My Wife Turns Out to be an Empress of the Dynasty

He did not know Zhongren, but Gu Simu had left a deep impression on Ding True Man. He thought he had finally gotten rid of her, but unexpectedly, she appeared here again. On the surface, he was smiling, but inside, his heart was bleeding. He was extremely enthusiastic, which left Zhongren somewhat bewildered. This person's cultivation was far superior to his, and he could not understand why he would treat Gu Simu in such a manner. Could it be related to Gu Lan?

In response to his respectful demeanor, Gu Simu immediately put on airs. She placed her small hands behind her back and said dismissively, "No need to be so polite. I'm here to check on the disciples' training progress. This is Zhongren Uncle."

She didn't forget to introduce Zhongren, who did not act arrogantly and simply bowed in greeting. "Greetings, senior."

This was the least amount of respect he could offer, after all, this person's power surpassed his own. Upon hearing Zhongren's words, Ding True Man stiffened and immediately bent his body in reverence. "I dare not. I have been instructed by my master to guard this place. I wasn't aware you two were coming. Please, follow me!"

From Gu Simu's way of addressing Zhongren, Ding True Man could tell that Zhongren had an important status, possibly related to Gu Lan. As a servant of Gu Lan, Ding True Man had to show respect to Zhongren, even though Zhongren's strength was not as formidable as his own.

Zhongren could not say much more at this point, so he led the way forward, with Gu Simu quickly following him.

"Uncle Zhongren, do you remember what I told you before? This person is a bit foolish. Every time he attacks, he ends up hurting himself," Gu Simu said in a teasing tone.

Hearing this, Zhongren smiled faintly but didn't say a word, while Ding True Man's face immediately darkened, helplessness flashing across his features. He hadn't expected Gu Simu to remember such a thing.

Seeing that she was about to speak again, Zhongren turned around and interrupted, "Aren't you much stronger now? How about we spar a little?"

Although Ding True Man was Gu Lan's servant, he had to maintain his dignity. He couldn't just go along with Gu Simu's antics. The last time he sparred with her, he had suffered psychologically; now he just wanted to avoid it whenever possible.

As soon as Zhongren mentioned sparring, Gu Simu's interest was piqued. She immediately took out the Hammer of Evergreen Pine as soon as she entered Lanyan Royal School.

"I have indeed gotten much stronger. Uncle Zhongren, be careful when we fight!"

Gu Simu was full of confidence, as she had received personal guidance from Gu Lan. She was sure she wouldn't be too far behind now.

"I'll be careful, then!" Zhongren said with a smile, nodding in acknowledgment.

Seeing them exchange words, Ding True Man wisely stepped aside. As long as he wasn't needed, everything was fine with him. He had already developed a psychological scar from his previous encounter with Gu Simu. He would avoid her attacks whenever possible, without hesitation.

Back at the palace, with Gu Lan's assistance, Mu Yuyan had successfully gained some power, but unfortunately, she had not managed to break through.

Opening her eyes, she looked at the golden light surrounding her and smiled faintly as she walked over to Gu Lan. "I didn't break through. There was just some improvement in my strength."

Although she had a smile on her face, her tone carried a hint of frustration. Seeing her like this, Gu Lan smiled lightly. "There's no rush. We'll get there in time."

In fact, there had been an opportunity earlier. If he hadn't extracted the Rule of Five Elements from her body, she would have been able to make the breakthrough. However, that would have been too risky and could have endangered her. It was better to proceed with caution and allow her to improve gradually.

"The situation in the Jing Nation is more or less stable. Don't you think you should check on Lanyan Royal School?" Gu Lan asked.

The Competition of Myriads of Clans had intensified, and other factions were making their moves. Lanyan Royal School was carrying a heavy responsibility. Gu Lan couldn't remain here forever; it was not a permanent solution.

Upon hearing his words, Gu Lan smiled faintly and pulled Mu Yuyan into his embrace.

"They are there, so there's no need for me to worry. When the time comes for me to return, I will go, but for now, I need to help you improve!"

His words made Mu Yuyan's face flush crimson. Stunned for a moment, she collapsed into his arms, feeling safe and secure.

As time passed, the night soon arrived. Gu Lan rose and walked toward the palace gates, his gaze unconsciously turning to the sky.

Just earlier, the Great Path Seed given to him by Zhuge Qingyun had responded, but the power only lasted a moment before quickly disappearing without a trace. He had tried hundreds of times, but the power just wouldn't merge with his body. Though it didn't reject him, mastering it was proving difficult.

While he pondered this, Mu Yuyan, wearing a light veil, approached him. "Is something troubling you?"

"I was just thinking about some past events," Gu Lan replied, not revealing his true thoughts. There were things Mu Yuyan could not understand or be involved in, and saying them aloud would be pointless.

Seeing that he was unwilling to elaborate, Mu Yuyan didn't press further. If Gu Lan wasn't speaking about it, then it was better not to ask.

Inside the Bright Clan, the Divine Son had yet to recover from his severe injuries sustained in their last battle. But their ambitions had not been extinguished. The gods were in heated discussion, all trying to vie for victory in the Competition of Myriads of Clans. However, they were hesitant to make any decisive moves due to Gu Lan's overwhelming strength.

Hearing their discussions, Arthur, the Divine Son, scowled, his eyes flashing with killing intent. "Silence! Even if we fight, it is not for you to decide. The Dark Clan has been making moves recently!"

He had been defeated by Gu Lan before, and his hatred for Gu Lan ran deep. How could he not want to deal with him? But after witnessing Gu Lan's terrifying power, Arthur did not dare act recklessly. If others were foolish enough to attack, he would gladly wait and reap the benefits as a bystander.

"No one from the Bright Clan is allowed to take action without my orders. If you do, don't blame me for being ruthless!" Arthur declared, then turned and vanished. He had no time for further conversation with these people; he needed to recover.

If he didn't regain his strength before the Competition of Myriads of Clans ended, it would be difficult to face Gu Lan. If he could improve, it would be even better.

Just as he had suspected, the Dark Clan had already begun to stir. They were preparing to make a move in a few days, and their plan was simple: start with the weakest opponents.

Although Lanyan Royal School had many disciples, to the Dark Clan, they were just a group of Lower Realm cultivators. The idea of competing with the Dark Clan was laughable. They believed taking them down would be easy.

At Lanyan Royal School, in the vast training grounds, Gu Simu and Zhongren faced each other, ready for a sparring session. Gu Simu had a cold smile on her face, her aura uncontrolled. She gripped the Hammer of Evergreen Pine and struck down with terrifying speed and power.

Her speed and strength were formidable, but Zhongren easily dodged.

"Not enough!" he simply said.

Gu Simu's face darkened, and she turned to strike again, but the result was the same as before—she missed.

After hundreds of back-and-forth exchanges, Zhongren had not been hurt. In fact, Gu Simu was the one who was panting and exhausted.

Gu Simu was getting frustrated. She glared at him and quickly put the Hammer of Evergreen Pine away.

"Uncle Zhongren, why can't I land a hit on you?"

She was baffled. She had become much stronger, but her power still wasn't enough.

"Your power has indeed increased, but you can't rely solely on brute strength. Otherwise, you'll never be able to hurt me," Zhongren replied calmly.