Our Gu Family Ancestor Was a Sage of Perfect Virtue

As Gu Taiyuan burst into wild laughter, intricate array patterns lit up across the plaza, and faint glows began to rise from the towering pillars surrounding it. A middle-aged man appeared, standing calmly by Gu Taiyuan’s side.

This man was none other than the head of the Gu family, Gu Daohai. Overwhelmed by the success of their scheme, his hands trembled slightly as he clasped them in reverence.

"The Ancestor’s brilliance knows no bounds!"

"Though our Gu family suffered misfortune and lost a prodigy like Qingcheng, today’s capture of these experts will surely bring us immeasurable gains. Such a heaven-sent opportunity is all thanks to the Ancestor’s masterful planning!"

"Hahaha…"

The two men, ancestor and descendant, laughed heartily, their faces flushed with excitement, not a trace of fear left in them.

They had finally shed all pretense, revealing their smug confidence that everything was under their control.

In the plaza, however, Lu Benwei and his dog-like companion showed little reaction. Ignoring the glowing array patterns, they watched the duo’s theatrics with puzzled amusement, as if witnessing fools dancing in delirium.

"Bro, do you think these two have lost their minds?"

"Second Brother makes a fair point. I reckon they’re so heartbroken over losing their sister that they’ve gone completely mad."

"Daring to double-cross Big Bro for a girl, reneging at the last moment—now that’s what I call guts!"

"Judging by their behavior, there must be some real beauties involved!"

Lu Benwei rested his chin on his skeletal hand and sighed wistfully.

"So this is the power of love. Truly inspiring!"

The group of dimwits bantered back and forth without a care. Far from being furious or tense, they acted more like amused spectators than people trapped in mortal peril.

To an outsider, it’d be impossible to tell who was actually cornering whom.

Their demeanor lacked even the slightest shred of respect.

Gu Taiyuan, riding high on his triumph, narrowed his eyes at their unshaken composure.

These so-called experts were so delusional they didn’t even recognize their impending doom! How such fools had cultivated to such heights was beyond him.

This wasn’t the reaction he wanted. He craved panic, curses, the impotent rage of the doomed—only then could he savor his twisted sense of victory, the thrill of crushing the mighty.

After a few moments of silence, his face darkened.

"Tch. Save your pretenses. No matter how formidable your cultivation, once you’ve stepped into this grand array, your fate is sealed!"

"Don’t blame me for your demise. The path of immortality is survival of the fittest—you should’ve been more vigilant. Your stupidity is your own undoing!"

"Today marks your end!"

Gu Taiyuan poured all his resentment into his words, relishing the chance to wash away past humiliations.

Yet the moment he finished, the shadowy figures in the plaza erupted in laughter.

"Pfft—!"

"Love really blinds people!"

"Using some trash-tier array to challenge us? This old man’s lost his marbles!"

"Now I get it—love’s like honey. Must be sweet enough to die for!"

"Not bad, Milk Powder! You’re improving!"

"Huh? Thanks for the praise, Bro! Hehehe!"

"Hahaha…"

Their jeers grew louder, the group treating the whole affair as a joke, cracking wise without a shred of concern.

Was this how people on the brink of death behaved?

Gu Taiyuan had even gone so far as to destabilize his ancestral grand formation, showing them the utmost respect. Even if these people had never heard of it, they should at least display some reverence.

Yet, what did they do? Not even a shred of basic caution. Relying solely on their profound cultivation, they acted with such arrogance—utterly looking down on everyone!

Gu Taiyuan's face darkened, his killing intent spreading uncontrollably. Behind him, Gu Daohai sneered and hurled insults, casting aside even the dignity of his status as the ancient clan's patriarch, fully revealing his petty nature.

"A bunch of ignorant fools!"

"Thinking a bit of cultivation makes you invincible! This is my Gu family's ancestral formation, built by our forefathers—a perfect fusion of chess strategy and array tactics. There's no escape for you!"

"I thought you were some esteemed experts, but you're just a pack of dimwits with shallow cultivation, coveting my family's treasures. A few words were all it took to lure you into this trap."

"Effortless from start to finish. Truly, the heavens favor our Gu family!"

As his shameless words echoed, the group suddenly fell silent. Even Lu Benwei, who had been watching with amusement, seemed like a different person—his hollow skull turning toward them, an air of seriousness about him.

Now that was the reaction they expected!

Go on, curse us! To be called 'shameless' is the highest praise!

The Gu grandfather and grandson watched eagerly, ready to savor that long-missed sense of triumph.

But as they stared, all they heard was a disappointed question.

"You've been lying to me all along? There are no girls here?"

Gu Taiyuan froze.

Girls?

At death's door, shouldn't they be howling in helpless rage?

Who in their right mind would focus on something like that at a time like this?

Judging by his tone and demeanor, it really seemed like this guy had come here solely for women. Unbelievable—such a shallow, lustful fool actually possessed such terrifying cultivation.

Gu Taiyuan had dedicated his life to arduous training, yet he still fell slightly short compared to these lecherous idiots...

This was utterly unfair!!!

His vanity and thirst for glory crushed once again, Gu Taiyuan flew into a rage, losing all interest in toying with them.

"Hmph!"

"Only realizing it now? You deserve death!!!"

With a vicious sidelong glance, the old man signaled Gu Daohai, who unfurled a scroll from his sleeve. Terrifying Dao power surged from all directions, instantly igniting the formation's patterns in blinding radiance—day and night reversed, and a starry sky materialized!

The intricate array lines on the ground lit up one after another, their brilliance converging between the towering pillars before transforming into starlight that shot back into the heavens. Countless stars connected into lines, infinite Dao power crystallizing into celestial bodies that projected across the firmament, enveloping the entire Gu family's sacred ground. Gasps of awe pierced the clouds!

The sky as the board, stars as the pieces—even sages would despair before such might!

What an awe-inspiring spectacle! The Gu grandfather and grandson gazed in reverence, their voices trembling with excitement.

"Star-Spanning Array! This is the true Star-Spanning Array!!!"

"Today, we revive our ancestors' grand formation. May their blessings strike down these troublemakers and bestow divine treasures upon our family, restoring our Gu clan to its former glory!!!"

They bowed deeply, faces alight with pride. Then, exchanging glances, their expressions brimmed with smug anticipation.

Just as expected.

This time, when they looked, they finally saw the fury they had been waiting for.

The black-robed figures wore expressions of rage, their killing intent condensing rapidly.

Especially the skeletal leader, Lu Benwei. Gone was his earlier carefree demeanor—now he stood silent and still, his hollow eye sockets reflecting the starlight, icy and detached.

A single glance was enough to feel his wrath, wordless yet more cutting than any curse.

Gu Taiyuan's twisted vanity was finally satisfied, and he burst into maniacal laughter!

"Hahaha!"

"Tsk tsk tsk, are you seething with rage now? Do you want to kill us?! Too bad it's already too late! Let me tell you the truth—our Gu family's ancestors inherited the Heavenly Dao and have cultivated for countless years, reaching the pinnacle of the Innate Sage realm!"

"Even if you possess the same level of cultivation, you’re no match for the Star-Scattered Chess Formation! You will be crushed under its might!!!"

The grandfather and grandson duo laughed so hard their faces twisted, as if victory was already in their grasp.

The more humble and restrained they had been before, the more shamelessly they now flaunted their arrogance, revealing their true despicable nature!

Just as they were reveling in their triumph—

Lu Benwei took a step forward.

Thud!

With just that single step, his aura transformed completely. A terrifying pressure surged forth like a tidal wave, instantly drowning the two of them!

Their laughter froze on their faces, as if Mount Tai itself were crushing them!

Gu Taiyuan's eyes widened in shock, his face turning deathly pale.

"H-how is this possible?! You’re trapped in the Star-Scattered Chess Formation—how can you still move?! This is the ancestral power of an Innate Sage at the peak of perfection! You should be helpless!!!"

No response came—only the sound of another step.

Thud!

With the second step, the oppressive force became overwhelming!

The two couldn’t withstand it any longer. As if a colossal mountain were pressing down on them, they collapsed to their knees in unison!

Boom!

A dull impact echoed as the ground beneath their knees shattered. Before they could even cry out, a metallic taste filled their throats.

Pfft!!!

Gu Daohai, who had barely achieved sainthood, vomited a mist of blood on the spot!