Steam Era: The Lord of 'Puluo' Chapter 937 - 525: An Zongding, You’re Here_4

This spectral servant, which had served him for years, had suddenly lost its will. An Zongding, attempting to regain control with his techniques multiple times with no success, grew increasingly anxious. He had no idea where Green Flower had obtained the phonograph, nor did he anticipate its potency as a formidable magical treasure. Without his spectral servants, a Nightmare Cultivator is nearly stripped of all combat capabilities. However, An Zongding possessed magical treasures, and not merely one. With his Above the Clouds cultivation, An Zongding was no ordinary individual. In moments of crisis, his mind remained lucid, allowing him to carefully contemplate which magical treasure could counter Green Flower. The affliction plaguing Greenwater Beggar was exceptionally difficult to overcome, and coupled with his Martial Cultivator foundation, using magical treasures for close-quarters combat against him was clearly a disadvantage. All his controlled spectral servants were lost; his best course of action should be to utilize long-range magical treasures, engage Greenwater Beggar from a distance, and stall for time while devising a method to reassert control over his servants. This plan seemed quite feasible. But what magical treasure could withstand Green Flower? If it couldn't, and Greenwater Beggar managed to close the distance, it would be too late to consider a retreat. This maneuver was too fraught with risk, not advisable. He swallowed two elixirs, intending to forcibly boost his battle power, regain command of his spectral servants, and then engage Greenwater Beggar in a fierce battle. Yet, what if he failed to regain control, and Greenwater Beggar launched another ambush? How would he defend himself? An Zongding, seasoned by countless battles, paused for a fleeting moment before making a swift decision. He retrieved a golden bead from his bosom, placed it in his mouth, and turned to flee. This bead was a Traveling Cultivation Treasure, granting him speed comparable to an eighth-layer Traveling Cultivator. Green Flower's cultivation was profound, and his affliction potent, but ultimately, he could not outpace a Traveling Cultivator. In the blink of an eye, An Zongding had vanished from Yangjiao Garden. Though abandoning all his spectral servants and fleeing in such a manner seemed somewhat ignoble, An Zongding didn't see it that way. As the saying goes, as long as the mountain remains, there will be firewood to burn. He would not contend with Greenwater Beggar in this battle for the time being. This encounter was not entirely in vain; he now knew Greenwater Beggar possessed a magical treasure that could restrain Nightmare Cultivators. When better prepared in the future, he was certain he could destroy that phonograph and end Greenwater Beggar's life. The immediate priority was to return to Green Flower's location without delay, find Feng Chongli, and instruct him not to tamper with Green Flower's contract book yet. Greenwater Beggar inquired from the side, "Are you heading to Longmen Road?" "Yes!" An Zongding replied, his words slightly muffled by the bead in his mouth. After a brief response, he looked at Green Flower with a bewildered expression. Why was he running so fast... Green Flower was keeping pace with An Zongding, seemingly without effort. An Zongding reached out to grab a magical treasure, only for his right hand to be seized by Li Banfeng, who snapped the bones in his arm. An Zongding turned to dive into the woods, but Li Banfeng delivered a kick, shattering the bones in his leg. An Zongding bit down on a stack of talismans, desperate to summon wandering spirits and ghosts nearby, but Li Banfeng stepped forward, kicked An Zongding's jawbone, causing the talismans to scatter uselessly on the ground. With cultivation equal to Above the Clouds, a Nightmare Cultivator without spectral servants was no match for a Traveling Cultivator. An Zongding dragged his crippled leg, crawling forward with his remaining hand, mumbling incoherently, "I'm from Snowflake Beach. If you dare kill me, Snowflake Beach will not spare you. You have no future in Puluo State..." "You've been secretly investigating me, harmed my brother, and stolen his wife. You already have no future in Puluo State," Li Banfeng declared, grabbing An Zongding's hair with his right hand. He opened the room door with his left and threw An Zongding inside the Portable Residence. After securing the door, Li Banfeng returned to Yangjiao Garden. Qin Tianjiu was still attempting to rescue Feng Yuqiu. Feng Yuqiu was immobile, and Qin Tianjiu could neither carry nor drag her away. Upon seeing "Green Flower" return, Qin Tianjiu's eyes welled up with tears. He pulled out a bag of rations, stuffing them into his mouth, preparing for a fight. "Run..." Feng Yuqiu pleaded in panic. She hadn't spoken for many years; not that she was unwilling, but as a cultivator of the Taoist Sect, reaching a certain level resulted in a loss of speech function. Today, pushed to the absolute limit, she had found her voice. How could Qin Tianjiu possibly run? He was simple-minded, unsure of what else to do, only knowing that he had to stand in front of Feng Yuqiu at this crucial moment.