Chapter 1404: Strange Phenomena

Qi and Wang, having nothing else to do, stepped aside to keep watch.

Qin Sang stayed close to the altar, using his spiritual sense to soothe the Fiery Jade Centipede while observing the Valley Master Mu's actions.

Valley Master Mu sat cross-legged on the altar, raised his hands, and formed a strange mudra, remaining still. Simultaneously, his lips moved, uttering a series of indecipherable syllables.

As the secret art progressed, the altar emitted a faint blue light from within. This blue light did not diffuse outward but instead gathered on the altar's surface, rising like flowing water. Gradually, Valley Master Mu and the three spiritual insects were all enveloped in the blue light, almost becoming imperceptible to the naked eye.

The Fiery Jade Centipede instinctively felt a sense of unease, its many legs gently swaying.

Just then, the altar vibrated violently.

*Whoosh!*

The blue light suddenly contracted, condensing above the altar into a roughly ring-shaped pattern filled with densely packed, bizarre runes. The three spiritual insects were precisely positioned at three vertices, enveloped in cocoons of blue light, and began to involuntarily rotate with the pattern.

Not only the Fiery Jade Centipede but also the other two spiritual insects started to feel agitated. After receiving their master's calming presence, they quickly settled down, and the insect formation was successfully set up!

Suddenly, Valley Master Mu's voice boomed like thunder as he chanted a strange incantation.

The Tidal Limulus and the Black Demonic Ants were the first to show abnormalities. The power within their bodies was drawn out by the insect formation and, following the changes in the formation, slowly poured into the Fiery Jade Centipede.

In an instant, the Fiery Jade Centipede's body tensed into a straight line. Its numerous legs retracted tightly. Flames erupted from its body, flickering violently.

This was only the beginning. As the insect formation continued, the Black Demonic Ants began to weaken, and the Tidal Limulus's aura also faded. In contrast, the Fiery Jade Centipede's aura grew increasingly powerful.

Although it was a rare insect with potential far exceeding other spiritual insects, its cultivation realm was lower than the other two, and it was a full major realm below the Tidal Limulus. Before long, it exceeded its own endurance limit. The external power was forcibly灌注 into its body. The Fiery Jade Centipede curled tightly into a ball, trembling in pain.

Qin Sang watched the Fiery Jade Centipede's changes nervously, ready to intervene at any moment. He could not allow Valley Master Mu to act recklessly, lest irreversible damage occur, or even for the Fiery Jade Centipede to suffer the same fate as the Jade-銜 Bee. As long as its injuries did not exceed the limit, there would be ample time to help it recover later.

Qi and Wang, observing from the periphery, also showed tense expressions.

Valley Master Mu's control over the insect formation was exquisite. The power within the formation was very gentle, minimizing harm to the Fiery Jade Centipede as much as possible. As time went on, the Fiery Jade Centipede's aura grew stronger, nearing that of the Black Demonic Ants.

"Enough!" Qin Sang, staring intently at the Fiery Jade Centipede, suddenly shouted to halt.

Valley Master Mu's eyelids twitched. He promptly stopped, opened his eyes, glanced at the Fiery Jade Centipede, and gently nodded. "It's still a little short of its limit, but this is enough—infinitely close to the Fourth Transformation. If this doesn't work, further infusion will be useless... Give it a try!"

Qin Sang activated his spiritual sense. Under the intense pain, the Fiery Jade Centipede's poor consciousness became very confused. It took Qin Sang great effort to barely perceive its consciousness and try his best to soothe it.

The Fiery Jade Centipede's curled body gradually unfolded. The four individuals watched the Fiery Jade Centipede, silently anticipating.

A few breaths later, the Fiery Jade Centipede's upper body suddenly swayed slightly, subtly reaching forward. The movement was tiny but did not escape the eyes of the Nascent Soul cultivators.

Valley Master Mu's pupils constricted, and he quickly looked at Qin Sang. He saw Qin Sang's face filled with solemnity. Moments later, he suddenly shifted his gaze from the Fiery Jade Centipede to the nearby formation, pointing with his hand, "There!"

Joy surged in everyone's hearts. The Fiery Jade Centipede had actually sensed the entrance to the Pure Ocean Sect. Qin Sang was unsure if it was the effect of the Ten Thousand Spirit Fruit, but he was certain that there was a treasure inside that attracted the Fiery Jade Centipede. The consciousness transmitted by the Fiery Jade Centipede just now was very brief, but its direction was incredibly clear. It was not in the exact center of the formation but slightly to the right of the center.

The cultivator surnamed Qi had already prepared. Hearing this, he did not hesitate and instantly darted towards the location Qin Sang indicated. Unexpectedly, before he could get close, the familiar scene repeated: he was shifted to another side by the formation. They had long anticipated this and were not discouraged.

Qi and Wang each employed their respective techniques, trying repeatedly, but all attempts were fruitless, causing them to frown deeply. They summoned their magical treasures and attacked the entrance with full force, but it was like a stone sinking into the sea. The formation did not displace the attacks, yet it also showed no reaction to them.

Valley Master Mu maintained the insect formation, observing distractedly for a while, then spoke, "It seems impossible to approach the entrance within the formation. We can only attack it directly! There's no unusual phenomenon, so the power to break the formation is likely not strong enough."

Before he finished speaking, Qin Sang interrupted him, "The position has changed! Over there!"

Upon hearing this, the three cultivators' expressions changed dramatically.

"The Pure Ocean Sect entrance can actually move within the formation. No wonder our many attempts yielded no progress. And ordinary attacks won't do much; we must attack together, focusing our power on a single point!" the female cultivator surnamed Wang said grimly.

Valley Master Mu nodded, "Set up the formation!"

Qi and Wang returned to the altar. With perfect coordination, they gently patted their mustard seed bags, and blue banners flew out like flowing water. Their figures shifted rapidly as they swiftly moved. Before long, a complex flag formation took shape around them. Standing within the formation, they formed hand seals to activate it.

The flag formation, located underwater, remained unaffected, its flags swaying. Pure water elemental energy continuously gathered towards the center of the flag formation. The two Nascent Soul cultivators fully activated the formation. The seawater churned, and a sphere of ice-like transparent water gradually formed. After a dazzling series of transformations, it condensed into a seven-foot-long transparent water sword! The water sword pointed remotely at the formation, poised to strike.

Simultaneously, Valley Master Mu also took out a snake spear. The spear's tip shimmered with blue light, incredibly sharp. Initially, it was only arm-length, but Valley Master Mu flicked his finger, and the spear flew up, its size rapidly increasing. Its tip also pointed directly at the formation.

"Daoist priest?" the cultivator surnamed Qi called out.

The three cultivators all looked at Qin Sang. During this time, the entrance's position had shifted several times. According to the pattern deduced from the Fiery Jade Centipede's feedback, it changed roughly every three breaths, but the new position was completely random.

Qin Sang nodded slightly. With a thought, the Golden Sinking Sword leapt out of his Vajra Ring.

"There!"

At Qin Sang's command, the four Nascent Soul cultivators attacked with full force.

*Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!*

The water sword, the snake spear, the Golden Sinking Sword.

Three incredibly powerful attacks struck the same point at the exact same moment! Previously, Qi and Wang's attacks would merely pass through. This time, however, a deafening roar erupted!

*Boom!*

Time seemed to freeze as the three attacks halted in place. Simultaneously, within the formation, a speck of crimson light, like ink in water, spread out at a visible speed.