Supreme Sword Master - Chapter 8

"Supreme Sword Master - Chapter 8: Borrow Your Head for a Moment, to Offer to My Adoptive Father!"

Chapter 8: Borrow Your Head for a Moment, to Offer to My Adoptive Father!

"Gu Tao!"

Seeing the commander, Gu Han's eyes instantly turned bloodshot.

"Let her go!"

"Gu Han?"

Commander Gu released his grip and scrutinized Gu Han from head to toe, his brows furrowing slightly.

"So your injuries have indeed healed!"

"I said..."

Gu Han took another step forward, his voice cold and sharp.

"Let her go!"

"Not bad!"

Commander Gu suddenly chuckled.

"Gu Han is still the same Gu Han! Capture this girl, and it's as good as capturing your life!"

As he spoke,

He casually placed his large hand on A Sha's neck.

The meaning was clear.

"You!"

Gu Han suppressed the killing intent in his heart and stopped in his tracks.

"What do you want!"

"Naturally, your life!"

Commander Gu spoke slowly and deliberately. "The Young Master has decreed that one month from now, he will depart for the Great Qi Martial Academy. During this time, he doesn't wish to be troubled by you—a patricidal wretch. Do you understand?"

"Patricidal?"

A flash of sorrow crossed Gu Han's eyes.

"You actually believe such nonsense? You were personally promoted by my adoptive father—you were his trusted confidant. Since I was a child, I've always treated you as an elder. Do you really think I would be deranged enough to kill my own adoptive father?"

"Gu Han."

Commander Gu shook his head.

"You're still as naive as ever!"

As he spoke,

He flicked his wrist, pulling out a long spear from his storage ring. The spear's body was a fiery red, engraved with countless runes—far superior in appearance to Gu Han's battered sword.

"Firecloud Spear!"

Gu Han's heart jolted violently.

"My adoptive father's Firecloud Spear—why is it in your hands?!"

"No reward without merit!"

Commander Gu's expression remained impassive.

"This spear is naturally the reward I deserve!"

"So..."

Gu Han immediately understood what he meant. His voice trembled with grief, each word heavy with anguish.

"You had a hand in harming my adoptive father!"

"A man must strive for greater heights, isn't that right? I served Gu Tian diligently for so many years—not just for some measly position as a commander!"

"You ungrateful dog—I'll kill you!"

"Stop!"

Commander Gu tightened his grip slightly.

"If you come any closer, she dies!"

Though he was at the eighth level of Spirit Enlightenment, Gu Han's presence gave him an inexplicable sense of danger.

Being cautious by nature,

He naturally wouldn't let go of A Sha, his crucial bargaining chip.

"Young Master!"

A Sha sobbed uncontrollably.

"Waaah... don't worry about me, you... run away!"

In her simple mind, Gu Han, who had only just recovered from his injuries, was no match for Commander Gu.

"Alright."

Gu Han suddenly calmed down.

"What do you want?"

"Naturally, your death!"

Commander Gu sneered.

"First, drop your sword, then surrender yourself... Ahh!"

Suddenly.

He let out a cry of pain.

It turned out that A Sha, using all her strength, had bitten down hard on his hand!

"You foolish brat!"

He erupted in anger.

"I'll kill you!"

With a slight increase in pressure, A Sha's face instantly turned beet red. But she was determined to die, refusing to let go and biting even harder than before.

She hated!

Hated her own uselessness!

And hated Commander Gu's treachery!

All the委屈 and sadness accumulated over these days exploded in this moment!

Her big, black-and-white eyes locked onto Commander Gu, losing their usual dazed look and instead gaining a deep, eerie intensity.

Suddenly meeting her gaze,

Commander Gu's expression faltered for a brief moment.

At this exact moment!

"Gu Tao!"

A chilling voice echoed from across the way, like ice from the ninth abyss!

"How dare you!!"

As the voice fell, a streak of light suddenly illuminated the dark forest.

Commander Gu snapped out of his daze instantly!

But...

The light was too fast!

Too fast for him to react. By the time his peripheral vision caught it, the light had already reached him!

Great Yan Sword Qi!

In the blink of an eye, the sword qi slashed across his left shoulder before vanishing into the depths of the forest, leaving no trace.

"This..."

He froze completely.

"What in the world was that..."

Before he could finish, blood gushed out, and his left shoulder and arm were completely severed from his body!

"Ahh!!"

Only now did he feel the excruciating pain, his body swaying as he collapsed to one knee!

Meanwhile, Gu Han seized the opportunity to step forward and gently pull A Sha into his arms.

"Young Master..."

A Sha's voice was weak.

"I'm sorry, A Sha has dragged you down..."

"It's my fault for leaving you here alone."

"Young Master, A Sha is so tired..."

"Then sleep for a bit."

Gu Han gently patted her head.

"When you wake up, I'll make something delicious for you!"

"Okay..."

Before she could finish,

She had already fallen into a deep slumber.

Gently laying her down, Gu Han slowly approached Commander Gu, whose face had turned deathly pale.

"You... deserve to die!"

"Gu Han, I..."

"Do you even deserve to hold my adoptive father's spear?"

Pfft!

A flash of sword light, and the spear along with Commander Gu's right arm fell to the ground!

"Gu Han..."

He gritted his teeth against the searing pain, struggling to lift his head. His pale face was drenched in cold sweat.

"I know I was wrong!"

"I also know I deserve to die!"

"But... we've shared so many years of camaraderie. When you were young, you used to ride on my shoulders every day—you haven't forgotten, have you?"

"So."

Gu Han's expression remained cold and emotionless.

"You want me to spare your life?"

"..."

"Fine! Lend me one thing, and I'll agree!"

"What?"

Commander Gu's face brightened slightly.

"Anything! Whatever you want, take it! The Firecloud Spear? Go ahead—it's not worthy of me!"

"No."

Gu Han shook his head.

"I need to borrow your head—to offer to my adoptive father!"

Pfft!

As his words fell,

A streak of sword qi flashed, and Commander Gu's head instantly rolled to the ground, his eyes still holding a hint of joy!

"Adoptive Father!"

Gu Han bowed deeply to the spear.

"This is the first!"

"All those who harmed you—none will escape!"

"Heading to the Great Qi Martial Academy?"

He glanced into the distance, his face cold and merciless.

"In one month, you'll all pay with your lives for my adoptive father!"

***

"Worthless!"

"Bastard!"

Inside the main hall of the Gu Family.

Gu Yang stared at the corpse of Commander Gu, furious beyond measure.

"You couldn't even deal with one Gu Han! What are you all good for?!"

Below.

Several guards trembled, not daring to breathe loudly.

"Enough!"

Above.

Gu Chang shot Gu Yang a cold glance.

"Stay calm during critical moments—have you forgotten everything I taught you?!"

"...Yes, Grandfather!"

"I ask you all!"

Gu Chang's gaze shifted to the trembling guards.

"Did you personally witness Gu Han killing Gu Tao?"

"Well... we didn't exactly see it, but the wound on Commander Gu's body..."

"Father!"

Beside Gu Yang, a middle-aged man suddenly spoke up.

"It's suspicious! Yesterday, Gu Han was still a cripple, yet today he has the strength to kill Commander Gu. Could it be..."

This man was Gu Yang's father—Gu Cheng!

"Stand down!"

Gu Cheng waved his hand, dismissing the guards.

"If it was truly him, recovering his strength in just one day and gaining the ability to kill Commander Gu must be due to that golden seal!"

"But..."

Gu Cheng frowned deeply.

"That day, we all saw it—Gu Tian went berserk, disowned everyone. How could he possibly have given the golden seal to Gu Han?"

"We underestimated him!"

Gu Chang's gaze grew distant.

"We only saw him go mad, but we never knew to what extent. Perhaps... he retained a shred of clarity, and we were all deceived!"

"Father! If that golden seal is truly in Gu Han's hands, could he also go berserk like Gu Tian?"

"It's possible!"

Gu Chang's gaze remained distant.

"However, whether he's mad or not, this menace must be eliminated. I made one mistake—I cannot afford to make another!"

"Immediately issue a bounty to the wandering cultivators of the Wilderness Forest. Gu Han has committed patricide, murdered family members, and shows no remorse! Anyone who captures him, dead or alive, will receive two thousand spirit crystals and a high-grade spiritual weapon!"

"Grandfather!"

Gu Yang hesitated, feeling the weight of the cost.

"That much..."

Two thousand spirit crystals were nearly half a year's worth of resources for him.

And in the cultivation world, treasures naturally had tiers.

Magic tools, spiritual artifacts, treasure artifacts, profound artifacts—all divided into lower, middle, upper, and supreme grades.

An upper-grade spiritual artifact was something even the Gu Family struggled to find more than a few of.

"It's nothing!"

Gu Chang waved his hand dismissively.

"The Wilderness Forest is vast, and relying solely on the Gu Family's manpower is far from enough. Besides, if you can successfully enter the Great Qi Martial Academy, this expenditure will be repaid tenfold, a hundredfold!"

"Grandfather, rest assured!"

Mentioning the Great Qi Martial Academy, Gu Yang regained his confidence.

"My cultivation will soon break through, and the family's Blazing Flame Decimation Technique is nearing perfection. This spot belongs to me and me alone!"

"Good!"

Finally, a smile appeared on Gu Chang's face.

"You truly are the pride of our Gu Family!"

"The future of our Gu Family rests entirely on your shoulders!"

***

Wilderness Forest.

As always, the deeper one ventured, the darker and gloomier it became.

Amidst the dense shadows,

Two figures moved steadily forward, one behind the other.

The figure in front had white hair and a youthful face, exuding vitality and a kind demeanor.

Half a step behind him was an elderly man with a delicate, feminine aura, a smooth face, and a slightly stooped back.

"Master Li, how is your injury?"

"Cough, cough... Thank you for your concern, Elder Xue. It was my oversight—I didn't expect that fire toad to have evolved to the sixth tier!"

"You've worked hard."

"Elder Xue, don't speak like that. I came this time specifically to ensure your safety. The Seventh Prince's cold poison is worsening—we'll have to rely on you, Elder Xue."

"Sigh..."

The man in front sighed deeply.

"My methods can only treat the symptoms, not the root cause. If my master were here, none of this would be a problem!"

"Ghost Doctor has been wandering aimlessly for decades without a trace. The Eastern Wasteland is vast—where could we possibly find him? Sigh... why does the Seventh Prince have such a tragic fate!"

"Fortunately,"

Elder Xue felt a glimmer of relief.

"We've found quite a few medicinal herbs this time. Once we return..."

"Hmm? What is it, Elder Xue?"

"This fragrance... could it be the Solar Blaze Fruit?"

"Solar Blaze Fruit?"

Master Li's face lit up.

"Isn't that one of the medicinal ingredients we need?"

"Precisely!"

"Excellent! Elder Xue, wait here while I investigate ahead!"

"Be careful. Where the Solar Blaze Fruit grows, there will always be a Flame Serpent nearby. Once it matures, it becomes a sixth-tier demonic beast—its fire toxin is not to be underestimated!"

"Elder Xue, rest assured. I know my limits!"

With that,

Master Li swiftly moved his body, disappearing into the distance in an instant.

Following the faint fragrance,

It didn't take him long to locate the strange-looking small tree. This was also the very spot where Gu Han had battled the red snake earlier!

"Hmm?"

His smile froze.

"It's... gone?"

The tree before him was now bare, with only a faint trace of fragrance lingering in the air. There was no sign of the Solar Blaze Fruit anywhere.

"Damn it!"

He cursed under his breath, his gaze sweeping the area until it landed on a newly excavated cave not far away.

"Whoever is inside!"

"Come out this instant!"

His shrill and cutting voice echoed far into the distance.

Moments later,

A youth emerged from the cave, holding a battered longsword, his expression wary.

It was none other than Gu Han!