Chapter 810: Celestial Venerable's Old Servant

“See, what did I tell you? I pleaded with you earnestly, thinking only of your best interests. I told you not to try anything rash, otherwise, not only would your lifelong reputation be ruined, but you wouldn’t even… have control over yourself anymore. And look where we are now!” Xu Luo glared at Gu Zongren with indignation, his tone exasperated, like a mentor disappointed by a failing student.

“You brat!” Gu Zongren was furious. At this moment, he didn’t actually harbor much hatred for this Blue-skirted Maiden. No matter how young she appeared, she was a genuine titan. Whether she despised him or ignored him, she had the right to do so.

However, Gu Zongren was filled with deep resentment toward Xu Luo.

He thought, “He’s just a greenhorn riding on Hu Wei’s coattails! His strength hasn’t even reached the Venerable Realm. I could crush him with a single finger!

“If you didn’t have a titan by your side, would you dare speak to me like this?”

Yet, no matter how resentful he was, Gu Zongren knew he had lost. He had lost completely!

People only realized the true value and beauty of things after losing them.

Even a top-tier Celestial Venerable Great Power like Gu Zongren was no exception to this rule.

He raised his head and looked at Lan pitifully. At this moment, he didn’t dare offend this breathtakingly beautiful girl in the slightest. He didn’t even dare to speak, terrified that saying the wrong thing would give her another reason to find fault with him.

“Are you willing to become my brother’s servant?” Lan asked lightly, her eyes narrowing as she looked at Gu Zongren.

He thought, “Are you joking? How could I possibly be willing? Having him become my servant would be more like it!” These were Gu Zongren’s inner thoughts, which he absolutely dared not voice.

“Um, Miss… do you think we could resolve this some other way?” Gu Zongren asked with a bitter expression. He didn’t dare call her a senior anymore, let alone an ancestor. He pleaded, “For example, I can offer a massive amount of Top-level Immortal Spirit Stones as an apology, along with divine materials… I’ve accumulated quite a bit over the years. Even if you don’t care for those divine materials, I believe Young Master Luo… could surely find a use for them.”

“Are you implying… that I’m some sort of scavenger?” Xu Luo shot Gu Zongren a sidelong glance, looking thoroughly displeased.

He thought, “I only regret that when I caught you, you little Turtle, I didn’t slap you to death right then and there!”

Gu Zongren was so angry he felt almost numb. He just kept his eyes on Lan, not wanting to spare even a single glance at Xu Luo.

“My brother says he doesn’t like those things,” Lan said, looking at Gu Zongren. “You only have two choices: die, or submit!”

“I…” Gu Zongren was at a loss for words. If mutual destruction had been an option, he truly wouldn’t have minded fighting to the bitter end. The problem was that his strongest attack was completely useless against her. Even if he wanted to throw his life away now, the only result would be his own death; she wouldn’t even lose a single hair.

“I… choose… to submit!” After a long while, Gu Zongren finally grit his teeth and forced the words out, overwhelmed by intense reluctance.

“Honestly, wouldn’t it have been easier if you just said that from the start?” Xu Luo looked at Gu Zongren and curled his lip. “Don’t think I’m thrilled to take in a lackey like you. If you do anything bad out there, people won’t blame you; they’ll only blame me, your boss, for not keeping you in line!”

“…” Gu Zongren felt his internal organs churn once more, and a mouthful of blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.

Lan flicked her finger, shooting a flame that radiated a freezing aura directly into the center of Gu Zongren’s forehead. “To prevent you from going back on your word, I have to use some methods,” she said lightly. “Do not try to resist, or you will die!”

Gu Zongren could only watch helplessly as the blue flame, exuding endless freezing energy, sank into his glabella. A sharp pain exploded in his mind, so agonizing that Gu Zongren nearly passed out.

He thought, “What kind of technique is this?” He was both shocked and enraged.

He couldn’t be blamed for his ignorance. He had never once considered the possibility that Lan was a different species of entity; he solely believed this young girl was a terrifying titan.

“All done!” Lan suddenly let out a sigh of relief. A hint of exhaustion appeared on her calm, breathtakingly beautiful face.

In truth, if Gu Zongren had actually fought Lan to the death, it would have been hard to predict who would win! Although Lan’s realm was unimaginably high, she had exhausted almost all her strength earlier to break open the altar and retrieve the second half of the Soul Scripture. At her level, fully recovering was not something that could be achieved in a day or two.

Even with Little Nannan’s help and various Holy Medicines, she had recovered less than one-thousandth of her power! Otherwise, given Lan’s personality, why would she have wasted so much breath on Gu Zongren? She would have either killed him outright or forcefully subjugated him!

Gu Zongren had believed that surge of Sword Intent to be his ultimate strike. In reality, the Sword Intent of a top-tier Celestial Venerable had absolutely no effect in front of the unfathomable Lan! If Gu Zongren had opted for close combat and unleashed the terrifying methods of a Celestial Venerable, it was highly likely that he and Lan would have ended up mutually destroying each other. After that, killing Xu Luo… would have been no problem. After all, the difference in their cultivation realms was simply too vast!

However, Gu Zongren had specifically chosen what he thought was the safest… and most powerful approach.

As a result… he had fallen for their trick!

It wasn’t until he saw that flash of exhaustion on Lan’s face that a sudden bolt of realization struck Gu Zongren’s mind. He finally understood everything!

He understood why this Blue-skirted Maiden hadn’t appeared when Luo Tian was being hunted down in the ancient ruins.

He understood why she similarly hadn’t shown up during his million-mile pursuit.

He understood why she still hadn’t appeared when Luo Tian was imprisoned in Qingchuan Ancient City, his life hanging by a thread!

It turned out that all of this… had been her scheme.

This Blue-skirted Maiden was undoubtedly an expert at the titan level, but she was injured! Although he had no idea who could injure a titan, it was a fact that her strength was currently severely weakened!

This fully explained why Xue Chuqing had suddenly disappeared, why the fake Luo Tian had gone unrecognized, and why a titan-level figure hadn’t directly attacked him…

“I hate this!” Gu Zongren spat out a fourth mouthful of blood. His eyes burned like roaring flames as he glared at the Blue-skirted Maiden and Xu Luo.

He thought, “If… my courage had been just a little greater, if… I had chosen to fight them to the death, then… the outcome would have been completely different!”

Lan leaned against Xu Luo’s shoulder and playfully stuck out her tongue. “He realized he’s been tricked!”

“Yeah.” Xu Luo nodded seriously and said, “But his life and death are now completely within my control. With just a single thought from me, he will be wiped out of existence. So, what if he knows?”

“Excellent! Truly excellent! You two… schemed against me so ruthlessly!” Gu Zongren let out a tragic laugh. “I have walked this world for countless years and have never suffered such a massive loss, yet I fell at your hands. You… have every right to be proud!”

“What do you amount to? If I were at my peak, you would be dead with just a single thought!” Lan cast a cold glance at Gu Zongren. “So… don’t think I actually wanted to trick you.”

“Alright, we’re all family now. Since you can’t resist, just try to accept it,” Xu Luo said.

He thought, “Family, my ass!

“I am not family with you!

“Damn it!

“Luo Tian… you better not give me a chance to break this seal. Otherwise, no matter where you hide in the heavens or on earth, I will definitely tear you to pieces!”

But at a time like this, saying anything more was useless. Gu Zongren knew that since they dared to be so confident and fearless, this method was clearly extraordinary. In that case, there was no need for him to test it out and bring further humiliation upon himself.

Taking a deep look at Xu Luo, he said, “Young Master Luo has impressive methods. Gu Mou has learned his lesson. From now on, Gu Mou and Young Master Luo… will mind our own business!”

Gu Zongren felt extreme agony saying these words, because they had originally offered him this choice, but he hadn’t taken it. Now he had to say it himself. Transitioning from being the one pleaded with… to becoming the one pleading made Gu Zongren feel as if he were slapping his own face.

“Mind our own business? Are you joking? You are my servant! You will die with just a single thought from me!” Xu Luo looked at Gu Zongren and sneered. “Do you look down on me? Do you think I’m not qualified to be your boss? Then go ahead and test me!”

As he spoke, Xu Luo triggered a thought. With the Heart of the Fire Spirit in his possession, it could truly be said that Gu Zongren’s life and death were entirely in his hands.

The moment Xu Luo triggered this thought, Gu Zongren instantly let out a miserable scream. His body went limp and collapsed to the ground, shrieking agonizingly as his entire frame trembled violently.

CRASH!

The door to the room was completely shattered!

A figure charged straight at Xu Luo, accompanied by an overwhelming aura of killing intent that filled the air.

It was Yue!

Xu Luo coldly snorted and threw a punch!

“No!” Gu Zongren, whose head was splitting with such pain that he wished he could end his own life, let out an earth-shattering roar at the critical moment.

Yue’s body was sent flying like a kite with a broken string. She smashed heavily into the outside wall, causing it to collapse with a thunderous boom and kicking up a massive cloud of dust.

“Young Master Luo… please… don’t kill her!” Gu Zongren’s face twisted as he scrambled up and fell to his knees in front of Xu Luo. “I am willing to become your servant… I only beg… that you spare her life.”

“Gu Zongren!” Over by the ruins, Yue pushed herself up from the rubble. Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth as she shrieked, “I don’t need you to care about me!”

A flash of agony crossed Gu Zongren’s eyes. Kneeling on the ground, he begged, “Young Master Luo, I beg you to let her go. She is just a child, young and ignorant… She doesn’t know any better. She could never pose a threat to you, Young Master Luo… As long as you let her go, I will willingly serve as your old servant. All my wealth, all my divine materials… will be yours!”

“Gu Zongren!” Yue let out a mournful shriek.

In that brief instant just now, Xu Luo had indeed shown mercy. If Gu Zongren hadn’t shouted, Yue would likely have met her end by now. Therefore, as Yue shrieked once more, Xu Luo circulated the Jade Balance Demon Sound and rebuked her angrily, “He is your father!”

SPURT!

Yue’s Sea of Spiritual Consciousness suffered a terrifying impact, causing her to immediately spit out a mouthful of blood.

Yet, her eyes fixed on Xu Luo with boundless venom. “Save your crocodile tears! Haven’t you brought enough misery upon my family? Luo Tian… you animal!”

“Bullshit!” Xu Luo flew into a rage. Ignoring Gu Zongren, he darted over and delivered a vicious slap across Yue’s face. The strike sent her flying several meters away, crashing to the ground where she lay unable to get up for a long time.

Still, Yue struggled, glaring at Xu Luo with unparalleled hatred as she screamed frantically, “Kill me if you have the guts!”