Chapter 69: Shadow Ghost Bingo
"It's you!"
"You recognize me?" Mi Xingzhe was puzzled upon hearing Nan Zhe. After all, he had never been here before, and he was disguised today. Could it be... Mi Xingzhe touched his face and realized the disguise had faded.
Hua Ruoying was still in a semi-conscious state, her body swaying, her eyes dull and lifeless.
"Get your hands off her!"
Nan Zhe struck Mi Xingzhe's hand away from Hua Ruoying and stepped between them, launching an attack. Each strike was executed with full force, aiming for vital points without mercy.
Mi Xingzhe tried several times to reach Hua Ruoying, but Nan Zhe relentlessly blocked him.
Eventually, Mi Xingzhe couldn't match Nan Zhe's strength. After a few exchanges, he began to falter.
"How dare you disrupt my wedding banquet! Today, you won't leave here alive!" Nan Zhe's voice was filled with rage, summoning a powerful, moon-white force.
"This is... celestial magic! You're from the Celestial Sect?" Mi Xingzhe recognized the energy, gasping in shock. Before he could react, Nan Zhe's powerful attack closed in, forcing Mi Xingzhe to brace himself defensively.
As the energy struck Mi Xingzhe, a powerful shockwave repelled everyone around him.
In the wooden hut, Li Luoning seemed to sense something, abruptly opening his eyes. He looked around the unfamiliar surroundings and slowly sat up.
"Senior Jia Gu?" Li Luoning called as he walked out of the room, seeing Jia Gu Qing meditating in the courtyard.
"Little Medicine Maniac! You're awake! Sit down, let me check you." Jia Gu Qing, both surprised and delighted, motioned for Li Luoning to sit and began to check his pulse.
Li Luoning looked around, but there was no sign of Mi Xingzhe. He couldn't help but worry.
"Senior Jia Gu, have you seen my disciple?"
"I sent him to The Flatland to find some herbs to help cleanse the demonic energy from the Moon Shadow Pill in your body." Jia Gu Qing casually fanned himself as he spoke.
"The Moon Shadow Pill? In my body?"
"What else? You handed over the Red Blaze Pill to save your disciple, leaving yourself as an empty spirit. You should've known you wouldn't last long before disintegrating. If not for your disciple accidentally releasing the Moon Shadow Pill's seal, you'd be a wisp of smoke by now." Jia Gu Qing chided with slight annoyance.
"Xingzhe?" Hearing Jia Gu Qing's words, Li Luoning remembered the strange feeling earlier.
He quickly summoned a silver aura to his hand, revealing a flickering light. Seeing the location of the light, Li Luoning was alarmed and stood up to leave.
"Hey, where are you going? Sit down!" Jia Gu Qing scolded.
"Senior, Xingzhe is in danger!" Li Luoning showed the light to Jia Gu Qing.
"He has the Floating Light Seal to protect him. What could happen? Besides, I disguised him; no one should recognize him." Jia Gu Qing didn't seem concerned.
"Senior, you don't understand. This light comes from the Golden Silk Jade Pendant I gave him. Its erratic flickering means Xingzhe used magic. Judging by the light's intensity, his opponent's strength rivals mine. Although Xingzhe has the Floating Light Seal, his own skills are insufficient. If he encounters a powerful foe, he'll be in grave danger." Li Luoning explained anxiously, trying to leave but collapsing as a chilling sensation froze his legs.
"See? I told you not to move around. Your Moon Shadow Pill cultivates frigid energy, clashing with your former blazing techniques. If you force your magic, the cold will infiltrate your core, locking your abilities." Jia Gu Qing helped Li Luoning up, sealing his spiritual meridians.
"Senior, Xingzhe is in danger. I must find him. Do you have a way to counter the Moon Shadow Pill's frigid energy?" Li Luoning pleaded, knowing Jia Gu Qing always spoke lightly about serious matters, indicating a solution existed.
"There is a way, but your disciple hasn't brought back the necessary herbs yet. It can't be forced." Jia Gu Qing shook his head.
"So it's possible. Senior, Xingzhe is really in danger. I must go! Please, help me. I will be eternally grateful." Li Luoning clasped his hands in a plea.
He knew Jia Gu Qing well. If there were no possibility, he would outright say so. Jia Gu Qing's hesitation meant the herbs Mi Xingzhe was sent to find were not strictly necessary.
"Ah, no! You just woke up. Forcing the Cleansing Heart Breeze would be like peeling off your skin. No, absolutely not." Jia Gu Qing repeatedly shook his head, refusing.
"Cleansing Heart Breeze? My master! My master was here?" Li Luoning was surprised, not expecting his master to have visited during his unconsciousness.
"I don't know about that. Your disciple mentioned it. Why don't you wait until he returns and ask him?"
In Nan Zhe's mansion hall, everyone was knocked down by the energy Mi Xingzhe emitted, feeling dizzy and disoriented.
Hua Ruoying slowly regained consciousness, confused by her surroundings and the wedding dress she wore.
"Hua Ruoying!" Mi Xingzhe took advantage of Nan Zhe's disorientation to rush to Hua Ruoying's side.
"Yun Gongzi? Why are you here? Where is this? Why am I dressed like this?"
"No time to explain. Let's leave." Mi Xingzhe pulled Hua Ruoying, trying to escape.
"Leave? Dream on!" Nan Zhe, recovering, waved his hand, summoning ghost soldiers to surround them.
"Nan Zhe, what are you trying to do?" Hua Ruoying guessed Nan Zhe was behind everything, shouting angrily.
"Where do you plan to take my wife?" Nan Zhe's eyes were filled with arrogant killing intent, his voice icy cold.
"I'm not your wife!" Hearing Nan Zhe call her his wife, Hua Ruoying retorted in disgust.
"Hua Ruoying was clearly forced into this wedding. Of course, I will take her away," Mi Xingzhe said righteously, eyes scanning the ghost soldiers surrounding them.
"Her matters are none of your concern."
"What if I insist on meddling?" Mi Xingzhe retorted, unwavering.
"Then it depends on whether you have the capability," Nan Zhe's gaze shifted from murderous to amused. He signaled to the ghost soldiers, who then rushed at Mi Xingzhe and Hua Ruoying. Nan Zhe whispered instructions to an aide.
Although Mi Xingzhe's skills were no match for Nan Zhe, he handled the ghost soldiers with ease. However, their numbers made it difficult for him and Hua Ruoying to advance. After repelling the soldiers several times, a thunderous roar echoed. A black shadow darted from the back of Nan Zhe's mansion, revealing a monstrous black-faced, fanged creature—an ink-colored, snow-stepping, Cheng Huang.
"Be careful!" Mi Xingzhe pulled Hua Ruoying behind him.
"This... this beast... no, that bell... Little Bingo! What have you done to it?" Mi Xingzhe recognized the creature, angrily questioning Nan Zhe.
"What's wrong? Shocked by my new pet?" Nan Zhe's voice was mocking.
"Nan Zhe, you turned Bingo into this! I'll make you pay!" Mi Xingzhe, enraged, grabbed a nearby sword and charged at Nan Zhe.
Before he could get close, Bingo's tail lashed out, sending Mi Xingzhe flying.
Hua Ruoying rushed to help but was swatted aside by Bingo. The creature leaped at Mi Xingzhe, its claws digging into his left shoulder.
"Bingo, stop!" Hua Ruoying, struggling to rise, was intercepted by ghost soldiers.
"Ugh... Ah..." Mi Xingzhe's bloodied lips trembled, veins bulging as pain coursed through him, his eyes bloodshot.
"Already injured? I heard you have that... that Floating Light Seal, the strongest shield in the three realms. What? It doesn't work? Or... don't you know how to use it?" Nan Zhe taunted.
Mi Xingzhe struggled to free himself from Bingo's claws, but the creature's size and strength were overwhelming. He could summon the Floating Light Seal but feared it might harm or even kill Bingo.
"Afraid to hurt this beast? I heard the Shadow Demons' puppet control is unmatched, able to control anything. Now, it seems true. Even a sacred beast like Cheng Huang is mine," Nan Zhe gloated.
"Shadow Demon!" Hua Ruoying gasped, realizing why she had seen the shadow and why she had been led to the cave with Bingo.
"You... you killed Qingping!" Hua Ruoying's voice choked, eyes reddening as she lunged at Nan Zhe.
Nan Zhe barely noticed her, easily pinning her to a pillar with a wave of his hand. He approached, caressing her face with lecherous delight, playing with her hair,
"So what if I killed him? He was always around my woman, an eyesore. Using his soul to tame this beast was his fortune. Are you excited for our wedding, my dear?" Nan Zhe's face drew closer to hers.
Hua Ruoying turned away in disgust, but Nan Zhe forced her to face him, their eyes locked in a cold, hateful stare.
"Now that you're in my house, no one else can be in your heart," Nan Zhe's voice was teasing but laced with
malice. "But don't worry. Whoever's in your heart, I'll kill." He shoved her away, heading for Mi Xingzhe.
"Nan Zhe, let go of me! You madman! Yun Gongzi, run! You can't beat him!" Hua Ruoying cried desperately.
Nan Zhe reached Mi Xingzhe, who lay pinned by Bingo, blood soaking the stones.
"Such a mess. My mansion's stones are priceless. Dying here is too good for you," Nan Zhe sneered, signaling Bingo to finish Mi Xingzhe.
Bingo bared its fangs, ready to strike.
"No!" Hua Ruoying's desperate scream echoed as a burst of inner strength freed her from Nan Zhe's spell.
At the same time, Mi Xingzhe, seeing Bingo's attack, remembered their past together. How they met, named Bingo, and shared every moment.
"Little Bingo, I'm sorry," Mi Xingzhe thought, tears falling as he struck the ground, summoning the Floating Light Seal. A golden aura threw Bingo back.
Bingo tried to rise but collapsed, exhausted.
"Useless!" Nan Zhe dismissed the fallen Bingo, focusing on Mi Xingzhe.
Rising, Mi Xingzhe's eyes darkened with grief and rage. His body trembled with fury, surrounded by a fierce, visible aura.
"It's all your fault. You turned Bingo into this," he muttered, the golden glow around him intensifying.
Seeing the growing power, Nan Zhe's lips curled into a sinister smile.
"Finally, something interesting," he said, preparing for the fight ahead.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone