Chapter 489: Shadowblade — Night Tiger
Meng Yahu regarded Ning Zhuo as his Father God, offering his utmost loyalty.
Ning Zhuo felt slightly awkward, but his expression did not show it. He nodded lightly, “Speak while standing.”
Meng Yahu rose to his feet.
Ning Zhuo’s face remained expressionless, but the light shining from his eyes had already betrayed his inner mood.
His eyes gleamed brightly, unable to conceal his excitement. He began scrutinizing Meng Yahu carefully with his gaze.
Meng Yahu stood eight feet tall, with the head of a tiger and the body of a man. His entire form was a dark black, interspersed with silvery-white streaks, glinting with a metallic luster.
The mechanical body appeared both robust and burly, yet carried a sinister and domineering presence.
Upon his tiger head were mounted a pair of mechanical components called Yinshade Mystic Eyes, which specifically combined the aura of Yinshade to release intense spiritual pressure, instilling fear and oppression in enemies.
His tiger torso was covered in a layer of mechanical scale armor called Shadow-Shield Layered Armor, which had three levels. Fully deployed, it could cover his entire body in an instant. With two layers opened, it could shield down to his knees. Folded up, it served as a half-body armor, covering only the upper body and leaving the arms exposed.
Hidden within the backs of his hands and feet were mechanical components known as Ghostslay Claws. These claws were extremely sharp, yet carried no aura of sharpness—dull and lightless.
At his tail was the component Hundred Blades Hidden Edge. Within his tiger tail was a storage formation concealing hundreds of blades. Once unleashed, they could instantly form a blade storm formation—extremely lethal and difficult to defend against.
In addition to these mechanical components, Meng Yahu’s primary formations included the Netherworld Soul-Binding Formation and the Origin Flow Guiding Formation. His main talismans were the Ghost Shadow Talisman, Nightwalker Talisman, Yinshade Talisman, Black Wind Talisman, and Mist Talisman.
Shadowblade — Night Tiger!
This mechanical puppet was originally a rough design conceived by Ning Zhuo, the result of combining various plans brought together by a stroke of fortune.
Though seemingly slapdash, the more Ning Zhuo examined it, the more exceptional he found the design.
“Clearly, Meng Yahu’s mechanical body excels in stealth, infiltration, and striking. He lacks a Mana Reservoir, so his combat strength is explosive in nature but difficult to sustain.”
“Although he has the Shadow-Shield Layered Armor, it still does little to hide his defensive weakness.”
“In summary, Meng Yahu is a mechanical puppet who strikes fiercely, defends poorly, and excels in concealment and infiltration!”
Due to Ning Zhuo’s solid material selection, Shadowblade — Night Tiger possessed the combat power of a Golden Core–level entity.
After observing for a while, Ning Zhuo nodded in satisfaction and took out the Nightwalker Backstab Diagram, which he had acquired at great expense, handing it to Meng Yahu.
“Study this well. Strive to master the techniques within it as soon as possible,” Ning Zhuo instructed.
“By your command, Father God!” Meng Yahu once again knelt on one knee, extended both arms, raised his hands above his head, and reverently received the scroll.
Meng Yahu withdrew to one side and began devoting himself entirely to comprehending the technique.
Ning Zhuo, meanwhile, began refining the Divided Mind Mirror.
Amid their busy efforts, time passed swiftly.
Southern Dou Country.
Lava Immortal City.
Ning Family Branch Clan.
“One-Armed Craftsman, have you finished forging the armor I requested?” Ning Chen stepped into the artifact forging chamber and was immediately enveloped by an intense heat wave, scorching his hair and causing it to curl up.
The One-Armed Craftsman had once been the top artifact forger in the black market. Now, he served as an esteemed guest of the Ning Family branch clan.
Even with his current high status, he dared not be negligent before Ning Chen.
Ning Chen’s status was simple, yet he had studied alongside the branch clan leader, Ning Zhuo, and was deeply trusted by him.
The One-Armed Craftsman forced a smile. “Brother Chen, you've arrived at just the right moment. I was just about to send someone to summon you so you could perform the blood sacrifice on this nearly finished armor.”
Ning Chen smiled faintly, activated a spell to protect himself, and only after resisting the searing heat did he approach the One-Armed Craftsman, facing a massive formation.
At the center of the formation blazed the surging earth fire drawn directly from the depths of Mount Huoshi.
Standing before the furnace, Ning Chen followed the One-Armed Craftsman's guidance, condensed a drop of his essence blood, and shot it into the furnace.
Clang!
In the next instant, the furnace trembled violently, emitting a piercing metallic resonance.
The One-Armed Craftsman’s expression changed drastically, suddenly tensing—this was not a normal occurrence.
The next moment, a green light, like a firefly, slowly flew out and drifted toward Ning Chen.
Ning Chen hesitated and stepped back.
The One-Armed Craftsman burst into laughter, his furrowed brows relaxing. “Turns out it’s a Jade Essence. Gave me quite the scare! Brother Chen, you’ve got some luck.”
Ning Chen also revealed a joyful expression. He reached out and took the Jade Essence into his hand, carefully examining it.
Jade Essence, as the name implied, was the essence born within jade.
Once it landed between Ning Chen’s fingers, its glow faded, transforming into a small, pale green jade bead.
“Any object containing jade might harbor a Jade Essence. Brother Chen, the main material in your armor was Jade Tempered Mysterious Steel. Who would've thought it contained a Jade Essence?”
“Jade Essences are excellent at hiding. I smelted that piece of Jade Tempered Mysterious Steel into armor, and it still stayed concealed within.”
“When you just now infused your essence blood to refine the armor, you inadvertently refined the Jade Essence as well—only then did it emerge.”
The One-Armed Craftsman shook his head, clicking his tongue in admiration.
Ning Chen was all smiles.
Jade Essence had many valuable uses.
Firstly, it could help cultivators absorb external spiritual energy, which it would then refine and convert into a gentle and pure spiritual force to nourish the cultivator. This spiritual force not only aided in cultivation and mana accumulation, but could also rapidly replenish mana during combat.
Secondly, in a moment of crisis, the Jade Essence could unleash a powerful defensive light shield using the spiritual energy it had stored. This shield could block both weapons and spells, and even protect the cultivator’s spirit from attacks on the soul.
If a Jade Essence developed Spirituality, it might even take on an external form and assist the cultivator in battle.
The Jade Essence in Ning Chen’s hand had yet to develop Spirituality, but the fact that it had hidden itself so instinctively was already a sign that it was not far from gaining such awareness.
Myriad Medicines Sect.
Lesser Strife Peak.
Many had gathered to observe the battle.
Ning Yong’s fight had reached its final stage.
His opponent had unleashed their ultimate technique—splitting into three identical figures, each lifelike and indistinguishable.
All three attacked Ning Yong simultaneously and shouted, “Ning Yong, if you can tell which one is my true self, I’ll admit your skill!”
Ning Yong gritted his teeth. He couldn’t see through the trick. At this point, he was already spent, unable to defend comprehensively. His only chance was to gamble on a single strike and hope it hit the real one, or else he would have no hope of continuing the fight.
With fury on his face, Ning Yong chose one at random and launched an all-out attack.
Bang.
His opponent’s body shuddered, forced backward, and the other two clones vanished as a result.
The opponent narrowed his eyes and gave a cold smile. “Again.”
His body flickered and once more split into three, charging toward Ning Yong.
Ning Yong gritted his teeth, blindly guessed again, and mustered the last of his strength.
Bang!
The opponent staggered back several large steps, blood spilling from his mouth as he glared furiously at Ning Yong.
He roared, “Again!”
Bang!!
The third strike also hit the mark. Ning Yong had guessed correctly once more, sending his opponent crashing to the ground. After a brief struggle, the man completely passed out.
Ning Yong wins!
Ning Yong stared at his own hands in disbelief. “I guessed right three times in a row?!”
Those watching erupted into discussion.
“Who would've thought that Ning Yong could actually see through the Three Treasures Clone Technique?!”
“The Three Treasures Clone Technique draws from a cultivator’s essence, energy, and spirit to create lifelike clones. Ning Yong didn’t seem to use any technique and just guessed right?!”
“Heh, as if he didn’t use any technique. We just didn’t see it, that’s all.”
“Keep in mind, Ning Yong was sent here by Ning Zhuo. He studied alongside Ning Zhuo, so he’s no simpleton.”
“Don’t be fooled by his usual bluster. We were all deceived. He’s actually deeply cunning. At the start of the fight, he pretended not to see through the clone technique to trick us all.”
“Think about Ning Zhuo. Someone appointed by him—how could he be just brute force without brains?”
As they spoke, everyone’s gaze toward Ning Yong began to shift.
At that moment, Ning Yong finally reacted, raised his head high, pumped his fists, and shouted loudly, “I won! I won!!”
In an instant, the mood ignited. Congratulations surged toward him like a tidal wave.
Ning Yong’s face flushed red with excitement.
He absolutely loved this kind of competitive setting!
“The Clan Lord really is wise and truly understands me, sending me to a place like this.”
“I love it here, I absolutely love it!”
“Hahaha!”
Ning Yong cheered wildly in his heart.
But not everyone was fooled by his lucky gamble.
Among them were two female cultivators.
Lin Shanshan sent a message via spiritual sense: “This Ning Yong really has dogged luck—he actually guessed right three times in a row.”
Hua Guzi replied in secret, “He’s a schoolmate of Young Lord Ning Zhuo, so naturally, he shares in a bit of Young Lord Ning Zhuo’s brilliance. Even a sliver of that radiance was enough for Ning Yong to overcome his formidable foe.”
When Lin Shanshan heard Hua Guzi praising Ning Zhuo like that—speaking so intimately—her heart flared with irritation. She again sent a spiritual message: “Hmph! To think I was entrusted by Ning Zhuo to look after Ning Yong. Now that he’s won, I’m feeling itchy myself—maybe I’ll find someone to spar with.”
Hua Guzi let out a strange “gu gu” laugh, replying without fear, “You want to be strung up and beaten to the point your clothes are in tatters again? I’ll gladly oblige!”
Lin Shanshan’s eye twitched. She snapped coldly, “Funny, wasn’t it you last time who got beaten until you collapsed on the ground, crying out in agony?”
Hua Guzi’s face darkened as she retreated into the shadows.
Lin Shanshan followed closely behind, heading swiftly toward the nearest martial arena.
As with dozens of previous private battles, the two of them would not rest until they were utterly exhausted.
Time passed quickly. Several days went by.
Southern Dou Country, Huoshi Immortal City.
Lin Bufan officially took his leave of Ning Jiufan.
The Ning Family hosted a grand farewell banquet for Lin Bufan, stirring quite the spectacle.
In recent days, it was the hottest topic of conversation among the city’s residents.
“Who would've thought the Ning Family could invite a Nascent Soul–level cultivator to assist them!”
“This time, during the siege of the Ten-Thousand-Year Fire Essence, Lin Bufan’s contribution was definitely significant.”
“With Lord Meng Kui and Lord Lin Bufan joining forces—and even sacrificing one of the Zhou Family’s Golden Core ancestors—it's clear Lin Bufan’s reinforcements were crucial. Otherwise, that Ten-Thousand-Year Fire Essence might’ve escaped and brought disaster upon our Huoshi Immortal City.”
“So much has changed in just these past few days.”
“Who could’ve predicted that of the three great families in the Immortal City, the Zheng Family would be destroyed, its remnants driven out; the Zhou Family has lost two-thirds of its strength and is visibly in decline; and the Ning Family, with a powerful Nascent Soul–level ally and having taken over the Zheng Family’s territory, is now the foremost cultivation clan in the city!”
All the news about the battle against the Ten-Thousand-Year Fire Essence had, naturally, been released by the Ning Family.
As expected, the Ning Family’s reputation soared.
“Brother Ning, you’re always welcome as a guest at our Myriad Medicines Sect.” Lin Bufan’s farewell voice spread across the entire city, a clear sign of his warm regard for the Ning Family.
Seated within the Lava Immortal Palace, Meng Kui gave a cold snort upon hearing this.
In secret, Ning Jiufan transmitted a message: “Lord Lin, please be sure to deliver both the Ten-Thousand-Year Fire Essence and this batch of Jade Steel Heavy Armor to Ning Zhuo as soon as possible. He has already sent another message urging this matter. Clearly, the other side is in great need.”
Lin Bufan gave a disgruntled snort. “A mere family junior, a Foundation Establishment brat, dares to order around a senior like you? He's got some nerve.”
“If it weren’t for the Ten-Thousand-Year Fire Essence being so highly spiritual and needing my personal escort, I wouldn’t bother making this trip.”
Ning Jiufan bowed deeply again, earnestly pleading.
Lin Bufan gave a slight nod, ascended into the clouds, and flew into the sky.
He was extremely fast—within a few breaths, he vanished without a trace.
Meanwhile, in the forested mountains near Mount Huoshi, watching Lin Bufan’s light vanish into the sky, Zhu Xuanji turned to look at Shen Lingshu beside him.
He had just intended to quietly catch up with Lin Bufan and have him carry a letter to Ning Zhuo, but Shen Lingshu had stopped him.
Shen Lingshu said, “Just now, I had a flash of insight and a mysterious premonition. So, I performed a quick divination in my mind.”
“It showed that this letter shouldn’t be delivered just yet. In the future, it will have great use.”
Zhu Xuanji: “Oh? In what way, exactly?”
Shen Lingshu waved a hand. “I can’t say more. I mustn’t say more.”
Zhu Xuanji stared at the letter in his hand. “I know Ning Zhuo’s intentions—he’s risking life and limb across the land with only Foundation Establishment cultivation, just to save his mother. This letter is especially important to him. Lord Shen, I must ask you to elaborate, or I will not accept a vague explanation.”
Shen Lingshu smiled faintly. “Zhu Xuanji, once again you're speaking up for Ning Zhuo—defending him.”
Zhu Xuanji shrugged, his expression calm. “I’ve always admired those with loyalty and filial piety. Ning Zhuo is one such man. Helping him is my sincere desire.”
Shen Lingshu smiled again. “If you truly want to help him, then head north—to Thousand Peaks Forest.”
Zhu Xuanji’s eyes widened with a look that said, “Are you out of your mind?”
“Ning Zhuo may be the Child of Calamity, but I’ve done enough already. You want me to get closer to him? Over my dead body.”
Shen Lingshu nodded and gave him a mocking glance. “If you’re dead, of course you can’t go. But what if it’s a Royal Decree?”
Zhu Xuanji immediately felt a sense of foreboding. “What Royal Decree?”
Shen Lingshu pointed into the distance, where a cultivator was flying toward them. Upon seeing Zhu Xuanji, the man lit up with joy and sent a message via spiritual sense: “Lord Detective, I finally found you. The Royal Capital has issued a decree. You're to proceed immediately to the border. The battle in Thousand Peaks Forest against the Liangzhu Kingdom is about to begin. You must take your position, remain on standby, and support the forces we’ve stationed there.”
Zhu Xuanji exclaimed, “What?!”
Moments later—
Zhu Xuanji, now half-kneeling on the ground, stood up and accepted the decree from the Royal Capital envoy. His brows were tightly furrowed, his face full of bitterness.
“Lord Shen, since you foresaw this, why didn’t you warn me earlier so I could avoid this wretched assignment!” Zhu Xuanji looked at Shen Lingshu, full of grievance.
Shen Lingshu smiled slightly. “Oh, I didn’t foresee it. I was the one who recommended you.”
“What?!” Zhu Xuanji’s eyes widened. “You—you—why would you harm me?!”
Shen Lingshu patted his shoulder. “If you don’t go, then I’ll have to. Your fate’s much tougher than mine—and aren’t you trying to help Ning Zhuo? This suits you perfectly!”
Zhu Xuanji was speechless. For a while, he could only glare at Shen Lingshu in stunned silence.