Chapter 643 - 441: The Choice

At this point, any discerning person could see that Chunyu Hua’s defeat was certain. In truth, battles between high-tier cultivators are often swift. As the saying goes, an expert reveals their skill with a single move.

Against Fang Qingyuan’s Five Elements Escape Technique, Chunyu Hua was helpless. If he couldn’t break it, he was doomed to take a passive beating. The technique he had pinned his hopes on to counter the escape art had been secretly absorbed by Fang Qingyuan into his Immortal Mansion, where it fattened a pond of Spirit Fish and sated the appetites of the Jinbao Bee Queen and his other Spirit Beasts.

As for what other trump cards Chunyu Hua had yet to play, it wasn’t a major concern for Fang Qingyuan. As long as his Five Elements Escape Technique remained unbroken, he was invincible.

Moreover, once the great tide of primordial energy within his Immortal Mansion subsided a little, he could use the Godslaying Needle again. This time, Chunyu Hua would not be able to block it.

Within the deep pool of water, Qing Ji was still locked in combat with the White Tiger and Cyan Dragon Dharma Aspects. Meanwhile, the Black Tortoise True Spirit Dharma Aspect had already launched its attack on Chunyu Hua. As for the Vermilion Bird Dharma Aspect, although it was suppressed by the pool’s water that Qing Ji had summoned, its Vermilion Bird of the South Ming Li Fire still burned fiercely in this environment, posing a considerable threat to Chunyu Hua’s body.

A quarter of an hour later, Chunyu Hua’s condition had worsened. He had just used his World-Shining Divine Light again, dispelling the Black Tortoise True Spirit Dharma Aspect.

The effect of this dispersion was quite profound. After the Black Tortoise Dharma Aspect was dispelled, Fang Qingyuan sensed that he was unexpectedly unable to summon it again for a time.

This wasn’t a simple destruction of the Black Tortoise Dharma Aspect’s body; it had precisely and completely destroyed the core that constituted the aspect.

Affected by this, the portion of Fang Qingyuan’s soul—the essential Soul Power used to form the Black Tortoise Dharma Aspect—was also dissolved.

But this was the limit of Chunyu Hua’s abilities. Afterward, he could only maneuver against the Vermilion Bird True Spirit, not daring to use the World-Shining Divine Light again to destroy the other three True Spirit Dharma Aspects.

"You’ve lost. Aren’t you going to admit defeat? Chunyu Hua, a man must recognize reality. Are you willing to throw your life away here for a bit of empty fame?"

A voice came from all directions within the pool of water that covered the arena, seeming to echo directly in the depths of Chunyu Hua’s heart, making his pale face turn even uglier.

Chunyu Hua pressed his lips together, turning a deaf ear to the voice. He still had various Magical Artifacts and Talismans in his storage bag. Although they weren’t of Nascent Soul quality, they could still heavily injure a Golden Core Cultivator with a single hit.

"Hehehe. Chunyu Hua, if you think about it, there’s no grudge between us that requires a fight to the death. Why did I challenge you to a duel of honor? Do you really not know?"

Something in that sentence provoked Chunyu Hua. He lowered his voice and responded angrily:

"It’s for that Great White Bear under Bear Wind’s command, isn’t it? Bear Wind is now your Qingyuan Sect’s Mountain Guardian Spirit Beast, and you need to give him and his entire lineage of Bear Beasts an explanation for the Great White Bear’s death. So, because we killed the Great White Bear back then, you’re now seeking justice from me. Isn’t that right?"

The same directionless voice traveled to Chunyu Hua’s ears on the undercurrents of the water:

"You’re well aware. I know that in your eyes, this matter must seem rather ridiculous. But if I want to win the loyalty of Bear Wind’s lineage of Bear Beasts, I can’t just let this go. For this, I have personally taken action and staked my own life on it. Regardless of success or failure, as long as I have made my move, Bear Wind and the others will have nothing more to say."

A flicker of shock appeared in Chunyu Hua’s eyes, and he asked in confusion:

"You mean to say, you were also forced into this duel of honor? So if I admit defeat now, you’ll be able to give them their explanation?"

"Hahaha! My dear Young Master Hua, why are you so naive? My meaning is, the life of the Great White Bear must be repaid. Whether it’s yours or Hao Shi’s, a life must be given in return. A life for a life. Only that is fair."

Chunyu Hua’s face twitched as he refuted Fang Qingyuan’s words:

"How can a human life be compared to that of a mere Wilderness Demonic Beast? Moreover, I am a scion of the Chunyu Clan of the Beast Taming Sect! Aren’t you afraid of my Chunyu Clan’s future retaliation for doing this?"

"White Mountain has always been the Qi Yun Sect’s backyard. Your Beast Taming Sect’s Chunyu Clan has no say here. Even if you did retaliate, what level of Cultivator would you send? Golden Cores are just free kills for me. For Nascent Souls, Bear Wind can handle them. Besides, I lead a Sealed Sect of the Great Zhou. Do you dare to openly attack our mountain gate? Or do you really think that your Chunyu Clan’s Divinity Transformation Ancestor would make a special trip to White Mountain just for you?"

The rapid-fire rebuttal left Chunyu Hua speechless. ’He was right. Golden Core Cultivators couldn’t beat Fang Qingyuan. One or two Nascent Soul Cultivators couldn’t beat Bear Wind. If they were to mobilize an army and attack the Qingyuan Sect in full force, the Great Zhou Academy wouldn’t just stand by and watch. As for the Divinity Transformation Ancestor... he would never personally seek justice for him. He wasn’t assassinated; he would have died in a duel of honor. How could the ancestor shamelessly use his high status to bully someone so much weaker and trouble Fang Qingyuan?’

Thinking it over, Chunyu Hua realized that even though he was a noble Divinity Transformation Descendant—and a direct one at that—he really had no way to deal with a local powerhouse like Fang Qingyuan, who was practically untouchable in his own territory with so many protections.

"Your time is running out, Chunyu Hua. Answer me quickly. Will it be you who dies, or will you let Hao Shi die in your place? If you don’t answer me within ten breaths, then you can just die! Don’t even think about trying to surrender. The moment you open your mouth, I’ll strike you dead. You’ve seen my methods. You’ll die a miserable death! Hahaha!"