Of course, these Seven Spirit Mountain swordsmen were artifact cultivators. A faint glow flickered all around each of them, circling their bodies as it drifted above and below. When Xiao Hua and the others entered, the brightness and rhythm of that glow had been somewhat disordered. Yet as Xiao Hua went deeper, the fluctuations of the light gradually became uniform, and even the rhythm of its movement began to synchronize!
"Oh? So that was it!" Though Xiao Hua wore a playful grin, his heart was clear as a mirror. Not to mention that Seven Spirit Mountain had accepted Sword Transformation Senior's orders to intercept them and would not act rashly—even without Sword Transformation Senior's involvement, if Seven Spirit Mountain meant to confront him, they certainly would not try to fob him off with some loose, sloppy formation. Since they dared lay down a sword formation, then... they surely possessed the confidence to kill with a single strike.
"The combined assault of over a hundred artifact cultivators... is likely formidable. I may have exaggerated earlier!" Xiao Hua's thoughts raced. "I should not have let Li Zongbao, Xiao Mao, and my wife enter the formation! The first strike will not be easy to take. Once we weather that first strike, I'll hit them hard..."
As Xiao Hua pondered, he had already reached the center of the formation. It was a space of some hundred zhang, likewise square in shape.
"Is Your Excellency prepared?" Qi Chengyi's voice came from beyond the artifact cultivators, sounding like a reminder between fellow disciples sparring. "Qi is about to activate the formation!"
Xiao Hua looked around, then transmitted a few words to Fairy Hongxia before calling aloud, "This Xiao and the others are ready. You may let your horses loose and come at us!"
Xiao Hua's voice