It seemed they couldn’t get off this pirate ship.

Qin Lang touched his nose while Zhou Qingyun sighed softly. Neither was being pretentious – they formed hand seals and their bodies immediately lit up with radiance. Qian Que and Pei Qian were even more decisive, their bodies lighting up in succession as a pentagonal formation took shape.

Inside the entire Black Wind Cave, one truly couldn’t see their hand in front of their face.

Fierce winds blew out from within the cave, falling upon their ears like ghostly wails.

Every gust carried strong resistance. Before the formation was constructed, everyone’s hair danced wildly like mad things. After the formation was built, everything calmed down.

A light barrier rose from the center of the five people, gradually expanding to envelope them all.

Through this layer of light, Jian Chou seemed able to see those previous fierce winds all departing from the barrier’s edges, roaring outward.

Qian Que proudly raised his eyebrows: “This formation looks simple, but it wasn’t easy to come by. Haha, looking at the current situation, never mind one hundred chi – even five hundred chi might not be impossible to reach.”

With that, he burst into laughter.

Jian Chou glanced inside but didn’t think so.

How could the black wind be simple if it was listed as one of the necessities for body refinement in the “Human Artifact” method?

It was only because they were still on the outside that they didn’t feel its true power.

Besides, one hundred chi was merely ten zhang distance. If not for the Black Wind Cave being so dark that all light seemed swallowed, those entering could easily see each other, who knew if someone might trip them up from behind.

Qian Que was already walking ahead, while the other four advanced in orderly steps.

Everyone maintained their spiritual power output while vigilantly watching their surroundings.

Darkness naturally bred a defensive mentality.

Especially in such perilous circumstances.

The huge pearl illuminated their path forward, though only a few feet ahead.

The deeper they went, the stronger the wind became. As they maintained their light barrier, the resistance they encountered also increased. After walking merely thirty chi, everyone felt like each step was difficult.

Qian Que’s face had turned purple-red, furious: “Damn this Black Wind Cave is too much of a trap! How can the wind be this strong?”

They felt like they were standing in a storm – one more step forward and they’d be torn to pieces!

Left with no choice, everyone had to increase their spiritual power output.

The previously dimmed light barrier brightened again, and everyone immediately felt the pressure lighten, though their hearts now shared Qian Que’s sense of shock.

The surrounding stone walls had begun narrowing at a visible rate. Everywhere were marks like those from knives and axes, with crystal-like objects or extremely hard rocks protruding from the stone surfaces.

Anything that could survive in the black wind without being destroyed had to be good material.

The black wind in Black Wind Cave was like a competent gold panner, throwing out all the mud, sand, and stones that didn’t meet requirements.

Similarly, Jian Chou and the others were also being screened.

Standing within the light barrier, Jian Chou strained to open her eyes wide and survey their surroundings.

At the same time, she had already made a judgment in her heart—

Walking with five people was certainly safe, but too slow. At least Jian Chou had roughly sensed the wind strength of the first hundred chi ahead – her body could completely withstand it.

If she entered alone, she would be faster than five people together.

“Pat, pat…”

Their footsteps in Black Wind Cave were instantly swallowed by the howling winds.

“Fifty chi!”

Qian Que gritted his teeth, finally showing some excitement in his eyes.

After one hundred chi, there would be a chance to find Wind-Swallowing Stones. His internal spiritual power had only consumed one quarter so far – even if consumption would increase afterward, he could sustain it to a suitable location.

Excellent.

Qian Que took a deep breath, placing both hands above his head as endless spiritual energy flowed from his palms into the formation.

Jian Chou suddenly said, “We’re advancing against the wind. If someone comes from behind, we won’t hear any movement at all. Even if Fellow Daoist Qian doesn’t make underhanded moves for revenge, you should still set up a warning formation for those who come after, right?”

Qian Que was startled and looked up at Jian Chou.

What a calm and composed face.

“You have a point…”

“Though travel is urgent, if someone steals our things at a crucial moment, wouldn’t that be unlucky? It’s always best to plan. If Fellow Daoist Qian worries about being unable to sustain the formation, perhaps Fellow Daoist Pei could help.”

With that, Jian Chou looked toward Pei Qian.

Among everyone here, Pei Qian had the highest cultivation, and correspondingly able to last longer than others.

He didn’t find anything improper about this. When Jian Chou spoke, he also said: “I observe those two female cultivators from Jianzhu Sect aren’t good people either. Let’s assume the worst of their intentions. Fellow Daoist Qian, please proceed.”

With that “please,” everyone felt a powerful spiritual energy emanating from Pei Qian!

Thick spiritual power like clear sunlight immediately surged powerfully into the formation.

Everyone instantly felt their pressure lighten.

Qian Que suddenly realized that in all his years of finding people to treasure hunt and adventure with, none had been as comfortable as this time.

What reliable and kind-hearted teammates!

Oh, except for “Wuchou.”

Thinking how someone was now actively stepping up to let him set traps for others – it really couldn’t be better.

For a moment, Qian Que beamed with joy. He withdrew one hand and rummaged in his robes, finally pulling out a small formation, chuckling: “This is a Spirit Thunder Formation. Even with us going against the wind, this sound will be loud enough for us to hear. Hahaha, those two girls are in for it!”

Jian Chou sighed inwardly – this one wasn’t a good person either.

She watched Qian Que raise his hand and slam it toward the ground. The formation disc flew from his grasp, immediately leaving the formation’s coverage. Blown by the black wind, it hit the ground a few feet behind them with a crisp “crack.”

“Hum…”

A circle of radiance instantly spread from where the disc landed. Over ten spirit stones flew from the shattered disc, embedding in the cave walls. Rays of light connected as a formation, immediately taking shape on the spot.

“Crack!”

A pale blue electric light traveled from one end of the formation to the other, disappearing and vanishing before long.

Watching this lightning, Jian Chou was reminded of the formation Gu Qingmei had set up before.

Being able to set up a formation so quickly was impossible under normal circumstances, so the opponent had also used a formation disc like Qian Que. However, the formation disc Qian Que used naturally couldn’t compare with what Gu Qingmei had used.

After slowly observing the formation once, Jian Chou noticed a particular spirit stone embedded in the stone wall. For some reason, she found herself saying, “Why isn’t this spirit stone’s position moved three points to the left?”

“Huh?”

Qian Que had been about to continue when he suddenly heard Jian Chou’s words and was completely stunned.

Move three points to the left?

What did that mean?

Everyone’s gaze couldn’t help but turn toward the cave wall.

That spirit stone Jian Chou pointed to was at the formation’s edge, now hidden within the stone wall. Only by carefully sensing could one discover its existence, vaguely detecting a thin strand of spiritual energy being drawn from the spirit stone and gathering at the formation’s center.

Why suddenly say this spirit stone needed to be moved?

Pei Qian couldn’t help but carefully observe this formation. The complex pathways made him furrow his brow.

Formation research had always been called one of the four great difficulties of the cultivation world alongside “pill refining,” “artifact crafting,” and “body cultivation.” Without years of dedicated study, it was almost impossible to understand formations.

The Northern Region’s Yin and Yang sects followed the Eight Trigrams, having researched various orientations and combinations used specifically in formations that other sects could hardly match.

But even so, fully understanding even a small formation required enormous time investment, let alone researching more powerful formations.

Therefore, any formation disc above third grade could sell for astronomical prices throughout the Nineteen Continents.

The eight elders researching formations in Yin Sect were all over sixty years old, ancient near-deaths ready to lose their teeth.

Yet this “Wuchou” before them looked young, appearing to have only recently entered cultivation, at most having a powerful backing and prestigious origins. How could she directly say this spirit stone needed to be moved three points left?

Pei Qian couldn’t help but withdraw his gaze and look at Jian Chou.

Jian Chou still didn’t know her words had caused such a big problem.

Seeing everyone looking at her with seemingly thoughtful expressions, her eyes flickered slightly as she smiled faintly: “I just suddenly thought so…”

“No, let’s change it!”

Beyond everyone’s expectations, Qian Que directly spoke decisively.

Everyone couldn’t help but be surprised.

Jian Chou also looked at him.

Qian Que also looked at Jian Chou. The exploration and speculation in his gaze were obvious, without any concealment.

“Fairy Wuchou, I don’t know why, but I always feel you’re especially reliable. This formation disc was purchased from a formation expert. Logically, I shouldn’t believe you, but since you’ve spoken, I feel that if I don’t follow through, I’ll miss something.”

Qian Que sometimes believed in intuition.

After so many years doing business in the Nineteen Continents, such intuition had helped him greatly.

So at this moment, Qian Que chose to trust his intuition.

Besides, it was just a formation disc, wasn’t it? Master Qian didn’t lack that bit! He could afford to burn it!

After speaking, Qian Que ignored everyone else’s extremely shocked expressions and directly turned around, pointing with one finger!

“Crack!”

That spirit stone deeply embedded in the formation was extracted from thin air by this distant pointing!

Qian Que moved his finger, and that spirit stone immediately shifted left. He formed another hand seal, as if a giant hand appeared in mid-air, directly pressing the spirit stone into the stone wall.

“Crack!”

Another light sound.

The spirit stone was embedded in the stone wall.

The formation that had been temporarily interrupted by this spirit stone’s absence began operating again.

Each spirit stone emitted spiritual light, stretching into straight lines that connected together as a formation, slowly lit up…

From the spirit stone moved three points left, a point of spiritual light slowly emerged, faster and faster, like a meteor in the dark Black Wind Cave!

Swoosh!

The spiritual light finally raced to the formation’s center.

“Crack!”

Suddenly, a thunderous sound in the void!

Blazing blue light was ignited by this spiritual light in the pitch darkness, where one couldn’t see their hand before their face!

Lightning seemed to fall from the sky, instantly filling the entire formation, thick and strong like a wildly dancing silver serpent.

“Crack crack crack…”

The lightning continued flashing, lasting at least five breaths before gradually fading under the formation’s influence.

Everyone fell silent, including Qian Que, who had made the decision.

When the formation from the previous disc had first formed, they had all seen it—

One bolt of lightning, very small, very thin, like an earthworm that darted across without any presence at all.

But after moving those three points, the entire formation seemed reborn, powerful, and just that one silver lightning serpent showed the earth-shaking change from this slight adjustment!

Pei Qian wasn’t proficient in formations, but could feel that this one adjustment had brought revolutionary change!

He began to doubt…

Could even the supremely skilled Eight Trigrams elders of the Yin and Yang sects so precisely point out a formation’s weak point and adjust it accurately?

Pei Qian didn’t know.

However, another voice in his heart was shouting: No, they couldn’t!

Jian Chou watched for a long time.

Before her eyes seemed to flash scenes of once lying over a desk, watching Xie Buchen research various military formations, implementing all kinds of battle arrays from military texts…

“Qian three, Kun five, upper moves while lower doesn’t, move Li by three, then this military formation can be complete and swallow the enemy…”

One formation after another.

Naturally different from the formation before her eyes, yet seemingly sharing wonderful similarities.

Watching that formation fade back into hiding in the darkness, even its aura undetectable, Jian Chou blinked.

Turning back, she said: “If we don’t leave now, they really will arrive.”

Complete silence.

Qian Que turned to look at Jian Chou. Under the faint radiance, Jian Chou’s deep blue robes shimmered with flowing light, making her entire bearing extraordinarily refined. The smile on her lips carried a composure of having everything under control…

Simply like a goddess!

Fairy?

Those previous fairies were nothing!

This was a true fairy!

After a long while, Qian Que finally came to his senses and said in a trembling voice: “Fairy, please go first…”

Qingfeng Nunnery Hidden Realm.

On a huge black and white chessboard, Xie Buchen and Qu Zhengfeng stood several feet apart.

All around was void, only this black and white chessboard. At the board’s end was a passage – their destination.

Qu Zhengfeng stood with his hands behind his back, not moving at all, only watching Xie Buchen.

Xie Buchen held hand seals in his left hand while his right hand formed a blade with two fingers, casually pointing and dropping in the void.

“Swoosh!”

On the huge chessboard, a piece was lifted high!

“Crack!”

As Xie Buchen’s finger fell, this piece immediately changed position, falling onto the board with a thunderous crash!

His calm gaze swept over the entire board as faint deductive light passed through his eyes. Everything before him was very clear.

This looked like a chessboard, but it was a massive formation.

Walking continuously on this board would never reach the other side. Only by adjusting the formation back would a path appear.

As pieces rose and fell, the entire void space began to tremble.

Qu Zhengfeng narrowed his eyes slightly: This Xie Buchen had at most entered cultivation for three months, yet his formation attainments were frighteningly strong.

Was it Kunwu or himself?

Another person full of secrets?

He didn’t speak, continuing to observe.

“Crack.”

The final piece fell as Xie Buchen’s fingers finally curled slightly.

He smiled: “Complete.”

As his light, calm words fell, the entire chessboard suddenly erupted in a violent storm.

Starting from where Xie Buchen and Qu Zhengfeng stood, like mountains collapsing and seas splitting, it thunderously exploded outward.

The black and white chessboard shattered with the sound, flying toward the endless void!

The hard rock surface was finally revealed.

A great road was forcibly carved from the chessboard, completely at odds with the board’s flat, smooth surface.

Xie Buchen stepped aside and gestured to Qu Zhengfeng, indicating he should go first.

However, Qu Zhengfeng stood motionless, one hand behind his back with hand seals ready – once executed, it would be a thunderous strike.

His face bore a smile, still giving one a feeling of spring breeze, seemingly with thousands of kinds of friendliness.

“Truly admirable. I heard Junior Brother Xie has only cultivated for over three months, yet this formation mastery is breathtaking.”

Xie Buchen’s eyes showed some reminiscence as he said frankly: “I came from a mortal island, having studied in a hundred schools. Military formations and arrays, I know a thing or two. People say immortal and mortal are different, but that’s not so. Immortal and mortal formations may have different uses, but they follow the same principles. People may fear they cannot reach heaven, but human wisdom can.”

People may fear they cannot reach heaven, but human wisdom can.

Qu Zhengfeng frowned slightly, releasing the hand seals behind his back. His gaze toward Xie Buchen couldn’t help but carry some investigation.

Indeed, a brilliant talent that could make one prostrate in admiration at first sight.

Only pity…

Born in Kunwu.

He, too, came from a mortal island, presumably having made enemies with Senior Sister Jian Chou there.

Seeing Qu Zhengfeng silent for a long while, Xie Buchen smiled indifferently: “Nonsense ramblings that make Senior Brother Qu laugh.”

Qu Zhengfeng looked at him one final time without speaking, then walked out first.

In Qingfeng Nunnery’s Hidden Realm, the endless void faintly boiled.

Black Wind Cave.

Zhao Yunbin’s neat hair had become slightly disheveled as she walked forward step by step.

The dark, deep cave continuously blew fierce winds outward, as if an endless abyss below was about to devour all who walked inside.

The slightly plump female cultivator from Jianzhu Sect could barely hold on, her face flushed red.

Thirty chi…

Forty chi…

…

Cold sweat from struggling to endure covered her forehead densely. Zhao Yunbin looked ahead—

Just three more steps to reach fifty chi!

On the pitch black, uneven cave walls, the two people with all their attention on resisting the black wind didn’t notice the faint white traces embedded at the edges.

Those were…

Spirit stones, one after another.