"""

"Very well, you've got guts!" The middle-aged man sneered, "Since you don't know your place, don't blame us for being rude! Go, capture them!"

With his command, a group of men behind him launched an attack on Gu Sheng and his companions. They each demonstrated their Divine Skills, and in an instant, the area before the mountain gate erupted into chaos with spiritual power surging wildly.

The middle-aged man was Jin Yao, another prince of the Golden Country. He had originally come to settle scores for his elder brother Jin Huang but unexpectedly discovered Gu Sheng's Grass Vine Demon Soul had undergone a mutation, sparking his greed.

Unwilling to involve his friends, Gu Sheng soared off the ground, speeding towards the distance.

Jin Yao assumed Gu Sheng was trying to escape.

"Hmph, Gu Sheng, do you really think you can escape the palm of my hand?" Jin Yao's robes fluttered, his gaze as sharp as a blade. With the Golden Divine Sword in his hand, its tip pointed straight at Gu Sheng.

Gu Sheng's face remained expressionless, his eyes calmly fixed on Jin Yao, "I never intended to flee. Let's settle this here and now."

"Haha, bold words! Let me see if your strength matches your courage!" Jin Yao laughed loudly, his figure flickering as he transformed into a streak of golden light, attacking Gu Sheng.

Gu Sheng's eyes glinted coldly as he activated his cultivation technique. Golden light surged across his body, making him resemble a golden War God descending to the mortal realm. Behind him, visions of mountains, rivers, lakes, flowers, birds, and mythical beasts emerged, emanating a towering aura.

"Gale Nine Swords!" Gu Sheng shouted, swinging his Seven-Colored Jade Maiden Sword. Nine streaks of Sword Qi instantly condensed and slashed towards Jin Yao.

Jin Yao sneered as he waved the Golden Divine Sword in his hand, unleashing a beam of golden sword energy that clashed with Gu Sheng's Sword Qi. With a deafening explosion, the two forces canceled each other out, though Gu Sheng's arm felt numb from the impact.

"You've got some skills. No wonder you're so arrogant," Jin Yao said coldly. "But do you think this is the extent of my power?"

Without waiting for an answer, Jin Yao's figure flashed as he attacked Gu Sheng again. This time, his swordsmanship was more ferocious, each strike aiming straight for Gu Sheng's vital points.

Gu Sheng dared not be careless. Using the Carefree Ascension Step, he moved unpredictably to evade Jin Yao's attacks. Simultaneously, he activated his Grass Vine Demon Soul, unleashing a corrosive force towards Jin Yao.

Jin Yao had not anticipated such tactics from Gu Sheng. With a swift movement, he narrowly avoided the corrosive force. His expression grew grim, "You're indeed not simple."

"You're not bad either," Gu Sheng replied indifferently. "But today, you are destined to lose without question!"

With that, his figure flickered as he took the initiative to attack Jin Yao. Their swords clashed, their figures weaving back and forth as they exchanged dozens of blows.

The more Jin Yao fought, the more alarmed he became. He realized that Gu Sheng's strength was not inferior to his—it even surpassed him in certain aspects. Regret began to creep in; he wished he had dealt with Gu Sheng earlier. Now, defeating him was no easy task.

At that moment, a dark shadow suddenly descended from the sky, landing beside Gu Sheng. It was the big black dog!

"Woof woof! Gu boy, this lord dog has come to lend you a hand!" The big black dog barked loudly, its figure flickering as it lunged towards Jin Yao's subordinates.

Jin Yao's underlings, already struggling against Xing Lie and the others, were thrown into disarray by the unexpected appearance of the big black dog. They fled in all directions, but it was too late.

The big black dog bit down on one enemy's leg, tearing it apart with force, blood splattering everywhere. The rest of the enemies were thrown into panic and fled in terror.

Jin Yao was shocked and furious, "Damn it! Where did this dog come from?"

He had not expected his underlings to be so useless. Under the combined assault of Gu Sheng and the big black dog, they quickly collapsed. Realizing he would not be able to kill Gu Sheng today, Jin Yao decided to retreat.

His figure flickered as he transformed into a streak of light, fleeing toward the distance. Gu Sheng sneered as he watched, "Trying to escape? It won't be that easy!"

Just as Gu Sheng was about to give chase, the big black dog stopped him, "Gu boy, don't be impatient! Let this emperor handle it!"

With that, the big black dog's figure flashed, transforming into a black shadow as it pursued Jin Yao. Gu Sheng chuckled as he watched the dog's retreating silhouette, choosing not to stop it. He knew the big black dog was incredibly fast and had a keen sense of smell—tracking enemies was second nature to it.

"Alright, let's clean up the battlefield." Gu Sheng turned to Xing Lie and the others. They nodded and began clearing away the enemies. Soon, the area before the mountain gate returned to its earlier tranquility, as if nothing had happened. However, each of them was acutely aware of the intense battle that had just taken place.

"Gu Sheng, are you alright?" Xing Lie asked in concern, "Who was that man in extravagant robes? Why did he attack us?"

"He's Jin Yao, the younger brother of Jin Huang, a prince of the Golden Country. He probably came here seeking revenge," Gu Sheng explained, "Earlier, I defeated their Golden Country contestant during a competition, so they've held a grudge and want me dead."

"Hmph! Those people from the Golden Country are too arrogant! How dare they cause trouble on our turf!" Wu Tianxiong snorted coldly, "Next time we encounter them, we must teach them a proper lesson!"

"Don't worry, there'll be opportunities for that," Gu Sheng said with a smile. "Let's keep drinking."

The group drank large bowls of wine and devoured chunks of meat, while Kou Hai began hatching new ideas.

"Black Wind Village is just a small gang with limited loot, but if we were to raid the Ji family's mining operation… the gains… tut tut…" Kou Hai muttered.

While Kou Hai spoke casually, his words struck a chord with Gu Sheng. He recalled the time he first arrived in the Central Province and was sold into the Ji family's mines as a labor slave. He'd vowed that one day, he would raid the Ji family himself.

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