Chapitre 119: The Sword is Drawn, and Yanzhen is Beaten
**Chapter 119: The Sword is Drawn, and Yanzhen is Beaten**
"Father, do you want me to fight him?"
When Hu Yanzhen heard his father's words, he seemed stunned. In his opinion, his father was still refusing to cooperate with the Spirit Hall by making this decision!
Otherwise, why would he ask his own son to fight Gu Ziyi? He knew the young man wasn't weak, but expecting to pit him against a Soul Emperor? That's overly optimistic.
He wasn't some fool like Tang Hao!
The gap between a Soul Emperor and a Soul King is far wider than that between a Soul King and a Soul Ancestor.
"What do you think, Your Highness, the Holy Son?"
Hu Yanbo didn't answer his son's question but instead looked at Gu Ziyi and asked once again.
"You mean, if I have a fight with your son, you'll decide on our cooperation based on the result of the battle?"
"Alright, I agree!"
Gu Ziyi hadn't expected Hu Yanbo to propose this method, but he merely smiled and agreed.
'It seems like people in this world truly love fights and competitions!'
So, Gu Ziyi didn't hesitate and directly agreed.
It's just Hu Yanzhen; it wouldn't be a problem for him to fight against him.
In general battles between two Soul Masters, the use of weapons is allowed. Only in official Soul Master Tournaments are external props prohibited.
In other words, Gu Ziyi could use his Peachwood Sword to fight Hu Yanzhen. Why should he hesitate? He readily accepted the duel!
"Your Highness, the Holy Son agreed?"
When Hu Yanbo saw Gu Ziyi agree without hesitation, his eyes revealed a trace of surprise.
He hadn't expected the boy to be so confident.
On the other hand, Hu Yanzhen was shocked and angry. He was surprised that Gu Ziyi agreed so easily, but then angered by the feeling of being underestimated.
Yu Long, standing behind Gu Ziyi, wasn't too surprised by his agreement. A glimmer of delight shone in his eyes upon hearing the choice.
He was well aware of the young man's current strength.
Gu Ziyi wouldn't have much trouble dealing with a mere Soul Emperor; he could even contend with a Soul Sage in terms of offensive power.
"Your Highness, the Holy Son!"
Salas, however, reacted differently. He didn't fully understand Gu Ziyi's total strength, so he was surprised to hear him accept the terms so readily.
What also surprised him was the true purpose of the young man's trip to the Elephant Armored Sect!
He hadn't expected that Gu Ziyi's visit this time aimed to bring the sect under the Spirit Hall's umbrella.
It was said to be cooperation, but what kind of "cooperation" was this? Wasn't it merely a disguised attempt to indirectly take over the Elephant Armored Sect?
After all, leadership in this "cooperation" clearly lay with the Spirit Hall.
The Elephant Armored Sect would be responsible for providing their sect's disciples to the Spirit Hall.
"Yes, I agree!"
Gu Ziyi ignored the surprised Salas and confirmed once again with Hu Yanbo.
"Very well, since His Highness the Holy Son has agreed, if His Highness defeats Yanzhen, our Elephant Armored Sect will agree to cooperate with your Martial Soul Hall!"
Seeing Gu Ziyi so pleased with this arrangement, Hu Yanbo responded confidently.
"Hmph! I also want to see why His Highness the Holy Son is so confident!"
At this moment, Hu Yanzhen spoke up, his tone clearly showing strong emotions.
After all, being underestimated in such a way would stir resentment in anyone.
Once both parties reached an agreement, they quickly moved to the Elephant Armored Sect's main square.
Gu Ziyi and Hu Yanzhen stood on opposite ends of the square.
At this moment, besides Gu Ziyi's group and the father and son duo, many spectators had gathered around the square—all disciples of the Elephant Armored Sect.
"That's Gu Ziyi, the Holy Son of the Martial Soul Hall!"
"Is Gu Ziyi going to fight our young master?"
"Gu Ziyi has advanced to Soul King now? But our young master is a Level 65 Soul Emperor!"
"He may have reached the Soul King level, but what of it? Our young master is a Soul Emperor."
"Exactly. There's no way our young master can lose to him!"
"Let's wait and see..."
"..."
The disciples of the Elephant Armored Sect were unsure why Gu Ziyi would fight Hu Yanzhen, their young master, but they clearly didn't favor Gu Ziyi for the win.
"Martial Soul Possession!"
Hu Yanzhen, standing opposite Gu Ziyi, took the lead by releasing his Martial Soul. The shadow of a massive Diamond Mammoth appeared behind him, and six perfectly configured soul rings—yellow, yellow, purple, black, black—circled him.
"Roar—"
Accompanied by a thunderous roar, Hu Yanzhen's previously loose fat rapidly turned into exaggerated, terrifying muscles. A yellowish-brown cuticle appeared on his skin, shining with a metallic sheen. His body took on an inhuman appearance as his nose elongated, his upper lip curled, and two tusks about 30 centimeters long grew out.
Buzz—
Facing Hu Yanzhen's intimidating transformation, Gu Ziyi swung his sword and summoned his Martial Soul—Talisman.
In an instant, his body was illuminated by his soul rings: yellow, yellow, yellow, purple, purple.
Upon summoning his Martial Soul, Gu Ziyi effortlessly blocked the oppressive soul power emanating from Hu Yanzhen.
Unlike beast-type Martial Soul masters, Gu Ziyi's body remained unchanged after activating his Martial Soul. Only his aura shifted slightly, becoming more refined and sacred.
"Three yellows and two purples!"
"His first three soul rings are indeed yellow, century-level soul rings..."
"When I heard about this before, I thought it was a mistake. I never expected that, as the Pope's disciple, Gu Ziyi wouldn't have the optimal configuration for his soul rings!"
"Yeah, I couldn't believe it either..."
"..."
After seeing Gu Ziyi's soul rings for themselves, the Elephant Armored Sect disciples began whispering among themselves.
Even though they had heard rumors before, seeing his soul ring configuration with their own eyes was still shocking and hard to believe.
"Your Highness, the Holy Son, be cautious, I am about to begin!"
After Hu Yanzhen glanced at Gu Ziyi, the third soul ring on his body lit up, and at the same time, he opened his mouth to warn that he was about to start the match.
"Third Soul Skill: Deadly Crush!"
Immediately after, Hu Yanzhen unleashed his third soul skill.
Bang—
Hu Yanzhen stomped forward with his right leg, and an invisible gravitational force appeared above Gu Ziyi, crushing down toward him.
"Third Soul Skill: Golden Light Shield!"
Seeing this, Gu Ziyi waved his hand and cast a golden shield above his head.
However, his golden shield failed to block the soul skill. The gravity from Hu Yanzhen's third soul skill ignored the shield entirely and directly targeted him.
Gu Ziyi suddenly felt an intense pressure weighing down on him, rendering him immobile.
"Domain of the Tai Chi Realm!"
Buzz—
When his soul skill couldn't counter the attack, Gu Ziyi resorted to his domain.
A massive Tai Chi diagram quickly appeared beneath his feet.
The suppression caused by the gravity of Hu Yanzhen's Deadly Crush soul skill was immediately negated.
Most of the gravitational suppression was eliminated by the Tai Chi Domain, and the small portion that remained had no impact on Gu Ziyi's movements.
"This is the domain we've heard about from Gu Ziyi…"
"It's so powerful. Once his domain is activated, it completely neutralizes the attack from our young master's soul skill…"
"It's incredible. Could it be that our young master, like Tang Hao of the Clear Sky Sect, might not be able to defeat him?"
"…"
Seeing Gu Ziyi's Tai Chi Domain in action, the disciples of the Armored Mammoth Sect around the plaza exclaimed in astonishment.
It was also their first time witnessing a Soul Master use their own domain.
"That's his domain?"
Even Hu Yanbo couldn't help but look at Gu Ziyi's Tai Chi Domain in surprise, envy flickering in his eyes. Despite his high cultivation, he himself did not possess a domain.
"The domain… Is this the source of your confidence?"
Hu Yanzhen, on the opposite side of Gu Ziyi, watched as the domain unfolded, nullifying his soul skill. Although he had anticipated this outcome, he was still slightly taken aback by the domain's strength.
"It's truly a domain. It would be amazing if I could awaken one for myself as well."
"Your domain absorbs and counters the enemy's force, doesn't it?"
"If I don't take the initiative to attack, your domain will be useless…"
Hu Yanzhen quickly laughed and, at the same time, withdrew his soul skill.
"First Soul Skill: Iron Wall!"
After that, he activated his first soul skill, forming a layer of soul power armor on his body.
Then, Hu Yanzhen stood his ground, waiting for Gu Ziyi to make a move.
He was not ready to attack proactively just yet.
Knowing how Tang Hao had failed, he was determined not to give Gu Ziyi the opportunity to use his strength against him.
As long as he didn't provide that opening, he believed he would maintain the upper hand.
He refused to believe that Gu Ziyi could do anything significant without leveraging his own tactics!
Even if he wins this way, it may not be pretty, but it's better than losing miserably.
Tang Hao from the Haotian Sect is still a joke to many people after the match he lost.
"Good!"
"That's the way!"
"As long as the young master doesn't take the initiative to attack, his opponent won't stand a chance!"
"Yes, our young master is still smart, unlike Tang Hao from the Haotian Sect, who is simply a fool…"
"…"
The surrounding disciples immediately cheered upon seeing Hu Yanzhen's choice.
They had just witnessed how Gu Ziyi's domain possessed terrifying abilities, completely nullifying Hu Yanzhen's attack. Thus, they all felt that his decision to avoid initiating an attack was the best strategy in this situation.
"Is there any issue with His Highness, the Holy Son?"
Salas, now concerned, couldn't help but ask Yu Long, who stood beside him.
"Don't worry, His Highness, the Holy Son, will be fine!"
Yu Long smiled softly at his question. Hu Yanzhen's choice was indeed very clever.
However, this was based on the assumption that Gu Ziyi had no other offensive methods.
And he's far from a one-trick pony! His domain is not his only ace.
"Perfect timing, let me test the defense of your Armored Elephant Sect!"
Gu Ziyi smiled faintly upon seeing Hu Yanzhen refrain from attacking.
"Golden Light Sword!"
"Zhuotao, unsheathe yourself!"
Gu Ziyi then raised his right hand, forming a sword gesture with his fingers, and the Peachwood Sword hanging on his back flew into action.
At some point, a Golden Light Talisman had been affixed to the Peachwood Sword.
Whooosh~
Under Gu Ziyi's control, the sword swiftly turned into a red streak, hurtling toward Hu Yanzhen.
Buzz~
Before the Peachwood Sword reached Hu Yanzhen, he could already sense the destructive power emanating from it. His expression changed instantly.
"What kind of weapon is this?"
"So powerful!"
Sensing the threat from the sword, Hu Yanzhen immediately reinforced his defense.
"Fifth Soul Skill: Ice Armored Husk!"
Buzz—
In an instant, a layer of diamond-condensed ice elephant armor enveloped his body.
Ding~
The moment he activated the Ice Armored Husk, Gu Ziyi's Peachwood Sword struck.
Crack~
Although the Ice Armored Husk showed cracks, it successfully blocked the attack.
"What a powerful attack!"
Even though he managed to defend against Gu Ziyi's strike, Hu Yanzhen still felt lingering fear.
The destructive power of the attack had exceeded his expectations.
His Martial Soul—the Diamond Mammoth, is especially renowned among Soul Masters for its formidable defense. With the enhancement of his fifth soul skill, even a Soul Saint would struggle to break through his defense in a short time. Yet, Gu Ziyi managed to crack his Ice Armored Husk with a single casual sword strike.
If there were a few more attacks from that sword, his defense would definitely be broken!
'Damn, he really has an incredibly powerful weapon!'
At the same time, Hu Yanzhen secretly cursed in his heart. The boy was clearly intimidating others just because he had a good sword in his hands!
"Very good. It truly is a Diamond Mammoth with incredible defense. Your defense is indeed formidable!"
Seeing that his attack didn't cause much damage, Gu Ziyi immediately smiled and praised him.
Slash~
Ding~
Crack~
Then, Gu Ziyi waved his hand, remotely controlling the Peachwood Sword to continue attacking Hu Yanzhen.
Ding~
Crack~
Whoosh~
Under Gu Ziyi's control, the Peachwood Sword continued to rapidly circle his opponent, occasionally stabbing him.
Click~ Crack~
White cracks soon appeared on the Ice Carapace enveloping Hu Yanzhen's body.
"What kind of soul skill is this?"
"You can actually attack continuously..."
The audience around them was stunned by Gu Ziyi's displayed techniques.
They had never seen a soul skill that could be used continuously like this.
They also didn't expect that Hu Yanzhen, the young master of their sect, who had been so confident moments ago, would only be able to stay on the defensive under his opponent's continuous attacks.
Though they had anticipated Hu Yanzhen defending and Gu Ziyi attacking, what they were witnessing defied their expectations!
In their minds, the boy's attacks should all have been in vain.
"Fifth Soul Skill: Ice Carapace!"
Fortunately, just as the Ice Carapace on his body began to tremble and show signs of shattering, Hu Yanzhen immediately reactivated the skill, restoring the Ice Carapace to its intact state.
"Hahahahaha~ Your Highness the Holy Son, I admit your attack is very strong, but it's not enough to break through my defense!"
Hu Yanzhen laughed heartily at Gu Ziyi.
"Indeed, I still have a few techniques I haven't tried. Let's test them out!"
Gu Ziyi didn't seem angered by his opponent's words; he merely smiled faintly.
He then extended his hand, summoning the Peachwood Sword back to him.
"Fifth Soul Skill: Red Lotus Fire Talisman!"
A Red Lotus Fire Talisman was summoned by him.
Gu Ziyi then attached the Red Lotus Fire Talisman to the Peachwood Sword.
Whoosh~
A brilliant, blood-red flame engulfed the sword's body.
Swish~
The flame-enshrouded sword then flew toward Hu Yanzhen once more under Gu Ziyi's control.
"Hmph, give it a try, then!"
Hu Yanzhen's expression shifted slightly at his opponent's move, but he gritted his teeth and reinforced the Ice Carapace on his body.
Bang—
Unfortunately, this time, his defense could no longer withstand Gu Ziyi's attack. Under the assault of the flame-engulfed Peachwood Sword, the Ice Carapace shattered instantly.
The failure of Hu Yanzhen's fifth soul skill, the Ice Carapace, was undoubtedly due to its ice attribute. It was overpowered by Gu Ziyi's Red Lotus Fire Talisman, which possessed the supreme fire attribute.
Once the Ice Carapace on Hu Yanzhen's body was destroyed, Gu Ziyi's Peachwood Sword quickly hovered before him.
"Well? Young Master, would you like to continue?"
After halting his attack, Gu Ziyi calmly spoke to Hu Yanzhen.
...
(End of Chapter)
N/E: A curiosity for you, my dear readers, Hu Yanzhen's fifth soul skill was written by me as "Fifth Soul Skill: Ice Weevil", but chatgpt changed how I wrote it and I didn't want to spend another 30 minutes just to modify this change, so it will remain as it was modified.
Also, you may have noticed that I changed again how the soul skill is written, I think I'll continue with this model or else I was getting annoyed to write it.
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