Old Yin Mountain lived up to its name.  

A thick, unyielding fog shrouded it year-round. The mountain knew no seasons, only eternal chill and gloom.  

The wind whispered through the bare, scaly stones, producing a mournful wailing sound, like countless restless souls murmuring in agony.  

“Such petty sinister spirits, what is there to fear?”  

Liang Zhiyuan sneered coldly in his heart, pulling out the “Spectral Soldier Command Token” from his bosom—an item he had exchanged with great merit.  

A chilling aura surged through his palm and into his body, instantly absorbing the surrounding coldness completely.  

He cautiously released his divine consciousness, spreading it like a tidal wave, but found no trace of any living presence. The oppressive silence actually eased his mind a little.  

“It seems the map Zhao Wuyou left before his death was real. This place is indeed perilous; not even demonic beasts dare tread here.”  

Liang Zhiyuan thought secretly, his greed for the Martial God’s treasure ultimately outweighing the lingering unease.  

With a step, his figure became like a wisp of blue smoke, dashing with Old Wu behind him toward the core area marked on the map.  

The mountain path was rugged, dotted with strange stones. The deeper they went, the heavier the aura of deathly silence became.  

Rounding a massive mountain wall, the view suddenly opened up. Ahead was a vast valley. The moment they stepped in, an overwhelming sense of danger surged sharply to his head!  

Something was wrong!  

That thought flashed through his mind like lightning.  

Without hesitation, he turned to retreat at full speed.  

But it was too late.  

The instant he turned, the ground beneath his feet and the surrounding mountain walls suddenly lit up with mysterious runes, forming a dazzling river of stars.  

A solid pillar of light shot up, instantly sealing off the entire valley!  

“A One-Star Formation!”  

Li Pingcan gasped in shock. As a formation master, how could he not recognize the technique?  

It was clearly a top-level death trap formation of very low grade!  

“Who is it? Who dares scheme against you behind your back?!”  

Rage and shock mingled in my voice as I shouted hoarsely, “You sneaky rats! How dare you plot against this official?!”  

From the mist, two pale figures flickered faintly, their calm voices echoing inside the One-Star Formation.  

They were Li Pingfu and Liang Zhiyuan.  

To counter Li Pingcan, Qi Chao had spared no expense. He had purchased expensive formation materials from the white market frequented by rogue cultivators, and even ‘borrowed’ the storage ring once left by Zhao Youyou from his son Li Mengjin, claiming to “keep it safe for now.”  

The spiritual materials used to dispel mental imprints were all deployed to set up this deadly formation.  

According to the terrain, the killing formation gathered the yin energy of Old Yin Mountain, making it even more vicious than the One-Star Formation in the Li family’s old residence in Peach Blossom Village.  

Just as Li Pingcan was shocked and enraged, Old Wu moved beside me.  

This innate expert was like a ghost—silently drawing the thin sword at his waist, its blade shimmering with an eerie cold light in the dimness.  

At the same time, Li Pingfu also acted.  

He made no extra moves but simply stepped forward. A force as heavy and solid as a mountain burst out, violently pushing back Old Wu’s sword intent.  

The aura clash between two innate experts crackled in the air with sizzling sounds, as if the very air was solidifying.  

“Formation, activate, divide!”  

Li Pingcan formed hand seals, and the light of the Seven-Star Formation surged, stars shifting and swirling.  

Within the valley, the scene twisted and changed. The figures of Liang Zhiyuan and Old Wu were forcibly separated by an invisible power, each trapped in an isolated space.  

Li Pingfu and Old Wu locked eyes, battle intent rising.  

“Clang!”  

Old Wu struck first, sword flashing without any flourish, delivering a simple, direct thrust.  

His swordplay was pure killing intent, each move honed over decades, angles sly and precise, targeting vital points. The sword light wove a dense net that instantly enveloped Li Pingfu.  

“Come!”  

Li Pingfu shifted his footwork. The lightness of the crane play and the agility of the ape play from the Five Spirit Play were demonstrated flawlessly.  

His form flickered, weaving through the seemingly impenetrable sword net with ease and grace.  

A trace of surprise flashed in Old Wu’s eyes.  

His “Soul Chasing Life Stealing Sword” was fast, accurate, and ruthless. Ordinary innate experts wouldn’t last three moves against it.  

But this masked man was not only agile, his body’s protective true energy was incredibly robust, so much so that the sword qi only left shallow white marks on him.  

“Interesting.” Li Pingfu licked his lips, battle intent surging.  

He no longer simply dodged but chose to clash head-on!  

“Roar!”  

A tiger’s roar exploded as his blood qi surged. The domineering Black Tiger Technique perfectly combined with the bear spirit of the Five Spirit Play, transforming him into a primeval giant bear. His fists swung with the might to split mountains and crack stones, rushing at the sea of sword light!  

“Bang! Smash! Bang!”  

The fierce collision of fists and swords echoed continuously in the formation space.  

Old Wu’s swordplay grew even fiercer, sword light pouring like relentless rain.  

Li Pingfu stood like an unshakable mountain, enduring the storm without budging.  

His fists seemed heavy but each strike contained the power to shatter mountains, sending vibrations that numbed Old Wu’s arms and made his tiger’s mouth ache faintly.  

“Is this guy a monster?!” Old Wu grew increasingly alarmed. He recalled the martial arts expert Li Pingfu who once made Magistrate Liang hesitate to act.  

The masked man’s physical strength was astonishing. Could the Li family be rebelling?  

But where did such immortal cultivation formation techniques come from?  

Moreover, the masked man’s moves appeared forceful yet hid agile variations, blending softness and hardness smoothly. There was no sign of the Black Tiger Technique Li Pingfu practiced.  

Meanwhile, Liang Zhiyuan’s situation was no better.  

Trapped at the other end of the formation, he was frantically studying how to break it.  

The Seven-Star Formation was extremely intricate, interlocking at every turn. Even as a celestial official, he could not find a solution quickly.  

What frustrated him more was that the man in black never faced him directly, instead hiding in the formation’s mist, occasionally harassing him with “spell disturbances.”  

Sometimes a slick swamp appeared beneath his feet.  

Other times, a foul wind mixed with sand and gravel blew his face, covering him in dirt.  

Fuming, he roared, “Bastard! If you have the guts, face me head-on!”  

Li Pingcan was completely unhurried, calmly casting Earth Shaping to drain Liang Zhiyuan’s mana.  

Though a Divine Martial Realm cultivator could overwhelm Liang Zhiyuan, the only threat was the explosive dynasty destiny power. So he chose the most conservative battle style, akin to Jiang Taigong fishing patiently.  

With Divine Berry Technique, pills replenishing him, and destiny support from the testing site, it formed an endless inner cycle. No need to confront Liang Zhiyuan directly.  

Leisurely maintaining the formation, Li Pingcan also observed his elder brother’s battle through the Fungal Lord Domain, ready to assist anytime.  

Liang Zhiyuan was troubled by the constant harassment, unable to focus on deciphering the formation, forced into a passive, exhausting defense.  

The battle between Li Pingfu and Old Wu reached a white-hot intensity.  

“Blood Shadow Death Sword!”  

Old Wu, unable to break through, finally unleashed his true power. He bit his tongue fiercely, spitting a mouthful of essence blood onto his sword.  

The thin blade instantly turned a demonic blood red, sword qi surging wildly as a dense blood killing aura spread.  

In a flash, his figure split into thousands of blood-colored illusions, each wielding a blood sword, attacking Li Pingfu from all directions.  

This was his ultimate life-or-death technique, sacrificing essence blood to unleash a strike beyond limits!  

Facing the overwhelming, inescapable blood sword shadows, Li Pingfu’s eyes showed no caution, only a burning battle fervor like never before.  

“Come! Let me show you what true power is!”  

He no longer held back, pushing the essence of the Five Spirit Play to its peak.  

“Tiger-Crane Dual Form, Five Spirits Unite!”  

His figure flickered like a white crane spreading its wings, nimbly evading the deadliest sword shadows. Then suddenly, he dropped like a fierce tiger descending the mountain, a brutal, unrestrained fist intent exploding!  

This punch was no longer just the bear’s steadiness or the tiger’s might, but a fusion of the five spiritual essences into a pure, overwhelmingly domineering force!  

“Boom!”  

Fist and sword net collided with a deep, muffled blast—no earth-shattering roar, just a profound explosion.  

The sea of blood sword shadows seemed to meet their nemesis, emitting a burdened wail as they shattered into blood mist.  

“What... what cultivation technique is that?!”  

Fear flickered for the first time in Old Wu’s eyes.  

His prized death sword was casually broken like that?  

The power fused from five distinct spiritual realms was beyond his comprehension!  

He wanted to retreat or escape, but his body was locked by an invisible force, unable to move.  

He could only watch helplessly as the massive fist passed through the blood mist and lightly struck his chest.  

“Pfft!”  

Old Wu’s body trembled violently. He looked down at his chest, which was unscathed without a single wound.  

Yet inside, his organs were completely shattered by the brutal force.  

Life force fled rapidly, like a receding tide.  

The light in Old Wu’s eyes faded slowly as his body collapsed lifelessly and silently.  

Li Pingfu slowly withdrew his fist, exhaling a long breath.  

He looked at his hands, eyes flashing with surprise.  

This “Five Spirits Unite” move was a spontaneous insight born from the pressure of this life-or-death duel.  

He never expected its power to be so terrifying.  

The formation light flickered slightly, and Li Pingfu’s figure reappeared in the valley. Old Wu’s presence was gone, only a strong scent of blood lingering.  

“Old Wu... dead?!”  

Liang Zhiyuan, unable to see Old Wu, immediately realized something had gone terribly wrong. Shock and disbelief filled his eyes.  

Old Wu was a top-tier innate expert, yet now he was dead just like that?  

“No! Impossible!”  

An unprecedented panic and fear gripped his heart.  

He suddenly realized that this was no ordinary avenger.  

He was like a moth caught in a spider’s web, tangled helplessly!  

...........  

Through the Fungal Lord Domain, I saw my elder brother finish Old Wu with a single punch, leaving him unharmed.  

Li Pingcan smiled slightly and turned his attention to the other end of the formation, where Liang Zhiyuan was harassed to the point of exhaustion by various cantrips.  

“All right, now it’s my turn.”  

“Vile rat!”  

Liang Zhiyuan’s fury and shock exploded. As the county chief and a mid-stage refined energy cultivator, his trusted men had been treacherously attacked, and now he was being made to chase in circles by a sneaky opponent. This was a humiliation beyond words!  

He forcibly suppressed his irritation and sneered coldly, “I admit your formation has some skill. But formations are lifeless things. Before absolute power, they are nothing but clay dogs! Once I break this turtle shell of yours, I’ll extract your soul and grind your spirit to ease my hatred!”  

“Is that so?”  

Li Pingcan chuckled lightly, no longer wasting words. He clasped his hands, natural law force roaring to life within him.  

This time, he no longer used those irritating minor spells but unleashed a first-tier skill directly!  

“Water Manipulation, transform water into soldiers!”  

With a low shout, the water vapor inside the formation space gathered at an incredible speed. In an instant, a giant serpent formed out of high-pressure water!  

The water python stretched dozens of feet, its body crystal clear with visible scales. Its eyes, formed from condensed water, gleamed coldly.  

It let out a silent roar and swung its massive body, tearing the air as it lunged straight at Liang Zhiyuan!  

“What!?”  

Liang Zhiyuan’s pupils constricted sharply.  

This was no ordinary “transform water into soldiers.”  

The spiritual energy radiating from the water python was comparable to a full-force strike from an ordinary mid-stage refined energy cultivator!  

“Petty tricks! How dare you show off in front of an expert!”  

Though startled, Liang Zhiyuan was a seasoned formation master with rich duel experience.  

He remained calm, and the Seven-Star Peachwood Sword in his hand suddenly shone brightly as he shouted, “Sword Formation, rotate!”  

Seven peachwood small swords, condensed from magical power, flew out from behind him, echoing the main sword to form a miniature sword formation.  

The sword formation spun, creating sharp sword winds like a high-speed meat grinder, meeting the attacking water python.  

“Puff! Puff! Puff!”  

The water python collided violently with the sword formation, producing a series of muffled thuds.  

The high-pressure water was continuously sliced and shattered by the sharp sword qi, turning into a misty spray. But the python seemed endless. Broken parts immediately reformed from the surrounding vapor, relentlessly attacking the sword formation’s defense.  

“Not over yet!”  

Li Pingcan stomped his foot hard.  

“Earth Shaping!”  

“Spell amplification!”  

The ground beneath Liang Zhiyuan instantly turned into a swirling quicksand vortex, a huge suction force pulling at him. His already unstable stance from maintaining the sword formation faltered.  

“Damn it!”  

Liang Zhiyuan cursed inwardly. He hadn’t expected his opponent’s casting speed to be so fast. The two water manipulation skills linked seamlessly, leaving him no time to respond.  

He was forced to split some mana to create a spiritual energy shield beneath his feet, barely stabilizing himself.  

But just as he was distracted, the reckless water python seized its chance, breaking through the sword formation’s barrier and snapping fiercely at his protective spiritual light!  

“Crack!”  

The protective light trembled violently.  

Liang Zhiyuan was pushed backward repeatedly by the massive impact, blood qi surging, his face turning even paler.  

“Who exactly are you?!”  

Such intricate spell control and cunning tactical coordination were far beyond a typical rogue cultivator.  

“Just a passing rogue cultivator.”  

Li Pingcan’s voice sounded again, calm as ever but filled with mockery to Liang Zhiyuan’s ears.  

He looked at the figure faintly visible in the formation mist, anger and shock boiling in his heart.  

The opponent’s methods were endless and seemingly effortless.  

No!  

He could not keep being led around by the nose!  

A ruthless gleam flashed in Liang Zhiyuan’s eyes. If he kept defending passively, his mana would be exhausted sooner or later.  

“Today, I’ll show you the might of a celestial official! The power of the dynasty!”  

He roared, pouring all his mana into the phantom official seal between his brows!  

He was about to use the power of a “fake pill”!  

The overwhelming force of the dynasty instantly shattered the water dragon. Water droplets turned to mist, drifting freely between heaven and earth.  

“In my name, borrowing the dragon qi of heaven and earth, save me!”  

He jabbed a finger toward the sky. With his movement, the entire Seven-Star Formation trembled violently. An invisible, vast pressure tried to pierce through the formation barrier, descending from the nine heavens.  

Li Pingcan clearly sensed a terrifying power far beyond refined energy rapidly forming inside Liang Zhiyuan.  

It was coming!  

His eyes narrowed but he showed no panic, even watching the other party with amusement, as if enjoying a clown’s performance.  

One breath passed...  

Two breaths passed...  

Three breaths passed...  

The expected earth-shattering, sky-destroying power failed to arrive.  

Liang Zhiyuan held his finger high, maintaining that awkward, dramatic pose. His expression shifted from madness and confidence to confusion, then suspicion, and finally to utter horror and disbelief.  

“What’s going on? Where is the dragon qi? Where is my dynasty’s destiny?!”  

He could feel his connection with the destined dynasty power completely blocked by an invisible barrier!  

Like a customer ready to pay by phone scan, only to find no signal!  

That feeling—the sudden plunge from cloud nine to hell—nearly shattered his resolve.  

“Impossible! This cannot be!”  

Liang Zhiyuan looked crazed as he frantically forced the official seal again, but no matter how hard he tried, that familiar power no longer responded.  

“Pfft!”  

In his mental chaos, he could no longer suppress his internal injuries. He spat a mouthful of blood, his whole aura withering to an extreme, as if he aged decades in an instant!