Of course, Chen Ming was 100% confident he could defeat her. He arrogantly believed that even if she knew many techniques, her physique was that of a furnace cauldron. Knowing so many techniques, in the end, she would still have to serve others.
Furthermore, he was unaware that Gu Baizhi's cultivation had already reached the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm. He confidently believed that with his peak Foundation Establishment strength, he could easily defeat her. He didn't believe that Gu Baizhi, with her furnace-cauldron physique, could cultivate faster than him.
"It's a deal. If I win, you'll be my furnace."
"What if you lose? Do you think you won't lose?"
"That's for sure. I am the Sun Saint Body, and my physique is extraordinary. What ability do you, with your mere furnace physique, have to defeat me?"
How many times has she been called "furnace cauldron" today? If she'd known she'd be sick of hearing it, she wouldn't have participated in that spiritual power test. Gu Baizhi thought speechlessly.
"I don't care what you think, but if you lose, I want five years' worth of cultivation resources from Radiant Flame Peak. Are you willing to bet?"
"What is there to be afraid of?"
Chen Ming still had that arrogant attitude.
"Kid, you..."
"It's alright, Grandpa. You know my strength. Gu Baizhi, you have no room for backing out now. The bet has started, and I'm taking you as my furnace!"
"You guys! Forget it..."
The sect leader wanted to offer some words of advice, but seeing the situation, he knew that even if he tried to stop it, the duel would inevitably break out again soon. Moreover, he had already obtained the Earth-rank cultivation technique; whatever happened afterward was no longer his concern.
Seeing that the sect leader had not expressed his opinion, Gu Baizhi and Chen Ming resolutely stepped onto the dueling platform.
"Gu Baizhi, I'll give you one more chance. Admit defeat and become my furnace. If we were on the field, I wouldn't go easy on you just because you're a woman. I advise you to think carefully. Rather than being beaten into submission and becoming my furnace, I still recommend the first option."
Gu Baizhi just found it incredibly noisy.
"Are you done talking? Let's begin."
As the starting sound rang out, Chen Ming couldn't wait to thrust his sword at Gu Baizhi. Gu Baizhi condensed a light sword, gathering spiritual power, and a Bagua pattern appeared beneath her feet. This was an auxiliary sword technique.
She discovered that in this world, no matter what cultivation technique she used, it would be suppressed, greatly reducing her strength in terms of damage, precision, and spiritual energy consumption.
Gu Baizhi had no choice but to abandon those techniques that could kill in one move and instead choose some auxiliary techniques, such as the "Tai Chi Yin Yang Sword," which is a typical sword technique that uses softness to overcome hardness.
Chen Ming's attacks, which he thought were all deadly, were easily parried by Gu Baizhi's sword strokes, which were as still as a dragonfly on water, demonstrating the balance between yin and yang, softness and strength.
Chen Ming's physical strength and spiritual energy were constantly being depleted, and soon he began to pant heavily, but he still kept swinging his sword at Gu Baizhi, the blade falling like rain.
With the aid of the Tai Chi Yin-Yang Sword, Gu Baizhi, as if sensing something from a spider's eye, blocked all the falling swords. Then, taking advantage of Chen Ming's momentary lapse in concentration, she swung her sword down forcefully, knocking Chen Ming back.
Chen Ming was utterly incredulous. His attacks had all been blocked by Gu Baizhi. Each of his sword strikes was imbued with a considerable amount of spiritual energy, yet she had deflected them with a mere flick of her wrist?
"Impossible! How could I possibly lose to a mere furnace cauldron? I can't lose! I can't lose!"
After saying that, red flames appeared beside his body, and his Pure Yang Holy Body began to erupt. He chose to burn his cultivation and gamble everything.
"Ming'er, absolutely not!"
His grandfather called out anxiously.
But Chen Ming had already lost his mind.
Chen Ming kept swinging his sword at Gu Baizhi, and she suddenly felt a little overwhelmed. It wasn't because Chen Ming's strength had increased and made it difficult for her to defend herself, but because the strange suppressive force was stronger than before.
Just as Chen Ming unleashed his fatal sword strike on Gu Baizhi, Gu Baizhi channeled all her magical power, simultaneously using the "Northern Darkness Devouring Heaven Technique" and the "Taiyin Sword Technique." She had read this in her previous life to pass the time, as it was a technique suitable for women, something she had no need for back then. Later, she refined it further to teach Yan'er and Bingqing, never expecting to actually use it herself now.
Yin and Yang are mutually restraining; the Taiyin Sword Technique, to a certain extent, counterbalances the Taiyang Sacred Body.
Chen Ming saw that even his last trump card had been defeated by Gu Baizhi.
"superior!"
He shouted loudly to the audience.
Suddenly, two other heroes from the audience drew their swords and thrust them at Gu Baizhi.
"Stop!" the sect leader shouted. He was about to cast a spell to stop them, but they were too fast; they had already climbed onto the platform and were thrusting their swords at Gu Baizhi. Gu Baizhi leaped high into the air, dodging their attack.
"Sister, be careful!"
Xiao Yin called out anxiously.
Suddenly, Chen Ming thrust a sword at Gu Baizhi. She had no time to dodge and was about to use the "Nine Heavens Free and Unfettered Wandering" technique when she discovered that the spiritual power she had painstakingly accumulated had suddenly disappeared.
Chen Ming thrust his sword into Gu Baizhi's lower abdomen.
"elder sister!!!"
Just as Gu Baizhi was about to fall to the ground, she used all her spiritual power to unleash a thunderous sword aura at them, the immense power blasting the three of them away from the arena.
Gu Baizhi also fell from the sky, collapsed to the ground, and gradually lost consciousness.
The so-called three heroes were controlled by the sect's protectors.
Xiao Yin rushed anxiously to Gu Baizhi's side, crying.
The sect leader also came down to check on her injuries.
"Elder Li of Danfeng, come and check on Fellow Daoist Gu's injuries."
"Is my sister alright?"
Xiao Yin looked at Elder Danfeng while crying.
"Fellow Daoist Gu's injuries are not serious, but the internal bone has been lacerated. Taking this pill will suffice."
With that, he gently drew his sword and placed a pill into Gu Baizhi's mouth. The moment the pill was swallowed, her wound began to slowly heal, and her furrowed brows gradually relaxed.
What Gu Baizhi didn't know was that this sword cut into her internal bones, and her innate allure began to gradually unleash, showing an unstoppable momentum.
Just as Xiao Yin was about to help Gu Baizhi to a place to rest, Zhou Qianqian arrived.
"Xiaoyin, let me handle this. I'll take you to White Lotus Peak."
Zhou Qianqian looked at them with a hint of self-reproach.
"Don't blame me for getting hurt. You don't need to touch me anymore!"
Xiao Yin shouted loudly at Zhou Qianqian.
Zhou Qianqian didn't know what to say for a moment, because their Heavenly Sword Sect was indeed in the wrong in this matter.
"Then I'll take you to White Lotus Peak..."
Zhou Qianqian said somewhat humbly.
"good!"
This time, Xiaoyin didn't refuse, because her sister needed to rest, and she needed to find a place where her sister could recuperate as soon as possible.
"Then let's draw our swords!"
After saying that, Xiao Yin helped Gu Baizhi walk towards the flying sword.
On their way to White Lotus Peak, Gu Baizhi exuded a seductive aura that was more than a hundred times stronger than before.
"It smells so good!" Xiaoyin thought to herself, and then she smelled her sister's scent again.
It really did emanate from my older sister.
This seems to be the same special fragrance my sister had last time, except that it was only faint before, but this time it's so strong.
Zhou Qianqian also smelled it, and she was now completely captivated by the scent, which almost caused her to collide with the oncoming swordsman.
Xiao Yin and the swordsman scolded her until she came to her senses.
"What is this smell? I'm so captivated, I want to keep smelling it."