Chapter 318: Who Won?

A thunderous roar erupted, as if the divine lightning of the ninth heaven had exploded beside everyone's ears.

At the point of impact, blinding gold and blue light burst forth; terrifying energy waves spread outward in a ring, shredding and evacuating the air, forming visible white shockwaves that rolled like a tidal wave!

The stalemate lasted only an instant.

The giant water blade shattered with a crash, dissolving into countless water droplets that evaporated, while the solid golden claw simultaneously cracked across its surface, crumbling inch by inch into specks of golden light that vanished.

Hush—woosh!

The shockwave struck; Yun Tianyi staggered, helplessly flying backward over twenty meters before barely stabilizing, his face flushing briefly before paling, his eyes filled with astonishment.

In contrast, Chen Mu was also pushed back by the recoil, yet he slid only ten or so meters before stopping firmly, his breath steady, his expression unchanged.

The superiority was instantly clear!

In the first round, Yun Tianyi, with higher cultivation, was clearly at a disadvantage.

"Roar!"

A flicker of shame and anger crossed Yun Tianyi's face; he knew he could no longer hold back.

With a low growl, the black steel spear strapped to his back hummed, automatically leaping into his hand.

With the spear in hand, Yun Tianyi's aura shifted again, the golden light growing fiercer and more condensed, as if he had transformed into an invincible divine spear capable of piercing the heavens, his piercing sharpness surging straight toward the sky!

"Shatter the Void!"

Yun Tianyi stepped on empty air, his body merging almost entirely with the spear, spear and man as one, becoming a brilliant golden spearlight that pierced through nothingness!

At the spear's tip, the concentrated essence of sharp metal not only tore through matter but seemed capable of striking the soul itself, charging toward Chen Mu with unyielding resolve.

Its speed exceeded the sound barrier!

Chen Mu's gaze sharpened, sensing the threat of this spear thrust.

The "Sunken Long Jian" let out a clear, ringing cry from its weapon sheath and shot out instantly.

True Martial Cleansing Sword Art

Chen Mu poured his true qi without reserve into the sword's blade, unleashing the full power of his second-tier sword realm.

In the instant the Sunken Long Jian swung, a brilliant, yang-charged, majestic sword qi—capable of purging all evil in the world—slash forth!

This sword qi was not dazzlingly brilliant, yet it carried an unstoppable momentum, as if summoning the celestial righteous energy of heaven and earth; where it passed, even empty space seemed to split, subtly warping.

Within the sword qi, thunder and fire intertwined, cleansing and exterminating evil!

Before a sea of stunned gazes, the magnificent, yang-charged, brilliant sword qi clashed head-on with the piercing, invincible golden spearlight high above.

Boom—

Boom—

Boom—boom—

This time, it was not a single thunderous crash, but a continuous, deafening cascade of explosions.

One after another, like the heavenly thunder god frantically beating his war drums.

Gold and white light flashed wildly, entangled, and annihilated!

At the center of impact, it seemed to become a miniature vortex of annihilating energy, greedily devouring and tearing apart everything around it.

High above, thick clouds were instantly scattered and shredded by the violent air currents.

Nearby, a mountain peak trembled violently under the terrifying sound waves and pressure; countless trees were crushed and snapped.

Farther away, the peak of a snow-capped mountain could not withstand the earth-shaking vibrations, triggering an avalanche—snowflakes hurled into the air like a white curtain temporarily obscuring part of the view.

Within the Divine Eagle Sect's main gate, all disciples watching the battle overhead were shaken to their core by this cataclysmic collision; many even stepped back half a pace instinctively.

"Who… who won?"

"Did the sect master win?"

"Chen Mu is too powerful! He's two realms lower than the sect master, yet he's held his own this far!"

"Of course! He made it to the top of the Dragon Ascension List through real combat records—his reputation was earned through blood and battle!"

"Stop arguing! Look—what's the outcome?"

…

High above, the chaotic clouds gradually calmed; the snowflakes still swirling in the wind drifted down like a hazy veil draped over the sky just after battle.

The wild wind howled past, stirring the hem of both men's robes.

The light and dust slowly faded, revealing two figures clearly in turn.

Dozens of meters away, Yun Tianyi stood with spear in hand, his sharp, hawk-like eyes gleaming as he stared intently across at Chen Mu.

His aura still surged like a tide; the black steel spear in his hand shimmered with golden light, its piercing sharpness swirling around him, ready to unleash another earth-shattering strike at any moment.

Opposite him, Chen Mu held the Sunken Long Jian, his posture upright as a pine, his official robe snapping loudly in the wind.

His expression calm, his aura deep as the ocean; though not aggressive, he radiated an undeniable dignity, his presence no weaker than Yun Tianyi's higher cultivation.

Suddenly, the tense atmosphere was shattered by a hearty laugh.

"Ha—ha—ha—"

Yun Tianyi roared with laughter, his voice shaking the land, slightly dissipating the lingering aura of deadly intent.

He looked at Chen Mu with complex eyes and declared loudly, "Chen my lord, your strength is truly remarkable—your reputation is well deserved! I, Yun, am deeply impressed!"

Chen Mu showed no reaction to the praise, his expression still serene as he waited for the rest.

Seeing this, Yun Tianyi's golden spear hummed softly, its light retracting as he flipped it behind his back.

Then, clasping his fists, he bowed deeply to Chen Mu and said solemnly, "Chen my lord, rest assured—I may be a mere warrior, but I understand honor and integrity!"

"Since we've sparred, the outcome is clear. From this moment on, I will restrain all my disciples: they are to cease all hostilities and cease provoking the Jiuxuan Sect."

He paused slightly, then his tone hardened, "But if the Jiuxuan Sect ignores your edict and dares provoke my Divine Eagle Sect again, harming my people, then I beg your pardon—I will not stand idle, and will respond with all my strength! This is the very foundation of our sect's survival—I hope you understand, Chen my lord!"

Hearing this, Chen Mu finally allowed a faint smile to touch his lips, nodding, "Naturally. The Peacekeeping Office upholds order, not favoritism. If the Jiuxuan Sect remains obstinate, I will deal with them accordingly."

"Then I thank you in advance, my lord, for your fairness," Yun Tianyi bowed again.

Chen Mu said no more; he flipped his wrist, and the Xian Long Sword let out a clear chime as it returned to its weapon case.

He returned the bow with equal formality, "Thank you, Lord Yun, for your wisdom and sense of the greater good. I have official duties to attend to—farewell."

"Lord Chen, take care on your way," Yun Tianyi bowed in farewell.

Watching Chen Mu turn and vanish into a streak of light that tore through the sky at astonishing speed, disappearing in an instant at the horizon's edge, Yun Tianyi's bold, composed smile vanished instantly.

His tall frame trembled imperceptibly; his face turned deathly pale, and a vein on his temple throbbed uncontrollably.