225: Chapter 224 Clash: Xia Jin VS Senior Brother Chu Hou

Marquis Chu released his hand, the smile on his face slowly fading, replaced by a look of extreme seriousness.

"Junior Brother Xia, don't blame your Senior Brother for being blunt." Marquis Chu looked Xia Jin straight in the eyes. "But since the outcome of the battle against the foreign races is at stake, some things cannot be handled carelessly. You don't mind if your Senior Brother tests your strength, do you?"

Xia Jin looked at him, a flicker of emotion passing through those pale gold eyes.

After a few breaths, Xia Jin nodded.

"Good! That was exactly my intention."

As he spoke, a surge of Battle Intent rose quietly.

After nearly half a month of soaking and tempering in the Yuanling Pool, Xia Jin could clearly feel that the power within his body was deeper and more solid than before he had entered the pool.

Now, he stood at the limit of the Creation Realm, as if there were only a thin layer of window paper between him and that higher Realm; it seemed that with just a gentle touch, he could achieve a Breakthrough.

He needed an opponent.

And the Eldest Senior Brother of the Hun Rank before him was undoubtedly the best touchstone.

"Good!" A flash of admiration crossed Marquis Chu's eyes. "Let us battle in the sky!!"

"Wait, wait, wait!"

A clear voice suddenly cut in from the side.

Zhou Chu, dressed as a Daoist, now had a hint of a smile on his face.

"Boss Chu, Junior Brother Xia, if you two are to fight, the commotion will likely be quite large. If you aren't careful, it might even affect our Third Heaven." Zhou Chu smoothed his sleeves and carefully pulled a palm-sized compass from his robe.

"It just so happens I have a Magical Artifact here that can provide a quiet stage for your battle." Zhou Chu held up the compass, looking up at Marquis Chu and then at Xia Jin, before warning, "However, you two must hold back a bit; don't break my Magical Artifact. This is my most precious treasure; if it breaks, I'll have nowhere to seek justice."

"Junior Brother Zhou, you've certainly hidden many good things!! I haven't even seen you take out this compass before!!" Marquis Chu's eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at Zhou Chu in surprise. "But don't worry, I know my limits. I won't damage your Magical Artifact."

Xia Jin also nodded slightly.

Zhou Chu took a deep breath and stopped wasting words. He threw the compass in his hand toward the sky.

"Go!"

The compass soared into the sky, growing larger in mid-air. Soon, a beam of light shot out from it, transforming into a massive Bagua Formation Diagram suspended above everyone's heads.

The formation map rotated slowly, the Yin and Yang fish pattern emitting a soft golden light, as a mysterious spatial power poured down from it.

Under the shroud of the golden light, the figures of Marquis Chu and Xia Jin both became blurred.

"You two, remember to hold back!!"

Zhou Chu shouted once more before the two completely disappeared.

Soon, the light dissipated.

Beside the Yuanling Pool, only Yang Qingxuan and the others were left looking at each other, along with the Bagua Formation Diagram slowly rotating in the sky.

Fourth Senior Brother scratched his round head and curiously approached Zhou Chu, looking him up and down. His eyes, which were usually narrowed, were now full of curiosity.

"Hey, Daoist, what's the situation inside that compass of yours? Can we see inside?"

Zhou Chu felt a bit uncomfortable under Fourth Senior Brother's gaze and instinctively took a step back, but then seeing Yang Qingxuan and the others looking at him the same way, his face couldn't help but darken.

"I say, you guys, don't look at me like that." Zhou Chu's voice held a hint of helplessness. "Inside this compass is its own small world. Although I can control it, as for the situation inside..."

"To be honest, even I don't know. Once this thing is thrown out, I can only wait for the people inside to finish fighting and come out on their own. It can't be seen or interfered with from the outside."

"Pah!! And you call this a Magical Artifact! I thought it was something miraculous."

After hearing Zhou Chu's words, Fourth Senior Brother immediately lost interest and curled his lip.

Beside them, The Drunkard stretched. He raised his wine gourd, took a swig, then shouldered it and strode over to a nearby flat boulder, sitting down with a thud.

He patted the rock beside him and gestured with the wine gourd in his hand toward everyone.

"Alright, don't just stand there. Come, everyone, come over and have a drink. When Boss Chu and the other come out later, we'll naturally know the result."

"That's true." Fourth Senior Brother walked over with a grin, snatched the wine gourd from The Drunkard's hand, and without ceremony, tilted his head back and took a large gulp.

As the liquid hit his throat, Fourth Senior Brother's eyes immediately lit up.

"Whoa. Drunkard, this wine of yours isn't bad; the flavor is very mellow, and it's got quite a kick. Where did you get it? Get some for me."

The Drunkard snatched the wine gourd back, clutching it like a treasure, and chuckled twice, looking quite proud.

"Hehehe, I got this from Junior Brother Xia. I managed to get it with great difficulty on the day he first arrived at the Third Heaven. You want some? Go ask Junior Brother Xia for it. I can't make decisions for him."

"Stingy!" Fourth Senior Brother rolled his eyes and didn't bother saying more.

As the few of them chatted and laughed, the atmosphere lightened considerably.

However, just then,

"Ugh!"

Zhou Chu suddenly let out a muffled groan, his body trembling involuntarily, and his expression darkened.

Yang Qingxuan frowned, stepped forward, and reached out to support his shoulder.

"Junior Brother Zhou, what's wrong?"

Zhou Chu took a deep breath, slowly exhaled, and looked up at the Bagua Formation Diagram rotating in the sky, shaking his head with a bitter smile.

"It must be the commotion from the battle between Boss Chu and Junior Brother Xia. Some of the residual power passed directly through the compass and was transmitted to me. Although it was only a tiny bit, the power... is truly terrifying."

Hearing this, Yang Qingxuan's gaze sharpened, and he looked up at the Bagua Formation Diagram in the sky.

The formation map was still rotating slowly, with golden light flowing on its surface, appearing as calm as usual. But if one observed closely, they would find that the golden light was flowing much faster than before, and there was even a faint, subtle vibration at the edges of the formation map.

To what extent had the battle inside that formation map reached in terms of intensity?

Yang Qingxuan didn't speak; he just silently released Zhou Chu's shoulder and stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze fixed intensely on the Bagua Formation Diagram in the sky.

The Drunkard also put away his playful expression, hung the wine gourd at his waist, and stood up from the rock. He narrowed his eyes at the sky, his eyes—usually hazy with drunkenness—now startlingly clear.

Fourth Senior Brother stopped fooling around as well; he crossed his arms over his chest, his round head slightly tilted back, his expression becoming uncharacteristically serious.

Four people, four postures, yet all had fallen silent in unison.

No one spoke; they just waited quietly.

Waiting for those two to come out.

Waiting for a result.