116: The might of the Pill Master, the Hundred Flowers Killing Array

Outside Hundred Flowers Valley, Killing Intent permeated the air!

Protector Wu stood in the sky, his terrifying Seven-Star Dou Zong pressure released without reservation, like dark clouds pressing down, causing the flowers and plants outside the valley to wither. Behind him, besides the Three-Star Dou Zong with a severed arm, there were four more powerful Soul Hall Protectors, all at the Four-Star to Five-Star Dou Zong level!

Clearly, to capture Li Ao, the Hall of Souls had dispatched an elite squad this time!

Inside the valley, the atmosphere instantly became tense.

Fairy Qinghua's face was covered in frost. With a single step, she arrived before the Formation light barrier at the valley entrance. Her originally ethereal and peaceful aura suddenly became incomparably sharp, with countless flower and plant phantoms subtly swirling around her, merging with the entire Hundred Flowers Valley's life-force Formation. The pressure she exuded was in no way inferior to Protector Wu outside, and was even more vast and profound!

"Dou Zun?!" Protector Wu's pupils slightly contracted, a hint of surprise flashing across his face. The intelligence had not mentioned that the master of this Hundred Flowers Valley was actually a Dou Zun expert!

Although she seemed to be only an One-Star Dou Zun Early Stage, the difference between Dou Zun and Dou Zong was like heaven and earth!

"This Venerable has been living in seclusion here, not meddling in worldly affairs. Has the Hall of Souls' reach extended a bit too far?" Fairy Qinghua's voice was icy, carrying an unquestionable authority.

Protector Wu's eyes flickered, then he sneered, "Why do I need to explain the Hall of Souls' actions to you! Hand over Li Ao and that snake Soul, otherwise, even if you are a Dou Zun, this Secret Realm will not be safe today!"

Although he was surprised, he was not flustered. Although the opponent was a Dou Zun, her aura seemed to have just entered this realm, and as an Alchemist, her combat ability might not be formidable. With six Dou Zongs on their side forming a battle Formation, they might not be without a fighting chance!

Moreover, the notorious reputation of the Hall of Souls made even many Dou Zuns wary!

"Stubborn." Killing Intent suddenly flared in Fairy Qinghua's eyes. Hua Yu had just escaped danger, and she would never allow anyone to disrupt this hard-won peace, nor would she allow anyone to harm her benefactor!

She said no more, lightly raising her jade hand and forming an profound hand seal.

"Hundred Flowers Killing Formation, rise!"

As her voice fell, the entire Hundred Flowers Valley seemed to come alive! Countless exotic flowers and plants grew wildly, vines like Dragons, petals like blades, and roots like spears! The immense vitality instantly transformed into incomparably sharp Killing Intent!

The sky was obscured by countless flying petals and leaves, and a sea of thorns surged from the ground! The entire valley transformed into a gigantic Domain of slaughter, filled with the wrath of nature!

This was the valley-guarding Grand Formation that Fairy Qinghua had managed for hundreds of years, relying on the Hundred Flowers Valley's terrain and her own wood-attribute Dou Qi! Its power was enough to trap and kill a Dou Zun!

"Form the Myriad Soul Nether Formation!" Protector Wu's face changed, and he roared sharply. The six Soul Hall Protectors quickly gathered, their Nether Dou Qi connecting into a single mass, forming a giant black light sphere. Myriad Souls wailed on the surface of the light sphere, attempting to resist the omnipresent natural Killing Intent.

However, the Hundred Flowers Killing Formation drew its power from the vitality of the entire valley, its strength nearly inexhaustible!

"Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle—!"

Countless petals and vines, imbued with extreme sharpness and purification power, bombarded the black light sphere like a torrential rain! The Nether light sphere, where myriad Souls wailed, trembled violently, and the Soul phantoms on its surface were purified and dissipated at a visible speed! The light of the sphere rapidly dimmed!

"Not good! This Formation's power is too strong!" A Five-Star Dou Zong Protector exclaimed in horror.

"Concentrate our power, attack one point, and break through the Formation!" Protector Wu roared, pushing his hands forward fiercely. A highly condensed Nether Ghost Claw, tearing through layers of petals and leaves, violently clawed towards a certain spot on the Formation light barrier!

The other five Protectors also attacked simultaneously, five powerful Nether attacks converging into a torrent, following closely behind!

Facing the combined strike of six Dou Zongs, Fairy Qinghua's expression remained unchanged. She lightly tapped her fingertip.

"Bind!"

The ground suddenly cracked open, and countless arm-thick, metallic-sheened green vines surged skyward like giant pythons, instantly coiling around and binding the Nether Ghost Claw and the energy torrent! Profound runes flickered on the vines, and they actually began to frantically absorb the Nether energy within!

"What?! It can even absorb energy?!" Protector Wu paled in shock.

Just at this moment of stalemate—

Two figures, like ghosts, charged out from within the valley, heading straight for the flank of the Hall of Souls' battle Formation! It was Li Ao and Medusa!

Although Li Ao's Soul was greatly depleted, his Dou Qi and Physical Body strength remained. With the third stage of the Black Iron Hegemon Body operating, a bronze glow shimmered, and he, like a humanoid Vicious Beast, directly slammed into the Three-Star Dou Zong with the severed arm!

"Hegemon Fist—Mountain Collapse!"

The fist struck like a Dragon, shaking space! That Protector with the severed arm was already severely injured and not yet recovered, his strength greatly diminished. Facing Li Ao's long-prepared, violent strike, he had no time to react at all!

"Bang!"

His protective Nether Dou Qi shattered like paper, and his chest was pierced by a single punch! The force of the punch passed through his body, shattering his internal organs and even his Soul into dust!

A Three-Star Dou Zong fell instantly!

At the same time, Medusa's target was another Four-Star Dou Zong Protector. Her Soul body shone brightly, an ominous seven-colored imperial pressure permeated the air, her jade hand formed a seal, and runes flickered on her brow.

"Heavenly Serpent Secret Art—Imperial Might Suppresses Soul!"

An invisible, terrifying pressure, originating from Bloodline and Soul Origin, like a mountain, heavily suppressed the Soul of that Four-Star Dou Zong! His body stiffened abruptly, his eyes instantly unfocused, as if he saw an ancient emperor worshipped by myriad snakes, and his mind collapsed!

"Seven-Colored Soul Sword, cleave!"

Medusa's fingers converged like a sword, and a condensed seven-colored sword light instantly swept across his neck! Where the sword light passed, the Soul was annihilated!

Another Four-Star Dou Zong, dead!

In a flash, Li Ao and Medusa teamed up, instantly killing two Soul Hall Protectors! Breaking the balance of the battle Formation!

"Damn it!!" Protector Wu's eyes were bloodshot, not expecting the opponents to be so ruthless and decisive! With the battle Formation broken, the pressure of the Hundred Flowers Killing Formation instantly fell entirely on the remaining four!

The tough green vines suddenly contracted, fiercely reflecting back the bound Nether energy along with Protector Wu and the others' attacks!

"Boom—!!!"

A huge explosion erupted in the middle of the four Hall of Souls members! The violent energy instantly engulfed two Five-Star Dou Zong Protectors, who were turned into ashes before they could even scream!

Protector Wu and the last remaining Five-Star Dou Zong Peak Protector also spat out blood, staggering backward, their aura instantly weakened!

The six-person squad, in the blink of an eye, was reduced to two, and both were severely wounded!

Protector Wu looked at the murderous Fairy Qinghua, and the steadily approaching Li Ao and Medusa, and finally, fear appeared in his eyes. He knew that he had kicked an iron plate today! If he didn't leave now, he would surely die!

"Retreat!" He shrieked with immense resentment, fiercely crushing a black jade talisman covered in cracks! A spatial fluctuation far more violent than before instantly enveloped him and the surviving Protector!

That jade talisman was clearly his last resort for survival, at a huge cost, but at this moment, he couldn't care less.

"Trying to leave? Leave something behind!" Li Ao's eyes turned cold, the Annihilation Rule condensed again, and a subtle silver-gray thread, moving faster than the spatial fluctuation, swept past!

"Ah!" That Five-Star Dou Zong Peak Protector let out a miserable scream, half of his body turning into nothingness under the Nirvana Power, but he was ultimately swept away by the spatial fluctuation, leaving only a sky full of blood mist.

And although Protector Wu dodged the fatal blow, his left leg was grazed by the Annihilation thread, instantly withering and dying! He let out a painful groan, and his figure completely disappeared into the distorted space.

Outside Hundred Flowers Valley, peace returned.

Only the lingering Nether Qi, a few scorched craters, and the pervasive smell of blood proved how intense the battle that had just erupted was.

Fairy Qinghua waved her hand, dispersing the Hundred Flowers Killing Formation, and the valley returned to its tranquil and peaceful state. However, her face was slightly pale; maintaining and activating such a grand Formation was quite draining for her.

Li Ao and Medusa came to her side.

"Thank you, Fairy, for your assistance." Li Ao cupped his hands. If not for Fairy Qinghua's decisive action in commanding the Grand Formation, they would never have been able to repel this Hall of Souls squad so easily.

Fairy Qinghua waved her hand, looking at Li Ao with a hint of admiration: "Young friend, there's no need to be polite. It is you two, one with a powerful Physical Body and mysterious Rules; the other with a transformed Soul and nascent imperial might. Given time, the Peak of this Central Plains will surely have a place for you."

She paused, her expression returning to calm: "The Hall of Souls suffered heavy losses this time and will certainly not let it go. Although Hundred Flowers Valley does not fear them, it is ultimately trouble. I will strengthen the Formations within the valley, and you two also need to raise your strength as soon as possible. I will immediately start refining the heavenly soul merging blood pill, but it will take three days. During these three days, you can cultivate in the valley, or you can go and retrieve the ten thousand year green spirit vine."

Li Ao and Medusa nodded in agreement.

The crisis was temporarily resolved, and the refinement of the Physical Body sacred pill was imminent. However, both knew that their feud with the Hall of Souls had only just begun. A stronger storm, perhaps, was brewing.