"I give up!" Qian Duo shouted at the top of his lungs, his voice strained with agony. He knew with absolute certainty that if he continued to fight, his life would be forfeit.
Hearing the admission of defeat, the Rank 3 Gu Master presiding over the ring leaped onto the stage with the grace of a bird. He quickly activated a healing Gu, a nimble green butterfly that fluttered toward Qian Duo's wounds, bathing them in a restorative green light. Within seconds, the bleeding stopped, and the wounds began to close at a visible rate.
"You understand the rules and know when to stay your hand," the official commented, nodding in satisfaction at Liu Chen's restraint. Though Qian Duo's injuries were serious, they were not fatal.
"As the victor of this ring, you have the right to choose one of his Gu worms as your trophy," the official added with a smile, gesturing toward the registration room where the loser's Gu were temporarily held.
Liu Chen felt no great excitement. To him, Rank 2 Gu were no longer high end commodities. However, he had no intention of going home empty handed. He scanned the selection and chose a Light Shield Gu. Though only Rank 2, its defensive properties were reputable and it would serve as a useful auxiliary tool for his current set.
After selecting his target, Liu Chen ignored the fearful gaze of the recovering Qian Duo and left the arena. The opponent had been so weak that he hadn't gained even half a shred of useful combat experience. Instead of returning to his lodgings, he headed straight for the reservation office and scheduled a duel for the following day, revealing his true Rank 3 cultivation to ensure he would be matched against more powerful opponents.
The following day, during the evening, Liu Chen arrived at Martial Arts Field No. 10. The arena was a vast, open ice field, the ground slick and freezing.
A massive crowd had already gathered, drawn by the news of yesterday's one sword victory by a mysterious young Rank 3 Master. In a metropolis like Shang Clan City, strength was the only currency that mattered.
"Is that him? He's so young! How could he have reached Rank 3 so quickly?" someone in the crowd whispered in disbelief. "Even if you start practicing from the womb, it should be impossible!"
"People are geniuses; what are you?" another retorted immediately.
Liu Chen stood opposite his opponent, his expression flat and unreadable. His opponent was Zhou Tong, a well known Rank 2 Peak Stage Gu Master in the Fifth Inner City. Zhou Tong was only one victory away from being promoted to the elite arenas of the Fourth Inner City, and his reputation had attracted many spectators. Zhou Tong had a well proportioned figure and looked heroic in his black combat robes.
"I am Zhou Tong, I seek a fair exchange!" the man shouted, his voice full of vigor.
"Liu Chen," the youth responded simply.
Liu Chen was not as eager to end this fight as he had been in the past. He wanted to observe Zhou Tong's skills and gain actual experience to bridge the gap between his inherited memories and reality.
"Allow me," Zhou Tong shouted. Seeing that Liu Chen made no immediate move, he felt a flicker of secret relief and launched his opening gambit. He urged a glittering Gu, and in an instant, a dazzling burst of light erupted like a miniature sun, making it impossible for the onlookers to look directly at the ring.
Caught off guard by the sudden brilliance, Liu Chen could only close his eyes tightly. He focused on his hearing, trying to track Zhou Tong's movements through sound.
However, Zhou Tong had a premeditated plan. The moment Liu Chen closed his eyes, he immediately urged another insect, the Thunder Sound Gu.
CRACK!
A deafening explosion of thunder roared through the arena. The power of the sound was so immense that Liu Chen's ears were suddenly shocked, resulting in an intense, exploding pain that shattered his sense of balance.
"Ah!" Liu Chen gasped. He had no idea Zhou Tong would use such an insidious combination.
Zhou Tong is truly despicable, Liu Chen thought, his face sinking. First he uses a flash to block my view, then uses thunder to attack my hearing. I wonder how many people have been deceived by these methods.
The audience, however, showed a dismissive attitude. "What's so vicious about that?" someone sneered. "It's not the method that's cruel, the kid was simply careless and fell into a trap."
Zhou Tong was overjoyed to see his methods working. He didn't hesitate to follow up with his signature move. "Lightning Strike Gu!"
A blue thunderbolt rushed out like a snake, shooting straight toward Liu Chen. In the blink of an eye, thunder and light covered Liu Chen's entire body. He uttered a painful groan as the arcs of electricity raged across his skin. His body shook uncontrollably, and he felt waves of tingling agony as if he were being bitten by thousands of ants at once.
This is pathetic, Liu Chen cursed himself. He had allowed his Rank 3 status to make him arrogant, and now he was being embarrassed by a Rank 2 Master. He was filled with remorse for his previous arrogance, but also deeply aware that in this world, no one should be underestimated.
He had no time for further regret. He had to act immediately, or the consequences would be disastrous. Enduring the severe pain, he mobilized his White Silver Primeval Essence and urged his own defense.
Sword Shield Gu!
As he activated the Gu, several translucent silver blades materialized and began to circle him like shooting stars, forming a solid, rotating shield that protected him tightly against the ongoing lightning assault.
The blinding flash gradually faded, and Liu Chen slowly opened his eyes. His gaze was as sharp as a falcon's as he stared at the disoriented Zhou Tong. At this moment, Liu Chen's face showed an unprecedented level of focus.
He took a deep breath and, without hesitation, urged a Gu within his aperture , the Flying Sword Gu. In an instant, a silver blade of cold light shot out like an arrow from a bow, galloping toward Zhou Tong at an astonishing speed.
"Lightning Strike Gu!" Zhou Tong shouted, attempting to regain the initiative.
The moment Zhou Tong opened his eyes and felt the crushing pressure hitting him, he knew something was wrong. He urged his movement Gu to retreat, his speed increasing several times in an instant as he rushed to evade Liu Chen's strike. At the same time, he summoned a terrifying cloud of thunder and lightning into his fist, which shone with a dazzling, crackling light. Zhou Tong didn't dare to neglect his defense; he used his full strength to strike the thunder hard against Liu Chen's barrier.
However, Liu Chen was already prepared. He had once more urged the Sword Shield Gu.
A loud bang echoed through the arena, but the silver shield didn't budge an inch! Zhou Tong's face twisted into a look of pure shock. He had no idea that a Rank 3 defensive Gu could be so immovable against his peak Rank 2 assault.
In that moment of astonishment, the Flying Sword Gu had already passed through Zhou Tong's body like a phantom. His eyes widened, his face filled with disbelief. He didn't even have time to scream before he collapsed straight onto the ice of the ring.
"Wow, that was fast!", "Is Zhou Tong really that weak? He went down so easily?", "You fool, look closer!" someone snapped. "That kid is a Rank 3 Gu Master. With a Rank 3 defensive Gu, an ordinary Rank 2 wouldn't even be able to break his guard. Judging by that momentum, he's likely already at the peak of Rank 3. Even in the Third Inner City, there aren't many who could rival him!"
As the match ended, the audience erupted into a cacophony of voices. Seeing that Zhou Tong had been instantly neutralized, the official in charge of the ring rushed forward. He quickly examined the injuries and, determining they were serious but not fatal, began treatment.
"You may pick a Gu as your trophy," the referee said, turning to Liu Chen.
Liu Chen nodded expressionlessly. He walked to the unconscious Zhou Tong's side. Among the various insects in the man's aperture, Liu Chen's eyes fell on the Rank 2 Lightning Strike Gu. He selected it without hesitation; taking his opponent's Vital Gu served as both a practical gain and a punishment for Zhou Tong's earlier schemes.
The loss of his life bound Gu caused Zhou Tong's body to jerk violently. A mouthful of blood spurted out like a blooming flower before he fell back down, limp as a puppet with broken strings. Liu Chen didn't spare him another glance. He turned and left the arena resolutely, his mind already fixed on the next stage of his plan.
Following the lessons of this duel, Liu Chen became even more cautious. He knew that in the ring, even a moment of negligence could lead to defeat or death. Therefore, he decided to treat every subsequent battle with total seriousness.
His decision proved correct. In the following duels, Liu Chen displayed amazing strength. Every move was as quick and accurate as lightning, giving his opponents no chance to breathe. One after another, they were easily defeated without being able to mount a counter attack.
In just half a month, Liu Chen overcame all obstacles and won every match. He successfully rose to the battle stages of the Third Inner City, becoming the focus of intense attention. His fame grew so great that the spectators granted him a title: the Flying Swordsman.
To better facilitate his cultivation, Liu Chen rented a small courtyard in the Third Inner City called Mingyue Garden. Though the daily rent was thirty Primeval Stones a price that would bankrupt an average person, it was a mere drop in the bucket for Liu Chen.
Every morning, he rose early and sat cross legged in the yard. In his palms, his White Silver Primeval Essence flowed like a clear spring, gathering continuously. He then carefully poured this essence into the cocoon formed by the Sky Origin Sword Embryo Gu.
This specific embryo had already been fed nearly 100,000 Primeval Stones by Liu Chen, and he had even sacrificed the Primeval Elder Gu to it. After this long period of intense nourishment, it finally reached the threshold of a breakthrough.
As the White Silver essence saturated the cocoon, dense cracks began to appear on its surface, looking like a spider web caught in a gale.
Click.
The cocoon burst open, and a dazzling white light gushed out. Emerging from the radiance was a sword that looked like it had been carved from Lantian White Jade. The blade was pure white and flawless, shimmering with a cold light. The hilt was intricately engraved with ancient patterns, exuding a mysterious, simplistic atmosphere.
This was the Rank 3 Sky Origin Sword Gu!
With this promotion, the sword embryo had completed its transformation. What was once a simple weapon had finally manifested its true power. Because it had consumed the Primeval Elder Gu, this sword possessed a unique function: it could directly absorb the qi of heaven and earth to restore Liu Chen's primeval essence, while also serving as a high capacity storage for his Primeval Stones.
"This Nameless True Legend becomes more magical the more I practice it," Liu Chen marveled, drawing the sword back into his aperture. He felt that the mysteries contained within his inheritance were endless, a path he would never finish exploring.