Chapter 445: Still Wanting to Steal My Communication Jade?

Ahead, a heavy mist was rising.

It resembled the unceasing drizzle over a gray ocean, or perhaps a distant, half-forgotten dream of early morning.

The woman in the white Daoist robe, a longsword gripped firmly in her hand, suddenly checked her stride; beneath her white silken bamboo hat, a pair of phoenix eyes held a faint, chilling gleam.

Before them, they could only see a young girl clad in a white palace gown and a woman in blue garments, wading deeper into the heart of the gathering fog.

What is happening?! Several figures aboard the Skysail Battleship suddenly sprang to their feet; they watched as the scene displayed within the scrying spell, once perfectly clear, began to grow increasingly blurred, as though veiled by a thick, smothering shroud.

The fog continued to deepen until nothing remained but a mass of blinding white vapor, such that not only the people but the very surroundings themselves were swallowed by the vast, featureless blankness.

Is there a confounding maze within the restrictions below? Master Treasure Bottle inquired, his voice low. Who set this up?

There shouldn't be! Feng Yangzi replied. Within the entire boundary of the academy examinations, every manner of restriction has been deployed, save for those of the illusionary maze variety.

Confounding formations were the most time-consuming of all; if a few were laid down, it was doubtful whether the competition could even be concluded within a single month.

The only plausible explanation was that one of the examinees had laid a formation in the vicinity.

And judging by the spectacle before them, it was likely no ordinary array, otherwise it would never have managed to obstruct their view so completely.

At that moment, the communication jade in Jiang Xiaoyue's hand exhibited a spinning circular icon that refused to clear, lingering endlessly even after her message on the Penguin Messenger had been sent.

The signal bars in the upper-right corner of the screen plummeted instantly from full to a solitary, fragile bar, and then...

Why is the internet gone?! Jiang Xiaoyue cried out in alarm.

Only a moment ago she had been chatting happily with everyone back at the cybercafe via Penguin, so how could the connection vanish so abruptly?!

It seems we have wandered into a formation, Li Lanruo remarked beside her, glancing nervously around at the swirling white vapors that carried an indescribable aura of the uncanny.

Evidently, even though they were all young cultivators, the ability to deploy such a formation in so short a window of time set the architect entirely apart from the opponents they had faced before.

A mile away in the sky above them, Nangong Zhuo stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his eyes brimming with a quiet, arrogant confidence.

Looking down from his vantage in the heavens, the dense fog below shrouded the earth like a colossal mausoleum, drawing everything within its bleak embrace.

Young Master Nangong, a youth dressed in the uniform of a disciple from the Heaven-Querying Sword Palace spoke up. The targets have entered the formation.

With spiritual essence pooling in his eyes, he peered downward to find Jiang Xiaoyue clutching her communication jade, with Li Lanruo following close by her side; the two had indeed walked into the trap.

That little brat has been playing with that communication jade the entire way, the Nangong family scion observed, a sneer twisting his lips. She does not look upon us with the slightest regard.

Now, he gritted his teeth, his voice filled with vindictive satisfaction. The flow of spiritual energy within the entire formation is now fully governed by the array itself, completely severed from the outside world; let us see how that little brat plays now!

This array did not merely employ a highly profound flow of spiritual essence to distort the surroundings into illusions; the constantly shifting energy currents also ensured that any spiritual signal was entirely prevented from transmitting outward.

Meanwhile, Jiang Xiaoyue shook her communication jade with a touch of irritation, but there was still no signal to be found.

Oh, right! Her dark, ink-black eyes darted about as a thought suddenly struck her, and she promptly retrieved a peculiar little box from the storage artifact in her pocket, plugging its connector directly into the communication jade before tapping the signal icon on the virtual display to select: High-Frequency Radio Signal.

In an instant, the signal bar on the device rose from dead-empty to two steady bars.

She then resumed her Penguin chat: I lost internet for a second just now (Husky dazed face), but the signal is still a bit poor at the moment.

It seemed to be suffering from some form of interference, but at the very least, it was usable.

Following this, she uploaded a picture she had just taken of the members of the Xu and Xun families lying scattered across the ground in various states of defeat: Look quick, I just defeated a few more opponents!

Su Tianji replied: Lost internet? How could you lose internet?

Jiang Xiaoyue answered: I don't know either... there's so much fog around us, I have no idea which damnable fellow laid down a formation here.

Up in the sky, the Nangong family disciple wore an expression that looked as if he had just swallowed a dead fly. ...How is that little brat still using her communication jade?!

Should... the disciple muttered venomously, should your subordinate go down there and snatch that communication jade from her hands?!

They had gone to the trouble of utilizing a formation to seal off all external communications, yet this girl was still playing with her device?!

There is no need, she cannot stir up any significant waves, Nangong Zhuo said coldly. For the sake of the Profound Mechanism Jade, my Nangong family is willing to bear a little blame. I refuse to believe that the Jiang family and the Haotian Academy would openly break ties with our family over a woman from a minor clan!

The Young Master speaks truly; a mere girl, no matter how capable, has only succeeded in disposing of those useless trash, the Nangong disciple hastened to flatter him. With the Young Master taking action personally, success is naturally assured!

Furthermore, do not lay a hand on the Jiang family girl; we alone know the true secret of the Profound Mechanism Jade, and there is no reason to completely offend that clan just yet.

Understood!

Young Master Nangong, the one from the Haotian Academy is also heading this way! another youth called out, dressed in black robes that bore the crest of some unknown faction.

Intercept her first! Nangong Zhuo's face darkened. It seems we must quicken our pace.

Princess of the Jiang family, just as Jiang Xiaoyue was grumbling about the poor signal, a figure descended from the sky, landing before her. Nangong Zhuo stood with his hands behind his back, his visage a mask of cold indifference. We meet again.

The aura faintly radiating from his person was far beyond what an ordinary cultivator could match; Li Lanruo instinctively took a step back, gasping in surprise, Someone from the Nangong family?

Why is it you again? Jiang Xiaoyue asked crossly. What do you want?

Surrender the communication jade in your hand and this woman of the Li family, Nangong Zhuo commanded. Thereafter, whether Her Highness wishes to continue the academy examinations or return home, we shall not interfere in the slightest.

You want to steal my communication jade too?! Jiang Xiaoyue cried out, instantly losing her temper.

Beside them, several disciples of the Nangong family could not help but chuckle mockingly. I advise Her Highness to obediently hand over the communication jade and the woman behind you; otherwise, if the Young Master is forced to act personally, you will certainly find no pleasant fruit to eat!

Who wants to eat rotten fruit? Jiang Xiaoyue huffed. What are you putting on airs for?

If that is the case, Nangong Zhuo's face turned a shade of livid green; perhaps this was the first time in his life someone had rejected his demands so bluntly.

Then allow me to properly discipline a spoiled brat who knows nothing of the height of the heavens or the depth of the earth! As he spoke, Nangong Zhuo extended his right hand, and a massive palm condensed from thick, swirling clouds abruptly materialized before Jiang Xiaoyue, lunging viciously toward the space where the two girls stood!