Chapter 1045: Indecisive

"Daoist Jin, what is it that you wish to announce?" Yu Kuohai frowned slightly and asked.

"Everyone, to enter this pagoda and seek treasures, we must first break through this stone door. To unlock the禁制 here, if I were to do it alone, it would take at least two days. But with your full assistance, it might be resolved in an instant." Jin Liu swept his gaze across the crowd and spoke.

Hearing this, the crowd nodded and looked around, clearly remembering the scene of the previous collective formation-breaking, fearing that they too might become sacrificial offerings for opening the door like those before.

Seeing no response, Jin Liu's expression darkened slightly, and he said slowly, "If you all think you can gain benefits without exerting any effort, I'm afraid there's no such thing in this world."

"Daoist Jin, it's not that we fear death, but please explain in detail how to break the formation, so that we can be mentally prepared and handle any situation ourselves." Elder Yang stepped forward and said.

"This formation on the door is called the Yin-Yang Locking Array. If you all simultaneously apply immortal spiritual power to the door panels, altering the balance of yin and yang numbers of the door nails, the禁制 will open, and we can enter." Jin Liu pondered for a moment and explained.

"Daoist Jin speaks lightly. Are there no countermeasures on this door? Won't we suffer backlash from the formation the moment we act, ending up with our bones and bodies destroyed?" Yu Kuohai hesitated and said.

"I have inspected it. This formation is different from the previous one; there is absolutely no danger. If you are still uneasy, I can break the formation alongside you. If anything changes, I too will suffer backlash." Jin Liu forced a smile and explained.

"My senior brother has finished speaking. Who is willing to step forward and break the formation?" Su Qianxi frowned and asked, seeing no response.

The passage remained silent. Yu Kuohai and the others kept their eyes on their noses and noses on their hearts, feigning deafness and muteness.

Jin Liu's smile gradually faded, and he spoke:

"In that case, I'll trouble Daoist Yu, Elder Yang, Valley Master Fu, Vice Pavilion Master Zhao, and Tower Master Qin to set an example. Select some people from your respective sects to help me break the formation."

"Daoist Jin..."

Before Yu Kuohai could finish, Jin Liu sternly interrupted: "Since you have joined the alliance, it's best to follow orders now. Otherwise, after leaving this secret realm, the consequences will be borne not only by yourselves."

Yu Kuohai and the others naturally understood his implication—that he would seek trouble for their entire sects later. Their expressions changed slightly.

"Qingsuo Valley is willing to follow orders." Since one had to bow under the eaves, Valley Master Fu cupped his fist and said first.

With that, he began pointing and selecting personnel from his own sect.

The others exchanged glances and had to do the same, picking their candidates.

"By the way, each sect must select someone who understands formation-breaking techniques to listen to my arrangements." Jin Liu's expression eased slightly, and he reminded.

Hearing this, Yu Kuohai's gaze shifted and landed on Han Li.

"Fellow Daoist Shi, my Lingxiao Sect truly lacks people who understand formations. I'll trouble you to act on behalf of my Lingxiao Sect." Yu Kuohai said with a warm smile.

As soon as he finished, Elder Yang and Valley Master Fu not far away rolled their eyes, regretting that they had spoken too late, allowing Yu Kuohai to claim "Shi Mu" as cannon fodder.

"This... is not quite appropriate, is it?" Han Li cursed inwardly but showed a troubled expression on his face.

"Fellow Daoist Shi, rest assured. After this matter, you can enter our Lingxiao Sect's mountain gate, register in the Ancestral Hall, and become an inner elder. You will no longer be a rootless wandering cultivator." Yu Kuohai patted Han Li's shoulder and said.

"Daoist Yu, are you serious?" Han Li pretended to be pleasantly surprised.

"A word spoken is a word kept. With all these fellow Daoists as witnesses, how could it not be serious?" Yu Kuohai laughed.

"Then I'll take on this task." Han Li nodded and said.

A dozen steps away, among the Wangyou Pavilion group, Lan Yan, disguised as an ordinary woman, was watching this scene.

"Brother, look at that poor wretch. Lured by a small gain, he's willing to step forward. How pathetic." A hint of mockery and pity flashed in her eyes as she transmitted to Lan Yuanzi.

"You don't know the hardships of a wandering cultivator. Becoming an elder of Lingxiao Sect is no small gain for him." Lan Yuanzi glanced over and replied casually.

Lan Yan wanted to say more, but heard Vice Pavilion Master Zhao of Wangyou Pavilion point at them from across the space and say, "And you two, also participate in breaking the formation."

After a moment, when each sect had selected their personnel, Jin Liu picked out those who understood禁制 and formations, explained the key points of breaking the formation, and had them convey it to the others.

After hearing this, Han Li sighed inwardly. If they followed Jin Liu's method to break the禁制 on the door, they would not only start on the wrong path but also likely trigger a backlash.

However, given his current identity, he naturally couldn't say anything.

Returning to the Lingxiao Sect group, Han Li instructed those selected to participate in breaking the formation. The content was roughly the same as Jin Liu's, but with slight differences in details, though ordinary people couldn't tell.

After about half a quarter of an hour, the dozens of people selected to break the formation stood on either side of the stone door.

"Everyone, when breaking the formation, be sure to fully activate your immortal spiritual power without any slack. If anything goes wrong, don't blame me for punishing you." Jin Liu's face turned serious, and he announced loudly.

"Yes." The crowd responded hastily.

"Alright, begin as I instructed." After giving the order, Jin Liu was the first to form hand seals and strike a water-blue light onto the stone door.

The others followed suit, forming hand seals and channeling their immortal spiritual power toward the stone door.

Streams of multicolored light, like rainbows, converged on the door nails in different areas. The recessed nails began to glow and protrude upward, while the protruding ones started to sink inward.

The gathered light on the stone door gradually split, forming a swirling yin-yang fish pattern.

As the twin fish rotated, the stone door seemed to loosen, vibrating violently and emitting a "hissing" sound.

"Everyone, put in more effort! The door is about to open!" Jin Liu shouted joyfully.

Hearing this, the others were also invigorated and fully activated their immortal spiritual power.

Han Li had been watching the changes in the禁制 on the door. He knew that the current situation was merely a precursor to the禁制 being triggered. If left unchecked, within a few breaths, everyone would suffer backlash.

He was not particularly concerned about the lives of these unrelated people.

In a secret realm, seeking treasures was a matter of life and death. He had seen too much along the way. Everyone must be responsible for their own choices, bearing the risk of death while seeking opportunities.

But now, these people's lives were tied to his own. Moreover, there was another team advancing on a different path. If they were delayed here and the other team got the treasures first, that would be unfortunate.

Just as the yin-yang fish pattern spun faster and faster, a sudden change occurred among the Lingxiao Sect members breaking the formation. Several of them did not act as Jin Liu instructed but channeled their immortal spiritual power into some door nails he had not mentioned.

Instantly, the rapidly spinning fish pattern stalled and directly dispersed.

Seeing this, Jin Liu was furious and about to lose his temper when his eyes suddenly flickered.

Beneath the scattered colored light of the fish pattern, a starry sky scene was revealed.

His expression changed slightly, and he realized he had mistaken the formation earlier. He shouted, "The formation has changed! Everyone, listen to my commands and re-break the formation..."

With that, he began issuing step-by-step instructions, directing everyone to channel their immortal spiritual power into the door nails anew.

"At least you're not stupid. Otherwise, I would have had to act myself..." Han Li nodded to himself and thought.

Following the new instructions, the stone door became a sea of stars. The statues of the two halberd-wielding gods also changed, raising their halberds high as the stone door swung inward.

"Rumble..."

A heavy grinding sound slowly rose. The two thick stone doors gradually opened inward, and a golden light streamed out, mixed with a very peculiar fluctuation.

Everyone's gaze was drawn to the scene inside the stone door, but they could only see a dazzling golden light. Even using spiritual eye techniques, they couldn't see what was inside.

"Could this golden light be the radiance of a treasure..." Yu Kuohai murmured.

As soon as he said this, everyone felt a surge of heat, and greed appeared in their eyes.

"Are you all really major sects from the Gold Origin Mountain Range? Can't you even detect the fluctuation emanating from inside? That is clearly the fluctuation of a Gold Force Field." Su Qianxi sneered and said.

"Fairy Su, there are many Gold Force Fields in the Gold Origin Mountain Range. We can distinguish their aura. The golden light from this door is so intense; it must be some kind of metal-attributed treasure, right?" Elder Yang raised an eyebrow and said.

Su Qianxi didn't explain, only responded with a light laugh.

Seeing this, Elder Yang began to doubt himself, wondering if he was indeed wrong.

Han Li swept his gaze inside the door and understood immediately.

Normally, the Gold Force Fields seen in the Gold Origin Mountain Range are naturally formed, without formation enhancement. The metal-attributed spiritual power they emit, though strong, is not pure enough.

The reason the golden light inside the door appeared to be the radiance of a metal-attributed treasure was naturally because the metal-attributed spiritual power inside was sufficiently dense and pure, thus having the capital to confuse everyone.

Everyone stood at the entrance, their desire for treasure burning hot, yet none dared to rush in directly. On one hand, they were wary of Tianshui Sect's control; on the other, they feared there might be more traps and禁制 inside.