An Utter Crushing: Xiao Chen Beaten Senseless

Outside the Qi Capital.

A dragon's roar shook heaven and earth!

True essence erupted around Gu Yuan like a blue dragon, soaring straight into the sky!

Everyone went pale with shock.

"Such might!"

"No sixth-rank martial artist could possess true essence like that!"

"What realm has he reached?"

Xiao Chen halted in his tracks, rooted to the spot by the sudden burst of power.

"Don't panic, young lord. The Heavenly Martial Physique is more than enough to suppress the True Essence Martial Physique.

"Long ago, the founding emperor of Great Li swept aside the martial artists of the world with the Heavenly Martial Physique and stood alone at the pinnacle of the martial path. Today, you can do the same."

Hearing Hong Ni's voice beside his ear, Xiao Chen regained his composure and shouted:

"Gu Yuan, stop putting on a show!"

A tiger's roar shook the world as Xiao Chen's true essence took the form of a white tiger and pounced forward.

True essence gathered around his fist, crushing everything in its path with terrifying force.

"That is the martial art that made the King of Qingzhou famous, the White Tiger Howling at Heaven Art! One takes the form of a white tiger, swallowing heaven and devouring the moon, unrivaled against anyone in the same realm!

"I never expected Xiao Chen to have cultivated it to such a terrifying level at his age. Its might is no less than Lord Gu's dragon roar!"

"And with his advantage in cultivation realm, the outcome of this fight is still uncertain."

The crowd cried out in astonishment.

Both Gu Yuan and Xiao Chen had opened their eyes today.

Lu Zhaoming sat cross-legged to one side, his right hand trembling as it gripped his spear, frustration showing in his eyes.

He had prided himself on being a genius, yet now he couldn't even withstand a single blow from Gu Yuan...

The young lords from the other provinces wore different expressions, but their eyes all revealed deep shock.

Boom!

In an instant, Xiao Chen's fist was upon him.

"Why isn't Lord Gu dodging? Does he mean to take the blow head-on? That's a fifth-rank martial artist's full-strength attack!"

Gu Yuan smiled.

You want me to avoid his attack?

Hmph!

"A white tiger?"

"I'll beat you into a cat!"

True essence took the form of a sword blade, scorching yang flames clinging to it as it came crashing down on the tiger's body!

"Gu Yuan, you're arrogant!"

Xiao Chen shouted furiously, circulating his true essence to its limit.

Boom!

Blade and fist collided, producing a hum that shook the heavens.

The shockwaves from the clash of true essence swept through the surroundings.

Those with somewhat weaker cultivation were caught in the blast and knocked off their feet.

"Such power... This isn't a fight between a fifth-rank and a sixth-rank martial artist at all."

Everyone looked shocked.

Xiao Chen was just as stunned.

Gu Yuan had actually taken his full-strength blow... and done it so easily!

An easy, relaxed smile curved Gu Yuan's lips.

"So that's all you're capable of?"

"You're much worse than I imagined."

It was the truth, and exactly what Gu Yuan thought.

By rights, the protagonist shouldn't have been this weak.

But the fact was, Xiao Chen really was pitifully weak.

He wasn't even a match for Gu Yuan's senior sister when she suppressed her cultivation to the sixth rank...

"Gu Yuan, are you humiliating me?"

Enraged, Xiao Chen made the white tiger roar at the sky, its thunderous cry making hearts tremble.

"You've misunderstood. I'm merely stating a fact."

Everyone: ...

He was the King of Qingzhou's son, after all. Couldn't Gu Yuan at least spare him a little dignity?

But on second thought, Gu Yuan was the sort of person who would draw his blade and kill a young lord at the slightest disagreement.

He really was outrageously bold.

Spare him some dignity?

Was a mere son of the King of Qingzhou worthy of it?

At once, the crowd looked at Xiao Chen with a little more pity.

If not for Gu Yuan, Xiao Chen's name would surely have spread throughout Great Qi today.

But now, he was destined to be nothing more than a leaf setting off Gu Yuan's brilliance...

"Go, Gu Yuan! Beat him up!" Huai'an beamed.

"How could this be?" Hong Ni and Lü Luo couldn't understand.

How could the True Essence Martial Physique possibly suppress the Heavenly Martial Physique?

Their young lord shouldn't have lost.

"It's about time." Gu Yuan composed his expression and spoke calmly.

"What did you say?" Xiao Chen's expression changed, and a bad feeling rose in his heart.

"Don't worry, Young Lord Xiao. I'll ask Her Majesty the empress to grant you the finest medicine for your injuries."

!!!

Before he had finished speaking.

Gu Yuan drove a punch at Xiao Chen's forehead.

Bang!

Xiao Chen's entire face twisted out of shape as he flew backward and crashed heavily to the ground.

"Young lord!"

Hong Ni and Lü Luo immediately rushed forward and blocked Gu Yuan.

Xiao Chen staggered to his feet and shot Hong Ni a cold glance.

"Out of the way."

"Young lord..."

"Out of the way!!"

"Yes..." Hong Ni and Lü Luo both stepped aside.

"Gu Yuan, I, Xiao Chen, will repay today's humiliation."

With a furious shout, Xiao Chen unleashed his true essence, condensing it into a figure beside him that looked exactly like his original body.

"What kind of cultivation art is that?!"

The crowd cried out.

Two fifth-rank figures, identical in both aura and strength.

This was Xiao Chen's trump card!

Gu Yuan smiled faintly. "The Heavenly Martial Clone. Now that's a little interesting."

Everyone was shocked by his words.

Xiao Chen, Hong Ni, and Lü Luo froze on the spot.

The Heavenly Martial Physique was a closely guarded secret, known to very few people.

Not only did Gu Yuan know about it, he could also see through its mysteries at a glance.

It was simply inconceivable!

"The Heavenly Martial Clone... Could Xiao Chen possess the same Heavenly Martial Physique as the founding emperor of the former Great Li dynasty?" a voice called out from the crowd.

"The Heavenly Martial Physique? Isn't that the legendary invincible physique that has never lost? Xiao Chen can't even defeat Lord Gu now. Does he really have the Heavenly Martial Physique?"

The doubts stung Xiao Chen's ears like needles.

He had to prove himself.

Otherwise, the world would forever rank him behind Gu Yuan.

"Gu Yuan, take this punch!"

Both Xiao Chens attacked at once.

The Heavenly Martial Clone shared a mind with the original body, making them almost one person.

This wasn't a simple matter of one plus one, but a severalfold increase in strength.

Gu Yuan's expression remained calm.

Martial God Physique.

Activate!

The next moment.

True essence bowed its head, and blood and qi roared.

Everyone stared at Gu Yuan in horror.

"This... what kind of power is this?"

"Why do I feel like the true essence in my body is slipping out of my control, trying to rush out toward Lord Gu?"

"He can control other people's true essence... How incredible!"

Hong Ni stood rooted to the spot, stunned.

She had been wrong.

Gu Yuan didn't have the True Essence Martial Physique at all.

He possessed a physique unlike any she had ever seen, one that controlled the true essence of heaven and earth, like a god.

Even though she was already third rank, the true essence in her body was slipping out of her control and trying to surge toward Gu Yuan.

The Martial God Physique.

Not a single person present recognized it.

But everyone knew that Gu Yuan's talent far surpassed everyone else's!

Even the Heavenly Martial Physique couldn't compare in the slightest!

Gu Yuan moved.

In an instant, he reached Xiao Chen's side and dispersed the Heavenly Martial Clone formed of true essence with a single punch.

"Agh-!"

The agony of his true essence being shattered drew a heart-rending roar from Xiao Chen.

Gu Yuan's attack wasn't over yet.

True essence crashed into Xiao Chen like waves.

Xiao Chen's whole body went limp, and he was powerless to fight back.

It was an utterly one-sided crushing.

Xiao Chen's senses had gone hazy. He had been beaten senseless.

"Stop right there!"

Lü Luo struck at Gu Yuan with all her might, trying to save Xiao Chen.

This blow carried the full might of the third rank!

"This is bad! Quick, save Lord Gu!"

The Mystic Shadow Guard were horrified and hurried to act.

But it was already too late.

Lü Luo's true essence was about to strike Gu Yuan.

Just then.

Gu Yuan turned his gaze, a chilling coldness in his eyes.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Lü Luo shuddered, a chill shooting from the soles of her feet to the top of her head.

Boom!

Gu Yuan raised a hand and struck with his palm, actually sending Lü Luo flying...

The entire place fell silent.

At that moment, everyone stared in a daze.

Third rank...

Gu Yuan had actually driven back a third-rank expert!

The onlooking citizens, the Mystic Shadow Guard, and the officials' subordinates all stood frozen in shock.

They finally understood why the empress indulged Gu Yuan so much and placed such importance on him.

He was a peerless genius who could drive back a third-rank expert while only at the sixth rank!

Where else in the world could a second one be found?

Lü Luo stared at her reddened palm, her face full of shock. She said nothing for a long time.

A mere sixth-rank martial artist had actually blocked her attack. How was that possible?

Bang!

Xiao Chen crashed to the ground, a miserable sight.

Gu Yuan landed steadily in the arena and said calmly:

"The reception is over."

"Brother Ning, sorry to trouble you, but I'll leave it to you to escort the heirs into the city."

Ning Yan came back to his senses and struggled to suppress his shock. "Brother Gu, thank you for your efforts."

After this battle, the heirs would have no more fighting spirit, and the kings of the Nine Provinces would also have to look at Qi Capital in a new light.

Whatever the case, it was a good thing.

"Gu Yuan, you're amazing. This jade pendant is for you." Huai'an's beautiful eyes sparkled with admiration.

"Princess, I'm a little tired. May I borrow your carriage?"

"Y-you want to ride in the same carriage as me?" Huai'an's face flushed slightly. "I suppose you can..."

Gu Yuan didn't hear Huai'an clearly. He only heard her say he could, so he went straight into the princess's carriage, lay down, and closed his eyes.

"Twenty breaths... That's still too short..."