"Ahhh!" Freed from his restraints, Li Wang threw his head back and let out a long roar, leaping into the air to stand suspended in the sky. Flames of colorful radiance erupted around his body, his face twisted into a savage mask. His eyes blazed with boundless killing intent as he bellowed, "Gu Qingfeng, prepare to die!"
Li Wang gripped his greatsword with both hands, executing a sword art technique. With a fierce swing, a nine-meter-tall tornado suddenly materialized.
This tornado seemed to possess a dual-colored hue, crackling with lightning and thunder as it spun, emitting a sizzling, popping sound.
This was the Yellow-Rank Great Wind-Thunder Sword Art at the One-Nine Realm, containing nine profound mysteries of wind and thunder.
As was well known, Li Wang was at the True Form Sixth Tier, having forged a Color Spirit foundation and established a Color Spirit True Form. Not only did he possess the dual-color guardianship of the Great Natural Order, but his Spiritual Power was also the dual-color power of the Great Natural Order.
In other words, the might of this single sword strike was based on the True Form Sixth Tier's dual-color Spiritual Power of the Great Natural Order, while simultaneously containing the nine profound mysteries of the Yellow-Rank Great Wind-Thunder Sword Art. The power of this one strike was like the gathering and transformation of wind and clouds.
However.
Gu Qingfeng stood on the trial platform, simply standing there quietly.
Clad in white robes, with black hair, his cold, handsome face held an indifferent expression—devoid of sorrow, joy, or any emotional hue. His pair of dark, deep eyes were like an endless abyss or a silent dead sea, terrifyingly still.
He just stood there, hands clasped behind his back, unmoving. As the frenzied lightning tornado swept toward him like a colossal beast, his expression remained unchanged, his brow unfurrowed, his eyes unblinking. Even his robes did not stir, nor was a single strand of his hair affected.
The Great Wind-Thunder Sword Art arrived in an instant.
He slightly raised his arm and gave a gentle wave. Just like that, this immensely powerful Great Wind-Thunder Sword Art inexplicably dissipated.
Yes.
Dissipated.
Without warning, inexplicably.
He had not employed any Spiritual Power, merely the strength of his physical body, and it looked effortless—like casually swatting away a fly. And then…
Then there was nothing more…
It had dissipated, without even a ripple of clashing forces. It had been completely crushed, like crushing an ant, without the slightest effort.
Silence!
Deep silence.
A deathly stillness.
Everyone present stood frozen like statues, expressions dull, mouths agape. They could not comprehend it, could not understand it, completely baffled as to how this scene had occurred. It was too bizarre.
In their minds, no matter how strong Gu Qingfeng's physical body was, it should have been impossible for him to withstand Li Wang's Great Wind-Thunder Sword Art!
This was, after all, a Yellow-Rank Sword Art!
It was, after all, at the One-Nine Realm, containing nine profound mysteries of wind and thunder.
Most crucially, the one wielding this sword art was a genius like Li Wang, at the Foundation Establishment Sixth Tier possessing the dual-color Spiritual Power of the Great Natural Order, who had once severed six True Persons at the waist with a single strike!
Even if Gu Qingfeng's physical body truly was that formidable and could withstand it, there should at least have been a clash of forces, a ripple of interweaving profound mysteries, right? But no, there was nothing. It had been utterly crushed.
No one dared believe it, and even fewer dared accept it.
Especially Li Wang. His eyes were wide with shock and horror.
"Since you're so eager to fight me, today I'll give you every opportunity you want."
On the trial platform, Gu Qingfeng gazed at him indifferently and said calmly, "Continue."
"I don't believe you're really that strong!"
Whoosh!
Li Wang frantically circulated the Spiritual Power within his body. The dual-color Spiritual Power of the Great Natural Order erupted from his entire being like a rolling tsunami. Swinging his greatsword, he unleashed the Great Wind-Thunder Sword Art once more. This time, he poured all his Spiritual Power into it. This sword strike contained even more and stronger wind-thunder profound mysteries than the last—a full fourteen.
However.
It was useless.
When the sword strike imbued with fourteen layers of wind-thunder profound mysteries, unleashed with all his Spiritual Power, shot toward him, Gu Qingfeng remained standing there quietly as before. Once again, he gave a casual wave of his hand, and then…
The sword art dissipated. Again, there was no ripple of clashing forces, no spark of interweaving profound mysteries. It vanished silently and instantly, completely crushed.
At this moment, no one spoke. Everyone watched in disbelief.
The inner and outer sect disciples were, the steward elders were.
The twelve chief disciples led by Mu Zibai were, and the so-called geniuses among geniuses, the Nine Halls direct disciples like Zhong Tianying, were as well.
On the high platform, Elder Mude, Guang Yuan, Fei Xue, and the others wore expressions of shock, their faces grim.
On the trial platform, the man in white robes still stood quietly, his sleeves unmoving, his hair undisturbed. Gazing at Li Wang in the air, he said lightly, "Continue."
"You…" Suspended in the air, Li Wang stood there dumbfounded. His already swollen face was as ugly as could be, his expression filled with nothing but shock and terror.
Continue?
How could he continue?
His full-power strike hadn't even managed to injure Gu Qingfeng. How could he continue?
Forget injuring him—he hadn't even managed to budge him, not even a single hair.
"Why aren't you attacking?"
Gu Qingfeng's voice was very calm, just like his expression, devoid of any emotional hue. It was impossible to tell if he was pleased or angry. He looked at Li Wang and said, "Didn't you issue me a challenge a few days ago?
Didn't you want to vent your Li family's anger?
Weren't you just shouting about fighting and killing, saying you'd attack me every time you saw me?"
Gu Qingfeng spoke softly as he began unbuttoning his collar, then added, "What's the matter?
Are you scared now?"
Below the trial platform, Fei Kui noticed Gu Qingfeng starting to unbutton his collar and knew things were about to turn bad. He had been following Gu Qingfeng for many days, from the inner sect assessment to the competition for chief disciple. He understood clearly that once Gu Qingfeng started unbuttoning his collar, it was a sign he was about to take action.
What to do?
Should he try to dissuade him or not?
Fei Kui thought for a moment, opening his mouth as if to speak, then hesitating. In the end, he did not dare to voice any words of dissuasion.
"Gu…
Gu Qingfeng, Li Wang is no match for you."
Although Elder Rende hadn't noticed Gu Qingfeng's unbuttoning motion, he could tell Gu Qingfeng intended to take action. Remembering Huode's warning that if Gu Qingfeng acted, the other party would either die or be crippled, Rende hurriedly tried to dissuade him. "Let this fight end here."
"End?
Sorry."
Having unbuttoned his collar, Gu Qingfeng began rolling up his sleeves. "Since I was a child, I've never had the habit of being beaten. If someone hits me and I don't fight back—that kind of cowardly act, I can't do it." Remembering Huode's warning that once Gu Qingfeng grew angry, he would inevitably unleash a massacre, Elder Rende grew more and more worried the more he thought about it. Especially when he looked into Gu Qingfeng's silent eyes, it sent chills down his spine. He pleaded, "Please, show him mercy just this once."
"Mercy?
Sorry, I am neither a bodhisattva nor a Buddha. I understand neither compassion nor kindness."
As he spoke, Gu Qingfeng's figure suddenly vanished from the trial grounds.
Where did he go?
No one knew how he had disappeared, but his voice rang out from mid-air.
"Brat, I've already given you your chance. Since you won't make a move, it's my turn now!"
In the air, Li Wang was terrified, his face pale with horror as he looked around frantically. Suddenly, a figure appeared before him.
Clad in white robes, with a cold, handsome face, an indifferent expression, and calm eyes—who else could it be but Gu Qingfeng!
"Get over there!"
Gu Qingfeng appeared, standing with his hands behind his back. With an angry shout, he lifted his foot and kicked. With a *bang*, Li Wang, not even understanding what had happened, was sent flying sideways. His clothes tore, and the skin all over his body split open as if struck by lightning, flesh torn and bleeding. He crashed onto the trial platform, screaming in agony. Ignoring the pain, he immediately struggled to his feet, circulating his Spiritual Power and summoning the dual-color guardianship of the Great Natural Order.
"Kneel!"
Gu Qingfeng arrived in an instant, slapping a palm down onto the top of Li Wang's head. *Bang!*
The dual-color guardianship of the Great Natural Order surrounding Li Wang's body was instantly shattered and dispersed. Blood poured from Li Wang's seven orifices as his legs gave way, knees crashing onto the trial platform. With a *crack*, his kneecaps were completely pulverized!