"That's right! That city gate doesn't have any Formations active at all!
Didn't you see Ye Yunfei and his people just walk right in?!"
"Then what are we waiting for!
When it comes to exploring and treasure hunting, the faster the better!"
"Charge!
Let's get inside!"
Immediately, a group of martial artists surged forward with their movement techniques, rushing toward the city gate.
"How is this possible?
How did Ye Yunfei and the others get in?
They didn't trigger those twelve Slaughter Formations!
Why would..."
At this moment, the white-robed man from the Thousand Formations Sect stared fixedly at the city gate, his face filled with utter disbelief as he muttered to himself.
He was skilled in Formations, so he naturally knew that twelve incredibly powerful Slaughter Formations indeed existed on that gate.
However, try as he might, he couldn't figure out why Ye Yunfei's party had been able to walk straight in without triggering any of them.
Just then, over a hundred martial artists rushed ahead, closing in on the gate.
Having just witnessed Ye Yunfei's group swaggering in without issue, they were convinced the gate held no active Formations at all. Thus, they charged directly at it, reaching out to push the two bronze doors.
Yet, at that very moment—
Boom! Boom!...
One Formation after another was continuously activated. Fearsome formation energy erupted in an instant, sweeping outwards like monstrous tidal waves.
"Aah!" "Arrgh!"...
Those hundred-plus martial artists near the gate had never anticipated this. Caught completely off guard, they were struck by the violent formation energy. Their bodies exploded one after another, accompanied by shrill screams.
It must be said, the twelve Slaughter Formations guarding this gate were terrifyingly powerful.
In the blink of an eye, nearly all of the over a hundred martial artists who had charged forward were dead!
Only about a dozen experts—those with exceptionally strong personal power, extraordinarily fast reflexes, or supremely swift movement techniques—managed to narrowly escape the range of the formation energy's blast.
Sss!...
Witnessing this scene, every martial artist present gasped in shock.
In less than a second, over a hundred martial artists had been annihilated. Such a spectacle was utterly horrifying.
"Master Tang was not wrong!
This gate truly does contain terrifying Slaughter Formations!"
"Of course Master Tang, a Formation genius of the Thousand Formations Sect, wouldn't be mistaken!"
Only now did the crowd realize the white-robed man had been correct all along!
"But then... why were Ye Yunfei and his people able to walk in completely unharmed just now?"
Someone suddenly voiced the question.
That's right!
Hearing this, the crowd turned questioning gazes towards the white-robed man.
"I estimate that the Formations on this city gate, having endured the passage of vast ages, have likely lost a great deal of their energy. They have become... malfunctioning.
Sometimes they are triggered, sometimes they are not."
The white-robed man thought for a moment before speaking out loud.
Of course, this explanation was something he concocted on the spot.
The real reason was something even he couldn't figure out.
"So that's how it is!"
"Formations can malfunction too. This was an education!"
"So Ye Yunfei's group just had a stroke of dumb luck!
I'm so jealous!"
...
Hearing the white-robed man's words, the martial artists all seemed to have an epiphany.
"Ah!
If only I had dared to charge in earlier, then I, too, could have entered the city like Ye Yunfei!"
"Exactly!
What a missed opportunity!"
"Now the Formations have been activated. There's no chance of forcing our way in anymore!"
Numerous martial artists were filled with extreme regret, sighing one after another.
"Everyone, the Formations are now active.
Therefore, if we wish to enter, our only option is to break through them.
Now, follow my instructions and let's work together to shatter these arrays!"
The white-robed man announced in a clear, loud voice.
"Good!
Everyone, cooperate with Master Tang and let's break these Formations quickly!"
The crowd cheered in unison.
Whoosh! Whoosh!...
The white-robed man flicked his sleeves, and numerous streaks of light emerged, shooting towards the city gate.
It turned out each streak of light was a small Formation Flag!
In an instant, several hundred small Formation Flags flew out from within the white-robed man's sleeves.
Boom! Boom!...
Upon reaching the area near the city gate, the small flags immediately grew in the wind, transforming into Formation Flags over ten meters tall. They fluttered and snapped vigorously in the breeze.
Hundreds of these tall Formation Flags stood lined up before the city gate, quivering in the wind, their presence imposing and grand.
"Master Tang's Formation skills are truly extraordinary!"
Seeing the white-robed man display this feat, the crowd couldn't help but erupt in praise.
Generally speaking, the greater number of Formation Flags a Formation Master could control simultaneously, the higher their skill level!
"Alright, everyone, listen to my command and attack together to break the arrays!"
The white-robed man proclaimed loudly.
"Aim your attacks at the location of this flag!"
He pointed a finger at one specific Formation Flag and barked the order.
Boom! Boom!...
At that moment, all the martial artists gathered before the gate acted in unison, unleashing a barrage of fierce, sharp attacks. The strikes were dense and numerous, like a plague of locusts sweeping across the land, all converging and blasting towards the position indicated by that flag.
Boom! Boom!...
Instantly, this entire stretch of sky and land completely boiled over with chaotic energy.
*****
Meanwhile, Ye Yunfei had already led Hu Miao and the others deep into the city, walking along its streets.
Inside, the city was as silent as a tomb.
The city's scale was even more magnificent and vast than it had appeared from the outside, stretching almost endlessly.
Multitudes of palaces and structures stood row upon row, extending all the way to the horizon.
Silent, dead avenues and alleyways crisscrossed in a network, resembling a giant labyrinth.
There were even mountains and rolling hills within the city's boundaries.
At the very center of the city, five towering mountains pierced the clouds. Gazing into the distance, Spiritual Qi permeated the air there, with mists curling like steam amidst radiant clouds. Spirit beasts and auspicious creatures could be glimpsed moving about, making it resemble an abode for immortals.
"Those five mountains... they're actually arranged according to the Five Elements!"
Ye Yunfei peered towards the five central mountains and couldn't help but feel a stir in his heart.
"Master, look over there!
That palace—there's a shimmering treasure light flashing from it now and then!
There must be treasures inside!"
Hu Miao suddenly pointed at a palace not far away and cried out in delighted surprise.
"Alright, let's go take a look.
But everyone, be careful. Try not to stray too far from me."
Ye Yunfei said.
Swoosh!
Before Ye Yunfei had even finished speaking, a flash of golden light shot past—the Golden-Horned Dragon Silkworm was already charging ahead towards that palace.
"Oh no!
That palace must contain something edible that attracted it!
Master, hurry!
Don't let its small body fool you, its appetite is astonishing! Don't let it gobble up all the treasures!"
Hu Miao's face fell in panic. She activated her movement technique and swiftly dashed towards the palace.
"These fellows..."
Ye Yunfei shook his head with a bitter smile, then also activated his movement technique and sped towards the palace.
Huang Shang and the other academy members hurriedly followed after Ye Yunfei.
*****
Back outside the city gate.
"Everyone, we've successfully broken through one of the Formations!
Although these ancient arrays are incredibly sophisticated, the years they've endured are too long. Most of their Formation energy has dissipated, so breaking them is proving easier than I imagined!
Let's keep up the effort!"
The white-robed man shouted excitedly at this moment.
"Let's push harder, speed up the process!
Otherwise, the treasures inside the city will all be snatched up by Ye Yunfei and his group!"
Someone yelled.
"Hmph, even if Ye Yunfei manages to grab all the treasures in the city, it doesn't matter. I propose that once we get inside, we all join forces and slaughter every last one of Ye Yunfei and those Heavenly Dao Academy members!
Then we can search for treasures at our leisure!"
A voice rang out high and clear. It was none other than the Man in Crimson Armor from the Tongtian Sect.