Battle Through the Heavens: Marry Cao Ying, Reward is Devouring Ancestral Symbol

Chapter 375 Gu Yuan’s EmbarrassmentGu Yuan fell silent.

The Flower Hall fell silent for a moment as steam rose from the teacups, slowly drifting between the two men.

Gu Yuan picked up his teacup, took a sip, set it down, and suddenly asked, ”Is the Xiao Clan’s Tuoshe Ancient Emperor Jade in your hands?”

Shen Wen leaned back in his chair, his expression unchanging.

”Naturally.” He picked up his teacup, his tone casual. ”I traded the remnant map of the Purification Lotus Demon Flame for it. Don’t tell me Clan Chief Gu wants to make a move?”

Gu Yuan’s brow furrowed slightly.

”That item belongs to the Xiao Clan.” His voice deepened. ”Back then, I was entrusted by my dear friend Xiao Xuan to look after the Xiao Family...”

Shen Wen raised his hand, cutting him off.

”Look after them?” He set down his teacup, his gaze falling on Gu Yuan’s face. ”Looked after them so well that there isn’t even a single Great Dou Master left in the clan?”

Gu Yuan opened his mouth to speak but stopped.

Shen Wen continued, ”Even if you didn’t want the Xiao Clan to be too conspicuous, it shouldn’t have reached the point where they don’t even have a Great Dou Master.”

He paused, his tone softening slightly. ”As for why you sent Xiao Xun Er to the Xiao Family, I have no desire to state the obvious.

Whatever your plans were, the result is this.

If it weren’t for Xiao Yan, it wouldn’t have been long before the Xiao Clan’s Bloodline was wiped out.”

Gu Yuan’s expression was somewhat embarrassed.

He had lived for over a thousand years, the Clan Chief of the Gu Clan and one of the most powerful beings on the Fighting Qi Continent.

Now, he was being called out by a young man in his early twenties, and he found himself unable to refute the claims.

He picked up his teacup and took another sip, using the rim to hide his expression.

”It was a deal between Xiao Xuan and me back then.” He set down the teacup, his voice low. ”I opened the Heavenly Tomb for him, but Xiao Xuan’s Breakthrough failed...”

”Breakthrough failed?” Shen Wen interrupted him, his tone indifferent. ”Xiao Xuan shouldn’t have fallen.

Furthermore, Xiao Xuan was attempting his Breakthrough in your clan’s Heavenly Tomb. Do I really need to say more about how he fell?”

Gu Yuan fell silent.

His fingers traced the rim of the cup twice as his gaze fell upon the tea, remaining silent.

He naturally knew what Shen Wen was referring to.

Some Elders of the Gu Clan had indeed harbored ulterior motives back then.

The Tuoshe Ancient Emperor Jade, the Xiao Clan Bloodline, and even Xiao Xun Er, who grew up within the Gu Clan, were all pawns.

Xiao Xuan, attempting his Breakthrough in the Heavenly Tomb, should not have died.

But someone had tampered with things at a critical moment, allowing people from the Hun Clan to appear in the Heavenly Tomb, turning that Breakthrough into an irreversible disaster.

He hadn’t acted at that time.

It wasn’t that he couldn’t, but that he didn’t.

He thought it wouldn’t be good if the Xiao Clan was too strong; he thought the Gu Clan needed balance; he thought what those Elders said wasn’t entirely without reason.

And the result?

Xiao Xuan fell, and the Xiao Clan’s status plummeted.

The Hun Clan took advantage of the situation, recovering from their previous heavy injuries and becoming even stronger than before.

And he had accomplished nothing.

Gu Yuan took a deep breath, looked up, and faced Shen Wen.

In those deep eyes, there was a hint of bitterness and self-deprecation.

Shen Wen leaned back and looked at him, his tone calm. ”Clan Chief Gu, since you could sit by and watch Xiao Xuan fall, and watch the Hun Clan recover and grow stronger...”

He paused and took a sip of tea.

”Do you still expect my father-in-law to join forces with you against Hun Tiandi?”

Gu Yuan had nothing to say.

This was Shen Wen’s personal view of Gu Yuan.

He was far too indecisive.

Back then, if the Gu Clan and Xiao Clan had joined forces, they could have completely wiped out the heavily injured Hun Clan.

But Gu Yuan hadn’t acted. He chose to wait and see, chose balance, and chose the ”big picture” that seemed safe but was actually disastrous.

The result was that the Hun Clan not only recovered but also swallowed the Spirit Clan. It was unknown whether the Stone Clan or the Medicine Clan would be next.

And he didn’t truly become anxious until today.

The result was that, if not for him, the Battle of the Two Emperors in the original timeline might never have occurred, nor would the Central Plains have been stained with blood.

Gu Yuan stood up, hands behind his back, looking out the window.

After a moment of silence, he spoke in a low voice, ”You should keep that jade safe.”

He paused and turned to Shen Wen, his tone serious. ”If the Hun Clan moves against you, the Gu Clan will not sit idly by.”

Shen Wen nodded, saying nothing more.

Gu Yuan turned and walked toward the door.

At the door, he suddenly stopped and said without looking back, ”Regarding the Xiao Family, I have failed Xiao Xuan.”

As his voice faded, his figure had already disappeared outside.

Xiao Xun Er stood up, gave a slight bow to Shen Wen, and followed him.

The Flower Hall fell silent.

When Zhu Kun’s figure stepped out of the Void Realm, Shen Wen had just picked up his teacup.

He wasn’t surprised. Setting down the tea, he rose to greet him.

”Father-in-law.”

Zhu Kun nodded and sat opposite him, his long purple-gold hair flowing and his golden pupils exceptionally striking in the Flower Hall.

”The Gu Clan, the Hun Clan...” He leaned back, his tone tinged with emotion. ”Interesting. Back when the Void Ancient Dragons dominated the Fighting Qi Continent, these were just minor clans. I didn’t expect them to grow to such an extent.”

Shen Wen sat back down and took a sip of tea.

”They are Demonic Beast families after all.” His tone was flat. ”The Void Ancient Dragons had internal strife, the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Bloodline is impure, and the Nine Serene Earth Nether Pythons constantly dilute their own Bloodline to maintain their status. This outcome is only natural.”

Zhu Kun was silent for a moment, then nodded.

”Just now, I sensed the aura of a Nine-Star Dou Sheng near you, so I came over.”

Shen Wen bowed slightly. ”Thank you for your concern, Father-in-law.”

”Eh, don’t bother.” Zhu Kun waved his hand casually. ”I’m just making sure nothing happens to you, or Zi Yan will surely hate me to death.”

Shen Wen smiled and didn’t respond.

Zhu Kun took a sip of tea, set it down, and suddenly said, ”So you already know where the ancient emperor tuoshe jade is.”

He looked at Shen Wen, his golden eyes shimmering.

”How about we act now, collect the ancient emperor tuoshe jade, and open that place? When I become a Dou Di...”

Shen Wen shook his head and interrupted him.

”The Hun Clan isn’t that simple, and neither is the Gu Clan.” He paused, his tone becoming more serious. ”And the Ancient Emperor Cave isn’t that simple either. Even if we open it, it doesn’t guarantee becoming a Dou Di.”

Zhu Kun’s brow furrowed.

Shen Wen pondered for a moment and continued, ”In fact, even with the key, it’s useless.”

Zhu Kun grew anxious.

”How could it be useless?” He leaned forward slightly, his golden pupils fixed on Shen Wen. ”Inside there...”

He stopped mid-sentence, suddenly hesitating.

Shen Wen looked at his hesitant expression, the corners of his mouth curling slightly.

”Does Father-in-law want to say that there is emperors origin inside?”

Zhu Kun was stunned.

”How do you know?”

Shen Wen didn’t answer. He simply took a sip of tea and set it down.

”But you won’t be able to get it.” He looked at Zhu Kun, his tone calm. ”Do you really think the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor was so kind as to leave a portion of emperors origin there?”

Zhu Kun fell silent.

Shen Wen continued, ”If it were truly left for all future generations, why would he have bound you there?”

Zhu Kun’s fingers tightened slightly.

He thought of those thousands of years of imprisonment, that gray space, and the Seal that had trapped him.

If the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor were truly kind, why set so many Restrictions? Why suppress him, an accidental intruder, for thousands of years?

”Are you saying...” Zhu Kun’s voice was low. ”That thing was a bait from the start?”

”Not just bait, but more importantly, it can only be obtained by someone who meets the requirements. Why should we pave the way for others?”

Shen Wen naturally knew the method to meet the requirements: the Burning Technique.

However, if he spoke of it, Zhu Kun would surely move against Xiao Yan, which would push Gu Yuan into opposition.

Besides, he naturally intended to become an Emperor himself.

He couldn’t very well let Zhu Kun become an Emperor first; at the very least, he had to wait until he reached Peak Nine-Star Dou Sheng before attempting to probe that emperors origin.