My Wife Turns Out to be an Empress of the Dynasty

Gu Lan was unsure about the exact nature of the Divine Path Essence, but he absorbed and refined it each time he received it. He knew it was a substance that could enhance his physical condition, similar to the Buddhist Dao Essence he had previously obtained. However, since his physique was already exceptional, the improvements from consuming the Divine Path Essence were less dramatic than before.

Nevertheless, absorbing and refining it made his understanding of Rule Power more acute.

Though he had yet to reach the Main God Realm, he was already able to control some of the Rule Power. If he faced the Snow Clan Divine King's trial again, he could use his mastery of the ice and snow Rule Power to navigate the challenge more swiftly.

After finishing the section about the Snow Clan, Gu Lan had a clearer understanding of their historical status in the Xiantian World. He also understood why the master of God's Reign Sect was so deeply affected by the fall of the Snow Clan. It was likely that the master would be very pleased to learn that his wife was the chosen heiress of the Snow Clan Divine King!

As Gu Lan contemplated their reunion, Mu Yuyan, dressed in red robes, walked towards him gracefully.

"Darling!"

"Today, I'll accompany you to the Realm Ruler battle."

Mu Yuyan had emerged from her seclusion, her aura restrained yet still exuding an imperial grace that inspired a sense of submission in those around her.

"Alright!"

"With you by my side, I'm sure we'll achieve victory!"

Gu Lan smiled and gently took Mu Yuyan's hand. They left their residence, where Li Xiong and the rest of the Lanyan Royal School disciples had already gathered. Even Chen Feng, the chosen one from Temple of Destiny, had joined the group.

Whether his heart was truly with Lanyan Royal School or not was unclear.

"Best of luck, Headmaster! May you achieve victory!"

"Victory!"

As soon as Gu Lan appeared, Xiao Yan led the disciples in a spirited cheer. Gu Lan did not mind such enthusiastic displays and waved his hand, summoning a Divine Ship in front of everyone.

After a few brief words, he and the group boarded the Divine Ship and headed towards the venue for the Realm Ruler battle.

The participants of the Realm Ruler battle included Divine Realm experts. Even though their cultivation was restricted to the peak of the Imperial Realm, their abilities could still reshape landscapes. The arena was insufficient for such a grand display.

Fortunately, the 33rd Sky of Divine Realm was vast, and the master of God's Reign Sect had generously provided an ancient battlefield as the site for the Realm Ruler battle.

The ancient battlefield was infused with an atmosphere of slaughter. Any cultivator below the Saint Stage who entered would have their souls affected and eventually be consumed by the killing intent, turning them into mere weapons of slaughter.

Therefore, large flying magical tools were permitted for all forces to use. The area around the ancient battlefield was crowded with various Divine Ships, and this Realm Ruler battle was even more lively than any previous competition.

Almost all participating forces of the Great Competition of All Clans had arrived. Even the eliminated forces showed up. It seemed everyone agreed that this Realm Ruler battle was not to be missed. Even cultivators who had not reached the Saint Stage but had potential were brought by their seniors to observe and learn from the battle.

"Look!"

"There's a Divine Ship with the Lanyan Royal School's emblem!"

"The people from Lanyan Royal School have finally arrived!"

When the Divine Ship from Lanyan Royal School arrived, it immediately attracted the attention of many cultivators. The sight of the seemingly divine couple, Gu Lan and Mu Yuyan, made it difficult for anyone to look away.

"Oh no! My idol already has a partner. My heart has been shattered!"

"Even if your heart is broken, it doesn't matter. They're like a celestial couple!"

Under the gaze of the crowd, Gu Lan maneuvered the Divine Ship to an observation platform in the ancient battlefield, specially prepared by the master of God's Reign Sect. The view from this platform was extensive, allowing even those without vision-enhancing abilities to see most of the battlefield.

"Mr. Gu, let's go to the battlefield together!"

Upon arriving at the ancient battlefield, Gu Lan was immediately greeted by elders from the Cloud Clan and Beast Clan. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Gu Lan and Mu Yuyan shared a look and proceeded towards the battlefield's barriers.

The barriers were not particularly strong—just general precautionary barriers. If anyone used Divine Realm or above cultivation within them, they would be immediately detected and disqualified.

The judge for the Realm Ruler battle was the same as before, but due to the many powerful participants, the master of God's Reign Sect had been asked to serve as a temporary judge. With his cultivation at the mid-stage of Divine Realm Supreme, he was the most formidable presence present.

This Realm Ruler battle involved only the top 100 forces. Among them, only eighty-four had reached the peak of Imperial Realm, and only twenty-one possessed Divine Realm cultivation. Most of these were elders from the Immortal Realm seven great Houses and the twelve divine temples.

The ancient battlefield was adorned with ten peculiar statues. These statues were the key to the Realm Ruler battle.

"This Realm Ruler battle is a new addition to the Great Competition of All Clans, designed to test whether a force has the strength to match its ranking," the judge explained. "The rules are simple: defeat the Fierce Beasts sealed within the ten statues to gain points, and defeat other participants to gain half of their points. The final rankings will be determined by the total points."

Many forces were already aware of these rules and the numerous loopholes and strategic possibilities they entailed. Gu Lan, however, did not concern himself with them. He understood that these rules were merely a means for the Immortal Realm seven great Houses to reshape the rankings and prevent another powerful force like Lanyan Royal School from emerging.

If he were not exceptionally strong, he might have lost his ranking advantage in this Realm Ruler battle. However, he was confident that things would not go as they wished.

Sensing some unfriendly glances, Gu Lan displayed a friendly smile.

"Then, let the battle begin!"

As the judge announced the start, the ten statues in the ancient battlefield began to emit light. The stone surfaces fell away, revealing their true forms.

"Roar!"

The roars of the Fierce Beasts echoed through the battlefield. With their eyes glowing red, they charged towards the nearest cultivators with bloodthirsty intent.

The Fierce Beasts at the peak of the Imperial Realm were comparable to the early-stage Divine Realm in physical strength and were extremely challenging to handle. Thus, the initial participants did not engage in infighting but focused on attacking the Fierce Beasts together.