Demon Slaying, Gaining 60 Years of Cultivation From the Start

Hearing Gu Chen's words, Zheng Yan couldn't sit still. If his father, Zheng Jinan, really was a demonic cult martial artist, what should he do?

Zheng Yan sprung to his feet, pointed at Gu Chen, and shouted sternly, "Stop spouting nonsense! You, a petty thief and scum of the martial world, have the audacity to slander my father? Where is Luo Feng? Is he the one instructing you to do this?"

Who was Luo Feng? He was the notorious flower thief of Li Mountain County. Gu Chen being associated with Luo Feng, in their eyes, certainly meant he was no good person either. Hence, no one cared about what he said.

Zheng Jinan's expression relaxed slightly, he let out a sigh of relief inwardly, but maintained his composure and asked, "Yan'er, who is this person?"

Zheng Yan replied, "Father, this man is an accomplice of the infamous 'Skylark' Luo Feng, just a petty thief. When I was tracking Luo Feng before, I dealt with him twice by chance. It seems he harbors resentment and seeks revenge today."

Hearing this, Zheng Jinan smiled lightly and said to Gu Chen, "Today is my birthday, and I'm ready to wash my hands of my past and no longer involve myself in the troubles of the martial world. Today, I'll spare your life for my son's sake. Take the opportunity and leave quickly."

"Master Zheng is magnanimous," Wang Cheng complimented from the side.

"Hmph!"

Upon hearing this, Zheng Yan let out a cold snort and sat down, brushing his sleeve.

Seeing Gu Chen still standing there, Zheng Jinan frowned and said, "What? You're not leaving? Do you really need to see a coffin before shedding tears?"

Gu Chen, with his handsome features and tall and straight stature stood like a pine tree, epitomizing calm and unflapped, and said, "Zheng Jinan, you may fool people temporarily, but you cannot fool everyone forever. A few days ago, outside the ruins on Coiled Tiger Mountain, you guarded the entrance and slaughtered countless martial artists, extracting their hearts for your cultivation.

Did you think no one saw that? Now, their bodies are still warm, and yet you talk of retiring? You should ask them if they agree!"

Upon hearing this, Zheng Jinan's face darkened instantly, cursing himself for being too complacent back then to notice Gu Chen hidden to the side and for not eradicating all evidence.

"Nonsense, deserves death!" Zheng Yan couldn't sit still anymore and was ready to make a move and kill Gu Chen.

"Wait, do you have evidence?"

At that moment, the county magistrate Liu Tong spoke up, his brow tightly furrowed. Hearing Gu Chen accuse Zheng Jinan of being the remnant of the Evil Heart Sect, he naturally felt uneasy. If Zheng Jinan were a remnant of the Evil Heart Sect, what would he do? Being entangled with demonic cult martial artists was something Da Xia would not overlook.

At this moment, everyone's eyes turned toward Gu Chen. They were also aware of the incidents outside the ruins and had thought they were the work of ghosts. Inside the hall, the atmosphere became as still as if it had frozen, so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Even Zheng Jinan became extremely nervous.

Gu Chen, now the focus of the entire hall, said calmly and with an airy demeanor, "No."

Standing next to him, Luo Feng heard this and immediately felt helpless. He knew it would turn out this way.

"You little brat, you dare to play us?!"

Hearing Gu Chen's words, the group of martial artists couldn't sit still anymore. Wang Cheng, in particular, was furious, as he had also been extremely tense just a moment ago.

Zheng Jinan and Liu Tong both relaxed, almost simultaneously a smile creeping onto their faces.

Liu Tong said, "To slander someone without just cause, considering this is your first offense and today is the birthday celebration of Master Zheng, I do not wish to see bloodshed. Thus, I have decided to throw you into the dungeon to await your fate."

Although Huaiyang City was much larger than Ning City, Liu Tong, as the county magistrate, was still a seventh-rank official. Regardless of the fact that Gu Chen was about to be promoted to Metropolitan Procurator, even now, his rank within the courts of Da Xia was half a grade higher than Liu Tong's. And yet Liu Tong dared to imprison him?

Gu Chen looked at Liu Tong and said coldly, "As the county magistrate of Huaiyang City, you have done nothing but reap the benefits for many years without any achievements, skimming from the people, increasing their labor, and even colluding with Zheng Jinan to amass a fortune.

That might have been overlooked, but the Sunset Sword Sect has been rampant and caused trouble openly in a tavern within the city, and yet you turn a blind eye. With such behavior, do you really deserve to be the 'parent' official of Huaiyang City? How can you face the hundreds of thousands of citizens of Huaiyang City? Has your conscience been eaten by a dog?"

"Insolence!"

Liu Tong, being exposed in front of so many people by Gu Chen, was immediately furious, his voice shrill as he shouted, "You are no more than a petty thief. It was generous of me not to pursue your crime, yet you dare to publicly insult a court official. It seems you truly wish to die. Guards, Captain Lin, I order you to take him down immediately, dead or alive!"

"Yes!"

Standing behind Liu Tong was a robust man, with a forceful presence, wearing official robes, and equipped with a long saber at his waist—a warrior in the External Strength realm, a captain in Huaiyang City, far more powerful than Ning City's Captain Wu Qian.

"Searching for your own death."

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In the royal city, along with a crowd of martial artists from the Jianghu, they all shook their heads looking at Gu Chen, feeling that he was too young and impetuous, too reckless for fame, daring to step out in such a situation. Was this not seeking death?

Chen Song also had a cold smile on his face; he did not believe Gu Chen would be a match for an External Qi stage martial artist, not to mention his senior brother Zheng Yan, who might not even be able to defeat Captain Lin.

But Gu Chen remained fearless, his face calm. Seeing this, Chen Song couldn't help but mockingly said, "Pretending to be something you're not!"

At that moment, just as Captain Lin was about to make his move, Zheng Yan spoke up. All he said was, "Master Liu, for such a petty thief, there's no need to trouble Captain Lin. I have some scores to settle with this person myself. Would it be alright if I take care of him?"

Liu Tong leaned back in his chair, waved his hand at the words, signaling Captain Lin to step back, then uttered a noncommittal "Hmm".

Upon seeing this, Zheng Yan stood up, walked in front of Gu Chen, and spoke indifferently, "You previously escaped from me by sheer luck, and that was fine. But why do you have no self-awareness at all? Why would you come to me, seeking your own death? Isn't living well enough for you? Why insist on being a joke?"

It was evident that he truly did not take Gu Chen seriously at all and was utterly confident in his own strength.

On several occasions, Zheng Yan believed he could have killed Gu Chen on the spot, but unexpected incidents always intervened, allowing Gu Chen to live until now.

"You don't think that being able to escape from me twice means that you are really my match, do you? I will let you know that killing you is no different from crushing a bug."

With a clanging sound, Zheng Yan drew the long sword from his waist; its cold light dazzled, causing numerous people to squint and turn their heads instinctively, unable to look directly at it.

All the spectators came with the mindset of watching a good show, none believed in Gu Chen's chances.

Zheng Jinan watched with a look of anticipation, eager to see how far his son's martial arts had progressed.

"Die!"

With a cold shout, Zheng Yan slashed his sword toward Gu Chen's neck, aiming to kill him in one strike to prevent any further accidents.

Gu Chen's expression remained calm, his eyes deep, just standing there, waiting for Zheng Yan's sword to come at him.

"This kid looks like he's been scared silly," mocked someone from the royal city.

"It seems there will be blood at the birthday banquet of the Zheng family head today," Liu Tong said.

"He chose to be a laughingstock; he's asking for it. Daring to slander the Zheng family head, insulting an imperial official, he deserves to die!"

Chen Song said viciously, as he had long wished for Gu Chen to die. Because of Gu Chen, he had acquired a scar on his face, and every time he saw it, he was reminded of that day's experience, filled with rage, nearly driving him mad.

Zheng Yan, seeing Gu Chen not drawing his weapon but simply standing there, he thought Gu Chen intended to trap his sword blade as before. A trace of cold smile emerged in his eyes.

Did he really think that Zheng Yan was a straw man, to stumble twice in the same place?

"This day next year will be the anniversary of your death!"

With a metallic ring, the bright sword light illuminated the entire field. Just as Zheng Yan's sword tip was about to pierce Gu Chen's throat, Gu Chen finally moved.

Boom!

An extremely ferocious wave of energy appeared out of nowhere, originating from Gu Chen.

There stood Gu Chen, with one hundred and eighty-six years of internal breath bursting from his body, causing a powerful and vigorous energy wave. Zheng Yan bore the brunt of it, his complexion changed, and he could barely stand steady, let alone continue his attack on Gu Chen.

"This is bad!"

Zheng Jinan's expression turned stern, sensing trouble, but by then it was already too late.

In the blink of an eye, with just one palm, using the flesh of his body, Gu Chen firmly grasped Zheng Yan's treasured sword, making it completely immobile. The sharp aura emanating from the blade couldn't harm him in the least.

Zheng Yan was shocked to his core; he wanted to dodge, but it was already too late—Gu Chen was too fast!

"Pfft!"

In a flash, Gu Chen's palm struck Zheng Yan. Blood spurted from Zheng Yan's mouth; he could no longer hold his weapon, and like a ragdoll, he flew out, landing on the ground like a lump of mud.

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