There would never be such a cheerful smile.
"You're only sixteen, that's the smile a young man should have."
"Just keep adventuring like this."
"Go and see all sorts of ugliness and beauty, experience all kinds of excitement and interesting things."
"Life itself has infinite possibilities, countless different ways to live."
"Your life can't just have hard, massive goals; it must be interesting, splendid, and bright!"
Sun Lingtong always had this worry—if Ning Zhuo's plan to resurrect his mother failed completely in the future, what kind of heavy blow would he suffer?
Would he, like Sun Lingtong of the past, feel as if his heart had died, and lose all interest in life?
Therefore, Sun Lingtong very much hoped Ning Zhuo could experience the many beauties of life.
He wanted to see Ning Zhuo's interaction with Lin Shanshan, as well as Ning Zhuo's dual cultivation with Mu Lan, not just for the fun of it.
And Sun Lingtong accompanied Ning Zhuo on his journey with very simple and pure motives—
"Little Zhuo."
"If cruel fate brings you harm, difficulty, robs you of happiness, and burdens you heavily."
"Then let me make up for all of it!"
This was the decision Sun Lingtong had made in the depths of his heart long ago.
Collapse.
Under Ning Zhuo's increasingly fierce assault, the magic treasure large bell finally reached its limit, collapsing with a loud bang, shattering into countless pieces.
Yen Jinli, who had been continually urging the bell, encountered backlash and knelt on the ground, spitting blood.
"Little Zhuo, good opportunity," Sun Lingtong shouted, "Capture him alive!"
"Got it, boss!"
Ning Zhuo took a deep breath, one hand forming a finger technique, releasing dark green vines, the other hand taking out a stack of talismans and directly activated them, shooting them out.
The vines quickly entwined, binding Yen Jin tightly, holding him in place.
The talismans consecutively hit him, sticking to all parts of his body, sealing him firmly. He couldn't mobilize mana, nor could he release his divine sense, completely immobilized.
"Hahaha, I did it, this is my first captured enemy." Ning Zhuo laughed joyfully.
Within the Ten-Thousand-Li Travelling Dragon, Sun Lingtong raised his thumb, genuinely happy for Ning Zhuo: "Little Zhuo, impressive. You only have Foundation Establishment cultivation, but you captured a Golden Core!"
Ning Zhuo landed and did not rashly approach Yen Jin; instead, he mobilized his divine sense to observe and used detection spells to confirm.
While casting spells, he communicated with Sun Lingtong secretly: "Too bad, the bell shattered too early, I didn't get to test my limit tolerance."
Sun Lingtong laughed: "Little Zhuo, you fool. This actually doesn't mean much, does it?"
Ning Zhuo was slightly stunned, then understood Sun Lingtong's underlying meaning.
Indeed.
Through the Fetal Breathing Spirit Boat, his physical body realm would constantly soar.
Measuring combat limits now, so what?
After a while, it would change again.
Ning Zhuo's expression turned serious as he gradually walked up to Yen Jin: "Boss, you're right."
"I was somewhat carried away."
"The progress and achievements I've made now are hardly anything."
"Capturing a Golden Core? I just relied on military art and Five Elements realm; the former was provided by the soldiers and Gao Sheng's Legacy, the latter was taught by the Five Elements God Master."
"Even the physical body realm was achieved thanks to you and the Fetal Breathing Spirit Boat. My own efforts accounted for very little."
"Thank you, boss."
"You always remind me in cunning ways, subtly!"
Sun Lingtong scratched his head: "Little Zhuo, this..."
Another battlefield.
Liu Guanzhang took turns using military art, continuously bombarding the fire curtain.
Three layers of fire curtain!
Fairy Liuyan frowned, exerting all her power to unleash the formation's power.
Heat waves surged forward, many soldiers suddenly ignited, burning into screaming human torches.
Liu Guanzhang's three generals either solemn, silent or roaring, all continuously used military art.
Fairy Liuyan felt encouraged: "I can hold out!"
"The Three Generals Camp lacks training, lacks elite soldiers, has insufficient military provisions, therefore their military power is insufficient."
"Their total military power can't sustain consecutive triple military art assaults."
"Moreover, they need to reserve some military power, to protect themselves from being burnt by the flames!"
Yet the next moment, Liu Er suddenly shouted: "Now, attack with full force!"
Guan and Zhang immediately complied.
Blade light split the first fire curtain, black spear pierced the second, sword light ripped through the third!
"How is it possible? You actually saw through the fire curtain's nodes?" Fairy Liuyan stared at Liu Er in disbelief.
Guan and Zhang's overwhelming power, using most of their military force, breaking the fire curtain wasn't surprising.
The key was Liu Er's sword light, extremely weak, barely mobilizing any military force, but it accurately struck the fire curtain node, dispelling the last line of defense with finesse.
Liu Er did not answer but continued to swing his sword.
Sword light flew towards Fairy Liuyan's throat.
"Don't you dare!" Fairy Liuyan shouted angrily, revealing her trump card.
Her body suddenly appeared covered in dense talismans, the talismans glowing red, burning like flames. In an instant, Fairy Liuyan transformed into a humanoid flame.
Though the sword light cut through the humanoid flame's head, the next moment the flames reconnected, forming a complete humanoid again.
"It's too soon for you to kill me." Fairy Liuyan prepared to retreat.
Innate—Purple Bearded Shocking Swallow!
Guan Hong finally recovered his breath, releasing his innate ability, immobilizing Fairy Liuyan.
"Ahhh!" Zhang Hei flew out of the battle formation, lifting his Black Snake Spear overhead, aiming at the humanoid flame and thrusting down.
Martial Art—Black Python Strangulation!
Military power, mana, and energy mixed together, forming a thick black python-like soldier's energy at the spear tip.
The fierce black energy, like a spiraling black python, instantly pierced the humanoid flame.
Guan Hong suddenly half-kneeled on the ground, gasping for breath.
Purple Bearded Shocking Swallow disengaged, quickly allowing Fairy Liuyan to regain mobility, only to see herself impaled by the Black Snake Spear.
"It's useless, I am now a Fire-attribute Dharma Body, ugh!"
The next moment, the black soldier energy exploded, like the black python opening its huge mouth, swallowing its prey whole.
Flames soared, emitting a dazzling light.
But it was Fairy Liuyan's final futile struggle.
The black soldier energy strangled all the flames and dissipated completely.
Leaving only a dim and broken Golden Core, floating in the air, then grabbed by Zhang Hei.
Zhang Hei landed, holding the Golden Core in his fist, raising it high: "The enemy, has been slain by me!"
Ooooh!
The Three Generals Camp erupted in enthusiastic cheers.
"We've won." Guan Hong exhaled deeply and stood up straight.
Liu Er swiftly scanned the army, estimating losses, issuing orders for cleaning up the battlefield and taking over the formation.
"There's an empty chamber underground, hiding the Vermilion Bird Incense Burner."
Following Liu Er's instructions, the soldiers indeed dug out the formation heart magic treasure.
"With this, we control the Ten-li Burning Forest formation." Guan Hong smiled, feeling gratified.
Zhang Hei curiously asked: "How did you discover the hidden chamber? This underground arrangement is advanced, capable of shielding divine sense scans."
Liu Er hesitated but did not answer.
It's his innate ability Spirit Sound Pulse Detection at work.
This innate ability endows Liu Er with extraordinary hearing, capable of hearing distant sounds, tracing back events, and discerning matters.
The key was tracing back events.
Thus, Spirit Sound Pulse Detection's scouting ability is weak but excels in seeking the origins.
Through the battles, Liu Er slowly traced the fire curtain's source and the formation's details.
The fire curtain nodes were discovered similarly.
"We can't control the forest protection formation for now," the three generals tried several times, all resulting in failure.
"First take the Vermilion Bird Incense Burner and other items, seal the formation," Liu Er ordered, "We need to support the strategist immediately."
Zhang Hei said loudly: "Don't worry, the bell has stopped, the strategist must have won."
Guan Hong stroked his beard: "Precisely because of this, we should support the strategist even more."
Zhang Hei: "Huh?"
Liu Er explained: "Just as we can no longer hear the bell, the strategist is no longer attacked by the fire curtain, the fire in the forest will also significantly reduce. He will realize we have defeated Fairy Liuyan."
"What do you think his next action will be?"
Zhang Hei: "We found this place by your guidance. The strategist doesn't know the location, either returns to the original separation point or...goes straight to the central Fire Crown Divine Pine?"
Liu Er nodded: "Precisely. Luo Chen hasn't appeared till now, something unexpected or a mishap must have occurred."
"With the strategist's ability, there is a high chance he will head there to investigate military conditions."
Zhang Hei thought of Ning Zhuo facing Du Tiechuan's summons without fear while he was worried about being punished for slaying Iron Eagle, and heartily agreed: "The strategist is very capable! Let's go to the Fire Crown Divine Pine and meet up with the strategist, hahaha."