Sword Sovereign of the Celestial Emperor-Chapter 944 - 942: Gu Hu

Chu Ming rose and flew towards the Battle Hall. Along the way, he saw many Outer Palace Disciples flocking there!

The Battle Hall is one of the nine grand halls, magnificently built. Thousands of arenas float within it, accommodating billions of spectators at once!

By the time Chu Ming arrived at the Battle Hall, it was already a sea of people. Most of them were palace disciples here to watch the spectacle. Although many usually come to the Battle Hall to duel, it was rare to see a match like the one between Chu Ming and Gu Hu, a newcomer king versus a veteran powerhouse!

"Did you hear? This time, Chu Ming and Gu Hu are not having an ordinary duel; the wager is five hundred thousand Contribution Points. If Chu Ming loses, he has to give Gu Hu five hundred thousand Contribution Points. Conversely, Gu Hu must give Chu Ming the same if he loses!"

"What?! Five hundred thousand Contribution Points? Chu Ming just entered the Nine Elements Dao Palace. How could he have that many Contribution Points?"

"You don't know? Chu Ming seized Elemental Power Grass from the Cyan Heaven Sect, the Heaven-Fighting Alliance, and other Five Great Powers during the newcomer battle, immediately amassing over five million Contribution Points. For him, five hundred thousand Contribution Points is a mere drop in the bucket!"

"Offending the Five Great Powers consecutively? Chu Ming is really bold. The Five Great Powers nearly control the entire Inner Palace. To think Chu Ming would dare cross them—life won't be easy for him from now on!"

"However, one shouldn't jump to conclusions. Chu Ming is a Sealed Emperor Level genius, already taken as a Direct Disciple by Ancestor Tianyuan. Even if someone wanted to deal with him, they wouldn't dare act openly!"

Chu Ming had just stepped into the Battle Hall when he heard the chaotic discussions around him. Many disciples pointed and whispered about him, but Chu Ming ignored them all!

"Chu Ming, over here!"

A loud shout came from afar, immediately drawing everyone's attention. Following the sound, a burly figure emerged from the crowd!

"It's Gu Hu!"

"Chu Ming is in danger this time. Gu Hu has unexpectedly broken through, reaching the peak of the Eighth Heaven of Emperor Dao. Ordinary Ninth Layer Emperor Dao masters may not be his match now!"

The surrounding disciples quickly made way as Gu Hu approached with strides full of power, his aura subtle yet formidable, much like his namesake, a fierce tiger!

"Are you Gu Hu?"

Under Gu Hu's imposing presence, Chu Ming remained unfazed. Gu Hu's strength was robust, possibly on par with the Red Blade Demon Emperor, yet Chu Ming was no longer the same as before!

"Yes!"

Gu Hu, resembling an iron tower, nodded slightly, his eyes shining brightly, exuding an intimidating pressure!

Behind Gu Hu stood Ying Jiu, whom Chu Ming had met once before, along with the sisters Liu Bing and Liu Huo. The most unsettling to Chu Ming was a young man in a blue robe. Though unassuming in the group, he gave Chu Ming a sense of dreadful threat!

"This person isn't a disciple of the Nine Elements Dao Palace!"

Noticing that none of the surrounding disciples recognized the blue-robed youth, Chu Ming secretly thought, if this blue-robed youth were a disciple of the Nine Elements Dao Palace, his strength couldn't go unnoticed. Judging by the other disciples' reactions, they didn't seem too concerned about the blue-robed youth!

"How dare you offend our Cyan Heaven Sect? You must be tired of living. Hand over all your Contribution Points, then kneel and kowtow to me a hundred times, and maybe I'll consider sparing you!"

Gu Hu's mouth curled slightly, revealing a row of menacingly white teeth as he spoke coldly.

"Brother Gu, letting him off so easily would be too dull. How about making him strip naked and fly around the Nine Elements Dao Palace a few times? That would be a good idea!"

As Gu Hu's words fell, Ying Jiu, who stood behind him, followed up with a cold smile flashing in his eyes.

Upon hearing this, Chu Ming's expression remained calm. He then coldly replied, "Why don't we add something to the wager? Besides those five hundred thousand Contribution Points, if you lose, you'll fly around the Nine Elements Dao Palace three times naked. If I lose, I'll do the same!"

Chu Ming's words silenced the bustling disciples around, who gasped. Flying naked around the Nine Elements Dao Palace three times would be a heavy blow to either party, even more severe than losing the five hundred thousand Contribution Points.

Gu Hu's face darkened slightly, not agreeing immediately. His previous words with Ying Jiu were intended to humiliate Chu Ming, but now Chu Ming had turned the tables on them!

"What's wrong? You scared?"

Seeing Gu Hu's hesitation, a cold smile spread across Chu Ming's face as he asked indifferently.

"What if you don't keep your promise?"

Gu Hu asked in a somber voice, raising a genuine concern among the disciples. As Ancestor Tianyuan's Direct Disciple, even if Chu Ming lost, no one, not even the Palace Master, could compel him to do something against his will!

"I will be the referee for this duel. I think your concern is now unfounded!"

A powerful voice came from not far away. Soon, a figure in a green Daoist Robe flew in, exuding the ever-present aura of a peak Saint Dao expert, even without deliberate release!

"It's Vice Palace Master Li Shang!"

"Vice Palace Master Li Shang is so impartial; him being the referee for this duel ensures there won't be any problems!"

The nearby disciples exclaimed, involuntarily stepping back under Li Shang's aura!

Whoosh!

In an instant, Li Shang stood before Chu Ming and Gu Hu!

"Greetings, Palace Master!"

"Greetings, Palace Master!"

"..."

The surrounding disciples promptly paid their respects. In the Nine Elements Dao Palace, everything from Palace Masters to Vice Palace Masters was addressed simply as Palace Master!

"You need not be overly formal!"

With a gentle smile, Li Shang nodded slightly, then turned to ask Chu Ming and Gu Hu.

"With me as the referee, I can ensure fairness and justice!"

Gu Hu immediately leaned forward respectfully, "Naturally!"

"No objections from this junior either!"

Chu Ming also clasped his hands together respectfully in response.

"Good, then let's begin!"

Li Shang nodded slightly before retreating to another arena, and the surrounding disciples withdrew as well, leaving only Chu Ming and Gu Hu within the scope of dozens of arenas!

"Though you are a Sealed Emperor Level genius, today I will show you that a genius not yet grown is worth nothing!"