Zhu Xuanji advanced with long strides, covering such a distance that after a few steps, he was upon Ning Zhuo.
Ning Zhuo had already retreated rapidly, but his speed was far inferior to that of Zhu Xuanji.
Zhu Xuanji extended his palm, striking down from above.
In that instant, even Ning Zhuo's breathing was obstructed, Zhu Xuanji's offensive was ferocious, as if a Heavenly God had descended, covering the sky and earth with a mere sweep of his hand!
At the critical moment, Ning Zhuo slapped his Storage Waist Belt.
A giant monkey suddenly appeared, using its chest to block Zhu Xuanji's palm strike.
This Mechanical Monkey was exactly what Ning Zhuo had refined by accumulating resources and taking advantage of momentum. At the beginning of the second round of the palace examination, Ning Zhuo had even lent it to Ning Jiufan.
Although the Mechanical Monkey was also suppressed to the Foundation Establishment Stage, Ning Zhuo had piled on materials ferociously, making it extremely solid and resistant to damage.
Ning Zhuo controlled the Mechanical Monkey as he fought Zhu Xuanji.
After a few exchanges, Zhu Xuanji suddenly employed the Golden Mountain Stance and shot out a portion of golden mysterious light, pressing it onto the Mechanical Monkey, causing it to struggle to move.
Zhu Xuanji bypassed the Mechanical Monkey, heading straight for Ning Zhuo, the controller.
Ning Zhuo quickly took out a silver-grey token and threw it into the air.
On the front of the token was the character "苍" and on the back was "汉". In midair, it rapidly disintegrated, extended, and expanded, bursting forth with dazzling silver-grey beams.
When the light dissipated, the Iron Han Armor quietly floated in midair.
Ning Zhuo pushed back, and the Iron Han Armor instantly opened up, enveloping him inside.
Hidden within his spine was a Foundation Establishment Pill, full and round, which instantly activated.
In an instant, Ning Zhuo possessed Foundation Establishment Level combat power, and his speed surged dramatically.
Zhu Xuanji's attack fell short as a result.
He stood in place after missing his strike, his gaze calm, "Indeed, you are the Youthful Guest."
While saying this, he raised his hand with his palm facing the rapidly retreating Ning Zhuo.
Martial Arts—Sky Splitting!
An invisible surge of power suddenly exploded, striking Ning Zhuo's body in an instant.
Iron Armor Cold!
At the critical moment, Ning Zhuo fiercely urged the defense Array of the Iron Han Armor, bringing its power to its maximum of tenfold.
Thus, he triggered a Mechanical Technique, frigid cold overflowing everywhere while the Metal Element strengthened.
Even so, he was still sent flying by the overwhelming palm force.
Bang.
Ning Zhuo collided with a wall, his entire back embedded in the wall.
The impact nearly caused Ning Zhuo to vomit blood, his vision blurred and ears ringing. The Mechanical Ring on his finger suddenly constricted forcefully, snapping him back to consciousness.
Mechanical Techniques—Wind-Thunder Move!
Spirit Stones were consumed frenetically, transforming into vast Spiritual Power that was channeled into two palm-sized, intricately patterned wind and thunder Talismans.
The Talismans burst forth with wind and thunder power which, through the internal Array Patterns of the Iron Han Armor, interwove and merged, forming a greenish-blue electric light that wrapped around the Iron Han Armor.
The next moment, the invisible palm strength approached once again!
Ning Zhuo, controlling the Iron Han Armor, shot forth, leaving behind only trails of greenish-blue electric light in his original spot.
Bang.
The palm force covered down heavily, extinguishing the greenish-blue electric light completely, leaving a massive handprint the size of four feet on the wall.
Sun Lingtong urgently sent a mental message, "Azhuo, be careful! Whether it's the Golden Mountain Stance or the Jade Pillar Body, they both reinforce the Cultivator in all aspects."
Ning Zhuo had already perceived Zhu Xuanji's formidability!
Even though his cultivation level was suppressed at the Foundation Establishment Level due to the Prohibition of the Secret Pavilion of Transition, Divine Skills in themselves could be used to fight across levels.
Ning Zhuo's recent surprise attack had triggered Zhu Xuanji's powerful state with three Divine Skills added to him.
Miss Rudie needed full force just to release the consensus of a Quasi Golden Core. Yet each of Zhu Xuanji's strikes surpassed the normal Foundation Establishment Level, reaching the degree of a Quasi Golden Core!
"Let's attack him together!" Ning Zhuo shouted.
Mechanical Techniques—Azure Dragon Strikes the Skies!
Armor plates on the back, shoulders, and on the elbows and wrists of both arms of the Iron Han Armor were lifted outward, revealing the explosive Talismans hidden within.
The next moment, various Talismans ignited completely, shining bright white light to fully boost Ning Zhuo's actions.
Like a silver dragon, Ning Zhuo tore through the sky.
He circled around Zhu Xuanji, engaging in mid-range combat.
Ning Zhuo's attacks struck Zhu Xuanji's body, causing the Golden Mountain Mysterious Light to shake while the Golden Branches and Jade Leaves on the mountain crackled continuously, yet unable to injure Zhu Xuanji in the slightest.
By contrast, he kept dodging while only occasionally blocking.
Zhu Xuanji's attacks were forceful and heavy, quickly causing the Iron Han Armor to show cracks and wear.
This was already the strongest state of the Iron Han Armor, but it could only just manage not to be defeated.
The Mechanical Ring was frequently activated, allowing Ning Zhuo to dodge many attacks.
The Netherworld Envoy, Qi Bai, put away the Ghost and leaned forward, emitting a beam of sound waves from his mouth.
In his throat lied the Mechanical component, the Soul Disturbing Throat Drum; the drumming could disturb the soul. However, when it hit Zhu Xuanji, it only made the trees of his Golden Branches and Jade Leaves sway a bit more beautifully.
Seeing this, Ning Zhuo's pupils contracted, realizing that the close connection between the three Divine Skills made Zhu Xuanji's defense robust to the point of despair.
"We must break the connection between the three Divine Skills!"
Ning Zhuo glimpsed the key to the battle, but how to do so, he could not think of any way at the moment.
Sun Lingtong dared not engage in close combat and used Sword Skill to attack from a distance.
The Golden Core Mechanism Monkey, in perfect harmony with Ning Zhuo, was beaten back by Zhu Xuanji.
Miss Rudie on the sidelines was anxious, wanting to intervene but fearing she might injure her own teammates.
Yang Chanyu no longer shot Poison Arrows, "Our coordination is far from tacit, seriously lacking in practice, and the degree of combined force is very poor."
She quietly went invisible, making up some sort of resolve.
Old Cicada Technique!
The sound of cicadas silenced in autumn!!
The mournful cries of autumn cicadas suddenly rang out, and Yang Chanyu abruptly appeared behind Zhu Xuanji.
Wielding the Soul-Stealing Glint Knife, she pierced through the Golden Mountain Mysterious Light, broke through the Jade Skin, and aimed to continue her stab, but the knife blade was caught by Zhu Xuanji.
Zhu Xuanji looked down at Yang Chanyu, "To draw blood from me in such a state, Yang Chanyu, you can indeed be proud."
A warning signal rose in Yang Chanyu's heart, and without hesitation, she abandoned the knife and retreated explosively!
Golden light burst from Zhu Xuanji's left eye.
Innate—Golden Eyes.
Spell—Thorn Felt.
Innate casting—Golden Pupil Radiant Needle.
In an instant, a golden halo enveloped Yang Chanyu.
Within the halo, golden light condensed into needles, hundreds and thousands of them firing in rapid succession!
Striking Yang Chanyu's whole body!
Yang Chanyu cried out in pain, stimulated her Mana, activated her defensive magic artifact, and braced herself with all her might.
But as long as she didn't leave Zhu Xuanji's field of vision, she had to constantly endure the onslaught of a thousand golden needles.
Yang Chanyu wanted to perform the Invisibility Technique.
Zhu Xuanji pointed his finger.
Official Skill—Locked Country!
Immediately, golden light chains coalesced on Yang Chanyu's body, binding her tightly.
Zhu Xuanji's fingers flicked rapidly.
Sun Lingtong, Netherworld Envoy Qi Bai, the Golden Core Mechanism Monkey were successively afflicted, bound in place, struggling with all their might.
Only Ning Zhuo, relying on the warning of the Mechanical Ring, managed to escape in advance.
"This is within the Southern Bean Kingdom."
"The Official Skill deployed by Zhu Xuanji is powerful and difficult to resist!"
"What should we do?"
Ning Zhuo dodged the Official Skill Locked Country, but his presence was exposed under Zhu Xuanji's gaze, and his body was covered by a layer of halo.
Countless fine light needles persistently pricked his body.
Ning Zhuo inwardly cursed the bad luck and could only defend with all his strength. The Iron Han Armor rapidly deteriorated, its surface pitted with densely packed needle holes, increasing by the minute!
The others were too preoccupied to help themselves as Zhu Xuanji attacked again!
Martial Arts—Mountain Barrier.
He slapped his hand forward and struck the Mechanical Monkey's chest and abdomen. The strong force, despite the heavy armor of the chest and abdomen, hit the monkey's internal ice sculpture Mechanism.
Bang.
A muffled sound, the exquisitely delicate ice sculpture Mechanism, under this blow, was obliterated.
The Golden Core Mechanism Monkey thus suffered a great loss of power, its combat effectiveness plummeted to the bottom, nearly paralyzed on the spot.
Zhu Xuanji then attacked Netherworld Envoy Qi Bai, his palm like a blade, cleaving the latter from shoulder to waist, literally splitting him in half.
He charged towards Miss Rudie.
Miss Rudie's face drained of color, and she screamed out loud!
From behind her butterfly wings, a burst of power emerged, forming countless twisting rays of light that interwove into fragments of light and shadow.
Light and shadow intertwined and expanded rapidly.
Zhu Xuanji rushed in but ended up taking a turn within the crisscrossing light and shadow, bypassing Miss Rudie.
"It's actually the Qu Guangzhiying Formation!" Zhu Xuanji felt surprised and at the same time, troubled.
He temporarily abandoned Miss Rudie and attacked Yang Chanyu.
Yang Chanyu had to defend against the golden needles, unable to deal with Zhu Xuanji; his feet swept her, causing severe injuries as blood spurted, triggering a mechanism, and a ring of light that suddenly appeared engulfed her, transporting her out of the Secret Pavilion of Transition.
Zhu Xuanji then turned towards Sun Lingtong.
"Boss, run!" In a critical moment, Ning Zhuo lunged over and pushed Sun Lingtong away.
Sun Lingtong crashed to the ground, got up, and saw a portal close at hand.
"Go quickly!" Ning Zhuo's voice came again.
Sun Lingtong turned her head and saw Ning Zhuo being struck by Zhu Xuanji's heavy punch; the Iron Han Armor shattered, with fragments flying in the wind.
But Ning Zhuo also took advantage of the force of the heavy punch, was thrown flying out, and dived into Miss Rudie's Qu Guangzhiying Formation, disappearing from Zhu Xuanji's view.
Hidden by light and shadow, Ning Zhuo no longer had a halo around him, no longer in danger of the deadly golden needles.
But in the next moment, a ray of golden light pierced through the light and shadow, like a sword, piercing Ning Zhuo's abdomen!
Ning Zhuo quickly fled.
Light and shadow wove together, creating a strange world of black and white.
Time and again, golden swords shot through, each time targeting Ning Zhuo precisely.
Ning Zhuo was very clear in his heart; this was because he was already being tracked and monitored by Zhu Xuanji's means.
In just a dozen breaths, Ning Zhuo was already bathed in blood.
"Little Zhuo!" Sun Lingtong clenched her teeth, yet she didn't join the fight; instead, she rolled out the door, shut it, and immediately ran toward another portal.
Seeing this, Zhu Xuanji scoffed coldly, "Ning Zhuo, you see, this is the loyalty of a traitor!"
"Your defeat is certain, no need to struggle further. Surrender and exit. Afterward, reflect on your actions seriously and surrender to gain leniency."
The black and white light and shadow filled the entire Secret Pavilion, the overlapping of shadows making Zhu Xuanji's perception of Ning Zhuo increasingly vague.
His offer of surrender met with no response from Ning Zhuo, who was hesitating about whether to kill his way into the Array when he suddenly lost all sensations of Ning Zhuo.
The next moment, he heard a message announcement.
"Ning Jiufan fought Zheng Shuanggou, Meng Chong, Meng Family's Golden Core True Transmission. Ning Jiufan eliminated in defeat, Zheng Shuanggou eliminated in defeat!"
Zhu Xuanji's brows scrunched up severely.
The next moment, he received a second message.
"Zhu Xuanji fought the entry standard, Yang Chanyu, Ning Zhuo. Yang Chanyu eliminated in defeat, Ning Zhuo surrenders and eliminates."
Zhu Xuanji's frown slowly relaxed, and after casting a final glance at the Qu Guangzhiying Formation, he turned and left.