Chapter 0426: Who is the cannon fodder
This thought had just crossed Ning Cheng’s mind when Ning Cheng suddenly understood something. Wu Mao wanted to take sole possession of the Spiritual Vein. After he found the location of the Spiritual Vein, he not only did not stop but also continued to lead the rest of the group. It showed that he did not have any intention to split the Spiritual Vein with the others.
Quite the cunning fellow; however, even if you were the most cunning fellow in this world, you still would have to drink this father’s foot-washing water.
“What’s wrong?” Tan Yun carefully asked with a Sound Transmission.
“That Wu Mao already found the scent of the Spiritual Vein; however, he is pretending to have not found it yet. This situation is truly the best for us. Once they walked away from this place, we can then grab it and leave……” Ning Cheng did not hide anything from Tan Yun. To do the dirty work of another villain, although Tan Yun and Ning Cheng were cooperating with each other, the thoughts of the two of them were not too distant from each other. Moreover, Ning Cheng also did not intend to pit himself against Tan Yun.
However, Ning Cheng’s words had still not finished, when he suddenly stopped talking. He could vaguely feel that something was wrong.
Tan Yun was pleasantly surprised. Just when she was about to speak, she suddenly heard a sound transmission from Ning Cheng, “Senior Apprentice Sister Tan, I feel that something is wrong. If I were him, after I discovered the Spiritual Vein’s scent, even if I want to monopolise ……”
Ning Cheng’s words suddenly came to a pause before he immediately spoke up in affirmation, “Senior Apprentice Sister Tan, Wu Mao is a Tier 9 Array Formation Grand Master, with cultivation even higher than my own. After discovering the Spiritual Vein, he not only did not check the surrounding situation, he did not even sweep out with his Spiritual Consciousness, which already had intertwined with the Spiritual Consciousness of others. This is certainly not normal, huh……”
“What’s the matter?” Tan Yun asked in a quiver. She could also feel that this matter was going extremely smoothly
“So that’s why.” Ning Cheng’s expression turned cold.
He had always been wondering about the Spiritual Seeking Array that Wu Mao had been arranging all the way until now. Mainly since many pairs of Array Flags could be directly replaced by a single one. Initially, he did not care about it; after all, he was extremely confident in his Mysterious Yellow Formless. Something that helped him in triggering the part of his brain to solve things by itself. For others to be unable to compare to him, it was quite reasonable.
However, at this moment, he finally understood that he was indeed too arrogant. Wu Mao’s unnecessary Array Flags, they were not arranged without any reason at all. It was something that he could trigger at any time, forming a Forbidden Space Array Formation in the shortest possible time.
As those thoughts linked with each other, Ning Cheng knew that this fellow had already discovered him and Tan Yun. It was just that Wu Mao and the others had not begun yet. Once he snatched up the Spiritual Vein from them, he could then focus on killing him and Tan Yun in one fell swoop.
There were many kinds of Forbidden Space Array Formations, with Wu Mao’s Array Formation expertise; he would definitely be able to lock in Tan Yun from running away using talismans.
“Senior Apprentice Sister Tan. Do you believe in me?” Ning Cheng did not explain these things and directly asked.
Tan Yun spoke out without any hesitation, “Sect Master Ning, if I didn’t believe in you, then I wouldn’t have chosen to cooperate with you. It would be better to not ask such words again.”
“Good, then I will have to ask Senior Apprentice Sister Tan to leave this place immediately as quietly as possible; at the same time, rush out of the Shattered Canopy Mountains at your maximum speed. Three months later, we will meet at the Heavenly Dao Public Square. If I managed to obtain the Spiritual Vein by then, I would ensure that one-third of it reaches Senior Apprentice Sister Tan.” Ning Cheng spoke out bluntly.
Tan Yun also did not speak any nonsense before replying, “Okay, let’s go with that.”
Tan Yun did not even ask about the reason and agreed directly to whatever he said.
Ning Cheng also felt very satisfied with Tan Yun’s attitude. He took out a jade bottle and handed it to Tan Yun before speaking, “This is a small gift for Senior Apprentice Sister Tan in light of our cooperation. Senior Apprentice Sister Tan’s cultivation progress has been too quick, causing your foundation to become shaky. You would require the assistance of this thing to resolve it.”
“Spiritual Enhancement True Nectar!” Tan Yun’s Spiritual Consciousness immediately swept inside before she spoke out in a surprised voice. She initially intended to buy it from Ning Cheng, especially since her foundation was indeed unstable. She never expected that Ning Cheng would actually present it to her.
Tan Yun was not one who was fond of idle talk. Taking the Spiritual Enhancement True Nectar and partaking with a word of caution, she immediately began tracing her steps back the way she came in following Ning Cheng.
After Tan Yun left, Ning Cheng did not immediately start. He still kept observing the Array Flags left behind by Wu Mai. If he ended up surrounded by four Crucible Transformation Cultivators, although he might not die he would still lose a layer of skin.
After a while, Ning Cheng gave out a sigh. He discovered that he indeed hadn’t been careful enough before. This Array Formation did not just contain a Forbidden Space Array Formation; once activated, it would also link up with a chain of concealed Annihilation Array Formations.
If he lost himself to carelessness, knowing that the other person already discovered his traces, combined with his heart not being calm enough, he would have never observed these minute details.
Once he went in to actually seek out the Spiritual Vein, Wu Dao would surely ‘find’ him, before the four of them besieged him. In that case, the Spiritual Seeking Array Formation laid out by Wu Dao, would also end up completely destroyed, causing the location of the Spiritual Vein to also disappear.
Such good insurance.
No, that’s not right. Ning Cheng once again found a few problems with this thought. Wu Mao discovering him definitely was a fact. However, when it came to Wu Mao requiring him dead, why must he take off his pants to fart? Couldn’t he just arrange a Destruction Array Formation?
Ning Cheng definitely was an intelligent person even before he started cultivating, not to mention with his present cultivation when he had already fused with the Mysterious Yellow Origin. In just a short time, Ning Cheng thought through what was going on.
The Spiritual Scent that he discovered a moment ago most likely was false, something that Wu Mao deliberately made him feel. However, the real scent of the Spiritual Veins, Wu Mao had already long since discovered it; however, Ning Cheng could not find it. As if everything was in wait for Wu Mao to begin. Once Wu Mao completed his arrangements, the Spiritual Seeking Array Formation that he set up would also disappear.
Although the Spiritual Seeking Array Formation set up by Wu Mao would disappear, but Wu Mao would already know the actual position of the Spiritual Vein. After ‘taking care’ of him, combined with the ‘destruction’ of the Spiritual Seeing Array Formation, Wu Mao could then use the excuse of being ‘too tired’ to ‘return at a later date.’
The next time, he would definitely be the only person to come over. Wu Mao wanted to have sole possession of the Spiritual Vein, as for the others, they were just cannon fodders to be used when needed. Using the excuse of Tan Yun and him destroying his Spiritual Seeking Array, and then using the ‘rightful’ reason of going back to replenish his reserves, Sang Jiezhu and the others would also not be able to blame him.
Evidently, this Wu Mao had long since discovered Tan Yun and his traces. This person indeed was a crafty son-of-a-bitch, worthy of being the premier Grand Master of the Tian Continent. Not only was he crafty, but his machinations were also genuinely uncommon. Even if he just possessed an intelligent head, and not an Array Formation Grand Master himself, Ning Cheng knew that he would have undoubtedly fallen to his person’s machinations.
Ning Cheng did not move from his initial position. However, his Spiritual Consciousness, which carefully tracked Wu Mao and the others, focussed on carefully searching the path behind him that he followed. He affirmed that the place that he walked through until now undoubtedly contained signs of the real scent of the Spiritual Vein.
At this time, Ning Cheng did not dare to keep following Wu Mao. Among the four people walking in front of him, only Wu Mao knew that someone was tracking them. If he remained motionless, then Wu Mao would also not be able to continue making up excuses to move forward. However, if Ning Cheng continued to walk forward, Wu Mao would eventually take the opportunity to say that someone was trying to follow them before immediately initiating the destruction of his Spiritual Seeking Array Formation in secret.
Because Ning Cheng’s Spiritual Consciousness was carefully sweeping over the path behind him, Ning Cheng’s understanding slowly started to solidify. After just a half an incense stick worth of time, Ning Cheng found a different location where the Array Flags were in a slightly offset position.
During the arrangement of Array Formations, it would not affect the overall situation if he placed a handful of Array Flags in a slightly offset position, which was because, once he laid out the Spiritual Seeking Array, one would still be able to deduce the general location. However, for an Array Formation arranged by someone on the level of Wu Mao, how could he arrange the Array Flags in this manner?
On reaching this location, Ning Cheng immediately set down his resolve. If this location did not turn out to be the real one, then he can only grumble to himself of being inferior to that wily old fox, Wu Mao. It would also mean that this Spiritual Vein was not fated for him.
As Ning Cheng retreated all the way to that location, he continued dropping several Array Flags. When he arrived at the site of this deviant Array Flag, he did not hesitate to place even more of his Array Flags around it.
At this moment, just as Ning Cheng dropped down the last Spiritual Guiding Array Flag, Ning Cheng immediately felt a vague Spiritual Scent. Ning Cheng’s heart immediately filled up with ecstasy. He really had not guessed it wrong; it really was in this location.
Looks like Wu Mao still looked down on him. If he had not looked down on him, then this person would have definitely placed a few more Spiritual Guiding Array Flags to create more confusion. Making it even more difficult for the others to locate it.
If one wanted to turn someone into cannon fodder, one first had to think like cannon fodder. Ning Cheng affirmed that as long as he took this Spiritual Vein away, then Wu Mao would not be able to escape the role of cannon fodder. The other three were also not complete fools and would be able to guess with a 100% accuracy as to why such a thing happened.
Ning Cheng did not think of anything else. Putting away his Spiritual Guiding Array Flags, he used the Earth Escape Technique to immediately disappear from that location……
“Not good, we were being tracked.” Wu Mao, on feeling that Ning Cheng escaped into the ground, immediately grew anxious. It was just as Ning Cheng thought, as long as Ning Cheng followed the fake Spiritual Scent that he planted, he would have been able to immediately expose Ning Cheng. Then pitting the others against each other, he could then make them kill Ning Cheng before destroying all his previous traces, using a ‘just and upright’ tactic.
However, to his astonishment, the person who followed them actually managed to find the actual location of the Spiritual Vein. How could he tolerate such a thing? He worked hard by himself, only to end up treated as bridal robes gifted to others.
“What?” Wu Mao’s words immediately shocked the other three. The only reason why Wu Mao was willing to cooperate with them was due to the trio expending significant efforts to find the general direction of the Spiritual Vein. If someone tracked them, then wouldn’t it be equivalent to them using bamboo baskets to fetch water?
However, the three of them did not think much, immediately following Wu Mao’s lead to rush towards the location from where Ning Cheng disappeared. At the same time, the three of them also vanished underground, along with Wu Mao, using their own Earth Escape Techniques.
As for Ning Cheng, he sank deeper and deeper using his own Earth Escape Technique; at the same time, the scent of the Spiritual Vein also grew clearer. Ning Cheng also felt extreme anxiety in his heart, as he could feet that Wu Mao and the others were quickly catching up to him.
Author Note:
(Third update delivered, good night friends!)
Regarding the plot direction, requesting monthly ticket support if convenient.
This one, along with today, is the 12th day of three chapters; this number is genuinely minimal for us. Old Five is here to ask forgiveness from the patrons of the Good Fortune series. This volume of Yi Xing Mainland will be ending soon; as such, there will not be many updates. After leaving the Yi Xing Mainland, the real world will unfold.
The plot after entering the Heaven’s Way is also the most crucial part of this book. After the unfolding, the number of updates will also increase. For me, this is a brand new world, just as I wrote the 33 Days in the Immortal World; however, this is very different from the 33 Days.
Because of the relatively short period between the two updates, Old Five does not feel right to ask for monthly tickets. However today, after this third update, I will have to request for a monthly pass if convenient, to create some momentum for The Gate of Good Fortune to enter into the Heaven’s Way Arc.
Let this Old Five be the first to thank everyone with cupped fists……