Chapter 245: So What?

Swoosh!

Swoosh~

Chen Mu moved like lightning, his toes lightly tapping the continuous rooftops as he raced forward.

When he arrived at the street outside Hero Tower, he found that the battle between Chu Xiaotian and Su Donglai had already ended.

The crowd gathered around the street had not dispersed; instead, they formed three layers inside and out, numbering no fewer than five hundred people, their chatter loud and chaotic.

Chen Mu listened for a moment, then learned the reason from the crowd's discussions.

During the clash between Chu Xiaotian and Su Donglai, Chu's spear energy was brutal and affected the surrounding civilians; Yu Shoujiang, who arrived on the scene, intervened and forcibly halted their fight.

At this moment, both Chu Xiaotian and Su Donglai were preparing to leave, but Chen Mu's arrival caused both to freeze in place.

Su Donglai's gaze settled on Chen Mu, filled with scrutiny and curiosity, yet he said nothing.

Chu Xiaotian's eyes lit up, a thrilled smile spreading across his face as he called out loudly, "Chen Mu! You've arrived just in time! I've long heard of your name—today we meet by chance, so let's go outside the city and have a thrilling battle!"

Chen Mu had no interest whatsoever, his expression calm as he politely refused, "Brother Chu, you jest. You rank ninth on the Hidden Dragon List—I'm merely thirtieth. How could I dare challenge you so rashly?"

Upon hearing this, Chu Xiaotian waved his hand dismissively.

"The Hidden Dragon Rankings are merely nominal references—true strength can only be proven through actual combat!"

"I've long admired your name, Chen Mu; if we don't fight today, it will be a great regret!"

"I appreciate your kindness, Brother Chu, but let's postpone it to another day." Chen Mu refused again, ignoring him entirely as he turned to Yu Shoujiang and the others and called out, "Master Yu, let's go."

Seeing Chen Mu so openly dismissive, Chu Xiaotian scowled, a flash of malice crossing his face; without hesitation, he roared loudly.

"You won't leave unless you fight!"

As the words left his mouth, he shook his long spear, his body following the weapon's motion—a piercing, unstoppable spearlight shot forth like a venomous dragon emerging from its cave, slicing through the air with a shrill whistle, straight toward Chen Mu's back.

He had launched a sudden attack from behind!

"Utterly senseless!"

Chen Mu's eyes turned icy; facing this unexpected ambush, he did not retreat—he advanced, leaping upward like a rocket, soaring high into the sky.

He instantly moved the battlefield away from the densely packed street.

Seeing this, Chu Xiaotian was not startled—he grew even more fired up, laughing loudly as he too shot upward, relentlessly pursuing.

Swoosh!

Swoosh~

The two of them rose into the sky, one ahead, one behind.

Here, Chu Xiaotian had no further restraint; his divine weapon, the long spear, erupted in brilliant starlight as he unleashed his ultimate technique, the Seven Stars Subdue Demon Spear.

Instantly, the sky was filled with piercing spear shadows, as if seven great stars spun and crashed down alongside the spear tip—a fierce, unyielding spear intent to subdue demons and exterminate evil pierced the void, engulfing Chen Mu!

Hum~~

Chen Mu's hidden weapon case behind his back opened; the Xian Long Sword, sensing the battle intent, flew out on its own and landed in his hand.

His Duan Tianhe true qi surged, instantly transformed into blazing fire sword qi via the Five Elements Spirit Transformation Scripture, flooding into the blade.

He immediately unleashed the True Martial Purge Demon Sword; its radiant sword intent resembled the sun traversing the heavens, cleansing demonic miasma, meeting the storm of spear shadows head-on!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

High in the sky, sword qi and spear light clashed violently, annihilating each other in a continuous roar.

Blazing fire sword qi and brilliant star spear shadows intertwined into a dazzling yet perilous tapestry.

Sword intent and spear intent clashed and pressed against each other in midair, causing winds and clouds to churn.

The divine weapons in their hands continuously struck, spraying blinding sparks!

Chen Mu deliberately suppressed his true qi fluctuations to the Seventh Stage Innate level; in sheer quantity, his qi indeed fell short of Chu Xiaotian's, who had reached Innate Perfection.

Yet Duan Tianhe true qi possessed exceptionally high quality, his sword technique was profound and mysterious, his sword intent refined, and he wielded a divine weapon—thus he matched Chu Xiaotian evenly, neither gaining the upper hand.

This scene left everyone on the ground stunned.

"Holding his own against Chu Xiaotian at Seventh Stage Innate… Chen Mu is too strong!"

"Thirty-seventh on the Hidden Dragon List? That ranking is far too low!"

"No wonder he won the Dragon-Tiger Storm Gathering—he truly lives up to his reputation!"

"…"

All officers of the Zhenwu Bureau wore expressions of excitement and pride, as if they themselves were the ones battling fiercely in the sky.

Yet those with sharp eyes could see that overall, Chen Mu held the advantage!

Because he, at Seventh Stage Innate, had fought Chu Xiaotian, at Innate Perfection, to a standstill.

Chu Xiaotian, high in the sky, also realized this; as the battle dragged on without resolution, his expression grew increasingly grim.

Seizing a moment when their weapons clashed and their bodies briefly separated, his eyes flashed with ruthlessness—a formless, intangible mental strike, like a sharp awl, shot suddenly toward Chen Mu's consciousness!

Hum~

The "Three Laughs Buddha Beads" in Chen Mu's bosom warmed slightly; a serene force rippled out, dissolving the mental strike into nothingness.

"Huh? Mental attack?"

Chen Mu sensed his opponent's intent; his eyes turned cold, and without mercy, he struck back immediately!

"Shock the Spirit Piercing!"

A more concentrated, sharper mental spike shot back toward Chu Xiaotian.

Chu Xiaotian's face changed slightly; a jade pendant on his body suddenly glowed with soft light, forming a barrier that likewise nullified Chen Mu's "Shock the Spirit Piercing."

"Both have spirit-protecting treasures?"

Chen Mu understood.

Since mental combat could not gain ground, then crush him with absolute force!

With a thought, the true qi he had been suppressing surged upward instantly, its fluctuation climbing to Eighth Stage Innate—as if he had broken through mid-battle.

With his cultivation "rising," the flame sword Qi on the Dragon-Slaying Sword suddenly surged, its searing heat and razor-sharp edge instantly doubling.

"Break!"

With a cold shout from Chen Mu, his sword momentum swelled in tandem. The might of the True Demon-Slaying Sword was pushed to a new height—blazing sword gang like a firestorm, sweeping through everything in its path, it ferociously shattered all of Chu Xiaotian's spear shadows and defenses!

"What?!"

Chu Xiaotian's face changed drastically. He felt an irresistible tremendous force travel up the spear shaft—his Hukou split open, the long spear nearly wrenched from his grip, his whole body As If Struck Heavily. His protective true Qi shattered in an instant, a mouthful of fresh blood sprayed out, and his form uncontrollably plummeted from the high air like a meteor.

"Boom~"

With a tremendous crash, Chu Xiaotian slammed heavily into a courtyard wall beside the street below, smashing that thick wall into rubble. Dust billowed, burying him within.

In the air, Chen Mu stood with sword in hand, robes fluttering, his breathing steady, as if the fierce battle just now had not cost him much effort.

'Is it that Chu Xiaotian had it too easy and grew too arrogant…'

'Or is the ninth on the Hidden Dragon ranking, in truth, only so much?'

Chen Mu gazed down at Chu Xiaotian on the ground, puzzled in his heart.

But one thing could be confirmed.

The top ten of the Hidden Dragon ranking—even the top twenty—each had basically Comprehended Intent!

Ye Jiuchong of the Tianlei Sect, bold and magnanimous, had likewise comprehended spear intent. If Chu Xiaotian were to face him, the title of "World-Shocking Spear" would likely have to change hands!