Chapter 154

Chapter 154

The combined strength of the three great immortal mountains was superior to the metaphysical world, and after initial chaos, they quickly stabilized and even gained a slight upper hand.

Shen Wang, while blocking those trying to aid Yun Jiyong, observed the battlefield. Seeing this development, his brows furrowed slightly, and he produced another stack of talismans.

Just as he was about to distribute them to those present, a tank appeared in the distance.

Shi Yan was standing on top of the tank, holding a megaphone: "To those fighting ahead, cease your armed conflict immediately and surrender your weapons, or we will resort to force..."

Shen Wang: "???"

The people who came to help: "???"

Everyone looked at each other and simultaneously leaped backward, withdrawing from the battle.

Only the people from the immortal mountain, not understanding the situation, thought their opponents were fleeing in fear and pursued relentlessly.

Seeing this, Shi Yan didn't hesitate to raise his hand, and the long barrel of the tank slowly turned, firing a shell with a thunderous boom.

After the loud explosion, all sides in the battle ceased fighting, including Gu Dongting and Yun Jiyong.

The group from the immortal mountain turned pale, staring at Shi Yan in shock, "What is this thing! It possesses such immense power!"

Someone gritted their teeth and said, "Although this device is powerful, it requires human operation and isn't very fast. If we can capture the master of this artifact..."

Before he could finish, several more tanks and military trucks slowly rolled out behind Shi Yan.

The tanks aimed their barrels at them, while well-equipped soldiers disembarked from the trucks, each holding a rifle, all pointed at the people from the immortal mountain.

For a moment, the scene was dead silent.

Yun Jiyong tilted her head slightly, looking at the unfamiliar devices with a sense of intuition: these things were very powerful.

Beside her, Tang Jiu's face was extremely grim. He bit his lip and whispered a few words to Yun Jiyong.

After listening, Yun Jiyong's eyes also showed surprise: "Have mortals developed to such an extent?"

The three great immortal mountains, isolated for hundreds of years, sent someone out every few years to explore the secular world, but the people from the mountains, arrogant by nature, rarely seriously understood the development of the secular world.

Let alone keeping up with the arms advancements, which even most ordinary people were unaware of.

In the crowd, Bo Yu chuckled softly, "Sect Master Yun, under a barrage of gunfire, perhaps you could escape or even counterattack before we fire, but what about your people?"

And these weapons weren't even the latest or most powerful weapons of mass destruction.

In fact, in this era of declining mystical arts, an individual cultivator's power could hardly contend with a nation, but as an ancient country, this nation allowed the existence of cultivators.

As long as the cultivators abided by the law, the state wouldn't act against them, and even showed tolerance towards them.

This balance was disrupted by the sudden emergence of the three great immortal mountains, who, under the guise of prophecy, attacked innocent people and disregarded the nation's authority.

Yun Jiyong's eyes shifted several times: "Do you know that once a natural-born demon seed falls into demonhood, it will lead to the dissipation of the world's spiritual energy and create countless killings? It would be no less than hell on earth."

"The savior may save the world, but a natural-born demon seed is a destroyer of worlds. By the time it happens, it might be too late."

"Even so, you intend to stop me?"

For the typically indifferent Yun Jiyong, this was a rare attempt at earnest persuasion.

Yet, faced with Yun Jiyong's goodwill, Shi Yan scoffed, "If you're willing to kill based on an unverified prophecy, what will you do if you predict another natural-born demon seed in the future? What if someone uses the label of a demon seed to eliminate their opponents?"

Yun Jiyong showed a trace of anger: "This is a prophecy from our immortal mountain, it cannot be wrong."

"Who knows," Shi Yan replied indifferently, "Punishing someone before they've committed a crime is a trampling of our nation's laws."

The atmosphere grew tense as neither side gave in, with everyone tightly gripping their weapons and watching each other without blinking.

After a few minutes, Yun Jiyong gave Gu Dongting a deep look before turning to leave.

Her followers also retreated.

The crowd that came to support the Gu family was silent for a few seconds, then suddenly erupted into cheers.

"Woo-hoo! We won!"

"Yay! We drove away those idiots with their heads in the clouds!"

"If only we could drive them back to their crappy islands..."

Hearing the noise behind her, Yun Jiyong's eyes turned cold.

"These mortals, truly detestable," someone gritted their teeth, "If it wasn't for saving the world, why would we subject ourselves to such humiliation."

Tang Jiu's expression was grim: "With the state stepping in, it might not be so easy to kill Gu Dongting anymore."

Yun Jiyong glanced back.

She saw Shen Wang and Gu Dongting surrounded by a crowd, looking quite influential. She withdrew her gaze, "We'll find another opportunity."

"These weapons are powerful, but not invincible. Besides, Gu Dongting can't always live under their protection; there will be times when he has to leave."

Hearing this, everyone, still harboring resentment, responded, "Yes, Sect Master."

The Gu family, having narrowly escaped disaster, felt both relief and fear. Clasping the hands of their loved ones, their eyes shimmering with tears, they thanked everyone, "Thank you all for your powerful assistance."

The earnestness of the Gu family made those who came to help feel bashful, "It's nothing, it's nothing. Elder Gu established the special department, and the head of the Gu family has helped the metaphysical community a lot, not to mention Gu Dongting... We're merely returning the favor."

"The Gu family's kindness to the metaphysical community is as heavy as a mountain; it's only right for us to come and help."

The good deeds of the Gu family bore fruit when they needed it most.

Shi Yan also said, "Those people from the immortal mountain act without any consideration, which has long dissatisfied the higher-ups. We've seen Gu Dongting's conduct over the years; he couldn't possibly be a demon seed."

"That's right, now that the state is involved, they'll surely restrain themselves and won't dare to move against Brother Gu anymore."

Everyone comforted them with various words. Hearing this, the Gu family's faces showed a faint smile and gratitude.

After talking for a while and knowing that the Gu family was still shaken, the visitors did not delay their family reunion and gradually left, leaving only Shen Wang behind.

The entrance, after the turmoil, was in disarray. Father Gu sighed, "Such a pity for all this greenery."

After the situation stabilized, Gu Dongting returned to Shen Wang's side. The red in his eyes faded considerably, and the murderous aura and malevolence around him gradually dissipated.

Shen Wang let out a slight sigh of relief but remained somewhat worried. He followed Gu Dongting, entering the Gu residence together.

Shen Wang's natural behavior, observed by other members of the Gu family, elicited varied expressions from them after exchanging glances.

The youngest child of the Gu family, Gu Yunchao, not allowed to leave the house because he was underage, was anxiously pacing at home. Seeing everyone return safe and sound, he was overjoyed, "Dad, Mom, Grandpa! You're all okay! Big brother, you're back too!"

After the initial joy, he suddenly became alarmed, "What about my second sister and third uncle and aunt? Why haven’t they come back?"

Hearing the names of the Gu Manting family, the faces of the Gu family members changed again.

For the Gu family, the betrayal of Gu San's family was more hurtful than the assault by the people from the immortal mountain.

After a few seconds of silence, Elder Gu spoke, "From now on, the Gu Shanshui family will have no relation with our Gu family. Tomorrow, we will remove them from our family records."

Gu Shanshui was the name of Gu San.

Grandfather Gu felt a heavy heart and did not object: It was as if they had never been born into the Gu family.

Gu Yunchao looked bewildered, "Dad? What happened to Uncle San and his family?"

Gu Dongting quietly observed their conversation. Even in his subdued mood, he appeared vibrant and alive, not like lifeless corpses.

This scene, something he longed for in his past life but could never attain, stirred a warm feeling in his heart as he watched the family he cherished.

This warmth was accompanied by waves of panic.

"Xiao Ting, what’s wrong?" Gu's mother was the first to notice Gu Dongting's mood and asked gently.

The others, who were conversing, immediately stopped their discussion, turning their worried gazes towards Gu Dongting.

Under their gentle and peaceful gaze, Gu Dongting hesitantly spoke, "If… if I really am a natural-born demon seed, and I end up doing many wrong things in the future..."

"Would you forgive me?"

As a child of the Gu family, he had fallen into evil cultivation, pursuing Tang Jiu and his women at all costs, abandoning the Gu family's teachings to become the kind of person the Gu family despised the most.

On his path of revenge, his hands were stained with blood, and in his midnight dreams, he both longed for and feared dreaming of his family.

He didn't know how to face his family's gaze.

Now, even though his family was still alive, facing their gaze, Gu Dongting felt overwhelmingly ashamed.

"Is this what you're worried about?" Gu's mother smiled gently, touching Gu Dongting’s head affectionately, "Xiao Ting, we believe in you."

Gu Dongting, now taller than her, seemed like a child again in need of comfort.

"Xiao Ting, no one knows your character better than us," said Gu's mother. "Ever since you could remember, you've always been strict with yourself, never stepping out of line. If you ever do wrong, I believe there must be a reason."

Gu Dongting felt a warmth in his eyes.

Elder Gu glared at Gu Dongting, "Did you actually believe those prophecies from the immortal mountain?"

As if he was ready to give him a harsh lesson if Gu Dongting simply said 'yes'.

Gu Dongting shook his head.

Grandfather Gu sighed deeply, "Xiao Ting, you've always been decisive. Unless absolutely necessary, you would never do something against your conscience... If you ever do, it would only mean that others have wronged you too much."

"It's others who have wronged you."

"Right, big brother, even though you're cold and fierce, your fierceness is only directed at bad people. If you're not nice to someone, it just means they're bad... Don't blame yourself, big brother. Against the bad, you should be as merciless as winter! You did nothing wrong!"

Comforted by his family, Gu Dongting slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air.

The last trace of hostility in him vanished like smoke.

For many years, he was consumed by hatred, forgetting everything else. He hated Tang Jiu for ruining his family, he hated the betrayal of Gu San's family, he hated the metaphysical community for kicking him when he was down...

All the hatred piled up in his heart, transforming him into someone else entirely, a puppet driven by vengeance.

Looking back now, although Tang Jiu and Gu San's family were hateful, in this lifetime, he would never let his family be harmed again.

In the metaphysical community, there were those who kicked him when he was down and those who didn't forget old kindness. He only remembered those who harmed the Gu family and overlooked those who had helped him.

After witnessing the state's forceful action against the immortal mountain, Gu Dongting realized that in his past life, even though he tried to assassinate Tang Jiu countless times, the state never intervened.

With the last bit of hostility gone, Gu Dongting looked at his family with a faint smile on his face.

Shen Wang had been watching Gu Dongting and suddenly made a sound of surprise.

Gu Dongting turned to look at Shen Wang, his eyes clear and clean, as gentle as water. Even the red mole under his eye seemed less enchanting and more serene.