Hunting

The Heavenly Capital Dragon-Slashing Formation. This was the bedrock and core of Nandu. With a Void Refining cultivator presiding over it, it could even trap and kill Void Shattering mighty figures who dared to clash against it head-on. This was especially true with an elite Void Refining expert like Yaoguang, who could refine and slaughter even the likes of Xietong... Should a Void Shattering expert of the Shadow Moon Sect venture deep inside, they would likely face mortal peril. This was also why, despite a Void Refining cultivator of the Shadow Moon Sect having been dead for a month and the Dao artifact auction having concluded without incident, the sect had made no move throughout. Even the Void Shattering experts within their sect feared that once trapped within the Heavenly Capital Dragon-Slashing Formation, they might enter never to return. "Heh, regarding this point, True Monarch Crimson Fiend can rest easy." Meeting True Monarch Crimson Fiend's focused scrutiny, Jing Zhengyang said with absolute confidence, "Our Jing family has lived in Nandu for so long, after all. Over the years, even though the formation has not been under our control, we know its operation and all of its crucial points like the back of our hand. Once activated, trying to breach or destroy it would be exceedingly difficult, but merely preventing it from activating smoothly is child's play." "Very well, then let us sign a cooperation agreement," True Monarch Crimson Fiend said. "A cooperation agreement won't be necessary." Jing Zhengyang waved his hand dismissively. He had no desire to leave compromising evidence in the hands of the Shadow Moon Sect. "No agreement? Then how are we to know whether you and Yaoguang aren't staging a grand spectacle together, attempting to lure our Shadow Moon Sect's Supreme Elders into a trap laid beforehand? What if your aim is to deal our Shadow Moon Sect a catastrophic blow, or even conquer another thirteen provinces for yourselves?" True Monarch Crimson Fiend said in dissatisfaction. "When dealing with demon cultivators like you who have no bottom line whatsoever, once I sign this agreement, you will undoubtedly pull it out in the future to blackmail me and make us dance to your tune. I am well aware of this." Jing Zhengyang spoke bluntly without the slightest courtesy. "Besides, you know full well that within our Heavenly Dao Sect, there has always been a tradition of the Sect Master suppressing the deputy sect master. It has only been eight hundred years since the cautionary tale of Sect Master Song. I believe that is more than enough to prove we are telling the truth." At this point, he paused briefly. "Moreover, cooperating with your Shadow Moon Sect is a massive risk in itself. If word leaks out, our Jing family will undoubtedly face dire consequences. Therefore, whether to take action in the end is entirely up to your Shadow Moon Sect." True Monarch Crimson Fiend did not take offense upon hearing this. Demon cultivators naturally stopped at nothing to achieve their goals. If one abandoned a plan just because of a few sharp words, one would hardly qualify as a proper demon cultivator. "At the very least, you must show us some tangible sign of your intent to act," True Monarch Crimson Fiend said. Jing Zhengyang pondered for a long while before speaking: "The Jing family has an Incandescent White Golden Core cultivator who is attempting to break through the limits to reach the Azure Blue Golden Core. A breakthrough at that level causes a fair amount of commotion. Once his breakthrough concludes, regardless of success or failure, we will interfere with the Heavenly Capital Dragon-Slashing Formation. How about using the conclusion of his breakthrough as the signal?" "Just that? What if someone else happens to break through during this time..." "Hmph, I refuse to believe your Void Shattering mighty figures will strike personally from the very start. Someone will inevitably test the waters first. When that happens, you can see the results for yourselves and determine whether your Void Shattering experts should take the field. Wouldn't that suffice?" Jing Zhengyang was somewhat displeased by his suspicion. "However, I must warn you: there is only one opportunity. If you are unwilling to strike, our Jing family will pull back our forces. And... if that Sect Master Yaoguang exerts all his might to target us, do not blame us for refusing to play along. We will simply withdraw from the Southern Domain and return to the Heavenly Dao Sect." "Very well! It shall be as you say—the conclusion of the breakthrough to the Azure Blue Golden Core will be the signal!" True Monarch Crimson Fiend pressed no further. After all, strictly speaking, it was the Shadow Moon Sect that had approached the Heavenly Dao Sect for help in this cooperation. With the discussion concluded, the Void Refining demon cultivator departed swiftly. *** Only after he had left did Yaoguang put away his shadow-recording stone. Now he possessed evidence sufficient to uproot all of the Jing family's influence in the Southern Domain. However, it was not yet the right time to move against them. He had to wait until those demon cultivators charged into Nandu and the evidence became irrefutable before taking advantage of the situation to strike. Otherwise, relying on the prestige of Supreme Elder Jing Yuntian behind the Jing family, as well as Sect Master Zong Wenxian, who would undoubtedly play favorites, they might very well help the Jing family slip through the cracks. They might even claim it had all been a stratagem on their part, simply waiting for the demon cultivators to attack so they could mobilize their forces and wipe them out in one fell swoop. "Still... a hidden hand in the formation?" Yaoguang frowned. As a thirteenth-rank formation, the Heavenly Capital Dragon-Slashing Formation could trap and kill even Void Shattering experts, essentially representing the utmost pinnacle that conventional formations could reach. As for fourteenth-rank formation masters above that... They were even fewer in number than Artifact Saints. After all, advancing as a formation master was even harder than as an artifact refiner. The grand formations of the four capitals—East, South, West, and North—including the fourteenth-rank grand formation at the Heavenly Dao Sect's headquarters, had actually been laid down personally by Dao Lords. None of those Dao Lords had originally been considered top formation masters. It was merely that after their realms advanced, they used their higher-dimensional perspective to achieve downward compatibility, allowing them to effortlessly arrange thirteenth- and fourteenth-rank formations. It was also because none of them were truly top formation masters that the highest-level formation in the Heavenly Dao Sect was only rank fourteen, lacking a fifteenth-rank formation like the one at the Tianhai Sword Pavilion, which could significantly amplify the combat power of even a Dao Lord. 'My current strength means I have no fear of ordinary Void Shattering experts from the Shadow Moon Sect even without the formation's aid. But that only applies to ordinary Void Shattering cultivators. Who can guarantee that figures standing at the pinnacle of Void Shattering, such as the Sect Master or the Chief Supreme Elder of the Shadow Moon Sect, will not take the field? Who can guarantee they will only send a single Void Shattering expert? If two, three, or even four or five join forces, I...' His thoughts paused. 'I might not fail to preserve my life and retreat unscathed, but the foundation of Nandu would be reduced to ash. In particular, the Nine Cauldrons Sect and the others who followed me here... would likely suffer calamity and fail to survive.' Therefore... He still had to find a way to figure out where the Jing family had laid their hidden trap within the Heavenly Capital Dragon-Slashing Formation. At present, he could no longer afford to linger eavesdropping at the Jing family's estate. With a flicker of his figure, he departed Carefree Valley and headed straight for Nandu. Yet just as he arrived at Nandu, a messaging jade talisman on his person vibrated faintly. Sweeping it with his divine sense, Moxie's message promptly transmitted from within: "Sect Master, I have made a discovery. Over the years, in order to track the movements of the Shadow Moon Sect's demon cultivators in a timely manner, I established special observation posts in numerous hidden locations throughout the provinces bordering their territory. Over several centuries, this vast system grew into an immense surveillance network. Although it isn't particularly sophisticated, its sheer scale makes up for it. A blind cat is bound to stumble upon a dead rat eventually... And this time, I happened to detect a Void Refining demon cultivator from the Shadow Moon Sect infiltrating the borders of our Southern Domain." "A Void Refining demon cultivator?" Yaoguang was somewhat surprised. Could he be referring to True Monarch Crimson Fiend? He had already discerned that this True Monarch cultivated the Formless Great Dao. Formless, shadowless, colorless, and signless. It was a Great Dao extraordinarily suited for shapeshifting and infiltration. While it was not particularly geared toward direct, frontal combat, it left other Great Daos far behind when it came to concealment, infiltration, and disguise. Had Yaoguang's true spirit radiance not progressed further after advancing his [Immortal Dao: Void Shattering] progress, and had he not been lying in wait right outside the Jing family's doorstep, even he might not have sensed that Void Refining demon cultivator immediately. Yet Moxie... a mere Void Piercing cultivator, had actually managed to detect an expert of that caliber?! Had a blind cat truly stumbled upon a dead rat? Or had he detected a completely different Void Refining demon cultivator? "Such brazen audacity, treating the defenses of my Southern Domain as if they were nonexistent," Yaoguang said in a measured, official tone before asking, "Where are you right now? What is the current location of that Void Refining demon cultivator?" "I am currently in Wuzhou, conducting a thorough check across all observation posts. The posts recorded traces of that demon cultivator. Based on these traces, we will soon be able to determine his destination. Please grant me a little time, Sect Master," Moxie replied at once. Yaoguang pondered briefly, then said, "Focus your search on the observation posts in Xuanzhou. If that Void Refining demon cultivator intends to leave, he should depart from that direction." Moxie was startled. "Sect Master, you... have also noticed clues?" Yaoguang did not explain, merely commanding, "Go. I will follow shortly." "Yes." Having received his orders, Moxie dared not ask further and hurried off to comply. 'A Void Refining demon cultivator!' Yaoguang considered the matter briefly. 'Although there is a risk of alerting the enemy, now that you've come, how could I let you leave so easily? Furthermore, if the Jing family interferes and prevents the Heavenly Capital Dragon-Slashing Formation from opening immediately, I might not be able to control the situation against the Shadow Moon Sect's Void Shattering Supreme Elders. I might as well slay this demon cultivator to intimidate the Shadow Moon Sect, making them think twice before acting rashly.' The Shadow Moon Sect had just agreed to cooperate with the Jing family, only for a Void Refining expert to end up dead right after. Before determining whether that Void Refining cultivator had been deliberately lured to his death by the Heavenly Dao Sect under the guise of cooperation, the Shadow Moon Sect would not dare act rashly. Still less would they dare cooperate lightly with the Jing family again. This would buy him a considerable breathing spell. 'That amount of time will be enough for me to thoroughly master Dao arts like Supreme Human Sovereign and Torrent of Time. By then... it would be best if my Void Refining progress increases as well. Even without the formation's boost, fighting one against two and holding out against one or two Void Shattering experts should be manageable until the formation is repaired and activated.' With that, Yaoguang prepared to set out and pursue that Void Refining demon cultivator. Just at that moment, however, Tang Fenghua brought word: "City Lord, True Monarch Wu requests an audience, saying he has important news to report to you." True Monarch Wu? Wu Changfeng? "I need to leave for a period. Have him return in a few days," Yaoguang said. "Yes," Tang Fenghua replied. Yet at that very moment, Wu Changfeng's divine sense transmitted across, laden with apology: "Please forgive the intrusion, Sect Master Yaoguang. It is truly presumptuous of me, but this matter is of utmost importance, forcing me to communicate with you in this manner." "Oh? How important?" A trace of displeasure rippled through Yaoguang's divine sense. "It concerns the normal operation of the Heavenly Capital Dragon-Slashing Formation," Wu Changfeng said in a deep voice. The moment those words were spoken, Yaoguang's departing figure came to an abrupt halt.