The Great Qi Dynasty.
In Tianwu City, on the western frontier, was the Gu Family.
As night fell, the main hall was brightly lit.
In the center of the hall lay a youth covered in blood and barely clinging to life, surrounded by dozens of core Gu Family members, all brimming with Killing Intent, like a pack of wolves circling their prey!
“Today, Gu Han, the adopted son of the Gu Family!”
“Is rebellious, goes against human ethics, is insane, harms his own kin, and attempted to murder his father!”
A tall, slender youth stared at the young man, his eyes filled with cruelty and delight, and slowly said, “The Great Clan Elder has ordered that his position as Young Lord be revoked, his cultivation be abolished, his Meridians be severed, he be expelled from the Family, and exiled outside the city, as a warning to others!”
Below.
Gu Han, unable to move, remained silent, his face covered in blood, only his eyes fixed on the crowd, as if raging flames burned within them, seemingly wanting to incinerate everything before him!
“Young Master!”
Just then.
A startled cry suddenly came from outside, from a girl of thirteen or fourteen, with bright eyes and white teeth, holding a broken Black Sword.
Slap!
A crisp slap echoed, and the girl was slapped across the face by a guard, stumbling and falling to the ground, her fair cheek visibly swelling, a trace of blood at the corner of her mouth.
She seemed oblivious, struggling to stand up, still trying to rush into the hall, but was once again slapped to the ground by the guard.
“How rare.”
“You’ve fallen to this state, yet this A Sha is still loyal to you.”
Glancing outside, the youth sneered, “You’re just a wild bastard picked up from the streets, what right do you have to be the Gu Family’s Young Lord? What right do you have to enjoy my Gu Family’s resources? What right do you have to have someone so loyal to you? Are you worthy?”
“You’re jealous of me.”
The flames in Gu Han’s eyes intensified, his voice weak but with a hint of mockery, “Even if you use such a despicable method to cripple me and kill me, you still won’t be as good as me!”
…”
The youth’s fingers twitched, and a flicker of apprehension and Killing Intent flashed in his eyes.
“Gu Han.”
He suddenly squatted down and said earnestly, “I’ve waited seventeen years for this day. Do you think, in your current state, you and she can last how long in the mouths of the Yao Beasts outside the city? A day? Half a day? Or… even shorter?”
“I will return.”
Gu Han’s eyelids drooped slightly, concealing the hatred and flames within his eyes.
“Alright.”
The youth slowly stood up, looking down at him, “I’ll wait for you to come back, wait for you to take revenge, wait for you to… kill me!”
“Enough.”
At the head of the hall, an old man with a hawk nose and sharp eyes waved his hand and said indifferently, “Throw him out.”
It was the Gu Family’s Great Clan Elder, Gu Chang!
“Yes!”
Someone immediately responded, dragging Gu Han out.
As figures moved, the lamps flickered, making Gu Chang’s face appear alternately bright and dark, adding a few more hints of ruthlessness and malice to his already profound expression.
“He’s truly like a dog.”
Watching Gu Han being dragged out, the youth exhaled the frustration in his chest and said gleefully, “A stray dog!”
“From today onwards.”
Gu Chang pointed at the youth, looked around at everyone, and said in a deep voice, “My grandson, Gu Yang, will be the new Young Lord of the Gu Family.”
“Greetings, Young Lord!”
Everyone looked enthusiastic and immediately bowed in submission!
“Everyone, you may rise!”
Gu Yang laughed heartily, his mood greatly improved!
Outside the hall.
The night was dim, and the young man and girl were casually dragged away, accompanied by the biting cold wind and the girl’s sobs, completely disappearing into the darkness.
Inside the hall.
Servants added more lamps, making it as bright as day. Everyone was enthusiastic, their congratulatory remarks like the scorching sun of summer, warming Gu Yang’s heart.
…
Three days later.
Inside Tianwu City.
The morning sun had just risen, bringing a hint of Life Qi to this small border town.
On the long street within the city.
A frail girl of thirteen or fourteen, gritting her teeth, carried a youth on her back, walking slowly and with difficulty. The youth, about seventeen or eighteen years old, had a broken Black Sword tied to his back with rough cloth strips, was covered in blood, and was barely breathing, having been unconscious for a long time.
It was Gu Han!
And the girl looked no better than him.
Her clothes were beyond recognition of their original color, and her once fair and delicate face was now covered in dust, with several distinct red slap marks. Sweat constantly dripped down, flowing over her wounds, making her wince in pain from time to time.
She had walked an unknown distance.
Her shoes were long worn out, and her feet were raw and bloody.
Every step she took left a faint bloody footprint on the bluestone ground.
“Bah! Beast!”
“You’re flattering him, he’s worse than a beast!”
“Indeed, the Gu Family Head raised him for seventeen years, yet he committed such an act of patricide, it’s simply insane!”
…
Seeing the two.
Everyone’s eyes were filled with mockery and disdain, and they all began to curse them.
In these three days.
Under Gu Chang’s deliberate propaganda, Gu Han’s act of patricide had spread almost throughout Tianwu City, and he had transformed from the radiant Young Lord of the Gu Family three days ago into this dying person despised by thousands today.
The girl seemed not to hear their words, or perhaps she did, but was too exhausted to retort.
Stumbling.
She struggled to take a step, her somewhat naive eyes filled with determination, leaving behind bloody footprints as she continued forward.
Her direction.
Was surprisingly towards the City Lord’s Mansion!
…
At the same time.
In the Gu Family’s main hall, Gu Chang and his grandson Gu Yang were talking in secret.
“Grandfather.”
Gu Yang asked, puzzled, “Why didn’t we just kill Gu Han that day? Wouldn’t that have been the end of it?”
“Kill him?”
Gu Chang glanced at him.
“We secretly ambushed and killed Gu Tian, regaining control of the Gu Family’s power—that’s one! Shifting the blame to Gu Han and now completely crippling him—that’s two!”
Gu Tian.
Was the Gu Family Head.
And Gu Han’s adoptive father.
“Furthermore.”
Gu Chang continued, “He is now severely injured, and his Meridians have been completely shattered by me. He certainly won’t live for more than three days, so why should I personally do it? Moreover, the longer he clings to life, the more beneficial it is for us!”
“I understand.”
Gu Yang suddenly realized, “Grandfather wants to use this incident to build momentum for us?”
“Precisely.”
Gu Chang nodded with satisfaction, “The more tragic his end, the more it can deter others, and it can also demonstrate the benevolence of my Gu Family! It will even be of great benefit to you later when you go to the Great Qi Martial Academy! Besides, Yao Beasts are frequently appearing outside the city, so he’s probably already become a delicious meal for those Yao Beasts by now!”
The Great Qi Martial Academy.
Located in the Great Qi Royal Capital, it was a gathering place for the young elites of the Great Qi Dynasty and a place countless young Geniuses yearned to enter. If one performed exceptionally well, they might even be noticed by higher-level sects and taken as personal Disciples, thus soaring to great heights.
However, the Academy’s admissions were strict.
And a small place like Tianwu City only had one spot every five years, causing fierce competition among the various Families.
“Enough!”
“Let’s not talk about him anymore.”
He changed the subject and warned, “Remember, one month from now is the Martial Academy spot competition. You must not be negligent and miss this heaven-sent opportunity!”
“Don’t worry, Grandfather.”
Hearing the words “Martial Academy,” Gu Yang smiled complacently.
“Without Gu Han, those other few people… are simply not worth worrying about! This battle is destined to be the beginning of my rise, Gu Yang’s rise!”
The Dao of cultivation is endless.
Qi Condensation, Meridian Opening, Acupoint Opening, Qi Gathering, Spirit Profound, Spirit Penetration… Among these various Realms, each stage can be further divided into nine smaller Realms.
He was now only nineteen years old, yet he had already reached the fifth stage of Meridian Opening. Although he was a bit behind Gu Han’s seventh stage, compared to the other young people in Tianwu City, he was clearly superior.
“It’s just a pity.”
A look of regret flashed in his eyes.
“If I could get the golden seal in Gu Tian’s hand, this matter would be perfect.”
“Don’t force it.”
Gu Chang waved his hand.
“Being able to control the Gu Family and cripple that little bastard is already the best outcome. As for that golden seal…”
At this point.
A trace of apprehension flashed in his eyes.
“Before, I thought it was some extraordinary divine object, but later you also saw that Gu Tian became frenzied and lost all sense of kinship because of it. Perhaps there’s some immense risk involved. Even if you get such a thing, you might not be able to control it!”
“Grandfather, do you think Gu Tian… is really dead?”
“He won’t live!”
Gu Chang narrowed his eyes, his face full of certainty.
“I personally stabbed that sword into his heart! Let alone him, even if it were the City Lord, there’s no reason for him to have survived!”
Just then.
A hurried footsteps came from outside.
“Great Clan Elder, Da Shao Ye!”
“Hmm?”
Gu Yang looked at the panting servant, a cold light flashing in his eyes, “What did you call me?!”
“Da Shao…”
The servant shivered in fright and quickly corrected himself, “Young Lord, Gu… Gu Han is back!”
“What did you say?!”
Instantly, Gu Yang’s face darkened, “Where is he?”
“It seems… he went to the City Lord’s Mansion.”
…
In front of the City Lord’s Mansion.
“How dare you!”
A guard looked coldly at the girl, “What kind of status does our Young Miss have! How could she be friends with this patricide! If you dare to speak nonsense again and slander our Young Miss’s reputation, don’t blame me for killing you!”
“But…”
The girl was somewhat at a loss, mumbling, “Isn’t Young Miss Liu Ying Young Master’s friend? Please, let me in, Young Master… he’s dying…”
“A Sha…”
Suddenly, a weak voice came, as the commotion had awakened the unconscious Gu Han.
“You… why are you here?”
“Young Master, I want to ask Young Miss Liu Ying to save you!”
“It’s useless, let’s go…”
“But…”
“Listen to me, let’s go!”
…
City Lord’s Mansion.
In the back garden.
A woman dressed in a light green silk dress, with skin as fair as snow and a graceful figure, stood quietly, her demeanor cool and elegantly refined.
It was the City Lord’s daughter.
Liu Ying.
“Young Miss.”
Behind her, the maid’s eyes were full of confusion, “He’s about to die, aren’t you going to help him?”
“Why should I help?”
“But he and you, after all…”
“That was three days ago.”
“Young Miss, do even you believe Gu Han committed patricide? I don’t think… he’s that kind of person.”
“Patricide?”
Liu Ying turned around, revealing a face that made all the garden’s blossoms pale in comparison.
“Whether I believe it or not, it no longer matters.”
Her voice carried indifference and detachment.
“How can a swan be friends with a sparrow? How can the bright moon be compared to a firefly? He once held his head high and was radiant, the number one Genius in Tianwu City, but now, he is a cripple with not long to live, and I, I am still me.”
“By the way.”
She changed the subject, saying, “That esteemed guest should arrive in Tianwu City today. Come with me to welcome him.”
“Yes.”
The maid responded and quickly followed her.
…
A secluded street corner.
A Sha was still carrying Gu Han on her back, even though her physical strength was at its limit, she still refused to let go.
Behind her.
There were no more bloody footprints.
Her flesh was long worn away, so where would the blood come from?
Every step she took caused excruciating pain!
Suddenly, her body swayed, and she could no longer hold on, instantly falling to the ground, and Gu Han on her back immediately rolled to the side.
“Cough cough…”
Aggravating his injuries, Gu Han spat out another mouthful of fresh blood.
“Medicine!”
Seeing this, A Sha’s somewhat slow mind seemed to finally click.
“Young Master, wait for me!”
“I’ll go find medicine, I definitely won’t let you die!”
As she spoke.
She was already stumbling and running into the distance.
“Come back…”
Gu Han wanted to stop her, but how could he?
“Gu Chang!!!”
“Gu Yang!!!”
Thinking of his own plight and his adoptive father’s fate, a monstrous rage and hatred surged in his heart. He laboriously raised his arm and fumbled in his embrace.
A moment later.
His blood-stained hand trembled as it opened.
A thumb-sized, square-shaped golden seal, covered in dense inscriptions, lay quietly in his palm.
“I cannot die!”
His eyes were bloodshot, a hint of madness flashing through them, “If I die, my adoptive father’s revenge will not be taken! If I die, A Sha will also die… No, her fate will be even more terrifying than death!”
“She is very important to me, very important!”
“I cannot let anything happen to her!”
“Adoptive father!”
He gritted his teeth, “I’m sorry, I didn’t listen to you!”
Pfft!
As his voice fell.
He mustered his last bit of strength, a mouthful of vital blood spurted out, landing on the golden seal!
In an instant!
The golden seal glowed brightly!
The inscriptions on the seal seemed to come alive, slowly flowing down, transforming into mysterious runes that surged into his glabella!
Countless runes gathered together, forming a golden book several zhang tall in his mind!
Shimmering with divine light!
Mysterious and inexplicable!
On the cover of the book, six large characters shone brilliantly!
Great Freedom Heavenly Demon Scripture!
At the same time.
A voice full of emotion suddenly came from within the golden seal.
“Gu Han?”
“Physical Body compatibility is decent, Aptitude is decent, as for looks… tsk tsk, not decent at all, ten thousand eight thousand miles away from Lord, oh well, in times of trouble, how can one be picky, it’s you!”