Chapter 242 - 143: Gu Yun’s Strength

"Number ten, Gu Yun, versus number one, Chen Qi!"

As the Deacon Referee’s announcement rang out,

Gu Yun’s eyes snapped open, flashing like lightning and radiating an immensely powerful aura.

He then transformed into a flash of lightning, streaking onto the arena stage in an instant.

At the same time,

contestants were being called to the other nine arenas as well,

but Gu Yun paid them no mind. His gaze was already fixed on his opponent.

"SWOOSH!"

A dazzling streak of sword light shot across the sky, accompanied by the piercing whine of energy, before landing on the opposite side of the arena.

This was a pure Sword Cultivator!

He held an azure Spiritual Weapon Longsword and wore a white robe. With a back as straight as a spear, he stood tall, his expression cold and severe. His long hair danced in the wind, his robes whipping about.

He stood there silently, still as a snow-dusted pine, without a word or a movement.

Wisps of his Sword Intent permeated the air, a formless pressure that seemed sharp enough to slice through space itself, creating an overwhelming sense of oppression!

However,

when his sharp gaze swept over Gu Yun, he couldn’t help but frown.

"It’s you!"

A solemn look crossed Chen Qi’s placid gaze.

His severe expression tightened, as if he were facing a formidable foe.

There was a simple reason for this.

The man before him was far too famous, far too powerful!

He had defeated Wu Wuji to claim the tenth spot on the Profound Celestial List, making him a top figure in the Inner Sect!

"Hello."

Gu Yun stood on his side of the arena with his hands clasped behind his back. A corner of his robes stirred in a non-existent breeze as a faint smile touched his lips.

"Damn,

Chen Qi, ranked twenty-ninth on the Profound Celestial List, actually got matched with a monster like Gu Yun!"

"It’s a no-brainer who wins this one!

But I’m still curious how many moves he can last against Gu Yun!"

shouted an Inner Sect Disciple in a white robe from the spectator stands.

"Chen Qi isn’t as weak as you think,"

"He can exchange at least a few hundred blows with Senior Brother Gu!" declared a tall, slender, middle-aged Cultivator in a cyan Daoist Robe.

"A few hundred blows?"

...

On the arena stage,

a wind began to stir,

whispering through the air.

Chen Qi’s expression was now utterly grave.

His piercing gaze was fixed on the figure opposite him, who radiated a vast, profound aura as deep as the abyssal sea.

An unseen, crushing pressure emanated from him, making it hard to breathe. He was like a monstrous beast in repose—still as a mountain, yet poised to strike like thunder.

’Gu Yun...’

’The prodigy who has recently taken the Sect by storm.’

’A monstrous talent hailed as being on par with Ye Xuantian himself!’

’His reputation is truly well-deserved!’

’However,’

’so what?’

’A Swordsman...’

’...would rather break than bend!’

’Losing isn’t scary. What’s scary is not even having the courage to lose!’

’I, Chen Qi, have faced powerful enemies on my path to this day, but haven’t I surpassed them all in the end?’

’So, no matter how powerful this Gu Yun is,’

’I still have to test my blade against his!’

At this thought,

the gravity in Chen Qi’s eyes hardened into a rock-solid resolve. A surge of confidence erupted from him, an immense aura that seemed to blot out the very light of the sky.

The Sword Intent erupting from his body was so incredibly sharp it seemed poised to slice space itself to ribbons!

"Wushuang, this Chen Qi is the prodigy of your Spirit Sword Dao Peak,

Do you think he can halt that boy’s momentum?"

On the high platform, Jiang Tingbai, the Peak Master of Celestial Wood Dao Peak, spoke in jest. He wore a cyan robe, his snow-white hair held by a pin and crown. His face was stern and dignified, and his body was wreathed in a misty glow, radiating a terrifying Dao Rhythm.

Beside him, Bai Wushuang—robed in white like the snow, his features sharp and handsome, his bearing Extraordinary and Unworldly, and radiating his own terrifying Dao Rhythm—had a gaze that was profound, as if it could pierce through all things. He glanced down at the two figures on the arena.

He then shook his head gently and slowly uttered a single word.

"Unlikely."

...

On the vast, sprawling arena,

two figures stood facing each other from a distance, their robes stirring in a non-existent wind.

"Match, begin!"

After confirming everything,

the Deacon Referee outside the arena gave the command, and the match officially began!

SHIIING!

The ring of a Longsword,

piercing through the Nine Heavens. An incomparably sharp Sword Intent shot skyward, seemingly enveloping the entire world and filling every inch of empty space!!

The instant the Deacon Referee’s voice faded, Chen Qi struck. He moved decisively, without a shred of hesitation!

A single sword strike to shake the heavens and earth!

A veritable River of Sword Qi tore across the sky, sundering space itself. With the force of a thunderclap, it brought a torrent of Sword Qi crashing down on Gu Yun!

The sword’s light lit up the heavens.

Within the Sword Qi, which pulsed with terrifying Sword Intent, space itself was shredded to pieces. Glimpses of chaotic energy could be seen flowing within the pitch-black fissures of the void.

The Divine Power unleashed by the overwhelming Sword Qi seemed utterly unstoppable!

Faced with such powerful Sword Intent, any Cultivator below the True Martial Realm Ninth Layer would likely be annihilated by this single strike if they were the least bit careless!!

Yet, facing this terrifying strike,

Gu Yun’s expression remained unchanged.

He stood with his hands clasped behind him,

his robes whipping wildly,

his deep, calm eyes watching as the sky-rending, overwhelming River of Sword Qi crashed down upon him!

RUMBLE!

In the next instant,

countless thunderclaps erupted from thin air, their deafening peals echoing across the arena.

In an instant, an area thousands of feet across transformed into a Thunder Domain.

Streaks of lightning and arcs of electricity tore through space, radiating a terrifying power.

At this moment,

in a flash, Gu Yun’s body was wreathed in terrifying bolts of lightning.

The Thunder Arcs flickering in his pupils billowed and surged, as if his eyes contained an entire sea of lightning.