Chapter 207 - 174: The Ascetic Order Has a Few Too Many Managers

Chapter 207: Chapter 174: The Ascetic Order Has a Few Too Many Managers

Xiang Zhe opened his mouth in mid-air, unleashing a violent suction. Hundreds of figures on the ground flew up, drawn into his mouth and instantly refined.

They were all fugitives who had just escaped from the Spirit-Locking Tower. They hadn’t even managed to leave Void Heaven before the old demon ate them.

"Hahaha, such delicious blood food!" Xiang Zhe cackled.

"Demon, your insolence ends here!"

With a great shout, a giant bronze cauldron came crashing down.

Xiang Zhe had anticipated this. He raised a single arm to meet the Shennong Cauldron.

"CLANG~!"

A droning hum echoed out. Xiang Zhe’s body wavered slightly in the air, but he held the cauldron aloft. He spoke, "You’re not very impressive. Far worse than your father, Nangong Yu."

The words had barely left his mouth when he put force into his right arm, violently shoving the Shennong Cauldron back even faster than it came.

Nangong Zhiqing formed hand seals, her Spiritual Power surging out like a torrent as she controlled the Shennong Cauldron. She finally managed to halt its momentum just before it crashed into her.

Mo Ye had also arrived. He said, "Grandmaster Ancestor, to be free at last... this is truly a joyous occasion worthy of celebration."

"Joyous? Worthy of celebration?" Xiang Zhe looked at Mo Ye. "You little brat. You may not have learned much else, but you’ve certainly mastered the art of being two-faced. Back when the Profound Nether Sect joined the Celestial Dao Alliance, they united all those powers to suppress me. I thought such an act was meant to cultivate some great hero, but I never imagined it would be an incompetent fool like you who ended up in charge."

"I am indeed incompetent. With your return today, Grandmaster Ancestor, it is only right that you once again shoulder this great responsibility and take control of the Profound Nether..." Mo Ye said, bowing respectfully.

Xiang Zhe was about to respond when he suddenly sensed something. He whirled around, formed a hand seal, and thrust his palms out fiercely.

Ahead of him, Zhuge Mingyuan, who had been gathering his power, unleashed a thumb-thick beam of deep blue Spiritual Power. The space around the beam twisted, showing faint black edges where it was being sliced apart.

Xiang Zhe’s Spiritual Power condensed between his hands, forming a crystalline shield. It blocked the beam, preventing it from piercing his body as he deflected it to the side.

The beam shot past, effortlessly tearing a hole through the Xuanji Array of Ten Thousand Transformations before vanishing without a trace.

"Such powerful Divine Thought," Mo Ye said. "He actually managed to break free from the Illusion Heart Skill by force."

"He created that Spirit Skill on the fly. There’s no corresponding technique in the Compendium of Ancient Spirit Skills. The calculating power of his Nine-Aperture Exquisite Heart is formidable—no weaker than my [Profound Origin Quantum Array Body]. What he practices isn’t the original *Heart-Devouring Demonic Arts*. He must have improved upon it to achieve such an effect," Zhuge Mingyuan said.

"You’re absolutely right!"

Xiang Zhe had somehow already traversed space to appear behind Zhuge Mingyuan. He immediately threw a heavy punch.

"BOOM~!"

"BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG~!"

In an instant, thousands of layers of protective Spirit Skills were shattered. The resulting shockwave was terrifying, like a hurricane sweeping through and destroying all the buildings below.

Ultimately, the punch was blocked by a cauldron. Nangong Zhiqing had intervened.

Down below, Ling Xuzi and Dugu Yunfeng stared at each other in silence.

"Today, I will right this wrong."

Dugu Yunfeng’s Sword Intent flared, soaring to the heavens. He was ready to strike.

"CLANG~!"

However, before he could make his move, the droning clang of the Shennong Cauldron being struck captured his attention.

"Senior Brother, you should go help them," Ling Xuzi said.

Torn between settling the score with Ling Xuzi and helping Nangong Zhiqing’s group suppress Xiang Zhe, Dugu Yunfeng hesitated for only a moment before pointing his fingers at Ling Xuzi.

"WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH~!"

In an instant, the Sword Box opened, and five hundred million Spirit Swords flew out, forming a Sword Sea.

However, they flew not toward Ling Xuzi, but toward Xiang Zhe.

Ling Xuzi smiled.

’He knew what his senior brother would choose.’

"SHING~!"

Ling Xuzi drew his sword. A beam of golden light shot between heaven and earth, yet he did not join the battle. He helped neither Xiang Zhe nor Dugu Yunfeng’s side.

...

...

"The signal from Blood-Chief has arrived! Move out!"

Yan Jiulin received the message and made the call.

Zhang Ji and the others immediately rushed toward the [Illusion Realm].

A grand array protected the perimeter of Nine Nether Deep Technology.

Yet the group flew inside with ease.

They had a security pass from Silk Tree Technology, though no one knew how Ling Xuzi had obtained it.

Silk Tree Technology and Nine Nether Deep Technology worked in close cooperation. The two organizations were like family, freely sharing resources. They were even granted full access privileges within the Void Illusion Realm.

Of course, that was just their relationship on the surface.

In reality, one was subordinate to the other.

Silk Tree Technology had long been nothing more than Nine Nether Deep Technology’s dog.

But clearly, they didn’t just want to be dogs. They wanted to stand up and be masters.

Which led to the scene unfolding now.

Soon, Zhang Ji and his group reached the vicinity of the Illusion Realm. Spirit Puppets and drones from Nine Nether Deep Technology were the first to react, moving to intercept them, but the team easily shattered them.

Zhang Ji raised a hand and sent a six-meter-long Spirit-Suppressing Needle flying. It slammed directly into the core of the array outside the Illusion Realm, instantly severing part of its connection to the Xuanji Array of Ten Thousand Transformations.

On the other side, Yan Jiulin and his team were doing the same, launching Spirit-Suppressing Needles one after another. In that instant, many cultivators still enjoying themselves in the Void Illusion Realm were abruptly disconnected.

Suddenly, Zhang Ji sensed something flying rapidly toward him. He shifted slightly, and a pitch-black flying sword zipped past.

A young man in black robes with gold trim hovered in the air, his gaze fixed on Zhang Ji.

He was strikingly handsome, with sword-like brows and eyes as bright as stars. His gaze was filled with a cold arrogance, as if he looked down on everything and everyone.

’He’s a main plot character, too. You Wuya. He’s also a sycophant for Linghu Yao. In the Celestial Dao Alliance later on, he’d practically be Linghu Yao’s bodyguard, unconditionally voting to support him.’