Chapter 134: Ning and Sun versus Qi Bai
Qi Bai hastened the casting of his spell; ghostly apparitions danced wildly, and a chilling gale surged forth. Countless spirits pierced through the intricate array patterns, swiftly causing them to dissipate.
No longer holding back, Qi Bai's long hair billowed, his robes fluttered, and the aura of his Golden Core radiated powerfully in all directions.
“If this were the heart of the Immortal City’s grand formation, perhaps I could not overturn the tide,” he mused, “but here, merely at the fringes of the formation, you have only summoned a fraction of its protective might through auxiliary arrays.”
“No way can you block me.”
With a flick of his sleeve, a fierce ghostly wind surged forth, howling as if to pierce the eardrums, hurtling toward Chui Bin Ke and Sun Lingtong.
Ning Zhuo controlled the Azure Iron Armor, carrying the still-unconscious Sun Lingtong with unwavering courage.
“Qi Bai, you still have a long way to go before killing us!” he challenged.
“Come if you dare!”
At that moment, Ning Zhuo struck the wall, activating a hidden teleportation array. In an instant, he and Sun Lingtong vanished.
Qi Bai growled in frustration and ceased his assault, though the ghostly wind had already devastated most of the teleportation array.
He swiftly flew to the array, scrutinizing the formations and materials, then began casting spells.
“Setting up secret teleportation arrays in the seams of the Immortal City’s grand formation leaves little room for escape.”
“Found it!”
“Heh heh heh, you think you can shake me off with a few teleportation arrays?”
“Today, I shall kill you all.”
Ning Zhuo and Sun Lingtong arrived at another underground base.
Spell—Soul Travel for a Thousand Miles.
Within mere breaths, Qi Bai pursued them relentlessly.
This speed pressed heavily upon Ning Zhuo’s spirit.
Golden Core cultivators often overwhelm Foundation Establishment practitioners with sheer strength.
Qi Bai was no ordinary Golden Core disciple; born of the Soul Devouring Sect, possessing superior innate talent, and a true inheritor of the sect’s secrets.
This marked him as an elite among elites.
Ning Zhuo continued to activate the Immortal City’s grand array, temporarily holding Qi Bai at bay.
Qi Bai cast spells, eroding the array’s lines, sneering, “Very good, Chui Bin Ke, let’s see how many holes you’ve drilled in the Fire Persimmon Immortal City, how many nests you’ve built!”
“I’ll be honest with you, I’ve planted a mark on Sun Lingtong! As long as you carry him, I will find you!”
“Heh heh heh, in fact, prolonged contact with Sun Lingtong will extend the mark’s power onto you.”
“If you abandon him now, maybe I can’t find you!”
“But once the mark is planted, I will sense you constantly. I will hunt you down until you are slowly tortured to death by me!”
Qi Bai’s face was filled with murderous intent; even he did not understand the depth of his fury.
He hoped Ning Zhuo would abandon Sun Lingtong to save himself.
But Ning Zhuo never did.
Silently gritting his teeth, he teleported away once again with Sun Lingtong.
“Ah!”
Qi Bai roared upward, as if driven mad by Ning Zhuo’s defiance.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
One underground base after another was overturned by Qi Bai’s rampage.
Such tremendous commotion had long been detected by the City Lord’s Mansion and reported to Fei Si.
Fei Si hurriedly sent a flying message to Meng Kui.
Meng Kui sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion, concealed within dense swirling mists.
Upon hearing the report, a smile crept across his face as the two walnuts spinning in his palm rotated more smoothly.
“A new Golden Core cultivator?”
“Ghostly wails—seemingly techniques of the Soul Devouring Sect.”
“Could he be a Shadow Demon cultivator?”
“Oh, and many underground bases have been exposed, all exploiting the seams of the Immortal City’s grand sword array?”
Meng Kui’s curiosity stirred; he wondered what other formidable beings might be concealed within the vast Fire Persimmon Immortal City.
His mood was light; perched atop the mountain peak, he calmly observed the shifting winds and clouds.
While others fought and bled, he remained serene.
Of course, Meng Kui’s primary focus had always been on the Lava Immortal Palace, never wavering.
The battle at the Lava Immortal Palace raged fiercely.
Countless scarlet flame beasts fell beneath the array formations, magical treasures, and various crafted mechanisms.
Yet the beasts came in endless waves, breaching the palace’s first and second defensive lines, with even the third line trembling on the brink of collapse.
This caused the Ning family’s patriarch to furrow his brow in concern.
“The assault of the scarlet flame beasts is terrifying indeed! No wonder the Lava Immortal Palace is gradually rising, unable to suppress Fire Persimmon Mountain.”
He mingled among the third defense line, slaying beasts while scanning for hidden secrets within the palace.
“If the Lava Immortal Palace is breached, even a single building engulfed by beasts heralds my opportunity.”
The Ning patriarch was patient, biding his time carefully.
Several dozen miles outside Fire Persimmon Mountain, Zhu Xuanji’s eyes gleamed with golden light. Casting his gaze through thick mists, he observed the battlefield atop the mountain.
The scene before him was clear.
“The Lava Immortal Palace is much weaker than I imagined.”
“What of the palace’s spiritual guardians—the Dragon Turtle and the Fire Spirit? Many sections of the defense should have been better fortified given their abilities.”
“Have they suffered irreparable damage during this prolonged siege?”
Zhu Xuanji speculated silently.
“Meng Kui…”
His gaze settled on the Nascent Soul cultivator cloaked in mist.
“You cast the Sitting Mountain Observance technique, which is the main reason for the Lava Immortal Palace’s assault by the beast hordes!”
“If the palace falls, Meng Kui, you will be held responsible!”
“You only possess two external Peach Fate cores; I hope you don’t overreach!”
Zhu Xuanji hailed from the Divine Capture Division and was a member of the Southern Bean Kingdom’s royal family, with extensive intelligence on Meng Kui.
He had received a personal warning from the king to closely monitor Meng Kui’s Sitting Mountain Observance technique.
Zhu Xuanji knew that while Sitting Mountain Observance was powerful and mysterious, it had drawbacks.
Once cast, Meng Kui must remain stationary within the mountain, unable to intervene until the fate field dissipates.
Otherwise, the backlash could be severe.
Not only would his body and soul be injured, but his destiny would plunge into despair for a prolonged period.
Meng Kui was well aware of this, hence he carefully selected celestial materials and lavishly invited master artificers to craft a pair of external Peach Fate cores.
Only by utilizing these two peach cores could he directly influence any person or object within the fate field.
Once thrown, the peach cores were immensely powerful, their first innate ability ensuring unerring accuracy.
Beyond that, other arcane properties existed—so subtle that even the royal court could not detect them.
This was Meng Kui’s ace maneuver, used sparingly and guarded closely.
Spell—Shadows Thick.
Countless ghostly shadows swirled around Qi Bai, quickly eroding the array lines.
Ning Zhuo activated the teleportation array and vanished from sight.
Qi Bai sensed Sun Lingtong’s location—not underground, but back on the surface.
He laughed wildly, his face twisted with ferocity.
“Over a dozen underground bases; credit to your operations.”
“Now then?”
“What will you use to stop me?”
Boom...
The next moment, a terrifying blaze erupted from the underground base, engulfing Qi Bai instantly.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Ning Zhuo gasped for breath.
He had abandoned a dozen underground bases consecutively, teleporting, retreating, and stalling Qi Bai—all for this final strike.
“Boss Sun, this location is excellent—deep within Fire Persimmon Mountain, surrounded by arrays we can also exploit to craft a trap.”
When Ning Zhuo first discovered this spot, he was thrilled and shared his plan.
Sun Lingtong nodded in agreement but also expressed concern.
“Xiao Zhuo, you seem obsessed with explosions lately!”
Ning Zhuo nodded.
“Explosions are beautiful.”
“I love explosions!”
“No matter what explodes, it bursts forth in the most dazzling, brilliant display possible!”
“And this momentary outpouring of terrifying power is the release of all the silent, suppressed energy built up over countless times!”
“Maybe it lasts just an instant; after the blast, everything is destroyed or vanished.”
“But it’s worth it!”
Sun Lingtong ground his teeth in frustration.
In recent years, he noticed Ning Zhuo growing up, his thoughts becoming dangerous.
Often, he didn’t know how to counsel him and couldn’t help but worry.
After a moment’s reflection, Sun Lingtong said, “Xiao Zhuo, life is long. No need to live so oppressed, nor to chase fleeting brilliance.”
“We cultivators seek longevity, even eternity, do we not?”
Ning Zhuo nodded.
“Boss, I understand—preserve the green mountains, and the firewood will never run out.”
Sun Lingtong nodded repeatedly.
“Yes, yes, you’ve been clever since childhood. Be rational, be calm, make the right choices!”
...
“Ning Zhuo, you fool!”
Sun Lingtong transmitted his voice.
Ning Zhuo was delighted.
“Boss, you’re finally awake!”
Sun Lingtong was weak.
“Run! Qi Bai is no ordinary Golden Core cultivator; he planted a mark on me, and you still came here!”
“Don’t forget, we have a pact!”
Ning Zhuo suddenly smiled.
“It’s too late, boss—he’s here!”
Qi Bai appeared again, disheveled and grimier than before.
Ning Zhuo’s heart sank, adopting Chui Bin Ke’s tone.
“Didn’t expect the explosion in Anyang didn’t even hurt you, Blind Judge. You truly are a formidable warrior.”
Qi Bai’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he chuckled mockingly.
“Only now do you realize the gap between us? You’re truly senile!”
“Don’t think a few flattering words will save you—die!”
As the words fell, ghostly souls swirled in a vast, overwhelming tide.
Ning Zhuo drew a deep breath, stamping his foot.
Instantly, countless mechanized Thunder Silence Birds shot from the surrounding buildings.
The thunder birds self-detonated, fiercely clashing with the ghostly horde.
Lightning flashed, wails echoed—an evenly matched battle.
Qi Bai sneered, standing immobile high above.
Suddenly, a one-horned ghost general appeared behind Ning Zhuo, swinging a massive ghost-head greatsword in a horizontal slash.
“When did you sneak up?”
Caught off guard, Ning Zhuo turned, shielding with his left arm.
The greatsword struck his left arm, but the mechanized Azure Iron Armor’s left arm emitted a silver light shield.
End of chapter...