Chapter 13: The Feather Abyss Magic Formation

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As expected, just as Anran had predicted, Xia Chenyu didn’t stay settled for long and soon requested to go down the mountain.

This time, he responded decisively, “Alright, go ahead.”

This surprised Xia Chenyu; why didn’t Master stop him this time? After thinking for a moment, he excitedly asked, “Master, do you think my cultivation is enough to handle it?”

A mere Golden Dan cultivator wants to venture into the Feather Abyss alone? A fool’s dream. Anran thought to himself.

But his face still carried a smile, “Of course, you can’t handle it alone. Bring more people along, like that friend of yours. Consider it a trial.”

Since I can’t stop this child, I might as well let him try. If he manages to obtain that fake sword technique, it would be a one-time solution.

“Feather Abyss is home to spirit beasts with tens of thousands of years of cultivation. If you can’t handle it, don’t force it. Just use the sword to escape.” He then handed over a communication talisman. “If you get into danger, you can use this talisman to summon me for help.”

Xia Chenyu respectfully accepted the communication talisman, but as he looked at Anran’s smiling face, he was momentarily stunned.

Master… actually smiled? Not only did he smile, but he even reminded him to be careful. Although Xia Chenyu knew Master was concerned for him, this kind of concern expressed verbally was something he had never experienced before.

Xia Chenyu was a bit flattered.

Seeing the joyful expression on his disciple’s face, Anran suddenly realized that he might have said something that could easily be misinterpreted. He quickly adjusted his expression and coughed awkwardly, “Go ahead.”

After receiving his orders, Xia Chenyu quickly found Du Ziming. Upon hearing that he was heading for the Feather Abyss, Du Ziming immediately waved his hand and said, “Don’t even think about it.”

“Why?”

“Do you know what kind of place that is?” Du Ziming was lazily lying on a recliner beside the vegetable garden, chewing on a piece of grass.

Xia Chenyu was unconvinced, “But even Master thinks it’s worth a try.”

Du Ziming snorted, “With your abilities, you can’t even beat the spirit beasts in our Ningyun Peak, let alone those in the Feather Abyss.”

Seeing Xia Chenyu’s confused expression, he continued, “Spirit beasts with ten thousand years of cultivation are common there.”

“But you still killed the Red Rock Python.” Xia Chenyu prodded.

“That’s true.” Du Ziming’s face showed some pride. “But that was just one, and it took quite a bit of effort. If two came at once, I’d be nothing more than fodder.”

Xia Chenyu’s gaze shifted, and after a moment of thought, he said, “What if I find two more helpers?”

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Above the Feather Abyss, four streaks of light quickly flashed by, resembling shooting stars.

“How did you find them?” Du Ziming asked while riding his sword.

Before Xia Chenyu could respond, Yang Hanrong spoke up, “I’ve wanted to come here for a while. I heard that the Feather Abyss has a ten thousand-year-old rotating turtle…”

Before she could finish, Shen Yongning interrupted, “You want to kill a ten thousand-year-old rotating turtle? Stop dreaming.”

“No, I just want a piece of its shell.” Yang Hanrong continued, “The rotating turtle with water spirit roots suits me perfectly. Using its shell to refine pills is the best.”

If the peaks of Lingxiao Palace had rare treasures, the treasures inside the Feather Abyss were countless, though the spirit beasts were fierce, and few were willing to take the risk.

Each of them had their own goal. Xia Chenyu, of course, was after the sword technique, while Du Ziming wanted coral from the bottom of the pool for alchemy.

Only Shen Yongning had no particular desires.

“Shen Shixiong, since you’re here at the Feather Abyss, aren’t you planning to take something back?” Yang Hanrong asked with a smile.

“Training.” Shen Yongning replied succinctly, then seeing the others looking at him in confusion, he added, “I’ve just made some progress in my cultivation method, so I’m going to practice with spirit beasts.”

Du Ziming glanced at Xia Chenyu, silently mouthing: “Is he a martial fanatic?”

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The four landed near the pool.

The elder had only mentioned that the sword technique was in the Feather Abyss but hadn’t specified the exact location. Xia Chenyu looked at the massive pool in front of him and helplessly said, “How are we supposed to find it?”

Before any of them could move, a strange fish with a human face jumped out of the pool and roared angrily at the shore. The sound waves from the roar hit their eardrums, causing rocks around them to fall from the impact.

Du Ziming raised his hand and conjured a golden light barrier to block the sound waves, protecting the group inside the barrier.

“What is this?” Xia Chenyu asked curiously, seeing the strange fish.

“Red Catfish.” Du Ziming replied, “However, according to the records, the Red Catfish is usually a weak spirit beast. This one is enormous, probably one of the elite ones.”

At this point, the strange fish, realizing the sound waves had no effect on the group, stopped its attack and spoke, “Who are you?”

It can speak? The group was surprised.

Xia Chenyu calmly responded, “We’re looking for something. Can you show us the way?”

The fish suddenly burst into laughter, “Arrogant fools!” It leaped into the air and charged toward the shore.

Shen Yongning raised his hand and summoned the Yu Li sword, striking forward.

The powerful sword energy slashed through the air, and the fish, seeing it couldn’t dodge, shouted out and formed a soundwave barrier to block the attack. There was a loud crash as the two forces collided, and the soundwave barrier shattered instantly.

However, the sword energy didn’t lose any of its strength and struck the fish’s head.

A pained screech echoed as the strange fish fell to the ground, its head spilling out dark green blood. Its body thrashed, struggling like a fish stranded on land.

Xia Chenyu walked forward, casually adjusting his robe as he crouched down with his hands resting on his knees. “Hey, will you show us the way?”

The strange fish let out a sharp, cruel laugh, “Not many who came here looking for treasures left in one piece.”

Xia Chenyu pointed his sword at its head, saying, “Then show us a safe route.”

The sword tip gleamed brightly, and the strange fish sighed, “What are you looking for?”

“A magic formation that seals the sword technique?”

“Yes, and you’re not the first to come here.”

“Oh?” Xia Chenyu asked curiously, “Has the sword technique already been taken?”

The Red Catfish gave a mocking laugh, “No one has been able to break that formation for centuries.”

“Take us there.” Xia Chenyu said, casting a spell to bind the fish’s spiritual power, then tossing it into the pool.

The four followed the Red Catfish underwater, the air wall formed by the Water Avoidance technique keeping the water at bay. The strange fish led the way.

Du Ziming communicated with the fish, “Avoid the nests of the ten thousand-year-old spirit beasts, or else I’ll throw you to feed them.”

The fish nodded in response.

They soon reached a tranquil part of the water, where golden light appeared before them.

Xia Chenyu exclaimed in surprise, “Found it!”

Just as everyone was drawn to the formation, the Red Catfish suddenly vanished.

At that moment, a rumbling sound came from behind them, as if something large was moving along the ground. Turning around, they saw a giant python speeding toward them.

The python’s head was surrounded by a giant umbrella-like formation, and its tail curled like a hook, preparing to attack.

Du Ziming pushed Xia Chenyu aside and said, “This is a thousand-year-old spirit beast. You go break the formation, and leave this to me.”

Xia Chenyu wanted to say something, but Du Ziming was already flying toward it. He quickly communicated, “If you can’t handle it, just run.”

Du Ziming laughed lightly, “I’m just distracting it. You really think I’ll kill it?”

With that, he flew into the distance, raising his hand to release a beam of light straight at the giant snake. The snake’s head shook violently from the sudden impact.

With a roar, the giant python charged toward Du Ziming.

The two quickly disappeared from view.

“Do you really not need help?” Yang Hanrong asked with concern.

Xia Chenyu shook his head, “He killed the overlord of Ningyun Peak by himself. He should be fine.”

The two were stunned.

“He… what cultivation level?” Shen Yongning asked, bewildered.

Xia Chenyu thought for a moment, “It should be Golden Dan, fully perfected.”

Before they could react, Shen Yongning suddenly made a shushing gesture, his face showing caution. “There’s something else here.”

At that moment, the ground trembled slightly, and heavy footsteps could be heard. Slowly, something resembling a turtle shell surfaced from the dark water. Moments later, a massive creature with the head of an eagle and the body of a turtle appeared before them.

“Ha!” Yang Hanrong exclaimed with excitement. “Just as I thought!”

Xia Chenyu pointed at the giant turtle, “Is this the Rotating Turtle?”

Seeing her nod enthusiastically, he looked helpless. The spirit beast’s aura was so overwhelming, yet she seemed completely unbothered and even excited.

The Rotating Turtle swung its eagle-like front limbs, and a giant eagle claw illusion appeared in the air, striking toward them.

The three immediately jumped into the air, but the eagle claw swiftly followed their movements and slashed at them.

They scattered quickly.

The Rotating Turtle, frustrated at missing its strike, let out a roar. Its long, snake-like tail swung like a whip, attacking them repeatedly, but all of them managed to dodge.

Shen Yongning began chanting a sword technique, and several sword shadows appeared around him, emitting sharp sword energy. With a swift movement, they slashed toward the turtle’s tough shell.

Seeing the creature distracted, Yang Hanrong immediately formed hand seals, and six beams of light shot up from the bottom of the pool, forming a cage of light that trapped the Rotating Turtle.

In just moments, the turtle’s violent spiritual power exploded, shattering the light cage.

But Yang Hanrong was not surprised. The fragments of the light cage turned into light blades and shot toward the spirit beast.

After being struck, the Rotating Turtle angrily attacked Yang Hanrong, who quickly fled in the opposite direction.

Seeing the turtle being drawn away, Shen Yongning turned to Xia Chenyu, “Hurry up and break the formation, I’ll go help him.”

With that, he flew toward Yang Hanrong.

Before Xia Chenyu could speak, both of them had already disappeared from sight. He suppressed his worries, focused his mind, and returned to the formation in front of him.

He stepped forward, but an invisible wall blocked his path.

He pressed his palm against the formation’s wall and exerted spiritual power, but after a brief shimmer, it settled, showing no further reaction.

While hesitating, a voice echoed in his mind, “Find the core of the formation.”

“Senior!”

Xia Chenyu exclaimed in joy. It had been two years since he had last heard that voice, and his happiness was evident.

He followed the guidance and began to observe his surroundings but found nothing unusual. Where was the formation core?

“Find the opening with the method of Qi Men Dun Jia.”

With this new hint, Xia Chenyu’s eyes brightened. He simply needed to pinpoint the direction. He cast a divination technique, determined the current direction, and began pacing around the formation’s perimeter.

“Shangmen… Shengmen… Xiumen…” After every few steps, he checked his position, until he stood firmly at the northwest side of the formation. His eyes were filled with resolve as he said, “Open the door.”

With that, he gathered spiritual energy in his palm. The blue light from the flowing energy grew brighter, and when it reached a blinding intensity, he struck.

At that instant, the ground trembled slightly, and a golden light exploded, scattering in all directions. The calm pool water began to surge.

The formation wall disappeared, revealing a huge humanoid puppet inside, mechanically moving its limbs and making squeaky noises.

Xia Chenyu initially thought an enemy was near, but the golden light that scattered earlier had spread throughout the entire Feather Abyss, alerting all the spirit beasts in the pool.

In the pitch-black water, pairs of glowing eyes surrounded Xia Chenyu, flickering like stars in the night sky.

Low growls and buzzing sounds echoed through the water, making the atmosphere even more oppressive and terrifying.

Xia Chenyu nervously looked around, his heart sinking. “This is bad.”

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