Chapter 515: Desperate Hall Master Han

The two-star beast tamer, who had earlier caused him such vexation, saw them preparing to barbecue the deer herd. He offered a word of caution, then turned and left with his group, fearing trouble. He had initially dismissed the tamer's words as mere exaggeration and unfounded alarm, but to his surprise, trouble truly arrived.

Could it be that he had foreseen the encounter with Soul Devouring Ants and the collapse of the formation, leading to this very situation?

"That's impossible! Soul Devouring Ants are extremely rare; even I couldn't recall them immediately. How could a two-star beast tamer, barely twenty years old, possibly know?"

Despite considering the possibility, he still found it unbelievable.

Soul Devouring Ants, natural enemies of ancient shamanic soul masters, had vanished countless years ago. Their living environment and habitat characteristics were completely unknown.

How could he have discerned all of this by simply speaking a few words for a mere few minutes?

If he truly possessed such abilities, he would be far more than a two-star tamer; perhaps even four or five stars wouldn't accurately reflect his power!

These thoughts flashed through his mind, but there was no time to dwell on them. Straightening his back and suppressing the vexation in his chest, he landed on the ground, his spear trembling in his hand. He looked at the giant barbaric beast nearby and said, "Brother Yaochen, we've known each other for three years; you should understand my nature. I absolutely meant you no harm. How about we call it quits for today and continue to coexist peacefully? You, stop! Why are you still attacking?"

Before he could finish, the massive figure reappeared before him, its hoof raised to strike down.

He blocked with his spear, his body recoiling once more.

Though both were at the peak of the Human-Mortal Fourth Realm, his strength was considerably inferior to the beast's; he was simply no match.

"Don't push me! Do you think I only relied on that grand formation to tame you and have no other trump cards... Blast it!" Feeling suffocated by the relentless attacks, Hall Master Han roared in frustration.

However, before his roar subsided, the Yaochen Beast struck him again with a wing, sending him spiraling backward several times and leaving him dazed.

At this moment, Hall Master Han was utterly exasperated.

Honestly, if he had known that barbecuing the deer herd would attract Soul Devouring Ants and destroy the formation, he wouldn't have done it for anything!

Now, not only was the deer herd completely devoured, but the beast had also gone almost berserk. Nothing he said worked; it seemed the creature wouldn't stop until he was dead.

He couldn't help but glance back at the two-star beast tamer, Pavilion Master Sai, and their group. What he saw nearly made him spit blood.

A group stood several hundred meters away. The young man from earlier was observing them with a relaxed air, offering advice to the younger individuals behind him as he watched.

"Do you see? This is the consequence of not listening to others. When you venture out in the future, always be mindful, absorb advice, and avoid being headstrong. In short, don't follow his example!"

"Hmm, and his move just now, while seemingly effective, was actually a mistake. Had he acted half a breath sooner, the Yaochen Beast would have been disrupted... Using a move like that indicates his martial arts skills aren't particularly strong either!"

"In the future, you should diligently practice your martial arts. Don't constantly think about taming this or that. Spending three years here is less valuable than honing your own strength; that's more important than anything else..."

The young man spoke and offered commentary simultaneously.

It would have been better if he hadn't listened. After hearing these words, Hall Master Han's eyebrows twitched, and he felt an overwhelming urge to strangle the young man.

Damn it!

I am a peak Human-Mortal Fourth Realm expert, the Hall Master of the Beast Hall! How is it that in your eyes, little fellow, I'm completely useless? Good for nothing?

But... what vexed him even more was... after listening for a while, it seemed as though everything the young man said was correct, and even if he wanted to refute it, he wouldn't know where to begin.

"This fellow is peculiar. After I deal with the Yaochen Beast, I'll make sure to question Pavilion Master Sai about him!"

At this point, even he, foolish as he was, knew that this young man was no ordinary person. His earlier words must have been based on foresight, not mere pretense.

However, this was no time to dwell on such thoughts. His body swayed, dodging the Yaochen Beast's attack, and he looked up.

"Brother Yaochen, since you refuse, then don't blame me for resorting to force!"

With that, he took a deep breath and flexed his arms.

He had been fighting and retreating, and by now, he had reached Elder Hu and the others, forming a special combat formation with them.

Although Elder Hu and the others had been knocked away by the Yaochen Beast earlier, they hadn't sustained critical injuries. After a brief period of recovery, they had fully recuperated. Hearing his words, they immediately took their positions, simultaneously drawing their weapons. With a clatter, their combined aura surged skyward, and a coordinated attack formation took shape.

"It's the same formation those few people used earlier, but it's more profound and powerful!"

From a distance, Zhang Xuan observed and couldn't help but nod.

Having the opportunity to witness a battle involving Human-Mortal Fourth Realm experts, he naturally had to explain it to Zhao Ya and the others; otherwise, how could they improve?

"Indeed, this formation fully utilizes each person's strengths, boosting their combat power by more than double!" Jin Conghai nodded in agreement.

He had previously exchanged blows with the young men who utilized this formation. Had it not been for his extensive combat experience and significantly superior strength, defeating them would not have been so easy.

If those juniors were so formidable, these elders, who had spent even longer immersed in formations and possessed greater strength, would naturally wield even greater power!

"If they had used that formation earlier, let alone the two of us, even four or eight of us would have been utterly overwhelmed, without any ability to resist!" Pavilion Master Sai remarked, unable to help but express his awe.

Earlier, when the two of them combined to break the formation and suppress the young men, it wasn't due to the formation's ineffectiveness, but rather their significantly superior strength, coupled with the fact that the youths were unfamiliar with combined attack formations.

Hall Master Han and Elder Hu's group, however, were different. Clearly, they had been immersed in formations for at least several years. Their every move carried an inherent discipline, and their coordination was far more refined. From the moment they activated the formation, it generated immense power, placing great pressure on the charging Yaochen Beast.

"So this was his true reliance! He probably began practicing this after his failed taming attempt three years ago, which explains its current power and effectiveness!" Pavilion Master Sai mused, then continued.

While a trapping formation is powerful, what if the opponent would rather die than submit, refusing until their last breath? Honestly, if you want to tame a creature, you can't genuinely kill it.

He had been a bit puzzled earlier, wondering if Hall Master Han had another trump card. Now it was clear, this was it.

The formation created by their combined effort was infinitely powerful. Together, they could likely even challenge an early Human-Mortal Fifth Realm expert. Dealing with a Yaochen Beast at only the Fourth Realm peak would naturally pose no significant problem.

"Do you think... they can win?"

As if reading his thoughts, Zhang Xuan offered a faint smile.

"Their coordination is flawless, they've practiced countless times, and their power is immense. They should be able to completely suppress the Yaochen Beast!" Pavilion Master Sai stated.

As a Human-Mortal Fourth Realm expert, he understood very well the combat power individuals of this strength could wield.

This combined attack formation was incredibly profound, capable of fully utilizing everyone's strengths. No matter how powerful the Yaochen Beast was, defeating it wouldn't be easy.

"'Should'?" Zhang Xuan shook his head. "He has trump cards, but doesn't the Yaochen Beast? If a mere combined attack formation could suppress it, the Myriad Kingdoms Alliance would have eliminated it years ago!"

Even when the alliance sent several masters to encircle and suppress it, they failed. For Hall Master Han to think he could succeed with just one formation was to severely underestimate the beast.

"Furthermore, this is actually a killing formation, designed to slay people or creatures trapped within. He is focused on taming it and dares not deliver a killing blow, which constrains him at every turn. How can he unleash its maximum power?"

Having mastered the Heavenly Dao Formation, his understanding of formations had reached an exceptionally high level.

Although he couldn't name the combined attack formation used by the group, he could clearly see that it was a killing formation, specifically designed for slaying enemies.

Now, Hall Master Han was intent on taming the Yaochen Beast, refraining from delivering a killing blow. A killing formation used as a trapping formation had its power greatly diminished. Failure was only a matter of time.

Indeed, just as he had predicted, Hall Master Han and the others initially held the upper hand. However, as the Yaochen Beast continued its reckless charges, the group began to fall back in disarray.

*Thud, thud, thud!*

A few minutes later, the elders were each struck by the beast's wings, bleeding profusely and suffering severe injuries.

Hall Master Han, under one of the beast's subsequent attacks, had his spear knocked from his grasp and fell heavily to the ground.

Having broken the formation, the Yaochen Beast became even more enraged. Its massive hoof descended upon Hall Master Han, who lay on the ground.

This strike, as powerful as a falling mountain, was aimed to kill. If it connected, even Hall Master Han, despite his strength, would likely perish.

"You..."

Witnessing such a ferocious strike, Hall Master Han suppressed his pain, surged to his feet, and met the attack with a torrent of true qi from his palms.

The hoof and his palms collided, holding each other in a stalemate in mid-air.

Just as Hall Master Han felt the beast's hoof grow increasingly powerful, and sensed himself on the verge of collapsing and being crushed, an anxious voice rang out.

"Master Zhang, please intervene and save Hall Master Han!"

It was Pavilion Master Sai who called out.

Having been friends for many years, he naturally didn't want his old comrade to die before his eyes. However, he was keenly aware of his own strength, which was inferior even to his friend's. How could he possibly contend with this monstrous creature?

The only course of action now was to implore Master Zhang for assistance.

Although Zhang Xuan's strength was far inferior to his own, his methods, observed over the past few days, were astonishing. Perhaps he possessed some means to save him.

"I am no match for this Yaochen Beast either. How can I save him?"

The young man's voice then responded.

Upon hearing this, Hall Master Han's eyes filled with despair.

He had believed that after three years of acquaintance, the Yaochen Beast would show some regard for their past, and with several preparations made, success was assured this time. He never dreamed the creature would be so overwhelmingly powerful, utterly irresistible!

"You must have a way... Otherwise, if the Yaochen Beast kills Hall Master Han, it will surely turn on us next..." Pavilion Master Sai pleaded anxiously.

"Oh, a way exists!" the young man's calm voice replied.

"What way?" Pavilion Master Sai asked, his voice filled with excitement.

Hall Master Han's body tensed, and he seemed to regain some motivation, pricking up his ears, eager to hear what method it was.

"It's simple: just make this fellow release him!" the young man said.

Hall Master Han spat out a mouthful of blood, feeling even more desperate.