Chapter 710: This Array What Is It

The power of the grand formation in Medicine Valley was far greater than that of the Revitalization Valley on the Cloud River battlefield. Firstly, Lu Ye's mastery of formation arts had significantly improved since then. Secondly, Medicine Valley possessed earth veins, and the formation he deployed this time perfectly aligned with the flow of these veins, further enhancing its power. Such a convenience was not available at Revitalization Valley.

Led by Wu Xie, numerous Skyrift Cult cultivators entered Medicine Valley and vanished. All that could be seen was a vast, turbulent, and unpredictable sea of mist. Anyone could sense a chilling killing intent emanating from the mist.

"A formation!" Yun Haitan's expression changed. He had never expected Medicine Valley to possess such an astonishing grand formation. The Skyrift Cult and Medicine Valley were both located in Snow Province, so interactions between them were frequent. In the past, many Skyrift Cult cultivators had come to Medicine Valley seeking medical treatment, and the Little Medicine Immortal treated all patients equally, never turning anyone away. However, no one had ever known that such a grand formation was deployed within Medicine Valley. Just the formidable aura of this formation was enough to make one's heart tremble. If one truly fell into it, how could they possibly fare well?

"Break the formation!" Yun Haitan roared. The next instant, under his leadership, numerous Skyrift Cult cultivators simultaneously attacked the turbulent sea of mist. Any formation in this world could be broken by force. Since none of them were formation masters, they could only resort to such brute-force methods. As for whether they could break through the grand formation, they were quite confident. Over a hundred Skyrift Cult cultivators had pursued them, including more than a dozen elder-level experts. Such a combined force could only be stopped by the protective formations of the three dominant sects in the entire world.

Inside the formation, in front of the thatched cottage, Huang Liang, who was severely injured, was also stunned. He had thought his unintentional actions would implicate these people, but unexpectedly, such a drastic change occurred in the blink of an eye.

"Who are you people?" Huang Liang asked in surprise. Recalling the seemingly young man, Huang Liang knew that this grand formation was his doing. But when had such a formidable formation master appeared in this world? He was the Sect Master of Huangtian Sect. What major events or outstanding individuals in this world could possibly be unknown to him?

Zhuang Bufan lightly coughed in response, "We are merely a group of people seeking medical treatment, Senior Huang Liang, there's no need to worry." He was willing to befriend Lu Ye, which was why he used his real name. However, the title of "God of Thieves" was ultimately not very honorable, so Zhuang Bufan remained somewhat cautious when facing the Sect Master of Huangtian Sect.

"Sect Master Huang's injuries are severe; it would be best not to ponder too much," a gentle voice remarked as the Little Medicine Immortal approached.

Huang Liang bowed. "Greetings, fellow Daoist." Huang Liang greatly admired the renowned Little Medicine Immortal. Over the years, countless cultivators, easily eight to ten thousand, had been saved by her. If there was one person in this world whom even the most malicious cultivators would be unwilling or afraid to harm, it was the Little Medicine Immortal.

The Little Medicine Immortal returned the bow and glanced at him. "Sect Master Huang, your injuries are grave and require immediate treatment."

Huang Liang still felt a bit uneasy. "But that young friend..." When the grand formation changed, Lu Ye had vanished. Huang Liang naturally knew what he was doing – clearly, he was inside the formation, holding off the enemies. Huang Liang was unsure of Lu Ye's strength, but given his age, how strong could he truly be? He feared that Lu Ye might fail to defeat the evil and instead be harmed, so he wanted to help. However, with the formation's current changes, he dared not venture deeper rashly.

Yiyi spoke from the side, "Lu... Sixth is fine. Besides, what can you do in your current state, Senior?"

"Indeed. What could he do in his current state? Any Skyrift Cult elder could easily kill him." Considering this, Huang Liang sighed heavily. "Ultimately, I have implicated you all."

The Little Medicine Immortal said, "The Skyrift Cult's uprising in Snow Province makes Medicine Valley's involvement inevitable. Sect Master Huang's arrival here, though coincidental, is also a matter of fate and circumstance."

Huang Liang pondered for a moment, then nodded slightly. "You are right, fellow Daoist. I shall trouble you then." He sat down cross-legged, relaxed his mind and body, and the Little Medicine Immortal stepped forward to treat his injuries.

"Sister-in-law, will Sixth Brother really be okay?" Ye Liuli quietly asked Yiyi. Even though she and Sixth Brother were actual relatives, their time together had made her realize she didn't know him very well. In contrast, her sister-in-law and Sixth Brother were deeply connected; often, a single glance or a simple phrase was enough for them to understand each other's intentions. Even though she had corrected Ye Liuli's form of address multiple times, the girl clearly regarded her as her sister-in-law. Yiyi, feeling quite helpless, said, "Of course, he'll be fine. Your Sixth Brother is much stronger than you imagine."

Ye Liuli nodded her small head. Since her sister-in-law said so, she felt reassured.

The sea of mist churned, and faint ripples of aftershocks emanated from both its depths and its outer perimeter. The internal tremors were clearly from Lu Ye's combat against enemies, while the external ones were caused by the Skyrift Cult cultivators' forceful assault on the grand formation. Comparatively, the commotion outside was much greater, owing to the sheer number of Skyrift Cult members. Yet, the turbulent sea of mist remained as solid as a fortress, unyielding and impenetrable, providing a profound sense of security.

"What kind of formation is this?!" At the entrance of Medicine Valley, Yun Haitan's face was grim. The strength and strangeness of the grand formation before him surpassed his imagination. He was a long-established figure who, before joining the Skyrift Cult, had stirred up significant turmoil in the Dragon Ascent Realm, having witnessed countless scenes. Yet, this particular grand formation made him feel an insurmountable sense of powerlessness.

Could such a formation truly be set up by a human? The person who deployed this formation must be a world-shattering genius. If they couldn't be brought under their control, then they must be eliminated completely, otherwise, they would undoubtedly become a grave threat. As the thought arose, a killing intent flared within him. He refused to believe that with so many Skyrift Cult cultivators attacking, they couldn't break a single formation.

Suddenly, the turbulent sea of mist ahead churned even more violently, as if something was about to emerge from it. The group of Skyrift Cult cultivators immediately grew vigilant. Sure enough, something suddenly burst forth from the mist. A quick-witted Skyrift Cult cultivator launched a spell, and instantly, a bloody mist dispersed, almost shattering it to pieces.

"What is this...?" Many Skyrift Cult cultivators were startled. Only then did they clearly see that what had flown out of the mist was actually a corpse. And judging by its attire and appearance...

"Seventeenth Elder!" a Skyrift Cult cultivator exclaimed in horror. Yun Haitan's face was so dark it looked as if water would drip from it. Emerging from the mist was none other than their Seventeenth Elder. Yun Haitan clearly saw that the Seventeenth Elder had already lost all signs of life before appearing. His body was covered in wounds, seemingly inflicted by the formation, but the single truly fatal injury was a stab to the heart. He didn't know what had happened within the sea of mist, but from this single corpse, he could infer much. The Seventeenth Elder had fallen into the grand formation, wounded by numerous arrays, and a hidden rogue had seized the opportunity to deliver a fatal blow when the elder was unprepared! It was that young man who had previously troubled Wu Xie! The changes in the grand formation here were also his doing. It was astonishing enough that he could cause trouble for Wu Xie, but now even the Seventeenth Elder had fallen to him. This was truly a shocking and unprecedented event. For all the years the Skyrift Cult had been entrenched in Snow Province, aside from a previous battle against Fahua and Liu Tianyi that resulted in the loss of a few elder-level figures, there had never been a precedent of an elder dying in battle. Today, however, set a new precedent. And to die at the hands of some inexplicable young man!

Rage flared within Yun Haitan like a blazing fire. However, before he could do anything, the sea of mist ahead churned violently once more. Immediately after, figures like discarded rag sacks flew out of the mist, landing on the ground like dead dogs...

"Twenty-Third Elder, Thirty-Sixth Elder, and even Elder Wu Xie..." The Skyrift Cult disciples and elders were all stunned, staring blankly at the numerous corpses before them. As many had charged in, so many had died and been expelled. Even the formidable Wu Xie was no exception; before his death, he must have witnessed something incredibly shocking, as his eyes were wide open, filled with an expression of profound disbelief.

The sea of mist continued to churn, silently. However, all the Skyrift Cult cultivators, including the disciples and elders, retreated several yards. Looking at the sea of mist again, its unknown depths seemed to harbor a man-eating ancient beast, and anyone who entered would surely meet a tragic end. The scene was horrifying, chilling everyone's hearts and making their skin crawl.

After a long pause, an elder finally spoke, "Sixth Elder, what should we do now?" They had only come to pursue Huang Liang. Fahua and Liu Tianyi were already dead, and Huang Liang absolutely could not be allowed to escape. Not only was he one of the strongest Ninth Realm cultivators in the world, but he was also the Sect Master of Huangtian Sect. Li Sa had already passed away, and if Huang Liang were killed, the Huangtian Sect would surely fall into disarray for a period, which would greatly benefit the Skyrift Cult. Yet, their pursuit had led them to a bloody and devastating encounter. It was incredibly ironic that Medicine Valley, renowned throughout the realm for saving lives and healing injuries, had become a man-eating, ferocious place.

Even Yun Haitan, who had weathered many storms, was now at a loss. Retreating now was naturally unacceptable. They had already lost so many people, with several elders dead. To retreat like this, not only would he be unwilling, but even their Cult Master Tiansheng would not approve. However, such a dangerous place was beyond their current means to resolve. Should he call for reinforcements? But the Cult Master was currently engaged in important matters. Even if he requested aid, how much support could they actually receive? Yun Haitan found himself in a difficult dilemma.

In front of the thatched cottage, Lu Ye emerged step by step from the sea of mist. The fluctuating spiritual energy around him quickly stabilized, and he was completely unharmed. With his current strength, augmented by the grand formation he had deployed in Medicine Valley, he truly didn't take the suicidal Skyrift Cult cultivators seriously. If they dared to enter, Lu Ye could kill them. Even formidable figures like Wu Xie were powerless within his formation and were easily slain by a few strikes from his blade.

Huang Liang, who was being treated by the Little Medicine Immortal, watched Lu Ye reappear and said, "Young friend, please don't be rash. Once my injuries have slightly recovered, I will come and help you eliminate the enemies."