Chapter 40

"Activate the formation!"

Above the Skull Mountain marketplace, the fully restored Hundred Bones Return True Formation roared to life, instantly forcing Wu Zhichong and Duanmu Yuan to retreat.

Seizing this opening, Lu Yuanchun transformed into a streak of bloodlight and shot past.

The formation runes outside parted in response, allowing Lu Yuanchun to pass through, then sealed shut again instantly—so swift that no outsider had the slightest chance to exploit it.

"Thank you, Brother Lü, for your aid."

Inside the formation, the bloodlight dissipated, revealing Lu Yuanchun's disheveled state—his face pale as ash, still tinged with shock and uncertainty:

"Brother Lü is actually a formation master?"

Unless one were a formation master, how could one possibly reassemble the formation and resolve a situation that was otherwise certain death?

"You flatter me, Senior Brother—I'm merely a ninth-rank formation master," Lu Yang replied with a faint smile. "After days of study, I've barely managed to unleash a fraction of this formation's power."

Lu Yang spoke simply, but Lu Yuanchun's expression turned grave.

Among the hundred arts of cultivation, the Way of Formations stands first!

A late-stage Qi Condensation cultivator and a late-stage Qi Condensation formation master are incomparable in value—the latter is nearly equivalent to a Qi Condensation peak cultivator!

"By the way, Senior Brother Lu, your gains this time seem substantial."

Lu Yang regarded Lu Yuanchun with a half-smile, and under his gaze, Lu Yuanchun's expression gradually stiffened, cold sweat breaking out on his brow.

Yet the next instant, he regained his composure.

"Brother Lü, I've held onto the 'Xuan Pi Tai Yin Treasure Jade' for you a long time—today, it's time to return it to its rightful owner!"

Saying this, Lu Yuanchun immediately pulled out a small box, opened its lid, and inside lay a white jade stone with seven orifices, strikingly resembling a human form.

As the saying goes: he who recognizes the times is a hero.

Lu Yuanchun was an old disciple of the Holy Sect—he knew full well that if he didn't hand over the jade now, he'd be sacrificed on the frontlines of the True-Demon War.

Moreover, the Divine Martial Gate had deployed a Qi Condensation peak cultivator—escape was impossible. Lu Yuanchun abandoned all illusions; better to publicly surrender the treasure, partly to avoid disaster through sacrifice, partly to shift the Divine Martial Gate's attention onto Lu Yang.

"Xuan Pi Tai Yin Treasure Jade."

Lu Yang nodded in satisfaction, then tucked the small box into his storage pouch and turned calmly toward the figure that had suddenly appeared beyond the marketplace.

It was a handsome young man holding a spear.

He wore a martial crown, clad in scaled armor, his long spear engraved with dragon patterns—more like a general of the mortal world than a cultivator.

"Ninth-rank formation master?"

The youth's gaze was sharp as a blade, as if it could pierce through the formation's veil and see directly into Lu Yang at the core: "I didn't expect such an unexpected variable."

At the same time, "Divine Fist" Wu Zhichong and "Mountain-Moving Daoist" Duanmu Yuan approached, bowing respectfully to the spear-wielding youth: "Senior Brother Ouyang, we failed in our mission and have disappointed you."

"It's fine."

Ouyang Haoze shook his head, his expression mild: "The demon cultivators are cunning—your oversight is understandable. Make up for it by earning merit going forward."

Then he turned his gaze toward the Skull Mountain marketplace, his eyes brimming with killing intent.

"Our sect has planned for years—no room for even the slightest mishap. Best to eliminate the Mo Sect's moles here first, minimizing variables as much as possible."

The next instant, Ouyang Haoze flashed forward, unleashing the full aura of Qi Condensation peak—immediately, a pillar of spiritual energy surged skyward, manifesting thunderous battle cries, faintly revealing thousands of armored soldiers and generals arrayed behind him, amplifying his spirit, energy, and vigor.

"Break it!"

In an instant, thunderous sound rolled through the sky, crashing into the Skull Mountain marketplace—some low-level cultivators were instantly shaken into spitting blood by the roar.

"Qi Condensation peak."

Lu Yang, commanding the formation, wore a solemn expression—Qi Condensation peak represented not merely cultivation level, but status, the pinnacle of the realm.

Whoever reached Qi Condensation peak was inevitably a sect's true heir!

The Divine Martial Gate, though far smaller than the Holy Sect, possessed several astonishing great techniques—only true heirs could cultivate them.

"If he wields a great technique, I'll abandon the formation and flee immediately."

Lu Yang prepared to escape while moving to the formation's edge, facing Ouyang Haoze across the barrier: "I am Lu Yang. May I know your name, friend?"

"You're not worthy to know my name," Ouyang Haoze sneered. "Surrender now, and I might spare your lives—only sever your demonic cultivation, not take your lives. But if you resist, the day this formation breaks will be your last—every last soul, down to the dogs and chickens, will perish!"

"When will the cycle of vengeance end?"

Lu Yang's smile remained unchanged, his tone gentle: "Though we stand on opposing sides of True and Demon, we've always kept our distance. Won't you grant me this courtesy?"

"Grant you courtesy?"

Ouyang Haoze burst into laughter, mocking: "How bold! You're only Qi Condensation eighth layer—today, I refuse you courtesy. What can you do about it?"

"Why bother?"

Lu Yang shook his head: "If that's your choice, then come break my formation."

"Seek death!"

Ouyang Haoze's eyes flashed with killing intent; his blood-aura smoke retracted, and he threw a single punch—appearing, at first glance, as nothing more than mortal martial art.

Yet Lu Yang's expression hardened instantly—he dared not slacken for a moment, immediately summoning the Blood Sun Sword Pearl, then merging with the swordlight to slash at Ouyang Haoze. In an instant, fist met blade; unmatched sharpness and fist force exploded outward like sparks blooming midair.

Ouyang Haoze moved like lightning, unleashing hundreds of punches in the blink of an eye.

Unlike other cultivation sects, the Divine Martial Gate prioritized body cultivators—its techniques overwhelmingly centered on fists and feet; close-range combat speed even surpassed that of sword cultivators!

"Hail of Arrows!"

Ouyang Haoze spread his arms as if drawing a massive bow, and his fist shadows became arrows, instantly burying Lu Yang's position beneath a storm of blows.

Boom—!

Amid the explosions, Lu Yang felt all surrounding spiritual energy drained away, replaced by endless fist shadows intent on grinding him to dust.

A thousand strikes in an instant—no opening for counterattack—clearly a supreme technique!

Though Ouyang Haoze spoke arrogantly, dismissing Lu Yang, when he truly fought, he gave nothing but his full strength.

Instantly, explosive waves rolled and churned.

Beneath his fist shadows, Lu Yang held out for less than ten seconds before being pulverized—swordlight shattered, instantly turning into a skyful of withered bones and fragments.

The fist momentum halted abruptly; Ouyang Haoze stood in mid-air, his brows slightly furrowed.

On the other side, above the market, the Hundred Bones True Return Formation operated, and a figure materialized from the void, stepping out; it was none other than the unscathed Lu Yang.

"Daoist friend, your fist power is peerless; I admire it."

Ouyang Haoze did not respond; he threw another punch, still the Rain of Arrows, and Lu Yang still resisted stubbornly, still holding out for over ten seconds before being shattered.

Yet in the blink of an eye, Ouyang Haoze saw Lu Yang's corpse turn into dry bones and remains, while the unharmed Lu Yang stepped out from the formation again, his wide sleeves fluttering, his bearing unchanged, and not even a trace of his true energy or magic power had been lost; he clasped his hands in a bow: "Daoist friend, shall we fight again?"

"The Hundred Bones True Return Formation indeed lives up to its reputation."

Ouyang Haoze's expression grew grave.

As far as he knew, this formation ranked as Seventh Grade, hiding within it a hundred bone soldiers; a cultivator inside the formation could manifest their full ten-tenths combat power by borrowing the bodies of the bone soldiers.

In this way, it was equivalent to the bone soldiers fighting in place of the true body.

If they won, everyone was happy; if they died, it had no effect on the true body at all, and as long as the formation continued to operate, even if the bone soldiers were consumed, they could recover quickly.

In this way, no matter how fiercely he attacked, it was futile, mere wasted effort. This was only because he stayed outside the formation and did not rashly advance; otherwise, once he entered the formation, Lu Yang could summon all the bone soldiers and directly overwhelm him with a mob attack; at that time, even a Foundation Establishment realm cultivator at the peak of Qi Refining would still have to shed a layer of skin!

(End of this chapter)