One Punch
To go, or not to go.
A single sentence from Gu Jinlai has directly cornered Yun Guantian.
He made it perfectly clear that not going would be disrespectful to him, and he would definitely throw a tantrum; but if he went...
Will we even have a chance to survive then?
Using power to intimidate others.
This is a true example of using power to intimidate others.
Compared to Yun Guantian's petty tricks, his first move left Yun Guantian with nowhere to retreat.
"Ancient Star Envoy..."
Yun Guantian gritted his teeth, about to say something more.
At this moment, Gu Jinlai suddenly said, "Perhaps, I will give you a third choice: take my punch."
"Um!?"
Yun Guantian was taken aback.
Then, a glint of light flashed in his eyes. "Is this really true!?"
"Really."
Gu Jinlai calmly said, "If you can survive one of my punches, our feud will be settled. You will no longer need to go to Lingxiao City, nor will you need to live in fear."
He paused, then said, "If you can't even withstand one punch from me... then dying would be pointless."
"One punch! One punch!"
After listening to what had been said Gu Jinlai, Yun Guantian gradually calmed down.
One punch!
He, Yun Guantian, was at least a figure who had once reached the peak of the Spirit Refining.
Over the years, although he has become the master of the Demon Refining Hall in Changjun City, he has gained great power and authority, and his subordinates handle all matters. As a result, he has gradually stopped fighting with people.
But he...
We were once powerful and we fought hard.
Before he came to power, he fought against Demonic Beasts more than once, risking his life and breaking his own limits time and time again.
That is why he is able to stand in his current position, commanding the demon hunters of Changjun City and becoming the Lord of the Demon Refining Hall.
But now, in words and deeds Gu Jinlai...
It looked like he was about to kill him with a single punch!
One punch!
After calming down, Yun Guantian felt deeply humiliated!
This is a humiliation to him who has cultivated for decades and reached the peak of the Spirit Refining Realm!
"Gu Jinlai, I admit you are very strong. It is rumored that the previous Star Envoy, Zhang Lu, a peak Spirit Refining expert, was killed by you in a direct confrontation, but..."
Yun Guantian took a deep breath.
His strength Gu Jinlai is built upon the Spirit Artifact he crafted.
Once those Spirit Artifacts are gone...
"You think you can defeat me with one punch, or even kill me? You're seriously underestimating Yun Guantian."
Yun Guantian stared at Gu Jinlai, a fighting spirit beginning to brew in his eyes. "I'll take this punch."
No rush.
Gu Jinlai said, "If you can't withstand one of my punches and I kill you, the Heaven and Earth Universe Diagram will lose control, and the Demon Refining Hall in Changjun City will come to a complete standstill. To avoid such a consequence, the control center of the Demon Refining Hall's Earth Vein Array should be handed over first."
He glanced at Zhang Xiu beside him and said, "Let's pass it on to Vice Hall Master Zhang first."
Zhang Xiu was stunned.
Such a good thing actually happened?
However, he felt a sense of awe as he faced the gazes of Gu Jinlai.
He knew that once he accepted the Heaven and Earth Universe Diagram, he would have to demonstrate something to earn the trust of those Gu Jinlai who would entrust him with this responsibility; otherwise...
He won't be able to hold onto his position as temple master for long before someone else has to take over.
"Can."
Yun Guantian adjusted his mental state and remained calm.
"Vice Hall Master Zhang, please come with me. I will now transfer the access to the Heaven and Earth Universe Diagram to you."
As they spoke, the two entered the inner courtyard.
Gu Jinlai, they have waited in the main hall.
He wasn't afraid that Yun Guantian would escape.
"Ancestor..."
Gu Chifeng stepped forward and whispered, "We don't need to waste time talking to them like this. With our abilities..."
"I must demonstrate sufficient strength."
The Gu Jinlai said, "External things are always external things! Crimson is incredibly powerful and can intercept Spirit Transformation flying swords, but that doesn't mean you are Spirit Transformation Grandmaster. Unless... while possessing the power to intercept flying swords, you also demonstrate power that surpasses that of Spirit Refining, then your enemies will truly regard you as a Grandmaster."
While having more trump cards up your sleeve is the way to survive, it's also essential to show off your strength appropriately.
Otherwise, once Star Province descends into chaos, it's not impossible that people will turn their attention to Yuanhua City and Lingxiao City.
Less than half an hour.
Yun Guantian reappeared.
He had changed his clothes, and his demeanor had subtly changed compared to half an hour ago.
If he was previously like a ruler, adept at manipulating power and calculating interests, then now...
He already has the air of a cultivator.
"Please."
Yun Guantian said in a deep voice.
The group then headed towards the Demon Refining Hall's training ground.
By this time, many people had already heard about the duel between Gu Jinlai and Yun Guantian, and hundreds of people gathered Demon Refining Hall.
Not only were there members of the Demon Refining Hall itself, but also experts from the City Lord Mansion, the Orthodox One Sect, and even the Yellow Heaven Sect, the Purgatory Sect, and the Cold Moon Sect.
These people mingled among the crowd, each with a stern expression.
"During this period, Gu Jinlai become famous Star Province for the Battle of Beishan and the Battle of Yuanhua City. His prestige is comparable to that of Spirit Transformation cultivator. However, no one knows the true extent of his strength. Today... I think we can finally see the truth."
"One punch! Facing a Spirit Refining expert like Yun Guantian, the Ancient Star Envoy actually demanded a single punch to settle the score. How confident is he in his own strength?!"
"A scholar should be looked at with new eyes after three days of separation. The Ancient Demon Gu... the Ancient Star Envoy was hunted down by the Orthodox One Sect and other forces a year ago because he fell from the Spirit Refining Realm. Now he has soared to the sky and become the Lord of the Twin Cities... I wonder what the people of the Orthodox One Sect think now."
These experts in Qi Refining, Gang Condensing, and even Core Forming Formation gathered together to exchange ideas.
Their gazes upon the Gu Jinlai are varied: some are filled with disgust, some with apprehension, some with fear, and some with admiration.
After Gu Jinlai feat of slaying hundreds of Demonic Beasts in Lingxiao City has spread far and wide. Most of the demon hunters in the Demon Refining Hall became Demonic Beasts hunters after being afflicted by demons, Gu Jinlai for his achievements.
Martial arts training ground.
Gu Jinlai and Yun Guantian stood still.
They did not drive away the onlookers.
"The number one person below the Spirit Transformation stage!"
Yun Guantian took a deep breath.
A vast surge of True Qi condensed from his body under the guidance of his divine sense, like a majestic mountain, constantly rising, rising, and rising again.
As this momentum gathered and rose, a powerful and sharp pressure also gradually spread outwards, containing a profound and imposing force.
It seemed that as long as he stood there, no one could defeat him, and any opponent who opposed him would eventually be crushed and pulverized in the face of this heavy and terrifying force.
The imposing presence of Mount Tai!
A technique specifically designed for defense.
As a peak-level Spirit Refining, his decision to adopt such a defensive stance against a challenge Gu Jinlai fully demonstrates the extent to which he values this battle.
"Come! From Gu Jinlai, let me see how you will defeat me with a single punch!"
With a roar that unleashed his immense and powerful aura, Yun Guantian seemed to have his spirit and energy pushed to their limits, transforming into a raging battle intent that soared into the sky. To those with weaker minds, the oppressive aura emanating from him was so strong that it made their breath catch in their throats.
The Taishan Formation is a top-tier combat tactic.
Once one has mastered the art, one can condense one's own fist intent.
Although Yun Guantian has not yet mastered this fist technique to such a level, he can still exert an effect similar to "willpower oppression" due to the profound nature of the technique.
"Ready?"
He spoke Gu Jinlai, his entire being beginning to ignite...
"Come!"
At this moment, Yun Guantian was full of fighting spirit.
Let alone pseudo -Spirit Transformation from Gu Jinlai, even if it were a true Spirit Transformation, or even if he used a flying sword to attack, he was confident that he could forcibly block it.
"Boom!"
As soon as he responded, it was as if something suddenly exploded.
In the eyes of Yun Guantian was at the forefront, and some other Core Forming, there seemed to be nothing powerful, imposing, or magnificent about them just a moment Gu Jinlai, but suddenly a terrifyingly powerful force erupted from their bodies.
Under this force, his body swelled rapidly.
The True Demon Body of the Great Sun.
Like a doomsday volcano at an altitude of 100,000 meters, endless magma mixed with blazing and violent flames shot straight into the sky. After reaching a height of tens of thousands of meters, it exploded with a roar, releasing infinite light and heat.
The magma that was ejected did not immediately turn into dust. Instead, as he raised his arm, it condensed in the void, eventually appearing to form a magma star with a diameter of thousands of kilometers...
No!
That's not a magma star, that's the great sun!
It was a magnificent sun radiating boundless light and heat!
The sun appeared, shining in all directions, its dazzling brilliance and suffocating heat sweeping across the land.
The heat wave that dissipated in that short moment was enough to put everyone in a sea of inferno, making them feel that their bodies, True Qi, and even their souls were about to be burned to ashes. Cultivators with weaker wills couldn't help but let out shrill and terrified screams!
"What kind of boxing style is this! What kind of boxing style is this!"
"My eyes, my eyes... I can't see!"
"No, what we can't see isn't our eyes... it's our hearts..."
"Boom!"
That blazing, dazzling sun, seemingly imbued with world-destroying power, was grasped by the ever-reaching right hand that has held the heavens high throughout Gu Jinlai. All the magma and flames were condensed into a single mass, and then...
It slammed down hard on Yun Guantian.
"This..."
Feeling this suffocating and terrifying illusion, Yun Guantian, who had raised his aura to its peak, froze.
This is the power that Gu Jinlai!
This is the power that Gu Jinlai!
With a single strike, it was as if the sun had erupted.
It's like the sun unleashing a storm that crashes into the atmosphere with devastating force, setting the entire sky ablaze.
Before this terrifying power of the blazing sun, which can scorch the heavens and boil the seas, what significance does a so-called mountain, no matter how majestic or enormous, hold?
The Yun Guantian, which had risen to its peak and was filled with an astonishing aura of unshakeable power, collapsed under the impact of this magnificent sun.
Unstoppable!
No force can stop it!
"How is that possible!?"
Yun Guantian let out a desperate and frantic scream, his aura surging wildly. "No! Impossible! How could I, a peak Spirit Refining, be unable to withstand even a single punch?! I will not fail! Ah!"
"Boom!"
The fierce and dazzling strike finally struck the majestic mountain that Yun Guantian had transformed from Mount Tai.
"Boom!"
Mount Tai collapsed!
"No!"
Yun Guantian and roared wildly.
Then, his figure and the majestic mountain he had transformed into were completely swallowed up by a dazzling light that illuminated the world and a terrifying force that solidified the mind.