Recognizing One's Strength

Xu Qinghou saw the ten-foot-wide black iron ring radiating a heavy, dark light, its power astonishing.

He hurriedly called out, "Zhou Ning, watch out!"

As a retainer who devoted himself to catching fish, he used all his skills against Fuluo Eels. Even though he was at the Fourth Layer of Qi Refinement, he was almost incapable of fighting other people. He had no way to help, even if he wanted to!

Zhou Ning was already in the air when he flung out a Water-Drawing Talisman. Its light flashed, and the water vapor by the lake condensed into a column as thick as a water vat, which slammed toward the black iron ring.

With a muffled boom, water splashed in every direction, knocking the black iron ring flying backward.

Steward Su was startled. This boy actually knows a little about fighting?

He continued controlling the black iron ring, swinging it back around and sending it whistling down over Zhou Ning's head again.

But then an earth-yellow talisman lit up in Zhou Ning's hand.

"Not good!" Alarmed, Steward Su kicked off hard and leaped into the air.

The next moment, the ground beneath him heaved upward, and several sharp stone spikes burst from the earth, keen as iron.

"You treacherous villain!"

A chill ran down Steward Su's back. He hurriedly crushed a Golden Light Talisman.

In an instant, a golden light shield enveloped him, protecting him on all sides.

He looked at Zhou Ning again, shock and anger on his face!

This boy was only at the Fifth Layer of Qi Refining, yet with two talismans, he had nearly made him, a cultivator at the perfection of the Seventh Layer of Qi Refining, fall into his trap?

Zhou Ning looked at the disheveled Steward Su, also somewhat taken aback, and wondered to himself:

Is this Steward Su really at Late Qi Refining? Why does he seem so weak?

He had only used two of the worst first-tier mid-grade talismans just now, yet that had been enough to leave Steward Su scrambling to defend himself. If he had followed up with another, he might have killed him outright.

He must have let his guard down, right? Zhou Ning guessed.

Spiritual light flickered in his eyes as he stared at Steward Su's golden light shield. He felt it was... inferior to the Thick Earth Shield.

By the time their exchange was over, the flying boat over the lake was less than a hundred yards away.

The black veil fell from the face of the girl at the front, revealing delicate features, with a few stray locks brushing her cheeks-a face one would never forget after a single glance.

The retainers on Cuiwei Lake were all masters of the Spirit Eye Technique. At that moment, dozens of pairs of eyes shone as they clearly saw the woman's face.

Yuan Dahu bellowed, "She's Guo Changying of the Guo Household! Run!"

With that, he slapped on a Light Body Talisman, skimmed close to the ground to the lakeside, and plunged in headfirst.

At the sight, Steward Su's eyes nearly split with fury. Zhou Ning had ruined everything and brought all his previous efforts to nothing!

But things had already come to this. He could no longer attack, or if he delayed any longer, even he would meet a bitter end on the spot!

Steward Su stepped onto his Law Artifact and flew back toward the residence. He took out a small flag and waved it, activating the formation.

Guo Changying stood on the flying boat, her eyes utterly indifferent.

Her Guo Household had been slaughtered by the Duan Household and the Su Household, and its direct descendants had suffered heavy casualties. If the Lei Household had not lent a hand, it would likely have been wiped out.

"Leave none alive!" Her voice rang clear, carrying a gallant air of its own.

She held a dark blue spear engraved with wave patterns. Turning at the waist, she swept its tip upward, and the lake water surged together.

Then she swept it sharply sideways. With the roar of the tide, a massive wave, its edge thin as a blade, crashed forward.

Seeing its force, Zhou Ning scooped up the fleeing Jia Tingwan and quickly flew away.

But the panicking retainers were not so fortunate.

The wave swept toward them from a distance, bearing crushing water pressure. Before the cultivators could even beg for mercy, it swept across them.

In an instant, they were churned into a mess, leaving shattered bones and bloody water all over the ground.

Even in Zhou Ning's grasp, Jia Tingwan did not forget to look back. One glimpse made her vision go black with fright.

She was about to meet her great-grandmother.

"Don't run!" Guo Changying shouted, steering the flying boat as if to give chase.

Just then, a streak of red light flew out of Steward Su's residence.

Guo Changying knew it was a signal talisman. She had no choice but to turn her spear around, sending a beam of water from its tip to strike the ascending red light with precision.

The red light immediately broke apart, scattering into tiny fragments of light.

Zhou Ning stood on his bamboo-leaf Law Artifact, still holding the young Jia Tingwan in one hand. Even after increasing the flow of spiritual power, he was still considerably slower.

Several Guo Household cultivators in black boats chased after him, drawing their Law Artifacts with vicious looks on their faces. "Die!"

They were about to kill him on the spot.

Zhou Ning flicked his wrist and flung out a cyan talisman. A violent wind sprang up instantly, and more than a dozen wind blades, each about a foot long, came whistling out in a dense barrage.

The Guo Household cultivators were shocked. It was a First-Tier Superior-Grade Chaotic Wind Blade Dance Talisman!

They hastily brought out small shields, jade pendants, and defensive talismans to block it.

The wind blades struck them head-on, producing a continuous series of sharp clangs.

Their formation was thrown into disarray, and two of the black boats even fell.

Seeing this, Zhou Ning burst out laughing. "A bunch of minor Qi Refining cultivators dare come forward to throw your lives away!"

Xu Qinghou, who was fleeing for his life, heard those words and looked back to see Zhou Ning's invincible bearing. He felt both encouraged and an indescribable tangle of emotions.

Zhou Ning continued flying toward the courtyard, taking out another talisman as he went.

Guo Changying was furious. Carrying the Canglang Spear, she passed the crowd and charged straight at Zhou Ning to kill him.

This woman's magic power is quite abundant. She's at Qi Refinement Perfection. I wonder if I'm a match for her, Zhou Ning thought.

However, he had no intention of fighting her head-on. As a cultivator at the Fifth Layer of Qi Refining, being too conspicuous would only draw the Su Household's suspicion.

Guo Changying seemed to use a Method Formula. Her flying boat suddenly accelerated, closing the distance by dozens of feet in an instant.

She thrust the Canglang Spear forward, and specks of blue light flared brightly.

Zhou Ning was just about to use a method of his own when the branches of a willow beside him suddenly lashed out and grew wildly, turning into seven or eight black vines that coiled toward Guo Changying like pythons.

Guo Changying had no choice but to abandon her attack. Her spear tip spun, and a massive surge of water burst forth, shredding them all and scattering wood chips everywhere.

But her attack had been interrupted, costing her time.

Old Jia stood atop the wall, his face full of distress. "Quick, get inside the formation! Quick, get inside the formation!"

His heart was bleeding. That First-Tier Superior-Grade talisman just now had been worth a full three hundred jin of spirit rice!

Gone in a single use!

Zhou Ning brought Jia Tingwan down into the courtyard. He waved the formation flag and said, "Swiftly, in accordance with the decree!"

Light appeared on all four sides, covering the entire courtyard.

A white chain shot through the air to entangle Guo Changying, but she swept her spear tip across it and shattered it.

She withdrew some distance and stared at the courtyard, impregnable as a fortress, fire in her eyes. "You shameless rat, come out and face your death!"

Zhou Ning called back, "You're at Qi Refining Ninth Layer Great Perfection, attacking me at the Fifth Layer of Qi Refining. You're the rat!"

Inside the formation, Old Jia saw that his granddaughter was safe and sound. No longer panicking, he added:

"This woman is a genius of the Guo Household. She's exceptionally skilled in combat and has few rivals in the Qi Refining Realm."

"In particular, that Canglang Spear is a top-grade Law Artifact. Its tip was made from the horn of a second-tier Cang Water Flood Dragon. Paired with her superior-grade water Spirit Root, she and her spear are truly one."

Zhou Ning looked at Guo Changying, who could only glare helplessly from outside, and asked, "Old Jia, who do you think is better, her or me?"

Old Jia was taken aback. Although Zhou Ning was an alchemist, cultivation realm ultimately reigned supreme in the cultivation world, and Guo Changying's future breakthrough to Foundation Establishment was a nail already driven into the board.

Even so, he praised Zhou Ning against his conscience. "Hmph! Guo Changying is a mere commoner. How could she compare with you? Of all the heroes under heaven, you alone are worthy, Alchemist Zhou!"

Zhou Ning clapped his hands and laughed.

When Guo Changying heard that, her eyes nearly spat fire, and the front of her apricot-colored robe rose and fell.

She had an exceptionally beautiful oval face, but her sharply shaped brows gave her a valiant air and a decisive look.

Filled with hatred, she abruptly revealed a pure black talisman.

She was going to drag this shameless villain out and kill him!

Old Jia was horrified. "Not good, it's a Restriction-Breaking Talisman!"