Chapter 55: The Grand Formation Unleashed

The East Smoke教主 controlled the primary sealing formation, preventing Ji Ning from leaving.

The other sixteen World-level cultivators barely managed to operate eight formations, three of which were adept at confusion, while the other five leaned toward offense.

“Whoosh whoosh whoosh~~~~” A massive axe shadow gradually condensed in the high sky. As the power of heaven and earth converged, the axe phantom grew more solid, its aura increasingly formidable.

“The might of that divine axe could slay even ten or a hundred World-level cultivators with a single strike.” Behind Ji Ning, Qingfan Immortal, who had retreated to the cave dwelling’s entrance, watched the scene with concern.

“Rumble~~~” The heavens rumbled as bolts of lightning began to coalesce, all of them Chaos Divine Lightning. Though numerous, their power remained astonishing.

The axe, divine lightning, flames, black mist, and divine sword—five formations began to gather their power.

At the same time, the three formations adept at confusion also unleashed their might.

“Hmph, ridiculous.” Ji Ning stood there, his soul immensely powerful and his will firm. All illusions and delusions failed utterly. Even the heartforce cultivator ‘Beta Leo’ had been unable to bewilder Ji Ning, let alone these formations. Designed originally to target only World-level cultivators, they could not beguile Ji Ning at all.

“Break!!!”

Ji Ning looked up at the high sky and roared.

The two ‘Dao Divine Lightnings’ that had spread out surged violently, charging straight at the axe, divine lightning, flames, black mist, and divine sword.

“Boom boom boom~~~~”

Explosions rang out in the high sky.

The Dao Divine Lightning clashed head-on with the five offensive formations.

First, the Chaos Divine Lightning shattered and dissipated. The eerie spreading black mist was also annihilated by the yang-aligned, destruction-filled Dao Divine Lightning. However, the massive axe and divine sword suspended in the high sky were too condensed in power for the Dao Divine Lightning to shake. Having simultaneously destroyed the ‘massive Chaos Divine Lightning’ and ‘eerie black mist,’ the Dao Divine Lightning’s power was greatly depleted, merely slightly weakening a flame demon formed in the sky.

“Kill.” The flame demon descended from the sky, roaring as it passed, leaving a trail of scorching heat.

“Kill.” The massive axe suspended in the high sky swiftly flew downward, chopping at Ji Ning.

“Kill.” The divine sword in the sky also descended, stabbing directly at Ji Ning.

…

“Die, just die, go die.” Standing in the main hall, the East Smoke教主 watched from afar, gnashing his teeth and muttering incessantly. He longed for the power of the three formations to fall and turn that white-robed youth into dust.

“He must die, die, die.”

The sixteen World-level cultivators operating the formations watched with eager anticipation.

The Twelve Palaces forbade mutual slaughter, but ordinary World-level cultivators secretly harbored a desire to one day kill a World-level cultivator of the Twelve Palaces. After all, the gap between a Twelve Palaces World-level cultivator and an ordinary one was like heaven and earth. Yet the disparity in strength was so vast that such ‘feats’ were exceedingly rare.

Now they had such hope. If they won, they would also gain the treasures of this formidable World-level cultivator.

“Ji Ning…” Qingfan Immortal also looked up at the flame demon, the massive axe, and the divine sword in the sky.

“What will happen?”

The other World-level cultivators, who had not intervened, watched from afar, gazing at the tiny figure of the white-robed youth beneath the flame demon, the massive axe, and the divine sword.

…

“Hmph.” Ji Ning suddenly let out a furious snort, instantly expanding into a ten-thousand-zhang divine demon with three heads and six arms. His six enormous palms, seemingly blotting out the sky, met the power of the three formations.

“Kill, kill.” The flame demon roared.

“Boom boom~~~”

Ji Ning’s six palms all executed the same sword technique—the Heaven-Collapse Strike!

This move relied on sheer power, overwhelming the opponent with force. After his training on Star Island, Ji Ning’s ‘Moonbright Sword Art’ had undergone a great leap, reaching a level comparable to the sixth stance of the Nameless Sword Art. The current Heaven-Collapse Strike possessed a dominance similar to the ‘Stellar Stance,’ the third stance of the Primordial Sword Intent, but was even more upright and brutal.

“Rumble~~~” Two enormous palms, one left and one right, simultaneously grabbed at the flame demon.

The flame demon fought back furiously.

“Whoosh~~~”

Under the simultaneous strike of the two giant hands, the flame demon was shattered.

“Boom~~~”

Two more giant hands struck the descending axe, colliding head-on. The result was that the axe was shaken apart.

“Boom~~~”

The last two giant hands similarly shattered the divine sword.

…

In the blink of an eye,

Ji Ning, transformed into a ten-thousand-zhang divine demon with three heads and six arms, shattered the flame demon, axe, and divine sword with his six palms.

This scene stunned all the World-level cultivators of the East Smoke branch into sudden silence.

“This, this…”

“So powerful?”

“Thank goodness I didn’t get involved.”

All watched in shock. Qingfan Immortal was especially dumbfounded: “Earlier, You Ji relied on insect beasts and puppets! Her own strength wasn’t that great. This Ji Ning, who just produced the legendary Primordial Water-Fire Gourd, I thought he was like You Ji, relying on treasures. But his own strength is even more terrifying than that treasure. This, this must already be at the level of a Dao Lord.”

“In terms of pure strength, the flame demon could rival a First Step Dao Lord, but its realm is too weak, inferior even to an ordinary World-level cultivator.” Ji Ning shook his head inwardly. “As for the axe and divine sword, their condensed power and fixed mysteries are quite strong, but after one strike, their power is exhausted.”

The flame demon was too weak in realm.

The axe and divine sword lacked sustained power. They needed time to gather energy to reach peak might, whereas Ji Ning, as a cultivator, maintained his peak at all times.

“Under my Heaven-Collapse Strike, everything scatters.” Ji Ning was calm.

The Moonbright Sword Art had five stances.

The Heaven-Collapse Strike was the most powerful and ferocious stance! It was far more violent than the Blooddrop Stance or the Shadowless Stance. However, the Blooddrop Stance excelled in penetration, while the Shadowless Stance was more elusive. In battles against other experts, Ji Ning might favor other sword techniques, but against these formations with weak technique, the ‘Heaven-Collapse Strike’ was more suitable.

…

“What to do, what to do?” The East Smoke教主 grew anxious, his eyes reddening. “The formation can’t kill him. What now?”

“Chief, what should we do?”

“What now?”

The other sixteen World-level cultivators operating the formations were also frantic.

The East Smoke教主’s eyes reddened as he roared through the formation: “No need to fear him. Such a powerful move must require an incredibly heaven-defying divine ability! The more heaven-defying the divine ability, the more astonishing the divine power consumption. It consumes divine power hundreds or thousands of times more than normal combat. He can’t last long, while we, relying on the formation’s power, can attack endlessly.”

“Right.”

“Wear him down.”

“With such a move, he definitely can’t hold out long.”

They had already set themselves against Ji Ning. If they let him leave, the consequences would be dire. They had to see this through.

Moreover, using the formations, they could draw on endless power from heaven and earth, and the formations had ‘Chaos Crystals’ as energy sources, consuming very little of their own divine power. Thus, they could sustain combat.

…

The axe phantom, divine sword phantom, black mist, flames, and lightning in the high sky slowly began to form again.

Ji Ning glanced up and shook his head.

A battle of attrition?

Each formation needed time to gather energy for a single strike, while Ji Ning, empowered by the Azure Flower Mist Force, consumed very little. At this rate of exchange, the rate at which he absorbed external energy was enough to keep up with consumption.

“Swoosh.” Ji Ning suddenly stepped forward, turning into a streak of light flying into the sky.

“He’s moving.”

“He’s flying toward the main hall.”

The many World-level cultivators watched nervously. They dared not intervene now; even if hundreds of them joined forces, they would only be slaughtered by Ji Ning! The gap between a World-level cultivator and a First Step Dao Lord was immense. If before being captured by the great ruler, Ji Ning was far behind a First Step Dao Lord in realm, now he could be regarded as a true First Step Dao Lord.

During his flight, Ji Ning encountered another wave of attacks, but his six palms easily shattered all obstacles.

“He’s coming for me.” Standing in the main hall, the East Smoke教主 watched the distant, towering ten-thousand-zhang white-robed youth flying toward him, his expression dark.

“Break for me.”

Ji Ning let out a cold shout. His six palms simultaneously swept through the air, striking the main hall of the East Smoke branch. The East Smoke教主, hiding inside, seemed as tiny as an ant compared to the enormous palms in the sky.

…