Killing Formation
Upon receiving Chen Ning's affirmative answer.
The Thief God's expression immediately grew more solemn, and he bowed deeply with cupped hands.
"I did not know who you were before, sir. This old man has offended you."
The Thief God had come upon this fortuitous encounter in his youth and learned the Heaven-Stealing Ghost Hand, so he naturally knew the legends of the divine ability's founding ancestor.
That ancestor was an unfathomable figure from a thousand years ago. Rumor had it that he had seen through the Great Dao, retired to the mountains and forests, and died of old age deep in the mountains.
Others said he had stolen ten thousand years and gained eternal life.
But the Thief God knew one thing: only someone taught personally by the founding ancestor could break through the final shackle of this divine ability.
He had cultivated for many years without breaking through to the great perfection stage of the Heaven-Stealing Ghost Hand.
That was precisely why.
The copy of the Heaven-Stealing Ghost Hand he had obtained was still missing a portion.
He had thought he would never be able to make up for that regret in this lifetime, but unexpectedly, he was fortunate enough to witness the divine ability performed at such a level today.
Truly, this life had not been lived in vain!
"Senior Thief God, there's no need to stand on ceremony. What difficulties are you facing? I might be able to help."
As Chen Ning asked this question.
A system notification rang in his ears.
"Ding! Congratulations, Host, on completing the second-stage mission of [I Have an Agreement with the Thief God]."
"Ding! Final-stage mission unlocked."
"Mission requirement: seeing a rescue through to the end is the consistent style of an unrivaled good sect leader. Host, please resolve the Thief God's troubles, saving not only his body but also his soul."
Chen Ning scratched his head in puzzlement.
The system was getting philosophical now.
But faced with Chen Ning's question, the Thief God shook his head slightly and said, "Thank you for your concern, young friend, but no one can help this old man with his affairs?"
After a sigh, the Thief God spoke again. "Your founding ancestor showed me kindness. I would never repay kindness with enmity. I will see you out at once."
"Wait."
Chen Ning raised a hand slightly and said, "Then, can Su Ling'er not help you either?"
The moment the words left his mouth, Chen Ning felt the entire space grow cold.
The Thief God's expression changed noticeably. "You know Ling'er?"
He lowered his voice and leaned closer to ask.
"Of course. Otherwise, why would I have come here looking for you?"
Chen Ning had no choice but to say that. If he tried to explain the mission, he would have to make something up on the spot, and it would be easy to give himself away.
Thankfully, he had that connection through the little loli.
"Second granduncle, didn't you say that girl was dead?"
Behind the two of them, the Marquis of Zhenbei stepped out of the shadows, an amused smile on his face. "Could it be that you lied to me? She's actually still alive, isn't she?"
"This old man has severed ties with that girl. I will never be held back by her."
The Thief God turned around and spoke with a stern expression.
"Naturally, I believe you, second granduncle. But if you don't take down the man before us, my mind won't be at ease, and I won't sleep soundly."
The Marquis of Zhenbei fixed his cold gaze on Chen Ning.
"Tianhao, this young man and I are old acquaintances. I beg you to spare him."
The Thief God stood between them, his words leaving no room for negotiation.
"Second granduncle, it's been half a year, and you still haven't given me an explanation. You've also hidden a great deal from me. I can overlook all of that, and I can leave that girl alone too. But now, are you going to disappoint me when all I ask is that you deal with an outsider?"
The Marquis of Zhenbei's voice was calm, but it concealed killing intent.
His cultivation had now recovered, and he was no longer restricted by the talisman.
With the Thief God there as well, and this being deep in the dungeon, he also felt that Chen Ning seemed to know too many secrets he shouldn't have known.
As for a clever person like that, if he couldn't be used, then the only choice was to get rid of him...
"Second granduncle, are you still not going to act?"
The Marquis of Zhenbei's voice was cold and harsh.
But the Thief God remained unmoved. He looked at Chen Ning and said, "Young friend, leave quickly. I'll hold him off."
Chen Ning, however, shook his head.
The mission required him not only to rescue the Thief God but also to resolve the matter at hand.
Judging by how he addressed him, the Marquis of Zhenbei called the Thief God his granduncle.
Did that mean the Thief God was his grandfather's younger brother?
Those two were actually family?
Meanwhile, the Thief God and the Marquis of Zhenbei had already begun to fight.
All at once, an immensely powerful current of flame swirled around the Marquis of Zhenbei as he rushed over. Flames surged forth and intertwined with the Thief God's body. After several exchanges, both sides had expended some of their origin power.
Seeing that Chen Ning still hadn't left, the Thief God couldn't help growing anxious.
Since Chen Ning knew Su Ling'er, he had all the more reason not to let his precious granddaughter's friend die here.
"Young friend, leave quickly!"
"He can't leave!"
The Marquis of Zhenbei's presence erupted, and a streak of flame shot toward Chen Ning.
In an instant, the flames blazed brightly, lighting up the dark dungeon.
But that attack was actually a signal.
A large number of soldiers in the dungeon immediately answered it.
They converged on the space from all directions.
Seeing this, the Thief God grew even more anxious.
He hadn't expected the Marquis of Zhenbei to use the killing formation against Chen Ning.
The dungeon's killing formation was a measure the Marquis of Zhenbei had prepared long ago.
Hundreds, even thousands of soldiers formed the array and activated it with a special secret art. Even an expert as strong as one at the Spirit Martial Realm Peak couldn't withstand it.
In the better case, one would be trapped until death.
In a more serious case, one might be slain in an instant.
As he saw it, Chen Ning's cultivation was only at the Third Heaven of the Spirit Martial Realm; there was no way he could withstand this killing formation.
Before long, several hundred soldiers had gathered around them.
All wore treasured armor and stood ready for battle.
One look was enough to tell they were a well-trained army.
"Kill him."
At the Marquis of Zhenbei's command, the army immediately moved and began to form its array.
A battle formation brimming with killing intent gradually took shape with Chen Ning at its center.
"Hah!!"
"Hah!!"
The soldiers roared in unison, their imposing cries making the earth tremble and the mountains shake.
Once arrayed, the hundreds of soldiers moved in harmony, as though they were a single person.
Every shift in formation, every movement flowed together seamlessly, like a killing machine poised to strike.
Watching the scene, Chen Ning felt a rare surge of excitement.
In this world, there were countless paths of cultivation, and fighting methods emerged one after another without end. Seeing such an interesting battle formation today felt especially novel.
But to the Thief God, the same scene was like a hellish purgatory, and the young friend before him was about to be caught in a situation of certain death.
He looked at the Marquis of Zhenbei, his eyes as still as an ancient well, and said, "I can help you steal the Great Yan Imperial Dynasty's national fortune, but only if you let him go and swear not to make things difficult for Ling'er."
The Marquis of Zhenbei's eyes lit up at those words, and he smiled. "Second granduncle, if you'd agreed earlier, wouldn't you have been spared all that suffering?"
The Marquis of Zhenbei hurriedly waved for the battle formation to stop, then said, "Second granduncle, though I am the head of the Shi Clan, you are still my elder. Naturally, I must listen to you. As long as you can steal the Great Yan Imperial Dynasty's national fortune, I agree to all your demands."