One day before.
Ning Jiufan flew swiftly, the lush green mountains beneath his feet gradually receding into the distance.
"Senior, according to the map, we are about to reach Yugang Mountain," Hanzhou said, sitting beside Ning Jiufan.
The two were seated on a giant flying block of ice.
The cold made Hanzhou feel at home since he originally came from the Northern Land. As a result, he felt a sense of kinship with Ning Jiufan, the owner of the flying ice block.
"Indeed, Yugang Mountain is already within sight," Ning Jiufan had far better vision than Hanzhou, after all, he was at the Golden Core Level.
He had already spotted a glimpse of Yugang Mountain on the horizon.
But just as he relaxed slightly, the sky and earth suddenly changed color.
A formation abruptly unfurled, enveloping Ning Jiufan and Hanzhou in an instant.
In the blink of an eye, the world returned to normal, as if everything just now was merely an illusion. Ning Jiufan and Hanzhou had completely disappeared.
Ning Jiufan fell into the formation, both shocked and furious.
All he could see was a dull yellow world, a halo-like sphere, enclosing everything around.
Three indistinct figures were spread out, encircling Ning Jiufan and Hanzhou from a distance.
"Who dares trap me?" Ning Jiufan yelled angrily, "I am Ning Jiufan, Golden Core Ancestor of the Ning Family from Fire Persimmon Mountain. Perhaps you have mistakenly targeted the wrong person?"
Someone among the three figures spoke, "Ning Jiufan, we have long awaited your arrival. You're the one we intend to eliminate!"
Hanzhou was shocked and immediately tensed up. He hadn't expected that accompanying a Golden Core Cultivator would lead him into a life-or-death crisis.
Ning Jiufan's heart sank. Since the enemy had been waiting specifically for him, they likely had a significant background.
After some thought, he quickly took out an official seal from his chest, "You are mistaken, swayed by others! I am a Hidden Official of the Southern Bean Dynasty. Retreat now, and I promise I will not pursue you."
"Otherwise, if anything happens to me here, the entire Southern Bean Country will issue a warrant for your arrest and pursuit."
However, the enemy laughed heartily, "Ning Jiufan, we've come specifically to kill a dog official like you!"
Ning Jiufan was startled again.
Since they knew his identity and were still willing to kill an official, it was very likely to be the Meng Family.
After all, since the Ning Family had moved into the Fire Persimmon Immortal City, the only strong external enemy was the Meng Family.
Besides that, it could be the enemies from North Wind Country, but this possibility was much less significant than the Meng Family.
Hanzhou transmitted a message, "Ancestor Ning, all three of them possess the aura of Golden Core Cultivators. Why not release Yuan Lao and forcefully break through the formation with strength!"
Ning Jiufan shook his head in his heart. He did not want to do this.
If this ambush was indeed orchestrated by the Meng Family, how could they not have anticipated his Nascent Soul Level demon beast?
If he really released Yuan Lao, he was afraid he would fall right into the enemy's trap.
Considering this, Ning Jiufan snorted coldly, both as a response to Hanzhou and in defiance of the enemy's words, "If that's how it is, then let me show you the valor of a man from the Northern Land in battle!"
"Take this!"
The moment Ning Jiufan finished speaking, he took action.
At once, the North Wind blew, sending great snowflakes fluttering, with bone-chilling cold rapidly spreading everywhere.
One of the three Golden Core Cultivators revealed himself, employing a spell to counter the snowstorm.
Ning Jiufan's Wind Snow Spell was suppressed, so he took out a talisman and activated it at once.
The talisman floated in midair, bursting with brilliant light, quickly condensing into a giant ice snowman.
Beneath the Ice Man, snow clouds formed spontaneously, and with a long-handled ice sculpture sword in hand, it charged at another Golden Core opponent.
Seeing the Ice Man closing in, that Golden Core Cultivator hurriedly cast spells, continually pressing down to slow the Ice Man's advance.
Ning Jiufan multitasked, shooting out a Magic Treasure Level ice cone at a third person.
The Golden Core Cultivator, upon seeing the ice cone approaching with imposing might, knew that ordinary spells would not withstand it, immediately took out a large cauldron.
The cauldron flew forward, collided with the ice cone, and let out loud clangs, but it managed to hold it off for the time being.
Ning Jiufan laughed heartily, his spirit soaring, "Is that all you three have? If you have any more tricks, bring them on!"
Hanzhou watched in extreme amazement on the side. He hadn't expected the Ning Family Ancestor to be so dominant against three.
But he quickly thought of Ning Zhuo.
"The grandson is like the grandfather. Young Master Ning Zhuo's attributes are a glimpse of the Ning Family's excellence and strength."
"The performance of the Ning Family's Golden Core Ancestor is actually no surprise."
Hanzhou also thought of the powerful trump card of their side— Yuan Lao at the Nascent Soul Level, and his heart gradually settled, no longer as anxious.
He didn't know that although Ning Jiufan appeared calm on the surface, he was actually extremely tense inside and had already lost the home advantage by falling into the formation. If the three Golden Core Cultivators were chosen by the Meng Family, they would indeed have some ability.
"If only there were reinforcements nearby Yugang Mountain."
The Guardian of Yugang Mountain was no longer Meng Zizhong, replaced by a Golden Core from the Zhu Family Royal Family.
Before Ning Jiufan arrived, he had already sent a Flying Message to communicate, and both sides had exchanged a message.
But Ning Jiufan thought again, "If the enemy has set this ambush here, how could they have not taken into account the Golden Core stationed at Yugang Mountain?"
"Therefore, any commotion in this formation is unlikely to get out."
"No, if it really got out, it would be even worse. It must be their deliberate intention, to lure the Golden Core Guardian here for support, in order to trap us all in one fell swoop!"
Hanzhou didn't grasp the gravity of the situation, since he knew little about the existence at the Golden Core Level.
But Ning Jiufan's own thoughts were also limited.
Even the three Golden Core Cultivators setting the ambush didn't know that their attempt had already been exposed.