Step by Step Ascend to Immortality

Chapter 55: Chapter 020 Framing Ding Wugu

Three of Mo Yuxi's subordinates drew away the horde of Red-Haired Demonic Rabbits. The rest of the group moved closer to Yan Chuan.

"Young Master Yan, are you familiar with this formation?" Mo Yuxi asked, turning to Yan Chuan.

Yan Chuan glanced at the crowd. Although he had lost his cultivation from his past life, his perceptive skills remained sharp.

Except for Mr. Wenruo, the others all had an air of superiority. This included Mo Yuxi, who was polite to Yan Chuan because of his usefulness to her.

This haughty attitude made Yan Chuan extra cautious, which was why he readily agreed when they unreasonably suggested he lead them.

"I've heard of this outer formation before, but not much," Yan Chuan said with a faint smile.

"Not much? What else do you know?" Mo Yuxi pressed.

Yan Chuan looked up at the sky. The yellow clouds were nearly covering the sky. He narrowed his eyes and said, "The entrance is about to appear. Similarly, the coming moments will be the most dangerous."

"Oh?" The others looked slightly surprised.

"Boom!"

As the yellow clouds completely covered the sky, a deafening roar filled the air, and the entire world within the formation shook violently.

The tremors were strongest around the central yellow pillar.

With a thunderous roar, the ground around the pillar cracked open. From the cracks, eight mounds of earth began to rise, growing larger and larger, eventually towering like eight mountains.

"Why are eight mountains suddenly appearing?" Mo Yuxi frowned.

"These aren't mountains; they're eight graves," Yan Chuan said gravely. "This is the Eight-Slaying Yellow Spring Formation. The Feng Shui Master must bury sixty-four powerful demonic beasts alive. These are the graves of eight of those beasts!"

"Alive burial?" Qinglong asked in shock.

"Yes, similar to live entombment. This method is used to accumulate their greatest resentment and form the formation with that resentment. It's a common technique among Feng Shui formations. Haven't you heard of it?" Yan Chuan asked the group.

Mr. Wenruo shook his head. "Feng Shui texts are scarce, and Feng Shui techniques are passed down orally. We have few Feng Shui masters here, so our knowledge of Feng Shui is quite limited."

"Isn't Ding Wugu a Feng Shui master?" Yan Chuan asked with a smile, looking at Ding Wugu.

Ding Wugu's face turned dark.

"My study of Feng Shui formations just doesn't include this one," Ding Wugu retorted defensively.

On the ground, a yellow liquid that had just been a trickle was now spreading like an ocean.

"The ground is sinking?" Qinglong's face changed.

"This is Yellow Spring Water. The Demonic Rabbits are getting stronger. Go to those eight grave mounds. The entrance is there. Any Feng Shui master should be able to sense it!" Yan Chuan urged.

"Alright!" The group responded.

"All troops, move out!" Huo Guang commanded.

Yan Chuan led the way, briefly analyzing the eight mounds ahead. His eyes narrowed, and a faint smile appeared on his lips as he headed toward one of them.

Following Yan Chuan, the group naturally proceeded toward one of the massive graves.

Though they were called graves, these were towering and immense. As they approached the base of the grave, they couldn't help but glance back.

Behind them, the Yellow Spring Sea stretched out, filled with demonic rabbits that seemed to sink into the sea. Only eight remained visible, growing larger and larger, from fifty to a hundred yards high.

The demonic rabbits grew more massive, their malevolent aura intensifying.

"Roar!"

The eight demonic rabbits let out a deafening roar. The yellow clouds in the sky swirled rapidly, and the weather changed drastically.

Each of the eight demonic rabbits guarded a giant grave. One of them, guarding the grave where Yan Chuan's group was, roared and lunged at them.

Mo Yuxi's three subordinates floated in the air.

"White Tiger!"

"Vermilion Bird!"

"Black Tortoise!"

The three subordinates formed hand seals, attacking the advancing giant rabbit with bursts of white, red, and black light.

"Boom!"

The massive impact caused the rabbit to tremble violently, but it continued to advance.

"Boom!"

"Boom!"

Two of Mo Yuxi's subordinates were knocked away by the force.

"This is bad!" Qinglong's face changed.

Qinglong stepped in to join the battle.

A hundred yards high? How tall is that? One yard is roughly the height of a floor, so a hundred yards would be like a hundred-story building?

At that moment, the Silver Armored Army showed their astonishment and desire, wishing they could possess such power.

"Saintess, quickly find the entrance. We'll hold it off!" Qinglong urged.

"Alright!" Mo Yuxi nodded.

She then looked at Yan Chuan.

"I've found it! I've found the entrance!" Ding Wugu suddenly exclaimed, waving his arms excitedly.

"Hmm?" The group turned their attention to Ding Wugu.

"I can sense it, right at the top of the mound, right here at the top of this grave. I can sense it!" Ding Wugu said with excitement.

At the same time, Ding Wugu threw a challenging glance at Yan Chuan.

Yan Chuan smiled faintly. "The specific entrance requires a special physique to sense. I can't detect it."

"Let's head up the mountain!" Yang Zhijiu said eagerly.

"Let's go!" Ding Wugu, full of excitement, led the way.

"Up the mountain!" Yan Chuan said.

"Yes!" Huo Guang responded.

The three thousand soldiers quickly followed Yan Chuan up the mountain.

Ding Wugu and the others, with their high cultivation levels, moved swiftly, soon leaving the army behind.

Seeing Ding Wugu's smug expression, Yan Chuan couldn't help but smirk slightly.

At the mountain top, a vast platform was covered in numerous runes.

Ding Wugu, Yang Zhijiu, and the others arrived at the summit first.

"Ding Wugu, where is the entrance?" Mo Yuxi asked.

"Right here!" Ding Wugu pointed to the center of the runes.

"Hmm?" The group looked at Ding Wugu in confusion.

"There's no mistake. I can feel it right here. In our Feng Shui tradition, this is called a 'Seamless Entrance'. It requires the blood of a Feng Shui Master to open it!"

As he spoke, Ding Wugu bit his finger, letting blood drip into the center of one of the runes.

"Whoosh!"

The rune suddenly emitted a dazzling golden light, followed by a burst of mist.

"Boom!"

The mist parted to reveal a dark crack, similar to the one they had entered before. The crack was pitch black inside.

"This is it. We enter from here!" Ding Wugu said excitedly.

"Let's go in then!" Yang Zhijiu nodded.

"Wait for Yan Chuan!" Mo Yuxi frowned.

Down below, Yan Chuan's army had only reached halfway up the mountain.

"Why are we waiting for them? They're just a burden!" Ding Wugu said irritably.

"They will be here soon!" Mr. Wenruo advised.

"Let them wait. I'm going in first!" Ding Wugu said, clearly annoyed.

He stepped forward and entered the crack.

The group looked at Ding Wugu with displeased expressions, clearly annoyed by his unilateral decision.

"Ah!"

"Help!"

A scream suddenly came from inside the entrance, the sound of Ding Wugu's agony.

"This is bad!" Mr. Wenruo's face changed as he rushed in.

"This wasn't supposed to be the entrance. What happened? What do we do?" Yang Zhijiu also panicked.

"Mr. Wenruo will handle it. Ding Wugu will be fine!" Mo Yuxi reassured them.

After comforting them, Mo Yuxi looked down at Yan Chuan and the others climbing the mountain. Her expression darkened, as if she had already guessed something.

"Boom!"

A white light shot up from the entrance, instantly illuminating the surroundings with blinding brightness. The entire giant grave shook violently.

Yan Chuan, halfway up the mountain, paused and looked up thoughtfully. "Such powerful righteous energy. It seems Mr. Wenruo is also quite formidable."

"Boom!"

Mr. Wenruo emerged from the entrance, holding Ding Wugu.

Mr. Wenruo's clothes were slightly damaged.

Ding Wugu was covered in blood holes, his clothes stained red. In the large blood holes, bones were visible, and his left eye was a bloody mess, barely clinging to life.

"Ding Wugu, are you alright?" Yang Zhijiu's face changed as he quickly took out a pill and fed it to Ding Wugu.

As the pill took effect, a green light emanated from Ding Wugu's body, and the blood holes began to close at a visible rate. However, his left eye was irreparable, leaving a grotesque blood hole.

"Chickens... so many chickens. They were pecking at me!" Ding Wugu said with lingering fear.

Mr. Wenruo's face looked grim.

"Mr. Wenruo, what happened?" Mo Yuxi asked gravely, knowing Mr. Wenruo's strength. His disheveled state suggested great danger inside.

"That wasn't the entrance!" Mr. Wenruo said tersely.

At this moment, Yan Chuan's army finally reached the summit.

Seeing Ding Wugu covered in blood holes

Ding Wugu, at Mr. Wen Ruo's request, once again opened an entrance. However, Ding Wugu kept his distance, having nearly lost his life just moments ago; he dared not approach again.

"Young Master Yan, is this the one?" Mo Yuxi asked.

"Not sure!" Yan Chuan shook his head.

"Then send a team inside to check it out!" Yang Zhijiu said淡淡地.

The soldiers exchanged uneasy glances, their expressions darkening. Sending a team in was tantamount to sending them to their deaths.

"Yes, you have so many people; you should send some in!" Ding Wugu scowled, cursing silently.

"Young Master Yan, this entrance was opened by Ding Wugu. Shouldn't you send a team to check it out?" Mo Yuxi asked again.

The cultivators pressed closer to Yan Chuan, while the soldiers clenched their fists, their gazes cold.

Yan Chuan smiled faintly and said, "Since everyone is afraid, let Yan go first!"

"All troops, follow me inside!" Yan Chuan declared.

"Yes!" The soldiers responded in unison.

At that moment, Yan Chuan had completely won over the hearts of his three thousand soldiers. Even if he led them to their deaths, the soldiers would follow without hesitation.

Yan Chuan led the way, and soon all three thousand soldiers had entered.

Ding Wugu, Yang Zhijiu, and the others looked on with furrowed brows.

"They've gone in?" Ding Wugu still couldn't believe it.

Mr. Wen Ruo stepped inside, with Yang Zhijiu following closely behind.

"Qinglong, you four can return now!"

With that, Mo Yuxi also stepped inside.

"Whoosh!"

"Whoosh!"

"Whoosh!"

"Whoosh!"

The four members of the Qinglong quickly flew back and, with Ding Wugu's complex expression, entered the interior.

Without the four powerful defenders, the Huangquan Rabbit Demon's gaze locked onto Ding Wugu.

Ding Wugu shuddered and quickly stepped inside.

The moment Ding Wugu entered, the entrance abruptly vanished.

...

A vast hall, so spacious that even with three thousand soldiers present, it felt incredibly empty.

As Yan Chuan and his group stepped through the entrance, it mysteriously disappeared behind them.

"Lord, the entrance we came through is gone!" Huo Guang said anxiously.

"We're about to enter the inner array. This Feng Shui formation only allows entry, not exit!" Yan Chuan frowned deeply.

The group surveyed their surroundings. There were two large doors, one marked 'Yin' and the other 'Yang.'

"Lord, there are two doors. Should we go through one of them?" Huo Guang asked immediately.

Yan Chuan waved his hand, stopping Huo Guang. He squinted slightly and said, "This is a death trap. It's easy to enter, but difficult to exit! If you go in, you'll find that the door we entered through has disappeared again!"

"Ah!" Huo Guang immediately fell silent.

"So, what should we do?" Mo Yuxi asked Yan Chuan.

"There are two doors. Only one leads to the inner formation, while the other is a cage. Once inside, you'll be trapped unless the Feng Shui array is completely broken." Yan Chuan said solemnly.

"Which door leads to the inner formation?" Mo Yuxi asked.

Yan Chuan shook his head gently and sighed, "I've only heard of such Feng Shui formations. I don't have direct experience with breaking them."

At that moment, Ding Wugu gave Yang Zhijiu a glance and then pointed towards one direction.

Yang Zhijiu's expression changed as he understood Ding Wugu's hint, a hint of excitement flickering in his eyes.

"If we don't know which door, let's split up. Yuxi, you take the Yin door, and I'll take the Yang door!" Yang Zhijiu said.

"Mm?" Mo Yuxi frowned slightly.

"Young Master Yan, are you truly unable to determine the correct door?" Mo Yuxi asked again.

"Unable!" Yan Chuan shook his head.

"Ding Wugu, what about you?" Mo Yuxi asked Ding Wugu.

Ding Wugu's eyes flashed with resentment again. Was he really considered inferior to Yan Chuan?

"Unable to determine!" Ding Wugu shook his head.

"What about Mr. Wen Ruo?" Mo Yuxi turned to Mr. Wen Ruo.

With a wry smile, Mr. Wen Ruo shook his head.

"Very well, Vermillion Bird, Black Tortoise!" Mo Yuxi called.

"Here!" The two subordinates responded immediately.

"You're responsible for protecting Young Master Yang!" Mo Yuxi ordered.

"Yes!" The two replied promptly.

"Qinglong, White Tiger will accompany me. And Young Master Yan, you come with me as well!" Mo Yuxi said.

"Mm!" Yan Chuan nodded.

"What about the army?" Ding Wugu looked at the three thousand soldiers, a cold smile on his lips.

"Wherever I go, they will naturally follow!" Yan Chuan said in a deep voice.

The three thousand soldiers could not be split up; dividing them would mean death.

"Alright, enough talk. Mr. Wen Ruo's talent is worth ten thousand soldiers. With him and you, we have strength on our side!" Mo Yuxi said with a frown.

"Yes!" Ding Wugu responded solemnly.

The group split into two paths.

Yan Chuan's army, Mo Yuxi, Qinglong, and White Tiger entered the Yin door.

Mr. Wen Ruo, Yang Zhijiu, Ding Wugu, Vermillion Bird, and Black Tortoise entered the Yang door.

"Boom!"

The doors opened, and everyone entered.

Yan Chuan's group soon found themselves in an even larger hall.

"Lord, the door we came through is indeed gone!" Huo Guang swallowed hard.

The hall was larger and shrouded in darkness, only faint outlines visible in the distance.

Qinglong waved his hand, casting a blue light that illuminated the entire hall.

"No exit!" Qinglong's expression changed.

"This is a sealed hall?" White Tiger's face also darkened.

"This... Could it be!" Mo Yuxi's expression turned grim as he looked at Yan Chuan.

Yan Chuan nodded slightly.

"No wonder they suggested taking the Yang door. Ding Wugu must have sensed the exit and made a deal with Yang Zhijiu! Ding Wugu! You dwarf! Damn it!" Mo Yuxi suddenly understood, her anger boiling.

"Ah, what is that?" a minor officer suddenly exclaimed.

Everyone looked.

It was a smooth stone wall. But on this smooth wall, an eerie human face began to slowly appear—a face contorted in pain.

"Ugh, ugh, ugh!" The hall was filled with an eerie, mournful wail.

Everyone's scalp tingled.

But this was just the beginning. Beside the first face, more faces began to emerge. Two, four, eight, eighty faces.

On the wall, faces grotesquely emerged.

Their expressions varied, but all were expressions of tortured crying.

In the blink of an eye, nearly ten thousand faces had appeared on the wall. Their crying was heart-wrenching, making the hall feel like a realm of endless sorrow and torment.