Cultivating with Top Enlightenment Chapter 760 - 320: Lone Walker (Part 2)

That signifies Ning Qi is taking on the toughest trial in the War Domain entirely by himself!

The group declared solemnly, "We shall follow the Alliance Hierarch’s orders!"

Ning Qi gave a nod, "Head out, and starting now, any rule fragments you seize from nodes will be yours to absorb alone. The Spiritual Warfare is only getting started—don’t think it’ll wrap up anytime soon!"

The others quickly grasped that the Alliance Hierarch feared their power might lag behind in later Spiritual Warfare stages, so he aimed to temper them through trials.

With Harmonization yet to appear, Ning Qi’s command grants us plenty of edges, making us nearly unbeatable, yet what comes next?

A wave of pressure washed over them, spurring everyone to pour their efforts into the battles ahead for self-improvement.

The Sword Ancestor strode to the army’s front line, gripping the Spirit Sword in his right hand before thrusting it skyward.

"Warriors of the Profound Truth Realm, charge with me!"

"Understood!"

The troops cast a final glance at Alliance Hierarch Ning Qi, their gazes intense, vowing to etch his image forever in their hearts as the forces marched toward the following node.

Ning Qi watched the departing forces, his eyes narrowing faintly.

This force, forged entirely by him in the Mountain and Sea Realm, would expand and sharpen further with each clash.

Against all the domains across the Mountain and Sea Realm, Ning Qi could claim his provisions were unmatched in quality.

Top-tier cultivation methods, plentiful supplies, diverse formations, and more—nothing was lacking...

The moment had arrived for them to rely on their own strength, to unleash their edge.

Only through solo confrontations with foes would they truly value the gifts bestowed by Ning Qi!

And through such trials, their appreciation would deepen, binding their loyalty tighter.

Ning Qi’s form slowly vanished.

He had grasped much about the War Domain’s layout, and now it was time to venture solo, scouting further areas to claim more strength for the True Martial Realm.

After a quick deliberation, two priorities stood out for him.

Firstly, deal with the remaining Domain Masters in this domain.

From earlier intel, the Southeast War Realm splits into Upper, Middle, and Lower Domains, placing them in the Lower one.

In the Lower Domain, both Mountain and Sea Realm and Vast Realm forces from three Spirit Domains had deployed their troops.

He had already crushed the Vast Realm’s Spirit Bird Domain Master, leaving two more to handle.

Naturally, some rivals lurked on the Mountain and Sea side too.

Fuyao Realm’s Qi Keqing and her allies aligned with the Profound Truth Realm, but Old Man Sikong’s Cyan Profound Immortal Sect kept causing chaos; if Ning Qi crossed paths, he’d wipe them out casually.

Plus, Ning Qi recalled the Langya Domain’s troops were here as well; though Mountain and Sea cultivators, who knew their hidden agendas.

Secondly, Ning Qi intended to uncover if the War Domain hid a secret spot beyond the reach of the two realms’ wills. He planned to claim a chunk of space there for fusion into the True Martial Realm, boosting its expansion.

This objective drove Ning Qi’s entry into the War Domain above all.

...

Qi Keqing clutched the Soul-Searching Plate from Ning Qi, her face lighting up with joy.

The team fully backed Qi Keqing’s choice; fortunate that she skipped the fifty micro rule fragments from Ning Qi and claimed this compass instead.

This node locator spared them endless hours lost in searches, offering tremendous ease.

Their bond with the Profound Truth Realm’s forces grew even warmer in gratitude.

That Domain Master Ning had promised aid once if distress signals came, guaranteeing their protection for one crisis.

Trailing Qi Keqing, Elder Li advanced, his aged features beaming red as he spoke:

"Senior Sister Qi, forgive me; it’s a relief you ignored my advice, or our Fuyao Realm’s troops would face peril now!"

Qi Keqing felt cheerful then, replying, "Elder Li, let bygones be bygones; just ensure you never challenge Domain Master Ning or the Profound Truth Realm’s forces again, and all is well."

Elder Li bobbed his head like a pecking bird, drawing chuckles from the group.

Beyond the flush, a trace of dread lingered on his expression.

Against a figure like Domain Master Ning, who could slay a Vast Realm Domain Master in an instant, what weight did someone like him carry?

Elder Li blurted out, "I’m curious how Senior Sister Qi intends to handle Sikong Lan? That Cyan Profound Immortal Sect’s betrayal mid-fight is basically declaring war on us!"

The Fuyao Realm troops seethed with rage at Sikong Lan’s name, burning to pulverize his remains for such treachery.

Qi Keqing’s cheer dimmed, icy resolve gleaming in her stare.

"When we cross paths next, I’ll exhaust every trick to end him!"

...

Sikong Lan, commanding two-tenths of Fuyao Realm’s troops, had broken away from Qi Keqing’s group, his face smug with triumph.

His sly scheme had unfolded flawlessly, filling him with smug satisfaction in secret.

"Haha, Senior Brother Lan, your move surely has Qi and Ning Qi cornered!"

His junior brother Ma Feng buttered him up.

Close by, other sect heads chuckled too, adding:

"Senior Brother Lan’s ploy not only crippled the Jade Light Immortal Sect and its allied old powers, carving room for rising sects, but also hobbled the adjacent Profound Truth Realm’s forces. Truly a masterstroke hitting two targets at once!"

Sikong Lan smoothed his beard lightly, basking in the praise, feeling utterly exalted.

By this point, they had escaped deep into the distance, oblivious that Vermilion Bird Immortal Sect members hadn’t struck the two armies but got obliterated instead.

One voice cautioned, "Senior Brother Lan, I’ve got an idea; should I voice it?"

Sikong Lan eyed him. The speaker, clad as a scholar with keen eyes and a fan clutched, was the squad’s tactician, so he urged, "Out with it!"

The man explained, "The Vermilion Bird Immortal Sect divided to clash at two spots, while Profound Truth Realm’s troops lurked in shadows. In the end, it’d pit one against three. Even if they wound Qi Keqing and Ning Qi’s side, victory wouldn’t be theirs."

His breakdown rang true and solid, earning nods from all.

"What clever scheme does Mr. Sima propose?" Sikong Lan inquired.

Sima Fei replied, "They’ll hunt us for revenge later; better to prepare now."

Sikong Lan agreed, "I get that, Mr.; got any sage advice?"

Sima Fei grinned faintly, exuding an air of total command.

"As you know, I’ve delved into many arts. Earlier, passing a certain area, I caught a strange vibe from the land but brushed it off. Reflecting now, it’s surely a special spot, likely hiding a node."

His revelation stunned the listeners.

Sikong Lan pressed, "Mister, is that accurate?"

Sima Fei snapped his fan shut and beamed, "We’ll see soon enough. Didn’t that Ning Qi sense nodes? Once we pinpoint this one, we’ll craft a devastating ambush to wipe out Ning Qi and his Profound Truth Realm’s army!"

Hatred surged in his eyes at Ning Qi’s name.

Sikong Lan recalled Ancestor Sikong dispatching four Venerables to the Southern True Domain to slay Ning Qi.

One was Sima Fei’s close ally, fueling Sima Fei’s grudge against Ning Qi.

Sikong Lan, sharing the sentiment, burst into laughter, declaring, "Mr. Sima’s idea suits me perfectly; yes, let’s act preemptively."

At once, they trailed Sima Fei toward the odd location.

After roughly half a day’s flight, Sima Fei guided them to a shadowed sky zone.

The War Domain lacks sun, moon, or stars; illumination comes solely from the two realms’ glow.

Here, the light grew murky, as if warped and faded by the realms’ rays, marking it as a profoundly strange site.

The group eyed the dense gray mist billowing forward, extending their divine senses to scan within briefly.

Yet they soon withdrew, exchanging grave looks.

"Mr. Sima, what’s the deal? We’re Extreme Venerables, so why can’t our divine senses pierce inside?"

Sima Fei, who had pulled out his fan once more, fanned himself leisurely.

The gentle wind tousled his locks, lending him a touch of refined poise.

Abruptly, arcane runes flickered in Sima Fei’s eyes, granting sight beyond veils of truth and falsehood.

At the same time, he shifted with Seven Star Steps, channeling Heavenly Gang, his form blurring into phantoms with countless trails.

The others watched him examine the area, holding still for his verdict.

Moments later, Sima Fei halted and rejoined them.

They noted his sweat-soaked face, pale as ash, alarming everyone.

"Mr. Sima, you okay?"

Sima Fei erupted in manic laughter, "Incredible spot, free from the two realms’ wills! It’s utterly singular, perfect for rigging a deadly snare to draw Ning Qi here!"