My Wife Turns Out to be an Empress of the Dynasty
Chapter 754 - 754: Only Enough for Half a Life

Shanggu Yan was terrified by the cold, murderous gaze from Gu Lan. He nervously swallowed, then reluctantly took out dozens of items from his storage ring.

"I only have this much!" he said, though his words were a lie. As a young lord of the Upper God Clan, how could he possibly possess only such a meager collection?

Gu Lan didn't hold back. He calmly took the items and placed them into his own storage ring. Then, a sinister smile appeared on his face as he spoke, "Nice items, but this is only enough to buy you half a life."

Since this guy was so reluctant to part with his treasures, Gu Lan would not show him any mercy. He had already said what needed to be said, and whether Shanggu Yan lived or died would depend on how he responded.

With a cold and indifferent voice, Gu Lan glanced at him and with a sharp, ear-piercing sword hum, he prepared to strike.

Seeing this, Shanggu Yan was alarmed. His face darkened, and he took a few hasty steps back. "W-What are you doing?"

Gu Lan's response was simple: "I've made myself clear. This only buys you half a life."

With that, Gu Lan raised his sword and swung it down. However, his movements slowed, deliberately giving Shanggu Yan a chance to respond.

As the sword descended, Shanggu Yan's face turned pale with panic, and he hurriedly spoke, "Wait, wait, I still have more!"

He didn't want to die just yet.

Gu Lan paused, looking at Shanggu Yan with a mocking sneer. "You said you only had this much."

Reluctantly, Shanggu Yan drew out more treasures. Although they weren't top-tier, they were still valuable.

Gu Lan coldly snorted, took the items without hesitation, and then sheathed his sword. "It would have been better if you had done this earlier. Why waste my time?"

Shanggu Yan's eyes burned with fury, but he dared not act. He had no choice but to swallow his pride and keep quiet.

Meanwhile, Ding True Man and the others had easily gained the upper hand, and the twelve soldiers they faced were clearly no match for them. The enemy was forced to retreat in disarray.

Although the retreating soldiers were fast, Ding True Man was even faster. Soon, all of them were suppressed, and several had already met their end.

From a distance, Gu Lan observed with a faint smile and spoke calmly, "Aren't you planning to leave?"

Hearing his words, Shanggu Yan's face turned sour. He took several steps back, determined not to underestimate Gu Lan. Within moments, he had moved several miles away.

Stopping, he turned back to look, his eyes burning with murderous intent.

"This grudge, I will repay. You will pay for this sooner or later!"

He gritted his teeth and spoke with venom. His remaining strength surged at once.

Meanwhile, among the twelve soldiers, only six had survived. Although they had escaped death, they were severely wounded. Their energy had nearly been drained, and their bodies were stained with blood.

Shanggu Yan glanced at them coldly and sneered, "Useless fools. What good are you to me?"

His voice was as icy as the winter wind, and the six surviving soldiers lowered their heads in silence.

At first, they had been confident, never expecting to be defeated so quickly. Though Shanggu Yan was furious, he didn't take his anger out on them.

"Come with me. This grudge will be avenged!"

Naturally, he couldn't swallow this bitter pill. At the right moment, he would make Gu Lan pay.

Watching as Shanggu Yan and his remaining followers turned into shadows and fled, Gu Lan smiled lightly. He relaxed, and his aura receded.

At that moment, Ding True Man, Shadow Slave, and the others arrived before him. They greeted him respectfully with a deep bow.

"Greetings, Master!"

Gu Lan waved his hand casually. "No need for formalities. This victory was thanks to all of you."

"You flatter us, Master. We are merely doing what we can," replied Ding True Man, his tone filled with reverence.

Having acknowledged Gu Lan as their master, they felt it was their duty to ensure no one dared defy him.

Gu Lan nodded faintly and didn't say more, turning toward the palace.

As soon as he stopped, Gu Simu hurried to his side. She wore a cold expression, though a hint of unwillingness was evident on her face.

Seeing her like this, Gu Lan smiled faintly and asked with feigned confusion, "What is it, my girl? What's bothering you now?"

"The people outside the Royal School were acting so recklessly. Why didn't you just kill them, father?"

She didn't understand why Gu Lan had spared them. If it had been her, she would have dealt with the problem immediately to avoid any future trouble.

Seeing the seriousness in her eyes, Gu Lan responded in his usual calm tone, "Though they acted recklessly, their crimes don't warrant death. If we killed them, who would bring us treasures in the future?"

Gu Simu was immediately enlightened, but she still frowned slightly. "Then next time, can I go out and fight?"

She had been watching the scene, and if not for Zhongren's interference, she would have been out there fighting already.

Gu Lan didn't immediately respond. Instead, he changed the topic. "How is your mother's progress?"

Gu Simu appeared unwilling to talk about it, but she didn't persist either. She explained, "Father, you'll know if you go take a look yourself."

Since their cultivation methods were different, she couldn't say for sure.

Hearing her answer, Gu Lan was taken aback, puzzled. But he didn't dwell on it. Instead, he quickly walked toward the next palace.

"You stay here and repair the array that was destroyed," he instructed, before heading toward the palace where Mu Yuyan was cultivating.

As soon as he approached the palace, an overwhelming aura surged out, filling the air with a suffocating pressure. The surrounding sight became blurred.

Gu Lan's brow furrowed as he sensed the terrifying energy. He hurried forward, and upon pushing open the door, he saw Mu Yuyan sitting cross-legged, surrounded by a dense and violent aura. Her face was contorted in pain.

Seeing this, Gu Lan's expression darkened. He immediately stepped forward, releasing his own energy to stabilize the raging atmosphere around her.

With his energy suppressing the violent aura, the surroundings gradually calmed down. Gu Lan's eyes remained locked on Mu Yuyan, and he didn't dare move.

After what felt like an eternity, Mu Yuyan slowly opened her eyes. When she saw Gu Lan standing there, a look of confusion appeared on her face.

"What are you doing here?"

Gu Lan gave a wry smile and quickly explained, "If I wasn't here, do you think you could have suppressed that power?"

"It's just a small accident, but it's nothing serious," she replied, still stubborn.

When Gu Lan heard her response, he couldn't help but emphasize, "You should focus on your cultivation. Don't risk your life. I'll handle everything else!"