Terrifying energy fluctuations surged from the rift within the node. This phenomenon was caused by the invasion of a terrifying yao in the Deity Transformation realm from the demon realm on the other side.
Whether in this world or the demon realm, Deity Transformation realm experts and eight-pattern yao of the same level stood among the most powerful existences. Even a Nascent Soul realm cultivator unleashing great power within a space-time node would provoke the suppression and unrest of the wills of both worlds, let alone a mighty Deity Transformation realm existence.
Sensing the familiar, terrifying fluctuations, Lin Zheyu and Zong Linjing abruptly opened their eyes and looked toward the space-time node.
Fellow Xiao's luck is truly terrible! Zong Linjing thought as she looked at Lin Zheyu nearby.
Only a few days had passed since he took over the duty of guarding the formation node from Ji Haozhong, yet the demon realm was already invading again. Moreover, this was not the first time an invasion had occurred while Fellow Xiao was guarding the formation node.
Then again, my own luck does not seem much better, Zong Linjing thought, shaking her head self-deprecatingly.
Like Lin Zheyu, she had encountered an invasion from the demon realm almost as soon as she arrived. Several subsequent invasions had also occurred while the two of them were guarding the formation nodes. Their luck was truly unmatched.
"What wonderful luck!" Lin Zheyu opened his eyes and looked toward the space-time node, a faint smile appearing on his lips.
He truly felt fortunate. It was as though someone had brought him a pillow just as he was growing sleepy. Whenever the demon realm invaded, the surrounding formation restrictions would activate. From within the formation node, Lin Zheyu could then use his Heavenly Eye to perceive even more of the formations' mysteries.
Lin Zheyu frowned slightly, a faint sense of danger lingering in his heart. I hope nothing unexpected happens this time. Otherwise, I will have no choice but to flee.
Ever since he detected that concealed aura atop the city wall, the faint sense of danger had never disappeared. In fact, each invasion from the demon realm made it grow stronger, until it became intense enough to leave Lin Zheyu uneasy.
At his level of strength, he placed great trust in such mysterious intuition. This was especially true given that his perception far surpassed that of ordinary cultivators, and he also possessed the powerful spirit divine ability of the Heavenly Eye. His instincts could not be wrong. Lin Zheyu believed that a terrifying storm of calamity was brewing within the demon cave, though no one knew when it would erupt.
"Screech!"
Suddenly, the cry of a flying bird drew Lin Zheyu's attention. He narrowed his eyes and looked toward the space-time node as the Heavenly Eye within his sea of consciousness opened reflexively. What he saw was breathtaking. An incomparably beautiful woman dressed in fiery red stepped out of the darkness, her robes fluttering around her and her bearing transcendent.
The indistinct phantom of a terrifying giant flame bird appeared around her, letting out a silent cry. As its cry spread, invisible ripples of power swept outward and calmed the terrifying energy aura spilling from the space-time rift.
It's her! Lin Zheyu was startled, and a sense of foreboding rose within him.
Recklessly spying on a mighty Deity Transformation realm expert was hardly a wise decision. After the transformation of his spirit Heavenly Eye, he could see far more clearly and perceive many things that had previously been hidden from him.
The phantom of a fiery bird resembling the Vermilion Bird behind her revealed the woman's origins. She came from the Vermilion Bird Sect, one of Great Wei's four great sects, which presided over the Vermilion Bird Realm, one of the Four Symbols Realms! With a thought, Lin Zheyu prepared to avert the gaze of his Heavenly Eye. However...
At that moment, the woman suddenly turned her head and looked in Lin Zheyu's direction. The corners of her lips curved upward into a beautiful, breathtaking smile. Her expression was warm and approachable, while her eyes were filled with approval, like an elder looking upon an exceptionally outstanding junior. The smile vanished in an instant, and the woman stepped into the rift within the node before disappearing from sight.
Lin Zheyu breathed a slight sigh of relief. He had not sensed the slightest malice from the woman. As a mighty expert at the Deity Transformation realm, she would have no need to conceal any hostility toward him. Even if she killed Lin Zheyu here, Qin Hu, the alliance leader of the Martial Alliance, would not dare voice the slightest objection.
"As expected of an expert from the Vermilion Bird Sect, one of Great Wei's four top-tier sects..." Lin Zheyu murmured softly in relief.
Had she truly harbored ill intentions toward him, Lin Zheyu would have had little confidence in escaping from her. Not even the Primordial Chaos Pool would have helped. The Primordial Chaos Pool possessed formidable defenses, but until he gained complete control over the dharma treasure, it had no ability to travel through the void. Even if he hid inside it, he would merely be sheltering within a sturdy tortoise shell. Once the energy within it was exhausted, all he could do was bare his neck and await death.
“Roar! Roar!”
The roars of the yao pulled Lin Zheyu back from his thoughts. He placed his palm upon the formation node and began controlling it to slaughter the invading yao. At the same time, his spirit remained taut to the limit as he constantly guarded against any unexpected developments.
Time slowly passed. Suddenly, Lin Zheyu frowned slightly as he once again sensed someone watching him from the shadows.
It is happening again, but compared to last time, the observer is concealing themselves far less effectively, Lin Zheyu thought.
He turned slightly, and his golden Heavenly Eye looked in the direction from which the sensation of being watched had come. Through the concealment of layer upon layer of formation restrictions, Lin Zheyu vaguely perceived the figure of an old man with snow-white hair and beard.
While controlling the formation to slaughter the yao, the old man had also diverted a small portion of his attention toward Lin Zheyu. The corners of his mouth curved upward as he secretly observed Lin Zheyu with great interest. However...
The old man did not realize that Lin Zheyu had already detected his covert observation.
Is this old fellow that Nascent Soul realm cultivator from the Shi Family? Lin Zheyu wondered.
Although Lin Zheyu had not interacted much with the other cultivators during his time here, he had gained a general understanding of those stationed within the city.
The Shi Family... They truly refuse to give up! Lin Zheyu's eyes turned cold as a trace of killing intent flashed through his heart.
He was no longer the weak cultivator he had once been. Since someone intended to harm him, Lin Zheyu would eliminate the threat before it could develop. Once the enemy was dead, the danger would naturally disappear. As a martial artist whose strength was comparable to the Nascent Soul realm, Lin Zheyu already ranked among the top experts of Great Wei.
The Shi Family was an esteemed family of immortal cultivators with a long heritage, but it had gradually declined and now possessed only a single early Deity Transformation realm expert. Without the powerful spirit treasures passed down by their ancestors, the Shi Family would never have been able to maintain its current status.
Moreover, they had enemies of their own. Otherwise, they would never have compromised with the Martial Alliance and signed an agreement back then. Even if Lin Zheyu killed a member of the Shi Family and they discovered some clues implicating him, he would not be afraid.
It was not as though he had never killed a member of the Shi Family before. Back when he first entered the cultivation world, Lin Zheyu had already slain one of their descendants. Unless the Shi Family mobilized its Deity Transformation realm expert, ordinary Nascent Soul realm cultivators could do nothing to him.
That, however, was clearly impossible. The Shi Family's Deity Transformation realm expert would never lower himself to deal with a martial artist who was, at least publicly, only in the early Shackles realm. By the time the Shi Family realized that something was amiss, Lin Zheyu might already have reached a level comparable to the Deity Transformation realm.
"Hmph!" Lin Zheyu snorted softly and withdrew his attention from the elderly Shi Family cultivator.
He divided his attention between two tasks. While controlling the formation to slaughter the yao, he used his spirit Heavenly Eye to observe and comprehend the mysteries of the surrounding formation restrictions.
Within the dark void, the patterns of laws that composed the formation restrictions began to shimmer. Vast amounts of energy flowed through those patterns, and every change and reaction produced as it passed through different patterns was laid bare before Lin Zheyu's Heavenly Eye.
"So that is how it works. I understand now!" Lin Zheyu murmured, excitement flashing through his eyes.
The activated formation restrictions exposed nearly all the profound mysteries contained within the formation to his Heavenly Eye. Lin Zheyu could not help marveling at the genius of the cultivator who had devised the method of fusing Immortal Dao formation runes with demonic patterns. Such an ingenious combination, such a brilliant concept, and such a masterfully constructed formation were truly incredible.
Lin Zheyu eagerly comprehended and absorbed the profound principles of the Great Dao contained within the surrounding formation restrictions. He became so engrossed that even the rate at which he slaughtered the yao slowed considerably, but this did not matter.
As martial artists stationed along the first formation defensive line, their primary duty was not to kill the yao. It was to hold the formation nodes, improve the formation's stability and flexibility, and strengthen its overall power. The task of slaughtering the yao primarily fell to the cultivators stationed along the second formation defensive line.
***
Time slowly passed. More and more yao poured from the node fissure, their roars rising one after another. A vast army of yao surged out like a tidal wave and hurled itself madly against the first formation defensive line outside the space-time node. This time, the yao army was larger and stronger than before, and every one of them fought with utter disregard for their lives. Even the intelligent yao concealed among the horde were no exception.
Most intelligent yao willing to risk their lives to invade this world were seven-pattern yao or stronger. Yao at this level had already condensed their own nest. As long as the nest remained intact, even if their current body died, they could revive under a sufficient supply of demonic qi. This was one of the heaven-defying traits of yao.
However, this ability was not without a price. Each time they died, reviving from their nest required an enormous amount of energy and a lengthy period of time. Since Lin Zheyu had slowed the rate at which he slaughtered the yao, the area around him had long since been overwhelmed by a dense horde.
Are you all right? Do you need help? Zong Linjing's voice sounded within his mind, pulling Lin Zheyu out of his contemplation of the formation.
Seeing so many yao gathered around the formation node guarded by Lin Zheyu, Zong Linjing worried that something might have happened to him. After all, not long ago, he had tailored, revised, and refined the Circulating Heavenly Radiant Light Guiding Art specifically for her. In her view, improving a technique of that level must have placed an enormous strain on his mind.
No need. I am fine, Lin Zheyu replied through voice transmission.
He exhaled softly as he looked at the dense mass of yao outside the formation node. It seemed he would have to clear them out first. This also gave him a chance to rest, as using the Heavenly Eye for such a long time had taken a considerable toll on him.
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