Chapter 553: Entering the Seal Formation

“Everyone!”

A dark radiance emanated from Tuoba Chongyuan, glowing brilliantly within the formation created by the large seal. The sharp edge erupting from his halberd became even more menacing. Quan Yi’s face paled, his heart turned cold, and he cried out, “What a formidable trick you have! To use this artifact after barely a hundred exchanges! How insidious... If you had meant to kill us from the start, there was no need for such a roundabout approach...”

“You jest, fellow Daoist,” Tuoba Chongyuan said softly, his expression calm. “The Purple Mansion beyond Shengle is treacherous, and Maha is terrifying. Caution is paramount in all matters; treating every encounter as a life-or-death struggle is the best way to preserve one’s life.”

His expression was solemn, and at his words, the others’ faces showed a mixture of emotions. Yu Yuwei, having long lost his usual composure, said coldly, “Fellow Daoists, we are all in this together now; there is no turning back... Stop being so hesitant.”

Quan Yi fell silent, producing two golden ropes. Auspicious energy surged around him as he took two pills from his sleeve and swallowed them, then said with a heavy expression, “I understand.”

Quan Yi had always harbored a secret, afraid to speak of it. His immortal foundation vaguely allowed him to perceive fortune and misfortune, and he had long suspected that coming to this valley would not end well, meaning he should have escaped. However, he didn’t want to abandon the others, and he worried about implicating his mother at home, which had caused him to linger here.

Now that escape was impossible, his attitude instantly became resolute, and his entire demeanor changed. The pills he had consumed were indeed depleting his lifespan, but they also made his aura surge even more powerfully.

Li Xizhi didn’t hesitate. He had already hidden pills in his sleeve, and with a slight flick of his wrist, he produced a golden-blue pill.

This pill, called the Huiqiu Pill, he had secretly obtained through Yang Ruizao. After being pursued by Dongfang Heyun for so long, he quickly realized the need for life-saving elixirs. Coming to the north was even more perilous, so he had prepared them long ago.

Before he left, his wife had even given him an ancient Foundation Establishment level talisman, which remained unused in his storage bag. These ancient talismans were far more powerful than contemporary ones, and being one-time use, they were extremely precious.

Once consumed, the Huiqiu Pill could enhance one's magical power and stimulate the Dao foundation, not only rapidly restoring magical energy but also significantly boosting the strength of spells, all at the cost of only about three years of life essence.

Quickly consuming it, Li Xizhi controlled a rainbow light, and colorful energy shimmered around his body. Only then did Tuoba Chongyuan, facing him, show a serious expression. He pointed his halberd at them, looked at everyone, and declared, “Fellow Daoists, for the sake of the Dao, our lives, and our very being, let us fight for this chance.”

“Boom!”

Yu Yuwei’s lips were already trembling with hatred for him. The purplish-red great cauldron was thrown desperately, without regard for any damage it might incur. Its three legs and two handles glowed, crimson light burst from its patterns, and flames spewed from its crevices as it crashed down with a mighty roar.

“Clang!”

Tuoba Chongyuan held his halberd horizontally, its sleek, slender, and elegant body radiating brilliant light. He blocked the surging purple flames. Yu Yuwei was truly ferocious, throwing the cauldron recklessly without concern for damaging his artifact, and it indeed made Tuoba Chongyuan pause for a moment.

With no retreat, their attacks were no longer the mere skirmishes of before. Li Xizhi’s body was enveloped in flowing light, and colorful mists poured down like a waterfall, making it difficult for Tuoba Chongyuan to move. Several spells struck him every moment, creating ripples across his magical robes.

Quan Yi, who had no significant background, was unleashing a particularly fierce attack, spurred by the unknown amount of lifespan consumed by the pills he had taken. Dark yellow tears flowed from his eyes as the golden ropes in his hands hooked around Tuoba Chongyuan’s waist and back, firmly binding him.

Tuoba Chongyuan, having been assaulted from all directions, found his breathing growing heavy. He swept his halberd left and right, growing increasingly ferocious, his eyes startlingly bright. “Excellent!”

Born within a grotto-heaven, he naturally lacked no spells, and his cultivation techniques were superior in every aspect. Only his halberd techniques were mediocre, with nothing particularly outstanding, and even with one or two acquired methods, they still fell short.

Now, under the desperate attacks of the three, he became utterly exhilarated and invigorated. His halberd swept about, creating gusts of wind, moving with smooth mastery.

Having lived for over two hundred years, Yu Yuwei’s gaze was sharp, and he quickly sensed that something was amiss. His heart burned with anger, and he cursed, “You cunning brat! You’re using this old man as a whetstone!”

He spat a mouthful of fresh blood into his palm. An jade knife appeared in his other hand, and he plunged it into his palm without hesitation. With a forceful gouge, he extracted a talisman.

The talisman was small, nimble, and glowed snow-white. Blood still dripped from Yu Yuwei’s lips as he fiercely cried out, “Hmph!”

Two purple flames, like coiling dragons, leaped from it, covered in dense incantations. Li Xizhi’s eyes burned with desire, realizing this was most likely Yu Yuwei’s ultimate trump card. He quickly formed hand seals, suppressing the urge to vomit blood, and released several rainbow lights to restrain Tuoba Chongyuan.

Controlling the two purple flames, Yu Yuwei hesitated for a brief moment. As an experienced cultivator, he had long seen what was amiss: “This great seal looks astonishing; it must be an ancient artifact. If I attack the grand formation and it wavers... Li Xizhi and Quan Yi will surely waver in their resolve, wanting to retreat alone, which would spoil everything! Moreover, such ancient artifacts are often intrinsically linked to their master’s mind and spirit. As long as Tuoba Chongyuan is injured, this artifact will surely be affected!”

He pondered this for only a brief moment before resolutely unleashing the flames towards the person in front of him. Tuoba Chongyuan struggled fiercely for a moment, making Li Xizhi vomit blood. Finally, his face paled, and he managed to free one hand.

However, Quan Yi’s body surged with auspicious energy, and he spat out a large mouthful of vital essence blood, instantly looking haggard. Two golden ropes shot forth, firmly binding Tuoba Chongyuan’s arm and holding him fast.

“Boom!”

In an instant, the two purple flames exploded, and the entire barrier swayed twice, faint ripples appearing across its surface. Tuoba Chongyuan, caught off guard by the blow, was covered in flickering purple flames and spat out blood.

“You!”

Tuoba Chongyuan was knocked out of his state of comprehension, his body wreathed in black smoke. He silently covered his face. Finally, two streaks of blood slowly trickled down his face, turning into grey mist at his chin and dissipating.

Tuoba Chongyuan paused, dodging incoming attacks, and only recovered after spitting out two mouthfuls of blood before opening his eyes.

Yu Yuwei was vicious; he had used the purple flame as a feint, specifically targeting Tuoba Chongyuan’s eyes. This caused Tuoba Chongyuan’s eyes to bleed, and the entire grand formation trembled.

Yu Yuwei instantly confirmed his conjecture. Although Li Xizhi had never encountered ancient artifacts, he recognized something was amiss at a glance and said in a deep voice, “This person is likely intrinsically linked to the artifact! Currently, this artifact only has the power to trap; it hasn't actively attacked yet. Our chance to escape lies in working together to injure him!”

Before Yu Yuwei could even speak, Li Xizhi had already articulated his thoughts. Indeed, he saw his disciple and Quan Yi’s eyes light up, and a ruthless expression appeared on their faces.

Tuoba Chongyuan, however, wiped his face, realizing his eye technique had been broken and his vision was faintly blurry. His heart subtly boiled, and he pointed his halberd at the others again, his fighting spirit soaring, as he said coldly, “Good moves. Again!”