344: Chapter 344: Old Iron is stunned, one shot takes down Mo Ran.

Although Mo Ran felt inexplicably flustered, things had come to this, and he couldn't back down.

He took a deep breath, circulated his full spiritual power, and poured it into the crimson flame sword.

The flames on the sword's body suddenly surged, transforming into a ten-foot-long flaming sword beam. The scorching heat waves spread in all directions, forcing the onlookers to retreat.

"Sect Leader Xu, take this!"

He shouted loudly and slashed down with his sword!

The crimson sword beam, carrying overwhelming flames, cleaved down towards Xu Ruyu's head!

This strike possessed a terrifying momentum, enough to split mountains and rocks!

Everyone widened their eyes, waiting for the next moment—either Xu Ruyu would be blown away, or his gun would explode again.

However—

Xu Ruyu simply raised his hand, lifted his rifle, aimed at the incoming sword beam, and gently pulled the trigger.

"Bang!"

A crisp, thunderous boom echoed!

A faint golden light erupted from the muzzle, moving so fast its trajectory was nearly invisible, leaving only a scorching afterimage in the air!

The next instant—

"Boom!!!"

The violent explosion made everyone's eardrums ache!

Fire sparked everywhere, and fragments flew about!

The crimson flame sword in Mo Ran's hand and that terrifying flaming sword beam were instantly pierced through like paper the moment they touched the faint golden light!

Immediately after, the entire sword blade shattered with a bang, turning into countless fragments that flew in all directions!

Mo Ran himself was violently blown back by the shockwave of the explosion, slamming heavily onto the ground over a hundred feet away, coughing up blood as his body convulsed uncontrollably!

Behind him, several Disciples who had been waiting to watch the show couldn't dodge in time and were hit by the flying fragments, falling to the ground with screams!

Silence.

Absolute silence.

Everyone was frozen in place as if under a paralysis spell, mouths agape and eyes wide, yet unable to make a sound.

Only the faint golden light, after shattering the crimson flame sword, continued with unabated momentum, slamming fiercely into a giant boulder by the mountain path.

"Rumble!"

The boulder, which was as tall as two people, was blown to pieces, with debris flying and dust filling the air!

When the dust settled, what everyone saw was—

In the original position of the boulder, only a deep crater over ten feet in diameter remained!

The rocks at the edge of the crater had been melted by the high temperature, forming glass-like crystals that were still emitting wisps of blue smoke.

The faint golden light had disappeared, leaving only a scorching trail in the air that slowly dissipated.

Xu Ruyu still stood in his original spot, maintaining his gun-holding posture.

A wisp of blue smoke rose from the muzzle.

His expression was calm, as if he had only done a trivial little thing.

He retracted his gun, looked at Mo Ran who was lying on the ground convulsing in the distance, then glanced at the dumbfounded onlookers who looked as if they had seen a ghost, and smiled slightly.

"I told you, you would regret it."

His voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears.

No one responded.

No one dared to respond.

Everyone was frozen like statues, their minds completely blank.

The power of that shot...

Was comparable to a strike from a Mid-Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator!

No, it was even stronger!

And the one who fired this shot was just a youth at the Qi Refinement Stage, using a weapon they had mocked as "trash"!

Is... is this for real?

An Artifact Refining Apprentice from Fire Cloud Cave murmured with a trembling voice, "This... how is this possible... how could this trash..."

Before he could finish, someone next to him covered his mouth.

Taihao Clan stood not far away, watching this scene with a meaningful smile playing on her lips.

"A bunch of fools with no vision," she whispered to herself. "Ten days ago, I saw that 'poqi type i' blast a half-foot-deep hole in the testing wall with one shot.

After ten days of improvements, its power has increased by at least thirty percent.

A mere third-grade Magical Artifact is worthy of being compared to it?"

Yue Ling stood beside her, but her gaze remained fixed on Xu Ruyu.

Her eyes were full of tenderness.

"Ruyu..."

She murmured softly, her voice so low only she could hear it.

On the Hehuan Sect's side, those Disciples who were originally full of worry were now completely stunned.

They looked at Xu Ruyu, at the Sect Master they had doubted and worried about, at the Sect Master who had shattered a third-grade Magical Artifact, a boulder, and stunned everyone with a single shot—

Tears suddenly welled up.

Not from sadness, but from excitement, pride, and the joy of finally venting their frustrations!

"Sect Master! The Sect Master won!"

"The Sect Master is mighty!!"

"Let's see if they still dare to laugh at our Hehuan Sect!"

They cheered and jumped, rushing toward Xu Ruyu.

Xu Ruyu looked at them with a sincere smile on his face.

He turned his head and looked at the Taihu Clan Disciples who were still in a state of petrification, saying indifferently:

"Remember the stakes you lost.

From now on, when you see Hehuan Sect Disciples, take a detour.

Those who have bullied my Hehuan Sect Disciples before, apologize publicly at Qixia Valley within three days."

After saying that, he put away his gun and walked toward Qixia Valley, surrounded by the Hehuan Sect Disciples.

Behind him was a deathly silence.

After a long time, someone said with a trembling voice:

"Quick... go report to Elder Mo Feng... something big has happened..."

On a large tree in the distance, two figures quietly vanished.

They were eyes and ears sent by Mo Feng to monitor the situation.

They had to go back and report—their plan had completely failed.