Cultivation Starting from Full Talent
Chapter 715 - 713: Law Breaker the Star Monarch’s Challenge

Chapter 715: Chapter 713: Law Breaker the Star Monarch’s Challenge

"Oh?"

Ning Daoran frowned and said, "What does Law Breaker the Star Monarch want with Fellow Daoist?"

"Naturally, it concerns the Treasure Bottle Sect."

Golden Leaf True Monarch took a sip of tea and said, "Fellow Daoist Ning, you may not be aware, but Law Breaker the Star Monarch spoke with utmost sincerity. He said he does not wish to become enemies with the Treasure Bottle Sect, yet the scarcity of Spiritual Energy on Jade Bottle Continent affords no room for further division. Thus, he hopes I can act as a mediator and persuade you to consider leading the Treasure Bottle Sect to join the Demon Cloud Sect, becoming its lower sect!"

"What?!"

True Monarch Wanhua immediately became enraged. "Senior Brother Golden Leaf, you actually act as a mediator for such people?"

"Junior Sister, Fellow Daoist Ning."

Golden Leaf True Monarch was not angered in the slightest. His expression was merely solemn as he said, "Law Breaker the Star Monarch is a Divinity Transformation Cultivator. What can we Nascent Souls use to contend against Divinity Transformation? Moreover, Law Breaker the Star Monarch has already registered his name at the Imperial City of Divine Deer Continent. He is now a Court-recognized Cultivator and a true cultivator of the Eastern Wasteland Cultivation World. Fellow Daoist Ning, do you plan to gather a few late-stage Nascent Souls to confront and slay him?"

He gritted his teeth and continued, "An arm cannot overpower a leg. Why must you be so stubborn? Besides, the Treasure Bottle Sect now only has a few thousand disciples, while I’ve heard the Demon Cloud Sect is massive, with a scale close to seventy or eighty thousand disciples. If this trend continues, the Treasure Bottle Sect’s isolated position on Jade Bottle Continent will inevitably lead to its annihilation by the Demon Cloud Sect."

"So..."

Ning Daoran smiled and said, "Fellow Daoist Golden Leaf, if the sect on Divine Leaf Mountain today were not the Treasure Bottle Sect but the erstwhile Divine Leaf Sect, would you lead your sect members to join the Demon Cloud Sect as a lower sect, with yourself merely as the sect master of a subordinate sect?"

"How could such a matter be comparable?"

Golden Leaf True Monarch said, "My Divine Leaf Sect has an everlasting legacy spanning thousands of years, while the Treasure Bottle Sect is merely a sect newly founded within the last few decades. Naturally, they cannot be mentioned in the same breath!"

"Unexpectedly, Fellow Daoist Golden Leaf harbors such double standards."

Ning Daoran said, "The Divine Leaf Sect has an Ancestor Hall, and so too does the Treasure Bottle Sect. Our ancestor is merely younger; does youth imply we should have softer bones? My Treasure Bottle Sect will never become the lower sect of any sect—not even Demon Cloud Sect. Since Fellow Daoist is here as a mediator for Law Breaker the Star Monarch, you may carry back this message from me: If he wishes to destroy the Treasure Bottle Sect, he can feel free to come. I, along with the several thousand disciples of the Treasure Bottle Sect, await him. We would rather shatter like jade than remain intact as tiles!"

"Alas..."

Golden Leaf True Monarch sighed and said, "Fellow Daoist Ning, Junior Sister, do you realize the consequences if I deliver this message to Law Breaker the Star Monarch and he flies into a rage?"

"What, another attack on the Treasure Bottle Sect?"

Ning Daoran chuckled and said, "No problem. Let him come. I have my own means to ensure he leaves humiliated and scorned back to Demon Cloud Sect."

In fact, were Demon Cloud Sect to attack at this very moment, Ning Daoran wouldn’t be overly worried. Ten years ago, he had sent True Monarch Wanhua to Divine Deer Continent with a thick ledger for Ning Tianyi, listing in detail the expenditures for repairing the Jade Bottle Continent’s mountains and rivers. As a result, True Monarch Wanhua returned from Divine Deer Continent with forty million Spirit Stones!

These forty million Spirit Stones were allocated jointly by Divine Deer Continent, Li Yue Continent, and Treasure Fan Continent. Ning Tianyi had no hesitation, granting approval with a stroke of his pen, enabling Ning Daoran to collect materials and refine seven additional Heavenly Yuan Wind Thunder Arrays over the past ten years.

He sought immense stability, and having ten Heavenly Yuan Wind Thunder Arrays finally provided him with a modicum of security.

Moreover, his comprehension of Kunwu’s Wind had inflated his confidence further. He keenly desired to know whether Kunwu’s Wind could kill a Divinity Transformation Cultivator. If it could, all the better. If not, it was alright—ten Heavenly Yuan Wind Thunder Arrays could safeguard the situation.

In the worst case, he would stall for another ten years until his breakthrough!

Once he advanced to Nascent Soul Late Stage and Late-stage Chaos, the powers of his treasures would increase significantly, fortifying his strength. Furthermore, using Nascent Soul Late Stage cultivation to wield Kunwu’s Wind would vastly amplify its killing potential!

Thus, the situation always favored the Treasure Bottle Sect, leaving Ning Daoran entirely unperturbed.

"Fellow Daoist Ning..."

Golden Leaf True Monarch sighed and asked, "Do you truly insist on pushing this matter to such an irreparable point?"

"Fellow Daoist Golden Leaf."

True Monarch Wanhua slowly stood, her beautiful eyes glinting with fury. She no longer referred to him as senior brother, instead addressing him as Fellow Daoist Golden Leaf. "I find it exceedingly strange. You’re so tirelessly advocating for Law Breaker the Star Monarch. What exactly has he offered you? Or perhaps—if you refused to be his mediator—would Law Breaker the Star Monarch charge into Li Yue Continent to infiltrate Divine Leaf Sect and annihilate you?"

Golden Leaf True Monarch’s pupils slightly contracted.

"Junior Sister, how can you say such a thing?" He frowned and refuted her righteously, "I came here only because you are my Junior Sister, and Fellow Daoist Ning had once fought alongside me. I simply do not wish for the Treasure Bottle Sect to meet a tragic fate of sect demolition and loss of lives. Your words are far too disheartening for a senior brother!"

"Enough now, Fellow Daoist Golden Leaf, there’s no need to say more..."

Ning Daoran said, "Let this matter rest here. You can relay to Law Breaker the Star Monarch that my Treasure Bottle Sect will never bow its head."

He had already caught subtle nuances in Golden Leaf True Monarch’s expression earlier, hints of a guarded secret being uncovered. His reaction—particularly the contraction of his pupils—spoke volumes of his fear and shame.

Ning Daoran knew that Golden Leaf True Monarch was self-serving and afraid of death, shrinking from peril, and likely coerced by Law Breaker the Star Monarch into becoming a mediator.

Ultimately, the matter linked back to the battle seventy years ago involving the Divine Leaf Sect. Golden Leaf True Monarch had been terrified by the immense powers of Chaotic Heaven Star Monarch and Liu Zhu Star Monarch—two Divinity Transformation Cultivators. Unless he managed to advance to Divinity Transformation, he likely wouldn’t have the courage to face Divinity Transformation Cultivators again in this lifetime.

Such a person was unlikely to ever achieve Divinity Transformation. It was pitiable indeed—a sect master bound by the crushing weight of the Supreme Path, with even his Mental State shattered.

"In that case..."

Golden Leaf True Monarch stood and said, "Then I won’t keep pestering you both anymore. The fate of Treasure Bottle Sect rests in your hands; the consequences of any choice will ultimately be the Heavenly Dao’s response to you."

"Thanks for your kind advice, Fellow Daoist Golden Leaf!"

Ning Daoran cupped his fists and smiled. "Forgive us for not seeing you off!"

True Monarch Wanhua crossed her arms and turned away, too disdainful to even spare him another glance.

"Sect Master."

Once Golden Leaf True Monarch left, True Monarch Wanhua couldn’t help but ask, "If Demon Cloud Sect strikes again, what are our odds of victory? After all, even Cloud Heaven Sect has become their lower sect. Please give me an honest answer to put my worries to rest."

"Very well."

Ning Daoran said, "The last time Demon Cloud Sect attacked Treasure Bottle Sect, we repelled them with just two Heavenly Yuan Wind Thunder Arrays. This time, we have ten of them!"

"Ten arrays?"

True Monarch Wanhua’s mouth hung agape, stunned.

"Indeed. So you can rest assured and stop overthinking. Besides the Heavenly Yuan Wind Thunder Arrays, I have other methods that might even counter Divinity Transformation Cultivators. There’s no reason to fret."

"Fine then!"

True Monarch Wanhua laughed. "I suppose I was worrying unnecessarily."

...

A few days later.

A giant immortal boat, on par with the Sea Dragon Immortal Boat, appeared outside the sect’s grand array.

"Sect Master, Deputy Sect Master!"

Chen Yiyang dashed in hastily and said, "Trouble! A massive immortal boat from Demon Cloud Sect has appeared outside the array."

"Just one immortal boat. What’s there to fear?" True Monarch Wanhua said.

"On the boat—standing there—is Law Breaker the Star Monarch..."

"Why are you trailing off halfway through your sentences now?"

Ning Daoran said helplessly, "Is it truly just one boat?"

"Indeed!"

"It seems they aren’t planning a grand-scale assault on Treasure Bottle Sect."

Ning Daoran stood and said, "Let’s go and see what Law Breaker the Star Monarch has to say."

Thus, the three Nascent Souls transformed into tunneling lights, flying out.

By then, within the grand array, many Treasure Bottle Sect cultivators had already ascended into the sky, frowning as they looked at the giant immortal boat beyond the array at the Divinity Transformation Stage Great Cultivator aboard it.

Ning Daoran raised his hand and manipulated the array to create an opening, cupping his fists with a smile. "I, Ning Daoran, greet Fellow Daoist Law Breaker."

Since the previous conflict, Ning Daoran no longer bothered to address him as senior but referred to him directly as Fellow Daoist. This appropriately suited Law Breaker the Star Monarch’s actions—someone of great power stooping to haggle with a sect run by a handful of Nascent Souls hardly merited the title of senior.

"Ning Daoran, the message you relayed through Golden Leaf True Monarch has already reached me."

Law Breaker the Star Monarch’s gaze was fierce, his overwhelming aura rolling with the presence of a Divinity Transformation Cultivator. Narrowing his eyes, he sneered coldly, "It seems you’re truly an ignorant fool. As for this Treasure Bottle Sect, it holds little value in my eyes. However, Heaven spares lives, and I, too, wish to minimize needless slaughter. Therefore, I have decided to extend you an opportunity!"

As Law Breaker the Star Monarch spoke, he gazed toward the thousands of hovering Treasure Bottle Sect disciples and proclaimed loudly, "I hereby issue a formal challenge to Treasure Bottle Sect! Within ten years, if you repent and submit, you may pledge allegiance to my Demon Cloud Sect and become its lower sect. Not only will there be no punishment, but great opportunities shall be granted, including the chance to select three from Treasure Bottle Sect’s True Disciples to become my True Inheritor Disciples!"

For a moment, some Treasure Bottle Sect disciples showed signs of wavering.

"However, if you remain obstinate and insist on opposing my Demon Cloud Sect, then don’t blame me for being merciless. Ten years from now, if Treasure Bottle Sect still refuses to surrender, I will slaughter everyone—leaving no survivors. Choose wisely and don’t doom yourselves to destruction!"

Having said this, Law Breaker the Star Monarch flung out a formal scroll and departed aboard his immortal boat.

...

Ning Daoran caught the challenge and couldn’t help but smile faintly.

Turning to the disciples of Treasure Bottle Sect, he said, "Disciples, do not worry. Continue cultivating diligently. Ten years from now, I, as your sect master, will show you the miracle of a Nascent Soul defeating a Divinity Transformation Cultivator!"

After speaking, he crushed the scroll into dust.

A group of disciples, their eyes burning with passion, knew their sect master’s capabilities. If others spoke such words, they might dismiss them as boasting. But when their sect master said this... it seemed a genuine possibility for a Nascent Soul to leap across realms and kill a Divinity Transformation Cultivator!

Inside, Ning Daoran rejoiced secretly. The ten-year period granted by Law Breaker the Star Monarch was perfectly suited to his plans. In ten years, he would undoubtedly achieve Late-stage Nascent Soul!