My Wife Turns Out to be an Empress of the Dynasty

Chen Feng's reliability in handling matters put Gu Lan at ease, and with a calm expression, he nodded.

He said nothing more but turned his gaze toward Gu Simu, his concern for her evident.

The moment Gu Simu noticed his gaze, she smiled faintly and looked up.

"You promised me earlier," she said with a gentle smile, stepping back two paces.

She feared that Gu Lan might impose more restrictions on her, and leaving would become difficult.

Seeing her reaction, Gu Lan sighed but refrained from saying anything further. His voice, however, carried a weight of concern as it reached Chen Feng's ears.

"Take good care of this girl."

Chen Feng was momentarily surprised but quickly nodded.

"Master, rest assured!"

With that, Gu Lan did not linger. He turned and disappeared, heading to a place where he suspected there might be hidden threats.

While he had full confidence in his disciples at the Royal School, he was concerned about the possibility of covert attacks from the shadows.

The news of Dark Clan's challenge to the Lanyan Royal School had spread across the realms, and it was the Bright Clan who seemed the most excited about it.

Divine Son Arthur's lips curled into a cold smile, his eyes cold and filled with a hint of murderous intent.

"Divine Son, should we just sit by and watch? This is an excellent opportunity. If we seize it, we may..."

Members of the Bright Clan could no longer contain their excitement. Their faces darkened, and murderous intent gleamed in their eyes.

To them, this was a prime opportunity to simultaneously take down two powerful enemies.

The idea was tempting, but Divine Son Arthur did not share their enthusiasm. He kept his face expressionless, his eyes darkened.

"No rush. Let them fight it out first. We can pick up the pieces later."

Let these two factions battle it out first. Regardless of which side wins, both would be severely wounded. At that time, it would be the perfect moment for them to strike.

He had already stated his position, so the others in the Bright Clan were hesitant to argue. Their faces were heavy with worry, but they could do nothing but follow Arthur's plan.

They wanted to act quickly, as every opportunity to eliminate one enemy was precious. They dreamed of becoming one of the seven great houses.

However, waiting could lead to unforeseen changes, and if they didn't act soon, they might miss their chance. Despite their thoughts, they could not defy Divine Son Arthur and kept their frustrations to themselves.

Meanwhile, Gu Lan stood in the void, his gaze fixed on the distant horizon.

With a single glance, he could see across a thousand miles. Soon, he spotted Dark Master's figure.

What surprised him, however, was that the two guardians weren't with him.

This struck Gu Lan as odd. Did those two have something else in mind? His suspicions grew.

Shaking off his doubts, Gu Lan's true energy surged, ready for anything. Though he wasn't worried about a fair challenge, he was more concerned about any underhanded tricks being played.

His initial expectation that someone might act from the shadows did not come to pass. It seemed that this time, Dark Master had come alone.

Gu Lan, perplexed, pondered this for a while, before his gaze turned back to the distance.

At that moment, Dark Master had arrived before him, his face still cold and his eyes filled with barely contained bloodlust. Yet, he controlled himself, masking the worst of it.

"This time, we are not to intervene directly. Let our subordinates fight and determine the outcome."

As Dark Master spoke, a shadowy figure materialized behind him. He had no intention of wasting time with Gu Lan.

A blood-red aura surrounded the figure, and from it emerged a formidable presence.

Gu Lan froze for a moment upon seeing the figure. The person was already at the Imperial Realm's fourth level, close to the strength of a Shadow Slave.

"So, you send out someone this powerful from the start? Aren't you worried that he'll be killed here?"

Gu Lan's expression remained calm, though his eyes held a flicker of murderous intent. He waved his hand.

"Then let them fight."

Upon seeing the Shadow Slave, Dark Master was visibly shocked. He remembered that the soul imprint within the Shadow Slave had been shattered earlier. How could he still be alive?

"You!" Dark Master snapped.

"Don't be so surprised," Shadow Slave responded coldly. "I didn't kill him because he's strong."

Having no loyalty to Dark Master anymore, the Shadow Slave's eyes were devoid of any warmth as he turned his attention to Gu Lan, bowing deeply.

"Master."

This open defection stung Dark Master deeply. His anger surged.

"Ah, so you've become a traitor!"

"Traitor? I'm only doing what you failed to do for me. When you fled in panic, did you ever care about my life or death?"

Shadow Slave had long harbored resentment toward Dark Master and now he showed no mercy in his words.

As he spoke, his aura surged, a clear signal that he no longer served Dark Clan. He was no longer under Dark Master's control.

"Blood Slave, kill him!" Dark Master roared, his voice filled with fury.

A figure shrouded in blood-red aura appeared, responding to the command. He no longer hesitated, his bloodlust was palpable.

"Traitor, you were never my match before, and you certainly won't be now!"

But Shadow Slave wasn't impressed. He had grown much stronger under Gu Lan's guidance, and now he had the upper hand.

Gu Lan's expression remained neutral as he patted Shadow Slave's shoulder and then moved aside.

"Kill him."

Blood Slave was clearly a troublemaker, and if left alive, he would only cause more problems in the future. Now was the perfect chance to deal with him and avoid future complications.

Without hesitation, Shadow Slave surged forward, his figure a blur. In the blink of an eye, dozens of cold lights slashed through the air.

With a loud ripping sound, Blood Slave was knocked back a great distance, unable to even react in time.

Regaining his balance, Blood Slave's eyes filled with shock and more killing intent. He couldn't believe that his opponent had gained the upper hand. The two of them had fought several times before, and he had always dominated. This defeat was a humiliation.

Rage flared within him as his aura swelled once again.

The blood-red energy enveloped him, and a sharp sword materialized in his hands. He struck with everything he had.

The sound of tearing air filled the space as hundreds of sword strikes descended from the heavens.

This strike was the pinnacle of his power, and the aura surrounding it was terrifying.

Yet, Shadow Slave did not retreat. His eyes gleamed with murderous intent. Just as Blood Slave's attack was about to land, Shadow Slave drew a golden longsword, and with a single slash, it became a blur, vanishing into the distance.

Their powers were fairly evenly matched, but as time passed, Shadow Slave gained the upper hand. The energy Blood Slave released was ineffective against him.

Shadow Slave had only grown stronger, and as for Blood Slave, his energy was quickly running out.

With his aura nearly depleted and his face turning pale, Blood Slave was forced to retreat.

"I'll give you one last chance: submit to my master, and I'll spare your life. Otherwise, today will be your last!"

"Dream on!"

Blood Slave roared, unwilling to yield.