Chapter 28

Wu Chang was taken aback at first, but quickly reacted and, following Yu Lin's lead, sarcastically chimed in.

"Right, Gu Xuyao, didn't you say before that my cultivation progress was slower than yours? Since you've also reached the second level of Root Birth, let's have a match."

As the words fell, the gazes of Yu Lin and the other three, as well as the two women, all fell on Gu Xuyao.

Gu Xuyao glanced at Yu Lin and the other three, and sneered, "Fine, as you say, what use is cultivation if cultivators don't engage in actual combat?" Gu Xuyao had long harbored hatred for Yu Lin and the others, and had previously had to endure it due to his insufficient cultivation. But now was not then; having reached the second level of Root Birth, Gu Xuyao felt no need to continue enduring.

Yu Lin and the other three, hearing Gu Xuyao agree to the match, all smiled and stepped back, giving the two enough space.

"Hehe, just as I like, Gu Xuyao, let me tell you, this Dao has no eyes. If I hurt you, don't act like a woman..." Wu Chang spoke freely, not taking Gu Xuyao seriously at all. Clearly, this was a fatal mistake.

Suddenly, a gust of wind blew, and before Wu Chang could finish his sentence, Gu Xuyao's heavy punch was already in front of him!

Accustomed to killing in the Red Clay Zone, once Gu Xuyao identified his prey, he wouldn't give them a chance to breathe. Although Wu Chang was a fellow disciple, once the match began, Gu Xuyao entered a different state, and Wu Chang was no different from prey!

Although this was a sneak attack, Wu Chang, who dared to challenge others, must have had some strength. Twisting his body, he narrowly avoided Gu Xuyao's heavy punch, which grazed his forehead!

"Gu Xuyao, you little brat, how dare you..."

Wu Chang, having dodged awkwardly, naturally felt his face was lost. Just as he was about to gain some advantage verbally, Gu Xuyao had already adjusted his body and delivered a side kick straight to Wu Chang's abdomen.

As a cultivator at the second level of Root Birth, one must have a certain ability to judge threatening attacks. Gu Xuyao's kick was simple but brought Wu Chang unparalleled pressure. He knew he couldn't afford to clash head-on!

Twisting his body again, Wu Chang shut his mouth. It seemed that Gu Xuyao, who was once considered an easy target, was not so easy to deal with!

The attack missed, but Gu Xuyao remained expressionless. Although their cultivation levels were the same, Gu Xuyao's combat experience and judgment of the enemy's situation far exceeded Wu Chang, who had grown up in the cultivation world and had never truly engaged in combat.

Gu Xuyao crouched down and delivered a sweeping kick straight at Wu Chang's ankles.

This move was very precise. Wu Chang had dodged Gu Xuyao's attacks twice in quick succession, and even as a physical cultivator, the pressure on his lower body was significant. Gu Xuyao's attack on the relatively weaker part of the enemy was both experienced and cunning.

Although Wu Chang's reaction was not as fast as Gu Xuyao's, his combat instincts told him that continuing to dodge would not change the situation. Helplessly, he leaped into the air, dodging Gu Xuyao's ground-level sweeping kick.

"Good boy, you really have some skills. Your close combat techniques are indeed impressive, but cultivators are not just about physical combat; techniques are the most important!" Wu Chang floated two feet off the ground, and streams of essence energy began to gather in his hands.

"Great Slash Blade!" The technique Wu Chang used was one of the five techniques that physical cultivators could learn. Compared to Gu Xuyao's Thunder Roar Five Shouts, the Great Slash Blade mimicked the sharp chopping motion of a large blade with the palm, and used essence energy as the blade edge, cutting through the air with sharp blade auras!

Although Wu Chang was detestable, his words were correct. Three consecutive blade auras slashed through the air, and Gu Xuyao's physical body could not withstand the sharp edge of the essence energy. Reluctantly, he had to give up the advantage he had gained from the initial sneak attack and dodge backward.

Indeed, as Gu Xuyao had anticipated, although Wu Chang's character was poor, his strength was not to be underestimated. The essence energy blade auras slashed into the ground of the training field, but fortunately, the material used to construct the training field was very hard, and these cuts left no marks.

"Ha ha ha, Gu Xuyao, you're so strong, why are you running? Why are you dodging? Use your iron fist to block my blade!" Wu Chang laughed loudly, continuously releasing the Great Slash Blade.

Due to the large movements of the two, the cultivators who were discussing in other parts of the training field gradually gathered around, wanting to watch this private match.

Wu Chang also realized that there were other spectators and was delighted. Essence energy gathered wildly in his hands, and he condensed a blade aura as tall as a person. A sinister smile appeared on Wu Chang's face, and he slashed heavily in the air, sending the massive blade aura straight toward Gu Xuyao's chest!

The fact that this blade did not aim for Gu Xuyao's head showed that Wu Chang had not completely lost his mind. A hit to the chest would at most cripple Gu Xuyao, but if he killed Gu Xuyao, he would not escape punishment from the sect.

However, this vicious intention to cripple someone ignited the anger in Gu Xuyao's heart.

"Ha!" Gu Xuyao shouted, and lightning immediately spread throughout his body, the restless electric balls crackling in the air.

Just as the current burst out, Wu Chang's blade was only a foot away from Gu Xuyao's chest!

"Break!" Gu Xuyao roared, and the electric light on his body surged wildly, reaching a peak and exploding in the air!

A deafening boom echoed, and a strong light shot out from Gu Xuyao's body!

The strong light temporarily blinded Wu Chang. This sudden white light left Wu Chang dazed for a moment, but as a cultivator who could enter the Physical Academy, he reacted after three breaths and released all his mental energy without hesitation.

This action saved Wu Chang's life, but it only saved him from death!

"Gu Xuyao!" Wu Chang screamed. Although he had entered the sect earlier than Gu Xuyao, he was actually younger. When he realized that the information returned by his mental energy indicated that Gu Xuyao's heavy punch was already in front of him, he had no time to dodge and could only let out a threatening shout.

The sound of flesh meeting flesh replaced the unfinished "Yao" at the end of Wu Chang's shout, accompanied by splattered blood, bringing the blinding light to an end.

Wu Chang's left face received Gu Xuyao's heavy punch!

Wu Chang, floating two feet off the ground, flew backward and landed heavily on the ground after flying about ten zhang.

Bing Qi and Miao Miao, who had just regained their vision, saw Gu Xuyao land steadily from the air and opened their mouths in amazement.

The entire training field was silent, and all the cultivators' gazes were focused on Gu Xuyao. Although there were dozens of cultivators watching, they were only a small part of the Taiheng Sect, and most were at the second level of Root Birth. They were still unclear about the sudden lightning-fast events, but a few cultivators at the third level of Root Birth saw clearly. Their expressions were complex, and Yu Lin's was the most varied.

At the critical moment, Gu Xuyao activated the first form of Thunder Roar Five Shouts. This form was called Fist Movement, but it was not limited to striking. By changing the essence energy that should have been channeled into his arm to his torso, he could spread the concentrated destructive power into the air, breaking Wu Chang's blade aura.

"Rip..." The silent training field suddenly echoed with the sound of clothing tearing. The source of the sound was Gu Xuyao's long robe, which, due to the speed of the events, had just reacted and disintegrated into dust.

Sweat beads rolled down Gu Xuyao's forehead, sliding over his muscular body and the charred, burnt marks on his skin.

Seeing these burn marks, the cultivators who were previously confused about how Gu Xuyao had suddenly knocked Wu Chang flying now understood.

The reason Gu Xuyao chose to harm his own body and use his torso to deliver the Fist Movement was that the space in his arm was small, and the speed of channeling essence energy was slow. At that moment, Gu Xuyao had just summoned the Thunder Roar, and if he had used his hand, he would not have been able to break through Wu Chang's attack in time. Without hesitation, Gu Xuyao chose the self-destructive method!

Once the cultivators who were previously confused understood Gu Xuyao's method, they all looked at him with admiration, even though they had entered the sect earlier than him.

People who grew up in the cultivation world were often like this, filled with servility, admiring the strong and attributing their own weakness to a lack of talent.

"Amazing! Big Brother Gu! You're so amazing!" Bing Qi, who was indeed younger than Gu Xuyao, had never called him that before. Seeing Gu Xuyao cleanly defeat Wu Chang, she couldn't help but exclaim.

Miao Miao, the first to be bullied, also nodded in agreement, and the surrounding cultivators began to discuss.

"Brother, your surname is Gu?" At this moment, a person squeezed out of the crowd. Gu Xuyao turned to look, and the person was familiar, with only the first level of Root Birth, indicating he had just entered the sect.

"You are..." Gu Xuyao nodded at the person but couldn't remember who he was.

"Brother, don't you remember? When Shuisheng went to the training room to ask for cultivation techniques, he encountered that dirty old senior's harassment. It was you, Brother Gu, who suddenly appeared, and Shuisheng was able to get the techniques smoothly." The person walked up to Gu Xuyao and leaned in, hoping Gu Xuyao would recognize him. "Oh, right, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Li Shuisheng. Thank you, Brother Gu, for your help before." Saying this, Li Shuisheng bowed.

Gu Xuyao quickly helped him up and smiled, shaking his head. "Brother Shuisheng, that's nothing. Don't worry about it. Seeing you enter the Physical Academy and reach the first level of Root Birth, your progress is quite good."

Li Shuisheng, with a scholarly appearance, blushed when he heard Gu Xuyao's praise. Just as he was about to say something, a voice interrupted.

"Hmph, Gu Xuyao, you took advantage of Wu Chang's unpreparedness and attacked him. What kind of skill is that? Now, my Ma brothers will come to challenge you!"