Standoff

Both looked gravely wounded, but their lives were in no danger. The Luandao Waters were filled with deserted islands overgrown with wild grass and moss, some even covered in thick piles of bird droppings. Yet these esteemed Core Formation cultivators paid none of that any mind. Picking any flat spot at random, they immediately raced against time to regulate their breathing and heal their injuries. Not long after the Core Formation masters appeared, bursts of rumbling echoed from outside the sea of mist, as though someone were attacking the True Water Thousand Illusions Formation from without. Muffled by the barrier of mist, the rumbles sounded dull, yet their momentum was astonishing and relentless. The sea of mist began to tremble. From within the formation, Qin Sang and the others could faintly see clusters of multicolored light flare up deep in the mist. These clusters of light signified formidable incantations and magic tools. For now, they remained dim, unable to pierce the sea of mist, yet the dense constellation of light still put immense pressure on the Lesser Cold Domain's side. There was no telling how many cultivators the Heaven-Traversing Alliance had brought. Clusters of light flashed and faded one after another, like a never-ending display of blooming fireworks. Every rumble seemed to reverberate deep in everyone's chest. Whispers rippled through the crowd as anxious gazes turned toward the sea of mist, uneasy expressions appearing on many faces. If the formation fell, close-quarters combat would follow. Even if they were not slaughtered outright by enemy Core Formation masters, being caught in the crossfire of their battles would be devastating. All could only hope the True Water Thousand Illusions Formation was powerful enough to hold off the Heaven-Traversing Alliance's assault. Fortunately, though the sea of mist churned incessantly, it remained steadfast. As time wore on, the Heaven-Traversing Alliance cultivators seemed to realize that continuing like this was futile, and their attacks grew methodical, no longer scattered as before. The clusters of light converged, blazing like a scorching sun as they advanced and struck in unison. With every blow, the sea of mist shook several times more violently than before, even showing faint signs of coming apart, deepening the dread in everyone's hearts. Faced with the Heaven-Traversing Alliance's concerted barrage, the Core Formation cultivator surnamed Di and the others controlling the formation were pushed to their limits. Seeing this, Snake Granny awakened several less severely wounded Core Formation cultivators to assist Di in maintaining the True Water Thousand Illusions Formation. She then personally directed the Foundation Establishment disciples, guiding them to channel their spiritual power into the discs to do their part. With these fresh reinforcements joining in, the sea of mist gradually stabilized, and the two sides sank into a stalemate. Unable to breach the formation, the Heaven-Traversing Alliance attacked less and less frequently. Hail fell from the sky amidst whistling, chilly winds. Qin Sang sat cross-legged on a reef, soaked in sweat, with little spiritual power left in his sea of qi. Seeing the Heaven-Traversing Alliance's offensive halted, however, he knew it had all been worth it. The hail turned into a fine drizzle. The water's frozen surface melted away in the blink of an eye. Such a wondrous spectacle drew murmurs of awe. Silence had hung beyond the sea of mist for a long while, leaving everyone wondering what the Heaven-Traversing Alliance cultivators were doing. Had they given up? Or were they searching for another way to break the formation? "Old hag!" a roar suddenly boomed from beyond the mist. "Hiding inside your formation and refusing to come out—do you plan on being a cowardly turtle forever? If you've got the guts, come out and fight!" Qin Sang glanced secretly at Snake Granny and saw she was assisting Master Di in refining the True Water Thousand Illusions Formation, her head lowered, completely ignoring the provocation. Receiving no response after repeated jeers, the Heaven-Traversing Alliance's words grew increasingly venomous. "Why isn't the old hag talking?" "Scared out of her wits, no doubt!" "Or are you too busy dual cultivating with that serpent demon lover of yours? Eh? Hahaha..." "I could tell long ago! The old hag and that snake monster were making eyes at each other—their relationship is definitely something else. I just wonder how exactly they dual cultivate when the snake monster's lower half hasn't even taken human form!" "Dual cultivating with one's own spirit beast—this young master has truly never heard of such a thing! No wonder everyone calls those from the Lesser Cold Domain northern barbarians. Only uncivilized savages could do something like that!" ... Vile insults mingled with uproarious laughter as the Heaven-Traversing Alliance cultivators hurled every humiliation they could muster. The Lesser Cold Domain cultivators were infuriated, and several began shouting back curses of their own. Separated by the sea of mist, the two sides resembled rustic villagers bickering at the village entrance, though their vocabulary was hardly richer than that of mortals. Even in the cultivation world, such a scene was a rare curiosity. Snake Granny's expression remained unchanged, as though she were not the one being insulted. The serpent-bodied man beside her, however, could bear it no longer. His serpent tail lashed against the ground in rapid fury, and his crimson tongue flicked agitatedly, emitting sharp hisses. A pair of cold pupils glared fixedly beyond the sea of mist, and an intensely chilling aura thick with palpable rage unfurled from him, sweeping outward. Unable to endure such crushing pressure, the nearby Foundation Establishment cultivators scrambled to back away. Snake Granny reached out to stroke the top of the serpent-bodied man's head and whispered something in his ear, surprisingly soothing his wrath. *Whoosh!* A cyan glow flared around the serpent-bodied man. When it faded, he had shrunk into a finger-thick green snake that darted like lightning to Snake Granny's wrist, settling into a serpent bracelet. Cursing continued outside, followed by renewed attacks against the formation. With the help of Snake Granny and the others, Master Di held on for a while longer before finally opening his eyes. Wiping the sweat from his face, he breathed a sigh of relief. "The formation is complete!" To the naked eye, nothing seemed different about the formation, but when the Heaven-Traversing Alliance attacked, the sea of mist held noticeably steadier than before, and the expressions of those controlling the array relaxed considerably. Sensing the shift in the True Water Thousand Illusions Formation, the Heaven-Traversing Alliance cultivators realized that the Lesser Cold Domain had stabilized its footing. Knowing nothing more could be achieved, they began to consider retreating. "Old hag, let's see how long you can play the turtle! Don't you dare come out to search for Heaven-Pointing Peak!" The curses faded into the distance; the Heaven-Traversing Alliance cultivators seemed to have finally withdrawn. The farcical spectacle appeared to have settled down. Vice Island Master Xiao sighed softly. "What a pity. Who would have thought it was true—Heaven-Pointing Peak's manifestation site this time is right nearby! Had I known earlier, I would have brought along several more Core Formation Daoists to search... Even without concrete information, the villains of the Heaven-Traversing Alliance can easily guess it. They definitely won't let this rest and will likely deploy troops here in force." Fang and Shentu, who had been healing all along, said in frail voices, "It is our fault for being indiscreet and drawing the Heaven-Traversing Alliance's attention. We ask the two Island Masters for our punishment." Snake Granny shook her head. "You are not to blame. Heaven-Pointing Peak concerns the struggle over Ziwei Palace, a matter of paramount importance and the Heaven-Traversing Alliance's only chance. Even if Brother Xiao and I had come in person, we could hardly have evaded their eyes and ears. Though we know Heaven-Pointing Peak has drifted into the waters ahead, pinpointing its exact location in short order is impossible. Its restrictions are concealed and far from easy to uncover; who will emerge victorious remains to be seen." Pausing briefly, Snake Granny continued: "Now that Heaven-Pointing Peak has manifested, until it is found, this place will become the battleground where our Lesser Cold Domain and the Heaven-Traversing Alliance stand off. Fierce fighting will be inevitable. "We might as well use the True Water Thousand Illusions Formation as a foundation to rebuild Stargazing Island right here. "The situation is pressing. I shall send word to the various sects at once to summon disciples to reinforce us. "Brother Di, I must also trouble you to send word back to your esteemed sect, asking for several Daoists to come and reinforce the True Water Thousand Illusions Formation. Any spiritual items required may be drawn directly from Stargazing Island."