Chapter 232

Could it be that our family has also been excluded from the small clique?

The heads of the five great families all had this suspicion arise in their minds.

But they dared not rashly ask the other four great families, fearing they might truly be excluded.

That would likely mean following in the He Family's footsteps in the future!

Yet not asking left them unwilling, so they could only inquire furtively.

The people of the five great families are all old hands; each asked, each answered, and their exchanges were airtight.

The final result was that no one would admit who had allied with whom!

Thus, in each family's eyes, they themselves became the side that was excluded!

Originally, each family, because of the He Family's impending downfall, began to divide the spoils, and their relations improved.

But at this moment it gradually sank to freezing point!

But no one among the six great families had anticipated this.

The one who set up the Great Void-Prohibiting Formation was not a person from any of the six great families!

But rather, the City Lord of Han Shan Cheng!

Inside the Chengzhu Fu!

The City Lord of Han Shan Cheng wore a black robe with wide sleeves, seated properly upon the City Lord's grand seat.

He propped his head with one hand, leisurely watching the scene playing in the crystal ball before him.

On the screen, starkly visible, was the grim situation of the He family battlefield!

And beside him was a somewhat illusory image.

"Zheng Yingde, I must admit I am somewhat envious of you."

The City Lord of Han Shan Cheng chuckled, looking toward the image beside him, and said lightly,

"You need do nothing; just the two geniuses emerging from Wu Shan Cheng are enough to surpass the achievements of other city lords over a hundred years!"

The image beside him was, in fact, the projection of Wu Shan Cheng's City Lord, Zheng Yingde.

Zheng Yingde calmly clasped his fists,

"It's merely luck; compared to you seniors, I am still far behind."

The City Lord of Han Shan Cheng waved his hand, chuckling,

"Too much modesty can come off as somewhat insincere."

"You, at a young age, reached the Wu Zong realm, established unparalleled military merit on the front lines, and were extraordinarily appointed as City Lord of Wu Shan Cheng."

"Afterward, you diligently governed, and during your tenure as lord of Wu Shan Cheng you broke through to Wu Zun, becoming one of the youngest Wu Zun in Ben Lang Guo."

"In just a few years, you unearthed these two heavenly talents of the Gu Family!"

"Your future accomplishments in Ben Lang Guo will likely far surpass ours, these old fogies."

Upon hearing this, Zheng Yingde immediately shed his previous lazy demeanor.

He straightened his solemn face, rose, and clasped his fists toward the City Lord of Han Shan Cheng.

"Gu Chen brother's talent is due to each of their own fortunes; how could I dare claim credit?"

"As a junior, I still have much to learn from you seniors; talk of surpassing you is out of the question."

The City Lord of Han Shan Cheng said lightly,

"I am not one of those old fogies who cling to high positions and cannot bear to see the younger generation of other families rise!"

"In my presence, you need not be so cautious and careful."

"Only if the younger generation continually grows and surpasses us old ones can Ben Lang Guo flourish and outshine neighboring countries!"

"If the younger generation lacks even this bit of courage, Ben Lang Guo will only decline further, to be trampled underfoot by enemy states such as Jian Chi State!"

Zheng Yingde clasped his fists again,

"Regardless, this time I first thank the City Lord on behalf of the Gu Family for the Void-Prohibiting formation that prevented Qin Tian He from escaping."

If He Qintian were to escape this calamity.

Gu Han naturally need not fear He Qintian's future retaliation, but that does not mean the other members of the Gu Family can be unafraid!

The retaliation of a Wu Zun would be a disaster for any family!

"I do this merely because I do not wish the pillars of Ben Lang Guo to have to constantly worry about others' revenge in the future."

As for the He Family?

Before Gu Han, the He Family's existence or non-existence is the same.

It's simply a matter of inferior skill.

Moreover, the He Family brought this trouble upon themselves!

"I am aware of the details of this matter; its root is the He Family's offspring He Qing, and my assistance to Gu Han is also to fulfill some compensatory responsibility for Han Shan Cheng."

"This matter is known to heaven and earth, known to you and me."

The City Lord of Han Shan Cheng glanced lightly at Zheng Yingde's illusion,

"This He Qintian, after all, is a Wu Zun of my Han Shan Cheng; if outsiders were to learn of it..."

The City Lord of Han Shan Cheng's words trailed off mid-sentence.

But Zheng Yingde knew that a hint of threat lay hidden in those words.

"Please rest assured, seniors, that absolutely no one will learn of this from my mouth."

"Hmm."

As the City Lord of Han Shan Cheng gave a faint nod, Zheng Yingde's illusion dissolved into a shower of particles.

Meanwhile, above the He manor, the five elders had successively perished at Gu Han's hands.

He Qintian, unable to escape via talisman, knew that even if he continued to struggle for survival today.

That expert hiding in the shadows, who set up the formation that bans the sky, certainly wouldn't just watch him escape from here.

For He Qintian, today is already a dead end!

"Since you all want me dead, then even if I'm about to die, I'll drag someone down with me!"

He Qintian no longer had the arrogance he had when he just returned to the He residence.

At this moment, his beard and hair were all standing on end, his clothes were in disarray all over, and bloodstains covered him.

Where is there even a trace of a Martial Sovereign expert's appearance?

With a furious roar from He Qintian, the Golden Wind-Splitting Saber in his hand exploded with a boom the moment it clashed with the flying sword!

The shattered Golden Wind-Splitting Saber turned into countless sharp little blades that tightly entangled Gu Chen's flying sword!

And He Qintian burst forth with extreme speed, shooting toward Gu Chen!

At this moment, Gu Han had just slain the last elder of the He family.

For the suddenly occurring situation, it can be said to be completely unexpected!

He never expected that He Qintian still had such a trump card!

"Gu Chen!"

Gu Han's face changed drastically, but he still hasn't yet mastered the method of turning inner force into wings.

Gu Han exerted all his strength to execute the strongest killing technique he had mastered.

But whether it's the Pure Yang Demon-Subduing Finger or the Dawn Dragon Roar Spear, right now trying to catch up to He Qintian is already too late!

In the distance, the clouds split open, and a massive flying vessel descended at this moment.

They happened to witness He Qintian flying toward Gu Chen!

The Family Head of the Gu family and the elders aboard the flying vessel had already prepared for mutual destruction with the He family before even arriving at Han Shan Cheng.

But when they saw that the He family had turned into a scorched earth, they still froze for a moment.

"This... How did the He family become like this?"

Most of the Gu family's elders usually garrison Wu Shan Cheng, and rarely have the opportunity to come to Han Shan Cheng.

Thus, in their memory, the He family was still that of old, teeming with masters and talents!

But the He residence at this moment is completely different from the He family in their impression!

Only Gu Xiao Dao, whose divine sense was the keenest, keenly perceived the target of He Qintian's attack.

"You dare injure the Gu family's heavenly pride, He Qintian—I, Gu Xiao Dao, will not let this rest!"

Gu Xiao Dao's aura surged; he stepped onto the flying vessel with one foot, and his form tore through space like lightning, flashing out.

But the distance was ultimately too great, making it impossible to rescue Gu Chen from He Qintian's grasp!

In He Qintian's ferocious grin.

Gu Chen silently sighed in his heart,

"Jian Lao, only relying on you to take action will do."