For Jiang Wanzhao, taking down a Golden Core Realm cultivator like Lu Guanghua, whose lifespan was nearly at its end, wasn’t particularly difficult.

After all, regardless of one’s major Realm, the gap between the strong and the weak could be as vast as the heavens and the earth.

As she issued her warning, Jiang Wanzhao was already prepared to strike at a moment’s notice.

Lu Guanghua, however, was utterly unafraid. He first found a random spot to sit down before leisurely staring at the blood jade mine below.

"Jiang Wanzhao, your luck truly is something else. To think you even managed to find a rarity like blood jade essence..." Lu Guanghua chuckled lightly.

"What, are you thinking of getting a piece of the pie?" By now, Jiang Wanzhao had realized something was off.

Logically, Lu Guanghua shouldn’t be foolish enough to dare meet her proactively outside the Pinnacle Celestial Immortal Sect.

Furthermore, Lu Guanghua’s current aura didn’t seem like that of someone whose lifespan was about to end.

’It’s more like he’s returned to his peak condition!?’

But that was simply impossible. Jiang Wanzhao had never heard of any Heavenly and Earthly Treasures that could allow a Golden Core Realm Cultivator to instantly regain their youth and return to peak condition.

Her confusion didn’t last long, for Jiang Wanzhao quickly thought of another possibility!

"Lu Guanghua, could it be that you..."

Knowing that Jiang Wanzhao had seen through him, Lu Guanghua threw his head back and laughed. "I don’t have much time left to live anyway. I might as well settle my grudges before I die!"

"Zou Feng must die. That’s final. And don’t even think you can protect him!"

As he spoke, Lu Guanghua’s face was filled with viciousness, and he looked like a man possessed.

"You... Why must you do this...?" Unlike her earlier dominant stance, Jiang Wanzhao’s tone had clearly softened as she began trying to reason with him.

It wasn’t that she was a coward; Jiang Wanzhao had already realized that Lu Guanghua was in the process of burning his Golden Core.

And his Golden Core could detonate in a terrifying explosion at any moment.

As a fellow Golden Core Realm Cultivator, Jiang Wanzhao knew better than anyone how powerful the explosion from actively burning one’s Golden Core was.

And that wasn’t all. Lu Guanghua’s current state clearly indicated he had also activated some kind of forbidden art, one that would further amplify the power of his self-destruction.

With her strength, she wouldn’t be severely injured as long as she escaped in time.

The problem, however, was that the blood jade essence, which was just about ready for harvesting, would be completely destroyed.

In other words, the fruits of Jiang Wanzhao’s century of painstaking effort would vanish into thin air.

"Why must I do this?" Lu Guanghua laughed out loud, as if amused by Jiang Wanzhao’s question.

"Originally, Li Dingjie’s appearance gave me—someone who had already accepted his fate—a renewed sense of hope. It was as if I had been reborn! There was still a path ahead of me!"

"However, someone turned that path back into a bottomless abyss! So I ask you, Jiang Zhenchuan, tell me: am I suffering or not?"

Hearing this, Jiang Wanzhao couldn’t help but retort, "Then have you ever considered the possibility that you should have stopped Li Dingjie from provoking a prodigy who was heralded by the chimes of the Heavenly Dao?"

"Can you honestly say that your instigation had nothing to do with Li Dingjie falling on the Dao Discussion Platform?"

At these words, Lu Guanghua flew into a rage and roared, "Shut your mouth! More talk is pointless! What could a little girl like you possibly understand!"

In the depths of his heart, of course he regretted his decision. For Li Dingjie to forge his Celestial Tier Dao Foundation, killing Zou Feng was merely the most effective method, not the only option.

Jiang Wanzhao had lived for several centuries; it had been a very long time since anyone had called her a "little girl."

But Lu Guanghua’s age was even more staggering, so there was nothing wrong with him calling her that.

"What exactly do you want?" Jiang Wanzhao had already given up on trying to reason with this madman.

Only then did Lu Guanghua calm down again, grinning as he said, "Oh, it’s nothing major. I just want to ask Jiang Zhenchuan to stay here with me for the time being. Don’t go anywhere!"

"If you insist on leaving, then don’t blame me for destroying the fruits of your century of labor."

Lu Guanghua’s goal was to trap Jiang Wanzhao here and prevent her from coming to Zou Feng’s aid.

After all, it was unrealistic to expect Jiang Wanzhao to simply summon Zou Feng.

Zou Feng wouldn’t need to think twice to know something was wrong; he wouldn’t fall for the trap.

It might also push Jiang Wanzhao to her breaking point, causing her to lose her composure and disregard her century of hard work.

But simply making Jiang Wanzhao stay put for a while was a much easier proposition...

Lu Guanghua’s gamble paid off. As long as she kept her wits about her, Jiang Wanzhao was indeed unwilling to let her century of effort be destroyed for nothing.

Besides, Jiang Wanzhao had actually guessed his purpose not long after he arrived.

So, a moment ago, she had secretly notified her subordinates to send a message to Zou Feng.

The message was simple: I am temporarily trapped by Lu Guanghua. No matter what happens, do not leave the Pinnacle Celestial Immortal Sect!

What Jiang Wanzhao failed to anticipate, however, was that her sending a secret message was also part of Lu Guanghua’s calculations.

After all, in his grand scheme, two conditions were necessary to make Zou Feng recklessly leave the Pinnacle Celestial Immortal Sect.

One was that Zou Feng had to know that he, Lu Guanghua, could not personally come to deal with him.

With that boy’s arrogance, as long as he was certain he wouldn’t be ambushed by a Golden Core Realm True Disciple, the probability of him leaving the Immortal Sect in a fit of rage was extremely high...

At this moment, Zou Feng was still completely unaware of Lu Guanghua’s various schemes.

The interior of the Demon Suppression Tower was also considered an Alternate Space, so it couldn’t receive transmissions from a Token.

Therefore, he was still focused on his Cultivation of the Sunfire Scripture.

After reaching the stage of Great Success with the Sunfire Scripture, it gave rise to a variety of divine abilities, making Zou Feng all the more grateful he had chosen to practice this art.