254: The Nine Netherworld Soul-Locking Formation!

The moonlight, like water, spilled over the vast expanse of green waves.

A figure, like a phantom, streaked across the sky, silently landing on a seemingly desolate island among the Penghu Archipelago.

It was Li Shengyuan!

His expression was cold, and his dark-colored combat attire almost merged with the night, only his eyes shone like cold stars in the darkness.

According to the clues extracted through interrogation and his secret investigations over the past few days, the lair of the Lord Nu Tao was hidden in a corner of these islands.

The outer perimeter of the island was protected by a rather sophisticated concealment and defensive formation, difficult for even ordinary third-rank experts to detect. Even if detected, forcefully breaking the formation would immediately alert those inside the island.

However, to Li Shengyuan, it was as good as nothing!

With a slight movement of his divine sense, he had already discerned the operational nodes of the formation. He flicked his fingertips, and several invisible qi strikes shot out, accurately hitting the weakest points of the formation.

“Om—”

A barely audible soft sound, the light barrier covering the island rippled gently, then quietly dissipated like a bubble, without causing the slightest ripple.

The island protection formation was broken!

He had previously learned some knowledge of formations from Ye Hangzhou, and now, coupled with his second-rank cultivation, a bit of skill combined with mostly brute force, breaking a third-rank formation was effortless for him!

Li Shengyuan's figure flickered, drifting into the island like a fallen leaf.

The scenery inside the island was completely different from the desolation of the periphery; pavilions and towers were faintly visible, exuding a strange luxury.

His divine sense spread like mercury, quickly locking onto the most obscure and powerful aura at the center of the island.

“I found you!” Li Shengyuan's expression grew even colder.

However, just as he stepped into the central area, a sudden change occurred!

“Boom—!”

A dark-red pillar of light shot into the sky, instantly connecting heaven and earth. Immediately after, eight other slightly thinner pillars of light rose from different directions of the island, intertwining with each other, and in the blink of an eye, formed a massive demonic formation covering the entire central area!

Demonic qi was chilling, resentful souls wailed, and the powerful oppressive force was enough to make ordinary third-rank experts lose their composure.

Under the illumination of the formation's light, nine figures slowly emerged, surrounding Li Shengyuan in the center.

The two leading figures, whose auras were as deep as the sea, were both at the second-rank realm!

One of them wore a black robe, his face shrouded in demonic qi. He was clearly one of the Demonic Cult's Six Demon Lords, but his aura was distinctly different from the one Li Shengyuan had slain in the Northern Territory previously, indicating he was a Demon Lord cultivating a different technique.

The other wore strange attire, was short in stature, and had a cold, eerie aura that was not from the Central Plains. He should be a second-rank expert from an unknown overseas force.

Additionally, there were seven others, all at the third-rank cultivation. Three of them exuded dense demonic qi, clearly elders of the Demonic Cult. The other four wore various outfits, including overseas rogue cultivators and experts from certain hidden forces in the Central Plains, all staring at Li Shengyuan with icy gazes.

As for those below third-rank, they were maintaining the grand formation from outside, contributing to its operation.

And protected behind everyone was a tall, ferocious-looking middle-aged man, surrounded by mist and surging waves, who was Li Shengyuan's target for this trip—the Lord Nu Tao!

At this moment, his face showed fear, but more so a ruthless and triumphant look of a successful conspiracy.

“Li Shengyuan!”

The Demonic Cult's Demon Lord's voice was hoarse, filled with deep-seated hatred, “You killed our Holy Cult's Demon Lord and repeatedly ruined our Holy Cult's important affairs! This place today shall be your burial ground! This ‘Nine Nether Soul-Locking Grand Formation’ is a grand gift specially prepared for you!”

The overseas second-rank expert also spoke coldly, “Central Plains Immortal? Today, your immortal soul shall perish here!”

The Lord Nu Tao even laughed maniacally, “Hahahaha! Li Shengyuan, you really came! Didn't expect this, did you? This is simply a trap to lure you in! Just waiting for you to come and die!”

“Want to avenge the Shen Family? Your fate will be the same as those ants; following your death will be the rest of Hangzhou!”

“Hahahaha!”

The Lord Nu Tao laughed wildly. If the renowned Li Shengyuan died at his hands, he, a mere third-rank, would surely become famous throughout the world, wouldn't he?!

Facing such a formidable array, Li Shengyuan showed no trace of panic. Instead, he gently smoothed out non-existent wrinkles on his sleeve, a faint, unreadable smile playing on his lips, and said indifferently:

“Oh? A trap? I had expected as much...”

“I'm just a little disappointed. Is your reliance merely on this bunch of incompetent nobodies and this broken formation?”

His tone was as calm as if commenting on the weather, but the contempt in it was like the sharpest needle, pricking all the experts present, making their expressions change dramatically.

“Arrogant!” the Demonic Cult's Demon Lord roared, his trembling finger pointing at Li Shengyuan, “Activate the formation! Refine him!”

In an instant, the Nine Nether Soul-Locking Grand Formation operated at full power. Demonic qi transformed into countless grotesque ghostly hands, carrying the power to corrode souls and deplete true essence, grabbing at Li Shengyuan from all directions.

At the same time, the two second-rank experts, seven unknown third-rank experts, and the Lord Nu Tao also attacked simultaneously!

The Demon Lord conjured a white bone banner. As the banner swayed, ten thousand ghosts wailed, striking directly at the soul!

The overseas second-rank expert formed hand seals, drawing upon the elemental energy of heaven and earth, transforming it into a gigantic wind blade that tore through space!

The Lord Nu Tao even stirred up monstrous waves, combining with the power of the formation, intending to drown Li Shengyuan!

The other third-rank experts also unleashed their unique techniques: flashing blades and swords, poisonous gu, and curse spells, all coming in a torrential onslaught!

Facing this encirclement, which was enough to instantly severely injure or even kill an ordinary second-rank expert, Li Shengyuan finally moved.

He did not draw his sword; he merely pointed his fingers like a sword, casually making a slash in front of him.

A clear sword light, like autumn water, appeared out of thin air. Initially subtle, it then surged, like the Milky Way cascading down, or moonlight pouring forth.

There was no earth-shattering explosion. The seemingly vicious demonic qi ghostly hands, the space-tearing wind blade, the monstrous waves, and all sorts of attacks... upon touching this seemingly gentle sword light, they vanished and dissipated silently, like ice and snow meeting spring sunshine!

The sword light's momentum remained undiminished, lightly striking the dark-red light barrier that covered the sky and earth.

“Crack—!”

A crisp cracking sound echoed. The “Nine Nether Soul-Locking Grand Formation,” maintained by the combined efforts of nine experts and confidently believed to be capable of trapping and killing a second-rank expert, actually developed a clear crack on its light barrier!

And the crack was rapidly spreading. Hundreds of thousands of people below third-rank who were maintaining the formation outside, those at fourth-rank turned pale, those at fifth-rank coughed up blood, and those below were directly killed by the backlash!

“What?!”

“This is impossible!”

All the attackers' pupils constricted, their faces filled with incredulous horror!

Their grand formation, fully activated, was almost broken by the opponent's casual sword strike?

Even if Li Shengyuan was a second-rank expert, no matter how strong he was, he shouldn't be so heaven-defying!

They also had two second-rank and multiple third-rank experts working together to complement the grand formation!

Everyone thought with fear, the attacks of so many experts were easily crushed. Was he really just a second-rank, not a first-rank?!

Li Shengyuan's cold voice resounded through heaven and earth.

“Now it's my turn!”