Explosions as loud as thunder, triggered by the intense battle between the shadowy demonic cultivator and Yang Chanyu, awakened the entire Fire Persimmon Immortal City.

Unexpectedly, the battle erupted so suddenly, engulfing the entire city.

Tonight was destined to be a night of intense upheaval.

The suddenness of the event caught Fei Si still at his desk, handling official duties.

Upon hearing the news, he immediately seized the official seal on his desk, infused it with mana, and activated a portion of the city’s protective array, observing the battle’s progress.

He even replayed the preceding events.

Fei Si narrowed his eyes, his gaze sharp and flickering. From Yang Chanyu’s appearance to her subsequent actions, he detected a strong scent of conspiracy.

Reacting swiftly, he immediately ordered the activation of the entire city lord’s manor’s defensive arrays, maximizing their power.

Following that, he dispatched someone to report the urgent situation to Meng Kui.

Finally, he issued an order to contact the city guard, gather the people of the city lord’s manor, and instruct them not to launch an attack rashly.

The situation was unclear, and he needed to fully assess it before taking action.

Yang Chanyu appeared suddenly near the city lord’s manor, carrying the Demonic Scripture.

This scripture was, of course, the key treasure that the entire city had been hotly discussing in recent days.

Yang Chanyu was chased relentlessly by the shadowy demonic cultivator, who deliberately revealed that Yang Chanyu possessed the Demonic Scripture. It gave the impression that Yang Chanyu had just stolen the scripture from the city lord’s manor, only to be intercepted by the shadowy demonic cultivator midway.

“This is a blatant frame-up!” Fei Si said to himself, unmoved.

He secretly reminded himself, “The enemy is hidden, and we are exposed. The enemy has designed all sorts of schemes and tricks, and they must have taken our reactions into account.”

“Therefore, we cannot easily enter the fray, lest we fall into their trap.”

Fei Si had just finalized his strategy when he heard a roar that was very familiar to him.

“Shadowy demonic cultivator, you’ve finally shown yourself! This time, let’s see where you can run!”

A middle-aged man, short in stature, blind in one eye, with bulging muscles like a stone pier, soared into the sky, charging fiercely toward the shadowy demonic cultivator.

The newcomer was none other than Chi Dun, Meng Kui’s right-hand man.

Fei Si’s vision momentarily darkened, and he gnashed his teeth in anger, “That brute!”

Chi Dun charged forward with overwhelming force.

He was uninterested in the Demonic Scripture, focusing solely on attacking the shadowy demonic cultivator.

The shadowy demonic cultivator was none other than Sun Lingtong in disguise.

Seeing Chi Dun, a Golden Core cultivator, pursuing her madly, wishing he could devour her alive, even Sun Lingtong was inwardly stunned, feeling immense psychological pressure.

“What’s going on?”

Meanwhile, at Ning Zhuo’s residence.

Zheng Shuanggou and Zhou Nongying concealed their presence, communicating through spiritual transmission.

Tonight, it was their turn, as a pair, to stand guard by Ning Zhuo’s side.

Neither of them was in a hurry to take action.

After discussing it, they also worried that this was the enemy’s trick, trying to lure them out, creating a defensive loophole targeting Ning Zhuo.

Seeing that Chi Dun was about to catch up to her, Sun Lingtong, playing the shadowy demonic cultivator, quickly took out a bottle of pills and smashed it on the ground.

Instantly, the dark powder transformed into a vast cloud of black smoke that quickly spread, obscuring everyone’s vision.

Chi Dun charged into the thick smoke without hesitation, like a rampaging bull.

Near Ning Zhuo’s residence.

“Is that the shadowy demonic cultivator?” Zhou Nongying asked.

Zheng Shuanggou frowned, casting a detection spell to investigate the rapidly spreading black smoke. “It’s hard to say, this black smoke is dubious.”

As he spoke, he took out his signature weapons, the Sun and Moon Hooks, and held them in his hands.

Seeing his companion eager to join the battle, Zhou Nongying quickly stopped him. “Be patient, we must wait for Lord Zhu Xuanji and the other Golden Cores to arrive before we can engage.”

“Since you can’t be sure, then this shadowy demonic cultivator may not be real, and it could be Fei Si’s trick!”

Previously, Yang Chanyu had suddenly attacked Ning Zhuo.

After that incident, Zhu Xuanji and others discussed and believed that there was a possibility.

That is, Yang Chanyu and the city lord’s manor were colluding, and the former was hired by Fei Si.

If that were the case, then the current battle between Yang Chanyu and the shadowy demonic cultivator was a performance directed and acted out by the city lord’s manor, to counter the third layer of rumors that Zhu Xuanji’s side had deliberately spread.

The intention was probably this: “Since the public suspects that my city lord’s manor has taken the Demonic Scripture, now I’ll stage a play, and in the end, the Demonic Scripture will be stolen by others, completely proving that my city lord’s manor no longer has the scripture.”

*Boom, boom, boom!*

Deep within the rapidly spreading black smoke, a series of terrifying explosions echoed.

Clearly, Yang Chanyu and the shadowy demonic cultivator were engaged in a more intense showdown in the smoke.

Yang Chanyu snorted coldly, seemingly suffering a heavy blow, and shouted, “Shadowy demonic cultivator, I’ll remember you! Since you want this scripture so badly, then go and snatch it.”

As she spoke, everyone saw a beam of pink light shoot out of the dense black mist.

The pink light contained a stone tablet.

Soon after, the shadowy demonic cultivator suddenly emerged from the black smoke, flying with all his might, pursuing the Demonic Scripture.

At that moment, the hearts of many Golden Core cultivators who witnessed this scene were shaken.

Who wouldn’t want to obtain the Demonic Scripture?

Although they had already formed their Golden Cores and could not change their cultivation methods, this Demonic Scripture was related to the Lava Immortal Palace and the Three Sects’ Supreme Arts, making it invaluable.

Even if they couldn’t use it themselves, contributing it to other forces or trading it would be good, and they would definitely be able to obtain huge benefits.

For a time, everyone’s attention was drawn to the Demonic Scripture, which flew in a long arc above Fire Persimmon Immortal City, heading straight for a certain corner.

And this corner was near Ning Zhuo’s residence.

This couldn’t help but make Zhou Nongying and the eager Zheng Shuanggou feel a sense of unease, sensing an unusual flavor.

“This is probably the city lord’s manor’s trick,” Zhou Nongying thought to himself. “Brother Zheng, quickly take this scripture away, lest it cause chaos and the battle spreads here, endangering Ning Zhuo’s life.”

Zheng Shuanggou then soared into the sky with his hooks, heading straight for the Demonic Scripture.

In a certain house nearby.

The Taiching Palace’s true lineage Golden Core disciple’s heart also stirred violently.

He was lurking near Ning Zhuo’s residence.

Recently, he had been investigating the source of the rumors, coveting the Demonic Scripture.

The Taiching Palace’s true lineage Golden Core cultivator believed that if he could obtain the scripture, it would definitely be beneficial for him to seize the Lava Immortal Palace!

Even if he didn’t obtain the Lava Immortal Palace in the future, this Demonic Scripture would still be valuable to him.

Whether it was used to cultivate his own forces or contributed to the Taiching Palace, it would be beneficial.

Therefore, when he saw that the Demonic Scripture was flying near him, he immediately felt a strong impulse to seize it.

He immediately took out a set of dark clothes from his storage ring.

“Fortunately, I prepared in advance.”

If Ning Zhuo, Zheng Shuanggou, and Chi Dun were here, they would have noticed that these dark clothes were extremely similar to the ones worn by the shadowy demonic cultivator.

Originally, the Taiching Palace’s true lineage, due to his identity as a righteous cultivator, found it inconvenient to act directly in many matters.

After hearing about the shadowy demonic cultivator, he immediately started preparing these clothes.

After all, what did the shadowy demonic cultivator’s misdeeds have to do with the Taiching Palace’s true lineage?

Zheng Shuanggou flew all the way, seeing the Demonic Scripture within reach. He reached out his hand, wanting to grab it.

A dark figure suddenly crashed into him.

Zheng Shuanggou, holding a hook in one hand, struck a fierce blow.

He exchanged blows with the shadowy demonic cultivator – the Taiching Palace’s true lineage, and they both retreated, the resulting shockwave blowing the Demonic Scripture into the air.

“How is there another shadowy demonic cultivator?!” Zheng Shuanggou exclaimed in surprise.

After landing on the ground, the Taiching Palace’s Golden Core true lineage immediately got up and soared into the sky.

He casually waved his hand, using mana to condense a large hand, grabbing at the Demonic Scripture that was falling.

“Don’t even think about it!” This time, it was Zheng Shuanggou who intercepted the Taiching Palace’s true lineage.

He shattered the mana hand with a hook.

The shadowy demonic cultivator – Sun Lingtong, was also rushing towards the Demonic Scripture, but was farther away.

Chi Dun was hot on his heels, staring at him intently.

Sun Lingtong was frustrated, “Chi Dun, that brainless brute, the Demonic Scripture is clearly over there, but he insists on staring at me.”

Sun Lingtong looked into the distance, feeling confused about who the second shadowy demonic cultivator would be.

Chi Dun’s thoughts were very simple: “No matter which one is the real shadowy demonic cultivator, I’ll just grab the nearest one and beat him up.”

Sun Lingtong tried his best, rushing all the way, using the buildings in Fire Persimmon Immortal City to hinder Chi Dun’s pursuit.

Chi Dun, being from the city lord’s manor, couldn’t act freely, allowing Sun Lingtong to delay for a while.

Zheng Shuanggou and the shadowy demonic cultivator – Taiching Palace’s true lineage were locked in a fierce battle.

Seeing that Sun Lingtong was about to arrive, Yang Chanyu suddenly appeared, directly at the Demonic Scripture’s location.

Yang Chanyu grabbed the Demonic Scripture again, smiling happily.

Carrying the Demonic Scripture, she flew away, intending to follow the gaps in Fire Persimmon Immortal City’s formation, enter the dark passage, and then escape the entire battlefield.

A golden light suddenly shone down!

Yang Chanyu was struck by the golden light, and her speed plummeted.

Zhu Xuanji’s figure emerged from the golden light, descending from the sky.

Yang Chanyu used the same trick again: “You want the Demonic Scripture? Here you go!”

This time, she threw the Demonic Scripture directly to the shadowy demonic cultivator – Taiching Palace’s Golden Core true lineage.

However, Zhu Xuanji didn’t care about the Demonic Scripture at all, still heading straight for Yang Chanyu.

Yang Chanyu didn’t have time to enter the dark passage and could only temporarily divert, fleeing while casting spells to attack Zhu Xuanji.

The shadowy demonic cultivator – Taiching Palace’s true lineage, didn’t expect that “good fortune” would suddenly find him!

He took a slight step back and grabbed the Demonic Scripture in his hand.

The moment he touched the Demonic Scripture, he felt that he had comprehended many profound mysteries of the cultivation method.

“Demonic Blood Tendon Art!” The Taiching Palace’s true lineage widened his eyes, his face showing joy.

At this moment, he was absolutely certain that this was a genuine Demonic Scripture!