Dashing Student

East Qing City, being the city on the eastern side of Heavenly Pillar Mountain, is usually very bustling.

But at this moment, the city is filled with numerous cultivators, all for the Ancient Realm Secret Realm two months away.

This is a land of opportunity, where every hundred years, someone ascends to new heights within the secret realm, thus when it opens, Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators flock to it.

Yet they seem to forget that every time the secret realm opens, more than half the cultivators perish inside.

Only a small fraction of people manage to seize the opportunity.

No matter how dangerous the secret realm is, at this moment, the city has gathered Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators from all over the Nine Provinces, some even bringing their guardians.

East Qing City, as the leading city of the four, is the closest to the Ancient Realm Secret Realm, so most cultivators have come here.

They are the elites of various places, naturally possessing pride, and are still very young, with energy nowhere to be released.

The news of duel challenges made them excited, wanting to see if Chen Nan lives up to the reputation.

If there are more challenges from others on the Hidden Dragon List, it would truly be a rare spectacle.

However, compared to most people's excitement, a small number remain calm.

In the central square of East Qing City, Gu Ming, dressed in white and holding a sharp sword, is waiting, his gaze scanning among the cultivators, with clear displeasure on his face.

After all, waking up and finding oneself pushed out of the Hidden Dragon List would not make anyone happy.

At this time, on the third floor of a restaurant opposite the square, a red-haired young man is laughing heartily, looking at Gu Ming with contempt in his eyes.

"Heh, with such a mindset, no wonder he got pushed off the Hidden Dragon List."

Sitting opposite him is a handsome man with an expressionless face, sitting upright, his hair meticulously combed, a wooden sword strapped to his back, appearing very much like a Taoist.

He picked up a cup of tea and slowly sipped it.

"If you were pushed off the Hidden Dragon List, could you not mind it?"

The red-haired young man chuckled confidently, "It's impossible for me to be pushed off the Hidden Dragon List, but if that day ever comes, I might take up a duel challenge too, hahaha."

"Do you think Chen Nan really intends to accept the challenge?"

The young Taoist shook his head, "No."

"I've inquired about Chen Nan. It seems he offended Master Xuanming of the Yuantian Sect, hence his escape from Yan State. Master Xuanming hasn't given up chasing him."

"Revealing his identity now might attract Master Xuanming."

"So that's it." The red-haired young man suddenly showed interest, "I didn't expect this Chen Nan even dared provoke a Nascent Soul True Man. I'm quite interested in him now!"

The identities of these two are not simple either. The young Taoist's full name is Zhang Yunyi, ranked third on the Hidden Dragon List.

The red-haired youth is named Chong Xiao, ranked fifth on the Hidden Dragon List.

They have naturally come for the Ancient Realm Secret Realm.

On the first floor of the restaurant, at a seat by the window, sits a bald monk, a burly man with a face like a weathered middle-aged person.

But if anyone recognizes him, they would know he is the renowned Xuan Hui of the Buddhist Sect, also on the Hidden Dragon List, ranked seventh.

This indicates that this middle-aged-looking man is actually under thirty years old, considered young among cultivators, just with a face that doesn't match his age.

At this moment, Xuan Hui holds a bowl of wine in one hand and a chicken leg in the other, heartily eating and drinking, appearing very content.

"Haha, it's really nice down the mountain. When I'm at the temple, I'm not allowed to drink or eat meat. Now I can eat my fill!"

Others, seeing this monk drinking and eating meat, couldn't help but smirk, "Where did this rogue monk come from?"

Not far away in a flower house, a stunningly beautiful woman is dancing gracefully on the stage, every gesture and smile exuding charm, leaving all the men below in a daze, their minds adrift.

In the crowd surrounding the square, a pair of sinister eyes are fixed on Gu Ming in the square, the owner of the eyes showing a bizarre smile.

In East Qing City, dragons and tigers converge, the winds and clouds gather!

...

At the entrance of the inn, Song Ya lifted her little face.

"Jue Mingzi, someone's challenging you, why aren't you reacting at all?"

Chen Nan spread his hands, looking helpless, "What reaction should I have? I'm still not healed from the injuries from the last battle."

"Besides, just because he challenges me, do I have to accept? What if I attract that old dog Master Xuanming?"

"So, accepting the challenge only brings me harm, no benefit."

Song Ya nodded thoughtfully, "I see, that Gu Ming really is quite silly."

"Not so silly. If he doesn't do this, people would say he's afraid. As long as I don't accept the challenge, he can tell others that it's me who's afraid, overshadowing me in reputation."

Chen Nan said lightly, as if he wasn't talking about his own matter.

Poor Song Ya scratched her head, almost steaming from her head.

"You humans really have complicated thoughts!"

Chen Nan smiled, taking Song Ya to the inn, where he booked two rooms.

Because more cultivators have come to the city, the inn rooms have become quite expensive.

"You should rest in your room, I'll have meals delivered to you. Don't go out recklessly, alright?"

Chen Nan reminded her, looking worried.

Song Ya, however, patted her own chest, "I know, don't worry, I won't cause you trouble."

Chen Nan nodded, returned to his room, and slowly took off his shirt.

His body was still bandaged all over, injuries left from the battle with Wu Yuan have yet to heal.

He also wanted to sort out what he gained from the last battle.

Such a dangerous fight can stimulate potential the most, so it was no surprise that after the battle, Chen Nan broke through a minor realm, stabilizing at the mid-stage of the seventh layer of Foundation Establishment.

Additionally, he obtained two treasures from this battle, a black spiritual fire and a blood-colored gourd.

"This Heaven and Earth Spirit Fire, if I'm not mistaken, should be ranked ninth as 'Mo Ying'. I didn't expect to acquire a Spirit Fire ranked in the top ten."

Chen Nan held the black flame in his palm, feeling quite thrilled.

Heaven and Earth Spirit Fires are naturally nurtured, with varying powers and strengths, so enthusiasts have ranked all discovered Spirit Fires.

And the Mo Ying Flame, ranked ninth, naturally has its unique aspects.

"Let me see why you can rank ninth!"

Chen Nan murmured, grabbing the black flame in his hand, and his mana began continuously brushing against the flame, starting to refine it.

He slowly closed his eyes, gently inhaled, and a wisp of Mo Ying Flame was sucked into his body.

In an instant, clusters of black flames appeared on his shoulders, arms, thighs, and other places, with terrifying heat seemingly ready to melt a person.

In the end, Chen Nan's whole body was enveloped in the black flame, but he simply sat with his eyes closed, slowly refining the flame.

If one looked closely, they could see faint traces of gold mixed within the black flames.