58: Desperate counterattack and trapping the enemy with formations

Killing intent suddenly descended!

Eight black figures, like venomous snakes merged into the darkness, erupted from the mine tunnel ceiling and the shadows of the side paths! Their movements were swift and silent, their coordination flawless; they were clearly a group of experienced assassins. The two leaders had cultivation bases reaching the Qi Refining Sixth Layer, and the rest were all at the Qi Refining Fifth Layer!

The target was clear—Wen Youyi!

"Domain, full power! Contract the defense!" Wen Youyi roared. The "Star Domain," which he had prepared long ago, instantly expanded to its maximum, and a pale silver barrier firmly protected The core five people!

"Cling, cling, cling, cling!"

Poisoned daggers, strange bone spurs, vicious flying needles... various deadly attacks rained down upon the barrier, creating dense collision sounds! The barrier fluctuated violently, and the starlight rapidly dimmed, clearly under immense pressure.

"They are people from 'Shadow Fiends'!" Wang Wu's face turned pale as he recognized their origin. "They specialize in coordinated assassination attacks, be careful!"

"We can't just take hits!" A cold light flashed in Wen Youyi's eyes. He rapidly issued orders via the "communicator": "Iron Pillar, Ground Shaker to the front left, break their rhythm! Wang and Li, Mud Swamp Entanglement on the right side, restrict their movement! Senior Brother Zhang, indiscriminate coverage with all Strong Light Talismans!"

The commands were lightning-fast, and The core five people executed them perfectly!

Zhao Iron Pillar roared and stomped the ground, the violent tremor causing two assassins on the mine tunnel ceiling to momentarily freeze! Wang Wu and Senior Brother Li's Spells precisely covered the right passage. Mud surged and vines grew wildly; although unable to trap opponents at the Qi Refining Fifth Layer or Sixth Layer, they successfully caused their speed to plummet!

Senior Brother Zhang did not hesitate to activate all the Strong Light Talismans! The dazzling white light instantly illuminated the entire mine tunnel. For the 'Shadow Fiends' assassins, who were adapted to long periods of darkness, this was undoubtedly a fatal blow!

"Ah! My eyes!"

"Watch out!"

Amidst screams and cries of alarm, the assassins' offensive fell into momentary chaos.

"Now! Charge out!" Wen Youyi yelled, maintaining the Domain, and leading the rush toward the entrance they came from!

However, the opponents had clearly anticipated this. The two Qi Refining Sixth Layer leaders snorted coldly, ignoring the Strong Light interference. They wrapped around the group like ghosts, one on the left and one on the right, and two solidified black palm prints slammed fiercely onto the Domain barrier!

"Boom! Boom!"

With two loud bangs, the barrier let out a groan of distress, instantly covered in cracks, on the verge of shattering!

"Damn it! I'll fight you to the death!" Zhao Iron Pillar's eyes were bloodshot, and he was about to rush out of the Domain to engage in a desperate fight.

"Don't be rash!" Wen Youyi grabbed him, his gaze resolute. "Listen to my command! Abandon the Domain, execute 'Plan B'! Disperse and run toward the depths of the mine pit!"

What?! Abandon the Domain? Run toward the depths? Wasn't that seeking death?

But years of trust meant the four people did not hesitate for a moment!

"Scatter!"

Wen Youyi suddenly withdrew his Spiritual Qi, and the Domain barrier shattered like foam! The core five people instantly scattered like exploding fireworks, fleeing desperately down different side paths leading deeper into the mine pit!

"Trying to run? Chase them! Leave none alive!" The Shadow Fiends leader sneered, immediately taking his men to pursue them separately. In their eyes, without that strange barrier, these young men at the Qi Refining Third or Fourth Layer were nothing more than lambs waiting to be slaughtered!

Wen Youyi chose the narrowest mine tunnel with the most side paths, closely followed by one Qi Refining Sixth Layer leader and two Qi Refining Fifth Layer assassins.

He seemed to be running in panic, but his mind was exceptionally calm. While sprinting, he quickly took out the five basic Formation Bases from his Storage Pouch!

He was gambling! Gambling on the chaotic energy environment deep within the mine pit, and the opponents' contempt for him!

At a corner, he suddenly stopped and, with the fastest speed possible, tossed the five Formation Bases into specific positions, embedding them in the cracks of the mine tunnel wall! At the same time, he frantically injected the remaining Spiritual Qi in his body into the main Formation Base (Star Core)!

"Buzz!"

A faint but stable five-colored light ring instantly lit up in the narrow mine tunnel! It was the "Miniature Five Elements Circulation Field"! However, this time, he had deliberately compressed its range to only cover the cross-section of the tunnel, making it look more like a... gate!

The three pursuers were caught off guard and crashed straight into the five-colored light ring!

"What is this?!"

"Oh no! It's a Formation!"

As soon as they entered the Five Elements field, the three immediately felt something was wrong! The surrounding Spiritual Qi became sluggish, and the power of the Five Elements intertwined, forming a strong restraining force that drastically reduced their speed and hindered the circulation of their spiritual power! Even more troublesome, the Formation seemed to have activated the already chaotic energy deep within the mine pit, creating a strange interference that made it difficult for them to discern direction!

"Petty tricks! Break for me!" The Qi Refining Sixth Layer leader roared, gathering all his Spiritual Qi, and punched toward the light ring barrier!

"Bang!" The light ring shook violently but did not immediately shatter! This Formation borrowed the power of the environment, making it tougher than usual!

And during this brief period of confinement, Wen Youyi, like a swimming fish, used his "Prior Study" of the terrain and his familiarity with the Formation to slip out through another extremely hidden crack, circling around behind the three people!

He did not attempt a physical attack. Instead, he waved his hands repeatedly, activating every offensive Talisman he had left—Fireball Talismans, Golden Needle Talismans, and even a few Dark Lightning Talismans obtained from Chen Jian—and shot them all toward the three people trapped in the Formation!

"Boom! Boom! Boom! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

In the confined space, the power of the Talismans was amplified to the extreme! Firelight, golden radiance, and dark lightning raged wildly!

"Ah!"

"Bastard!"

Screams emanated from the five-colored light ring! The two Qi Refining Fifth Layer assassins, caught off guard and restrained by the Formation, were instantly severely wounded and collapsed! Only the Qi Refining Sixth Layer leader managed to withstand the assault due to his formidable cultivation, but his clothes were shredded, blood spilled from his mouth, and he was in a sorry state!

He frantically attacked the Formation, clearly about to break free.

Wen Youyi didn't even look at the result, turning and running, while simultaneously issuing an instruction via the "communicator": [Plan B, Step Two: Rendezvous at the designated location!]

He had never expected this hastily arranged Formation to kill a Qi Refining Sixth Layer cultivator; being able to trap him for a moment and severely wound the other two had already achieved his goal!

Now, the roles of hunter and hunted had slightly reversed.

(End of Chapter)