Raging flames danced before Sun Lingtong, billowing smoke ascending to the heavens.

The clamor of battle erupted.

Triangle Eyes and Hook Nose were under siege.

This was the force of Sun Lingtong’s subordinates, contacted by Ning Zhuo before the assault.

“Lord Qi Bai!”

“He is a Golden Core cultivator; how could such an explosion possibly kill him? We should be more concerned with our own hides.”

“Where has Han Ming gone?”

“A short while ago, our trap within the underground prison was triggered. She went to scout in secret.”

“Damn it, the timing is too coincidental. This is the enemy’s counter-plot, using our own devices to successfully divide our forces!”

Triangle Eyes and Hook Nose exchanged mental messages, discerning Ning Zhuo’s strategy.

But it was too late.

They were heavily surrounded, locked in a bitter struggle.

“Interesting, very interesting!”

From within the roaring inferno, Qi Bai sauntered forth unscathed.

The violent explosion just now had not harmed him in the slightest.

A faint golden radiance perpetually shrouded him, safeguarding his well-being.

Qi Bai’s face was ashen, his gaze locked onto the Unkempt Guest: “You actually dared to come to Fire Persimmon City?”

“At your age, shouldn’t you be well aware of the gulf between the Golden Core and Foundation Establishment stages?”

“Heh, merely a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator. Have you come to rescue or to deliver yourselves to death?”

As he spoke, Qi Bai’s gaze fell upon the unconscious Sun Lingtong, a complex emotion flickering in his eyes.

“However, I can perhaps understand you a little.”

Qi Bai revealed a cruel smile, like a venomous snake in the shadows flicking its forked tongue.

“This makes me anticipate the moment I ruin you both all the more!”

“I will dismember you into eight pieces before his very eyes. Hehehe, hahahaha!”

Qi Bai roared with laughter, unrestrained and wild.

Amidst his laughter, the surrounding crimson flames abruptly shifted, morphing into a ghastly, viridescent blaze.

Ghostfire!

With a wave of his hand, the ghostfire coalesced into a pack of spectral wolves, charging toward the Unkempt Guest.

The Unkempt Guest’s dark, flowing hair split into several strands, binding Sun Lingtong and carrying her as he soared backward.

As he retreated, mechanical Thunderclap Birds flew from beneath the Unkempt Guest’s cloak.

The Thunderclap Birds struck the ghostly wolf pack, erupting in bolts of lightning, shattering the spectral fire wolves.

Qi Bai shot skyward, hurtling toward the Unkempt Guest.

But in the next instant, the Immortal City’s grand formation stirred, condensing countless array glyphs in mid-air like a cage, blocking Qi Bai’s path.

“Golden Core of the Soul Devouring Sect, deal with the grand formation first, then come find me!”

The Unkempt Guest sneered, carrying Sun Lingtong into the shadows of the alleyway.

“Interesting!” Qi Bai observed the array glyphs surrounding him, closing in, yet remained unhurried, his demeanor calm and composed, without a trace of unease.

With a few leaps, the Unkempt Guest carried Sun Lingtong across two or three streets before plunging into the sewers.

The teleportation array activated, and they were instantly transported to an underground base.

Of course, this was not the base where Han Ming had been imprisoned.

Despite Sun Lingtong receiving urgent treatment, she remained unconscious.

Furthermore, the flame of her life was gradually fading.

Her injuries were too severe.

A medicinal pill was placed into Sun Lingtong’s mouth, and with the aid of spiritual power, it was rapidly digested.

Autumn’s End Life Preserver Pill!

This pill had originally been given to Yuan Er by Zhu Xuanji, intended to save Yuan Dasheng’s life.

After several twists and turns, it had ultimately fallen into Ning Zhuo’s hands.

As expected of something from a member of the royal family, its medicinal efficacy was exceptional.

With the Autumn’s End Life Preserver Pill, Sun Lingtong’s life force was finally stabilized.

But before Ning Zhuo could breathe a sigh of relief, an overwhelming pressure descended.

Then the earth trembled as a figure pierced through the ground, nearly ten zhang deep, arriving at the underground base.

Judge of the Blind, Qi Bai’s divine sense swiftly enveloped the area.

“Where do you think you can escape to?”

“I have planted a unique mark on Sun Lingtong’s body!”

“Hehehe, Unkempt Guest, unless you abandon her, you might live. Otherwise, you are certain to die!”

The Unkempt Guest’s voice was hoarse, filled with hatred: “You have so much useless prattle.”

In the next instant, the array glyphs activated once more, completely surrounding Qi Bai.

“The same trick again?”

Qi Bai snorted, his expression disdainful.

But then, the array glyphs unleashed a brilliant radiance, pressing upon Qi Bai to such an extent that blood flowed from his nostrils, ears, and eyes.

The Unkempt Guest sneered: “The stronghold above ground had to be restrained to avoid exposure, implicating Boss Sun, so it could only be used sparingly.”

“But here, this is deep underground. Even if it’s discovered, it won’t draw Boss Sun into it, so naturally, we’ll go all out!”

“Enjoy it, Qi Bai!”

The array glyphs blazed with light, relentlessly eroding Qi Bai’s defenses.

“Damn it!”

Qi Bai pressed his lips shut, abandoning his previous arrogant demeanor, exerting all his strength to resist the Immortal City’s grand formation.

Time returned to several years prior.

Inside the underground base.

“Little Zhuo, your mother was quite impressive as a mechanical artisan!”

Sun Lingtong glanced around the underground base, exclaiming in admiration.

While practicing the art of mechanical constructs, Ning Zhuo had unexpectedly discovered a map hidden within the underground workshop.

Following the map, they had traveled through a section of the sewer, ultimately arriving at the underground base.

“Your mother had good intentions.”

“She deliberately hid this mechanical map, only allowing it to be opened when your skill in mechanical constructs reached a certain level.”

“This place is indeed not very safe.”

Sun Lingtong commented.

“I understand!”

Ning Zhuo nodded, “The interior and exterior of Fire Persimmon Mountain are protected by the Immortal City’s grand formation. Opening a secret space underground within the city is extremely difficult.”

“Once you touch even a single array glyph of the grand formation, you’ll be discovered!”

“I’m actually quite surprised that this underground base has remained hidden for so many years!”

Sun Lingtong giggled: “I understand!”

Ning Zhuo: “What?”

Sun Lingtong: “Under normal circumstances, the Immortal City’s grand formation is re-planned and arranged every so often! Although it’s extremely costly, it ensures the reliability of the formation, preventing enemies with ill intentions from discovering its weaknesses over time, allowing them to cripple the formation at a crucial moment.”

“The situation in Fire Persimmon Immortal City might be rather unique, perhaps related to the Molten Lava Immortal Palace, resulting in the Immortal Formation never being adjusted.”

“Or perhaps, a certain city lord was corrupt and embezzled funds, not actually carrying out the task of renovating the Immortal City’s grand formation.”
“That being said, Fire Persimmon Immortal City is located in the heartland of the Southern Bean Kingdom. Even if a national war breaks out, it won’t reach us in a short time!”

“Perhaps the past City Lords thought this way: when the flames of war ignite, there will be ample time to adjust the formations!”

Ning Zhuo’s eyes suddenly lit up: “In that case, we can absolutely set up more underground bases like this!”

“We’ve just established our gang. To cover expenses, we need to do business.”

“We can use the underground bases as transit points, conducting smuggling operations. This place can also serve as our storage warehouse!”

Sun Lingtong clapped her hands in admiration: “Brilliant! This way, we’ll only be raiding other factions’ warehouses, and they won’t be able to find ours.”

“However, once this place is discovered, it won’t be able to hold out for long. The defenses are too weak!”

“We can’t add defensive arrays to the underground base, because the operation of any array will interfere with the Immortal City’s grand formation. The City Lord’s Mansion will then obtain clues and eventually follow the trail here.”

Sun Lingtong stroked her chin: “Later, I’ll set up some Non-Emptiness Sect talismans to minimize the presence of this place as much as possible.”

“When I reach the peak of Foundation Establishment, I’ll barely be able to use the magical treasure left to me by my master to arrange some array patterns here!”

“These array patterns can create a weak link with the Immortal City’s grand formation. Even if the grand formation discovers it in the future, it will mistakenly believe it’s part of itself.”

Ning Zhuo widened his eyes, utterly astonished: “That’s so powerful?”

Sun Lingtong smiled smugly: “Our Non-Emptiness Sect has profound skill in researching formations! Because in this world, the most valuable treasures are almost always protected by layers of arrays.”

“My method is called Array Theft and Energy Siphon!”

“In the future, when we have our own gang headquarters, I’ll use this method in the headquarters to siphon a lot of spiritual power from the Immortal City’s grand formation, but pay very little in fees.”

Overseeing the black market, and suppressing those who were not convinced, the two led their subordinates to surround the local gang’s headquarters.

“Little Zhuo, are you confident?”

Sun Lingtong transmitted her voice.

“Boss Sun, just watch!”

Ning Zhuo was very confident.

With a wave of his hand, the mechanized vehicles charged forward.

Each vehicle was loaded with many explosives.

Boom boom boom!

The local gang raised a defensive array, and the explosions didn’t kill a single person.

The local gang members laughed in mockery.

But Ning Zhuo folded his arms and watched, clearly counting down: “3, 2, 1.”

When he counted to one, the local defensive array suddenly collapsed.

The gang’s higher-ups controlling the array all suffered backlash, either seriously injured or dead.

Sun Lingtong cheered loudly and curiously transmitted her voice: “Little Zhuo, how did you do it?”

Ning Zhuo said: “It’s simple, Boss Sun. Didn’t you teach me the method of Array Theft and Energy Siphon?”

Sun Lingtong was even more curious: “But, I’m restricted by the sect’s rules and haven’t taught you any relevant spells or talismans!”

Ning Zhuo shrugged his shoulders: “It’s simple. You told me the principles, and I used other methods to achieve the same effect!”

“In practice, it’s not bad, right!”

Ning Zhuo looked at Sun Lingtong inquiringly.

Sun Lingtong’s expression was calm, and she nodded slightly: “Well, it’s acceptable.”

Finally, they became the overseers of the black market.

Sun Lingtong’s face was pale: “Little Zhuo, was it really necessary to secretly bury so many explosives under my residence?”

Ning Zhuo shook his head: “Boss, it’s very necessary. We must be cautious, humble, and anticipate all possible adverse situations.”

“For example, if a cultivator with a cultivation far surpassing ours comes to cause trouble!”

“We won’t even consider Nascent Soul level or higher cultivators, the gap is too large!”

“But for Golden Core cultivators, we can make an effort!”

“That Fei Si is sinister and vicious, not a good person. Perhaps one day, he’ll personally take action to wipe out our black market forces, right?”

“We must make adequate preparations.”

Sun Lingtong could only nod helplessly: “If a Golden Core comes, can’t we just run?”

“Oh well, it’s good to make more preparations!”

End of chapter…