Chapter 1410: Great Master

It was unclear whether the Nether Sea Sect was truly this vast, or if it was an illusion created by the formation. With the help of his Skyeye Butterfly, Qin Sang carefully observed his surroundings, gradually making some discoveries, but nothing substantial enough to alter their current situation.

Another two hours passed. They had no idea where they had arrived. The strange winds showed no sign of stopping; instead, they grew fiercer and more relentless.

"Whoosh, whoosh..." The howling wind filled their ears. From an external perspective, they seemed to be engulfed in a sea of flames. The strange winds, infused with the aura of crimson flames, were like streams of molten fire, engulfing and constantly scorching them. At the same time, they had to remain vigilant against the occasional appearance of golden liquid.

The four of them concentrated, daring not to relax their guard. They had a premonition that a new development might be imminent!

"Wait..." Qin Sang suddenly called out, stopping the others. Under their surprised gaze, Qin Sang stared intently ahead, hesitated for a moment, then suddenly sped up, pressing forward with the bronze mirror. Sect Master Mu and the other two quickly followed.

Before long, the four figures abruptly halted, their eyes filled with a mix of surprise and delight as they gazed at the scene before them. At this moment, the space in front of them was no longer empty; it was filled with crimson and golden light. The light was incredibly dazzling, blocking their path, and extending boundlessly in every direction.

The crimson light, without a doubt, emanated from the aura of crimson flames. Here, the crimson flame aura was extremely concentrated, forming a sea of fire. Even before approaching, they felt an unbearable heat. This was after a period of its power having been dispersed. The source of the golden light was a series of '卍' (swastika) symbols that appeared and disappeared, floating in the sea of fire, even merging with the crimson flame aura.

Their earlier speculation was confirmed here: over countless years, the crimson flame aura had indeed merged with the formation. The '卍' symbols, battered by the crimson flame aura, were difficult to discern in their original form. After observing for a long time, Qin Sang and the others finally realized that the '卍' symbols originally formed what was likely a wall of countless golden statues of Buddhas and Arhats—a Thousand Buddha Wall! However, it was now completely disfigured.

Sect Master Mu turned to look at Qin Sang. Before he could ask, Qin Sang proactively stated, "The Myriad Spirit Fruit is behind the Thousand Buddha Wall."

"It seems we must pass through the Thousand Buddha Wall then," Sect Master Mu nodded thoughtfully, his brows slightly furrowed.

"There!" the cultivator surnamed Qi exclaimed softly, pointing to a boundary where the crimson and golden light met. It looked very much like a fissure. "You two were right earlier; it's a double-edged sword, and this is our opportunity!" the cultivator surnamed Qi said excitedly. "If we pass through this Thousand Buddha Wall, will we be able to enter the Nether Sea Sect?"

"It's not that simple!" Qin Sang poured cold water on his enthusiasm. "Although we've had to be constantly vigilant on this journey, we haven't actually encountered any life-threatening dangers. The Myriad Spirit Fruit is still very far away, and the Thousand Buddha Wall is definitely not the end. From my perspective, we might currently be in the outer perimeter of the sect's protective grand formation."

"With golden liquid present, this is merely the outer perimeter?" The expressions of both Qi and Wang turned somewhat grim. If not for Qin Sang and Sect Master Mu, the two of them alone probably wouldn't have made it much further.

Sect Master Mu's expression remained unchanged as he gravely said, "Since we are here, we must accept it. Let's first find a way to cross."

The four of them cautiously flew closer to the Thousand Buddha Wall. The closer they got to the wall, the more tense they became. Although the crimson flame aura had merged with the symbols on the Thousand Buddha Wall, this fusion was not a harmonious blend; rather, it was a subtle balance achieved through mutual consumption and collision. If they were to cross the Thousand Buddha Wall, they would inevitably upset this balance, leading to a combined assault from both forces.

If they waited longer, until the crimson flame aura had weakened to a certain extent, the danger would be significantly reduced. However, their advantage of having entered early would also be lost. Trapped within the formation, they couldn't see its full scope. No one knew if later entrants would encounter a different manifestation of the formation.

The four of them explored the Thousand Buddha Wall, searching for a way through. Soon, they identified three fissures. Qin Sang secretly activated his Skyeye Divine Ability to observe the shifting forces around the fissures. After careful analysis, the four of them decided on the one that appeared to be the smallest. This fissure was located between two Arhat statues. The faces of both Arhats had been consumed by the crimson flames; one could barely discern distorted features, yet it held no semblance of a Buddhist figure, instead resembling a demon born from fire. Around the fissure, the '卍' symbols frequently trembled, indicating extreme instability.

"Fellow Daoist Mu, let's join forces and attack from here," Qin Sang said, gazing for a moment and pointing to a spot within the fissure. "We'll force our way in the instant before the Thousand Buddha Wall and the crimson flame aura fully close."

Sect Master Mu nodded, then turned to Qi and Wang, instructing them, "You two are responsible for fending off the strange winds and preventing any peripheral disturbances from affecting this area."

"Understood!" Qi and Wang nodded, each summoning their respective magic artifacts and scanning their surroundings. Qin Sang also subconsciously had his Skyeye Butterfly observe the area. In truth, the strange winds here were relentless, offering no hiding place. Even if a fifth person were present, they couldn't conceal themselves near them without being detected. He was simply being habitually cautious.

Confirming that there was nothing unusual around them, Qin Sang and the others proceeded according to plan, approaching the Thousand Buddha Wall. However, none of them noticed that in the distance, two ethereal figures were drawing closer. These were none other than Old Man Hunmo and True Person Chijie. An invisible barrier, generated by the 'Nine Precepts' thumb ring, surrounded them. Although seemingly fragile, the barrier could draw upon a portion of the spirit formation's power for protection, causing the strange winds to bypass them as if they were nonexistent. Thus, they moved silently and smoothly through the strange winds, causing no disturbance. However, True Person Chijie's hand, gripping the Nine Precepts thumb ring, was now veined with bulging tendons. His expression also showed great strain. The grand formation had changed, making it difficult for previous tokens to be effective. Such a barrier could not be maintained indefinitely, and it was only effective in the outer perimeter. Qin Sang and the four others couldn't see them. Yet, Old Man Hunmo and True Person Chijie could clearly see the anomalies within the strange winds ahead, pinpointing the location of Qin Sang and his group.

Qin Sang and Sect Master Mu were completely unaware of this. They approached the Thousand Buddha Wall, exerting all their spiritual energy to resist the external forces. Upon getting closer, they realized the fissure was much wider than they had imagined, with the crimson flame aura and '卍' symbols constantly interweaving and shifting.

Qin Sang and Sect Master Mu exchanged a glance, then simultaneously summoned their respective magic artifacts. The Golden Sinking Sword was already prepared. "Swish! Swish!" The Serpent Spear and the Golden Sinking Sword advanced side by side, plunging fiercely into the wall. Their timing and chosen location were incredibly precise, not directly provoking a violent reaction from the two forces. Due to their differing roles, Qin Sang was positioned slightly ahead.

"Thump!" A small void appeared in the fissure, and then the surrounding crimson and golden light immediately pressed inward—this brief window was the best opportunity! Qin Sang felt a surge of joy and moved slightly, just about to call for them to follow him in, when a sudden strong warning flashed in his mind; the Skyeye Butterfly signaled danger!

"Watch out!" Qin Sang's expression drastically changed as he roared aloud.