Chapter 10: The Gu Family Bloodline Living Outside
The young man led Gu Changsheng to a dilapidated courtyard. Inside, a harsh voice yelled, "Gu Xiruo, where is your good-for-nothing brother? Call him out quickly, or I'll beat you to death."
Upon hearing this, the young man’s expression changed drastically. He quickly ran into the yard to find his sister lying on the ground, her face pale and bruised. "Wang Batan, you are courting death!" he shouted.
Seeing his sister in such a state filled him with rage. His face turned red, and he charged at the young man as if ready to die. The young man, Wang Batan, felt disdain. Though he hadn't broken through in his cultivation, he was still confident he could handle Gu Xichao, who he considered a loser.
Just as Wang Batan prepared to strike back, he found his body wouldn't obey him. He couldn’t move or shout, his mouth sealed shut. The enraged young man knocked Wang Batan to the ground and began beating him with a nearby wooden stick.
"Brother!" a weak female voice called out. Gu Xiruo stood up with difficulty and walked over to Gu Xichao.
Seeing his sister, Gu Xichao dropped the stick and quickly grabbed her hand. "Sister, are you okay?" he asked urgently.
Gu Xiruo’s eyes filled with tears. She trembled slightly and said, "Brother, I’m so cold."
The young man remembered Gu Changsheng and said, "Sister, I’ve brought an immortal master. He will save you." He turned to run out of the yard but found Gu Changsheng already sitting on a stone pier inside.
"Master Immortal, please save my sister," Gu Xichao pleaded, kneeling in front of Gu Changsheng.
Gu Changsheng accepted his bow calmly. "I can save her, but you must do something for me," he said.
"Anything, Master Immortal. I will climb mountains of swords and cross seas of fire if I must," Gu Xichao vowed with determination.
Seeing her brother kneeling, Gu Xiruo also knelt down. Gu Changsheng looked at the thin siblings and then pointed at Wang Batan, who was still lying on the ground. "Go and kill that man," he instructed.
"Kill?" Gu Xichao's expression changed, and his sister's eyes filled with panic.
"Brother!" Gu Xiruo called out.
Gu Xichao looked at his sister’s injuries, his heart heavy. He ran into the kitchen, fetched a knife, and, under Wang Batan’s horrified gaze, slit his throat.
Wang Batan managed to speak his last words. "The Wang family... won’t let this go..." before he died.
Gu Xichao stood stunned, having just killed Wang Batan, who had bullied them for years. Gu Xiruo also looked at her brother in shock, her emotions in turmoil. Suddenly, she felt an overwhelming drowsiness and fell unconscious.
Seeing this, Gu Xichao quickly ran to her and asked Gu Changsheng, "Master Immortal, what’s happening to my sister?"
Gu Changsheng replied, "Nothing serious. I just put her to sleep. When she wakes up, her injuries will be healed."
Gu Xichao was overjoyed but then Gu Changsheng added, "Don’t be too happy yet. Her illness isn’t cured."
"Master Immortal, is there nothing you can do?" Gu Xichao asked anxiously.
Gu Changsheng looked at him. "Your sister has the Taiyin Holy Body. Explaining it to you would be pointless. She has accumulated too much Taiyin Qi, making her frequently cold. If untreated for another year or two, she will be frozen by Taiyin Qi, and even an immortal would be helpless. However, as long as I am here, these are minor issues."
"Please, Master Immortal, save my sister!" Gu Xichao pleaded again, kneeling.
Gu Changsheng’s face turned cold. "Do you only know how to kneel?"
"This..." Gu Xichao hesitated, unsure how to respond.
"Stand up!" Gu Changsheng ordered.
"Yes." Gu Xichao obeyed immediately.
Gu Changsheng then asked calmly, "Tell me about the Wang family."
Though confused about why the immortal master was interested in the Wang family, Gu Xichao obediently began to explain.
"The Wang family is one of the three major families in Demon Suppressing City," Gu Xichao explained. "Aside from the City Lord's Mansion, only the other two major families could rival them if they teamed up. Wang Badan is an illegitimate son of the Wang family and a maid. Despite his lack of status, the Wang family often bullies us."
Gu Changsheng found the term "illegitimate son" amusing. Gu Xichao continued, "Now that we've killed Wang Badan, even though he had no real status, he's still the son of the head of the Wang family. I’m worried the Wang family will come after us."
Gu Xichao was aware of the Wang family’s power, with five strong warriors in the Spirit Condensation and two terrifying figures in the Void-Breaking Realm. He felt like an ant compared to them.
[Void-Refining will be Void-Breaking realm heanceforth]
"You’re mistaken. It was you who killed him, not me," Gu Changsheng said, taking a sip from his wine bottle.
Gu Xichao hesitated to point out that Gu Changsheng had instructed him to kill Wang Badan but kept silent, as he was still hopeful Gu Changsheng would save his sister.
"Forget it. I’m not joking. Take me to the Wang family’s house," Gu Changsheng said.
"Is this what you want, Master Immortal?" Gu Xichao was shocked and found it hard to believe.
"Those who bully my Gu family must pay the price," Gu Changsheng said softly.
Gu Xichao didn’t fully understand, but Gu Changsheng had already left the yard. He picked up his sister and followed.
The Wang family’s mansion was located in the heart of Demon Suppressing City. It covered 1,000 acres, with countless servants and thousands of family members. When Gu Changsheng and his companions arrived, the doorkeeper stopped them arrogantly, "Who are these beggars? Don’t you know this is the Wang family’s territory? Leave at once."
"A dog relying on human power deserves to die!" Gu Changsheng said lightly. The doorman instantly vanished into nothingness. Gu Xichao, carrying his sister, was stunned.
"Is this the legendary power?" Gu Xichao thought to himself.
Gu Changsheng led the siblings straight into the Wang family hall. There, the head of the Wang family and several elders were gathered. The head, surprised to see Gu Xichao, asked, "It’s you?"
Gu Changsheng replied calmly, "I assume you know that your son frequently bullies these siblings."
The head of the Wang family, not understanding the gravity of the situation, smiled and said, "They are just orphans. Are you here to defend them?"
"Orphans?" Gu Changsheng’s expression remained indifferent. "The descendants of human heroes have fallen so low as to be bullied by their own kind."
He then addressed the Wang family members, "You are guilty!"
The head of the Wang family was startled. Before he could react, his body began to expand uncontrollably. With a loud bang, he exploded into a cloud of blood mist. All the elders above the Condensation Realm met the same fate.
Gu Xichao watched in disbelief. The head of the Wang family, a powerful figure in the middle stage of the Void-Breaking Realm, had been killed effortlessly. He pinched himself to ensure he wasn’t dreaming.
What shocked him even more was what happened next. He and his sister were lifted into the sky, and a colossal hand, like that of an ancient demon, descended upon the Wang family mansion, flattening it completely.
The entire Demon Suppressing City shook violently. The City Lord, about to retreat for a breakthrough, felt the powerful aura and rushed out to find the Wang family mansion reduced to a massive palm print.
"The Wang family must have offended a formidable being," the City Lord thought, recalling Gu Changsheng’s visit the day before.
News of the Wang family’s destruction spread quickly through Demon Suppressing City, and many people celebrated, reflecting the Wang family’s poor reputation.
Gu Changsheng then took Gu Xichao and Gu Xiruo to the Gu family, an ancient family in the Eastern Region. He handed a black token to Gu Xichao and said, "Take this token to enter. Your sister will be saved."
With that, Gu Changsheng vanished.
Gu Xichao examined the token, which bore the name "Changsheng." He wondered why Gu Changsheng felt so familiar.
He carried Gu Xiruo to the Gu family gate, showed the token, and was granted entry. Gu Changsheng, observing from a distance, murmured, "They say homesickness makes one timid, and it's true."
He then departed.