“


    “


    In any case, this was a problem that had come up because of him. There was no way that he would allow Lu Zhiying to get involved, especially since there was a chance of her getting hurt while doing so!


    This... okay, I trust you!” Lu Zhiying nodded after glancing over at Huang An to make sure that the latter was still there with them.


    It is good to hear that you are willing to accept this rare opportunity. In that case, why don’t we begin immediately?” Geng Guoye did not want to give Zhao Yunxiao any opportunity to slip away.


    “


    “


    “


    “


    “


    Ten. Don’t make me repeat myself.”


    “


    “


    “


    Don’t worry about the sect rules,” Geng Guoye shrugged it off. “If the sect administrators wish to pursue the matter, I will bear all responsibilities.”


    “


    Those watching nodded in approval. Geng Guoye had been true to his word – the essence energy he released was indeed capped at the Essence Gathering realm.


    What many did not know was that while the suppression of his cultivation level might have indeed made the spar slightly fairer, there was actually a deeper, more sinister, intention behind his decision to do so.


    Against someone at the same cultivation level, Zhao Yunxiao was more than confident of lasting this long. However, an Origin Core realm cultivator like Geng Guoye would still possess huge advantages even with his cultivation level suppressed.


    Firstly, his understanding of each individual technique would be much better. After all, advancements in cultivation level naturally came with a greater understanding of the laws of the world, which would in turn allow him to break each technique down to a greater level of granularity and refine every little aspect.


    Secondly, both his senses and physical capabilities would be far superior, having his physique refined by overcoming the heavenly tribulation to enter the Origin Core realm.


    It would be a different story if he had to take down Geng Guoye, but just trying to last through the fight was certainly doable!


    “


    “


    “


    “


    Zhao Yunxiao had used this same technique during his duel with Gan Luozhi about three weeks ago, so it was still fresh in the minds of the outer disciples.


    Unfortunately, there was no way that someone as far-sighted as Geng Guoye would not have a countermeasure to something like this.


    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    “


    He threw it into the air and pierced through it with two fingers, causing the talisman to start burning up. But instead of smoke and ashes, it actually turned into golden particles that fell to the ground, which quickly gathered together and transformed into a mole-like creature.


    Summoning an Emerald-Eyed Mole to take care of a rat in the ground, how apt!” Qie Xing praised with a relaxed smile.


    And the more humiliating the method was, the better!


    “


    Heeding Geng Guoye’s order, the Emerald-Eyed Mole instantly burrowed into the ground. And just a few moments later, flames erupted from within the burrow hole that it had just created.


    Then, there was silence.


    Tch! Useless creature!” Geng Guoye cursed upon realising the fate of the Emerald-Eyed Mole. “Looks like I have no choice but to do it myself!”


    With a flick of his wrist, a sword appeared in his hands. Closing his eyes in focus, he started to gather essence energy within the blade.


    “


    Yet as the dagger flew past him, at the very moment when the dagger was closest to his body, Geng Guoye frowned as his spiritual sensepicked up on something attached to the dagger.


    His sword seemed to have a strange attraction force to it, drawing in every last bit of flames that originated from the explosive talisman, even those that had been propagating in the opposite direction.


    Void Blade – this was Geng Guoye’s signature technique, one that he had created by incorporating every last bit of his understandings into the Law of Space.


    Indeed, in the Black Tortoise Sect, every inner disciple was an expert in their own right. She had to admit that Geng Guoye’s Void Blade was an extremely powerful technique. Despite being suppressed to the Essence Gathering realm, it was still capable of displaying such terrifying power.


    If Geng Guoye was able to gain deeper understandings into the Law of Space and further refine the technique in the future, perhaps even Chen Pingxi might start finding herself hard pressed to do anything against him!


    But Geng Guoye was unfazed upon witnessing this. Instead, he simply changed his target to the ground itself.


    This was clearly not a regular slash by a sharp sword. Instead, Geng Guoye’s sword slash created a fissure in the ground that went almost ten metres deep. The edges were not clean and smooth either, looking rough as though the earth had been forcibly sucked out of the ground.


    They understood that with the immense destructive power of the slash, just a single hit could potentially bring about the end of Zhao Yunxiao’s life!


    Well, at least he would not have to worry about not receiving a proper burial, so perhaps that was not all that bad for him. But that might be rather ominous for the Clear Thoughts Pavilion...


    As though sharing their grim concerns, Zhao Yunxiao quickly leapt out from the ground.


    Finally realised how you can’t keep hiding forever?” Geng Guoye stopped slashing the ground and smirked.


    “


    Geng Guoye’s Void Blade was truly a little too terrifying, so it was not surprising that an outer disciple like Zhao Yunxiao would be too intimidated to continue this spar.


    “


    Each of Senior Martial Brother Geng’s moves is exquisite and refined. The moment I noticed that, I realised that I would not stand a chance even if we openly exchanged moves,” Zhao Yunxiao sighed in regret. “Senior Martial Brother Geng’s level is simply too much higher than mine. Continuing this will only be a waste of everyone’s time, so I admit my loss in all aspects.”


    “


    As expected, that did not work. Still, it was at least worth a shot.


    Zhao Yunxiao firmly believed that Lu Zhiying was someone who would become an inner disciple in time to come. Since she had chosen to vouch for him numerous times by now, he definitely could not appear too weak, or it might just cause her to be mocked in the future for having chosen to associate with weaklings.


    No matter how slim the chances, he had to do his best to claim victory here. Even if he ended up losing anyway, he had to at least put up a good fight for the optics.