Translator: AnubisTL
Blood rain fell, and flesh splattered everywhere.
Gu Feng's move was too fast, too sudden!
He simply walked slowly onto the stage, approached Qiu Potian, exchanged a few words with a smile, and then delivered a fatal punch.
Without the slightest hesitation or pause, his face still wore a faint smile. After it was done, he casually told everyone to stop making noise.
Oh my god!
What is he doing?
Doesn't he realize this would ignite the powder keg of the entire scene?
He was too decisive, too ruthless, completely beyond everyone's expectations.
Some had seen Gu Feng walking toward the stage, but they thought he was just making a last-ditch effort to save face with a few words.
How dare he do this? Who gave him the courage? Even if someone had the guts of a bear and the courage multiplied tenfold, they wouldn't dare to do such a thing!
But he did it!
This was truly astonishing.
The crowd reacted in unison, holding their breath, mouths agape wide enough to fit several goose eggs, pupils shrinking to the size of sesame seeds, standing there dumbfounded like fools.
In that instant, the world fell into silence, time seemed to freeze, and even the breeze stopped blowing.
Chu Youhuan and Yan Yexue, standing in the middle of the scene, looked like the most beautiful statues in the world. Their eyes were wide open, their minds buzzing, unable to tell if they were dreaming or in reality, their thoughts momentarily frozen.
Yan Xixi, Wu Qi, Chao Yuan, Guo Renkai, the Xiong Brothers, Sima Juncong, and other friends of Gu Feng, who had just been indignant about the injustice he faced, turned into wooden stakes in the next breath, standing motionless.
Yan Hanyun, Su Qiu, Gu Santong, Bao Tian, Lin Xinhua, and other big shots from the major forces of Cloud Prefecture, who had been pondering how to handle the situation, suddenly trembled, stood up abruptly, and were utterly shocked.
The 100,000 inner and outer sect disciples of the Sunset Glow Sect in the audience felt as if their hearts had been grabbed by a ghost, experiencing spasms.
The stage was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. The arguments among the Supreme Elders of the Sunset Glow Sect ceased. The once spirited elders instantly turned into bewildered old men, tilting their heads and staring at Gu Feng, unable to speak, only their Adam's apples moving incessantly.
The five Supreme Elders of the Qiu family looked bewildered at the flesh and blood still falling before them, feeling a cold sensation on their faces. When they touched it, the bright red liquid was glaring.
The two teams of Crown Prince's guards standing nearby blinked their eyes, looking somewhat adorable.
With his own strength, Gu Feng turned the once noisy martial arts arena into a solemn funeral hall.
Among the dazed group of Outer Sect Elders, only Liu Wuxiang, who had received a hint from Gu Feng, reacted the fastest. In a flash, he appeared beside Gu Feng, pulled the still posing and showing off Gu Feng behind him, and then shouted, "Protect Gu Feng!"
These four simple words awakened the crowd from their stupor, like a nuclear bomb being dropped into the scene, exploding everything!
"You brat!!! You... you actually killed the pride of our Qiu family!!!"
One of the Qiu family's Supreme Elders roared, perhaps too shocked, his beard and hair standing on end, his expression ferocious, like a madman.
Qiu Potian was the last surviving scion of the Qiu family. Now that he had fallen, it signified the complete extinction of the Qiu bloodline!
"Damn it, kill him!!!"
The other four Supreme Elders of the Qiu family also roared, their Spiritual Power erupting to its peak, shaking the entire platform to pieces.
Five figures, radiating immense power and murderous intent, charged towards Gu Feng simultaneously.
Elder Liu's side reacted swiftly as well. Liu Wuxiang and the other six Supreme Elders instantly unleashed their power, intercepting the five Qiu family Supreme Elders.
In just a moment of clash, the entire platform turned to dust!
"You protect Gu Feng, we'll go kill these five old bastards!" the former Chief Elder of the Outer Sect of the Sunset Glow Sect shouted, charging forward.
"This is the territory of the Sunset Glow Sect, outsiders have no right to interfere!"
"Kill! The Qiu family harbors ill intentions, seeking to seize our Sunset Glow Sect, they are utterly unforgivable!"
"Kill—"
The five Supreme Elders of the Sunset Glow Sect clashed with the five Qiu family Supreme Elders, plunging the scene into chaos!
"What are you waiting for? Gu Feng killed the Crown Prince's confidant! Do you want the Sunset Glow Sect to perish with him?"
Seeing the other twelve Supreme Elders of the Sunset Glow Sect standing idly by, a captain of the Crown Prince's guard shouted in anger.
Before coming, the Crown Prince had repeatedly emphasized that this mission to the Sunset Glow Sect must not fail.
Now that things had escalated to this point, they bore significant responsibility. If they couldn't turn the situation around, they would face severe punishment upon their return, possibly even execution.
The twelve Supreme Elders hesitated. Although they leaned towards the Crown Prince and could allow Qiu Potian to ascend as the sect leader, they absolutely could not permit internal strife within the Sunset Glow Sect.
This hesitation lasted only half a breath. Upon seeing two teams of the Crown Prince's guards charging towards Gu Feng, seven or eight Supreme Elders gritted their teeth and also rushed forward.
"No, internal strife must not occur in the Sunset Glow Sect!"
"Let's talk this out, no need to fight!"
"What are you all doing, planning to switch sides?"
"I think Gu Feng becoming the sect leader isn't a bad idea!"
"I also agree with Gu Feng as the sect leader. He's more suitable than that Qiu Potian."
The twelve Supreme Elders, who were originally united, now found themselves divided due to Gu Feng's decisiveness.
At this moment, the number of Supreme Elders siding with Gu Feng had reached ten.
Liu Wuxiang stood protectively beside Gu Feng, watching the eighteen Supreme Elders of the Sunset Glow Sect and the five Qiu family Supreme Elders locked in fierce combat, then turned to gaze at the old sect leader.
"Are you dead!!! Why aren't you saying anything?"
The old sect leader was also panicking. He was never a man of great virtue or talent, and during his century-long tenure, the Sunset Glow Sect had steadily declined, largely due to his incompetence.
Faced with such a massive scene, he immediately revealed his inadequacies, looking at Liu Wuxiang for help.
"What are you waiting for? Announce immediately that Gu Feng is the new sect leader and throw the sect leader's token over here!"
"Oh... oh, right!"
The old sect leader's hands trembled as he fumbled to retrieve the sect leader's token, but before he could throw it, it was knocked away by one of the Qiu family Supreme Elders.
"Even in death, my Qiu family's Qiu Potian is the rightful 49th sect leader of the Sunset Glow Sect!!!"
"Damn it!!!" Liu Wuxiang roared, "You protect Gu Feng, stay away from the center of the battle. I'll go kill this old bastard."
"Kill—"
"Come at me! It's because of your indulgence of Gu Feng, Liu Wuxiang, that my Qiu family's three heroes have fallen and our family is ruined. Today, it's a fight to the death!!!"
The grand aura raged, and various phenomena soared into the sky. The already heavily damaged training ground instantly exploded.
Countless disciples of the Sunset Glow Sect fled for their lives.
"Sisters, follow me and charge forward!" Chu Youhuan shouted, leading nine female cultivators, all at the first level of the Spirit Nurturing Realm, towards the high platform.
They coordinated with each other, surrounding and attacking one of the Crown Prince's personal guards, alleviating some pressure on the Outer Sect.
"Father, I am the future heir of the Guo family. Let's fight!" Guo Renkai said solemnly as he stood beside his father.
"Good!" The Guo family was not weak, but neither were they strong. However, spurred by Guo Renkai's words, five Spirit Nurturing Realm cultivators, including the Guo family head, charged into the fray.
"Husband, what do you say?" Su Qiu, her Spiritual Power surging, whispered to Yan Hanyun.
"Hahaha, what a grand scene! I, Yan, have never felt so exhilarated before. Of course, we fight!" Yan Hanyun laughed heartily, striding forward with Su Qiu close behind.
"Santong, notify all the Myriad Harmony Guild's nearby patrons to come here immediately!"
"Alright—" Gu Santong also roared with excitement. After sending the voice transmission, he plunged into the battle.
Buzz—
Daring to kill the Crown Prince's personal guards, are you planning a rebellion?
From the horizon, fifty to sixty Spirit Nurturing Realm cultivators flew in, ten of whom radiated the fluctuations of the Sea Condensation Realm. These were the forces the Crown Prince had prepared as a contingency to forcefully attack the Sunset Glow Sect, and they were also the main force among his personal guards.
Their entry turned the tide once again, putting the Outer Sect, which had initially held the upper hand, back into a precarious position.
"I can't stand this anymore; it's too much bullying! Bao family cultivators, follow me and fight!" Bao Tian, accompanied by his personal Elder, joined the fierce battle.
The Cloud Prefecture Prefect narrowed his eyes, silently crushing a Voice Transmission Stone. The cultivators of the Prince's family also joined the battle.
"The affairs of the Cloud Prefecture sects should be resolved by the Cloud Prefecture sects themselves!
Elders of the Unwavering Sect, follow me!"
Lin Xinhua roared, and all the members of the Unwavering Sect charged into the fight.
Wu Qi, Chao Yuan, Qi Tingting, Yu Ying, and other disciples, though their family strengths were not formidable, also joined in.
"What a grand scene! I like this new Sect Master!" The second-ranked disciple on the Inner Sanctum Heaven Ranking laughed heartily and fearlessly charged into the battle.
"Giggle, this is interesting. My ranking is higher than Chu Youhuan's; there's no reason not to join such a great battle!" The third-ranked disciple on the Inner Sanctum Heaven Ranking also followed suit.
"Having such a strong Sect Master might not be a bad thing. Here I come!"
"How could I miss this!" Almost all the top twenty disciples on the Inner Sanctum Heaven Ranking had successfully broken into the Spirit Nurturing Realm. Riding on Divine Rainbows, they stormed into the battlefield.
"Everyone, what is your choice?" Elder Dou, observing the chaotic scene, asked the Inner Sect Elder Council in a deep voice.
"We are willing to follow Elder Dou!"
"Good, then let's support Gu Feng. He is the true Sect Master of our Sunset Glow Sect!" Elder Dou declared loudly, acknowledging Gu Feng's position as Sect Master.
"Grandfather, why are you helping Gu Feng?" Dou Xiaojian, looking dejected, whispered in a low voice.
"It's all for you, you brat! From now on, work harder and strive to be a better man. Even if you can't be like Gu Feng, at least be a decent, upright man who doesn't grovel!"
"Kill—"
The Inner Sect Elder Council also joined the fierce battle.
The old Sect Master slumped on the ground, watching the chaotic battlefield, and let out a bitter laugh: "Hahaha, I was such a failure after all!!!"
"I hereby declare Gu Feng as the 49th Sect Master of the Sunset Glow Sect!"
"Everyone, stop fighting! It's all my fault. I have no face to confront the ancestors of the Sunset Glow Sect!!"
With these words, the old Sect Master severed his own heart meridian and perished on the spot!
"The Sunset Glow Sect has collectively rebelled! They must be executed!!"
The leader of the Crown Prince's guards, a Sea Condensation Cultivator, roared with fury, intensifying his attacks!
The death of the old Sect Master demoralized the eight elders who had sided with the Qiu family. They now only defended themselves, ceasing their offensive.
Gradually, the battlefield transformed into a fierce clash between the forces of Cloud Prefecture and the Crown Prince's guards.
"Where is the Cloud Prefecture Prince? The Sunset Glow Sect and these families have rebelled. Send troops to suppress them immediately!"
"Apologies, but the Prince's residence takes orders only from His Majesty. Without His Majesty's decree, we cannot comply!" the Cloud Prefecture Prefect coldly stated.
"Damn it, damn it! Are you all rebelling as well?"
Despite their overall formidable strength, the hundred Crown Prince's guards were no match for the elite forces of Cloud Prefecture and were steadily pushed back.
If not for the guards' prestigious status, they would have already been slaughtered.
At this moment, three streaks of light appeared in the sky once more.
"The Crown Prince's Grand Commanders have arrived!"
Three radiant figures stood in the void, like three blazing suns, illuminating the entire Sunset Glow Sect!
Peak Sea Condensation Realm?
Liu Wuxiang and the others trembled, their faces turning grim. The peak of the Sea Condensation Realm far surpassed the strength of all the cultivators present, making them impossible to defeat.
"Gu Feng has killed the Sect Master of the Sunset Glow Sect! He must be executed!!"
As soon as these words were spoken, the scene froze.
The Crown Prince's Grand Commanders, totaling one hundred and eight, were all at least at the peak of the Sea Condensation Realm and usually never left the Crown Prince's side.
How had Gu Feng offended the Crown Prince to warrant the dispatch of the Grand Commanders to kill him?
The battle ceased, and the turmoil subsided.
"Cough... cough... The Great Chu Dynasty does not interfere in sect affairs. Since when has my elder brother had the time to concern himself with the matters of a small sect like the Sunset Glow Sect?"
Just as everyone was at a loss, a chariot traversed the sky, bearing a large banner with the character 'Chu.'
The chariot opened, and out stepped a pale, sickly-looking young man who coughed intermittently.
"The Third Prince!"
The appearance of the Third Prince of the Great Chu Dynasty brought another twist to the scene.
The three Grand Commanders furrowed their brows and exchanged glances.
"Third Prince, this is the Crown Prince's affair. Please do not interfere," one of the Commanders said sternly.
"Cough, cough... I am but a cripple. How could I interfere? I merely offer a friendly reminder," the Third Prince said with a light laugh.
"This Third Prince doesn't seem to be much," Gu Feng whispered to Chu Youhuan, noticing the lack of respect in the Commanders' tone.
"Yes, he suffered severe injuries while still in the womb, damaging his martial foundation. His current Innate Realm was forcibly elevated through elixirs... No one in the court favors him, and he has no personal power... But he is a good person... He has been traveling throughout the Great Chu Dynasty, and it's unexpected that he would appear here. You're lucky; with his intervention, the Crown Prince's men will likely back off," Chu Youhuan whispered in reply.
Even if the Third Prince is lacking, he still holds the title of prince. The Crown Prince's subordinates would, at the very least, give him some face.
"Since the Third Prince has spoken, I naturally will not interfere in an official capacity. From this day forward, we are no longer official cultivators of the Great Chu Dynasty."
After the words fell, the three Grand Commanders crushed their identity tokens, and the Crown Prince's personal guards followed suit.
The Third Prince was stunned for a moment, then shook his head with a bitter smile, apologizing to Chu Youhuan below, "Youhuan, you see the situation. There's nothing I can do now."
"Still, thank you, Third Brother!" Chu Youhuan replied respectfully, her brows furrowed.
"Then, kill! The Sunset Glow Sect is obstinate and unyielding. Slaughter them all!!"
"Hiss—"
As soon as these words were spoken, gasps of shock filled the air.
Liu Wuxiang and the others were seething with anger, but they were helpless. Faced with such a formidable lineup, the Sunset Glow Sect was powerless to resist.
"Kill!!"
The three Grand Commanders and the hundred or so Crown Prince's personal guards charged forward!
In just a few breaths of combat, the Elders of the Sunset Glow Sect began to fall, one after another.
"Is it possible that the Sunset Glow Sect is doomed??" one Elder cried out in despair.
"What does the Crown Prince want!!!" another Elder roared, realizing the crux of the matter.
The Crown Prince would not intervene in the affairs of the Sunset Glow Sect without reason. The only possibility was that there was something within the sect that the Crown Prince urgently needed.
"Those unwilling to follow Gu Feng to their doom, please leave immediately!" a cold voice rang out, and hesitant expressions appeared on the faces of the crowd.
"Act now, don't wait any longer!" Gu Feng, who had been watching the situation from the beginning, whispered.
"Not going to wait a bit longer? Didn't you say that only when the tide recedes can we see who's swimming naked?" Zhu Qingyan chuckled lightly.
"Don't test human nature; it's a forbidden zone!" Regardless of the reasons these forces had for joining, Gu Feng was only grateful. Testing them now was unnecessary.
"After this move, I will be dormant for a while. Remember to find me Thunder Attribute Natural Treasures!"
"Of course!"
"Haha, still hesitating? After I count to three!!" one of the Crown Prince's Grand Commanders sneered, looking down at the crowd with disdain and extending three fingers.
"One!!"
Buzz—
The heavens and earth trembled, rainbows scattered wildly, and a flash of radiant light passed through the world. A vast pressure, like a mountain range, descended upon everyone, impossible to resist.
All the cultivators in the air crashed to the ground, their bodies bending, hearts pounding uncontrollably, as if some great terror had emerged.
"Sigh—"
A sigh, as if from ancient times, shook everyone's hearts.
All were terrified by this sudden horror, their bodies trembling as they looked up at the sky in awe.
A figure of unparalleled beauty, dreamlike and ethereal, stepped out from the void...
(End of the Chapter)
📚 Read [FD] on Patreon.com/AnubisTL – Up to c262. [+2/+4k]
☕ Support me and Read Ahead for just $5/mo.
🎯 Translated [2] Novels [593k+] Words and counting!