Venerable Supreme of Myriad Dragons

"Go in alone? Are you kidding me? How could that not alert the monster? I'm not going in! Absolutely not!"

Hearing this, Gu Tianyao immediately shook his head. He had seen how terrifying that monster was and had no intention of going back in. He absolutely refused to throw his life away in there. If they hadn't been on the very edge of Stone City, and if his sister hadn't intervened, he would have died.

Gu Tianyao shook his head furiously.

Gu Muyun couldn't be bothered with her cowardly brother. She rolled her eyes at him and turned to the others. "Whose Body Technique is good?"

However, even as Gu Muyun was speaking, Shen Daoxing had already stepped forward. With a push from his feet, he launched himself into the air, leaping toward Stone City.

Seeing this, Gu Muyun turned toward Shen Daoxing and quickly called out a warning, "Be careful! Don't use your Spiritual Power unless you have to. That will wake it. The monster is extremely sensitive to Spiritual Power."

Shen Daoxing nodded. With a single leap, he landed lightly atop a dilapidated house on the edge of Stone City.

Shen Daoxing waited a moment to make sure he hadn't disturbed the monster. Only then did he slowly take another step. After confirming that all was still quiet, he leaped again, cautiously making his way deeper inside.

Outside, Gu Tianyao felt a pang of jealousy when he heard Gu Muyun's words to Shen Daoxing. "Sister, why didn't you warn me like that?"

Gu Muyun shot him a glare and snapped, "You bolted off in such a mad rush. I couldn't have stopped you if I tried. How was I supposed to warn you?"

Gu Tianyao pouted.

Nearby, Wan Hai and Tang Yi watched Shen Daoxing's distant figure leaping through Stone City, their faces etched with worry. "I hope our junior brother will be alright!"

Just then…

BOOM!

A deep, muffled boom suddenly echoed from afar.

Everyone quickly looked up. In the far distance, at the edge of the desert, Ouyang Cheng's massive Golden Body Dharma Aspect suddenly shot high into the air. Then, brilliant rays of light burst from it before—BOOM!—it completely shattered.

Immediately after, a blood-red figure was flung high into the air from the explosion, crashing heavily to the ground below with a loud THUD.

The other massive Golden Body Dharma Aspects around him also flew high into the air, only to shatter with a bang.

Seeing this, Gu Tianyao frowned. "This is bad! Ouyang Cheng and the others lost. Jun Wushuang will probably head this way immediately."

"We can't let them disturb our junior brother!"

Wan Hai and Tang Yi took a step forward, their voices filled with concern.

Just then, Gu Muyun leaped into the air. Her calm voice drifted down from the sky, "Stay here and keep watch. I'll go hold off Jun Wushuang."

Stepping onto her Flying Sword, Gu Muyun became a streak of light, speeding across the desert.

A short while later, Gu Muyun reached the edge of the desert and slowly descended.

Her gaze immediately fell on Ouyang Cheng, who lay in a deep crater at Jun Wushuang's feet.

He was covered in blood, his eyes vacant. He stared blankly at the sky, muttering, "Why? Why? We're clearly in the same realm... why is the gap between us so vast?"

Gu Muyun couldn't help but shake her head. Ouyang Cheng had clearly suffered a devastating blow in his battle with Jun Wushuang. If he couldn't overcome this Heart Demon, his cultivation would likely never advance again.

The other disciples from Pengze Immortal Island and Tan Yuan Immortal Island were in an even more miserable state. All of them lay unconscious on the ground, covered in blood.

Meanwhile, Jun Wushuang stood calmly with his hands clasped behind his back. It seemed he hadn't even drawn his Lifebound Magical Artifact.

Gu Muyun was stunned. Jun Wushuang had become this terrifying.

Meanwhile, the disciples watching the entire battle from the floating stones in the sky were utterly astonished.

"So... this is Jun Wushuang's true strength?"

"Even with the disciples of Pengze and Tan Yuan working together, they were no match for him!"

"Jun Wushuang didn't even use his full power!"

"They're all in the Earth Profound Realm, yet the difference in power is this massive!"

An uproar went through the crowd.

Just then, a refined, scholarly-looking man beside Jun Wushuang, Du Qingshu, chuckled. "Junior Sister Muyun, heh heh... I never expected you to come looking for us."

Jun Wushuang turned to look at Gu Muyun, his expression as impassive as ever, completely unmoved.

"Finally, someone who can make me take things a bit more seriously."

Jun Wushuang spoke calmly, then turned to Du Qingshu and Shi Ba beside him. "You two, stay out of it. I'll handle this alone."

Du Qingshu shook his head and smiled. "As you wish."

Then, Du Qingshu looked at Gu Muyun, then glanced around her, a knowing smile on his face. "Alas, Junior Sister Muyun, where are all your disciples from Yingzhou? How come I don't see them?"

Gu Muyun remained silent.

Du Qingshu, however, suddenly laughed. "They went to find the Celestial Mirror Order, didn't they?"

As he spoke, Du Qingshu looked up in the direction Gu Muyun had flown from. "That direction... heh heh... isn't that where the monster resides? Do you think they can possibly succeed?"

With that, Du Qingshu turned to a burly man beside him. "Shi Ba, come on! Let's go have a look."

Du Qingshu and Shi Ba leaped into the air, preparing to fly deep into the desert.

Just then, Gu Muyun's calm voice suddenly rang out:

"Don't bother going. Since your goal is to eliminate all the other contestants, it doesn't matter whether we get the Celestial Mirror Order or not. If I lose this time, you won't have to lift a finger. I and all the disciples from Yingzhou will voluntarily surrender and forfeit the competition."

Du Qingshu raised an eyebrow, then a knowing smile spread across his face. "Very well."

Du Qingshu and Shi Ba halted, landing on a small hill. They watched Jun Wushuang and Gu Muyun with keen interest, clearly anticipating the coming battle between them.

High above, the spectating disciples burst into an uproar, each one craning their neck for a better view.

"Now this is a show worth watching!"

"Jun Wushuang and Fairy Muyun are going to fight!"

"Who do you think will win?"

"Jun Wushuang, of course!"

"Heh heh, I wouldn't be so sure. For Fairy Muyun to confront him head-on, she must have an ace up her sleeve!"

Below, the moment her words faded, Gu Muyun acted without a shred of hesitation.

CRACKLE!

A burst of golden light suddenly erupted, surging toward the heavens.

In the next moment, Gu Muyun's figure swelled to an enormous size, revealing a towering Golden Body Dharma Aspect that seemed to touch the sky.

Her white robes billowed as her entire body radiated a brilliant golden light. A sharp, sword-like glint flashed in her eyes, making her look like a female Sword Immortal descended from the heavens.

Gu Muyun knew how powerful Jun Wushuang was, so she didn't dare hold back, immediately unleashing her Heaven and Earth technique.

Gu Muyun extended her hand, and a massive Treasure Sword flew out, landing in her palm.

Jun Wushuang, however, kept his hands clasped behind his back. He merely gave Gu Muyun a single, indifferent glance, making no move at all.

"Jun Wushuang, where is your Divine Sun Sword?"

Gu Muyun's cold voice echoed slowly from the sky.

Jun Wushuang remained perfectly composed, saying nonchalantly, "I don't need to use the Divine Sun Sword to deal with you."

A cold glint flashed in Gu Muyun's eyes.

The next moment.

Jun Wushuang smiled faintly and suddenly leaped into the air.

RUMBLE!

A tremendous crash resounded.

Right where he had been standing, a massive, frigid beam of sword light slashed down, exploding on impact and kicking up a sky-blotting cloud of dust.

But just as Jun Wushuang leaped into the air…

The sky above him darkened. A radiant, iridescent Nine Spirits Profound Umbrella was already spinning down toward him.

However.

Jun Wushuang didn't even glance at the majestic Nine Spirits Profound Umbrella. He simply raised a hand and casually pushed upward. The spinning umbrella instantly halted in mid-air, as if seized by some immense force.

Seeing this, a cold glint flashed in Gu Muyun's eyes, and she swung the massive Treasure Sword in her hand with terrifying force.

An immense tide of frost instantly surged from the massive Treasure Sword, coalescing into a hundred-foot-long Sword Gang that slammed down violently toward Jun Wushuang's head.