As Grand Elder Gou An spoke, Gou Shiren, the patriarch of the Gou family, and the other eight elders felt a sense of foreboding.
However, before they could react, Grand Elder Gou An took his own life in front of the Gou family members.
"Grand Elder!"
Gou Shiren and the other eight elders cried out simultaneously, grief evident on their faces.
Yet, Zi Linling clearly saw a trace of mockery and schadenfreude in their eyes.
A tiger and a leopard are hard to tame, and one's true heart is hidden.
Perhaps this was the best interpretation of knowing someone's face but not their heart!
Zi Linling had no time to watch their performance of feigned grief.
She said coldly, "Since you all agree to submit, let me make myself clear. I despise betrayal and insincerity the most. You would do well to remember this!"
"Now, the eight elders of the Gou family and ten Divine Kings, immediately open your souls to me so I can leave my soul imprint."
The eight Gou family elders and ten Divine Kings were stunned and hesitated.
They knew that once Zi Linling imprinted her soul mark, she could end their lives with a single thought.
Zi Linling smiled coldly, "What? Unwilling? So, are you pretending to submit?"
The eight Gou family elders and ten Divine Kings frowned, but none spoke.
Silence was consent!
Zi Linling snorted coldly, her killing intent erupting again, "Do you think you can muddle through and get away with it under me?"
"I said earlier, I hate betrayal and insincerity the most. Since you are unwilling to truly submit, I will have to kill you all!"
"Four Symbols Heaven Locking Array, lock heaven and earth, dissolve time and space, annihilate!"
Long'er, Xiao Hu, Huang Yi, and Xuanwu roared, their positions shifting again.
Within the Four Symbols Heaven Locking Array, a fierce killing intent locked onto everyone, regardless of whether they were Divine Kings, elders, or ordinary cultivators.
Gou Shiren, the eight elders, and the ten Divine Kings' faces changed drastically.
This dense killing intent finally made them realize Zi Linling was not joking.
"No! I submit! I am willing to have the soul imprint placed on me!"
Second Elder Gou Tong knelt on the ground with a thud, begging for mercy.
Following his lead, the other seven elders did the same, kneeling and kowtowing incessantly, repeating the same words as Gou Tong.
The ten Divine Kings of the Gou family also knelt on the ground, repeatedly begging for mercy.
Zi Linling said grimly, "A bunch of liars! I gave you a chance, but you refused to shed tears until you saw the coffin. Now you kowtow to me begging for mercy, what do you take me for?"
Gou Shiren quickly knelt and said, "Miss Zi, we sincerely submit this time. We dare not play tricks on you again. We beg you to be merciful and spare our lives and the Gou family!"
After speaking, he continued to kowtow.
With each kowtow, his forehead struck the ground heavily. After three kowtows, his forehead was bleeding profusely.
Zi Linling watched coldly, subtly stopping the Four Symbols Divine Beasts from attacking, but she did not immediately agree to their request.
She wanted to teach these people a lesson so they wouldn't harbor ulterior motives in the future.
After all, she would be facing invaders from beyond the domain. If these people were insincere, all the living beings of Azure Star would suffer.
As for the Gou family members who were already kneeling on the ground, those in the Great God Realm, Lesser God Realm, and Emperor Realm, they prostrated themselves.
The sounds of "dong dong dong" as they kowtowed rose and fell, forming a strange melody.
After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Gou Shiren, the patriarch of the Gou family, the eight elders, and the ten Divine Kings were all bleeding from their faces and disoriented from kowtowing.
Only then did Zi Linling say coldly, "Fine! I will give you one more chance! Open your souls and let me place the soul imprint!"
"Yes, yes, yes!"
Gou Shiren, the Gou family patriarch, the eight elders, and the ten Divine Kings responded hastily, rushing to release their divine senses.
They were afraid that being even half a step late would anger Zi Linling again.
Zi Linling snorted, "If you knew this would happen, why did you do it in the first place!"
After speaking, she condensed eighteen soul imprints and placed them on the souls of the eight elders and ten Divine Kings.
Then, she clearly felt the soul fluctuations of the eighteen individuals.
All eighteen were terrified, for no one could remain calm in the face of death.
After implanting the soul imprints, Zi Linling continued, "The remaining people will be handled by President Rong. Those who dare to resist will be killed without mercy!"
After speaking, she withdrew the Four Symbols Heaven Locking Array and took the eight elders and ten Divine Kings to the Gou family's main hall.
At Zi Linling's signal, Gou Shiren, the Gou family patriarch, and his son Gou Fugui and daughter Gou Jieran also accompanied them.
With the help of Xuanyuan Xun, Shen Liuxing, Shangguan Yulin, and Zhuang Xing, Rong Guang quickly controlled over four thousand people of the Gou family with a poison.
Rong Guang announced loudly, "Let me tell you, what you have just consumed is a poison called the Hundred-Day Intestine-Breaking Pill."
"As the name suggests, the Hundred-Day Intestine-Breaking Pill has a hundred-day cycle of effect. Without an antidote, you will die with your intestines ruptured and stomach rotted!"
"Of course, as long as you sincerely submit to our President, do not betray, and do not act in a duplicitous manner, I will give you a batch of antidote every three months!"
"If anyone harbors ill intentions or malicious thoughts, they will only have to taste the effects of the Hundred-Day Intestine-Breaking Pill!"
After he finished speaking, the more than four thousand people responded in unison, "We swear that we sincerely submit and will never betray!"
Rong Guang nodded with satisfaction, "Very good! Remember your words. Now, rest where you are and await the President's orders!"
Then, he and Xuanyuan Xun, Shangguan Yulin, Shen Liuxing, and Zhuang Xing rushed to the Gou family's main hall.
In the hall, Zi Linling sat in the high seat, while the Gou family members stood below uneasily.
Gou Fugui knelt in front of everyone, trembling as he looked at Zi Linling.
Zi Linling said grimly, "Gou Fugui, cripple his cultivation and expel him from the Gou family!"
"Gou Shiren, abdicate the position of patriarch, and let Gou Jieran take over!"