Chapter Thirteen: A Single Arrow Pierces the Clouds; A Great Battle Is About to Begin

After finishing her words, Su Ningshuang unexpectedly dropped to her knees, clutching the hem of Jiang Cheng’s robe, tears streaming down her face. “Cheng Lang, I beg you, give me a chance! I am willing to serve you in any way, just please forgive me…”

At last, Jiang Cheng spoke, his tone icy and merciless. “Su Ningshuang, do you really think this will move me? Do you think such despicable behavior will make me look at you twice?”

He lifted his foot and kicked her away without hesitation, his voice filled with disgust. “Get lost! Someone like you doesn’t deserve to stand here, let alone mention the past!”

Su Ningshuang collapsed miserably onto the floor, her hands grasping the edge of the bed in the chamber. She gazed at the exquisitely made bed prepared by Su Chengjin, her eyes brimming with despair and unwillingness.

The love-inducing potion she had clenched in her hand slipped lightly to the ground; with Su Ruoxi present, she had no chance to use it.

Su Ningshuang fixed her gaze on Jiang Cheng’s retreating figure, tears mingling with shame streaming down her face.

Jiang Cheng turned and took Su Ruoxi’s hand, his expression softening. “Ruoxi, let’s go.”

“Someone, put the person in this room into a box and send her back to the Ninth Prince.”

This scene stabbed into Su Ningshuang’s heart like a blade. Helpless, she could only watch the two depart hand in hand.

Suddenly, she realized that all the manipulation and humiliation she endured was because she lacked strength.

In her eyes burned not only jealousy and hatred but also a desperate craving for power.

From a distance, Jiang Zhentian saw Jiang Cheng and Su Ruoxi returning with anger etched on their faces, and behind them, someone carrying a box. After a moment’s thought, he took down a black iron plaque from his waist and casually tossed it toward the Ninth Prince.

“Since the Ninth Prince shows such sincerity, please accept this heirloom from the Jiang family.”

The Ninth Prince caught the iron plaque, frowning. After probing with his spiritual power and divine sense, his expression instantly soured. It was clearly an ordinary piece of worthless iron!

“What is the meaning of this?” the Ninth Prince’s voice was low, tinged with anger.

Jiang Zhentian smiled faintly, his tone calm. “This is a Jiang family heirloom passed down through generations. Since the Ninth Prince wants to exchange, then take it.”

The Ninth Prince’s face darkened immediately. The iron plaque in his hand transformed into a beam of dark light and was hurled toward Jiang Zhentian with boundless fury.

Jiang Cheng raised his hand gently, spiritual power swirling to catch the iron plaque steadily, then tied it to his waist and said indifferently, “Grandfather, the Jiang family’s heirlooms, whether useful or not, should never be casually given to outsiders.”

“If the Jiang family is willing to exchange, that’s enough! Attack!”

The Ninth Prince’s voice carried a hint of unmasked smugness. How could he not see that the old man and the young man were putting on a show here?

Before his words ended, the white-haired elder beside him already made his move.

“Boom—!”

A surge of overwhelming spiritual power erupted from the white-haired elder’s body, instantly sweeping through the Jiang family’s council hall. The sky above roared with wind and clouds, the world seeming drained of color. A crushing pressure like a mountain bore down on Jiang Cheng and the others.

“Jiang Cheng, hand over the heirloom pagoda!”

The white-haired elder’s palm gathered a radiant golden blade that slashed through the air, aimed straight at Jiang Cheng.

The Ninth Prince stood with hands behind his back, a disdainful sneer curling his lips. “Such a petty Jiang family really thinks a few words can protect their heirloom? They are but frogs in a well, ignorant of the vast world!”

The Jiang family elders’ faces changed drastically, many instinctively stepping back as the oppressive aura weighed heavily upon them.

Yet Jiang Cheng remained unmoved. He coldly smiled and lightly snapped his fingers.

“Boom—!”

The earth trembled as countless runes burst forth from the ground, dazzling golden light spreading like an immense celestial map above the Jiang family estate.

“Xuanhuang Undying Formation, activate!”

Jiang Cheng’s voice thundered like rolling thunder, instantly drowning out the white-haired elder’s commanding shout.

In the next moment, the golden blade aimed at Jiang Cheng was halted by an invisible force. Then, with a sharp cracking sound, the blade shattered bit by bit into countless sparks that vanished into the air.

“What is this?”

The white-haired elder’s pupils contracted sharply; his expression changed drastically. Golden chains of light suddenly burst from the ground, snaking toward his body like spiritual serpents.

“Hmph, petty tricks!” The white-haired elder snorted coldly and struck out with both palms, attempting to shatter the chains.

However, the moment his spiritual power touched the golden chains, a backlash surged at him like a tidal wave.

“Pfft—!”

The white-haired elder spat a mouthful of blood, flying dozens of yards before crashing heavily to the ground, utterly defeated.

“This formation… is terrifying!”

He clutched his chest, eyes filled with shock and fear. He had sensed the Jiang family’s great formation long ago, which was why he had deliberately come bearing gifts to infiltrate it.

But the formation was too strong — his plan had backfired.

“Ninth Prince, this formation is too powerful. Our spiritual power is suppressed, making it impossible to break through!” The accompanying disciples shouted in panic, many ensnared by the chains, unable to move, their screams rising one after another.

The Ninth Prince’s expression finally changed, his previously haughty demeanor vanishing. He gritted his teeth and roared, “Break the formation! Attack with full force! I refuse to believe that within this formation, a Xuanji Realm expert cannot unleash their full strength!”

“Boom!”

The Ninth Prince’s spiritual power surged wildly; wrapped in golden light, he manifested an illusory long sword and fiercely struck at the formation’s core.

“Boom—!”

The clash between sword light and formation echoed with a deafening roar. Golden light exploded as the entire Jiang family estate seemed to tremble.

Yet the moment the sword light descended, the formation swallowed the light like a giant mouth, silently dissipating it without a trace.

The Ninth Prince’s face drained of color, cold sweat beading his forehead, disbelief shining in his eyes. “How is this possible… this formation can absorb my attacks! What kind of formation is this? How can it compare to even the Sacred Land’s mountain-protecting formation…”

Jiang Cheng stood outside the formation, hands behind his back, coldly watching the Sacred Land’s people inside with a mocking smile playing on his lips.

“Ninth Prince, don’t bother trying.”

Jiang Cheng’s voice was icy, like the whisper of death. “This formation is the Xuanhuang Undying Formation. Even inside it, unless you can surpass the Refining Void Realm, you will never break through.”

“Refining Void Realm!”

The Ninth Prince’s face turned deathly pale. He instinctively took a step back, cold sweat pouring from his brow.

He had thought the Jiang family merely a mediocre clan, never expecting such a terrifying trump card.

This was an array on par with the Sacred Land’s mountain-protecting formation, appearing in a second-rate family in Lingxiao City.

The formation’s light flared again; golden chains of light surged like furious divine dragons, sweeping toward the Sacred Land’s people.

Several disciples screamed as they were ensnared by the chains, unable to utter a sound before being bound and swept away one after another.

“Stop!”

The Ninth Prince gritted his teeth, eyes tinged with panic. “Jiang Cheng, do you really want to make enemies of the Sacred Land?!”

Jiang Cheng sneered coldly, his gaze sharp as a blade aimed at the Ninth Prince. “You started this. I’m only teaching you what it means to bring trouble upon yourselves.”

The formation’s might grew ever stronger. The Sacred Land’s people could only defend passively, their faces full of terror and despair.

“This is impossible! How can the Jiang family possess such foundations!”

The white-haired elder was shocked, disbelief and fear filling his eyes.

The Ninth Prince’s face darkened to an extreme. His clenched fist trembled slightly, his lips twitching, eyes burning with humiliation and rage.

Jiang Cheng looked at them coldly, his voice booming like thunder throughout the formation. “Today, you shall learn that the Jiang family’s honor is not something you may trample!”

“Jiang Cheng, Su Ruoxi, you forced my hand. Do you think I am the only one who wants the Jiang family’s legacy?” The Ninth Prince roared furiously, a beam of spiritual light bursting through the formation.

“What is that?” Jiang Cheng watched as something that even the Xuanhuang Formation could not confine flew out with overwhelming force.

“It’s the rescue spiritual light that both the Sacred Land’s princes and princesses possess,” Su Ruoxi said with a troubled expression, looking at Jiang Cheng.