My Wife Turns Out to be an Empress of the Dynasty

Thanks to Shadow Slave's presence, the task of locating the members of the Dark Clan was remarkably easy. These were no significant individuals, and Gu Lan had no intention of showing himself. He left the task to Chen Feng and the others, confident they could handle it.

After having recovered for so long, the disciples of Lanyan Royal School were in high spirits, especially after their victory in the previous battle. Upon encountering the Dark Clan members, they wasted no time, immediately launching an attack without showing any mercy. Not only did they have the advantage in numbers, but their cultivation levels also far surpassed those of the Dark Clan. In just a few breaths, they had completely driven off the Dark Clan agents lurking outside the school.

Listening to the sounds of battle outside, a smile spread across Gu Lan's face. Just then, Gu Simu gently tugged on his arm. "Father, can I go and try it too?"

She had just managed to increase her cultivation, and of course, she wanted to show off her newfound strength. It was much more exciting than staying inside, having someone accompany her while she trained.

However, as soon as she finished speaking, Gu Lan shook his head, his smile unchanged. He lowered his head to speak to her. "Their level isn't high enough; there's no need for you to intervene. Let Chen Feng handle it."

Clearly, Gu Simu was dissatisfied with his response. She covered her mouth and turned her face away, disappointed. She had thought Gu Lan would agree, but instead, he refused. If she had known this would happen, she might have sneaked out on her own.

Seeing her reaction, Zhongren stepped forward, glancing at Gu Lan before shifting his attention back to her. "I need to set up a large formation for Lanyan Royal School. Would you like to come with me and see?"

Upon hearing that she could go out, Gu Simu was eager. She quickly nodded her head in agreement. "Master, I'll go with him to set up the formation for Lanyan Royal School. It will also protect the disciples of the Royal School."

Gu Lan didn't say much in response, simply giving a slight nod of approval. He trusted Zhongren, and this would benefit the disciples of the Royal School, sparing him from some trouble. Soon, the vast palace was left with only Gu Lan. As for Mu Yuyan, she had gone with a group of Royal School disciples to a secret place for cultivation. These were former members of the Jing Nation royal family, all of whom had outstanding talent, and now was a perfect time to guide them.

"Master!" A sudden voice broke his concentration, and he turned in surprise to see Shadow Slave standing some distance away.

Shadow Slave bowed to him with great respect, and as soon as he finished speaking, he kneeled down.

Seeing this, Gu Lan waved his hand, his expression cold. "I already told you before, there's no need for such formalities when you see me. What's going on?"

Gu Lan had initially assigned Shadow Slave to work with Chen Feng to deal with the Dark Clan, and although they had been repelled, it seemed odd for Shadow Slave to return so soon.

"Master, I feel a summons from the Dark Clan. They may be preparing for something major!" Shadow Slave said.

Upon hearing this, Gu Lan furrowed his brow in confusion. Just a moment ago, the Dark Clan had been fleeing, and now they were about to make a big move? It seemed strange, but then again, Shadow Slave had no reason to deceive him. After all, Gu Lan had placed a soul mark on him, and the consequences of betrayal were severe.

Although Gu Lan was puzzled, he did not dwell on it for long. He looked at Shadow Slave and spoke calmly, "Tell me more."

If the Dark Clan was about to make a move, Gu Lan was curious to see what kind of tactics they might employ. After all, the Dark Clan had been quiet for a long time, and their recent actions were beginning to pick up pace.

Shadow Slave's face darkened as he frowned, thinking deeply. After a moment, he lifted his head and spoke respectfully. "The members of the Dark Clan share a bloodline connection. Wherever they are, they can sense the orders of Dark Master. Just now, I heard that he intends to rally the entire clan..."

Before he could finish, Shadow Slave froze, his eyes wide and his body stiffened. His pupils dilated, and an ominous, terrifying killing intent suddenly enveloped him.

Gu Lan had not paid much attention to this sudden chill at first, but now, seeing Shadow Slave's strange reaction, he furrowed his brow. As he turned his head, Shadow Slave lunged at him.

The arm around Shadow Slave was covered in a layer of blood-red energy, and his claws aimed straight at Gu Lan's face. The speed was terrifying, and Gu Lan was taken aback.

He stepped back quickly, narrowly avoiding the attack, but Shadow Slave's assault did not stop; it only grew faster.

Gu Lan was confused as to what was happening. It appeared that Shadow Slave had lost control of himself.

With a flash, the Rule of Five Elements appeared, and Gu Lan raised his hand, pressing down. In an instant, Shadow Slave was forced to the ground, his face pressing against the cold floor.

As Gu Lan's gaze fell on him, Shadow Slave's face twisted in pain, his expression twisted into one of agony.

The noise from their struggle was loud, quickly attracting the attention of Ding True Man. Sensing the disturbance, he rushed over, his cold gaze locking onto Shadow Slave.

"Master, this one can't be left alive!" Ding True Man said. As his words left his mouth, he released his Heaven-Fixing Realm aura, ready to kill Shadow Slave with a single gesture. He was eager to prove himself, but just as he stepped forward, Gu Lan's icy voice interrupted him.

"I don't need you to act just yet."

Ding True Man froze, his face turning pale with embarrassment. He knew that Gu Lan wasn't joking. He had no choice but to retract his aura and step back, understanding that it was not the right time for him to act.

Gu Lan's aura remained strong as he stepped forward, his gaze fixed on Shadow Slave. He raised his hand and released a beam of golden light. The murderous aura around Shadow Slave finally began to subside.

After a few breaths, Shadow Slave's consciousness returned, but he appeared frail and weak, his face pale.

He looked up at Gu Lan, struggling to rise to his feet, and then fell to his knees.

"Master, please... kill me," Shadow Slave said suddenly.

Gu Lan was taken aback by his words. He looked at Shadow Slave with confusion, then asked, "What do you mean? That wasn't your intention earlier!"

As a powerful Imperial Realm practitioner, Gu Lan could tell that the earlier actions were not Shadow Slave's will.

Shadow Slave froze, then lowered his head in shame. "That was Dark Master's doing. He was extracting power from us. He plans to resurrect the Dark Clan's protector!"

Gu Lan was even more perplexed by this revelation, but a sense of unease began to form in his heart.

If Shadow Slave, who was a powerful figure, could be affected this way, then it was clear that Dark Master had significant plans. Gu Lan's unease wasn't so much for himself; he was confident he could deal with Dark Master. But for the disciples of Lanyan Royal School, things were more complicated.

Gu Lan could suppress Shadow Slave, but what about the others? If they encountered Dark Master's influence, there was a real possibility they could be killed.

But now was not the time to dwell on these concerns. He had thought that removing Shadow Slave's soul mark would resolve the issue. However, it seemed that there were still unknown dangers lurking.

Gu Lan's priority now was to find a way to fully sever Shadow Slave's ties to the Dark Clan, or else there was a risk of him losing control again.

Shadow Slave was powerful in his own right, and while Gu Lan could handle the situation, it was uncertain what would happen if he wasn't around.

"I can extract all the power from your body and sever your connection to the Dark Clan. Would you be willing to accept that?" Gu Lan asked.