Chapter 311: Defeated and Fleeing?
Zhu Xuanji took several large strides forward, and within a few steps, he had already arrived in front of Ning Zhuo.
Ning Zhuo had already retreated, but his speed was far inferior to Zhu Xuanji’s.
Zhu Xuanji extended his palm, towering over him, and struck downwards.
In that instant, Ning Zhuo’s breath was obstructed; Zhu Xuanji’s offensive was so fierce, it was as if a deity had descended from the heavens, covering the sky with a single hand!
In this moment of crisis, Ning Zhuo slapped his storage belt.
Suddenly, a massive ape appeared, using its chest to block Zhu Xuanji’s palm.
This mechanical ape was precisely the Golden Core-level puppet ape Ning Zhuo had painstakingly crafted by leveraging resources and power. At the beginning of the second trial, Ning Zhuo had even lent it to Ning Jiufan.
Though this puppet ape was also suppressed to the Foundation Establishment stage, Ning Zhuo had put immense resources into it, making it extremely durable and tough.
Ning Zhuo controlled the puppet ape to fight against Zhu Xuanji.
After a few exchanges, Zhu Xuanji suddenly employed a "Golden Mountain Stance", releasing a portion of golden light that directly weighed down on the puppet ape, rendering it nearly immobile.
Zhu Xuanji bypassed the puppet ape and charged toward Ning Zhuo, its controller.
Ning Zhuo hurriedly retrieved a silver-gray token and tossed it into the air.
The token had the character "Cang" on the front and "Han" on the back. It rapidly disintegrated, expanded, and shot out brilliant silver-gray beams of light.
As the light dissipated, the puppet armor "Cang Iron Han Armor" floated quietly in midair.
Ning Zhuo took a step back, and the Cang Iron Han Armor opened instantly, enveloping him inside.
The hidden Foundation Establishment Pill in his spine, plump and round, activated quickly.
In that instant, Ning Zhuo possessed Foundation Establishment-level combat power, and his speed surged.
Zhu Xuanji’s attack missed its mark.
He stood where he was, his gaze calm: “As expected, you are Chuitaoke.”
As he spoke, he raised one hand vertically, with his palm facing the retreating Ning Zhuo.
Martial Art—Air Split!
An invisible palm force erupted abruptly, striking Ning Zhuo in an instant.
Cold Iron Armor!
In the critical moment, Ning Zhuo desperately activated the defense formation of the Cang Iron Han Armor, pushing its power to the maximum.
As a result, a mechanical technique was unleashed, and cold energy spilled out, reinforcing the metallic nature.
Even so, he was still sent flying by the overwhelmingly powerful palm force.
Bang.
Ning Zhuo crashed into the wall, his entire back embedding into the wall itself.
He was shaken to the point of nearly vomiting blood, his head spinning and ears ringing. Suddenly, the mechanism ring on his finger tightened, waking him up.
Mechanical Technique—Wind Thunder Motion!
The Spirit Stones were consumed madly, transforming into a vast amount of spiritual power that poured into two palm-sized, intricately patterned wind and thunder talismans.
The talismans each erupted with wind and thunder power, which intertwined and merged along the internal formation patterns of the Cang Iron Han Armor, forming greenish-blue electric light that surrounded the armor.
The next moment, the invisible palm force descended once more!
Ning Zhuo, controlling the Cang Iron Han Armor, shot out like a bolt of lightning, leaving only a few wisps of greenish-blue electricity behind.
Bang.
The palm force struck heavily, completely extinguishing the greenish-blue electric light, leaving a four-foot-square palm print on the wall.
Sun Lingtong urgently transmitted his voice: “A Zhuo, be careful! Whether it's the Golden Mountain Stance or the Jade Pillar Posture, they both provide comprehensive enhancements to the cultivator.”
Ning Zhuo had already realized Zhu Xuanji's might!
Although Zhu Xuanji’s cultivation was suppressed to the Foundation Establishment level by the restrictions of the Turning Machine Secret Pavilion, his divine abilities were inherently capable of fighting above his level.
Ning Zhuo’s sneak attack had provoked Zhu Xuanji into activating a powerful state with three divine abilities simultaneously.
The Rudie Maiden had to give it her all just to unleash attacks at a pseudo-Golden Core level, but each of Zhu Xuanji's strikes surpassed the usual Foundation Establishment strength, reaching the level of a pseudo-Golden Core!
“Let’s attack him together!” Ning Zhuo shouted in a low voice.
Mechanical Technique—Azure Dragon Battles the Sky!
The armor plates on the back, shoulders, elbows, and wrists of the Cang Iron Han Armor all flipped open, revealing the explosive talismans hidden beneath.
The next moment, all the talismans ignited, shining with dazzling white light, fully propelling Ning Zhuo’s movements.
Ning Zhuo shot out like a silver dragon, piercing through the air.
He circled around Zhu Xuanji, engaging in a mid-range battle.
Ning Zhuo's attacks landed on Zhu Xuanji, causing the golden mountain light to tremble, the branches of the jade leaves clinking, yet they were unable to injure Zhu Xuanji at all.
In contrast, Zhu Xuanji always dodged, occasionally blocking when necessary.
Zhu Xuanji’s attacks were powerful and heavy, and soon, the Cang Iron Han Armor couldn’t hold on, with cracks forming all over.
This was already the strongest form of the Cang Iron Han Armor, but it could only barely stay standing.
The mechanism ring activated frequently, allowing Ning Zhuo to evade multiple attacks.
The Nether Envoy, Qi Bai, retracted his ghost, leaned forward, and released a sonic wave from his mouth.
In his throat, the mechanism component "Soul-Shaking Drum" vibrated, its sound able to shake souls, but when it landed on Zhu Xuanji, it only caused the branches and leaves of his golden mountain tree to sway slightly.
Seeing this, Ning Zhuo's pupils shrank, realizing that the three divine abilities were closely linked, making Zhu Xuanji’s defense overwhelmingly formidable.
“We must sever the connection between the three divine abilities!”
Ning Zhuo had grasped the key to the battle, but as for how to execute it, he hadn’t thought of any solution yet.
Sun Lingtong didn’t dare engage in close combat and resorted to long-range knife techniques.
The Golden Core puppet ape cooperated seamlessly with Ning Zhuo, but they were still being pushed back by Zhu Xuanji.
The Rudie Maiden watched from the side, growing anxious, wanting to intervene but fearing harm to her allies.
Yang Chanyu stopped shooting poison arrows: “Our coordination is poor, seriously lacking in practice, and our combined strength is weak.”
She quietly concealed herself, making a certain decision.
Old Cicada Technique!
Autumn Cicada's Last Cry!!
The mournful cry of the autumn cicada suddenly rang out, and Yang Chanyu abruptly appeared behind Zhu Xuanji.
Holding the "Soul-Devouring Light Blade," she pierced through the golden mountain light, piercing the jade-like skin, and tried to drive the blade deeper, but Zhu Xuanji caught the blade with one hand.
Zhu Xuanji looked down at Yang Chanyu: “To make me bleed in this state, Yang Chanyu, you have something to be proud of.”
Yang Chanyu felt a surge of danger in her heart and, without hesitation, abandoned her blade and retreated!
Zhu Xuanji’s left eye shot out golden rays.
Celestial Talent—Golden Eyes.
Spell—Needle Mat.
Celestial Talent Spell—Golden Eye Needle.
In an instant, Yang Chanyu was enveloped in a layer of golden light.
Within the glow, golden light condensed into needles, and hundreds, even thousands, of golden needles shot toward Yang Chanyu!
They struck her all over!
Yang Chanyu cried out in pain, channeling her mana to activate her defensive artifact, desperately holding on.
But as long as she remained within Zhu Xuanji’s line of sight, she would constantly endure the barrage of hundreds of golden needles.
Yang Chanyu wanted to use a stealth technique.
Zhu Xuanji extended a finger.
Official Art—Nation Binding!
Golden chains instantly formed around Yang Chanyu’s body, binding her tightly.
Zhu Xuanji pointed his finger repeatedly.
Sun Lingtong, the Nether Envoy Qi Bai, and the Golden Core puppet ape were all caught one after another, bound in place, struggling with all their might.
Only Ning Zhuo, relying on the warning from his mechanism ring, managed to escape in advance.
“This is the Southern Dou Kingdom.”
“Zhu Xuanji’s Official Art is powerful and hard to resist!”
“What should we do?”
Although Ning Zhuo dodged the Nation Binding, he was still exposed to Zhu Xuanji’s line of sight, and his entire body became shrouded in a glow.
Countless fine golden needles pierced his body incessantly.
Ning Zhuo cursed inwardly, realizing the danger, and could only focus on defense. The Cang Iron Han Armor quickly became damaged, with the surface covered in countless needle-sized holes, increasing rapidly!
Everyone was barely holding on, and Zhu Xuanji launched another attack!
Martial Art—Strike Across the Mountain.
He extended his hand and struck the puppet ape’s chest and abdomen. The powerful force penetrated the heavy armor of its chest, shattering the intricate ice-carved mechanism inside.
Bang.
With a muffled sound, the finely crafted ice-carved mechanism was completely pulverized by this strike.
The Golden Core puppet ape’s power plummeted, nearly becoming paralyzed on the spot
.
Zhu Xuanji then charged toward the Nether Envoy Qi Bai, his palm slicing like a blade, cutting the latter in half from shoulder to waist.
He rushed toward the Rudie Maiden.
The Rudie Maiden’s face paled, and she screamed in fear!
The wings behind her exploded with power, forming countless twisted beams of light, weaving a fine and fragmented light pattern.
The crisscrossing light patterns rapidly expanded.
Zhu Xuanji rushed in, clearly moving in a straight line, but within the light pattern, he curved, bypassing the Rudie Maiden.
“It’s actually the Light-Warping Shadow-Weaving Array!” Zhu Xuanji was surprised but also found it troublesome.
He temporarily gave up on the Rudie Maiden and charged toward Yang Chanyu.
Yang Chanyu had to defend against the golden needles and couldn’t handle Zhu Xuanji’s attack, so she was hit by his sweeping leg, seriously injured, coughing up blood. The mechanism triggered, and she was swallowed by a ring of light, instantly sent out of the Turning Machine Secret Pavilion.
Zhu Xuanji then turned toward Sun Lingtong.
“Boss, run!” Ning Zhuo rushed over at the critical moment, pushing Sun Lingtong away.
Sun Lingtong crashed to the ground, got up, and saw the nearby exit.
“Run!” Ning Zhuo’s voice called out again.
Sun Lingtong turned and saw Ning Zhuo being hit by Zhu Xuanji’s heavy fist. The Cang Iron Han Armor on his body shattered, with fragments scattering in the wind.
But Ning Zhuo took advantage of the heavy punch’s force to fly backward, diving into the Rudie Maiden’s Light-Warping Shadow-Weaving Array, disappearing from Zhu Xuanji’s sight.
Covered by the light patterns, Ning Zhuo was no longer shrouded in light, free from the threat of the golden needles.
But in the next moment, a ray of golden light pierced through the light patterns like a sharp sword, stabbing through Ning Zhuo’s abdomen!
Ning Zhuo quickly fled.
The light patterns wove together, forming a strange world of black and white.
Golden swords occasionally pierced through, each aimed accurately at Ning Zhuo.
Ning Zhuo was keenly aware that Zhu Xuanji had already planted some tracking or surveillance technique on him.
In just a dozen breaths, Ning Zhuo was already covered in blood.
“Little Zhuo!” Sun Lingtong gritted his teeth, but instead of rejoining the battle, he rolled forward, pushing open the door and closing it behind him, immediately rushing toward another portal.
Seeing this, Zhu Xuanji snorted disdainfully: “Ning Zhuo, see? This is the loyalty of a thief!”
“Your defeat is certain, there’s no need to struggle any longer. Surrender, and you can leave. Reflect on your actions afterward, and surrender to the authorities to seek leniency!”
The black-and-white light patterns filled the entire secret pavilion, overlapping constantly, making Zhu Xuanji’s perception of Ning Zhuo more and more vague.
His offer of surrender received no response from Ning Zhuo. Just as he was hesitating whether to charge into the array, he suddenly lost all sense of Ning Zhuo.
The next moment, he heard a notification.
“Ning Jiufan fought Zheng Shuanggou, Meng Chong, and the Meng Family’s Golden Core cultivator. Ning Jiufan was defeated and eliminated. Zheng Shuanggou was also defeated and eliminated!”
Zhu Xuanji’s thick brows furrowed deeply.
The next moment, he received a second message.
“Zhu Xuanji has fought Yang Chanyu, Ning Zhuo. Yang Chanyu has been defeated and eliminated. Ning Zhuo has surrendered and been eliminated.”
Zhu Xuanji’s eyebrows gradually relaxed. After giving the Light-Warping Shadow-Weaving Array one last glance, he turned and left.
(End of Chapter)