Nine Nether Heavenly Emperor
Chapter 99: The Fish Takes the Bait

Chapter 99: Chapter 99: The Fish Takes the Bait

Under the lead of the Golden-armored General, Shi Feng, Li Liuxin, and Ghost Wolf moved forward together.

At this moment, Shi Feng had already learned from the people of the Skywind Sect and the Golden Peng Royal Mansion that they knew Li Liuxin was hiding in this forest because there was a Beast Tamer in the Skywind Sect who could communicate with demon beasts. Shi Feng was also aware that the edge of the forest was under the surveillance of demon beasts, and the Golden Peng King had ordered an army of a hundred thousand to enter the Ice Snow Land, ready to encircle the forest and then advance heavily into it.

With two Martial King Powerhouses occupying the skies above, it could be said that escaping after obtaining the Snow Yin Flower was still a challenge.

Suddenly, the Golden-armored General halted and pointed ahead, saying, "My lord, it’s right in front of us, about a hundred meters from here."

"Let’s go together," Shi Feng said, his tone brooking no refusal. He understood the thoughts of the Golden-armored General; there was a powerful demon beast there, and he feared for his life, but Shi Feng had another use for him.

The distance of a hundred meters was quickly covered, and Shi Feng finally saw the Cold Pond he had been searching for so long. The Cold Pond was small, no more than the size of a bed, emitting a bone-chilling cold, and at its center, a snow-white flower hovered on the surface, slowly absorbing the cold air emanating from the Cold Pond.

Snow Yin Flower—Shi Feng finally saw the mythical flower he had endured many hardships to find.

However, at the same time Shi Feng saw the Snow Yin Flower, he also saw two fist-sized eyes staring ferociously at him. Next to the Cold Pond lay a massive snow-white body, over five meters long and covered in fluffy white fur, much like an enormous ape.

A Fifth-stage Peak demon beast, Ice Mountain Snow Ape!

Shi Feng recognized the rank of the beast at a glance. A Fifth-stage Peak demon beast was certainly not something he could contend with now. At this moment, the ape’s body was emitting a white light, pulsing as if the light were breathing evenly; a sign that the Snow Ape was on the verge of breaking through from Fifth-stage, advancing towards Sixth-stage.

It was a critical moment. Therefore, when the Snow Ape saw Shi Feng and his group, it only glared menacingly without launching an attack. If it acted rashly, the advancement would be interrupted, and all would be for naught.

Shi Feng merely looked at the Snow Ape, not continuing forward to harvest the Snow Yin Flower from the Cold Pond. Understanding that the flower was under the protection of the Snow Ape, any rash action from him might cause the beast to halt its advancement and lash out, and even if the beast did not complete its advancement and remained at Fifth-stage Peak strength, it would still be far more than he could handle.

Suddenly, the ground trembled with a rumbling sound; if he wasn’t mistaken, it was the sound of charging warhorses and falling trees. It seemed that the Golden Peng King’s army of a hundred thousand had arrived, beginning to surround the forest and advancing inward by destroying tree after tree.

Time was running out.

"Brother, the Golden Peng King’s vile army has come killing their way here, you need to think of something fast," Li Liuxin said to Shi Feng, anxiety in his voice upon hearing the distant commotion.

The Golden-armored General stared at Li Liuxin with a strange look on his face. At this moment, his heart was torn; he was walking alongside the very person he was supposed to capture. Yet, his own freedom did not allow him a choice; the cruel torments inflicted by that Demon were such excruciating agony that life felt worse than death. Even now, just the memory of it sent shivers down his spine, and he never wanted to endure such devastation again in his life.

But if the Golden Peng King found out that he was currently walking alongside the person he intended to capture, with the Golden Peng King’s violent temper, he would surely flay him alive.

Shi Feng shifted his gaze toward Li Liuxin and for some reason, when Shi Feng looked at him this time, Li Liuxin felt a tingling sensation, as if something bad was about to happen to him.

"Brother, stop looking at me with those eyes, it’s making me incredibly nervous," Li Liuxin said as he involuntarily began to step backward, then turned around, intending to flee.

"The time has come to make use of this man," Shi Feng thought to himself. In a flash, he appeared behind Li Liuxin and, with a swift sweep of his hand, struck him on the forehead, knocking out Li Liuxin before he could take a step away.

Holding Li Liuxin as though he were a small chicken, Shi Feng turned around and walked towards the Golden-armored General.

Seeing Shi Feng knock out Li Liuxin and approach him, the Golden-armored General’s face showed panic and he retreated repeatedly, pleading for mercy, "I... I already have your mark inside me, under your control; there’s no need for you to kill me."

"I’m not going to kill you," Shi Feng said, "I just need you to act out a scene for me." With that said, he tossed Li Liuxin at the man.

The Golden-armored General caught the thrown Li Liuxin with one hand, holding him and looking at Shi Feng with a puzzled face, filled with confusion, he asked, "Act out a scene? How?"

Moments later, the Golden-armored General holding the unconscious Li Liuxin climbed to the top of an ice tree and stood at the tree’s peak. Then he spread his right hand, and a beam of golden light shot straight up into the sky from his palm.

Before long, a golden silhouette arrived through the air, also clad in golden battle armor, the majestic Golden Peng King stood proudly in the void and called out in a deep voice, "Jin Yue, did you summon me here?"

"Reporting to the Prince, the thief Li Liuxin has been captured by your subordinate," Jin Yue declared, and then lifted the unconscious person in the blue robe in his hands.

"Hmm!" The Golden Peng King grunted, fixing his gaze upon the figure and his expression shifted dramatically. He shouted angrily, "Indeed, it’s that beast who sneaked into my Golden Peng Royal Mansion to freeload and then dared to plot against my Jin Lin; good! You did well to capture him. Hand over that beast to me, I will tear his bones apart."

Boiling with anger, the Golden Peng King strode towards Jin Yue through the void, but at that moment, Shi Feng, hidden below, shifted his handprint. The Li Liuxin that Jin Yue was holding wriggled free from his grasp and catapulted forward like a cannonball, and in the blink of an eye, Li Liuxin landed atop a tree over ten meters away, then, as if suddenly awakened, he began leaping from tree to tree atop the ice trees.

"Hmph, a mere buffoon who dares to flee upon seeing me?" The Golden Peng King scoffed disdainfully, his golden figure flickering as he shot through space, swiftly chasing after Li Liuxin and quickly reached the space above him, followed by Li Liuxin plunging into the depths of the Ice Snow Forest.

"You little beast, let’s see how you can escape now!" the Golden Peng King exclaimed, as he forcefully slapped his palm downward, and in the void above, a colossal golden Big Palm Print appeared, striking violently down towards the ground below.

Watching from a nearby ice tree, Shi Feng’s lips curled into a slight smile, "The fish has finally taken the bait!"