NOVPUB"Do you really believe that peace comes without a price? Hasn't it been the Jing Tian Department shedding blood and sacrificing heads to secure the peace for all of you? Since the disappearance of our father, the emperor, do you have any idea how much effort Gu Chen has put forth? And now, you have the audacity to demand that I hand over Gu Chen to appease the wrath of the six great sacred lands? I truly wish Gu Chen would just butcher all of you in one breath!"
The new emperor, Ji Yuan, grew increasingly irate as he spoke until, overwhelmed by emotion, he blurted out just such a declaration.
At these words, all the ministers were shocked, the majority of whom had hardly ever seen blood. The sight they had just witnessed had already terrified them, and now hearing Ji Yuan's statements, quite a few high-ranking officials were frightened into kneeling, beseeching the emperor's forgiveness.
At this moment, King Huai spoke up, his voice calm and steady, "Your Majesty, managing state affairs is no child's play, nor a place for impulsive actions. I believe I have taught you as much. Better to put away such childish temper."
"Hmph!" Faced with King Huai, Ji Yuan knew that he could not afford to fall out with him just yet. Venting his spleen in a fit of pique was one thing, but real confrontation was another matter entirely.
If he were to truly break with King Huai, the power he held at present was not nearly enough to contend with him. He would need more time.
Ji Yuan said gravely, "Earlier, you all claimed repeatedly that Gu Chen's rise was solely due to Da Xia's support and that he had not contributed anything to Da Xia. Now, I will let you know exactly what Gu Chen has done compared to all of you, a bunch of worthless layabouts!"
"Master Chen, just now you asked me why the eleven Tower Supervisors had come to the capital?" With this, Ji Yuan turned his gaze to Chen Yuanli.
Minister of the War Department Chen Yuanli, upon hearing Ji Yuan mention his name, was somewhat puzzled himself, eager to know the answer.
Looking down at the ministers, Ji Yuan said coldly, "I will tell you now. The arrival of the eleven Tower Supervisors of the Jing Tian Department in the capital was for the purpose of breaking through to the Divine Realm. As of now, with the assistance of Gu Chen, they have all succeeded. Which means, for Da Xia, we now have eleven new Divine Realm grandmasters at our disposal!"
"Tell me, in light of this, shouldn't the eleven Tower Supervisors have come to the capital? Shouldn't their movements be kept secret?"
At this moment, including Yan Qing, the eleven Tower Supervisors of the Jing Tian Department regarded all the ministers in the court with cold eyes, silent and implacable.
"All eleven Tower Supervisors... have advanced to the Divine Realm?"
Boom!
This news struck like thunder from a clear sky. Led by Minister Chen Yuanli, a swarm of officials stood there in a daze, mumbling subconsciously. They had only heard Ji Yuan's words about the breakthrough; the rest of what he said faded into the background.
For the impact of this event was overwhelming; all ministers understood what it truly meant for the eleven Tower Supervisors to break through to the Divine Realm.
This was something not even the former Emperor of Da Xia had accomplished, yet Gu Chen had done it?!
Even King Huai's pupils contracted at the news, his gaze automatically drawn to Gu Chen.
No matter what, he had never imagined that it would be Gu Chen, not the Tower Supervisor of the Qintian Monitor, who had assisted the eleven Tower Supervisors of the Jing Tian Department in their transcendence to the Divine Realm — Gu Chen, whom he had so underestimated?!
"But how is that possible..." Even King Huai was somewhat staggered. If it were the Tower Supervisor, he might conjecture a thing or two, might accept it.
But hearing that it was Gu Chen's doing, even King Huai was dumbfounded.
"Could he have, like me, obtained the complete legacy of an ancient sect?" No sooner had the thought arisen than King Huai dismissed it.
Even with the complete legacy of the Medicine King Sect, he could not create eleven Divine Realm grandmasters overnight.
"Gu Chen, how did he accomplish this?" At this moment, King Huai's look towards Gu Chen was full of incredulity.
But obviously, Gu Chen was not about to explain any of this to him.
Gu Chen, clad in black robes, tall and lean, stood there in silence, without uttering a word, his expression extremely calm, showing no sign of arrogance.
At this moment, the news had just come out, and both King Huai and the assembly of ministers clearly couldn't accept it. Everyone stood there, dumbstruck, immersed in the shocking news, unable to extricate themselves.
Seeing this, Ji Yuan let out a cold laugh. He took one last look at his royal uncle, the foremost prince of Da Xia, King Huai, and then announced the end of the morning court session.
He decided not to share some of the subsequent news with them because even if he did, they wouldn't be able to take it in.
Ji Yuan had made up his mind to entrust everything entirely to Gu Chen, the man involved, to deal with it himself.
In his view, Ji Yuan chose to trust Gu Chen completely.
The morning court session soon dispersed, and the eleven Holy Realm guardians returned to Jing Tian Department. After settling their cultivation in Tiandu for a while, they would each return to their respective territories to preside over.
Simultaneously, Gu Chen and his associates were aware that everything that happened in the court that day would soon spread throughout the world, with everyone becoming aware.
And this was exactly their intention.
As expected, not long after the court session ended, the news that the eleven Holy Realm guardians of Jing Tian Department had all ascended to top-tier grandmasters swept through the entire world at an astonishing speed.
The message reverberated throughout all of Jiuzhou once again.
"All eleven guardians have broken through to the Holy Realm, and all because of that Marquis Wu An, Gu Chen?"
"Is that true? That's impossible. How did he do it? It's like a fairy tale; is this some kind of mythological story?!"
"No way, I don't believe it. What merits does the Butcher of Men have to accomplish such a thing? Could he be a deity himself? Even the Emperor of Summer, no, not even the Celestial Being who is hailed as a Martial Immortal, could help eleven guardians break through to the Holy Realm overnight!"
"That's not all; all the rumors around the world before were conspiracies, someone deliberately targeting Marquis Wu An. Now the truth has come to light. I knew it; how could the Marquis Wu An only cause trouble? If you ask me, his contributions to Da Xia, even after many years, are hard for anyone to match."
"Not to mention other things, just by helping the eleven guardians break through to the Holy Realm alone, he has achieved a monumental feat. Do you realize what that means? Eleven top-tier Holy Realm grandmasters—how many does the whole world have?!"
"I'm really curious about how Marquis Wu An did it. He's really too legendary. Could it be true as some say, that Marquis Wu An is the reincarnation of a divine being? Otherwise, how could he have created so many miracles in such a short time?"
For a time, across the martial world, the rumors targeting Gu Chen collapsed of their own accord. Now, the entire world was discussing how Gu Chen had done it.
At the same time, countless people were astonished. Da Xia had gained eleven new top-tier Holy Realm grandmasters, and its strength had increased manifold. The barbarian tribes and the Great Yuan, after hearing the news, were particularly terrified, especially the Emperor of Great Yuan, Toumuer, who was said to have almost fainted on the spot.
Of course, because of the holy lands' decree to execute, there were still many in Jiuzhou who were skeptical about Gu Chen's prospects, feeling that he would have difficulty overcoming this obstacle.
"Don't get too excited too early. What's the big deal if there are eleven top-tier Holy Realm grandmasters? Do you know who Da Xia is up against? We're talking about the six holy lands here. Once the sacred execution order is issued, do you think the Butcher of Men can withstand it?"
"The deadline set by the holy lands for Da Xia is fast approaching. If Da Xia doesn't surrender him voluntarily, the six holy lands will show no mercy, and they'll attack Tiandu directly. By then, no matter if there are eleven top-tier grandmasters who've just entered the Holy Realm or even if they're at the peak of the Holy Realm, the outcome will be the same. The Butcher of Men is doomed this time. Even a great immortal couldn't save him!"
As soon as this statement was made, countless people emphatically agreed. At the same time, many were eager to know how Da Xia would respond to the holy lands' execution decree, and what choice Gu Chen, as the person directly concerned, would make. Would he choose to face it alone, or would he choose to go to war with the six holy lands alongside Da Xia?
At this moment, the eyes of everyone in the world, countless pairs of them, were all fixed on Gu Chen, eager to see how he would respond to the sacred execution order.
