"...Chu Cheng, if you were truly intelligent, you wouldn't have come to ask me today."
Senior Brother Lu swayed to his feet, looking down at Chu City with a disdainful gaze and a fierce glint in his eyes.
“It wasn’t easy to raise you. You still have a lot to grow. I originally wanted to save you for last—when the world’s glory was crowned, but you were so impatient.”
Senior Brother Lu's words were filled with endless regret.
"Who...who are you?!"
The golden seal suddenly flipped out of Chu Cheng's hand, enlarged above Senior Brother Lu's head, and covered the entire set of steps.
"Huh? You're going to use this useless thing to deal with me?"
Senior Brother Lu glanced at the golden seal with surprise, his face showing no sign of panic, but rather a hint of mockery.
"This was given to me by my master!"
Chu Cheng roared angrily.
"Master?"
Senior Brother Lu looked at him in surprise, then laughed loudly.
"I never expected... I never expected you to have such deep feelings for the Imperial Advisor—it's hilarious!"
"Therefore, the Imperial Preceptor's Mansion, the Queen, Qingxi Taoist Temple, including Gu Zhong and Ling Ying, were all plotted against by you!"
Chu Cheng's hands trembled uncontrollably, and sweat had unknowingly soaked his clothes. He tried his best but could not suppress the golden seal even slightly. The strength of the enemy in front of him was beyond his expectations.
"If I had to say, I wouldn't acknowledge anything about the Queen. Oh, why bother telling you all this—you're going to die anyway, so there's no need to know the reasons."
Senior Brother Lu flicked his sleeve, and a gust of wind suddenly shot out, striking Chu Cheng like lightning and instantly freezing him in place.
"Don't move around too much, my new body. I'll be heartbroken if you bump or hurt it."
Just as he was feeling smug, the bricks and tiles on the top of the hall suddenly cracked and fell down in disarray, while a familiar silver sword light flashed from above.
He dodged the rubble and the three-foot-long sword aura in a panic, and stood up in a disheveled state.
As the smoke cleared, three people were standing in front of them.
Chu Cheng was freed from his restraints and began to wield the golden seal again. Ling Yan placed her hand on Gu Zhong's back, and Gu Zhong held his sword, ready for battle.
"Gu Zhong? I didn't expect you to have such guts—what a waste of the incense I distributed, my heart's blood—"
Senior Brother Lu frowned, putting on a mournful look, then his expression changed, and he was overjoyed.
"No problem, it's the same here. Thank you very much for walking into the trap."
Are you so sure I'm helpless against you?
Gu Zhong handed the sword-wielding hand to Ling Yan, who then reached out and shook hands with him on the same side.
"I've truly never seen such a novel sword technique before—"
Before the words were even finished, the fragrance that had been driving Gu Zhong's demonic transformation instantly filled the space. The black mist sealed within his body began to stir again, unwilling to obey its master's commands, and only wanting to violently seize control of the body.
"Senior Brother Lu" used his palm as a claw and suddenly pounced towards the two of them, but was forced to stop half a meter away from them—he was also unable to cross the range of the golden light.
"This is?"
This was the first time he had looked at the golden seal above his head seriously and carefully. Then he turned his head and looked angrily at Chu Cheng.
"How dare you! How could you!"
He raised his fist and slammed it hard against the light barrier in front of him.
Chu Cheng felt as if he had been struck in the same way, and a trickle of blood flowed from the corner of his mouth. His face was as pale as gold paper, as if he were about to faint at any moment.
With Lingyan's help, Gu Zhong managed to suppress the sudden burst of demonic energy within her body. Her right hand gripped the sword, and the bulging blue veins on her skin testified to the exhaustion she had exerted.
"Gu Zhong, hang in there."
With a soft word of encouragement, Lingyan placed her hand on Gu Zhong's hand.
The swords wielded by the two of them together created the most brilliant fireworks display of the night.
The interwoven silver veins etched patterns onto the golden prison, ultimately imprinting themselves on the demon that had committed countless tragedies.
"Senior Brother Lu" looked at Gu Zhong with a gloomy gaze, his eyes filled with determination and ruthlessness. Then, his body suddenly exploded, turning into a cloud of blood mist, adding a splash of color to the colorful picture.
Struck by the violent impact, Chu Cheng spat out a mouthful of blood. The golden light flashed briefly before extinguishing, and the golden seal returned to Chu Cheng's hand.
Is it over?
Chu Cheng knelt on the ground, struggling to lift his head and look ahead. The uncertain outcome was his last vestige of consciousness.
His answer was the clanging sound of metal clashing.
Gu Zhong blocked the sharp claws in front of him with his sword—this creature, which was not humanoid after the black mist regrouped, was the true form of this demon.
"Gu Zhong! Why? Why do you always have to pick on me!"
A hoarse, rock-like voice came from the demon's mouth.
"You should ask yourself what you've done?"
As they spoke, Gu Zhong led Ling Yan, their sword strikes relentless, forcing the demons into a series of defeats.
"Senior Brother Lu! Something terrible has happened! There are many demons outside the city! The demons have invaded the capital!"
In the midst of the fierce battle, a disciple suddenly rushed in from outside the hall, covered in blood. Upon seeing the scene inside, he stood there dumbfounded.
Before they could react, the ground began to shake violently, and cracks appeared on the stone bricks from bottom to top, gradually baring their fangs; the pillars that built the palace were about to collapse; and the roof, which already had a large hole, continued to fall bricks and tiles.
It seemed that something was about to burst forth from the ground.
"Gah gah gah! Gu Zhong, you're finished! It's out! You're doomed!"
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Author's Note:
The plot is reaching its climax; this world is nearing its end.
//Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 11:47:03 on April 16, 2022 and 21:55:47 on April 17, 2022!
Thank you to the little angel who watered the nutrient solution: Spring Breeze Once More 32 bottles;
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
Chapter 136 Swordsman and Exorcist (Twenty-Two)
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"Is it worth your gloating? You're not much better yourself."
Gu Zhong stared solemnly at the cracking ground; she clearly knew what terrifying thing was buried underground.
What exactly is underground?
Feeling the knuckles of her hand trembling involuntarily, Lingyan turned to Gu Zhong and asked.
What could have caused this violent earthquake? Why are two such powerful demons so terrified of it?
"One truth, enough to overturn the world..."
Seemingly unable to bear looking at the so-called truth, Gu Zhong closed his eyes, sighed softly, and slowly withdrew his sword from the hilt, instead grasping the soft hand that gave her peace of mind.
"Ayan, take the sword."
She spoke to Lingyan earnestly and firmly, with a hint of determination.
The shaking of the ground paused for a moment, then suddenly burst open, revealing dark rocks covered in black soil that bulged out in rows.
The crumbling palace collapsed with a deafening roar. Gu Zhong, holding Ling Yan in his arms, nimbly leaped to avoid the falling wooden beams.
Chu Cheng slid down the suddenly formed steep slope, tumbling and rolling several times before finally landing on a relatively flat surface.
The disciple who had just rushed into the hall, struggling to stay afloat, fell into a crevice in the ground, covered in dust and dirt.
The surrounding view opened up, and they could see that the black fog was drifting in the sky, almost blending into the night.
Adorned with colorful fireworks, wails echoed throughout the royal city.
Even though the remaining disciples of the Imperial Preceptor's Mansion were all exceptionally talented, they were still unable to cope with the large number of demons.
Like a flood bursting its banks, it poured forth instantly, and a mere dam could not stop it.
They fought and retreated, gradually closing in on the center.
However, the situation inside the Imperial Preceptor's residence was even more bizarre.
Wisps of black mist seeped from the ground, growing larger and larger, gradually spreading until they reached above the toes and below the knees, seemingly about to engulf the entire Imperial Preceptor's residence.
Gu Zhong stared intently at the black mist, adopting a wary posture.
The once rampant demon now crept into a small ball, trying to slip away unnoticed into the chaotic and bleak scene.
"Stop it!"
Gu Zhong didn't spare a single glance for it, yet he seemed to be constantly on guard against its every move.
Despite his injuries, Chu Cheng once again pulled out the golden seal, trapping the cunning demon that was trying to escape.
"If you can't kill it soon, I can't hold on any longer."
He urged with a wry smile, clearly at his last gasp.
"Oh? Gu Zhong—long time no see—"
At this moment, the thick, dense black mist suddenly contracted, transforming into a huge black shadow that appeared before them and sent a greeting to Gu Zhong.
The voice was unexpectedly pleasant; if the person were to become a storyteller, they would surely have many listeners willing to support them.
"It's better not to meet."
The overwhelming pressure nearly made Gu Zhong kneel down on the spot. She grabbed Ling Yan's arm to support herself.
The other demons, including the one under Chu Cheng's golden seal, all seemed to have seen a king who ruled over all directions. They prostrated their arrogant bodies, trembling and respectfully bowing to it.
"Interesting. After all these years, you're still as interesting as ever... hahaha—"
The black mist let out a hearty laugh; clearly, regaining its freedom made it extremely happy.