Chapter 959: Chapter 959

"If Gui Zhen wins, you shall willingly go to Serpent Island and guard the Immortal Sect's passage for ten years. During these ten years, you are forbidden from returning to the mainland... But if the disciples of the Spirit Sect win... Gui Xing and I will go to Serpent Island under the same terms, guarding the Immortal Sect's passage for ten years without returning to the mainland."

As Ban Qu spoke, a faint smile played on his lips as he glanced at Gui Zhen who was standing nearby. "So? Do you have the guts to wager?"

"Fine, I have no objections," Gui Zhen responded without hesitation, nodding immediately in agreement.

On the side, Ban Qu's face momentarily showed a glint of smugness.

The Ghost Sect was on the rise. In ten years, its status would undoubtedly be different from what it was now.

If Gui Zhen were absent from the Ghost Sect for a decade, his position within the sect would plummet drastically. As a result, Gui Xing would lose a major competitor, solidifying his own standing within their ranks.

By the time Gui Zhen returned after ten years, the Ghost Sect's leadership would likely no longer have space for him...

Ban Qu once again turned his gaze to the arena where Gui Xing and Ding Fan were locked in intense combat.

"Gui Xing, I've done everything a master can for you. The rest is up to you..." Ban Qu murmured to himself in thought…

Inside the arena, Gui Xing and Ding Fan had been battling fiercely for over ten minutes, yet neither fighter had gained the upper hand.

As the battle dragged on, Gui Xing's brows furrowed tighter and tighter.

Ding Fan resembled a slippery eel. Though Gui Xing wielded immense strength, he could not pin down Ding Fan. Each time the opportunity for a killing blow arose, Ding Fan would evade his grasp.

Moreover, Ding Fan would occasionally make sudden counterattacks with his sword.

Every strike from Ding Fan would land precisely at Gui Xing's exposed points. As a result, Gui Xing did not dare unleash his full power in an all-out attack; he had to hold back to maintain a solid defense. ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ 𝕟𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕝※𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖※𝕟𝕖𝕥

Gui Xing was no reckless brute. As he fought, he constantly reminded himself to stay calm and collected. If he let agitation creep into his heart, Ding Fan would undoubtedly exploit it to his advantage.

While Gui Xing struggled to make progress in his offensive, Ding Fan was equally exhausted in his attempts to dodge.

Under the relentless storm of attacks, without his Divine Sense to predict Gui Xing's moves in advance, Ding Fan would not have lasted this long.

Thanks to his heaven-defying Divine Sense and formidable movement technique, Ding Fan barely managed to hold his ground, maintaining a stalemate against Gui Xing.

But staying in a constant defensive stance was unsustainable. A strike from Gui Xing landed on Ding Fan's back.

If not for his True Qi-protected body, Ding Fan would have been killed instantly from that blow alone.

Though Ding Fan avoided death, he still sustained a serious internal injury.

As Ding Fan fought, he quickly began strategizing. If the fight continued , it would inevitably lead to his death.

At this moment, Ding Fan once again thought of his flying sword!

"To snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, I must use the element of surprise. And right now, my only trump card is that flying sword," Ding Fan grimly mused.

The current situation left no room for error. Once he unleashed the flying sword, his meticulously kept secret would be laid bare for all to see.

Yet Ding Fan no longer cared.

The situation was dire—dragging this out could only result in his immediate death. The flying sword's secret was insignificant in comparison to survival.

With these thoughts in mind, Ding Fan dodged while carefully searching for an opening.

Opportunities for surprise only came once. If he failed to deliver a decisive kill, there would be no next time.

Thus, Ding Fan forced himself to proceed with extra caution...

Ghost Sect Formation.

"Protector Ban Qu, the Spirit Sect disciples are retreating in an orderly manner toward their sect. Shall we pursue and wipe them out?" A Ghost Sect disciple approached Ban Qu and asked.

Ban Qu's attention had been fixed on the arena, on his apprentice. Hearing the disciple's report, he finally raised his head to look in the direction of the Spirit Sect's formation.

Sure enough, the Spirit Sect disciples appeared to be methodically withdrawing.

"Hmph... Even the Spirit Sect themselves think they cannot defeat Gui Xing, and yet there are those in the Ghost Sect who doubt Gui Xing's victory," Ban Qu remarked, glancing pointedly at Gui Zhen.

Gui Zhen, unsurprisingly, understood that Ban Qu's words were directed at him.

However, Gui Zhen pretended not to hear, silently watching the fight between Gui Xing and Ding Fan in the arena.

Seeing Gui Zhen's reaction, Ban Qu turned back to the Ghost Sect disciple. "Pass down the order. All Ghost Sect disciples are to hold their ground. If they retreat willingly, it saves us the trouble. Once we trap them within a sealed realm, we'll be spared many future complications."

Ban Qu had already received orders earlier from the Ghost Sect Master via his Divine Sense.

If the Spirit Sect disciples were determined to defend their mountain gate to the death, then the Ghost Sect would engage in a fierce battle of attrition with them. But if the Spirit Sect disciples withdrew, they were to be allowed to leave.

Once the passage was sealed, no one from the Spirit Sect would ever emerge again.

Avoiding direct confrontation would conserve energy. This way, the Ghost Sect could safeguard its strength. In the Hidden Sects of the future, who could possibly rival them?

The Ghost Sect disciple, hearing Ban Qu's decision, nodded and left without another word.

Just then, a sudden commotion erupted in the arena.

The sound of an explosive impact boomed within the arena.

Ban Qu urgently turned his focus back to the fight.

A thick cloud of dust billowed upwards from the arena.

Before the dust had settled, a figure was flung backward, landing heavily on the ground moments later.

As the dust began to clear, the crowd recognized who had been thrown—it was none other than Ding Fan.

Ding Fan, after being knocked back, coughed up a mouthful of blood and lay motionless on the ground.

Meanwhile, Gui Xing staggered backward several paces before barely regaining his footing.

"Victory... Gui Xing has won!" Ban Qu exclaimed, his face full of triumph, as though it were his own victory.

Gui Xing remained standing, and Ding Fan lay defeated. The outcome was beyond dispute—Ding Fan had lost. Completely and utterly lost.

The Ghost Sect disciples erupted into a cacophony of thunderous cheers.

With the Spirit Sect's leader defeated, their sect was effectively vanquished as well.

"Gui Zhen, remember the terms you agreed to," Ban Qu said, looking at Gui Zhen.

Gui Zhen rubbed his nose but said nothing.

Spirit Sect formation.

The Spirit Sect's disciples were retreating systematically toward their sect. Only Zhang Shanlian and Luv Shanqi remained, as Zhao Shanhe had long since joined the others in withdrawing.

Zhang Shanlian had intended to hold the line until all the Spirit Sect disciples had retreated, at which point he planned to step in and replace Ding Fan. However, to his surprise, Ding Fan had fallen so quickly.

"This is bad! Gui Xing is about to kill the Sect Master!" Zhang Shanlian shouted, seeing Gui Xing poised to decapitate Ding Fan.

Without hesitation, Zhang Shanlian grabbed his longsword, let out a battle cry, and charged forward.

Gui Xing was wholly intent on taking Ding Fan's head.

Beheading the Spirit Sect's leader would be a monumental achievement he could boast about upon his return.

But before he could reach Ding Fan, a sword beam swept toward him, forcing him back several steps.

When Gui Zhen looked up, he saw two figures standing protectively in front of Ding Fan.

Those two figures were none other than Zhang Shanlian and Luv Shanqi.

"Zhang Shanlian, take the Sect Master and leave. Leave this to me," Luv Shanqi said, unsheathing his sword and addressing Zhang Shanlian behind him.

"You safeguard the Sect Master. I'll handle things here!"

"None of you are leaving," a voice interjected as another figure stepped up next to Gui Xing.

The newcomer was Ban Qu.

Both Zhang Shanlian and Luv Shanqi had been trying to give the other the chance to escape, but this moment of hesitation had sealed their shared predicament.

Exchanging a glance, Zhang Shanlian and Luv Shanqi brandished their swords and simultaneously charged Ban Qu and Gui Xing.

Words were meaningless now. Each enemy slain would be a small victory.

However, Zhang Shanlian was already gravely injured. Even as he fought with reckless abandon, seeking mutual destruction, it changed nothing. Gui Xing's cultivation was simply too overwhelming.

With a palm strike, Gui Xing sent Zhang Shanlian hurtling through the air.

"Kill the Spirit Sect Master," Ban Qu ordered Gui Xing.

Killing the Spirit Sect Master would be a monumental accomplishment.

Ban Qu stood ready to block Luv Shanqi, ensuring no one else could steal this glory from Gui Xing.

Gui Xing acknowledged him and, with sword in hand, charged decisively toward Ding Fan.

"No!" Luv Shanqi cried out in anguish, his voice reverberating with Inner Strength.

Yet Luv Shanqi was entirely ensnared by Ban Qu, unable to intervene.

Gui Xing was only a few paces away from Ding Fan.

Ding Fan could not die! As the Spirit Sect Master, his life symbolized the sect's future hope of resurgence!

But now, with Zhang Shanlian heavily injured and Luv Shanqi trapped… who could possibly save Ding Fan?

"Die!" Gui Xing roared.

At that moment, another figure rushed into the fray.

Swish! Swish! Swish! Upon arriving, the figure swung his sword furiously at Gui Xing like a madman.

Gui Xing stumbled back several steps, trying to regain his footing against the unexpected assault.

Raising his eyes, Gui Xing saw Zhang Shanlian, wobbling and clutching his sword, standing in front of Ding Fan once more.

Seeing this, Gui Xing's expression darkened. "It seems you're a loyal dog. Very well. Today, I'll kill you first."

Gui Xing tightened his grip on his sword and strode toward Zhang Shanlian.

Zhang Shanlian swayed on his feet, his gaze unfocused and uncertain.

Having already sustained severe injuries from Gui Xing's earlier palm strike, Zhang Shanlian had given his all just to protect Ding Fan. Standing there now pushed his body to the brink of its limits.

Gui Xing came to a halt before Zhang Shanlian, raising his sword high.

"Go on ahead and wait for him in the afterlife," Gui Xing sneered.

He swung his sword down toward Zhang Shanlian's neck.

Luv Shanqi could only scream Zhang Shanlian's name, unable to break free of Ban Qu's hold in time.

The mountain valley echoed with Luv Shanqi's roar, its reverberations humming ominously.

But just as Luv Shanqi resigned himself to Zhang Shanlian's fate, a sudden radiance knocked away Gui Xing's sword in mid-swing.

Momentarily stunned, Luv Shanqi looked in Zhang Shanlian's direction, only to realize that at some point, Ding Fan had already risen to his feet...