: Breaking the Formation?

Faced with Sun Lingtong's suggestion, Zeng Jide slowly shook his head.

"Not advisable."

"My purpose in coming here to steal is merely to take some precious materials from the River of Forgetfulness. It's about taking advantage of a vulnerable situation to gain a little benefit."

"But the Painted Skin Rakshasa is aiming to hinder the Prefect of Forgetfulness's path to Dao."

"If we help her escape, even if it's to create a diversion for ourselves, it's still inappropriate. The Prefect of Forgetfulness would easily consider us part of the same group."

"Obstructing his path to Dao undoubtedly means incurring a death feud. He would likely never let it go for the rest of his life!"

Zeng Jide transmitted his thoughts back, earnestly advising: "Our Bukong Sect is a super major faction. Although we primarily focus on theft and aren't afraid of offending a prefecture or a country, we still need to see significant benefits to act."

"Based solely on our current gains, how could we justify incurring a death feud with the Prefect of Forgetfulness? It's too costly, not worth it!"

Sun Lingtong thought to himself: "As expected."

Zeng Jide's reaction was within his earlier predictions.

If he had insisted earlier, they might have already parted ways by now.

"However..."

"Xia Zhuo is the true child of fortune nurtured by the Yang Realm's Heaven, the greatest human calamity for the Prefect of Forgetfulness."

"Old Zeng, by helping me this time, you are helping Xia Zhuo. Regardless of success or failure, in the eyes of the Prefect of Forgetfulness, you are already on our side."

Zeng Jide, kept in the dark and unwilling to offend the Prefect of Forgetfulness, had actually already offended him irrevocably!

But this wasn't his fault.

Sun Lingtong was merely at the Foundation Establishment stage. How could Zeng Jide ever imagine that two minor Foundation Establishment cultivators would be so audacious as to obstruct the Prefect of Forgetfulness's path to Dao?

What difference was there between this and ants challenging an elephant?

Sun Lingtong furrowed his brows, deliberately posing a difficult question: "But if we don't use the Painted Skin Rakshasa, how do we escape from here?"

Zeng Jide, thinking he was merely worried about his own life, transmitted his thoughts with a laugh and a scolding tone: "Kid, scared now? Where's the courage you had when you barged into the Forgetful Love Ferry without knowing anything?"

"I will not assist this Painted Skin Rakshasa."

"This woman is a demonic cultivator, extremely cruel, fond of harming the innocent, flaying skins to make treasures. Especially when making painted skins using human skin, she would employ extreme torture to deeply impregnate the skin with fear, resentment, etc., making the painted skins incredibly lifelike."

"I dislike this kind of person!"

"Speaking of which, Forgetful Love Immortal City guides people towards goodness, giving soul cultivators and ghost cultivators a chance to start over, to turn over a new leaf."

"Compared to the Painted Skin Rakshasa, I have a much better impression of Forgetful Love Immortal City."

The Bukong Sect was not a demonic path sect, but a heterodox sect.

Those in heterodox sects were often a mix of righteous and evil, generally situated between the righteous and demonic paths, unbound by conventional morals.

"Go with the flow, go with the flow..." Sun Lingtong reminded himself inwardly, while outwardly expressing sudden understanding: "So that's how it is. This demonic cultivator is so cruel; if we save her, she might even turn on us first, repaying kindness with enmity!"

Zeng Jide, while continuing to meditate with his eyes closed, comforted him: "Don't worry. Since I could sneak us in, I can get us out!"

"I'm just injured from that earlier clash with the golden plaque."

"Once I've rested and recovered my strength, leaving this place safely won't be a problem!"

Sun Lingtong felt curious: "Golden plaque? What's that?"

Zeng Jide was generous with his guidance: "It's one of the national instruments, a consumable item that decreases with each use. Clearly, we triggered the Prefect of Forgetfulness's arrangements here earlier, causing one of the golden plaques to fly over."

"The national power contained within is extraordinary. Fortunately, no one was controlling it... If the Prefect of Forgetfulness's true self were here, taking action personally, I'd probably be killed in one strike!"

Zeng Jide felt lingering fear and didn't mind showing his embarrassment in front of a junior.

"Alright, save any questions for after we leave this place and reach safety."

Zeng Jide focused entirely on recuperating.

Sun Lingtong was inwardly anxious but had no choice. He could only "go with the flow" and obediently follow orders.

Zeng Jide rested for the time it takes half an incense stick to burn, then slowly opened his eyes.

His injuries were mostly healed.

"Sigh, still had to use a Divine Transformation level pill." Zeng Jide was only at the Nascent Soul stage. Without a high-grade healing pill from the next level, recovery wouldn't have been this fast.

During this time, Sun Lingtong had countless thoughts swirling in his mind.

Several times, he almost couldn't resist acting on his own to damage the formation and release the Painted Skin Rakshasa.

But in the end, he held back, choosing to believe the advice given to him by the Buddhist Physician, Meng Yaoyin.

Go with the flow!

Zeng Jide stopped meditating, stood up, and once again lifted Sun Lingtong by the collar.

Thief Technique – Shadow遁 (Escape).

The old and the young once again transformed into a shadow, slipping out of the formation space like water and returning to the City Lord's mansion.

The City Lord's mansion was still heavily guarded.

But Zeng Jide had recovered much of his strength and was no longer as hard-pressed as before.

True to his word, a short while later, he successfully brought Sun Lingtong out of the City Lord's mansion.

The two appeared in an alleyway.

Sun Lingtong no longer placed his hopes on Zeng Jide: "Perhaps I'll need to act alone from now on. Old Zeng isn't the key figure for what comes next."

Zeng Jide, naturally unaware of Sun Lingtong's true thoughts, said proudly: "Well? Kid, I didn't lie to you, did I?"

Sun Lingtong immediately gave Zeng Jide a thumbs-up and showered him with several compliments.

Zeng Jide laughed heartily a few times, a glint flashing in his eyes: "Kid, your words lack sincerity. The praise is superficial, a bit perfunctory."

Sun Lingtong chuckled: "This junior is extremely impressed by your methods, senior. But..."

Zeng Jide: "But what?"

Sun Lingtong scratched his head: "But, well, I just feel this theft wasn't very satisfying."

Sun Lingtong was just speaking his mind casually, but this unintentional, sincere remark caused Zeng Jide to freeze on the spot.

Sun Lingtong, puzzled: "Senior? Senior?"

Zeng Jide's expression, however, darkened. Frowning deeply, he stared in the direction of the City Lord's mansion, his face showing shame and annoyance: "Good, very good, Prefect of Forgetfulness."

He patted Sun Lingtong's shoulder: "Kid, traveling with you isn't bad. Thanks to your reminder, I almost fell for the Prefect of Forgetfulness's scheme!"

Sun Lingtong was even more confused: "Huh?"

Zeng Jide gritted his teeth, snorted coldly towards the City Lord's mansion, and added: "Kid, dare to follow me back into the City Lord's mansion one more time, to steal the place clean?"

Sun Lingtong hadn't expected such a drastic change in Zeng Jide's attitude.

He quickly nodded: "That would be great!"

Zeng Jide laughed heartily: "Kid, you're just a minor Foundation Establishment cultivator, but your courage is bigger than mine."

Sun Lingtong hurriedly cupped his hands in a flattering gesture: "That's only because you're here, Senior Zeng. If I were alone, I'd guarantee I'd be long gone by now."

Being trusted so much by a junior he appreciated made Zeng Jide even happier.

He laughed, grabbed Sun Lingtong's arm, and using Shadow遁 once again, infiltrated the City Lord's mansion.

Altar Battlefield.

Luo Si was locked in a difficult struggle with the Earth Fiend Filth God.

Ning Zhuo hovered before the tributary of the River of Forgetfulness, not daring to cross the boundary.

He had exhausted his efforts to push the ice coffin into the tributary and had initially frozen the river's surface.

But with the awakening of the Prefect of Forgetfulness's true self, Ning Zhuo's plan was completely thwarted.

The Prefect of Forgetfulness held a string of beads, constantly rolling them between his fingers, using them to control the movement of the tributary.

If Sun Lingtong were here, he would recognize many Forgetful Love Whirlpool Eyes on the bead string. Each Whirlpool Eye was a饱满 (fully formed) artifact-grade item!

Such natural artifacts often had single functions but were highly specialized.

Man-made magic treasures couldn't affect the River of Forgetfulness to this extent, but artifacts like the Forgetful Love Whirlpool Eyes could achieve it easily.

In essence, they were born from the River of Forgetfulness, part of the same entity.

The Prefect of Forgetfulness's aura surged powerfully as he maintained the spell, manipulating the tributary to draw the ice coffin into the very center of the tributary's flow.

There, a whirlpool formed, trapping the ice coffin.

The ice coffin's cold energy continuously seeped out, freezing the tributary. But the whirlpool kept spinning, flinging the ice blocks outward and drawing water inward.

The ice blocks, flung outside the tributary, were affected by the Prefect of Forgetfulness's spell and quickly melted back into water.

Using this method, the Prefect of Forgetfulness enveloped the ice coffin, isolating it far from Ning Zhuo.

Facing two Divine Transformation level opponents at once plunged Ning Zhuo into an ice-cold despair.

How could he fight this?

The gap between them was truly immense!

But his initial bewilderment soon faded. A sharp light flashed in Ning Zhuo's eyes: "The Prefect of Forgetfulness's true self... seems very weak."

If that weren't the case, the Prefect would have already flown out of the tributary to kill Ning Zhuo.

But he remained stationed within the tributary, even dealing with the ice coffin using a tactic of attrition. For the time being, he couldn't act against Ning Zhuo outside the tributary.

"The Prefect is so weak; can I take the chance to forcefully cross the tributary?"

Ning Zhuo shook his head, dismissing this bold idea.

The inside of the tributary was continuously freezing, while the outside surged with towering waves. If Ning Zhuo tried to force a crossing, he would immediately be swept in. The Prefect might then seize the opportunity to strike, causing Ning Zhuo to drown!

"But with the ice coffin lost, how should I solve the problem of crossing the river?"

Ning Zhuo frowned deeply, feeling quite stumped.

He had nearly solved this难题 (difficult problem). But the key solution, the ice coffin, was now lost. The timely awakening of the Prefect's true self had caused Ning Zhuo's efforts to fall short at the last moment!

Gritting his teeth, Ning Zhuo thought rapidly but couldn't come up with a countermeasure.

He unconsciously touched the mechanism ring on his finger. It remained quiet.

Ning Zhuo's heart sank further, and his earlier conjecture resurfaced.

He immediately changed his train of thought, silently contemplating forcing his way across the tributary, then turning back to assist Luo Si in close combat against the Earth Fiend Filth God...

The mechanism ring remained dead silent.

"Indeed, the talent on the ring is being suppressed."

"Did this situation start when we set foot on the Black Cloud Battlefield?"

With the key solution, the ice coffin, fallen into enemy hands, the mechanism ring could no longer give Ning Zhuo hints.

The ring had helped Ning Zhuo greatly, causing the big-headed youth to feel a pang of panic. He couldn't help but think: "If it's impossible, should we retreat?"

He wavered.

But only for a moment before he stifled that doubt!

"My mother, Boss, and the others are on the other path. They're pinning their hopes on me; how can I fail them here?"

"The Yang Realm's fortune placed me on this stage; it certainly wasn't to send me to my death."

"Since the Prefect of Forgetfulness can temporarily detain the ice coffin, suppressing the Yang Realm's destiny's assault against him, then I too can certainly make changes and create more opportunities."

"This is a formidable challenge!"

Thinking this, the corner of Ning Zhuo's mouth slightly lifted. His fighting spirit, having hit bottom, rebounded and soared continuously.

This kind of predicament was not unfamiliar to him.

Wasn't it just like this back in Fire Persimmon Immortal City, in the Molten Rock Immortal Palace?

His firm resolve calmed Ning Zhuo down again, and he began pondering how to break the deadlock.

"Ghost tide surges, White Paper in peril; Lone Swan carries candle, tearing the heavenly veil. Guest star should shine north of Wen Shu; With all phenomena lit by lamps, the calamity destroys itself." He silently recited the prophetic poem again.

"Guest star should shine north of Wen Shu..."

He chewed on this line.

According to the poem's sequence, the previous line, "Lone Swan carries candle, tearing the heavenly veil," had already been fulfilled. Therefore, this next line, "Guest star should shine north of Wen Shu," should be the key to the solution.

Regarding this line, Ning Zhuo had already formed an idea earlier.

Back in White Paper Immortal City, he had specifically asked Wen Ruan Yu, the Confucian cultivator, to interpret the sacrificial text of the "Heavenly Ghost Transformation Tributary Rite."

Ning Zhuo hadn't just gotten the interpretation; he had also received much support from Wen Ruan Yu!

"This poem reflects the event of breaking the formation."

"That is to say, breaking the great formation here next is the correct path?"

"What formation is this? Where are its footholds, its eye? Where is its core?"

Ning Zhuo was completely in the dark about this.

He looked towards the altar in the distance, guessing: "The altar is clearly the core, probably the formation's heart?"

But even if the guess was correct, it was useless.

To breach the altar, he would first have to cross the tributary, creating a deadlock.

He looked around again.

The dark battlefield was surrounded on all sides by vast Earth Fiend energy, forming thick barriers.

A spark of inspiration flashed in Ning Zhuo's mind: "Could it be that we should actually retreat and face the great formation on the Black Cloud battlefield head-on again?"

He felt this answer was likely correct, but glancing towards Luo Si's direction, he hesitated.

The Prefect of Forgetfulness's ears were filled with the sound of rushing water.

"Yin Jiuzhu is my greatest enemy in this life!" the Prefect sighed inwardly.

The Cold Abyss Ice Coffin Candle had sealed the Underworld Dragon Shears. Even with the Prefect's true self taking action, he could only continuously wear it down; there was still a distance to go before breaking it.

This was because the Cold Abyss Ice Coffin Candle wasn't purely ice-aligned. It was achieved by reversing the fire element into water, then adding a Yin attribute to achieve an ice nature.

This was one of Yin Jiuzhu's signature skills. If it were easily broken, he would be unworthy of being a Prefect.

"Once I reclaim the Underworld Dragon Shears, everything will be manageable!" The Prefect of Forgetfulness continuously rolled the bead string.

Crack, crack...

With faint sounds, cracks appeared on the surfaces of several Forgetful Love Whirlpool Eyes.

The Prefect of Forgetfulness appeared dominant, but his actual condition was extremely poor. Even when controlling the tributary, he relied almost entirely on the bead string, barely able to provide much magical power support. Consequently, the bead string was constantly consuming its own foundation.

Ning Zhuo's insight was correct. In this state, the Prefect of Forgetfulness's combat power was quite worrying. Remaining within the tributary was the safer option.

(End of )