Chapter 122: Dragon Abyss

Having slain the Imperial Advisor and the Patriarch of the Mu family, Gu Feng believed that all was over for the Great Qin. He thought that once everything was settled, he could focus solely on becoming stronger and searching for Gu Yan without any distractions.

Yet, despite this belief, Gu Feng did not let his guard down. He deeply understood the vastness of the outside world—like the towering tree and the foul old duck—where ordinary things could be monstrous threats beyond comprehension.

Within the Sun and Moon Empire, the Du family’s influence embedded in Great Qin—the Imperial Advisor’s talisman—had been shattered.

This was a significant blow to the Du family. Although Great Qin was backward, its territory was vast, and it supplied abundant resources annually to the family. More importantly, many resources scarce in the Sun and Moon Empire were plentiful in Great Qin. Consequently, controlling Great Qin was a coalition effort among several powerful clans.

Originally, the major families of the Sun and Moon Empire had arranged an agreement: each family would take turns controlling Great Qin for three years, monopolizing all resources during their tenure.

The so-called Imperial Advisor was merely a watcher planted in Great Qin.

But now that the Imperial Advisor was dead, the family behind him would not let matters rest.

This also explained why the Mu family patriarch, despite his strength, had never dared to overthrow the Great Qin royal family—because the royal family was merely a transitional figurehead.

To overthrow the throne and become emperor would only mean being controlled by others. Why bother, then, if the outcome was the same?

Gu Feng was unaware of this. He believed that by toppling the royal family and elevating the Gu clan, he could finally pursue his own endeavors in peace. Little did he know, this was only the beginning of true turmoil.

The Du family of the Sun and Moon Empire swiftly dispatched elite warriors to Great Qin, furious and determined to discover who dared to kill one of their own.

The Du family suspected the Mu Prince’s Mansion, as only the Mu family patriarch had such power. Yet if the Mu clan intended to act, they could have done so long ago. Why wait until now? This baffled the Du family.

Nonetheless, the Du family resolved to eliminate all threats decisively, ensuring they could reap benefits with peace of mind.

Three days after Gu Feng annihilated the royal family, the Gu clan arrived. Even factions far stronger than the Gu family bowed their heads to welcome them, for Gu Feng alone had single-handedly destroyed the Mu Prince’s Mansion and the royal clan, besides slaying a top-tier Great Spiritual Master—a prodigious feat.

Everyone had believed Gu Feng died in a self-sacrificial explosion, but the next day, his voice echoed throughout the city, instructing all to prepare for the Gu clan’s arrival.

Gu Feng then entrusted the Gu family with relocating the Miao, Gu, and Xue families in their entirety to the capital.

Being relocated to the capital was tantamount to promotion.

Gu Feng also planned to grant each family a hereditary princely title, confident that before long, the four great families would grow mighty.

Ten days later, after all the families had relocated, the day arrived that marked a pivotal moment for Great Qin—the day the Gu family ascended and Gu Feng declared himself emperor.

Gu Feng conferred with Wen Xingguo, appointing him as Imperial Advisor to oversee affairs in Great Qin.

Wen Xingguo, advanced in years, welcomed the position as a comfortable retirement, and accepted gladly.

To bolster Wen Xingguo’s strength, Gu Feng exchanged ten pills of Enhancement Elixir, each crafted from ten thousand lower-grade Spirit Stones, much to Wen Xingguo’s delight.

Naturally, these Spirit Stones came from the imperial treasury.

It turned out Great Qin was not lacking Spirit Stones; rather, countless stones were controlled by the empire’s ruling families.

The Du family was quite unfortunate. Great Qin’s resources were sent back to the families once a year, on a three-year rotation. The Du family only just began their first year’s control of Great Qin when they were wiped out, much to Gu Feng’s advantage.

Gu Xueyuan was elevated by Gu Feng as the current emperor and given hundreds of Enhancement Elixirs of various grades to rapidly strengthen himself and secure control over Great Qin.

Gu Feng also selected outstanding talents from other families for cultivation. As princes, they could not be mediocre.

In short, everything in Great Qin was under Gu Feng’s command.

He also gladly took the largest share of the Spirit Stone mines under Great Qin’s control.

No one dared object, for Gu Feng’s overwhelming strength ensured that all arrangements were his to make.

Feeling everything was well in hand, Gu Feng set out on a journey with Zhu Han and Long Xue’er. To his surprise, Gu Dongliu insisted on following him, refusing even a princely title to stay behind. He declared his desire to pursue the pinnacle of martial cultivation alongside Gu Feng.

As the four departed, elite warriors of the Du family, having traveled half a month, finally arrived at Great Qin’s capital.

Hovering over the imperial city, their terrifying aura swept through the streets, forcing countless people to bow or fall to the ground.

Only one figure stood—Gu Feng.

Leaping into the air, Gu Feng locked eyes with the four. Frowning, he said, “You are not of Great Qin.”

One young man sneered, “Great Qin? That backward place is fit only to be a breeding ground. We are its masters.”

Gu Feng studied the youth, who looked no older than twenty but had reached the fifth rank of Great Spiritual Master.

This only confirmed Gu Feng’s judgment of Great Qin’s backwardness.

Gu Feng said coldly, “For uttering those words, you deserve to die.”

In an instant, Gu Feng vanished in a flash.

The strongest of the group sensed a swift trajectory so fast that even his Spiritual Lord cultivation could only perceive a streak. He was stunned by the speed.

Gu Feng appeared behind them, lightly thrusting the Mountain Range Great Sword forward.

With a soft splintering sound, the youth felt his heart pierced through. He turned in disbelief to face Gu Feng.

Gu Feng smiled faintly. “Remember, misfortune comes from the mouth. Watch your words next time.”

The youth seethed, thinking, “Is there going to be a next time for me?”

The Spiritual Lord finally reacted, shouting, “You’re courting death!”

This youth was one of the three great prodigies of the Du family, brought along to witness the scene. Yet, he died almost immediately.

The shattering of the Du family’s talisman enraged the entire clan.

Gu Feng extended a hand to stop the enraged Spiritual Lord from attacking.

The Spiritual Lord glared at Gu Feng incredulously, dumbfounded that he actually halted his strike.

Gu Feng fixed him with a withering gaze. “Are you an imbecile? I killed your prodigy and tell you to wait—you wait. If I told you to eat dung, would you go?”

A notification sounded: “Du Weien’s hostility value toward you has reached maximum, activating the twentieth Death Contract.”

The Spiritual Lord’s face darkened like liver. With a furious roar, he lunged at Gu Feng.

Gu Feng raised his hand again.

Du Weien growled, “Using this trick again? I’ll kill you.”

Gu Feng replied calmly, “No, I just want to say I’m going to self-destruct.”

Boom!

A notification chimed: “Twentieth Death Contract completed. Level increased by five.”