Chapter 367

Small Struggle Peak, martial arts arena.

A Myriad Medicine Sect member guarded the entrance of the martial arts arena. He carefully checked identities and collected the entrance spirit stones before letting cultivators enter.

Because of the intense competitive environment of the Small Struggle Peak, the business of the martial arts arena here is booming all year round.

A cultivator came to the sect member, smiling, and asked if there was any vacancy in the Heaven-grade martial arts arena.

The sect member glanced at him indifferently: "Why is it you again? Last time, I already made it clear to you that the Heaven-grade martial arts arena is already booked until the end of next month."

The cultivator nodded and lowered his voice: "I know, but I also heard that this can actually be jumped in line. As long as..."

"Don't!" The sect member immediately interrupted him, "The situation you mentioned does exist. But that was the previous person's business. Since I took over here, there has never been a case of latecomers taking precedence."

"You want to bribe me?"

The sect member shook his head, his attitude firm: "This path won't work!"

"Eh?"

As he was speaking, the sect member's expression suddenly changed.

He trotted up and bowed deeply: "Senior Sister Lin, what wind blew you here?"

The sect member had some doubts in his heart.

You must know that for a figure like Lin Shanshan, even if she uses a martial arts arena, she would only do so on the Original Mountain.

That is the base camp of the Myriad Medicine Sect, and facilities like the martial arts arena are much higher-end than here. Important figures like Lin Shanshan basically rarely come here.

Lin Shanshan was slightly flustered and did not explain, but forced herself to be calm and said: "Give me a martial arts arena; I want to use it. Is there any vacancy?"

"Of course there is!" The sect member immediately patted his chest, "You came at the right time; a Heaven-grade martial arts arena is just empty."

Lin Shanshan did not doubt him and nodded.

"Who is this young man? He actually wants to practice martial arts with Senior Sister Lin?" The sect member glanced at Ning Zhuo, unable to figure out the latter's background.

Ning Zhuo noticed his gaze and nodded slightly at him, and the sect member immediately smiled and responded.

"Senior Sister Lin, please this way." The sect member led the way.

Passing by the previous cultivator, the cultivator immediately took a step back, cleared the way, and cast an envious look, watching Ning Zhuo and the other two enter the martial arts arena.

"After this incident, the news that I have a connection with Lin Shanshan will definitely spread."

Ning Zhuo was happy to see this happen.

In fact, he asked Lin Shanshan for help to come to the martial arts arena, also for this purpose.

After all, he was a newcomer and unfamiliar with the place, so he naturally had to find a dock to lean on. Undoubtedly, Lin Shanshan was a very good option.

The development of things was just as Ning Zhuo expected.

Wherever the three of them went, the sect members along the way would salute Lin Shanshan and cast curious glances at Ning Zhuo.

There were also many foreign cultivators who saw this scene.

"This is the first time I've seen Lin Shanshan bring others to use the martial arts arena here."

"Who is the young cultivator with her? Why haven't I seen him?"

"Looking at his demeanor, it's not simple. He should be a high-level disciple of some large sect, with a status similar to Senior Sister Lin, right?"

These discussions drifted into Lin Shanshan's ears, making her ears hot.

So, when they entered the Heaven-grade martial arts arena, Lin Shanshan said to the sect member: "Okay, you can go down; I will control it here."

The sect member was slightly surprised again. Lin Shanshan urging him like this gave him the feeling that she was chasing people away, as if she couldn't wait to be alone with the young cultivator beside her.

The sect member was older than Lin Shanshan, and he had never seen Lin Shanshan treat a strange male cultivator like this.

"Could it be..." The sect member thought of a possibility and immediately shook his head subconsciously, throwing this terrible guess to the back of his mind.

Lin Shanshan is the apple of the Myriad Medicine Sect Master's eye and has always been loved by the entire Myriad Medicine Sect. There are many cultivators who secretly admire her. The sect member did not have such secret admiration, but rather like an elder who is more optimistic about his younger generation.

Lin Shanshan activated the martial arts arena's formation, instantly isolating the inside from the outside.

She secretly breathed a sigh of relief, and her tense mood gradually relaxed a little.

"Strange, I often enter the martial arts arena with Senior Brother to spar. Why is the feeling this time so nervous, even a bit flustered?"

Ning Zhuo didn't speak; he looked around the martial arts arena, leaving time for Lin Shanshan to adjust her emotions.

Lin Shanshan tried hard to calm her mood and said to Ning Zhuo: "Young Master Ning Zhuo, what combat methods do you have? You might as well practice them once so that I can understand your actual situation. It's like diagnosing a disease; only then can we prescribe the right medicine."

Ning Zhuo nodded and immediately performed five-element spells.

In his current combat power composition, the most important part is mechanical creations.

Buddha Physician Meng Yaoyin, Great Snake Sickle, Heavy-Armored Blood Ape·Great Victory, Floating Ice White Jade Hand, Weather Ball·Ice Crystal Snow—these are all very excellent mechanical creations, excellent enough to give Ning Zhuo the power to fight against a Golden Core.

Relying on these, Ning Zhuo's combat power far exceeded his Foundation Establishment cultivation base and reached the level of a Golden Core.

But at this moment, he would naturally not use the mechanisms to tell Lin Shanshan the truth.

On one hand, he knew his own shortcomings well and took this opportunity to use the Small Struggle Peak to train himself. If he used mechanisms to crush a group of Foundation Establishment cultivators, the training effect on himself would be minimal.

On the other hand, he also needed a reason to continue to be with Lin Shanshan. Overly powerful strength would trigger Lin Shanshan's attention and vigilance.

Only by showing relative "weakness" would it be more beneficial to his entire plan.

Ning Zhuo performed many spells in turn, basically all of the five-element category.

Lin Shanshan watched, her beautiful eyes shining, and praised sincerely: "I didn't expect Young Master Ning Zhuo to have such deep attainments in spells! This has already exceeded me. Relying solely on your own strength to fight Han Zhou, you have a good chance of winning."

Ning Zhuo performed five-element spells, each one very skillfully.

What made Lin Shanshan feel most surprised was that in Ning Zhuo's hands, the transformation of five-element magic power was very natural, and the connection was extremely smooth.

"Are you really only sixteen years old?" Lin Shanshan couldn't help asking.

Ning Zhuo smiled slightly and gave an affirmative answer.

Lin Shanshan sighed: "It's not that I don't believe you, it's just that such spell attainments at sixteen are extremely rare."

"At least among those I've heard of, there are only two or three."

"I didn't expect to see one with my own eyes today!"

Ning Zhuo showed a little strength, which immediately made Lin Shanshan more curious about him.

Lin Shanshan pursued: "Are you a battle cultivator?"

"From childhood to adulthood, besides accumulating magic power, how much time do you spend practicing these spells every day?"

Ning Zhuo deliberated: "I didn't put much energy into practicing these spells. Compared to these spells, I am more interested in mechanical arts."

"Besides casting spells myself, I can also use mechanical hands to assist me in combat."

"Miss Lin, look."

Saying that, Ning Zhuo took out six mechanical arms from his storage belt.

These arms floated in mid-air, surrounding Ning Zhuo.

Ning Zhuo controlled these mechanical hands, making them perform spells of gold, wood, water, fire, and earth.

For a time, the spells were magnificent, five colors competing for brilliance, with deadly danger in the splendor.

Lin Shanshan couldn't help but take a step back, secretly shocked by the violent offensive Ning Zhuo displayed.

Ning Zhuo made a slight move and then stopped, putting away these mechanical arms.

He took the initiative to say: "Miss Lin, I am better at long-range attacks with spells. What I worry about most is being approached by Han Zhou. Once I fall into such a predicament, I will be too passive, and the chance of losing is far greater than winning."

Lin Shanshan said: "Then let's spar a bit."

Ning Zhuo then competed with Lin Shanshan in close-combat skills.

This time, he didn't hide his clumsiness, but exerted his martial arts with all his might, only to be suppressed by Lin Shanshan throughout the process.

"Okay." Lin Shanshan took the initiative to take a step back, opening the distance between herself and Ning Zhuo.

Ning Zhuo was panting, his face a little pale.

Lin Shanshan smiled: "Do you know weapons?"

Ning Zhuo shook his head: "I don't know anything."

Lin Shanshan nodded: "Compared to spells, Young Master Ning Zhuo, you are indeed a bit worse in martial arts close combat."

Ning Zhuo smiled bitterly: "Miss Lin is too polite. I know well that I am seriously deficient in this aspect. If you criticize me more, I can improve faster."

Lin Shanshan is five years older than Ning Zhuo. What she received from childhood to adulthood was Lin Bufan's strictest training. After all, the latter's only blood descendant was Lin Shanshan.

Lin Shanshan was fully cultivated by Lin Bufan. Although she was not as good as Ning Zhuo in spell casting, they were about the same. But in martial arts close combat, she exceeded Ning Zhuo by a huge margin.

Compared to her, Ning Zhuo was mainly self-taught. Even in the academy, he received popular education, unlike Lin Shanshan, who had been extra cared for, looked after, and taught by a Nascent Soul-level existence since birth.

Therefore, although many of Ning Zhuo's basic skills were solid, they were also ordinary, especially compared to sect pride like Lin Shanshan.

Of course, if Ning Zhuo released a few major mechanisms, ten Lin Shanshans wouldn't be enough for him to fight.

"Please teach me martial arts, Miss Lin!" Ning Zhuo didn't stand on ceremony at all and directly made the request.

He had long noticed his deficiency in this aspect.

But there was no way. In the past sixteen years, he hadn't wasted his time, but practiced hard every day. It's just that the field he invested in was mechanical arts, not close-combat martial arts.

When competing for the Lava Immortal Palace, Ning Zhuo was touched by the kung fu puppet and thought about making up for this shortcoming. But he never had the time.

"This..." Lin Shanshan hesitated.

Even though the Buddha Heart Demon Seal was continuously affecting her, she also felt that this request was too presumptuous.

Men and women should not touch when handing over things.

To teach martial arts and really achieve results, many movements require hand-to-hand, or even body-to-body contact. Physical contact is unavoidable.

So, after Lin Shanshan grew up, Senior Brother Linghu Jiu and Sect Master Lin Bufan no longer taught her, but specifically hired a female master to act as Lin Shanshan's martial arts instructor.