Accept and Become a Dog

The elder who had slammed the table and stood up eventually sat back down, his face looking utterly terrible.

He was truly unwilling to accept this.

At the Great Perfection of the Foundation Establishment realm, he had been stuck at this bottleneck for a full twenty years.

For twenty years, he had cultivated desperately, searched for opportunities desperately, and desperately wanted to step into the Golden Core realm of his dreams.

Yet, he could never cross that threshold.

But it didn't matter; what he lacked in cultivation, he made up for with power and influence.

Over the past twenty years, he had built a thriving network within the Qingjian Sect.

Half of the various Hall Masters were his people.

Sixty percent of the Outer Sect Deacons were at his beck and call.

He could touch the resources in the storehouse whenever he pleased.

He could take in any promising seedlings among the disciples as he wished.

If it weren't for his persistent failure to break through to the Golden Core realm, he would have ousted Jiang Qingshan and become the Sect Master himself long ago.

But now, Gu Chengyin's casual words were going to force him to give up so many years of painstaking efforts?

On what grounds?

Just because he was the Junior Preceptor to the Crown Prince? Just because he was the Chief Director of the Internal Affairs Department? Just because he had Lin Qingyan by his side?

This elder gritted his teeth, suppressed the anger in his heart, and tried to make his voice sound as peaceful as possible.

"Ju... Junior Preceptor Gu."

His tone carried a hint of submission.

"We have served as elders of the Qingjian Sect for many years. Even if we haven't made great contributions, we have still put in hard work."

"Having us step down with just one word from you, isn't that a bit too unreasonable?"

These words were spoken tactfully, but the meaning was clear.

We are not people without backgrounds; aren't you afraid of chilling people's hearts by doing this?

The other four elders also nodded in agreement, their eyes falling on Gu Chengyin, wanting to see how he would respond.

Gu Chengyin looked at them and suddenly smiled.

He extended his index finger and wagged it gently.

"This..."

Gu Chengyin originally wanted to call him by his name.

But as the words reached his lips, he suddenly realized he didn't even know this elder's name.

Not just this one, he didn't know the other four either.

Gu Chengyin thought about it and felt it wasn't important anyway.

Since they were all people who were about to leave, knowing their names was meaningless.

So he changed his tune: "This is not a negotiation, it is a notification."

A light, fluttering sentence.

Yet it was like a basin of ice water poured over the heads of the five elders.

Not a negotiation.

But a notification.

These few words completely tore off their last shred of dignity.

The expressions of the five managing elders suddenly became even more colorful.

Yet, they lacked the confidence to refute and the courage to resist.

Gu Chengyin looked at them with a calm gaze.

"I don't care who is behind you, or whose interests are involved."

"If they are dissatisfied, let them come find me personally."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone present.

"However."

Gu Chengyin's tone suddenly turned serious.

The relaxed and unhurried aura around him vanished completely.

Replacing it was a suffocating sense of oppression.

It wasn't bloodline suppression, nor was it spiritual energy coercion.

It was...

Killing intent.

Pure, undisguised killing intent.

"Every blade of grass, every tree, every person, and every object here."

"All belong to the Qingjian Sect."

"If anyone dares to touch even a single fraction of it."

Gu Chengyin's gaze was like a knife as he scanned the five managing elders.

"Then don't blame me..."

Halfway through his sentence, he suddenly changed the subject again.

The seriousness on Gu Chengyin's face disappeared entirely, replaced by a gentle smile.

It was as gentle as a spring breeze brushing against the face, like old friends reuniting.

But in the eyes of the five elders, it was more terrifying than the killing intent from just a moment ago.

"Of course, I am a kind-hearted person. What I can't bear to see the most is broken families and separated wives and children."

"So, to avoid this kind of situation, I will just have to..."

"Exterminate your nine generations."

As soon as these words came out, the faces of the five elders all turned green.

Because he couldn't bear to see families separated, he would exterminate their nine generations and send the whole family down together?

What kind of reasoning was this?

What kind of logic was this?

What kind of...

Devil was he?

The five elders looked at each other, all seeing deep fear in one another's eyes.

Gu Chengyin picked up his wine cup and took a light sip.

His posture was relaxed and unhurried, as if the words he just spoke were nothing but a casual joke.

But the five managing elders knew that it was no joke.

Every single word was true.

Gu Chengyin had already made his stance clear: the five managing elders must step down.

If they didn't step down, someone would help them step down.

And they would leave the sect with absolutely nothing.

Not a single blade of grass, tree, person, or object was allowed to be taken away.

Otherwise, Gu Chengyin would personally go to their backers and have a good chat.

The five elders sat there, their expressions fluctuating wildly.

Gu Chengyin was in no hurry, slowly drinking his wine, cup after cup.

With his current status and position, when facing a sect like the Qingjian Sect that was strong on the outside but hollow on the inside.

He no longer needed to use any schemes or tactics.

He just needed to crush them directly.

Like crushing five ants to death.

Finally, Gu Chengyin put down his wine cup:

"Have you thought it through?"

The five elders looked at each other, all seeing the despair in each other's eyes.

Someone opened his mouth, still wanting to struggle a bit.

But Gu Chengyin gave no opportunity:

"Good that you've thought it through. Then let's leave it at that. By the way, let me give you a reminder."

"No matter how many of your people are currently in the Qingjian Sect."

"That is not something I need to consider."

The five managing elders all froze for a moment. Not something Gu Chengyin needed to consider?

Then who would consider it?

Gu Chengyin's gaze turned to Jiang Qingshan.

"Wouldn't you agree, Sect Master Jiang?"

Jiang Qingshan was silent for a moment before nodding slowly.

"What Junior Preceptor Gu says is right."

Gu Chengyin smiled with satisfaction.

He came here to do only one thing: swallow up the entire Qingjian Sect.

As for everything else, that could wait until after he reached the Golden Core realm.

There was plenty of time in between to slowly reorganize things.

There was also plenty of time to see if Jiang Qingshan would acknowledge him as his granddaughter's husband.

Gu Chengyin withdrew his gaze, picked up the last cup of wine, and downed it in one gulp.

The liquid flowed down his throat, carrying a bit of spiciness and a bit of sweetness.

"See the guests out."

As his voice faded, Gu Chengyin didn't even look at the five managing elders. He stood up and walked toward the hall pavilion.

Calm and indifferent, as if everything that had just happened was nothing more than a routine social engagement.

The five managing elders sat in their original seats, their faces ashen.

They wanted to say something, but found they couldn't utter a single word.

Because it was meaningless now.

In terms of strength, they were not as strong as Gu Chengyin.

In terms of background, the backers behind them didn't even dare to show their faces.

The only sliver of hope was to use their subordinates to make Gu Chengyin a mere figurehead, just as they had done to Jiang Qingshan.

But Gu Chengyin had already made his stance clear: as long as they weren't afraid of a nine-generation extermination game, they could go right ahead.

With these words spoken, the five elders immediately chickened out. Gu Chengyin was not Jiang Qingshan.

Although Jiang Qingshan was in the Golden Core realm, he only had cultivation but no methods. By the time he learned to use methods, it was already too late.

But Gu Chengyin was the Junior Preceptor to the Crown Prince, the Chief Director of the Internal Affairs Department, a peerless ruthless man who had fought his way out of the deep, murky waters of the Divine Capital.

Not only did he have methods, but he also had brains. Moreover, his methods were far superior to theirs, and his brain was much better at exploiting the rules.