Chapter 48: Breakthrough, Second-rank Low-Grade Formation Master
Song Changsheng weaved left and right, dodging all the incoming attacks while his mind raced furiously.
From the pattern of the formation’s operation during its assaults, he had already discerned that this was a second-rank low-grade Wood-Earth Harmony Formation, a formation capable of perfectly integrating with mountainous forests, constantly absorbing wood and earth spiritual energy to reinforce itself.
Though this formation was considered fairly common, its strength lay in the circulation of wood and earth elements, capable of wearing down intruders with relentless waves of attacks.
But Song Changsheng remained unperturbed. Although the formation was of the second rank, it also indicated that the one who set it up could not be a Foundation Establishment cultivator. Otherwise, they would have directly attacked instead of laying down a grand formation to ambush him.
As long as no Foundation Establishment expert took action, with the second-rank low-grade talismans he carried, he still had a sliver of hope.
“Water Dragon Vortex!”
Song Changsheng stretched out both arms. A torrent of water-element spiritual energy gathered at his feet, quickly coalescing behind him into a vivid and lifelike water dragon, which let out a resonant roar.
The surge of vine-like tendrils charging toward him was instantly shattered into fragments by the dragon’s cry. But immediately after, countless earthen spikes burst from the ground in their place.
Song Changsheng’s brows furrowed slightly. At this rate, he would eventually be worn down and die within the formation.
“Right now, breaking the formation is my only path forward. But the formation spans a vast area and shifts constantly. How can I find the core?”
He was, after all, only a top-grade first-rank formation master. Attempting to dismantle a second-rank formation was incredibly difficult.
“I must calm my mind and comprehend the formation patterns. Only then might I find a way to break it. But with these incessant attacks, I’ll never get the chance to focus…
“Right, the Lu Wu Bell!”
A flash of inspiration sparked in his mind. He retrieved the Lu Wu Bell, which resembled a small handbell, and whispered softly, “Only you can assist me now.”
With a wave of his arm, the bell instantly expanded in size, enveloping him completely and blocking all the incoming attacks.
A spiritual tool was still a spiritual tool. Though Song Changsheng’s cultivation wasn’t yet sufficient to unleash its full power, its sentience allowed it to autonomously execute some basic operations.
With the Lu Wu Bell shielding him, Song Changsheng finally had the opportunity to fully focus on deciphering the formation.
He drew a simplified array pattern in his palm and pressed it against the earth before him. Instantly, the hidden formation patterns beneath the soil were all revealed.
His spiritual sense extended outward, beginning to trace and deduce the layout of the remaining patterns based on what lay before him. It was a formidable challenge but also a golden opportunity…
Outside the formation, an elder clad in Earthfire Sect robes furrowed his brow. Though the entire situation within the formation was laid bare to him, what he had assumed would be an effortless kill had suddenly turned troublesome. He hadn’t expected Song Changsheng to produce such a powerful treasure.
“This old man’s patience has limits. You lot get in there and tear that damn turtle shell off him!” the elder barked coldly to the surrounding Earthfire Sect disciples.
“Yes, Elder!”
The four disciples replied in unison and leapt into the formation, launching attacks against the Lu Wu Bell.
On a distant battlefield, Wang Wanzhou wielded the Seven-Colored Glazed Mirror in his left hand and the Fufeng Sword in his right. Despite being outnumbered, he showed no signs of faltering.
Cheng Yufei and Du Huating had no intention of fighting to the death. They merely sought to entangle him, preventing his escape from the battlefield.
Suddenly, a streak of light quietly shot in from the distant sky, aimed directly at Cheng Yufei’s face. Alarmed, Cheng cried out, “Soul-Piercing Spike?!”
He hastily summoned a small round shield before his chest, narrowly blocking the deadly blow.
Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a flash of the foot-long, pitch-black spike.
“Song Luoyao?” Du Huating’s expression darkened slightly.
The sudden development caused the three combatants to pull back momentarily, each one now wary as two fierce figures approached rapidly from the east.
Wang Wanzhou burst out laughing. “Your deaths are nigh, now die for this old man!”
He lunged again toward the two enemies.
The newcomers finally revealed themselves, Third Elder Song Luoyao and Fourth Elder Song Luohuai. Both wore stern expressions and joined the battle without hesitation.
The dynamic shifted at once: from two against one to three against two. Cheng Yufei and Du Huating found themselves increasingly on the defensive.
“Damn it! What are the Qiu Clan’s people doing? They couldn’t even hold them off!” Cheng Yufei fumed inwardly, both shocked and furious. He had anticipated the Song Clan would be alerted, which was why he’d arranged for the Qiu Clan to intercept them ahead of time.
They were supposed to delay the Song reinforcements until sunrise. Yet it had only been a short while and they’d already broken through. Now the tables had truly turned.
Cheng Yufei no longer cared about killing Song Changsheng. His only concern now was how to escape with his life at the lowest possible cost.
...
Back in the formation, Song Changsheng had no idea that his plight had already sparked a brawl among several Foundation Establishment cultivators from major powers.
At this moment, he had reached a critical juncture in deciphering the formation.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The combined attacks of the formation and the Earthfire Sect disciples rained down relentlessly on the Lu Wu Bell, causing it to tremble violently.
As the saying goes: “No fortress holds forever.” The spiritual radiance covering the Lu Wu Bell gradually dimmed, until finally under a barrage of strikes it was shattered, shrinking back to bell-size.
The Earthfire Sect disciples were overjoyed and immediately prepared to finish Song Changsheng off. But at that moment, seated cross-legged, Song Changsheng suddenly opened his eyes and flung out a yellowed talisman.
The talisman burst into flames midair, transforming into a giant, phantom palm that crashed down upon the four disciples.
“Second-rank low-grade talisman: Great Spirit Palm?!”
Panic-stricken, the disciples scattered. But this was the equivalent of a full-force blow from an early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, no easy feat to avoid.
Two cultivators at the ninth layer of Qi Refinement were instantly reduced to pulp. The remaining two at Qi Refinement Great Perfection suffered shattered bones and torn sinews, fated to need years of recuperation.
Striking true, Song Changsheng launched himself leftward. His right foot, glowing with spiritual light, kicked fiercely at an inconspicuous stone.
That was the core of the formation!
Boom!
The stone disintegrated into powder. Instantly, Song felt as though heaven and earth had lit up. Dense formation patterns surged beneath his feet, only to collapse in the next moment.
Second-rank Low-Grade Wood-Earth Harmony Formation, broken!
Pfft-
The formation master from the Earthfire Sect suffered a violent backlash. He spewed a mouthful of blood as his aura withered. Eyes wide in disbelief, he looked at Song Changsheng and rasped, “You… You’re a second-rank formation master?”
Song Changsheng shook his head calmly. “Before entering the formation, I was but a peak first-rank master. But I must thank you for pushing me to the brink of life and death, allowing me to take that next step.”
“Heh… No wonder Elder Cheng and the others schemed to eliminate you. You truly are a prodigy. It’s just a pity that I, an old man with limited skill, could not rid my sect of this threat.”
The elder’s eyes burned with bitter resentment, his voice full of fury and regret.
“You nearly succeeded. If not for the Lu Wu Bell, I would have become another soul lost within your array. Go in peace. In your next life, don’t stand against the Song Clan again.”
Song Changsheng let out a faint sigh and flicked a finger, sending a beam of spiritual energy straight through the elder’s forehead. His pupils instantly dimmed…
(Chapter End)