Demon Slaying, Gaining 60 Years of Cultivation From the Start

"But if King Huai himself said it, could this be fake?"

At this moment, the surrounding commoners were utterly bewildered. The news that Gu Chen was in league with the demonic cult struck them like a thunderbolt from the blue.

This was also the very purpose of King Huai's summoning of these commoners to this place.

Although he could forcefully suppress them with military power, if all the commoners were to riot, it would be nothing short of trouble for himself.

Therefore, King Huai had specially prepared this "stage" today to perform and deceive the commoners of Da Xia.

"Lord Wanhu could never collude with the demonic cult!"

At that moment, a resonant voice was heard as a troop from the Jing Tian Department, including Chen Yu and Song Yu, slowly approached from not far off.

King Huai and his entourage glanced indifferently at these people before disregarding them. Without a person of high authority present, how could the commoners possibly believe them?

"Gu Chen, here and now, in front of this vast assembly, His Highness is willing to give you a chance to repent. Kneel and bow your head. Your conspiracy has been completely exposed; don't keep deceiving yourself!" that first-rank minister continued to speak, listing all the crimes attributed to Gu Chen.

But Gu Chen remained indifferent. Despite being alone against numerous enemies, he did not change his demeanor. In fact, he had anticipated this, for it was not the first time King Huai had tried to sully his reputation.

"Where is my second uncle and his family, and what of the new emperor?" Gu Chen coldly questioned King Huai.

On the other side, seeing that Gu Chen ignored him completely, that minister was suddenly filled with indignation and said in a harsh tone, "Gu Chen, do you really intend to persist in your misguided ways and remain unrepentant until death? You truly deserve to die!"

"What are you even worth!"

At that moment, Gu Chen's eyes sharpened, and he suddenly looked towards that person, saying, "Do you even have the right to accuse me?"

"How presumptuous!"

That minister, as well as several other ministers, all spoke up at once, actually scolding Gu Chen.

Clearly, they thought that with Gu Chen's family in King Huai's hands, he should not dare to make any rash moves.

At this moment, a smug look appeared involuntarily in the eyes of those people. They still harbored grievances over how Wu Fei was bloodily slain in the Jinluan Hall by Gu Chen, which had shaken them to their cores.

Gu Chen's gaze shifted, sweeping over the civil and military officials and the powerful nobility. Most of them had gathered here today. The small remaining fraction that was loyal to Ji Yuan and to Da Xia had been imprisoned or killed by King Huai.

"Traitors and conspirators, fabricating facts, even daring to attack the Emperor, you heartless beasts, all of you should be executed!"

In an instant, Gu Chen's eyes blazed with intensity, and within his pupils, a golden light flickered. As the words left his lips, the heads of those ministers who had spoken against him promptly exploded.

"Ah..."

The next moment, cries of horror rose. This spectacle shocked the rest of the ministers and nobles; they hadn't expected that, even with his family held hostage, Gu Chen would still dare act so boldly.

Minister of the War Department Chen Yuanli and others looked at Gu Chen with undisguised fear, dreading that they might be next to suffer a grisly fate.

Meanwhile, the onlooking commoners were stunned, never having thought they would witness such a scene.

"Lord Wanhu... so domineering!"

"Is this the man known in the martial world as the Butcher?"

The commoners murmured among themselves, stunned. Those powerful figures, in their eyes, were being slain by Gu Chen as easily as if he were killing chickens.

At this moment, the people from the six major holy lands around them looked at Gu Chen with disdain still written on their faces, including Yuan Feng among them. Their gazes were complicated.

"He really is as arrogant as the rumors suggest," said Lin Feng from the Vault of Sky Sword Sect, who stood beside King Huai, indifferently.

"He's nothing more than a barbarian from the lower realm, after all, still lacking discipline. Had he been in the upper realm, he would have died countless times by now, and can only strut around in the impoverished lower realm of Jiuzhou," Mo Lun from Mount Tianzhu in the holy land of the upper realm said coldly.

Yang Qian's expression was indifferent as he likewise spoke, "Arrogance requires strength and backing, and without either, it's a sign of a problem in the head."

"Hahaha..." Hearing this, Lin Feng immediately burst into laughter.

"Senior brother, what do we do now?" At this time, the younger disciples of the holy land behind Yuan Feng asked.

Clearly, they didn't think highly of Gu Chen, feeling that he was merely courting death. Not to mention anything else, just Lin Feng and his companions were more than Gu Chen could handle.

At this moment, King Huai spoke, his gaze inscrutable as he looked at Gu Chen and said, "I've always valued talent and will give you one more chance. Kneel here and now, and you might have a sliver of hope for survival."

"There's no need for such pretense," Gu Chen replied indifferently, "A battle between us is inevitable, with only victory or defeat to determine the outcome. What use is there in saying so much?"

At the same time, Gu Chen turned his head, looking towards the people of Jing Tian Department and said, "Go, disperse the civilians in the vicinity."

"Yes, sir!"

The people of Jing Tian Department took their orders and went to the surrounding area, telling the onlookers to leave. Otherwise, once a fight started here, these civilians would instantly perish.

"Gu Chen, you killed disciples of the Wanfu Xuanzong, and this account should be settled properly," someone stated.

"My Red Cloud Sect agrees!"

Suddenly, from within the crowd, two young men with chilling gazes stepped forward. Each of these men possessed late-stage Coagulation Field martial cultivation realms, with an air about them that was otherworldly, clearly indicating they were from the upper realm!

Gu Chen furrowed his brows; the upper realm was truly relentless, continuously sending people to the lower realm, obviously determined to claim the inheritance at any cost.

In the distance, the corners of King Huai's mouth curled into a smile, his eyes mocking as he watched the scene—this was all prepared for Gu Chen by him.

He certainly wouldn't let Gu Chen easily engage in combat with him.

In King Huai's view, the collaboration between two individuals from Wanfu Xuanzong and Red Cloud Sect was sufficient to test Gu Chen's true strength.

"It seems there's no need for us to take action, this native is as good as dead," Lin Feng said with a faint smile, making such a judgment.

Yuan Feng and the others changed color, as the two men from Wanfu Xuanzong and Red Cloud Sect were quite renowned even in the upper realm.

"Come here and meet your end!" the two from Wanfu Xuanzong and Red Cloud Sect taunted.

Gu Chen gave them a glance and uttered just four words, "Clowns jumping on stilts!"

At these words, the eyes of the two turned icy cold, and they were about to make their move.

However, at the moment they thought to strike, Gu Chen's actions were quicker than theirs.

"I have no time for your dilly-dallying. If you wish to strike, step forward; today, I will commence a massacre and slay you all!"

In that moment, Gu Chen's hair flew wildly, and his aura surged to its peak. Radiant light burst forth, and his hand, like an eternal monument, pressed down with a light that shocked the world. With an unmatched force in his punch, he straight away reduced so-called geniuses from Wanfu Xuanzong and Red Cloud Sect to disintegration.

Their flesh cracked and, amid their cries, they turned into a skyfull of blood rain.

One move to kill two late Coagulation Field geniuses from the upper realm, leaving no remains—this spectacle left countless onlookers dumbstruck.

"He... he actually possesses such strength?" Behind Yuan Feng and others, disciples from the holy lands of Infinite Dao Gate and Cloud Heaven Palace watched the scene in disbelief, never expecting that Gu Chen, who seemed to be courting death, could be frighteningly powerful.

Even King Huai and Lin Feng had their expressions solidify, shocked by the combat power Gu Chen had displayed.

"Ji Xuanjing, you betray Da Xia by bringing wolves into the house, conspiring with foreigners to steal the National Artifacts in a bid to turn heaven and earth upside down. You are a treacherous subject and a rebel at heart, and your crime must be punished!" Gu Chen's voice boomed under the sky, instantly spreading throughout the entire Tiandu!