“Of course, we must fight.”
The stage was set, and Chen Qingyuan couldn’t refuse to perform.
After settling the bet, Chen Qingyuan leaped into the air, locking eyes with Yang Suirong.
Today, Chen Qingyuan wore a long green robe, his black hair tied back with a dark cloth strip, cascading down his back. The belt around his waist fluttered in the wind, and his cloth shoes bore traces of mud, grounding him with a touch of earthly dust.
Buzz—
A sword hummed; it was the Yulan Sword being drawn.
Chen Qingyuan gripped the treasured sword, his smile vanishing into a cold, stern expression. His eyes sharpened, like icy needles.
Once in battle mode, Chen Qingyuan seemed to transform into another person.
Calm, aloof.
In daily life, he was carefree and money-loving.
In battle, he was like a divine being descending to the mortal world, exuding an overwhelming aura that left his opponents and onlookers stunned and breathless.
With just a change in his gaze, Yang Suirong felt a sense of foreboding, his heart pounding, pupils contracting rapidly.
“Clang!”
The sound of a sword broke the eerie tension on the battlefield.
Chen Qingyuan had made his move!
A powerful sword force converged, forming a terrifying cylindrical storm, with Yang Suirong from the Western Border at its core.
“Heaven and Earth, myriad laws, command!”
Yang Suirong’s face turned extremely serious, his hands quickly forming dozens of seals.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—
Dozens of spirit talismans appeared, swirling around Yang Suirong.
Chen Qingyuan’s sword light slashed down, but was blocked by the power of the talismans.
Bang!
At a speed invisible to the naked eye, Chen Qingyuan created several afterimages, attacking Yang Suirong from different directions.
A rain of swords filled the void in an instant.
The spirit talismans floating around Yang Suirong quickly depleted by more than half.
“This can’t go on.”
If he couldn’t break Chen Qingyuan’s offensive, Yang Suirong wouldn’t be able to defend fully and would easily be defeated.
Thus, Yang Suirong decided to counterattack.
Though risky, it was the best way to interrupt Chen Qingyuan’s assault.
As the last talisman shattered, Yang Suirong pulled out a black staff and swept it horizontally.
Swish—
The black staff swept away many incoming sword lights, its powerful force piercing through the void, distorting the space and causing the laws of the area to fracture.
Even so, Yang Suirong couldn’t guarantee he could clear all threats with one sweep.
Some sword lights, following strange trajectories, broke through the space and landed on Yang Suirong.
Ding, ding, ding…
Hundreds of sword strikes pushed Yang Suirong’s protective barrier to its limit, creating several cracks.
At that moment, Chen Qingyuan suddenly attacked from behind, his sword flicking.
Rip—
Yang Suirong’s protective barrier shattered, and a deep sword mark appeared on his back.
Drip…
A drop of blood fell from the tip of the Yulan Sword, swallowed by the storm below.
A sharp pain surged through Yang Suirong, causing him to grit his teeth and quickly swing his staff, forcing Chen Qingyuan back a distance.
Ignoring the wound on his back, Yang Suirong decided to use all his trump cards, determined to make Chen Qingyuan suffer, or even crush him underfoot.
This battle was a gamble of his entire fortune; Yang Suirong couldn’t afford to be careless and had to give it his all. At a critical moment, he might even have to risk his life.
Boom!
The battle entered another phase, with Chen Qingyuan’s sword strikes like dragons, each containing immense power, putting great pressure on Yang Suirong.
Bang, bang, bang…
The clash of sword and staff echoed like thunder, shaking the heavens and earth.
The onlookers watched intently, their hearts tightly gripped, curious about the battle’s outcome.
“Dare to mess with my business? You deserve a beating!”
Chen Qingyuan had initially planned to make money while sitting back, but this guy from the Western Border just wouldn’t let him, which was infuriating.
Since that was the case, Chen Qingyuan had to step in personally and make Yang Suirong regret offending him.
As an evildoer from the Western Border, Yang Suirong had reached the early stage of the Divine Transformation Realm. He originally thought he could easily defeat Chen Qingyuan with his superior cultivation level.
However, reality proved otherwise.
Chen Qingyuan didn’t intend to hide his Twin Golden Core Foundations of the Holy Grade. To gain some fame among his peers, he couldn’t appear too weak, or he’d be bullied.
Most importantly, he wouldn’t make any money.
The Saint-grade Three-Dan Pill was never recorded in ancient texts, so unless faced with a life-and-death crisis, Chen Qingyuan wouldn’t reveal it.
Having two Saintly Golden Elixirs as his cultivation foundation, though rare, had historical precedents, so there was no need to worry excessively.
Swish!
After dozens of moves, Chen Qingyuan found a flaw in Yang Suirong’s defense, leaving a sword mark on his left cheek, with a trickle of blood seeping out.
Yang Suirong touched his cheek during the fight, his eyes turning more vicious. But no matter how fierce he became, he couldn’t harm Chen Qingyuan.
“Why is this happening?”
Despite the significant difference in their cultivation levels, why was Chen Qingyuan always the one with the upper hand? Yang Suirong was utterly puzzled.
After hundreds of rounds, Yang Suirong used all his trump cards. Even employing the unique secret arts of the Western Border couldn’t deal with Chen Qingyuan, only managing to tear a corner of his clothes.
“Although Chen Qingyuan’s cultivation level is low, his spiritual power far surpasses Yang Suirong’s. Something’s not right.”
“His swordsmanship is unparalleled, enough to stand out among his peers. Even the sword prodigies of the Dongli Sword Sect can’t surpass him in swordsmanship.”
“Looks like the Heaven’s Pride from the Western Border is going to lose everything.”
Everyone initially thought this battle would be full of surprises, but it turned out to be a one-sided crushing by Chen Qingyuan.
Various evildoers scrutinized Chen Qingyuan’s every move, trying to discern some clues.
“He has a Golden Core, and not just one.”
Fu Dongliu, the leader from the Western Border, who had been silent, suddenly spoke with a gleam in his eye.
Everyone around him turned to look at Fu Dongliu.
“Boss, what do you mean by that?”
The Heaven’s Pride from the Western Border asked.
“Chen Qingyuan’s foundation is very special. Although he only has the cultivation level of the Elemental Infant stage, he’s not an ordinary Elemental Infant. His body can store spiritual power several times more than other cultivators of the same realm,” Fu Dongliu explained.
No matter what level of cultivation one reached, the Golden Core within the body remained, symbolizing the foundation of a towering building, the roots of a giant tree, of utmost importance.