Seeing the two of them brimming with killing intent, Kuang Zhu stepped back. Together with Zhan Bai, he shielded Xiaoguzi and Xiaozui behind them. Then, with a shifting of shadows, he brought these two Qi Refining cultivators to stand at the entrance of the great hall.
Witnessing this, the smiles on Ye Jingwen and Mo Tiange's faces grew wider. Senior Brother Kuang Zhu had resolved their worries about Xiaoguzi and Xiaozui, and had even blocked the enemy's escape route. What more did they have to fear?
In contrast, the expressions of the Ancient Sword Sect cultivators turned even uglier.
Who would have thought Kuang Zhu seemed to feel this wasn't enough to crush the enemy's morale? With an utterly nonchalant and elegant air, he tossed out a line that should have been filled with killing intent: "They're headed for their end sooner or later, let's just hurry it up."
As soon as the words left his mouth, before he could even make a move, an impatient Early-Stage Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Ancient Sword Sect roared, "Don't push us too far!" His eyes bloodshot, he charged straight at Kuang Zhu.
By the time the Early-Stage Foundation Establishment cultivator lunged forward, Wan Hong'an was already shouting, "Form the formation!" But ultimately, his shout came a step too late.
An Early-Stage Foundation Establishment cultivator against a Late-Stage one naturally had little chance of winning. Even the sword light, which had almost solidified into a tangible form, was merely halted a sword's length away from Kuang Zhu by a faint, powdery substance that Kuang Zhu casually dispersed with a flick of his sleeve.
The fact that the seemingly insubstantial powder mist could block a flying sword like a solid object was startling enough. But now, it entangled the sword cultivator's sword, which was one with his divine sense, like brambles. This not only shocked the Ancient Sword Sect cultivators but also greatly surprised Mo Tiange and Ye Jingwen.
This moment of surprise from Mo Tiange and Ye Jingwen allowed the instinctively formation-building Ancient Sword Sect cultivators to nearly complete their sword formation.
Then came Kuang Zhu's elegant, calm voice: "Let me help you form a formation."
Before the echoes of his words faded, the Early-Stage Foundation Establishment cultivator was sent flying like a kite with a severed string, crashing toward the almost-completed sword formation. A thin trail of powder mist followed behind him. Another Mid-Stage Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Ancient Sword Sect, seeing his fellow disciple hurtling toward him, naturally reached out to catch him. The person was caught easily, but no one noticed the powder mist attaching itself to that cultivator as well.
Kuang Zhu's move naturally reminded the momentarily distracted Ye Jingwen and Mo Tiange.
Mo Tiange quickly controlled her Flying Sky Shuttle to ram into another Early-Stage Foundation Establishment cultivator standing on a star position of the sword formation. That cultivator naturally didn't dare to take the hit head-on and was forced to abandon the star position he had painstakingly secured. He was even injured by the flying needles Mo Tiange shot out amidst the chaos.
Wan Hong'an gnashed his teeth in fury at this sight. Since they couldn't form the formation, they could only attack individually. Thinking that a female cultivator at the same Mid-Stage Foundation Establishment level would be easier to deal with, he ran two fingers along his sword blade. A deep crimson blood color seeped into his sword. At the same time, Wan Hong'an switched his sword-holding hand to his injured left hand. Immediately after, a barrage of flying blades formed from sword qi, tinged with that crimson blood color, came raining down toward Mo Tiange.
"Senior Brother Wan, you...?" The youngest Early-Stage Foundation Establishment cultivator of the Ancient Sword Sect exclaimed in shock.
Mo Tiange was highly alert to these unusual blood blades. The white silk kerchief hovering above her head swiftly erected a brick wall in front of her. Unexpectedly, the blood blades at the edges of the wall curved around it, heading straight for Mo Tiange. She retreated rapidly while simultaneously making her protective spiritual energy surge. Surprisingly, the protective spiritual energy only very slightly slowed the blood blades' speed. Two of them were unavoidable. With two tearing sounds, Mo Tiange was wounded on her left shoulder and calf.
Seeing his strike succeed, Wan Hong'an bared his teeth in a savage grin. "Xiao Gaizhi, if you want to live today, you must fight desperately first. Do you still think you can retreat unscathed?"
Hearing this, the young cultivator named Xiao Gaizhi also wounded himself to empower his sword, just like Wan Hong'an.
The three Ancient Sword Sect cultivators locked in combat with Ye Jingwen over there, seeing this development, also coordinated to wound themselves and empower their swords like Wan Hong'an.
For a moment, blood blades danced chaotically. Ye Jingwen and Mo Tiange were somewhat overwhelmed, struggling to control the situation. Meanwhile, the five Ancient Sword Sect cultivators, relying on the blood blades to pave the way, began trying to form their formation again.
A cold smile flickered across Kuang Zhu's lips. He had not made another move after that initial push. He pulled out the bottle of pills he had been fiddling with before the fight started, shook out a few azure-green pills, and tossed them into the fray with a flick of his wrist.
The Ancient Sword Sect cultivators naturally panicked and dodged. But Mo Tiange and Ye Jingwen, who were under attack, were not so fortunate. Unable to dodge in time, the two could only brace themselves and take the hit. Unexpectedly, the pills turned into powder mist upon contact with their protective spiritual energy. Following the blood qi leaking from their wounds during the fight, the mist surged into their injuries. Mo Tiange and Ye Jingwen were startled by the cooling sensation entering their bodies. Looking again, they saw their wounds healing at a visible rate.
Kuang Zhu didn't stop after this throw. Green mist swirled throughout the hall, and the blood blades instantly vanished. The Ancient Sword Sect cultivators stared in shock at their healed fingers, their combat power sharply reduced.
Ye Jingwen and Mo Tiange were torn between laughter and tears; this was the first time they realized a medical cultivator's healing could also be used as an attack.
Senior Brother Kuang gave a gentle, refined smile. "I've ascended another level today."
Yet Wan Hong'an's savage expression didn't change as he revealed a grin. "Stopping this blood was also timely. I won't thank you."
With that, he actually slapped his own chest with his palm. A mouthful of heart's blood sprayed onto the floor in the center of the hall. Instantly, the chaotic, disorderly marks left by the blood blades on the ground writhed to life. Wan Hong'an burst into maniacal laughter. "Since we can't form the Myriad Phenomenon Star Formation, letting you taste our Ancient Sword Sect's Myriad Phenomenon Asura Formation is the same! Hahahaha!"
The face of the other Mid-Stage Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Ancient Sword Sect changed dramatically. "Wan Hong'an, you're insane! You dare to learn our sect's forbidden technique, and you even tricked us into this!"
The blood blades on the ground naturally couldn't have been completed by Wan Hong'an alone. Knowing there was no way out, Wan Hong'an, to kill his opponents, not only used himself as a sacrifice but also directly used his fellow disciples as the blood medium for the Myriad Phenomenon Asura Formation.
Wan Hong'an watched the rapidly writhing bloodstains on the hall floor, laughing until he was almost exhausted, yet he still said, "Since we can't live, come to hell with me! Hahahaha!"
The faces of the other Ancient Sword Sect cultivators paled in terror. Mo Tiange still didn't fully understand the situation when Kuang Zhu at the entrance clearly shouted, "Xiao Bai, protect!"
In that instant, the bloodstains at Wan Hong'an's feet circled out a ring with him at the center. Using this as the origin point, characters emanating a sinister, cold aura rapidly spread outward.
Kuang Zhu, now sitting cross-legged, pushed his palms forward. A white mist rapidly spread from his location toward where Ye Jingwen and Mo Tiange stood. That white mist very timely halted the further spread of the blood characters.
The Ancient Sword Sect cultivators, seeing the white mist, lunged toward it as if it were a lifeline. But they only managed to lunge halfway before the already spreading blood characters covered their bodies, freezing them in place.
Mo Tiange watched in horror as the frozen Ancient Sword Sect cultivators rapidly lost color from their faces, while the blood characters on the ground grew even more vigorous, spreading toward the hall walls and the area covered by Kuang Zhu's white mist.
Seeing sweat beads form on Senior Brother Kuang Zhu's forehead as he manipulated the white mist to resist the blood characters, Mo Tiange and Ye Jingwen exchanged a glance. They naturally understood the key now was Wan Hong'an. Mo Tiange was about to summon a magical instrument to deliver a fatal blow to the laughing, breathless Wan Hong'an when Xiao Bai shouted loudly, "Don't!"
Mo Tiange looked over, her eyes full of confusion. Xiaoguzi poked his head out from behind the protective Senior Brother Bai. "This Myriad Phenomenon Asura Formation can only be slightly restrained by intangible things like what Senior Brother is using. Once it touches a physical entity, it will use that entity as a catalyst..." Xiaoguzi paused, unable to find the right words, and could only point at the several Ancient Sword Sect cultivators who had been taken as blood mediums. "It'll turn them into that."
Ye Jingwen also explained, "That ring of blood at his feet seems to be only on the ground. But if someone actually attacks, it will form a cylindrical pillar from the ground to block the attack, simultaneously taking the attacker, via the catalyst, as a blood medium."
After saying this, Ye Jingwen added, "The Myriad Phenomenon Asura Formation is an extremely vicious blood-refining formation. This formation made a startling debut in the Demonic Beast War hundreds of years ago, but ultimately, because its destructive power was too great and the blood-refining formation master was prone to demonic transformation and other drawbacks, it was listed as a forbidden technique by the Ancient Sword Sect. However, Tian Ge, you didn't grow up in West Kunwu. It's understandable that you wouldn't know."
In such a critical situation, Ye Jingwen actually had the mood to explain that it was understandable she wouldn't know because she didn't grow up in West Kunwu, leaving Mo Tiange speechless.
Mo Tiange's mind was racing like lightning when she heard Ye Jingwen nagging ing again in her ear. "Tian Ge, you excel at formations. If there were phantom beasts within a formation, that could deliver a blow. But the space here is too small, and formation disks are also physical entities. What a pity."
Hearing this, Mo Tiange was delighted. "Phantom beasts would work?"
Ye Jingwen nodded. "Anything without a physical form would work."
Mo Tiange asked again, "Then divine sense would work too?"
Ye Jingwen gave a bitter smile. "Naturally. But, regarding divine sense, sword cultivators train their divine sense alongside their swords. Even Late-Stage Foundation Establishment Senior Brother Kuang might not necessarily be able to overpower the divine sense of a Mid-Stage Foundation Establishment sword cultivator."
Mo Tiange thought to herself that, thanks to the Refining Divine Art, she was precisely not an ordinary cultivator.
But the Refining Divine Art was currently Mo Tiange's only trump card, and she naturally didn't want to expose her secret of having powerful divine sense in front of so many people. So, taking advantage of Ye Jingwen's earlier remark about her excelling at formations, she taking the cue said, "Formations can also be scaled up or down. Why not give it a try?"
Ye Jingwen didn't know much about formations and deeply believed Mo Tiange's words. Overjoyed, he said, "Then try it quickly!"
He didn't know that formations capable of summoning phantom beasts were all complex, large-scale formations. Just the formation core alone couldn't be arranged within the space where a few people were standing.
Observing Kuang Zhu's expression, Mo Tiange knew that Xiao Bai and the two of them couldn't hold on much longer. Not daring to hesitate, she pulled a few spirit stones from her Qiankun Bag and arranged them into a Metal-element formation that could sense spiritual energy. She said to Ye Jingwen, "Senior Brother Ye, I'll trouble you to protect me."
Ye Jingwen was anxious and didn't think about why setting up a formation would require protection. He nodded in agreement.
Mo Tiange quickly mobilized her divine sense, sending the sole lethal move cultivated from the Refining Divine Art toward Wan Hong'an's defenseless primordial spirit. The fragility of the primordial spirit naturally couldn't compare to the robustness of the physical body, let alone a defenseless primordial spirit. Once the Refining Divine Art was unleashed, it was naturally a one-hit kill.
Kuang Zhu felt a sudden lightness throughout his body. Opening his eyes, he saw Wan Hong'an already collapsed on the ground. The blood-refining characters around him lost control and surged back toward Wan Hong'an's body. Kuang Zhu hastily brought his palms together and then apart. His white mist only barely managed to shield the few of them before Wan Hong'an exploded.
The power of a Foundation Establishment cultivator's self-detonation was so great it actually leveled the great hall of Qianmen Ridge. The several Ancient Sword Sect cultivators outside Kuang Zhu's white mist, who hadn't died directly from the Myriad Phenomenon Asura Formation, could still be considered to have died under its backlash.
After the explosive aftermath subsided, Senior Brother Kuang Zhu, his robes fluttering gracefully, stood atop the ruins. He glanced at the cultivators from other sects who had rushed over and said nothing.
Ye Jingwen and Mo Tiange naturally wouldn't explain either. But these Foundation Establishment cultivators weren't fools. Their divine senses had been focused on this place the whole time, allowing them to roughly deduce the course of events.
"The Myriad Phenomenon Asura Formation! That's the Myriad Phenomenon Asura Formation!" someone murmured to themselves.
Even though it was a murmur, with the hearing of Foundation Establishment cultivators, it was heard clearly by all. Their faces couldn't help but turn pale.
The repercussions of the Myriad Phenomenon Asura Formation could still be felt now. Although they didn't know exactly why the Myriad Phenomenon Asura Formation had been activated, the fact that they could break out of it showed the formidable strength of this medical cultivator who rarely made a move.
The allied sects of the Ancient Sword Sect within the Qianmen Ridge outpost naturally didn't dare to rashly step forward. And the remaining members of the Ancient Sword Sect, who didn't have a single Foundation Establishment cultivator left, kept their mouths tightly shut.
Five Foundation Establishment cultivators had died at once within the Qianmen Ridge outpost. Even under normal circumstances, this wasn't something that could be glossed over with a single sentence. Moreover, after the Demonic Beast War, the Ancient Sword Sect had already suffered heavy losses among its Foundation Establishment cultivators. Adding the two Early-Stage Foundation Establishment cultivators Mo Tiange and Ye Jingwen had killed outside the outpost earlier, the Ancient Sword Sect had actually lost seven Foundation Establishment cultivators in a single internal conflict.
When news of this matter spread back to the sect, the Ancient Sword Sect's Sect Master was furious. He sparing no effort traveled a thousand miles straight to the Qianmen Ridge outpost, intent on cutting down Kuang Zhu and the others directly involved in this incident.
In the room were six people: four Foundation Establishment cultivators and two Qi Refining cultivators.
"We should leave quickly! Once this matter spreads, their Ancient Sword Sect cultivators will definitely come here. We'll be in trouble then!"
"No way, brother. Now that we've alerted Core Formation Patriarchs, how can we run?"
"Then what do we do? We can't just sit here waiting for them to come kill us, can we?"
"This... even if we want to run, we can't get away!"
The four Foundation Establishment cultivators remained silent. The two Qi Refining cultivators chattered away. Xiaoguzi and Xiaozui argued for a long time, neither convincing the other. In the end, they glared at each other, then squatted to one side to compete in a staring contest.
Kuang Zhu glanced at them and said, "This matter has already been reported to the Sect Master. No need for you to have a headache over it."
Xiaoguzi and Xiaozui both turned their heads at the same time, eyes wide. "Then why didn't you say so earlier!" They had argued for half the day, their mouths were dry.
Kuang Zhu replied airily, "You didn't ask."
The two were simultaneously speechless, each snorting angrily.
With both children angry and refusing to speak, Zhan Bai looked at them somewhat helplessly, then turned to Kuang Zhu. "Senior Brother, how will the Sect Master handle this matter?"
Kuang Zhu, holding his tea, said, "I called you here precisely to discuss this."
Ye Jingwen, who had already set down his tea, said, "Senior Brother Kuang, Junior Brother Zhan, this matter started because of me. Don't be hesitant. Just speak frankly." Before making the killing move, he had already considered the consequences. No matter what, the Sect Master would protect the disciples of his own sect. In the end, it would still turn into a confrontation between the strengths of the two sects. In this recent Demonic Beast Rebellion, each sect had suffered heavy losses, and the Ancient Sword Sect's strength was also greatly diminished. Although the Xuanqing Sect had also lost many Foundation Establishment disciples, due to sealing the mountain, they had retained their core strength. Between the two sects, the Xuanqing Sect still held the advantage. Furthermore, Patriarch Jinghe had a fierce temperament and was extremely protective of his own. Upon learning that a disciple from his Clear Spring Peak had done such a thing, he would absolutely clap his hands and laugh heartily, not mete out some punishment. With Patriarch Jinghe watching over, what did he have to fear?
However, after he finished speaking, Kuang Zhu said calmly, "No. I think it's better if you don't speak frankly."
Ye Jingwen was puzzled. "Why?"
Kuang Zhu's gaze swept around the room, finally settling on Mo Tiange, who was quietly sipping her tea. "This matter, we might as well push it all onto Junior Sister Mo."
As soon as these words left his mouth, not only Mo Tiange, Ye Jingwen, and Zhan Bai were stunned, but even Xiaoguzi and Xiaozui, who were squatting angrily, looked up.
Ye Jingwen blurted out again, "Why?"
Kuang Zhu didn't answer, instead lowering his head to drink his tea. Mo Tiange quickly calmed down and nodded slightly. "Alright."
Ye Jingwen was even more astonished and turned to Mo Tiange.
Mo Tiange smiled lightly and said softly, "Brother Ye forgot my status within the sect?"
Ye Jingwen was startled, then suddenly understood. "You mean—"
"Junior Sister Mo is Patriarch Jinghe's registered disciple," Kuang Zhu took over. "What Junior Brother Ye said earlier makes perfect sense. But the same logic, if Junior Sister Mo steps forward, it's even more appropriate."
Patriarch Jinghe indeed had that kind of temperament. However, there was ultimately a layer of separation between him and Ye Jingwen, whereas Mo Tiange was Patriarch Jinghe's registered disciple. If she did this, Patriarch Jinghe would step forward both reason and sentiment. Even if Patriarch Jinghe didn't step forward, the most senior oldest Senior Uncle Xuanyin from Clear Spring Peak would intervene. This way, not only would the others be fine, but even Mo Tiange might not necessarily face trouble.
Understanding this, Ye Jingwen couldn't help but sigh inwardly. This Senior Brother Kuang Zhu, who appeared cool, detached, and indifferent to worldly affairs, had such meticulous thoughts and such a sharp eye—thinking of this, Ye Jingwen suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. Wasn't this tantamount to scheming against a Nascent Soul Patriarch?
Sensing Ye Jingwen's strange gaze, Kuang Zhu's face remained calm and unperturbed. Mo Tiange, however, pondered for a moment and then added another sentence. "Since that's the case, we might as well go all the way black. Let's say they tried to kill me to seize my treasures and harbored improper thoughts. After failing, they refused to let it go—Senior Brother Kuang, with this, can I get some benefits from Patriarch Jinghe?"
Ye Jingwen only felt the chill on his back grow colder. Given Patriarch Jinghe's temperament, if a disciple under his care was ambushed but managed to counter-kill the assailants, he would probably not only not blame her but also heap praise and rewards upon her.
Mo Tiange gave a light laugh and turned to Ye Jingwen. "Brother Ye, if I get benefits, I naturally won't keep them to myself."
Before Ye Jingwen could reply, he heard Kuang Zhu's voice. "What about us?"
Mo Tiange's gaze swept to the corner where Xiaoguzi and Xiaozui's eyes were shining brightly. She smiled slightly. "Naturally, everyone gets a share."
Ye Jingwen broke out in a cold sweat. He thought he was ruthless enough, but he hadn't expected these few to be much bolder than him. Not only did they want to scheme against a Nascent Soul Patriarch, they were even dividing the spoils in advance...
Hearing this, Kuang Zhu smiled and took out a communication talisman. "Then I'll thank Junior Sister Mo for her generosity in advance. The Sect Master has replied. Patriarch Jinghe is already on his way."