Chapter 58 ·Battling Ning Hongye in a Dream

Southern ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Sea No. 73 mortal world, Taiyi Dao Sect, Longevity Peak.

Within ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the Longevity Residence on Longevity Peak, Gu Yan’s main body slowly opened his eyes.

“Ning ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Hongye…”

Everything ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍that Nether Soul had experienced in the Azure Wave Sect was transmitted through their soul connection in complete detail, appearing in his mind like reflections of the moon upon water.

Nether ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Soul’s vigilance and decisions—he fully understood them, and even quite approved.

The ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍concerns of the incarnation were the concerns of the main body.

What that gift brought was not delight, but the unknown wrapped in a coating of honey.

A mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator who could casually hand out a cultivation technique pointing directly to the Integration Realm, and treat supreme-grade magic treasures as ordinary objects?

The depths behind this were likely even deeper and more turbulent than Nether Soul had imagined.

Nether Soul was limited by the status of an incarnation and the constraints of the entry system, unable to actively use certain abilities exclusive to the main body to probe deeper.

But he could.

The purple entry Life Is Like a Dream · Purple allowed him, within dreams, to reflect and challenge anyone he had seen—those seen by Nether Soul counted as well.

“Then I’ll use this method to weigh your true strength.”

Gu Yan’s will touched the entry, selecting the image of Ning Hongye that had been perfectly perceived through Nether Soul.

In the next moment, boundless drowsiness surged over him. He did not resist, allowing his consciousness to slip into a deep dream.

Within the void of the dream, light and shadow gathered, and a figure in red slowly appeared—it was Ning Hongye.

She smiled brightly, her eyes lively—exactly as Nether Soul had seen.

Gu Yan did not attempt to modify her strength.

If he wanted to probe her depth, he had to see the most authentic iceberg.

His figure flickered—he attacked first!

The Grand Five Elements Reincarnation Scripture circulated, and the vast spiritual power of Transformation Spirit Second Layer surged endlessly.

With two fingers forming a sword, a brilliant crimson radiance burst forth like the morning glow.

It instantly transformed into a sky-filling torrent of Little Five Elements Annihilation Divine Light, sweeping toward Ning Hongye!

This was the destructive force of the five elements—even ordinary Transformation Spirit cultivators would either die or be severely injured upon contact!

Yet Ning Hongye merely lifted her gaze slightly.

Without any visible movement, a dark radiance suddenly emerged around her.

It was not a physical substance, yet it seemed capable of devouring light itself—profound beyond measure.

The annihilation divine light plunged into the darkness like a mud ox entering the sea, stirring only faint ripples before silently dissipating, unable to shake her in the slightest.

Gu Yan’s pupils contracted.

Not a magic treasure—more like an innate divine ability or an extremely high-level protective method!

His thoughts raced as he activated a Five Elements movement technique. His figure flickered like a ghost through the dream space, attempting to find an opening.

The Nine Heavens Thunder Pattern Evil-Slaying Sword let out a long cry as it left its sheath, transforming into a streak of purple-gold lightning sword energy carrying overwhelming heavenly might, piercing toward Ning Hongye’s brow!

This sword specialized in suppressing evil—its power unmatched.

At last, Ning Hongye moved.

She did not use any complex or profound technique. She simply raised her hand and tapped the air with a finger.

At her fingertip, an extremely dark point of light condensed.

Then, a hiss—like something from ancient times—echoed.

A massive black serpent phantom burst out from the void above her head!

Its scales were terrifying, its eyes like twin miniature black holes devouring everything.

It radiated a cold, deathly stillness—yet also a supreme, exalted authority.

“Yin Extreme True Deity, Black Serpent Coiling, Netherworld as the guide, illuminating all things.”

An ethereal incantation flowed from her lips.

The black serpent phantom opened its mouth, and a gray-black wave of annihilation rippled outward.

The lightning sword energy collided with the ripple, rapidly dimming before letting out a mournful cry and being knocked back.

Gu Yan felt the circulation of his own spiritual power become sluggish, as if it were about to fall into annihilation along with that ripple.

He let out a cold snort. The phantom of the Eight Desolations Suppressing Mountain Tower rose above his head, releasing streams of profound yellow energy to firmly protect him.

The profound yellow energy collided with the annihilation ripple, causing space to tremble—but he managed to withstand it.

Good heavens!

How is this Foundation Establishment?

With this level of output and defense, I’d believe she’s a Tribulation Transcender old monster!

Gu Yan’s heart shook violently.

Nether Soul’s speculation had been confirmed—this Junior Sister’s true realm was terrifyingly high.

Without hesitation, his will moved, adjusting Ning Hongye’s strength within the dream to match his own—Transformation Spirit Second Layer.

The realm suppression vanished, yet that annihilation Dao aura and black serpent divine ability still remained, only reduced in intensity.

For a time, brilliance flashed wildly in the dream, and Dao techniques roared.

Gu Yan’s five-element techniques shifted unpredictably. The annihilation divine light and primordial magnetic divine light intertwined, attempting to disrupt and dismantle his opponent’s power.

Ning Hongye, however, remained effortless. The black serpent phantom alternated between offense and defense, while annihilation ripples appeared and disappeared unpredictably.

Occasionally, one or two indistinct magic treasure phantoms flew from her sleeves, easily blocking Gu Yan’s fierce assaults.

She seemed to grasp the essence of combat, always neutralizing attacks with minimal cost.

That calm composure placed immense pressure on Gu Yan.

Was this the near-Dao mastery that came with a higher realm?

At equal spiritual power, the difference in understanding and efficiency of power usage was like heaven and earth.

The longer Gu Yan fought, the more alarmed he became.

He prided himself on the supreme nature of the Grand Five Elements Reincarnation Scripture, yet today, against a projection with equal power, he could not gain even the slightest advantage.

Instead, he was faintly suppressed by that strange annihilation intent.

After hundreds of exchanges, Gu Yan’s spiritual power had been greatly depleted, while Ning Hongye still appeared at ease.

“I can’t drag this out any longer.” A fierce light flashed in Gu Yan’s eyes as he finally decided to use the move he had only just begun to grasp after stepping into the Transformation Spirit stage.

It was the core offensive divine art corresponding to the Transformation Spirit stage in the Grand Five Elements Reincarnation Scripture—one of his greatest trump cards.

He suddenly withdrew all magic treasures and radiance, forming an extremely complex hand seal before his chest.

The surging five-element power around him no longer spread outward, but instead rapidly collapsed inward.

At his dantian, a five-colored vortex formed!

“Five Elements rotation, reverse evolution into chaos—Grand Five Elements Primordial Tribulation Finger!”

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