Boom!
A deafening explosion, and heaven and earth transformed in an instant.
Wu Yong took the lead, commanding the Southern Alliance immortals to break through the fifth formation and arrive at the sixth.
The sixth formation was shrouded in pitch-black darkness, stretching endlessly in every direction.
The Southern Border immortals, standing within, seemed as tiny as ants.
"This is a Grand Formation of the Path of Space!" A Gu Immortal of the Luo family suddenly spoke up.
He wore traditional Southern Border attire, his face a pallid blue-white, his expression cold and severe. He was a great general of the Luo family, renowned throughout the Southern Border, possessing peak Seventh Transformation combat strength.
His surname was Luo, his given name Ran. He specialized in the Path of Space, with deep and profound attainments.
"That's right, this is indeed a Grand Formation of the Path of Space." Chi Quyou nodded in agreement. "Allow me to divine its workings first."
None among the assembled immortals objected. After entering a grand formation, acting blindly and recklessly was unwise. The most correct and reliable approach was to have a formation-specializing Gu Immortal divine the mysteries of the grand formation's operation, then target its flaws — only thus could they achieve twice the result with half the effort and attain favorable outcomes.
After divining for a short while, Chi Quyou said calmly, "I've already divined this formation to about seventy or eighty percent completion. Its foundation is the Voidless Formation."
Upon hearing this, Luo Ran's brow furrowed slightly. "Though I'm not a formation-specializing Gu Cultivator, I've long heard of the Voidless Formation. It is one of the most classic immortal formations in the Path of Space, created back in the Primordial Era. No one knows who its creator was. This formation has only one power — to expand distances and lengthen routes. Once you step into it, a single step can become a hundred."
Chi Quyou smiled. "Immortal Friend Luo Ran is remarkably well-informed. Indeed, this is the Voidless Formation. However, it has already undergone modifications — there is a hidden layer of variation concealed within."
Someone asked, "What kind of variation?"
Chi Quyou shook his head. "I'm unable to divine it for the time being. I've only detected a vague hint. However, we can proceed forward — travel while allowing me to continue divining. Based on the current situation, we can advance freely without issue. The Voidless Formation itself possesses no offensive power; it merely traps the enemy, widens the distance between both sides, and stalls for time."
"Give me some time, and I'll be able to divine this hidden layer of variation, then uncover the formation's weaknesses. If the Heavenly Court strikes before then, as long as we hold our defense and I can observe the nature of the variation, it will only accelerate my divination."
Chi Quyou's suggestion was sound. The assembled immortals set off immediately, choosing to fly straight ahead together.
The Voidless Formation was entirely devoid of light — pitch-black, unfathomably deep.
The Southern Alliance immortals shielded Chi Quyou at their very center, while Wu Yong remained at the very forefront.
"Look — there seems to be something ahead!" Yao Tianze, a Gu Immortal of the Yao family, suddenly called out.
Everyone slowed their approach and drew closer for a careful look.
Suspended in midair before them was a massive blanched-white radish, the size of a house, hanging completely motionless.
"What is that? It looks like an ancient immortal plant!" Yao Tianze questioned.
The others frowned — the thing before them was no ordinary sight.
Wu Yong remained silent in contemplation. A flash of insight flickered through his mind — he seemed to have seen records of this type of immortal plant somewhere before, but he could not recall it in the urgency of the moment.
"If I'm not mistaken, this should be the Profound Ice Radiance Radish — an immortal plant from the Primordial Era, long since gone extinct. I never expected the Heavenly Court to still have specimens." Qiao Zhicai spoke up.
He was the Supreme Grand Elder of the Qiao family. Though he possessed only Seventh Transformation cultivation, he specialized in the Path of Wood.
Wu Yong's eyes immediately brightened. "That's right — the Profound Ice Radiance Radish. Everyone, be careful and do not approach. Once you get too close, this radish can unleash billions of ice rays, piercing through every inch of skin and organ, freezing the victim to death in an instant."
Qiao Zhicai continued with a detailed explanation. "Indeed. Do not underestimate the ice rays — they are manifestations of the ice and snow Dao marks upon the Profound Ice Radiance Radish. After the radish unleashes its ice rays, it is completely stripped of all its Dao marks and reduced to an ordinary material. A single such burst of ice rays carries power no less than an Eighth Transformation Gu Immortal's immortal-level killing move."
Hearing this, the assembled immortals involuntarily retreated several steps, raising their vigilance to the utmost.
But just then, an abrupt change occurred.
Ripples suddenly spread through the air. The grand formation lurched violently into motion, and an enormous force of the Path of Space erupted upon a Southern Border Gu Immortal.
The Southern Border Gu Immortal had already activated his defensive measures, but the force of the Path of Space did not aim to breach his defense — instead, it relocated his entire being elsewhere.
The destination was none other than directly in front of the Profound Ice Radiance Radish!
The Profound Ice Radiance Radish reacted like a frightened little girl — its body immediately contracted, shrinking to a mere third of its original size.
Then, in the next instant — Boom!
Billions of ice needles, a blinding expanse of white, shot outward in every direction.
The Southern Border Gu Immortal had already activated his strongest defensive measures, but they held for only half a breath before the sea of ice needles turned him into a sieve.
He was then frozen solid, as hard as a stone statue.
The Southern Border immortals all showed expressions of shock.
The Voidless Formation had suddenly activated, teleporting and repositioning an immortal within it — this was clearly the variation Chi Quyou had mentioned earlier. Combined with the Profound Ice Radiance Radish, the two complemented each other perfectly.
A shadow of grimness flickered across Wu Yong's face.
Since leading the Southern Alliance immortals into battle, this was the first casualty — someone had truly lost their life.
Wu Yong's mind raced, searching for a countermeasure.
Just then, another change erupted.
Ripples spread through the air once more. An invisible, intangible force of the Path of Space — overwhelming and irresistible — seized upon another Southern Alliance Gu Immortal.
"As long as I'm here, don't even think about pulling the same trick twice!" At this critical moment, Luo Ran let out a sharp cry and activated an Immortal Gu.
The Immortal Gu's power swept outward in all directions, instantly freezing the surrounding space solid as ice.
All the Southern Alliance immortals felt a tremendous binding force, as if sealed within an ice coffin in that very instant.
Seventh Transformation Immortal Gu — Space Suppressor!
A single Seventh Transformation Immortal Gu was clearly insufficient to counter this Heavenly Court formation, but it was not without effect.