Chapter 68: Bestowing the Gu Surname
Chapter 68: Bestowing the Gu Surname
The incident at Gu Family Village was merely a minor episode.
Once the problems there were resolved, the subsequent progress was swift.
In less than ten days, Gu Family Village was completely constructed.
The next day, Gu Qingfeng moved his entire family from White Stone City to the newly built Gu Family Village.
To celebrate, Gu Qingfeng hosted a grand banquet, inviting various factions to attend.
After all, the Gu Family was now widely recognized as the top power in White Stone City, and even in the broader Guangyang Prefecture, they were renowned.
No faction that received the invitation would dare to snub the Gu Family.
After three days of festivities, Gu Family Village returned to its usual tranquility.
Following that, Gu Qingfeng began a sweeping reform of Gu Family Village.
First, he established the Inner Hall and the Outer Hall.
The Inner Hall was reserved for the future direct lineage of the Gu Family and disciples who had been bestowed the Gu surname. The Outer Hall, on the other hand, was where all the original guards and subsequent non-direct lineage members, as well as those who had not yet been bestowed the Gu surname, would reside.
Gu Yang was appointed as the Head of the Inner Hall, while Meng Peng became the Head of the Outer Hall.
Next, Gu Qingfeng set up the Law Enforcement Hall to oversee the entire Gu Family Village.
Thus, Gu Yang also took on the role of Head of the Law Enforcement Hall.
After all, the Gu Family was small in number, and with the Law Enforcement Hall being such a crucial position, Gu Qingfeng naturally could not entrust it to an outsider.
From that point on, the Gu Family officially became known as Gu Family Village, and Gu Qingfeng changed his title from Family Head to Village Master.
Only at this moment did the Gu Family truly become a significant force in the martial world.
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"In the Gu Family Village, we will have the Inner Hall, the Outer Hall, and the Law Enforcement Hall. The Inner Hall is currently sparse, so we will focus on developing the Outer Hall. If there are talented and loyal members in the Outer Hall, they may be bestowed the Gu surname and admitted to the Inner Hall."
In the main hall of Gu Family Village, Gu Qingfeng paused, his gaze falling on Meng Peng.
"Meng Peng, you have been by my side for nearly ten years. Your loyalty and dedication have not gone unnoticed."
"Today, I decide to bestow upon you the Gu surname. Are you willing to accept it?"
Meng Peng's face lit up with joy, and without hesitation, he stood up and bowed deeply to Gu Qingfeng.
"Thank you, Village Master, for bestowing me the surname. I am willing to lay down my life for Gu Family Village!"
Being bestowed the Gu surname meant he could become a true member of the Gu Family, with a status far superior to that of an outsider.
Meng Peng—no, he should now be called Gu Peng—was overjoyed.
Gu Qingfeng continued, "The importance of the Outer Hall cannot be overstated. I will bestow six intermediate-level martial arts to the Outer Hall as its foundation. You can conduct rigorous evaluations for the many guards who have been integrated into the Outer Hall.
"All spies belonging to other factions and those with ill intentions must be expelled. Additionally, recruit orphans and children with good potential for focused cultivation."
"The only issue with Gu Family Village is its weak foundation."
"If we can rest and recuperate for twenty years, we will surely not be inferior to any other factions in Guangyang Prefecture!"
Gu Qingfeng was absolutely confident in this.
Gu Peng, hearing this, readily accepted the task.
Then, Gu Qingfeng turned to Gu Yang and said, "The Inner Hall currently has few tasks. You should learn from Gu Peng and also help to expand the Law Enforcement Hall."
"And the rules within the manor, you will be responsible for establishing them."
"I understand, Father!"
Gu Yang also nodded.
Gu Qingfeng gave a few more instructions before dismissing the two of them.
He had already laid out all the necessary details, and now he needed time for the Gu Family Manor to grow and thrive.
—
The Demon Suppression Prison.
This was a place Gu Qingfeng had specifically constructed, with the entrance located in the back garden where he usually practiced. The entrance was particularly hidden, with a rock formation serving as a secret mechanism.
The entire Demon Suppression Prison was crafted from refined iron, ensuring its secrecy. To maintain this secrecy, Gu Qingfeng had the craftsmen create the components, and then he personally assembled the prison piece by piece, forming a massive fortress.
This prison was not for ordinary prisoners but for suppressing evil spirits. Due to its construction from refined iron, it was incredibly sturdy, and even a Bone Forging Realm martial artist might struggle to break through it.
The construction of the Demon Suppression Prison cost Gu Qingfeng over 200,000 silver taels. But he couldn't afford to be careless, as the suppression of evil spirits was of utmost importance.
Stepping into the Demon Suppression Prison, he saw that the walls were lined with night pearls for illumination. Inside the prison, there were three golden coffins. One of the coffins was slightly larger, while the other two were smaller.
The larger coffin contained the sealed Shadow Fiend, while the two smaller ones were crafted as a precaution, in case more evil spirits needed to be contained. Gold was essential for suppressing evil spirits, and if an evil spirit appeared, it would be too late to craft the necessary items on the spot.
So, it was better to be prepared.
Gu Qingfeng approached the golden coffin containing the Shadow Fiend. The coffin was trembling slightly, as if something inside was struggling to break free, but the iron chains held it firmly in place.
"What exactly are these evil spirits? Are they truly immortal?"
Gu Qingfeng murmured to himself.
The immortality of evil spirits was a legend that had persisted for ages. Both the Spirit Treasure Techniques and the Longevity Dao Scriptures recorded that evil spirits were immortal and could only be sealed, not killed.
However, the Spirit Treasure Techniques also noted that evil spirits were not truly immortal. Only an evil spirit could kill another evil spirit.
This led to the practice of some individuals attempting to cultivate evil spirits within their bodies to harness their power, hoping to use this power to kill evil spirits.
Unfortunately, those who succeeded in this practice, known as sorcerers, gained immense power, but it was not enough to kill evil spirits. It seemed that the evil spirit's power, when cultivated within a human, was not pure enough. Only a fully awakened and unbound evil spirit could kill another.
This created a paradox.
"Evil spirits are not truly immortal. Strictly speaking, they can only be killed by other evil spirits, and no other means can accomplish this."
"But can anything truly be immortal? Since evil spirits can kill each other, there must be a reason."
"If we can uncover this reason, perhaps the legend of the immortal evil spirit can be shattered—"
Gu Qingfeng's eyes gleamed as he reviewed all the information he had on evil spirits, forming some ideas in his mind.
(End of Chapter)
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