"Moon Raincloak!" The blade energy bore down on him. Fang Zheng let out a desperate roar and frantically drove his Gu Insects. A moon-blue mist of light surged from his entire body, spreading rapidly and enveloping the surrounding Gu Masters.
But even with this, it could not hide the despair on everyone's faces.
"Struggling is useless." In Bai Ningbing's blue eyes, a cold and ruthless light flickered.
But just then—
Boom!
The ground beneath everyone's feet suddenly heaved upward, nearly exploding. Soil and mud sprayed into the air.
The Gu Masters screamed in pain, tumbling in every direction.
Through the clouds of dust, a colossal spider appeared before them all.
The aura of a Fifth Transformation Gu Insect was utterly terrifying.
Standing proudly atop the spider—which looked as though it were forged from steel—was a youth in black robes with black hair, his head held high.
"Finally above ground!" Fang Yuan clenched his fist, a sharp gleam erupting in his eyes.
"Hm?" Then he noticed Bai Ningbing in midair, her blade already sweeping down toward him.
A massive ice blade whistled through the air, cleaving toward him.
"Fang Yuan, you've finally shown up!" The previously calm and indifferent expression on Bai Ningbing's face shifted after a brief moment of surprise, giving way to naked excitement and the thrill of battle.
Fang Yuan snorted coldly. Before the ice blade even touched him, the frigid wind from its edge chilled him to the bone, sending his long black hair streaming behind him.
He thrust his hand forward—Serrated Golden Centipede!
Boom!
The ice blade and the Serrated Golden Centipede collided violently. In the stalemate, the centipede's serrated teeth spun wildly, sending shards of ice flying in all directions.
Crack, crack, crack.
Fissures rapidly appeared across the surface of the ice blade, spreading across its entire length.
"Break!" Fang Yuan bellowed. He possessed the strength of two boars. In terms of sheer power, he completely overwhelmed Bai Ningbing.
Bai Ningbing had no choice but to release her grip and retreat. The ice blade shattered, its fragments scattering in every direction.
The Thousand-Mile Earth Wolf Spider went berserk again. It lashed out with its six steel legs, charging straight at Bai Ningbing.
Gu Insects were low in intelligence, but they possessed an innate sensitivity that allowed them to identify which opponent posed the greatest threat. Bai Ningbing's aura made the Thousand-Mile Earth Wolf Spider lock onto her as its primary enemy, fixating on her with deadly intent.
Bai Ningbing raised both hands and launched a row of ice cones. They struck the Thousand-Mile Earth Wolf Spider's body and shattered on impact. The spider grew even more frenzied. With a piercing shriek, it lunged forward with Fang Yuan on its back.
Swish, swish, swish!
Three pairs of pitch-black spiral steel legs shot forward like crossbow bolts, stabbing straight toward Bai Ningbing's slender frame.
Sensing the danger, a streak of snow-white light suddenly flew out from Bai Ningbing's Empty Orifice.
The light expanded, revealing the White Phase Celestial Snake Gu, hovering in midair.
Bai Ningbing laughed heartily. She leaped onto the White Phase Celestial Snake's back and gazed down at Fang Yuan. "Interesting! Very interesting! Fang Yuan, you truly haven't disappointed me!!"
"Brother... brother..." Fang Zheng struggled to his feet. A bloody gash from a stray ice blade slice marked his face. Streaked with blood, he looked toward Fang Yuan, his expression an utter tangle of emotions.
"The other side also has a Fifth Transformation Gu?" The Xiong Clan Leader's gaze darkened, tension creeping into his voice.
"Fang Yuan, you've really shown up! A Fifth Transformation Gu... isn't that the Thousand-Mile Earth Wolf Spider?" Gu Yue Bo's attention was entirely drawn to the spectacle as well.
On the battlefield, two youths of vastly different ages faced each other from afar.
One wore white robes with silver hair and blue eyes, riding atop the White Phase Celestial Snake, an ice blade in hand—like an ice immortal descended to the mortal realm.
The other wore black robes with black hair and black eyes, standing on the back of the Thousand-Mile Earth Wolf Spider, the Serrated Golden Centipede buzzing and thrumming in his grasp—like a demon god manifest in the world.
Their standoff captured countless gazes.
Bai Ningbing's face burned with fanatical zeal. She raised her ice blade high and roared, "This will be the most spectacular battle of my entire life! Come, Fang Yuan—let us fight to the death!"
"Hmph." Fang Yuan fixed his eyes on Bai Ningbing while using his peripheral vision to survey his surroundings.
This was the battlefield of the Three-Clan Tournament!
He never expected the Thousand-Mile Earth Wolf Spider to bring him here of all places...
He had no desire to lock horns with Bai Ningbing and waste time in a drawn-out fight. Whether Tie Xue Leng or the Gu Yue clan emerged victorious, both sides would come looking for trouble. But if he didn't repel Bai Ningbing first, how could he escape?
There was no choice but to fight!
Boom!
The White Phase Celestial Snake and the Thousand-Mile Earth Wolf Spider slammed into each other. The white snake coiled and constricted, the black spider jabbed and stabbed, the two intertwined in a violent struggle.
On the backs of their respective Gu, two figures darted and weaved. The ice blade carved streaks of light through the air; the Serrated Golden Centipede roared, contracting and extending in rapid succession.
Mountain rock shattered. Thunderous explosions rang out one after another.
An ice cone struck Fang Yuan square-on but was deflected by the White Light Phantom Armor projected by the Sky Canopy Gu. The Blood Blade hit Bai Ningbing, carving a gaping wound—but in the blink of an eye, a layer of frost spread across the injury, sealing it shut. The frost melted into flesh, and Bai Ningbing was restored to perfect condition.
"As expected—it really is the Northern Underworld Ice Soul Body!" The Xiong Clan Leader's eyes went wide at the sight.
The Ten Extreme Bodies were legendary constitutions. He never imagined he would witness one with his own eyes in his lifetime.
"Heh heh heh, Fang Yuan actually dares to try to match Bai Ningbing? He's doomed to lose!" The Bai Clan Leader sneered cruelly.
"That's not necessarily true..." Tie Ruonan, standing nearby, curled her lip.
"A Ten Extreme Body—it must be a Ten Extreme Body! At this level of combat, if it were merely Grade C Aptitude, True Essence would have run dry long ago! Fang Yuan, you really do possess the Gu Yue Yinhuang Body!" Gu Yue Bo quietly clenched both fists, his expression brimming with excitement.