Chapter 61:
Mangkang Mountain was hazardous, inhabited by fourth-stage demonic beasts equivalent to the genesis stage. The mountain peak was said to have a unique magnetic field, and magnetic storms sealed off a significant portion of the area. Only specific regions were accessible, and flying too high was impossible. In the accessible areas, there was still a risk of encountering formidable demonic beasts, so ordinary Golden Core cultivators were reluctant to venture too deep into Mangkang Mountain, let alone attempt to cross it.
“Do we need to continue onward?” the Sect Leader asked.
Upon hearing this, Li Su released his grip on the Sect Leader’s hand. He had been holding it unconsciously, enchanted by its softness and smoothness. The Sect Leader’s reminder brought him back to the present.
Li Su arrived at the formation disc, with the Sect Leader following suit, and he began to operate it. As he did, the mist in front of them dissipated, revealing the situation within the killing formation.
“Master, look, that’s the demonic cultivator,” Li Su said, pointing to the still cross-legged figure with closed eyes. The demonic cultivator’s composure appeared remarkably stable. At this point, he had no means of cultivation, lacking even spiritual energy as all his spirit stones and spiritual items had been depleted. The passage of time for cultivators was swift, but sitting without cultivating for months, let alone hundreds of years, could drive anyone insane. It was a testament to his remarkable mental fortitude.
The shadow continued to swirl around the demonic cultivator, and the Sect Leader’s gaze remained fixed on him.
“Master, I can now control this killing formation, but I’m concerned that I might not have enough spirit stones. Let me demonstrate it for you first,” Li Su explained as he manipulated the formation disc.
Not everyone could control a formation disc, especially one as complex as the Grand Expansive Sword Formation. Different formations had distinct nuances, and defensive formations like this were intentionally made more intricate by the formation master.
With Li Su’s control, several ancient-looking long swords materialized and rushed towards the demonic cultivator.
“Here they come again!” The expression on the demonic cultivator’s face displayed a mix of surprise and suspicion. Being imprisoned for centuries had taken a toll on his mental state.
His mysterious golden soul moved to intercept the long swords, but it had a limit. Beyond ten swords, it would be overwhelmed. However, the formation had over thirty active long swords out of the original 96, some of which were damaged and unusable.
“He has control of this killing formation!” The Sect Leader watched in genuine surprise as Li Su manipulated the formation to attack the demonic cultivator. She was now certain of his abilities. Her eyes revealed a sense of awe and shock at his success in deciphering and controlling such a formidable killing formation that could trap a cultivator in the Nascent Soul stage.
Even after observing Li Su’s journey for almost two centuries, the Sect Leader was amazed and couldn’t understand how he had achieved this level of mastery. The mystery behind his rapid progress in cultivation and formation mastery remained elusive to her, especially since he reached Foundation Establishment at a young age.
“Master, how many spirit stones have you brought?” inquired Li Su.
Suppressing their surprise, the Sect Leader handed a storage bag to Li Su.
Li Su peered inside, finding a substantial quantity of spirit stones, totaling one hundred thousand pieces, forming a small mountain. Initially, spirit stones weren’t cut so uniformly. They were shaped this way in the three major immortal sects for convenient trading.
However, in this array control area, these spirit stones were larger, each the size of a bar of soap, equivalent to twenty or thirty from the Flying Immortal Sect. The larger stones indicated that the region where these two cultivators operated likely held more spirit stones and more powerful sects and cultivators.
“Master, please wait a moment. I will repair this killing formation,” Li Su said.
Could Li Su repair the killing formation? This statement convinced the Sect Leader of Li Su’s exceptional expertise in formations. Otherwise, how could Li Su undertake this task? The Sect Leader’s gaze remained fixed on Li Su, eager to witness the repair process.
Li Su placed the spirit stones he had taken out into an area surrounded by several formation flags, serving as the central hub of the killing formation’s energy. Then, he removed five black formation flags and activated the formation disc, sending each flag in different directions. Although more than five formation flags had been damaged, Li Su could only repair five of them now. The positioning of these five formation flags was crucial, as incorrect placement might yield unfavorable results.
Li Su carefully manipulated the flags, sending one to the north, two to the east, and two to the south. These flags were swiftly inserted into the ground, and Li Su once again used the spirit stones as a catalyst to activate them, integrating them into the entire Dayan Sword Formation. Finally, Li Su manipulated the formation disc, causing the flags to flutter. As a result, the entire Dayan Sword Formation was repaired and enhanced. Though not fully restored, it was now sufficient to confront the demon cultivator.
After completing these actions, Li Su clapped his hands and stated, “It’s done, Master.”
The Sect Leader was surprised by the apparent speed of the repairs.
“Huh?”
Within the Dayan Sword Formation, the demon cultivator sensed something was amiss. The formation appeared to have changed in his perception, and two consecutive attacks from the Dayan Sword Formation had put him on edge. For hundreds of years, as long as he remained at the formation’s center, it wouldn’t attack him. He speculated that the one who set up the formation was either dead or had fled.
Given the damage he had inflicted on their souls, he believed they were likely dead. His malevolent cultivation technique was particularly effective against cultivators’ souls. If the formation’s creator was indeed deceased, switching the Dayan Sword Formation from an offensive stance to a defensive one would be wise, as a killing formation wasn’t designed for containment.
When a killing formation lacked an operator, its attacks were less potent but could still effectively ensnare people. The demon cultivator suspected that the two individuals might be running low on spirit stones, but he was severely injured at the time and focused on healing.
His cultivation recovery was slow, with no spiritual energy available and his supplies dwindling. After reaching the early stage of the Yuan Infant realm, he attempted to break free. Still, the Dayan Sword Formation had absorbed years’ worth of earth energy, making it incredibly resilient.
So when the cultivator Bai, received the message on the stone tablet, he saw it as a lifeline. Without the confidence to break free easily, he refrained from wasting spiritual energy. Now, as the Dayan Sword Formation unexpectedly launched attacks on its own, it seemed someone was actively controlling it.
“Who is it?” the demon cultivator demanded, scanning the surroundings. “Kid, is it you?” He suspected Li Su, as they had communicated through the stone tablet, and Li Su’s actions had been unpredictable. The demon cultivator hoped that Li Su would cooperate under the threat of the Heavenly Demon Palace, but Li Su’s silence left him uneasy.