Chapter 27: Assassination

Inside the central arena.

The sealing grand formation covered that area, with Xiao Lang in purple robes and Boyan Fairy in red robes facing each other from afar.

"Hahaha, Boyan Fairy, if you feel you can't hold on, it's better to concede early." Xiao Lang laughed morbidly. As he laughed, his skin began to turn red, as if magma were flowing beneath it, and his eyes became fiery red.

He raised his hand slightly.

Whoosh.

Flames began to appear around him, each one bloody and scorching hot. At the same time, the central arena seemed to instantly become a world of fire. Though only floating flames, they made the sealed area intensely hot, and the air began to distort.

"Hmph." Boyan Fairy snorted coldly. With a swoosh, an emerald green ribbon flew out with a whistle, circling around layer by layer, instantly protecting the area dozens of zhang around her tightly, while also filling the air with endless water vapor. Around Boyan Fairy, it was as if a world of water.

Around Xiao Lang, the temperature was extremely high.

Around Boyan Fairy, water vapor filled the air.

Water and fire began to clash, crackling sounds echoing.

"Your charm techniques are useless against me." Xiao Lang's voice turned shrill, his fiery red eyes like magma growing wild. "Taste my Blood Flame Earthfire!"

With a sharp screech, Xiao Lang suddenly opened his mouth.

Whoosh!

Flames like flowing blood rolled out, instantly covering the sky and earth. Guided by the floating flames around, they formed a massive formation. In midair, a huge millstone made of Blood Flame Earthfire appeared, slowly rotating and grinding forward.

"Rustle, rustle~~~" The emerald green ribbon kept moving, circling layer upon layer, with runes lighting up on its surface. Sometimes it was dented by the impact, sometimes it lashed back. The ribbon was incredibly tough, managing to hold off the Blood Flame Earthfire.

…

Outside the formation, Ji Ning and the others watched intently. Zhuanshui Xiaolou said, "Xiao Lang's 'Blood Flame Earthfire' has been elevated to first grade, and combined with the 'Blood Flame Millstone' secret art, its power is formidable. Even ordinary Primordial Daoists can't withstand the millstone's grinding."

Tiannong Quge beside him laughed and said, "But Boyan Fairy just happens to counter him. Her 'Heavenly Water Net Formation' is renowned for its defense; breaking it is extremely difficult."

"Boyan Fairy's methods are relatively few." Zhuanshui Xiaolou shook his head. "She usually uses the Heavenly Water Net Formation for self-defense, then relies on her divine sense charm techniques... Her charm techniques have reached a very high level. But Xiao Lang is a madman; charming him is too hard."

"Besides divine sense charm techniques, Boyan Fairy is also skilled in other divine sense secret arts. As long as Xiao Lang falls for one, she can immediately turn defense into offense!" Tiannong Quge said.

Ji Ning listened curiously from the side.

The intelligence from Tianbao Mountain was just a general introduction; how could it compare to what Tiannong Quge and Zhuanshui Xiaolou knew about their own friends?

…

"You crazy woman! Ah!!!" Xiao Lang clutched his head and suddenly roared.

But Boyan Fairy sneered. The circling ribbon suddenly expanded, and heavy water droplets, each as heavy as a mountain, smashed directly toward Xiao Lang!

"Ah, ah, ah!" Xiao Lang shrieked wildly. Then he suddenly grew four more arms and two more heads on his shoulders.

Three heads and six arms!

Xiao Lang's six hands each grasped a black long shuttle. With his shrill roar, carrying endless Blood Flame Earthfire, he turned into a rainbow light and charged straight at Boyan Fairy. Each of the six black long shuttles caused the surrounding heaven and earth to change color, giving a strange feeling of space being pierced through.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

With three heads and six arms, Xiao Lang attacked madly, while the huge Blood Flame Earthfire millstone around him continued to grind forward.

"Get away." Boyan Fairy exerted her divine sense secret arts with all her might. She was skilled in three major divine sense secret arts: charm, stealthy surprise attacks, and forceful assaults. She had cultivated all to a very high level. Relying on her powerful soul as a reincarnated immortal and her formidable secret arts, she had indeed made a great name for herself.

But if the enemy could withstand her secret arts, her chances of victory were slim.

"Boom." Carrying the Blood Flame Earthfire millstone, the three-headed, six-armed Xiao Lang charged madly, breaking through a layer of the emerald green ribbon's defense.

"I concede." An unwilling voice sounded.

"Hahaha..."

Xiao Lang then stopped, withdrew the Blood Flame Earthfire and the three-headed, six-armed divine ability, laughing arrogantly. His whole body still radiated intense heat. "Boyan Fairy, I told you you'd lose. Your divine sense secret arts? Hahaha, trying to shake my soul? Dream on."

The sealing formation was also lifted. Boyan Fairy flew back to her seat with a cold face, not even glancing at Xiao Lang.

"Ji Ning, want to spar?" Xiao Lang looked at Ji Ning, extremely pleased with himself.

"No need." Ji Ning said indifferently.

"Hmph." Xiao Lang flew straight back to his seat, clearly elated. Generally, a twisted madman has a terrifyingly firm Dao heart. Xiao Lang was such a twisted madman; he wouldn't bow even in the face of death, remaining as arrogant as ever. Though he had offended many, he remained unchanged.

But he also knew whom not to offend—for instance, he never contradicted 'Zhuanshui Xiaolou'.

…

On the suspended long path leading to the giant pavilion where Ji Ning and the others were, a bald old man appeared. It was 'Fuyun Immortal', who had changed his appearance.

"Ji Ning!" Fuyun Immortal walked along the suspended corridor, his mind free of distractions.

He had only one thought—kill Ji Ning!

When he saw Ji Ning leading a group of golden-armored guards to the Water Cloud Pavilion earlier, Fuyun Immortal realized he had no other chance. Ji Ning at the Yan Estate was impossible to assassinate. When Ji Ning traveled by large ship, he was accompanied by a large group of golden-armored guards; still no opportunity.

Now Ji Ning should be feasting and drinking with others, and at such times, servants and guards would be elsewhere.

This was Fuyun Immortal's only chance.

Although the Water Cloud Pavilion surely had powerful experts stationed and was heavily guarded with formations and restrictions, for Fuyun Immortal, this was the last and best opportunity. If he hesitated any longer and Ji Ning returned to the Yan Estate and stayed indoors for a day, Fuyun Immortal would be annihilated by the backlash of his 'Heavenly Dao Oath'.

"The last chance."

"Ji Ning, it's either you die or I die." Fuyun Immortal walked along the suspended path, heading straight for the main entrance of the thousand-zhang-tall pavilion.

At the main entrance, two Wanxiang Realists were on guard, forbidding anyone from disturbing.

"Hm?" One of the guards immediately spoke, "What are you doing?"

The soundproofing of the Water Cloud Pavilion's rooms was excellent; sounds from outside couldn't be heard inside. Ji Ning and the others continued eating, drinking, and chatting, completely unsuspecting.

"I've come to see Master Zhuanshui." Fuyun Immortal said. As his words sounded, the two Wanxiang Realist guards felt their souls dizzy.

The moment their souls grew dizzy!

Fuyun Immortal flashed to the main entrance and pushed the door open directly.

Boom!

The main door swung open.

"Haha, Boyan Fairy, I'm not criticizing you, but your weakness is too obvious. If your divine sense secret arts are useless, you're almost certain to lose." The victorious Xiao Lang was extremely smug. "And Ji Ning, Ji Ning, you've only been cultivating for a little over thirty years. I think you'd better not embarrass yourself at the Immortal Fortune Convention. Practice for another three hundred years."

"Enough." Zhuanshui Xiaolou spoke.

Just as Zhuanshui Xiaolou spoke, the main door had already opened.

"Hm?" Zhuanshui Xiaolou, Tiannong Quge, Ji Ning, and the others turned to look, because the thousand-zhang-tall pavilion where they were feasting had separate passages for food, wine, servants, and dancers, all moving silently. It was rare for someone to push open the main door directly.

Swish.

The one who pushed the door open, Fuyun Immortal, took a step and had already darted in front of Ji Ning. At the same time, a white bone long needle appeared in his hand, flying straight toward Ji Ning!

The surrounding heaven and earth instantly froze!

A strong aura of death spread. The white bone long needle, carrying endless terrifying power, stabbed directly at Ji Ning.

"Bone-Exterminating Immortal Needle!" Zhuanshui Xiaolou, Tiannong Quge, Ji Ning, Boyan Fairy, and the smug Xiao Lang all changed expression drastically.

In that instant,

they were all terrified. They all knew the horror of the 'Bone-Exterminating Immortal Needle' and saw it flying straight at Ji Ning!

"It must be the Shaoyan clan sending a death warrior, and a Sanxian death warrior at that. Only Earth Immortals or Sanxians can activate this Bone-Exterminating Immortal Needle." Zhuanshui Xiaolou immediately crushed a talisman, and a flowing blue light appeared on his body. "Once the Bone-Exterminating Immortal Needle is released, even if Ji Ning has a divine body, his soul will be destroyed, let alone his divine body."

"He's dead, he's dead. It's the Bone-Exterminating Immortal Needle. Even for Sanxians, it's a killing move; some Sanxians will die, and only powerful Sanxians can block it, though they'll still be injured. This Ji Ning is dead for sure." Xiao Lang was somewhat gloating, also guessing it was a death warrior sent by the Shaoyan clan.

At this moment, Zhuanshui Xiaolou, Tiannong Quge, Boyan Fairy, and Xiao Lang all understood that Ji Ning was probably finished.

As for the golden-armored guards Ji Ning had brought, they were also shocked: "Protect the young master!" But even if the fifty golden-armored guards formed a Dao-soldier formation to rescue Ji Ning, they still needed a little time.

But—

How fast was the Bone-Exterminating Immortal Needle? It gave no time to others.

No one could save Ji Ning; everything depended on himself!

"It's the Shaoyan clan." Ji Ning understood instantly and immediately activated his divine ability.

In an instant, Ji Ning's divine body swelled, becoming extremely tall and sturdy. Lightning and thunder flowed over his body, making him look like a giant vajra. At the same time, he grew four more arms and two more heads on his shoulders.

Three heads and six arms!

Ji Ning's six hands held three Northmoon swords and three Heaven-grade flying swords. These were some of the top-grade magic treasures left by Juhua Immortal, spoils of war.

"Water-Fire Lotus!" Using the treasures left by Shaoyan Nong, Ji Ning's Earthfire and Cold Sha had both reached second grade.

A huge water-fire lotus surrounded this three-headed, six-armed demon god.

"Star Picking Hand!"

Ji Ning's six hands erupted with terrifying power!

"Domain of the Great Dao!"

The three-headed, six-armed Ji Ning, holding six giant immortal swords, with lightning flowing over his body and an overwhelming aura, surrounded by the lotus, instantly filled the pavilion with a world of sword energy. Endless sword energy filled the pavilion, flowing and darting. The surfaces of the six swords in Ji Ning's hands blazed with dazzling golden sword light—the manifest essence of Metal's sharpness.

"Block!" The three-headed, six-armed Ji Ning used all six immortal swords to simultaneously block that Bone-Exterminating Immortal Needle!