"I am Shennong True Monarch!"
Shennong True Monarch clasped his fists and said, "Greetings, Fellow Daoist Ning!"
"Fellow Daoist Ning, you’ve just arrived in Sangyu Country, so you might not be aware..."
Lin Guo chuckled and said, "Fellow Daoist Shennong just claid the title of leader at the Nascent Soul Conference held earlier today. He is now the First Nascent Soul of our Sangyu Country!"
"I must offer my apologies!"
Ning Daoran hurriedly clasped his fists again, saying, "It seems Fellow Daoist Shennong’s cultivation technique is profound and his foundation deep. I truly admire you!"
Shennong True Monarch’s lips twitched slightly, his mind wandering to all the events he had missed in previous years. That Independent Practitioner Jianjia had slain nurous top cultivators of Sangyu Country, even one with whom Shennong True Monarch had an old friendship.
Moreover, it was said that Jianjia was exceptional, unrivaled at the sa level!
And now, Shennong True Monarch was Sangyu Country’s First Nascent Soul... He then remarked heavily, "I’ve long heard that Fellow Daoist Ning’s cultivation technique is peerless and that your cultivation is profound. Now that fortune has allowed us to et today... Perhaps we could have a little duel? What does Fellow Daoist Ning think?"
"A duel?"
Ning Daoran looked surprised.
Lin Guo transmitted a ssage: "Fellow Daoist Shennong is a good person. Don’t kill..."
Ning Daoran frowned and said, "Fellow Daoist Shennong, do you perhaps have so grievance against ? If you do... how shall we duel? Shall we decide victory, or life and death?"
Shennong True Monarch froze briefly, then laughed and said, "We bear each other no grudges, so let’s not determine life and death—just victory will suffice! Besides, perhaps during the duel we might foster so camaraderie. What do you think, Fellow Daoist?"
"Very well!"
Ning Daoran smiled and said, "Then I invite Fellow Daoist to select a sacred locale, and we can duel there!"
"Outside the city, Seven Stars Mountain. It is said to be teeming with demon beasts and rarely tread by humanity. There are no common folk living nearby, so even if the entire mountain were destroyed, no harm would co to anyone. Shall we duel atop Seven Stars Mountain?"
"Very well, Fellow Daoist, lead the way!"
"Much appreciated!"
Shennong True Monarch soared into the air, followed closely by Ning Daoran and Lin Guo as they rode their tunneling light out of the city.
"Senior Shennong!"
Inside the city, a Golden Core Late Stage cultivator guarding the capital’s prohibitions quickly clasped his fists and said, "Senior, where are you heading?"
"I am heading outside the city with Fellow Daoist Ning for a duel!"
"Oh?"
The Golden Core Late Stage cultivator imdiately cast a respectful glance toward Ning Daoran. For soone qualified to duel Shennong True Monarch, they must undoubtedly be an imnsely powerful cultivator. As for the female martial artist accompanying them—wasn’t she...
He quickly rubbed his eyes. This woman greatly resembled the Martial Immortal Lin Guo, whose likeness was enshrined in the newly-built Martial Temple!
While this Golden Core Late Stage cultivator remained bewildered, the three great cultivators had already left the city.
...
Outside the city, at Seven Stars Mountain.
Shennong True Monarch shook his robe sleeves and said with a smile, "Fellow Daoist Ning, please enlighten !"
"Please enlighten as well!"
Both slowly retreated, leaving space for movent.
The next mont, two surging Nascent Soul auras erupted skyward!
Shennong True Monarch was a top-tier power among Sangyu Country’s Nascent Soul Late Stage cultivators, while Ning Daoran was an unparalleled prodigy who had cultivated the True Yang Chi Xiao Body—a battle between the two would undoubtedly be extraordinary!
Lin Guo stood on a mountaintop, arms crossed, narrowing her beautiful eyes as she watched the spectacle unfold. Such a clash was not sothing that ordinary people could witness—she needed to cherish this opportunity.
"Rise!"
Shennong True Monarch imdiately summoned two wood-elent spiritual treasures.
Ning Daoran, on the other hand, lightly raised his hand and brought forth the Fire God Sword.
He did not intend to kill Shennong True Monarch, so there was no need for the Big Green Dragon to make an appearance. To defeat Shennong True Monarch, the Fire God Sword, Golden Silk Sword, and Nine Dragon Treasure Mirror would suffice.
"Swish!"
The Water Cloud Golden Bamboo Sword Formation rose into the air. In the next mont, Ning Daoran seized the initiative and launched a flurry of sword rain!
"Marvelous attack!"
Shennong True Monarch laughed heartily, his long sleeves sweeping outward. Instantly, the wooden slab-shaped spiritual treasure in his hand rapidly expanded, its surface sprouting vines and tender leaves, creating a wooden barrier. As the golden sword rain cascaded down, it was like a clay ox entering the sea—it rely fell upon the wooden slab without penetrating it at all.
Indeed, Shennong True Monarch had earned his fa over the years with exceptional thods.
Though he cultivated the Evergreen Technique, his version was entirely distinct from Ning Daoran’s. The technique’s evolution seed to depend on personal attributes and was not wholly uniform.
"Break!"
In the next mont, Ning Daoran swung his sword!
Underfoot, the Eight Diagrams Dharma Image spun rapidly, channeling the fiery sword Qi infused with Dual Yin Sword Intent. The blazing red sword Qi split the air and struck the wooden slab fiercely, scattering Divine Fire everywhere!
Shennong True Monarch quickly withdrew the slab, planting a single foot on the ground. Behind him, the Snowfall Divine Sword let out a resonant "clang" before unsheathing itself, transforming into a radiant beam that launched a counterattack—a flurry of snowflakes spiraled forth. He had evidently refined the sword and infused his sword Dao, rendering it remarkably deadly!
Ning Daoran laughed heartily, his body sinking suddenly before darting forward at lightning speed—a punch aid directly at his opponent’s abdon!
"Mixed Elent Middle Stage!?"
Shennong True Monarch’s expression changed drastically. In their line of work, skill was imdiately apparent upon execution. Ning Daoran’s casual punch alone contained at least Mixed Elent Middle Stage fist power—sothing Shennong True Monarch hadn’t anticipated.
The wooden slab reappeared, emitting a muffled "bang" as it blocked Ning Daoran’s forceful punch.
Yet the overwhelming power caused Shennong True Monarch to retreat several steps backward. Doubts crept into his mind—he had a faint suspicion that Ning Daoran was not exerting his full strength. Even so, Ning Daoran had managed to pressure him within just a few moves.
Was he still truly the First Nascent Soul?
"It seems I must employ my ultimate techniques!"
Shennong True Monarch’s gaze grew solemn as he thrust his hands forward. Imdiately, nurous vines swirled around him as he unleashed the Twenty-Fifth Layer of the Evergreen Technique!
Ning Daoran could not help but marvel.
To cultivate the Evergreen Technique to the Twenty-Fifth Layer through sheer effort—if such a person isn’t a genius, then what is genius?
In response, he too summoned the Evergreen Technique!
"Swish swish swish~~~"
The manifestation Ning Daoran summoned was the revered Eternal Immortal Vine!
Suddenly, the contest between the two wood-elent great cultivators transford into a clash of intertwining, snapping, and entangling vines. For the mont, they were evenly matched.
Shennong True Monarch’s advantage lay in his mastery as a Nascent Soul Perfect great cultivator, just one step away from the Divinity Transformation Stage. His cultivation depth was profound; though his Evergreen Technique was not exquisite, it was highly skillful. Coupled with his exceptionally powerful spiritual treasures, he held his ground firmly.
Ning Daoran’s advantage lay in the supremacy of his Eternal Green Technique, which exerted a suppressive effect on the technique itself. Despite foregoing the use of the Nine Dragon Treasure Mirror and the Dragon Demon Dojo, he was still evenly matched with Shennong True Monarch.
For a mont, the mountain forest was filled with writhing green vines, rising and falling like dragons!
"Magnificent!"
Even Lin Guo could not help but clap and cheer.
As the two continued probing and revealing their strength, Shennong True Monarch’s deep reserves slowly ca to light. Ning Daoran, anwhile, kept slicing apart the dense thickets of green vines with his flying sword light. As the duel raged on, Seven Stars Mountain’s seven peaks were successively cut down, crashing with resounding booms.
After this battle, Seven Stars Mountain would likely need a new na, for its seven peaks had been leveled by Ning Daoran.
Thus, a hundred moves quickly passed.
Shennong True Monarch’s mana surged ceaselessly, perpetually replenished by the Evergreen Technique, showing no signs of depletion. Ning Daoran, seeing the endless standoff, opted to unleash the Dragon Demon Dojo!
"Boom~~~"
A martial artist domain field expanded rapidly, dragging Shennong True Monarch within unceremoniously.
As Shennong True Monarch looked upward, he was greeted by a crimson sky. Straining his focus outward, he discerned faint dragon demons looming over the mortal realm. The eerie feeling they invoked unsettled him deeply.
Moreover, the domain suppressed him intensely with the Heavenly Dao, imdiately reducing his cultivation level to that of a freshly minted Nascent Soul Late Stage practitioner!
"Martial Artist Domain..."
Shennong True Monarch furrowed his brows and said, "Fellow Daoist Ning, you truly are a heavenly talent... I yield. This battle now holds no aning!"
"You flatter !"
Ning Daoran clasped his fists and withdrew the Dragon Demon Dojo, saying, "Fellow Daoist Shennong managed to force to deploy the Dragon Demon Dojo—no small feat. I deeply respect you. How about... taking advantage of the night, we return to the capital city and drink until we’re thoroughly drunk? After all, it’s unclear when we three will et again."
"Excellent!"
Shennong True Monarch nodded heavily. "I was thinking the sa thing!"
Lin Guo laughed and said, "As long as Fellow Daoist Ning is treating, I’d be delighted to accompany you."
"A rare opportunity indeed, haha..."
Shennong True Monarch chuckled as mories surfaced of years past when he invited Lin Wuxian for drinks, only for her to leave without a glance, entirely disregarding his invitation.
...
Nightfall. Drunken Immortal Pavilion in the capital city.
The three great cultivators were deep in their cups, utterly intoxicated. It was only when several of Shennong True Monarch’s disciples arrived that they helped him away. Even as Shennong True Monarch departed, he chose not to use mana to clear the alcohol but instead staggered drunkenly, grinning at the other two, "Fellow Daoists, we’ll drink again next ti... I’m not drunk yet... I’ll have you know, back in the day, I..."
"Master, stop! Aren’t you embarrassed..." one of his female disciples chided.
Ning Daoran laughed heartily.
Beside him, Lin Guo also smiled.
"What now? Should we keep drinking?" Lin Guo asked.
"No more. Let’s find an inn, book a room, and attend to serious matters!"
"Huh?"
Lin Guo’s cheeks flushed crimson. "Is this the kind of ’booking a room’ I’m thinking of?"
"What do you think?"
Ning Daoran looked at her in surprise.
Soon after, at a nearby inn, in a top-tier suite.
An oil lamp sat atop the desk as Ning Daoran diligently penned his writings.
After years of cultivation, his once indecipherable scribbles had evolved into bold, flowing cursive, marked by finesse. If he were to return to Earth now, even the president of the Chinese Calligraphy Association might have to step aside for him—for Ning Daoran had spent five hundred years perfecting his calligraphy!
Before him, Lin Guo had dragged over a chair and rested her chin on her hands, gazing at Ning Daoran with sparkling eyes, a faint smile gracing her lips. Who knew what was on her mind?
In truth, Lin Guo was an adorable sort of woman, with an exceptional personality. Once she set her heart on soone, she would never waver. If she truly decided to care for a particular man, it would be near-impossible for her to change her mind.
Such won are rare and precious.
Regrettably, their eting was ill-tid. Ning Daoran’s heart was occupied solely by Lin Man.
Soon, with his task complete, Ning Daoran said, "Here is the cultivation thod for the Four Symbols Spear Technique’s Return to Nature phase. Please accept it, Lin Wuxian. Today’s farewell leaves our next eting uncertain. My only wish is for Lin Wuxian to excel in cultivation so that perhaps, one day, we might reunite in the Earth Immortal Realm."
"That is doubtful~~~"
Lin Guo laughed and said, "Most likely, several millennia from now, you, Fellow Daoist Ning, will ascend to the Mahayana Stage, return from the Earth Immortal Realm, and revisit old haunts—only to find that I’ve long since beco a handful of dust in the Lin Family Ancestral Land."
"Such pessimism!"
Ning Daoran raised his hand and pretended to strike her.
Lin Guo quickly shielded her head, collapsing against the desk in amusent. "Don’t hit ... I admit my mistake!"
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