Chapter 769: Steward Wu and the Great Ancestor of the Great Zhou

"Brother Yu, taste this wine and see how it is."

On the ancient road, inside a long pavilion. Bai Ziyue picked up the wine pot and poured a cup for Yu Liancheng and the Xianghu King.

Yu Liancheng drank a cup of wine; as soon as it entered his stomach, a warm breath surged forth, and a faint fragrance seemed to emanate from his forty-eight thousand pores, feeling indescribably comfortable.

He immediately praised it: "Good wine."

Yuan Xiang'er also took a shallow sip and smiled: "This is Monkey Wine that Ziyue has spent decades aging; it can invigorate Qi and Blood and prolong life. Brother Yu, your luck is also excellent; it just happened to finish brewing these past two days."

"Haha, drink my wine, and one man dares to walk through Qingshakou. Drink my wine, and you won't kowtow when you see the Emperor..." Bai Ziyue laughed heartily. Although there was no exquisite structure in the singing, it was heroic and bold, domineering and unrestrained: "Drinking alone is the most tasteless; to have two bosom friends drinking together, this is the true joy of life."

Yu Liancheng smiled: "These words are extremely reasonable."

Three days had passed since he defeated the avatar of Meng Shenji.

Yu Liancheng naturally could not stay in Fox Valley for long, so he had to return to Qingzhou to hold down the border.

And today was the time for parting.

"Thank you both for your care these past few days. In the future, if you have any needs, just come to Qingzhou to find me." Yu Liancheng raised his wine cup and drained it again.

The two demon immortals exchanged a look. The White Ape King weighed his words and said: "Qingzhou, that is the territory of the Champion Marquis..."

"Haha." Yu Liancheng laughed: "You two did not guess wrong; I am the Champion Marquis."

Previously, when interacting with the two demon immortals, he had used the name "Yu Liancheng" and not "An," and his temperament was truly a hundred thousand miles away from the legendary Champion Marquis, so the two had not thought much of it.

It was not until Yu Liancheng crossed the tribulation that Meng Shenji appeared.

And Meng Shenji had once said something like "The seven provinces and twenty-five prefectures of the East have become wealthy and prosperous because of you."

And everyone in the world knew that the seven provinces and twenty-five prefectures, with Qingzhou as the center, were the territory of the Champion Marquis.

A Peak Martial Saint like this could not just appear out of thin air, and the Champion Marquis was one of the three great Martial Saints in the world.

Then, all of this was self-evident...

"So... Brother Yu really is the Champion Marquis." The White Ape King put on a look of sudden realization.

"Brother Yu's demeanor is not at all like the rumored Champion Marquis." The Xianghu King smiled charmingly.

Yu Liancheng said: "Oh, then what is the Champion Marquis like in your eyes?"

The Xianghu King thought for a moment and said without any taboo: "Domineering, arrogant, lecherous, looking down on everything, a proud son of heaven..."

"Haha, this is me in the eyes of the world. But if I were approachable, gentle, and polite, I fear that the one in Yujing City would not be able to sit still." Yu Liancheng glanced in the direction of Yujing City.

The Xianghu King and the White Ape King nodded; as Ghost Immortals who had lived for hundreds of years, they were certainly not fools.

They naturally understood that if the Champion Marquis did not act arrogant and lecherous, how could the Qian Emperor feel at ease handing over the military power of the East to him and letting him guard the region?

"However, of the image known to the world, one point is correct." Yu Liancheng smiled slightly.

"Oh, which point?" the Xianghu King asked.

Yu Liancheng did not answer, instead turning to converse with the White Ape King.

Half an hour later, the three walked out of the long pavilion. Yu Liancheng said: "Sending a guest a thousand miles, there must eventually be a parting. Let us part ways today, and meet again in the future."

Having said that, he turned to leave, but suddenly remembering something, he turned his head, leaned close to the Xianghu King, pecked her on the mouth, and then said with a smile: "I have a weakness."

Amidst laughter, he broke through the air and left.

The White Ape King looked at the Xianghu King with a look that was not quite a smile.

The Xianghu King's pretty face flushed slightly, but she remained poised and graceful.

"This fellow is truly interesting."

Yu Liancheng returned to the Champion Marquis Mansion.

And after returning to the Houfu, he did not dally with his harem, but immediately went into seclusion.

Yu Liancheng had advanced to Human Immortal and Second Lightning Tribulation in a short time, and his battle with Meng Shenji had yielded him great gains.

Now he needed to consolidate his foundation, digest his experience, and prepare for achieving the Yang God and shattering the vacuum in the future.

During his seclusion, Jin Xixi from the harem group came to find him, having important matters to report.

After deliberating, Yu Liancheng gave a few instructions and went back into seclusion.

Night.

Qingzhou.

A gust of wind blew, the dark clouds dispersed, and faint moonlight spilled down.

It shone upon an old man with long white hair, dressed in black.

The old man stood by the window, his expression calm, as if he were looking up at the moon.

His state of mind was incomparably peaceful, like a lake without ripples; suddenly, he abruptly sensed a wisp of aura as soft and feminine as moonlight.

This aura was subtle and imperceptible, as if a few specks of dust were falling in the dark night. But how sharp were the old man's five senses? In an instant, it shattered his pristine state of mind.

The old man sighed softly: "The Marquis ordered this old servant to come to the Champion Marquis Mansion to gather information, and I was cautious all the way, not daring to expose my tracks. I did not expect the Champion Marquis's eyes and ears to be so formidable; it was this old servant's miscalculation."

"Good, Wu is indeed worthy of being a Lingrou Heiyi Martial Saint; truly remarkable." Amidst a hawk's cry, a man with a hooked nose wearing a cloak appeared.

The old man looked at the hooked-nose man, his expression calm as he said: "I did not expect that the Shen Ying Wang, one of the eight great demon immortals of the world, would also have defected to the Champion Marquis. However, if this old servant is not mistaken, you, Shen Ying Wang, have not even crossed the first Lightning Tribulation. Relying on you alone to capture this old servant, I fear it will not be easy."

The old man before him was none other than the head steward of the Hong Mansion, Wu, one of the three Great Teachers of the Capital, and the most loyal and powerful lackey of Hong Xuanji.

It was just that no one knew that this old man, who appeared approachable and without the slightest bit of imposing manner, was a Lingrou Heiyi Martial Saint.

The reason he appeared in Qingzhou was that Yang Pan felt the secret technique on the Champion Marquis had been broken and told Hong Xuanji.

After thinking it over, Hong Xuanji threw the task to his most trusted steward, letting him come to scout for information first.

After all, the entire Qingzhou was managed by the Champion Marquis and his harem like an iron bucket; even though Hong Xuanji had many capable people under him, when it came to this scouting mission, it could be none other than Wu.

It was a pity that Hong Xuanji and the others still underestimated the Champion Marquis's eyes, ears, and intelligence.

Qingzhou was Yu Liancheng's base of operations; the moment Wu set foot in Qingzhou, he had already been discovered.

However, although he had been discovered, facing the world-renowned Shen Ying Wang, Wu remained calm and composed.

He had already advanced into the realm of a Martial Saint; his fist intent and spirit were highly refined, capable of breaking through all evil arts. His Qi and Blood enveloped a radius of several dozen zhang, preventing any malevolent spirits from getting close to his body. Furthermore, he was the most loyal dog of Hong Xuanji, and whether it was his magical treasures or his martial arts, both were of the highest caliber.

"Then, what if you add this old monk to the mix?" A deep, muffled voice rang out in the night.

Under the moonlight, a burly monk of about forty or fifty years of age walked out. A cold sneer hung on the monk's lips, and his essence and energy rolled and billowed, giving off the feeling of a great sun hanging in the sky. He looked at Wu, a trace of killing intent flashing in his eyes: "Heh, Hong Xuanji's lackey, you won't be able to run today."

"... A remnant of the Great Zen Temple..."

Looking at Jingren Heshang, Wu's expression gradually grew solemn.

The Buddhist faith was not exactly flourishing; the only holy land that could truly produce experts was the Great Zen Temple.

And looking at the killing intent and hatred in the monk's eyes, Wu easily guessed that he was a remnant of the Great Zen Temple.

After all, in the battle that destroyed the Great Zen Temple back then, Hong Xuanji had indeed "rendered great service."

Of course, most importantly, he felt the massive fist intent and essence energy from this monk. This fellow was likely also a Martial Saint, perhaps even stronger than himself.

Wu's gaze inadvertently scanned his surroundings.

He was looking for a way to retreat.

The opponent had a Ghost Immortal and a Martial Saint.

He certainly could not win in a fight, but running away might not be impossible.

But suddenly, Wu seemed to think of something, and his expression changed.

Unfortunately, it was already too late.

Silently and soundlessly, a sharp, stinging pain spread from Wu's spine to every corner of his body. Every muscle in his body immediately produced a violent reaction.

Boom!

A massive Martial Saint's Qi and Blood was released, and at the same time, two black-dragon-like Iron rulers suddenly flew out from Wu's sleeves; each Iron ruler was not long, only one chi and three cun.

However, the entire Iron ruler was dark and heavy, with dark-gold spots naturally arranged on them, like stars dotted in the pitch-black night sky, giving people a profound and mysterious feeling.

Turning his body, the two Iron rulers whipped through the air, striking behind him with lightning speed.

Whoosh!!

The air currents rolled and surged, yet the two Iron rulers struck nothing but air.

And on a large tree several zhang in front of Wu, a peerless beauty with a stunning appearance and a slender, graceful figure had appeared at some unknown time. Her bearing was as beautiful as an elf in the dark night, or perhaps a fairy descended to the mortal world. In her right hand, she held a sword, semi-transparent, as if condensed from endless moonlight.

The sword was dripping blood.

Wu's blood.

"Good, a good Champion Marquis, your subordinates are truly full of talent." Wu used a special secret technique to temporarily seal his wound, his expression growing even more solemn.

The reason his expression had changed earlier was that he had realized that neither Shen Ying Wang nor Jingren Heshang were the aura that had been exposed initially, and the reason these two appeared was likely to attract his attention, creating an opportunity for that woman to launch a sneak attack.

"Star-Refining Ruler!" When he saw the two Iron rulers in Wu's hands, Divine Eagle King's eyelids twitched.

Because he knew that these two rulers were the weapons of the Baizhang Heavenly King, one of the four Heavenly Kings of the Great Zen Temple in the past; it was clear they had been bestowed upon Wu by Hong Xuanji.

More importantly.

There was a monk from the Great Zen Temple right here.

"Ah! Hong Xuanji's lackey, die for me!!"

Jingren Heshang was indeed enraged; with a tap of his toes, the ground shattered with a boom, and a punch carried the air current, smashing toward Wu like a comet.

Shen Ying Wang and Yue Qingxian attacked at the same time.

"Then come on!!"

Wu shouted in a deep voice, and the two Star-Refining Rulers danced out streaks of brilliance; the air was torn apart with a whistling sound, ringing out in a continuous stream, and the entire beach seemed like a ghost realm where ghosts wailed and wolves howled.

A great battle unfolded.

It was just that with the vast disparity in strength between the two sides, the scales of victory had already tilted beyond measure.

Outside Qingzhou, there was a lush forest.

Suddenly, a mass of black clouds, thick to the extreme, emerged in the night sky, covering the sky and earth, completely blanketing the sky for a hundred miles around.

And within the black clouds, there was actually a huge throne emitting golden light, with extra-wide sides and five-clawed golden dragons coiled on the armrests.

Sitting on the throne was an existence resembling a supreme ruler.

He was dressed in a dragon robe and wore a flat-heaven crown, with beaded curtains hanging down, obscuring his face so that his features could not be seen clearly.

Beside the throne, black clouds rolled, occasionally condensing into divine guards wearing strange armor, holding long spears, or carrying swords and blades.

"The Third Grandson said he was coming to Qingzhou to meet the Champion Marquis and see if he could win this person over, but he has been missing for so long and cannot be contacted at all; I fear he has met with misfortune..." The person sitting on the throne snorted coldly: "I want to see who in this tiny Qingzhou can deal with an expert who has passed the Second Lightning Tribulation. If I really find out who has harmed my grandson, I will surely pull out their tendons and peel their bones."

This person sitting on the throne was the Dazhou Taizu of the previous dynasty.

Back then, he had been hunted by Meng Shenji and hid in an unknown Xiaoqian Shijie. By the time he returned to the Great Thousand World, the Great Zhou had already been destroyed and replaced by the Great Gan. Among his descendants, only Zhou San Taizi remained. Whoever dared to kill Zhou San Taizi would have to face the wrath of a six-time Lightning Tribulation, Peak Martial Saint.

—The Champion Marquis was no exception!

Boom!!

Just at this moment, a figure carrying scorching energy came from the direction of Qingzhou toward the location of Dazhou Taizu.

This figure was truly too fast, simply unbelievably fast.

From afar, Dazhou Taizu felt that the other party's Qi and Blood were as vigorous as the scorching sun, and if he got any closer, he might be burned to nothing.

"Who are you?" Dazhou Taizu frowned and asked from a distance of who knows how many miles.

"Hao, Tian, Jin, Zhang!"

This figure said, one word at a time.

He said a total of four characters.

When the first character "Hao" was finished, this person had already arrived before this cloud, his speed simply unbelievably fast.

And as the character "Tian" fell, this figure smashed a path through the black clouds that covered a hundred miles, causing them to shake and scatter.

You must know, this patch of dark clouds was birthed from the "Abi Throne" at its center, and the "Abi Throne" was a supreme treasure refined by Dazhou Taizu by gathering the obsessions of slaughter from the battlefield. These black clouds, spanning a hundred miles, possessed infinite power. Anyone who intruded into the dark clouds would fall into a world of endless slaughter, battlefield upon battlefield.

Yet this person actually crashed straight into the dark clouds.

When the word "Gold" was finished, this shadow, as burly as a God, appeared before Dazhou Taizu.

And as the final word "Chapter" fell, this figure opened their palm, a great hand covering the sky and blocking the sun, pressing down with a boom onto Dazhou Taizu's head.

Boom!!

The next moment, the power to Move Mountains and fill the seas, to overturn rivers, surged forth. Dazhou Taizu had not even had time to resist before their entire body, along with the Abi Throne, plummeted downward; amidst the deafening boom, they were helplessly driven into the hard mountain rock, square after square of massive stone exploding, the shattered rocks turning into a violent storm, splashing in all directions.

Anyone who knew the identity and cultivation of Dazhou Taizu would likely have their jaws drop in shock if they saw this scene before them.

……