Chapter 223: Subduing with a Single Finger

Chapter 223: Subduing with a Single Finger

October 7, 2024

The jade slip contained a cultivation technique for the Divine Transformation Realm, known as the Li Feng Zhen Jing (Wind Departure True Scripture).

This technique, like the Purple Extreme Dao Canon, was a top-tier cultivation method that could lead to the Ninth Level of the Divine Transformation Realm.

It was clear.

This was the opportunity that Gu Yang had obtained.

The person who had sent this technique over had a clear purpose.

As Gu Qingfeng's divine consciousness read the contents of the jade slip, it dimmed slightly but did not shatter.

It was evident.

This jade slip could still be passed down multiple times.

"Is there anything else?"

Gu Qingfeng casually put away the jade slip and asked.

Gu Peng respectfully replied, "His Majesty mentioned that the chaos caused by the vicious beasts in the Nine Provinces has worsened. Although the imperial court has taken action to suppress it, it has only provided temporary relief.

"If the Manor Lord emerges from seclusion, His Majesty hopes that the Manor Lord will visit the capital!"

Gu Qingfeng nodded slightly.

"I am aware of this matter. If there is nothing else, you may leave."

"Your subordinate will take my leave!"

Gu Peng bowed and respectfully left.

Afterward, Gu Qingfeng summoned Gu Wu and the other four, and handed a palm-sized jade box to one of them.

"You are to proceed to the palace and temporarily follow Gu Yang's orders. Additionally, deliver this item to him."

"Your subordinate understands!"

Gu Wu and the others did not ask any more questions and immediately saluted in agreement.

Once they had left, Gu Qingfeng stepped outside the main hall and looked toward the direction of the Ancient Beast Mountains, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"Beast chaos!"

"Could my suspicions be true?"

In the back of his mind, Gu Qingfeng's sixth sense told him that something was about to happen.

Soon, Hong Ye arrived and handed over the intelligence gathered by the secret guards to Gu Qingfeng.

After reading the intelligence, Gu Qingfeng's expression became clear.

"Indeed, this matter is not as simple as it seems. The beast uprising is being orchestrated by someone behind the scenes!"

According to the secret guards' intelligence, the human involvement in the beast uprising was subtle, but deeper investigations had revealed some clues.

Even some secret guards who had ventured into the Ancient Beast Mountains to gather more information had vanished without a trace.

The outcome of their journey into the Ancient Beast Mountains was already clear.

"Continue to monitor the movements of the beasts."

Gu Qingfeng gave his instructions and then dismissed Hong Ye.

...

"Your son, Gu Yang, met with the four elders of the Gu Family Manor. Upon learning that the four were Ninth Level Divine Transformation Realm experts, he was overjoyed!"

"Your son, Gu Yang, received the jade box you entrusted to him, which greatly boosted his confidence. He was once again amazed by your profound strength!"

"Your son, Gu Yang, exchanged martial arts with the experts, which slightly improved his cultivation!"

"Your son, Gu Yang, took the True Intent Pill, and his Overlord Blade Slash technique advanced to its perfected form, allowing him to grasp Eighth Level True Intent!"

"Your son, Gu Xuan, was attacked by vicious beasts 695 times!"

"Your son, Gu Xuan, received secret teachings from a Ninth Level Divine Transformation Realm expert, significantly enhancing his strength!"

"Your son, Gu Xuan, engaged in life-and-death battles, breaking through to Fifth Level True Intent with his Heavenly Blade, and slaying a Fifth Level Visceral Forging Realm vicious beast!"

"Your son..."

...

The text on the information panel continuously refreshed, and Gu Qingfeng could increasingly understand that the information panel was now more comprehensive than before.

While there were no explicit hints, the subtle differences in the text revealed a marked improvement.

Seeing that Gu Yang had already met with Gu Wu and the others, Gu Qingfeng felt a bit more at ease.

The four Ninth Level Divine Transformation Realm experts, who were at the peak of the Ninth Level and just a step away from breaking through to the Dao Palace Realm, had a deeper foundation than ordinary Ninth Level Divine Transformation Realm experts.

Sending these four to the palace was to ensure their protection of Gu Yang. As for how Gu Yang would handle the situation, that was entirely up to him.

Afterward, Gu Qingfeng continued to study the Ancient Heavenly Blade.

Although he had already grasped the basics of this Sage-level technique, it was not enough.

If he could advance the Ancient Heavenly Blade further, he would be better prepared to face the challenges ahead.

---

Qingyun Province.

Inside a city in Guangyang Prefecture.

An elderly man and a young man sat in a tavern, the bustling scene below clearly visible.

"According to the records of the Guiyuan Imperial Dynasty, the spiritual energy in the Nine Provinces is sparse, and cultivation should have declined. However, I did not expect that there would still be a dynasty with the aura of fortune in the Nine Provinces, which is quite surprising!"

Han An took a sip of tea and shook his head. The tea was indeed hard to swallow, but thinking of the remote and poor region, he suppressed his dissatisfaction.

At this point, Han An's eyes flickered slightly.

"A dynasty with the aura of fortune has already condensed a Third Rank Green Lotus. If the entire nation's resources are mobilized, even a Ninth Level Divine Transformation Realm expert can be challenged.

"Old Ke, do you have any confidence in this?"

When he spoke the last sentence, Han An looked at the elderly man in front of him.

The man wore gray clothing and had an unremarkable appearance. If anyone else saw him, they would only think he was an ordinary old man.

From the information gathered, the Divine Might Dynasty has only been established for less than two years. No matter how strong their foundation, it is limited. The strongest person in the world today is Gu Qingfeng, revered as the Martial Saint by the Nine Provinces.

"Based on his battle records, his strength should be at the Divine Transformation stage, and at most, he wouldn't exceed the Sixth Rank of Divine Transformation!"

"Even if we consider him to be at the Sixth Rank of Divine Transformation, along with a newly established dynasty, it would still be difficult for him to pose a significant threat to me!"

Elder Ke said this with a faint, dismissive tone.

In his eyes, the Divine Might Dynasty was like a mere chicken or dog, easily suppressed.

Elder Ke was absolutely confident in this.

As a royal contributor to the Return Origin Imperial Dynasty, he had not yet achieved the Dao Palace stage, but he was above the ordinary Divine Transformation stage, having reached the quasi-Dao Palace level.

Such strength was formidable even in the Ancient Desolation Realm.

In the Nine Provinces, it was more than enough to dominate.

Han An nodded slightly upon hearing this: "If there are no unexpected developments, the true inheritor of the Divine Sun Sacred Land from ten thousand years ago must have some connection to the Divine Might Dynasty. Otherwise, how could the Divine Might Dynasty have the qualifications to establish a realm of fortune in the current state of the Nine Provinces?"

"Perhaps, the Sage's inheritance has also fallen into the hands of the Divine Might Dynasty."

"Once we capture the ruler of the Divine Might Dynasty and force him to reveal the secrets through soul searching, our Return Origin Imperial Dynasty can take the Sage's inheritance first."

In the end, a cold smile appeared on Han An's face.

The reason he knew so much about the Nine Provinces was due to the information he obtained through soul searching.

The sudden rise of the Divine Might Dynasty was suspicious to Han An.

Ten thousand years ago, martial arts in the Nine Provinces had declined, but with the appearance of the mysterious Martial Ancestor, who spread martial arts across the land, the martial arts of the Nine Provinces gradually flourished.

This coincided with the time the Divine Sun Sacred Land was destroyed.

Thus, by comparing the two, many things could be deduced.

Initially, Han An had planned to visit the Divine Might Sect.

But now, it seemed more efficient to go directly to the capital of the Divine Might Dynasty.

"Currently, Elder Ke has used his beast taming techniques to have the ferocious beasts of the Ancient Beast Mountain Range locate the Nine Provinces. Our Return Origin Imperial Dynasty is ahead of others. However, many cultivators have entered the Ancient Beast Mountain Range, and if any of them also find the Nine Provinces, it will be troublesome."

Han An's expression became more serious. Many forces were eyeing the Sage's inheritance, and if not for Elder Ke's beast taming techniques, which drove numerous ferocious beasts to search for the Nine Provinces, he wouldn't have found this place so quickly.

But with many strong cultivators in the Ancient Desolation Realm, who could guarantee that others wouldn't find the Nine Provinces?

Taking the lead in one step meant leading in all steps.

Han An did not want to waste any more time.

Elder Ke nodded in agreement: "Sixth Prince, what you say is correct. Let's go directly to the capital of the Divine Might Dynasty!"

With that, the two stepped into the air and flew openly toward the capital of the Divine Might Dynasty.

This scene left all the onlookers in shock.

At the same time, hidden guards quickly relayed this information back.

---

In less than half a day, the two reached the capital.

Han An looked at the bustling scene before him with a hint of disdain: "A capital city, yet it only has a few so-called Masters and Grandmasters. This clearly shows the weakness of the Divine Might Dynasty."

As he spoke, Han An turned his gaze toward the imperial palace.

That was where the fortune was most concentrated.

Elder Ke shook his head: "The Divine Might Dynasty's foundation is shallow; it can't be compared to our Return Origin Imperial Dynasty."

Then, the two headed directly toward the imperial palace.

As they approached the imperial city, guards blocked their path. Before the guards could question them, Elder Ke's eyes turned cold, and a terrifying aura erupted. Several guards were instantly exploded into pieces without even a scream.

Blood and flesh splattered everywhere.

This commotion immediately alerted the imperial city's guards.

"Who dares to trespass into the imperial city!"

"Rebels and traitors, you shall be executed!"

A large number of imperial guards appeared, led by several Master-level cultivators. Upon seeing the mangled bodies and Han An and Elder Ke, the leading Master's eyes turned cold.

"Capture them alive!"

One of the Masters waved his hand, and the guards rushed forward to surround them.

"Pathetic insects, daring to lay a hand on this prince!"

Han An sneered, and before Elder Ke could act, he casually slapped out with a force that could destroy heaven and earth. Over a hundred guards were instantly obliterated, their bodies disintegrating on the spot.

This scene caused the leading Masters to narrow their eyes.

"This boy is ruthless. Everyone, don't hold back; capture him first!"

One of the Masters roared and charged at Han An. However, this Master's full-strength attack only earned a contemptuous smile from Han An.

Then, Han An extended his right hand, and with a single grasp in the air, the Master's face turned red, and his body tightened as if caught by an invisible hand.

"Bang!"

Han An clenched his fingers, and the Master's body exploded, showering the area with blood and flesh.

"Masters? Merely insects!"

Han An's face twisted into a sickly smile. Slaying the weak was a pleasure for him.

The other Grandmasters who were about to make their move immediately paled.

To subdue a Grandmaster with a mere gesture from a distance—such a feat was something even a typical Great Grandmaster might not be able to achieve.

No wonder these two had the audacity to barge into the Imperial City.

"Who are you!"

One of the Grandmasters forced himself to remain calm and glared at Han An, his voice stern.

Han An stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze filled with disdain. "I am the Sixth Prince of the Guiyuan Empire. Summon Gu Yang to pay his respects immediately, or I will destroy your Shenwu Dynasty!"

The Guiyuan Empire!

The mention of this name sent the Grandmasters into a state of uncertainty. To them, this name was entirely unfamiliar. However, the disrespect in Han An's words filled them with rage.

At that moment, a terrifying aura erupted from within the Imperial City, accompanied by a chilling voice.

"Bold and reckless fools, how dare you spout such insolence here, showing disrespect to His Majesty! This crime is punishable by death!"

As the words faded, a fearsome palm strike descended, the sheer force of it causing the air to crack like a spider web, as if it were about to shatter completely.

This attack caused Han An's expression to change.

Even the seemingly unperturbed old man, Ke Lao, became serious.

"Do not harm the Sixth Prince!"

Ke Lao stepped forward, his right hand unleashing a powerful palm strike. The two forces collided, shattering the space around them and sending shockwaves in all directions, forcing everyone to retreat.

"Divine Transformation Ninth Rank!"

Ke Lao looked at the man who had appeared, Gu Wu, with a slightly surprised expression.

From the information obtained earlier through soul searching, the strongest person in the Shenwu Dynasty should have been the revered Wu Sheng, Gu Qingfeng. Ke Lao recognized Gu Qingfeng's appearance.

More importantly, based on the calculations, the Wu Sheng should not have exceeded Divine Transformation Sixth Rank.

But the person standing before them was a Divine Transformation Ninth Rank, which was unexpected for Ke Lao.

Han An's expression also changed.

"Divine Transformation Ninth Rank!"

"How can such a powerful individual exist in a small dynasty like the Shenwu Dynasty?"

Even in the Guiyuan Empire, Divine Transformation Ninth Rank individuals were rare.

Now, a Divine Transformation Ninth Rank had emerged from the Shenwu Dynasty, which was beyond Han An's expectations.

On the other side, Ke Lao quickly recovered, his aura of a half-step Dao Palace realm spreading.

"Divine Transformation Ninth Rank is indeed formidable, but it is still not enough to stand before me. The Guiyuan Empire has Dao Palace realm experts, and I am here on official orders to meet with Emperor Gu."

While Ke Lao was not afraid of a Divine Transformation Ninth Rank, he did not want to escalate the situation. Thus, he openly declared his strength and mentioned the Guiyuan Empire to intimidate the other side.

It was a simple truth.

This was the Shenwu Dynasty, and the aura of a dynasty was not to be underestimated. Add to that a Divine Transformation Ninth Rank, and even a half-step Dao Palace realm would find it challenging.

Therefore, Ke Lao believed that a peaceful resolution would be best.

Of course, all of this was because of Gu Wu's appearance.

If not for this Divine Transformation Ninth Rank, Ke Lao would not have wasted his breath.

Hearing this, Gu Wu's expression remained cold. "This is the Shenwu Dynasty, and it is not your place to act recklessly. Today, you have created chaos at the Imperial City. If you know what's good for you, surrender now."

"What arrogance, a mere dynasty dares to act so insolently!"

Ke Lao laughed in anger, his eyes now filled with cold killing intent as he looked at Gu Wu.

He did not want to conflict with Gu Wu, but he was not afraid to fight either.

"Since you refuse to show respect, I will subdue you first—"

Just as Ke Lao was about to make his move, several powerful auras erupted from within the Imperial City, causing his expression to stiffen and his eyes to widen in disbelief.

"Four Divine Transformation Ninth Ranks!"

"Impossible—"

Seeing Gu Dao and the others appear, Ke Lao's forehead broke into a sweat.

Four Divine Transformation Ninth Ranks! This was something he had not anticipated at all.

If it had been only Gu Wu, Ke Lao would have been confident in dealing with him. But four Divine Transformation Ninth Ranks was a completely different story.

In the end, even a half-step Dao Palace realm was still within the Divine Transformation realm.

At this level, even if one had a foot in the Dao Palace realm, they had not truly broken through, and their strength was only slightly above that of a typical Divine Transformation Ninth Rank.

Therefore, when Gu Wu and the others appeared, Ke Lao realized that the situation had gotten out of his control.

Han An, who had been somewhat arrogant and domineering, now also paled.

He understood that he was in serious trouble this time.

At that moment, Gu Wu and the others immediately launched their attack, pressing down on Ke Lao. Facing a half-step Dao Palace realm expert, they did not dare to be careless.

Seeing the three of them attack, Ke Lao's vital energy exploded, and his previously aged body now gave the impression of a man in his prime. With a single gesture, a divine sword appeared, its brilliant sword force tearing through the air.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the battlefield, Gu Long had already taken action against Han An.

With his Ninth Rank Divine Transformation Realm cultivation, facing off against Han An, who was only at the Sixth Rank, was a walk in the park. Even if Han An had a few tricks up his sleeve, they wouldn't amount to much.

Just as Han An was about to be completely overwhelmed, his expression turned fierce, and he crushed a jade talisman in his hand.

"Boom!"

A towering, ethereal figure suddenly appeared, radiating a terrifying, abyss-like aura. It unleashed a palm strike that aimed to suppress Gu Long. The sheer force of this attack made Gu Long's face turn solemn.

The aura emanating from this ethereal figure was clearly that of a Ninth Rank Divine Transformation Realm cultivator, and it was even more powerful than the average cultivator at that level.

The moment the figure appeared, Han An didn't dare to stay any longer and immediately fled the capital.

At that moment, within the Imperial City, an ancient tripod appeared and descended, aiming to suppress Han An.

"Ancient Weapon!"

Han An's expression changed, and he immediately summoned a divine spear from his storage ring to clash with the ancient tripod. The two treasures collided, sending out a terrifying shockwave.

In the next instant, the ancient tripod was sent flying back, and Han An's fleeing figure came to a halt.

Before he could make his next move, Gu Yang appeared, stepping through the air. He opened a jade box in his hand, and a severed finger was released, descending to suppress Han An.

Despite being just a finger, in Han An's eyes, it seemed to fill his entire vision, radiating an overwhelming aura that made his face pale with fear.

"Remains of a Dao Palace cultivator!"

Han An never imagined that the Divine Martial Dynasty, a mere kingdom, not only had four Ninth Rank Divine Transformation Realm cultivators but also possessed the remains of a Dao Palace cultivator. At the Dao Palace level, even a fragment of a body could wield earth-shattering power.

Moreover, the severed finger before him emitted an aura that was even more terrifying than that of some Dao Palace cultivators in the Return Origin Empire.

It was clear that this finger did not come from an ordinary Dao Palace cultivator.

Seeing the finger descending to suppress him, Han An mobilized his blood and qi to their limits. His divine spear pierced through the air, attempting to block this terrifying strike.

However, in the face of absolute power, any resistance was futile.

In just one exchange, the spear's cold light shattered. The divine spear, which was comparable to an ancient weapon, suddenly disintegrated, and the powerful force struck Han An, sending him flying and vomiting blood. He was severely injured.

Seeing Gu Yang about to strike again to finish him off, Han An, in a state of panic, cried out, "Don't kill me!! I am the Sixth Prince of the Return Origin Empire—"

Upon hearing this, Gu Yang's expression changed, and the severed finger was retracted back into the jade box.

Observing the finger now, it was much paler than before, and the blood on it seemed to have dried.

Clearly, the power of the severed finger could not be used recklessly.

Even so, Gu Yang was somewhat shocked to see the finger suppress a Ninth Rank Divine Transformation Realm cultivator.

He knew the finger came from Gu Qingfeng and was aware that Divine Transformation Realm cultivators could regenerate lost limbs.

However, he never imagined that a mere finger from Gu Qingfeng could possess such divine power.

This only further demonstrated the unfathomable strength of his father.

Time and again, whenever Gu Yang thought he understood Gu Qingfeng, the latter would reveal even more terrifying depths.

For example, not long ago, four elders from the Gu Family Village had reached the Ninth Rank Divine Transformation Realm.

And now, a severed finger had suppressed a Ninth Rank Divine Transformation Realm cultivator.

However, Gu Yang quickly suppressed his thoughts and turned to Gu Long, saying, "Elder Gu Long, please subdue this person for the time being."

"Understood!"

Gu Long accepted the order and approached Han An, suppressing his entire blood and qi.

Faced with this situation, Han An dared not resist.

After all, in the current circumstances, cooperation might offer a glimmer of hope, while resistance would certainly lead to death.

What truly filled Han An with despair was the severed finger in Gu Yang's hand.

If Gu Yang possessed such a treasure, did it mean that the Divine Martial Dynasty had a powerful Dao Palace cultivator backing them?

If that were the case, things would become even more complicated.

As Han An was captured, Old Ke, under the combined efforts of Gu Wu and two others, was also being forced into a corner. However, as a quasi-Dao Palace cultivator, it was not easy to defeat him outright.

Gu Yang immediately ordered Gu Long to join the fight, and together they suppressed Old Ke.

With Gu Long's addition, the final straw was added to the camel's back.

Facing four Ninth Rank Divine Transformation Realm cultivators, even a quasi-Dao Palace cultivator struggled to resist. Moments later, Old Ke was severely injured by a powerful palm strike from Gu Wu, and his cultivation was completely sealed as he fell to the ground.

Seeing Old Ke defeated and captured, Han An's expression grew even more desperate.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end