Translator: AnubisTL
Feeling the chill all over her body, Hua Wenyue's mind exploded with a loud bang. She froze for a moment, then let out a piercing scream that made Gu Feng's eardrums tingle.
"You bastard, I'm going to kill you!!!!"
Her eyes turned blood-red, her neatly trimmed short hair now a disheveled mess like a bird's nest. She turned her head sharply, gnashing her teeth, her killing intent overwhelming.
Gu Feng's heart skipped a beat. This was trouble. This woman was determined to fight him to the death. But since he had already done it, there was no point in regretting it.
Hua Wenyue was pinned to the ground, her limbs flailing wildly, her aura erupting in waves, yet she remained motionless, her heart filled with overwhelming resentment.
Memories flashed through her mind.
While filled with hatred, she also felt ridiculous.
So foolish, truly so foolish!
That man had been right beside her, yet she had been completely unaware, foolishly led by the nose, participating in some martial arts contest to choose a husband, mistaking Dugu Ao, fighting Dugu Ao to the death, and even more laughably, considering Gu Feng as a confidant, vowing to protect him!
There was no one in the world more foolish than her.
Earlier, when someone had entered the Coral Stone and snatched the treasure, the only suspects were Gu Feng and Monk Wu De. Yet at that time, she hadn't even suspected Gu Feng.
Ridiculous, pitiful!
Hua Wenyue clenched her teeth so hard that her lips bled, her fingers cracking as if they might shatter.
Her hatred was overwhelming!
"So... so you were the one hiding in the shadows, deceiving everyone!"
"Hua Wenyue, honestly, there's no deep-seated grudge between us. There's no need for this!" Gu Feng said calmly.
"No deep-seated grudge, hahaha... what a joke! Stripping me naked, stealing my treasure, making a fool out of me... and you call that no deep-seated grudge?
Either you kill me, or I will never let you go!" Hua Wenyue screamed, her voice hoarse.
"I understand how you feel, but I had no choice!" Gu Feng gently pressed down on Hua Wenyue's jade-like back, a bitter smile on his face.
"No choice... you call this no choice... did someone force you to act like a scoundrel?"
"Alright, the first time I acted like a scoundrel was my fault, but just now, you were even more of a scoundrel than me, almost costing me my precious chastity! If we're keeping score, I'm the one who lost out!"
Hearing this, the Dragon Clan Elder, who was observing the commotion in the passage, twitched his mouth. This was too shameless. A man's chastity was precious? He somewhat regretted announcing the clearance, but what was done was done, and the result couldn't be changed.
"You... you—" Hua Wenyue's face twisted in anger, her body writhing as she struggled to break free and fight Gu Feng to the death.
"Let's call it even, how about that?" Seeing that Hua Wenyue had stopped struggling after a few attempts, Gu Feng chuckled.
Honestly, if it weren't for Hua Wenyue's special status, he would have really wanted to finish her off.
But there was no choice. He couldn't just kill all those Heaven's Chosen outside. Even if he could bring himself to do it, the Grand Harmony Academy would surely investigate the sudden loss of so many Heaven's Chosen.
At the Soul Core Realm, one could perform soul searches!
"Absolutely not, it's a fight to the death!" Hua Wenyue's tone was resolute. Even if she died, she would not compromise with this villain.
"You leave me no choice!" Gu Feng's voice was low.
"Just kill me, stop wasting words!"
Just a moment ago, Hua Wenyue had been ready to face death without fear, but in the next instant, her expression changed drastically. Gu Feng took out an Image Stone, turned her head towards it, and began recording.
"You... what are you doing!"
"Hua Wenyue, I don't want to do this either... hahaha—"
Under Gu Feng's masterful filming skills, Hua Wenyue's graceful figure and smooth, porcelain-like skin were perfectly preserved.
After finishing, Gu Feng even played it back in front of her, threatening, "I know you're not afraid of death, and I understand that if you die, I'll follow you to the grave. But—
I'm very afraid of death, and I don't want to die. If my life is threatened, my hand might slip, and this Image Stone could be distributed to millions of people. That would be disastrous!"
Gu Feng's calm voice struck Hua Wenyue's mind like a thunderbolt.
She wasn't afraid of death, nor was she afraid of whatever Gu Feng might do to her. At worst, she could perish together with him. But if this Image Stone were to be leaked, it would be a hundred times worse than death.
"You can have the experts from your Flower Sect assassinate me, but the fact that I, Gu Feng, can still be alive and kicking after offending the Crown Prince and Shu Wentao means I have some tricks up my sleeve!
If you don't believe me, let's give it a try!" With that, Gu Feng released Hua Wenyue.
She stood there, stunned, her chest heaving like a wild beast, wanting to bite Gu Feng to death.
Unfortunately—
The difference in their strength was too great. Even if she fought with all her might, she couldn't defeat Gu Feng!
"Ah————"
She let out a furious roar.
"Stop yelling, please put on your clothes!" Gu Feng said with a slight smirk, his tone indifferent.
Hua Wenyue gritted her teeth and opened her Storage Pouch, rummaging through it for a while. Then, an awkward situation arose.
It seemed—perhaps—
She only had one spare robe!
"What, do you really want me to do something bad?" Seeing Hua Wenyue hesitate to put on her clothes, Gu Feng chuckled. For some reason, his mind went blank, and he hugged her from behind.
"Slap—"
A crisp slap rang out. Gu Feng was stunned, cursing himself inwardly for his lack of self-control.
Strangely enough, just moments ago, under the influence of her charm, his blood had been boiling, yet he had managed to hold back. Why had he lost control now?
Perhaps there was no such thing as losing control after drinking. All instances of losing control after drinking, even if not intentional, were the result of letting oneself go.
"Who told you not to put on your clothes!" Gu Feng touched his stinging cheek and muttered.
It had to be said, Hua Wenyue's figure was truly exquisite—her slender waist, perfectly curved in all the right places, with skin as smooth and white as a baby's.
Just her back view was enough to make one lose control. If he were to see her from the front, Gu Feng felt he would definitely get a nosebleed.
"Are you going to put on your clothes or not!" Gu Feng was somewhat bewildered, unable to figure out what kind of trick this woman was playing.
Another half an incense stick's worth of time passed. After a long internal struggle, Hua Wenyue finally decided to seek Gu Feng's help.
"I... I don't have... any extra robes!"
Her voice was as soft as a mosquito's buzz. Gu Feng's ears twitched, and he almost laughed out loud. So that was it.
Pretending not to hear, he asked, "What did you say?"
"I... I don't have any robes!" Her voice was a bit louder this time, but still not enough.
Gu Feng leaned closer to Hua Wenyue, his ears perked up. "I didn't hear you!"
Gu Feng's teeth chattered as Hua Wenyue's face twisted in anger once again. She turned and shouted at him, "I don't have any extra robes to spare!"
As she spoke, she tried to lunge at Gu Feng, but he effortlessly caught her wrist with one hand.
In that moment, her splendid figure was fully exposed to Gu Feng's gaze.
"Mistake, mistake!" Gu Feng muttered, covering his eyes with his other hand, though he slyly peeked through his fingers, his eyes scanning her up and down several times.
"Here, wear mine for now!"
Left with no choice, Hua Wenyue reluctantly put on Gu Feng's robe.
She was tall and elegant, and wearing Gu Feng's robe, she looked like a dashing young nobleman.
"Not bad, you could charm quite a few ladies like this!" Gu Feng smiled faintly.
"Don't worry, I'm not one to gamble with my life. This Image Stone stays with me, and I promise you, as long as you don't provoke me, I won't make any copies.
Moreover, I'll make you a deal. When you finally defeat me, or when I become strong enough to no longer be threatened by anyone, I'll return it to you!"
Gu Feng placed a hand on Hua Wenyue's shoulder, comforting her.
Perhaps because of their numerous intimate encounters, Hua Wenyue didn't bother resisting his bold gesture.
"Alright, we've secured the inheritance qualification. Let's move forward!"
Hua Wenyue didn't refuse. If before she had merely hoped for the inheritance, now it had become a burning desire and obsession.
Gu Feng was simply too strong. To defeat him, she would need the power of the inheritance.
...
At the end of the passage was a mystical place where dragon energy erupted, and Dao essence surged like a tidal wave.
The Dragon Clan Elder had already arrived ahead of them. He stood quietly to the side, bowing slightly as he asked in a low voice, "Ancestor, are you satisfied with this inheritor?"
A towering, indistinct figure stood with hands behind his back, gazing toward the passage. He shook his head slightly, "Not satisfied. He lacks my domineering aura. In such a situation, he actually let that woman remain untouched. What a disgrace!"
Hearing this, the Dragon Clan Elder twitched his lips, wanting to retort, "Ancestor, you fell because of a woman twenty thousand years ago, and yet you still haven't learned your lesson."
In truth, the story the Dragon Clan Elder had told Gu Feng about the inheritance was mostly true, with one key fabrication.
That fabrication was that the Ancestor had never repented, even in death, still boasting, "I didn't perform well that night!"
This had infuriated the elders of the East Sea Dragon Clan, who used a Secret Technique to forcibly turn him into an inheritance.
"I think he's quite good, much better than you were back then!" A stunning figure appeared beside the Dragon Clan Ancestor.
"You, back then, only knew how to flaunt your so-called kingly aura, which only worked on shallow women like us. When it came to women of true ambition, you were utterly defeated!"
"How can you belittle yourself like that?" the Dragon Clan Ancestor said, his expression darkening.
"Sister is right. This young man's methods are impressive. With the inheritance, he's unlikely to follow this dead man's path!" Another female figure appeared beside the Dragon Clan Ancestor.
"Giggle, I bet that girl will become his woman in the future! She may be furious now, but these bad boys have a certain charm. And deep down, that girl is quite traditional at heart."
Both of them are in such a state, how can they marry others in the future? Seventh Sister, don't you think so?" The third female shadow appeared.
Following that, the fourth female shadow also emerged!
One after another, female shadows appeared, and the Dragon Clan Elder was momentarily stunned. Only today did he realize that so many women had accompanied the Ancestor?
It seemed that the clan elders from 200,000 years ago hadn't been entirely truthful with him.
Damn it, forcing it into a legacy—this must have been negotiated!
Most likely, the clan elders had negotiated with the Ancestor, saying that after a few thousand years, when those women were nearing the end of their lifespans, they would be sent to his side. That's why he willingly became the legacy.
"Hehehe—"
"Hahaha—"
"Giggle—"
The nine female shadows joked and frolicked with the Dragon Clan Ancestor, rolling around together.
Suddenly—
The space churned, and an incredibly stunning figure descended out of nowhere.
The Dragon Clan Ancestor's eyes widened, and he nearly drooled, only snapping back to reality after being pinched by the nine women beside him.
"Ahem, where do you come from, fellow Daoist?"
At these words, the Dragon Clan Elder was filled with terror. Anyone the Ancestor addressed as a fellow Daoist must be of the same level.
"I am his protector. I humbly request one thing from you, fellow Daoist!"
"What is it?"
"Use the last of your power to create a talisman to help him block the Thunder Tribulation when he breaks through to the Quasi-Emperor Realm!" the woman said indifferently.
"Are you joking? Using my remaining energy to block a Quasi-Emperor Thunder Tribulation? That's overkill!" the Dragon Clan Ancestor roared, feeling insulted.
His remaining energy, no matter what, could at least block a Thunder Tribulation at the sixth or seventh level of the Quasi-Emperor Realm!
"Are you truly at the peak of the Quasi-Emperor Realm?" the woman tilted her head and asked with a light laugh.
"What are you—" The Dragon Clan Ancestor's words were cut short as his gaze suddenly shifted to Gu Feng, who was approaching, and he was momentarily stunned.
"Myriad Tribulations Physique?"
"No, the Myriad Tribulations Physique is doomed to die. My legacy cannot end in his hands!" The Dragon Clan Ancestor shook his head like a rattle drum.
"With me as his protector, he will surely advance to the peak of the Quasi-Emperor Realm, and it's not impossible for him to even attempt the Emperor Realm, which the Myriad Tribulations Physique has never reached before!"
As she spoke, majestic laws surged like a flood.
"Woman, you were once beaten to the point of having only a wisp of your soul left, barely better than my state back then. Although you've risen from the ashes and found another path, in your current state, you're far from being my match!" The Dragon Clan Ancestor's eyes were sharp, seeing through Zhu Qingyan's ongoing transformation.
"You're right, fellow Daoist. I'm not here to threaten you but to show you that I have the confidence!" As she spoke, Zhu Qingyan displayed boundless grace, her gaze turning to the Dragon Clan Elder: "At your age, you should recognize the origin of the Cultivation Method I'm using!"
Hearing this, the Dragon Clan Elder trembled, his cloudy eyes bursting with light.
"The Great Ming Dynasty?"
"You are the Ninth Princess of the Great Ming Dynasty!!!"
"This old servant pays his respects to the Ninth Princess!"
Upon learning Zhu Qingyan's identity, the Dragon Clan Elder actually knelt and kowtowed to her in front of the Ancestor, exclaiming excitedly: "Ancestor, for the past 150,000 years, our East Sea Dragon Clan has been assisting the Great Ming Dynasty, guarding the East Sea on their behalf!"
Upon hearing this, the Ancestor of the Dragon Clan was also stunned. Only the supreme forces that dominated the Central Plains, with an Emperor at their helm, could be called a Divine Dynasty. Such a force was hundreds of times stronger than the East Sea Dragon Clan at its peak.
He never expected that the woman before him had such a grand background.
"Judging by your demeanor, the Great Ming Dynasty must have fallen as well!"
"Indeed," Zhu Qingyan nodded, "but that's not important. What matters is that he might possess the ninth World Cauldron!"
What!
This time, the Dragon Clan Ancestor was utterly shocked.
"Among the Nine Cauldrons, the Human King Cauldron, the Deity Sealing Cauldron, the True Qi Cauldron, the Earth King Cauldron, the Heaven Devouring Cauldron, the Void Cauldron, the Sacred Pattern Cauldron, and the Netherworld Cauldron have already emerged.
The ninth World Cauldron—the Heavenly King Cauldron—is hailed as the most powerful. You should know what this means!" Zhu Qingyan spoke softly.
"This world will welcome the strongest Emperor in history, and the Heavenly King Cauldron can sense the other eight World Cauldrons. If the nine cauldrons are unified, one can achieve the Human Emperor Status, harnessing the power of the entire world to blast open the Path to Immortality!!!" The Dragon Clan Ancestor was so shocked that his eyes nearly popped out.
"The East Sea Dragon Clan has old ties with my Great Ming Dynasty. When the Path to Immortality is blasted open, it might not be impossible to bring your clan into the Profound Yellow Great World!"
"Very well, I agree to your request. I will only impart the Secret Technique, and all my cultivation will be transformed into a protective talisman to help him withstand the future Quasi-Emperor Tribulation!" The Dragon Clan Ancestor's tone was resolute.
This was an opportunity, an unprecedented, heaven-defying chance for the East Sea Dragon Clan to take a gamble!
"Then let us nine sisters also merge a Cultivation Method and impart it to that girl. Otherwise, with her talent, she will never be able to accompany him to the pinnacle of supremacy!"
Zhu Qingyan nodded gently, and as she turned to leave, she seemed to remember something: "Do not tell him that I have revived!"
This request left everyone bewildered.
"He's too unreliable. If he knew I had revived, he wouldn't put in the effort to help me find Natural Treasures."
With that, Zhu Qingyan transformed into a Thunder Spirit Grass and vanished on the spot!
Everyone exchanged glances, wondering who was whose protector. It all felt a bit strange.
However, they couldn't be bothered to care. Once the inheritance was complete, they would dissipate entirely, and the future was beyond their concern.
"Ancestor, this old servant was tasked with guarding the inheritance here. Now that the mission is complete, it is time to leave!"
"Farewell, I will join you soon!" The Dragon Clan Ancestor had to respect this diligent descendant who had guarded the inheritance for thousands of years.
"This old servant takes his leave!"
The aged figure gradually faded, disappearing completely from the world as if he had never existed!
(End of the Chapter)
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