The Blackflame Dragon's Seal

Nong Zidao said hurriedly, “This formation is the legendary Blackflame Dragon Prison Formation. Although the Ji Clan is using only a simplified Human-ranked version, it is absolutely a top-grade Human-ranked formation, not at all inferior to some Earth-ranked ones. Its power cannot be underestimated. If Uncle-Master Xu Li had charged in, he would have been trapped inside. Fortunately, he didn’t…”

“That powerful?” Xu Li was shocked.

A top-grade Human-ranked formation, on par with some Earth-ranked formations? Xu Li understood clearly that the value of this formation alone might rival that of his own Dharma Seal.

“Senior Apprentice-Brother Zidao, what should we do then?”

“Are we just going to watch the Ji Clan stall for time?”

The other Zifu Disciples asked anxiously, while Nong Zidao replied, “If I had never entered it, I wouldn’t dare to say. But I spent a long time inside the Blackflame Dragon Prison Formation, deducing it extensively. I have some insights already… Well, that can wait. First, let me break the Black Mist Illusion Formation.”

Nong Zidao stepped forward, and True Immortal Xu Li immediately followed. Among this group of Zifu Disciples, Nong Zidao was the most useful to him as a formation expert, so Xu Li naturally needed to ensure his safety.

“The Black Mist Illusion Formation is just an ordinary formation,” Nong Zidao said with a smile. “I already had the means to break it when I was inside before. But just as I was about to, I got caught by the Blackflame Dragon Prison Formation instead.”

“Mm.”

Nong Zidao studied the black mist covering the entire Oxhorn Mountain. “If my guess is right, one of the formation flags is about a hundred zhang ahead.” He produced a horsetail whisk, swung it, and the three thousand white threads shot through the air, swiftly wrapping around something.

Swoosh!

In an instant, a formation flag was yanked out. The black mist that had shrouded the entire Oxhorn Mountain dissipated at once, and sunlight bathed the mountain. Coiled around Oxhorn Mountain was a massive black dragon, its body faintly exuding a black aura of netherworld energy. The range of this black aura was merely the scope of the Blackflame Dragon Prison Formation—much smaller than the earlier Black Mist Illusion Formation.

…

On Oxhorn Mountain.

Ji Ning, Ji Jiuhuo, and the others wore grim expressions. The moment they saw Nong Zidao appear, they knew trouble had arrived. The very man who had escaped was back. Nong Zidao had been inside the formation and had experience. Now, with ease, he had broken the Black Mist Illusion Formation from the outside.

“Why has Nong Zidao come?” Ji Jiuhuo’s voice was filled with hatred and unwillingness. “Without Nong Zidao, even if Xu Li the True Immortal is powerful, once he enters the Blackflame Dragon Prison Formation, he would be trapped and unable to find his way out.”

“Nong Zidao!”

“How could this be?” Every Ji Clan member’s heart was filled with grief and urgency.

Ji Ning also seethed inwardly. With Nong Zidao’s arrival, Xu Li had gained a powerful assistant.

…

Nong Zidao and True Immortal Xu Li both stared at the black dragon coiled around Oxhorn Mountain in the distance.

“That massive black dragon is the ‘Blackflame Dragon’ manifested by the Blackflame Dragon Prison Formation,” Nong Zidao said.

“Blackflame Dragon.” True Immortal Xu Li gazed at the enormous black serpent winding around the mountain and nodded slightly.

Nong Zidao continued, “The Blackflame Dragon Prison Formation also has illusionary capabilities. The aura it emits is called ‘netherworld energy,’ and the area it covers is the illusion formation. To break the entire Blackflame Dragon Prison Formation… it’s too difficult. Even I don’t know how long it would take.”

True Immortal Xu Li frowned. “Even you can’t break it?”

“But dealing with just the netherworld energy is much simpler, and I have some methods,” Nong Zidao said with a smile. “Uncle-Master need not worry. The Blackflame Dragon and the netherworld energy are two separate parts. The Blackflame Dragon is for attack, while the netherworld energy is for trapping enemies. Although I can’t break the whole formation, with some time and your assistance, I can make the netherworld energy disappear.”

True Immortal Xu Li’s eyes lit up. “Make the netherworld energy disappear? Without the illusion formation, even if they rely on the Blackflame Dragon to fight us head-on, the Ji Clan will surely die.”

True Immortal Xu Li wasn’t afraid of a few Zifu Disciples in a direct battle. His only concern was the formation.

“The Blackflame Dragon Prison Formation is divided into five sub-formations, and the illusion formation is also split into five parts,” Nong Zidao explained. “Earlier, I was in the Dragon Claw formation. I have fully comprehended the mysteries of the netherworld energy there. With Tongyu’s strength, it was insufficient, but with Uncle-Master’s power, if you use that Earth-ranked Dharma Seal, you can sever the elemental energy veins in the ground and disperse the netherworld energy.”

“Haha, excellent.” True Immortal Xu Li was overjoyed.

Though he was a layman, he knew that formations drew upon the power of heaven and earth…

If a formation master thoroughly understood the formation’s workings, he could disrupt its operation with a few targeted techniques. Nong Zidao couldn’t sever the Blackflame Dragon itself, but he could sever the netherworld energy.

“Uncle-Master,” Nong Zidao said with a smile, “once we break the netherworld energy, the Ji Clan will be forced to fight us head-on. With their weak strength, they will likely try to flee immediately. Our ultimate goal is to obtain the Wanjian Command Token from them. It would be troublesome if they escape. So it’s best to set up a sealing formation around Oxhorn Mountain in advance.”

True Immortal Xu Li nodded. “You are thorough.”

Swoosh!

True Immortal Xu Li turned into a streak of light and laid down a large formation around the foot of Oxhorn Mountain.

“Ooooom…”

A translucent light barrier, like rippling water, appeared, covering the entire Oxhorn Mountain like a giant dome. It sealed not only the sky but also the ground, forming a complete enclosure.

Heaven and earth, completely sealed!

This was a sealing formation… Ji Ning, Ji Jiuhuo, and the others on Oxhorn Mountain watched the sudden appearance of the massive light barrier, utterly isolating them from the outside world. The Ji Clan members’ faces turned ashen.

“A sealing formation,” Ji Jiuhuo said hoarsely. “And personally set up by True Immortal Xu Li himself. To break through it would require strength comparable to his.”

“Mm.” Granny Shadow’s eyes held a resolute determination.

“We can’t get out,” Ji Liuzhen said softly. “With our strength, we cannot break this sealing formation. We can’t even flee… so we fight. Let’s fight this Wanxiang Adept to the death!”

Ji Yichuan nodded as well. “I thought we had survived this calamity, but now a Wanxiang Adept has come. For a Wanxiang Adept to target our Ji Clan… we can take pride in that.”

“Ji Ning, remember this. Once you engage True Immortal Xu Li, if you sense danger, leave immediately,” Ji Jiuhuo said, looking at Ji Ning.

“You are the hope of our Ji Clan. Remember that,” Granny Shadow said, also fixing her gaze on him.

Ji Liuzhen and the old servant A Xing both looked at Ji Ning.

His father, Ji Yichuan, added a final instruction: “Don’t be foolish.”

At that moment…

Ji Ning felt the absolute resolve of his elders. The moment the sealing formation had descended, the Ji Clan had lost all retreat. Except for him, who possessed the Ten-Thousand-Mile Trace-Away Talisman, no one else could escape.

“Mm.” Ji Ning nodded heavily.

“Xu Li!” Ji Ning looked down through the netherworld energy at the distant True Immortal Xu Li and Nong Zidao, his eyes filled with killing intent. “A Wanxiang Adept? Let me see just how powerful a Wanxiang Adept truly is.” At this moment, Ji Ning’s greatest desire was to kill this Wanxiang Adept who posed the biggest threat to the Ji Clan!

Kill! Kill! Kill!

…

At the foot of the mountain.

With the sealing light barrier in place, True Immortal Xu Li, Nong Zidao, and the others were inside it as well.

“There is one more thing I need to remind you of, Uncle-Master,” Nong Zidao said.

“Oh?” True Immortal Xu Li turned to him.

Nong Zidao continued, “The Ji Clan has only a few Zifu Disciples. The rest are not worth mentioning. But there is one person you need to be careful of: the monstrous genius of the Ji Clan, Ji Ning, who is only sixteen years old.”

“Sixteen years old? We need to be careful of him?” True Immortal Xu Li was astonished. The other Zifu Disciples were also deeply shocked.

“Mm.” Nong Zidao’s expression turned solemn. “His strength is terrifying. Earlier, our nineteen Zifu Disciples and two Zifu spirit beasts entered the formation… With a joint formation, we could contend with the Blackflame Dragon. The Ji Clan couldn’t have killed us. But then Ji Ning struck. His power was too great.”

“Many of my senior apprentice-brothers, including Senior Apprentice-Brother Tongyu, died by Ji Ning’s hand,” Nong Zidao said.

“He’s only sixteen and he killed Tongyu?” True Immortal Xu Li’s eyes went wide.

Even the entire Snowdragon Mountain sect had never produced such a prodigy!

The other Zifu Disciples were completely stunned.

Such an absurd genius could exist in a native tribe like the Ji Clan?

“You’ll see for yourself,” Nong Zidao said gravely. “Ji Ning practices both Ki Refining and Fiendgod Body Refining. He is extremely skilled in swordsmanship and has already comprehended the ‘Domain of the Dao.’”

“The Domain of the Dao!” True Immortal Xu Li’s heart clenched.

He, a Wanxiang Adept, had not yet reached the ‘Domain of the Dao’ level in his comprehension of the Dao. The other Zifu Disciples were utterly dumbfounded. The Domain of the Dao? That was too far beyond them. And at sixteen years old? Sixteen and already in the Domain of the Dao? Was this real?

“His Domain of the Dao is a Rainwater Domain,” Nong Zidao said. “Once rain begins to fall, be careful—it means Ji Ning is about to strike.”

“Mm.” True Immortal Xu Li nodded.

He considered himself a Wanxiang Adept, possessing an Earth-ranked treasure and a high level of insight. He was confident he could surpass this prodigy. But the fact that the boy had comprehended a Domain of the Dao was enough to earn his respect.

“Also, I was only able to escape earlier thanks to a Minor Teleportation Dao Talisman,” Nong Zidao said. “That Ji Ning makes me uneasy. If he fights you, Uncle-Master, and then uses some other trick against me, I would be in danger. So I would like you to lend me a Minor Teleportation Dao Talisman for protection. With that, I’ll have the confidence to re-enter the Blackflame Dragon Prison Formation and safely probe the flow of netherworld energy to sever the elemental veins.”

True Immortal Xu Li hesitated for a moment.

A Minor Teleportation Dao Talisman?

This talisman was a life-saving treasure, extremely precious. Although he was a Wanxiang Adept, the sect had only given him one. Later, he had traded treasures for two more. Each Minor Teleportation Dao Talisman was incredibly valuable. Of course, against certain terrifying foes or in special locations, even a Minor Teleportation Dao Talisman was useless. But in an ordinary battle between Wanxiang Adepts, it was generally sufficient for escape.

“Very well, I’ll lend you one,” True Immortal Xu Li agreed. He understood that without it, Nong Zidao, who had just narrowly escaped death, would not re-enter the formation.

After receiving the Minor Teleportation Dao Talisman, Nong Zidao’s confidence was restored. He said confidently, “Uncle-Master, rest assured. Ji Ning fought Tongyu for a long time before finally exhausting his divine power and killing him… This time, with you by my side, we will surely annihilate the Ji Clan and seize the command token.”

“Good.” True Immortal Xu Li nodded with a smile.

“Come, let’s go in together.” True Immortal Xu Li’s gaze swept over the other Zifu Disciples.

The remaining seven Zifu Disciples exchanged looks but dared not refuse. They all followed True Immortal Xu Li and Nong Zidao toward the massive Blackflame Dragon and its shrouding netherworld energy. Soon, the entire group had entered the range of the black mist.