"Come, my disciple—today, I want to see who dares to stand in your way!"
Chen Xiaoming's voice echoed with unwavering authority. His Imperial Soul Realm surged outward, brushing aside the soul pressure emanating from the grand hall. With Xiao Xun'er in tow, he stepped inside.
Pushing open the doors, countless gazes turned toward them. The hall wasn't particularly large—barely over 300 square meters. At its center sat a wide table crafted from blood-horn rosewood, surrounded by elders radiating formidable auras.
Chen Xiaoming's eyes swept the room. Nine elders in total, with the weakest possessing the strength of a Five-Star Dou Saint, and the strongest already at the Late Seven-Star Dou Saint level.
Such strength would be considered formidable even within the Gu Clan.
Tap.
A soft footstep rang out. A figure suddenly appeared in the hall—a man around forty, dressed plainly in coarse robes. His unassuming appearance and faint smile gave off a rare sense of ease.
The man smiled gently at Chen Xiaoming and nodded before taking the central seat.
"Please, be seated."
His voice was calm and composed. Chen Xiaoming's eyes lit up as he sensed the immense, abyss-like Dou Qi within the man. He instantly recognized the man's identity.
Without hesitation, Chen Xiaoming stepped forward and took the empty seat to the left, while Xiao Xun'er stood respectfully behind him.
"Brother Chen, as Xun'er's master, you are naturally a most honored guest of our Gu Clan. May I ask what brings you here today?"
The middle-aged man in the main seat looked at Chen Xiaoming with a polite smile, though the question was clearly rhetorical. As Xun'er's father and with the meeting hall already prepared, did Chen Xiaoming really think Gu Yuan didn't know why he had come?
Chen Xiaoming scoffed internally, casting a side glance at Gu Yuan. He disliked clan leaders and their ilk—they always danced around issues, never speaking plainly, always probing and testing.
"Nothing much," Chen Xiaoming replied bluntly. "I've come regarding Xun'er's marriage."
He didn't believe in beating around the bush. His words were direct and without pretense.
"As her teacher, and since she already has someone in her heart, it's only natural for me to help her."
"Hmph! You may be Xun'er's teacher, but this is a matter internal to the Gu Clan."
A pale and thin man spoke coldly, his tone filled with mockery.
"You're overstepping, meddling in our clan's internal affairs."
Chen Xiaoming gave the man a flat look. A Low-Level Six-Star Dou Saint. Not weak by cultivation, and certainly a figure of authority within the Gu Clan.
Whoosh!
In the next instant, soul force burst from Chen Xiaoming's body. A flash of divine light shot from his eyes, targeting the elder who had spoken.
"You dare—!"
The surrounding Gu Clan elders were stunned. The elder in question hastily released his soul power, forming a chain in defense.
Boom!
A muffled impact rang out. The soul chain shattered instantly under the divine light. The elder's face turned pale, and he staggered back into his seat, his spirit clearly shaken. He had taken a severe blow without even realizing it.
"An Imperial Soul Realm!"
Gu Yuan's expression changed. Others might have missed it, but he recognized it instantly. For someone so young—barely in his twenties—to have reached this level, it was nothing short of astonishing.
"What? He's an Imperial Soul Realm?!"
Gasps filled the hall. Even to these seasoned veterans, achieving that realm was an unattainable dream.
Chen Xiaoming looked at the astonished elder as though he were an idiot. What's the big deal? It was just the Imperial Soul Realm. Was this the first time they'd seen the world?
Besides, hadn't he broken through to the Imperial Soul Realm three years ago? Back then, quite a few people had known about it.
Why were these Gu Clan elders acting like they were hearing about it for the first time?
What, hasn't the Gu Clan connected to the internet yet?
Then again, considering their age, perhaps they really had been secluded in the Gu Realm all this time, cut off from the outside world.
Buzz...
A faint fluctuation of Imperial Soul Realm pressure emanated from Chen Xiaoming. He chuckled softly. These people had tried to suppress him outside the hall earlier—now it was time to return the favor.
"My apologies, Brother Chen."
Gu Yuan finally spoke. A towering wave of soul energy gathered within the hall, blocking Chen Xiaoming's soul force.
"Hmm? Interesting."
Chen Xiaoming raised an eyebrow, glancing at Gu Yuan with renewed interest. Sensing Gu Yuan's soul power, he withdrew his own.
After all, this was the Gu Clan's domain, and Gu Yuan was Xun'er's father. He had to show some respect.
"He's gone too far, treating our Gu Clan like—"
"Enough."
A trace of anger flickered in Gu Yuan's eyes as he cut the elder off. His sharp gaze silenced the man instantly. Under Gu Yuan's imposing presence, the elder faltered and sat back down.
Gu Yuan wasn't just the Gu Clan's patriarch—he was also its strongest, a Nine-Star Dou Saint.
"Brother Chen, what you just mentioned—Xun'er already told me upon her return."
Having silenced the elder, Gu Yuan turned back to Chen Xiaoming. Deep down, he truly felt grateful toward him.
Xun'er's growth over the past few years had been nothing short of terrifying. When she first returned, Gu Yuan personally examined her, suspecting she had used forbidden techniques to forcefully elevate her cultivation.
But after a thorough inspection, he was stunned to discover everything was completely natural. Even her Dou God bloodline had undergone a frightening evolution.
By her most recent visit, Xun'er's Dou God bloodline had advanced to the level of a Divine-Grade Bloodline.
Naturally, this triggered an uproar within the clan regarding her marriage prospects.
The Gu Clan, being an ancient lineage, placed immense importance on bloodlines. A Dou God bloodline wasn't just rare—it was foundational to rapid growth. The stronger the bloodline, the greater the potential.
With such a formidable bloodline, how could the Gu Clan allow her to dilute it by marrying an outsider?
"The clan's reaction to this matter has been… intense," Gu Yuan admitted, a trace of weariness in his voice as he addressed Chen Xiaoming.
Xun'er's chosen partner—Xiao Yan—was someone Gu Yuan had investigated. He was merely a youth with a broken bloodline, barely a Dou Grandmaster.
Compared to the elite scions of the Gu Clan, or even any average Gu clansman, Xiao Yan was hopelessly outmatched.
As much as Gu Yuan doted on Xun'er, he had to consider the clan's interests. He was not only her father—but also the clan's patriarch.
"Brother Chen... I'm afraid this time, your trip might be in vain."
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