The blade's chilling light streaked across the sky.
Like a shooting star, or perhaps a plummeting meteor.
Song Wanning, however, remained unhurried. With a light tap of her foot, her figure flashed sideways several dozen feet. Her Flying Sword shot skyward, its blade glittering with a fiery red light. It carved an arc through the air as it slashed toward her opponent's midsection.
The two swords met. Instantly, sparks flew as the clang of metal echoed throughout the entire Heavenly Inquiry Sect.
A powerful wave of Spiritual Power surged outward. Wherever it passed, space itself twisted and warped, and a CRACKLING, tearing sound filled the air.
The massive vortex of Spiritual Energy forced the onlookers to retreat, their eyes fixed in terror on the two figures clashing at high speed above.
In just a few breaths, the two had already exchanged more than ten blows, moving so fast that they were a blur to the naked eye.
"Gods, they really are Nascent Soul Ancestors. If the dueling grounds weren't contained, half of us would've been blown away!"
"Thankfully, the two Grandmasters haven't completely lost their minds! Otherwise, we would surely die here today!"
"So this is the combat power of a Nascent Soul Cultivator? It's terrifying!"
"They all say Grandmaster Gu's Longsword sweeps through the Cultivation World, second to none. But from what I'm seeing, it looks like Grandmaster Song has the upper hand?"
"How is that possible? Grandmaster Gu has always been famous in the Cultivation World for his overwhelming combat prowess. But have you ever heard much about Grandmaster Song's reputation?"
"But..."
"That's because our Grandmaster Gu is going easy on her to spare her some face. If he were serious, Grandmaster Song probably couldn't even take three of his moves!"
"..."
The disciples gazed at the white figure in the sky with great adoration. Gu Qingyuan's fame was widespread, his name renowned throughout the entire Cultivation World, so they all believed he was holding back.
But at that moment, Gu Qingyuan was reeling. 'Only today,' he thought, 'am I discovering that Junior Sister's combat power is this incredible. She's not losing to me by a single hair.'
His gaze hardened. His hands moved in a blur, conjuring a shield of Spiritual Power that blocked several sword-shadows.
At that moment, Song Wanning's hand seals changed again. Her Longsword disintegrated in mid-air, transforming into countless fine threads of sword-light. Like nimble snakes, they slithered toward Gu Qingyuan, seeking to entangle him.
The two traded blows back and forth, evenly matched for the moment. The battle had entered a white-hot stage.
Watching the two fight as if they meant to kill each other, the Sect Master was a nervous wreck.
"What's gotten into Junior Sister Song today?"
"How could she bring herself to attack Gu Qingyuan?"
He was completely baffled, even bewildered.
'If Junior Sister Song's Divine Soul weren't stable, I'd suspect she'd been possessed!'
The Second Elder at his side scoffed. "She's been pushed this far. If Junior Sister Song could still endure it, she'd have to be a thousand-year-old turtle!"
"Junior Brother Gu is fickle and unfaithful. He should have been dealt with long ago!"
Most people wouldn't dare say such a thing, but she had no such qualms.
'Developing romantic feelings for his own disciple... Gu Qingyuan is a real pervert!'
The Sect Master shot her a glare. "Is this really the time for that? The priority is to make them stop!"
"Then you go do it!"
The Second Elder's remark was dripping with sarcasm. Gu Qingyuan and Song Wanning were both incredibly powerful, and they were furious. Whoever went up there would just get beaten up!
'No way I'm going.'
The Sect Master: "..."
This infuriating woman!!!
The elders all wore different expressions. Bai Yang, however, lay on the ground with a grim look on his face, waiting for the Elixir Pills to slowly heal his internal injuries.
'Senior Uncle Gu has to win. Otherwise, Junior Sister Ye will be in danger!'
But fate had other plans. In less than ten minutes, Gu Qingyuan was already showing signs of flagging and had taken a wound to his arm from Song Wanning.
The disciples were in an uproar, and the elders were stunned.
Gu Qingyuan's face darkened. He felt a mix of disbelief and stifling frustration.
'Ever since we were children, I've always been better than my Junior Sister!'
'No matter what we did, she was always the inferior one. Even when our Master praised her for her strong comprehension, I never agreed.'
'But reality had just slapped him hard across the face. He was struggling this much and still couldn't turn the tables.'
In his moment of dazed shock, Song Wanning struck again. With a swing of her Longsword, a massive rift was torn open in the sky. A colossal sword emerged from the void, chopping straight down.
It carried with it an endless hatred and killing intent that was terrifying to behold.
The swordsmanship Song Wanning originally cultivated was founded on killing intent. However, because Gu Qingyuan had spent years praising and admiring Ye Chuxue's innocence and kindness, Song Wanning had been forced to restrain herself, causing her swordsmanship to stagnate for years.
Now, her boundless killing intent and the malice deep within her heart had been fully awakened. She held nothing back, pouring it all into this single strike.
Let all that was yesterday die with yesterday.
Let all that is to come be born today.
A single strike to shatter the heavens.
The violent gales whipped everyone's robes about, making it hard for them to stay on their feet.
The immense pressure forced everyone to bow their heads, as if something was physically pressing them down.
Space was continuously twisted and torn, the CRACKLING sounds sending shivers through everyone's hearts.
A blinding light flashed, obscuring everyone's vision. When they could open their eyes again, Gu Qingyuan was plummeting from the sky.
THUD—
The figure crashed heavily to the ground. His white robes fluttered, the bloodstains upon them dazzlingly stark.
PFFT—
Gu Qingyuan had been stabbed in the chest. The wound was gushing blood, so deep that bone was visible.
It had missed his heart by a hair's breadth.
Song Wanning descended gracefully, then planted her elegant boot firmly on Gu Qingyuan's face.
In that moment, she crushed every last shred of his dignity.
Grinding it into the dirt.
The surroundings fell deathly silent. It was as if even the wind sensed the tense atmosphere and had stopped blowing.
PFFT—
Gu Qingyuan coughed up another mouthful of blood, his glacial eyes still filled with hatred.
He refused to accept this!
He could not accept being trampled under Song Wanning's foot.
But he was gravely injured. Under the pressure of Song Wanning's aura, he couldn't even move.
Rage surged through Gu Qingyuan, and he broke into a violent coughing fit.
'I can lose to anyone, but not to Song Wanning!'
"What, you refuse to accept it?"
Song Wanning knew Gu Qingyuan all too well. He was aloof and extraordinary, gifted from a young age. Though he had faced dangers along his path, it had been a relatively smooth journey.
Being trampled under her foot now was something he naturally couldn't accept.
"Song Wanning—"
Gu Qingyuan gritted his teeth, lifting his hate-filled eyes to look up at her.
The person who had always chased after him, trying to please him, was completely gone.
The Song Wanning before him now felt like a stranger, one he hated even more.
"Heh."
Song Wanning pressed down with her foot. Gu Qingyuan's face immediately contorted, becoming hideously ugly.
"Even if you don't accept it, you'll swallow it. If I wasn't taking into account that we are disciples of the same sect, you wouldn't even have the chance to speak right now!"
As she spoke, she kicked Gu Qingyuan in the face, sending him flying several meters away.
Silence!
A terrifying silence!
Which was instantly shattered by an uproar.
"Shit... Are my eyes playing tricks on me, or am I going crazy? Did I just see Grandmaster Song kick Grandmaster Gu and send him flying?"
"Oh my god, Grandmaster Song is so badass!!!!!"