Gao Tian walked forward with unhurried steps, his gaze locked on Ao Liuzi.
Ao Liuzi narrowed his eyes and sneered. "Kid, you woke up? I thought you'd be dead after my attack."
Shu Yu and the Ruler Dog turned their heads sharply at the sound of his voice.
Shu Yu's eyes widened slightly as relief washed over her. Great… he's fine. I thought he was unconscious.
The Ruler Dog's ears twitched as he stared. So the brat's alive after all.
But as both of them looked closely, something felt… wrong.
Shu Yu froze. Gao Tian's steps were calm, but there was a strange, chilling aura around him. His lips curled into a slow, eerie smile—and his eyes… they were glowing an ominous purple.
Shu Yu's breath hitched. Wait… his eye color changed? How? And that expression… it's the same as when he lost control before and fought like a madman.
Gao Tian stopped and slowly turned his head toward Shu Yu and the Ruler Dog. His smile widened.
"Well," his voice was calm, almost casual, yet laced with dominance, "you've done enough. Now… rest."
He raised his hand lazily, and in an instant, a surge of purple spiritual energy erupted, forming a barrier around Shu Yu and the Ruler Dog. Before they could react, the barrier lifted them off the ground.
"What—?!" Shu Yu's voice caught in her throat as the barrier floated upward and shot them far away from the battlefield, out of Gao Tian's immediate vicinity.
Landing within the transparent purple prison, Shu Yu pressed her palms against the barrier, her eyes trembling.
That energy… it's nothing like before. It's… Suffocating.
The Ruler Dog snarled and slammed his claws against the barrier. Sparks flew, but the prison didn't even quiver.
Damn that bastard! He locked me away?! I want to fight too!
Back on the ground, Gao Tian turned his gaze back to Ao Liuzi. The grin on his face deepened into something almost feral.
"Hey, fatty," he said, his tone dripping with malice, "get ready. I'm going to beat you until you beg for mercy."
Ao Liuzi's lips curled into a mocking smirk as he threw his head back and laughed.
"You're quite confident, aren't you? You really think you can harm me?"
Shu Yu, trapped within the barrier, clenched her fists as she watched Gao Tian's back. Her thoughts were a mess.
This isn't the same as before. He's conscious this time… yet that look in his eyes—just like when he went crazy.
The Ruler Dog kept thrashing, scratching, and biting at the barrier, but it was useless.
That damn kid… how dare he lock me out of the fight! I'll rip him apart for this!
Sen Zhuo's gaze lingered on Gao Tian, his eyes narrowing as he sensed the overwhelming purple aura swirling around him.
This is obvious… his strength has increased. But how?
Through a thread of spiritual sense, he spoke to Tong Men.
Brother Tong, do you think he's using some kind of secret technique?
Tong Men studied Gao Tian carefully, his brows furrowed.
I don't know… but before he fell unconscious, his eyes were calm—peaceful. After waking up, he's completely different… violent, even.
Below, Gao Tian stepped forward slowly, his footsteps heavy with killing intent. His hand reached into his spiritual ring and drew out a pitch-black sword, its edge cold as death.
Ao Liuzi's eyes flickered with amusement when he saw the blade. He smirked and said lazily,
"Well, I think someone tricked you."
Gao Tian's lips curled into an evil smile, his voice low and chilling.
"What are you talking about?"
Ao Liuzi rubbed his plump belly, chuckling.
"That sword in your hand—it's a fake."
Gao Tian stopped, bringing the sword up in front of his face, inspecting it carefully. His purple eyes glimmered coldly.
"What nonsense are you spouting? I can't find anything fake about it."
Ao Liuzi covered his mouth with his hand, laughing loudly.
"You fool! Only cultivators above the Golden Core Realm can sense it. If you break that sword, you'll find a stone inside. A clever little business trick to earn profit."
Hearing this, Gao Tian's gaze hardened. His purple eyes bored into the blade as a murderous intent surged within him. Slowly, he gripped the sword with both hands and twisted it in opposite directions.
Crack!
The blade shattered with ease. A dull stone clattered to the ground.
Ao Liuzi roared with laughter.
"Well, you've been tricked! And you dare say you'd kill me? What a joke!"
In that instant, Gao Tian's aura erupted violently. Purple energy surged out like a raging storm, twisting the air around him. His eyes burned with wrath, streams of purple light seeping from them.
"That damn weapon seller…" Gao Tian growled, his voice trembling with fury. "I'll kill him."
I never imagined anyone would dare trick me.
Ao Liuzi's grin widened. Without warning, his figure blurred and vanished from his spot.
In the blink of an eye, he reappeared above Gao Tian, his fist coiled with spiritual energy. With a thunderous roar, he punched downward, aiming to crush Gao Tian into the ground.
But Gao Tian sensed it. At the last possible moment, his body twisted, narrowly dodging the strike. Ao Liuzi's fist slammed into the ground with an earth-shattering boom, cracks spiderwebbing across the arena floor.
"He dodged… but—"
Ao Liuzi raised his hand, and a bead of blood glistened on his index finger.
Gao Tian felt a sting on his cheek. Reaching up, he touched the spot and found a thin cut.
His lips curved into a fierce grin, excitement flashing in his purple eyes.
Not bad… he managed to cut me even after I dodged. But that's to be expected. After all, I'm still only at the Foundation Building Third Layer.
Above the battlefield, Shu Yu stood trapped within the shimmering barrier, her slender fists clenched so tightly her nails bit into her palms. Her eyes trembled as she watched Gao Tian fight alone against Ao Liuzi.
He can't win by himself… He's only at the Foundation Building stage. I shouldn't have brought him into this fight. This is my battle, not his…
Beside her, the Ruler Dog, also confined within the barrier, tilted its head toward her and sighed inwardly.
Master is upset because that bastard is injured. She's completely fallen for him. Sigh…
A deep voice suddenly echoed in Shu Yu's mind.
Master, don't worry about that bastard. He's fine. That monster won't die so easily.
Her eyes widened in shock.
Whose voice was that? And why is someone calling me Master?
Her gaze darted around until it fell on the Ruler Dog staring straight at her with calm, intelligent eyes.
She spoke through mind transmission, her tone sharp with disbelief.
Was that you just now?
The beast nodded with human-like seriousness.
Meanwhile, below, Gao Tian wiped the blood from his cheek with the sleeve of his left arm, his purple eyes narrowing.
"Heh… interesting. This is going to be a tough fight. But I won't lose."
An evil smile curved across his lips. In the next breath, his figure vanished like a shadow melting into darkness. He reappeared an instant later, bent low before Ao Liuzi, his voice a cold whisper.
"I got you."
Blue energy erupted around his right fist, a dazzling surge of power as he launched Dynamic Fist, driving his punch upward toward Ao Liuzi's chin. The air trembled with the force.
Ao Liuzi's pupils shrank in shock at Gao Tian's speed, but instinct took over. His right palm shot down, wreathed in black spiritual energy, intercepting the strike with a thunderous crack.
A smirk tugged at Ao Liuzi's mouth.
That brat thinks he can harm me? What a joke.
But then, his eyes bulged in sudden horror.
While his right hand was locked against Ao Liuzi's palm, Gao Tian's left hand darted like lightning, two fingers extended. They stabbed into the acupuncture points near Ao Liuzi's heart with pinpoint precision.
A mocking smile played on Gao Tian's lips.
Surprise, surprise, you fat bastard.
Pain ripped through Ao Liuzi's chest. He released Gao Tian's fist and staggered backward, retreating two steps before coughing a mouthful of blood.
Gao Tian straightened, his expression full of wicked amusement.
"Fat bastard, you survived because of all that lard. Otherwise, you'd be dead already."
Ao Liuzi's roar shook the ground. Veins bulged across his neck as his aura exploded in rage.
"You damn little bastard! I'll cripple you, slaughter your whole clan, and then I'll enjoy your woman in front of your eyes!"
That little bastard… If that strike had gone a little deeper, it would've been a critical hit. I might've died on the spot.
Gao Tian's laughter was cold, sharp, and edged with cruelty.
"What? You think you can kill my clan? Hahaha… If you even step inside my clan's gate, you'll never leave alive."
His eyes gleamed with a dark promise.
This bastard thinks he can defeat my second body? Even if his cultivation is higher, second body make him pay if he try something.