Chapter 1390: Deathly Cage (Part One)

Li Yan watched as Donglin Tingyue quickly set up the formations. He stood to one side of the door, and though his heart was just as anxious, his face remained calm.

The closer it was to a life-and-death moment, the more he was like this. Anxiousness would only make him lose his composure.

And Donglin Tingyue’s appearance reminded Li Yan of the female cultivators he had met in the lower realm: Zhao Min, Gong Chenying, Shuang Qingqing, and even Bai Rou from the battle at Windy Cool Mountain…

When they encountered such situations, they would appear much calmer. Although Donglin Tingyue had experienced many life-and-death situations, compared to the cruelty of the lower realm, there was still a considerable gap.

The old woman surnamed He’s Divine Sense had already begun to probe, room by room, from the bow of the skiff. Her search speed was not slow, but it was not too fast either.

After the several Nascent Soul cultivators had escaped from her grasp just now, her underestimation had diminished somewhat.

Her Divine Sense was eliminating rooms one by one, continuously approaching the room where Li Yan and the others were…

Donglin Tingyue watched Li Yan frown in deep thought. She herself had no solution either.

Outside, the old woman surnamed He stood on the deck, like a life-reaping malevolent ghost from the Nine Serenities Underworld. Donglin Tingyue’s heart grew colder and colder.

She felt a chilling aura rapidly approaching from one side, like a hand stretching out in the darkness!

And the roaring sounds outside, which had just stopped, started booming again. The ground shook and the mountains swayed; the entire giant skiff was constantly vibrating.

It was the cultivators from the “Spirit Subduing Manor” and the “Heavenly Mountain Garden.” Not daring to defy the old woman surnamed He’s orders in the slightest, they had divided into three teams and begun to bombard the three rooms.

The stillness on the old woman surnamed He’s side, and the motion on the other, felt as if they were being squeezed from both sides, making Donglin Tingyue feel suffocated. Especially that formless hand, which was blotting out the sky and sun as it reached for this place.

She of course wanted to fight back. Even if the other party had more than a dozen Nascent Soul cultivators, at least she still had a hope of taking others down with her.

But the old woman was just standing there. Apart from a sense of powerlessness, all Donglin Tingyue had left was a constantly growing fear, like a child in the dark, constantly looking back to see if a malevolent ghost was pouncing on them.

Even Li Yan, who had pulled her to safety, was just standing in the formation with a frown, as if he had no intention of even discussing it with her.

Donglin Tingyue, panicked by this oppressive feeling, was about to ask Li Yan for his thoughts. After all, the two of them couldn’t just stand here, relying on a formation she herself had no confidence in, and just sit and wait for death.

Li Yan, his thoughts racing, suddenly turned his head. His aura fluctuated, but he still said nothing. Instead, he quickly raised his palm.

On the other side, Donglin Tingyue also saw Li Yan’s reaction and her gaze immediately focused. But in her Divine Sense, she did not find anything unusual.

This made her heart tighten even more. She didn’t know what had happened now, and the words she was about to say also did not leave her mouth.

And on Li Yan’s palm, a dark light flickered. Silently, he had already quickly slashed towards a corner of the house.

“It’s me, it’s me! Fellow Daoist Li, stop!”

Just as the dark light on Li Yan’s palm was about to fly out, a voice that was somewhat familiar and anxious to both of them came from the corner of the house.

At the same time, a fat face appeared. But there was no body, no limbs, only a head floating in mid-air in the corner, which was very strange.

“It’s you!”

“What are you doing… here?”

Li Yan flicked his palm, and the dark light that had already left his hand was recalled by him. He and Donglin Tingyue both let out a low cry at the same time.

The fat head, with some sparse hair on top, was none other than Jia Fugui from the “Abacus Sect.” At this moment, he also had a depressed look on his face.

He had already seen the two of them. They had flown in here with a flash just now and had even set up many formations.

In the same room, the three of them were too close. So he simply remained still, and no one had discovered him.

But his Divine Sense did not dare to leave his body too far. He could only hear the sky-high screams outside, rising and falling…

However, after the screams outside had all disappeared, Li Yan and the other two still hadn’t left. After a while, he wanted to quietly release a wisp of his Divine Sense to check the situation outside.

He felt that they were only two Mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivators. If he was careful, it was highly likely that they would not be able to discover him.

But unexpectedly, the moment his Divine Sense left his magical treasure, Li Yan, who seemed to have been in deep thought, actually attacked him in an instant.

Before the other party attacked, he didn’t even ask “Who is it?” His attack was extremely decisive.

Jia Fugui was confident in his own defense here. The other party would definitely not be able to break through it in a short period of time.

But thinking of the tragic screams outside, he of course knew that something had changed. If they started fighting here, it would attract the attention of others.

Fortunately, it seemed that these two had also come in to seek refuge and were from the same team. He quickly “showed his face” and greeted them.

“What happened outside?”

After seeing Li Yan withdraw his hand, the floating fat face stared at the two of them and immediately asked.

“You don’t know what happened outside?”

Li Yan and the other looked at him quickly. He didn’t know what had happened outside, but why was he hiding here?

“There’s a Spirit Transformation cultivator killing people. Your formation is quite effective. I wonder if we could both enter to take refuge?”

Li Yan sensed that the oppressive feeling was getting closer and closer, and the speed was not slow. He didn’t wait for the other party to answer his counter-question and immediately answered quickly.

It was the old woman surnamed He from the “Spirit Subduing Manor” who was getting closer. He had been planning to take out his illusion formation “Mirror Flower” just now when he suddenly had a feeling of imminent danger.

There was another Divine Sense in this room. And Li Yan’s own Divine Sense was extremely powerful. He had instantly locked onto the source of his unease.

After seeing that it was Jia Fugui, and thinking that he had been hiding in the corner before and he had not been able to detect him, Li Yan knew that the other party had a powerful treasure on him.

“You can, as long as you’re not afraid of me ambushing you, then there’s no problem!”

Jia Fugui’s next words made Li Yan and the other two stunned. They had not expected him to agree so readily.

But Li Yan and the other two were both shrewd people. After a slight daze, they understood his meaning.

Jia Fugui had already been discovered by them. If what Li Yan said was true, and there was a Spirit Transformation cultivator killing people outside.

Then if Li Yan and Donglin Tingyue were discovered at this time, whether they took the initiative to say it or were soul-searched, Jia Fugui would not be able to escape either.

As Jia Fugui spoke, the space in the corner twisted slightly.

Li Yan and the other two saw a familiar large fatty, with a feather as white as jade floating above his head, standing in the corner, looking at them with a helpless expression.

The feather was only the size of an adult’s palm, and it was snow-white all over. It was emitting a large expanse of white light, covering a small area.

“The Illusion Tail Feather of a Light Feather Illusion Sparrow!”

Donglin Tingyue’s surprised voice came from the side. So the other party was not using a formation, but a magical treasure to hide.

As her voice sounded, Jia Fugui’s voice also came over.

“Just don’t move, and I’ll activate the magical treasure!”

After he spoke, seeing that the two did not object, he poured his magical power into it, and the white light emitted by the white feather above his head quickly spread to the entire room.

After the white light enveloped the three of them, Jia Fugui seemed to let out a sigh of relief and immediately walked out from the corner.

When Li Yan and the other two had arrived here earlier, he had kept the magical treasure covering a corner. Although he had confidence in his magical treasure.

But at such a close distance, with his usual caution, it was naturally better to be safe. During this period, he did not dare to move randomly, which made him feel very uncomfortable.

After hearing Donglin Tingyue’s low exclamation, and sensing the moment the white light spread over, Li Yan felt a gentle force wrap around the entire room.

And the violent roaring sounds outside also seemed to have softened a little.

“A Light Feather Illusion Sparrow… I’ve never heard of this bird before. Just from its name, it seems to be a race that is also skilled in illusion arts.”

“And from this situation, the other party only refined one of its feathers, without even changing its shape, and it has such a strange effect. If I have time later, I can ask Donglin Tingyue about it.”

Li Yan thought quickly in his heart. He had already seen the extraordinariness of this item. It might be even better than his own illusion formation “Mirror Flower.”

Just now, while considering taking out the illusion formation, he was also considering whether to put Donglin Tingyue into his Spirit-Storing Ring, and then use his “Stealthy Night Art” and “Tidefall” cultivation methods. He should be able to avoid the other party’s detection.

But he was not sure if Donglin Tingyue would be willing to enter and hide. That would be completely placing her life in his hands. Their relationship had not yet reached that level.

Although he had just saved her, Donglin Tingyue would surely also think that if Li Yan fell into the old woman’s hands, he would definitely be soul-searched.

Once he was searched, she herself would also be exposed. Wouldn’t she then not even have a chance to escape?

Therefore, Li Yan had been hesitating just now, considering how to deal with Donglin Tingyue. If it were just him, it would be much easier.

He had even thought about whether to knock her out, seal her six senses, and throw her into the “Earthen Patch” first. Fortunately, he hadn’t done that. There were other people here.

And Jia Fugui’s magical treasure was the most suitable in most situations, and he didn’t have to worry too much.

“Fellow Daoist Li, do you like this magical treasure? If you like it, we can trade later. If the price is reasonable then, this magical treasure will be yours! Now, can you tell me what happened outside just now?”

As Jia Fugui walked out from the corner, he had already carefully released his Divine Sense to probe outside. At the same time, when he glanced at the two of them, he actually said such inappropriate words.

Even Li Yan was stunned when he heard this. After a moment, he finally reacted.

This fatty was from the “Abacus Sect,” and he had been doing business everywhere. Obviously, this magical treasure was also one of the items he carried with him. He had seen through his own thoughts.

Jia Fugui had only roughly guessed what had happened outside before and did not know the specific situation. At this time, while asking, he still wanted to investigate carefully.

“Fellow Daoist Jia, be careful. There’s a Spirit Transformation cultivator outside…”

Both of them had also sensed Jia Fugui’s Divine Sense extending out. Donglin Tingyue was so scared that she immediately reminded him, afraid that he would be too reckless.

Because the old woman surnamed He, at this moment, although she had not spread out her Divine Sense, she was also releasing her Divine Sense to probe, and she should be arriving here soon.

And before she could finish speaking, she felt Jia Fugui’s Divine Sense suddenly retract. A solemn expression had appeared on his face.

“This person is not only decisive in his actions, but also extremely cautious!”

Li Yan’s gaze narrowed slightly. He had not expected that this fatty, whom he had seen as just a smiling tiger who was only good at scheming against others, would actually have an unknown side.

He was as cautious as himself. Just now, when he had proposed to hide in his magical treasure, his reaction was so decisive.

He seemed to be casually extending his Divine Sense, but his heart was extremely cautious. Upon hearing her words, he did not doubt Donglin Tingyue at all. This made him re-evaluate this fatty.

“You’re right, I’m also afraid of death. I will be careful. There really is a Spirit Transformation cultivator investigating!” Jia Fugui’s expression turned solemn.

Then his gaze fell on Li Yan. He had seen everything that had happened before in secret.

It should have been Li Yan who had discovered that something was wrong. When Donglin Tingyue came in, she had been pulled in, and she had an aura of great anger.

“Outside is that Spirit Transformation cultivator from the ‘Spirit Subduing Manor.’ She said before that the ‘Blood Lantern Sect’ and the ‘Seven Tigers Alliance’ had sneak-attacked Chongyangzi. Then she came down and directly killed people…”

This time, Li Yan did not wait for the other party to ask, but quickly recounted the matter.

“Oh, so they are already cleaning up the last nine of us?”

After hearing the brief account, Jia Fugui immediately frowned.

Hearing Li Yan’s words, especially that the three of them were being given special attention by a Spirit Transformation cultivator, their situation was even more dangerous.

Li Yan sensed the outside for a moment, nodded, and then quickly asked.

“Fellow Daoist Jia, how did you discover that something was wrong first?”

“The same as you. The one who sent the voice transmission was not Chongyangzi,” Jia Fugui said.

However, he had felt that something was wrong the first moment he heard the female cultivator’s voice transmission and had not gone out at all. This was his room.

Jia Fugui had participated in three competitive battles before. In the past, only the overseer from the “Pure Yang Hall” would issue orders to the four sects at the same time, and no one else would do it on his behalf.

This matter was actually not a big deal. After all, they were all Spirit Transformation cultivators. No one here would think that something would happen to the “Pure Yang Hall,” so it was feasible to have someone act as a proxy to summon them.

But Jia Fugui was so cautious that it was already ingrained in his bones. He, who had always cherished his life like gold, immediately felt a sense of unease.

Afterward, he had opened the door, but he had not gone out himself, but had returned to his room to hide.

He felt that if nothing happened later, he would just go out. At most, he would be scolded a few times.

Just now, Li Yan had also said that he felt that the person who sent the voice transmission was not right, which was why he had become suspicious. Jia Fugui did not doubt this point. In this world, he was not the only one who cherished his life to the bone.

The exchange between them was just a few short sentences. And at this moment, the three of them simultaneously closed their mouths, and their auras were instantly restrained to the extreme.

It was just that Li Yan restrained his aura to a level that was about the same as the two of them.

There were several formations hiding them here, and Jia Fugui’s “Illusion Tail Feather” was also covering them. If all of these were not enough, then these two would definitely be discovered. Even if he hid himself better, it would be useless.

The entire room instantly fell into a dead silence. The three of them stood in the room like wooden statues, motionless.

They could all feel an invisible pressure covering this place directly.

Immediately after, they heard a cold snort, and then the restrictions that had been set up outside began to roar.

On the deck, the old woman surnamed He let out a cold snort. There were quite a few rooms with restrictions left in them. She had already investigated all the way from the bow of the skiff, and it had taken quite a bit of effort.

When she had summoned the cultivators here earlier, perhaps because they had not yet reached their destination, many of the cultivators had not turned off the formation restrictions they had activated.

Most of them were just the original formation restrictions of the rooms, and in addition, there were also many formation restrictions that the cultivators had set up themselves.

They had not collected them and taken them away before they were sure they were leaving this place.

The old woman surnamed He could only clear the obstacles all the way here!