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The Taiyi Sect's once-a-decade grand sect gathering has arrived as scheduled.

Thirty-six white jade arenas floated above Taiyi Square, shimmering with a lustrous sheen in the morning light.

Disciples from all peaks surged toward the spectator stands like a tidal wave, their voices rising and falling in a cacophony of discussion.

Such a sight is rare in Tiannan and the Chaotic Star Sea, which shows that the Great Jin cultivation world is the true holy land of cultivation in the human world.

"I heard that Bai Ziyue of Jian Ge has already mastered the Formless Sword Body..."

"Senior Sister Zhou from Dan Ding Peak has refined the Seven Absolute Heaven-Burning Flame..."

"Senior Brother Xiao from the War Hall just survived a triple tribulation of lightning last month..."

Amidst the clamor of voices, a figure in blue stood like a lone crane on the arena designated as Class C.

Su Ning held a simple, gray-white spear with faint star patterns visible on its shaft.

The green robe fluttered in the morning breeze, giving off an air of quiet authority.

"Su Ning of Qingming Peak, please enlighten me."

His first opponent was a disciple from Dan Ding Peak who was in the mid-stage of Core Formation.

The opponent had just summoned his natal alchemy furnace, its mouth spewing out crimson flames.

On the viewing platform, the Nascent Soul elder hurriedly opened the record jade slip, the tip of his pen hovering above the name "Su Ning"...

This mysterious disciple, who suddenly appeared on Qingming Peak three years ago, remains unknown to this day.

"start!"

As soon as the referee finished speaking, Suning lightly tapped the tip of his gun.

A sliver of pale blue starlight burst forth at the tip of the spear, instantly transforming into a raging magnetic vortex.

The alchemy furnace emitted a piercing metallic creaking sound as it was forcibly pulled away from its master's control.

The disciple's expression changed drastically. He hurriedly made a hand seal to try and recall the magic weapon, but then he saw a gray-white spear light streak across the sky like a shooting star.

The spear tip stopped steadily three inches in front of the opponent's throat, and the chilling aura made the opponent's Adam's apple bob.

The entire exchange took no more than three breaths.

"Thank you for your kind offer." Su Ning put away his gun and stood up, as if he had only done a trivial matter.

An uproar erupted in the stands.

With trembling pen, Liu Qing wrote: "First battle, victory in three breaths!"

She looked up at the arena, where the figure in the green robe had already closed his eyes to meditate, seemingly oblivious to the gasps of astonishment around him.

At that moment, Liu Qing suddenly realized that she had latched onto a powerful figure, and a very powerful one at that.

In the ensuing battle, Suning displayed breathtaking fighting power.

At noon the next day, he faced an elite disciple from the Weapon Refining Pavilion lineage.

With a wave of his hand, the opponent unleashed thirty-six golden talismans, which transformed into phantom images of various magical treasures such as swords, spears, and halberds in the air, pouring down like a torrential rain.

"It's actually the Golden Light Myriad Treasures Technique!" a knowledgeable disciple exclaimed.

Su Ning neither dodged nor evaded, the God-Slaying Spear drawing a mysterious trajectory in front of him.

Where the spear tip passed, space itself was subtly distorted.

The phantom images of those magical artifacts immediately felt as if they were trapped in quagmire upon touching the distorted space.

With a flick of his wrist, the gun trembled and burst forth with dazzling starlight, causing all the talismans to spontaneously combust and turn into a shower of golden dust.

The disciples of the Weapon Refining Pavilion, however, were unwilling to accept defeat and unleashed a variety of magical treasures.

At this moment, Su Ning frowned. Suddenly, Su Ning's figure disappeared, and when he reappeared, he had already punched his opponent away.

"Wow..." Su Ning suddenly transformed into "One-Punch Man," immediately causing an uproar in the room.

However, Suning remained calm and composed, as if it were a trivial matter.

In the third battle against the disciples of the formation cultivator, the opponent had already set up a nine-layered linked killing formation.

As soon as Su Ning stepped onto the arena, the surrounding scenery changed abruptly, with countless sword energies bursting forth from the void.

He snorted coldly, and the Great Wilderness Seal soared into the air, while the seven star pillars crashed down.

The array space shattered like glass, revealing the opponent's horrified face.

Su Ning, however, showed no mercy and once again decisively knocked her opponent away, making the outcome of the battle a foregone conclusion.

But when the seventh opponent was swept off the stage by the gunfire, the murmurs in the stands could no longer be contained.

"Is this really the Core Formation stage?"

"That's right! He's definitely a pseudo-Nascent Soul cultivator."

"Did he use the lost 'Star Origin Scripture' to break the formation?"

On the high platform, the Xuan Emperor and several palace masters exchanged meaningful glances.

Burning Heaven Master unconsciously tapped the armrest with his fingertips, his gaze constantly glancing towards the direction of the Battle Hall.

The usually dignified War Palace Master now had a barely perceptible glint of greed in his eyes.

Everyone present realized that Su Ning was no ordinary person and had decided to get to know this "genius" better.

……

On the third day at dawn, the rising sun had just passed over the summit of Taiyi Peak.

When the figure in white, as white as snow, landed on the arena, the entire square fell silent.

The genius of Sword Pavilion, Bai Ziyue, stood with his hands behind his back, and the air within three zhang around him was slightly distorted—that was the natural manifestation of invisible sword energy being released.

"Bai Ziyue of Jian Ge, please give me your guidance, Junior Brother Su."

Just as Su Ning returned the greeting with a bow, he suddenly felt a sharp pain between his eyebrows.

An unseen sword aura had locked onto his soul!
Without hesitation, he slapped his waist, and an illusory mask instantly covered his face and entire body.

Nine clones with identical auras dispersed simultaneously, each wielding a God-Slaying Spear that shimmered with genuine starlight.

"Hmph! A mere trick." Bai Ziyue pointed his fingers into a sword shape, and thousands of transparent sword threads suddenly appeared in the air.

These sword threads were as thin as hair, yet incredibly sharp, and the six clones immediately disintegrated.

The remaining three Su Nings simultaneously thrust out their God-Slaying Spears, the starlight at the spear tips surging.

"Ding--"

A crisp clanging sound echoed across the square.

Bai Ziyue stepped back for the first time, looking in surprise at the tear in his right sleeve, where there was a neat three-inch-long cut.

"You can actually see through the Formless Sword?" The genius of the Sword Pavilion finally revealed a solemn expression.

Su Ning revealed his true form, the seven points of light on the tip of his spear flickering uncertainly: "Senior Brother Bai, although your sword energy is formless, the spiritual energy it stirs up is traceable."

Suddenly, he changed tactics, and the Great Wilderness Seal flew into the air, imprinting a star map that lit up one by one.

"Desolate Star Territory!"

Seven dazzling star pillars descended from the sky, and Bai Ziyue's body was instantly trapped in the mud, as if Su Ning had cast a spell to freeze him.

However, just as the God-Slaying Spear was about to pierce him, this sword-cultivation genius suddenly transformed into a streak of light and broke free from his restraints.

It turned out that he bit his tongue and spat a mouthful of blood onto his sword finger.

"The Sword of No Self!"

It seemed as if only this one sword remained in the world.

A burst of blood erupted from Su Ning's right shoulder, but instead of retreating, he advanced, his spear thrusting like a dragon straight at the opponent's dantian.

At the critical moment, a jade talisman on Bai Ziyue's chest shattered automatically, transforming into a light shield that blocked the fatal blow.

Using the force of the recoil, he floated back dozens of feet, his face as pale as paper.

"I lost." Bai Ziyue wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, but his eyes were filled with admiration. "What a brilliant move to trade injury for life."

The stands erupted in cheers.

The Sword Pavilion elder suddenly stood up: "He actually managed to force out Ziyue's life-saving sword talisman!"

Xuan Tianzi narrowed his eyes, and a crack silently appeared in the teacup in his hand.

Suddenly realizing that his stunning rival hadn't perished, but had instead returned to the Taiyi Sect in another form, Xuan Tianzi was undoubtedly filled with complex emotions. He wanted to completely eliminate the Jin Kui lineage, yet he also wanted to recruit a genius like Su Ning to his own cause.

It is important to know that a person's thoughts change as their status changes, and now that Xuan Tianzi is the head of the Taiyi Sect, he has even greater ambitions.

……

Before the morning mist of the semi-finals had even dissipated, Zhou Zhiruo of Danding Peak was already standing on the stage.

She was dressed in fiery red, and her fingertips danced with iridescent light.

When the referee announced the start, she immediately unleashed her natal flame—the Seven Deadly Flames.

The entire arena instantly turned into a sea of ​​fire, with seven-colored flames coiling around Su Ning as if they were alive.

The most terrifying thing is that this flame can burn spiritual energy; the Yuan Magnetic Divine Light twists and dissipates as soon as it touches the flame.

"Junior Brother Su, admit defeat." Zhou Zhiruo's voice came from all directions of the sea of ​​fire. "My natal fire is specifically designed to counter metal-type magic weapons."

Suning's clothes are already on fire.

He suddenly put away his gun and formed a hand seal. The Great Wilderness Seal floated above his head, imprinted with a star map that shone with unprecedented brightness.

When the seventh star was lit, a bizarre scene unfolded...

The sea of ​​fire suddenly reversed direction, as if an invisible hand was pulling the flames into the sky!

"What kind of technique is this?!" Zhou Zhiruo exclaimed in surprise, and hurriedly recalled her inner fire for defense.

In that instant, ripples appeared on the crystal mask on Su Ning's face, and he passed through the wall of fire like a phantom.

"Thousand Illusions of the Forest!"

Nine Su Nings simultaneously thrust out their God-Slaying Spears, each clone's movements slightly different, making it difficult to distinguish the real from the fake.

In her haste, Zhou Zhiruo scattered a handful of pills, which exploded into poisonous mist in the air. All nine attacks turned out to be solid objects.

Although the six clones collapsed, the remaining three still maintained their momentum and were powerless to resist.

When she finally saw through his true identity, the cold tip of the spear was already pressed against her back.

A bead of sweat slid down her smooth neck.

"Thank you for your kind offer." Su Ning withdrew his gun and saluted, but he did not notice the strange look that flashed in Zhou Zhiruo's eyes.

The genius from Dan Ding Peak secretly crushed a communication jade talisman in his sleeve, and the Burning Heaven Master on the high platform nodded almost imperceptibly.

……

On the morning of the final day, the entire arena was under the spotlight, and then a deafening thunderclap came from the direction of the battle hall.

Xiao Jinghong, a prodigy, arrived riding on thunderclouds, each step accompanied by lightning and thunder.

He was dressed in purple-gold armor and held the Nine Heavens Thunder Tribulation Sword, the sword crackling with purple lightning.

He gave the impression that he was the protagonist of destiny, and everyone else in front of him was just fleeting clouds and ants.

"Su Ning, you've certainly earned this much, something to be proud of." He looked down at Su Ning, his voice booming like thunder, "But that's where it ends."

Su Ning remained silent, holding the God-Slaying Spear horizontally in front of his chest, the seven points of light at the spear tip forming the shape of the Big Dipper.

The moment the elder referee announced the start, the two vanished from their original positions.

"boom!"

The shockwave from the clash of guns and swords shattered the arena's protective shield.

The disciples in the front row of the spectator stands were overturned by the shockwave, and the elders hurriedly joined forces to set up a new barrier.

Xiao Jinghong's Nine Heavens Thunder Tribulation Sword triggered celestial phenomena, with nine bolts of lightning as thick as buckets cleaving down from the dark clouds; Su Ning, on the other hand, unleashed the Desolate Heaven Star Domain with all his might, and seven star pillars clashed fiercely with the lightning, the resulting spiritual pressure causing all the clouds within a ten-mile radius to dissipate.

"Nine Thunders Return to One!" Xiao Jinghong suddenly merged with his sword, transforming into a bolt of lightning that stretched across the heavens and earth.

Wherever the lightning passed, space itself was subtly distorted.

Suning's pupils contracted sharply, and the starlight at the tip of the gun exploded with unprecedented brightness.

"Starfall!"

A blinding light burst forth at the point where the spear and sword clashed, and a spatial rift flashed by.

When the light faded, Su Ning's left arm was charred black, while Xiao Jinghong's breastplate was shattered into dust, revealing a shallow bloodstain inside.

"Very good! You have every reason to be proud that you forced me to use this move." Xiao Jinghong suddenly made a strange sword gesture, and his face instantly turned blood red.

The sky was stained with an eerie blood-red color by the dark clouds, and a chilling pressure enveloped the entire area.

On the platform, Xuan Tianzi suddenly stood up and feigned an attempt to stop them: "Stop! This is a forbidden technique!"

But it was too late; a bolt of blood-red lightning had already struck Su Ning's crown chakra.

This bolt of lightning actually contained a trace of Nascent Soul power, far beyond what a Core Formation cultivator could withstand.

At the critical moment, seven beams of starlight suddenly shot out from Su Ning's body, forming the Big Dipper formation in the air.

Then Suning's figure disappeared again...

The blood lightning was refracted in all directions, and one of the aftershocks even shaved off the top of a distant mountain!
Su Ning's God-Slaying Spear had already pierced three inches in front of Xiao Jinghong's throat, the tip of the spear flickering with starlight.

“You…” Xiao Jinghong stared in disbelief at the gun tip pressed against his throat, his eyes filled with resentment.

He clearly felt that the power contained in this shot was enough to shatter his golden core.

"Senior Brother Xiao, I won." Su Ning put away his gun and turned around, leaving the entire audience in death silence.

Xiao Jinghong suddenly sprang to his feet, pointing his sword at Su Ning and charging forward: "Don't even think about it!"

"You're asking for death!" Su Ning didn't even turn his head, and waved his left hand behind him.

A bolt of lightning, dark purple, descended from the sky and struck Xiao Jinghong's sword precisely.

This thunder contained destructive power, and the Nine Heavens Thunder Tribulation Sword was actually cleaved in a crack!
Everyone present felt a chill run down their spines—this was clearly a purer form of lightning magic than the Lightning Tribulation Sword!
The Heavenly Venerable suddenly crushed the armrest, his eyes filled with horror: "Purple Heaven Divine Thunder?!"

However, Su Ning naturally couldn't be bothered with this Burning Heaven Immortal...

Just then, the Supreme Ancestor, Old Ghost Bai, sitting in the high position, suddenly waved his hand lightly, and the purple lightning and world-destroying divine power that filled the sky dissipated.

Old Ghost Bai glanced meaningfully at Su Ning and then instructed, "Su Ning, you're very good! Come to my cave after the competition."

"I will obey the decree of my ancestor."

"Respectfully bidding farewell to the Ancestor." Xuan Tianzi and the others immediately bowed in the direction where Old Ghost Bai had disappeared.

At this moment, all the high-ranking members of the Taiyi Sect present looked at each other in bewilderment, except for Master Fentian, who stared at Su Ning with a livid face.

Everyone now knows that Su Ning has come into the sights of the Nascent Soul Ancestor.

……

At the awards ceremony, the Xuan Emperor personally handed over the jade bottle containing the Taiyi Divine Water, the Condensing Infant Pill, and the Taiyi Spiritual Marrow to Su Ning.

The moment their palms touched, a divine sense transmission entered Su Ning's mind: "Did your master say anything to you?"

Su Ning remained expressionless and bowed respectfully: "This disciple does not understand the sect leader's meaning."

But his heart beat slightly faster—three years ago, on that rainy night, when his dying master Jin Kui was about to pass away, he did say, "Be careful of the sect leader, Xuan Tianzi."

That night, an unexpected visitor arrived at Qingming Peak.

Zhou Zhiruo shed her daytime assertiveness and changed her red dress into a plain white long skirt.

"Su Ning greets Senior Sister Zhou." At this moment, Su Ning was not as domineering as she was on the arena.

She said softly, "Junior Brother Su, do you know that the blood lightning used by Xiao Jinghong contained a trace of Nascent Soul power? If it weren't for your defensive magic treasure automatically protecting you..."

"What do you mean by that, Senior Sister?" Su Ning gripped the God-Slaying Spear tightly.

"Someone doesn't want you to win." She left a jade slip and quietly departed.

The jade slip records the major factions and forces of the Taiyi Sect, as well as their respective pursuits and main objectives.

Meanwhile, inside the secret chamber of the Yinluo Sect, Zhang Tie looked at the starry sky transmission talisman that suddenly lit up in his hand and revealed a sinister smile.

The message that appeared on the communication talisman was that Su Ning had won the sect competition.

"Senior brother certainly didn't disappoint me..."

Outside the window, a blood-red shooting star streaked across the night sky.

Beneath the calm surface of the cultivation world in the Great Jin Dynasty, undercurrents are already surging.

...(End of chapter)