"I certainly understand that reasoning! When we make our move to break the formation later, we can make a grand spectacle of it. Even if Qing Yuanzi can hold back and not use those contingencies, he won't be able to calmly deal with the heavenly tribulation. Daoist San Quan, we'll be relying on you," Huang Yuanzi said with a sinister smile.
"Rest assured, leave the matter of breaking the formation to me," Daoist San Quan replied proudly upon hearing this.
Having said that, the young Daoist pinched a single-handed seal, and immediately, clusters of white clouds surged forth from beneath his feet. They lifted his form, and he drifted toward the direction of the valley.
Huang Yuanzi and the giant man, seeing this, did not dare delay. Their own lights of escape flared, and they followed close behind.
The three had flown forward for only a hundred or so li when suddenly, a rumbling roar erupted from all around. The surrounding void blurred, all the scenery shifted, and in an instant, the three found themselves within a forest of towering, sky-reaching trees.
The trees in this forest were each about a hundred zhang tall, their entire bodies a glossy black, as if forged from black iron.
The very moment the three appeared within the forest, the surrounding giant trees immediately began to shake violently like an earthquake, tilting and crashing down toward them. Before they even truly fell, gusts of forceful wind pressed down in rolling waves.
"A formation this crude dares to try and trap this lord? Truly laughable," Daoist San Quan exclaimed upon seeing this scene, and instead burst into hearty laughter.
Without using any apparent treasure, he merely let out a great shout, and shook both sleeves forward. Billowing yellow mist surged wildly out from within, rolling in all directions.
An astonishing scene unfolded.
When the yellow mist swept over the black giant trees, they were immediately sent flying backward like straw. After a series of muffled sounds, they completely vanished, transformed into sand and dust.
Only then did the surrounding void twist and distort, restoring the original scenery.
Daoist San Quan's figure moved without pause, and he shot forward once more.
Huang Yuanzi and the giant man behind him were secretly delighted.
This time, the trio had barely flown ten-odd li when suddenly, a brilliant radiance erupted from several hills below. Three rune formations, each roughly an acre in size, flickered into existence simultaneously atop the hills. From within came the sound of tearing air, and a dense, countless multitude of fireballs materialized, blanketing the sky as they shot toward the three.
Daoist San Quan saw this and merely curled his lip. A finger within his sleeve moved, and suddenly three emerald-green threads of light flashed out. With a thunderous *boom*, they transformed into three thick pillars of light that shot downward.
Three heaven-shaking, earth-shattering booms!
The three pillars of light twisted like spirit serpents through the fireballs, flashing past them, and struck the three rune formations heavily, instantly grinding them and the hills beneath them flat.
Daoist San Quan's figure did not slow in the slightest, and his light of escape swept directly over the now-level ground where the hills had been.
Huang Yuanzi and the giant man exchanged a glance, then followed with smiles on their faces.
Obviously, although Qing Yuanzi had laid down many restrictions, the ones on the outer periphery were quite ordinary, meant to deal with those of inferior cultivation.
Only the restrictions closer to the valley were the true core, formations specifically designed to counter opponents of the same Grand Ascension stage.
…
Within the valley, Yan Li, who had been sitting cross-legged at the valley entrance, suddenly felt a fluctuation by her ear as Qing Yuanzi's solemn voice transmission reached her.
"Yan'er, be careful. There is a formidable enemy of your master outside trying to break through the formation. Take the treasures I gave you earlier and go man the Eighteen Heavenly Fiend Formation."
"Yes, Master. Yan'er will go right away." Yan Li's expression turned solemn. She hastily rose to her feet and cupped her fists toward the sky in acknowledgment.
At this moment, every restriction and grand formation in the valley had been fully activated.
Layer upon layer of multicolored radiance, combined with the relentless black gale winds howling through the void, made it impossible to make out anything at the center of the valley.
Apart from the rolling peals of thunder and the occasional clear ringing sound, she could no longer sense the slightest movement from the massive platform.
"Don't worry. With someone manning it, the Eighteen Heavenly Fiend Formation's power will increase by at least twenty percent — enough to hold the intruders outside for several days. Once I overcome this tribulation, I can deal with these enemies personally." Qing Yuanzi seemed to have sensed his disciple's unease and actually offered a few words of reassurance with a light laugh.
Hearing these words, Yan Li felt a slight measure of relief in her heart.
Since her master still had the leisure to send her voice transmissions, he presumably still had energy to spare against the heavenly tribulation.
She wasted no more time. Her escape light flared to life, and she transformed into a streak of yellow light that pierced through the air and departed from the valley entrance.
Moments later, Yan Li stood atop a mountain peak. Hovering beneath her was a massive disc-shaped artifact, its surface densely studded with rows of small flags in various colors.
She herself was staring intently at a bronze mirror held in her hand.
The flickering image within the bronze mirror showed none other than Daoist Sanquan driving a white flying blade, which danced up and down like a flood dragon, completely tearing apart a golden-light formation on the periphery.