Xiao Yingtao’s words were forced to a halt. Zhao Yusheng continued, “Half an hour after halting, Xing Zizhou and Xiao Yingtao will set out again with the brothers.”

Xing Zizhou took a deep breath, released Xiao Yingtao, and cupped his hands in salute.

“Xing Zizhou and Xiao Yingtao accept the order.”

Zhao Yusheng lowered the token he had raised, and Qiao Mu lowered her hand as well.

Qiao Mu lowered her eyes to look at Xing Zizhou and Xiao Yingtao, saying softly, “Get up. There’s no time to lose.”

“Zhao Yusheng’s arrangement is undoubtedly the best one. With the situation ahead still unknown, if we took every single brother into danger, Jiu’er would never forgive us.”

“Xiao Yingtao, I understand how you feel. If it were possible, none of us would want to stay behind.”

“But the truth is, by slowing your pace, you’ll be in a better position to support us afterward.”

“If anything goes wrong, the lives of our three hundred-some men will depend on you coming to the rescue. Xing Zizhou, Xiao Yingtao, go and make the arrangements quickly.”

The moment she finished speaking, Qiao Mu turned her head to look at Zhao Yusheng.

“Don’t worry, Xing Zizhou will see to it properly. As for what we need to prepare, let’s get started right now.”

Xing Zizhou pulled Xiao Yingtao up with him and nodded. “Alright, I’ll go arrange things at once.”

Xiao Yingtao looked at Zhao Yusheng and said gravely, “Don’t you need my help setting up the formation anymore? Choosing someone else now wouldn’t make sense at all.”

“Your skill isn’t as strong as Qiao Mu’s. Having her there will be enough.” Zhao Yusheng left her with that single line, then turned to look at the sky.

Qiao Mu glanced at Xiao Yingtao, then turned and went to stand beside Zhao Yusheng.

Xiao Yingtao still wanted to say something, but Xing Zizhou took hold of her hand.

Xing Zizhou knew that both Zhao Yusheng and Qiao Mu had their best interests at heart, and he was deeply grateful to have brothers like them.

But now was not the time for sentimentality. Until the very last moment, no one could know how things would turn out — what mattered most was handling the task at hand.

Xing Zizhou led Xiao Yingtao away, while Zhao Yusheng and Qiao Mu busied themselves with preparations.

Jian Yi still stood at the bow, looking as though the affairs of the world had nothing to do with him.

A light breeze stirred his dark hair and the folds of his robes; against the dim, somber sky, his flawless face looked all the more hauntingly beautiful.

Half an hour later, the ships scattered apart, forming a half-circle around the largest one at the center.

Under the watch of every brother, the great central ship set off alone, heading into the darkness ahead.

Xiao Yingtao stood on one of the ships, watching the great ship depart, unable to say a single word.

Xing Zizhou held her hand, quietly staying by her side.

Aboard the great ship, Qiao Mu and Zhao Yusheng were busy setting up the formation, while the other brothers, under the captain’s orders, spread out to every corner of the deck.

Jian Yi stood not far ahead of Qiao Mu and Zhao Yusheng, gazing at the sky, still keeping silent.

The ship moved swiftly, and before long they entered a world of near-total darkness.

But this time, everything around them was very quiet.

Had they not known it was only just past noon, they might have thought night had simply fallen, rather than facing some terrible formation.

Without any order from Zhao Yusheng, the ship felt its way forward through the dark.

Across the pitch-black surface of the Black Lake, the great ship sailed on at a fair speed.

Even though it churned up great waves on the lake, those waves vanished without a trace almost as soon as they rose.

The ship pushed through the stretch of darkness, and gradually the sky cleared — the sun itself even came into view.

Qiao Mu looked up at the clear sky, her brow furrowing slightly. “Zhao Yusheng, what’s going on now?”

What kind of formation was this? It made no sense at all.

“Look at the dark clouds up ahead.” Zhao Yusheng, seated cross-legged, opened his eyes, brow knitting slightly.

Qiao Mu sat down and glanced up. “Are you saying that little patch of cloud is where the formation lies?”

“That’s right.” Zhao Yusheng nodded in response. “It’s definitely not just an ordinary cloud. This formation is called the Twin Dragons Playing with a Pearl Formation — and the ‘pearl’ is that very cloud.”

“Twin Dragons Playing with a Pearl?” Qiao Mu glanced around the cloud. “There are two dragons too?”

“Yes, and they’ll appear soon.” Zhao Yusheng took a deep breath and raised his voice. “Captain, have the brothers prepare for battle.”

“Yes, sir.” the captain replied loudly.

“Qiao Mu, do you have the incantation memorized clearly?” Zhao Yusheng glanced at her, asking in a low voice.

“It’s only two lines, no problem.” Qiao Mu nodded in response.

The captain made a circuit around the ship, confirming everyone’s readiness, then returned to his post.

Everyone took their positions, and the ship fell quiet once more.

Sure enough, this calm before the storm lasted only a quarter hour before the small cloud began to grow larger.

The cloud, snow-white with hints of gray, swelled all at once as though provoked, growing bigger and bigger.

Sunlight shone through the cloud, letting everyone see it all unfold with perfect clarity.

Suddenly, from within the swelling cloud, two shapes resembling great dragons leapt forth.

The cloud transformed into two enormous dragons, while the remaining wisps gathered together into the shape of a large pearl.

The two dragons wove around the great pearl, at times coiling together, at times darting apart to either side.

Both the pearl and the two dragons retained the same color as the original cloud.

The twin dragons seemed to spar and play at once in the sky, while dark clouds gathered thicker and thicker around them.

The sun hung high to the front-left of the great ship, not yet swallowed by the dark clouds.

The mass of dark clouds formed a great ring, and within that ring the dragons’ clash grew ever more intense.

Not understanding formations, Qiao Mu didn’t dare disturb him, and only rose to her feet when Zhao Yusheng stood up.

“Zhao Yusheng, what’s happening?” Qiao Mu asked again, helplessly.

She truly didn’t understand any of it, so all she could do was ask him.

Zhao Yusheng stared fixedly at the sky, clenching his fist.

“We only have one chance. If we haven’t broken the formation before the dark clouds block out the sun, we definitely won’t make it through.”

“Captain.” Zhao Yusheng called out.

“Yes, sir.” the captain answered in a deep voice.

“If we truly can’t hold out, everyone must jump into the water before the ship capsizes, and swim far away from it.” Zhao Yusheng’s voice rang out loud and clear.

“As long as we’re not trapped beneath the ship, once the formation passes and the brothers from behind arrive to rescue us, we’ll still have a chance to survive.”

“Yes, sir.” the captain nodded, accepting the order.

“Brothers, listen carefully!” He turned to look at everyone and shouted with the force of his internal energy.

“This is the critical moment. We must do everything we can to keep the ship steady, and buy the young master as much time as possible to break the formation.”

The captain’s words carried great force and were spoken slowly, so as to make sure every brother aboard could hear them clearly.

“In a moment, if you hear the sound of the horn, everyone must jump into the water immediately and swim away from the ship as fast as possible.”

“As long as you stay unharmed for half an hour, you’ll be able to wait for the brothers from behind to come to your rescue.”

“Until the very last moment, no one is to give up — General Feng is still waiting for all of us. Is that understood?”

“Understood!” the three hundred brothers replied as one. “Until the very last moment, no one shall give up!”