Chapter 126: Deliverance

The Profound Heaven Spirit Ape opposite them discovered their presence almost immediately, its face twisted into a look of undisguised mockery.

"Is it truly a fourth-rank spirit beast?" Meng Jiao asked, unable to believe her eyes. In all her years, this was the first time she had encountered such a bizarre phenomenon. While spirit beasts could advance or even mutate, it was absolutely impossible for a creature like the one before them to exist. Its innate limitations simply did not allow for such a low-level beast to possess these traits.

The surrounding atmosphere was incredibly eerie. Even as she spoke, Meng Jiao began to assess their surroundings. Having inherited the true teachings of her master, Nie Xingyuan, she was well-versed in formations, which were essential to artifact crafting. As she studied the layout, her heart sank.

Ji Jiuxuan racked her brain for a way to break the formation. She was confident in her mastery of formations, but the presence of the earth beasts made the situation extremely thorny. Moreover, these earth beasts seemed to be protecting the Profound Heaven Spirit Ape, making it difficult to reach and eliminate the creature.

She gritted her teeth. There was no other choice; the Profound Heaven Spirit Ape was the key to breaking the formation. If they didn't kill it, the three of them would be trapped by the formation until they perished. It was death either way, so she had to try.

Ji Jiuxuan stopped trying to hide her abilities. If they couldn't escape this formation, they were truly facing death.

"A-Jiu, let me carry you?" Meng Jiao looked down at the formation below, then back at her master, Nie Xingyuan, before comforting her, "Don't worry, A-Jiu. With Master here, it will be safer if I carry you."

Ji Jiuxuan shook her head. "Senior Sister, I can handle it, really."

She wasn't trying to be brave. Her master, Zhou Guangsheng, had once told her that her current level of mastery in formations surpassed even that of her martial uncle in some areas. However, her uncle was steady and experienced; as a child, she still lacked the cultivation base to unleash the full power of her knowledge. Still, recalling her battle against the Heaven-Earth Python, she knew she was capable.

Meng Jiao, unaware of Ji Jiuxuan's true proficiency, grew anxious at her junior sister's refusal. "Trust me, Junior Sister, it’s safer this way."

Though Meng Jiao could be a bit troublesome at times, she was a pillar of stability when it truly mattered.

"Senior Sister, I really can do it," Ji Jiuxuan said, looking at Meng Jiao with complete sincerity. She had already formulated a plan to break the formation. Since delving into the study of calligraphy and scriptures, many things had become much easier to grasp. Upon identifying this as the "Five-Fold Extinction Formation," she had begun calculating its structure in her mind.

It was a pity her cultivation base remained low, making it difficult to shatter the formation completely. Turning to her martial uncle, she produced several high-grade talismans and, after pointing out specific locations, said, "Uncle, could you help me strike these points?"

Her uncle’s skill in formations was renowned; having him execute the strikes at the precise locations she identified was the best possible plan. Nie Xingyuan was initially skeptical—a young girl at the Qi Refining stage suggesting such a thing would usually be dismissed as nonsense. But Nie Xingyuan did not see it that way. Upon closer inspection, he realized that striking those exact points would indeed dismantle the formation.

Meng Jiao was equally shocked, giving Ji Jiuxuan a thumbs-up.

Just as Nie Xingyuan prepared to move Ji Jiuxuan onto Meng Jiao's sword, she produced a wing-shaped artifact from her storage space. With a flow of spiritual energy, she donned the wings and took flight. She had almost forgotten the flight artifact her master had gifted her, but it was perfect for the occasion.

As the Tianji Chengying technique surged within her, Ji Jiuxuan looked at Nie Xingyuan and Meng Jiao. "Uncle, Senior Sister, leave the Profound Heaven Spirit Ape to me!"

Even if the ape had grown stronger, she was the only one who could take it down. The others would have to deal with the swarming earth beasts. Nie Xingyuan nodded and said, "Stay safe."

As Ji Jiuxuan flew toward the ape, Nie Xingyuan began his own operation. Suspended in mid-air, he channeled his spiritual energy and sent the high-grade talismans toward the points Ji Jiuxuan had specified.

The formation reacted instantly, erupting in a surge of purple light that enveloped the center of the Qiuying Ancient Forest. The forest seemed to tremble on the brink of panic. A keen observer would have noticed that the formation’s anchor points were centered on the five positions of the Profound Heaven Spirit Ape. With the fifth point now destroyed by Nie Xingyuan, the formation’s power was crippled.

At that moment, Ji Jiuxuan landed before the Profound Heaven Spirit Ape. The beast was even more formidable than the previous four, launching a devastating attack the moment she touched the ground. Had it not been for her "Leaping Shadow Step," she would have surely perished.

"Don't worry, you won't die. The Hualing Body Tempering will absorb part of the force; at most, you'll be severely injured," the system remarked dryly. Ji Jiuxuan ignored the cold comment.

She produced several talisman papers, channeled her spiritual energy, and cast a spell. The high-grade talismans flew out, forming a containment array around them. Even a beast as powerful as the Profound Heaven Spirit Ape was trapped.

The enraged ape caused the surrounding earth beasts to riot. Nie Xingyuan controlled the outer perimeter of the formation, while Meng Jiao remained vigilant, terrified that the gathering horde of beasts would harm her junior sister. Spirit beasts from all over the forest began to converge on their location.

Outside the Qiuying Ancient Forest, those who sensed the disturbance hurried back to report, while many cultivators fled from within. Suddenly, a powerful sword light erupted from the depths of the forest. Observers outside gazed at the purple formation, feeling that the sword light looked hauntingly familiar.

At the center of the formation, the earth beasts became even more frenzied after Ji Jiuxuan struck the ape’s vital point. They launched a desperate, maddened assault on Nie Xingyuan and the others. The ferocity of the earth beasts exceeded anything Ji Jiuxuan had anticipated. The containment array consumed her spiritual energy rapidly, and she had to consume several spirit-replenishing pills just to keep it active.

With the Profound Heaven Spirit Ape immobilized and unable to resist, Ji Jiuxuan seized the opportunity to strike its vital point, ruthlessly extracting its spirit core. Standing there, she looked at the carcass of the ape and unexpectedly saw a glimmer of relief in its expression.

Before she could process this, the ground beneath the ape began to collapse. She flapped her wing artifact, but she could not escape the suction of the sinkhole. She fell as the earth gave way.

"Junior Sister!" Seeing the ape dead and rushing to retrieve Ji Jiuxuan, Meng Jiao did not hesitate to dive toward her. Just as she was about to grab Ji Jiuxuan, the collapsing ground sealed shut. Meng Jiao was blocked, and all the formations in the area dissipated.

Usually cheerful and unconstrained, Meng Jiao panicked, shouting at Nie Xingyuan, "Master! Look at Junior Sister! She's gone!" She tried desperately to open the ground, but to no avail, her voice breaking with sobs. "Master, please save her! Save Junior Sister!"

With the formation gone, the earth beasts became even more savage, attacking Nie Xingyuan and Meng Jiao with reckless abandon. Nie Xingyuan’s expression turned grim, his aura shifting drastically. Had any other members of the Profound Heaven Sect been present, they would have known: he was truly furious.

And the consequences of "King Yama Nie" being furious were dire indeed.