59: Chapter 59 Adding Fuel to the Fire

Gu Sheng sat in his chair, his brow not even twitching.

[Ding. Lethal threat detected. Invincible Defense Shield activated. 100,000 exchange points deducted.]

The pressure was blocked by an invisible barrier three feet away from Gu Sheng. A light breeze brushed past, not even lifting a corner of his clothes.

Xia Cangyuan's pupils constricted.

The pressure of a Saint King would require even a Saint to circulate their power to resist. This brat is only at the Golden Core Stage, yet he is completely unharmed. He has a great treasure on him! It must be an Extreme Dao Imperial Weapon that has surpassed the Saint Rank!

At this thought, Xia Cangyuan completely abandoned the idea of taking action. To allow a Junior to carry an Extreme Dao Imperial Weapon around, the strength of this Gu Family was truly unfathomable.

The pressure receded like a tide.

"Old man, don't have such a temper. It's easy to hurt your liver." Gu Sheng patted the non-existent dust off his clothes. "Let's talk terms."

Xia Cangyuan closed his eyes again, calming his surging blood and Qi. "Speak."

"First, I want seventy percent of the Dragon Qi from the Dragon Transformation Pool." Gu Sheng held up one finger.

"Impossible." Xia Cangyuan flatly refused. "Thirty percent. That is the bottom line. Losing thirty percent of the Dragon Qi will take Great Xia a thousand years to recover. If we lose seventy percent, Great Xia's national fortune will decline, and it will fall apart within a hundred years."

"That's your problem." Gu Sheng held up a second finger. "Second, when Xia Qingyue ascends the throne, Great Xia must acknowledge the Gu Family as its Revered Master. From now on, in the game of the Central Province, Great Xia must follow the Gu Family's lead."

Xia Cangyuan laughed in extreme anger. "Make Great Xia a vassal? Young man, do you truly think Great Xia is made of clay? Even if this old man has to stake his life to take you down with me, I will never suffer such a humiliation!"

"You can't take me down." Gu Sheng's tone was flat. "You can't even harm a single hair of mine. As for Great Xia... if you make a move today, the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion will sell the coordinates of the Great Xia Ancestral Land to the Demon Race and Yao Race tomorrow. Guess if they'll be interested in your old bones?"

Hit the snake where it hurts.

Great Xia had dominated the Central Province for many years, making no small number of enemies. Previously, with Xia Cangyuan suppressing them, no one dared to act rashly. But once Xia Cangyuan exhausted his Origin today, Great Xia would immediately become a target for all.

Xia Cangyuan's chest heaved violently. He stared fixedly at Gu Sheng, unable to speak for a long while.

"In the struggle of the Great Era, one either advances or retreats." Gu Sheng softened his tone. "Great Xia won't lose out by following the Gu Family. Xia Qingyue is a smart person; she knows how to choose. You, old man, should just peacefully retire here. When the Heavenly Dao is completely restored, perhaps the Gu Family can grant you a stroke of fortune, allowing you to touch the threshold of a Quasi-Emperor."

A carrot and a stick.

The words 'Quasi-Emperor' happened to hit Xia Cangyuan's weak spot. He had been stuck in the Saint King Realm for far too long, and his Lifespan was nearly exhausted. Without a massive Opportunity, this life would be at its end.

"Seventy percent of the Dragon Qi, Great Xia will give it." Xia Cangyuan's voice was weary. "But after Xia Qingyue ascends, Great Xia and the Gu Family will be in an alliance, not a vassalage. This is my final bottom line."

Gu Sheng looked at the old man's deathly pale face and knew the timing was about right. If you push someone too hard, even a rabbit will bite.

"Deal." Gu Sheng stood up and put away his armchair. "Tell Xia Ruotian to get lost. The matters in the Secret Realm end here."

Gu Sheng turned around, and a Void Realm passage opened once more. He didn't look back and stepped straight inside.

The Ancestral Land returned to silence. Xia Cangyuan looked at the spiritual spring and, after a long time, let out a long sigh.

Great Xia Secret Realm. By the Dragon Transformation Pool.

Xia Ruotian clutched the piercing wound on his right shoulder, blood dripping through his fingers. Ye Guyun and Chen Yi's Qi firmly locked onto him. If he made any move, he would be met with a thunderous strike.

"Withdraw." Xia Cangyuan's voice transmission echoed over the Secret Realm, carrying an unmaskable fatigue. "The Opportunity belongs to the Gu Family. Qingyue, you have done well."

Xia Ruotian's body shook. The Old Ancestor had compromised.

He found it hard to understand why even with the Old Ancestor stepping in, they couldn't suppress this mysterious Gu Family. He stared fixedly at Xia Qingyue, filled with unwillingness and rage.

"Father, I win this round." Xia Qingyue held her long sword and met Xia Ruotian's gaze without backing down.

Xia Ruotian gave a cold snort, tore open a spatial rift, and left in a pathetic state.

Ye Guyun and Chen Yi exchanged a glance, their figures turning into two streaks of light as they merged into the void and disappeared. The Blind Man coughed twice, clutched his iron sword, and limped toward the Secret Realm exit.

Ji Ruxue stood by the Dragon Transformation Pool and activated the Formation Plate of the Heaven-Severing Pulse-Cutting Array.

Golden Dragon Qi surged out along the Formation lines. The pool water dried up at a speed visible to the naked eye until only the last thirty percent remained, at which point the Formation stopped operating.

Ji Ruxue put away the storage Magic Treasure filled with Dragon Qi and turned to look at Xia Qingyue.

"Let's go, back to the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion. Revered Master is waiting for us."

Top floor of the Star-Plucking Tower.

Gu Sheng stepped out of the Void Realm passage and sat back in his armchair. The tea on the table was already cold.

The System panel flickered wildly.

[Ding. Successfully plundered seventy percent of the Great Xia Dynasty's dragon vein qi. Obtained 200,000 destiny points.]

[Ding. Changed the destiny trajectory of the Child of Destiny, Xia Qingyue, helping her take control of Great Xia. Obtained 50,000 destiny points.]

Gu Sheng looked at the long string of zeros behind his balance, his mood excellent. This trip to the Great Xia Ancestral Land wasn't in vain; with just a few words, he had hollowed out most of Great Xia's foundation.

"That old thing was sensible enough." Gu Sheng leaned back. "But Great Xia is a massive tree; it will take some time for Xia Qingyue to fully control it. Xuan Kong."

In the corner, Xuan Kong was puffing on his dry tobacco. Hearing his name, he stepped forward: "Young Lord."

"Go to the storehouse and pick a few Heaven Rank Magic Treasures to send to Xia Qingyue. Also, tell her the enthronement ceremony is set for the beginning of next month. The Gu Family will send someone to observe the ceremony," Gu Sheng instructed.

"Yes." Xuan Kong took the order and withdrew.

On the top floor of the Star-Plucking Tower, more than half of the agarwood in the incense burner had burned away.

Ji Ruxue pushed the door open and entered, her black clothes stained with a few spots of wet blood. She placed a Jade Purifying Bottle shimmering with golden light on the desk.

"Revered Master, seventy percent of Great Xia's dragon vein qi is all here."

Gu Sheng's gaze swept over the Jade Purifying Bottle. The surface of the bottle was covered in cracks, a sign that a mundane object could not withstand the backlash of high-level dragon vein qi.

"Well done." Gu Sheng closed his folding fan and tapped the table. "Go to the storehouse and get two bottles of Heaven Rank Injury-Recovery Pills. The Blind Man is quite badly injured; tell him not to take any guests for a while and just recover well. As for you, I've removed the Impurities from the Dragon Qi; take the rest to cleanse your Meridians."

Ji Ruxue bowed and withdrew. She left decisively without a word of nonsense. Her Emperor Realm experience from her previous life made her clearer than anyone that following this unfathomable Revered Master, resources were never the problem; the problem was how much she could withstand.

[Two Saint Middle Stages, plus that half-buried Saint King of Great Xia. Three forces surpassing the Heavenly Dao's limits erupted at the same time, tearing a hole in the Law net.]

Gu Sheng picked up his teacup and brushed away the floating tea leaves. "The Golden Great Era was coming anyway; I just gave it a little push."

[That push was a bit forceful. This System has detected high-energy reactions at the Central Province borders, Southern Border, Western Desolation, and several hidden Forbidden Life Zones. Those old things who have been sleeping for thousands or tens of thousands of years have all been shaken awake by your move.]