NOVPUBAfterward,
Gu Peng recounted the events.
"Collecting Martial Arts from all over the world?"
Gu Yang nodded slightly, then promptly issued commands.
It wasn’t long before
a group brought up more than a dozen chests.
"These are the Martial Arts the army has obtained from the eradication of various factions; I will arrange them. Master Gu, you shall take this collection of Martial Arts back to father first,"
said Gu Yang.
The Gu Family Army, in its campaigns against all parties, found not every power willing to submit. Any force that resisted in any way was shown no mercy by Gu Yang, who would strike them down without hesitation.
And the Martial Arts possessed by these annexed forces naturally fell into Gu Yang’s hands.
The reason for this action
was to serve as a warning to the others.
After all,
if the Gu Family Army wished to conquer the entire Guangyang Prefecture swiftly, they had to employ thunderous methods to do so.
The mere reputation of a Great Grandmaster was not enough to make all the powers bow their heads in fealty.
There were also some who wished to wait and see, not wanting to get involved in such warfare.
However,
in these chaotic times, there was no room for neutrality.
You either submit,
or you perish.
There was no third option.
Thus,
through annihilating these forces, Gu Yang intended to tell the others: if you do not submit, death is the only path left.
Gu Peng, of course, had no objections to this.
After the other party departed, Gu Yang called for a member of the Hidden Guard.
"Greetings, manor master!"
"How is the situation with those remnants of the court?"
Gu Yang asked indifferently.
Gu Yi respectfully reported, "Half a day ago, the Hidden Guard located the trail of the remaining court forces and has thoroughly exterminated them!"
"Good!"
Gu Yang expressed his satisfaction with a nod.
Although Pei Jing’s Divine Martial Army had defeated the court’s main forces in Guangyang Prefecture, they had not truly brought the entire prefecture under control; almost half of the territory was still governed by the court.
Ban Nan Road was part of this half.
However,
all of this was in the past.
Gu Yang led the Gu Family Army onto Ban Nan Road, sweeping through with the force of a thunderclap. In less than five days, the court was fully routed, leaving only a few stragglers desperately trying to survive and covertly disrupt the actions of the Gu Family Army.
For this reason,
Gu Yang was by no means lenient.
He directly engaged the power of the Hidden Guard to eliminate these remnants of the court.
Clearly,
the Hidden Guard did not disappoint Gu Yang.
In fact,
Gu Yang never doubted the Hidden Guard’s ability.
Especially since the battle of Beimen Pass, Gu Yang noticed some changes within the ranks of his Hidden Guard.
These changes
were manifesting in terms of strength.
Gu Yang suspected that Gu Qingfeng must possess some Secret Technique or something else that could enhance the strength of a Martial Artist.
However,
these Secret Techniques and methods likely came with side effects.
Otherwise,
Gu Qingfeng would not have been content with only increasing the strength of the Hidden Guard and not using it for himself.
In terms of father-son affection, Gu Yang had not a shred of doubt.
At the same time.
As for the secret technique that Gu Qingfeng wielded, Gu Yang had no desire to probe into it. Everyone has their own secrets, and if his father wished to tell him, he would naturally do so.
If he was unwilling, then asking any further would be futile.
Of course.
Gu Yang had also tried asking Gu Yi.
But the latter was exceedingly reticent about it, and so Gu Yang abandoned the thought.
Afterward.
Gu Yang walked slowly to the center of the hall, where a sand table was placed, starkly mapping out the seventy-two routes of Guangyang Prefecture.
In the sand table.
There were three kinds of flags.
The Taixuan Banner!
The Divine Martial Flag!
The Gu Family Flag!
These represented the forces of the Taixuan Dynasty, the Divine Martial Army, and the Gu Family Army, respectively.
Originally, Pei Jing was supposed to have decisively crushed the Guangyang Prefecture’s army and led the Divine Martial Army to step into this territory, with the seventy-two routes falling largely under their control.
However.
Pei Jing had met his demise at Beimen Pass, directly perishing on the spot, which led to the Divine Martial Army falling into chaos. This, in turn, provided the court the opportunity to strike and suppress the various rebel armies, swiftly reclaiming most of the territory.
As a result.
The Taixuan flags representing the court occupied about half of Guangyang Prefecture’s territories.
Of the remaining thirty-six routes, the Gu Family Army had now secured control over thirteen, while the remaining twenty-three were temporarily under the command of the Divine Martial Army.
But all of these were temporary.
Now that Gu Yang personally led a large army and even bore the title of Great Grandmaster, neither the Guangyang Prefecture’s army nor the Divine Martial Army could possibly be a match for him.
On this point.
Gu Yang had absolute confidence.
After absorbing the remnants of the army led by Pei Jing and securing thirteen routes, the numbers of the Gu Family Army had directly expanded to five hundred thousand.
Such a size of the army, compared to the very beginning, had in fact increased more than fivefold.
Even though the majority of this five-hundred-thousand-strong army had only recently been recruited and their combat prowess was questionable, it was still half a million people—a force that must not be underestimated.
Right now, Gu Yang did not have much time to integrate his forces slowly. He could only roll forward like a snowball, taking down Guangyang Prefecture first.
To compete in this world.
One must at least have a prefecture as a foundation to harbor even a slight hope of success.
If even one prefecture couldn’t be taken, how many capable men could be cultivated with only the small piece of land currently under control?
After examining the sand table for a moment, Gu Yang picked up a Gu Family Flag and planted it firmly into Taoyun Road.
"Next!"
"The Gu Family Army’s target will be Taoyun Road!"
"It so happens Father needs the Martial Arts Secret Manual, and Taoyun Road is home to the Red Flame Sect; if the sect knows what’s best, they might be able to preserve their legacy. If they are not sensible, then there’s no need for their existence!"
Gu Yang’s gaze turned icy, a dense murderous intent pervading his being.
During this time, while leading the army to conquer territories, the number of people indirectly or directly killed by Gu Yang had become countless.
Commanding the power over life and death had honed his own ruthlessness.
To tell the truth.
Gu Yang did not wish to slaughter too many.
After all, should he devastate the entire Guangyang Prefecture, then even if he were to eventually occupy the entire prefecture, it would be difficult to have people of use under his command.
Up to now, the leaders of the Gu Family Army had been those cultivated by Gu Yang. Even if they were serviceable for the moment, further expansion would reveal the limits of their capabilities.
But the issue was.
Some matters weren’t ones where Gu Yang could choose not to kill.
Therefore.
To stop killing with killing.
Was also a method.
"Gu Yi, you will replace me and pay a visit to the Red Flame Sect, tell them that if they are willing to submit to the Gu Family Manor, all past grudges can be erased," Gu Yang said, pausing for a moment.
"Lead some Hidden Guard experts with you. If the Red Flame Sect is unwilling, then just eradicate the sect!"
"Yes!"
Gu Yi directly accepted the order and departed.
