Chapter 131: The Death of Spirit
Outside of Mount Huoshi.
The demonic beast was as massive as a mountain, opening its bloodthirsty maw.
A powerful force of suction was immediately generated, aiming to swallow the cultivators in front in one gulp.
At the critical moment, a ruler shone with the radiance of the sun, descending like a meteor.
Boom!
The demonic beast died tragically on the spot.
Zhu Xuanji descended from the sky.
The rescued cultivators recognized Zhu Xuanji’s identity and hurriedly knelt, expressing endless gratitude.
Zhu Xuanji glanced at them and looked far off at Huoshi Immortal City: “During this time, you’d best stay away from the city. Go.”
The cultivators saw the stern expression on Zhu Xuanji’s face and didn’t dare to stay, retreating obediently.
Some of them heeded Zhu Xuanji’s advice, while others had their own important matters and returned to the city.
Zhu Xuanji saw all of this clearly.
He did not try to persuade them further, his heart heavy.
After observing for a day or two, he was now certain that Meng Kui was acting behind the scenes, using his Divine Watching power to form a fate field centered around himself.
The fate field covered the entire Mount Huoshi, including the Lava Immortal Palace and Huoshi Immortal City.
Moreover, the fate field was expanding outward, forcing Zhu Xuanji to repeatedly move farther away. The demonic beasts within its range grew restless and agitated, their battle spirits ignited, leading to countless bloody battles over minor matters or accidents.
The more Zhu Xuanji saw, the colder his heart grew.
“Meng Kui…”
Meng Kui sat in the depths of the mist, coldly watching the storms of the outside world.
His focus had always been on the Lava Immortal Palace!
The battle at the top of Mount Huoshi had been raging for several days.
A variety of Scarlet Flame Beasts continued to assault the palace, while the palace’s mechanical constructs emerged endlessly, forming a solid defense.
Suddenly, Meng Kui’s eyes flickered.
At the edge of the palace’s defenses, a figure appeared, moving at great speed, attempting to enter the palace.
The nearby beasts noticed and swarmed to attack the mysterious figure.
In the next moment, the figure released the aura of a Golden Core and unleashed a frigid energy, freezing a large number of beasts to death, successfully entering the palace.
The mechanical constructs within the palace showed no intention of attacking the figure.
“Oh, Ice Heart Sutra… it’s a Golden Core from the Ning family,” Meng Kui recognized.
The Golden Core cultivators from the Zhou and Zheng families were already inside the formation, gambling in their fight, while the Ning family’s Golden Core ancestor took the opportunity to enter the palace.
Meng Kui let out a cold laugh: “The Ning family’s Golden Core possesses mechanical expertise, able to enter the palace. This was never discovered before.”
“According to the Ning family, they only discovered the Lava Immortal Palace this year.”
“Is that really true?”
It was possible that the Ning family’s Golden Core ancestor had improved his mechanical skills this year, reaching the standard required to enter the palace.
It was also possible that he had already secretly entered the palace before, and the Ning family’s claims were just a smokescreen.
“Could he be that shadow demon cultivator?” Meng Kui quietly watched the Ning family’s ancestor, continuously playing with two walnuts in his hand.
The walnuts rubbed against each other, rotating in his palm.
Occasionally, a complex rune would flash across their surfaces.
New information reached Ning Zhuo’s hands.
“Someone outside Mount Huoshi was being chased by a demonic beast and was saved by Zhu Xuanji?”
“Zhu Xuanji is outside the city?”
Ning Zhuo’s expression became solemn.
This information greatly impacted his previous assumptions.
He had originally thought that the person who trapped Sun Lingtong was Zhu Xuanji. After all, Zhu Xuanji had publicly interrogated Sun Lingtong before, only to be temporarily dismissed by the latter’s tantrum.
“In truth, this isn’t Zhu Xuanji’s style.”
“If it really wasn’t him, then who could have caused such a big problem for Big Brother Sun?”
Ning Zhuo had lived here for sixteen years, and he was well-acquainted with the major figures and forces within Huoshi Immortal City.
Sun Lingtong, at the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage, had been in charge of the black market for many years. There were very few people or forces capable of dealing with him in this way.
“Han Ming?”
As his thoughts opened up, Ning Zhuo thought of the female demon cultivator he had captured.
There was indeed a possibility!
Since Ning Zhuo had revealed some of his strength in public, his actions were no longer as free as before.
After the three-family test, he hadn’t seen Han Ming again.
Even when he helped Yuan Dasheng replenish his spirit, he had controlled the Golden-Blooded Battle Ape remotely.
“At that time, I did hear Han Ming calling from the dungeon…”
Ning Zhuo found himself similarly unable to act freely now.
“Should I send Yuan Dasheng to check?”
Ning Zhuo immediately dismissed the thought.
News about Bao Chou’s situation had already spread widely. This group was about to make a move!
At this critical moment, if Ning Zhuo were to send Yuan Dasheng away and miss the chance to protect Yuan Er, what then?
“It seems like there are two choices, but in fact, there’s only one.”
Ning Zhuo calmly analyzed: “If Han Ming was really rescued, causing Big Brother Sun to fall into a difficult situation, then they likely set something up in the dungeon.”
“If I send Yuan Dasheng over, it will surely alert them!”
“This matter isn’t urgent for now.”
Ning Zhuo decided to remain patient, closely monitoring Yuan Dasheng.
Bao Chou and his group’s assassination attempt came even earlier than Ning Zhuo expected.
As night fell, the moon hung sparse in the sky.
Through the covertly lurking Yuan Dasheng, Ning Zhuo quickly discovered Bao Chou and his group moving through the Monkey Head Gang’s base.
Yuan Er had huddled at the center of the gang’s headquarters.
However, the defensive line and guards around him had been constantly drawn away by elders who had turned disloyal, creating numerous large gaps.
Guided by the traitors, Bao Chou and the others silently reached the outside of Yuan Er’s residence without alerting any guards.
It wasn’t until someone climbed through a window, triggering a talisman, that the assassination spell activated, causing Yuan Er to react.
“Help, help! Assassins, there are assassins!” Yuan Er shouted as he frantically activated the formation inside his house.
The formation lasted only a few breaths before being destroyed by Bao Chou’s group.
Clearly, the traitors’ influence had reached the most critical areas.
“Father, Mother, your son is avenging you today!!” Bao Chou, realizing they had been discovered, roared to the sky and charged in, leading the assault.
The group behind him also rushed in without hesitation.
Yuan Er still had several close guards and servants around him, forming a defensive line to resist the assassins.
Bao Chou’s group had prepared thoroughly, breaking through the defense after only a brief delay and advancing toward Yuan Er.
While fighting back, Yuan Er attempted to escape.
“Useless.” Ning Zhuo coldly observed.
Yuan Er had already lost his composure, panicking. His retreat completely disrupted the defensive setup, further demoralizing his guards and lowering their morale.
Yuan Dasheng had long been itching to act.
Ning Zhuo quietly called out in his heart: “Go.”
The Tree Martial Ape, Dasheng, roared and leaped out, blocking Bao Chou’s path.
Yuan Er was overjoyed: “Uncle Monkey!”
Yuan Dasheng possessed exceptional combat strength, and after only a few rounds, Bao Chou was forced to retreat step by step.
Several of the vengeful cultivators tried to bypass Yuan Dasheng, but they were swiftly cut down by him in an overwhelming display of power.
By the time the Monkey Head Gang members arrived, Yuan Dasheng had already finished the fight.
Most of the cultivators were dead, and although Bao Chou survived, he was gravely injured.
Yuan Er, standing tall and proud, approached Bao Chou.
Bao Chou, held down by the gang members, could only kneel.
“Your father couldn’t beat mine, so he was killed.”
“Now, you can’t beat me, so it’s only natural for you to die too.”
“Heh, who gave you the courage to think you could kill me?”
Yuan Er’s confidence surged once again.
This confidence came from the Tree Martial Ape, Dasheng, standing behind him!
Most of the onlookers also glanced occasionally at Yuan Dasheng.
During the assassination attempt, Yuan Dasheng had shown tremendous strength and ferocity. Bao Chou’s heavily armed group had been utterly defeated by him.
Bao Chou raised his head, his face covered in blood and hatred.
“Ptui!” He spat, but the guard blocked it.
Yuan Er was cautious, standing behind the guards, separated by
at least four people, as he taunted Bao Chou with excitement.
Ning Zhuo was also pleased.
In this battle, he felt that the connection between him and Yuan Dasheng had become at least half clear.
“One more assassination attempt, and the hidden danger should be completely resolved.”
However, Bao Chou suddenly froze, his expression becoming strange.
In the next moment, he roared furiously: “If not now, then when?!”
Everyone else felt puzzled.
Suddenly, the guard closest to Yuan Er drew his blade and turned, the blade flashing like snow, as fast as lightning!
Yuan Er’s head flew into the air on the spot.
This scene stunned almost everyone.
Yuan Er’s head fell to the ground, and in his final moments, he looked toward the Tree Martial Ape, Dasheng.
Yuan Er wondered why Uncle Monkey didn’t save him.
He had forgotten: his Uncle Monkey was no longer a living being of flesh and blood but a mechanical construct, one without a soul.
This wasn’t like before, when during a life-and-death crisis, Yuan Dasheng would react immediately, making a grand entrance to fight.
The guard’s strike just now had been too fast.
Yuan Dasheng’s spirit needed to be stimulated, but it hadn’t responded in time.
Ning Zhuo realized: “There’s still a chance!”
This was a world of cultivation; even if one’s head was severed, it didn’t mean death was inevitable.
However, just as Ning Zhuo was about to fully control Yuan Dasheng to retrieve Yuan Er’s head and attempt to save his life, Yuan Dasheng roared to the sky, losing control once more!
It bellowed like a lion or tiger, charging furiously at the assassin.
The guard raised his blade to block, but Yuan Dasheng’s fist smashed down, killing him on the spot!
The surrounding gang members scattered in terror.
Bao Chou, who had regained his freedom, tried to flee, but the next moment, Yuan Dasheng grabbed his head.
“Don’t, don’t kill me!”
Bang.
A soft explosion rang out.
Yuan Dasheng crushed his head instantly.
But that wasn’t enough!
Yuan Dasheng then began repeatedly beating the corpses of all the assassins.
Only after smashing them into bloody pulp did it finally stop.
“Not good!” Ning Zhuo sensed that something was terribly wrong.
The green light in the mechanical eyes quickly faded, and Yuan Dasheng stood motionless amidst the blood and bones, head bowed and shoulders slumped.
No matter how Ning Zhuo tried to sense it, he could no longer feel its spirit.
A dead silence.
To be more precise, it was as if the spirit had never existed.