"How many guards does the Gu family have now?"
Gu Qingfeng asked.
Gu Yang responded promptly, "Currently, the family has 136 guards: 60 at the early stage of skin refining, 60 at the middle stage, 9 at the late stage, and 7 at the perfect stage of skin refining."
One hundred and thirty-six men.
Gu Qingfeng considered this number briefly and said, "Yang'er, take some of the guards and stay behind to protect the Gu family. Yulan is due to give birth soon, so make sure nothing goes wrong."
"I understand, Father," Gu Yang replied, his voice filled with seriousness.
Then, Gu Qingfeng turned to Meng Peng. "You'll accompany me to the Chu family."
Meng Peng hesitated for a moment. "You're planning to go directly to the Chu family, Patriarch?"
Gu Qingfeng frowned slightly. "Is there a problem?"
"The ones causing trouble for the Gu family are merely wandering martial artists. Although the Chu family is behind them, they haven't acted directly. If we move against them now, we might face backlash—" Meng Peng explained cautiously, pointing out the risks of moving without solid justification.
Meng Peng's concern was valid: if the Chu family hadn't yet shown their hand, the Gu family could find themselves in a precarious position by acting rashly.
However, Gu Qingfeng only laughed coldly. "Meng Peng, you've been around long enough—how can you still be this naive?"
"In the martial arts world, strength is the only justification you need. The weak demand reasons, but the strong only need their fists. Even if we march on the Chu family today, as long as we are powerful enough, no one will dare challenge us."
As Gu Qingfeng finished speaking, an immense pressure filled the air, radiating from his body. The weight of his aura bore down on Meng Peng and Gu Yang like two mountains, leaving them shaken.
"Dad's power has grown!" Gu Yang marveled, feeling a mix of shock and awe. He had thought his own progress in skin refining was closing the gap between them, but his father's strength remained unfathomable.
For Gu Yang, his father had always been the backbone of their family. Seeing Gu Qingfeng grow even stronger filled him with pride and reassurance.
On the streets, Gu Qingfeng led a contingent of Gu family guards, heading directly for the Chu family estate. Their movements immediately caught the attention of various hidden factions observing the Gu family.
At the same time, many wandering martial artists watched with confusion and intrigue.
"Is that the Gu family?"
"That's Gu Qingfeng, the head of the family. I've heard he's an expert boxer and has killed many blood refining masters. He usually stays secluded—what's brought him out today?"
"I heard the Gu family's businesses have been attacked over the past month. Maybe it's related to that..."
The martial artists murmured amongst themselves, eyeing Gu Qingfeng with a mix of fear and respect. Though he hadn't made many public moves, his reputation was steeped in bloodshed.
However, soon they realized something was amiss.
"The Gu family... they're heading toward the Chu estate!"
Back at the Chu family, news of Gu Qingfeng's approach reached Chu Tianxiong.
"Gu Qingfeng is coming here personally? Is he that brazen?" Chu Tianxiong's face twisted with disbelief. Without delay, he sent word to Luo Yu of the Iron Bone Gang and prepared his own warriors to meet the Gu family.
"Stop, this is the Chu family—" a Chu family guard stepped forward, attempting to block Gu Qingfeng's path. Before the guard could finish his sentence, Gu Qingfeng struck, his palm smashing into the man's head, causing it to burst on impact. The body flew back lifelessly.
The other Chu family guards stood frozen, stunned by the sudden brutality. The martial artists who followed closely behind were equally horrified.
None of them expected Gu Qingfeng to kill without hesitation, let alone with such ruthless efficiency.
The sight of the headless corpse sent chills down their spines.
Standing before the Chu family gate, Gu Qingfeng took a white cloth, wiped the blood from his hands, and casually tossed the cloth onto the body. He looked at the remaining guards, who stood in terrified silence, and spoke coldly.
"Tell Chu Tianxiong to come out within three breaths. If he doesn't, I'll slaughter everyone in the Chu family."
The guards rushed to deliver the message.
Moments later, Chu Tianxiong appeared with a group of his men. His eyes darted to the headless body on the ground, pupils narrowing with fury as he faced Gu Qingfeng.
"Gu Qingfeng, you dare bring people to my Chu family and murder my guards! How do you explain this?" Chu Tianxiong's voice was sharp with anger.
"Explain?" Gu Qingfeng sneered. "When your Chu family sent people to sabotage and seize my family's businesses, you should have been ready for the consequences."
Chu Tianxiong scoffed. "Where's your proof? Without evidence, your accusations are worthless."
"Proof?" Gu Qingfeng's gaze hardened. "My word is the proof."
With that, Gu Qingfeng stepped forward and unleashed a devastating punch. The air cracked as his fist cut through it, generating a wave of force that made Chu Tianxiong's expression shift dramatically.
"You dare—!" Chu Tianxiong roared, drawing his long sword. The blade shimmered with lightning, splitting the air with countless afterimages.
The gathered onlookers watched in awe.
"That's Chu Tianxiong's Thunder Sword technique! Incredible—"
But before anyone could finish, Gu Qingfeng's fist collided with the sword. The sharp edge barely left a mark on his iron-like skin before the sword shattered. In a heartbeat, Gu Qingfeng's punch landed on Chu Tianxiong's chest, sending him flying backward.
AN - Give more powerstones and write more reviews