Behind Tian Guozhen, his Snow Mountain Mammoth martial soul roared. With every step forward, the ground trembled slightly under the mammoth's weight.
"You are our guest, and the moment you attack will mark the start of our sparring. But I don't want to wait too long," Tian Guozhen said coldly, his sharp eyes resembling a crouching tiger ready to pounce.
Ning Tianchen shrugged as six soul rings—yellow, yellow, purple, black, black, black—appeared beneath his feet.
A faint smile crept onto Tian Guozhen's lips. "Good, you've indeed broken through to Soul Emperor level. Otherwise, this fight would have been utterly boring."
"Then watch closely."
Without hesitation or buildup, Ning Tianchen immediately launched into battle.
The Seven Kill Sword in his hand danced and flipped with incredible agility, moving like a nimble dragon.
Tian Guozhen's towering frame naturally exuded immense strength. Moreover, the Snow Mountain Mammoth martial soul was both offensive and defensive. By channeling his soul power into his hands, he could withstand the sharpness of the Seven Kill Sword.
The howling wind carried the sounds of their battle, causing large amounts of snow to slide down from the cliff above, hinting at an impending avalanche.
With his soul power enveloping him, Ning Tianchen couldn't feel the cold. However, the falling snow obstructed his vision and greatly hindered his movement.
Seizing the opportunity, Tian Guozhen delivered a heavy punch that sent Ning Tianchen retreating.
The first exchange ended with Ning Tianchen at a disadvantage.
Brushing the snow off his hair, he held the Seven Kill Sword steady, choosing not to act rashly.
Gradually, he began to understand why Tian Guozhen had chosen this platform for their duel.
Environmental factors could significantly disrupt a soul master's performance. Remaining calm and composed in any situation was a crucial lesson for every strong individual.
The key lay in whether one chose to adapt to the environment or defy it outright.
Fighting here, even in defeat, would bring valuable experience.
"Thank you for that."
Ning Tianchen's gaze sharpened as he suddenly swung the Seven Kill Sword.
The white sword qi burst forth, concealed within the falling snow, making it nearly impossible to detect.
Defying nature required immense strength and courage. For now, adapting to the environment was not a bad choice.
Tian Guozhen's response revealed his seasoned expertise.
No matter how powerful Ning Tianchen's sword qi was, Tian Guozhen had no intention of blocking it.
"Third Soul Skill, Mammoth Trample!"
Using the momentum provided by the Snow Mountain Mammoth's forelimbs, his body leaped upward, reaching a height of over twenty meters.
While airborne, he evaded the sword qi and then descended toward Ning Tianchen with a crushing force.
Without hesitation, Ning Tianchen planted the Seven Kill Sword in front of him, and the second soul ring beneath his feet lit up.
"Second Soul Skill, Dragon Sword Guardian."
Countless spiritual swords emerged from the blade, forming a barrier of sword qi around him.
Tian Guozhen's sheer weight, combined with the explosive force of his soul skill, shattered the barrier effortlessly.
Not giving Ning Tianchen a chance to counterattack, he landed behind him, avoiding his range of attack.
The second exchange ended, and both fighters gained a deeper understanding of each other's abilities.
"As expected of the top genius of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect. You quickly thought to use the environment to conceal your sword qi," Tian Guozhen silently praised.
At the same time, his eyes burned with excitement.
For years, very few people had made him take a fight so seriously.
Ning Tianchen remained expressionless, but inwardly, he was astonished.
Tian Guozhen's difficulty far exceeded his expectations.
To remain so composed in battle, neither greedy for quick victories nor overly aggressive—something even Ning Tianchen, who was usually calm, sometimes struggled with.
In that previous moment, if it had been Tian Guocheng or Tian Chao, they wouldn't have retreated but instead clashed head-on with him.
Ning Tianchen didn't lose heart. Cracking his neck, he said, "Let's end the probing here. I'm looking forward to a direct confrontation with you."
"That suits me just fine."
This time, Tian Guozhen took the initiative.
"Second Soul Skill, Forceful Charge."
Tian Guozhen charged forward.
The Seven Kill Sword wasn't a heavy weapon, so Ning Tianchen dodged while simultaneously launching sword qi attacks at Tian Guozhen.
Relying on the Snow Mountain Mammoth's formidable defense, the sharp sword qi left no visible injury on Tian Guozhen.
"Something's off. Relying solely on the natural defense of his martial soul, without using defensive soul skills, his defense shouldn't be this high," Ning Tianchen realized.
He was confident that, given the sharpness of the Seven Kill Sword, a soul master of the same level shouldn't be able to withstand it so easily.
Tian Guozhen must have some other form of defense—or perhaps even a torso soul bone specialized in defense.
…
The commotion of their sparring quickly attracted the attention of the Snow Mountain Sect disciples.
The disciples instinctively kept their distance, standing far away to observe the clash between these two geniuses.
"Isn't that the guest who arrived yesterday? Why is he sparring with Tian Guozhen?"
"At the same level, not only has he not fallen behind against Guozhen, but his soul power is also two levels lower. This guest is no ordinary person," a Soul Sage of the Snow Mountain Sect analyzed.
This sparked speculation among the sect's disciples about Ning Tianchen's purpose for visiting.
Some believed he had been invited to challenge Tian Guozhen, the sect's top genius.
Others thought Ning Tianchen was arrogant and sought to defeat the sect's number one prodigy to make a statement.
Inside the quarters, Ning Rongrong was awakened by the noise outside.
Sitting up, she rubbed her neck and instinctively called out, "Brother Tianchen, why is it so noisy outside?"
But there was no reply.
Realizing he wasn't in the room, she quickly dressed and rushed out.
The quarters were situated on higher ground, giving her a clear view of the distant cliff platform.
"Brother Tianchen is sparring with someone?" A faint smile appeared on Ning Rongrong's lips.
In her memory, Ning Tianchen had never lost to a soul master of the same level, so naturally, he wouldn't lose to anyone from the Snow Mountain Sect either.
On the other side, a disciple hurriedly informed Tian Chao about the ongoing duel.
"What? Guozhen is already sparring with the guest from the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect so early?"
According to his plan, this sparring match could happen—but not on the cliff platform. It should have taken place in front of the sect's main hall, allowing the sect leader to witness the strength of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect and thereby advancing ties between the two sects.
Tian Guozhen's decision had completely disrupted his plans.
At that moment, Tian Guocheng also arrived in a rush. "They're sparring on the cliff platform. Should we forcibly stop them? If someone falls off the cliff, it'll be a major accident."
Tian Chao furrowed his brows.
He wanted to intervene, but his ranking in the sect was lower than Tian Guozhen's. Forcing interference with his decision would constitute overstepping, a serious offense in the Snow Mountain Sect.
The only one who could stop Tian Guozhen was the sect leader, who outranked him.
But the sect leader was still in the summit hall and unlikely to be aware of the situation here.
After a long silence, he said, "Guocheng, follow me. If either side shows signs of losing, we'll intervene immediately. There must be no casualties."
The cliff platform was originally designed for sparring among soul masters at the Soul Sage level or higher.
With their True Body martial souls activated, even if they fell off the cliff, Soul Sages wouldn't face life-threatening danger.
However, both Tian Guozhen and Ning Tianchen were only at Soul Emperor level. Falling off the cliff would mean certain death.
…
On the platform, the battle reached a stalemate.
Ning Tianchen was weaker in terms of raw strength but compensated by rapidly striking with the Seven Kill Sword, avoiding the disadvantage in power.
As Tian Guozhen defended against the Seven Kill Sword, he couldn't gather enough momentum to deliver a heavy punch, effectively being controlled by Ning Tianchen.
"Fifth Soul Skill, Frozen Tundra."
Tian Guozhen stomped his right foot on the ground, and freezing energy spread rapidly from his body.
Everything around them froze, and the falling snowflakes turned into icy daggers, pelting Ning Tianchen's cheeks.
Having undergone ice-fire tempering, Ning Tianchen possessed a degree of immunity to freezing-type soul skills. His limbs didn't stiffen, and he hurled the Seven Kill Sword.
The overwhelming force of the Fifth Soul Skill "All Around Massive Quake" forcibly repelled Tian Guozhen, interrupting his attack.
"Such strong control," Ning Tianchen muttered, brushing off the ice shards from his body. He was surprised.
In a snowy environment, ice-attribute martial souls like the Snow Mountain Mammoth received significant boosts.
From this point onward, he needed to tread carefully.
Around the platform, Tian Chao spotted Ning Rongrong observing the battle and quickly approached her.
"That person is really strong. Is he the one you mentioned—the top genius of the Snow Mountain Sect?" Ning Rongrong asked.
She had never seen Ning Tianchen struggle for so long against a peer-level opponent before, so she voiced her question.
Tian Chao sighed bitterly. "Why didn't you stop them? When two tigers fight, one will surely get hurt. We're all friends here—it's not good if they injure each other."
Ning Rongrong wasn't worried. "What's there to worry about? Brother Tianchen has a flight soul skill—he won't fall off the cliff. The one you should be worried about is your genius."
Tian Guocheng sighed. "It's not that simple. Guozhen has spent years training in icy environments, which greatly benefits the Snow Mountain Mammoth martial soul. Plus, he's very familiar with the platform. Ning Tianchen might be in real danger."
Ning Rongrong thought for a moment but wasn't overly concerned.
Ning Tianchen hadn't used the God of Slaughter Domain yet, meaning he hadn't gone all out. If that was the case, she had nothing to worry about.
…
"Fourth Soul Skill, Wind Dragon Shadow."
The power of the sword qi increased, and Ning Tianchen used the Seven Kill Sword for long-range attacks, forcing Tian Guozhen to defend frantically.
The sword qi struck Tian Guozhen, but its momentum didn't dissipate.
As the momentum continued to stack, it gradually formed a wall of sword qi.
Ning Tianchen's pressure reached its peak, leaving Tian Guozhen no way to break free in the short term.
Seeing that he had suppressed his opponent, Ning Tianchen asked, "Shall we call it a draw?"
Since this was a sparring match, it was enough to understand each other's strength without going all out.
After some thought, Tian Guozhen said, "Let's each use our sixth soul skill and unleash a full-power attack. Regardless of the outcome, we'll call it even."
Ning Tianchen readily agreed.
"Sixth Soul Skill, Traceless Flying Sword."
Raising the Seven Kill Sword above his head, countless spiritual swords materialized behind him.
The sheer spectacle left many of the onlookers feeling inferior.
The Seven Kill Sword's "Myriad Swords Return to Origin" was a group attack skill, with the rain of swords striking fixed positions, making it unsuitable for single targets.
However, every sword shadow Ning Tianchen summoned had an independent flight trajectory. With adjustments, he could concentrate the sword rain onto a single focal point.
"Sixth Soul Skill, Falling Heavenly Meteor."
Tian Guozhen unleashed his full power. The previously dim sky suddenly brightened as a fiery meteor streaked across the heavens, plummeting toward Ning Tianchen's position.
If this were a life-or-death battle, Ning Tianchen wouldn't bother dealing with the meteor. He could simply direct all the sword rain at Tian Guozhen and end the fight.
But since this was a sparring match, victory should be determined by the strength of their soul skills.
Calibrating the direction of the sword rain, he directed it toward the falling meteor.
When the two soul skills collided, the entire sky erupted in flames.
Under the barrage of the sword rain, the meteor continually disintegrated, its fragments raining down like fire.
The pressure from the collision made all the Snow Mountain Sect disciples present feel the weight of the moment.
If two Soul Emperors could achieve such a feat, what would happen if they reached the Rank of Title Douluo? Could they level the entire Snow Mountain?
Not long after, the two soul skills exploded simultaneously in mid-air, creating a dazzling display akin to fireworks.
Ning Tianchen and Tian Guozhen both withdrew their attacks.
From the result of the soul skill collision, neither had lost this sparring match.
Tian Guozhen laughed heartily, "That was invigorating! Your strength is impressive. If there's another chance, let's spar again."
Ning Tianchen smiled back, "I'd be delighted."
With the match over, both walked off the platform.
However, an unexpected incident occurred.
The ground beneath Tian Guozhen, weakened by the earlier sparring and his immense weight, suddenly gave way, shattering into pieces.
Having let his guard down, he had no time to react as his body, along with the broken rocks, plummeted toward the cliff below.
"Guozhen!" Tian Chao and the others were shocked, rushing to the edge of the cliff to check the situation.
Everything happened so suddenly that Ning Tianchen didn't have time to react either.
Realizing the situation, wings quickly sprouted from his back, and he dove toward the cliff, intending to catch Tian Guozhen.
However, the environment around the mountain was extremely harsh. As he descended, snow and ice constantly obstructed his vision. A slight misstep, and he might crash into the mountainside himself.
"Hey, I'm over here," a voice suddenly called out from behind him.
Ning Tianchen turned sharply to see Tian Guozhen sitting atop the Snow Mountain Mammoth martial soul, flying upward toward the mountain.
His first thought was—does the Snow Mountain Mammoth martial soul have flight capabilities?
As he caught up, he finally understood the situation.
This Snow Mountain Mammoth wasn't Tian Guozhen's martial soul but belonged to a burly man.
Though the man hadn't revealed his soul rings, his ability to hover in mid-air indicated that he was a Title Douluo-level powerhouse.
It remained unclear whether this person was the sect leader or another elder of the Snow Mountain Sect.
At the cliff's edge, seeing Tian Guozhen safely return, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
Back on the ground, Tian Guozhen slapped Ning Tianchen's shoulder with a hearty laugh, "It seems you didn't go all out either. I'm looking forward to our next encounter."
Ning Tianchen shared the same anticipation.
Tian Guozhen still had at least one torso soul bone skill unused, and there might be other hidden cards up his sleeve.
The burly man interrupted, "The sect leader is waiting for you in the main hall. Don't keep him waiting."
With that, he flew toward the summit.
Ning Tianchen looked at Tian Chao, as if to say, "Now can you tell me the truth?"
"Tian Chenxing, the Elder with a cultivation level of 95, ranks third in the sect, just below me," Tian Guozhen explained.
After their sparring, he was satisfied with Ning Tianchen's strength and felt a sense of regret for not meeting him sooner.
Tian Chao hadn't intended to reveal this information, as it pertained to sect secrets. However, since Tian Guozhen had spoken up, he didn't object.
Tian Chao draped an arm around Ning Tianchen's shoulder and walked toward the summit. "Come on, it's almost dawn. The fact that Elder Chenxing saved Guozhen just now suggests that the sect leader was also watching the battle. Haha, I must say, my friend, your strength is truly impressive."
Meanwhile, Ning Tianchen began to gauge the Snow Mountain Sect's strength.
If the Great Elder was at Level 95, the sect leader's strength was likely between Levels 96 and 97. Tian Chao had once mentioned that the Snow Mountain Sect's top combat power was slightly weaker than the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect.
It seemed the gap lay with the Great Elder, not their sect leader.
Curious, about half an hour later, Ning Tianchen and Ning Rongrong arrived at the summit.
The temperature here was even lower, the wind faster, and the biting cold made Ning Rongrong start coughing violently.
Ning Tianchen spread out his soul power, forming a protective barrier to block the cold.
"It's too cold here, Brother Tianchen, I…"
Her hands and feet were freezing, her whole body trembling. The extreme cold made her feel quite unwell.
Tian Guozhen and the others also activated soul power barriers to shield themselves from the icy winds.
"Let's enter the main hall first—it's warmer inside," Tian Chao suggested.
The Snow Mountain Mammoth martial soul was naturally resistant to cold, and they were accustomed to living in such an environment. But Ning Rongrong was different—she wasn't an ice-attribute soul master, and her constitution as a battle-type soul master was relatively weak.
After some thought, Ning Tianchen rummaged through his spirit tool storage and retrieved the inner core he had taken from the Ten-Headed Blazing Sun Snake.
The moment the snake core appeared, the surrounding temperature rose significantly. Waves of warmth flowed into Ning Rongrong's body, curing her cough.
Tian Chao and the others gradually lowered their soul power barriers. Under the influence of the core, an invisible barrier formed around them, completely blocking out the cold.
"What an extraordinary treasure! With this, you'll be able to venture much farther into the Extreme North Ice Plains," Tian Guozhen remarked with a hearty laugh.
Ning Tianchen keenly picked up on the implication in his words and cautiously responded, "It's a pity we're not familiar with the Extreme North Ice Plains and won't be able to go far."
If the Snow Mountain Sect was willing to guide them into the Extreme North Ice Plains, it would be ideal.
Tian Guozhen chuckled but didn't respond further.
…
At the summit stood several towering halls.
These buildings, battered by the harsh winds, stood firm and resilient instead of crumbling.
The central hall, approximately ten stories tall, was the main hall.
The thick iron doors, over ten meters high, slowly opened, revealing the interior.
Inside the hall, apart from the stone seat on the high platform, there were twenty smaller seats arranged on either side.
In the very center sat a refined-looking middle-aged man on the high seat.
His expression was gentle, but his stature stood out starkly against the rest of the Snow Mountain Sect disciples.
Tian Chao whispered in their ears, "The sect leader's martial soul isn't the Snow Mountain Mammoth but the Ice Spirit Phoenix. His strength surpasses even the Great Elder."
Ning Tianchen and Ning Rongrong bowed deeply, "Ning Tianchen (Ning Rongrong), greetings to Sect Leader Tian and the esteemed elders of the Snow Mountain Sect."
Tian Chao and the others took their seats according to the order of the chairs. Tian Guocheng sat in the first chair to the left of the high seat, while the first chair to the right was occupied by Elder Tian Chenxing, whom they had met earlier.
"I observed your strength during the fight. The fact that you could battle Guozhen to such an extent proves that the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect's strength surpasses even what rumors suggest."
"I am aware of your purpose for coming here. But why do you think the Snow Mountain Sect would abandon its secluded ways and collaborate with your sect?"
This question left Ning Rongrong speechless.
Before departing, Ning Fengzhi had drilled her countless times, but he had never mentioned how to answer this question.
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