Chapter 87: Our Future Is Not Here

"Brother Gu, our Heavenly Armory is moving," Chu Yang said calmly. "We are moving to Liucui Lake, and I have accepted the invitation of the Crown Prince to take charge of the Heaven-Filling Pavilion."

"Oh." Gu Duxing wiped his sweat, clearly showing no particular interest in the Heaven-Filling Pavilion.

"Brother Gu, I have an idea," Chu Yang said, walking alongside Gu Duxing. "In this chaotic world, we must have our own strength. With just the two of us, it's too weak."

Gu Duxing's eyes lit up. "What do you mean?"

"Whether it's to survive in this chaotic world or to achieve great things, we need a strong team. Even if we reach the Central Three Realms in the future, the situation there is even more chaotic, and there is no imperial authority. We need to be even stronger. To put it simply, even to rescue Gu Miaoling, we need strength."

Chu Yang continued, "There are some things you know as well as I do. The Gu family has its own heir, and you are always their adopted son. Even if you reach the Sword Emperor level, whether the Gu family will agree to let you rescue Gu Miaoling is still uncertain. A family must consider the survival and prosperity of the entire clan, not just one person."

Gu Duxing's face darkened.

Chu Yang was right. By the time he reached the Sword Emperor level, the two young masters of the Gu family would have already taken control. They would be fighting each other to the death, and would not allow him to interfere.

But if Gu Miaoling were rescued, first, he would be the Gu family's adopted son, not an outsider; second, he would have reached the Sword Emperor level, making him unmatched in the Gu family; third, if he married Miss Miaoling, he would become the Gu family's son-in-law, even less of an outsider.

If the Gu family brothers did not guard against him, that would be strange.

"Therefore, we need to strengthen the Heavenly Armory," Chu Yang said, his eyes deep. "And you will be the first Heavenly Armament of the Heavenly Armory!"

"Since there is a first, there will be a second," Gu Duxing's eyes sparkled with intense interest. "How do you plan to develop it?"

"The Heavenly Armory cannot be openly displayed; it can only develop secretly internally," Chu Yang stroked his chin. "The specifics of development are up to you; I will not interfere. Also, the weapons of the Heavenly Armory will not be moved for now; they will be reserved for our own people. Once they have sufficient strength, we will bestow the Heavenly Armaments on them. This will be a great incentive."

Gu Duxing's eyes gleamed, and he nodded vigorously. "That's right. Our divine weapons are an irresistible temptation for any martial artist."

"Second, the Heavenly Armory will develop secretly. We don't necessarily need experts, but we need people with great potential!" Chu Yang smiled, his eyes flashing like lightning. "Our future is not in the Lower Three Realms! One day, we will break into the Central Three Realms, and even the Upper Three Realms! We will have our own status in the highest realm of martial arts!"

"These people are our foundation; they must develop with us. In the Lower Three Realms, we need to conquer the world; in the Central Three Realms, we need to fight in the martial world; even in the Upper Three Realms, we need to dominate!"

Gu Duxing's face lit up, and his breathing quickened. "You mean..."

"We won't follow others' rules; we will be the ones who set the rules!" Chu Yang said calmly. "Whether in the Lower Three Realms or the Upper Three Realms!"

"Great!" Gu Duxing's eyes shone. "Since you have such ambition, I, Gu Duxing, am not one to back down. Let's roll up our sleeves and work hard!"

Chu Yang nodded deeply. "This matter is entrusted to you. During this period, we will be busy with the Heaven-Filling Pavilion. Our mission in the Lower Three Realms is to defeat Du Qingrou; this must not change."

"Defeat Du Qingrou..." Gu Duxing muttered to himself and nodded. He didn't know why Chu Yang was so determined to defeat Du Qingrou, but he knew that if Chu Yang said it, there must be a reason.

The newly opened Heavenly Armory lasted only a few days before it closed.

Gu Duxing immediately moved to Liucui Lake, his decisive and swift nature evident.

With Chu Yang's substantial financial backing, Gu Duxing began a grand project: building a three-zhang high wall around the entire Liucui Lake! He directly took over this scenic spot!

While Gu Duxing was busy with this, Chu Yang was unaware.

Chu Yang's original intention was to occupy only the central large island. He didn't expect Gu Duxing to take it to the extreme, not only occupying the entire Liucui Lake but also the nearby Cuiping Mountain and several hundred acres of surrounding land!

This place, though without civilian residences or government offices, was a beautiful scenic spot with various profitable businesses like brothels, teahouses, and gambling dens.

Gu Duxing's actions naturally caused unrest. He supervised the construction with a cold, zombie-like face, warning everyone to stay away. When officials from the Tieyun City inspection office came to question him, he beat them back with a few punches and a glare, saying, "This is the Crown Prince's order! If you have the ability, go to the Crown Prince, not me!"

Chu Yang's funds, aside from building the wall and hiring workers, were not spent at all; it was a complete empty-handed operation.

During this time, Chu Yang, the new official, was setting the stage with his three burning fires.

"Today, I have gathered all of you here. First, as a new official, I need to get to know everyone. Familiarity will help us work together. Second, there are a few things I don't understand, and I need to ask those involved. In other words, the new official's three fires will be burned today!"

The two main and deputy pavilion masters sat beside him, and a few others sat on one side, each with a medicine box in front of them.

Chu Yang looked at the 85 people below, his face stern, his hands behind his back, pacing back and forth with an air of authority. At a glance, he saw that these 85 people, including Cheng Ziang and Chen Yutong, had not been part of the welcoming party for Du Qingrou. Moreover, those people looked much more elite than these.

Ironly, Tie Butian had indeed kept a card up his sleeve.

"Everyone has probably heard of me, even if you haven't met me. Compared to all of you, I am just a scholar with no martial strength. But since I have accepted the Crown Prince's commission, I must do my best to make the Heaven-Filling Pavilion the best! I hope everyone will cooperate. If I have a hard time, everyone will have a harder time! I can guarantee that!"

There was a stir below, with whispers and murmurs. The people present were all martial artists, and they found Chu Yang's approach somewhat amusing. Scare tactics? They were all risking their lives; could he scare them?

A scholar? A scholar wants to control the Heaven-Filling Pavilion?

Cheng Ziang and Chen Yutong exchanged glances, both feeling a mix of amusement and bewilderment. New officials usually set the stage with three fires, but to start with threats... This Chu official was truly unprecedented.

"This is not the martial world, and there are no martial world rules. This is not the military, but the regulations here are stricter than in the military!" Chu Yang looked at the people below, not allowing anyone to speak, showing extreme authority from the start. "Now, I want to ask if anyone has any objections to my methods. If you do, you can leave. I will not stop you!"

There was another bitter smile. Once someone entered here, it was an absolute secret; leaving? Leaving meant certain death.

"Great! Since no one has any objections, it means everyone recognizes my position. From now on, if anyone dares to defy my orders, they will face certain death!"