: The Main Body Awakens with a Start

Rocks influenced each other, and suddenly one was pushed toward Ning Zhuo by repulsive force.

The rock deviated from its previous path, just as Ning Zhuo was about to pass by!

"Hurry!" In that instant, Ning Zhuo's heart felt as if gripped by an icy hand, leaping into his throat.

He brought his legs together, flames spouting from his palms aimed backward, accelerating with all his might!

Military strength augmentation added once more!

The Cang Tie Han Armor's speed broke records, successfully leaving the giant rock behind.

The Five Elements Golden Core wheel spun frantically at his chest, emitting a dazzling light. Core power poured out like a burst dam, supporting this terrifying consumption.

The golden wings on his back continuously sliced through the air, producing a constant, ear-piercing shriek like tearing cloth.

He occasionally threw out a few or over a dozen mechanical golden swallows, controlling them to crash into the flying rocks. Sometimes they perished together; other times, they altered the giant rocks' trajectories, carving a path to survival for Ning Zhuo.

"Hmph!" The Earth Fiend Turbid Filth God, seeing Ning Zhuo still approaching the ice coffin, clapped its palms together before its chest.

The next moment, turbid earth lung qi rolled down, condensing into a small island above Ning Zhuo's head!

Overwhelming terror seized Ning Zhuo.

Ning Zhuo didn't need to look up; his spiritual sense scanning the surroundings already made him realize how dangerous his situation was!

The giant rock above was as vast as an island, pressing down directly as if a piece of the sky had collapsed. With an unstoppable, crushing force, it descended heavily.

A massive shadow enveloped Ning Zhuo; the terrifying gravitational pull caused his speed to plummet sharply.

At this moment, all the arrays in the Cang Tie Han Armor wailed in distress!

Ning Zhuo released a large number of mechanical golden swallows.

The golden swallows rushed forward like moths to a flame. The explosions from their self-destruction were instantly swallowed by the colossal entity, unable to even make it tremble!

Ning Zhuo mustered all his means, sprinting with full force.

"Can't dodge it!"

Ning Zhuo calculated the outcome, and a wave of icy despair welled up within him.

"Xiao Ma!!" Qing Chi exclaimed in alarm.

She had remained in the passageway and witnessed this scene.

The ghost girl didn't think twice, dashing over.

As she raced, she shed crystal-clear tears.

"It's too late, it's too late!"

"No, Xiao Ma!"

"No, no—!"

In her desperation, it was as if a lightning storm erupted in her divine sea; countless thoughts surged and instantly exploded.

She recalled the military texts she had studied before, her heart filled with the vision of saving her beloved.

"Is there any way? Any way to make Xiao Ma faster, even faster?!"

This vision was too intense, allowing Qing Chi to comprehend a military stratagem on the spot.

Military Stratagem — Speed is Paramount in War!

This was the most classic, commonly used stratagem, but Qing Chi had never been able to grasp it before.

Now, forced by the situation, the girl's outstanding military talent was squeezed out, enabling her not only to have a sudden enlightenment but also to successfully activate it immediately.

Military strength consumption dropped significantly!

Ning Zhuo's speed suddenly surged!

The terrifying propulsion force hit Ning Zhuo's back like a giant hammer.

*Buzz—Crackle!*

The mecha emitted a terrifying, grating groan, as if it would fall apart the next second!

In that instant, Ning Zhuo's vision went black, the edges tinged with blood red; his eyeballs felt almost crushed.

The excruciating pain in his hips and back peaked; he even heard the creaking sound of his bones straining under the pressure!

The Cang Tie Han Armor transformed into a streak of golden light, tearing open a path to survival under the world-ending pressure of the giant rock.

*Whoosh—!*

Just as the island-like giant rock was about to crush him completely, the Cang Tie Han Armor, with an ear-splitting sonic boom and a trailing flame tail, shot past at an incredibly precise angle, barely skimming the destructive edge!

Unbelievable!

Ning Zhuo rushed out of that certain-death shadow! And the massive ice coffin was just ahead, not far away!

Ning Zhuo's momentum decreased slightly as he crashed into the tail end of the ice coffin.

He pressed his hands against the ice coffin, using all his strength to push it toward the tributary of the River of Forgetfulness.

The ice coffin began to descend, picking up speed.

The terrifying cold air emanating from it seeped into the Cang Tie Han Armor through his palms, launching a fierce invasion against Ning Zhuo.

At first, it was fine; the cold air actually helped cool down the overheated armor.

But soon, Ning Zhuo began to shiver from the cold.

The temperature dropped too rapidly, as if he had gone from a mountain of fire directly into a thousand-year ice cave!

Ning Zhuo gritted his teeth, pushing the ice coffin with all his might, refusing to let go.

The Earth Fiend Turbid Filth God was enraged!

It had attacked with full force but failed to stop Ning Zhuo, even allowing him to successfully move the ice coffin.

The ice coffin must not be allowed to fall into the tributary of the River of Forgetfulness!

The battle between the River Forgetfulness Prefect and Yin Jiuzhu had already revealed the power of the Cold Abyss Ice Coffin Candle. The latter had nearly frozen the entire tributary of the River of Forgetfulness solid.

"Stop!" roared the Earth Fiend Turbid Filth God. The billowing black smoke spewing from its head instantly turned into a deep, dark red.

The dark red smoke intertwined, forming a sky-shrouding giant hand, carrying world-destroying power as it slammed toward Ning Zhuo.

The area covered by this strike wasn't large, but it was locked onto Ning Zhuo.

As the distance closed, Luo Si shouted, gripping the cracked fishing rod with both hands and throwing the hook with all his strength.

Fishing Technique — Hooking the World's Objects!

*Ding!*

A crisp sound, like ice crystals shattering in a glass vessel.

The Three Lives World-Hooking Hook appeared inside the Earth Fiend Turbid Filth God's body.

Luo Si sharply raised the rod.

*Buzz—!!!* The fishing rod vibrated violently, emitting a groan of strain!

"Roar—!" The Earth Fiend Turbid Filth God let out an unprecedented cry of pain.

Its body trembled violently; the dark red smoke hand it controlled suddenly went out of control, dispersing大半 and its power plummeted.

Ning Zhuo felt the pressure ease; the shadow of death dissipated once again.

The Cang Tie Han Armor shot out flames over ten feet long, pushing the ice coffin to gradually accelerate while on the verge of collapse.

The ice coffin's terrifying cold air had severely eroded Ning Zhuo, numbing his hands and arms.

Driven by Ning Zhuo's life-risking push, the heavy ice coffin picked up speed, like the head of a寒冰 warhammer thrown by a giant spirit god, breaking through the final distance and plunging into the tributary of the River of Forgetfulness.

*Splash!*

*Crack! Crack-crack! Crackle—!!!*

Centered on the ice coffin, the River of Forgetfulness's water instantly solidified!

White frost rapidly spread through the tributary; wherever it reached, the flowing river water turned into pale, solid ice.

"No!" bellowed the Earth Fiend Turbid Filth God, rushing toward the tributary in a furious rage.

The fishing rod in Luo Si's hands broke inch by inch; he himself half-knelt on the bronze war chariot, vomiting a mouthful of blood.

Qing Chi had long since collapsed in the passageway. Overusing her mind, she was bleeding from all seven orifices, exhausted to the point of death. Using the last of her strength to keep her eyelids open, she saw Ning Zhuo successfully push the ice coffin into the tributary. Only then did her heart relax, and she completely lost consciousness.

"Success!" Ning Zhuo was overjoyed. The Cang Tie Han Armor on his body had fulfilled its mission. Its various components had reached their limits and, covered in terrifying scars and deformations, fell off Ning Zhuo piece by piece.

"With the tributary frozen, I can ascend the altar."

Even if the Earth Fiend Turbid Filth God chased after him, Ning Zhuo felt joy.

Because from now on, the altar was undefended. He could completely take the initiative, coordinate with Luo Si, and lead the Earth Fiend Turbid Filth God around!

But at that very moment, the main body of the River Forgetfulness Prefect in the tributary suddenly opened its eyes.

Sensing danger, it was startled awake from its deep slumber.

"Hmm?!" In an instant, it understood the situation.

Mobilizing both spiritual sense and magical power, it stirred up astonishing waves in the tributary of the River of Forgetfulness.

The freezing speed immediately decreased by eighty percent, meeting resistance.

The river water surged, forming gurgling undercurrents that wrapped around the ice coffin like dragons or pythons, dragging it into the river.

The main body of the River Forgetfulness Prefect sneered coldly within the river: "Young lad, are you my greatest human tribulation?"

"Doesn't seem like it!"

"I should thank you for returning my Underworld Python Scissors to me."

Ning Zhuo couldn't help but change color.

He suffered from a lack of intelligence; he didn't know the River Forgetfulness Prefect's main body was hidden within the tributary.

At the critical moment, the River Forgetfulness Prefect had actually awakened!

By controlling the tributary, it immediately checked the spread of the frost. As a result, Ning Zhuo's recent life-risking struggle seemed like主动 delivering a treasure to the River Forgetfulness Prefect!

The stark contrast made Ning Zhuo feel strongly suffocated.

Because it had taken action, the aura of the River Forgetfulness Prefect's main body leaked out.

Deity Transformation level!

Two Deity Transformation level beings—how could Ning Zhuo, a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator, handle this?

"Didn't Elder Grey Bone say I would at most face Nascent Soul level opponents? Was his calculation wrong?!" At this moment, Ning Zhuo once again felt despair.

River Forgetfulness Immortal City.

City Lord's Manor.

A child's figure darted between bookshelves, his small hands constantly touching the personnel record books on the shelves.

Upon touch, the record books vanished from their original spots, teleported into the child's storage bracelet.

The old man nearby, Zeng Jide, stroked his beard and nodded, evaluating满意ly, "Your foundation is very solid, kid. Your basic theft techniques are executed like instinct."

"However, even if you take this many personnel records of the River Forgetfulness Underworld officials, they aren't very useful."

"To truly use personnel records to make a move, the most basic requirement is the consumption of national strength."

"A secondary condition is having a higher official rank. Only higher officials can deal with lower ones."

"You cannot mobilize the River Forgetfulness's national strength, nor do you hold any official position in the River Forgetfulness Underworld. At best, these records are just for gathering surface-level intelligence."

"But this intelligence tends to be superficial. If you want to probe into private matters, you either need to investigate personally or purchase information from intelligence organizations."

Sun Lingtong wiped his nose: "Is that so?"

As he spoke, his hands never stopped moving.

He chuckled: "I think, since we've come here once, not without risk, it doesn't feel right to not steal something."

"A thief shouldn't leave empty-handed."

"Even if they aren't very valuable, they are useful to the River Forgetfulness Underworld."

"Every time I think about the expression the River Forgetfulness Prefect will have when he comes here and sees the empty bookshelves, I want to laugh."

"Hehehe..."

Zeng Jide was also amused, feeling increasingly that Sun Lingtong suited his taste.

Sun Lingtong collected all the personnel records here before slipping away with his senior from the same sect.

Zeng Jide led Sun Lingtong, stealthily moving through the City Lord's Manor.

A squad of fully equipped patrolling cultivators passed by, each employing different detection methods, their steps in unison.

Whether it was the River Forgetfulness Prefect's departure or the Skin Demons' forced entry, they had put them on high alert, prompting them to patrol with utmost vigilance.

Zeng Jide grabbed Sun Lingtong's arm, leaped up, and transformed into a patch of shadow, merging into the low grass.

Theft Technique — Shadow遁!

Sun Lingtong was shocked.

The grass was plain to see, scanned over a dozen times by various detection methods, yet none could discover the old and young members of the Never Empty Sect hidden within.

The moment the patrol guards turned the corner at the end of the corridor, Zeng Jide moved.

Pulling Sun Lingtong, he leaped like an agile cat. After landing, he took a few steps, scaling the wall and reaching the roof.

And this was broad daylight!

The patrolling cultivators never neglected scanning the rooftops either.

But Zeng Jide always managed to seize the gaps in their detection, choosing the correct action, whether lying low or striding forward boldly.

When he advanced, it was almost brazen! Recklessly bold.

Yet, they remained undiscovered!

Sun Lingtong widened his eyes, exclaiming inwardly, "What immense experience must one have to achieve such mastery in stealth!"

Jumping across rooftops allowed Zeng Jide and Sun Lingtong to traverse the complex, building-rich City Lord's Manor quickly, rapidly approaching their target.

Zeng Jide, still holding Sun Lingtong's arm, hid in the shadow of the eaves, avoiding several consecutive patrol squads.

Sun Lingtong was secretly wondering why Zeng Jide had stopped advancing when the latter transmitted a thought via spiritual sense, communicating covertly: "This is the place."

Sun Lingtong: ?!

He was so close to Zeng Jide, yet he hadn't detected him using any other means. Without his knowledge, Zeng Jide had already managed to probe the interior of the building.

Zeng Jide pulled Sun Lingtong, nimbly and silently flipping onto the roof.

Sun Lingtong's body was light as a feather, like a piece of paper or a shadow, closely following Zeng Jide.

Zeng Jide extended his skinny fingers, seemingly随意 poking and pressing on the roof. Several glazed tiles that appeared seamless were directly pried open, revealing a gap just large enough for a small cat to pass through.

Zeng Jide crouched and slipped inside.

Sun Lingtong stared wide-eyed, witnessing up close as Zeng Jide seemed boneless, his body随意 shrinking, his weight seemingly disappearing as he smoothly "flowed" into the room.

They landed silently on the floor tiles inside.

Zeng Jide stood on the small floor tile beneath his feet, not moving forward. Sun Lingtong, his hair standing on end, obediently imitated, not daring to move a muscle.

Because Sun Lingtong knew well that the defensive arrays inside the room had not been dismantled. If it were him, he would definitely choose the door or window as an entry point, attempt to破解 the arrays, and then proceed step by step.

But Zeng Jide, highly skilled and bold, directly placed himself within the arrays inside the City Lord's Manor of a kingdom's capital, which was also the royal palace.

Zeng Jide's cloudy old eyes scanned the room once, his lips curling slightly into a hint of disdain.

He reached out, pointing虚按 or tapping in the air. Spiritual light flickered on his fingertips, stirring waves of spiritual wind.

In just three breaths, he withdrew his hand.

"Safe." He strode forward.

Sun Lingtong immediately breathed a sigh of relief and began moving freely within the room.

He looked around and found it was a treasure vault. On the shelves, separated by compartments, were stored large quantities of treasure materials, each category with its own distinct appearance.

Sun Lingtong grew increasingly puzzled, as he realized he knew nothing about these treasure materials.

(End of )