Cultivation Starting from Full Talent-Chapter 665 - 663: Divine Fire Star Lord

Several days later, Xuzi Valley.

The moonlight was bright, scattering patches of fragmented shadows across the forest floor.

"Swish~~"

A figure came and went, returning to this place—it was Ning Daoran.

By now, the ambushers from before had already left. The storage bags and corpses of the slain had all been dealt with, but as this was the place where two Nascent Soul Great Cultivators had fallen, remnants of their auras and shattered Divine Souls still lingered.

Ning Daoran furrowed his brows.

Silently, he activated the Soul Searching Technique, gathering the scattered souls of the two.

The Nascent Soul Middle Stage cultivator’s Divine Soul was more robust, and their death had been clean, leaving behind considerably more scattered soul fragments, which were quickly consolidated into a single form. Emerging from the chaotic fog, they still donned the blood-red robe, though the haughty defiance was no longer present on their face.

At this moment, their residual soul was entirely at Ning Daoran’s mercy. Naturally, they dared not show the slightest arrogance.

"Se... Senior Ning..."

They lowered their head and said, "I did not expect things to end like this..."

"Hmph!"

Ning Daoran sneered at them dismissively, then turned to look in another direction.

From the mist, another faintly visible figure slowly rose—it was Chen Ningfeng.

"Me?"

He looked at his indistinct hands in disbelief, then raised his head to look at Ning Daoran. With a laugh, he said, "Ning Keqing, it’s good to see you unharmed."

"Mm, I’m fine."

Ning Daoran replied, "Fellow Daoist Chen, but it’s a pity about your lifelong cultivation..."

"No need to dwell on it,"

Chen Ningfeng said. "I, Chen, was too eager for revenge for my disciples and unwittingly involved you, Ning Keqing, in such a perilous situation. If not for your extraordinary cultivation, the result might have been no different from mine. Ning Keqing, that technique you used just now...?"

"The Soul Searching Technique."

Ning Daoran said, "A rather uncommon magic within the Eastern Wasteland Cultivation World."

"But all Nascent Soul cultivators are said to know the basics of the Soul Searching Technique, though it’s typically used only on the living..."

"That’s because I’ve cultivated it to the state of Return to Nature."

"I see."

Chen Ningfeng sighed lightly and then turned to look at the soul of the Nascent Soul Middle Stage cultivator.

"Who exactly are you?"

Ning Daoran fixed his gaze on the Nascent Soul Middle Stage soul and said, "Speak truthfully, or I’ll obliterate your residual soul with one strike!"

"I’ll talk! I’ll talk...!"

The person hastily dropped to their knees, trembling as they pleaded, "This junior is merely a Loose Cultivator who was once an Inner Sect Disciple of the Divine Fire Sect. Later... later, I was expelled for violating sect rules, but I’ve maintained contact with Elder Zhang Qinghe. This time... it was precisely Elder Zhang Qinghe who instructed me, alongside two other Fellow Daoists in the Nascent Soul stage, to eliminate a troublesome individual."

"So that black-robed elder was Zhang Qinghe?"

"Precisely."

The Nascent Soul Middle Stage’s residual soul gritted their teeth and continued, "Senior Ning, you may not know, but ever since you ascended to the ninety-seventh level of the Divine Fire Tower, Zhang Qinghe has harbored killing intent. He believes someone like you remaining within the sect will inevitably disrupt his grand aspirations. What’s more, you were brought into the sect by Master Long as a Guest Elder, making you a thorn in the side of the Zhang Family faction."

"So Zhang Qinghe truly harbors designs on the Divine Fire Sect," Ning Daoran said coldly.

"You traitorous scum!"

Chen Ningfeng glared at the soul and said, "If I recall correctly, you too are a Long-named disciple, a descendant of the Long Family. Why would you collude with the likes of Zhang Qinghe, that backstabbing schemer, to seize the Divine Fire Sect’s foundation?"

"It was cooperate or die. If you were in my shoes, what choice would you make?" the soul replied helplessly.

"Hmph!"

Ning Daoran chuckled faintly. "Zhang Qinghe is indeed cunning, always plotting to have the Zhang Family gain dominance over the Divine Fire Sect. The only thing he lacked was Sect Master Long Xian’er relinquishing her position. Now, it seems that my presence has indeed upset his plans, which is why he suddenly acted, trying to eliminate me."

"Exactly!"

The Nascent Soul Middle Stage soul knelt and begged, "Senior Ning, this junior was merely following orders and had no other choice!"

"No need to say more."

Ning Daoran raised his hand and smacked the soul, dispersing it completely.

"Didn’t you promise not to destroy his soul if he spoke the truth?" Chen Ningfeng asked helplessly.

"It was just words. Why take them seriously?"

Ning Daoran replied calmly, "Fellow Daoist Chen, your soul is weak. Though I used the Soul Searching Technique to help you reassemble your soul, it won’t last long. Soon, your soul will dissipate, and your consciousness will fade into oblivion. If you still have any unfulfilled wishes, speak now. If it’s within my power, I will do my best to assist."

"Sigh..."

Chen Ningfeng said, "I’ve already troubled Ning Keqing too much. How can I burden you with more?"

"We’ve known each other for some time. Why be so reserved?"

Ning Daoran said, "I, Ning, have pursued cultivation my whole life with a clear conscience and an untroubled mind. Speak freely."

"Very well."

Chen Ningfeng gave a bitter smile and said, "Then I’ll thicken my skin and ask this of you... I, Chen, have no family left, no Daoist couple, no lingering attachments. Only, I have three disciples—all of them Long-named descendants. I fear they might be implicated in this matter. If they are, I hope Ning Keqing can lend a hand within your ability. If you can do this... I’ll be at peace in the afterlife."

"Rest assured."

Ning Daoran said, "Zhang Qinghe’s ambush in Xuzi Valley is not something he can openly admit. Your three disciples should be safe for now. At most, he’ll find some excuse to reduce their monthly allowances, but there’s no need to worry. Since they are descendants of the Long Family, I will ensure that Zhang Qinghe and his ilk are dealt with. I will even help remove and expel the Zhang Family from the Divine Fire Sect. When that time comes, your three disciples will undoubtedly encounter new opportunities."

"In that case, I am deeply grateful, Ning Keqing..."

Chen Ningfeng gave a deep bow and said, "May the mountains be high and the rivers long, and may Ning Keqing... my friend, enjoy everlasting fortune on the Immortal Path and success in all endeavors..."

"Farewell, Fellow Daoist."

Ning Daoran also gave a deep bow.

Amidst a gentle breeze, the figure of Chen Ningfeng scattered with the wind, his soul dissipating completely.

...

Several months later.

Ning Daoran returned to his Cave Mansion.

He went nowhere else but directly to Shenxiao Peak to visit Sect Master Long Xian’er.

He did not mention the previous events. Instead, he claimed he had been out training and, upon returning, paid Long Xian’er a visit, bringing her some Spirit Fruit and other gifts.

Long Xian’er was naturally delighted, as she also wished to strengthen her ties with Ning Daoran.

This gesture from Ning Daoran, of course, was intended for Zhang Qinghe to see.

By now, Zhang Qinghe no longer dared to act openly against Ning Daoran, as he wouldn’t be able to get past Long Xian’er. Furthermore, the internal situation of the Divine Fire Sect was intricately tied to Long Xian’er. Her dedication to cultivation had given her an edge over Zhang Qinghe in terms of strength. As long as Zhang Qinghe couldn’t guarantee her elimination, he would not make a public move to seize power.

Thus, upon returning to his Cave Mansion, Ning Daoran once again began his secluded cultivation.

Not for anything else, but to await the activation of the Fierce Sun Sky Pool in ten years.

...

Years passed, and in the blink of an eye, five years had gone by.

"Hah~~~"

Within the Grotto Heaven, Ning Daoran slowly exhaled.

The cultivation technique had achieved Great Success. After years of tempering and immersion, the Dragon Demon Heart Scripture had advanced once again, now reaching the twenty-ninth layer—just one step away from the legendary thirtieth layer! freёwebnoѵel.com

According to the scripture’s records, crossing the thirtieth layer would enable the cultivation of the Dragon Demon Dojo, the most essential Divine Skill of the Dragon Demon Heart Scripture!

"Young Master."

Little Bai, noticing the noticeable rise in his Blood Qi, smiled and said, "Congratulations to Young Master on mastering the Divine Skill. Shall we cook a feast to celebrate?"

"No rush on the cooking."

Ning Daoran grinned and said, "I plan to make another visit to the Divine Fire Tower... There are still five years before the Fierce Sun Sky Pool reopens. My goal is to break through all ninety-nine layers of the Divine Fire Tower. If I succeed, no one will be able to bar my way to the Fierce Sun Sky Pool."

"That sounds like a plan."

Little Bai chuckled and nodded.

Thus, Ning Daoran rode a streak of tunneling light into the sky, heading straight for the Divine Fire Tower.

This time, he didn’t draw attention by walking in on foot but flew directly to the tower, hoping to avoid gathering a crowd of curious disciples.

However, Ning Daoran’s ranking in the Divine Fire Tower had long been a hot topic among many disciples of the Divine Fire Sect. The moment he conversed with the Great Elder and stepped foot inside the Divine Fire Tower, countless busybodies across the mountains began flying around and shouting, "Ning Keqing is challenging the Divine Fire Tower again! Come watch the excitement!" Before long, the area surrounding the tower was packed with a gathering crowd.

"Ning Daoran..."

On a mountaintop, Long Jiyu crossed his arms and looked at the lights from the ninety-seventh level of the Divine Fire Tower with mixed emotions.

Two years ago, Long Jiyu had made notable progress in cultivation and improved his standing in the Divine Fire Tower, reaching seventy-five layers. This achievement bumped one Zhang-named True Disciple down a rank and moved him into the top six.

But compared to Ning Daoran’s ninety-seven layers, he still paled in comparison.

"After five years of seclusion, I wonder if Ning Keqing can surpass the ninety-seventh level this time," a female disciple said with a furrowed brow.

"Hmph!"

Zhang Naiqian’s gaze turned cold as he looked toward the ninety-seventh level, a hint of killing intent flickering in his eyes.

Years ago, he had learned of his master Zhang Qinghe’s failed attempt to ambush Ning Daoran with several other Nascent Soul cultivators. He now viewed Ning Daoran with even greater trepidation.

"Difficult,"

Zhang Puyu remarked. "The guardian of the ninety-seventh level is one of our ancestral predecessors—how could Ning Daoran defeat them so easily?"

Yet in the very next moment, the light on the ninety-seventh level suddenly extinguished, and the light on the ninety-eighth level came to life.

The turnaround was too swift. Zhang Puyu was left stunned, frozen in disbelief. After a few moments, he managed to utter, "Hmph, the guardian of the ninety-eighth level is our previous Sect Master. His strength is unmatched; he revived our Divine Fire Sect during a time of crisis. Ning Daoran is doomed to fail this time!"

The crowd collectively nodded in agreement.

Indeed, the former Sect Master was a true powerhouse. Without him, the Divine Fire Sect might not have survived that calamity.

...

Inside the Divine Fire Tower, ninety-eighth level.

Ning Daoran ascended to this floor with the Fire God Sword in hand, where he found an old man lazily reclining at the center. The man’s demeanor was oddly familiar, causing Ning Daoran to momentarily freeze in surprise.

It was none other than the previous Sect Master of the Divine Fire Sect—the Divine Fire Star Lord, also known as the Old Dragon Head from the back mountain!

Though still alive, he had astonishingly split off a wisp of his soul to accept refinement and act as one of the Divine Fire Tower’s Artifact Spirits. Such immense dedication to the sect!

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