Chapter 169: Sealing the Cave
When Qian Hong believed he held victory in his grasp, the Demon Hunters had already sealed off the cave entrance.
They piled rubble into a wall, and Mo Hua drew an array over it. Then they piled another layer of stone, Mo Hua drew another array, and again a third time.
Three walls in total, three layers of formations.
Mo Hua requested several hundred spirit stones from Elder Yu, crushed them, and infused the spiritual energy into the arrays to activate the Earth-Wood Composite Formation.
Earthen-gray and pale-green runes intertwined on the walls, spiritual energy seeping through the rubble, binding earth and stone into a seamless, hardened barrier.
"Can this formation hold?" Elder Yu asked, still uneasy.
Mo Hua felt quite confident.
The Groundfire Array used paper as its formation medium and could be used only once, but this Earth-Wood Composite Formation used soil and stone as its medium, durable and lasting. Breaking it would require considerable time and effort.
Besides, it was a first-grade composite formation. Against Qi-Refining cultivators, it should be more than sufficient, so long as Qian Hong or Qian Zhongxuan, who were both at Foundation Establishment, did not intervene.
Still, without testing, he could not be certain.
So Mo Hua answered vaguely, "It should work."
At this point, Elder Yu no longer hesitated. He ordered all cultivators to focus on digging an escape tunnel, abandoning further mining of the remaining spirit stone veins.
They had to complete the escape route before the Qian Clan broke through the cave.
The Demon Hunters' activity was soon noticed by the Qian Clan.
Qian Hong sneered. "As expected, Yu Changlin has sealed the entrance and is digging a tunnel."
He ordered his men to investigate. When they returned, they reported that the entrance had been walled off with earth and stone.
Qian Hong paid little attention at first. A wall of dirt and rubble? Two days' effort at most to smash through.
Yet after his subordinates worked for half a day, they returned, pale and panting.
"Reporting to the Patriarch, we… we can't break through."
Qian Hong frowned. "What do you mean, can't break through?"
The disciple lowered his head. "The entrance is sealed by earth and stone, but we cannot damage it…"
Qian Hong's brow furrowed deeper.
Qian Zhongxuan, listening nearby, raised his eyebrows. He already suspected what was happening, and a trace of gloating appeared at the corner of his mouth.
Qian Hong said coldly, "Let me see it myself."
When he arrived at the blocked entrance, he immediately sensed faint fluctuations of spiritual power.
There was… a formation on it?
A sense of unease crept over him. "Attack it," he ordered.
Several Qian cultivators stepped forward, some with blades, some with swords, some bare-handed, others casting spells.
They managed to chip at the rubble and open a few cracks, but soon the broken stones flowed back together as though alive.
The rocks seemed fused by earth and wood, healing and reforming continuously.
After another round of fruitless pounding, the cultivators were left panting, exhausted, and frustrated.
Qian Hong lost patience. Drawing his sword, he slashed at the wall with Foundation Establishment power. His spiritual energy condensed into a tangible edge, slicing off a layer of stone.
Then his expression darkened. "A first-grade formation?"
So Qian Zhongxuan hadn't been lying, there truly was someone among the Demon Hunters capable of drawing a first-grade array!
Qian Zhongxuan's eyes sparkled at the sight of Qian Hong's surprise, his heart delighting.
"A formation with only seven array runes," he said in a measured, ironic tone, "shouldn't pose any trouble for Patriarch Qian. I am sure the Patriarch will soon break through and capture these Demon Hunters in one sweep."
Outwardly serious, inwardly mocking.
Qian Hong maintained composure, though inwardly furious.
He himself had said that such a seven-rune formation barely qualified as first-grade. To contradict that now would only slap his own face.
For the moment, he could only swallow the insult and plan to settle scores later.
More pressing was how to breach the entrance, kill the Demon Hunters, seize the spirit stones, and occupy the mine.
As Qian Hong prepared to strike again, a voice echoed from above, Elder Yu's, dripping with mockery.
"We agreed Foundation Establishment cultivators would not intervene. Don't tell me you're so shameless you'll break your word?"
Qian Hong looked up. Indeed, halfway up the mountain, before the only unsealed opening, stood Elder Yu, smirking down at them.
Qian Hong sneered back. "I may not attack cultivators, but no one said I cannot strike at the mountain itself."
Elder Yu's eyes glinted. "Go ahead then. I'll be watching."
Qian Hong's brows tightened. He hesitated.
If he used too much spiritual power to break the barrier, Yu Changlin might seize the chance to ambush him. In that case, he might not win.
And if the Dao Court Division heard of it, Yu could argue he was merely defending himself after the Qian Clan's Foundation Establishment cultivator attacked first.
Even worse, Qian Zhongxuan was standing right beside him, ready to reap the rewards if Qian Hong took the risk.
After a pause, Qian Hong withdrew his hand.
"Fine," he said. "We'll abide by the agreement. Only Qi-Refining cultivators will act."
Elder Yu exhaled in relief but felt even greater disdain for him.
"Then don't block the way like a lump on a log. Move aside and let your little Qi-Refining brats try breaking through. Let's see how far they get."
Qian Hong shot him a venomous glare, then waved his hand.
The Qian cultivators stepped forward again, using blades, fists, techniques, and spells, taking turns hammering the wall.
When one exhausted, another replaced him.
The entrance where Elder Yu stood guard remained impregnable, so their only hope was to open more passages elsewhere.
Though a first-grade Earth-Wood Composite Formation was strong, it depended on spiritual energy from spirit stones to maintain its effect. Each strike drained a little of its power.
After days of relentless assault, the Qian Clan finally broke through the first barrier.
With a deafening rumble, the outermost wall lost its spiritual support and crumbled into rubble.
The Qian cultivators cheered, overjoyed... until they realized something was wrong.
Behind the first wall… was another wall.
They struck it once. The stones did not budge. Clearly, this layer too bore a formation.
Despair spread across their faces. Qian Hong's eyelids twitched violently.
Two walls? No... surely not just two…
Gritting his teeth, he ordered his men to rest and prepare for the next round.
At this point, there was no turning back.
Inside the cave, Elder Yu listened to the sounds of digging. Then the noise ceased, and he frowned. "Why did they stop?"
"They can't break through," someone replied.
After these days, Mo Hua had confirmed the strength of the first-grade Earth-Wood Composite Formation. Against Qi-Refining cultivators, it was nearly unbreakable.
And with three layers of it, the defense was absolute.
Elder Yu still looked puzzled. "How could they fail so completely?"
"This is a composite formation," Mo Hua explained. "Breaking through all three layers would tire them to death."
"Composite formation?" Elder Yu echoed, confused.
"It's just a bit stronger than an ordinary First-grade formation," Mo Hua said casually.
Elder Yu's eyes widened. Stronger than first-grade?
Then he muttered, "So this formation can hold for a long time?"
Mo Hua calculated briefly and nodded. As long as no Foundation Establishment cultivator intervened—and they had food and water—it could hold for quite a long time indeed.
Elder Yu froze, then sighed in deep regret.
Had he known Mo Hua's formation was so effective, he would not have rushed to dig that escape tunnel.
There were still many spirit stones left unmined inside the cave…
Those were all spirit stones!
The ever-frugal Elder Yu looked as if his heart bled.
Seeing this, Mo Hua's eyes lit up with mischief. "Why don't we go all the way, then? Not even a drop of soup for them to sip!"
That struck directly at Elder Yu's heart. After a moment of solemn thought, he nodded. "Indeed. Wastefulness invites Heaven's wrath."
(End of Chapter)