: Ning Zhuo vs. Tian Shuang

Author: Gu Zhenren

Date: 2025-03-19

"White Frost, look at yourself—so utterly pathetic!"

"You're really embarrassing me."

Di Gui laughed openly while taunting and mocking Tian Gui.

Boom, boom, boom...

The attacks unleashed by the three generals—Liu, Guan, and Zhang—grew increasingly urgent and fierce.

Tian Shuang retreated again and again.

Though protected by layers of magical treasures and spells, the three generals' assaults, bolstered by military might, repeatedly shook his defenses, eventually breaking through and leaving a three-foot-long gash on his right arm.

Fragments of frost continuously spilled from the wound, scattering and shimmering as they fell through the sky.

Perhaps spurred by the pain, Tian Shuang finally managed, in that instant, to suppress the countless Buddhist thoughts disturbing his mind and forcibly activated a magical treasure.

Treasure—Ghost Lantern!

This was an extremely widespread and classic treasure among ghost cultivators.

Depending on the essence of each ghost cultivator and the types of ghosts captured, the Ghost Lantern could exhibit different powers and effects.

The Ghost Lantern Tian Shuang now wielded imprisoned frost-type spirits and demons.

Holding the lantern, he spun it rapidly. The ice ghosts and frost souls inside continuously transformed, forming patterns of icy prisons on the lantern's white paper surface.

The light emitted by the lantern shone near the three generals, immediately forming cages of icy light around them.

These cages carried powerful restraining and disruptive forces, hampering the three generals' movements. Even when their attacks shattered the ice prisons, their power was often greatly diminished.

Thus, Tian Shuang stabilized his position.

"Heh heh heh." Di Hui let out a cold laugh, emerging from underground and standing on the surface.

From a distance, he waved his sleeves toward the three generals' iron bucket formation, unleashing waves of eerie green ghost flames.

Spell—Ghost Flame Scorching the World!

The ghost flames burned silently, surging like green tidal waves, engulfing the three generals' iron bucket formation.

Spotting the danger, the three generals immediately reduced their use of military might, redirecting most of it to enhance their soldiers' defenses.

The ghost flames crashed against the iron bucket formation like waves hitting a reef, splitting to either side.

Subsequently, more ghost flames surged forth, submerging the entire formation.

"Hold the line! Buy time for the three generals!" Chen Zhi roared, boosting morale.

This low-tier talent, who had stood out in the Iron Skin Meat Armor technique selection, now shone with his own faint brilliance after gaining the three generals' recognition and limited cultivation.

Though the ghost flames were fierce and overwhelming, the iron bucket formation held firm as an impregnable fortress.

Just as the three generals breathed a sigh of relief, Di Gui spat out a brown bone sphere.

The sphere expanded mid-air, transforming within moments into a massive, hollow doorframe.

A rapid vortex swirled inside the frame, its center pitch-black. After spinning hundreds of times, it suddenly expanded—Ghost Gate Pass!

Beyond the frame lay a dim, crimson scene of the underworld.

"You have numbers, but I have even more ghosts! Hahaha." Di Hui laughed heartily and waved his hand.

Countless malevolent ghosts surged from the Ghost Gate Pass into the mortal realm.

These ghosts were wreathed in flames, their baleful aura overflowing. Some flames were crimson, others deep purplish-red.

Within the tongues and shadows of the flames, distorted, wailing human faces occasionally appeared.

A humanoid lava skeleton supported each flame mass, giving it a vague human shape.

Inside the skeleton's chest cavity floated a fist-sized core of karmic fire—the true heart of the ghost.

"Flame Wraiths, burn them, slaughter them all!"

Endless streams of Flame Wraiths poured from the Ghost Gate Pass, charging at the ordinary soldiers of the three generals' camp.

"Hold the line!" Chen Zhi felt unprecedented pressure, his face pale as he gritted his teeth and held on.

The soldiers had already formed the iron bucket formation, but under the onslaught of the Flame Wraith horde, casualties mounted rapidly.

Di Gui's ruthless tactic of besieging Wei to rescue Zhao immediately took effect, causing the three generals—Liu, Guan, and Zhang—to change their expressions.

Even knowing it was the enemy's strategy, they had no choice but to "fall for it" and retreat to defend.

The three generals were only at the Golden Core level; only by organizing large numbers of soldiers into battle formations and pooling their military might could they contend with Nascent Soul-level foes.

Thus, the soldiers of the three generals' camp could not be sacrificed.

"Trying to leave?!" Tian Shuang roared fiercely.

Having been suppressed by mere Golden Core cultivators for so long, he finally regained his composure and felt deeply humiliated.

The three generals wanted to return and salvage the situation, but how could Tian Shuang let them leave unscathed after gaining the upper hand?

Immediately, he counterattacked, forcibly resisting the Buddhist thoughts in his mind, and temporarily halted the three generals.

"Not good!" Seeing the situation, Ning Zhuo decided to rejoin the battle.

His mental state was worse than Tian Shuang's, his mind almost entirely filled with Buddhist thoughts.

However, this didn't hinder him from saving the three generals' camp.

"Buddha above, heaven favors the preservation of life!"

"These ordinary people are also living beings, worthy of salvation."

Ning Zhuo immediately summoned his artifact-level Somersault Cloud, seated himself upon it, and flew to the skies above the three generals' camp.

Overlooking the battlefield, he cast a series of Five Elements spells.

In an instant, torrents surged, earth and stones flew, trees grew wildly, and golden lights slashed chaotically!

Many Flame Wraiths were injured or destroyed by Ning Zhuo.

His intervention immediately alleviated the pressure on the three generals' camp.

He then dispatched his mechanical army to flank the Flame Wraith horde.

Mechanical puppets fell in droves under the assault of ghost flames and baleful aura.

Military Tactic—Warrior's Return Technique!

Ning Zhuo maintained this tactic continuously, his strength growing as the mechanical puppets were destroyed.

Thanks to the use of the Fetal Breath Spiritual Barge, his physical foundation had advanced rapidly, allowing him to continue benefiting from this tactic.

Ning Zhuo didn't just defend passively; he commanded his mechanical army to push forward against the tide, fighting their way to the Ghost Gate Pass.

Once opened, the Ghost Gate Pass couldn't be moved.

This treasure was crucial to Di Hui, who didn't want to risk losing it. He immediately deactivated it, sucking the Ghost Gate Pass back into his mouth.

The bone-made gate shrank in mid-air into a bone sphere, which Di Hui swallowed.

Ning Zhuo's spirits lifted, and he urged his mechanical army to charge at Di Hui.

After fighting their way here, his mechanical forces were nearly depleted.

But instead of counterattacking while the army was weak, Di Hui used Earth Escape to burrow underground.

Ning Zhuo's eyes flashed.

He knew well that numerous Lava Ghosts were active underground.

"The Heaven and Earth Twin Ghosts prepared the battlefield before attacking. That's something I should learn from."

"Deep underground, there's likely another Ghost Gate Pass!"

"Also, Di Hui and Tian Shuang have vastly different combat styles."

Intense battles often reveal one's true nature.

Life-and-death struggles require cultivators to make multiple critical decisions in short succession, and the more choices made, the more their inherent nature is exposed.

As the saying goes: The one who knows you best is often not your friend, but your deadliest enemy!

Often, after a fierce battle, adversaries understand each other deeply.

Though this was Ning Zhuo's first encounter with Tian Shuang and Di Hui, the brief exchange had given him much deeper insight into them.

"Tian Shuang prefers direct confrontation. Even with Buddhist thoughts plaguing him, he never fled from the three generals' pressure but insisted on counterattacking."

"Di Hui, on the other hand, favors long-range attacks. The moment he's about to be closed in on, he escapes or vanishes, then engages in attrition through spells or summoned ghost hordes."

Ning Zhuo found the situation棘手.

"Even with my high proficiency in the Five Elements, it's hard to stop Di Gui from escaping."

"If I had suitable magical treasures, I might solve this dilemma!"

Once again, Ning Zhuo recognized one of his weaknesses.

After a moment's thought, he took out more mechanical puppets, integrating them into the remnants of his army to replenish its numbers.

He then commanded this force of over two hundred puppets to return to the three generals' camp, serving as a mobile guerrilla unit to provide temporary support and defense.

Alone, Ning Zhuo rode his Somersault Cloud into the sky to attack Tian Shuang.

He unleashed a volley of Five Elements spells.

Tian Shuang wanted to dodge, but more Buddhist thoughts in his mind made him think: "With my murderous and sinister nature, why should I live when I bring no good to the world?"

"Perhaps I should die here, setting an example for peace under heaven!"

So, instead of evading, Tian Shuang hovered in mid-air, spread his arms, and openly accepted the assault.

Ning Zhuo's spells struck Tian Shuang squarely in the face.

The scene stunned everyone.

Even Di Gui roared from underground: "Tian Shuang, what are you doing? Haven't you shaken off those Buddhist thoughts yet?!"

Seizing the opportunity, Ning Zhuo sent a mental message to the three generals: "Quick! Return to the army and take command!"

In just that short time, the Flame Wraith horde and Lava Ghosts attacked from above and below, pushing Ning Zhuo's newly reinforced mechanical army to the brink of annihilation!

This showed just how intense the battle had become.

With Tian Shuang restrained by Ning Zhuo, the three generals swiftly descended and returned to their camp.

Under their command, the iron bucket formation's power increased significantly, immediately resolving the current crisis.

No matter how many Lava Ghosts or Flame Wraiths attacked, the three generals managed the formation, plugging gaps and maintaining an impregnable defense line.

However, to Zhu Xuanji, this move was a grave mistake.

In his view, Liu, Guan, and Zhang had made a poor choice.

"They should concentrate their forces against one of the Twin Ghosts."

"Di Gui excels at escape, while Tian Gui's nature makes him the better target."

"Only by severely injuring or repelling one do they stand a chance of survival."

"But they chose to split their forces."

"Though it alleviates the immediate danger, it's like drinking poison to quench thirst—harmful to the overall battle."

"Ning Zhuo is clever, but in a crisis, he still lacks a layer of foresight."

Zhu Xuanji couldn't help but shake his head slightly.

Beside him, the Crimson Sleeve Fairy said softly, "Ning Zhuo is only sixteen. To perform this well, trading blows with Tian Shuang and Di Gui, is already exceptional."

"He's only at the Foundation Establishment stage. How many in Southern Bean Kingdom can match that?"

"Such a talented junior deserves more encouragement and praise. Lord Zhu seems to expect too much of him."

Lin Bufan, on the other side, pondered, "Ning Zhuo is protecting the three generals' camp."

"He's invested a lot in it, probably trying to minimize his losses."

"What courage! Facing the Twin Ghosts, he's still thinking about such details."

As a veteran Nascent Soul cultivator, Lin Bufan knew far better than Ning Zhuo the reputation and strength of the Heaven and Earth Twin Ghosts.

Hailing from the Soul Devourer Sect, they were top-tier Nascent Soul experts. Their extreme默契 in paired combat and impressive track record had made them famous across multiple kingdoms.

Lin Bufan admitted to himself that even ten of him combined would be no match for the Twin Ghosts!

At this, he glanced at Zhu Xuanji, puzzled why he had arrived yet remained idle.

"What exactly is Divine Arrestor Zhu's plan?"

"His identity is too sensitive; it's hard for him to intervene directly."

"Even if he did, with all his divine abilities, could he really handle the Twin Ghosts?"

Lin Bufan inwardly shook his head.

On the battlefield, the three generals—Liu, Guan, and Zhang—managed the formation, defending against Di Gui's continuous attacks with no further offensive moves.

Ning Zhuo engaged Tian Shuang in direct combat.

"The Twin Ghosts are both demonic cultivators, heinous and sinful. I must eradicate them for the sake of all living beings!" Having adapted to the Buddhist thoughts, Ning Zhuo found they now aided him more than mirror thoughts.

Riding his Somersault Cloud, bolstered by military might and tactics, he cycled through Five Elements spells, creating a dazzling display of colors.

Tian Shuang, plagued by his demonic identity and numerous killings, struggled to repel the Buddhist thoughts while fighting back.

Ghost Lantern!

Ning Zhuo was severely hampered by the icy prison light.

Frost Specters!

Tian Shuang released ghostly spirits to ensnare Ning Zhuo. These specters, resembling flowing icy mist, froze anything they touched, forming internal ice spikes that pierced organs and filled the body with ice clusters.

"Pity my mechanical puppets can't fly!" Ning Zhuo noted another shortcoming.

"Neither can Meng Yehu."

"Eh? Yuan Dasheng might be able to!"

A thought struck Ning Zhuo, and he summoned the Heavy Armor Blood Ape—Dasheng.

He had long equipped the ape with an Ironcloud—a flying cloud a grade higher than his own Somersault Cloud, at the treasure level.

"My lord, your servant has arrived!" The Heavy Armor Blood Ape—Dasheng, standing on the Ironcloud, guarded Ning Zhuo.

His formidable fists and feet quickly dispatched several Frost Specters.

But Ning Zhuo didn't feel the pressure ease.

Tian Shuang had already launched another attack.

He tossed out a treasure shaped like a pipa, made entirely of ice crystals. The pipa played itself, emitting piercing, mournful ghostly wails.

The sound penetrated Ning Zhuo, chilling his soul and making him shiver.

He swallowed pills and used Five Elements spells to protect himself, which helped, but the continuous sound drained much of his energy.

(End of )