Chapter 415: Wu Xuan, The Wager
"If you're set on protecting that brat, then don't blame me for not holding back!" Huang Wuzi glared darkly at Wu Xuan, the middle-aged man standing by Jinwu's side.
"Then let's see if your strength lives up to your reputation. I've heard tales of the Tianxuan Sect leader's power, though I question how much of that is truly earned," Wu Xuan replied calmly, exuding the confident air of a seasoned warrior.
"Be careful that my rage isn't more than you can handle!" Huang Wuzi sneered. Stretching his five fingers, he summoned a beam of light, which swiftly transformed into an enormous hand that reached out toward Wu Xuan, radiating a strange, cyclical energy that seemed to embody the very essence of reincarnation, making it almost irresistible.
"Hmph!"
Without hesitation, Wu Xuan thrust his right hand forward, releasing an icy, sinister energy as cold as a frozen glacier, which rapidly met the gigantic hand.
Bang!
The gigantic hand sizzled and crackled under the assault of Wu Xuan's ghostly energy, corroding and dissipating it in moments.
"Impressive, but within the Revolving Wheel realm, there are clear levels of power," Huang Wuzi noted, a menacing smile slowly spreading across his face. Spreading his hands, he began to manipulate the force of the surrounding energy. The atmosphere grew dense and tense as Huang Wuzi summoned a massive, dark spear over a hundred meters long, shimmering with terrifying energy. This energy was not purely elemental; it pulsed with both a life force and a corrosive, deathly energy that converged into a unique cycle, hinting at the mysteries of reincarnation.
"Impressive insight into reincarnation," muttered Qian Lao of Dao Sect. "It's not surprising that he's Tianxuan's Sect Leader; my own comprehension is far inferior."
The Revolving Wheel realm was unlike the Shengxuan realm, where skill levels were more clearly defined. In the Revolving Wheel realm, levels varied not by power reserves but by one's understanding of reincarnation. Those with a profound understanding of it were considered the true masters and were granted the qualifications to eventually reach the peak— the Reincarnation stage.
"Not many rival Huang Wuzi's skill in the Western Heaven Territory," murmured Ying Xuanzi. "He even has the respect of Tianyuanzi, and Wu Xuan has his work cut out for him."
"We'll see, but Huang Wuzi's arrival did give Lin Dong the chance to break free," Qian Lao replied, pointing to another part of the battlefield where Lin Dong was breaking open the cage restraining Xiao Diao.
"Brother, is Langtian alright? And Jinwu, he's here too," Xiao Yan, now back in human form, asked quietly, glancing worriedly at the battle above.
"Langtian should be fine. Yuan Gate's three elders won't go all out to protect him, but Jinwu's Black Gold Tribe ally is a Revolving Wheel powerhouse himself. Though he may not beat the Tianxuan Sect leader, he can certainly hold him off," replied Xiao Diao with a calm analysis.
"Looks like we owe Langtian. Without him, Yuan Gate's elders wouldn't have been distracted, and we wouldn't have broken free," Xiao Yan said with a grin.
Lin Dong nodded in agreement, looking over at Langtian's distant figure. It was hard not to feel that, perhaps, none of this was mere coincidence.
"Should we help Langtian, Brother?" asked Xiao Yan, eyes flashing with fierce determination.
"This is a battle between Revolving Wheel masters. We can't intervene yet. But if Langtian is in real danger, then we'll step in," Xiao Diao replied with a cautious nod.
Not far away, Renzizi noticed that his energy cage had been broken, and his face grew dark. He sent a message to Tianyuanzi, "The Celestial Mink has broken free. What now?"
Tianyuanzi turned, frowning as he looked over at the ongoing battle above and muttered, "Isn't Langtian supposed to be from a low-ranking kingdom? How does he have allies from the Demon Realm?"
Renzizi furrowed his brows. "I'm not sure either. But what's our course of action—protect or abandon him?"
Originally, Langtian had been viewed as a pawn to calm Tianxuan Sect's rage—a sacrifice if needed. But now, with an unexpected ally from the Demon Realm staunchly defending him, Yuan Gate's leaders found themselves at an impasse.
With a flash of cold light in his eyes, Tianyuanzi replied, "We'll wait and see. The outcome of Wu Xuan and Huang Wuzi's battle will decide our next move."
"Since you insist on helping that kid, don't blame me for what's coming!" Huang Wuzi snarled, eyes dark as he glared at the middle-aged man, Wu Xuan, beside Jinwu.
"Try it then. I've heard of your skills, but I'm curious how much substance lies behind your reputation," Wu Xuan said, calm but ready. His posture exuded confidence as if facing a formidable opponent.
"Watch out—my wrath may be more than you can bear!" Huang Wuzi scoffed, stretching his hand to release a massive beam of energy, which quickly formed a colossal black spear. Shadows writhed along its length, pulsing with an eerie power that seemed to carry the weight of reincarnation itself, suffusing everything with a dark aura.
Wu Xuan's brow creased slightly as he sensed the dense energy contained within the spear. With a sweep of his sleeve, he unleashed a blast of Yin energy that instantly surged out, covering the skies in swirling shadows.
This mighty surge of energy was vast enough to send waves of dread across the onlookers below, who looked up, faces pale with fear. Even Lin Langtian seemed momentarily stunned by the overwhelming power displayed.
"A strong one," Lin Langtian murmured in surprise.
Jinwu, standing nearby, gave a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, big brother. Uncle Wu Xuan ranks among the top three in the entire Seven Fiends Blackgold Roc Tribe."
"That impressive?" Lin Langtian's eyes widened in astonishment.
The Seven Fiends Blackgold Roc Tribe was one of the top-ranking clans in the Beast Territory, known for its mighty warriors. Wu Xuan ranking in the top three confirmed his exceptional strength.
Wu Xuan floated among the surging Yin energy that twisted around him, casting the sky into darkness so thick that even sunlight struggled to pierce through. The entire Demonic City lay shrouded in gloom, with everyone forced to fortify themselves with Yuan energy just to catch glimpses of the unfolding battle above.
Amidst the darkness, Huang Wuzi's massive black spear charged through the shadows like a raging beast, its powerful aura threatening to crush everything in its path.
"Shadow Bind!"
Wu Xuan clenched his hands together, manipulating the dense energy around him. Torrents of frigid Yin energy surged forward to intercept the incoming spear, forming a stark white streak against the black.
Black and white collided in a fierce clash, sending a deafening thunderclap across the sky. Waves of explosive energy burst outward, briefly scattering the shadowy shroud and allowing beams of sunlight to pierce through, casting a dappled glow across Demonic City.
"Impressive, but let's see if you can handle this."
Huang Wuzi clenched his fist, gathering his energy as he formed a massive black-and-white tiger, its fierce aura radiating enough force to split the heavens. The spectating crowd watched in horror, for a mere flick of its tail seemed enough to annihilate a Shengxuan-stage warrior.
"Celestial Tiger's Shattering Palm!"
A low growl escaped Huang Wuzi as the black-and-white tiger roared and pounced with blinding speed, tearing through the sky like a lightning bolt straight toward Wu Xuan.
"So, he has some skill after all…" Wu Xuan murmured, his expression turning serious. He rotated his palms, summoning a massive wave of dark Yin energy, which then took shape as a colossal black-gold roc with wings that stretched far beyond the horizon.
"Fiend Roc Fist!"
With a snarl, Wu Xuan punched forward, his immense shadowy form transforming into the black-gold roc that tore through space to collide head-on with the black-and-white tiger.
As the two massive figures clashed, the entire realm seemed on the verge of collapse. Space warped, and rain poured down in torrents, enveloping a vast area in chaos.
Recognizing the potential for disaster, Ying Xuanzi and Elder Qian glanced at each other, faces tense. They quickly took action to prevent Demonic City from being obliterated by the tremendous shockwaves. Ying Xuanzi snapped his sleeve, creating a massive spatial rift that swallowed the blast's residual energy, allowing the threat to pass before letting out a sigh of relief.
Lin Langtian and Jinwu, though distanced from the collision, were still jolted by the shockwaves. Lin Langtian, chest tight, was reminded of the true power gap between Shengxuan and Revolving Wheel experts. The intensity of Revolving Wheel-level combat was on an entirely different scale.
With the rain finally tapering off, Lin Langtian looked up to see Wu Xuan and Huang Wuzi, locked in a fierce standoff, their energies clashing like twin spears thrusting toward heaven. The battle had no end in sight, for neither seemed ready to use their final moves.
He glanced at Wu Xuan in awe, realizing how remarkable Jinwu's parents must be to have enlisted such a powerful warrior in their service.
In the sky, Huang Wuzi's expression turned grim. After a long silence, he finally exhaled, suppressing his anger. The situation was clear—there was no way he could easily eliminate Lin Langtian now.
"If I'm not mistaken, you're from the Seven Fiends Blackgold Roc Tribe. So why leave the Beast Territory to interfere in human affairs?" Huang Wuzi finally said, his sharp gaze fixed on Wu Xuan.
Despite the blackgold roc tribe's formidable status, they typically stayed out of sight, making them far more mysterious than even the three dominant clans.
At Huang Wuzi's words, everyone—Ying Xuanzi included—turned to stare at the gray-robed Wu Xuan in surprise.
A fierce Celestial Mink had only just appeared, and now, another powerful member of a beastly noble clan was stepping in—this time, a Revolving Wheel expert from the Seven Fiends Blackgold Roc Tribe. The number of top-level Beast Territory warriors converging on Demonic City was unprecedented.
From afar, Tianyuanzi watched with a barely veiled flash of malice in his eyes. The idea that a member of the blackgold roc tribe would openly protect one of his Yuan Gate disciples left him more than displeased. His eyes narrowing, he shot a silent message to Huang Wuzi.
At the whispered communication, Huang Wuzi's eyes glinted coldly. He directed a smug, calculating look at Lin Langtian.
"Lin Langtian," Huang Wuzi began, voice laced with contempt, "you are far too bloodthirsty. My original plan was to take you back to my sect, where we could suppress your violence. But in light of Yuan Gate's elders and this blackgold roc, I'll let you earn my forgiveness instead."
He pointed at Lin Langtian, smirking.
"I propose a wager. If you can withstand a single strike from me, I'll pardon you for slaughtering my disciples."
"Do you accept?"
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