Golden Aspect Slays the Evil Moon

In the very next moment, the fierce flames surrounding Chu Hao began to burn out of control, erupting violently.

His flesh, blood, and bones were blasted apart in just a few breaths. The Daoyuan Mountain cultivator overseeing the match was forced to intervene and forcibly terminate their duel.

"How could this be!?"

Up on the high platform, several elders of Daoyuan Mountain rose to their feet.

The overseeing cultivator on the stage used his own true essence to help Chu Hao suppress the raging fire.

But in the instant he acted, he caught a trace of an unfamiliar aura dispersing from Chu Hao's body.

Because the aura dispersed too quickly, he was unable to detain it.

Yet he could clearly determine that it was undoubtedly true essence!

Realizing this, the overseeing cultivator flew into a rage. "Concealing true essence on a disciple for a duel! What is the meaning of this, Moon-Grasping Sect!?"

As soon as these words were spoken, a massive uproar swept through the crowd.

"Damn it, using dirty tricks!"

"Shameless wretches! If you have the guts, fight me!"

"Do you really think Daoyuan Mountain fears you!?"

The elders on Daoyuan Mountain's side cursed loudly, soaring into the air.

Over by the cloud boat, the three elders of the Moon-Grasping Sect rode the wind into the sky, confronting them.

"Calling for blood before the matter is even clear. Fellow Daoists, are you not being a bit too hasty?"

An elder of the Moon-Grasping Sect at Condensed Origin perfection spoke up.

"Still trying to quibble? I clearly sensed the aura of true essence on Chu Hao just now. Are you telling me that a ninth-layer Qi Gathering disciple can condense true essence!?"

The overseeing cultivator helped up the badly mangled Chu Hao, his eyes blazing with fury.

"Heh, Fellow Daoist is correct. At Tingzhi's age and realm, she naturally cannot condense true essence."

The Moon-Grasping Sect elder replied calmly, "But you all seem to have forgotten. If one is born with a natural spiritual body, there is a chance they will carry a wisp of Innate True Essence within them from birth."

"Tingzhi possesses the Taiyin Body, a talent our sect sees only once in a century. That trace of true essence was not planted by us; she was born with it."

"If you do not believe me, you may call Perfected Void Sword down to investigate. The truth will be made clear."

Upon hearing this, two figures materialized out of thin air between the opposing sides.

"A Taiyin Body, is it? Then I must investigate this thoroughly."

Jia Huairen and Ding Xiu had both entered the grand formation using avatars, arriving on the Dao Discussion Platform.

The former reached out and tapped a finger against Yu Tingzhi's brow, while the latter stared intently from the side.

"Jia Huairen, if you dare tamper with Tingzhi, I will bathe this place in blood today!"

"Tch."

Jia Huairen let out a disdainful laugh, too lazy to bicker with the man.

With his status and realm, he had no need to make things difficult for a Qi Gathering junior.

Only someone like Ding Xiu, with his petty and vengeful nature, would judge a gentleman's actions with a scoundrel's mind.

After three breaths, Jia Huairen withdrew his hand and said softly, "It is indeed a Taiyin Body. That true essence belongs to her. Let the duel continue."

With that, the two avatars dissipated.

With the commander confirming the matter, Daoyuan Mountain had no further arguments and could only swallow the loss.

Falling victim to a calculated scheme while caught off guard, there was truly nothing they could do.

The crowd quickly carried the severely injured Chu Hao back for healing. It seemed this late-stage round would have to be conceded.

"Are there any other Fellow Daoists who wish to take the stage and spar with Tingzhi?"

After regulating her breath and replenishing her strength, Yu Tingzhi looked around and asked.

Her voice was gentle and soft, but it sent an eerie, chilling sensation through everyone present.

In the spectator seats, the young disciples exchanged glances, and the elders of both sects wore conflicted expressions.

Chu Hao was already the strongest late-stage disciple of this generation from Daoyuan Mountain and the Myriad Transformations Sect.

Now that even he had been defeated, sending up any other late-stage disciple would be futile.

At the peak of the ninth layer, having mastered the Spirit-Commanding Method and possessing the wondrous art of true essence, her combat prowess approached the eleventh layer!

Unless Qiu Ran or Xiao Yize took the stage, who among them could be her match?

The elders of both sects sighed and shook their heads, already considering whether to forfeit the round. They never imagined that among the many spectators, there were indeed two people with such ability.

Yang Lingrui and Zi He turned to each other at the exact same time, exchanging a glance.

Then Zi He stood up, and Yang Lingrui suppressed his urge to move.

If anyone present bore the deepest enmity toward Lone Moon Mountain, it was undoubtedly Zi He.

His family destroyed, his ancestor fallen, and his sister's life hanging by a thread.

All these misfortunes of the Li family were caused by the schemes of Lone Moon Mountain and the Moon-Grasping Sect standing behind them!

Now that he had seized this opportunity, he naturally would not let it slip away.

The Yang family's foundation was still shallow, and Lingrui had only recently obtained the Yellow Wind inheritance. It was not yet time to expose it.

Then he would take the stage and vent the foul resentment on behalf of both families!

Whoosh-

The spectating disciples suddenly saw a blur flash before their eyes, and a figure bearing a longbow appeared on the Dao Discussion Platform.

"Since this is a competition between the four northwestern sects and our Zhuhu Wangchao, there is no reason to only have two sects send their people."

Zi He steadied his stance, looked toward Yu Tingzhi, and cupped his hands slightly as he announced loudly, "Zhuhu Wangchao, Demon-Slaying Bureau, Slaying Guard Zi He, ninth layer of Qi Gathering. I accept the challenge!"

"Well said, Fellow Daoist Zi He!"

"Our mighty Zhuhu has more than just two sects!"

"The Slaying Guard is mighty!"

Zi He's declaration instantly boosted the morale of Zhuhu's young cultivators, raising a deafening wave of cheers once more.

The other factions in the high platform seats also made their decisions.

"Fellow Daoists, allow the Feng Family to take the lead in the first battle of the upcoming perfection stage."

"The disciples of the two sects have held the line until now. It is time for us to share some of the burden."

"The disciples of our Martial Academy can also serve as the vanguard."

Hearing these words, the elders of the two sects felt their hearts settle, breathing a sigh of relief.

Xiao Yize rejoiced inwardly upon hearing this.

Just a moment ago, he had been pondering how to dodge the fight when it was his turn. Now that everyone else was stepping up, he figured he was off the hook.

On the Dao Discussion Platform, Yu Tingzhi casually sized up Zi He, then bowed slightly in greeting.

How could someone who hadn't even mastered the Spirit-Commanding Method be her opponent?

With both sides ready, the round was declared to begin.

Building on the momentum of the previous match, Yu Tingzhi had no intention of testing Zi He. She instantly entered her Spirit Manifestation state right from the start.

The moonlit ribbons reappeared. Yu Tingzhi stood gracefully within them, resembling a fairy of the moon.

She raised the moonlit ribbons around her, and specks of moonlight radiance materialized.

"Go!"

At her command, the brilliant moonlight fell upon Zi He like a sudden rainstorm.

At the same time, Yu Tingzhi once again condensed a bright moon to rise into the sky, preparing to end this duel with lightning speed.

"Hmm?"

Yet just as she gathered her technique, she suddenly realized that Zi He's figure remained entirely immovable amidst the tempest of moonlight.

Yu Tingzhi channeled spiritual power into her eyes for a closer look, and her heart trembled violently.

Because upon closer inspection, she discovered a golden-aspect divine figure over a zhang tall standing right behind Zi He!

It was this golden-aspect divine figure that had completely blocked the sky full of moonlight techniques.

"Golden Aspect Dharma Body! This person truly belongs to the lineage of the Demon-Slaying Bureau commanders!"

"This inheritance has been lost for decades. To think someone has finally revived it."

"Worthy of a junior secretly trained by the Demon-Slaying Bureau. Truly remarkable."

Up on the high platform, someone recognized the origin of the technique and couldn't help but marvel.

Yu Tingzhi attempted to unleash her moonlight techniques several more times, but the defensive power of the Golden Aspect Dharma Body was astonishing. Aside from leaving fine cracks on the dharma body, the strikes couldn't harm Zi He in the slightest.

He remained standing there, as immovable as a mountain.

No good. My Spirit Manifestation time is limited; wearing him down like this won't work.

As her thoughts spun, Yu Tingzhi prepared to draw upon her wisp of true essence once more.

"Clear Radiance Chasing the Moon!"

Yu Tingzhi gave a low shout, and the bright moon behind her erupted with an extremely blinding white light.

"So blinding!"

"I can't see anything!"

"How is this possible? Even my spiritual sense can only perceive a void."

Shrouded in this white radiance, all cultivators beneath the tenth layer of Qi Gathering completely lost their perception.

Yu Tingzhi seized the opportunity to conceal that wisp of Innate True Essence within her ribbons, whipping them all toward Zi He.

Stripped of his spiritual sense perception, even if this man could block the ribbons with his Golden Aspect Dharma Body, there was no way he could avoid the disaster of true essence piercing his body!

Hum-

But in the very next instant, Yu Tingzhi saw two flashes of purple light pierce through the pale expanse surrounding Zi He.

They were a pair of purple pupils. Aside from their eerie glow, she also felt an overwhelmingly heavy killing intent radiating from them!

This is... an Eye Technique!?

Her heart skipped a beat. She truly hadn't expected Zi He to have such a hidden trump card.

But an even more shocking sight was yet to come.

The moment the golden aspect caught her ribbons, Zi He reached out with two fingers glowing with golden light and pinched them together at his side, actually catching her Innate True Essence right between his fingertips!

"How is that possible!? This is true essence, how could you do this!?"

Yu Tingzhi cried out in shock. Within her sect, this wisp of Innate True Essence had always been invincible. No one of the same realm had ever been able to break it.

Zi He had no intention of explaining himself. He simply pinched the true essence in silence and drew his bow.

His target was exactly the pure white moon hanging above Yu Tingzhi's head.

Yu Tingzhi froze, and then utter terror washed over her delicate face.

This man actually intended to use her own Innate True Essence as an arrow against her!

"Not good!"

Realizing what was about to happen, she hurriedly tried to disperse her bright moon technique.

But Zi He was noticeably faster. He spat a drop of essence blood from his lips, forcefully driving the Golden Aspect Dharma Body to leap forward.

At the cost of the dharma body losing its head and one arm, he firmly grabbed hold of the bright moon right before Yu Tingzhi could dismiss the technique.

In just these two short breaths of time, the two fingers pinching the true essence had been completely stripped of flesh and blood, leaving only bare bone behind.

Yet he did not find this pain unbearable; on the contrary, it brought him a long-lost surge of profound satisfaction!

"Strike!"

Refusing to give Yu Tingzhi any chance to surrender, Zi He decisively let loose the bowstring.

The arrow of true essence, encased in external phase techniques, tore through the air, piercing straight through his own dharma body and the bright moon alike.

"Ah!!"

The moment the bright moon shattered, Yu Tingzhi let out a miserable scream. She collapsed weakly to her knees, vomiting mouthful after mouthful of blood.

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