122: Chapter 122 Array Formation Clears the Way, Lin Family Takes the Lead!

The atmosphere at Qingyan Pass was as taut as a drawn bowstring.

On the city walls, the glowing Formation patterns were denser and brighter than ever before—the result of several Formation Masters, including Lin Cangchen, working overtime for days. The air was thick with the faint scent of saltpeter mixed with spiritual materials, along with the oppressive feeling that a mountain storm was about to break.

The defensive sector assigned to the Lin Family happened to be one of the areas facing the Qingyun Mountain Range, expected to bear the brunt of the impact. Regarding this, the Clan Leader, Lin Yaozong, not only had no objections but proactively volunteered at the pre-battle meeting. In his words: "When the nest is overturned, no egg remains intact. Since we must guard somewhere, we might as well guard where we are needed most."

This display of "high moral integrity" won the admiration of the stronghold's upper management (mainly that Deacon Wang), but it also drew quite a bit of murmuring behind their backs—this Lin Family, having just produced a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, wants to earn new merit points by risking their lives? They're way too competitive!

After completing the Formation reinforcement task, Lin Cangchen returned to his Family's defensive sector at the first opportunity. Just as he stood firm, he saw the Clan Leader, Lin Yaozong, walk calmly to the corner of the courtyard. With a hand seal and a surge of spiritual power, a shimmering, temporary portal large enough for one person to pass through quietly appeared.

The next moment, Second Elder Lin Yaohai, Lin Lingtu, and Lin Lingfeng, who should have been "resting" in the Secret Realm, stepped out one by one.

"Clan Leader, Second Elder, Uncle Lingfeng, Uncle Lingtu!" Lin Cangchen's eyes lit up, and he greeted them quickly, muttering to himself: 'The Clan Leader's summoning technique is getting smoother and smoother. A Secret Realm portal to replenish troops anytime, anywhere—that's just cheating!'

The Clan Leader, Lin Yaozong, put away his hand seals, and the portal vanished silently. His expression remained unchanged: "The Yao Beast tide is no small matter; having extra strength is always good. Besides, our Lin Family has had Clan Members rotating in the stronghold for the past few years. It is perfectly reasonable for Ling Feng and the others to appear now." He scanned his surroundings; the implication was clear. Even if the Zhao Family or Liu Family noticed, they would only assume the Lin Family had left people in the courtyard all along.

Lin Lingfeng stretched his muscles, his eyes sharp: "My hands have been getting rusty in the Secret Realm. It's just right to use these Yao Beasts to practice my sword!"

Lin Lingtu ran to Lin Cangchen's side, full of excitement: "Cangchen, I've seen the Formations outside; they're amazing! Are we going to set up Formations too?"

Just then, a dull, thundering sound of galloping came from afar, and the ground began to tremble slightly. On the watchtower, the alarm bell rang out!

"The Yao Beast tide is here!"

Everyone was invigorated and looked intently. On the horizon, dust billowed like a grey tide rushing toward the pass. The first to arrive were indeed some fast-moving Yao Beasts—wolves, leopards, apes... a wide variety, mostly First Grade, Low Rank or Medium Grade, occasionally interspersed with a few first-tier high-grade ones. They were a dense, black mass that made one's scalp tingle.

"Fortunately, there is no Spiritual Pressure from a Second Tier Demonic Beast." Great Elder Lin Yaoshan sensed for a moment and breathed a sigh of relief.

Lin Cangchen looked at the surging tide, his eyes lighting up as a bold idea popped into his head. He walked quickly to the Clan Leader, Lin Yaozong, and whispered: "Clan Leader, it looks like this first wave is just an appetizer. The Second Tier Demonic Beasts are still watching from behind. If we just hide in the Formation and wait for them to crash into us, we'll be too passive, and we won't earn many merit points."

"Oh?" The Clan Leader, Lin Yaozong, looked at him. "What do you have in mind?"

"We take the initiative!" Lin Cangchen pointed to the relatively open area outside the Formation's light barrier. "While the danger is low, we rush out of the Formation and fight them right at the edge! Relying on the Formation light barrier as a shield and a path of retreat, we can attack or defend. For every extra one we kill, the stronghold's pressure decreases, and we can earn more merit points!"

He paused and added: "Besides, Uncle Lingtu and I can quickly set up a few small Confinement Formations and Killing Formations outside to give these beasts a 'grand welcome'!"

Upon hearing this, a flash of light appeared in the Clan Leader, Lin Yaozong's eyes. He was a decisive person; after a moment of contemplation, he nodded heavily: "Good! We shall do as you say! Our Lin Family will be the first to go out and engage the enemy!"

His voice was not loud, but it clearly reached the entire Lin Family defensive sector: "Lin Family disciples, listen to my command! Follow me out of the Formation to engage the Yao Beast tide!"

Upon receiving the order, the Lin Family members were stunned for a moment, then showed expressions of excitement and eagerness. With the Foundation Establishment Clan Leader in command and a solid Formation as a backup, what was there to fear?

"Go!" The Clan Leader, Lin Yaozong, took the lead. With a flash, he passed through the swirling Formation light barrier and appeared outside the city wall. Great Elder Lin Yaoshan, Lin Lingfeng, Lin Lingyan, and other core combatants followed closely behind.

Lin Cangchen grabbed Lin Lingtu: "Uncle Lingtu, come with me! Let's prepare some 'surprises' for them!"

The two of them also quickly exited the Formation. The Storage Pouch at Lin Cangchen's waist flashed repeatedly, and various Formation Flags and Formation Plates flew out as if they cost nothing. While quickly planting the Formation Flags on the ground, he shouted to Lin Lingtu: "Uncle Lingtu, southeast position, bury the core of that 'Thick Earth Trap Formation'! Quick!"

"Understood!" Lin Lingtu had also begun to learn Formations and was nimble, doing as he was told.

The two worked with tacit understanding, their movements dazzlingly fast. In the open space directly in front of the Lin Family's defensive sector, beams of light quickly lit up, outlining the embryonic forms of several small Formations. There was the [Thick Earth Trap Formation] that could trap people in mud, the [Small Geng Metal Sword Formation] that could trigger Sword Qi, and an [Enhanced Small Confusion Formation] with a larger range that Lin Cangchen had improved.

This unusual move by the Lin Family immediately caught the attention of other defensive Cultivators on the city wall.

"Look! The Lin Family... they went out?!"

"Are they crazy? That's a Yao Beast tide!"

"They seem to be... setting up Formations?"

"My god, can you even play like that?"

Liu Hanshan and the Zhao Family Ancestor stood in their own defensive sectors, watching the Lin Family members file out. Under the leadership of the Clan Leader, Lin Yaozong, they quickly formed a battle array outside the Formation, while Lin Cangchen and Lin Lingtu were tinkering with Formations even further ahead.

The Zhao Family Ancestor had a complex look in his eyes, tinged with a trace of recollection and regret: "My Zhao Family's ancestors were also a Family of Formation Masters... It's a pity that due to the changes back then, the gifted disciples were all lost..." He turned to an older Elder beside him and said: "Third Brother, you studied the Family's Formation Legacy when you were young. Even though you haven't reached a tier, can you set up some simple interference Formations?"

The Zhao Family Third Elder pondered for a moment and nodded: "Relying on the light of the Formation, it should be possible to set up a few simplified 'Rock Slide Formations' and 'Thorn Formations' to slow down the Yao Beasts."

The Zhao Family Ancestor immediately looked at Liu Hanshan: "Brother Liu, my Zhao Family can manage to set up some Formations. Why don't our two families combine forces to resist the enemy? We can look out for each other."

Liu Hanshan had been worrying about his own lack of Formation methods and could only watch the Lin Family's performance. Upon hearing this, he was overjoyed: "Good! Let's do as Brother Zhao says! We'll go out too; we can't let the Lin Family have all the glory!"

As for the other sections of the city wall, the families and Loose Cultivators who lacked Formation methods, although they didn't dare to rush out like the Lin and Zhao Families, didn't stay idle either. They successively unleashed Flying Swords, Talismans, bows, and other long-range attack methods, pouring firepower outside through the light barrier. The stronghold's great Formation defended against the outside, not the inside; internal attacks could pass through the light barrier without obstruction. Although the power might be reduced due to distance, it was better than just watching. For a time, the city wall was shining with spiritual light, and various attacks fell like raindrops into the vanguard of the Yao Beast tide, causing chaos.

"Damn it! Those with long-range methods, don't hold back! If you don't earn merit points, it's a waste!" A Loose Cultivator shouted while controlling his Flying Sword.

"Quick! Don't save your Talismans! If you don't use them now, are you waiting to hatch them?"

Although not as satisfying as killing like the Lin Family and others outside, the Cultivators on the city wall also found their own rhythm and began to harvest merit points in a "watching the fire from the other shore" style.

The Lin Family's "battlefield" saw the vanguard of the Yao Beast tide already rushing to the front! Those hideous fangs, the foul stench, and the crimson beast eyes were clearly visible!

"Ready!" The Clan Leader, Lin Yaozong, shouted in a low voice, slightly releasing his Foundation Establishment Stage Spiritual Pressure, which caused the few Yao Beasts rushing in the front to visibly stall.

Lin Cangchen and Lin Lingtu had also just finished setting up the last Formation and quickly retreated into the Lin Family's battle array.

Lin Cangchen watched those Yao Beasts that crashed into his carefully prepared "Formation combo," instantly trapped in mud, sliced by Sword Qi, and spinning in circles, and a smile hooked the corner of his mouth.

"Business is open! Uncles and brothers, grab... er, kill them!"

Before he finished speaking, the sword light of Lin Lingfeng had already slashed out like a bolt of silk, splitting a first-tier high-grade Yao wolf that had fallen into the confusion Formation in two.

Lin Cangchen's gaze quickly swept over the battlefield, silently chanting: "System, extract!"

For a time, outside the Lin Family's defensive sector, spiritual light exploded, and Sword Qi crisscrossed; the roars of beasts and shouts of battle blended into one. Nearby, the simple Formations set up by the joint effort of the Zhao and Liu Families also began to take effect. Although the results were far inferior to the Lin Family, they successfully slowed down a portion of the Yao Beasts, allowing the two families' members to snipe more effectively.

Compared to the Cultivators in other sections who could only hide behind the Formation for long-range attacks, the Lin Family, which took the initiative and had excellent Formation support, seemed to be cheating. The efficiency of harvesting merit points was more than doubled!

On the city wall, those Cultivators who could only use long-range attacks watched the Lin Family killing with such vigor outside, the numbers on their merit point jade plates presumably skyrocketing. Everyone felt like a cat was scratching at their hearts—envious and helpless.

"This Lin Family... they really know how to play! It's basically cheating!" Someone said sourly, voicing the inner thoughts of countless others.

The style of resisting the Yao Beast tide was stubbornly skewed by the Lin Family, turning from passive defense into a "merit point race" relying on Formations.