Chapter 43

No one had expected that the battle between Gu Fei and Dongfang Chen would come to a decisive moment in an instant. The scene unfolded so quickly that it left the spectators on the ninth arena in shock.

Transforming his fist into a claw, Gu Fei then hooked his opponent's wrist, pulling him forward, and simultaneously punched his left fist into the opponent's abdomen without hesitation. Gu Fei's series of movements were fluid and seamless, executed with extreme speed, as if he had planned them in advance.

However, during the confrontation, the situation changed in an instant. It was impossible for Gu Fei to predict how Dongfang Chen would attack. Gu Fei did not have the ability to foresee the future, so his reaction was merely an instinct of a martial artist, allowing him to use the most direct, practical, and effective combat techniques in an instant.

The moment Dongfang Chen's wrist was seized by Gu Fei, he realized that he had been too arrogant. He thought that after being defeated by Lin Xuer of the Shangqing Sect a year ago, and then focusing on cultivation, his cultivation had improved significantly, allowing him to easily defeat his opponent. However, he was given a rude awakening the moment they engaged, putting him in a difficult situation. This not only shocked him but also made him extremely angry.

"Roar!" The moment Gu Fei's fist hit Dongfang Chen's abdomen, a roar of anger erupted from his throat. A powerful force burst forth from within him, and a brilliant golden light enveloped his body.

"Bang!" With a loud noise, Gu Fei's fist struck Dongfang Chen's abdomen with great force. The immense power stored in his fist erupted like a flood, creating visible ripples that spread out from the point of impact. "Peng!" His upper clothing was instantly torn into pieces by the force of Gu Fei's punch, flying everywhere.

Gu Fei deliberately wanted to make Dongfang Chen look bad, so he did not hold back in this punch, even though it was a competition among fellow disciples. The powerful punch sent Dongfang Chen flying into the air.

Amid the gasps of the crowd below, Dongfang Chen tumbled through the air, falling off the arena in a parabolic trajectory. As soon as his feet touched the ground below the arena, he would be declared the loser.

"Disciple!" Dan Yang, Dongfang Chen's master, could no longer maintain his composure and shouted in alarm. However, this was the Nine Pulse Examination, and Dan Yang could only watch helplessly; he was absolutely not allowed to intervene.

"Is Dongfang Chen going to lose like this?" Li Lingfeng, who was watching the match from a distance, felt surprised and became wary of Gu Fei's fierce combat skills.

"This is the combat technique of the Cui Ling Peak lineage? Interesting. When fighting this person, I must never let him get close." Zi Yu, a delicate and beautiful young man standing beside Li Lingfeng, watched the scene with interest.

Just as everyone thought Dongfang Chen was about to lose, a golden, glowing armor appeared on his body. At the same time, a golden light burst forth from his body as his upper clothing was torn into pieces, resembling white butterflies fluttering in the air.

Dongfang Chen, who was flying backward, quickly cast a series of hand seals. The golden light immediately spread out, and only then did the crowd realize that it was not just golden light but a golden artifact.

The artifact was crescent-shaped, circular, like a full moon with the inner part removed, leaving a sharp, unbroken edge. There was also a gap in the edge.

The moment this artifact appeared, the high-ranking disciples of Tai Xuan Sect knew that Dongfang Chen had temporarily escaped the losing situation.

Sure enough, the crescent-shaped artifact, which had grown to the size of a face, flew to Dongfang Chen's feet with a "whoosh" and lifted him just as he was about to hit the ground.

"Golden Moon Wheel?" Xuan Tian, sitting on his throne, frowned when he saw this. "Hmph! It seems my junior brothers are doing everything they can to ensure their disciples win."

"Xuan Fa Senior Brother, isn't that your artifact, the Golden Moon Wheel?" The words of Chaoyang Daoist, the head of Shaoyang Peak, sounded sour to the ears of the other lineage heads.

Li Hao, a disciple of Shaoyang Peak, had been defeated by Gu Fei without even using his artifact, which made Chaoyang Daoist feel humiliated. He hoped that the disciples of Biyun Peak would also lose to Gu Fei.

"Hmph!" Xuan Fa Daoist's face showed a hint of displeasure. As the host of the Nine Pulse Examination, he felt that Chaoyang Daoist was accusing him of favoring his own disciples.

Seeing that Xuan Fa Daoist did not respond, Chaoyang Daoist redirected his attention to the ninth arena, eager to see how Gu Fei would deal with the counterattack from Dongfang Chen.

The match between Gu Fei and Dongfang Chen also drew the attention of the high-ranking officials of Tai Xuan Sect, as it was not just a regular match but a confrontation between a martial artist and a cultivator.

Dongfang Chen, riding the Golden Moon Wheel, the supreme treasure of Biyun Peak, rose into the air and returned to the arena. He silently wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his eyes filled with a fierce gaze as he stared at Gu Fei. Then, with a powerful kick, he launched the Golden Moon Wheel directly at Gu Fei.

The Golden Moon Wheel, enveloped in golden light, transformed into a golden blade, spinning rapidly as it cut toward Gu Fei's waist. Meanwhile, Dongfang Chen, wearing the golden armor, flipped in the air and landed on the arena.

A faint fist mark was clearly visible on the abdomen of the golden armor, a testament to the impact of Gu Fei's punch. Even with the armor, Dongfang Chen had suffered a strong shock, and the force of the punch had caused internal injuries.

"Swish!" Gu Fei, stepping in the Eight Directions Step, left a residual image behind and dodged the golden blade, then moved toward Dongfang Chen, his powerful aura surging forward. His body was filled with surging energy, and his skin appeared translucent, as if covered by a faint, colorful glow. The Five Elements' power surged beneath his skin.

The Golden Moon Wheel, after dispersing the residual image, turned in the air like a leech and attacked Gu Fei from behind. At the same time, Dongfang Chen cast hand seals, and a massive wave of magical power surged from his body. He continuously launched golden lightning bolts at Gu Fei, causing thunder to roar and golden snakes to dance on the arena.

Dongfang Chen, having learned from his mistake, was determined not to let Gu Fei get close. His magical attacks and the assistance of the artifact seemed to give him a significant advantage.

"Supreme treasure of Biyun Peak, the Golden Moon Wheel? Watch me break your artifact!" This time, Gu Fei did not dodge the Golden Moon Wheel coming from behind. Without even turning his head, he extended his left hand backward and grabbed the Golden Moon Wheel directly. At the same time, he pushed his right hand forward, and a golden aura surged from his palm, blocking the golden lightning bolts coming from the front.

The crowd below was shocked to see Gu Fei attempt to grab the Golden Moon Wheel with his bare hands. How could a physical body withstand the power of the supreme treasure of Biyun Peak?

When the Tai Xuan Sect disciples watching the match thought Gu Fei was insane, Xuan Tian, sitting on the steps at the front of the square, revealed a barely noticeable smile.