53: Methods to break the formation

Finally, everyone had arrived. Aside from Gu Yuchuan and the Serpent, the other three demons were a green tortoise, a small red bird, and a white tiger. None of them had low-grade Bloodlines. Gu Yuchuan was still wondering what exactly they were supposed to do. However, the others didn't intend to keep them in suspense, and the Green-Faced Fox soon began to clear their doubts.

"The reason I called you here today is to break a Formation. That Hundred Beasts Formation is a variation of a Grade 4 Formation; it's very difficult to break it by force. Therefore, we need you to suppress the four poles and the center. This way, the Formation's mystical power will be reduced by more than half, allowing us to break it."

The white tiger raised its paw. "Demon General, we are certainly willing to serve the war effort. But among us demons, except for this Lord Serpent, the rest of us are only at the Qi Refinement Stage. What role can we play? Even Lord Black Bear found it so difficult today."

The Green-Faced Fox waved his hand, signaling them not to get agitated. His voice carried a hint of reassurance. "Rest assured, your Bloodlines are excellent and full of potential; we won't send you to your deaths. Tomorrow is the true attempt to break the Formation, and many Cultivators will be going in. They will all protect you. Furthermore, I will give each of you a Talismanic Incantation. They are Grade 2 talismans; once activated, they can provide defense for half an hour, which should be sufficient."

At this, everyone felt a bit better, though their expressions remained grim. After all, they knew it was a Formation, and they were the ones suppressing the Formation Flags. The enemy would surely attack them with everything they had. However, since several Demon Generals had summoned them, it wasn't something they could refuse; they could only accept it.

Seeing that they were talking a lot without hitting the main point, Gu Yuchuan spoke up with some urgency in his heart. "Demon General, what I want to know is, what exactly are we supposed to do inside the Formation? Suppressing the Formation Flags isn't just a matter of words; we can't do it with our power alone. So, what kind of support will we receive to ensure success? Finally, how much military merit will we earn for this risk? These are the things we need to know right now."

The Black Tortoise Demon General took over the conversation, glancing at Gu Yuchuan. "Fine. You should believe one thing: we will not treat you unfairly. You should all know that Cloud Sea Marsh is currently nurturing demons with Aptitude. Since you are taking a risk this time, I'll take charge and grant each of you 100 military merits. As for how to suppress the Formation Flags, let Senior Green-Faced Fox explain it to you."

This was essentially a shot in the arm. Telling them there were benefits to be had was enough to ensure they at least didn't reject the operation.

"I will give each of you a Spell. You will stand above a Formation Flag and activate the Spell to trigger your Bloodline. Your Bloodline will then begin to suppress the flag. At that time, the Formation's power will be halved, and we can break it. You must remember not to go to the wrong spot. For example, you, Horned Snake—if you walk to the Vermilion Bird's Formation Flag, you will certainly die. Keep a close eye on your positions; as long as there are no problems there, you'll be fine. If there's danger, activate the talisman. You won't need to worry about anything else."

Everyone nodded and began learning the suppression Spell. By the time they had all mastered it, it was already late into the night, not far from dawn. They even rested right there, as they were set to head out in another hour. However, Gu Yuchuan was so anxious that he was constantly breaking into a sweat.

With such a dangerous task ahead, he really wanted to run a Simulation. But since he was in the same room as the Serpent, there was no space for him to simulate. If he were to expose his simulator, that would be a catastrophic disaster.

However, not simulating made him feel extremely uneasy. Since he transmigrated, he had adhered to a pattern: doing all sorts of dangerous things in the simulator to seek opportunities, but in reality, acting as safely as possible. Since this danger was unavoidable, he definitely wanted to use a Simulation to seek a safe future. But he couldn't do it; in front of the Serpent, he didn't dare simulate at all, as he would surely be discovered.

The Serpent noticed his restlessness and walked over to him. "Brother Green Snake, is this your first time experiencing something like this? I see you're quite nervous. Actually, you can relax a bit. When the battle begins, at least twenty Foundation Establishment experts will be deployed. Each of us will have Foundation Establishment Cultivators protecting us. There definitely won't be any problems because if something happens to us, the attempt to break the Formation is basically declared a failure. Everyone would die then, so they will protect us."

Gu Yuchuan could actually understand this logic, but the source of his distress wasn't there. He couldn't explain his real trouble to the Serpent, so he could only give a bitter smile.

"Thank you, Big Brother Serpent. I know. I'll just rest for a while."

Seeing him like this, the Serpent nodded. "That's right, don't put too much pressure on yourself. It'll definitely be fine. When the time comes, 100 military merits can be exchanged for quite a lot of things. Think about that and cheer up. Hurry and get some rest. You look dazed, which could affect your combat effectiveness. If something goes wrong because of that, it would be bad."

Gu Yuchuan said nothing more and found a spot to start adjusting his mindset. He knew his state of mind had encountered a problem. Ultimately, he lacked the heart of a powerhouse—an inevitable consequence of having a Golden Finger. He didn't need to face any danger himself to solve problems. Over time, he had naturally lost the courage to face difficulties head-on. Fortunately, he had realized it now; changing was not too late, and there was still enough time.

Suddenly, he felt his heart grow much more peaceful. A faint fragrance wafted over, and he felt as if he had been transported to a forest after spring rain. There was the scent of earth, the breath of sunlight, and a gentle breeze—it was as if all the beauty in the world was gathered there. His mood improved significantly. He looked up and saw that Great King Hui She had lit a stick of Heart-Calming Incense. Gu Yuchuan nodded to him, closed his eyes, and began to adjust his mindset.

During that hour, he finally figured it out. He couldn't always react to danger this way. He could avoid danger—after all, that was the safe path—but he couldn't be without the heart to face it. He would start changing from this moment; there was still time for everything.

The sun rose, and sunlight spilled across the land. Today's sun was exceptionally bright, as if it too were anticipating the coming of this great battle. This could be considered the first major battle of this war, involving a city and dozens of Foundation Establishment Stage experts. Many great powers were watching the outcome of this event.