84: Burning Heaven Sword Bone, Gu Yan

The Heavenly Sword Divine Sect's Sword Discussion Platform was located on a huge platform halfway up the main peak.

The platform was circular, measuring a thousand zhang in diameter, paved with dark cyan megaliths etched with dense reinforcement array patterns.

All around were tiered spectator seats, now filled with Cultivators from various Regions, making the atmosphere bustling and boisterous.

Today was the first day of the Heavenly Sword Trial arena battles.

The Nascent Soul Group, Soul Transformation Group, Reversion to Void Group, Body Integration Group, and Mahayana Group—five groups started fighting simultaneously.

However, the most anticipated matches were naturally the competitions among the younger generation in the Nascent Soul Group, as they often showcased the greatest potential and were the most captivating.

When Lu Yu arrived, Li Miaoer and Mu Lingxi had already secured seats and waved at him.

"Junior Martial Uncle, over here!"

Lu Yu walked over and sat down. Liu Yunshu followed, wearing a simple and elegant pale blue dress with her hair loosely tied, making her look much gentler.

Li Miaoer leaned closer, her cat ears twitching.

"Oh, Fellow Daoist Liu, you look well today."

Yesterday, Li Miaoer had smelled the Qi on Liu Yunshu and knew that Lu Yu had gotten involved with Liu Yunshu again!

She naturally knew Liu Yunshu, a famous beauty on the beautiful women ranking whose cultivation was also quite high.

Liu Yunshu blushed and didn't reply.

Lu Yu glanced at Li Miaoer: "Fifth Senior Sister, stop messing around."

"Hmph, protective of his food."

Li Miaoer pouted, then leaned close to Mu Lingxi's ear and whispered.

"See? After just one night, he's already protecting her."

Mu Lingxi smiled but said nothing, only letting her gaze linger on Liu Yunshu for a moment before looking away.

Junior Martial Uncle found another woman!

Soon, Yun Guying also arrived.

She was still in her plain white dress, clutching her sword, and sat down beside Lu Yu expressionlessly.

As she sat down, her gaze swept over Lu Yu subtly, and the fury in her eyes was clearly being suppressed!

The feeling from last night was still deeply etched in her memory!

Right now, she wished she could hang Lu Yu up and give him a good beating!

Lu Yu felt inexplicably guilty under her gaze, unsure what he had done to upset Fourth Senior Sister again, and he cleared his throat.

"Fourth Senior Sister, good morning."

"Mm."

Yun Guying responded faintly and ignored him afterward.

Li Miaoer, however, leaned over again and whispered.

"Fourth Senior Sister, your sword move yesterday was so cool! I saw the Heavenly Sword Divine Sect Elders' faces turn green, haha!"

Yun Guying glanced at her: "Focus on the competition."

"Oh..."

Li Miaoer shrank her neck and sat down obediently.

Soon, the arena battles officially began.

Presiding over the event was a white-bearded Elder of the Heavenly Sword Divine Sect, whose booming voice echoed throughout the venue.

"The rules of the arena battle are: stop before inflicting fatal harm. Deliberately taking a life is forbidden. If one side admits defeat, falls to the ground and remains down for ten breaths, or falls off the arena, they lose. Now, for the first match of the Nascent Soul Group: Lu Yu of the Heavenly Evolution Immortal Sect versus Gu Yan of the Fentian Sacred Valley!"

The entire audience immediately stirred.

Lu Yu had shown his face yesterday in front of the sword stele, and although he benefited from Yun Guying's presence and was the Tianyan Immortal Sect Divine Son, he was still considered a celebrity.

Previously, his fame outweighed his strength; he was renowned primarily because of his identity as the Divine Son. Many people didn't know his actual capabilities, and most previously believed Lu Yu only obtained the Divine Son title through connections.

In contrast, Gu Yan was a prominent figure among the younger generation in the Blazing Sun Domain. The name Blazing Heaven Sword Bone was well known, and he had participated in many famous battles!

This match was full of highlights.

They would see if this Tianyan Immortal Sect Divine Son was truly worthy of his name!

Lu Yu stood up, and just as he was about to ascend the stage, Liu Yunshu tugged at his sleeve, speaking gently.

"Be careful."

Mu Lingxi, watching from the side, pouted slightly. She had been planning to give Junior Martial Uncle that reminder!

"Don't worry."

Lu Yu smiled and then looked at Yun Guying.

"Fourth Senior Sister, I'm going up."

Yun Guying glanced at him and only said two words.

"Don't lose."

The rest of the words went unsaid: if you lose, I will definitely hang you up and beat you!

"Of course."

Lu Yu turned around, stepped lightly, and his figure floated down onto the arena.

Opposite him, Gu Yan had already ascended.

This was a young man who looked to be in his early twenties, dressed in crimson battle attire, his hair tied up with a Fire Jade Hairpin. His face was handsome, but his eyes held a scorching arrogance.

He stared at Lu Yu, sizing him up. Nascent Soul sixth-level cultivation. On the surface, he looked unremarkable, though his face was indeed extremely handsome. Gu Yan scoffed.

"Tianyan Divine Son? Is that all?"

Lu Yu didn't get angry; instead, he smiled.

"Whether I only amount to what you call 'that,' you'll find out once we compete."

Gu Yan snorted coldly, wasting no more words. He raised his right hand, and a longsword, entirely crimson with flames seemingly flowing along its body, appeared in his grip.

This was a top-grade Spiritual Artifact he had obtained within his Secret Realm in the Fentian Sacred Valley!

Although it hadn't reached the Magic Treasure level, it was the Spiritual Artifact most suited to him currently.

The moment the sword was unsheathed, the surrounding temperature instantly soared.

The air was scorched and twisted, and the light above the arena took on a red hue.

"blazing heaven sword. Please enlighten me."

As Gu Yan finished speaking, his figure suddenly vanished!

The next second, he appeared three feet in front of Lu Yu, thrusting a sword straight forward!

Before the sword arrived, scorching Sword Qi rushed forth, seeming capable of baking a person into charcoal.

Lu Yu neither dodged nor avoided. He held his right hand with fingers pressed together like a sword, lightly pointing at the incoming blazing heaven sword, causing Sword Qi to erupt.

Clang!

A crisp sound of metal clashing rang out.

Gu Yan's sword was forcefully stopped three inches before Lu Yu's fingertip, unable to penetrate further.

"What?!"

Gu Yan's pupils contracted.

Although he hadn't used his full strength in that strike, he had exerted seventy percent of his power, and coupled with the blazing heaven sword's innate flame Sword Qi, ordinary Nascent Soul Cultivators wouldn't dare to take it head-on.

But Lu Yu... only used a single finger?

"The force is decent."

Lu Yu commented, then flicked his fingertip lightly.

Buzz—

A tremendous force traveled along the sword body. Gu Yan felt a numbness in his hand, and his entire body involuntarily retreated three steps. A wisp of Sword Qi from Lu Yu's fingertip even grazed Gu Yan's cheek, leaving a faint streak of blood!

The entire audience burst into an uproar.

"He repelled Gu Yan with one finger?!"

"This Lu Yu... is he that strong?"

"I previously heard he underwent the Four-Nine-in-One Heavenly Tribulation at the Canglan Sacred Sect. I thought it was just baseless rumors that got exaggerated, but now it seems to be true. He really has some skill."

Gu Yan's expression darkened.

He had indeed underestimated his opponent just now, but the power displayed by Lu Yu's single finger still exceeded his expectations.

"Interesting."

Gu Yan licked his lips, his gaze turning serious.

"Then next, I'll get serious."

As his voice fell, the Qi around him suddenly surged, and the phantom image of a red bone in his chest materialized!

Crimson flames erupted from his body, coalescing behind him into a vague phantom image!

It was a flame giant sitting cross-legged. Although its outline was indistinct, the pressure it emitted caused the entire arena to tremble.

The Blazing Heaven Sword Bone materialized!

"Blazing Heaven Sword Art, Flaming Dragon Slash!"

Gu Yan roared softly, and the blazing heaven sword in his hand slashed out abruptly.

Roar—!!!

A massive Dragon, formed entirely of condensed flame, appeared out of thin air, baring its fangs and claws, and rushed toward Lu Yu with terrifying high temperatures capable of incinerating everything!

The blazing heaven sword Intent within the Dragon was incredibly violent, carrying an overwhelmingly sharp Qi!

Wherever the flame Dragon passed, the arena floor was scorched bright red, and the array patterns flickered erratically, seemingly on the verge of collapsing.

This single sword strike was the peak power of the Nascent Soul Stage!