Red Cloud Abyss, this towering mountain seems to hide endless secrets.
As the members of two sects and three schools ventured deeper, the sight of piled-up skeletons was horrifyingly grim.
"Theyâre all dead, theyâre all dead, everyone is dead..."
The disciples of Haoyang Sect shouted in panic, rushing down from above, their faces full of despair.
Suddenly, a fierce wind roared past, and a figure burst out from behind. His hair was as red as flames, fluttering wildly despite the absence of wind.
It was Zhu Mengâhe had succumbed to madness, his body towering three times larger than usual. Wielding an enormous battle axe, he swung indiscriminately, cutting down anyone he saw.
"You must all die, you must all die..." Zhu Mengâs deafening roars echoed through the air.
"Bang!" Wen Mingyan, Lu Junyi, and Lin Zhenghao all summoned their weapons, joining together in fierce combat against Zhu Meng. They had to stop his slaughter of innocents.
However, Zhu Mengâs power seemed limitless; even the three joining forces found it nearly impossible to subdue him. With warriors falling one after another, the piling skeletal remains had formed mountains. Wu Gui, the Second Elder of Thousand Poison Sect, stepped forward decisively.
"Gu Sheng holds the Vajra Demon Suppression Bell and the Demon Suppression Golden Scroll. He should lead the way ahead; perhaps he can find a way to deal with Zhu Meng." Wu Gui suggested.
"No!" Wen Mingyan immediately refused. "Gu Sheng is our core strength; he cannot take this risk!"
"Wen Mingyan, whatâs the meaning of this? Do you want all of us to perish here?" Wu Gui shouted furiously, his eyes ablaze with anger.
Members of other sects also voiced their support for Wu Guiâs proposal, leaving Wen Mingyan isolated and without allies.
"Fine! Since none of you trust me, weâll settle this with a duel. If I lose, then let Gu Sheng go ahead!" Wen Mingyan gritted his teeth, reaching a decision.
A heated duel began, Wen Mingyan facing off against Wu GuiâGreen Blood Sword against Fu Xi Eight Diagram Array. Their strength was evenly matched, and the battle raged fiercely. Sword glints flashed while the Eight Diagram Array constantly shifted; the battlefield was charged with tension and excitement.
"Green Blood Sword unsheathed, sword pointing to the heavens!" Wen Mingyan uttered in a low voice, and the Green Blood Sword in his hand burst forth with dazzling brilliance. His Sword Intent soared like a rainbow, shooting straight into the sky.
"Fu Xi Eight Diagram Array, suppress the heavens and earth!" Wu Gui, unwilling to be outdone, activated the overwhelming energy of the Fu Xi Eight Diagram Array, dissolving Wen Mingyanâs attacks one by one. The spinning Eight Diagram Array seemed capable of suppressing everything.
As violent winds howled across the Red Cloud Abyss battlefield, the duel between Wen Mingyan and Elder Wu Gui had reached its boiling point.
Even though Wen Mingyanâs cultivation was only at the eighth level of the Marrow Refining Realm, his sharp Sword Intent was potent enough to match Elder Wu Gui, who was at the ninth level of the Marrow Refining Realm.
"Wu Gui, you vile old man, today Iâll show you what true Sword Intent is!"
Holding his longsword, Wen Mingyan pointed the blade at Wu Gui, his eyes alight with a piercing glare.
Elder Wu Gui sneered coldly, "An eighth-level brat dares to act arrogant before me? Letâs see what tricks you think you have!"
Their words clashed as fiercely as their weapons, and in an instant, they engaged in a frenzied battle.
Wen Mingyanâs Sword Intent was supremely fierce; each swing of his sword brought forth an awe-inspiring wave of Sword Qi, seemingly capable of cleaving the battlefield into fragments.
However, Elder Wu Gui, with his deep cultivation and rich combat experience, easily neutralized Wen Mingyanâs attacks.
"Hmph, boy, your Sword Intent may be sharp, but breaking my defenses is far beyond your reach!" Elder Wu Gui mocked.
"You decrepit old bag, donât gloat! Take this!"
Wen Mingyan roared angrily, his figure flashing as he suddenly appeared right before Elder Wu Gui, slashing at his chest with his sword.
Elder Wu Guiâs gaze hardened. With a swift flip of his palm, he unleashed a surge of immense power, forcibly repelling Wen Mingyanâs strike.
"Hahaha, boy, your strength is still far too weak!"
Laughing wildly, Elder Wu Gui vanished in a blur, instantly reappearing behind Wen Mingyan to deliver a palm strike aimed at his back.
Sensing danger behind him, Wen Mingyan quickly shifted his stance, evading Elder Wu Guiâs blow.
But still, Elder Wu Guiâs relentless attacks shadowed him closely, striking with brutal ferocity.
"Wu Gui, donât go too far!"
Wen Mingyan bellowed furiously as he pushed his Sword Intent to its limit to counter Elder Wu Guiâs offensive.
"Clang, clang, clang!"
Elder Wu Guiâs strength was undeniably overwhelming for Wen Mingyan.
Relying on his profound cultivation and battlefield prowess, Elder Wu Gui effortlessly thwarted Wen Mingyanâs assaults while launching repeated counterattacks.
Gradually, Wen Mingyan felt exhaustion setting in. Despite the sharpness of his Sword Intent, it seemed feeble against Elder Wu Guiâs overwhelming power.
Meanwhile, Elder Wu Guiâs strikes grew even fiercer, as though determined to obliterate the battlefield entirely.
"Wen Mingyan, you truly are talented, but today, you are fated to lose to me!" Elder Wu Gui declared with a cold smirk.
Wen Mingyan gritted his teeth, aware that retreat was no longer an option.
Summoning every ounce of his Sword Intent, he launched his final, desperate strike at Elder Wu Gui.
But the attack yielded no results.
Elder Wu Gui sidestepped the blow effortlessly, countering with a palm strike that sent Wen Mingyan flying.
Wen Mingyan crashed heavily onto the ground, blood streaming from his mouth.
He knew he had lostâdefeated by Elder Wu Gui.
"Elder Wu Gui, I admit defeat." Struggling to rise to his feet, Wen Mingyan bowed deeply to Elder Wu Gui.
Elder Wu Gui looked down at Wen Mingyan, a flicker of admiration passing through his eyes. Though defeated, Wen Mingyanâs Sword Intent and latent potential had earned Elder Wu Guiâs respect.