The Dragon

Gu Fuyou picked up Zhong Michu and gently placed her on the bed, covering her with a nearby blanket.

Scholar Zhai stood by the door, peering inside. Gu Fuyou approached her, handing her a pill bottle. “Stay here with Yuan Shan and watch over her. If she shows any signs of waking, give her two more of these.”

Scholar Zhai took the bottle, examining it curiously. “What’s this?”

“They’re specially made by Si Miao,” Gu Fuyou explained.

Scholar Zhai clicked her tongue. “You’re dragging me into this mess, aren’t you? Making me an accomplice and sharing the blame.”

“I thought we were always in the same boat,” Gu Fuyou remarked.

“Is it too late to get off the boat now?” Scholar Zhai asked half-jokingly.

“What do you think?” Gu Fuyou replied.

Scholar Zhai sighed, sitting down beside the bed. She glanced at Zhong Michu, asleep and vulnerable, and felt a twinge of concern. Scholar Zhai was just a mere mortal; how could she withstand the wrath of the Dragon King? She then asked Gu Fuyou, “Why do this?”

Gu Fuyou didn’t answer, humming a lullaby, her steps light as she left.

That afternoon in Bailu City, there was an inspection at the main fighting arena. All the slaves had to attend. Due to the recent mysterious killings of slave masters, even the slaves were subject to investigation. Despite their unquestionable loyalty, there were always exceptions, so this time they too were subject to inquiry.

The so-called inspection served dual purposes: investigation and warning. Even if no leads were found, a few slaves would be selected and executed as a warning to others, a common practice in Bailu City.

For such a significant event, Zuo Yuanrong, as the City Lord, was expected to attend. By noon, the sun blazed overhead, and most attendees had arrived, but Zuo Yuanrong was nowhere to be seen.

Zuo Yi, standing among the crowd, wondered aloud, “Why hasn’t the City Lord arrived yet?”

Someone joked, “He’s probably lost track of time while boating with that beautiful lady.” These days, Zuo Yuanrong’s favoritism towards Qingluan had become more apparent. Everyone understood that Qingluan wouldn’t really be attracted to Zuo Yuanrong; if she was, it wasn’t for him as a person. Still, she was treated like the City Lord’s consort.

Zuo Yi instructed his subordinate to check, who promptly left.

Zuo Yi looked around, surprised: “Why isn’t the second master here today either?”

Someone replied, “He said he had important matters and asked us to manage things here.”

Another added, “The City Lord is preoccupied with his pleasures these days, leaving the second master to exhaustively investigate the clan member’s death, barely sleeping.”

As they spoke, Zuo Yi’s subordinate returned quickly, followed by Qingluan. People looked around, confused by Zuo Yuanrong’s absence.

Gu Fuyou walked in slowly. Zuo Yi approached, asking, “Elder, where is the City Lord?”

Gu Fuyou walked up to the stand where the city lord typically sat, announcing, “The City Lord is unwell. I will oversee this inspection on his behalf.”

This statement shocked the crowd, sparking whispers and some discontent. The Zuo family’s affairs, especially those of such importance, were always handled internally, with the city lord’s authority unquestioned. The idea of someone substituting for him was unheard of.

One of the attendees protested, “Elder, please, we request the City Lord come for the inspection.”

Gu Fuyou coldly laughed, “He is your City Lord, not mine. Why don’t you go ask him yourself instead of expecting me to do it?”

At this, the crowd assumed it was just Qingluan’s arrogant nature, not realizing anything was off.

Only when Gu Fuyou walked to the edge of the platform and called out, “Everyone,” did her voice clearly echo to every corner, causing the crowd to frown and hastily move to stop her. Only the City Lord was allowed to address from the platform.

Gu Fuyou suddenly turned, reprimanding sharply, “Back off!”

Startled, the crowd felt a chill run down their spines, realizing only then that Qingluan was a Soul Splitting stage cultivator, and they involuntarily stepped back. In all of Bailu City, aside from the reclusive Zuo Qingfeng, no one was a match for her.

As Gu Fuyou unleashed her spiritual power, the immense pressure of a Soul Splitting cultivator forced the Golden Core stage cultivators to kneel, gasping for breath. Gu Fuyou laughed mockingly, her piercing green eyes like that of a wild beast, as she looked down on them. “No wonder the powerful love to suppress others with their presence; the feeling is indeed exhilarating.”

Looking down, she continued, “Everyone.”

The slaves, trainers, and guards below looked up at her. Gu Fuyou told the trainers and guards, “I’m not addressing you.”

Silence fell.

Gu Fuyou looked at the slaves. The arena couldn’t hold all the slaves of Bailu City, so many lower-level slaves were waiting for their turn in Dashe.

Gu Fuyou observed their wooden expressions, all molded into obedient puppets with hardly any differing faces or a glimmer of individuality in their eyes. She asked, “Do you want to leave Bailu City and see the world?”

The slaves stared blankly, unable to comprehend her words. Those on the podium, however, began to sense something ominous.

Gu Fuyou said, “The world is vast and boundless. You were meant to be free, to roam the earth, achieve greatness like these people, be waited on by thousands, or choose a quiet life with your loved ones.”

“But, elder, they are slaves…” came an objection.

…Not humans.

That unspoken thought was silenced by Gu Fuyou’s piercing gaze.

Gu Fuyou continued, “Look at yourselves and them; you all have heads, chests, limbs, a body. Just because of a contract, you’ve lost everything, for this life, for your descendants, forever.”

The slaves looked on, their eyes blank, like those of young children.

“The Zuo family robbed you of everything. They are not gods; they have no right to do this.”

“No, in Nanzhou, my Zuo family is God!” boomed a deep voice, echoing heavily in everyone’s hearts.

Gu Fuyou turned to see a man standing mid-air, with a chiseled face, sharp eyes, a determined gaze, and a cloak fluttering around him, one arm made of steel.

Gu Fuyou’s eyes widened, recognizing the face that she had etched in her heart. Seeing him now, she felt a surge of emotions, her body heating up.

Zuo Qingfeng.

“It was I who killed your father, leaving no trace of his existence.”

“I’m telling you, even if you’re not a prisoner of the Zuo family, someone like you could never kill me in this lifetime.”

“Seek revenge in your next life.”

These words, his voice, his tone, were all clearly remembered by Gu Fuyou, echoing in her mind.

Zuo Qingfeng looked down at her, “So you are Qingluan, who has been associating with my uncle these days? Finally showing your true colors today.”

Zuo Peixian rushed over with his subordinates. Zuo Yi hurriedly asked, “Young master, what’s happening? Why has the protector left seclusion?”

Zuo Peixian snorted coldly, “This Qingluan indeed harbors ill intentions, just as I suspected. It’s about time.” The city had been experiencing a series of unexplained deaths, a situation never seen before. This prompted him to consider asking Zuo Qingfeng to come out of seclusion. Today, amidst the slave inspection and the large gathering, chaos seemed likely, making him feel uneasy.

Eventually, he decided to ask Zuo Qingfeng to come out of seclusion, hoping he would take charge of the situation. Unexpectedly, it turned out to be timely, as he returned just in time to hear about Qingluan deceiving a group of slaves.

Gu Fuyou’s body trembled with excitement, hugging herself and looking at Zuo Qingfeng with a strangely enchanting smile.

She cried out to the sky, “Zuo Qingfeng!!!”

A tornado suddenly rose from the ground, twisting and shooting straight towards the sky, causing those in the martial arts arena to struggle to stand. The tornado moved towards Zuo Qingfeng, who retreated into the air on his sword and loudly commanded, “Open the city’s defensive formations!”

His voice, powerful and resonant, reached the city gate tower.

He saw Gu Fuyou charging straight at him. He did not wish to confront her in the city, despite the many defensive formations there. The people in the martial arts arena could not withstand the destruction of two powerful Soul Splitting stage cultivators, so he intended to lure Gu Fuyou out of the arena and into the sky.

He knew Qingluan would surely follow, her murderous intent so evident that it turned the air cold. He didn’t remember having any feud with Qingluan, but he didn’t care much about it either.

After hearing Zuo Peixian’s account and Qingluan’s own words, he concluded she must be a spy from the Azure Phoenix Clan, sowing discord in Nanzhou. Whatever her grievances with him, they were irrelevant. His current goal was only one thing — to break her wings and eliminate this trouble!

The two chased and retreated, soaring into the sky, with Bailu City beneath them gradually becoming as small as grains of sand.

Zuo Qingfeng no longer concealed his spiritual power. As they faced off in the air, a few meters apart, the display of their power changed the weather itself.

“Did the Azure Phoenix Clan send you?” he questioned.

Gu Fuyou, her eyes tinged with madness, replied, “Zuo Qingfeng, I’ve been longing to meet you.” She had planned to deal with the affairs in Bailu City before seeking him out, not expecting the Zuo family to summon him so soon. Nonetheless, she was eager.

“Have we met before?” Zuo Qingfeng asked.

Gu Fuyou only smiled in response, looking somewhat insane. Zuo Qingfeng, a man of few words and direct action, seeing no point in further questioning, attacked with his sword.

A practitioner of external cultivation and with a metallic spiritual root, Zuo Qingfeng had lost an arm seven hundred years ago in a fight with Gu Wanpeng. Surprisingly, this loss led to an advancement in his cultivation. Gu Fuyou, an internal cultivator, knew she was at a disadvantage in close combat with him. Despite her frenzy, she retained enough sense to keep her distance and summoned her weapon, Yinhen, to fight.

With a surge of spiritual power, Gu Fuyou swiftly activated a formation. Yinhen, her weapon, was like a master of array formation, proficient in various kinds, reducing the time needed for formation and not relying on her spiritual power. Her task was simply to find a formation that could counter Zuo Qingfeng’s moves.

She created three barriers, turning the sky into her domain and suppressing Zuo Qingfeng’s ability to draw power from the earth and sky. Zuo Qingfeng, however, was no ordinary opponent. His fearsome blade, like the judge’s pen from the underworld, shattered her barriers and dispersed the clouds for miles around. As the sword light struck Gu Fuyou, her body twisted like ripples, and a talisman split in two, fluttering down from the sky.

Shocked, Zuo Qingfeng looked behind. Gu Fuyou, unbeknownst to him, had circled to his back, holding Yinhen in reverse grip, with the light from her formation dominating, heralding a storm.

A fiery light ignited in Zuo Qingfeng’s eyes, revealing a smile. As a seeker of strength, he relished battles with powerful opponents, the more challenging, the more spirited he became.

Down in Bailu City, people gazed at the sky, witnessing a scene like the heavens collapsing. A fierce wind rolled thick clouds, shrouding the sun and casting the world into darkness. Amidst the clouds, occasional flashes of light flickered, creating a surreal and ominous atmosphere.

An overwhelming pressure descended, nearly bringing those of lower cultivation to their knees. Seven looked up, with Twenty-Three not far away. The immense pressure made it hard for her to breathe, but her eyes stayed fixed on the sky, her heartbeat accelerating with unprecedented strength.

Such powerful people, such immense power, filled her with awe, admiration, and a desire to submit, stirring her blood and making her head swim with dreams of disrupting the heavens and plucking the stars.

A blinding white light engulfed everything with a deafening roar. When their vision returned, a hole was torn in the thick cloud cover, letting sunlight pour through.

A figure fell, crashing onto the viewing platform’s table. The Zuo family members gasped in shock, “The Protector!”

Zuo Qingfeng, blood pouring from his mouth and a gaping wound in his chest, his high cultivation once a pillar for Bailu City, now defeated. “How could Qingluan wield such power?”

As people rushed to help, a green figure gracefully landed beside Zuo Qingfeng, startling everyone and halting their approach.

Gu Fuyou looked disheveled, her right sleeve burned to the shoulder, and her slender arm stained with blood, grimaced in pain as she pulled out the embedded sword, causing blood to flow freely. Discarding the sword, she swallowed a handful of medicinal pills, covering her wound. She approached Zuo Qingfeng, sneering down at him, “Seeing you like this, I am truly delighted.”

It was a sight she had long for day and night.

Deep down, she felt a surge of emotions, almost on the verge of tears.

Zuo Qingfeng struggled to sit up, then collapsed back, panting before managing to speak, “I admit defeat.”

Gu Fuyou shook her head, “Admit defeat? How can you? Do you remember how confidently you told me, ‘In this lifetime, you can’t kill me. Seek revenge in your next life’?”

Zuo Qingfeng’s face registered shock and confusion. Gu Fuyou, standing over him, reversing Yinhen in her hand, and said with a smile, “Even though my father was reduced to ashes, I’ll always remember that you had the decency to bring my elder brother’s corpse from the city wall. For that, I’ll leave you a whole corpse.”

Zuo Qingfeng’s expression changed dramatically, and he tried to speak, “Gu…”

But Yinhen plunged down, piercing his core, silencing him forever, his shocked expression eternally frozen in time.