Reaching the pinnacle from Doupo

Chapter 527 Victory or Defeat, The Troublemaker

The next instant, Gu Xun'er and Huo Zhi collided violently in mid-air.

The Golden Emperor's Heavenly Flame and the Crimson Lotus Karmic Flame intertwined, bursting forth with dazzling light. The violent energy spread wildly outwards from the two of them, causing space to collapse wherever it passed, revealing a dark and profound void.

The two women, their palms clasped together, exchanged a glance, and simultaneously tapped their toes lightly in the air, their figures instantly disappearing from the spot.

In the blink of an eye, the two women suddenly clashed again a hundred meters away.

As time went on, the two fought even more fiercely, and dark cracks appeared in the boundless void. The terrifying energy fluctuations made countless spectators tremble with fear.

"boom--"

In the sky, the two figures collided with lightning, unleashing a deafening sound.

Xun'er steadied her retreating figure, her hands forming hand seals with lightning speed. The Ancient Emperor's Mystic Scripture within her body began to circulate, and the energy of the entire world roared up at this moment, condensing into streams of energy that seemed to be tangible, surging into her body.

"It's a Heaven-Rank cultivation technique!" Many people's pupils shrank slightly when they saw Gu Xun'er absorbing energy so domineeringly.

"The Crimson Lotus Mirror, capable of swallowing the heavens and the earth!"

On the other side, seeing Gu Xun'er absorbing energy to replenish her consumption, Huo Zhi was not to be outdone, and the hand seals in her hands suddenly changed.

Suddenly, a huge fire cloud appeared in the sky, rolling and bursting with a powerful suction force, forcibly drawing in the energy between heaven and earth, and finally condensing it into a crimson pillar of light, which poured into the fire child's body.

With this infusion of immense energy, the fighting spirit that the two had consumed in the fierce battle was restored to its peak state in just a few blinks.

"Fire Child, this battle should end now. We... will decide the outcome with one decisive move!"

Gu Xun'er hovered high in the sky, looking down at Huo Zhi, her cold voice echoing throughout the world.

She locked onto Huo Zhi with her own aura, and her jade hands also transformed into a series of strange hand seals.

A dazzling golden flame, like a sun, erupted from Xun'er's body, transforming into a sky-covering fire curtain, setting the entire sky ablaze.

"Golden Emperor's Heaven-Burning Slash!"

With a sharp cry, golden flames gathered in the sky, then burst forth, transforming into a massive golden beam of light hundreds of feet long, which slashed down fiercely!

Gazing at the golden beam of light descending from the sky, a look of solemnity flashed in Huo Zhi's eyes, but even more so, a burning fighting spirit.

"Red lotus purifies the world, karmic fire punishes sins!"

Huo Zhijiao shouted, her hands quickly forming hand seals, and the red lotus mark between her brows shone brightly; behind her, a huge red lotus phantom slowly emerged, its petals layered upon each other, each containing destructive power.

At the same time, the crimson lotus karmic fire around her suddenly surged, rapidly filling the crimson lotus phantom.

As the Fire Child's hand seals changed, the illusory image of the red lotus gradually solidified, eventually transforming into a gigantic lotus of flames hundreds of feet long, soaring into the sky in the face of the golden beam of light.

"Rumble--"

The golden beam of light collided violently with the giant lotus of fire in mid-air, unleashing a deafening roar.

The entire mountain range trembled at that moment.

On the Tianyun Cross Peak, cracks about ten feet in size spread rapidly like a spider web.

Two terrifying forces intertwined and collided, forming a devastating energy storm. Space collapsed completely at that moment, revealing a dark and profound void that seemed poised to devour everything.

The spectators paled in shock, and some of the weaker individuals were so shaken by the energy storm that their blood surged and they had to retreat repeatedly.

"Kakaka-"

Amidst the watchful eyes of the crowd, a series of crisp, shattering sounds rang out.

The two opposing forces clashing in the sky were: the golden beam of light, which gradually blurred over time; and the giant lotus of fire, whose cracks were rapidly increasing, showing signs of collapse.

Before long, the collision between the golden beam of light and the giant lotus of fire finally reached its climax.

"It's time to end this, shatter!"

Suppressing the pallor on her face, Xun'er's eyes sharpened, and the hand seals on her hands changed accordingly.

In an instant, the golden beam of light trembled violently, then burst forth with an extremely dazzling golden light, its destructive energy completely erupting.

The enormous dark red fire lotus could not withstand the powerful force of the golden beam and exploded from top to bottom, turning into sparks that scattered in the air; while the golden beam, carrying an extremely fierce residual force, shot straight down at the pale-faced fire child below.

This was clear to everyone, whether they were from the four clans or other spectators... the battle was over!

The victor is Gu Xun'er of the ancient clan!
Now that the outcome has been decided, all that remains is the final cleanup.

"Miss Xun'er is truly extraordinary, worthy of being that person's beloved daughter!" Just as Huo Zhi was about to be cut down by the Golden Emperor's Heaven-Burning Slash, a melodious and graceful female voice, carrying a hint of admiration, suddenly rang out in this world.

Immediately, a beautiful woman dressed in a fiery red palace gown suddenly appeared beside Huo Zhi.

She casually waved her sleeve, and the golden beam of light, powerful enough to kill a peak Dou Zun, suddenly froze, and the originally violent energy became docile.

"Auntie, I..."

Looking at Huo Xuan in front of her, Huo Zhi gritted her teeth, a hint of dejection flashing in her eyes.

Huo Xuan smiled gently, stretched out her hand, and gently pinched the golden beam of light in the sky. The golden beam of light quietly shattered without causing the slightest ripple.

Xun'er moved swiftly and rushed to the two of them.

She first bowed to Huo Xuan with clasped hands, saying, "Greetings, Senior!" Then she looked at Huo Zhi and said softly, "Sister Huo Zhi, you flatter me!"

Huo Xuan nodded slightly, her gaze falling on Xun'er's calm face, her admiration growing stronger.

"Miss Xun'er's progress is truly astonishing. She will surely be able to uphold the future glory of the Ancient Clan. Although my Huo Zhi was defeated in this battle, he is still honorable. The Ancient Clan and the Yan Clan have always been on good terms, and today's match, which ended in a draw, also witnessed the friendship between our Yan and Ancient Clans."

"Senior, you flatter me. I only managed to win by a single move or two by sheer luck," Xun'er said with a slight smile, her demeanor dignified and elegant.

"Sister Xun'er is incredibly strong; I'm completely convinced."

Huo Zhi had also adjusted her mindset. She took a deep breath, cupped her hands to Xun'er, and said, "I will definitely work harder in my cultivation in the future, and strive to fight you again next time."

Xun'er returned the greeting, "Sister Huozhi, you're too kind. Xun'er also looks forward to the next sparring session with you."

The two women, who had just been fighting fiercely, now displayed a harmonious scene in perfect unison.

At the summit of the Heavenly Meteor Cross Peak below, Elder Tongxuan breathed a sigh of relief and released the lock on the Soul Clan's Half-Saint Soul Cloud with a thought.

From the very beginning of their sparring, he and Huo Xuan kept a close eye on Hun Yun, preventing him from causing trouble at crucial moments in Xun'er and Huo Zhi's sparring, thus affecting the two combatants and causing some "accidents" that they absolutely did not want to see.

People from other clans would never dare to do such a thing, but the Soul Clan might be different—their ruthless and unscrupulous ways of doing things have completely penetrated the hearts of everyone.

Even if things have changed recently, it's not so easy to regain past impressions.

If something truly irreparable happens, even if it's known that the Soul Clan is behind it, it will still severely damage the relationship between the two clans.

Emotion and reason are never easy to balance.

The reason Elder Tongxuan rushed over after Xun'er left the Ancient Realm was to protect his young lady and prevent the Soul Clan from making any underhanded moves.

Even for a period of time afterward, whenever Fan Xun'er went out, he had to temporarily act as her bodyguard!
However, Elder Tongxuan had no objection to this. After all, the importance of Xun'er's status as the daughter of the clan chief, and the divine bloodline she might achieve, was far beyond what he, a mere half-saint, could compare to.

At this moment, the many spectators in the Tianyun Mountains also snapped out of their reverie of the battle and began to exclaim in admiration. "The ancient clan's young lady won... As expected!"

"As expected of the pride of the ancient and Yan clans, such a wonderful and intense battle is something I haven't seen in many years."

"That last one must be a Heaven-Rank Battle Technique, right?! Its power is extraordinary and incredibly strong."

"The secret techniques of the Imperial Clan are truly extraordinary; they can actually increase one's strength by several stars at the Dou Zun stage. It's truly enviable. If only one could..."

"Shut up! You're coveting their stuff, are you trying to drag the sect down with you?"

"Don't worry, Junior Xun'er won, and she's in great form!"

Lin Yuan stood quietly atop a distant mountain peak. Before Xiao Yan could even ask, he had already answered the latter's question, and then a slight smile appeared on his lips: "This battle did not disappoint me. She has completely mastered the Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame... Excellent!"

Lin Yuan interrupted Xiao Yan's spellcasting, causing him to pause slightly. After regaining his senses, he gave a wry smile and swallowed the question, "How is Xun'er?"

Gazing at the elegant young woman in the sky, the center of attention, a faint trace of disappointment flashed in Xiao Yan's eyes.

The girl who followed behind him, sweetly calling him "Brother Xiao Yan," was now far stronger than him and no longer needed his protection.

No, perhaps from the very beginning, she didn't need her own protection.

Thinking of this, Xiao Yan suddenly recalled some of his past years, his expression became dazed, and he looked at Xun'er again, sighing inwardly.

How long has it been since I last saw her shine? When the two of them were together, she clearly had the qualifications and ability to radiate brilliance, yet she was willing to stay quietly behind me, doing small and insignificant things for me.

However, after three years apart, the gap in strength between the two seems to have widened rather than decreased... Is the Dou Di bloodline really that powerful?!

Unbeknownst to him, Xiao Yan's anticipation for the Heavenly Tomb had grown even stronger.

Lin Yuan, standing to the side, narrowed his deep eyes slightly, a playful smile playing on his lips.

With this battle over, shouldn't the Soul Clan be up to something soon?
As the Heavenly Venerable of the Soul Palace, Lin Yuan had great confidence in the Soul Clan's style—since they had come, they wouldn't be content to just be spectators.

What's more, even Lei Dong is here!
Considering the terms of cooperation with Gu Xun'er, perhaps in a little while, he, Lin, will also have to make an appearance.

Considering a possible development in the situation, he hesitated for a moment, then turned to look at Feng Qing'er, Xiao Yan, and Mu Qingluan, and said solemnly, "The three of you, I have something to tell you..."

On the peak of the Heavenly Meteor Cross, Gu Xun'er and the Yan Clan exchanged a few pleasantries before she moved and flashed back to Elder Tongxuan's side.

"Elder Tongxuan, this battle is over. Let's leave!"

Xun'er said softly, but her eyes involuntarily darted around as if searching for something.

Elder Tongxuan nodded slightly, his eyes full of affection and satisfaction: "Miss performed exceptionally well in this battle. If the clan leader knew, he would be very pleased. Miss is right, there are too many people and too many eyes here, so it is indeed not advisable to stay for long. Let's leave immediately."

However, just as they were about to set off, a sinister laugh suddenly rang out.

"Hehehe, Xun'er, why are you in such a hurry to leave?"

Before the words were finished, a dark figure appeared on the mountaintop like a ghost, saying with a playful tone, "I've prepared some gifts to convey my feelings of admiration to you..."

Although he had a smile on his lips, his eyes revealed a strong sense of malice.

At the same time, Hun Yun chuckled and stepped forward, blocking Elder Tongxuan's path and locking his aura onto the latter.

"Old man Tongxuan, don't be in such a hurry to leave... stay and watch the show with me!"

"Soul Cloud, do you want to die here by blocking my way?" Elder Tongxuan's face darkened, and a flash of fury appeared in his eyes.

"Kill me? You old ghost can't do that!" Hun Yun shrugged, completely ignoring Elder Tongxuan's threat, and turned to look at the black-clad youth not far away. "Young Master Hun Feng, I'll help you stop that old ghost Tongxuan. You should hurry up and deliver your gifts..."

"Hehehe, thank you Elder Yun!" Hun Feng chuckled and slowly walked towards the ancient clan members, his aura as a Dou Zun rising up.

"Soul Wind, you bastard, how dare you offend Xun'er... don't you deserve a lesson?!"

A clear thunderclap rang out, and a dark bolt of lightning suddenly struck down from the Thunder Clan warship in the sky, revealing Lei Dong's proud and upright figure.

He stood upright in front of Hunfeng, exuding a powerful aura that was in no way inferior to Hunfeng's.

"Lei Dong, you really came!" Hun Feng glanced at him, a slight smile playing on his lips, a triumphant grin on his face.

"Everything is going as I expected. As soon as I announced that I would be here to watch the battle, you fool will definitely follow me. Very well, this will make it easier to complete the gift I want to give to my future wife—helping her get rid of you, you stinking bug."

"Now that Xun'er's battle is over, and she is rightfully the victor, it's time for our third battle!"

"Well? Lei Dong, do you dare to fight me?"

"Heh, what a clumsy attempt at provocation!" Lei Dong commented disdainfully, then clenched his fist lightly, a burning fighting spirit flashing in his eyes. "But it suits my wishes to have our third battle here. It's time to give you a defeat."

"Hehe, you're very confident, very good...that's very good!" Hunfeng smiled mysteriously, clapped his hands, and said.

"If that's the case, then let's raise the stakes a bit."

"Although I'm willing to gamble with my life, neither of us has that authority yet. In that case, let's gamble with the right to pursue Xun'er!"

"Beauty is only meant for the strong, and the one who is worthy of Xun'er should naturally be the strongest."

At this point, a cunning glint flashed in Hunfeng's eyes, and he declared loudly, "If I am defeated in this battle, I will no longer bother Xun'er; if you are defeated, neither you nor the Lei Clan will be allowed to ask the Gu Clan or Xun'er for marriage! The whole world will bear witness!"

Since Gu Xun'er does not accept the marriage proposal she has put forward, then she will use the duel to cut off the possibility of her marriage with Lei Dong, as well as the possibility of the Gu and Lei clans uniting.

In this way, he could be considered to have made a contribution to the grand plan for the millennium.

The strategy of using the useless Soul Jade to create conflict between the Ancient Clan and the Flame Clan has been exposed. Now is the time for me to further widen the competitive gap.

As his thoughts raced, Hunfeng's lips curled into a slight smile—this feeling of playing chess is quite wonderful!

As Hunfeng finished speaking, which sparked much speculation, the gazes of everyone present—some envious, some amused, and some gloating—all fell on Lei Dong.

The expressions of Elder Tongxuan and Ninth Elder of the Lei Clan, who were standing to the side, suddenly changed.

Damn it, that evil Soul Clan brat is actually plotting this—using the youthful rivalry to hinder the further alliance between the Gu Lei and Gu Lei clans.

It's important to understand that the marriage between Xun'er and Lei Dong is highly supported by both clans. One could even say that if Xun'er were to agree, this joyous occasion, which would greatly benefit both clans, would have a very high probability of success.

The Soul Clan's invitation to many people from the Central Plains to watch the battle was likely intended to put the Lei Dong and Gu Lei clans in a difficult position.

That damned brat from the Soul Clan! As an imperial clan, how could he act so unscrupulously?

On the other side, Lei Dong also understood Hun Feng's thoughts. Looking at the smile on the latter's lips, he felt a sense of unease—this bastard seems to have come prepared this time!

Although Lei Dong was a warlike man, he was not a reckless fool.

It's absolutely impossible for him to take back what he just said, or to back down in front of Xun'er and everyone else, in front of that bastard Hunfeng!
And this is exactly what Hunfeng calculated!
Just as Lei Dong was caught in a dilemma, Xun'er suddenly stepped forward, her clear, cold voice emanating from her lips: "Lei Dong, Hun Feng, whether you want to fight or gamble is fine with you, but don't involve me. And..."

She raised an eyebrow, a mocking smile playing on her lips, and said, "If we're really talking about the word 'strongest,' you two can't get past that person, can you?"

Upon hearing this, Hunfeng's eyes flashed with a cold glint—he naturally knew who that person was!

"Oh--"

At this moment, a gentle voice, tinged with a hint of amusement, suddenly rang in everyone's ears: "Xun'er, do you really believe in my abilities that much?!"

(End of this chapter)