Chapter 68

In the bamboo grove at the foot of Cui Ling Peak, there was a clear and tranquil lake. Occasionally, a mountain breeze would blow, causing the bamboo to sway and the leaves to rustle with a soft, whispering sound.

Suddenly, a rustling noise came from the bamboo grove. Someone was moving quickly through the bamboo, startling several birds that took flight and flew away into the distance.

"Whoosh!" A figure appeared by the lake and, without any hesitation, leaped into the water. "Splash!" The once calm and smooth lake, resembling a piece of jade, was instantly stirred up, creating waves. The tranquility of the lake was thoroughly disrupted by this person's arrival.

"Swish!" Water splashed as a figure emerged from the lake.

The area around Cui Ling Peak was the cultivation ground for the Cui Ling Peak lineage of the Tai Xuan Nine Veins. At this late hour, it was absolutely impossible for disciples from other lineages to be here.

The person who had plunged into the lake was none other than Gu Fei. At this moment, he was swimming in the lake, washing away the bloodstains from his body. The cool lake water not only cleansed his body but also seemed to purify his soul.

Gu Fei's mind was now at peace, and the tension that had been building up over the past few days was completely relaxed without him even realizing it. Then, he began to practice the ancient mystic technique in the lake. Everything seemed natural, and Gu Fei did not force himself into cultivation; his body naturally responded in this way.

Subsequently, the entire lake surface began to ripple, and threads of spiritual energy gathered and fluctuated. Gu Fei was enveloped in a misty layer, and his figure became blurry.

Gradually, Gu Fei stopped moving on the lake surface and submerged to the bottom. However, the thin layer of mist on the lake surface did not dissipate, and the lake water became calm again.

Gu Fei entered a mysterious realm, seemingly merging with the surrounding lake water. The fish swimming in the lake were not afraid of this intruder and continued to swim around him.

This feeling was very peculiar, as if he could sense the aura of heaven and earth. In a daze, Gu Fei felt his own aura truly blend into the universe, becoming a part of it.

This was a profound martial realm similar to enlightenment. He no longer needed to breathe, as his pores opened and closed, allowing him to enter an internal breathing state. Endless spiritual energy was absorbed through his skin into his body, while impurities were naturally expelled through his pores.

In this unconscious, dreamlike state, Gu Fei's body was stimulated to develop a special ability. As long as he was not in an absolute vacuum, he would not suffocate.

After an unknown amount of time, Gu Fei opened his eyes, rose from the lake bottom, and surfaced. In the east, a rising red sun hung high above the mountains, bathing him in the brilliant morning light.

However, the moment he surfaced, Gu Fei sensed something was amiss. Without hesitation, he "whooshed" out of the lake like a fish.

"Li Lingfeng?" In an instant, Gu Fei appeared by the lake and identified the source of the anomaly.

Beside a cluster of bamboo, a young man in white stood. He had an ordinary appearance, but this unremarkable youth made Gu Fei feel a sense of danger.

"Gu Fei, did you spend the entire night cultivating in the lake?" A hint of surprise flashed in Li Lingfeng's eyes.

When did Li Lingfeng arrive? Gu Fei wondered. He was in a profound martial realm and did not notice Li Lingfeng's arrival, which made him a bit uneasy.

Gu Fei shook his wet, long hair and walked towards Li Lingfeng with a faint smile. The wounds on his body had already disappeared, and his skin shone with a crystalline luster, as if he had never been injured.

"Peeking at someone's cultivation is a great taboo, you should know that!" Gu Fei approached step by step, and the aura emanating from his body gradually intensified.

Li Lingfeng's face changed, but he quickly smiled and said, "You're looking for an excuse to fight me, but unfortunately, I don't want to fight you right now."

The first competition on the platform yesterday did not satisfy Gu Fei, as the platform was too small to allow a full-scale battle. When Li Lingfeng's Eight Trigram Divine Power was unleashed, it covered the entire platform, leaving no place for Gu Fei to hide, and he was trapped in the Eight Trigrams.

If not confined to the platform, Gu Fei could have avoided the Eight Trigrams and would not have been forced to fight to the death from the start.

Now, encountering Li Lingfeng again, Gu Fei felt a bit itchy for a fight.

"Hmph! In my territory, whether we fight or not is not up to you." Gu Fei took a step forward, closing the distance to within two zhang of Li Lingfeng.

At this distance, Gu Fei could launch a fierce attack with just a reach. Being close to a martial artist was a great taboo for a cultivator.

In terms of hand-to-hand combat, cultivators were no match for martial artists. Moreover, Gu Fei's combat techniques were extremely lethal, each move designed to kill.

Martial artist battles were the most dangerous, often deciding life and death upon contact.

"Take this!" A fierce light flashed in Gu Fei's eyes, and his body suddenly became blurry. "Whoosh!" A strong gust of wind rose, instantly rippling the lake.

At almost the same time, Li Lingfeng felt an extreme sense of danger enveloping him. A chill ran up his spine, and his body hair stood on end.

Without thinking, Li Lingfeng slapped his treasure pouch, and the Purple Gold Eight Trigram immediately flew out, blocking in front of him. Eight trigram symbols surged out, forming a watertight seal.

In the next moment, Gu Fei appeared in front of Li Lingfeng, his right fist directly smashing towards the eight trigram symbols, which seemed to have taken on a tangible form.

A golden wave surged out in front of Gu Fei's fist, the force like a mighty river, unstoppable and relentless.

The brilliant golden fist aura dyed the surrounding area golden, and the terrifying elemental energy directly shook the space, causing the earth to tremble. The bamboo around them was shattered by the fist force, turning into fragments that shot out in all directions.

"Boom!" The incomparable fist aura collided with the eight trigram symbols, causing them to vibrate violently and emit eight brilliant lights. The power of the Eight Trigrams surged.

The eight trigram symbols seemed to connect to an Eight Trigram world, swallowing the incomparable fist force. However, Gu Fei's fist force was too powerful, and seven of the eight trigram symbols shattered, leaving only the Xun trigram still active.

With the shattering of the eight trigram symbols, Li Lingfeng's face turned pale. Seeing Gu Fei about to deliver a second punch, he quickly formed a hand seal, recalling the Xun trigram, which represented the power of wind. Then, he merged with the trigram, transforming into a gust of wind and heading out of the bamboo grove.

The Purple Gold Eight Trigram was immediately stored back in his treasure pouch.

"Not yet satisfied, where are you going!" Gu Fei roared, his right foot pushing off the ground with a "whoosh," causing the earth to crack and soil to fly. Using this force, he transformed into a golden lightning bolt, chasing after Li Lingfeng's gust of wind.

"Gu Fei is really a monster; his strength seems to have increased significantly!" Li Lingfeng was secretly alarmed. Gu Fei's punch almost triggered the internal injuries he had sustained yesterday. How could Li Lingfeng dare to continue fighting?

If at his peak, Li Lingfeng would not fear Gu Fei, but now, he was not as strong as Gu Fei. Gu Fei was at his peak, while Li Lingfeng could not fully unleash his peak strength.

Merging with the Xun trigram, Li Lingfeng transformed into a gust of wind, moving at an incredible speed, and in the blink of an eye, he was out of the bamboo grove.

"Gu Fei, the Grandmaster has issued an order. Three days from now, the top ten experts will gather at the Tai Xuan Hall, and no one is to be absent." Li Lingfeng did not stop, his voice echoing clearly from a distance.

"Whoosh!" Outside the bamboo grove, a golden figure shot out of the bamboo like a bolt of lightning, the rapid movement creating a strong gust of wind that sent the bamboo leaves flying into the air, swirling around.

Gu Fei seemed to be wearing a golden armor, with the power of metal resembling golden flames rising around him. He stood outside the grove, gazing in the direction Li Lingfeng had disappeared, a hint of surprise in his eyes.

"Li Lingfeng's speed..." Gu Fei clenched his fists, a wicked smile appearing on his face. "Interesting, he managed to repair that treasure in just one night. This opponent... is not bad!"

However, this time, Gu Fei was wrong. The Purple Gold Eight Trigram was not repaired by Li Lingfeng but by someone Gu Fei could never have imagined.

"Gathering at the Tai Xuan Hall? What for?" Gu Fei was puzzled. The golden aura around him gradually weakened and finally disappeared into his body, leaving only a faint golden glow on his skin.

The power of metal was invincible, and compared to the other four elements, it had the strongest and most intense offensive power, making it a formidable force in battle.

In a battle, momentum was crucial. A strong momentum could make the opponent's heart tremble, causing them to lose their composure, and thus gain the upper hand before the fight even began.

"Three days from now, we'll see!" Gu Fei mused for a moment, then turned and walked back into the bamboo grove.

However, he did not dare to ignore Li Lingfeng's words, as he was delivering a message from the Grandmaster, Xuan Tian Dao Ren.

Gu Fei was not arrogant enough to ignore the words of the Grandmaster of Tai Xuan Sect.

"Three days from now..." Gu Fei returned to his cave, changed into a clean set of clothes, and sat on a cushion. He had a vague feeling that something would happen in three days.

He suddenly took out a small box, looked at it, and sighed. He opened the box, and a fragrant aroma immediately filled his nose. A crimson pill lay quietly in the box.

"Is this the Nian Yuan Pill?" Gu Fei's expression became uncertain as he looked at the pill in the box.