CHAPTER 543: CHAPTER 295: YE WUHENG, DEAD_2

Jing Yin, the little nun, scratched her head and said, "Well, I can’t say for sure. However, the world is vast and full of wonders; perhaps it’s just a coincidence."

The two were chatting and laughing when the Yaochi Saintess gracefully arrived, dressed in a blue long dress, like a fairy descending to the mortal world.

She surveyed the surroundings and said in a clear voice, "Thank you, heroes and braves, for coming to the Yaochi Holy Land. Today we gather to celebrate the great victory of eradicating the Heavenly Demon Sect."

As soon as she finished speaking, the scene erupted with thunderous applause.

Next, the Yaochi Saintess began to solemnly introduce the meritorious contributors of Yaochi Holy Land. When she introduced Gu Sheng, she particularly emphasized his great achievements, causing a stir among the audience.

"Hmph! Just a mere Fourth Level of the Marrow Refining Realm, dare to claim great achievements?"

Wei Daoyuan of the Destruction Hall snorted coldly and stepped out, "Gu Sheng, dare to fight with me, to verify your strength?"

Gu Sheng raised an eyebrow. He had previously defeated Wei Daoyuan in the Yaochi Secret Realm, so naturally, he wasn’t afraid of his challenge.

Moreover, he also wanted to take this opportunity to test his own strength. Therefore, he nodded resolutely, "Battle it is, what is there to fear!"

The Yaochi Saintess initially wanted to stop the duel, but seeing Gu Sheng’s eagerness to fight and the others egging them on, she had no choice but to let it happen.

She waved her hand, and the Yaochi Martial Arts Secret Realm opened with a rumble. Both Gu Sheng and Wei Daoyuan’s figures flashed and entered the realm.

Inside the secret realm, it was like the Immortal Realm. The two stood in the void, facing each other.

Wei Daoyuan sneered, launching the first attack. His cultivation was as high as the Fourth Layer Heaven of the Sea Floor Realm, and his move was earth-shattering.

Gu Sheng dared not be careless. He wielded the Gale Nine Swords, transforming into nine sword beams to meet the attack.

"Clang, clang, clang!"

The two exchanged dozens of moves, yet were evenly matched. This made the spectators widen their eyes, astonished by Gu Sheng’s formidable strength.

Wei Daoyuan felt anxious inside and used his killer move, "Fishing in Troubled Waters."

The phenomenon of dark night fog was released, covering the entire sky and earth. He seized the opportunity to unleash the Earth-level Low Grade Treasure, the Thunderclap Bow, aiming an arrow at Gu Sheng.

This arrow was powerful beyond match, locking onto Gu Sheng’s aura, making it unavoidable.

Gu Sheng felt a chill in his heart and strengthened his Divine Thought by using the Great Moon Pupil Skill while swiftly evading with the Carefree Ascension Step. However, the arrows were as dense as rain, and eventually, he got hit by one.

"Hahaha! Gu Sheng, you ultimately still fell at my hand!" Wei Daoyuan laughed viciously, intending to take the opportunity to eliminate Gu Sheng.

At this moment, a sudden change occurred.

Gu Sheng’s body shone with golden light, his Ancient Sacred Body’s physique shimmering brightly as if gridded. The arrow that had pierced into his body was actually bounced off, exploding outward.

At the same time, the green vine demon soul released a green healing gas, visibly mending Gu Sheng’s injuries.

"This... how is this possible?" Wei Daoyuan stared wide-eyed at the scene, filled with shock and fear.

Gu Sheng took a deep breath, knowing he had victory in hand. He flashed his figure, taking the initiative to attack.

The sword light arced like a rainbow, directly targeting Wei Daoyuan’s throat. Despite Wei Daoyuan’s full defense, he ultimately lost to Gu Sheng.

"Bang!"

With a loud crash, Wei Daoyuan fell heavily to the ground, a trace of blood seeping from the corner of his mouth.

He looked up to see Gu Sheng standing in the void, gazing down at him like a War God. At this moment, he finally understood the gap between himself and Gu Sheng.

"I... I lost..." Wei Daoyuan struggled to utter these words, his face full of reluctance and helplessness.

Gu Sheng didn’t pursue the victory. He sheathed his Jade Maiden Sword and turned to walk towards the exit of the secret realm.

He knew that the duel was over, and he had also proved his strength.

When he walked out of the secret realm, thunderous applause and cheers erupted from the crowd.

People cast admiring glances at him; at this moment, he became the brightest star in the Yaochi Holy Land.

Gu Sheng did not let victory get to his head. He clearly understood that the path of cultivation is long and arduous, and only through continuous effort can one progress further.

He gave a slight smile to the Yaochi Saintess as a gesture of thanks, then turned and disappeared into the crowd.

...

After the assembly ended, forces from all sides departed one after another.

Gu Sheng was also preparing to bid farewell to the Yaochi Saintess and return to his place of training when Gao Yichen from the Heavenly Dao Sect approached.

"Brother Gu Sheng, your reputation is well-deserved. Today’s battle was truly an eye-opener!" Gao Yichen said with a fake smile.

Gu Sheng furrowed his brows slightly, sensing an underlying scheme in Gao Yichen’s words, but he still responded politely, "Brother Gao is too kind, it was just luck."

"Ha ha, Brother Gu is too modest," Gao Yichen said with a smile, "I wonder what your plans are next?"

"No plans yet, does Brother Gao have any advice?" Gu Sheng truly didn’t know where to go. He initially planned to discuss with Su Yao and others, but since this guy asked, he might as well find out.

Gao Yichen mentioned that in the Northern Territory of Xiwu, many Spirit Stones were frozen, along with ancient creatures, making it an excellent place for trials.

After exchanging opinions with Su Yao, Qin Xuan, and the other women, Gu Sheng decided to personally visit the Northern Territory.

Growth must go through trials and experiences.

Three days later.

On Gao Yichen’s suggestion, Gu Sheng and his group decided to head to the Northern Territory of Xiwu for trials.

The Northern Territory was a world of ice and snow, regarded by many as a sacred land of cultivation, and full of the unknown and danger.

"The Northern Territory, it is truly a battlefield of swords and shadows." Before departure, Gao Yichen said this to Gu Sheng.

Determined light flashed in Gu Sheng’s eyes as he nodded in response, "Precisely because of this, we need to train and see a broader world."

The group embarked on their journey to the Northern Territory, crossing vast snowy fields, finally arriving at this boundless frozen world.

The sky here was always a leaden gray, and the heavy clouds seemed to carry thousands of secrets, while the ground was covered with endless ice and snow.

"It’s so cold here!" Qin Xuan tightened her clothes and exclaimed.

"It’s cold alright, but the Spiritual Energy here is extraordinarily abundant." Su Yao closed her eyes to feel it, then said.

Gu Sheng said nothing, his gaze scanning the front. Suddenly, his eyes sharpened, pointing ahead and saying, "Look, there’s an ice mountain, and there seems to be something shimmering on it."

Everyone followed his finger and indeed saw a towering ice mountain, with something faintly glowing on its peak.

"Let’s go take a look." Gu Sheng decisively led the group toward the ice mountain.

The closer they got to the ice mountain, the stronger the cold feeling became. But Gu Sheng and others were highly cultivated Martial Artists, and this little cold was nothing to them. They soon arrived at the mountain’s foot and began climbing.

On the ice mountain, amid the blizzard, visibility was very low. But Gu Sheng, with his extraordinary perception, led the group steadily upward. When they reached the peak, they finally saw what was emitting the light.

"This is... a Spirit Stone!" Su Yao exclaimed.

At the peak, a massive Spirit Stone lay there quietly, emitting a gentle glow. This Spirit Stone was completely crystalline, seemingly containing endless heavenly essence.

Gu Sheng stepped forward, examined it carefully, and said, "Yes, this is indeed a Top-grade Spirit Stone. Judging from its quality, it’s likely a rare top-tier Spirit Stone."

Everyone was delighted to hear this. They hadn’t expected to encounter such fortune as soon as they arrived in the Northern Territory.

But amid their delight, they didn’t forget to remain vigilant of their surroundings. After all, in the perilous Northern Territory, one must never let their guard down.

Just as they were about to put the top-tier Spirit Stone into their storage, a thunderous roar came from the distance. Following that, a gigantic figure burst through the snow, charging toward Gu Sheng and the others.

"Everyone be careful!" Gu Sheng shouted loudly, his body flickering to one side. The others also reacted swiftly, each employing movement techniques to evade the sudden attack.

When they regained their footing and took a closer look, they all gasped in shock.