Upon hearing the Fourth Elder’s words, Xue Shitian’s brow furrowed. It wasn’t that he *couldn’t* kill Shen Haoran; it was just that there was no deep-seated hatred between them. True, he had been annoyed with Shen Haoran back in Divine Martial City. The man’s strength posed a potential threat to his own status as the number one of the younger generation in the Celestial Spirit Sect, and perhaps even the entire Northern Domain.

But more than worry, Xue Shitian felt an intense craving—a yearning for a true expert. In the Northern Domain, he was the number one of the younger generation. No one could challenge his position, but that also meant no one could truly pressure him. Shen Haoran was the first person to make him feel tense. ’How many years has it been since I’ve felt this surge of excitement, this constant pressure?’ he wondered. The thought of simply killing Shen Haoran left him feeling reluctant.

"What? You’re unwilling?" Seeing Xue Shitian’s tightly knitted brow, the Fourth Elder snapped coldly.

"No. A battle between myself and Shen Haoran is inevitable. Master, rest assured. I will help you fulfill your wish," Xue Shitian replied in a low voice, lowering his head. ’A fight between me and Shen Haoran is unavoidable. When the time comes, if I win, I’ll naturally kill him. That counts as agreeing to the Fourth Elder’s request.’

"Good. But it’s best not to do it within the Celestial Spirit Sect. He also received a spot for the Desert Ancient City, so it would be best to make your move there. That way, you won’t leave any traces. After all, the Desert Ancient City is fraught with danger. It’s perfectly normal for someone to die in there!" the Fourth Elder said, his gaze sinister.

"Understood. If there is nothing else, Master, I will take my leave," Xue Shitian responded flatly, then turned and left the Fourth Elder’s residence.

"Hmph. Shen Haoran, is it? Your time has come! And you too, Jun Luohua. Just you wait!" A venomous voice echoed in the empty courtyard, making the surrounding air turn cold.

...

Time flew, and in the blink of an eye, half a month had passed. The competition for the Celestial Spirit Sect’s spots was drawing ever closer. A tense atmosphere could be felt in every corner of the sect. After all, this was about the expedition to the Desert Ancient City, a rare Secret Realm. The Cultivation and Martial Skills, or even the inheritances of ancient powerhouses inside... obtaining any one of them could greatly increase one’s strength. Who wouldn’t yearn for that?

At this moment, within Jun Luohua’s Hua yuan, three figures flickered about. Powerful blasts of Spiritual Power continuously erupted from the trio, stirring up the sea of flowers around them. Countless petals drifted through the air, creating a breathtaking and unique scene within the garden.

These three were, of course, Shen Haoran, Murong Wanqing, and Han Xu. For the past half a month, besides sitting in meditative Cultivation, the three of them had spent their time sparring with one another. Murong Wanqing and Han Xu teamed up to attack Shen Haoran. Furthermore, the Third Elder, Jun Luohua, had forbidden him from using the Fire Spirit Black Obsidian within his body, as well as his Qilin Arm and Vermilion Bird Wings. In other words, Shen Haoran couldn’t rely on external power and had to fight Murong Wanqing and Han Xu with only his own strength.

When they first heard the Third Elder’s requirement, Murong Wanqing and Han Xu were ecstatic. They had thought that without the Fire Spirit Black Obsidian and other items that enhanced his strength, Shen Haoran’s power would plummet, and they could finally give him a good beating. But reality was cruel.

Even without those items, Shen Haoran’s combat prowess remained formidable. In every fight, he completely suppressed Murong Wanqing and Han Xu. This left the pair incredibly frustrated, but there was nothing they could do. Shen Haoran’s sharp combat instincts, combined with his almost freakish Spiritual Power reserves, made Murong Wanqing and Han Xu feel hopeless. ’Sometimes we really doubt his strength,’ they thought. ’Is he really just a Tier Five Spirit Marquis? Those insane Spiritual Power reserves must be even vaster than an expert at the Spirit Aspect Stage!’

Standing to the side watching the fight, Jun Luohua couldn’t help but be impressed by Shen Haoran. She had assumed that without the Fire Spirit Black Obsidian and his other combat aids, Shen Haoran’s strength would plummet. But after seeing them fight, Jun Luohua realized she was wrong—completely and utterly wrong. While those auxiliary powers certainly made his strength soar, they were built upon the foundation of his own immense power. Over the past half-month, Jun Luohua could find virtually no flaws in him. ’He’s calm, decisive, brave... he’s a machine built for battle!’

BANG...

Just as Jun Luohua’s thoughts began to wander, a heavy impact echoed from the center of the Hua yuan. The three combatants broke apart in mid-air, putting distance between themselves.

"I’m done! I’m done fighting!" The moment they separated, Murong Wanqing plopped onto the ground, looking utterly dejected. "After all those exchanges, Han Xu and I are gasping for air, and our clothes are soaked with sweat. But look at Shen Haoran! His chest is barely even moving, and his complexion hasn’t changed at all. What’s the point of continuing this?"

Han Xu also flopped onto the ground and, without a care for his image, stripped off his shirt, revealing well-defined muscles. He haphazardly wiped the sweat from his face and said with a sense of defeat, "Brother Shen is a real monster. After such high-intensity training, he’s not even flushed or out of breath. Is he even human?"

Shen Haoran let out a soft chuckle as he looked at Murong Wanqing and Han Xu, who were both completely drained. ’The purity of the Spiritual Power in my body is already infinitely close to that of the Heaven and Earth Spirits,’ he mused. ’Spiritual Power this pure is a heaven-defying anomaly. If all the Spiritual Power inside me were transferred to an ordinary Martial Artist, it would be enough to let them break through directly to the Spirit Aspect Stage, maybe even higher. It just goes to show how vast my reserves are. For Murong Wanqing and Han Xu to challenge me on Spiritual Power consumption... they really ran into a brick wall.’

"Alright, that’s enough training for today," Jun Luohua said with a gentle wave of her hand. "The competition for the spots begins in five days. Use that time to properly consolidate what you’ve gained over the past half-month." With the help of Shen Haoran and Jun Luohua, the strength of Murong Wanqing and Han Xu had taken a qualitative leap. Barring any surprises, they should be able to secure spots to enter the Desert Ancient City.

Hearing Jun Luohua’s words, Murong Wanqing and Han Xu both heaved a huge sigh of relief. ’This demonic training is finally over!’ they thought in unison. They both swore they would never, ever spar with a monster like Shen Haoran again. It was just too demoralizing.

"Shen Haoran, come with me for a moment," Jun Luohua said to Shen Haoran, then turned and walked into the house. Seeing this, Shen Haoran quickly followed.

"Third Elder, what did you need me for?" Shen Haoran asked, looking at Jun Luohua before him.

"It’s nothing much. Just giving you something," Jun Luohua said lightly. She then took out a pitch-black Scroll from her Storage Ring and tossed it to Shen Haoran.