Chapter 317

Chen Mu's tone remained calm, yet carried an unyielding edge: "I have personally visited the Jiuxuan Sect's mine and warned them to immediately cease hostilities against you. The mine incident has already been investigated by Jiuxuan Sect themselves—it was not your Shenying Gate's doing."

Upon hearing this, the Shenying Gate disciples atop the giant eagles first froze, then erupted into even louder clamor.

"What? They investigated it?"

"If they investigated, why are they still attacking? Those damn bastards of Jiuxuan Sect!"

"They're clearly looking for an excuse! We can't let this slide!"

"Gate Master, we can't swallow this insult!"

…

The crowd was inflamed, curses never ceasing.

Yun Tianyi's face darkened further. He took a deep breath, suppressing his rage, and said solemnly to Chen Mu: "My Lord, Jiuxuan Sect has always been this arrogant! They never bother to ascertain facts before striking first—they treat Shenying Gate as if we don't exist!"

"They slandered us first, then provoked us. If I, Yun, do not personally seek justice, how can the entire sect be at peace? And how will the martial world view Shenying Gate?"

"It seems Gate Master Yun has no intention of granting me this courtesy." Chen Mu slightly raised an eyebrow, his tone still unreadable. "I have already ordered Jiuxuan Sect to stand down, yet your Shenying Gate insists on continuing hostilities."

"My Lord, this isn't about courtesy—it's…" Yun Tianyi tried to explain further.

"No more words."

Chen Mu raised his hand, cutting him off, his gaze calm as it settled on Yun Tianyi's face: "I ask only one final question, Gate Master Yun: will you, or will you not, cease hostilities now?"

In an instant, all noise and curses atop the three giant eagles ceased.

Every Shenying Gate disciple, whether elder or common member, held their breath, their eyes fixed in unison on their Gate Master, awaiting his decision.

The air seemed frozen, save for the howling wind high above.

Yun Tianyi felt the scorching gaze of his disciples behind him, and before him, the enigmatic, mountain-still figure whose aura was inscrutable. His chest rose and fell slightly, his eyes flickering violently—he was clearly locked in fierce inner struggle.

After several breaths, he drew a sudden, deep breath, as if making a final decision. His gaze hardened as he looked at Chen Mu and bowed respectfully.

"My Lord Chen, I have long heard you are a once-in-a-generation genius—each time your name shifts on the Hidden Dragon Ranking, your cultivation advances. You won the Dragon-Tiger Gathering, and recently slew a Mo Sect prodigy—your combat prowess is legendary!"

Here, his tone paused, then sharply rose, laced with resolve and audacity.

"I, Yun, am unworthy, but today I shall shamelessly lay bare my true strength—I am already at the Earth Altar Realm's Five Qi Unification!"

His gaze blazed as his true energy began to slowly surge; his aura swelled, his robes stirring without wind.

"But may I, with humble boldness, request the honor of a lesson from you, My Lord Chen?"

"If I am fortunate enough to endure even a few strikes from you, I beg you, My Lord Chen, to allow Shenying Gate to reclaim this justice!"

High above, the cold wind howled.

Chen Mu heard Yun Tianyi's words—polite on the surface, yet brimming with challenge—and sneered inwardly.

In the end, they still wanted to fight, to test his mettle.

Yet his face showed no trace of emotion, remaining as calm as ever, as if the challenge were merely an ordinary sparring match, not a cross-rank provocation.

"Agreed."

Two clear, calm words rang out.

Earth Altar Realm's Spirit Bridge, versus Earth Altar Realm's Five Qi Unification!

To any ordinary cultivator, this would be utter humiliation—a gap of two minor realms, like a chasm between heaven and earth.

Yet now, whether Yun Tianyi, who issued the challenge, or the Shenying Gate disciples holding their breath to watch, none felt Chen Mu's acceptance was unreasonable.

The title of "Potential Dragon" prodigy, the victory over Bu Nantian—these had already forged Chen Mu's legendary reputation for defeating opponents across realms!

Yun Tianyi's demeanor turned grave. Seeing Chen Mu accept, he spoke no more. His body shifted, qi exploding beneath his feet, launching him sideways like a true goshawk, vanishing hundreds of meters away in an instant, creating ample combat space.

The three iron-feathered giant eagles, under their riders' command, let out low cries and swiftly flapped back toward the mountain gate platform.

All disciples who had been atop the eagles, along with every member stationed within the mountain gate, now surged to the plaza, cliff edges, and other high points, necks craned, hearts clenched, staring tensely across the void at the two opposing figures above.

…

Chen Mu let out a faint laugh, his body shifting slightly, as if stepping upon invisible stairs. One step, and he crossed hundreds of meters, landing lightly thirty meters before Yun Tianyi.

This distance, for Earth Altar Realm cultivators, was a perilous range—reachable in an instant.

"Gate Master Yun, please."

Chen Mu held one hand behind his back, his official robe fluttering in the gale, posture composed.

"Good! Forgive me!"

Yun Tianyi no longer held back. He knew that against an opponent like Chen Mu, any restraint was suicide.

With a low roar, his previously restrained aura erupted like a volcanic blast!

His Earth Altar Realm's Five Qi Unification cultivation surged to its peak—his five viscera's qi linked with heaven and earth, drawing the surrounding qi into a furious convergence.

Hum—

Blinding Jin Guang erupted from his body, rapidly coalescing and compressing before him into a massive, solid-looking golden eagle claw!

The claw's five fingers curled like hooks, their nails sharp and curved, gleaming with metallic coldness. Its texture was clear, even revealing fine threads of sharp-metal Intent energy entwined around it.

The moment the giant claw formed, it tore through layers of air with a piercing sonic boom, an invisible force locking onto Chen Mu as if freezing and sealing the surrounding space, descending with the might to shred all before it!

Facing this claw capable of crushing mountains, Chen Mu's eyes narrowed slightly—but he did not dodge or retreat.

The Ninefold Wave Force surged rapidly; his dantian's true energy surged like a river. Simultaneously, he pushed the Water Intent to its third level!

Splash—

As if an invisible tide had sounded, clouds within a radius of several li, drawn by an unseen hand, surged wildly toward Chen Mu's front.

Clouds were condensed water vapor; now, guided by pure Water Intent, they instantly transformed into vast quantities of water vapor!

"Condense!"

Chen Mu extended his hand and drew a slow, empty slash forward.

The rushing clouds and water vapor compressed and solidified instantly into a ten-meter-long, crystal-clear, deep-blue water blade!

The blade's edge spun violently, slicing through air with a sharp "chit-chit" sound, brimming with endless, relentless, surging power as it met the descending golden claw head-on.

Boom—

The next instant, the giant blade of water and the giant golden claw slammed violently into each other!