These voices, filled with anger and disbelief, rang out one after another in an endless stream.

They seemed quite shocked.

Faced with the shock of these people, Gu Changqing remained calm and composed, showing no sign of panic. Such scenes were commonplace for him; they were nothing out of the ordinary.

Just then, Gu Changqing spoke up, holding his subordinate's hand with one hand and saying with a playful smile, "What, you challenged me to a fight but don't even dare to show your face? Don't think that just because you don't come out, I don't know where you're hiding. If you know what's good for you, come out quickly. Don't force me to take action to get you out. What are you afraid of? Don't you have a lot of people around you? With so many people, are you afraid of me alone?"

The red-robed cultivator who had challenged Gu Changqing to a duel, hiding in the void, was no longer so smug. He felt a vague unease, but since he had invited so many people to watch him fight, if he didn't come out now, not only would Gu Changqing look down on him, but the people around him would also look down on him. He was in a really awkward situation, unable to go or not to go. He was caught in a dilemma, unable to back down.

At this moment, the people next to the red-robed monk, not wanting to miss out on trouble, began to encourage him to go out and make a big splash.

"What are you waiting for? They specifically asked you to come out. If you don't come out, won't they look down on you and think you're a coward!"

"Yeah, what are you afraid of? Didn't you call them here to fight? What are you hesitating for? Hurry up and go! Don't let them look down on you. If you don't go, they'll definitely think you're afraid of them."

"Yes, since you're here, make the best of it. Aren't you full of confidence? You have to believe in yourself. Besides, we're here to cheer you on. If you're really outmatched, we'll definitely step in to help you at the crucial moment. We won't just stand by and do nothing."

…………

Upon hearing these words, the red-robed monk knew he couldn't let them think he was afraid, so he steeled himself and said, "Who said I'm afraid? Since I dared to invite him out, I certainly dare to keep my promise!"

He wasn't just a little scared; he was more surprised and shocked. He never expected Gu Changqing to be so powerful now, easily disarming the traps he had carefully prepared. So he felt a little uneasy and uncertain. He was very curious about why Gu Changqing had changed so much, so drastically, which was unbelievable.

After saying that, his eyes were firm, and without another word, he flew out like lightning, intending to confront Gu Changqing head-on.

When Gu Changqing saw the red-robed cultivator emerge, he glanced at him coldly and said, "Oh dear, I thought you wouldn't dare to come out. I didn't expect you to have some guts. I'm quite impressed with you now. It's been a long time since we last met, old acquaintance. Since you've come to fight me, why hide and refuse to show yourself, and even resort to underhanded tactics? This is truly despicable. However, your traps are child's play to me, no problem at all. Are you looking down on me?"

Gu Changqing had an arrogant and disdainful demeanor, and his powerful aura exerted an invisible pressure on people.

This imposing aura sent a chill down the red-robed cultivator's spine, causing him to break out in a cold sweat. However, he remained strong and composed, his words hardening as he said, "Since I invited you here, how could I be afraid to show myself? No one would believe me if I said that. Oh, by the way, it's been a long time since we last met, old acquaintance. That chess game was a small token of my appreciation for you; please accept it. I also wanted to see how your cultivation had progressed in all this time. I didn't expect such significant improvement; truly, a scholar who has been away for three days is now looking at himself with new eyes!"

"Whether Gu has made great progress or not is none of your concern. On the contrary, you seem to have made little progress. Have you been slacking off? When we start fighting, you'll probably be taken down by Gu in less than a round. Wouldn't that be too ridiculous?" Gu Changqing rolled his eyes at him and said with a sneer.

Gu Changqing's words were full of provocation and contempt, which enraged the red-robed cultivator. He said angrily, "Don't be so arrogant. Since I dared to challenge you to a fight, I was fully prepared. I am very confident in my strength and cultivation. I will show you my power now, and you will be kneeling and begging for mercy later."

The red-robed cultivator boasted that he would definitely defeat Gu Changqing. He might have been a little afraid of Gu Changqing just now, but now the raging fire in his heart had been ignited, and his fighting spirit had been fully aroused. He was full of confidence again. The traps he had just prepared were just appetizers and their destructive power was not very great. Gu Changqing was lucky to escape these traps. The real show was yet to come.

"Hehehe, you have quite the big mouth. However, I think these words should be returned to you verbatim, because they are more suitable for you. Also, I hope you won't regret it later, and you won't beg for mercy from me." Gu Changqing laughed instead of getting angry, and said dismissively.

"What a joke! Me, begging for mercy from you? Impossible! First of all, I'm confident I can defeat you. Secondly, even if I unfortunately lose, I'd rather swallow excrement and commit suicide than bow down to you and beg for mercy," the red-robed cultivator said arrogantly and confidently.

"Good, very good. You have a lot of backbone. I hope you'll carry that backbone through to the end." Gu Changqing smiled slightly and said with utter contempt.

"Enough with the nonsense. All this talk is useless. Let's see who has the real skills," the red-robed cultivator said resolutely.

After he finished speaking, his aura suddenly changed, and a red sword appeared in his hand. The sword was entirely red, shimmering with a red light. It was made of some unknown material, like a fine ruby, shining with a red glow, giving people a mysterious and unpredictable feeling. Even a wisp of its aura was enough to make people feel that it was extremely sharp. A terrifying pressure emanated from the sword, and the frightening aura made it hard to breathe. It was extremely terrifying.

He raised his sword and, with all his might, struck Gu Changqing with all his might. Instantly, countless air currents exploded around him, and a terrifying shockwave, like a category 10 typhoon, gathered between his fingers. The dreadful wind and waves were chilling.

Gu Changqing smiled coldly, completely unfazed, remaining calm and composed, standing there motionless like a statue.

"Boom!!"

A tremendous explosion resounded through the sky, terrifying and horrifying, the force striking Gu Changqing squarely.

Something completely unexpected happened!