41: Chapter 41: Source Techniques Break the Formation, Hunters Watch the Show!

With a final chuckle, Ye Chen began to move forward slowly, treading the Yu Steps.

His steps seemed chaotic and random, yet they secretly followed the trajectory of some ancient Formation.

Each step landed in a position calculated with extreme precision.

With every step he took, a faint circle of glowing patterns would light up beneath his feet.

"Three paces to the left, remnants of a killing Formation."

"Ten paces to the right looks safe, but a nest of inauspicious creatures is hidden underground."

"The tunnel straight ahead has the heaviest Death Qi, but it's ironically the only viable path."

He muttered to himself as he advanced, constantly calculating and deducing.

Beads of sweat rolled down his forehead in large drops.

Each deduction consumed his essence blood and Divine Soul power at a frantic rate.

But he did not stop.

One step, two steps, three steps.

Ye Chen stubbornly forged a path through this deadly Ore vein.

Along the way, they encountered no fewer than ten groups of Cultivators who had entered the ancient mine.

Some had already turned into desiccated corpses, their vital essence drained by the inauspicious Qi within the vein.

Some had been shredded to pieces by hidden killing Formations, not even leaving behind their storage rings.

A few unlucky souls were trapped in a maze Formation, circling endlessly, their minds on the verge of collapse.

Seeing Ye Chen's group pass by safely, the eyes of those trapped in the maze Formation turned red with desperation.

"Great one, save us! Take us with you!"

"Please, I beg you! I've been going in circles here for ages!"

Ye Chen didn't even glance at them, walking straight past.

"Young Master Ye, should we take them along? More people could be helpful if we encounter danger."

The Painted-Face Dao Protector suggested quietly.

Ye Chen shot him a cold glance.

"Take them along? To share my Opportunity?"

The Dao Protector immediately fell silent.

And so, relying on the methods of a Source Heaven Master, Ye Chen spent a full day and night.

Finally arriving at the middle layer of the Taichu Ancient Mine.

The environment here was even harsher than the outer perimeter.

The air was thick with a pungent odor of decay, and even spiritual power was suppressed by some force.

The effectiveness of Cultivation Techniques was greatly diminished.

And at the entrance to the middle layer, a massive natural Formation stood in their way.

The Formation was composed of countless intertwined veins of Evil Qi from the earth's arteries, emanating a heart-palpitating aura.

Even a powerhouse at the Saint Realm would lose a layer of skin if they rashly charged in.

"Trouble," Ye Chen muttered.

He crouched down, pressing his palm against the ground, sensing the flow patterns of the earth arteries within the Formation.

His brow furrowed tighter and tighter.

This Formation was too ancient; the Dao principles contained within it far exceeded the understanding of contemporary Cultivators.

With his skills as a Source Heaven Master, attempting a direct frontal assault to break it was nearly impossible.

But he had no other choice.

"Protect me," he commanded.

Ye Chen sat cross-legged, bit the tip of his tongue, and spat a mouthful of essence blood onto his compass.

The compass instantly erupted with a dazzling light, its inscribed runes flashing wildly.

He formed hand seals with both hands, chanting incantations under his breath, fully activating the forbidden secret art of the Source Heaven Master lineage.

He sat like this for three days.

In those three days, Ye Chen hardly closed his eyes.

He had expended nearly thirty percent of his essence blood; his complexion had gone from pale to a sickly sallow.

His lips were parched and cracked, his aura feeble.

But his eyes never closed.

Those bloodshot eyes held nothing but madness, pure and simple.

"Found it," he said.

On the evening of the third day, Ye Chen suddenly widened his eyes.

He stood up shakily, pointing to a corner of the Formation.

"There, a weak point!"

"At the intersection of the 62nd and the 108th earth artery veins within the Formation, there exists a tiny gap."

"I can tear an opening there."

"But it will only last for the time of three breaths."

"We must pass through within those three breaths. Otherwise, the Formation's backlash will be inescapable, not even a deity could save us!"

The two Dao Protectors exchanged a glance, both seeing a trace of fear in the other's eyes.

Three breaths?

That was basically the blink of an eye.

"Afraid? Just follow me and charge! That's all there is to it!"

Ye Chen sneered coldly, pouring the last trace of his source power into the compass.

"Break!"

BOOM!

A corner of the Formation was torn open, creating a fissure. Chaotic earth artery Evil Qi scattered in all directions.

Without another word, Ye Chen, mustering his last bit of strength, charged inside with the two Dao Protectors.

One breath.

Two breaths.

Three breaths.

BANG!

The fissure slammed shut behind them, the Evil Qi grazing past Ye Chen's back.

It burned a huge hole in the martial attire on his back.

Just a little bit more, just that little bit, and he would have been finished right there.

Ye Chen lay sprawled on the ground, gasping for breath, his face pressed against the cold Ore.

Every inch of his body ached.

But he laughed.

A ferocious, twisted laugh.

"Hahaha, I, Ye Chen, have done it!"

He struggled to lift his head, his gaze piercing through the dark tunnel ahead, looking deeper inside.

There lay his final hope.

The ancient divine source.

And at this moment.

Hundreds of miles away from Ye Chen's location.

In the outer perimeter of the Taichu Ancient Mine.

Another group was experiencing this journey in a completely different manner, one might even say enjoying it.

"Brother Lin Yi, this Lingzhi mushroom is so beautiful, can I pick it?"

Chu Wanqing crouched beside a mine wall, her eyes sparkling as she stared at a purple Lingzhi mushroom emitting a faint glow.

"Pick whatever you like."

Lin Yi, walking ahead with his hands clasped behind his back, replied without turning his head.

Chu Wanqing cheered and carefully plucked the Lingzhi, storing it in her storage ring like a precious treasure.

Su Yuxi walked beside Lin Yi, her expression calm, but the astonishment deep in her eyes was almost impossible to conceal.

All along the way, she had lost count of how many times this had happened.

Whenever a fork in the road appeared ahead, Lin Yi would always unhesitatingly point out the correct direction.

Whenever they were about to step into an area hiding deadly traps, Lin Yi would always detour in advance.

Those Restrictions and Formations that spelled almost certain death for other Cultivators...

...seemed to simply not exist before Lin Yi.

No, it would be more accurate to say they did not exist before his Hongmeng Chaos Body.

The residual Evil Qi and inauspicious forces would dissipate on their own the moment they came within three zhang of Lin Yi.

They didn't even have the courage to approach.

This was nothing like braving a Forbidden Ground.

This was clearly like taking a leisurely stroll in one's own backyard!

"There's a nest of Spirit Transformation Realm Ore Beasts ahead, twenty-three of them."

Lin Yi suddenly stopped walking, his tone casual.

"Xu Chen, feel like practicing?"

The little fatty was already munching on who-knows-which spiritual fruit. Hearing this, he nearly choked.

"Twenty-three at the Spirit Transformation Realm? Senior Brother Lin, are you joking? That's not practice, that's suicide!"

"Don't worry, they're all Yao Beasts at the Early Stage of the Spirit Transformation Realm. You can handle three of them."

"What about the other twenty?"

"I'll take care of the rest."

As soon as Lin Yi finished speaking, a series of low growls echoed from the tunnel ahead.

Twenty-three Ore Beasts, their bodies covered in gray Ore-like carapaces, surged out of the darkness.

Each one radiated ferocity as they pounced towards Lin Yi and the others.

Lin Yi didn't even bat an eyelid.

He gently clenched his right hand, and the heavenly emperor cauldron materialized from the Void Realm.

The ancient bronze cauldron, exuding an archaic aura, simply pressed forward.

BOOM!

An overwhelming pressure descended from above.

Twenty of the Ore Beasts were instantly crushed into dust without even time to scream.

The remaining three were so terrified their legs gave way, lying on the ground trembling uncontrollably.

They even rolled over, exposing their bellies in a gesture of submission!