Chapter 655: 突入祭台战场

At this moment, Ning Zhuo recalled the advice given by Meng Yaoyin, the Buddhist Healer. She had told him that the reason she collected some spoils of war before leaving was because of a spiritual premonition, which indicated these items might be very helpful to him.

"My mother is also skilled in divination."

"Perhaps her earlier prediction is being fulfilled here!"

This clue also doubled Ning Zhuo's confidence.

Ning Zhuo controlled the light goose, making it hold onto half of the Gui Ji Qu Jing Candle. This step was easy, but the candle itself couldn't be lit, making it no different from picking up a stone.

"The light goose's power seems to be to disintegrate objects, not to ignite candles."

"I need a wick and a flame."

"Do I have a wick?"

Ning Zhuo scanned the pile of spoils Meng Yaoyin, the Buddhist Healer, had given him. He didn't find a wick.

"Was it not collected? Or…"

The wick of the Gui Ji Qu Jing Candle was made from yellowish-brown shrouds intertwined with strands of a woman's black hair. After being affected by the power of the Tai Su San Xing Ruler, it was separated into shrouds and black hair strands. Ning Zhuo saw many scattered materials, including these two. But he wasn't a Mourning Music Specter, so he didn't know which of these many scattered materials were originally part of the wick.

"Even if I knew, it would be useless."

"These materials must have been refined through some kind of spell."

"I have no way of knowing this refining method. Even if I did, would I have time to re-refine it now?"

For a moment, Ning Zhuo was at a loss.

"Am I supposed to plant a fire seed?"

Ning Zhuo possessed the Wood-in-Fire seed, a significant trophy he acquired when leading his troops to attack the Ten-Mile Burning Forest in the Thousand Peaks Forest of the Liang Zhu Kingdom. With a fire seed, he could certainly light the candle body. However, any fire seed was exceptionally rare, let alone the Wood-in-Fire, which was a component of the Samadhi True Flame.

Ning Zhuo was also a decisive person; he wouldn't hesitate to pay the price at critical moments.

"But the problem is, the Wood-in-Fire is a kindling fire, a mortal fire. In the Ten-Mile Burning Forest, mortal fire was used as a fire seed, seemingly for refining various magical artifacts, but in reality, it was used to refine the Fire-Crowned Divine Fir by collecting accumulated faith and incense."

"The Gui Ji Qu Jing Candle's body clearly leans towards the Yin and ghostly attributes, which is vastly different from mortal fire, and could even cause a conflict."

Ning Zhuo was caught in a crucial decision. If he chose wrongly, adding the fire seed wouldn't activate the candle's effect. Instead, they would consume each other, leading to losses for both the candle and the fire seed through internal depletion. This would cause Ning Zhuo to miss his last chance to thwart the Prefect of Oblivion's grand scheme.

Seeing Ning Zhuo hesitate, Qing Chi asked with concern, “Xiao Ma, do you want to light this candle?”

“I can help. You can use my flame.”

Ning Zhuo looked at Qing Chi, his heart stirring. Her Azure Flame was indeed powerful and possessed mysterious vitality, which was peculiar because it could heal ghost cultivators. This had proven effective multiple times in previous battles.

The bodies of ghost tribes contained both life energy and death energy. Ordinary healing spells that merely stimulated life energy would be harmful to ghost tribes. This was because intense life energy would suppress and expel death energy, thereby destroying the fundamental structure of a ghost's body and leading to worse outcomes. However, Azure Flame could avoid this.

Ning Zhuo still didn't know the full details of the Azure Flame, and he had asked Qing Chi about it before. Qing Chi naturally held nothing back from Ning Zhuo, but she herself knew almost nothing about the Azure Flame, only that it was a manifestation of her innate talent. As for what kind of talent it was, Qing Chi didn't understand. She told Ning Zhuo that ever since her talent became apparent, her father, Qing Yan, had been secretly investigating it but hadn't found any results. It was likely a completely new form of innate talent.

This was possible. Initially, there were almost no innate talents in the cultivation world. Only at a certain stage did innate talents appear on a large scale. While various talents became well-known to the world, new talents would also emerge. Qing Chi might be one such case.

"Qing Chi is also a ghost, and her innate talent, from its very origin, is compatible with ghosts and can coexist harmoniously with them."

"The bodies of ghosts contain death energy, which can constitute half of their composition. This is why ghosts are beings that can naturally survive in both the mortal realm and the underworld."

"Unlike humans, whose bodies are normally filled with life energy. Only those gravely ill, severely injured, or near death possess a large amount of death energy.”

Ning Zhuo silently speculated, concluding that Azure Flame might be more suitable than Wood-in-Fire.

"Which one is truly correct?"

"Or are there other options?"

Ning Zhuo instinctively touched the mechanism ring on his index finger. No matter which option he silently considered, the mechanism ring remained unresponsive.

"Both options are viable? Or…” Ning Zhuo instinctively looked up at the sky, his brow furrowed with deeper worry.

“Young Master.” Luo Si gently reminded him from the side.

Ning Zhuo's heart jolted as he realized he had been delaying his decision for too long. Delay breeds trouble!

“Jiao Ma, let my girl do it,” Qing Yan suddenly said.

Ning Zhuo focused his gaze on him. Qing Yan's eyes did not waver and were filled with confidence. Ning Zhuo's heart stirred, and he looked at Qing Chi: “You do it.”

Qing Chi giggled, leaped forward, and directly reached out to release Azure Flame onto the candle body. The Azure Flame burned brightly, initially a greenish-blue color, but as the candle body melted, it quickly transformed into a white flame, like frost, radiating cold energy.

“It worked!” Ning Zhuo exclaimed with delight.

The others also cheered. They were deeply impressed by this candlelight. Indeed, within the radiating cold, white frost drifted, beginning to affect the surrounding space. Ning Zhuo dared not delay. He decisively controlled the light goose, plunging it into the incredibly dense barrier of turbid energy.

The light goose's power disintegrated the turbid energy barrier, while the burning Gui Ji Qu Jing Candle, based on that, created a temporary pathway. This was a winding, pitch-black path. On both sides of the path, countless ghostly figures layered upon each other, as if a hundred ghosts were carrying a coffin.

The lone swan carrying a candle, breaking through the heaven's veil – it was a success!

At once, the Azure Jiao Army erupted in cheers, their voices shaking the heavens.

“Indeed! He is the savior of White Paper Immortal City, my true lord.” Luo Si's heart was greatly shaken, but his expression remained calm.

Jiao Ma's birth father, on the other hand, was so agitated that his whole body felt numb.

Qing Chi joyfully shouted, “Amazing, Xiao Ma, you're incredible!”

Ning Zhuo turned back to look at her, revealing a bright smile: “Qingqing, you've helped me immensely.”

Recognized by the one she admired, Qing Chi put her hands on her hips and let out a hearty laugh.

Qing Yan seemed about to speak but stopped, his gaze complex.

The Earth Fiend Turbid Deity was bewildered!

W-what?

It had never expected that its choice of the most secure defensive strategy would, in the end, backfire—like lifting a rock only to drop it on its own foot. If it had known this, it would have been better to just use the great array's barrier for defense!

“Qingqing, we need to bring Luo Si into our army.” Ning Zhuo immediately gave the order.

Qing Chi nodded, giving a firm hum.

“Luo Si, you will command us.” Ning Zhuo trusted his people without doubt.

Luo Si felt a surge of emotion at being trusted, but he maintained a calm exterior and immediately ordered the entire army to advance. The Azure Jiao Army rushed along the winding path, charging towards the core of the sacrificial altar.

“That's… the sacrificial altar!”

“This is the core area!”

“Hahaha, follow Young Master Jiao Ma and achieve ultimate victory!!”

The Azure Jiao Army instantly spotted the massive sacrificial altar, their morale soaring.

“Damn it.” The Earth Fiend Turbid Deity almost gritted its teeth to dust. Forced by the situation, it had no choice but to temporarily abandon its efforts to wear down the ice coffin and instead deliver a head-on blow to the Azure Jiao Army.

Deity Transformation level!

The Earth Fiend Turbid Deity's powerful aura was completely unmasked, startling the entire Azure Jiao Army. They didn't expect such a behemoth to be here! How could they fight such a being? Even with a cultivation army, the opponent was at the Deity Transformation level! The cultivation gap was too vast. The Azure Jiao Army, as it was, could absolutely not bridge this gap alone.

“Stay in the passage; all military might supply me!” Seeing this, Luo Si didn't dare to be careless. He gritted his teeth and confronted the Earth Fiend Turbid Deity. The cultivation levels of Ning Zhuo, Qing Chi, and the others were too far from the Deity Transformation level. Even with leverage like military strength, they couldn't overcome it. The Azure Jiao Army was, after all, a new army! In fact, even if they had one of the world's strongest armies, with enough military power to contend with a Deity Transformation-level opponent, Ning Zhuo and Qing Chi themselves couldn't bear such immense external power. Their physical bodies, souls, dantian, and other foundational aspects were still limited by their cultivation level and couldn't withstand such massive external force.

Luo Si shot out like lightning, clashing directly with the Earth Fiend Turbid Deity in mid-air! With a thunderous blast, the Earth Fiend Turbid Deity remained in its original position, only stepping back slightly, while Luo Si was sent flying backward. Luo Si's entire body was numbed by the shock, and his clashing fist was so numb it lost all sensation.

The Earth Fiend Turbid Deity stood nearly ten meters tall, its body entirely jet-black, as if carved directly from the most ancient profound iron mountains. Its massive muscle textures resembled a dry, cracked riverbed from ten thousand years ago, each furrow astonishingly deep, exuding an unmatched sense of immense weight. Thick, dark red, fiery veins, like rivers of lava trapped deep underground, were faintly visible. This appearance alone brought powerful deterrence to onlookers!

Soul Severing Realm!

Even geniuses like them were witnessing a Deity Transformation-level being for the first time. Luo Si's expression was graver than ever; just one direct clash made him feel the immense gap between them.

“Young Master, I can't hold on much longer.” He transmitted a spiritual message to Ning Zhuo while taking out a bronze war chariot. Luo Si stood on the chariot and charged at the Earth Fiend Turbid Deity.

Boom, boom, boom…

The two clashed fiercely, each collision like a meteor striking the earth, creating terrifying sonic waves that reverberated through the surrounding space. With the assistance of the Dharma Artifact-grade war chariot, Luo Si compensated for the disparity in physical strength. But the Azure Jiao Army members all looked grim, their energy growing weak. The reason was that this war chariot consumed the army's collective might. As a weapon, it typically maximized the effect of spiritual energy, but with collective military might, it had the opposite effect. Fighting a Deity Transformation-level opponent, the consumption of military might was truly terrifying.

The Azure Jiao Army had already rested and was in peak condition, but after a few rounds of clashes, they couldn't hold on. This forced Qing Chi to reveal her trump card prematurely, utilizing the military supplies stored within the army. Military supplies were already scarce, and now they were being consumed at an intense rate, barely compensating for the massive depletion of military might and preventing the immediate collapse of the entire army.

Luo Si maneuvered the bronze war chariot, continuously circling the Earth Fiend Turbid Deity. After another collision, the bronze war chariot recoiled a dozen steps, and numerous cracks appeared on its surface. On the chariot, Luo Si stumbled, nearly falling off. The Earth Fiend Turbid Deity seized the opportunity and violently raised its profound iron giant arm.

Martial Art: Mountain Collapse Fist!

There was no dazzling magical light, just the simplest, most direct punch. The turbid air in front was directly compressed into a wall of air. Space groaned under the immense pressure. On the surface of the fist, dark red lava veins appeared, suddenly accelerating their flow, imbuing the punch with terrifying high temperatures! Luo Si's heart was gripped with dread. He was rich in combat experience and knew at first glance that he absolutely could not be hit.

Military Stratagem: Feint and Deception!

On the surface, he turned the chariot's front towards his allies, but in reality, he suddenly retreated. Although the Earth Fiend Turbid Deity's fist strike was terrifying, it ultimately hit nothing. Luo Si narrowly escaped, his brows tightly furrowed, revealing a grave look. The bronze war chariot accumulated damage, its speed and defense both dropping a notch, making it even harder for him to contend with the Earth Fiend Turbid Deity.

In the midst of the chaos, Luo Si glanced at the passage, realizing the Azure Jiao Army's dire state within it. “This new army is still too weak; the military power it provides is barely enough to use this chariot.” If he were leading a complete imperial army, he would be confident in leveraging its military power to bolster his own combat strength and fight multiple rounds against the Earth Fiend Turbid Deity. But now, he understood he could only rely on himself.

Luo Si let out a fierce roar, pouring a large amount of Nascent Soul spiritual energy into the war chariot beneath his feet. The war chariot emitted a bronze glow, its numerous runes shimmering with radiance. It carried Luo Si as it suddenly drifted sideways to its limit, successfully dodging another punch from the Earth Fiend Turbid Deity. The Mountain Collapse Fist grazed the rear of the war chariot and crashed down.

Crack.

Just the pressure of the punch grazing it caused a chilling cracking sound from the chariot's rear! The bronze glow instantly dimmed significantly. Luo Si felt as if he had been struck by a heavy hammer, his chest tightening.

“Given this situation, I can only attack to defend and try my best to buy time.” He endured the shock, a fierce glint flashing in his eyes, knowing that passive evasion would lead only to death! He cast out his fishing rod. Attached to the rod was the Oblivion Ferrying Line, from which dangled the Three Lives Mortal Hook. He employed his fishing technique. The fishhook moved with extraordinary agility, darting like lightning around the Earth Fiend Turbid Deity's body, trailing its line.

The next moment, the Earth Fiend Turbid Deity was tightly bound by the fishing line. Luo Si poured all his spiritual energy into the line. The fishing line suddenly constricted, embedding itself deeply into the Earth Fiend Turbid Deity's body. The fishhook flew into the air and descended vertically towards the Earth Fiend Turbid Deity's forehead. The Earth Fiend Turbid Deity struggled in place, dense black smoke billowing from the orifices on its head. The black smoke piled up into clouds, blocking the fishhook.

Crack, crack.

Luo Si's expression subtly changed. The fishhook and line were still fine, but fine cracks appeared on the fishing rod…

“Luo Si is no match for this Soul Severing entity!”

“I must seize every second, ascend the sacrificial altar, and completely destroy the Prefect of Oblivion's century-long scheme.”

Ning Zhuo had already started to move. However, even though the sacrificial altar was right before his eyes, he had to stop. The river water surged. He was blocked by a tributary of the River of Oblivion. This tributary, like a jade belt, encircled the sacrificial altar. Wherever Ning Zhuo intended to break through, it would flow there, creating an obstacle.

“This is the River of Oblivion's water; how can I cross it?” Ning Zhuo had no choice but to stop, racking his brain for a way to break the deadlock.