Winning Big

Just as Gu Yuan's thoughts raced, the collision of those two attacks finally reached its limit, imploding with a roar before transforming into a ring-shaped shockwave that swept across all directions and dissipated completely.

The phantom of the giant cyan finger in the sky slowly faded, and the ten-thousand-foot shadow behind Ning Chen also quietly vanished.

The cyan lotus light beneath his feet flickered a few times before finally dissolving into specks of cyan light rain.

As for Ning Chen himself, he remained in his fluttering cyan robes, completely unscathed!

He even raised an eyebrow slightly at Gu Yuan, wearing a look that was half-smile, half-mockery, as if to say, "Is that all?"

"..."

Gu Yuan fell silent.

The surging golden light around him slowly receded, the shattered void rapidly repaired itself under the immense power of a Dou Sheng, and the suffocating pressure between heaven and earth gradually dispersed.

The desert returned to a deathly silence, leaving only the hundred-mile-wide crater to silently testify to the terror of the strike that had just occurred.

Gu Yuan looked at the young man opposite him, who still appeared to possess only the cultivation of a Dou Wang, yet had withstood his full-force strike without a scratch. All the suspicion, probing, and calculation in his heart transformed into an incredibly complex set of emotions at this moment.

Shock, gravity, wariness, and even a trace of dread.

He, Gu Yuan, a late-stage Nine-Star Dou Sheng and patriarch of the Gu Clan, had stood at the pinnacle of the continent for thousands of years. Aside from a handful of people like Hun Tiandi, who had ever been able to force him to retreat empty-handed after a full-force strike?

Yet this "Qing Di" before him had not only received it, but had done so with such ease. Furthermore, the nature of the power he displayed was something he had never heard of or seen before!

This level of power... these terrifying methods...

Gu Yuan's mind spun rapidly, and a name that had once shone brilliantly before falling into darkness surfaced in his mind—Xiao Xuan!

Back then, Xiao Xuan had gathered the power of his entire clan's bloodline to assault the supreme realm of Dou Di, though he ultimately failed and perished.

But the radiance and level of power he unleashed at the very last moment had already transcended the scope of an ordinary Nine-Star Dou Sheng, touching the edge of "Emperor" and causing even him and Hun Tiandi, who were at the same peak, to feel a sense of trepidation.

And at this moment, he felt a faint, similar aura from this "Qing Di"!

Thinking of this, Gu Yuan completely abandoned the idea of continuing to probe or attack.

Facing an existence of the same level whose strength was unfathomable—perhaps even half a step stronger than his own—and whose motives were unclear, pointless conflict was meaningless and could even bring unbearable disaster upon the Gu Clan.

A warm, peaceful smile reappeared on his face as he bowed to Ning Chen from a distance.

"Your Excellency Qing Di, your divine abilities are peerless. Gu... is impressed."

Hearing this, Ning Chen let out a long sigh of relief, knowing that the most dangerous moment had finally passed.

The system was truly reliable; "Wu Wu Kai" had not deceived him!

He maintained his inscrutable, indifferent expression and returned the bow.

"Patriarch Gu is too kind. The Di Yin Jue is well-deserved of its reputation; it is truly worthy of being the Gu Clan's signature technique."

Gu Yuan smiled slightly, no longer dwelling on the outcome, and said instead, "This place is barren and not a suitable place for conversation. Why don't we... leave this area first?"

Ning Chen naturally had no objections; he just wanted to end this "performance" that had nearly scared him out of his wits.

Gu Yuan nodded and waved his sleeve once more.

Space rippled, and the familiar sensation of distortion washed over them.

The next moment, the figures of the two had already vanished from above the silent desert abyss.

The night breeze was cool, carrying the scent of grass and trees unique to the mountain forests.

When the two appeared again, they had returned to the edge of the Magic Beast Mountain Range, near the forest clearing where they had first met.

The moonlight remained cold and clear, and the forest was silent, as if everything that had just happened were merely a dream.

"It has been my good fortune to meet Your Excellency Qing Di today."

Gu Yuan's attitude became increasingly courteous.

"Since you are traveling across the continent, you must have important matters to attend to. I shall not disturb you further. We shall part ways here. If you have any leisure time in the future, you are welcome to visit the Gu Realm. I will surely sweep the floor and welcome you."

Ning Chen did not take Gu Yuan's polite words to heart.

"I will keep Patriarch Gu's kind invitation in mind. If there is an opportunity in the future, I will certainly pay a visit."

Gu Yuan said no more, smiled slightly at Ning Chen once again, and his figure gradually faded as if merging into the moonlight, eventually disappearing without a trace, leaving not even a ripple in space behind. He left with clean, decisive movements.

Only after Gu Yuan had been gone for several minutes did Ning Chen finally collapse, another layer of cold sweat breaking out on his back as his heart hammered wildly.

"Phew... finally managed to bluff my way through... thrilling, that was way too damn thrilling!"

He wiped away the non-existent cold sweat and looked at the massive amount of surprise points in his system—mostly from Gu Yuan—and couldn't help but grin.

This wave, while terrifying, had yielded a massive harvest!

Not only had he intimidated a super-bigwig like Gu Yuan, but he had also made a fortune!

Ning Chen looked up toward the direction of the Magic Beast Mountain Range, calmed his breathing, and once again unfurled his Dou Qi wings.

"Next... time to head to Qingshan Town..."

At the same time, in the quiet courtyard where Xiao Xun'er resided within the Xiao Clan.

Inside the room, candlelight flickered, illuminating Xiao Xun'er's stunning and contemplative profile.

Suddenly, the space before her rippled like a lake surface disturbed by a pebble, sending out circles of soft waves.

Immediately after, Gu Yuan stepped out from within.

"Father!"

A look of surprise and joy instantly appeared in Xiao Xun'er's eyes as she hurriedly stood up and threw herself into Gu Yuan's arms.

"Why have you come here in person?"

Feeling the warmth and concern of his daughter in his arms, a natural, loving, and gentle smile appeared on Gu Yuan's face as he patted her back lightly.

"Mm, I came to see you. Some trivial matters have already been properly handled."

The two exchanged a few simple words about daily life, but Xiao Xun'er keenly sensed a faint trace of worry lingering between her father's brows.

With her sharp mind, she pondered for a moment before steering the conversation toward the source of her recent unease.

"Father," Xiao Xun'er stepped back slightly from Gu Yuan's embrace and asked softly, "You met that Mr. Ning, didn't you? Were you able to discern his true origins or the depth of his strength?"

Here it comes.

Gu Yuan's heart skipped a beat.

Facing his daughter's question, he found himself momentarily at a loss for words.

Should he tell the truth?

Should he inform his daughter that this "Mr. Ning" was likely a terrifying existence who called himself "Qing Di," possessing strength not inferior to his own, or perhaps even more unfathomable?

Setting aside the shock this information would cause Xun'er and the potential risks that might follow, it was clear that the esteemed "Qing Di" himself had no intention of revealing his identity; otherwise, why would he present himself with the appearance of a Dou Wang?

Carelessly leaking the background of such a powerhouse was a major taboo and could even bring disaster upon the Gu Clan.

Thinking of this, Gu Yuan kept his expression unchanged and said in a gentle voice, "I have met him. This person is indeed somewhat extraordinary."

"At only eighteen, his cultivation is already that of a three-star Dou Zong. He can truly be called a prodigy."

"A three-star Dou Zong?"

"As for his origins..." Gu Yuan continued weaving his well-intentioned lie, his tone steady, "He is likely a genius secretly cultivated by Danta. You know that Danta has always had dealings with our clan; they produce geniuses in abundance, so it is not surprising that he possesses some special methods and insights."

"So he is an expert from Danta..."

Xiao Xun'er nodded thoughtfully, some of her doubts seemingly resolved.

As the holy land for alchemists on the continent, Danta had a profound background, so it was not impossible for a young powerhouse with peculiar behavior and extensive knowledge to emerge from there.

Seeing that his daughter seemed to accept this explanation, Gu Yuan quietly breathed a sigh of relief and gave a few more simple instructions regarding her cultivation and safety.

"It is not appropriate for me to stay long; there are still matters in the clan. You must be careful here. If there is an emergency, contact me at any time."

"Father, please take care of yourself as well," Xiao Xun'er replied obediently.

Gu Yuan said no more. He took one last deep look at his daughter, and his figure rippled like water once again, silently merging into the void as he left Xiao Xun'er's room and departed from Wutan City.