Chapter 451: Chapter 256: 300,000 Demon Points
No sooner said than done.
Gu Zheng immediately summoned Yue’Er, who was wandering around Qingshi County Town, back to his side. He then gave some final instructions to Sen Taibai and Ji Taihao.
Afterward, he joined Hai Wujang and Hai Qingshu, soaring into the sky and flying toward the Sea Realm.
They set off from Fengzhou, heading straight for the southeast.
As they were passing through the territory of Guangzhou, Gu Zheng suddenly sent a message to Hai Wujang via Divine Strange Sound Transmission.
"Patriarch Hai, wait a moment."
With those words, Gu Zheng changed direction and shot toward the ground below.
Hm?
Having received the message, Hai Wujang halted in mid-air, a look of confusion on his face.
Hai Qingshu, who was being carried by him, couldn’t help but ask directly, also using Divine Strange Sound Transmission.
"What’s going on? What’s Gu King doing? That’s Guangzhou down there. He isn’t just passing by and deciding to assassinate the Sovereign of Jing Country on a whim, is he?"
SMACK!
Hai Wujang raised his hand and smacked him on the forehead, retorting irritably via Divine Strange Sound Transmission, "What kind of nonsense is that? Do you think Gu King is that kind of person?"
"Hehe..." Hai Qingshu chuckled sheepishly. "I was just worried."
As he spoke, his eyes caught sight of a black cloud on the ground not far away. It was howling and moving swiftly, but it was quickly sliced to pieces by a myriad of blade lights released by Gu Zheng, its fragments scattering across the ground.
"Is that... a Demon Fiend?"
Hai Qingshu’s eyes widened as he pushed his vision to its limits. "Gu King went down there to kill Demon Fiends?"
"He is killing Demon Fiends," Hai Wujang said in a low voice. "And the Devouring Insect Race, no less. There’s a third-rank tunnel down below, and a large number of the Devouring Insect Race are pouring out of it. The Jing Country’s Demon Slayer Bureau was short on manpower and in the middle of retreating. Gu King’s arrival just happened to break their encirclement and save their lives."
"As expected of Gu King!"
Hai Qingshu clapped his hands excitedly. "See, Patriarch? I wasn’t wrong, was I? Gu King values the common people above all and is considerate of his subordinates. Even though he’s had a falling out with the Zhong Family, he’ll still take action when needed."
Hai Wujang fell silent.
’Choosing to cooperate with Gu Zheng was a gamble on his character.’
’To use a Divine Weapon to suppress another Divine Weapon... Gu Zheng wasn’t the only option.’
’Any of the major Divine Weapon Families could do it!’
’But as a member of a Noble Family himself, Hai Wujang knew the true nature of the other major families all too well.’
’Making a deal would be no problem.’
’But once they got their hands on the Divine Weapon, would they be willing to lend it out again?’
’Ninety-nine percent of them would just make excuses. They’d come up with every reason under the sun, and there’d be nothing you could do about it—you couldn’t just tear down all pretenses and start a fight.’
’In comparison, Gu Zheng’s character was far more reliable. The fact that Gu Zheng had stated his conditions at the end put Hai Wujang even more at ease.’
’In a matter like this, it wasn’t the demands that were worrying; it was the lack of them.’
...
[Demon Points +2]
[Demon Points +1]
On the mountain path, flashes of blade light crisscrossed the air, slaying one member of the Devouring Insect Race after another.
This swarm, nearly ten thousand strong, had poured from the tunnel. In their wake, vegetation withered and desiccated corpses littered the ground.
Gu Zheng had sensed them from above, descended, and, happening upon them, slaughtered every last one.
’And he was in dire need of the Devouring Insect Race!’
"Th-thank you, King Gu!"
In the mountain forest, the Demon-slaying Grand General leading the Demon Slayer Bureau team faced Gu Zheng and bowed in gratitude.
"Thank you, King Gu!"
"..."
The other Demon Suppression Guards, who had narrowly escaped death, followed his lead, bowing and shouting their thanks.
Their voices were loud, but none of them dared to raise their heads.
The news of Gu Zheng’s falling out with the imperial court was spreading like wildfire.
It wasn’t their place to get involved in such matters, but since Gu Zheng had just saved their lives, they had to express their gratitude. There was no harm in using the opportunity to shout a little louder.
Gu Zheng stood suspended in mid-air, gazing at the entrance to the Tunnel Between Two Realms on the mountainside. "Have any of the Devouring Insect Race come out of here before?" he asked thoughtfully.
"King Gu, there was... no, wait. Including this time, this is the third time they’ve poured out," the Demon-slaying Grand General replied.
"Three times?" Gu Zheng mused. "In that case, there’s a high probability that a nest of the Devouring Insect Race is on the other side of the tunnel."
"Well..." The Demon-slaying Grand General hesitated. "I believe so. The first time, there were two or three thousand of them. The second time, five or six thousand. We lost many people and had to set up an Array just to hold them back. The number that comes out is larger each time. I’m certain there must be a nest on the other side of that tunnel!"
"Mm." Gu Zheng nodded, having made his decision.
He took a step, walking on air as he moved toward the entrance of the Tunnel Between Two Realms.
The Demon-slaying Grand General didn’t think much of it at first, but then he saw a flash of light emanate from Gu Zheng’s body as he walked right into the tunnel. The Grand General was utterly dumbfounded!
"Wait, King Gu, what are you—"
’How did he get in?’
’Can a King’s Body enter a third-rank tunnel? Or is Gu Zheng special somehow?’
’No!’
Suddenly, a thought struck him, and the Demon-slaying Grand General cried out in his mind.
’The Heaven-Covering Leaf!’
’Gu Zheng must have used a Heaven-Covering Leaf to enter the third-rank tunnel!’
’To kill Demon Fiends, he used one... no, two Heaven-Covering Leaves!’
’One to get in, and one to get out.’
’Isn’t that two?’
’A Marvel like the Heaven-Covering Leaf can conceal Celestial Secrets!’
’And Gu Zheng just used them like that, all to kill some Demon Fiends...’
The Demon-slaying Grand General fell silent, his heart reeling in shock.
The other Demon Suppression Guards, however, burst into an uproar.
"Did King Gu do that for us?"
"I’d heard long ago that Gu King wanted to charge into the Demon Realm and slay Demon Fiends. I never thought it was true. He even used Heaven-Covering Leaves just to kill them."
"Um, should we go into the tunnel with him?"
"Let’s not. We’d better not drag King Gu down."
"..."
The Demon Suppression Guards erupted in a flurry of discussion, their voices filled with shock, astonishment, respect, and admiration.
A few even began to mutter amongst themselves, wondering if they should head to Fengzhou and pledge their allegiance to him.
Up in the sky, Hai Wujang’s eyes also widened in amazement. "Gu King is... a little too kindhearted, isn’t he?"
"Huh?" Hai Qingshu asked, bewildered. "Patriarch, what’s happening? What did Gu King do?"
"Gu King entered the tunnel and went to the Demon Realm," Hai Wujang transmitted via Divine Strange Sound Transmission, his tone complex.
"Oh, so he went in—what!?"
Hai Qingshu was jolted to his senses. "Patriarch, are you saying Gu King entered a third-rank tunnel? But he’s a King’s Body... Wait, the Heaven-Covering Leaf! Gu King used a Heaven-Covering Leaf?"
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