Chapter 405: A Kick to Break the Formation

Legend has it that the Crown Princess, to prevent her family's destruction, specifically requested a peak Rank-3 formation from the Xuanyuan Kingdom Formation Master Guild. This formation was intended to guard the Lin family residence, protecting them for generations, ensuring no one dared to invade.

It was this very news that kept Mo Tianxue from acting, even after the National Beast reached the Supreme realm, filled with apprehension.

Previously, they had held onto a slim hope, believing that even with such a formation, no one could activate it. They never expected that Lin Ruotian would not only instantly trigger it but also engulf all of them within its confines.

This was a peak Rank-3 killing formation!

Completely different from a trapping formation, once caught inside, one would be assailed by various strange forces. Even Supreme experts could easily perish within it!

"Haha, all of you, die..."

With the formation activated, the air seemed to condense into countless sharp blades, ready to descend at any moment and obliterate everyone. Lin Ruotian's eyes were bloodshot with excitement as he roared.

This formation had been left behind by Lin Long, usable only once, and reserved for the Lin family's moment of life or death.

Now, this Liu Cheng was being utterly insolent, and with Hall Master Liao's presence, Lin Ruotian knew they couldn't resist. Without hesitation, he activated the formation.

You want to kill me, do you? Very well, then all of you will die here!

A peak Rank-3 formation could trap and even slay peak Supreme experts. No matter how powerful you were, what difference would it make? You would still die!

"It's over... I just came to watch the show, and now I'm going to die here!"

"The Lin family actually had such a trump card; no wonder the royal family never dared to act..."

"To die under such a powerful formation... it's almost worth it..."

Those trapped within the formation each showed signs of despair.

Formation masters were among the foremost professions of the upper nine streams. When a formation operated, its combat power was infinite. Once trapped, there was no escaping; they could only await death!

"Hall Master Jiang, you understand formations. Can you lead us out?" Someone called out.

Everyone simultaneously turned their gaze, as if seeing a savior. Jiang Shu, as a 2-star master teacher and 2-star formation master, might have a solution.

"I... I have no solution either. This formation is beyond my comprehension!" Jiang Shu shook his head, a wry smile on his face.

He was merely a 2-star master teacher and 2-star formation master; he was helpless against a formation of this caliber.

"Then it's truly over..." Hearing that even he was powerless, their despair deepened.

"Haha, a peak Rank-3 formation! Unless you're a 3-star formation master, no one can break it..." Watching their despair and panic, Lin Ruotian's face twisted grotesquely as he roared madly.

However... before his roar finished, an untimely voice rang out.

"No one can break it unless they're a 3-star formation master? I don't think so!" The voice was calm.

They quickly looked to see that it was none other than Guild Leader Liu. The young man looked over with a helpless expression, then suddenly stepped forward and delivered a kick. The air immediately solidified, and the formation, which had been ready to slay everyone, instantly halted in mid-air.

The formation stopped!

As if he had done something insignificant, Zhang Xuan clapped his hands. "Isn't it broken now?"

"You..." Lin Ruotian, who had been smiling, widened his eyes, swayed, and nearly fainted.

This was a peak Rank-3 formation; even 4-star formation masters would find it hard to stop it at will... yet he stopped it with a single kick... Unbelievable! Is there any justice left in this world?

Earlier, Grand Elder Lin Tao had mentioned that this Guild Leader Lin could stop formations, but they thought it might have been a coincidence, perhaps because he was familiar with the formation that trapped the Golden-tailed Lion. But this formation... Even Lin Ruotian himself only half-understood it. He could activate it only because he controlled its core. If he had to set it up, he definitely wouldn't know how.

A physician, an amateur, stopped it with a single kick... Lin Ruotian's body twitched, and he felt like tearing out his hair.

"This... this..."

"The formation stopped?"

"Stopped with a single kick?"

Hall Master Jiang also felt his brain cramp. A peak Rank-3 formation, a super-powerful entity that would strip a layer of skin off Supreme experts, stopped with one kick... Calligraphy, pill refinement, beast taming, master teaching, medicine... and now formations! Brother, just tell us what you *can't* do!

"It was... stopped with a single kick?" Mo Tianxue and Mo Yu exchanged glances, both trembling.

Was this really a formation that could slay Supremes? How could it be child's play under his feet? How on earth did he do it?

"Escape!"

Everyone was stunned stiff. Lin Ruotian finally recovered, gritted his teeth, and turned to flee towards the mansion. At this point, even an idiot would know that far from killing the opponent, simply not being killed themselves would be a great outcome! This matter had to be reported to the Crown Princess immediately so she could send reinforcements; otherwise, the Lin family's destruction was sealed.

As soon as he entered the courtyard, he immediately activated its formations. Mist rose again, shrouding the Lin family residence. As their stronghold, it naturally had more than one formation. However, since their strongest formation had been broken, activating these others would only delay their entry.

Of course, even this small delay was enough!

"Trying to run before apologizing?" Seeing him turn and leave without hesitation, Zhang Xuan shook his head. "I said that if you don't apologize, I'll beat an apology out of you... Lu Chong, go in!"

Returning the longsword to Zhao Ya, he smiled faintly and walked forward, standing in the courtyard before kicking out again. The courtyard's formation was stopped once more. The two entered in single file.

"Wait for me..." Seeing them leave, the surrounding crowd's gazes were strange. Hall Master Liaoxun and the Grand Alchemist no longer dared to linger and immediately rushed after them.

As the few disappeared from sight, those outside fell silent.

"It seems... the Lin family is finished!" Looking at the elders twitching on the ground and Lin Ruotian who had fled, everyone felt a wave of emotion.

Earlier, when they heard their juniors' pleas, they thought it was somewhat inappropriate to quarrel with the Lin family. Now they realized... how ridiculous that idea had been. One person subduing the Lin family, one kick dominating the royal city! This was something they couldn't have imagined before. What kind of terrifying existence was this person to be so powerful?

"Teacher..."

Unlike the shock of others, Mu Xueqing and the rest's eyes gleamed, and their fists clenched with excitement. At the same time, a voice echoed repeatedly in their minds: *He is... my teacher!*

My teacher, with one kick, shattered formations and could even defeat the Lin family, who dominated the royal city! My teacher's sword qi crisscrossed, leaving half-Supreme experts helpless when challenging them beyond his rank... How fortunate and how proud they were to have such a teacher!

While feeling excited, their eyes suddenly fell upon a few other people. It was Zhao Ya, Zheng Yang, and the others.

"Zhao Ya, I know Teacher Zhang is also very capable, but does he have someone like my Teacher Liu, whose sword qi crisscrosses, sweeping away half-Supreme experts with a single sword stroke, leaving them helpless, and whose single kick suppresses a peak Rank-3 formation, rendering it ineffective?" With her hands behind her back, Mu Xueqing's eyes sparkled.

Teacher Zhang was formidable, but he had only just broken through to the Grandmaster realm a few days ago. Our Teacher Liu, however, was not only at Grandmaster peak but also a super-expert who had utterly defeated Lin Ruotian! It was probably no exaggeration to call him the kingdom's foremost figure. How could your Teacher Zhang possibly contend with such a person?

"Teacher Liu... is indeed impressive!" Zhao Ya said calmly.

"Zhao Ya, why would you..." Seeing Mu Xueqing's triumphant expression, Zheng Yang and the others gritted their teeth. They had expected Zhao Ya to retort, but never in their wildest dreams did they imagine she would simply agree, their faces flushed with anxiety.

"It's fine. While Teacher Liu is not weak, our Teacher Zhang... is no less capable!" Knowing that Teacher Liu and Teacher Zhang were the same person, there was no need to argue. Since their teacher had intentionally hidden his identity, not even telling them, it would naturally be inappropriate to reveal it.

With a soft hum, Zhao Ya suddenly twisted her body. *Boom!* The aura around her suddenly erupted, her Mid-Grandmaster strength surging like a tidal wave.

"Mid-Grandmaster?"

"Didn't she just enter the Enlightenment realm a few days ago? She jumped two major realms at once?"

"Is this the effect of Teacher Zhang's guidance?"

Seeing Zhao Ya's aura, the crowd burst into an uproar again. Many knew that Zhao Ya had only entered the Enlightenment realm two days prior. After just two days, she had reached Mid-Grandmaster... Her advancement speed was too fast!

"You..." Mu Xueqing's pupils also contracted. Originally, after losing to her in the second competition, Mu Xueqing had felt indignant, believing that once she reached the Transcendent Mortal realm, defeating her would be easy. She never imagined that while she progressed, her opponent also progressed, and... even more! Zhao Ya had even broken through the Transcendent Mortal realm, directly reaching Mid-Grandmaster! This... how could they even fight now? Could Teacher Zhang's guidance really be so powerful that one could break through so much in just two days?

"It's nothing special. Lu Chong, who was just here, was only at Initial Dingli realm when our teacher guided him five days ago. Now he has also reached Mid-Grandmaster!" Meng Tao scoffed.

"From Initial Dingli realm to Mid-Grandmaster in five days?" Before their shock could subside, they reeled again at this news. Teacher Liu, Teacher Zhang, you two are simply too abnormal! Others, when given guidance, would be ecstatic and unable to control themselves after advancing just one minor realm. Yet for you two, it's multiple realms at once...

"It seems Teacher Liu is just as much a genius as Teacher Zhang!"

"Yes, they're equally matched, both super geniuses!"

"Personally, I'm inclined to think Teacher Liu is more powerful. Helping someone go from Initial Dingli realm to Grandmaster peak in just over five days is clearly harder than helping someone go from Enlightenment realm to Grandmaster realm in two days!"

"Most importantly, his own strength is also higher. Even if Teacher Zhang possesses many strong talents, his actual combat strength is only at Initial Grandmaster!"

"I think Teacher Zhang is more formidable! During the Master Teacher Hall examination, he managed to nullify many obstacles and break countless records. Just based on that, countless geniuses can't compare. Most importantly, he's young and has limitless potential..."

Among the crowd, numerous loyal fans of both Teacher Zhang and Teacher Liu immediately emerged, arguing vehemently and refusing to yield.

Fleeing frantically, Lin Ruotian soon arrived at a secret room. The room was empty except for a plain white wall. With a flick of his finger, a drop of blood flew out and landed in a groove on the wall. Light shimmered, and the wall activated.