Chapter 787: Gu Jirong

Lu Shen stopped Gu Jirong.

"How about this, Ye Qingran: if you can defeat three of the five of us, we'll consider you capable, okay?"

Lu Shen thought it over; whether it's Ye Feixing of Zhai Xing Pavilion or Liu Chenyu of Suspended King Hall, both have that ability, so if Ye Qingran can do it, it shows she is at least on the same level of genius as them.

Gu Jirong, who had been displeased when Lu Shen interrupted, now brightened, and agreed: "I think this idea is great; I'll go first!"

Gu Jirong could no longer wait and stepped forward immediately.

The crowd looked at Gu Jirong, a former prominent figure and a Peerless Heaven's Pride of Jade Autumn Sect, and for a moment couldn't tell who between him and Ye Qingran was superior.

However, among the Five Great Geniuses, Gu Jirong's strength ranks last.

Moreover, he is also the youngest.

"Gu Jirong seems to be the same age as Ye Qingran this year; actually they're incomparable—just look at each other's cultivation level, and the result is obvious."

Someone said so, drawing many people's approval.

"Ye Qingran, you keep saying you're here to restore Jade Autumn Sect's reputation; now show your strength! Don't end up being weaker than us, let alone comparable to the Peerless Heaven's Pride of Zhai Xing Pavilion and Suspended King Hall."

Gu Jirong shouted.

"Gu, fellow sect member, go first," Ye Qingran raised her palm, behaving courteously.

Gu Jirong snorted coldly, lifted his chin, "Since that's the case, I won't step aside!"

He thought the same. He could no longer wait to display his cultivation, even though many already knew his level.

The disciples of Jade Autumn Sect voluntarily stepped back, leaving an open space for Gu Jirong.

Gu Jirong's aura deepened, releasing the full aura of a Saint.

Although Gu Jirong is only twenty‑one, he already possesses Saint-level Cultivation; this is standard for top geniuses and is unattainable for ordinary cultivators.

Gu Jirong is not just a Saint; among peers he rarely meets an opponent, even many veteran Saints who have been at this level for years are no match.

"Wow, senior brother Gu Jirong is awesome! Truly a Peerless Heaven's Pride!"

"A twenty‑one‑year‑old Saint—I never dared to imagine!"

"And more! He's been among Saints for a while!"

Feeling envious gazes from all directions, Gu Jirong couldn't be more pleased.

"Do you think that's the end?"

Gu Jirong smiled coldly, and in the next instant a powerful will swept over everything.

The crowd was stunned.

"This is… Emperor's Will!"

Someone exclaimed.

Emperor's Will?

The crowd's eyes all flickered.

Until now, they didn't know Gu Jirong had comprehended Emperor's Will!

"My heavens, when did Gu Jirong comprehend Emperor's Will?"

"He grasped Emperor's Will at twenty‑one? Gu Jirong is too amazing!"

"Another one who first comprehended Emperor's Will!"

Grasping Emperor's Will at twenty‑one is not unheard of in Jade Autumn Sect, but still very rare.

"It seems the Will is still weak; probably just newly comprehended," Ji Rufeng scoffed with a disdainful face.

"Ye Qingran, have you seen my strength?"

Gu Jirong raised his chin higher, barely giving Ye Qingran any regard.

Ye Qingran glared at him for a moment, then slowly nodded, "I saw."

Gu Jirong smiled coldly, chest out, "Since you've seen it, shouldn't you concede?"

The crowd looked at Gu Jirong; though they thought he was overly boastful, he truly had the strength.

As for Ye Qingran, she was once a dazzling talent, and over the years no one knows where she went, nor her current strength.

"Concede?"

Ye Qingran brushed her hair, half‑smiling.

"Fine! If you concede to me, perhaps I can step in and let you depart honorably; otherwise, you have shamed our sect for years, and we wouldn't let you go so easily."

Gu Jirong's gaze at Ye Qingran was nothing short of utter loathing.

"You probably still have no right!" Ye Qingran flicked her index finger side to side, a mischievous grin on her face.

Gu Jirong's complexion darkened abruptly.

"Ye Qingran, how long will you keep pretending!" Gu Jirong pointed at her, "If you don't concede, that's fine; just show your strength to everyone!"

He simply didn't believe Ye Qingran could surpass his strength!

She has spent these years outside the Three Great Sects, either in smaller sects or training alone; any method can't match the rapid progress he has within Jade Autumn Sect's system.

Gu Jirong was confident in himself.

"Then watch closely."

As Ye Qingran finished speaking, the aura of a Saint streamed out, and a sudden gust of fierce wind pushed Gu Jirong away; caught off guard, he fell onto the ground with a muffled thud.

Saint!

Undoubtedly, Ye Qingran is also a Saint!

In response, after a brief shock, the crowd relaxed.

Back then, Ye Qingran was praised by the sect leader as capable of suppressing a generation; now that she's a Saint, it seems fitting.

However, being merely a Saint still doesn't compare to Gu Jirong.

"Ye Qingran, since your talent is extraordinary, you must have also grasped Emperor's Will, right? Show it to everyone quickly."

Gu Jirong mocked.

He concluded that Ye Qingran had not comprehended the Emperor's Will.

After all, the Emperor's Will is not like a cabbage that anyone can grasp casually.

Ye Qingran glared at him, a slight curl at the corner of her mouth, and suddenly the mighty Emperor's Will poured out, overwhelming the heavens and earth, shrouding this realm.

Because it was so sudden, Gu Jirong, who had just stood up, was again knocked to the ground by an invisible force; this time Gu Jirong was so shocked that the pain in their butt was ignored.

"How could that be?"

Gu Jirong's eyes widened, their pupils shrinking to a point.

What did Gu Jirong feel?

Emperor's Will!

How could Ye Qingran possibly have also comprehended the Emperor's Will? And hers is far, far stronger than his!

Ye Qingran deliberately focused her Emperor's Will onto Gu Jirong; her comprehension is mature, and compared to Gu Jirong, it's like the difference between a university student and a kindergarten child.

Gu Jirong is especially sensitive to the Emperor's Will; under Ye Qingran's deliberate influence, he feels immense pain, and his complexion quickly turns completely pale.

"Gu Jirong, how does my strength compare to yours?"

Everyone already has the answer in their hearts.

Ye Qingran not only possesses Saint-level Cultivation, but also has comprehended the Emperor's Will; how much deeper her understanding is compared to Gu Jirong is unknown!