Cast iron was indeed embedded within the stone wall. Centered on where the sword had struck, the grinding of stone against iron rang out from within, while fluorescent Profound Qi spread across the surface like a lotus slowly opening.
"Shu Tang, fill the gap," Shi Shaosheng said.
The woman nodded and stepped forward alongside Yinggao. Two longswords pierced precisely into the two formation nodes in the middle section. The luminous, snaking trails crossed and converged there, then spread outward, brighter and swifter.
Clearly, Xiao Tingshu had previously led the formation. Now that Shi Shaosheng had taken the leading position, Guan Shutang filled his place.
Within a few breaths, half the formation had lit up, its enormous pattern illuminating almost the entire stone platform.
Wu Dong slowly rested his hand on his sword, his lowered eyes fixed on the stone wall. So far, it remained utterly still, with no sign that anything would suddenly burst through it. The old man glanced toward the woman. Ming Qitian shook her head slightly-neither earlier nor now had she sensed the presence of another "heart."
But in the very next instant, her Sword Heart stirred. Before anyone else, she suddenly looked toward the formation taking the shape of a sword before them. A distinct sensation of severance reached her.
At that same instant, however, Profound Qi suddenly shrieked behind them.
At this moment, all three peak masters held their swords within the formation, while Wu Dong watched the stone wall warily. With the formation nearing completion, even Xie Guangying, who was guarding Xiao Tingshu, instinctively glanced over.
In the space of that glance, a sharp, fierce surge of murderous intent erupted beside him. Almost entirely on reflex, Xie Guangying turned back, pupils contracting, and his longsword rang free of its sheath.
The blade met Xiao