Cultivation Starting from Full Talent

He has come, finally come!

Su Mei immediately stood up, her beautiful eyes filled with fury as she stared outside the formation.

"Stay calm, leave everything to me,"

Ning Daoran rose into the air, flicked his sleeve, and dispelled the Kunpeng Echo Formation.

"Hmph!"

The Soul-devouring Demon, dressed in a fiery red robe, glanced at Ning Daoran and Su Mei, then noticed the wine and dishes arranged on the stone nearby. He couldn't discern Ning Daoran's cultivation level or appearance, but sneered coldly, "So, it's a pair of wild lovers meeting in secret outdoors. Tsk tsk, Su Mei, as the Sect Master of the Cloud Martial Sect, you're actually resorting to seduction for the sake of your sect? How novel."

Ning Daoran's voice turned icy with disappointment, "Soul-devouring Fellow Daoist, do you truly not recognize me?"

"Hmm?"

The Soul-devouring Demon's heart raced as he hurriedly released his Divine Sense to probe Ning Daoran. At that moment, an overwhelming aura of Nascent Soul Late Stage surged from Ning Daoran's body like a storm, rolling forth endlessly!

"What!?"

A late-stage Golden Core True Disciple behind the Soul-devouring Demon turned pale in shock, "N... Nascent Soul Late Stage!?"

"Who—is this senior exactly?"

Another disciple's eyelids twitched fiercely. "All Nascent Soul Late Stage cultivators in Xia Country are recorded in the registry. Who on earth is this person?"

Among the crowd, only the Soul-devouring Demon remained composed.

"Ah, so it is... Fellow Daoist Ning..."

The Soul-devouring Demon felt endless regret churning in his stomach. Had he known, he wouldn't have provoked the Cloud Martial Sect. Who could've guessed that Su Mei, that little girl, knew Ning Daoran, this walking calamity!

Though the Soul-devouring Sect hadn't participated in Li Country's Battle of Descent, Ning Daoran's battle against Divinity Transformation experts—where he had even slain the North Sea Divinity Transformation Star Lord—was a sensational account that had spread across the Eastern Wilderness Cultivation World. Who wouldn't know of such news?

"Fellow Daoist Ning, what a coincidence..."

The Soul-devouring Demon hastily clasped his fists and greeted, "I didn't expect to meet Fellow Daoist Ning here."

"It is no coincidence."

Ning Daoran said, "I was waiting for you."

The sentence "I was waiting for you" might stir hearts in a romance novel, but here, it made the Soul-devouring Demon feel a chill down his spine.

In his heart, he screamed, "Don't wait for me!", "I don't want to be involved with you at all!"—but it was too late; the situation was already beyond his control.

"Fellow Daoist Ning."

The Soul-devouring Demon's expression grew frantic, "I truly didn't know Sect Master Su Mei was your friend. If I had known, I wouldn't have dared even with a hundred lives in my possession... Fellow Daoist Ning, for the sake of the five battles we fought together along the Eastern Sea Border, could you spare me this once? After all, I also shed blood for the Eastern Wilderness Cultivation World back then..."

What an opportunist the Soul-devouring Demon was; he could shamelessly utter such words in front of his disciples and followers!

"Fine." Мy Virtuаl Librаry Еmpirе (М-VLЕМРYR)

Ning Daoran frowned and said, "Since Fellow Daoist Soul-devouring has spoken to such an extent, if I were to show no mercy, I would seem unreasonable. In that case, I will spare the lives of your sect members, as long as they dissolve the Devouring Soul Sect and convert to the Righteous Path here and now. If not, I will leave no one alive!"

"You..."

The Soul-devouring Demon's expression changed drastically, "Fellow Daoist Ning, do you truly have such a heart of stone? I am at least recorded on Xia Country's registry as a Nascent Soul Middle Stage cultivator. Even the Human Emperor once invited me to become State Preceptor... Do you mean to kill the State Preceptor of Xia Country?!"

"An immoral emperor deserves killing; why not a mere State Preceptor?"

Ning Daoran chuckled, "Besides, Fellow Daoist Soul-devouring already said you declined the position long ago. That makes it all the simpler for me; I will feel no hesitation in executing you."

The Soul-devouring Demon lamented to himself—if only he had swallowed his pride and accepted the position of State Preceptor!

"Ancestor!"

Several late-stage Golden Core True Disciples gritted their teeth and said, "This vile man is so overbearing; why should we fear him to such an extent? Let us fight to the death! I refuse to believe he, an independent practitioner, could annihilate all of us from the Devouring Soul Sect!"

"Yes, fight to the death!"

Several disciples, faces twisted in anger, made their stand. They had followed the Soul-devouring Demon for years and had never seen him suffer such humiliation, their hearts filled with indignation!

"Fine."

Ning Daoran slowly walked out of the formation, one hand tucked behind his back, and said, "Whoever wishes to continue serving the demonic path and become a murderous demon, come forward! If you wish to convert to the Righteous Path, stay where you are."

The Devouring Soul Sect members were dumbfounded—they had never seen someone so imperious.

When they realized that the person before them was none other than the famed Independent Practitioner Jianjia, most disciples chose to remain still. Only a handful, either strong in cultivation or loyal confidants of the Soul-devouring Demon, rose into the air to challenge the legendary Jianjia in battle!

...

"Fellow Daoist Ning, is there truly no room for negotiation?" The Soul-devouring Demon squinted.

"That's correct."

Ning Daoran lightly smiled, casting a spell into the gentle breeze. At once, two grand arrays rose from dozens of miles away, encompassing everything within their reach.

One was the Ten Directions Forbidden Array, and the other—also the Ten Directions Forbidden Array.

A double-layered trap, ensuring the Soul-devouring Demon had no escape by land or sky!

"Soul-devouring Fellow Daoist."

Ning Daoran lifted his foot and stepped forward, a golden halo radiating beneath him, sweeping across the surroundings and unleashing a spiritual pressure so immense, it engulfed everyone aligned with the Soul-devouring Demon, pinning them in place.

Inside the array, Su Mei's eyes widened as she gazed at Ning Daoran's fluttering robe and upright figure. Her beautiful eyes became dreamy; even in her dreams, Ning Daoran had never seemed this dazzlingly brilliant!

"I kill you not out of personal dislike."

Ning Daoran said calmly, "To be frank, Fellow Daoist, your current cultivation level... cannot truly enter my eyes. The reason I slay you is solely for the Dao of the Eastern Wilderness Cultivation World. When the road is unjust, there must be someone to clear the way. I have cultivated to Nascent Soul Late Stage to achieve this: to do what I wish, to kill who I choose."

"Ning Daoran! And you claim this isn't personal?!?" The Soul-devouring Demon roared furiously.

"Ancestor, fight him to the end!"

A group of Golden Core disciples unleashed their strength.

"You're all that eager to die?"

Ning Daoran's gaze turned cold as Jianjia Sword Intent surged forth, transforming into streaks of sword qi cutting through the air. In moments, dozens of heads fell to the ground.

The remaining thousands of Devouring Soul Sect disciples were stunned into silence, their faces pale.

Heads rolling on the ground—every one belonged to lofty Golden Core cultivators!

These True Disciples, the type who had always acted arrogantly and recklessly within the sect, couldn't even withstand a single tendril of stray sword qi before this Great Cultivator!

"Ning Daoran, you wretch!"

The Soul-devouring Demon wailed bitterly, "Give me back my disciple Lin Chi's life!"

"You decrepit old bastard!"

Ning Daoran burst forward with Dragon Demon Power swirling around him. "Boom!" His punch landed squarely on the Soul-devouring Demon's stomach!

"Ugh..."

The Soul-devouring Demon spat out a mouthful of blood, his heart shaken beyond belief. How could there exist such oppressive fist power?

His body was sent flying like a cannonball, but before he could be ejected far, a bloody domain field ensnared him, forcing his figure to slam against its crimson barrier!

The Dragon Demon Dojo!

Under a sky filled with Dragon Demon Realm energy, Ning Daoran stood unarmed, one hand tucked behind him, a smile playing on his lips as he gazed at his adversary.

At this moment, the Soul-devouring Demon realized just how terrifying Ning Daoran truly was!

He wasn't simply Nascent Soul Late Stage—he was a Martial Arts Grandmaster at Late-stage Chaos!

Across the Eastern Wilderness, Nascent Soul Late Stage cultivators were somewhat numerous, but a Late-stage Chaos Martial Arts Grandmaster was utterly rare. Following Shen Luoyan's ascension to the Immortal World, Ning Daoran was likely the only one left in the region who had reached such heights!

The frightening aspect of a Late-stage Chaos Martial Artist was their near-unparalleled prowess in close combat. Even Nascent Soul Late Stage Great Cultivators found it difficult to contend with them due to their indomitable physical strength, making them virtually unkillable—earning them the nickname "Ghost's Nightmare."

Within the grand formation.

Disciples of the Cloud Martial Sect watched in stunned silence. They could clearly recognize the martial art Ning Daoran was using: it shared origins with their own Dragon Demon Heart Scripture. Yet his mastery over the scripture was so profound that in their eyes, it was akin to gazing into the heavens!

"This..."

Su Mei trembled, her body quivering. As a late-stage Embracing Elixir martial artist, she was even more impacted than the other disciples.

At this moment, Ning Daoran was displaying the legendary "Martial Arts Domain." Such techniques were reserved for top martial artists and hadn't been seen in the Eastern Wilderness Cultivation World for years!

Suddenly, Su Mei understood why Ning Daoran could slay Divinity Transformation cultivators despite being Nascent Soul. Such marvelously brilliant individuals truly possessed the foundation to defy the odds and vanquish higher realms!

...

"Fellow Daoist Ning..."

The Soul-devouring Demon's demeanor fluctuated wildly, "Can you truly not grant me leniency? If only you spare my life, I promise to reform and truly become a righteous cultivator... Moreover, I am willing to offer all the sect's resources to you as tribute. Please, Fellow Daoist Ning, spare me—I will reform for sure, truly..."

Ning Daoran frowned.

Such words elicited little reaction in him.

After all, in his previous life, he had been merely a thirty-five-year-old bald programmer. He had heard enough promises like these.

From "I won't gamble ever again," "I won't spend recklessly anymore," "I won't slack off in class anymore," "I won't Photoshop unnecessarily," "I won't be deceived by any woman again"—all empty vows, mere noise. He believed none of them, not even a punctuation mark.

He trusted only the principle that "dogs can't stop eating shit."

"Fellow Daoist Soul-devouring."

Ning Daoran calmly said, "We did share many battles together, don't say I disregard that. I am willing to offer you a chance to self-destruct your Nascent Soul and leave behind a whole corpse for your disciples to bury. The choice is yours."

"Fine..."

The Soul-devouring Demon looked despondent, "Very well, I shall end it myself..."

He reached into his robes—and pulled out a stack of Fourth-order Talismans!