BW Chapter 166

Dark Domain (8)

 

Although everyone had more or less heard talk about how formidable Venerable Jinghe was, compared to hearsay, witnessing it firsthand was obviously much more shocking.

 

The absolute suppression from a powerful expert often made people’s hearts give rise to the intention to retreat.

 

However, Ning Buwei, who was currently confronting Wang Bin and the others, did not have a good expression on his face.

 

Ning Buwei had always acted as he pleased, not caring much about consequences. When fighting, he naturally liked flashy and imposing methods, but he understood Chu Jun’s temperament too well—

 

Even if the situation was extremely perilous and urgent, as long as Chu Jun was confident he could resolve the matter, he would not use his full strength. He was low-key to an excessive degree, even using methods like feigning death, which lacked “integrity,” without any psychological burden.

 

But now he was using such flamboyant means to kill Xie Zhiang in full view of everyone, a blatant warning and show of force.

 

This was abnormal.

 

Thinking of his previous speculation, Ning Buwei’s heart immediately sank to the bottom.

 

He had to quickly find a way to enter the high platform to repair the restriction, otherwise even Chu Jun wouldn’t be able to hold out for much longer!

 

In the center of everyone’s gaze, Chu Jun held Ning Xiu with an indifferent expression, completely unconcerned about the surrounding stares. Ning Xiu, lying on his shoulder, yawned softly and said to him earnestly in his childish voice, “Mother~ Xiao Shan is sleepy~ want to sleep~”

 

He didn’t find it strange at all to sleep in such an intense battlefield.

 

“Mm, go to sleep.” Chu Jun adjusted his position so that he could lie in his arm.

 

Ning Xiu, with great self-management awareness, pulled up the wide sleeve that had just scattered Xie Zhiang with one strike, obediently covering his little belly to ensure he wouldn’t catch cold. Only then did he close his eyes with satisfaction. After thinking for a moment, he opened his eyes again and said, “When I wake up, want to eat the porridge and meat that Mother makes~ Father feed me~”

 

Chu Jun gently helped him cover his little belly, his eyes containing a smile. “Alright.”

 

The cultivators watching: …………

 

So excessive, so outrageous, so… damn enviable.

 

“Father, I want to sleep too,” Xie Changming looked up at his real father beside him.

 

His father punched him on the head, glaring at him angrily. “Get lost, you brat!”

 

Xie Changming pitifully rubbed the bump that had formed on his head.

 

Chu Jun, holding Ning Xiu, walked forward two steps. The crowd surrounding him immediately retreated three steps, clearly no one wanted to be that scapegoat.

 

“Everyone, don’t panic! Evil cannot triumph over Chongzheng!” Hanyan Sect’s sect master Han Shuang stood at the edge of the Soul-Devouring Formation, making a show of wanting to charge in, but actually standing firmly in place without moving at all. Moreover, this position was even farther from Chu Jun. He spoke passionately. “Besides, we have Elder Wei here. Even Chu Jun won’t be able to cause any trouble!”

 

Wei Lian, who had been sitting calmly on his flying vessel watching the battle, fell silent for a moment, but had no choice but to take a stance. “…Sect Master Han speaks reasonably. The Path of Slaughter, even if one changes paths, can hardly completely change one’s temperament. Everyone should be careful.”

 

It seemed like he said something, yet also seemed like he said nothing at all, pushing the topic back exactly as it came.

 

The older generation of cultivators were all observing, but the cultivation world never lacked hot-blooded young people. Xuantian Sect’s eldest disciple Xue Wuhua was the first to step forward. Xuantian Sect’s sect master Xue Chongtian didn’t even have time to stop him before watching helplessly as his most beloved disciple turned into a handful of flying ash before his eyes.

 

“Chu Jun! You’re going too far!” Xue Chongtian roared angrily. A giant axe flew out from his sea of consciousness, splitting the sky and earth as it charged straight toward Chu Jun.

 

“Attack together!” Han Shuang remotely sacrificed his natal treasure, the Gold-Silver Dharma Rope.

 

Even Wei Lian, who had been observing and didn’t plan to interfere, sacrificed his Seven-Colored Treasure Lotus.

 

Wei Lian’s move seemed to give everyone a lead. Countless strangely-shaped, variously-powered, golden-gleaming natal treasures appeared in the air, surging with killing intent as they rushed straight toward Chu Jun.

 

On the other side, Pei Heguang helped Fang Wanchen up from the ruins of the flying vessel. Fang Wanchen, dizzy from the fall, looked up to see nearby demons and monsters growing in clusters with white bones crisscrossing, while in the distance golden streams of light filled the sky with various spiritual powers dancing—such a shocking scene.

 

Countless treasures flew over his head. Even with Fang Wanchen’s excellent composure, he couldn’t help but curse.

 

Chu Jun’s Taiji Seal suddenly expanded several hundred times. Countless thunderous sounds rang out continuously in the sky above the vast desert and lava. A small soundproof barrier wrapped Ning Xiu tightly, isolating all noise and killing intent from outside.

 

Spiritual power gathered in Chu Jun’s palm. He was about to summon the Chiyuan Sword when he saw a giant skeleton formed by countless withered bones stacked layer upon layer lift its arm, blocking in front of him together with the Taiji Seal.

 

Ning Buwei’s Seven Killings Soul-Devouring Formation suddenly turned, and in the upheaval, Wang Bin was disoriented. When he came to his senses, the person in front of him had already teleported to Chu Jun’s side.

 

“Put away the Taiji Seal.” Ning Buwei glanced at the sleeping Ning Xiu in his arms and transmitted his voice to him.

 

Chu Jun didn’t ask why, nor did he care about the countless treasures blocked outside by the Taiji Seal. He decisively shrank the Taiji Seal and recalled it to his palm. Ning Xiu in his arms, probably sensing the familiar spiritual power, reached out his arm in his sleep to embrace the palm-sized Taiji Seal, even smacking his lips once.

 

Without the Taiji Seal’s obstruction, countless treasures and talismans instantly poured out, almost submerging Ning Buwei and Chu Jun in golden light.

 

Even as formidable as Chu Jun and Ning Buwei were, they couldn’t withstand the natal treasures of thousands of high-level cultivators. Even Pei Heguang, who was watching the battle from far away, squinted his eyes.

 

Although it was somewhat regrettable, this also saved him a lot of effort. There was no way Ning Buwei could block this strike.

 

The other cultivators thought the same.

 

Shang Nuanwei, watching from the periphery, wanted to go help but was stopped by Hao Zheng raising his hand. She looked at her senior brother in confusion, but Hao Zheng only shook his head lightly.

 

Immediately after, countless natal treasures filled with murderous intent like a violent storm suddenly froze the instant before they were about to touch Ning Buwei, as if their spiritual power had been instantly drained. They fell rustling to the ground, completely without luster, like a pile of scrap metal.

 

Someone wailed: “My natal treasure!”

 

“What on earth is going on!?”

 

The cultivators who didn’t understand were alarmed and uncertain, but they heard Wei Lian on the flying vessel say: “Seven Killings Formation, Soul-Devouring Formation, Hundred Bones Thousand Ghosts Formation, Ning Family’s Four Symbols Six Directions Formation… they can actually be merged into one formation, consuming the already scarce spiritual power in the Dark Domain to complete depletion—Ning Buwei, aren’t you afraid that without spiritual power, the Dark Domain will collapse?”

 

Ning Buwei snorted lightly, completely unconcerned. “If it collapses, that’s perfect—it’ll make a ready-made grave for you bunch of scum.”

 

“You, you—how outrageous!” Even Wei Lian, despite his age and good temper, was quite angered by him. His white beard was trembling.

 

“Venerable Jinghe! Are you really just going to watch this demon commit evil deeds without caring!?” Someone questioned indignantly. “He—he is your dao companion after all!”

 

The previously formidable and cold Venerable Jinghe was now holding a sleeping child, standing behind Ning Buwei in complete tranquility. His ink-painting-like eyebrows were particularly serene amid the gunpowder smoke, his voice extremely gentle. “In our family, he makes the decisions.”

 

The cultivator who had just questioned him got blood stuck in his throat and instantly flushed red.

 

The onlookers who had just lost their natal treasures fell into a strange silence.

 

The bone piles coiling and winding at everyone’s feet slowly writhed. Bloody black mist filled the air, and piercing wails echoed everywhere. An evil and pleased smile appeared on Ning Buwei’s face.

 

“All of you go die.”

 

Layer upon layer of formations attacked the gathered crowd from all directions. In the situation where spiritual power was sparse and almost impossible to mobilize, everyone could only hastily use treasures that stored spiritual power to defend.

 

Long swords struck with full force at the horrifying skulls covered in flesh and blood and the black mist around them, but suddenly struck empty air.

 

After a few breaths, those with higher cultivation immediately realized and angrily said, “We’ve all been played by Ning Buwei! He ran away!”

 

“This demon is all bluster–how shameless!”

 

****

 

The shameless demon was currently pulling his dao companion as they rapidly traveled by sword under the lava.

 

“Your movements are too slow!” Ning Buwei shouted: “If you had come any later, you could have just collected our corpses!”

 

Big Yellow, crouching on the sword, said indignantly, “I was already fast enough. Do you think everyone can use evil qi like you? I nearly lost my life in those black whirlpools just now! I think you’re the one with brain problems, insisting on entering the high platform’s restriction from under the lava!”

 

Ning Buwei angrily replied, “You’re the one with brain problems. From the beginning, I advocated directly killing that bald donkey and going in. Who knew those scum from the Chongzheng Alliance would come so quickly!”

 

Big Yellow was stunned for a moment, then turned to bow to Chu Jun. “Indeed, the Venerable’s method is reliable. Directly fighting our way in is what’s truly brain-damaged.”

 

Ning Buwei: “…You wall-top dog.”

 

(TL: 牆頭狗 literally means “wall-top dog,” implying someone who switches sides easily, like a dog hopping over a wall to whichever side benefits it.

 

Big Yellow shrugged his shoulders and pulled another clump of evil qi from Ning Buwei’s body, stuffing it into the broad sword under their feet. “I’ve scouted ahead. There’s a formation connected to the high platform’s interior up front. We only need a stick of incense worth of time to get in.”

 

“Too slow.” Chu Jun said: “Although the Chongzheng Alliance is a rabble, there are still a few capable cultivators. A stick of incense is enough time for them to catch up.”

 

Big Yellow rolled up his sleeves, ready to jump down. “That’s easy to handle. You two go in, I’ll hold them off.”

 

“Only you know how to repair the restriction. If you die, what’s the point of us two going in?” Ning Buwei reached out to grab him. “Besides, your third-rate skills aren’t enough. You and Chu Jun go in, I’ll cover the rear.”

 

“No need to argue.” Chu Jun raised his hand to stop them.

 

Ning Buwei frowned. “No way, you absolutely cannot—”

 

“Having Pei Heguang cover the rear is most suitable.” Chu Jun said unhurriedly.

 

Both Ning Buwei and Big Yellow were stunned. Big Yellow said in shock, “What!? That beast Pei Heguang will listen to you?”

 

Ning Buwei patted Big Yellow’s shoulder. “Be good, don’t insult yourself like that.”

 

Big Yellow opened his mouth to bite his hand but was nimbly dodged by Ning Buwei.

 

“Do you have a way to lure Pei Heguang here?” Ning Buwei looked at the teleportation array that was close at hand.

 

Chu Jun said, “He’s already pursuing closely above the lava. You just use any formation to pull him down, leave the rest to me.”

 

Ning Buwei looked suspiciously toward the lava overhead but still decisively slapped down a formation. “How do you know my formation will work?”

 

“The black gu insect you placed on Xie Jiu earlier can track locations.” Chu Jun said, “Pei Heguang has some of that aura on him.”

 

Ning Buwei raised his eyebrows noncommittally.

 

Above the lava, Pei Heguang, who was mixed in the crowd pursuing Ning Buwei and Chu Jun, suddenly found the lava under his feet hollow, revealing a huge black whirlpool. He was caught off guard and sucked in.

 

The cultivators hovering above the black whirlpool naturally sensed Ning Buwei’s evil qi inside and jumped in together without prior agreement.

 

As soon as Pei Heguang’s feet touched the ground, he saw that Chu Jun had already half entered the teleportation array. He turned to nod seriously at him, speaking earnestly, “Brother Pei, thank you for staying behind to hold them off. Take care.”

 

After speaking, he entered the teleportation array and sealed the entrance with his backhand.

 

Pei Heguang was thanked inexplicably and was about to enter to continue his pursuit when he heard angry voices from behind:

 

“Good! This Pei Heguang is indeed in cahoots with the demon Ning!”

 

“Specially staying behind to cover the rear. Heh, he should see if he has the ability!”

 

“Kill him!”

 

Before Pei Heguang could approach the teleportation array entrance, he was submerged in the surging crowd.

 

Inside the teleportation array, Big Yellow clapped with great admiration. “Venerable, worthy of being you!”

 

Chu Jun said calmly, “Just treating others the way they treat you.”

 

Ning Buwei suddenly remembered the previous incident at Dao Discussion Mountain when Ning Fan had framed him in front of everyone, claiming he had acted under his orders to set up the Seven Killings Formation. Although he and Chu Jun had later beaten Ning Fan half to death together, he still felt somewhat frustrated about it.

 

The Ning Fan incident was Pei Heguang’s deliberate attempt to disgust him. Chu Jun’s move directly helped him get revenge.

 

Ning Buwei’s gaze looked meaningfully at Chu Jun, who appeared indifferent and uncontentious.

 

This old fox… indeed loved to hold grudges.