Dao Equaling the Heavens
Chapter 123 - 104: One Person Repels All True Monarchs!

Chapter 123: Chapter 104: One Person Repels All True Monarchs!

"The old man wants to experience the majesty of the Guardian of the Three Pure Ones."

A Sixth Level Cultivator with a Second Level fulfilled cultivation stepped forward, a level of cultivation higher than Gu Wen’s Fourth Level and Third Level fulfilled, the unabashed boldness shocked all the True Monarchs around.

True Monarch’s strong foundation and thousand-year experience already gave him a massive advantage, picking on someone younger and still being a level above, was utterly shameless.

He was not like Hai Kun from the same sect, whose sparring, no matter how fierce, was still merely instructive, beyond criticism. But this old fiend clearly aimed to break Gu Wen’s sharp edge and affect the spirit of the prodigy.

True Monarchs were cloaked in respectability, it didn’t take long for someone to reveal his identity.

"...he is the Blood Ming old fiend from the Demon Sect’s Divine Blood Abyss, I remember he was only at the Sixth Level with one Level fulfilled not too long ago. It seems he has recently ascended a level."

Clang!

A streak of red light descended from the sky, the Taoist Sword plummeting straight and planting itself in front of the old monster.

Chi Yu Zi looked down from on high, saying coldly, "If you have no shame, I can scrape it off your face."

Blood Ming was not afraid but instead mocked, "Heh, I’ve heard that the Guardian of the Three Pure Ones can overpower True Monarchs, ranking tenth in the human list and fifth in the landed list, are you telling me he would be afraid of this old thing like me? In terms of fulfilled cultivation, he’s a level above me."

Shameless! Truly shameless.

Instantly, the surrounding True Monarchs stepped back, distancing themselves from this shameless fiend, unable to share the same rage against him.

"You’re courting death!"

Chi Yu Zi raised his hand, preparing to wield the Taoist Sword to eliminate this shameless old thing. Meanwhile, Blood Ming motioned to use his backup plan to leave, a move clearly intended to crush the spirit of the newcomers.

This practice had always existed in the Cultivation World, overpowering young prodigies through sheer strength. Even if the prodigies knew they would surpass their rivals in the future, being suppressed like this could leave deep scars.

Thus, Gu Wen couldn’t step into this trap; it was a pit of fire.

"You’re right, why couldn’t we?"

Gu Wen caught Chi Yu Zi’s hand which was already poised with the Sword technique, steadied on the tavern’s railing, saying as a matter of course, "I’m a level higher than you, why couldn’t I kill you?"

The words spread and caused some shock, but most weren’t too surprised. Gu Wen’s prior assertiveness was already quite notorious.

"Have you lost your mind? He’s a level higher than you!" Chi Yu Zi lowered her voice, "Even if you used your swordsmanship, it wouldn’t make a difference. Don’t underestimate his filled cultivation just because it’s a level lower; this guy has a Second Transition Golden Core."

"His Primordial Spirit has been tempered outside, so he’s not that weak. He just can’t project his Nascent Soul in the Immortal Land. You have no chance of winning."

Their acquaintance was superficial, but Gu Wen left a good impression on Chi Yu Zi, potentially becoming Fellow Daoists; naturally, she wouldn’t just watch him jump into a pit.

If it were Chi Yu Zi being provoked like this, she would have just let a guardian handle it. She might seem straightforward, but she was actually very shrewd!

Gu Wen retorted, "Didn’t you also fight a higher level to a standstill?"

While the base level wasn’t as hard to overcome as cultivation, when considering levels only, it wasn’t much different.

Chi Yu Zi held her head high, "Do you think you can compare to me?"

This lush was truly arrogant!

Gu Wen leaped out of the tavern, stood on the eaves gathering a jade sword. Chi Yu Zi, realizing she couldn’t persuade him otherwise, lightly flicked the Taoist Sword into Gu Wen’s hand, poking her head out and shouting, "I don’t have a spear to lend you."

Blood Ming also landed on the eaves a few dozen yards in front of Gu Wen. Neither used any Mana to appear impressive in the air.

"Old man Blood Ming, today I seek instruction from the Guardian of the Three Pure Ones."

"It’s ’asking’ for instruction."

In that instant, all expressions on Gu Wen’s face converged, his whole aura transformed in an instant. A flicker of ripples emerged in his dark pupils, a streak of white light appearing, as if a terrifying existence silenced for countless years was awakening.

He stroked his finger along the sword, the initially reluctant Taoist Sword immediately calming down, not daring to show any resistance.

It wasn’t acceptance or submission, but overwhelming terror.

Chi Yu Zi looked puzzled, unable to comprehend why the Taoist Sword suddenly radiated subtle hints of fear.

There were two people in the tavern who sensed that something was amiss, one was Yu Hua, the other was Xiao Yunyi.

The former’s realm was sufficiently high, his power transcending. The latter too walked the same path, yet he had not stepped into it.

The understanding of the True Sword Dao was wholly natural, secretly aligning with the grand Dao of Heaven and Earth, even a Venerable who came might not notice it. The true Immortal Skill was thus, inscrutable by ordinary reasoning, disregarding the user’s cultivation level, the True Sword Dao alone was already transcendent.

"How truly arrogant, today this old man will teach you a lesson."

With a sinister smile, the Blood Fiend Old Monster took the lead in attacking Gu Wen, his body transforming into a blood mist that spread ten miles around, vaguely a bat-like monster emerged within it, subsequently his dharma form swiftly expanded.

Enveloped within the blood mist, the dharma form became a hundred zhang tall Blood Bat, its wings spreading wide to cover half of Luodu.

In the Immortal Land, he already possessed some power of external great abilities, at least his aura was formidable, while Gu Wen’s own Red Dragon dharma form was but ten zhang.

This was the advantage of the Demon Path cultivators as previously heard, they possessed either the skills of Innate God Demons or real bodies formed by the condensing of bloodlines, capable of driving the dharma form to be ten times, even a hundred times larger than other sect cultivators.

Gu Wen looked upward, his gaze meeting Blood Fiend Old Monster’s, whose sinister smile halted abruptly, a tremendous fear surged in his heart.

Cold, lofty, silent as if considering all beings as lowly strays.

One sword strike, a hundred zhang long sword light ascended to the heavens, the hundred zhang blood bat dharma form split like a taut piece of fabric, showing no signs of resistance or blockage.

A head fell from mid-air, the Blood Fiend Old Monster’s gaze intensely fixed on Gu Wen, now his eyes could hold no other emotions, that sword light seemed able to sever everything.

Dharma form, body, divine soul, even consciousness all split into two at this instant.

Gu Wen sheathed his sword and indifferently said, "You’re not worthy of the term ’teaching’, this one level gap also does not qualify you to stand before me."

Previously, a one level foundation was the capital to stand before him, now a one level foundation no longer deserved to stand before him. This was the achievement of Gu Wen’s recent pursuits, to study was to surpass his former self.

Otherwise, what was he studying for?

The surroundings fell silent, followed by the sound of someone’s wine cup shattering as it hit the ground.

Gu Wen looked down upon the True Monarchs below, sword tip pointed downward, and asked, "Is there anyone two levels higher than me willing to come forward for a battle?"

The many True Monarchs remained silent, those with higher strength did not have the face to step forward, those only one level higher than Gu Wen dared not come forward.

Even those two levels higher lacked confidence at the moment, for if the battle ended in a draw, their spiritual hearts would be unstable.

"Is there no one else?" Gu Wen asked again, "With dozens of True Monarchs present, can none two levels higher be found?"

The crowd stirred, such questioning under the dignity of the strong moved some True Monarchs to act, they needed to handle this wild character today lest they lose all face.

Simultaneously, three people stepped half a step forward, followed by an even more provocative sword intent pressing down from above.

Looking up, they saw an average looking man with black hair and plain clothes, holding a sword, his gaze gradually brightening, his slightly elevated voice penetrating into the divine souls.

"Those three levels higher, come forth!"

He was not only transcending two levels of foundation but also three?!

Transcending one level was madness, two levels was insanity, then three levels was invincibility.

The aura of invincibility crushed everything!

Though the aura did not bring an actual increase in strength or inflict any actual damage, it still shook the soul more than the force of ten thousand jun.

Just as Zhang Yide at Changban Slope alone scared off Cao Cao’s million-strong army, the True Monarchs who had just stepped half a step recoiled back, they actually stepped back, they stepped back!

Even they themselves could not believe it as they looked down at their legs in disbelief, a tremendous sense of shame surged within them, and looking up at Gu Wen again, they saw his figure as if encompassing the strongest of their respective eras.

They could stand here, already not the finest of past generations to reach the pinnacle, yet Gu Wen standing before them sought to surpass all past geniuses.

He wasn’t the strongest present, nor did he have the highest Dao foundation, but none possessed Gu Wen’s air.

For a moment no one dared come forward, all lowered their heads in shame, some True Monarchs already turned to leave, their morale collapsing like a mountain, no one dared to step forward again.

Among the True Monarchs were those higher than Gu Wen by four levels, but stepping forward would only result in greater loss of face, not leaving would turn into a joke.