Yun Shan's Invitation

The journey from the Gama Empire's Imperial Capital back to the Yun Lan Sect was not far. Xiao Yan had also followed Yao Lao out of Wu Tan City to train in the Monster Mountain Range. Unless they encountered a fifth-tier Dou Wang-class magical beast, it would be difficult for anything to harm Xiao Yan now.

Though he was only a Nine-Star Dou Shi, the Mysterious Heavy Ruler had compressed his Dou Qi to an incomparably dense degree, making it far more abundant than that of an ordinary Three-Star Great Dou Shi.

After returning to the Yun Lan Sect, Zhang Tian planned to check on Nalan Yanran. If he remembered correctly, that little girl should still be staying in his courtyard.

Without letting anyone from the Yun Lan Sect notice him, he headed straight for his small courtyard. The training ground was still bustling and deafeningly noisy, while the little courtyard that belonged solely to Zhang Tian was much quieter. Ignoring those disciples, Zhang Tian arrived at the entrance to his courtyard.

"Second Elder." A maid respectfully greeted Zhang Tian. Although they were maids, they were in fact outer sect disciples who had joined the Yun Lan Sect from a young age, and they possessed the cultivation of Dou Zhes.

"Did the Young Sect Master come today?" Zhang Tian asked. If she was not here, he would have to go look for Nalan Yanran, though there was no need to rush. Helping her break through to Great Dou Shi was not something that could be accomplished overnight.

The maid thought carefully for a while before speaking.

"The Young Sect Master comes over every day to meditate for a while. The last time she came should have been about an hour and a half ago."

Zhang Tian nodded to show that he understood, then stopped the maid just as she was about to leave.

"Go prepare lunch for me. I haven't eaten yet."

It was about time for lunch. Although Zhang Tian had eaten a bowl of Liang Pi, he still felt a little hungry. Besides, the food of the Gama Empire could not compare to the Yun Lan Sect's specially prepared delicacies.

"Yes." She nodded and went off to prepare lunch, while Zhang Tian pushed open the door to his courtyard room.

Since Zhang Tian felt uncomfortable having male guards watch over the courtyard, his room had always been cleaned by female disciples. Nalan Yanran happened to be absent, and Zhang Tian did not mind sitting on the couch and trying to further comprehend the Vast Sea Emperor Seal Decree.

He could now use five seals. If he went all out, he should be capable of unleashing all but the final seal, Vast Sea Sky Opening. With such power, even a mountain several hundred meters tall would be smashed to pieces.

The Quick Spear Technique was not something that could be comprehended by sitting cross-legged in meditation. Every day, Zhang Tian trained with the Dragon Yin Halberd. Only through constant use could each spear strike become faster than the last. When the spear stopped, either the enemy would die or he would.

He stepped outside into the courtyard. The open space was around a dozen zhang across, making it a spacious courtyard. Aside from flowers, grass, and trees, there was also an artificial rockery.

The Dragon Yin Halberd appeared in his hand. His body seemed to merge with heaven and earth, as though an endless current of wind was flowing into him, his essence, Qi, and spirit united as one.

A streak of light shot forth, only slowly fading after a long while. Only then could one see that it had been the halberd's afterimage.

"Slow in appearance, fast in truth?" Zhang Tian stared at the lingering afterimage, deep in thought as a trace of new insight arose within him.

He thrust out once more. Then he continuously wielded the Dragon Yin Halberd, extending it in every possible posture.

Push, withdraw, pull, lift, thrust, stick, cleave, twist, sweep.

A sky full of halberd shadows remained suspended in the air without dispersing, their chilling aura adorning the space. His movements grew faster and faster. He used not a trace of Dou Qi, yet when he unleashed a hundred thrusts in the final instant, a continuous series of explosive booms erupted as they broke the sound barrier.

The air exploded with crackling sounds like firecrackers.

Strands of halberd light struck the artificial rockery, blasting it apart.

"Nalan Yanran?" Zhang Tian looked at Nalan Yanran, who stood outside and staggered back as she barely resisted the shower of flying stones.

"Young Sect Master, you're here." Zhang Tian withdrew his halberd and stood upright, placing the Dragon Yin Halberd into his storage ring before speaking to Nalan Yanran.

"Mm... I disturbed Second Elder's cultivation." Nalan Yanran looked somewhat disheveled. Her arm had even been struck by flying stones and was bruised, while her gaze was complicated.

She could naturally see that Zhang Tian had merely been practicing his halberd technique. There had not even been the slightest fluctuation of Dou Qi, yet she had nearly been unable to withstand it even so.

"I've reached Nine-Star Dou Zhe, Second Elder. When do you think I can break through to Dou Shi?"

There was an unwritten rule on the Dou Qi Continent that one would generally inform one's teacher when preparing to break through.

It was not merely to share the good news, but also to seek one's teacher's help and protection. A teacher's seasoned eye could easily spot a disciple's flaws and shortcomings, then help correct them in pursuit of the most perfect breakthrough.

Nalan Yanran had not gone to Yun Yun, but had instead come to Zhang Tian. The meaning behind that was self-evident, yet Zhang Tian was completely unaware of it.

Nalan Yanran clenched her fists, her silver teeth lightly biting her lips as the jade-green earrings beside her ears trembled faintly.

"Oh, for Dou Shi, you'll need to refine all of the Symbiotic Amethyst Source before you have any hope." Zhang Tian was now a Nine-Star Dou Emperor, his realm far stronger than Yun Yun's. Besides, this had originally been part of the plan he had made to help Nalan Yanran grow stronger.

Nalan Yanran nodded. She had only refined a small portion of the Symbiotic Amethyst Source, yet in just four months, she had reached Nine-Star Dou Zhe and was only one step away from entering the Dou Shi realm.

"Nalan Yanran asks Second Elder to help me." Nalan Yanran did not have much confidence in refining the Symbiotic Amethyst Source alone.

It was not beyond his expectations. Nalan Yanran still found it somewhat difficult to refine the Symbiotic Amethyst Source at her current level.

Zhang Tian nodded and chuckled softly.

"Of course."

Seeing Zhang Tian's slightly absentminded manner, Nalan Yanran silently encouraged herself.

The man before her was Xiao Yan's teacher. If she wanted to catch up to Xiao Yan again, she could not do without his help.

Ah, if only he would truly guide me wholeheartedly. She naturally knew that Zhang Tian had agreed to teach her only because of her teacher, Yun Yun.

Murmuring inwardly, Nalan Yanran felt a little dejected, but determination soon filled her eyes again.

Indeed, she regretted it, but how could she be someone who surrendered so easily?

Xiao Yan, I will definitely catch up to you, then openly and honorably pursue my own happiness.

"I'm heading out for a while. Come back tomorrow, and we'll prepare to refine the Symbiotic Amethyst Source." Zhang Tian spoke to the little girl. He needed to seek out Yao Lao for medicinal ingredients that could nourish her meridians and build her foundation. It would be best if Yao Lao could personally refine them into pills.

Perhaps he also needed to find an Earth Rank technique. A good technique could greatly increase Nalan Yanran's cultivation speed, making Great Dou Shi within reach and perhaps benefiting her for the rest of her life.

Remembering the Qingxu Dao Decree he had obtained from Cang Er, he felt tempted.

"But Cang Er said that the Qingxu Dao Decree can only be cultivated by someone kind-hearted and pure. Otherwise, its cultivation speed would not even compare to a Mysterious Rank Technique." Zhang Tian hesitated, then shook his head.

Setting aside the Qingxu Dao Decree's requirements, the sheer preciousness of a high-grade Earth Rank technique was enough to make him abandon the idea.

Techniques were more precious than Dou Techniques. Some Dou Shengs might possess Heaven Rank Dou Techniques, but Heaven Rank Techniques were exceedingly rare, almost extinct.

His original intention had simply been to find a technique that barely reached the Earth Rank for Nalan Yanran to cultivate.

Nalan Yanran had no idea Zhang Tian had thought so much. She nodded, then asked him.

"Does Yanran need to prepare anything?"

"No. Just go back, steady your mind, and get some proper rest." Zhang Tian shook his head, then suddenly gave a soft sound of surprise.

"What is it?" Thinking something had happened, Nalan Yanran hurriedly asked.

"Nothing. It's a message from your teacher." Zhang Tian looked at the jade slip in his hand and sent his Soul Power into it, reading the information within.

"Is something wrong..." Nalan Yanran wanted to continue, but when she saw Zhang Tian smile and shake his head, she immediately did not dare ask further. She left Zhang Tian's courtyard and returned to her residence.

"Yun Shan has come out of seclusion? He wants to see me?" Zhang Tian revealed an interested expression.

By now, Yun Shan should already be involved with Soul Hall, right...

Hmm, calling me over now... I wonder whether it's a scheme or whether he simply wants to see me.

Zhang Tian could not quite tell. After all, his sect had produced a Dou Emperor, so it seemed only natural for them to meet.

He relaxed and rubbed his brow. Soul Hall was an enemy he had to deal with eventually, since Yao Lao's current situation was inseparable from Soul Hall. But he was not so extreme that he would refuse to spare anyone merely for associating with Soul Hall, shouting about killing them all.

To be honest, even the Ancient Clan, the Xiao Clan's ally, had probably had unclear ties with Soul Hall back then.