Starting with a blind date with a female constable, you acquire the Nine Swords of Dugu.

Chapter 200 Assaulting the Temple

As Mo Xun pointed his finger, golden light shone brilliantly from his fingertip, as if the divine power of the entire sun had been compressed into a small space. The air exploded with dark cracks at his fingertip, humming under the strain of his touch.

Gu Guanqi stood silently in the void, raised his right hand, and slightly spread his five fingers.

In an instant, an invisible force field spread out from his palm.

The Heavenly Demon Force Field, forming its own domain, transformed the area within a few feet around him into an independent world.

In that realm, demonic intent lingered, as dark as an abyss, forming a stark contrast to the golden light of the blazing sun outside.

Mo Xun's finger struck the edge of the Heavenly Demon Force Field.

The instant the finger force touched the domain, a dazzling golden arc of light exploded between them with a crackling sound.

Mo Xun's fingertips focused on that bit of solar power, attempting to penetrate the barrier of darkness, but the barrier was like a bottomless swamp, gradually swallowing and dissolving his finger power.

Mo Xun scoffed, "A domain? That can't withstand the radiance of the Sun God's light!"

Before the words were finished, the huge array plate in the void suddenly dissipated, turning into countless fine golden rays of light, which poured down like a torrential rain.

The beams of light struck the surface of the Heavenly Demon Force Field with pinpoint accuracy, like mountains pressing down simultaneously, or like countless suns falling onto the same land at once.

"Bomb One"

A deafeningly loud bang.

The Heavenly Demon Force Field trembled violently under that immense pressure, and countless cracks appeared on its surface, spreading in all directions like a spider web.

Demonic energy surged, and black and golden light collided violently, producing a series of dense explosions. Then, the Heavenly Demon Force Field collapsed like shattered glass, turning into countless black fragments that dissipated into the sunlight.

Mo Xun's finger strike was no longer an obstacle.

The golden fingertip, imbued with the remaining power of the sun god, pointed directly at Gu Guanqi's brow. Before the finger even reached him, the scorching power of light had already assaulted Gu Guanqi's face.

However, at that very moment, Mo Xun's pupils suddenly contracted.

He was horrified to discover that although his finger was only half an inch away from Gu Guanqi's brow, that half inch seemed to be separated by an insurmountable chasm.

His fingertips hovered in mid-air, and no matter how much divine power he exerted, he could not extend them any further.

It seemed as if there were thousands of mountains and rivers between him and Gu Guanqi.

"How could this be—"

For the first time, Mo Xun's voice carried a hint of surprise and doubt.

Gu Guanqi offered no explanation.

This is a unique technique he developed after achieving the Great Perfection of the Longevity Technique, creating his own little world.

The Heavenly Demon Force Field is merely the outer layer; the true barrier lies in the independent microcosm it evolves from within, a being at a higher level than a domain.

At this moment, the two of them seemed to be only a few inches apart, yet there was a profound truth between them.

The competition is about the level of martial arts mastery and the understanding of heaven and earth between the two!

The next instant, Gu Guanqi extended his palm. The movement was not fast, but it carried an irresistible momentum.

His palms gleamed with a warm, jade-like luster, as if they were not the hands of an ordinary person, but a microcosm of the entire world.

The hand passed through the remaining radiance of the sun god at Mo Xun's fingertips, and the golden light in his palm was like a candle flickering in the wind, extinguished in an instant.

Mo Xun's finger strength was gently covered by that hand, then dissolved silently, as if it had never existed.

A flicker of fear flashed in Mo Xun's eyes.

He suddenly pulled back, leaving a golden afterimage in the void.

However, Gu Guan's movements are faster.

The instant Mo Xun retreated, Gu Guanqi raised his right leg and unleashed a sweeping wind-swept kick, accompanied by a furious howl.

The instant that kick was delivered, a terrifying gale suddenly swept across the heavens and earth. The wind blades solidified into a tangible form, turning azure in color, like countless invisible giant blades slashing down simultaneously, tearing the air apart with a sharp whistling sound wherever they passed.

Mo Xun only had time to strike out with one palm in an attempt to block, but before the palm could condense into complete qi, the wind blade had already landed on his chest.

"Bomb One"

With a dull thud, Mo Xun was struck as if by a speeding mountain, plummeting straight down and crashing heavily to the ground.

The dirt road surface instantly shattered, sending stones flying and dust billowing everywhere. A deep crater, about ten feet wide, was smashed into the ground, with spiderweb-like cracks spreading in all directions.

He lay at the bottom of the pit, his divine robe torn by the wind blades, revealing a layer of skin that shimmered with golden light.

However, his body has absorbed the essence of countless cultivators, and he calls himself a demigod.

So, at this moment, he actually withstood Gu Guanqi's kick head-on.

However, before he could even stand up, a pure and ethereal sword light descended from the sky.

Gu Guanqi soared down from the sky, his Autumn Water Sword traversing the heavens, its light like a bolt of lightning, like an inverted galaxy falling to earth.

A celestial being descends from the heavens.

That sword strike was a celestial attack unleashed by Gu Guanqi in his current shattered state.

It is more beautiful and more striking than the original "Flying Fairy from Beyond the Heavens".

As the sword light flowed, it was as if an immortal descended from the heavens on a sword, his robes fluttering, his sword intent ethereal, untouched by any dust.

Where the sword light fell, the broken clods of earth and gravel on the ground were frozen for a moment by the clear sword intent, and then silently turned into dust.

Mo Xun's pupils contracted sharply, and he slammed his palms together, his ten fingers interlacing to form a seal. A golden array plate rose from his palms, like the rising sun from the ground, to meet the sword light that descended from the sky.

The array plate and the celestial being collided violently in mid-air.

Golden light intertwined with silvery white light, and dazzling rays of light exploded in all directions, illuminating the entire canyon as bright as day.

The sun-shaped patterns flowing on the surface of the array plate spun wildly, dissolving the cascading sword energy layer by layer.

However, the sword intent of the celestial being descending from the heavens was simply too vast, like a river bursting its banks, flowing endlessly. After enduring that endless sword energy, cracks began to appear on the surface of the array plate, growing from fine to coarse, from sparse to dense.

"Click—"

'

A crisp cracking sound.

The array plate collapsed with a roar, turning into countless fragments of gold that dissipated in the wind.

Mo Xun's figure appeared the instant the array plate shattered. His palms were still in the hand seal position, but the golden light in his palms had dimmed considerably. He was about to use his remaining divine power to defend himself, but Gu Guanqi was already preparing to unleash his second sword strike.

Mo Xun's pupils contracted, and he immediately made a hand seal.

At that very moment—

The gilded scepter, still suspended in the air, suddenly lit up, carrying a ball of flame as intense as the core of the sun, and crashed down silently from the sky like a golden fire dragon.

The crimson crystals on the staff burst forth with a blinding red light. As the flames surged, the air itself was scorched and distorted, and a terrifying shockwave slammed directly into the back of Gu Guanqi's head.

Gu Guanqi felt the scorching heat behind him and quickly turned to the side, his figure as light as a willow catkin blown by the wind, deftly avoiding the trajectory of the fire dragon.

The gilded scepter brushed past his shoulder.

Taking advantage of this brief opening, Mo Xun leaped out of the pit, his toes touching the loose soil as he rose into the air. As he flew backward, he reached out with his right hand and precisely caught the gilded scepter that was flying back.

He landed several feet away, his scepter held horizontally in front of him, his chest heaving.

Gu Guanqi gave him no chance to catch his breath.

With a flick of his wrist, the Autumn Water Sword drew a cold, clear arc in the air, its sword intent suddenly changing. The transcendent, otherworldly aura vanished in an instant, replaced by an extremely cold, deathly stillness, as if it came from the end of all things.

Fifteen Deadly Swords.

When that sword was thrust out, the light in the canyon suddenly dimmed a little.

It wasn't that the light of day changed, but rather that all colors turned gray and dull in that instant, as if time itself had slowed down in the face of this sword strike.

Mo Xun's pupils contracted sharply. Without time to think, he suddenly swung the scepter in his hand. The sun-shaped patterns on the scepter lit up simultaneously, and golden light spread out in layers before him, like dozens of golden shields stacked together.

The essence of the Fifteen Deadly Swords lies not in physical power, but in the spiritual realm.

That deathly stillness, like an invisible tide, pierced through the golden light barrier in front of him and directly entered his sea of ​​consciousness.

Mo Xun felt a deafening roar in his mind, and countless fragmented images flashed before his eyes, those things swallowed up by time and years.

Memories that had become blurred all rushed into his consciousness at this moment.

He was slightly dazed.

However, relying on his unique Flying Immortal Technique, he has carefully selected many talented people over the years to contribute their spirits to him. Therefore, whether it is physical body, innate Qi, or divine consciousness, they have all reached a terrifying level.

The deathly will of the Fifteen Deadly Swords impacted him, but could not truly extinguish his will.

At the moment his consciousness was impacted, the scepter in his hand also froze for a moment.

But in an instant, he unleashed his immense will to launch a counterattack.

But in that very instant.

A cold glint silently flashed from the fingertips of the player who was engrossed in watching the game.

Little Li Flying Dagger.

When that knife left his hand, there was no sound of it cutting through the air, no trace of its trajectory, as if it did not exist in this world at all, but was merely an extension of the thought between Gu Guanqi and his target.

It silently pierced through the dim golden light in front of Mo Xun and precisely entered his chest.

"puff-

'

A very faint muffled thud.

Mo Xun's body stiffened abruptly.

He looked down at his chest.

There, a very thin line of blood was slowly widening, and blood was seeping from the wound, spreading into a small patch of glaring bright red.

He quickly retreated, once again widening the distance between himself and Gu Guanqi.

A hint of surprise flashed in Gu Guanqi's eyes.

He discovered that although the flying knife had hit Mo Xun and indeed injured him, in just two or three breaths, the area around Mo Xun's wound began to heal at a visible speed. Golden light flowed back and forth over the wound, rapidly repairing the injury.

Gu Guanqi said, "No wonder you dare to call yourself a demigod. It seems you've absorbed a lot of other people's spirits over the years. I'm afraid half of the great evil cultivators in Qizhou were created by you."

Mo Xun raised his head, a flash of surprise and anger crossing his still golden eyes. He shouted sharply, "Nonsense! The messenger of the Sun God only does things openly and honestly!"

After saying that, he slammed his scepter into the ground with a loud thud. A surge of primordial energy poured into the ground from the base of the scepter and exploded outwards from him in all directions.

Golden light surged like a tsunami, carrying scorching waves of air, and swept towards Gu Guanqi.

Gu Guanqi remained expressionless.

He raised his hand and drew his sword again.

A sword separates two worlds.

The crimson sword light bloomed once more, like a solidified red line, silently piercing through the surging golden tide of light.

Wherever the sword light passed, the golden light surged and dissipated from the center outwards, like a curtain being slashed open by a sharp blade.

The crimson sword light once again pierced Mo Xun's chest with pinpoint accuracy, almost perfectly overlapping the location of the previous wound.

"puff"

This time, Mo Xun's body suddenly bent backward at an angle, spitting out a mouthful of blood. His face turned pale at a visible speed, and the golden light in his eyes dimmed.

He staggered back two steps, using his gilded scepter to brace himself against the ground to barely regain his balance.

His body was still healing rapidly, but the true meaning of the martial arts of "a sword that separates the world" was to sever the connection between life and death, so the damage caused by this sword was recovering much more slowly.

Mo Xun looked at Gu Guanqi with disbelief in his eyes and said, "Such a superb skill—you actually managed to use it a second time—"

Gu Guanqi remained silent.

He raised the Autumn Water Sword, and the crimson light on the blade condensed once more.

The third sword strike, a sword that separates worlds.

"This is impossible—"

Mo Xun's pupils suddenly contracted to their maximum size.

He suddenly held the scepter horizontally in front of him, and the sun-shaped patterns on the scepter lit up wildly, with golden light condensing into a golden shield as thick as a city gate in front of him.

This time, however, the light shield shattered the moment it touched the crimson sword light, with golden fragments scattering everywhere like broken glass.

A fine crack appeared in the center of the staff, which then snapped in two with a crash. The upper half of the staff flew out and rolled several times on the yellow earth. The blood-red crystal embedded in the gilded staff head was now dull and lifeless.

A third crimson sword light pierced through Mo Xun's chest once more.

Mo Xun's body trembled violently. He knelt on one knee, his hands bracing against the cracked yellow earth, blood gushing from the wound in his chest.

He raised his head, his gaze falling on Gu Guanqi. His lips moved slightly, and he let out a hysterical scream: "You actually—I'll fight you to the death!"

He suddenly straightened up, and the golden light around him suddenly surged, like a bonfire about to go out being doused with a ladle of oil, bursting out with its last light and heat.

The enormous array plate reappeared in the void, carrying the remaining power of the Sun God, and pressed down on Gu Guanqi.

The sun-shaped patterns on the edge of the array plate spun rapidly, emitting a sharp buzzing sound.

Immediately, Gu Guanqi activated the Heavenly Demon Force Field, and the dark domain once again unfolded around him, with terrifying demonic energy surging and protecting him completely within it. The array landed on the Heavenly Demon Force Field, and the gold and darkness collided fiercely, producing a series of dense explosions.

He raised his Autumn Water Sword and thrust it into the center of the array plate. The sword energy surged and roared, like the Milky Way pouring down.

"boom"

The array plate shattered the moment it touched the sword's edge, turning into countless golden fragments that dissipated in the wind.

Mo Xun's body swayed slightly at the explosion, and then his figure suddenly transformed into a golden streak of light, moving at an incredible speed. In the blink of an eye, he had already traveled dozens of feet away, disappearing into the depths of the canyon.

That speed far exceeded any of his previous attacks, leaving not even an afterimage; only a faint golden light trailed through the air for half a breath.

Gu Guanqi raised an eyebrow slightly: "Such fast lightness skill!"

He immediately prepared to give chase.

"Don't pursue a cornered enemy!" At this moment, Wen Shuyi's voice came from behind Gu Guanqi: "That's the temple's ultimate technique, the Divine Escape Technique. In terms of speed, it's unparalleled in the world. If you chase after it, you might fall into an ambush!"

"It's nothing more than chasing them to the temple; then I'll raze the temple to the ground!"

Gu Guanqi didn't turn around; he lightly touched the ground with his foot and flew away.

His figure transformed into a wisp of wind, rushing towards the direction where the golden light had disappeared. With the Wind God Leg technique unleashed at full power, he seemed to merge with the wind, vanishing without a trace in the blink of an eye.

Meanwhile, in the valley, Qingyang Sanren and Jiechi, who still had some strength left, breathed a sigh of relief. As long as Gu Guanqi left, the two of them would have a chance to escape.

But at that very moment, Wen Shuyi made a hand seal, and dozens of talismans flew out, transforming into streaks of wind blades that swept across the sky like bolts of lightning, precisely slashing towards Qingyang Sanren and Jiechi.

Before the two could react, they froze simultaneously, then collapsed forward, falling silently among the rubble and dust.

Afternoon, at the temple.

In a grand hall, Wei Qi, the high priest of the Heavenly Gate, sat behind his desk, flipping through an old folded book.

Suddenly, a series of hurried footsteps came from outside the door, and then a figure appeared at the door. It was Xiong Yin, the Grand Master of the Heavenly Gate. He quickly ran into the main hall, his face as white as paper and his expression panicked.

-

"High Priest! Something's happened!"

66

Wei Qi looked up and asked, "What's the matter? Has someone stormed the temple?"

Xiong Yin swallowed hard, his voice trembling: "High Priest—someone has really stormed the temple!"

'

Wei Qi was slightly taken aback, and his brows furrowed slightly: "What nonsense are you talking about?"

'

Xiong Yin took a deep breath and said, "I just received news that the Sect Leader is being chased by Gu Guanqi and is fleeing towards the Temple. Many people have seen him. The Sect Leader is in a sorry state, but he keeps going in circles and taking detours instead of going directly back to the Temple. I judge that the Sect Leader is probably buying me time to prepare to activate the Brightness Array!"

A look of shock flashed in Wei Qi's eyes. He stood up abruptly and said hurriedly, "Then what are we waiting for? Quickly notify the Earth Gate!"

The Human Gate, the Divine Guard Institute, and the Divine Oracle Institute!

6

Xiong Yin quickly said, "They should have already received the news. The sect leader is being hunted down without any attempt to hide it. Many people saw it, and the secret sentries in various places must know. It's impossible that the Divine Oracle Academy and the Earth Gate haven't received the news!"

.

Without another word, Wei Qi strode out of the palace gate, his steps hurried.

He walked briskly along the bluestone path through several courtyards, and when he arrived at the square in front of the main hall, he saw several figures also rushing over.

It was Li Xuan, the acting High Priest of the Earth Gate; Ou Lin, the High Priest of the Human Gate; Su Zheji, the Commander of the Divine Guards; and Liu Yu, the Grand Master of the Divine Oracle Academy.

Normally, these top executives are rarely in the temple at the same time. However, today, because Mo Xun was leading a group to ambush and kill Gu Guanqi, he specifically summoned all the executives who were out on missions back to the temple.

Therefore, everyone is gathered together at this moment.

Wei Qi walked into the center of the arena and said in a deep voice, "Have you all received the news? It seems that the sect leader's attempt to ambush Gu Guanqi failed, and now there is no other way but to activate the Bright Sky Formation."

6

Ou Lin frowned, hesitatingly saying, "Activating the formation is definitely necessary, but my dilemma is that if Gu Guanqi doesn't enter the mountain, the Bright Sky Formation will consume too much energy, and we won't be able to hold out for long. So, should we activate it ahead of schedule, or wait until Gu Guanqi enters the mountain?"

Wei Qi didn't hesitate and said decisively, "Of course we'll open it ahead of time! Once Gu Guanqi enters the mountain, with his cultivation level, we won't have a chance to activate the formation. Besides, as long as the sect leader returns to the mountain to recover for a while, and with the help of the Bright Sky Formation, we will definitely be able to kill Gu Guanqi."

Ou Lin and Li Xuan exchanged a glance and then nodded: "Then let's not delay, let's go to the Temple of the Sun and activate the Bright Array now."

66

The group immediately turned around and walked quickly toward the Temple of the Sun.

As dusk deepened, the copper bells on the eaves jingled softly in the wind.

Liu Yu walked through the crowd, his gaze lingering on Wei Qi's back for a moment before he quickened his pace to catch up, whispering, "High Priest."

Wei Qi turned his head to look at Liu Yu, and asked in confusion, "What's wrong?"

Liu Yu said, "I'm a little worried about the Sect Leader's recovery speed. The Bright Sky Formation is extremely taxing, and we can only hold out for an hour at most. I just received an urgent report from the sentries down the mountain. I heard that the Sect Leader was chased and hacked all the way by Gu Guanqi, and his injuries are very serious."

Wei Qi said, "Don't worry, as long as the sect leader enters the ancient temple, it will be restored quickly. There are miracles left by the Sun God there."

Upon hearing this, Liu Yu's expression relaxed slightly, and he then said, "In that case, I will go and keep watch over the ancient hall to prevent the sect leader from being disturbed later."

Wei Qi thought for a moment and said, "That's fine too. There are bound to be disloyal people in the temple. It would be troublesome if they wanted to take advantage of the situation."

"6

"I'll go now."

Immediately, Liu Yu turned and walked towards another passageway, his steps steady, and soon disappeared into the twilight and the shadows of the palace.

Wei Qi withdrew his gaze and led Ou Lin, Li Xuan, and Su Zheji towards the Temple of the Sun.

The wind suddenly picked up in the square, and the copper bells on the eaves jingled, one after another, echoing endlessly in the twilight of the mountains.

Just as the temple was frantically preparing to activate the great formation, Mo Xun on the other side was on the verge of collapse. He was in a sorry state, his robes were tattered and he was covered in blood.

He simply couldn't understand how Gu Guanqi could chase him for hundreds of miles without showing any signs of fatigue.

Others may not know, but he knows it perfectly well. Over the years, he has secretly cultivated evil cultivators and then seized their cultivation achievements. Among them, there are at least twenty or thirty evil cultivators who mainly cultivate innate Qi. He believes that his current accumulated cultivation level is unmatched in the world.

When he saw Gu Guanqi chasing after him, he was secretly pleased, thinking that he would fight back when Gu Guanqi was exhausted. However, he launched several counterattacks in the middle of the process, but not only did he fail, he also made his injuries worse.

Even now, he is almost exhausted, but Gu Guanqi is still relentlessly pursuing him, showing no signs of fatigue.

"What the hell kind of monster is this? What kind of internal energy does it cultivate? How can its power be so profound?"

Mo Xun cursed inwardly.

At this moment, he flew over a mountain peak, and looking into the distance, he saw Peach Mountain where the temple was located. He thought to himself, "We've been circling around here for almost an hour. They should have realized what's happening over there by now, right?"

As he ran, he glanced back and saw Gu Guanqi rapidly closing in. A surge of frustration rose within him; he cursed inwardly, "How did this guy cultivate to such a level? Even after several lifetimes, he couldn't possibly have such profound skill!"

In fact, Mo Xun was shocked by Gu Guanqi's profound skill, and Gu Guanqi was equally surprised by the depth of Mo Xun's skill.

Since his debut, he has encountered many masters, including those who stood at the top of the martial arts world, such as Zhang Jiexi, Yan Kunlun, and Qi Tianyang of the Hanyue Sect. These were all masters who had reached the Dao realm, or even beyond.

However, no one has ever been able to compete with him to this extent in terms of skill.

Having come from Yinchuan Gorge, they traveled hundreds of miles, crossing mountains and rivers. After arriving at this place, Mo Xun ran around in circles several times, without slowing down at all.

They even had the strength to launch several counterattacks along the way.

Even more outrageous is that Mo Xun was severely injured every time he tried to counterattack, yet he was still able to continue his attack despite his serious injuries.

In Gu Guanqi's view, Mo Xun could no longer be called human. Even if his physique had been improved many times, if he were seriously injured to this extent, he would definitely not be able to maintain Mo Xun's state.

After his Heavenly Silkworm Demon Art reached perfection, his physical condition also entered a realm that could be described as immortal. However, the speed at which his injuries recovered could not match Mo Xun's speed.

"The world is truly vast and full of wonders!"

Gu Guanqi felt a surge of emotion, but he didn't stop walking at all.

Just then, the energy between heaven and earth suddenly became disordered, as if a vortex was sucking away all the energy between heaven and earth and rapidly converging in a certain direction. Even the wind became sluggish and heavy.

Mo Xun was overjoyed.

A hint of joy finally appeared on his disheveled face, and he immediately flew quickly toward the direction where the energy was converging.

His speed was three points faster than before, like a golden flame that was about to go out, leaving a dim trail in the twilight.

Gu Guanqi pursued relentlessly, his clothes fluttering in the wind.

His gaze remained fixed on Mo Xun's back, never wavering for a moment.

Two figures, one after the other, swept past the last mountain ridge, crossed a low hill, and suddenly the view ahead opened up.

As dusk fell, a majestic mountain came into view.

The mountain is covered with peach trees, their dense groves obscuring the entire mountain range, spreading a dark, verdant green in the twilight. Hidden among the peach trees, palaces and pavilions rise in layers, their eaves and brackets sketching solemn and ancient silhouettes in the last rays of daylight.

At the foot of the mountain, a huge stone archway rises from the ground, with two powerful characters engraved in the center: "One God Temple".

Without pausing, Mo Xun's figure flashed like a streak of light as he passed over the archway and rushed straight toward the palace complex on the mountain.

At the same moment, in the vast peach forest, countless red-armored knights charged forward with overwhelming momentum, resonating with the energy between heaven and earth, as if the sky were descending.

Gu Guanqi stopped on a horizontal branch of an old peach tree in front of the archway, raised his head slightly, and looked down at the horizon above the mountaintop.

There, a huge array plate was slowly rotating.

The array plate shimmered with a pale golden luster, like a moon half-hidden by clouds. The intricate and precise patterns on its edges constantly absorbed the surrounding天地之金 (heaven and earth energy).

The Qi flowed like countless fine rivers, converging into the array plate from all directions, creating faint golden ripples on its surface.

His gaze narrowed slightly.

He could sense the immense power contained within the array plate—a terrifying energy compressed to its extreme and connected to the entire Peach Mountain's ley lines. Even more subtly, the array plate had completely disrupted the energy flow of this area. Like a gently flowing river artificially stirred into a whirlpool, the current had become chaotic and unpredictable.

Just then, the dull sound of iron hooves drew near.

The sound of warhorses pounding on the rocks was like the beating of drums, one after another, coming from afar and gathering together, eventually merging into a deafening roar.

As dusk fell, a dense horde of red-armored knights surged forth from the mountain path, their spears like a forest and their blades like snow, gleaming with a chilling light in the fading daylight.

The man at the front was burly, with a section of crimson robe peeking out from beneath his red armor, and he held a long, jet-black spear in his hand.

It was Su Zheji, the commander of the Divine Guard.

He reined in his warhorse inside the mountain gate. The horse stamped its hooves twice, exhaled a puff of white air, and then came to a steady stop. The hundreds of iron cavalry behind him also stopped almost at the same moment, their movements perfectly synchronized and their commands strictly obeyed.

Su Zheji raised his head slightly, his gaze piercing through the twilight and landing on the white figure standing on the peach branch. He was silent for a moment, then dismounted, slammed his spear into the ground, the butt of the spear sinking an inch into the yellow earth. He clasped his hands and solemnly bowed to Gu Guanqi, his voice ringing out: "Alliance Leader Gu, we meet again."

66

Gu Guanqi stood on a tree branch, his clothes fluttering gently in the wind, and said, "Your name is Su Zheji, right?"

Upon hearing this, Su Zheji said with a touch of emotion, "I never expected that Alliance Leader Gu would remember my name. It is truly my honor!"

Gu Guanqi said, "I didn't kill you a few days ago, are you sure you still want to stand in my way today?"

6

Su Zheji straightened up, grasped the shaft of the spear, met Gu Guanqi's gaze, sighed, and said, "I am grateful to Alliance Leader Gu for sparing my life that day. I also know that even with my Divine Guards, I am no match for Alliance Leader Gu."

But today is different from that day. That day I could run away at the first sign of trouble, but not today. As the commander of the Divine Guard, I have a duty to die for the temple. If Alliance Leader Gu insists on going up the mountain today, I have no choice but to fight to the death.

He paused, then lowered his voice even further, as if speaking to himself: "To uphold my loyalty and righteousness!"

6

Upon hearing this, Gu Guanqi nodded slightly, his tone remaining calm: "Alright, I'll grant your wish."

He didn't say another word.

In the next instant, his figure had disappeared from the tree branch.

The moment the Autumn Water Sword was drawn, a silvery-white streak exploded in the twilight.

The celestial sword light, like an inverted galaxy, carried an otherworldly charm and an unapproachable sharpness, falling straight towards the center of the armored formation.

Before the sword light arrived, the sword energy had already arrived.

However, the fine sword energy contained in this sword began to dissipate and disintegrate the moment it touched the area covered by the array plate, like snowflakes thrown into a raging fire, turning into nothingness in an instant.

Only a faint glint of sword light landed in the knights' formation, where it was stopped by the knights themselves.

At this moment, Gu Guanqi had already stepped into the area covered by the array and entered the temple gate.

He looked up at the array plate in the sky and could feel an extremely strong suppressive force within it. This suppression was not limited to the physical body but also included true qi and mental will; it was a comprehensive suppression.

Su Zheji mounted his horse, gripped his spear, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and said, "Alliance Leader Gu, you should have already sensed it. Within this great formation, your cultivation level will be suppressed to its limit, while the rest of us will be unaffected. I will remember your kindness in sparing my life. If you retreat now, I will not stop you; but if you insist on going up the mountain, you will surely die!"

Gu Guanqi smiled slightly and said, "Seeing how sincere you are, I'll spare your life today!"

"No need, Alliance Leader Gu should still be killed." Su Zheji sighed and said, "However, I still want to persuade you one last time. Alliance Leader Gu, you should leave. Anyone who comes to the Bright Sky Formation will perish here. If you retreat now, I can mediate and turn hostility into friendship!"

Gu Guanqi shook his head and said, "No need. This formation is good, but that's all it is. It's not enough to make me retreat!"

Su Zheji took a deep breath and said, "If that's the case, kill!"

The hundreds of iron cavalry responded in unison, their warhorses neighing, their iron hooves shattering the twilight, surging towards Gu Guanqi like a red tide of steel.

Spears were raised in unison, blades gleamed like snow, and the battle cries shook the heavens.

In that instant, Gu Guanqi charged into the fray, his longsword already swung out once more.

The second, third, and fourth sword strikes—each one precise and concise, without a single superfluous movement. He moved through the surging armor and gleaming cold light, like a white shadow swaying in the wind. With each flash of his sword, several or even dozens of people fell to the ground.

Iron armor was like rotten wood under his sword, and spears were shattered by the invisible sword energy before they could even touch him within three feet.

A knight charged forward on horseback, his lance aimed straight at his face. He casually swung his sword, and the knight and his horse were cleaved to the sides.

Two knights attacked him from both sides simultaneously, their blades slashing at his ribs. He didn't move his feet, his longsword drawing a perfect arc around him, the blades snapping in two with a crack, the broken pieces flying into the air. Both knights simultaneously had a line of blood bloom on their chests and fell from their horses.

More knights charged forward, a dense barrage of spear tips and blades attacking from all directions simultaneously.

Gu Guanqi rushed forward, and wherever he went, the clanging of metal against metal rang out densely. Sparks flew like fireflies in the twilight, and blood sprayed like rain. The peach forest seemed to have regressed to March, with the mountains covered in bright red.

With each sword strike, a large number of people fell.

The sounds of shattering armor, neighing warhorses, and the dull thuds of knights landing mingled together, creating a desolate cacophony in the twilight.

Blood stained large patches of dark red on the bluestone ground, shattered weapons and tattered flags were scattered all over the ground, and corpses lay strewn about in the open space in front of the mountain path.

The knights were like scarecrows thrown into a meat grinder; no matter how they charged or surrounded, they could never touch the hem of the white-clad figure's clothes.

In the short time it takes to drink a cup of tea, most of the hundreds of cavalrymen had been lost, and their morale was greatly low.

"kill!"

Su Zheji shouted loudly, no longer giving orders, but instead gripping his spear and charging forward himself.

In the blink of an eye, he rushed in front of Gu Guanqi. With a flick of his spear, the shaft hummed and, carrying a sharp gust of wind, thrust straight at Gu Guanqi's face.

The shot came incredibly fast; the tip of the gun gleamed coldly in the twilight, and the sound of it cutting through the air was sharp and piercing.

Gu Guanqi unleashed a sword strike.

With a clang, Su Zheji felt an overwhelming force surge through his spear shaft, as if he had been struck head-on by an invisible mountain. He was sent flying backward, tumbling several times in the air before landing on the ground, where his spear pressed against the earth, and he remained motionless.

The breastplate on his chest was dented, and a trickle of blood oozed from the corner of his mouth and flowed down his chin.

Immediately, Gu Guanqi swung his sword again, the sword energy surging like a mighty river.

The already demoralized red-armored knights could no longer hold on. Even with their unwavering faith in the temple, their morale reached its limit at this moment, completely collapsed, and they began to scatter and flee.

Gu Guanqi did not chase after the knights, but instead carried his sword and quickly walked up the mountain.

Su Zheji remained standing motionless, leaning on his spear.

As Gu Guanqi passed by him and stepped onto the stone steps.

Su Zheji's body went limp, and he fell backward to the ground, already lifeless.

Gu Guanqi, carrying a long sword, rushed forward at top speed.

At the same time, a dense sound of footsteps came from the mountain. Many disciples of the temple rushed over, led by Wei Qi, the Grand Priest of the Heavenly Gate, Ou Lin, the Grand Priest of the Earthly Gate, and the heads of each academy.

Wei Qi rushed to the front, shouting, "Believers of the Sun God, please join me in calling upon the Sun God to send down light and dispel the darkness!"

The next moment, everyone simultaneously formed hand seals and chanted incantations, their powerful energy rising up and drawing upon the energy of heaven and earth. In the void, the array plate began to rotate, emitting mechanical "click-clack" sounds.

Then, Gu Guanqi stepped over the stone steps and arrived at the square!

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