51: Chapter 51 The Great Xia Secret Realm

Heavenly Saint City.

Ten Thousand Worlds Heavenly Secrets Pavilion.

Xuan Kong stood like a door god on the right side of the main gate. To the left was the blind man holding a rusted iron sword.

The two of them, one on each side, held up the facade of the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion with absolute presence.

Su Jiuer sat behind the counter, tapping her tobacco pipe.

“Price hike?” Su Jiuer looked at Xuan Kong, who had just finished setting up the Formation. “Young Lord’s heart is quite black. Things are chaotic outside right now, and all the major powers are watching and waiting. Aren't you afraid of scaring the customers away by raising prices now?”

“The Young Lord said, they can buy it or not.” Xuan Kong tapped his tobacco pouch. “Once this ‘Nine Heavens and Ten Earths Immortal-Slaying Array’ is activated, even a Saint would lose a layer of skin. What we sell isn't information, it's lives.”

Su Jiuer gave a charming laugh. “Fine. We'll do as the Young Lord says. I'll go hang out the sign right now.”

A black wooden sign was hung outside the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion.

“Starting today, all information prices are doubled. No bargaining.”

As soon as the sign was hung, the scouts gathered in the plaza gasped.

“Are they crazy? Doubled? Information on the Great Xia Dynasty already cost five million Top-Grade Spirit Stones; now it's ten million?”

“This Heavenly Secrets Pavilion has gone money-mad!”

The crowd buzzed with discussion.

A magnificent carriage stopped at the edge of the plaza.

An Elder of the Ziyang Holy Land pulled back the curtain, looked at the sign, and snorted coldly.

“Playing tricks. I would like to see if this Heavenly Secrets Pavilion truly has heaven-reaching capabilities.”

The Elder Ziyang stepped down from the carriage and strode toward the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion.

He released his Soul Transformation Peak cultivation without reservation, attempting to intimidate the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion.

He had just stepped onto the first step.

Xuan Kong moved.

There was no ripple of spiritual power. Only a pure explosion of the Physical Body.

Xuan Kong took a step forward and appeared in front of the Elder Ziyang. A fist the size of a sandbag smashed directly against the opponent's Protective Aura.

Crack.

The Protective Aura shattered.

Before the Elder Ziyang even had time to react, he was struck in the chest by a punch.

The sound of ribs snapping was clearly audible.

His entire body flew backward, smashing a large pit into the bluestone pavement as he sprayed blood wildly.

The entire area fell into a dead silence.

Xuan Kong withdrew his fist and returned to his original position as if nothing had happened.

The blind man leaned against a pillar, not even lifting an eyelid.

Su Jiuer's voice drifted out from the main hall.

“In front of the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion, loud shouting is prohibited, and the release of pressure is prohibited. These are the rules. If there is a next time, it won't be as simple as breaking a few bones.”

The Elder Ziyang was carried away by his attendants in a frantic mess.

The scouts in the plaza were speechless.

A Soul Transformation Peak expert was one-shotted by a punch before even entering the door.

The Foundation of this Heavenly Secrets Pavilion was unfathomably deep.

Star-Plucking Tower.

[Ding. The Heavenly Secrets Pavilion has successfully established its prestige. Deterred the major powers of the Central Province.]

[Gained 10,000 destiny points.]

Gu Sheng leaned back in his armchair. Harvesting these leeks felt truly comfortable.

“Knock knock knock.”

The door to the private room was knocked.

Ji Ruxue went over to open the door.

Standing outside was a young man wearing a Bright Yellow Python Robe. It was Xia Qingyue.

She hadn't brought any attendants; she came alone.

“Young Master Gu.” Xia Qingyue entered the room, glanced at Ji Ruxue, and finally rested her gaze on Gu Sheng.

“Is the Crown Prince very free today?” Gu Sheng did not stand up.

“Father has issued an imperial decree demoting Qingfeng and Qingyu to commoners. He has ordered me to oversee the state.” Xia Qingyue walked to the table. “All matters regarding the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion within Great Xia's borders are to be handled by me with full authority.”

“Congratulations.” Gu Sheng poured a cup of tea. “Great power in hand. So, did you take the supreme carefree pill?”

Xia Qingyue did not take the teacup.

Soul Transformation Late Stage cultivation circulated within her body, significantly stronger than before.

“I did.” Xia Qingyue looked directly at Gu Sheng. “The Seal on the Supreme Forgetfulness Body has been undone. But I didn't come here today to say thank you.”

“Oh?”

“Father gave me this power because he wants me to be a pathfinder,” Xia Qingyue said calmly. “He is testing the Gu Family's bottom line. If I can get enough benefits from the Gu Family, he will tacitly approve our cooperation. If I mess up, or if the Gu Family shows weakness, he will not hesitate to wipe out both me and the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion.”

Gu Sheng smiled.

“Your father is a sensible man. But you don't seem to quite understand.”

Gu Sheng stood up, braced his hands on the table, and leaned close to Xia Qingyue.

“The Everlasting Gu Family doesn't need to prove anything to the Great Xia Dynasty. Great Xia gives the Gu Family twenty percent of the national treasury, and the Gu Family ensures you ascend the throne. That is the bottom line.”

Xia Qingyue looked at Gu Sheng, who was inches away.

He had a Golden Core Great Perfection cultivation, yet he gave her a sense of pressure that made it impossible to look him in the eye.

“Twenty percent of the Great Xia treasury is an astronomical sum.” Xia Qingyue took half a step back. “The old ministers in court won't agree. The Old Ancestors won't agree either.”

“Won't agree?” Gu Sheng straightened up. “Then we beat them until they agree. The Heavenly Secrets Pavilion sells information, and the Gu Family is responsible for killing. Whoever objects, dies.”

The casual sentence was laced with a bone-chilling scent of blood.

Xia Qingyue took a deep breath.

She knew she had boarded a ship she could no longer get off.

“I need the Gu Family to do one thing for me.” Xia Qingyue stated her condition. “In half a month, the Great Xia Imperial Secret Realm will open. All royal descendants of past generations must enter the Secret Realm for a trial to seize the dragon vein qi. Only by obtaining the most dragon vein qi can one legitimately inherit the throne.”

“Inside the Secret Realm, life and death are irrelevant. My royal uncles and my eldest brother will definitely make their move inside.”

“I want the Gu Family to send someone to enter the Secret Realm with me.”

Gu Sheng tapped the table.

A Secret Realm trial. This kind of classic plot would surely yield plenty of destiny points.

“Fine.” Gu Sheng pointed to Ji Ruxue standing to the side. “She will go with you.”

Xia Qingyue looked at Ji Ruxue.

Foundation Establishment Great Circle?

“Is Young Master Gu joking?” Xia Qingyue’s brows furrowed. “The Secret Realm limits bone age, but it doesn't limit cultivation. My eldest brother is already at the Soul Transformation Early Stage. You're sending her to her death?”

Ji Ruxue’s gaze turned cold.

She raised her hand. frosty nine provinces let out a sword hum.

An extremely cold Sword Intent permeated the hall. The tea on the table froze instantly.

Xia Qingyue’s expression changed slightly. This Sword Intent far exceeded the scope of the Foundation Establishment Stage. It even made her, a Soul Transformation Late Stage expert, feel palpitations.

“She alone is enough to slaughter through your entire Secret Realm.” Gu Sheng picked up the frozen teacup, and with a burst of spiritual power, the ice shattered. “People of the Everlasting Gu Family never go to their deaths.”

Xia Qingyue was silent for a moment.

“Fine. In half a month, see you at the Great Xia Imperial Palace.”

Xia Qingyue turned and left.

Gu Sheng looked at the closed door.

“Revered Master.” Ji Ruxue retracted her Sword Intent. “Is there anything special about the Great Xia Secret Realm?”

“The dragon vein qi.” Gu Sheng leaned back in his chair. “The Great Xia Dynasty has been able to stand tall in the Central Province for so many years by relying on this Dragon Vein. When you go to the Secret Realm, besides helping her kill people, you have another task.”

“Please give your instructions, Revered Master.”

“Extract the Dragon Vein.” Gu Sheng’s tone was calm.

Ji Ruxue was stunned. Extract the Dragon Vein? This was intended to sever the Foundation of Great Xia.

The System's messages frantically scrolled in his mind.

[Holy crap! Host, are you crazy? Extracting the Great Xia Dragon Vein? That old schemer Xia Ruotian will come at you with a blade to hack you to death!]

“He can't kill me. Even if I really can't beat him, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it,” Gu Sheng replied in his mind. “If the Gu Family wants to establish a foothold in the Central Province, they must step over the corpse of a hegemon. The Great Xia Dynasty is just right.”

Gu Sheng looked out the window.

The wind in Heavenly Saint City was getting stronger and stronger.

“Go and prepare,” Gu Sheng said to Ji Ruxue. “In half a month, let the Central Province see what the Foundation of the Everlasting Gu Family is.”

Ji Ruxue took her leave.