Zhang Wenda led the visitors up the hill behind Jing Yi Garden, and after exchanging greetings, Lu Yao also learned who the four Golden Body Realm experts were.
The abbot of Fahua Temple—Master Wuqing; the Sect Leader of Penglai Sect—Wen Taiji; the Supreme Elder of Qingcheng Sect—Miao Zhen.
The last one, however, was an old acquaintance—Bai Jingting from Wudang Sect.
He had achieved a breakthrough the day before yesterday, and his great-granddaughter Bai Lu had also broken through to the Innate level; their simultaneous advancements had become a much-talked-about event.
After some small talk, the group of martial artists wanted to get to the main topic.
Their visit this time was to ensure that their respective parties would gain the maximum benefit from the upcoming campaign against Izumo.
This involved many factors, and what most concerned the Great Grandmasters was the matter of "sieging Xu Fu."
Who would lead the charge, who would support, and what benefits each would receive had to be agreed upon in advance.
Surprisingly, outsiders seemed even more eager than Lu Yao to deal with the Izumo Emperor—truly, interest drives the human heart.
The Sect Leader of Penglai, Wen Taiji, cleared his throat, ready to be the first to speak.
His sect was the closest to Izumo and thus the most enthusiastic about the matter.
But the very next second, Wen Taiji’s expression froze, and he became speechless.
The others also stared at Lu Yao, dumbfounded...
Each realm of a martial artist has its distinctive features.
Lu Yao radiated an indomitable will, and everyone knew at once—he had become a Great Grandmaster!
But this was too quick! Martial Path progression required time and polishing in the later stages; how could one possibly break through in just a few months?
Zhang Wenda, who had seen more of the world, was the first to regain his composure, joyfully saying, "Congratulations to the Celestial Lord on breaking through to the Grandmaster Realm!"
The others also came around, and with this development, wouldn’t they have even more certainty in taking down Izumo?
Thus, they all congratulated him with beaming faces, all speaking at once.
Lu Yao responded warmly to each, then turned to the Great Grandmasters present and smiled, saying,
"It’s rare to have so many fellow practitioners here. Why don’t we have a sparring session? I am sure we would all benefit greatly."
The crowd immediately realized Lu Yao had planned this all along, and even the location was prepared—he had a reason for bringing them to this desolate mountain.
The Great Grandmasters felt intrigued and nodded in agreement, "Celestial Lord has such an elegant interest, we are honored to oblige."
They were extremely curious about Lu Yao’s strength, eager to see what a Great Grandmaster with his profound Spirit Refining Stage was like!
The rest of the crowd shouted that they were in luck, having come all this way and now witnessing such a fortuitous event.
But unexpectedly, the next second, Lu Yao shocked everyone with his statement:
"Today’s sparring is about martial arts, but it would hardly be fair for me to leverage my Spirit Refinement Realm. Why don’t you four—plus Yu Yanmei—come at me together?"
Indeed, he was proposing a one-versus-five battle!
The city was abuzz with astonishment, and even the friendliest among them, Wu Qing and Bai Jingting, felt Lu Yao was being overly arrogant.
Wen Taiji and Miao Zhen frowned deeply, inwardly condemning the boy for his egotism.
The two thought Lu Yao was trying to intimidate them to gain an upper hand in the subsequent negotiations.
Lu Yao, however, had no such petty stratagems in mind; he didn’t say a word more, simply releasing his aura, pressing down on everyone.
All at once, those present felt the air grow heavy, as if they couldn’t draw breath into their bodies.
Martial Intuition and Divine Sense Perception sent out frantic warnings of danger.
The Great Grandmasters swept by Lu Yao’s gaze felt their scalps tingle and hair stand on end.
This was the sensation one felt when facing an invincible opponent!
Sometimes the brain doesn’t catch up, but the body has already judged the situation based on external information.
A martial artist’s body is sensitive, and when such a sense of crisis arises, the only response is to flee immediately!
Actions speak louder than words, and suddenly, nobody spoke again. It seemed... they really would have to face him together!
Following that, Yu Yanmei, with an unconvinced expression, was the first to step onto the field, providing an escape route of sorts.
Master Wuqing, Bai Jingting, Wen Taiji, and Miao Zhen, the four of them also made their entrance in succession.
As Lu Yao also entered the arena, everyone instantly held their breaths in anticipation of the show about to start.
~~~~~~~~~~
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The five Great Grandmasters exchanged glances, about to sort out the pecking order.
Even a joint attack had its protocols; they couldn’t just swarm into chaos.
But the next second, Yu Yanmei had already drawn her Longquan Sword and boldly launched her attack, transforming into a streak of silver light as she circled around Lu Yao, aiming for vital spots with each move, causing an involuntary shiver among the onlookers.
The other four hastened to follow suit, while inwardly wondering, Hadn’t there been gossip about the two of them being involved? Why was she fighting so fiercely?
Yu Yanmei was at the highest level of Spirit Refinement Realm and the strongest among them.
With her leading the charge, the others could attack in a more relaxed succession, surrounding and pressuring Lu Yao.
On the surface, the situation looked overwhelmingly in their favor, but a few seconds later, everyone’s complexion changed.
They could only see Lu Yao merely raising his arms, blocking left and right, effortlessly countering the attacks of the five assailants.
Were it not for the explosive sounds of fists and palms colliding, the craters bursting open on the ground, and the spectators nearly being blown away by the stray blasts of energy, the onlookers might have thought they were witnessing a fixed match.
Yu Yanmei, perhaps best aware of Lu Yao’s defensive capabilities, said with a cold face, "Go all out!"
Then, her figure vanished into thin air as she, uniting man and sword, chopped towards the little man she owned.
The other four Great Grandmasters also unleashed their ultimate moves.
Master Wuqing performed the familiar "Tathagata Divine Palm: Buddha Shakes Mountains and Rivers";
Bai Jingting launched the Wudang’s "Golden Hammer Strike," which coincided with Miao Zhen of the Qingcheng Sect deploying the "Heavenly Gang Palm." The attacks of the two were swift and ferocious, bursting forth with deafening thunderous roars upon execution!
Together with Wen Taiji’s "Inverse Sea Style," their offense brought waves of air-shattering surges, each killing move causing the earth to be scraped away over a foot deep just from the scattered energy alone.
Meanwhile, blue electrical arcs danced around Lu Yao’s body and the Mind Projection shadow flickered behind him as he prepared to strike amidst the thunderous blasts, his arms swinging open!
First, he simultaneously launched the "Regret of the Dragon" with both palms, meeting Bai Jingting and Miao Zhen with a hard palm strike each;
Then, in an impossibly brief moment, his left hand manifested ’Buddha Shakes Mountains and Rivers’, and his right, ’Sombre Dragon Clasping Grief’, facing Master Wuqing and Wen Taiji head-on.
Lu Yao moved so swiftly that he seemed like a deity with three heads and six arms, finishing four exchanges in an instant.
But with earsplitting explosions, the blasted energy violently fragmented, cratering the hard rocky ground beneath his feet into a basketball court-sized irregular deep pit.
The shockwave from the blast, entangled with flying stones, roared towards the spectators, large boulders the size of millstones sending the crowd of Innate Experts tumbling in disarray, forcing them to retreat repeatedly.
Once the dust settled, Lu Yao remained utterly still, while the four Great Grandmasters he faced were hurled hundreds of meters back, crashing into cliffs and sending up countless shards of rock.
And most astonishingly— Lu Yao stood with an unbroken and undying will, his Golden Body completely unscathed.
The attacks of the four Great Grandmasters were like eggs smashing against rock, not even breaking his defense!?
At this moment, everyone was utterly dumbfounded!
Bai Lu was among the crowd, and she deeply understood the sheer terror of her great-grandfather’s "Golden Hammer Strike."
From the name alone, one could tell it was a move designed to target Great Grandmasters, but not only did Lu Yao withstand it head-on, he took on four at the same time!
This could only mean that Lu Yao’s strength completely eclipsed theirs!
~~~~~~~~~~~
The four Great Grandmasters, who had been knocked away, rose from the rubble and moved to the edge of the stage without making another move.
This was a spar, not a fight to the death; losing face once was enough.
Their expressions complex, filled with mixed emotions, they bore no ill feelings.
Being defeated by one opponent who took on all four at once, and without even going all out! When the gap was small, resentment might linger, but when it’s as vast as heaven and earth, only awe remained.
Wen Taiji, the Sect Leader of the Penglai Sect, said with emotion, "In ancient times, Golden Body Realm Great Grandmasters were also known as ’Martial Saints.’ Now it seems one needs a corresponding level of Spirit Refinement Realm to truly deserve such a title."
The crowd agreed with this sentiment.
At this time, only Yu Yanmei, unwilling to give up, was still fiercely struggling.
Defeat seemed to be a matter of sooner rather than later, but the Liao Family Sisters and Li Pei had expressions of expectation, as if they still held a trump card.