Just as the old patriarch forced me to my death, I achieved the unity of Dao and fruition.

Zhou Lieyang's lips twitched slightly as he looked at the dusty black iron bar in front of Gu Changjin.

I really smoked it.

He had already built up his momentum.

Nine-wheeled swords hung in the air.

The Crimson Glass Sword is in hand.

The sharpness of a fire-type swordsman, the pressure of a mid-stage Golden Core cultivator, coupled with the reputation of a prodigy from the Crimson Cloud Sect—this moment should have been quite a spectacle.

As a result, Gu Changjin released his natal spirit sword.

Then the art style suddenly went off track.

How do I describe that thing?

Like a sword.

It doesn't resemble a sword.

Like a magic weapon.

It doesn't seem like a magic weapon.

It was gray and dark, pitted and uneven, and even the blade hadn't fully grown out.

Zhou Lieyang's first reaction was not to be wary.

But...

That damned Senior Gu, he's ruined the image of a sword cultivator.

A sword cultivator's natal spirit sword, if not necessarily dazzlingly bright, should at least be sharp and gleaming.

What is this?

A half-finished product that hasn't been finished yet in the blacksmith's shop?

Or are they black stone strips that were just dug out of some mine?

But Zhou Lieyang was no ordinary person after all.

His lips twitched, but his hands never stopped moving.

The Nine-Circle Sword Sun has already been formed, and the arrow is on the bowstring. It is impossible to take it back just because Gu Changjin's sword looks ugly.

He gripped the sword with both hands, and the golden core within his body spun wildly.

On the Crimson Glass Sword, streaks of fire patterns lit up one by one.

The nine swords slammed down simultaneously.

The air inside the deathmatch arena was burned and collapsed layer by layer.

That's something ordinary flames can't do.

That was a Golden Core cultivator using the Golden Core True Fire to manipulate the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, forcibly compressing a space into a sword domain.

The disciples below the stage, separated by the Nascent Soul formation, felt their throats go dry, as if they were inhaling scalding hot sand instead of air.

"Nine Yang Burning Sword Technique!"

A disciple from the Crimson Cloud Sect couldn't help but gasp.

"Uncle Zhou is getting serious!"

The nine swords fell simultaneously.

Each round of Jianyang is like a small volcano.

Inside the volcano, there were countless crimson sword energies.

They spun, fell, and squeezed.

Finally, it transformed into nine enormous crimson sun sword pillars, crashing down on Gu Changjin from the sky.

Gu Changjin looked up.

His face visibly paled at that moment.

Her already aged face seemed to have lost even more vitality.

A wisp of twilight emanated from him.

Not strong.

But all the Golden Core cultivators present could sense it.

That was the aura of life force burning.

Many people's expressions changed slightly.

"Is he burning his life?"

"This old man is really going all out."

"That's true. On the deathmatch stage, what else can we do but fight? If we don't fight with all our might, we might not be able to withstand the next attack."

Strangely, the heavier the aura of twilight on Gu Changjin's body, the sharper the sword energy around him became.

The black iron bar that everyone despised also trembled slightly at this moment.

hum-

The sword rang out in a low, deep voice.

It doesn't sound good.

Not crisp.

It sounded like a huge piece of black iron being struck deep in the mountains.

But as soon as that sound came out, all the flames on the deathmatch stage froze for a moment.

The dark gray sword shadow slowly rose.

It doesn't have the dazzling fire patterns of the Crimson Glass Sword.

It also lacked the dazzling crimson light of the old Jinyang Sword.

It just stood there in front of Gu Changjin.

Ox.

But it sank.

It was as heavy as a broken mountain that had fallen from the depths of the starry sky.

The voices of those who had been laughing at it gradually quieted down.

Because they suddenly realized that although this thing was ugly, it could command attention.

Nine rounds of sword-shaped suns fell.

Gu Changjin pointed his finger.

The dark gray sword shadow slashed upwards horizontally.

It wasn't a sword aura that was unleashed.

Instead, the entire sword shadow crashed directly into the Nine Yang Sword Pillar.

boom--

The first round of Jianyang exploded.

Then came the second round.

Round three.

The fourth round.

The dark gray sword shadows rose upwards like an unreasonable boulder, smashing half of the Crimson Cloud Sect's Nine Yang Sword Technique.

The flames exploded into countless fragments of fire.

The Nascent Soul formation trembled violently.

The array patterns were impacted, some lighting up and others dimming.

The Golden Core cultivators watching from their high vantage points couldn't help but sit up straight.

This is no small matter like Qi Refining or Foundation Establishment.

This is two golden cores clashing with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.

Each collision is like crushing a small hill.

If it weren't for the Nascent Soul Formation blocking the way, at least half of the low-level disciples on Welcoming Guest Peak would have died.

Zhou Lieyang's face also darkened completely.

His Nine Yang Sword Stance was broken.

Moreover, it was smashed open head-on by a ridiculously ugly natal spirit sword.

This is even more painful than having your sword technique broken by Gu Changjin.

He snorted coldly, and the Crimson Glass Sword flew out of his hand.

The sword transformed into a crimson meteor, carrying his entire true essence, and crashed directly into the gray-black sword shadow.

The two natal spirit swords met in mid-air.

One is a dazzling crimson gold, with fire patterns resembling dragons.

It was grayish-black and ugly, as if it had just been dug out of the ground.

But the moment they collided, the Crimson Glass Sword was actually sent flying backward by the shock.

Zhou Lieyang's face turned pale, and a mouthful of blood welled up in his throat, but he forced it back down.

Gu Changjin also let out a muffled groan, his body swaying slightly.

He looked even more aged.

It was as if that attack had truly burned away a portion of his last remaining life force.

On the high platform, Li Fenshan finally let out a cold snort.

He figured it out.

Gu Changjin, that old bastard, is definitely over the limit.

Not only is his swordsmanship highly skilled, but his natal spirit sword is also clearly malfunctioning.

Although that spirit sword was incredibly ugly, it contained an extremely powerful stellar energy.

It looks like it just fused some high-level materials.

But it didn't work.

The stronger Gu Changjin is, the more ruthlessly he burns his lifespan.

This kind of fighting style means you'll die even if you win.

Li Fenshan originally intended to let Zhou Lieyang make a name for himself in the Western Wilderness through this battle.

It's certainly a pity that my personal disciple has died.

But he is the sect leader.

The sect leader is not concerned with momentary anger.

We won the fight to the death and got our hands on the Cold Marrow mineral vein.

Then take the opportunity to severely suppress the Xuan Yang Sect.

At the same time, he promoted his junior brother Zhou Lieyang to the front of the Western Wilderness Platform.

At that time, the Crimson Cloud Sect will not only gain resources, but also prestige.

Guaranteed profit.

The stronger Gu Changjin performed earlier, the more satisfied Li Fenshan was.

Only when the opponent is strong enough can it be proven that Zhou Lieyang's victory was genuine.

But now, things are a little different.

Gu Changjin, that old bastard, seems to be really courting death.

He burned his lifespan to forcefully urge the sword forward.

If Zhou Lieyang were dragged down by his dying counterattack, then it wouldn't be about making a name for himself.

That's a huge loss for my maternal grandparents.

Li Fenshan's eyes turned cold, and he suddenly looked at Yun Qingli.

He chuckled twice, his voice not loud, but loud enough for all the high-ranking officials nearby to hear.

"Sect Master Yun, your Xuan Yang Sect is truly remarkable."

Yun Qingli frowned.

"What does Sect Leader Li mean?"

Li Fenshan looked at Gu Changjin, who was looking listless on the deathmatch stage, and his tone was full of sarcasm.

"Such senior sword cultivators should have peacefully passed away in their caves, leaving behind a dignified reputation."

"But now he's forced to burn his lifespan on the deathmatch stage."

"Sect Master Yun, you have some impressive skills."

"I suppose they promised him quite a few benefits from his family background?"

As he said this, his gaze swept directly towards the Gu family members on the distant, off-peak peak.

"Using the last life of our ancestor to exchange for the future of our descendants."

"The Gu family has done a really good job with this business."

This sentence was like breaking through a thin layer of paper.

Some people had only heard about it before.

Now that Li Fenshan has pointed it out in public, the flavor has immediately changed.

Many high-ranking members of the sects exchanged subtle glances.

They're all cunning old foxes.

With such a clear cause and effect, how could you not understand?

Gu Changjin's lifespan is coming to an end.

The Gu family volunteered.

The sect leader promised resources.

Gu Changjin went up to the deathmatch arena.

Isn't this just using the patriarch's life to gain benefits for the family?

"Tsk, no wonder."

"I was just saying, how could a Golden Core sword cultivator truly and willingly face death?"

"The Gu family must have really enjoyed themselves to the fullest this time."

"A spot in the lineage of a true disciple, a candidate for Foundation Establishment Pills, and spiritual fields and veins. Exchanging a dying ancestor for these is indeed a worthwhile deal."

"It's a good deal, but it looks a bit ugly."

Those disciples who didn't understand at first quickly grasped the concept after being given a hint by their senior brothers.

For a moment, many eyes turned to the Gu family members on the side peak.

There was disdain.

I feel envious.

There are also some inexplicable oddities.

After all, criticism is criticism.

If such a good thing were to fall into the lap of one's own family, who would dare to say that they would definitely not want it?

It's just that it hasn't happened to them yet, so of course they can curse with righteous indignation.

On the side peak, Gu Jingshan's face turned pale.

The other elders of the Gu family were even more bewildered.

No.

What?

What makes your mouth so oily?

What are these "true discipleship quotas"?

What Foundation Building Pill candidate?

They do want to eat it!

The question is, where are the items?

The clan's treasury was emptied.

The secret vault was raided.

Even the spirit stones that the elders had kept hidden away were taken away by the disciples of Lingdao Peak.

They're practically drooling with oil now.

I'm so hungry I'm practically eating dirt.

But they simply couldn't explain it.

Should we stand up and say, "No, we didn't get any benefits, and our ancestors even ransacked our homes?"

That would be even more embarrassing.

And who would believe that?

The sect leader made the promise in public.

The news had already spread far and wide.

This blame has been firmly placed on their heads.

Gu Jingshan's lips moved, but he didn't utter a single word.

He suddenly understood.

Why did the ancestor insist on bringing them to watch the battle?

It's not about making them look good.

Let them get scolded.

On the deathmatch stage, Gu Changjin seemed completely oblivious to the discussions outside.

He simply raised his hand to wipe away non-existent blood from the corner of his mouth.

Then he looked at Zhou Lieyang.

A dark gray natal spirit sword hung in front of him.

It's strikingly ugly.

It's also frighteningly heavy.

Zhou Lieyang took a deep breath and gripped the Crimson Glass Sword again.

His eyes finally no longer held any trace of contempt.

"Senior Gu."

"How long can you sustain this by burning your lifespan?"

Gu Changjin coughed twice, his voice hoarse.

"I'll hold out until I kill you, that's enough."

The words fell.

The dark gray sword shadow trembled once more.

This time, the flames of the entire deathmatch arena seemed to be suppressed by that ugly sword.