The Griffon Mountains lay in the southwestern reaches of the Ten Thousand Mountains, a remote and desolate place. Once, it had been the domain of the great beast Sky-Rending Griffon, sustained by a third-rank spiritual vein. But after the griffon was slain by a powerful human cultivator and the vein relocated, the land fell into decline.
Yet in recent days, the mountains had grown lively once more. Countless cultivators had gathered there, combing the land as though turning it upside down. Among them were even long-renowned adepts.
Beneath an ancient elm tree, an old man in rough hemp clothes squatted lazily in the shade of its thick canopy. He grumbled to a young man at his side:
"Is this news even real? We've nearly dug up the entire Griffon Mountains, and we've yet to see so much as a single hair."
"It should be real. Look, several Purple Mansion experts have come. That one there is Master Vast Sea; he's been searching for two days already." The young man chewed on the root of some nameless spirit herb, his tone lacking confidence, though his eyes betrayed determination.
After all, no one would dare join this hunt without strong backing, whether following a master or relying on their cards. Everyone here had their channels of information. The fact that so many powerhouses had gathered was already proof enough of the rumor's weight.
The old man's doubts stemmed from the fact that they had been searching for days without finding even a trace of the great beast, nor even of common second-rank monsters.
"Hmph. If I get desperate, I'll just tear this entire mountain range apart!" The elder snorted, his overwhelming aura surging out, making hearts tremble.
The youth frowned slightly, about to reply, when he suddenly sensed something and looked to the horizon. "More people are coming."
Following his gaze, the old man saw a flying boat racing toward them. At its bow stood two young cultivators, one in azure robes, handsome and warm of smile; the other in white, sharp yet restrained like a heavy blade, his right sleeve fluttering empty in the wind: a one-armed swordsman.
"Late Foundation Establishment… mid Foundation Establishment… These days, the young are bold," the old man said with a cold smirk, casting a sidelong glance at the youth beside him.
"If youth isn't daring, then what's the point of being young?" came the indifferent reply, before the youth shifted his attention away, releasing his vast spiritual sense to continue searching for clues.
Unaware that they had been dismissed as reckless fledglings, Song Changsheng and Xu Yunhe stood at the bow of their craft, surveying the terrain.
"Brother Xu, there are quite a few people here."
"I can sense several very strong auras, likely Purple Mansion experts. Brother Song, it looks like you and I are only here to watch the show," Xu Yunhe said lightly.
"Fortune favors those fated," Song Changsheng replied with a faint smile. In matters of opportunity, sheer strength wasn't everything. If it were, they'd all simply fight until one man stood atop the pile and took the prize.
Observing from the flying boat, Song saw that the cultivators were scattered across the mountains, searching without a clear direction.
"It seems the great beast hasn't yet been found. That means we still have a chance. Let's go down and take a look."
They descended into a valley, gazing out at the vast mountain range before them, unsure where to even begin.
If they could find bloodstains, scales, or fur left behind by the beast, Song could use his Ten-Thousand-Mile Tracking to follow the trail. But so far, not a single clue had been uncovered.
"Brother Song, the Griffon Mountains cover an enormous area, even by the standards of the Ten Thousand Mountains. Searching aimlessly like this won't be easy." Xu Yunhe, experienced in roaming the wilds, knew well how difficult it was to find a beast in such vast terrain.
Great beasts could conceal their auras at will. Once they chose to hide, even Purple Mansion cultivators would struggle to locate them.
"Tell me, Brother Song, do you think the beast may have already left the mountains?"
"That can't be ruled out. A beast is no dead thing. If it found a way past the cordon, it might have escaped. But given how many are searching here, I'm inclined to believe it's still around."
Just as they were at a loss, Song suddenly frowned. "Strange… I think I sense Fellow Daoist Zhuang's aura."
"Really? Well, this is still within Luoxia City's territory. It makes sense that Fellow Daoist Zhuang would come. Brother Song, can you pinpoint her location? Let's join up with them." Xu Yunhe's eyes lit up after all, numbers meant better odds.
"There's also Fellow Daoist Yinshang and Fellow Daoist Niu. It seems Luoxia City is very interested in this great beast as well," Song said with a frown. If it had only been Zhuang Yuechan and Yinshang, he would have gladly joined forces with them…
But now that the others represented Luoxia City, it would be unwise to approach them rashly. After all, they were competitors here, each with their interests to protect.
"Luoxia City has slain no shortage of great beasts. Why place such importance on this one in particular?" Xu Yunhe asked in surprise. These few were among the finest talents of their generation in Luoxia City, and yet all three had come together for this hunt; it was truly unusual.
"With the size and resources of Luoxia City, they may have obtained some special intelligence. All the more reason we should not rush over and make things difficult for Fellow Daoist Zhuang." Song Changsheng shook his head.
Xu Yunhe thought for a moment and nodded in agreement. "Brother Song is right. Then what should we do now?"
"I've just had a thought. Come with me up that mountain." Song Changsheng smiled faintly, pointing toward a nearby peak.
The two rode their swords to the summit, where the expanse of the Griffon Mountains spread out before them.
"Brother Song, what did you have in mind?"
Xu Yunhe was puzzled. If it was just for a bird's-eye view, hadn't they already seen everything from the flying boat earlier?
"Brother Xu, when we first arrived, I paid it no mind, but now I realize I may have overlooked something.
A great beast may have incredible means of concealment, and with so many experts searching with profound methods, yet still not a single trace has been found. That's nearly impossible.
Even at its peak, a great beast could not hide itself so perfectly, let alone one gravely injured.
So if we assume the beast has not fled and is still hiding somewhere within these mountains, then only one possibility remains: a formation."
"A formation?" Xu Yunhe blinked.
"You mean the beast is hiding within a formation? But don't beasts only learn the Dao of Formations after attaining human form?"
"True, but that doesn't mean the formation was laid by the beast. It could be naturally formed… or placed there by someone else." A cold glint flashed in Song Changsheng's eyes.
Xu Yunhe's heart jolted. "Brother Song, you mean someone is deliberately manipulating things here?"
"Very likely."
When he had first heard the rumor, Song had not been suspicious. But once he arrived in person, he felt something was amiss.
The news had spread too widely. It was one thing for Purple Mansion adepts to come, but there were even plenty of Qi Refining juniors joining the bustle.
That alone was odd enough. But more importantly, so many people had searched the Griffon Mountains for days, yet not a single clue had been found. That was truly abnormal.
This led Song to consider the possibility of a formation. The world was not without places where natural formations arose spontaneously, and he and Xu Yunhe had even encountered one before on the outskirts of the Ten Thousand Mountains.
That was why he had brought Xu up this peak. He had already noted that this mountain lay at the very heart of the Griffon range. If a natural formation existed, this would surely be one of its key nodes.
But when he activated the Eye of True Sight, he found no trace of formation patterns on this mountain.
Instead, in the southeast, he saw a surge of dazzling golden light.
From experience, he knew the brighter the light, the greater the spirit's strength or the cultivator's power.
Such intensity could only be released by a Purple Mansion–level expert.
Yet Song also knew the limits of the Eye of True Sight: though it could reveal the spiritual glow of treasures or beings, its range was short except when it came to detecting formations, in which case its vision stretched much farther. Why this was so, he did not yet know. Perhaps only once he awakened the artifact spirit of the Dao Scripture would the truth be revealed.
Regardless, that brilliant golden radiance was undeniable. In the black-and-white vision of heaven and earth, it stood out starkly.
And then Song realized it was not the aura of a great beast at all, but a vast network of formation patterns, shining like a sea of light.
"What a grand design…" Song murmured. He had only seen such a scale a few times before: in his clan's protective great formation, and the defenses of Luoxia City's walls, both third-rank arrays.
But the Griffon Mountains' only third-rank spiritual vein had long since been relocated. To sustain a formation of this scale would consume staggering resources.
So what kind of formation master would choose to erect such a massive array here in this barren, remote land?
When something is too unusual, there's always a hidden hand behind it.
"Brother Song, if someone has gone to such lengths, they must have deep backing. We'd best avoid getting involved further." Xu Yunhe spoke anxiously.
"My thoughts exactly." Song nodded.
Then his face suddenly changed. "No, Fellow Daoist Zhuang!"
"What?" Xu Yunhe was stunned.
"The southeast is the direction of that radiance. That's the very way Fellow Daoist Zhuang and her companions went!" Song's voice grew urgent.
"Then we must warn them at once!" Xu Yunhe replied. If this formation could ensnare even Purple Mansion experts, it was no trifling matter.
"Agreed. I'll immediately use..."
Before Song Changsheng could finish speaking, a thunderous explosion suddenly erupted on the horizon. In the next instant, a wave of overwhelming demonic aura swept across the land.
"What a dense aura… That's the presence of a great demon!"
"Quick, the southeast!"
Shouts echoed one after another, and under Song Changsheng and Xu Yunhe's gaze, streams of light streaked toward the southeast.
"This is bad. They've begun their move." Song Changsheng's face darkened as he quickly sent a message with his transmission sword to Zhuang Yuechan and the others.
But even after waiting for nearly half an incense stick of time, the message vanished like a stone into the sea. There was no reply at all.
"The formation hidden in the void has been activated, isolating the space. Our message can't get through."
Song Changsheng's expression grew grave. This was trouble indeed.
"Brother Song, let's hurry back and ask Luoxia City for reinforcements!" Xu Yunhe urged.
"Luoxia City is over a hundred thousand li away. By the time we fetch help, it will be far too late."
Suddenly, Xu Yunhe seemed to recall something. He turned sharply to Song Changsheng. "Brother Song, wait, has the formation been fully activated yet?"
It was a contradictory question, for with the space sealed, clearly the formation was active.
But at those words, Song Changsheng's eyes lit up as if clouds had been swept aside.
The mastermind behind this formation was cunning, but his goal was likely to lure all the experts in the Griffon Mountains into the trap. Thus, he had not yet fully activated the formation. For now, he had only sealed the space, cutting off communication in and out.
If they could expose the scheme and rally everyone to break the formation together, there was still a chance to turn things around.
After all, if the enemy had the strength to crush everyone outright, there would have been no need to set such an elaborate trap in the first place.
Song Changsheng did not know if anyone else had seen through the ploy, but he could not afford to gamble.
"Besides, I still owe her a favor. Whether it works or not, I have to try." Song Changsheng gave a bitter smile and shook his head.
At a time like this, the "wise" course would be to emulate certain cautious predecessors of the cultivation world, turn around and run without looking back.
Unfortunately, that was not in Song Changsheng's nature, nor something his heart would allow him to do.
Fortunately, he wasn't alone.
He exchanged a look with Xu Yunhe, and the two of them sped toward the southeast…
By the time they arrived, streaks of light were still darting into the formation one after another.
To avoid alarming the enemy, Song Changsheng did not shout a warning. Besides, even if he did, not everyone would believe him. Better not to waste words.
When they reached the edge of the formation, one glance was enough to make Song Changsheng frown deeply. It was a massive karst cavern.
He didn't even need to go inside to know the tunnels within would be vast and branching. Once cultivators entered, they would scatter into different passages, making his earlier plan impossible.
There was no way he could unite them all under such conditions.
Just as anxiety gripped him, inspiration suddenly struck. He slapped his palm with a flash of excitement. "I've got it!"
"What is it?" Xu Yunhe, who knew nothing of formations, was completely at a loss.
"This is a third-rank lower-grade Heaven and Earth Void-Locking Formation. Its main purpose is to conceal and entrap; it has no offensive power.
If the enemy intends to strike, they can only take the approach of defeating us one by one.
That means their efficiency will be low, and that gives us a chance to break the game.
This formation is woven from forty-nine nodes suspended in the void. With my secret technique, I can locate Fellow Daoist Zhuang and regroup with her. Once we join forces, we can uproot these nodes one by one, and the formation will collapse!"
Song Changsheng clenched his fist, his eyes blazing with determination. Opportunities to crack a third-rank formation were few and far between!
-support me in Patreon for more chapter, 260+ chapters in there
patreon.com/LordoftheReader