344: Chapter 344 Circular Array Area

Paradoxically, Ye Tian's position became a "quiet spot" within this violent vortex.

The strength he had just displayed caused most people to subconsciously categorize him as someone "not to be trifled with" for the time being.

Furthermore, the path in front of him was already open, making it seem like he was "one step ahead," but everyone knew his energy consumption was high and his current state was poor.

"Senior Brother Ye, are you alright?" Bai Ling and Bai Shaoyi quickly rushed to Ye Tian's side, flanking him to protect him while warily watching their surroundings.

Feng Xuan also brought several Disciples from the Liuli Xuan Sect over, forming a small defensive circle around them.

"I'm fine, just a bit overextended. I'll be okay after catching my breath," Ye Tian said quickly as he fished out a "Crimson Essence Pill"—which he had obtained in the Land of Flowing Fire and was quite effective for replenishing True Yuan—swallowed it, and followed it with a "Vein-Nurturing Pill" to stabilize his blood and Qi.

"Bei Minghong has headed into the passage." Feng Xuan's gaze followed the figures of Bei Minghong and his group as they quickly disappeared into the end of the passage. He said in a heavy voice, "He doesn't seem interested in the Thunder Spirit Guard; his goal is the core area.

Not only is this man powerful, but he is also meticulous. We must be careful."

Ye Tian nodded.

Bei Minghong's actions seemed sudden, but they actually aligned perfectly with his usual style: arrogant, direct, and too impatient to follow "the standard procedure."

He either had special means to bypass or ignore the external trials, or he understood this Thunder Hall far better than anyone else.

"Senior Brother Ye, what should we do now..." Bai Shaoyi asked in a low voice, her eyes uncontrollably drifting toward the three floating treasures in the middle of the Thunder Pool, especially that purple Jade Slip radiating a vast Sword Intent.

The young girl's eyes inevitably held a hint of longing.

Ye Tian didn't answer immediately.

He accelerated the digestion of the medicine while his gaze quickly swept across the scene.

Li Xuanxiao's sword light crisscrossed as he fought a deadlock with the eastern Thunder Spirit Guard. Sword Qi and thunder light collided with significant commotion, but it didn't look like it would end anytime soon.

On Ghost Girl's side, black smoke swirled around, making it impossible to gauge her depth for now.

Nangong Chi, relying on the dominance of his blazing sun heart-protecting shield and the Heaven-Burning Mantra, had suppressed the southern Thunder Spirit Guard, but completely finishing it off would still take a considerable amount of time.

Zhao Mao's side was the most chaotic and wouldn't be over anytime soon.

The other locations were much the same.

Only Bei Minghong had already stepped into the circular Formation area, his figure partially obscured by the light of the Formation patterns, making him hard to see clearly.

The Opportunity would pass in the blink of an eye.

"We can't wait for them," Ye Tian decided immediately, his eyes resolute. "Bei Minghong has already entered the core area; we can't fall too far behind.

Senior Brother Feng, Bai Ling, Shaoyi, you three stay here for now. Form a Formation to protect yourselves and observe the situation. If there's a chance, try to assist our fellow Disciples and act as the situation dictates."

"Senior Brother Ye, you're going in alone? But your injuries..." Bai Ling became anxious.

"It's no longer an issue. The situation inside is unclear; more people will only be a burden," Ye Tian said confidently. "I opened that passage, and I have a bit of a 'feel' for the rhythm of the Formation ahead. Besides..."

He glanced at Zhao Mao, who was in the middle of a fight in the distance, and at Nangong Yu, who kept glancing over. He lowered his voice and said, "Some people probably won't let me rest and recover in peace. Entering proactively might actually disrupt their plans."

Feng Xuan looked deeply at Ye Tian. Knowing he had made up his mind and that his reasoning was sound, he stopped trying to persuade him and only said solemnly, "Junior Brother Ye, be absolutely careful!

If it really doesn't work out, your own safety is the most important. We will be here to back you up."

"Don't worry." Ye Tian nodded and said no more. With a flicker of his body, he had already crossed the dozen or so yards of the safe passage and stepped into the circular area at the end.

The moment Ye Tian's figure vanished into that field of light, several malicious gazes immediately locked onto the spot where he disappeared.

It was Zhao Mao and his scrawny companion, who had just used a poison needle to ambush a Loose Cultivator. And in the distance, Nangong Yu, who was assisting Nangong Chi in attacking the Thunder Spirit Guard, was also glancing this way.

Ye Tian's judgment was correct. His "weakened" state was like blood dropped into a school of sharks, stimulating certain greedy and sinister predators.

The moment he stepped into the circular Formation area, Ye Tian felt the light and shadows before his eyes blur, as if he were passing through a layer of mercury.

The sounds of the intense fighting outside suddenly became distant. Additionally, a humming sound seemed to come from deep underground, and the air was so dense it almost turned to liquid, carrying a heavy pressure of lightning.

The space here seemed much larger than it appeared from the outside.

The ground was no longer a platform but was filled with crisscrossing trenches. What flowed in the trenches wasn't muddy water but liquid lightning paste, which emitted intense heat.

The Formation patterns seen earlier were carved between these trenches. They were currently flashing on and off; every flash caused the lightning paste in the trenches to ripple slightly, echoing the fluctuations of the Thunder Pool above.

The air no longer contained just lightning Spiritual Qi; it was also mixed with the lingering will that governed the heavens and lightning.

Standing here was like being inside a thundercloud. Every movement felt like it carried ten thousand catties of pressure. Circulating True Yuan was extremely difficult, and even his consciousness felt somewhat stiff.

Ye Tian let out a muffled groan, his body sinking slightly, lighting up a small section of the Formation patterns beneath his feet.

He quickly circulated the Star Qi Induction Art to forcefully steady himself. Simultaneously, he transformed the black tortoise spirit armor shield into a black watery light, protecting the surface of his skin and helping him resist that terrifying pressure.

He looked up and around, and about fifty yards ahead, at a spot with a small stone platform in the center, he saw three black figures.

Bei Minghong stood alone by the stone platform, his eyes fixed on the center of it.

It wasn't empty; an irregularly shaped, deep purple, strange crystal was floating there.

The crystal rotated slowly. With every rotation, it produced a strong resonance with the surrounding Formation patterns, the lightning paste in the trenches, and the Thunder Pool above.

This crystal seemed to be the key to this circular Formation area and even its connection to the Thunder Pool above!

Bei Minghong's two black-clad followers stood several yards away, guarding the platform on either side. Their eyes coldly scanned the surroundings, especially the direction from which Ye Tian had appeared.

They had clearly noticed Ye Tian as well.

Bei Minghong seemed to have no reaction to Ye Tian's arrival, or rather, he didn't care at all.

His entire attention was on that purple crystal.

He slowly raised his right hand, his fingers wreathed in deep black ice mist. He seemed to be using some special method to test the purple crystal!

Just then, behind Ye Tian, the light and shadow barrier that separated him from the outer platform area suddenly shook violently twice.

"Swoosh, swoosh!"

Two figures passed through the barrier and appeared not far behind Ye Tian's side.

It was Zhao Mao and his scrawny companion!

However, Zhao Mao looked a bit disheveled now; his clothes were scorched and torn in several places, and his aura was unstable. Clearly, fighting the Thunder Spirit Guard hadn't been easy, but the sinister greed in his eyes was even more intense than before.

His companion's Face was as white as paper, with blood at the corner of his mouth. He was seriously injured, but his gaze was just as fierce.

They had actually broken free from the Thunder Spirit Guard so quickly and chased him in! And they were coming straight for Ye Tian!

"Heh heh, Genius Ye, you certainly run fast."

Zhao Mao licked his dry lips with a fake smile. His gaze swept over Ye Tian, pausing especially on the black tortoise spirit armor shield in his left hand, his greedy expression completely undisguised. "What, did you think slipping in first would let you monopolize the benefits?

A pity, the Opportunities of this world require strength and a life to enjoy them!"

His scrawny companion chimed in at the right moment: "Senior Brother, why talk so much to him? This kid was impressive enough just now, but now he probably can't even hold his sword steady, right?

Perfect. We'll take that precious shield of his and the jade pendant points on him! Perhaps the demon cores he got earlier haven't been used yet either!"

Between their words, their killing intent was fully revealed.

They were certain that Ye Tian's current state was at its absolute worst, making it the best time to strike.

They could both seek revenge (Zhao Mao had always been resentful toward Ye Tian for defeating Zhao Shukuang and making him lose Face) and seize the treasures, killing two birds with one stone.

Ye Tian slowly turned around to Face Zhao Mao and his companion.

His Face was still pale, his aura fluctuated, and the hand holding his sword seemed to lack strength.

But as he looked at Zhao Mao's ugly, overconfident expression, there wasn't a hint of fear or panic in his eyes, only calmness and a trace of faint mockery.

"Based on just the two of you..." Ye Tian spoke slowly, his voice a bit raspy, but every word was clear, "...trash?"