Interception

Fifty thousand li southeast of Hanyang Pass lay the border between Zhao and Jin. Rolling hills undulated in every direction, blanketed in dense jungle, sweltering heat, damp humidity, and venomous insects everywhere. Many parts had known no trace of human presence since ancient times. Most of this realm still bore the characteristics of the Wu domain; the boundary stones of the human domain were expanding toward this area only slowly, and it would likely take several centuries before they reached here. Yet even though the domain had not arrived, the world had already felt its influence, and the dampness had somewhat subsided. As a result, this expanse was ill-suited for humans to inhabit, nor was it comfortable for the Shamans, and human armies periodically swept through on patrols. Thus, these several hundred li of territory had become a no-man's-land where neither race settled. A small flying boat, less than ten zhang long, cruised about a hundred zhang above the ground. Bearing the crest of a minor clan, it flew at a modest speed and had an ordinary build—the most common kind of flying boat in the Western Regions. The boat had just cleared a hill when three iron chains suddenly shot out from the primeval forest below! Soaring upward like venomous dragons, the hooked tips of the chains sank deep into the flying boat, violently yanking it to a dead halt! The flying boat shook violently as it tried to break free, but below, each chain was wrapped around a massive beast three zhang tall. The three colossal beasts pulled in three different directions, dragging the flying boat right out of the sky by brute force. More than a dozen specks of light suddenly flew from the vessel, each a different color. The moment they emerged, a faint medicinal aroma permeated the air, instantly invigorating the senses. Grouped into clusters of several motes each, they shot toward the three giant beasts. Upon reaching above the beasts' heads, all the specks coalesced into a single mass and showered down fine droplets of rain onto the creatures. With long cries, the three beasts went limp in their limbs and collapsed headlong. Yet the flying boat was of ordinary make and could not withstand the violent shock of the three titanic forces. A massive crack ripped across its hull, and as it slowly crashed to the ground, several figures flew out from within—only to be completely surrounded by dozens of cultivators rising from the dense forest. A pitch-black ribbon of light suddenly shot out from the woods, zig-zagging through the air toward the group! One female cultivator among them barked in anger and tossed out a jade vial, blocking the black ribbon of light. As the jade vial appeared, a faint scent of pills immediately filled the air, and above the female cultivator's head materialized a mahogany medicine cabinet. Several drawers slid open, releasing several glowing medicinal herbs that instantly slashed the black ribbon into segments. This female cultivator was remarkably a True Person of the Dharma Idol realm, but the other four were very young, possessing only Dao Foundation cultivation—clearly her disciples. The drawers of the medicine cabinet above her head opened and shut incessantly, dispatching over a dozen rays of light one after another, each carrying a distinct medicinal principle and Dao rhythm. Though the power of a single ray was modest, when all dozen or so combined, they shifted instantaneously into an aura of chilling slaughter. The surrounding temperature plummeted, and biting winds arose in all directions, reminiscent of the frost winds of the far north. Amidst the frost wind, the black ribbon slowed, its lethal force greatly diminished. Opposite Perfected Ningxi appeared a cultivator draped head to toe in black robes. His voice was deep and hoarse, seemingly disguised on purpose: "As expected of Perfected Ningxi. I have experienced the power of this Frigid Chill Decoction. But if this is all you have, then I'm afraid you must remain here, Perfected Person!" Perfected Ningxi sneered. "You dare not even show your face, yet you fancy you can keep me here? Call forth whatever accomplices you have. Otherwise, with just you alone, far from stopping me, you'll be lucky if you even leave with your life!" Several more rays of light flew from the medicine cabinet. With the addition of these new ingredients, the original formulation suddenly turned from cold to hot, from yin to yang, giving rise to an intensely hot, purely yang gale. Bristling with countless tiny blades, the wind shredded the black ribbon to pieces in an instant. Several slashes opened across the black-robed man's body, and a faint smell of blood drifted into the air. The black-robed man grunted, a trace of pain in his voice. Embarrassment quickly turned into fury as he gritted his teeth and said, "Your Northern Yang Astral Powder is formidable indeed, Perfected Person! All the more reason you cannot be allowed to leave!" A dense green cloud suddenly appeared above Perfected Ningxi's head—she hadn't even realized when it had gathered! The moment the dense cloud formed, wisps of green vapor coiled around Perfected Ningxi. Numbness seized her limbs, and her movements grew stiff. The medicine cabinet above her head took on an ashen, decayed hue, as though weathered by rain and wind for ages. Ningxi's brows shot up in fury. "You actually colluded with foreign races! But what can a mere Dao of Poison do against me?" The drawers of the medicine cabinet clattered open and closed, dispensing dozens of ingredients in rapid succession to concoct a miraculous antidote, which poured over the cabinet. Parts of the cabinet instantly looked renewed, yet in other parts, the decay continued to worsen. The poison and the medicine vied back and forth, locked in a stalemate. The black-robed cultivator sneered, "Perfected Ning, with the two of us joining forces, any further struggle on your part is futile. Hand over that object and surrender without resistance; that way, you may still keep your life. Once the two lords above have settled their contest, you will be allowed to return. Wouldn't it be better if we settled this without ruining good relations?" "Delusional!" Ningxi said emphatically. The black-robed man sneered. "You clearly knew the Patriarch would never permit that object to appear in the Shattered Lands, yet you insisted on risking your neck anyway. Why bring this upon yourself? The Patriarch is only interested in that item; he has no need to take the life of a junior." Perfected Ningxi snorted and said coldly, "That is a supreme treasure of my Palace of Grand Beginning. I would rather die than hand it over to you. Hmph, even if you obtain it, don't dream of unraveling its secrets." "Whether they can be unraveled or not is a matter for the Patriarch and the other elders. Perfected Ning, delay invites trouble. I shall count to three. If you still refuse to surrender, do not blame us for being ruthless. I doubt your disciples will make it out alive." Perfected Ningxi said, "I have one final question. How did you know I was heading west, and how did you track my movements?" The black-robed man merely sneered without answering. Perfected Ningxi suddenly turned back. Her gaze swept over her four disciples, her expression gradually giving way to sorrow and deep disappointment. Slowly, she said, "I raised all of you from childhood. This time, I only wanted to give you proper trial and experience so that you might truly grow. I never imagined the person who betrayed me would be among you. Whichever of you it is, step forward yourself, and keep some shred of dignity." The black-robed man said, "You are on the verge of death, yet you still put on the arrogant airs of a Perfected Person! Since you refuse to surrender that item, then excuse my discourtesy. I invite Milord to strike!" Far in the distance, a point of boundless desolation suddenly arose. Perfected Ningxi's expression changed drastically! An arrow materialized from a distant mountain peak; the moment it appeared, it was already before Perfected Ningxi. Entangled by the black ribbon and the green vapor, she could only barely dodge. The arrow grazed her lower leg—and as a result, her right leg below the knee vanished completely into thin air! In the air, the medicine cabinet also lost a corner into thin air! Two more arrows shot from afar. One struck Perfected Ningxi squarely in the chest, while the other pierced through the medicine cabinet in the air, leaving behind only a gaping void. "It... it's you..." The light gradually faded from Perfected Ningxi's eyes, and she plummeted from the sky. Just as the black-robed man moved to catch her body, his heart gave a jolt, and he looked up into the sky. The battered medicine cabinet in the air suddenly shattered, bursting into hundreds of specks of light. Countless motes fused and shifted at random across the sky, instantly manifesting as all manner of miraculous Dao arts, which culminated in a frenzied storm of Dao magic that utterly obliterated everything within a hundred zhang! Even the black-robed man had to channel his power to resist, rendered immobile for the moment. Several specks of light suddenly assembled on their own into a streak of flowing light, sinking into one of the male disciples in the distance! As if erased from a painting, the male disciple vanished segment by segment from head to toe, disappearing without a trace. The black-robed man was alarmed. Sweeping his divine sense across Perfected Ningxi's corpse, he cried out in shock and fury, "The item isn't on her! That kid just now must have taken it! Pursue him!"