Cultivation Begins with Daily Intelligence Reports

298: Breaking the FormationThree days later, Lin Jingyu, holding a personal letter from Zhan Tai Mingyue, arrived at a peculiar area deep within the Qinglan Sect, where Spiritual Qi swirled around a mountain range. The sight before him moved him slightly.

Ahead, a sea of clouds churned, and countless mountain peaks, like giant scrolls, layered upon layer, pierced the sky. Ancient runes shimmered faintly on the mountain bodies, exuding an ancient and vast aura.

This was the Fei Family’s ancestral land—Ten Thousand Scroll Mountain. The entrance to the mountain gate was not an ordinary archway, but a seemingly normal area of mist that actually concealed endless mysteries. Within the mist, spiritual light flickered faintly, creating a myriad of phenomena. This was precisely the “Ten Directions Cloud Derivation Formation”.

As Lin Jingyu approached the misty area, two Fei Family disciples, clad in light blue runic Daoist robes and exuding a refined aura, appeared silently, blocking his path with cold expressions.

“This is an important area of the Fei Family. Outsiders are forbidden.”

Lin Jingyu, neither humble nor arrogant, cupped his hands and said, “I, Lin Jingyu, was introduced by Senior Brother Zhan Tai Mingyue, and have come specifically to visit the Fei Family Elder to inquire about an important matter concerning Senior Brother Fei Yangyang.” As he spoke, he presented Zhan Tai Mingyue’s letter.

One of the disciples took the letter, and after verifying it, his expression softened slightly, but he remained businesslike:

“So it was Senior Brother Zhan Tai who introduced you. However, Family rules dictate that outsiders entering the mountain must pass through the ‘Ten Directions Cloud Derivation Formation’. If Fellow Daoist is willing, you may enter the Formation and try. There are ten Perfection stage Qi Refinement clansmen presiding over the Formation. If you can break out of the Formation within the time it takes for one stick of incense to burn, or gain the recognition of the Formation Spirit, you may enter the mountain. Otherwise, please return.”

The other person added, “This Formation is unpredictable and conceals murderous intent. Fellow Daoist should act within your capabilities. It’s still not too late to withdraw now.”

Lin Jingyu’s Divine Sense stirred slightly, already perceiving the immense Spiritual Pressure and complex changes contained within the mist ahead. With a calm expression, he nodded, “Since that is the case, Lin, shall give it a try. Please, two Senior Brothers, activate the Formation.”

The two Fei Family disciples exchanged glances, said no more, and each cast a spell. The mist in front immediately churned violently, revealing a hazy passage. Lin Jingyu took a deep breath and stepped into it.

One step into the Formation, and the world abruptly changed!

The surroundings were no longer green mountains and mist, but had transformed into a chaotic void, with no support above, below, or in any direction.

Immediately after, ten dazzling pillars of light lit up from all directions. Within each pillar of light sat a blurry figure, their aura profound, all having reached the Perfection stage of Qi Refinement! The ten auras converged, like ten great mountains, pressing down on Lin Jingyu in the center with a roar.

This was not a simple Overlay of spiritual power, but rather, through the Formation, the perfect Fusion of the ten people’s auras, Divine Sense, and even spiritual power attributes, transforming into a mighty force, intending to crush the Formation challenger with absolute power.

“How interesting.”

A sharp glint flashed in Lin Jingyu’s eyes. He did not dodge, but instead, the Spirit Refining Art roared into operation. Three mental lakes surged, and his powerful, refined Divine Sense transformed into an invisible barrier, forcefully withstanding the overwhelming pressure.

At the same time, his Thunder True Intent circulated spontaneously within his body, and faint purple electric arcs shimmered around him, dispelling all the encroaching mixed spiritual power.

“Oh?” A slight sound of surprise came from the void, as if they hadn’t expected Lin Jingyu to so easily block the first wave of pressure.

Immediately, the Formation changed again! The ten pillars of light suddenly began to rotate, generating attacks of various attributes such as metal, wood, water, fire, earth, wind, thunder, ice, poison, and darkness, assailing Lin Jingyu like a torrential storm.

Sharp sword Qi, coiling vines, roaring water Dragons, sky-burning firebirds, falling boulders, cutting wind blades, thundering lightning strikes, bone-chilling ice cones, pervasive poisonous mist, shadowy assassinations... The offensive was dense and orderly, as if a peerless general was commanding a thousand armies.

Facing this dazzling array of attacks, Lin Jingyu’s mind was clear as a mirror. The powerful perception brought by the Spirit Refining Art allowed him to clearly capture the trajectory, strength, and core spiritual power nodes of each attack.

He moved with the Flowing Cloud Steps, his figure transforming into afterimages within a small area, avoiding the vast majority of attacks at the last possible moment. For those he couldn’t avoid, he pointed his fingers like a sword, or struck out with a palm strike imbued with Thunder True Intent, precisely hitting the weakest points of the attacks, using skill to overcome force and shattering them.

He did not rush to counterattack, but was like a reef in a raging sea, standing firm no matter how turbulent the waves. He was observing, feeling the operating rules of this Formation, and searching for the Spiritual Qi flow nodes of the ten individuals presiding over the Formation eyes.

Although the “Ten Directions Cloud Derivation Formation” was profound, as long as it was a Formation, it must have a pivot and a life gate.

Time passed little by little, and more than half of the incense stick had burned. The two Fei Family disciples outside the Formation gradually showed grave expressions. They could feel the spiritual power within the Formation surging endlessly, indicating that the challenger was still persisting, and seemingly... at ease?

Inside the Formation, Lin Jingyu’s eyes grew brighter and brighter. Suddenly, he caught a trace of an extremely tiny stagnation as the ten auras switched their offensive! Now was the time!

He no longer held back, letting out a low shout. The Evergreen spiritual power surged out from within his body, combining with the Thunder True Intent, and he pushed his palms forward fiercely!

“Boom!”

It was not a violent pillar of thunder, but a vast purple electric net covering the sky.

On the electric net, lightning flashed, containing multiple characteristics such as evil-breaking, shocking, and paralyzing. More importantly, this electric net did not attack randomly, but precisely covered the ten tiny stagnation nodes that occurred when the auras switched.

“Zzzzzz... Bang!”

The electric net collided with the Formation’s energy, emitting a harsh sound. The ten pillars of light shook violently, and the ten Fei Family disciples presiding over the Formation all grunted, feeling their spiritual power circulation forcibly interrupted by a strange force, causing the Formation’s operation to instantly fall into disarray.

And in the instant this disarray occurred, Lin Jingyu’s figure was like lightning. Instead of rushing in a certain direction, he pointed his sword directly upwards at the seemingly void Chaos.

This finger strike condensed his insight into the creation and destruction of Formations, and even contained a trace of the embryonic form of “Prohibition Breaking” True Intent.

“Crack!”

A sound like shattering glass echoed, and the Chaos above was pierced by his finger, revealing a sliver of sky.

Lin Jingyu’s figure flashed, and he had already escaped from the breach.

The moment he exited the Formation, the entire “Ten Directions Cloud Derivation Formation” trembled violently. All the mist pillars and attacks dissipated, returning to the scene in front of the mountain gate.

The ten Perfection stage Qi Refinement disciples who had been presiding over the Formation also revealed their figures, all pale-faced, their auras fluctuating, looking at Lin Jingyu with shock and disbelief.

At the same time, deep within Ten Thousand Scroll Mountain, in an ancient hall, several powerful Divine Senses suddenly swept towards the mountain gate, filled with surprise.

“Buzz—”

In the sky, golden petals condensed from pure Spiritual Qi scattered without warning, like celestial maidens scattering flowers, accompanied by clear and melodious Immortal music.

Streaks of radiant light descended from the sky, enveloping Lin Jingyu, making him appear as if an Immortal had descended to the mortal world.

“Heavenly flowers falling, golden lotuses gushing from the earth? Could it be a perfect Formation break, triggering the Formation Origin’s resonance and reward?”

The two Fei Family disciples outside the Formation exclaimed in shock, their faces filled with horror. Such an anomaly only appeared when the challenger not only broke the Formation, but did so in a near-perfect manner, touching upon the core Profound Truth of the Formation.

It hadn’t been seen for decades!