My Wife Turns Out to be an Empress of the Dynasty

It was true that he hadn't had much contact with Gu Lan, but he could still guess some of Gu Lan's thoughts. Gu Lan's intentions were simple, and he didn't bother overthinking things. This guy was on the verge of a breakthrough, and Gu Lan couldn't let him linger for too long—it would only spell trouble.

As Gu Lan pondered, his aura unconsciously began to emanate. True energy flowed into the Hongmeng Sword, and a piercing sword cry echoed through the heavens. At the same time, the Lava Clan's Imperial Realm Eight fold expert locked onto him with a cold gaze, his eyes filled with endless killing intent.

"I've heard you're quite powerful. Today, I'll test that claim!" the Lava Clan expert sneered.

Gu Lan had deliberately exposed himself to draw the man's attention. Seeing the Lava Clan expert charging toward him, Gu Lan raised the Hongmeng Sword and struck. It wasn't that Gu Lan wanted to fight, but this guy had provoked him first.

Facing Gu Lan's attack, the Lava Clan expert couldn't withstand it. As soon as he got close, Gu Lan's sword sent him flying back. The man tried to think of a way to counter, but in that instant, a chilling sensation crept up his spine. Already on high alert, he didn't hesitate to react.

The man's speed was impressive, but it wasn't enough. As he turned, one of his arms was severed. Blood sprayed out, and he let out a cry of pain as he retreated a hundred feet away. He hadn't expected to be so easily defeated.

"Such terrifying strength!" he muttered in shock, no longer daring to face Gu Lan.

He knew that if this continued, he would die. Though his gaze remained locked on Gu Lan, it was now filled with fear. Seeing his expression, Gu Lan snorted coldly, his aura showing no signs of restraint.

"I'll give you a choice: die here, or submit to me," Gu Lan said.

The man's strength wasn't insignificant, and Gu Lan was considering recruiting him. But the choice was ultimately up to the man. Gu Lan's words alone might not be enough to convince him.

As soon as Gu Lan finished speaking, the man's eyes flashed with killing intent. "I am a Lava Clan expert. How could I submit to you? Even if I die, I will never—"

Before he could finish, a sharp pain pierced his chest. Looking up, he saw Gu Lan standing before him. The Hongmeng Sword had already pierced his heart, and his aura was fading rapidly.

"How... is this possible?" he muttered in disbelief, but it was too late.

Gu Lan pulled the Hongmeng Sword out, and the man collapsed. This guy posed no challenge to Gu Lan, so he had no interest in him. Wiping the blood off the Hongmeng Sword, Gu Lan turned and disappeared.

Initially, Gu Lan's plan had been simple: kill the Wizard Clan's Second Elder and leave the others alone, as they weren't strong enough to pose a threat. However, the experts Chi Yang had brought this time were no ordinary foes, so Gu Lan had to be cautious.

Gu Lan left quickly, vanishing without a trace. Sensing that Gu Lan's aura had disappeared, An Ying hurried to follow him. With Gu Lan around, this place was safe. But without him, it was extremely dangerous. An Ying was on the same boat as Gu Lan—if Gu Lan was in danger, so was he. He couldn't afford to hesitate and had to escape. Lingering would only make things worse.

Previously, the Wizard Clan's target had been Gu Lan, but now they were too preoccupied to focus on him. Gu Lan and An Ying moved swiftly, and before long, they had returned to the Jing Nation's imperial palace.

As they stopped, Gu Simu quickly approached, her face filled with curiosity. "Father, did you kill that guy?"

In response to Gu Simu's question, Gu Lan nodded. "Of course. Otherwise, I wouldn't have returned."

Hearing this, Gu Simu finally relaxed. Since the threat had been dealt with, she no longer needed to worry. As for what would happen next, she didn't need to concern herself. She was certain that Gu Lan hadn't just resolved the immediate problem—he had likely handled other matters as well.

At the same time, Xue Lengyan also approached. Her expression was stoic as she stepped in front of Gu Lan. She bowed respectfully and said, "Greetings, Master Gu."

"No need for formalities, Blood Clan Master. You seem troubled—do you have something on your mind?" Gu Lan asked.

Under Gu Lan's questioning gaze, Xue Lengyan slowly spoke. "I've sensed the presence of an even stronger power recently."

Hearing this, Gu Lan was momentarily stunned, his face showing confusion. "An even stronger power? Could there be someone stronger than the Upper Three Clans?"

"I can't be certain yet, but it's clear that a greater threat will emerge soon," Xue Lengyan replied.

As she spoke, Gu Lan fell into deep thought. After a long while, he slowly raised his head, his expression darkening. "Keep an eye on it. If you find out more, let me know immediately."

If there truly was a stronger power, Gu Lan needed to be prepared. Xue Lengyan wouldn't joke about something like this. Since she had brought it up, it was worth paying attention to.

"By the way, Master Gu, there's one more thing," Xue Lengyan added, her expression growing even more serious.

Gu Lan couldn't help but look at her with curiosity. "What is it?"

"You need to be wary of Young Lord Xuanyuan and Divine Son Arthur."

"Them?" Gu Lan was puzzled. Did those two dare to show themselves again?

Gu Lan hadn't paid much attention to them after failing to kill them earlier, thinking they couldn't cause much trouble. But if they were planning to reappear, Gu Lan wouldn't hold back.

"Not only will they reappear, but they've also found a more powerful backer," Xue Lengyan explained. "So you need to be cautious. Otherwise, you might not even know how you died."

Although Gu Lan hadn't investigated these two, Xue Lengyan had been keeping tabs on them. Initially, Xue Lengyan had shared Gu Lan's view, but recently, she had noticed something unusual. The two had been appearing frequently, especially Divine Son Arthur, who had been recruiting powerful experts with generous rewards. As for Young Lord Xuanyuan, he had been in close contact with Divine Son Arthur.

After explaining, Xue Lengyan didn't linger and quickly disappeared. Once she was gone, Gu Lan summoned a golden light with a wave of his hand. Ding True Man appeared in the distance and approached, bowing respectfully to Gu Lan without a hint of disrespect.

Gu Lan glanced at him and spoke unhurriedly. "I have a task for you. You'll need to make a trip."

As soon as Gu Lan said this, Ding True Man immediately bent forward. "Please give me your orders, Master!"

Although Gu Lan had removed the Soul Seal from his body, Ding True Man hadn't forgotten his promise to Gu Lan.