Rules

"Retreat! Quickly retreat!"

The remaining Wang family Core Condensation expert shouted in a low voice, quickly abandoning Su Nanxing and flying away.

But before he could escape, Su Nanxing used his movement technique and quickly caught up.

"Your nephew spat blood from my punch, and you still want to leave?"

The two started fighting again.

Gu Jinlai swept his gaze across the crowd.

The six people whose karma was like blood had all been killed, and the remaining ones were mainly led by those with shallow red names.

He immediately said, "This person trespassed into my Meteor Guard headquarters and attempted to assassinate me, the Commander. Everyone, immediately attack and capture the people he brought."

He added at the end, "Those who wish to repent, I will not hold them accountable for their past actions. Otherwise... all participants in the rebellion will be dealt with."

The surviving Meteor Guards exchanged glances.

They knew this was Gu Jinlai's way of making them pledge their loyalty.

But...

"Gu Jinlai, do you think Lingxiao City is a one-man show like your Purgatory Sect? The Meteor Guards act according to rules. You killed your colleagues, and not only will our Wang family not let you go, but the Meteor Guards won't either!" shouted the Wang family Core Condensation expert.

"Killed colleagues? Who? I only see a traitor attempting rebellion."

Gu Jinlai said with a light laugh, "Even if I really killed a colleague... as long as I don't let you leave alive, who will know what happened today?"

The next moment, the force beneath his feet erupted, and he strode forward, charging fiercely at the last Wang family Core Condensation expert.

"You talk about rules with me?"

Before he even arrived, the heavy sword in his hand had already unleashed a sharp Sword Gang that tore through the air, killing from ten paces.

"Not good!"

The Core Condensation expert's face changed, and he immediately retreated to evade.

But almost simultaneously, the Sigh of Dragon Transformation Art, which he had already cultivated to an introductory level, was unleashed.

This top-tier Secret Art from Tianyuan Dao stimulated the acupoints in the body, making the practitioner like a human turning into a dragon, capable of unleashing incredible power.

Even the most widely circulated Burning Origin Art Secret Art was inferior to it.

Under the Secret Art, a dragon's roar seemed to come from within Su Nanxing. The sharp sword in his hand erupted with brilliant sword light, like a divine dragon's claw. Just as the Core Condensation expert sensed the danger, he shattered the latter's protective true qi with thunderous might and pierced through his body.

"You..."

The Core Condensation expert's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Swoosh!"

Su Nanxing raised his long sword, completely tearing his body apart. "Master, he understands the rules now."

"A promising youth."

Gu Jinlai nodded, then turned his gaze back to the crowd. "You only have one chance! If you don't attack the Wang family members now, all Meteor Guards will be considered accomplices of these insubordinate individuals and will be killed on the spot!"

After speaking, he extended a finger. "I'll count to one..."

Almost as soon as he extended his finger, the survivors like Zhao Fan exchanged glances, gritted their teeth, and charged towards the Wang family disciples.

"This is too crazy!"

These people's minds were reeling.

They had no idea how the situation had taken such a sharp turn.

Unfortunately...

Gu Jinlai gave them no time to think.

Counting to one?

It was going to cost them their lives!

They didn't know the consequences of offending the Wang family.

But if they didn't act now, they wouldn't be leaving the Meteor Guard's West City branch alive today.

More than ten Meteor Guards charged into the Wang family members, quickly stirring up a bloody storm.

"No!"

"Zhao Fan, Zhang Sanshi, our Wang family will not let you go!"

"Kill them, we'll fight our way out!"

Frenzied shouts erupted from the crowd in the courtyard.

This chaos lasted for less than a minute before quickly subsiding.

The Meteor Guards, being more numerous, quickly killed all the Wang family disciples.

"Very good."

Looking at the Meteor Guard members, each holding a bloodied saber, Gu Jinlai calmly spoke.

He dragged his two-meter-long greatsword, its edge pointing forward with a promise of no survivors, and looked at the crowd in the courtyard. "Tell me, how did Wang Dongyu and these others die?"

With that, he turned to Zhao Fan, the only Core Condensation cultivator remaining in the courtyard. "You first."

"Wang Dongyu... was corrupt and broke the law. After his crimes were exposed, he violently resisted arrest, severely injuring his colleagues. To achieve this, he even summoned members of the Wang family to assist, intending to rebel..."

Zhao Fan's initial words were hesitant, but as he continued, his tone clearly became smoother and his voice grew louder, as if he firmly believed what he was saying, speaking righteously: "Fortunately, the Commander is powerful, wise, and mighty, which allowed us to thoroughly suppress these rebels and execute them on the spot."

"Yes, yes, it's all Wang Dongyu's fault!"

"Thanks to the Commander for restoring order, our Meteor Guard West City branch can finally see daylight and be bathed in light again."

"Wang Dongyu, leveraging the power of the Wang family, attempted to rebel. The Commander executed them on the spot. This action resolutely upholds the dignity of our Meteor Guard and is a great achievement."

The surviving Meteor Guard members chimed in.

They were afraid that if they spoke too slowly, they would be killed on the spot by the old devil before them, who was covered in blood but wore a satisfied smile on his face.

"Good, record it and submit it to the Inspection Department."

Gu Jinlai extended his hand.

Soon, Nian Buwang produced paper and a brush, recorded the crimes of Wang Dongyu and the others, and handed it to him.

"Everyone, sign this collectively."

Gu Jinlai pushed the document of crimes towards the leading Meteor Guard members.

The few Meteor Guard members exchanged glances.

Looking at Gu Jinlai, and then at Su Nanxing and the others who were watching them intently, they finally stepped forward and signed their names.

"Very good, from now on, we are all on the same side."

Gu Jinlai nodded. "Since we're all on the same side, there's no need to hide the roster, account books, and such from me anymore, right?"

"We'll bring them to the Commander right away."

Zhao Fan said obediently.

"That's more like it."

Gu Jinlai waved his hand. "Clean up the courtyard."

In the inner courtyard, Gu Chaoyang leaned in and whispered, "Old Ancestor, are we doing this..."

"I know what I'm doing."

Gu Jinlai said calmly, "Purgatory Sect, Changjun City, Starlight City, that's fine, but Lingxiao City alone isn't worth us being overly cautious."

"This..."

"Besides..."

Gu Jinlai sneered, "Don't you think this way of doing things is exhilarating?"

Gu Chaoyang saw that his Old Ancestor seemed to have his own plans, and then he recalled the combat power Gu Jinlai had displayed in the Heavenly Grass Pavilion...

Even a Spirit Refining Titan might be no more than this.

He nodded. "I understand. Also, the family head sent word that he has selected thirty loyal Viscera Refining and Blood Changing clansmen. They should arrive at Lingxiao City within a day or two."

"Good."

Gu Jinlai nodded. "The Meteor Guard has plenty of manpower and is quite familiar with the area around Lingxiao City. It's perfect for them to track down the demonic beasts. Once we find their traces, we can let them start cultivating."

"Yes."

Gu Chaoyang replied respectfully.

"The new forging platform and related materials should be prepared as quickly as possible."

Gu Jinlai said, pausing slightly. "Also, you and Nian Buwang have both reached the peak of Qi Refining. It's time to break through. Take a hundred thousand taels and buy a bottle of Qi Refining Pills."

"Thank you, Old Ancestor."

Gu Chaoyang's eyes showed a hint of joy.

"Go."

Gu Jinlai waved his hand.

After Gu Chaoyang left, Gu Jinlai instructed Su Nanxing to continue guarding the entrance, while he himself immersed his mind in his spiritual world.

After consuming one strand of Pure Light, there were still six strands remaining.

Correspondingly, Karma had accumulated to twelve layers.

"Twelve layers of Karma, what does that mean?"

Gu Jinlai wore a faint smile, a smile filled with unruliness. "It means nothing. It just proves that luring monsters will be easier in the future. That's a good thing."