The Long Journey to Immortality

"Today, you must show me the difference between a true spirit and an ordinary human cultivator."

The matter that Tang Daoren mentioned was when Han Lu participated in the Grand Competition Secret Realm Test for the first time as a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

In that test, she pretended to be the true spirit tamed and controlled by Wen Erya, and fought three hundred rounds with the fake Azure Dragon summoned by Tang Daoren's three disciples using magic weapons and secret techniques.

Later, as the news that Han Lu possessed the true spirit bloodline spread throughout the sect, the quick-witted and good-memory cultivators naturally connected Han Lu's true spirit with Wen Erya's. It wasn't until twenty years later that they saw through the little trick that Han Lu and Wen Erya had used in the competition.

With such a story behind it, it's no wonder that Master Tang was so persistent and attached great importance to the match against Han Lu, and repeatedly asked Han Lu to give it his all so that he could enjoy the same treatment that his disciple had enjoyed back then.

Upon receiving the message, Han Lu did not immediately reply with a yes.

After all, before stepping onto the stage, she had no idea of ​​Tang Daoren's true strength or what strange tricks he had up his sleeve. She had already devised a fighting strategy based on the actual situation, taking herself as the main player.

Han Lu had already thought this through and didn't want to change it because of a single sentence from Tang Daoren, whom she didn't know well.

Not to mention that the arena in front of her was more than enough space for cultivators, but it was a bit small for Han Lu after she transformed into a true spirit.

In this place, Han Lu prefers to use her abilities and make use of the space in human form or semi-spirit form when fighting.

Furthermore, this was just an ordinary selection within the sect, and Han Lu didn't want to reveal her trump cards too early, lest she create unnecessary trouble when facing the cultivators of Xuan Yang Valley in the future.

After a moment of contemplation, when they were face to face on the arena, Han Lu sincerely replied to Tang Daoren with a few words transmitted through telepathy.

Explain your difficulties, express your intention not to change your true spirit, and then explain that you will use some true spirit powers in the upcoming exchange.

Finally, he indicated that he could accept Tang Daoren's challenge in private, to make friends through martial arts and improve together.

Han Lu felt that this approach was reasonable.

After all, she hadn't really fought much since advancing to the Golden Core Realm, and she definitely needed a fellow cultivator of suitable cultivation to assist her and help her gain some combat experience in the Golden Core Realm.

Han Lu thought it was suitable, and Tang Daoren was also satisfied with what he heard.

With a smile, Tang Daoren cupped his hands and said, "Elder Zhenfeng, please give me your guidance."

Han Lu returned the greeting, "Elder Tang is too kind. According to age, you are the senior and should be the one giving me guidance."

Xuan Chengzi interrupted from below the arena, jokingly saying, "You two should be serious. Don't just be polite and make us laugh in front of us."

A few scattered laughs came from the mouths of several elders.

There was no tense atmosphere on the stage, and the atmosphere offstage was relaxed and pleasant.

The formation was activated, isolating the arena from the outside world.

Tang Daoren solemnly straightened his sleeves, his lips moved slightly, making a soft sound, and he muttered to himself, giving himself a mental suggestion and making "pre-match arrangements".

Han Lu simply stood casually on one side of the ring, neither placing her hands on her storage bag nor making any pre-battle preparations.

Anyone with a discerning eye could see that although those on the stage spoke of being relaxed and nonchalant, their actual attitudes toward the fight were completely different.

Just like before, Xuan Chengzi simply counted one number and then announced the start.

At the very beginning of the battle, Han Lu did not activate the "True Phoenix Manual" to enter a semi-true spirit state.

She took out the ancient zither she had obtained from the high priest of the Western Regions, intending to first use illusion magic to test Tang Daoren's abilities.

As for Tang Daoren, he also took out his magic weapon, adhering to the idea of ​​putting himself first.

An unlit oil lamp.

This magical artifact had a strange appearance. Han Lu, who was holding an ancient zither, saw it immediately but couldn't guess what its purpose was.

"Did Master Tang use it to defend against soul attacks?" Han Lu was holding a musical instrument and magic weapon in her hands. In addition, she had a good reputation in the sect for her skills in illusion and soul attacks. This deduction was reasonable.

"Or perhaps some magical artifacts used to perform secret techniques?" Considering the three disciples of Tang Daoren that she had met before, Han Lu felt that this idea was about 30% likely.

Despite her thoughts, Han Lu still followed her plan, plucked the strings of her zither, and unleashed a soul attack.

He held the guqin horizontally with his left hand and poured spiritual energy into it.

With a flick of his right hand, five fingers plucked the strings in rapid succession, sending out bursts of sonic blades from the guqin.

This materialized spiritual attack is highly deceptive, easily causing opponents to misjudge the situation and choose the wrong way to defend, thus falling victim to the attack.

However, just as Han Lu had thought, her reputation for being skilled in illusions and soul attacks had indeed spread throughout the sect, and cultivators like Tang Daoren, who had achieved the Golden Core stage fifty years earlier than her, naturally knew about this.

Upon seeing the sonic blade approaching him, Tang Daoren treated it as a soul attack.

While using his magic weapon to light up the lampstand, he also grabbed a handful of jade stones from his storage bag and scattered them in front of him.

These jade stones shattered one by one in front of Tang Daoren, and the shattered fragments collided with each other, causing a second wave of explosions.

In an instant, a thick layer of light green powder floated in front of Tang Daoren, completely blocking and dissolving the sonic blades fired by Han Lu.

Just as Han Lu was about to use another method to unleash the ancient zither's supernatural power, the lamp stand that Tang Daoren had taken out to use was finally lit by Tang Daoren using his spiritual power.

The light flickered like a candle in the wind, yet it gave people a sense of power and mystery.

As the candlelight was lit, Han Lu seemed to see a line made entirely of spiritual energy connecting Tang Daoren to the lampstand.

In the next instant, Tang Daoren's aura surged, and he seemed to have the air of a mid-stage Golden Core cultivator.

"Sure enough, whatever the master knows, the disciple knows too. It seems that the entire lineage of Master Tang is skilled in these strange and unusual secret techniques."

After glancing at Tang Daoren and then at the lampstand beside him, Han Lu quickly figured out how to counter this move.

"Clearly, simply blowing out the candle flame on the lampstand will end Master Tang's secret technique."

"At that time, he will surely become someone I can do whatever I want with."

Although Tang Daoren's aura had the feel of a mid-stage Golden Core cultivator, it still didn't make Han Lu feel "as if facing a formidable enemy".

Having once defeated a Nascent Soul cultivator in the Western Regions, Han Lu had an accurate assessment of her current strength.

But not being nervous doesn't mean underestimating your opponent.

The next second, Han Lu entered a semi-spiritual state.

A beautiful woman with flowing silver hair and dark brown skin, reminiscent of women from the Western Regions, appeared on the arena.

Chapter 742 Defeating the Enemy by Force

Han Lu used the semi-true spirit transformation technique quite a few times within the Zhengyi Sect.

From the most basic changes to the more profound and complex ones, they have all been applied.

However, this is the first time she has appeared with brown skin after merging with Li Feng's bloodline.

The elders discussed among themselves, especially Jin Zhenren and Piaomiaozi, who were familiar with Han Lu, and were full of surprise.

Jin Zhenren transmitted his voice, "Piaomiao, it seems your disciple has learned some powerful new things after returning to the Wilderness. Come and tell me, what kind of True Spirit technique is this?"

"It can't just be used to make someone look prettier, can it?"

Jin Zhenren joked with his friend.

Piaomiaozi shook his head slightly and replied telepathically, "I don't know either."

Jin Zhenren sensed something different in those four words. After thinking about it carefully, he didn't ask any more questions. He simply said, "Since you, Piaomiao, don't know the origin or purpose of Elder Zhenfeng's move, let's just watch her perform it quietly."

The change in title more or less reveals the helplessness of Piaomiaozi.

Han Lu's activation of the Li Feng and Bing Feng bloodlines within her body was not merely for the sake of her "dark skin" and "white hair," but rather for her own purpose.

While cultivating in the wilderness, she discovered that when she activated the Fierce Phoenix Blood to perform various external martial arts techniques, it coordinated well with the various Ice Phoenix Divine Powers, which is why she made such a choice at this time.

Upon entering the semi-true spiritual transformation dominated by the Li Feng bloodline, Han Lu felt her physical strength increase a hundredfold, as if she could wrestle with her previous self using only two fingers.

Tang Daoren noticed Han Lu's changes.

He subconsciously thought that Han Lu had used a similar method to him, except that what she activated was not a secret technique or magical artifact, but the true spirit bloodline within her body.

Tang Daoren secretly guessed, "It must also be a secret technique with an extremely high burden."

The situation has changed slightly, but not enough to make Tang Daoren retract his "combination punches" that he had already prepared.

With a pat on his storage bag, Tang Daoren, in a state almost comparable to a mid-stage Golden Core cultivator, wielded three magical treasures in one go and attacked Han Lu.

A blunt pestle.

A long, slender spirit sword.

A lotus leaf fan.

The pestle, radiating a golden light, launched its main attack.

The spirit sword, flashing with a blue halo, maneuvered and surrounded Han Lu, constantly changing its posture, ready to seize any opportunity to launch a surprise attack while Han Lu was dealing with the magic pestle.

The last item, the lotus leaf fan, is a supplementary magical artifact.

A gentle breeze blew out, making the two magical artifacts that were moving with the wind, as well as Tang Daoren himself, more agile and light, while slowing down and sluggishing Han Lu who was moving against the wind.

This combination of punches is Tang Daoren's most proficient technique, or rather, his only relatively sharp technique after advancing to the Golden Core realm.

There's no way around it; after all, not all cultivators are multi-talented cultivators like Han Lu or Fairy Seven Flowers.

In the Central Plains, where cultivation resources are abundant but spiritual artifacts and treasures are scarce, cultivators like Tang Daoren, who possess only two or three spiritual artifacts, are ultimately the majority.

Facing the magic pestle, Han Lu, whose external skills alone, surpassed those of other cultivators at the same level who were proficient in external skills, showed no intention of dodging or avoiding it.

I recall borrowing books from the university and learning some basic external martial arts techniques.

Without hesitation, Han Lu used the reaction force generated by stomping on the ring to deliver a left-handed punch to the pestle.

The body is swift, agile, and incredibly strong.

Before Tang Daoren could react to what Han Lu had done, Han Lu's fist had already collided with the golden-glowing magic pestle.

"Boom!"

With a muffled thud, Han Lu's left fist struck the magic pestle from the side at a perfect angle.

The next second, the magic pestle flew out like a baseball hit by a baseball bat and sent flying high into the outfield, following the force of Han Lu's punch.

The vajra, flying through the air at a speed visible to the naked eye, dissipated its golden light and spirituality.

The magic pestle, temporarily rendered powerless, crashed into the array that isolated the arena from the outside world. Finally, it slid down the array's light barrier and fell to the ground with a crisp "ping," temporarily losing its ability to fight.

When the Golden Core elders who were watching saw Han Lu's fist, which was completely unharmed, they couldn't help but marvel inwardly.

Master Jin was even more direct, exclaiming, "When did this Fairy Zhenfeng cultivate another external martial arts technique? And it's so powerful that she can withstand magical artifacts and treasures with her own flesh and blood?"

Jin Zhenren's words expressed the sentiments of everyone.

All the cultivators had this question.