Gu Sheng gave a cold snort, a trace of disdain flashing through his eyes.
"Ning Fengzhi is an old fox who has always prided himself on his cleverness. Looks like he thinks he can see through everything."
"The fact that he didn't come means he already suspects your identity. He even thinks you usurped the throne."
Qian Renxue sighed helplessly and nestled in Gu Sheng's arms.
"After all, he taught 'Xue Qinghe' for years. He knows 'Xue Qinghe's' habits like the back of his hand."
"I disguised myself well, but with Xue Ye's sudden death and my coronation happening so quickly, it would be stranger if he didn't suspect something."
Gu Sheng gently stroked her long hair.
"So what if he suspects?"
"In the face of absolute strength, all his little tricks will only lead him to his own death."
At that moment, inside the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, not far from Heaven Dou City.
The atmosphere in the council hall was so oppressive it was hard to breathe.
Ning Fengzhi sat at the head of the table, his face frighteningly grim.
Sword Douluo Chen Xin and Bone Douluo Gu Rong sat on either side of him.
"Sect Master, word has come from Heaven Dou City. That 'Xue Qinghe' bestowed the title of 'Saint Spirit King' on that man in black at today's grand court assembly."
Gu Rong's voice was low, his eyes filled with gravity.
At those words, Ning Fengzhi slammed the tea table beside him. The exquisite porcelain cups shattered instantly.
"Absurd! This is utterly absurd!"
"I watched Xue Qinghe grow up. He could never have written such an edict, much less so recklessly bestowed a royal title on some unknown man and granted him equal standing with the emperor!"
Ning Fengzhi's voice grew shrill, his chest heaving violently.
Chen Xin's eyes were half-closed. He held the Seven Kill Sword in his arms, while the sword aura surrounding him flickered faintly.
"Fengzhi, do you suspect that the person sitting on the throne now isn't Xue Qinghe at all?"
Ning Fengzhi took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down.
"It's not a suspicion. I'm certain!"
"Xue Ye's sudden death was suspicious. Xue Qinghe changed completely the moment he ascended the throne, and even his appearance seemed unnatural."
"Most importantly, that Gu Sheng who suddenly appeared is terrifyingly strong."
"He badly wounded Tang Hao with a single strike in front of Spirit Hall, and now he's turning the Heaven Dou Empire upside down with a wave of his hand."
"There must be a shocking conspiracy lurking behind all this!"
As he spoke, a trace of fear flashed through Ning Fengzhi's eyes.
"If I'm not mistaken, the real Xue Qinghe must have been killed long ago."
"The ones controlling the Heaven Dou Empire now are usurping fiends—or even... Spirit Hall!"
Gu Rong's expression changed drastically, and he rose to his feet in shock.
"What? Spirit Hall?!"
"If that's true, then isn't our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect in danger?"
Ning Fengzhi clenched his teeth, his fists balled tight.
"We absolutely cannot acknowledge this false emperor!"
"Our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect has been loyal to the imperial family of the Heaven Dou Empire for generations. We can't stand by and watch the empire fall into the hands of these fiends."
"Fengzhi, what do you plan to do?"
Chen Xin opened his eyes, a sharp glint in his gaze.
A look of resolve flashed through Ning Fengzhi's eyes.
"Notify the sect's disciples. Put everyone on the highest alert immediately."
"At the same time, secretly send people to contact the Heaven Dou Empire's border generals, especially those loyal to Xue Ye."
"Tell them there's been a crisis in Heaven Dou City. A false emperor has usurped the throne. Have them lead their troops back to the capital and come to the emperor's aid!"
"I refuse to believe that the combined strength of our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and the empire's million-strong army won't be enough to deal with two usurping fiends!"
As soon as Ning Fengzhi finished speaking, a hurried series of footsteps sounded outside the hall.
A disciple of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect rushed in, frantic. He was moving so fast that he even tripped over the threshold.
"Sect Master! It's bad! It's bad!"
The disciple dropped to his knees with a thud, his face so pale that not a trace of color remained.
Ning Fengzhi furrowed his brow as an ominous feeling rose in his heart.
"Why are you panicking? Have you no manners? What happened?"
The disciple swallowed, then said in a trembling voice:
"It's... it's Saint Spirit King!"
"Saint Spirit King Gu Sheng has led an elite imperial army out of Heaven Dou City. They're heading straight for our sect!"
"What?!"
Ning Fengzhi shot to his feet, unable to believe what he was hearing.
"How dare he? The grand court assembly has only just ended, and he's already sent out troops?"
Gu Rong's expression changed as well.
"Sect Master, it seems that usurping woman never intended to spare us."
"They're striking first to wipe out our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect!"
Chen Xin abruptly stood up. The Seven Kill Sword in his arms rang out with a clear chime.
"Good! Let's see what this so-called 'Saint Spirit King' is really capable of!"
Ning Fengzhi's expression shifted, but years of experience as a leader quickly helped him regain his composure.
"Uncle Gu, Uncle Jian, gather every fighter in the sect immediately. We'll meet them at the mountain gate!"
"No matter who they are, if they want to swallow the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, they'll have to lose a few teeth!"
"Yes!"
At Ning Fengzhi's command, the entire Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect sprang into action.
Countless disciples assembled at the mountain gate, the tension reaching its peak.
At that moment, on the plain less than ten li from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
A vast imperial army, black as a storm cloud, advanced slowly.
At the very front of the army was a luxurious war chariot pulled by eight massive Soul Beasts.
Gu Sheng sat quietly atop it in his black royal robes, calmly gazing at the distant mountains.
At his side, Qian Renxue wore military attire as well, looking valiant and dashing.
"Husband, aren't we acting a little too quickly? Could this be too hasty?"
Qian Renxue asked with some concern.
"The Heaven Dou Empire has only just stabilized. If we move against the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect now, could it provoke a backlash from the other factions?"
Gu Sheng turned to her and smiled gently, taking her hand in his.
"Xue'er, when dealing with people who pride themselves on their cleverness, you have to use thunderous methods."
"The longer you delay, the more little tricks Ning Fengzhi can pull."
"Only by crushing him with overwhelming force will those with ulterior motives truly feel fear—and truly submit to you."
At her husband's words, the worry in Qian Renxue's heart vanished, replaced by boundless trust.
"Mm, I'll do as you say, Husband."
The army advanced swiftly. Before long, they arrived at the mountain gate of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
Looking at the disciples standing ready above, Gu Sheng remained calm and unruffled.
He slowly rose and walked through the air, step by step, toward the mountain above.
With every step, it was as though an invisible staircase supported him in the sky.
A tremendous pressure radiated from him, making it hard for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect disciples before him even to breathe.
Ning Fengzhi, Chen Xin, and Gu Rong stood at the very front. Their expressions turned solemn as they watched the young man in black approach through the air.
"Gu Sheng!"
Ning Fengzhi stepped forward and shouted.
"As the Heaven Dou Empire's 'Saint Spirit King,' you've actually led troops to attack a sect without authorization. You're openly trampling the laws of the empire!"
"That woman sitting on the throne isn't Xue Qinghe at all!"
"You usurping fiends really think everyone in the world is a fool?!"
Ning Fengzhi's voice was hoarse, echoing through the valley.
Gu Sheng stopped and looked down at Ning Fengzhi, a trace of contempt flashing through his eyes.
"Ning Fengzhi, have you finished spouting nonsense?"
His voice was soft, yet it carried clearly into everyone's ears.
"I am the Heaven Dou Empire's Saint Spirit King. Whatever I say is the law."
"As for usurping the throne?"
Gu Sheng gave a disdainful laugh.
"The strong rule the world."
"If that old fool Xue Ye couldn't hold on to his empire, then we took it from him. What's wrong with that?"
"You pride yourself on being clever, yet you choose this moment to play the loyal subject. You truly don't know when to quit."
Hearing Gu Sheng's outrageously treasonous words, Ning Fengzhi trembled with rage.
"You... you traitor!"
"Uncle Jian, Uncle Gu, attack!"
As soon as Ning Fengzhi spoke, the air before the mountain gate froze.
Chen Xin and Gu Rong did not hesitate. Their Soul Rings lit up at the same time, and mighty waves of Soul Power surged outward like a tide.
Gu Rong stepped forward and formed a seal with both hands. The space behind him immediately began to ripple violently.
A gigantic Bone Dragon took shape in midair. Blue flames flickered in its hollow eye sockets as it let out a deafening roar.
"Saint Spirit King, let this old man test your abilities today!"
Gu Rong struck first. The Bone Dragon swung its enormous body through the air, wreathed in a chilling aura of death, and dived toward Gu Sheng.
Faced with such a mighty attack, Gu Sheng didn't even raise an eyelid.
He stood quietly in the air, both hands behind his back, his black royal robes snapping in the gale.
"This is all you've got? And you dare bark at me?"
Watching the Bone Dragon rush toward him, Gu Sheng simply raised a hand and struck with his palm.
There was no flashy Soul Skill, nor any excess surge of Soul Power—just an utterly ordinary palm strike.
Golden light gathered in his palm, forming a golden handprint dozens of meters wide. It crashed into the Bone Dragon with tremendous force.
Boom!
The thunderous explosion sent a fierce shock wave raging outward, uprooting every tree and plant nearby.
The Bone Dragon, which had looked so imposing, was covered in countless cracks the moment it touched the golden handprint. Then, under Gu Rong's horrified gaze, it shattered into a shower of bone fragments.
Gu Rong felt an irresistible force surge back through his Soul Power. He grunted and staggered back more than a dozen steps before finally steadying himself, his blood and energy roiling inside him.
"Uncle Gu!"
Ning Fengzhi's expression shifted. He raised the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda in his hands.
Seven-colored light swirled around the divine pagoda, its dazzling radiance enveloping the entire mountain gate.
"Seven Treasures Have Names: First: Strength! Second: Speed! Third: Soul! Fourth: Defense!"
Four beams of colored light shot from the top of the pagoda and precisely entered Gu Rong and Chen Xin.
With Ning Fengzhi's full support, color returned to Gu Rong's pale face, and his aura rose once more.
Chen Xin, who had remained still until now, finally opened his eyes.
An ancient longsword appeared in his palm out of thin air.
Its blade was clear blue all over, as though carved from crystal. Strange runes were engraved upon it, and its edge radiated a chilling sharpness.
This was the famed top-tier weapon-type Martial Soul, the Seven Kill Sword.
Chen Xin held the sword in one hand. In that instant, he seemed to merge with the blade.
"Thank you for your support, Fengzhi."
Chen Xin exhaled and looked at Gu Sheng with a solemn expression.
"Saint Spirit King, your strength is truly extraordinary. Today, I'll use this Seven Kill Sword to trade a few moves with you."
Gu Sheng glanced at the sword in Chen Xin's hand, his expression still calm.
"The Seven Kill Sword is indeed a fine Martial Soul."
"But in the face of absolute strength, your sword won't save the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."
Chen Xin said nothing more. The nine Soul Rings beneath his feet lit up simultaneously.
His body left an afterimage where he stood. In the next instant, he had already appeared above Gu Sheng.
"Myriad Swords Return to the Sect!"
Chen Xin's clear shout echoed through the sky.
Countless clear-blue sword auras formed out of thin air, densely filling the space like an ocean of blades.
Every sword aura contained immense destructive power, twisting the space around them.
"Fall!"
Chen Xin pointed downward with two fingers held like a sword.
The countless sword auras swept toward Gu Sheng in a sky-filling torrent, accompanied by sharp whistles.
Watching from below, Qian Renxue narrowed her beautiful eyes slightly. Her jade hand unconsciously clenched the hem of her military uniform.
Although she knew her husband was immensely powerful, she couldn't help worrying as he faced a full-strength attack from Chen Xin, a level-97 Super Douluo, amplified to its limit by Ning Fengzhi.
"Xue'er, there's no need to worry."
Gu Sheng's gentle voice sounded in Qian Renxue's ear, and her tense body relaxed.
In midair, Gu Sheng gazed at the overwhelming rain of swords without moving a muscle.
A faint golden barrier of light flared around him.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The densely packed sword qi slammed into the golden barrier, unleashing a relentless barrage of violent explosions. Blinding light swallowed Gu Sheng's figure.
"Did it work?"
Gu Rong wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and stared at the blast zone.
Ning Fengzhi held his breath as well.
But before the smoke had even cleared, a calm voice rang out from within the light.
"Your swordsmanship is impressive, but your blows are too weak."
As the words fell, a powerful surge of golden energy swept outward in a ring, clearing away the smoke and lingering sword qi.
Gu Sheng stood calmly where he was. His black royal robes didn't have a single wrinkle, and the golden barrier remained completely intact.
Chen Xin's pupils contracted sharply.
He knew full well how powerful his attack was. Amplified by Ning Fengzhi, even a Titled Douluo of the same level wouldn't dare take it head-on like that.
Yet the young man before him hadn't even had his defenses breached.
Before you continue