Chapter 398: Sea of Poisonous Thorns

"No!"

"This round doesn't count—I wasn't ready just now!"

True Person Bu Nu got up from the ground, his face flushed as he stared at He Pingsheng on the platform.

He Pingsheng merely said calmly: "You lost."

"No… I won't lose!" Bu Nu said: "I'm not someone who can't accept defeat, but this time I truly underestimated you!"

"Fellow Daoist… today isn't the final day of competition!"

"Even if you win today, I will challenge you again tomorrow!"

"So if you don't want the trouble, let's fight properly—winner stays on this platform, how about that?"

In truth, True Person Bu Nu had a point.

Could He Pingsheng kick a cultivator of the same realm flying?

Of course he could!

But if facing another Golden Core cultivator of the same realm, it would be unlikely.

Even with his Five Elements Unified Force unleashed, it would still be unlikely.

He had been able to kick Bu Nu away just now solely because the opponent had been overconfident.

Since He Pingsheng's first attempt had failed, Bu Nu had grown careless, offering almost no resistance—only using a single Earth-element defense spell—and thus gave He Pingsheng his opening.

Under normal circumstances, with proper defense and counterattack, He Pingsheng would have had virtually no chance.

For example, you kick out, and the opponent activates a defense spell while simultaneously launching an attack.

Attack as defense.

Then, you can't kick them flying.

True Person Bu Nu's later words also made sense.

If you don't let him challenge today, after He Pingsheng becomes the Stone Keeper, he'll still have to face this guy sooner or later.

Hmm…

If that's the case, then better to settle it once and for all.

"Fine…" He Pingsheng agreed: "I'll give you half an incense stick to rest. After half an incense stick, we begin again!"

Facing this Golden Core Level Eleven cultivator, He Pingsheng naturally dared not be careless—he consumed a few drops of 【Golden Bee Sacred Juice】, filling all his dantians and Golden Core.

At this moment, True Person Bu Nu also leapt onto the platform.

"I'm going serious now!" True Person Bu Nu said: "You'd better be careful!"

He Pingsheng said: "You can't win."

"Don't worry—I won't lose…" True Person Bu Nu was confident: "I know wood overcomes earth, you have the advantage… but cultivation base gaps can't be bridged by elemental suppression!"

"Today I'll show you…"

"The gap between Golden Core Level Eleven and Golden Core Level Six…"

Boom…

True Person Bu Nu's Earth-element spiritual power surged forth, instantly forming a three-zhang-tall mountain in his right hand.

This was no magic treasure or artifact—only pure Earth-element spiritual power.

"Catch this!"

Thud…

True Person Bu Nu, holding the mountain, leapt violently into the hundred-zhang void, preparing to slam it down onto He Pingsheng's head.

But at that moment, True Person Bu Nu saw a scene he would never forget.

On the thirty-zhang-wide, thirty-zhang-long platform below, countless green thorns erupted from the ground, bursting through the earth.

Dense and countless, they covered the entire platform.

These thorns grew rapidly—in less than a breath, they reached four to five zhang in height.

A sea of green had already submerged He Pingsheng.

True Person Bu Nu could no longer see He Pingsheng, but it didn't matter—his spiritual sense could still lock onto him.

"Fall…"

He hurled the mountain straight down toward where He Pingsheng stood.

Boom…

As the mountain descended, millions of thorns shot upward like green dragons, blocking its fall and forcibly halting its momentum.

Then, countless thorns wrapped around it.

Crack… crack… crack…

The mountain turned directly to dust.

Countless thorns surged again into the void, targeting True Person Bu Nu himself.

True Person Bu Nu was now in a desperate position.

He had only two choices.

Either endure the thorns, or jump off the platform elsewhere.

The entire platform was already completely covered in thorns.

"Damn it…"

As True Person Bu Nu hesitated whether to charge down, the countless thorns had already reached his face.

They swiftly bound him tightly.

Puff…

Puff puff puff…

Dozens of poison spikes shot out, piercing his body one by one.

His skin split, poison flooding into his body.

"So… thick… wood… spiritual energy…"

After uttering these words, True Person Bu Nu collapsed into unconsciousness.

Before the stunned gazes of countless onlookers, the emerald thorns began to retract, transforming back into wood spiritual energy that flowed into He Pingsheng's body.

The platform returned to its original state.

The only difference: True Person Bu Nu now lay motionless upon it.

Not moving at all.

As if dead.

The entire scene fell utterly silent.

Because the sight of millions of thorns surging forth had been too shocking.

After a long while, someone swallowed hard, voice dry: "I never thought wood-element spells could be this powerful?"

"Incredible!"

"This guy's a ruthless one!"

"Do you think that guy's dead?"

All eyes turned back to Bu Nu.

He Pingsheng reached out, placing his hand on True Person Bu Nu's body, then sharply drew in wood spiritual power—absorbing the residual poison still lingering in Bu Nu's body.

Bu Nu slowly regained consciousness.

"Thank you!" Though he'd been poisoned into unconsciousness, a sliver of his soul-nature had remained aware—he had seen everything He Pingsheng did.

If He Pingsheng had wanted to kill him, it would have been effortless.

Even if he'd done nothing, the poison alone could have kept True Person Bu Nu permanently unconscious.

So upon waking, True Person Bu Nu was deeply grateful.

"No need to thank me…" He Pingsheng waved dismissively: "Who else among the fellow Daoists wishes to challenge?"

"If no one does, then today's champion of the Tenth Dragon Platform is mine!"

He Pingsheng's gaze swept over everyone beneath the Tenth Dragon Platform.

The crowd here had grown even larger.

A quick glance: well then…

All those who had been gathered beneath other Dragon Platforms had now rushed over to the Tenth.

Beneath the Dragon Platform, silence reigned—no one dared challenge.

He Pingsheng said: "If no one challenges, then excuse me—I'm leaving!"

"I'll come back tomorrow to face the Stone Keeper!"

He Pingsheng left the platform, heading toward his guild's direction.

Behind him, Princess Qinghe hurriedly chased after: "Hey… He Pingsheng… wait up!"

On a certain street, He Pingsheng stopped and turned around.

Princess Qinghe asked: "You're this strong? When you fought me before, were you holding back?"

"Nope!" He Pingsheng shrugged: "This technique is something I just mastered after eight months of seclusion!"

"Without this technique, I couldn't have beaten True Person Bu Nu!"

Qinghe said: "You're telling the truth?"

He Pingsheng nodded: "Of course I am!"