The Final Battle, Xuandu Grand Mage

"Reporting to Master, disciple Xuan Liu requests permission to take part in the final spell-combat match and battle Human Sect's Senior Brother Xuandu at the same cultivation realm!" Xuan Liu said calmly as he stepped forward to volunteer.

The moment those words were spoken.

Kunlun Mountain, which had been roaring with noise, abruptly fell into an eerie silence once more.

"Hmm?"

Tongtian Cult Master narrowed his deep, saintly eyes slightly.

Affection and surprise flickered within them.

He had thought that his youngest personal disciple had already done exceedingly well by securing two victories.

Yet he had never expected Xuan Liu to possess such boldness—to voluntarily challenge Human Sect's foremost disciple, Xuandu Grand Mage!

Sensing Tongtian Cult Master's probing gaze, Xuan Liu remained calm, though countless thoughts churned through his mind.

Although he had won his battle against Huang Long True Person by relying on the Thunder Emperor Secret Art,

that battle had also revealed some of his own shortcomings.

His accumulated foundation was indeed profound enough to let him defeat enemies above his realm.

But when it came to pure spell-combat experience and the ever-changing arts of slaughter,

his years of cultivation were ultimately too few, and he lacked experience in one way or another.

In this Primordial World, the quickest and most reliable way to improve one's spell-combat experience

was by no means to shut oneself away and build a cart behind closed doors, but to have a supreme expert of the same realm willingly feed one moves.

Human Sect's Xuandu Grand Mage had inherited the supreme orthodoxy of his Eldest Uncle-Master, Supreme Elder Laozi.

If he could fight someone like that at the same realm, only then could he truly fuse his many methods into one and wield them with complete mastery!

"Fifth Junior Brother, do not act rashly!"

However, before Tongtian Cult Master could issue his sacred decree,

Duobao Daoist, standing at the very front of the Interception Sect formation, grew anxious. He hurried forward and repeatedly waved at Xuan Liu.

Duobao Daoist's plump face was filled with seriousness as he loudly urged, "Fifth Junior Brother! You have just undergone a battle against an opponent above your realm. Though your magical power has not been exhausted, some depletion is inevitable."

"That Senior Brother Xuandu has deeply inherited Eldest Uncle-Master's Supreme Purity teachings. His cultivation has long reached the mid-stage Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal realm, and his methods are unfathomable. He is absolutely not someone so easily dealt with!"

Fifth Junior Brother was being far too impulsive.

He actually wanted to engage Senior Brother Xuandu in spell combat at the same realm.

Senior Brother Xuandu's cultivation was genuinely at the mid-stage Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal realm.

Furthermore, his foundation was extraordinarily deep.

It surpassed Fifth Junior Brother's by far more than a little.

Even if he suppressed his cultivation to the mid-stage Primordial Unity Golden Immortal realm, he would still be far from easy to handle.

"Disciple Duobao greets Master!"

Duobao Daoist turned and made a respectful salute toward Tongtian Cult Master atop the platform. With an earnest expression, he volunteered, "Reporting to Master! This final, supreme battle concerns the ownership of the Three Sects Grand Competition's top rank, and its implications are too vast."

"As the Interception Sect's eldest disciple, this disciple has now attained the mid-stage Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal realm. It should naturally be this disciple who takes the stage and represents our great sect against Senior Brother Xuandu. Only then can victory be assured beyond all doubt!"

"Eldest Senior Brother speaks truly! Fifth Junior Brother, this battle is no trivial matter. You should withdraw and regulate your breath."

Golden Spirit Holy Mother, standing to the left, narrowed her phoenix eyes and echoed his words.

Behind her, Zhao Gongming, the Three Cloud Fairies, Black Cloud Immortal, and many other Interception Sect disciples also began speaking in turn.

"That's right, Fifth Senior Brother! You have already won enough glory for our Interception Sect. This final match should be handled by Eldest Senior Brother or Second Senior Sister!"

"Exactly! Xuandu Grand Mage is highly valued by Eldest Uncle-Master in Human Sect. His strength is unfathomable, utterly beyond comparison to someone like Huang Long True Person, a mere late-stage Primordial Unity Golden Immortal. Fifth Senior Brother, you absolutely must not risk yourself!"

"Fifth Senior Brother, leave this final match to Eldest Senior Brother without worry. We all believe in him!"

"That's right! With Eldest Senior Brother's strength, he will surely lead our Interception Sect to win the grand competition's foremost lineage!"

"Indeed! And even if Eldest Senior Brother were to lose this match, it would not be something impossible to accept."

"Pah, pah, pah! Junior Brother, what kind of crow's beak is that? Our Eldest Senior Brother will definitely win!"

The voices of countless Interception Sect immortals spread rapidly through the air, one after another without end.

It was not that they did not believe in Xuan Liu's talent.

Rather, the prestige carried by the eldest disciples of the Three Sects was simply too immense.

For a mid-stage Primordial Unity Golden Immortal to fight Xuandu, a mid-stage Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal—

even if the latter suppressed his cultivation to the same realm, he would still be far from easy to deal with.

Hearing the unreserved concern and dissuasion of his fellow senior brothers and sisters, a trace of warmth passed through Xuan Liu's heart.

Yet the firm Dao heart in his clear eyes did not waver in the slightest.

"Enough!"

Tongtian Cult Master swept his great sleeve and said earnestly, "Duobao, Jinling, there is no need for you to say more."

"Since disciple Xuan Liu possesses such courage, let him represent our Interception Sect in this final match. Let him take the stage and seek guidance from your Senior Brother Xuandu!"

Tongtian Cult Master naturally had the broad perspective expected of a sect master when he chose to grant Xuan Liu's request.

In this final confrontation among the Three Sects, whether he sent his eldest disciple Duobao Daoist

or his second disciple Golden Spirit Holy Mother, there was a high chance neither would be Xuandu's match.

Under the painstaking instruction of his elder brother, Supreme Elder Laozi,

Xuandu had long become an absolute standout among mid-stage Zenith Heaven Golden Immortals.

Since Duobao and the others would most likely lose if they took the stage anyway,

he might as well grant the wish of his youngest personal disciple.

He would let this fifth personal disciple, whose talent was monstrous and whose foundation was profound, take the field.

He could properly accumulate pure spell-combat experience and solidify his mid-stage Primordial Unity Golden Immortal foundation.

Moreover, with Xuan Liu's endlessly emerging methods and deep foundation,

even if he truly lost on the spell-combat platform, he would surely lose with dignity and splendor, without diminishing the prestige of the Upper Pure lineage.

"Disciple Xuan Liu thanks Master for granting this!"

The corners of Xuan Liu's lips lifted slightly as he bowed in thanks.

"Interesting. Truly, exceedingly interesting."

At the center of the high platform, Supreme Elder Laozi, clad in a Taiji Yin-Yang Dao robe with a head of white hair,

actually revealed a faint smile upon his normally placid, lean face for the first time in ages.

He turned his head and instructed Xuandu Grand Mage, "Xuandu, since your Junior Brother Xuan Liu possesses such lofty ambition, enter the spell-combat platform and verify the profound principles of the Great Dao with him."

"Suppress your mid-stage Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal magical power and cultivation to the mid-stage Primordial Unity Golden Immortal realm. Compete with your junior brother while remaining at the same realm."

"Remember! Be gentle when you strike. Stop at the proper point. Your Junior Brother Xuan Liu possesses noble origins and astonishing comprehension; he is a rare pillar of our Profound Sect's future. You must not injure him."