99: AFK (away from keyboard) Teamfight Tactics

Night, deep as water.

The Disciples of Qingyun Sect were very clear about their Sect's predicament.

The fewest in number, and the weakest in overall strength.

In this naked battle royale, without any rules or restrictions, they were like fish on a chopping block, the fattest prey in the eyes of all powerful Sects!

"It's over... It's completely over now!"

"Once we enter the Secret Realm, we will definitely become the first target for Xuanhuo Sect and Heavenly Sword Manor to encircle and annihilate!"

"How can we even fight? We won't even last three days. We'll probably be completely wiped out and eliminated on the very first day!"

However, Lin Ye sat quietly cross-legged, his handsome face calm and unperturbed.

He knew that his fellow Disciples' worries were not groundless.

With Qingyun Sect's current strength, once targeted by the main forces of other Sects, the outcome would almost certainly be... certain death!

Although he possessed the Cultivation of the Treasure Body Realm, enough to contend with top Geniuses like Sword Without Dust, he was, after all, only one person!

Two fists are no match for four hands.

Even a fierce tiger fears a pack of wolves!

In a chaotic battle of this scale, individual bravery would be infinitely weakened!

To break the situation, to survive this bloody hunting game, and even... turn defeat into victory!

The only way was... teamwork!

To unite these dozens of fellow Disciples, who were already startled birds, into a single rope! To transform into a sharp sword capable of piercing through everything!

"System!"

With a thought, he completely immersed his consciousness into the world only he could see.

He unhesitatingly opened the already unlocked System Shop, his gaze precisely fixed on the "Formation Introduction" section!

He needed a battle Formation method that would allow their team to coalesce into a cohesive fighting unit in the shortest possible time!

"Three Talents Sword Formation, Profound Rank Low Grade, requires three people to Cultivate the same source sword technique and have a tacit understanding. Exchange price: one hundred fifty contribution points."

"Seven Stars Big Dipper Formation, Profound Rank Medium Grade, requires seven people with similar Cultivation and familiarity with celestial phenomena... Exchange price: three hundred contribution points."

One profound Formation after another flashed before his eyes, but he rejected them one by one.

Although these Formations were powerful, they all had extremely stringent Cultivation requirements and were completely unsuitable for their temporary team, whose Cultivation levels varied greatly and whose morale was low.

His gaze, like the most precise instrument, swiftly scanned hundreds of thousands of entries.

Finally, in a very inconspicuous corner, he found a Formation with a simple name that made his eyes light up!

"Formation Name: Basic Team Battle Formation (Mortal Rank High Grade)"

"Formation Effect: This is a basic combined attack technique summarized by mortal strategists from the Fight of a thousand armies. It does not require same-source Cultivation Techniques or tacit understanding. As long as three people form a group and five people form a team, they can support each other, both offensively and defensively, increasing the team's overall combat power by more than 30%!"

"Exchange Price: fifty contribution points."

That's it!!!

Lin Ye's heart suddenly leaped!

This seemingly lowest-grade, inconspicuous mortal battle Formation was practically tailor-made for their current predicament!

"System! Exchange for the Basic Team Battle Formation!"

"Exchange successful! contribution points have been deducted. The Basic Team Battle Formation has been automatically recorded!"

"Add it to the idle list! Use the Idle Acceleration Coupon, and... idle it like crazy!"

He wanted to thoroughly master this battle Formation method, which was capable of changing all their fates, within this single night!

...The next day, early morning.

Having been awake all night, their eyes were bloodshot, and their faces were filled with exhaustion and... despair.

However, just then, Lin Ye walked out of the room.

Although his handsome face also carried a hint of "fatigue," there was no trace of despair in his dark eyes; instead, there was only a bottomless calmness.

"Senior Brothers, Senior Sisters."

He spoke slowly, his voice not loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears.

"I know what you are afraid of."

"But fear solves nothing."

"We are Disciples of Qingyun Sect!"

"Even if we die, we will die standing! And before we die, we will fiercely bite a piece of flesh from those who look down on us!"

His words, full of courage, shook the hearts of all the Disciples present!

"Junior Brother Lin..."

"Senior Brother Lin, you speak lightly! What do we have to bite with?!" a Disciple said bitterly.

"With this!"

Lin Ye said no more superfluous words. He stomped his foot and picked up three withered branches from the ground.

He looked at Fatty Wang, who had been waiting by the side, and two other Disciples who were usually quite steady, and sternly ordered: "Fatty Wang, you defend, stand in the center!"

"Senior Brother Li, you attack, stand on the left flank!"

"Senior Sister Chen, you distract, stand on the right flank!"

"Listen to my command!"

Although the three of them didn't understand why, out of trust in Lin Ye, they instinctively assumed a simple triangular stance according to his instructions.

"Now," Lin Ye's gaze slowly swept over all the Disciples present, finally landing on a Genius Disciple in the team whose Cultivation was second only to Su Qingyue's, a Peak Qi Refining Realm ninth-layer Cultivator, "Senior Brother Zhang, please, use your strongest Move to attack them!"

"What?!"

Senior Brother Zhang was stunned, and the surrounding Disciples burst into an uproar!

The highest Cultivation among Fatty Wang and the other two was only Qi Refining Realm sixth-layer! Wasn't this sending them to their deaths?!

"Junior Brother Lin! You..."

"Do as I say!" Lin Ye's voice suddenly turned cold, filled with unquestionable authority!

Senior Brother Zhang, intimidated by his Aura, could only grit his teeth and draw his longsword: "Pardon me!"

He roared, and the longsword in his hand transformed into a fierce streak of light, stabbing directly at Fatty Wang, who was at the very center of the Formation!

"Defend!"

Lin Ye roared!

Fatty Wang, without thinking, slammed his heavy shield into the ground!

"Attack!"

Senior Brother Li on the left flank, his longsword like a venomous snake striking out of its hole, stabbed directly at Senior Brother Zhang's side waist from an extremely tricky angle!

"Distract!"

Senior Sister Chen on the right flank, with a flick of her wrist, sent three poisoned darts, transforming into three cold lights, directly at Senior Brother Zhang's face!

Senior Brother Zhang was greatly alarmed in his heart. He never expected that these three 'ants,' who were vulnerable in his eyes, would launch such a coordinated attack from three different angles at the same time!

He had no choice but to forcefully retract the sword Move that was stabbing at Fatty Wang and parry with his sword!

"Clang! Clang! Bang!"

For a moment, he was actually forced into a flurry by these three fellow Disciples whose Cultivation was far lower than his own!

The entire place was dead silent!

Everyone looked at this incredible scene before them with eyes as if they had seen a ghost!

"This... This is... a battle Formation?!"

Someone, he didn't know who, let out a cry of disbelief!

Lin Ye ignored the shock of the crowd.

He turned around and looked at his fellow Disciples behind him, who were already pale with fear and unease. A trace of determination flashed in his dark eyes.

"Now, do you still feel there is no hope?"

He spoke slowly.

"I know this battle Formation is crude."

"But it is our only hope in this bloody hunting game!"

"I don't need you to stand alone."

"I only need you to remember one thing!"

"That is—trust!"

"Entrust your backs to your companions beside you!"

"From now on, we are one entity!"

"We rise and fall together!"

His powerful words, like red-hot branding irons, were deeply seared into the heart of every Qingyun Sect Disciple!

"Now, everyone!"

"Form groups of three, and teams of five!"

"Practice... the Formation!"

"Yes!!!"

A unified roar, filled with endless Battle Intent, soared into the sky!