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One Month Later
Bai Xu strolled through the streets of the Star Luo Empire's capital, gazing at the large screen in the center of the street broadcasting the promotional footage of the Tang Sect Master's Five Gods Duel. He smiled.
The promotional campaign for the Five Gods Duel was intense, reaching a level where it was now a household name across the entire Star Luo Continent. This confrontation was unlike any other competition.
All conventional matches had restrictions—whether age limits or cultivation limits—ensuring fair competition to better hone the skills of the strong.
But the Five Gods Duel was different. This was a battle without limits. What would unfold before everyone's eyes would be a clash of the pinnacle.
A collision of the strongest.
Beep beep beep!
His soul communicator rang.
"Hello?" Bai Xu answered, puzzled.
"Bai Xu, where are you now?" Gu Yuena's voice came through.
"The Star Luo capital."
"I'm here too." Gu Yuena stood atop the Star Luo Empire's Spirit Pagoda, looking down at the bustling city below, as if trying to spot a familiar figure among the crowd. She continued, "When do you plan to attack the Star Luo Spirit Pagoda?"
"During the second match of the Five Gods Duel. If I remember correctly, the Pagoda Master will be fighting in that one," Bai Xu replied.
"The order I received was to surround and kill you. Right now, the forces in Star Luo City have already reached their peak—not just the imperial family, but also the Spirit Pagoda, the Tang Sect, and some hidden powers. Are you sure you want to strike now?"
"Gu Yuena, do you know why I cultivate?" Bai Xu countered.
"No."
"Where I come from, the path of immortality is about achieving clarity of mind and transcending worldly attachments. If I lacked the strength, I'd let it go. But since I have the power, I will demand an explanation from the Spirit Pagoda and the Holy Spirit Cult. And the number of people who'll have to give me that explanation will only grow."
A smile spread across Bai Xu's face as he looked up. From where he stood, he could clearly see the top floor of the Spirit Pagoda.
"Is that so? I understand. When the time comes, don't hold back. Let's see if you can suppress me outright. This time… I don't have the Dragon God Core." Gu Yuena also smiled, her gaze shifting to a certain direction as if locking eyes with someone.
"By the way, how much do you know about the Dao of Yin and Yang?" she suddenly asked, as if remembering something.
"Huh? I haven't fully grasped the Five Elements Body yet, so I haven't delved deep into Yin and Yang." Bai Xu was taken aback by the sudden shift in topic but answered honestly.
"Good. Do you remember that dual cultivation manual?" Gu Yuena's eyebrows lifted slightly, a hint of pride in her tone.
"Which one?"
"Are you saying you've read many of them?"
"Uh… historically, there are quite a few, but I've only read three before stopping."
Gu Yuena took a deep breath, choosing to ignore Bai Xu's admission to reading such material, and said, "The Secret Texts of Enlightenment."
"Ah? Haven't read that one. Wait… are you suggesting we dual cultivate?" Bai Xu's smile deepened before he suddenly paused, joking, "You're not planning to use me as a cauldron and drain me, are you?"
"You scoundrel! I haven't even questioned whether you ever considered me a cauldron!" Gu Yuena's emotions flared in response.
"You even know about cauldrons? Seems you've studied this thoroughly."
"Hmph, I won't argue with you. We'll talk when we meet. But remember, this act has to be convincing—don't slip up." Gu Yuena reminded him.
Bai Xu chuckled. "Do you want a tragic, lingering-affection act, or a clean-break, no-mercy act?"
"A mix of both would be best. Show some inner conflict—it'll help with your next steps." Gu Yuena pictured the scene and smiled as well.
"Relax, I'm a grandmaster of deception."
Click.
The call ended.
But Bai Xu still had doubts. 'That dual cultivation technique… I'd have noticed if I'd read it.'
With a thought, he flipped through the dual cultivation manuals he had studied. Yet, the more he searched, the wider his eyes grew—the Secret Texts of Enlightenment wasn't there. If the book wasn't in his collection, where had Gu Yuena learned it from?
"Was it from those silver patterns that appeared out of nowhere?" Bai Xu froze. For the first time, something had happened beyond his expectations—an unknown dual cultivation technique.
Regarding those strange markings, he was absolutely certain he had never done anything to cause them, nor did he have any such inclinations. Yet, they had appeared on Gu Yuena's body.
She must have gleaned some secrets from those patterns and deduced something.
He tried to sense the strange patterns again, but this time, he couldn't feel anything.
---
The Star Luo Empire's National Coliseum was already packed to the brim. The massive stadium, capable of seating 100,000 spectators, was completely full today—all for a single match.
A single match could last as little as a minute or two, or as long as ten or twenty minutes. Battles between soul masters rarely dragged on for extended periods.
Yet, for this one match, many had paid exorbitant prices for tickets. Most were simply curious—curious about the legendary Five Gods Duel passed down from ancient times and what kind of supreme clash it would entail.
The VIP seating was also fully occupied. His Majesty Emperor Dai Tianling of the Star Luo Empire and En Ci, the dean of the Monster Academy, were already present.
In addition, Hu Jie, the Smiling Douluo and head of the Tang Sect's Star Luo branch, sat on the other side of the emperor.
"The Five Gods Duel is a tradition from antiquity—an era of heroes. Only the truly courageous would issue such a challenge."
The match even had a dedicated commentator, seemingly to hype up the audience. The professional narration quickly quieted the noisy stadium.
"The reason it's called the Five Gods Duel is because it represents the pinnacle of combat. The challenger will face five consecutive duels over five days. The challenged party cannot refuse the Five Gods Duel—to do so would bring disgrace upon themselves."
The first match was a mecha battle.
Bai Xu didn't attend. Instead, he stood in mid-air, scouting the area. Representatives from the imperial family had already approached Zhang Geyang, the Tower Master of the Spirit Pagoda. Though they believed Tang Wulin's chances of winning were slim, they still had to arrange opponents for the subsequent matches.
The second battle—the Spirit Soul Duel—would be fought by the Hell Flame Douluo himself.
If Tang Wulin somehow cleared the first hurdle, this man would deliver him the greatest despair.
Zhang Geyang agreed to the arrangement.
At the same time, he glanced at Gu Yuena, seated in the deputy position within the meeting room, and said, "Spirit Pagoda Envoy Gu Yuena, I'll leave the task of tracking Bai Xu's movements to you. If there's any news of him, notify me immediately—no matter what I'm doing."
Gu Yuena responded, "Understood, Deputy Tower Master."
Zhang Geyang gave the envoy beside him a sidelong glance but didn't press further. The task given to him by Qiangu Dongfeng wasn't just to eliminate Bai Xu—it was also to assess how much lingering affection existed between Bai Xu and Gu Yuena.
Just how much weight did Gu Yuena hold in Bai Xu's heart?
If Bai Xu truly dared to attack the Eighteen Heavenly Pillars here, perhaps they would find out.
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