Chapter 321: Understanding the Formation!

These eighteen sword puppets were automatically controlled by the formation and were masterless.

Pang Wannian had accidentally activated the formation earlier, causing these eighteen sword puppets to attack the group from the Nethercloud Sect.

Once Ye Yuan fully comprehended the Minor Ninefold Linked Rings Formation, he could control these eighteen sword puppets!

If Ye Yuan took these eighteen sword puppets, he would have the means to protect himself against Sea Transformation realm experts.

With his current strength, Ye Yuan should have no problem facing early and mid-stage Crystal Formation realm martial artists, but he would struggle against late-stage Crystal Formation realm martial artists.

As for Sea Transformation realm experts, Ye Yuan had almost no room to resist.

In fact, Ye Yuan had faced quite a few Sea Transformation realm experts, but whether it was Black Crow Elder, Yao Qian, or Wang Fan, he had relied on favorable circumstances and his precise calculations to gain the upper hand.

If he were to fight a Sea Transformation realm expert head-on, Ye Yuan would have no chance of victory.

But with these sword puppets, it would be different. Ye Yuan could control them using the Minor Ninefold Linked Rings Formation and even contend with a Sea Transformation realm expert at the third level!

Ye Yuan's strength was indeed not great, but with his heart as still water, he had already gained a preliminary understanding of this formation.

At this moment, Ye Yuan's soul power was released, allowing him to clearly capture every subtle movement of the sword puppets, making it difficult for them to harm him.

Of course, the cost of doing so was that his soul power was being rapidly consumed!

"No way? With so many of us struggling in this formation, Ye Yuan is handling it alone with ease?" Tianyu exclaimed in surprise.

"Ye Yuan must have comprehended something; otherwise, it wouldn't be possible," Mei Zhen said.

"But what exactly is Ye Yuan trying to do? He even brought Elder Mei out. If he had guidance from the side, with Elder Mei's strength, there might be hope of breaking the formation, right? Now he's alone inside—how is he going to break it?" Tianyu wondered.

"At this point, we can only trust him. This formation is truly formidable; with a group of Crystal Formation realm puppets, even I am no match!" Mei Zhen sighed.

...

While Ye Yuan was trapped in the Minor Ninefold Linked Rings Formation, within the Absolute Blazing Barrier Formation, Zhao Yuyang's forehead was covered in fine beads of sweat.

After such a long period of deduction, he was nearly exhausted!

But he also knew that the exit of the formation was not far away. If he didn't grit his teeth and persevere, all the benefits in the Yonghua Palace would be taken by the Nethercloud Sect.

So he gritted his teeth and persisted!

"Just a little more, just a little bit! This deduction of the Absolute Blazing Barrier Formation has greatly inspired my formation path! If I can get through this, I might have hope of becoming a fourth-rank formation master in this lifetime!" Zhao Yuyang constantly encouraged himself.

Everyone held their breath as they watched Zhao Yuyang.

Up to this point, the various sects had paid an extremely heavy price!

Some sects now had only two or three people left.

Even the Purple Firmament Sect had lost one of their four, burned to ashes by the formation.

Zhao Yuyang took another step forward; every step he took tugged at everyone's heartstrings.

The next moment, Zhao Yuyang's face lit up with ecstasy!

"Senior Brother, I've found the exit!" Zhao Yuyang exclaimed joyfully.

Everyone's faces showed ecstatic expressions. This formation was truly terrifying, and it was a stroke of luck that they could escape alive.

Wu Zhao was also overjoyed: "Haha... That brat Ye Yuan probably never dreamed we would find the exit so quickly, right? When I get out, I'll tear that kid limb from limb, or I won't be able to vent my hatred! Junior Brother Yuyang, hurry!"

Zhao Yuyang nodded: "This is the last checkpoint. As long as we find the right path, we can get out in at most an hour!"

...

Ye Yuan's soul power was rapidly depleting, but his understanding of the Minor Ninefold Linked Rings Formation was simultaneously increasing quickly.

He had the insight of a ninth-rank formation master, and although this Minor Ninefold Linked Rings Formation was extremely profound, it was after all a work of Lu Linfeng from thousands of years ago.

Ye Yuan, with a high vantage point, comprehending a third-rank formation was not such an extraordinary feat.

In fact, his biggest obstacle was still these eighteen sword puppets!

These eighteen sword puppets were too strong for Ye Yuan, and he had to devote most of his energy to dealing with them.

Otherwise, a single misstep would lead to his death.

Fortunately, with his heart as still water, Ye Yuan could capture all the movements of the sword puppets into his soul and analyze and understand them, gradually comprehending the Minor Ninefold Linked Rings Formation.

In fact, as soon as he entered the formation, Ye Yuan could see that the attacks of these sword puppets, though seemingly chaotic, actually followed a pattern.

These sword puppets were paired into groups of two, forming nine attack points.

After one group completed its attack, the second group seamlessly took over, followed by the third, the fourth.

This attack formed a subtle superposition, making the attacks increasingly stronger!

By the time the ninth group launched its attack, the superposition had reached a terrifying level.

Logically, the formation should be weakest when the first group attacked, but that was not the case.

These eighteen sword puppets coordinated seamlessly; though it sounds slow, the time gap between their attacks was extremely small, thus forming a perfect cycle, making each strike appear so powerful!

Of course, seeing it was one thing; comprehending the formation was another.

No matter how meticulous a formation, it has its flaws; no matter how tangled a rope, it has its loose end. What Ye Yuan needed to do now was to find that loose end within this perfect cycle!

A single thread could move the whole body; once he found where the knot of this cycle was, he could control the entire formation!

However, the brilliance of Lu Linfeng's formation lay in the fact that this 'loose end' was hidden very deeply.

Ye Yuan's soul power was nearly depleted, and he still hadn't found that loose end!

Time passed minute by minute, and Ye Yuan's soul power was about to run out; his soul was so tired it was on the verge of falling asleep.

Once his soul power was exhausted, Ye Yuan would only be torn apart by the chaotic swords!

"Not good! Ye Yuan can't hold on much longer!" Mo Yuntian noticed Ye Yuan's movements becoming erratic and immediately sensed something was wrong.

Mei Zhen's expression also changed drastically, and he said solemnly, "Ye Yuan has been dodging all along without consuming much yuan power. Could it be... he has been using soul power?"

"Heavens, his control over soul power is too precise, isn't it? The coverage is limited to just that small area of the formation?" Tianyu exclaimed in surprise.

"What's the use of saying that now? No, I have to save Ye Yuan!" Mei Zhen could no longer sit still; he couldn't bear to watch Ye Yuan be torn apart by the swords.

Without any hesitation, Mei Zhen drew his sword and charged into the formation.

But just as he reached the edge of the formation, Ye Yuan's voice suddenly rang out: "I'm fine! Don't come over!"