Chapter 706: Tian Shuang: You want me to go and ransom someone?

On the bone altar, Tian Shuang and Di Gui were speechless for a moment.

Di Gui immediately began to calculate the losses.

They relied on the sect to issue missions, and the mission rewards themselves were quite substantial. This time, since the entire team of fellow disciples had been wiped out, the bulk of the compensation would have to be sought from the person who issued the mission.

"A full five Jin Dan cultivators were killed in battle. Among the other two Foundation Establishment cultivators, one even possessed inferior-grade natural talent!"

This team's strength was formidable, and they were famous even within the Soul-Devouring Sect. It included experienced old cultivators as well as young people with extraordinary potential.

Who would have thought they would fall so thoroughly that not a single person escaped back!

Di Gui calculated the answer, and his face turned somewhat pale.

A small portion of his net worth had been staked on this.

Tian Shuang frowned deeply: "With things as they are, I'm afraid we won't be able to do anything about the Ning family in the short term."

Both of them were Nascent Soul-level powerhouses with reputations abroad; if they were to act personally, it would inevitably challenge the nerves of the Nandou Kingdom and create friction between super-powers.

The interference of the Heaven and Earth Twin Ghosts in the war at the Thousand Peaks Forest was a special case and not a common occurrence.

That was why they had issued the mission, letting Jin Dan cultivators go and find trouble for the Ning family.

This level of conflict was not enough to make a cultivation nation pay attention. From the perspective of the state, Jin Dan cultivators were countless, and apart from a few individuals, they were usually not given special attention.

The Soul-Devouring Sect did not yet know about the secret alliance between the Ning family and the Zhu family of the Nandou Kingdom's royal family. If the Heaven and Earth Twin Ghosts had known this situation, they would never have let this team of cultivators accept their mission and head to the Nandou Kingdom.

"That little thief Unlike Ning Zhuo doesn't know where he ran off to. Damn it, we can't get a grip on the Ning family; what should we do?"

"Never mind our compensation costs; even if we had enough wealth, I'm afraid the Jin Dan cultivators in the sect wouldn't dare to accept a mission to deal with the Ning family in the short term."

Just as the Heaven and Earth Twin Ghosts were in a dilemma, a Nascent Soul-level cultivator suddenly descended from the sky.

"Two fellow Daoists, the sect has an urgent mission!"

Tian Shuang shook his head subconsciously: "We still have matters on our hands!"

The two were the top-tier Nascent Soul cultivators of the sect and held extraordinary status; they did not accept every mission.

Tian Shuang hated Unlike Ning Zhuo to the extreme. It wasn't just that Unlike Ning Zhuo had taken away almost all of his net worth; the main thing was that he had caused him to lose all face. To this day,

Di Gui would tease him about this matter at every turn.

Just thinking about it made him angry!

"I must wash away this shame!" Tian Shuang wished he could stand in front of Unlike Ning Zhuo right now, strike hard, hack him into eight pieces, pull out his bones, and peel his skin,

torturing him a hundred times over.

He, a dignified Nascent Soul-level powerhouse, had actually been trampled under the feet of a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator.

If he didn't vent this anger, his thoughts would truly not be clear!

The Nascent Soul fellow disciple saw Tian Shuang refuse and sighed: "Two fellow Daoists, the sect specifically sent me to deliver this message because there is a special situation."

"This mission specifically names the two of you to do it."

Tian Shuang snorted coldly: "Which high-level official is so inconsiderate of their subordinates? You must know that we also have backing."

The Nascent Soul fellow disciple said a name: "It is Mr. Yin Jiao."

Tian Shuang and Di Gui's expressions changed slightly at the same time.

Mr. Yin Jiao was proficient in divination, possessed Soul Transformation-level cultivation, and held a treasure within the Soul-Devouring Sect that suppressed the sect's fortune. He rarely spoke on weekdays, but as long as he opened his mouth, he was almost always right.

Di Gui immediately asked: "What kind of major event could move Mr. Yin Jiao to speak personally?"

The Nascent Soul fellow disciple then said: "It concerns the White Paper Xiancheng."

"The Yin Tide Black Wet Swamp is an excellent blessed land for our Soul-Devouring Sect, but unfortunately, it has long been occupied by others."

The Heaven and Earth Twin Ghosts nodded slightly. The two of them naturally knew of this place and also knew that the sect had long coveted this precious land.

The Nascent Soul fellow disciple continued: "Previously, the White Paper Xiancheng encountered an unprecedented ghost tide attack, with the Underworld of the Forgotten River exerting force behind the scenes."

"Our sect discovered this secret and wanted to use their strength to strike, first letting the Underworld of the Forgotten River subvert the White Paper Xiancheng, and then dispatching heavy troops to clean up the aftermath,"

"bringing the entire Xiancheng and even the Yin Tide Black Wet Swamp under our sect's control."

"This mission failed."

"The Bone Tomb Daoist responsible for this mission has not returned to this day."

"He has gone missing."

"However, his soul lamp is still quietly burning."

The Nascent Soul fellow disciple paused and continued: "In order to investigate the inside story of this matter and to retrieve the Nascent Soul cultivator of the sect, the sect inquired in many ways."

"The results were very poor."

"After this great battle, it was the White Paper City Lord who seized the opportunity to vigorously eliminate dissidents."

"The leaders of the previous Overturning Alliance have all lost their lives."

"The sect had no choice but to ask a cultivator to perform a divination. Unexpectedly, this matter moved Mr. Yin Jiao, and he took the initiative to perform a calculation."

Tian Shuang and Di Gui listened quietly.

The Nascent Soul fellow disciple spoke again: "Mr. Yin Jiao calculated that the Bone Tomb Daoist has already been captured, and the sect needs to ransom him back with a heavy price."

"This matter can be big or small, but it is very important to the Soul-Devouring Sect."

"Mr. Yin Jiao also calculated that the most suitable candidate in the entire sect to ransom the captive is the two of you."

"Therefore, he hopes the two of you will make a trip, treat the cultivator who captured the Bone Tomb Daoist with a kind and polite attitude, and absolutely must not act arrogant or get angry."

"If this matter is not handled well, it may very well affect the overall situation of the entire sect!"

When the Heaven and Earth Twin Ghosts heard this, they understood the severity of the matter. They both looked serious and expressed one after another that they would certainly follow Mr. Yin Jiao's instructions,

negotiate with the other party in a friendly manner, and strive to ransom the Bone Tomb Daoist back.

The Nascent Soul fellow disciple: "The two of you must remember, when handling this matter, try your best to win the other party over; at the very least, do not create any more resentment."

"The two of you must stand at the height of the sect and not lose the big picture for the sake of small things."

Di Gui nodded silently.

Tian Shuang patted his own chest: "Please rest assured, sect! Who am I, Tian Shuang? I have done this kind of mission so many times; don't I know the key points?"

"Since Di Gui and I are walking outside representing the sect, we will certainly take the overall situation into account. Please rest assured, sect!!"

Tian Shuang was quite straightforward and gave his guarantee on the spot.

The Nascent Soul fellow disciple saw that the two had firm expressions, so he took out a jade slip: "This is the mission detail. If the two of you have any concerns, feel free to speak."

The Heaven and Earth Twin Ghosts cast their spiritual sense to check the contents inside.

Di Gui raised his eyebrows: "Feiyun Kingdom, Dragon Loach Mountain?"

Tian Shuang: "If you want us to go abroad, is the travel permit ready? After all, Di Gui and I have reputations abroad, and we are both Nascent Soul-level cultivators."

Di Gui nodded and helped out: "Without a travel permit, I'm afraid it will arouse the vigilance and reaction of the Feiyun Kingdom."

The Nascent Soul fellow disciple shook his head: "Two fellow Daoists, you are representing the sect to secretly ransom someone from the other party. How can you use travel permits and such things? How can you enter and exit the country openly?"

Di Gui nodded again: "I understand."

Tian Shuang laughed: "Rest assured, we will certainly handle this matter properly!"

Two-Injection Kingdom.

General Mu's Mansion.

Mu Lan had been in secluded cultivation for over a month, and at this moment, her practice had reached the final, critical stage.

The female general sat cross-legged, her mind sinking into her lower dantian, where two military formations were confronting each other.

The Red Flower formation was massive, resembling a giant king flower. On the other side, the Blood Tide Crossbowman formation was condensed into a single, stubborn mass.

"The time has come." Mu Lan immersed her entire consciousness into the Red Flower formation.

In an instant, she arrived inside a city. Ten thousand petals like armor, layer upon layer, formed a city of flower-armor. The stems and veins were like halberds, piercing through the four poles. When Mu Lan climbed the city wall, the pistil heart was like a red-gold military flag, fluttering in the wind.

And in another place, representing the Blood Tide Crossbowman formation, was a stretch of low-embankment river levee.

Behind the levee, the sound of the tide was like rage; squads of blood-armored crossbow guards were half-hidden in the tide, the cold light of their crossbows like fish backs, the bowstrings trembling slightly like rain threads, ready to fire, their killing intent condensed like iron.

Without a commander, no military flag appeared in the Blood Tide Crossbowman formation.

Mu Lan's expression was extremely solemn as she slowly raised her hand.

Inside her lower dantian, the Red Flower Dharma Image moved its massive body, rising from the ground and directly covering the Blood Tide Crossbowman formation.

Reflected in Mu Lan's eyes, the distance between the Red Flower city and the blood levee was pulled to the closest point, and both sides launched a fierce slaughter.

The Blood Tide Crossbowmen in the front row knelt, while the back row raised their crossbows; ten thousand arrows were drawn at once, the sound of the crossbows joining together. Countless crossbow arrows turned into a torrential downpour, countless cold arrow tips piercing through the flowers and waves, shooting the flower-armor city wall into a hornet's nest.

Even though Mu Lan had gained a deep understanding of the Blood Tide Crossbowman formation during this period of secluded cultivation, she was still slightly shaken by the powerful offensive burst from this formation.

The military flag behind Mu Lan shook violently, and a brand-new city wall was propped up; at the same time, a large number of red flower buds sprouted and spread on the blood levee until they covered it.

Mu Lan presided over the Red Flower Dharma Image, while the Blood Tide Crossbowman formation had no one to preside over it. There was a qualitative gap between the two!

More than an hour later.

The Red Flower formation completely annexed the Blood Tide Crossbowman formation; the fierce slaughter was also a process of attrition, tempering, and fusion.

The newly born Red Flower formation was even more powerful, and the previous light red hue became deeper and more grave, as if it had been baptized by blood and fire.

The tips of every petal became incomparably sharp, resembling arrowheads.

"I succeeded!"

Mu Lan's sitting body shook slightly, and she slowly opened her eyes.

At this moment, deep in her eyes, a flash of bright red, blood-like radiance flickered and vanished.

Mu Lan felt a sudden intuition and subconsciously looked toward the north.

In her perception, in the distant north, there were two small clusters of Red Flower formation power, very weak, faintly echoing with her own formation.

This sensation vanished instantly, but Mu Lan had already reacted.

"This is the power of the Red Flower Dharma Image. It should be those two miniature Dharma Images I captured from Lin You and Wu Hen and handed over to Young Master Unlike Ning Zhuo."

"Strange, how could they last so long? According to common sense, half a month would be enough to exhaust them."

Mu Lan immediately thought of the answer.

"That's right."

"During this secluded cultivation, in order to successfully fuse the Blood Tide Crossbowman formation, I used the Kingdom Power Brick to strengthen the Red Flower formation in advance."

"With the source strengthened, the power of the Dharma Image outside also increased, becoming more durable."

"I wonder how Young Master Unlike Ning Zhuo is doing? Traveling outside, is it more exciting than being in the Thousand Peaks Forest?"

"And have other women appeared by his side?"

Mu Lan daydreamed for a moment, then immediately collected her thoughts.

She was not that kind of petty woman, so her thoughts turned to the main topic: "Although the crusade against the Thousand Peaks Forest failed, I stabilized the situation of the General's Mansion because of my meritorious service."

"The military merit I obtained was not much. But—Prince Qiming gifted me the Blood Tide Crossbowman formation."

Prince Qiming was very old and held a prestigious position in the Two-Injection Kingdom, basically not participating in ordinary political affairs.

This sudden gift of a military formation to Mu Lan truly shocked the entire political scene of the Two-Injection Kingdom.

Mu Lan barely stabilized the situation of General Mu's Mansion because of her meritorious service. This assist from Prince Qiming represented his favor toward General Mu's Mansion, completely changing Mu Lan's predicament.

Now, no matter which faction or high-level official, or even the monarch, dared not look down on General Mu's Mansion.

Mu Lan was very confused about Prince Qiming's move and asked the question on the spot.

Prince Qiming explained to her: This was the conclusion he reached after seeing a bright light appear before him and taking the opportunity to divine—supporting General Mu's Mansion was beneficial to the Two-Injection Kingdom.

Prince Qiming had not mastered any inheritance of divination or fate, but he possessed a peculiar natural talent called "Night's End Blind Light."

Prince Qiming was born blind, with darkness in his field of vision. And whenever a bright light appeared in the darkness, Prince Qiming would have certain premonitions, perceiving that he was facing a critical choice. And this choice would have a huge impact on the future.

"In short, as far as the present is concerned, this is a good thing for my General's Mansion."

"As for the price to be paid in the future, let's talk about that in the future."

Mu Lan pushed open the stone door of the cultivation room.

The Red Flower formation's foundation had greatly increased, and she had gained a brand-new military unit. She couldn't wait to train troops now, to train Blood Tide Crossbowmen, and increase the strength of the entire Red Flower Camp.

Wanxiang Sect.

Today was very lively.

Because the registration for the Flying Cloud Assembly had officially begun.

Unlike Ning Zhuo arrived at the nearest registration point, and looking down from the clouds, he saw the queue stretching from the mountaintop to the foot of the mountain.

The registration office at the mountaintop was even more packed, with people moving and the noise deafening.

Miscellaneous disciples, outer disciples, inner disciples, and so on, relying on their status within the sect, directly cut in line, causing this chaotic scene.

The real queue consisted of cultivators from outside the Fangxiang Sect.

Unlike Ning Zhuo did not queue, but waited for a moment.

"Brother Ning!" Shen Xi arrived here on time and met up with Unlike Ning Zhuo.

Behind him was naturally his cousin, Su Lingkou.

"Let's go, I have people here, we can register directly." Shen Xi came from the Shen family of the Nine Palaces Xiancheng and had connections.

Unlike Ning Zhuo nodded and, together with Shen Xi, landed directly on the mountaintop.

"Make way, everyone." Shen Xi pushed through the crowd.

The cultivator in charge of registration saw Shen Xi and hurriedly stood up to greet him.

Shen Xi's connections were naturally extraordinary; seeing this scene, the slightly resentful cultivators stopped talking and silently cleared a path.

Unlike Ning Zhuo, Shen Xi, and Su Lingkou arrived at the registration office.

This was just a straw shed that had been set up.

The cultivator sat back down, took out a blank wooden tablet, and explained: "The sect has rules; all cultivators participating in the Flying Cloud Assembly must register in person and have their identity tablets made on the spot."

"So, please don't blame me, the three of you."

Shen Xi said a polite word.

The cultivator asked: "Name?"

Shen Xi reached out in front of Unlike Ning Zhuo, deferring to him and signaling for the latter to go first.

Unlike Ning Zhuo then said: "Unlike Ning Zhuo."

As he spoke, he condensed his magic power and wrote his name in the air.

The cultivator glanced at the name condensed by magic power, immediately carved the two characters "Unlike Ning Zhuo" onto the wooden tablet, then stood up, held the tablet with both hands, and handed it to Unlike Ning Zhuo.

"Fellow Daoist Ning, the registration is over, please keep your token safe."