Stronger by Killing

Chapter 595: Chapter 325: The Four Realms of Nirvana

When Gu Zhan asked this question, the higher-ups of the Gu Family and the martial world leaders present were all stunned, casting incredulous looks towards Gai Qingcheng.

All those present were influential figures in the martial world, and those who reached such levels of power were usually very shrewd. After a moment of shock, they began to realize something.

In that instant, everyone’s heart tightened.

The senior members of the Gu Family felt as if they had narrowly escaped a great calamity, perhaps seeing a ray of hope.

Since the Spirit Control Sect Leader appeared severely injured, these people had been somewhat panicked, and when Gu Zhan arrived in pursuit, they all fell into despair.

Ever since his debut, Gu Zhan had been notorious for his evil reputation; obliteration of sects and clans was commonplace for him. In the years since his emergence, he had caused widespread massacres almost every year.

So, just now when the Gu Family leaders saw Gu Zhan, they were filled with terror, especially the Gu Family members who were more afraid than anyone else because they had publicly betrayed Gu Zhan and thoroughly offended him.

However, upon hearing Gu Zhan’s words now,

they realized that Gai Qingcheng was likely just pretending to align with the Spirit Control Sect and was secretly still one of Gu Zhan’s people,

which meant that there was still hope for the Gu Family.

Patriarch Gu also realized immediately why Gai Qingcheng didn’t allow a proper funeral for Gu Chuan and hastily concluded affairs. At the time, he thought Gai Qingcheng held Gu Chuan in disdain and, trying to please the Spirit Control Sect, didn’t want to waste time,

but now he understood it was to cover up Gu Chuan’s faked death.

Immediately, Patriarch Gu hurriedly put on a smiling face and said, "Prince..."

Gu Zhan suddenly looked up, glanced at Patriarch Gu, and said coldly, "Did I allow you to speak?"

Gu Zhan’s voice was calm, but this remark made the Gu Family’s higher-ups turn pale; some even collapsed directly to the ground.

Gai Qingcheng then bowed in respect and said, "Prince, my brother is unharmed, but he was gravely injured in the faked death. I have placed him in a secluded location to recuperate!"

Gu Zhan squinted slightly and said, "It should have been easy to deceive the Spirit Control Sect, yet Brother Gu was almost forced to actually commit suicide."

"Indeed," Gai Qingcheng sighed, "It’s easy to fool outsiders, but it’s difficult to guard against insiders eager to betray for personal gain. As long as my brother wasn’t truly dead, they wouldn’t believe me because everyone knows just how close he is to you!"

Gu Zhan glanced around at the Gu Family elders and martial world leaders, and slowly said, "I, Gu Zhan, believe I have not treated you poorly. I’ve bestowed upon you the Method of Divine Sight and Celestial Tier Martial Arts. I’ve almost entirely divided all cultivation resources, yet you hesitated not at all to betray me. Truly, well done."

The elders of the Gu Family and martial world leaders shivered in fear, unable to utter a sound under Gu Zhan’s terrifying pressure.

Only Patriarch Gu, pale-faced and trembling, mustered the courage to bow respectfully towards Gu Zhan, saying, "Prince, the Gu Family was wrong; we failed to resist the Spirit Control Sect’s pressure and betrayed the Prince’s Mansion, aware that we deserve death, but please, Prince, for the sake of... for Gu Chuan’s sake, spare the Gu Family, and we shall relocate from Yunzhou, never to set foot in Yunzhou again, Prince..."

Before Patriarch Gu could finish, he was hoisted up by an unseen force, lifted off the ground, suspended in the air. The force was overwhelmingly strong, leaving even a Second Realm Grotto Heaven cultivator like Patriarch Gu utterly powerless to resist, his face flushed, unable to breathe.

Gu Zhan said coldly, "Even Gu Chuan was forced by you to ’die’!"

As soon as he finished speaking, with a "bang,"

Patriarch Gu’s neck exploded, and his remains fell to the ground, frightening the Gu Family elders and martial world leaders into kneeling, trembling in fear.

Even the few newly advanced Divine Sight Experts succumbed to Gu Zhan’s aura, bowing to the ground.

Suddenly panicked, they pleaded desperately for mercy,

"Prince, Prince, please, for the sake of past ties, spare the Gu Family, Prince..."

"Prince, we were momentarily deceived!"

"Prince, give us a chance..."

"..."

Some of the Gu Family higher-ups also cried out to Gai Qingcheng in panic,

"Patriarch, you can’t abandon us!"

"Qingcheng, you must plead with the Prince for us!"

"Qingcheng..."

"Patriarch Gu, we followed your lead!"

"..."

Gai Qingcheng looked coldly at those kneeling on the ground, her expression indifferent, and said plainly, "Those who stab in the back are more despicable than enemies!"

"Hmph!"

Gu Zhan snorted coldly, and in an instant, the sky and earth changed colors, the clouds gathered, and a terrifying pressure suddenly descended. A terrifying force erupted, causing the Gu Family elders and martial world leaders to turn to ashes in mere moments.

Gu Zhan slowly turned to Gai Qingcheng and said, "Can you handle the aftermath?"

Gai Qingcheng bowed and said, "Rest assured, Prince, none of those fence-sitters will escape, and as for the Gu Family, it’s perfect timing for me to finally clean things up!"

Gu Zhan smiled faintly,

He had no doubts about Gai Qingcheng’s intention to settle accounts with the Gu Family.

The Gu Family had endured for hundreds of years, becoming very large with too many people, and naturally, it had become quite corrupt.

Though Gai Qingcheng had rebuilt the Gu Family after becoming the Patriarch, the internal dissension due to insufficient seniority and being a woman meant many voices opposed her. Patriarch Gu was also deliberately nurturing other potential successors to replace Gai Qingcheng, further complicating her ability to fully consolidate power within the Gu Family, leaving her shackled instead.