Chapter 44 The Underground Cave Ning Bai pinched Zhou Fuling's chin: "As long as you..."
Zhou Fuling raised her head.
Standing prominently at the cave entrance was a handsome young man, dressed in crimson brocade robes, wearing dark gold arm guards, and carrying a leather belt with a qilin design, exuding confidence and spirit.
This must be Ning Bai, the young master from the second part.
"I heard you ran away again, Miss Lingfu," he said gently.
A crimson light struck Zhou Fuling.
They picked her up and then threw her down.
Zhou Fuling fell heavily into the pit. It didn't hurt, but the force deliberately covered her face in dust.
This action carries a humiliating connotation.
Unfortunately, Zhou Fuling was unable to resist at this moment, nor did she dare to use her Taoist magic.
She was lifted up and then thrown down.
Ning Bai scoffed.
Zhou Fuling's feet suddenly felt light, and her hands were lifted by the magic, bringing her to Ning Bai's side.
Ning Bai's eyes are beautiful, with a bright and sharp gaze.
A smile played at the corners of his lips, but there was no smile in his eyes.
Zhou Fuling disliked that look and clenched her fists tightly.
Ning Bai's gaze lingered on her face, then swept over Ling Fu in the pit.
"Your maid?"
Ling Fu has disguised herself.
"No! Don't touch her." Zhou Fuling avoided eye contact and turned her head away.
Zhou Fuling's appearance and demeanor were more similar to Ling Fu's, but she had a more stubborn streak.
The girl's delicate fragrance wafted onto Ning Bai's face. Ning Bai put on a pair of python-skin gloves and pinched Zhou Fuling's chin.
"You've always had a strong sense of justice. This time, if you bring your people along, will you be even more obedient?"
Zhou Fuling turned her head away.
Ning Bai: "You're just like a little kitten. Alright, your master will take you back."
Zhou Fuling: "..."
"Disobedient kittens must be punished."
...
The ride was constant. Zhou Fuling, her hands bound behind her back with the Immortal Binding Rope, was forced to lie on top of a giant beast.
This Jade Horned Giant is Ning Bai's mount, originating from the Southern Continent and extremely expensive. It resembles a red leopard, with five tails and one horn, and its gait is accompanied by a thunderous roar, moving with the speed of lightning.
Zhou Fuling turned her head to one side.
Ling Fu was also taken along and placed in a cage.
There's no sign of a third installment either.
Just now, Ning Bai kidnapped her, and all that could be seen was that the third part was being defeated step by step under the exquisite encirclement. It was only by the joint efforts of Liu Wuxing and Shu Minglian that they were able to break through.
The smoke of battle has already ignited in these four parts.
A large hand covered Zhou Fuling's waist.
Zhou Fuling held her breath and suddenly turned her head.
He met Ning Bai's teasing eyes.
"Has she become a chaste and virtuous woman? Little Lingfu?"
Zhou Fuling almost vomited her food.
She could only feign weakness and silence.
The girl, huddled in his arms, looked stubbornly trembling, which seemed to make Ning Bai very happy.
He laughed and galloped away on his horse.
"You are the wind, and I am the sand!"
...
They entered the Golden Gate Pass.
After passing through another grove of trees, about two miles away, there was a mountain village.
The long flag fluttered in the wind, its fighting spirit undiminished.
It seems they took her to the location of the second part.
Ning Bai reined in the giant beast and led Zhou Fuling into the camp as if she were a trophy.
Zhou Fuling appeared timid, like a startled deer, but her gaze fell upon the array formation around her.
At a glance, she could tell that the people in the second part were indeed quite powerful.
The entire manor was built on a hill a hundred feet high, and the hill was covered with three layers of formations—a defensive formation, a spirit-gathering formation, and a killing formation.
The simultaneous deployment of three formations is perfectly balanced; any more would be redundant, and any less would result in disarray. The strategist's understanding of formations has reached a level of perfection, and their mathematical arithmetic is truly terrifying.
When Xu Qingning was at Tianji Gate, Ye once said, "These three formations have different origins, are unstable and easily destroyed."
Who set up this formation?
Zhou Fuling felt a weight on her back.
Ning Bai grabbed her vest and lifted her off his mount.
Zhou Fuling turned away, not wanting Ning Bai to touch her.
However, to Ning Bai, her appearance was that of a pale-faced girl with red eyes, like a proud budding flower, both defiant and welcoming.
Ning Bai smiled at her and was about to pick her up.
Zhou Fuling turned away, but Ning Bai lifted her up. Unable to struggle, she could only purse her lips tightly.
Ning Bai: "You just need some guidance—"
His voice was originally tinged with laughter, but at this moment, his voice suddenly stopped, as if the gentle laughter just now was just an illusion.
A woman in a brocade robe led a group of people towards them.
The woman at the head of the group glanced at Zhou Fuling, her face extremely unpleasant: "Ning Bai? Who did you bring back this time?"
Ning Bai scanned the woman's body. Zhou Fuling also observed her appearance. The woman in front of her was beautiful, but had a somewhat domineering temperament. For some reason, she had a slight limp, and her figure was rather plump.
Ning Bai was probably at the first rank of cultivation, while this woman was at the second rank, but her spiritual energy was scattered, and when she stood up, she could only perform at the third or fourth rank, which was very strange.
Ning Bai: "Xu Duanwu, I have no interest in you. Don't come near me and bring me bad luck!"
"You think I'm bad luck? Then you Yun Er should break off the engagement right now and stop asking my Xu family of Zhongzhou for help! Also, return the secret treasures my parents gave you, and don't take them to the Cloud Candle Tower!" This woman had a very violent temper and shouted as she reached out her hand.
Ning Bai's expression changed. Countless celestial officials suddenly appeared beside the woman and Ning Bai, all advising them to calm down and prioritize the important matter.
The woman snorted coldly.
Ning Bai: "Xu Duanwu, just look at yourself now..."
He glanced at the woman and sneered, "Bloated and ugly, with scattered spiritual energy and a strange temper. If it weren't for your marriage to Yun Ning, where else could you go?"
The woman wanted to say something more.
A burst of spiritual energy suddenly sent her flying.
Just as Zhou Fuling had expected, Ning Bai merely moved his finger, his spiritual energy swirling around his fingertip, and accurately struck her feet. The woman's spiritual energy dissipated, and she staggered back a few steps before falling to the ground.
The spiritual energy tore through her clothes, leaving an old scar on her navel, which drew laughter from the crowd.
The woman's face flushed red, her eyes filled with anger and tears. She spread her fingers, then lowered her head and remained silent.
Ning Bai sneered, "If you want to annul the engagement, go and talk to your Uncle Xianqing and Immortal Zou yourself. I'd love to!"
"If you don't cause any trouble afterward and behave well as the young master's wife, you can enjoy a lifetime of peace and happiness! In this world, it's mostly a dog-eat-dog world!"
Miss Xu was then left in the bushes, her face filled with humiliation.
She suddenly looked up, her eyes filled with hatred. She glanced at Ning Bai, then turned her gaze to Zhou Fuling, as if Zhou Fuling were a target.
...What does this have to do with me?
Zhou Fuling turned her face away, only secretly observing the people around her out of the corner of her eye.
Miss Xu remained motionless until someone helped her up, and she left with a limp.
Xu... Zhou Fuling had heard of this surname; it belonged to a prominent family in Zhongzhou.
The nine Immortal Ministers of the Immortal Alliance, whose status is second only to the Immortals, and one of the Heavenly Inquisitors, Dian Ye Xu Kang, comes from this clan, as does Leopard Master, Zou Lan Ci's confidant.
In the second part, Zou Lanci has a close relationship with Ning Chengshan. She arranges a marriage between her cousin Zou Tianmo (the one who was dismembered by Zhou Fuling) and Ning Chengshan's deceased younger sister, Ning Chengya, the deputy director of the second part. Ning Chengshan's deceased husband was also a distant relative of Zou Lanci.
Zou Lanci supported the second division in order to restrain and interfere with the first division, which was led by Ning Tingyue.
However, the bloodline of the first part is purer, and its influence on Yun Ning is more profound.
This is going to be a battle.
Zhou Fuling also noticed that the cage holding Ling Fu had been moved to a tent at the foot of the mountain.
Ling Fu woke up during the journey, but was still somewhat weak.
He stared in shock in her direction, his face ashen.
But Ling Fu was clever enough to remain silent and not attract the attention of others.
"Worried about your servants?" Ning Bai pinched her chin, forcing Zhou Fuling to look back at him. "As long as you behave, you won't suffer."
...
Zhou Fuling was led into a tent atop the mountain. The tent was richly decorated and filled with magical treasures, presumably Ning Bai's residence.
"Kneel before your husband." Ning Bai plopped down on the high seat, looking down at him.
Zhou Fuling naturally refused to kneel.
A powerful pressure pressed down on her knees, and she pretended her legs went weak, collapsing to the ground.
Ning Bai looked at the girl on the ground, but slightly raised his eyelids.
The girl, Rufang, had fear in her eyes, but her cheeks were flushed, and she exuded arrogance.
To be honest, Ning Bai liked Ling Fu just the way she was. But now, Ling Fu seemed even more arrogant and shy.
The fragrance emanating from her body was like the blossoming of spring flowers, enough to captivate anyone who appreciates beauty.
Ning Bai approached Zhou Fuling.
“I have no interest in you. If it weren’t for the spiritual energy in your body that can be used to refine pills, I wouldn’t have insisted on having you as a furnace.”
He grabbed Zhou Fuling's wrists, which were tied behind her waist, and held them tightly, but suddenly felt a tremor in his heart.
"The fragrance of plum blossoms, defying snow and frost."
He sniffed into Zhou Fuling's ear.
"And... Poria cocos... the spirit of pine, formed from its essence."
"You're really complicated."
At this moment, Zhou Fuling really wanted to kill Ning Bai on the spot!
But after a moment's thought, she knew she couldn't kill him.
The reason they dared to take action on Qingshan that day was because they had only discovered Ning Tingyue and Zou Tianmo, and they had no choice but to act.
Now that the Southern Continent is on guard against the demon race, she must personally enter the Cloud Candle Tower to cure the poison.
To escape the crisis brought about by Zou Lanci and Kuang Yunchu, one must either hide or confront them; whichever option one chooses, the first step is to detoxify.
Entering the Cloud Candle Tower in an orthodox manner and establishing one's own power may be an inevitable path.
After all, she used to rely solely on hiding, and now she's in a much more passive position.
Ning Bai approached Zhou Fuling, who suddenly struggled and turned away.
Ning Bai's hand continued, already pressing on the button in front of Zhou Fuling.
He pressed down there, but his pupils suddenly contracted, and he abruptly stopped moving.
A handkerchief embroidered with a coral was found tucked into Zhou Fuling's inner garment.
Ning Bai's expression shifted, and he glared at Zhou Fuling before letting out a cold snort.
"Fine."
Zhou Fuling coldly raised her eyes.
She had heard that Ning Bai and his mother, Ning Chengshan, seemed to be at odds because of a power struggle with his sister over the succession.
Back in the cave, after deciding to impersonate Ling Fu, she prepared this coral to represent her mother.
...Now it seems the rumors were true.
They really don't get along.
Ning Bai had indeed lost interest: "Hmph, you're still putting on airs? Fine, I don't like to use force, but you should know that you'll have to pay the price."
...
That night, Zhou Fuling's body was kept in place by Ning Bai's magic.
She was forced to sit at the desk.
Ning Bai was having sex with a female singer on a couch.
The spell forced Zhou Fuling to raise her head.
Such a view is Ning Bai's punishment.
Zhou Fuling could no longer tolerate it.
Xu Qingning is still too normal.
However, where Ning Bai was, there were many books on the table. Zhou Fuling, with her sharp eyes, noticed a line of words that read "Holy Blood Pill".
Holy Blood Pill?
Isn't this what Shu Minglian is asking for?
While Ning Bai was indulging in the pleasures of women, Zhou Fuling quietly used her magic to carefully move the book out.
—"Ten new Holy Blood Pills have been made and collected in Luoshou."
What's the meaning?
Zhou Fuling frowned.
The next day, a sudden whistle blew, and Ning Bai's face changed drastically. He jumped up in a fit of rage. But it was too late; someone had already blasted open the tent.
"Drag these two women out and kill them."
"Mother!" Ning Bai stood up, her steps unsteady.
Zhou Fuling immediately saw two women walk in.
The woman at the head of the group wore a black robe and had white hair. She walked with a steady gait, but her eyes held suppressed anger. At a glance, one could not discern her cultivation level.
Behind her followed another young woman who looked very similar to her, dressed in a red robe and adorned with vermilion ornaments, with a vermilion dot between her eyebrows and eyes. She was refined and gentle, and her cultivation level was also above the second rank.
The people who came with them treated them with great respect.
Mother? This is Ning Chengshan? The second part's minister?
Zhou Fuling looked at the woman behind her.
This must be Ning Bai's older sister, Ning Hong.
"Ning Hong, it was you who brought Mother here!"
Ning Hong seemed not to understand and remained silent.
With a "smack," Ning Bai was struck in the arm by Ning Chengshan and turned to the side.
Ning Chengshan: "Ning Bai, how dare you! Your elder sister captured quite a few prisoners from the First Division in just one night. And you? The Cloud Candle Tower competition is just around the corner, and you're still here having fun!"
The singer was dragged out, screaming in agony.
Some people rushed towards Zhou Fuling.
“Mother, she’s been pinned down by magic…” Ning Hong said, “And she seems to be a daughter of the Shui Zhi family or the Ling family.”
"That escaped furnace cauldron?"
Ning Bai suddenly let out a strange laugh and looked at Zhou Fuling.
It seemed he wanted her to beg for mercy.
Zhou Fuling pursed her lips and remained silent.
The more you say, the more mistakes you make.
Ning Bai scoffed:
"Yes, Mother's once domineering daughter. How does Mother intend to deal with her? Bleed her, burn her, or hang her?"
Ning Chengshan's expression changed slightly as he glanced at Zhou Fuling: "A furnace that escaped should be taught a lesson."
Snap!
Ning Chengshan suddenly struck with his palm.
A wisp of magic lightly emerged from her fingertips and struck Zhou Fuling.
It swiftly struck Zhou Fuling's face.
Zhou Fuling dodged and was hit in the shoulder instead of the face.
Pfft—
A sharp gust of wind struck her shoulder, and Zhou Fuling dared not dodge, feeling a tearing pain.
She screamed in agony as the flesh on her shoulder tore off.
Ning Hong: "Mother!"
Ning Chengshan's expression remained indifferent.
"This injury must not be treated before the competition."
Zhou Fuling huddled on the ground.
Ning Chengshan: "But with a great battle imminent, this person was specially chosen for you. Use her to refine pills properly, and don't be hypocritical."
Zhou Fuling was held down, and her wrist was brutally cut open again to draw blood.
She frowned.
...
Soon after, the group set off.
Zhou Fuling was thrown onto Ning Bai's giant beast.
Everyone headed north again, traversing mountains and valleys, until the Cloud Candle Pagoda was within reach.
Upon seeing the Cloud Candle Pagoda, Zhou Fuling suddenly thought:
I wonder what Xu Qingning is like?
There aren't many normal people in this Southern Continent. I wonder if Xu Qingning will suffer a lot.
Along the way, Zhou Fuling also spotted the people Ning Hong had captured from the first part.
The monks from the first part were all tied up, not killed, and it was unknown what they were to be done with.
Some of the independent cultivators looked flustered. It wasn't until Ning Hong brought people to deliver water and medicine that the independent cultivators relaxed and knelt down to express their gratitude.
"Thank you so much, Young Master Ning Hong, for saving my life!"
"If it weren't for Young Master Ning Hong handing us over to the first group of bandits, we would probably be dead for sure!"
Ning Hong's husband, a herbalist, followed behind her and said with a smile:
"Please don't worry, everyone. We have all the medicine!"
Zhou Fuling heard one of them crying, seemingly a family member of a fourth-rank celestial official, asking Ning Hong if she could obtain the jade tablet to inform her family.
Ning Hong paused, then said with difficulty, "So it's Madam! But Madam, this might not be convenient. The Grand Competition is just around the corner, and saving you all has already been a huge risk. If even one or two things that shouldn't be leaked from the Jade Register, it would greatly damage the interests of the Second Division. I hope you will all understand."
Ning Bai was anxious and spat in Zhou Fuling's ear: "What's so difficult about that? Let's go."
He told his confidant, "Go and help them pass on messages. Keep a close eye on the entire process, and keep a good expression on your face, just like Ning Hong does."
"What are you doing?" Ning Chengshan suddenly said coldly, "Mind your own business."
Ning Bai seemed to understand something, stopped what he was doing, and dared not interfere any further.
"..." Zhou Fuling listened to all of this silently.
What's the meaning?
What exactly is the plan for this second installment?
Ning Bai, with a bitter expression, left with Zhou Fuling.
Zhou Fuling suddenly felt a venomous gaze fixed on her back, coming from behind.
She looked back and saw Ning Hong had just turned around and was still asking the rogue cultivators to take their medicine.
Ning Baichi, riding the giant beast at breakneck speed, looked sullen.
After walking another mile, they suddenly found a secluded spot, put Zhou Fuling down, and turned to kiss her.
As if venting his anger, he kissed her neck and lips!
Zhou Fuling suddenly turned her head to the side.
Ning Bai pushed her away, and Zhou Fuling crashed to the ground, her head almost hitting a boulder.
"Fine, Ling Fu, you really don't know what's good for you! Today, I'll show you what I'm capable of!"
The stubborn girl lay on the ground, and Ning Bai felt a surge of anger.
He was furious.
He tried to grab Zhou Fuling's leg.
Zhou Fuling was dragged back and lifted up by the enraged Ning Bai.
...A magic seal had already been drawn on her palm.
Did they kill Ning Bai here?
no.
Using purchased talismans that don't require magic?
However, when she was taken back as Ling Fu, she had already been exposed by magic. Given Ling Fu's abilities, she should have been able to hide the talisman from Ning Bai, Ning Hong, and the others.
If we were to use it, the consequences would be dire!
But Zhou Fuling didn't want Ning Bai to touch her either.
Suddenly, Zhou Fuling flipped over; they were on a hillside. She forcefully pushed the rocks down.
With a loud bang!
The person in the second part below was startled.
"Who is it?!"
Ning Bai: "Fine, Ling Fu, do you want to die?"
His hand gripped Zhou Fuling's throat.
The girl's face flushed red, and she kicked her legs.
Ning Hong's voice rang out:
"Enough, Ning Bai! Look at the way you're behaving!"
Ning Bai gritted her teeth and angrily raised her head: "Sister, have you been staring at me the whole time?"
“Yes. We’re watching to see when you’ll make a fool of yourself! But you’ve really gone too far. This is going to make us a laughingstock for the other departments!” Ning Hong held out her hand to Ning Bai. “Give her to me! I’ll return her to you after the Cloud Candle Tower competition, and I promise you won’t be missing a single finger.”
Ning Bai remained silent.
Ning Hong: "You shouldn't be throwing a tantrum now! Let's shake hands and make up, little brother."
Ning Bai finally raised his head and patted Ning Hong's hand.
"Don't tell your mother."
"nature."
Ning Bai glared at Ning Hong with hatred. When Ning Hong helped Zhou Fuling up, he glared at Zhou Fuling again, glanced at her disheveled state, and sneered.
Ning Hong looked at Zhou Fuling's injuries and sighed.
Zhou Fuling's back went limp as Ning Hong embraced her.
Ning Hong glanced at Zhou Fuling with pity in her eyes.
"Such a lovely girl, and you've hurt her like this." Ning Hong sighed. "A girl needs to be comforted. Why don't you go and comfort Miss Xu first?"
"That pig!" Ning Bai scoffed coldly and strode away.
"Quickly, heal this Miss Ling's wounds!"
After Ning Bai left, Ning Bai's voice, which had been gentle, suddenly turned cold, like snow soaked in the coldest days of winter.
"Okay, stop now."
Zhou Fuling was surrounded by a group of celestial officials. But after Ning Bai's figure disappeared, the celestial officials surrounding her suddenly turned their heads away, their expressions cold.
Ning Hong:
"Take her away."
Zhou Fuling was led half a mile.
After a long while, she was led to the edge of a dense forest.
The forest was dense and secluded, and the rogue cultivators and members of the surrounding tribes who had been rescued by Ning Hong earlier were also driven here. Judging from their expressions, they were at a loss, as if they didn't know why they had been brought here.
The one leading the group was the wife of a fourth-ranking celestial official. Upon seeing Zhou Fuling's appearance, her face paled slightly, but she cautiously asked:
"I don't know... I don't know why you brought us here? If you have any instructions, please speak freely."
However, when she saw another group of people, her expression turned even more unpleasant.
Those people were the cultivators from the first part, captured by Ning Hong and driven here.
One of the first-stage cultivators stood still, unwilling to move, while another pharmacist behind Ning Hong shouted, "Still not moving? Do you want to taste the power of Master Luo's poison pills?"
The pharmacist took out a large, gleaming golden medicine bag.
In an instant, a poison pill floated into the air, and the first cultivator who retreated had a swollen face with large pimples the size of soybeans, screaming in agony.
Zhou Fuling roughly guessed what Ning Hong was planning to do, and pursed her lips tightly.
Luo Shi?
She had seen Ning Bai in his tent:
—"Ten new Holy Blood Pills have been made and collected in Luoshou."
Is this Holy Blood Pill related to this person?
The faces of the people from the fourth part and the rogue cultivators all turned ugly.
Zhou Fuling then heard the female official behind Ning Hong say:
"With the grand competition approaching, there are some medicinal herbs in this forest. We hope you can help us retrieve them. If you can find them, we will reward you handsomely."
The female official announced the names of one or two medicines.
"Medicine?" one of the rogue cultivators said. "If you want...you need medicine, why do you need to come to us?"
The rogue cultivator seemed extremely frightened and said again, "I... I want to go to Yun Si's old home."
He looked flustered. A second-level cultivator gave him a hard shove, and the rogue cultivator staggered backward.
Ning Hong politely said, "Check them to see if they have any recording devices."
"What do you want? We...we have no grudge against the second part!"
"Young Master Ning Hong!"
But all the arguments were futile. The monks were surrounded and driven into the secluded forest.
Zhou Fuling suddenly heard a series of bird calls, seemingly coming from the depths of the secluded forest; the bird calls were clear and ethereal.
Even more strangely, between the birdsong, there seemed to be a very low, very regular humming sound, like a magic circle in operation.
……What's this?
Ning Hong: "Push Ling Fu in too."
Zhou Fuling felt a weight on her back and was also pushed into the woods.
Ning Hong then said, "Alright, let the people from the first part in."
After being pushed into the forest, the rogue cultivator roughly knew what was going to happen and fled for his life.
The prisoners from the first part were as white as paper before being released into the mountains, but after being released, they suddenly revealed a fierce look, probably because they were afraid of the poison pill, and then ran towards the rogue cultivators and the people from the fourth part.
A woman was pinned to a tree and disemboweled to death.
A rogue cultivator tried to retaliate, but had one of his arms severed.
The fourth wife, with her child, also fled, her face deathly pale.
"No, come here!"
They were driven and hunted by the people of the first part like prey.
Zhou Fuling was among them. Someone attacked her.
Zhou Fuling hid behind a tree.
Suddenly, vines sprouted from the soil, wrapped around the attacker's throat, and strangled him to death.
She broke out in a cold sweat.
...This was not someone Zhou Fuling killed.
She merely used a small amount of her demonic power to activate the earthen formation here, using someone else to do her dirty work.
However, Ning Hong is not far away yet, so she cannot expose herself and must not use this method again.
How could she possibly hide in front of everyone?
Looking into the distance, Ning Hong stared at the mountains and forests, her voice reaching our ears: "Remember to surround the mountains, and don't let any fish escape. When the time comes, let the people of the Fourth Division come and claim the bodies of these Fourth Division members."
The celestial official standing nearby laughed and said, "As expected of Young Master Ning Hong, you can come up with such a brilliant plan! Now that the people of the First Division have been forced to slaughter the rogue cultivators and the people of the Fourth Division, it will be easier for us to deal with the people of the First Division and make the Fourth Division submit."
The celestial official continued, "Young Master Ning Hong has come up with many brilliant plans. I'm afraid no one will be a match for him in the upcoming Yun Ning Grand Competition, which will test his wisdom and strategy."
Ning Hong's smile deepened. She considered herself highly intelligent and enjoyed such praise.
Let the ants before us die.
...
Another spell was launched at Zhou Fuling!
Zhou Fuling rolled on the ground, covered in dust and dirt.
An arrow struck the tree beside her ear. Zhou Fuling suddenly felt the ground beneath her tremble, a mist rose, and a maze formed.
A misty fog enveloped her eyes.
When she opened her eyes again, everyone had vanished. She was still in a dense forest, but the area was shrouded in mist, like the underworld.
The stone walls, hundreds of feet high, form a mysterious array around an altar.
There were also some cabinets on the ground, some of which had mechanisms on them.
"What's going on?" she wondered.
There was a talisman on the ground, bearing traces of Yun Ning's magic, which was the method of escaping.
Its side was covered in bloodstains.
This was probably left behind by the rogue cultivators from earlier.
They set up talismans for escape and underground hiding, but were killed before they could escape. Zhou Fuling happened to run into them and has now arrived in a new world.
Where is this?
Zhou Fuling dared not relax. The terrain here was not much different from the mountain she had just been on.
As she walked further in, she saw that an altar had been built on this dark, damp land. The soil on the altar was quite strange, exuding a demonic aura and a lingering stench of decay.
"What is this?" Zhou Fuling was surprised to find that this was the bad soil that she and Ling Fu had seen in the fields.
She didn't have time to think about where she was.
But now, she has to come up with a countermeasure to what Ning Hong and Ning Bai have done.
Zhou Fuling crouched down, and after sensing that no one was around, she summoned the communication jade slip that she had hidden earlier.
She used her tracking technique to pinpoint the location, finding it to be only ten miles from the Cloud Candle Tower—extremely close. She estimated that Master Miao and his group were also nearby.
She sent a message to the Mountain Master, revealing her location, and said, "I am here. Please have someone from the Fourth Division come to meet me. Also, I have found the identity of the person participating in the Grand Competition. She is Ling Fu, the daughter of the former Water Master of the Second Division. I heard that she was once the Mountain Master's outer disciple."
Master Miao: "Ling Fu? You saw her?"
"Yes. I took her place."
Master Miao paused for a moment, then asked, "May I ask... is Miss Ling Fu still alive?"
Zhou Fuling understood what Master Miao meant, after all, he had a bad reputation and killed people at the drop of a hat.
However, her behavior these past few days, showing forbearance in every way, was all for the sake of the Yun Ning Grand Competition. She didn't even feel that she had done anything "bad".
Zhou Fuling: "I didn't kill her. Ling Fu is alive and well. Bring her here in a bit, but don't reveal her identity."
Ling Fu shouldn't have stayed in the hands of the people in the second part either.
"Yes. I'll do it right away and come to meet you in a bit."
"Be careful of the people from the second part." Zhou Fuling remembered Ning Hong's instructions and informed Master Miao one by one.
Miao Shanzhu suddenly said, "But the mountain chief is not here, and I'm afraid I can't break the formation and trap set up by Ning Hong."
"What's so difficult about it?" Zhou Fuling immediately told him the solution.
She was influenced by Zou Lanci and Kuang Yunchu from a young age. Both of them were outstanding in terms of skill and wisdom in their time. Although she later went into seclusion for a century, her early education made her proficient in almost every kind of martial arts and magical techniques.
Although she didn't study the underlying principles, she could always find the corresponding solutions, all of which were taught to her by Zou Lanci and Kuang Yunchu.
After all, they wanted her to help them eliminate political enemies like Xu Qingning's mother, Xia Yanbai.
Thinking of Xu Qingning, Zhou Fuling paused, hesitated for a moment, and asked:
"Has Xu Qingning been found?"
After a while, Master Miao replied, "Not yet... We are also searching for the whereabouts of Young Master Xu Qingning. Hopefully, with Young Master Xu Qingning's wisdom, he has already escaped."
Zhou Fuling's heart skipped a beat, and she felt inexplicably irritated.
"not necessarily."
It wasn't that she didn't believe in Xu Qingning's abilities, but he could be very stubborn at times, and she sometimes couldn't understand him. He would endure hardship without any effort to achieve his goals.
However, this has nothing to do with her.
Zhou Fuling was silent for a while, then quietly got up, wanting to see where she was.
But his thoughts drifted to Xu Qingning.
These past few days, she has been thoroughly disgusted by her opponent Ning Bai. Although she has obtained some information, she doesn't know if it will be of any use.
Looking back on the years she spent with Xu Qingning, Xu Qingning was always proper and polite.
If the two can avoid touching each other, they should resolutely not touch.
The two were trying to keep warm during the cold season. Seeing that she was cold, Xu Qingning resolutely took off his robe and wrapped it around her.
He'd rather huddle beside her with straw to keep warm than hug her.
In the end, he fell ill, and it was she who dragged him back to their room.
Zhou Fuling pondered, her gaze darkening.
No, Xu Qingning was merely a tool for her to retreat from the world and absorb the spiritual power of the immortal bones. His actions were so righteous and awe-inspiring; thinking about their affairs was pointless.
Moreover, Zou Lanci and Kuang Yunchu taught her that being moved by emotions is useless, and forming alliances is useless.
She would rather kill all those in danger than let mercy harm her.
Zhou Fuling officially put aside her thoughts about Xu Qingning.
She took ten steps and approached the cabinet on the ground, which had some mechanisms on it.
Zhou Fuling knelt there and solved the puzzle.
"The Eight Trigrams Formation?" The mechanism was extremely complex. Zhou Fuling hadn't solved some of it, but she had solved others.
The one that could be unlocked contained several golden books with martial arts insights written inside.
Zhou Fuling examined it again.
The technique used by Ning Tingyue is of the same origin.
It is the Yun Ning Kung Fu.
The technique was initially immature, but then someone added a few more strokes.
[Minister Cheng Shan, if you first focus your true energy on the Jiaji point, one of the three passes, and use the Dihu point to receive it, then connect the Mingmen, Baihui, and Laogong points respectively, you can purify your palm energy and absorb a vast amount of spiritual power.]
This person was exceptionally insightful; with just a few words, he had enlightened Ning Chengshan on her problem.
Ning Chengshan's early notes contained many such insights, with a dragon seal printed next to them.
Dragon Seal? Zou Family? Zhou Fuling realized that the Zou family of Longtan was forming a marriage alliance with Ning Chengshan and was also supporting Ning Chengshan.
Could it be that Zou Lanci was personally guiding him?
Zhou Fuling originally wanted to find out Ning Chengshan's problem from this.
However, the books on the issues discussed here seem to be old books, only describing some early superficial methods of practice.
Zhou Fuling intuitively felt that this was not important.
However, the guidance in this book diminishes further after that, ending forty years ago.
Zhou Fuling suddenly sensed something was wrong.
As you continue reading, the insightful guidance is truly admirable; it must be Zou Lanci. She had followed Zou Lanci for several years and recognized him.
but why?
Why did the guidance stop? Was it because the two of them were at odds?
No, that's not right. Given Zou Lanci's political acumen, he wouldn't abandon Ning Chengshan's lineage, since it could be used to govern Yun Ning.
It's possible that Ning Chengshan no longer needs guidance...
That's right, she really doesn't need any more guidance!
If a master learns the ultimate skill from someone else, they will naturally not need guidance to find their own path in the cultivation method!
However, according to what Zhou Fuling had previously learned, Ning Tingyue's skill was far inferior to Zou Lanci's, and he followed Zou Lanci's lead. Zou Lanci could also offer some guidance.
However, Ning Chengshan's external strength is lower than Ning Tingyue's.
Why is this the case?
Zhou Fuling suddenly felt a chill run down her spine.
There's only one explanation.
Ning Chengshan is hiding her true abilities!
Zhou Fuling's gaze fell on the mechanism she hadn't opened.
She had to open the mechanism no matter what!
Since she was going to participate in the Yun Ning Grand Competition, she had to find out Ning Chengshan's background beforehand.
This is beyond question.
However, if this mechanism is forcibly broken, it may cause a backlash, such as a counter-strategy or a pre-set trap.
Zhou Fuling stopped again.
No.
Nothing in this world is perfect; most things are a mix of good and bad, fortune and misfortune.
Zhou Fuling has to gamble!
Zhou Fuling held the mechanism in her hand, but despite her great efforts, she was unable to break it, and she became somewhat dejected.
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