Chapter 644

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Protagonist:

Xu Zhangqing

"This is... the aura of a Nascent Soul cultivator!"

"That breaks the rules, doesn't it?"

"A Nascent Soul fighting a Golden Core — how utterly shameless!"

At the Dongting Immortal Sect, the disciples were filled with public indignation.

If Lei Yuan were at the Golden Core stage, everyone would have accepted losing the duel.

But unexpectedly, he had actually already reached the Nascent Soul stage — isn't this just bullying?

Zhao Ziyue, Hu Bugui, and Pei Mo exchanged glances: "No wonder Lei Yuan was so confident, not even putting our Golden Cores in his eyes."

Zhao Chengdao realized: "Back then, Senior Brother Lei suddenly left the immortal sect for a period of time, and we were still wondering why.

Thinking about it now, he probably went elsewhere to undergo his tribulation."

Xu Zhangqing frowned: "A Nascent Soul disguising as a Golden Core — what's the meaning?

It can't be just to suppress the Dongting Immortal Sect, right?"

Suddenly, he looked up toward the Xingqiong Hall's position.

He inexplicably felt in his heart that this matter probably wasn't that simple.

Lei Yuan's action, on the surface, appeared to be because his mental defense collapsed, so he revealed his strength.

But it might well be that he was waiting for this very moment, to then tell everyone that the number one core disciple of the Longhu Immortal Sect is now a Nascent Soul cultivator.

At this moment, Lei Yuan's body turned illusory, thunder light condensing into a dharma form.

It looked like a child's form; he raised his hand and struck out a ten-zhang-thick white lightning pillar.

Boom—!

The lightning pillar, carrying the might to annihilate everything, shot straight at Jian Hanxin.

The dueling platform cracked inch by inch; the spiritual light of the defensive array was instantly torn apart.

Jian Hanxin's face turned pale; he thought he was done for.

Abruptly, a white figure flashed like lightning to block in front of him.

Someone recognized her: "It's Vice Peak Master Ling Shuang!"

Ling Shuang wore a moon-white long dress, her features cold and clear; faint azure and crystalline white spiritual light intertwined around her — precisely the mana fluctuations produced by a Water Wood Dual Spirit Root.

She raised her hand and waved; mana transformed into countless flexible vines, instantly entwining the lightning pillar.

Then another stream of mana condensed into layer upon layer of water curtains, blocking the lightning pillar's violent power.

Lei Yuan raised an eyebrow: "Nascent Soul stage!"

Ling Shuang spoke, her voice flat yet carrying an unquestionable tone: "Iron Blood Peak dueling rules prohibit cross-rank injury."

One saw her fingertips form seals; the entire Tiexue Peak moved.

The ground around the dueling platform suddenly lit up with golden patterns.

An invisible binding force rapidly spread out, even pressing down tight the thunder light around Lei Yuan's body; even that child-form Nascent Soul dharma aspect began to turn illusory.

The ten-zhang-thick lightning pillar struggled for a moment under the vines' entanglement and the water curtains' buffering, finally collapsing into arcs of lightning filling the vast sky.

Lei Yuan, under suppression, not only showed no intention of stopping, but instead was eager to try: "Vice Peak Master Ling, since cross-rank dueling is forbidden, why don't we give it a try?"

As these words came out, whether Dongting Immortal Sect or Longhu Immortal Sect disciples, all were startled.

If memory serves, this is a core disciple duel.

Originally, a Nascent Soul popping up was already outrageous enough.

Now, Lei Yuan actually wants to try his hand against Vice Peak Master Ling Shuang, who is also a Nascent Soul cultivator.

This is no longer simply being unruly and arrogant; it can be called looking down on everyone to the extreme.

Ling Shuang narrowed her eyes and coldly smiled: "Lei Yuan, you've already broken the rules, understand?"

Lei Yuan shook his head in denial: "I didn't break any rules!

Just now in my exchange with Jian Hanxin, I always suppressed myself to Golden Core Perfection strength; I never crossed ranks."

"Suppressed to Golden Core Perfection strength?"

"Clearly it's because he couldn't win that his Nascent Soul was exposed!"

"The Longhu Immortal Sect is too scheming, actually disguising their cultivation realm!"

However, this explanation not only failed to satisfy everyone, but made them even angrier.

If it weren't for the fact that they couldn't beat him, a crowd would probably have rushed the stage already.

Mo Sha's gaze was solemn, fists clenched tight, poison fire aura faintly surging around him.

The other core disciples also wore stifled expressions, itching to go up and fight.

Xu Zhangqing looked toward the Xingqiong Hall again: "Still no reaction?"

The Great Elder couldn't possibly fail to see Lei Yuan's true cultivation realm.

No statement until now — there's only one possibility: it's deliberate.

The reason, or rather the purpose, might be to stimulate the sect's disciples.

Ever since Qin Baili disappeared and Li Lingbi went to the Central Region,

the Dongting Immortal Sect has fallen into a "generation gap" phase.

Although it's not bad compared to those below, it ultimately lacks something.

What's more, all sorts of things have been happening one after another these past years.

First the Canglan Dragon Vein was slain, then came a Demon God Reincarnation.

Moreover, the Spiritual Vein and Earth Abyss have been acting up lately; trouble is bound to break out sooner or later.

So far, only two Core Disciples have been eye-catching.

One is Mo Sha.

The other is Jian Hanxin.

But neither of these two has reached the Nascent Soul Stage; they haven't even reached Golden Core Perfection.

Only Jian Hanxin, relying on the powerful effect of his Variant Divine Ability, barely erupted with power close to Nascent Soul Early Stage, but that was all.

Look at Lei Yuan—at least Nascent Soul Early Stage.

Look at Zhao Lie—already Golden Core Perfection.

In terms of overall strength, Longhu Immortal Sect is superior by a head.

In the duel between the two sects, Dongting Immortal Sect is clearly headed for defeat.

……

……

Inside Xingqiong Hall.

Zhao Tianxiong showed a tacit smile: "According to the agreement, Lei Yuan should have revealed his Nascent Soul Stage strength in this duel."

Only I didn't expect he would be forced out ahead of time."

The surrounding Elders all had calm expressions.

Great Elder Xuan Yan slowly spoke: "Lei Yuan revealing his strength early exceeded the plan, but it also achieved the goal of stimulating the Disciples."

Zhao Tianxiong looked toward the Dueling Platform and praised: "This child named Jian Hanxin truly has extraordinary talent."

At the Golden Core Realm, using a Variant Divine Ability, he forced Lei Yuan to reveal Nascent Soul strength.

Your Sect's new Core Disciple Number One—he deserves it."

Actually, according to the original plan,

they intended to let Lei Yuan reveal his strength bit by bit in the subsequent matches.

Unexpectedly, Jian Hanxin's explosive power exceeded everyone's expectations, adding a few points of "Surprise" to this agreed-upon matter.

But the effect was very good.

The smile on Zhao Tianxiong's face faded a bit: "Since it's been revealed early, then according to the previous agreement, your Sect provides all Resources for Zhao Lie's breakthrough to Nascent Soul, right?"

Originally, Longhu Immortal Sect deliberately suppressed the news of Lei Yuan's Nascent Soul.

This was so he would encounter a little less trouble later.

But Dongting's side, to stimulate the Disciples and for the future of the Immortal Sect,

spared no expense in spending large amounts of Resources, even helping Longhu Immortal Sect's Zhao Lie break through to Nascent Soul, just to use Lei Yuan's Nascent Soul strength to stimulate their own Disciples.

Doing this, first, increases the Disciples' cohesion.

Second, digs out a few Core Disciples worthy of focused cultivation.

Only a pity, there are few with potential—so far only two.

At this time, Xuan Yan spoke again: "The Nine Mountains Nine Curves Secret Realm, which opens once every thousand years, is about to open; only Nascent Soul Cultivators under two hundred years of age may participate."

Longhu Immortal Sect sends Lei Yuan and Zhao Lie; Dongting's side sends Ling Shuang.

She is one hundred and three years old, meeting the Secret Realm age limit.

As for the other person, select one from the younger generation as soon as possible."

I hope this stimulation can let more of the younger generation accelerate their Growth, and soon produce Nascent Soul Level backbone strength.

Dongting Immortal Sect really needs talent too much these days.

Those with ability—some died, some went missing, some left.

And those with potential still need time to Rise Up bit by bit!