Longevity, starting from being a chicken raising servant Chapter 2315 - 172: Battle Again (Part 2)
Previously on Longevity, starting from being a chicken raising servant...
The cultivators displayed faces filled with hesitation as they exchanged glances with one another, yet not one among them felt truly content.
Ultimately, the early-stage Tribulation-Transcending Realm cultivator proficient in Formations was the one who finally broke the silence.
"What if I take charge of the primary talisman? That would allow Taoist Brother Taiyi to observe the finer points of this ten-person Formation up close. Should it fail, I'll yield right away."
At those words, a brief pause hung over the cultivators, but soon enough, several early-stage Tribulation-Transcending Realm experts moved forward, allowing puppet talismans to be embedded into their Primordial Spirits before soaring out as a group.
Altogether, ten early-stage Tribulation-Transcending Realm cultivators took the field.
Guided by the Formation specialist, they each grasped an array flag and arranged themselves into the pattern.
Thanks to the Array Formation cultivator's talent for handling multiple tasks at once, the setup appeared seamless and without flaw.
Facing them across the way stood precisely ten Bodhisattvas.
"Shameless!"
From within the Taoist Field, the watching cultivators couldn't hold back their angry outbursts.
Wang Ba's eyes remained locked on the fighters in the arena, scrutinizing their every action.
Out on the battlefield, the two groups of ten clashed in an instant.
The Formation expert wielded his arts with remarkable finesse. Even though his team of ten paled in power compared to their foes, a smart layout of the formation let them pool their might just enough to dodge head-on fights, instead targeting only a single Bodhisattva at a time.
Lacking prowess in spell battles themselves, they still managed to stand firm for a moment using these tactics.
Witnessing this, the cultivators back in the Taoist Field felt a mix of shock and joy surge through them.
"Haha, no matter the Supreme True Buddha's schemes, they surely never foresaw Taoist Friend Gongsun's mastery over Formation techniques..."
"You're right, we all overlooked Taoist Friend Gongsun earlier. Little did we know Formation arts could yield such wonders right in the heat of battle."
A mid-stage Tribulation-Transcending Realm cultivator let out an admiring breath.
Wang Ba stayed focused on the shifting dynamics of the ten-person formation unfolding before him, his forehead creasing just a bit.
His grasp of formations remained superficial at best; obviously, he couldn't match Taoist Friend Gongsun's skill in directing one, yet his own expertise in magical clashes far outshone it, and he detected a certain rigidity and forced quality in how Gongsun directed the other nine.
As a result, several chances slipped away unused.
"Could it be due to the puppet talisman?"
Wang Ba wondered to himself.
While the Puppet Technique handled the issue of unity, the lead talisman bearer lacked insight into each cultivator's personal strengths, leading to basic commands that leaned heavily on the formation's inherent power.
As he mulled this over, a sudden shift rippled across the water curtain.
The Supreme True Buddha's ten-person formation pulled back sharply to create space, then all ten pressed their palms together at once, turning into beams of light that fused abruptly, summoning a massive Great Buddha Dharma Aspect right in the sky!
The formation under the Array Formation cultivator's command got surprised by the enemy's unexpected union and scrambled to adjust. His response came fast enough, yet the Supreme True Buddha's monks, being Bodhisattva Realm natives, excelled at seizing moments, and post-merger, they brandished supreme Dao Treasures while rushing ahead.
Every one of the ten wielded a top-grade Dao Treasure, and despite splitting their attention, perfect harmony bound them. Though their formation knowledge didn't rival the Array Formation cultivator's depth, they forged an unstoppable edge, shattering the rival ten-person setup in a single strike and sending its members tumbling down!
"I concede!"
The Array Formation cultivator wasted no time, calling out his surrender at once.
The purple-robed youth dashed forward first, pulling the ten cultivators back and extracting the puppet talismans from them.
Afterward, he turned to Wang Ba, his face showing a touch of gravity:
"Taoist Friend, are you ready for this?"
The nearby cultivators, catching that question, all turned their eyes toward Wang Ba.
Wang Ba pulled his attention away from the barrier's far side with a thoughtful air and answered steadily:
"Let's try it out first."
Those well-known words brought an immediate grin of excitement to the purple-robed youth's features:
"Excellent! I'll set up a feast and fine wine for Taoist Friend to mark your victory!"
"Taoist Brother Taiyi, count me in!"
True Man Ba stepped up right away, his face beaming.
True Man Nie rose to his feet as well.
In the span of a heartbeat, nine mid-stage Tribulation-Transcending Realm cultivators volunteered.
The talisman provider moved to insert them into the volunteers' Primordial Spirits, only for Wang Ba to halt him.
"Skipping the puppet talismans?"
The cultivator voiced his astonishment.
Wang Ba gave a nod and a friendly smile as he replied:
"No need to go to that length."
He turned right away to the nine, some old acquaintances like True Man Ba and others who'd once asked for his advice. After a quick mental review, he posed a few targeted questions to each.
Next, he sought out Taoist Friend Gongsun for a hushed exchange of queries.
Though the onlookers felt confused and unsure of Wang Ba's exact plan, their options had run dry by now.
Before long, Wang Ba flashed a grin and announced:
"Can you all place your faith in me shortly?"
"If I lacked trust in Taoist Brother, I wouldn't be here."
True Man Ba spoke up first.
The rest gave nods of support.
Those assurances stirred an uncommon swell of resolve in Wang Ba's chest, and he bellowed:
"Then follow me!"
With that cry, he led the way, shooting out from the Taoist Field.
True Man Ba and the others trailed right behind, descending into the fray.
The ten Bodhisattvas hovering in the emptiness spotted Wang Ba entering the field and showed a flicker of unease, though the realization of a ten-person formation rather than a one-on-one eased their tension a fraction.
Still, they refused to lower their guard, merging swiftly once more to call forth a Great Buddha Dharma Aspect and hold their ground at a distance, poised for action.
On Wang Ba's team, the ten swiftly took their places and activated the formation.
"Everyone, unleash your Primordial Spirits and link into the formation with me!"
Wang Ba instructed in a gentle tone.
True Man Ba and the rest, mildly taken aback by the command, nonetheless summoned their Primordial Spirits without delay.