Everyone Was Stunned

Lu Changsheng and Xia Ningxue had fought for the time it took to drink three cups of tea, yet neither had gained victory.

Now, even the Pavilion Master of Ask Immortal Pavilion could no longer remain calm.

With Xia Ningxue's aptitude, she should have been invincible among those of the same realm.

But Xia Ningxue had run into a formidable opponent in Lu Changsheng. His Taiqing Wuji Art was no inferior to the Supreme Forgetting Emotions Art, and he possessed an Innate Spirit Treasure and an Innate Dao Body. He had also tempered his physique, making the fight exceptionally arduous even for Xia Ningxue. Lu Changsheng had even gained a slight upper hand.

The sect masters and elders of the Six Great Orthodox Sects were all shaken.

It would have been one thing for an era to produce a monstrous genius like Xia Ningxue, someone who could suppress an entire era. But then Lu Changsheng had appeared, just as monstrous.

Was it reasonable for two geniuses among peerless geniuses to appear in one era?

And counting Li Changye, who was said to be invincible among those of the same realm, that made three!!

"Eldest Senior Brother, I fear Junior Brother's natural talent is no less than yours. Things are going to be lively among our generation of the Six Great Orthodox Sects."

Second Senior Brother Song Wuchuan stood with his hands behind his back, sincerely praising Lu Changsheng as he watched him continue to fight Xia Ningxue.

"When Junior Brother broke through to the Dao Palace Realm, purple qi came from the east and caused a phenomenon in heaven and earth. I knew then that he was no ordinary person. But even I didn't expect him to reach his current realm through sudden enlightenment within a few years. Perhaps Junior Brother Lu's future achievements will surpass both yours and mine."

"Li Changye, you people from Shushan really aren't being fair. You had a peerless genius like this and kept him hidden away. If Fairy Xiao of Ask Immortal Pavilion hadn't defeated Little Song, he wouldn't have had a chance to come out. Were you planning to keep him hidden forever?"

Ye Wen, the Martial Dao Alliance's chief disciple, walked over and complained to Li Changye.

Li Changye smiled helplessly. Even he hadn't expected Lu Changsheng to be so formidable.

If this continues, I won't be able to win. It seems I can only force myself to use the Sixth Layer of the Supreme Forgetting Emotions Art.

The Sixth Layer of the Supreme Forgetting Emotions Art is far more powerful than the Fifth Layer.

Xia Ningxue knew she could not defeat Lu Changsheng by ordinary means. Steeling herself, she put some distance between them and softly recited the mnemonic for a deeper layer of the Supreme Forgetting Emotions Art, forcibly using the cultivation method recorded in its Sixth Layer, which she had not yet fully comprehended.

It was precisely by relying on the Supreme Forgetting Emotions Art, which she had cultivated to the Sixth Layer, that Ask Immortal Pavilion's Xiao Menger had defeated Master Mingxin of Boundless Temple and Shushan's Second Senior Brother Song Wuchuan in succession.

"Disciple, don't!"

The Pavilion Master of Ask Immortal Pavilion knew the Supreme Forgetting Emotions Art better than anyone. If Xia Ningxue, at the Fourth Layer of the Dao Palace Realm, forced her way into the state of the art's Sixth Layer, there was a strong chance she would die and her Dao would perish!

Even with the Spirit Wa Saint Body, Xia Ningxue could not act so recklessly!

The Pavilion Master of Ask Immortal Pavilion did want to defeat Taiyuan True Person, but she was by no means someone who would sacrifice her disciple to win.

A resolute look in her eyes, Xia Ningxue had already stepped halfway into the Sixth Layer of the Supreme Forgetting Emotions Art!

Xia Ningxue's presence rose sharply. Lu Changsheng felt as though he were being watched by a pair of cold eyes from the heavens. Those lofty eyes held not a trace of emotion, infinitely close to the "Dao" he had seen in the chaos while cultivating the Taiqing Wuji Art.

Wind and clouds surged over Misty Peak as Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi rapidly gathered around Xia Ningxue, leaving her at the center of a vortex.

Xia Ningxue's face was pale, sweat streaming down her as her delicate body trembled. She seemed unable to withstand the backlash of the Supreme Forgetting Emotions Art.

The Supreme Forgetting Emotions Art was a forbidden cultivation method of Ask Immortal Pavilion, not to be cultivated lightly. In terms of power, it was even more domineering than the Taiqing Wuji Art.

But the Supreme Forgetting Emotions Art had a fatal flaw, while the Taiqing Wuji Art was flawless.

It seems I can't conceal my cultivation anymore.

Seeing Xia Ningxue about to force herself to use the Sixth Layer of the Supreme Forgetting Emotions Art, Lu Changsheng knew he might not be able to match her, and she would also suffer backlash as a result. He no longer concealed his true cultivation. His presence soared, and his realm rose to the Fifth Layer of the Dao Palace Realm!

"What?!!"

The vast majority of the Six Great Orthodox Sects' elders present rose to their feet. Everyone was stunned!

Lu Changsheng's true realm was not merely the Dao Palace Realm Fourth Layer, but the Dao Palace Realm Fifth Layer!

After cultivating for a little over two hundred years, he had reached the Dao Palace Realm Fifth Layer. Few elders present could have done the same!

"Junior Brother Lu is actually in the same realm as me..."

Zhao Wuyan stood as dumb as a wooden chicken.

Lu Changsheng's true realm had already caught up to his.

"Interesting."

Even Li Changye and Song Wuchuan, two outstanding figures among Shushan's younger generation of elders, were shocked.

All six sect masters were moved.

They had thought Lu Changsheng had already reached his limit, never expecting him to have another trick up his sleeve!

"This disciple of mine is cautious to an outrageous degree."

Taiyuan True Person heaved a long sigh.

Unless pushed to his limit, Lu Changsheng would never reveal his true cultivation lightly. Such a temperament was truly rare.

Yet, in Taiyuan True Person's experience, the more cautious one was, the easier it was to stay alive.

"Shrink the ground to an inch!"

Now that Lu Changsheng's cultivation had reached the Dao Palace Realm Fifth Layer, he took one step and closed the distance between himself and Xia Ningxue.

Spiritual Qi gathered at his fingertips. While Xia Ningxue was faltering from the backlash of the Supreme Forgetting Emotions Art, Lu Changsheng struck with two fingers, hitting her Qihai Acupoint squarely.

"Heavenly Gang Acupoint-Sealing Technique!"

Lu Changsheng used the Heavenly-Tier Low-Grade Cultivation Method returned by the system to seal Xia Ningxue's Qihai Acupoint, then struck several more times with his fingers, sealing several other acupoints and preventing her from circulating the Sixth Layer of the Supreme Forgetting Emotions Art.

With her acupoints sealed, the vast amount of Spiritual Qi Xia Ningxue had gathered crumbled away, and the Supreme Forgetting Emotions Art fell back to the Fifth Layer.

In this way, Xia Ningxue also avoided the terrible consequences of suffering the full backlash of the Supreme Forgetting Emotions Art.

Though Xia Ningxue's forcible elevation of her realm had been stopped, she was still affected. Dazed and dispirited, the last thing imprinted before her eyes before she lost consciousness was Lu Changsheng's handsome face.

Xia Ningxue fell unconscious and toppled straight down like a withering flower. Lu Changsheng, who was closest to her, had no choice but to catch her.

With the beauty in his arms came a warmth and a delicate fragrance.

"Fairy Xia has lost consciousness. Shushan wins this match."

Grandmaster Chen knew the outcome had been decided, so he announced the final result.

A clamor erupted among the Six Great Orthodox Sects. Just as Xia Ningxue, a proud daughter of heaven, had been on the verge of victory, who could have imagined such an outcome?

At the very end, Lu Changsheng had revealed cultivation at the Dao Palace Realm Fifth Layer and used an acupoint-sealing technique no one had ever seen before to seal Xia Ningxue's cultivation, causing her final move to fail.

"Junior Sister!"

Many of Ask Immortal Pavilion's senior sisters crowded around, and Lu Changsheng handed Xia Ningxue back to them.

Though Xia Ningxue had been defeated, she remained a cultivation prodigy seen only once in a hundred thousand years, the future mainstay of Ask Immortal Pavilion.

"Your disciple did not fail your expectations."

Lu Changsheng put away the Nine Heavens Thunder-Controlling Sword and cupped his hands to Taiyuan True Person, who sat in the main seat.

All six sect masters cast him surprised looks, and there was also some displeasure in the Pavilion Master of Ask Immortal Pavilion's gaze.

Lu Changsheng had ruined the opportunity she had worked so hard to obtain to humiliate Taiyuan True Person.

More than that, the Pavilion Master of Ask Immortal Pavilion had a complicated look in her eyes. She also seemed worried that Lu Changsheng would lead away Ask Immortal Pavilion's most gifted Saintess.

The Pavilion Master of Ask Immortal Pavilion wouldn't fly into a rage out of humiliation and come after me with a sword afterward, would she?