Chapter 217: Stirring the Den of Fierce Beasts

Chapter 217: Stirring the Den of Fierce Beasts

September 30, 2024

Gu Qingfeng looked at Gu Yang, whose aura was thick and a faint image of a green lotus could be seen hovering above his head.

A Third-Rank Green Lotus!

This was the aura of a kingdom.

When a Third-Rank Green Lotus evolves into a Sixth-Rank Green Lotus, a kingdom can ascend to an imperial dynasty.

However, this was not an easy feat.

For a kingdom to ascend to an imperial dynasty, it needed to meet several fundamental criteria: the number of its people, the hearts of the populace, and the number of powerful individuals.

There was no specific standard for this, but one thing was clear:

An imperial dynasty was immensely strong, far surpassing a mere kingdom in every aspect.

Afterward, Gu Qingfeng handed a portion of the pills directly to Gu Yang.

"Here are four types of pills: the Grandmaster Pill, the Ninth-Rank True Intent Pill, the Golden Body Pill, and the True Intent Pill!"

"The Grandmaster Pill can instantly elevate anyone to the peak of the Grandmaster realm. The Ninth-Rank True Intent Pill can help a martial artist comprehend the Ninth-Rank True Intent."

"The Golden Body Pill strengthens the foundations of a Master, while the True Intent Pill, though not as powerful as the Ninth-Rank True Intent Pill, can still accelerate the process of comprehending True Intent."

Upon hearing this, Gu Yang's expression changed instantly.

He did not doubt the truth of Gu Qingfeng's words, but he was shocked by the power of these pills.

For a long time, Gu Yang had been taking pills provided by Gu Qingfeng, but those pills were only similar to the Golden Body Pill, designed to solidify a martial artist's foundation.

But now, pills that could directly elevate someone to the Grandmaster realm seemed almost unbelievable.

Not to mention pills that could directly grant the comprehension of the Ninth-Rank True Intent.

If these pills were to be revealed to the outside world, they would cause a frenzy.

Taking a deep breath, Gu Yang looked at Gu Qingfeng with a question that had long been on his mind.

"Where did Father obtain such miraculous pills?"

"Your father has his own opportunities, just as you have had your own."

Gu Qingfeng shook his head slightly, smiling faintly, and did not elaborate further.

Hearing this, Gu Yang felt relieved.

Indeed, he had also encountered many opportunities.

Otherwise, he would not have grown so quickly.

If he could receive opportunities, it was only natural that Gu Qingfeng could have his own.

Soon, Gu Yang regained his composure and looked at the pills with a smile.

"The Divine Martial Kingdom is in dire need of rebuilding. I was worried about the lack of capable people, but with these pills, I can cultivate a batch of strong individuals!"

The biggest problem the Divine Martial Kingdom faced was its weak foundations.

The Gu family, unlike other families with thousands or even tens of thousands of years of accumulation, had only existed for about thirty years.

Thirty years was not enough to build a substantial foundation.

Even though Gu Yang had seized the throne, the number of capable people under his command was still lacking.

In the past, the Great Profound Kingdom had the backing of the Ji family of Immortal Province, who had established the Evil Suppression Bureau to recruit talented individuals.

In contrast, the current state of martial arts in the Nine Provinces had declined. While there were some who had reached the Master realm, most of them were associated with immortal sects and noble families.

Truly clean Masters were few and far between.

Cultivating a batch of capable individuals would take a considerable amount of time.

But now, with these pills, he could instantly create top-tier Grandmasters.

This would solve the problem of manpower.

"However, while taking these pills has no hidden dangers, it is still a shortcut. With the kingdom's aura on your side, breaking through to the Grandmaster realm is only a matter of time. It is better to solidify your foundation step by step than to take the shortcut."

Gu Qingfeng added a final reminder.

Although taking the pills had no hidden dangers, he still did not want Gu Yang to break through using them.

After all, if Gu Yang took the pills, he would miss out on the rewards that come with naturally breaking through the Grandmaster realm.

Gu Yang had initially considered taking a pill to reach the peak of the Grandmaster realm, but after hearing Gu Qingfeng's advice, he dismissed the idea.

If Gu Qingfeng said this, it must be true.

Moreover, as Gu Qingfeng had pointed out, with the kingdom's aura on his side, Gu Yang believed he would break through to the Grandmaster realm soon enough.

After Gu Qingfeng left, Gu Yang secretly summoned Shi Zhen to the palace.

"Your subject, Shi Zhen, greets Your Majesty!"

Shi Zhen bowed respectfully. In this era, kneeling was not the custom.

Character Names:

Gu Yang (no change, as it's already a common transliteration)



Shi Zhen (no change, as it's already a common transliteration)



Gu Qingfeng (no change, as it's already a common transliteration)



Gu Yi (no change, as it's already a common transliteration)



Terms:

Divine Martial Dynasty (no change, as it's already in English)



Grandmaster realm (no change, as it's already in English)



True Intent of a Ninth-Rank Master (no change, as it's already in English)



Master (no change, as it's already in English; assumed to refer to a cultivation rank)



Rewritten Text:

Austin looked at the man before him and said calmly, "Rise!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Sheridan straightened up.

Austin said, "General Sheridan, you have been by my side for many years, haven't you?"

"I have served you for ten years, Your Majesty!"

Sheridan replied without hesitation.

Austin nodded. "Ten years have passed in the blink of an eye. Your efforts over these years have not gone unnoticed. The Divine Martial Dynasty's current state is also a testament to your contributions!"

"Your Majesty, you speak too highly. If not for your support back then, I would have been just another homeless beggar, dead by the roadside. I will never forget your kindness in giving me a second chance!"

Sheridan said hurriedly.

Seeing the man's apprehensive expression, Austin smiled and handed him two pills.

With a puzzled look, Sheridan watched as Austin continued, "These two pills can help you break through to the peak of the Grandmaster realm and allow you to comprehend the True Intent of a Ninth-Rank Master."

"Though you are a Master now, your cultivation is still lacking. I grant you these pills with the hope that you will not disappoint my expectations!"

These words caused Sheridan's face to change, and he became visibly excited, his grip on the pills tightening.

"Such great kindness from Your Majesty, I will devote my life to repaying it!"

"These pills are precious. Take them here, and I will protect you while you meditate."

"Then I will not hesitate."

Sheridan did not refuse or hesitate; he swallowed the two pills immediately.

Seeing his decisive action, Austin's smile grew warmer.

Then, Austin's expression turned serious.

In his perception, Sheridan's aura was rapidly ascending, breaking through each stage as quickly as when Austin had founded the dynasty.

Middle-Rank Master!

Late-Rank Master!

Peak Master!

...

Without a moment's pause after reaching the peak of the Master realm, Sheridan shattered the barrier and entered the Grandmaster realm.

In just a few breaths, Sheridan had successfully reached the peak of the Grandmaster realm.

The overwhelming and terrifying aura made even Austin feel a bit startled.

Even though he knew the effects of the pills, it was still hard not to be amazed when witnessing someone advance from a newly ascended Master to a peak Grandmaster in just a few breaths.

However, it didn't stop there.

After reaching the peak of the Grandmaster realm, a formidable blade intent emanated from Sheridan, as if conjuring a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, unleashing boundless killing power.

This scene immediately drew the attention of many people within the palace.

Austin's expression changed, and he issued a stern command to the guards who had rushed over.

"Spread my order to seal off the entire imperial garden. No one is to enter without my permission!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Under Austin's command, the entire imperial garden was sealed off. He then refocused his attention on Sheridan.

"Ninth-Rank True Intent!"

Austin thought to himself.

Although he had already comprehended the True Intent of a Master, he had not yet reached the Ninth-Rank True Intent.

Thinking about this, Austin also considered taking a Ninth-Rank True Intent pill.

After all, August (formerly Gu Qingfeng) had only told him not to take the Grandmaster pills, not the Ninth-Rank True Intent pills.

However, he temporarily suppressed this thought.

Soon, the blade intent dissipated.

Sheridan opened his eyes, his face showing a mix of surprise and amazement. He then bowed deeply to Austin.

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for this great gift. Such an opportunity is like a second chance at life, and I will never forget it!"

His excitement was evident, and his voice trembled slightly.

Peak Grandmaster!

Ninth-Rank True Intent!

These were things Sheridan had never dared to dream of.

He believed he had good cultivation talent, but becoming a Grandmaster was still uncertain.

But now, a single pill had pushed him to the peak of the Grandmaster realm, saving him centuries of hard work. How could Sheridan not be excited?

Moreover, the Ninth-Rank True Intent pill had allowed him to comprehend a formidable True Intent.

With peak Grandmaster cultivation and Ninth-Rank True Intent, Sheridan was now one of the world's top experts.

"Go and familiarize yourself with your newfound strength. Keep this matter a secret," Austin said.

Sheridan bowed respectfully and accepted the order.

After Sheridan left, Austin summoned the secret agents and handed two pills to Giles (formerly Gu Yi).

Even after establishing the Divine Martial Dynasty, Austin had not disbanded the secret agents. He still considered them a valuable force, ready to be used when necessary.

Even now.

The Dark Guards can secretly monitor officials and patrol the Nine Provinces, making them a significant force.

Currently, Ethan Greenbreeze (Gu Qingfeng) has secretly expanded the Dark Guards to three thousand members. Fifteen hundred of them are under Gavin Greenbreeze's (Gu Yang) control, while the remaining fifteen hundred still report to Ethan Greenbreeze.

Gavin Greenbreeze is unaware of the true number of Dark Guards.

However, the fifteen hundred Dark Guards under his command have greatly alleviated the manpower shortage.

Initially, Gavin Greenbreeze had considered further expanding the Dark Guards. But as the most trusted force at his disposal, the Dark Guards cannot be expanded recklessly.

Any such action must be handled with extreme caution.

Before that, Gavin Greenbreeze's first priority is to enhance the strength of Giles Greenbreeze (Gu Yi).

With a top-tier Grandmaster leading the Dark Guards, their effectiveness would be even greater.

Currently, the two Grandmaster pills have been given to Simon Zen (Shi Zhen) and Giles Greenbreeze. Gavin Greenbreeze has some ideas for the remaining five pills.

---

"Your descendant 'Gavin Greenbreeze' has enfeoffed officials, stabilizing the realm, and the Nine Provinces have welcomed long-overdue peace!"

"Your descendant 'Gavin Greenbreeze' has received the dynasty's blessing, greatly enhancing his potential!"

"Your descendant 'Gavin Greenbreeze' has engaged in deep discussions with a Grandmaster, boosting his strength!"

"Your descendant 'Gavin Greenbreeze' has implemented a series of beneficial policies, increasing his popularity among the people!"

"Your descendant 'Austin Greenbreeze' (Gu Xuan) has mistakenly entered a dangerous area and been attacked by ferocious beasts 103 times!"

"Your descendant 'Austin Greenbreeze' has accidentally consumed a rare medicinal herb, breaking through to the peak Bone Tempering stage!"

"Reward points increased by 30!"

"Your descendant 'Austin Greenbreeze' has been attacked by ferocious beasts 361 times!"

"Your descendant 'Austin Greenbreeze' has been attacked by ferocious beasts 476 times!"

"Your descendant 'Austin Greenbreeze' has been attacked by a powerful ferocious beast and used his trump card to slay it at a critical moment!"

"Your descendant 'Austin Greenbreeze' has gained deeper insight into the True Meaning of the Heavenly Blade through life-and-death battles!"

...

After leaving the imperial palace and returning to the former Greenbreeze Manor (formerly Guangyang Manor), Ethan Greenbreeze reviewed the information panel. His expression turned slightly odd when he saw some of the entries.

"Ferocious beasts?"

"Did he stir up a nest of them?"

Ferocious beasts are not common in the Nine Provinces, as they are usually suppressed by the imperial court whenever they appear.

However, with the collapse of the Tai Xuan Dynasty, the problem of ferocious beasts has become more severe.

But only slightly.

For Austin Greenbreeze to be attacked by ferocious beasts hundreds of times is truly baffling.

Normally, the Nine Provinces should not have so many ferocious beasts.

Unless—

Austin Greenbreeze entered the Ancient Beast Mountains.

Ethan Greenbreeze's brows furrowed at this thought.

"Could Xuan really have entered the Ancient Beast Mountains?"

The Ancient Beast Mountains are shrouded in mystery, harboring countless secrets. No one has ever fully explored them.

Therefore, anyone who knows about the Ancient Beast Mountains would not dare to enter them rashly.

However, from the current situation, it seems highly likely that Austin Greenbreeze has entered the Ancient Beast Mountains.

After all, Ethan Greenbreeze cannot think of any other place that could hide so many ferocious beasts.

However, when he saw that Austin Greenbreeze had broken through in cultivation, Ethan Greenbreeze's expression eased somewhat.

Then, looking at the empty courtyard, Ethan Greenbreeze called out, "Someone!"

At his words, Scarlett (Hongye) appeared.

"What are your orders, Master?"

"Contact Ryder (Duopo) immediately and investigate Xuan's whereabouts. This matter must be handled quickly."

Ethan Greenbreeze said coldly.

Scarlett bowed respectfully and left.

Watching her go, Ethan Greenbreeze shook his head. "I hope you haven't really entered the Ancient Beast Mountains. Otherwise, things will get complicated!"

The Ancient Beast Mountains are vast.

Finding someone there is like looking for a needle in the ocean. It's no easy task.

Don't think that the Dark Guards, despite their considerable power, are any match for the Ancient Beast Mountains.

Ethan Greenbreeze is well aware of this.

After all, a place where even a Grandmaster cannot guarantee safe passage is far from simple.

So, if Austin Greenbreeze has indeed entered the Ancient Beast Mountains, finding him will not be easy.

---

PS: Four thousand words today, two thousand words owed. Eight thousand words tomorrow!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end