Chapter 648: 临渊蓄鳞

Ning Zhuo successfully escaped his position, propelled by Yuan Dasheng. However, Heavy-Armored Blood Ape Dasheng was pierced by an icy thread and immediately frozen into a colossal block of ice. Yuan Dasheng, who had previously served as a protective force, lost all combat effectiveness in a single encounter. Ning Zhuo didn't even dare to retrieve him. The ice block emitted a chilling aura, capable of freezing all life in its vicinity! The opponent was simply too powerful, likely among the top-tier Nascent Soul cultivators.

This encounter reminded Ning Zhuo of the Heaven-and-Earth Twin Ghosts from the Soul-Devouring Sect. He mused, "The Two Realms' campaign against Thousand Peaks Forest was merely an assault by the Two Realms' new army, and Thousand Peaks Forest is just a small corner of the world. But for the Underworld Lord of Oblivion's century-long plan, those guarding him must be the elite of the elite." He continued, "If this enemy were in the Human Realm, they would undoubtedly be on the same level as the Heaven-and-Earth Twin Ghosts, capable of making a name across all nations. Perhaps they are even stronger than the Twin Ghosts!" Of course, Ning Zhuo couldn't definitively judge who was stronger, as his previous confrontation with the Heaven-and-Earth Twin Ghosts involved a significant element of chance; though he repelled them, that achievement was heavily inflated. Ning Zhuo keenly felt the immense power disparity between himself and the enemy, yet his fighting spirit remained resolute, unwavering.

He thought, "Mother would never harm me. Old Man Greybone's divination techniques, combined with Scholar Xuansu's artistry, are my hidden advantages. Most importantly, I am the savior; I carry the Human Realm's destiny with me!" He further reasoned, "The enemy appears strong, but they must have a weakness. If they were truly so powerful, why didn't they intercept the Azure-Scorched Army when it ascended? Why did they allow our forces to leisurely form ranks? Although there's an engagement, only one Nascent Soul cultivator is fighting. The other has remained a spectator, which is even stranger!" He concluded, "They must have some unspeakable secret, a fatal flaw that they've simply hidden. I must find it, and I will find it!"

While Ning Zhuo fought fiercely, gritting his teeth, he was unaware of the ripples in Han Yan Shangren's heart. "This young man is truly outstanding!" Han Yan Shangren thought. "It has been a long time since I've seen such a remarkable young person." This was an extremely high praise, as Han Yan Shangren was a high-ranking official of the Underworld Lord of Oblivion's domain, evaluating Ning Zhuo from the perspective of an entire nation. Han Yan Shangren murmured to himself, "The Azure-Scorched Army—"

The Underworld Lord of Oblivion had conveyed the latest intelligence to his subordinates. They didn't need to be informed about the Human Realm battlefield or the White Paper Immortal City. However, the Azure-Scorched Army's inexplicable arrival demanded understanding. Han Yan Shangren hovered in mid-air, gazing down at the battlefield, his focus primarily on Ning Zhuo. "It seems this person is the human calamity sent by the Human Realm's destiny to trouble our Lord," he reflected. "He is merely at the Foundation Establishment stage, yet he possesses such profound mastery of spells! This would truly shame countless ancient cultivators." He continued, "All three of his Dantians exude powerful auras; he must be cultivating a supreme technique to achieve such a level. What also concerns me are his physical body and soul; each is incredibly strong, far exceeding the standard for the Foundation Establishment stage. No single cultivation method in this world can achieve such comprehensive development. This implies he found other methods, spending immense resources to build such a profound foundation. To accomplish this, he either has a deep background or immense fortuitous encounters!" Han Yan Shangren concluded, "Such youthful vigor, and he isn't even twenty years old yet; it's simply unimaginable."

Han Yan Shangren concluded that if Ning Zhuo continued to develop, he would undoubtedly become a dragon among men, a young prodigy, a pillar of strength, a regional authority, and even a mighty cultivator. "Such a gifted individual must be a Child of Destiny from the Human Realm," he mused. "What a pity that he stands against the national destiny of our Underworld Lord of Oblivion. To prevent future trouble, I will kill you first!" The more exceptional Ning Zhuo appeared, the more wary Han Yan Shangren became, deciding to strike first to eliminate any future threat. However, just as he was about to make a decisive move, Old Mother Hundred Ghosts suddenly transmitted a message: "Wait!" Han Yan Shangren was surprised. He had already recognized Ning Zhuo's brilliance and potential, and he knew his comrades must have too. He couldn't understand why Old Mother Hundred Ghosts would stop him. Old Mother Hundred Ghosts sent a mental message, briefly explaining, "I have already reported the details to our Lord. It is the Lord's command to stop you from striking down the Azure-Scorched Army. Furthermore, the Lord has instructed me to maintain secrecy, so I cannot elaborate. My apologies." Even more puzzled, Han Yan Shangren immediately transmitted a mental message to the core of the altar far behind them and indeed received a response from the Earth Fiend Blight God. The Underworld Lord of Oblivion's main body was in slumber within a tributary of the River of Oblivion, while his divine avatar simultaneously attempted various methods to deal with the Cold Abyss Ice Coffin Candle and managed the overall situation. Han Yan Shangren naturally obeyed the Underworld Lord of Oblivion's command, sighing inwardly, "The Lord proactively held back, ordering me to capture this young man alive. From another perspective, this is also due to the young man's destiny." Han Yan Shangren then reduced his offensive, aiming to wear down Ning Zhuo and Qing Yan, biding his time to capture them alive.

Upon seeing Han Yan Shangren's noticeably reduced offensive, Qing Yan grew excited and shouted, "Hold on! Hold on! He's showing signs of weakness; his injuries are clearly slowing him down, preventing a prolonged fight. Keep at it, and a turning point might just be around the corner!" Ning Zhuo nodded, gradually stabilizing his position. Meanwhile, Luo Si looked up at the rolling black clouds in the sky, where streaks of blood-red lightning flickered. Using his leadership abilities, he had calmly led his army in retreat. Before leaving, he had even used a technique to seize the Primordial Dispersing Ruler from the Lord of White Paper Immortal City. Now, carrying the Underworld Lord of Oblivion's order to rendezvous and assist in defense, he had rushed his army here. After sending his message, he quickly received a response from Old Mother Hundred Ghosts. Old Mother Hundred Ghosts had, of course, already received orders from the Earth Fiend Blight God to cooperate with Luo Si's army and establish a new deployment. For his century-long plan, the Underworld Lord of Oblivion had exhausted nearly all his trump cards, and his forces were stretched thin. Luo Si's arrival with his army was truly a much-needed relief. Moreover, this army, having participated in the battle for White Paper Immortal City, was scorned by the Human Realm's Heaven but considered heroes in the Underworld and would be treated favorably. With the loss of two national artifacts, the Nether蛟剪 and the Underworld Lord of Oblivion Seal, the Underworld Lord of Oblivion desperately needed this surge of destiny to protect himself. The vast black clouds formed a descending ladder, reaching from the sky to the ground. "Advance," Luo Si commanded, waving his general's banner and leading his army up into the clouds. The massive, thick wall of black clouds automatically parted, creating a huge passage that allowed Luo Si's army to proceed unimpeded, reaching the internal cloud-sky battlefield.

Seeing the enemy army arrive, the Azure-Scorched Army fell into disarray, and their morale plummeted. Qing Chi frantically shouted, trying to steady their spirits. However, she was simply too young; perhaps her father's words would have been effective, but her uncontrolled speech in this critical moment only revealed her immaturity, making it harder for others to trust her, and morale dropped even faster. The Azure-Scorched Army faced the Underworld Lord of Oblivion's Imperial Guards from the front and Luo Si's army from the rear. They were caught in a pincer movement, besieged from both sides, and their situation became extremely unfavorable. Both the Imperial Guards and Luo Si's returning army were massive in scale, while the Azure-Scorched Army, at full strength, numbered less than a thousand. The disparity in power was overwhelmingly clear. Humans are the spirits of all things, most intelligent and most perceptive. Intelligent people are skilled at assessing the situation. As a newly established cultivation army, the Azure-Scorched Army's members were eager to survive; what fighting spirit could they possibly have left? The 'army seed' within Qing Chi's Dantian flickered erratically, warning her that the Azure-Scorched Army was on the verge of collapsing. Cold sweat dripped from Qing Chi's forehead as she realized she had to make a decision! "I must stabilize the Azure-Scorched Army!" she thought. "Using military power and activating military formations can stabilize them. But how much military power should I use?" She gazed anxiously at the front line. Both her beloved (Ning Zhuo) and her father (Qing Yan) were engaged in a desperate struggle. Both Jiao Ma (Ning Zhuo) and Qing Yan were constantly expending military power to bolster themselves; otherwise, they couldn't withstand Han Yan Shangren. How much military power should she draw to stabilize the Azure-Scorched Army? This was the problem Qing Chi had to confront directly! Military power was finite. If she used too much, Ning Zhuo and Qing Yan would lack military support, potentially leading to their defeat or even death! Qing Chi would then live forever under the nightmare of this moment. If she drew too little, the stabilization effect wouldn't be achieved, forcing her to restart and ultimately consume more overall. If Qing Chi had experience, it would be one thing, but the key was that she had only recently taken up her position. Yet, she knew she had to act. "Any further delay, and the Azure-Scorched Army will completely dissipate, unable to provide even a shred of military power. That would be true despair!"

Taking a deep breath, Qing Chi's eyes flashed with fierce resolve. She boldly mobilized her remaining military power, channeling it into the 'army seed'. The three military regulations she had painstakingly developed glowed brightly:Regulation 1: Strict Obedience.Regulation 2: A Master for a Season, Accumulation for a Decade.Regulation 3: Father and Son in Battle.Strict Obedience first took effect, restoring order throughout the army. Father and Son in Battle then stirred familial bonds among all soldiers, making them realize they were surrounded by blood relatives, igniting a powerful protective instinct. "We'll die together if we must!" many gritted their teeth, imbued with the spirit of desperate fighters. It worked! Qing Chi's eyes shone, her spirits lifted, almost making her want to cheer for joy. Her risky move had yielded the desired results. The Azure-Scorched Army stabilized, and their morale began to rebound from rock bottom, rising rapidly. With their resolve firm and morale soaring, the military power the army could provide returned to its previous state, even slightly exceeding it. "Qing Chi, you did well!" Ning Zhuo mentally conveyed, offering timely encouragement. Qing Yan also praised, "Truly my good daughter!" Both had been struggling with limited military power before, but now they found themselves with ample resources once more.

Ning Zhuo, however, furrowed his brow slightly, wondering, "Is it my imagination? That was a period of considerable weakness for us, yet the opponent didn't press their attack with full force; it was as if they were holding back." Han Yan Shangren was indeed holding back. His orders were to capture these individuals alive if possible, so he was not in a hurry at all. This "capture alive" command was not only personally issued by the Earth Fiend Blight God, but also coincided with the arrival of Luo Si's army. Although Luo Si's troops were far less disciplined than the Imperial Guards, their task was to fill the formation nodes of the grand array deep within the black clouds, allowing the array to unleash its full power. This was already enough! Even if the Azure-Scorched Army stabilized, what good would it do? Whether it was the Imperial Guards or the returning army, either force alone could crush this small new army. The enemy's covert restraint allowed Qing Chi's risky gamble to succeed. If Han Yan Shangren had truly attacked with full power, Qing Chi, lacking any experience and rashly expending so much military power, would have caused the battle, already barely sustained by Ning Zhuo and Qing Yan, to directly collapse, leading to their certain demise!

The general's banner fluttered in the wind. Luo Si stood in his war chariot, observing the Azure-Scorched Army and watching the battle between Han Yan Shangren, Qing Yan, and Ning Zhuo. A subordinate asked, "My Lord, what shall we do next?" Another general laughed, "I thought this army was lost, but they actually made it here! Hahaha, they've come to their deaths, and it's all for our military merits!" More soldiers then requested to be deployed. Luo Si coldly snorted, "Silence." He sternly reprimanded, "What is our status? Is this a place where we make decisions? Obey the Imperial Guards in everything. We are merely here to assist in defense; never act on your own initiative." Suddenly, his expression changed slightly. "Old Mother Hundred Ghosts has sent a message, ordering us to attack first. Do not massacre indiscriminately; try to capture the entire enemy army alive." "All forces, heed my command! Form battle arrays and await my deployment!" Luo Si gave the order. The general's banner waved, drums beat, and under the command of numerous generals, the entire army formed their battle array. Military power was mobilized, skillfully used to generate a specific force. The military tactic was "Imminent Scale Accumulation"! All the soldiers in Luo Si's army trembled in unison as wisps of energy were drawn from them, like thousands of fireflies converging above their heads. These energies solidified in the air, transforming into countless fish scales. Thousands upon thousands of fish scales converged, rapidly spinning to form a military power vortex several feet in diameter. Han Yan Shangren cast a curious glance, but Luo Si immediately sent a mental message: "Use this method to deliver a massive shock to the Azure-Scorched Army!"

"Very well," Han Yan Shangren replied, continuing his engagement with Ning Zhuo and Qing Yan. Capturing them alive was far more difficult than simply killing them. The fish scale vortex continued to grow, expanding visibly and rapidly. Soon, its diameter reached ten zhang! Millions of fish scales, semi-transparent and dark blue, layered densely upon each other. As military power continuously accumulated, the Azure-Scorched Army grew restless once more. Anyone could sense the immense power of this military tactic. Even more terrifying, this technique could continue to gather strength; the longer it accumulated, the more dreadful its power would become. "We must destroy it!" some shouted. "If we let it gather strength without stopping it now, once it unleashes, we will all perish!" The Azure-Scorched Army did not lack perceptive individuals. Cold sweat again dripped from Qing Chi's forehead. She was truly a favored daughter of Heaven, with outstanding cultivation talent, but in this battle, she struggled to maintain her usual composure. The enemy's power was simply too overwhelming! Ning Zhuo sent a mental message, extremely urgent: "Qing Chi, lead the Bai and charge the enemies behind us! In this battle, you must commit to dying, pressing forward without hesitation!" Another person might have asked, "What about the Imperial Guards in front?" But Qing Chi was not such a person; she decisively gave the order, leading her forces to attack Luo Si's side.

Old Mother Hundred Ghosts' gaze sharpened slightly. She sent a mental message to Luo Si: "Do you need assistance?" Luo Si shook his head. "My apparent accumulation of power is merely a feint, intended to lure the enemy into attacking, making it easier for me to capture them alive." Knowing Luo Si's leadership prowess, Old Mother Hundred Ghosts dismissed her worries. Qing Chi led the charge, the Azure-Scorched forces behind her, imbued with a death wish, launching a full-scale assault towards Luo Si's formation. Luo Si remained impassive. With a thought, the fish scale vortex, like a breached dam, suddenly unleashed its contents. Wherever it swept, light was devoured, space warped, and areas collapsed. This terrifying, boundless power pierced through space, instantly striking the Imperial Guards. Wherever the acidic waters of fish scales touched, soldiers' armor crumbled like paper, their bodies disintegrated in the torrent, and their souls were shredded into countless fragments by the scales, turning to nothingness. Both the enemy and friendly forces stared in shock: "!!!"