The old man was the first to propose joining forces and breaking the formation with raw power, so naturally it fell to him to coordinate. Every single person was stuck in place—unable to move closer to anyone else, unable to advance or retreat. With so many people trapped here, they couldn't arrange themselves into a formation either; there was no way to combine their strength through some grand array. All they could do was unleash their individual techniques.
Once the discussion was settled, the old man was about to give the order when he noticed something shift in Yang Kai's expression. He turned his head. "Young friend, it seems you've discovered something?"
Yang Kai's eyes flickered with an unusual light. Hearing this, he nodded slightly. "I have some leads, but I haven't been able to fully grasp them yet. I need a bit more time."
The old man's eyes brightened. "Since you've found something, why not share it so we can all study it together?"
"Exactly, exactly—one mind is limited, but many minds are strong. There's no reason for this friend to keep his findings to himself. We can work together to break this predicament," someone chimed in agreement.
Yang Kai sneered. "What I've discovered is my own ability. Why should I tell you?"
That person's expression darkened. "What an impudent brat."
The old man beside him also shook his head. "Young friend, that's the wrong attitude. We're all trapped in this place, caught in a snare. We need to work together if we want to break free. Now is not the time to hold things close to your chest."
Yang Kai replied coolly, "It's not that I don't want to tell you—it's that you wouldn't understand even if I did."
The old man shook his head with a sigh. "Hoarding your little treasures only harms everyone, yourself included."
"This kid's got some nerve! You brat—once we're out of here, you're not running away. I'll have a nice long chat with you!"
Yang Kai paid him no mind. He closed his eyes, extended his spiritual sense, and began quietly probing the area.
Seeing that he wouldn't be budged, the old man dropped the matter and rallied the crowd instead. At his command, one technique and one artifact after another erupted with devastating force, sending the surrounding spatial energy into violent convulsions. Ripples spread outward in wave after wave.
Everyone watched with bated breath, waiting until the combined might of their techniques dissipated—only to find that nothing in their surroundings had changed in the slightest.
The old man's face turned grim. "Again!" he bellowed.
Another round of techniques was unleashed.
Booming roars filled the air without end. Hundreds of warriors striking at once was quite the spectacle, and since everyone was desperate to break free, hardly anyone held back—every strike was thrown with full force.
The void trembled, the world seemed to overturn, and the shockwaves rippled outward in expanding halos that pulsed without cease.
Half an hour, one hour, three hours…
Hundreds of warriors were pushed so far they nearly vomited blood. Every one of them was pale-faced and breathing erratically. They were all Emperor Realm cultivators, and while each had gained considerable opportunities within the Taixu Realm—accumulating a good measure of Yin-Yang Five Elements power—sustaining such prolonged full-power exertion was more than even they could bear.
And after all that time with absolutely nothing to show for it, many began losing heart.
The old man kept stoking their morale, but there was only so much he could do. He was forced to call a temporary rest so everyone could recover their strength.
He glanced over to where Yang Kai still stood in the same spot, perfectly still, and couldn't help but feel a surge of irritation. Here they were, fighting tooth and nail, pooling their strength to break this trap and escape—while this young man simply stood there looking composed, apparently contemplating the mysteries of this place. Who was to say he wasn't just conserving his energy, waiting for the critical moment to swoop in and reap the rewards?
Just then, several hundred more people suddenly poured in and landed within the invisible cage. They were those cultivators who had been caught in the illusion earlier and had only just recovered, rushing in to seize the Taiyi Spirit Purifying Water—only to follow in the footsteps of those before them.
These newcomers behaved just like the first group, charging forward with all their might but remaining firmly in place, unable to get a single step closer to the white jade basin.
The cultivators who were resting watched the latecomers with expressions of pity, wearing looks that clearly said, "We told you so."
The old man raised his voice and explained the situation here until the newcomers finally stopped struggling.
"Now that we have several hundred more friends trapped here, our strength has grown considerably. This time, we're certain to break through!" the old man declared, his spirits lifted. "Everyone, catch your breath. In one hour, we strike together!"
A roar of approval surged through the crowd.
One hour later, at the old man's command, nearly a thousand people unleashed their techniques and secret arts simultaneously. The combined might was more than double what it had been before.
Several more hours passed. Nearly a thousand cultivators stood in place, pale-faced and gasping for breath, their complexions ashen.
Even with this many striking together, they hadn't been able to budge the invisible cage by even a fraction. Every person's heart sank to the pit of their stomach—none of them had the faintest idea how to break this thing.
"There is no formation under heaven that cannot be broken. I refuse to believe otherwise! Everyone, rest up, and we'll start fresh from the beginning!" the old man declared. Despite having expended enormous energy, his fighting spirit remained high.
Unfortunately, morale was a fickle thing. High spirits could be sustained for one push, but they waned on the second, and by the third, they were spent. After repeated failures, many had already succumbed to pessimism, and the fire that had once driven them was all but extinguished.
By the time they launched their third combined assault, most were simply going through the motions. The old man was furious, but there was nothing he could do.
Just then, a burst of hearty laughter rang out. Yang Kai—who had kept his eyes closed the entire time, meditating on the mysteries before him—suddenly opened them. A brilliant light flashed in his gaze as he stared at the empty void ahead, and he exclaimed in admiration, "Brilliant, simply brilliant! So that's how it works!"
With those words, he took a single step forward.
The moment that step landed, every single person's eyes went wide as they stared at him in astonishment.