Chapter 305: Ambush Outside the City

Chapter 305: Ambush Outside the City

Shi Jinyu slammed the table and laughed heartily. "The Nie Sisters are both stunning beauties. If we could abduct them and bring them to our quarters, even just to have them dance and sing for us, it would be an absolute delight."

Yu Qing's eyes gleamed with excitement. "A kindred spirit! I was just thinking the same. Why don’t we collaborate? If we succeed, we’ll take one each and have our way with them. Wouldn’t that be exhilarating? Brother Ning, care to join us in this grand scheme?"

"Such matters tarnish one’s character. I’ll pass," Ning Xiaochuan replied with a faint smile before leaving with the Small Red Dragon in tow.

Yu Qing called after him, "I’ve purchased six exquisite young women from the Tianji Dynasty—tender-skinned and curvaceous. Shall I send two to your room later?"

"No need," Ning Xiaochuan had already stepped out the door.

Shi Jinyu coughed twice and remarked, "Character determines happiness. He lacks charm and is doomed to leave many women heartbroken. I, on the other hand, am considerate of a lady’s feelings. Little Prince, why not send two of those young women to my room? I’d like to discuss the philosophy of life with them."

"Done. No problem. Let’s first strategize how to deal with the Nie Sisters. If we can capture them, our names will echo across the land."

Yu Qing and Shi Jinyu whispered conspiratorially, plotting the abduction of the Nie Sisters. The room echoed with eerie bursts of laughter, so unsettling that even the maidservant guarding the door shuddered, her back chilled.

Ning Xiaochuan was no sanctimonious saint, but he refrained from joining their scheme against the Nie Sisters of the Tianyin Sect simply to avoid unnecessary trouble.

As soon as he entered his residence, he sensed a chilling presence.

The room appeared empty, yet the cold aura lingered, undeniably real.

An ordinary Martial Artist might not have noticed anything amiss, but Ning Xiaochuan, with his Seven Orifices Divine Demon Heart Palace, possessed Mental Energy far beyond the norm.

"Come out. I knew you’d show up," Ning Xiaochuan said calmly, betraying no emotion.

Ripples formed in the air, coalescing into a Mirror Illusion.

Duanmu Linger emerged from the illusion, clad in a black gauze dress, her slender waist cinched by a violet crystal belt. Her hands were clasped behind her back, accentuating her proud bust as she stood at the room’s center.

Her almond-shaped eyes fixed on Ning Xiaochuan, her delicate brows arching slightly. "Impressive. You saw through my Mirror Illusion. Your Mental Energy is formidable. Did you know it was me in the restaurant earlier today?"

Ning Xiaochuan’s Mental Energy was so potent he could even see through a Martial Venerable, let alone Duanmu Linger.

During the day at the Restaurant, he had already recognized her as the Demon Sect Enchantress who intimidated Zhang Linxi. Hence, he had anticipated her visit tonight.

Ning Xiaochuan asked, "Weren’t you supposed to stay hidden in the Jian Pavilion Marquis House? What brings you to Hualong City?"

Duanmu Linger stood beneath the lamplight, her skin glowing snow-white. "I came with the Saintess for an important matter."

Ning Xiaochuan was surprised. "She’s here in Hualong City too? Where is she? Take me to her."

Duanmu Linger felt rather annoyed and said, "I’m your cousin, yet you’ve never been this eager to see me. Why the sudden urgency to meet the Demon Sect Saintess? Could it really be as the rumors say—that you’ve fallen hopelessly in love with her? Let me warn you, the Saintess is proud and pure as jade. She might not even spare you a glance."

"Don’t worry about that. I just want to know if Xiao Ling'er is with her," Ning Xiaochuan replied.

The Small Red Dragon, previously drunk, perked up at the mention of Xiao Ling'er, its eyes widening with excitement as it stared expectantly at Duanmu Linger.

Duanmu Linger said, "The Demon Sect Saintess and Xiao Ling'er have gone to Muteng Forest for an extremely important matter. I stayed behind to assist them. As for how long they’ll take to return, I’m not sure."

"Let’s go. We’re heading to Muteng Forest now."

Unable to wait any longer, Ning Xiaochuan grabbed Duanmu Linger’s hand and flew straight out of the Divine Dragon King's Residence, rushing toward Muteng Forest outside Hualong City.

He didn’t bother bidding farewell to Yu Qing, as his trip to Muteng Forest was to find the Demon Sect Saintess—something best kept hidden from the imperial court.

No sooner had Ning Xiaochuan and Duanmu Linger left Hualong City than they were ambushed by a group of mysterious Martial Artists. Over a dozen Martial Arts Divine Abilities shot out from the darkness—some unleashing Sword Qi, others conjuring phantom images of Mystic Beasts, while still others hurled Mystic Artifacts at them.

"Whoosh!"

Ning Xiaochuan immediately summoned the Cloud and Sunset Returning Qi, filling the air with radiant hues that enveloped his body, forming a massive 10-meter-wide Profound Qi Shield that blocked all incoming attacks.

"Star Shifting!"

A colossal vortex formed before Ning Xiaochuan, rippling outward in layers, seizing control of every Martial Arts Divine Ability. The energies swirled around him before being hurled back into the dark forest.

"Boom!"

The dozen-plus Martial Arts Divine Abilities exploded in the darkness, followed by agonized screams from the Martial Artists.

"Ah!"

"This Minor Marquis from the imperial court is truly formidable. Even our combined attacks were shattered so easily."

Ning Xiaochuan’s eyes gleamed coldly as he said in a low voice, "Come out. A ragtag bunch like you won’t be enough to kill me."

"Is that so? You’re far too confident."

Mo Chaolong stepped out of the darkness, his body entirely encased in Profound Qi, forming a massive Profound Qi Shield.

Clearly, he was well aware of Ning Xiaochuan’s strength and was proceeding with caution.

Behind him stood four elderly men, all high-ranking elders of the Mo Family, figures of immense status in Hualong City—capable of shaking the ground with a single stomp. Further back, the shadows of numerous Martial Artists flickered, indicating many more hidden experts lurking in the darkness.

Ning Xiaochuan fixed his gaze on Mo Chaolong, then swept his eyes across the shadows and chuckled. "So it’s you. How did you know I’d leave the city?"

Mo Chaolong smirked coldly. "You possess a Divine Dragon hatchling, making you a target for countless Martial Artists. Hualong City is no longer safe for you, so I deduced you’d flee under cover of night."

"So that's how it is." Ning Xiaochuan had initially wondered how the Mo Family had learned of his plans to leave the city in advance, setting up this ambush. It turned out Mo Chaolong's reasoning was absurdly simplistic.

To be honest, Ning Xiaochuan had never feared the Mo Family. Had he not received news of Yu Ningsheng entering Muteng Forest, he might have stayed in Hualong City a few more days.

Duanmu Linger's gaze turned icy. "Why waste words with them? A mere Mo Family dares to covet the Divine Dragon's offspring? They truly don’t know how to spell 'death.'"

As the Demon Emperor's granddaughter, her temper was fierce, and she naturally held no regard for a minor faction like the Mo Family.

An elderly man standing behind Mo Chaolong snorted coldly. "Little girl, you’re far too arrogant. If we capture you today, we’ll sell you off as the lowest of slaves."

Duanmu Linger, prideful to the extreme, radiated intense killing intent from her eyes. The Profound Qi in her meridians surged, and a wave of Freezing Energy erupted from her body, coating the ground in thick frost.

Her curvaceous figure exuded elegance as she vanished from her spot with a "swish," reappearing before the elderly man and unleashing a chilling Martial Arts Divine Ability.

The old man’s heart skipped a beat. He immediately channeled his Profound Qi, manifesting over a dozen metallic weapons—swords and spears—all hurled toward her at once.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Every single weapon was shattered by Duanmu Linger’s palm, clattering to the ground.

With a single strike to the old man’s palm, she sent him stumbling back five steps.

"Profound Yin Divine Palm!"

The elder felt as though he had been plunged into an ice cellar, his entire body freezing.

Duanmu Linger moved with blinding speed, leaping forward again and delivering another Great Palm Strike, this one radiating bone-chilling cold.

The old man could only watch helplessly as the frigid palm imprint struck his chest. A tearing sound echoed from within his body.

His heart shattered under the force, freezing into solid ice inside his chest.

The Mo Family elder convulsed once before his body was encased in ice. He toppled over, lifeless.

Duanmu Linger retreated like Lightning, landing beside Ning Xiaochuan, her sharp gaze fixed on the Mo Family’s Martial Artists. "A mere Mo Family dares to threaten me with slavery? I swear—within a month, not a single soul in the Mo Family will remain alive."

"She... she’s the Demon Sect Enchantress!" Mo Chaolong’s heart trembled as he sensed the Profound Yin True Qi surging within her.

Why was the Demon Sect Enchantress allied with a Minor Marquis from the imperial court?

Realizing Duanmu Linger’s identity had been exposed, Ning Xiaochuan said coldly, "Kill them all. Leave none alive."

Activating Rainbow Teleportation, his body transformed into a streak of Rainbow Light, appearing before Mo Chaolong in an instant. Under Mo Chaolong’s horrified gaze, a Sword Wave pierced his heart, leaving a hole the size of a Wine Cup in his chest.

Mo Chaolong collapsed, his eyes wide open. Even in death, he never learned who he had offended. Had he known his target was Ning Xiaochuan, he wouldn’t have dared oppose him even with ten times the courage.

The Jian Pavilion Marquis House was no ordinary noble house—it was not something a mere Mo Family could afford to provoke.

The remaining three elders of the Mo Family were all startled by the speed Ning Xiaochuan displayed—a level of Martial Path cultivation that no young man should possess, surpassing even the Demon Sect Enchantress.

Before they could react, Ning Xiaochuan's palm transformed into a blade, severing the head of one elder.

The head rolled to the ground like a ball, disappearing into the grass.

These elders, who usually held lofty status, were utterly defenseless before a mere youth, killed with just a single strike.

The two remaining elders wore expressions of horror, shocked by Ning Xiaochuan's overwhelming power. Profound Qi surged beneath their feet as they activated their swift movement techniques, fleeing in opposite directions.