Chapter 249: So It Was You

What made it even more incomprehensible to Song Meiyu and the others was why Song Yi had attacked Zhang Nuo the moment they met! And there had been no warning signs beforehand!

Facing Song Yi's attack, Zhang Nuo remained expressionless, his figure unmoving! As calm as if Mount Tai were collapsing before him, a burst of spirit light radiated from his body. It enveloped the incoming cyan light orb, and then the two emitted a muffled sound, turning into fragments of spirit light that vanished in the hall.

"Haha! It seems the rumors are indeed true! Fellow Daoist Zhang, why the need to hide your strength?"

Song Yi laughed heartily; in his laughter, one could not hear a shred of hostility, but rather extreme admiration! Zhang Nuo also smiled lightly. There had not been the slightest killing intent in the attack Song Yi had just launched, so he had easily neutralized it without needing to use any other Magic Treasure.

At this very moment, apart from Zhang Nuo and Song Yi, no one else in the hall knew what had happened; they only knew that Song Yi's sudden attack had been seemingly effortlessly neutralized by Zhang Nuo.

Suddenly, Song Meiyu's delicate brows furrowed slightly, because she had heard an unusual form of address from her father! "Fellow Daoist Zhang!" This was how people of the same cultivation level addressed one another.

"Could it be... could it be that Zhang Nuo has advanced to the Golden Core Initial Stage!"

She stared blankly at Zhang Nuo, as if looking at a monster, her eyes filled with disbelief. Hearing Song Meiyu's words, Gao Dakuan and Song Er Xiaojie also looked up in astonishment.

Zhang Nuo made no reaction, only nodding slightly, and then the Nine Dragon Sword Case within his body released the Spirit Power fluctuations on his person.

Instantly, within the hall, besides Song Yi's Golden Core Stage Spiritual Pressure, another equally majestic Spiritual Pressure appeared, emanating precisely from Zhang Nuo's body.

A profound silence! Several people widened their eyes, their mouths hanging open for a long time without closing! Especially Gao Dakuan, who even walked up to Zhang Nuo, carefully sensing the Spiritual Pressure radiating from him, and after confirming it, was so happy he almost jumped up!

"Little Junior Brother! You really have advanced to the Golden Core Initial Stage!"

"En! Just a short while ago!"

The more indifferent Zhang Nuo appeared, the more these people found it hard to believe. That little cultivator who only had Foundation Establishment Early Stage cultivation back then had now leaped to become a Golden Core Initial Stage existence!

"So that means the things spread about the Tianjiang Plain and the Five Great Demon Mountains are all true? Those were all done by you?"

Song Yi said with a hint of approval on his aged face.

"En!"

With a soft 'en', Zhang Nuo did not deny it! The matter of the Four Great Sects on the Tianjiang Plain going to war with the Five Great Demon Mountains had almost spread everywhere, and the Southern Dynasty Song Clan naturally received some news, especially hearing that a cultivator named Zhang Nuo had first beheaded Zuo Mutang of Guyan City, then destroyed Wushuang Sacred Demon Mountain, wiped out Du Yuntang who had gone to provide support, and later wiped out Gui Xiao at the Trial Ground teleportation array!

Everything about Zhang Nuo was like a legend, enough to make people's ears grow calluses from hearing it! At the very beginning, the people of the Song Family had also wondered if it was Zhang Nuo, but because his cultivation was too low when he left the Song Family, he could not have leaped to become a Golden Core Initial Stage cultivator, so as time passed, they assumed it was just someone with the same name.

But today, Zhang Nuo visited in person, and the moment Song Yi saw him, he discovered his cultivation was still at the Foundation Establishment Stage, so he had the idea to test him, which led to the attack. He had not expected that one test would reveal the truth; Zhang Nuo had actually used some secret technique to hide his cultivation!

"I didn't expect you to be so formidable! Advancing to the Golden Core Initial Stage in just a few short years!"

Song Ziyu seemed to be marveling, yet also seemed jealous. Back then, they had tried every possible way to keep Zhang Nuo in the Song Family, but in the end, they couldn't. Thinking of the past, this Song Er Xiaojie felt it was a great pity.

"Everything is just a matter of some fortuitous encounters!"

Looking at the astonished expressions of the people in the hall, Zhang Nuo said indifferently.

"Besides needing fortuitous encounters, one also needs a unique constitution; your Double Spirit Sea's uniqueness is incomparable!"

As soon as Song Yi said this, Zhang Nuo's expression changed slightly, because he had never told the Song family that he was a Double Spirit Sea, so how did the other party know? Suddenly turning his head, he cast his gaze toward Gao Dakuan. Only a few people knew he was a Double Spirit Sea, and Gao Dakuan was one of them. Could it be that he had told the Song family?

At this time, Gao Dakuan also had a look of bewilderment; although he was married to Song Meiyu, he had never mentioned the things about Zhang Nuo!

Seeing that Gao Dakuan was also confused, Zhang Nuo knew that this Senior Brother, although naturally honest, would absolutely never betray him.

"Fellow Daoist Zhang, no need to look; the child Da Kuan has never told me about your affairs. As early as several years ago, I knew you were a Double Spirit Sea. This is because our Song Family has a secret technique that can see through a cultivator's constitution!"

Hearing this, Zhang Nuo suddenly understood; so that was it. However, whether the other party knew or not was no longer that important now; with his status in the Nanxuan Sect, no one would try to win him over anymore.

The few people sat together, chatting about the things that had happened over these years. At this time, Song Yi said with a serious face:

"I presume Fellow Daoist Zhang already knows about the matters concerning the Immortal Illusion Continent. I wonder what plans the Nanxuan Sect has?"

"This, Zhang truly does not know. I have always refrained from asking about the sect's affairs, but since the Immortal Illusion Continent has appeared, I must go there regardless. The purpose of coming to the Song Family this time is mainly to see my Senior Brother; the future is uncertain, and I don't know if I can return alive after going!"

Speaking to this point, a hint of sorrow appeared in Zhang Nuo's eyes, and his gaze toward Gao Dakuan became even more reluctant to part.

"This old man has the same intention. I have been trapped at the Golden Core Initial Stage for many years; if I cannot achieve a breakthrough, I can only fall! Furthermore, several elders of the Song Family also have this intention. I wonder if we could travel with the cultivators of the Nanxuan Sect?"

After much talk, Song Yi finally got to the point. The Nanxuan Sect had a figure like Nanxuan Laozu sitting in command; as the saying goes, it is easy to enjoy the shade under a big tree. Under the protection of a Nascent Soul Stage cultivator, even if the Song Family encountered some small dangers, they would be resolved. Zhang Nuo's status in the Nanxuan Sect was not low; he believed that as long as he spoke up, no one would refuse him.

His thoughts turned slightly, and Zhang Nuo sneered inwardly. It seemed this Song Yi was truly cunning and treacherous; he had seen through the relationship between him and Gao Dakuan and was certain he would have to handle this matter.

"Clan Master Song! I can speak to the Nanxuan Sect about it, but I cannot guarantee whether Nanxuan Laozu will agree!"

Not making his words too absolute, Zhang Nuo only gave a simple verbal promise. Even so, Song Yi was still very happy.

"Hehe, with these words from Fellow Daoist Zhang, this old man is satisfied!"

"Father-in-law, I wonder how many seniors from the Song Family are going to the Immortal Illusion Continent? May this son-in-law accompany you?"

Gao Dakuan really did not want to be separated from Zhang Nuo again. Upon hearing that Zhang Nuo was going to the Immortal Illusion Continent, he immediately wanted to follow.

"Da Kuan! It is not that I don't want you to go, but this Immortal Illusion Continent has been sealed for tens of millions of years. Now that it has appeared again, no one can say for sure what is inside. Even for cultivators like us at the Golden Core Initial Stage, whether we can return safely is still an unknown!"

Sighing lightly, Song Yi said earnestly. His son-in-law was good in every way, just a bit too honest. That Song Meiyu could take a fancy to him was something even Song Yi found surprising! But since his daughter was willing, he, the head of the family, could not say anything more.

"That's right, Senior Brother, Clan Master Song is right! It is very dangerous to go there!"

Zhang Nuo knew Gao Dakuan's character best, so he hurriedly helped Song Yi persuade him.

In the end, having no other choice, Gao Dakuan had to give up on this idea, but deep down, he could never let go of Zhang Nuo. After escaping from the Divine Sword Sect, he only had this one relative left.

Happy times always pass quickly. In the blink of an eye, Zhang Nuo had stayed at the Song Family for a full three days. During these three days, he and Gao Dakuan were inseparable, talking about many things, from memories of the past to the future trip to the Immortal Illusion Continent.

On this day, Zhang Nuo finally proposed his departure. After Song Meiyu and the others tried to persuade him to stay for a long time, seeing that Zhang Nuo was determined to leave, they could only agree in the end.

To avoid making it like a life-and-death parting, Zhang Nuo was very straightforward. As his escape light rose, he vanished from the sight of the Song family members in the blink of an eye.

Not long after Zhang Nuo left, in Song Yi's room, Song Meiyu said to Song Yi:

"Will Zhang Nuo really help us with this favor?"

"I think there's an eight or nine in ten chance! With his status in the Nanxuan Sect, a word from him will carry more weight than Zhuge An's!"

Song Yi was very certain. Based on the various rumors heard from the outside world, although Zhang Nuo's current cultivation was still at the Golden Core Initial Stage, his strength could completely rival that of a Golden Core Middle Stage cultivator.

"Father, how many people does the Song Family plan to send this time?"

Seeing her father so confident, Song Meiyu was no longer worried about that point. After a moment of thought, she considered another problem: the number of Song Family cultivators who had reached the Golden Core Initial Stage could be counted on one's fingers. If they were all taken away by Song Yi, the entire Song Family's strength in the Nanchao Kingdom would be affected.

"I will go alone! After all, the Nanchao Kingdom is our Song Family's main foundation; we cannot prioritize such an illusory thing as the Immortal Illusion Continent!"

"Then why did you tell Zhang Nuo a few days ago that you were going to take several Song Family cultivators?"

"If I didn't say that, would the Nanxuan Sect be tempted? Only by putting forward powerful bargaining chips would Zhuge An consider taking us along!"

With a somewhat sinister smile, Song Yi looked at his daughter's face and spilled the truth.

"That is for the best! If Father can go with the Nanxuan Sect, I will be at ease!"

The father and daughter chatted until late into the night, meticulously planning many things!

…………

After several days of flight, Zhang Nuo finally returned to the Nanxuan Sect. As soon as he entered his home, he saw Zhuge Qing sitting in the courtyard with a face full of anger, while Bai Xiu and Xun Zhen were talking to her incessantly.

Seeing Zhang Nuo appear, Zhuge Qing stood up abruptly, walked up to him in a rage, and said:

"What exactly do you mean by this?"

Taken aback by this sudden question, Zhang Nuo was also a bit confused. What could have happened to make this Young Sect Master of the Nanxuan Sect so incredibly furious?