What they coveted most was the mysterious method of breaking through to the Martial Emperor realm without being detected by Hell's Gate. If their Beast Taming Sect could obtain this method, wouldn't they be able to quietly produce a Martial Emperor? Du Laiyuan certainly desired this! But just thinking about that massive blue creature sent chills down his spine. That thing was far too terrifying! "Send a few elders to investigate, but remember—don't provoke the Chu family for now!" Du Laiyuan warned. "Once Hell's Gate's Martial Emperor arrives, their good days will naturally come to an end!" Zuo Cangmu frowned. "But Ancestor, the Chu family's expansion has been extremely aggressive recently. They've already become the strongest force in Cangzhou and are even spreading their influence throughout the entire Qian Region! Many factions, after learning about so many Martial Saints perishing, are considering whether to pledge allegiance to the Chu family. If we don't stop them soon, our Beast Taming Sect might eventually fall under their sway!" Once a faction has a powerful figure supporting it, its growth becomes like a snowball rolling downhill—getting bigger and bigger. The submission of other factions naturally leads to increased resources. Currently, the Chu family is only a six-star family, yet their influence is already this terrifying. If they truly become an eight-star family, wouldn't the entire Qian Region willingly become their vassal? "Didn't I already say? Once Hell's Gate's Martial Emperor arrives, what does a mere Chu family amount to?" Du Laiyuan waved his hand dismissively. "Let them develop however they want! In the end, they'll have to spit everything back out!" Moreover, Du Laiyuan strongly suspected that the blue true dragon might have already obtained the Yunxiao Sect's legacy, allowing it to break through to the Demon Emperor realm undetected. Because of this, he held little hope for the Yunxiao Sect's Martial Emperor inheritance. There were many martial artists in the Nine Heavens Mountain Range, and even more in Qingyang City. Out of necessity, the entire city had expanded another time to accommodate the growing population. After all, the Saint-grade formation could cover a vast area. The central region of the Qian Region, once centered around the Beast Taming Sect's Tanzhou, now seemed to be shifting elsewhere. This proved the saying: "A mountain's worth lies not in its height but in its immortals." Even if Qingyang Town had once been barren, the emergence of a powerful faction here naturally spurred its development. Several months later, within the Chu family's spatial world, an overwhelming aura erupted—Chu Tianyang had broken through to the seventh-tier Martial Venerable realm! With his Myriad Spirits Saint Body, his cultivation speed was truly astonishing! "Congratulations, Ancestor, on your breakthrough to Martial Venerable! Becoming a Martial Saint is now within reach!" Chu Jingyue and the other elders had long been waiting outside Chu Tianyang's secluded cultivation site, now bowing in unison to celebrate. "Has anything significant happened in the family recently?" Chu Tianyang asked. "Nothing major," Chu Jingyue replied with a frown. "However, many people, having found no traces of inheritance in the Nine Heavens Mountain Range's underground space, now unanimously suspect our Chu family obtained it. Some even claim the Beast God acquired the legacy, which explains our family's rapid rise. Numerous powerful figures have grown dissatisfied and are pressuring us to hand over the Yunxiao Sect's inheritance!" Particularly troubling were the unnamed Martial Venerables secretly stirring up trouble, attempting to seize the Yunxiao Sect's Martial Saint legacy from the Chu family. The situation was growing tense! "Hmph! How dare such insignificant beings make demands of our Chu family?" Chu Tianyang snorted. "You haven't disturbed the Beast God over such trivial matters, have you?" "Rest assured, Ancestor. How could I possibly bother the Beast God with this? Besides..." Chu Jingyue smiled confidently. "What do mere Martial Venerables amount to? Jingyue doesn't even consider them worth noting!" Though only at the Martial King realm, Chu Jingyue feared no Martial Venerable—even without invoking the Beast God's aid! ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ novel·fire·net Chu Tianyang studied Chu Jingyue with a frown. Where did this kid get such audacity? From the Beast God? "Clan leader, bad news! Three Martial Venerables have arrived together, demanding our Chu family hand over the Martial Emperor inheritance!" A clansman rushed in to report. "Let's go then!" Chu Tianyang chuckled. "Let's see how this Martial King of ours scorns Martial Venerables!" Leading the group, he strode out of the spatial world. Outside the Chu family's territory stood three Martial Venerables, backed by hundreds of Martial Kings and Martial Emperors. Recently, the Nine Heavens Mountain Range had gathered most of the Qian Region's powerful figures—all for the Yunxiao Sect's Martial Emperor legacy! "What an impressive display you've brought!" Chu Tianyang stepped forward with a cold laugh. "Chu Tianyang! Finally showing yourself, are you?" one of the Martial Venerables spat. Then, sensing Chu Tianyang's aura, his eyes widened. "What? You've broken through to Martial Venerable?" The three Martial Venerables were stunned. In just over a year, Chu Tianyang had soared from a second-tier Martial Warrior to a seventh-tier Martial Venerable? Such a thing was unheard of! "It must be the Martial Emperor inheritance! Nothing else could explain such rapid cultivation!" one Martial Venerable shouted excitedly, eyes glowing red as he stared greedily at Chu Tianyang. Higher-grade cultivation techniques naturally accelerated progress. "Friend Chu, it's hardly proper for your Chu family to monopolize the Yunxiao Sect's legacy," another Martial Venerable said darkly. "We should study the Emperor's Scripture together. After all, shared joy is double joy—don't you agree?" "Exactly! The Yunxiao Sect's inheritance should be shared, not hoarded by your family alone!" the third Martial Venerable added. "Hand it over, or today we won't hold back!" "Destroy the Chu family! Seize the Martial Emperor legacy!" The crowd of Martial Kings and Martial Emperors behind them erupted with terrifying auras, ready to attack at the slightest provocation. At the forefront, the three Martial Venerables smirked coldly. They didn't believe the Chu family would dare oppose so many—that would mean defying public sentiment. As for the entity that had slain the Martial Saints, they weren't actually planning to annihilate the Chu family—just claim the Martial Emperor inheritance. Surely a Demon Emperor-level powerhouse wouldn't intervene over this? Chu Tianyang regarded the three with a frosty smile. "I'm not an ambitious man. I only wish for my Chu family to live happily." His tone turned icy. "So I must refuse." Then, turning to Chu Jingyue, he said, "Now, let's see these Martial Venerables you consider beneath notice." Chu Jingyue faced the three Martial Venerables. "Gentlemen, are you truly resolved to destroy our Chu family for the inheritance?" "If you refuse to surrender the Martial Emperor legacy, we have no choice," one replied grimly. "In that case," Chu Jingyue's expression turned murderous, "prepare to die!" With a sudden downward press of his palm, a massive three-legged cauldron materialized overhead. With a thunderous crash, the three Martial Venerables and the dozens of Martial Kings and Martial Emperors behind them were instantly pulverized into bloody mist—without even a chance to resist! Blood sprayed everywhere, the stench of gore filling the air as the Chu family's entrance was dyed crimson, streams of blood forming small rivers along the ground. The surviving martial artists in the rear paled at the sight—in that single strike, over a hundred powerful figures had perished!