Chapter 208: Walking Into the Trap

After two months of continuously stabilizing his cultivation, Zhang Nuo finally succeeded in entering the Golden Core Initial Stage and refined several Magic Treasures into his body. Under the tempering of the Pill Fire constantly released by his Golden Core, the Magic Treasures bloomed with a strange radiance.

The Nine Dragon Sword Case was the last Magic Treasure Zhang Nuo refined into his body. Because the Remnant Soul of Chunyangzi was inside it, he dared not bring it too close to the Pill Fire, letting it only hover at the edge of the Golden Core.

"Kid Zhang, don't be afraid! Your Pill Fire has no effect on this old man!"

Chunyangzi's voice came from his mind. The Nine Dragon Sword Case was Zhang Nuo's primary trump card; if it could not be better tempered by the Pill Fire, its power would certainly be greatly reduced!

"It's no trouble!"

Although Chunyangzi said so, Zhang Nuo still dared not let the sword case get too close to the Pill Fire. Between the sword case and Chunyangzi, he could not bear to part with either, so he had to make this choice.

"Now that everything is finished, you should also learn something else. Search around inside this Cave Abode and see if there is anything you can take with you."

Zhang Nuo nodded and stood up, walking toward the Stone Chamber inside the Cave Abode. Having stayed here for six long years, he believed the changes outside must be significant. To what extent had the war between the Four Great Sects and the Five Great Demon Mountains progressed, and who had won?

As soon as he thought of the Four Great Sects, the first person he thought of was Zhuge Qing. Having not seen this woman for many years, he did not know how she was doing now. A slight agitation in his heart prevented Zhang Nuo's mind from calming down.

After walking around the Cave Abode, Zhang Nuo took almost everything he could carry with him, especially the various insights written by the owner of the Cave Abode; he was even more unwilling to let those go. Alchemy Technique, Talisman Making Technique, Artifact Refining Technique, and Puppet Technique—Zhang Nuo had no use for these techniques for now.

But who knew if he would use them in the future? Naturally, he could understand them now, so he could only keep them to study slowly later. In the Stone Chamber where puppets were made, Zhang Nuo also discovered two intact humanoid Puppets.

These two Puppets both possessed the strength of the Golden Core Middle Stage. If released when facing an enemy, they would certainly be able to achieve a surprising victory. In order to better use these two Puppets, Zhang Nuo spent a full month practicing.

Through his understanding of the Puppet Technique, Zhang Nuo discovered that the Corpse Manipulation Technique of the Corpse Refining Sect was also a type of Puppet Technique, only they used corpses as puppets.

This day, holding an Array Disk, Zhang Nuo walked through the Stone Array outside the Cave Abode. Guided by Chunyangzi, he had also learned the layout of the Stone Array. Not long after walking out of the Stone Array, Zhang Nuo looked back.

He saw the entire valley was still enveloped by an Illusion Array; from the outside, one could not see a trace of anything unusual, and even Divine Sense could not penetrate it. Before leaving the Cave Abode, he had specifically reinforced the Illusion Array, believing it would still exist for hundreds of years.

He never expected that being hunted here by Wu Gang and Xue Qianyang would actually lead him to such a fortuitous encounter; truly, misfortune is where fortune lies!

Just at this moment, a streak of firelight streaked past in front of Zhang Nuo. With a sudden reach, Zhang Nuo grabbed the firelight in his hand. With a gentle squeeze of his five fingers, the firelight burst open, and a message full of friendly intent reached his ears.

"Zuo Mutang!"

Murderous intent instantly erupted in Zhang Nuo's eyes! This streak of firelight was exactly what the Sound Transmission Talisman left by Zuo Mutang had turned into.

"Truly, there is a path to heaven you do not take, and no door to hell you seek out for yourself! You hunted me bitterly back then! Today I will settle this account!"

Recalling the events of the past, Zhang Nuo felt his teeth itch with hatred. A nameless fire instantly surged to his forehead. Although he was now only at the Golden Core Initial Stage, he had numerous Magic Treasures in his hands, and coupled with his Four Spirit Seas physique, he was not afraid of Zuo Mutang at all.

"What? You don't intend to return to the Four Great Sects first?"

Seeing Zhang Nuo like this, Chunyangzi asked in surprise.

"Not returning. I'll go find Zuo Mutang first. When he hunted me back then, he almost took my little life! Today I will use his head to sacrifice to my successful Golden Core formation!"

After speaking, a hint of ruthlessness appeared on Zhang Nuo's face. His body leaped high, and at the same time, a pale red escape light surged from his body, turning into a brilliant rainbow in the blink of an eye and disappearing in the direction of Guyan City.

Now able to control the escape light for flight, his speed was countless times faster than when he was in the Foundation Establishment Stage. Inside the escape light, watching the earth and mountains beneath his feet flying backward, Zhang Nuo was extremely happy!

With everything he had today, the suffering he endured before was worth it! Experiencing all that came after forming the Golden Core, Zhang Nuo's confidence in cultivation became even firmer! If the Golden Core Stage was already like this, what about the Nascent Soul Stage? The beautiful prospects tempted him, making him intoxicated!

After flying for more than a day, Zhang Nuo finally arrived at the Panlong Mountain Range. Flying all the way, many past events surfaced in his heart again. The first time he arrived here, he killed the 'Snake and Scorpion Couple', and it was precisely because of this matter that he provoked Zuo Mutang.

"Zuo Mutang! Wash your neck clean at home; I have come to take your dog life!"

The more he thought, the angrier he became. Zhang Nuo accelerated his escape light and flew wildly toward Guyan City!

In the bustling Guyan City, people came and went on the streets. At the entrance of a shop, a one-armed cultivator was glaring at the owner of the shop with a face full of anger.

"I'm telling you! If you can't hand over the Spirit Stones today, don't even think about opening this shop again!"

The shopkeeper was a middle-aged man who looked to be in his fifties, with a cultivation around the Foundation Establishment Mid-stage. Although he was being pointed at and scolded by the one-armed man, he did not even dare to breathe loudly.

"Fellow Daoist Lu, please give me a few more days! Our shop just received a batch of goods that haven't been sold yet. As soon as they are sold and we have Spirit Stones, I will send them to your residence immediately!"

"Hmph! I've heard this no less than dozens of times. When will you ever have Spirit Stones? I don't care about that much; as long as I don't see Spirit Stones today, I won't leave! Come here! Block his shop entrance for me; don't think about doing business if you don't give me Spirit Stones!"

The one-armed man waved his hand at the people behind him, and the dozen or so people who came with him immediately stood at the entrance of the shop. Seeing this, the middle-aged shopkeeper's face showed a hint of anger; wasn't this clearly bullying people? But in an instant, his expression returned to a state of calm.

"Fellow Daoist Lu, you are making it even harder for me to do business this way!"

"Hehe! I say, Shopkeeper Zheng, you are a sensible person; don't you know what I want?"

The shopkeeper's surname was Zheng. Upon hearing the one-armed man's words, his expression changed drastically, and he stepped back a few paces, saying:

"Fellow Daoist Lu should give up this idea! My daughter will not marry you!"

Seeing Shopkeeper Zheng turn hostile, the one-armed man surnamed Lu also became furious. Rolling his strange eyes, he pointed at the middle-aged man surnamed Zheng with his single hand and cursed loudly:

"You surnamed Zheng, don't be ungrateful! Your daughter marrying me is her good fortune. You know my master's temper; if you anger his old self, none of your family will be able to leave Guyan City alive!"

Seeing that the facade had been torn away, the man surnamed Zheng did not yield. He slapped the Storage Bag at his waist, and after a flash of Golden Light, a golden Flying Sword appeared in front of him. This Flying Sword was half a foot long and looked like a sharp Magic Treasure.

"Oh! You want to make a move?"

Seeing this, the one-armed man was even more furious!

"Even if I die here today, I will not let you, this villain, succeed!"

The shopkeeper glared at the one-armed man, and the golden Flying Sword in front of him emitted a buzzing sound!

"Kill him!"

Things having reached this point, the one-armed man knew there was no room for negotiation, so he immediately ordered the dozen or so cultivators he brought to attack Shopkeeper Zheng.

In an instant, a dozen rays of light shot toward Shopkeeper Zheng simultaneously. Even though Shopkeeper Zheng was at the Foundation Establishment Mid-stage, he was no match for so many Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators! If these people attacked at the same time, they could take his life in an instant!

Just as the light of several Magic Treasures was about to strike Shopkeeper Zheng, a figure suddenly flashed by. With just a gentle wave of his hand, these Magic Treasures were deflected and fell to the sides.

"Who is it! Such great courage! Daring to meddle in my, Lv Qi's, business!"

Seeing someone forcefully intervene, the one-armed man was instantly furious, his gaze falling on the person who had acted. He saw that the one who saved Shopkeeper Zheng was a young man in a green robe, looking no more than twenty years old, with an honest and sincere appearance.

When his Divine Sense swept over him, Lv Qi was somewhat surprised, because he could not feel any Spirit Power fluctuations on the other party, just like an ordinary mortal.

"Fellow Daoist Lu, don't you recognize me?"

The young green-robed cultivator ignored Shopkeeper Zheng's surprised expression, turned around, and looked at Lv Qi with a smile. This person was none other than Zhang Nuo. He had used the Nine Dragon Sword Case within his body to conceal his Spirit Power fluctuations. After wandering around the city for half a day, he saw Lv Qi bullying the shopkeeper and immediately rushed over.

"You are..."

Carefully examining Zhang Nuo's appearance, once Lv Qi saw clearly, he let out a strange roar. Every time he saw his severed arm, he would think of the battle with Zhang Nuo that day.

"Good kid! You actually dare to deliver yourself to my door!"

Gritting his teeth until they rattled, Lv Qi wished he could bite Zhang Nuo to death in one go.

"It seems Fellow Daoist Lu remembers me!"

Facing the fierce and menacing Lv Qi, Zhang Nuo remained smiling and composed, then turned his head to say to Shopkeeper Zheng:

"You owe him Spirit Stones?"

Seeing Zhang Nuo step in to block the attack for him, Shopkeeper Zheng was filled with gratitude, yet seeing Zhang Nuo's youthful appearance, he guessed his cultivation level could not be very high.

"This fellow daoist, I am endlessly grateful that you could come out to help, but please do not involve yourself in the matters here! His master, Zuo Mutang, is a Golden Core stage cultivator; do not throw away your life for our sake!"

Fearing that he would implicate the young cultivator before him, Shopkeeper Zheng wanted to urge him to leave!

"Rest assured, Shopkeeper! Even if Zuo Mutang were to come, I would not take him to heart; you can just speak to me about any matters!"

With a faint smile, Zhang Nuo glanced sideways at Lv Qi and spoke loudly on purpose.

By this time, quite a few cultivators had come to the roadside to watch the commotion, and upon hearing Zhang Nuo say this, they could not help but feel a slight shock in their hearts. This young cultivator seemed to have used some secret technique to hide his cultivation, but no matter how one looked at him, he did not seem to have a very high cultivation level; to actually not take Zuo Mutang seriously, could it be that he had some great backing behind him?