Chu Kuangren had used his spiritual thought to crush the white-haired elder!

The blood mist exploded like a blossoming flower.

Everybody at the scene could feel s.h.i.+vers running down their spine. This was especially true for Yun Changfeng, whose face had turned pale from the sheer horror he was experiencing.

“Impossible. This is impossible…”

“Isn't your power sealed? How do you have this power?”

At that instance, several patrol guards escorted a group of people into the scene.

The group of people was dressed in prison attire, and there was a general air of malaise to them. Upon seeing this, Gu Linglong could not contain herself. “Father!”

Those were Gu Linglong's father and siblings.

Like a desperate survivor who was clutching at straws, Yun Changfeng rushed to Gu Qing's side and pointed his blade at Gu Qing's neck.

“Gu Linglong, Chu Kuangren, it's best that you both stay back. Otherwise, I'll kill them all!”

Chu Kuangren glared at Yun Changfeng. “I've never seen someone as foolish as you are.”

Chu Kuangren gradually made his way into the grand palace hall.

Each step Chu Kuangren took struck a deeper sense of fear in Yun Changfeng. His heart pounded with each pa.s.sing moment.

Terror overwhelmed Yun Changfeng and the palace guards.

“Chu Kuangren, don't you come any closer! Stay back! Or else they'll be dead!” Yun Changfeng screamed desperately.

However, Chu Kuangren did not intend to stop at all. “Go ahead. If you do end up killing them, I can guarantee that the entire Yun family will experience the worst punishment there is in this world. They shall forever be stuck in the boundary between life and death!”

Chu Kuangren said with a tone that evoked a chilling fear in the witnesses at the scene.

Yun Changfeng was still gripping his sword tightly, but his arms were trembling out of control.

He did not dare to follow through with his threats.

Yun Changfeng feared that killing Gu Qing would bring him to the point of no return. He was afraid that the entire Yun family would descend into an endless cycle of torture because of his actions.

Deep down, Yun Changfeng knew Chu Kuangren's words were not to be taken lightly!

“Why don't you go ahead… and kill them?”

At this point, Chu Kuangren was standing before Yun Changfeng and the prisoners. With a cold snort, Chu Kuangren's overwhelming aura emanated. As if he was face-to-face with a heavenly ent.i.ty, and Yun Changfeng's body trembled out of control before he knelt onto the ground helplessly.

“I beg you. Please spare the Yun family…” Yun Changfeng, who had just recently threatened Chu Kuangren, was now kowtowing on the ground.

“The fate of the Yun family shall be determined by the law.”

The entire incident was the Royal Azure Dynasty's affair.

Chu Kuangren decided that he would let Gu Linglong take care of the rest.

“Those who surrender shall be spared!”

Gu Linglong turned around and yelled at the ten thousand palace guards.

The entire troop of palace guards immediately dropped their weapons and knelt to surrender.

After all, even Yun Changfeng had conceded defeat. What else could they do?

“Father, are you alright?”

Gu Linglong went to check on Gu Qing and the other prisoners.

“I'm alright. But Yun Changfeng has fed us some form of medicine that prevents us from using our cultivation,” said Gu Qing.

“Where's the antidote?”

Gu Linglong barked at Yun Changfeng.

There was no way Yun Changfeng could refuse at this point. Hence, he obediently handed the antidote over to Gu Linglong. He could only wish that Gu Linglong would show mercy and spare the Yun family's fate.

“Guards, lock him up in the dungeon.”

Gu Linglong commanded. After curing Gu Qing and the prisoners with the antidote, the Royal Azure Dynasty's rulers.h.i.+p now returned to the Gu family.

An internal war had been settled without needing to sacrifice an entire troop.

Next, Gu Linglong had much to do.

With the support of many officials, Gu Linglong regained control over the Royal Azure Dynasty. She began sorting out the kingdom's affairs while taking measures to restore the livelihood of its citizens.

This was destined to be a long process.

Although three years was not a long period of time, it was enough for Yun Changfeng to flip the entire kingdom over.

Restoring the kingdom to its former glory was definitely no easy matter, so Gu Linglong had a lot to take care of.

In the palace garden.

Gu Linglong was dressed in a set of royal robes. She stared at Chu Kuangren apologetically and said, “My husband, I need to stay here.”

“Alright, I understand. The Royal Azure Dynasty is in a shaky state for now. I think it's best for a person with your caliber to stay too.”

Chu Kuangren smiled. He was not surprised about Gu Linglong's decision at all. He knew Gu Linglong was not the kind of woman who would be blinded by romance. The kingdom held an important place in her heart.

As the Royal Azure Dynasty now lay in an uncertain state, with many of its citizens having no homes, the kingdom needed a capable leader to guide them out of this mess. There was no better person than Gu Linglong for this.

Chu Kuangren remained in the capital city for the next couple of days.

News of his appearance in the Royal Azure Dynasty had inevitably spread to those who were eager to find him. As such, many cultivators soon flocked towards the kingdom.

In a restaurant within the capital city.

Chu Kuangren and Lan Yu were sitting near a window.

At that moment, a person walked into the restaurant.

It was a handsome young cultivator. The moment he entered, his eyes were immediately fixated on Chu Kuangren's table as he unhesitantly approached them.

“Brother Chu, the entire world's looking for you, yet here you are leisurely indulging in alcohol. I have to say that I find this quite admirable.”

Chu Kuangren glimpsed at the youngster and asked, “Who are you?”

The cultivator did not take offense. Instead, he chuckled and said, “I'm Yuan Xian of the Craggy Ocean Tower. I must say that I've been looking forward to this encounter for quite a while, Brother Chu.”

“You have quite some b.a.l.l.s to address me as your Daoist Brother. Even your Sect Leader used to address me by seniority. What more for a lowly person like you?”

Yuan Xian was taken aback.

He tried to calm his nerves before he proceeded to say, “Sect Leader Chu, in that case, I shall skip the formalities. There's only one reason I've come to see you.”

“Please return the Mountain River Scroll to us.”

Mountain River Scroll?

Chu Kuangren felt the name to be vaguely familiar.

The Mountain River Scroll was a Boundary Emperor Weapon used by the Craggy Ocean Tower Lord three years ago during the Black Heaven Sect's battle with the orthodoxies. The scroll contained a large number of b.e.s.t.i.a.l souls, and it was one of the strongest weapons in the Craggy Ocean Tower.

“I've yet to make Craggy Ocean Tower pay for what they did to the Black Heaven Sect three years ago. But I never expected that you'd come looking for me first, and you have the guts to request that I return the Mountain River Scroll?!”

“Wow, your skin is surely as thick as the mountains.”

Chu Kuangren sneered.

“Sect Leader Chu, I hope you can see the bigger picture. You're no longer the undefeatable person you once were. Why are you still so stubborn?”

Yuan Xian said faintly.

Somehow, the only people left in the restaurant now were Chu Kuangren, Lan Yu, Yuan Xian, and two elders, whose aura had long been locked onto Chu Kuangren.

Evidently, their intentions were not kind.

These elders were also from the Craggy Ocean Tower.

“Feel free to try and attack me.”

Chu Kuangren said calmly.

There was no hint of spiritual energy to Chu Kuangren, but Yuan Xian and the Craggy Ocean Tower Sages did not dare act hastily.

In fact, they were hesitant in their actions.

“Haha, Chu Kuangren, you surely live up to your name! Although you're under Heavenly Punishment Seal, you're as arrogant as the rumors described you to be.”

An abrupt burst of laughter interrupted the scene as a black-clothed cultivator entered the restaurant. There was a malicious and sinister aura to him.

Chu Kuangren could immediately recognize his ident.i.ty.

“Oh, it looks like the Acheron Manor is here too.”

“That's right! Zheng Miao is my name!” Zheng Miao let out a peal of sinister laughter as he glared mischievously at Chu Kuangren.