Chapter 186: Forcing a Fit

It turned out the window was open, but at some point the entire Scripture Hall had risen a formation, silently imprisoning those inside.

The two Jiangs were bounced back by the formation light and smashed to the ground.

At this moment, everyone noticed the abnormality and hurried downstairs, only to find that beneath the stairs lay an endless black hole.

Their divine sense shot out, only to be swallowed instantly; panic inevitably showed in their words: "What Scripture Hall? Could it be a man‑eating trap?"

Among those who had entered the formation, some gloated, "Hahaha, go on, you go!"

Others questioned, "Jiang Yu, why did you dodge, causing us all to get hurt in your place and even lose lifespan?"

All of the above were Heavenly Origin cultivators; three or four Foundation Establishment cultivators from Longhuang Island were smart enough not to join in.

Lu Ruochan was about to retort when Jiang Tu roared, "Shut up, all of you, be silent for this king!"

The aura of a seventh‑tier Yao Race spread instantly, pressing everyone immobile and even robbing them of the ability to speak.

Even a late Foundation Establishment cultivator who tried to resist felt Jiang Tu's pressure deepen in an instant, leaving everyone unable to breathe.

Xia Bing was startled; she had fought seventh‑tier opponents before, but none possessed Jiang Tu's kind of pressure.

It was no ordinary black tortoise; the senior law master surely knew this, so he listed its medicinal pills as a standard allotment, requiring Jiang Yu to spend no more spirit stones on them.

Jiang Yu circulated her spiritual power to disperse the pain in her body, thinking that body refinement was essential.

She did not let Jiang Tu withdraw his pressure, but instead scanned the injured and said, "Anyone with legs can run."

Three Golden Core cultivators stood guard, while half of the Golden Core cultivators had not declared their stance—who could they blame for missing the chance?

"Hmph, as long as you run downstairs, those Golden Core cultivators who don't want to return for punishment will never dare to lay a hand on you." Jiang Tu clearly distinguished insiders from outsiders; with a single thought he lifted the pressure from Xia Bing's three companions and from Xu Wu.

Xu Wu also calmed down at this moment, wondering, "Will my masters be in danger?"

"Venturing into a secret realm, danger lurks everywhere—we're already trapped, aren't we?"

"However, danger is also opportunity; Golden Core cultivators don't need our rescue." Xia Bing raised her sword and slashed toward the window outside, only for the sword qi to bounce back with a bang.

Fortunately she had prepared in advance, dodging aside, and said, "Jiang Tu, let everyone calm their minds so we can work together to break through this place."

"Look, another opportunity lies far off—we cannot miss it."

Jiang Tu glanced at Jiang Yu; after she rose and nodded, he withdrew the Dragon King's pressure, instantly leapt onto her shoulder, and turned back into that harmless little black tortoise.

Yet all the Foundation Establishment cultivators who could breathe freely would no longer ignore its existence.

"Fellow cultivators, if the True Persons do not return after a cup of tea, we had better search for an exit." Jiang Yu did not speak of cooperation; she simply trusted her fellow sect members nearby.

Events proved that the charlatans of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion were untrustworthy; after three cups of tea had passed, that space still had not reappeared.

Xu Wu's formation skills were average, so she again teamed up with Jiang Yu, saying, "I don't want to be grouped with Senior Brother Sun; he obeyed Elder Sun's order to enter the formation, and I fear he'll resent us masters and disciples for abandoning him."

Jiang Yu thought it over and did not refuse, saying, "My formation ability is merely average, so I'll follow Senior Sister Xia."

Now everyone tried their own methods to find an exit, but failing to do so, they unconsciously gathered together again.

"My formation skill is passable, but I can't find the slightest clue."

"I can't tell what kind of formation this is; breaking it isn't something one or two people can manage." Among the crowd there were still those skilled in the way of formations.

Jiang Yu never held much hope; she had consulted Senior Sister Xia about using the Heavenly Thunderbolt to blast the window open by force.

But Xia Bing objected, "This is different from the previous time at Bichun River; blasting might not let us escape.

"It's more likely to injure the many Golden Core True Persons, preventing their return."

"The Tai Ji Dian has appeared; we must hurry to find it.

"Senior Sister, all the Tai Ji Fish Plaques used to enter and exit the cave heavens come from there." Jiang Yu gazed out the window again; the illusory image of the Tai Ji Dian faded with the sunrise.

"The key is, what formation is this? I'll test it with my sword a little." Xia Bing's thought had already been put into action by someone.

The result was obvious: the force unleashed bounced back onto the striker; those who were slow to dodge instantly experienced the strange pleasure of beating themselves.

The spiritual fire Jiang Tu spat out nearly burned himself.

It returned, dejected, to Jiang Yu's shoulder, saying, "I now hope Jiang Bai or another small team will come and open the exit.

"Relying on others is worse than relying on oneself. Come, let's take every formation disk we seized from Xianhe Mountain and try them all, to see if any resemble the trap here." Jiang Yu also joined the crowd in naming that mountain they had left.

With so many formation disks, she alone could not manage; thus she asked Senior Sister Xia to organize those who understood formations, laying them out side by side on the spot.

Although some had previously resented her, most people were still willing to try in order to leave this empty, treasure‑less place.

Meanwhile, while Jiang Yu and her companions were busy analyzing the formation disks, many cultivators on the second and third levels of the Daluo Dongtian saw the Tai Ji Dian.

Some, having learned from their elders the purpose of the great hall and having received the task of fetching the fish plaques, set off at full speed for the innermost third level.

Especially Guo Jue's team, with the green little snake Bi Luo constantly urging them on, they kept raising their flight speed higher and higher.

Then they collided with people, sending many flying, and naturally a battle broke out.

Before they even exited the second layer, Bi Luo's strength had not yet recovered; unable to exert pressure like Jiang Tu, it could only frantically urge Guo Jue to split from the group and rush onward at top speed.

Guo Jue refused, saying, "I must fight side by side with my teammates.

Bi Luo seethed with regret, lamenting a million times that it had not chosen to form a contract with Jiang Yu, "How stubborn—you see Jiang Yu always say she'll abandon teammates without a hint of reluctance.

"Dissolve the contract, you go on your own." Guo Jue then rejoined the fight.

Bi Luo shot out from his wrist with a hiss, sprayed the opposite side, and in the blink of an eye all the enemies collapsed, poisoned.

Guo Jue's teammates won, yet some had engaged the enemy in close combat and were likewise poisoned.

"Bi Luo, couldn't you at least give a warning?" This time Guo Jue became angry.

But his teammates were pleased, for the poison could be cured and they could also snatch a heap of storage bags.

Bi Luo took the opportunity to guide (or coax) everyone to hurry to the Tai Ji Dian, claiming that place held not only a ten‑thousand‑year body‑tempering spiritual spring that aids advancement, but also countless spiritual herbs and treasures.

"Anyone who soaks in the spiritual spring for an hour can increase their Golden Core success rate by thirty percent." In fact, only Golden Core cultivators are able to soak in it.

But the Foundation Establishment cultivators were unaware, each holding Bi Luo in their hands and sprinting wildly in the direction it pointed.

If Jiang Yu were here, she would surely tell Jiang Tu, "That little snake demon is just a pie‑in‑the‑sky schemer."

But by now she had forgotten about Bi Luo, because among the pile of formation disks they had actually found one similar to this trap.

Everyone cobbled together a makeshift solution, and when the seven suns rose they located the formation's eye and broke it—only to see that what appeared before their eyes was neither the sixth level nor the outside of the Scripture Hall.

"Teleportation array?" the Foundation cultivators didn't know if they could get up.

Someone feared they'd be teleported outside and baked into charcoal, "How about waiting for another sun to fall?"

"Where would it send us?" Lu Ruochan thought, perhaps they'd end up farther from Shen Xia Yue.

"Anywhere is better than being trapped here." Jiang Yu was the first to jump up.