Chapter 186: Night Disturbance (Five More)_1
Master Qian appeared relaxed as he said with a faint smile, “It’s all the same things over and over again. It’s clear that he doesn’t know many formations. The level of this Formation Master is just so-so,”
Upon hearing this, Qian Hong also breathed a sigh of relief.
Master Qian then asked, “How about their power?”
“This time there doesn’t seem to be any first-grade ones, and the power of the formations is only about seven Formation Patterns.”
Master Qian nodded, “In such a short time, that Formation Master couldn’t have drawn that many first-grade formations, and can only make do with seven Formation Patterns.”
“If it’s seven Formation Patterns, the power is not great. A cultivator with an Earth Spirit Root at the Ninth Level of Qi Refining, wearing iron armor, can emerge unscathed.”
Master Qian shook his head, “It’s too reckless, there’s no need. It’s not possible to force our way through every time; it not only alerts the enemy but also wastes the iron armor.”
Qian Hong said, “Does the master have a method to counter this?”
“The method is simple.” Master Qian smiled, “I will take out some ordinary Formation Masters from the clan to go with you. They will be able to spot these Earth Fire Formations.”
Qian Hong was somewhat puzzled, “Only Formation Masters can spot them?”
“Exactly!” Master Qian replied with an elated expression, “The cycle of all things in heaven and earth leaves traces. Some things you can’t detect with insufficient Divine Sense or lack of deep research…”
“It’s the same with formations. The Formation Patterns have a faint flow of Spiritual Power, which ordinary cultivators cannot discern, but those of us who deal with Formation Patterns year-round, after drawing a Pattern hundreds or thousands of times, can naturally differentiate them.”
Qian Hong’s eyes lit up, “Then I’ll have to trouble Master Qian!”
But then he paused and still seemed a bit concerned as he added, “If Formation Masters from our clan go and encounter danger, the loss would outweigh the gain…”
After all, Formation Masters who focus on studying formations all year round tend to have weaker cultivation and strength. And since the Qian Family invests so much effort into training Formation Masters, if they were all to perish, it would indeed be a tremendous loss.
“Not to worry,” said Master Qian. “The Formation Masters will not put themselves in danger. They just need to look from a distance and locate the position of the Earth Fire Formation.”
Qian Hong replied, “I will dispatch more people to ensure their protection.”
Master Qian nodded, “That would be best.”
In the dead of the night, when the sky was pitch-black, a hazy crescent moon hung in the sky.
A few Formation Masters from the Qian Family followed Qian Shunzhi to the exterior of the City South Refining Artifact Store. They hid in the grass far away, released their Divine Sense from a distance, carefully discerning any anomalies in the surrounding Spiritual Power, and once they sensed the fire-series Formation Patterns, they found the location of the Earth Fire Formations.
The Formation Masters from the Qian Family referenced the City South map, marked the Earth Fire Formations, and then passed the map to Qian Shunzhi.
Qian Shunzhi’s injuries had not yet healed, but this mission was personally assigned by the Family Head. It was of great importance; if done well, it would be recognized as a major accomplishment and gain the notice of the Family Head.
This was an opportunity that comes once in a blue moon.
Qian Shunzhi carefully stored the map away and called over the Qian Family disciples and a group of ruffian cultivators to show them the locations of the Earth Fire Formations.
“Have you memorized it?”
The cultivators nodded.
Qian Shunzhi divided the cultivators into teams, each marked with a different route, then gestured with a wave, “Take action!”
Thus, a group of cultivators, under the cover of night, once again sneaked to the exterior of the Refining Artifact Store.
Qian Shunzhi whispered, “Follow the plan.”
His subordinates automatically split into several groups and, following their respective routes, stealthily moved closer to the Refining Artifact Store, while avoiding the Earth Fire Formations on the ground.
The Qian Family cultivators avoided most of the Earth Fire Formations, but a few were still triggered, sporadically exploding into flames in the night.
Some were due to Qian Family cultivators accidentally setting off the Earth Fire Formations; others were because the Formation Masters had been negligent in their observation and failed to notice some of the formations’ positions.
All this was within the calculations of Qian Shunzhi.
No matter how careful one is, nothing is foolproof.
So he divided the cultivators into several teams to attack simultaneously, which meant that even if they triggered the Earth Fire Formation and attracted the attention of the Monster Hunters, they could advance on multiple fronts, forcing the Monster Hunters to be overwhelmed and run ragged.
In the dimness of the night, it was hard to see, and chaos from not watching the front and back was only too common.
There was no way the Monster Hunters could know where their own people were attacking from.
As long as they took advantage of the confusion, destroyed more buildings, and damaged more formations, they would have accomplished a great deal.
Qian Shunzhi watched from a distance.
His leg had been injured by the explosion of the Earth Fire Formation, and he couldn’t run fast, which is why he didn’t personally lead the attack this time, and also why he feared being caught by Elder Yu again.
Although Elder Yu was a Foundation Building Cultivator, he had a shamelessly thick skin and was utterly unpredictable; he had no idea how Elder Yu might torment him if he were caught again.
In the previous few attempts, without any excuse, he had to go personally, but now he was injured and could conveniently watch the battle from the sidelines.
Things were progressing just as he had envisioned.
The Earth Fire Formation exploded, but only in a few isolated spots, posing little threat and instead drawing the Monster Hunters’ attention, allowing for a feint.
A few Qian Family cultivators had already infiltrated, and there were fluctuations of spiritual power—it was either combat or the destruction of buildings.
In the dark night, multicolored spiritual power lit up around the Refinery Shop.
But the chaos was short-lived. The situation soon stabilized, the noise abated, and the fluctuations of spiritual power also died down.
The infiltrating Qian Family cultivators never came back out.
The entire Refinery Shop, like a Monster Beast lurking in the night, opened its gaping maw and swallowed them whole.
Qian Shunzhi’s thoughts were in turmoil.
The night was murky, the situation chaotic, their feint should have been effective.
How did it quiet down so quickly?
Just then, Qian Shunzhi noticed a team of people had emerged and were running straight towards them.
It was dark, and Qian Shunzhi couldn’t make out who they were, but he had a feeling that they definitely were not his own people!
Quickly, Qian Shunzhi ordered, “Quick, retreat!”
After speaking, some Qian Family cultivators surrounded a few Formation Masters and began to hurriedly withdraw.
But it was already too late. A team of Monster Hunters quickly caught up with them.
At the forefront was a Monster Hunter with sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes, a towering figure, clean and efficient in movement—it was Mo Shan.
Mo Shan flickered in shape and appeared before Qian Shunzhi, throwing a punch that erupted with fierce fire, aimed straight at Qian Shunzhi’s face.
Qian Shunzhi crossed his arms to block the punch, but his forearms instantly seared with pain, and a cracking sound suggested he had likely broken another bone.
Taking advantage of the momentum, Mo Shan followed up with a kick that Qian Shunzhi could not stop, sending him flying to the ground, aching all over and without the strength to run anymore.
Mo Shan left Qian Shunzhi behind and charged toward the Qian Family Formation Masters.
The Qian Family’s guards engaged to intercept, each of them on the Ninth Level of Qi Refining, with robust cultivation. For a while, they held Mo Shan at bay.
Mo Shan did not entangle with them any longer than necessary, using his succinct and sharp movement technique to parry, waiting for the right moment to bypass the guards and reach a Qian Family Formation Master.
The Formation Master was unaware of what had happened; he only saw a figure suddenly come into view, then felt a pain in his neck, darkness enveloping his sight, as Mo Shan knocked him out with a chop of the hand.
Mo Shan knocked the Formation Master unconscious, grabbed him by the collar, and casually tossed him toward several other Monster Hunters.
The other Monster Hunters caught the Formation Master and brought out ropes, binding him as one would a pig.