Chapter 211: Slaying a Golden Core

Ah Ming’s piercing shriek and Lu Bai’s Silence Shocking Secret Technique burst forth simultaneously.

The twin sonic attacks instantly blasted into True Master Dan Ding’s ears.

The damage from sonic Secret Techniques wasn’t always obvious to a Cultivator, but they struck in a sudden, brief burst. And with no warning, they were nearly impossible to defend against.

True Master Dan Ding convulsed as if struck by lightning. A dazed look flashed in his eyes as he swayed and began to fall from the sky.

His two Flying Swords slowed, and the dozen or so fireballs began to dissipate.

But in an instant, the Golden Core within him whirred to life. Magical Power surged through his Eight Extraordinary Meridians.

Within moments, True Master Dan Ding had regained his senses and steadied himself.

A battle between masters is decided in a single instant.

Originally, True Master Dan Ding had been maintaining a safe distance from Ah Ming.

But in the instant True Master Dan Ding was stunned, Ah Ming shook off the two Flying Swords and fireballs, rapidly closing the distance to rush him!

True Master Dan Ding’s expression changed drastically. He slapped his Storage Pouch, plucked out a Protective Talisman, and ripped it apart.

A Magic Barrier erupted from the Talisman, shimmering with radiant light.

Ah Ming raked its sharp claws across the barrier but failed to break through. Immediately after, its golden beak flared with a brilliant light as it pecked viciously down toward True Master Dan Ding’s skull!

KRAK! KRAK! KRAK!

A chilling series of cracks rang out.

The Protective Barrier had been shattered by Ah Ming.

True Master Dan Ding seized the opportunity, trying to retreat and create distance once more.

But in the split second the Protective Barrier shattered, a blindingly brilliant sword light suddenly flared from Ah Ming’s back!

True Master Dan Ding’s pupils contracted violently.

’It’s Lu Bai!’

’He didn’t run!’

Yet he couldn’t see Lu Bai’s form.

His entire vision was filled with the crimson light of the sword!

The timing of the strike was impeccable, not off by a fraction of a second.

It came at the precise moment his Protective Barrier shattered, before he could pull away again.

*Pfft!*

True Master Dan Ding felt a chill on his throat.

*VMMMM!*

Only then did the hum of the sword reach his ears.

"This is for Shi Tianlei!"

Lu Bai’s voice rang in True Master Dan Ding’s ear.

"You..."

True Master Dan Ding’s eyes widened.

In that instant, time seemed to slow. Countless scenes flashed before his eyes, his life playing out before him.

The final image settled on that night outside Jingzhou City, the moment he saw that expert riding the great bird.

The night had been hazy.

He hadn’t been able to see the person’s face clearly.

Only now did that face gradually become clear, superimposing itself over Lu Bai’s.

True Master Dan Ding wanted to open his mouth to say something.

But as soon as he uttered a single word, he felt his strength abandon him. His body went limp, and as the world spun around him, his vision went black. He plummeted from the sky.

"Master!"

"Observatory Master!"

A series of alarmed cries rang out from not far away.

The few Foundation Establishment Great Cultivators from Danding Temple were slower with their Sword Control. They arrived just in time to see True Master Dan Ding plummeting from the sky, and their faces paled in horror.

Mo Tang and Yu Weifeng, who had been locked in combat in mid-air, heard the commotion. They each landed a final blow and quickly separated, glancing over.

They saw True Master Dan Ding falling from the sky, blood spraying from his neck.

Before he even hit the ground, his head had separated from his body.

*Hiss!*

Yu Weifeng sucked in a sharp breath.

’What just happened?’

’True Master Dan Ding was just fighting the Chongming Bird. How could he be dead and gone in the blink of an eye?’

’Besides, a wound like that obviously wasn’t caused by the Chongming Bird.’

’It was Lu Bai!’

Mo Tang was secretly shocked, her thoughts immediately turning to Lu Bai.

’Lu Bai has a hat that can make him invisible.’

’He must have hidden himself and waited for an opening while the Chongming Bird was fighting True Master Dan Ding, then killed him with a single strike.’

’Lu Bai, Lu Bai... your nerve is simply astonishing!’

At that moment, even Mo Tang felt a flicker of inexplicable fear toward Lu Bai.

’It would have been one thing if Lu Bai hadn’t fled.’

’But to actually hide himself and find an opportunity to kill True Master Dan Ding!’

’An Innate Realm expert, killing a True Master Golden Core...’

’She had never even dared to imagine such a thing, let alone do it.’

Several Danding Temple Cultivators rushed forward, but True Master Dan Ding was already dead.

Even the Storage Pouch at his waist was gone.

The ground shook as the thunder of hooves rang out.

Several more figures tore through the air. Their Blood Qi was incredibly conspicuous in the night, making them look like giant, humanoid fireballs moving at extreme speed.

Wu Lan, the Heir of Marquis Jingzhong; Liang Yifan, the Governor of Jingzhou; and six True Masters of the Martial Dao from the Shi and Mo Countries arrived simultaneously, instantly surrounding Mo Tang.

"Where is Lu Bai?"

Wu Lan’s face was grim as he asked in a cold voice.

Mo Tang gave a slight sneer. "You’re too late. He left long ago."

"Crown Prince, Lu Bai must be on that Chongming Bird!"

Yu Weifeng said in a low voice, pointing to a black dot high in the sky.

After True Master Dan Ding’s death, Ah Ming had flown off, but instead of leaving, it was circling high above.

"Oh?"

Wu Lan narrowed his eyes, staring at the Chongming Bird in the sky.

The Chongming Bird’s back was empty. There was no sign of Lu Bai at all.

Yu Weifeng quickly explained how True Master Dan Ding had died. "True Master Dan Ding was clearly beheaded by a sharp sword, not killed by that Exotic Beast."

Liang Yifan mused, "If that’s the case, Lu Bai must have some means of hiding his form, something like an Invisibility Talisman."

Mo Tang frowned slightly. She didn’t understand why Lu Bai hadn’t fled immediately after killing True Master Dan Ding.

’Having the Chongming Bird circle nearby... is he trying to provoke us?’

’What’s the point of that?’

’With nine True Masters of the Martial Dao present, Lu Bai probably has no chance of escaping now, even if he tried.’

"Luo Kun, Jiang Hong, this woman is yours. Just kill her!"

Wu Lan looked at two of the six True Masters of the Martial Dao beside him, his tone glacial.

Luo Kun rubbed his bald head and grinned lewdly. "Crown Prince, it would be a real shame to kill such a delicate beauty outright."

"Indeed."

Jiang Hong’s eyes glinted, the scar on his face seeming to turn a deeper red. He licked his lips and said, "A True Master of the Martial Dao, and a Morning Bell Ringer, no less. Far more exciting than those ordinary, virtuous women!"

The two of them had raped and murdered countless women in the Mo Country and were infamous for their cruelty.

No woman they targeted had ever escaped.

As their Cultivation Realms rose, they lost interest in ordinary women, and began choosing targets of increasingly higher status.

Eventually, they provoked several great families and expert Cultivators in the Mo Country to emerge and hunt them down.

After hiding all over the Mo Country, they finally ran out of places to run and fled to the Wu Dynasty, taking refuge in Marquis Jingzhong’s Mansion.

For the past two years, although the Crown Prince had provided them with women, the two always felt something was missing, that they could never have their fill of fun.

Today, they had finally found a prime specimen!

"Do as you wish."

Wu Lan remained expressionless.

His son was dead, the Fujiao Gang was annihilated, his secrets were exposed, and he had been rebuffed at the Four Seas Pavilion. He was burning with a rage that had nowhere to go.

Tonight, whoever stood in his way would die!

If Mo Tang died, there were plenty of excuses and reasons he could give. He could even say she was killed by Lu Bai.

So many people had died tonight; one more Morning Bell Ringer wouldn’t make a difference.

Wu Lan stared at the Chongming Bird circling high above and said coldly, "Brother Yu, Brother Liang, don’t let that beast escape!"