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“This lady actually had such profound skills in formations?” Sun En remarked. He hadn’t been fully convinced when Wang Youjun said that she was a formation expert, but now, there was a bit of surprise in his eyes.
Wang Youjun suggested, “Sect master, what if I capture that woman for you so she doesn’t cause any trouble?”
Sun En laughed indifferently and replied, “Do you think a trifling girl could destroy this one’s techniques?”
Wang Youjun was alarmed and quickly lowered his head, saying, “This subordinate wouldn’t dare!”
“This game is finished!” Sun En yelled as he took out another rune talisman.
Purple lightning flickered around it as it rushed into the air, drawing all the lightning in the stone forest to it. Gradually, the talisman became more and more powerful. Dark clouds gathered densely, as if it had become a lightning tribulation in itself. Xie Daoyun could feel a powerful pressure even from far away. She quickly shouted, “Big sis Yun, be careful! This should be that Record of High Firmament they were talking about!”
Yun Jianyue also noticed the abnormalities happening in the air. Unfortunately, before she could react, a streak of lightning lashed at her. Recalling the miserable fate of the people in the stone forest, she didn’t dare to face it head-on. However, she was extremely fast, so not even the lightning that had suddenly appeared could hit her.
The sight filled Wang Youjun with admiration. If it were him, he wouldn’t be able to avoid it so easily. Even though he had the Shift Exchange Rune, that was a one-time-use consumable item. He had only managed to collect three of them in total over the years. Unless he was absolutely forced to, he wouldn’t use them. However, admiration was just admiration; he knew that only death awaited her.
Sure enough, after Yun Jianyue dodged a few times, that ‘Record of High Firmament’ suddenly fired several dozen streaks of lightning that formed a web, covering everything within several hundred meters around her. She had nowhere left to run.
Xie Daoyun felt a wave of despair overtake her. She could only provide some support by hurriedly using runes to buff Yun Jianyue’s speed and recovery, but she knew that wouldn’t really do much. It wouldn’t be enough for Yun Jianyue to break out of the inescapable net.
Suddenly, a lantern appeared. Its gentle radiance formed a protective cover, blocking the lightning from getting closer and protecting Yun Jianyue as she broke through.
Yun Jianyue didn’t stop for even a moment. She rushed straight up to the ‘Record of High Firmament’ and brought her Crescent Ring ferociously down on it. She couldn’t give Sun En a third chance to use the lightning.
Suddenly, however, a streak of powerful energy arrived by her side. Even though she quickly brought her blade back to protect herself, it still struck her viciously, and she was blasted over a thousand feet away.
Xie Daoyun quickly brought her hands together to form a seal. A blue formation appeared behind Yun Jianyue, and a cushioning force caught her, preventing her from being injured a second time. Even so, the blood and ki within Yun Jianyue stirred chaotically. A trail of blood dripped out from the corner of her mouth.
Yun Jianyue looked up and saw that Sun En was standing next to the ‘Record of Divine Firmament’. He had become almost double his original size. His hair flew wildly behind him as if he were a demonic god.
“How is that possible?” Yun Jianyue wondered, baffled. The aura Sun En gave off was entirely different. It was as if… as if he had become a completely different person.
Wang Youjun’s jaw practically dropped. He had never expected this woman to survive so long! She had actually forced Sect Master Sun to use that skill!
The talisman ‘Record of Heaven Heart’ could allow the user to summon the heroic spirits of history’s most powerful beings to support himself, granting him all of their abilities. Thus, it solved a talisman master’s weakness of being weak in close combat.
For many years, the ‘Record of Emperor's Suppression’ and ‘Record of High Firmament’ had always been enough for Sun En to deal with all sorts of enemies. He had never used the ‘Record of Heaven Heart’. Wang Youjun hadn’t expected this woman to have actually forced him to use it! Only then did he feel that his choice to surrender immediately was correct. This woman had fought so splendidly, but all of it was still futile.
Sun En quickly flew over to Yun Jianyue. He looked at her with a cold expression, saying, “The fact that you were able to make this one use all of my strength is already something to be proud of.”
He raised his hand to take her life, but Xie Daoyun spread her arms in front of Yun Jianyue and cried, “You can’t kill her!”
When she saw the delicate Xie Daoyun standing protectively in front of her, Yun Jianyue was a bit absentminded. Apart from Zu An, she had never imagined that she would be protected by anyone else, let alone such a young lady. She quickly said, “Don’t worry about me! Just take the Empress Lantern and run into the stone forest. I can still buy you a little bit of time!”
And yet, Xie Daoyun didn’t move at all, just standing in front of her resolutely.
“Oh? Why can’t I kill her?” Sun En replied. He seemed a bit absent-minded, as if he were recalling the past. When he was young, he had also stood in front of his friend like that before. The difference is that that friend betrayed me in order to survive…
Xie Daoyun was actually utterly terrified, but her mind was more clear than ever. She replied, “It’s because we saved you. As a sect master, as well as a great hero in this world, you shouldn’t repay gratitude with grudges like this. You shouldn’t force another to die simply because they don’t want to kneel.”
“You all saved me?” Sun En replied with a sneer. He turned to the distant Wang Youjun.
“Wasn’t it my subordinates who saved you?” Wang Youjun quickly said with a pious expression. “It was only natural.”
Xie Daoyun said, “It was because we helped him undo the formation surrounding this place. Otherwise, how could he have possibly come here?”
A smile appeared on Sun En’s face as he said, “But that is your contribution. What does it have to do with your companion?”
Xie Daoyun raised her chin proudly and added, “If not for her, I would have already died a long time ago, which means I wouldn’t have been able to solve this formation. You wouldn’t have been saved either.”
“Interesting,” Sun En said before pulling his hand back. “I suppose this is fine. I just sensed the aura of the Zhi River’s great tomb, and happen to need useful people. If you work for me, I will spare your lives.”
“We still need to find our friends, so I fear we have no time to help you,” Yun Jianyue said through clenched teeth. “Since you acknowledge that we helped you, we don’t want anything in return. Just let us go, and that’s enough.”
“That’s right. We only came here because we were looking for our friends in the first place. That’s why we agreed to help Elder Wang,” Xie Daoyun added. If they continued to stay at this guy’s side, they wouldn’t have a chance of finding big brother Zu at all. Additionally, they could end up bringing him danger.
“Quite the proud and aloof characters. The two of you are quite similar to myself when I was young,” Sun En said, seemingly not upset. He added, “I suppose it’s fine. Elder Wang, help them find their people.”
Wang Youjun’s expression changed several times. He hadn’t expected Sun En to actually appreciate these two women this much. But he didn’t dare to refuse and immediately replied, “Yes, sect master.” Afterward, he asked Xie Daoyun about the appearance and names of the people they were looking for.
Xie Daoyun and Yun Jianyue exchanged a look and both saw the happiness in each other’s eyes. They quickly described Zu An’s appearance.
Wang Youjun’s pen flew around majestically, and a handsome young man appeared in the drawing.
Sun En was a bit surprised, saying, “What a handsome young man! Is this your lover?”
Xie Daoyun’s face turned red and she replied, “No way. He’s just my big brother.”
Sun En chuckled and didn’t expose her.
Yun Jianyue harrumphed. Why is this Sun En’s judgment so poor? Why can’t he be my lover?
Wagn Youjun took out the yellow talisman. After he muttered some verses and sacrificed some paintings’ souls, the talisman fired a streak of red light into the distance.
After observing it for a while, Sun En was a bit surprised. He said, “Hm? He’s not far from the Zhi River. You can also just follow me there.”
Xie Daoyun and Yun Jianyue were hesitant, but Sun En then asked, “How great are your friends’ skills compared to your own?”
Xie Daoyun replied in embarrassment, “They’re all much stronger than me. I’m the weakest one.”
Wang Youjun cast them a sidelong glance. What is wrong with these people? Why are they all so formidable?
Sun En nodded and said, “Then there is no mistake. With the opening of the Zhi River’s great tomb, anyone with any skill would rush over and gather in that place. You will definitely be able to find your companions at the Zhi River.”
Xie Daoyun was still a bit hesitant. After all, bringing Sun En with them could bring Zu An danger.
However, Yun Jianyue immediately agreed. She secretly told Xie Daoyun, “They have a flying ship here and will be able to move much faster. If we walk there, who knows how long it would take.”
“But…”
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“Don’t worry. Your big brother Zu is far more formidable than you think. If we work together with him, as well as the stone cold woman, we won’t have to fear Sun En.”
When she saw how confident Yun Jianyue was, Xie Daoyun nodded and agreed with her judgment.
…
Meanwhile, Zu An’s group was near the Zhi River. They looked for Little Ying’s hometown according to her description. Because she had already been separated from her hometown for so long, some of her memories were already a bit hazy. Zu An and the others didn’t rush her, however; instead, they helped her ask around nearby.
Two dark-robed figures silently watched them. One was as chubby as a ball, while the other was as skinny as a monkey.
The skinny monkey said in confusion, “They don’t seem to be all that strong. Why did all of the ghosts the Ghost King sent fail?”
“All that proves is that those ghosts were all trash. Nothing more,” the fat ball said disdainfully with a snort.
The skinny monkey shook his head and replied, “Even though those guys can’t compare to us, they weren’t that weak either. Not even those ghosts’ souls were able to escape, so there’s definitely something strange.”
The fat ball grunted in agreement and said, “What you said makes sense. It might be that the woman's strength has already completely recovered.”
“That’s right. We can’t take any risks. We have to come up with a surefire plan,” the skinny monkey said.
“Since you’re chattering so much, do you already have a method?” the fat ball asked in a low, muffled voice.
“Of course,” the skinny monkey replied confidently. “I’ve been watching them carefully this entire time. Jing Teng’s strength is impossible to assess, and that pretty woman’s cultivation isn’t low either. That lantern will have some restricting effects on us for sure. That wretched-looking buck-toothed guy also has some skill in the earth element. Only that little pretty boy has never done a thing this entire time.”
“Is it possible that he’s the strongest one? The stronger they are, the later they act. For example, take our boss, the Ghost King,” the fat ball said suspiciously.
“Like hell he’s strong! There’s not even a single ripple of ki coming out from his entire body!” The skinny monkey harrumphed.
“I can tell that both Jing Teng and that dainty lady seem to care a lot about him. It’s definitely because he’s handsome. Girls are all just that shallow,” the fat ball said, nodding in deep sympathy.
The skinny monkey said, “In that case, let’s just quietly tie up that pretty boy. Not only can we gain some intelligence through interrogating him, we can also make both Jing Teng and that lantern girl become flustered. They’ll then fall straight into our trap.”
The fat ball couldn't help but give him a big thumbs up, saying, “Phoenix Chick, you’re wise, as expected! Even the Ghost King frequently praises your wisdom!”
The skinny monkey laughed and said, “Hidden Dragon, you’re not all that bad yourself.”