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Hidden in the shadows of a small alley was a female cultivator with a delicate face, tinged with a layer of gray.

It was Han Ming.

The roars of demonic beasts suddenly echoed from afar.

Han Ming looked up and saw a group of Red Rock Demons flying above Fire Persimmon Immortal City.

Immediately, the city guards discovered the situation.

Swish swish swish…

A series of spells shot into the sky, then exploded, resembling colorful fireworks.

A large number of Red Rock Demons fell accordingly.

A small crisis was successfully resolved.

Han Ming retracted her gaze, looking straight ahead at the City Lord’s Mansion across the street.

“I have fallen into the vortex of this enormous struggle,” Han Ming sighed deeply, her face filled with bitterness.

Had she known this, she would have definitely chosen to flee far away and completely leave Fire Persimmon Immortal City.

It was only her stubbornness and unwillingness to yield that led her here.

She had not participated in the Battle of Qi Bai. She was deliberately manipulated by Ning Zhuo. After realizing she had fallen into a trap, she did not show herself, thus luckily escaping a disaster.

Perhaps this experience had fueled her侥幸心理 (jiǎoxìng xīnlǐ – a sense of侥幸/luck), making her remain hidden in the immortal city until now, eventually being captured by Luo Shang and used as a pawn.

“Luo Shang hasn’t planted any restrictions on me. Perhaps, I can just escape?”

This thought had just arisen when Han Ming immediately extinguished it.

Precisely because Luo Shang had not planted any restrictions, Han Ming became extremely vigilant.

She had already guessed that this was likely a test given by Luo Shang. Once she escaped, Luo Shang would definitely be able to capture her. And by then, the treatment would not be the same as it was now.

“Luo Shang is different from Qi Bai.”

“Qi Bai comes from humble origins, while Luo Shang has the backing of sect elders. Luo Shang’s own foundation is far more profound than Qi Bai’s.”

“Not to mention, Luo Shang came here this time entrusted with a crucial task by the sect, thus receiving enormous support.”

“Golden Core level Ghost Generals – Qi Bai didn’t have any, but Luo Shang has many.”

“Could it be that right now, there is a Golden Core level Ghost General behind me, watching over me?”

Han Ming didn’t know.

She was a peak Foundation Establishment demonic cultivator. Relying solely on her own means, it was quite difficult to detect if there were Golden Core level Ghost Generals nearby.

Lacking the means, she possessed the wisdom of survival as a demonic cultivator.

Based on her conjectures, she knew that if she acted according to Luo Shang’s arrangements this time, there might still be hope. If she truly fled, the outcome would surely be miserable!

Since the night of the bombardment, the City Lord’s Mansion had been brightly lit.

At this moment, the brightly illuminated City Lord’s Mansion looked like a savage beast that had opened its bloody maw, ready to devour people.

Han Ming steeled herself, stepped out of the shadows, and slowly walked towards the City Lord’s Mansion.

Not long after she appeared, she was discovered by the city guards.

“Who goes there?”

“Halt!”

Han Ming shouted, “I am Han Ming, a wanted criminal of Fire Persimmon Immortal City. I have come here this time to surrender and also to report a case!”

The guards looked at each other in surprise, not daring to make a decision on their own. Immediately, someone ran back to the City Lord’s Mansion to report to Fei Si.

“What? Han Ming suddenly appeared and voluntarily surrendered?” Fei Si’s face showed no joy upon hearing this news.

At the critical juncture of demonic beasts besieging the city, he did not want any extra complications.

But Han Ming’s appearance was not subject to his will.

Fei Si’s mind was sharp, and he immediately understood that Han Ming’s strange action must have been instigated.

“She is a member of the Soul Devouring Sect, and behind her is a super sect of the Demonic Path. Could she be acting under Luo Shang’s arrangement this time?”

The more Fei Si thought, the more serious his expression became.

“Hold court!” Fei Si was decisive and decided to personally preside over the interrogation.

At the same time, he urgently sent a flying letter and also dispatched messengers to invite Chi Dun to provide backup.

In the current situation, Fei Si was extremely cautious, fearing that the Soul Devouring Sect would target the City Lord’s Mansion and him.

After all, the opponent was a major Demonic Path sect.

Soon.

Fei Si arrived at the hall and saw the bound Han Ming.

Fei Si slammed the gavel and questioned her in a low voice.

Even though Han Ming was filled with sorrow and unease, she wore a smile at this moment. Even when facing the pressure of a Golden Core cultivator, she appeared neither humble nor arrogant, exuding considerable confidence.

She slowly spoke, recounting how she was ambushed, abused by the Crotched Guest, and saw the corpse of Yuan Dasheng, telling Fei Si everything.

“Guards, take Han Ming to the dungeon!” Fei Si ordered.

Han Ming maintained her smile and actively cooperated.

Her demeanor made Fei Si’s face turn ashen.

Fei Si was well-versed in officialdom and had witnessed too many schemes. He immediately realized: This was the Soul Devouring Sect’s side attempting to sow discord between the factions of Meng Kui and Zhu Xuanji, with extremely sinister intentions.

Although he knew it was the enemy’s scheme, he dared not act on his own.

He immediately wrote a letter in court, dispatched a messenger, and urgently conveyed this intelligence to Meng Kui.

With the beast tide ravaging Fire Persimmon Mountain, the usual flying letters could not reach Meng Kui. Therefore, the messenger was a skilled swordsman who used a flying sword, carrying Fei Si’s letter, charging all the way, and finally arriving at the summit of Fire Persimmon Mountain.

When the messenger reached the sky above the mountain peak, he saw the scene of the beast tide at the mouth of Fire Persimmon Mountain and was filled with terror.

“The Lava Immortal Palace has actually been breached in several places!”

“The beast tide here is so terrifying! The situation in the Immortal City is like a small sorcerer compared to a great one.”

The messenger was shocked, but he went to see Meng Kui.

Meng Kui swept his divine sense and understood the contents of the letter.

“Ning Zhuo…”

“Soul Devouring Sect…”

“And the Kongmen.”

This strategist of the Meng family pondered for a few breaths, then extended his hand.

Spell – Mysterious Palm!

The large hand formed by the condensed Nascent Soul level mana, carrying Fei Si’s letter, crashed through countless demonic beasts, reaching a broken opening in the barrier.

Afterwards, a small portion of the mana hand separated, wrapping the flying letter, tearing through the air, and flying towards a certain part of the Immortal Palace.

In the past, Meng Kui would have absolutely been unable to do this. But with the Immortal Palace damaged and the power of various restrictions greatly reduced, Meng Kui had a small amount of leeway to unleash Foundation Establishment level combat power.

The target of the flying letter was none other than Zhu Xuanji.

And Zhu Xuanji, who had advanced through the first round of the imperial examination, did not actively prepare for the second round like others, but instead came to the Gourd Fire Furnace Forest.

A large horde of Red Flame Demonic Beasts, mainly Flame-Treading Lizards, were charging towards this place.

However, the mechanical constructs responsible for intercepting them were quite sparse, and many cultivators watched without fighting.

This was a deliberate arrangement by Zhu Xuanji.

He wanted to approach the Golden Furnace, but that was a critical area of the Gourd Fire Furnace Forest, and outsiders like Zhu Xuanji were not qualified to approach it.

If the Red Flame Demonic Beasts charged near the Golden Furnace, Zhu Xuanji would have an opportunity, under the guise of eliminating the invading enemies, to reach the Golden Furnace and use his means to investigate past events.

The message left by Ning Xiaohui after her death, after being deduced by Meng Kui, yielded four clues: Ning Zhuo, Sun Lingtong, Zheng Danlian, and the Golden Furnace.

Zhu Xuanji had been dwelling on these clues.

His extensive experience in handling cases made him feel that there was something extremely important hidden within.

Therefore, even though the second round of the imperial examination was imminent, he had to take this action.

Lava Immortal Palace, main hall.

The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit paced back and forth nervously.

“Zhu Xuanji, Zhu Xuanji!”

“You fellow, why are you so persistent? Why do you have to make things difficult for me everywhere?”

“Alas, why am I so unlucky to be stuck with you, this thing!”

The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit gritted its teeth, filled with resentment towards Zhu Xuanji.

Forced into a corner, the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit had no choice but to pinch its voice and contact Ning Zhuo again.

“Little master, little, little master, I am the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit.” Its tone sounded very weak.

This wasn’t entirely fake; with the Lava Immortal Palace so damaged, the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit was indeed in a poor state.

Ning Zhuo was quite surprised to receive the sudden contact from the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit.

He quickly inquired about the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit’s condition.

The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit suppressed its anxiety: “Th-thank you for your concern, little master. This little spirit won’t die for now.”

“That Zhu Xuanji wants to cause trouble again!”

“Right now, he wants to use the beast tide to investigate the Golden Furnace in the Gourd Forest.”

“Little master, didn’t this little spirit tell you before? Yuan Dasheng was made into a mechanism by wasting a Golden Furnace.”

“If Zhu Xuanji investigates this matter…”

Ning Zhuo’s pupils slightly contracted. He quickly praised the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit and stated that he would immediately stop Zhu Xuanji’s actions.

The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit showed a glimmer of excitement and continued in a weak tone: “Little master is courageous and decisive, truly extraordinary! Even when this little spirit is in a terrible state and cannot take care of you, you can make such judgments on your own, truly extraordinary.”

“But now, if Zhu Xuanji investigates something, what’s the use of having more merit?”

“Little master, quickly get the cannon ready!”

The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit paced frantically.

“Good!” Ning Zhuo’s straightforward answer pleased the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit.

He began to use his authority to raise the Six-Layer Five Elements Artillery Tower again, and the muzzles were all aimed at the location of the Golden Furnace in the Gourd Forest.

Mana surged in, and the muzzles lit up with a faint glow.

“Fire, fire!” The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit was secretly ecstatic.

Just as they were about to fire, Ning Zhuo suddenly said, “Oh, right. Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit, do you know the specific content of the second round of the imperial examination?”

Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit: !!?

At this moment, the Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit desperately wanted to rush in front of Ning Zhuo and give him a fierce headbutt!

At a time like this, he’s still asking this and that!

The Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit cried out, “Little master, please shoot first. If you don’t fire the cannon now, it will be too late!”

Ning Zhuo shook his head: “I’m very hesitant. This round of bombardment will deduct my merit again. In order to participate in the imperial examination, I didn’t hesitate to hand over my Buddhist Heart Demonic Seal. Therefore, I must obtain the position of Palace Master!”

“Quickly reveal the content of the next imperial examination to me.”

“Otherwise, if I can’t win the position of Palace Master and lose my Buddhist Heart Demonic Seal, I might as well be captured now!”

Dragon Turtle Fire Spirit: …

(End of this chapter)