He alighted from the carriage!
Chen Nan saw Ye Hongyi!
She appeared to be in her thirties!
Dressed in a flowing red gown, unadorned!
Her black silk hair cascaded loosely down her back, fluttering in the breeze, ethereal and detached!
She held a jade flute, emerald green in hue!
Paired with her cold, elegant demeanor, she exuded an air of unattainability!
She stood serenely on a colossal stone atop the mountain peak, her emotions unreadable!
"Greetings, Master!" Chen Nan bowed towards her, mimicking Xuanyuan Yue!
Ye Hongyi: "Now that you have found your dao companion, your master hopes you will cultivate diligently and achieve excellent results in the sect competition one month from now!"
Ye Hongyi not only gave off a cold, elegant impression, but her tone was utterly devoid of emotion!
"Master, rest assured, your disciple will cultivate diligently!" Chen Nan feigned nervousness!
"I hope you will not bring shame upon your master!"
Ye Hongyi's figure vanished into the heavens and earth!
Chen Nan's expression grew solemn!
The Dragon's Nest opened only once every thousand years!
And to enter the Dragon's Nest, one had to compete!
Even the most gifted were no exception!
Therefore!
Chen Nan's plan had to change!
Previously, he had adhered to the principle of avoiding combat whenever possible, fearing discovery as an imposter!
But now, with the competition imminent, was it possible to enter the Dragon's Nest without engaging in battles?
However!
He was not afraid of using his intellect!
------
Because Xuanyuan Yue was rather ostentatious in the Dao Sect, and had never conquered anyone with his strength!
Even on his wedding day, few fellow disciples came to offer their congratulations!
To put it plainly!
Xuanyuan Yue was not well-regarded in the Dao Sect!
He was merely indulged by Ye Hongyi!
Otherwise, why would she have dispatched so many formidable experts to accompany Xuanyuan Yue to fetch his bride?
In truth, Xuanyuan Yue's standing in the Dao Sect was more than just unpopular!
To put it bluntly, he was considered a disgrace by many in the Dao Sect!
The Dao Sect had five great prodigies!
While the other four prodigies were not as outstanding as Xuanyuan Yue!
They had all earned the respect of everyone through their prowess!
They had once single-handedly opened up a forbidden zone!
Xuanyuan Yue, despite possessing cultivation, had never made any contribution to the sect!
And there was an even more crucial point!
The four prodigies before had all been crowned Saint Sons!
This meant that the future leader of the Dao Sect would emerge from among them!
The remaining three would at least hold positions as Grand Elders!
Now, consider Xuanyuan Yue!
Although a prodigy!
He had not earned the recognition of the people!
Nor was he a Saint Son!
Therefore, even on his wedding day, no one came to offer their felicitations!
However, this suited Chen Nan just fine!
He disliked insincere flattery!
The ceremony!
After that came the wedding chamber, which Chen Nan favored!
Although he had already been intimate with Yan Wushuang, as the saying goes, absence makes the heart grow fonder!
------
The night was like water!
Chen Nan appeared to be meditating, cross-legged, but his soul had entered the Immortal Abode!
With only a month left until the competition!
He had to elevate his cultivation to the peak of the seventh layer of the Nascent Soul stage before then!
A month's time seemed short!
But for him, it was different!
In the third level of the Immortal Abode, ten years passed for every single day in the outside world!
This meant he had three hundred years to improve his cultivation!
Fortunately, the Immortal Abode possessed abundant spiritual energy, fully capable of supporting his cultivation!
In addition, there was Liuli to spar with!
The next morning!
Chen Nan concluded his cultivation!
"The Immortal Abode is truly a terrifying cheat. One night outside, and five years have passed within!"
"And I have advanced from the first layer of the Golden Core stage to the fourth layer!"
Chen Nan was in high spirits!
Although he was still a considerable distance from the peak of the seventh layer of the Nascent Soul stage!
He still had ample time!
Of course!
If he weren't scheduled to accompany Yan Wushuang to offer tea to his master, Ye Hongyi, he wouldn't have stopped cultivating!
------
It had to be said, Xuanyuan Yue was disliked for good reason!
His breakfast, though simple, consisted entirely of spiritual fruits!
Consuming them greatly benefited cultivators!
Ordinary disciples had to exchange contribution points for spiritual fruits, yet he received fresh spiritual fruits daily!
This alone was enough to incite envy and jealousy!
After consuming the spiritual fruits, he and Yan Wushuang flew on a magical artifact to the main peak, arriving at Ye Hongyi's cultivation dwelling!
However, Ye Hongyi was not present!
"No need to offer tea, just cultivate diligently!" Ye Hongyi spoke!
It was evident that Ye Hongyi was somewhat displeased with Yan Wushuang!
Chen Nan had a premonition!
It seemed Ye Hongyi was fond of Xuanyuan Yue!
Because in Xuanyuan Yue's memories, before Yan Wushuang appeared, Ye Hongyi treated him like a son, doting on him!
But ever since Xuanyuan Yue fell in love with Yan Wushuang, their master-disciple relationship had weakened somewhat!
And there was the most important point!
Ye Hongyi had never forced him to do anything!
Yet now, she was making him participate in the competition a month from now, subtly placing significant pressure on him!
Even forgoing the important matter of offering tea to his master...
This master and disciple duo were quite unconventional...
Just as Chen Nan was preparing to leave with Yan Wushuang, a group of inner disciples of the Dao Sect blocked their path!
The leader, named Lu Yuan, was a formidable cultivator at the third layer of the Nascent Soul stage!
He wore a mocking smile on his face: "Oh, isn't this Senior Brother Xuanyuan? Is this your wife? Truly a gem of the mortal realm. We are all brothers, why not lend her to us for a bit?"
"Don't worry, the strength of a few of us brothers is definitely greater than yours, we can make your woman feel pleasure!"
"Lu Yuan, do you wish to die?" A cold glint flashed in Chen Nan's eyes! He knew Lu Yuan was a subordinate of Ao Han Ye, the foremost prodigy, and had disrespected Xuanyuan Yue before!
However, Xuanyuan Yue had always ignored him in the past!
But sadly!
The Xuanyuan Yue of today was Chen Nan!
Lu Yuan paused for a moment, then chuckled: "I never knew Senior Brother Xuanyuan would have a temper after getting married, actually asking if I want to die?"
"Do you know how to spell the word 'death'?"
"Have you ever killed anyone... no, have you ever killed a demonic beast?"
Upon hearing this, the disciples behind him erupted in laughter!
Xuanyuan Yue was timid as a mouse!
Once, during an outdoor mission, he had encountered a dying demonic beast and fainted from fear!
After that incident, he became the shame of the Dao Sect!
Although ordinary disciples dared not mock him to his face, the other four prodigies had humiliated him more than once!
Yet Xuanyuan Yue had not dared to utter a single word!
Now, this fellow was openly angered, even asking Lu Yuan if he wanted to die!
How could they not find it amusing?
"You, you have successfully enraged me!"
Chen Nan's face was filled with chilling coldness!
He would not allow anyone to insult Yan Wushuang!
Nor would he remain indifferent like a coward!
Instantly!
He punched towards Lu Yuan's chest!
Boom!
The fist wind howled, emitting a piercing sound like thunder!
The next moment!
Lu Yuan's chest caved in, he spat blood, and was sent flying amidst a sea of stunned gazes!
The disciples of the Dao Sect gasped!
Damn!
This guy actually dared to strike and injure someone?