"A bizarre supreme power?
Hmph!
I, Jingtao, refuse to believe in such nonsense!"
The appearance of Elder Hong and the other two not only failed to stop Jingtao Gongzi, but instead made him even more emboldened, his words growing more arrogant.
"Jingtao Gongzi, you must not."
Another person stepped forward to dissuade him. It was none other than Shui Yunruo.
She shook her head slightly, her aloof expression turning serious. "You are no match for him. Do not act rashly."
"I, a Fire Cloud Nine Young Master, am no match for him?"
If Elder Hong's appearance had given Jingtao confidence, then Shui Yunruo's dissuasion only fueled his rage further. His already wounded pride was thoroughly provoked by her words.
"Young man, there's no harm in listening to your elders. You are indeed no match for me."
At that moment, Gu Qingfeng on the opposite side seemed to have finished examining the ink wash painting. He slowly rolled it up, glanced at Jingtao, and said indifferently, "Don't waste your effort. Otherwise, you'll harm others and yourself."
"You!
Are!
Seeking!
Death!"
Furious to the extreme, Jingtao's face flushed crimson. His eyes blazed with anger, his lips curled back in a ferocious snarl. With a furious roar, he leapt into the air, charging straight up. His entire body instantly transformed into a colossal mountain peak.
This single move.
Harnessed the power of a Nine-Cycle Golden Core.
Contained the profound mysteries of the Three Illusions and One Flame of Nature Color Spirit.
And further contained the profound mysteries of the Eighty-One Great Perfection Mountain Peaks.
Its might was truly astonishing.
Its imposing aura was like Mount Tai bearing down from above.
"Gu! I want to see exactly what ability you possess to dare act so arrogantly before me!"
Jingtao, transformed into a mountain peak, pressed down with overwhelming force. The immense power caused the air to explode repeatedly, scattered spiritual energy into nothingness, and sent the surrounding crowd into a panic, forcing them to retreat hastily.
At this moment.
The white-robed man stood where he was. His expression seemed unchanged. He didn't even look up, nor did his eyes so much as blink. As Jingtao, transformed into a mountain peak, bore down upon him, he merely raised his hand abruptly, fingers splayed, palm facing upward. No radiance circulated, no spiritual power surged forth.
A deafening boom echoed.
The Great Perfection Mountain Peak, containing the power of a Nine-Cycle Golden Core and the profound mysteries of the Three Illusions and One Flame of Nature Color Spirit, was instantly shattered into nothingness by him.
Jingtao's figure flickered back into view, his face ashen, filled with terror. He tried to flee, but Gu Qingfeng's wrist twisted, grabbing his ankle and yanking him down.
Thud!
Jingtao slammed hard onto the ground, his head bleeding, blood spurting from his mouth and nose. He had no time to care for the needle-like pain shooting through his broken bones, for Gu Qingfeng was right before him. There was no room for fear, no room for hesitation. As he struggled to stand, he immediately activated his Golden Core.
But just as the light began to flash around him, a hand already landed on the crown of his head.
It was a very ordinary hand.
A pale, slender hand.
The hand belonged to Gu Qingfeng.
Again, no radiance bloomed, no spiritual power surged.
The hand rose, the palm fell.
Instantly striking Jingtao's heavenly spirit cap.
Thud!
The radiant light of Jingtao's Nature Color Spirit was instantly shattered. His Nine-Cycle Golden Core Cultivation Level disintegrated on the spot. Blood streamed from his seven orifices as he knelt on the ground.
If Gu Qingfeng's one-move defeat of Yu Dingxing had inspired wariness before, then the moment he defeated Jingtao with a single move, it was no longer mere wariness. It was sheer terror, a sight that inspired awe and fear.
One must know that Jingtao Gongzi was a Color Spirit Prodigy possessing the Three Illusions and One Flame of Nature! Moreover, he had a Nine-Cycle Golden Core Cultivation Level.
Going all out, not only could he not harm this man in the slightest, he was even defeated by a single move.
This scene happened far too quickly, and far too horrifically.
So fast that no one had time to react.
So abrupt that it sent chills down everyone's spine.
"Jingtao!"
Elder Hong finally reacted, his expression changing drastically as he rushed forward. The white-robed man, holding the scroll painting, raised a finger and pointed. Without a single word, not even a glance, Elder Hong and the other two froze in place, not daring to move, not daring to speak. Their faces paled repeatedly, but in the end, they dared not move.
"Let's go."
Gu Qingfeng looked at the kneeling Ice Profound Ancestor and said, "Tell me what you wish to say."
"This old woman thanks the Young Lord!"
The Ice Profound Ancestor kowtowed in gratitude.
Gu Qingfeng lifted his foot to leave. As the surrounding crowd saw him approach, they looked upon him as if beholding a demon god, their faces filled with panic, scrambling to make way in fear.
Even esteemed Young Masters of the Nine-Hua Alliance like Tian Xiangyue and Wen Yansheng dared not hesitate in the slightest. Although they were first-rate Color Spirit Prodigies, and today each had brought over a dozen hall commanders, even several senior experts with profound Cultivation Levels.
But so what?
In terms of Color Spirit, they were on par with Jingtao.
In terms of Cultivation Level, the senior experts they brought could not surpass Elder Hong of the Fire Cloud Branch.
A Color Spirit Prodigy like Jingtao was defeated in one move. Who would dare step forward now?
The renowned Transcendent True Person, Elder Hong, was pointed at with a scroll by Gu Qingfeng and scared stiff. Who would dare approach now?
No one.
Not only them, but even the six vice commanders and over a hundred hall commanders brought by Luo Wenzhenghao all wore expressions of panic as Gu Qingfeng walked towards them.
However, one person did not retreat.
It was none other.
Than Luo Wenzhenghao.
He stood there, his expression shifting between dark and light, a cold sneer playing on his lips as he stared fixedly at Gu Qingfeng.
The Luo Wen family was a great clan, one that could be counted among the prominent families across the hundred-plus territories of the Four Directions Great Domain.
Relying on his powerful family influence and the backing of the Alliance, he had never placed even the most formidable Color Spirit Prodigies in his eyes. In these hundred-plus territories of the Four Directions Great Domain, he feared no one, not even reincarnated great powers.
Seeing Gu Qingfeng walking towards him.
Luo Wenzhenghao arrogantly roared in anger, "My father is the mighty Luo Wentian who commands respect across the region! Our Luo Wen Ancestor is a Transcendent True Person with an Eighty-One-Cycle Golden Core Great Perfection! My master is a Nine Hall Elder of the Nine-Hua Alliance, the renowned Nascent Soul Grandmaster Li Tian!"
Luo Wenzhenghao laid out his family background, then took a large step forward, one hand behind his back, the other pointing at the approaching Gu Qingfeng. He shouted proudly, "Today, I stand right here! If you dare touch a single hair on my head, Luo Wenzhenghao!
Tomorrow, I will make sure you die without a burial place!"
Everyone present knew Luo Wenzhenghao had the qualifications to be this arrogant and domineering. Just as he said, his father, his ancestor, and his master were all renowned experts across the Four Directions Great Domain. If not for this, he could not have gathered six vice masters and over a hundred hall commanders.
Having witnessed Gu Qingfeng's terror, Tian Xiangyue and Wen Yansheng might not dare to oppose Gu Qingfeng directly, but that didn't mean Luo Wenzhenghao didn't dare. He had the qualifications, the capability, and the confidence.
Opposite him.
Gu Qingfeng, holding the scroll painting, walked towards him. On that originally expressionless, handsome face, a faint smile had appeared at some point. The smile was very light, very subtle, just curling at the corner of his mouth. His pair of deep, dark eyes also gradually narrowed into slits.