Chapter 303

Chapter 303: Gui You Quan’s Ominous Premonition

Chang Xiang still offered no response to Lou Yun’s plan. He thought it was utterly impossible! No matter how much of a genius Lou Yun was, it couldn’t be done!

However, he also knew Lou Yun’s temperament well. Once Lou Yun decided to do something, no one else’s words mattered. Chang Xiang’s only goal was to ensure Lou Yun’s safety; what Lou Yun wanted to attempt was beyond his concern!

After rapidly reviewing his idea once more, Lou Yun sent a sound transmission to the other five: "Second Brother, esteemed brothers, I’ve thought of a way that might trap Gui You Quan. But I need some time. Please hold out a bit longer. Best to distract him and stop him from noticing my intention!"

Before hearing Lou Yun’s words, Ao Wushen and the other four had already felt the same despair as Lou Yun, certain that death was inevitable. His sudden message pierced their darkness like a sliver of light.

While others might not know Lou Yun well, Beichen Ming was acutely aware of his younger foster brother’s character—he wouldn’t speak rashly. If Lou Yun said it was possible, it truly had potential. Beichen Ming was the first to reply, transmitting to everyone: "Good, Third Brother! Hurry! We’ll do our best to stall him!"

Beichen Ming aimed to bolster the others’ confidence. Amidst such near-hopeless circumstances, no one questioned Lou Yun. The worst outcome was already death—they might as well grasp at straws; perhaps there truly was a sliver of hope!

Thus, Ao Wushen and the other four each responded to Lou Yun, then roared in unison and charged Gui You Quan together.

To buy Lou Yun as much time as possible, the five abandoned all defense, focusing solely on relentless, fatal attacks—each strike meant to kill, even to mutual destruction. Gui You Quan might kill us, but injuring him in the process would be worth it. Would he take that risk?

Gui You Quan naturally had no desire to be injured by the five. Seeing their suicidal assault, he dismissed it as last-ditch recklessness—figuring they aimed to wound him even as they died, and he certainly wouldn’t allow such an opening!

Thus forced to take them seriously, Gui You Quan quickly became locked in battle with the five, with no spare attention for the bystander, Lou Yun.

Lou Yun saw his Second Brother and the others buying precious moments for him. He wasted no time, mentally reviewing the entire Formation Path Expansion Decision etched into the Dragon Suppression Plate again. Confident he remembered every character, their content, and their arrangement, he took a deep breath, crouched, and used his finger as a brush to write the Formation Path Expansion Decision onto the ground—constructing the Binding Dragon Formation!

Though Gui You Quan was serious about countering the five—Beichen Ming and his group—he wasn’t using his full strength, so he observed Lou Yun’s actions out of the corner of his eye. He simply couldn’t fathom the purpose of Lou Yun crouching and “writing.” It never crossed his mind that Lou Yun was indeed laying down a formation to trap him.

One could say Gui You Quan was practically invincible on the Spirit Weapon Star. The only thing he truly feared, likely, was formations. Had he known Lou Yun’s intent, he’d have slain the youth instantly.

Pride blinded him. Though Lou Yun’s actions struck him as odd, he remained curious and didn’t intervene. He wanted to see what Lou Yun was actually planning.

Beichen Ming and the others also caught glimpses of Lou Yun’s behavior and were equally puzzled. Lou Yun’s proposed method that “might trap Gui You Quan” was this? Crouching to scribble?

Not just these formation novices—even masters like the Three Brothers of the Lu Family, who’d studied formations their whole lives—would scarcely believe Lou Yun was constructing a formation at that moment. No one had ever seen a formation deployed by mere writing.

Lou Yun, finger tracing characters onto the earth with furious speed, entered a state of total absorption. His mind held only the strokes and arrangement of every character from the Formation Path Expansion Decision. He felt entirely merged into the formation itself.

Had Nan Qu Xing been present, he’d have recognized Lou Yun’s work—the precise stroke, the exact spacing between characters—as an exact replication of his own script, flawlessly identical.

Beyond exceptional memory, Lou Yun’s childhood habit of avid reading and practicing calligraphy by copying others’ handwriting enabled him to replicate Nan Qu Xing’s strokes now without a single error. He likely never imagined this idle childhood pastime proving so vital today.

Despite writing at his maximum speed, the Formation Path Expansion Decision comprised thousands of characters—it inevitably took time. Lou Yun, completely immersed, felt its passage not at all. For Beichen Ming and the others, however, every second crawled like a year.

Gui You Quan was terrifyingly strong. Had it not been for savoring retribution against the five who’d trapped him for thirty years, killing them could’ve been swift.

Instead, he toyed with them like a cat torturing mice, prolonging their despair and terror before death.

"Ugh!"

A muffled grunt. Yu Xiaozi, the weakest of the five, was staggered back several steps, a spray of blood erupting from his mouth as Gui You Quan’s Qi struck him. Gritting his teeth, he suppressed the injury and rejoined the fray. But the momentary lapse had reduced the attackers to four.

Gui You Quan gave a chilling laugh. Three waves of Yin Ming energy lashed out. Everyone except Ao Wushen was struck simultaneously. They shuddered violently, bodies instantly coated in frost.

Yin Ming energy now invaded each of the four fighter’s organs. Most mortals would have been incapacitated. Relying on their profound cultivation amassed over decades or centuries, they forcibly channeled their own spiritual energy to stifle this invasive cold, gritted their teeth, and charged Gui You Quan once more — this time activating Spirit Transformation!

Gui You Quan still dismissed these Spirit Transformation assaults from four wounded warriors. Yet, after a bit more fierce engagement, a faint, inexplicable twinge of alarm flared within him—a sensation that briefly startled him.

For cultivators nearing Gui You Quan’s realm—those preparing to endure heavenly punishment—spiritual senses become extraordinarily heightened, capable of perceiving impending threats.

This sudden premonition startled Gui You Quan profoundly. He hadn’t felt such a warning in many years. Not even when tricked into this cave by the five had it arisen. Yet it stirred now?

Before him: Ao Wushen was still uninjured, but the other four, even without his direct intervention, would soon succumb to their uncontrolled Yin Ming energy and suffer severe internal injuries—utterly harmless to him.

The white-haired man sprawled on the ground nearby had barely a flicker of life. Untreated, he’d expire swiftly—zero threat. So where did this premonition originate?

Could it be… him?

Gui You Quan’s gaze finally snapped back to Lou Yun, still frantically writing upon the ground.

Lou Yun had scarcely been at it long; Gui You Quan, dismissive before, had barely paid heed. But this abrupt foreboding forced recognition: if anyone present, at this moment, might pose a threat, it could only be Lou Yun!

The thought, however, strained Gui You Quan’s own credulity. Lou Yun was undeniably puzzling—mouth full of lies—but his actual combat power was pitiful. He couldn’t hope to match Gui You Quan; he wasn’t even a match for the others. What threat could such a weakling pose?

Disbelief aside, Gui You Quan wouldn’t disregard the warning. A surge of killing intent arose. Crush this potential disturbance first! Then he could savor tormenting the five at leisure. Allow no surprises!

A sharp, piercing shriek tore from Gui You Quan’s throat! The blade of his magical weapon sword warped, lengthening horizontally into a curve spanning dozens of feet—shaped now like a massive scythe!

Spirit Transformation!

Kun-level mid-tier weapon technique: Demon Slaughter Scythe!

The immense scythe multiplied into five ghostly manifestations, converging on each foe.

Apart from Ao Wushen, the other four—already pushing beyond their limits via Spirit Transformation—stood utterly defenseless before this enhanced onslaught. Four anguished cries rang out! They were hurled backwards violently, smashing against the floor, strength utterly spent. Unable any longer to restrain the Yin Ming energy within, they lost all combat ability—on death’s door, if not already crossing it.

Only Ao Wushen, reacting frantically, also activated Spirit Transformation and barely blocked the scythe aimed at him!

"BOOM!"

The impact sent Ao Wushen flying—directly backward, straight towards the spot where Lou Yun worked! Simultaneously, Gui You Quan had lunged towards Lou Yun!

Though moving later, Ao Wushen — launched backwards by the concussive force striking his block — arrived near Lou Yun first! With a guttural roar, he plunged his own weapon—now grotesquely enlarged and fan-shaped from Spirit Transformation—deep into the earth before Lou Yun! He stood as a shield between the charging Gui You Quan and Lou Yun, still utterly lost within the formation’s deployment!