155: Settle the cause and effect

Ning Zhi hadn't focused her energy on cultivation recently, so she only vaguely felt that she was being influenced by Karma, unlike Gu Yuchuan who felt it much more clearly. However, as soon as the two met, the influence of fate made them realize that they were now meant to determine a winner and a loser, a matter of life and death.

"Ning Zhi, last time in the Secret Realm, I let you escape with your life. This time, I won't let you get away again."

Gu Yuchuan's voice carried a hint of killing intent, and Ning Zhi's expression gradually turned cold.

"If I remember correctly, the one who fled in panic last time was you, snake demon, not me. You're quite bold, daring to come to the heart of the Human Race's territory alone. It seems you've already prepared yourself for death."

After saying that, a treasure pearl appeared in her hand. It looked like a High Grade Spiritual Artifact. This was expected, as Ning Zhi already possessed a top-grade magic tool during her Qi Refinement Stage; having a High Grade Spiritual Artifact now was only natural.

The pearl appeared cyan, containing endless power within, which put some pressure on Gu Yuchuan.

Gu Yuchuan struck first. This was the heart of the Human Race's territory, and he knew he had to act quickly. Once the battle dragged on and Human Race Cultivators sensed it, he would be the one in danger.

He gripped his Long Spear and unleashed a piercing strike. He was incredibly fast, his feet lightly tapping the ground as his figure blurred and shifted. To the naked eye, only afterimages remained.

Ning Zhi lightly tapped the treasure pearl in front of her, and two cyclones flew out to block her path. The Long Spear struck the cyclones, the violent impact causing her hair to come undone. With her hair disheveled, Ning Zhi lost some of her elegance but gained a touch of frenzied beauty.

A pair of Emei Piercers appeared in her hands. She wasn't a pure Spell Cultivator; her cultivation of the Physical Body was also not lacking. The two engaged in close-quarters combat. Both followed an agile path, with high speed and frequency of strikes. In the blink of an eye, they had already exchanged over a hundred blows.

Now, Ning Zhi only felt a pain in the webbing of her thumb. She could sense that this snake demon's cultivation was significantly higher than hers. But why? She was peerlessly talented and had the resources of a Prince's Mansion, yet she had only reached the Foundation Establishment Fifth Layer with an Earthly Fiend Dao Foundation. How could a mere mountain demon also have an Earthly Fiend Dao Foundation and a much higher cultivation level?

She took two steps back and pressed her palms together. The treasure pearl before her shone with blinding light, and instantly, a tornado over a hundred meters tall appeared before them. This tornado possessed immense suction, pulling in countless plants and dust.

Gu Yuchuan dug his feet firmly into the ground, remaining motionless: "Ning Zhi, is this all you've got? Compared to when you were in Qi Refining, there hasn't been much improvement. You might as well stop resisting and just die by my hand."

He even had the time to mock her. This made Ning Zhi's mood even worse. She had already been in a foul mood lately, and being mocked now pushed her over the edge. She gave a loud shout, and the tornado began to move slowly.

Gu Yuchuan was no fool; he naturally knew he couldn't let himself be engulfed by the tornado, which looked extremely formidable. He immediately leaped to avoid it, but Ning Zhi still had another trick up her sleeve.

A bell appeared in her hand. This bell had no offensive function; its sole purpose was to pin Gu Yuchuan down, preventing him from escaping for a short time and forcing him to take the tornado head-on.

He had no choice but to circulate the Golden Light Incantation, hoping to defend himself as much as possible. He still had confidence in the Golden Light Incantation.

He was tossed around inside the tornado until he was completely disoriented. Although the tornado didn't cause him much substantial damage, the spinning made him feel miserable. He was dizzy and lightheaded, and even his grip on the Long Spear lost its strength.

However, Ning Zhi was certainly not satisfied with this result. This was already her most powerful attack, intended to kill the opponent in one hit. She hadn't expected it to only yield such minor results, which was clearly disadvantageous for her.

But admitting defeat wasn't in Ning Zhi's character. Taking advantage of this opportunity, she raised her Emei Piercers and charged forward. Her technique was even more ruthless now, every strike aimed at Gu Yuchuan's chest in hopes of a killing blow.

Although Gu Yuchuan was a bit dizzy, he was still capable of fighting. However, his movements were indeed slower, and he was being suppressed. This made him feel ashamed; he was a Prodigy meant to fight those above his level, yet he was struggling so much against a Cultivator with a lower cultivation level than himself. How could this be?

He bit the tip of his tongue to force out a drop of Essence Blood. The sudden, sharp pain cleared his mind significantly, and he gripped his Long Spear even tighter. His gaze turned cold as he thrust his Long Spear upward. Instantly, the roar of a dragon echoed out—this was his Battle Technique: Flood Dragon Break.

With a clink, his Long Spear thrust out. Though blocked by the Emei Piercers, he changed his move, gripping the Long Spear with both hands and spinning it like a great windmill. The rotation generated immense power, making every strike difficult for Ning Zhi to withstand. After spinning ten times, he also felt like he was reaching his limit; with every rotation, his Dharmic power and Physical Body were pushed to their extremes.

Blood now leaked from the corner of Ning Zhi's mouth; her injuries were severe. She was unwilling to accept this. She had fled her marriage specifically to survive, to find a way to live. How could she die here? However, she also knew clearly that her Dharmic power was nearly exhausted and she was wounded; the chance of survival was extremely slim.

"snake demon, I may not be able to defeat you, but even though my family has declined, killing you is still easy. I'll wait for you on the road to the Yellow Springs!"

After saying that, Ning Zhi actually self-detonated. She had her pride; since death was inevitable, she was unwilling to suffer humiliation and chose to end her own life.

However, Gu Yuchuan still stabbed his Long Spear through her chest, Dantian, and heart. Who knew if she was faking death? After devouring her essence, he immediately began to flee. This time, he certainly couldn't take a flying boat back. If he were intercepted on a flying boat, there would be nowhere to run, and he would be facing a dead end.

While concealing his tracks, he hurried along. Meanwhile, back at the Prince's Mansion, they already knew that Ning Zhi was dead. The Prince's Mansion immediately began a search, and the officials of Huaiyang City also started assisting them. After all, she was the daughter of a Commandery Prince, a formally titled County Mistress who had died in their jurisdiction. This was clearly a major incident. If the Court of the Imperial Clan were to place blame, it would be very difficult for them to handle.

However, by this time, Gu Yuchuan had already fled far away.