Chapter 753 Ning Zhuo: Despicable! Who plotted against me?
Rust-Disaster Craftsman, Talkative Monk, and Liu Qingyan left together.
Banji was left alone in the empty cave.
Banji's face was ashen, and at this moment, the coldness in his heart outweighed his anger.
"This Ning Zhuo is so difficult to deal with!" Ban Ji deeply felt Ning Zhuo's methods.
In the past, when facing some rogue cultivators, even if their individual combat strength far exceeded his, he could still handle them with ease.
This is because he not only has the backing of the Ban family, but also possesses significant advantages in the righteous path. For example, he can manipulate public opinion and use leverage against others.
But now, facing Ning Zhuo, Ban Ji found that his previously successful methods were no longer effective.
In terms of background, Ning Zhuo seemed to be in no way inferior to him. In terms of reputation, he practiced demonic arts, which was somewhat inferior to Ning Zhuo's. In terms of personal combat strength, Ning Zhuo also possessed a Golden Core level mechanical artifact, so the outcome was unpredictable.
More importantly, it was Ning Zhuo's methods!
"They only spread a few rumors, and the demonic cultivators I hired at great expense retreated on their own. The righteous path's methods are quite solid!" Banji felt troubled.
Quite tricky!
Although Ban Ji practiced demonic arts, he came from the Ban family and was well-versed in the ways of the righteous path.
Therefore, he was very clear that Ning Zhuo's skill in this move was truly masterful, which immediately caught his attention.
How do you judge whether the heat is just right?
It's very simple—cost!
Ning Zhuo merely spread some rumors, which persuaded Ban Ji to quit the demonic cultivator he had painstakingly hired at great expense.
His cost is too low.
In this round of tactical clashes, Ning Zhuo's losses were far less than Ban Ji's, and it directly weakened Ban Ji's forces.
"The rumors are targeting Monk Wangyan, Liu Qingyan, and Rust Craftsman, which means that Lady Spiderwoman has fallen into Ning Zhuo's hands and will not be tortured into confessing!"
"Ning Zhuo's assertiveness and demonstrated talent and potential no less than mine resulted in the remaining three withdrawing on their own. This shows that he has a considerable grasp on people's hearts!"
"Oh dear, what should I do?"
Banji frowned deeply, looking very distressed.
Because he discovered that in dealing with Ning Zhuo, almost all of his past advantages had become disadvantages.
Under normal circumstances, Ning Zhuo, an outsider, wouldn't be a problem. After all, even a powerful dragon can't suppress a local snake. But since it's the Flying Cloud Tournament, Ning Zhuo, with the help of the Myriad Manifestations Sect, has directly eliminated this biggest advantage.
"Is this my tribulation?"
"This is really quite difficult!"
"Why hasn't the family responded yet?"
Banji had already sent out the letter requesting help.
"I have reached the final stage of the blind old man's attempt to create clouds."
"My plans cannot be changed because of this!"
"I must obtain the stone tablet as soon as possible, otherwise how can I live up to my surname?!"
But now that the three demonic cultivators have voluntarily withdrawn and even returned their commissions, Ban Ji is finding it difficult to spare the energy and time to do anything for Ning Zhuo.
"The roles have shifted. Now I'm worried about whether he'll interfere with my attacks!"
Ban Ji looked very serious.
Just then, a subordinate came to pay his respects outside the cave. He brought a letter from the Ban family.
Upon seeing the letter, Ban Jizhan was immediately overjoyed: "Good! The family already knows my situation and has begun to deal with Ning Zhuo."
"With the family backing me up, I have nothing to worry about!"
Qingshi Cave.
Chen San's report has just ended.
He brought good news to Ning Zhuo. He discovered that the three—the presumptuous monk, Liu Qingyan, and the rust-disaster craftsman—had visited Ban Ji together and left together.
Afterwards, the three of them issued a joint statement to the public, stating that all the rumors against them were untrue, that they were not under Ban Ji's instructions, and that they never intended to make things difficult for Ning Zhuo.
To show his sincerity, the presumptuous monk even took the initiative to withdraw his challenge to Ning Zhuo.
Ning Zhuo nodded: "You did a good job."
He paused, then asked, "Have you found out what Banji is up to?"
Chen San immediately responded: "Ban Ji is fully engaged in the Blind Yu Gong's trial of Xingyun; this is the relevant intelligence."
"If you wish to stop Ban Ji, I believe you should simply seek out the blind Yu Gong."
"Given your current reputation, even if you were to participate midway, it would be an honor for the blind old man who was foolish to do so."
Ning Zhuo immersed his divine sense into the jade slip and quickly read through the information: "The Blind Foolish Old Man is holding the Cloud-Raising Trial only to spread his teachings on behalf of a certain mountain god. Those who pass the Cloud-Raising Trial will be given the Blind Foolish Divine Arts."
"This is not a matter of institutional succession, so why was Ban Ji involved?"
Chen San: "I'll go and find out right away!"
Ning Zhuo raised his hand slightly: "You and the old cook, take some gifts and visit the blind Yu Gong on my behalf, and explain my intention to participate."
Chen San immediately accepted the order: "Yes!"
Ban Family Ancestral Hall.
Many of the elders of the Supreme Family gathered in a circle, and one of them took out a treasure box.
Upon opening the heavy box lid, a precious material, carefully stored for many years, was immediately revealed inside.
This precious material is a blackish-gray crystal, semi-transparent, and varies in size. The larger ones are as big as an adult's fingernail, while the smaller ones are as tiny as grains of sand.
Upon closer inspection, one will notice that these dark gray crystals constantly emit a faint glow. The glow is very weak, gray with a purplish tinge, giving a feeling of coldness and unease.
Several elders cast their gazes over, but after only a few breaths, their vision blurred and their minds became disoriented, so they quickly looked away.
They were all at the Nascent Soul level, and the elders of the Supreme Family present were even at the Divine Transformation level, all of whom were wary of this black and gray crystal.
This is because this precious material is extraordinary; it is part of a waning star.
Among the countless stars in the sky, there are all kinds of stars. Some are lucky stars, and some are unlucky stars.
The treasure box contained stardust from the waning star.
Its effects are obvious: it can ruin one's luck and shorten one's destiny. If not stored properly, it will bring misfortune to all living beings in the vicinity.
"Let's begin," said the avatar of the Supreme Elder.
An elder of the late Nascent Soul stage held his breath and made a finger gesture, his fingers flying like butterflies, unleashing an invisible force that swept up the shards of decaying stars in the box.
Stardust swirled in mid-air, then crumbled into powder. Under the power of the Supreme Elder, it coalesced into a streak of grayish-purple light.
The stream of light entered a copper ring of the Clan's Cardinal Chain, turning into a grayish-purple color that spread wildly along the chain!
The original color of the Clan Cardinal Chain was quickly tainted, resembling scrap iron that had rusted for thousands of years.
The pivot chain vibrated violently, emitting a labored turning sound. The copper rings expanded and contracted, as if struggling to digest a highly poisonous substance.
The gaps between the chain links produced more and more decaying filaments. These filaments were gray, and when they drifted onto the jade bricks, they caused the bricks to rot into powder. When they drifted onto the pillars, they immediately gave the beams and pillars the color of rotten wood, and patches of mold appeared.
"Ning Zhuo! Becoming the calamity of my clan's royal destiny is your greatest misfortune!"
"I'll first cut off your luck, so you'll know what it means to be possessed by a cursed star!!"
The elder who was casting the spell murmured, his face full of determination.
The Clan Destiny Cardinal Chain spun faster and faster, and a grayish-purple aura rose up, its upper half merging into the void and disappearing.
Meanwhile, at Qing Shi Cave.
Ning Zhuo was inside the martial arts formation, trying to control the Azure Python Piercing the Forest.
This mechanical vehicle is made primarily of thousand-year-old creeping green python bamboo. Ninety-nine bamboo sections are interlocked, with tendons embedded in the gaps between the sections, allowing it to move and extend like a living python or giant python.
The python's head is cast in the shape of a jade dragon's mouth, with its eyes inlaid with deep, dark crystals. At night, it emits a three-foot-long blue light that can illuminate ten miles of miasma.
The python's body, covered in bamboo green, is engraved with talismans depicting swirling winds and thunder. As it moves, the talismans float and flow in the air, shredding any vines that block its path. Embedded beneath its belly are seventy-two mysterious wheels, neither gold nor jade, but refined from the root nodules of a spiritual bamboo. They touch the ground silently, and when encountering steep slopes, the wheels spin like lotus flowers, allowing it to climb rocks as if walking on flat ground.
The green python suddenly opens at its seven-inch mark, revealing a bamboo chair with a coiled dragon, made from thousand-year-old dragon bamboo. The chair surface is engraved with a dust-repelling and wind-returning array, where fallen leaves within three inches are swirled away by the vortex.
The python's tail has a bamboo whistle structure. When it moves at high speed, it can draw in the wind and generate sound waves to propel itself and increase its speed.
Ning Zhuo sat upright on the bamboo chair, channeling his magical power and spiritual consciousness through the chair into the entire body of the Azure Python that pierced the forest. The python's body did not move, but its will moved first, as if it were an extension of its arm.
As the speed increased, the initial gust of wind was weakened by the dust-repelling and wind-returning array behind the chair, allowing Ning Zhuo to breathe normally.
No matter how fast Ning Zhuo moved and spun, his body, sitting on the bamboo chair, only swayed slightly at most.
The more Ning Zhuo manipulated things, the happier he became.
From a young age, he had a great passion for mechanical arts. He treated the Azure Python Piercing Forest Cauldron as if it were a new toy, and he loved it so much that he played with it endlessly.
Suddenly, Ning Zhuo's expression changed. He was struck by a sense of immense, invisible danger that seemed to be crashing down on him.
He instinctively directed the Azure Python's shaft to immediately leave its original position, but he still felt the attack approaching, striking him directly.
"What's going on?!"
Ning Zhuo was surprised and doubtful when he discovered that the Buddha Heart Demon Seal in his upper dantian suddenly erupted, unleashing a powerful and mysterious aura that swept across the surroundings and instantly enveloped Ning Zhuo's body and mind.
Ban Family Ancestral Hall.
"Pfft!" The Supreme Elder, who was struggling to maintain the spell, was struck as if by a heavy hammer and spat out blood on the spot.
Then, the several elders who controlled the Clan Destiny Cardinal Chain shuddered violently. In the blink of an eye, their hair and beards turned completely white, and a vertical crack appeared between their eyebrows, bleeding profusely.
"What's going on?!" Everyone was shocked.
Click!
What shocked everyone even more was that a huge bronze ring on the ancestral chain suddenly broke off.
BOOM BOOM BOOM...
Subsequently, the Clan Cardinal Chain collapsed in a series of ways, with copper rings, chains, slides, and so on all breaking apart, and fragments flying everywhere like arrows.
"Not good!" The Supreme Elder's clone exclaimed, his eyes wide with fury. "Immediately stop the spell!"
However, the elders who controlled the chain of destiny suffered heavy losses, were shaken to their core, and were unable to salvage the dire situation.
At the critical moment, the Supreme Elder's clone disregarded his own safety and jumped directly in front of the Clan Destiny Pivot Chain, stretching out his arms and inserting them into the mechanism.
The collapse of the family's cardinal chain was abruptly stopped!
The Supreme Elder's clone became extremely dark, his entire being resembling smoke, ethereal and powerless.
The cost was devastating!
The remaining elders finally had the energy to act and quickly manipulated the clan's pivotal chain, changing its form and no longer targeting Ning Zhuo, thus stabilizing the situation.
"how so?!"
"We've reduced Ning Zhuo's destiny, and yet we've suffered such a backlash? Unbelievable! We're at least at the Nascent Soul level, and the Clan Life Chain is our clan's most precious treasure!"
The elders of the family were shocked and puzzled.
They've tried to undermine others' fortunes more than once or twice, and this is the first time we've encountered such a situation.
The Supreme Elder's avatar's voice was hoarse: "It's a treasure that can suppress destiny!"
"The forces behind Ning Zhuo also possess treasures that can suppress the calamity."
The ancestral hall was deathly silent.
A force possessing a treasure that can suppress destiny is undoubtedly extraordinary. In this confrontation, it's clear that the Clan's Cardinal Chain suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of the opponent's treasure.
What force is behind Ning Zhuo?
The cultivators' faces turned ashen, their hearts churning with turmoil as they struggled to process and accept this cruel outcome.
The Supreme Elder finally broke the silence, with a bitter smile: "I forcibly interrupted the operation of the clan's lifeline pivot chain, and suffered a huge backlash. I must return to my main body immediately, otherwise this avatar will be in danger."
"You will handle this matter from now on. Remember, you must carefully manage the situation!"
After saying that, his clone turned into a wisp of smoke and disappeared on the spot.
The elders of the family exchanged bewildered glances.
They all understood what the elder meant and approved of his decision.
The crippled Clan Throne Chain and the heavily injured Nascent Soul level avatar severely intimidated them.
“This Ning Zhuo has a very powerful background; he should not be insulted lightly.”
"Otherwise, he wouldn't have become Banji's calamity. This is a calamity specifically targeting the king's will; how could it be simple?"
"We can't diminish his destiny, but we also need to help Banji overcome his tribulation. What should we do?"
"It wasn't a complete failure. Halfway through the spell, Ning Zhuo's life force must have been somewhat diminished. We've both suffered heavy losses. He's certainly not faring well either!"
Qingshi Cave.
Ning Zhuo sat blankly on the bamboo chair, looking surprised and doubtful.
He had never seen such a huge and intense reaction from the Buddha's Heart Demon Seal.
But this powerful aura appeared quickly and disappeared just as quickly, lasting at most only three breaths.
Ning Zhuo waited for a long time, but saw no change in the Buddha Heart Demon Seal. It remained quietly suspended in the upper dantian, returning to its original state.
"What exactly is attacking me?"
Ning Zhuo touched his body and used his divine sense to examine his mind and body. He checked many times, but he couldn't find anything wrong.
Safe and sound.
Upon closer inspection of the Buddha Heart Demon Seal, there was no damage whatsoever, not even a scratch.
"This is probably some kind of curse. Some enemy, far away, has secretly cast a curse on me!" Ning Zhuo's expression was cold and stern.
"My Buddha Heart Demon Seal was triggered passively, which may have resulted in the opponent not getting any advantage either."
"Is he coming again?" With the powerful treasure protecting him, Ning Zhuo felt a sense of anticipation after realizing that he was in a safe situation.
After all, if he uses this kind of magic too often, he might be able to catch some clues.
After waiting for a while, nothing unusual happened.
Ning Zhuo secretly regretted it, and became even more vigilant: "This is not surprising. My high-profile actions and first place have inevitably attracted the envy of many people and increased my number of hidden enemies."
"Alas, how despicable! I walk the righteous path and am not good at such scheming and plotting. I don't even know who my enemy is."
Ultimately, it comes down to a lack of external deterrence!
Although Qinghuangzi's attempt made Ning Zhuo's reputation more credible, it did not intimidate others.
“Ban Ji!” A sharp glint flashed in Ning Zhuo’s eyes. “This person is perfect for me to establish my authority! Once I’ve dealt with him, I can really intimidate others.”
(End of this chapter)
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