As his name suggested, Gu Zhan was extremely fond of battles. [1]
He loved battles, and he loved being strong enough for them, earning him widespread renown within the outer sect.
Despite not hailing from a prominent clan, Gu Zhan's humble family background did not hinder his progress. During his youth, he stumbled upon a profound tier qi cultivation technique, the Great Golden Bell Cocoon Qigong. Through diligent effort, he gradually distinguished himself from the other outer sect disciples. He was now a strong contender for a spot among the top 10 disciples in the ongoing Outer Sect Grand Competition.
“Haha, I never expected to face you in this round. It seems I have an easy match.” Gu Zhan couldn't help but burst into laughter, his voice booming with confidence.
Gu Zhen knew about Chen Fan’s one-punch-to-kill feat, but he didn’t care about it much. He believed that he, too, could achieve that. His confidence in his strength was unwavering.
“Chen Fan, I've spent the past six months outside the sect, gaining valuable experience and enhancing my strength," Gu Zhan remarked. "Little did I expect to return and hear news of you challenging Zhong Li, causing a stir within the outer sect. You have guts."
“You literally detonated that good-for-nothing Sun Youwei earlier, too. You’re definitely not weaker than a late-stage, seventh-level martial artist. While my cultivation level is exactly that, I have had some fortuitous encounters in the past and have been practicing a profound tier cultivation technique. My primeval qi is robust, letting me fight those at the peak stage of the seventh level. You are no match for me. Admit defeat, and I promise not to harm you.”
Gu Zhan’s aura created a formidable pressure, making Chen Fan's muscles tense slightly.
Gu Zhan was much, much stronger than Chen Fan’s opponents thus far, living up to his reputation. However, underestimating Chen Fan and expecting him to surrender so easily was a grave miscalculation.
"Enough with the empty words. Show me what you've got. Time is running out," Chen Fan retorted, narrowing his gaze. His cultivation surged, and the whirlwind beneath his feet roared, extending its influence over a ten-meter radius.
“Hehe, my man, you still want to fight against me. I’ll grant your wish, then. Don’t worry, I won’t go for the kill, but our fists and kicks have no eyes. Some superficial injuries are inevitable. Be careful now.”
Gu Zhan glared at Chen Fan with his bull-like eyes; his battle spirit surged, making it seem like he was growing larger.
“Say, how long do you think Chen Fan will last against Senior Brother Gu Zhan?”
“Senior Brother Gu Zhan is a battle maniac. I heard he fought a tier-one, seventh-level demon beast in the Qingyang Mountain Range while still at the sixth level. It was a long fight, but he did kill the beast in the end.”
“Hehe, I think ten moves at the most.”
The disciples under the fighting arena began discussing among themselves.
“Gu Zhan, you have to lose in this battle!”
A commanding voice suddenly rang out, capturing the crowd’s attention. They turned to see Fei Kuang approaching, and the crowd’s expressions changed as they quickly made way for him.
Chen Fan and Gu Zhan were about to commence their battle, but both of them halted upon hearing Fei Kuang. Gu Zhan turned his head, looking at Fei Kuang under the stage. With his brows furrowed, he asked, “What is the meaning of this?”
“It’s simple. You must face defeat, and Chen Fan must come out victorious!” Fei Kuang said.
Gu Zhan's brow furrowed even deeper, and his voice carried a hint of chill as he retorted, “I’m not one of your Heaven’s Alliance’s members. You have no right to command me. And as far as the battle’s outcome is concerned... only time can decide the victor. Moreover, this is my battle with Chen Fan. It has nothing to do with you.”
Fei Kuang’s eyes turned cold, and he threatened, “Gu Zhan, you dare go against my will? Let me tell you, this kid’s life is mine to reap. How am I going to kill him if you win? So, you must lose this battle. Otherwise, I won't let you off if we ever cross paths. You won't be able to handle the consequences.”
Hearing this, Gu Zhan immediately broke into laughter from anger.
“Fei Kuang, you may be able to threaten others with those words, but to try to threaten me? Aren’t you looking down on me a little too much? As for those consequences you mentioned... Hehe, I truly look forward to facing you in battle and discovering just how strong you are to act so recklessly.”
“Very good, Gu Zhan, very good. You’ve succeeded in angering me. Just wait to bear my wrath!” Fei Kuang left some threatening words and turned to leave in anger, his nose nearly twisted.
Gu Zhan retracted his gaze and looked at Chen Fan, and said, “Come on, let’s begin.”
Chen Fan’s eyes shifted. His cultivation instantly surged, propelling his figure forward.
As he rushed forward, his primeval qi within his dantian flowed into his palms, emanating a radiant golden light. A Vajra Seal, the size of a millstone, shot toward Gu Zhan.
“Good, come on, break!”
Gu Zhan shouted, his primeval qi flowing, boiling in his meridians. His large palms, like molten iron, chopped out, splitting the Vajra Seal apart.
His palm strike carried a swift and fierce wind, whistling toward Chen Fan as if it could upturn the floor tiles of the fighting arena.
Chen Fan didn’t stop. He moved against the wind, his primeval qi erupted, his palms sweeping back and forth.
The air moved like rolling waves, ready to crash against towering peaks and threatening to demolish everything in its path. With the force to annihilate an army of a thousand, it surged toward Gu Zhan.
Gu Zhan harrumphed as his primeval qi surged, forming a defensive layer that withstood the Chakravarti Seal’s relentless assault without yielding. He stood firm like a reef at the bottom of the sea, unperturbed by the crashing currents and waves.
Gu Zhan transformed into a ferocious tiger descending from the mountains, slicing through the wind and slashing the waves. He violently lunged toward Chen Fan, his hand plunging like a mighty axe.
“White Tiger Holds Corpse!”
Suddenly, an enormous white tiger materialized, its ferocity dominating the sky. With a thunderous roar, it unleashed waves of air that captivated the hearts and souls of onlookers.
That white tiger’s shadow was swift, rushing up to Chen Fan in the blink of an eye. It pierced through his primeval qi and clamped down fiercely, resembling a real white tiger holding its prey in its jaws.
Chen Fan’s complexion changed slightly. Primeval qi surged between his legs as he attempted to execute the Ghostly Shadow Steps to retreat.
However, he was half a beat too slow. The white tiger grazed him, disrupting his retreating steps and causing him to stagger backward, his qi and blood churning.
That blow earlier was indeed very powerful.
Before Chen Fan could steady himself, a violent wind swept over him, accompanied by a ferocious aura, a fierce tiger’s roar ringing in his ear.
“Fierce Tiger Jumps Across Stream!”
As Gu Zhan's attack approached, Chen Fan swiftly raised both hands, releasing a surge of primeval qi that formed a protective cloud around him. However, the tiger claws of Gu Zhan's assault tore through the qi cloud, probing through the dissipating mist.
Countless streaks of golden light radiated from Chen Fan’s palm like the sun. He simultaneously executed Ghostly Shadow Steps once more, darting to the side.
The white tiger tore apart the Golden Light Palm, but it managed to block Gu Zhan’s attack, allowing Chen Fan to escape. He quickly distanced himself from Gu Zhan, creating some space to catch his breath.
1. The word Zhan ‘战’ means fight, battle, war, and his surname Gu ‘顾’ means to look after, to take into consideration, to attend to. ?