Lu Chan did not look favorably upon Zhao Feng; in fact, she could be said to detest him.
Recently, after refining pills for him, her place had been wrecked, and she was beaten up, causing her ranking on the Earth List to drop by one place.
She was not overly resentful towards the instigator, Hong Chen, as a descendant of the demonic sects, she was long accustomed to the law of the jungle.
But her dislike for Zhao Feng was pure and simple.
Zhao Feng's talent might be considered extraordinary elsewhere, but here in the realm of immortals, talent was just the baseline.
Zhao Feng leveraged the power of the Dao Emperor to rise to a position that should not have belonged to him.
This was an affront to all the prodigies in the realm of immortals.
The three great lists of the world, a hundred out of millions of cultivators, and those hundred are ranked high and low.
Each of them was one in a million, standing out among their peers.
Zhao Feng, born with a golden spoon, had barely needed to exert effort to stand on equal footing with them.
Especially since it had been discovered that the Three Purities Guardian was going to give Zhao Feng a Dao weapon, there was some jealousy mixed in.
But this was an unavoidable situation.
After all, he had a Dao Emperor for a father.
She coldly transmitted her voice, "If the Crown Prince wishes to forego the sacrificial ceremony, you are naturally welcome to come up and see me."
"Another time, I will not disturb the Immortal now," Zhao Feng responded, knowing better.
He had just wanted to meet the legendary Fox Immortal, rumored to be an extremely enchanting beauty.
He lightly urged his horse forward, but the ground suddenly trembled.
The many worldly immortals on Longqiao simultaneously looked in one direction.
A subtle killing intent drifted from afar, creating an anomaly that obscured the sky.
Bianjing darkened, and a red dragon appeared in the distance.
Everyone froze.
It was undoubtedly a martial dharma form, and currently, only one person in Bianjing possessed such a form.
The tenth on the Human List, fifth on the Earth List, Hong Chen.
He Huan, who had been leaning against the window enjoying the show, was stunned.
He felt something was off and said, "Brother Hong Chen... could he be taking the opportunity to rob the Treasury?"
"That's not the direction of the Treasury," Murong Su Yue shook her head.
Due to her artifact refining, she had made many transactions with Da Qian and frequently visited the Treasury.
"Then what is he doing..." He Huan's face changed drastically as he realized where that direction was.
A chill ran up his spine.
In Qian Feng Lou, Yang Shanyu’s expression changed dramatically.
She turned to the room and said, "Miss, that's the martial dharma form, it's Hong Chen."
"I know it's him," Lu Chan's tone was a mix of resignation and frustration. "There’s probably no one else in this world who would be so brazen, causing trouble during the most important investiture ceremony of the Dao Emperor. I wonder who he's fighting this time. These martial artists are always so stubborn."
"It's not that, miss," Yang Shanyu said, her forehead covered in sweat. "That's the direction of Gu Wen."
Lu Chan fell silent for a moment.
She then asked, "What is he trying to do? Challenge the Dao Emperor?"
In the distance, a white lotus suddenly emerged—it was the dharma form of Da Qian's grand chamberlain, Feng Bozhou.
Everything became clear.
Everyone reacted as if they had seen a ghost, unable to believe that amid the silent consent of numerous True Sovereigns, someone would still dare to provoke the tiger.
Gu Wen dragged Feng Bozhou's corpse through the streets, his steps unwavering.
On Longqiao, the ceremonial guards parted to make way.
Troops were arranged in layers: infantry on the flanks, yellow-bannered guards, charioteers, and cavalry, with Zhao Feng at the center, riding a white horse, wearing a python robe, and exuding imperial majesty.
Zhao Feng had completely recovered and had reached the second Dao Foundation level almost overnight, thanks to potent pills.
His once stern father had suddenly allowed him to use these pills and even refined a superior one himself.
Not only was his foundation restored, but he also advanced to the second Dao Foundation level.
From the luxurious jade towers flanking Longqiao, he could sense countless scrutinizing gazes upon him, thanks to his enhanced Dao Foundation.
These gazes belonged to the worldly immortals who had gathered in Bianjing, a group of rebels and traitors threatening his family's rule.
As Zhao Feng passed by Qian Feng Lou, he tightened the gold-and-jade reins, causing his white horse to stop, halting the entire procession.
He looked up towards the highest point of Longqiao and called out, "I’ve heard that the Fox Immortal resides here. May I have the honor of meeting you?"
The surroundings fell silent.
The many worldly immortals were astonished that Zhao Feng dared to directly provoke Lu Chan, the Mirror Fox Immortal ranked sixth on the Earth List.
Even though she had recently been knocked down to sixth place by a prodigy named Hong Chen, it wasn't because Lu Chan was weak.
She had effortlessly suppressed the ninety-three below her, some of whom had even fallen out of the rankings entirely.
However, Hong Chen was simply too powerful, and Zhao Feng did not have the qualifications to challenge Lu Chan.
But then again, this was Bianjing, and his father was the Dao Emperor, which allowed him some arrogance.
As Zhao Feng awaited a response, the tension in the air grew thick.
The presence of the Dao Emperor gave him the confidence to be bold, but it was also a reminder of the precariousness of his newfound power.
The crowd watched with bated breath, curious to see how the Fox Immortal would respond to this direct challenge from the Crown Prince of Da Qian.
"Yang Shanyu asked, 'Miss, can he defeat that powerful figure known as the Celestial?' 'It's a seventy-thirty chance. Feng Bozhou was once ranked ninth on the Human List,' replied the guardian of Qian Feng Lou, staring into the distance. She and Feng Bozhou were from the same era, a thousand years ago."
Lu Chan, however, had a different opinion.
Her voice echoed, "I think it's fifty-fifty. This generation is unlike any other. Have you ever seen someone with a dharma form rank only fifth on the Earth List? Hong Chen is a madman, yes, but his talent is undeniable."
Otherwise, what would that make her, who was defeated by him?
"Feng Bozhou also possesses a dharma form."
"There are levels even among dharma forms. In terms of attack and defense, the martial dharma form reigns supreme."
Lu Chan opened a window, the sunlight illuminating her delicate features.
Her expression froze as a scene unfolded before her eyes.
The red dragon pierced through the white lotus, the battle of dharma forms ending swiftly and decisively, with the martial dharma form dominating.
Longqiao fell into a profound silence.
Zhao Feng sensed that something was wrong, but his cultivation level was insufficient to see that far.
"Your Highness, should we retreat to the palace?"
"Retreat?" Zhao Feng's eyes turned cold as he scolded, "In Bianjing, under the feet of the Holy Emperor, who dares act recklessly? Besides, there are ten thousand imperial guards here. Should I fear a mere bandit?"
He was not a fool.
At this moment, retreat was not an option unless absolutely necessary.
Otherwise, it would further expose Da Qian's weakness to the many immortal sects.
If he fled while assuming the position of Crown Prince, it would signal a loss of control, leading to the potential fall of another province the next day.
On the other hand, if he successfully became Crown Prince and acquired the Gu family's Dao weapon, everything would fall into place.
Zhao Feng lacked compassion for the people and the talent to govern a country, but his pursuit of power seemed innate.
Throughout history, many emperors were like this—tyrants and oppressors!
"Proceed forward. Imperial guards, clear the way."
The heavily armored infantry gathered at the front of the ceremonial procession.
This investiture ceremony had been meticulously planned, with every imperial guard fully armed with the finest equipment to prevent any disruptions.
Among the cultivators, the Grand Chamberlain of the palace escorted the Gu family descendant, accompanied by five Zhao family consecrators.
Feng Bozhou alone could deter many, being one of the top figures below the True Sovereigns.
Suddenly, a group of disheveled and terrified imperial guards appeared on Longqiao, running towards Zhao Feng's procession.
Their fear seemed to extend from the boundless killing intent behind them.
A dragon's head slowly rose, its red scales interwoven with the blazing sun, its subtle spiral of movement sending chills down the spines of those on Longqiao, even though they were still several kilometers away.
A figure stepped onto Longqiao, cloaked in black and red, with long hair streaked with blood, and eyes as dark as ink, radiating boundless killing intent.
His gaze locked onto Zhao Feng, seated on the white horse.
With just one look, the horse reared in terror, throwing Zhao Feng to the ground.
Following this, a headless corpse was flung high into the air, landing amidst the ceremonial procession, splattering blood across the stone pavement of Longqiao.
The corpse wore court attire adorned with white lotus ornaments—headless.
It was Feng Bozhou, the peak third-realm powerhouse, the second most powerful figure in Bianjing.
Dead?
The air was thick with disbelief and shock.
Gu Wen stood tall, his spear dripping with blood.
The sight of the fallen Grand Chamberlain sent waves of terror through the ranks of the imperial guards and the assembled nobility.
The ceremony was in chaos.
People murmured in panic, unable to comprehend how this had happened.
Zhao Feng, now on the ground, looked up in horror as Gu Wen approached, exuding an aura of unstoppable ferocity.
"Gu Wen, cloth-wearing and nameless, remember this on your journey to the Yellow Springs!" Gu Wen's voice was cold, devoid of emotion.
He was here to kill, and nothing would stand in his way.
The imperial guards, once an impenetrable barrier, now seemed like mere obstacles in his path.
With Feng Bozhou's headless body as a testament to his power, Gu Wen continued his relentless advance towards Zhao Feng, the Crown Prince of Da Qian, bringing with him the fury of a thousand grievances and the power to topple empires.
He’s dead!
Gu Wen stood on Longqiao, the red dragon lowering its head and coiling around him.
His hand gently rested on the dragon's head, and his white teeth gleamed as he smiled like a fierce beast about to devour its prey.
With a smile, he softly asked, "Long time no see, Zhao Feng."
"You are..."
Zhao Feng, looking at the demonic figure in the distance, grew paler.
His once pampered face turned ghostly white, and he stuttered in fear, "Gu Wen?"
Longqiao fell into a deathly silence, with many sect prodigies staring wide-eyed.
They had heard of this name.
It was the biggest news in recent years, even in the past thousand years.
The family of the Three Purities Guardian had been massacred by the Zhao family, who then took their place.
While such massacres were not unheard of among the sects, replacing an entire family was unprecedented.
Everyone was curious about what the Dao Emperor had offered to persuade the Three Purities Dao Sect.
Gu Wen, the sole surviving member of the Gu family, had become a prisoner, a dog raised by others.
These prodigies remembered these details but believed they would soon forget them.
Now, standing before them was the pitiful figure from recent gossip, who had transformed into a fierce tiger descending from the mountains, a dragon crossing the river.
His mere presence seemed to overshadow everyone else.
He Huan, Murong Su Yue, and the people from Qian Feng Lou were the most shocked.
They had interacted with both Gu Wen and Hong Chen, never realizing they were the same person.
An obsequious merchant and an unruly madman—how could they ever have connected the two?
"Yes, it's me. Today, I'm here to take your life."
Boom!
A fierce sound of breaking through the air filled Longqiao Street as the red dragon charged into the ceremonial procession.
The front row of shield-bearing soldiers instantly fell.
A Zhao family consecrator who tried to stop Gu Wen was crushed by the Zhaolie spear, his body exploding into pieces, leaving no intact corpse.
Within six feet, none could survive!
These soldiers couldn't stop Gu Wen.
Anyone who stood in his way was killed, leaving no survivors.
Those who fled were spared by the vast killing intent that automatically avoided them.
Righteousness shines bright.
Zhao Feng, no longer the noble prince, scrambled and crawled in a desperate attempt to flee, so terrified that he forgot to use his cultivation.
Two Zhao family consecrators lifted him, fleeing towards the palace as fast as they could.
But Gu Wen would not let them escape.
He exhaled a breath that became a sword, slashing through a thousand steps to cut the souls of the consecrators.
As the two consecrators fell, Zhao Feng hit the ground, knocking out a tooth.
Gu Wen approached, and countless prodigies craned their necks to see.
Finally, Gu Wen stood before Zhao Feng, who lay on the ground, having wet his pants.
Zhao Feng pleaded to those around him, "Protect me! Protect me! I am the Crown Prince of Da Qian, you... you can't kill me!"
"Zhao Feng, stand up."
Gu Wen’s eyes were icy.
He knew that Zhao Feng was no prodigy, nor any kind of celestial being.
He was just a pampered prince, who had never suffered a day in his life.
Yet this same person, this complete and utter waste, had oppressed him for five years!
Trampling on his dignity, insulting his character, Zhao Feng had strutted around like a clown, thinking he could control others.
All Gu Wen could do was struggle for a breath of relief.
Why?
In the distance, a powerful aura surged, and a figure flew towards them.
He Huan snapped back to reality and shouted, "Brother Hong Chen, run! That's the Dao Emperor's avatar!"
Gu Wen ignored the warning.
He calmly watched as the somewhat ethereal figure approached, from ten thousand meters, to a thousand meters, to a hundred meters, to a hundred steps...
Because his father was the Dao Emperor, everyone feared to kill him.
Boom!
The hundred-pound heavy spear struck down, crushing Zhao Feng from head to torso, turning him into a mess of flesh.
The Dao Emperor's avatar froze in place, and all the onlookers on Longqiao were utterly stunned.
Gu Wen's calm voice echoed across Longqiao.
"The killer is Gu Wen."