Tongtian glanced at Nezha and casually slashed a few streaks of Sword Qi toward him. As soon as the Sword Qi touched the domain surrounding Nezha, it was twisted and transformed by his power, further amplifying Nezha's aura.

Normally, this move of Nezha's had almost zero practical value in real combat because no one would let him gather energy fully before engaging head-on. Enemies would either interrupt him with techniques or flee outright.

But Tongtian was different. He specialized in a "stubborn head" approach—the stronger you were, the more he wanted to challenge you. After all, how could you know it wouldn't work if you didn't try?

Not only did he intend to take Nezha's move head-on, but he also waited until Nezha had gathered energy to its strongest state. Tongtian wasn't reckless, though—seeing Nezha's technique growing increasingly powerful, he too focused and began channeling energy into his sword.

Nezha's domain, which had been endlessly expanding around him, suddenly began contracting after reaching a certain limit. The surrounding space creaked and groaned under unbearable pressure. Watching from the sidelines, Yuan Shi and Laozi couldn't help but cringe at the sheer force emanating from both sides. Weren't they supposed to be sparring? Why did it escalate this much?

Nezha gathered all his Mana and Dao Qi into this single strike. No way was he going to back down just because his opponent was Tongtian Sect Master. They were competing, and in competition—he had to win!

His entire body was starting to go numb from the overwhelming force far exceeding his physical limit. He raised his voice and roared at Tongtian Sect Master, "Come at me!"

Tongtian squinted his eyes, unleashing his full power, and struck forward with his sword. The current Tongtian, unlike his refined state during the Saint Period, delivered this thrust with the sharpness to slice through all creation, arriving before Nezha in an instant.

Without hesitation, Nezha threw out both fists. The high-quality Vestment robe he wore was shredded by the terrifying force of his arms. The semi-circular space before him twisted into an irregular vortex, colliding directly with Tongtian's sword light. Two immense forces violently clashed together.

What the two were competing in wasn't cultivation—it was the purest contest of raw power.

Nezha and Tongtian exerted their full strength for a moment, but the collision of their powers swiftly expanded beyond their control. The terrifying energy exploded outwards, forcing both Nezha and Tongtian Sect Master backward. The energy unleashed from the clash alone was capable of pulverizing five regular Daluo Golden Immortals.

Tongtian Sect Master staggered back five steps before barely stabilizing himself, staring intensely at the other side. Nezha, similarly forced backward, retreated six steps, only to roll his eyes and take three more deliberate steps back.

Retreating six steps showed strength; retreating nine steps showed tact.

Nezha lost. Though he desired victory, he was also capable of accepting defeat. Being bested by Tongtian Sect Master in an uninterrupted duel was proof enough—without using a Magical Treasure, he still wasn't a match for the present Tongtian.

Since he had already lost, it seemed only fair to give Tongtian a bit of face and make his victory look better. The Three Pure Ones were known to value their dignity, but Nezha wasn't particularly concerned about such things. Moreover, even if word spread that he'd lost to Tongtian, it wouldn't be anything shameful.

Tongtian was visibly thrilled at the outcome. Both sides had exhausted their strength, and with his current perspective, he hadn't realized Nezha had purposefully stepped back additional steps to give him face. He thought his longer years of cultivation edged out Nezha in a fair manner, and his heart brimmed with the joy of defeating a strong foe.

The two appeared somewhat battered, yet Tongtian remained indifferent. He slung his arm over Nezha's shoulder, comforting him like a close brother, "Little brother, don't be discouraged. I've simply cultivated longer than you. Once your cultivation catches up, we'll have a proper rematch!"

Though Nezha had lost, he felt good. See? Tongtian had gone from being his martial uncle to treating him as a friend—a shift in rank worth celebrating!

At this moment, his thoughts wandered to Jin Ling and Yunxiao. From now on, we'd each address each other accordingly—I'll call them elder sisters, and they'll call me martial uncle. I wonder what expression they'll have if they find out?

Tongtian's straightforward personality made him easy to fool. Meanwhile, Yuan Shi and Laozi, who had been observing the duel, saw through Nezha's intent to give Tongtian face. However, seeing how delighted their "silly little brother" was, they said nothing to expose the act.

After discussing Dao for a thousand years, the time to part ways finally arrived. Tongtian, having grown fond of this newly acquainted young brother, expressed an interest in taking Nezha back to Kunlun as a guest. Nezha, however, didn't dare roam freely, wary of affecting the Primordial timeline, and politely declined.

Although Yuan Shi didn't say much, he handed Nezha a Jade Talisman engraved with the 'Yuan' Divine Rune—a subtle form of invitation.

The four bid each other a solemn farewell before The Three Pure Ones departed from the small gathering point. Neither side inquired about the other's purpose for being there. Cultivation is a deeply personal pursuit, with each individual nurturing their own secrets—even among close comrades such as The Three Pure Ones.

Nezha watched The Three Pure Ones walk away before turning his gaze to the gray, foggy surroundings. During this period of interaction, he'd gathered a wealth of information about the Hongmeng World from The Three Pure Ones.

Simply put, after Pangu created the heavens, two worlds emerged: complementary yet opposites in their Yin-Yang harmony. Once Pangu exhausted his strength and transformed into all things, the surface world gained immense potential for continuous growth—this became the Primordial world.

The inner world, however, became the Hongmeng World, where everything remained in the state of raw 'Qi.' Nezha speculated that Daoist Ancestor's Hongmeng Purple Qi was refined by extracting it from this world.

The eventual degradation and decline of the Hongmeng World may very well stem from this exact cause.

Gazing at the still pristine Hongmeng World, Nezha sat cross-legged and began to connect with the Hongmeng Purple Qi within his body, his senses rapidly expanding as he linked with an even vaster consciousness.

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