Mortal: Starting with the Seven Mysterious Sects, I proved my Dao through sacrifice.

The news that Murong Fan's cultivation had alarmed Ancestor Murong and that he had been given a cultivation manual by the Ancestor quickly spread throughout Huangfeng Valley. As the only female Core Formation cultivator in Huangfeng Valley, Hong Fu naturally showed off in front of the Golden Core elders—her status was not undeserved.

The elders and disciples of Huangfeng Valley were talking about him again, and for a long time, he consistently ranked first on Huangfeng Valley's trending topics list. Some elders regretted not paying attention to him earlier, while others wore bitter expressions; some disciples regretted having made things difficult for him in every way, but the most regretful were Manager Liu of the Spirit Herb Garden and the low-ranking disciple who had called him "idiot"; the most guilty and fearful was the triangular-eyed cultivator who had framed him in the Spirit Herb Garden. Of course, the happiest people for him, besides his master Hong Fu, were his junior sister Qiao Qian.

When Junior Sister Qiaoqian learned that Murong Fan had not only been personally summoned by Ancestor Linghu, but had also been given valuable insights into formations and even allowed to enter the fifth floor of the Scripture Pavilion, she was so excited that she paced around her small courtyard several times and even watered the spiritual herbs that she usually took great care of twice.

She was genuinely happy for Murong Fan. She could not fully comprehend the efforts he had made, from his humble and unassuming demeanor when he first entered the valley to his remarkable success. However, she had witnessed them all.

She secretly resolved to cultivate even harder so as not to fall too far behind Brother Fan, so that she could walk alongside him in the future, even if it was just as a junior sister, and do as much as she could for him.

Meanwhile, in a corner of the mining area, the triangular-eyed cultivator huddled in a dilapidated wooden hut, his face pale and restless. The thought of Murong Fan's current status and the high regard Elder Linghu held for him made him extremely uneasy. Back in the Spirit Herb Garden, out of jealousy for Murong Fan's "favor" from Steward Liu, he had assumed that as long as Murong Fan remained an insignificant outer disciple, this matter would never be mentioned again.

Who could have imagined that this "easy target" he once trampled underfoot would transform into a genius personally watched by the patriarch! He could almost see Murong Fan seeking revenge, that icy gaze, that cultivation that could easily annihilate him—it chilled him to the bone, cold sweat soaking his back. He even considered secretly escaping Yellow Maple Valley, but dared not. He knew the sect's rules; the consequences of unauthorized defection were worse than death. Now, he could only pray day and night that Murong Fan, a nobleman, had forgotten all about him, a nobody.

However, Murong Fan paid no attention to these people at the moment. He was carefully studying the ancient booklet given to him by Patriarch Linghu in his residence. This booklet seemed ordinary, but its contents were extremely profound. It was not a specific array diagram, but rather Patriarch Linghu's understanding and insights into the Dao of Array Formations. It contained many unique and insightful observations, which Murong Fan treasured. He was so engrossed in it that he even temporarily set aside the cultivation resources sent by his master, Hong Fu.

That day, Murong Fan was deducing a variant of the "Star-Gathering Spirit Array" from a booklet when he suddenly heard a commotion outside the courtyard, interspersed with several unfriendly remarks. He frowned slightly, stopped his deduction, got up, and walked to the courtyard gate to look outside. He saw several young men dressed in inner sect disciple robes blocking his courtyard gate. The leader was a tall, arrogant man, none other than Liu Jing, one of the best inner sect disciples. In the original story, Liu Jing was a practical fighter who hated evil and was eager to fight. The disciples following behind Liu Jing also wore expressions of disdain and provocation.

"Murong Fan, you've finally decided to come out?" Liu Jing stood with his arms crossed, chin slightly raised, looking down at Murong Fan with an unfriendly tone.

Murong Fan remained calm and asked indifferently, "I wonder what business Senior Brother Liu has with me?"

Liu Jing snorted coldly and said, "What is it? Murong Fan, you're just a kid who hasn't been in the inner sect of Senior Uncle Hong Fu for long. Just because you have some talent in formations and received a few words of praise from the Ancestor, you've already become so arrogant? You don't even respect us senior brothers anymore?"

"You think only Senior Aunt Hongfu knows how to teach disciples? Doesn't my master? Every time I see Senior Aunt Hongfu acting so arrogant in front of my master, I want to punch you. What's with all the arrogance? Look how spoiled you are by Senior Aunt!" A tall, thin disciple immediately chimed in, "Exactly! The other day at the martial arts arena, our Senior Brother Liu greeted you, and you completely ignored him. You really think your nose is pointing to the sky!"

Murong Fan recalled that he had indeed been to the martial arts arena a few days ago. At that time, he was pondering a difficult formation problem and was completely absorbed in it. Perhaps he really didn't notice that someone greeted him.

Murong Fan was about to explain when Liu Jing impatiently said, "Enough nonsense! I heard you received guidance from the Ancestor and your array formation skills have greatly improved? Perfect timing! I've recently hit a bottleneck in my cultivation, and I've heard you have unique insights into array formations; perhaps you could help me. However, I, Liu Jing, am not one to ask for favors for nothing. How about this: if you can withstand thirty of my moves, I'll acknowledge your skill, and I'll show you respect in the sect. If you can't..." A fierce glint flashed in his eyes, "Then obediently admit you're just a nameless fool!"

As soon as he said this, a group of disciples gradually gathered around to watch the spectacle. They pointed and whispered among themselves at Murong Fan.

"Senior Brother Liu is at the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, about to reach the late-Foundation Establishment stage, while Murong Fan is only at the mid-Foundation Establishment stage. The two are evenly matched."

"Senior Brother Liu is clearly making things difficult for him on purpose, trying to suppress Murong Fan when he is at the height of his fame."

"Although Murong Fan's formations are powerful, his cultivation level is still a small realm lower. Senior Brother Liu is the ceiling of combat power among the inner disciples. He would probably be at a disadvantage in a fight against him."

"I think he should just admit his mistake and apologize. Saving face is a small matter; why make things difficult for himself?"

Hearing the surrounding whispers and wanting to save face for his master, Li Huacheng, Liu Jing felt even more resentful. He looked at Murong Fan, a mocking smile playing on his lips: "What? You're scared? If you're scared, it's not too late to back down now."

Looking at Liu Jing's smug face and glancing at the disciples around him who seemed to enjoy the spectacle, Murong Fan felt a surge of inexplicable anger. He wasn't a brawler, but he was certainly not a pushover. Liu Jing's actions, ostensibly a friendly spar, were in reality an insult. If he backed down, he would likely be seen in Yellow Maple Valley as a "hypocritical figure" who only relied on the patriarch's legacy.

Taking a deep breath, Murong Fan's eyes sharpened. Meeting Liu Jing's gaze, he spoke slowly, his voice not loud, yet clearly carrying throughout the courtyard: "Since Senior Brother Liu wishes to spar, Murong Fan will gladly oblige. However," he paused, his gaze sweeping over Liu Jing, "if I lose within thirty moves, you may do as you please. But what if you are unable to defeat me?"

Liu Jing was stunned for a moment, clearly not expecting Murong Fan to dare accept the challenge and even negotiate terms with him. He then burst into wild laughter: "Hahaha! Good! What an arrogant brat! Since you're looking for a beating, then I'll grant your wish! If I can't defeat you within thirty moves, I, Liu Jing, will apologize to you in public and give you a bottle of 'True Essence Pills'! How about it?" Although True Essence Pills weren't top-tier pills, they were still commonly used auxiliary pills for Foundation Establishment cultivators and were quite valuable. Liu Jing was going all out to force Murong Fan to submit.

"It's a deal!" Murong Fan replied without hesitation.

The surrounding disciples immediately erupted in an uproar.

"My God! Murong Fan really agreed! Has he gone mad?"

"That's incredibly bold! This is Senior Brother Liu, a master who's about to reach the late Foundation Establishment stage! He possesses the Phoenix Talisman, a family heirloom."

"This is going to be good! I want to see how Murong Fan will handle Senior Brother Liu's thirty moves!"

"How can he be so bold! Does he really have some trump card?" Junior Sister Qiaoqian was also squeezed in the crowd. When she saw Murong Fan agree, her face turned pale with anxiety, and her palms were sweating. Yet, she also showed a hint of trust in Murong Fan.

Seeing Murong Fan agree so readily, Liu Jing's eyes flashed with surprise, which was quickly replaced by intense anger: "You don't know your place! Since you're so eager to be tortured, don't blame me for being ruthless! Take this!"

Before he finished speaking, Liu Jing moved, unleashing his spiritual power—a power he was about to reach in the late stage of Foundation Establishment—without reservation, a powerful aura pressing down on Murong Fan. He stomped his right foot on the ground, causing several fine cracks to appear in the bluestone pavement. He charged towards Murong Fan like an arrow released from a bow, his right fist clenched, accompanied by a whistling wind, aiming straight for Murong Fan's face! This punch was powerful and heavy, clearly intended to defeat Murong Fan in one strike!

Faced with this thunderous punch, Murong Fan remained calm. He took a deep breath, his left hand forming a hand seal to channel spiritual energy. Three beams of azure light suddenly lit up on the ground, forming a triangle that enveloped Liu Jing. The "Earth Vein Locking Spirit" technique from the "Essentials of the Three Talents Trapping Array" was instantly activated. He lightly touched the ground with his toes, retreating along the trajectory of the array's core, just avoiding the force of the punch. At the same time, the array's foundation had quietly taken shape beneath Liu Jing's feet.

"Huh?" Liu Jing's punch missed, and he suddenly felt a blockage in his spiritual energy. He hadn't expected Murong Fan to set up an array the moment they clashed. He snorted coldly and stomped his left foot hard, his violent spiritual energy attempting to shatter the array's foundation. As he spun around, his right leg swept out, the force of which stirred up ripples within the array, clearly indicating his intention to break it by force!

The surrounding disciples couldn't help but gasp in surprise. Looking at the pale blue light patterns that suddenly appeared in the arena, Junior Sister Qiaoqian covered her mouth in tension—it was the basic trapping formation recorded in the Scripture Pavilion, yet Murong Fan used it so swiftly!

Murong Fan's eyes narrowed, and his hands quickly formed hand seals: "Activate the formation!" Three beams of azure light suddenly surged, and the spiritual energy surging from the cracks in the ground intertwined into a net. Liu Jing's sweeping leg kick was abruptly halted by the net of light, while Murong Fan used the momentum to step into the air, channeling spiritual energy from his fingertips into the formation's core: "Heaven, Earth, and Man shift, trap!"

Liu Jing felt the surrounding spiritual energy suddenly tighten, as if he were sinking into a quagmire. As the array patterns beneath his feet swirled, three illusory figures attacked from three sides. The attacks, which were difficult to distinguish between real and illusory, forced him to divert his attention to defense, and his movements slowed down by half a beat.

In that split second! Murong Fan clasped his hands together in mid-air, and a bright blue light shone from the center of the array: "Use the array as a guide to gather spiritual energy into a blade!" The trapping array suddenly contracted, and all the spiritual energy condensed into a rotating blue wind blade above Liu Jing's head. This spiritual energy blade, compressed by the array, was several times more powerful than anything activated by talismans!

"How is this possible?" Liu Jing was shocked. He did not expect that this basic trapping formation could actually turn into an attack! In a hurry, he burst out with spiritual power to try to shatter the formation. A light golden shield spread around him, but it was locked in place by the formation patterns and could not be dodged.

"Pfft!" The wind blade struck the protective shield, and at the same time, the array patterns tightened and squeezed into the gaps in the shield. The shield shattered violently, and Liu Jing was forced back three steps by the shock. Looking at the remaining array patterns on the ground, cold sweat poured down his face—if the opponent's spiritual power hadn't been insufficient, this killing move would have been enough to severely injure him!

Thirty moves have passed!

The courtyard was deathly silent; everyone stared in disbelief at the scene before them. No one had expected that Murong Fan, a mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator, would actually withstand thirty moves from Liu Jing, who was nearing the late Foundation Establishment stage, and do so with apparent ease, even managing to counterattack and force Liu Jing to retreat!

"This...how is this possible?" The tall, thin disciple muttered to himself, his face full of disbelief.

Liu Jing's face turned pale and then red. He looked at Murong Fan, his eyes filled with shock, anger, and a hint of undisguised humiliation. He never imagined that he would fail to defeat a mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator within thirty moves, and instead be forced back by him. This was an utter disgrace!

Murong Fan landed slowly, his expression still calm, as if he had just done something insignificant. He looked at Liu Jing and said calmly, "Senior Brother Liu, thirty moves have passed."

Liu Jing stared intently at Murong Fan, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white, his chest heaving violently. The gazes of the surrounding disciples felt like needles piercing him, making him wish he could disappear into the ground. He knew he had lost, utterly and completely. A bet is a bet, and that was the sect's rule, one he himself had made.

Finally, Liu Jing gritted his teeth and squeezed out a few words: "I...I lost. Junior Brother Murong, I was outmatched. I apologize to you." After saying that, he took out a True Essence Pill that emitted a rich spiritual energy from his storage bag, threw it to Murong Fan, and then, amidst the complicated gazes of the crowd, slunk away with his followers.

Liu Jing is a true man; he can accept defeat and let it go. In fact, he wasn't entirely jealous of Murong Fan, nor did he fight to the death with all his might. It was just a friendly spar. He just wanted to save face for his master, Li Huayuan, since everyone knows that his senior sister Hong Fu is his white moonlight.

Only after Liu Jing and the others disappeared did thunderous discussions erupt in the courtyard.

"That's amazing! Murong Fan actually won!"

"To be able to fight a Foundation Establishment cultivator who is about to reach the late Foundation Establishment stage head-on, and even force him to retreat—that's incredibly strong!"

"Who said he was all talk and no action? Step forward! I promise I won't kill him!"

"How can he be so brave! Not only did he dare to accept Senior Brother Liu's provocation, but he also won so decisively!"

"Now I understand why the Ancestor valued him so highly. It's not just his talent in formations; his strength is equally astonishing!"

When Junior Sister Qiaoqian opened her eyes and saw that Murong Fan was safe and sound and had won the competition, her face turned red with excitement. She waved her little fist vigorously, her eyes sparkling with admiration.

Murong Fan put away the True Essence Pill, ignoring the surrounding chatter. He knew that today's battle was not only about upholding his dignity, but also about proving to everyone that everything he, Murong Fan, had achieved was not merely due to talent and luck, but also to genuine strength! He looked up at the sky; the sun shone brightly, and his heart was filled with determination. His path of cultivation was destined to be bumpy, but he had the confidence and resolve to meet every challenge!

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