266: Chapter 266 The Only Way Out of the Great Formation

The night wind swept through the courtyard, carrying the sweet fragrance of osmanthus flowers.

The fallen petals on the ground were blown into swirls.

Li Changfeng's hand was already pressed against the hilt of the sword at his waist.

His fingertips were tense and rigid.

A layer of cold sweat instantly broke out on Su Changge's back.

"Damn it! How did he see me? How is this bastard's eyesight so sharp?"

His heart was racing, threatening to leap out of his chest.

Yet, his expression remained unchanged, not even an eyelid flickered.

He lifted his lashes and cast a faint glance at Li Changfeng.

The hand behind his back moved slightly.

He mentally deducted two hundred emotion points.

A layer of faint purple Dao Rhyme instantly rose around his body.

As the Dao Rhyme circulated, it carried an oppressive sensation that made it hard to breathe.

The sword Li Changfeng was about to unsheathe let out a "hum."

The blade was actually trembling violently inside the scabbard.

It was impossible to draw.

Li Changfeng's pupils constricted sharply.

"Such powerful Dao Rhyme!"

The moment that wave of Dao Rhyme pressed down,

he actually had the urge to kneel and kowtow!

That shred of suspicion was instantly suppressed.

What level of big shot was Su Changge?

If he really wanted to escape, he would have overturned the Jade Cauldron Pavilion long ago.

Would he need to steal his own Formation map?

He must have seen it wrong just now!

Li Changfeng quickly withdrew his hand, the stiffness on his face instantly replaced by a fawning smile.

He bowed to Su Changge.

"Senior, please forgive me. This Junior's eyes deceived him just now."

Su Changge gave a faint grunt.

He raised his hand and picked up the animal hide Formation map from the stone table.

He flipped through the Formation map with his fingertips, his tone as casual as if he were reading a storybook.

"I was bored, so I took the broken Formation map from your Pavilion to pass the time."

"What? Does Pavilion Master Li have an objection?"

Li Changfeng shook his head like a rattle-drum.

"I wouldn't dare! Senior, feel free to look at whatever you want! The entire Jade Cauldron Pavilion belongs to Senior!"

He was even more convinced that what he saw earlier was an illusion.

So what if a big shot uses his Formation map to pass time?

Never mind taking the Formation map, even if he tore down the Jade Cauldron Pavilion, it would be justified!

He pushed the soul-guiding robe in his hand forward, his smile becoming even more sycophantic.

"Senior, the sacrificial ceremony starts in two hours. Would you like to put on the soul-guiding robe first?"

Su Changge lifted his eyes and glanced at the soul-guiding robe embroidered with blood patterns.

His fingertips pinched a fallen osmanthus flower.

He spoke faintly.

"I am used to wearing my own clothes."

"Get lost. Don't disturb my meditation."

The voice was not loud, but it carried an unquestionable sense of oppression.

Li Changfeng was forced back half a step by that wave of Dao Rhyme.

He dared not drop the smile on his face.

He dared not offend Su Changge right now.

If he were to upset Su Changge and the Origin became unstable, the effect of the sacrifice would be diminished.

Regardless, the dragon suppressing stake and the soul locking incense were already prepared.

Once the sacrificial ceremony officially began, Su Changge would be meat on the chopping block.

There was no need to rush for the moment.

Li Changfeng quickly bowed and apologized with a smile.

"Yes, yes, yes. This Junior will not disturb Senior's meditation! This Junior will wait outside for Senior!"

After speaking, he quickly waved his hand.

Bringing eight Elders and two hundred Inner Sect Disciples, they retreated in a dense crowd.

He didn't forget to carefully close the courtyard gate.

Just as Li Changfeng and his group left.

Willow's legs went weak, and she steadied herself against the stone table.

Her face was as pale as paper.

"Senior, you scared me to death just now! I thought Li Changfeng was going to attack!"

The composure on Su Changge's face instantly crumbled.

He reached up and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.

"Damn it! I almost blew my cover! Scared the hell out of me!"

He leaned his back against the osmanthus tree and took two deep breaths.

He then slid down the trunk and sat on the stone stool.

He spread the Mountain Protection Grand Array Formation map in his hand onto the stone table.

Those two minutes of bluffing had soaked his back with sweat.

Fortunately, that bastard Li Changfeng was stupid enough to be fooled by him.

Su Changge steadied his mind.

He called up the Formation knowledge from the xuantian dao canon.

He began to cross-reference it with the Formation map and the method for breaking the dragon suppressing stake he had just deduced.

The Mountain Protection Grand Array was a Grade 6 defensive Formation.

The entire Formation had the main peak of the Jade Cauldron Pavilion as its core.

Nine Formation eyes were set on the peaks of the nine sub-peaks.

The Formation patterns spread out along the ley lines.

It was connected to the dragon suppressing stake Formation at the Altar behind the mountain.

The power of the two Formations overlapped.

If one were to force their way through, even a powerful cultivator at the Soul Transformation Stage could not break out.

Su Changge's fingertips slowly traced along the Formation patterns on the map.

The Formation knowledge within the xuantian dao canon automatically cross-referenced.

The function and weaknesses of each Formation pattern clearly appeared in his mind.

He had realized this earlier while deducing the method to break the dragon suppressing stake.

When the dragon suppressing stake was activated, it would trigger the Qi of the ley lines throughout the entire Jade Cauldron Pavilion.

The impact of the ley line Qi would cause a momentary gap in the two overlapping Formations.

This gap would only appear at the connection point of the two Formations.

Su Changge's fingertips suddenly paused.

They landed on a mark in the southwest corner of the Formation map.

That place was the abandoned alchemy room of the Jade Cauldron Pavilion.

After the alchemy furnace exploded over a hundred years ago, it had been abandoned there ever since.

It happened to be the connection node between the Mountain Protection Grand Array and the dragon suppressing stake Formation.

Su Changge's heart instantly jumped into his throat.

His fingertips quickly calculated the timing of the ley line Qi surge.

At the stroke of midnight, the moment the dragon suppressing stake was officially activated.

The ley line Qi would rush out from this node.

The power of both Formations would be used to suppress the ley line Qi.

The defense at this node would drop to its lowest point.

It would only be open for the time it takes to burn half a stick of incense.

After this time passed, the node would be sealed shut again.

This was the only way out!

Su Changge closed the Formation map with a "snap."

His heart was beating rapidly.

"Great! I've finally found a way to escape!"

As long as he could hold on until the stroke of midnight.

He would take Willow and rush to the node at the abandoned alchemy room.

Break the Formation and escape!

Little Stone had already gone ahead to wait in the pine forest behind the mountain.

When the time came, he would pick up Little Stone, and the three of them would escape together!

Su Changge tucked the Formation map into his chest.

He reached out and touched the fire jade bottle in his chest.

The temperature of the Solar Essence Fire inside the fire jade bottle was just right.

It was enough to burn away the Formation patterns of the soul nurturing stake.

Willow leaned in, looking at Su Changge with an excited face.

"Senior, we found a way to escape, didn't we?"

Su Changge nodded and spoke faintly.

"Yes, we leave at midnight."

"Whether we can actually make it out is uncertain; we can only gamble on it!"

He looked up at the moon on the horizon.

The moon had risen to the center of the sky.

The silvery moonlight had turned a faint blood-red at some point.

The night wind carried a faint smell of rust.

The fire jade bottle in Su Changge's chest suddenly became scorching hot.

It was so hot that he almost couldn't hold it.

His heart sank abruptly.

He lifted his eyes to look at the stars on the horizon.

The brightest star, the Ziwei star, was actually dimming at a speed visible to the naked eye.

The stars across the entire sky were shaking.

A subtle vibration came from the ground beneath his feet.

The teacup on the table wobbled and then tipped over onto the stone table with a "clatter."

Hot water spilled all over the table.

Willow grabbed the stone table in fear and spoke with a panicked face.

"Senior! The ground is moving! What's going on?"

Su Changge's fingertips instantly tensed up.

The ley lines were surging?

The dragon suppressing stake had actually activated early?