Chapter 436: Detonate, Starry Night, Nested Fire Seed

Xu Xiaoshou, this Zhang Taiying, he seems to have noticed something and is probing around, Xin Gugu secretly transmitted.

Xu Xiaoshou nodded silently.

Zhang Taiying was far too calm and vigilant.

Even though his Ling Nian couldn't detect any other traces, he still refused to give up investigating the area.

If Ling Nian wasn't useful, couldn't he use special perception Ling Ji instead?

For Zhang Taiying personally, it was already quite unusual that Xu Xiaoshou had lured him here.

If there were no other ambushes and it was just these two trying to take him down?

Zhang Taiying didn't believe it for a second.

After all, this was the same Xu Xiaoshou who had pulled off a sleight of hand right under the noses of the three Wang Zuo in Zhang Fu!

A guy with such nerves of steel would let himself be played like this?

Seeking his own death?

Impossible!

But...

"Really no other activity?"

The Bi Shen Tian Yin he secretly activated yielded no response, truly proving that besides Xu Xiaoshou and Xin Gugu, there were no other living beings here!

Zhang Taiying furrowed his brow.

"That little boy..."

The straw-hatted boy who had forced him to retreat repeatedly in Zhang Fu wasn't here?

Zhang Taiying couldn't believe it.

But the facts seemed to confirm it.

He wasn't skilled in perception Ling Ji, and this was already his strongest detection method.

If Zhang Duoyu were here, perhaps there would be better discoveries.

But now...

"Forget it."

Even if there might be other variables, Zhang Taiying couldn't pass up this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Xu Xiaoshou had to die!

"Open!"

With a wave of his single arm, an illusory light barrier instantly enveloped the entire flower sea.

"Jie Yu!"

Xu Xiaoshou's heart tightened.

He had suffered at the hands of Hong Gou's before and knew how terrifying this was.

Once the domain occupied the main field, its master became almost like a god in that space, nearly unbeatable.

But now, he wasn't fighting alone.

"Xue Hai Zhao Huan!"

Sure enough, a cold shout echoed from behind in response.

Unlike traditional Wang Zuo Jie Yu,

Xin Gugu's domain wasn't a sealed spherical barrier; instead, it manifested as a vast blood sea, sprouting directly from the ground.

Thud, thud.

Blood spread across the earth.

Boiling blood bubbles burst like they were on lava, each one popping with a cracking sound.

Zhang Taiying stared at the blood sea that suddenly covered the entire ground, feeling a twinge of alarm.

"Special Jie Yu?"

Such unique abilities weren't something ordinary people could cultivate.

Even with his Zu Xiong Ling Ti, he had only managed a standard barrier-type Jie Yu.

But at this moment, differences in form didn't determine which domain was stronger or weaker.

On the contrary, for Xin Gugu's ocean of blood, at least his own barrier-type Jie Yu could enclose any screams that followed.

Including the struggles of the two before him in their final moments!

Xu Xiaoshou was certainly outstanding among the younger generation, but when it came to facing someone of the same level, aside from that sword that cleaved Zhang Fu's scripture pavilion, Zhang Taiying didn't take him seriously.

Thus, Zhang Taiying was clear:

Tonight, his opponent was only Xin Gugu, not Xu Xiaoshou!

"Xue Hai?"

Zhang Taiying looked at Xin Gugu.

"You're quite impressive."

"It seems you didn't go all out that day."

Zhang Taiying sincerely praised.

To cultivate a special Jie Yu at such a young age showed that Xin Gugu was undoubtedly a genius-level figure.

"But unfortunately, you backed the wrong person." He shook his head with a sigh.

"Well, it's okay, I suppose."

Xin Gugu didn't commit to an opinion—he felt he had backed the wrong person too.

But there was no helping it.

The fight still had to happen, and any retort needed to be made.

"Like me, I used to never fight the disabled, but now it's different—teaming up to bully a one-armed guy is a first for me!"

Xin Gugu glanced at Zhang Taiying's empty, swinging sleeve as he said this.

Zhang Taiying's eyes turned cold in an instant.

He said no more.

Delaying time wasn't beneficial to his plans.

"If you can't stand it, then you'll never have to see it again!"

With a flick of his sleeve,

A majestic aura pressed down, instantly suppressing the boiling blood sea below.

In terms of cultivation level, Zhang Taiying's profound foundation was far beyond what any Wang Zuo could match.

Yet Xin Gugu wasn't one to be trifled with.

His combat strength, like Xu Xiaoshou's, couldn't be measured by cultivation alone.

Whoosh!

His Zen staff spun suddenly as Xin Gugu prepared to surge forward.

At that moment, Xu Xiaoshou shot him a look.

"Just stand and fight."

This guy was always so impulsive—couldn't he just be a proper mage?

Xin Gugu's momentum stalled, but he quickly realized what was going on.

Whoever moved first might trigger the Ling Zhen.

"Little Blood Pillar Technique!"

With a wave of his Zen staff, a playful blood pillar slowly broke through the suppression from below and crept toward Zhang Taiying.

Xu Xiaoshou watched in a daze.

This guy was trying to force a shift in position, but did he have to be so obvious about it?

Zhang Taiying wasn't inexperienced either.

He had already sensed something off about this place.

Although Bi Shen Tian Yin hadn't detected anything, the best way to counter an enemy's intentions was to do the opposite.

Bang!

Without moving or attacking,

Just a furrowed brow, and the approaching blood pillar exploded instantly.

"Ha! You fell for it, little one-arm!"

Xin Gugu suddenly laughed wildly.

He tossed his Zen staff and formed hand seals, bending his fingers to pull.

Boom!

The shattered blood pillar turned into countless threads, instantly cutting dark spatial rifts in the air, all aimed at Zhang Taiying.

"Blood Line Tear—Command!"

Like a blooming epiphyllum, tens of thousands of blood lines suddenly converged on the central point in the sky.

The razor-sharp blood threads sliced through like the maw of an ancient beast, even making Xu Xiaoshou feel a chill.

This wave of attacks was so fierce that even a Zong Shi body might not withstand it!

Zhang Taiying realized the problem too.

He wasn't at the Zong Shi level.

Trying to block it with his physical body would only end in being torn to pieces.

Roar!

Yet even now, he didn't budge an inch.

With a roar, black fur began to grow wildly on his body.

A violent aura erupted as Zhang Taiying's eyes turned red, his body enveloped in a illusory black light.

"Tian Wu Jin Gang!"

He shouted, and the black light transformed into a three-headed, six-armed Jin Gang illusion, not only shielding Zhang Taiying but also swinging its six arms to meet the incoming blood lines from all directions.

Boom, boom, boom!

Each blood line that struck was caught by a Jin Gang arm in time.

And every grasp of its palms shattered hundreds of blood lines.

The terrifying explosions rang out, sending shockwaves rippling through the void.

"Ling Zhen?"

Only then did Zhang Taiying finally sense something wrong.

The Ling Zhen-affected entities, clearly hidden no longer, began to reveal themselves.

"Damn it!"

The trap hadn't worked as intended, and Xu Xiaoshou cursed in anger.

But he didn't dwell on it.

This setup wasn't meant to kill Zhang Taiying outright anyway—it was expected that it would be detected.

In fact, for Zhang Taiying to notice the grand array so late, Xu Xiaoshou was already surprised.

"You Wang Zuo, your reactions are way too slow!"

Since the hidden Ling Zhen couldn't ambush, let it openly drag him in to his death!

Xu Xiaoshou's face hardened.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

Five fingers flicked out five volatile compressed fire seeds.

Unlike when refining pills,

In battle, there was no need to suppress their wild energy.

In fact, under Xu Xiaoshou's deliberate guidance, they were even more terrifying than usual.

"Move!"

If Zhang Taiying wouldn't budge, Xu Xiaoshou would make him!

He hurled the compressed fire seeds like discs, then pulled back his hand.

At that moment, both Zhang Taiying and Xin Gugu could clearly see five spiritual threads extending from Xu Xiaoshou's hand, each connected to a flying fire seed.

"What the hell?"

Zhang Taiying was startled.

Spiritual threads?

This was clearly a Ling Zhen Master's trick, but Xu Xiaoshou was using it in real-time combat.

"What are you doing?"

Xin Gugu took Xu Xiaoshou's move very seriously.

Even knowing he was only at the Xiantian level, his actual combat power couldn't be judged by cultivation.

"Crouch down and cover your head!"

Xu Xiaoshou instructed.

Huh?

After a brief stun, Xin Gugu complied without question.

The next second, he used his Ling Nian to watch Xu Xiaoshou's solemn expression as he pulled back his hand, causing the speeding fire seed in front to slow dramatically, only to be caught and enveloped by the one behind.

Thud!

A light sound, and after nesting, the terrifying scorching aura rampaged across the field.

Thud!

Another sound, and the third fire seed followed suit, swallowing the previous one.

Bzzz—

Now, the scene seemed on the verge of losing control.

"Double nesting?"

Xin Gugu's face turned pale.

Containing that violent energy collision once was impressive enough, but Xu Xiaoshou was going for a second nest?

Zhang Taiying felt even more uneasy.

What kind of background did this Xu Xiaoshou have?

At the Xiantian level, how could his Ling Ji be so terrifying?

"Double nesting... just that?"

Clearly, Xu Xiaoshou had more in mind.

That day in the back street of Duojin Merchant House, he had indeed unleashed a Nesting Fire Seed Technique.

But the double mishap of excessive speed and missing the enemy led to deep reflection afterward.

What good was a powerful Ling Ji if it didn't hit the target?

Thus, after mastering Culinary Expertise to the Zong Shi level, with upgraded flame control, and facing a top-tier Wang Zuo like Zhang Taiying,

At this moment, he didn't hesitate to use the concept he had only theorized: combining Culinary Expertise and Textile for multiple nesting during transit...

"Nesting Fire Seed Lotus!"

"Explode!"

With a shout, the supercharged energy from the double nesting finally couldn't be held back. As it neared Zhang Taiying's Tian Wu Jin Gang, two crisp sounds rang out in succession.

Thud!

Thud!

The fourth fire seed swallowed the third.

The fifth swallowed all, transforming into a blazing, radiant sun!

Even with the protection of the top-tier Wang Zuo Ling Ji—Tian Wu Jin Gang—Zhang Taiying felt death looming.

His scalp tingled, and his legs buckled...

Everything went white.

He couldn't see anything!

The white light overshadowed everything, instantly filling the entire Jie Yu.

The uncontainable scorching energy severed Xu Xiaoshou's spiritual threads in an instant, then erupted magnificently within the white void.

Boom!

In the dazzling white shadow, a massive black lotus bloomed like ink, followed by a thunderous roar that made the heavens and earth seem to shatter.

But that wasn't the end.

The forcibly compressed nested fire seeds, not fully fused, detonated the outer layer first, and the inner layers followed suit.

Boom, boom, boom!

The scattered spatial fragments left Xin Gugu stunned.

"This..."

He lowered his arms from his head and quickly glanced at Xu Xiaoshou, who was now lying in a strange posture on the ground.

It seemed he was just avoiding triggering the Ling Zhen?

Even now, he was still worrying about the Ling Zhen?

What was he planning?

"Is he crazy?"

"Did you call me here just to stand around like a spectator?"

Xin Gugu was shocked.

He couldn't fathom Xu Xiaoshou's thoughts, but this strike had reached Wang Zuo levels.

In fact, it far surpassed ordinary Wang Zuo attacks.

It was lethal!

Originally, not only did Zhang Taiying think Xin Gugu was his opponent tonight, but Xin Gugu himself believed Xu Xiaoshou was just an observer who could manipulate the situation a bit.

Little did he know, the only reason Xu Xiaoshou brought him was to use his Jie Yu.

Then...

To settle his own grudge?

"Crazy, crazy, crazy—this isn't human!"

"You're the one with the ghost beast body!"

"This damage—from a Xiantian?"

The explosion soared, creating a massive black hole.

Xu Xiaoshou endured the first wave, his body covered in burns, but with Sheng Sheng Bu Xi, it wasn't a problem.

Though others didn't know the outcome, his perception saw it clearly.

Earlier, Zhang Taiying had no intention of taking the hit!

The instant the Nesting Fire Seed Lotus approached, he didn't even try—he just sprang back.

Of course, that only bought him a moment.

The remaining blast destroyed his Tian Wu Jin Gang in an instant and hurled the one-armed middle-aged man straight into the Jie Yu barrier.

Sizzle, sizzle.

The all-encompassing barrier showed signs of melting under the attack.

Xu Xiaoshou was about to signal Xin Gugu to follow up—he didn't want the battle sounds to leak out.

But unexpectedly, the nearly melting barrier quickly repaired itself.

"Xu Xiaoshou!"

"Ha ha ha ha!"

Zhang Taiying shot back through the air, eyes blazing with fury.

"I thought you were just here for show, but I never imagined a Xiantian like you could handle the output role!"

"But how many times can you pull off damage like that?"

"Your cultivation and Ling Yuan limitations are your fatal flaw!"

Zhang Taiying laughed skyward, though his face wasn't looking good.

His body was pitted and scarred; even with his Zu Xiong Ling Ti and Wang Zuo cultivation, the blast had left him severely wounded.

Xu Xiaoshou was only Xiantian, yet his moves were on par with Zong Shi Ling Ji.

What was most frightening was that in combat, by combining and nesting, he could elevate techniques that were merely Zong Shi level to something that outstripped Wang Zuo entirely!

"Ling Yuan, huh?"

Xu Xiaoshou checked his Qi Sea.

Indeed, that strike had drained nearly all of it.

Cultivation was a hard limitation—even with Yuan Qi Man Man, recovery wasn't instant.

But...

"Little one-arm, to deal with you, I don't need that many moves."

"The moment you retreated, you lost."

Xu Xiaoshou turned back with a shake of his head and a faint smile. "You sensed you couldn't move, so why didn't you just take those five fire seeds?"

With that, he raised his hand, and the multiple nested Ling Zhen, ignited by Zhang Taiying's retreat, could no longer be suppressed as they exploded.

Bang, bang, bang!

The bursts echoed, but Zhang Taiying didn't flinch.

Listening to the explosions, which were far weaker than before, he smirked mockingly: "Is that it?"

Even Xin Gugu nearly facepalmed.

He had seen Xu Xiaoshou get blown up before, but why were these explosions so feeble?

"Is that it?"

Xu Xiaoshou echoed, slowly spreading his hands.

In the next moment, dense spiritual threads from his fingertips blanketed the endless flower sea.

With the Ling Zhen shattered, its secrets were fully exposed.

Nothing else was there.

Just one thing:

All compressed fire seeds!

As far as the eye could see, no fewer than a thousand!

"Wasn't living fine?"

"Why trade five for all this?"

Xu Xiaoshou joked.

Sweat poured down his face; his remaining Ling Yuan was scarce, but manipulating the compressed fire seeds he had pre-buried with Textile Technique...

He could manage!

Xin Gugu, still crouched, went pale at the sight of the thousand floating fire seeds.

"Damn it!"

"Holy shit!"

"This guy's a madman!"

"Didn't you say you wouldn't use this Ling Zhen unless absolutely necessary?"

If he hadn't seen Xu Xiaoshou's earlier nesting technique, a thousand fire seeds exploding would be impressive, but not fatal.

They could injure, but not kill.

But if these could nest too...

The damage wouldn't be just a thousand—it could multiply exponentially!

Xin Gugu's legs weakened.

He wanted to ask Xu Xiaoshou to open the Yuan Fu and let him in first, but suddenly felt something tug at his feet.

Looking down, a meek, pleading voice came.

"Protect... protect me..."

"Or let me out first..."

A Jie had been playing dead, but at the sight of the thousand fire seeds, he nearly died on the spot.

He thought A Jie was terrifying enough.

Little did he know, Xu Xiaoshou was the real devil!

Was he out of his mind?

Did he really think the Jie Yu could contain all this?

Let me tell you, A Jie—based on the Wang Zuo Jie Yu I've experienced—blowing this up would destroy not just the flower sea, but the entire city lord's mansion!

"Is this a joke?"

Zhang Taiying stared at the compressed fire seeds surrounding him like a vast starry sky, his mind momentarily blank.

Is that it?

He had meant it as mockery, but never expected this response.

How could one person summon so many?

Even if he exhausted all his Ling Yuan, Zhang Taiying probably couldn't condense a tenth of this!

In that instant, he finally understood why he had felt a vague unease earlier, even without detecting anyone.

If these nested...

"Run!"

Zhang Taiying couldn't believe he was thinking of fleeing from a mere Xiantian.

But...

Just as Xu Xiaoshou had realized when he saw the array disc in Li Qi Jie's ring:

When a Ling Zhen Master is prepared, nothing can be measured by common sense.

Though Zhang Taiying had only used half an hour to repair the Ling Zhen,

The flower sea Ling Zhen itself was the work of a Ling Zhen Grandmaster over three to four years.

Xu Xiaoshou had merely enhanced it, sealing away the compressed fire seeds he had painstakingly refined with countless pills.

Yes.

His core idea wasn't to detonate the Ling Zhen here.

Not to mention he hadn't fully deciphered it in such a short time—the highest nesting here was only seven or eight layers, not enough to kill a Wang Zuo.

So, everything had been adapted into a concealment Ling Zhen.

Not for anything else, just to hide these thousand-plus compressed fire seeds, and...

A Jie!

"Trying to run?"

Xu Xiaoshou had anticipated this.

He glanced at A Jie, still floating calmly in the void amid the explosions.

With a slight tilt of his head—no words needed—the intent was clear.

"Stop hugging yourself—hug Zhang Taiying!"

Zhang Taiying had just moved when a chilling wind whispered behind his ear.

The ghost-like speed made him think of that little boy.

Sure enough, the next second, a pair of small hands wrapped around his burly chest.

"Mama..."

A Jie's low murmur was like death's gentle whisper.

Seeing the two linked successfully, Xu Xiaoshou's expression turned twisted.

He took a deep breath, pills flying from his chest.

After inhaling, his Qi Sea's Ling Yuan surged, and the dense spiritual threads in his hand thickened instantly.

Once thickened, the fire seeds began double nesting, merging with each other.

Bzzz, bzzz—

The thousand seeds halved to five hundred.

Zhang Taiying's face drained of color.

He struggled, but A Jie's arms, stronger than Xu Xiaoshou's, wouldn't budge.

"Are you insane?"

"If you hold me, you'll die too!" Zhang Taiying glared back.

"Mama..."

A Jie's red eyes intensified, his tone rising.

"You're sick!"

"Let go, or we'll both die!"

Zhang Taiying was frantic, but at full strength, his single arm still couldn't break free.

"Mama..."

"Damn it!"

Zhang Taiying closed his eyes tightly.

No choice.

He'd have to use that.

As he thought, a drop of golden blood shot from his finger toward his mouth.

"Mama?"

A Jie's red eyes flared, and his tone sharpened.

From Xu Xiaoshou's experiments, the usually cold A Jie only reacted to one thing: blood!

Faced with the flying golden blood, A Jie opened his mouth wide.

In the next second, his tongue extended like a snake, lengthening to coil and snatch the golden blood away.

Zhang Taiying: ???

His legs went weak, his heart utterly hollow.

Boom, boom, boom—

The five hundred compressed fire seeds around Zhang Taiying condensed further, forming another layer of double nesting.

"Damn, can't hold it!"

Xu Xiaoshou's face contorted.

With so many, it wasn't like before—he couldn't achieve quadruple nesting.

Of course, this double nesting was built on each seed's mutual double layering, so per seed, it wasn't much weaker than the previous quadruple.

Without hesitation, Xu Xiaoshou twisted his hand, and the two hundred fifty nested fire seeds merged once more on their path, slamming straight into Zhang Taiying's face.

"Nesting Fire Seed—Two Hundred Fifty!"

"Die!"

The massive explosions lit up the scene.