Chapter 465 - Sometimes, Being Too Confident Isn’t So Good

Now that Mei Yun wasn’t around, Gu Han’s cultivation surged to the peak for the first time. He unleashed his full strength at the ninth stage of the Transcendent realm. A wave of spirit pressure exploded to the extreme, spreading outward.

Several demon clan members’ expressions changed drastically. What?!Such fearsome strength, coming from such an ordinary-looking guy?! Also, he's at the ninth stage of the Transcendent realm?! I never knew spirit pressure could be this overbearing and powerful!

Without giving them time to think further, the spirit pressure fell upon them. Aside from Di Kan, the other demons staggered back as if struck by a massive boulder. Di Kan was terrified. Gu Han was far stronger than when they last met in Yue Mountain City.

The spirit pressure abruptly withdrew. Gu Han had compressed it all to within half a cun around himself. In the next moment, a sword aura descended upon the red-haired demon. Faintly tinged with blood light, it carried an unmatched sharpness.

The red-haired demon’s pupils shrank sharply as he unleashed his ninth stage of Transcendent realm cultivation. As his bloodline power rampaged, the projection of a ten-plus-zhang tall, single-horned great demon faintly appeared behind him. Infused with demonic qi, its form rapidly shifted from illusory to solid. Shrinking continuously, it charged at the sword aura with a roar.

the two collided. The great demon’s projection rapidly collapsed.

The red-haired demon no longer dared to underestimate Gu Han. “Who are you?!”

Back when the Dao Bell manifested, he was the only one who achieved nine rings, awakening the Ancient Demon Venerable’s bloodline. Thus, he grew conceited, convinced that no human Heavenly Pride could match him. He just never expected that after a single exchange, he had already fallen behind.

“With your strength, you absolutely cannot be a nobody!”

Di Kan had mixed emotions. “He is Gu Han of the Eastern Wasteland.”

The red-haired demon suddenly understood. “Gu Han? So it’s you!”

He rarely stepped outside the demon clan’s territory, but he had heard of matters in the outside world. The story of Gu Han’s battle with Sword Prince back then, which led to the Dao Child conceding, had long since reached his ears.

Gu Han’s aura was too powerful. Murong Yan and the others had already retreated into the distance.

Ah Man’s face was full of admiration. “You’re so strong, Benefactor!”

Several barbarian clan youths behind him grimaced. Truth be told, Gu Han’s reputation in the Northern Domain was far greater than in the Central Continent. He had almost wiped out the entire barbarian clan after all.

In mid-air, a faint red light flickered in the red-haired demon’s eyes, his tone brimming with excitement. “I will shatter the human race’s fortune by defeating you!”

Gu Han appeared utterly disgusted. I’m just standing up for Sister Murong. What does this have to do with the fortune of either clan!

As if his sense of mission had ignited his potential, the red-haired demon let out a furious bellow. He swung his fist down viciously. Even more demonic qi surged forth, rapidly solidifying the great demon’s projection. Its violent aura grew more explosive than ever.

The great demon’s projection spread its maw wide and bit down on Gu Han’s sword aura, gnawing it.

Gu Han narrowed his eyes. “Are you serious?”

With a flick of his sword, he slashed down heavily. An overbearing sword aura extended from the sword’s tip, transforming into a ten-plus-zhang-long giant sword that viciously struck the great demon’s head.

The sword aura collided with the great demon’s single horn, and waves of explosive energy burst forth. As the horn snapped bit by bit, the great demon’s projection blurred once more. Before the red-haired demon could react, another sword strike fell. The great demon’s projection roared in pain as its head was smashed to pieces. After the third sword strike, the projection completely dispersed.

In the next moment, the red-haired demon also fell to the ground opposite Gu Han. Gu Han’s strength far exceeded his imagination. If he stayed up in the air any longer, he would only become a sitting duck.

He screamed, activating a secret technique, “The top rank is mine!”

Swirling and circulating, his demonic qi surged forth wildly, covering his exterior. The great demon’s projection reappeared, its blood-red eyes now faintly tinged with specks of golden light. The secret technique seemed to have bestowed it with some inexplicable, profound power.

The red-haired demon shook both fists and savagely struck toward Gu Han.

Amid faint crackles of wind and thunder, Gu Han's cultivation reached its peak, gathering within his sword. The giant sword compressed to just over a zhang. Under extreme compression, the sword aura’s sharpness exuded endless explosive intent.

In the blink of an eye, the two collided. An overbearing, invisible momentum radiated outward, forcing the onlooking crowd to retreat again and again, completely unable to see the battle.

Moments later, the explosive energy gradually dissipated. Gu Han’s right arm trembled slightly, seeming somewhat inflexible. The red-haired demon lay stiffly on the ground, vomiting blood without even the strength to get up.

Gu Han drew closer and looked down slightly. “Wouldn’t it have been fine if you just came down? I told you earlier, I don’t like looking up to talk to people.”

The red-haired demon was full of humiliation and despair. “Just kill me!”

Gu Han thought for a moment, then said seriously, “To be honest, at least you’re much stronger than that guy named Sword, and you have more backbone. When it comes to the top rank... Sometimes, being too confident isn’t so good either.”

Then, he gently swung his sword, and another sword aura slashed out. It wasn’t aimed at the red-haired demon, but at the ball of light and mist above. The restriction, which had already been mostly broken, shattered. A pitch-black, double-sided giant axe fell.

Gu Han flicked his sword, sending the giant axe flying toward Murong Yan. “Sister Murong, I left in a hurry last time. Consider this makeup gift!”

Overjoyed, she hugged the giant axe to her chest, almost wanting to kiss it twice. “As expected, you understand me! I love exciting, big toys!”

Everyone subtly glanced at Shen Xuan. Shen Xuan was dumbfounded.

Just then, a violent rumbling sound came. It seemed that what Gu Han had broken through was the final light and mist. Now that the last reward had been claimed, the first pass ceased to exist. Sections of golden ladders appeared within the once-empty ten-thousand-zhang archway, extending into the boundless, lofty distance.

The second pass of the Nine Great Heavenly Passes had opened!