Martial Conquest of the Nine Desolates
Chapter 317 - 315: If You Can Hurt Me, I Lose

Chapter 317: Chapter 315: If You Can Hurt Me, I Lose

"Really unlucky to bump into a ghost when I stepped out." Kuang Dao’s expression turned sour at the sight of Guo Tao.

At the Genius Camp, Xiang Nan’s Team and the Dragon Hunting Team have always been at odds, and their last mission only intensified their animosity, resulting in clashes and pungent gunpowder smells whenever they met.

Xiao Ye glanced at Guo Tao and then looked away, uninterested in dealing with him.

With his current strength, he had no need to fear the other; if Guo Tao really targeted him during the assessment, he wouldn’t hesitate to teach him a lesson.

Xiao Ye no longer considered Guo Tao or Ding Yi as his rivals; his real adversaries were the two monstrous geniuses of the Genius Camp, or even the strongest Nangong Xingyu.

Recently, the Dragon Hunting Team ran into members of Xiang Nan’s Team and Mo Ye Team during their gatherings, but it was the first time they encountered the entire Xiang Nan’s Team showing up together.

No need to go further, from Xiang Nan’s expression, it was clear they were up to no good. The other six members of the Dragon Hunting Team had grim expressions as they drank at the entrance.

Seeing that Xiao Ye ignored him completely, a flicker of anger crossed Xiang Nan’s eyes. He waved his hand, and immediately, fifteen youths stepped forward, encircling the positions of the Dragon Hunting Team members.

"Guo Tao, what the hell do you mean?" Kuang Dao slightly raised his head and asked coldly.

"No hard feelings," Guo Tao stepped forward and said in an indisputable tone, "I just think this spot is great, so give it up."

Give up their places?

Upon hearing this, the members of the Dragon Hunting Team were infuriated and all stood up, glaring at Guo Tao, confronting the members of Xiang Nan’s Team.

Everyone who entered the Genius Camp was a peerless genius among their peers, each with their own pride. This casual remark demanding they give up their places was outright disrespectful.

"You Dragon Hunting Team, except for Qing Wu, the rest of you are just a disorganized crowd. Do you really think you can contend with my Xiang Nan’s Team?"

"If you know what’s good for you, give up your places, or I’ll make sure you’re carried out lying down," Guo Tao said rudely.

"You!"

Guo Tao’s words ignited the fury in the Dragon Hunting Team members, and Kuang Dao even drew his long saber, his formidable power surging forth.

"Even without our captain here, the Dragon Hunting Team is not something you can insult at will!" Kuang Dao’s eyes shot out two sharp glints, like two Supreme Divine Blades.

Kuang Dao’s cultivation had already broken through to the Ninth-Transformation Profound Martial Middle Stage, nearing the Late Stage. If not for Xiao Ye, he would be the second strongest in the Dragon Hunting Team.

Kuang Dao’s words immediately resonated with the rest of the Dragon Hunting Team. They all drew their weapons and stood behind Kuang Dao with unfriendly expressions, staring down Guo Tao.

"Heh heh... still don’t believe you are just a motley crew? How about I give you a chance? Both our teams send out three members to compete, and the losers leave the tavern. I won’t participate. How about it?" Guo Tao casually spoke.

A challenge among each other?

The members of the Dragon Hunting Team quieted down and exchanged looks.

As distasteful as Guo Tao’s words were, they had to admit there was indeed a big gap between other Dragon Hunting Team members and Qing Wu.

If they competed with the Xiang Nan’s Team, the likelihood of losing was high.

But could they even refuse under such circumstances?

If they refused, the Xiang Nan’s Team might forcibly evacuate them, which wouldn’t be too difficult given their superior numbers and having the Peak of Nine-Transformation Profound Martial Realm Guo Tao.

If they agreed, at least there was a slim chance to prove themselves. Everyone wanted to maintain their dignity and not be looked down upon.

Even Xiao Ye frowned slightly and felt a strong distaste toward Guo Tao.

They were enjoying their drinks in a harmonious atmosphere, and Guo Tao had to come and spoil the mood.

"We agree!"

After exchanging looks, Kuang Dao spoke for the Dragon Hunting Team.

"Very well, the first match..." Guo Tao smirked, his gaze turning towards Xiang Nan’s Team and finally settling on a robust youth.

"Shi Zhongbai, you go first. Dragon Hunting Team, send anyone you want," Guo Tao spoke.

The robust youth named ’Shi Zhongbai’ stepped forward, his bronze skin radiating strength, his eyes fierce as a wild leopard.

Shi Zhongbai!

Seeing the first opponent, the hearts of the Dragon Hunting Team members sank.

Shi Zhongbai possessed the Late Stage of Ninth Transformation Profound Martial Realm cultivation, the second strongest in the Xiang Nan’s Team after team leader Guo Tao. It was unexpected that the first to compete would be Shi Zhongbai.

"I’ll go first." Kuang Dao gritted his teeth, held his long saber, and stepped forward. Early on, people from Xiang Nan’s team had moved the tavern’s tables and chairs aside, clearing a large area.

The tavern was specially constructed by King Xingyun using special materials and protected by an array, designed to prevent fights from happening, so it was extremely sturdy and there was no worry about it being damaged.

Xiao Ye shook his head helplessly.

There was no way around it; the overall strength of the Dragon Hunting Team was far inferior to Xiang Nan’s Team. In the first matchup, Kuang Dao might not necessarily win, and the following two matches were even less certain.

"Kuang Dao, come on, you must not lose!" Members of the Dragon Hunting Team looked on with worried faces.

Swoosh!

In the center of the tavern, two young men stared at each other with radiant eyes, and powerful energy fluctuations emanated from them like an ocean, causing the entire tavern to tremble.

Whoosh!

The walls of the tavern sensed the two powerful forces and automatically raised a light screen, enveloping the entire building.

The tavern had thus become a natural arena.

Even before the two young powerhouses truly engaged, their momentum had climbed to its peak. The ordinary tables and chairs in the tavern were shattered by the vibrations, and the strong oppressive atmosphere made everyone involuntarily retreat to the walls.

"Thunder Slash!"

Kuang Dao roared, knowing he was outmatched in cultivation, so he made the first move. Endless Thunder Light flickered in the void, filling the entire tavern. The sound of thunder resonated, finally coalescing into Kuang Dao’s Sword Light.

This Sword Light was overwhelmingly domineering and sharp, like a supreme blade tearing through the void, turning into a Thunder Dragon with an imposing presence that made even the spectators afar feel a slight numbness in their bodies, slowing their movements.

"Has Kuang Dao’s Thunder Slash reached perfection?" Xiao Ye revealed a slight smile upon seeing this.

He knew that this Saber Technique, Thunder Slash, was a top-tier Seventh Grade Battle Technique, immensely powerful. Kuang Dao had spent one and a half million Contribution Points to acquire it and had always focused on this as his main combat technique.

Now that Kuang Dao had cultivated it to perfection, his chances of winning had increased significantly.

Faced with such an astounding saber technique, Shi Zhongbai’s expression turned slightly solemn. He clenched his hand, and a strange long spear appeared, emitting terrifying fluctuations.

"Heaven Piercing Spear!"

Shi Zhongbai coldly uttered these four words, then his spear moved like Jiao Long, not showing any might initially but striking quickly towards Kuang Dao’s Sword Light.

At this moment, time seemed to freeze for a few seconds with Shi Zhongbai’s spear.

Boom!

Then, a horrifying force erupted from the spearhead, shattering Kuang Dao’s Sword Light completely. Numerous deafening explosions resounded through the tavern, and terrifying energies surged in all directions.

Whoosh whoosh whoosh!

To prevent the combat fluctuations from spreading, the tavern’s Array automatically operated to its extreme, with the light screen covering the sky.

The spectators, already prepared, activated their powers to form defenses against the impacts.

Thud thud thud!

Kuang Dao and Shi Zhongbai were both shaken back, crashing heavily into the tavern walls, looking extremely disheveled.

"What strong spear technique!" Xiao Ye’s eyes sharpened.

Shi Zhongbai’s spear technique seemed ordinary, but he had condensed all his power, returning to simplicity and not revealing the slightest until the moment of attack, possessing astonishing penetration power.

Fortunately, Kuang Dao had cultivated Thunder Slash to the Perfection Level, which allowed him to withstand Shi Zhongbai’s spear; otherwise, he would have definitely lost.

"Since you’ve cultivated a Seventh Grade Battle Technique to perfection, I cannot defeat you, so there’s no need to continue. We’ll consider this a draw," said Shi Zhongbai as he withdrew his spear, speaking to Kuang Dao.

When high-level experts sparred, a single move could test the depth of their opponent. The rules of the Genius Camp prohibit members from killing each other, so naturally, there was no need to continue fighting.

Kuang Dao smiled bitterly in his heart. His cultivation was lower than his opponent’s, but he managed to fight to a draw solely because he had perfected the Thunder Slash, so there was no joy in his heart, only heaviness.

"I might have underestimated you a bit. How about joining our Xiang Nan’s Team? In the Dragon Hunting Team, it’s completely a waste of your talent," said Guo Tao, staring at Kuang Dao.

"Guo Tao, don’t go too far. Kuang Dao is our man!" shouted the members of the Dragon Hunting Team.

Kuang Dao looked coldly at Guo Tao.

"Hmph, a bunch of Netherworld King incompetents. Your strongest, Kuang Dao, could only manage a draw with us. I think there’s no need for the next two matches. Just roll out," Guo Tao coldly said, pointing towards the inn’s exit.

"Ha ha, exactly. Don’t forget our Xiang Nan’s Team has three Ninth-transition Profound Martial Middle Stage powerhouses. What do you have to fight us?" teased the members of Xiang Nan’s Team.

"Even if we can’t win, we have to fight. Our Dragon Hunting Team doesn’t know how to admit defeat without a fight!" Ma Kui, who had just reached the Nine-Transformation Xuanwu Early Stage and had his arm wrapped in chains, stepped forward, speaking angrily.

Just then, another figure stepped forward before him, followed by a voice filled with pride.

"Three Ninth-transition Profound Martial Middle Stage powerhouses? Is that very impressive? How about letting those three come at me together? If they can hurt me, Xiao Ye, even slightly, I’ll consider it a loss."