Chapter 428: Divine Ability Concealment

One day ago.

Ning Jiufan flew rapidly, the green mountains beneath his feet slowly receding.

"Senior, according to the map, we are about to arrive at Jade Steel Mountain." Han Zhou sat beside Ning Jiufan.

The two were sitting on a giant flying ice block.

The cold made Han Zhou feel very close, because he was originally from the North. Therefore, he also felt quite close to Ning Jiufan, the owner of the flying ice block.

"Jade Steel Mountain is indeed already in sight." Ning Jiufan's vision was much stronger than Han Zhou's, after all, he was at the Golden Core level.

He had already seen a shadow of Jade Steel Mountain on the horizon.

But just as he relaxed slightly, the world changed color in an instant.

A great array suddenly unfolded, instantly wrapping Ning Jiufan and Han Zhou inside.

In the blink of an eye, the world returned to normal, as if everything just now was just an illusion. Ning Jiufan and Han Zhou had completely disappeared.

Ning Jiufan fell into the array, both shocked and angry.

He saw that the world was dim yellow, with halos like balls covering all directions.

Three blurry figures stood apart, surrounding Ning Jiufan and Han Zhou from afar.

"Who is trapping me?" Ning Jiufan shouted sternly, "I am Ning Jiufan, the Golden Core ancestor of the Ning family of Fire Persimmon Mountain. Did the three fellow Daoists surround the wrong person?"

Someone among the three figures spoke: "Ning Jiufan, we have finally waited for you to come. It is you we want to eliminate!"

Han Zhou was shocked and immediately became nervous. He didn't expect that following a Golden Core cultivator on the road would lead to a life-and-death crisis.

Ning Jiufan's heart sank; since the other party was specifically waiting for him, their background was probably not small.

He thought for a moment and immediately took out his official seal from his bosom: "Do not mistake yourselves, incited by others! I am a hidden official of the Southern Bean Kingdom. If you stop now and leave, I promise not to pursue you."

"Otherwise, if anything happens to me here, the entire Southern Bean Kingdom will issue a warrant for your arrest."

As a result, the enemy laughed loudly: "Ning Jiufan, it is you, this dog official, that we are killing!"

Ning Jiufan was shocked again.

Since the other party knew his identity and was willing to kill an official, it was very likely the Meng family.

After all, the Ning family had moved to Fire Persimmon Immortal City, and their only powerful external enemy at present was the Meng family.

Besides that, it was the group of enemies from the North Wind Kingdom. However, this possibility was far less than the Meng family.

Han Zhou transmitted: "Ancestor Ning, these three are all Golden Core auras, why not just release Yuan Lao and break the array with force!"

Ning Jiufan shook his head in his heart. He didn't want to do that.

If this ambush was really the work of the Meng family, how could they not guard against his Nascent Soul-level demon beast.

If he really released Yuan Lao, he would probably fall into their trap.

Considering this, Ning Jiufan snorted coldly, both responding to Han Zhou and speaking to the enemy: "Since that's the case, let you see the fighting style of a man from the North!"

"Take this!"

Ning Jiufan finished speaking and immediately made a move.

For a time, the north wind blew, blowing the heavy snow, and the bone-chilling cold permeated instantly.

Among the three Golden Core cultivators, one revealed his figure and used a magic technique to resist the wind and snow.

Ning Jiufan's wind and snow magic technique was contained, so he took out a talisman and activated it directly.

The talisman floated in mid-air, erupted with strong light, condensed rapidly, and turned into an ice and snow giant.

The ice man had snow clouds under his feet and held a long-handled ice-carved broadsword in both hands, rushing toward another Golden Core opponent.

Seeing the ice man approaching, the Golden Core cultivator hurriedly used magic techniques, constantly suppressing and delaying the ice man's progress.

Ning Jiufan used three tasks at once, shooting an ice cone of magic treasure level toward the third person.

Seeing the ice cone shooting over with awe-inspiring power, the Golden Core cultivator knew that ordinary magic techniques could not resist it, so he immediately took out a large tripod.

The large tripod flew to the front and collided with the ice cone, making a loud clanging sound, but it finally blocked it temporarily.

Ning Jiufan laughed loudly, his heroic spirit soaring: "Is that all you three have? Whatever other means you have, just use them!"

Han Zhou watched from the side, extremely surprised; he didn't expect this Ning family ancestor to be so powerful against three.

But he soon associated it with Ning Zhuo.

"Like grandson, like grandfather. From Young Master Ning Zhuo, one can see the excellence and strength of the Ning family."

"The Ning family's Golden Core ancestor has such a performance, which is actually a sign."

Han Zhou also thought that they still had the powerful trump card of Yuan Lao at the Nascent Soul level, and his heart gradually settled down, no longer so nervous.

He didn't know that although Ning Jiufan appeared this way, he was actually very nervous in his heart, and even after falling into the array, he had lost the geographical advantage. Since the three Golden Core cultivators were chosen by the Meng family, they must have some tricks.

"This place is close to Jade Steel Mountain; if only there were reinforcements."

The guard on Jade Steel Mountain was no longer Meng Zijhong, but had been replaced by a Golden Core sent by the Zhu family royal family.

Before Ning Jiufan came, he had already notified them by flying letter, and the two sides had exchanged one flying letter.

But Ning Jiufan thought again: "Since the other party set an ambush here, how could they not consider the Golden Core guard of Jade Steel Mountain?"

"Therefore, in this array, I'm afraid no movement can be transmitted out."

"No, if it really were transmitted out, it would be even worse. It must be that they did it on purpose to attract the Golden Core guard to support, making it convenient to wipe us all out!"

Han Zhou did not understand the true situation, and he knew little about the existence of the Golden Core level.

But Ning Jiufan's thoughts also had their own limitations.

Even the three Golden Cores who set the ambush didn't know that their ambush had already been exposed.

High in the clouds, Zhu Xuanji and Shen Lingshu stood side by side, overlooking the battlefield below.

Although the battlefield was wrapped in an array, Zhu Xuanji used his Heavenly Capital Golden Eyes, combined with magic techniques, to see through the scene inside.

Then, through spiritual sense communication, Shen Lingshu also knew the real-time battle situation.

Zhu Xuanji said: "Senior Shen, it is indeed as you expected, Ning Jiufan encountered an ambush on this trip."

"You also calculated that he would be safe."

"Hehe, with us here, he is naturally safe."

Shen Lingshu pinched his hand and said: "I have already calculated this array; it is the Nine-Tailed Bewitching Array."

"The array lines and array patterns are all woven with the hair of a nine-tailed fox."

"There are eight array eyes and one array heart. The array heart is hidden in the array eyes; at first glance, they look no different, making it difficult to find the key position."

"At the moment, these three Golden Core cultivators, one occupies the array heart, two occupy the array eyes, and there are three array eyes burning bewitching incense, one array eye with a demon-slaying platform, one array eye with a demon-binding rope, and the last array eye actually has a Profound Mystery Qi-Absorbing Bag."

Hearing this, Zhu Xuanji couldn't help but sigh: "The other party is well prepared."

"The Nine-Tailed Heavenly Demon has the power to bewitch all demons, and using its nine-tailed fox hair to set up the array is a big deal."

"Bewitching incense and the bewitching array can make Yuan Lao be bewitched as soon as he is released, and even counterattack his master."

"Then, in a daze, he walks onto the demon-slaying platform and is beheaded by the guillotine, losing his life."

"At the line of life and death, Yuan Lao might erupt with survival instinct and gain a trace of clarity. Therefore, the other party also prepared a demon-binding rope to strangle his last trace of vitality."

"What kind of magic treasure is this Profound Mystery Qi-Absorbing Bag?"

Shen Lingshu said: "This treasure is specifically aimed at qi numbers and can absorb the qi numbers of other objects, making their qi numbers low."

"With this treasure, some accidents can be prevented. Many people with strong qi numbers often have their qi numbers erupt at the critical moment of life and death to save themselves."

"Even for mortals, as long as their qi numbers are strong, after erupting, they can even fall off a cliff and not die, and have good fortune."

"So that's it." Zhu Xuanji nodded and asked the most critical question, "Can Senior Shen calculate the clues, or even evidence, that these three Golden Core cultivators originate from the Meng family?"

Shen Lingshu shook his head: "I can't calculate it."

"This might be Meng Kui's work; it is very rigorous. From the beginning of the layout, he has already guarded against calculations."

"Can't you trace the source? Can't you see the connection between the other party and the Meng family?"

Zhu Xuanji smiled bitterly: "I only saw that these three people successively accepted this mission at the Ghost Thorn Pavilion."

The Ghost Thorn Pavilion is a famous assassination organization, very secretive, and has branches in various large and small cultivation countries.

With such a large scale and the ability to survive to this day, it naturally has its foundation.

Zhu Xuanji could distinguish at first glance that the three Golden Cores opposite were all members of the Ghost Thorn Pavilion, which lived up to his name as a divine catcher.

Shen Lingshu smiled slightly, but was not surprised: "The Meng family's move this time is probably revenge for the Jade Steel Mountain incident."

"We eliminated Meng Zijhong, and the Meng family set an ambush here to eliminate Ning Jiufan as a warning."

"If Ning Jiufan and Yuan Lao both sacrifice themselves, the pattern of Fire Persimmon Immortal City will tilt toward Meng Kui's side, and the remaining Zhou family will be unable to support it alone."

"And in the imperial court, the impact of the sacrifice of these two people will go deep into people's hearts, greatly weakening the prestige of the royal family!"

Zhu Xuanji said: "This Ning Zhuo and the Ning family's qi number can be considered to have turned from bad to good."

"Our plan was to come to Mount Wuyin to investigate the Fox God, but we stumbled upon it, and we won't sit by and watch Ning Jiufan die in battle."

Shen Lingshu showed a stern face: "It looks like a coincidence."

"But it cannot be ruled out that it is the work of Life Hanging by a Thread, or the Royal Decree."

"Ning Jiufan must be saved, but it doesn't hurt to watch the battle for a while and let his qi number be absorbed."

Shen Lingshu continued to state his plan: "If Ning Zhuo has mastered the divine ability Life Hanging by a Thread, the possibility of him planting it on Ning Jiufan is very high."

"In this way, the qi numbers of both sides are connected. If Ning Jiufan declines here, it will inevitably affect Ning Zhuo's side."

"If Ning Zhuo has also planted Life Hanging by a Thread on others, their low qi numbers, ranging from mental confusion to suffering disasters, will all be manifested."

"This is a great opportunity for verification."

Zhu Xuanji recalled the many secrets he learned in the royal capital: "In the past, the Retired Emperor also suffered a major setback because of this drawback of Life Hanging by a Thread, almost causing the country to perish."

In the world, there has never been a perfect thing.

There are strengths and weaknesses.

There are advantages, naturally there are drawbacks.

Life Hanging by a Thread connects qi numbers. The Retired Emperor had bad luck, his qi number fell, and others shared it together. In this way, it caused the effect of the substitute king suffering the disaster.

But after all, it is not the true Royal Decree. Once everyone encounters a disaster, or the qi number of some of them falls too severely, the Retired Emperor will also have bad luck because of it.

In the past, it was precisely because of this that the Southern Bean Retired Emperor encountered a disaster and almost died.

"Wait." A flash of inspiration flashed in Zhu Xuanji's mind, and he asked, "What if my Buddha Heart Demon Seal really has the power to suppress qi numbers?"

Shen Lingshu thought deeply: "This depends on how great the power of my Buddha Heart Demon Seal to suppress qi numbers is. Is it just to protect himself, or can it benefit others."

"Even if the treasure seal is powerful, Ning Zhuo is only at the Foundation Establishment cultivation level at this time, and he simply cannot exert its true power."

"Back then, didn't the Retired Emperor also have a magic treasure that could suppress his own qi number?"

"In any case, trying it out has no harm."

Zhu Xuanji nodded slightly: "Also, let's do it."

The Ten Thousand Mile Swimming Dragon traveled rapidly in the void.

Silver lines appeared from time to time under the dark curtain.

The lower half of the Ten Thousand Mile Swimming Dragon's body shone with bloody light. This was the work of the Cave Master of the Blood Shadow.

The front suddenly became bright, and the next moment, the Ten Thousand Mile Swimming Dragon drilled out of the void and came to the real world.

Sun Lingtong did not dare to be careless at all, continuing to drive the Ten Thousand Mile Swimming Dragon into the dense mountain forest.

After moving around for most of the day, it finally stopped.

"So dangerous, so exciting!" Sun Lingtong licked his lips, his heartbeat gradually slowing down.

He looked down at his hands.

Half of his palm had already turned into stone skin, just like the appearance of the stone ball at the bottom of the cave.

Sun Lingtong gritted his teeth and could only continue to use magic power to suppress it, then controlled the mechanical swimming dragon to check Ning Zhuo's situation.

Seeing Ning Zhuo fainted on the ground but still breathing, Sun Lingtong's eyes were slightly red, and he wanted to slap himself twice.

"It's fine for me to take risks alone and find excitement."

"This time, I implicated Xiao Zhuo, sigh, how could I be so unwise, I really deserve to be beaten!!"

Sun Lingtong was extremely self-reproachful, but in his current state, he didn't dare to approach Ning Zhuo rashly.

Fortunately, Sun Lingtong also had quite a few mechanical accomplishments. Immediately, he took out a mechanical doll, controlled it with his spiritual sense, indirectly contacted Ning Zhuo, and helped him wake up quickly.

After Ning Zhuo woke up and learned that they had escaped, he breathed a sigh of relief, his heart full of lingering fear.

Sun Lingtong sighed: "Xiao Zhuo, it was I who implicated you and almost cost you your life."

Ning Zhuo shook his head: "Boss, it was I who was worried about your injuries and was eager to take revenge on the Six-Cave Sect, so I didn't stop you from continuing to take risks. I also have faults!"

"How are your injuries now?"

Sun Lingtong told Ning Zhuo truthfully.

He shrugged his shoulders and gritted his teeth: "I originally wanted to follow the vine to find the intelligence of Old Monster Shi Zhong. I didn't expect the other party to be able to see through the Ten Thousand Mile Swimming Dragon!"

He was so angry he wanted to slap his own head.

Thinking back now, what happened?

His love for excitement and pursuit of excitement was his nature, but before this, he had also been too inconsiderate.

"Is it because I have lived in Fire Persimmon Immortal City for a long time and have had too many comfortable days, so I have become slack?"

"Sigh, it's fine if I have an accident, but if I implicate Xiao Zhuo..."

"He has immortal potential and a bright future, has worked hard for more than ten years, his life has just gotten better, he has family, friends, and is liked by female cultivators. Unlike me, who is a loner, if he dies here because of me..."

Sun Lingtong was full of self-reproach and secretly warned himself that from now on, whenever Ning Zhuo was around, he must never take such risks.

This escape experience deeply touched Sun Lingtong's heart.

Throughout the process, Ning Zhuo was indeed implicated by Sun Lingtong. If he had been in the dragon head cabin and discovered the stone ball at the bottom of the cave, he would definitely not have been as eager to mine it as Sun Lingtong.

However, Ning Zhuo was used to it.

In Fire Persimmon Immortal City, he had made many moves to fish Sun Lingtong out of prison.

The deep friendship between him and Sun Lingtong was not only in the critical moment of life and death, where they could entrust their backs to each other without any scruples. It was even deeper—even if the other party made a mistake, he would easily forgive them, and even make up for them.

Ning Zhuo comforted him: "Although Nascent Soul cultivators can traverse the void, they can only do so by relying on the Nascent Soul, and it is very difficult to do so with the physical body."

Therefore, the difficulty of completely killing a Nascent Soul cultivator is quite high. Once the physical body is destroyed, their Nascent Soul can leave the body and escape, traverse the void, find an opportunity to seize a body, and come back for revenge.

"The Ten Thousand Mile Swimming Dragon, however, can take us through the void together. Even if those Nascent Soul cultivators want to chase, it is unlikely they will take out their Nascent Souls, leave their bodies, and risk their lives to chase."

A cultivator's Nascent Soul is the result of a lifetime of cultivation and is tied to their future path, which is extremely important. Unless forced to do so, they will not easily risk their Nascent Soul.

"It is precisely because of this point that we went to explore the Six-Cave Sect, isn't it?"

"Our successful escape this time also proves this point. If that Cave Master of the Demon Heart really wanted to abandon his physical body and use his Nascent Soul to chase us, I'm afraid the other two Cave Masters would have attacked his physical body."

"Boss."

"We also gained a lot this time."

"For example, I saw the mechanical carriage my mother rode in back then and learned that Lin You will get it. I must take this carriage back!"

"Without this adventure, how would I have known such important news?"

Sun Lingtong shook his head and spoke through the doll: "Xiao Zhuo, don't comfort me."

"We lost quite a bit this time."

"The Ten Thousand Mile Swimming Dragon was attacked by the Cave Master of the Demon Heart before, and about thirty percent of it needs to be repaired."

"The latter part of the mechanical dragon body was eroded by the blood shadow. This should be the tracking method of the Cave Master of the Blood Shadow. If it is not cleared, in the future, when we approach the Thousand Peaks Forest, we will be detected by the Cave Master of the Blood Shadow."

Ning Zhuo shook his head and sat up slowly: "These are not important, Boss."

"The most urgent task is to solve your injury."

"Xiao Zhuo..." Even though Sun Lingtong and Ning Zhuo had been together day and night for more than ten years, he felt a warm current in his heart at this moment.

Sun Lingtong: "But now, the mechanical swimming dragon can no longer approach the Thousand Peaks Forest. If we act alone, relying on our cultivation and combat power, I'm afraid we won't be able to penetrate deep into the Thousand Peaks Forest. After all, the great war is about to start, and the Thousand Peaks Forest is already heavily guarded. Faces like ours from the outside will be very conspicuous."

Ning Zhuo laughed: "Don't worry, Boss, I've already thought of a way."