Advent of Immortal Truth

"Wait, did I hear that wrong?"

"Three Golden Core cultivators fought against Zheng Jianlian, including ones from major sects like Quanshu Pavilion and Zixiao Pavilion, and they all lost?"

"Perhaps, there was internal strife among the three?"

"Night Rain Demon Soldiers! This is the only explanation."

The remaining cultivators in the Turning Point Secret Pavilion were all shocked upon hearing this announcement.

Zheng Shuanggou and the others quickly shook off the impact of the news.

They encountered each other in a secret pavilion.

The mechanical frogs in the secret pavilion were wandering around the central area.

A large leader of the mechanical frogs had a treasure chest placed on its head.

This was because the damage to the Lava Immortal Palace had weakened the restrictions of the Turning Point Secret Pavilion, allowing the cultivators' strength to recover to the Foundation Establishment stage.

As a result, the mechanisms and traps in the secret pavilion had their difficulty greatly reduced.

Additionally, since the cultivators could use their own items, the value of the various mechanisms and tools in the secret pavilion also dropped.

Both sides' gazes crossed over the mechanical frog group, locking onto each other.

Zheng Shuanggou showed a hint of joy, "I didn’t expect to run into the two from the Meng Family directly. Meng Chong is only at the mid-stage of Qi Refining; we have the advantage."

Ning Jiufan, however, frowned and shook his head, "This is a dangerous battlefield."

"Meng Chong has celestial potential. In the early stages of cultivation, it's common for him to fight across levels."

"Zhou Nongying was eliminated by him. This young man is not to be underestimated!"

"We should retreat."

Ning Jiufan was very cautious.

For him, although their side seemed stronger on paper, if they actually fought, it was hard to say who would win.

It would be better to retreat, regroup with other cultivators, and then return to fight—this was the best strategy.

After all, from the list, it was clear that the Meng Family only had two people who made it to the third round of the imperial exam.

In contrast, on Zhu Xuanji’s side, even though Zhou Nongying had already been eliminated, the Zheng Family still had two cultivators, and the Ning Family had both Ning Jiufan and Ning Zhuo. Adding Zhu Xuanji to the mix, their numbers and lineup were the largest.

"Now that we can use our own items, Meng Chong’s grandfather is a Nascent Soul cultivator. He must have given him many protective treasures."

"There’s no need to take unnecessary risks. We’ll find others to join forces."

"By then, when we turn back to deal with them, it will be like a mountain crushing eggs, unstoppable!"

Ning Jiufan sent a voice transmission to Zheng Shuanggou, reminding him not to forget about the Unfailing Gate. This faction excelled in schemes and ambushes and could not be underestimated.

Compared to them, the two from the Meng Family could even be considered potential allies.

Zheng Shuanggou nodded, "You make sense. Sigh, it was just that when I saw Meng Chong, this junior, I couldn’t shift my mindset immediately. Let’s go."

"Where do you think you're going!" a Golden Core cultivator from the Meng Family shouted, charging forward.

Zzzt.

A flash of lightning lingered where Meng Chong had been standing, then slowly dissipated.

In an instant, Meng Chong had already crossed the central area of the mechanical frog group, directly pouncing toward Ning Jiufan and Zheng Shuanggou.

Meng Chong shot up into the air and dove down.

Boom!

He slammed into the ground fiercely, shattering the floor tiles into countless fragments, sending them flying in all directions.

However, Zheng Shuanggou and Ning Jiufan had already retreated in time, surrounding Meng Chong from the left and right.

Electric light crackled around Meng Chong's body as he stood up, battle intent soaring. He grinned, "You’re both my prey; none of you should think about running!"

Zheng Shuanggou snorted coldly and charged forward, "Junior, you sure talk big!"

The two exchanged punches and kicks, the sounds of their clashes echoing loudly. After a few rounds, Meng Chong shot off like lightning, pulling back to create distance.

Ning Jiufan thought to himself, this is troublesome. Meng Chong was extremely fast, and even if they wanted to retreat, Meng Chong could easily catch up.

Ning Jiufan had no choice but to strike. Whether they fought or fled, they first had to severely injure Meng Chong!

The Ning Family’s ancestor used frost spells, sending ice spikes flying.

Meng Chong abruptly changed direction, tracing a lightning path in mid-air, dodging all the ice spikes.

Zheng Shuanggou followed up by throwing flying darts, but they also missed, failing to even touch the hem of Meng Chong’s robe.

"Your opponent isn’t just me!" While the two were entangled, the Meng Family’s Golden Core cultivator also broke through the mechanical frog group and charged toward them.

Zheng Shuanggou, facing the Meng Family’s Golden Core, was forced into retreat after retreat.

The Golden Core cultivator was a body cultivator. In a head-on clash, Zheng Shuanggou was at a significant disadvantage.

At the critical moment, the storage bracelet on his wrist burst out with radiance, releasing a pair of magical weapons—great sabers.

Zheng Shuanggou wielded the twin blades, swinging out arcs of blade light.

The blade light struck the Meng Family’s Golden Core cultivator, but was entirely blocked by his qi armor.

The Meng Family’s Golden Core charged straight ahead, his fists flying like shadows. Zheng Shuanggou, overwhelmed, retreated again and again, only able to defend with his twin sabers, unable to counterattack.

...

Several suspension rings flew around Ning Jiufan, continuously shooting out threads.

The threads, aimed at Meng Chong, were fierce but missed entirely.

"Slow, slow, slow!" Meng Chong shouted, his battle intent growing more intense.

He laughed heartily, clearly reveling in the thrill of the fight.

Boom.

He suddenly cast a spell, unleashing bursts of energy, flames raging, destroying all the threads and suspension rings.

"Ning Family’s ancestor, is that all you've got!" Meng Chong charged fiercely toward Ning Jiufan.

As Meng Chong rushed over, looking like a thunder dragon, Ning Jiufan’s heart remained calm like ice. Without fear, he took a small step back and pressed his palm downward.

Immediately, a strong surge of mana radiated outward, and in the blink of an eye, an ice wall formed.

The ice wall circled around, enclosing Ning Jiufan in the center.

Ning Jiufan didn’t stop. The ice wall around him layered up like waves, spreading outward.

The ice wall thickened rapidly, congealing together, and in an instant, formed a small valley made of ice crystals.

Ning Jiufan took a deep breath and cast another spell.

A fierce northern wind howled out from the valley, soon filling the entire secret pavilion.

The temperature dropped sharply, frost spreading quickly over the walls, ceiling, and floor of the secret pavilion.

The bone-chilling cold enveloped Meng Chong.

Meng Chong roared and used Fire Bathing Technique.

In the next moment, his body was wrapped in flames, isolating himself from the external cold, as he once again charged toward Ning Jiufan.

Ning Jiufan raised his right hand, releasing a large number of ice sculptures from his storage bracelet.

These ice sculptures landed in the ice crystal valley, rapidly enlarging, transforming into various birds and beasts, trying to block Meng Chong.

But Meng Chong’s speed was far faster than theirs.

Ning Jiufan manipulated the ice sculptures and cast several more spells, slowing Meng Chong's speed. Meng Chong decisively abandoned his direct charge at Ning Jiufan, temporarily shifting his focus to these troublesome ice sculptures.

Boom, boom, boom.

Each of the ice sculptures, most of which were at the Foundation Establishment level, stood no chance against Meng Chong’s rapid charge.

Many were quickly smashed to pieces.

Lightning flashed like dragons, and wherever it passed, the ice sculptures exploded, the brilliance of thunder and fire intertwining with shards of ice crystals.

However, the ice sculptures were not without use. By consuming them one after another, Meng Chong’s momentum was gradually reduced.

By the time Meng Chong reached the ice valley, the cold wind blowing from it forced him back.

...

Boom.

Zheng Shuanggou fell like a cannonball, crashing into the ice valley.

He spat out a mouthful of blood, his chest sunken in, the indentation clearly shaped like a fist.

The magical spear in Zheng Shuanggou’s hand had already been broken into two pieces, which he casually discarded, instead retrieving his signature weapons—the Sun and Moon Hooks—from his storage bracelet.

The Meng Family’s body cultivator charged again. Zheng Shuanggou, with his back to the ice valley, engaged in battle.

Relying on the Sun and Moon Hooks, which were of a magical weapon grade, Zheng Shuanggou managed to fend off the Meng Family body cultivator, but it was still a stalemate.

Inside the ice valley, Ning Jiufan keenly noticed this scene.

In his heart, he quickly analyzed the situation, "As expected of the Meng Family’s body cultivator, formidable strength!"

"Zheng Shuanggou is at a disadvantage despite relying on the Sun and Moon Hooks. These are magical weapons, but they consume a lot of energy. He won’t last long."

"It looks like it’s up to me."

With this

thought, Ning Jiufan took out the magical treasure, the Ice Heart Jade Flask.

He focused his mind, and a stream of ice jade wine flew out from the flask's spout.

Ning Jiufan opened his mouth and swiftly swallowed the ice jade wine.

The next moment, he silently activated his spell.

Meng Chong charged again, relentless, his momentum even more ferocious.

It was hard to believe he was only at the mid-stage of Qi Refining!

The ice valley shot out blocks of ice.

Meng Chong dodged most of them, enduring a few, and continued his dive toward Ning Jiufan.

But in the next moment, the ice blocks suddenly shattered, transforming into clusters of hail and snowflakes.

In an instant, snowflakes swirled throughout the secret pavilion.

From within the ice valley, a northern wind howled.

The wind swept up shards of ice and snow.

The blizzard obscured the view, and as the wind and snow gathered, they transformed into large, white serpents, which surrounded and attacked Meng Chong.

Meng Chong continuously dodged, striking with his fists, shattering the white serpents one after another amidst the thunder and lightning.

The more Meng Chong fought, the more excited he became. He felt as if his blood was boiling. The wonderful feeling of landing solid punches—he hadn’t experienced it in a long time.

The puppet body he had inhabited when entering the Immortal Palace had really hindered the full display of his true strength.

The snow serpents that were shattered by Meng Chong quickly reformed in the wind and snow.

Meng Chong’s focused attacks gave him the advantage at first, but after a while, he found himself heavily surrounded and gradually wore down, unable to break through.

Seeing Meng Chong in trouble, the Meng Family’s Golden Core body cultivator, disregarding his own safety, struck Zheng Shuanggou with a powerful blow.

Zheng Shuanggou’s hook sliced through the body cultivator’s skin, but he himself was sent flying, crashing through the ice valley and landing on the ground.

Ning Jiufan, nearby, didn’t have time to care about him, concentrating fully on controlling his spell to trap Meng Chong.

Normally, large-scale spellcasting like Ning Jiufan’s would consume a lot of energy. Meng Chong’s precise and focused attacks should have countered this tactic.

However, in actual combat, the scales of victory were gradually tipping in Ning Jiufan’s favor.

Meng Chong was growing increasingly fatigued from fending off the attacks.

Zheng Shuanggou sat on the ground, swallowing medicinal pills, while praising, "Brother Ning, your mastery of layering spells, splitting spells, and converting spells is truly remarkable! If you can master them fully, you’ll be a true grandmaster-level figure!"

What he referred to were the techniques of spellcasting.

Layering spells involved continuously casting the same spell to accumulate effects, transforming quantity into quality. Earlier, Ning Jiufan had cast ten layers of ice walls, which combined to form the ice mountain encircling them—this was layering spells.

Splitting and converting spells referred to breaking off parts of one spell and transforming them into another, like the flying ice bricks earlier, which were split off from a larger spell and then transformed into something else.

Later, the fierce wind and snow forming the snow serpents were a unified application of layering, splitting, and converting spells.

Zheng Shuanggou complimented, "Brother Ning, we were right about you—you’re a true combat spell master."

Ning Jiufan was about to reply with a few courteous words.

Suddenly, he felt a chilling shock, as if he had been severely injured!

He looked down, only to see a hook blade piercing through his abdomen. The familiar shape was none other than the Moon Hook from Zheng Shuanggou’s signature weapons, the Sun and Moon Hooks.

In the next moment, the Moon Hook emitted a radiant glow, and the sharp weapon energy swiftly invaded Ning Jiufan’s internal organs.

Ning Jiufan’s body trembled violently as he stared at Zheng Shuanggou in disbelief, "You!!"

(End of the Chapter)