As the eerie formation diagram unrolled and floated into midair, the gaunt cultivator and his companion watched the already dim sky grow even darker. A light layer of mist shrouded the surroundings, blurring their sight and rendering everything hazy and indistinct.
Silence blanketed the area, broken only by the wind rustling through the sparse leaves of withered trees.
The gaunt cultivator sneered. “A yellow-haired brat playing tricks!” Before his words died away, he raised his left hand and tossed out the gourd once more, rapidly chanting incantations. A powerful suction force burst from the mouth of the gourd, gradually restoring the flow of the suppressed spiritual energy nearby.
His companion employed his own methods as well. With a flick of his sleeve, three long spikes shot toward the formation diagram, tearing through the air with a clanging metallic whir.
Shi Yu dared not slacken. Her fingers flicked through hand seals faster and faster, like someone plucking a stringed instrument, dragging behind trails of spiritual energy light with every glide of her fingertips.
Unless a cultivator specialized in the Dao of Formations, the chances of seeing through the array she had set up using the diagram were minuscule. However, seeing through an array was not the only way to break it; shattering the layout with brute force was a common tactic as well.
Having just obtained the Nine Underworlds Diagram, she was still unfamiliar with it and could not exert its full power. Furthermore, the gaunt cultivator and his companion far outstripped her group in cultivation. If the fight dragged on, breaking the array through sheer force would not be difficult for them.
With these thoughts crossing her mind, Shi Yu formed another hand seal, pointing one finger to the sky and the other to the ground as she barked, “Condense!” The Nine Underworlds Diagram flared with even greater radiance. Instantly, blazing flames soared into the sky, and head-sized fireballs rained down in countless numbers. Linking together into an airtight sea of fire, the burning inferno surged toward the two trapped inside the array with imposing grandeur.
The formation diagram subtly incorporated the mutual generation and overcoming of the Five Elements, but fire control was her strong suit. Thus, the first variation she drew upon from the diagram's killing array was the Fire-Element transformation.
The expressions of the gaunt cultivator and his companion shifted slightly. For the moment, they could only defend against the fireballs to protect themselves, forced to stall their brute-force assault on the array.
Spiritual energy rapidly poured into the formation diagram. Even though Shi Yu had formed the dual Yin-Yang Qi, making her spiritual energy circulation and recovery speed far surpass before, it was still difficult to keep pace with such immense consumption. Within a few breaths, bean-sized beads of sweat broke out on her forehead. Knowing she could not hold on for long, she didn't even bother to wipe the sweat, calling out through ragged gasps, “End this quickly!”
Qingzhou and Mo Tong brought their palms together and slowly pulled them apart. In Mo Tong's palm, a blue, shimmering sword formed from flowing water appeared, while in Qingzhou's grip was the Nine Nether Sword originating from tens of thousands of years ago! Having recognized him as its master and transformed into his natal magic sword, it naturally followed his every thought with seamless ease.
Seizing the opportunity, the two leapt into the array and summoned their respective sword beams. Their rainbow-like sword Qi slashed toward the gaunt cultivator and his companion.
Shi Yu struck out two Divine Phoenix Seals at the opportune moment. Instantly, Qingzhou's and Mo Tong's momentum surged, and their movement techniques grew thirty percent faster.
Seeing this, the gaunt cultivator's face paled. Although their cultivation was superior, they felt a fierce, terrifying pressure rushing at them, sending a chill through their hearts. The two swiftly deployed their movement techniques to dodge the pursuing sword Qi, but were immediately restricted by the array Shi Yu had laid out.
Sword light and fireballs interwoven into a tapestry of spreading flames and crisscrossing sword Qi, dazzling like brilliant fireworks.
However, these two were, after all, cultivators at the late stage of the Foundation Establishment Realm. In the Foundation Establishment Realm, a difference of two minor sub-realms was practically a deep chasm. Facing them head-on, even with the array suppressing and tangling with the enemies, Qingzhou and Mo Tong suffered several injuries after exchanging a few moves, deep red blood staining their clothes.
Smug expressions broke out on the faces of the gaunt cultivator and his companion. Just as they prepared to press their advantage, a dark shadow suddenly shot forth out of nowhere, streaking through the air. One of the enemies cried out in agony, clutching his eyes: “Ah!!”
The shadow was none other than Little Seven, who had been waiting for the right moment to strike. Shi Yu had released Little Seven earlier without sending it into the fray immediately. Instead, she used the array's illusions and aura masking to keep Little Seven hiding nearby. Spotting a moment of carelessness from the two, Shi Yu gave the command, and Little Seven cleverly swooped in, pecking out one of the enemy's eyes.
With this, the situation reversed once more.
Little Seven let out a clear cry and circled above their heads, its seven-colored tail feathers fanning out to drag behind a long, breathtakingly gorgeous trail of light.
The gaunt cultivator's pupils shrank as he gasped, “A Seven-Color Luan...”
At that moment, Shi Yu issued another clear shout: “Rise!”
The Fire-Element transformation shifted into an Earth-Element transformation. The earth shuddered and the mountains shook around them as the ground vibrated violently. A phantom mountain manifested from the formation diagram, pressing down toward the two cultivators. Coming to his senses in a hurry, the gaunt cultivator held his gourd, ignoring his eye-injured companion. His fingers rapidly tapped the bottom of the gourd, causing beast heads to erupt one after another to withstand the crushing mountain above.
Beside him, the injured companion wailed, “Big Brother, protect me!”
The gaunt cultivator was loyal enough not to abandon his companion. Stepping forward, he moved to the man's side to shoulder some of the pressure for him.
On the other side, Qingzhou, Mo Tong, and Little Seven attacked together with surprising synergy. Sharing identical features like twin brothers, Qingzhou and Mo Tong held a water sword and the Nine Nether Sword respectively; standing side-by-side, the dual swords moved as one. Little Seven hovered above their heads, clearing the path with Seven-Color Glazed Fire to sweep away the foul beast heads blocking their way.
Shi Yu took a deep breath and stood up, retrieving the Yinhuang Bow. Tiny sparks of fire spontaneously erupted along the bowstring as two types of Heavenly Fire intertwined—one being the Void Fissure Spiritual Flame containing space laws, and the other being the Yanyang Xuancang Flame representing the purest origin of fire. As spiritual energy formed a flaming arrow, even the surrounding space seemed to warp slightly.
The crimson-gold arrow pierced through space like a falling star, shooting straight for the gaunt cultivator.
Boundless heat waves surged through the air. As water and fire clashed, sizzles rang out continuously, and streams of white steam billowed up, condensing into a dense mist in the air.
...
When the white mist dissipated, revealing two corpses lying on the ground, Shi Yu's chest heaved heavily. Her footing faltered, and as her vision went dark, she toppled forward. Ji Yu, who had been hiding off to the side the whole time, rushed over to support her. “Sister!”
“Ah Yu, are you alright?” Qingzhou and Mo Tong rushed over, pulling out several pills and feeding them to Shi Yu.
Little Seven flapped its wings and flew over, chirping endlessly with deep concern filling its tiny, pea-sized eyes.
“I'm fine, just overexhausted.” Shi Yu waved her hand. She gasped for breath for a long time until the pill effects gradually dissolved, restoring some strength to her body.
She raised her palm upward, and the formation diagram hovering in midair returned to her grip.
Brushing her fingers over the ancient scroll, she heard Qingzhou say, “Had it not been for this formation diagram, our safety today would have been severely compromised.”
Shi Yu nodded. “It's also thanks to the convenience of this secret realm. The Nine Underworlds Diagram has been nurtured here for tens of thousands of years, so drawing upon the local spiritual energy naturally made it easier to wield. Were we in the outside world, its power might not match today's display.”
Of course, once her mastery over the formation diagram deepened in the future, that would be a different story.
Stowing away the diagram, she turned her gaze toward the two corpses and glanced at Ji Yu.
Understanding immediately, Ji Yu rubbed his hands together. “As you command!”
And with practiced ease, he trotted over merrily to loot the bodies.
Shi Yu instructed, “Bring me that man's treasure mirror first.”
She wanted to use this mirror to see what had actually transpired back in the stone chamber with the sword wall set up by Senior White Bones.
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