8: Chapter 8 Five Elements Combined Attack Formation

"Shouxin did a good job."

Wang Shouren smiled and praised the youth walking out from the depths of the woods.

"It's thanks to Eldest Brother's early warning. Being bluffed by Eldest Brother one after another, they were completely caught off guard." Wang Shouxin scratched his head as he was praised.

At this moment, only a triangular-eyed Cultivator was left in the arena. Although he was still standing, his body already had two bloody holes, his aura was withered, and his life was nearing its end.

Wang Shouren tried to extract information about the mastermind behind them.

"Save your breath. I can't escape death today, and I won't say anything. You might as well just give me a quick and clean death."

Just at this moment,

Wang Shouxin, who was collecting the spoils of war, suddenly cried out in pleasant surprise.

"A Jade Slip of the Five Elements Combination Formation! Brother Shouren, there are also four hundred Spirit Stones inside, plus quite a few sundries. How is this Loose Cultivator even richer than us?"

Wang Shouren took the Jade Slip and probed it with his Divine Sense. What was recorded inside was indeed a type of combination Formation.

The so-called combination Formation, or combination array, was a combat Formation temporarily formed by Cultivators in the cultivation world using their own spiritual power, Divine Soul, and cultivation as a Foundation, where several people's auras blended together and their minds resonated.

Unlike traditional dead Formations that relied on mountains, rivers, terrain, Formation Plates, Formation Flags, and fixed Formation eyes to set up, it did not require pre-surveying and pre-burying Formation Foundations.

Cultivators activated the Formation upon forming it and dissolved it upon scattering. It was one of the core lethal means for group battles among Cultivators in the cultivation world.

This Formation required Cultivators of the Five Elements of gold, wood, water, fire, and earth to join hands. If coordinated properly and aided by the combination Formation, those in the Middle Stage of Qi Refining could also slay those in the Late Stage of Qi Refining.

Seeing this, cold sweat had already unconsciously flowed out of Wang Shouren.

"Fortunately, they lacked one of the Five Elements. Otherwise, if they had truly displayed the full power of this Five Elements Formation, I'm afraid I'd be facing certain death today with zero chance of survival."

Then his expression turned joyous.

This was a huge benefit to the Wang Family. Once handed over, it would definitely be a great contribution.

It was difficult for Loose Cultivators to gather five Cultivators, but the Wang Family was different; the last thing they lacked was Cultivators.

"Shouxin, after tallying these things, we must wait for someone from the Family to come and handle them. I will report the consumption of your Medium Grade Golden Sword Talisman to the Family, and the reward will be issued together then."

Wang Shouxin listened while calculating, his eyes curving into crescents.

In this counter-killing of the wicked Cultivator, Shouxin's contribution was indelible. When reporting achievements, Wang Shouren naturally would not be stingy.

Glancing at the triangular-eyed man who was still stubbornly refusing to admit defeat, Wang Shouren gave his final warning.

"You can refuse to talk, but my Wang Family has a Foundation Establishment Cultivator presiding over us. I suppose you should have heard of the method of refining souls with Foundation Establishment True Fire."

As soon as the two words Soul Refining were uttered, the triangular-eyed man's heart suddenly skipped a beat, and his eyelids twitched twice.

Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivators could condense True Fire within their bodies. This kind of flame was countless times stronger than ordinary fire and could cause even greater damage to a Cultivator's soul.

According to rumors, True Fire refining the soul caused the person being refined to suffer extreme agony, wishing for death rather than life.

Wang Shouren took in all his reactions, the corners of his mouth curling into an arc as he continued.

"Furthermore, the people behind you probably never expected you to return alive, right? Shouxin and I have been on the mountain all along. Think carefully, don't get sold out by others and still help them keep secrets!"

These words were like a thorn, causing the triangular-eyed man, who had originally intended to hold out to the end, to begin wavering.

His eyeballs began to roll, and his breathing became a bit heavier.

Although the five of them couldn't be said to be as close as brothers, they had supported each other and gone through life and death together, which was how they could live comfortably in the Loose Cultivator circle.

If the Ning Family had truthfully informed them of the news on the mountain, they would never have rashly gone up the mountain with only four people and completely without precautions.

After a long while, his tightly closed eyes suddenly snapped open.

"I'll talk."

"It's the Ning Family. However, the Ning Family only provided Spirit Stones and information. The one who truly acted as the matchmaker and built the bridge was the Dadao Sect."

A surge of resentment welled up in the triangular-eyed man's eyes. Since he was going to die anyway, those who provided him with false information shouldn't expect to have an easy time either.

"Dadao Sect?" Wang Shouren knitted his brows.

"Isn't the Dadao Sect our Wang Family's vassal? Why would they pass news to the Ning Family?" Wang Shouxin blurted out.

Wang Shouren shook his head.

The Dadao Sect was a negligible minor Sect within the territory of Wanshan County. Although called a Sect, it was actually just a vassal under the Wang Family's sphere of influence.

Back then, the Dadao Sect Leader offended a Foundation Establishment Cultivator and begged the Wang Family on his knees. Seeing that it wasn't easy for him to cultivate, the sixth uncle allowed him to stay under the Wang Family's sphere of influence to establish a Sect.

Yet who would have thought that this Dadao Sect would actually return kindness with enmity.

If the one who bridged the connection was the Dadao Sect, it must be reported as soon as possible.

Just as he was pondering, the triangular-eyed man suddenly erupted.

He had been pretending to be extremely weak just now, but in reality, he had secretly condensed his last strand of spiritual power.

Striking out abruptly at this moment, a ghastly green wind blade went straight for Wang Shouxin's throat.

He saw it clearly: between these two people, Wang Shouxin had the lowest cultivation. As long as he could take him hostage, perhaps there was still a glimmer of survival.

This sudden attack caught him off guard, and Wang Shouxin retreated two steps in a row.

"Oh no!"

"Seeking death!"

But Wang Shouren was even faster. The moment the man made his move, the Flying Sword had already flown out.

A sword flash flickered, shattering the wind blade while its momentum remained undiminished. The sword light directly pierced through the triangular-eyed man's chest.

The man's body stiffened, and his whole body fell backward.

Right up until his death, his eyes were still filled with disbelief, and he cried out loudly before dying.

"The Ning Family has ruined me! The Ning Family has ruined me——!"

His voice was extremely loud, echoing among the mountain forests for several breaths before gradually dissipating.

Wang Shouxin looked at the man on the ground with his eyes still wide open and muttered, "He's quite a hero after all, cursing the Ning Family for ruining him right until death."

Wang Shouren stealthily delivered another sword strike to the man, ensuring he was dead beyond any doubt.

"If we hadn't been vigilant, the ones who died today would be us. Four against two, manpower, combination, a sudden sneak attack—we might not have been able to survive. What if five people formed a complete combination Formation..."

His voice suddenly paused.

"A five-person Formation, five people."

Associating this with what the triangular-eyed man shouted when he suddenly erupted just now: since he was going to die anyway, did he need to shout that loudly?

"Bad!"

"There is a fish that slipped through the net!" Wang Shouren suddenly turned around and sped toward the foot of the mountain.

"Brother Shouren! Where are you going?"

When Wang Shouxin shouted, Wang Shouren had already reached the mountainside.

A distant voice drifted over.

"I'm going down the mountain to investigate. To cut the weeds, one must eradicate the roots. You quickly report this to the Family."

An immortal Cultivator who regarded the Wang Family as a mortal enemy—who knew when they might come back for revenge one day?

"The Five Elements Combination Formation, to truly unleash its power, must require the cooperation of five people. Why didn't I think of that from the very beginning?"

Wang Shouren clenched his fists tightly, his gaze like lightning. Having lived through two lifetimes, he deeply understood the principle that if you don't kill a snake completely, you will be bitten by it in return.

"Woof woof."

A black shadow suddenly darted out.

"Xiaotian?"

The black dog seemed to understand Wang Shouren's thoughts, and its speed heading down the mountain increased by a few points.

Wang Shouren's expression turned joyous. "Good dog! Catch that person, and I'll cover all the Yao Beast bones for the next year!"

"Woof woof woof."

Man and dog chased along the path the few people had taken up the mountain.

Not long after, Xiaotian stopped in front of a pile of chaotic rocks and sniffed the ground for a while.

Although Wang Shouren was anxious in his heart, he did not rush it.

Suddenly, Xiaotian abruptly turned its head and chased off in another direction within the darkness.

Wang Shouren followed closely behind. After about two quarters of an hour, Xiaotian finally stopped at a location on the mountain flank.

Xiaotian lowered its body, a low whimper emitting from its throat. Its fangs were bared, its two ears pressed tightly against its scalp, and its pair of gloomy green dog eyes were filled with vigilance.

It didn't pounce out like it usually did, but instead stared fixedly at that patch of dense forest, its front paws scraping the ground.