Chapter 660: Breaking the Formation?

Facing Sun Lingtong's proposal, Zeng Jide slowly shook his head. "That's not advisable," he said. "My purpose in coming here to steal is merely to obtain some valuable materials from the River of Oblivion; it's a matter of taking advantage of a weak point. However, the Painted-Skin Rakshasa is aiming to obstruct the River Lord's path. If we help her escape, even if it's just to cover our tracks, it would be inappropriate. The River Lord could easily see us as being part of the same group. Obstructing his path would undoubtedly create a mortal enmity, one he might never let go of throughout his entire life!"

Zeng Jide's spiritual message conveyed his earnest guidance: "Our Void Sect is a super-sect. Although thievery is our primary pursuit, we aren't afraid of offending a prefecture or a nation. However, there must be significant benefits involved. Based solely on what we've gained so far, how could we possibly form a mortal enmity with the River Lord? That would be too great a loss; it's simply not worth it!"

"Just as I thought," Sun Lingtong mused inwardly. Zeng Jide's reaction was exactly as he had anticipated. If he had insisted earlier, he might have already parted ways with Zeng Jide by now. "It's just that... Ning Zhuo is the Son of Fortune nurtured by the Heavenly Dao in the Human Realm, and he represents the greatest human tribulation for the River Lord. Elder Zeng, by helping me this time, you're helping Ning Zhuo. Regardless of success or failure, from the River Lord's perspective, you're already on our side."

Zeng Jide was completely unaware, still hoping not to offend the River Lord, when in fact, he had already incurred mortal enmity! However, he couldn't be blamed. Sun Lingtong was merely at the Foundation Establishment cultivation level; Zeng Jide would never have imagined that two minor Foundation Establishment cultivators would be audacious enough to obstruct the River Lord's path. What difference was there between this and an ant challenging an elephant?

Sun Lingtong frowned deeply, feigning distress. "But if we don't use the Painted-Skin Rakshasa's help, how will we escape from here?" Zeng Jide, assuming Sun Lingtong was merely worried about his own life, transmitted a message with a chuckle and a playful scold: "Kid, are you scared now? What happened to the boldness you showed when you first ventured into the Ferry of Forgetfulness, knowing nothing?"

He continued, "I will not assist this Painted-Skin Rakshasa. This woman is a demonic cultivator, exceedingly cruel. She delights in harming the innocent and flaying skin to create treasures. Especially when making painted skins from human hides, she inflicts extreme torture, ensuring fear and resentment deeply permeate the skin to make the painted skins eerily lifelike. I cannot stand such a person!"

"Speaking of which, Wuchuan Immortal City guides people towards good, offering spirit and ghost cultivators a chance to start anew and transform themselves," he added. "Compared to the Painted-Skin Rakshasa, I have a more favorable impression of Wuchuan Immortal City." The Void Sect was not a demonic sect, but rather an unorthodox one. Its members often blurred the lines between righteous and demonic paths, generally falling somewhere in between, unbound by conventional norms.

"Go with the flow, go with the flow," Sun Lingtong reminded himself inwardly, while outwardly feigning understanding. "So that's how it is. This demonic cultivator is so cruel; what if we save her only for her to turn on us and attack us first?" Zeng Jide, continuing to meditate with closed eyes, reassured him, "Don't worry. Since I could bring you in here stealthily, I can also take you out! I merely suffered serious injuries from colliding with that golden medallion earlier. Once I've recuperated and my strength has recovered, leaving here safely will be no problem!"

Sun Lingtong grew curious. "A golden medallion? What's that?" Zeng Jide, not hesitating to explain, said, "It's one of the national artifacts, a consumable item that diminishes with each use. Evidently, we just triggered a trap set by the River Lord, causing one of these medallions to fly out. The national power contained within it is immense. Fortunately, no one was controlling it; if the River Lord himself had been here to activate it, I might have been killed in a single blow!" Zeng Jide still felt lingering fear, unconcerned about revealing his vulnerability to the younger cultivator. "Alright, any more questions can wait until we've left this place and reached somewhere safe." Zeng Jide then fully focused on his recovery.

Sun Lingtong was secretly anxious but helpless, so he could only "go with the flow" and obediently follow instructions. After resting for the time it takes for half an incense stick to burn, Zeng Jide slowly opened his eyes. His injuries had largely recovered. "Ah, I still had to use a Soul Transformation-grade medicinal pill," Zeng Jide sighed. As merely a Nascent Soul cultivator, he wouldn't have recovered so quickly without a higher-level healing elixir.

During this time, Sun Lingtong's mind raced with countless thoughts. Several times, he almost couldn't resist the urge to act on his own, to break the formation and release the Painted-Skin Rakshasa. But in the end, he held back, choosing to trust the words of concern from the Buddhist physician, Meng Yaoyin: he must go with the flow!

Zeng Jide no longer sat cross-legged; he stood up and, once again, picked up Sun Lingtong with one hand. Using his stealth technique, Shadow Evasion, the elder and the young man transformed into a dark shadow, slipping out of the formation space like water and returning to the City Lord's Manor.

The City Lord's Manor remained heavily guarded. However, Zeng Jide's strength had recovered significantly, and he was no longer as beleaguered as before. Just as he had promised, a moment later, he successfully led Sun Lingtong out of the City Lord's Manor. They reappeared in an alleyway. At this point, Sun Lingtong no longer placed his hopes on Zeng Jide. "Perhaps I'll need to act alone next," he thought. "Elder Zeng is no longer the key figure."

Zeng Jide, naturally unaware of Sun Lingtong's true thoughts, proudly declared, "Well? Junior, I didn't lie to you, did I?" Sun Lingtong immediately gave Zeng Jide a thumbs-up and showered him with compliments. Zeng Jide chuckled a few times, a glint flashing in his eyes. "Kid, your words aren't entirely sincere; your praise is superficial, a bit perfunctory." Sun Lingtong giggled. "I'm truly impressed by your methods, senior. But—" Zeng Jide prompted, "But what?" Sun Lingtong scratched his head. "But I just feel like this heist wasn't satisfying enough."

Sun Lingtong had merely spoken his mind, but this unintentional, honest remark caused Zeng Jide to freeze on the spot. "Senior? Senior?" Sun Lingtong asked, puzzled. Zeng Jide's expression, however, had darkened. His brows were tightly furrowed as he stared in the direction of the City Lord's Manor, a look of anger and shame on his face. "Good, good indeed, River Lord Wuchuan," he muttered. He then clapped Sun Lingtong on the shoulder. "Kid, it's really good to have you along. Thanks to your reminder, I almost fell into the River Lord's trap!" Sun Lingtong was even more bewildered. "Huh?" Zeng Jide gritted his teeth, letting out a cold snort towards the City Lord's Manor. Then he added, "Kid, do you dare to enter the City Lord's Manor with me again and loot the place clean?"

Sun Lingtong hadn't expected such a drastic shift in Zeng Jide's attitude. He quickly nodded. "That would be excellent!" Zeng Jide burst into laughter. "Kid, you're merely a minor cultivator at the Foundation Establishment stage, yet your courage is greater than mine." Sun Lingtong hastily bowed in flattery. "That's only because you're here, Elder Zeng. If I were alone, I'd guarantee I'd be running far away right now." Being so trusted by a junior he admired made Zeng Jide even more delighted. He laughed heartily, grabbed Sun Lingtong's arm, and once again used Shadow Evasion to infiltrate the City Lord's Manor.

On the altar battlefield, Luo Si was locked in a difficult struggle with the Earth Fiend Tainted God. Ning Zhuo, meanwhile, hovered before the Wuchuan tributary, not daring to cross the line. He had exerted himself to push the ice coffin into the tributary and had, at first, managed to freeze the river's surface. But with the awakening of the River Lord's main body, Ning Zhuo's plan was immediately scuttled.

The River Lord held a string of beads, constantly twirling them between his fingers, using them to control the movement of the Wuchuan tributary. If Sun Lingtong had been there, he would have instantly recognized that many of the beads were Wuchuan Vortex Eyes. Each vortex eye was a fully developed artifact-grade item! These natural artifacts often had a single, focused function. Man-made magic treasures couldn't affect the Wuchuan River to this extent, but artifacts like the Wuchuan Vortex Eyes could easily do so. Essentially, they were born from the Wuchuan River itself and were one with it.

The River Lord's aura surged powerfully as he maintained his spell, controlling the tributary, pulling the ice coffin into the innermost center of the branch. Here, a swirling vortex formed, trapping the ice coffin. The ice coffin's cold energy continuously overflowed, freezing the tributary. But the vortex relentlessly spun, throwing out ice chunks and drawing in more water. The ice chunks, once outside the tributary, were then affected by the River Lord's spell and quickly transformed back into water. By this method, the River Lord engulfed the ice coffin, isolating it far away from Ning Zhuo.

Facing two Soul Transformation-level opponents simultaneously made Ning Zhuo feel as if he had fallen into an ice cave. How could he fight now? The disparity between them was simply too vast! But his initial bewilderment quickly faded, a sharp glint appearing in Ning Zhuo's eyes. "The River Lord's main body... seems very weak."

If that weren't the case, the River Lord would have long since flown out of the tributary and slain Ning Zhuo. Yet, he remained entrenched within the tributary, even dealing with the ice coffin using a strategy of attrition. For now, he couldn't attack Ning Zhuo outside the tributary. "Since the River Lord is so weak, can I seize this opportunity to force my way across the Wuchuan tributary?" Ning Zhuo shook his head, dismissing this audacious idea. The inside of the Wuchuan tributary was constantly freezing, while outside, massive waves surged. If Ning Zhuo attempted to force a crossing, he would undoubtedly be swept in immediately. At that point, the River Lord might well seize the chance to strike, causing Ning Zhuo to drown.

"But the ice coffin is lost; how do I solve the problem of crossing the river?" Ning Zhuo frowned deeply, feeling considerable difficulty. He had almost solved this very problem, but the key, the ice coffin, was now lost, and the timely awakening of the River Lord's main body had caused Ning Zhuo's efforts to fall short! Ning Zhuo gritted his teeth, thinking rapidly, yet he couldn't devise any counter-strategy. He unconsciously touched his mechanism ring, which remained perfectly silent. Ning Zhuo's heart sank further as his previous conjecture resurfaced. He immediately changed his thoughts, silently wishing to force his way across the Wuchuan tributary, then to turn back, assist Luo Si, and engage in close combat with the Earth Fiend Tainted God. The mechanism ring remained utterly silent.

"Indeed, the innate ability on the ring is suppressed," he realized. "Has this been happening since I set foot on the Black Cloud Battlefield?" With the ice coffin, the solution, now in enemy hands, the mechanism ring could no longer offer Ning Zhuo hints. The mechanism ring had helped Ning Zhuo greatly, causing the large-headed youth to feel a surge of panic. He couldn't help but wonder, "Is this unwinnable? Should I retreat?" He wavered. But in an instant, he quashed that wavering!

"My mother and boss are still on another path; they're counting on me. How can I fail them here?" "The Human Realm's destiny sent me to this stage; it surely wasn't to send me to my death." "Since the River Lord can temporarily detain the ice coffin and suppress the Heavenly Dao's judgment against him, then I can certainly make a change and create more opportunities." "This is a formidable challenge!" As Ning Zhuo thought this, the corners of his mouth subtly curved upwards, his fighting spirit rebounding from rock bottom and steadily rising. This kind of predicament was not at all unfamiliar to him. Wasn't it the same back in Fire Persimmon Immortal City, and in the Lava Immortal Palace? His strengthened resolve allowed Ning Zhuo to calm down once more and begin contemplating how to break the stalemate.

"Ghost tides surge, white paper in peril; a lone swan carries a candle, piercing the heavenly veil. The guest star should shine north of Wenshu, myriad lights illuminating, tribulation self-destructs." He secretly recited this prophetic poem once more. He chewed on the line, "The guest star should shine north of Wenshu." According to the poem's sequence, the previous line, "a lone swan carries a candle, piercing the heavenly veil," had already come true. Therefore, the next line, "The guest star should shine north of Wenshu," ought to be the solution.

Ning Zhuo had already had a clue about this line of poetry. When he was in White Paper Immortal City, he had specifically given the sacrificial text for the Heavenly Ghost's Incarnation Tribulation Ritual to Wen Ruanyu, a Confucian scholar, for interpretation. Ning Zhuo had not only received the interpretation but also much assistance from Wen Ruanyu! "What this poem reflects is breaking the formation," he thought. "Does that mean the correct path forward is to break through the grand formation here?"

"What kind of formation is this? Where are its foundation points, its eyes, and its core?" Ning Zhuo was completely clueless about this. He gazed at the altar, guessing inwardly, "The altar is clearly the core; it's probably the formation's heart?" But even if his guess was correct, it was useless. To breach the altar, he would first have to cross the Wuchuan tributary, which created a deadlock. He then looked around. This dark battlefield was surrounded on all sides by vast amounts of Earth Fiend Qi, forming a thick barrier. A flash of inspiration struck Ning Zhuo's sea of consciousness. "Could it be that we should actually retreat and confront that grand formation on the Black Cloud Battlefield again?" He felt this answer was likely correct, but then he looked towards Luo Si's direction and couldn't help but hesitate.

The sound of surging water filled the River Lord's ears. "Yin Jiuzhu is the greatest enemy of my life!" the River Lord sighed inwardly. The Cold Abyss Ice Coffin Candle sealed the Nether蛟Scissors. Even with the River Lord's main body taking action, he could only continuously wear it down; he was still some distance from breaking the seal. This was because the Cold Abyss Ice Coffin Candle was not merely ice-attributed; it achieved its ice attribute by reversing the fire element against the water element and adding a yin attribute. This was one of Yin Jiuzhu's signature techniques; if it were easily broken, he wouldn't deserve to be a prefecture lord.

"Reclaim the Nether蛟Scissors, and everything will be manageable!" The River Lord continuously twirled the string of beads. *Crack, crack...* With faint sounds, cracks appeared on the surface of several Wuchuan Vortex Eyes. The River Lord appeared powerful, but his actual condition was extremely poor. Even when controlling the tributary, he relied almost entirely on the string of beads in his hand, barely providing any magical power himself, to the point where the beads were constantly depleting their own reserves. Ning Zhuo's observation was correct: in this state, the River Lord's combat strength was quite concerning, and remaining within the Wuchuan tributary was the only safe course of action.