231: Luo Qingcheng's shock

"Congratulations, First Mistress, on achieving Great Emperor!"

Throughout the Gu Clan, cheers resounded through the heavens and earth.

The clan members were so excited that tears filled their eyes as they knelt in worship one after another.

The Black and White Elders and the three Grand Elders also had faces glowing with health as they bowed and offered congratulations from a distance, their eyes filled with joy.

Now that the Gu Clan had two Great Emperors, their status in the outside world would naturally rise accordingly.

Luo Qingcheng suspended herself in mid-air, slowly withdrawing the Great Emperor's pressure from her body.

That dark red nirvana beauty spear transformed into a beam of light and flew into her palm, her robes fluttering gently in the wind.

She looked down, a gentle smile appearing on her exquisite face, diluting that heart-palpitating invisible pressure.

"Fellow Daoist Qingcheng, congratulations on stepping into the Emperor Realm; Immortal Ascension is within reach!" An old and powerful Divine Thought transmitted across the Void Realm.

"Fellow Daoist Luo has attained the Dao through the Destruction Law, and her combat power is unmatched among her peers. She is truly a role model for us women!" Another clear female voice rang out, carrying sincere admiration.

"Congratulations to the Gu Clan for adding another Emperor Realm powerhouse!"

Following that, one powerful Divine Sense after another descended from various parts of the Spirit Realm across endless distances. They were all existences at the Great Emperor level, their words solemn and carrying the intention of befriending her.

Luo Qingcheng's expression remained calm as she returned the greetings one by one with her Divine Thought, neither humble nor arrogant, fully displaying the steady poise of the Gu Clan's First Mistress.

Just then.

A clear and pleasant voice came from the direction of Qiwu Pavilion:

"Your daughter, Gu Yin, congratulates Mother. May your Great Dao be successful and your Emperor's presence descend upon the Nine Heavens!"

Everyone looked over to see a young girl dressed in elegant green clothes walking out slowly.

She had a slender figure, and her appearance was seventy to eighty percent similar to Luo Qingcheng's, yet she possessed a different kind of spiritual and pure temperament.

She was the daughter of Luo Qingcheng and Gu Qingtian, Gu Yin.

She came to a stop not far from Luo Qingcheng, gave a graceful bow, and lifted her small face with a bright smile: "Mom, congratulations on becoming a Great Emperor!"

Luo Qingcheng's gaze fell upon her daughter. She smiled at first, but then her pupils constricted slightly: "Yiner, you're already a Peak World King?"

In just nine short years, she had broken through two major Realms from her original level, reaching the Peak World King directly!

This speed was simply appalling.

Even Gu Qingtian back then wasn't this Heaven-Defying.

Could this girl have obtained some massive Opportunity?

Gu Yin nodded vigorously, her eyes shining: "It was all thanks to Big Brother helping me! If not for him, I'm afraid I would still be stuck at my original level."

"Yun'er? Bu'er?"

Luo Qingcheng frowned slightly, her Divine Sense subconsciously sweeping toward Cangfeng Residence and Xiang Xiao Courtyard, but she didn't perceive the aura of either person.

Seeing Luo Qingcheng's confusion, Gu Yin quickly gave a brief account of what had happened with Cao Bu over the past few years, specifically mentioning that the two had already privately pledged their lives to each other.

After hearing this, Luo Qingcheng's expression changed drastically: "What did you say? Cao Bu ruined you, and you still want to marry him?!"

There was disbelief in her tone, along with a hint of faint dissatisfaction.

Gu Yin hurriedly said, "Mom, don't look down on Big Brother! His Dantian was restored long ago, and a few months ago, he already broke through to the Quasi-Emperor Realm!"

"Quasi-Emperor?" The suspicion in Luo Qingcheng's eyes grew stronger: "Yiner, when did you learn to lie to your mother?"

"Even if his Dantian was restored, how could he possibly cross seven major Realms in just a few years and enter the Quasi-Emperor Realm directly?"

"This is too absurd! Even your father back then definitely didn't have this kind of speed!"

Seeing that Luo Qingcheng didn't believe her, Gu Yin looked around anxiously.

It just so happened that at this time, the clan's high-level officials, led by the Eight Great Elders, had gathered around.

She immediately said, "If Mom doesn't believe me, you can ask the Grand Elder and the others!"

The Eight Great Elders approached and bowed in unison: "Greetings, First Mistress. Congratulations to First Mistress on attaining the Dao and becoming an Emperor!"

Luo Qingcheng nodded slightly, her gaze sweeping over everyone: "Yiner just said that Cao Bu has reached the Quasi-Emperor Realm and even became the Vice Clan Leader of the Gu Clan. Is this true?"

The various Elders looked at each other, their expressions somewhat complicated.

Finally, the Grand Elder took a step forward and said with difficulty: "To answer First Mistress, every word Young Miss Gu Yin said is the truth."

"Cao Bu indeed has a Quasi-Emperor cultivation, and furthermore, he currently holds the position of Vice Clan Leader in our clan."

"Vice Clan Leader?!" Luo Qingcheng's voice suddenly rose, the dissatisfaction in her phoenix eyes deepening: "Have you all gone senile, or is there no one left in my Gu Clan?!"

The Elders all lowered their heads with bitter smiles.

This matter was indeed outrageous to talk about, but it happened to be the truth.

Seeing everyone's expressions, Luo Qingcheng knew there must be a hidden story.

She looked around, her voice turning cold: "From the day I entered seclusion until now, I want you to tell me everything that has happened in the clan over these nine years, originally and without missing a single word."

The Elders' gazes couldn't help but turn toward Gu Yin.

Luo Qingcheng flicked her sleeve: "Follow me to the Council Hall."

In the next moment, the figures of the group appeared in the solemn and majestic Clan Council Hall.

Luo Qingcheng sat in the main seat, looked at her daughter and the Eight Great Elders below, and said in a deep voice: "Yiner, you speak. You others, supplement from the side."

Gu Yin responded, and along with the Elders, they sat down in order before she began the narration.

Before long, more than half a day had passed.

When the final sentence was spoken, the hall fell into a dead silence.

Luo Qingcheng's face was as cold as frost, her jade-like hands clenched tightly, her knuckles turning slightly white from the force.

An invisible, icy Evil Qi spread out, making the backs of the Eight Great Elders present turn cold and their breathing hitch.

"Ling Shuang's marriage being ruined, the Ninth Elder's death, the Lin Clan's destruction, Cao Bu's Dantian being restored and his cultivation skyrocketing, Fenger falling into a mysterious sleep, you and Cao Bu's marriage... Let's set these aside for now."

Luo Qingcheng spoke slowly, her voice icy: "I only ask one thing: Is it true that my son, Gu Yun, committed improper acts against First Smoke and Ling Shuang?"

As her voice fell, the temperature in the hall plummeted instantly.

Everyone lowered their heads in silence; no one dared to answer.

Seeing this scene, the last trace of hope in Luo Qingcheng's heart shattered, and her face became extremely unsightly.

She knew her son; he was absolutely not such a base person.

After a long silence, she asked again: "Where are Second Younger Sister and Third Younger Sister now? Why are Cao Bu, Yun Shang, Heart Snow, and Ling Shuang none of them in the clan?"

The Elders looked at each other and shook their heads, indicating they didn't know.

"Bang!"

Luo Qingcheng slapped the jade table beside her with her palm, and fine cracks immediately appeared on the surface.

"The Black and White Elders, where are they?!"

As soon as her voice fell, two old figures, one in black and one in white, appeared before the hall door and bowed: "Greetings, First Mistress."

Luo Qingcheng's gaze was like a knife: "Where did the other two Mistresses go?"

Elder Black shook his head and replied respectfully: "To answer First Mistress, four days ago, Third Mistress's aura flashed in the south and then completely disappeared, her whereabouts unknown."

"As for Second Mistress, this subordinate did not perceive her aura leaving the clan."

Luo Qingcheng's brow furrowed, her heart secretly annoyed.

She waved her hand: "Dismissed."

"Yes."

After the two left, Luo Qingcheng's majestic Divine Sense burst forth, instantly covering the entire Gu Clan and then rapidly spreading outward.

Sword Province, Star Province... Her Divine Sense swept across thousands of miles of mountains and rivers, but she didn't capture the aura of Su Li or any of the others.

Even Gu Yun's aura had vanished without a trace.

"Strange, not a single person is within these ten provinces?" She withdrew her Divine Sense, her face solemn.

Combining everything she had just heard, a thought suddenly surfaced.

It couldn't be such a coincidence that no one could be detected.

Could it be that Leng Yue wanted to seek justice for her daughter and went to find Gu Yun for revenge?

If that were really the case, she had to rush there immediately!

Even if Gu Yun truly committed a great wrong, he was still her son, and she would never allow anyone else to execute him.

Moreover, she simply didn't believe Gu Yun would do such a thing; there must be a hidden story.

"You all stay and guard the clan; I will personally head south!"