Chapter 589: One Against Three!
“Xiao Zhuo!” Inside the Wanli Dragon, Sun Lingtong was both shocked and delighted.
Although he had never met Meng Yaoyin, when Ning Zhuo was young, he often missed his mother terribly. He would look at the picture album of her and silently shed tears. Sometimes, he even hugged the album while sleeping.
For such an important person in his brother’s life, Sun Lingtong naturally knew Meng Yaoyin’s appearance well.
Thus, in that instant—only a fraction slower than Ning Zhuo—Sun Lingtong recognized her as well.
He mobilized his spiritual sense and “looked” toward Ning Zhuo, yet the words stuck in his throat. His expression froze—this was the first time he had ever seen Ning Zhuo with such an expression.
“Destroy, destroy, destroy!” the Babbling Ghost General spoke with all three mouths at once. The muscles of his dark bluish-green thighs bulged violently as he exerted force, attempting to stomp and crush the head of the paper puppet statue.
However, radiant light shone from the statue’s head—it was not without defense. For the moment, the Babbling Ghost General could not succeed.
His face immediately twisted with anger. Clenching both fists, he raised his arms high and smashed them down viciously toward the statue’s head.
Clang!
Just then—
A beam of golden light suddenly shot out. The instant flash was so dazzling that all the cultivators present involuntarily narrowed their eyes.
Metal-Attribute Spell—Mysterious Gold Slash!
Metal-Attribute Lung Temple!!
A small portion of mana from the Sea of Qi was consumed. Unlike during the great battle in the Liangzhu Kingdom, after advancing two minor stages in succession, Ning Zhuo’s mana reserves had grown significantly. He now possessed enough foundation to support a mana-hungry technique like the Mysterious Gold Slash.
Fast! Too fast!
The Mysterious Gold Slash was so swift that the Babbling Ghost General had no time to react before he was cleaved into two halves.
Severed at the waist!
His upper body fell to the ground while his lower half remained standing, its feet still planted atop the head of the paper puppet statue.
“Golden Core level! Who is it?” Such ferocious offensive power filled Wen Ruanyu with both shock and joy as he hurriedly turned around.
Even though his spiritual sense already covered the battlefield and he knew it was Ning Zhuo who had unleashed the attack—
He still could not help but turn his head and stare at the seemingly ordinary yellow-faced youth.
“You’re at the Golden Core level? No… still Foundation Establishment.”
“Did you use some kind of forbidden technique? Or perhaps a talisman?”
The Babbling Ghost General opened his three mouths simultaneously and inhaled sharply.
“Going to die, going to die, going to die!” he spoke while activating a ghost technique.
The separated lower half of his body immediately transformed into a thick cloud of dark green smoke. It flew toward his upper body, reconnecting with it. Gradually, the smoke solidified once more, reforming into a pair of legs.
The Mirror-Adornment Ghost General and the Butcher Ghost General exchanged a glance. In the next moment, they launched their attacks simultaneously—both charging straight at Ning Zhuo.
Regardless of whether Ning Zhuo had used some forbidden art or a rare talisman, he was now a variable.
With Wen Ruanyu unable to quickly secure victory, eliminating the variable first was the consensus the two Ghost Generals reached in an instant.
The Mysterious Gold Slash was simply too threatening.
Even if they defended with full strength, neither Ghost General was confident they could completely block it.
If, while clashing with Wen Ruanyu, Ning Zhuo suddenly unleashed another such slash from behind—who could withstand that?
All three Ghost Generals were ghost cultivators. Their bodies were different from living humans and had no conventional fatal weak points.
Even so, recovery like the Babbling Ghost General’s consumed foundation and came at a considerable cost. It could not withstand repeated occurrences.
The Mirror-Adornment Ghost General and the Butcher Ghost General had not even used spiritual sense communication—just one glance at each other and they executed the most correct tactic. This single action revealed that both were battle-hardened veterans with abundant combat experience.
“A mere Foundation Establishment cultivator dares interfere in our clash!”
“Die!”
In an instant, the two Ghost Generals charged forward, Yin energy surging as killing intent spread through the air.
Compared to them, Ning Zhuo’s figure looked small and frail. After releasing the Mysterious Gold Slash, he simply stood there without moving, as though he had been frightened senseless.
Wen Ruanyu’s heart immediately tightened. “Not good!”
He attacked with all his strength to intercept them.
The Mirror-Adornment Ghost General suddenly soared into the air, evading his interception. The Butcher Ghost General, however, possessed a massive and heavy body and became entangled by Wen Ruanyu’s literary techniques.
The Butcher Ghost General suddenly raised his head, glanced at the Mirror-Adornment Ghost General, and muttered, “Switch.”
Having fought side by side for years, the two generals had long developed perfect coordination.
The Mirror-Adornment Ghost General immediately took out her dressing mirror, facing the mirror toward herself and turning the back toward the Butcher Ghost General.
In the next moment, she activated this life-bound magical treasure, instantly swapping positions with the Butcher Ghost General.
Freed from restraint, the Butcher Ghost General roared and continued charging toward Ning Zhuo.
Meanwhile, although the Mirror-Adornment Ghost General fell into the entanglement of Wen Ruanyu’s literary techniques, she also avoided confronting Ning Zhuo directly. If Ning Zhuo still had the ability to unleash a second Mysterious Gold Slash, letting it strike the thick-skinned Butcher Ghost General was far preferable to receiving it herself.
This was an excellent tactical positioning in real combat.
Wen Ruanyu still tried to move and support Ning Zhuo, but the Mirror-Adornment Ghost General counterattacked and pinned him down instead.
“Run!” Wen Ruanyu urgently transmitted through spiritual sense, trying to awaken Ning Zhuo who remained standing motionless.
The Butcher Ghost General had already rushed within a dozen steps of Ning Zhuo and burst into wild laughter.
Wen Ruanyu unleashed his full strength, his offensive power suddenly surging.
His individual combat strength naturally surpassed any single Golden Core Ghost General. The Mirror-Adornment Ghost General could barely withstand it and immediately cried out:
“Babbling! Come help at once!”
“Going to die, going to die, going to die.” The Babbling Ghost General remained sitting where he was, still muttering.
The Mirror-Adornment Ghost General was nearly about to curse him when her expression suddenly changed.
Her spiritual sense covered the battlefield, and she discovered that although the Babbling Ghost General had recovered, he was still sitting on the ground.
He stared at Ning Zhuo in the distance, cold sweat pouring down his body. He was even trembling slightly, his face filled with terror.
“Could it be that when he says ‘going to die,’ he doesn’t mean that boy—but that we are going to die?” the Mirror-Adornment Ghost General wondered uneasily.
She knew very well that among their companions, the Babbling Ghost General possessed the sharpest spiritual intuition and excelled at sensing danger.
“Be careful!” she hurriedly warned.
But she was a step too late.
The Butcher Ghost General had already reached Ning Zhuo. Like a runaway carriage, he slammed straight toward him.
With Ning Zhuo’s small frame—not even reaching thirty percent of the Butcher Ghost General’s size—if the collision landed solidly, he would likely be smashed to pieces, sent flying high into the air, and die vomiting blood before even hitting the ground.
Even Wen Ruanyu could not help narrowing his eyes, unwilling to witness Ning Zhuo’s tragic end.
But in the next moment—
A flash of mirror light appeared.
A wall of red copper suddenly stood between the Butcher Ghost General and Ning Zhuo.
Upon closer inspection, it was a Mechanical Ape.
What a magnificent ape!
It rose from the ground, nearly two zhang tall, its massive body like a small tower, its physique no less imposing than the Butcher Ghost General.
Forged from Ten-Thousand-Strike Mysterious Iron, its entire body protected by Scarlet Sun Copper armor. Its diamond-forged fangs were as long as half an adult’s arm. The Wind-Fire Wheels embedded in its calves had diameters exceeding six chi.
Inside the ape, the mechanical heart-sphere furnace activated, driving torrents of high-temperature air outward.
A blood-oil bottle and blood-spring vessel formed a circulating system within its abdomen, releasing a faint blood mist.
It was none other than Heavy Armor Blood Ape, Dasheng!
Bang!
The Butcher Ghost General slammed solidly into Yuan Dasheng’s chest.
Yuan Dasheng stepped back only once, completely neutralizing the impact.
Instead, the Butcher Ghost General became dizzy from the collision.
Bang.
Yuan Dasheng delivered a vicious uppercut to the Butcher Ghost General’s abdomen.
The blow forced the Butcher Ghost General to double over, his mouth gaping wide as his eyes bulged as if they might pop out.
He hastily swung his butcher’s cleaver, striking back wildly.
Yuan Dasheng sidestepped, then spun around—its elbow shot forward like a spear, smashing directly into the Butcher Ghost General’s face.
In an instant, the Butcher Ghost General’s head snapped backward, his face dented inward from the heavy blow.
Yuan Dasheng set his stance and kicked forward.
As it exerted force, the Wind-Fire Wheels on its calves suddenly spun rapidly, trailing flames and doubling the power of its kick.
Bang!
With another heavy impact, Yuan Dasheng kicked the Butcher Ghost General flying.
Bang, bang, bang…
The Butcher Ghost General flew backward, smashing through two walls and numerous workshop facilities.
Then he was buried beneath the collapsed bricks and rubble.
Wen Ruanyu’s tense heart immediately relaxed. He felt somewhat fortunate.
“I nearly forgot—Jiao Ma had hidden a Golden Core–level mechanical puppet.”
“This Golden Core mechanical construct is truly fierce.”
Roar!
The Butcher Ghost General roared. The shockwave shattered the dust and smoke as he strode out with heavy steps, filled with rage and hatred.
But Yuan Dasheng had already lunged forward.
Bang, bang, bang…
A flurry of attacks rained down upon the Butcher Ghost General.
The butcher’s cleaver had already flown from his hand during his earlier flight. Without hesitation, he used fists and legs to fight Yuan Dasheng head-on.
Both sides exchanged blows relentlessly. Every punch and kick carried tremendous force, producing explosive gusts of wind.
Inside the Heavy Armor Blood Ape, Dasheng, the twenty-seven bronze cylinders on the surface of the mechanical heart-sphere furnace extended and retracted rapidly like living creatures. Crimson Fire Essence continued to be consumed as massive amounts of steam surged out.
The Wind-Fire Wheels embedded in its calves spun at incredible speed, producing a roaring wind as trails of flames whirled behind them.