Chapter 17: Bones Like Iron and Gold

Chapter 17: Bones Like Iron and Gold

Pang Jian's confidence soared. Killing Zhang Heng and Zhang Hu made him realize he could win against cultivators in the Qi Practicing Realm.

Despite this, Pang Jian did not impatiently rush out of the encirclement and instead opted to observe the situation.

Zhou Qingchen had broken through the encirclement on the left of Pang Jian and had long since disappeared.

Occasionally, Pang Jian would hear Hong Tai, the leader of the assault party, advancing while riding his python.

The area in front of him, where Hong Tai and his python first appeared, was where Han Duping chose as his breakout route.

Han Duping had been able to gradually break through the encirclement as a shiny silver ball in the beginning but was now being intercepted.

Several members of the Shadow Specter Sect were holding large black iron shields to block him. The silver ball collided fiercely with the black iron shields but several people worked together to resist the impact and prevent Han Duping from advancing.

Han Duping found himself at a loss for what to do.

Shangguan Qin had originally planned to use Han Duping to find an opportunity to escape but had been intercepted by three members of the Shadow Specter Sect. Although armed with a red jade staff, she was surrounded. The three members attacked her while mercilessly taunting her.

Among those in the Meridian Opening Realm, Shangguan Qin was the weakest. Thus, although she was in the same realm as one of her opponents, he was still stronger than her.

She felt extremely distressed. Had it not been for Hong Tai's order to keep her and Ning Yao alive, she would have succumbed to serious injuries long ago.

Although Zhou Qingchen had boosted the morale of the loyal servants of the Zhou Clan, they were also struggling in the battle against the Shadow Specter Sect.

While they were on par in cultivation realms, they were significantly outnumbered. Each person faced two to three opponents and inevitably met a swift defeat.

In battles with significant differences in strength or numbers, determination and courage alone often were not enough to make a substantial difference.

On the other end of the battlefield, Ning Yao and Ning Yuanshan also made no progress in breaking through the encirclement, even after Zhang Heng's departure. On the contrary, their situation only grew more dire.

A golden short spear impaled Ning Yuanshan, pinning him to the trunk of a large tree. He could only stare helplessly at Ning Yao.

Ning Yao now faced the joint assault of a Meridian Opening Realm cultivator and four Qi Practicing Realm cultivators. They planned to deplete Ning Yao's spiritual power and capture her alive.

Meridian Opening Realm.

Pang Jian found that he could identify those in the Meridian Opening Realm.

Meridian Opening Realm cultivators could either emit a faint spiritual light from their bodies or disperse it outward through their weapons.

Meanwhile, those at the Qi Practicing Realm mainly relied on the strength of their bodies and lacked the flow of spiritual power.

It became clear to distinguish between those in the Qi Practicing Realm and those in the Meridian Opening Realm at a glance.

The Meridian Opening Realm cultivator leading the attack against Ning Yao suddenly noticed Pang Jian while Pang Jian was sizing him up.

"Both the Zhang brothers have died." The Meridian Opening Realm cultivator pointed at two Qi Practicing Realm cultivators and said, "Two of you, go and kill him. Be careful, that kid's a bit suspicious."

"Got it." The pair rushed toward Pang Jian.

Pang Jian no longer had the luxury to simply observe. He rallied his spirits to prepare for the next battle.

Once again, he drew his bow and let loose an arrow. However, the two approaching members of the Shadow Specter proved to be more agile than the warhorse as they swiftly evaded Pang Jian's shots.

Soon, they reached Pang Jian and wasted no time to launch a coordinated attack from both sides.

With just a glance, Pang Jian determined this person was not the same as the two who attacked him. He was definitely not a cultivator in the Qi Practicing Realm.

"Meridian Opening Realm," Pang Jian muttered to himself.

As the man swung his legs, a distinct ripple of spiritual power emanated from him, akin to the blooming of a flower.

This person could release spiritual power from his feet, indicating he had long since broken through to the Meridian Opening Realm. His cultivation was likely extraordinarily profound and refined.

Pang Jain had yet to encounter an opponent in the Meridian Opening Realm. Despite his surge in physical strength and the tempering of his ribcage and arm bones, he still lacked the confidence to confront an opponent of this caliber.

He cautiously sized up the person on the tree while secretly searching for opportunities he could take advantage of.

"There's something strange about your body," The person said, floating down from the tree. He landed lightly like a feather and walked straight toward Pang Jian. "There's no spiritual power circulating in any of your meridians, meaning you've yet to reach the Meridian Opening Realm. However, some of your bones are as sturdy as cultivators in the Marrow Cleansing Realm. How surprising."

After he landed, the cultivators attacking Shangguan Qi all scattered away in fear.

They treated him like a terrifying wild beast.

He ignored Han Duping and the disheveled but stunning Shangguan Qin as he made his way toward Pang Jian.

"Jin Yang. Don't take unnecessary risks," a hoarse voice called out from behind a black iron shield. "You're too important. Let me test the young man. If he's a Marrow Cleansing Realm expert pretending to be a Qi Practicing Realm cultivator and something happens to you, I won't be able to justify it to our Sect Master."

A man stepped out from behind the giant shield. He wore a golden robe, with a matching golden mask adorning his face.

The mask on his face had jagged fangs at the corners of its mouth, giving him a fierce appearance, like a demon straight out of hell.

"I've heard your voice before!" Han Duping stared at the formidable figure from inside the large silver ball. "Perhaps we've met before!"

Only the man's eyes were visible through the mask. He neither confirmed nor denied Han Duping's words.

"A Marrow Cleansing Realm cultivator this young would not be from someone from the lower world." Jin Yang chuckled. Waving his hand indifferently, he said, "Don't worry. He's not one of those heaven-blessed talents."

Seeing as Jin Yang had made up his mind, the masked man stopped trying to persuade him.

Pang Jian felt uneasy at their conversation. The young man named Jin Yang from the Shadow Specter Sect did not appear to be in the same profound cultivation realm as Hong Tai, but his status seemed higher than Hong Tai's.

Jin Yang was not the leader of this operation. Before this, he had merely been an observer.

Being targeted by such a person after piquing their curiosity was not desirable for Pang Jian.

Pang Jian's gaze flickered as he tried to find a way to break through the encirclement. However, he quickly realized the Shadow Specter Sect had stationed hidden attackers everywhere.

He felt helpless. No matter how he tried to flee, Jin Yang would catch up to him.

Blackwater Pond, withered bone, restricted area!

These words flashed through Pang Jian's mind like lightning.

Pang Jian turned around, desperately rushing toward Blackwater Pond where a withered bone of the Celestial Phoenix stood.

"Interesting. Instead of seeking a last glimpse of hope, he's retreating into a dead end." Jin Yang laughed as he steadily closed in on Pang Jian. "That bone of the Celestial Phoenix doesn't contain any mystical power. I examined it earlier. We had Zhang Heng lead you here precisely because of Blackwater Pond."

The terrain around Blackwater Pond was well-suited for an ambush. Thus, they arranged for Zhang Heng to bring the Zhou Clan and the others here under the pretext of exploring the withered bone.

He did not think that Pang Jian could conjure any tricks with Blackwater Pond and that withered bone.