Refining Ruins Cauldron

In a corner, Gu Qingyun watched the entire match. Now, his gaze fell on Mingji, who had stepped down from the arena, and his expression became more solemn.

It must be said that Mingji truly lived up to his reputation.

In terms of swordsmanship, he is probably no less skilled than Liu Wanqian, and may even be superior.

That sword strike just now, seemingly effortless, actually concealed all its sharpness within the blade.

Its sharpness is restrained, and although it has lost some of its unstoppable fierceness, its sharpness has not diminished but increased, and it has already vaguely touched upon some of the Daoist principles!

Any path that can even remotely connect with the essence of the Dao, even in the slightest way, represents a qualitative leap!

This is something that cannot be understood simply by letting time settle.

"This person is definitely not simple."

Gu Qingyun took a deep breath, but there was no fear in his eyes. Instead, a fighting spirit was stirred within him.

Only through fierce competition can one gain more insights!

……

After the next round of drawing lots, it was Gu Qingyun's turn to take the stage again.

"Gu Qingyun of Tiandu Peak versus Tang Ming of Zangwen Peak!"

At the call of the elder judge, the two stepped onto the stage.

Tang Ming stared at Gu Qingyun, his expression incredibly complex.

He had long heard of the man's great name.

Especially last night, the two Golden Core elders confronted each other over Gu Qingyun, and even the sect leader was alarmed!

Not only that, this guy, while severely injured, still managed to kill a Foundation Establishment cultivator!

These results are terrifying to hear!

At the eighth level of Qi Refining, he slashed through a Foundation Establishment cultivator with his sword right in front of a Golden Core expert!

Even though Tang Ming was also a prodigy, he couldn't help but feel a little uneasy when facing such a formidable opponent.

The Gu Qingyun before me is no "useless servant" with mixed spiritual roots; he is clearly the number one ruthless person in the outer sect who is pretending to be weak while actually being strong!

In Tang Ming's view, no matter how brilliant the achievements of other prodigies were, they could not compare to Gu Qingyun's life-and-death battles!

They were truly aiming to take lives!

This isn't just about brandishing weapons in a ring; it's about real killing techniques!

Facing Gu Qingyun directly at this moment, Tang Ming felt unprecedented pressure, a feeling he had never experienced even when facing Ming Ji!

Fear arose spontaneously.

When the two stepped onto the stage, Tang Ming was already slightly weaker in terms of sheer presence.

He was skilled in manipulating objects, also known as concealed weapons, and was adept at defeating enemies invisibly and unexpectedly.

Although his cultivation level wasn't the strongest, he had gradually reached where he was now by relying on his unpredictable manipulation of objects.

But at this moment, Tang Ming had second thoughts.

With Gu Qingyun's unpredictable movements, could I really hit him?

Furthermore, Gu Qingyun's spiritual sense is clearly far superior to that of ordinary Qi Refining cultivators, and it would be difficult for ordinary hidden weapons to escape his perception.

Hesitant and uneasy, the duel begins at this moment.

Please enlighten me.

Gu Qingyun, as always, clasped his hands in greeting.

In his hand, the Green Serpent Spirit Sword was drawn from its sheath and pointed directly at his opponent.

That unstoppable momentum overwhelmed Tang Ming.

The latter, who was already timid, swallowed hard without realizing it.

Seeing that Gu Qingyun was about to draw his sword and attack, Tang Ming, who was hesitant, finally couldn't hold on.

He spread his hands out and raised them in front of everyone.

"Elder Judge, I concede!"

They moved so fast that they didn't even give Gu Qingyun a chance to make a move.

The elder judge was stunned, and so were the disciples below the stage.

Even Gu Qingyun was stunned, frozen in place with his sword raised, looking at his opponent in this round with incomprehension.

Tang Ming looked fearful and his expression was evasive.

Is this surrendering before even fighting?

Am I really that scary?

Opinions varied among the audience.

"What is Tang Ming doing? Is he just admitting defeat? Has he chickened out?"

"You don't know anything! Senior Brother Tang Ming is just being pragmatic! He's good at manipulating objects and using hidden weapons to ambush people, which is fine against others, but against a monster like Gu Qingyun, how are you going to fight him?"

"That makes sense. He only uses one sword strike each time, and the key is that he's not even at the Foundation Establishment stage..."

Although he didn't finish speaking, everyone guessed what he meant next.

Yes, last night I killed a Foundation Establishment cultivator with my sword, and the key point is that it happened in front of a Golden Core expert!

What if he gets carried away and kills Tang Ming with a single sword strike?

The first-place prize is generous, but you have to be alive to enjoy it!

"To surrender before even fighting... this..."

There were still many disdainful voices in the crowd.

However, Tang Ming didn't care at all. He respectfully clasped his hands in a fist salute to Gu Qingyun, bowed to the elder of the tribunal, and then turned and left.

beat?

What makes me think I can fight?

Losing was inevitable!

Rather than being utterly defeated and forced to retreat in a sorry state, it's better to be more graceful and admit defeat proactively.

At least, it allows them to retain some dignity.

On the high platform, the elders of the various peaks had different expressions.

There is understanding, but also a sense of regret.

"How can someone who's supposed to be a prodigy of the outer sect be so lacking in confidence? Or are they worrying too much? How will they know the outcome if they don't fight?"

"Too many concerns? Didn't you see Gu Qingyun's sword just now? Even his protective spirit armor couldn't stop it, let alone a cultivator who isn't good at defense?"

These words were immediately accepted.

"In our view, this is called self-awareness; knowing that something is impossible, there is no need to force it."

"Yes, yes..."

Many elders nodded in agreement.

However, some people were still unconvinced.

"Look at you all, you're really getting worse with age! In the cultivation world, there will always be people more capable than you, and there will always be higher levels to reach. Our Longevity Sect produces talented people in every generation, with geniuses as numerous as carp crossing a river!"

"Besides, Mingji hasn't really made his move yet; it's still uncertain who will emerge victorious!"

Upon hearing this, everyone instinctively looked in Mingji's direction.

Before Gu Qingyun emerged as a dark horse, Mingji had not been defeated in four years, a record that was also rare in a century!

No one knows just how profound his swordsmanship has become.

It seems the top spot in this outer sect competition is already set in between these two.

The two will fight each other, and whoever wins will be the champion of the competition!

The true number one among the outer disciples!

The master, Master Qing Gu, who had been resting with his eyes closed, slowly opened them at this moment.

His eyes swept over Gu Qingyun and Mingji, and a smile appeared on his face.

"That's rare, really rare."

The sound wasn't loud, but it immediately attracted the attention of all the elders.

Even the sect leader said so, which shows how talented these two are!

There was a time when Master Qinggu paid no attention to matters of the outer sect, focusing solely on his cultivation, and had no intention of accepting any personal disciples.

But this time, not only did he break the rule, he also personally attended the finals.

The elders present weren't fools; how could they not see how much the sect leader valued the competition?

Master Qinggu surveyed the entire scene, and with just a glance, everyone immediately fell silent.

So quiet, it was as if they could hear each other's heartbeats.

The old man's gaze finally settled on Gu Qingyun and Mingji.

"At this point in the decisive battle, it is fairly clear who is stronger and who is weaker."

"I propose that Gu Qingyun and Mingji have a match to determine the winner directly. What do you think?"

"The remaining rankings will be determined by the seven peak masters based on their battle records, cultivation levels, and performance."

"Anyone who disagrees may raise a challenge on the spot."

"Let's not waste everyone's time with any more unnecessary fights."

What do you all think of this method?

Master Qinggu paused for a moment before continuing to speak.

"Of course, this is just my suggestion. If anyone has any objections, they may raise them on the spot."