Once all the Star Element Stones were drawn into alignment by the incantation seals, forming the rudimentary shape of a starlight-glittering spirit formation in midair, the Red-Haired Ancestor chuckled and looked toward Daoist Zhenyi. "Old bull-nose, time to take out the spiritual materials for the formation."
Daoist Zhenyi kept a cold, silent face as he flicked his sleeve and tossed out a mustard seed bag. The pouch opened in midair, and an assortment of spiritual materials immediately poured forth like flowing water.
These spiritual items left Qin Sang and the others marveling at the eye-opening spectacle.
Every single one was a rare treasure in the cultivation world. Far from having seen them before, Qin Sang had not even heard of nearly half of them.
The Lesser Beichen Star Element Formation was like a gold-devouring behemoth, requiring so many precious spiritual materials!
Once these spiritual materials appeared, Daoist Zhenyi and the other three continued maintaining the rudimentary formation, leaving it to the other Nascent Soul cultivators to take action.
Surges of matchlessly domineering true essence swept up the spiritual items, refining them one after another.
In that moment, the Lesser Beichen Star Element Formation underwent dazzling, kaleidoscopic shifts. Qin Sang widened his eyes, hoping to glean some insight, but after watching for only a short while, he felt dizzy, his head throbbing and his spirit drained, leaving him no choice but to give up.
Instead, he resolved to etch the scene deep in his memory, intending to ponder and comprehend it slowly in the future.
With so many Nascent Soul experts joining forces, the formation took shape with astonishing speed.
A quarter of an hour later, the final spiritual material was embedded into the grand formation, and the rudimentary spirit formation actually vanished. The space it occupied plunged into absolute darkness, like a black hole opening beneath the storm cyclone.
Suddenly, a single speck of starlight ignited within the black hole.
Immediately after, star after star was lit in rapid succession.
In the blink of an eye, thousands upon thousands of stars glittered brilliantly within that modest dark expanse, shining with dazzling radiance like a starry sky shrunken countless times over.
Just like the night sky, stars flickered and faded, galaxies flowed, and shooting stars streaked across—everything seemed vivid and real.
At the center of this starry expanse shone an exceptionally brilliant star, while all the other stars seemed merely to be its companions.
This star was the formation core of the Lesser Beichen Star Element Formation, named Beichen!
Moreover, this star burned brighter and brighter.
*Boom!*
A sudden anomaly occurred.
A dazzling pillar of light plunged from the heavens, effortlessly piercing the storm cyclone and striking dead center onto the Beichen Star within the formation.
Within that pillar of light lay an extraordinarily bizarre power of the same origin as the Star Element Stones—the Lesser Beichen Star Element Formation could actually draw upon the power of the celestial stars!
Qin Sang was completely unfamiliar with this power, though he had heard that certain cultivation methods in the world drew upon the power of the celestial stars to cultivate. However, absolutely no one would dare invite so much astral power into their body.
Even a mighty Nascent Soul expert would meet no end other than bursting into pieces!
Infused with the power of the celestial stars, not only the Beichen Star but the entire Lesser Beichen Star Element Formation began to stir restlessly.
Just then, the nearby four-colored cloud suddenly dissipated.
Treasures like palaces and warships were recalled by their masters.
The crowd was abruptly exposed beneath the storm cyclone, directly facing the terrifying pressure.
Just as Qin Sang and the others were gripped by shock and confusion, Dongyang Bo's voice sounded in their ears: "You five, stay close to Miss Chenyan and activate the Beast Seal Formation. When we charge through the immortal formation, you need only pour all your effort into maintaining the Beast Seal Formation—leave everything else alone. Remember, no matter what happens, do not panic, and under no circumstances must you expose the aura of the ferocious souls within the beast seals!"
Qin Sang felt slightly reassured. He glanced at Chenyan not far away; she stood impassively beside Dongyang Bo, her peerless countenance hidden from everyone beneath her cloak.
Qin Sang, Qiu Mubai, and the others flew together behind Chenyan and followed orders, secretly activating their beast seals.
Feng Ming, Tie Guanzi, and the others also followed close behind, relying on Dongyang Bo's protection.
They had long since practiced the various formations of the Five Elements Beast Seals until they were thoroughly proficient.
This was a purely defensive formation among them. Connected by the beast seals, the five of them became like a single entity, able to use the power of the beast seals to withstand impacts far beyond their cultivation, though incapable of counterattacking.
Seeing that five Foundation Establishment cultivators had uncharacteristically appeared under Dongyang Bo's banner, the other Nascent Soul experts couldn't help glancing over a few times, though none meddled in another's affairs.
Even if they were completely wiped out, it was Dongyang Bo's disciples who would die, and the others would only applaud the misfortune.
Qin Sang, however, was not at all worried about his life.
With the Beast Seal Formation protecting them and Chenyan secretly watching over them, nothing untoward would happen to the five of them.
This formation was the simplest kind, allowing Qin Sang to observe his surroundings while maintaining the beast seal.
As the Lesser Beichen Star Element Formation received an endless stream of celestial star power, its momentum grew ever more grandiose, and that Beichen Star looked almost like a real celestial body.
Including Dongyang Bo, the Nascent Soul cultivators encircled the Lesser Beichen Star Element Formation, summoning their respective magic treasures to protect their sect members.
The Lesser Cold Domain and the Heaven-Traversing Alliance remained distinctly divided, each following behind the strongest figures of their respective factions.
That Demon King Yu seemed not yet recovered from his depletion and stood alone; the demon beasts under his command possessed no Ziwei Secret Talismans, yet they too were permitted to enter the Lesser Beichen Star Element Formation.
These were Nascent Soul grandmasters, after all; every single magic treasure was extraordinarily enigmatic and immensely powerful. The lowest-grade among them was at least a mid-grade magic treasure, and high-grade magic treasures were not in short supply!
However, no top-grade magic treasures made an appearance—it was unclear whether these Nascent Soul cultivators were simply holding back.
Just as Qin Sang was engrossed in admiring these magic treasures displaying their divine might, his gaze inadvertently swept over a certain Nascent Soul cultivator. Suddenly, his eyes narrowed, and his expression shifted slightly.
That cultivator's magic treasure was actually the black tortoise shell he had seen in Boundless Valley!
There was no mistaking it!
Qin Sang could not resist taking a closer look. This black tortoise shell was exceedingly peculiar; there could never be a second one identical to it.
Presumably due to a lack of time, or perhaps because it was unnecessary, the man maneuvered the black tortoise shell above his head, only manifesting nine shells to shield several of his disciples inside, rather than the grand array of eighty-one black tortoise shells he had deployed when confronting the thunder-devouring falcon.
What truly shocked Qin Sang was the man's identity: he was the yellow-robed Daoist who had initially helped the Red-Haired Ancestor and the others set up the formation—he belonged to the Heaven-Traversing Alliance!
*Hiss...*
A deep sense of unease suddenly surged in Qin Sang's heart.
He had originally guessed that the one wielding the black tortoise shell might be a demonic sect Nascent Soul cultivator, never expecting that he actually hailed from the Heaven-Traversing Alliance.
What was his relationship with the Wuji Sect Master?
As Yunyouzi had said, in this world, Nascent Soul cultivators virtually represented the pinnacle of martial might; they could act as they pleased without overstepping bounds, so having friendly ties with cultivators from an opposing camp was hardly surprising.
Yet Qin Sang still felt that something was amiss.
Back then, the two of them had entered Boundless Valley together, both cloaked in black robes, acting secretive as if intentionally concealing their true identities.
The first time Qin Sang had encountered them was shortly after entering the inner valley of Boundless Valley.
Neither of them had used magic treasures or special spells; had they not been cornered by the glowing mist released by a restriction, leaving them in disarray and unable to escape, that man would never have summoned the black tortoise shell to counterattack.
And only he had acted.
The second time was during the battle against the thunder-devouring falcon. That place was sealed off by endless Mystic Frost Baleful Winds and already lay in the deepest depths of Boundless Valley, an area even Nascent Soul experts could scarcely reach, as well as the nest of the thunder-devouring falcon.
Chapter 562