Yun Mu Battles East Sea F3

"When you don't even believe you can win, you are bound to lose," Wu Changkong said.

"Next, Tang Wulin, Xie Xie, and Gu Yue, the three of you will fight Yun Mu," Wu Changkong instructed.

"Teacher, isn't this unfair?" Tang Wulin asked.

Wu Changkong smiled at Tang Wulin. "Yun Mu, you are not allowed to hold back. Look, even your little brother doubts your strength. Ready, begin."

The Sword of Life in Yun Mu's hand hummed without pause, its emerald blade flowing with a faint, elusive glow.

The three figures opposite him spread out in a triangular formation. Blue Silver King vines burst from Tang Wulin's palm, their dark blue sheen weaving a dense net across the ground.

Gu Yue half-closed her eyes as halos of seven elements flickered around her. Even the water molecules and dust particles in the air trembled faintly.

Xie Xie gripped a short dagger in each hand. The blazing white Light Dragon Dagger and pitch-black Shadow Dragon Dagger flashed alternately at his fingertips, while three afterimages trailed behind his shifting steps.

"Attack!" Tang Wulin shouted low, activating his First Soul Skill, Blue Silver Strangulation.

Dozens of thick Blue Silver vines shot out like venomous snakes, whistling through the air as they wrapped around Yun Mu's limbs.

Almost at the same moment, Xie Xie turned into a streak of light. The Light Dragon Dagger carved a blinding arc of light as it stabbed toward Yun Mu's back, while the Shadow Dragon Dagger slipped into the shadows and silently circled toward his side.

Gu Yue raised her slender fingers, and three earthen walls rose before Yun Mu. Yet in an instant, flames gathered in her palm and ignited them, sending a blazing wave of fire mixed with shattered stones rushing at Yun Mu—it was an elemental combination meant to seal off his retreat.

Yun Mu tapped the ground with his toes and brought the Sword of Life down in a vertical slash.

Pale golden sword energy split apart the incoming Blue Silver vines. Fine white flowers suddenly bloomed along the blade—it was the opening move of his Third Soul Skill, Sword Domain: Fleeting Splendor.

The instant blossoms filled the space around him, he spun aside from Xie Xie's Light Dragon Blade. The spine of his sword struck the edge of the Shadow Dragon Dagger with perfect precision. Amid a crisp clash of metal, Xie Xie felt a gentle yet irresistible force travel up through his dagger, sending him staggering backward.

"Life can create all things," Yun Mu murmured softly. The petals that had fallen on the remains of the earthen walls suddenly took root and sprouted, transforming in the blink of an eye into dozens of wooden shortswords that stabbed back toward Gu Yue.

This was one of the little tricks he had discovered before.

Life Force was the origin of all things. Plant seeds were everywhere in the air, and with just a little Life Force, he could spur these plants into growth.

And as a descendant of the God of Life, he was born with the authority to control these plants.

Gu Yue's pupils contracted slightly. An ice shield instantly formed before her, but the moment the shortswords touched it, vines coiled around it—the seemingly fragile wooden swords contained Life Force, and the instant they pierced the ice shield, they began growing wildly.

She hastily summoned the wind element. Powerful winds swept up sand and stones and smashed them into the wooden swords, while she wove a barrier of dark element before herself. Only then did she barely block this counterattack.

Seeing his companion held up, Tang Wulin suddenly activated his Second Soul Skill, Blue Silver Golden Light Array.

Golden flames ignited along the dark blue vines. Countless points of light detached from them and crashed down on Yun Mu like a meteor shower.

Yun Mu turned his wrist, and the Sword of Life drew a circular arc. The petals within the Sword Domain gathered before him, forming a pale golden shield of light.

The points of light exploded against the shield, only to be absorbed by the petals at the moment of contact. They transformed into fine motes of light that fell onto Yun Mu's shoulders, having been converted into healing power by his First Soul Skill, Withering Bones Forge Edge.

"This won't work." Xie Xie circled to Yun Mu's side as the Light Dragon Dagger and Shadow Dragon Dagger activated their Soul Skills in succession. Two dragon-shaped phantoms, one bright and one dark, entwined as they lunged toward Yun Mu.

Gu Yue seized the opening. The water and fire elements fused in her palm, forming a black-and-white sphere of light. Space twisted around it under the influence of the space element; she was clearly preparing to unleash an elemental combination skill.

Tang Wulin pushed the power of the Blue Silver King to its limit. The vines on the ground grew wildly, converging beneath Yun Mu's feet.

Yun Mu took a deep breath and plunged the Sword of Life into the ground.

Tang Wulin was utterly puzzled. How could the Sword of Life pierce this metal-plated floor?

Looking closely, he realized that the Arrow of Life had already turned into a phantom.

The petals within the Sword Domain suddenly spun faster. Half transformed into sharp blades of light and shot toward Xie Xie and Tang Wulin, while the other half condensed into a rain of light that fell around Yun Mu.

Xie Xie's twin daggers cut through the light blades, but the shockwaves left his arms numb. Tang Wulin's Blue Silver vines were severed by the blades, and just as they were about to regenerate, Yun Mu had already closed in on Gu Yue.

In her haste, Gu Yue summoned the earth element to block him, but the Sword of Life merely tapped lightly. A sea of fresh flowers instantly bloomed across the earthen wall, petals spreading along its surface and temporarily sealing her Elemental Power.

"It's not over yet!" Tang Wulin shouted as he summoned the Clear Sky Hammer. Its pitch-black Hammer Body carried terrifying pressure as it smashed toward Yun Mu.

At that moment, Tang Wulin seemed determined to vent his frustration over the extra training that afternoon.

Yun Mu spun aside. The Sword of Life traced a graceful arc as every petal in the Sword Domain gathered at its tip, pale golden light flowing along the edge.

He looked at the three of them as they readjusted their formation, his sword tip angled toward the ground. "Your coordination is quite good, but if you want to defeat me, it's still not enough."

The petals continued drifting in the wind. Some hovered in midair with sharp killing intent, while others gave off a gentle glow as they fell where the three had stood moments earlier—

The powers of life and death coexisted perfectly around Yun Mu. Even facing three opponents alone, his aura remained as steady as ever, and beneath the hum of the Sword of Life lay the calm ease of someone who had yet to give his all.

"So, Wulin?" Yun Mu asked with a smile. "Was this match fair?"

"Fair." A wise man knew when to yield, and Tang Wulin was a wise man.

"Alright, let me summarize the problems you displayed," Wu Changkong said coldly.

"Although your coordination showed some understanding, to be honest, it was riddled with openings. Still, this was your first time working together, so it was passable." Wu Changkong's gaze swept over the three of them.

"Tang Wulin, because Yun Mu is your older brother, you were always half a beat slow when attacking. The transition between Blue Silver Strangulation and the Golden Light Array was more than half a beat too slow, and you summoned the Clear Sky Hammer far too hastily," Wu Changkong said to Tang Wulin.

Wu Changkong turned toward Xie Xie. At that moment, Xie Xie was grinning mischievously at Tang Wulin, apparently mouthing, "You can't do it."

Unfortunately, smiles did not disappear; they merely changed owners.

"Xie Xie, your advantage is speed, but you used all of it on dodging. Of the three times you circled around him, Yun Mu spotted the opportunity and blocked your daggers twice. It wasn't that you were too slow—you hadn't even found the right angle of attack," Wu Changkong said immediately.

"Gu Yue, your elemental coordination was fairly good. However, you need to pay attention to fusing your elements together. That may allow you to unleash even greater power." Wu Changkong finished his assessment of the three.

As for Yun Mu, Wu Changkong felt that he had done rather well.