My Wife Turns Out to be an Empress of the Dynasty
Chapter 722 - 722: A Justifiable Move

Seeing their demeanor, Gu Lan couldn't help but furrow his brows. Were these people not taking him seriously, or were they underestimating Lanyan Royal School?

Though they were still a thousand yards away, Gu Lan could clearly see the expressions on their faces.

"Since you're being so arrogant, let's see how it goes," he muttered inwardly, already having an inkling of what would happen. Once they discovered his presence, it was only natural that they would attack. This was exactly the outcome he was hoping for. If they attacked, he could eliminate them without hesitation.

With a sudden surge of Qi, a golden glow enveloped his body, and his presence radiated outward.

The Blood Clan members were taken aback at first, feeling the strength of his aura. But quickly, Xue Wuyan and Xue Wuheng showed cold smiles and unleashed their own Qi in response. They had been trying to think of a strategy, but didn't expect things to escalate so quickly.

Gu Lan stood still, his posture relaxed. From a distance, four or five figures began to approach. At the forefront were two red-haired youths—Xue Wuyan and Xue Wuheng. Their bodies were adorned with special tokens, signaling their high rank. Gu Lan immediately recognized these symbols.

However, something puzzled him. Weren't Xue Wuyan and Xue Wuheng supposed to be rivals? Why were they now coming together?

Before Gu Lan could voice his question, Xue Wuyan coldly called out, "You dare come here on your own? Don't blame us for being impolite!"

With that, Xue Wuyan motioned to the others. Their faces darkened, and their eyes blazed with fury.

"You must be the master of Lanyan Royal School, right? We've heard a lot about your strength. Today, let us test it!"

With that, they channeled their Qi and charged forward, like a flood of bloodied waves.

Their speed was immense, far surpassing that of mere mortals. They were like fast-moving shadows, almost too quick for ordinary eyes to catch.

Gu Lan, however, wasn't impressed. His expression was one of cold disdain as he sneered, "You all are no match for me. This is just a waste of time."

"Well, you made the first move," he coldly remarked.

As soon as the words left his mouth, Gu Lan's Qi exploded with even greater intensity. With a single step, his figure blurred, and in the blink of an eye, he became a flash of golden light, darting forward.

The others tried to react, but they were too slow. Before they could even get close, they were forcefully pushed back dozens of yards by Gu Lan's overwhelming pressure.

Standing firm, Gu Lan's gaze swept over the group. His eyes burned with icy contempt. "Is this all you've got? How pathetic."

This comment triggered an immediate reaction from them. Their anger flared, and they shouted in unison, "Arrogant fool! You'll pay for this!"

Blood Qi erupted once again, and thousands of crimson shadows appeared in the sky. The air was thick with the sound of tearing as the sky itself seemed to lose its luster, fading in the wake of their power.

Gu Lan simply smiled faintly. He gripped the Hongmeng Sword in his hand.

"Now, that's more like it," he said, his voice still icy. "That earlier move didn't count as fighting."

With a swift motion, he gathered his Qi and channeled it into the Hongmeng Sword. Just as the blood shadows closed in on him, he swung the sword.

The sound of tearing filled the air as a brilliant sword light slashed through the shadows. Those closest to him were shattered by the blade, disintegrating into nothing.

The force of the slash sent shockwaves through the surrounding area, and the sky trembled as space itself seemed to crack and distort.

The attackers were caught off guard, and before they could react, they were blasted back thousands of feet. Some didn't even have time to comprehend what had happened before they found themselves thrown far from the battlefield, their bodies still vibrating from the impact.

As the others regained their footing, their expressions became extremely awkward. They found themselves within a black void, surrounded by the cold emptiness of space. They stared warily at their surroundings, dread and hesitation clouding their faces.

These were all Imperial Realm Fifth-Stage warriors, yet Gu Lan's sword had severely injured them in a single strike. If word of this spread, they would be the laughingstock of the entire realm.

Blood Qi surged again, but before they could retaliate, they suddenly felt an icy chill creeping up their spines.

Turning around, they saw Gu Lan charging toward them, his sword raised high.

With a sharp, ringing sound, he brought the blade down, and one of the attackers fell from the air, blood spurting from their body. They didn't even have time to scream before their life force was extinguished, their aura vanishing entirely.

The remaining warriors' faces turned grim. Their brows furrowed in deep concentration, and they rapidly retreated, their bodies moving faster than they had ever imagined.

They hadn't anticipated that Gu Lan would be so powerful, and they were now in a situation where retreat was their only option.

Gu Lan, however, wasn't done. He sneered as he glanced at the retreating figures. "Is this all you've got? Pathetic."

The remaining warriors were too wounded to continue fighting. Their hatred for Gu Lan was evident, but at this moment, they knew better than to challenge him.

They glared at Gu Lan, filled with venom, but did not make a move. The humiliation of defeat weighed heavily on them, but they had no choice but to retreat.

"You may run for now, but next time, I won't let you leave alive!" Xue Wuyan hissed as he turned to flee, his words filled with murderous intent.

Gu Lan was unfazed, his expression indifferent. He had already achieved his goal, and now there was no point in wasting time on these two.

With a resigned sigh, he sheathed the Hongmeng Sword.

His mission here was done. It was time to deal with Xue Lengyan.

Emerging from the dark cave, he was about to move forward when a shadow suddenly appeared before him.

"Master Gu, my mistress has requested your presence."

The figure before him was unfamiliar, but the person was clearly from the Blood Clan. The way they spoke indicated that they were referring to Xue Lengyan.

Gu Lan had initially thought that he would have to go to Xue Lengyan himself, but it seemed she had sent someone to fetch him. Since that was the case, it wouldn't be polite to refuse. He nodded in acknowledgment and said, "Lead the way."

The messenger didn't speak further and simply began leading the way. Gu Lan followed him through the vast expanse of stars, eventually reaching a distant moonlit island where Xue Lengyan awaited him.

Upon seeing him, Xue Lengyan greeted him with a smile, her eyes gleaming with a complicated mix of amusement and calculation.

"Master Gu, you've done me a great service today," she said with a smile. "Now that we're going to cooperate, I trust you've thought it over carefully. I wonder, have you come to a decision about what you want?"

Gu Lan didn't waste time with pleasantries. "I'm willing to cooperate, but I need to hear your terms first."

Xue Lengyan's smile deepened. "Of course. If we are to work together, I must first know what you're asking for."

Gu Lan had no intention of doing anything for free. He was a master of manipulation and negotiation, and now it was time to set the terms. His eyes glinted with the promise of a successful alliance.