Chapter 727: Hundred Flags Stabilize the Void

As they wondered, the young man in front of them picked up the formation flags, his eyes fixed on the terrain below, seemingly calculating the positions.

The three master teachers' eyebrows twitched as they realized, "Teacher Zhang is going to set up the Illusory Maze Formation..."

Aside from the narrow canyon making success difficult, the ongoing battle below meant chaotic spiritual energy and qi, making it impossible for even a compass to find the nodes. How could he possibly set up a formation there? In such a situation, even a six-star or seven-star formation master, let alone a five-star one, would likely fail! Most critically, if a formation were to be set up now, regardless of success, they would undoubtedly be exposed. With so many spirit beasts, they might be surrounded and attacked, leaving no one a chance to escape! Was this the "good idea" he came up with?

Noticing their tension, Young Master Ruohuan smiled reassuringly, "Don't worry, since Teacher Zhang said he can save them, he must be confident!"

He had spent the most time with Teacher Zhang and understood him best. This young man seemed to possess infinite magical power, effortlessly reversing seemingly impossible situations every time. Just like that Otherworldly Demon who was literally talked into committing suicide... anyone else would find it unbelievable, yet he truly accomplished it. As for himself, with his own strength, how could he possibly be qualified to come here? It was precisely this young man's methods that allowed him to succeed. Although this time seemed difficult, perhaps the other party could still manage it, making everyone take notice.

"Let's hope so..." The three shook their heads with bitter smiles.

While they conversed, Zhang Xuan, who was ahead, had already surveyed the terrain. He suddenly took a deep breath and transmitted a message: "Everyone, get ready!" Hearing his words, everyone focused, clutching spirit stones in their palms, ready to follow instructions.

Just as they wondered what the young man would do, they saw him leap forward, stepping on the ground and rushing straight towards the battle between the spirit beasts and humans.

"This..." Their pupils constricted, and everyone was startled. That was the center of hundreds of spirit beasts battling; rushing in like that, was he saving people or committing suicide?

Roar! Roar! Roar! As expected, upon seeing someone flying over the rocks, the spirit beasts attacking the master teachers roared simultaneously, unleashing a barrage of attacks that stormed through the air.

The spirit beasts' attacks were like a hurricane. If hit, let alone Zhang Xuan, even a Transcendent Mortal Seventh-Layer expert would likely perish.

Just as everyone thought he couldn't dodge and would likely be killed before even reaching them, the young man moving through the air strangely shifted three feet to the right. Don't underestimate that three-foot distance; it caused the combined attack to instantly miss, rendering it useless.

Seeing their attacks were ineffective, the spirit beasts grew furious, roaring again as dozens more attacks came raining down. This time was different. Before, the combined power of multiple spirit beasts was overwhelming and unstoppable, but now, the attacks were dispersed, practically sealing off every path forward.

"These attacks might be less powerful, but if hit, he would certainly be injured. Once he fell, he would be trapped in an encirclement; let alone saving others, he wouldn't even be able to protect himself..." Many master teachers clenched their fists.

Judging by the strength of the spirit beasts' attacks, they probably couldn't kill a Spirit Harmonization realm expert in mid-air. But if he were hit, he would definitely be injured and fall. At that point... even without further attacks, the sheer weight of these spirit beasts would be enough to crush him to death!

"Look!" Just as they were filled with worry, someone shouted, and everyone simultaneously looked, frozen in involuntary astonishment.

They saw Teacher Zhang, scrambling forward across the cliff face, his figure swaying amidst the attacks. It was as if he knew the attacks' positions in advance; though dangerous, he managed to dodge every single one without a scratch. It was like dancing on a blade, perilous yet without suffering any harm.

"It's incredible computational ability... and terrifying foresight!" Their pupils contracted.

As master teachers, they knew the difficulty of such a feat. It required a complete understanding of all the spirit beasts' habits, attack methods, move power, and attack speed... only then could it be done! In other words, while standing there, he had not only calculated the positions for the formation flags but also, incidentally, calculated all possible attack directions and methods of these spirit beasts, planning his entire route in advance! Otherwise, it would have been impossible to move so smoothly and effortlessly! How much computational ability and foresight would that require? Was he even human?

Swish! Swish! Swish! Unaware of their shock and awe, Zhang Xuan continuously shifted his body. After more than ten breaths, he finally reached the airspace above the besieged group. He took a deep breath, raised an eyebrow, and unleashed true qi from his palm. "Go!"

Buzz! Buzz! Buzz! The hundreds of formation flags held in his palm immediately let out sharp whistles, scattering with a "whoosh!" as they shot out in all directions simultaneously.

"Th-this... This is 'Hundred Flags Stabilizing Void,' a technique only a seven-star formation master can use?" The master teacher who had given him the flags turned pale, almost falling off the rock in fright.

"'Hundred Flags Stabilizing Void'? What's that?" The others were perplexed. This was a specialized term for formation masters, and most of the master teachers present had not cross-trained in this profession, so they knew little about it.

The master teacher's lips trembled. "Legend has it," he explained, "that a seven-star formation master, with their immense spiritual power, can find the corresponding node for each formation flag even without a compass, then throw them out simultaneously to instantly set up a formation... H-how did he do it?" Formations are not static; they require various calculations and adaptations to the environment. Even a seven-star formation master using 'Hundred Flags Stabilizing Void' would only set up lower-level formations, like grade four or five. This young man, merely in the Spirit Harmonization realm, is already pushing it to set up a five-star formation, yet he's using such an advanced technique... "Is this real? Did I see that correctly?"

Boom! Amidst their shock, the formation flags whistled down. Some embedded themselves among the crowd, while others landed on the canyon walls. Numerous flags fluttered in the wind, yet showed no other movement.

"Oh no..." The master teacher's eyebrows twitched again as he realized something, seeing the flags fall but no formation activate. "This place has chaotic spiritual energy. Without a spiritual energy supplement, even if the flags are placed correctly, they won't activate..."

His cultivation hadn't reached the Bridging Heaven realm, yet he could set up a Grade-5 primary formation, not due to exceptional talent, but because this set of formation flags had been refined and imbued with some of his teacher's power. Under stable spiritual energy, this power could gather qi, maintain operation, and unleash the formation's might. But now... a battle raged below, and within the valley, spiritual energy surged wildly like a storm, utterly without pattern. Even if the flags were perfectly positioned, he couldn't activate his teacher's power to successfully activate the formation!

Just as they were in shock, unsure what to do, their ears buzzed with the young man's urgent telepathic message: "Get ready! East team, shoot your spirit stones two fists to the left! West team, four fists to the right!"

"Yes!" Not knowing his intention but unable to dwell on it, the master teachers from the East, West, South, and North teams simultaneously unleashed their true qi, firing the spirit stones from their palms.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Fifty-two people simultaneously launched spirit stones, sending 520 stones soaring through the air above the spirit beasts.

Seeing so many spirit stones, all the spirit beasts paused, then attacked the air.

Swoosh! The powerful attacks, like a storm, caused the spirit stones launched by the four teams to all change direction.

"It's over..." Everyone clenched their fists. Judging by Teacher Zhang's tone, he must have calculated the exact positions for them to shoot the spirit stones. Now that the spirit beasts had knocked them off course, their previous plan was probably useless!

Buzz! Buzz! Buzz! Buzz! Just as they were convinced of failure, the spirit stones from the four teams, despite changing direction, incredibly converged at the spot directly beneath Zhang Xuan's feet, colliding instantly.

Boom! The spirit stones collided and exploded simultaneously, instantly releasing a dense surge of spiritual energy that rushed straight down towards the formation flags below.

"Th-this..." "Did Teacher Zhang... know these spirit beasts would attack in advance?" Everyone's eyes widened; they nearly bit their tongues. The scene before them was clearly still within Teacher Zhang's calculations. This meant he had already figured out that the spirit beasts would attack the spirit stones, and he had even calculated the trajectory in advance so that the stones would collide beneath his feet, instantly releasing a massive burst of spiritual energy! This... Even witnessing it firsthand, everyone felt as if they had seen a ghost.

"Activate!" Just as everyone's faces turned pale with fright, Zhang Xuan, still in the air, let out a cold shout, stomped his foot violently, and shot a stream of true qi straight down.

The formation flags, having absorbed the spiritual energy from the many spirit stones, vibrated intensely. A dense mist instantly enveloped both the spirit beasts and the master teachers! The Illusory Maze Formation was activated!

"Using the impact of the spirit stones' spiritual energy to alter the chaotic true qi situation caused by the battle, and then seizing the opportunity to activate it... How familiar with the Illusory Maze Formation must one be to accomplish that? Even Master Taoran, who created this formation... couldn't do it!" The three master teachers from Luoyuan Empire trembled simultaneously.

Though it only took a few breaths, this guy was incredibly terrifying! Step by step, things everyone believed impossible were effortlessly accomplished by him, as if peeling silk from a cocoon!

With the formation now active, all the spirit beasts and master teachers were trapped. As long as it was handled properly, the master teachers could be completely rescued! Seeing the formation take shape, Luo Xuan, Young Master Ruohuan, and the others breathed a sigh of relief.

"Indeed! As expected of Teacher Zhang, to come up with such a method and be able to execute it..." Everyone nodded.

Boom! Just as everyone sighed in relief and felt hope for the rescue, they heard a rumble from the formation below, and the mist began to boil.

"Oh no..." The master teacher from Luoyuan Empire realized something and couldn't help but exclaim, "These spirit beasts are too powerful; they're planning to... forcefully break the formation!"