On Longqiao Avenue, Zhao Feng's blood flowed along the drainage incline of the road, spreading to both sides. His python robe was stained red, the blood of a royal splattering the street.

This was unheard of. Even in the cultivation world, not even a True Sovereign’s direct disciple would be killed so publicly.

Today, someone not only dared to do it but did it right in front of the Dao Emperor's avatar.

Gu Wen retrieved the jade pendant from Zhao Feng's corpse and, with a slight wave towards the Dao Emperor's avatar, placed it in his Qiankun pouch.

After five years, it finally returned to its rightful owner.

Madness!

This was sheer, unbridled madness!

Even Lu Chan, a descendant of the demonic sect, ran out barefoot from her room, tiptoeing to catch a glimpse of Gu Wen. Dressed in a mix of black and red, holding a long spear, he faced the True Sovereign head-on.

The doctrines of the myriad schools and sects varied greatly. Among them, the demonic sects were known for their unrestrained behavior, often leading to insubordination and fratricide. Demonic cultivators were both the best at wielding power and the most rebellious against it.

He Huan covered his face, already imagining Gu Wen's fate.

The Dao Emperor was a top-tier True Sovereign, with his dharma form integrated into Da Qian's dragon veins, bearing the weight of the world. This connection weakened the world's constraints on him. Even a slight reduction in these constraints meant a significant increase in his power.

He Huan took out his sect's token, sending a wisp of divine thought out of the Immortal Land, only to receive a harsh refusal and a stern warning.

The intensity of the True Sovereign’s divine thought left He Huan dizzy, prompting him to complain, "No need to be so harsh if you're not going to help."

"Brother He, are you close with him?" Murong Su Yue asked, surprised.

She had known He Huan for many years but had never heard him mention Hong Chen.

He Huan smiled bitterly, "We'd be closer if I saved him, but this guy gets into too much trouble."

Not only did he kill Zhao Feng, but he did so in front of the Dao Emperor. Even if He Huan wanted to do Gu Wen a favor, he couldn't bear the resulting karma. His sect also wouldn’t spend a significant amount of resources on a martial dharma genius.

Moreover, whether the sect could even save Gu Wen from the Dao Emperor was questionable.

"Daoist friend Murong, do you have any thoughts?" He Huan asked, recalling her identity as the successor of Qianlong Villa, a martial sect that also trained with spears.

Murong Su Yue raised the small hammer in her hand and said, "I contacted my sect as soon as he started the fight on Longqiao. Our elder said we can't defeat the Dao Emperor."

An unaffiliated martial genius who used a spear would have made Qianlong Villa mobilize their entire sect. Initially, Murong Su Yue thought this was a good opportunity. The Dao Emperor's true body couldn't leave the palace, so with some sacrifice, they might be able to save Gu Wen.

But now, with Zhao Feng dead, the Dao Emperor would act at any cost.

All eyes were on Longqiao Avenue, knowing there was no turning back.

"You killed him?"

The True Sovereign's golden body slowly descended, his facial features blurred, dressed in a Taoist robe. His voice was not from the mouth but a wave of power.

It carried almost no emotion, yet to those with cultivation, it was deafening, their ears ringing slightly. Such was the presence of a supreme powerhouse, whose mere voice carried such momentum.

"Yes, I killed him," Gu Wen responded calmly, nodding his head.

He could feel the overwhelming force of the Dao Emperor's power, like a tidal wave. Even though it was just an avatar, the pressure was several times stronger than that of Feng Bozhou. Zhao Feng and Feng Bozhou were both talentless, but the emperor, who had already reached the True Sovereign stage, was definitely not.

At his current level, Gu Wen couldn’t defeat him, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t escape.

After all, this was just an avatar. Strands of its power, under the imperceptible pressure of heaven, were uncontrollably leaking out.

"Such is the cause and effect. I killed a hundred members of the Gu family, and my last bloodline dies in the hands of the last surviving member of the Gu family," the Dao Emperor said, eerily calm. He bent down, touching the blood flowing from Zhao Feng's mangled body, and gently rubbed it between his fingers, as if in remembrance.

"For cultivators, having offspring is rare after reaching the second realm, and apart from me, it is unheard of at the fourth realm. The fact that I could have children is a part of my fortune on the path to immortality. A dragon begets nine sons, but none become dragons. This ninth son had a slim chance of survival."

"Dead, as dead as one can be," Gu Wen said unapologetically, kicking Zhao Feng's corpse to display the disemboweled remains to the Dao Emperor.

There was not even a trace of warmth left; even the soul had been ground to dust by Gu Wen’s heart sword, leaving no room for revival.

"Do you really think your Zhao family is divinely blessed and can bring someone back to life?"

"He is indeed dead, and I am powerless to change that," the Dao Emperor acknowledged, nodding. He observed Gu Wen surrounded by the coiled red dragon dharma form, power surging through him, ready to flee at any moment.

"But you cannot leave. I need you to stay in Bianjing," he said.

"Heh," Gu Wen chuckled, having no intention of staying or engaging in a fight with the Dao Emperor’s avatar.

Bravery without wisdom is foolishness. He had already done everything he could, and the next step was to consider how to retreat safely. He could come back for revenge when he had grown strong enough to rival a True Sovereign.

His time to grow wouldn’t take eons, and the Dao Emperor wasn’t going to die anytime soon either.

"Gu Wen of the Gu family..."

The Dao Emperor raised his hand, and an imperial edict flew over, imbued with the energy of the dragon veins, carrying the decree with divine authority, its voice echoing for miles.

"Five years hidden as a dragon, mastering the principles of heaven and earth, possessing the abilities of ancient sages. Today, by killing the Crown Prince and causing upheaval in the empire, you fulfill the karmic cycle. Therefore, you shall succeed the throne. The Zhao position is ceded to the Gu family."

Succeed the throne?

The prodigies from various factions were dumbfounded. They had expected Gu Wen to be struck down by the Dao Emperor, or perhaps another True Sovereign would intervene, leading to a confrontation between True Sovereigns.

But they never expected the Dao Emperor to appoint Gu Wen as the Crown Prince.

What kind of madness was this? Gu Wen had just killed Zhao Feng. News of the Crown Prince being killed in the streets would exacerbate the already precarious situation of Da Qian's fate. Without external intervention, countless peasant uprisings would erupt.

Throughout any era, uprisings were never completely suppressed; their impact depended on whether the court could quell them.

Gu Wen, too, was taken aback. He looked at the edict floating before him and said, "Are you crazy?"

"Everything has returned to its original trajectory. You are the Guardian of the Three Purities Dao Sect. This was supposed to be yours. But reclaiming something always comes with a price," the Dao Emperor's voice was devoid of emotion. He might have had a hint of affection for Zhao Feng, but now, to him, Zhao Feng was nothing more than a pile of rotten meat.

When people die, their influence fades. When rulers perish, their reign ends.

Now, seeing Gu Wen's talent, the Dao Emperor realized that Gu Wen was more suitable to bear the weight of the dragon veins than Zhao Feng. By having Gu Wen succeed as the Crown Prince and ceding the throne of the Zhao family to the Gu family, the Dao Emperor could free himself from the shackles of the dragon veins without breaking ties with the Three Purities Dao Sect.

The Dao Emperor noticed that all of Gu Wen’s methods, except for the martial dharma form, originated from the Yuqing Sect. The Yuqing Sect's worldly representative was none other than the top-ranked Daoist Celestial on the Celestial List.

"Become the Crown Prince of Da Qian, and I will only form a positive relationship with you," the Dao Emperor offered.

"From a minor prince to Crown Prince?" Gu Wen reached out and took the imperial edict. It felt as if the heavenly constraints on him had lightened slightly. He vaguely understood why the Dao Emperor could command such respect.

Ignoring the stunned expressions of the onlookers, the Dao Emperor praised the man who had killed his son without hesitation: "Threefold perfect Dao foundation, martial dharma form, each of these qualifies you for this position."

At this moment, the various factions realized that they had underestimated Gu Wen's actions. They were too shocked by his audacity and arrogance to notice his unparalleled talent.

To grow to this level under the Zhao family's watchful eyes required immense talent.

Gu Wen asked, "What if I refuse?"

The Dao Emperor paused, surprised at the rejection, but did not get angry. He said, "The struggle of the Great Dao is not settled in a day. You have thousands of years ahead of you. Would you still care about a century of mortal life and a handful of dust?"

"Perhaps you are right. To you immortals, it may indeed be so. Even if I reach that point, I don’t know how much of my current self will remain," Gu Wen said, a slight smile curling his lips. He looked at the Dao Emperor and asked, "But what are you afraid of? Afraid that I will surpass you in the future and trample you underfoot like this pile of rotten flesh?"

Those with absolute advantages don’t negotiate, just as Gu Wen wouldn't haggle with a roadside vendor. Moreover, this precarious throne likely offered more trouble than benefits. While the Dao Emperor’s offer might sound generous, it was akin to using him to refine the jade pendant with his life force.

"The future is uncertain, but this benefits both you and me," the Dao Emperor tried to persuade again, but Gu Wen had already let go of the edict, which fell onto Zhao Feng's disemboweled corpse, staining it with blood.

"For centuries, the Zhao clan has poisoned the world. No amount of bamboo slips can record all their crimes, and no waves of the Eastern Sea can wash away their sins. Though I wear common clothes, they are unstained. Does Da Qian deserve my purity?"

"Are you the only one who is righteous?" the Dao Emperor asked, stepping forward like a mountain collapsing. "Are you the only one pure and selfless?"

"Justice lies in people's hearts. If there is no justice in the world, then I am justice," Gu Wen said, taking two steps forward. They stood half a step apart, facing each other. The yellow dragon of the dragon veins hovered in the nine heavens, while the red dragon of killing intent roared.

"Such a pity for your talent," the Dao Emperor said, turning to leave with a wave of his sleeve. A king without soldiers is vulnerable, and raising an army invites rebellion.

Boom!

Behind him, a golden light suddenly appeared. A hundred-foot golden figure stepped into the city from the outer walls, armored in gold and wielding a massive halberd—the dharma form of a True Sovereign.

At the northern gate of Bianjing, Wansheng Gate slowly opened. Thousands of war horses charged, a sea of fierce soldiers, with killing intent overflowing.

Leading them was a man on a tall black horse, clad in beast-faced armor, standing at over three meters tall, with eyebrows like blades and a fierce countenance.

"General Wuren Wu, Pillar of the Nation, who has guarded the borders for ten years, now returns to the capital by imperial decree to quell rebellion and restore order."