Ning Zhuo seized this opportunity, swiftly retreating and successfully distancing himself from the One-Horned Ghost General.
"A Ghost General at the Foundation Establishment peak, that ghost-head broadsword is no ordinary weapon!" Ning Zhuo's expression turned solemn.
He glanced at the silver shield magical instrument embedded in his left arm. With just one strike, a crack had appeared on the instrument.
The One-Horned Ghost General vanished from sight.
Ning Zhuo's heart tightened with alarm, and he frantically activated his Cang Tie Han Armor, yet he couldn't detect any trace of the enemy.
At the critical moment, Sun Lingtong warned, "Jump backward!"
Ning Zhuo didn't hesitate and leaped backward with all his strength.
The next instant, a ghostly shadow flashed, rapidly solidifying, and the Ghost General, wielding a battle axe, struck nothing but air.
A second Ghost General!
Ning Zhuo's heart sank.
"Jump again, southeast!" Sun Lingtong called out once more.
His spiritual eyes were glowing brightly.
Ning Zhuo evaded successfully once again, realizing it was a spear-wielding Ghost General.
All three Ghost Generals were at the Foundation Establishment peak. Their unpredictable movements and successive attacks forced Ning Zhuo into a desperate flight, with no chance to retaliate.
Sun Lingtong, lying on the young puppet master's shoulder, exerted all his strength to activate his innate ability. If he hadn't been able to barely perceive the approaching Ghost Generals, Ning Zhuo's situation would have been even worse.
"Xiao Zhuo, Qi Bai's combat style is very similar to yours. You control mechanical creations, and he commands Yin Soul Ghost Generals," Sun Lingtong urgently transmitted his voice.
"Don't get too entangled with these Ghost Generals. Since you can't run away, then go straight for the source and charge at him!"
Sun Lingtong, being a disciple of the No-Void Sect, was decisive and ruthless. With things at this point, he no longer advised Ning Zhuo to leave. At this critical juncture, fighting together was the best strategy.
Ning Zhuo slapped his storage belt and released hundreds of mechanical creations. Though they were all mass-produced items, their sheer number far exceeded the usual standard.
Even though Qi Bai was a Golden Core stage cultivator, his expression darkened.
"A mere young puppet master at the Foundation Establishment stage can actually control so many mechanical beasts?!"
What he didn't know was that Ning Zhuo's true cultivation level was only at the mid-stage of Qi Refining. His ability to control these mechanical creations seemed to rely on the staffs embedded in them, but the real key was the Buddha Heart Demon Seal!
All of these machines had been implanted with mind seals, causing minimal burden on Ning Zhuo and making them extremely responsive.
The mechanical creations surged forward in a mighty wave, charging at Qi Bai.
Qi Bai raised both hands, summoning a powerful Yin Wind, sweeping away thirty percent of the machines.
With a loud shout, he unleashed a parasol-shaped magical treasure. The parasol soared into the sky, and after opening, it cast a large shadow.
The machines caught in the shadow felt as though they were mired in a swamp, their movements slowing to an extreme crawl.
With that, another fifty percent of the machines were dealt with.
Only twenty percent remained, rushing at him.
Qi Bai was forced to retreat.
This retreat immediately alerted Sun Lingtong and Ning Zhuo to something unusual.
Sun Lingtong and Ning Zhuo spoke simultaneously, "The Gloomy Ghost Domain!"
This spell could create a special battlefield where Yin Souls and Ghosts would experience a significant boost in strength and could move unpredictably.
Ning Zhuo furrowed his brows. "When most people use this spell, ghostly energy pervades the air, and heaven and earth change color. But Qi Bai's use of it is extremely restrained, almost undetectable."
Sun Lingtong added, "He has the innate talent of Ghostly Dead Eyes, which grants him an extraordinary affinity and comprehension of Yin Soul and Ghostly path techniques."
"Reaching a level with such spells that ordinary people can't achieve is quite normal for him."
Spell—Ghost Flames Scorch the World!
Qi Bai cast the spell while retreating.
Pale green ghost flames silently burned, and the remaining twenty percent of the mechanical creations quickly lost all power, severing their connection with Ning Zhuo, and then disintegrated.
Too strong!
Qi Bai's strength was undoubtedly among the top-tier Golden Core cultivators.
For Ning Zhuo and the others, even dealing with the lowest-level Golden Core cultivators was already extremely difficult, let alone facing someone like Qi Bai.
Ning Zhuo and Sun Lingtong soon found themselves in a desperate struggle.
Qi Bai's Gloomy Ghost Domain spell was deployed again, silently and without any outward manifestation.
With the spell's reinforcement, the three Foundation Establishment peak-level Ghost Generals once again became silent and elusive, and Ning Zhuo could only rely on Sun Lingtong for warnings.
Seeing the situation deteriorating, Ning Zhuo and Sun Lingtong tried to break away from the battlefield.
But at every critical moment, Qi Bai would personally intervene, casting spells to block their escape.
To maintain the situation, Ning Zhuo continuously deployed his mechanical creations.
The mechanical army he had painstakingly built over more than a decade was being rapidly consumed, and all it earned him was a brief extension of his survival on the battlefield.
Meanwhile, at the Lava Immortal Palace.
A Fire Fusion Demon Ape had just appeared, breaking through the palace's third line of defense.
Golden Core-level strength!
And this was one of its strongest nodes.
Thus, the three Foundation Establishment-level Ghost Generals had no power to resist, being completely ground to dust, leaving only three soul essences.
"Break for me!" Qi Bai roared, his face contorted in rage.
He had to fight with all his strength, or he would be crushed to pieces by the formation.
Spell—Inferno of the Underworld!
Spell—Ghostly Shadow Senluo!
Spell—Wailing of the Nether Ghosts!
The ghostly flames turned from pale green to a sickly yellow-green, burning fiercely, rising six zhang high.
Ghostly shadows surged upward like giants, as if they were holding up the heavens, trying to break free from the formation's bindings.
The eerie wailing of the ghosts seemed to pierce the eardrums, drilling straight into people's hearts, shaking the entire battlefield.
Qi Bai cast three spells in quick succession, simultaneously activating his innate talent, Ghostly Dead Eyes, causing the power of his spells to increase severalfold!
For a time, the formation patterns wavered, rapidly disintegrating.
The bindings on Ning Zhuo's body loosened, and he gradually regained his freedom.
"He's so strong!" Sun Lingtong clicked his tongue in amazement, his face full of shock.
This was the Immortal City Grand Formation.
And yet, Qi Bai, relying solely on his own strength, was able to shake it!
This was what Qi Bai looked like when he unleashed his full power. In the previous battle, Ning Zhuo had never truly forced him to go all out.
The difference in strength between the two sides was far too great.
However, Ning Zhuo wasn't shaken in the slightest. This gap in strength was something he had anticipated.
He gazed up at the peak of Mount Huoshi, his eyes filled with anticipation, as he murmured softly, "Come on, come on, hurry up and come!"
At the mountain peak, amidst the clouds.
Meng Kui turned his head slightly, his brows furrowed as he gazed into the distance at Qi Bai's battlefield.
Meanwhile, all across the Immortal City, countless disputes were breaking out. Many battles arose from mere misunderstandings or minor conflicts.
Watching tigers fight from the mountain!
"Fortunes are surging."
"This ritual has reached its climax, and the end is near."
Meng Kui came to a realization.
In his pupils, the image of Qi Bai's arrogant posture was reflected with perfect clarity: "You seek to shake the Immortal City Grand Formation? Even if you're a true disciple of the Soul-Devouring Sect, you shouldn't be so reckless."
"Go."
Meng Kui tossed another peach core.
The peach core descended from the sky, accompanied by a burst of spring thunder.
The spring thunder struck Qi Bai squarely, causing his eyes to roll back as his head split open, blood gushing out!
"Ah!" he screamed in agony, unable to maintain his spells, and suffered a fierce backlash.
The more power he had poured into his spells, the stronger the backlash he now suffered!
In an instant, Qi Bai was severely injured!!
"It's time!" Ning Zhuo, who had been painstakingly planning, finally saw the opportunity he had been waiting for.
He had set explosives, not to destroy the Immortal City's defensive formation.
He triggered the Immortal City's grand formation primarily to provoke Meng Kui into taking action.
"Whenever I think about getting involved to investigate Boss Sun's situation or attempt a rescue, the Buddha Heart Demon Seal would warn me."
"That's not normal!"
"The most likely explanation is that Meng Kui has been using his divine ability, the Mountain Watch."
Ning Zhuo's intelligence network was far inferior to Zhu Xuanji's, but he had at least learned of Meng Kui's most powerful technique.
"When Meng Kui uses the Mountain Watch, during the duration of the divine ability, he can only utilize those Peach Cores Beyond the Matter."
"That's a Nascent Soul-level offensive technique. No matter how strong Qi Bai is, he's still just a Golden Core!"
Meng Kui set the trap, and Ning Zhuo laid the plan.
"Meng Kui, you're sitting high up there, aloof on the mountain peak."
"But when someone tries to break the Immortal City Grand Formation, will you do something?"
"If you want to deal with Qi Bai, I bet you'll at least throw one peach core!"
To save Boss Sun, Ning Zhuo, despite knowing how unpredictable fortune could be, had no choice but to step onto the battlefield himself.
But he never believed that he was merely a pawn.
Even a Nascent Soul might not be beyond his use!