Immortality Through Array Formations Chapter 2233 Chapter 1037: War Begins (Part 2)

"Curses, they use us like tools and then cast us aside!"

"Treating our Ten Thousand Formations Sect as nothing more than a beast of burden..."

"Such blatant disrespect for Formation Masters and such reckless disregard for the art of Formations will certainly invite retribution sooner or later!"

Yet, they were reduced to mere impotent venting.

And so, the Ten Thousand Formations Sect found itself eradicated.

Every soul present was acutely aware of the Asura sword competition roster.

Each Sect kept a meticulous tally: which sects still clung to their remaining disciples, who had fallen, and who had retreated from the fray.

After all, the final rankings of the sword competition relied entirely on the "survivor list." To ensure true victory, one had to eliminate rivals without reprieve.

Not a single disciple could be left unaccounted for.

Nothing could be overlooked.

Following those two consecutive purges, coupled with the cold-blooded abandonment of the Ten Thousand Formations Sect, the situation had shifted significantly.

At this juncture, only the elite disciples from the Four Great Sects and the Eight Great Gates remained qualified to continue in this Asura battle.

Currently, the surviving cohorts from the Four Sects and Seven Gates had converged before the mountain wall, lock-gazed with Mo Hua and the Taixu Gate members across the network of formations.

The Asura battlefield was vast, and Mo Hua’s method of deploying formations was both subtle and elusive.

Nevertheless, once the ruse was uncovered, the mechanics of his formations were hardly inscrutable.

"He utilized an outer illusion array, layered with the thick fog of the Asura battle to obscure our sight..."

"And buried a concealment formation within the illusion to mask their aura..."

"It is truly Mo Hua, forever obsessed with such underhanded schemes."

One cultivator sneered, "While we exhaust ourselves in bloody combat, Taixu Gate sits comfortably, planning to reap the harvest like a bored fisherman."

"Enough chatter! Sunder the Taixu defenses first, then execute Mo Hua..."

"Destroy Taixu, kill Mo Hua!"

The collective noise grew deafening, yet not a single soul moved to strike.

Despite their vocal disdain and mockery, none dared to truly underestimate him.

Especially those who had already suffered under Mo Hua's previous tricks; a seed of genuine fear had taken root in their hearts.

Mo Hua stood behind his formations.

Even if it was only a simple illusion and concealment layer, it still radiated an aura of menace.

They feared that a rash assault would lead them straight into another of Mo Hua's deadly snares.

Moreover, having spent the duration of this contest furtively betraying one another, the fragility of this temporary alliance left them unsettled.

They dreaded being backstabbed by their so-called comrades the moment they committed to the attack. The tension held them in a stalemate, paralyzed by mutual suspicion.

Finally, Ao Zheng of the Four Great Sects stepped forward, accompanied by Shen Cangfeng. Shen Cangfeng had previously fought Mo Hua only to perish before his blade could even be unsheathed. Ao Zheng, having been thoroughly humiliated by one of Mo Hua's traps, shared the same burning desire for vengeance.

"We shall swear three oaths," Ao Zheng declared.

"Before Taixu is extinguished and Mo Hua is slain, no faction shall turn against another."

"Should any sect violate this pact, all others shall immediately unite to eradicate the traitor first."

"Once the goal is achieved and Mo Hua is dead, this agreement expires immediately."

"Then, and only then, will the sword competition resume and scores be settled."

The weight of the pact provided a much-needed sense of security.

It was exactly the incentive they required.

"This compromise is acceptable."

"Agreed..."

"Combined strength! First, we kill Mo Hua!"

The mob roared with renewed vitality.

Song Jian felt a twinge of regret. Surrounded by so many watchful eyes, he would find no opportunity to employ his own devious tactics.

As for Mo Hua, he could only entrust his fate to luck.

Song Jian withdrew his Sever Gold Sword, blending back into the fray with a face full of feigned righteous fury: "Mo Hua deserves death! Strike first!"

These were all Heavenly Pride Disciples, possessed of extraordinary cultivation and martial prowess, and with a singular purpose, their maneuvers became exponentially more lethal.

Ao Zheng struck with a heavy punch, pulverizing the stone wall.

Shen Cangfeng brandished his blade, shattering the surrounding mountain rock.

Following the lead of the four Heavenly Pride Disciples, the remaining sect elites descended, swiftly demolishing half the stone barrier.

As the rock wall crumbled, the formation heart vanished.

The illusion array dissipated instantly.

The concealment formation, deprived of its foundation, began to falter.

Before their eyes, the shimmering lights of the mountain facade flickered and broke, finally revealing the hidden entrance to a valley.

The opening was jagged, resembling a single stroke against the sky, perilously narrow.

Towering stone walls rose on either side, allowing only a single file passage.

Across the entrance, complex Second Grade High-Level Formations were densely packed, stretching out in an endless, intricate display.

The crowd recoiled at the sight:

"This Mo Hua really knows how to pick his ground..."

"They’ve laid down a staggering number of formations."

"Is this a cultivation duel or a test of formations?"

Shen Cangfeng commanded, "Each sect shall assign a team. Body cultivators to the vanguard, sword cultivators in the center, and spiritual cultivators to the rear. We will rotate to break these barriers."

"Once the path is open, we advance as one!"

"Understood!"

Shen Cangfeng led the vanguard, stepping forward to channel his power into his longsword, striking at the defensive barrier of the narrow pass.

The disciples of the Four Sects and Seven Gates began their relentless assault in succession...

Soon, the air echoed with the thunderous roar of colliding spiritual energies.

Outside the battlefield, the observers watching through the Fang Tian Painting Shadow let out audible sighs of relief.

"They finally found it."

"I honestly thought he could have lasted longer with that illusory concealment trick."

"Such misfortune..."

"The Ten Thousand Formations Sect was a formidable adversary."

"Now, this Asura battle has devolved into a grueling war of attrition."

"The Four Great Sects, combined with most of the Eight Great Gates, mounting a joint siege—it is truly a sight to behold."

"Even Mo Hua’s formations will buckle under such pressure; the Taixu Gate cannot survive this."

"Once the valley falls, a massacre is inevitable..."

"How tragic..."

The members of Taixu Gate, including Zhang Lan, felt a crushing weight take hold of their hearts, the suffocation almost unbearable.

Inside the Sword Observation Tower, the leaders of the Three Mountains stared unblinkingly at the Fang Tian Painting Shadow, their refreshments left untouched.

On the field itself, Mo Hua’s formations were being dismantled piece by piece.

The disciples were steadily encroaching on the narrow mountain pass.

Deep within the vale, the Taixu Gate disciples held their positions, ready for the final confrontation.

Mo Hua, wearing a stoic expression, meticulously analyzed the situation. So far, the reality aligned with his calculated plans.

The greatest weakness for Taixu Gate in this battle remained their lack of numbers.

To survive, every tool must be used to cull the weak and the "stragglers" first.

In the chaos of open melee, these weaklings were a genuine threat to the smaller Taixu force.

Thus, avoidance was priority, sowing discord was secondary, and leveraging the greed of rival sects was his most effective way to force them to bleed each other dry.

Of course, such petty tactics were fleeting.

Taixu Gate could not remain in the shadows forever. The decisive clash was inevitable.

Taixu Gate would soon face the full, unbridled fury of the Heavenly Pride Disciples from all the major sects combined.

Against such a siege, no sect could hope to stand.

And Taixu Gate would serve as the first sacrificial lamb of the Eight Great Gates in this brutal endeavor.

Amidst the suffocating tension and impending slaughter, Mo Hua remained silent. He closed his eyes, centering his mind and nurturing his spirit.

The act of inscribing so many formations had drained his divine sense; he had to capitalize on this brief window to recover his reserves.

Divine sense is the foundation of every formation.

And, as it stood, his divine sense was his only lifeline.

Outside, the rumbling intensified. Sword qi, elemental spells, and the scent of blood filled the air.

After relentless effort from the united forces of the Four Sects and Seven Gates, the outer defenses of the narrow pass finally collapsed. The sect disciples swarmed toward the entrance, their presence creating an unbearable strain on the remaining defensive array.

With a final, desperate flash of concentrated sword qi, cracks spiderwebbed across the entrance's protective mantle.

The defense of the pass was thoroughly shattered.

Seeing this, the disciples erupted in triumph.

"Charge!"

"Kill them all!"

A disciple from the Daluo Sect led the charge, the first to breach the narrow valley where the Taixu disciples awaited.

Yet, no sooner had he stepped into the valley than his world distorted. Five massive swords descended upon him with overwhelming momentum, instantly reducing the health of his Dao Discussion Jade to zero. A flash of azure light consumed the lad, and he was expelled from the field. The following sect disciples froze in shock, but before they could react, five hulking figures stepped out from the valley mouth.

They were enormous, armored, and pulsed with radiating blood qi. They stood gripping gargantuan swords, their expressions as cold and unforgiving as mountain spirits forged from iron.

These five figures stood as living, breathing walls, bodily blocking the narrow cavern entrance.

The great swords in their hands danced like executioners' blades, cold and merciless. Any soul foolish enough to cross that threshold faced immediate, violent execution.

As the blades swung in a rhythmic, deadly display, a disciple from the Sever Gold Sect, another from the Lingxiao Sect, and one more from the Daluo Sect were cleaved down instantly.

The five stood their ground, an impenetrable, lethal wall against any who dared challenge them.