Xu Chuan let out a long howl.
Moyue was blasted out of the deep pool by this resounding howl.
He was originally quite displeased at having his sleep disturbed. Just as he was about to hurl a string of curses at Xu Chuan, he sensed a distinct change in the man's aura.
"How has your aura grown so much stronger? It's enough to make even me feel a bit of pressure," Moyue remarked.
Xu Chuan replied calmly, "Once I completely fill my expanded dantian with mana, I suppose I could be considered more than half a Golden Core Perfection stage immortal cultivator."
"More than half? Since when do we measure realms like that?"
"The High-Grade Withered Glory Pill has elevated my mana's quality to rival that of a Golden Core Perfection cultivator, and its sheer volume is also approaching the Golden Core Perfection stage."
"Isn't that reaching the heavens in a single bound?!"
Moyue's eyes immediately flared with intense light. He swam through the air, circling Xu Chuan and inspecting him thoroughly.
"No!"
"Damn you, Xu Chuan! I haven't even said what it is yet. You're giving me no face at all."
"The Withered Glory Pill can only be consumed by human immortal cultivators, just like how certain pills are only effective for demonic beasts or those possessing a demonic beast bloodline," Xu Chuan explained.
"Fine, fine. I didn't actually care for that thing anyway. Such a tiny pill wouldn't even be enough to fill the gaps in my teeth!"
Moyue then added, "Right, how is the Origin Magnetism Shield coming along?"
"It was slightly delayed because I've been practicing my divine abilities, techniques, and secret arts. However, it will take at most one year to thoroughly refine it."
Xu Chuan's daily cultivation schedule was packed with numerous tasks.
This included condensing the Origin Life and Death Seal, practicing the Jiamu Profound Spirit Battle Armor and Yimu Green Light Evasion divine abilities, training in the Thousand Spirits Art and divine sense secret methods, cultivating the Profound Heaven Divine Refining Art, as well as mastering the Lesser Star Divination Art and the Five Elements Creation Palm.
Once the Origin Life and Death Seal was successfully formed, it would become the magic treasure most compatible with Xu Chuan. Its might would rival that of a high-grade magic treasure, saving him from having to wait for Xu Deling to forge one.
Currently, the battle armor divine ability had already reached the great accomplishment stage, though the evasion divine ability still required a bit more work.
He had attained minor success in the Thousand Spirits Art, allowing him to instantly split his divine sense into thirty-two separate strands for extremely precise manipulation.
Coupled with the fact that his mana was no longer a weakness.
Xu Chuan could now draw out the absolute maximum power of the Azure Dragon Treasure Umbrella.
He would even be able to temporarily withstand the attacks of someone who had just entered the Nascent Soul stage, like Mo Wentian!
The Lesser Star Divination Art was not far from reaching the perfection realm.
The same held true for the Profound Heaven Divine Refining Art.
As for the Five Elements Creation Palm, he had only comprehended about thirty percent of its True Intent of Five Elements Creation; full mastery remained a distant goal.
That night.
He invited his sons to enter the Xu Clan's Grotto-heaven. Xu Mingwei did not respond, and Xu Chuan later learned from Xu Mingyuan that his eldest son had already gone into seclusion to attempt core formation.
Xu Chuan was overjoyed.
Xu Mingxian was equally thrilled. "As expected of Eldest Brother! But I'll be reaching that step soon myself."
"Oh? How much longer do you need?" Xu Chuan asked.
"About... half a year," Xu Mingxian estimated, sounding slightly uncertain.
Xu Chuan smiled and nodded. "Then, within the next year or two, our Xu clan will produce three Golden Core stage cultivators in quick succession."
"Who is the third?" Xu Mingxuan asked curiously.
"Ye Fan. If he had chosen to form his core through the Path of True Yang, he would likely be attempting it within a month or two. However, he ultimately chose the Battle Intent Divine Ability."
Xu Mingyuan asked, "What makes the Battle Intent Divine Ability so special?"
"Battle intent is inherently unique. It can comprehensively boost one's overall strength—similar to using the Blood Explosion Spell, or secret arts that burn essence blood and lifespan—but without any of the negative side effects.
"However, this path is difficult to walk. If he manages to form a divine ability seed using the Battle Intent Divine Ability, Ye Fan is destined to comprehend it to perfection in the future.
"If he doesn't do it this way, progressing through the subsequent minor success, great accomplishment, and perfection stages will be incredibly slow.
"He might not even manage to reach great accomplishment with it while in the Golden Core stage."
"Father, when Eldest Brother forms his Golden Core, the celestial phenomenon will be impossible to hide. A Golden Core Grand Ceremony will definitely need to be held. But if you don't attend an event of such magnitude, I'm afraid many people will start suspecting that you have already perished."
Xu Mingyuan suddenly pointed out.
"It doesn't matter. Being a little high-profile isn't a bad thing."
Xu Chuan smiled faintly. "By forming a core through a divine ability and pairing it with a Golden Core secret art, one can swiftly pass through the weakness period. His mana quality will immediately rival that of a mid-stage Golden Core cultivator.
"With Mingwei's combat prowess, he will be more than capable of matching mid-stage Golden Core cultivators.
"As long as we possess absolute strength, no one else will be able to stir up any trouble."
Xu Mingshu also nodded in agreement. "Xu Hei broke through to the third tier in the Azure Sea Forest half a year ago, taking Moyue's place as the guardian of the Mirror Lake region.
"With that level of strength, combined with the Soul Banner and blood corpse trump cards Father left behind, we wouldn't fear even a combined assault from Great Wei, Great Liang, and Great Jin."
"Keep Xu Bai and Xu Hei out of sight. Just have them continue guarding the Azure Sea Forest. In the future, they might be able to venture deep into the Hundred Thousand Mountains to gather more intelligence.
"With the great tribulation looming, the Cao clan, Liu family, and Sima family won't be foolish enough to risk sustaining heavy casualties."
"Not to mention, we still have the Lei family and Zhao family as our powerful allies."
"Father's words make sense," they agreed.
Profound Moon Sect.
Profound Moon Peak.
This peak was the spiritual mountain where the Ancestor of Profound Moon, Zhang Fan, cultivated in seclusion.
Halfway up the mountain lay a grotto-residence. This was where Xu Mingxian lived.
Profound Moon Peak housed one of the only two fourth-tier high-grade spirit veins in the entire Profound Moon Sect.
The other was located on the Sect Master's peak, Moon-Gazing Peak.
Zhang Daoran, the Sect Master of the Profound Moon Sect, and Perfected Tianya both cultivated on that peak, and their disciples resided there as well.
However, this was the very first time a disciple had been permitted to open a grotto-residence on Profound Moon Peak.
Not even Zhang Fan's own descendants had ever shared this mountain peak with him.
This clearly showed just how much care and attention Zhang Fan gave to Xu Mingxian.
During his three years at the Profound Moon Sect, Xu Mingxian had read extensively through ancient classics on array formations. He poured his effort into studying array dao, constantly seeking Zhang Fan's guidance whenever he encountered something he didn't understand.
In just a year and a half, his mastery over formations had advanced to the third-tier high-grade.
There were no fewer than eight third-tier high-grade array masters within the Profound Moon Sect, but among Foundation Establishment cultivators, he was the only one possessing such profound attainment.
The Cloud Heaven Illusionary Array had also been deduced and upgraded to the third-tier mid-grade, now featuring a restriction that isolated all communication.
His battle array path had been deduced to the second-tier high-grade. If he integrated the True Intent of the Formation Dao into it, it could rival a top-tier second-tier array.
Capable of instantaneously condensing various types of battle arrays, it was safe to say that Xu Mingxian's path of battle arrays had achieved initial success.
Aside from these, he spent the most time comprehending teleportation arrays.
He had thoroughly understood both third-tier mid-grade and third-tier high-grade teleportation arrays. The third-tier high-grade versions were capable of sending people over hundreds of thousands of miles, barely enough for cross-prefecture transport.
'Eldest Brother is attempting to form his Golden Core. I must speed up my progress as well,' Xu Mingxian thought.
Inside his grotto-residence, Xu Mingxian withdrew his divine sense and continued attempting to comprehend the True Intent of the Formation Dao.
However, half a month passed without the slightest progress, filling him with a growing sense of anxiety.
After some thought, Xu Mingxian made his way to the great hall at the peak of the mountain.
Xu Mingxian cupped his hands in greeting and said, "Honored Master."
"What is it?" Zhang Fan opened his eyes and asked calmly.
"Disciple has been trying to comprehend the True Intent of the Formation Dao. I feel as though I am only a hair's breadth away from grasping it, yet I haven't made any headway over the past half month."
"You are becoming too anxious." Zhang Fan stroked his beard as he looked at him. "The key to comprehending the True Intent of a Divine Ability lies in enlightenment. Comprehension is incredibly mysterious.
"Some Foundation Establishment cultivators spend their entire lifespans until their final day without even grasping the basics, failing to form their core through a divine ability.
"Even for most Golden Core stage cultivators, spending hundreds of years is rarely enough to master a divine ability to the great accomplishment stage.
"This matter cannot be rushed.
"Let nature take its course. When water arrives, a channel is formed; success comes naturally. Only then will you grasp the basics!
"Moreover, your mind is cluttered with distractions and your thoughts are not smooth. Forcing it now is simply a wasted effort."
"Distractions? Thoughts not smooth?" Xu Mingxian asked, his face full of confusion. "Then what should Disciple do?"
"Question your heart. Think about what path you truly wish to walk!"
Seeing that Zhang Fan had nothing more to say, Xu Mingxian cupped his hands again and took his leave.
'With such innate talent and intellect, he can already be considered peerless. What is he in such a rush for?' Zhang Fan mused, stroking his beard. 'Is he worried about the Xu family's situation? Or perhaps his clansmen in the Land of Imprisonment?'
Zhang Fan let out a soft sigh and then closed his eyes once more.
That evening.
Xu Chuan pulled him into the Xu Clan's Grotto-heaven again and briefly asked about his situation.
Xu Mingxian explained his current predicament.
"Your mind is cluttered with distractions and your thoughts are not smooth? Is that what the Ancestor of Profound Moon told you?"
"Yes, Father."
Xu Chuan pondered for a moment before saying, "Then cast everything else aside and go fight a battle."
"Fight a battle? What do you mean by that?"
"What was your original intention when creating the battle array?"
"I didn't want to just be someone providing support from behind the family. I wanted to stand on the front lines, shielding the clan from the wind and rain, slaughtering foreign enemies just like Eldest Brother does!"
Xu Mingxian was suddenly struck by an epiphany. "The battle array is a path meant to be perfected through combat! Merely contemplating it in seclusion will never lead to perfection."
"Thank you, Father. I understand now."
Xu Mingxian hurriedly logged off and went to find Zhang Fan once more. He declared, "Honored Master, Disciple wishes to challenge the Foundation Establishment cultivators of the entire sect, and even the entirety of Profound Moon Prefecture.
"Whether they come at me three, five, or even ten at a time, Disciple is willing to take them all on!"
Two streaks of tangible light shot out from Zhang Fan's eyes, accompanied by a look of sheer astonishment. To gain such enlightenment in just a single day proved his comprehension was truly extraordinary.
"It seems your master underestimated you. You have clearly understood your own path. While the array dao is primarily a supportive art, the battle arrays you created yourself follow the Way of Assault.
"Assault and combat—these represent your true nature, your Dao Heart!"
Most array masters possessed a studious, scholarly temperament, but Xu Mingxian had favored fighting ever since he was young. It was only because Xu Chuan had bestowed upon him this specific Fate Frame talent that he walked the path of an array master.
"Three days from now in Profound Moon City, I will have your Senior Brother set up a seven-day arena battle. We will let thousands of Foundation Establishment geniuses assist you in proving your Dao!"
"Thank you, Honored Master."
"Mingxian, sprint forward with all your might and let your dazzling talent bloom. No matter what happens, your master can protect you.
"This is also one of the reasons your father had you become my disciple."
"Disciple understands."
The next day.
Zhang Daoran was summoned to the great hall on Profound Moon Peak.
Hearing this decree, his pupils constricted sharply. "A seven-day arena battle challenging every Foundation Establishment cultivator in Profound Moon Prefecture, regardless of whether they are new or old veterans, and allowing them to fight one, three, five, or even nine at a time?"
He paused and clicked his tongue in amazement. "Junior Brother truly has immense courage!"
"Should we perhaps limit it to one-on-one duels? Taking on multiple opponents is just a bit too exaggerated."
"Just because you couldn't do it doesn't mean your Junior Brother can't. His innate talent and intellect are terrifying even to me," Zhang Fan said. "Just go arrange it. Defeat is nothing to fear.
"If his Dao Heart becomes covered in dust over a single defeat, then it simply means his future accomplishments will be limited.
"A true powerhouse only grows stronger with every battle fought!
"This is his path to proving the Dao!"
"Understood. Disciple will release the news immediately." With Zhang Fan speaking so resolutely, Zhang Daoran naturally had no choice but to nod in agreement.
Although he wasn't very optimistic about the outcome, he was genuinely curious to see just how far Xu Mingxian could go.
After all, in the entire Profound Moon Prefecture and among the three major Nascent Soul powers, the younger generation cultivators who had comprehended seventy to eighty percent of a divine ability's True Intent could be counted on one hand. Yet among the older generation, there were dozens of such experts.
There were even many who were only a single step away from Divine Ability Core Formation.
The release of this news was like a massive boulder thrown into a placid lake, stirring up thousands of ripples within the Profound Moon Sect.
Whether they were Outer Sect, Inner Sect, or Core Disciples, everyone in the sect was in an uproar upon hearing the announcement.
"Have you heard? That newly arrived Junior Martial Uncle is setting up an arena battle in Profound Moon City for seven days to challenge every Foundation Establishment cultivator in the entire prefecture!"
"Which Junior Martial Uncle?"
"The one the Ancestor personally brought back to the sect and made an exception to accept as a personal disciple! His name is Xu Mingxian!"
"Him?! Challenging the whole prefecture's Foundation Establishment cultivators? And allowing multiple people to fight at once? Has... has he gone completely mad?" an Inner Sect disciple exclaimed, his face filled with disbelief.
"Arrogant! He is far too arrogant!" an Elite Disciple said indignantly. "Our Profound Moon Prefecture has countless Foundation Establishment cultivators, many of whom are hidden dragons and crouching tigers.
"There are quite a few Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters among the older generation who have comprehended seventy or eighty percent of a divine ability's True Intent. No matter how extraordinary his talent may be, he's just an outsider. Exactly how strong could he possibly be?"
"Xu Mingxian was ranked as a Heavenly Dipper Heaven's Chosen during the last Prodigy Grand Assembly, so his combat strength should be extremely formidable. Furthermore, anyone accepted as a disciple by the Ancestor must have outstanding qualities."
There were also some rational disciples who chose to wait and see.
"Hmph, outstanding qualities? I think he just doesn't know the height of heaven or the depth of earth! Just you wait. In three days, we'll see how terribly this ends for him!"
Many hot-blooded and impetuous young disciples were already rubbing their fists, planning to go and teach him a lesson.
The news sprouted wings and swiftly spread throughout the entire Profound Moon Prefecture.
When the other two major Nascent Soul powers—the Cloud Mist Sect and the Sun Family—heard of it, countless disciples condemned his arrogance, determined to head to Profound Moon City and teach Xu Mingxian a proper lesson.
Within Profound Moon City.
All sorts of rumors and discussions were creating an uproar.
"Xu Mingxian? I remember he was a prodigy in the last Prodigy Grand Assembly. Didn't he rank among the Heavenly Dipper Heaven's Chosen?"
"He is a prodigy, but only among the younger generation. Now he publicly challenged the entire prefecture's Foundation Establishment cultivators. He truly has no idea what the word 'stupid' means.
"There is absolutely no shortage of terrifyingly strong fighters among the older generation!"
"He truly is a newborn calf that fears no tiger! The waters of Profound Moon Prefecture's Foundation Establishment stage run much deeper than those of Heavenly Azure Prefecture!"
"Hehe, we're in for a good show! Those older experts definitely won't pass up this opportunity to make a name for themselves."
"Fighting multiple peers of the same realm all alone? Heh, he'll likely suffer a miserable defeat on the very first day!"
Amidst the discussions were skepticism and mockery, curious anticipation, and cold detachment.
But without a doubt, the eyes of the entire Profound Moon Prefecture were now focused squarely on Profound Moon City.
Countless cultivators flocked from all directions, eager to see with their own eyes whether this arrogant fool would end up as a flash in the pan or prove himself to be an unparalleled monster.
Profound Moon City became completely packed. The rent for all inns and grotto-residences skyrocketed, yet finding a single available room was still nearly impossible.
The major gambling houses in the city caught wind of the situation and swiftly opened betting pools:
"Xu Mingxian successfully defends the arena on the first day, odds are one to one point two!"
"Xu Mingxian wins for three consecutive days, odds are one to three!"
"Xu Mingxian loses his very first battle, odds are one to five!"
"Xu Mingxian achieves total victory over all seven days, odds are one to twenty!"
These betting pools drew countless wagers, pushing the anticipation for the upcoming arena battles to an even higher fever pitch.
Three days later, in the central plaza of Profound Moon City.
Voices boiled over as a dense, dark mass of people tightly packed the massive plaza that had once hosted the Prodigy Grand Assembly preliminaries.
Cultivators from every corner of Profound Moon Prefecture—whether they were disciples of the three major Nascent Soul powers, descendants of great aristocratic clans, or highly skilled Rogue Cultivators—had all gathered here, craning their necks in anticipation.
Just past a quarter to noon, the arena remained completely empty.
Restless anxiety spread through the crowd, and voices filled with doubt and dissatisfaction began to ring out:
"Where is he? The time has come, so why isn't he here yet?"
"Could it be that he got stage fright at the last second and doesn't dare to show up?"
"Hmph, after making such a massive fuss, if he stands us up, the Profound Moon Sect will lose all its face because of him!"
"I think it was all an empty bluff. It seems the Ancestor of Profound Moon made a grave mistake in judgment this time..."
"..."
Just as the noisy discussions began to boil over, nearly transforming into a physical wave of sound—
Swish—!
A crisp, green stream of light tore across the sky like a meteor, streaking rapidly from the direction of the Profound Moon Sect's mountain gates.
In the blink of an eye, the green light arrived directly above the plaza.
It paused slightly before floating gently down to land squarely in the center of the vast arena, entirely under the gaze of countless watching eyes.
The light faded, revealing the tall, straight figure of a young man clad in moon-white robes.
His temperament was unearthly, his facial features sharply defined. His eyes were clear yet profound, and his entire being exuded an aura of serene composure.
It was exactly Xu Mingxian!
His calm gaze swept over the dense crowd below before he spoke in a clear, ringing voice:
"I am Xu Mingxian."
"I have established this seven-day arena battle. From this moment forth, for the next seven days, I welcome any Foundation Establishment Daoist friend from Profound Moon Prefecture to step onto this stage and offer their guidance."
"There are no rules—you may challenge me alone, or you may join forces. Whether you are newly advanced Foundation Establishment cultivators or veterans of the older generation, I, Xu Mingxian... will take you all on!"
The moment these words were spoken, a roaring storm of clamor and discussion erupted across the plaza!
But Xu Mingxian simply stood quietly in the center of the arena, his green robes fluttering softly in the gentle breeze.
High up in the air, True Lord Qingxuan and Zhang Xuanzhi stood in the void, gazing down at the scene below.
"Xuanzhi, do you think Xu Mingxian can actually succeed?"
"Although we haven't exchanged blows, he is quite exceptional. He must have a degree of certainty to pull this off."
A faint smile touched the corner of True Lord Qingxuan's lips as he turned to look at him. "If he pulls this off, your title as the number one prodigy of the Profound Moon Sect might not be secure anymore!"
"It is but an empty title!"
Zhang Xuanzhi chuckled softly. He was already a Golden Core stage cultivator, largely benefiting from the secret method Xu Chuan had sold to the Profound Moon Sect.
Upon successfully achieving core formation, he had instantly stepped into the second layer of the Golden Core stage.
Now, six or seven years later, he was at the peak of the second layer of the Golden Core stage.
Equipped with a high-grade magic treasure and having completed Divine Ability Core Formation, his mana quality was comparable to a mid-stage Golden Core cultivator. Zhang Xuanzhi was a genius truly capable of exchanging a few blows with those at the Late-Stage Golden Core.
Of course, actually defeating one would be nearly impossible unless his divine ability reached great accomplishment.
However, he was currently still a short distance away from achieving minor success with his divine ability.
"Once he forms his Golden Core, we will inevitably have a battle. It won't be too late to discuss who the number one prodigy of the Profound Moon Sect is at that time."
"I'll go!"
A young cultivator in green robes leapt up and landed on the arena stage.
"Profound Moon Sect Inner Sect Disciple Chen Feng humbly asks Junior Martial Uncle Xu for his guidance!"
The young man cupped his hands, his eyes blazing with intense battle intent.
He channeled his sword art, causing the temperature on the arena to sharply rise. Three streams of crimson blazing fire bit towards Xu Mingxian like venomous snakes.
Someone in the audience exclaimed in a low voice, "It's Senior Brother Chen! His Blazing Flow Sword Art is incredibly powerful! He once fought three cultivators of the same realm at once and emerged undefeated!"
Xu Mingxian's expression remained unchanged. Only when the blazing streams of fire were right in front of him did he gently stamp his right foot on the arena floor.
Buzz—!
The arena trembled slightly as spiritual patterns instantly lit up. Centered around Xu Mingxian, a profound battle formation condensed out of thin air!
Spiritual qi moved as easily as his own arm, transforming into a swirling water vortex barrier right in front of him.
The three streams of fire crashed into the vortex, but like clay oxen entering the sea, they merely hissed a few times before vanishing without a trace.
"What kind of method is this?"
Chen Feng's pupils abruptly shrank. Before he could even change his move, Xu Mingxian tapped a finger in the air. Several blue chains condensed from spiritual qi shot out from the void, as fast as lightning.
Chen Feng brandished the flying sword in his hand, blocking the chains with waves of crimson sword light.
But soon, more and more chains appeared. Every single one was incredibly durable; even when he hacked at them with his one-pattern magic tool, it only resulted in metallic clangs.
In less than a few minutes, Chen Feng was bound tightly, unable to move an inch. An ice sword formed from blue light hovered just a few inches from the center of his brow.
"I've lost."
Chen Feng's face went deathly pale. He hadn't expected to be defeated so quickly and easily.
"Thank you for the match."
Xu Mingxian waved his hand, dismissing the chains. The ice sword also vanished.
Chen Feng stepped down from the arena in dejection.
The crowd below instantly erupted into an uproar!
Immediately after, a middle-aged cultivator with a steady aura leapt onto the stage.
"Cloud Mist Sect's Zhao Qian, humbly asking Daoist Friend Xu for guidance!"
He didn't dare act arrogantly. As soon as he arrived, he erupted with his full power. Yellow light suffused his body, making him appear as imposing as a towering mountain. He threw a punch carrying a dense, heavy force capable of suppressing everything.
"It's him! This man is a Deacon of the Cloud Mist Sect. His defense is incredibly strong. Even when facing a powerhouse who has comprehended ninety percent of an introductory True Intent, he can hold out for several hours!"
Xu Mingxian once again merely stamped his foot, and a new battle formation instantly took shape.
This time, sword qi crisscrossed the entire arena!
Countless fine, feather-like streaks of golden sword light materialized out of thin air, sweeping toward Zhao Qian like a violent storm.
Under the relentless cutting of the endless sword feathers, that heavy earth-yellow light shield rapidly dimmed and shattered!
Zhao Qian was also unable to hold on for even a few minutes. A solid sword finger stopped just an inch from his throat, causing cold sweat to pour down his face.
"What kind of divine ability is this? One moment it's water-element, the next it's metal-element?"
Someone asked in confusion.
"It doesn't look like a divine ability; it seems more like an array formation."
"An array formation? Could it be that he set up an array on the stage beforehand? That's way too despicable!"
"How is this fair at all?!"
Just as the crowd was filling with righteous indignation, an elderly Golden Core stage cultivator stroked his beard and said, "Aside from the protective barrier, there are absolutely no array formations set up on that stage.
"Those arrays are using spiritual qi as a medium to form completely out of thin air!"
"Instantaneous formation condensation? What kind of method is this? It's too unbelievable! How could an array formation be cast so quickly?!"
Everyone's eyes were wide with sheer disbelief.
It wasn't just the Foundation Establishment cultivators; even the several observing Golden Core cultivators wore identical expressions.
"I don't understand it. I truly don't understand this boy's methods!" a Golden Core elder from the Cloud Mist Sect sighed with emotion.
A Golden Core elder from the Sun Family also agreed. "To be accepted as a disciple by the Ancestor of Profound Moon, he certainly possesses some real skill!"
Half an hour later.
Another white-haired elderly cultivator slowly stepped onto the stage. His aura was profound and obscure; it seemed he was only a hair's breadth away from Divine Ability Core Formation!
"I am Mu Nanshan from the Cloud Mist Sect. Please give me your guidance!"
Before his voice had even faded, he formed his fingers into a blade. A pale golden edge, refined to the extreme and looking as though it could cleave through space itself, tore through the air and slashed right toward Xu Mingxian!
This strike had faintly touched the threshold of the Golden Core stage!
Seeing this, Xu Mingxian raised his hand, instantly condensing a ten-foot-long crimson fire phoenix. Its might was only slightly inferior.
As the fire phoenix collided with the pale golden edge.
One crimson and blue chain after another surfaced from the void, slithering through the air like long snakes toward Mu Nanshan.
Mu Nanshan immediately retreated. A two-pattern magic tool battle blade materialized in his hand out of thin air, and he swung it repeatedly.
Boom!
The previous pale golden edge perished together with the fire phoenix, releasing a terrifying shockwave that rippled outward.
Mu Nanshan's attacks were extremely fierce. He was fully capable of shattering the chains. Even when the red and blue chains converged, they were unable to get close to him.
"Condense!"
With a single word, the red and blue chains abruptly transformed into two water-fire flood dragons, violently attacking Mu Nanshan from the left and right.
However, they were still destroyed by his blade light.
"Illusion!"
Xu Mingxian raised his hand and pointed a sword finger right at his brow.
Mu Nanshan immediately felt a wave of drowsiness wash over him, making him incredibly sleepy as it tried to drag him into an illusion.
"Break for me!"
With a light shout, Mu Nanshan instantly snapped awake.
He had cultivated for over two hundred years and pushed his Foundation Establishment stage cultivation to the absolute limit. If he could not step into the Golden Core stage, he could only await the end of his lifespan and pass away.
Over these long years, his willpower and Dao Heart had been honed to an incredibly robust level, making them nearly impossible to shake easily.
Of course, this merely prevented him from falling easily into illusions; it did not grant him the ability to see through them entirely.
Xu Mingxian formed a hand seal with one hand, condensing the water-fire flood dragons once more and sending them charging toward Mu Nanshan.
"It's useless! Elder Mu's strength is astounding; hardly anyone at the Foundation Establishment stage is a match for him!" someone mocked.
Xu Mingxian completely ignored them.
On the arena stage, in Mu Nanshan's eyes at this very moment, there wasn't just one water-fire flood dragon coming at him, but dozens, even hundreds of them.
'No, this definitely isn't real!'
'Even a Golden Core cultivator wouldn't dare take an attack like this head-on!'
'It's an illusion!'
However, even though Mu Nanshan had correctly guessed it, he was unable to see through it.
Illusions formed by an array that rivaled top-tier second-tier formations could only be pierced by a Golden Core stage divine sense!
Or perhaps a special eye technique divine ability!
Realizing he couldn't see through the illusions, Mu Nanshan had no choice but to attack with full force.
Yet to the onlookers, he appeared to just be wildly swinging his battle blade in empty air, fruitlessly wasting his stamina.
"Is Elder Mu intentionally throwing the match?"
"How is that possible? If he were from the Profound Moon Sect, he might have held back to preserve their reputation, but Elder Mu is a Deacon of the Cloud Mist Sect. He has no ties or relation to the boy, so why would he cover for him?"
"Xu Mingxian must have used some kind of method that we simply can't see through!"
'To catch the bandits, first catch the ringleader!'
Mu Nanshan rushed toward Xu Mingxian like a bolt of lightning, bringing his blade chopping down right toward his head.
Xu Mingxian was split perfectly in two.
'Still an illusion!'
His heart sank.
He didn't know when, but he had completely lost track of Xu Mingxian's actual location. Even by spreading out his divine sense, he could not find a single trace of him.
He had no idea what was real and what was fake on this stage.
A sense of dread gradually began to fester in his heart.
'If I keep fighting like this, I fear cracks will form in my Dao Heart. Then I'll never have even the slightest chance of forming a core for the rest of my life!'
Mu Nanshan immediately shouted out, "Daoist Friend Xu, please stop! I admit defeat!"
With a wave of Xu Mingxian's hand, the illusions vanished.
He was currently standing thirty feet in the air right above the old man's head, gazing down at him.
Among all array formations, illusory arrays were the most terrifying precisely because of their ability to play with people's hearts!
By forming a top-tier second-tier illusory array, Xu Mingxian had essentially placed himself in an invincible position from the very start!
Coupled with the offensive power of his other battle arrays—whose might rivaled divine abilities with seventy to eighty percent of an introductory True Intent—Xu Mingxian simply didn't know how he could possibly lose!
Mu Nanshan looked up, cupped his hands, and let out a soft sigh. "I am convinced in heart and speech by this defeat."
With those words, he dejectedly left the arena.
The arena remained quiet for over an hour before a scorching aura suddenly descended!
"Sun Family, Sun Zhantian, here to receive your guidance!"
A booming voice echoed like a great bell as a burly young man with flowing crimson hair bounded onto the stage.
Dark red flames seemed to flicker within his eyes every time he blinked. This was none other than the Sun Family prodigy who possessed the Flame Demon Battle Body!
"It's Sun Zhantian! He actually came out of seclusion!"
"His talent is in no way inferior to Zhang Xuanzhi's. Unfortunately, during the last Prodigy Grand Assembly, he was just over one hundred and twenty years old. What a genuine pity."
"Rumors say he has the Flame Demon Battle Body. With a tyrannical physique and astonishing strength, he should have stepped into the Golden Core stage long ago. Yet he chose to cultivate the Crimson Demon True Pupil divine ability from the Grand Fiendflame True Scripture.
"That's the only reason he hasn't achieved core formation yet."
"Of course. The difficulty of practicing pupil technique divine abilities is widely acknowledged throughout the cultivation world."
"It looks like Xu Mingxian is going to lose. Just look at that dark red long staff in his hands. That's a three-pattern magic tool! When paired with his family's staff art divine ability, its power is limitless!"
The crowd unanimously doubted Xu Mingxian's chances.
This was simply because Sun Zhantian's reputation in Profound Moon Prefecture was far too illustrious!
Sun Zhantian possessed incredible drive. The reason he stubbornly insisted on comprehending this divine ability while still in the Foundation Establishment stage was because it was one of the core divine abilities required to condense a fiendflame Dharma Idol, as recorded in the Grand Fiendflame True Scripture.
By using this divine ability to form his core, it would be much easier for him to comprehend it to the perfection realm later.
If he waited until after reaching the Golden Core stage to comprehend it, it would become astronomically difficult.
At the very least, currently no one in the entire Sun Family had managed to comprehend the Crimson Demon True Pupil to perfection. The highest anyone had achieved was merely the great accomplishment stage.
"What do you think the outcome of this battle will be?" True Lord Qingxuan asked from high in the sky once more.
"Sun Zhantian is extremely strong. When I was in the Foundation Establishment stage, I wouldn't have necessarily been able to beat him," Zhang Xuanzhi admitted honestly. "Of course, that's also because he has been cultivating much longer than I have.
"Besides, while a cultivator's combat strength is important, their cultivation speed is even more vital.
"No matter how strong he gets, as long as I am a full major realm above him, I can suppress him with just one hand.
"And as long as I cultivate fast enough, he will never be able to catch up to me!"
Faced with Zhang Xuanzhi's boundless confidence, True Lord Qingxuan simply smiled and offered no further comment.
On the arena.
Sun Zhantian didn't waste any words. With a low shout, dark red light flared intensely from his eyes, making everyone terrified to look at him directly!
He was the first to attack, sweeping his long staff outward. Runes lit up along the weapon, generating a wave of scorching astral wind as he smashed it directly into what appeared to be empty space on the arena!
Boom!
An illusory array that Xu Mingxian had just laid down was violently smashed apart by his staff strike, causing its spiritual light to shatter and revealing the true arena floor beneath it!
"A True Pupil counters illusions, just as expected!"
Xu Mingxian raised his brows slightly, revealing a hint of surprise.
He shifted his feet and stomped the ground again. A dense, earth-yellow light shield instantly rose into the air; it was a defensive battle array.
Sun Zhantian's battle intent boiled over. With a wild roar, he swung his long staff down with the ferocious power of a falling heaven-supporting pillar!
"Break!"
Crack!
The defensive light shield, capable of withstanding the frenzied assault of a Foundation Establishment Perfection cultivator, couldn't even last three breaths against this staff strike infused with divine ability power before completely shattering!
The lingering aftershocks of the staff's wind even caused Xu Mingxian's robes to flutter noisily.
"What a terrifying strike! It feels like a Golden Core stage cultivator is making a move!"
The crowd below cried out in continuous alarm.
Xu Mingxian's expression remained calm.
He had seen plenty of attacks like this before.
Xu Deling, Xu Deyue, and Ye Fan all possessed similar levels of combat strength.
The former two had the benefits of their special physiques, while the latter engaged in the dual cultivation of Dharma and Body, which was even rarer!
However, Xu Mingxian's gaze finally turned serious.
His hands formed hand seals as he moved agilely across the arena. With every step he took, spiritual light blossomed, fusing into the array foundation on the stage.
"Five Elements Rotation, activate!"
In an instant, the atmosphere on the arena underwent myriad changes!
The power of the metal element transformed into a sweeping torrent of countless flying swords, raining down on Sun Zhantian from all directions!
The power of the wood element spawned innumerable tough vines that slithered out from the ground like venomous snakes, wrapping tightly around his legs!
The power of the water element condensed into icy crystal chains and roaring ice flood dragons, sealing off his retreat and biting viciously at him!
The power of the fire element summoned a tempest of raging flames and a soaring fire phoenix that launched a full-frontal assault!
And the power of the earth element caused rock walls and stone spikes to continually erupt from the floor, thoroughly restricting his movements!
The Five Elements mutually generated one another, creating an endless, unbreakable cycle!
Attacks of every element surged forward like a never-ending tide. Cooperating flawlessly, they completely submerged Sun Zhantian!
The audience watching below was utterly dumbfounded!
When had they ever seen such a highly complex and constantly changing, yet perfectly unified method of attack?
This was no longer just a simple array formation; it felt more like a divine ability domain designed for controlling the five elements and wielding spiritual energy!
"This... this is nothing short of formation mastery!"