Cultivation begins in Qingfeng Market.

Lin Zhao didn't know when True Lord Qingyuan would be available.

After these events within the sect and conversations with several elders, he gained a deeper understanding of Qingyuan Zhenjun's position within the sect.

Even for a Nascent Soul True Monarch of a sect, it's not an easy thing to ask him for guidance.

Sometimes it really depends on his mood.

One day, two weeks later.

Qingyuan Zhenjun appeared silently at the entrance of Lin Zhao's cave. He stood under the azure jade tree, as if he were taking a stroll.

Lin Zhao was stunned when he sensed the presence and quickly got up to go out and greet it.

The two sat down in the jade pavilion at the edge of the platform.

Qingyuan Zhenjun played chess casually, his mind clearly not on the board, and placed the pieces haphazardly.

Although Lin Zhao had some doubts, he could only cooperate and play chess for the time being.

Not long after, a golden streak of light appeared on the horizon. Qingyuan Zhenjun looked up and his eyes lit up slightly.

"They're here."

Lin Zhao followed his gaze.

The golden beam of light flew from the end of the sea of ​​clouds, and its overwhelming sword intent could be felt from a great distance.

Qin Tianjun.

Several years had passed, and he had already achieved the highest-grade Golden Core, becoming a true disciple of the sect. His sword intent was condensed and unyielding, its sharpness seemingly cutting into one's skin with a painful intensity.

He came to challenge Lin Zhao—in the grand competition a century ago, Lin Zhao barely won against him by relying on the magical power advantage brought by his magic weapon, and the two agreed to fight again after they formed their cores.

Now, he has come to keep his appointment.

In the blink of an eye, a trip to the secret realm has been completed.

Lin Zhao's strength has undergone a tremendous change, and he no longer takes Qin Tianjun seriously.

Qin Tianjun stood in the air and spoke.

"I'm here to fulfill the promise I made back then." He paused, "I'm afraid I'll never have the chance again."

The sword cultivator's intuition told him that now might be the time when the gap between his cultivation level and Lin Zhao's was the smallest.

In a few years, this gap may widen further, so he doesn't want to wait a moment longer.

Lin Zhao glanced at True Monarch Qingyuan.

He secretly wondered to himself, "Qingyuan Zhenjun came so early, probably just to watch this show."

He sighed.

So be it.

Four years ago, Lin Zhao did indeed barely win by relying on her magic weapon.

This time, he completely defeated Qin Tianjun, bringing his early years as a disciple to a perfect end.

Lin Zhao rose and stepped out of the pavilion, revealing her true form in her crimson and golden robes. The crimson and golden robes were dazzling and magnificent in the sunlight, with every feather shining like a phoenix spreading its wings.

The Heavenly Heart Dharma Wheel manifests behind him, with five-colored light surging from its body and condensing into a five-colored halo at the edge of the Dharma Wheel, the five colors intertwining and rotating.

He stood in mid-air, his robes fluttering in the wind, and the Heavenly Heart Dharma Wheel on his back slowly rotated, as if a celestial being had descended.

Qin Tianjun stared at the Dharma wheel, his pupils contracting slightly, but he did not retreat.

The two looked at each other, without exchanging pleasantries or unnecessary words. Today, they would settle the score of that battle from years ago.

Lin Zhao's mind stirred, and he activated the sect's token. Battles between Core Formation cultivators have far-reaching consequences, and the sect strictly prohibits casual fighting.

He requested assistance from the Cloud Tower.

In just a few breaths, the clouds in the sky suddenly began to churn.

A cloud descended out of nowhere, condensing into a hundred-mile-long cloud barrier around them.

Inside the Cloud Realm, space was slightly distorted for a moment, isolating everything from the outside world—there were only two people inside the Cloud Realm.

This is the power of the sect's cloud tower.

In the Hundred Mile Cloud Realm, there is a competition arena for Core Formation level cultivators.

They fought so fiercely inside that not a single blade of grass was moved outside.

Inside the jade pavilion, True Lord Qingyuan leaned against the chessboard, looking up at the hundred-mile-long cloud realm in the sky.

A satisfied smile appeared on his face. That's more like it. Why be so old-fashioned at such a young age?

Young people should be passionate, let's fight!

He almost clapped and cheered.

Within the Cloud Realm, Qin Tianjun was the first to make a move.

He took out his natal magic weapon, which had already been upgraded.

The white jade sword, a low-grade third-tier magic weapon, had a very faint golden light floating on its blade.

But that wasn't all; he unleashed nine white jade swords in succession.

Nine low-grade third-tier white jade swords hung in mid-air, lined up in a row, their auras connected to each other.

"Yes." Qin Tianjun's voice was not loud.

The nine white jade swords trembled simultaneously in the air, their sword sounds merging into one, and then suddenly came together.

The white light faded, revealing a giant white jade sword over ten feet long. The sword's body was as clear as jade, and the golden spiritual light on the blade surged, forming an almost tangible white-gold color.

Its aura surged, directly breaking through the limit of the third-tier mid-grade magic weapon and reaching a level comparable to the third-tier high-grade magic weapon.

The sword intent soared into the sky, piercing a hole in the mist above the cloud realm.

Lin Zhao looked at the giant sword and sighed inwardly; the potential of the accompanying magic weapon was indeed terrifying.

Nine low-grade third-tier magic weapons, taken individually, are only mediocre at the Core Formation level, but when put together, they represent a qualitative leap.

Of course, he also understood that Qin Tianjun had used countless rare resources to advance them from the second to the third tier.

Lin Zhao did not use any magical artifacts. He instead deployed his magical domain.

After forming the Golden Core, his divine sense was comparable to the peak of the mid-stage Golden Core realm, and his Dharma Domain expanded accordingly.

Within fifty miles, the five-colored radiance spread out silently, no longer showing the outlines of the Five Sacred Mountains' phantoms—the power of the Five Sacred Mountains' spiritual bodies had been completely integrated into the domain, and there was no need to use phantoms to manifest them anymore.

Within the realm of Dharma, only faint five-colored light flowed, but every inch of space was filled with an invisible and terrifying pressure, as if an invisible mountain was pressing down on it.

Qin Tianjun simultaneously unleashed his sword domain, which extended forty miles.

A pale golden sword aura materialized from the void and hovered around him.

Although his domain was only forty miles wide, with the blessing of his natal magic treasure, his domain was extended to fifty miles, making it equal to Lin Zhao's domain.

The Five Colors Domain versus the Sword Dao Domain.

The spiritual light and sword energy clashed against each other, producing a faint hissing sound. The light was repeatedly refracted there, blurring the outline of the edge of the domain.

The two major domains began vying for dominance over the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.

The clouds within the Cloud Realm were simultaneously drawn by two forces, ultimately forming a spiritual energy storm that connected heaven and earth.

Inside the storm, flashes of light flickered intermittently, and thunder rumbled.

The air twisted violently, blurring even the light, and the clouds in the cloud realm were swept up in the storm, being tossed back and forth between the two realms.

But all the violent power was confined within the cloud realm, and the outside remained calm.

Lin Zhao's domain of power was slowly advancing, and the five-colored spiritual light seeped into Qin Tianjun's sword domain little by little, just like water seeping into sand.

The edge of the sword domain began to change color, from light gold to light blue, and then to other colors.

Qin Tianjun's expression began to change.

He could feel his domain regressing, being gradually suppressed by the five-colored domain.

Lin Zhao's control over spiritual power far exceeded his imagination. The five-colored domains constantly changed their spiritual light as they collided. With each transformation, he found the weakest point in his domain and then infiltrated it with spiritual power.

Qin Tianjun's swordsmanship began to suffer a series of setbacks.

He glanced at the Heavenly Heart Dharma Wheel behind Lin Zhao. He didn't know what kind of supernatural power it was, but he knew that if things continued like this, he was doomed to lose.