head; the reincarnation of the living Buddha was something he had only heard about, after all, it had been two hundred years since thest one.


    The special nature of the reincarnation of living Buddhas was also something King Huai had only heard about, and today he was seeing it for the first time, which piqued his interest somewhat.


    ...


    Time passed swiftly, and before anyone realized, it was noon. By that time, the area around the tform outside Tiandu where Ananda was situated was packed with an ocean of people, filled with citizens.


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    Among them were some Royal Sword Guards and some martial artists from the jianghu who did not believe in superstitions, who, after arriving, were converted by the Buddha''s light emanating from Ananda.


    Zha Jiedunzhu, a robust figure with brown pupils and long robes, his hair interwoven into braids, stood at a distance, observing the scene with a hint of a smile on his face.


    At that moment on the tform, Ananda ceased his chanting. Seeing that the time was right, he spoke loudly, "I kindly ask you to spread the word: Anandaes from the Great Yuan, traveling thousands of miles to Da Xia, wishing to experience the martial arts of the Central ins and see how they differ from Great Yuan''s martial arts.


    It is widely known that there are numerous experts in the Central ins, and Ananda would like to take this opportunity to ask for instruction."


    Ananda usually didn''t talk much, but that didn''t mean he couldn''t speak.


    Once he said this, those devout followers who had been converted by the Buddha''s light quickly spread the word, and soon, the entire Tiandu was abuzz with the news.


    It wasn''t long before martial heroes from jianghu arrived, and hearing of Ananda''s fame, many wanted to make a name for themselves by challenging him.


    As expected, Ananda stood there motionless, and the attack of the martial artist bounced off his slightly luminescent body, sending the attacker flying back on themselves.


    Below the tform, numerous followers gazed devoutly at Ananda''s figure, seeing only him and forgetting everything else.


    Now, even if Anandamanded them to die, or to kill their own families, they would not hesitate in the slightest.


    Such was the terrifying aspect of the reincarnation of a living Buddha that even the contemporary leader of the Great Snow Mountain Dragon Elephant Buddhist Sect did not possess this ability.


    More than two hundred years ago, thest reincarnation of the living Buddha, it was precisely by using this method that he recruited countless experts for the Great Yuan, including some of the Grandmasters of martial arts at the Innate Stage!


    With these citizens'' protection, it would be difficult for Da Xia to act against him.


    One by one, people kepting onto the stage to challenge Ananda, either to make a name for themselves or because they were dissatisfied with Ananda''s actions. But without exception, all were defeated.


    Ananda did not so much as move a finger; he simply stood there, using only his pure physical defense to send swathes of jianghu martial artists flying.


    Even many of their weapons broke from the impact. Such physical defense strength was truly terrifying.


    Many spected whether Ananda had reached the limit of his physical body, the indestructible Vajra Stage.


    Otherwise, why would his body be so tough, resisting a Gang Qi Stage martial artist''s blow without even stepping back?


    Zha Jiedunzhu, with his dark hair and brown pupils, stood in the distance, quietly watching the scene unfold with a light smile. He alone knew why Ananda''s body was so fearsome.


    The Esoteric Sect''s cultivation of the body at the Vajra Stage is different from that of the martial artists of the Central ins due to the special nature of their techniques. They do not segment the Vajra Stage into as many levels as in the Central ins.


    The Esoteric Sect, or rather the Great Snow Mountain Dragon Elephant Buddhist Sect, refers to their physical cultivation at the Vajra Stage as True Body.


    Of course, the True Body is exceedingly difficult to cultivate, somewhat resembling the Indestructible Vajra mentioned in the legends of the Nine Provinces, but it''s not as rare¡ªappearing once every few decades.


    And Ananda, being the reincarnation of a living Buddha, was practicing the Bingpo Sect''s sect guarding heart method, inherited from one of the six great sacrednds, Sumi Buddhist Sect¡ªan ancient marvel called the Dragon Elephant Heart Sutra!


    Naturally, the True Body cultivated by Ananda at the Vajra Stage was precisely the Dragon Elephant True Body as recorded in the Dragon Elephant Heart Sutra. Once cultivated, a martial artist can possess the immense strength of a dragon or an elephant purely through their physical body!


    The Dragon Elephant True Body is one of the most terrifying and formidable among the several true bodies of the Great Snow Mountain Dragon Elephant Buddha Sect, inherited from ancient times. Its power may not be weaker than the so-called physical limit of indestructibility, the Vajra Unbreakable, spoken of by the martial artists of the Central ins.


    Even in the eyes of many in the Great Yuan, including Zha Jiedunzhu, it is believed that the power of the Dragon Elephant True Body even surpasses that of the Vajra Unbreakable!


    After all, this is a technique inherited from ancient times, born from one of the six sacred ces; even in ancient times, the Dragon Elephant Heart Sutra was considered a superior practice.


    How could the physique honed by such a martial art be weak?


    But strangely, when the Dragon Elephant True Body appeared in the world, there were no martial artists who had achieved the Vajra Unbreakable state, and when there emerged martial artists at the Vajra Unbreakable stage, no one from the Great Snow Mountain Dragon Elephant Buddha Sect could cultivate the Dragon Elephant True Body.


    After all, both physiques are extremely rare, requiring not only talent but also the right opportunity to cultivate.


    Therefore, up to now, the Dragon Elephant True Body has never shed with the Vajra Unbreakable, and no one can truly determine which is stronger and which is weaker.


    Just like that, Ananda stood on the tform, from daylight till dark night, not a single person could make Ananda take a step back.


    ...


    Qiongtian Mansion, Linyang County.


    Inside a mountain cave, Gu Chen slowly opened his eyes. Over half a month had passed, and with the help of the panel, he hadpletely transformed all his internal energy into Gangqi.


    Actually, simply converting internal energy to Gangqi would not take such a long time, but to truly be a martial artist at the Gang Qi Stage, one must refine the body with Gangqi after the internal energy is transformed.


    The quality of Gangqi far surpasses that of internal energy, and its effect in tempering a martial artist''s body is naturally superior.


    And when a martial artist''s body is refined by Gangqi, it bes stronger, attaining a higher level.


    This is why martial artists at the Gang Qi Stage are far stronger than those at the Vajra Stage.


    Of course, this aspect did not significantly improve Gu Chen because his body had reached the indestructible state of Vajra, which was extremely tough. Although Gangqi tempering had minutely increased the strength of Gu Chen''s body, he still undertook the refinement, following the principle that even the leg of a mosquito is flesh.


    After all, to enhance the physique to his level was no easy task anymore.


    In the cave, as Gu Chen slowly opened his eyes, two beams of light shot from them, dazzling, lighting up the pitch-ck cave as if it were day.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    At this moment, Gu Chen had officially be a martial artist at the Gang Qi Stage, having reached the realm of Inner Gangqi.


    The next instant, with a thought from Gu Chen, the panel appeared before his eyes.


    Name: Gu Chen


    Martial arts: Vajra Indestructible Divine Skill (Beginner), Burning Vein Finger (Perfected, can be deduced), Phantom Traceless Step (Perfected), Light Shadow Sword Skill (Beginner), Condensing Pulse Sword Wave (Perfected, can be deduced)


    Internal cultivation: Pure Yang Wuji Gong


    Cultivation: 340 years


    Realm: Early stage of Gang Qi Stage


    Mastery Points: 20


    Looking at his cultivation level on the panel, Gu Chen secretly clicked his tongue. His astonishing 680 years of internal energy cultivation, with the help of the panel, was converted into Gangqi, which shockingly halved in quantity, now only 340 years.


    Although he had made a breakthrough in realm, his cultivation had diminished, but this was the normal situation.


    Because this is true for every martial artist who breaks through to the Gang Qi Stage; though the quantity is reduced, the quality is greatly enhanced.


    It seemed as though his cultivation had decreased, but Gu Chen''s overall strength had increased manifold since reaching the Gang Qi Stage and transforming his internal energy into Gangqi.


    Now, facing Wujian, the top ranking assassin from the ck List of the Blood Vest Tower, even without relying on the Divine Weapon Blood Shadow Sword, Gu Chen could fight him, and possibly defeat and even y him!


    It could be said that reaching the Gang Qi Stage greatly elevated Gu Chen''s abilities.


    At this moment, looking at the 20 points of mastery value remaining on the panel, adhering to the principle of not wasting, Gu Chen directly converted them into 20 years of cultivation, which emerged within his body.


    Instantly, Gu Chen''s cultivation reached 360 years, and his Gangqi also increased by a small margin.


    Having reached the Gang Qi Stage, Gu Chen''s next goal was to cultivate an exotic type of Gangqi!


    Having witnessed the powers of Chen Yu and Wujian''s exotic Gangqi, Gu Chen had a deep understanding of its might.


    He also wanted to know if, with the help of the panel, he had the chance to cultivate exotic Gangqi.


    This time, to break through to the Gang Qi Stage, Gu Chen had secluded himself for over half a month, during which he did not eat or drink, leaving a nd taste in his mouth.


    He nned to return to Qiongtian City as soon as he emerged from seclusion and then indulge in food and drink, rewarding his temple of organs.


    Gu Chen now somewhat understood why the Da Xia Emperor could undergo seclusion for a full twenty-three years.


    The further one advanced on the path of martial arts, the harder it was to make progress in cultivation; hence, martial artists would sometimes seclude themselves for long periods.


    Upon reaching the Innate Stage, a martial artist could go without eating or drinking without any issue because at that time, they would have unlocked the mysteries between heaven and earth and could absorb the vital energy of heaven and earth to sustain their bodies.


    Not far from the seat of Linyang County, Gu Chen quickly made his way back.


    At this moment, upon learning of Gu Chen''s return, Wen Ziyun immediately sought him out, let out a breath of relief, and said, "Lord Gu, where have you been during this time? I''ve been searching for you everywhere. Do you know that a major incident has urred in Tiandu!"

 Chapter 195 Returning to Tiandu (Three More Updates of Ten Thousand Words, Please Subscribe!)_1

    Upon hearing this, Gu Chen was momentarily stunned and said, "A problem? What kind of problem could possibly arise in Tiandu?"


    During his previous retreat, with the help of the panel, Gu Chen had been transforming his qi into Gangqi. During that period, he had entered a deep meditative state, his mindpletely empty, hence he was unaware of the matter involving the emperor''s tribtion.


    "The Emperor has left seclusion!" Wen Ziyun said gravely.


    "The Emperor left seclusion?!"


    Upon hearing this, Gu Chen was immediately shocked; he had not expected the Emperor, who had been in closed-door cultivation for twenty-three years, to havee out.


    At this thought, Gu Chen harbored the idea of returning to Tiandu, eager to meet this legendary Emperor of Da Xia.


    After all, there were far too many legends about the Xia Emperor, and deep down, Gu Chen truly wanted to meet the sovereign known as the once-in-an-eternity Emperor of the nine provinces.


    "Shouldn''t the Emperor leaving seclusion be a cause for universal celebration? Why do you look so troubled, Lord Wen?" Gu Chen asked, puzzled.


    Wen Ziyun said gravely, "Lord Gu, you really aren''t aware of what happened during this time?"


    Gu Chen shook his head and replied, "I truly had no idea. At that time, I was in the deepest state of meditation for my breakthrough to the Gang Qi Stage and couldn''t perceive anything outside."N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "What, Lord Gu, you''ve broken through to the Gang Qi Stage?!"


    Hearing that Gu Chen had achieved a breakthrough to the Gang Qi Stage, Wen Ziyun was suddenly overwhelmed with astonishment. He was acutely aware that this Lord Gu had only reached the Vajra Stage a few months ago, and such a short time had passed, yet he had already broken through again?


    Wen Ziyun silently took a sharp breath; such a rate of breakthrough was rare in the world, saying that breaking through stages was as easy as drinking water for him wasn''t an overstatement!


    However, recalling the events that urred in Tiandu, Gu Chen''s breakthrough no longer seemed so shocking.


    Wen Ziyun, with a solemn face, said, "Lord Gu, the Emperor left his seclusion wishing to be a Celestial Being and, before the eyes of the entire world, he faced a terrifying heavenly tribtion.


    "Heavenly tribtion?"


    At these words, Gu Chen''s eyebrows furrowed. He had onlye across the term "heavenly tribtion" in tales from his previous life and hadn''t expected it to be real in this world.


    "So breaking through to the Celestial Stage requires oveing a tribtion!" Gu Chen suddenly realized.


    At that moment, as if he thought of something, his expression changed, and a conjecture formed in his mind. He looked at the master of Qiongtian Mansion, Wen Ziyun, and said, "Could it be that the Xia Emperor failed the tribtion?!"


    If the Xia Emperor had indeed failed the tribtion, the entirety of the nine provinces would likely fall into chaos.


    Seeing Wen Ziyun shake his head, Gu Chen immediately breathed a sigh of relief.


    But Wen Ziyun''s next sentence made Gu Chen''s heart tighten once again.


    "After the Emperor faced the tribtion, hepletely vanished. Now the whole world is discussing where the Emperor might be!"


    Gu Chen''s brows knitted tightly. The disappearance of the Emperor was certainly not good news for Da Xia.


    "Not only that, after the Emperor''s disappearance, the Da Yuan envoy announced ns to enter the capital. Judging by the time, it''s possible that the people from Da Yuan have already arrived in Tiandu," Wen Ziyun said.


    "The Emperor disappears, and the Da Yuan envoy enters the capital?" Gu Chen''s expression turned solemn; he immediately perceived the intentions behind the Da Yuan envoy''s visit to the capital.


    This was indeed a critical issue for Da Xia.


    If not handled properly, it could lead to a war between the two countries, and the peaceful realm of the past twenty-three years would be turbulent once more.


    Wen Ziyun sighed and said, "Now, everyone wants to know the whereabouts of the Xia Emperor and whether he has sessfully ascended to the Celestial Stage, but there has been no word from the imperial pce. Without the Xia Emperor, this world..."


    Wen Ziyun didn''t finish his sentence, but Gu Chen understood his concern.


    The importance of the Xia Emperor for Da Xia didn''t need to be stated; his disappearance would be an unprecedented blow to Da Xia.


    Perhaps all the major powers in the world would take this opportunity to rise against Da Xia.


    There was no other reason except that the other forces of the world had been suppressed by the Xia Emperor for too long. Emotions that had been repressed for so long would explode the moment they could, and the result was predictable.


    "What do the Crown Prince and King Huai say about this? Has there been any news from them?" Gu Chen inquired.


    Wen Ziyun hesitated for a moment before replying, "The imperial pce has been very quiet, and both the Crown Prince and King Huai have been conducting themselves as usual, with no change."


    Hearing this, Gu Chen nodded slightly. As he saw it, there were only two possibilities: either the Emperor was still in closed-door cultivation in Tiandu, or the Emperor had already disappeared.


    If it was the former, it would be manageable; but if it was thetter...


    Gu Chen said, "Lord Wen need not worry so much. If an outstanding figure like the Xia Emperor is involved, he must be alright. Perhaps the Emperor is currently in seclusion, consolidating his realm."


    At his words, Wen Ziyun also nodded. He, too, could hardly believe that anything untoward would happen to a figure like the Xia Emperor.


    After all, over the years, the Xia Emperor''s prestige had be deeply rooted in the hearts of all Da Xia''s people. His might was witnessed by everyone throughout the nine provinces.


    Moreover, if something really had happened to the Da Xia Emperor, in Wen Ziyun''s view, the pce would likely not remain so calm.


    Gu Chen''s eyes were deep; he too had not expected that after he reached the limit of his physical body, became indestructible as Vajra, and even broke through to the Gang Qi Stage, such a drastic change would ur in Da Xia.


    Gu Chen had a vague premonition that the Emperor of Da Xia had probably encountered disaster, and the reason for the peace in Tiandu might also be that something was being concealed.


    But he also knew very well that the situation couldn''t be stalled, no matter what excuses Da Xia made, as long as the Emperor did not make an appearance for one day, the rest of the world would still not believe it.


    Gu Chen raised his head, gazing at the sky; he already foresaw that this world was likely to change soon, and the time left for Gu Chen was likely not much.


    Fortunately, Gu Chen had already reached the Vajra Stage and broken through to the Gang Qi Stage. With his own strength and the help of divine weapons, throughout the vast nine provinces, he may not be able toe and go as he pleases, but he now possessed a certain ability to protect himself.


    Despite this, facing the imminent outbreak of war in the nine provinces, Gu Chen couldn''t help but feel a trace of worry in his heart.


    For Gu Chen, right now, the most crucial thing was to quickly improve his cultivation and then cultivate an exceptional kind of Gangqi!


    Characters like the Da Xia Emperor were too far removed for Gu Chen; even if Da Xia truly underwent some changes due to the Emperor''s disappearance, it wasn''t something he could manage.


    The pressing matter at hand was still to rapidly enhance his strength.


    Gu Chen sighed lightly; he had thought that after reaching the Vajra Stage and the Gang Qi Stage, he could rx a little, not needing to be as tensely wound as before, constantly in midst of ughter. But unexpectedly, after all the twists and turns, it was still back to the old ways.


    At that moment, Wen Ziyun said, "By the way, Lord Gu, there''s one more thing I forgot to mention, the Jing Tian Department is urging your return to the capital!"


    ...


    Tiandu.


    Dressed in ck, Gu Chen rode a fast horse, and after several days'' journey, he finally hurried back to Tiandu.


    Gazing at the grand and majestic city before him, Gu Chen entered Tiandu''s main gate after showing his token.


    After returning to Tiandu, Gu Chen first visited the Jing Tian Department in the outer city, but did not see Chen Yu. Afterpleting the check-in with a junior official, Gu Chen prepared to return to the Gu Mansion.


    As Gu Chen was heading back to the Gu Mansion, he passed by a long street and suddenly saw not far away a stage where a young monk with delicate features, bronze skin, and d in a red kasaya stood on top.


    Opposite the young monk, more than a dozen warriors joined forces to attack him. Each of their focused strikes made a nging sound like iron hitting gold when theynded on the monk''s body.


    Such a formidable physique caused Gu Chen''s eyes to narrow slightly upon seeing it.


    "Such a terrifying body," he murmured to himself.


    For Gu Chen, now at the Vajra Stage, to admit that someone has a formidable physique, there would not be many such people in the whole world.


    Within the body of this young monk, Gu Chen felt a robust vitality, vigorous like a wild dragon.


    Even before Gu Chen broke through to the Vajra Stage,pared to this young monk, he was still somewhat inferior, which showed how powerful the monk''s physique was!


    Gu Chen shook his head slightly; although those on the stage were all at the Vajra Stage or even at the Gang Qi Stage of cultivation, they were definitely no match for the young monk.


    As expected, the next moment, the young monk brought his hands together, bowed his head slightly, and murmured something¡ªa beam of golden light then projected outwards, causing the warriors to spit blood and fly away.


    "Which monastery''s monk is this from the Da Yuan?" Gu Chen surveyed Ananda for a few moments. Da Yuan had been low-key for twenty-three years, and the Jing Tian Department didn''t have much contact with Da Yuan, so Gu Chen''s understanding of Da Yuan was not very rich.


    However, he also knew that being able to train such a strong physique, even in Da Yuan, the other party would definitely not be obscure.


    At this time, Ananda, on top of the tform, after defeating his opponents, appeared to sense something. He turned his head slightly, his peaceful and clear eyes looking towards Gu Chen.


    Gu Chen did not retreat but looked straight back at him. Their gazes met in mid-air, the Qi inside their bodies surged, and at that moment, it was as if lightning was born in the void. The invisible aura collided, and the surrounding air seemed to almost solidify.


    At this point, Ananda on the stage had been there for several days, and the number of his followers had grown close to a thousand. Every morning, he would chant scriptures here, blessing the faith of Tiandu''s people.


    Seeing Ananda''s victory, his followers around cheered loudly, and at this sight, Gu Chen raised his brows in surprise, puzzled why the people of Tiandu would cheer for a foreigner.


    On the tform, Ananda''s gaze stayed on Gu Chen. Through the collision of Qi just now, he had also perceived the horror of Gu Chen''s physique.


    This revtion made Ananda''s eyes brighten. In the whole of Da Yuan, at the same realm, he was invincible in terms of physical body and could easily steamroll over others. Even those of a higher realm, many still did not have a physique to match his.


    It could be said that in Da Yuan, relying only on physical strength, there was not a single adversary for Ananda below the martial arts grandmaster level.


    As for martial arts grandmasters, given that they have undergone both blood exchange and marrow cleansing, their bodies have undergone several transformations. Compared to such a level of body, Ananda was still somewhat inferior. Continue reading stories on empire


    What he did not expect was to encounter in the Central ins someone whose physique was not weaker than his and that someone was a young and promising talent.


    Ananda felt that Gu Chen, even in Da Xia among his peers, must surely be an outstanding figure. Therefore, Ananda harbored the idea of wanting to recruit him.


    He believed that given Gu Chen''s strength and talent, if he grew in the future, he would be capable enough to serve as the protector of the Dharma King for the Great Snow Mountain Dragon Elephant Buddhist Sect. That way, when Ananda was not around, Gu Chen could help protect the sect.


    Secondly, to recruit Gu Chen in the presence of the public in Tiandu would certainly be an enormous blow to Da Xia, as losing such a talented individual would be of great impact.

 Chapter 196 The Crown Prince_1

    ```


    Gu Chen naturally did not know what the other party was thinking, and of course, even if he did, Gu Chen would not care.


    Since his physical body had reached the Vajra Stage and his cultivation had broken through to the Gang Qi Stage, warriors of the same level were not even worth his attention.


    Although Ananda was strong, Gu Chen did not believe that the other''s physical body couldpete with his own.


    After casting a few nces at Ananda, Gu Chen ignored the gaze directed at him and turned to leave.


    Watching Gu Chen''s retreating figure, Ananda''s clear eyes lingered for a long time, but he did not speak out because the time had not yete.


    With the trip to Tiandu, not only did he obtain the information Da Yuan wanted, but Da Xueshan Longxiang Buddha Sect also gained a new Protector King and he gained a new follower.


    Even Ananda, as a reincarnated living Buddha who seldom changed his mindset, felt a bit more cheerful.


    A smile appeared on Ananda''s face as well, as the saying goes, "the heart''s joy is reflected in one''s expression."


    Soon, Gu Chen returned home, where he saw his aunt Xu Qinge and his sister Gu Qingyan, whom he had not seen for a long time.


    The mother and daughter were nting flowers and watering the garden, leading a very pleasant life these days.


    Ever since the Gu family moved to the inner city of Tiandu, the days at Gu Mansion had been getting better and better, and even the servants were receiving much better treatment.


    When Gu Chen returned, the mother and daughter''s eyes lit up.


    "My son, you''re back?"


    "Big brother, you are back!"


    Gu Chen nodded slightly, and a gentle smile appeared on his face as he saw his family, saying, "Where is uncle, is he on duty today?"


    "Your uncle has gone out with his colleagues, but I suppose he will be back soon," said Aunt Xu Qinge, walking up to Gu Chen and looking him up and down several times.


    Confused by her scrutiny, Gu Chen asked with augh, "Aunt, what are you looking at?"


    Xu Qinge frowned slightly and said, "My son, howe your skin is getting better and better?"


    Gu Qingyan also approached and said softly with sparkling eyes, "Big brother, why is your skin still shining?"


    At this, Gu Chen smiled awkwardly. Since his physical body had reached the Vajra Stage, even on a normal day, his body gave off a gleaming glow, which looked quite extraordinary.


    At that moment, Gu Qingyan''s delicate nose twitched, and she looked at Gu Chen with an astonished face, saying incredulously, "You smell so good! Big brother, why do you have body fragrance?"


    Gu Qingyan''s eyes widened in disbelief as she looked at Gu Chen¡ªhow could a grown man emit a body scent?


    Hearing this, Gu Chen felt a bit helpless. This was simply one of the physical manifestations of reaching the Vajra Stage, a natural fragrance he could not suppress even if he wanted to.


    Thankfully, Uncle Gu Chengfeng came back just in time, and Gu Chen quickly changed the subject, "Uncle, you''ve returned."


    "Hmm."


    Seeing Gu Chen home, Gu Chengfeng''s eyes also brightened, and he nodded, but it was evident that he was not in a good mood.


    Gu Chen, naturally noticing this, asked directly, "Uncle, what''s wrong?"


    Xu Qinge also gave Gu Chengfeng a reproachful look and said, "What''s the matter, why are you looking like this when our son is back? Who was it that kept talking about him every day? Now that the person is in front of you, you are acting pretentious?"


    Gu Qingyan, hearing this, stood to one side with a suppressed giggle. Her exquisite face was bright and moving, like the most delicate flower under the sky.


    Being called out by his wife, Gu Chengfeng''s face turned red, and he said, "What nonsense are you talking about? How could I not be happy with my son returning? This is all because of that young monk from the outer city."


    Hearing Uncle Gu Chengfeng mention Ananda, Gu Chen also casually asked, "I saw him when I wasing home, uncle, who is that young monk?"


    Upon hearing this, Gu Chengfeng said gravely, "That young monkes from Da Yuan and is the most outstanding disciple of the Da Xueshan Longxiang Buddha Sect of this generation. It is rumored that he is also the reincarnation of a living Buddha."


    "Oh?"


    Gu Chen was somewhat surprised. He had certainly heard of the Da Xueshan Longxiang Buddha Sect.


    After all, it was the premier sect within Da Yuan Country''s confines and also the state religion, with extremely formidable power. Even among the top forces within Da Xia, such as the Seven Sects, Eight Schools, and Three Great Daos, few couldpare.


    After all, Gu Chen had also heard that the Da Xueshan Longxiang Buddha Sect was a lineage from one of the six sacrednds, the Sumeru Buddha Sect. Just this fact alone ced it above other forces.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "No wonder that young monk''s physique is so formidable," murmured Gu Chen.


    Though the Da Xueshan Longxiang Buddha Sect was not directly rted to the Central ins Buddhism, it still greatly valued physical cultivation. The sect''s core technique, the Longxiang Heart Sutra, was said to be passed down from the six sacrednds and was one of the top body cultivation techniques in the Jiuzhou.


    Its lineage could be traced back to ancient times and even within the many inheritances of the Sumeru Buddha Sect, it ranked highly and was quite extraordinary.


    Furthermore, the Da Xueshan Longxiang Buddha Sect''s cultivation at the Vajra Stage was different from that of ordinary warriors¡ªit cultivated the truth body. Gu Chen felt that the young monk he had just seen might have cultivated the sect''s internally ranked number one "Longxiang True Body," which would exin the impression he made on Gu Chen.


    It just was not clear whether his own Vajra Stage body or the young monk''s Longxiang True Body would be superior.


    As for the reincarnation of a living Buddha, Gu Chen wasn''t too familiar with that.


    ```


    At this moment, Gu Chengfeng faintly heard his nephew''s muttering and couldn''t help but ask in confusion, "Elder son, what were you just saying?"


    Upon hearing this, Gu Chen shook his head and said, "It''s nothing, Uncle, please continue."


    Gu Chengfeng nodded, didn''t press further, and continued, "That monk is extremely strange. You have no idea; the whole outer city has gone mad over him. On the first day he appeared, he merely sat atop the arena reciting sutras, and countless citizens were converted by him into devout followers. In just a few days, he has gathered over a thousand people!"


    With this revtion, Gu Chen suddenly understood why he had previously found it strange that the citizens of Tiandu would cheer and celebrate a foreigner.


    A hint of wariness shed in Gu Chengfeng''s eyes as he said, "If I hadn''t left quickly, you likely wouldn''t be seeing me now. I only stood there and listened for the time it takes an incense stick to burn, and I was almost converted by him. It''s really too bizarre!"


    Now, the Royal Sword Guard are all keeping a distance from Ananda since an order came down from above instructing them not to get too close, or they might fall under his influence and end up like those citizens.


    Of course, in the past two days, Ananda has stopped preaching and has been focusing on challenging various martial artists from Tiandu. After dozens of bouts, big and small, he remains undefeated.


    The most important thing is, he has never once made the first move. He merely stands there and, with the Buddhist light emanating from his body, has defeated countless opponents.


    Now, the divine and formidable strength of Ananda has spread far and wide. Before long, all the citizens in the inner city of Tiandu will know of it.


    The reason why Gu Chengfeng is in such a bad mood is also because of this matter. Facing Ananda''s actions, Gu Chengfeng felt stifled. In his view, as Da Xia considers itself the foremost great power of the age, it''s humiliating that they can''t deal with a young monk, which makes him feel quite ufortable.


    After all, as a member of the Royal Sword Guard of Da Xia, Gu Chengfeng has a strong sense of identity with Da Xia and the Emperor of Xia, which is why he went to drink with his colleagues while feeling down.


    In fact, it''s not just him. Many of the Royal Sword Guard and other officials in Tiandu share Gu Chengfeng''s sentiment.


    They all think that the young monk from Da Yuan is far too arrogant, daring to openly recruit followers in Da Xia''s capital, Tiandu, and defeating a multitude of martial artists without breaking a sweat.


    If Gu Chengfeng was not aware that his own skills were insufficient, he would have wished to step onto the stage himself.


    Fortunately, he retained a shred of reason.


    Da Xia has dominated the world for twenty-three years. No one has ever dared to swagger in the capital of Da Xia like this, and yet, everyone seems to have no way to deal with Ananda.


    Many people in Tiandu are now looking forward to the Emperor''s appearance, wishing for him to once again dominate the world and show these barbarians from the steppes the strength of Da Xia.


    "Hmph, I really hope someone can knock that young monk off the stage!" Gu Chengfeng said with a stern face. Today, Ananda even went so far as to boast that he would fight the entire Tiandu by himself.


    Even the talents from other provinces of Da Xia are wee to challenge him, he said, as he just sits here waiting for their challenge.


    Such boastful words naturally angered many people in Tiandu. Unable to bear it any longer, a lot of martial artists joined forces to challenge him, but still could not force him to fight back. They were not his match at all and ended up like those before them, repelled by the protective golden light emanating from Ananda''s body.


    This, of course, added to Gu Chengfeng and the others'' frustration, especially since Ananda, using some unknown nefarious method, had beguiled over a thousand citizens to gather around him and cheer for him. Even though the Crown Prince and King Huai were inclined to order his arrest, the presence of those citizens put the issue on hold.


    This situation could not go on forever; Ananda''s actions were undeniably a p in the face to Da Xia. Now countless people are hoping for someone to step up onto the arena and defeat Ananda, the young monk from Da Yuan.


    Gu Chen sat aside, listening to his uncle Gu Chengfeng''sints, and also felt the thorny issue that was Ananda.


    By now, the court officials in the pce must be racking their brains to deal with Ananda.


    At that moment, Uncle Zhang, the doorman, suddenly came in and said to Gu Chen, "Elder son, someone is looking for you."


    Gu Chen was puzzled at hearing this but went out anyway.


    At the entrance of Gu Mansion, he saw a carriage and in front of it, a pale, beardless middle-aged man with a gentle appearance, waiting there.


    Assuming the person was from the Jing Tian Department, Gu Chen grew even more puzzled when he saw the stranger, as he didn''t recognize this man at all.


    Then, the pale, gentle middle-aged man approached Gu Chen and said in a low voice, "Lord Gu, my master invites your presence."


    With that, he gestured towards the carriage.


    Upon hearing this, Gu Chen''s eyes shed with a trace of curiosity. He scrutinized the middle-aged man, noting the delicacy in his voice. Despite the man''s effort to mask this, Gu Chen heard it clearly.


    Also, with the man''s gentle demeanor, an idea instantly sprang to Gu Chen''s mind.


    "A eunuch from the pce?"


    Gu Chen looked towards the carriage. Since this middle-aged man came from the pce, then, regarding who was inside the carriage, Gu Chen had a faint notion.


    Gu Chen stepped up to the carriage, pushed aside the curtain, and saw the interior space was extremely spacious and exquisitely arranged, even to the point of opulence.


    Nobody would have guessed that a carriage with such a in exterior housed such luxurious decoration inside.


    Inside the carriage, there was only one young man sitting there. He had handsome features with narrow eyes, dressed in a bright yellow robe, with a high-quality jade pendant at his waist and an innate nobility about him. At a nce, it was clear he was nomoner, as if he were a high-born noble.


    After seeing Gu Chen, the young man''s eyes carried an almost condescending look, coupled with a scrutinizing intent.


    Upon seeing the man''s appearance, Gu Chen instantly identified who this young man exuding nobility was.


    It was none other than the Crown Prince of Da Xia¡ªJi Nian!

 Chapter 197 Recruitment_1

    In the carriage, the eldest prince Ji Nian had a handsome face, with long, narrow eyes. He was dressed in a bright yellow robe and exuded a strong presence as he scrutinized Gu Chen back and forth.


    Seeing this, Gu Chen just stood there, silent, pretending not to recognize the prince.


    When the eldest prince Ji Nian noticed this, his eyebrows rose slightly and his slender eyes narrowed as he looked at Gu Chen and said, "Do you not recognize me?"


    Gu Chen feigned confusion and asked, "May I know who you are, sir?"


    Hearing this, the prince, expressionless, simply responded, "Ji Nian!"


    Gu Chen acted as if he had just realized, "Ah, it turns out to be the Crown Prince himself, what brings you to seek this humble official?"


    Seeing that Gu Chen finally acknowledged him, the prince''s expression darkened slightly as he said, "Sit down and we''ll talk."


    Thereupon, Gu Chen, without any ceremony, boldly took a seat. The eldest prince Ji Nian frowned slightly at the sight, but refrained frommenting.


    He was aware of his purpose, so despite being somewhat displeased by Gu Chen''s impolite behavior, the prince grudgingly epted it.


    He asked, "Have you just returned to Tiandu?"


    Gu Chen nodded and replied, "For the Crown Prince to dress like this and visit the Gu Mansion, what urgent matter brings you?"


    With no change of expression, the prince inquired, "Are you aware of the events that recently transpired in Tiandu?"


    "Which matter is the Crown Prince referring to?" Gu Chen looked at him.


    The prince frowned slightly, feeling that Gu Chen was ying dumb, but still, with barely contained impatience, said, "The matter of our father''s tribtion!"


    Gu Chen nodded and said, "The matter of the Emperor''s tribtion has been all the buzz, spreading far and wide; who in all of Da Xia does not know?"


    The eldest prince Ji Nian nodded and asked, "What is your opinion on this matter?"


    Upon hearing this, Gu Chenughed, shaking his head, "The Crown Prince truly overestimates me. This is a matter of the state; what opinion could I possibly have?"


    The prince nodded slightly, seemingly quite pleased with Gu Chen''s attitude, and said, "Let''s not beat around the bush. You may belong to the Jing Tian Department, but you are not an outsider; you too are a subject of our Ji family and work for our Ji family. Let me ask you, what do you think will happen to Da Xia now that the Emperor has disappeared?"


    Gu Chen, feeling a vague premonition, answered, "Great chaos throughout thend."


    "Correct!"


    The prince said gravely, "After the Emperor''s tribtion, his whereabouts became unknown. Although the Crown Prince and King Huai are currently concealing the news, they can keep it hidden for the moment but not forever. Once this information is revealed, and should the Great Yuan and the barbarian tribes learn about it, they will surely not miss this chance to send troops to attack Da Xia!"


    Gu Chen, with a calm demeanor, looked at the prince and said, "Your Highness, what exactly are you trying to say?"


    With a faint smile, the prince asked, "What do you think of my younger brother?"


    The "younger brother" he referred to was the current Crown Prince of Da Xia, ranked fourth among all the princes.


    Gu Chen shook his head and answered, "The status of the Crown Prince is too exalted; how could I possibly judge him? The Crown Prince should not jest with this official."


    The prince''s face turned cold, his long, narrow eyes narrowed as he said, "I know my brother''s nature better than anyone else¡ªtimid and indecisive,pletelycking the manner and spirit befitting the royal family and a Crown Prince!"


    "Still, since our father chose him as the Crown Prince before his seclusion, I naturally hold no grudges. After all, the world was peaceful then, and everything was in harmony. Moreover, if our father had ascended to the Returning to True Stage, the whole of Da Xia would have been unified, and it wouldn''t matter who became Emperor. But now, things are different!"


    Hearing this, Gu Chen immediately frowned and said, "Crown Prince, as a member of the royal family, is it appropriate to discuss this with me?"


    "Inappropriate? Why would it be inappropriate?" the prince Ji Nian asked with a smirk, not at all afraid that Gu Chen might spread his words.


    After all, who was Gu Chen and what was his status, and who was he, and what was his status? How would Gu Chen dare to spread such words?n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Even if Gu Chen did spread them, all the prince had to do was vehemently deny them, and who would believe them anyway?


    Da Xia was currently amidst troubled times; the Crown Prince and King Huai alsocked the energy to deal with him, and in the prince''s view, this presented the best opportunity for him!


    Otherwise, once the Crown Prince ascended to the throne after some time, it would be difficult for him to do anything.


    The reason the prince sought out Gu Chen today was to recruit him.


    After all, he had heard of Gu Chen''s reputation and martial arts talent. Having met him today, he found the man''s reputation well-deserved and felt an eagerness to recruit such talent under hismand.


    The prince said, "My brother''s martial arts talent is truly dreadful. If he had even inherited a tenth of our father''s talent, he would not be socking. In peaceful times, he could be a peaceful Emperor, and I wouldn''t object.


    But now that Da Xia is on the brink of chaos, we urgently need someone with both cultural governance and martial prowess, someone at the pinnacle in the world like our father, to stabilize the state and pacify thend!"


    Hearing this, Gu Chen said indifferently, "The Crown Prince believes you can achieve everything you''ve just described?"


    The prince replied, "I dare not im certainty, but I will definitely do much better than what my younger brother is doing now!"


    His tone was filled with confidence, clearly looking down on the current Crown Prince''s actions.


    Eldest prince Ji Nian, now thirty-two, showed extraordinary martial arts talent from a young age. With the support of the royal family''s resources, he had now achieved the Returning to True Stage and secured the status of a True Person!

 Chapter 199 Responding to Battle_1

    The next morning, as Gu Chen was doing his morning practice in the small courtyard of the Gu Mansion, the Duke of the Liang State and Commander Chen Yu from the Jing Tian Department came to visit.


    Upon seeing these two dignitaries, Uncle Zhang from the mansion''s gatehouse quickly ran to the inner yard to inform Gu Chen.


    "What?! The Duke of the Liang State and the Commander of the Jing Tian Department are here in person!"


    The entire Gu Chengfeng family was startled by the news; even Xu Qinge and her daughter Gu Qingyan, who were not involved in government affairs, knew that the rank of these guests was fifth in the high echelons of Da Xia.


    They had not expected that Gu Chen''s status had risen to such an extent that even two people of such standing needed to personally visit him.


    The visit from the crown prince the day before was kept from the Gu Chengfeng family by Gu Chen to prevent them from worrying; otherwise, they would have been even more astonished.


    "Big brother, this..." The Gu Chengfeng family was somewhat flustered by the visit. The stature of the Duke of the Liang State and Chen Yu was so prestigious that they had no experience interacting with such personages, and Gu Chengfeng could only look bewilderedly towards Gu Chen for guidance.


    Gu Chen, upon hearing this, was also somewhat surprised and didn''t know why these two woulde together to his door, but he nheless quickly said, "Please invite them in quickly."


    "Yes, yes, invite them in quickly¡ªno, big brother, let''s go out to greet them together," Gu Chengfeng said, first nodding, then shaking his head, clearly very unsettled.


    So, Gu Chen led his uncle and the whole family to the door and saw the Duke of the Liang State and Chen Yu waiting there.


    "I have seen the Duke of the Liang State and Master Chen," Gu Chen greeted with a bow.


    At his side, the Gu Chengfeng family also followed suit in a somewhat awkward manner, greeting, "We pay our respects to the Duke of the Liang State and Commander Chen."


    "There''s no need for such formality," said the Duke of the Liang State and Chen Yu, with Chen Yu, in particr, casting an admiring look at Gu Chen''s radiant physique, his eyes lighting up immediately.


    Now that Gu Chen had reached the Gang Qi Stage, his perspective and perception had greatly expanded. He looked at Chen Yu, feeling that the other''s aura was more condensed than before, many times over.


    "Master Chen, have you had a breakthrough?" Gu Chen ventured to ask.


    Chen Yu smiled faintly and nodded, replying, "I was fortunate enough to reach the Returning to True Stage not long ago."


    "That''s wonderful!"


    Gu Chen was also delighted to hear this and mused silently about Chen Yu''s talent. He had spent only three years at the Gang Qi Stage before breaking through to the Returning to True Stage; such speed was indeed rare in the world.


    "It seems Master Chen has set another record," Gu Chen remarked with a smile.


    Hearing this, Chen Yu couldn''t help butugh, responding, "Compared to you, I really can''t count for much. If I''m not mistaken, you must have also broken through to the Gang Qi Stage, haven''t you?"


    "What?!"


    At this moment, Gu Chen had not yet spoken when the Duke of the Liang State looked at Gu Chen in shock, saying with disbelief, "You''ve reached the Gang Qi Stage?"


    Gu Chen smiled. Chen Yu''s eyes were indeed extraordinary; with just one look, he had discerned Gu Chen''s depth, though a big reason for this was that Gu Chen had not made any special effort to conceal it.


    He had now achieved an indestructible body, with tremendous physical strength, capable of concealing all internal auras, revealing not the slightest bit.


    But there was no need for such secrecy with the Duke of the Liang State and Chen Yu, as they were on his side. Moreover, since Gu Chen was interested in bing amander, there was even less reason to hide in front of Chen Yu, his potential superior.


    Seeing Gu Chen''s acknowledgment, the Duke of the Liang State was immediately overjoyed, eximing, "Good, good, good! With this, our n is even more assured!"


    Gu Chen, puzzled, asked, "Does the Duke of the Liang State have something in mind?"


    At this point, Gu Chengfeng, looking embarrassed, carefully interrupted, "Shall we discuss this inside?"


    Since the Duke of the Liang State and Chen Yu had been speaking, Gu Chengfeng hadn''t found an opportunity to interject. Now that Gu Chen had spoken, Gu Chengfeng seized the moment to make the suggestion.


    Gu Chen pped his forehead, as if suddenly realizing the oversight, and said with a smile, "Right, Duke of the Liang State, Master Chen, let''s talk inside. We shouldn''t keep standing here."


    "Agreed."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The two nodded and were then escorted inside by Gu Chen and his family.


    The servants at the Gu Mansion had never seen such high-ranking figures as the Duke of the Liang State and Chen Yu; seeing them enter the gates of the Gu household, each was too scared to breathe heavily, treading carefully for fear of offending either of them.


    Along the way, the Duke of the Liang State and Chen Yu walked at the front, with Gu Chen by their side, Gu Chengfeng''s family followed close behind Gu Chen, daring not utter a word.


    Xu Qinge and her daughter Gu Qingyan kept their heads down, sneaking nces at the Duke of the Liang State and Chen Yu now and then.


    As the two men walked, they admired the scenery of the Gu Mansion; Chen Yu said with a smile, "You sure know how to pick a ce. This couldn''t have been cheap, right?"


    "It''s been manageable," Gu Chen responded. "I earned some money on an external mission, so I decided to buy a residence in the inner city. After looking around, I chose this ce."


    The Duke of the Liang State nced at Gu Qingyan, who had delicate features and a graceful figure, pure as a snow lotus unstained by mud, even surpassing Lu Xin, his granddaughter, in beauty.


    Thereupon, the Duke of the Liang State turned to Gu Chen and inquired, "And who might this be?"


    Gu Chen replied with a smile, "This is my cousin, Gu Qingyan."


    Gu Qingyan, upon hearing the Duke of the Liang State mention her, also quickly gave a greeting.


    The Duke of the Liang State nodded his head, relieved in his heart; he had thought she was a woman Gu Chen fancied. In that case, Lu Xin would have stood no chance.

 Chapter 200 Sweeping Across Tiandu_1

    Bang!


    In a tavern next to the arena, a resounding m on a table echoed as a martial artist bellowed, "Just some barbarian from the prairies, yet he dares to strut around in the Central ins and show off his might. Has Da Xia really no one capable of matching that foul monk?"


    After speaking, the man looked around, his eyes bulging and filled with rage, "This is Tiandu of Da Xia, with such a powerful nation, can''t a single young hero step forward? Or is it that no one dares to? All these years, what have the officials and the nobility of Da Xia been doing? Where are their descendants?


    They revel in riches during Da Xia''s glory days but now, at the brink of crisis, when a barbarian from the steppes beats down our doors, not one dares to answer the challenge?!"


    Days have passed without a local young master from Tiandu stepping onto the stage. Back in the day, the Xia Emperor was unmatched and alone held every power across the nine provinces from raising their heads. Da Xia thus became the foremost power in the world. How is it that in this generation, Da Xia has nothing left but a bunch of ipetents who only know how to indulge in leisure?


    You have all thrown away the face of Da Xia! If you are too scared to go up, I will!"


    With that, the man leaped from the windowsill and charged towards Ananda, who was seated in the lotus position on the stage.


    Obviously, he alone was no match for Ananda. After only one exchange, he was defeated and sent flying by Ananda''s protective Buddhist light.


    The martial artist was tough, though, forcibly standing up again despite blood trickling from the corner of his mouth and charged forward once more with a roar.


    Ananda remained seated, expressionless. Although a monk should naturally bepassionate, Ananda was not.


    After all, this was Da Xia''snd, and all of Da Xia''s citizens were enemies of the Grand Yuan and the Bingpo Sect''s sect guarding heart method of the Dragon-Elephant Buddhist Sect of the Great Snow Mountain.


    Ananda''s visit this time was aimed to overwhelm the young generation of Da Xia¡ªto make the entirety of Da Xia bow their heads!


    This martial artist was no exception. Without the slightest hint of softness, Ananda once again activated the Buddhist light, sending the man flying once more.


    This time, the martial artist could not stand up again, lying on the ground, he passed out cold.


    Witnessing such a scene, the crowd became enraged, and more martial artists leaped onto the stage, eager to fight Ananda.


    Despite this, Ananda''s expression remained unchanged, his bronze face devoid of emotion, his heart as still as water.


    No matter how many came, they could not break through his Dragon Elephant True Body. Unless a real person of the Returning to True Stage took the field or someone who had reached the ultimate physical state of an indestructible vajra body, no one would be a match for Ananda.


    "Today, anyone who wishes to step up can do so, no limitation on numbers. If there is someone who can force this humble monk back even a step, then he shall be considered the victor!"


    As Ananda''s voice fell, the Buddhist light around him grew more intense, enveloping the entire stage.


    "Pfft!"


    The martial artists who had stepped up faced the same fate as the ones before, spewing blood as they were sent flying with a single encounter.


    As a living Buddha reincarnate and a practitioner of the Bingpo Sect''s sect guarding heart method Dragon-Elephant Heart Sutra of the Great Snow Mountain, Ananda''s protective Buddhist light could both save and harm!


    Under the shine of the Buddhist light, the devotees encircling Ananda''s stage, who had been converted, were each excitedly shouting Ananda''s name.


    Ananda sat with a dignified presence on the stage, enveloped in Buddhist light, making him appear as a living Buddha, exuding unparalleled authority.


    "Today, this humble monk will sweep through Tiandu!" Ananda''s voice echoed around, lingering for a long time, and with the support of his robust inner strength, it carried far, almost covering half of the outer city of Tiandu.


    "Hmph!"


    At that moment, in a private room of the tavern next to the stage, the descendants of the kings, dukes, and ministers of Da Xia gathered.


    A young noble''s face darkened, as he mmed his wine cup onto the ground, shattering it and spilling the sparkling liquid all over the floor.


    Within the private room, the expressions of others were equally grim, each face darker than thest.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Yet, they were powerless against Ananda because their elders had warned them of his terrifying strength¡ªthat they were no match for him and must never make a move.


    For if they did, not only would they be unable to defeat Ananda, but they would also increase his momentum.


    "How long must we sit here and watch!" a noble youth eximed in anger. He had also heard what the martial artist had said. Under normal circumstances, he would have ordered his servants to capture that person. They were used to being revered¡ªwho could tolerate such humiliation?


    "Are we really without any means to handle that foul monk below? Can we only sit here with eyes wide open and watch him insult us at will?"


    The group of noble descendants coldly shouted in unison, their gazes fixed on Ananda atop the stage. If looks could kill, they would have killed Ananda a hundred, no, a thousand times over.


    As the granddaughter of the Duke of the Liang State, Lu Xin was naturally among them. She frowned slightly, clearly displeased with Ananda''s statements.


    This young monk from the Grand Yuan was indeed arrogant, but he had the capital to back it up. Among the young generation of Da Xia, including these scions of kings, dukes, and ministers, there truly was no one who could match this foreign monk.

 Chapter 201 The Duel Begins (Three additional ten thousand word chapters, please subscribe!)_1

    "People from Da Yuan have arrived!"


    "Look, that''s the monk in the red kasaya, he''s the best at bewitching people''s hearts. Everyone, be very careful!"


    "That young monk is a Buddha''s son of the Da Yuan country''s teachings. His status in Da Yuan is extremely honored, he''s been acimed as a living Buddha reincarnate!"


    "Living Buddha reincarnate? Is that for real?"


    "Humph, that stinking monk has recently defeated countless martial arts masters outside the city, and he even made the audacious im that he wants to sweep through Tiandu undefeated!"


    "What?! This stinking monk is far too arrogant. Today we must teach him a lesson and let him know the strength of Da Xia. How dare this mere barbarian from the steppes strut around in our Da Xia capital?"


    "Does anyone know who will be representing Da Xia in the battle today?"


    "I have no idea."


    As the contingent from Da Yuan arrived, the people within the inner city of Tiandu began discussing fervently. After hearing about Ananda''s actions in the outer city, most people were infuriated. Some were worried about Ananda''s might, fearing Da Xia had little chance of winning this duel.


    High above in the surrounding stands, where the most prominent seats were located, sat members of the royal family, including the crown prince, King Huai, and several other princes and princesses.


    "Eldest Brother, do you think this Gu Chen can really win?" a younger prince asked.


    The eldest prince, handsome with long, narrow eyes, merely snorted in response, without saying a word.


    Deep in his heart, he naturally did not wish for Gu Chen to win, not for Gu Chen, nor for Da Xia.


    After all, not long ago, Gu Chen had declined his invitation, which earned him a spot on the eldest prince''s cklist. The prince was quite displeased and did not want to see Gu Chen win.


    On the other hand, even if Ananda won, which would greatly affect Da Xia''s morale, it was, in the prince''s eyes, a good thing.


    Because, as Da Xia''s might was suppressed and the crown prince, currently the ruler of Da Xia, would surely be despised by countless people, an opportunity for him to rise to power would emerge.


    Therefore, in the eldest prince''s opinion, it was clearly more advantageous for him if Gu Chen lost.


    Moreover, in his heart of hearts, the eldest prince did not believe Gu Chen could win. He was not without discernment, after all, he had achieved the Returning to True Stage. Seeing Ananda today, he sensed thetter''s terror. Even someone higher in realm like himself found it challenging, let alone Gu Chen, who was still below Ananda in terms of stage.


    In the eyes of the eldest prince, Gu Chen was bound to be defeated.


    In truth, those who knew the situation well did not favor Gu Chen. After all, in their view, not only had Ananda achieved the Dragon Elephant True Body, but he also possessed aplete mastery of the Gang Qi Stage. What did Gu Chen have to fight with such a person?


    On another high tform, the nobility of Da Xia were seated, among whom were Uncle Dingyuan and the Marquis of Wuwei.


    "How do you view this battle?" Marquis of Wuwei asked Uncle Dingyuan at that moment.


    Uncle Dingyuan responded with a cold smile, his lips moving slightly as Gangqi condensed into a thread and entered Marquis of Wuwei''s ears: "In this battle, Gu Chen is undoubtedly doomed to defeat!"


    Marquis of Wuwei also nodded in agreement; that was his thought as well. For the two of them, it would be best if Ananda could kill Gu Chen on the spot today.


    Of course, even if Gu Chen were not killed, the scope of this battle was so broad, with the entire world and all of the Nine Provinces watching, it was a matter concerning the fate of Da Xia. Should Gu Chen lose, he would surely be spurned by thousands, and could even possibly be recorded in the annals of history, his name scorned for eternity.


    Uncle Dingyuan and Marquis of Wuwei smiled coldly. After this battle, Gu Chen would be thrust to rock bottom. His reputation, built among themon people and in the martial world, would be erased in an instant. He''d fall to the abyss''s bottom, loathed by countless people.


    They both were even beginning to anticipate such a scene impatiently.


    Soon, Da Yuan''s retinue arrived at their designated positions and settled down, while Ananda alone walked to the center of the arena, ced his hands together, and stood silently, waiting for his opponent toe.


    Zha Jiedunzhu was of a towering stature, standing a head or two taller than average. Seated here, he wore a faint smile on his lips.


    He knew that after this battle, Da Xia''s reputation would fall to its lowest. When that time came, he would find another opportunity to test the top battle powers of Da Xia. After returning, he''d directly inform the ruler of Da Yuan to take advantage of the weakened state of Da Xia, when its reputation had hit rock bottom, tounch an attack against Da Xia.


    Indistinctly, Zha Jiedunzhu seemed to see the scene of Da Yuan''s cavalry trampling over Da Xia''snds, even breaking through into Tiandu.


    At this thought, the smile on his face grew even more intense.


    ...


    At that moment, in the Gu Mansion, servants were setting up a carriage to rush Gu Chen and his party to the site of the decisive battle.


    Inside the carriage, the atmosphere was somewhat oppressive. Gu Chen''s second uncle, Gu Chengfeng, and his family all wore very solemn expressions; Gu Qingyan had tried to speak up several times but restrained herself each time.


    Seeing this, Gu Chen tried to break the heavy atmosphere, smiling and saying, "Second Uncle, Aunt, Qinyan, what''s all this for? It''s not like I''m going to the execution ground, is it really that bad?"


    Upon hearing this, Gu Chengfeng''s face forced an incredibly strained smile, saying, "Right, eldest nephew is correct. What''s this about, cheer up a little."


    Xu Qinge and her daughter Gu Qingyan exchanged a nce, both of their pretty faces revealing a somewhat reluctant smile.


    Gu Chengfeng looked at Gu Chen with a heavy heart, wanting to say something but hesitating. Finally making up his mind, he gritted his teeth and said, "Eldest nephew, if... I mean if you can''t beat Ananda, just... just admit defeat."


    Gu Chengfeng, of course, knew what it would mean if Gu Chen were to admit defeat in front of the countless residents of Tiandu, as well as Crown Prince King Huai and the host of dignitaries.


    However, Ananda was indeed from Da Yuan Country; if Gu Chen could not defeat him, Ananda would definitely not hold back. He wouldn''t entertain any notions of monasticpassion and would certainly use the most vicious methods to kill Gu Chen on the spot, causing his blood to spray five steps!


    For Gu Chengfeng, Gu Chen''s life was undoubtedly the most important thing. Although admitting defeat might cause Gu Chen, or even the entire Gu Family, to lose everything, at least it would save his life.


    After all, in his eyes, Gu Chen was no different from his own flesh and blood son.


    Xu Qinge also said softly at this time, "That''s right, eldest son, if it reallyes down to it, just admit defeat. With your Uncle holding up the sky for you, don''t think too much about anything else."


    Gu Qingyan was also looking at Gu Chen with a tense face, her clear eyes filled with concern. She said, "Big brother, you mustn''t have any idents."


    Hearing these words, a warm current welled up in Gu Chen''s heart. He also cracked a slight smile, and a strong confidence overflowed from his eyes. His words were forceful and resonant as he said, "Uncle, you all rest assured. In this battle, I am bound to win without a doubt!"


    Perhaps influenced by the strong confidence emanating from Gu Chen, the Gu Chengfeng family felt a surge of confidence as well.


    Seeing such spirit in Gu Chen, Gu Chengfeng was also inspired. He took a deep breath, suppressed the anxiety in his heart, andughed loudly, "Good! Eldest son, with your spirit, your Uncle believes in you!"


    After saying this, he stretched out hisrge hand and firmly patted Gu Chen''s shoulder.


    Xu Qinge and Gu Qingyan, mother and daughter, were also affected, and unconsciously, they rxed quite a bit.


    Soon, there was only a quarter of an hour left until the agreed-upon time for the decisive battle at noon, and the sun in the sky had already risen to its highest point.


    The masses of Tiandu, seeing that the fighter from Da Xia had not yet appeared, couldn''t help but grow a bit anxious.


    The Crown Prince felt the same, his palm unconsciously clenching tight, betraying his inner turmoil.


    Behind King Huai, the Xiantian Stage grandmaster, Mr. Gongsun, also furrowed his brows slightly. He first nced at the sky, then at King Huai. Seeing that King Huai still had an expressionless face, he said nothing.


    At this moment, suddenly, a loudugh from Zha Jiedunzhu rang out: "Prince of Da Xia, why hasn''t your champion appeared yet? Could it be that, after hearing of Da Yuan Country''s formidable reputation, you have be too frightened to fight?"


    "Hahaha..."


    With that remark, a group from Da Yuan Country echoed theughter.


    Just then, suddenly, a clear voice traveled from a distance: "The time has not yete, why such hurry? Are you so eager to depart this world?"


    Upon hearing this, Zha Jiedunzhu''s face immediately darkened, but far off in the crowd, a tall figure in ck robes slowly approached. He had a handsome face, with sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, very chiseled and masculine features, as if they were sculpted by a knife. He wore a long sword at his waist¡ªit was Gu Chen.


    As for the Gu Chengfeng family, naturally, someone had already arranged for them to be seated in their respective ces to watch the battle.


    It did not take long for the masses of Tiandu to recognize Gu Chen.


    "This... this is Lord Gu Chen from Jing Tian Department!"


    "He should be addressed as a bar!"


    "Could it be that he is the ''Soul Pursuing Sword''¡ªGu Chen?!"


    Seeing that Gu Chen had appeared on time, the Crown Prince finally set his mind at ease and let out a small sigh of relief.


    In the field, Ananda''s eyes lit up when he saw Gu Chen approaching, and he said, "It really is you!"


    When Gu Chen first returned to Tiandu, they had seen each other once and felt each other''s Gangqi for an instant, which allowed Ananda to gauge Gu Chen''s strength.


    If there were anyone in the same generation in Tiandu who Ananda felt was worthy of battling him, it would only be Gu Chen.


    Gu Chen smiled faintly, stepped closer to Ananda, and said, "I hear you made a bold statement, wanting to sweep across Tiandu?"


    Upon hearing this, Ananda fell silent for a moment, then nodded affirmatively. "That''s correct."


    "Then today, let me tell you, wanting to sweep across Tiandu, you are not up to the task!"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    At those words, Ananda''s eyebrows shot up, and the Gangqi around his body surged out powerfully. Suddenly, a gust of wind swept through the area towards Gu Chen.


    Seeing this, Gu Chen stood his ground, his expression calm. As the thick Gangqi inside him stirred, a simrly terrifying power emerged.


    Crack!


    In that moment, the force between them shed and collided, creating countless sparks in the void and crackling noises!


    Swish!


    The next instant, Gu Chen moved. Like a bolt of lightning, he charged forward and reached Ananda in the blink of an eye, a sweeping leg kick hurtling towards him.


    This also marked the official start of the grand battle between the two men!

 Chapter 202 Battle of Ananda_1

    Today''s Da Xia urgently needed a sweeping victory to reim its lost prestige over this period, and the only one among the young generation in Tiandu capable of achieving this was none other than Gu Chen!


    Boom!


    Gu Chen''s whip kicknded on Ananda''s body, causing the protective aura of the Buddha around him to ripple slightly, as he slid backwards a great distance.


    "Good!"


    Seeing Gu Chen forcing Ananda back with a single kick, the onlooking crowd of Tiandu citizens and martial arts masters all burst into cheers, and even the Crown Prince''s eyes lit up with admiration.


    In their eyes, Gu Chen''s strength was indeed extraordinary. Ananda had been sitting on the outer city''s tform for so long and no one had been able to push him back even a step. Now, Gu Chen had seeded right from the start, instantly proving his superiority.


    But Zha Jiedunzhu remained calm and even had a cold smile on his lips, knowing very well the extent of Ananda''s strength. It was impossible for Gu Chen to be his match.


    Now, it was merely Ananda testing Gu Chen.


    In the arena, even though Ananda had been pushed back by Gu Chen''s kick, his expression remained calm. He put his hands together and slowly said, "If Lord Gu, this is all the strength you possess, you will not be my match."


    Upon hearing this, Gu Chen''s eyebrows rose slightly. That kick he hadnded on Ananda''s protective aura had resulted in a strong rebounding force. Had he not broken through to the Indestructible Body before, he truly would not have been this monk''s opponent.


    Gu Chen did not respond to Ananda''s words. Instead, his figure shed, approaching Ananda, his body''s strength coalescing. His fist, like a raging storm, pounded on Ananda''s body.


    ng ng ng!


    At this moment, Gu Chen''s fists struck against Ananda''s protective aura, and immediately countless sparks flew in all directions, as if forging iron, producing a symphony of metal against metal.


    Ananda stood there, bathed in the illumination of Buddha''s light, which grew ever brighter as Gu Chen continued his assault, not taking a single step back.


    Seeing this scene, the faces of the people from the Great Yuan, with Zha Jiedunzhu at the lead, all revealed smiles, while those from Da Xia became somewhat uneasy.


    "What... what''s going on?"


    "How can this monk''s physical body be so terrifying?!"


    Even if themoners of Tiandu did not understand martial arts, they could still see who was stronger and who was weaker. Apart from Gu Chen''s initial move that forced Ananda back, now after so much time had passed, Ananda had remained standing, letting Gu Chen make his moves without being able to push him back an inch.


    The Crown Prince suddenly felt anxious. He turned to King Huai and said, "Uncle Emperor, this..."


    King Huai responded indifferently, "Your Highness, be calm and watch what happens next."


    Behind them, a cold smirk appeared on the face of the Eldest Prince. Things were indeed unfolding as he had anticipated; Gu Chen was no match for Ananda.


    The initial retreat was nothing but Ananda''s carelessness.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Boom!


    At that moment, Ananda in the arena suddenly let out a loud shout. The Buddha''s light around him abruptly became so dazzlingly brilliant that it seemed to reach an extreme, releasing thousands of rays of light. Even themoners and martial artists standing in the front row felt a sharp pain in their flesh.


    Then, King Huai turned his head slightly, looking towards Gongsun Sir beside him.


    Seeing this, Gongsun Sir flicked his finger, causing ripples in the void and drawing together the qi of heaven and earth. In an instant, a huge and visible shield like a bowl was lowered, covering both Gu Chen and Ananda within it.


    In an instant, the countless Buddha lights emanating from Ananda werepletely blocked off.


    Boom!


    The next instant, amidst the blinding Buddha light, a figure was sent flying backward. Upon closer inspection, the spectators were shocked to find that it was actually Gu Chen!


    A sense of foreboding arose among themoners and martial artists of Da Xia as they looked anxiously towards the center of the arena.


    "Whates around goes around, Lord Gu, now try taking a punch from this little monk."


    Ananda lowered his eyes and began to speak slowly. In the next instant, a powerful roar filled the air. He had not even made a move yet, but waves of qi were exploding around him, creating an extremely terrifying presence.


    Whoosh!


    The next instant, Ananda made his move!


    Since his arrival in Tiandu, this was the first time he had taken the initiative to strike. Seeing Ananda make his move, everyone watched the scene with unblinking eyes.


    A terrifying surge of qi was released from Ananda''s body at that moment. At this instant, he did not seem like a human, but rather like an Ancient Dragon Elephant that had traversed endless eons, re-emerging from the distant past to crush Gu Chen underfoot.


    This aura, despite the barrier formed by the qi of heaven and earth, instilled an uncontroble fear in the hearts of those present, stemming from the deepest recesses of their souls. It was as if harmless rabbits in a jungle had encountered the king of tigers, powerless to fight back.


    This was the number one physique of the Great Snow Mountain Dragon Elephant Buddha Sect¡ªthe True Dragon Elephant Body!


    Once this physique was cultivated to maturity, it possessed the mighty power of a dragon elephant, an unstoppable force!


    Ananda''s punch was fierce and domineering, enough to overwhelm anyone to the point of breathlessness. Any martial artist at the Gang Qi Stage would be hard-pressed to contend with it.


    Feeling the power of Ananda''s punch, Gu Chen''s expression was solemn. The punch the opponent had thrown with pure physical strength had already surpassed a million pounds!


    Boom!


    Gu Chen mobilized his body, fighting back with pure physical strength as well. At that moment, the muscles and bones throughout his body resonated together, his spine like a dragon. His entire body''s strength converged, and brilliant golden light appeared on the surface of his body, turning him into a dazzling golden figure.


    With a loud bang, a deafening noise resounded, and the very ground trembled. The two opponents exchanged blows, attacking one another incessantly, their thundering shes unceasing.


    This was no longer the work of mere mortals; it was as if two great mountains were shing against each other, their might awe-inspiring and terrifying!


    The Crown Prince, Marquis of Wuwei, Duke of the Liang State, and others instantly focused their attention, their expressions gravely serious. They had not expected that Ananda, after making his move, would fail to defeat Gu Chen in the first instance.


    Zha Jiedunzhu''s eyebrows gently furrowed as he stared unblinkingly at the center of the field.


    At this moment, on the battlefield, as the two continued to exchange blows, they seemed to transform into streaks of lightning. Their agile figures were moving rapidly across the field, their collisions causing the ground to quake as if mountains were crumbling.


    The close-quartersbat of pure physical onught left all the onlookers dazzled and bewildered, especially the martial artists, whose emotions were stirred, blood boiling with the desire to rece one of the twobatants and engage in a fierce battle.


    Boom!


    Another earth-shattering sound ensued, and in the next instant, the two fighters separated and stood apart from each other.


    "Ancient Dragon Elephant Power!"


    Ananda''s expression was solemn, with thick Buddha light emanating from his body, shooting straight into the sky. At that moment, behind Ananda, a majestic virtual image of an Ancient Dragon Elephant emerged as if it had traveled through the ages to stand behind him, emitting an aura of ancient vastness.


    In this moment, Ananda''s muscles bulged, his skin shimmered with a peculiar luster, his eyes fierce and daunting, unleashing a terrifying force capable of striking fear into the bravest hearts as though a divine demon stood there.


    "It''s¡­ it''s terrifying¡­"


    Witnessing this scene, countless people murmured to themselves, their legs turning to jelly. The imposing presence of the Ancient Dragon Elephant was frightening, instilling an innate fear in the onlookers.


    "Master Gu, your eldest son¡­" At this moment, Xu Qinge and Gu Qingyan, mother and daughter, both looked anxiously towards Gu Chengfeng.


    But Gu Chengfeng''s expression was equally serious, his fists clenched tightly as his body trembled involuntarily.


    This was not fear; it was excessive concern that caused such a reaction.


    "It''s over, it''s over! With such a terrifying physical body, not yet having unleashed his cultivation level, his overwhelming strength is surely enough to dominate Tiandu. Amongst the young generation of Da Xia, who could possibly be his match?" Everyone felt a deep sense of helplessness at the bottom of their hearts.


    The Duke of the Liang State and Chen Yu watched the battlefield with extremely concentrated expressions, afraid to miss anything.


    The Crown Prince was also visibly tense, leaning forward with a deep look of concern and anxiety in his eyes.


    King Huai slightly frowned, observing the virtual image of the Dragon Elephant behind Ananda, sensing the terrifying aura it contained.


    Even Gongsun, a master who had reached the Innate Stage, had a slightly heavy expression on his face, knowing that Gu Chen was likely to be defeated.


    Such a terrifying physical strength could only be matched by a martial artist who reached the ultimate physical form of an indestructible body. Otherwise, no one would be his opponent.


    Yet, it had been hundreds of years since a martial artist of the indestructible level had appeared in the Nine Provinces. How easy could it be to bring one''s body to such an ultimate state?


    Upon seeing this scene, Zha Jiedunzhu nodded slightly, knowing that the overall situation was now settled.


    "Kill!"


    At that moment, only to hear Ananda let out a great roar, his voice shaking heaven and earth, the Ancient Dragon Elephant''s virtual image behind him also letting out a roar, infinite power blessing Ananda. The two seemed to merge into one entity, transforming into a ray of light, charging towards Gu Chen, like an ancient demon mountain crashing forward with unstoppable force!


    Seeing this, Gu Chen''s eyes also showed a hint of solemnity. The famed true body of the Ancient Dragon Elephant was as stated in the legends, only a body as indestructible as a diamond could fight against it.


    Boom!


    At this moment, Gu Chen no longer suppressed the strong vital energy within his body. Atop his head, a surge of mighty vitality shot up into the sky. From within to without, a mysterious power was released from the depths of his body, dazzling light bursting forth from him. Gu Chen''s body shimmered in pale golden light, his hair lifting in the wind, his ck clothes rustling loudly.


    Subsequently, with a sound like crashing waves, from every pore around his body burst forth innumerable streams of pale golden vital energy, like the vast ocean, Gu Chen''s lithe body emanated an astonishing oppressive force. The surrounding space seemed barely able to withstand the pressure, rippling like being crushed under Gu Chen''s bodily strength.


    "Indestructible body?!"


    Seeing this, countless people shouted out, both from Da Xia and Da Yuan, everyone was wildly shocked.


    Even those watching from the high tform jumped to their feet, whether they were civil officials or militarymanders, each one of them knew the significance of the indestructible body.


    "This is impossible!"


    Marquis of Wuwei and Duke of the Liang State eximed loudly, their faces agitated and somewhat losingposure, incredulously watching Gu Chen in the field afar. His pale golden body and the terrifying vital energy, like an endless sea, corroborated the reality of it all!


    The Crown Prince was also deeply shocked, unable to fathom how Gu Chen could have cultivated an indestructible body.


    Seeing such strength in Gu Chen, the Crown Prince was instantly overjoyed, nearly too excited to contain himself.


    Even King Huai leaned forward, a hint of shock shing through the depths of his eyes.


    Gongsun also disyed surprise on his face; for so many years, the Nine Provinces had not seen a martial artist with an indestructible body, and yet, he had encountered one today.


    As for Zha Jiedunzhu, upon witnessing the anomaly around Gu Chen, he instantly stood up, with a dark expression as if water could drip from his face.


    The Duke of the Liang State, Chen Yu, Zhou Qing, and all others who were on good terms with Gu Chen, beyond their astonishment, also felt a wave of joy seeing Gu Chen''s true strength.


    Gu Chengfeng was a bit dazed, mumbling to himself, "My eldest son¡­ has he achieved an indestructible body?"


    Xu Qinge and Gu Qingyan, mother and daughter, of course did not know what the indestructible body meant; watching Gu Chen in the field looking awe-inspiring as if a deity had descended, they were simply astounded.


    At this moment, no one had imagined that Gu Chen would have cultivated an indestructible body, the whole ce was in an uproar, everyone was stunned!


    Who would have thought that, after hundreds of years, the Nine Provinces would once again bear witness to the emergence of a martial artist who had reached the ultimate physical form¡ªan indestructible warrior!

 Chapter 238 204

    ```


    The battlefield was silent as Gu Chen stood tall, his long hair disheveled and reaching down to his waist, his body lithe as a savage dragon, translucent and glistening with a pale golden hue. He harbored vast and terrifying spiritual energy, imposing like a mountain, an overwhelming presence indeed.


    In the distance, the powerful Ananday on the ground, spasms wracking his body, fresh blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. His once-red kasaya was now tattered and bloodstained, with bleeding wounds all over his body.


    Both the people of Da Xia and those of the Great Yuan were shocked, the so-called "Buddha''s son" from the Dragon Elephant Monastery of the Great Snow Mountain, an incarnation of a living Buddha, had been defeated. He was not a match for Gu Chen and was grievously injured.


    Not long ago, Ananda had been sitting cross-legged on the stage outside Tiandu, undefeated by any youngster in the city and boasting that he would sweep through Tiandu. Yet now, he was defeated by Gu Chen, whose cultivation level was not even as high as his own.


    At first, not a single person from the Great Yuan, and even those from Da Xia, thought highly of Gu Chen. But as the battlemenced, with a fierce sh between the two mighty fighters, and especially after Gu Chen disyed his indestructible Vajra body, many were taken aback.


    Now that Gu Chen had sent Ananda flying, everyone was frozen in ce, their disbelief palpable.


    Zha Jiedunzhu was the first to snap out of it. He leaped to his feet, his gaze toward Gu Chen murderous, his fists clenched, ready to take action himself.


    At this moment, the officials and nobles of Da Xia, as well as themoners, came to their senses too, releasing their pent-up frustration with ted expressions, shouting Gu Chen''s name continuously.


    The crown prince was also thrilled, pumping his fist vigorously, a gesture that didn''t fit his status. He was so excited that he didn''t even realize it.


    "We won, we won, Mistress, Big Brother won!" Xu Qinge and Gu Qingyan, mother and daughter, also had faces full of joy.


    Gu Qingyan looked at Gu Chen''s tall and lithe figure in the arena, her beautiful eyes sparkling with admiration.


    Of course, it wasn''t just her; all the women present, includingdies like Lu Xin of Da Xia''s nobility, had a certain indescribable meaning in their eyes as they watched Gu Chen.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    In the midst of the battlefield, Gu Chen radiated dazzling golden light from his body and hair, shining with eye-catching brilliance. At this moment, his physique was like a divine furnace, radiating astonishing spiritual energy.


    Gu Chen stepped forward, embodying the supreme power to subdue dragons and demons, his eyes extremely bright as he approached the prone Ananda.


    Then, the crowd saw the bloodied Ananda, still bleeding, sit up again. His legs were crossed, hands forming seals, with a buddhic light flickering around him. The wounds on his skin began to slowly heal.


    Moreover, the rate of healing was incredibly fast, and Ananda''s aura went from weak to increasingly strong.


    Zha Jiedunzhu let out a relieved breath upon seeing this¡ªit was the secret "Inner Lion Seal" from the Dragon Elephant Monastery of the Great Snow Mountain.


    This seal was primarily used to elerate the healing of one''s own body and to treat injuries.


    Legend has it that there are nine variations of this seal, but within the Dragon Elephant Monastery, there were only two or three types, iplete.


    This was because the seal originated from one of the six major sacrednds, the Sumeru Monastery. When the founder of the Dragon Elephant Monastery left Sumeru, he could only take these few seals with him.


    Even so, it was enough for those who mastered it to benefit for a lifetime. Indeed, it wasn''t necessary to learn them all¡ªmastering just one was enough to dominate the world.


    It was said that even within the Sumeru Monastery, there were very few who could practice all nine seals.


    At this moment, as Gu Chen approached, his body lit up, with dazzling radiant mes emerging from his surface, covering him from head to toe, giving off palpitations-inducing vibrations.


    But Ananda seemed well-prepared, calm and collected. As he shifted the seal in his hands, he uttered in a low voice, "Great Vajra Wheel Seal!"


    With a rumble, the Gangqi of dragons and elephants within Ananda converged, forming a massive wheel with arge dragon elephant apparition upon it, its menacing gaze fixed on Gu Chen.


    "Dragon Tiger Roar!"


    Gu Chen shouted, and the images of a real dragon and a white tiger reappeared, this time intertwining around Gu Chen''s body. He threw a punch, fierce and unmatched, with the overwhelming force of the world copsing imbued within it!


    With a bang, Gu Chen''s translucent and pale golden fist, as if forged from divine metal, collided with the Great Vajra Wheel Seal released by Ananda, sending sparks flying everywhere and a wild Gang Wind swept up.


    Seeing this, Ananda immediately retreated. He had already experienced Gu Chen''s physical power; he was no match. Now Ananda had resolved to avoid closebat with Gu Chen.


    But Gu Chen wasn''t going to let him get away that easily. He shed forward, his feet pounding the ground with explosive force, and in an instant, he charged forward.


    Boom!


    Gu Chen struck out with his fist seal, the radiant light reflecting and illuminating all directions. Ananda was still grievously injured, and even with the mysterious seal repairing his body, he was no longer a threat.


    In just an instant, Ananda was sent flying again, coughing up blood incessantly.


    ```

 Chapter 206 Rewards_1

    At this moment, inside a tavern in Tiandu.


    The ce was already packed to the brim, with a storyteller sporting a goatee striking his lectern fiercely, "At the great battle of Tiandu, the Great Yuan Buddhist disciple Ananda perfected the Dragon Elephant Scripture, an untransmitted secret of the Daxue Mountains Dragon Elephant Buddhist Sect.


    He even mastered the Dragon Elephant True Form, boasting iparable strength and recognized as the number one among his peers in the martial path of the Great Yuan!"


    The crowd, already engrossed and unable to extricate themselves, saw one person raising a hand, a look of puzzlement on his face as he asked, "What is the Dragon Elephant Scripture?"


    Hearing this, everyone immediately turned their gazes towards the goateed storyteller, including some martial practitioners who were also curious, unaware of the origins of the Dragon Elephant Scripture.


    The storyteller grinned, pleased with the effect he had created, paused for a moment, and when he saw everyone eagerly watching him, he then slowly said, "The Dragon Elephant Scripture is a profound teaching from one of the six great holynds, the Sumeru Buddhist Sect, which is known as the premiere of countless Buddhas in the nine provinces.


    The Dragon Elephant Scripture is an ancient legacy of this sect, extremely powerful, and can be described as terrifying!"


    Wow!


    Enjoy exclusive content from empire


    The crowd, cooperating splendidly, immediately filled the room with a collective gasp of astonishment.


    The reputation of the six great holynds, let alone to martial practitioners, evenmon folks knew it to be an entity that had suppressed the nine provinces for countless years, renowned throughout the world, its name known to all.


    It was also the first time they heard that the Daxue Mountains Dragon Elephant Buddhist Sect, the number one sect within the borders of the Great Yuan, actually derived from one of the six great holynds, and that the Dragon Elephant Scripture belonged to an ancient heritage!


    Ancient martial arts,pared to today''s martial techniques, were vastly more powerful. The martial path back then was much more prosperous and flourishing than it is today, unlike now where not a single Celestial Realm powerhouse can be found.


    "Quickly describe to us the details of that particr battle!" a citizen could not help but exim.


    Although Gu Chen''s deeds had been wildly circted among the people recently, and the citizens of Tiandu had heard them over and over again, the fervor remained undiminished, the heat unabated. Many wanted to listen again and again, just to fullyprehend every aspect of that day''s battle.


    The great battle took ce in the inner city, and due to the overwhelming number of people, many citizens and martial artists did not know the details of the fight. Furthermore, the versions told by each storyteller differed.


    The storyteller smiled faintly, puffing out his chest with pride, and said, "Although Ananda had cultivated the Dragon Elephant True Form, our Lord Gu, Gu Chen, is now acimed as the number one talent in the nine provinces for hundreds of years, having cultivated the Indestructible Vajra Body!"


    "During that battle, the Great Yuan Buddhist disciple Ananda unleashed the Dragon Elephant Great Strength, invoking the ancient phantom of a dragon elephant. Yet, our Da Xia''s Lord Gu, Gu Chen, was even more extraordinary.


    His golden blood qi filled the void, embodying the ultimate yang and rigidity, squeezing the heavens and the earth, his divine might awe-inspiring as though a war god had descended!"


    "Even though Ananda was a talent unparalleled, practicing the ancient technique Dragon Elephant Scripture along with many ancient martial arts, he still was no match for Lord Gu! Theirbat was overwhelming; with a few punches from Lord Gu, thunder roared, and the sky changed color.


    With a single gesture from Lord Gu, eighty-one heavenly dragons soared into the sky, shattering the heavens and splitting the earth, pummeling the once overbearing Great Yuan Buddhist disciple, making him spit blood and fly away horizontally."


    "The Great Yuan is simply insignificant!"


    As soon as he said this, countless citizens echoed in agreement, their expressions roused, shouting, "Yes, the Great Yuan is insignificant!"


    Even martial practitioners couldn''t contain their excitement, shouting, "What Daxue Mountain Dragon Elephant Buddhist Sect, what future head of the Buddhist sect, what first martial arts practitioner of the future Great Yuan, they are all still bested by a single punch from our Lord Gu!"


    "A single punch to defeat!"


    "Lord Gu is invincible!"


    "Da Xia triumphs in a hundred battles!"


    The blood of the citizens and martial practitioners alike was stirred by the storyteller, and the atmosphere within the tavern reached a fever pitch.


    The tavern keeper sat to one side, having heard these tales countless times, yet he still found them thoroughly engaging, munching on peanuts while listening to the storyteller''s ount.


    It wasn''t just this one tavern. Now, every tavern in Tiandu, even every corner of the city, echoed with the stories of Gu Chen''s battle that day.


    Some storytellers were rtively impartial, describing the actual scenes of the great battle, but others, like the one just now, were more exaggerated in their ounts, nheless better at stirring the emotions of their audience.


    Regardless of the form it took, Gu Chen''s reputation reached an unprecedented peak in Da Xia, with countless citizens venerating him.


    Even Gu Chen''s attire and bearing from that day had be trendy, and now across the entire Tiandu, many people emted him.


    ...


    Ever since Gu Chen had defeated Ananda, Gu Mansion''s threshold was nearly trampled down by the influx of people recounting Gu Chen''s deeds, not just in Tiandu but also outside it.


    Now, Gu Chen could be said to have be a celebrity in Da Xia, and indeed the entire nine provinces. Naturally, countless individuals wished to meet him in person.


    This included some of Da Xia''s high officials and nobles. Throughout these days, a ceaseless chain of carriages had made their way to and from Gu Mansion. These individuals were very shrewd, almost all bringing their own children with them.


    Boys sought to take Gu Chen as their master, even presenting exorbitant gifts in hopes of being epted as disciples.


    Girls, on the other hand, hoped to forge a beautiful matrimonial bond with Gu Chen. Even if they couldn''t be his wife, they were willing to be his concubines.


    It could be said that during this period, the Gu Mansion had received so many gifts that their hands grew weary, and Gu Chengfeng and Xu Qinge, by virtue of being the uncle and aunt of Gu Chen, were pursued by numerous high-ranking officials and nobility.


    In the past, when these people saw Gu Chengfeng, they wouldn''t even give him a second nce, but now they were all chasing after him, eagerly following in his footsteps, just to exchange a few words with him.


    Gu Chen''s potential was now known to all; having secured such a swift and decisive victory for Da Xia, the Crown Prince and King Huai would undoubtedly reward him handsomely, and as Gu Chen already held the title of a viscount, should he wish to take up an official post in court, he was sure to be a close confidant of the Crown Prince and his future achievements would be boundless.


    Even if he chose not to take an official post and remained in the Jing Tian Department, with Gu Chen''s abilities and the honors he had just earned, his promotion to Commander was as good as confirmed!


    Such a revered figure, destined to stand at the pinnacle of the Nine Provinces, if they didn''t curry favor now, when would they?


    Latterly, there were so many people seeking Gu Chen that the Gu Mansion simply couldn''t amodate them all, and the servants of the Gu Mansion, including Gu Chengfeng, Xu Qinge, and Gu Qingyan, were utterly exhausted from receiving all these figures.


    Having no other choice, Gu Chen found a way out by iming that he had sustained some injuries in his battle with Ananda and needed to recuperate in peace, and with this statement, the Gu Mansion once again became quiet.


    Although he had been tired to death during this period, Gu Chengfeng was very happy because Gu Chen had made something of himself, bing a person of great importance in Da Xia, and Gu Chengfeng felt he had not let down Gu Chen''s parents.


    ...


    The Imperial Pce.


    At the moment, in the great hall, the Crown Prince and King Huai had gathered a host of ministers to discuss how to reward Gu Chen.


    Despite several days having passed, the Crown Prince was still visibly exhrated, with joy written all over his face.


    Compared to him, Uncle Dingyuan and Marquis of Wuwei had extremely unpleasant expressions on their faces.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    The Crown Prince looked at his ministers, his handsome face brimming with a hearty smile, said, "I''ve summoned all my loyal ministers here today mainly to discuss what sort of reward should be given to Gu Chen. I have thought of many things, but following the suggestions of my royal uncle, I''ve decided to deliberate over this matter with all of you."


    Upon hearing this, Duke of the Liang State stepped forward immediately and said, "I have something to say."


    "Duke of the Liang State, please speak," replied the Crown Prince with a slight nod.


    Duke of the Liang State Lu Sheng said, "In my opinion, Gu Chen has indeed performed an outstanding service for Da Xia, contributing greatly to our country. Since the emperor overcame his cmity, the scattered spirits of the citizens have been gathered together once more, with pleasing news arriving from every province. The morale of our soldiers has increased enormously because of this victory.


    Truly, it is all thanks to Gu Chen. I believe he deserves a substantial reward. After all, the eyes of the entire nation are watching us, and even the people of Tiandu have been singing Gu Chen''s praises during this time."


    "If the reward for Gu Chen''s efforts isn''t substantial enough, I fear it will fail to satisfy the people."


    "Hmm, the Duke of the Liang State speaks wisely," said the Crown Prince, nodding slightly. For him, if such a prodigy as Gu Chen could be firmly in his grasp, he could not afford to dishearten him.


    Moreover, Gu Chen truly had aplished a tremendous feat for Da Xia, boosting our national prestige, foiling Dayuan''s scheme against Da Xia, and also delivering a powerful p to Dayuan''s face.


    During the time Ananda was stationed outside the fortress, Da Xia''s people were disheartened, and countless citizens had be disappointed with Da Xia, and with him, a fact the Crown Prince was acutely aware of.


    Without Gu Chen, Da Xia would have suffered an unprecedented blow, and the prestige of the strongest nation of the time might have copsed in an instant.


    As the Duke of the Liang State said, if he skimped on rewarding Gu Chen, it''s likely that the people of Da Xia would not agree.


    "What reward does the Duke of the Liang State propose we give Gu Chen this time?" asked the Crown Prince.


    "I believe that a promotion in rank would be most suitable!" replied the Duke of the Liang State without hesitation.


    The Crown Prince nodded and said, "Gu Chen is currently a viscount. Is the Duke suggesting we confer upon Gu Chen the title of an earl?"


    The Duke of the Liang State was just about to nod when Uncle Dingyuan, with a dark expression on his face, stepped forward and said, "Your Highness, that must not be done!"


    Upon hearing that the Crown Prince intended to promote Gu Chen to the rank of an earl, Uncle Dingyuan and the Marquis of Wuwei''s expressions changed instantly. After all, they had rendered innumerable services to Da Xia and only held the title of an earl. To them, Gu Chen had simply won a victory for Da Xia and was suddenly catching up to their lifelong effort, sitting at the same level as them.


    This, Uncle Dingyuan and the Marquis of Wuwei could not ept.


    The Marquis of Wuwei also stepped forward and said, "I implore Your Highness to reconsider. The matter of conferring titles is of great significance, and Gu Chen''s position as viscount has not even been solidified yet. So soon after, Your Highness seeks to make him an earl, skipping two ranks in just a few months. Our Da Xia has never set such a precedent!"


    Even during times of war, such rapid advancements in nobility were notmon, let alone in peaceful times.


    Moreover, once Gu Chen was made an earl, it would inevitably affect the interests of the current powerful elite in Da Xia, with the possibility that the existing pie might be redistributed, something the elites of Da Xia certainly wouldn''t want.


    Especially those who were in league with Uncle Dingyuan and the Marquis of Wuwei.


    Consequently, many stood up and collectively urged the Crown Prince to retract his decree.

 Chapter 243 207 Great Sun True Skill (Three more ten thousand words, ask for subscription!)_1

    As for the array of civil officials in Da Xia, they stood to one side, silent.


    Whether Gu Chen was ennobled or not did not greatly affect them, and Gu Chen had no deep rtions with the many civil officials of Da Xia, so they chose neutrality regarding this matter.


    Even though not long ago many among them had visited Gu Mansion, wanting to meet with Gu Chen and forge a connection, since nothing hade of it, these old foxes would naturally not stand out at such a time.


    Each of them focused inwardly, appearing indifferent to the affair, silently standing there like spectators at a y.


    Nowadays, Da Xia''s powerful elite were divided into two factions, with the Duke of the Liang State leading one side, supporting the elevation of Gu Chen to the rank of an Earl.


    The other side, including Uncle Dingyuan and a group of others, was firmly against it.


    An argument between the two sides seemed imminent.


    Seeing this, the Crown Prince immediately furrowed his brows, feeling irked. He pinched the bridge of his nose and looked towards King Huai.


    But at this moment, King Huai had an expressionless face, eyes looking downcast, as if lost in thought, showing no intention of providing guidance.


    The Crown Prince felt helpless. Seeing this, a nearby eunuch struck the ground with his whip, producing a resoundingly crisp snap.


    "Silence!"


    Hearing thismand, the Duke of the Liang State and others all took a deep breath, noting the Crown Prince''s displeased expression and ceased their quarreling.


    The Crown Prince turned his gaze towards Uncle Dingyuan, Marquis of Wuwei, and the other Da Xia nobles, and with a frown, he asked, "ording to you, what sort of reward should we give Gu Chen?"


    "Silks, satins, gold and silver treasures, these should suffice," Dingyuan said lightly.


    At these words, the Duke of the Liang State became furiously angry, saying, "Gu Chen shed blood and sacrificed his life for Da Xia. You want to dismiss him with mere material possessions? What would the people of the world, the countless citizens of Da Xia think? Aren''t you afraid of chilling their hearts?"


    "If we really use these gold and silver treasures as rewards without any substantial honors, who else would be willing to risk their lives for Da Xia in the future? What would the soldiers on the border think?"


    Then Marquis of Wuwei scoffed coldly, saying, "If the Duke of the Liang State is going to put it that way, then I also have something to say. I too have established countless merits for Da Xia in my life, bearing numerous scars to prove it. Even thete emperor acknowledged my contributions. Now, just because a junior has fought one battle, you imply he can match the achievements of my entire life.


    Tell me, is that fair, Duke of the Liang State?"


    Uncle Dingyuan even said, "What you''re saying is the greatest injustice. You and I have earned our positions through many merits for Da Xia. Gu Chen has merely made one contribution, and you say it''s unfair and disheartening. In my view, if Gu Chen were to be an Earl, that would truly chill people''s hearts!"


    "Today, barbarians are restless, and the border environment of Yan State is extremely harsh. Still, countless Da Xia soldiers guard it withoutint, protecting ournd and preventing the barbarians from advancing an inch. The Marquis of Pingxi has been stationed there for over twenty years. Has his merit been any less?


    If Gu Chen is made an Earl, what would the border soldiers think, what would the Marquis of Pingxi think?"


    Their words stood on grounds of righteousness, spoken with great force, leaving the Duke of the Liang State and others speechless.


    Even the Crown Prince felt the same, but to only give Gu Chen some gold and silver treasures seemed truly indefensible.


    The Crown Prince also felt a creeping sense of powerlessness in his heart. If the Emperor of Da Xia were here, who would dare to dispute his word?


    At this moment, King Huai finally spoke up. The expression of this Da Xia royalty was calm, his gaze indifferent, as he said, "The person in question is not present. No matter how much you debate, it''s futile. Call Gu Chen to attend the court tomorrow morning, and after hearing his thoughts, we''ll make a decision then."


    Having heard King Huai speak, Uncle Dingyuan and Marquis of Wuwei naturally did not dare say more, but simply nodded in agreement.


    ...


    In this period, ever since his victory over Ananda, Gu Chen had been reflecting on the gains and losses from that battle.


    Ananda''s strength was actually very formidable, even stronger than the number one assassin on the ck List of the Blood-Cloaked Tower, Wujian, whom Gu Chen had encountered before.


    Moreover, his cultivation was profoundly deep, having developed the anomalous Gangqi of the Dragon Elephant, with immense power, even surpassing Wujian''s Blood Refinement Gangqi.


    Not only that, his innate protective Buddha Light was also terrifyingly powerful, nearly converting Gu Chen into his most devout follower.


    However, Ananda still lost. The reason he lost to Gu Chen was because Ananda had been too careless.


    "That battle was truly a narrow victory," Gu Chen murmured, reflecting on himself.


    Gu Chen knew himself best. His victory over Ananda was not because his strength truly surpassed Ananda by much, but because that day''s battle had seen Gu Chen exerting his utmost effort.


    And Ananda''s defeat came from his carelessness!


    "A lion still uses all its might to catch a rabbit," he thought. If Ananda hadn''t been so sure of his own Dragon Elephant True Body, insisting on close-quarterbat with Gu Chen, the oue of that battle would have been uncertain.


    Even if he could win, Gu Chen knew it would be a bitterly earned victory.


    In all honesty, Ananda, who was at the greatpletion of the Gang Qi Stage, surpassed Gu Chen significantly in cultivation and power. If it weren''t for the severe injuries Ananda suffered in closebat with Gu Chen, such a decisive victory would have been impossible.


    It must be said that Gu Chen''s attainment of the Vajra body,bined with the fusion of two Superior Martial Skills, had brought his physical strength to an unimaginable peak at this stage.


    Now, relying purely on physical prowess, Gu Chen would dare to challenge even a Returning to True Stage master.


    In close-quarterbat, Gu Chen was confident that he could defeat or even kill masters of the Returning to True Stage; however, masters of that stage may not afford him the opportunity.


    After all, by now everyone in the world knew he had achieved the indestructibility of the Vajra Stage, his physical body fearsome; everyone would be on guard against this.


    And in aparison of cultivation, Gu Chen would be utterly defeated, nowhere near the level of a Returning to True Stage master, who would thoroughly thrash him.


    "Now, my primary goal is to enhance my cultivation, and then to develop a unique kind of Gangqi!" Gu Chen sat cross-legged on his bed, refining the Gangqi within his body over and over again. However, without points to spend, this kind of progress through diligent personal cultivation was painfully slow for Gu Chen.


    At this time, in the evening, the Duke of the Liang State and Chen Yu paid another visit.


    This time, upon seeing Gu Chen, the two got straight to the point, saying directly, "The Crown Prince and King Huai are preparing to reward you. Have you thought about what reward you would like to ask for?"


    Upon hearing this, Gu Chen was immediately taken aback.


    Hence, the Duke of the Liang State described to Gu Chen the scene that had previously taken ce in the great hall.


    As for Chen Yu, he had only just learned of this from the Duke of the Liang State, because members of the Jing Tian Department and Mingjing Department did not need to attend court unless summoned by the Emperor, the Crown Prince, or King Huai.


    This was mainly because the Jing Tian Department and Mingjing Department already wielded considerable power and received abundant resources each year, making them feared by numerous officials and nobles of Da Xia.


    Therefore, unless necessary, members of the Jing Tian Department and Mingjing Department did not attend the morning court or some other private court meetings.


    As for the Qintian Monitor, its status was somewhat more detached; if there was an issue, the Crown Prince would send someone to consult the Qintian Monitor.


    After hearing the Duke of the Liang State''s description, Gu Chen had a moment of realization. Regarding the remarks made by Uncle Dingyuan and the Marquis of Wuwei, Gu Chen merely smiled faintly.


    He had killed their heirs¡ªit was only natural for them to target him. However, with Gu Chen''s current fame and strength, they were not in a position to touch him.


    Now, for those two, badmouthing was all they could do against Gu Chen; if speaking of taking any actual action, they wouldn''t dare.


    After all, Gu Chen was now the center of attention in the world, valued by the Crown Prince, King Huai, and the deputymander of the Jing Tian Department.


    If they dared to move against Gu Chen, they would indeed be looking for trouble. All they could do was to seek opportunities to verbally harass or disgust him in some matters.


    Chen Yu said, "This is a rare opportunity; think carefully about what it is you want."


    The Duke of the Liang State gave a slight sigh, saying, "You should probably not consider nobility; Uncle Dingyuan and the others would never agree. With the Crown Prince''s power in court, although he wishes to help you, he is also helpless, unless you can persuade King Huai."


    Upon hearing this, Gu Chen immediately shook his head. What kind of person was King Huai? Even if he valued Gu Chen, he was unlikely to personally intervene on Gu Chen''s behalf.


    To this point, Gu Chen had merely had a single encounter with King Huai.


    In any case, it wasn''t something significant enough to involve King Huai.


    As for titles and nobility, Gu Chen truly did not care. He saw clearly now that troubled times were approaching the nine states, and in these troubled times, the only thing to rely on was strength!n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Therefore, Gu Chen inly said, "I''ve heard that there are many treasures in the Da Xia imperial family''s secret vault. I desire to cultivate a unique kind of Gangqi; could the two masters possibly have a way?"


    Find your next adventure on empire


    "A unique kind of Gangqi?"


    The Duke of the Liang State and Chen Yu exchanged a nce, both understanding. Now that Gu Chen had reached the Gang Qi Stage, it was only natural for him to set his sights on a unique kind of Gangqi.


    After all, whether it was the opening channel stage or the Vajra Stage, Gu Chen had reached the limit. Thus, at the Gang Qi Stage, it was no surprise that someone of Gu Chen''s unparalleled talent had aspirations toward cultivating a unique kind of Gangqi, the most powerful asset at that stage.


    Regarding unique kinds of Gangqi, Chen Yu was clearly more authorized to speak than the Duke of the Liang State. Chen Yu said, "I know of an internal skill manual in the Da Xia imperial family''s secret vault that would be most suitable for you."


    Upon hearing this, Gu Chen''s interest was piqued. His gaze flickered toward Chen Yu as he asked, "Please enlighten me, Master Chen."


    "Great Sun True Skill!"


    As soon as these four words were spoken, even the Duke of the Liang State''s eyes shed with a hint of astonishment; he, of course, knew of the Great Sun True Skill.


    The Great Sun True Skill was an internal skill manual inherited from ancient times, ranked among the superior martial skills. Inherently firm and masculine, it was said to contain the method for cultivating a unique kind of Gangqi¡ªthe Great Sun Gangqi.


    Should one seed in cultivating it, paired with the Great Sun True Skill, a martial artist could move mountains and boil seas with terrifying might.


    Gu Chen''s martial arts were also incredibly fierce and overpowering, and the Pure Yang Wuji Gong was a yang-attribute internal skill manual. The Great Sun True Skill in the Da Xia imperial family''s secret vault indeed appeared to be extremely suitable for Gu Chen.


    Chen Yu exined to Gu Chen, "The cultivation of a unique kind of Gangqi requires not only talent but also opportunity. For example, the Five Thunder Gangqi I cultivated was actually a result of a fortuitous coincidence, and to speak of experience, there''s not much to say."


    Gu Chen nodded slightly, having heard of this before¡ªthat cultivating a unique kind of Gangqi wasn''t wholly dependent on talent, though talent was nheless important.


    After listening to Chen Yu''s description of the might of the Great Sun True Skill, Gu Chen''s eyes lit up, feeling that this internal skill was extremely suitable for himself.


    Now that he had reached the Gang Qi Stage, Gu Chen felt that the Pure Yang Wuji Gong was somewhat inadequate. After all, with his panel, his cultivation would only grow higher, and no matter how powerful the Pure Yang Wuji Gong was, it was just a top-grade internal skill manual, unable to keep up with Gu Chen''s pace.


    Gu Chen had decided; at the next morning court, he would ask the Crown Prince and King Huai for the Great Sun True Skill, this superior internal skill!

 Chapter 209 Panel Update, Mid Gang Qi Stage_1

    Gu Chen sat cross-legged on the bed, the Gangqi within his body moving along the pathway of the Great Sun True Skill. It was growing increasingly fiercer and hotter.


    After all, the Great Sun True Skill was a Superior Martial Skill. Its purity of Gangqi far surpassed the Pure Yang Wuji Gong, and its power was even more formidable.


    If Gu Chen could cultivate the unique Gangqi of the Great Sun, by the time his cultivation was profound, he would truly possess the power to burn mountains and boil seas.


    As for how to cultivate the Great Sun Gangqi, the secret text only recorded that one needed to have extremely deep cultivation, then condense all the Gangqi into a single point, transform it into a "spark", and ignite it with a special method to have a sliver of chance in achieving the Great Sun Gangqi.


    Naturally, there was a simpler method to transform the Gangqi in the body into Great Sun Gangqi, which was through the Sun me Stone.


    The Sun me Stone was a strange object from ancient times, containing a trace of the true fire of the sun. As long as one obtained the Sun me Stone and drew that trace of true sr fire into the body to temper one''s Gangqi, one could transform their own Gangqi into Great Sun Gangqi.


    However, the Sun me Stone was an ancient rarity, seldom seen in the world anymore, and could be said to have disappeared. Even within the Jing Tian Department, including the royal secret vaults, there was none to be found.


    Therefore, if he wanted to cultivate the Great Sun Gangqi, Gu Chen could only rely on his own efforts.


    For the next three whole days, Gu Chen was familiarizing himself with the Great Sun True Skill. Even though he hadn''t cultivated the Great Sun Gangqi, every movement he made now carried with it an extremely scorching aura.


    His Gangqi was hot like a fierce me. If Gu Chen wished, he could easily melt a chunk of fine iron into a pool of molten iron.


    If he were to cultivate the Great Sun Gangqi, such power would be even more tremendous.


    During these three days, Gu Chen also contemted how to spend the 500 merits.


    After all, this was a huge sum of money!


    Even Yellow Level Commanders, or Xuan Level Commanders, would need a considerable amount of time to umte such an amount.


    After all, even a Superior Martial Skill, if a lesser one, could be exchanged for about a hundred merits or so.


    And if it was a high-grade Martial Skill, only a few dozen merits were needed.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Thus, one could see how generous and magnanimous Qin Wu was in giving Gu Chen 500 merits with a wave of his hand.


    "Why not exchange all these merits for soul crystals?" Gu Chen pondered.


    If he exchanged all 500 merits for soul crystals and added them to his cultivation, Gu Chen''s cultivation level would be immensely powerful, to an unsurpassable degree. There was even a great possibility of directly breaking through to the Returning to True Stage!


    After contemting, Gu Chen shook his head, feeling this method was inappropriate.


    Or rather, it wasn''t worth it.


    Even if Gu Chen used up 500 merits to rise to the Returning to True Stage, he would have the realm but too few techniques. After all, currently, his panel only disyed one Superior Martial Skill.


    Real person-level martial artists at the Returning to True Stage generally mastered at least one, if not two, Superior Martial Skills. Besides, 500 merits might not necessarily raise Gu Chen''s cultivation to a very high level within the Returning to True Stage. Compared to that, Gu Chen felt it was not very cost-effective.


    The realm might have increased, but hisbat powerpared to now, had not improved much.


    Even with profound cultivation, without appropriate martial skills, one still couldn''t fully unleash their potential. And 500 merits would not enable Gu Chen''s cultivation to reach a level that could overwhelm martial artists at the Returning to True Stage.


    Gu Chen felt he must find the most secure way to maximize the use of these 500 merits.


    Soon, a night passed just like that.


    The next morning, Gu Chen went straight to the Jing Tian Department''s Hall of Merits without any hesitation and used up all 500 merits.


    Then, Gu Chen found his second uncle, Gu Chengfeng, told him not to disturb himself for the near future, and started his solitary retreat.


    ...


    For a full seventeen days, Gu Chen locked himself in a secret chamber at the headquarters of the Jing Tian Department and didn''t step out even once.


    And after these seventeen days, Gu Chen''s strength had changed dramaticallypared to before!


    With a thought from Gu Chen, the panel appeared before his eyes.


    Name: Gu Chen


    Martial Skills: Diamond Indestructible Divine Skill (Entry Level), Eight Deste Azure Dragon Strength (Entry Level), True Yang Sword Finger (Entry Level), Controlling Wind Step Shadows (Entry Level), Star Tapping Sword Jue (Entry Level)


    Inner Strength: Great Sun True Skill


    Cultivation: 360 years


    Realm: Early Gang Qi Stage


    Martial Points: 120


    Now, the martial skills on Gu Chen''s panel had be much tidier. Apart from the Diamond Indestructible Divine Skill, without exception, all the remaining martial skills were Superior Martial Skills!


    These skills were acquired during this time through the 500 merits given by Vice Commander Qin Wu of the Jing Tian Department, and then through exchanging for martial skills and soul crystals within the Jing Tian Department, which he then deduced on his own.


    Although 500 merits were a lot, the seventeen days had depleted thempletely, leaving only 120 martial points on the panel.


    This was the result of Gu Chen''sprehensive consideration. After reaching the Gang Qi Stage, although cultivation was crucial, martial skills were just as important.


    Apart from the Diamond Indestructible Divine Skill, there were too many low-grade martial skills on Gu Chen''s panel, which with his current strength couldn''t be much use, so Gu Chen spent martial points to raise them all to the level of Superior Martial Skills.


    The four new martial skills on the panel, apart from the Eight Deste Azure Dragon Strength which Gu Chen exchanged almost 200 merits for directly from the Jing Tian Department ¨C an offensive martial skill ¨C the other three skills were all deduced little by little by Gu Chen using the panel.

 Chapter 246 209 Panel Update, Mid Gang Qi Stage_2

    By now, even though Gu Chen''s cultivation level hadn''t increased, his strength had leapt qualitativelypared to before.


    Moreover, after enhancing his martial skills, the panel still disyed one hundred and twenty merit points remaining, which Gu Chen had reserved to increase his cultivation.


    This time, with five hundred merit points, Gu Chen had maximized their potential, not only enhancing his martial skills but also assisting in the increase of his cultivation level.


    "Panel, upgrade!"


    The next moment, as Gu Chen''s thought activated, all one hundred and twenty merit points on the panel vanished instantly, the score returning to zero.


    Boom!


    Simultaneously, within Gu Chen''s body, surge after surge of pure Gangqi continuously emerged; as Gu Chen refined it ceaselessly, his cultivation level climbed higher and higher.


    Fortunately, since Gu Chen had cultivated the indestructible Vajra body, and his Vajra indestructible divine skill had reached the beginner level, his physique was incredibly strong and more than able to amodate the surplus one hundred and twenty years of Gangqi cultivation. He even had spare capacity for more.


    The physical body was no longer the shackles of Gu Chen''s cultivation advancement; as long as he had the merit points, it was possible that he could elevate his cultivation level directly to the peak of the Gang Qi Stage or even to the Returning to True Stage!


    In the future, should he acquire more merit points, Gu Chen would consider his cultivation as the main goal for enhancement.


    Feeling the cultivation within him once again bing abundant and his own formidable physique, Gu Chen felt a certain peace of mind.


    After all, he was now a Yellow Level Commander of Da Xia, and there could be a mission that would dispatch him at any moment. Being a Commander of the Jing Tian Department, Gu Chen already had the authority to preside over a region.


    Gu Chen''s eyes flickered slightly as he scanned the panel. With this enhancement, his cultivation had reached as much as four hundred and eighty years, and his realm had also reached the mid-stage of the Gang Qi Stage.


    Of course, although his realm was at the mid-stage of the Gang Qi Stage, the Gangqi within Gu Chen''s body was extremely condensed; he could externally project it just like those Outer Gang martial artists.


    From this point, it was clear how formidable Gu Chen''s current cultivation was.


    As his physical body and realm continued to advance, Gu Chen discovered that the internal energy his body could hold had also greatly increased. This meant the further he progressed, the more merit points he would need to support his breakthroughs to the next realm.


    However, for Gu Chen or any martial artist, having a strong cultivation was never a bad thing.


    The only thing that troubled Gu Chen was theck of merit points.


    "I never thought that as a Commander, I would still be troubled by theck of merit points," Gu Chen murmured as he looked at the merit points that had reset to zero on his panel, feeling somewhat worried.


    Even though he was a Yellow Level Commander of the Jing Tian Department, he could only acquire merit points bypleting missions. Hoping that someone would gift them to him was rather unrealistic.


    With his cultivation and martial skills fully enhanced, Gu Chen''s strength had improved far too muchpared to seventeen days ago. Moreover, during this time, he hadpletely refined the Blood Shadow Sword at his waist, and the grandmaster-level sword intent within it had also been significantly digested by Gu Chen. Without the aid of merit points, his strength had reached a bottleneck.


    Now, Gu Chen was confident that he could contend with martial artists at the level of the Returning to True Stage.


    The martial path became more difficult as one progressed, and the gap between each realm only widened, making it extremely difficult to battle across ranks as he had done before.


    Let alone a major realm, even the gap within each minor realm was as vast as a chasm, not easily crossed.


    This is also why Gu Chen chose to categorize all martial skills on the panel and deduced them into Superior Martial Skills.


    Only by doing so,bined with his indestructible Vajra body and the profound Gangqi within him, could Gu Chen truly face martial artists in the early and middle stages of the Returning to True Stage without fear.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    As for the Blood Shadow Sword, even though Gu Chen had now broken through to the Gang Qi stage and his cultivation was profound, using the Blood Shadow Sword still required a great expenditure of his energy.


    After all, divine weapons are said to be exclusive to grandmasters; only those who have reached the realm of a martial grandmaster can fully unleash the power of a divine weapon.


    Unless it was a matter of life and death, Gu Chen would not fully activate the Blood Shadow Sword.


    And once Gu Chen did fully activate the Blood Shadow Sword, it would also mean he had entered a moment of life-or-death crisis.


    Subsequently, Gu Chen spent another day consolidating his rapidly increased cultivation before choosing to emerge from seclusion.


    The reason he chose to seclude himself in the Jing Tian Department was purely due to the tranquility of the location, where no one would disturb him.


    At Gu Mansion, any idents that might ur would be problematic.


    When Gu Chen, dressed in dark attire, emerged from the quiet chamber, he found two Metropolitan Procurators waiting at the door; upon seeing Gu Chen, they immediately sped their fists and said in a deep voice, "We greet Lord Gu."


    Both of these men were much older than Gu Chen, in their early thirties, with Vajra Stage cultivation. However, the Jing Tian Department valued identity and strength over age, and since they were both inferior to Gu Chen in these aspects, they had to show their respect.


    Nevertheless, neither of them was unwilling, knowing full well Gu Chen''s reputation throughout the nine provinces. In fact, they were excited to be in close contact with Gu Chen.


    Seeing them standing there, Gu Chen was somewhat surprised and asked, "What are you two doing here?"


    "It was Master Chen Yu who asked us to wait for you here, and we have been standing here for seven days now," the two said with bowed heads and respectful voices.


    Gu Chen sensed something was amiss and his brows furrowed as he asked, "Has anything happened during this time?"


    Exchanging nces, they replied in unison, "Reporting to Master, during the time of your seclusion, war has spread across the entire nine provinces!"


    "Hm?" Gu Chen''s brows drew even tighter upon hearing this, and he asked, "What has happened during this period?"


    The two Metropolitan Procurators looked at each other and said, "Well... Master Chen Yu has been urgently seeking you. He told us to inform you as soon as you emerged from seclusion to find him immediately. Brother Chen will tell you everything that''s happened recently."


    Upon hearing this, Gu Chen nodded and before long, he met with Chen Yu.


    "Brother Chen, what exactly has happened during this time? The atmosphere in the Jing Tian Department seems very heavy, and many people have disappeared," said Gu Chen as soon as he saw Chen Yu.


    Chen Yu, d in a blue robe with handsome features, had been instructing Song Yu and Wang Yan about something. Seeing Gu Chen emerge from seclusion, his eyes lit up with joy.


    "You''ve broken through again?" A sh of astonishment crossed Chen Yu''s eyes as he sensed the vigorous aura emanating from Gu Chen, whose cultivation seemed to have greatly increasedpared to just over a fortnight ago.


    Chen Yu inwardly marveled, realizing that today he might truly be no match for Gu Chen.


    "Broken through again?!" Song Yu and Wang Yan standing beside him, also experienced a shock hearing this.


    Gu Chen was now a Yellow Level Commander of the Jing Tian Department, while they had just broken through to the Vajra Stage and had been promoted to the first order of Metropolitan Procurators. Although they had been friends before, the gap between them was now significant.


    Gu Chen naturally noticed Song Yu and Wang Yan and nodded to them. In fact, if it weren''t for Gu Chen, neither Song Yu nor Wang Yan would have been so diligent, and their cultivation would not have improved so quickly.


    It could be said that it was Gu Chen''s presence that spurred them on.


    But soon, worry surged in their hearts, overshadowing the joy at Gu Chen''s emergence from seclusion. At this moment, Chen Yu, with a grave voice, said to Gu Chen, "Turmoil is about to engulf the world!"

 Chapter 210 Chaos is Coming (Three additional ten thousand word chapters, please subscribe!)_1

    At this moment, inside the inner city of Tiandu, within Prince Huai''s Mansion.


    In the midst of a particrly spacious hall, King Huai and Master Gongsun were sitting here, with an incense burner beside them, from which strands of smoke were slowly rising.


    After brewing a pot of tea, Master Gongsun handed it to King Huai, a trace of worry surfacing on his face as he said, "Your Highness, the current situation in the world seems to have truly descended into chaos."


    King Huai picked up the tea, lightly sipped the fragrant liquid, and in his deep eyes, there was also a hint of solemnity.


    Nowadays, not to mention the various states, just within Shen Zhou alone, arge number of demons and specters have suddenly appeared,unching attacks in all directions!


    Furthermore, the forces from the demonic cults have also emerged,mencing the ughter of themon people. Fortunately, due to previous battles with the demonic cults, Da Xia had taken precautions; so although there were losses, they remained within an eptable range.


    All of these developments trace back to seven days ago.


    That day, the echoes of Da Xia''s victory over Da Yuan still lingered, and the people of Tiandu were still immersed in excitement¡ª the Crown Prince included.


    It was on that day that several monstrous specters emerged in Liyang Mansion, and these specters did note from the Six Union God Sect''s release but rather descended abruptly upon the nine provinces!


    Fortunately, the local government responded in time, and with the presence of a stationed army and the timely arrival of the Jing Tian Department, these monstrous specters were sessfully in.


    Indeed, not just in Shen Zhou, but across all the major provinces of the world, on the same day, a great many specters emerged!


    It was owing to the mass appearance of specters that the Six Union God Sect reemerged as well, continuously gathering specters to strengthen their own power.


    That even a Martial Grandmaster of the Innate Realm like Master Gongsun would show a trace of concern on his face indicated just how severe the world''s situation had be.


    "Your Highness, with the current situation, as time goes by, will there be even more specters descending upon the nine provinces?" Master Gongsun asked with a frown.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    With his status as an Innate Realm Martial Grandmaster and as a trusted confidant of King Huai, he naturally knew why specters had appeared in the nine provinces.


    Specters, vile creatures that were antagonistic to the Human n or to all living beings of the nine provinces, did not originate from the provinces themselves but came from beyond this realm!


    It could be said that specters were invaders in the world of the nine provinces. Their emergence, their very reason for existence, was to annihte the Human n, to destroy all living beings in the nine provinces, and even to obliterate the entire world.


    Therefore, the Human n and specters were inherently irreconcble; without ying the specters, the entire nine provinces would one day beid to ruin.


    However, even Master Gongsun and King Huai were only aware that the specters came from beyond, but as for the specific origins and reasons why they had descended upon the nine provinces, the two of them were not entirely clear.


    This was a matter, perhaps known only to the Emperor of Da Xia, the Grand Commander of the Jing Tian Department, the Tower Supervisor of the Mingjing Department, and the Tower Supervisor of the Qintian Monitor.


    Beyond them, only the six great holynds.


    And the changes that urred over these seven days did not stop there.


    After returning to Da Yuan, Zha Jiedunzhu soon released news that the Human Emperor of Da Xia had failed his heavenly tribtion, had vanished, and might even have fallen.


    Once this statement was made, there was an immediate uproar across the nine provinces; some did not believe it, while others were dubious.


    But no matter what, the matter of the Emperor''s tribtion was brought up again, and everyone''s attention was once again focused on this issue.


    Zha Jiedunzhu''s words held credibility; what Da Yuan had done in Tiandu had long been spread far and wide. If the Emperor were still around, with his temperament, how could Zha Jiedunzhu possibly escape? He would have been killed by the Emperor on the spot, his blood spilling five steps.


    Moreover, a vital point was that since undergoing the tribtion, the Emperor had not shown himself, further leading the lords across thend to harbor doubts.


    So much time had passed, they had already concluded secretly that even if the Emperor had not died, he must have been severely injured and was recuperating in seclusion somewhere.


    The difficulty of ascending to the realm of the Heavenly Man is well known; the stronger one''s martial prowess, the clearer the understanding.


    If it were so easy, then there would not be tens of thousands of years without the birth of a martial artist in the realm of the Heavenly Man in the nine provinces.


    This point was unavoidable. Everyone privy to the inside story understood that this matter would inevitably be perceived by the people of the world and could not be dyed for long.


    Once this affair was confirmed, the already turbulent undercurrents of the nine provinces would definitely plunge into great chaos!


    The disappearance of the Emperor was a signal for the great chaos of the nine provinces!


    With his presence, no one dared to act recklessly, but once this pinnacle figure, able to stabilize the world, was gone, the nine provinces would surely descend into chaos.


    "An age of turmoil is approaching," Master Gongsun sighed.


    After Da Yuan released the news of the Emperor''s disappearance, and possible demise, the various martial arts factions in the Central ins began to stir with ambition towards Da Xia.


    After all, martial artists are inherently rebellious, and spilling blood at the slightest disagreement ismon; conflicts ur daily within the martial fraternity.


    Furthermore, the Emperor had suppressed these martial artists for a full twenty-three years, and the Jing Tian Department loomed over them like a sharp sword, the Central ins martialmunity¡ªor rather, the entirety of the nine provinces¡ªhad long grown weary of living in such constant trepidation.


    Moreover, with the increasingly severe disaster of the specters, top forces in the martial world like the Seven Sects and Eight Factions might very well take action against Da Xia at some point, seeking to overthrow Da Xia''s rule.


    At that moment, as if thinking of something, Master Gongsun slightly furrowed his brow and said, "Your Highness, there''s something I don''t understand and I hope you can enlighten me."


    "Speak," King Huai nodded slightly.


    Mr. Gongsun said, "These jianghu warriors want to overthrow Da Xia, but have they considered who will deal with the demons causing chaos in the world once Da Xia falls?"


    The "jianghu warriors" he referred to naturally means the top forces of the Central ins'' jianghu, such as the Seven Sects, Eight Factions, and Three Great Sects.


    King Huai put down his cup and said indifferently, "The Six Sacred Lands."


    Upon hearing this, Mr. Gongsun''s gaze sharpened as he said, "Will the Six Sacred Lands take action against demons?"


    When King Huai heard this, for the first time, a hint of disdain appeared on his face as he said, "The Six Sacred Lands will not act. Unless one day, demons are about to destroy Shen Zhou, they will remain indifferent, no matter how many people die in the nine states."


    "So these jianghu warriors still want to join forces against Da Xia?" Mr. Gongsun was even more puzzled.


    With an expressionless face, King Huai said, "A bunch of martial artists, at best, how far can their vision reach? They think that with the Six Sacred Lands around and relying on their own strength, even if the number of demons increases, they can still protect themselves.


    A group of frogs in a well,pletely oblivious to the true nature of the Six Sacred Lands, have overestimated themselves and underestimated the demons."


    "They have never known the truth of this world and have not realized the severity of the demon threat!"


    Mr. Gongsun nodded slowly upon hearing this; the fact that demons came from beyond this realm was top secret, and even he knew it only because of King Huai.


    Not many among the top forces in the jianghu knew this, and, as King Huai said, these jianghu warriors felt secure because of the Six Sacred Lands, so they were not worried about the demons.


    There will always be those who hold on to a stroke of luck, thinking that if Da Xia can suppress the demons, then there''s no reason they can''t do it by joining forces.


    Compared to the demons, they detest Da Xia even more, this presence looming over their heads.


    No one likes to be suppressed, let alone fierce and unyielding martial artists.


    Throughout history, the jianghu and the imperial court have always been clearly divided, each minding their own business without interfering with the other; the imperial court was also unable to suppress the forces of the jianghu.


    It was only during the reign of the Emperor of Summer that this unparalleled ruler suppressed everything with his supreme power.


    Now with the Emperor of Summer missing, the warriors of the jianghu in the nine states believed this was their best opportunity.


    Of course, as to the current national strength of Da Xia and the remaining power of the Jing Tian Department, they were unaware, so they wouldn''t take action in the short term.


    However, for the Jing Tian Department to restrain them as before would not be so easy anymore.


    Therefore, the current situation was that Da Xia had fallen into a multi-faceted siege, virtually bing the public enemy of the nine states.


    At this moment, King Huai continued, "A few days ago, news came from Yan State that the barbarian tribes on the border are stirring. The Marquis of Pingxi wants to increase the troops and is asking the court and the Crown Prince for military provisions."


    Mr. Gongsun curiously asked, "How many troops does the Marquis of Pingxi want to increase?"


    "Two hundred thousand troops," King Huai replied indifferently.


    "Two hundred thousand?!"


    Mr. Gongsun was shocked at the news, as currently, under the Marquis of Pingxi, there were already six hundred thousand troops on the border of Yan State, which was the most elite troop of Da Xia, costing an astronomical sum in military provisions every year.


    Now, with the Marquis of Pingxi wanting to increase by two hundred thousand, the number of his troops would reach a total of eight hundred thousand. Eight hundred thousand men, even if they did nothing but eat every day, would be a huge expense!


    Furthermore, there was more than one troop under themand of Da Xia. If the news of the Marquis of Pingxi''s troop increase spread, other ces would certainly make the same request. If the troops were increased across the board, without doing anything else, just those military provisions alone could bleed Da Xia dry!


    "The Marquis of Pingxi''s letter mentioned that the barbarian tribes have found something in the depths of the Hundred Thousand Mountains that has greatly increased their strength. Now, with the news of the Emperor''s disappearance, they have been restless on the border. That is why he requested reinforcements from Tiandu," said King Huai.


    "But isn''t two hundred thousand a bit too much? Did Your Highness agree?" Mr. Gongsun asked.


    King Huai shook his head and said, "How could that be possible? Such a precedent cannot be set. Once established, others would also begin to ask, and besides, the Marquis of Pingxi has been in charge of the Yan State border for so many years, turning it into an impregnable stronghold. Apart from him, even I would have no say if I went there. My nephew is not foolish; he can vaguely sense something."


    Mr. Gongsun''s pupils contracted upon hearing this, and looking at King Huai, he said, "Your Highness, are you suggesting that the Marquis of Pingxi, he..."


    King Huai remained calm and spoke indifferently, "It is still too early to talk about these things. With the Emperor missing, many have developed other aspirations, which I understand. To have aspirations is eptable, but if anyone dares to reach out and engage in actions that endanger Da Xia, then the nature of their actions changes."


    Even though King Huai put these words out lightly, Mr. Gongsun, who was familiar with King Huai''s character, could not help but feel a chill instinctively.


    Despite being a frail, non-martial person, King Huai somehow often managed to exude a tremendous sense of authority, perhaps whates with being a person of extraordinary destiny who has been in a high position for a long time.


    If such cases of disobedience by the Marquis of Pingxi were considered throughout the history of the nine states, they were not really umon.


    What happens next would depend on the personal choices of the Marquis of Pingxi himself.


    However, at least for the time being, the Marquis of Pingxi would not likely take any drastic actions.


    "What about you? Have you received any news recently?" King Huai asked Mr. Gongsun.


    Upon hearing this, a serious expression appeared on Mr. Gongsun''s face. Taking a deep breath, he said, "Your Highness, I have an important matter to report!"


    Seeing his reaction, King Huai slightly frowned and asked, "What is it?"


    Mr. Gongsun spoke gravely, "I have heard that the leader of the Six Union God Sect, Dugu Yun, did not die three hundred years ago and is currently presiding over the Six Union God Sect!"

 Chapter 212 Crown Princes Conspiracy_1

    Tiandu, Imperial Pce, the Grand Prince''s Mansion.


    In the resplendent pce, at this moment, the Grand Prince sat on a chair with his eyes closed, waiting for a servant to bring him thetest news from Tiandu.


    The more chaotic the world became, the more the Grand Prince felt it was beneficial for him.


    He had even prepared to send people out to spread rumors, stating that the Crown Prince was without virtue and capability, weak in character, and incapable of governing the world like the Emperor of Da Xia.


    In the eyes of the Grand Prince, Ji Nian, he was the one most suitable to be the emperor of Da Xia. The Crown Prince, Ji Yuan, was timid and afraid of trouble, and had poor martial talent; how could he be worthy of the supreme imperial throne?


    Only someone like him, who had inherited the Emperor''s martial talent, was worthy of ascending to the throne.


    For the Emperor of Da Xia to have low martial prowess was trulyughable!


    At this thought, the Grand Prince snorted softly; clearly, even now, he felt dissatisfied with the Emperor''s choice of Ji Yuan to be the Crown Prince.


    By age, he was the eldest; by martial talent, he was also the best among all the princes; moreover, he was born to the Empress, thus enjoying legitimate supremacy. In the Grand Prince''s view, the position of Emperor rightfully belonged to him.


    "Father, even if you are divinely talented in martial arts, you may still be mistaken one day. You just wait and see, I will prove that I am more suited to be the emperor than my younger brother," said the Grand Prince in a low voice, his fists suddenly clenching, with a mysterious light flickering in his eyes.


    At this moment, the Grand Prince''s trusted eunuch¡ªwho had oncee into contact with Gu Chen¡ªwalked into the room.


    "Have you returned?" Seeing his confidant return, the Grand Prince asked with a glint in his eyes, "How is the situation in Tiandu now?"


    The chief eunuch bowed respectfully and said in a shrill voice, "Your Highness, after the news from Yan State reached here, the Crown Prince was driven mad. Hisplexion changed right there in the Hall of Golden Chimes, and he ordered the Jing Tian Department to send support to Yan State immediately."


    Hearing this, the Grand Prince let out a coldugh and said, "My brother has grown so much, yet he still can''t stay calm. As the Crown Prince, he should be unppable even if the mountains fall before him. I really don''t know what Father sees in him!"


    Upon hearing this, the chief eunuch immediately ttered, "If I may say, only Your Highness is the most like the true Emperor. Whether it''s appearance, character, or talent, Your Highness is superior in every aspect."


    Clearly pleased with thement, the Grand Prince showed a hint of a smile and asked, "What did King Huai say?"


    The chief eunuch recalled the information he had gathered and replied, "This morning, in the court, King Huai was the same as usual, not saying much."


    Upon hearing this, the Grand Prince nodded slightly. In fact, the Crown Prince''s ability to sit so securely in his position was inseparable from King Huai''s support.


    Without King Huai, there would not be the Crown Prince Ji Yuan today. If not for King Huai''s protection, the Grand Prince had countless opportunities over the years to take back the position of Crown Prince that should have been his!


    After all, the Crown Prince was not born of the Empress and his maternal family was not powerful. He alsocked martial talent. In the eyes of the Grand Prince, he was indeed inferior in every aspect.


    Yet, the Emperor chose him, and King Huai also protected him, which greatly angered the Grand Prince.


    But even as the Grand Prince, he had no way to deal with King Huai. Although King Huai was in poor health and had no martial prowess, he was still the Emperor of Da Xia''s only brother, and his rtionship alone meant that no one dared to take him lightly.


    Moreover, King Huai had numerous capable people under him. Not to mention anyone else, just the martial arts Grandmaster Gongsun at the Innate Realm was extremely difficult to deal with.


    Furthermore, King Huai was highly respected in the court. His words and decisions were not something anyone would dare to refute, and he had much more prestige than the Crown Prince.


    Such a figure was, of course, untouchable by the Grand Prince.


    Then, the Grand Prince''s confidant chief eunuch suddenly said, "Your Highness, now that His Majesty has disappeared, if the Crown Prince were to ascend to the throne..."


    "Don''t worry, he wouldn''t dare!"


    The Grand Prince sneered and said, "As long as the Crown Prince doesn''t ascend to the throne, the people of the world won''t know the exact situation of Father. On the contrary, should the Crown Prince ascend, wouldn''t that confirm the news of Father''s demise? Therefore, given my fourth brother''s character, he absolutely wouldn''t dare to do so!"


    Upon hearing this, the chief eunuch nodded, feeling that the Grand Prince''s reasoning was sound. If the Crown Prince ascended to the throne, the situation in the world could be even more serious. It would be better, like now, to create a veil of doubt, allowing the people to remain uncertain for a while longer.


    Of course, if it were a prince with a stronger character, like the Grand Prince himself, he would definitely choose to ascend to the throne immediately, for he had coveted the position of Emperor for far too long.


    However, with the Crown Prince''s timid nature and his tendency to overthink and hesitate, he might not truly have the courage to do so.


    "Has there been any news from the Jing Tian Department, regarding who will be sent to support Yan State?" the Grand Prince inquired.


    The chief eunuch hesitated for a moment before saying, "It''s Gu Chen."N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "Gu Chen?"


    At the mention of Gu Chen''s name, the Grand Prince''s brows immediately furrowed, and his narrow eyes narrowed slightly.


    "Hmph!"


    With a cold snort, the Grand Prince said, "That ungratefulmoner should have died in that battle against Da Yuan. Ananda is also a waste!"


    "Your Highness is absolutely right. Gu Chen even dared to refuse when you personally left the pce to recruit him. His arrogance is insufferable. But now, after defeating Da Yuan, Gu Chen''s influence is at its peak. It''s not very appropriate for us to move against him at the moment. But there''s no hurry.


    After all, he is a member of the Jing Tian Department. Even as amander, once Your Highness ascends to the throne, no matter how insolent he is, he will have to bow before you. Then, Your Highness, you can do as you please, with no room for him to resist," said the chief eunuch.

 Chapter 214 Encounter with Wujian Again_1

    At this moment, on the main path of Shen Zhou''s Appointed Heaven Administration, a group of riders was hastening along the way. Leading them was a man dressed in dark robes, tall and upright, with an aura of vitality. His ck hair flowed like a waterfall, and he had handsome features, with sword-like brows and sparkling eyes.


    A long sword hung at his waist¡ªthis was none other than Gu Chen and his party, who had set out from Tiandu.


    This time, the first group sent by the Jing Tian Department to Yan State numbered thirty-five people. The leader, Gu Chen, was a Metropolitan Procurator of the first rank, apanied by thirteen Procurators of the first rank and twenty-one of the second rank.


    Moreover, once the situation in Shen Zhou stabilized, the Jing Tian Department in Tiandu nned to dispatch even more personnel to support Yan State.


    At the moment, even though all the others were significantly older than Gu Chen, they still took him as their leader.


    Song Yu and Wang Yan were also among them.


    Originally, due to the high risk associated with the affairs in Yan State, Gu Chen preferred not to involve the two of them, but the Jing Tian Department was critically short-staffed, which meant even two fresh Vajra Stage first rank Procurators had to be included in the group.


    Truthfully, the talents of Song Yu and Wang Yan weren''tcking. They had advanced quickly, butpared to Gu Chen, they seemed decidedly ordinary.


    Gu Chen sat astride his horse, unaware that just days after his departure, some had already marked him as a nuisance, a thorn in their side, someone they wished to eliminate.


    Now, Gu Chen had been traveling with his people day and night for five days straight because Qin Wu had instructed him to reach Yan State as swiftly as possible in light of their urgent plea for help.


    Even though the weakest among them were at the Outer Qi Stage and could subsist for a short period without food or drink, sustaining their bodies with their internal Qi, they were merely ordinary inparison to Gu Chen.


    Who knew what mishaps might ur along the way, so conserving necessary energy was indeed crucial.


    Therefore, as evening drew near, Gu Chen raised his arm. Seeing this, the others behind him immediately tightened their reins and came to a halt, all eyes turning towards Gu Chen.


    Song Yu and Wang Yan, guiding their steeds, drew near to Gu Chen and asked, "What is it?"


    "Let''s take a brief rest," Gu Chen said with a faint smile, turning his horse to face the crowd. "Tonight we''ll find a ce to rest outside the city and camp there. We''ll resume our travel early in the morning."


    Upon hearing this, the crowd exchanged nces before responding in unison, "Lord Commander Gu, there''s no need for that. We are not tired. Let''s press on."


    Song Yu and Wang Yan added, "That''s right, we can endure this much. Given the dire situation in Yan State, we should press forward and try to arrive as soon as possible."


    Gu Chen looked at them and said, "Reaching Yan State from here will take at least another month. What, do you all n to go without rest for this time? If something unexpected happens on the way, will you all be relying on me then?"


    "This..."


    At Gu Chen''s words, all the Procurators from the Jing Tian Department disyed hesitant expressions. Gu Chen could go a month without eating, drinking, or sleeping, but none of them could make the same im.


    After the battle with Ananda, Gu Chen''s prestige and fame, both within the Jing Tian Department and Tiandu, had risen significantly, and the people were willing to heed his words. After a moment of contemtion, they no longer insisted and nodded in agreement.


    So, Gu Chen led them to a clear area by a small river. They took out the dry food and water sacks from their horses'' packs and began to eat and drink.


    Although it had only been five days, and Gu Chen along with the Vajra Stage first rank Procurators were unaffected, the twenty-one second rank Procurators were indeed worn down. After eating and drinking, they felt much relieved.


    Gu Chen, of course, noticed this. He had risen from the Outer Qi Stage himself; if he demanded that these people keep persevering, they certainly would not refuse, but it might lead to serious consequences.


    "I didn''t expect you to be so considerate of your subordinates," Song Yu said with a smile.


    Initially, due to the gap in status and strength, Song Yu and Wang Yan had been somewhat restrained around Gu Chen. However, as they spent more time together, they realized that Gu Chen hadn''t changed at all, and they became closer to him again.


    Wang Yan was still as silent as ever, munching on his dry food without a word.


    With nothing else to do, Song Yu began to chat idly with Gu Chen. "You have no idea. During the time you were in seclusion, Wang Yan''s family introduced him to a fine girl. Wang Yan may appear reserved, but he has a keen eye. The very next day, he asked the girl out on his own."


    "Oh?"


    Gu Chen''s interest was piqued; Wang Yan was over twenty years old and at the age to marry and start a family in Da Xia.


    However, due to the constant external engagements of Jing Tian Department being far more perilous than other agencies, Song Yu and Wang Yan had been devoid of such thoughts.


    This was something Gu Chen had discussed with them before.


    "What made you change your mind?" Gu Chen asked Wang Yan, curious and smiling.


    Wang Yan nced at Song Yu, not ming him for revealing the matter. After all, Gu Chen shared an extraordinary rtionship with them both. They had been through countless battles together, and from the moment Gu Chen entered the inner city, he had been acquainted with Song Yu and Wang Yan. Their bond ran deep.


    Setting aside his dry food, Wang Yan slighting hesitation before saying, "There''s nothing to it. I just thought it was about time, and my parents have been pressing me. Being the only son, I felt it was time to look around. I didn''t expect to find the right one so quickly. Perhaps it''s just fate."


    After speaking, Wang Yan seemed to drift into thoughts of his own, a rare smile touching the corners of his mouth.


    Gu Chen could see that Wang Yan had already found someone special. In his previous life, Gu Chen had experienced much in matters of the heart and was familiar with the various stages, which is why he could easily see the signs.


    Song Yu joked, "Don''t listen to that guy Wang Yan; he seems reserved but he''s just pining after the girl. I tell you, the youngdy is not only gorgeous butes from a good family too. For a mute dolt like Wang Yan to meet her¡ªthat''s fortune he''s cultivated over eight lifetimes."


    "Bullshit!"


    Enraged by Song Yu''s words, Wang Yan quickly got up to chase and hit him, while Song Yu hurriedly stood up to run away.


    Seeing this, the rest of the Procurators from the Jing Tian Department sat by, enjoying themotion.


    "Alright, alright, my bad, I apologize," Song Yu relented after a while, once Wang Yan caught him, and he apologized profusely. Wang Yan then let him go.


    Gu Chen''s face was full of smiles as he watched the two, feeling a sense of rxation after a long while.


    At that moment, Song Yu turned to Gu Chen and asked, "What about you? Don''t you n to look for someone?"


    "Me?"


    Gu Chen''s expression faltered, then he chuckled, "Forget it, I am still young, not like the two of you, practically turning into old snappers."


    Upon hearing this, Song Yu''s face stiffened, then with a helpless shrug, he said, "I''d forgotten, you are only twenty-one this year. Indeed, it''s about time, but it seems you aren''t interested."


    Gu Chen smiled but said nothing, clearly agreeing with this point.


    Song Yu looked up, leaning back with his hands supporting him on the ground, gazing at the starry sky, and said, "Actually, I used to think like you, but now I''ve changed my mind. I know Wang Yan shares the same thoughts. With great changes underway in the world and chaos descending, as members of the Jing Tian Department, we are on the front lines.


    Who knows if we might lose our lives on a mission one day, so it''s normal for Wang Yan to have such thoughts."


    Wang Yan, upon hearing this, remained silent, not uttering a word, obviously agreeing with this point.


    Gu Chen looked at Song Yu, the smile on his face gradually fading. After a long silence, he spoke in an extremely firm tone, "Don''t worry, all of us wille back alive, I guarantee it!"


    "Right, none of us will have any trouble, Da Xia will be victorious!"


    "All of us wille back alive!"


    At this moment, the rest of the officials from the Jing Tian Department also gathered around, their voices robust and resonant, their conviction tremendous.


    After all, having reached this point, they had all been through numerous bloody battles and their will was very strong.


    Song Yu, looking around at everyone, was at first taken aback, then also smiled and said, "Of course, all of us will live and return together to Tiandu. Then we''ll go for a drink, and of course, Lord Gu is treating!"


    "Hahaha¡­"


    At these words, everyone burst intoughter, and a trace of a smile appeared on Gu Chen''s face as well. The distance between them was narrowed because of this incident.


    "Oh, and when you get married, don''t forget us brothers," the crowd turned their gazes towards the silent Wang Yan.


    Seeing this, Wang Yan''s face turned red, and he could only nod.


    Gu Chen''s eyes twinkled with mirth. Just as he was about to say something, he suddenly twitched his nose, detecting a peculiar scent.


    Ever since Gu Chen''s physique had reached the Vajra Stage, his perception had greatly improved. Smelling this odor, his expression changed dramatically and he urgently whispered, "Hold your breath!"


    Song Yu and Wang Yan, as experienced Metropolitan Procurators of the Jing Tian Department, instead of asking questions, immediately chose to heed Gu Chen''s words and held their breaths.


    Despite this, three officials of the second rank, with slightly weaker cultivation, felt dizzy and their faces flushed with a purplish hue.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "It''s no good, they''ve been poisoned!" Everyone was suddenly rmed.


    At that instant, Gu Chen shed behind the three second-rank officials. Flicking his fingers, he injected three hot streams of Gangqi into their bodies.


    "Hmm¡­"


    The three groaned, receiving assistance from Gu Chen''s Gangqi, the toxins in their bodies were rapidly being expelled.


    Fortunately, the poisoning wasn''t severe, and with Gu Chen''s timely intervention, the toxins were expelled without any significant harm, leaving the three looking gratefully at Gu Chen.


    Whoosh!


    Then, the faint sound of something cutting through the air arose. Gu Chen heard it distinctly; countless cold glints were shooting towards them from all directions, a myriad of hidden weapons.


    Gu Chen''s eyes darkened; he raised his hand and sent a palm strike, creating a fierce wind that sent the hidden weapons flying back where they came from.


    "Ah¡­" From a distance, muffled screams were heard.


    Whoosh whoosh whoosh!


    In the pitch-ck night, dozens of figures d in blood-red garments emerged from the adjacent dense forest. In this darkness, they appeared somewhat terrifying and chilling.


    "Blood Shadow Sword!"


    A cold killing intent shed through Gu Chen''s eyes. It was this assassination organization again. Gu Chen had made up his mind that sooner orter, he would uproot the entire Blood Shadow Sword organization and erase it from Shen Zhou.


    Boom!


    Just then, an intense surge of Gangqi rushed towards him. Gu Chen suddenly turned to see a figure charging at him from a short distance away.


    "Ananda!"


    Gu Chen recognized him at a nce. The person approaching was the top assassin of the Blood Shadow Sword''s ck List, Ananda, who had previously tried to assassinate Gu Chen in Qiongtian City.


    At this moment, Ananda was dashing towards Gu Chen. Gu Chen could clearly see that the ce where Ananda''s right arm should have been was empty, having been severed by Gu Chen with the Blood Shadow Sword in the past.


    "Die!"


    Ananda let out a cold shout as arge amount of blood-red Gangqi surged from his body, eye-catching and unusually concentrated.


    It was Blood Refined Gangqi, the top-ranked exotic Gangqi of the Blood Shadow Sword!


    Moreover, from observing his aura and the concentration of his Gangqi, Gu Chen instantly realized that Ananda had already broken through to the Returning to True Stage and had be a true cultivator!

 Chapter 215 Settling Grudges_1

    "Gu Chen, when you severed my arm in Qiongtian City, today, I will have your life!"


    A cold shout burst forth, blood-red intensity surrounding him, and the vast Gang Wind suddenly rose, as he furiously mmed his palm toward Gu Chen.


    What is the Returning to True Stage?


    To refine Gangqi into true essence, a martial artist condenses all the Gangqi within their body into true essence, reaching the Returning to True Stage, and can be called a true person!


    Martial artists at the Gang Qi Stage manage to transform all the internal breath within their body into Gangqi. Depending on the thickness of the Gangqi, there is a distinction between internal Gangqi and external Gangqi.


    At the Returning to True Stage, it is aboutpressing and purifying the Gangqi within the body for the second time, which is the so-called refining Gangqi into true essence!


    Once sessful, the Gangqi inside the body will transform into true essence, and the gap between true essence and Gangqi is as substantial as the gap between internal breath and Gangqi.


    Those who reach this realm have their cultivation returned to its most natural state, quiet as a maiden when still, as thunderous as a startled dragon when in motion!


    The situation was exactly like this, as soon as the palm was struck, the Blood Transforming Gangqi was incredibly concentrated, bursting forth with a sound like thunder, causing the Jing Tian Department''s Song Yu and others'' vision to darken instantly, blood in their bodies surged uncontrobly as if it was about to burst forth, giving them a sensation of extreme difort.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Gu Chen had witnessed the terror of the Blood Transforming Gangqi before, so without turning back, he immediately shouted sternly, "Retreat!"


    Feeling the terror of Ananda''s immense strength, upon hearing these words, Song Yu, Wang Yan, and the rest of the Jing Tian Department martial artists immediately backed away, engaging in fiercebat with the other assassins from the Blood Cloak Tower.


    In this pitch-ck night, the sounds of battle were incessant.


    At this moment, facing Ananda''s fierce palm strike, Gu Chen''s expression was solemn; he stood in ce, without utilizing any cultivation, a sh of golden light streaked across his body, and Gu Chen struck out fiercely with a punch.


    Bang!


    As fist and palm met, even withyers of Blood Transforming Gangqi in between them, Ananda still felt the overwhelming force transmitted from Gu Chen''s fist; it was like a great mountain pushing forwards. His feet pressed against the ground, his body uncontrobly slid backwards, leaving deep tracks on the floor.


    If not for the fact that he was protected by Blood Transforming Gangqi at the level of true essence, Gu Chen''s punch could have inflicted severe injuries on Ananda, causing him to lose his fighting capacity.


    But even so, Ananda felt a tremor of pain throughout his body, and only after several circtions of true essence did the sensation slightly subside.


    "Rumors indeed do not lie, you''ve truly attained an indestructible body!" Ananda said coldly.


    From the day he had his arm cut off by Gu Chen in Qiongtian City, upon returning to the Blood Cloak Tower, Ananda had reflected deeply on his pain, choosing to go into seclusion, staking everything on one throw, determined not to stop until he reached the Returning to True Stage.


    Leveraging the merits Ananda had umted over the years for the Blood Cloak Tower, he exchanged a good number of elixirs. Although these could not regenerate his severed limb, they still enabled Ananda to break through to the Returning to True Stage.


    The deeper the cultivation, the more difficult it is to achieve breakthroughs, especially for martial artists at the Gang Qi Stage who have trained in unique types of Gangqi. Rpressing and refining Gangqi within their body into true essence and breaking through to the Returning to True Stage posed an even greater challenge.


    However, once sessful, the enhancement was tremendous; at the very least, Ananda believed there were few at the early stages of the Returning to True Stage who could be his match.


    He even dared to challenge those in the mid-stage of the Returning to True Stage.


    This was the confidence that allowed him to seek out Gu Chen once more.


    Gu Chen''s expression remained calm, his gaze indifferent. There was nothing much to say to Ananda. Thest time in Qiongtian City, Ananda had brought Gu Chen to the brink of death. If not for acquiring the Blood Shadow Sword, Gu Chen would have been killed by Ananda then.


    The sense of threat that Ananda posed to Gu Chen still vividly lingered in his memory. His opponent was indeed worthy of being the top assassin on the ck List, with formidable strength.


    Yet, the situation was different now. Even though Ananda had reached the Returning to True Stage, Gu Chen was still unafraid.


    Whoosh!


    Gu Chen moved in a sh. With one step, he left behind an afterimage; in an instant, he appeared right in front of Ananda, raising his fist to strike.


    "What incredible speed!"


    Ananda was immediately startled. Even though Gu Chen''s cultivation was far below his, how could he be so fast?


    Having experienced Gu Chen''s physical strength before, Ananda had made up his mind not to engage in closebat again. As Gu Chen arrived in front of him, blood-red true essence surged through his body, forming one blood-red python after another,shing out at Gu Chen.


    Meanwhile, he rapidly withdrew, retreating backward.


    Thud!


    Gu Chen circted his strength, swinging his arm, his body''s tendons suddenly tensed, then released, emitting a sound as crisp as a twanging bowstring.


    At that moment, Gu Chen''s fist shot out like an arrow, with resolute and unmatched fist intent nestled between his fingers, moving unstoppably forward, the power contained within the fist ready to explode with terrifying force akin to a mountain copsing and the earth shattering!


    Boom!


    Gu Chen''s punch directly scattered the fiercely wing blood-red pythons that wereing at him, sending scattered Qi energies flying through the air in disarray.


    Seeing this, Ananda''s face sank. He made a hand seal with one hand while issuing a light shout from his mouth.


    Hum!


    In an instant, a blood-red illusion assaulted Gu Chen. After reaching the Returning to True Stage, Ananda could exert greater control over the power of the Blood Transforming Gangqi, and this ability to affect a warrior''s mind had naturally seen a significant enhancement.


    This was, indeed, one of the most enigmatic abilities of the Blood Transforming Gangqi.


    Layer uponyer of the blood-red illusion encroached upon him, as if Gu Chen was sinking into a blood-colored hell. Everywhere he looked, even the ground was paved with fresh blood, flowing constantly.


    Then, one after another, pale and emaciated arms with pitch-ck and sharply pointed nails began to slowly emerge from the blood on the ground, resembling the hands of malevolent spirits.


    "Aaah¡ª"


    Suddenly, piercing screams echoed in Gu Chen''s ears, causing waves of intense pain in his mind.


    Gu Chen furrowed his brows tight, and at that moment, in the outer world, as Gu Chen''s mind was trapped in the blood-colored inferno with a vacant expression on his face, Ananda charged forward, closing in on Gu Chen.


    "Die!"


    With an intense shout, the Gangqi within his body surged, all gravitating toward his left palm, which at that moment looked so radiant it seemed as if it could drip blood.


    The fully-realized Blood Transforming Palm!


    With this palm strike, he was confident that he could directly evaporate more than half of Gu Chen''s blood within his body!


    Even if Gu Chen possessed an indestructible body, he would still suffer, as the draining of vital blood was a severe consequence for any martial artist in the world.


    Hum!


    But at that moment, countless golden fments suddenly burst forth from the pores all over Gu Chen''s body, coating him in ayer of faint golden luster.


    Whoosh!


    Immediately after, Gu Chen''s eyes snapped open, his gaze as piercing as a torch, and beams of light seemed to shoot from his pupils, causing pain in his opponent''s eyes.


    "How is this possible?!"


    His adversary was shocked, unable toprehend how Gu Chen could so quickly free himself from his mental control.


    Of course, he didn''t realize that at that very moment, Gu Chen had activated his Indestructible Divine Skill; once in motion, this technique could repel all manners of forces and ward off myriad evils, with a defense that could be called supreme!


    Even attacks on the spirit could be deflected by Gu Chen, whose dazzling golden radiance seemed akin to Ananda''s inborn protective Buddha light, each disying their own kind of miraculous skill.


    "I really don''t know where you get the confidence toe after me again!"


    Gu Chen''s eyes were cold as he looked at his opponent as if he were staring at a dead man. At this moment, the tendons and bones in his body resonated in unison, producing a thunderous sound like a muffled roar.


    His opponent was immediately rmed and abruptly shouted, "Burning Blood Skill!"


    His body''s Blood Transforming Gangqi surged, employing a special secret technique to incite the burning of Gu Chen''s vital blood.


    Boom!


    A bright aura erupted from Gu Chen, his vigorous blood energy surged violently, resembling waves in the tide, while the sound of rushing water emanated from the void.


    With a loud thump, Gu Chen punched out, and the void churned like ripples on water, raisingyer afteryer of ripples. His foe felt the terrifying might of this punch and knew he absolutely could not withstand it directly.


    Gu Chen''s physical body was simply too terrifying, as if it could copse the void itself!


    "Blood Transforming Palm!"


    His opponent let out a fierce shout, his expression ferocious, as his remaining palm swept through the air towards Gu Chen. Blood-colored Gangqi burst forth from all over his body, converging together in midair to form a frightening blood-red palm imprint. Even with Gu Chen''s Indestructible Divine Skill as his shield, he felt a slight stirring in his blood.


    The next moment, as his nemesis willed it, the gigantic bloody hand, like a cloud of blood, descended over Gu Chen''s head.


    But Gu Chen remained unfazed. When it came to cultivation, even though he had reached four hundred and eighty years, he was still somewhat behind his opponent, who had achieved the Returning to True Stage.


    After all, the opponent had Gangqi in his body, while Gu Chen had only Gang Wind; the quality was still as much a gap as it had been during their previous sh in Qiongtian City.


    Yet, now Gu Chen was unafraid of his adversary because his physical body had grown to a terrifying extent.


    He would not find himself in a passive situation like that in Qiongtian City again. Today, with his physical body alone, Gu Chen could crush his opponent.


    This was the terrifying physical prowess he had achieved at the Indestructible level!


    At that moment, Gu Chen moved. He transformed into a humanoid tyrannosaurus, facing his opponent''s all-out Blood Transforming Palm. Golden blood energy surged throughout his body, and his entire being shone with a resplendent golden light, making him appear like a golden-armored war deity of the heavenly realm.


    Swish!


    Gu Chen showed no intention of dodging. He stomped his foot, shaking the ground, which then cracked and spread outwards. His body shot straight up towards the sky as if ramming directly through any obstacle.


    Boom!


    With just one punch, apanied by the sound of a dragon''s roar and filled with pale golden blood energy, Gu Chen''s punch instantly shattered therge palm imprint. It exploded like fireworks, with blood-colored light scattering down like rain.


    "Spurt!"


    His martial technique broken, his adversary suffered a bacsh, spewing out arge mouthful of fresh blood on the spot.


    As a killer, he should not have allowed any emotions to arise, but at that moment, his face was etched with shock. Staring at Gu Chen with wide eyes, he could not believe what he saw.


    It had only been about three months, and yet Gu Chen had grown to this extent?!


    Initially, had it not been for the Divine weapon, the Blood Shadow Sword, Gu Chen would have been easily in by his opponent.


    In such a short time, their roles hadpletely reversed, and now it was he who was no match for Gu Chen and at risk of being easily killed.


    "Ahhh!"


    With an angry roar, still unable to ept what had happened and filled with rage, he would not find himself reduced had it not been for Gu Chen severing his right arm. Hisbat prowess would not have declined, and he believed Gu Chen would still not be his match today.


    "Kill!"


    His opponent shouted fiercely, and suddenly, a brilliant sh of sword light appeared between heaven and earth¡ªhe too had a divine weapon!


    This was something Gu Chen hadn''t expected, but fortunately, his reflexes were quick enough, and he hadpletely assimted the Blood Shadow Sword. With a thought from Gu Chen, the Blood Shadow Sword unsheathed itself, shing towards the splendid sword light.


    The two Divine weapons immediately battled fiercely in midair.


    "Sending you on your way!"


    At that moment, Gu Chen''s expression was cold, his eyes zing. He clenched his fist and charged forward. With a puff, his opponent''s body instantly burst open, turning into a cloud of blood mist. Blood and bones scattered, as he died on the spot.

 Chapter 217 Arriving at Yan State_1

    ```


    DaHuang Mansion, frontier.


    In the military tent where the Marquis of Pingxi resided, the brawny Xu Wei, d in heavy armor, stepped in.


    "Lord Marquis, we have failed," said Xu Wei, kneeling on one knee with a solemn voice.


    Upon hearing this, the Marquis of Pingxi slightly lifted his eyes and said, "How many did the Blood Cloth Tower send?"


    "Reporting to Lord Marquis, from the Returning to True Stage, Blood Cloth Tower dispatched three people. Among them, the top ranked of the ck List, Wujian, was in on the spot by Gu Chen. The two specters from Blood Cloth Tower made their move as well but couldn''t match Gu Chen and fled in panic," Xu Wei reported, lifting his head to look at the calm-faced Marquis of Pingxi.


    "Lord Marquis, what shall we do next?" Xu Wei asked.


    In fact, Xu Wei felt somewhat relieved. If three individuals from the Returning to True Stage couldn''t defeat Gu Chen, then Gu Chen had truly grown stronger, and even if he were to take action himself, it was certain he would not be Gu Chen''s match.


    The Marquis of Pingxi spoke with an even tone, without a ripple of disturbance, "It doesn''t matter, a failure is just that, a failure."


    Xu Wei asked, "Lord Marquis, what shall we do next? Are we going to disregard that kid Gu Chen?"


    The Marquis of Pingxi fell silent for a moment, then said, "Since he has such strength, let hime to Yan State alive. The previous operation by Blood Cloth Tower was merely a minor test."


    "The world is in chaos now, the Emperor of Da Xia is missing, not only are the Yuan Dynasty and barbarian tribes making their moves, but even the myriad martial factions of Jiuzhou are restless, with intentions to overthrow Da Xia''s rule.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Furthermore, with the emergence of the Holy Shadows Sect and the ck Sky Sect, the strength of Jing Tian Department in Yan State has been greatly weakened, and until support from Tiandu''s Jing Tian Department arrives, the local division of Yan State''s Jing Tian Department is nothing to fear,"


    Hearing this, Xu Wei also expressed strong agreement. After all, with the Metropolitan Procurator of Jing Tian Department severely injured and in seclusion, there was no doubt that the strength of Yan State''s Jing Tian Department had hit rock bottom.


    At this moment, the Marquis of Pingxi continued, "Within the Jianghu of Yan State, not only are there two major families, but also the Da Guangming Sect, along with the top-tier factions such as White Tiger n and the Breaking Wave n.


    Among them, the Qiu family from the two major families, as well as the Da Guangming Sect and the White Tiger n, have long been dissatisfied with the imperial court. Now that Jing Tian Department is weak and the world is in turmoil, they will most likely not miss this opportunity."


    Upon hearing this, Xu Wei''s eyes lit up, and he said, "Do you mean to have these martial factions go against Jing Tian Department?"


    Dressed in battle armor and holding scroll cases, the Marquis of Pingxi slowly said, "The Holy Shadows Sect and the ck Sky Sect will not give up, and the demon sects will certainly be plotting something in the shadows. Yan State will not be and of peace."


    Xu Wei nodded, his expression invigorated, and said, "I understand your intent. Let these martial factions confront Jing Tian Department first, and we will seek opportune moments from within, finding a chance to kill that Gu Chen!"


    The Marquis of Pingxi said no more. With his status and position, though he couldn''t consider Gu Chenpletely insignificant, the man didn''t carry much weight in his eyes.


    If one attempt failed, the Marquis of Pingxi wouldn''t bother to specially plot anything further for the sake of Gu Chen.


    Right now, in the eyes of the Marquis of Pingxi, what mattered wasn''t one person or one affair; he was considering the entire world, all of Jiuzhou.


    Only events with the potential to influence the course of the world, such as the recent battles between the Holy Shadows Sect, the ck Sky Sect, and the Jing Tian Department in Yan State, would draw the Marquis of Pingxi''s attention.


    What did it matter if Gu Chen''s reputation was great and his talent high?


    In the eyes of the Marquis of Pingxi, Gu Chen was clearly incapable of influencing the overall situation of the world, so he didn''t warrant his further attention.


    If not for the death of his legitimate son Cao Zhen being tied to Gu Chen, the Marquis of Pingxi would not even bother to mention him, and even now, Gu Chen was not considered significant by the Marquis.


    Gu Chen was someone to be dealt with by his subordinates; the Marquis of Pingxi did not intend to expend too much energy on him.


    What he should consider now was how to secure greater benefits for himself amidst the current situation.


    At that moment, the Marquis of Pingxi said, "If there are no significant events, do not disturb me. I will be in seclusion for a while."


    Surprised, Xu Wei said, "Lord Marquis, are you attempting a breakthrough?"


    Xu Wei looked at the Marquis of Pingxi with a look of joy. The Marquis had already reached the peak of the Detachment Stage and was only one step away from advancing to the Hundred Orifices Stage.


    Detachment Stage, situated above the Returning to True Stage, was where martial artists referred to as martial arts grandmasters resided.


    The Hundred Orifices Stage was the final barrier for grandmasters; prating the various acupoints would allow one to draw in the essence of heaven and earth, reverting from the acquired to the innate, achieving the coveted Xiantian realm that countless martial artists in Jiuzhou dreamt of and bing a grandmaster of martial arts.


    This would significantly enhance the strength of the entire frontier.


    No wonder Xu Wei was so excited.


    However, the Marquis of Pingxi shook his head and said, "The Hundred Orifices Stage is not so easily breached. This seclusion is merely an attempt; the likelihood of breaking through is not high. Do not get overly joyful, and furthermore, this matter must not be disclosed."


    Xu Wei was the Marquis''s confidant and a great general in the army, valiant and skilled in warfare and of great importance in the frontier. It was for this reason that the Marquis was willing to share this news with him and took the trouble to exin a bit.


    Xu Wei, who had already reached the Returning to True Stage, had some understanding of the realms of martial arts grandmasters. Upon hearing this, a fierce light flickered in his eyes momentarily, and he said, "Lord Marquis, shall I help you gather some vital blood to assist your breakthrough?"


    Each breakthrough at the grandmaster level was extremely difficult, and even with the Marquis of Pingxi''s martial talent, at the age of forty-something, he had been stuck at the Detachment Stage for six years.


    And the vital blood mentioned by Xu Wei was not that of beasts, but of martial artists. Vital blood was essentially the source of life for martial artists, and if there was a sufficient supply of it, it could indeed aid a martial artist in breaking through.


    However, such a method was considered unorthodox, and if discovered, the person would be condemned by all under heaven.


    Upon hearing Xu Wei''s suggestion, the Marquis of Pingxi remained silent for a moment, then said, "There''s no need for that."


    After all, he was a Marquis of Da Xia, and if the news of him taking arge amount of vital blood for his breakthrough were to spread, Da Xia would be the first to not let him off the hook.


    It wasn''t that the Marquis of Pingxi thought indiscriminate killing was wrong but rather that he too had his own pride. Unless it was absolutely necessary, he did not wish to resort to such measures.


    ```


    Xu Wei, upon hearing this, hesitated slightly, but still nodded in agreement without daring to make his own decisions.


    Marquis of Pingxi said, "While I am in seclusion, for all matters, you just speak to ''Shadowless''. If ites to a critical juncture, he will go to the secret chamber to awaken me."


    As soon as Marquis of Pingxi finished speaking, in the darkness beside him, the void rippled slightly, and a figure emerged, a man of medium stature with an iron mask covering his face.


    It was Marquis of Pingxi''s personal bodyguard, Shadowless.


    It was rumored that Marquis of Pingxi had established his own intelligence organization to collect information from all over the world for him, and Shadowless was the leader of this organization, ranking first on the Heavenly Character list of spies and personally nurtured by Marquis of Pingxi, to whom he was absolutely loyal.


    And Marquis of Pingxi trusted Shadowless extremely, even more so than Xu Wei.


    No one knew exactly how many spies Marquis of Pingxi had under hismand, and each spy wore a mask, with only Marquis of Pingxi knowing their true identities.


    Xu Wei only knew that the spies under Marquis of Pingxi were divided into four levels: Heaven, Earth, Mysterious, Yellow, just like themand structure of the Jing Tian Department.


    This alone was telling of Marquis of Pingxi''s ambition.


    Of course, to put it nicely, it was an intelligence organization, but to put it bluntly, it was an assassin organization, all engaged in murderous and plundering deeds, each one a ruthless character who would not spit out the bones of their victims.


    The various resources Marquis of Pingxi needed for his daily cultivation were also obtained for him by Shadowless and others, with no one knowing how or by what means.


    Even Xu Wei, a general in the border army of Yan State, felt a chill down his spine when facing Shadowless, the leader of Marquis of Pingxi''s assassins.


    "Yes," Xu Wei replied softly, not daring to raise his head and meet Shadowless''s gaze.


    "If there''s nothing else, you may leave now. I need to make preparations to enter seclusion," Marquis of Pingxi said.


    "As youmand."


    Then, Xu Wei stood up, retreated slowly, and left the military tent.


    ...


    After a month''s journey, Gu Chen and hispanions had finally arrived at the Yan State branch of the Jing Tian Department.


    The Yan State Jing Tian Department was located in the capital city of Yan State¡ªYulong City.


    Yulong City, situated in the very heart of Yan State, was the most bustling city in the region. From Yulong City, one could reach DaHuang Mansion, Changqing Mansion, or even Binxi Mansion without much time or distance between them.


    Gu Chen, leading Song Yu, Wang Yan, and the rest, arrived at the entrance to the Yan State Jing Tian Department.


    This was a tremendouslyrge governmentplex with soaring eaves and grand architecture, and two jade qilin statues stood imposingly at the entrance.


    After Gu Chen presented his token of the Yellow Level Commanders, he was allowed to enter directly.


    Inside the Yan State Jing Tian Department, many had already received the news and knew that reinforcements from the Jing Tian Department in Tiandu had arrived. Commanders of various levels, along with the Metropolitan Procurator, were waiting there.


    Before arriving, Gu Chen had already learned about the situation at the Yan State Jing Tian Department. Across all the nine provinces, no branch of the Jing Tian Department had more staff than the headquarters in Tiandu.


    The Yan State Jing Tian Department was made up of one Garrison Commander, three Heavenly Level Commanders, nine Earth Level Commanders, eighteen Mysterious Level Commanders, and thirty-six Yellow Level Commanders like Gu Chen himself.


    Some of these officers were locals from Yan State, while others were dispatched from other provinces, not originally from the area.


    After the earlier battle between the Holy Shadows Sect and the ck Sky Sect, the Yan State Jing Tian Department suffered severe losses: the Garrison Commander was gravely injured and in seclusion, the three Heavenly Level Commanders were also wounded, three Earth Level Commanders were lost, six Mysterious Level Commanders were dead or injured, and eleven Yellow Level Commanders were casualties.


    Were it not for this, the Yan State Jing Tian Department would not have asked the imperial court for reinforcements.


    Nowadays, except for those recovering from injuries, the Mysterious and Yellow Level Commanders were all waiting inside the Jing Tian Department to wee Gu Chen and his group.


    "This must be Lord Gu Chen, who defeated the Great Buddha Son Ananda and whose fame has spread throughout the nine provinces, esteemed as the number one martial prodigy in hundreds of years across the nine provinces," said one of the Mysterious Level Commanders as he stepped forward with a smile and sped his hands in greeting to Gu Chen.


    Gu Chen also sped his hands in response and said, "I am Gu Chen. I''ve met all of you here. But these are just empty titles. I have never considered myself the foremost martial talent of hundreds of years across the vast nine provinces."


    Jiang Huan nced at the people behind Gu Chen and asked with some confusion, "Did Tiandu only send you and these others here?"


    Gu Chen replied, "The world is currently in chaos, and Shen Zhou is also beset by a surge of demons wreaking havoc. There simply aren''t enough hands in Tiandu to spare, so for the time being, I was sent with a group toe here. Later, Qin Command mentioned that more reinforcements will be dispatched to Yan State."


    Upon hearing this, Jiang Huan nodded, then introduced Gu Chen to the other four Mysterious Level Commanders and the eighteen Yellow Level Commanders present.


    "The Garrison Commander and Lord Wang and others are currently in seclusion. They had instructed us earlier that if Tiandu sends reinforcements, it is our responsibility to apprise you of the situation," said Jiang Huan.


    The "Lord Wang" he mentioned was named Wang Jiuzhi, one of the three Heavenly Level Commanders of Yan State.


    "Lord Gu, you have just arrived and have spent your time traveling. You haven''t had the chance to enjoy the scenery and delicacies of Yan State. How about this ¨C take some rest, andter tonight, we will show you the wonderful sights of Yulong City," Jiang Huan suggested with a smile.

 Chapter 218 Arrogantly Proud of Ones Talent_1

    Upon hearing this, Gu Chen immediately declined politely, "Thank you for your kind offer, Brother Jiang, but after traveling all the way from Tiandu, my brothers and I are somewhat exhausted. We will forgo the banquet and you all may do as you please."


    Gu Chen was never particrly interested in such gatherings to begin with, and what''s more, given the current tense situation in the world, he was even less inclined to attend any banquets.


    Even without needing merit points, Gu Chen didn''t want to waste a moment of time. Whenever there was an opportunity, he would refine the Gangqi within his body through cultivation practices.


    What Gu Chen was most earnestly preupied with now was the rapid cultivation of a special kind of Gangqi. The recent battle with the two old ghosts of the Blood Robe Tower had made him realize the significance of this special Gangqi.


    At present, cultivating this special Gangqi was Gu Chen''s primary goal.


    Jiang Huan, still smiling, said, "That''s fine, then we''ll forget about today. How about we try for tomorrow?"


    Gu Chen truly had no interest in joining their meal and socializing, and he shook his head once again, politely declining Jiang Huan''s offer.


    Seeing this, Jiang Huan''s brows furrowed imperceptibly, and a hint of displeasure shed in his eyes.


    He felt that Gu Chen was being a bit too arrogant. After all, Jiang Huan was a Xuan Level Commander of the Jing Tian Department, while Gu Chen was merely a Yellow Level Commander. Despite Gu Chen''s fame and strength, Jiang Huan still outranked him by one level.


    With his strength and status, Jiang Huan''s gracious attempt to host and befriend Gu Chen having been rebuffed, led to some dissatisfaction within him.


    However, on the surface, Jiang Huan didn''t express any discontent and merely nodded with a smile, "That''s alright. Then, Lord Gu, you should have a good rest today. We can discuss any matters tomorrow, and we won''t disturb you any longer."


    With those words, Jiang Huan efficiently led the members of the Yan State Jing Tian Department away.


    Gu Chen watched Jiang Huan and his men leave. With his keen sight, he naturally noticed the fleeting displeasure in Jiang Huan''s eyes but chose not toment.


    After all, Gu Chen hadn''te here to make connections, but to kill demons and defend Yan State.


    Beforeing here, Qin Wu had told him to act independently. Even though Jiang Huan was a rank higher as a Xuan Level Guardian Commander, he was not in a position to control Gu Chen. Qin Wu had said that apart from the Guardian Commander of Yan State, no one had the authority over him.


    Therefore, Gu Chen didn''t pay much heed to Jiang Huan''s change in demeanor and told his men, "Let''s all disperse. We''ve been on the road continuously for a month, so everyone should take a good rest."


    "Yes!"


    Hearing this, Song Yu, Wang Yan, and the other Metropolitan Procurators breathed a sigh of relief. Led by some junior officials, they went to their respective amodations.


    The Jing Tian Department''spound in Yan State was vast, able to amodate thousands of people without any issues, let alone just this handful of individuals.


    Gu Chen did the same. Once a junior official had led him to a small courtyard with a pleasant view, he began his cultivation practice.


    After all, if he couldn''t find the Ancient Strange Object Sun me Stone, Gu Chen would have to figure out on his own how to cultivate the Sun me Gangqi.


    As for Jiang Huan, Gu Chen didn''t give the matter much thought. In his view, the most pressing concern was to strengthen his own capabilities.


    ...


    At dusk, Jiang Huan along with three other Xuan Level Commanders and several Yellow Level Commanders arrived at thergest tavern in Yulong City.


    "Oh my, isn''t this Lord Jiang Huan from the Jing Tian Department? I wasn''t aware of Lord Jiang''s visit. Please forgive me for not weing you from afar," the tavern keeper greeted Jiang Huan and his entourage with a smile as soon as he saw them.


    After all, although the nine provinces were in disarray, the Jing Tian Department was still regarded as a supreme authority by themon people, and no business owner in Yulong City dared to offend anyone from the Jing Tian Department.


    Even if they came to dine, the food was free. Not to mention, each year, the department received a generous sum as a goodwill payment from these business owners.


    Otherwise, conducting business in Yulong City wouldn''t be so easy, and disruptions could ur without the government''s intervention.


    The reason why this tavern was the number one in Yulong City was precisely because the keeper had cultivated a good rtionship with Jiang Huan and sent him a significant amount of silver each year.


    Therefore, seeing Jiang Huan arriving with others, the tavern keeper dared not show any negligence.


    He had reserved thergest private room in advance for them, which would remain unupied even if Jiang Huan and his entourage didn''t show up.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Jiang Huan remained expressionless. In response to the eager reception of thesemoners, he just nodded indifferently and acknowledged them with a grunt through his nostrils.


    In his eyes, showing a pleasant face to thesemon folk was already quite generous.


    The keeper wasn''t annoyed at this reaction, apparently used to it. He then personally led Jiang Huan and his party to the exclusive private room.


    From the keeper to the attendants, everyone was extremely enthusiastic, presenting Jiang Huan and hispany with an abundance of fine liquor and dishes. They served the food quickly, fearing that any dy might upset Jiang Huan.


    Jiang Huan and his party didn''t pay them much attention, instead, they began to eat and drink among themselves.


    Soon, the wine flowed thrice, and the atmosphere in the private room grew even livelier.


    The three Xuan Level Commanders present, aside from Jiang Huan, were Dong Ziwei and Le Zhengyang.


    The three of them had the best rtionship within the Jing Tian Department, and Jiang Huan, with the highest cultivation, was implicitly their leader.


    Each year, Jiang Huan would share some of the benefits he received from various establishments in Yulong City with Dong Ziwei and Le Zhengyang.

 Chapter 220 Gathering at Liuyun Mountain_1

    Qiuyun Mountain, nestled in Baishan County of Yan State''s Changqing Mansion, reaches over a thousand zhang high, perpetually shrouded in a white mist. The mountaintop is carpeted in lush grass, and the trees are dense and vibrant, creating an exceptionally pleasantndscape.


    This is the venue for the strange item exchange conference.


    The strange item exchange conference takes ce once a year, and to put it simply, it''s a gathering of the top forces in Yan State. All those who attend possess extraordinary status and hold high positions within these leading powers.


    It''s also a means for them to form connections with one another. Indeed, they frequently trade various items to acquire what they need for themselves.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    For this strange item exchange conference, the leading participants include the Da Guangming Sect, White Tiger n, and Breaking Wave n, among other top forces from the martial world of Yan State.


    In addition, some first-rate sects also show up with the intention of forming ties with the top forces and make it a point to attend every year.


    At this moment, the conference has already begun. Qiuyun Mountain is bustling with activity, and amid theing and going crowd, a multitude of martial artists engage in ongoing conversations, exchanging a variety of strange items between themselves.


    At the summit of Qiuyun Mountain, amidst a forest of ancient pines and cascading waterfalls and springs, the scenery is remarkably beautiful. A group of individuals is gathered here; they form an exclusive circle, upying the peak, overlooking many other martial artists on Qiuyun Mountain, with no one else allowed near.


    "Everyone should be here by now, right?" A man with a tall stature, handsome features, and dressed in white robes said with a smile.


    His name was Wu Changyun, a member of the Da Guangming Sect, at the Returning to True Stage mid-phase. At this moment, faint halos of light erupted intermittently from the pores around his body, casting a subtle glow about him. This was a sign that he had at least reached a high level of mastery with the Holy Light Skill.


    "Wu Changyun, put away your Great Enchantment Skill!" A brawny man with a stern face and cold features said to Wu Changyun in a chilly tone.


    The Great Enchantment Skill was a Superior Martial Skill from within the Da Guangming Sect, far more advanced than the Bewildering God Skills that Gu Chen had previously encountered.


    After all, Tang Xiao could only be considered as a young prodigy within the Da Guangming Sect. He could notpare to someone as established as Wu Changyun who had been famous for many years. Furthermore, Wu Changyun was also significantly older than Tang Xiao, being thirty years old this year.


    Hearing this, Wu Changyun was not annoyed but remained smiling, his pores radiating bursts of light that made him look extremely holy and easily endearing.


    The speaker was named Kui Gang, a direct descendant of the White Tiger n. People from the White Tiger n all had rather vtile characters, akin to those from the Giant Spirit Gate.


    After all, both these martial sects prioritized physical strengthening techniques, and naturally, physical cultivators in the martial world tended to have more aggressive dispositionspared to other martial artists.


    Wu Changyun said with a smile, "Before we exchange strange items this time, I would like to ask everyone, how do you perceive the current situation in Yan State?"


    The people present all held significant positions within the top forces of Yan State, and their attitudes naturally represented those of the forces they represented.


    Upon hearing this, Kui Gang snorted coldly and said, "What''s there to consider? Aren''t these matters for the Jing Tian Department to worry about? What does it have to do with us, the martialmunity?"


    "Brother Kui speaks the truth. Da Xia prides itself on subduing the entire world, yet now in Yan State, both the Holy Shadows Sect and the ck Sky Sect are causing chaos and havoc. Let them fight it out. It''s best if we just watch from the sidelines."


    The speaker was a young man with a handsome countenance, though his high cheekbones and thin lips lent him a somewhat severe appearance.


    This man was Qiu Li, the third son of the Qiu family''s household head.


    The Seven Sects, Eight Factions, Three Great Sects, Nine Schools, Four Valleys, Three Heterodox Paths, and additionally, Six Families passed through the ages, all vie for power in the martial world.


    These lines were coined by Diancang Pavilion, whichid out the ssification for the top powers in the world. "Additionally, Six Families passed through the ages" referred to the six great families of the Central ins martial world, among which the Qiu Family was one.


    Each of these six great families had a heritage spanning over a thousand years, with formidable strength and housing not just one but several innate realm martial grandmasters within their ranks.


    It could be said that each of the six great families was on par with the Da Guangming Sect and, even among the array of top forces, stood prominent at the forefront.


    Both the White Tiger n and the Qiu Family held rather negative views of the Jing Tian Department because twenty-three years ago, when the Emperor of Da Xia ascended and subdued the world, many senior members within the White Tiger n, the Qiu Family, and a few other top forces were executed by the Emperor and the Grand Commander of the Jing Tian Department.


    Therefore, no one found it strange when these two individuals expressed such views.


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    At that moment, Qiu Li looked towards Wu Changyun and, raising his eyebrows slightly, said, "Why, does the Da Guangming Sect intend to lend a hand to the Jing Tian Department?"


    Wu Changyun smiled faintly and replied, "Naturally not."


    "Good, it''s better if you''re not!" Kui Gang grunted.


    The direct descendant of the Breaking Wave n was named Xiang Zheng, a young man with a neatly chiseled face. He spoke up, "The weaker the Jing Tian Department is, the more beneficial it is for us. Now that the human sovereign of Da Xia has disappeared without a trace after his tribtion, it presents the perfect opportunity for our rise.


    I imagine that none present here, or the entire martial world for that matter, would like to be suppressed by Da Xia anymore, right?"


    At these words, including Wu Changyun, everyone fell into a moment of silence, clearly agreeing with Xiang Zheng''s statement.


    And their attitude naturally also represented the stance of their respective top forces.


    After a brief pause, Wu Changyun suddenly spoke up, "Not long ago, a ck Rank Commander from the Jing Tian Department came to me, expressing the desire to attend our gathering and form connections with everyone here. I thought it was harmless, so I brought them over."


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