Chapter 48: Breakthrough, Second-Tier Low-Grade Array Master

Song Changsheng maneuvered left and right, evading every attack, while his mind raced at high speed.

Based on the patterns of the formation's attacks, he had already identified it as a second-tier, low-grade [Earth-Wood Cosmos Array]. This formation could blend perfectly into the mountains and forests, constantly absorbing the spiritual energy of earth and wood to strengthen itself.

Although this was a common, run-of-the-mill formation, its strength lay in the cycle of earth and wood; it could rely on frequent attacks to gradually exhaust and kill those trapped inside.

However, Song Changsheng did not panic. Although the formation was as high as the second tier, it indicated that the cultivator who set it up would not exceed the Qi Refinement stage; otherwise, they wouldn't have relied on a formation to ambush him.

As long as a Foundation Establishment cultivator did not intervene, he still had a glimmer of hope by relying on the second-tier, low-grade talismans in his hands.

"[Water Dragon Chant]!"

Song Changsheng extended his arms, and vast water spiritual energy converged beneath his feet, quickly forming a lifelike water dragon behind him that let out a high-pitched dragon's roar.

The overwhelming vines were instantly shattered by the dragon's roar, but immediately after, countless earth spikes erupted from the ground.

Song Changsheng frowned slightly. He couldn't go on like this; he would eventually be exhausted to death inside.

"The only way now is to break the formation, but the range of this array is too wide and its changes are too many. How can I find its core?"

He was, after all, only a first-tier, peak-grade formation master; breaking a second-tier formation would be extremely difficult.

"I must calm my mind to comprehend the formation patterns to have a chance at breaking it, but the attacks of this great array are continuous. I must first ensure I am not disturbed.

Right, the [Lu Wu Bell]!"

A flash of inspiration struck Song Changsheng's mind. He took out the bell-shaped [Lu Wu Bell] and whispered, "Now, only you can lend me a hand."

With a wave of his arm, the bronze bell's size expanded instantly, enveloping Song Changsheng and blocking all attacks outside.

A spiritual tool was indeed a spiritual tool. Although Song Changsheng's cultivation was not yet sufficient to unleash its full power, its inherent spirituality allowed it to assist with simple operations.

With the protection of the [Lu Wu Bell], Song Changsheng finally had the opportunity to properly study the great array.

He drew a simple formation pattern on his palm and pressed it against the ground in front of him. The previously hidden formation patterns were all exposed at this moment.

Song Changsheng's divine sense spread out, beginning to deduce the trajectory of the remaining patterns following the one before his eyes. This was a challenge for him, but also an opportunity...

Outside the array, an old man dressed in the attire of the Earth Fire Sect frowned slightly. He could see everything happening inside the array. He had originally thought killing Song Changsheng was only a matter of time, but he hadn't expected him to produce such a treasure; this made things a bit difficult.

"Enter the array immediately and strip that turtle shell off him!" the old man said coldly, looking at the surrounding Earth Fire Sect disciples.

"Yes!"

Four Earth Fire Sect disciples responded in unison, flying into the array to begin attacking the [Lu Wu Bell]...

On the distant battlefield, Wang Wanzhou held the [Seven-Colored Glazed Mirror] in his left hand and the [Wind-Supporting Sword] in his right, fighting two opponents without falling into any disadvantage.

Cheng Yufei and Du Huating had no intention of fighting him to the death; they were merely entangling him to prevent him from leaving the battlefield.

Suddenly, a streak of light silently shot in from the horizon toward the battlefield, aiming straight for Cheng Yufei's face. Cheng Yufei was greatly alarmed: "[Soul-Breaking Spike]?"

He hurriedly summoned a small round shield to block his chest, barely managing to deflect the fatal blow.

A foot-long, pitch-black metal spike flashed in the corner of his eye.

"Song Luyao?" Du Huating's expression tightened.

The sudden change caused the three people in the field to temporarily pull apart, looking warily toward the east, where two aggressive figures were rapidly approaching.

Wang Wanzhou suddenly laughed loudly, "Your time has come! Die for me!"

With that, he lunged at the two once more.

The people arriving from a distance also revealed themselves—it was the Third Elder, Song Luyao, and the Fourth Elder, Song Luhuai. Both wore expressions of fury as they brazenly joined the battle.

The situation in the field instantly shifted from one-against-two to three-against-two. Cheng Yufei and his companion struggled to defend themselves and gradually fell into a disadvantage.

"Dammit, what is the Qiu clan doing? They can't even stop one person!" Cheng Yufei was filled with both anger and shock. He had long anticipated that the Song clan would notice, so he had notified the Qiu clan to intervene before acting.

They had originally agreed to hold them off until sunrise, but he hadn't expected them to be broken through so quickly. Now, the situation was truly passive.

Cheng Yufei no longer had the heart to kill Song Changsheng; his current concern was how to escape with the minimum cost!

————

Inside the array, Song Changsheng was still unaware that his presence alone had triggered a clash between several Foundation Establishment cultivators from the four great Foundation Establishment powers.

His deduction of the great array had reached a very critical stage.

*Clang, clang, clang!*

Outside the bronze bell, the continuous attacks from the great array and the Earth Fire Sect disciples struck the [Lu Wu Bell], causing violent vibrations.

As the saying goes, "long defense leads to loss." The spiritual light on the surface of the [Lu Wu Bell] gradually dimmed, and it was finally broken by a wave of attacks, shrinking back to the size of a bell.

The Earth Fire Sect disciples were overjoyed. Just as they were about to take Song Changsheng's life, the seated Song Changsheng suddenly snapped his eyes open and threw out a yellowed talisman with a wave of his hand.

The talisman burned rapidly in the air, transforming into a phantom giant palm print that swept toward the four Earth Fire Sect disciples.

"A second-tier, low-grade talisman, [Giant Spirit Palm]?"

The group was instantly terrified, fleeing in all directions, but a full-strength strike from a cultivator equivalent to the early Foundation Establishment stage was not so easy to dodge.

Two ninth-level Qi Refinement cultivators were instantly crushed into meat paste by the palm print. The remaining two, who were at the Great Perfection of Qi Refinement, fared no better; the strike left them with broken bones and torn sinews, requiring at least several years of recuperation.

Having succeeded in his strike, Song Changsheng tapped his toes and lunged to the left. His right foot flashed with spiritual light as he delivered a whirlwind kick toward an inconspicuous stone.

That was the eye of the formation!

*Bang!*

The stone instantly turned to dust. Song Changsheng felt as if the world had suddenly brightened; dense formation patterns emerged beneath his feet, only to collapse immediately after.

The second-tier, low-grade [Earth-Wood Cosmos Array] was broken!

"Pfft—"

The Earth Fire Sect formation master suffered a backlash and spat out a large cloud of blood mist, his aura plummeting. He looked at Song Changsheng in disbelief and said, "So... you... you are a second-tier formation master?"

Song Changsheng shook his head calmly and said, "Before entering the array, I was only a peak-grade first-tier master, but I must thank you for allowing me to take that step forward at the brink of life and death."

"Heh heh heh, no wonder Elder Cheng and the others plotted to eliminate you. As expected... as expected of a young talent. It's just a pity that I lacked the skill to remove this hidden threat for my sect," the old man said through gritted teeth, his eyes filled with intense resentment.

"You almost succeeded. If not for the [Lu Wu Bell], I would be a ghost in your array right now. Rest in peace; in your next life, do not make enemies of the Song clan again."

Song Changsheng sighed softly and flicked a strand of spiritual energy, piercing the old man's skull. The old man's pupils instantly dilated and went blank...

(End of Chapter)