The tall, slender woman nodded. “The Bloodfire Gate was specially built by our master for outsiders. Many who come to visit our Lakeheart Island are unworthy of meeting our master. Those who seek treasures are all sent to challenge the Bloodfire Gate. The gate is fraught with dangers, but the more perils one overcomes, the greater the rewards.”
Dongbo Xueying understood.
He could imagine that in ancient times, the master of Lakeheart Island held an extremely high status, and countless visitors must have sought an audience. The master, unwilling to entertain them all, simply established the Bloodfire Gate as a trial.
“However, not everyone is qualified to even open the Bloodfire Gate,” the tall woman continued. “Before the gate can be activated, one must first pass a screening test to weed out the ordinary cultivators.”
“A screening test?” Dongbo Xueying frowned.
“Indeed. You now face an opponent. Only by defeating him will you pass the screening and gain the right to enter the Bloodfire Gate,” the woman said, pointing at the small, crimson-armored warrior standing on the blood-red disc. “Either force him to surrender or knock him out of the Bloodfire Gate’s range—both count as victory.”
“Begin,” the woman said indifferently.
“Chao Wu, don’t get careless and lose,” a burly warrior with golden eyes called out.
“Little Chao Wu, make us proud. Kill this outsider,” the seductive woman skilled in witchcraft giggled behind her hand.
“Brother Chao Wu, finish him off!”
“We believe in you!”
The crimson-armored warriors shouted one after another. After slumbering for countless years, witnessing a screening battle at the Bloodfire Gate brought them a rare sense of amusement. These old-timers had grown too lonely, and naturally, they sided with their comrade, eagerly anticipating Dongbo Xueying’s demise.
“Boom!” The million-mile-wide blood-red disc suddenly emitted a faint crimson glow, enveloping the surrounding area.
Dongbo Xueying and the small armored warrior stood within the illuminated zone.
“Force him to surrender or knock him out of this crimson range, and I win, correct?” Dongbo Xueying asked.
“This kid’s quite confident.”
“Chao Wu, kill him!”
At that moment, a group of black-armored monsters emerged from the distant tunnel in the mountain. Some were humanoid, others beast-like, and some resembled birds. They watched the battle with keen interest, even chatting familiarly with the crimson-armored warriors.
“My name is Chao Wu,” the small armored warrior on the disc said, his voice grating as he stared at Dongbo Xueying. “I saw your last fight. You possess a supreme technique, but unfortunately, I counter you perfectly. Prepare to die!”
With that, the warrior suddenly revealed six arms, each wielding a curved blade.
Swish!
A twisted silver trajectory flashed through the air as the warrior lunged at Dongbo Xueying, who was still leisurely sensing the million-mile range. The moment the crimson glow had risen, Dongbo Xueying realized the suppression imposed by the Lakeheart Island ruins had vanished entirely. His Divine Realm could now be unleashed, and his World Power was fully accessible.
Clearly, for a fair screening test, the ruins would not hinder him in the slightest.
“So fast.” Dongbo Xueying took a step and vanished, reappearing hundreds of thousands of miles away as the warrior’s blades sliced through empty air.
“Seal!” The small warrior frowned and barked.
Dongbo Xueying immediately felt the surrounding space lock down. Smiling, he willed his World Power to coalesce. Nine star-blue-robed clones of himself materialized, each wielding a black spear, launching a coordinated assault with ever-changing techniques.
Simultaneously, dazzling Taihao energy erupted, crisscrossing the battlefield, instantly entangling the small warrior.
“Die!” The warrior’s eyes flashed coldly.
Boom!
His figure blurred as space-time around him distorted.
The blurred form closed in on one of Dongbo Xueying’s clones. Six arms swung their blades, tracing silver arcs. Though the clone resisted desperately, it was soon cleaved apart. The other eight clones attacked relentlessly, but the warrior’s defenses were flawless—their spears couldn’t harm him, only slightly hindering his movements.
“Incredible speed and ruthless blade work. No wonder he said he counters me,” Dongbo Xueying mused from afar. “With six arms and such techniques, he’ll be troublesome to handle.”
As one clone shattered, another took its place.
Nine clones fearlessly besieged the warrior.
Chao Wu gritted his teeth in frustration. During the previous ambush on Dongbo Xueying’s team, the ruins’ suppression had prevented the use of Divine Realms or World Clones. Now, faced with nine clones, he was at a loss.
“I underestimated him.”
“It’s been too long since I fought, and I didn’t observe him closely last time,” Chao Wu thought. “But I must win this battle!”
Boom!
Chao Wu erupted with power.
His figure blurred again, space-time warping around him as he accelerated to terrifying speeds. He weaved through the clones, dodging when possible, parrying when necessary, and even tanking minor blows outright.
Dongbo Xueying’s attacks couldn’t harm him.
His sole target—Dongbo Xueying’s true body!
“Trying to kill me? The world is me, and I am the world. Within this domain, I am everywhere.” Dongbo Xueying smiled and vanished, reappearing six hundred thousand miles away. No matter how fast Chao Wu pursued, he couldn’t catch someone who teleported at will.
The seductive woman among the spectators laughed. “Little one, don’t just hide. You must force Chao Wu to surrender or knock him out of the Bloodfire Gate’s range to win. Hiding forever won’t count.”
“Right, evasion isn’t victory.”
“If you can’t win, you’ll die in the end.”
The onlookers remained relaxed.
Dongbo Xueying ignored them, calmly observing his opponent’s blade techniques while his clones pressed the attack. His true body hadn’t even struck yet—he was biding his time, analyzing.
“Know yourself and your enemy, and victory is assured.”
Chao Wu raged, repeatedly charging only to be thwarted by the clones.
“Hmm, just like this.” After observing for what felt like an eternity (with his true body in the Red Rock Mountain’s accelerated time flow), Dongbo Xueying finally devised a plan.
“Whoosh!” His Crimson Cloud Spear suddenly flicked, tracing an eerie arc as it thrust forward.
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