Chapter 146: Kidnapping Nalan Jing, The Flaw of Body Cultivation
Chapter 146 – Kidnapping Nalan Jing, The Flaw of Body Cultivation
Facing this inquiry, the Second Elder let out a heavy sigh and spoke.
“If Wu Li also joins the Purple Mansion Holy Land, then we have no choice but to tighten our belts and nurture them both.”
“Who could have fathomed that hoarding too many heaven-defying prodigies would become a tribulation? It is truly frustrating!”
“Indeed, every sect has its own bitter scripture to chant. For our Purple Mansion Holy Land, the burden is heavy!”
The surrounding Elders: “…”
Although we stand on the same side, your shameless boasting is profoundly irritating.
You have already claimed all the glory; how are the rest of us supposed to feign humility?
…
At the boundary stele.
“Hiss–“
“The pain is excruciating!”
Chen Changsheng drew in a sharp breath of cold air, frantically shoving handfuls of Pills into his mouth.
Although he had triumphed in the bloody clash, Chen Changsheng had discovered the fatal flaw of Body Cultivation: the sheer expenditure of spiritual essence was horrifying.
While the Golden Core path lacked the tyrannical might of Body Cultivation, so long as the Golden Core remained unextinguished, regrowing severed limbs was a trivial matter.
But Body Cultivation was not so merciful.
It turned the mortal shell into a supreme vessel, containing unfathomable, world-rending power.
Once a piece of that foundation was severed, the primordial Qi required to forge it anew reached astronomical proportions.
After ten breaths of agonizing time, aided by the golden silkworm silk and a torrential influx of Pills, Chen Changsheng’s right arm finally regenerated.
Staring at the flawless, pale skin of his new limb, Chen Changsheng murmured, “This flaw is indeed troublesome. It seems I must ruthlessly temper my mortal shell even further.”
“Relying on Pills to mend flesh wastes precious breaths. If I cannot achieve instantaneous rebirth of severed limbs, fatal openings will always emerge when clashing with supreme masters.”
Having shrewdly weighed the fated paths, Chen Changsheng already grasped a general direction to overcome this bottleneck.
Laying down a Formation to sever prying divine intents, Chen Changsheng scooped up Little Black.
“You deceitful little mutt. Who would have guessed you were actually the primordial divine beast, White Marsh? After all these years together, you hid it flawlessly.”
Faced with Chen Changsheng’s grievances, Little Black merely cast him a sideways glance and went straight back to sleep.
Although it uttered not a single bark, the beast’s disdainful eyes explained everything.
First, I cannot speak in the human tongues right now, so I could not tell you.
Second, why do you think my species is named ‘White Marsh’? Because my fur is snow-white!
Yet you shamelessly named me ‘Little Black’. Does your Dao heart not sting with guilt?
Seeing the beast ignore him, Chen Changsheng grinned, roughly stroking Little Black’s pristine fur.
“Truly, a foolish hound stumbles upon foolish fortune. By the laws of the Dao, you should be a rotting corpse by now, yet I actually unearthed a method to drag you back from the abyss.”
“Thus, in the days to come, I will likely be spilling blood on your behalf once more.”
“I fed you and cleaned up your filth with my own two hands. You had better not turn into an ungrateful cur in the future.”
“Awoo–“
Little Black cracked one eye open and let out a low whine.
Hearing this, Chen Changsheng instantly deciphered the beast’s meaning.
“I have manipulated enough variables for A-Li. His fated path is now his own to walk.”
“According to Zhang Bairen’s veiled words, once a bearer of the Heaven’s Mandate breaches the Sixth Realm, basically nothing under the heavens can truly threaten their life.”
“Even if a primordial horror capable of threatening him does emerge, that level of danger is not something my current strength can fend off.”
“Young eagles must eventually throw themselves from the cliff to fly. I cannot act as his shield forever.”
“Once the karmic knot between A-Li and Nalan Jing is securely tied, I can quietly fade into the shadows, my grand scheme complete.”
After listening to his sovereign’s musings, Little Black yawned widely and fell back asleep, while Chen Changsheng smiled coldly, sweeping his gaze toward the distant horizon.
No bloody banquet under heaven lasts forever, and this era’s feast was nearing its final course.
…
Within a desolate, winding valley.
“Achoo!”
A-Li, currently buried in ambush, stifled a sneeze. Rubbing his stinging nose, he murmured in suspicion.
“I keep feeling a chill down my spine, as if someone is plotting my demise. Is some old monster laying a trap for me?”
Hearing this, the bandit crouching beside him chuckled. “Who else could it be? That fiery girl Huaiyu is likely cursing your name.”
“Impossible. That girl is utterly devoid of conscience. She has been running wild ever since she left; why would she waste a thought on me?”
“I do not know why, but recently my Dao heart has been restless. It is a suffocating, inexplicable premonition.”
“Tsk, tsk!”
“Boss, could it be that your star of mortal romance is stirring? It seems our Seventy-Two Wolf Smoke is about to welcome a sovereign lady.”
“Scram, scram!”
“Stow your glib tongue. Women are nothing but bloody tribulation. I harbor no such idle thoughts.”
“I received secret intelligence that the Purple Mansion Holy Lord will pass through this gorge. When she arrives, we strike.”
“If we succeed, we will not need to pillage for cultivation resources for the next ten years.”
“However, when we unleash our ambush, you must exercise absolute control. Under no circumstances are you to harm a single hair on the Purple Mansion Holy Lord’s head.”
“Huh?”
Faced with Wu Li’s baffling command, the surrounding bandits exchanged grimaces of utter difficulty.
“Boss, that is asking for the impossible. The Purple Mansion Holy Lord travels surrounded by terrifying experts.”
“If we do not strike with lethal intent, how can we possibly suppress them?”
“This is an absolute decree. Cease your petty bargaining.”
Forcibly crushing the dissent among his ranks, Wu Li’s own face was veiled in deep bewilderment.
Not long ago, Sir had transmitted a secret message, declaring the Purple Mansion Holy Lord would tread this exact path.
His explicit mandate was to orchestrate a flawless kidnapping, strictly forbidding any harm to befall her.
Staring at this absurd decree, Wu Li had pondered for two solid hours, yet he could not fathom Sir’s machinations.
Currently, Sir had entrenched himself within the Purple Mansion Holy Land. Logically, they were staunch allies. Why would Sir order him to abduct their reigning sovereign?
Though utterly blind to Chen Changsheng’s grand scheme, Wu Li still chose to execute his master’s will without hesitation.
After an indeterminate passage of time, a peerlessly elegant silhouette drifted into the valley.
Sensing her approach, Wu Li instantly triggered the grand Formation, materializing directly in Nalan Jing’s path.
“Hahaha!”
“I cleaved this mountain, I planted these woods! If you seek passage, surrender your wealth and treasures!”
“Holy Lord, it appears your fated luck has run dry!”
Gazing at the masked predator blocking her path, the corners of Nalan Jing’s lips curled into a faint, serene smile.
“The grand commander of the Seventy-Two Wolf Smoke resorting to such crude vulgarity? I expected you to orchestrate a far more elegant trap.”
Wu Li: “…”
I am here to abduct you, not to propose marriage. Why would I need elegant tricks? Is this woman’s Dao heart damaged?
Discarding her bizarre reaction, Wu Li spoke with icy detachment. “Spare me the nonsense. Surrender your limbs to the shackles. Do not delude yourself into expecting a savior.”
“The Formation I have cast will absolutely sever the outside world. No one is breaching it anytime soon.”
“Rest assured. My Elders have already returned via a separate path. Within a radius of a thousand miles, I am the sole soul from the Purple Mansion Holy Land.”
“If you truly wish to capture me, you must demonstrate genuine, lethal intent.”
“Furthermore, foot soldiers clash with foot soldiers, and sovereigns clash with sovereigns. A prideful commander like you, Wu Li, surely wouldn’t rely on sheer numbers to suppress me, would you?”
Wu Li: ???
I strongly suspect you are deliberately walking into my snare, but I lack the proof. You are making this exceedingly difficult to play along!
“Hmph!”
“Such towering arrogance for a pampered sovereign. Since you invite death, allow me to test the depths of the Purple Mansion Holy Lord’s foundation!”
With a thunderous step, Wu Li hurled a devastating punch straight at Nalan Jing.
However, at the very precipice of impact, Wu Li shrewdly suppressed three-tenths of his spiritual essence.
He had already ascended to the Sixth Realm. If he accidentally shattered her bones, surviving Sir’s wrath would be an impossible tribulation.
…