Xu Mu held the Dao Sword, blocking Nangong Huaitian behind him, his expression calm.
Agu Dama grinned. Xu Mu stepping forward was precisely the outcome he wished to see.
Wulan would surely win.
And Xu Mu might die.
Nangong Huaitian shook her head, her expression earnest. "Let me handle it. You've helped me too many times; it's my turn to help you now."
"We're family, no need for formalities." Xu Mu turned and smiled, then gently pushed Nangong Huaitian's right shoulder. She froze and fell into the cloud cage conjured by Nangong Maoguan.
"Elder!"
Nangong Huaitian's eyes widened. She had never imagined Nangong Maoguan and Xu Mu would actually collude to trap her.
Nangong Maoguan's face was serene. "This is for your own good."
"Young friend Mu Xu, thank you."
Hearing this, Xu Mu waved his hand, revealing his white teeth in a smile.
"You're welcome."
"Besides, you don't need to be too nervous. Even though most people think I'll lose, I still believe I will win."
Nangong Maoguan sighed. "That would be for the best."
"Go. Remember to be careful. We'll be waiting here for your return."
Xu Mu nodded, smiling.
"I will."
"Boom!"
A surge of energy erupted towards the sky. Xu Mu's body exploded with fierce power, and with a thundering sound, he shot into the high heavens to face the girl of noble bloodline from the Royal Court.
Their eyes met.
The air fell silent for a moment. Xu Mu pulled a carriage-sized rocket launcher from his spatial ring and slung it over his shoulder, aiming the muzzle at Wulan.
This rocket launcher was an elemental missile manufactured by Charles, a combination of supernatural abilities and technology. Its power was many times greater than ordinary explosives, and the specially developed missile had already been loaded by Xu Mu.
At this very moment, all it took was pressing a button to launch.
This was the fastest and most efficient way Xu Mu could think of to end the fight, aside from using his sword. Though it might cause quite a commotion, he no longer cared given the circumstances.
Xu Mu looked at Wulan and asked,
"Ready?"
Wulan nodded.
"Oh," Xu Mu replied. The instant Wulan nodded, his right index finger had already pressed the trigger all the way down.
"Boom!"
With a deafening roar, a missile as brilliant as a shooting star shot out from the rocket launcher. A stream of hot air erupted within a twenty-meter radius around the missile. The terrifying propulsion instantly pushed Xu Mu's body back a hundred meters. The missile, carrying immense thermal energy and elemental power, flew directly towards Wulan's face.
This all happened in an instant. Many people didn't even realize the battle had begun.
But Agu Dama knew. He had seen every move Xu Mu made and could sense the immense energy contained within the missile, enough to tear apart any unsuspecting cultivator.
Yet, he felt no worry.
Because he saw Wulan's eyes turn red. Immediately after, the entire world was engulfed in a vibrant and noble crimson.
If these reds were to be compared to a sea of blood, it would surely be the blood of a god. The high-tech elemental missile was immersed in it and instantly disintegrated into nothingness.
Xu Mu was stunned by this turn of events, clearly not expecting Wulan to react. He had already prepared his plan for escape after killing her.
Xu Mu shook his head slightly. Blood energy exploded from his body, and with the will of death, it spread out into space, attempting to push back the noble crimson energy.
But the crimson remained unmoving.
Xu Mu glanced at Wulan in surprise. She stood there quietly, her eyes blood-red, her dress also turned a deep red. Red, scarf-like silk streamers swirled around the space, as if the heavens and earth were comprised of only one color.
Red.
Wulan's special ability was named Red.
"Interesting."
After a moment of thought, Xu Mu clenched his fist. The Sacred Glazed Blood within his body surged madly, even beginning to burn. His aura grew exponentially, yet even so, he could not drive the noble crimson away from his side.
He could even feel the energy he released from his body dissolving into thin air, and the boiling blood within him returning to a calm state.
As the crimson in the sky and earth intensified, the bulging muscles on Xu Mu's limbs deflated, as if he had exerted no strength. His surging Dao Origin also settled down, flowing back to his Golden Core along with his abilities.
Following this, Xu Mu's fighting spirit was also dissolved. He entered a state of extreme relaxation, almost emptiness.
"An ability that targets the soul? Why can't I resist it?"
Xu Mu subconsciously bit his tongue. His Sea of Consciousness
churned, and he forcefully regained some consciousness. He then tried to control his body to attack but found he couldn't muster any strength. His meridians and acupoints were clearly not blocked, but the energy in his Golden Core refused to emerge.
It wasn't out of fear; it seemed to simply refuse.
It did not want to be an enemy of Red.
Even if it meant Xu Mu's death.
Xu Mu fell silent.
This was the first time he had encountered an ability that could truly suppress him.
From head to toe, except for his Sacred Glazed Heart which still beat tenaciously, all other organs, cells, and even his Dao Origin and abilities were as calm as still water, beyond his control.
Xu Mu was awestruck. He was certain that the ability of this seemingly harmless royal maiden must be far superior to Ai Yan's "Long March," and to such an extent that it could almost suppress his heart, which rivaled a holy relic.
So, how should he respond?
Xu Mu racked his brain, but still couldn't find a way to break free. The surrounding crimson grew denser, encroaching upon his mind.
Soon, Xu Mu lost his mental focus again. His soul drifted away, and he watched helplessly as his body collapsed into a sea of blood, as if death had arrived.
Visions of his past life flashed before his eyes: a sacred light he always dreamed of, an oddly dressed old man holding a scepter, and Wu Kui turning his head, revealing the face of a monstrous creature... Everything felt so real.
Another three seconds passed.
Xu Mu's heart beat slowly, but as if by instinct, it gave a powerful throb, pulling Xu Mu's consciousness back to reality for a fleeting moment.
In this instant, he controlled his spatial ring, took out something, and then sank back into oblivion, his vision completely submerged in crimson.
He lay in a pool of blood.
"It's over."
Above the clouds, Agu Dama clapped his hands and laughed. Xu Mu, with dull eyes, had fallen from mid-air onto the cloud layer.
He lay there in silence.
Like a corpse.
...