Chapter 231: The Fifth-Rank Crimson Flame Beast

Chapter 231: The Fifth-Rank Crimson Flame Beast

Wolong Mountain, located to the northwest of Mount Jiuhua, was sandwiched between Mount Jiuhua and Mount Da Luo. Thousands of years ago, there used to be a sect here.

After the internal strife within the Double Cloud Alliance, the place was rampant with demons, and no sect had been established here since.

On this day, a flying boat arrived from a distance and landed in a deep valley within the Wolong Mountain Range.

There were obviously some kind of restrictions on the two peaks above the deep valley, and within the restrictions were several cultivators sitting cross-legged.

On one of the peaks, three people were sitting. Upon seeing the arrival of the flying boat, smiles appeared on their faces.

"People from the sect have arrived!"

One of them stood up; it was the grand elder of the Jiuhua Zong, Gong Yuyuan.

Next to him, the elderly man with the long beard, Master Luo, and the tall elder, He, also stood up. These two had been arranged by Yu Changge to come here.

Gong Yuyuan casually shot out a few spells, lifting the restrictions on the peak.

As the flying boat landed, the elders bowed and saluted.

"Sect Master!"

This time, it was the sect master himself, Yu Changge, who had come.

Yu Changge led twenty people out of the flying boat, and Gong Yuyuan's eyes immediately swept over the twenty foundation-building cultivators.

The next moment, Gong Yuyuan looked at Yu Changge with some surprise and asked, "Sect Master, Chu Ning isn't here."

"No," Yu Changge shook his head.

"He has just broken through to the late Foundation Establishment stage and needs to seclude himself to stabilize his cultivation.

Also, during the previous competition, he ruined the plans of the Da Luo Zong, and I worry that they might target him specifically.

So, for this trip, I did not ask him to come along."

"That's good!" Gong Yuyuan nodded slightly at this.

"That group from the Da Luo Zong will definitely stir up some trouble, and Chu Ning's achievements are indeed too eye-catching.

However, after the last competition, I haven't seen him.

I wanted to praise him, but didn't have the chance. When I brought him into the sect, I never expected him to cause such a stir."

A smile appeared on Gong Yuyuan's usually stern face, and he seemed rather pleased with himself for bringing Chu Ning into the Jiuhua Zong.

The people of the Jiuhua Zong also knew that it was Gong Yuyuan who had brought Chu Ning into the sect and arranged for him to be the executive of the Pill Refining Pavilion.

Hearing Gong Yuyuan's words, they didn't find it strange at all.

In the crowd, Chu Ning, who was disguised and looked to be in his thirties, had a hint of a smile in his eyes.

"The Sect Master is indeed tight-lipped, not even informing the Grand Elder."

Only two people in the Jiuhua Zong knew that Chu Ning, disguised, was part of the twenty-person team entering the Wolong Mountain ruins—the Sect Master, Yu Changge, and Ge Liuyang.

Of course, the final decision on which twenty people would enter had to be made by the Sect Master.

As for Ge Liuyang, the reason was simple. After Chu Ning proposed that he wanted to disguise himself and enter the ruins, Yu Changge called Ge Liuyang and asked him to refine a magical artifact for Chu Ning that could conceal his appearance and aura.

Since Jiuhua Zong had made arrangements, Chu Ning naturally did not expose his knowledge of illusionary transformation techniques.

At the same time, regarding his aura, Chu Ning only said that the cultivation technique he practiced was special and could be transformed into a wooden attribute cultivation technique.

He did not mention that he could freely change and conceal his cultivation level.

Subsequently, Ge Liuyang took the mask that Chu Ning had obtained from the "Pill Master" Xiao and refined it.

It became the human skin mask that Chu Ning was currently wearing, and he was quite satisfied with it.

This way, without exposing his little secret, he could still mix into this group.

As Chu Ning was thinking about this, Yu Changge asked Gong Yuyuan, "How is the small space in the Wolong Valley ruins doing now?"

Gong Yuyuan pointed to the valley below and said, "It has been completely stabilized, and we have discussed with the Da Luo Zong. After the disciples of the two sects arrive at noon, we will each open a passage to send them in.

Actually, if we only opened one passage, it would have a smaller impact on this small space.

But obviously, we can't trust those people from the Da Luo Zong."

Yu Changge nodded slightly, then turned to look at Chu Ning and the other nineteen people. He slowly opened his mouth and said, "This time, your primary task after entering the ruins is to protect yourselves.

Those people from the Da Luo Zong will definitely not give up. You must not let your guard down just because two of their late Foundation Establishment cultivators were injured in the competition."

As he spoke, Yu Changge's expression became solemn.

"Although Ao Xuan is the most talented person in the Da Luo Zong, he is not the strongest among the late Foundation Establishment cultivators.

There are two others in the Da Luo Zong—one named Feng Xianwu and the other Lu Yinggang—who have been at the late Foundation Establishment stage for a long time.

In terms of strength, they are even stronger than Ao Xuan."

As he spoke, Yu Changge described the appearances and features of the two people to Chu Ning and the others.

He continued with a serious expression, "Especially Feng Xianwu. It is said that he has already reached the peak of the late Foundation Establishment stage, which is the pseudo-pill realm.

He is only half a step away from condensing the Golden Core.

If you encounter him, you must be extra careful, especially those of you who are at the mid Foundation Establishment stage.

After entering the ruins, your first priority is to find your fellow sect members and gather together."

"Yes, Sect Master!"

Although Yu Changge had more or less given them similar instructions before their departure, he was being especially solemn now, and everyone listened with serious expressions.

Among the twenty people from the Jiuhua Zong this time, including Chu Ning, there were eleven late Foundation Establishment cultivators and nine mid Foundation Establishment cultivators.

While the Jiuhua Zong was large enough to gather twenty late Foundation Establishment cultivators, this trip was still dangerous, and Yu Changge naturally wouldn't put all of his late Foundation Establishment cultivators at risk.

"Actually, if we only opened one passage, it would have a smaller impact on this small space. But obviously, we can't trust those people from the Da Luo Zong," Gong Yuyuan added.

Yu Changge nodded slightly, then turned to Chu Ning and the other nineteen disciples. With a solemn expression, he instructed, "This time, your primary task after entering the ruins is to protect yourselves. Do not let your guard down just because two of their late Foundation Establishment cultivators were injured in the competition. Remember, the Da Luo Zong will definitely not give up."

As he spoke, Yu Changge's expression grew even more serious. "Although Ao Xuan is the most talented individual in the Da Luo Zong, he is not the strongest among their late Foundation Establishment cultivators. There are two others—Feng Xianwu and Lu Yinggang—who have been at that stage for a long time, and their strength surpasses even Ao Xuan's."

Yu Changge continued, describing the appearances and features of the two cultivators to Chu Ning and the others. "Especially Feng Xianwu. It is said that he has reached the peak of the late Foundation Establishment stage, which is the pseudo-pill realm. He is only half a step away from condensing the Golden Core. If you encounter him, you must exercise extreme caution, especially those of you who are at the mid Foundation Establishment stage."

"After entering the ruins, your first priority is to find your fellow sect members and gather together. Do you understand?" Yu Changge emphasized.

"Yes, Sect Master!" the disciples replied in unison.

Although Yu Changge had given them similar instructions before their departure, his solemn tone this time made everyone listen with grave expressions.

Among the twenty people from the Jiuhua Zong this time, including Chu Ning, there were eleven late Foundation Establishment cultivators and nine mid Foundation Establishment cultivators. While the Jiuhua Zong was large enough to gather even more late Foundation Establishment cultivators, this trip was still dangerous, and Yu Changge naturally wouldn't put all of his advanced cultivators at risk.

As they were preparing to enter the ruins, Yu Changge suddenly lifted his head and said, "The people from the Da Luo Zong have also arrived."

His words were followed by the arrival of a flying boat that landed on the opposite mountain peak. A late Golden Core cultivator, accompanied by ten others, disembarked from the vessel.

Leading them was none other than Ao Langtian. However, what surprised everyone was the ten figures behind him, clad in black robes from head to toe, their faces completely obscured.

With the powerful spiritual sense of cultivators, ordinary black robes wouldn't be enough to hide their appearances. Clearly, there was something unusual about those robes.

Yu Changge frowned slightly at the sight. "The Da Luo Zong's behavior is indeed suspicious. Everyone, be extra cautious after entering, and stick to the plan." With that, he flew out from the restriction and hovered in the air, facing the group from the Da Luo Zong.

Ao Langtian also flew out to meet him.

"Fellow Daoist Ao, now that everyone has arrived, let's open the spatial passages and enter," Yu Changge said.

Ao Langtian glanced at Yu Changge and replied with a sneer, "Sect Master Yu, it seems you're in quite a hurry. Do you think the treasures within the ruins belong solely to your Jiuhua Zong?"

If the Da Luo Zong had won the previous competition, Ao Langtian would have undoubtedly been more boastful and arrogant. However, having lost, they had fewer people entering the ruins than the Jiuhua Zong.

"It's commendable that you've realized this, Fellow Daoist Ao. The legacies within the ruins were mostly left by our Jiuhua Zong's predecessors," Yu Changge replied calmly, not rising to the provocation.

Ao Langtian coldly humphed, realizing that he couldn't get the better of Yu Changge in a war of words. He then waved his hand, signaling the ten black-robed Da Luo Zong cultivators, along with the three Golden Core cultivators who had been within the restriction, to step out.

Yu Changge, on the other hand, instructed Chu Ning and the others to leave the restriction as well.

The two groups faced each other in mid-air, taking the opportunity to size each other up.

Ao Langtian's gaze swept across the twenty-plus people from the Jiuhua Zong, his expression one of disappointment. He then turned to Yu Changge and asked, "Sect Master Yu, your Jiuhua Zong's newly appointed Senior Brother isn't leading the team personally. Could it be that he's afraid and backing down from potential danger?"

Yu Changge smiled faintly and replied, "Chu Ning didn't come because we didn't want to overwhelm you too much, Fellow Daoist Ao."

A cold glint flashed in Ao Langtian's eyes. Yu Changge's words struck a nerve, and the mere mention of Chu Ning's name filled him with hatred.

Chu Ning, hidden among the group, felt a chill run through him. "These guys really have it out for me!"

After a brief exchange between the two sides' most powerful cultivators, both fell silent.

The two groups descended into the deep valley and positioned themselves about a hundred meters apart.

Yu Changge and Ao Langtian then took the lead, each casting a spell towards the space in front of their respective teams. Soon after, the other cultivators followed suit.

In no time, a narrow passage, just wide enough for one person, opened up in front of Chu Ning and the others.

"Go!" commanded Yu Changge.

One by one, the twenty disciples of the Jiuhua Zong flew into the passage in the predetermined order.

Only after they had all entered did the Da Luo Zong cultivators manage to open a passage of similar size.

Evidently, in terms of cultivation and skill, Ao Langtian and his group fell short of Yu Changge and his companions.

However, with ten people from the Da Luo Zong and twenty from the Jiuhua Zong, the former group finished entering first.

Finally, the last five from the Jiuhua Zong, including Chu Ning, stepped into the small spatial passage and entered the ruins.

Chu Ning was the fourth to last person to enter. As soon as he stepped into the passage, he immediately activated his defensive spiritual power to protect himself.

The method of entering this small spatial passage was not the standard way of entering such spaces, so there was a high possibility that they would be transported to different locations within the ruins, forcing them to face dangers alone.

Chu Ning was well aware of this and remained vigilant.

"It is said that the reason the two sects chose to battle here in Wolong Mountain was because this place used to be the site of a small sect within the Double Cloud Alliance. Initially, it was just a conflict between the sect of Wolong Valley and their opponent, but as more and more cultivators from sects like Jiuhua Zong joined, this place became a small battlefield in the Double Cloud Alliance's civil war."

Chu Ning's mind was filled with information about the ruins.

"Aside from the Jiuhua Zong, Da Luo Zong, and Wolong Valley, there were two other small sects in the Double Cloud Alliance. However, three thousand years have passed, and those two small sects have since disappeared, their legacies lost."

Just then, Chu Ning's vision was filled with a flash of white light, and he found himself in a strange new location.

As he landed, he instinctively released his spiritual sense and breathed a sigh of relief.

Aside from the potential risk of encountering cultivators from the Da Luo Zong, this Wolong Mountain ruins seemed safe for now.

Thousands of years have passed since then, and it's uncertain if those beasts are still alive or if they've reproduced. One could only speculate that there was still a certain probability of encountering demonic beasts within this small space.

After a quick scan with his spiritual sense, Chu Ning found that his luck wasn't too bad.

He was currently on a small hill, with no formidable restrictions or other cultivators and demonic beasts in the vicinity.

At this moment, Chu Ning began to survey the small space.

He had entered small spaces like this before, such as the spiritual domain with the Wood Spirit Species in Qingxi Zong, and the ruins of Lei Huo Zong with its thousand lakes and islands.

Those places had some restrictions—in the spiritual domain, one couldn't fly, and in the ruins of Lei Huo Zong, there were no living creatures due to the lack of spiritual energy.

But this place felt oddly normal to Chu Ning.

The spiritual energy here was abundant, and there were hints of a third-rank spirit vein.

Even though it was just a small hill, the surroundings were lush and verdant. Chu Ning's spiritual sense even detected several fairly good-quality spirit herbs within range.

As Chu Ning spoke, he casually reached into his spirit beast bag and released a colorful-winged bird into the sky.

At the same time, he also released Ling Xiaobai from the bag.

The colorful-winged bird flew freely in the air, and Ling Xiaobai, with his incredibly sensitive senses, didn't detect anything unusual either.

"This space doesn't seem to have any abnormalities at all."

Chu Ning muttered to himself. In his hand, a small mirror had appeared, with different red dots scattered across its surface, each representing a different direction.

Looking at the positions of these dots, Chu Ning couldn't help but think to himself,

"Everyone's really spread out."

This small mirror was a magical artifact specially prepared by the sect. Once taken out and infused with spiritual power, it could sense the locations of fellow sect members.

Obviously, everyone else had the same idea when they entered, so Chu Ning could sense their positions as well.

Looking up to get his bearings, Chu Ning began to fly towards the center of the red dots.

According to information left by elders from the sect, the former headquarters of the Wolong Valley sect was located in the middle of this valley where the two sides had clashed.

And now, with the red dots scattered around the perimeter, it seemed that this was indeed the central location of the ruins.

Chu Ning flew ahead at great speed, quickly covering a distance of over twenty li.

Along the way, he picked a few spirit herbs but didn't make any other discoveries.

Just then, Chu Ning's eyes narrowed as he looked towards his left.

Within the range of his spiritual sense, three distinct auras were flying towards his direction, and they were closing in fast.

"Two cultivators from Da Luo Zong being chased by a demonic beast?"

Chu Ning's spiritual sense was powerful. With just a quick scan, he could tell what was happening, and his eyes flickered with surprise.

He was surprised at how quickly these two Da Luo Zong cultivators had managed to find each other.

But he was even more surprised by the power of the demonic beast.

Behind them, a demonic beast with flickering scarlet flames all over its body was in hot pursuit. It was the fourth type of demonic beast that Chu Ning could transform into using the Fiery Flame Incantation—the Crimson Flame Beast.

And this Crimson Flame Beast was a fifth-rank beast, reaching the early Golden Core stage.

Intrigued, Chu Ning concealed his aura.

With his powerful spiritual sense, he was confident that neither the beast nor the cultivators had detected him when he scanned them earlier.

In the distance, the three fleeing figures were drawing closer.

As a fifth-rank beast, the Crimson Flame Beast wasn't particularly adept at flying, but its speed still surpassed that of the two cultivators.

At this moment, the distance between them was less than twenty meters.

Just as the two Da Luo Zong cultivators were about to fly directly above Chu Ning's position, he reached into his spirit beast bag and released Tie Yanshou.

The third-rank Tie Yanshou immediately obeyed Chu Ning's command and opened its mouth to spit out a blast of yellowish light towards the two cultivators.

Right after, Ling Xiaobai also opened his mouth and shot out two rays of white light tinged with a faint blue hue.

The two cultivators never expected to encounter a demonic beast that would attack them here.

Their figures stalled momentarily, and they instinctively activated their defensive shields.

Both cultivators were at the late Foundation Establishment stage, and while Tie Yanshou had been a third-rank beast for a while, Ling Xiaobai was almost at the threshold of becoming a fourth-rank beast.

However, these attacks weren't much of a threat to the two cultivators.

The two spells landed on their shields and were deflected.

But this brief delay allowed the Crimson Flame Beast to close in for an attack.

Before the cultivators could catch their breath, the fifth-rank beast opened its mouth and unleashed two streams of demonic fire at them.

At this moment, Chu Ning casually put Ling Xiaobai and Tie Yanshou back into their spirit beast bags.

At the same time, he utilized the innate ability of his Yin Wood Spirit Body to completely conceal his aura.

He also activated the Soul Concealment Technique.

When the Crimson Flame Beast and the two cultivators scanned the area with their spiritual sense, they naturally couldn't detect anything amiss.

For a moment, a look of surprise flashed in the eyes of the two cultivators.

But they didn't have time to think too much and had to focus on fighting the demonic beast.

Concealed below them, Chu Ning watched the battle unfold with interest.

Today, he planned to be a fisherman reaping the benefits of their clash.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end