novelraw Chapter 367 - 178: Ambush
Chapter 367 - 178: Ambush
In the following time, the team’s pace noticeably quickened.
This caused Chu Ning to frown slightly, as this way, the distance between them and the other two teams was widening.
According to the initial arrangement by Wen Linghua, though everyone was split into three teams, the horizontal distance between them was just a few dozen miles.
This way, even if one team encountered trouble, another could provide support at any time.
Now that our team was moving so fast, within less than half a day, we would be a hundred miles away from the other two teams.
Looking at Zhang Lu’s indifferent expression, while Zou Huiqing’s face showed a hint of worry but found it hard to speak up.
Chu Ning could only sigh inwardly, while also becoming secretly vigilant.
Fortunately, after walking for half a day to the edge of the Iron Meteorite Forest, nothing unusual occurred.
Reckoning, the speed was much slower than when he and Cen Zijin had come before.
However, back then, the two were heading straight here.
While now, they were searching while walking, naturally being much slower.
At this time, Chen Xinming, who was at the front, stopped.
Surveying the stone forest shrouded in brown fog ahead, Chen Xinming released his Divine Sense forward, with a face of surprise, he said:
"Is this the Iron Meteorite Forest? Indeed, the Divine Sense is severely restricted here.
The Divine Sense can only extend outward for twenty-four or five yards."
Upon hearing this, Zou Huiqing and Zhang Lu exchanged glances, their eyes showing some surprise.
Zou Huiqing exclaimed in wonder;
"Fellow Daoist Chen has just reached Foundation Establishment, and the Divine Sense can extend over two hundred yards already?"
Hearing this, Chen Xinming merely smiled slightly.
However, there was an unmistakable pride on his face.
"Your Divine Sense must be stronger than mine, compared to you, mine falls far short."
Zou Huiqing shook his head and laughed,
"Fellow Daoist Chen is joking, you’ve only just established Foundation, I’ve been in Foundation for years, and my Divine Sense is still inferior to yours."
Upon hearing this, the pride on Chen Xinming’s face grew even more, yet he still feigned nonchalance and said:
"That’s of no use, the Divine Sense here is not very effective.
Let’s just go inside and search slowly."
Pausing, he continued: "We can’t move fast in this stone forest, so there’s no need to cluster.
Let’s line up with twenty yards between each, it’s a safe enough distance and allows for quicker progress."
With that, Chen Xinming led the way forward.
Chu Ning and the others slightly dispersed, spacing themselves twenty yards apart as they approached the stone forest.
Zou Huiqing was to Chen Xinming’s right, then arranged for Chu Ning to be on his right.
He placed Zhang Lu to Chen Xinming’s left.
This way, both could swiftly assist Chen Xinming.
As for Chu Ning, it was clear he wasn’t in their consideration.
After advancing less than five hundred yards within, Chen Xinming spoke up:
"What kind of place is this? Not only is the Divine Sense severely limited, but its consumption is quick too."
While Chen Xinming was speaking, Chu Ning was also observing his own sea of consciousness.
Meanwhile, he secretly marveled to himself.
"Since starting to practice the Third Layer of the Refining Spirit Technique, its applications have become more fascinating."
It was just that Chu Ning had a thought earlier; after the Third Layer of the Refining Spirit Technique, meditation wasn’t necessary.
He then tried practicing the Refining Spirit Technique.
To his surprise, although in such an environment, practicing the Refining Spirit Technique did not increase his Divine Sense.
However, once he began practicing the technique, the previously rapid consumption of Divine Sense ceased.
Thus, upon hearing Chen Xinming’s complaint, Chu Ning merely chuckled, unconcerned.
Zou Huiqing responded:
"Fellow Daoist Chen, let’s speed up and pass through this Meteorite Iron Stone Forest quickly."
Feeling the state of his Divine Sense, Chen Xinming nodded:
"Hmm, this stone forest is not as large as the bamboo forest, once through we’ll wait for the other two teams."
As he spoke, he unexpectedly quickened his pace.
The four hastened forward another few dozen miles.
"Hmm?"
At this moment, Chu Ning showed a slight expression of doubt and vigilance on his face.
Out of caution, he had secretly released the Puppet Bird earlier.
Though it was just observing his surroundings, he vaguely sensed some anomaly through the Puppet Bird’s sight just now.
As if a shadow flickered by.
However, the shadow was heading towards the center.
Additionally, the brown fog in the stone forest was too thick; Chu Ning couldn’t see clearly.
Still, he spoke solemnly:
"Fellow Daoists, be cautious, I have a feeling something is amiss."
"Fellow Daoist Chu, did you notice something?" Zou Huiqing asked.
Chu Ning hesitated briefly, then said:
"I keep feeling as if someone is nearby."
"Someone? How come we haven’t noticed?"
Chen Xinming spoke up with a tone of doubt at this moment.
Chu Ning was about to speak again, but Zou Haiqing had already quickly approached Chen Xinming, speaking up:
"Fellow Daoist Chen, since Fellow Daoist Chu has warned, we should indeed be more cautious."
Saying this, Zou Huiqing had moved beside Chen Xinming.
Chen Xinming was about to continue talking.
The next moment, a ghostly hand suddenly appeared and struck towards Chen Xinming from behind.
Suddenly, a white light flared up on Chen Xinming’s body.
The palm struck directly onto that white light.
The white light flashed and disappeared, and at the same time, Chen Xinming was propelled several zhang forward.
"Zou, what are you doing?"
Chen Xinming turned his head, his face drastically changed as he shouted at Zou Huiqing.
It turned out that the one who struck just now was indeed Zou Huiqing.
However, Chen Xinming seemed to have a good defensive treasure on him, managing to block the attack at that moment.
Zou Huiqing revealed a trace of a sinister smile amidst the brown mist, not answering Chen Xinming’s words, but lunged swiftly towards Zhang Lu instead.
Chen Xinming was puzzled, but his heart suddenly became alert.
Before he could react, the next moment, a sharp beam of light attacked from above his head.
Chen Xinming jumped forward in an instant, activating his defenses.
But this attack was extremely fierce, and the protective shield on Chen Xinming couldn’t withstand it at all.
In just a moment, it shattered completely, and before he could even counterattack, he was already sent flying.
At the same time, a large mouthful of blood spurted out.
On the other side, Zou Huiqing had also engaged the astonished Zhang Lu.
From around twenty zhang away, Chu Ning watched the scene, a flash of shock passing across his face.
The next moment, when Chu Ning understood what had happened, he turned and fled without looking back.
At that moment, the attacker of Chen Xinming revealed himself in a brocade robe.
Chu Ning’s sharp eyes recognized him at a glance as Song Li, whom he had previously met.
Faced with an ambush from someone at the Foundation Establishment Late Stage, Chu Ning didn’t need to think to know Chen Xinming’s fate.
And considering there was also someone else there at the peak of the Early Stage, nearing the Middle Stage of Foundation Establishment.
Chu Ning didn’t think it wise to launch an active attack at this moment.
While keeping a distance from the others, Chu Ning quickly retrieved the signal flare just distributed among them from his storage bag.
However, when Chu Ning injected his magical power into it, his face changed.
The signal flare had no response at all.
"This..."
Realizing that the signal flare was handed to him by Zou Huiqing from Wen Linghua.
Chu Ning couldn’t help but curse inwardly.
"That Zou Huiqing, what a skillful trick, swapped the signal flare right under Wen Linghua’s and my nose without us noticing."
With no way to send a signal, Chu Ning could only escape at full speed without caring about anything else.
Song Li didn’t pursue Chu Ning either; after sending Chen Xinming flying, he immediately moved to the side of Zou Huiqing and Zhang Lu.
With a spear in hand, over three zhang long, with a snake-head-shaped tip and an engraved shaft emitting dazzling golden light.
He swung it, and a golden light blasted towards Zhang Lu.
Already caught off guard by Zou Huiqing’s sudden attack, Zhang Lu couldn’t offer much resistance and was pierced through and killed.
After accomplishing all this, Song Li returned to Chen Xinming’s side.
At this moment, Chen Xinming stood up pale-faced.
Holding a signal flare, he injected his magical power to activate it.
But, just as a light was about to emit from the signal flare.
Song Li casually unleashed a golden beam, intercepting and extinguishing the signal.
Seeing this, Chen Xinming’s face drastically changed.
He threw the signal flare to the ground and quickly swallowed a blood-red elixir.
At the same time, a beautifully designed, radiant fan appeared in his hand.
With eyes locked on Song Li and Zou Huiqing, who was slowly approaching, his face turned a shade of dark.
He gritted his teeth and said:
"Song Li, so you were hiding here all along.
Zou Huiqing, alright! You dared to plot against me, you’ve got some guts."
"Chen Xinming, the genius of the Chen Family... hmmph!"
Song Li’s expression was gloomy with a hint of madness.
"If I let you die here, I wonder what old Chen Hong would feel.
Having killed my Feng’er and then destroyed my Song family, today I’ll make you pay in blood."
Hearing this, Chen Xinming glared angrily.
"Old Song, stop spitting lies.
Indeed, everyone had a part in your Song family’s demise, but what does Song Feng’s death have to do with us?"
Song Li’s face grew even more sinister upon hearing this.
"Nothing to do with you? If Feng’er hadn’t been assassinated, how could my Song family fall to this point?"
Remembering that ever since Song Feng left that day and never returned, and how sending Song Cheng and Song Ye to the Reincarnation Ancient Cave ended in disaster.
Song Li felt his heart bleeding.
If Song Cheng was still around, even with my Song family’s strength reduced.
The Liu and Huo families wouldn’t have turned against us.
"Die!"
Without further words, Song Li swung his spear, a golden light slashing toward Chen Xinming.
To his surprise, despite having severely injured Chen Xinming with a previous strike.
At that moment, Chen Xinming’s blood surged, transforming into a blood shadow that disappeared in the blink of an eye.
"This..."
Song Li was initially stunned but then snorted coldly.
"Trying to escape?"
With those words, he gave chase urgently.