Chapter 436: Chapter 248: The Zhong Family’s Decision
"I’ll ask," Xu Jianzhu nodded.
"Don’t listen to him," Zhong Duxiu said grimly. "Just ask Gu Zheng what it would take for him to give up the Crimson Moon Heaven-Covering Blade. As long as he dares to name a price, we’ll find a way to meet it!"
"Patriarch..."
"You shut up! All of you, shut your mouths!" Zhong Duxiu suddenly exploded with rage, pointing at the few who were about to speak again. He cursed them, his voice filled with exasperation. "A bunch of worthless fools! At a time like this, you still want to provoke him? Have your brains turned to mush?"
"..."
The room fell silent.
"Lord Xu, you may go," Zhong Duxiu said, taking a deep breath to suppress his anger.
"Yes, sir." Xu Jianzhu cupped his fist, bowed to Zhong Yi as well, then turned and flew toward the entrance of the Ancestral Land Space.
"I hope this goes smoothly," Zhong Yi sighed.
He never thought his worst fears would actually come to pass.
Gu Zheng had actually obtained the Crimson Moon Heaven-Covering Blade!
The Zhong Family’s response was now critical.
In any case, a complete falling-out was out of the question. The consequences would be too severe for anyone to bear.
...
...
「Qingshi County.」
Gu Zheng’s true body was still operating the Daluo Celestial Inference Technique to complete the Three Domains Unification.
His two doubles, on the other hand, were extremely busy.
One double returned to the Gu Mansion and gathered everyone from the Gu Family. For the time being, no one was to leave the estate. If the situation took a turn for the worse, they were to retreat into the underground bunker.
The other double summoned the Aliens—Sen Taibai, Bo Taixing, and Ji Taihao—along with the clan leaders of the four great Alien Races, the Undead Race Great Monarch, and the Gorons. He informed them of the trouble stirred up by the Crimson Moon Heaven-Covering Blade and the great battle that might be on the horizon.
If war broke out, the Alien Races’ primary mission was to lead the Gu family out of Qingshi County, head north, and enter the Han Family’s Ancestral Land!
With the Han Family annihilated, the Ancestral Land Space they left behind was now under Gu Zheng’s control, guarded by members of the Two-Eared and Three-Eyed Races.
Once they escaped into the Ancestral Land Space and sealed the entrance, the Zhong Family’s fury would be nothing more than impotent rage.
The only reason he hadn’t moved everyone there already was that his Three Domains Unification was on the verge of completion.
Once Qingshi County was integrated into the Spirit Realm Space, the entire county would become an impregnable fortress!
It would be a better and stronger sanctuary than even the Han Family’s Ancestral Land.
Hiding in the Han Family’s Ancestral Land forever would be no different from serving a prison sentence.
But staying in Qingshi County was a different matter entirely.
With the Three Domains Unification, Gu Zheng could unleash his power to its absolute limit. By fully mobilizing the Spirit Realm, his Domain, and the Territory itself, he could deliver a blow that not even a third-stage King’s Body could withstand. Of course, he could only use such an attack once, and it required a long cooldown period afterward.
Furthermore, those within the unified area would receive immense benefits from the stimulation of its formless aura.
Therefore, although Gu Zheng had made multiple preparations, the most important thing was to buy time!
He needed to complete the Three Domains Unification in the window of time before the Zhong Family made their move.
To this end, one of his doubles left the county seat and traveled to a deserted mountaintop thirty li away.
When Xu Jianzhu arrived, he saw this double of Gu Zheng calmly waving him over.
WHOOSH~
With a gust of wind, Xu Jianzhu descended from the sky, landing in front of Gu Zheng’s double.
"Lord Xu!"
Gu Zheng raised a cupped fist in salute to Xu Jianzhu.
"..." Xu Jianzhu fell silent, unsure for a moment how to begin.
His gaze toward Gu Zheng was filled with a complex mix of emotions.
’How long has it been?’ he thought. ’Not only has Gu Zheng surpassed me, but he’s also gotten into a conflict like this with the Zhong Family.’
’A Divine Weapon, no less!’
With a Divine Weapon at stake, neither Gu Zheng nor the Zhong Family would ever back down.
’The Zhong Family sent me here to negotiate, but is this really something that can be resolved with just words?’
Xu Jianzhu remained silent.
"Lord Xu, please speak freely," Gu Zheng’s double said with a small smile. "At this point, everything else is meaningless. What matters is the message the Zhong Family sent with you and how they plan to respond."
"..." Xu Jianzhu was silent for a long moment before speaking. "I came alone."
At first glance, the statement seemed redundant. In reality, it hinted at the Zhong Family’s attitude.
For the time being, they weren’t trying any tricks; they had simply sent Xu Jianzhu to negotiate.
Gu Zheng’s double understood the implication.
"And?"
"The Zhong Family Patriarch wants to know your terms for relinquishing the Crimson Moon Heaven-Covering Blade. He said that as long as you name them, they will do everything in their power to meet them," Xu Jianzhu responded calmly.
"They can meet any terms I name?" Gu Zheng’s double laughed.
"That’s what they said," Xu Jianzhu confirmed with a nod.
"In that case, I want the heads of Zhong Duxiu, Zhong Zhengqiong, Zhong Zhenghong... and the rest," Gu Zheng’s double said, his expression turning serious.
Xu Jianzhu was speechless. "..."
’Are those terms?’
’That’s a declaration of war! A complete break!’
"Gu Zheng..."
"Lord Xu, there’s no need to say any more." Gu Zheng’s double raised a hand, cutting off Xu Jianzhu’s attempt to reason with him. "This is about a Divine Weapon. Neither side is going to back down. Besides, I didn’t steal or snatch the Crimson Moon Heaven-Covering Blade. The instant I awakened its Artifact Spirit, the Divine Weapon acknowledged me as its master on its own."
"It acknowledged you as its master the moment it was awakened?" Xu Jianzhu frowned.
"It’s true. I have no reason to lie to you, my lord," Gu Zheng’s double said earnestly. "The Divine Weapon Spirit acknowledged me as its master. Who would pass up such a stroke of good fortune?"
Although Gu Zheng had originally intended to use a Slave Seal on the Crimson Moon Heaven-Covering Blade’s Artifact Spirit.
But it was also a fact that Yue’Er had acknowledged him as her master immediately upon awakening, so his double wasn’t technically lying.
"..."
Xu Jianzhu fell silent.
’That explains it,’ he thought. He had been wondering how Gu Zheng had dared to steal a Divine Weapon right under Zhong Duxiu’s nose.
It turned out the Divine Weapon had acknowledged its master first.
It acknowledged whoever awakened it.
Such things were known to happen.
But if that was the case, the situation had just gotten much more complicated.
Whether the Zhong Family believed him or not was no longer important.
What mattered was that for a Divine Weapon that had acknowledged a master, changing ownership required the current master to personally sever their connection to it.
Would Gu Zheng ever do that?
Impossible!
And would the Zhong Family be willing to let the Crimson Moon Heaven-Covering Blade be taken by Gu Zheng just like that?
Also impossible!
"..."
Silence. Xu Jianzhu fell silent once more, at a complete loss for words.
"There’s no need for you to be troubled, Lord Xu."
Seeing his predicament, Gu Zheng’s double chuckled. "When you return, my lord, just tell them what happened. Whatever moves the Zhong Family wants to make, I’ll be ready."
"...Alright." Xu Jianzhu nodded. "Be careful."
With that said, he turned and flew off in the direction of the Royal Capital.
Gu Zheng’s double remained standing on the mountaintop, watching until Xu Jianzhu vanished over the horizon.
’What move will the Zhong Family make?’
...
...
「Zhong Family Ancestral Land.」
"What? The moment Gu Zheng awakened the Crimson Moon Heaven-Covering Blade, the Divine Weapon automatically acknowledged him as its master?"
After hearing the news Xu Jianzhu brought back, Zhong Zhengao’s eyes widened in disbelief. "That’s impossible! Is Gu Zheng playing us for fools?"
"No, it’s possible."
Zhong Duxiu said grimly, "When Gu Zheng awakened the Crimson Moon Heaven-Covering Blade, I was right beside him. He really didn’t make any major moves, and taming a Divine Weapon is neither that fast nor that quiet. I couldn’t figure out what trick he’d pulled before. But if the Divine Weapon acknowledged him as its master from the very beginning, then everything makes sense."
"But... but..."
Zhong Zhengao opened his mouth and raised a hand as if to argue, but for a moment, he was at a loss for words.
After all their calculations, they had never imagined that the Crimson Moon Heaven-Covering Blade had already acknowledged Gu Zheng as its master!
How could they possibly negotiate now?
Negotiate my ass!
Zhong Yi, too, fell silent.
A conflict with Gu Zheng was now inevitable.
But if they truly went to war and broke all ties, the consequences would be unpredictable.
Gu Zheng probably knew how many King’s Bodies and Heroic Bodies the Zhong Family possessed.
But the Zhong Family had no idea how many King’s Bodies Gu Zheng had hidden up his sleeve.
One side’s strength was out in the open, while the other’s was hidden in the shadows. If a battle truly broke out...
...no one could guarantee the Zhong Family’s chances of victory.
"..."
Silence.
This time, everyone—including Zhong Yi and Zhong Duxiu—fell silent.
They couldn’t stomach the thought of giving up.
But they had no confidence they would win if they actually fought.
What could they do?
"Let me handle this."
In the silence, Zhong Zhengqiong suddenly spoke, shattering the quiet. "I will go and challenge Gu Zheng. The two of us will duel. A single fight to determine the victor. The winner gets the Crimson Moon Heaven-Covering Blade!"
"But..."
"I know." Zhong Zhengqiong raised a hand, cutting Zhong Yi off. "The Crimson Moon Heaven-Covering Blade has already acknowledged Gu Zheng as its master. Getting him to sever his connection to the Divine Weapon will be next to impossible. But this matter must be resolved. We don’t want an all-out war, and I believe Gu Zheng doesn’t want to see the Gu family die, either."
"A duel is the best way!"
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