Chapter 30

Ma Ming's submission caused the surrounding cultivators to start discussing again. This time, the sparring session once again ended with Gu Xuyao's victory, and it was not just any ordinary victory.

However, at this moment, one person could no longer sit still, and that was Ma Ke.

Seeing his brother suffer such humiliation, Ma Ke could no longer bear it. With a strange cry, he burst through the sea of fire and charged straight at Gu Xuyao!

Seeing this, Gu Xuyao let out a cold snort. He first kicked Ma Ming in the neck, sending him flying a dozen feet away. Then, Gu Xuyao turned to face Ma Ke, and the Thunder Fist, which was already poised to strike, was about to be unleashed!

Although Ma Ke was also weak, seeing his brother, who had grown up with him, humiliated, he could no longer hold back. He was determined to kill Gu Xuyao, even if it meant risking his life.

The surrounding cultivators, seeing the situation, retreated further back. The power generated by the collision of thunder and fire was not to be underestimated. Watching the spectacle was fine, but getting hurt in the process would be a loss.

"Ridiculous!" A low shout, and a figure instantly appeared between Gu Xuyao and Ma Ke. The figure did not stop but moved twice in quick succession, sending both Gu Xuyao and Ma Ke flying backward!

The sea of fire and the thunder light disappeared, as the users had fallen unconscious, and the accumulated yuan energy naturally returned to a calm state.

"What is going on here? What are you all doing, watching your fellow disciples fight to the death without doing anything?" The figure gradually became clear, and everyone recognized who it was.

"It's Senior Brother Tian Li, known for his swift speed. I heard he broke through to the Root Birth realm at an extremely fast pace and is one of the new stars of Taiheng Sect." The identity of the person was immediately recognized, but soon everyone realized that this senior brother was responsible for passing on skills to the juniors, almost like a teacher. If the senior brothers from the Speed Academy had returned, where were the senior brothers from the Strength Academy?

Sure enough, after Tian Li stopped Gu Xuyao and Ma Ke from delivering a fatal blow, the senior brothers from the Strength Academy came out one after another. Seeing the situation on the training ground, they immediately turned grim and walked to their respective disciples, scolding them.

Even the other onlookers were scolded, but Wang Suishi's expression was even worse.

"Senior Brother Wang, you have seen it. This commotion was entirely caused by the juniors you taught. I hope you will discipline them properly. If not, I will have to report to the academy head, who will then inform the sect leader to transfer you from the Ten Thousand Strength Hall." Tian Li, who was rather handsome, spoke with a sharp tone.

"Of course." Wang Suishi knew he was at fault this time. Even though his seniority was higher than Tian Li's, he had no choice but to nod in agreement.

Seeing this, Tian Li glanced at the four people who had fallen unconscious, including Gu Xuyao, and then left the Ten Thousand Strength Hall.

Wang Suishi's originally kind face was now clouded with gloom.

"Take them to the Punishment Hall and hand them over to Ru Ling for handling!" Wang Suishi said, then turned and walked towards the Dao room.

The next thing was simple. Bing Qi carried the four unconscious people on his shoulders and easily arrived at the Punishment Hall. He explained the situation to Ru Ling, and the four were then locked in a dark room.

After an unknown amount of time, Gu Xuyao gradually regained consciousness. In the pitch-black room, a ray of sunlight shone through a small hole the size of a finger, letting him know it was daytime.

"Why am I here..." Gu Xuyao rubbed his sore neck and looked around. "Right, that person..." As his consciousness returned, Gu Xuyao remembered the figure who had easily knocked him out. "Who is he..." Fragments of thoughts flashed in Gu Xuyao's mind as he struggled to stand up.

"Awake?" At this moment, a female voice came from outside the room, somewhat familiar.

Gu Xuyao was taken aback. The place was full of mold, and he didn't expect anyone to be there.

"Do you know why you were imprisoned here?" The voice didn't wait for Gu Xuyao's answer and continued.

"Perhaps because I privately sparred with other senior brothers. However, Senior Sister, although I was at fault, all the trouble was started by them. I had no choice but to agree to the sparring."

"I know this. Two women of your generation have already explained the situation, and a cultivator named Li Shuisheng also vouched for you." The woman continued. "But I still have a question for you."

"Senior Sister, please ask." Facing someone who had no grudge against him, Gu Xuyao was very polite.

"You tried to use the Thunder Roar five times to make the thunder and fire collide. My question is, if there were no other factors to stop you, would you have continued to use the Thunder Roar?"

Gu Xuyao was taken aback by the question but did not hesitate with his answer.

"Yes." Without further explanation, he expressed what he thought.

The woman remained silent for a long time and then said nothing more.

"Rumble..." The stone door slowly opened, signifying that Gu Xuyao was free again.

However, when Gu Xuyao stepped out of the stone room, he found no one around.

"That person just now, it must have been her, no doubt about it..."

The sparring incident between Gu Xuyao and Wu Chang and others caused a significant stir among the lower ranks of Taiheng Sect. Gu Xuyao was unconscious in the stone room for five days. When he woke up, his name had already been spread in various versions among the lower ranks. Some said Gu Xuyao had innate divine strength and almost defeated the senior brother who was passing on skills. Others said Gu Xuyao was the offspring of a demonic beast, with a fierce aura.

However, these rumors did not affect Gu Xuyao. In his view, the days ahead would still be the same, filled with constant cultivation.

On his way back to his room, he encountered Zibi again. Besides the concern on her face, Gu Xuyao felt that Zibi's melancholy had significantly decreased, though he didn't know why. But it was a good thing.

Gu Xuyao's reputation was so strong that he had to stay out of sight for half a year. Only when the cultivators gradually forgot about his actions did he dare to show his face among his fellow disciples.

As for Yu Lin and the others, they had become much quieter. Due to their proactive provocation, Wu Chang and the other three were imprisoned for half a year before they were released from the stone room.

Everything returned to normal, and time passed quietly in such a state...

"Roar of Heaven!" Lightning intertwined around Gu Xuyao, crackling. In front of him was a vast wilderness, stretching as far as the eye could see.

"Ha!" Gu Xuyao gathered his strength and punched the ground. The lightning erupted more fiercely, and countless veins bulged on his hand. The entire wilderness seemed to tremble after receiving this punch!

The lightning around Gu Xuyao disappeared, but there was no change in the surroundings.

"Hehe, Gu Gu, your first move of the Thunder Roar is truly perfect. You managed to shatter all the sand and stones within a mile without damaging the ground. Impressive, impressive." A pleasant female voice came from behind Gu Xuyao, followed by applause.

The vibrations from the woman's clapping confirmed her words. Within a mile of Gu Xuyao, all the sand and stones turned to dust and were carried away by the wind.

"Zibi? How did you come here? At this time, shouldn't you be...?" Gu Xuyao turned around and saw the familiar woman standing not far from him, and he couldn't help but smile.

"At this time, I should be here. I like to enjoy the scenery when I rest, and this vast wilderness is a beautiful sight." As she spoke, Zibi appeared beside Gu Xuyao in a blink and pulled him a few steps to a nearby small hill.

"Zibi, what are you doing...?" Gu Xuyao shook his head, understanding her meaning.

"Stop practicing, stop practicing. If you keep practicing day and night, you'll become one of those numb people in the sect! Take a break today and watch the sunset with me, okay?" Zibi smiled brightly and pulled Gu Xuyao down to sit beside her.

The sparring incident had been two years ago, but fortunately, nothing major happened during these two years. Yu Lin and the others no longer actively sought trouble with Gu Xuyao, though Gu Xuyao knew they had a strong desire for revenge and would not let it go easily. However, on the surface, they acted as if they didn't know each other and continued their cultivation as usual.

In fact, Gu Xuyao had no time to think about these trivial matters. After that incident, he practiced the skills every day with all his might. The senior brother who suddenly attacked and knocked him out was not the strongest cultivator in Taiheng Sect, which made Gu Xuyao realize how weak he was. He wanted to become stronger, not just to avoid being defeated, but also to find his parents, a goal he had never forgotten.

As for Zibi, after the sparring incident, she gradually became more cheerful. A year ago, she had completely returned to her former self.

"Speaking of the sunset, I haven't seen it in a long time..." Zibi was right. In the past two years, although Gu Xuyao often chatted and met with Zibi, these encounters were always brief. Sitting down to enjoy the beauty of nature like this was rare.

Zibi couldn't help but laugh. She patted Gu Xuyao's shoulder in a carefree manner and said in a mature tone, "That's right, young man. You should listen to us experienced seniors, hmm?"

Since she had returned to her normal self, Zibi often spoke in a deliberately mature way, and Gu Xuyao had no choice but to smile and shake his head helplessly.

"What, do you disagree? Humph, boy, let's spar. I'll show you the power of a Root Birth realm cultivator!" Zibi gestured in the air, looking serious. The word "spar" had become her main way of teasing Gu Xuyao since a year ago.

The Root Birth realm was the realm after the Root Entry realm. Zibi had entered the sect three months earlier than Gu Xuyao, and with her exceptional talent, it was not surprising that she had already broken through to the Root Birth realm.

"Ah, I don't dare, I don't dare. I, a mere third-layer Root Entry realm cultivator, don't dare to challenge a 'Light Bone' rising star. Just count me as losing, and I'll stay with you, okay?" Gu Xuyao was usually quiet but opened up around familiar people.

Zibi had "spar," and Gu Xuyao naturally had "talent" to counter it.

However, speaking of talent, it was a gift from heaven for cultivators. It took Gu Xuyao two years to advance from the second layer to the third layer of the Root Entry realm, while Zibi had already broken through to the Root Birth realm.

"Go away, you're making fun of me again. Haven't I told you not to say that? I hate being called exceptionally talented. It made me come to this boring place. I'd rather be a little shopkeeper!" Zibi suddenly became melancholic.

Seeing this, Gu Xuyao smiled and pointed to the distance. "Look, the sunset." The sky cooperated, and just as Zibi was feeling down, the sun set.

The sunset was a pale red, like a cup slowly filled with water. It gradually appeared and gradually turned the sky red. The vast forest left long shadows, like strings of a zither, playing the music in one's heart.

A gentle breeze blew, dispelling Zibi's frown and her sorrow. Her hair danced, carrying a fragrance, and the corners of her mouth turned up as she gazed in a daze.

Seeing this, Gu Xuyao felt a sense of relief. He took a deep breath and looked into the distance. Despite the barren wilderness, he was also captivated, for at this moment, the air was filled with a sense of peace and tranquility.