Chapter Eighty-Five: The Fireball Spell Proves Its Worth

Using the formation disc for the Bewildering Immortal Array, Zhou Qi quietly triggered the spell. In an instant, thick mist swallowed the entire area. The cultivators’ six senses were sealed; they could neither speak nor hear, and even their spiritual awareness could perceive nothing.

While they were trapped in the array, Zhou Qi quickly gathered the men he had previously knocked unconscious into the Medicine Immortal Sacred Abode. It was time to test the power of Soul Seizing Art. After confining them there, Zhou Qi was already prepared for a prolonged struggle; he would wear them down no matter how long it took.

The three third-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators were caught in the Bewildering Immortal Array and were shocked to the core. Not a single figure could be seen in the mist, as though they were the only ones left in the world. What kind of formation was this? Their first instinct was to attack the array. As long as they kept striking it and drained its spiritual power, the formation would eventually break.

Zhou Qi sneered inwardly. This Bewildering Immortal Array was driven by top-grade spirit stones, with a tenth-tier demon core at its eye and lines drawn in the blood of a tenth-tier succubus. How could it be broken by mere Foundation Establishment cultivators?

Seeing the three of them flailing about uselessly, Zhou Qi decided to ignore them for the moment and turned his attention to the others.

The fifth-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator did not follow those three and lash out blindly. He watched his surroundings with great caution, ready at any moment to respond to a sudden attack. So this is your trump card? He sneered. Once the formation is broken, let’s see what else you can do.

For now, Zhou Qi could only deal with the four fourth-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators. He swallowed a Spirit-Returning Pill and silently replenished the spiritual power he had expended earlier.

Silently moving behind one of the fourth-stage cultivators, Zhou Qi unleashed Myriad Swords Return to the Sect. Countless tiny swords manifested, sealing off every possible retreat. The cultivator was shocked and had no way to evade; he could only defend. At that moment, he had no time to feel heartache as he raised the lower-grade magical tool in his hand to meet the sword rain.

The sword rain fell, and the lower-grade magical tool was destroyed. The cultivator shouted, and a yellow-brown light erupted from his body. That light shattered almost at once, but after being weakened twice over, it finally managed to withstand the power of the Immortal-Slaying Sword.

Two lower-grade magical tools had been ruined against the opponent’s middle-grade magical tool. The man’s heart bled, but he had no time to mourn. In this formation, one careless step could cost him his life. Having fended off the sword rain, he dared not linger and hurled a blazing hand of fire toward the direction from which the attack had come.

Zhou Qi was already gone. After sending out one strike, he had stepped away with Black Thunder Escape, appearing elsewhere in an instant. Seeing that flaming hand, Zhou Qi could not help thinking of himself. He possessed the Divine Solar Flame; if he were to cultivate fire techniques, their power might well be greatly enhanced.

Appearing from another angle, Zhou Qi formed an ordinary fireball in his hand. Yet this was no common flame, but the Divine Solar Flame known as Zhou Qi’s own fire. He flung the fireball at the cultivator, then vanished again at once, concealing himself once more.

The flaming hand missed its target. The cultivator quickly scanned his surroundings, and when he saw a fireball technique, something only an Energy Refinement cultivator would normally practice, flying toward him, he could not help but sneer. So you’ve finally run out of spiritual power? To think you would resort to such a low-level art.

Facing the fireball, the cultivator had no intention of dodging. Only when it was almost upon him did he raise his palm, intending to swat it apart. But the instant his hand touched the fireball, he felt that something was wrong. The flame was able to ignite even his own palm, and no matter how he circulated his art, he could not extinguish it.

Terror seized him. The flames spread from his palm up his arm, growing fiercer by the moment. The agony of being burned made him want to scream, but no sound could come from his mouth.

At this point he had to make a choice. He was a ruthless man as well. Raising his other hand, he was about to sever the burning arm. Just as he steeled himself, a heavy blow struck the back of his head. He turned to retaliate, only to be smashed by another punch and knocked unconscious.

With a thought, Zhou Qi extinguished Zhou Qi’s Fire at once. Naturally, he could not allow the cultivator to cut off his own limbs. These would all become fine employees of Boss Zhou in the future. Zhou Qi then imprisoned him inside the Medicine Immortal Sacred Abode.

The Divine Solar Flame was so useful that Zhou Qi had never really considered it before. It had always lain dormant in his soul sea like a decoration. Only after seeing the man use a flaming hand did the idea occur to him, and the result had been astonishingly good. It seemed he would need to seek out a few formidable fire techniques in the future.

Seeing that the spiritual power of the three third-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators was nearly exhausted, Zhou Qi flashed behind them and, with one punch each, easily put them down.

At this point there remained three fourth-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators and one fifth-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator. As for the first- and second-stage cultivators guarding the perimeter, they were not worth mentioning. Dealing with them would merely take a little time.

Zhou Qi flashed behind another fourth-stage cultivator and repeated the same tactic: first using Myriad Swords Return to the Sect to shatter the magical tool in his hand, then sending out a seemingly modest fireball technique. As expected, two more fell for it and were one by one imprisoned by Zhou Qi.

Only one fourth-stage cultivator and the fifth-stage cultivator remained. By now, the time for the Bewildering Immortal Array was almost up. Seeing that fourteen cultivators had already vanished, the two were horrified. They had not even been directly attacked, yet Zhou Qi had already dealt with so many fourth-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators. To eliminate them would not be difficult at all.

The fifth-stage cultivator grew even more cautious. Fortunately, the formation was about to disperse. Once it did, he would strike swiftly and kill Zhou Qi, leaving him no chance whatsoever. Even if he had to suffer grievous injuries himself, it would be worth it. After all, that would mean no one else would have to share the spoils.

Let’s see what other means you have. To be so ruthless, he said with a cold laugh as the Bewildering Immortal Array vanished.

Nine and Little White were both struck dumb with shock. They had not expected those fourteen people to vanish so completely. Was this an effort to erase all traces?

Little White’s heart surged like stormy seas. He had not expected the boss to be so terrifying. Thank goodness he had chosen the right side.

Nine, on the other hand, was deeply moved. Her brother had killed so many people for her. With a brother like this, what had she to fear?

Zhou Qi gave the two remaining high-level cultivators a cold smile. The cultivators guarding the perimeter had seen the situation clearly. The Bewildering Immortal Array had trapped everyone just now, but no one had been attacked. Yet now that the formation had dispersed, so many higher-level cultivators had already disappeared. If they stayed, they would only be throwing their lives away.

Even if the remaining fifth-stage and fourth-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators won in the end, there would probably be no share of the spoils for the rest of them. Many turned and fled at once.

Seeing that some were running, and that the two remaining cultivators were already pressing forward, Zhou Qi activated another formation disc of the Bewildering Immortal Array and once again shrouded the rest of the cultivators within it.

Damn it, just how many formation discs does this man have? We are all so poor we can’t even make a sound when we shake ourselves, yet he is so wealthy. Not only does he have a middle-grade magical tool, but he keeps throwing out formation discs one after another. Though the crowd cursed inwardly, they were helpless. Many of them were already beginning to suspect that they had kicked a steel plate this time, and that justice would not be so easily upheld today.