Chapter 59: The Battle of Huiwu

  Gǔ Tài's all-out slash was even more powerful than the one he had unleashed against Gǔ Chén in the clan trials back in April. The sword aura extended nearly three zhang, and the sword energy exploded out over ten zhang, forming a gigantic illusory giant knife that sliced through the air, creating a shimmering light screen that seemed to split the very air itself in two.

  The crowd on the platform suddenly raised their eyes and lifted their spirits.

  Liu Changsheng no longer had his previous smile, but a solemn expression instead.

  Gu Tai's knife came extremely fast, and in the blink of an eye it had already chopped down towards his head. The illusory shadow of the knife enveloped a range of ten zhang in front of and behind Liu Changsheng, and three zhang to his left and right, pouncing on him from all sides like a landslide from heaven.

  Liu Changsheng's eyes narrowed, and the five golden hoops instantly enlarged, becoming larger than his body by a full circle. They encased his body, emitting waves of golden light that formed a protective shield around him.

  Immediately, Liu Changsheng's body dodged to the left because he had poured all his innate true energy into the Five Elements Ring. Liu Changsheng's dodging speed was not fast and only barely avoided Gu Tai's knife aura, but was struck right on by the illusory knife energy.

  Gǔ Tài's knife aura and Liǔ Chángshēng's golden light shield were both formed from the primordial true energy, but when they intersected, a deafening crash shook the sky. The golden light shield emitted a bell-like sound, while Gǔ Tài's knife aura was like chopping into a giant bell.

  Although the sound was loud, the golden light shield formed by the five golden rings did not dissipate and remained intact. These five golden rings were a mid-grade defensive artifact, and their defensive power was indeed extraordinary. Gu Tai's cultivation was one level higher than Liu Changsheng's, and the Drunken Jade Knife in his hand was also a mid-grade artifact. However, within a short period of time, he couldn't inflict any damage on Liu Changsheng!

  He, a dignified second-layer Heaven's Chosen cultivator, was humiliated by a first-layer Heaven's Chosen cultivator in front of everyone, and ended up being completely helpless against this first-layer Heaven's Chosen cultivator.

  Gu Tai flew into a rage, and with a wave of his Jade Knife, he struck again, this time slashing horizontally at Liu Changsheng.

  Liu Changsheng relied on the defensive Five Metal Rings to dodge Gu Tai's knife aura, and every time he withstood the attack of the knife energy, he resisted it...

  In the blink of an eye, Gu Tai had launched dozens of consecutive attacks, each one with a powerful and majestic aura, shocking in its might. Liu Changsheng dodged each of Gu Tai's slashes, relying on the Five Metal Ring to withstand the knife energy's assault.

  After a long time, the golden light shield outside Liu Changsheng's body was slashed by Gu Tai's knife energy dozens of times, and finally showed a dim color. The golden light gradually dissipated, and Liu Changsheng's face also gradually became painful.

  Gǔ Tài was also panting heavily due to his consecutive attacks with all his might, and with each slash, a large amount of essence was lost. As he saw the golden glow surrounding Liu Changsheng begin to dim, Gǔ Tài's heart was filled with excitement, and the primordial true energy in his body surged wildly, consuming a large amount of essence, and bursting out an even more powerful strike.

  Facing Gu Tai's one knife after another, Liu Changsheng dodged four or five knives. Finally, this knife, Gu Tai's knife energy cut on the golden light shield, and at the same time of the huge impact, Liu Changsheng's golden light shield was also chopped apart. His body flew backwards like a kite with a broken string, and crashed outside the arena.

  The first round, Gu Tai won, Liu Changsheng lost...

  "Willow family's young master, it turns out that you're the useless one..." Gu Tai stood on the stage, pointing at Liu Changsheng who was thrown to the ground by Jade Knife, and shouted loudly.

  Just then, the Innate True Qi had been used too vigorously earlier, and Gu Tai had almost brought out 100% of his strength. The Innate True Qi in his body was still surging uncontrollably, and he had just knocked Liu Changsheng off the stage. Before calming down the surging Innate True Qi, Gu Tai hastily shouted at Liu Changsheng, and the Innate True Qi rushed into his mouth all at once.

  "Cough, cough, cough..." A violent fit of coughing, Gu Tai covered his chest, his body swaying, almost falling to the ground. After more than a dozen breaths, the turmoil of his innate true energy finally subsided.

  At that moment, many of the third-generation descendants of the Liu family burst out laughing loudly. Gu Tai felt his face burning with shame, and he had made such a big fool of himself on the stage in front of everyone, feeling utterly humiliated.

  The first round was a battle between the Liu and Gu families, so next up were three generations of the Yun family.

  Yun family's Yun Xiang appeared on the stage with a flash of his sword, and he landed on the stage, cupping his fists: "Yun Xiang of the Yun family, seeking guidance from Brother Gu..."

  Although Gu Yun and Liu's family had a good relationship, they often worked together to counter the Liu family, but in the martial arts competition between the three families, it was also inevitable.

  Even if it's a failure, the second and third results are different. The second only loses one-tenth of the family business, while the third has to lose two-tenths of the family business. Therefore, even if they can't surpass the Liu family, the Gu and Yun families must go all out for this second and third place competition.

  However, due to Gu Cangyue and Yun Jinghong's friendship, Yun Xiang was very polite to Gu Tai, and there were no condescending words like earlier with Liu Changsheng.

  Gu Tai had just fought a battle with Liu Changsheng and won, but he had consumed a lot of his vital energy. Yun Xiang was also at the first level of Xiantian cultivation and had participated in the Sanjia Martial Arts Gathering, where he had obtained a mid-grade artifact.

  Although his cultivation was one level lower than Gu Tai's, he couldn't easily defeat him just like Liu Changsheng.

  This battle lasted for a short while longer, and Gu Tai also used his full strength to defeat Yun Xiang.

  Guo Tai won two consecutive games, his footsteps were a bit unstable, but there was no discomfort on his face, only an excited smile, he won two consecutive games, feeling extremely comfortable.

  However, the people on the ancient family's viewing platform looked at Gu Tai and shook their heads. He was a cultivator in the second layer of the Innate Realm, but he had already consumed a lot of his vital energy after fighting two cultivators in the first layer of the Innate Realm. His footsteps were already unstable, and this third match might be his last.

  After Yun Xiang's defeat, the Liu family sent another person. This person also had a cultivation base of First Heaven Layer, but he appeared after Liu Changsheng, indicating that his strength was even more superior to Liu Changsheng's.

  As soon as he came on stage, he immediately engaged in a fierce battle with Gu Tai.

  The Liu family's children also saw that Gu Tai's vital energy was lost too heavily, and his cultivation had already failed to bring out 60 or 70% of its power. Moreover, the longer he fought, the lower the strength Gu Tai could exert would be.

  At first, the Liu family's young master kept dodging Gu Tai's attacks. After Gu Tai launched over a dozen strikes, the Liu family's young master suddenly changed his defensive stance and launched a fierce counterattack against Gu Tai. He also wielded a mid-grade artifact, and his attacking power was not inferior to that of an ordinary Second Heaven Realm cultivator.

  Gǔ Tài saw the young master of the Liu family finally willing to fight him head-on, and his heart was greatly delighted. However, he immediately felt a huge shock. As their blades clashed, Gǔ Tài was actually forced back five or six steps. It was only then that he realized, although he had attained the Second Layer of the Innate Realm, due to the loss of his essence, the Innate True Qi within him had been depleted, and he could only exert about fifty percent of his actual strength.

  The young master of the Liu family was ruthless, and with one sword after another, he launched a fierce attack on Gu Tai. Gu Tai parried over a dozen swords, but ultimately was knocked off the stage and fell under it.

  The third game, Guo Tai lost.

  Up to now, the Gu, Yun and Liu families have each eliminated one person. It seems that the three families are temporarily in a stalemate, but in fact, the Gu family has suffered a great loss.

  Yun and Liu families were eliminated, but they were the weakest among the four who went to war. Gu Tai, however, had a cultivation base of Xiantian Realm Second Layer, and at least on the surface, he was the strongest among the four who went to war from the Gu family. Yet, he was eliminated together with the opponent's weakest son.

  His face was as cold as a frozen pool, yet he had lost to a cultivator of the First Heaven again. This time, even he himself wondered if he was truly a useless person.

  Gu Xian stroked his beard and glanced at Gu Chen, saying: "Gu Chen, fortunately you're still here. Otherwise... humph..."

  Obviously, Gu Xian was extremely dissatisfied with Gu Tai's performance.

  Gu Tai lowered his head and stood behind Gu Cang Yue, a young man in his early twenties, but at this moment he looked like a child who had done something wrong.

  Gu Cangyue's anger was stirred in his heart, thinking how he had given birth to such a foolish son. He looked at Gu Chen with a sigh of regret in his heart.

  "Gǔ Tài, you've already won two rounds, that's quite impressive! Don't be discouraged... when I was your age, I wasn't even as good as you!" Seeing Gǔ Tài with his head hung low, only the Great Elder looked at him with a gaze of admiration and praise.

  Gǔ Tài was defeated and stepped down from the stage, and a member of the Yún family came up to take his place. Although the young master of the Liǔ family had been defeated by Gǔ Tài, he had also unleashed his greatest strength, but now he was defeated again at the hands of the Yún family's young master.

  The Liu family has eliminated two people.

  After the Liu family's children lost, Gu Kun took the stage. These children were all at the first level of Xiantian realm and had reached the peak of the first layer. Their strength was not much different, but winning one game would consume a large amount of Jingyuan, and by the next game, they basically lost.

  Gu Kung wins, Yun family's children lose. At this point, both the Yun and Liu families have eliminated two people each, and for now, the Gu family has a temporary advantage.

  However, the advantage soon disappeared. The young master who took the stage this time was a second-layer innate cultivator of the Liu family, and he was the third generation of the Liu family, next only to Liu Baisheng. Gu Kun had already experienced one battle and easily lost to the second-layer innate cultivator of the Liu family.

  The next cloud family children come on stage and lose again.

  Gu Heng took the stage and had a fierce battle with Liu's family disciple. Both sides had mid-grade artifacts, but when Liu's family disciple defeated Gu Kun, he didn't consume much energy at all. It was only in the previous match against Yun's family disciple that he had a big fight, and his vital energy consumption wasn't severe. Gu Heng also lost to Liu's family disciple.

  Up to this point, both Gu and Yun families have eliminated three people. The Gu family only has Gu Chen left, while the Yun family only has Yun Xuan left.

  The Liu family had a second-layer Pre-Heavenly stage junior on the arena, and below the arena, there was also a fourth-layer Pre-Heavenly stage Liu Baisheng who had not yet appeared.

  A smile appeared on Liu Huayuan's face. This time, the three families will compete in martial arts, and the Liu family... is sure to win. Whether the Gu family comes second or third, they will have to hand over a portion of their business to the Liu family.

  "Beidai Mountain mine... This time I've made up my mind." thought Liu Huayuan.

  Gu Heng lost, and it was the turn of the Yun family to take the stage. Yun Xuan immediately appeared on the arena, having already entered the third layer of the Pre-Heavenly Boundary before the New Year. The Liu family disciples on the arena were only at the second layer of the Pre-Heavenly Boundary, and had already fought two battles in a row.

  The situation is very good for Yunxuan.

  Yun Xuan landed on the platform, and after greeting the young master of the Liu family, a small green triangular flag suddenly appeared in his hand. He pointed the green flag at the young master of the Liu family, and in an instant, a strong wind blew, and a ten-meter-long green snake suddenly rushed out of the wind and pounced on the young master of the Liu family.

  The green python arrived extremely quickly, the young master of the Liu family swung his sword to block it, spitting out a mouthful of fresh blood. His body suddenly became like a kite with its string cut off, flying backward and out for over twenty yards before crashing to the ground.

  Just one move, Yun Xuan knocked the second-layer Quanxian of the Liu family out of the arena and injured him.

  Gu Xian's eyebrows furrowed, and the strength of this Yunxuan was actually so strong that it didn't consume even half a bit of his vital energy in the fight against the Liu family's young master. Next, Gu Chen took the stage...

  Although Gu Chen won against Gu Tai, Yun Xuan and Gu Tai are completely on different levels.

  Everyone looked at Gu Chen and began to worry about him.