Dao Heart Shattered: Gu Yue and Xiao Na Succeed, The Way of Wuji

Chapter 17: Dao Heart Shattered, Gu Yue and Na'er Triumph, The Way of Wuji (4K)

Eastsea City Primary Spirit Ascension Platform.

As Tang Wulin drifted in a daze, Na'er, panicked by her concern for him, struck him out of the Ascension Platform. Zhang Yangzi and Wang Jinxi, severely wounded by the Golden Dragon Claw, wisely fled at once, leaving only three in the forest.

Zhao Xuanzhen, Na'er, Gu Yue.

"You're Gu Yue?" Zhao Xuanzhen confirmed.

"That's right."

Gu Yue's tone was calm and unruffled, showing no sign of being shaken by facing two monsters alone.

Zhao Xuanzhen looked at Gu Yue and suddenly realized she was unexpectedly beautiful—delicate features, fair skin, evoking sunlight spilling over warm suet, pitch-black pupils like a still lake holding watery light, ripples gently spreading.

Flipping through his memory, Zhao Xuanzhen found the reason for Gu Yue's changed appearance in 0.25 seconds.

In another timeline, Gu Yue and Na'er had made a bet: the former would approach Tang Wulin with an ordinary appearance and make him fall for her. If she succeeded, the latter would willingly abandon her humanity, and the two women would merge into one, the Silver Dragon King Gu Yue Na reborn in the world.

From the day Na'er wandered into Shrek City, the world had changed. Na'er joined the Spirit Pagoda and didn't know Tang Wulin at all, while Gu Yue entered Eastsea Academy only to obtain the Golden Dragon King God Core.

In this life, there was no love bet. With the pride of the Silver Dragon King's Dragon Clan, Gu Yue wouldn't deliberately alter her appearance. Her current stunning face was her truest form.

Perhaps due to preconceptions, knowing both were halves of the Silver Dragon King, Zhao Xuanzhen inexplicably felt their brows and eyes bore some resemblance, but vastly different temperaments scattered those similarities.

After observing Gu Yue's change, Zhao Xuanzhen spoke: "Spirit Pagoda, Zhao Xuanzhen, Na'er. I'm your examiner today. Defeat me and you'll be promoted to Core Disciple of the Spirit Pagoda; otherwise, the Pagoda will reassess your overall potential."

Hearing this, Leng Yaozhu, watching from the outside world, smiled in satisfaction. With her Elementalist martial soul and Hidden Family background, Gu Yue would become a member of the Spirit Pagoda regardless of her performance. Zhao Xuanzhen was just using information disparity to force her to go all out.

"Fine!"

Gu Yue's answer was crisp and decisive. She had to enter the Spirit Pagoda—she would climb to the top step by step!

Two yellow soul rings rose, radiating twenty-first-level soul power. Na'er felt deeply gratified and secretly made a ghost face.

Hehe, Gu Yue, little sis, I'm higher in soul power than you!

A blue vein popped on Gu Yue's temple. When she had taken form, her soul had accidentally split into Na'er, and combined with the Silver Dragon King's original body's foundational trauma, she had spent three years recuperating in the Star Dou Great Forest just to barely recover a trace of ability. And now one of the culprits was taunting her!

"She's so fierce, Zhao Xuanzhen, unlike me~ I'm cute and well-behaved!"

Na'er transformed into a pitiful, innocent young beauty, openly twisting the knife, seizing every chance to slander Gu Yue!

Gu Yue was a little red-hot. She snorted coldly, her first and second soul rings flashing simultaneously. Centered on her body, earth, water, wind, fire... elemental orbs of various colors condensed.

First Soul Skill: Elemental Tide. Second Soul Skill: Elemental Control.

Unlike Na'er, who used the Silver Dragon Spear, Gu Yue had inherited the Silver Dragon King's most formidable elemental abilities. Neither soul skill was offensive; their effects were a sharp increase in soul power intensity and a surge of surrounding elemental force. Gu Yue's combat style was to bombard enemies with multiple elements!

Azure light swirled, and fierce winds formed sharp wind blades, accompanied by shrill howls, tearing through the air toward Zhao Xuanzhen.

"Xun word, Wind Blade."

Zhao Xuanzhen's eyes tinged with deep blue. The Bagua Qimen Earthly Dao Technique unfolded, and an even stronger wind descended, instantly annihilating the wind element Gu Yue had created!

Gu Yue's expression grew serious. She raised both hands high, red light flickering at her fingertips. Wild fire element gathered there, and clusters of scorching fireballs hammered Zhao Xuanzhen in succession!

"Li word, Flame Bullet."

The fireballs met the same fate as the wind blades. Bagua Qimen's Flame Bullet shattered the fireballs, its momentum undiminished, its target clear—straight for Gu Yue!

"Boom—"

An earth wall rose from the ground. The Flame Bullet exploded, layers of crimson fire waves spreading out, swallowing large swaths of forest. Amid the charred blackness, the surrounding temperature skyrocketed.

Gu Yue used the earth element to block the Flame Bullet, and while the fire waves obscured vision, she whipped out an Ice Cone. But the Ice Cone collided with another Ice Cone midair!

"Impossible, absolutely impossible!"

Gu Yue's composure shattered, her beautiful face twisting slightly. Identical skills—the Silver Dragon King's elemental power had actually lost to a human. If it were merely a soul power gap overwhelming her, she would have nothing to say. The problem was, she sensed from Zhao Xuanzhen's Earthly Dao Technique that this very world was suppressing her!

"Why impossible?"

Zhao Xuanzhen chuckled. Bagua Qimen governs the changes of the heavens!

"Kun word, Earth Tremor!"

The ground shook violently. Countless grains of sand and stone floated up. A mountain-like Stone Python appeared, its giant mouth splitting open at an angle exceeding 180 degrees, fangs flowing with earthy yellow earth force, lunging fiercely to devour Gu Yue!

"Ice and Snow Storm!"

Ivory teeth bit deeply into her red lips. Gu Yue controlled the ice and wind elements to raise an ice-and-snow tornado. As the Stone Python tore through the air, the tornado exploded violently. Ice crystal shards and flying sand and gravel clashed midair, deep blue ice prisms and earth debris raining down like a storm!

Both commanded the world's elements simultaneously. Zhao Xuanzhen pointed into the void, and hurricanes flanked from both sides. Gu Yue pressed her hands together, and a water curtain condensed into a hemispherical ice crystal. The moment the hurricane struck the ice shell, dense flame patterns grew on the ice layer's surface—a dual mix of water and fire elements. The surroundings burst into ruins.

The sky flickered unpredictably. Gu Yue floated on the wind, purple light kindling deep in her pupils. Light and dark elements solidified into tentacles. Zhao Xuanzhen somersaulted through the air, the hurricane transforming into a drill form, breaking through the shockwave from the Light and Dark Tentacles and shaking the water-element shield Gu Yue had hastily formed into mist.

"Multiple elements combined can't beat a single element. Heaven helps you, not me!" Gu Yue gritted her teeth. "What kind of ability is this?!"

"Within my formation, I am the world. I am the Heavenly Principle. The strength of elements, the mutual overcoming of elements—I decide."

The deep blue light in Zhao Xuanzhen's eyes grew deeper. The free elements across the entire battlefield began to collapse. Gu Yue watched in horror as her elemental control seemed overwritten by a higher-dimensional authority—even the wind element sustaining her flight betrayed her!

"Well done, Zhao Xuanzhen! Suppress her hard!"

Na'er was so excited she could barely contain herself. Hey-ha, hey-ha, she threw left and right hooks, cheering Zhao Xuanzhen on.

Gu Yue shot Na'er a fierce glare, her Dao Heart on the verge of shattering—and this girl was still throwing out taunts!

"Basic elements are useless. To turn defeat into victory, I must strike unexpectedly!"

As the embodiment of the Dragon God's wisdom, Gu Yue calmed down and quickly pondered a way to break the deadlock.

A flash of silver light, and Gu Yue teleported above Zhao Xuanzhen's head, both hands gripping ice blades—Space Element, Instant Transfer!

"Gan Word, Shift."

Zhao Xuanzhen vanished into thin air, reappearing beside Na'er in the next instant.

"Xun Word, Wind Rope."

Flowing wind currents wove into cyan wind ropes, tightening around Gu Yue's waist. Her body was pulled down involuntarily. She channeled the Dark Element to corrode the ropes, but as soon as darkness extinguished one, more ropes coiled around her, gently yet irresistibly sealing her joints and vital points.

The final wind rope bound her hands. The young girl glared at Zhao Xuanzhen, half ferocious, half helpless.

Seeing Gu Yue immobilized, Na'er was ecstatic. She trotted over, her pretty face inches from Gu Yue's, eyes darting mischievously:

"Oh dear, Gu Yue, what's wrong with you? Losing to Zhao Xuanzhen with your best elements? As the Second Test Officer, I'm very disappointed~"

"Let me down!"

Gu Yue's face was full of defiance, as if she wanted to throw down with Na'er right then and there!

"No way, no way!"

Under Gu Yue's murderous gaze, Na'er pinched her delicate nose hard, getting revenge for the Ten Thousand Demon King's pursuit four years ago!

Xiao Na triumphs!

"Alright, that's enough."

Zhao Xuanzhen pulled Na'er back, lest she start drawing a turtle on Gu Yue's face, then undid the wind ropes.

Gu Yue rubbed her swollen wrists. Something seemed to cross her mind, and a faint blush, almost shy, flickered across her cheeks.

"The High-level of the Spirit Pagoda saw our entire battle through the Soul Guidance Screen broadcast," Zhao Xuanzhen said.

"So can I become a Core Disciple?" Gu Yue couldn't help asking.

She was preparing to execute a plan, but it required becoming a core member of the Spirit Pagoda. Zhao Xuanzhen had completely suppressed her elemental power earlier, and Gu Yue worried the Spirit Pagoda wouldn't value her as much as she'd hoped.

"Go home and wait for news."

Zhao Xuanzhen said calmly.

"I request a reassessment," Gu Yue said. "Let me fight someone else—for example... this Na'er beside you."

"Who's afraid of who!"

Na'er drew the Silver Dragon Spear, and Gu Yue summoned multiple elements. The two girls instantly radiated tension, sparks of silver-white and pitch-black flying.

Zhao Xuanzhen smiled helplessly, pulled Na'er back, and looked at Gu Yue. "You only get one chance. We have a Spirit Pagoda mission to carry out. We can't stay."

Gu Yue's eyes dimmed slightly as she watched Zhao Xuanzhen and Na'er leave. Then she let out a soft sigh and voluntarily exited the Primary Spirit Ascension Platform.

Waking groggily, Gu Yue saw Tang Wulin, Xie Xie, Zhang Yangzi, and Wang Jinxi still immersed in the battle footage, along with a visibly moved Wu Changkong.

"See that now? The gap between you and your peers on the continent," Wu Changkong said coldly.

"There's no comparison. We're like naive children."

Tang Wulin smiled bitterly. Zhao Xuanzhen had not only toyed with his strength using technique but, with that final unadorned punch, showed him that the one who deflects a thousand pounds also possesses a thousand pounds of force!

"As vast as a chasm, like a natural barrier."

Xie Xie's confidence was shattered. Na'er's Silver Dragon Spear was elusive, and even the combined force of the Light Shadow Dragon Dagger couldn't hold out for more than a few moves. Zhang Yangzi and Wang Jinxi were much the same—the most talented Zero Class of Eastsea Academy, crushed raw by monsters of talent.

"There are always people better than you, and skies beyond your sky. Experiencing this gap early is a good thing; it keeps you from becoming arrogant."

Pausing for half a second, Wu Changkong shifted his tone: "But never doubt yourselves. You are all geniuses of Shrek Academy's caliber. However, those two, even placed in Shrek, are peerless monsters seen only once in several millennia.

Especially Zhao Xuanzhen. I see no weakness in him. He counters Wulin at close range, outdoes Gu Yue at long range, and his manipulation of multiple elements implies a powerful Spiritual Realm. His overall strength is nearly flawless.

In my personal judgment, he is extremely likely to become the next leader of the Spirit Pagoda. At that rate, the Spirit Pagoda might even surpass Shrek Academy and claim the top spot among Soul Master Forces on the continent."

"That terrifying!?"

Aside from Gu Yue, everyone in Zero Class had their mouths hanging open.

"That's the truth." Wu Changkong nodded slightly. "After the academy break ends, I will train you even more harshly. You must constantly chase after Zhao Xuanzhen."

"No, no more training!!!"

Zero Class wailed and screamed in the Eastsea Spirit Pagoda, while Zhao Xuanzhen and Na'er advanced deeper into the Primary Spirit Ascension Platform, searching for the guardian Leng Yaozhu had mentioned.

Having defeated the stat king Tang Wulin and the mechanic king Gu Yue, Zhao Xuanzhen couldn't help feeling cheerful. So this is what it means to be the Technique Emperor!

Like the Golden Silver Dragon King, the true heir is the Authentic Dragon!

The next second, his peak Rank 29 soul power smoothly broke through to Rank 30, and a pitch-black Soul Ring quietly condensed within Zhao Xuanzhen's body.

Na'er twirled the Silver Dragon Spear. Though she didn't want to admit it, Gu Yue's appearance had stirred a trace of unease in her. She poked Zhao Xuanzhen's arm with her fingertip and tested the waters:

"Zhao Xuanzhen, is Gu Yue pretty?"

"A girl's appearance is not for outsiders to judge."

Zhao Xuanzhen directly stacked his defenses. You little fool, did you really think I'd fall for your clumsy scheme?

"Then who's prettier between the two of us—you have to answer!" Na'er stomped her foot in anger.

"One of you two is very good-looking."

"..."

Na'er raised her pale, delicate fist and threatened, "You'd better be talking about me!"

"Splash—"

A powerful aura suddenly erupted in the distance. Both of them instantly suppressed every trace of inappropriate emotion.

That aura spread rapidly. The forest's light dimmed abruptly, and the chirping of insects and birds fell silent all around.

The earth trembled. A massive bear, its entire body covered in dark-gold fur, tore through the towering ancient trees blocking its path and appeared within their sight. The bear stood over five meters tall, its back broad and powerful, its body as thick as a city wall. From the ends of its burly arms extended icy, dark-golden giant claws.

"A Thousand-Year Darkgold Fearclaw Bear... nine times out of ten, it's the Spirit Ascension Platform guardian..."

Zhao Xuanzhen's eyes lit up slightly. A hundred-year Darkgold Fearclaw Bear had been replaced by a thousand-year one, and this new guardian seemed to hold hidden secrets!

At the Spirit Transmission Tower Headquarters' Primary Spirit Ascension Platform, the guardian was also a Thousand-Year Darkgold Fearclaw Bear, so Zhao Xuanzhen had a very direct basis for comparison. This Darkgold Fearclaw Bear in Eastsea City had claws thicker and sharper than the headquarters' guardian, gleaming with an imposing dark-gold luster!

"One Beast Double Claws, huh... Teacher sent quite an extraordinary gift..."

Zhao Xuanzhen finally understood Leng Yaozhu's intentions. No wonder she had forced them to kill the guardian!

"Screech—"

Another sharp cry rang out. A massive single eye floated into view, its four silver tentacles dragging across the ground, leaving furrows behind. The Darkgold Fearclaw Bear was domineering and ferocious, but the giant eye was even more cold and sinister!

A thousand-year Evil Eye Tyrant!

"Zhao Xuanzhen, leave the Evil Eye Tyrant to me!"

Na'er volunteered herself. Her gift—she would earn it herself!

The two charged toward their respective opponents. Zhao Xuanzhen's three Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Rings spiraled upward, the third ring blazing with dazzling light!

Black-and-white ripples spread wantonly. From the roots, his black hair began to be dyed white. His body, spirit, and soul power shattered their Shackles, stepping into another realm!

Third Soul Skill: The Way of Wuji!

From strength, become stronger!