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Chapter 443: Chapter 439: Face
"Zhang Chongyue had already joined the City Guard Army, becoming a Deputy Commander. If you dare to act against him, it’s an affront to us at the City Guard Army. When that happens, do not blame us for showing no mercy," said the middle-aged man.
Gu Jinlai looked at the middle-aged man, "You should know exactly what the Zhang Family did. Even in such circumstances you still choose to stand up for them, to protect the Zhang Family while thoroughly offending me. Is it worth it?"
"Hmm?"
The middle-aged man gave Gu Jinlai a glance.
He had learned from Zhang Chongyue about the sudden arrival of the Zhang Family.
The Zhang Family had gathered the Bai Family’s experts to encircle and attempt to kill Gu Jinlai, and now it seemed...
Clearly, they had failed.
Even Zhang Zhongshan had fallen to Gu Jinlai.
From this, one could infer that Gu Jinlai’s combat power might have surpassed that of an ordinary Peak Martial King.
Offending such a formidable figure for the sake of the Zhang Family wasn’t wise.
But...
The item that the Zhang Family had offered was too important.
Although that item must not be exposed and could even bring about great risks, its value was enough for Cao Congyun to step forward and protect the Zhang Family.
Thinking this, he exhaled lightly, "Let the matter of the Zhang Family be put to an end here. The most threatening member of the Zhang family, Zhang Zhongshan, is already dead by your hand. Why must you annihilate the Zhang Family completely without leaving any margin, and in doing so offend our Commander Cao? It’s better to show some face to Commander Cao and keep a way out for yourself. After all, your actions in the Outer City District have offended quite a few people."
"A way out? My actions are just and honorable; why should I seek any way out? The Zhang Family, along with people from the Bai Family and Thunder Origin Sect, have already attempted to kill me. If I cannot bring them to justice on the spot, who will take me seriously in the future?"
Gu Jinlai eyed the middle-aged man, "I am explaining so much to you right now, already giving sufficient respect to Commander Cao. Withdraw immediately. Zhang Zhongshan and Bai Fengyu together couldn’t stop me and were instead killed by me on the spot. You are merely a high-level Martial King, how could you possibly stop me?"
"Let off where you can."
At this moment, a voice came from inside.
Immediately after, clad in armor and appearing to be in his thirties, Cao Congyun emerged from the inside.
As a descendant nurtured with great effort by Military Leader Cao Wudao, Cao Congyun’s strength was already close to that of a Top Deva.
Even in the Cao Family, he was a figure whose words carried weight, ranked within the top five in terms of authority.
Now stepping forward, he naturally carried the authority of a superior.
"Gu Jinlai, I’ve heard about your feud with the Zhang Family. As the saying goes, disputes should be resolved and not exacerbated. According to the news from Thunder Origin Sect, Zhang Zhongshan has already died by your hand, and the remaining members of the Zhang Family no longer possess the power to threaten your safety. Why must you continue to press them relentlessly and annihilate them?" Cao Congyun said, waving his hand, "I’ll have Zhang Chongyue apologize to you. Under my witness, both parties can shake hands and make peace, how about that?"
While flinging his hand, a Martial King, bearing a 70% resemblance to Zhang Zhongshan, stepped forward and respectfully bowed to Gu Jinlai: "Ancient Martial King, it was wrong of our Zhang Family to act against you, and I apologize. However, we have already paid a heavy price for our rash act. Before that, Ancient Martial King, you didn’t suffer any loss. In fact, you even took two hundred million Silver Tael from Sky Silver Tower. Please give our Zhang Family a chance to live."
"Sounds nice," Gu Jinlai’s gaze landed on him. "But... I don’t like it."
The next moment, he drew his sword from its sheath. His Quasi-Dao Artifact Level Cheng Ying Sword emitted brilliant electric light, thundering like Thunder and piercing toward Zhang Chongyue.
This abrupt action enraged Cao Congyun: "How dare you!"
Divine Light burst forth.
A Dao Artifact that resembled a treasure mirror appeared instantly, enveloping him and the nearby Zhang Chongyue.
"Boom!"
The Void exploded.
Visible electric light burst apart in front of the light from the Dao Artifact mirror.
As the mirror light trembled, the scattering electric light, resembling silver dragons, seeped through the mirror light formed by the Dao Artifact level treasure mirror toward its controller, Cao Congyun, causing the True Yuan circulating within his body to stiffen slightly.
At that moment, Gu Jinlai already surged forward, his Fist Force bursting forth, instantly shattering the continuously vibrating mirror light, and his following Fist Force stormed toward Zhang Chongyue like a violent tempest.
"Mr. Cao, save me!" Zhang Chongyue cried out in terror, desperately retreating.
But Cao Congyun was paralyzed by the Thunder from the Thunder Sword wielded by Gu Jinlai, unable to move for a moment; he could only glare fiercely: "Stop!"
"Zzz!"
Electricity surged.
Gu Jinlai ignored Cao Congyun’s words. Moving far faster than Zhang Chongyue, he dashed up to him and struck with his Fist Force. In the void, an almost overlapping series of booms continued incessantly.
"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!"
Fist Force exploded, and the bursting Gang Qi and Power swept in all directions, stirring up dust and stones.
Before the dust and stones had a chance to drift, agonizing screams and the sound of Fist Force impacts resounded simultaneously.
"No!"
Zhang Chongyue only withstood nineteen punches from Gu Jinlai, in less than two-tenths of a second, his body was completely struck by the following Fist Force.
Amid the bursting Gang Qi mixed with crimson blood mist, Zhang Chongyue’s entire body seemed to explode on the spot, not leaving even a complete corpse.
At this time, Cao Congyun finally struggled out of the paralysis from the Thunder Sword’s effect, his own momentum and the Heaven and Earth’s momentum rapidly surging, as if some terrifying Killing Move was brewing.
"Gu Jinlai!"
Cao Congyun roared, unleashing a Quasi-Dao Level Flying Sword that whistled through the air, resonating with the Heaven and Earth Power he was manipulating—it seemed about to transform into a Sword Qi storm and rip downwards.
But before he could make his move, the first Martial King to open the door had swiftly intercepted the furious Cao Congyun, "Young Master!"
There was a trace of horror in his voice.
Jolted by his shout, Cao Congyun seemed to awaken.
He glanced at the Six Harmonies Mysterious Light Mirror, smashed by Gu Jinlai’s Thunder Sword, then at Zhang Zhongshan, who had been blasted to death on the spot, and suddenly, a cold sweat broke out on his forehead.
Gu Jinlai had not only shattered his protective Dao Artifact under his protection but had also slain a Martial King so swiftly!?
It was known that the strongest tactic of ordinary Devas involved channeling the Heaven and Earth Power into their flying swords to annihilate their targets.
The many techniques of those Devas who had cultivated Divine Skills also relied on the power of those skills.
Once closed in on by a Martial King...
Even Peak Heavenly Beings without protective Dao Artifacts might not withstand an ordinary Martial King.
Gu Jinlai had managed to crush his protective Dao Artifact and obliterate a Martial King standing right beside him in a single encounter, which meant, if he wanted to kill him...
His fate would be no different from Zhang Zhongshan’s.
With this in mind, he quickly calmed himself down.
"Commander Cao."
Gu Jinlai’s gaze shifted to Cao Congyun, watching him calmly and saying nothing further.
It seemed he was waiting for him to make a decision.
Cao Congyun glanced at the corpse of Zhang Zhongshan and considering he already had the most crucial item, immediately...
He let out a sullen cry, "Let’s go!"
Taking the Martial King with him, he strode toward the exit of the Zhang Family Mansion.
He left without uttering a single harsh word.
One should not stand under a crumbling wall.
Martial Artists of the Martial King stage are expected to act according to their desires. Why would he provoke the other party knowing they had the capability to kill him?
If the other party lost control and killed him on the spot, even if his father, Cao Wudao, could avenge him in the future, he would have died in vain.
Gu Jinlai watched Cao Congyun leave, then his gaze turned to the remaining anxious members of the Zhang family.
"Everyone, remain in place for interrogation. I have only come to purge the wicked leader,"
Gu Jinlai declared.
With a gesture of his hand, two streaks of lightning flashed between his fingers, transforming into a Thunder Sword.
"Rumble!"
Thunder roared!
Boosted by the "field" formed by the Primordial Magnetic Divine Light, this Thunder Sword instantly split into four smaller beams of light, striking at three Martial Sect members and one Divinity Transformation Realm cultivator.
Even though these four smaller beams were less powerful than the full might of the Thunder Sword, they were still unstoppable by the three Martial Sect members and the Divinity Transformation Realm cultivator.
Under the terrified gazes of the others, the four were instantly blasted into charred remains.
"These four were the co-conspirators named by Zhang Zhongshan,"
Gu Jinlai declared.
He stretched out his hand, employing a simple technique with the Primordial Magnetic Divine Light, and the Cheng Ying Sword, which had earlier shot out to shatter the defensive Six Harmonies Mysterious Light Mirror, returned to his hand.
Then, without needing to speak a word, An Yu, who had been waiting outside, quickly entered after Cao Congyun and his group had left, and familiarly began the confiscation process.
During this time, Gu Jinlai quietly waited.
Now and then, some representatives from various departments seemed to probe in this direction, but...
No one made any move.
Martial Kings in Wind and Rain City were already among the top cultivators.
With a population over two hundred million, such figures were merely a few hundred in number.
Hence, a battle involving three great Martial Kings from the Zhang family, three from the Thunder Origin Sect, plus one Deva and two Martial Kings from the Bai family, quickly swept through the entire city after the survivors from the Thunder Origin Sect spread the word.
Forget the ordinary cultivators; even Zhao Hua, Zhao Liang, Cao Wudao, Jin Fantian, Wu Tianya, Fang Yan, and others had heard the name Gu Jinlai for the first time and issued orders to find out his origins and the details of his fight against the eight Martial Kings and one high-level Deva.
Although the information they could gather was limited in such a short time...
The deaths of Bai Fengyu, Zhang Zhongshan, and others undoubtedly proved that Gu Jinlai had the power at least comparable to Top Devas.
Perhaps...
Not inferior to Peak Heavenly Beings.
In Wind and Rain City, except for the ruling Four Great Saints and nine Martial Saints, Peak Heavenly Beings were the most powerful existences. n𝚘vp𝚞𝚋.com
In such circumstances, without understanding the specific techniques of Gu Jinlai, naturally, no one would make a move over the matters of the Zhang and Bai families.
Not even Martial Saint Fang Yan from the Martial Saint Institute was an exception.
He faced no obstacles in confiscating the Zhang family’s assets and left the Inner City boldly and openly.
