Chapter 14: Blasting the Celestial Palace!

Relying on the positions he memorized, Ning Zhu leaped lightly, landing behind Ning Yong. Ning Yong sensed a gust at his back and instinctively turned around, his eyes wide as bronze bells—yet he could not see the ironclad figure mere inches away. Ning Zhu struck gently, knocking Ning Yong unconscious, then tossed him into the corner. Using the same method, Ning Zhu subdued Ning Chen, throwing him beside Ning Yong.

Having accomplished this, Ning Zhu quickly retreated, sprinting with all his might toward the lava lake.

“One person straight ahead, five paces away.”
“Two to the left, one and four paces.”
“Three at the right diagonal, grouped together for defense, three paces.”

Though the black smoke obscured vision and blocked spiritual senses, Ning Zhu was well prepared, recalling with exceptional clarity every Ning family cultivator’s position from a moment before. Others moved blindly, but he navigated the path with precision, deftly avoiding everyone along the way.

He sped forward, his form like lightning, arriving before the lava lake. With the ironclad armor protecting him, he felt no heat or burning.

“Now’s the moment!”

Ning Zhu shook out his storage pouch, releasing the mechanical Fireblast Monkey. The monkey stood half as tall as a man, its fur a blazing crimson, muscles bulging, movements nimble. Under Ning Zhu’s command, it plunged into the magma without hesitation.

Ning Zhu turned and ran—every second mattered.

The Fireblast Monkey dove deeper, laboring forward through thick molten rock. The searing heat quickly melted its blood-red fur. Its exposed body remained lifelike, but its surface hardened and blackened, rapidly carbonizing in the magma. The “blood” circulating within provided cooling, evaporating in great quantities and sending streams of steam from its surface.

When it reached the surface of the Lava Immortal Palace, only its heavenly gold skeleton remained. Yet it succeeded! Guided by Ning Zhu’s soul imprint, the storage formation activated, instantly disgorging a thousand pounds of Fire Essence.

“It’s coming,” Ning Zhu’s heart skipped a beat.

Boom!

A tidal wave of force surged outward, crashing ferociously. The next moment, the thunderous explosion roared in his ears! The blast struck his back, but the ironclad armor shielded him from bone-shattering impact.

Riding the wave, he reached the remembered corner, bent down, and scooped up two people with precision—Ning Yong and Ning Chen.

Crouching in the corner, he hunched over, shielding Ning Chen and Ning Yong before him, his own back facing the explosion.

In the next instant, the firelight from the blast swept over them, temporarily pushing back the thick smoke. Ning Zhu struggled to resist, feeling the temperature behind him soar, the iron armor melting, agony wracking his body.

He gritted his teeth, pouring all his strength into the armor’s defense.

Within a few breaths, his Foundation Pill was depleted by another twenty percent, leaving only a final ten percent. Fortunately, the next moment, Zheng Double Hook let out a low growl, sacrificed his artifact, and unleashed a mighty force to block the exploding flames and surging magma.

The shadowy demon cultivator laughed heartily, “Zheng Double Hook, I’ll be back yet!” Before departing, he hurled another black orb artifact.

The orb exploded again, releasing waves of shadowy smoke. Zheng Double Hook’s spiritual sense was limited; he couldn’t detect anything beyond thirty feet, much less pinpoint the enemy. He had to maintain the underground tunnel, preventing collapse and burial, fuming with rage but forced to stay put.

When the smoke finally cleared, Zheng Double Hook saw only the battered tunnel walls and the lava lake, its original site now buried beneath layers of magma. A corner of the Immortal Palace was completely entombed.

Scattered across the ground were the Ning family cultivators, some surviving but all unconscious.

Zheng Double Hook muttered curses, “Damn it!” His gaze flickered, but he didn’t pursue rashly. The mysterious demon cultivator had vanished, and Zheng Double Hook worried about being lured away. To prevent a surprise return, he chose to remain.

He helped the Ning family cultivators as he could.

Ning Zhu activated the Buddha Heart Demon Seal, feigning unconsciousness and successfully deceiving Zheng Double Hook.

Waiting for the right moment, Ning Zhu slowly opened his eyes, discovering he was back at the volcano’s mouth. After this series of perilous events, only eleven Ning family cultivators remained alive.

“With the aid of the smoke, no one should suspect I caused the explosion!”

“This went smoother than I expected.”

“Still, though I triggered the blast, did I truly succeed?”

Ning Zhu pondered silently.

“I survived, I survived! Waaa…” Ning Yong realized and burst into tears.

Ning Chen, awakening from a nightmare, face deathly pale, shuddered in terror, “All the other newcomers are dead. We were so lucky to survive.”

Neither knew their survival hinged entirely on Ning Zhu’s protection.

The two approached Ning Zhu. Ning Chen asked, “Are you all right?”

“Did you get hurt?” Ning Yong echoed.

After this deadly ordeal, their impression of Ning Zhu had dramatically changed. His calmness and courage during the harrowing exploration secretly won their admiration. Their concern now was wholly genuine.

At first, Ning Zhu appeared dazed and vacant, but as he came to, he showed the exhaustion and terror of a survivor. This only endeared him further to Ning Chen and Ning Yong. Having tasted the horror of death’s edge themselves, they empathized deeply.

Moreover, they had fought side by side, sharing life and death.

Ning Zhu took several deep breaths, forcing a bitter smile, “I can hardly believe we all made it out alive… It’s wonderful… But I never want to set foot in this Fiery Demon Cave again.”

Ning Chen and Ning Yong hurried to comfort him.

The Ning family cultivators who had regained consciousness stood up, some tending wounds, others thanking Zheng Double Hook.

Zheng Double Hook watched as city guards poured into the ground entrance, snorted coldly, “Your Ning family was used by that demon cultivator! He hid using your presence, slipping past my notice. Then he lured out a minor beast tide to further confuse things.”

“When you return, you’d better prepare to offer apologies!”

The Ning family cultivators froze, then protested: the enemy was a Golden Core demon, their own strength too weak, and they had suffered the worst losses.

Zheng Double Hook waved them off impatiently, “Take your excuses to your clan leader and the city lord.”

The Ning family’s survivors, their fleeting relief extinguished, fell silent.

Before parting, the Ning cultivators again offered solemn thanks, “We owe it to Lord Zheng Double Hook for driving off the demon and thwarting his plans.”

Regardless, Zheng Double Hook had saved their lives.

Just as the two groups were about to separate, the earth shook violently!

Countless beams of treasure light erupted from every opening, piercing through the volcano’s white smoke and shooting into the night sky.

Beneath their feet, the sealing array at the volcanic mouth spun at full speed, revealing lines and points like twisting dragons and serpents.

The city guards shouted, sounding alarms.

“What’s happening?!” The Ning family cultivators staggered, unable to keep their footing, many crying out in fear.

Zheng Double Hook’s expression darkened, all remaining hope vanishing, “It’s terrible! Our battle must have affected the Lava Immortal Palace!”

Beams of treasure light pierced the night, blindingly bright.

The volcano trembled, awakening the entire Fire Persimmon City!

A colossal blue cloud hand descended from the sky, covering the heavens and pressing downward. It tried to suppress all the treasure light, but the crimson beams clashed with the cloud hand, like swords piercing a divine palm, then surged straight into the depths of night!

Large swaths of red rock fractured, heat boiling out from countless cracks, flames erupting everywhere like angry dragons.

Cultivators fled in panic.

Zheng Double Hook, determined to see his duty through, swept his long sleeves and carried the Ning family cultivators into the sky.

From above, they saw the tip of a high tower thrust upward with unstoppable force, like a spear piercing the heavens. The entire tower, as if the axis of the world, broke through layer upon layer of hindrance, emerging boldly into view.

Soon, palace roofs pushed aside heavy red rock, rising slowly toward the sky.

The mountains thundered, the earth shook!

The Ning family survivors swallowed hard, dumbstruck.

Rocks split apart, firelight blazing from every fissure, golden-orange magma splashing everywhere, heat surging in wild torrents, terrifying all.

“The… Lava Immortal Palace?”

“The Immortal Palace is emerging!”

Most could only gape in speechless awe.

Once buried deep, now revealed in brilliance. Such a spectacle overwhelmed the heart.