Chapter 34: The Secret of the Death Formation

Just as the grand geomantic array of Idle Cloud Sect was activated, Li Zhenyu stood atop the Enlightenment Cliff.

His gaze was fixed intently on the gray-black aura spreading from every earth aperture, seeping ceaselessly around the boundaries of Idle Cloud Sect.

"This is a formation crafted to deceive heaven and earth! A death array forged from countless corpse miasmas!"

Even he felt a chill run down his spine.

"So Idle Cloud Sect harbored such a profound secret, an array that cannot be controlled even by Divine Demon Realm experts, constructed from the natural mountain ranges and rivers, requiring multiple hosts to form human-shaped array cores!"

"Thus, he subjected all the elders of Idle Cloud Sect to so-called 'spiritual infusion', turning every Divine Demon Third Heaven expert into a part of himself, dispersing the death aura, masking it from heaven, preventing his own path from manifesting. These elders themselves are human-shaped array cores, stabilizing the entire formation!"

"That explains why, during combat, that old man never steps out of his floating palace pavilion—he uses his own body to anchor the formation’s core, having refined the palace pavilion to absorb the essence of sun and moon for suppression!"

He and the death array are entwined.

He uses himself and the palace pavilion to suppress the core of the formation, then employs the entire grand array to suppress himself, isolating himself from heavenly laws.

Therefore, the palace pavilion is also a part of him. Under this formation, he can conceal himself from heaven, remaining undetected by the Dao. If he leaves Idle Cloud Sect, he would immediately transcend!"

Li Zhenyu could not have imagined that Yang Zhengfeng, the sect master of Idle Cloud Sect, possessed such methods.

"Could this formation have been brought from the Tianshan Mountains?"

He recalled the reason he had come to Idle Cloud Sect—because of a scene he witnessed...

It was also why Li Qiaochan’s incarnation had followed him.

"And where does this corpse miasma originate?"

By geomancy, Idle Cloud Sect should have been a blessed land.

But now, this paradise had been transformed into a land of death by Yang Zhengfeng’s array; all spiritual energy locked away, and once activated, corpse miasma devoured everything, plunging this small world into darkness.

"Is the corpse miasma also brought from the Tianshan Mountains?"

Li Zhenyu was not in a hurry; the Dao he comprehended was different, his path unique, and he could traverse such formations at will. He was simply curious.

At that moment, suddenly, a peal of thunder split the sky as the array stirred, cleaving the formation in a flash and striking straight toward the palace pavilion!

The palace pavilion trembled violently, and the lightning, unstoppable as a spear, struck again.

"Who’s suffering heavenly retribution?"

Li Zhenyu was speechless—a bolt of lightning out of a clear sky, then another, even greater, crashing down.

"Has the array been breached?"

Where the lightning struck, a hole opened, revealing the outside world. Yet this only made things more uncanny—the darkness enveloping Idle Cloud Sect, and at the horizon, a breach where sunlight streamed in but could not dispel the pervasive gloom.

The two were utterly incompatible, terrifying to behold.

"Hahaha!"

The sect master of Six Paths Sect laughed loudly. "Yang Zhengfeng, look! Heaven does not aid you! Such defiant, conscience-less deeds—heaven itself cannot bear them!"

Yang Zhengfeng’s expression grew cold.

"Two strange bolts of lightning, both aimed at the secret chamber!"

He had refined the palace pavilion and, together with his own body, suppressed the array’s core. Though the imprint of the Dao was erased and he could not sense Jiang Ning’s location, he could perceive every corner of the palace pavilion.

"What is that brat doing in the secret chamber?!"

Time was running out; Jiang Ning was the linchpin of all his plans!

And every mistake stemmed from Jiang Ning!

"Trying to escape? Stay here!"

Suddenly, the Six Paths Sect master struck the air with his bare hand, and a figure tumbled out of the void—it was the elder in green robes who had previously abducted Jiang Ning!

Expressionless, the green-robed elder fell from the void and looked toward the Six Paths Sect master.

"Today is the day we settle the enmity between our sects once and for all!"

Now the Six Paths Sect master unleashed his full strength—no longer probing, but truly striking!

At that moment, another figure slipped through the void, swifter than the green-robed elder, disappearing into the depths of the palace pavilion.

Yet the Six Paths Sect master did not notice; among Divine Demon Realm experts, their spiritual senses could easily shield against each other’s probes, preventing detection.

But just then, a shadow appeared between the brows of the Six Paths Sect master.

It was identical to his own form!

"Spiritual sense shaped into a human form!"

A disciple below cried in surprise—the Six Paths Sect master’s power had reached such a level.

Spiritual sense was not only for sensing, but could also be used in combat. Spiritual sense duels were perilous, yet if one could shape their spiritual sense, it held the combat power of the true body—equivalent to two warriors fighting at once.

For Divine Demon Realm experts, forming a human-shaped spiritual sense was a formidable threshold.

Yang Zhengfeng had not crossed it.

He snorted coldly; all remaining elders gathered before him. Though their spiritual sense had not coalesced into human forms, united, they shaped a heavenly blade of spiritual sense in midair!

Once spiritual sense was unleashed, the true battle began.

Neither side held anything back—this was a fight to the death!

Six Paths Sect disciples now moved as well; sect rivalries ran deep, and given the chance, Idle Cloud Sect would never let Six Paths Sect escape unscathed. They fought desperately, blades clashing, risking their lives.

Yang Zhengfeng manipulated the grand array; though a breach had been blasted open and all aura could not be sealed, its power was still formidable. Besides the spiritual sense battle, he personally joined the fray.

The Six Paths Sect master was undaunted—fists and palms, one against many, wielding his life-bound spiritual artifact, the stone statue, merging with the laws of the Dao, pressing forward with thunderous force.

"A life-and-death battle—no room for distraction. With heavenly thunder aiding me, now is the perfect time to slip in!"

Li Zhenyu did not hesitate, riding a rainbow through the darkness and corpse miasma engulfing Idle Cloud Sect, heading straight for the palace pavilion.

No one noticed that, at Idle Cloud Sect’s First Peak, a graceful figure darted forth, suppressing all aura, likewise rushing toward the floating palace pavilion...

...

Jiang Ning now sat cross-legged in the secret chamber. After stepping into the Body Tempering Realm, some seals on his inherited memories were fully unlocked!

He closed his eyes, a mysterious aura swirling around him, utterly incongruous with his appearance—tattered clothes, singed hair, and a body blackened by heavenly thunder, looking every bit a little beggar.

Yet... it could not conceal his otherworldly charm.

At least, Jiang Ning thought so.

"So, the inherited secret art of the Immortal Spirit Body consists solely of one method—devouring!"

"To contain all things in heaven and earth, and to devour them as well."

"It is vast beyond imagining..."

It was not that Jiang Ning failed to sense danger—Yang Zhengfeng had left, the secret chamber was empty.

Such commotion, and yet the other party did not appear—when circumstances are unusual, something must be amiss.

He knew this well, but after entering the Body Tempering Realm, the inherited memories had been released.

The legacy was so immense that he was overwhelmed, his mind flooded with thunderous information, immersed in a realm of profound mystery, temporarily unable to awaken...