Chapter 1194: Halfway Down the Mountain

Author: Sanjiu YinyuWord Count: 1272

In another part of the mountains.

Chen Ling looked away from the distant Wushan Town and checked the time on his phone.

"Give up," Fu Kun said weakly, tied up and thrown aside. "His Majesty won't come... We're merely subjects. Why would an emperor personally lead an expedition just because a subject is in danger? If you're going to kill me, just do it quickly!"

Chen Ling closed his flip phone with a snap.

"You're wrong."

Chen Ling turned his head, his gaze slowly drifting towards a certain spot in the misty clouds. "...He's here."

Fu Kun froze, looking up at the rain cloud.

A shadow streaked rapidly through it, and then the center of the rain cloud began to churn and swirl with air currents. Beneath the dark, swirling vortex, a figure slowly materialized and drifted downwards.

"Your... Your Majesty?" Fu Kun saw the figure and froze on the spot.

He hadn't expected Ying Fu to actually come.

Ying Fu's face was as dark as the rain clouds. His sharp eyes first swept over the disheveled Fu Kun, then fixed intently on Chen Ling. His robes billowed in the wind and rain, imbued with imperial might, and an overwhelming aura of a monarch swept forth!

"Chen Ling, I had no intention of killing you today, but you insist on seeking death?"

Overnight, Ying Fu's oppressive aura had surged again. Although he hadn't broken through the seventh-tier barrier, both his imperial might and mental strength had significantly increased... It seemed that last night's Imperial Examination, while gaining him many subjects, had also greatly empowered him.

Chen Ling's robes fluttered under the imperial pressure, yet his gaze remained utterly calm, his figure rooted to the spot like a mountain, completely unaffected by Ying Fu.

"I told you, if you dare to touch certain people... I will fight you to the death," Chen Ling said coldly.

Ying Fu's brow unconsciously furrowed, as if in thought or recollection.

"Your Majesty, don't worry about me!" Fu Kun immediately interjected, "He might have set traps around... Please don't fall for it, Your Majesty!"

Ying Fu scoffed, "Traps? I'd like to see what other tricks you have up your sleeve."

After the power boost from last night's Imperial Examination, Ying Fu's strength had soared. Facing Chen Ling, who was only at the fifth tier, he naturally wouldn't flinch. Moreover, Chen Ling had provoked him first by kidnapping his subordinate, so leaving was not an option.

Ying Fu raised a hand and pointed at the rain cloud. Purple lightning suddenly writhed within it, like a dragon swimming in a pond, then shot out, rocketing towards Chen Ling's face like a purple spear!

Chen Ling had never seen this ability; it was likely something Ying Fu had just gained from his subjects last night. Without hesitation, Chen Ling transformed into scattered red paper, instantly reappearing hundreds of meters away!

Boom—!!

The purple spear slammed into the earth, and delicate electrical arcs instantly covered more than half the mountain.

"You can't escape," Ying Fu said, raising his hand again. The electrical arcs across the mountain suddenly began to contract like a vast net, converging from all directions to envelop Chen Ling.

Sensing the inescapable killing intent, Chen Ling gave up on further evasion, and a domain directly unfolded beneath his feet!

Court of Judgment!

As Chen Ling pulled the trigger, a gap was forcibly torn in the electrical net, and a deafening roar echoed across the sky.

Fortunately, Chen Ling had deliberately chosen a location far from Wushan Town. Fighting Ying Fu here would not affect the town or attract too much attention. With a flicker of his body, he vanished through the gap.

Ying Fu's gaze swept the surroundings as if searching for Chen Ling's location. The next moment, as if sensing something, he stomped his foot on the ground, and amidst intertwining electrical arcs, a golden spear reformed from the earth!

Clang—!!

The spear and the boning knife clashed fiercely, sending dazzling sparks flying through the air!

Chen Ling's large red opera robe fluttered in the wind. He stood behind Ying Fu, gripping his knife like a phantom, his voice incredibly low:

"Where is Shen Nan?"

"Shen Nan?" Ying Fu recalled the name on the list and scoffed, "How would I know where he is?"

"You didn't make a move against him last night?"

"Why should I tell you what I did?"

Boom—!!!

The struggle between the two instantly cracked the ground beneath their feet inch by inch. Under the terrifying shockwaves, their two figures were flung apart!

Chen Ling looked at Ying Fu, who was holding the spear, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes...

Having dealt with Ying Fu so many times, Chen Ling had come to understand him. From Ying Fu's reaction just now, it seemed he hadn't gone after Shen Nan last night... This meant Shen Nan's disappearance had nothing to do with Ying Fu?

Then the only possibility left was...

Chen Ling's peripheral vision drifted towards the direction of the Half-Mountain Hotel.

A red "errOr" message flashed continuously on the screen. Inside the muffled elevator, Sun Buming's brows furrowed tighter and tighter.

"Where is this going?" Sun Buming turned to the staff member beside him. "Isn't the meeting at the Half-Mountain Hotel?"

"Yes, Mr. Sun, but it's underground, beneath the hotel."

"Underground?"

Sun Buming's eyes, behind his small round sunglasses, narrowed. "This isn't just 'underground,' is it? The depth we're descending... it feels like they've hollowed out the entire mountain."

"Mr. Sun, Director Sun will personally explain the specific reasons at the conference. Please be patient."

The elevator slowly stopped. As the doors on both sides opened, a dim stone corridor appeared before Sun Buming.

Even though all guests had arrived, no one was visible in the stone corridor; everything was empty. Only at the far end of the corridor could faint sounds of conversation be heard.

"Mr. Sun, the conference room is ahead. Please proceed." The staff member stepped out of the elevator and respectfully gestured for him to enter.

But Sun Buming did not leave the elevator.

With the dim stone corridor reflected in his eyes, he slowly spoke:

"I want to see Sun Zhongliang."

"Mr. Sun, Director Sun will be here shortly. Please wait in the conference room..."

"I said, I want to see Sun Zhongliang now," Sun Buming interrupted him directly. "Otherwise, I'm going back to America immediately."

As Sun Buming spoke, he pressed the first-floor button in the elevator. However, he quickly realized that the button for the first floor was unresponsive no matter how many times he pressed it... It was as if this was a one-way elevator to the depths below.

The staff member spoke helplessly, "Mr. Sun, please don't be willful... At such a critical juncture, could we please cooperate?"

Sun Buming's expression grew increasingly grim. He coldly glanced at the staff member and stepped out of the elevator.

Wisps of colorful flames drifted from Sun Buming's temples. The lion head pendant on his wrist began to glow faintly, and a seventh-tier aura surged forth!

Under the oppressive force of the seventh-tier aura, the staff member's face immediately turned deathly pale. He couldn't stop Sun Buming at all and stumbled backward with a slight bump, falling to the side...

"If you won't bring him to me, then I'll find him myself."

"Today... he must give me an explanation!"