105: The Dragon-Trapping Formation unleashes a thunderous whale strike, allowing the entire army to reap the treasure without taking a hit.

Zhenhai City, the reef to the left of the Third Defense Zone.

Three quarters past noon.

The surface of the sea seemed calm, but undercurrents were surging beneath.

Zhou Wannian stood on a towering reef, his dusty gray robes fluttering in the sea breeze. He held a Formation Plate in his hand, his expression seemingly calm, though his palms were already slightly sweaty.

Below him in the reef group, Li Feiyu and a dozen elites from Tingfeng Tower were holding their breath, lurking in the seawater. Each held a Formation Flag and occupied various nodes of the "Dragon-Trapping Formation" according to Zhou Wannian's instructions.

"Old Man Han, it's coming."

Li Feiyu's voice was very low through the Sound Transmission Talisman.

Zhou Wannian swept his Divine Sense.

In the deep sea hundreds of zhang away, a massive black shadow was swimming rapidly along the seabed toward the blind spot of the defense zone's Formation.

It was a giant whale over thirty zhang long, covered in deep blue scales. However, it was currently in terrible condition. Large patches of its once indestructible scales had fallen off, and there was a huge wound on its belly deep enough to show bone, from which black poisonous blood was constantly seeping. It had clearly been severely injured in the deep sea and was fleeing in panic.

Tier 3 Low Grade Yao Beast: Mutated Thunder Whale (Severely injured and near death).

"Just as the divination predicted, it's at the end of its rope."

Zhou Wannian felt greatly relieved. If it were a Tier 3 Yao Beast at its peak, he wouldn't dare ambush it even if given ten times the courage. But now, this one... was a meal delivered to his door.

"Activate the Formation!"

With a low shout from Zhou Wannian, Li Feiyu and the others injected spiritual power simultaneously.

Buzz—!!!

Twelve massive water columns suddenly rose from the originally calm sea. These columns were not scattered randomly but instantly connected into one, transforming into a giant blue light cage that trapped the panicked Thunder Whale right in the middle.

"Roar—!!!"

Startled, the Thunder Whale let out a deafening roar, its massive tail slamming hard against the light cage.

Boom!

The Dragon-Trapping Formation shook violently, water splashing everywhere, even forming a thick mist that obscured the view from outside.

"Old Man Han! We can't hold it! This big guy's deathbed struggle is too fierce!" Li Feiyu shouted. Several brothers with lower cultivation had already turned pale, blood seeping from the corners of their mouths.

"Hold on for three breaths! Leave the rest to me!"

Zhou Wannian roared (deliberately for those watching from a distance), while his hands formed seals to mobilize the Formation's power, making the water mist even thicker to completely block outside detection.

Deep within that mist.

Zhou Wannian's eyes were terrifyingly calm. He pulled the "palm thunder tube - Prototype No. 7" from his sleeve.

"The Dragon-Trapping Formation is only to restrict its range of movement. The real killing move is here."

He activated the Spiritual Sight Technique, his gaze piercing through the mist to lock onto the blowhole on the Thunder Whale's back, which was frantically venting gas and had been half-torn by previous battles.

"Get... in there!"

Zhou Wannian raised the thunder tube and injected spiritual power.

The tube's body instantly turned crimson as the internal Triple Spirit-Gathering Formation operated to its limit.

"Go!"

Bang!

A deep blue Heavy Water Yin Thunder whistled out, tracing a perfect arc in the air and precisely entering the Thunder Whale's damaged blowhole!

"Ugh?!"

The Thunder Whale's roar stopped abruptly.

The next moment.

A muffled explosion sounded within its body.

It wasn't an ordinary explosion, but the "implosion" unique to the Heavy Water Yin Thunder. Ten thousand catties of heavy pressure were released in the most fragile part of the Thunder Whale's body, instantly destroying its already battered air sacs and Meridians.

It was the final straw that broke the camel's back.

"Glug glug..."

The Thunder Whale's massive body suddenly stiffened, then began to twitch violently. The originally wild thunder light quickly dimmed and finally went out completely.

It turned its white belly up and floated to the surface.

"Huff... huff..."

Zhou Wannian immediately put away the thunder tube, then slammed his chest to force out a mouthful of stagnant blood, his face instantly turning deathly pale. He stumbled onto a reef, looking as if his spiritual power was exhausted and he might faint at any moment.

"Disperse... disperse the Formation..."

As the mist dispersed.

On the distant defense line, the Zhenhai City guards, who had been tensely preparing for battle, were all dumbfounded.

What they saw was: that terrifying Tier 3 Yao Beast had turned its belly up, while that Supervising Officer Han was slumped on the reef, seemingly having exhausted his last bit of strength.

"My god... is that a Tier 3 Yao Beast?"

"It just... died like that?"

"Old Man Han is mighty!"

Even Young Master Ling stood on the tower with a shocked expression.

"Old Man Han... actually did it?"

He immediately flew down and supported Zhou Wannian on the reef. "Old Man Han! Are you alright?"

"Cough, cough... My old life... almost lost it."

Zhou Wannian waved his hand weakly, pointing at the Thunder Whale. "Fortunately... fortunately, this beast was already near death; that wound on its belly was deep enough to show bone... This old man only used the Formation's power to trigger its internal injuries and succeeded by luck..."

"So that's how it was!"

Young Master Ling realized, feeling relieved at the same time. If Old Man Han could really solo a full-health Tier 3 Yao Beast, he would have to re-evaluate the danger level of this "Guest Elder."

This way was just right.

Having skill while remaining within a controllable range... on the reef.

Although Zhou Wannian was "weak," his hands were not slow.

He walked to the Thunder Whale's corpse, took out a specially made "Light-Splitting Blade," and skillfully cut open the flesh beneath the blowhole.

A fist-sized bead, entirely wrapped in purple electric arcs, rolled out.

Thousand-Year thunder spirit pearl.

Zhou Wannian held it in his hand, feeling an extremely pure thunder spiritual power drill into his palm.

"Good stuff."

He quietly put away the thunder spirit pearl and then turned to look at Li Feiyu.

"Fei Yu, this Thunder Whale is full of treasures. Take our 'Utility Disciples' and process it."

"Besides the core Materials I want to keep, the rest..."

Zhou Wannian pointed at the guards in the distance who were still watching with burning eyes.

"Take it to exchange for battle merits and supplies with them."

"Remember, we are 'Technical Consultants,' not lone wolves. If everyone gets a bit of the soup, they won't get jealous."

Li Feiyu understood perfectly and immediately cupped his hands: "Understood! Rest assured, Old Man Han!"

...That night.

In the camp of the Third Defense Zone, the rich aroma of whale meat drifted about.

Zhou Wannian's name spread throughout Zhenhai City overnight.

Everyone knew that a mysterious "Supervising Officer Han" had come to the Third Defense Zone. Not only was he highly skilled in Formations, but he also had great luck, actually managing to scavenge and kill a severely injured Tier 3 Yao Beast!

Many Cultivators from other defense zones even ran over specifically, wanting to ask Old Man Han to "repair their Formations" (actually wanting to catch some of that good luck).

Zhou Wannian sat in the tower, listening to the noise outside while fiddling with the thunder spirit pearl in his hand.

"The reputation has been established, and just right."

"Respected, but not to the point of causing fear."

He looked out the window at the pitch-black sea.

"However, this Beast Tide... seems a bit off."

Although the kill was easy during the day, through Heavenly Secret Deduction, he vaguely sensed that this Thunder Whale wasn't here for a sneak attack.

It was more like... it was running for its life?

"A Tier 3 Yao Beast has to run for its life?"

"What exactly is hidden in that deep sea?"

Zhou Wannian frowned slightly.

It seemed the waters of this Outer Sea were deeper than he had imagined.

"Whatever."

"When soldiers come, generals will block them; when water comes, earth will cover it."

"As long as I don't leave the defense zone, if the sky falls, there are taller people to hold it up."

He closed the window and activated the Restriction.

"Tonight, I'll refine this thunder spirit pearl first."