Chapter 284 - Old Sly Fox
Wei Ji's eerie laugh broke the tense silence. "Don't bother looking; he's too preoccupied to help you."
Zheng Ji managed a bitter smile. "You two... had planned this all along, hadn't you?"
He couldn't believe it. They had been fighting for so long, and it was all an act—a trap set for him and Wan Hun. The tragic scenes within Flying Thunder Valley probably were nothing more than illusions.
Wei Ji remained silent, his smile wide but noncommittal.
At this moment, the Golden Core cultivators brought by Zheng Ji and Wan Hun heard the commotion and hurried towards the valley. Upon seeing the situation unfold, they were stunned, completely unprepared for such a turn of events.
The Golden Core cultivators hesitated, looking at each other, unsure of what to do next. They were just low-level cultivators; how could they possibly intervene in a battle between Nascent Soul cultivators?
Seeing Zheng Ji's reluctance to speak, Wei Ji scoffed, "You didn't actually expect those Golden Core cultivators to save you, did you? Mere low-level cultivators, as if they could turn the tide."
Zheng Ji naturally had no such expectations. He was about to respond when he noticed a faint chill rising from the ground. He blinked but concealed his surprise well, masking his reaction.
Suddenly, Wan Hun's voice boomed, "Master, save me!"
Zheng Ji, Wei Ji, and Liu Ruoshui were all taken aback. Master? You old sly fox, still playing so crafty at your age?
While the three were momentarily distracted, a massive column of frost erupted suddenly from beneath Wei Ji. His pupils shrank, and without hesitation, he summoned a giant sword to block it.
Boom!
A terrifying explosion echoed as the Ice God Pillar slammed into Wei Ji, sending him flying back a great distance. Before he could touch the ground, the pillar exploded into countless ice shards, pelting Wei Ji with bone-chilling cold.
Wei Ji hastily attempted to block with his giant sword again. However, the magic treasure had already been cracked by the initial impact of the Ice God Pillar. It could no longer withstand the relentless barrage of ice shards.
Before even half of the shards had struck, the sword shattered with a crack, scattering into numerous metal fragments. The remaining shards swept past, striking at Wei Ji's vital points with ruthless precision.
Wei Ji, in a fit of rage, spat out a mouthful of his Nascent Soul essence, and immediately, eight golden giant swords began to whirl around him. This was his ultimate defensive spell, which had blocked countless attacks in numerous battles.
Boom, boom, boom! The ice shards continued to fall relentlessly. To Wei Ji's shock, his eight golden swords, just after manifesting, began to wobble as if on the verge of collapse. Looking around, he realized that the ground was now covered with a layer of unmelting frost, enhancing the power of ice-based spells significantly.
Crack, crack!
Cracks quickly formed on the eight golden swords. Before Wei Ji could react, they shattered into pieces in the blink of an eye. His body was blown away by the force, tumbling through the air.
As he tried to rise, he noticed a figure approaching, stepping through the cold air. A fearsome ghost, grim and ghastly, floated beside the figure, holding a black, blood-streaked chain that was chilling to behold. The chain had not yet struck, but Wei Ji could feel it binding him completely, ready to smash him into a pulp if he made any sudden move.
Suddenly, a scream pierced the air. Wei Ji instinctively looked toward Liu Ruoshui, who was being brutally assaulted by a massive dark figure. On closer inspection, it was a high-level Corpse King! Liu Ruoshui, covered in injuries, was clearly no match for it.
In less than two breaths, the situation had dramatically reversed. From victors, they had become trapped beasts. The Golden Core disciples of the Corpse Yin Sect were utterly shocked by the scene.
Bai Jinkun and Wan Wuying, however, remained composed. After all, this "Lin Fan" was a formidable Nascent Soul cultivator. While Wei Ji and his companion had set their own trap, this Nascent Soul cultivator had also been waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
Wei Ji managed a bitter smile as he looked toward the Golden Core cultivator he had never truly noticed before. He had some recollection of this person. The last time Wan Hun visited Gold Thunder Mountain, he had brought three Golden Core disciples. Wei Ji had merely glanced at them without much interest.
Who could have imagined that this seemingly insignificant Golden Core cultivator had been controlling Wan Hun from the shadows and possessed such overwhelming strength? He was completely outmatched.
Wan Hun stood respectfully next to Chu Xuan, expressing his gratitude, "Thank you for your assistance, Master."
Zheng Ji stared at Chu Xuan for a long time, utterly dumbfounded by the turn of events.
Thud.
Two Arms and Four Arms escorted Liu Ruoshui to Chu Xuan's side. "Both of you, eat this," Chu Xuan casually handed out two bee eggs.
Wei Ji and Liu Ruoshui exchanged a glance, each giving a wry smile before consuming the bee eggs. Given the current circumstances, they had no choice but to submit to control if they wanted to survive.
"Master..." Wei Ji and Liu Ruoshui sighed deeply, bowing their heads in resignation.
"Dispel the illusion," Chu Xuan commanded nonchalantly.
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"Yes," Wei Ji replied, retrieving the illusionary array disc and gently tapping it. The scenery of ruined buildings and desolation in Flying Thunder Valley instantly reverted back to its former picturesque state of clear mountains and waters.
Chu Xuan then turned to Zheng Ji, who managed a bitter smile, "I suppose I'll take one as well..."
Wan Hun swept his gaze over the three subdued cultivators, feeling a peculiar sense of satisfaction. Finally, others had fallen into the same predicament as him. For some reason, this even brought him a bit of joy.
"Today's events must not be disclosed. Anyone who disobeys will face death," Chu Xuan stated calmly. "Zheng Ji, make sure you keep your disciples in line."
Zheng Ji nodded vigorously, "Master, rest assured, they have already taken the Heart-Eating Powder; they wouldn't dare to defy my orders."
Chu Xuan's smile was tinged with irony, "That's good to hear."
Those disciples from the Corpse Yin Sect promptly knelt down, "Please be assured, senior, we swear never to reveal what happened today."
Chu Xuan nodded slightly. He waved his hand, drawing Hu back into the Corpse Tower, then said with a slight smile, "From now on, we are all one family. There is no need to be formal."
Wei Ji, Liu Ruoshui, and the others, nursing their wounds, slowly got to their feet. Upon hearing Chu Xuan's words, they couldn't help but smirk internally.
One family? Trust that if you will, but they certainly didn't.
Wei Ji's gaze lingered on Hu. The Corpse King seemed familiar, yet he couldn't quite place where he had seen it before. "Corpse puppets all look similar, big and ugly... Maybe I'm just mistaken," he thought to himself.
Chu Xuan spoke casually, "We are near the Corpse Yin Sect. Let's go there to discuss further matters."
Zheng Ji responded with respect, "Yes, I will arrange for it immediately."