As Mei Qing’s voice faded, the sky suddenly darkened as if covered by thick red clouds, obscured by a sudden surge of mist.
A muffled sound reached his ears, as if from an immense distance, yet he couldn’t make out what it was. The fog around him thickened rapidly. Just moments ago, people had stood not far away, but now they had vanished as if into thin air, leaving only swirling mist, with no sign of anyone else.
Mei Qing was alarmed, realizing that Tao Zhongwen had indeed come prepared. He couldn’t tell what kind of formation it was, nor how Tao Zhongwen had managed to set it up without anyone noticing—even Zhang Yuchong and the others had been deceived.
Unwilling to move recklessly, Mei Qing cautiously extended his spiritual awareness outward. All around, dense fog obscured everything, and even beyond ten zhang, nothing could be discerned. Zhang Yuchong and the others seemed to have vanished entirely.
Mei Qing considered this, then directed his spiritual sense upward and downward. This time, he sensed something blocking his perception a few zhang beneath the ground, preventing further exploration.
Nonetheless, he had no intention of digging downward. This formation was clearly massive. If it extended several zhang into the earth, it must be deeply rooted and extremely solid. Alone, he couldn’t hope to break through it by force. His only option was to find another clever way out. To recklessly probe downward would only waste his energy.
With a flick of his sleeves, Mei Qing released his spirit crane. At the same time, he extended his spiritual sense again, and a small talisman appeared in his hand, inscribed with a simple primordial symbol—an emblem of Taiji. He infused it with true energy and gently cast it upward.
This technique, known as “throwing a stone to test the path,” had been taught to him by Zhang Yuchong. When encountering an unknown formation, it was used to determine the balance of Yin and Yang and the orientation of the Five Elements.
The Taiji talisman floated upward, then vanished in a wisp of smoke, turning to ashes. A small vortex of earth energy immediately rose, spinning several times before dispersing in all directions.
After observing this, Mei Qing’s expression grew even more puzzled. After a moment, he suddenly exclaimed in realization. Then, with a single palm strike, he launched a bolt of divine lightning from the Shenzhao tradition straight into the sky.
The dark clouds above instantly scattered. The bright blue sky that had been there moments ago was gone, replaced by a black canopy scattered with countless stars like shattered jade.
At this sight, Mei Qing’s face paled. His lightning bolt, which had just been cast, seemed to vanish into the sea without a trace, instantly consumed by the energy of the stars.
“The Heaven Net Formation!” he murmured in disbelief.
No wonder Tao Zhongwen had seemed so confident before, and had retreated without a fight. It turned out he had relied not on his few allies, but on this famously invincible forbidden formation. His earlier dramatic recounting of past events had merely been a ploy to buy time for setting up the formation.
The Heaven Net Formation, also commonly known as the Heaven and Earth Net, lived up to its name as a containment formation. While not particularly deadly, once someone was trapped inside, escape became nearly impossible.
The reason neither Mei Qing nor Zhang Yuchong had considered it was because setting it up and dismantling it required immense complexity.
Ancient formations often emphasized transformation and mystery. As Zhang Yuchong had explained to Mei Qing, formations like the Five Elements and the Eight Trigrams became more flexible and difficult the simpler they were. The Taiji and Primordial formations were especially intricate and hard to master.
The Heaven Net Formation, however, took the opposite approach, relying on complexity rather than fluidity. It was composed of thirty-six heavenly stems and seventy-two earthly branches, its power lying not in adaptability but in sheer intricacy. Though it lacked the natural elegance of more refined formations, it was extremely practical and became one of the few large-scale formations that ordinary cultivators could manage.
However, this method of deployment also had its drawbacks—requiring numerous magical artifacts, immense resources, and great effort to set up and maintain. Even major sects with considerable resources usually couldn’t afford to deploy and sustain such a formation.
Moreover, such a formation was only effective when used to trap others—an opportunity rarely available in the cultivation world.
The only well-known use of the Heaven Net Formation was by Zhang Liusun, the patriarch of the Xuanjiao sect, during the legendary battle that led to the destruction of the Shenzhao sect. Except for a few disciples who happened to be away, every member of the Shenzhao sect, from the sect leader down, was captured and annihilated.
Never had Mei Qing imagined he would encounter this formation again today. He couldn’t help but marvel at Tao Zhongwen’s audacity and resources in deploying it.
Now, separated and unable to see each other, Mei Qing and his companions were at a disadvantage, with the enemy hidden and unseen. Without hesitation, Mei Qing immediately activated several protective talismans, stabilized his spirit crane midair, and sat cross-legged to begin meditating.
At first glance, it seemed unwise for Mei Qing to meditate openly in such a precarious situation. But he knew that once inside such a massive formation, any hope of easily escaping was futile. The enemy’s goal was clear—not only to suppress other sects but specifically to target him. Since he was their main target, any further speculation was pointless. He had no choice but to prepare for an all-out battle to see if there was any chance of escape.
Besides, his earlier battle with Zhuo Wanchun had left him greatly depleted, despite his victory. If he didn’t recover quickly, he would be in no condition for the next confrontation.
Mei Qing also realized that since Zhuo Wanchun had been defeated, Tao Zhongwen had deployed this formation likely in response to an unexpected turn of events. If that were the case, there might be flaws in the formation’s setup, meaning it couldn’t immediately reach full power. However, these flaws weren’t enough for Mei Qing to break free. But during this time, the enemy would also be preoccupied with stabilizing the formation and unable to act immediately.
Therefore, if he didn’t seize this moment to recover, there might be no other chance. Though it seemed risky, it was actually the best course of action.
As Mei Qing had anticipated, he managed to circulate his energy throughout his body, drawing in the essence of heaven and earth. Before long, he had recovered about seventy to eighty percent of his strength without any interference.
Fortunately, although the formation suppressed cultivators, it didn’t significantly hinder the flow of spiritual energy. Once Mei Qing felt sufficiently recovered, he ended his meditation and extended his spiritual sense again to scan the surroundings. The fog had grown even denser. He had no way of knowing how Zhang Yuchong, Liu Xing, and the others were faring. There was no time to worry about them now.
After a moment’s thought, Mei Qing sat cross-legged once more, motionless.
The Heaven Net Formation was a containment array—those who struggled within it only created more chaos. Mei Qing knew how difficult it was to set up such a formation, and how much energy it must be costing Tao Zhongwen to maintain it. Rather than wasting his energy searching for the formation’s weak point, it was better to remain still and wait for the enemy to make the first move.
After all, Tao Zhongwen was no Zhang Liusun. He couldn’t command the full resources of an empire. Therefore, no matter how many people or resources he had, they would pale in comparison to what Zhang Liusun once commanded. Mei Qing guessed that Tao Zhongwen could maintain this formation for only a few days at most. There was no way he could trap them for weeks.
Thus, Mei Qing resolved to remain calm and wait for the enemy to come to him. For a cultivator, sitting still for several days was no great hardship. The longer he waited, the more fully he could recover. Moreover, by openly sitting in the open, he denied the enemy any opportunity for a surprise attack. Though this strategy appeared passive, it was actually the most advantageous.
Mei Qing’s intuition proved correct. In truth, Tao Zhongwen had struggled to set up this formation. Unexpectedly, Mei Qing had severely wounded Zhuo Wanchun, and Zhang Yuchong had put him under pressure, forcing him to deploy the formation prematurely, before it was fully prepared.
Once the formation was finally in place, Tao Zhongwen had hoped to strike while the enemy was in disarray, capturing them all at once. But to his surprise, figures like Zhang Yuchong and Mei Qing remained calm. Some protected themselves with magical artifacts, while others took the opportunity to recover, sitting as still as mountains.
Tao Zhongwen had used over a hundred magical artifacts to set up the formation, and had enlisted many allies. Though it had only been a short time, the cost had already exceeded expectations. Seeing the current situation within the formation, he realized he couldn’t afford to wait any longer. Secretly issuing orders, he decided to enter the formation himself and lead the attack directly.
However, after Zhuo Wanchun’s defeat, the enemy had lost a major fighter. Earlier, Ninggu the Master had also withdrawn from the battle. With two powerful allies missing, Tao Zhongwen found himself stretched thin. He had no choice but to abandon some less important figures and focus on dealing with Zhang Yuchong, Mei Qing, and the others.
The one chosen to confront Mei Qing first was none other than Huang Guxu.
Huang Guxu had cultivated for many years and was a direct disciple of the Lingbao sect’s Gexuan lineage. His cultivation had long reached the late stage of the Qi Condensation period. However, he had always been modest in demeanor and therefore was not particularly well-known. Especially in recent years, he had spent most of his time in retreat, making him even less known to the outside world.
Yet, in terms of actual strength, Huang Guxu was no less formidable than the so-called “Little Immortal” Zhuo Wanchun. His foundation was solid, even slightly superior.
Especially his whisk, though not a true magical treasure, was the personal artifact of the Gexuan sect’s patriarch. The Gexuan sect had long enjoyed imperial favor, particularly during the Song Dynasty, when its patriarch was granted the title of Lingguan (Spirit Official). Thus, all the sect’s leaders were known by that title. Huang Guxu was the fifty-second such Lingguan. This whisk was said to have been passed down from the sect’s founder, Ge Xuan, and had been held by every Lingguan for a thousand years. Though it had not developed its own sentience, its power was no less than that of ordinary magical treasures.
Yet, facing Mei Qing, Huang Guxu dared not be arrogant. The memory of Mei Qing defeating Zhuo Wanchun still lingered in his mind.
Huang Guxu did not attack secretly. Instead, a few zhang away from Mei Qing, he revealed himself and loudly declared, “Mei Qing, this Daoist has come to meet you!”
Mei Qing looked at Huang Guxu’s towering figure and then at the whisk radiating spiritual energy, sighing as he said, “If you’re going to fight, then fight. Why waste words?”
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage