After I stopped trying, a rich woman trained me into a demon emperor.

Half an hour later.

The northern part of Blackwind City, the Zhenbei Military Warlord's Mansion.

Yan Lie sat on a large chair made of the spine of a giant beast.

He was tall, with half his face covered in black scales and a crimson crystal embedded in his left eye.

On the table lay a newly delivered secret letter, on which was written: "Grand Duke Swallowing Bones is half a day away from Blackwind City."

The lieutenant stood below, bowing and requesting instructions:

"General, shall we go to the inn now?"

If that person is truly an imposter, then it's a perfect opportunity to seize the Primordial Black Blade and claim credit with the Grand Duke.

Yan Lie did not answer, his fingers rhythmically tapping the table, making a dull sound.

"Ming Sha is dead."

Yan Lie spoke slowly, his tone low.

"Ming Sha was in the mid-stage of the Integration Realm. When he died, there were no signs of battle, and his soul did not escape."

"If that person is really a fake, what makes him think he could have gone this far?"

The lieutenant frowned:

"But he hasn't shown up, which is not in line with the Emperor's style."

That's what makes it interesting.

Yan Lie gave a cold smile.

"A true emperor will not hide, while a false emperor dares not reveal himself."

"If he is only half-true, he must have something left behind by Ye Futian, but he himself is extremely weak."

"The Bone-Swallowing Duke has arrived. If he were smart, he should run away."

The lieutenant probed:

"What if he doesn't run away?"

The crimson crystal in Yan Lie's eyes lit up, shimmering with an eerie light.

"Then he must be lacking something. He needs to restore his strength or break through to a higher realm."

A guard strode in and knelt on one knee.

"General, news has come from the inn that the Emperor is collecting Nine Nether Marrow, Star Transformation Grass, and Demon Infant Fruit, and is also secretly inquiring about the location of the Lightning-Attracting Array base."

Yan Lie stopped pointing, a glint of light flashing in his eyes.

The lieutenant's expression changed slightly:

"He's trying to break through? Could it be that he's really only at the Nascent Soul stage and wants to force his way to the Deity stage?"

Yan Lie got up and walked to the window.

The Magic Crystal Inn in the distance was still shrouded in a sky-covering array, making it impossible to see its true form.

"really."

He turned around, his face showing a fierce expression.

"A Nascent Soul cultivator who has just broken through but whose cultivation is not yet stable, is still seriously injured, yet he dares to act like an emperor in Black Wind City while holding Ye Futian's relics."

"He dared not escape, nor could he escape."

The lieutenant asked:

"Should we give them the lightning-attracting array base or not?"

"Give it to him."

Yan Lie said.

The lieutenant was taken aback: "General, this is aiding the enemy!"

"It's not free."

Yan Lie raised his hand, and a black nail slid out from his sleeve, exuding a chilling aura.

"Have the Shadow Demon take the array base over there, and place the Soul-Locking Nails inside the array base."

"As long as he uses the array base to attract lightning, the Soul-Locking Nail will pierce into his sea of ​​consciousness."

"At that time, whether it's true or false, it will all be exposed."

"If he dies in the lightning tribulation, the Primordial Black Blade will belong to me."

"If he survives the lightning tribulation, he will surely be severely injured, making it easier for the Bone-Swallowing Duke to kill him."

The lieutenant bowed his head: "General, you are wise. I will take care of it immediately."

Yan Lie toyed with the black Soul-Locking Nail.

This nail is forged from ancient, resentful iron, and is specifically designed to harm the soul.

"Shadow Fiend acts covertly and leaves no trace."

Yan Lie added.

"Tell him that after delivering it, he doesn't need to say anything more, just drop it off and leave."

The lieutenant accepted the order and withdrew.

Yan Lie sat back down in the large chair and looked out at the gloomy sky.

Turmoil is about to strike Blackwind City.

Inside the inn.

Not long after Wu Heng left, a troop of the Zhenbei Army delivered a black iron array plate that was half a person tall.

The surface of the array plate is covered with lightning patterns, and a purple lightning core is embedded in the center, with the power of lightning faintly flowing within it.

Accompanying the team was Yan Lie's butler, a pale-faced man with no shadow.

He cupped his hands and said, "My general heard that His Majesty intends to reshape the golden body, so he specially offered a foundation for a lightning-summoning array."

"General Yan said that the former ministers dared not neglect His Majesty the Emperor, and only wished that His Majesty would return to his throne as soon as possible and rule over the Six Heavens."

Gu Li stared at the array plate and sneered.

"You were just saying the Emperor was a fake, and now you're calling him a former official? Your change of heart is faster than turning the pages of a book."

The butler remained unfazed and continued to be respectful.

"The general said that the situation in Blackwind City is complicated, and the rumors from the outside world should not be entirely believed."

"Only by witnessing the true power of the Emperor can one realize that one has been deceived by villains."

Qin San stood aside without saying a word.

He stared at the butler's feet.

This person walked in without casting a shadow.

It wasn't a lighting issue; his shadow had been stripped away, a characteristic of the Shadow Fiend race.

Zhou Ran's words came from the secret room: "Leave the array plate, and get out."

The butler's expression stiffened slightly. Not daring to linger, he bowed his head and replied, "Yes."

He turned and retreated, his figure quickly disappearing into the shadows.

After everyone had gone far away, Qin San entered the secret chamber and closed the stone door behind him.

"Master, there's a problem with the array plate."

Qin San walked to the array plate, placed his hand on the lightning pattern, and felt the strange fluctuations hidden within.

"I know."

Zhou Ran looked at the lightning-attracting array base.

Purple lightning flowed across the black iron array plate, indicating that it was indeed a high-level array base, capable of withstanding at least one Nascent Soul Tribulation.

However, at the very core of the array, there is an extremely thin black line that is faintly visible.

"Those are Soul-Locking Nails."

Zhou Ran said.

"It is usually hidden in the lightning core, but once the formation is activated, it will pierce into the host's consciousness along with the power of lightning."

"Yan Lie wants us to use his formation to break through, and then die in his formation."

Qin San's face revealed murderous intent: "I'll go kill him. Although the warlord's mansion is heavily guarded, I'm confident I can take his head."

"You can't kill him."

Zhou Ran shook his head.

"He was at the peak of the Fusion Realm, and the warlord's mansion still has at least two Fusion Realm retainers."

"Killing him now is pointless; using his formation is the key."

"Since he has come to us, we should not refuse him."

Xiao Rou squatted beside the array plate and released a tiny golden Gu worm.

The Gu worm crawled onto the lightning core, and as soon as it approached the black line, its body trembled slightly, as if it sensed a great threat.

"There's a small black nail inside, it's nasty."

"Is it edible?"

Zhou Ran asked.

Xiaorou shook her head: "You can't eat it directly, it will explode."

"The resentment on this nail is too strong; it will hurt my little Jin."

Zhou Ran stretched out his hand, his fingertips landing on the array plate.

The ethereal image of the White Bone Brush appeared, emitting a faint glow.

He didn't write anything, but closed his eyes and sensed the structure within the array plate.

The Soul-Locking Nail is ingeniously designed, seamlessly integrated with the lightning patterns on the entire array plate.

If forcibly removed, the array base will self-destruct.

If not removed, it will become a deadly trap during the breakthrough.

A moment later, Zhou Ran opened his eyes, a cold smile on his face.

"Qin San, keep the Soul-Locking Nails."

"reserve?"

Qin San was somewhat puzzled.

"Um."

Zhou Ran looked at the purple lightning core.

"Since Yan Lie gave us a gift, we should return the favor."

"These Soul-Locking Nails are valuable; if used properly, they can turn against their master."

Qin San understood: "You need to send the nails back."

"No need to see me out."

Zhou Ran said.

"Let him come and get it himself."

"When the tribulation lightning arrives, I will use the Heaven-Deceiving Array Pattern to bind the aura of the Soul-Locking Nail to the tribulation lightning."

"At that time, the power of the lightning tribulation will backfire on Yan Lie through the Soul-Locking Nails."

Qin San nodded and immediately began to inscribe the Heaven-Deceiving Array Pattern on the floor of the secret chamber.

Zhou Ran used the bone pen to draw several mysterious runes in the void.

The runes slowly merged into the array plate, locking the black line tightly.

At the same time, he created a false feedback mechanism around the black line.

"In this way, what Yan Lie senses through the Soul-Locking Nail will only be the scene I want him to see."

Zhou Ran explained.

Xiao Rou's eyes lit up as she looked at the runes:

"Master is really amazing. That bad guy is going to be in trouble now."

Qin San smiled knowingly and began to inscribe the Heaven-Deceiving Array Pattern on the floor of the secret chamber as Zhou Ran instructed.