Chapter 71: Minor Vajra Formation (2)

As the battle continued, the market became increasingly chaotic.

Fireballs the size of ten zhang occasionally appeared above the market, like a small sun, their scorching heat causing the nearby air to begin to twist.

As it passed, numerous Foundation Establishment cultivators fled aside, until it struck an iceberg larger than itself; the collision produced a heaven-shaking roar and also released a vast white mist.

It submerged the surrounding area of several hundred zhang, and when viewed from below, it resembled a mass of white cloud.

Below, in the market, it was no less intense.

As time passed, more and more cultivators began to choose to take action.

Boom… boom… boom…!

Wang Ping's Prudent Garden was one of the places in the city suffering the most severe attacks.

Over a hundred cultivators rushed out from all directions, continuously casting various spells, bombarding the Minor Vajra Formation and causing it to roar.

Tie Lanshan and his four companions each held a spirit stone, taking turns to continuously fill the first layer of the Vajra Formation with spirit stones.

Even so, the first layer of the Vajra Formation was shattered by the many cultivators after the time it takes to finish a cup of tea.

It was not due to insufficient spirit stones, but the violent output of spiritual power in an extremely short time caused the formation plate to overheat and be scrapped.

In the darkness someone shouted loudly: "What a fine formation!"

But the next moment he could not speak, as a golden Vajra Formation flashing with light appeared.

Over a hundred Qi Condensation great perfection cultivators stopped in their tracks.

Thereafter, with an angry face, someone stared at Tie Lanshan and his four companions, and someone secretly shouted: "Friends, if you are willing to leave now, we will not block you; but if you insist on going your own way, today may be the day of your death and the disappearance of your Dao!"

Tie Lanshan remained expressionless; Grand Master Liaoru softly intoned a Buddhist mantra, while Wu Yue and the others observed their noses and hearts, unmoved.

"Excellent! Excellent! Excellent! You are truly righteous and heroic!"

The person in the dark laughed furiously, then said: "Fellow Daoists, the Qingdi Changsheng Gong is right before us; break this golden light formation, and later we can each make a copy, how about that?"

"Good! Charge in and kill!"

"Kill!"

Soon, another round of frantic bombardment began, and the second layer of the Dao Vajra Formation was shaken, its golden light flickering wildly.

In the shadows, Qiu Hongye stared with a cold face at the golden light shield outside the Prudent Garden, and asked coldly:

"How much longer until we can break this formation!"

"Reporting, Sir! This formation likely evolved from a second-tier Vajra Formation, sharing the same characteristics as the Vajra Formation. It can only be broken by relentless attack!"

A cultivator in black robes standing beside him replied respectfully:

"Formation-breaking talismans and other formation-breaking methods will have no effect at all."

"However, Sir Qiu, please rest assured; judging from the situation just now, this formation will surely be broken within the time it takes to finish a cup of tea."

Qiu Hongye nodded, but then thought of something and asked:

"If they still have more, what then should we do?"

"This…"

The black-robed cultivator gave a wry smile and said, "If that is truly the case, we can only keep grinding away; but rest assured, Sir, this golden light formation, no matter how formidable, will not exceed the first tier. With a hundred great perfection Qi Condensation cultivators present, what formation could we not break!"

Qiu Hongye nodded, his mood slightly eased, and he asked again:

"Then what is your estimate of how many such formations they still have?"

The black-clad person pondered and said: "According to my estimate, it will not exceed ten. Although I do not know how Formation Master Lan Ning managed to refine his second-tier formation into a first-tier one, there is one thing he cannot avoid: the materials used to forge the formation plate."

"The material used in that formation plate must certainly be diamond; this stone is extremely rare, mostly hoarded by the temples of the Hundred Nations Alliance. It is hard to find a piece outside, so even if Formation Master Lan Ning has some, it would not be many!"

Qiu Hongye nodded, fell silent, and gazed ahead in silence.

"It's broken!"

"Everyone, charge!"

The outer golden light shield of the Prudent Garden was finally broken; many cultivators showed joy and rushed forward in a mass.

As a result, amidst their angry gazes, another layer of golden light shield appeared!

All the cultivators instantly became furious!

"Damn it! How can there still be one?"

"Those inside, if you listen, surrender now and you may yet spare your life!"

"Formation Master Lan, cultivation is not easy; why risk your wealth and life?"

"Grand Master Liaoru…"

"Talisman Master Wu Yue…"

For a moment, many cultivators spoke up, urging Tie Lanshan and his companions.

But they were utterly unmoved!

Now the cultivators realized that persuasion was useless; each with an angry expression, they hurled magic weapons and spells at the Minor Vajra Formation like a raging flood.

Crack!

The third layer of the Minor Vajra Formation shattered!

Crack!

The fourth layer also shattered!

Next, the fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth layers shattered in succession!

The anger of the cultivators outside the formation also flared ever higher!

After the ninth layer shattered, the revealed great golden formation was no longer as densely golden as the previous layers, and the blurry silhouettes of Tie Lanshan and his four companions appeared within the light formation.

"Fellow Daoists! This is the final layer of the golden light formation; break it and you may enter the Prudent Garden, find Lan Ming, and obtain the Qingdi Changsheng Gong!"

Someone in the dark shouted loudly; in fact, he need not say more, for over a hundred cultivators also knew this must be the last layer!

In the distance, Qiu Hongye came forward wearing black robes and a mask, and the black-clad person behind him said with an envious expression:

With a first-tier golden great formation, they forcibly blocked the attack of over a hundred Qi Refining cultivators, lasting nearly an hour. After tonight, Lan Ning will likely cause a stir in the Xichu region.

Qiu Hongye, walking slowly ahead, felt somewhat uncomfortable, but he also had to admit that Lan Ning's golden light formation was indeed abnormal.

If a single person encounters this formation, it cannot be broken by a full-force attack of a hundred strikes.

Probably after tonight, the reputation of this minor golden light formation's invincible defense will spread throughout Xichu, even reaching the heart of the Hundred Nations Alliance.

Above Jin Yuan Garden, Tie Lanshan and the others had solemn expressions; only the last minor Vajra formation remained.

There is still about a quarter hour left until an hour has passed; time may be insufficient.

Amitabha! Monastics do not kill, but today for the sake of Daoist friend Lan Ming, this poor monk has no choice but to break the precept against killing!

Tie Lanshan, upon hearing this, laughed and said: "Master Liaoru, eminent monks always break the precept against killing to subdue demons and eliminate evil; you, for the sake of one person, are opening the killing precept—you cannot be considered an eminent monk!"

Master Liaoru calmly said: "This poor monk has never been able to meditate, does not understand Buddhist principles; therefore, I fear I will never be able to become an eminent monk in this lifetime."

Wu Yue laughed heartily, slapped his storage bag, and pulled out a stack of talismans—at least over a hundred. Grasping over a hundred talismans, he spoke with heroic vigor:

"No problem! I still have a hundred-zhang top-grade defensive talisman here—come, come! Each person first take twenty-five! Moreover, I also have ten top-grade god-movement talismans; stick two on the soles of your feet, guaranteeing the enemy won't even be able to find your shadow!"

Ouyang Hua smiled and said: "I don't have the grandeur of Brother Wu, but I have four top-grade puppets here that can block some of your attacks."

Tie Lanshan, seeing this, smiled and said: "In that case, persisting for a quarter hour should be sufficient."