Chapter 649 - 644: Ghost Shadow Array

Chapter 649: Chapter 644: Ghost Shadow Array

The immense power of the fist enveloped the entire area. Everyone felt an unstoppable might from this punch; the sheer force of it was suffocating.

"How arrogant! Form the array!"

A furious expression crossed the Shadow Guard Leader’s face. He took out a black Long Banner that pulsed with a sinister Ghost Qi and was wreathed in dark shadows. At the same time, the other black-robed figures each produced an identical Long Banner.

"Ghost Shadow Array, activate!"

The Shadow Guard Leader roared, and a ceaseless stream of Spiritual Qi from his body poured into the black Long Banner. A pillar of black light immediately shot out from it.

Simultaneously, the other nine men also activated their Long Banners, shooting out beams of black light.

Ten pillars of black light surrounded Ning Jiang like a cage. A black screen of light formed between them, sealing every gap.

"Kid, you refused a toast only to drink a forfeit. Once the Ghost Shadow Array is deployed, even a Little Celestial Rank expert faces certain death."

The Shadow Guard Leader sneered.

This Ghost Shadow Array was an Array created by the King who commanded the entire Shadow Guard force. It was exquisitely intricate. Once trapped inside, one would face a barrage of attacks, both real and illusory, making it impossible to defend against.

Within the Ghost Shadow Array, one after another, Black Shadows materialized and charged ceaselessly toward Ning Jiang. These figures were like wraiths, radiating a sinister, bone-chilling Ghost Qi.

After Ning Jiang shattered them, they reformed in the blink of an eye.

’Some of them are illusions.’

Naturally, this Ghost Shadow Array couldn’t fool Ning Jiang’s eyes. The attacks coming from all directions were a mix of real and fake, making them difficult to distinguish. Mistaking even one attack could be a fatal error.

The only alternative was to maintain a full-body defense, nullifying every single attack regardless of whether it was real or fake. However, doing so would consume a massive amount of Spiritual Qi, and over time, one would become completely exhausted.

But for Ning Jiang, he had no need to worry about Spiritual Qi consumption. Cultivating the Heaven-Devouring Demon Skill, the abundance of Spiritual Qi within his body was far beyond what any ordinary person could compare to.

"Break."

It wasn’t in Ning Jiang’s character to just take a beating. Thunderbolt crackled on his fist, transforming into a colossal Thunder Dragon that roared and charged forward. It smashed all the incoming ghostly shadows to pieces and slammed violently against the black screen of light.

But the black screen of light didn’t even tremble; it was terrifyingly sturdy.

"It’s useless. The core of the Ghost Shadow Array is these Ghost Shadow Banners. These Ghost Shadow Banners are all Top Grade Magical Treasures, and they have been specially refined by a King. Even with a Cultivation at the Earth Martial Realm, one can unleash the full power of the Ghost Shadow Banners. No matter how strong you are, you can’t possibly break through ten Top Grade Magical Treasures."

The Shadow Guard Leader snorted disdainfully.

Generally speaking, only a Heaven-Reaching Realm expert can activate a Top Grade Magical Treasure. Someone in the Earth Martial Realm could, at most, unleash half its power.

But these Ghost Shadow Banners had been specially refined by a King. A vast amount of Energy was stored within them, and all the guards had to do was channel it to unleash the full power of the banners.

Ten Top Grade Magical Treasures were equivalent to ten Heaven-Reaching Realm experts.

Under these circumstances, let alone a Little Celestial Rank expert, even a Great Celestial Rank expert would have a hard time escaping.

"Kid, stop struggling. Surrender now, kowtow and beg for mercy, and perhaps we’ll spare your life," the Shadow Guard Leader said arrogantly.

"Is that so? As it happens, I know a little about Arrays myself."

Unmoved, Ning Jiang took out a cyan gourd. "I’d like to see if your Ghost Shadow Array is truly indestructible. Thirty-Six Heavenly Gang Sword Formation, activate!"

SWISH SWISH SWISH SWISH...

Following a series of loud, ringing sword cries, streams of cyan light shot out from the mouth of the cyan gourd. Each stream of light was a small sword, thirty-six in total, all glowing brilliantly.

The moment the thirty-six swords appeared, they formed a tornado of Sword Qi around Ning Jiang, shredding all the surrounding ghostly shadows to pieces.

"Slash."

At Ning Jiang’s command, the thirty-six swords flared with brilliant light. They swiftly converged on a single point, arranging themselves in sequence to form a giant sword. This giant sword erupted with a splendid cyan Sword Aura, its blazing light almost too intense to look at directly.

BOOM!

The sword struck the Ghost Shadow Array, unleashing a world-shaking sound.

"This Sword Array is indeed extraordinary, but to break the Ghost Shadow Array? Impossible—"

The Shadow Guard Leader’s words were cut short. Before his shocked eyes, the cyan Sword Aura began to slice through the black screen of light, bit by bit.

At first, the screen tore slowly. But like a leaking dam, once a single breach appeared, the entire structure began to collapse rapidly.

In the first breath, only a palm-sized crack appeared. By the second breath, the crack had grown to the height of a man. On the third breath, the entire black screen of light was split in two!

Ning Jiang stepped out.

"Any other tricks?" he asked, his gaze disdainful.

"Flee!"

The Shadow Guard Leader made an instant decision and immediately gave the order.

A Ghost Shadow Array formed from ten Top Grade Spiritual Treasures couldn’t even stop Ning Jiang. They stood no chance of victory. This white-haired young man before them could definitely stand shoulder to shoulder with the most prominent figures of the Celestial Domain’s younger generation.

"You’ve offended me. Did you really think you could escape? I believe I said it before: anyone who dares to provoke me, even the Royal Family of the Great Zhou Dynasty, I will crush them all."

Ning Jiang’s eyes turned cold. He showed no mercy to his enemies, no matter who they were.

"Kill."

The Thirty-Six Heavenly Gang Sword Formation immediately shot forward with a howl, chasing down the Shadow Guards who were scattering in panic. In the blink of an eye, it tore their bodies to shreds and annihilated even their Primordial Spirits.

Only the Shadow Guard Leader was left alive; Ning Jiang did not kill him.

"Speak. What is the origin of that Jade Pendant?" Ning Jiang’s gaze was indifferent, devoid of emotion.

"You might as well just kill me."

The Shadow Guard Leader said coldly. As a Shadow Guard of the Great Xia Dynasty, the most important rule was to protect secrets. Any Shadow Guard who couldn’t even keep a secret would have been eliminated long ago.

Ning Jiang didn’t doubt his words. The Shadow Guard Leader’s gaze was resolute; he had truly resolved to die.

"And don’t even think about getting anything from my Primordial Spirit. All of our Shadow Guards have a Forbidden Technique placed on our Primordial Spirits. The moment it encounters Soul Searcher, it will immediately self-destruct."

The Shadow Guard Leader stated defiantly.

Ning Jiang’s expression didn’t change at all, as if he already had a countermeasure. He took out a Token and said flatly, "Do you recognize this?!"

"What is it?"

The Shadow Guard Leader glanced over carelessly. He shouldn’t have looked. The moment he saw it, absolute horror filled his eyes, and his voice jumped several octaves. "The Great Xia Ancient Emperor Order! How do you have this?"

In that moment, his world was turned upside down.

This Great Xia Ancient Emperor Order had always been the stuff of legend within the Great Xia Dynasty; very few people had ever actually seen it. But as a Shadow Guard privy to all sorts of state secrets, he knew that the Great Xia Ancient Emperor Order was very real.

"Now, can you tell me the origin of the Jade Pendant?!"