Embryonic Form of the Ten Thousand Immortals Formation (Part 2)

"Three Talents Return to Origin, stabilize!" Yunxiao cried sharply. With a light flick of her fair hand, the phantom of the Primordial Golden Dipper manifested at the center, anchoring the formation's core.

"Nine Palaces Circulation, transform!" Qiongxiao and Bixiao cast their arts at the same time. The lights around the formation's perimeter accelerated, forming nine constantly rotating,

interlocking palaces, making the entire grand formation's aura agile and unfathomable, impossible to lock onto.

"Heavenly Dipper and Earthly Fiends, attack and defense as one!" Zhao Gongming shouted. The phantom of the Sea-Calming Divine Pearl rose and fell above his head, drawing upon the formation's power.

At once, thirty-six dazzling stars—the Heavenly Dipper—and seventy-two heavy mountain phantoms—the Earthly Fiends—appeared within the formation diagram. The stars governed offense, the mountains defense, their radiance reflecting one another.

Xuan Chuan stood at the very front. The Fate-Cutting Sword had not left its sheath, yet his entire aura had already fused completely with the grand formation below.

He was the "spirit" of this formation, the ultimate embodiment of that will to "seize a thread of life"!

"Not bad! Its bearing has taken shape!" Duobao Daoist praised from afar, then his gaze sharpened. "Careful!"

He raised a hand and pressed down through the air. Without using any treasure, he simply relied on a Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal's pure control over the laws of heaven and earth to stir vast magical power!

Boom!

A gigantic golden palm phantom spanning several miles condensed out of thin air. The lines in its palm were crystal-clear, carrying a terrifying majesty capable of suppressing the heavens and crushing all things as it slowly pressed down toward the azure formation diagram below!

Before the palm even arrived, it had already pressed a vast depression into the sea below. Waves were forced outward in every direction, forming a monstrous tsunami!

This was pure suppression by power! It used Daluo Realm magical power to imitate the force of Mount Tai bearing down overhead!

"Earthly Fiends, rise!" Zhao Gongming roared.

Within the formation diagram, the seventy-two heavy mountain phantoms flared with light at once and surged upward, layer upon layer, transforming into a colossal barrier that seemed to be piled from countless sacred mountains as it met the golden palm head-on!

Rumble—!!!

The golden palm struck the mountain barrier, unleashing an earthshaking roar! Violent energy shockwaves swept in all directions, and waves a thousand zhang high exploded from the sea!

The mountain barrier shook violently, its light flickering in and out. Cracks even appeared in several mountain phantoms at the very top, yet it ultimately withstood that terrifying palm strike!

Within the formation, all three hundred and sixty disciples trembled, their faces turning pale. Yet no one retreated, and the formation continued to operate smoothly!

"Good! To withstand a strike containing thirty percent of my magical power, this formation's defense already rivals that of an ordinary early-stage Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal!" Duobao Daoist praised loudly, but his hands did not stop moving. "Now look at this move!"

He formed seals with both hands and chanted an incantation.

At once, countless phantoms of treasure-light appeared across the sky—sabers, spears, swords, halberds, bells, cauldrons, seals, mirrors...

Though they were not physical objects, each contained a different flavor of law. Like a violent storm, they shot toward the grand formation from every direction!

This was precisely a simplified version of his signature divine ability—the Myriad Treasures Torrent! Though it possessed only a fraction of its true might, its transformations were manifold and impossible to guard against!

"Nine Palaces Circulation, Shifting Stars and Replacing the Dipper!" Qiongxiao and Bixiao cried out repeatedly, controlling the outer nine palaces as they spun at high speed.

The lights around the formation's perimeter seemed to come alive, forming pliant, agile "force fields" and "vortices."

Of the treasure-light phantoms shooting toward them, some were diverted by the force fields and collided with one another, annihilating themselves;

some were drawn into the vortices, their power dispersed and dissolved. Only a handful pierced through the Nine Palaces' defenses, and even those were precisely shattered by the inner Heavenly Dipper star phantoms!

"What exquisite transformations! It can actually dissolve my 'Myriad Treasures Tide'!" The wonder in Duobao Daoist's eyes deepened. He finally began to take things seriously. "One final test—behold the domain of laws!"

He no longer held back. With a low shout, his aura suddenly surged!

Though he still suppressed himself to seventy percent of his strength, the power of a nascent domain encompassing the Five Elements and overturning yin and yang spread outward from him!

Within the domain, spiritual energy became chaotic and laws twisted. An ordinary Primordial Unity Golden Immortal caught within it would likely lose control of their magical power in an instant, left to be slaughtered at another's whim!

This was one of the most terrifying methods by which Zenith Heaven Golden Immortals suppressed lower-level cultivators!

"Senior Brother Xuan Chuan!" Yunxiao warned him through voice transmission. The formation's resistance against domain power required the guidance of its core will.

Xuan Chuan had been watching calmly all along, but now he finally moved.

He did not draw his sword. He merely slowly raised his right hand, spread his five fingers, and made a grasping motion toward the domain power shrouding them.

He softly uttered two words: "Fate-Cutting."

In that instant, the entire grand formation's radiance changed dramatically! Countless fine purple-gold patterns suddenly lit up within the pale azure formation diagram.

Xuan Chuan had amplified and spread his own Fate-Cutting Dao resonance and merit power through the formation, fusing them into every node of its array patterns!

Wherever the purple-gold patterns passed, the twisted, chaotic spiritual energy and laws seemed to encounter their nemesis, forcibly "smoothed" and "set right"!

Duobao Daoist's domain power seemed to crash into an invisible yet resilient "wall," unable to fully penetrate the grand formation!

Though it still had an effect, making the formation's operation somewhat sluggish, it was nowhere near enough to make it collapse!

"This is... a merit Dao resonance? It can even interfere with a domain of laws?!" Duobao Daoist finally changed expression, feeling genuine shock for the first time.

This simplified Ten Thousand Immortals Formation could not only gather the strength of many, boast formidable defenses, and wield exquisite transformations—its core could even incorporate such a strange Dao resonance to resist a Daluo Realm domain?

Though it was merely a nascent domain, and he had used only seventy percent of his strength, that was already astonishing enough!

This formation... has truly taken shape! Duobao Daoist thought. He then withdrew his hand, dispersing all divine abilities and pressure, and laughed aloud. "Good! What a Myriad Immortals Joint Defense Formation!

It truly lives up to its name! Attack and defense as one, transformations beyond measure, and a core Dao resonance of such marvel—enough to contend against an ordinary Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal!

Given time, if ten thousand immortals were to deploy the complete formation, its power... might truly recreate a fraction of the splendor of the ancient Ten Thousand Immortals Formation!"

As he withdrew his hand, the enormous formation diagram in the sky slowly dissipated. The three hundred and sixty disciples all let out a breath of relief. Many even swayed as though drained of all strength, yet their faces shone with excitement and pride.

They had personally taken part in such a powerful formation and had even successfully withstood Senior Brother Duobao's test—at seventy percent of his strength! This undoubtedly greatly strengthened their confidence and unity.

The many disciples watching from afar erupted into commotion, discussing fervently. Their gazes toward Xuan Chuan and the others were filled with reverence and yearning.

Xuan Chuan and the others descended from the clouds and joined Duobao Daoist.

"Senior Brother Duobao, you let us win." Xuan Chuan cupped his hands.

"It was not that I let you win." Duobao Daoist said solemnly. "This formation truly has great use. During the great calamity, it can protect our fellow disciples and resist powerful enemies; it can be relied upon for both.

Junior Brother Xuan Chuan, junior sisters, Junior Brother Gongming, you have all worked hard."

"It still needs constant refinement." Xuan Chuan replied modestly, though the delight in his eyes could not be concealed.

This exercise had produced results far beyond expectations. It had not only verified the formation's power, but also united hearts and displayed Jiejiao's new spirit of standing together as one.

He raised his head and looked toward Golden Turtle Island, toward the higher, more unfathomable skies of the Primordial World.

The embryonic form of the Ten Thousand Immortals Formation had appeared, but the storms they would have to face in the future would likely be tens of millions of times fiercer than today's exercise.