In a resplendent family mansion by the Luo River, stone lions guarded the entrance, and a golden plaque inscribed with the character "Wang" hung above.
The strength of the high gate lies with the Wang family, a thousand-year-old lineage that has controlled the Luo River for generations, infiltrating every industry without exception.
Gu Wen and his companions resembled wandering knights from a martial arts tale, leaping from eaves to eaves.
Before they even landed, a sword light shot up into the sky, splitting the magnificent Wang mansion plaque in two, with cracks extending all the way to the ridge beast atop the roof.
Boom!
As everyone landed silently, He Huan widened his eyes slightly and said, "Hong Chen, we're here to rob, right?"
"Naturally," Gu Wen nodded as if it were obvious.
He was indeed here to rob; he couldn't just cause trouble without benefiting himself, could he?
Inside the Wang mansion, a powerful aura surged forth, revealing a True Monarch at the sixth level of Dao Foundation, fully realized.
At such a young age, reaching the sixth level of Dao Foundation, he was previously estimated to only rank within the top fifty of the third list, or perhaps just near the fiftieth position, as some prodigies would perish midway.
Yet, they were still under a hundred years old, their ages combined not even reaching the other party's decimal.
In the realm of Ascension, those with higher cultivation stand above, but there is always a gap in foundation.
Their talents could bridge this gap, but why not launch a surprise attack for a guaranteed kill? The five present were all within the top ten of the third list, and a joint ambush on a True Monarch would likely leave no room for error.
Lu Chan couldn't help but scoff, "You big brute, since they dare to privately hoard a thousand jin of spirit herbs, they must have secretly colluded to avoid the Dao Monarch's reckoning. What if other four families get involved?"
She had a significant stake in the Wang family; how could Gu Wen easily annihilate the Wang family and obtain a large quantity of spirit herbs to refine pills and enhance his Dao Foundation?
Ahead, an elderly woman in white floated down from the eaves, her back to the bright moon, as a peacock Dharma form slowly unfurled.
Perhaps disturbed by the late-night intrusion, she spoke with a hint of anger, "Who dares to disturb? State your name!"
In the next moment, the elderly woman was taken aback upon seeing Lu Chan, and then she noticed the ominous aura rising from Gu Wen, who stood beside her.
The sect's heir entangled with a madman, increasing their conflict, and now bringing a large group to their doorstep—everything was self-evident.
They came to demand spirit items, and among them were four new generation prodigies.
Gu Wen, in particular, had recently fought to a standstill with the top prodigy of Zhe Jian Mountain, belonging to the most outstanding group of talents.
This was also one of the opportunities for Ascension; every gathering of prodigies reshuffled the relationships of future leaders in a new era.
The elderly woman's tone softened, and she said, "So it's the Saintess visiting. Why didn't you inform me in advance?"
Lu Chan's delicate face revealed a cold smile as she replied, "A few days ago, your message was not so cordial. According to the rules, the sects of the Ascension Land support the forces produced, and I should at least receive half, while you intend to give me none."
Although entering the Ascension Land required a massive expenditure of resources, it was for the sake of the heir's smoother cultivation and long-term management.
Major sects would have some True Monarchs enter to manage industries outside, feeding back to the external world.
Most of these individuals had entered early, significantly reducing the burden of resources through batch distribution.
Some powerful beings who had comprehended the profound could even remain in the Ascension Land, transcending the limitations of time to some extent.
If the other party offered her thirty percent, Lu Chan could endure, considering her weaker position, but offering nothing was an insult.
After all, the other party had enjoyed the sect's assistance in the previous generation.
The last time they failed to refine a higher Dao Foundation, it was a blind attempt to mend the gap.
But they could not seize what rightfully belonged to her and monopolize it entirely!
This obstructed the Great Dao and could lead to mortal enmity.
The elderly woman glanced at Gu Wen and said painfully, "I can give you thirty percent, but please grant me this opportunity, Saintess. With these spirit herbs, I can perfect my Dao Foundation, and perhaps I can hope to ascend further."
"..."
Lu Chan showed a contemplative expression, but the next moment, a large hand rested on her partially exposed shoulder, the heat akin to raging fire flooding her body, causing her to shudder instinctively.
Turning her head, she saw Gu Wen, who was half a head taller than her, his gaze deep and unfathomable, a red dragon coiling around them.
He smiled gently and said, "Why waste words? Don't you want eighty percent? If you want eighty percent, kill her. The more you contribute, the more you can take. Help me kill her in one strike, and I’ll give you eighty percent; two strikes, forty percent; three strikes, twenty percent."
An overwhelming killing intent enveloped the True Monarch of Qianfeng Sect, her expression changed drastically, and she quickly changed her tune, "I’ll give fifty percent, fifty percent!"
"There is no fourth strike, for she won't survive three strikes under my hand."
Gu Wen ignored her, focusing on the petite Lu Chan as he counted down, "Three, two, one."
As the final word fell, Gu Wen stepped forward, his hand grasping the air as the moonlight transformed into a sword blade, coalescing in his hand.
The shimmering moonlight adorned his boundless killing intent.
He proclaimed loudly, "I, Gu Wen, have come to annihilate your clan."
With his words, the sword was unleashed, a frost-like brilliance, the ultimate sword intent, directly severing the soul.
The elderly woman activated her Dharma form for defense, but even before the sword light reached her, her soul already felt a faint pain, as her protective Dao techniques and all defensive measures were rendered ineffective.
She had methods to defend against soul attacks, but these methods were likely not as effective as physical defenses.
The sword light brushed past like a gentle breeze, and in a daze, she felt a significant portion of her soul being torn apart.
Puff!
The elderly woman fell from the eaves, crashing heavily to the ground.
Gu Wen approached step by step, unhurried, as he vaguely grasped the essence of the Yuqing Sword Technique and tested the might of his heart sword.
At the peak of his heart, nothing could obstruct him.
And a True Monarch at the sixth level of Dao Foundation, fully realized, could not be on par with him; she certainly had not condensed a primordial spirit capable of transcending the limits of time, thus she was unqualified to stand against him.
If she was not at a higher level than him, what qualifications did she have to stand before him?
Flee! She must flee!
The elderly woman turned and soared into the sky, risking being crushed by the limits of time.
Perhaps heaven favored her, as she managed to break free from the constraints of time, feeling no heaviness as she escaped.
Soaring a hundred zhang, a thousand zhang, ten thousand zhang!
Once she escaped this cursed place of Ascension Land, she would become a supreme True Monarch, easily crushing this junior with just a wave of her hand.
She was unwilling!
Puff!
A jade sword pierced directly into the elderly woman's forehead, leaving no wounds or blood, only the starlight of her dissipating soul.
Everything returned to its original state; the elderly woman remained kneeling on the ground, trapped in Lu Chan's illusion, perhaps only for an instant.
But facing Gu Wen's monstrous combat power, she had made a mistake that could cost her ten lives in a moment.
The elderly woman's soul was severely damaged, but her life-saving measures preserved her last thread of hope.
With a loud boom, she soared into the air, only to find He Qing had blocked her path, her arm suddenly swelling to three times its size, delivering a punch with the force of ten thousand jun that struck her down violently.
Boom!
The True Monarch's body was half-destroyed, but before she could employ her means to escape again, He Huan's silver spear and Murong Suyue's large iron hammer fell, ending her last glimmer of life.
All of this transpired within five breaths.
Dead?
Everyone was stunned; they hadn't expected a dignified True Monarch to die so easily.
But it seemed strange if she didn't die, controlled by illusions, heavily injured by Gu Wen in two strikes, and then besieged by them all.
Gu Wen's role was the most crucial; his instant heavy injury to the opponent left her no time to react.
Although it wasn't a sneak attack, it was even more effective than one.
For Gu Wen, at the fourth level of Dao Foundation and fully realized at the third level, they were evenly matched.
In an instant, they couldn't help but have a thought: True Monarchs are just like this!
Gu Wen bent down to search the corpse, taking a spirit treasure from her, then turned to the still dazed Lu Chan and smiled, "Two strikes, but the illusion was well used, so I’ll give you fifty percent."
"As for the Wang family, kill them if you want; I have no interest in slaughtering mortals. Just remember to give me fifty percent of the spirit items."
There are no clean big families; if it were a month ago, Gu Wen might have had some interest.
Lu Chan came back to her senses and nodded, "I will, but what do you plan to do next?"
Gu Wen replied, "Before dawn, wipe them all out."
In the distance, two more auras soared into the sky, one at the seventh level of Dao Foundation, fully realized, and another True Monarch at the same level, only one level fully realized.
One was at the ninth level, the other at the eighth level.
A burly man with a face full of stubble suddenly appeared, blocking the former, extending his hand like a dragon claw, instantly killing one.
The hierarchy was omnipresent; mere two levels of realization were like ants before Ao Tang, a Three Clear Divine Beast.
Gu Wen raised an eyebrow; this absurd Ao Tang seemed even stronger than Wen Ren Wu.
The other True Monarch, realizing the situation was dire, turned to flee.
At this moment, Gu Wen and his group had already pursued, while the others seemed to be doing something else, chasing a True Monarch two levels higher than themselves was simply madness.
But since Gu Wen charged out, they naturally followed.
He seemed like a born leader, unconsciously gathering those who were not particularly familiar with each other.
He Huan shouted with a trembling voice, "Hong Chen, that’s a True Monarch at the seventh level of Dao Foundation, fully realized at one level! Even you have crossed a level!"
"He Huan! Don’t say just one level; even if it were two levels, I would still slay him! Today, I will take you all to experience what it feels like to kill two True Monarchs across levels!"
Gu Wen ran at the forefront, his voice carried by the wind.
"True prodigies should kill enemies across levels, should crush the mediocre, should do what ordinary people cannot! What does it matter if one has lived a thousand years? A mediocre is still a mediocre."
A True Monarch at least has one spirit treasure, and one spirit treasure requires decades of heavenly marrow!
He turned slightly, revealing two rows of bright teeth, and said, "You all fear True Monarchs like you fear tigers; if you follow me, you will know they can be knocked down with a single punch, leaving them red and white on the ground."
The others felt a surge of energy rushing to their heads, as if just standing with Gu Wen and breathing the same air could grant them a trace of his madness.
Others might be proud, but he was insane!
Completely insane, believing it was only natural to surpass ordinary people, believing he should do what ordinary people cannot.
"I, He Huan, will follow you for life!"
He Huan took out a divine movement talisman, waving his hand to stick one on each person, their speed suddenly accelerating.
The treasures originally meant for escape were all used to chase down a True Monarch.
Years later, when they stood atop the peak of the Immortal Path, beneath them were countless cultivators, even ordinary True Monarchs needing to bow and scrape before them.
They would still reminisce about this day of madness, the most ardent time of their lives.
This "True Qi" was more potent than elixirs.
The commotion had already attracted countless gazes, including Xiao Yunyi and other worldly entrants, who used their movement techniques to reach the eaves and saw Gu Wen pursuing the True Monarch.
Witnessing for the first time in ten thousand years of Ascension Land, a fourth-level Dao Foundation chasing a True Monarch, the first time the younger generation of prodigies dared to point their swords at a True Monarch before fully maturing.
Ao Tang's mouth twitched, "This kid is truly boundlessly arrogant."
Heavenly eyes had already cast down their gaze, the True Monarchs behind the five great families of Luo River were filled with anger, attempting to use secret methods to project their avatars down.
Ascension Land had existed for so many years, and human cultivators were particularly adept at research, gradually giving birth to some special methods that could evade heavenly punishment.
However, these methods had limited power, much like cheating without being able to blatantly copy.
One true body could rival ten avatars, or even a hundred.
Ao Tang transformed into a dragon, soaring into the sky, as the winds and clouds gathered between the layers of clouds.
(End of Chapter)