Demon Slaying, Gaining 60 Years of Cultivation From the Start

At the outset, when leaving Tiandu for Yan State, Gu Chen took thirty-five Metropolitan Procurators with him. Now, upon return, except for Song Yu and a limited two or three others who were still alive, the rest had forever remained in Yan State.

It was not only their complete bodies that could not be found; even their ashes were untraceable. All he could bring back were some of their clothing, planning to erect a tomb of clothing and hats for them upon their return.

Of the two hundred thousand troops that accompanied the Duke of the Liang State to Yan State, the ones who survived had mostly stayed behind, as there was much to restore there, and a great shortage of hands.

Therefore, the group returning, excluding the warriors from Yao Platform Sect, consisted only of Gu Chen, Chen Yu, Song Yu, and a handful of others from Da Xia.

When the members of the Yao Platform Sect reached Shen Zhou, they parted ways with Gu Chen and the rest. Throughout the journey, everyone was very silent.

Although the battle at Yan State was a great victory, only those who had personally experienced it knew how difficult it was to win.

Meanwhile, the common folk of Tiandu had long been waiting at the city gates, awaiting the triumphant return of Gu Chen and the others.

The Jing Tian Department personnel who had not been dispatched on missions remained in full force in Tiandu, and there were even many ministers from the royal court present.

"Look, look, they're back!"

"How come there are so few of them?"

"Silence, do you not know how great the loss was in the battle of Yan State?"

"Marquis Wu'an, Gu Chen has returned!"

Only when Gu Chen and the group approached Tiandu did they realize that a throng of commoners, colleagues, and many officials were all waiting there for them.

"Triumphant return!"

"Congratulations on your triumphant return!"

Seeing Gu Chen and the others with somber expressions, the common folk of Tiandu, who had things they wanted to say, swallowed their words, and just a few of these words were spoken out loud.

Gu Chen and his small group looked surprised at first, as if they had not expected such a large ceremony to welcome them.

Behind them followed carriages, which carried the personal effects of the soldiers who had died in the battle of Yan State.

With heavy hearts, Gu Chen and the others pulled the carriages, entering the majestic city of Tiandu that they had not seen for over half a year, and slowly walked through its streets.

Each person who had come to participate in the welcoming ceremony stood silent and solemn, watching them wordlessly.

The relatives of the deceased soldiers were waiting on the side, each with a sorrowful look and tears streaming from their eyes.

One by one, Gu Chen and his companions handed over the soldiers' relics to their families.

The battle at Yan State was a great victory but also a pyrrhic one!

This day would be remembered by all the people of Tiandu, not just Gu Chen and his companions as heroes, but every person who participated in the battle of Yan State was a hero.

When returning Wang Yan's relics, a woman with a gentle and delicate appearance stood next to Wang Yan's parents; Gu Chen personally handed over Wang Yan's effects to her.

"I'm sorry."

After a long silence, Gu Chen said.

The woman had a gentle and handsome face. Upon hearing this, she shook her head without saying much, clutched Wang Yan's relic tightly to her chest as if it were a treasured possession.

Song Yu stood not far away, with one sleeve empty. His parents' eyes reddened at the sight.

But after all, being able to return alive was already a stroke of luck amidst the misfortune.

In the crowd, Gu Chen also spotted his second uncle Gu Chengfeng, his aunt Xu Qinge, his sister Gu Qingyan, and the three members of his family, as well as Uncle Zhang from the gatehouse; they had all come.

He had thought it would be a joyful welcome ceremony, but it turned out not to be so.

Perhaps, however, this atmosphere was more fitting for the victory of the battle of Yan State.

Gu Chen did not engage in much conversation with them, as he still needed to return to the headquarters of the Jing Tian Department to debrief. Shortly after, Gu Chen and Chen Yu passed through the crowd to the inner city to the headquarters of the Jing Tian Department to meet with the deputy leader of the Jing Tian Department, Qin Wu.

Qin Wu was also somber and said, "Rest assured, the fallen soldiers will be compensated by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. Although the dead cannot be brought back to life, their parents and relatives will not be neglected by Da Xia. It will be the same for Wang Yan and the others!"

Upon hearing Wang Yan's name, Song Yu couldn't help but redden his eyes, pursing his lips with a look of sorrow.

Seeing this, Qin Wu sighed slightly, well aware of the feeling and said softly, "I know you're all tired, go home and rest. Take a good break."

After experiencing a battle akin to a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, though much time had passed, until they reached Tiandu, neither Gu Chen nor his companions had completely relaxed.

At these words, the few dispirited Metropolitan Procurators left immediately. The battle at Yan State was won, but the blow to them was great.

In the end, Song Yu and Chen Yu left, leaving only Gu Chen behind.

Qin Wu asked, "Gu Chen, is there anything else?"

With a grave expression, Gu Chen said solemnly, "Commander, I would like to claim my merits and trade them for what I need to go into seclusion for training."

Qin Wu had already received news that Gu Chen had broken through to the Earth level, becoming a Martial Master. Hearing that Gu Chen wanted to seclude himself for training right after returning from Yan State, his brow furrowed, and he said, "Although it is good to practice diligently in martial arts, remember to balance work with rest.

Blindly enduring hardship in your studies could very well be counterproductive."

"Commander, rest assured, I understand." Gu Chen said, his expression firm.

The battle at Yan State made him truly recognize his own shortcomings, which, after all, boiled down to strength.

After witnessing mountains of corpses and seas of blood, and seeing the deaths of his colleagues and friends, Gu Chen's mindset had gradually transformed.

Barbarian tribes, the Great Yuan, demon cults, evil spirits—all these cancers of the land—as long as they existed, Da Xia, or rather, the whole world, would never know peace.

Only by eradicating these cancers one by one could the Nine Provinces perhaps enjoy a long period without war and turmoil.

"One day, I will annihilate all of this and put an end to the chaos of the Nine Provinces," Gu Chen told himself in his heart after Wang Yan's death.

Seeing Gu Chen's insistence, Qin Wu didn't force him any further. After summoning a minor official to assign the deserved merits to Gu Chen, Gu Chen then took his leave.

Having been away from home for more than half a year, Gu Chen knew his uncle's family must be extremely worried, so after exchanging his internal merits at Jing Tian Department, he returned to the Gu Mansion.

"Eldest son, you've come back." Explore more stories with My Virtual Library Empire

"Big brother, you've finally returned."

The sight of Gu Chen returning to Gu Mansion safe and sound excited his uncle Gu Chengfeng's family greatly.

"Uncle, Aunt, Qinyan, I'm back."

Upon his return to the Gu Mansion, a smile finally appeared on the expressionless face of Gu Chen.

"By the way, eldest son, here's the imperial edict," Gu Chengfeng remembered something and handed over the edict that ennobled Gu Chen.

"Marquis of Wuan, I've been ennobled?"

Seeing the edict, Gu Chen was also momentarily stunned. He hadn't expected the Crown Prince to actually bestow him a marquisate.

He had previously been a viscount, and now being ennobled as a marquis, he had effectively leaped two ranks at once.

Not only that, but after Jing Tian Department learned of his advancement to a Martial Master of the Transcendent Realm, he had been promoted from a Yellow Level Commander to an Earth Level Commander.

From the establishment of Jing Tian Department to now, Gu Chen could be said to be the one who rose the fastest within its ranks.

Unprecedented, and, barring any accidents, likely unparalleled in the future.

Gu Chen didn't dwell too much on his ennoblement after briefly learning about it.

After all, what use was being a king without true strength?

In chaotic times, only absolute strength could protect everything one wished to safeguard.

For instance, his family before his eyes.

Gu Chen gazed deeply at his uncle's family and then told them that he intended to go into seclusion.

Gu Chengfeng's family didn't try to dissuade him, as they could see the melancholy in Gu Chen. They simply admonished him not to be reckless before Gu Chen left the Gu Mansion and returned to Jing Tian Department to find a secret chamber.

Since that day, in front of Yongxue City, after slaughtering the barbarian tribes, demon cults, and various martial artists of the Congenital Realm, the gauntlet had once again fallen silent. No matter how Gu Chen called out to it, there was no response.

Fortunately, on that day, Gu Chen believed his disguise to be quite effective, even his silhouette was somewhat blurred, let alone his face.

Moreover, his vital energy had greatly changed. When he reappeared before Jing Tian Department's defenders such as Yan Qing in Yan State, none could recognize him.

It was also because of that experience that the residual power in the gauntlet promoted the evolution of Gu Chen's physique, allowing him to complete the fourth blood exchange at the Transcendent Realm.

Such a rate of progression would shock countless in the Nine Provinces if word got out. No one could achieve such breakthrough speed at the Master Realm, not even in the ancient times.

Gu Chen's strength was indeed changing rapidly, advancing at an astonishing pace.

"No matter what, only one's own strength is the most solid truth," Gu Chen murmured.

He was very clear-headed, though the power of the gauntlet was mighty, once unleashed, it granted Gu Chen unparalleled strength, capable of slaying Martial Masters of the Congenital Realm as easily as chopping melons and vegetables, it was all too easy to become intoxicated by such power. But after all, it wasn't his own strength.

Relying too much on external forces was not a good sign.

Ultimately, martial artists must depend on themselves.

Moreover, the origins of the gauntlet in his left palm were mysterious and exceptionally strange; better not to use it if not necessary.

To this day, Gu Chen still didn't understand why the gauntlet had chosen him.

He didn't believe it was truly a reward from the Pure Yang Martial Sect's trial tower.

Perhaps, the trial tower of the Pure Yang Martial Sect was suppressing this weapon as well?

Shaking his head, Gu Chen didn't dwell on the gauntlet's origins anymore. Unless it was a life-and-death situation, he would no longer actively use the gauntlet's power.

Moreover, the gauntlet clearly had its own volition and wasn't something Gu Chen could use whenever he wanted. The last time it was used, Gu Chen had slain who knew how many barbarian soldiers to make a trade with it, which could be regarded as an "equivalent exchange."

"It's time for another comprehensive upgrade," Gu Chen came back to his senses, took a deep breath, and calmed his spirit before pulling up his personal panel.

This time, having completed the mission in Yan State, Jing Tian Department awarded Gu Chen with many merits, more than usual, and with these merits, Gu Chen was confident that in a short period of time, he could make his strength surge once again, reaching new heights!