Ye Haochuan reassures Ling Zhixing and Long Keyue after their inn is destroyed. He claims to have a larger business in Anxi County and that he controls a nearby demon beast. After they eat, Ye Haochuan sends them to rest while he departs to deal with the Blood Pupil Demon Ape. He uses his soul to possess a demon beast and sneak past the outer defenses.
"Ye Haochuan? How did you end up being captured too?" Xu Wenrui was completely astonished upon seeing the suddenly appearing Ye Haochuan.
"I wasn't captured here; I specifically came to rescue you!" Ye Haochuan responded with a grin.
"Rescue me? Are you making a joke?" Xu Wenrui looked at Ye Haochuan as if he were an imbecile and declared, "There's a Great Formation here capable of stripping one's cultivation. Your entering this place is practically courting death!"
"It's merely a formation, isn't it? Breaking it should be achievable," Ye Haochuan replied dismissively.
"Are you being serious? Even if you intend to break the formation, you need the corresponding strength, correct? A common person who can't even truss a chicken wishes to break a formation sufficient to trap a Peak Immortal Transformation Cultivator. Do you genuinely believe that's feasible?" Xu Wenrui was on the verge of losing his temper.
His words successfully drew the attention of the surrounding individuals.
The people present, though not as confined as in a commoner's courtyard, still had individuals seated a few meters apart.
Despair had long since settled upon the faces of these individuals. When Xu Wenrui mentioned Ye Haochuan's intention to dismantle the formation, they all regarded Ye Haochuan with looks as if he were utterly foolish.
Clearly, they had not remained idle during their confinement.
They had long attempted to break the formation and had even collaborated. Yet, ultimately, they couldn't even discern the location of the Formation Foundation.
In reality, without their cultivation, their senses were akin to those of ordinary mortals, rendering them incapable of detecting any anomalies within the formation.
"We won't know if we don't attempt it!" Ye Haochuan offered a smile.
With that, he ceased paying heed to Xu Wenrui and commenced his own exploration of the courtyard.
"Does this fool truly imagine he can accomplish what everyone else has failed to do?" A voice laced with ridicule occasionally emanated from the surrounding crowd, clearly indicating a complete absence of hope in Ye Haochuan.
Ye Haochuan remained utterly unfazed by their scrutinizing gazes, as though he had simply disregarded them.
Approximately ten minutes later, Ye Haochuan abruptly halted beside a stone pedestal situated within the yard.
This stone pedestal had evidently not been part of this courtyard for an extended duration, appearing somewhat out of place amidst the surrounding flora and greenery.
The surface of the stone pedestal seemed no different from ordinary rock and possessed a similar texture to the touch.
Ye Haochuan peered thoughtfully at the stone pedestal before suddenly clenching his right fist and driving it towards the stone pedestal. Bang~
His fist abruptly recoiled merely two inches from the stone pedestal's surface, as if it had collided with an unyielding object.
The immense recoil force caused Ye Haochuan to stagger, nearly losing his balance.
While the resulting commotion was not particularly loud, it effectively captured the attention of those nearby.
"Goodness me, did he actually locate the Formation Foundation?" someone exclaimed in astonishment.
The Formation Foundation, which had eluded their discovery for such a considerable period, was swiftly identified by Ye Haochuan.
In truth, even though Ye Haochuan could not activate his Heavenly Eye without Spiritual Energy, his visual acuity remained superior to that of an average person, making it not entirely surprising that he noticed certain particulars.
"So what if it's found? The protective barrier surrounding the Formation Foundation cannot be breached without cultivation!" another individual scoffed.
Upon hearing this, all the surrounding individuals concurred.
The protective barrier was of a high-grade nature, necessitating substantial cultivation for its dismantlement. Therefore, discovering the Formation Foundation was rendered futile without the requisite strength.
Naturally, it wasn't entirely impossible if one employed certain high-level Magical Treasures. However, deprived of Spiritual Energy, they were completely unable to utilize their Storage Rings, let alone retrieve superior armaments or Magical Treasures.
Yet, what Ye Haochuan proceeded to do next was entirely unforeseen.
Ye Haochuan produced a slender needle from his waist and directed it towards the protective barrier of the Formation Foundation.
"Is he out of his mind? Does he believe a mere sewing needle can penetrate the protective shield?" someone sneered.
"No, that needle appears distinct!" another individual observed, a hint of burgeoning anticipation coloring their tone.
Among them was Xu Wenrui.
Xu Wenrui stood as the sole individual present who possessed some knowledge of Ye Haochuan, and he understood that Ye Haochuan was not a person to be taken lightly.
Ting~
The long needle smoothly penetrated, immediately sinking into the protective shield.
Crack, crack~
The protective shield fractured like fragile glass, with rapidly expanding cracks resembling a spiderweb.
This steel needle, meticulously fashioned by the same artisan responsible for Fan Qingyin's Green Feather Sword, possessed unparalleled sharpness and was essentially the nemesis of protective shields.
"It's actually... broken!" Many found it difficult to trust their own eyes, stupefied to an extreme degree.
And that profound shock swiftly transmuted into elation.
It was precisely this array that had rendered them helpless, leaving them completely at the mercy of their captors.
The Demon Beasts had not imprisoned them merely for sustenance. Daily, close to ten individuals were selected as sacrifices, their Essential Blood utilized to sustain the Medicine King.
Those who remained, though still breathing, existed in a perpetual state of dread, the fear of their turn arriving tomorrow a torment far exceeding death itself.
Now that a glimmer of hope for shattering the array had appeared, how could they not be filled with elation?
The Array Core was, without question, the most vital yet most vulnerable component of the entire formation.
Once Ye Haochuan had dismantled the protective barrier enveloping the Array Core, he effortlessly guided the steel needle into the stone pedestal.
The stone pedestal, its protective shield now annihilated, revealed intricate formation patterns etched across its surface.
These patterns, once flowing harmoniously, were abruptly disrupted by the inserted steel needle. Their seamless flow ceased instantly, and the radiant glow emanating from the stone pedestal flickered out.
"My cultivation... it has finally returned!" a cultivator cried out, his entire body trembling.
He was not alone; numerous cultivators mirrored his excited tremors.
"Those wretched Demon Beasts! Now that my power is restored, let them dare to torment me again!" a cultivator clad in black suddenly bellowed, his voice thick with renewed vigor.
"Wait!" Ye Haochuan quickly intervened, cautioning, "Though our cultivation has been restored, the horde of Demons outside remains vast. A hasty escape will only seal our doom!"
Ye Haochuan's words descended like a chilling downpour, instantly extinguishing the black-clothed cultivator's burning enthusiasm and causing him to shudder involuntarily.
Fortunately, the Demon Beasts patrolling the perimeter were not overly alert regarding the inner courtyard; otherwise, he might have already met his end.
"We absolutely cannot charge out blindly. We must identify the formation's weakest point and launch a sudden, devastating breakthrough, catching the Demon Beasts entirely off guard. Only then will we possess a genuine chance of survival!" a tall, imposing man declared, stepping forward.
This man, distinguished by his sword-like eyebrows and piercing gaze, radiated an aura of vibrant energy.
What astonished Ye Haochuan the most was discovering that this man's cultivation had reached the Peak of the Immortal Transformation stage, making him the most powerful among them.
"Young Master Xiahou speaks the truth!" the moment the man concluded, an eager voice immediately chimed in. "Young Master Xiahou, as you possess the highest cultivation level present, we implore you to lead us from this desolate prison!"
"Indeed, with Young Master Xiahou guiding us, our breakout is assured..."
It seemed these individuals had completely forgotten that it was Ye Haochuan who had instrumental in their regaining their powers, not even casting a second glance in his direction.
