Chapter 182: Habit

Zheng Fa did not expect that Uncle Pang, having invited those Nascent Souls, still felt uneasy about these people.

"I told you before that some sects within the Baixian Alliance are unreliable." Uncle Pang seemed to see through Zheng Fa's surprise and smiled lightly: "Regarding Shijie Zhang achieving the Nascent Soul, they are likely even more resistant than the Mo Sect."

"Uncle, it's just one more Nascent Soul..."

"Is Shijie Zhang an ordinary Nascent Soul?" Uncle Pang sneered: "She is one who can rival a Nascent Soul with a Jin Dan—after she forms her infant, her strength will likely be three points greater than mine, and she will undoubtedly be considered exceptionally powerful within the Baixian Alliance."

"Then why did you invite these people?"

"I invited most of the Nascent Souls from the Baixian Alliance nearby today. As expected, someone has already harbored treacherous thoughts."

Zheng Fa agreed: "So, these people are not only not an aid, but could be enemies?"

Uncle Pang said calmly: "Placing them in the open is better than them scheming in the dark. Moreover, through them, I have confirmed that the Zizaimo Sect indeed intends to act against us."

Zheng Fa nodded.

He trusted Uncle Pang's judgment of these people, and since these people had developed evil intentions, it was hard to say whether they had heard any rumors—perhaps there was even collusion between inside and outside.

"But you cannot stay here; there are too many True Persons of the Nascent Soul Stage in this place." Uncle Pang sighed: "I cannot protect you at all times, nor do I have the ability... Shijie Zhang's formation of the infant came too suddenly; otherwise, I should have let you return to the mountain first."

Zheng Fa shook his head.

That was impossible; once Shijie Zhang produced the phenomenon of infant formation, the Jiushan Sect would be targeted by others.

Returning alone would be seeking death.

"Your current situation is the most dangerous; first, you are a famous genius within our sect, and those people may have set their sights on you." Uncle Pang frowned: "On the other hand, your close relationship with Shijie Zhang is no secret..."

"Uncle, are you saying someone will use me to hinder Shijie Zhang's infant formation?"

"Achieving the Nascent Soul has a Heart Demon Tribulation." Uncle Pang nodded: "They will naturally interfere in this aspect."

"For the Zizaimo Sect, anyone who kills someone from our Jiushan Sect will do; if they cannot kill Shijie Zhang, attacking our Five Dragon Tiangong is also an option, even an inevitability—kill us first, leaving Shijie Zhang without support; once she forms her infant and is isolated and helpless, she will naturally be easier to deal with."

"But the choices for those righteous Nascent Souls are fewer; the best method—of course, is to kill you, so that Shijie Zhang cannot pass the Heart Demon Tribulation."

Zheng Fa fell silent.

"With these ill-intentioned Nascent Souls within and the Zizaimo Sect without, my Five Dragon Tiangong can be said to be suffering from internal troubles and external threats." Uncle Pang smiled: "I wonder how many Jiushan Sect disciples in this palace will remain after this tribulation."

Silver light flashed in Uncle Pang's eyes as he surveyed the Five Dragon Tiangong, seemingly looking at every disciple in the palace, especially those disciples under his own command.

He stole a glance expressionlessly and openly, but Zheng Fa, standing nearby, did not know what to say.

To say Uncle Pang did not care about his disciples would be false.

But there was no doubt that Uncle Pang held the mindset of sacrificing these disciples.

He spoke of worrying about Zheng Fa being harmed, but both Zheng Fa and he were clear—once the Nascent Soul battle began, not a single disciple in the Five Dragon Tiangong was without danger.

Zheng Fa was merely a bigger target.

Uncle Pang's reluctance now was not feigned, but just as Daoist Sun Sun Da Yu had said:

If chosen a hundred times, he would still choose the Jiushan Sect.

"Uncle."

"Hmm?"

"Let me take the senior brothers into the Lei Chi."

Uncle Pang was stunned and looked at Zheng Fa.

Zheng Fa explained his own idea.

"The senior brothers have already gained considerable experience in 'The Great Dao Striving for Immortality,' and now they have undergone special training by Lin Lin Bu Fan, and are particularly familiar with the environment of the Lei Chi."

"Moreover, the strength of the high-cultivation cultivators within the Lei Chi has been suppressed quite a bit."

"Perhaps within the Lei Chi, the senior brothers could become an aid rather than a burden."

"An aid?" Uncle Pang's eyebrows furrowed.

"I want to take the senior brothers to block the door of the Zizaimo Sect!"

Zheng Fa suddenly said.

"... Block the door?" Uncle Pang was stunned; he looked at Zheng Fa, his eyes gradually brightening, but suddenly his expression turned very puzzled: "Are you Shixia Zheng?"

"?"

"You actually have this kind of courage?"

"I just need you, Uncle, to lend me some talismans."

"Talismans?"

At the entrance of the Zizaimo Sect secret realm.

Groups of Zizaimo Sect members stood inside the gate, their formation suggesting they were about to emerge in full force.

They looked somewhat tense, yet also excited.

Most of them possessed Foundation Establishment cultivation, while a few Zizaimo Sect members of the Golden Core Stage stood within the ranks, shouting orders and maintaining order.

In the foremost group, Lin Yangtian frowned slightly, feeling a bit wary in his heart.

The Lei Chi outside imposes too great a restriction on Golden Core cultivators.

"Yangtian, what are you thinking?" Beside him was another Golden Core cultivator, familiar with him, who asked upon seeing his expression was off.

"I am worrying about the matter of attacking the Jiushan Sect."

"Heh, what is the Jiushan Sect? If we had not been trapped by the Lei Chi before, how could they have been allowed to exist nearby?" That Golden Core cultivator sneered: "I heard that in that so-called Lei Chi market, there is even a bounty on the blood of our Holy Sect members; this is truly too insulting. Today, when we attack their door, we must make them know that our Holy Sect cannot be lightly insulted."

Lin Yangtian remained expressionless.

To be honest, he felt nothing—if they were insulted, so be it.

Did hiding in the secret realm for so many years make their reputation good?

The reason their formation was so large today was, first of all, because of Zhang Wuyi—

Zhang Wuyi forming her infant so quickly directly triggered painful memories for the high leadership of the Holy Sect, even creating a determination to kill this woman at any cost.

On the other hand, there was the bounty placed by the Jiushan Sect in the Lei Chi market.

Because of that bounty, for a period of time, many disciples of the Great Zizaimo Mo Sect didn't even dare to leave their gates.

It was truly quite frustrating.

Lin Yangtian's brows were still slightly furrowed; he always felt the Jiushan Sect was a bit strange—last time, the exposure of his subordinate Lin Lin Bu Fan and his uncle was unclear, leaving him unable to figure out the details.

"What are you thinking? The strength of the Jiushan Sect and our Holy Sect differ by heaven and earth; they only have one Nascent Soul elder out there. This battle is truly a good opportunity." A fellow disciple beside him laughed: "If you hadn't gone to the Jiushan Sect before and knew something about them, how would this vanguard position be yours? I heard the Lei Chi market, though newly established, is also wealthy. If we truly conquer the Lei Chi market, we might just make a fortune."

Lin Yangtian's face also showed a smile.

Right, he had no interest in fighting for the honor of the Great Zizaimo Mo Sect.

But fighting for the wealth of the Lei Chi market—

then he was willing to take the lead.

He commanded the several Foundation Establishment cultivators in his squad to cross the secret realm gate.

In the next moment, he saw some chaos in the squad ahead.

Someone was retreating backwards at high speed.

"What's going on?"

He frowned, his tone displeased.

"Enemies are attacking!" A Foundation Establishment cultivator ahead shouted: "They blocked the secret realm gate; the three senior brothers in front are already dead!"

Lin Yangtian and the Jin Dan cultivator beside him looked at each other in shock—

Wait, didn't they say they were attacking the enemy's door?

How did they get attacked at their own door?

"Who is it?"

"It seems to be the Jiushan Sect!"

"..."

How are the sects outside more fierce than us?

Zheng Fa, leading the various Jiushan Sect disciples, looked at the archway that seemed to be made of black stone, and their expressions were all somewhat wary.

The archway was not large; it seemed it could only accommodate two or three people entering and exiting simultaneously.

Blocking the door like this, though seemingly dangerous, was actually much safer than inside the Five Dragons Tiangong.

In the Lei Chi, everyone above Foundation Establishment must sit in meditation!

Sun Daoyu stood nearby, his expression somewhat nervous.

"Junior brother, should we wait until more of them come out before we fight?"

"Senior brother, do we have many people?"

Zheng Fa was somewhat speechless.

Sun Daoyu looked around and fell silent as well.

The Jiushan Sect disciples were not many; adding up the Foundation Establishment cultivators, there were fewer than fifty.

Now he understood Zheng Fa's meaning.

"They come out bit by bit, and we attack all at once!" Zheng Fa said: "Don't be afraid to spend the Spirit Talismans! There will be enough for everyone today!"

Behind him, Li Nuo led a group of Jiushan Sect disciples waving talisman seals, rapidly crafting Spirit Talismans.

"Oh, right, where are the corpses of those few Mo Sect disciples just now? Drag them over, don't waste them."

Sun Daoyu twitched the corner of his mouth.

What kind of "living off the enemy" is this?

I feel the style of our Jiushan Sect is a bit off.

But...

He turned back and looked, seeing the Spirit Talismans flowing endlessly behind him like a river; he had to say, inexplicably, he felt very reassured.

Soon, the people inside also seemed to discover that Zheng Fa and the others had blocked their own secret realm gate.

At first, a few Foundation Establishment cultivators tried to rush out, but Zheng Fa led everyone to focus fire and killed them directly.

Later, they probably thought the Foundation Establishment cultivators were too fragile, so two Jin Dan cultivators rushed out from the archway.

The Dao bodies of Jin Dan cultivators were much stronger than those of Foundation Establishment.

These two were surrounded by black mist protecting their bodies, enduring a waterfall-like barrage of mystic-grade talismans as they charged toward Zheng Fa and the others.

"Junior brother!"

Seeing their fierce and demonic appearance, the Jiushan Sect disciples nearby all showed fear on their faces.

Zheng Fa saw clearly that these two seemed not unaffected by those Spirit Talismans, but were relying on their physical cultivation to endure them stubbornly.

Behind them followed many Mo Sect members; using these two Jin Dan cultivators to clear the way, they finally charged into the Lei Chi.

These people had just been forced into the secret realm by Zheng Fa and the others, not daring to even stick their heads out; now their faces were all filled with excitement as they flew toward Zheng Fa and the others with great effort.

He glanced at the Jiushan Sect disciples beside him and called out softly: "Retreat."

Hearing this, the Jiushan Sect disciples, though not understanding why, retreated one after another due to Zheng Fa's authority.

Only the two Jin Dan cultivators of the Great Zizaimo Mo Sect, leading numerous Foundation Establishment Stage disciples, charged toward this side.

Zheng Fa watched them getting closer and suddenly reached out to lift off his Dao robe, carefully placing it into the storage bag at his waist.

The two Jin Dan cultivators at the front of the Mo Sect stopped their steps, seeming to remember something at the same time.

Zheng Fa smiled lightly, and a Spirit Talisman flew into the thunderclouds in the sky.

This was the Thunder Fire Talisman he had borrowed from Senior Uncle Pang—a Earth-grade talisman, containing the divine sense and power of the Golden Core Stage.

In an instant, the thunderclouds in the sky roared like surging waves.

They were enraged by the Golden Core spiritual awareness within the Thunder Flame Talisman.

Lightning fell like rain, turning the hundred-zhang space around Zheng Fa into a playground of dancing Lei Ting.

The faces of the two Golden Core Stage cultivators before Zheng Fa gradually turned from ferocity to blankness.

Then gradually to fear.

Finally, they turned and ran.

But within this Lei Chi, they dared not use their treasures or spiritual techniques.

They were quickly caught by the unchecked Zheng Fa.

Under two strokes of heavenly tribulation, both Golden Core cultivators were instantly severely wounded.

The other demonic sect disciples, seeing Zheng Fa charging toward them with a sky-full of heavenly tribulation, turned pale and scrambled into the secret realm.

The problem was…

When rushing outward, they had thought the secret realm's exit was crowded.

But when running inward, it was even more crowded…

…

Far away, Yan Wushuang, together with the two True Disciples of Tai Shang Dao and Hao Rishan, watched the scene.

Seeing Zheng Fa's actions, all three froze.

Chu Tianque from Hao Rishan wore a complex expression, glancing at Zheng Fa, then at Yan Wushuang beside him.

After a long while, he slowly spoke:

"Brother Zheng, do you have some connection with Elder Brother?"

Yan Wushuang was equally stunned—wasn't this fighting style just his own copy?

After deep thought, Yan Wushuang suddenly burst into laughter:

"This Brother Zheng! He truly shares my exact tastes!"

"... Tastes?"

The other two exchanged glances, as if they already knew exactly what those tastes were.

Their gazes toward Zheng Fa grew distant, tinged with reverence.