Chapter 265: Facing the Heavenly-Gang
"Three consecutive losses ans repeating the year, five consecutive losses ans expulsion?"
The expressions of several cultivators in the classroom changed slightly, their eyes filled with disbelief.
Even those ranked at the bottom of the Yuqing Rising Stars List were rare prodigies within the Immortal Alliance.
To defeat such prodigious projections even once was an imnse challenge for them, and they might end up unlocking the humiliating achievents of three or even five consecutive losses.
Could it be that the Yuqing Immortal Sect planned to clean out all the cultivators who entered through connections this year?
"Five consecutive wins... earns a Tribulation-Breaking Golden Core? Interesting. I wonder if I can have a match with Chen Beiwu."
One cultivator's eyes flickered, fingers unconsciously rubbing together as he glanced sideways at Chen Beiwu.
The Yuqing Immortal Sect was by no ans a charitable place, but a battlefield for the contending of prodigies. To achieve five consecutive victories in the Struggle Realm was easier said than done.
Among this cohort of new students, perhaps only the first on the Rising Stars List, Yu Zhaohua, could accomplish such a feat.
As for Chen Beiwu, who was ranked third, he was still quite a distance behind.
It wasn’t that he looked down on Chen Beiwu.
Quite the opposite—if it weren’t for the fact that the Struggle Platform restricted cultivation realms, he wouldn’t even consider fighting Chen Beiwu.
Only, over the past ten sessions, the Yuqing Rising Stars List had produced many monstrous geniuses. Only Yu Zhaohua, with her Innate Dao Body and Flintrock Coiled Dragon, could utterly dominate.
‘As long as I don’t face Yu Zhaohua, securing five straight wins to earn the Tribulation-Breaking Golden Core shouldn’t be a problem,’ Chen Beiwu thought to himself.
To understand others is wisdom; to know oneself is clarity.
In the final round of the Immortal Exam, Chen Beiwu had faced the Supre Yin Saintess Gu Qinghan, an encounter that left a deep impression—one might even call it unforgettable.
That battle made Chen Beiwu understand what it ant to be a peerless prodigy of the Immortal Alliance, what it ant to possess the foundation of a Dao Venerable Immortal Family.
Even with the resources of the Southern Wastes at his disposal and the supre treasure Nine-Breath Chaos aiding him, he still fell short compared to such unparalleled geniuses born almost atop the immortal path.
But that was only natural.
The terrifying foundation accumulated over hundreds or thousands of generations by a Dao Venerable Immortal Family of the Immortal Alliance was not sothing Chen Beiwu could surpass with rely over a decade of cultivation.
Unless... he could completely master the power of Nine-Breath Chaos.
‘I wonder how Yu Zhaohua compares to Gu Qinghan in strength?’ A fleeting thought passed through Chen Beiwu’s mind.
The weight of an Innate Dao Body and a Heavenly-Gang Mystic Beast was simply too terrifying!
Although a montary win or loss ant little to Chen Beiwu—only those who reached the end of the immortal path were true victors—
He would not challenge Yu Zhaohua lightly unless he was certain of his odds.
Of course, if luck favored him and he did encounter her in the Struggle Realm, Chen Beiwu wouldn’t fear the fight.
His first step toward surpassing the Supre Yin Saintess Gu Qinghan might just begin with Yu Zhaohua!
"This ti in the Struggle Realm, there is no retreat—each must face three projections of prodigious cultivators," explained True Monarch Su Miao with a smile. "Those who achieve three straight wins or three straight losses will unlock two additional prodigy projections."
"I hope everyone will fight with style."
As her voice fell, True Monarch Su Miao waved her right hand, and the guiding light of the Struggle Realm burst forth, enveloping the entire classroom.
Chen Beiwu's surroundings instantly shifted, revealing seventy-two void chains and a familiar cyan-gold arena.
Raising an eyebrow, Chen Beiwu’s first instinct was to look at the jade stele covered in crimson blotches.
【Challenger】: Chen Beiwu
【Cultivation】: Peak of Foundation Establishnt
【Struggle Realm Opponent】: Yuqing Immortal Sect Class of 24521 student Li Jiashi, highest historical rank: 2nd on the Rising Stars List (Realm: Peak of Foundation Establishnt)
As the radiance settled, a male cultivator in an indigo Daoist robe, handso and refined in appearance, gradually took form.
By his side crouched a massive tiger, flas blazing in its eyes, thunder flickering at its four paws—this was the third-tier dual-attribute Treasure Beast of tal and Thunder: Golden-Patterned Thunder Tiger.
"The Qi is rather weak." Chen Beiwu retrieved the Twelve Yuanchen Fiend Bow from his storage ring.
The rules of this Struggle Realm were stricter than those of the Immortal Exam finals.
Each cultivator entering the Struggle Realm could use only one spiritual artifact—no pills, talismans, or formation disks were allowed.
Talisman and formation cultivators could only draw or set up on the spot, without any advantage of preparation.
Among all his personal spiritual artifacts, Chen Beiwu chose the most lethal—the Twelve Yuanchen Fiend Bow.
"Roar!" The Golden-Patterned Thunder Tiger roared, carrying its contract cultivator as it transford into a bolt of lightning and charged at Chen Beiwu.
"Gulu."
Golden Egg’s eyes narrowed as it activated its Ruyi Spiritual Art. Its body swelled visibly and it sprang forward, tail lashing at the tiger’s waist and back.
Li Jiashi changed his hand seals, unleashing an art to intercept and buy ti for his Companion Beast to strike.
But before overwhelming power, such techniques shattered like glass.
Golden Egg's tail struck down—boom—the cyan-gold arena trembled, and on the ground lay a pile of flesh and the barely discernible corpse of a tiger.
"Gulu."
Golden Egg snorted out steam from its nostrils in surprise, lifting its head.
Before striking, it had already prepared a full combo to follow up.
Who would’ve thought this prodigy projection would be so fragile—one tail, and it was crushed.
"He was indeed second on the Rising Stars List two sessions ago, but the Dao Foundation he ford was not flawless."
Chen Beiwu glanced at the projection dissolving into motes of light and comnted.
A flawed Foundation could hardly achieve greatness.
As far as Chen Beiwu knew, the students recruited by the Yuqing Immortal Sect over the last two sessions had all failed to form a Flawless Dao Foundation—even Li Jiashi himself was likely still stuck in the realm of Qi Refining Overlimit, attempting to break through.
It wasn’t arrogance on Chen Beiwu’s part—but for opponents of this caliber, surviving one strike from Golden Egg was nearly impossible.
"Gulu?"
Golden Egg blinked wide-eyed—Was I really that strong?
"Don’t underestimate yourself. Very few on the Rising Stars List of the Yuqing Immortal Sect could take even one move from you," Chen Beiwu said, patting its head.
While Chen Beiwu and Golden Egg exchanged thoughts, the arena reflected a new prodigy projection.
This ti, Chen Beiwu didn’t even bother glancing at the jade stele—he simply directed Golden Egg to charge.
Golden Egg’s tail ca crashing down—both cultivator and Companion Beast were instantly reduced to pulp.
Thus, with overwhelming force, Chen Beiwu secured three consecutive victories in the Struggle Realm and easily claid the reward of a customized third-tier magic treasure.
【Challenger】: Chen Beiwu
【Cultivation】: Peak of Foundation Establishnt
【Struggle Realm Opponent】: Yuqing Immortal Sect Class of 24523 student Shen Yuanbao, highest historical rank: 3rd on the Rising Stars List (Realm: Peak of Foundation Establishnt)
‘Shen Yuanbao?’
Chen Beiwu gazed at the gradually materializing projection before him, feeling slightly disappointed.
A projection was, after all, just a projection—far from comparable to the true body.
Moreover, Chen Beiwu had already fought Shen Yuanbao before and knew that the latter’s cultivation had not yet reached the peak of Foundation Establishnt, remaining at the mid-stage instead.
Even though the Struggle Realm artificially elevated Shen Yuanbao’s realm to increase the challenge, it still couldn’t pose a threat.
After all, if even the real prodigy couldn’t accomplish sothing, how could a re projection in the Struggle Realm succeed?
“Boom!”
Just as the projection ford, Shen Yuanbao commanded the Violet-Electric Thunder Leopard to unleash a burst of thunderous might, attempting to cast Purifying World Thunder Lotus instantly.
‘Too slow!’
Chen Beiwu’s eyes narrowed as he drew the bowstring.
Using the opportunity created by Golden Egg, he spotted a flaw through the light of the Guarding-the-One Mirror, and one arrow shattered Shen Yuanbao’s protective mana, piercing his throat.
Without the caster’s control, the vast thunderstorm instantly devoured the Violet-Electric Thunder Leopard, turning both beast and cultivator projection into charred remains.
“???”
Golden Egg blinked in confusion.
The opponent was at least a flawless Foundation Establishnt prodigy projection—how could he be this fragile?
It had barely exchanged a few moves, hadn’t even ward up yet, and the opponent was already gone.
‘With you holding off the Violet-Electric Thunder Leopard, Shen Yuanbao wouldn’t last three moves against ,’ Chen Beiwu said calmly.
Had Shen Yuanbao’s projection advanced steadily, Chen Beiwu might have had to expend so effort.
But the Struggle Realm, aware that Shen Yuanbao’s projection stood no chance, had revealed its trump card from the start—only to expose a fatal flaw.
Fighting in the Struggle Realm was unlike real-world combat. The forr allowed for errors; the latter did not.
For the sake of survival, every prodigy from prestigious clans carried all kinds of defensive treasures and talismans, turning themselves into nearly impenetrable fortresses.
In such cases, even if Chen Beiwu found an opening, it would be difficult to land a fatal blow. Shen Yuanbao could’ve dragged it out long enough to unleash Purifying World Thunder Lotus.
But not in the Struggle Realm, where the use of artifacts and talismans was restricted. A re second-tier defensive spiritual artifact couldn’t withstand the ferocity of Chen Beiwu and Golden Egg.
Zheng!
As Chen Beiwu and Golden Egg watched, the Struggle Platform suddenly shifted.
The seventy-two void chains around them wildly converged, eventually forming a cultivator’s silhouette and the projection of a massive beast before Chen Beiwu.
The words on the jade stele changed accordingly:
【Challenger】: Chen Beiwu
【Cultivation】: Peak of Foundation Establishnt
【Struggle Realm Opponent】: Yuqing Immortal Sect Class of 24523 student Yu Zhaohua, highest historical rank: 1st on the Rising Stars List (Realm: Peak of Foundation Establishnt)
“She’s finally here!”
Chen Beiwu took a deep breath, eyes locked onto the snow-cold figure of Yu Zhaohua in the distance.
Beside her stood a beast over ten zhang tall, its entire body covered in crimson scales like molten lava—a burning volcano of a creature that instantly drew Chen Beiwu’s gaze.
Its head was hornless, neck without a mane, and its skull jagged like volcanic rock.
Its eyes were molten gold spirals, its shape dragon-like but not a dragon. Every breath it exhaled released waves of sulfuric heat, turning the cyan-gold platform beneath it into searing lava.
There was no doubt. The volcanic beast before Chen Beiwu was the Flintrock Coiled Dragon, ranked ninth on the Heavenly-Gang Mystic Beast List.
【Na】: Flintrock Coiled Dragon
【Attributes】: Fire, Earth
【Bloodline】: Fourth-Tier, High Grade
【Mystic Arts】: Lava-Core Mystic Body, Earth-Fire Synchrony, Sword of Flintrock…
Lava-Core Mystic Body: A fourth-tier supre mystic art—so long as the lava core remains unbroken, the Flintrock Coiled Dragon cannot die. Its body transforms into molten lava, ignoring the majority of mystic arts and techniques, while continuously recovering through absorbing magma and dual-attribute spiritual qi of fire and earth.
Earth-Fire Synchrony: A fourth-tier supre mystic art. Born with mastery over the mutual generation of fire and earth, the Flintrock Coiled Dragon transforms the terrain beneath its feet into a lava domain ideal for combat, allowing it to freely shift within.
Sword of Flintrock: A fourth-tier supre mystic art. The dragon can summon destructive fire-killing qi from the earth ridians at will, forming Infernal Swords of Lava capable of splitting the ground and incinerating all.
【Description】: The Flintrock Coiled Dragon is a fire-elent exotic beast born from the fusion of subterranean fire essence and ancient dragon vein qi.
During its youth, it must hibernate in lava pools, feeding on Earthly-Sha Fla Marrow. As it matures, it gains explosive and overwhelming power akin to a volcanic eruption.
It can even manipulate the terrain’s fire energy, shift earth ridians, and trigger endless volcanic eruptions. With lifespans approaching ten thousand years, it is a Heavenly-Gang fierce beast nearly impossible to kill.
Recalling the data about the Flintrock Coiled Dragon, Chen Beiwu tensed internally.
The disparity in bloodline quality was clear.
Even if Yu Zhaohua didn’t activate her Innate Dao Body, her contracted Flintrock Coiled Dragon alone was an imnse threat.
Especially since Golden Egg currently only possessed bloodline comparable to a third-tier high-grade Treasure Beast—even if it successfully evolved into a Gold-Horned Flood Dragon, it would still struggle against a fourth-tier Heavenly-Gang Mystic Beast like the Flintrock Coiled Dragon.
“Gulu.”
Golden Egg swallowed hard. The heat wave surging toward it brought an unmistakable sense of impending death.
Yet, seeing Chen Beiwu standing firm without a trace of fear brought Golden Egg a sense of calm.
"Get ready."
Reflected in Chen Beiwu’s pupils was that crimson volcano.
The enemy of today could be the stepping stone of tomorrow.
The stronger Yu Zhaohua’s projection appeared, the more it ignited his fighting spirit.
What use was blasting through weaklings in the Southern Wastes? Only by defeating foes of this caliber could he ascend step by step, dominate his generation, and beco one of the Immortal Alliance’s top cultivators.
I’ll attack. You defend.
With that thought, Chen Beiwu stepped back into the air, and the Twelve Yuanchen Fiend Bow in his hand expanded in the wind.
From deep within the spiritual artifact, the twelve spirit essences of the Yuanchen beasts awakened:
Rat of Zi, Ox of Chou, Tiger of Yin, Rabbit of Mao, Dragon of Chen, Snake of Si, Horse of Wu, Goat of Wei, Monkey of Shen, Rooster of You, Dog of Xu, Pig of Hai.
One after another, these mighty beast phantoms surged behind Chen Beiwu, transforming into streams of light that fused into his palm, condensing into a pitch-black arrow.
Opposite him, Yu Zhaohua’s black hair fluttered. She gently raised her hand and activated a spell.
Nine fierce fire dragons suddenly erupted from the ground, lunging toward Golden Egg.
It was the high-powered second-tier supre spiritual art—Blazing Dragon Shatter, capable of instantly breaking a Foundation Establishnt cultivator’s defense.
No, Golden Egg isn’t her main target!
Sensing the terrifying heat surge behind him, Chen Beiwu’s heart jumped. He imdiately used Wave-Stepping Through the Tide to evade.
But in that instant, the mountainous Flintrock Coiled Dragon vanished. What entered Chen Beiwu’s vision was a lowered dragon head, crimson light flickering in its throat, preparing to unleash fury.
Boom!
Before his disbelieving eyes, the Flintrock Coiled Dragon suddenly raised its head, opened its giant maw, and spat a pillar of crimson fla that pierced straight through his heart.
“Splash!”
Steam erupted. Chen Beiwu’s body instantly turned into vapor and vanished. Behind Yu Zhaohua, a figure appeared.
"Twelve Calamity Fiends!"
Strike the king to catch the bandits—taking advantage of the chance created by Golden Egg and Mist of Phantoms, Chen Beiwu loosed the bowstring.
The long-prepared Twelve Calamity Fiends Arrow shot out like a line of death, slicing the cyan-gold arena in two—Yu Zhaohua’s body included.
Yet as Chen Beiwu looked at the bisected projection in the distance, his expression shifted. There was no excitent in his eyes.
Zzzz!
Molten lava surged, and the snow-cold Yu Zhaohua stood unscathed atop the Flintrock Coiled Dragon’s head, her aura undiminished.
The two corpses on the ground lted into lava, erupting into towering waves that ford a cage, trapping Chen Beiwu and Golden Egg.
Outside the cage, the cyan-gold arena had lted into magma, sealing off all escape.
Inside, all spiritual flows were cut off—only dense fire and earth spiritual qi remained.
Chen Beiwu could barely sense any water or wood qi from the heavens and earth.
So this is the power of a Heavenly-Gang Mystic Beast! Chen Beiwu’s gaze sharpened.
Even at peak Foundation Establishnt, the Flintrock Coiled Dragon could manifest a trace of fourth-tier mystic power through bloodline instinct.
To a Nascent Soul True Monarch, this power was trivial—but it was enough to endanger Golden Core True Persons and easily corner him and Golden Egg.
We can’t die in the Struggle Realm anyway—should we go all out?
Chen Beiwu wrapped his arm around Golden Egg’s neck, battle spirit burning in his eyes.
Sensing his will, Golden Egg’s bloodline boiled, and it nodded without hesitation.
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