Chapter 14: Overwhelming

Ji Jiu Huo transmitted via voice: 'Among the six, we know Dong Ziqi and Mu Si, who have deployed the Eight Trigrams Blood Dragon Array and the growing green vines respectively! The eagle-nosed cultivator has set up formation flags to protect the surroundings! The black-robed female cultivator has released a large number of poisonous insects, while the gray-robed cultivator holds a large cloth banner, from which he releases powerful beast souls.'

'Eight Trigrams Blood Dragon Array? Green vines? Formation flags? Poisonous insects? Cloth banner? That's five. What about the sixth cultivator?' Ji Ning asked softly.

'The sixth cultivator has made no move yet,' Ji Jiu Huo transmitted. 'I've told you everything. Consider how to strike yourself. Remember, don't put yourself in danger.'

'Rest assured, clan leader.' Ji Ning smiled.

Ji Ning then fell into thought...

Although his earlier ambush had killed two Zifu cultivators, he hadn't obtained any treasures. Because as soon as he charged in, he was blasted away, and the magic treasures left by those two Zifu cultivators remained in the hands of Dong Ziqi and the others.

'Five layers of defense?'

'Hmph!' Ji Ning's eyes held a chill. 'No matter how you struggle, you'll still die.'

Suddenly—

'Senior apprentice-brother Tong Yu, Senior apprentice-brother Zi Dao,' a shout came from afar. 'We've just been attacked by the dragon tail of the Nether Dragon Locking Heaven Array! The dragon tail is commanded by the Ji clan's genius, Ji Ning, and is extremely powerful. He's killed two of our junior brothers! We can only hold our ground here now. Senior apprentice-brother Tong Yu, Senior apprentice-brother Zi Dao, remember, beware of the rain... beware of that rain!'

'You six must also be careful. Stall for as long as you can,' a voice came from another direction.

Hearing the shouts from afar, Ji Ning frowned slightly. 'I must deal with these six as soon as possible.'

Nong Zidao was very formidable!

He had even recognized the Nether Dragon Locking Heaven Array at a glance. Although Ji Ning was confident in the array, he worried that if they studied it slowly, they might actually break it! If the Nether Dragon Locking Heaven Array was broken, every member of the Ji clan would be reduced to their original forms, and Snowdragon Mountain would easily annihilate the Ji clan's side.

'Kill.' Ji Ning steered the massive dragon tail and charged once more toward the six.

...

Poisonous insects swirled in the outer perimeter.

A hazy triangular white light tower enveloped the area, with numerous green vines coiled around it.

Inside the white light tower, eight blood-colored flood dragons roamed. Huge phantoms of birds and beasts walked among them, each exuding a fierce aura.

'With such a defense, no matter how powerful he is, he definitely can't break through,' the black-robed female cultivator said coldly.

'Mm,' Dong Ziqi nodded.

These methods had different functions and complemented each other, forming an impregnable fortress.

'No matter if he's a Fiendgod Body Refiner or how strong his sword arts are, he can't get in,' the gray-robed old man said coldly, clutching the large cloth banner.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...

A light drizzle began to fall, fine as silk, drifting down. The rain, like silk threads or mist, was beautiful, but seeing it descend through the black mist, Dong Ziqi, the gray-robed old man, Mu Si, the black-robed female cultivator, the eagle-nosed cultivator, and the lean man all changed expression, their nerves taut.

'It's here.'

'The rain is here.' The six of them held their breath.

It was this rain that had silently ambushed and killed their two companions earlier.

'Crack, crack, crack...' The numerous poisonous insects on the outermost perimeter were suddenly sliced apart by the rain. The silk-like drizzle—each strand sharp as a blade—whirled madly, cutting through the insects. The rain covered everything, and though the insects were numerous, being on the outermost layer, a great many were cut down and killed.

Every strand of rain contained the power of the 'Dao'!

The Waterfire Lotus was formed by manipulating heaven and earth's water and fire, then condensing them according to the Dao Ji Ning had comprehended.

This rain, similarly condensed from water in heaven and earth according to Ji Ning's Dao, possessed killing power close to that of the Waterfire Lotus! It might be slightly insufficient for breaking grand formations or killing Zifu cultivators, but killing these insects was effortless. The insects were densely packed, so individually they were weak. When Ji Ning had fought Bei Zishan back then, his Waterfire Lotus could already kill large numbers of insects; now, Ji Ning's comprehension of the Dao was far deeper than in those days.

'Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...' The rain continued to fall.

'Squeak...' The chaotic cries of the insects died out instantly. The densely packed insects that had been on the outermost perimeter were now clearly gone, all killed in an instant.

The black-robed female cultivator's face turned pale. She said urgently, 'Why didn't you let my bugs come back?' Earlier, when her insects were attacked, she had immediately tried to recall them into the white light tower formation.

'Once the tower formation is set, how can I dismantle it for your insects?' the eagle-nosed cultivator shouted. 'The rain has already fallen; Ji Ning could appear at any moment! How could I withdraw the tower formation? Even if I did, at most you'd save a few of your bugs. So it's better not to withdraw it.'

The black-robed female cultivator gritted her teeth in anger.

'Junior sister Lu, don't be angry. The tower formation really can't be withdrawn.'

'This rain's power is too great. Even every strand of rain can attack.'

'Could it be a rain spell? Ordinary water spells have traces to follow. But this rain, naturally condensed from heaven and earth... is also a spell!' They were all shocked by the rain's power. Those insects could bite through Zifu cultivators' robes; though individually weak, killing them was no easy task.

'Or is it a Dao Domain?' the gray-robed old man said slowly.

'A Dao Domain?'

'The Dao of Rain?'

The other cultivators exclaimed in shock.

'Impossible. That Ji Ning is only sixteen! He's just a Zifu cultivator. How could he have comprehended a Dao Domain? Even many Wanxiang Adepts haven't.'

'Impossible!'

These Zifu cultivators couldn't believe it.

At that moment—

The black mist in the distance thinned slightly, revealing a massive dragon tail moving slowly. Inside the dragon tail stood a beast-skin-clad youth, surrounded by over seven hundred flying swords. He walked forward step by step, a smile on his face.

'Ji Ning.'

'It's Ji Ning.' Dong Ziqi and the other five stared at the beast-skin youth, shocked that he would approach so openly.

Dong Ziqi shouted, 'Ji Ning, ambushing is one thing, but coming head-on... you're asking for death alone.'

Ji Ning walked forward, and lotuses bloomed beneath his feet. A magnificent Waterfire Lotus blossomed beautifully, making Ji Ning seem like a child of the lotus... Surrounded by the Waterfire Lotus, then by over seven hundred flying swords, then by the massive dragon tail phantom, and finally by the endless rain.

At this moment, Ji Ning seemed to become the core of heaven and earth.

Even Dong Ziqi and the others felt their hearts shaken.

'Junior brother Mu Si, stop him,' Dong Ziqi ordered.

'Leave it to me.' Mu Si's cold face was full of killing intent. Immediately, outside the formation, thick, tough, and powerful vines writhed madly toward Ji Ning. These vines were not like those from Ji Ning's first fight with Mu Si; those had grown suddenly, but these had been growing for a long time and had reached the peak of toughness.

Ji Ning still smiled.

'Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...' The massive Waterfire Lotus spun. After Ji Ning comprehended the Dao Domain, the Waterfire Lotus's power had increased further.

Swish! Swish! Swish! Countless silk-like raindrops, like countless blades, madly cut at the vines, shattering countless thin branches. Only the thick main vines remained, covered in wounds. When they touched the Waterfire Lotus's grinding, they broke apart one after another.

Whoosh... Lotuses bloomed one after another, growing out of thin air centered on Ji Ning, lotus leaves also opening continuously.

The grinding was unending.

These vines couldn't approach Ji Ning in the slightest.

'Break.' Ji Ning looked at the white light tower formation and spoke softly.

Roar...

A faint dragon's roar sounded. The massive dragon tail swept out violently, slamming heavily into the white light tower formation. The scales on the dragon tail were clearly visible, and the power was astonishing. With a rumble, it smashed the white light tower formation, causing it to tremble and shatter. As the tower formation broke, the rain immediately swept up the three formation flags and pulled them out.

Of the five layers of defense they had set up, Ji Ning had easily broken three.

'Go, devour his soul.' The gray-robed old man shook the large cloth banner in his hand. Unlike Bei Zishan, who had refined it from countless mortal vengeful spirits, this one was made from powerful beast souls, so its sin was much lighter. Though its power wasn't as great as a true Ten Thousand Ghost Banner, it was far stronger than Bei Zishan's half-finished product.

The beast souls let out silent screams and charged straight at Ji Ning, ignoring the rain and the Waterfire Lotus's obstruction. In an instant, they invaded Ji Ning's body.

Ji Ning smiled.

Inside his sea of consciousness, a statue of Nuwa radiated boundless light, enveloping the beast souls. The originally fierce beast souls each showed expressions of relief, prostrating toward Ji Ning and the Nuwa statue in gratitude, then vanished into reincarnation.

...

'What?' The gray-robed old man saw the banner's color dim and his expression changed drastically. 'All the fierce beast souls are gone.'

The others, including Dong Ziqi, had been watching the gray-robed old man expectantly, but upon hearing this, their hearts sank.

Ji Ning walked forward.

Lotuses bloomed continuously... Rain swirled around...

'You can die now.' A strand of sword light condensed before Ji Ning. It flew out and vanished into the rain, then another strand appeared. Ji Ning released strands of sword light in an unbroken stream.

Bang!

Ji Ning's sword light was now incredibly powerful. A single strand directly slew the eight roaming blood-colored flood dragons, shattering them. The gray-robed old man, the eagle-nosed man, and the others all screamed madly, seeing their deaths approaching. They took out talismans or activated magic treasures, each fighting desperately.

'Bang!' 'Boom!'

The rain swirled around like an iron wall, and the Waterfire Lotus bloomed layer upon layer, blocking the attacks.

Ji Ning used every means at his disposal, completely overwhelming these six Zifu cultivators.

'Pfft!' With a bitter, unwilling roar, Mu Si's head was the first to fly off. The nine strands of sword light from the Lesser Thousand Sword Formation that Ji Ning had released in one breath all turned into fine rain, mingling with the endless rain around, slashing at each of them.

...