: Quickly Restrain Ning Zhuo

Zhu Xuanji's eyes reflected the crimson flames, while the Wind-Raising Bell in his heart kept ringing!

He took in the scene inside the secret chamber at a single glance.

"The Karmic Fire burns—this is the retribution of fate manipulation," Zhu Xuanji sneered inwardly. "Ning Zhuo, you've only gotten what you deserve by ending up like this."

No sooner had the thought crossed his mind than a roar echoed.

Heavy Armor Blood Ape · Dasheng, as burly and imposing as Zhu Xuanji himself, charged headlong into his embrace, wrapped its arms around his waist, and dashed away at full speed, crashing out of the battlefield!

No other contraption could have achieved this. Only Yuan Dasheng, having reached the Sentience Phase, could analyze the battle situation and act with greater autonomy.

Fury flashed across Zhu Xuanji's face. He swung his elbows, pounding heavily on Heavy Armor Blood Ape · Dasheng's back, each strike leaving a small, deep dent.

But Yuan Dasheng paid no heed, straining every muscle to keep Zhu Xuanji away from Ning Zhuo.

Sun Lingtong reacted swiftly, positioning himself protectively beside Ning Zhuo.

Everything had happened too quickly.

The door opened, Zhu Xuanji appeared bathed in golden light, only to be slammed away by Yuan Dasheng.

Ning Xiaohui's grandmother and the others closed in once more.

"It's done! Hahaha!" Meng Chong laughed heartily.

Following Meng Kui's orders, he seized the doorway, swiftly moved the wooden blocks, and pieced together the final section.

Ning Zhuo had already assembled most of it. With his immortal talent enhancing his movements, Meng Chong completed the last steps in just a dozen breaths.

The content was accurate; the door swung open, and a brilliant light shot skyward, illuminating the secret chamber, making it stand out.

Beyond the door, a vortex swirled like a starry sky. Without hesitation, Meng Chong charged inside!

"Oh no, he's gone in!" someone shouted.

"Stop Meng Chong, quickly!"

"The position of Molten Immortal Palace's master... is mine."

In an instant, more than half of those besieging Ning Zhuo vanished.

Though bewitched by fate, when faced with immense benefits, their greed overpowered the crimson flames in their eyes.

Only Ning Xiaohui's grandmother, Ning Xiaoren, Ning Ze, and a few others continued their assault on Ning Zhuo.

Sun Lingtong struggled to defend, blocking left and right, soon drenched in blood.

His fighting style was agile and mobile, but to protect Ning Zhuo, he had to abandon his strengths, resorting almost entirely to passive defense!

His previous injuries hadn't healed; he wasn't at his best to begin with.

Most critically, his morale was low. He felt an inexplicable aversion and disgust toward Ning Zhuo. This mental state sapped his strength whenever he defended Ning Zhuo; he could barely muster thirty to forty percent of his usual combat power.

In contrast, Ning Xiaohui's grandmother and the others were clearly bolstered by fate manipulation. Their combat power had multiplied several times over compared to their peak!

"Sun Lingtong, stay out of this, outsider!" Ning Xiaoren yelled.

Ning Ze added, "Ning Zhuo is an ungrateful wretch! A白眼狼 that can't be tamed! He doesn't even care about blood ties! I never should have raised him."

Furious, Sun Lingtong cursed back, "You're the outsiders! What did you ever raise?!"

Ning Xiaohui's grandmother, seizing the moment while the three were tangled in combat, swooped down on Ning Zhuo like a hawk.

The flames in her eyes burned brightest!

"You little brat, born but not raised! Give me back my Xiaohui!!" She launched a deadly strike at the defenseless Ning Zhuo.

Void-Piercing Art!

At the critical moment, Sun Lingtong turned and cast the signature art of the Bukong Sect.

This time, however, he didn't cast it on himself.

Ning Xiaohui's grandmother, hit by the Void-Piercing Art, instantly vanished from the spot, teleported to the adjacent secret chamber.

Distracted, Sun Lingtong was severely wounded by Ning Ze and Ning Xiaoren, kicked flying into a corner.

The small door, knocked open earlier by Yuan Dasheng, remained wide open.

The shadowy demon cultivator and Chi Dun fought fiercely as they rushed over!

Stone Heart Delaying Technique!

Lime Heart Art!

Chi Dun's fists glowed with a grayish halo as he struck the shadowy demon cultivator's back.

The shadowy demon cultivator countered with a puff of black smoke, releasing over a dozen ropes that entangled Chi Dun.

Bound by the ropes, Chi Dun crashed heavily into the wall due to his own momentum.

Struck by the powerful punch, the shadowy demon cultivator accelerated, charging toward the secret chamber with the door.

"Hmph, hit by my Lime Heart Art, you'll..." Chi Dun's eyes widened abruptly.

Because, in the next moment, he witnessed the shadowy demon cultivator's body flicker with a faint yellow Buddhist light, swiftly dissipating the grayish-white halo on his back.

The shadowy demon cultivator let out a hoarse laugh, dashing toward the small door.

Despite the Buddhist light, an overwhelming demonic aura emanated from him!

Martial Art — Through the Mountain, Through the Mountain, Through the Mountain!

Zhu Xuanji landed several palm strikes in succession.

Even though Heavy Armor Blood Ape · Dasheng's internals had been temporarily reinforced by Ning Zhuo with all his might, it couldn't withstand golden core-level assaults and was shattered into debris once more.

As Yuan Dasheng tried to resist, Zhu Xuanji stepped back, creating distance. He thrust his hands forward, fingers piercing through Heavy Armor Blood Ape · Dasheng's chest, then tore violently outward!

Ripped open!

Heavy Armor Blood Ape · Dasheng knelt on one knee, its head raised in hatred, utterly suppressed under the Golden Mountain Stance.

"Pitiful, lamentable, sigh-worthy." Zhu Xuanji's face was expressionless, but his tone was full of emotion.

He had recognized Yuan Dasheng's sentience.

However, just as he was about to step past Yuan Dasheng and charge toward the secret chamber with the door, he suddenly halted.

He saw the fragments of the shattered core sphere, the unignited fire persimmons.

The fire persimmons were all high-grade, most being thousand-year ones, even some ten-thousand-year fire persimmons.

In that instant, Zhu Xuanji seemed struck by lightning!

He stood frozen, his heart skipping a beat, seized by intense horror!

All the clues connected at that moment.

The truth was revealed!

"Xiaohui, my Xiaohui!" Ning Xiaohui's grandmother, having lost her mind, was teleported away by Sun Lingtong but madly rushed back.

Just before entering the small door, she encountered the shadowy demon cultivator.

With a light wave of his arm, the shadowy demon cultivator separated Ning Xiaohui's grandmother's head from her body. Blood spurted from her neck like a fountain.

Dead.

This terrified Ning Xiaoren and Ning Ze, cold sweat pouring down their backs. The strong desire to survive overwhelmed the crimson flames in their eyes.

Both retreated explosively.

Sun Lingtong, dragging his severely wounded body, hurried to Ning Zhuo's side. Just as he rose to pull Ning Zhuo away, he looked up and saw the shadowy demon cultivator right before him.

An overwhelming pressure crushed down like a mountain.

Sun Lingtong's eyes bloodshot, he let out a low roar, ready to fling Ning Zhuo away and throw himself forward.

But the next moment, a single finger pointed, and he collapsed.

Thud.

He fell to the ground, his cheek pressed against the cold floor, his heart as chilled as the tiles.

He gazed despairingly at Ning Zhuo, whose eyes were shut.

If possible, he would gladly trade his life for Ning Zhuo's survival!

Seeing this, Ning Xiaoren and Ning Ze retreated even faster.

"Don't retreat! Quickly restrain Ning Zhuo!!" Almost simultaneously, Zhu Xuanji burst into the adjacent secret chamber, shouting urgently.

Ning Xiaoren and Ning Ze were baffled.

But it was too late.

The shadowy demon cultivator slowly bent down, extended a mechanical arm and hand, and gently helped Ning Zhuo up.

A faint yellow Buddhist light shimmered, shining on Ning Zhuo, suppressing the crimson flames burning on his body.

Ning Zhuo finally regained some strength. Leaning on the shadowy demon cultivator's arm, he mustered all his effort to stand upright.

A simple action, yet it drained his pitifully meager remaining energy.

Drenched in cold sweat, he barely managed to open his eyes, his vision gradually clearing.

He looked at the shadowy demon cultivator beside him, a gentle, relaxed, silent smile spreading across his face.

The next moment, Sun Lingtong's eyes widened, his pupils contracted sharply, revealing extreme shock.

Because he heard with his own ears Ning Zhuo softly call out—

"Mother."

(End of )