Chapter 136: Secrets of the Formation
When Chen Yin opened his eyes, he was surrounded by a pure, infinite white.
The sky was white, the ground was white, everything was white.
He brushed the snow off his clothes and turned to see Qingying and Nan Xiaoxiang lying unconscious in the snow.
“Hey, are you alright?”
He helped them up. Qingying was the first to wake up, her eyes filled with confusion for a moment before regaining their usual coldness and clarity.
“Where are we? Did we get caught in some kind of formation?”
“It seems so.” Chen Yin looked around. “The Nether Spirit Wind must have brought us to some corner of the Azure Cicada Ancient Domain, and that man accidentally triggered a formation.”
“What about that man? Is he here too?”
“I don’t know.” Chen Yin said honestly.
He was most likely also trapped somewhere within the formation. Chen Yin kept his sword in hand, his senses alert.
But he didn’t see Ye Huang anywhere. They probably hadn’t been transported to the same place.
He then helped Nan Xiaoxiang up. She winced in pain, biting her lip.
“This place…”
“I’ve never been in this formation before, but just stay close to us.” Chen Yin said softly.
Nan Xiaoxiang didn’t say anything more and stood up, despite the pain in her ankle.
They were in a vast, snow-covered plain, an endless expanse of white stretching out before them, with only the faint outlines of distant mountains visible in the distance.
After walking for a while, Qingying said softly, “Chen Yin.”
“I noticed it too.” Chen Yin’s eyes narrowed slightly.
…Something was wrong with the snow.
It didn’t feel particularly cold to the touch, but a chilling energy seeped into their bodies, slowly freezing their spiritual energy.
Within fifteen minutes, both Chen Yin and Qingying could feel their spiritual energy stagnating.
“At this rate, we won’t be able to use our spiritual power soon.” Qingying said, her voice laced with anxiety.
Chen Yin didn’t speak. He just frowned slightly, his head lowered.
…There was more to it than that.
During his fight with Ye Huang, that strange black energy had entered his body.
It had surged through his meridians, wreaking havoc and trying to destroy him from within.
His “Forgotten Everlasting Heart Sutra” had immediately activated, working tirelessly to repair the damage.
His body was like a battlefield, his own cultivation technique fighting against the invasive black energy, a constant struggle for dominance.
Although his face was slightly pale, his expression remained calm, betraying no sign of his internal struggle.
For now, the “Forgotten Everlasting Heart Sutra” was able to keep the black energy at bay.
More importantly, the scroll in his chest had finally reacted.
The moment the black energy entered his body, the scroll had emanated a powerful and ancient aura, surging through his meridians and confronting the invasive energy, preventing it from reaching his vital points.
The black energy, weakened and contained, should dissipate eventually.
But Chen Yin had tried. While the scroll was active, he couldn’t access its space or the System Shop.
…Which meant he had to rely on himself to escape this formation. He looked around, assessing their surroundings.
And, most importantly, that man, Ye Huang, was probably also trapped within the formation.
Although his spiritual energy would likely be frozen as well, there were no guarantees. It was best to be cautious.
If necessary, he would have to ask Qingying’s System for help.
“This place is desolate… There’s nothing here.” Qingying said after exploring the area.
Chen Yin turned to Nan Xiaoxiang, who was shivering in her thin clothes, and said softly:
“Let’s find a place to rest.”
The snow-covered plain seemed to stretch endlessly.
They walked for a long time, but there was no end in sight.
With Nan Xiaoxiang’s injured ankle, Chen Yin couldn’t carry her at full speed.
And they didn’t even know which direction to go.
Surrounded by an endless expanse of white, it felt like they would be lost forever if they continued walking.
“How long are we going to keep walking like this?” Qingying’s voice was filled with anxiety.
She could feel her spiritual energy fading.
It was completely frozen within her meridians, unable to flow.
Chen Yin’s face also grew paler, the internal struggle within his body intensifying, a constant, stinging pain.
But his expression remained calm and indifferent.
However, Nan Xiaoxiang, on his back, sensed his discomfort.
“Young Master Chen, there’s no end to this path.”
She said softly, “Why don’t you put me down? Let’s rest for a while and think about what to do.”
Chen Yin hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
They found a sheltered spot on a snowy slope and rested.
Seeing Chen Yin’s closed eyes and slightly erratic breathing, Nan Xiaoxiang couldn’t help but ask softly, “Young Master Chen, are you feeling unwell?”
Chen Yin didn’t speak, just shook his head slightly.
Nan Xiaoxiang gently touched his forehead with the back of her hand.
A chilling coldness emanated from him, making her gasp. “This…”
Qingying also noticed his unusual state and rushed over. “Hey, what’s wrong with you?”
Chen Yin took a deep breath. “I’m fine.”
“You don’t look fine at all!”
She said with a hint of anger, “Don’t try to act tough! If you’re injured, you need to tell us!”
Chen Yin glanced at her sideways. “Since when did you care so much about me?”
“I…”
Qingying was speechless, then she said angrily, “If you die, we won’t be able to get out of here, and we can’t defeat that man on our own.”
“So stop trying to act tough and tell us what’s wrong!”
Chen Yin looked at her curiously.
Although she was glaring at him, her eyes were filled with worry. She didn’t seem truly angry.
He smiled faintly and closed his eyes, shaking his head. “Don’t worry.”
“I know what I’m doing.”
Nan Xiaoxiang also looked at him with concern. “Young Master Chen, let me check your pulse.”
“Thank you for your kindness, Miss Nan, but I know my own body.”
Chen Yin politely refused.
He didn’t want Nan Xiaoxiang to know about his condition. He still didn’t fully trust her.
Nan Xiaoxiang, being a clever woman, didn’t press further. But a glint of curiosity flashed in her eyes.
Qingying was still worried. She was about to reach out and check his meridians when he suddenly grabbed her hand and pulled her towards him.
She lost her balance and fell into his arms.
“You!”
She was about to protest when Chen Yin gently placed a finger on her lips, silencing her.
Her face flushed crimson.
“Shh…”
“…Don’t let Nan Xiaoxiang notice anything.” He whispered through voice transmission.
Qingying squirmed uncomfortably in his arms, then nodded slightly.
She finally managed to gather a sliver of spiritual energy and checked his meridians.
She almost gasped at what she found.
“You…”
Fortunately, Chen Yin stopped her with a look.
“…How did this happen?” She frowned and asked through voice transmission. “Did that man injure you this badly?”
“It wasn’t him.” Chen Yin’s gaze was calm, his expression betraying no surprise.
He should have known, considering that man’s confidence in coming after them.
It was that mysterious Divine Son.
After their last encounter, he hadn’t intended to let Chen Yin live.
This black energy was clearly the Divine Son’s trump card against him.
But Chen Yin had underestimated this mysterious power.
And underestimated the Divine Son’s killing intent.
“It seems I’ll have to take them seriously after we leave the Azure Cicada Ancient Domain.” He thought to himself.
Qingying, still worried about his condition, asked softly, “Are you alright? Does it hurt?”
Chen Yin looked into her eyes, his gaze intense.
Qingying, uncomfortable with his stare, blushed slightly. “W-why are you looking at me like that?”
“Because I’ve never heard you speak like this before.”
He stroked his chin thoughtfully. “You know, you can be quite womanly sometimes.”
Qingying pinched his waist hard, her cheeks burning.
Seeing that he still had the energy to tease her, she assumed his injuries weren’t that serious and felt slightly relieved.
“Enough. Focus on getting us out of here.” She said angrily.
Chen Yin fell silent.
Normally, a formation would have a core and a root. Destroying either one would disable the formation.
But this formation was clearly a trapping formation, designed to slowly freeze a cultivator’s spiritual energy, rendering them as helpless as mortals.
Eventually, they would freeze to death in this icy wasteland.
And this formation was massive, almost as large as Ephemeral Mountain itself. Although not as intricate or malicious as the one on Ephemeral Mountain, its sheer scale was still terrifying.
Looking at the endless snow-covered plain, Chen Yin fell into deep thought.
…His spiritual energy was frozen, and he couldn’t use the scroll.
It was unlikely they could force their way out.
The best option was to wait, at least until the black energy’s effects wore off.
With the help of the scroll and the System Shop, he might be able to find a way out.
And he found it strange that such a large formation was simply used as a trap.
…The Azure Cicada Ancient Domain was a place of opportunity left behind by an ancient Immortal.
Although it was filled with dangers, opportunities often came hand in hand with risks.
Even the sinister and deadly formation on Ephemeral Mountain had offered a way out.
Similarly, this formation couldn’t have been designed solely as a trap.
He wondered what secrets it held.
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