This humble Taoist priest, Qianhe, begins his quest for immortality by slaying demons and monsters.

Chapter 142 The Battle of Wits Between Master and Disciple: Zhong Bai's Terrifying Power

It has been ten days since we left the blessed land.

Zhong Bai finally understood the current situation of Maoshan and the entire world.

Inside the Hall of Law Enforcement, Zhong Bai and True Person Qian Yuan sat facing each other. True Person Qian Yuan's eyes held a hint of curiosity. "Disciple, what is the situation in the blessed land?"

As for the blessed lands of Maoshan, not only Qian Yuan Zhenren, but even the sect leader Xuan Mingzi was not very clear about them. In the past two hundred years, basically none of the patriarchs of Maoshan who reached the Golden Core True Lord level went to the blessed lands; instead, their souls entered the underworld. Therefore, it is normal for Qian Yuan Zhenren to be curious about what is hidden in the blessed lands.

Zhong Bai smiled and said, "To be honest with Master, there are many patriarchs in the blessed land and cave, and the spiritual energy of heaven and earth is ten times richer than that of the outside world. However, based on what I have seen and heard in the past ten years, the patriarchs all had no choice but to do so."

Master Qian Yuan seemed to be deep in thought. He could understand this point. Otherwise, the Golden Elixir Masters of Maoshan in the last two hundred years would not have all chosen to go to the Underworld. In the Underworld, they could change to the path of Ghost Immortals and continue their path to immortality.

Entering a blessed land is a gamble on whether one's lifespan can survive until the day when the spiritual energy of heaven and earth is restored.

"Immortality is not easy to achieve!"

With a soft sigh, Master Qian Yuan continued, "Disciple, you have been a disciple of Maoshan for about twenty years. In just twenty years, you have grown to your current level. I am ashamed that I have never had the opportunity to guide your cultivation in these twenty years. But now, disciple, may I spar with you? They say that the waves of the Yangtze River push the front waves forward. I want to see if your waves can surpass mine on the beach!"

Master Qian Yuan felt it was necessary to have a magical duel with his own disciple.

Upon hearing this, Zhong Bai also became somewhat interested.

Fighting with his master was beneficial to Zhong Bai. After breaking through to the Foundation Establishment realm, he had never fought with a Foundation Establishment cultivator. Even now, at the peak of Foundation Establishment, he still had no such experience. He lacked experience in fighting. Cultivators were not evil spirits or demons, but were often more insidious and cunning than evil spirits.

"Haha, Master, since you have this idea, I will not refuse. It's a good opportunity to learn from your experience."

"In that case, come with me..."

After a faint smile, Master Qian Yuan used his Shrinking Earth to become an Inch technique to head towards the back of Maoshan Mountain. Zhong Bai followed closely behind, flying on his sword at a speed much faster than Master Qian Yuan's Shrinking Earth to become an Inch technique.

The master and his apprentice soon arrived at a place above a forest.

Qian Yuan Zhenren stopped on the canopy of a towering tree, while Zhong Bai floated in the void on a spirit sword.

"My disciple, your cultivation level is higher than mine, but in terms of experience... haha, you'll find out soon enough!"

As he spoke, lightning crackled in Qian Yuan Zhenren's palm, and the entire sky was instantly covered with dark clouds. With a loud boom, a bolt of lightning descended from the sky into Qian Yuan Zhenren's hand, transforming into countless electric pythons that hurtled towards Zhong Bai.

"Lesson one: strike first, and you'll have the upper hand!"

Hearing his master's words, Zhong Bai was a little dumbfounded. It really was fast, but Zhong Bai had nothing to fear.

His internal energy surged forth, blocking all the incoming lightning from all around.

Zhong Bai originally wanted to try the Samadhi Fire, but in the end he gave up the idea. How terrifying was the Qi and blood in Zhong Bai's body at present? Igniting the Samadhi Fire could very likely harm his own master.

So Zhong Bai, wielding his Thunder Claw, charged forward, intending to confront him head-on.

Seeing that his Thunder Python was blocked by Qi and Blood Qi, Master Qian Yuan had expected it and was not in a hurry at all. The two collided and exchanged blows. At the same time, Master Qian Yuan was extremely frustrated. His fists and palms landed on Zhong Bai, but Zhong Bai was unaffected, while he himself was only hit on the shoulder by Zhong Bai and his Qi and Blood surged.

"stop!"

As soon as Master Qian Yuan spoke, Zhong Bai immediately stopped his attack. Just then, Zhong Bai saw a triumphant smile appear on his master's lips.

"You stopped just like that... My disciple, you're such a good boy."

As he spoke, Master Qian Yuan shot out a jade hairpin from his fingertip, which landed half a foot away from Zhong Bai's brow. Zhong Bai was clearly not expecting this.

"Master, you're a little..."

"Hahaha, are you trying to say that my methods are a bit underhanded or dishonest?"
"Actually, the battle of magic is not the goal. What I want to tell you is that while demons and evil spirits are indeed terrifying, what you truly need to guard against are cultivators."

Zhong Bai nodded, looking very obedient and as if he had been taught a lesson.

Just as Master Qian Yuan was feeling pleased, suddenly, Zhong Bai grabbed the jade hairpin in front of him with one hand, and the powerful force made it impossible for the jade hairpin, which was suspended in the air, to escape Zhong Bai's control.

Zhong Bai held the jade hairpin and headed towards his master's chest. In an instant, the jade hairpin was directly in Qian Yuan Zhenren's chest.

"Hehe, Master, it's only fair to reciprocate."

"Tsk, you've got some skills, kid!"

Master Qian Yuan was not worried at all. On the contrary, he felt that his disciple's decisiveness in killing far exceeded his imagination, which was the most important thing.

“My disciple, you are even more outstanding than I thought.”

Not only did he surpass his teacher in cultivation, but he was also no less skilled in methods and temperament.

This world is destined to belong to your era!

The master and disciple were just joking around, and soon their conversation shifted from their magical combat experience to Zhong Bai's next plans.

......................................................

"Alas, in that case, I was not so thoughtful back then."

When Master Qian Yuan learned that Zhong Bai originally had time to break through to the Golden Core True Monarch realm within the blessed land but was trapped by the Divine Firmament Five Thunder Technique, Master Qian Yuan's expression was filled with self-reproach. Back then, he could never have imagined that Zhong Bai would be able to reach the Golden Core True Monarch realm.

Hearing his master sigh and blame himself, Zhong Bai smiled and shook his head, saying, "Master, you are right. I have never regretted choosing the Divine Firmament Five Thunder Technique. Just as you said, the Golden Core realm is a threshold for me."

"If you cross that threshold, you'll find yourself on a broad and promising path. If you don't, there's no real loss; you'll simply remain at the Foundation Establishment stage for life or have to start cultivating a new technique."

Zhong Bai spoke lightly, but Master Qian Yuan still felt somewhat uncomfortable listening to him. "So, disciple..."

"Now you need to wait until your tribulation lightning strikes before you can attempt to break through to the Golden Core True Monarch realm?"

Zhong Bai nodded.

"That's right, but Master, don't worry. It's just a tribulation of lightning. It poses no danger to me. In fact, I can even use the lightning to temper my body. With my physical strength, what is there to fear!"

Zhong Bai spoke with exceptional confidence, a result of the power of the Twenty-One Dragons.

With a force of two million jin, even the Silver Armored Corpse King couldn't withstand Zhong Bai's punch.

Hearing this, Master Qian Yuan felt a little better.

Just then, a not-so-weak suction force spread outwards from Maoshan, and Zhong Bai keenly sensed that the spiritual energy of heaven and earth was converging towards Maoshan.

"Master, what is this?"

The sudden turn of events interrupted Master Qian Yuan's self-reproach. Looking in the direction of Maoshan, he speculated, "It seems that a Maoshan disciple has broken through to the Foundation Establishment realm."

Upon hearing this, Zhong Bai immediately became interested.

"Haha, Master, shall we go together and see who it is?"

"Of course..."

The master and his apprentice quickly returned to Maoshan.

Tongyou Hall.

When Zhong Bai and his apprentice arrived, other elders had already arrived.

"Uncle-Master Changsheng, may I ask which senior brother is about to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage?"

Zhong Bai and Changsheng Zhenren were quite familiar with each other. Upon seeing Zhong Bai and Qian Yuan Zhenren arrive, Changsheng Zhenren smiled and said, "Haha, Zhong Bai, this disciple is actually related to you!"

Zhong Bai was taken aback.

What does it mean to be related to oneself?

Seeing Zhong Bai's expression, Chang Sheng immediately began to explain.

"This person is called Ao Tianlong. He was a disciple who returned to Maoshan to receive the ordination eight years ago. His master was one of our junior brothers back then, but unfortunately he died at the hands of the demonic path before he could break through to the Foundation Establishment stage."

After Ao Tianlong returned to Maoshan and received his ordination, he, like his master, returned to the Tongyou Hall.

Back when Ao Tianlong came up the mountain, he mentioned that it was you, Junior Nephew Zhong Bai, who suggested he return to Maoshan. Junior Nephew, don't you think that counts as having a connection?"

"Calculate!"

When Zhong Bai heard that it was Ao Tianlong, he already understood. But thinking about it carefully, it was quite normal. Back then, Ao Tianlong was almost able to break through to the ninth level of Qi Refining, and that was without the sect providing resources. Now, ten years have passed, and it is already considered slow for Ao Tianlong to break through to the Foundation Establishment realm.

"It's already breaking through..."

Just then, Master Qian Yuan spoke, drawing everyone's attention to the courtyard.

The surrounding spiritual energy surged in, transforming into a mist that enveloped the entire Tongyou Palace. Accompanied by a powerful suction force, the surrounding spiritual energy was drawn into Ao Tianlong's dantian and began to be refined.

"The eighth level of the Daotai..."

Zhong Bai's divine sense swept across the area and he saw Ao Tianlong clearly in the courtyard.

"The eighth level of the Dao Platform is already quite good. Among the disciples who have broken through so far, Junior Nephew Shi Jian is considered quite good, reaching the ninth level. It will be very difficult for other disciples to break through to this level..."

Master Qian Yuan continued quietly, "This Junior Nephew Ao may not be able to break through to the Golden Core True Monarch stage, but the late Foundation Establishment stage is still not a problem."

Zhong Bai naturally understood this principle.

"That's really good."

As soon as Zhong Bai finished speaking, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth in the entire Tongyou Palace spread out in all directions. Clearly, Ao Tianlong had broken through to the Foundation Establishment realm.

creak...

As Ao Tianlong's courtyard gate opened, Bailong Zhenren was the first to step forward.

"Junior Nephew Ao? Congratulations!"

Upon meeting Bailong Zhenren, Ao Tianlong was extremely respectful. He had met Bailong Zhenren when his master was alive. His master and Bailong Zhenren had a good relationship when they were young. After arriving at Maoshan, Ao Tianlong also received a lot of care from Bailong Zhenren. It could be said that, apart from Zhong Bai, Bailong was the person Ao Tianlong trusted and was most familiar with in Maoshan.

"Tianlong pays respects to all his senior masters!"

All those who arrived were Foundation Establishment cultivators, even though Ao Tianlong had already broken through to the Foundation Establishment stage.

However, compared to Zhong Bai and the others in front of him, he was of lower seniority and similar strength.

"Senior Brother Ao, we meet again!"

(End of this chapter)