155: First Battle of Formations

Deep within the Gloomy Corridor, a live-action rehearsal.

Qingfeng and Tieqian led twenty elite exploration team members; they had quietly left the core area of Qianjiao Cliff and arrived at the deepest part of the simulated training ground, the "Gloomy Corridor".

The water pressure here was already approaching the limit that ordinary Yao Beasts could withstand. In the darkness, fierce low-stage Yao Beasts had been deliberately introduced, and the complex rock walls were covered with natural magnetite that interfered with Divine Sense.

"The Master has ordered: from this moment on, training is converted to a live-action rehearsal." Qingfeng's voice traveled through the special oscillation of the water into the ears of every member. "Objective: Follow 'Path Three' provided by Steward Gui to simulate the advance, reach the preset coordinate 'Black Stone Valley', collect environmental data along the way, and handle all emergencies. Maintain the 'Ghost Snake Stealth Formation' throughout; stealth is paramount."

"Tieqian, you sit at the 'Snake Head' and 'Seven Inches' to control the overall defense and the circulation of spiritual energy. I will roam the 'Snake Tongue' and 'Snake Tail', responsible for scouting and covering the rear." Qingfeng quickly assigned the core positions of the battle Formation.

Hearing this, the members of the exploration team immediately followed the instincts honed by thousands of daily drills. Their Demonic Power surged silently, and their auras linked together in a peculiar rhythm.

Twenty Demon Soldiers shifted their positions, their Demonic Power connecting to faintly form a phantom of a "Gloomy Water Snake" over ten zhang long, half-real and half-illusory, enveloping everyone within.

This "Ghost Snake Stealth Formation" was obtained by Gao De from his Bloodline Legacy. In the Dragon Clan Bloodline, there were countless methods for cultivating Demon Soldiers, but few were suitable for him. The main problem was that he and his subordinates were too weak; many Advanced things could not be used.

Once the Formation was formed, it could not only greatly offset deep-water pressure and undercurrent impacts, but also highly integrate and converge everyone's auras and mana fluctuations, blending them into the environmental background to achieve an excellent group stealth effect.

The core of the Formation was guarded by Tieqian, responsible for stabilizing the Formation and distributing defensive power; Qingfeng was like the tongue of a venomous snake and its flexible tail, serving as both the vanguard for reconnaissance and the sharp blade for counterattacks.

They activated the "Water Travel Pendants". Under the regulation of the Formation, a faint blue light evenly covered the "Snake Body", further assisting in stabilizing their minds and adapting to the environment.

The "Arrow-Fast Electric Eel Yao" at the very front of the team acted as the tip of the "Snake Tongue". Its figure almost merged with the gloomy water flow simulated by the Formation. The "Wave-Breaking Awl" in its hand was both a weapon and a tool to forcibly open a path for the battle Formation when necessary.

The "Ghost Snake" began to "swim" forward slowly. Under the effect of the Formation, the movements of the twenty people were like one, showing extremely strong adaptability to complex terrain.

Encountering narrow rock crevices, the "Snake Body" could naturally contract or stretch; encountering whirlpools and undercurrents, the Formation's spiritual energy circulated, either borrowing force to deflect or standing as steady as a rock.

Several surprise attacks by low-stage Yao Beasts were deflected by the undercurrent force field circulating outside the Formation before they could get close, or were instantly wiped out by a sudden concentrated strike from a part of the "Snake Body". The whole process was smooth and flowing, causing almost no large ripples of spiritual energy.

"The Formation is operating well, and the stealth effect exceeds expectations." Tieqian sensed the overall situation through the core of the Formation and transmitted information to Qingfeng. "But do not be careless. Outside the real Sea Eye, the environment and hostility are unpredictable."

"Understood." Qingfeng responded, his Divine Sense extending like tentacles at the "Snake Tongue" position, maintaining high vigilance.

After experiencing various tests on the simulated route, the "Ghost Snake" finally arrived at the target, "Black Stone Valley".

The chaotic magnetic field here suppressed Divine Sense greatly, but it had relatively little impact on the battle Formation, which was primarily based on Demonic Power connections and physical coordination.

Under Tieqian's regulation, the Formation shifted to the "Coil Formation" state. The outer members maintained vigilance and Formation stability, while the inner Demon Soldiers quickly and quietly executed tasks such as collecting samples, recording data, and setting up sensor talismans with extremely high efficiency.

This team was composed of Second-Stage Late Stage Demon Soldiers; their intelligence and combat power were no less than Human Cultivators of the same stage.

Just as the mission was about to be completed, the "Phantom Sound Pig Yao", responsible for large-scale vigilance using innate sound waves in coordination with the Formation, suddenly sent a sharp warning through the Formation connection: "Northeast, three Third-Stage life forms approaching rapidly! Three of them! Strong hostility!"

"All members, prepare for battle! Switch to 'reverse scale Coil Formation', prepare to move towards 'Evacuation Point Three'!" Alarm bells rang in the hearts of Qingfeng and Tieqian, but relying on the Formation connection, orders and emotions were instantly transmitted to every member.

The slightly loose "Coil Formation" instantly tightened. All members' Demonic Power surged wildly, and that phantom of the "Gloomy Water Snake" suddenly solidified a bit more. The snake body coiled, scales flared, emitting a dangerous aura of being poised to strike.

However, the attackers were too fast! Three "Spine-Splitting Demon Fish" with gray-white Death Qi in their eyes and exposed bones had already broken through the darkness, rushing over while carrying a cold, fishy wind! The powerful water pressure impact and Death Qi struck the outer force field of the "reverse scale Coil Formation" first, stirring up ripples. The entire Formation swayed slightly but did not scatter.

"They are Puppets revived by Death Qi! Highly corrosive, be careful!" Tieqian roared low. Guarding the core, he immediately adjusted the Formation's spiritual energy distribution, injecting more Demonic Power into the outer defensive nodes. At the same time, a faint power of purification circulated within the Formation to resist the infiltration of Death Qi.

The Demon Fish's giant mouths bit down, slamming heavily against the "reverse scale" phantom condensed by the Formation, emitting a dull, loud noise.

The Formation shook violently, but gathering the power of twenty elite Demon Soldiers and two Demon Kings, they forcibly withstood this first wave of impact.

"We cannot exhaust ourselves! 'Snake Shedding Golden Cicada'!" Qingfeng shouted sharply.

Following the order, the battle Formation changed suddenly!

Some outer members suddenly erupted with Demonic Power to one side, creating a strong thrust and interfering spiritual energy turbulence, simulating the scene of the "Snake Body" being hit and swaying violently, and scales falling off. In reality, the main force, under Tieqian's control, borrowed the force to retreat rapidly toward the evacuation direction.

At the same time, three "Wave-Breaking Awls" were accurately thrown out. They were not attacking the Demon Fish themselves, but detonating on their pursuit route, creating further obstacles with Purple Lightning Thunder Aura and chaotic water waves.

The three Demon Fish were slightly delayed by this sudden "tail-severing" decoy tactic and the thunder aura interference.

The "Ghost Snake" battle Formation had already shot forward a distance like a real swimming snake.

The Death Qi in the Demon Fish's eyes flared, and ignoring the burning of the thunder aura, they rushed up madly again, attacking more cunningly, trying to tear open the Formation.

"Coil Formation to hold, rotate to dissipate force!" Tieqian responded steadily.

The battle Formation turned into a disk defensive posture again, but this time it was not stationary; it began to rotate slowly.

The Demon Fish's attacks landed on the rotating Formation wall, and the force was continuously dispersed, guided, and discharged.

Inside the Formation, the members, based on daily training, quickly transmitted pressure through the Formation connection, bearing it together, and used the rotation to convert some of the attack force into momentum for movement, continuing to fight and retreat toward the evacuation point.

The exquisiteness of the battle Formation was displayed to the fullest at this moment.

Facing three fearless and powerful Puppet Demon Fish, the exploration team relied on the stealth, defense, force-dissipation, and maneuverability of the "Ghost Snake Stealth Formation". Although the pressure was huge, the Formation was repeatedly impacted, and spiritual energy consumption was fast, they still maintained the whole without scattering, and step by step approached that secret waterway.

"Now! 'Stealth Escape'!" Seeing they had reached the entrance of the waterway, Qingfeng gave the order. All members simultaneously activated the stealth Divine Ability of the Formation and linked and amplified the effect through the Formation.

The entire "Ghost Snake" phantom suddenly became blurred, its aura almost completely dissipated, as if it were about to merge into the surrounding dark water flow and the magnetite interference field.

At the same time, Tieqian controlled the Formation to push the last gathered power backward, forming a strong undercurrent to interfere with the pursuers' perception.

The three Demon Fish lost track of the target and lingered at the entrance for a moment.

The "Ghost Snake" battle Formation had already quietly slipped into the narrow waterway full of interfering magnetite. Relying on their familiarity with the terrain and the Formation's adaptability to the chaotic environment, they quickly fled and finally shook off the pursuit.

In a relatively safe area deep in the waterway, the "Ghost Snake" battle Formation was dissolved, but the members still maintained the basic defensive Formation.

Everyone's aura was withered; clearly, the previous fierce battle had consumed a great deal, but under such protection, no one was injured.

"Quickly rest, check for injuries, and record all data feedback of the Formation during the previous battle, especially the resistance effect against Death Qi and Divine Soul impact, as well as the stability and change nodes under high-intensity continuous impact." Qingfeng ordered quickly while adjusting his breathing, his voice cold and stern.

This live-action rehearsal, although encountering unexpected strong enemies, truly tested the power of the battle Formation taught by the Master, as well as the strength and lack of experience of the demons under extreme pressure.

Tieqian focused on sensing the residual faint Death Qi and the movement in the distance, and said in a deep voice: "This Formation is indeed the foundation for us to stand in dangerous places. However, the Demon Fish kind has weird methods, and what they are plotting is definitely not small. We must report this matter to the Master in detail."

The exploration team, carrying precious live-action data and a heavy sense of crisis, began to return quietly. What they relied on was no longer the courage of scattered soldiers, but a systematic battle Formation force that had already begun to take shape.

And this combined force was exactly a deep-sea sharp blade forged by Gao De for Qianjiao Cliff. Although it was slightly immature at this moment, it had already revealed its toughness and sharpness.