Chapter 198 | The Galgame Martial Saint

As the four lines of the Jiahao rang out, Near Heaven of the Babbling Branch was not the only one breaking into a cold sweat.

The group of Fifth Realm cultivators who had previously been provoking the Night Guard Division all pulled their heads back now, looking exactly like a bunch of large tortoises.

Undoubtedly, even before displaying his Jiahao, the Daqian forces represented by Gu Chengming and Zhou Qingmu were the primary focus of these Fifth Realm cultivators.

This was not only because the official status of the Night Guard Division gave them a significant advantage in the battle for Dao Thrones, but also because Zhou Qingmu’s overt combat power was a major point of concern.

Zhou Qingmu had clearly shown she could take on multiple opponents at once. Combined with the official backing of Great Qian, these advantages snowballed, making her chances of winning extremely high.

Therefore, they felt they had to deal with Zhou Qingmu first for the other Fifth Realm cultivators to have a better chance of seizing a Dao Throne.

All of this would have happened naturally even if Near Heaven of the Babbling Branch hadn’t designed it beforehand.

However, what Near Heaven completely failed to expect was—

—a newcomer had arrived in the world of Jiahao.

“I want this Heavenly Dao to be held within my palm!” What the hell was that?!

Although she knew this Falling Snow Pass Murder Demon was somewhat outrageous—having vaguely heard and calculated that Gu Chengming couldn't be compared to ordinary cultivators—she thought treating him as a cultivator on the same level as Zhou Qingmu was already showing enough respect. As it turned out, it still wasn't enough.

Near Heaven maintained a calm expression on her face, but in her heart, she was already cursing up a storm.

She quickly reviewed what had just happened. Although Gu Chengming’s Jiahao lines were absurdly exaggerated, the Jiahao rules had only just emerged. Everyone was still in the exploration stage, and the specific details hadn't been fully uncovered yet.

If it were truly a case of whoever had the more impressive Jiahao winning everything, they might as well have just designated the strongest Jiahao to inherit all of True Monarch Wangyue’s Dao Thrones the moment they were condensed.

To put it bluntly, while there was a rule that “the more Jiahao a Jiahao is, the stronger it becomes,” it ultimately depended on the person wielding it.

There are no weak Jiahao, only weak cultivators!

That was it. Gu Chengming’s Jiahao just had big lines; his control as a Fourth Realm cultivator might not even be able to keep up.

Near Heaven smoothed things over for herself in her mind, and she gradually calmed down.

Even if the opponent’s lines sounded more ruthless, her own were no slouch.

With this thought, Near Heaven’s mindset quickly shifted from bewilderment and fear to self-consolation, and finally to a desperate resolve—

—I’ll go all in against you!

Near Heaven gave a cold sneer, and the white-embroidered silver phantom behind her raised its hand.

Her Jiahao was essentially a manifestation of the Dao Throne “Babbling Branch.” As the name implied, it made babbling come true and lies become law.

Amplified by the Jiahao rules, the specific manifestation of this phantom in battle was simple: whatever she spoke, her Jiahao could activate the rules to forcibly make those words reality in this place.

Therefore, once Near Heaven’s Jiahao was unleashed, everything in the field would be judged by her “words.”

Seeing this confrontation begin, the surrounding Fifth Realm cultivators felt half the tension leave their hearts.

When Near Heaven first appeared, their hearts had grown cold. After all, her preparations and the posture she displayed were far too dominant, making people feel her chances of winning were even greater than Zhou Qingmu’s.

Then, in the next moment, a monster with even better chances appeared.

Fine, the situation was now completely out of their hands.

However, they had figured one thing out: a bipolar confrontation was better than a single dominant power. If these two truly clashed, they might still be able to fish in troubled waters.

The Fifth Realm cultivators exchanged glances and took a tacit step back.

Zhou Qingmu saw all their little movements and gave a mental scoff. It turned out that those who had shouted “what Heaven gives, returns to Heaven” the loudest just now were the ones retreating the fastest.

Taking this opportunity, Zhou Qingmu sent a voice transmission to Gu Chengming.

“Be careful of this person. She is a Near Heaven of the Babbling Branch, and her abilities are quite troublesome.”

Hearing this, Gu Chengming frowned slightly.

A Near Heaven of the Babbling Branch... a Near Heaven of the Longevity Sect? Another one from the Longevity Sect?

Because the transmission was too brief, Gu Chengming directly categorized the opponent as someone from the Longevity Sect. After all, the title “Near Heaven” generally referred to those few top-tier elders of the Longevity Sect.

In the next moment, the Tenfold Sword Array unfolded to meet the opponent. He took a moment to speak: “You’re a Near Heaven of the Longevity Sect?”

Near Heaven’s heart stirred. She could hear the loathing in Gu Chengming’s voice, and she remembered that the title Falling Snow Pass Murder Demon was earned by killing Longevity Sect members.

With a bit of thought, she could guess that this Director Gu had some grievances with the Longevity Sect.

The Babbling Branch had long since split from the Longevity Sect; strictly speaking, she and the Longevity Sect proper were as incompatible as fire and water. After all, traitors were sometimes more detestable than enemies. However, she had no intention of explaining the “parting of ways.”

In the current situation, the “Longevity Sect” was actually a bargaining chip she could use.

If she used this identity to shake this little Director’s Dao Heart, her Babbling Branch Dao Throne could take the opportunity to expand its advantage.

Near Heaven clearly misunderstood, thinking Gu Chengming might have some blood feud with the Longevity Sect. She replied, “So what if I am?” intending to shake his Dao Heart.

As soon as the words left her mouth, she saw Gu Chengming’s gaze become resolute.

Near Heaven: “?”

Zhou Qingmu watched this scene clearly and even offered a silent prayer for Near Heaven.

In the next instant, without a word, Gu Chengming threw a punch.

The Hehuan Sect Sword Domain unfolded simultaneously. With him at the center, the Tenfold Sword Array opened fully, and the Entanglement Sword Intent circulated within the formation, sealing off all of Near Heaven’s paths of retreat.

Then, Gu Chengming’s Jiahao phantom suddenly surged forward from behind him, crashing head-on into Near Heaven’s phantom.

Ora Ora Ora Ora!

The sound of the two phantoms colliding in mid-air was not as deafening as a clash between ordinary cultivators; instead, it was a dull, heavy thud.

Every collision sent a visible shockwave through the surrounding air. The Fifth Realm cultivators on the periphery all took another half-step back, their expressions varying.

Near Heaven activated her Jiahao to fight. During the initial hard clashes, her entire mind was focused on defense; she had no time to judge the situation.

After all, those four lines of the opponent’s Jiahao were far too terrifying. She instinctively treated Gu Chengming as an existence that could crush her at any moment.

But as the Ora Ora exchange continued, doubt began to grow in Near Heaven’s heart.

If the opponent’s Jiahao was truly as his four lines claimed—“I want this Heavenly Dao to be held within my palm!”—

Then she should be feeling a top-down crushing force from the Dao Throne level itself, like the Sixth Realm against the Fifth, like a main branch against a side branch, like the irresistible order of Heaven against Earth.

But she didn't feel it.

Every punch from Gu Chengming’s Jiahao was indeed heavy and fierce, but it felt more like the brute force of the wielder rather than the crushing weight of a Dao Throne’s status.

Near Heaven felt a sudden surge of joy.

The opponent’s Jiahao didn't seem to have that dominant power of a higher Dao Throne over a lower one.

As long as there was no suppression, it meant Gu Chengming’s Jiahao was not of a higher status than hers. And as long as they were on the same level, her advantage would completely take over.

This was because her Jiahao’s ability ensured that as long as the Jiahao didn't die, she herself would not suffer any damage.

In other words, to defeat her, one first had to defeat her Jiahao.

And it was well known that a Jiahao was a manifestation of a Dao Throne. Aside from the dominance of a higher Dao Throne over a lower one within the same main branch, no other concept could harm a Dao Throne itself.

At least, this was true for Fifth Realm cultivators.

She gradually felt more at ease. It seemed she only needed to stall; once this boy exhausted his true essence from the Hunyuan Sect and his sword cultivation, this round would be hers.

The surrounding Fifth Realm cultivators also seemed to realize that Gu Chengming’s Jiahao had no suppression over Near Heaven’s, and they began to grow restless.

On the other side, Gu Chengming saw a different scene in his field of vision.

One of his Jiahao’s abilities was to see the health bars hanging over enemies' heads. But this time, when he looked at Near Heaven, he discovered that the health bar over her head was locked.

However, the white-embroidered silver phantom behind her had a health bar hanging over it.

Gu Chengming was thoughtful. So to kill this Longevity Sect elite mob, I have to kill her Jiahao first?

—Looks like a gimmick boss.

With that thought, Gu Chengming’s ten flying swords all turned their direction simultaneously.

They slashed toward the white-embroidered silver phantom.

Near Heaven didn't react at first. When the Fifth Realm cultivators in the outer circle saw Gu Chengming’s flying swords slashing at Near Heaven’s phantom, they all thought the same thing: “Is this kid crazy?”

But once Near Heaven realized what was happening, a rather absurd feeling rose in her heart, and she couldn't help but let out a cold laugh.

He turned his swords to kill her Jiahao? What was he thinking? Had he gone mad after realizing his defeat was certain?

Just as that thought crossed her mind, she saw a punch from the opponent smash directly into her Jiahao’s chest.

With a dull thud, the Jiahao’s chest caved in.

Near Heaven: “?”

She saw it clearly. That wasn't damage caused by Gu Chengming’s Jiahao; it was Gu Chengming himself stepping up and punching it with his own body.

She had heard rumors that Gu Chengming was strong, but what the hell was this? Was this just “strong”?

Before she could figure out why he could cause damage, Gu Chengming’s ten flying swords sliced in again.

Clang! Clang! Clang!—

The health bar over the white-embroidered silver phantom’s head grew shorter and shorter. In Near Heaven’s vision, her Jiahao was being beaten back step by step.

Near Heaven was completely stunned. She even forgot that she should have immediately activated “Speech Becomes Truth” to apply a patch.

How could a mere Fourth Realm junior use ten ordinary flying swords to wound her Dao Throne projection’s Jiahao?

The Fifth Realm cultivators watching the show were also a bit stunned. Only Zhou Qingmu looked like she had expected this all along.

And then came Gu Chengming’s charged, epic, super-powerful, invincible lightning punch.

With one punch—BOOM!

The health bar over the white-embroidered silver phantom’s head was completely emptied. The phantom crumbled from top to bottom, turning into a wisp of faint silver-white smoke that vanished with a light breeze in the night.

At that instant, the health bar over Near Heaven’s head that had been locked finally lit up. Moreover, because her Jiahao had been destroyed, Near Heaven suffered a backlash, and her health bar was not full when it appeared.

Gu Chengming’s gaze landed on Near Heaven’s head.

The health bar was out. Now it was time to get to work.

Right then, a figure silently appeared in the void beside him.

It was a white-haired girl, small in stature, stepping barefoot on the void, her expression quite proud.

It was Hundred Bones Resonating.

—Infinite War God, Come Out! CG Triggered.

She had quietly slipped out at some point, looking down at Near Heaven from above.

She muttered something that Near Heaven couldn't understand at all.

“Let’s do this together, Emperor Gu.”

Near Heaven: “??!”

The Fifth Realm cultivators on the periphery were also completely blindsided. Frost Cloud Immortal Lady couldn't help but whisper to the Eastern Wandering Swordsman, “This Lord Gu... has a second Jiahao?”

The Eastern Wandering Swordsman replied, “How is that possible?! The rules here state a cultivator can only condense one Jiahao.”

“Then what’s with this phantom?” The group looked at each other, none able to answer.

On the other side, Zhou Qingmu’s expression was also subtle. she thought she had figured out eighty percent of this boy’s trump cards, only to look up and see a white-haired girl she had never heard him mention before.

After all, as Little Gu’s deputy, she actually had to join those rogue cultivators in the outer circle to witness the scene of a “white-haired girl descending from the sky.” It was a bit embarrassing.

But now was clearly not the time to dwell on such things. She suppressed that trace of resentment and refocused on the battle, while keeping a close eye on the Fifth Realm cultivators around her to prevent anyone from trying to fish in troubled waters.

She couldn't easily make a move. She had to stand there to deter the other Fifth Realm cultivators. If things took a turn for the worse, she might have to hold off all these Fifth Realm cultivators alone.

At this moment, Gu Chengming himself was naturally unaware of this “little resentment in his deputy director’s heart.”

The crimson-gold phantom and the white-haired girl raised their hands simultaneously, their respective punch energies merging into one in mid-air.

—Love Infinite.

In the next instant, that merged punch of gold and crimson blasted down.

Near Heaven’s mouth hung open.

The violent true essence, accompanied by a roar that shattered the void, surged into the sky, piercing through the heavy night curtain.

The aftershocks of this power did not dissipate in the field. Instead, they turned into a beam of light that cut across the night sky and spread to the horizon, forcibly dragging the capital from late night into broad daylight ahead of time.

...

In the East Street of the capital, Old Li, who sold hot soup, suddenly snapped his head up from his creaking wooden stool.

He had been dozing behind his stall. The roar from just now had traveled across countless streets, forcibly dragging him out of a dream about whether his son would ever find a wife.