Chapter Sixteen: Plotting with the Tiger for Its Skin

  Feng Xingran's words caused several people to change their expressions, and Wu Changlao said to Feng Xingran: "Miss, apart from us, who else knows about this matter? Why did someone come looking for us as soon as we arrived at the foot of the mountain? This is extremely strange!"

  After hearing his words, Feng Xing Ran's face also changed color, as if thinking of someone, but did not respond.

  She sat cross-legged on a jade lotus in the palace, changing her hands into various complex hand seals one after another. Ding Hao knew she was using a secret method to operate this array.

  After a moment, the woman stood up and said: "There are five people coming, four of whom are in the middle stage of Nascent Soul, and one is in the late stage. Except for our sect, no other sects have such strength on Duanhun Mountain. Judging from their technique, they are not from our sect either. The three elders should prepare themselves. This formation is incomplete, although it can trap a high-ranking Nascent Soul cultivator in the middle stage, if a late-stage cultivator launches a strong attack, I can only hold on for half an hour. The three elders are all in the middle stage of Nascent Soul, and it seems that this battle will be more ominous than auspicious. If we cannot hold on at that time, everyone should scatter and flee to seek help from the sect!"

  At this time, a woman in her thirties stood up and said to Feng Xingran: "Before the sect was attacked, we promised the sect master that we would protect Miss's safety. After several people broke in, Miss didn't need to take care of our lives and deaths, but instead broke through first. Although Miss has a natural talent, her cultivation days are still short, and leaving behind the foundation of the Yuan Ying period is also useless. Their target must be you, Miss. We will fight to the death to buy time for Miss. I hope that after Miss breaks through, she can avenge our great hatred!" The other two people also nodded in agreement.

  Feng Xingran sighed and said, "I know the three elders love Xing Ran dearly, but as the three elders said, Xing Ran's cultivation is lowly. Even if we break through, it will be hard to escape his poisonous hands. Let's not mention this again. If we fight with all our might, we may have a glimmer of hope. But if you're thinking of escaping, none of us will even have a thread of luck!"

  "Miss, it's not that we old men are afraid of death, but rather Miss is a precious treasure. If something were to happen to you, the master would blame us and even if they ground our bones into dust, we wouldn't be able to bear it!" said Wu Chang Lao. The other two echoed in agreement.

  "Feng Xingran said, 'I know that the three of you are not cowards who fear death, but this is currently the best solution. If the three elders can come up with a better solution, I am willing to listen!' The three people fell silent, looking at each other with gloomy faces."

  "I actually have a solution, I don't know if you are willing to listen" Ding Hao took a deep breath and finally regained his composure, saying!

  Several people looked at Ding Hao in surprise, and the shorter elder looked at him with a gloomy face: "Young man, we were discussing life and death matters, when did it become your turn to point fingers and give orders? What is your origin, how dare you be unfavorable to our young lady? With your small cultivation in the opening period, what can you do about this matter? Let me send you on your way first, to repay the disrespect you just showed to our young lady, lest someone else kill you later!"

  The other two elders looked at Ding Hao as if he was already a dead man. The great war was imminent, and the three of them simply disregarded Ding Hao's life or death. In their eyes, killing an open-circuit cultivator and pinching an ant to death were not much different.

  "Huang Zhanglao, let him go for now. This person has a lot of mysterious aspects, maybe he really has a way to solve it. If not, killing him later won't be too late!" Feng Xingran spoke out again to stop him!

  Arriving at Ding Hao's place, Feng Xingyan looked at Ding Hao with a beautiful gaze and said: "This young lady doesn't care what sect or school you are from. If you really have a way to help us get through this difficulty, I can spare your life! You won't have to suffer the pain of being crushed to ashes!"

  Ding Hao smiled wryly and said, "In that case, Miss, let's just pretend I didn't say anything. You all continue discussing, it's a great pleasure to have a beautiful woman as a shield even at the moment of death! Hehe"

  "You little thief, you've been spying on me... You actually made me suffer, and I'm already showing great mercy by sparing your life. What more do you want!" Feng Xing Ran suddenly realized he had misspoken and hastily changed the subject, but the three elders were all old foxes, and from this one sentence alone, they seemed to guess many things, their faces immediately becoming strange!

  Feng Xing Ran saw the expression of San Lao, a red flush floated up from his ears, and he looked even more handsome!

  "As long as you are willing to follow my two conditions, I guarantee that I will help you through this difficult time, and what I am about to say will be of great benefit to your family. Please think carefully before making a decision," Ding Hao said seriously.

  At this time, the woman in her thirties said to Ding Hao: "I don't know what you mean by the two things you mentioned. Can you tell me first?"

  Ding Hao smiled at the young woman and said, "Firstly, you must guarantee my safety, of course, my treasured sword must be returned to me. Secondly, you must select one person from among yourselves to be handed over to me for punishment! You must take a poisonous oath, otherwise, if you want to go back on your word, I won't have the ability to resist!"

  At this time, Feng Xingran seemed to feel that time was running out, and he hurriedly said to Ding Hao: "The first condition can be followed by you, but now we are not their opponents at all, let alone self-preservation is impossible, capturing one person alive is even more out of the question?"

  "I have a way to do this, don't worry about it, time is running out, you'd better make a decision soon, otherwise even I won't be able to help you get through this difficulty," Ding Hao said urgently.

  "Alright, I'll go along with your conditions. What's your brilliant plan? Hurry up and tell me!" Seeing Feng Xingran's expression was also extremely anxious, he immediately made a poisonous oath.

  "This method is not passed on to outsiders, come closer and I'll whisper it in your ear!" Ding Hao said with a faint smile.

  Feng Xingran was taken aback, hesitated for a moment and then moved her delicate body towards Ding Hao. A gust of fragrance wafted up to his nose, causing Ding Hao's heart to suddenly beat faster. Unconsciously, he cursed under his breath and moved his mouth closer to Feng Xingran's ear.

  Feng Xingran's slender body took a step back, her face filled with anger as she exclaimed: "If you have something to say, then say it! Why do you need to get so close?!"

  Ding Hao smiled meaningfully and said: "Bring many useless words, don't hurry up, or else changes will occur!"

  Feng Xingran looked at Ding Hao, gritted her teeth and pressed her body against his again. Ding Hao's lips were almost touching Feng Xingran's left ear as he said: "You only need to adjust the killing array according to my method, and you can get through this difficulty..." He then told her the method, and finally added: "Huh? Why is Miss's ear so red! Is it because of my words?"

  Feng Xingran's delicate body had been completely seen through by Ding Hao, and now Ding Hao was so close that she couldn't help but feel flustered and disordered, her whole body emitting a bright red color like a flower!

  "You little thief, remember this, you'll pay for it sooner or later! Where did you learn this method from? How do you know this formation is called the Absolute Killing Array? I'll believe you for now, but if your method doesn't work, I'll skin and debone you first to make you understand the consequences of deceiving me!" Feng Xing Ran shouted in anger.

  "Now you and I are like ants on a rope, deceiving you has no benefit for me, whether you believe it or not, if you don't take action, this formation will be broken" Ding Hao was unmoved by her threat!

  She glared at Ding Hao fiercely, and Feng Xingran's hands began to make various hand seals again. Ding Hao knew she was making adjustments based on what he had said earlier. Of course, Ding Hao wouldn't reveal all the magic formulas of the Absolute Killing Array to her; what he had said earlier was only part of it, just enough to trap and kill even those who had split their souls in the later stages!

  A moment later, the killing magic array suddenly changed greatly. Countless purple gases no longer surged into the huge pillars of the palace, but instead accelerated from the center to spread outwards, accompanied by a shrill howl, and the hungry ghosts flew towards the center of the array like silkworms eating mulberry leaves.

  Feng Xingran's tightly closed eyes suddenly opened, staring at Ding Hao with an unusual gaze. Ding Hao was startled by his gaze and felt a sudden tremble in his heart, thinking to himself that something was off. Had she taken a liking to him? Why did her eyes seem so peculiar?!

  At this time, the formation was filled with a loud howling wind, and the three elders no longer dared to underestimate Ding Hao. Their eyes were also filled with an unusual gaze! At this moment, a mournful cry came from the formation, followed by two more similar cries. Ding Hao quickly said to Feng Xingran: "Don't forget that you once promised to capture one person alive for me, and just now you had already made a poisonous oath!"

  Feng Xingran seemed to be in a great mood at this time, and he smiled at Ding Haoyan. Ding Hao felt honored and surprised, "Since Miss has already promised you, would she still go back on her word? Take it, this broken sword is useless anyway!" He threw the Inverse Heaven Sword to Ding Hao and also removed the handcuffs from Ding Hao's hands.

  Then he said to the three elders, "Trouble Wu elder and Huang elder to bring the remaining two people over. Don't worry, these two are already unconscious and won't wake up for three days, they absolutely have no ability to fight back!"

  After a moment, the two elders Wu and Huang each brought one person to Feng Xingran's face, putting the two on the ground. The two captured individuals were unusually short in stature, wearing a dark blue Taoist robe.

  Feng Xingran handed over the person with slightly pale skin to Ding Hao and said, "That's it, I've done what I promised you, but this person is in a state of divided spirit in the middle period. If he wakes up, you won't be able to handle him! But if you want me to help, consider it an extra condition, free of charge."

  "Haha, I naturally have a way to deal with him, no need for Miss to worry. You're a noble lady with important things to attend to, and Ding Hao can't help you here anyway. Farewell! Miss is as beautiful as an immortal fairy, truly making Ding Hao admire her endlessly!" With that, Ding Hao sheathed his Inverse Heaven Sword and left.

  "Slow down, since you admire me, why don't you stay a little longer? I'll get along with you nicely!" Feng Xingran said with a smile.

  "Miss is joking, I'm just a ordinary man, how can I deserve Miss's beauty!" Ding Hao repeatedly pushed back, this woman was ruthless and had several strong men with her, if he stayed here any longer, something bad would happen!

  "Today you stay or leave, it's all up to me! How can I let you be in charge!" This woman's quick change of face was on par with Ding Hao's.

  Ding Hao let out a cold snort: "What do you mean, miss? Have you ever made a poisonous oath to spare me? Are you thinking of going back on your word?"

  "This girl is sparing your life, but when did she say you can leave? The three elders, have you ever heard this girl say such a thing?" Feng Xingran said doubtfully to the three of them. The three old men were cunning and knew her thoughts, and they quickly said no, no!

  As soon as Ding Hao heard this, he had an urge to faint, having been deceived all day, and today he was counter-attacked by the goose. No wonder the ancients said that a woman's heart is the most poisonous, it's really true!