Demon Slaying, Gaining 60 Years of Cultivation From the Start-Chapter 497 - 374 The First Family in the World _1

Governor of Youzhou, Liang Zhao, looked at the intelligence in his hands, his brows subconsciously furrowing tightly.

According to the report, the hideout of one of the law enforcement elders of the Six Union God Sect was within the Xiahou family in Youzhou.

The Xiahou family, ranked among the six major families of the nine provinces, was also the strongest among them, and could be called the number one family in the world!

Even in terms of existence, it was the same. The Xiahou family had withstood over fifteen hundred years of time since its foundation.

Furthermore, in the distant past, the Xiahou family, just like the current Da Xia, was a royal dynasty, having once unified the world under their rule!

Legend has it that the founding emperor of the Xiahou family was a personage of the Coagulation Field Stage, with incredibly unrivaled strength. During that chaotic period in the nine provinces, he led his followers to stabilize the realm and establish a vast empire.

Unfortunately, with the passage of time, the Xiahou family experienced decline. It was then that the former dynasty of Da Xia captured their capital. Fortunately, the Xiahou’s founding emperor had a contingency plan in place, preventing the complete extermination of his family, allowing their lineage to continue to this day.

But as a result, the Xiahou family fell into decline for a long time, not rising again until after Da Xia had stabilized the realm. Leveraging their profound heritage, they eventually ranked first among the six major families.

The current elderly patriarch of the Xiahou family had also once been a mighty warrior of divine transcendence in martial arts.

However, when the former Emperor of Xia suppressed the world and dominated the martial arts community, the old Xiahou patriarch was severely wounded by a casual blow from the chief of the Mingjing Department, barely managing to escape with his life. Though his martial realm plummeted, his spirit remained intact.

His cultivation could no longer compare to the past, and he was merely half a step from divine transcendence.

Therefore, upon seeing this message, Liang Zhao felt its credibility was very high.

"This matter must be decided by Lord Gu," Liang Zhao mused with furrowed brows.

Previously, Gu Chen had shown Liang Zhao the command token of Qin Wu, vice-leader of the Jing Tian Department. Now Gu Chen was acting as Youzhou’s Jing Tian Department’s proxy sentinel. During his tenure in Youzhou, he had authority over all of its affairs.

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Therefore, Liang Zhao had to personally inform Gu Chen about this matter for him to make a decision.

Meanwhile, Gu Chen, having successfully increased his cultivation to 1,215 years using merit points, broke through to the late stage of the Innate Realm. After consolidating his gains, he immediately exited his seclusion.

Now, with his level of cultivation, Gu Chen had no rivals in the Innate Realm. Only those divine transcendence warriors at the pinnacle of the nine provinces could spar with Gu Chen.

Of course, whether he could defeat these top-tier masters of divine transcendence, Gu Chen wasn’t entirely certain.

After all, once the spirit is awakened, one is no longer ordinary. Facing those below the divine transcendence realm, top-tier masters need not even act. A mere sweep of their spirit can instantly kill invisibly, directly destroying a warrior’s psyche.

If it weren’t for Gu Chen practicing the Refining Spirit Secret, and the Superior God Weapon Jade Necklace given to him by the new Emperor Ji Yuan, along with the protection of a divine seed, even himself would have no chance against those divine transcendence powerhouses.

Furthermore, those in the divine transcendence realm possessed more than just spiritual power. Even their overall cultivation could be said to be qualitatively different from that of a grandmaster in the Innate Realm.

Upon stepping out of the secret chamber, Liang Zhao sought out Gu Chen without delay.

"Has Master He Yan had an accident?" Seeing Liang Zhao’s grave expression, Gu Chen thought that He Yan’s injuries had worsened.

Liang Zhao shook his head in response and said, "Lord Gu, please take a look at this."

With that, he handed the intelligence he had received to Gu Chen and shared his own analysis of the situation.

"The number one family in the world, huh?"

After looking at the intelligence and listening to the analysis of Governor of Youzhou, Liang Zhao, Gu Chen said, "So, Master Liang believes that the Xiahou family’s allegiance to the Six Union God Sect is because this old patriarch of the Xiahou wishes to meld with evil spirits to return to the realm of divine transcendence in martial arts?"

"Indeed."

Liang Zhao’s expression turned solemn as he said, "The Xiahou family has always been extremely antagonistic toward the court but has never found the opportunity for revenge. I was worried that with the sentinel’s demise, the Xiahou family might become restless, but your arrival, Lord Gu, gave me some peace of mind. Unexpectedly, the Xiahou family has already made contact with the demonic cult."

Gu Chen nodded slightly, finding Liang Zhao’s speculation to be very logical. The likelihood of the Xiahou family’s allegiance to the demonic cult was indeed quite high.

"It seems that no matter what, I’m obliged to make a visit," Gu Chen remarked while examining the intelligence.

Upon hearing this, Liang Zhao’s brows knitted slightly as he said, "Lord Gu, the Xiahou family is extremely hostile toward Da Xia. If we go directly, looking to search the Xiahou family without solid evidence, it will certainly lead to conflict."

After all, the Xiahou family was the number one family in the world. The old patriarch, once a divine transcendence level warrior, would certainly not allow a search without any evidence.

Moreover, the Xiahou family had a profound grudge with the royal court. If a conflict did start, the Xiahou family would not hold back.

Although Gu Chen was strong, he was only in the Innate Realm. Even if the Xiahou family’s old patriarch had lost some of his cultivation, he had still coalesced his spirit. Being a former divine transcendence warrior, in Liang Zhao’s view, Gu Chen would not stand a chance against him.

So this was a very thorny issue. If left alone, the law enforcement elder of the Six Union God Sect, once successfully merged with an infernal-class evil spirit, would see his strength undergo an earth-shattering change, inevitably causing calamity to the entire Youzhou.

But to intervene would mean overcoming the obstacle of the Xiahou family. How to deal with the old patriarch of the Xiahou family was an extremely difficult problem.

As Liang Zhao was frowning in concern, Gu Chen smiled faintly and said, "No worries, I’ll just pay them a visit directly."

"What?"

Upon hearing this, Liang Zhao was momentarily stunned and then hesitated, "Lord Gu, this... perhaps we should find a pretext to try?"

To knock directly on their door, suspecting the Xiahou family of harboring demonic cult heretics, how could the Xiahou family possibly agree? A fight would likely break out immediately.

Gu Chen remained calm and poised as he said, "There’s no need for such beating about the bush. I’ll pay them a visit personally, and I expect the Xiahou family will grant me this courtesy."

Of course, Gu Chen left unsaid the subtext that if the Xiahou family was not willing to grant him this courtesy, then he, Gu Chen, would certainly not afford any to the Xiahou family.

Gu Chen was well aware of the old patriarch of the Xiahou family’s situation. If he dared to face the chief priest of the Dragon Tiger Mountain’s Celestial Master Sect without fear at the mid-stage of the Innate Realm, why would he be afraid now?

Liang Zhao soon realized this point and inwardly thought, "Indeed, Lord Gu Chen faced the old Celestial Master of Dragon Tiger Mountain without fear, let alone the Xiahou family’s old patriarch."

Although this was the case, Liang Zhao still had some worries in his heart, knowing that the elderly Celestial Master from Dragon Tiger Mountain’s Celestial Master Sect was highly respected and held no grudges against Da Xia; he would naturally not make a move against Gu Chen.

However, the situation with the old patriarch from the Xiahou family was different; it was because of Da Xia that his cultivation had fallen.

"How many men does Lord Gu need to bring along?" Liang Zhao asked.

"Master Liang can make that decision," Gu Chen said as he took a step forward, preparing to visit the so-called number one noble family in the world.

...

The Xiahou family, being the world’s foremost noble family, owned a villa situated in a land of scenic beauty. Its grounds were vast, with pavilions and terraces strewn among fragrant flowers, waterside pavilions surrounded by courtyards, and peculiar stones standing erect, making the scenery extraordinarily beautiful.

The entire area belonged to the Xiahou family’s territory, and anyone wishing to approach needed the Xiahou family’s permission.

"What a truly fine place," Gu Chen said as he arrived with several martial arts grandmasters from the Jing Tian Department of Youzhou who had reached the pinnacle of the Hundred Orifices Stage.

At the moment, these Celestial Rank Commanders seemed relaxed on the surface but were somewhat anxious inside.

After all, challenging the unrivaled Xiahou family by insisting on searching their premises—no one would agree to that, and a conflict was almost inevitable.

"Halt, intruders!"

As Gu Chen approached the territory of the Xiahou family, suddenly a dozen or so warriors rushed out, stopping them with unfriendly faces.

"This is private property, and no one is allowed inside without permission; otherwise, do not blame us for being rude!" a burly man sternly warned them.

"Quite domineering, claiming it to be private property? Since when was this land privately owned by the Xiahou family? Did you ask the imperial court? Did Da Xia agree?" Gu Chen retorted.

"Here, there is no imperial court or Da Xia, only the Xiahou family!" the burly man replied coldly, staring at Gu Chen.

If he hadn’t been somewhat unsure of Gu Chen’s true abilities, he would have already struck.

"Insolence!"

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Upon hearing these words, the several Celestial Rank Commanders from the Jing Tian Department of Youzhou immediately scolded, "How dare you utter such treasonous words? Open your dog eyes and see who stands before you!"

The burly man from the Xiahou family sneered coldly without much care—after all, the Xiahou family was the number one noble family in the world, and there were few powers in the Nine Provinces that they feared.

Gu Chen had only recently arrived in Youzhou, and not even a day had passed, so the news hadn’t spread far. Though his fame was widespread, not everyone had seen his portrait or knew his face.

Gu Chen remained calm. With his current status and position, he wouldn’t bother arguing with mere gatekeepers. He treated the group as if they were nothing and continued walking towards the Xiahou family residence.

"Courting death!"

A fierce light flashed in the eyes of the burly man, and the dozen or so warriors from the Xiahou family were ready to take action.

"Ignorant fools!"

One of the Celestial Rank Commanders from behind Gu Chen slightly leaked a hint of a martial arts grandmaster’s aura from the Hundred Orifices Stage, causing the dozen or so warriors to stiffen, standing in place with faces full of horror.

"Martial... Grandmaster?!"

The leading burly man, though tough, now had a grim expression as he yelled, "So what if you are martial arts grandmasters? This is Xiahou family territory; if you dare to intrude, there are plenty who can deal with you!"

"What arrogance!"

No sooner had the words fallen than the Celestial Rank Commander from the Jing Tian Department of Youzhou let out a cold snort. His martial arts grandmaster’s aura gushed out, sending the dozen or so Xiahou family warriors flying, coughing up blood from the blast.

"Who dares to be so presumptuous in my Xiahou family’s territory?!"

The commotion instantly attracted the Xiahou family’s attention, and several dozen warriors charged over, each armed with a weapon.

Leading them were a few martial arts grandmasters whose strength was not much less than that of those Celestial Rank Commanders that Gu Chen had brought with him.

"The Jing Tian Department is conducting official business, all irrelevant people should quickly make way!"

Then, the Celestial Rank Commander who had struck earlier shouted out their affiliations.

"You say you’re from the Jing Tian Department just like that?"

The leading martial arts grandmasters from the Xiahou family smiled coldly, fearless because they had received news that the Commander of the Jing Tian Department in Youzhou had perished in battle. The current Da Xia and Jing Tian Department were nothing to be afraid of.

Seeing that the group continued to advance aggressively, the Celestial Rank Commanders from the Jing Tian Department became stern and looked to Gu Chen.

Gu Chen too had realized that the members of the Xiahou family were deliberately provoking them, targeting them even though they knew Gu Chen and his companions were officials from the imperial court.

Therefore, Gu Chen had no reason to hesitate.

Boom!

At that moment, the imposing aura of an innate realm martial arts grandmaster burst forth from Gu Chen’s body. Within a hundred yards, a ferocious Gang Wind kicked up, shaking the earth; the several dozen warriors from the Xiahou family who were charging over were immediately blown away.

Simultaneously, a clear and sonorous voice echoed through heaven and earth, resounding and lingering in the area.

"Jing Tian Department’s Gu Chen, here to visit the esteemed Xiahou noble family!"