After giving his instructions to the blacksmith, Gu Chen walked out of the smithy.
At the same time, not far away, inside a luxurious carriage, a noble youth with a gloomy expression stuck his head out and accidentally caught a glimpse of Gu Yue Na's breathtaking beauty.
"Stop! Stop the carriage! This girl is so stunning—she must be a gift from the heavens meant for me! I want her to be my wife!" The moment the youth saw Gu Yue Na, he was utterly mesmerized. He hurriedly kicked the driver in front and impatiently jumped out of the carriage.
"Beauty, are you interested in having a drink with me at Drunken Immortal Pavilion?" The youth said, pretending to be suave while deliberately revealing the token at his waist.
"Scram!" Gu Yue Na said coldly.
The youth's expression darkened. With a wave of his hand, dozens of guards descended from the carriage—each of them possessed the strength of a Soul Ancestor.
"No one has ever dared to reject me, Pu Li Te! Do you even know who I am? I am the sole heir of the Pu family, and my father is the Vice Hall Master of the Spirit Hall branch in Soto City!" Pu Li Te threatened, trying to intimidate Gu Yue Na.
This scene was just in time for Gu Chen to witness. His expression sank, and he slowly uttered two words:
"Beat him."
Upon hearing Gu Chen's words, Gu Yue Na gave him a slight nod. Space elements fluctuated, and in an instant, her delicate figure appeared behind Pu Li Te. She raised her leg and ruthlessly kicked his lower back.
Although Pu Li Te's father was a Vice Hall Master of the Spirit Hall branch and had the strength of a Soul Emperor, Pu Li Te himself was a complete disgrace—an absolute good-for-nothing. Despite being 16 years old, he was only at the Grand Soul Master level.
How could he possibly withstand Gu Yue Na's attack?
Pu Li Te was sent flying more than ten meters away, spitting out a mouthful of blood as his face scraped against the ground for several meters.
"You refuse to drink the toast and instead drink the penalty wine?! Kill this wretched woman for me!" Pu Li Te, realizing his face was covered in injuries and his lower back ached terribly, clutched his waist and roared furiously.
With Pu Li Te's influence, perhaps killing an ordinary person in Spirit City would go unpunished.
But were Gu Chen and Gu Yue Na ordinary people?
The dozens of Soul Ancestor guards simultaneously released their soul rings, filling the air with terrifying energy. Hundreds of meters around them, the residents fled in panic. Even the blacksmiths from the smithy looked on in fear, not daring to step outside.
"Kill!" commanded a guard who seemed to be the leader. His martial soul was a blade, and he swung it in the air to rally the others.
However—
Squelch!
A pair of sharp claws pierced straight through the leader's heart. Blood trickled down between the metallic fingers.
"Dance at my fingertips!"
Behind the guard leader stood a puppet crafted from metal mechanisms. Its eerie face bore an almost seductive smile, yet its claws mercilessly tore through one guard after another.
"What kind of monster is this?! Brothers, surround it and smash it to pieces!" a guard roared as his first soul ring lit up. His tiger martial soul unleashed its claws, slashing toward the puppet.
"The puppet looks beautiful, but your wishful thinking is ugly!"
The puppet smirked sinisterly, and a burst of black mist erupted from its body. The approaching guards suddenly found their movements slowing down.
Before they could react, countless steel wires shot out from the puppet's body, tightly binding them. With a sudden contraction, the guards' limbs were severed instantly, scattering across the ground. The air was filled with the agonized screams of maimed guards.
Naturally, the one controlling the puppet was Gu Chen. And if you're wondering where those steel wires came from—when he retrieved the puppet from his system inventory, he had already found it equipped with ten-meter-long wires.
Of course, those wires were disposable.
But the puppet itself wasn't. With a wave of his hand, Gu Chen recalled the puppet and stored it back into his system inventory.
Boom!
A fiery explosion erupted on the ground, engulfing the injured guards in flames. Their broken bodies burned as they let out blood-curdling screams, turning into ashes.
Meanwhile, the few survivors in the air were sliced in half by several wind blades, raining blood onto the ground.
Gu Chen turned his gaze toward Gu Yue Na, who stood not far away. Flames flickered in her right hand, while swirling wind enveloped her left.
Walking up to Gu Yue Na, Gu Chen clasped his hands together, cracking his knuckles loudly as he looked at Pu Li Te, who lay trembling over ten meters away.
"So… how should I punish you?" he asked with a chilling smile.
It was only then that Pu Li Te realized he had kicked an iron plate. A wet stain spread between his legs, and the stench of urine filled the air—he had pissed himself in fear.
"Y-you… Don't come any closer! My father is the Vice Hall Master of the Spirit Hall branch!"
At that moment, a voice rang out.
"How dare you, little thief! You killed my subordinates and injured my son!"
Looking in the direction of the voice, they saw a middle-aged man roaring furiously. Behind him, six soul rings rose into the air—each one at the optimal configuration!
Pu Lang Te had originally come to Spirit City for business and had brought his only son along. He never expected that in the short time he was away, such a disaster would unfold.
"Your son started trouble for no reason—we were merely teaching him a lesson," Gu Chen responded, completely unfazed.
"I am Pu Lang Te, the Vice Hall Master of the Spirit Hall branch in Soto City! Boy, do you realize your crime?!" Pu Lang Te released his Soul Emperor-level pressure, looking down upon Gu Chen.
At this moment, the surrounding residents peeked their heads out.
"Sigh, this young man has offended the wrong person—he's doomed now."
"Yeah, who in their right mind would dare provoke a Spirit Hall Vice Hall Master?"
…
"Are you a pencil case? Because you sure are full of crap !" Gu Chen mocked directly.
"This is Spirit City! If you offend the Spirit Hall, your entire family will be wiped out!" Pu Lang Te laughed in rage.
"Oh? Then take a look at this!" Gu Chen sneered as he threw a token with great force. It sliced through the air and struck Pu Lang Te square in the face, causing his nose to bleed.
"You little—!" Pu Lang Te cursed, but when he saw the symbol on the token, his expression changed instantly. Without hesitation, he dropped to his knees.
"Soto City Spirit Hall Vice Hall Master Pu Lang Te greets the Branch Hall Master!"
His sudden kneeling left the surrounding residents in complete shock. Though they hadn't heard his words clearly, they could only speculate on Gu Chen's astonishing identity.
"Heh, weren't you acting all high and mighty just now?" Gu Chen sneered.
"I wouldn't dare! I wouldn't dare!" Pu Lang Te knelt, drenched in cold sweat. He knew that while possessing this token only symbolized the status of a Branch Hall Master, the person who could freely issue such a token… was undoubtedly a Title Douluo-level powerhouse!
This young man before him clearly had a Titled Douluo backing him!
Gu Chen smirked. "Oh? I heard you wanted to exterminate my family?"
Pu Lang Te shuddered. "N-no such thing!" As he spoke, he began slapping his own face.
But did Gu Chen intend to let him go that easily? Of course not!
A golden flash streaked through the air, and Pu Lang Te's right arm was severed. Gu Chen retracted his Golden Dragon Claw and said emotionlessly, "I'll take your arm as compensation. Do you accept?"
"I do! I do! Thank you for your mercy, my lord!" Pu Lang Te, enduring the pain, picked up his severed arm and fled in a panic, completely ignoring his stunned son, Pu Li Te.