Jiang Lan began his normal cultivation days. He read many books on array formations and tried them out himself.
There was some improvement, but it was obviously not enough.
He had yet to use the Dao Comprehension Tea. He would use it later.
There were only so many of them. It would be a pity to waste them.
Today, Jiang Lan was cultivating. The improvement of his cultivation was necessary.
Relatively speaking, he was also resting.
The study of array formations took a lot of effort.
Boom!
Jiang Lan, who was still in seclusion, suddenly heard a rumbling sound.
Shocked, he immediately got up and left.
The rumbles earlier were not only loud, but they were also surging with aura.
"A dragon's might?"
"It seems like there's a big problem with the negotiation."
Jiang Lan had some guesses.
As expected.
After he walked out of the Netherworld Cave, he saw an extremely distorted light coming from the Kunlun Main Hall.
The light in the hall was almost completely distorted.
Energy fluctuations emanated from it, as though it could shatter the light at any moment.
This was the sixth month since the light had appeared.
Half a year had passed. Had they reached the final stages of the negotiation?
Jiang Lan didn't know, but he knew that this negotiation had been extremely tough for both sides.
The storm it would cause was unimaginable.
Today, Jiang Lan was sitting in the square in the main hall. He was reading a book and paying attention to the light above.
There was no sound in the morning.
In the afternoon, a dragon's roar was heard and a powerful aura spread out from the Kunlun Main Hall.
Anger. This was Jiang Lan's first thought.
The dragons were furious.
"You people from Kunlun have gone too far. The Dragon Race will never agree to such a thing. If you insist on doing so, then there's nothing to say. There's no need to continue this negotiation. "
The Dragon Race's enraged voice erupted from within the hall
At that moment, a dragon shadow appeared, as though it wanted to leave.
The light above the hall could shatter at any moment.
Pa!
A crisp sound rang out, as if something had shattered.
Following that, an extremely authoritative and angry voice sounded.
"Today, as long as your Dragon Race takes a step out of Kunlun, you will no longer be a guest of Kunlun."
This voice was filled with anger and determination.
It was a voice belonging to a female.
Jiang Lan knew who she was.
However, he did not expect this Martial Aunt of his to be so domineering.
Did she mean that as long as the Dragon Race dared to leave, there would no longer be room for negotiation?
Was she going to make an enemy out of the Dragon Race or even start a war?
"Does Kunlun want to start a war with us dragons?"
The dragon's voice was filled with killing intent.
It was as though he didn't mind fighting Kunlun.
At this moment, a sword intent soared into the sky.
"If you want to fight, then let's fight."
Both parties were ready to fight at any moment.
Jiang Lan looked at all of this. For a moment, he didn't know whether it was better for the two parties to make peace or start a fight.
If they made peace, he would be engaged to Ao Longyu. If the negotiation fell through, he would have to join the war against the Dragon Race.
None of them seemed to benefit him.
If he was engaged, he would be on the cusp of the incoming storm.
If both parties were to wage war, he did not know what would happen in the end as there were too many unforeseen events that could occur during a war.
Since that was so, it was better for him to get engaged.
The rest of Kunlun did not know what was going on at all. However, they knew that the situation right now was pretty serious.
It was as if they could start a war with the dragons at any time.
"What exactly are they discussing?"
"I don't know, but if it is serious enough to start a war, it means the matter is pretty big."
"No, I have to find a way to find out what's going on."
"Don't think about it. The personal disciples of the various summits don't even know about it. It should be something confidential."
"Apparently it will be announced sometime later."
"This makes me really curious. What's actually going on?"
…
Jiang Lan looked at the horizon. He didn't know what others were thinking, but once this change happened, there would definitely be many people paying attention to this matter.
"The Dragon race is still confronting Kunlun. It seems like they really don't dare to leave Kunlun."
"Master is right. No one is willing to break the deal."
"However, Martial Aunt of the Fifth Summit is really domineering."
No one would dare to say what she had just said, right?
The various Summit Leaders had already agreed not to allow the negotiation to fall through yet this Martial Aunt of his had directly pushed the other party to the edge, to the point they were thinking of actually starting a war.
"Peace is the most important thing. Why don't we each take a step back and discuss this?"
At this moment, another voice sounded.
It was the First Summit Summit Leader.
At this moment, the tense atmosphere loosened.
Everything returned to normal.
"Looks like it's settled."
The dragons did not dare to leave. The people of Kunlun now had the advantage, and the dragons will have no choice but to bow their heads to Kunlun's conditions as long as they are not overboard.
The demons were at war with the Dragon Race. In other words, if the Dragon Race were to fight with Kunlun at the same time, there was a high chance their entire race would be obliterated if they made any mistake.
They were here to use the Goddess to obtain the assistance of Kunlun to defeat the demons.
They weren't here to make Kunlun their enemy.
"Is this why Martial Aunt is unafraid of them starting a war?"
Jiang Lan shook his head. He didn't know the specifics.
However, he knew that plans could not keep up with changes. This was not something an ordinary person would dare to say.
The responsibility she bore was too great.
Jiang Lan lowered his head and continued reading.
Three months passed in the blink of an eye.
On this day, the light above Kunlun dimmed, and two dragons left Kunlun.
Therefore, there was still a dragon left in Kunlun.
"Looks like the results are out."
Jiang Lan knew without thinking that the negotiations had succeeded.
His marriage with Ao Longyu should have been set in stone as well.
Sure enough, Jiang Lan was called over by his master on the same day.
"Master." Jiang Lan called out.
"It seems like you already know the result," Mo Zhengdong said to Jiang Lan.
His expression did not change.
Seeing his master like this, he knew that there was no bad news.
No bad news meant nothing had changed.
"Five years later, when Kunlun is ready, it will be the day your engagement with the Goddess will be announced to everyone. The engagement is set in stone. Regardless of whether you become an immortal or not, the Goddess has to marry you. She will not marry anyone else.
However, the wedding will only take place after both of you become immortals. This is a condition proposed by the Dragon Race.
Also, you will only marry Ao Longyu of the Dragon Race. You will never marry anyone else. This is suggested by Kunlun." Mo Zhengdong explained.
Jiang Lan was silent.
The Dragon Race was betting that he couldn't become an immortal, and Kunlun was preventing the Dragon Race from replacing him as the candidate for the engagement?
However, there were still five years before the announcement, so it was still alright.
He could still have a relatively peaceful life for the next five years.
After that, Kunlun would be in an uproar.
When the time came, he could be considered a famous figure right?
"The matter of learning array formations will be set three years later. For the next three years, try to learn more knowledge regarding array formations. I will bring you over to the Fifth Summit when the time comes." Said Mo Zhengdong.
Jiang Lan looked forward to this after hearing it from his master.
He could finally learn array formations from an expert. On top of that, it would be within the next five years.
This way, when he went to learn, he would not attract any attention.
If he could learn the Dragon Slaying Sword in the last two years, that would be perfect.
If that was so, the engagement would not affect him at all.
"Many thanks, Master," Jiang Lan immediately said.
This was good news.
"Go and prepare," said Mo Zhengdong.
Mo Zhengdong watched Jiang Lan leave. He didn't know if Jiang Lan liked this marriage or not.
The Goddess was actually very good in all aspects.
But whether he liked her or not was another matter.
"He's still young. He should still be the age where he likes those who are pretty. If this is so, it shouldn't be a problem."
After all, the appearance of the Goddess could be ranked among the top few in Kunlun.Jiang Lan then returned to the Netherworld Cave.
He wanted to continue cultivating.
The result was out. His marriage with Ao Longyu was almost set in stone.
But he still had five years.
He had to learn everything he needed to learn in these five years before he hid in the Ninth Summit.
He would then wait until he was going to become an immortal before he would go out to train.
After becoming an immortal, he would return to continue his seclusion.
If possible, he would wait until he was invincible before leaving the Ninth Summit.
Five hundred years.
This amount of time was sufficient for him to become much stronger.
When the time was almost up, he could see if he wanted to advance to immortality on the surface.
Things were still far away, so he wasn't in a hurry.
The most important thing now was to become an immortal.
However, before becoming an immortal, the demons would probably cause him trouble.
There were still a few decades before the entrance to the Netherworld became active.
He had to make sufficient preparations during this time.
The Ninth Summit had to have a powerful array formation to prevent future troubles.
After that, he would learn the Dragon Slaying Sword.
By then, his overall strength should be much stronger.
Of course, the most important two skills were still his Nine Steps of Heavenly Travel and Power of Nine Bulls.
His Power of Nine Bulls had already been cultivated to the pinnacle and he was unable to use its superior spell technique, Power of Nine Tribulations for now.
Therefore, other than familiarizing himself with the advancement, he did not need to care too much.
His Nine Steps of Heavenly Travel still could not be used to its fullest extent. He could only familiarize himself with it occasionally in seclusion.
He was already familiar with the rest of his techniques and spells. He just had to wait for his advancement.
It was the same for Dharma treasures.
Right now, the first thing he needed to learn was still array formations. This could not only strengthen the Ninth Summit, it could also be of some help during his tribulation.
The Dragon Race should have started keeping an eye on him after the engagement was set. The Dragon Slaying Sword was a deterrent tool for him.
Although he was weak, he had the Dragon Slaying Sword. The younger generation of the Dragon Race should not find trouble with him for no reason.
However, it was also possible that they were hostile towards him.
But with a sword in his hand, they would definitely weigh their benefits before coming to find trouble with Jiang Lan.
After that, Jiang Lan continued cultivating.
He no longer cared about what happened outside Kunlun.
He also didn't care about the humans and demons that were close to Kunlun.
In short, with his One Leaf Vision, no one would be able to spy or do anything to him for the time being.
No matter what happened outside, it would not affect him who was in the Ninth Summit.
…
Jiang Lan did not care about anything outside the Ninth Summit.
But the people outside were asking about the results of the negotiation between the Dragon Race and Kunlun.
Just as they were trying their best to find out, a piece of news suddenly spread out of nowhere.
"I heard from a personal disciple that this matter is related to the Goddess. Do you know what it is?"
"What is it?"
"You know that the Goddess belongs to the Dragon Race, right?"
"No shit. Get to the point."
"With a Dragon as Kunlun's Goddess, it's disadvantageous to Kunlun. The Summit Leaders seem to want the Goddess to marry a disciple from Kunlun and form a marriage alliance with the Dragon Race."
"The Goddess is also from Kunlun. How can this be called a marriage alliance?"
"Isn't the main point about the Goddess getting married?"
Just like this, the news spread like wildfire.
In the other summits.
"I heard that the Goddess is getting engaged. It's said that she can choose her own husband."
"It's also because of this that Kunlun and the Dragon race nearly got into a fight."
"Who will the Goddess choose if she chooses herself? Is everyone eligible?"
"Who knows? But no matter how you look at it, he must be a personal disciple, right?"
"Not necessarily. What if the Goddess likes ordinary disciples?"
"Then how would she choose?"
Jing Ting felt a headache when he heard this news.
He asked some of his Senior Brothers, but no one knew about this.
He did not know where this news came from.
But there was one thing that should be true, and that was that the Goddess was getting married.
As for who she would marry, it was definitely not the Goddess who could choose.
She could only marry someone suitable for Kunlun and her.
"I wonder if it's some Senior Brother."
Jing Ting felt that it was most likely someone from the First Summit.
This was because the most outstanding disciples were all on the First Summit.
Mu Xiu looked at Jing Ting and said coldly.
"Stop dreaming. The status of the Goddess is special. She definitely doesn't choose only based on whoever is outstanding."
"Let's ask Junior Sister Lin. Junior Sister Lin is the most familiar with the Goddess. The last time she said that she doesn't know of the matter, it's most likely because she couldn't tell us. Now, she should be able to more or less reveal a little," Jing Ting said.
Then, they went to ask Lin Siya.
"Wedding partner? How are you sure Senior Sister is really getting married?" Lin Siya asked Jing Ting and Mu Xiu.
"There's no smoke without fire," Mu Xiu said calmly.
"Can you tell me?" Jing Ting asked.
All three of their cultivations were about the same.
They basically had the same cultivation realms.
Hence, they were more familiar with each other.
Lin Siya thought for a moment and said.
"You'll know soon enough."
"Is it someone from the First Summit?" Jing Ting asked immediately.
"Is it the Second Summit?" Mu Xiu asked immediately.
Lin Siya rolled her eyes at them. She had already clearly said her piece. Had they been daydreaming?
"Is it Senior Brother Lu Jian from the Eighth Summit?" Jing Ting asked.
Recently, the reputation of the Senior Brother from the Eighth Summit was the greatest.
This was especially so since the Summit Leader of the Eighth Summit was personally involved in the negotiations.
"You guys can continue guessing," Lin Siya said and ran off.
If they were to guess one by one, wouldn't they be able to guess the person in the end?
Lin Siya was actually very surprised by this candidate.
It was completely unexpected.
She did not know why either.
However, the Summit Leaders of Kunlun had all chosen him.
"I wonder what Senior Sister is thinking. Let's go see her."
Previously, she had seen her senior sister crying in secret.
Now that this matter was set in stone, she would probably be sad for a while.
…
Ao Longyu sat beside the Jade Pool.
She had gotten the news.
In the end, she had failed to escape fate's arrangements.
She lowered her eyebrows and looked at the ground. She did not know what she was looking at.
She also did not know why she had to look down.
Perhaps it was because she was a little afraid.
Or perhaps, it was because she felt wronged.
Finally, Ao Longyu took a light step forward and hid in the Jade Pool.
She was worried that she would cry.
…
…
Time passed very quickly. The rumors in Kunlun had been spreading for a long time and many people had been speculating about the candidate.
Some people were even wondering if it was them.
However, none of the summits gave an answer to these rumors.
It was as if they were allowing these people to continue spreading the news.
Three years passed.
Finally, the spreading of this news seemed to have died down.
However, it would still be mentioned occasionally. It was said that it wouldn't take long before the answer would be revealed.
However, this was said three years ago.
However, Jiang Lan had no idea about this.
Today, he woke up from his cultivation.
For the past three years, he had basically been looking at array formations during the day and cultivated at night.
Occasionally, he would familiarize himself with the Power of Nine Bulls and try out the Power Of Nine Tribulations.
As expected, there was no progress in the Power Of Nine Tribulations.
However, he was even more familiar with the Power of Nine Bulls now.
He was also stronger than before.
He was becoming stronger day by day.
Cultivation had never stopped.
"Master has sent a message, telling me to go to the Fifth Summit to look for Martial Aunt Miao Yue."
Jiang Lan had received the news he had been waiting a long time for.
He could start receiving guidance on array formations today.
He had been waiting for this day for a long time.
He had been preparing for this for the past three years to ensure that he would not appear rude or offend Martial Aunt Miao Yue.
"There's still two more years. I hope that that's enough."
With these thoughts in mind, Jiang Lan left the Netherworld Cave.
This time, he went out with the vegetative egg and the Udumbara Flower.
It was time to bask them in the sun.Jiang Lan had failed his cultivation advancement the previous time at the inn.
His master should have known of this.
However, he still had a fortuitous encounter there after all. Therefore, it was not surprising that his advancement this time was smooth.
So in these three years, he raised his cultivation to the early-stage Essence Soul Realm.
It had been a hundred and fifty years since he had arrived at the sect. He was still considered a genius.
After that, he would have to slow down.
It was not suitable for him to continue increasing his realms on the surface at such a pace.
His master already knew of his advancement.
Although he did not say anything, he still smiled.
Jiang Lan could tell.
The number of array formations in the Ninth Summit had increased by a lot, but as he gained a deeper understanding of array formations, he started to feel that they were rather ordinary.
After he came back from the learning trip this time, he would modify all of them.
"I wonder how much I can learn."
Jiang Lan looked forward to it.
He placed the flower pot in the courtyard and watered it with some spirit liquid before using the Self Mirror.
He had not used the Dao Comprehension Tea until now. He had been waiting for this day.
After fighting with his projection, Jiang Lan left the Ninth Summit on his sword.
Every time he fought with his projection from the Self Mirror, he never won.
However, his attacks had become much sharper. When he went in to challenge his projection, it was mainly to practice his moves, especially his fist attacks.
He knew other clever ways of using his moves, but he rarely chose to do so.
It would not be too late to use it when there was a battle of attrition.
However, he did still allocate some time to practice such things.
He would naturally spend some time on such matters.
It was all to strengthen their overall strength.
The sun was warm and the breeze was gentle.
There were many Kunlun disciples flying on their swords in the sky.
Some went to other summits, while others left Kunlun.
Jiang Lan's sword wasn't too high up; it wasn't conspicuous at all.
If people didn't pay attention, no one would notice him.
This time, he had used a new spell.
It was one of the nature Daoist spells, Loneliness.
With himself as the center, he would integrate his aura and strength into his body, thereby becoming a solitary existence.
Shutting himself from the outside world.
Only he himself could see and understand himself.
It was as if he was forgotten by all living beings. No one cared about him anymore and no one would pay attention to him anymore.
"This spell is a bit lonely and sad."
When Jiang Lan thought of this spell, he felt it was a little too extreme.
Did the creator of this spell not want to be detected, or was he afraid of being detected?
He did not know the answer, but all that mattered was that it was useful to him now. As long as he did not mix with the outside world, his presence would be much lower.
However, once he communicated with the outside world or used his power, the effects of this spell would disappear.
The Fifth Summit.
Jiang Lan arrived in front of the Junior Brothers and Sisters who were guarding the mountain gate.
"I am here on the orders of my teacher to see Martial Aunt Miao Yue."
Jiang Lan lowered his stance and spoke softly.
His Essence Soul cultivation was not hidden, so he appeared extremely powerful to them.
His clothes also represented seniority as it belonged to a disciple that had been in the sect for more than a hundred years.
"Which summit are you from, Senior Brother?" A male disciple immediately asked.
His face was filled with respect.
Although he did not know what his Senior Brother's cultivation was, he could sense that he was extremely powerful.
It was not something he could compare with.
Since the other party was so polite, how could he dare to be disrespectful?
"Ninth Summit, Jiang Lan," Jiang Lan replied softly.
"The Summit Leader has informed me of your arrival. I'll bring Senior Brother up now." The disciple guarding the mountain gate did not dare to be negligent.
Jiang Lan thanked him.
On the way up the mountain, Jiang Lan didn't feel any attention at all.
So he also understood one thing.
The news of his marriage with Ao Longyu had not spread.
He could relax for now.
But as he walked, he heard some voices.
"It's been a few years, why hasn't there been any news?"
"That's right. Everyone says that the Goddess is getting engaged, but her marriage partner has yet to be confirmed."
"Do you guys think he might be our Senior Brother?"
"That's impossible, isn't it? I heard that the best or most famous disciples are either on the First Summit or the Eighth Summit."
"It's definitely not Senior Lu Jian, right?"
"Even if it's not Senior Brother Lu Jian, there is no chance of you getting close with him."
"Hmph, at least the dream is still there."
The female cultivator stuck out her tongue.
Jiang Lan's expression didn't change at all.
He understood now. The news of the marriage between the Dragon Race and Kunlun had spread, but so far, no one knew about the candidate from Kunlun.
"Don't the demons and dragons in the frontlines all know that the candidate is me already?"
Jiang Lan was surprised.
It had been three years, yet the news still hadn't reached here?
However, there was no harm in that.
At least he could study in peace for the next two years.
However, there were many people at the Fifth Summit.
The number of people here was many times more than his Ninth Summit.
"Senior Brother, have you heard of this rumor?" The Fifth Summit disciple beside Jiang Lan asked curiously.
Jiang Lan nodded slightly.
"I've heard a little about it."
He did not hear much, but he knew of it as he was the person involved.
Although it was just a few sentences, he knew more than these people.
"Then who do you think it is?"
"We'll know in two years."
Jiang Lan replied softly. That was all he could say.
He could not answer anything else.
Soon, Jiang Lan was brought to the main hall.
He could go in alone.
No one paid much attention to Jiang Lan's arrival. After all, it was normal for people from other summits to come.
If he wasn't famous, no one would pay attention to him.
He had indeed been famous before, but that was in the past.
After several decades, people have all turned their attention to someone else.
"Greetings, Martial Aunt."
Entering the main hall, Jiang Lan saw a woman standing at the very top.
She was a female cultivator in a pale yellow dress. Her face was covered by a veil, but one could tell from her eyes that she was most likely an absolute beauty.
Jiang Lan only dared to look at her lightly before lowering his head and greeting her respectfully in order to ensure that he wasn't passed off as rude.
"Jiang Lan?" Miao Yue looked at Jiang Lan and asked.
"That's me." Jiang Lan's head was still lowered.
"I heard from your master that you want to learn about array formations recently?" Miao Yue's voice was very soft and gentle.
He did not feel the dominance from before.
"Yes. Master said that Martial Aunt's attainments in array formations are among the best in Kunlun." Jiang Lan felt that it was good to bootlick a little.
Miao Yue looked at Jiang Lan. She could clearly feel that his heart was very calm.
This was not a temperament that belonged to a youth.
Jiang Lan felt like a reclusive old man to her.
"How long have you been in the sect?" Miao Yue asked.
"Almost a hundred and fifty years," Jiang Lan replied.
"What cultivation level are you currently at?"
"I just advanced to the early-stage Essence Soul Realm recently."
Miao Yue was not surprised, after all, Jiang Lan did not conceal his cultivation level.
"Are you hiding your true cultivation level?" Miao Yue asked directly.
This question surprised Jiang Lan.
It was not normal for someone to suddenly ask such a question right?
However, his heart was calm as usual, and it didn't cause any fluctuations.
Miao Yue did not wait for Jiang Lan to answer. Instead, she continued.
"Do you think it's considered fast or slow for you to have advanced to the early-stage Essence Soul Realm in a hundred and fifty years?"
"It's considered fast," Jiang Lan replied.
This Martial Aunt was giving him an invisible pressure.
It was impossible to guess what the other party was up to.Jiang Lan lowered his head, not looking at Miao Yue.
The pressure was great, but there was no sense of danger.
His heart was calm as usual.
Of course, he had no chance of escaping if someone of this level were to attack him.
Therefore, he just waited patiently.
He wanted to see what this Martial Aunt of his was up to.
"Fast?" Miao Yue's voice carried a smile.
"Normally speaking, there aren't many people in Kunlun who manage to advance to the Essence Soul Realm within 150 years. Your cultivation speed is still too fast. "
Jiang Lan was puzzled. What did this mean?
Miao Yue returned to her seat to sit down before speaking again.
"As the only disciple of the Ninth Summit, you don't lack resources or guidance. The Ninth Summit is basically yours. So why did you advance so quickly? "
Jiang Lan looked up at Miao Yue. He seemed to understand now.
"Martial Aunt, you mean that you want me to hide my cultivation?"
"Does it conflict with your mental state?" Miao Yue asked softly.
"No conflict." Jiang Lan immediately shook his head.
He could sense that Martial Aunt Miao Yue was teaching him how to survive better in this world.
Even though he had been concealing his cultivation the entire time.
According to Martial Aunt Miao Yue, he still needed to hide it more.
On the surface, there was a layer of cultivation that could be seen by powerful Summit Leaders and beneath that, there would be another layer of cultivation that no one could see through.
This was indeed quite troublesome.
But it wasn't too much trouble either.
"You're absolutely safe in the Ninth Summit, so with your master's personality, he definitely won't teach you these things. However, the affairs of Kunlun are quite complicated. Thus, there is no need to let others know how many trump cards you have. The more you hide, the better you can survive in the vast Grand Desolate World." Miao Yue said softly.
"Many thanks for Martial Aunt's guidance." Jiang Lan bowed his head in thanks.
He really needed to thank her.
At least he had another safeguard.
However, he had a question.
"Every time I reach a bottleneck in my cultivation, Master would make me seek a breakthrough somewhere. Does this mean I can't go on such trips anymore? "
"Don't worry about it. You are the only disciple of the Ninth Summit and you have all the resources of the Ninth Summit. For the others, they can only go to these places when they need to breakthrough. However, for you, you can go whenever you want. Anyway, everyone already knows your situation." Miao Yue said with a smile.
Jiang Lan was silent.
This Martial Aunt was not old-fashioned at all.
But why did she guide him on this?
"Are you curious why I'm giving you pointers?"
Miao Yue folded her legs, then used her hands to support her chin as she looked at Jiang Lan.
Jiang Lan was still keeping his head lowered.
"Is it because of the Goddess?"
It should be because of this reason. Otherwise, there was no need for his Martial Aunt to guide him on this.
"No." Miao Yue looked at Jiang Lan and said with an unusually soft voice.
"It's because I've admired your master for a long time and I want you to be my matchmaker."
"Huh?" Jiang Lan was shocked.
He looked up at Martial Aunt Miao Yue in fright, feeling like he had heard something terrifying.
His originally calm heart was instantly filled with countless waves.
This… She wanted him to play the matchmaker?
To help find his master a wife?
"Hehe." Miao Yue suddenly smiled, she looked at Jiang Lan and said calmly.
"I thought that you had already lost all your feelings. So it seems that you can be surprised too. Your master had taught you till you seemed to have become a hermit."
Jiang Lan looked at Fairy Miao Yue with some doubt and tried confirming.
"What Martial Aunt just said…"
He wanted to know if it was true.
Finding a Dao companion for his master was indeed something that he did not know how to do.
However, Master was indeed not young anymore. It was not a bad idea for him to do so.
"What do you think?" Miao Yue asked.
Jiang Lan was silent.
How would he know?
But was Martial Aunt Miao Yue suitable for Master?
Next time, he would try to test the waters.
He would see how his master felt about this.
It was not an easy task to let them match with each other. The two elders had to get along.
If they couldn't get along, he would be the one in trouble in the future.
"Heh, let's go. I'll take you to learn about array formations."
Miao Yue's voice entered Jiang Lan's ears.
Jiang Lan felt that he had been tricked by the other party to ask his master about this matter.
The negotiations with the Dragon Race were mainly conducted by Martial Aunt Miao Yue. No matter how one looked at it, the other party was not simple.
How she acted and what she displayed on the outside seemed to be both real and fake.
However, he was finally going to start learning array formations. This was his main goal here.
As for this Martial Aunt of his becoming his master's Dao companion…
After becoming an immortal, he would pay more attention to this.
He had to first ask his master if he had any love history.
He just didn't know if his master would share with him about it.
If there was no other way, he could only do it secretly.
Jiang Lan basically didn't care about other people's matters, but he was still very concerned about his master's matters.
"Your master must have told you about the engagement, right?"
On the way, Miao Yue asked.
"Yes, he did." Jiang Lan nodded respectfully.
"Do you have an opinion?" Miao Yue asked.
"What is Martial Aunt referring to?" Jiang Lan asked.
The opinion she was seeking might not only be about the engagement, so it was better to ask clearly before answering.
Those who acted smart were usually hated.
He did not expect to be looked at favorably, He just didn't want to be hated.
"What kind of person do you think your fiancée is?" Miao Yue asked.
She was still walking at the front.
Fiancée?
When he heard this, Jiang Lan was actually curious about who it was.
However, he immediately realized that she was referring to Ao Longyu.
"I've only met her a few times. She seems like someone who doesn't really speak much," Jiang Lan replied.
The feeling that Ao Longyu gave him was that she was taciturn, aloof, and gorgeous.
She didn't speak and didn't really blend in with the others. However, she was pretty.
But sometimes, she was rather kind.
Also, she did not like to owe anyone favors.
She would pay back what she owed immediately.
He had made several deals with Ao Longyu and she had always been a good customer.
Miao Yue then smiled and said.
"You can meet the Goddess more often when you are free. You will realize that she is a lively little girl."
She had never seen such a dragon who wanted to learn the Dragon Slaying Sword.
Was it because she was triggered by something?
Jiang Lan lowered his head in silence.
For him to meet Ao Longyu…
It was a little difficult.
However, this should all happen only after five years. Both of them needed to cultivate and advance to the Human Immortal realm.
This was a major event for Kunlun.
As soon as he became an immortal, the Goddess would be directly tied to him.
Jiang Lan, who was the only disciple of the Ninth Summit, could be said to have already been tied to Kunlun.
The Dragon Race would never be able to take back Ao Longyu again.
"We've reached."
Miao Yue stopped in front of the hill.
Jiang Lan looked over and saw a small hill.
It looked very ordinary.
"The focus for now is to build your foundation. What you need to do is reach the peak of this hill in half a year. You can only get my guidance after you have reached the peak. If you don't, I can still guide you on account of your master. But you definitely won't be able to comprehend anything."
Miao Yue said to Jiang Lan seriously.
She wasn't kidding.
Jiang Lan bowed respectfully and thanked her before walking towards the hill.
Miao Yue stood where she was and looked at Jiang Lan silently.can't really see through him. Indeed, the heart of such a person is too calm. It's too difficult to know what he's thinking."
Miao Yue looked at Jiang Lan helplessly.
"However, one thing is certain. He cares a lot about the topic of his master's wife. It seems like really just has a good temperament and has yet to lose all emotions. He's also quite concerned about his master. "
Miao Yue then smiled again.
"I wonder if he will run to his master to ask him about this matter. I wonder what will happen if he asks."
This was rather interesting.
Next, Miao Yue stopped thinking about it.
She would not pay too much attention to the younger generation.
However, she didn't make things difficult for Jiang Lan.
If one did not go up this mountain, it would be too difficult for one to learn array formations. Basically, one would not be able to learn much.
One wouldn't even be able to touch the tip of the iceberg.
This hill could be considered to be a place where it helped to lay one's foundations.
However, she didn't know where Jiang Lan could reach in six months.
She had casually said that Jiang Lan needed to reach the top.
It was not impossible to reach the summit in six months, but it was difficult.
Not to mention it was someone like Jiang Lan, who was a complete newbie.
The six months was just her putting a little pressure on Jiang Lan so that he would not relax.
Although his master had said that he was sensible and diligent, she still needed to press him a bit.
How could she be so nice?
She was different from the people of the Ninth Summit.
Miao Yue then left. She did not need to care about Jiang Lan for half a year.
…
Jiang Lan arrived at the small hill.
He looked at the stone tablet in front of the mountain and found two words on it: Rear Entrance.
He was brought here by Martial Aunt Miao Yue and did not see anyone along the way.
It seemed that not many people had entered this place.
Without any hesitation, he stepped in.
When he stepped onto the small hill, he felt as though he was standing on a huge mountain. It was difficult to see the peak when he looked up.
"This… Feels like a mystic realm."
Looking at the mountain that was completely different from the previous slope, Jiang Lan was momentarily surprised.
However, there was indeed no danger here. There were traces of array formations everywhere.
It was truly a grand array formation.
Coming here to study was definitely much better than self-studying.
"I came to the right place."
He was glad.
As expected, other than not being able to ask his master about how to raise his cultivation level, it was still good to tell his master about other things.
His master had many connections.
However, these were definitely favors.
He could not disappoint his master, nor was he willing to embarrass him.
There was a mountain road ahead. It should be the road to the top of the mountain.
When he stepped onto the mountain road, Jiang Lan felt his vision blur.
It was a maze array formation.
However, it was very simple. It couldn't be any simpler.
Without any hesitation, he continued breaking the array formations on the path.
Following that, Jiang Lan encountered many more maze array formations. They were all very simple, but they were continuously becoming more complex, with new changes added to them one after another.
It was as if the changes were random.
He could not find any pattern.
"I've never seen this array formation before."
Jiang Lan was confused when he saw the new changes.
He had read so many books on array formations.
But he had never met anything like this before.
Although the array formation still looked quite simple.
But he had never seen such an array formation.
After understanding it, he continued.
Half a year to reach the summit, he did not pay much attention to these words.
As long as there was a new change to the array formation, he would do his best to understand how it worked first.
If he could fully understand all the array formations in this mountain, he would willingly stay here for a year, let alone half a year.
After that, he would think of a way to seek guidance from Martial Aunt Miao Yue.
Jiang Lan had given up on improving his cultivation, spells and mental fortitude.
He planned to reach the top of this mountain first.
Perhaps this process was also beneficial to his mental state.
However, he soon remembered something else.
"I don't think this is an ordinary place. I wonder what I can get if I sign in here."
Yes, he could sign first.
However, he did not discover the path of the Great Dao on the Fifth Summit.
So far, only the entrance to the Netherworld and the Jade Pool had the path of the Great Dao.
"System, I will sign in here."
[Ding!]
[Signed in successfully. Congratulations to the host for obtaining the gift of the Great Dao. You have obtained the spell, Mystic Arts.]
[Mystic Arts: With the user as the center, all eight directions surrounding the user will be opened up. The user can control the terrain, interchange yin and yang, move fire and water and generate wind and thunder.]
Jiang Lan took a look but didn't pay much attention to it.
This looked similar to the Art of Divination.
It seemed like a formation, but it wasn't.
Both of them had their own advantages, and it was hard to say which was better.
However, Jiang Lan didn't intend to learn it now. He would learn it when he had time after the matters here were over.
He did not know the exact effect of the spell.
Looking at the introduction, there was a high probability that it acted as a form of support.
After that, Jiang Lan continued on his way up the hill. Along the way, he didn't think about anything else. He was completely focused on the array formations.
He was not walking fast, but he was walking steadily.
The wind blew gently and the white clouds floated.
Jiang Lan looked at the clouds in the sky, his heart calm.
Understanding the array formations here really made him feel fulfilled.
Every time he understood a formation, he felt that he had become stronger. This place was completely different from him reading books on array formations by himself.
He could clearly feel that he was improving every day at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Walking on this hill, Jiang Lan felt as if he was walking on an endless sea of ice. With every step he took, the ice beneath his feet would melt, turning into seawater.
His goal was to turn this ice sea into a flowing ocean.
He felt an inexplicable joy fill his heart with every step he took.
This journey was very far, and his goal was big. He did not know how long it would take to complete it.
However, he would definitely go up bit by bit and reach the peak.
There was no need to stop and neither did he think about stopping.
It was just like cultivation. He would read the books on cultivation insights and not waste time. He would understand how to make himself stronger.
One shouldn't bite off more than one can chew.
The road ahead was steady, and the road behind was not narrow.
When one was seriously learning, one would always feel the lack of time.
A month later, Jiang Lan was faced with a difficult problem—a concealed array formation.
He had never come into contact with this before, but he felt that he could understand it.
But he needed more time.
He took out a portion of Dao Comprehension Tea and placed it into his mouth.
This was the time to use the Dao Comprehension Tea.
With the Dao Comprehension Tea, he would be able to comprehend the array formations here faster.
Of course, he had to work hard himself too.
In just a day, Jiang Lan had solved the difficult problem. With the effects of the Dao Comprehension Tea, he advanced step by step.
This time, he split the Dao Comprehension Tea into pieces and put them into his mouth.
This allowed the effects to last longer, enabling him to gain more insights.
Four months passed in the blink of an eye.
Jiang Lan didn't know how far he had walked, but he knew that he had stepped on countless array formations beneath his feet and he now had a much better understanding regarding array formations now.
He felt that once he reached the peak of this hill, he might be able to understand them even more clearly.
Jiang Lan placed another piece of tea leaf into his mouth and continued his journey up the hill.
He was in a sorry state because the journey was not easy.
However, he had obtained a lot.
He did not feel bitter. Instead, he felt happy.
He still wasn't in a hurry. No matter how hard it was, no matter how much time it took, he wasn't anxious or impetuous.
Even if he were to encounter an extremely simple formation, he would not ignore it, much less be blinded by his pride.
He would advance up slowly, step by step.
Jiang Lan was working hard, but there was already an uproar at the foot of the mountain.
"Damn, who is this person? Why is his ranking so high? He appeared out of nowhere."At the front of the array formation hill was a stone tablet.
The stone tablet was connected to the array formation hill.
There were thirty glowing names on it.
There were numerous light spots below, each of which was rising up, as if they were trying to take over the names which are glowing brightly.
And at the 19th position, a horizontal strip with no name occupied this position.
The rankings were reset every ten years.
They were based on one's accumulation throughout the ten years.
The vast majority of the people would slowly push their way up and squeeze down the others.
Especially since this was already the ninth year.
The rankings rarely changed.
But recently, someone who came out of nowhere made it to the top 30 a month ago.
At that time, no one cared. But as time passed, those who paid attention realized that every two or three days, this person's ranking would rise.
After a month, this person had climbed up to 19th place. This was an extremely rare sight.
At least, this had never happened in the past hundred years.
This would normally only happen when the rankings had just reset.
And currently, it was the last year before the rankings would reset.
"Look, he's one rank ahead. He's already the 18th. If this continues, won't he be charging into the top ten?"
"One is ranked according to his speed up the mountain and how well he decodes the array formations. Does this mean that this person is solving the array formations perfectly and at a very fast pace? Otherwise, his rankings wouldn't have risen so quickly. "
"Probably. But who is this guy?"
"There's no name, which means that he didn't go in by the front gate but via the back of the mountain."
"Did the Summit Leader accept a formation genius, or has the other summits come to challenge the rankings?"
"If the other summits have come here to challenge the rankings, it makes more sense for them to go in from the main entrance, right?"
"Look at the top ten. We only have two spots in the top ten. Is there a need for them to come and challenge to rankings?"
"…"
"Let's continue watching. Perhaps it's because the person had been in closed-door cultivation all this time and he had just come to show off some of his skills."
"What if it's a dark horse?"
"We still have to see how far he can go."
…
Jiang Lan was not affected by whatever was happening outside. These days, besides eating Dao Comprehension Tea, he spent the rest of his time analyzing and solving the array formations.
He was not afraid of wasting time. As long as it was something he had never met before, he would try to understand it thoroughly.
When he felt that he had reached a certain level of understanding, he would sit down and rest for a while to recall everything that he had learned previously.
He wanted to make sure whatever he had just learned had become part of his own skillset.
He repeated this process every day.
It didn't feel dull.
It was just like cultivation.
He could cultivate in the Ninth Summit for decades.
He repeated the same thing everyday when he was in long periods of seclusion.
Learning and cultivating were the two things that he was most familiar with.
Therefore, in the array formation hill, he was just living his normal life.
The sun and moon alternated, and the clouds moved.
Jiang Lan's fifth month on the hill had arrived.
Today he glanced behind him but didn't see the foothill.
Then, he looked up and didn't see the peak of the hill.
"Pretty much in the middle."
With a rough understanding, he continued forward.
His heart was calm.
In front of the Fifth Summit's array formation hill.
Some people had gathered in front of the rankings.
"He's already at 11th place. Do you guys think he'll be able to reach 10th place today?"
"It can't be, right? It's very difficult to move forward further up in the rankings."
"How is it difficult? In a month, he went from the 18th to become the 11th. If we give him another month, he might reach the top. "
"If I reach the first level of Qi Refinement in three days, will I reach the Foundation Establishment Realm in one month? If I reach the Foundation Establishment Realm in one month, will I reach the Golden Core Realm in two months?"
"But you can't deny that this person might really reach the top. So far, his speed has never slowed down."
"Let's wait until he gets into the top ten."
The moment he finished speaking, the empty name slot immediately jumped up a spot.
Top ten.
"… A freak. I don't believe he'll make it into the top five."
Time passed. Today was the sixth month since Jiang Lan entered the hill.
A wave of cheers sounded from the array formation hill.
"Top three, top three. He's really aiming for the first place."
"Just which summit is this person from? Could it be that a Senior Brother who has achieved immortality has come to play with us?"
"Impossible. If one is an immortal, he won't be counted in the rankings."
Fifth Summit's Main Hall.
Miao Yue looked outside and heard some commotion outside.
"There will always be some days when things get out of hand."
She didn't pay much attention to it. Instead, she looked at the array formation mountain.
"It's about time for him to head down the hill. I wonder how much of the basics has he mastered."
The one she was paying attention to was naturally Jiang Lan. It had been almost half a year, and it was about time for him to come down.
When the time came, she naturally wouldn't hide anything on purpose. Even if she told him everything, it would be useless even if he couldn't learn it.
What was needed was comprehension.
The better the foundation, the further one could go.
If his foundation was too weak, he would not be able to go far.
There were no shortcuts on this path.
"Wow, wow. Senior Brother has dropped from the 3rd to the 4th position. The pressure on him has increased."
Miao Yue felt that there were cheers coming from afar and this made her curious.
Then, she walked out and arrived at the entrance of the hall.
"What had just happened?"
Miao Yue asked the person on duty.
"I heard that a dark horse has appeared on the array formation rankings. The person starting appearing on the board from a few months ago and now he's one of the top three."
The female cultivator on duty immediately replied.
Her face was filled with respect.
The people of the Fifth Summit naturally knew who the Fifth Summit's Summit Leader was.
Miao Yue looked calm on the surface, but her eyes focused and turned cold.
A dark horse?
Miao Yue asked.
"Who is it?"
"It's a slot with no name." The female cultivator on duty immediately replied.
Miao Yue was stunned for a moment before returning to the main hall, but the moment she entered, her calm voice could be heard.
"Let me know as soon as the ranking changes."
After Miao Yue arrived at the hall, she looked at the array formation hill and was slightly surprised.
"To be able to reach the third place in such a short period of time, not only does he need to comprehend quickly, but he also needs to understand everything. He can't leave out anything he doesn't understand during this entire process, or else he will slow down his pace of ascending the hill.
It's no wonder Senior Brother said that he doesn't need any instructions. He understands the essence of everything himself and is diligent."
Next, Miao Yue returned to the main hall.
"Looks like he doesn't take my words seriously at all. He won't be coming out within half a year."
…
It was the seventh month since Jiang Lan entered the hill.
This month was almost over.
"He's now firmly in second place and is about to reach first place, right?"
"Did you ask around to find out who he is?"
"It's no use. I can't find out."
"Not even personal disciples know about this person."
Xiao Yu carried a small wooden sword and stood at the bottom of the ranking stone. She looked at the blank name of the second place and suddenly felt curious.
"Could he be the Junior Brother of the Ninth Summit?"
She knew that her Junior Brother from the Ninth Summit was studying array formations in the Fifth Summit. This was also why she had come to take a look.
It was just so they wouldn't feel awkward in the future.
Right now, she was learning sword techniques on the Eighth Summit. She had to go over later.
Jiang Lan had some talent in array formations, so she felt that it was very likely that the empty name was in fact him.
At this moment, a ray of light suddenly appeared on the hill.
Everyone on the Fifth Summit looked towards the peak.
Light illuminated the entire of the Fifth Summit.
"So fast."
Miao Yue looked at the formation mountain with a smile.On the path towards the peak of the array formation hill.
The peak was right in front of him. Jiang Lan only needed to raise his head slightly to see it.
There should be one last test.
He only had one last portion of Dao Comprehension Tea left.
He wasn't sure if this final trial would be difficult or not.
If it was too difficult, he would have to use the last portion of Dao Comprehension Tea.
There was nothing to be reluctant about.
Since the start, he had already planned to thoroughly understand all the array formations along the way.
If he did not get to comprehend the last array formation, this trip would not be as fruitful as it could be.
No one knew if the final step was important, so Jiang Lan didn't plan on missing it.
Even if he did not have the assistance of the Dao Comprehension Tea in the future.
Whether or not he would need it in the future was another matter, but he knew that he needed it now.
He would not hesitate.
Jiang Lan walked step by step towards the peak of the hill.
He wasn't sure how many months had passed, but he knew that he was completely different from before he entered the mountain.
He felt that if he were to look at the array formations he had set up in the Ninth Summit previously now, it would be as if he was looking at his childhood self.
Young and tender.
Ta!
Ta!
Jiang Lan maintained his calmness as he slowly approached the peak.
He wasn't worried about any problems. No matter what they were, he could break through it.
This was the confidence that had been built up in him over the past few days.
However, he did not let his confidence turn into arrogance.
He walked the path step by step steadily.
His confidence stemmed from his constant advancement.
However, Jiang Lan frowned very quickly. He discovered that there were no traces of a formation on the peak, or rather, there were only traces of light.
The array formation seemed to be glowing.
He then walked towards the light.
Or rather, as he walked towards the light, the light became even brighter.
"Has it already ended?"
Jiang Lan guessed.
Although he was puzzled, he did not retreat and continued forward.
There must be something ahead.
Soon, Jiang Lan arrived at the top of the hill and saw a pavilion. There was a stone tablet in the pavilion with many words on it.
Out of curiosity, he walked over.
Not long after, he stood in front of the stone tablet. There were many different words written on it, and every sentence was different.
"The most important thing about array formations is the foundation. One can't overestimate himself."
"The path of cultivation is like sailing against the current. If you don't advance, you will fall back."
"To set goals for yourself. To work hard."
"Slacking off is an obstacle to becoming an immortal."
"…"
Jiang Lan took a brief look and discovered that these words were most likely left behind by those who reached the summit.
At this moment, a light flashed and a pen and paper appeared in front of him.
"Does it want me to leave a message too?"
Jiang Lan instantly understood. However, what should he write?
One step at a time?
Or take a small step forward to achieve a big leap in progress?
Jiang Lan lowered his eyebrows. He was a bit hesitant.
However, he soon knew what to write.
Then, he grabbed his pen and started writing.
…
Below the array formation hill.
"It's starting. This Senior Brother is starting to write."
"It's been a long time since I've seen Senior Brothers and Senior Sister leaving a message at the peak of the hill. I wonder what this Senior Brother will write."
"If he writes it well, he can reach the top, right?"
"Up until now, he still hasn't reached first place. It all depends on what he writes now. If what he writes is good, there is a possibility of him reaching the first place."
"Who on earth is this person? He had killed his way up out of the blue from nowhere. He has even climbed to the peak and is given a chance to leave a message."
"He has started writing. Let's see what he has to write."
Xiao Yu looked at the figure on the peak of the hill. It was impossible to see him clearly from the foot of the hill.
However, she suspected that he was the Junior Brother of the Ninth Summit.
Miao Yue stood behind the hall, also looking at Jiang Lan.
"What will you write?"
Whether it was good or not was not decided by her. It was by the stone tablet.
That was no ordinary stone tablet.
However, she didn't tell Jiang Lan anything about this matter before as she hadn't expected him to really reach the peak. It was probably difficult for him to write anything without preparation.
At this moment, Miao Yue saw the pen move.
Words began to appear on the array formation hill.
Everyone on the Fifth Summit could see it.
In a few seconds, a large word could be seen.
"Heaven?"
Someone immediately saw the word.
They didn't say much, instead looking on at what words were coming out next.
Miao Yue looked at this word, frowning slightly.
Didn't Senior Brother teach his disciple how to write?
However, she was soon surprised.
Because the last three words soon appeared.
The moment these four words appeared, Jiang Lan stopped writing.
He had finished writing.
"Heh, this does suit him."
Miao Yue was somewhat surprised and understood what Jiang Lan was writing.
"This…"
Everyone below the array formation hill was surprised.
For a moment, they were speechless.
"Heaven rewards the diligent?"
Xiao Yu stared blankly at these four words as they emitted boundless light.
It was as if the heavens and earth acknowledged these words.
"It must be Junior Brother," Xiao Yu thought to herself.
She knew that Jiang Lan's talent wasn't high, but she also knew that Jiang Lan had never given up on himself.
He, who had been working hard and had a lot of resources, did not relax at all.
After all, who among those in the Golden Core Realm would go into seclusion for 30 years straight and leave the summit a few times in 100 years.
"The heavens reward the diligent. When I see these words, I don't know why but I keep feeling a burning desire. I want to go back and work hard."
"Me too. I feel an emotion I can't put into words. But I'm not talented enough. I don't know if hard work will help."
"Even those with good talent have not relaxed. Where did you even get the nerves to say otherwise?"
"He's in first place now, look."
At this moment, the blank tab on the ranking list was surprisingly first.
…
Jiang Lan looked at the four words and put down his pen.
"Heaven rewards the diligent?"
He felt that it suited the words left behind by these people.
It was just a deduction.
Did this count?
It probably did.
However, he had the system.
But even so, he had never given up on himself.
If he could walk faster, he would not choose to walk slower.
With such an opportunity, he naturally wanted to walk faster and further.
He wanted to take the initiative to become stronger and not wait to become stronger.
When Jiang Lan was about to leave, those four words disappeared and were imprinted on the top of the stone tablet.
The heavens rewarded the diligent. These four words occupied the highest position on the tablet.
"The words don't look good. Fortunately, there's no signature. The person who comes up later won't know that it's me."
Jiang Lan didn't mind.
And there shouldn't be many people who could come up.
No one would notice that his handwriting was ugly.
Even if there was a signature, it was not a big problem.
Jiang Lan turned around and left.
He wanted to see Martial Aunt Miao Yue and ask her to guide him.
…
"Do you know how long has passed?"
Miao Yue looked at the returning Jiang Lan and spoke coldly.
At this time, Jiang Lan was standing in the main hall, feeling that his Martial Aunt's words contained a hint of anger.
"It should have been more than six months," Jiang Lan replied in a low voice.
He couldn't be sure until he saw the time.
"Tomorrow is the big day of your engagement." Miao Yue's calm voice sounded.
"Huh?" Jiang Lan was shocked.
Two years had passed?
Of course, two years passing was not a problem. The problem was that he was actually getting engaged tomorrow?
However, he soon calmed down. Although he didn't know exactly how much time had passed since he went up the mountain, he was sure that two years had yet to pass.
"Your reaction is quite fast." Miao Yue looked at the calm Jiang Lan, asking curiously.
"Were you shocked because two years have passed, or because of the engagement?"
Jiang Lan was silent for a moment before he spoke softly.
"I am unprepared for it if it's tomorrow."Regardless of Jiang Lan's temperament, the engagement was an important matter for him.
He was unable to remain calm when it came to such matters.
Once it was set and he was engaged, he had to bear the responsibility.
Even if he had the strength to refute in the future, karma had already been planted.
It was hard to give it up.
If Senior Sister Ao was the kind of person who was unreasonable and looked down on him, perhaps it would be easier for him to do so.
However, what he feared was that this would not be the case.
Thus, his plan of traveling the vast Grand Desolate World after nurturing a junior.
Would have become a little harder.
Because there was one more person he had to account for.
So when his Martial Aunt Miao Yue told him that the engagement was tomorrow, he was surprised.
He was not prepared for it at all.
When his master told him these things, he had at least laid some foundation and said some prelude.
"I thought you'd deliberately say it was because two years had passed."
Jiang Lan didn't reply.
"Speaking of which, do you like the Goddess?" Miao Yue looked at Jiang Lan curiously.
This question wasn't easy to answer. After hesitating for a moment, Jiang Lan decided to change his way of answering.
"I don't hate her."
Xiao Yu had asked similar questions before, thus he did not need much time to think of an answer.
"Then that means you like her." Miao Yue said directly.
Jiang Lan was silent.
Could it be inferred that way?
"Let's talk about your achievements this time. You've been on the hill for about seven months. What did you comprehend during these seven months?" Miao Yue sat on a high chair, looking at Jiang Lan as she started talking about serious matters.
"I spent a bit more time and barely made it to the top of the hill. I now have a better understanding of array formations than before, and my abilities are also stronger than before," Jiang Lan replied.
He only compared himself to before and did not dare to say too much.
If he said it, he would highly likely be told off that he was overestimating himself.
"Next time, you can speak with a little more pride." Miao Yue looked at Jiang Lan who was in confusion and continued.
"It's every senior's pleasure to suppress their proud disciples. Allowing your senior to give you a proper reminder would allow your senior to show that he had experienced it too. It can also give your seniors a sense of accomplishment from participating in your growth."
Jiang Lan was silent.
This was a little complicated.
However, he did not know any seniors, so he did not need to learn this.
He did not need to interact with his master like this.
After all, it had been more than a hundred years. If he were to suddenly change, his master would think that he had been led astray by Martial Aunt Miao Yue.
After all, he had to try to hide his cultivation level once he returned. His master would be able to notice that.
"Many thanks for Martial Aunt's teachings," Jiang Lan replied softly.
Miao Yue smiled, she knew that Jiang Lan did not process whatever she had just said.
She wanted to see if Jiang Lan would listen to her.
Indeed, it was as Senior Brother had said. He was very opinionated.
"Catch."
Miao Yue took out a book and threw it to Jiang Lan.
Jiang Lan took the book and glanced at it. There was no title.
"Open it."
Miao Yue's voice could be heard.
Hearing the voice, Jiang Lan immediately opened the book.
After flipping it open, he realized that it was a diagram of the array formation and some notes.
"You probably already understand the structure of the array formations. Today, I'll teach you how to build an array formation."
Miao Yue then stood up.
Shortly after, she snapped her fingers.
Pa!
A few patterns began to appear around the hall, as if they were all part of a large-scale array formation.
"A good array formation needs to be built at the right time, at the right place, and with the right person. However, the right time is difficult to come by, and the right place is difficult to find. Thus, one must use a person as the foundation to make up for the right time and place. And the way to do so is by crafting array inscriptions."
Jiang Lan listened quietly. After Miao Yue talked for a period of time, he would flip to the next page.
In the days that followed, he stood in the great hall.
His gaze was fixed on the book and the surrounding patterns.
As for Miao Yue, she would only open her mouth to explain at a fixed time.
It was as if she didn't care if he had digested it.
The seasons changed.
Winter had come, only to go again.
Five months passed in a flash.
Today, Jiang Lan gently closed the book.
He had finished reading it.
And Martial Aunt Miao Yue should have also finished explaining everything to him.
In the past few days, he had not learned anything about setting up various famous array formations. Instead, he learned about what was needed to set up a formation, and the key to success or failure.
He could feel that his Martial Aunt Miao Yue had opened up a vague path for him.
And how far he could go depended on himself.
For a moment, Jiang Lan was a bit curious. What kind of favor did his master need to owe for his Martial Aunt to teach him like this?
At first, he thought that she would only teach him a rough idea, but she had actually opened a door for him.
"How much do you understand?"
Miao Yue looked at Jiang Lan who had closed the book and asked.
"I have understood a bit." Jiang Lan lowered his head and replied.
Miao Yue nodded and said.
"You still have a year's time. In a year's time, the grand ceremony will be held on time. At that time, it will be your engagement day. You can start mentally preparing yourself for what's to come next year. You can also bring the books back and continue studying them."
After thanking Martial Aunt Miao Yue, Jiang Lan intended to leave the Fifth Summit's hall.
However, after taking two steps, he was suddenly stopped.
"Wait."
It was his Martial Aunt Miao Yue who had called out to him.
"Does Martial Aunt have any other instructions?" Jiang Lan immediately asked softly.
"Go back and learn some calligraphy from your master. Your handwriting is bad." Miao Yue looked at Jiang Lan and said.
Jiang Lan: "???"
Had he been discovered?
After that, Jiang Lan left the Fifth Summit.
Miao Yue smiled like a flower as she watched Jiang Lan leave.
"I wonder if he'll ask his master about getting a Dao companion when he gets back."
She felt that this matter was very interesting.
But she could tell.
Jiang Lan had hidden some of what he had learned.
It was impossible for a person who took half a year to ascend to the peak of the array formation hill to understand only a little about the book.
Of course, it could also be pure modesty.
She stopped thinking about these things. After all, he was not her disciple. However, he did have some talent in the study of array formations.
It wasn't shocking, but it was much better than most people.
Afterward, Miao Yue went to settle her own matters.
She naturally had to prepare what the Dragon Race wanted with the others.
After another year of preparation, it would be over.
It had cost Kunlun a great deal to make Jiang Lan get engaged to the Goddess.
…
…
The wind in Kunlun was chilly today.
It was very refreshing for it to graze onto one's face.
There were many people flying on their swords in mid-air, but Jiang Lan had no plans to do so.
As he walked, he thought about what he should do next.
There was no need to prepare for the engagement.
He was already prepared for this, but what he wasn't prepared for was knowing what would happen that day.
But he would have to face it a year later, and he didn't need to be distracted now.
"Should I head back to set up some array formations on the Ninth Summit or learn the Dragon Slaying Sword first?"
The Dragon Slaying Sword had to be mastered before the engagement.
He didn't know if a year was enough.
However, the sooner the Ninth Summit's array formation was set up, the better it would be.
"I'll spend four months setting it up and spend the remaining eight months learning sword skills on the Eighth Summit."
After making his decision, Jiang Lan headed towards the Ninth Summit.
Along the way, he saw some disciples from the newest generation.
He also heard some conversations.
"It's been almost half a year. I finally have the time to come and see that mysterious Senior Brother's writing."
"The heavens reward the diligent. It is said that these words are hung on the mountain peak all year round. It's even directly engraved on the rankings. This Senior Brother is impressive."
"But I heard that the handwriting of this Senior Brother is not presentable."
"It's normal for talented people to have some weaknesses. Let's go and take a look."
Jiang Lan was silent.After exchanging greetings with his master, Jiang Lan arrived at the main hall of the Ninth Summit.
He needed to clean up the place.
He could also take care of the weeds in the Ninth Summit after that.
The road that no one had walked on for a year began to be covered by weeds.
Although there was no one on the Ninth Summit, Jiang Lan would take care of all the necessary paths.
He also tidied up the flowers in the courtyard.
Doing so would allow one to feel comfortable when looking at them.
After dealing with this, he arrived at the main hall's square and began to dismantle the array formations here.
Then, he took out other array formations to compare.
It was much easier for him to understand other array formations now.
He was able to understand some profound array formations as well.
It was impossible to become an array master in a year.
After thinking for two days, Jiang Lan began to set up the array formations.
He did not intend to set up array formations across the entirety of the Ninth Summit.
Instead, he would set it up in the main hall, in his courtyard as well as in the Netherworld Cave.
He had gained inspiration from his Martial Aunt Miao Yue. He would hide an array formation in a hidden array formation.
Although it would be quite difficult, there was still time for him to construct the framework for it.
After which, he would slowly add modifications to it.
The four months were like a water trough that had been breached. Before long, it was completely drained.
Today, Jiang Lan received his master's notice.
It was time for him to head to the Eighth Summit.
If he wanted to learn the true essence of the Dragon Slaying Sword, Jiang Lan couldn't just go when he was free, but rather he needed to arrange a time beforehand.
Thus, even though his array formation in the Netherworld Cave was still in the critical phase of being set up, he didn't continue and chose to head to the Eighth Summit immediately instead.
If one wanted to learn, one had to have the attitude of seeking knowledge.
Otherwise, the one who would lose face would not be him but his master.
However, everything was almost done.
The framework had already been constructed. Now, it all depended on his comprehension of array formations.
Naturally, the main purpose of the array formation in the square was to absorb the energy from the attacks and coordinate with the offensive formation.
The accumulated power was stored under the land.
There was a Spiritual Energy Gathering Array Formation at the bottom to facilitate energy to the other array formations.
In the past few months, Jiang Lan had planted peach trees outside his courtyard. Now, his courtyard was surrounded by peach trees and it was difficult to find the entrance.
The Netherworld Cave had the most complicated array formations.
There were both offensive and defensive array formations. Most importantly, there was also an array formation that acted as an alarm.
As long as someone approached the Netherworld Cave, Jiang Lan would be informed.
This way, even if he was in seclusion, it wouldn't be a problem.
However, this alarm array formation needed a longer time, so it was not completed yet.
He had to perfect it after the engagement.
At that time, he would have entered seclusion and would be waiting for the opportunity to become an immortal.
Now, he needed to comprehend the Dragon Slaying Sword.
There was still one last portion of Dao Comprehension Tea. He should be able to completely understand the true essence of the Dragon Slaying Sword within eight months.
"Master."
On the peak of the Ninth Summit, Jiang Lan looked at his master respectfully.
"Are you sure you want to learn the Dragon Slaying Sword?" Mo Zhengdong asked.
Jiang Lan nodded and then explained.
"Don't worry, Master. I'm not intending to go against the Dragon Race."
Mo Zhengdong raised his brows. He wasn't worried that Jiang Lan would go against the Dragon Race. Instead, it was good for Jiang Lan to have the Dragon Slaying Sword when facing the Dragon Race.
It was mainly because his fiancée was a dragon. This could easily lead to a conflict between husband and wife.
"I have a question."
"Master, please ask."
"It is inevitable that there will be disputes between husband and wife. If you quarrel with the Goddess, will you draw your sword?"
When he heard this question, Jiang Lan was a bit stunned.
Master had asked similar questions previously, right?
Did he look like such a person?
"Master, you worry too much."
If he really wanted to attack, it would naturally be with the Power Of Nine Tribulations or the Power of Nine Bulls.
The Dragon Slaying Sword was not enough.
Mo Zhengdong didn't ask any more questions. Jiang Lan knew his limits, so he was more at ease.
However, a layer of mist suddenly appeared on his body.
Had his disciple learned to hide his strength?
Was Junior Sister Miao Yue the one who taught him?
"Take this. It will bring you to the Eighth Summit's Summit Leader. He is the only person in Kunlun who can teach the Dragon Slaying Sword."
Mo Zhengdong took out a small floating sword and handed it to Jiang Lan.
The Summit Leader of the Eighth Summit?
Did Master owe two Summit Leaders a favor this time?
This was something Jiang Lan didn't expect.
There were very few people in Kunlun who had such treatment, right?
"Thank you, Master."
Jiang Lan took the small sword.
After that, he left the Ninth Summit and headed to the Eighth Summit.
Mo Zhengdong frowned at Jiang Lan.
"I wonder if Junior Sister has taught him anything else."
What if his good disciple was led astray?
Sending him to the Eighth Summit might also lead him astray.
…
Jiang Lan rode his sword towards the Eighth Summit. He actually wanted to ask his master about the matter regarding his intent on finding a Dao companion.
Then, he would casually mention the Fifth Summit's Martial Aunt and see his master's reaction.
But he felt that the time was not ripe.
He needed to take his time.
Jiang Lan did not stop flying on his sword when he reached the Eighth Summit. It was not that he wanted to fly up directly, but the small sword in his hand had brought him up directly.
It was extremely fast.
Boom!
He felt his body drop to the ground in front of a lake.
"Junior Brother?"
Jiang Lan, who had just landed, heard a familiar voice.
It was a girl's voice.
He turned around and saw Xiao Yu holding a wooden sword.
"Senior Sister Xiao Yu?" This was rather surprising.
Wasn't this Senior Sister from the Third Summit?
Why did she appear on the Eighth Summit?
Furthermore, she was here to learn sword techniques too.
However, Jiang Lan still looked around immediately and found the Eighth Summit's Summit Leader.
There was a small pavilion by the lake, and Jiu Zhongtian was seated inside.
He was currently looking at Jiang Lan.
"Jiang Lan greets Martial Uncle."
Jiang Lan lowered his head respectfully.
Jiu Zhongtian was currently holding a wine pot in his hand. His hair was a bit messy and he had some stubble on his face.
There was not so much spirit in his eyes.
It was as if he had just woken up.
He looked at Jiang Lan, carefully examining him.
He was certain that there was no sword intent on the other party at all.
"I heard from your master that you've learned the Dragon Slaying Sword?" Jiu Zhongtian asked.
Jiu Zhongtian was surprised regarding this.
Dragon Slaying Sword was not easy to learn.
Even if one had the necessary conditions, one would not be able to learn them.
Otherwise, a bunch of people would have already learned it.
The Dragon Slaying Sword required one to encounter a fortuitous opportunity and have a sufficient understanding of the Dragon Race.
It was basically impossible for someone who had never seen a dragon to learn it.
"Yes," Jiang Lan answered immediately.
Although the Dragon Slaying Sword was learned through signing in, Kunlun had this sword skill too.
It was from that book of chronicles.
If one could comprehend it, one would comprehend. If one could not comprehend it, one would not comprehend.
However, it was very difficult to comprehend it. There were too many requirements.
"Come here." Jiu Zhongtian brought Jiang Lan towards the lake.
When he caught up, Jiang Lan realized that there were many people sitting by the lake. There were both males and females. He didn't know if they were cultivating or doing something else.
Arriving at the lake, Jiu Zhongtian waved his hand and the surface of the lake started to surge.
A huge shadow emerged from the lake.
Slosh.
A single-horned demonic dragon charged out of the water and stood in midair.
Its entire body was covered in dark red scales and its four claws were sharp. Its aura was astonishing.
Jiang Lan instinctively raised his guard when he saw the demonic dragon.
"Very strong. It is most definitely at least an Immortal."
Looking at the dark red demonic dragon, Jiang Lan was shocked.
He had not sensed the demonic dragon under the lake.
Furthermore, the other party was actually summoned by the Eighth Summit's Summit Leader.
The Summit Leader of the Eighth Summit should be extremely powerful.
It was no wonder he dared to challenge the dragon race.
"Come, go all out on it for me to take a look."
Jiu Zhongtian's voice could be heard.
Xiao Yu stood beside Jiang Lan and blinked.
She was looking forward to seeing it too.
She could finally witness the Dragon Slaying Sword.cool breeze blew and the ripples formed on the water.
The surging water had returned to its calm state.
The demonic dragon was in front of Jiang Lan.
It wasn't far, but it wasn't close either.
Its astonishing aura easily instilled fear in others.
The single-horned demonic dragon did not retract its aura after being summoned. Its eyes revealed a ferocious glint as its aura spread.
Suddenly, the wind grew stronger and the lake water surged like waves.
The disciples who were originally sitting by the lake did not stay any longer. Instead, they retreated some distance away from the lake,
They looked at the sudden appearance of the demonic dragon in astonishment.
"I've heard of demonic dragons in the lake before but I thought that it was just a mere legend."
"Indeed. I've been in the sect for three hundred years, but I've never seen a demonic dragon in the lake."
"I'm curious why Master summoned the demonic dragon today."
"There's a disciple who just landed beside the Summit Leader. Maybe it has something to do with him."
"That's true. I heard Master telling that disciple to attack and try to slay the demonic dragon with all his might."
They were surprised. Slaying the demonic dragon?
If they weren't mistaken, the Junior Brother who had suddenly appeared was only at the early-stage Essence Soul Realm.
"Do any of you know him?" A person who was about to become an immortal asked curiously.
"We don't go out all year round, so we don't know each other. We've never heard of that Junior Sister Xiao Yu either."
At that moment, a female cultivator suddenly said.
"I've always been paying attention to that Junior Sister Xiao Yu. Ever since she came here, she has always been unapproachable. It's fine if the Senior Sisters go over and talk to her, but when the Senior Brothers and Junior Brothers go over, she will politely ignore them. However, when this Junior Brother came, she took the initiative to run over. Since they know each other, their relationship shouldn't be too bad. "
"When Junior Sister Xiaoyu had just come over, I heard that the Third Summit's Summit Leader personally accompanied her. Our Summit Leader wanted to reject her, but in the end, he couldn't."
The relationships between the Summit Leaders were not that harmonious, but if one party personally came, regardless of whether their relationship was good or bad, they could not reject the other party's request.
It was because they were after all from the same sect and held equal status.
"Speaking of which, I seem to have seen this Junior Brother before. He should be the Junior Brother of the Ninth Summit. The last time I saw him was decades ago."
"Ninth Summit? The only disciple? From his attire, he is indeed a disciple who has been here these last two hundred years. But what is he doing? Why did Master ask him to slay a dragon?"
"Let's see. With this sort of cultivation, he will definitely be asking for trouble before the monstrous dragon. Even if the monstrous dragon were to stand still, he would still be unable to harm it in the slightest."
The demonic dragon's energy storm was like a cold wind blowing against Jiang Lan's face, causing him some pain.
From the look in its eyes, Jiang Lan could tell that this dragon's viciousness had never subsided.
Not only that, there was a trace of anger and humiliation in its eyes.
It was as if he was extremely angered by the fact that he was being kept here and the Eighth Summit Leader could summon him as he pleased.
Yet, there was nothing it could do.
For this, he could only vent his anger on others.
For example, Jiang Lan.
"Try your sword technique."
Jiu Zhongtian said.
He could see that Jiang Lan's eyes were calm.
Once one was afraid of dragons, one would not be able to use the Dragon Slaying Sword.
Learning it was even more impossible.
If one managed to learn the skill, it meant that one no longer feared dragons.
From what he saw, Jiang Lan had indeed passed this requirement.
For Jiang Lan, this was the first time he was facing a demonic dragon at such a close distance.
He also wanted to test the power of the Dragon Slaying Sword.
A spirit sword appeared in his hand.
The waves surged as he walked towards the demonic dragon.
As he walked across the water, the demonic dragon moved.
It swayed its tail, rushing towards Jiang Lan.
This situation didn't surprise Jiang Lan.
The Martial Uncle of the Eighth Summit only told him to use the Dragon Slaying Sword with all his strength. He did not say that the sinister dragon would stand there and let him slash it.
Hence, he had been on guard from the start.
Of course, he did not move too much. Instead, he raised his sword.
At this moment, he felt an indescribable feeling in his heart as he looked at the incoming demonic dragon.
It was as if this dragon was full of flaws in his eyes. Its strength seemed to be infinitely reduced.
At this moment, he even had the illusion that he could kill this dragon with a swing of his sword.
But he knew that it was just an illusion.
With the demonic dragon in front, the Dragon Slaying Sword rose up, causing the winds and clouds to surge.
Xiao Yu instinctively took two steps back when she saw the sword energy.
She felt an inexplicable sense of danger coming from it.
It wasn't just Xiao Yu. Even the demonic dragon could sense it. It was as if it had encountered its natural enemy.
But this natural enemy was too weak.
Without any hesitation, it charged forward.
The sword energy clashed with the demonic dragon as Jiang Lan's sword descended.
Boom!
The two collided.
Woosh!
A powerful shockwave spread out.
The lake water surged.
The others were shocked by this scene.
"This strike is wrong."
"Yes, something is completely amiss. It doesn't feel like an attack an early-stage Essence Soul cultivator can produce."
Let alone early-stage Essence Souls, most of them would definitely not be able to slash out with their swords and appear evenly matched with the demonic dragon.
"The problem is the sword. This sword move is a little strange."
Soon, the waves calmed down.
Jiang Lan was sent flying, landing miserably by the lake.
Meanwhile, the demonic dragon was trapped on the surface of the lake, glaring at the shore as if it wanted to tear the other party apart.
A dragon's roar came from the lake.
It represented its anger.
If it had not been imprisoned, it would have successfully torn apart that human.
"There are sword marks on its body. Has it been injured?"
Some disciples with bright eyes saw the sword marks on the demonic dragon's body.
Although it did not cause any actual harm.
But it did bring a certain amount of impact to the dragon.
"Didn't someone say that even if the demonic dragon stood still, this Junior Brother wouldn't be able to hurt it? Come out and say it again."
"When you hit someone, don't hit their face."
"But what's the name of this sword technique? I feel that it's not a problem of cultivation, but a problem of this sword technique. But I can't understand it. "
"Dragon Slaying Sword." A calm voice rang out from behind these people. They turned their heads and immediately called out to the person respectfully.
Lu Jian nodded and explained while looking at Jiang Lan.
"Junior Brother Jiang has learned the Dragon Slaying Sword that others can't. However, from the looks of it, he hasn't comprehended the essence of it. This trip of his should be to understand the true essence of the Dragon Slaying Sword."
"Dragon Slaying Sword? It can actually be learned?" Some people were in disbelief.
Lu Jian nodded. This was naturally true.
But…
He didn't understand why Jiang Lan would suddenly learn the Dragon Slaying Sword.
Was he unhappy with the marriage or the dragon race?
There were some things that others did not know, but he did.
For example, the Kunlun Ceremony half a year later.
At that time, the entire sect would be shaken.
He was a little curious about how the person involved felt.
If he had time, he could go over and have a chat.
Now that his master was here, it was not good to disturb him.
Jiang Lan stood by the lake and kept his sword. Then, he cast a healing spell on his arm.
He was almost seriously injured.
The demonic dragon was too powerful.
He had no way of resisting it.
"If I had used the power of nine bulls just now, I might have been able to deal with it and bring more pain to the other party. In terms of speed, my Nine Steps of Heavenly Travel ensures that I am not inferior to it. I wonder how strong this dragon would be if it were to unleash its full strength."
Looking at the demonic dragon, Jiang Lan subconsciously wondered if he could deal with it with his full strength.
He was currently at the mid-stage Void Refinement Realm, so he was still a little weak against powerful beings above the Immortal Realm.
However, he was very curious. Was the creator of the Dragon Slaying Sword really capable of slaying dragons?