In the mountains, Ji Yuan, consulting the map in the jade slip, hurried towards the market town.
Fortunately, when he exchanged for the formation at the Treasure Pavilion that day, he also obtained a map of the Nine Xuan Sect's surrounding hundred miles, so he wouldn't get lost.
However, the mountains and peaks along the way, surrounded by dense forests, undoubtedly slowed him down considerably. Even though he no longer had to tend to the pace of dozens of handyman disciples, he couldn't speed up.
A journey that would normally take two to three days was now estimated to take at least six to seven days. If any accidents occurred midway, this time would undoubtedly increase.
After traveling through the mountains for half a day, Ji Yuan emerged from the forest and arrived at a lake.
The lake was about twenty to thirty zhang long and wide. On the shimmering surface, fish could occasionally be seen leaping, giving an impression of peace.
After a moment of thought, he leaped to a small island in the center of the lake and carefully observed his surroundings.
This so-called small island in the lake was actually a piece of land about seven to eight zhang in size, with nothing but weeds.
After a while, Ji Yuan suddenly took a deep breath, and then six acupoints on his body flickered with a faint light.
Immediately, six heavy water pearls emerged from the acupoints, slowly rotating around him, emitting a strong radiance and spiritual energy, along with a sense of weight.
He gazed at the six heavy water pearls beside him, his hands forming seals. In a short time, the peculiarities of the heavy water pearls were suppressed.
"Go!"
With a low murmur, the six heavy water pearls shot out in all directions. After flying out two to three zhang, they suddenly sank into the water, and no trace of their existence could be detected no matter how hard he tried.
Then, Ji Yuan gently stroked the jade thumb ring on his left hand. As a soft stream of light flashed and disappeared, more than twenty artifacts appeared around him.
Among them were small flags of various colors, palm-sized, as well as swords and knives an inch long, and some strangely shaped items, such as pieces of dead wood emitting lightning, and clay figurines glowing with spiritual energy.
This was a set of attack formations gifted to him by Song He. If activated with the cultivation of the second realm early stage, it could easily kill a cultivator in the second realm middle stage who entered the formation.
Even a cultivator in the second realm late stage, though not easily killed, could be heavily injured by surprise!
However, although this set of formations was quite powerful, it could only be used once. Once the artifacts in the formation were activated and the restrictions within dissipated, not even a trace of spirituality would remain, and they would become ordinary objects.
Following the incantations left by Song He, Ji Yuan quickly set up this set of formations on the shores of the lake. However, doing so would somewhat weaken the formation's power.
But Ji Yuan never intended to use this formation to kill enemies. As long as it could serve as a deterrent, it would be excellent.
Yes, after pondering for a night, he had chosen this lake on the map within the jade slip, intending to ambush a group of invading enemies here!
He was convinced that although many forces wanted to shake the Nine Xuan Sect's newly completed characteristics, most of them would not completely tear their faces apart for this matter.
In the end, this was just a game of chess between various forces, not yet at the level of destroying someone's lineage.
If they went too far, they would have to consider whether they could bear the repercussions that followed.
Even if the Nine Xuan Sect had not been promoted to a sect, it still had nine Golden Core Grand Cultivators guarding it. Once they went mad and retaliated, let alone Fei Yun County, even in the entire Ling Yang Prefecture, few forces could withstand it!
Therefore, even if some people had ideas, they had to follow certain unwritten rules, whether it was sending their own disciples, secretly bidding to bribe mountain and marsh cultivators, or even demon cultivators to assassinate.
Regardless, the number would not be too large, and their cultivation realm would definitely be below the third realm!
Otherwise, it would attract the intervention of the Nine Xuan Sect's peak third realm elders, or even one of the Golden Core Grand Cultivators.
Once that happened, it would be considered tearing faces. At best, it would result in compensation that would cripple their own foundation, and at worst, it would be an endless battle between both sides, completely initiating a large-scale war between sects.
Disrupting the Nine Xuan Sect's promotion opportunity was important, but it was not to the point of gambling with their own sect.
Therefore, these forces, even if they wanted to do something, would be binding their own hands, making it impossible to unleash their immense divine abilities.
As Ji Yuan pondered in his mind, he waved both his arms, and dense talismans flew out from his sleeves.
A total of one hundred and eight yellow paper talismans, consisting of the Gentle Rain Talisman, the Fog and Mist Concealment Talisman, and the Azure Water Cloud Lightning Talisman.
These three types of talismans were: the first for gentle rain, with continuous light rain for a short period; the second for clouds and fog, obscuring others' vision; and the third for attack, using spells to evolve lightning within the rain clouds.
In just two to three breaths, thirty-six talismans of each type, seemingly scattered but actually containing profound meaning, floated in the air. As Ji Yuan formed hand seals, they quietly merged into the surrounding lake water.
After completing these actions, he sat down cross-legged on the spot, solemnly took out three talismans from his sleeve, and placed them on the ground in front of him and to the rear and left.
Almost at the same time, his figure, hidden within, blurred, and then he vanished into thin air!
"Everything is in place, now all that remains is to wait."
Having concealed his form with the talismans, Ji Yuan murmured to himself.
Since he had chosen to leave Wu Chengqing and the others and come here alone, he was certainly not acting impulsively.
After a night of contemplation, Ji Yuan conceived a bold idea: to use the various forces to temper his cultivation and foundation.
He was certain that anyone who dared to act outside the Nine Xuan Sect's mountain gate, regardless of their origin, would not be too numerous. Six to seven people at a time would be the limit, and their cultivation would never exceed the second realm!
Otherwise, as soon as they entered the hundred-mile radius, they would attract the attention of the Nine Xuan Sect, and how could they possibly venture to a place less than thirty li from their mountain gate?
And with only six to seven people, whose cultivation would not exceed the second realm, Ji Yuan felt no fear. He believed that with his methods, even if he couldn't win, he could still escape.
Even if he was truly unlucky and encountered such an anomaly, he didn't believe that the elders of the Nine Xuan Sect who were secretly observing would allow outsiders to kill him outside the mountain gate!
That's right, Ji Yuan was already convinced that there were currently third realm elders of the Nine Xuan Sect secretly watching everything unfold.
This idea had no evidence, but he absolutely did not believe that the sect would stand by and watch the opportunity to advance, which they had finally obtained, encounter even the slightest accident.
This concerned the future of such a large sect, and also the opportunity for his own enlightenment. The Golden Core Grand Cultivators of the Nine Xuan Sect would never allow various forces to act and destroy this hard-won opportunity.
Since this was the case, Ji Yuan had no psychological burden. Anyway, he could run if he couldn't win, and even if he couldn't escape, there were the third realm elders secretly observing to cover him, so he naturally wasn't afraid of any accidents.
At the same time, he could take this opportunity to temper himself well and solidify the foundation of his great path.
And he waited until the sun began to set, only then did several faint and indistinguishable auras appear in the woods surrounding the lake.
Ji Yuan opened his eyes and perceived with his spiritual sense. He detected five auras, including a well-hidden trace of demonic energy!
"Three early stage Spirit Point realm, two middle stage Spirit Point realm..."
After a long while, he murmured to himself.
This force was already extremely formidable. Ordinary small sects would struggle to muster such a lineup.
Furthermore, the five people appearing around the lake were all extraordinary. If his spiritual sense were not inherently stronger than cultivators of the same realm, it would be very difficult to detect their traces.
After a brief deliberation, Ji Yuan maintained his current state. Since the other party was not in a hurry to attack, he naturally would not be impatient.
If this continued, the longer it took, the more advantageous it would be for him.
Currently, the six heavy water pearls were mobilizing the essence of the water transport at the bottom of the lake. If he were given another half a day, he might be able to accumulate enough power to heavily injure, or even kill, a late stage Spirit Point realm cultivator!
However, as soon as this idea surfaced, three figures appeared in the woods surrounding the lake and headed towards the mound in the center of the lake.
Ji Yuan looked at the two men and one woman who appeared from different directions. His gaze slightly sharpened as he felt a pressure from them.
Although they were all in the early stage of the second realm, the aura emanating from these three was far beyond what the six demonic cultivators of the Yin Yang Sect could compare to.
"Mountain and marsh rogue cultivators?"
He frowned slightly, sensing the powerful but chaotic aura from them.
Generally speaking, only mountain and marsh rogue cultivators would be like this, because they lacked systematic cultivation methods and their environment was very complex, with turbid and clear qi intertwined within their bodies, causing their auras to become chaotic.
On the other hand, disciples from sects with orderly inheritance had their turbid and clear qi separated, and their auras were simple and pure.
However, Ji Yuan did not look down on them because they were mountain and marsh rogue cultivators. If it came to a life-and-death struggle, such individuals would be far more threatening than disciples from major sects.
"Fellow Daoist of the Nine Xuan Sect, since you have chosen this place, you are clearly prepared for a fight. Why are you still hiding?"
The only woman among the three, who looked like a middle-aged woman, spoke, a smile filling her face.
It was as if she had come here not for a battle, but to meet a friend, though a murderous glint flashed in her beautiful eyes.
As her voice fell, the three of them stepped onto the lake, channeling their magic power into their feet to prevent themselves from sinking.
"Why so much nonsense? Let's just join forces and kill him!"
The rough-looking man in the center spoke with a barbaric expression.
Upon hearing this, the young scholar in a green shirt who held a folding fan nodded in strong agreement.
"You coarse fellow, all you know is fighting. You have no sense of charm, and you deserve to be a bachelor your whole life!"
The middle-aged woman rolled her eyes and feigned a look of annoyance.
But the moment her words fell, she was the fastest among the three and struck the most fiercely.
She raised her arm, and nine streams of light flashed out. Within them were silver needles only slightly thicker than a strand of hair!
At the same time, the rough-looking man and the young scholar in a green shirt also unleashed their respective techniques.
The former let out a loud roar, followed by a powerful punch. In the whistling punch, magic power and blood qi mingled, revealing him to be a body refiner!
As for the latter, he chuckled and waved his folding fan. A gust of wind immediately picked up, which instantly transformed into a surging fire snake, releasing a high temperature sufficient to scorch the physique of a first realm martial artist!