Chapter 135: The Peach Core Beyond the Matter
Ning Zhuo seized this opportunity, swiftly retreating and successfully distancing himself from the One-Horned Ghost General.
“A Ghost General at the Foundation Establishment peak, that ghost-head broadsword is no ordinary weapon!” Ning Zhuo’s expression turned solemn.
He glanced at the silver shield magical instrument embedded in his left arm. With just one strike, a crack had appeared on the instrument.
The One-Horned Ghost General vanished from sight.
Ning Zhuo’s heart tightened with alarm, and he frantically activated his Cang Tie Han Armor, yet he couldn’t detect any trace of the enemy.
At the critical moment, Sun Lingtong warned, “Jump backward!”
Ning Zhuo didn’t hesitate and leaped backward with all his strength.
The next instant, a ghostly shadow flashed, rapidly solidifying, and the Ghost General, wielding a battle axe, struck nothing but air.
A second Ghost General!
Ning Zhuo’s heart sank.
“Jump again, southeast!” Sun Lingtong called out once more.
His spiritual eyes were glowing brightly.
Ning Zhuo evaded successfully once again, realizing it was a spear-wielding Ghost General.
All three Ghost Generals were at the Foundation Establishment peak. Their unpredictable movements and successive attacks forced Ning Zhuo into a desperate flight, with no chance to retaliate.
Sun Lingtong, lying on the young puppet master’s shoulder, exerted all his strength to activate his innate ability. If he hadn’t been able to barely perceive the approaching Ghost Generals, Ning Zhuo’s situation would have been even worse.
“Xiao Zhuo, Qi Bai’s combat style is very similar to yours. You control mechanical creations, and he commands Yin Soul Ghost Generals,” Sun Lingtong urgently transmitted his voice.
“Don’t get too entangled with these Ghost Generals. Since you can’t run away, then go straight for the source and charge at him!”
Sun Lingtong, being a disciple of the No-Void Sect, was decisive and ruthless. With things at this point, he no longer advised Ning Zhuo to leave. At this critical juncture, fighting together was the best strategy.
Ning Zhuo slapped his storage belt and released hundreds of mechanical creations. Though they were all mass-produced items, their sheer number far exceeded the usual standard.
Even though Qi Bai was a Golden Core stage cultivator, his expression darkened.
“A mere young puppet master at the Foundation Establishment stage can actually control so many mechanical beasts?!”
What he didn’t know was that Ning Zhuo’s true cultivation level was only at the mid-stage of Qi Refining. His ability to control these mechanical creations seemed to rely on the staffs embedded in them, but the real key was the Buddha Heart Demon Seal!
All of these machines had been implanted with mind seals, causing minimal burden on Ning Zhuo and making them extremely responsive.
The mechanical creations surged forward in a mighty wave, charging at Qi Bai.
Qi Bai raised both hands, summoning a powerful Yin Wind, sweeping away thirty percent of the machines.
With a loud shout, he unleashed a parasol-shaped magical treasure. The parasol soared into the sky, and after opening, it cast a large shadow.
The machines caught in the shadow felt as though they were mired in a swamp, their movements slowing to an extreme crawl.
With that, another fifty percent of the machines were dealt with.
Only twenty percent remained, rushing at him.
Qi Bai was forced to retreat.
This retreat immediately alerted Sun Lingtong and Ning Zhuo to something unusual.
Sun Lingtong and Ning Zhuo spoke simultaneously, “The Gloomy Ghost Domain!”
This spell could create a special battlefield where Yin Souls and Ghosts would experience a significant boost in strength and could move unpredictably.
Ning Zhuo furrowed his brows. “When most people use this spell, ghostly energy pervades the air, and heaven and earth change color. But Qi Bai’s use of it is extremely restrained, almost undetectable.”
Sun Lingtong added, “He has the innate talent of Ghostly Dead Eyes, which grants him an extraordinary affinity and comprehension of Yin Soul and Ghostly path techniques.”
“Reaching a level with such spells that ordinary people can’t achieve is quite normal for him.”
Spell—Ghost Flames Scorch the World!
Qi Bai cast the spell while retreating.
Pale green ghost flames silently burned, and the remaining twenty percent of the mechanical creations quickly lost all power, severing their connection with Ning Zhuo, and then disintegrated.
Too strong!
Qi Bai’s strength was undoubtedly among the top-tier Golden Core cultivators.
For Ning Zhuo and the others, even dealing with the lowest-level Golden Core cultivators was already extremely difficult, let alone facing someone like Qi Bai.
Ning Zhuo and Sun Lingtong soon found themselves in a desperate struggle.
Qi Bai’s Gloomy Ghost Domain spell was deployed again, silently and without any outward manifestation.
With the spell’s reinforcement, the three Foundation Establishment peak-level Ghost Generals once again became silent and elusive, and Ning Zhuo could only rely on Sun Lingtong for warnings.
Seeing the situation deteriorating, Ning Zhuo and Sun Lingtong tried to break away from the battlefield.
But at every critical moment, Qi Bai would personally intervene, casting spells to block their escape.
To maintain the situation, Ning Zhuo continuously deployed his mechanical creations.
The mechanical army he had painstakingly built over more than a decade was being rapidly consumed, and all it earned him was a brief extension of his survival on the battlefield.
Meanwhile, at the Lava Immortal Palace.
A Fire Fusion Demon Ape had just appeared, breaking through the palace’s third line of defense.
Golden Core-level strength!
The Demon Ape charged ahead, and every mechanical battle puppet in its path was destroyed. Under the terrifying strength of the Demon Ape, no matter what materials the battle puppets were made of, they were as fragile as paper.
Boom!
The Immortal Palace shook as the Demon Ape smashed through a wall, charging into a side hall.
The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit roared in fury, quickly dispatching mechanical battle puppets into the side hall.
“There’s hope!” The Ning Family Ancestor also received the message, calling him to assist in the battle.
The Ning Family Ancestor hesitated briefly before choosing to refuse. He remained at the battlefront, fending off the attacks of the Red Flame Demonic Beasts.
The Demon Ape rampaged through the side hall, causing both Meng Kui and Zhu Xuanji to frown deeply, thinking, “Has the Lava Immortal Palace really become so weak?”
The next moment, a special mechanical puppet floated down.
It exuded the aura of a Golden Core, and as it activated the Five Elements Qi Regulation Art, with a flick of its feathered fan, five energies rose and fell, casting various spells onto the Demon Ape, forcing it to cry out in pain.
Meng Kui’s eyes flashed with surprise as he carefully observed.
“A Daoist Master!” Zhu Xuanji silently exclaimed, revealing the name of this Golden Core-level mechanism.
According to royal intelligence, the Lava Immortal Palace had three great mechanical battle generals: the Demon General, the Daoist Master, and the Buddhist Doctor.
With the Daoist Master on the scene, the Fire Fusion Demon Ape’s rampage was quickly curtailed.
The Daoist Master puppet, with its home-field advantage, soon drove the Demon Ape out of the side hall, forcing it into a retreat.
“Now’s the chance!” Seizing this opportune moment, the Ning Family Ancestor abandoned his position on the front line and dashed toward the side hall.
He had just received the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit’s permission. Since there was still fire burning in the side hall, even if he went to extinguish the flames, it would be considered a contribution to the battle, and the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit wouldn’t deem him a deserter.
Though putting out the flames was a minor contribution, the Ning Family Ancestor valued the opportunity to explore the side hall more.
Meng Kui witnessed this scene, sighing lightly as he tossed out a peach core beyond the matter.
The peach core disappeared in an instant, falling from the sky and striking the Ning Family Ancestor squarely on the head.
A flash of emerald green spring thunder burst forth, breaking through the layers of smoke.
The Ning Family Ancestor resisted with all his might, but his heavy defenses were all shattered by the spring thunder.
The peach core tore through multiple layers of protection and struck the Ning Family Ancestor’s skull.
With a cry, the Ning Family Ancestor’s head was dented.
The force of the thunder penetrated his body, paralyzing him almost completely.
He immediately activated a spell, freezing his internal organs to temporarily protect his life.
Without looking back, he fled from the Immortal Palace!
The Strangling Death Whip!
Ning Zhuo’s long whip danced wildly, dispersing the oncoming Yin Souls. However, he was surrounded, with countless ghosts hungrily closing in around him.
Qi Bai’s methods were endless, and the Yin Souls under his command seemed inexhaustible.
Since the battle began, Qi Bai had only voluntarily retreated once.
For the rest of the time, he had held the absolute advantage.
Ning Zhuo and Sun Lingtong were in a perilous situation, repeatedly on the brink of death.
With no other choice, Ning Zhuo had to prematurely reveal one of his trump cards.
Boom, boom, boom!
Multiple explosions erupted both inside and outside the battlefield.
Qi Bai sneered, “What are you blowing up? I’m right here.”
But Ning Zhuo responded, “I’m blowing up the Immortal City Grand Formation.”
Qi Bai’s expression instantly changed.
In the next moment, the enormous formation patterns appeared, crisscrossing and covering the entire battlefield.
The Immortal Formation’s power was vast and
majestic, unstoppable, unmatched by anyone.
Everything and everyone on the battlefield was indiscriminately targeted!
Ning Zhuo’s remaining mechanical creations, few as they were, didn’t bother him if they were destroyed. However, Qi Bai’s vast army of Yin Souls, being so numerous, was entirely wiped out in one fell swoop!
Even Qi Bai himself was firmly bound in mid-air, subject to the grinding force of the grand formation.
Ning Zhuo and Sun Lingtong did not seize the opportunity to attack.
Because they too were covered by the formation patterns, though as citizens of the city, they merely lost their freedom and couldn’t move.
Qi Bai was furious!
The vast Yin Soul army that had taken him years to accumulate had now completely vanished, the loss so immense it caused him unimaginable pain.
But what hurt him even more were his three Ghost Generals, each painstakingly cultivated, possessing the strength of the Foundation Establishment peak!
All gone!
The Immortal City Grand Formation’s terrifying power, when fully activated, could protect the entire city.
And this was one of its strongest nodes.
Thus, the three Foundation Establishment-level Ghost Generals had no power to resist, being completely ground to dust, leaving only three soul essences.
“Break for me!” Qi Bai roared, his face contorted in rage.
He had to fight with all his strength, or he would be crushed to pieces by the formation.
Spell—Inferno of the Underworld!
Spell—Ghostly Shadow Senluo!
Spell—Wailing of the Nether Ghosts!
The ghostly flames turned from pale green to a sickly yellow-green, burning fiercely, rising six zhang high.
Ghostly shadows surged upward like giants, as if they were holding up the heavens, trying to break free from the formation’s bindings.
The eerie wailing of the ghosts seemed to pierce the eardrums, drilling straight into people’s hearts, shaking the entire battlefield.
Qi Bai cast three spells in quick succession, simultaneously activating his innate talent, Ghostly Dead Eyes, causing the power of his spells to increase severalfold!
For a time, the formation patterns wavered, rapidly disintegrating.
The bindings on Ning Zhuo’s body loosened, and he gradually regained his freedom.
“He’s so strong!” Sun Lingtong clicked his tongue in amazement, his face full of shock.
This was the Immortal City Grand Formation.
And yet, Qi Bai, relying solely on his own strength, was able to shake it!
This was what Qi Bai looked like when he unleashed his full power. In the previous battle, Ning Zhuo had never truly forced him to go all out.
The difference in strength between the two sides was far too great.
However, Ning Zhuo wasn’t shaken in the slightest. This gap in strength was something he had anticipated.
He gazed up at the peak of Mount Huoshi, his eyes filled with anticipation, as he murmured softly, “Come on, come on, hurry up and come!”
At the mountain peak, amidst the clouds.
Meng Kui turned his head slightly, his brows furrowed as he gazed into the distance at Qi Bai’s battlefield.
Meanwhile, all across the Immortal City, countless disputes were breaking out. Many battles arose from mere misunderstandings or minor conflicts.
Watching tigers fight from the mountain!
“Fortunes are surging.”
“This ritual has reached its climax, and the end is near.”
Meng Kui came to a realization.
In his pupils, the image of Qi Bai’s arrogant posture was reflected with perfect clarity: “You seek to shake the Immortal City Grand Formation? Even if you’re a true disciple of the Soul-Devouring Sect, you shouldn’t be so reckless.”
“Go.”
Meng Kui tossed another peach core.
The peach core descended from the sky, accompanied by a burst of spring thunder.
The spring thunder struck Qi Bai squarely, causing his eyes to roll back as his head split open, blood gushing out!
“Ah!” he screamed in agony, unable to maintain his spells, and suffered a fierce backlash.
The more power he had poured into his spells, the stronger the backlash he now suffered!
In an instant, Qi Bai was severely injured!!
“It’s time!” Ning Zhuo, who had been painstakingly planning, finally saw the opportunity he had been waiting for.
He had set explosives, not to destroy the Immortal City’s defensive formation.
He triggered the Immortal City’s grand formation primarily to provoke Meng Kui into taking action.
“Whenever I think about getting involved to investigate Boss Sun’s situation or attempt a rescue, the Buddha Heart Demon Seal would warn me.”
“That’s not normal!”
“The most likely explanation is that Meng Kui has been using his divine ability, the Mountain Watch.”
Ning Zhuo’s intelligence network was far inferior to Zhu Xuanji’s, but he had at least learned of Meng Kui’s most powerful technique.
“When Meng Kui uses the Mountain Watch, during the duration of the divine ability, he can only utilize those Peach Cores Beyond the Matter.”
“That’s a Nascent Soul-level offensive technique. No matter how strong Qi Bai is, he’s still just a Golden Core!”
Meng Kui set the trap, and Ning Zhuo laid the plan.
“Meng Kui, you’re sitting high up there, aloof on the mountain peak.”
“But when someone tries to break the Immortal City Grand Formation, will you do something?”
“If you want to deal with Qi Bai, I bet you’ll at least throw one peach core!”
To save Boss Sun, Ning Zhuo, despite knowing how unpredictable fortune could be, had no choice but to step onto the battlefield himself.
But he never believed that he was merely a pawn.
Even a Nascent Soul might not be beyond his use!