Free Web NovelChapter 321: Chapter 50: An Actual Ambush
As a barrier of alternating light and shadow appeared, an Array shimmering with five-colored light materialized in the mountain stream. In the blink of an eye, the Array illuminated the entire space within the barrier, revealing five Magical Artifacts of different colors at its core.
This was a Third Realm Artifact Cultivator activating his Lifebound Array. The powerful aura emanating from the Magical Artifacts knocked the two Wang Family disciples beside the puppet unconscious before they could even react.
At the same time, a figure landed atop the barrier. His entire body glowed fiery red, and his exposed skin was as bright as molten lava. This was a Third Realm Fire Cultivator, but he did not follow the Cultivation Method of the True Yang Sect.
It all happened in an instant. The puppet’s consciousness had only just managed to summon the Soldier Talisman and had no time to think of its next move before a long spear pierced its chest. The power of the Array infused into the spear’s surface carried a Metal Spirit attribute. As it ran the puppet through, countless golden lights flashed, and the puppet’s body instantly shattered into innumerable pieces.
The moment the puppet’s body was torn to shreds, three Talismans within its soul connected with the ambient energy of the world, forming two streams of light that shot toward the two attackers.
"Damn it, it’s a puppet! We’ve been marked by a Blessing Talisman! Fall back, now!"
As the Fire Cultivator sent the message via his Primordial Spirit, his body transformed into a fiery red streak of light and shot toward a nearby gorge. He stopped abruptly at the entrance, however, as a dense Water Spirit Qi had materialized in the air, with visible droplets of water completely sealing the way forward.
"To have mastered the ’Fenhuo Art’ to the third scroll, you must be Daoist Le Xin, a follower of the Rongyang Monarch, I presume?"
A figure materialized amidst the swirling water droplets. It was none other than Jiangcun, who, like Wang Ping, had just been elected as a Third Seat of the Daoist Scripture Hall. An azure light flickered around him, and wherever it passed, countless water droplets twisted and warped, forming a dense, massive net.
"So, it is Your Highness, the Ninth Prince!"
Le Xin took a deep breath and performed a cupped-fist salute. As he did, the Artifact Cultivator who had struck earlier landed beside him.
Meanwhile, high above the valley, a middle-aged man in a purple official’s robe appeared. A nauseating, yellow-green gas swirled around his body. He was likely a Star God, and from his aura, one could tell that his fused ability was probably destructive in nature.
"Xia Ji! The Imperial Family is protecting him, too?" The Artifact Cultivator’s voice was laced with surprise.
"We’re not protecting him. Certain matters are already set in stone and cannot be changed. Someone like you wouldn’t understand the grander scheme of things!" Jiangcun stared at the Artifact Cultivator.
"Leng Zhixing, former Sect Leader of the Single Saber Sect on Nanlin Road. The Daoist Scripture Hall still has a warrant out for your arrest. To think you’re not only alive, but have even advanced to the Third Realm. Artifact Cultivators may be mostly useless, but your blood is valuable. That makes you worth our while."
A glint flashed in Le Xin and Leng Zhixing’s eyes. Then, one mobilized the Spirit Vein in his body, turning it into a state of molten lava, while the other activated his formation of Magical Artifacts. They shot toward the clouds behind them at extreme speed.
The streaks of light from the two men illuminated all of Yellow Sheep Mountain, raising the temperature by more than ten degrees in an instant. This caused the students in the manor to look up and gasp in amazement. Only a few, who understood what this spectacle truly meant, hastily ordered their servants to prepare for departure.
"Hey, aren’t you going to give chase?" As Jiangcun spoke, the blue light around him gradually faded, and the water droplets filling the air vanished without a trace.
"You must be joking, Ninth Prince. If I were to chase them, all of Yellow Sheep Mountain would be destroyed. When His Majesty holds me accountable, I’d lose my head."
Xia Ji chuckled and descended, retracting his ominous aura. He leaped to the area of the attack, crouched down, and checked the condition of the two Wang Family disciples. Finding them still alive, he immediately placed an Elixir into each of their mouths.
"I told you, Fellow Daoist Changqing is exceptionally cautious. They were just being too clever for their own good," Jiangcun said, looking at the destroyed puppet with a wince. "He’s certainly willing to spend, though. This puppet’s body was worth at least eight hundred thousand taels of silver."
"He just made a fortune on Mozhou Road, so a little money like this is nothing to him," Xia Ji said. He waved a hand, using a storage pouch to collect the puppet’s remains from the ground. "We humble folk have to be a bit more frugal."
"You sure are quick..." Jiangcun said irritably. He then looked up at the sky and turned to business. "The Rongyang Monarch is a bit too inflexible. Then again, this sort of thing is right in line with his style."
"He’s a fool, doesn’t even know he’s being used!" Xia Ji said with dissatisfaction. "I have no idea how he managed to cultivate to the Fourth Realm. You see? Who knows what kind of trouble he’s going to cause us this time."
"No matter what, nothing can happen to Fellow Daoist Changqing. The Xiao Shan Lord’s promotion ceremony requires at least five Third Realm Taiyan Cultivators to stabilize the True Spirit of the Inspiration Realm. If even one is missing, he will hesitate, and this game cannot proceed without the Xiao Shan Lord."
Jiangcun’s tone was resolute.
Xia Ji, however, said worriedly, "Let’s hope we haven’t made the wrong move. If it really comes to that, things will spiral beyond our control."
"We do our part, and leave the rest to fate."
Jiangcun let out a breath.
Xia Ji didn’t continue the topic. Instead, he said, "Daoist Changqing should have reached Shangjing City by now, shouldn’t he? But I haven’t received any word from him."
"He is very cautious. I have now proven that I can be trusted. The next step is to wait for him to find me. And he must find me, because I can help him complete his registration at the Daoist Scripture Hall without anyone knowing."
Jiangcun smiled.
As a Wood Spirit Third Realm Cultivator, Wang Ping was more sensitive to the flow of Spiritual Qi than other Cultivators. Jiangcun’s assumptions were correct; though Wang Ping wasn’t at the scene of the attack, he could roughly guess what had transpired.
"A pity about that Spirit Body," Yu Lian said after reading Wang Ping’s thoughts.
"What’s there to be sorry about? Next time we run into them, I’ll collect what’s owed, with interest." Wang Ping leaned comfortably against a soft cushion by the window, gazing at the clouds stained red by the flames. At the same time, the ambient luck of the world was surging into those same clouds.
"They must be having a terrible time right now. Having the world’s luck descend upon you is not something an ordinary person can withstand," Wang Ping said, grabbing a melon seed from nearby and cracking it open. "At least for now, we’ve confirmed who our allies are and who our enemies are. That’s good enough."
In just a few moments, the commotion in the clouds died down, and the excited students in the manor gradually lost interest.
Wang Ping calculated the time, then looked out the window at the snowscape. The sight of heavy snow blanketing the pine trees was indeed refreshing to the soul, but on one condition: you had to be one of the elite. Only then could you, like the students in the manor, spend your time as you pleased. Otherwise, you would be out in that same snow, starving and freezing.
An hour later, Wang Ping left the manor carrying the small brazier he had brought with him and strolled leisurely down the mountain.
At the foot of the mountain, the slave waiting by the carriage was huddled next to a bonfire. Many other slaves were gathered there as well, sharing its warmth to survive the life-threatening weather.
