Chapter 206 Splitting Up
In the Immortal Spirit Valley.
The transmission jade slip at Chen Chang'an's fingertip grew slightly warm, and Jiang Che's voice came from within:
"Master, Miao Wu is at Full Moon Lake, Miao Qing is at Broken Dragon Gorge..."
After listening, he quietly breathed a sigh of relief. Since all three formation cores had been found, the bald donkeys' scheme should fail now.
So that monk's name was Miao Wu?
...
He casually crushed the jade slip, stood up, and walked to the window.
"Xiao Chen."
he said calmly.
Beside him, a slender figure had long been prepared:
"Here."
"You and Lingxiu go to Broken Dragon Gorge and deal with that Miao Qing."
Chen Chang'an tapped the window frame with his fingertip,
"No matter what, you must destroy the formation core."
Xiao Chen clasped his fists:
"Understood."
With that, his figure turned and left.
Chen Chang'an then took out another jade talisman, scanned it with his divine sense, and sent a message to Han Yu and Jiang Che:
"Deal with the formation core at Blackwater Pool as soon as possible."
Immediately after the jade talisman flew out, his figure rippled like water, dividing into two—his main body remained standing in place, while his avatar transformed into a stream of light, heading straight for Full Moon Lake.
...
Full Moon Lake, true to its name.
Whenever night fell and moonlight spilled onto the lake's surface, the entire body of water would shimmer with a silver-white halo, like a giant full moon embedded in the earth. The lake's surface was calm as a mirror, reflecting the stars in the sky, as if heaven and earth merged at this spot.
In the center of the lake stood a small island, barren of any grass, with only a smooth, mirror-like black boulder. On every full moon night, the boulder would absorb the moonlight, emitting a faint blue glow, resembling a fallen star from afar.
Chen Chang'an stood by the lake, gazing at this tranquil scenery, but there was no trace of appreciation in his eyes.
"So he's here..."
His gaze locked onto the island in the center of the lake—there sat a monk in a gray cassock, none other than Miao Wu, whom he had seen at the Gale Pavilion!
Chen Chang'an's figure flashed, instantly crossing the lake and landing on the small island.
"Benefactor, it has been a while. I trust you've been well."
Miao Wu slowly opened his eyes, a faint smile on his face.
Chen Chang'an wasted no time on pleasantries, asking directly:
"Where has Wang Shouzhi gone?"
Miao Wu clasped his hands together and chanted a Buddhist mantra:
"Amitabha... Didn't you, Benefactor, kill him with your own hands?"
"Heh."
Chen Chang'an sneered,
"Do you think I'd believe that?"
Miao Wu shook his head and sighed:
"A monk does not speak falsehoods. Since the Benefactor does not believe me, this poor monk has nothing to say."
Chen Chang'an stared into his eyes and suddenly smiled:
"Fine, then I'll ask a different question—what exactly are you planning with this 'Nine Nether Spirit Guiding Array'?"
Miao Wu's expression remained unchanged:
"To save all living beings and deliver them from the sea of suffering."
"Nonsense!"
A cold glint flashed in Chen Chang'an's eyes,
"Save all living beings with Nine Nether death energy? Do you take me for a three-year-old child?"
Before the words had fully left his mouth, a long sword had appeared in his hand, its blade wrapped in dazzling lightning!
Seeing this, Miao Wu finally put away his false smile and slowly rose to his feet:
"It seems the Benefactor is determined to fight today."
"Less talk!"
Chen Chang'an struck with his sword, the lightning like a dragon, charging straight toward Miao Wu!
"Boom!"
Miao Wu formed seals with his hands, and a golden Buddhist shield appeared before him, forcefully blocking this sword strike. However, the residual power of the lightning still sent him staggering back several steps, with a trace of blood leaking from the corner of his mouth.
"The Nine Heavens Thunder Movement Sword Art... truly lives up to its name."
Miao Wu wiped away the blood, a hint of seriousness flashing in his eyes.
Chen Chang'an gave him no chance to catch his breath, his sword stance shifting again. Nine bolts of lightning descended from the sky, transforming into nine lightning swords that surrounded Miao Wu completely!
"Nine Heavens Thunder Movement—Nine Swords Seal the Demon!"
Miao Wu's expression changed drastically. He hurriedly formed seals, the Buddhist light around him surging, transforming into a Vajra phantom, attempting to block the lightning swords. However—
"Crack!"
The first lightning sword fell, and a crack instantly appeared on the Vajra phantom!
Immediately after, the second, the third...
"Bang!"
When the ninth lightning sword struck down, Miao Wu's Vajra phantom completely shattered! He spat out a mouthful of blood, staggering back, his face as pale as paper.
"Is that all you've got?"
Chen Chang'an sneered,
"It seems you haven't made much progress these past few days."
Miao Wu panted, then suddenly laughed:
"Benefactor, why must you be so aggressive? This poor monk is just a runner. The true mastermind behind this is someone you cannot afford to provoke..."
"Oh?"
Chen Chang'an raised an eyebrow,
"Then I'd like to see who will jump out to avenge you after I kill you!"
He wasted no more words, his sword pointing straight at the heavens. Above, thunderclouds rolled, and a bolt of lightning as thick as a water bucket crashed down, merging with the sword light, transforming into a sky-reaching lightning sword!
"Nine Heavens Thunder Movement—Heaven's Punishment!"
The moment the lightning sword struck down, Miao Wu actually did not dodge or evade. Instead, he clasped his hands together, a strange smile appearing on his face.
"Boom—!"
The lightning exploded, instantly engulfing Miao Wu's figure. When the light dissipated, only a charred corpse remained on the spot. Strangely, the corner of his mouth still held that smile, as if death was not the end for him.
Chen Chang'an frowned, a faint sense of unease in his heart.
His gaze turned toward the center of the lake.
"Never mind, let's destroy the formation core first..."
He leaped and dove into the lake.
The water of Full Moon Lake was bone-chillingly cold. Chen Chang'an's body-protecting spiritual power formed an invisible barrier around him, keeping the water at bay. He shot towards the bottom like a sharp arrow, his robes unmoving in the undercurrents, only the lightning wrapped around his sword blade illuminating the dark lakebed.
A thick layer of silt had settled on the lakebed, and water plants swayed like ghostly hands. At the very bottom, a massive black stone tablet stood silently, its surface carved with twisted runes, every line glowing with a faint, dark red light, like traces of blood that had soaked in and then dried. The water flow around the stone tablet was unusually slow, as if frozen by some power, and even the water plants dared not approach.
Chen Chang'an landed before the stone tablet, his gaze icy.
"The core of the Nine Nether Spirit Guiding Array..."
He reached out to touch the stone tablet. The moment his fingertips touched the surface, a bone-chilling, yin-cold energy surged into his meridians along his fingertips, as if countless wronged souls were shrieking in his ears. An ordinary cultivator would likely have their mind eroded by this death energy at this moment, but Chen Chang'an merely snorted coldly. With a surge of spiritual power in his body, he dispersed all the death energy.
"Trivial tricks."
He took a step back, holding his sword horizontally. The lightning on the sword blade suddenly surged, illuminating the entire lakebed. Under the reflection of the lightning, the runes on the stone tablet seemed to come alive, twisting and writhing, trying to resist the impending destruction.
Chen Chang'an hesitated no longer. With a flick of his sword, he fully activated the Nine Heavens Thunder Movement Sword Art!
"Break!"
The sword light, like a dragon, carrying the momentum of world-destroying thunder, fiercely struck the center of the stone tablet!
"Boom—!"
A blinding white light exploded on the lakebed. The violent impact of spiritual power instantly evaporated the surrounding water, forming a huge vacuum zone. The runes on the stone tablet flashed wildly, trying to resist, but in the face of absolute power, it was ultimately futile.
"Crack!"
A crack spread from the center of the stone tablet, instantly covering its entire surface. Dark red light seeped from the cracks, like a cornered beast letting out its final, unwilling roar.
Chen Chang'an's expression was unchanged. He turned his sword again and struck down with a second sword!
"Bang!"
The stone tablet completely shattered, turning into countless black fragments that scattered in all directions. The runes carved on the tablet, like severed chains, broke apart and dissipated one by one, finally turning into wisps of black smoke, completely purified by the lightning.
The lakebed returned to calm. The death energy dissipated, and the water flowed once more. Chen Chang'an sheathed his sword and stood, looking at the empty lakebed before him, a hint of satisfaction in his eyes.
...
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