Chapter 482: Zong Ge vs Zi Di

Stepping out of the inn room, Zi Di relayed her discovery to Zong Ge: the three gold level corpses, including the Axe Gang leader, could temporarily preserve their souls.

Beyond that, she also shared her conjecture regarding the Snowfield War God.

Zong Ge's brow furrowed deeply.

For Zi Di's discovery and conjecture implied that the scale of the enemy they faced far exceeded previous estimates, it was highly likely a colossal force!

Zong Ge's previous battle had been a resounding success, instantly eliminating three gold level enemies. This was undoubtedly a major blow, a crippling setback that would surely instill profound fear!

But if the enemy's forces were vast, this intimidation wouldn't be the final outcome - far from it.

Retaliation was inevitable!

Zong Ge stated, “They don't know how we eliminated the three gold level members.”

“Therefore, the most likely course of action is gathering intelligence and conducting full-scale reconnaissance.”

“Once they figure it out, or grow impatient, the retaliation we face will be terrifying, like thunder crashing down from the heavens.”

The half-beastman sighed, “Such hatred is impossible to resolve.”

“For now, we can only focus on strengthening ourselves, adapting to any changes.”

Zi Di shook her head slightly. "A faction this large must have numerous connections. They lurk in the shadows, likely unable to operate openly. Perhaps we could expose them, then leverage the Snow Bird Harbor City Lord's connections, the Li Jian Clan, or even the official channels of the Ice Sculpture Kingdom to deal with them."

Zong Ge paused, startled. Her words struck a chord.

As a merchant, Zi Di naturally prioritized leveraging existing forces. This time, she had anticipated Zong Ge's thoughts.

Inspired, Zong Ge acknowledged, "You're right. They must be a clandestine faction. The Bayonet Gang was wiped out without ever revealing their connection or receiving support from the Axe Gang."

"The Axe Gang is based in Blood Kin City, closest to Snow Bird Harbor. They had every capability to provide backup. Yet when the Bayonet Gang fell, they didn't lift a finger."

"If this was because the Snow Bird Harbor City Lord acted too swiftly, then why didn't the Axe Gang intervene when Bing Xiao and the others escaped Snow Bird Harbor?"

“The Axe Gang leader sought revenge against us for Teng Dong Lang's death, yet he's always acted in the shadows, never openly deploying the Axe Gang's strength.”

“From the ambush in Cold Wind Valley to our counter-ambush in the blizzard last time, they've always tried to eliminate us secretly.”

“If they could act openly, why go to such lengths?”

“Right! They have their own teleportation formation!”

Back then, the Axe Gang leader and Lin used a hidden teleportation formation to take a shortcut, joining Jia Bing ahead of schedule to ambush Zi Di, Zong Ge, and their group midway.

Zong Ge's tone grew urgent as he continued, "They intercepted us early because they must have secretly constructed that teleportation formation. That violates the laws of the Ice Sculpture Kingdom!"

“Exposing them and leveraging the Kingdom's official channels could turn their own tactics against them.”

“But we must choose our approach carefully.”

“Their ability to grow in secret suggests powerful patrons shielding them from above.”

Zi Di felt a chill run down her spine, fully agreeing with Zong Ge's assessment.

Regardless of other factors, their military status alone formed an incredibly tight-knit network. The influence of their connections behind the scenes could not be underestimated.

“For now, let's avoid involving the Li Jian Clan.” Zi Di's primary concern was that the Li Jian Clan commanded the kingdom's Second Navy, boasting overwhelming military backing.

It was possible that members of the Li Jian Clan were aligned with figures like the Axe Gang leader and Teng Dong Lang.

“Perhaps we could seek assistance from the Snow Bird Harbor City Lord.”

"I believe it's still safe for now. We shouldn't casually reveal our strength in slaying three gold level opponents...but informing him about our ambush in Cold Wind Valley might be feasible."

After discussing it for a while, the two headed to the dueling arena.

Snow Rabbit City boasts dozens of dueling arenas of varying sizes.

This particular arena was small and unremarkable, utterly inconspicuous.

The two entered without any spectators present.

This was a private duel.

After a thorough check to confirm no observers were monitoring them, Zi Di and Zong Ge stood facing each other, ready to begin.

Having proven themselves in combat, the snake shadow ghost and rat eye ghost fully demonstrated the strengths of the new undead faction in reconnaissance, they were reliable allies.

Without further ado, the duel commenced.

Zong Ge, hands empty, took a stride forward, charging toward Zi Di.

Zi Di gently waved her Soaring Flame Staff, casting a Flight spell upon herself to step back.

Zong Ge activated his battle skill: Rapid Advance, outpacing Zi Di to close the distance.

Unfazed, Zi Di tapped her gold level belt.

A spatial ripple erupted, and three silver level ice gargoyles abruptly materialized to block Zong Ge.

One bore fearsome claws, another sported broad wings and astonishing speed, while the last blasted icy beams from its eyes, specializing in ranged attacks.

The clawed ice gargoyle primarily entangled Zong Ge, while the winged ice gargoyle provided flanking support, sealing gaps in the defense whenever Zong Ge attempted to break through.

In an instant, the three ice gargoyles encircled Zong Ge at the center. Their movements were calculated, their coordination seamless, creating a fierce and chaotic battle.

Though clearly a master of weapons, Zong Ge deliberately fought unarmed.

He channeled his gold battle qi, conjuring clusters of ranged attacks from thin air. Like a human artillery platform, he relentlessly pounded the ice gargoyles.

The ice gargoyles possessed exceptional defense; even under continuous assault, they remained unshaken.

Zong Ge grew increasingly adept as the battle progressed.

Having recently ascended to gold level, he desperately needed such combat experience to grasp the unique properties of gold level battle qi.

His previous battle against the Axe Gang leader and two others had been fought at full strength, consuming vast amounts of pearl bubbles, leaving no room for this kind of practical training.

Zi Di's eyes flashed with intense focus.

Controlling the ice gargoyles proved immensely beneficial for her as well. Many facts could only be deeply understood through actual combat. Practical experience was something that couldn't be gained through ordinary cultivation.

Though she was only at the iron level, she was a ghost by nature, possessing mental prowess. Combined with the Burden Alleviation Spell and Karma Removal Spell, Zi Di possessed mental strength not inferior to that of a silver level.

This made controlling the silver level ice gargoyles effortless for her.

Three ice gargoyles gradually showed signs of exhaustion. Once their injuries reached a certain threshold, Zi Di proactively replaced them.

Soon, the three ice gargoyles were replaced and her defenses were watertight again.

Zi Di obtained a total of twelve ice gargoyles from Jia Bing's laboratory, each with their own differences and characteristics. Among them was even a gold level ice gargoyle, though it remained unfinished.

She rotated them constantly, familiarizing herself with each of the twelve ice gargoyles' differences and characteristics.

Zong Ge displayed astonishing warrior talent. He began condensing his gold battle qi into various weapons, wielding them with his hands.

As a weapons master, Zong Ge's combat effectiveness was greatly affected by whether he had weapons.

Now armed, even if only with gold level battle qi, his combat power surged dramatically. This forced Zi Di to simultaneously control six ice gargoyles just to barely hold the line.

But this strained her mental energy rapidly, and she gradually struggled to keep up.

However, Zong Ge's combat strength declined even faster than hers.

Suddenly, a flash of crimson light erupted from Zong Ge's body.

He rolled backward in a hasty evasion, dodging the ice gargoyle's claw strike. Retreating in disarray, he shifted from offense to defense.

“Blood Blade Enemy has activated again!” Zi Di understood, yet she did not pause her assault. Instead, she intensified her command over the ice gargoyles, launching a full-scale offensive.

In their previous battle, Zong Ge had been struck by the Axe Gang leader's death throes counterattack.

The power of the Blood Vengeance Axe had seeped deep into his bones, proving nearly impossible to purge. Periodically, it would flare up, striking at his weak points.

Zi Di attacked with all her might, yet she couldn't detect the very source where this power had taken root. However, through subsequent investigations and purchased intelligence, they had uncovered many secrets of the Blood Vengeance Axe, this unique gold level weapon.

Blood Blade Enemy was an inherent attack ability of the Blood Vengeance Axe. The energy it emitted could penetrate deep into an enemy's body, draining their strength to fuel its own growth. Once it reached a certain threshold, this energy would shift from a dormant state into an aggressive one.

When embedded within an enemy, it would immediately unleash brutal attacks both inside and out.

If the enemy failed to react in time, they would suffer severe injuries, or even death.

While engaging in a training battle with Zi Di, Zong Ge remained constantly vigilant about his physical condition. The moment a Blood Blade activated, he immediately mobilized his internal battle qi to defend.

The Blood Blade's assault directly disrupted his combat rhythm, forcing him to shift from offense to defense.

Facing the ice gargoyle's fierce attack, Zong Ge blocked left and right, ultimately relying solely on a makeshift weapon forged from gold level battle qi to withstand the blow.

This wasn't their first training battle. Zi Di could clearly sense Zong Ge's progress.

"Zong Ge's combat talent is truly remarkable! After just a few training sessions, his improvement is practically visible to the naked eye. Meanwhile, I've mostly been getting familiar with the ice gargoyles. Sigh..."

Zi Di's thoughts drifted to the commander.

Zong Ge's promotion to gold level, coupled with such combat talent, would undoubtedly pose a formidable challenge to the youngster's current leadership position!

Before, Zi Di had hoped the dragonman youngster would appear soon to join them.

Now, she wished he would arrive later, buying her more time to avoid an early confrontation with Zong Ge.

“Battle qi cultivation cannot be rushed.”

“Even if we buy some time, it'll be difficult for the commander to bridge the gap between him and Zong Ge.”

“After all, he's only at the silver level, still far from the peak.”

“However, there are other ways to enhance personal combat strength.”

“Like cultivating magic alongside it.”

“The bloodline of the Flame Dragon King is legendary level, granting exceptional aptitude for fire magic.”

Zi Di pondered and worried for the youngster, unaware that the young commander had already taken such a path.

Yet it differed from Zi Di's expectations—he cultivated magic not in his dragonman form, but as a fishman.

Spell - Spring Well.

After chanting the incantation, the fishman youngster tapped a finger against the metal wall. Instantly, a spring welled up, releasing a trickle of clear water.

Zhong Yong, standing nearby, looked stunned, “Lord, you succeeded on your very first attempt! You possess extraordinary magic talent!”