178: Chapter 178 Blazing Sun Summit Array

Once the meeting concluded, Nie Ning patrolled the camp and located Borton and the others.

Seeing that Borton and his group were safe, Nie Ning couldn't help but feel a sense of relief.

However, not everyone had emerged unscathed.

Horun, the City Lord's butler, had died in a Corrupted Puppet sneak attack while evacuating the crowd, and Ivy had sustained significant injuries during the retreat.

The fate of Hervais Manor was even more tragic.

Aside from Lilith's parents, who escaped the disaster because they were away on business, all the servants in the manor had been turned into Corrupted Puppets by the toxic gas, and even the Elementary Knight Marzi was no exception.

After all, they were facing a Corruptor of at least the second rank; the strength of an Elementary Knight was no different from that of an ordinary person before it.

Furthermore, over a hundred thousand people had died in this incident, including quite a few individuals who had reached the High-Tier Knight Level.

Nie Ning's feelings regarding this were complicated.

He felt fortunate that Lilith was not in the city, yet this was also a point of contradiction.

If Lilith had been there, he wouldn't have left the city for so long, and perhaps this wouldn't have happened.

...

The next day.

"Where is Charlie?"

Nie Ning frowned as he looked at Skadi and Chebuman walking toward him.

Behind them followed Lida and Krister, who had recently been promoted to a Wizard.

Skadi glanced at Nie Ning and said in a low voice, "He has other matters to attend to. The strength of Lida and the other is sufficient to join us in setting up the formation."

Hearing this, Nie Ning's frown deepened.

That wasn't what they had discussed yesterday.

Moreover, if even Lida and Krister were going, you're telling me Charlie is busy?

Charlie being busy was a lie; he was likely just afraid of something happening.

Chebuman looked at Nie Ning with an impatient expression. "What are you afraid of? With Lord Skadi here, dealing with the Sludge Monster will be as easy as reaching for something in your pocket."

Nie Ning gave Chebuman a strange look.

Is there something wrong with this guy's head?

The fall of Ska City was indeed his dereliction of duty; there was no arguing that, so he accepted being scolded for it.

But can't you see that I am a Second Ring Wizard?

Furthermore, I am someone who reached this level of strength in a very short time; breaking through to the third rank in the future is almost a certainty.

And yet he still dares to bluster in front of me? Does he think Skadi alone can protect him?

Or is this guy so used to sycophancy that he can't change his bad habits for a moment?

"What are you looking at? Am I wrong?"

Seemingly uncomfortable under Nie Ning's gaze, Chebuman glared fiercely at him.

"Alright, let's head out quickly to avoid any complications from further delay."

Skadi stepped forward then.

He feared that if he didn't stop them, this newly advanced Wizard wouldn't be able to resist getting into a fight with Chebuman.

Nie Ning still said nothing. He just gave the two of them a deep look, then grabbed Lida and flew toward Ska City.

"Lord Skadi, let's go."

Chebuman said to Skadi with a smile, looking entirely like a sycophantic lackey.

Skadi nodded, and then Chebuman took Krister with him as they both chased after Nie Ning.

...

After spending half a day, the five of them arrived near Ska City.

In just a single day's time, Nie Ning clearly felt that the concentration of the Power of Corruption here had increased significantly, and even the color of the Toxic Miasma had darkened.

The group looked at the mountain of flesh in the middle of the city, and a solemn look couldn't help but appear in their eyes.

"Begin setting up the formation."

Skadi withdrew his gaze and spoke to Nie Ning and the others.

Nie Ning and the others nodded, then took the Formation Plates Skadi had brought and headed toward five different positions.

As they reached their specific locations, they immediately activated the Formation Plates in their hands.

Five beams of light emitting a scorching aura shot straight into the sky, forming a curtain of light that enveloped the entire city, and a massive fiery-red magic circle appeared above.

Blazing Sun Zenith Array, a third-rank formation.

As the formation in the sky took shape, a scorching heat wave surged into the city, and the Toxic Miasma hissed and crackled under the formation's intense heat.

The Toxic Miasma was the Sludge Monster's primary means of attack.

As long as the miasma in the city was worn away, the Sludge Monster's strength would be greatly reduced.

Before long, the toxic gas in the city dimmed slightly.

However, the Sludge Monster seemed to sense their intentions and began to consciously contract the surrounding miasma to resist the scorching of the Blazing Sun Zenith Array.

But the Sludge Monster had clearly underestimated the formation's power.

Although it was a third-rank formation, its power was extremely formidable.

At the same level, it was very difficult to break through with raw human power; it often required a group of people spending a significant amount of time to breach it.

Under the control of the group, the formation began to shrink toward the city center, eventually narrowing the range to within a thousand meters of the Sludge Monster.

In the inner area, the Toxic Miasma was compressed until it was black, making it impossible to see what was happening inside.

Yet the formation continued to function, incessantly burning the miasma within.

The mountain-like Sludge Monster writhed its massive body and began to slam against the barrier formed by the formation.

With every impact, the ground vibrated.

Under the Sludge Monster's strikes, cracks appeared on the surface of the barrier.

Seeing this, the group took out dozens of magic crystals and placed them upon the Formation Plates; the barrier temporarily stabilized under the empowerment of the crystals.

Immediately afterward, Nie Ning, Skadi, and Chebuman flew into the city, leaving only Krister and Lida behind to maintain the formation.

The three of them looked at the Sludge Monster slamming against the formation, knowing that the power of the formation alone could not stop it.

After all, it had devoured so many people, and the primary power of the formation was being used to wear down the toxic gas.

While the formation's power was great, it was not invincible, nor was it as stable as the barriers of those Wizard organizations.

If the Formation Plates reached their durability limit, the formation would fail.

Without the formation's power to suppress the Sludge Monster, even Skadi would find it difficult to defeat such a monster.

"Let's go."

Skadi said, and then his body was enveloped by a blue shield as he walked straight into the formation.

"What are you waiting for? Do I need to invite you?"

Just as Nie Ning wanted to observe for a moment, Chebuman spoke from the side in a sarcastic tone.

Nie Ning ignored Chebuman, used Light Break Impact to form a barrier on his body's surface, and then walked into the formation.

Seeing Nie Ning's attitude, an angry expression appeared on Chebuman's face.

Looking into the formation, a cold light surfaced in Chebuman's eyes.

Every man for himself, and the devil take the hindmost!

Although he didn't want to make an enemy of Nie Ning, this was a world where the strong preyed on the weak.

Even if he was unwilling in his heart, for the sake of his own future, he had to make some decisions that went against his personal principles.

Such as leaving Nie Ning here forever!

...

As the three stepped out of the formation, a thick miasma rushed toward them.

The shields collided with the toxic gas, and the shields began to flicker.

Nie Ning frowned and couldn't help but increase his magic output to maintain the shield.

Because this miasma was not just simple poison, but a special toxin combined with the Power of Corruption; once affected, it would be very unfavorable for the upcoming battle.

...