130: Chapter 130 Top Prodigies Gather, Shen Ji Dominates the Entire Scene!

Shen Ji pushed open the wooden door to the Formation Hall's backyard.

Hall Master Lei Zhen crouched in the southeast corner, clutching a spirit stone and repeatedly gesturing toward that Rank Two Spirit Gathering Formation.

The formation eye at the Li-Fire position had indeed shifted half an inch.

Shen Ji made no sound.

He walked to the stone table and sat down.

Skillfully lifting the copper kettle from the charcoal stove, he refilled two cups with hot water.

Hall Master Lei Zhen didn't even look up.

"Again?"

Shen Ji pushed a cup of tea to the edge of the table.

"There's an urgent task; I'd like to ask the Formation Hall for a favor."

Hall Master Lei Zhen stood up.

He patted the dust off his knees and sat down at the table.

"I told you to get lost last time, yet you've come back even more frequently."

Shen Ji pulled a jade slip from his sleeve and slid it across.

"An extermination mission at a beast nest in Qingfeng Ridge."

"Thirty Red-Scaled Lizards, led by a Rank Four Early-stage Golden Core great demon."

"It's an external mission from Fenglei Hall, and Fire Cloud Hall has already accepted it."

Hall Master Lei Zhen picked up the jade slip and pressed it to his brow.

A moment later, he set down the jade slip, his brow furrowed.

"A Rank Four great demon?"

"The Lizard King is estimated to be at the Early-stage Golden Core with a fire-poison constitution."

Hall Master Lei Zhen tapped his fingers on the tabletop twice.

"You're leading the team as a Mid Golden Core Stage; why do you need my Formation Hall to deal with an Early-stage beast?"

Shen Ji picked up his teacup.

"Being able to win and achieving zero casualties are two different things."

Hall Master Lei Zhen's tapping fingers stopped.

"I want to set up trapping and killing formations around the perimeter of the Red-Scaled Lizard nest."

"Once the Rank Four great demon is flushed out, its breakout direction must be strictly locked onto the preset interception point."

"If the Formation Hall doesn't act, this pocket won't be tied tight."

Shen Ji set down his teacup.

"Thirty Rank Three beasts plus one Rank Four great demon."

"The sect doesn't encounter opportunities for real-combat formation deployment of this scale more than a few times a year."

"The disciples of the Formation Hall can't always take on simple peripheral tasks."

Hall Master Lei Zhen picked up the tea and drained it in one gulp.

In the courtyard, there was only the rustling sound of the wind through the treetops.

The bottom of the cup made a light clink against the stone table.

"Who do you want?"

"Qin Yu."

"Plus one more who can independently sustain the outer trapping formation."

Hall Master Lei Zhen looked up.

"You certainly aren't modest, asking for two core members right off the bat."

Shen Ji countered.

"Who does Hall Master Lei think is suitable?"

Hall Master Lei Zhen was silent for a few breaths.

"Chu Feng."

Chu Feng, the number one genius of the Formation Hall, possessing a mutated space-attribute spiritual root.

Shen Ji wasn't surprised at all.

"Qin Yu will be responsible for the Shadow Evasion Formation and auxiliary field control, while Chu Feng will focus on the outer trapping formation and spatial shifting."

Hall Master Lei Zhen's tone grew heavy.

"On one condition."

"My disciples cannot go to the front lines as cannon fodder."

"That goes without saying."

Shen Ji stood up.

"Formation masters only need to worry about setting up formations in the rear."

"As for the bloody business of front-line interception, Mu Jianqiu and I will handle it."

Hall Master Lei Zhen gave a cold snort.

"Mu Jianqiu?"

"That talent from Fenglei Hall whose eyes are on the top of his head?"

Shen Ji straightened his cuffs.

"His lightning techniques are fierce enough; they're perfect for clearing the field."

Hall Master Lei Zhen asked no more.

He produced a communication jade slip, infused it with spiritual power, and crushed it on the spot.

"In half an hour, Qin Yu and Chu Feng will be waiting for you in the front courtyard."

Shen Ji cupped his hands.

As he reached the courtyard gate, he paused.

His gaze shifted to the Spirit Gathering Formation in the southeast corner.

"Hall Master Lei, how has that Kun-position air vent I mentioned last time been working after the adjustment?"

Hall Master Lei Zhen's hand holding the teacup froze mid-air.

Two seconds passed.

"...It's passable."

Shen Ji smiled.

The spirit stone at the formation eye was lustrous, and the spiritual energy flow was several times smoother.

It had clearly been meticulously tuned.

"I'll come to bother you again another day."

"Get out, get out, get out!"

Shen Ji stepped out of the Formation Hall, spiritual power surging beneath his feet.

His figure was like an arrow released from a bow, sweeping past three courtyards in succession.

The practice field in front of the Ice Heart Hall's main hall was now before him.

A bone-chilling cold air rushed toward him.

A hundred feet away.

Dozens of white-robed disciples were arrayed on the ice.

Fairy Hanyue hovered in the center of the Martial Arts Arena.

Ice crystals swirled around her.

She pressed her right hand down into empty air, and the temperature beneath her palm plummeted instantly.

An ice mirror three zhang in diameter condensed in mid-air.

It clearly reflected every hand-seal trajectory of her spellcasting.

Shen Ji's gaze passed over the crowd and fixed on the front row.

Senior Sister Song Ningshuang held a sword in one hand.

Chilled sword qi pulled a translucent ice wall in front of her, its surface as smooth as a mirror.

He then looked toward the edge of the practice field.

Gu Yunxi's hands rapidly formed seals.

Water-attribute spiritual power silently seeped into the ground, pushing the base of Senior Sister Song Ningshuang's ice wall outward by one zhang.

The ice-and-water cage formed by these two had nearly buried him alive during a simulation.

That chill was domineering enough.

Shen Ji walked up to the sentry post.

"Shen Ji, Protector of the Fire Cloud Hall, requests an audience with Fairy Hanyue."

The disciple on guard recognized his attire and immediately ran inside to report.

The cold air on the practice field instantly receded.

Fairy Hanyue landed.

She tilted her head to say something to Senior Sister Song Ningshuang, then turned and walked toward the inner hall.

A moment later.

"Martial Aunt Hanyue invites the Protector to the Ice Heart Pavilion."

Inside the Ice Heart Pavilion.

The four walls were inlaid with cold jade, and the temperature was over ten degrees lower than outside.

The tables and chairs were all carved from ice-blue jade.

Fairy Hanyue sat regally in the main seat.

Her face was cold and stern, her gaze like ice that would never melt.

"Protector Shen, please sit."

Shen Ji sat in the guest seat.

Spiritual power circulated slightly within him, completely isolating the chill seeping in through the jade chair.

"Fairy Hanyue."

"There's a nest of Red-Scaled Lizards in Qingfeng Ridge—thirty Rank Threes and one Rank Four."

"Fenglei Hall will lead the attack, Fire Cloud Hall will provide support, and the Formation Hall will handle field control."

He cut straight to the point.

"This setup still needs the Ice Heart Hall to fill the final gap."

Fairy Hanyue picked up the teacup beside her.

"With three halls joining forces, the lineup is already sufficient."

"Why have you come to find me?"

Shen Ji's expression remained unchanged.

"The combined lightning and fire attack will ignite the poisonous mist, and the fire can easily spiral out of control and spread."

"When the Red-Scaled Lizard pack is startled, their escape route won't obediently lead into the encirclement."

"Once a beast breaks out from the flank, lightning and fire spells won't be able to change direction in time."

"Only the large-scale freezing of the Ice Heart Hall can seal off all escape routes within a single breath."

He looked at her.

"I want to borrow Senior Sister Song Ningshuang's chilled sword qi to cut off their retreat."

"Combined with Gu Yunxi's water-attribute deceleration."

"To pin down the lives of all the beasts within the Formation Hall's trapping formation."

Fairy Hanyue stared at him.

"Protector Shen."

"The Ice Heart Hall is not a subordinate of the Fire Cloud Hall."

"You want to transfer people with just empty words; if this gets out, it will damage our hall's reputation."

Shen Ji took out a square jade box from his sleeve.

He pushed it over.

"The Fairy makes a fair point."

"These few Rank Four top-grade talismans will serve as a deposit for the Ice Heart Hall's assistance."

"At a critical moment, they can ensure the safety of the disciples."

Fairy Hanyue's fingertip lightly tapped the tabletop.

The box lid slid open on its own.

Three high-grade protective talismans, shimmering with pale golden spiritual patterns, lay quietly inside.

They emitted heavy fluctuations of spiritual power.

She raised a finger slightly, closing the jade box and sweeping it into her sleeve.

"You certainly aren't stingy."

"Better than those who only know how to put on airs."

Fairy Hanyue concluded.

"I grant this request."

"Senior Sister Song Ningshuang and Gu Yunxi are at your disposal."

"But if there are any injuries, the Fire Cloud Hall will bear the full cost of healing pills."

Shen Ji stood up.

"It's a deal."

"March 3rd, Wei Hour."

"The Martial Arts Arena in the front courtyard of the Fire Cloud Hall."

"Huo Quji was practicing footwork while carrying the mystic turtle spirit shield."

"Disciple Nangong Yue was opposite him, continuously throwing fireballs to help him train."

"Shen Ji stepped into the Martial Arts Arena."

"Stop and come over."

"The two immediately stopped their practice and ran to the stone table."

"Protector, did you manage to borrow the people?" Huo Quji wiped away some sweat.

"Qin Yu and Chu Feng from the Formation Hall."

"Senior Sister Song Ningshuang and Gu Yunxi from the Ice Heart Hall."

"Disciple Nangong Yue was startled."

"The core members of all four halls are all here?"

"Shen Ji sat down."

"And Mu Jianqiu from the Fenglei Hall."

"Half the excitement on Huo Quji's face collapsed."

"Protector, the ones they're sending are all at the level of Chief Disciples or Second Senior Sisters."

"In our Fire Cloud Hall, it's just me and Disciple Nangong Yue..."

"Afraid you won't be able to hold your own?" Shen Ji looked at him.

"Huo Quji opened his mouth but said nothing."

"Shen Ji picked up the teacup on the table."

"For this mission, I am the main controller."

"The Fire Cloud Hall doesn't need to compete with them in terms of cultivation level."

"You only need to hold the shield steady the second the beasts charge the formation."

"He looked directly into Huo Quji's eyes."

"Layering a fire shield over the mystic turtle spirit shield—this is something Mu Jianqiu can't do, nor can Senior Sister Song Ningshuang."

"The moment the Rank Four beast slams into us, you are that wall."

"Huo Quji suddenly gripped the shield handle tightly."

"His chest puffed out instantly."

"Shen Ji turned to Disciple Nangong Yue."

"Continuously raising the temperature to flush out the high-concentration poisonous mist—the control of the heat is entirely in your hands."

"Don't try to be brave in close combat; maintaining a steady output is the greatest contribution."

"Disciple Nangong Yue nodded heavily."

"Shen Ji took out a slip of paper covered in names."

"He handed it to Huo Quji."

"Go deliver the letters."

"One for each of the three halls: Fenglei, Ice Heart, and Formation."

"At the third quarter of the Wei Hour, joint practice at the Martial Arts Arena in the Sect Square."

"He paused."

"As for Fenglei Hall, tell Mu Jianqiu."

"Tell him to bring Ling Qingmeng along."

"Huo Quji was stunned."

"Ling Qingmeng?"

"That Second Senior Sister who has always been a loner?"

"Shen Ji nodded."

"After the combined lightning and fire strike, we need high-precision suppression across the whole field."

"Ling Qingmeng's Thousand-Thread Thunder Net can cover the entire area."

"Although he didn't know her in reality, in the simulations, Ling Qingmeng was the one who had fought alongside him the most."

"For such a joint activity involving all four halls, she absolutely had to be there."

"Huo Quji swallowed hard."

"What if Mu Jianqiu refuses to bring her?"

"Shen Ji leaned back against his chair."

"Tell him exactly this."

"These are the rules. If he doesn't want to follow them, Fenglei Hall can send someone else."

"Huo Quji grinned, gripped the letter, and rushed out."

"The beginning of the Shen Hour."

"The Martial Arts Arena in the Sect Square."

"Senior Sister Song Ningshuang wore a white dress, an ice-crystal longsword resting on her shoulder."

"She stood at the edge of the Martial Arts Arena, observing the scene with interest."

"Mu Jianqiu stood three paces away."

"His jawline was taut, his arms tightly crossed over his chest, not saying a word."

"Ling Qingmeng, who had come with him, was dressed in blue-purple martial attire."

"Her phoenix eyes narrowed slightly as her cold gaze swept over Shen Ji."

"Chu Feng and Qin Yu stood on the right, waiting quietly."

"Shen Ji stood in the very center of the arena."

"His gaze swept over the several top talents present."

"I will only state the rules for the joint practice once."

"His voice wasn't loud, yet it fell clearly into everyone's ears."

"No sooner had he finished speaking."

"Shen Ji took a half-step forward with his right foot."

"Boom!"

"An overwhelming Golden Core pressure descended without reservation."

"The bluestone floor of the entire Martial Arts Arena let out a groan under the unbearable weight."

"The ice crystals condensed on Senior Sister Song Ningshuang's longsword instantly exploded into a cloud of white powder."

"The violent electrical arcs about to overflow from Mu Jianqiu's body were forcibly suppressed back into his meridians."

"Ling Qingmeng's fluttering sleeves suddenly hung still."

"The spatial barrier Chu Feng used for protection made a faint sound like shattering glass."

"The entire field fell into dead silence."

"Everyone's breath stalled at this moment."

"March 5th, Qingfeng Ridge."

"Four halls joining forces; only victory is allowed, no retreat."

"Shen Ji pointed his finger at the open ground ahead."

"Starting now."

"Enter the formation and take your positions."