Chapter 528 526: The Early Decisive Battle

The gamble of the Three Sects had come to an end.

The Sea Demon Palace and Barbarian King Hall did not depart. Instead, they waited for the decisive battle between Luo Tian and He Yunkong in one month's time.

"Elder Yan, can the duel between your disciple and Luo Tian be called off?"

The Sect Master of the Tai Yuan Sect sent a voice transmission.

The talent and strength Luo Tian displayed in today's gambling match had delighted all the upper echelons of the Tai Yuan Sect!

Such a peerless genius would surely become a pillar of the Sect in the future!

Of course, He Yunkong was also very outstanding.

For this reason, the Sect Master and many of the upper echelons hoped that Yan Yufeng and Mu Yunshi could peacefully resolve their grudge, so as not to hinder the progress of the two geniuses.

"I'm afraid that won't work. Mu Yunshi is just too stubborn..."

Yan Yufeng replied via voice transmission.

If Mu Yunshi found out that his disciple's performance in the Sect was so astonishing that the Sect Master had asked me to cancel the bet, there's no telling how smug he would become.

That would mean he and his disciple had thoroughly lost. How could he possibly agree to that!

The crowd gradually dispersed.

The members of the Sea Demon Palace and Barbarian King Hall were settled on the Ninth Peak.

He Yunkong followed Yan Yufeng and left.

On the way, He Yunkong asked in confusion, "Master, why did you stop me earlier?"

"We clearly could have dealt with Luo Tian now. Why drag it out for a month?"

"Do you really think I was acting for Luo Tian's benefit?"

Yan Yufeng gave He Yunkong a cool glance.

"Earlier, you used a Secret Technique in both of your battles. The side effects are significant, and you haven't recovered yet, have you?" Yan Yufeng continued.

"...That's right."

He Yunkong nodded.

The Secret Technique he used was quite powerful. Since he had activated it twice in a short period, the side effects would take nearly a month to disappear completely.

"Besides, you're still underestimating Luo Tian! Since he's the one who proposed this, he must be prepared."

Yan Yufeng's gaze darkened.

After all, Luo Tian obtained thirty percent of the Treasure of the Thief King. Perhaps he prepared some kind of trump card to counter He Yunkong.

"Over this next month, prepare yourself fully. You must win, no matter the cost!"

Yan Yufeng's tone was forceful, leaving no room for doubt.

"Yes!"

He Yunkong's expression was resolute.

He was determined to crush Luo Tian underfoot and win back Junior Sister Linfei's heart!

"Follow me!"

Yan Yufeng brought He Yunkong to his own residence.

He would spend the entire month personally guiding He Yunkong, helping him perfect and improve his Cultivation Technique and Martial Skills.

...

Luo Tian, Xia Bingyue, and Qi Yuntian also returned to their residences together.

"Luo Tian, are you confident you'll win?"

Although Qi Yuntian had a good grasp of Luo Tian's strength, he still harbored strong doubts.

He Yunkong was at the Half-step Celestial Pool Realm, after all!

Earlier, He Yunkong had participated in the gambling matches, using an incomplete Secret Technique from the Thief King to win two consecutive victories. He had completely stolen the show.

He Yunkong's strength definitely placed him in the top twenty of the Earth List!

Luo Yun was simply not in the same league as him.

"I'm somewhat confident," Luo Tian replied, his expression serene.

"Still, this is a bet between Mu Yunshi and Yan Yufeng. It doesn't matter too much whether you win or lose,"

Qi Yuntian added.

"At the very least, He Yunkong would never dare to kill Luo Tian during the duel."

Even if Luo Tian lost, the Sect would still favor him. If he won, that would be even better.

"In a month, I will also be leaving the Tai Yuan Sect."

Qi Yuntian remarked with a sigh.

"Where are you going?"

Luo Tian was surprised.

'Qi Yuntian entered the Tai Yuan Sect as an Auditor Disciple and has only been here for a little over a year. Why is he suddenly leaving?'

'Is he going back to the Dongchen Continent?'

"Deeper into the cosmos."

Qi Yuntian murmured, then departed alone.

Luo Tian and Xia Bingyue had only flown a short distance when a figure appeared before them. It was Yue Linfei.

Xia Bingyue's delicate brows furrowed, and her expression grew a few shades colder.

"I'm about to have a duel with your senior brother. Why have you come to see me?"

Luo Tian asked.

"You were too impulsive. If you had waited a few more years, wouldn't your chances of winning have been greater?"

Yue Linfei wore a somewhat complicated expression.

"And how do you know my chances of winning aren't great right now?"

Luo Tian retorted.

"Junior Luo, you are indeed a genius, but you shouldn't underestimate Senior Brother He... Especially since he has his master's help..."

'And Luo Tian's master isn't here.'

"I know Senior Brother He quite well. If there's anything you want to know, you can ask me."

Luo Tian was taken aback by her words.

'This woman... she's actually siding with an outsider. She wants to reveal information about He Yunkong to help me win!'

Yue Linfei felt a little uncomfortable under Luo Tian's gaze, and a faint blush appeared on her fair, cool cheeks.

"You've answered my questions several times. Consider this my way of repaying you,"

Yue Linfei explained.

"That won't be necessary. Since I agreed to move the duel forward, I will naturally defeat He Yunkong!"

Luo Tian refused, his words resolute, and then he strode away.

Yue Linfei remained standing there and didn't try to stop him.

'She had come here to help Luo Tian behind her master's back, yet she never expected him to actually refuse.'

And yet, for some reason, Yue Linfei found the Luo Tian of this moment even more charming, making her heart flutter.

As Yue Linfei watched Luo Tian's departing figure, her gaze unconsciously shifted to Xia Bingyue, and she felt a pang of unease.

Just then, Xia Bingyue happened to turn back. The two women's eyes met, and the air seemed to crackle with tension.

...

Luo Tian soon returned to his residence.

"I don't need your help to understand He Yunkong,"

Luo Tian murmured.

'With how familiar I am with He Yunkong, I can probably deduce even more than Yue Linfei knows.'

'Besides, I also have the Celestial Book!'

'As long as I expend enough Energy, it is all-knowing and all-seeing!'

"Time to make a calculation."

Luo Tian sat down cross-legged and formed a hand seal. A cyan Celestial Eye opened between his brows!

Luo Tian was never one to be careless.

He was also well aware that since Yan Yufeng had proposed the one-month delay, he would surely be helping He Yunkong strategize.

Before long, Luo Tian's calculation yielded a result that surprised him.

'My duel with He Yunkong actually involves a significant, unexpected variable... and there's a chance I could lose...'

Luo Tian's expression darkened!

'Granted, the information from the calculation isn't always perfectly accurate. But usually, it's not wildly off the mark, either!'

'It seems this master-disciple duo really won't be so easy to deal with!'

Luo Tian muttered under his breath.

However, this battle concerned not only his master's honor but his own as well!

He had to win!

Luo Tian immediately entered secluded cultivation.

He first took out the Nine Yang Strong Wine and took a sip. A searing, fiery power began to churn within him!

Perhaps it was because the duel was imminent, or perhaps it was the intangible pressure from his earlier calculation.

His Cultivation of the Sixth-Layer of the Celestial Furnace Treasure Body went very smoothly, and he soon broke through to the Sixth-Layer Minor Achievement Realm.

At this point, only four days had passed!

Next, Luo Tian cultivated the Celestial Essence Water Condensation Technique to advance his Cultivation, as well as the Sky Wind Divine Sword.

In addition, he planned to cultivate the Void Thief King's Body Martial Skill, Moon Shadow Escape Heaven!

This Body Martial Skill was extremely complex, involving numerous application techniques related to speed and movement.

In terms of sheer volume of content, it was even comparable to the King Level Swordsmanship, Void Yin Sword Technique.

He left his residence and went to a special training ground within the Sect, one designed specifically for practicing Body Techniques.

The area was vast and had complex terrain, built specifically for the cultivation of Body Techniques.

SWISH! WHOOSH WHOOSH!

Luo Tian leaped back and forth across a clearing littered with boulders, leaving a trail of blurry afterimages in his wake.

...

While Luo Tian was in secluded cultivation, He Yunkong was also training at his master's residence.

News of their duel quickly spread throughout the nine peaks of the Tai Yuan Sect until it was known by all.

One was a genius who had risen from the ranks of the Auditor Disciples, a heroic role model from the event at the Thief King's Treasure Land!

The other was a genius from a great Noble Family who had become an Elder's disciple upon joining the Tai Yuan Sect and had broken through to the Half-step Celestial Pool Realm before the age of fifty!

The duel between Luo Tian and He Yunkong sparked intense discussion and became a major topic of conversation!

"That Luo Tian is a true legend. To come all this way from being a mere Auditor Disciple without a single stumble!"

"But this time, Luo Tian is going to pay the price for his arrogance!"

"Exactly. Luo Tian was too reckless, challenging a genius at the Half-step Celestial Pool Realm. I bet he's forgotten his own Cultivation level!"

Everyone in the Tai Yuan Sect, from top to bottom, was predicting the outcome.

Over ninety percent of the Main Peak Disciples sided with He Yunkong.

There were some who supported Luo Tian, but more than eighty percent of them were Auditor Disciples, most of whom did so out of blind admiration.

Eighth Peak.

When Mu Ze and the other disciples of the Mu Family heard the news, they were so shocked they couldn't compose themselves for a long time.

They remembered back when they had first arrived at the Tai Yuan Sect alongside Luo Tian.

Mu Ze had even deliberately distanced himself from Luo Tian, anticipating the day Luo Tian would run into trouble and come begging him for help.

But in the end, Luo Tian had left them all in the dust, becoming a legendary genius of the Main Peak!

A single challenge from Luo Tian had become the talk of the entire Tai Yuan Sect, and even the contingents from the Sea Demon Palace and Barbarian King Hall had stayed behind to watch!

"Brother Mu Ze, do you think Luo Tian will win?"

A female disciple of the Mu Family asked.

By now, they didn't dare to harbor the slightest dissatisfaction toward Luo Tian; their past enmity was long forgotten.

"Luo Tian has greatly underestimated He Yunkong. His chances of winning are likely less than thirty percent," Mu Ze said.

"He Yunkong is an Elder's disciple, after all. Yan Yufeng has surely been helping him improve during this time."

"Meanwhile, Luo Tian can only rely on his own bitter cultivation in seclusion."

「A month passed quickly.」

Early in the morning, many disciples were already heading to the Ninth Peak to await the duel between Luo Tian and He Yunkong.

But when they arrived, they found the area around the Ninth Peak's Martial Arts Arena was already a sea of people!

Those who arrived late were stopped and could only watch from a distance.

WHOOSH!

From amidst the distant clouds and mist, a figure in white flew over at high speed, heading straight for the summit of the Ninth Peak!

"It's Luo Tian!"

"He's here!"

Many Side Peak Disciples exclaimed.

Luo Tian had transformed from a former nobody into the center of attention wherever he went!

WHOOSH!

Luo Tian landed directly on the Martial Arts Arena.

All around, many of the Tai Yuan Sect's upper echelons were present. The members of Barbarian King Hall and Sea Demon Palace had also all arrived.

"Junior Luo, you've arrived quite early!"

In the distance, He Yunkong and his master, Yan Yufeng, came streaking through the sky!

He Yunkong's eyes glittered and he looked invigorated as he also landed directly on the Martial Arts Arena.

"Luo Tian, you were the one who agreed to move up our duel. Don't you dare try to back out when you lose!"

He Yunkong said with a smile.

"Cut the crap. With so many people watching, we'll see who's the one trying to back out!"

Luo Tian retorted coldly.

"Fine! Then I'll show you the true meaning of despair!"

A brilliant light flared in He Yunkong's eyes as a terrifying aura erupted from his body!

"Hmm? Nephew He's cultivation aura..."

Elder Lu sensed something, and a look of utter shock appeared on his face!