407(bad)(1) - Senior Sister Is on Top

"Sister?" Tang Muxi caught a glimpse of a flash of light shooting towards her. Her senior sister suddenly froze, realizing there wasn't enough time to counterattack. She quickly pulled her sister aside to dodge. After successfully evading the attack, she immediately tried to regain her sister's attention, "Sister, what's wrong? This place is dangerous; we cannot afford to be careless." After saying this, she prepared to re-enter the endless battle, but before she could move, her wrist was firmly grasped. "No! Junior sister, we've fallen into a trap. If we continue like this, we'll be trapped in this formation forever, or worse, perish! Order all soldiers to cease their attacks immediately and use the Bagua Formation to protect them all!" Tang Muxi was stunned. She didn't understand why her sister was saying this, but she knew her wise sister would never joke about their lives. "Sister, what have you discovered?" Jiang Yin's eyes were sharp, staring intently at the ever-emerging illusions of enemy cultivators in the phantom formation. "I initially thought these illusions consumed the formation's power, continuously emerging to wear us down until Yun Yuchen would release his killing move to annihilate us. This vicious plan, however, is not unbreakable. You have the Jishi Lamp, which can restore our soldiers' strength and relieve fatigue. If we find the weak point of the formation or hold out until it collapses, we can win." Tang Muxi nodded at her words, "Indeed, I thought the same. The divine artifact is our greatest advantage; no matter how hard Yun Yuchen tries, he can't compensate for the gap in strength." Jiang Yin shook her head, "Junior sister, look closely. We've been trapped in this illusionary formation for half a day. Is there any sign of its power waning?" This time, Tang Muxi was speechless. Her silence proved that they both understood the truth. Seeing her not respond, Jiang Yin continued, "Not only is the power not weakening, but it's also growing stronger. Initially, the illusions Yun Yuchen summoned would dissipate with a single touch, merely annoying like mosquitoes due to their sheer numbers. But now, their internal power has grown, and they can withstand two or three attacks. Tens of thousands of illusions continuously appearing and disappearing—such a vast power, even spirit veins couldn't sustain for long. To support this, they must be drawing power from somewhere else, something tireless and constantly renewable!" Tang Muxi was shocked, "Sister, you mean this formation produces enemies to lure us into attacking, actually absorbing our power to strengthen itself?!" This idea was too bold and absurd, but once the suspicion arose, it was impossible to ignore. Yes, aside from the Jishi Lamp that could heal all ailments and restore strength, nothing else could sustain such enormous consumption. A divine artifact, a prodigy, reduced to mere sustenance for others' greed! Before her sister could respond, Tang Muxi had already reacted completely. She invoked the Bagua Formation, creating a massive isolating barrier around them. "All soldiers, hear my command! Stop attacking immediately and retreat into the formation to avoid chaos!" The order was sudden, but the divine artifact's radiance was undeniable, and the god-emperor's will was not to be defied. Though many had not yet seen through the formation's mystery, they dared not disobey. Within moments, everyone had stopped attacking and entered the Bagua Formation. "Why did we stop?" Wen Dai hurried to find Tang Muxi as soon as she entered. She had been trying to find a way to break the formation and had just discovered a weak spot when she heard the god-emperor's order and had to return. "This formation is luring us to attack, absorbing our power to strengthen itself." Tang Muxi explained her sister's suspicion in detail. After hearing this, Wen Dai and the others fell silent. They had vaguely sensed something was wrong before, but the endless illusions had confused them. Now, Tang Muxi's revelation made them realize the truth. "So it's like this. Since it's painstakingly trying to absorb power, let's see if it dares to absorb the true flames of Qingluan!" Wen Dai sneered and transformed into a hundred-foot-tall blue bird engulfed in flames, ready to charge towards the edge of the illusion. But before she could act, Jiang Yin stopped her. "Wait, Your Highness! This formation has already absorbed a lot of power unnoticed and is now very strong. One person alone cannot break it. If you fail, it will only steal more of your power, worsening the situation for everyone!" Her advice was effective. Even Wen Dai, confident in her strength, had to pause. She flapped her wings, turning back with a blazing aura like a blue sun, "Miss Jiang, do you have a plan?" Jiang Yin nodded, "Of course." Then, she turned to Tang Muxi, "Junior sister, we might need you to use some of your immortal stones this time. Don't worry, when we get back, I'll compensate you with this month's harvest from the new island." * Since sealing the god-emperor and others in the Myriad Formation, Yun Yuchen had been watching the formation closely. Not just him, but also the remaining officials and generals of the Eastern Region, all wary of the god-emperor and demon king breaking the formation. But this fear had gradually turned into ridicule and delight over time. "The so-called god-emperor, so what if he holds a divine artifact? He's still trapped and helpless!" said Xu Lan, who had lost a city a few days earlier and harbored deep resentment against the god-emperor Feng Kai and his people. Seeing them trapped in the Myriad Formation brought him immense satisfaction. "Don't be complacent. A cornered beast is dangerous," another person warned, though he looked confident and unguarded. Their confidence wasn't unfounded. The Myriad Formation had absorbed power for half a day, its strength now incomparable to before. Even with the god-emperor's divine artifact, they risked becoming mere nourishment. With such power, they were ready to crush the Western Region. The war would soon conclude with the Eastern Region's victory.