The flash gradually dissipated, and Liu Chen slowly opened his eyes. His gaze was as sharp as an eagle's, fixed intently on Zhou Tong not far away. At this moment, Liu Chen's face showed an unprecedented gravity and focus.
He took a deep breath, without the slightest hesitation, and swiftly activated another Gu in his body—the Flying Sword Gu. In an instant, a cold, gleaming Flying Sword shot out like an arrow from a bowstring, speeding towards Zhou Tong with astonishing velocity.
"Swift Lightning Gu!"
The moment Liu Chen opened his eyes, Zhou Tong immediately felt immense pressure. He knew something was wrong and, without hesitation, activated the movement Gu on his body. His speed instantly increased several times, and he charged towards Liu Chen like lightning, attempting to gain the initiative.
However, Liu Chen was prepared. He activated the Thunderstrike Gu again, and a terrifying ball of lightning instantly gathered on his fist, shining with dazzling light. Seeing this, Zhou Tong dared not be complacent and used all his strength to strike the ball of lightning hard against Liu Chen's Sword Shield.
With a loud bang, the Sword Shield didn't move an inch! Zhou Tong's face immediately showed a look of astonishment; he had not expected Liu Chen's Sword Shield to be so sturdy.
However, in the instant of Zhou Tong's astonishment, the Flying Sword Gu had already passed through his body like a ghost. Zhou Tong's eyes widened, his face filled with disbelief. He didn't even have time to let out a scream before he fell straight onto the arena.
"Wow, that speed is too fast!"
"My goodness, Zhou Tong was so vulnerable, just easily taken down like that?"
"You know, he's a Three-Cycle Gu Master! With just his Third Rank defensive Gu, an ordinary Two-Cycle Gu Master wouldn't be able to break through it. Moreover, I saw the strength and Aura Liu Chen displayed in the battle just now; he's probably already reached the Peak of Third Rank. With such strength, let alone in the Martial Arts Arena of the Fifth Inner City, even in the Martial Arts Arena of the Third Inner City, there probably aren't many who could be his opponent!"
As the battle ended, the surrounding audience erupted like a boiling pot, whispering and discussing amongst themselves.
The referee Gu Master, seeing Zhou Tong instantly killed, immediately rushed onto the arena without hesitation. He quickly checked Zhou Tong's injuries, and after confirming that he had not sustained a fatal wound, he began to treat him.
"You can choose a Gu as your spoils of war," the referee Gu Master said, turning to Liu Chen.
Liu Chen nodded expressionlessly upon hearing this, then walked to Zhou Tong's side and, without hesitation, reached into his Aperture. Among the many Gu, Liu Chen's gaze finally landed on the Second Rank Thunderstrike Gu.
This Gu was Zhou Tong's Natal Gu, and Liu Chen's choice of it was also a punishment for Zhou Tong's previous actions.
Having his Natal Gu taken away was undoubtedly adding insult to injury for Zhou Tong. Already severely wounded, his body could no longer withstand such a huge blow. He suddenly spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, like a blooming blood flower, and then his body, like a puppet with broken strings, fell straight down, unconscious.
However, Liu Chen did not hesitate. He didn't even spare a glance for Zhou Tong, who lay on the ground, and resolutely turned and left the Martial Arts Arena. As if none of this concerned him, his mind was only on the next match.
With the lesson from this battle, Liu Chen became even more cautious. He knew that on the arena, any slight oversight could lead to failure, or even danger to his life. Therefore, he decided that in every future battle, he would no longer be careless and must go all out.
Facts proved Liu Chen's decision was correct. In the subsequent battles, he displayed astonishing strength and skill. Every move he made was as swift and accurate as lightning, giving his opponents no chance to breathe. In almost an instant, his opponents were easily defeated by him, without even the power to fight back.
In this way, Liu Chen triumphed all the way, winning battle after battle. In just half a month, he successfully advanced to the Martial Arts Arena of the Third Inner City, becoming the focus of everyone's attention. His reputation soared, and some even gave him a resounding title—Flying Sword Master.
To better conduct arena battles, Liu Chen decided to rent a small courtyard in the Third Inner City. Although the courtyard was not large, its environment was quiet and very suitable for him to Cultivate. The daily rent was thirty Origin Stones, which might be expensive for ordinary people, but for Liu Chen, it was merely a drop in the ocean.
The courtyard was named Bright Moon Garden.
Every morning, he would wake up early, come to the courtyard, sit cross-legged, and begin to Cultivate. In his palm, the bright silver True Essence gathered continuously like a clear spring. Then, he carefully poured this True Essence into the Heaven Essence Sword Embryo Gu, which had already formed a cocoon.
This Heaven Essence Sword Embryo Gu had been fed nearly a hundred thousand Origin Stones by Liu Chen, and even the Elder Gu had been eaten by it. After a long period of nourishment, it finally ushered in the opportunity for a Third Rank Breakthrough.
As the silver True Essence continuously poured in, the cocoon formed by the Heaven Essence Sword Embryo Gu, like a spider web ravaged by a storm, became covered with dense cracks.
Suddenly, with a crisp "crack," the cocoon seemed to no longer be able to withstand the powerful force and instantly burst open, with a dazzling white light gushing out from within.
Under the illumination of that white light, a precious sword, like Lantian white jade, slowly emerged. This precious sword was entirely white, without a single flaw. The sword body shimmered with a faint cold light, and the hilt was carved with exquisite patterns, exuding an ancient and mysterious Aura.
This, then, was the Third Rank Heaven Essence Treasure Sword Gu!
Through this promotion, the Heaven Essence Treasure Sword Gu finally completed a complete transformation. The Sword Embryo, which could originally only be wielded as an ordinary weapon, now finally displayed its true power.
This Heaven Essence Treasure Sword Gu was carefully nourished by Liu Chen with Origin Stones. It not only possessed the same ability as the Heaven Essence Treasure Lotus Gu—it could directly absorb external Origin Qi to restore the Gu Master's own True Essence—but because it also swallowed the Elder Gu, it also had the function of storing Origin Stones.
"This Nameless True Inheritance truly makes me feel its wonder the more I Cultivate it," Liu Chen carefully put the Heaven Essence Treasure Sword Gu back into his Aperture, and couldn't help but marvel more and more at the Nameless True Inheritance he had obtained from the beginner's treasure chest.
As he continuously Cultivated the Nameless True Inheritance, he increasingly found the profound mysteries it contained to be endless, as if they could never be fully explored.