Demon Slaying, Gaining 60 Years of Cultivation From the Start

"Have you heard? Da Xia achieved a great victory in the battle of Yan State!"

"Your news is too outdated. Do you know why Da Xia won?"

"I heard there was a mysterious powerhouse who appeared and suppressed everything by himself."

"You know too little. Let me tell you, this mysterious powerhouse was enveloped in divine flames, shining as brightly as the sun itself. With a single punch, he killed seven Innate Realm martial arts grandmasters!"

"Hey, hey, hey, aren't you exaggerating a bit? Do you even know what really happened? That mysterious powerhouse clearly first beheaded the leader of the Holy Shadows Sect and then the head of the Black Sky Sect before he dealt with the other grandmasters.

As soon as he made a move, mountains, rivers, and lakes were burned to nothing, and the whole world was ablaze with soaring flames that did not dissipate for seven days and nights!"

"Alone he opposed seven Innate Realm martial arts grandmasters. Now everyone is saying that this person must be a peerless powerhouse who has attained divine communion in martial arts!"

In a tavern, many warriors were discussing the details of the battle in Yan State, and even some commoners and the tavern's owner were listening with great interest.

"Divine communion in martial arts, if one is not invincible, one is not far from it. How many are there in the whole Nine Provinces? I wish I had that kind of cultivation."

"Stop dreaming. You? Divine communion in martial arts? You're struggling even with the External Qi Realm!"

"Do you know who that mysterious powerhouse is?"

Suddenly, someone in the tavern spoke up, immediately drawing everyone's attention.

"Spit it out, spit it out. Do you have some insider information?" everyone urged anxiously, staring intently at the speaker.

"Rumor has it, that godlike expert is very likely to come from one of the Six Sacred Lands!"

"The Six Sacred Lands? Impossible. How many years have passed since someone from the Six Sacred Lands has descended the mountain? Besides, not to mention the younger generation, they wouldn't easily deploy their top-level fighters, and no one is worth their mobilization."

"What do you know? I've got wind of a tidbit that not much longer from now, disciples of the Six Sacred Lands will descend the mountain to roam around!"

"Really? I can't believe it."

"You don't believe it, huh? Well, just wait and see. Every once in a while, disciples from the Six Sacred Lands come down the mountain to experience the myriad states of the world and the vicissitudes of life, in order to temper their minds."

"Let's set aside the truth of this matter for now. As for that mysterious powerhouse, he couldn't possibly be from the Six Sacred Lands. Don't you know the relationship between the Six Sacred Lands and Da Xia? Moreover, they've stayed out of worldly affairs for many years, why would they help Da Xia?"

"That makes sense."

"A top grandmaster who has achieved divine communion in martial arts could not possibly be someone unknown. Since this mysterious powerhouse doesn't want to reveal his true identity, we won't be able to guess who he is no matter how much we speculate."

"Do you think it's possible that this mysterious powerhouse is quite young, and that's why he's hiding his identity and doesn't want others to know?"

Upon hearing this, one of the warriors scoffed, "Impossible, young? Are you dreaming? That's the realm of divine communion, do you think it's that easy to break through? Even the Six Sacred Lands wouldn't have someone like that."

"I've heard that this mysterious powerhouse is likely an old monster, a contingency left by the Emperor of Xia specifically for Da Xia!"

The warriors indulged in various unrealistic speculations about the identity of the mysterious powerhouse.

At the same time, another teahouse was discussing the Great Battle of Yan State.

"Do you know, the Battle of Yan State wasn't just about Yongxue City; Yulong City was also attacked by an army of 120,000 barbarians!"

"Oh? I really didn't know about that. How did Yulong City hold up?"

"It was Lord Gu Chen of the Jing Tian Department. It's said that he alone with a sword held off the 120,000-strong barbarian army outside the city of Yulong City in Yan State. He was all by himself, causing the barbarian army to throw down their helmets and armor, running in utter disarray."

"Really? One man against 120,000 soldiers? Are you kidding me?"

Some warriors expressed skepticism, and many people didn't believe it.

"Ha, you don't believe it? If you don't, you can ask the court and see if it's true or false. You all know Lord Gu's talents. In such a short time, he has achieved the status of a Transcendent Realm martial arts master. Alone he defended a city, the 120,000 barbarian soldiers, all killed by him alone. The story has already spread like wildfire in Yan State!"

"What?! This is actually true?"

"I've also heard about it."

A warrior from a prominent sect said solemnly, "I heard that the battle at Yulong City was a massacre, with heads rolling and rivers of blood flowing before the city gates. The bodies of the barbarians piled up into hills, all done by Lord Gu Chen himself.

My friends in the rivers and lakes of Yan State told me that the stench of blood outside Yulong City lingered for three days and nights before dissipating. The people in the martial world there are terrified at the mention of Gu Chen's name. In fact, they've given Gu Chen a nickname."

"What nickname?" the curious warriors asked eagerly.

"The Butcher, Butcher Gu Chen!"

"Hiss!"

Hearing this, the warriors in the teahouse all gasped. A single battle that massacred 120,000 soldiers, resulting in rivers of blood and heads rolling, if not a butcher, then what?

"This Lord Gu, his killing intent is truly great!"

"Good riddance, if I had such strength, I would do the same. How many soldiers and civilians of Da Xia were lost in the battle of Yan State? Those barbarians deserve to die!"

"And the Marquis of Pingxi, that traitor, I used to admire him so much. Without him, Yan State wouldn't have come to this!"

For a while, the teahouse, apart from marveling at Gu Chen's title of "The Butcher," also broke into curses against the Marquis of Pingxi.

Not just in these two places, nowadays the entire world is talking about the Great Battle of Yan State. The identity of the mysterious powerhouse remains unknown, and many conversations have also turned to Gu Chen.

After all, both the battlefields of Yongxue City and Yulong City were extremely important.

Gu Chen, a man with a sword, slaughtered an army of 120,000 barbarians, a tale that is widely known and talked about.

For a time, the name "Butcher" sent shivers down the spines of countless martial artists throughout the jianghu.

They reached a unanimous conclusion about Gu Chen that he was none other than a killer of men!

Following the great battle in Yan State, Gu Chen's fame soared once more, and countless people grew fearful of him.

...

The Grand Prince's Mansion.

Crash! Bang! Clatter!

Upon hearing of the great victory in Yan State, the Grand Prince flew into a rage, smashing things throughout the mansion, venting his fury.
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"Damn it, damn it all, where did this mysterious powerhouse come from, and why did they have to foil my plans? Damn it, they all deserve to die, why didn't Yan State fall, why didn't everyone in Yan State die off completely!" the Grand Prince roared, his eyes bloodshot.

"Your Highness, please be cautious with your words!" the Chief Eunuch of Da Xia warned hastily, disturbed by his words. Such a statement, if it spread beyond these walls, could spell disaster for even the Grand Prince, not to mention the implications for the servants within the mansion if they overheard.

But the Grand Prince, still fuming with anger, clenched his fists and growled lowly, "And that Gu Chen, always opposing me at every turn, he actually advanced to grandmaster? Had I known this, I should have taken the opportunity to slaughter him in Tiandu. What gives him the right to hold Yulong City? Butcher? He's nothing!"

The Grand Prince continued to curse and rant, spraying the Chief Eunuch's face with spittle, who could only offer a bitter smile and dared not say much.

Gu Chen had become a thorn in the Grand Prince's eye, and the more famous and powerful Gu Chen became, the more it irked the Grand Prince.

"What a waste, that Marquis of Pingxi couldn't handle such a trivial matter; he deserved to die! And the barbarians, the Holy Shadows Sect, the Black Sky Sect, and all those jianghu forces, they're all useless, completely useless!"

"Duke of the Liang State died a fitting death; he dared not support me and deserved to die. Everyone who opposes me has to die, all must die!"

Red-faced with veins bulging, the Grand Prince stomped around, completely ignoring the Chief Eunuch's warning.

The valuable porcelain and fine paintings in the mansion were shattered and torn to shreds by the Grand Prince, leaving the mansion in utter chaos.

After a long time, having vented his anger, the Grand Prince finally calmed down.

Seeing that the Grand Prince had regained his composure, the Chief Eunuch cautiously approached, daring to ask, "Your Highness, what shall we do next?"

The Grand Prince's expression turned cold and harsh, his eyes narrowing slightly, revealing a merciless demeanor, "I had thought this would be an excellent opportunity. If Yan State fell, it would have greatly undermined my fourth brother's reputation, and then, working my machinations in the shadows, his position as Crown Prince would be toppled. But now, everything is ruined, all ruined!"

At this thought, the Grand Prince gritted his teeth in hatred for the mysterious powerhouse and for Gu Chen.

"It seems I must act ahead of schedule. With the affair in Yan State drawing to a close, my fourth brother will likely use this to ascend the throne and claim the imperial seat. I can't wait any longer!" A terrifying murderous intent flickered in the Grand Prince's eyes.

Startled by these words, the Chief Eunuch exclaimed, "Your Highness, are you thinking of...?"

"Exactly!" the Grand Prince declared coldly. "I can't wait any longer. Now that this mysterious powerhouse has emerged and the other forces may not dare to make another move, opportunities like what we saw in Yan State won't come again soon. If my fourth brother ascends the throne, everything will be over!"

"Your Highness, we should deliberate over this matter thoroughly; it's not something to be taken lightly..." the Chief Eunuch urged hastily.

Rebellion, in any dynasty, is a great and bloody affair. If successful, then well and good; but upon failure, not just the Grand Prince, but all associated persons or forces, face a dire end!

Upon hearing these words, the Grand Prince smiled coldly and said, "Rest assured, do you still not know me? I would not make a move without certainty. Had Da Xia lost in Yan State and I seized the throne, it would have been a near certain victory, with the odds at ninety-nine percent. Now, however, they've dropped to eighty."

Overhearing that even under the current situation the Grand Prince still saw an eighty percent chance of success, the Chief Eunuch was astonished at his confidence.

The Grand Prince spoke dispassionately, "Tell me, if I brought a congenital realm martial arts grandmaster to assassinate my fourth brother, what do you think his chances of success would be?"

Congenital realm?!

The Chief Eunuch's pupils constricted at the mention, clueless as to when the Grand Prince had made contact with such a formidable person.

Even within Tiandu, there were only a few grandmasters at the congenital realm, so who could be backing the Grand Prince?

"Your Highness, what about the Tower Supervisor?" the Chief Eunuch asked sharply.

The Tower Supervisor of the Qintian Monitor, in the eyes of everyone in Da Xia, is revered like a deity, especially since the Grand Prince's plans for insurrection couldn't bypass him.

Although the Tower Supervisor of the Qintian Monitor resides within the Bagua Building atop the Star Gazing Platform in Tiandu's inner city, it is said that all the movements within Tiandu are under his watchful control.

Any unusual activity from the Grand Prince would certainly not go unnoticed by the Tower Supervisor.

Upon hearing this, a sharp glint flashed in the Grand Prince's eyes as he said with a chilling smile, "Don't worry, someone will take care of him."

...

The next day, at the morning court.

Having heard of the great victory in Yan State, the Crown Prince was obviously in high spirits, his recent frustrations seemingly lifted, feeling hopeful about everything, with a pleasant expression on his face.

Below him, the civil and military officials formed two rows, standing in silence, clearly already aware of the news regarding the battle in Yan State after a day's diffusion.

Clearly looking at the Crown Prince's demeanor, today's morning court would focus on discussing this matter. Moreover, the Crown Prince had already discussed with some ministers the reward for the generals and soldiers who participated in the battle of Yan State.

Especially for Gu Chen, who annihilated twelve thousand barbarians in the battle for Yulong City, the Crown Prince intended to bestow upon him exceptional rewards!