Chapter 120: Remarkable Titles

For Gu Feng, the mission was technically complete, but he hadn't come here merely to finish a task. His primary goal was to topple the imperial family and elevate the Gu clan to power. If he were to spare the royals simply because they hadn't shown him any murderous intent, it would be deeply unfair to his own kin. Furthermore, Gu Feng had to secure the future not just for the Gu family, but for the Xue, Gu, and Miao clans as well. Only by properly arranging these families could he depart the Great Qin Empire with peace of mind.

But how to organize them? He needed someone among these families to act as the leader; only then, while Gu Feng was still alive, would they have the strength to support one another. If every clan remained weak, how could they possibly help each other? Thus, the Great Qin imperial house was destined to perish. Having found a reason that satisfied his conscience, Gu Feng began his work.

The Emperor of Great Qin was only at the eighth level of the Spirit Master realm; killing him was effortless for Gu Feng. With no desire to waste further time, Gu Feng used a blink-step to close the distance. Just as the Emperor prepared to shout that there had been a misunderstanding, Gu Feng vanished. Before the Emperor could process his confusion, Gu Feng reappeared beside him, clamped a hand around his throat, and with a look of sheer panic on the Emperor's face, squeezed with force. *Snap!*

Crushing throats had become Gu Feng's signature move—simple, effective, and it left the body intact. Gu Feng considered this quite humane; he called it "humane killing." Having slain the emperor, Gu Feng was immediately surrounded, with several high-level Great Spirit Masters among the crowd. Yet, the most formidable figure, the Grand Preceptor, merely watched from the sidelines.

Gu Feng smiled at him from a distance before soaring into the air toward him. This Grand Preceptor was truly exceptional—an eighth-level Great Spirit Master. Were it not for a freak like Gu Feng, equipped with a system, this man would be essentially invincible within the Great Qin Empire. In fact, he was the very pillar of the state. He hadn't bothered to save the Emperor, though his expression suggested he hadn't intended to, either. Only he knew his own mind. Gu Feng could have used the system to read his thoughts, but he wasn't foolish enough to waste points on such a useless endeavor.

As Gu Feng flew toward the Grand Preceptor, he suddenly halted in mid-air, his gaze shifting to a bell-tower-like structure. There, he sensed a presence even more terrifying than the Grand Preceptor: a peak-level Great Spirit Master.

Gu Feng had heard of him back at the "Black Inn"—this was the ancestor of the Mu family. Gu Feng was puzzled; he had wiped out the man's entire clan, so why had the ancestor not sought revenge?

The crowd surrounding Gu Feng was vast, but none dared to strike. Why? It was absurd to think they could defeat him when he had already shattered the palace's powerful defensive barrier. To charge at him would be suicide. They weren't fools; everyone feared death. With the Emperor dead and no one left to issue orders, they simply stood in a circle, hoping to avoid trouble.

Still, being surrounded by these flies annoyed Gu Feng. Having exhausted his spiritual energy, he was left with only brute strength, unable to even unleash his area-of-effect ultimate, "Flame Storm." He had to endure the frustration. Gu Feng was torn: should he target the Grand Preceptor or the Mu ancestor first? He decided it was wiser to eliminate the strongest threat first, as greater power meant greater danger to those he cared about.

He flew toward the bell tower. The Mu ancestor stood atop the spire, watching Gu Feng with a gaze so flat and devoid of killing intent that he seemed like a statue. This was a reflection of his mental state; as a peak Great Spirit Master, he stood on the precipice of the Spirit Sovereign realm. That realm relied entirely on one's state of mind; if one were too volatile, breakthrough was impossible. Of course, an anomaly like Gu Feng, one in a billion, could not be compared to such standards.

They stared at each other in silence. Gu Feng refused to speak first, locked in a standoff. He thought, *I wiped out your whole family; surely your mother would be angry on my behalf.*

The spectators watched intently. The Mu ancestor’s composure began to fray. *Damn this brat,* he thought. *Aren't you arrogant? Come and fight me! Strike me, and I’ll squash you with one palm—revenge served, mental state preserved. How perfect.* Gu Feng, conversely, wondered if the old man had simply abandoned the Mu family.

Finally, Gu Feng broke the silence, drawling, "Hey! You old fossil, I wiped out your whole clan and even slept with your mother—aren't you angry?"

The part about wiping out his clan was within the Mu ancestor's tolerance, but the comment about his mother ignited his rage. A sliver of killing intent leaked from the ancestor's body—aged, potent, and purer than vintage wine. Gu Feng was delighted. He didn't fear killing intent; he feared indifference.

Gu Feng continued with feigned concern: "Hey, son! It’s been a year or two since I slept with your mother, are you just getting angry now? Even if you are, why are you staring at your father like that? Still want to be struck by lightning for hitting your old man?"

Good heavens! The people on the ground were sweating in terror for him. Gu Feng’s fearless, heaven-defying attitude earned him immense, if terrified, admiration. Many had already made him an idol—not just for his lack of fear, but for his sheer audacity in insulting a man who had lived for two centuries.

Gu Feng had no idea of the impression he was leaving; otherwise, he might have been furious at being misunderstood. *I’m trying to provoke him to bait him into a trap!* he thought. He found it incredibly difficult to provoke those with higher cultivation and steady mental states, which made him worry about his future "Death Contracts."

"This Mu ancestor is spineless," someone whispered, showing great courage. "If it were me, I would have attacked him already."

Gu Feng, admiring the old man's patience, asked cautiously, "Hey, son! Don't you hate your daddy?"

*Whoosh!*

The old man didn't waste another word; he struck. Thankfully, Gu Feng had recovered a sliver of spiritual energy and, in a fraction of a millisecond, executed a blink-step. Damn, that was close! If he hadn't, he would have been killed instantly. Without a "Death Contract" in effect, a one-shot kill would cost him three levels. While he had long ago discarded the ten-fold resurrection time penalty, losing three levels was something he couldn't afford.

With his limited spiritual power, his blink-step hadn't taken him far. Heart pounding, he quickly downed several rapid-recovery potions, preparing for the next round. He couldn't afford to be careless.