A delicate-faced female cultivator with a hint of ash-gray on her features hid in the shadows of a narrow alley.
It was Han Ming.
Suddenly, the roar of demon beasts came from afar.
Han Ming looked up and saw a group of Red Rock Demon Leaders flying above the Fire Persimmon Immortal City.
Immediately, the City Guard Army took notice of this situation.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...
A series of spells shot into the sky and exploded like colorful fireworks.
Large numbers of Red Rock Demon Leaders fell from the sky.
A minor crisis was smoothly resolved.
Han Ming withdrew her gaze, stared straight ahead, and looked across the street at the City Lord's Mansion.
"I have already been sucked into this huge vortex of conflict," Han Ming sighed deeply, her face filled with bitterness.
Had she known it would come to this, she would have chosen to flee far away and leave Fire Persimmon Immortal City for good.
It was only her unwillingness to accept defeat and resignation that kept her.
She hadn't participated in the battle with Qi Bai. Ning Zhuo had schemed to manipulate her movements, and realizing she had been tricked, she didn't show up, thus luckily avoiding disaster.
Perhaps this experience had fostered her sense of luck, allowing her to stay hidden in the Immortal City until now, ultimately captured by Luo Shang and used as a pawn.
"Luo Shang hasn't placed any prohibition on me. Perhaps, I can just run away?"
This thought had barely arisen when Han Ming immediately squashed it.
The very absence of a prohibition from Luo Shang made Han Ming extremely cautious.
She had guessed that this might be a test from Luo Shang. Once she fled, Luo Shang would surely capture her again. At that time, her treatment would not be as mild as it is now.
"Luo Shang is not the same as Qi Bai."
"Qi Bai came from humble beginnings, but Luo Shang has the Sect Elders backing him. His own foundation is far stronger than Qi Bai's."
"Not to mention, Luo Shang came here on a significant mission from his sect, thus receiving substantial support."
"Qi Bai didn't have a single Golden Core Ghost General, but Luo Shang has many."
"Is it possible that there is a Golden Core-level Ghost General watching over me right now?"
Han Ming didn't know.
She was a Demon Cultivator at the peak of Foundation Establishment; it was incredibly difficult for her alone to detect any Golden Core-level Ghost Generals nearby.
Lacking the means, she instead relied on the wisdom of a Demon Cultivator's survival.
Based on her estimation, if she acted according to Luo Shang's plans, there might still be hope. But if she tried to flee, her end would be dire indeed!
Ever since the night of the bombardment, the City Lord's Mansion had been brightly lit.
Now, the brightly lit City Lord's Mansion seemed like a wild beast opening its maw wide to devour people.
Han Ming steeled herself, stepped out from the shadows, and slowly walked toward the City Lord's Mansion.
She had just appeared when the City Guard Army spotted her.
"Who?"
"Halt, whoever approaches!"
Han Ming called out loudly, "I am Han Ming, a wanted criminal of Fire Persimmon Immortal City. I am here to surrender myself and also to report a crime!"
The guards exchanged wary glances, unsure of how to proceed, and someone immediately ran back to inform Fei Si.
"What? Han Ming suddenly appears and surrenders voluntarily?" Fei Si's face showed no pleasure upon hearing this news.
At a critical moment when the city was besieged by demon beasts, he didn't wish for any complications.
But Han Ming's appearance was not something that could be shifted by his will.
Fei Si, savvy in his thoughts, immediately realized this odd behavior of Han Ming must have been instructed.
"She's a disciple of the Soul Devouring Sect, backed by a major demon path sect. Could this move be arranged by Luo Shang?"
The more Fei Si thought, the more grave his expression became.
"Bring her to the court!" Fei Si decided resolutely to handle the interrogation personally.
At the same time, he urgently sent a Flying Message and deployed a messenger to ask for Chi Dun's support.
In the current situation, Fei Si was very cautious, fearing the Soul Devouring Sect might make a move against the City Lord's Mansion, against him.
After all, they were a major force in the Demon Path.
Soon.
Fei Si arrived in the hall and met Han Ming, who was bound.
Fei Si struck a gavel and sternly interrogated her.
Despite her inward distress, Han Ming maintained a smile, and even facing the pressure of Golden Core Cultivator, she appeared neither servile nor haughty, showing considerable confidence.
She gradually recounted how she had been schemed against and mistreated by the Youthful Guest, and even witnessed Yuan Dasheng's corpse, explaining all to Fei Si.
"Take Han Ming to the dungeon!" Fei Si ordered sharply.
Han Ming continued to smile throughout, cooperating actively.
Her demeanor made Fei Si's face darken even more.
Fei Si, well-versed in politics, had seen too many schemes and immediately realized that this was the Soul Devouring Sect attempting to incite discord between Meng Kui and Zhu Xuanji, with a very malicious intent.
Even though he recognized the enemy's tactics, he dared not act on his own.
He wrote a letter on the spot and dispatched a messenger, urgently sending the information to Meng Kui.
The Demon Beast Tide was rampant in Persimmon Mountain; the usual Flying Messages could not reach Meng Kui. Hence, the messenger was a master swordsman, using a flying sword, carrying Fei Si's letter, and sprinting all the way to the peak of Persimoon Mountain.
The messenger reached the summit and witnessed the scene at the mountain's mouth, the beast tide shocking him to the core.
"The Lava Fairy Palace has several holes broken through!"
"The demon beast tide here is terrifying! Next to the Immortal City, it's merely a small witch meeting a great wizard."
The messenger was shocked in his heart and paid homage to Meng Kui.
Meng Kui's Divine Sense scanned and instantly understood the contents of the message.
"Ning Zhuo..."
"Soul Devouring Sect..."
"And the Bukong Sect."
The Meng Family's strategist pondered for a few breaths before reaching out his hand.
Spell — Mysteries in the Palm!
A Mana Power Hand, condensed from Nascent Soul Level mana, carrying Fei Si's letter, bulldozed through countless demon beasts and arrived at a breach in the Light Shield.
Then, the Mana Power Hand detached a small portion, enveloped the Flying Message, ripped through the air, and flew towards a location in the Immortal Palace.
Previously, Meng Kui absolutely could not have done this. However, with the damage sustained by the Immortal Palace, the power of the various prohibitions significantly weakened, allowing Meng Kui to exercise a small margin of Foundation Establishment Level power.
The target of the Flying Message was none other than Zhu Xuanji.
Utilizing the first-round palace trial, Zhu Xuanji, unlike others actively preparing for the second round, came to the Gourd Fire Furnace Forest.
A massive group of Flame Demon Beasts, led by Flame Stepping Lizards, was charging here.
The mechanical artifacts tasked with intercepting them were quite fragile; many cultivators were watching without engaging in combat.
This was deliberately arranged by Zhu Xuanji.
He wanted to approach the Golden Furnace, but it was stationed in the crucial area of the Gourd Fire Furnace Forest, and an outsider like Zhu Xuanji had no right to approach.
If the Flame Demon Beasts charged near the Golden Furnace, Zhu Xuanji would have an opportunity, under the guise of repelling the invading forces, to reach the Golden Furnace, employ various tactics, and investigate past scenes.
After Ning Xiaohui's death, the clues Meng Kui deduced from his calculated message were Ning Zhuo, Sun Lingtong, Zheng Danlian, and the Golden Furnace.
Zhu Xuanji could not forget these clues.
His long experience in handling cases made him feel that something extremely important was hidden within.
Thus, even with the second-round palace trials imminent, he insisted on this course of action.
Lava Fairy Palace, main hall.
The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit nervously paced around.
"Zhu Xuanji, Zhu Xuanji!"
"You, why can't you just disappear? Why do you always have to trouble me?"
"Ah, how unfortunate I am to encounter you!"
The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit gritted its teeth, filled with resentment toward Zhu Xuanji.
Driven to desperation, the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit reluctantly choked out its voice, contacting Ning Zhuo again.
"Little master, little, little master, it's me, the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit." Its tone was notably weak.
This was not entirely feigned; the Lava Fairy Palace was so damaged that the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit was indeed not in good condition.
Ning Zhuo was quite surprised by the sudden contact from the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit.
He immediately inquired about the Fire Spirit's physical condition.
Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit, enduring irritability:"Many thanks, little master, for your concern. Little Spirit won't die just yet."
"That Zhu Xuanji wants to cause trouble again!"
"Right now, he wants to use the demon beast tide to investigate the Golden Furnace in the Gourd Forest."
"Little master, I told you before, didn't I? Yuan Dasheng was trapped into making those mechanical artifacts, which used up a Golden Furnace."
"If Zhu Xuanji were to discover this..."
Ning Zhuo's pupils slightly constricted, quickly praising the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit, indicating he would immediately hinder Zhu Xuanji's actions.
The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit showed a hint of exhilaration, continuing in a feeble voice, "Little master, your decisive decisions are extraordinary. Let's cooperate right now and use the Five Elements Turret to deliver a hard blow!"
But Ning Zhuo refused: "There's something inappropriate about this."
The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit, wide-eyed and frantic, said, "What's inappropriate? Little master, you mustn't hesitate!"
Ning Zhuo sighed, "My achievements... During the last palace trial assessment, my achievements were greatly deducted. If I hadn't promptly surrendered my Buddha Heart Demon Seal, I would have lost the chance to participate in the palace trial!"
The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit coughed vigorously twice: "Little master, so wise and powerful indeed! In circumstances so dire that Little Spirit cannot attend to you, to make such a judgment independently is extraordinary."
"But now, if Zhu Xuanji discovers something, what use is more achievements?"
"Little master, please fire now!"
The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit paced anxiously in circles.
"Okay!" Ning Zhuo's straightforward answer delighted the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit.
He began to exercise his authority, raising the Five Elements Turret to the sixth layer, aiming all cannon mouths at the Golden Furnace location in the Gourd Forest.
Mana surged into the cannons, each lighting up with a radiant glow.
"Fire, fire!" the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit was secretly thrilled.
Just as they were about to fire, Ning Zhuo suddenly said, "Oh, right. Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit, do you know the specific subjects for the second round of the palace trial?"
Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit: !!?
At that moment, the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit especially wanted to rush in front of Ning Zhuo and headbutt him hard!
What was the timing asking all this!
The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit exclaimed, "Little master, please shoot first. If we don't fire now, it'll be too late!"
Ning Zhuo shook his head, "I'm really hesitating. Firing this round will deduct more achievements. I've even surrendered my Buddha Heart Demon Seal in order to participate in the palace trial. The position of Palace Master is a must for me!"
"Quickly tell me the content of the upcoming palace trial."
"Otherwise, without striving for the Palace Master position, and having lost my Buddha Heart Demon Seal, I might as well let myself get captured now!"
Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit: …