Library of Heaven’s Path

”Scarletleaf King? The one who is ranked second of the Upper Five Kings?” Zhang Xuan narrowed his eyes warily.

Having witnessed the power wielded by the Jadeleaf King and the Stoneleaf King, Zhang Xuan had been feeling a little apprehensive about facing the two strongest experts of the Upper Five Kings. Who knew that he would meet one of them in such a situation?

”Who are you? Stop putting up a farce and get out here!”

While Zhang Xuan was communicating with the Violetleaf King, Wu shi scanned the surroundings with sharp eyes reminiscent of a hawk. In the next moment, seemingly having confirmed the location of the enemy, his eyebrows shot up and the sword in his hand flew forth amidst a resounding battle cry.

Huala!

A powerful blast of sword qi burst forward with swiftness reminiscent of a shooting star, tearing a vacuum through the air. Upon coming into contact with the wall, it immediately ripped out a massive hole.

”Strong!”

This was the first time Zhang Xuan was seeing Wu shi fight for real, and the fighting prowess that the latter wielded was indeed formidable.

Along the route, the 7-star high-tier master teacher had either been injured or was on the way to becoming injured, leaving Zhang Xuan with a notion that the other party was unworthy of his rank. However, the astounding might that the other party wielded in this very moment dispelled whatever doubts he harbored regarding the other party.

It still couldn’t match up to the Primordial Spirit Jadeleaf King, but it was definitely on par with the Stoneleaf King.

If both were to clash with one another at full strength, there was no saying who would emerge victorious!

Boom!

Upon striking through the wall, the sword qi abruptly exploded, causing the building in front of them to collapse entirely, raising a huge cloud of dust. However, there was not a figure to be seen.

”There’s no one there?”

Not expecting that he would make a lapse in his judgement, Wu shi’s face darkened as he hurriedly scanned his surroundings once more warily.

”Hahaha, you wish to challenge me? You are still far too young for that!” that voice sounded once more.

Huala!

Halfway through those words, Wu shi had already made a move once more.

This time, his movement was even swifter. His sword blurred into a series of afterimages as it crept past several hundred meters in just the blink of an eye before being brought down powerfully. BAM! As if slicing through tofu, a giant tear ripped its way through the buildings, parting the area into two distinct halves.

However, just like before, there was still not a single silhouette to be seen. It was as if the person who had just spoken didn’t exist at all.

”Don’t waste your efforts. Even if you were to tear the whole place down, you still won’t be able to find me!” the Scarletleaf King laughed heartily upon seeing Wu shi’s futile struggling.

Hu!

Right after saying those words, the collapsed buildings abruptly joined back together with one another, as if time had been rewound. In the blink of an eye, it was already reverted back to its original state.

”T-this... How can this be possible?”

The eyes of the crowd narrowed in disbelief at the ridiculous sight before them.

With their own eyes, they had seen how the powerful might of Wu shi devastated the buildings. How could they possibly recover in the blink of an eye?

Furthermore, it was a perfect recovery. The buildings had been reverted to the form identical to how they were in when they first entered!

”We must have stepped into some kind of powerful formation…” Wu shi remarked warily.

The crowd nodded.

”Could we be in an Illusory Formation?” Wo Tianqiong asked.

He had taken formation master as one of his supporting occupations as well, but the sight before his eyes was simply too bizarre. It was difficult for even him to confirm what was going on.

”Yes, we should be in an Illusory Formation.” Guild Leader Han nodded. ”Most probably, we have already succumbed to it when we first entered. In other words, everything that is before us in this instant is fake! It won’t make any difference no matter how we attack them!”

”It won’t make any difference?”

”Un. Think about it this way. No matter whether those buildings are collapsed or standing, they are still part of an illusion, so it wouldn’t make any difference to the current plight we are in. As long as we are unable to see through the essence of the formation, we will be stuck in this illusion forever, unable to escape…” Guild Leader Han explained with his fists clenched tightly in nervousness.

”This…”

Hearing those words, the bodies of the crowd tensed up.

If they were truly in an Illusory Formation, wasn’t the image before them a little too realistic? They could be considered as elites amongst the master teachers and combat masters, and every single one of them possessed superior eyes of discernment. Yet, for none of them to be unable to discern that they had fallen into an illusion before... Just the thought of it left chills running down their spines.

Was this the strength that advanced formations wielded?

It was already extremely difficult for them to escape from a realistic Illusory Formation, but to make things worse, it seemed like it was under someone else’s control... Would they really still be able to escape from it?

”This…” Zhang Xuan’s face turned grim as well.

He did notice that there was something amiss when he first stepped into the celestial palace, but even he hadn’t noticed that they were in an illusion!

With a thought, he activated his Eye of Insight and scanned his surroundings. However, the buildings around him still looked the same as ever, there was no difference from before.

All of these buildings... are real? Does that mean that we aren’t in an Illusory Formation? Zhang Xuan was bewildered by the conflicting conclusions before him.

The Eye of Insight could see right into the crux of anything. If they were truly in an Illusory Formation, he should be able to see through it via the Eye of Insight easily! How could he have not sensed anything at all?

No, that’s not right. Perhaps the formation is too advanced for me at the moment. Due to my low cultivation, I am still unable to see through it via my Eye of Insight… Zhang Xuan reasoned.

The Eye of Insight was indeed powerful, but it was limited by his own cultivation. He couldn’t see through anything that was too far beyond him. Take for example, if an 8-star master teacher were to walk past him disguised as a passer-by, he wouldn’t be any wiser even if he were to scan the other party with his Eye of Insight.

This seemed to be the case for the Illusory Formation as well.

Most likely, it is a massive formation like the lightning formation and the Black Sandstorm of Oblivion! Zhang Xuan thought.

Larger formations were not only more powerful, it also made it more difficult for others to analyze and discern it as well due to the sheer scale of it. It was probably because of this that the entire expedition team failed to notice that they had stepped into a formation itself.

Knowing that the formation was beyond the means of his Eye of Insight to analyze, Zhang Xuan deactivated his Eye of Insight. After which, turning his gaze to his surroundings, he muttered silently, ”Flaws!”

While the Eye of Insight might be unable to see through the formation around him, it shouldn’t pose a problem to the Library of Heaven’s Path.

Hu!

With a jolt of his mind, a book appeared in the Library of Heaven’s Path.

Zhang Xuan hurriedly immersed his consciousness in and browsed through the book.

”The 172nd Door, a segment of a larger formation. There are eight flaws in total. No.1,...”

After reading through the book, Zhang Xuan’s face darkened.

The Library of Heaven’s Path was indeed unaffected by the tier of the formation, but... the formation was simply too huge! For one, the area that they could see was only one small portion of its entirety.

According to the book, it was the 172nd Door, which meant that there should be at least 171 doors identical to the one they were in, or even more!

For there to be so many doors... it would still be fine if they were to step into a Life Gate, but what if they were to accidentally enter a Death Gate? They might just lose their lives before they know it!

The formations that I have encountered so far operated as a whole, so the Library of Heaven’s Path compiled a book on the entire formation even when I am just viewing a small portion of it. However, this Illusory Formation seems to be made up of innumerable smaller formations, and these smaller formations can be activated individually. In other words, the formation is only active in areas where it perceives the enemies are at. As such, not even the seemingly omnipotent Library of Heaven’s Path is able to discern the entire situation of the formation… Zhang Xuan clenched his fists tightly together as he analyzed the current situation they were in.

The current Illusory Formation they were trapped in was segmented into many doors, and it seemed like only certain portions of the formation were activated at the current moment. As such, the Library of Heaven’s Path viewed the current door they were in as a system by itself and analyzed the door only.

If Zhang Xuan wanted the Library of Heaven’s Path to analyze the entire formation, he would have to get an overhead view of the entire formation. As long as he remained trapped within it, he would be unable to see through the crux of the Illusory Formation through the Library of Heaven’s Path and determine the most suitable path to escaping from it.

In other words... he wouldn’t be able to bank on the Library of Heaven’s Path to deal with the current formation he was in unlike previous occasions!

Hualala!

Just as Zhang Xuan was conflicted over the situation before him, a sound reminiscent of a powerful gust of wind echoed in the surroundings. In the next instant, innumerable sword qi abruptly shot forth from all around them.

As if a rain of arrows from thousands and thousands of soldiers, the burst of sword qi sealed the space around them perfectly. The slightest wrong movement they made could very well result in them being sliced into innumerable pieces.

”Everyone, be careful! This isn’t just an Illusory Formation but an Illusory-Slaughter Formation!” Guild Leader Han shouted.

Illusory Formation could only induce hallucinations in the minds of those trapped within it, placing them in a distraught state, so the formation in itself didn’t pose a threat to those trapped within it. However, an Illusory-Slaughter Formation was a formation which harnessed the functions of both an Illusory Formation and a Slaughter Formation simultaneously. Not only would one’s mind be sent into disarray, one would even have to face all kinds of attacks. If one were to get careless within it, one might just end up losing his life.

”Illusory-Slaughter Formation?”

Everyone’s faces turned grim. They swiftly drove their zhenqi, preparing themselves to fend off the wave of sword qi headed towards them.

Zhang Xuan was also about to make a move as well when he heard Feng Xun bellowing at the moment, ”Combat masters, the Black Tortoise Sword Formation!”

”Yes!”

The remaining nine combat masters quickly stepped forward before brandishing their words simultaneously with incredible harmony.

Hualala!

Swiftly, a spherical barrier reminiscent of a tortoise shell formed around the expedition team.

Ding ding ding ding!

Reminiscent of rain pattering down on a gazebo, the sword qi striking the barrier created a deafening reverberation but none was able to bypass its defense.

”What an incredible sword formation!” Zhang Xuan’s eyes lit up in awe upon seeing the sight.

The combat masters weren’t too powerful individually, but the synergy in their teamwork was incredible. Their perfect collaboration in the Black Tortoise Sword Formation had allowed them to deflect every single one of the sword qi—a feat which even Zhang Xuan didn’t think that he would be able to achieve.

Huala!

After a wave of sword qi, the surroundings abruptly fell silent.

The combat masters withdrew their weapons as they surveyed their surroundings carefully.

”Don’t worry, it isn’t possible for such attacks to be launched endlessly…” Guild Leader Han said.

It went without saying that each wave of offense would sap the energy reserves within the formation. Without an endless supply of energy, there would eventually come a point where the formation would run out of energy altogether.

Hula!

Right after saying those words, yet another wave of sword qi flew towards them. The combat masters hurriedly put up their formation and deflected the sword qi once more.

Taking the scene into sight, Wu shi frowned. Scanning his surroundings, he declared loudly, ”See, your formation is completely useless against us. Why don’t you muster the guts to get out here and face me in a proper fight?”

At this moment, they were in the open whereas their enemy was hidden in the dark. It was an extremely disadvantageous position for them. If they could lure the enemy out of his hiding spot, regardless of whether they would be able to kill the other party or not, it could at least lessen the dangers they would face.

”You want me to face you in a proper fight? Hahaha! Sure, escape from here and I will fight you all you want!” the voice burst into laughter, not falling for Wu shi’s provocation at all.

Hu!

The air abruptly tensed up, and yet another wave of offense flew towards the expedition team. This time, it wasn’t sword qi but saber qi.

Saber qi possessing less penetrative powerful than sword qi, but it harnessed far greater might. Under the furious assault of saber qi, the expedition team found their arms numbing from the powerful impact.

However, the Black Tortoise Sword Formation set up by the combat masters was truly a force to be reckoned with. Once again, it successfully stood its ground against the wave of offense.

After three consecutive waves of saber qi, the surroundings fell silent once more. A short moment later, a leisurely zither melody began sounding in the surroundings. The sound didn’t just linger by their ears, it seemed to resonate with their souls as well.

”This is... demonic tune!”

The faces of the expedition team warped in horror.

They had also faced a demonic tune attack back at the Unbounded World, and they were nearly wiped out due to it. It was even worse this time around. They were already in a perilous position, and if they were to fall into a trance under the effects of the demonic tunes, they might just very well lose their lives here.

”What do we do?”

The crowd immediately sealed their six senses, but they found that they were unable to isolate the sound at all. Horrified, their faces paled in anxiety.

Under such circumstances, a demonic tune attack was indeed far more effective than a physical attack.

”AHHHH… I CAN’T HOLD ON ANYMORE…”

Suddenly, a combat master let loose a ferocious roar before abruptly charging forward. He began hacking the sword in his hand around him frenziedly, as if possessed.

”Hu Chen!”

Upon seeing the combat master abruptly rushing out of the formation, Feng Xun immediately roared in alarm. He hurriedly rushed out to drag the other party back into the formation, but in that moment, a sound reminiscent of a powerful gust of wind echoed once more.

Hulala!

Innumerable sword qi burst forth, and before Hu Chen could even react, he was already sliced into many pieces, and his corpse fell heavily onto the ground.

Puhe! Puhe!

With Hu Chen missing, a huge opening appeared in the Black Tortoise Formation. Sword qi managed to bypass the formation through the openings and struck the legs of two combat masters. Crimson blood trickled down their legs and dripped to the ground from their feet.

”Everyone, retreat!”

Bellowing loudly, Wu shi stepped forward, and with a powerful slash, he eradicated all of the sword qi in the surroundings. After that was done, he turned back to the crowd and said, ”Hurry up and treat the casualties, we don’t have much time!”

”Alright!”

Nodding, Feng Xun quickly rushed up to his wounded subordinates to treat their wounds.