Chapter 28: Slacker True Man vs. Wood Inheritor True Man

The Xia Emperor sat high on his throne, looking down from above, and said indifferently, "The Immortal Destiny Gathering has reached its most critical moment. The six of you are: Xiamang Zishan, Cangwu Ji, Ji Ning, Slacker True Man, Wood Inheritor True Man, and Blackstone True Man."

Ji Ning and the other five all looked at the Xia Emperor.

"The next round will determine which three of you have the hope of being accepted as disciples by the Master," the Xia Emperor said, his voice seemingly cold, but his gaze swept over Ji Ning and the other five. He also understood that if the Great Xia world were to produce a peerless hero during the turmoil of the Three Realms, it would likely be among these six! And one of them was destined to become a disciple of Patriarch Crimsonbright, while another was already a disciple of the Black Tortoise Grand Emperor.

"First, calm your minds for an hour."

"After one hour, this most crucial battle will begin," the Xia Emperor said calmly.

Ji Ning and the other five were momentarily stunned.

Calm their minds for an hour?

The invisible pressure of breaking into the top three had already made it hard for the six of them to breathe. They were all prepared to begin one-on-one combat, but the Xia Emperor wanted them to calm their minds for an hour first.

"The battle after an hour will be the battle that turns your fate," the Xia Emperor said flatly, then said no more.

…

"Xiamang, you really know how to torment people," Lu Dongbin teased with a smile. "They say death isn't scary; the fear before death is the scariest. If you had them compete immediately, it would be one thing, but you deliberately drag it out for an hour... In that hour, the invisible pressure will probably torment every one of them."

"Is the chance to become a disciple of a Patriarch so easy to obtain?" Xiamang said calmly. "The nine of us all went through endless life-and-death tribulations to reach where we are today. They are merely Wanxiang Adepts. If they aren't tempered a bit, how can it be allowed? The invisible pressure of the Patriarch's disciple opportunity is the best tempering."

"Gentlemen, guess who among these six the Patriarch will choose?" said the Northern Immortal.

"Slacker True Man will have no problem entering the top three, but he is a disciple of the Black Tortoise Grand Emperor, so the Patriarch cannot choose him. Hmm... perhaps Xiamang Zishan. This Xiamang Zishan's domineering aura is already ingrained in his bones, and he is probably blessed by the luck of the Xiamang clan. If he can become the Patriarch's disciple, his future achievements will be limitless."

"I have high hopes for that barefoot, bald-headed youth. I always feel he carries a shadow of Shennong."

The human race was the most powerful among the countless races in the Three Realms. In the ancient world when Pangu split heaven and earth, after Goddess Nuwa created humans, humans continuously multiplied, learned, and grew strong, one by one embarking on the path of immortality... In the ancient world, the human race produced several supreme mighty figures.

The Human Emperor, Shennong, was one of them.

"Mahasthamaprapta, have you lost your mind? That barefoot, bald-headed youth uses the Fuxi Staff Formation, which can barely be linked to 'Fuxi'."

"I have high hopes for Ji Ning. This Ji Ning has only been cultivating for a little over thirty years, yet he is already such a prodigy. His potential is limitless. The Patriarch might choose this Ji Ning."

"I think that Wood Inheritor True Man is not bad."

"I have high hopes for Cangwu Ji."

There were only nine Pure Yang True Immortals in total, including the Xia Emperor. Except for Slacker True Man, who no one chose, the other five all had supporters.

…

Ji Ning, Yu Wei, Yuchi Xiyue, and Slacker True Man were sitting together. Yu Wei and Yuchi Xiyue looked at each other but dared not speak, while Ji Ning and Slacker True Man both sat in silence, deep in thought.

"Yu Wei, the two of them are like this now..." Yuchi Xiyue transmitted worriedly.

"Don't worry. Although both have firm Dao-hearts, the temptation of becoming a Patriarch's disciple is far too great. Moreover, the crucial battle is imminent. Letting them be quiet is also good; it can temper their Dao-hearts," Yu Wei said. Her cultivation experience was relatively much higher, after all, as she possessed memories from her previous life.

Although Ji Ning also had memories from a previous life, his previous life was short and he was merely a mortal.

Time passed, and in the blink of an eye, an hour was gone.

"The fourth round, and also the most crucial round," the Xia Emperor's voice suddenly rang out.

Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish!

The eyes of Ji Ning, Slacker True Man, Xiamang Zishan, Blackstone True Man, Cangwu Ji, and Wood Inheritor True Man all blazed with fervor as they looked at the Xia Emperor.

"After careful consideration, you six will be divided into three matches."

"First match: Slacker True Man vs. Wood Inheritor True Man."

"Second match: Blackstone True Man vs. Cangwu Ji."

"Third match: Ji Ning vs. Xiamang Zishan."

His voice was deep and resonant, echoing through the hall.

Ji Ning and the other six instantly turned their gazes toward their respective opponents.

Slacker True Man and Wood Inheritor True Man both appeared simple and honest. These two seemingly honest men had both fought their way directly into the top six, and now only one of them could enter the top three. When their eyes met... they were both very calm, but behind the calm was an unshakable determination.

Blackstone True Man and Cangwu Ji were both mavericks. Blackstone True Man was always barefoot and bald-headed, holding a staff, while Cangwu Ji was always like an eagle, his eyes as if they could devour people. They glanced at each other from afar, their gazes seemingly about to burst into flames.

Ji Ning and Xiamang Zishan were the two most ferocious. Xiamang Zishan was domineering to the bone, and his staff technique was also domineering. Ji Ning was the number one sword immortal of this Immortal Destiny Gathering. He appeared to be a delicate youth, but in terms of strength, he was actually the strongest.

…

Honest vs. honest.

Maverick vs. maverick.

Ferocious vs. ferocious.

"First match: Slacker True Man and Wood Inheritor True Man, go to the Sealing Grand Formation. You may begin," the Xia Emperor commanded.

"Yes."

Slacker True Man and Wood Inheritor True Man both replied respectfully, then walked out of the hall.

"Xiamang, arranging it like this is really a case of diamond cutting diamond," Lu Dongbin shook his head. "I dare not say who among them can enter the top three. I can't tell anymore, I can't tell."

"Precisely because it's uncertain, it's more anticipated," the Xia Emperor said. Although he was speaking with Lu Dongbin, his gaze was fixed on the Sealing Grand Formation outside the hall. The three matches about to begin—he had to watch each one with utmost seriousness... After all, watching on-site was completely different from watching through the Water Seal Technique.

The Water Seal Technique only captured an impression.

Watching on-site allowed one to sense the fluctuations of the 'Dao.'

…

"Ji Ning, who will win between them?" Yuchi Xiyue was also extremely nervous.

"I don't know," Ji Ning shook his head, then glanced at Xiamang Zishan not far away.

Xiamang Zishan sensed it and looked back.

The two exchanged a glance, then both looked away toward the battle about to begin outside... One of Slacker True Man and Wood Inheritor True Man would enter the top three.

Who would it be?

…

Inside the Sealing Grand Formation.

Slacker True Man and Wood Inheritor True Man looked at each other from afar.

"You are the strongest opponent I have encountered in this Immortal Destiny Gathering," Wood Inheritor True Man said. He usually appeared simple and honest, but at this moment his gaze was sharp as a knife. He said solemnly, "I have seen your previous battle where you defeated Nine Deaths True Man, but... you will be defeated by me."

"Oh, talking is useless. If you have any powerful techniques, just use them," Slacker True Man said with a smile.

Boom! Boom!

The two almost simultaneously transformed into towering giants, both with three heads and six arms.

Wood Inheritor True Man's six hands each grasped a large hammer, while Slacker True Man was bare-handed. But with his 'Black Tortoise Grand Divine Ability,' he didn't need weapons. In fact, Ji Ning also didn't need weapons; his Star-Picking Hand made his palms comparable to Immortal-ranked treasures. However, the 'Star-Picking Hand' involved too much, and Ji Ning dared not reveal it casually.

If he revealed it in front of Patriarch Crimsonbright, it would be one thing, but at the Immortal Destiny Gathering, there were many eyes and ears. Once he revealed it, it would likely spread immediately, and many in the Three Realms might know... It was possible that a mighty figure who had enmity with Sanzang Daoist would directly eliminate him to cut off Sanzang Daoist's legacy!

Ji Ning dared not gamble, so he had never used his palms to block treasures! Although his palms were even stronger than the Northmoon Sword.

"Roar~~~"

A giant tortoise-snake appeared.

Faint roars could be heard. Slacker True Man, at the center of the tortoise-snake, exuded absolute dominance, charging directly at Wood Inheritor True Man like a steamroller.

"This is my world..." Wood Inheritor True Man narrowed his eyes with an intoxicated expression. Immediately, within the entire Sealing Grand Formation, saplings began to appear. The saplings grew rapidly, becoming towering trees. The towering trees withered and turned to ash, and new saplings grew. A large number of saplings grew, and the three-headed, six-armed Wood Inheritor True Man also seemed like a human-shaped tree, his six arms stretched out like branches. The large hammers in his hands were like fruits.

"Bang!" Slacker True Man had already arrived, his fist like a thunderbolt, rumbling as it crushed forward.

Wood Inheritor True Man swung his hammer.

Bang!

The hammer collided with the fist. Wood Inheritor True Man took heavy steps to dissipate the impact, still like a human-shaped tree swinging six large hammers.

"Can't break through?" Slacker True Man was startled. "No wonder he became famous as a peerless genius three hundred years ago and held back for three hundred years until now."

Slacker True Man's attack pattern changed.

He directly executed the 'Stacking Waves' secret art. His attacks began like waves, each wave more fierce than the last, continuously stacking and increasing! Wood Inheritor True Man, known for his defense, became increasingly strained.

"For trees to grow, there must be water!" Wood Inheritor True Man's expression changed slightly, and he suddenly spoke in a low voice.

Whoosh whoosh whoosh~~~~

Within the Sealing Grand Formation, where trees were growing everywhere, a large amount of water appeared. Countless streams of water surrounded the trees, and Wood Inheritor True Man's demeanor changed. Previously, he had seemed like a human-shaped tree, but now he gained a sense of fluidity, becoming more agile and complete.

"Two great Daos?"

"He is walking two great Daos simultaneously?"

Lu Dongbin, the Xia Emperor, and the other nine Pure Yang True Immortals were greatly shocked. In the previous matches, even in the Brightmoon Diagram of Mountains and Rivers, Wood Inheritor True Man had always used some mysteries of the 'Greenwood Dao.' But the 'Sourcewater Dao' he now revealed had never been used by Wood Inheritor True Man before.

The Greenwood Dao and the Sourcewater Dao were two great Daos that complemented each other.

A Wanxiang Adept who had reached an extremely profound level in two 'great Daos' simultaneously, at least reaching the 'Dao Domain' level—throughout the entire Immortal Destiny Gathering, only Wood Inheritor True Man was such.

This seemingly simple and honest Wood Inheritor True Man, if he didn't reveal it, it was fine; once he revealed it, he shocked everyone.

…