Demon Slaying, Gaining 60 Years of Cultivation From the Start

"Big brother!"

Seeing Gu Chen appear, Gu Qingyan grasped at him like a drowning person clutching at a straw, her charming face, filled with panic, suddenly brimmed with a touch of joy.

Xu Qinge, seeing Gu Chen's arrival, felt as if she had found her backbone, and the tension she was carrying eased.

A few young masters frowned subconsciously upon hearing the noise, wondering which fool dared to disturb them.

Gu Chen's eyebrows shot up in anger, and in a flash, he left a series of afterimages behind; everyone's eyes blurred, and by the time they had cleared, Gu Chen had already closed in near the trio of Gu Qingyan.

The several attendants, seeing Gu Chen's astonishing speed, immediately changed their expressions, rushing in front of their masters, fearing Gu Chen might suddenly lash out and injure them.

On the sidelines, there was a medium-built young man with a resolute face, who also furrowed his brows upon the sight of Gu Chen.

"What are you gentlemen trying to do?" Gu Chen asked, his sword-like eyebrows slightly furrowed as he looked at the group of exquisitely dressed young masters across him.

"And who might you be?" one of the men asked arrogantly, sizing up Gu Chen.

He mainly wanted to know if Gu Chen was a notable figure within their circles.

If so, they wouldn't mind giving Gu Chen some face; if not, the outcome was clear: Gu Chen should roll back wherever he came from.

"I am Gu Chen, the Metropolitan Procurator of the Jing Tian Department. This is my cousin. Why have you gentlemen surrounded my cousin and my aunt here?" Gu Chen inquired.

The man scoffed with indifference, "So you're from the Jing Tian Department." Discover more stories at m,v l'e|m-p| y r

They were from influential backgrounds, children of Da Xia nobles and high officials; they didn't care much for a mere Metropolitan Procurator of the Jing Tian Department.

If he had been a commander, they would have feared him and left right away, as even their fathers wouldn't dare to disrespect a commander of the Jing Tian Department casually.

"We were just strolling down the street and happened to come across your cousin. Seeing her beauty which exactly suits our tastes, we thought of acquainting ourselves with her. I forgot to introduce myself—I am Zhuo Zhibin, my father is the Marquis of Wuwei of Da Xia, and this is..."

Following his introduction, it became clear that some of them were nobles of Da Xia, others were descendants of high officials.

And by providing his own background, he was also indicating to Gu Chen: you can't afford to provoke us, so better hand over your cousin quickly, and let's part on good terms.

But Gu Chen remained indifferent, replying, "If the young masters have no other business, please step aside. We have pressing matters to attend to."

Zhuo Zhibin and his companions' expressions grew grim upon hearing this, feeling that Gu Chen wasn't giving them any face. Usually, when the privileged descendants of Da Xia met them, there was always respect shown; no one had disrespected them quite like Gu Chen did, stirring their displeasure.

Gu Chen's face remained calm, his eyes deep. Had fighting not been strictly forbidden in Tiandu's inner city, he would have taken action long ago, uncaring of who these men's ancestors were—first, he'd give them a beating, then talk.

After all, with Chen Yu covering for him from above, if things really went south, he could still turn to the Mingjing Department and find Zhou Qing. If those men had crossed paths with Gu Chen elsewhere, it would have been a beating for nothing.

But after all, this was Tiandu's inner city, where the law enforcement was strict. Starting a brawl on the street, even with an official position, Gu Chen would not be spared from punishment.

Zhuo Zhibin and his companions knew this as well, which is why they only had their attendants surround Gu Chen and his companions, without ordering them to attack directly.

Gu Chen saw that the group would not clear the way and slightly released some aura, causing the faces of the attendants to shift, feeling a heavy pressure. With each step that Gu Chen took forward, they retreated three steps back.

Zhuo Zhibin and company immediately grew anxious, shouting, "A bunch of rice bags, what are you afraid of?!"

The attendants, feeling the pressure emanating from Gu Chen, were all breaking out in cold sweat, cursing Zhuo Zhibin and his friends internally, as it seemed Gu Chen's aggression was not directed at them.

Zhuo Zhibin and his friends, backed by their significant family heritage, knew nothing but to indulge in pleasure. Though they possessed some martial arts cultivation, it was not profound; they could not see the terror that Gu Chen represented.

At this moment, the observant young man who had been standing on the outskirts approached, saying, "You must be Gu Chen, ranked first in the martial hero standings, right?"

When this person approached, the slight aura that Gu Chen had released was immediately dissipated into invisibility.

He introduced himself, "My name is Cao Zhen, my father is the Marquis of Pingxi. Having just met and been dazzled by the beauty of your cousin, I found her to be like a goddess and resonating with my heart. Zhuo and the others acted on my behalf, and that misunderstanding arose. If we have caused any alarm, let me apologize on behalf of Zhuo and his friends, and let's put this matter behind us."

Zhuo Zhibin and the others snorted upon hearing this, obviously somewhat dissatisfied, but they still acknowledged Cao Zhen's status.

Gu Chen, upon hearing this, raised an eyebrow. Cao Zhen seemed to think he could turn the page with just a few words—a perspective all too convenient.

But the Marquis of Pingxi, though he didn't pay much attention to court affairs, was definitely someone Gu Chen knew about.

The Marquis of Pingxi commanded the western borders of Da Xia, warding off the barbarians with great military prowess, having established tremendous military achievements for Da Xia. He was widely regarded in the court as a person wielding real power.

No wonder Zhuo Zhibin and others would heed Cao Zhen; these noble youths in Tiandu held nominal roles, having no real power, and in terms of rank, Cao Zhen's father was, indeed, the highest among them.