The Treasure Hall Revealed

“It’s because Uncle White can break formations,” Ji Ning sent mentally. “Uncle White, there’s no time to waste. Break the formation now. Tell us what you need us to do, and Mister Shaoyan will certainly spare no effort to help.”

“Push those Qiongqi puppets further away,” the Whitewater Hound replied. “I need a clear area ten zhang in radius around me with absolutely no interference.”

“Alright.”

Ji Ning immediately sent a mental transmission. “Mister Shaoyan, everyone, expand the Five Elements, Five Directions Formation further.”

“Expand further? The larger the formation, the more of those ice arrows we’ll attract.” Cangjiang Realperson said urgently.

“My spirit-beast, the Whitewater Hound, has a way to break this grand formation, but he needs an area ten zhang in radius,” Ji Ning transmitted.

“He can break the formation?”

“Really?”

Everyone was simultaneously surprised and stunned. Shaoyan Nong immediately urged, “Everyone, give it everything you’ve got. Hold on a bit longer.” He even shot a sharp glance at Xue Hongyi, who was already straining to demonstrate his own efforts.

“HUM…”

The formation expanded.

Shaoyan Nong and the Crimson-Scaled Flood Dragon unleashed their full power as well. The man and his spirit-beast alone managed to tie up eight Qiongqi puppets. Xue Hongyi fought desperately to hold off one Qiongqi puppet, while Ji Ning and the other four members from the Hua clan held back the remaining nine. For a moment, it even seemed like they were pressing the attack against the Qiongqi puppets.

But while they suppressed the Qiongqi puppets, they also had to divert power to defend against the ice arrows. Every single person’s Yuan power was being consumed at an astonishing rate. This state of supreme combat output could not be maintained for long.

“Rise.”

At the very core of the formation, a snow-white hound hovered. All around him floated ancient-looking wooden staffs covered in runic patterns. One by one, the staffs flew outward, landing at precise positions. Wherever a staff descended, it seemed to ‘pin’ the surrounding space itself. In total, the sixty-four Fuxi Staffs all landed.

Every staff began to glow with brilliant, watery light, and luminous lines of water energy stretched between the staffs, forming an enormous, seal-like formation.

“BANG”

This formation suddenly harmonized with the surrounding grand array.

It was like a single drop of ink staining white cloth—like an iron rod jamming the gears of a machine. The previously perfect and seamless grand formation instantly… locked up. The surging, overwhelming power of Heaven and Earth that it had been channeling was abruptly severed. The volley of ice arrows descending upon them immediately lost their power, and within a single breath, they vanished into thin air.

Following that, the entire grand formation dissolved completely.

The ancient hall they had been in once again appeared before Ji Ning and the others. They were still inside this hall, and had never left.

“The formation is broken?”

Shaoyan Nong froze for a moment, then was filled with wild, ecstatic joy. The despair and torment of being trapped in that formation had been agonizing. Now that they were free, the joy in his heart was indescribable.

“Incredible, truly incredible.” Mu Northson blinked, staring at the snow-white hound at the center.

“What a formidable Whitewater Hound.” Cangjiang Realperson also glanced at the snow-white hound.

“Uncle White, that was truly impressive.” Nine Lotos sent a mental voice too.

Everyone was delighted.

Xue Hongyi was happy as well, but inwardly he was extremely displeased. “Even the spirit-beast he tamed is this powerful in formations. Why don’t I have a spirit-beast this strong? Damn it. Damn it all. And this time, Ji Ning has once again rendered a great service in front of Mister Shaoyan.”

With the previous barrage of ice arrows gone, Ji Ning and the others could now unleash their full strength. Relying on the Five Elements, Five Directions Formation, Ji Ning, Cangjiang Realperson, and Yu Wei each held off four Qiongqi puppets. Nine Lotos, Mu Northson, and Xue Hongyi each held off one, while the Crimson-Scaled Flood Dragon blocked the remaining.

Effortlessly. Shaoyan Nong didn’t even need to lift a finger as all eighteen Qiongqi puppets were neutralized.

“Uncle Fang, the formation is broken. You can come in now.” Shaoyan Nong quickly sent a telepathic message to Xiangliu Fang, who was still outside.

The two had long since formed a contract.

This Fiendgod, Xiangliu Fang, was his most loyal servant. Otherwise, how could the grand Shaoyan clan allow a Fiendgod to follow their young master so freely?

Xiangliu Fang had long since fled to the area around this branch hall, but he couldn’t enter, so he had to keep running.

The entire Immortal Estate world was merely tens of thousands of li in circumference. It was far too small.

Xiangliu Fang had already run a full lap around the entire world.

“Don’t chase him.”

“That Fiendgod is far too cunning.”

“And we can’t kill him.”

The two most powerful demon tribes in the Immortal Estate world had given up the chase. Though they had wounded Xiangliu Fang time and time again, as a Fiendgod, his regenerative abilities were terrifying. And when he used his escape arts, he was far faster than the combined demon soldiers of the tribes. After repeated skirmishes, they had finally abandoned the pursuit.

“This Fiendgod is not to be trifled with. But the group of humans who came with him are much weaker. One of those humans is his master. Once those humans come out, we’ll just kill them and seize the keys to the Immortal Estate.” The demon tribes were now lying in wait outside one of the Immortal Estate’s five branch halls—the ‘Treasure Hall’.

As soon as Ji Ning and his group emerged, they would surround them.

This was their only chance to obtain the keys to the Immortal Estate and leave this place. Leaving this tiny world was a desire that the countless demons of this small realm had harbored for endless ages. Generation after generation, they had passed down the legend that the outside world was so vast that even an Immortal would take days or even months to fly from one end to another.

Days? Months?

The demons of the Immortal Estate world could not fathom such distances. In their world, a Loose Immortal could fly from one end to the other in the time it took to finish a cup of tea.

“I want to get out.”

“I truly want to see that endlessly vast world.” These demons were filled with longing.

Meanwhile, off in the distance, Xiangliu Fang had been waiting for Shaoyan Nong’s telepathic message. With their strong souls, their telepathic range was quite far.

“The young master is trapped in a formation inside that branch hall. What can I do?” Xiangliu Fang was anxious. “I can’t get in. No one can break the formation. If the young master remains trapped, he might eventually have to give up. And if he gives up… this trial will be a failure.”

Xiangliu Fang was frantic, but utterly helpless.

“Uncle Fang, the formation is broken. You can come in now.” Shaoyan Nong’s telepathic voice rang out.

“The formation is broken?” Xiangliu Fang was ecstatic. He immediately turned into a streak of light and flew straight towards the branch hall.

SWISH!

He flew at high speed.

“That Fiendgod is back.”

“We can’t kill him, and he’s still coming?”

“Is he trying to enter the hall? Follow him. Let’s go in together.” The endless waves of demon soldiers and the enormous Yaksha Dao-soldiers watched the Fiendgod Xiangliu Fang, but made no move to attack.

WHOOSH.

A massive gate appeared out of nowhere in midair. The gate was open. Xiangliu Fang flew right up to it, and in a flash, he was inside. The ethereal gate then vanished again.

Xiangliu Fang and Shaoyan Nong were perfectly coordinated.

The moment he flew there, the gate appeared. The moment he entered, the gate closed immediately, giving the demon soldiers who had planned to follow him no chance. After all, Xiangliu Fang was naturally faster than them.

“Wait. I refuse to believe they won’t come out. When they do, kill the humans and seize the keys to the Immortal Estate.” The demon soldiers all endured their impatience.

Inside the massive hall.

Ji Ning and the group were still fending off the crazed Qiongqi puppets.

“SWISH.” A figure rushed in. It was the dark-skinned, narrow-eyed middle-aged Fiendgod, Xiangliu Fang.

“Uncle Fang.” Shaoyan Nong was overjoyed. Finally, he had reunited with Uncle Fang. Seeing him, the unease in his heart settled. With Uncle Fang here… they were safe.

As soon as he entered, Xiangliu Fang saw the Qiongqi puppets.

“Puppets?” Xiangliu Fang took a single step and appeared right next to a Qiongqi puppet. The puppet howled and swung its claws, trying to rip Xiangliu Fang apart. What greeted it, however, was Xiangliu Fang’s fist.

BANG!

One punch sent the Qiongqi puppet flying back like a meteor, crashing into the hall’s walls with another thunderous boom. The Immortal Estate’s walls were indestructible, and the Qiongqi puppet’s body was also that of a magic treasure, so neither was damaged. But the puppet lay on the floor for a moment, dazed, before slowly climbing to its feet.

“Primal-level puppets?” Xiangliu Fang frowned. Then he pulled out a massive bag.

“Come.” Xiangliu Fang reached out with his hand. The ten fingers on that hand instantly transformed into ten massive snakes, reaching out to cover the sky and grabbing two Qiongqi puppets at once. The puppets struggled wildly, but could not break free from Xiangliu Fang’s snake-formed grip.

“In you go.” Grabbing the two puppets, he tossed them straight into the mouth of the bag.

Xiangliu Fang moved like lightning. His massive hands possessed astonishing, terrifying power—clearly a formidable divine ability. With strength far surpassing these Primal-level puppets, he grabbed two or three at a time. In the blink of an eye, all eighteen Qiongqi puppets had been thrown into the bag, without a single one escaping in time.

“Truly formidable.” Ji Ning and the others were all stunned, gasping in admiration.

“Uncle Fang.” Shaoyan Nong was ecstatic.

Xiangliu Fang nodded. He glanced at the Whitewater Hound, who was still maintaining the formation, and said calmly, “A Whitewater Hound? There are very few among the demon race who are skilled in formations. Whitewater Hounds are indeed born with high comprehension, making them naturally suited to studying formations.”

After speaking.

Xiangliu Fang turned into a streak of light.

“BANG!” “BANG!” “BANG!” He flew to three spots in succession, his fist smashing heavily into them each time. Though the hall itself remained intact, some decorations, like the massive candelabras, were shattered into utter ruin.

“Alright. The key nodes of the formation have been blocked by me.” Xiangliu Fang looked at the Whitewater Hound. “You don’t need to maintain that formation any longer.”

The Whitewater Hound put away the Fuxi Staff Formation, and true enough, the previous formation showed no further reaction.

“Whoosh.” Ji Ning and the others exchanged glances, smiles spreading across their faces.

Having a true expert around certainly made things much easier.

“Hmm?” Xiangliu Fang’s brow furrowed slightly. He looked up, gazing into the distance of the hall, and pointed a finger. A bolt of black divine power flew out, crashing against the distant wall of the hall. The wall instantly revealed three large characters—Treasure Hall!

“The Treasure Hall?” Ji Ning, Mu Northson, Xue Hongyi, and all the others were overjoyed.

The Immortal Estate had five main branch halls. Ji Ning and his group hadn’t known what purpose this hall served when they entered. Now, seeing the words ‘Treasure Hall’, its purpose was obvious—it was where the treasures were stored! Shaoyan Nong had long since promised that any treasure they found within the Immortal Estate would belong to them.