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Chapter 185: Diverting Disaster
Chapter 185: Diverting Disaster
"Friend Liu, what brings you here to study formations with me? If you truly want to experience the wonders of formations, go to the Cen family," Chu Ning said as he used the jade talisman in his hand to deactivate the formation restrictions, causing the entire Yan Peak array to contract, leaving a large empty area on the outskirts.
Liu Yishan looked at him curiously, "Oh? What do you mean by this, Fellow Chu?"
Chu Ning looked at him calmly, "This formation restriction was not easy to set up, and I don't want it damaged during our battle. The outer formation won't be able to withstand attacks from late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators."
Upon hearing this, Liu Yishan's eyes narrowed slightly, and a curious expression appeared on his face, "So, you knew I was coming for you?"
"I had my suspicions, but I didn't know the reason," Chu Ning replied honestly.
Liu Yishan gave him an appreciative glance, "I didn't expect you to be so cautious. Since you've figured it out, I might as well let you know the whole plan."
"Tonight, I came to Fei Hong Island, while He Lao went to Pu He Island," he continued.
Chu Ning nodded thoughtfully, "So, you're not here for me, but for the Chen family."
"Smart!" Liu Yishan nodded.
"The Song family has just perished, and the Chen family is blaming the two of you for Chen Xinming's death, even going as far as to send assassins. Such actions will naturally incite the wrath of many." As he spoke, a smug smile appeared on Liu Yishan's face.
"By then, those wavering islands will naturally be more cautious. Even the Cen family will reconsider their close association with the Chen family. After all, Cen Zijin has gone missing, and Chen Xinming is already dead. Their relationship isn't as tight as it used to be..."
Chu Ning finally understood their scheme, "So, Xu Yonggeng and I have become sacrificial lambs."
There was no anger in Chu Ning's eyes, only calm as he continued to gaze at Liu Yishan, "If I were to tell you now that I'm willing to leave the Thousand Lakes and Islands, and pretend that I've gone missing, would you let me go, Fellow Liu?"
Liu Yishan shook his head, his expression filled with amusement, "This matter is highly confidential. Even He Lao and I didn't discuss it explicitly; it was just an unspoken understanding. Now that you know, do you really think I'd let you leave?"
Chu Ning sighed softly, a hint of amusement also appearing in his eyes, "In that case, if something were to happen to you here, no one would suspect me. Liu Yishan, what if you died? Would people think it was done by Song Li?"
Liu Yishan's face contorted in shock at these words. For a moment, he wondered if Chu Ning had gone insane. "Are you trying to kill me?" he asked, a laugh escaping his lips.
Instead of answering directly, Chu Ning chose to respond with action. In the blink of an eye, the Ancient Cycle Plate appeared in his hand, and a thick, dark beam of light shot towards Liu Yishan.
"Hmph!" Liu Yishan snorted coldly and swiftly summoned a defensive shield around his body.
However, such defenses were futile against the might of the Cycle of Reincarnation's light. As the dark beam easily penetrated the earthen-yellow shield, Liu Yishan finally snapped out of his daze.
"A consciousness attack?" he exclaimed, his face paling as he raised his hands to point at the dark light.
He seemed to possess a technique to counter consciousness attacks as well, but the dark light only paused momentarily before slamming into Liu Yishan's head.
"Ugh!" Liu Yishan grunted in pain as his sea of consciousness was assaulted, his face twisting in agony and shock.
"A consciousness-type magical artifact!" he realized, his eyes widening in disbelief.
He couldn't fathom how Chu Ning, a mere early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, had acquired such a secret treasure. And his shock only grew as he saw what appeared in Chu Ning's hand next—his jaw nearly dropping in astonishment.
"You... Song Li..." he stammered as a golden bell and a golden spear, the very same weapons often used by Song Li, appeared in Chu Ning's hands.
Chu Ning smiled but didn't respond. With a casual point of his finger, the golden bell enveloped Liu Yishan, momentarily trapping him and rendering him unable to move.
Seizing the opportunity, Chu Ning infused his spear with spiritual power, transforming into a golden rainbow that shot towards Liu Yishan in the blink of an eye.
However, Liu Yishan was no pushover. His body trembled, and he managed to break free from the golden light's restraints. Simultaneously, a conical artifact appeared in his hand to counter Chu Ning's spear.
But as soon as he moved, another wave of pain assailed his sea of consciousness.
Chu Ning's spear heavily struck the artifact.
Due to the successive assaults on his consciousness, Liu Yishan's spiritual power was unable to flow smoothly.
At that moment, the conical artifact lost its spiritual power support and fell to the ground.
The golden spear in Chu Ning's hand also dimmed, having been damaged earlier during his battle with Song Li.
Furthermore, as Chu Ning did not have metallic spiritual power to reinforce it, forcing it to collide with Liu Yishan's artifact had caused significant damage.
Despite its weakened state, the golden spear ruthlessly pierced Liu Yishan's chest as he was unable to dodge.
"Ah!"
This strike undoubtedly ignited Liu Yishan's ferocity.
Gritting his teeth against the pain in his sea of consciousness, his eyes reddened, and his spiritual power fluctuated violently, indicating his intent to fight to the death.
However, at that very moment, Chu Ning's right fist came swinging.
Heavenly Canopy Fist! Condensing Slash!
Two successive attacks landed on Liu Yishan.
The spiritual power fluctuations around the elderly Liu clan member instantly dissipated.
At the same time, his eyes lost their luster.
However, the look he gave Chu Ning was still filled with puzzlement.
Evidently, even in death, he could not comprehend how a newly established Foundation cultivator like Chu Ning had such formidable means.
"Is it you who killed them? You..."
Liu Yishan couldn't finish his sentence as his life force faded away.
His body went limp and collapsed to the ground.
Chu Ning gazed at the second late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator who had died by his hand, his eyes calm and unperturbed.
"If you still have many doubts, go to the underworld and ask Song Li and the others."
Murmuring softly, Chu Ning casually threw out several talismans.
In an instant, powerful golden lights struck Liu Yishan's body, riddling it with holes.
To ensure Liu Yishan was dead beyond a shadow of a doubt, Chu Ning collected his storage bag, the short cone, and the small golden bell.
However, he left the golden spear embedded in Liu Yishan's body.
Then, Chu Ning reached out and lifted Liu Yishan's corpse, flying away with it.
He traveled several hundred miles southeast of Fei Hong Island to a place called Huang Ting Island, where he casually chose a small mountain peak.
After carefully scanning the area with his spiritual sense to ensure no one was nearby, he tossed Liu Yishan's corpse aside.
This island was only a small one with a first-grade spirit vein.
Although it was quite large, it hosted quite a number of cultivators.
It wouldn't take long for someone to discover the corpse.
After doing all this, Chu Ning circled the area once more, carefully inspecting the surroundings with his spiritual sense again.
Even though he had altered his appearance, he didn't want to take any chances.
Only after another incense stick's worth of time did Chu Ning return to Fei Hong Island.
The first place he went to was the stone chamber where Cheng Zuyuan and his grandson lived.
Calling out to Cheng Zuyuan, Chu Ning calmly said, "Old Cheng, a Foundation Establishment cultivator passed by nearby earlier, and it seems there was a battle. Fortunately, they didn't linger.
We're safe for now, but it seems something else has happened.
Go out and gather some information in the next few days."
"Yes, young master!" Cheng Zuyuan replied without hesitation.
The next morning, after tending to the spirit field, Cheng Zuyuan instructed Cheng Xinxin to cultivate in the cave and then set out to inquire about the latest news.
By lunchtime, Cheng Zuyuan returned to the island with some information.
Xu Yonggeng, the master of Pu He Island, who had survived the incident at Ping Hu Island, was suddenly killed in his cave mansion yesterday.
Now, everyone suspects that it was either Song Li or Chen Chengzong who did it.
As Cheng Zuyuan spoke, his eyes were filled with worry as he looked at Chu Ning.
Because in the outside world, many people were speculating that whether it was Song Li's doing or Chen Chengzong taking out their anger on the two of them, Chu Ning would be in grave danger either way.
Everyone was even discussing the possibility of Chu Ning meeting with an "accident" soon.
This left Cheng Zuyuan on edge for an entire day.
The next day, he went to Qian Huan Island early in the morning to gather information.
This time, he returned even before noon with an even more explosive piece of news.
Liu Yishan was dead, killed by Song Li.
As evidence, they found Song Li's distinctive golden spear, still embedded in Liu Yishan's body.
The spear was likely severely damaged, so Song Li discarded it, leaving it behind in Liu Yishan's body.
This served as the most direct evidence of Song Li's murder of Liu Yishan.
In an instant, the entire Thousand Lakes and Islands was on high alert.
Especially the members of the Thousand Islands Alliance's major families, who were said to be too afraid to leave the Thousand Islands Temple.
Upon hearing this news, Chu Ning wore a worried expression on the surface, but when he returned to his cultivation chamber, he revealed a smile.
"From now on, as long as I keep a low profile, I should be able to enjoy a long period of peaceful cultivation."
(End of Chapter)
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