"Void Trapping Net?"

Lu Qingfeng collided head-on with it, instantly recognizing the artifact. A shrill trembling sound emanated from his beak, sending shivers down one's spine. In the blink of an eye, his body shifted, swelling and then returning to normal in a moment.

"A mere spider's web thinks to trap me?!"

Lu Qingfeng sneered internally, his disdain clear. With a flap of his four wings, emitting streaks of fierce light, he aimed to escape through the gaps in the web.

But,

As Lu Qingfeng reshaped his body, the web contracted in response. No matter how much he struggled, it only wrapped around him tighter and tighter. Lu Qingfeng's strength lay in his defense and explosive power. However, the 'Void Trapping Net' was the epitome of softness, disregarding defense, fearless against explosive force.

To escape, one needed either tremendous destructive power or other extraordinary methods.

Clearly, Lu Qingfeng lacked such capabilities.

The web tightened, binding him firmly, and with a tug, he was dragged straight into the distant War City.

"This—"

"The Void Trapping Net can catch common Fifth-Order opponents by surprise, but Lu Qingfeng is exceptionally strong among the lords, and he should have been able to tear through the web!"

Meng Ba's eyes widened as he observed the mysterious War City easily capturing Lu Qingfeng. His heart was filled with shock and caution in equal measure.

His gaze was fixed on the War City.

As soon as it appeared, it sped towards the distance. After entangling Lu Qingfeng, its speed increased manifold. In a blink, it was about to vanish without a trace.

"Immortal—"

Meng Ba hesitated about whether to chase after the city when Han Ling'er's voice suddenly reached his ears.

He turned to see her on top of Han Ling City, looking at the fleeing War City with a look of surprise, yet she slowly shook her head at Meng Ba.

"Yes."

Meng Ba understood and refrained from pursuing it.

"Who would have thought that this little Daoist holed up in the Mountain and Water Realm for hundreds of years has really worked out quite a few things," Han Ling'er murmured softly with spirit light flickering in her eyes, as she watched the War City disappear into the distance.

Just then,

On another side, the sound of a bell tolling echoed far and wide—

Ding!

Ding!

Ding!

The bell reverberated three times, enveloping all directions and sending ripples through the Void. Even the Controlling Void God King Venerate Statue on Han Ling City was affected, nearly losing control of the Void.

"Hu Feng!"

Han Ling'er's expression changed as she looked toward the sound.

From within the dark Void, where points of starlight twinkled, a Divine Mountain resembling a copper bell emerged. The Divine Mountain vibrated, sending out deafening bell chimes.

The bell sounds faded,

Aiming straight for the fleeing War City.

"Where do you think you're going!"

"Hand over the demon!"

Seeing this, Han Ling'er immediately shouted and thirty-two Xuanwen Shields flew out from Han Ling City. Upon their release into the wind, they grew immensely, forming a Great Array, creating a barrier like a wall between heaven and earth, clashing directly with the three bell chimes.

Boom!

Boom, boom!

After three consecutive blasts, the Shield Formation wavered as if it would collapse but narrowly stabilized. And just like that, the bell chimes dispersed upon impact.

Unable to stop the War City from escaping.

Without further entanglement, the War City was moments away from vanishing.

But at that moment,

In another part of the Void.

"Wah~"

"Wah~"

Harsh, unpleasant cries rang out as a flock of Fire Crows soared into the sky like a long rainbow, transforming into a blaze of fire, hot on the trail of the War City. Indistinctly, one could see that the fiery light was in fact ring-shaped.

"Fire Crow Ring."

"Fire God Palace's Zheng Tu!"

A thought crossed Han Ling'er's mind, and without hesitation, she quickly turned the Shield Formation to face another direction. It arranged itself into a barrier spanning high and low, clashing with the Fire Crow Ring in an instant.

Boom boom boom!

Loud rumbling ensued, the Shield Wall trembled, and sparks flew in all directions. Yet, it remained steadfast and resilient, managing to block the Fire Crow Ring. From there, the War City faced no more barriers, roaring as it flickered out of sight into the dark abyss.

"Hmph!"

A contemptuous grunt came from the Void, as a streak of firelight passed by, with a hand reaching out to grasp the Fire Crow Ring that was sent rebounding back. With a casual wave, the advancing Shield Formation ahead was shattered into pieces. The firelight, wrapping around the Fire Crow Ring, soared past the broken Shield Formation, chasing straight after the War City.

On another side,

A mysterious and unpredictable shadow flickered, moving even faster than the firelight.

"Immortal."

"It's Zheng Tu and Hu Feng," Meng Ba said, approaching Han Ling'er on top of Han Ling City.

"Hm."

Han Ling'er nodded slightly, gesturing with a summoning motion, and the thirty-two shields scattered across the Void immediately flew back to her. She inspected them carefully, seeing that the shields were undamaged, and breathed a sigh of relief, "I'm glad all's well."

"Immortal, this set of Zhenyuan Wheel Shields is of the highest quality defensive War Killing Weapon. Even True Immortals of the Second and Third Realms find it extremely difficult to break through, and even a Fourth Realm True Immortal could only withstand it for a few rounds."

"The Fire God Palace's Zheng Tu indeed possesses remarkable strength. His Fire Crow Ring is as sharp as the Eight Desolate Mysterious Fire Mirror, capable of penetrating the Zhenyuan Wheel Shield, but difficult to destroy it," Meng Ba said beside her, commenting upon seeing the thirty-two shields hovering above Han Ling'er's head.

"That is true."

Han Ling'er's lips curved slightly, quite proud.

This set of shields seemed like a Magic Artifact, but in reality, it was one with the Han Ling City underneath her feet. Like the Sun-shooting Bow and the Controlling Void God King Venerate Statue, it was one of the War Killing Weapons she had acquired from various sources. Powered by the War City, its might was boundless.

Over the years, she equipped Han Ling City with a trinity of War Killing Weapons: one for attack, one for control, and one for defense, making it well-rounded. Amongst them, the 'Zhenyuan Wheel Shield' was the most precious, its Grade two levels higher than the previous two.

It was Han Ling City's strongest line of defense.

As a hidden trump card, I had no choice but to reveal it this time for Lu Qingfeng.

"Hope it doesn't disappoint me."

Han Ling'er thought silently. She stowed away the Zhenyuan Wheel Shield and turned to Meng Ba with a smile, "I have to thank Brother Meng for your help this time."

"It's my duty."

Meng Ba grinned.

His clan was sheltered under the Heavenly Star sect, and the old Ancestor Master Qin Feng had been very kind to him. Last time he failed to eradicate the demon calamity and even received an Immortal Pill from Qin Feng, feeling guilty.

To be of help this time was a joy to him.

However.

"That demon—"

Meng Ba looked into the far Void, his expression somewhat hesitant.

"The one who captured the Lord of Star Absorption is an old acquaintance of mine. Back in the day, he cleansed the Mountain and Water Realm of its calamities by himself. Certainly, since he has captured the demon, he won't let it loose to wreak havoc again."

Han Ling'er, aware of Meng Ba's concerns, spoke with a laugh.

"That's reassuring."

Upon hearing this, Meng Ba's worries eased.

Han Ling'er smiled, remained silent, and looked towards War City and in the direction where Zheng Tu and Daoist Hu Feng were pursuing.

Deep in the Void and too far to see clearly.

She turned her head to look around and saw Divine Mountain still standing, War City hidden in the Void.

"Quite cautious and prudent."

Zhong Mountain still stood; War City hadn't moved.

Clearly, Zheng Tu and Daoist Hu Feng were prepared for a ploy, worried that the flight of War City might be a diversion, unwilling to lift the blockade on the Mountain and Water Realm. Even as Divine Mountain exerted power and War City showed its might, pressing in from all sides towards Han Ling City, aiming to compress Han Ling City's controlled area.

Han Ling'er was unfazed.

After about half an hour.

Flames and a ghostly glow flickered in the distance, returning simultaneously, landing on either side of Han Ling City, revealing their figures.

To the left stood a figure in a flaming red robe, hair flying wild, unbridled and willful.

On the right stood a Daoist in a yellow cap and plain robe, straw sandals, and white socks, with a very distinguished appearance, as if possessing an awe-inspiring aura invulnerable to evil.

"So, it turns out to be Fellow Daoists Zheng and Hu."

"I wonder if the two Fellow Daoists have captured the demon that abducted the Lord of Star Absorption?"

These two were none other than Zheng Tu and Daoist Hu Feng. Han Ling'er, looking at them, asked with concern.

"Miss Han, I acknowledge your actions today," said Zheng Tu.

"In the future, you shall be generously rewarded."

Zheng Tu, with flying hair and a fiery red robe, looked seven parts defiant and three parts bewitching. He glanced over Han Ling'er, turned into a flash of flame, and darted back into War City, vanishing from sight.

"Humph!"

"Empty threats!"

Meng Ba, seeing Zheng Tu making threats, snorted at his retreating figure and said to Han Ling'er, "Miss, pay him no heed. Zheng Tu's strength and reputation are nothing compared to Mr. Yan and Daoist Brother Ting Feng. Should he dare cause trouble, your two senior disciples will surely not spare him."

Meng Ba might seem rough, but he was actually very astute.

His words seemed to comfort Han Ling'er but were actually meant for Daoist Hu Feng outside the city.

Daoist Hu Feng, with a smile on his face, nodded slightly to Meng Ba, then turned to Han Ling'er and said slowly, "Miss, befriending the demon from the Lower Realm is unwise. First, initiating conflict in their favor and then concealing the noise of ascension twice; you've gone too far."

"You misunderstand."

"It's mere coincidence."

Han Ling'er replied with a casual smile.

Indeed, today her actions were meant to help Lu Qingfeng escape, and they were blatantly obvious:

First, she lured the Lord of Star Absorption into battle, using the noise of the fight to mask the indication of Lu Qingfeng's ascension to True Immortal, thereby preventing Daoist Hu Feng and Zheng Tu from detecting it promptly.

Then, using the Controlling Void God King Venerate Statue, she took control of a thousand-mile domain, giving Dutian City room to escape.

Later, in the face of Hu Feng and Zheng Tu's intervention, she pretended to drive away demons, but in reality, she repeatedly hindered them.

Even the direction in which Dutian City fled was based on her detailed reconnaissance of the environmental layout of the Mountain and Water Realm, information she passed on to Lu Qingfeng, from which he selected his escape route.

It can be said that Lu Qingfeng's smooth escape from the lockdown by two top True Immortals with War City was all thanks to Han Ling'er's assistance.

A series of actions.

Any perceptive person could see through them.

But Han Ling'er still refused to admit it. This way, even if conflicts arose in the future, her mentor Qin Feng would have an excuse to protect her without loss of principle.

"A coincidence—"

Daoist Hu Feng responded with a smile, "I have long admired Daoist Brothers Guan Hai and Ting Feng, and I hope to ask for guidance one day."

He smiled politely and left gracefully, returning to Zhong Mountain.

Han Ling'er watched Daoist Hu Feng depart, her brows slightly furrowed.

"Miss."

"Don't worry about Zheng Tu, but Daoist Hu Feng is mysterious with Black Dragon True Monarch as his backer; he could have some tricks up his sleeve. Now that the demon outside the Mountain and Water Realm has been cleansed, it would be wise to return quickly to Sky-reaching Gorge and report back to our Ancestor Master."

Meng Ba furrowed his brows, concern clear in his eyes.

"No rush."

"I still wish to cultivate here for a while."

Having made such great efforts to stay in the Mountain and Water Realm today, Han Ling'er naturally wouldn't leave. As for Daoist Hu Feng, she believed she would remain undisturbed in Han Ling City as long as she was present.

In just over three hundred years, she had upgraded Han Ling City by at least two grades, acquiring three War Killing Weapons. Given time, she was sure to make Han Ling City even more formidable; the longer it dragged on, the less she feared Daoist Hu Feng.

"That's also good."

"It just so happens that I, Old Meng, have gained something from today's battle. I can't delay my cultivation, so I'll have the cheek to ask for a small space in War City to cultivate. Please allow it, Miss."

Meng Ba's face showed a bashfully earnest grin.

"Thank you, Brother Meng."

Hearing his words, Han Ling'er bowed with clasped hands in gratitude.

...