Master Ji glanced at the sleeves of the group and indeed saw a silver crescent moon embroidered on each of them. The Seven Sons of Yuelin had a terrible reputation in Hengze Prefecture; even Master Ji, who hailed from another prefecture, had heard of them.
“They usually operate only in remote areas. To run into them right now is truly terrible luck.”
If President Song were able to break through to the Golden Core Realm, there would naturally be no need to fear these seven. However, President Song was currently in the middle of core formation and no one knew how much time he still needed; he could not lend a hand at all.
Shi Yu exchanged a glance with Master Ji. Holding their breath and focusing their minds, both prepared for battle.
Yet among the Seven Sons of Yuelin, two were late-stage Foundation Establishment experts, and one was an old monster at Foundation Establishment Realm Great Perfection. Their collective strength far surpassed the two of them.
Now, they could only place their hopes on the array to buy a little more time for President Song.
Shi Yu pressed her lips together and silently began laying down the Seven Emotions Array. This array was uniquely effective against demonic cultivators with dark inclinations. Though these seven had not cultivated demonic techniques, they had committed far too many wicked deeds, leaving their minds far less clear than ordinary people.
However, the Seven Emotions Array was merely a Tier-3 array. While it might be effective in pinning down one or two people, its efficacy would be greatly reduced against so many, serving as a minor hindrance at best.
“Buying even a moment longer helps...” Shi Yu's hands moved like lightning, rapidly arranging the array flags. Utilizing the Array Fusion method—a technique that heavily tested an array master's skill—she merged the Seven Emotions Array with the already-deployed Maze Array.
On the other side, Master Ji was also circulating his spiritual Qi to charge up a divine ability, his robes snapping loudly in the surging energy.
Right at that moment, spiritual light burst brilliantly from the cultivator holding the compass, causing a wave of instability to ripple through the Maze Array.
In the next instant, all seven pairs of eyes turned together toward Shi Yu and Master Ji.
Shi Yu tightened her grip on the Hidden Hatred Flute, thinking to herself, The shape-shifting technique of the Maze Array has been broken.
With the illusory mist dispersed, the seven could clearly see the original appearance of the mountain forest, naturally spotting Shi Yu and Master Ji as well.
However, after breaking the shape-shifting technique, the cultivator holding the compass continued chanting under his breath. It seemed he had only broken the illusion; the disorienting maze effect was still active.
Thus, although the seven could see their surroundings clearly, standing before Shi Yu and Master Ji felt like seeing a mountain in the distance—it appeared close, but required a long trek to reach. Stepping forward rashly following their eyes would only lead them further away. Consequently, the seven remained still for the moment, waiting for the compass cultivator to fully unravel the array.
Among the seven, the one with the highest cultivation was an old man with sinister eyes, but the leader was actually another handsome young man at the late stage of Foundation Establishment. Snapping his folding fan open, he smiled faintly at Shi Yu and Master Ji. “Fellow Daoists, are you guarding the area while your companion breaks through?”
Asking when he already knew the answer!
Shi Yu matched his smile. Turning her other palm over inside her sleeve, she secretly retrieved a stack of spirit talismans. “May I ask what guidance you have for us?”
The young man shook his head. “Nothing much, nothing much. I was merely passing by when I noticed the spiritual Qi disturbance and saw you two deploy such an array. Curious, I wished to step closer and take a look.”
As he spoke, a hint of mockery flashed in his eyes. He clearly held no regard for Shi Yu and Master Ji.
Beside her, Master Ji's gaze grew cold. “In that case, if your curiosity has been satisfied, please take a detour.”
The young man remained unmoved, his smile only growing brighter. “You two are far too distant. We are all cultivators; meeting here is fate. Why be so cold?”
As he spoke, his gaze turned sharp as a blade, piercing straight toward the interior of the boundary behind them. No longer masking his intention, he barked, “Break the array before that person finishes breaking through!”
The compass cultivator tapped his own throat, forcing out a mouthful of heart's blood to spray across the compass. In an instant, his face turned as pale as golden paper, and the Maze Array tottered on the verge of collapse.
The moment the array shattered, Shi Yu funneled spiritual Qi to activate the thick stack of spirit talismans in her hand, hurling them directly at the group.
The old monster at Foundation Establishment Realm Great Perfection scoffed softly, “Insignificant tricks.” With a wave of his sleeve, an earthy-yellow barrier materialized to shield them. The spirit talismans detonated against the barrier without leaving a single scratch.
Right then, a charming woman among the seven shrieked. Her eyes turned dazed, and she stumbled out of the earthy-yellow barrier, having stepped into the Seven Emotions Array off-guard.
The compass cultivator gasped in shock. “There's another layer to the array!”
Ignoring his injuries, he rushed out after the woman, activating the compass in his hands once more. “Wan'er, do not fear!”
Shi Yu inwardly lamented. The woman snared by the Seven Emotions Array was the weakest among the seven.
Letting out a soft humph, she continuously threw out spirit talismans while simultaneously calling upon the restriction of her identity jade token, trapping the compass cultivator directly and leaving him unable to move. “Master Ji!”
Just moments earlier, while throwing the spirit talismans, she had used her innate divine ability, the Divine Phoenix Seal, for the very first time, using her divine sense to stamp it upon both herself and Master Ji.
Feeling an all-around boost to his strength, Master Ji had no time to marvel. Circulating his spiritual Qi, he unleashed his strongest divine ability: Heavenly Dipper Sword Qi.
This was his most devastating technique. Cold light flashed in Master Ji's eyes as his fingers flew in hand seals. Streams of sword Qi coalesced behind him into a massive, dozens-of-feet-long sword. Radiating dazzling light, it seemed like a divine weapon descended from the heavens.
The young cultivator's expression changed, and he shouted, “Luo Huan!”
Warned by the shout, the cultivator holding the compass, Luo Huan, knew things were dire. He scrambled to retreat into the barrier, but bound by Shi Yu's restriction, he could not budge.
Before the others could step in to block it, Master Ji reached out and gripped the giant sword, swinging it forward. The giant sword shot forth, piercing the air with a sharp screech. Luo Huan let out a bloodcurdling scream as the giant sword impaled his chest, spraying blood everywhere. With eyes full of resentment and fear, he collapsed to the ground, dead.
Master Ji had poured everything into this single strike, holding nothing back in order to eliminate one opponent and reduce their enemy count. Now he was left panting heavily, his wrists trembling violently. Clearly, even with the boost from the Divine Phoenix Seal, unleashing such a move had stretched him to his limit.
Furious that careless underestimation had cost them a companion, the leading young man snapped open his folding fan. In an instant, a fantastical illusion materialized across its surface. A gentle breeze blew from the fan, carrying boundless spiritual Qi that surged around him.
At that moment, a clear, resonant cry echoed through the clouds. Playing in the mountain forest, the Seven-Color Luan sensed its master was in danger and immediately turned back, vigilantly guarding her side.
Trailing long, seven-colored tail feathers, the extraordinarily beautiful bird left the remaining members of the Seven Sons of Yuelin momentarily stunned.
A Five-Color Luan was already an exceptionally rare spirit beast, to say nothing of a Seven-Color Luan that existed almost exclusively in ancient texts. Their expressions changed drastically. Looking back at Shi Yu's face, connecting the rainbow luan with this location, they instantly guessed her identity. “You are the tournament champion who disappeared along with the Yanyang Spiritual Realm!”
Having spent years wandering outside, they had not personally attended the Alchemy Exchange Conference, but they had heard of its grand scale. Everything about Shi Yu aligned perfectly with the legendary alchemy genius whose loss so many cultivators lamented.
“Everyone believed you had perished, yet you're actually still alive,” the young cultivator sneered. “However, running into us today is just your rotten luck, young genius!”
As the earthy-yellow barrier dispersed, a ruthless glint flashed in his eyes. With a wave of his folding fan, countless wind blades shot forth like a torrential storm. At the same time, the remaining members behind him immediately scattered, flying toward them from different directions to surround Shi Yu and Master Ji.
Having exhausted much of his power with that earlier blow, Master Ji could now muster only sixty to seventy percent of his strength. His gaze hardened as he told Shi Yu, “Girl Yu, I'll hold them off. Run!”
Annoyed, Shi Yu rejected the idea without a second thought. “I'm not leaving!”
“You!” Master Ji grew frantic. “Where there's life, there's—”
“Forget about life and hope, I only know we face hardship together.” Swallowing the Lesser Extreme Devouring Pill held under her tongue, her eyes narrowed, fully prepared to fight to the death.
Down one member, with another rendered dazed and confused by the Seven Emotions Array, only five of the Seven Sons of Yuelin remained active. Although victory was hopeless, stalling for time was still within the realm of possibility.
Two people and one bird engaged in a fierce brawl with the five.
The old monster at Foundation Establishment Realm Great Perfection specialized in defense; though his offensive means were somewhat lacking, his presence allowed him to intercept most of Shi Yu and Master Ji's attacks. Under the joint assault of all five, the two found themselves stretched thin, gradually unable to hold their ground.
Just as Shi Yu and Master Ji were struggling desperately, a thundering voice roared from the edge of the sky.
“Who dares touch the friends of Fang Yushan?!”
The voice vibrated like earth-shattering thunder, making their eardrums ache and sending a wave of shock through their hearts.
Immediately after, they saw a golden beam of light streak across the sky straight toward them. Within that light stood a powerhouse of the Golden Core Realm.
Shi Yu froze. The newcomer was none other than Patriarch Fang, who had gifted her the seed of the Celestial Lotus back then.
His youngest daughter possessed the Calamity Physique. Entrusted by him, Shi Yu had originally intended to concoct the Mengtian Pill to alleviate her condition as soon as she exited the Yanyang Spiritual Realm. However, unforeseen events had occurred inside, delaying her exit by an entire year, after which she had spent her days protecting President Song, putting it off until now.
Now that Patriarch Fang had arrived, Shi Yu and Master Ji exchanged a look, both feeling immense relief wash over them.
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