Breaking the Formation and Killing

Laiqiu Herb Garden is built against the hillside.

The herb garden has a mild climate, is unaffected by frost, and is nourished by a second-tier Spirit Vein. It is an important source of Spirit Stone income for the Su Household, even more important than the Rice Shoal. A Foundation Establishment cultivator is also stationed here.

Zhou Ning stood on Flowing Plainness Boat, gazing at the garden bathed in sunlight in the distance.

According to the loyal Su Changhe, the person guarding this place is named Su Baoqing, Foundation Establishment cultivator, belonging to Su Wen's lineage.

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"This person is different from ordinary Su Household. No matter how much the Su Household members scheme in their hearts, they are mostly the type who smile while hiding a knife, like Su Junsong. But Su Baoqing is notoriously unruly, and his style of doing things is more like that of a spoiled brat."

"Su Lixia mentioned at the meeting how she would deal with me, and Su Baoqing joined in the commotion, saying he would transfer me to the herb garden and deliberately lose a few herbs to cripple me."

The wickedness of their intentions made Zhou Ning feel fortunate; otherwise, he would have had to resort to the Straw Puppet and use Secret Method to resist.

Fortunately, Su Junsong claimed that Su Baoqing represented the Su Household and that Zhou Ning could not die at his hands.

Finally, Zhou Ning was sent to Little Willow Marsh to use the Chen Household's knife to kill someone.

"Kill me? You dare to challenge me?" Zhou Ning's eyes flashed with sternness. He put away the Tassel Boat and flew away into the air.

The sunlight is lovely today.

Su Baoqing looked to be in his early twenties, with a slight smile that gave him an air of great joy.

However, the Puppet Master Lin Qing stood behind him, his face tense and his mind on high alert, afraid of angering this young master.

Laijin Medicinal Garden was located on the front line, and two Foundation Establishment Lineage took the opportunity to attack it several times.

However, those two Lineage were very weak, with only one or two Foundation Establishment cultivators each, belonging to the lowest level of Foundation Establishment Aristocratic Clan.

Su Baoqing was quite strong and easily repelled them with the help of the formation.

Because of the need to strengthen defenses, Lin Qing, who specializes in Puppet Technique, was transferred to the medicine garden.

This is the front line! Lin Qing was extremely dissatisfied. Why should Alchemist be able to peacefully refine pills in the rear, while Puppet Master have to come to the front line?

His pride was shattered.

At that time, Lin Qing vowed to marry a female Alchemist, become her dao companion, and master the art of alchemy.

Su Baoqing stood in front of the stone railing, gazing at the fields below, where rows of independent medicinal herb gardens were nestled, with streams flowing through them.

From a great distance, he could see the swirling spiritual mist and the woman tending to Spirit Plant within it.

Young Master Baoqing disliked men, so he created an all-female herb garden, which was pleasing to the eye. Sometimes, when he was in the mood, he would deliberately throw out fragments of Spirit Stone to watch them fight and struggle.

Su Baoqing suddenly asked, "Little Linzi, I heard that Young Master Junsong once asked you if you wanted to marry my sister. Why did you refuse?"

His sister was Su Wen, whom he loathed; she was too ugly and narcissistic.

Lin Qing's posture had changed; he was now slightly hunched over, and his dejection was even more pronounced. "Young Master Baoqing, I was thinking of considering it for a few days, but Miss Su Wen rejected me."

Su Baoqing scoffed, then suddenly turned around and glared at him, demanding, "Why did you say you needed to consider it? If you had agreed immediately, Wenwen might have agreed!"

Lin Qing was dissatisfied, but dared not show it on her face.

Previously, there was a guest retainer who angered Su Baoqing and was driven out to fight when Su Baoqing's enemies invaded. As a result, he was killed by Foundation Establishment from the Ge Household with a single hammer blow.

He bowed even lower. "My abilities are meager; I fear I may hinder Miss's path to immortality!"

Su Baoqing smiled knowingly, "Oh, since that's the case, why not seize the day? Take a look at the following list of spirit farmers and choose one to be your wife!"

Lin Qing was embarrassed, but dared not resist, for this young master Baoqing was notoriously unpredictable.

He felt resentful. Years ago, when he passed by Little Willow Marsh, he felt that Zhou Ning had been exiled and become a marginal figure in the Su Household.

Compared to now, he might as well go to Little Willow Marsh, or simply follow the example of Yuan Dahu and his retainers and run away!

Then Su Baoqing said, "I heard you've been collecting the main ingredients for Foundation Establishment Pill lately, and you're even thinking of hiring someone to refine Foundation Establishment Pill? You little rascal, you're quite ambitious, aren't you?"

Lin Qing forced a smile and said, "I wish to advance further and follow Young Master Baoqing to serve the Su Household."

"You, a Puppet Master's guest, are thinking of reaching the Foundation Establishment? That's quite interesting." Su Baoqing stopped looking at him and gazed into the distance, where he saw a small, dark dot appear in the sky.

Lin Qing did not answer.

Su Baoqing's voice drifted out. "Give up sooner rather than later. Foundation Establishment is not something you can dream of. Hehe, maybe marrying my sister gives you a sliver of hope, and you can become a divine couple like Aunt Lixia and Nie Yi."

At this point, Su Baoqing realized that the black dot was getting closer and closer to the Laiqiu Herb Garden. A smile played on his lips as he said with increasing amusement, "Interesting, very interesting!"

"Let the troops rise to battle!"

A dozen or so breaths later, Zhou Ning stepped through the void and appeared outside the medicine garden.

He looked down at the herb garden shrouded in a pale white array, and his clear voice rang out. "I am Zhou Ning! Where is Su Baoqing? Come out and apologize!"

The cultivators in the herb garden below all looked up and saw the person in the sky wielding Law Power, with flowing black hair and an imposing aura.

Lin Qing abandoned all pretense of acting and blurted out without thinking, "Zhou Ning? You've Foundation Establishment?"

His expression was uncertain. The last time they met, Zhou Ning was only at the Seventh Layer of Qi Refining, while he was already at the Qi Refining Ninth Layer Great Perfection.

It's only been five or six years, right?

Why did this person cultivate so quickly?

Even if Lin Qing sacrificed three of his deceased wives, it still couldn't compare!

A moment of surprise flashed across Su Baoqing's face, and then, memories he had forgotten began to resurface.

Oh, could this be the Qi Refining Alchemist from the herb garden that he tried to summon at the clan gathering back then?

Su Baoqing asked with slight surprise, "How did you Foundation Establishment?"

Zhou Ning laughed and said, "Of course, it's because of the careful nurturing of your Su Household!"

Hearing his sarcastic words, Su Baoqing smirked, "Oh, as expected of someone who has reached Foundation Establishment, your brain has gotten better!"

Can a Rogue Cultivator has achieved Foundation Establishment through a stroke of great fortune compare to a disciple of the Aristocratic Clan like him?

Zhou Ning stood with his hands behind his back, his robes fluttering in the wind, his face expressionless. "In three breaths, open the formation, offer up all the spiritual herbs, and I might consider sparing your life."

Su Baoqing laughed as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world. He pointed to the sky and said, "You're just a dog of the Su Household. I could have crushed you with one foot back then. What? You've changed your mind now and want to eat meat?"

"You bastard, you only deserve to crawl outside and eat our leftovers!"

"Little Linzi, do you think he's a dog?" Su Baoqing asked with a comical smile.

Lin Qing gave an awkward smile, not daring to answer.

Both of them are Foundation Establishment cultivators, and judging from the situation, Zhou Ning has also fallen out with the Su Household.

Zhou Ning may not be able to do anything to the Su Household, but if he dares to take sides, can Zhou Ning still not do anything to him?

Seeing this man's arrogance, Zhou Ning showed no emotion. "Then die."

Zhou Ning tossed a cone-shaped Law Artifact into the air, which was the "Gang-Splitting Thunderfire Awl" he had snatched from Yang Gu, the one that Zhuoran hated to the core.

The cone was covered with hard, fine edges and corners. As soon as Zhou Ning's Immortal Foundation Law Power was poured in, the cone instantly expanded, and golden flames leaped about.

It is far more powerful than it was in Yang Gu's hands.

This item is originally Foundation Establishment Law Artifact; Qi Refining cultivators cannot unleash its true power.

Now that Zhou Ning has reached the Foundation Establishment, there's not much to worry about him using it in this world. After all, he has a certain status now, and there are countless strange and wonderful magical Law Artifact in the cultivation world.

"Watch me break through your turtle shell!"

Zhou Ning struck down, and the Thunderfire Awl spun wildly in the air, its flames suddenly intensifying, causing sparks to fly from the surrounding air, accompanied by a deafening shriek.

"Go!"

The Gang-Splitting Thunderfire Awl descended from the sky, striking the array's light barrier with a deafening explosion. The light-colored barrier was instantly breached, like a delicate girl encountering a burly man.

The next second, the crack expanded to cover the entire light shield.

Zhou Ning took a step forward, unleashing his Law Power. With a loud "boom," the formation shattered, and countless fragments of spiritual light scattered across the sky.

Su Baoqing was still planning to stay in the formation and mock them when he suddenly saw the blinding light, and his pupils shrank.

To ensure the supply of Spiritual Qi to the medicinal herbs, the Laiqiu Herb Garden only set up a second-tier low-grade array. However, it is still a second-tier array, and even Foundation Establishment Middle Stage cultivator would need to fight it for a while.

Su Baoqing had originally planned to wait for Zhou Ning to exhaust his magical Law Power before attacking and killing him, but this scene completely exceeded his expectations.

This person's Law Artifact is incredibly powerful; you can't take it head-on!

Upon realizing this, the playful expression on Su Baoqing's face vanished.

His expression darkened, and taking advantage of the moment when Zhou Ning broke the formation, he unleashed a broad-backed black blade, its edge shrouded in gray malevolent energy, and stabbed towards Zhou Ning with incredible speed.

He obtained this knife by chance, and it is extremely effective at breaking through defenses.

At the same time, Su Baoqing threw out a silver canopy that flew overhead to prevent Zhou Ning from attacking with the Thunderfire Awl.

Zhou Ning stared at the approaching black blade, then conjured a phantom of his golden eye, tossed it into the air, and shone it twice on the blade.

Su Baoqing immediately discovered that a dark flame was burning towards him from the direction his Divine Sense extended, and his Divine Sense was instantly blocked. He was suddenly unable to control the black blade!

What kind of method is this?!

Faced with the magical Law Artifact that could not be changed direction, Zhou Ning smiled lightly, tapped his feet, and shifted his body to the side, easily dodging it.

The "Fiery Eyes and Golden Pupils in the Sky" flew forward. Zhou Ning, too lazy to use the Fallen Red Sword, conjured a quenched crescent moon with his bare hand and pressed it forward. "Die!"

The fiery blade shot out, tearing through the air.

Su Baoqing was furious. This man was more arrogant than he had ever seen in his life. As a fellow Foundation Establishment cultivator, how dare he look down on him like this?

"My canopy is --"

He was controlling the canopy, about to cast a protective shield of spiritual light over himself, but at that very moment, he was struck by the Fiery Eye and lost control of the Law Artifact again!

"Damn it, move already!"

Su Baoqing stared in horror at the fiery blade hurtling toward him, but the canopy wouldn't obey his commands at all.

He reached for his Storage Bag, intending to take out a talisman, but the next moment, a fiery blade slashed through his chest, tearing open his armor.

Su Baoqing had a large gash in his chest, his liver was shattered, and his chest cavity was empty.

"You're the worst Foundation Establishment cultivator I've ever seen!" A sarcastic remark rang in his ears; it was none other than Zhou Ning's disdain.

Su Baoqing leaned back, filled with resentment. He still had cards to play; he hadn't even used his full scheme yet.

Then he heard a familiar voice and Lin Qing, "You beast, how dare you insult me!"

The puppet, clad in iron armor, wielded a fist the size of a clay pot and smashed it down, shattering his skull.

"It's Lin Qing, you Qi Refining cultivator—" Su Baoqing, filled with hatred, vanished into thin air.

Su Baoqing, die!

Lin Qing removed the Storage Bag from Su Baoqing's waist, raised his hands high, knelt on one knee, and respectfully exclaimed, "Senior Zhou is incredibly brave and possesses boundless Law Power; I admire you immensely!"