Chapter 897: The One Who Breaks the Formation Is the Ant
The cliffside gradually quieted, and everyone turned to look at Bie Yanghong, wondering if he would accept Chen Changsheng’s terms.
Logically speaking, Bie Yanghong had no reason to refuse, as it held no disadvantage for him.
Bie Yanghong looked at Chen Changsheng calmly and said, “Are you so certain I won’t kill you on the spot?”
Chen Changsheng replied evenly, “If you, Senior, do not wish the true culprit to escape, then naturally you will not kill me.”
Wuqiong Bi snapped harshly, “Stop your tricks! I won’t believe a word from you, you treacherous fiend! If you dare step out from behind the sword formation, I’ll crush you to death!”
Chen Changsheng ignored her, simply gazing at Bie Yanghong, waiting for his answer.
Bie Yanghong was silent for a long time, as if somewhat tempted.
The cliffside was very quiet. No one had expected Chen Changsheng to use such a method to break this seemingly unsolvable deadlock.
The method he employed appeared simple, but in truth, it demanded unimaginable honesty and fearlessness—only those with great wisdom and courage could wield it.
But some would not allow this to happen.
For instance, the instigator of this conspiracy, or its participants.
Prince Xiang stood on a distant cliff edge, hands clasped behind his back, watching the scene before the platform. A flicker of wariness appeared in his eyes as he took a light step forward.
To many, this was an insignificant little step—perhaps the prince was merely eager to see Bie Yanghong’s answer.
But to certain people, this small step was a clear signal, meaning the current situation had to take a great leap forward.
With a whistling sound, mountain wind rose from beneath the cliff, breaking through the formation, shaking the green trees and stirring up a faint haze of dust.
The White Tiger Divine General lifted his right foot and stepped forward. His boot fell heavily to the ground, shattering the surface of the bluestone and spawning a web of cracks.
He broke through the dust and arrived at the center of the field, hundreds of zhang away.
This step was truly immense.
His pupils were as dark as an abyss, a cold and violent aura enveloping him. He raised his iron spear and thrust it toward the Nanxi Zhai sword formation.
As the current second-ranked divine general, though he had not yet reached the level of Xue Xingchuan in his prime, he was already terrifying enough.
A straight channel appeared in the air where the iron spear pointed, countless white torrents spinning at high speed within it, roaring toward the Nanxi Zhai disciples before the platform.
Facing this true peak Star Condensation powerhouse and this explosively unmatched spear intent, the Nanxi Zhai disciples were slightly flustered as they adjusted their positions.
Not because the White Tiger Divine General was stronger than Wuqiong Bi, but because his attack was more sudden, and everyone knew that his strike represented the will of the imperial court. This spear pierced the sword formation, but did it not also strike at the hearts of the Nanxi Zhai disciples?
Bie Yanghong still paid no heed, merely staring quietly into Chen Changsheng’s eyes, as if trying to see through his sea of consciousness.
Prince Xiang, hands supporting his somewhat bloated waist, suddenly showed a fierce glint in his eyes and shouted sternly, “Sir, please think twice!”
No one knew what he wanted Bie Yanghong to reconsider—whether to refrain from killing Chen Changsheng, or to reject Chen Changsheng’s proposal.
But everyone on the cliffside heard his voice, for it was immensely loud, like the tolling of a bell.
Especially those near the high platform. Some of the weaker Lishan Sword Sect disciples and Huaiyuan Academy scholars turned pale, their hearts churning with nausea. The Nanxi Zhai disciples within the sword formation felt as if five thunderclaps had exploded beside their ears, their Dao hearts slightly shaken, and even the hands gripping their swords trembled.
Burning Sun Art! Great Sound Arrives!
The White Tiger Divine General’s spear intent bore down violently, and Prince Xiang pressed with the imperial clan’s secret technique. The Nanxi Zhai sword formation felt an incredibly terrifying pressure.
But if it were only this, the Nanxi Zhai disciples could still hold on, still keep Chen Changsheng tightly protected behind them. Because the White Tiger Divine General and Prince Xiang had not truly struck; they were only attacking from a distance with spear intent and the Burning Sun Art, which was not enough to break this renowned sword formation.
Yet the Nanxi Zhai disciples did not expect, nor did Chen Changsheng, that in that very moment when the sword formation steadied again, two things happened.
Prince Xiang’s Burning Sun Great Sound suddenly vanished, even its lingering echoes gone to nowhere. He simply smiled without speaking, as if he had never opened his mouth before.
The White Tiger Divine General’s spear intent also abruptly disappeared, and the iron spear fell back to the ground, as if he had never struck.
At that moment, the Nanxi Zhai sword formation was shifting to the Zhen Star configuration, its sword momentum rising fiercely, ready to counterattack, when it suddenly found its opponents gone, causing a slight stagnation in its movement.
And in that instant, a figure like a wisp of smoke slipped in from behind the sword formation!
That person was Huaibi!
The strongest and most defensively impregnable cities in the world are often breached from within.
No one had expected that this highest-generation grandmaster of Nanxi Zhai would join forces with outsiders to try and break her own sect’s sword formation.
Even the two Daoist nuns Huairen and Huaishu looked somewhat bewildered, wondering if their junior sister was unwilling to see her disciples fight for the Li Palace and had thus resorted to such a low move?
If an enemy could break the sword formation simply by forcing their way in, then the Nanxi Zhai sword formation would not enjoy such a great reputation in the world.
If someone tried to enter the sword formation to break it from the inside, they would instead encounter its deadliest killing move. Just like now, Huaibi had infiltrated the formation with the help of Prince Xiang and the White Tiger Divine General. Once the sword formation activated, the chilling sword aura covering the cliffside would shred her in just a few exchanges.
But the disciples within the formation included Huaibi’s junior sisters, her direct disciples, and even more of her grand-disciples. How could they bring themselves to kill her? The disciples showed panic on their faces, utterly unsure how to respond. If they struck with full force, wouldn’t they be killing their grandmaster or grandmaster’s senior?
The Nanxi Zhai disciples were at a loss, but Huaibi showed no restraint. Her hands moved like lightning, her fingers falling like mountains. In just a few breaths, she wounded several disciples and snatched the swords from over a dozen others, turning them into streaks of light and tossing them off the cliff.
Without swords in hand, how could they form a sword formation?
The world-renowned Nanxi Zhai sword formation was thus thrown into chaos, a massive gap opening in its center.
Wuqiong Bi, standing in the middle of the cliffside, once again saw Chen Changsheng behind the sword formation. Hatred surged anew, and rage burned within her. How could she let such a good opportunity slip? She paid no heed to Chen Changsheng’s earlier words, flew through the air, and her horsetail whisk swept forth a wave of desolate, terrifying cold, slapping toward Chen Changsheng.
“You dog thief, give me your life!”
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How does one directly withstand a full-force strike from a Sacred Domain powerhouse?
There is no answer to this question.
Whether it was Wang Po at Xunyang City or on that snowy night at Snow Ridge, when he faced Sacred Domain powerhouses as a mortal, he seemed able to hold out for a while. But that was due to other reasons—Zhu Luo had not truly struck with full force against Wang Po, and the Demon Lord was already severely wounded, not even a tenth of his prime power.
Today was different. Wuqiong Bi was not injured. To avenge her son, her battle intent was at its peak. One could even say this was the strongest strike of her life.
Chen Changsheng still had countless hidden tricks, countless supreme treasures, and countless allies.
But at this moment, none of them were of any use.