The day had turned into night.

The clouds no longer concealed the sky as numerous starlight shined down onto the realm. The lunar star gently encompassed the platform and enveloped Pan Lanyue and Yan Nie in her gentle embrace.

As if on prior agreement, the two duelists simultaneously charged at each other.

Lanyue wreathed herself in a garment of flames, looking very much like a spirit of fire. Her sword burned bright red as it turned almost mirage-like.

Flickering Ember Sword - Ninth Stance: Flame Fairy

Sect Master Yun who had been watching the duel calmly before, gasped when Lanyue unleashed her move. Sect Master Yun directed a complicated gaze at Yan Nie.

Flickering Ember Sword, it was a technique he had coincidently acquired from his earlier years. Although incomplete, it had tremendous potential. And Lanyue, who had a Perfect Fire Spiritual Vein, was a natural at it. After Sect Master Yun reached the Nascent Soul Realm, he spent a good portion of his time revising and restructuring the technique for Lanyue.

Flickering Ember Sword - First Stance: Smoldering Sword, Second Stace: Heart Drift... Fifth Stance: Converging Petals... Eighth Stance: Spirit Sword. Those were all techniques meant for Qi Gathering to the Foundation Establishment Realm. In particular, the Eighth Stance was meant to be mastered by a peak Foundation Establishment Disciple. Before the battle, Lanyue was only barely able to unleash the Eighth Stance. But in Sect Master Yun's eyes, this was already enough.

Not many people could even comprehend the technique. But now, Lanyue directly eclipsed the Eighth Stance and unleashed the Ninth Stance, a technique only usable at the Core Formation Realm in theory.

In order to use the Ninth Stance, while summoning the intense flames, it needed the user to have a tranquil heart in the heat of the battle, unfettered by emotions.

Sect Master Yun felt that Lanyue had undergone a qualitative change while waiting for Yan Nie to enter the next stage. There was an air of peace and steadiness to Lanyue now; she had grown. Sect Master Yun allowed a smile to grace his lips. It was excellent news to hear in the dark times of the Fleeting Mist Sect.

With her current mindset, the chances of her ascending the Core Formation Heavenly Tribulation increased by a wide margin.

In contrast, Yan Nie did not display any flashy moves like the Ninth Stance: Flame Fairy, but his spear began to glow bright blue. From the spearhead to the shaft to the butt of the spear. As the spear grew brighter and brighter, it appeared as if he was wielding solid light instead.

At the same time, the temperature drastically increased and created a hazy filter. The heat was so great that even the heat produced by Lanyue was suppressed.

Clang!

Red met Blue

Lanyue's sword clashed against Yan Nie's spear once more. Against Yan Nie's greater explosive power, Lanyue was forced back. However, like a dance, Lanyue retreated and swung her sword, unleashing three attacks for every one attack from Yan Nie.

As time went on, the number of Yan Nie's attacks decreased while Lanyue's increased. Until finally, Yan Nie's spear flew out of his hand and into the air.

Lanyue did not let go of this chance, and she poised her sword to pierce Yan Nie's chest.

Yan Nie, who seemed destined for defeat, clasped his hand together and, a bright blue light was emitted from within his closed hands. He opened his palms and thrust the small blue light against Lanyue's incoming sword tip.

"Big Bang Explosion!"

When Yan Nie uttered those words, all light within the vicinity seemed to have disappeared and plunged the area into complete darkness. After a brief moment of unnatural silence, a tiny light was seen.

It only appeared for a brief moment, but it was as if it was the origin of all things. Light dyed the sights of all the onlookers, causing them to lose their vision.

When the spectators regained their vision, they saw Yan Nie standing alone on the platform. The platform had been burnt black. Some parts were even melted and flowed red like magma.

"Hey, where is senior sister Pan?"

"She couldn't have died, right?"

Just as the disciples were saying the words, someone said.

"Senior sister is there!"

Everyone looked towards where the voice originated from. They saw a young disciple kneeling beside Lanyue. Lanyue herself was on her back and unconscious. Her clothing had been burnt black, and burns marred some of her skin, but there was no doubt she was alive with no crippling injuries.

The onlookers released a sigh of relief, but then they turned towards the winner atop the platform, Yan Nie. As disciples of the Fleeting Mist Sect, they had long grown accustomed to being superior to everyone else surrounding them.

Had it been any other disciple that lost to a no-name cultivator, the title of incompetent would be attributed to the loser. But Lanyue had been with the Fleeting Mist Sect for over ten years, and everyone had seen her limitless potential.

If they gave Lanyue the title of incompetent, then what were they? Less than incompetent?

It wasn't just a matter of losing. Nearly all the disciples admired Lanyue, and only a select few were her enemies. Had to say, Lanyue's relationship skills learned from her time as a princess was useful in her day to day relations. Even though she lost, none of them doubted her strength.

But these prideful youth turned their gaze towards Yan Nie. If word leaked out that their eldest senior sister lost to a loose cultivator, then the Fleeting Mist Sect's reputation would fall by ten thousand li.

If it were normal times, the thought of eliminating the winner and hiding the outcome would already be considered. But now, the Fleeting Mist Sect could ill afford to have their reputation dragged through the mud and invite their enemies a chance to strike at their weakness.

At this time, a clear, clapping sound was heard.

The source of the clapping was Tianyi. He had reservations for the name of the attack Yan Nie used, but it was nonetheless a magnificent battle in his view.

It was certainly a battle that Tianyi himself could never achieve. To him, battles were just a means to an end. But between Lanyue and Yan Nie, he sensed an inextricable link between, not of love but karma.

It was a battle that both of them had to go through, where the winner would achieve a new height. Or at least, that was how the duel was supposed to go.

When Lanyue decided to allow Yan Nie to enter the Spiritual Altar Formation Stage, she had achieved an internal breakthrough equivalent or greater to what she would have achieved had she won the duel. If Lanyue and Yan Nie to duel again in ten years with the two of them given the same resources and opportunities, it would be hard to say who would win.

In this battle of pride, although Lanyue lost, she had gained something as well. Tianyi's opinion of her elevated. If he was in the same position and the opponent stupidly tried to break through, he would unleash all his strength at once and punish them for such arrogance.

With Tianyi at the lead, Daoyi also started to clap, followed by Elder Shan.

Sect Master Yun released a sigh. He gave a glance to Elder Shan before also clapping.

Seeing as their own sect master, the master of Fleeting Mist Sect, also clap, the disciples and elders, no matter how unwilling, began to clap.

Yan Nie stood there, as if unaffected by the crowd. It was as if it didn't matter whether they cheered or jeered at him. But he knew it was because he couldn't.

His last attack used up nearly all of his spiritual qi, and he was grasping to control the source of blue flames within his dantian. He had no spare mental strength for any other matters. Yan Nie had fully expended nearly all the spiritual qi he had. After Lanyue's breakthrough, should he have held back in any way, the chances of defeat were too high.

When he finally came to, he realized that Sect Master Yun was standing in front of him. Instantly, wariness crept up within him.

"Fleeting Mist Sect Master," Yan Nie saluted the elderly man while keeping his guard up.

"Yan Nie, it was a magnificent duel." Sect Master Yun sighed once more. "Lanyue fought well, even surpassed her limits, but it was not enough for her to win."

"Miss Pan is a worthy foe. Even at the last moment, I couldn't predict who would win." Yan Nie said.

"A win is a win. Lanyue will fulfill the agreement, just that... " Sect Master Yun trailed off and glanced at his unconscious disciple, his heart pained at her injuries. He had already checked; there would be no lasting injuries.

"No need," Yan Nie rejected. "All that is said has already occurred during the duel. Anymore is needless." At this point, although his heart would be happy with the apology, it would be needlessly tarnishing Lanyue, who he had come to respect in the midst of battle.

"How boring."

Sect Master Yun immediately shifted around and locked onto the source of the voice. He recognized the voice well. It was the Sect Master of the Five Poison Sect.

The Sect Master of the Five Poison Sect stood in the air and flanking him were four other people also midair. Behind him stood numerous cultivators standing atop flying artifacts.

It was as if something shattered, and as the shards fell, the hidden presence of the Five Poison Sect members was revealed. Their qi no longer hidden, Sect Master Yun finally tightened his face.

Although he had a guess, after feeling the Five Poison Sect Master's qi and the four flanking him, his worst fears had been revealed.

"So you've managed to reach the Nascent Soul Realm, Threepoison. You sure hid it well." Sect Master Yun said.

Threepoison was the title the sect master of the Five Poison Sect chose for himself. It was both a praise and a shame of his. The Five Poison Sect's ultimate art was to merge five supreme poison into the ultimate poison, but before this, he could only merge three of the five poisons.

"It should be Fivepoison now." Sect Master Fivepoison said, his gentle demeanor hiding his ruthlessness.

Sect Master Yun had long stepped into the air and stood on eye level with Fivepoison. His wariness increased even further upon hearing what Fivepoison said. "Hmpf, so what are you here for?"

"What else? To watch a good show." Sect Master Fivepoison said. "It was a pity. You should have killed that young fellow. Fleeting Mist Sect is not fit to be a power like the Five Poison Sect."

Sect Master Yun snorted. "You have no control over how I manage my sect!"

Sect Master Fivepoison nodded. "Indeed. After all, after today there would be no Fleeting Mist Sect. There will be no sect to manage."

As soon as Sect Master Fivepoison said those words, the invaders from the Five Poison Sect aggressively brandished their qi.

Sect Master Yun's face became increasingly ugly. "Threepoison! This is the base of the Fleeting Mist Sect, don't think just because you've brought a few helpers that you would be able to take us down!"

Sect Master Fivepoison revealed a gentle smile. "Of course not, I would never come here without preparation against your guardian formation."

Sect Master Fivepoison revealed a round circular disc. Sect Master Yun had a bad premonition, and as he moved to stop it, two of the four Nascent Soul Grandmaster moved to block him.

Sect Master Yun had a Two-Colored Nascent Soul, and against these two Nascent Soul Grandmasters, he was unable to reach Sect Master Five Poison.

The disc in Sect Master Fivepoison's hand began to shine brilliantly, and before Sect Master Yun could comprehend anything at all, the disc shatter. But at the same time, there were many cries of fear and pain coming from the Fleeting Mist Sect.

Sect Master Yun spared a glance behind him and nearly vomited blood. Since the sudden appearance of the Five Poison Sect, the elders had already started to issue orders to the disciples. Lanyue had been taken away, the disciples ordered to move to strategic locations, and activating the guardian formations.

But after the disc shattered and disappeared, the Fleeting Mist Sect's guardian formation was destroyed. And those in control of it all suffered a backlash.

"THREEPOISON!!!" Sect Master Yun yelled out furiously as mist began to materialize around his body. His attack power increased sharply and caused the two Nascent Soul Grandmasters to dodge. "Don't think just because you've cracked our formation, you will be able to destroy us. The guests from the Buzhou Immortal Sect will not you go!

"Oh? It seems that you've fallen quite low." Sect Master Fivepoison chuckled, his tone full of malice. "Have you fallen so low that you need to rely on external aid to survive?"

"I don't want to hear that from you! What price did you pay to enter the Nascent Soul Realm? Don't tell me you sold your chrysanthemum?" Sect Master Yun revealed a derisive sneer.

Sect Master Fivepoison finally couldn't keep his cool at Sect Master Yun's vulgar words. "Hmpf! Sect Master Yun! I will kill you last. I will make you watch as I destroy your Fleeting Mist Sect and send your prided disciple to the pits of hell! Not even the Buzhou Immortal Sect can help!!!"

At this moment, lightning appeared in front of Sect Master Yun and struck one of the Nascent Soul Grandmasters fighting him. There was a sudden silence as the struck Nascent Soul Grandmaster lost all signs of life and fell to the ground.

Tianyi, still sitting upon his throne, floated upward and smiled. But that smile could not be called pleasant at all and was filled with contempt at Sect Master Fivepoison.

"The Buzhou Immortal Sect can't help?" Tianyi questioned, his tone dangerous. "The Buzhou Immortal Sect won't help. After all, I, alone, am enough to annihilate you all."