The Lu Family's House Master of the West Yue Country, was being blackmailed for the first time in his life, extorted.
A dignified peak Harmonious Spirit expert such as him; he slumped limply into a chair with a blank expression on his face.
All were caught….the Harmonious Spirit expert Lu Ming, as well as the 500 Nan Lou Battle Guards, all failed….
"These battle guards that I trained with my own hands for decades ah!" In anger, his palm slammed on the table next to him yet, it did nothing to extinguish the burning rage inside his heart.
According to what that person, Nangong, from the other side said, his Master is Ning City's lord – Young Noble Ning.
Young Noble Ning…. Was there someone like this in the Yue Country? What is this person's cultivation? Background? How did he effortlessly capture 200 Nan Lou Battle Guards alive without raising any commotion?
What baffled Lu Nanzi the most was not the 300 dead battle guards; instead, it was the 200 that were captured alive. Lu Nanzi adopted these battle guards when they were small and till now, their cultivation level might not be the highest but being trained so many years together, their teamwork and synergy in battle formations were a definite force of terror. Moreover, each of these battle guards was indoctrinated by Lu Nanzi with one belief.
Allowed to die in battle but never surrender! Each one of the Nan Lou Battle Guards was a suicidal warrior!
That so-called Young Noble Ning could capture 200 battle guards alive, not only that, he denied the chance for them to commit suicide…. This was definitely much harder than straightforwardly killing the 200 battle guards.
These 200 battle guards and Lu Ming must absolutely be redeemed; losing them meant losing half of the Lu Family's power. However, Lu Nanzi wasn't willing to succumb to Nangong's threat, to redeem them with a ransom. No matter what, he is a peak Harmonious Spirit expert, someone who has one foot in the Gold Core territory, and they want him to use ransom to take his people back!
"Humph! I'm going to ask a few friends….if there's a chance, I'll turn Ning City into a flatland!" A grim light flickered across his eyes, after releasing a three-lined immortal cloud rainbow he stepped onto it and flew off.
Flying on the three-lined immortal cloud, Lu Nanzi's flying speed was comparable to an early Gold Core cultivator.
One day later, he traversed more than half of Yue Country and invited three friends back with him.
Two of them were peak of Harmonious Spirit stage experts and one early Gold Core master. He, Lu Nanzi, was no fool. Since that 'Young Noble Ning' could easily capture 200 battle guards, he must have a trump card, but then again, as powerful as he may be, Lu Nanzi didn't believe that Young Noble Ning was a Gold Core master's opponent. He believed that land with poor spiritual aura was not something a Gold Core old monster would build a city on.
He was not a Gold Core old monster, but he invited a real Gold Core master to 'visit' his city; to destroy a Ning City is as easy as flipping over a palm.
Two peak Harmonious Spirit experts, one surnamed Zhu, and the other surnamed Chen, and with them was the Gold Core old monster named Nanyang Zi. All three were well-known people in Yue Country.
Nanyang Zi's eyebrows locked together tightly into an eight ( 八) character as he listened to Lu Nanzi's explanation.
"The Nan Lou Battle Guards was annihilated, even that little guy Lu Ming was captured….
The Gold Core old monster Nanyang Zi had a slight friendship with Lu Nanzi's father, and it was also the main reason he agreed to help Lu Nanzi this time.
Four great experts rode on immortal clouds and arrived above Ning City in a few hours' time.
Lu Nanzi observed Ning City below as a cold sneer curved up at the corner of his mouth.
With just one glance, he summarized Ning City as broken and dilapidated. His initial trace of caution turned into strong contempt.
A city built from wooden housing….living in such a shabby environment, this City Lord Young Noble Ning could not be an expert, right?
In stark contrast, on his side, not only were there three peak Harmonious Spirit experts, there was also an early Gold Core old monster
Lu Nanzi couldn't resist letting out a complacent snicker; in the cultivation world, a big circle of friends and a smart mind is the truth of strength. Most of the powerful old monsters like to live a carefree lifestyle, wandering like vagabonds with friends everywhere.
While Lu Nanzi was scrutinizing Ning City, the other three were doing the same thing.
The two surnamed Chen and Zhu Harmonious Spirit old fellows had the same expression as Lu Nanzi, exposing disdainful cold sneers seeing the lowly city below them.
Except for Nanyang Zi. His divine sense swept over Ning City and his face revealed a trace of surprise. Pondering for a moment, there was disbelief, and finally a serious expression.
"This is…. a Core level formation!"
A Core level defense array formation was sufficient to kill a Gold Core old monster; in the entire Yue Country, only sects the same level as the Great Void School or Heaven Separation Sect had the resources to lay out such a formation. Even the Sinister Sparrow Sect only had a Spirit level defense formation that could defend against Harmonious Spirit realm experts.
This lowly Ning City, built in a single day, actually has a Core level defense formation. What is the origin of this Ning City's Lord, 'Young Noble Ning'!!
Four old monsters, three despised Ning City whereas the strongest of them, Nanyang Zi, listed the 'Young Noble Ning' that he has yet to meet as a person not to provoke.
Before Nanyang Zi could explain to Lu Nanzi and the other two the terror of Ning City, suddenly, from within Ning City, 1400 evil cultivators rushed out like a tsunami, each of them was at least at Fifth level Vein Opening!
Three different guards of evil cultivators lined onto three different big formations outside Ning City, the chilly killing momentum that soared towards the sky once again jarred Nanyang Zi.
These three formations were actually the three troops of battle guards in Ning City, and each one was no weaker than the Nan Lou Battle Guards, how was this possible.
One battle guard troop was enough to fight against one Gold Core master, even if the four of them attack together, the chances of them coming out victorious were slim!
A faint feeling gnawed at Nanyang Zi, telling him coming with Lu Nanzi to take revenge on Ning City this time was a mistake; and just as this thought flashed across his mind, three figures slowly walked out from Ning City, walking on air.
One looked soft and gentle, one dark and burly, and one cold akin to a sharp sword. Three people, two of them were mid-Harmonious Spirit and one late-Harmonious Spirit.
Lu Nanzi, the men surnamed Chen and Zhu, were three peak Harmonious Spirits old fellows, so they did not put the three people in their eyes, but with Nanyang Zi's Gold Core eyesight, he noticed these three people weren't ordinary.
Nangong had changed into a purple robe, with his long hair down like a waterfall, his eyes soft yet sharp at the same time. His icy gaze did not mean anything in Lu Nanzi's eyes, in Nanyang Zi's eyes, however, it made his soul shiver, the frigid cold in that look felt like it could pierce through the soul!
Yuchi's build was close to six feet tall akin to an iron wall, and his face glowed with radiance. His cultivation wasn't high, just at mid-Harmonious Spirit….it was just that, the little piglet in his arms gave Nanyang Zi a feeling of blending with nature. If his estimation was accurate, within ten years, this person would have a breakthrough into the Gold Core realm!
Lastly, the impression Situ gave Nanyang Zi was the most profound of all! Wearing a plain monastic style robes, yet neither a monk nor a Taoist, carrying a sword, issuing terrible sword intent that pierced through the sky. Clearly, he was just a late Harmonious Spirit expert yet the sword intent that exuded bone deep gave Nanyang Zi the illusion that if this person was truly angered, even he would be unable to block that man's sword beam.
"I did not expect the waters of Ning City would be so deep…"
If Nanyang Zi didn't care about his own face and reputation, he would very quickly and enthusiastically turn around and leave this instant. He had lived several hundred years, and gained some insight through the years, understanding there are some people that you cannot afford to provoke.
Unfortunately, the three with him didn't possess the same keen judgment, Lu Nanzi and the other two's arrogance took over.
"Tell your City Lord to roll out here within three breaths' time!" The old fellow surnamed Chen snorted, taking the lead.
So what if there are three Harmonious Spirit experts? Without a peak Harmonious Spirit, Ning City can't block them.
So what if there are three battle guard troops? These Vein Opening kids couldn't even fly into the sky, could they reach them to attack?
This so-called Young Noble Ning, seemingly powerful and prestigious, where in truth was all just unwarranted fame.
The same thought echoed in the other two experts minds as well; the expression on their faces showed a collective decision was made – today, they must destroy Ning City.
"Extortion failed already ah~~….Since it is like this, just kill all of them and forget the matter…."
Nangong's soft voice lamented coldly; he wasn't afraid even though there was a Gold Core old monster on the other side. His real strength was in fact, above Situ; after all, he was Situ's Big Bro! A war seemed as though it was about to breakout any moment, but it was exactly at this time that the spiritual energy above Ning City suddenly became turbulent.
Two different colors of clouds appeared in the sky, followed by a whirlpool of spiritual energy.
A vision of colored clouds, and the emergence of a spiritual energy whirlpool, without a doubt, this was a four revolution dan condensing!
At this point, Nanyang Zi wasn't the only one astounded; Lu Nanzi as well as the two old fellows surnamed Chen and Zhu showed great shock.
Within Ning City there is actually a Four Revolution Dan Refinement Master! Even a Nascent Soul old monster needed to treat a Four Revolution Dan Refinement Master with utter respect as a guest of honor.
In fact, not only were the four guests shocked, Nangong, Situ, and Yuchi were as well. They were only told Ning Fan was in seclusive practice, they didn't know Ning Fan was actually refining a four revolution dan!
A flame burned in the three commander's eyes; if Young Lord became a Four Revolution Dan Refinement Master, regardless of his mid-Harmonious Spirit strength, his assemblage influence would be terrifying. Up to the level of Great Void School's Sovereign wouldn't dare to offend Ning Fan!
In the next moment, the turbulent whirlpool of spiritual energy dissipated as the fragrant smell of medicine pellet permeated the air. Despite that, things had not ended, black rumbling clouds rolled, gathering above Ning City.
Under this level of heaven tribulation lightning, a Gold Core expert such as Nanyang Zi felt apprehensive.
A four revolution dan's heaven tribulation lightning could hack to death an average Gold Core cultivator!
"Can Young Master triumph against the tribulation lightning…" Nangong was worried.
.....
In the Dan Refinement Room, Ning Fan slapped on the Dan Shattering Cauldron's top and with a twirl of his sleeve several half gold half black little round pills flew to his palm, entering into a bottle.
His divine sense swept out and felt the trespassers' presence, the light in his eyes turned cold.
"Sisi, go and deal with heaven tribulation lightning, and the troublemakers, don't let even one escape!"
After barking out orders towards the other side of the door, Ning Fan sat cross-legged, deeply breathing a mouthful of turbid qi; adjusting his breathing for a long time, he took out a Jade Royal Dan and swallowed it down. The rest was put away.
The instant the pellet entered his stomach, slowly refining it, Ning Fan's injuries recovered at an alarming rate. The injuries to his veins and meridians – healed in an instant; the shattered bones – mended instantly. The many years of hidden internal injuries gradually recovered one by one. Furthermore, Ning Fan's physique was growing significantly stronger, transforming from his previous poor and weak physique.
Before he could be happy for himself, a piercing pain shot through his body, nearly causing him to faint.
His entire body's meridians and veins, crushed! Every bone in his head, shattered!
As Ning Fan persevered in refining the energy from the pellet, his veins, meridians, bones, tendons started to heal, becoming tougher. This was truly a strange phenomenon!
But, in the next moment, …meridians, veins…everything was broken again…
The process repeated itself over and over, each time he was healed fully, in the next moment everything would be shattered!
This was Jade Royal Dan, tyrannical. Yet it transformed his body's constitution, allowing a mortal to possess a physique even Immortals and Devils were envious of. Of course, there was a price he must pay.
The moment a butterfly broke out from its cocoon, the pain was like a layer of skin being peeled off, excruciating pain piercing through the heart, which was why many butterflies died in that instant of breaking out, the pain was unbearable.
Nine out of ten people who swallowed a Jade Royal Dan died in pain in that moment of breaking out of the cocoon, that even included a Fiendgod!
A Fiendgod's Immortal Body could defend against all attacks, excluding pain. To withstand the pain, what was necessary wasn't magic powers but a strong will and heart!
"Endure, if not, die!" Ning Fan's lips were white from anguished pain as he gritted his teeth.
At one point, Ning Fan's bones were glowing a soft silver, like that of a star….
Amongst physique refining cultivators, this was called the Silver Bone Stage. A stage many physique refining cultivators could only dream of….
Ning Fan endured the long suffering, all for that moment of breaking out from the cocoon, morphing into a butterfly!
Note:
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Credit:
Translator: Stoned
Editor: Wayfinder