Winning Big

At the moment Gu Yuan's thoughts raced, the two attacks finally reached their limit. They collapsed inward with a thunderous boom, then transformed into a circular shock wave that swept in all directions before vanishing completely.

The enormous azure finger in the sky slowly faded, and the ten-thousand-zhang phantom behind Ning Chen quietly disappeared.

The green lotus beneath his feet swayed a few times, then dissolved into specks of azure light and vanished.

Ning Chen himself, meanwhile, stood there with his green robes fluttering, completely unharmed!

He even raised an eyebrow at Gu Yuan, wearing a faintly amused expression, as if to say,

"That's it?"

"..."

Gu Yuan fell silent.

The surging golden light around him slowly receded. The shattered space quickly mended beneath the mighty power of a Dou Sheng, and the suffocating pressure between heaven and earth gradually dissipated.

The desert returned to its stillness, leaving behind only a crater a hundred li wide, silently bearing witness to the terror of that strike.

Gu Yuan looked at the young man opposite him, who still displayed only the cultivation of a Dou Wang, yet had withstood his full-power attack without a scratch. All his doubts, probing, and calculations gave way to a jumble of emotions.

Shock, solemnity, wariness—and even a trace of alarm.

Gu Yuan was a late-stage Nine-Star Dou Sheng, the Ancient Clan Chief, and a figure who had stood at the peak of the continent for thousands of years. Apart from a handful of people like Hun Tiandi, when had anyone ever withstood his full-power attack and come away unscathed?

Yet this "Qing Di" had not only blocked it, but done so with such ease. The nature of the power he had displayed was utterly unheard of and unseen!

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

Gu Yuan's thoughts raced. A name that had once blazed brilliantly, only to ultimately fall into obscurity, surfaced in his mind—Xiao Xuan!

Back then, Xiao Xuan had gathered the power of his entire clan's bloodline to break through to the supreme realm of Dou Di. Though he had ultimately failed and fallen, the brilliance and level of power he unleashed in his final moments had already surpassed the bounds of an ordinary Nine-Star Dou Sheng. He had touched the very edge of "Emperor," leaving even Gu Yuan and Hun Tiandi, both at the peak, deeply shaken.

And now, Gu Yuan could faintly sense something similar from this "Qing Di"!

At that thought, Gu Yuan abandoned all plans to keep testing him or start another fight.

There was no point in a pointless struggle against someone whose strength was unfathomable, who might even be slightly stronger than himself, and whose motives were unknown. It could even bring the Ancient Clan a disaster it could not bear.

His warm, gentle smile returned. He cupped his hands toward Ning Chen from afar.

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

Ning Chen let out a long breath of relief. The most dangerous moment had finally passed.

The system really came through. Wu Wu Kai hadn't let him down!

He maintained his inscrutable calm and returned the salute.

"Chief Gu, you flatter me. The Di Yin Jue truly lives up to its reputation. It is worthy of being the Ancient Clan's signature art."

Gu Yuan smiled faintly, no longer dwelling on who had won or lost. Instead, he said,

"This place is desolate and hardly suitable for a conversation. Why don't we... leave first?"

Ning Chen naturally had no objections. All he wanted now was to end this performance that had nearly scared him out of his wits.

Gu Yuan nodded and swept his sleeve once more.

Ripples spread through space, and that familiar sensation of distortion swept over them.

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

The night breeze was cool, carrying the distinctive scent of plants and trees from the forested mountains.

When the two reappeared, they were back near the clearing where they had first met, at the edge of the Magic Beast Mountain Range.

The moonlight was still cold, and the mountains were quiet, as though everything that had just happened had been nothing but a dream.

"Meeting Your Excellency Qing Di today is truly my good fortune."

Gu Yuan's manner had grown even more courteous.

"Your Excellency is traveling the continent, and I'm sure you have important matters to attend to. I won't impose on you any further. Until we meet again. If you have time one day, you're welcome to visit the Gu Realm. I'll be delighted to welcome you."

Ning Chen didn't take Gu Yuan's polite words to heart.

"Chief Gu is most gracious. I'll remember your invitation. If the opportunity arises, I'll certainly pay a visit."

Gu Yuan said no more. He gave Ning Chen one last faint smile, then gradually faded as if merging with the moonlight, vanishing without leaving behind even the slightest spatial fluctuation. He left cleanly and decisively.

Only several minutes after Gu Yuan was gone did Ning Chen finally relax. Another layer of cold sweat covered his back, and his heart pounded wildly.

"Phew... I finally managed to fool him... That was thrilling. Way too damn thrilling!"

He wiped at the cold sweat that wasn't there, then looked at the massive surge of surprise points in the system, most of them from Gu Yuan, and couldn't help grinning.

This time, he'd been scared half to death, but the rewards were tremendous!

Not only had he intimidated Gu Yuan, a top powerhouse, he'd also made a fortune!

Ning Chen looked toward the Magic Beast Mountain Range. After calming his breathing a little, he spread his Dou Qi Wings again.

"Next... I should head to Qingshan Town..."

Meanwhile, at the Xiao Clan estate, in the quiet courtyard where Xiao Xun'er lived.

Candlelight flickered in the room, illuminating Xiao Xun'er's beautiful profile as she sat lost in thought.

Suddenly, the empty space before her rippled like a lake disturbed by a thrown pebble.

Then Gu Yuan stepped out of it.

"Father!"

Delight appeared in Xiao Xun'er's eyes. She quickly stood and threw herself into Gu Yuan's arms.

"What brings you here in person?"

Feeling his daughter's warmth and concern in his arms, Gu Yuan naturally smiled with tender affection and gently patted her back.

"Mm, I came to see you. I've already taken care of a few minor matters."

After exchanging a few words, Xiao Xun'er keenly noticed a faint trace of worry between her father's brows.

Quick-witted as she was, she only needed a moment to turn the conversation toward the matter that had unsettled her recently.

"Father," Xiao Xun'er said softly, stepping half a pace back from Gu Yuan's embrace.

"You met Mr. Ning, didn't you? Were you able to discern his true origins and the extent of his strength?"

Here it comes.

Gu Yuan paused inwardly.

Faced with his daughter's question, he was briefly at a loss for words.

Should he tell her the truth?

Should he tell her that "Mr. Ning" was very likely a terrifying figure whose strength rivaled his own, if not surpassed it, and whose depths were unfathomable—a man who called himself "Qing Di"?

Aside from the shock this information would bring Xiao Xun'er and the risks that might follow, that "Qing Di" clearly had no desire to reveal his identity. Otherwise, why would he present himself as a Dou Wang?

Casually exposing the secrets of such a powerful figure was a grave taboo. It could even bring disaster upon the Ancient Clan.

With that in mind, Gu Yuan kept his expression unchanged and spoke gently.

"I met him. He is indeed somewhat extraordinary."

"He's only eighteen, yet his cultivation has already reached Three-Star Dou Zong. He's a true prodigy."

"Three-Star Dou Zong?"

"As for his origins..." Gu Yuan continued to weave his well-intentioned lie, his tone steady.

"He should be a genius secretly trained by Danta. As you know, Danta has long maintained ties with our clan. It's no surprise that it produces talented people with unusual methods and knowledge."

"So he's a Danta expert..."

Xiao Xun'er nodded thoughtfully. Some of her doubts seemed to have been answered.

Danta was the continent's sacred ground for alchemists, with deep roots and a powerful background. It wasn't impossible for it to produce unusual young powerhouses with broad knowledge.

Seeing that his daughter seemed to accept the explanation, Gu Yuan quietly breathed a sigh of relief. He gave her a few simple reminders about cultivation and staying safe.

"I shouldn't stay long. The clan still has matters to attend to. Be careful here, and contact me at once if anything urgent comes up."

"You should take care too, Father," Xiao Xun'er replied obediently.

Gu Yuan said nothing more. He gave his daughter a lingering look, then rippled like water and silently melted into the empty space. He left Xiao Xun'er's room—and Wutan City.