Chapter 295: Chapter 67 – The Ring_1
As far as the eye could see.
The once lush green hillocks, lakes, marketplaces, residences…were nowhere to be seen.
It was as if they had all been washed away by a natural disaster, leaving only ruins in their wake.
From a bird’s eyes view.
The earth seemed to be filled with ugly scars.
Wang Ba stood near where South Lake used to be.
Unable to suppress a chill expression
The South Lake, which had survived the invasion of the Tianmen Cult into the East Saint Sect, was now completely filled with murky water, with half of the adjacent hill blasted away and fallen into the lake.
Moreover, the former poultry farm and spirit fields along the shore of South Lake were also gone.
All that could be seen was scorched earth.
Wang Ba, seeming to have perceived something, quickly moved to a location within the scorched area and found a half-burnt gourd vine.
This Class II gourd vine, after all, was not able to grow.
“Senior Brother, there is no Qi presence of Bu Chan here.”
Shen Fu walked over, frowning.
While it’s true that ‘An overflight of geese leaves traces,’ although a cultivator may die, often leaving a faint hint of their Qi, considering the short time elapsed, with unique means or at least a keen Spiritual Sense one could still perceive it.
However, Shen Fu was unable to detect the Qi of Bu Chan.
Upon hearing this, Wang Ba’s eyes lit up with a glimmer of hope, immediately discarding the gourd vine in his hand.
Rapidly ascending into the air, he looked down below.
Soon, he saw a place where a dense aura of blood and slaughter shot into the sky.
“Over there!”
Wang Ba flew in that direction.
Soon, he landed near a piece of land that was also scorched black.
There was not a trace of blood here, nor any remnants of limbs or the like.
However, Wang Ba’s face grew even more grave.
Because the rich aura of blood and slaughter here would not lie, it was apparent that the perpetrator despised the others greatly and reduced the cultivators of this place to ashes!
With the strength of a True Person of the Golden Core level, this could be achieved in an instant.
“Mountain Sea Sect!”
The eyes of Wang Ba were filled with coldness.
But what made him slightly puzzled was that even here, he still couldn’t perceive the Qi of Bu Chan.
Shen Fu, who had followed closely, also shook his head at him.
Wang Ba frowned deeply.
He abruptly ascended again to search all around.
Soon, when his gaze swept across a purple figure between the numerous peaks, he immediately noticed a scorched area around it.
Wang Ba didn’t overlook this, and despite being on high alert around this Fanming’s primordial spirit, he descended towards it.
However, out of safety considerations, he immediately summoned Bing 1.
This Black-feathered Chicken, which had been imbued with a soul seed by Wang Ba and had devoured a Class III Yin Ghost, was vigorous and lively.
Compared to before, its eyes also faintly possessed a hint of spirituality.
It was most adept at handling Yin Ghosts, but it remained to be seen whether it could handle this Primordial Spirit.
When Bing 1 was released from the Spirit Beast Bag, it immediately joyfully hobbled over to Wang Ba, rubbing its head against him.
However, it quickly realized that its master did not seem to have the intention of playing with it.
Bing 1 was not offended; it cocked its head to look around.
It was soon attracted by the purple figure trapped by heavy iron chains and walked curiously towards it.
“Bing 1!”
Wang Ba called out urgently.
Bing 1 turned its head, looking at Wang Ba in confusion, but its curiosity overcame it as it took two more steps forward.
The purple figure, Fanming, however, had its eyes tightly closed, seemingly oblivious.
Seeing that there seemed to be no danger, Wang Ba paid no more attention to it.
Rapidly feeling around, he found that there was no remnant cultivator Qi in the scorched earth in this area.
“Not here either…”
Wang Ba didn’tknow whether to be relieved or distressed.
The absence of Bu Chan’s Qi meant Bu Chan might not be dead yet.
However, there was also the possibility that he still had not found Bu Chan’s location.
Just then, he suddenly sensed something vibrating in his storage bag.
He immediately reached into it and pulled it out.
It turned out to be the ‘Dragon Seeking Compass’ he had previously obtained from the wanderer cultivator Wu Buping at Qianyu Lake.
“Hmm?”
Wang Ba was slightly puzzled.
But he saw the compass’ needle was pointing at the iron chains on Fanming’s primordial spirit and was shaking intensely.
At this moment Wang Ba was not interested in hunting for spirit items, moreover, the items that could trap Fanming were not something he could take.
After trying and finding it to be true, he didn’t attempt again.
He promptly put the compass back into his storage bag.
He bent down and scrutinized the area carefully, seeing nothing other than scorched earth and a distinct crack in the iron chain but no traces of spell casting.
Nor was there any Qi of Bu Chan.
But soon, the storage bag was vibrating again.
Wang Ba frowned and took out the Dragon Seeking Compass.
But he saw the needle pointing in another direction.
Wang Ba hesitated, but then followed the direction of the needle and, unexpectedly, found a piece of iron in the rocks that seemed to be made of the same material as the one on Fanming’s primordial spirit.
He didn’t have the effort to think further, so he just put the iron piece into his storage bag since the compass recommended it and he could take it.
But when he looked up, he couldn’t help but shudder!
Within the iron chains, Fanming had already opened his eyes and was looking at him without any emotion!
What frightened Wang Ba even more was the purple shadow that was quietly extending from one of the extremely fresh cracks in the iron chains, covering the totally unsuspecting Black-feathered Chicken from behind!
“Bing 1! Run!”
Wang Ba shouted out immediately.
At the same time, he instantly activated a Magic Tool and smashed it towards Fanming’s primordial spirit!
However, seeing the Magic Tool coming towards him, Fanming’s eyes revealed a hint of ridicule.
The purple shadow that extended from the crack in the iron chains suddenly accelerated and completely enveloped Bing 1!
Then, under Wang Ba’s shocked gaze, the purple shadow enveloped Bing 1 and quickly shrank, reabsorbing back into the crack in the chains.
And the Black-feathered Chicken had disappeared below the iron chains!
At this time, Wang Ba’s Magic Tool just fell on Fanming’s iron chains.
A clear crash rang out.
But Wang Ba immediately noticed that his Magic Tool had obvious signs of damage!
He couldn’t help turning his horrified gaze to the iron chains, realizing only then the value of these chains restraining Fanming was likely far beyond his imagination.
Unfortunately, he could not unlock these iron chains, otherwise, the people from the Five Major Sects who had come earlier would have released Fanming long ago.
“Bing 1…”
After giving Fanming a glance, Wang Ba’s face grew ghastly and, without any hesitation, he immediately flew away from the scene.
Despite feeling reluctant about leaving Bing 1 behind, he dared not entertain any thoughts of rescue facing the unpredictable Fanming.
He then piloted his flight magic tool for another round, yet he still could not detect any signs of Bu Chan’s aura.
“Where could she be? Could she have been taken by the cultivators from the Five Major Sects?”
“Could it be someone from the East Saint Sect?”
Wang Ba couldn’t help but bring up this speculation within his heart.
Bu Chan was after all once part of the East Saint Sect, perhaps she was recognized by the cultivators of the East Saint Sect and taken back by them.
This was not an impossible occurrence.
Given that the East Saint Sect was likely in desperate need of disciples at the moment, such action was internationally considered.
Just then, Shen Fu flew over with an air of melancholy.
A sense of unease promptly risen within Wang Ba’s heart.
And quite quickly, this disquiet was confirmed.
“I found this on the shore of South Lake.”
Shen Fu opened his palm, revealing an ancient ring stained with dirt.
Seeing this ring, Wang Ba was stunned.
That was Bu Chan’s ring, which she had once given to him, and which he returned to her in the years that followed.
It was a token of their relationship.
At this moment, many fragments of memories about Bu Chan surged forth in his mind, uncontrollable.
But he managed to hold them back forcibly.
He took the ring, and his spiritual sense probed into it.
There were miscellaneous items, magic tools, talismans and so on.
These things…they were all what he had once left for Bu Chan.
He couldn’t help but clench the ring tighter.
His eyes were full of coldness.
“Mountain Sea Sect…”
…
Three days later.
“Congratulations to the Sect Hierarch for slaying the Mountain Sea Sect’s supremo!”
“Congratulations to the Sect Hierarch for slaying…”
In the East Saint Shrine.
On the large square which had been refurbished to its former glory.
The cultivators of the Tianmen Cult were respectfully hailing and prasing Ning Daohuan who stood atop the stage.
Standing next to Sect Hierarch Ning Daohuan were about ten Golden Core Masters who were also enjoying the congratulations from the cultivators below.
Although, amongst the people below, many familiar faces were now missing.
Within the crowd, Wang Ba’s face was cold.
Nevertheless, he managed to piece together Ning Daohuan’s entire plan through whispers around him.
At face value, Ning Daohuan dispatched Lu Yuansheng to entangle with the Incense Fire Dao to attract the attention of all; secretly, however, he intentionally leaked some information, revealing the vulnerability of the East Saint Shrine, and consequently, attracted the attention of the Golden Core Masters from the Five Major Sects.
In the end, with the lives of those cultivators left in the East Saint Shrine as the price, he deceived everyone.
Then unexpectedly, he appeared within the Mountain Sea Sect.
Taking advantage of the opportunity when Supremo Pang Xiao of the Mountain Sea Sect had just crossed the tribulation and had not fully recovered from his injuries, he killed this significant troublemaker in one fell swoop.
The Mountain Sea Sect suffered heavy losses!
Not only did they lose their newly emerged Master of Nascent Soul, the sect was also set aflame.
Wang Ba couldn’t help but recall the task of laying out formations he had completed previously.
Back when the formations were being placed near Luolan Mountain, not far from the the Mountain Sea Sect, he had felt that something was amiss.
In retrospect, these formations were probably laid as a preparation for Ning Daohuan and the rest of the Golden Core Masters to sneak into the Mountain Sea Sect.
What puzzled Wang Ba was how Ning Daohuan was so sure that Supremo Pang Xiao of the Mountain Sea Sect would choose this time to traverse the tribulation to reach the Nascent Soul stage?
However, his doubts were doomed to remain unanswered.
He could only keep track of Ning Daohuan’s shadow from a corner of his eyes.
If Ning Daohuan hadn’t deliberately thrown the East Saint Shrine as bait, it would not have been breached.
If the East Saint Shrine hadn’t been breached, then Bu Chan…
Thinking up to this point, Wang Ba’s heart could not help but chill once again.
However, he quickly suppressed it.
Ning Daohuan did not have much to say either. Although he managed to kill Pang Xiao successfully, the trouble with the Incense Fire Dao remained unresolved, and the Four Major Sects of the Chen State were still watching with vigilance.
It was because the East Saint Shrine was destroyed, causing panic among the disciples, that he had no choice but to hold this victory celebration to boost the morale. Otherwise, he would not have time for such things.
Soon, the reconstruction work of the Shrine also began.
Wang Ba and Shen Fu were also assigned with the task to assist in setting up the teleportation array.
This was a top-priority task within the Shrine.
The task of setting up the array was personally undertaken by the Golden Core Master Jingkong City, while Wang Ba and the others were responsible for assisting.
Soon.
Accompanied by a fluctuation of light.
The teleportation array began to operate smoothly.
“Send someone and let the members from the other shrines test it.”
Jingkong City ordered.
Immediately, a cultivator cautiously walked into the array and disappeared swiftly.
After a short while, he emerged from the array.
Soon, the teleportation array began operating again.
A group of cultivators who had stayed in the other shrines appeared within the array.
“It’s working, no problem!”
One of the cultivators shouted.
Wang Ba stood on the side, his face expressionless, his heart only wanted to finish the task quickly and return to his cultivation.
With Bu Chan no more, the last bit of attachment that he had for the Tianmen Cult also vanished.
Once his second Dantian is completed, capable of withstanding the parasitism of the Yin Devouring Mother Insect, he would immediately leave this place.
“That’s right, there’s also Shen Fu…”
His gaze swept around and noticed Shen Fu who was also assigned to inspect the teleportation array.
“I should take him along when the time comes.”
Thinking of this, the graceful figure of Bu Chan seemed to float before his eyes once again.
His heart felt even more pained, lonely and colder.
Just then.
A very familiar voice suddenly rang in his ear:
“Senior brother!”
