Chapter 64: The Grand Formation Shattered

As soon as Li Jian-san finished speaking, several golden blades instantly gathered in the sky. The very moment Xue Ninghai stepped into the gates of Shengjing Sect, those fierce golden blades, like arrows wreathed in flames, erupted toward him with a thunderous roar.

Everyone who witnessed this could not help but gasp in shock.

At that instant, a tremendous force struck from behind Xue Ninghai, yanking his body back at lightning speed.

Even though Xue Ninghai retreated quickly, he was still gravely wounded by the golden blades. Had it not been for the middle-aged man’s timely intervention, he might already have been a corpse.

All eyes now turned to that middle-aged man.

“Father, I…” Xue Ninghai staggered, barely managing to steady himself.

“That’s enough.” The man was none other than Xue Tianren, the deputy chief of Azure Dragon Village.

With a cold and stern expression, he said icily, “How could you be so easily unsettled by a few provoking words and recklessly throw yourself into danger?”

“I know I was wrong,” Xue Ninghai replied.

Xue Tianren then cast a wary glance at Li Jian-san and snorted, “Worthy of being Shengjing Sect’s young master. Your methods are impressive indeed.”

He turned to look at the Grand Elder. “What is going on here? You owe me an explanation!”

The Grand Elder’s body trembled—he truly did not know how to respond. He turned to Li Jian-san and asked, “I clearly unlocked the sect-protecting formation myself. How could this happen? Did you tamper with it further?”

A cold laugh rang out as Li Mingqing stepped out from within Shengjing Sect, followed by several elders and a host of disciples.

“Old man, do you really think I’d hand over something as important as the sect-protecting formation so easily?” Li Mingqing said. “Did you think I haven’t long been wary of your ambitions? I’ve wanted to act against you for some time, yet lacked the right opportunity. Fortunately, my good son has given me the perfect excuse.”

The Grand Elder’s face showed a hint of despair. “Then the formation…”

Li Jian-san sneered, “After you fled, I guessed you’d seek to harm Shengjing Sect, so I notified my father to alter the formation long ago. The incantation you used earlier didn’t shut down the formation at all—it activated another array: the Threefold Spirit-Draining Formation!”

“What? The Threefold Spirit-Draining Formation!”

At the mention of this name, the Grand Elder’s face turned deathly pale. As the name suggested, it was a formation that absorbed spiritual energy. Specifically, it drew upon the caster’s own spiritual power. It was the kind of ultimate card one used only when all other options had failed. Who would have expected that the Grand Elder would end up sacrificing himself so willingly?

Li Jian-san laughed. “Thanks to you voluntarily offering your spiritual power, the sect-protecting formation has reached such formidable strength. Now, if any of you dare take a single step forward, you’ll be struck by the array.”

The Grand Elder’s spiritual power was draining rapidly. The Threefold Spirit-Draining Formation drew solely upon his strength; as long as it remained active, he would be utterly exhausted.

“No, no, Young Master, this is all my fault—I beg you, please stop the formation…”

Li Jian-san merely smiled. “That won’t do. You brought these enemies here. Unless you can make them leave, the array stays.”

Hearing this, the Grand Elder dropped to his knees before the members of Azure Dragon Village, groveling, “Please, Master Xue, let’s withdraw for today, or I’ll be finished…”

The men of the Azure Dragon Village kicked him aside in disgust.

“Worthless wretch! You want us to give up after all our careful preparations? Who do you think you are!”

Their earlier courtesy had only been because the Grand Elder was useful; now, seeing he had lost all value, they regarded him as nothing. There was no way Azure Dragon Village would abandon their assault on Shengjing Sect for his sake.

At that moment, Xue Tianren stepped forward. He glanced at Li Jian-san and his party. “I did underestimate you before. But after all our planning, we are determined to seize Shengjing Sect today!”

He called out to his men, “Listen up! Their sect-protecting array won’t last much longer. Attack together!”

The assembled forces surged forward with an imposing momentum.

“Listen well, people of Shengjing Sect! If you surrender now, Azure Dragon Village will spare your lives!” Xue Tianren shouted.

Li Jian-san yawned and replied, “Do you really mean that?”

Delighted, Xue Tianren hastened to promise, “Of course! Surrender, and you’ll be spared. Young man, why not persuade your people—”

Before he could finish, Li Jian-san shouted, “Nonsense! You old scoundrel, do you take me for a three-year-old?”

Could anyone trust such bandit promises? They didn’t survive on their good looks, after all. They might say they’d spare you, but once you stepped out, they’d cut you down without a second thought.

Such tricks might fool others, but not Li Jian-san—not after living in an age of information explosions.

Xue Tianren’s brow twitched. Not only had Li Jian-san seen through his ruse, he’d mocked him as well. Rage boiled within him.

He roared, “Azure Dragon Village, attack together! Break their formation and raze Shengjing Sect to the ground!”

Boom! Boom! Boom!

With just a few words, Li Jian-san had provoked the fury of Azure Dragon Village. Now, all of them unleashed their mightiest attacks upon the sect-protecting formation.

In an instant, the formation blazed with dazzling light. Terrifying powers clashed against it, shaking the very space around Shengjing Sect.

It had to be admitted: the attacks from Azure Dragon Village were truly formidable. In just a short time, the formation began to tremble, on the verge of shattering at any moment.

The situation had become perilously dire.

Azure Dragon Village’s members grew excited; some were already preparing to storm the gates.

With utter disdain, Xue Tianren declared, “I already gave you a chance, but you wouldn’t listen. Now watch me lay this place to waste!”

He unleashed a surge of power. Thunder boomed throughout Shengjing Sect, making every heart within quail.

“Break!” he shouted.

And with that, the sect-protecting formation of Shengjing Sect shattered in a roaring cascade…