Chapter Six: Turning the Tide

"Young master, look over there. That sneaky fellow ahead can't be up to any good, can he?" Zuo Jiao, who always favored black attire, remarked to Ling Ren.

"Zuo Jiao, haven't I told you before not to judge people by their appearance? And never to jump to conclusions before you understand the situation," Ling Ren admonished Zuo Jiao.

"Yes, young master, I understand!" Zuo Jiao replied, but scarcely had he finished when he turned and shouted at Zhang Junbao, "Hey, you there! The shifty one up ahead! What are you doing sneaking around? Come here and answer for yourself!"

Zhang Junbao had thought he’d finally found a secluded place, far from anyone, to hide away and live in peace. Yet now, discovered again, he cursed his luck inwardly, but had no choice but to approach Ling Ren and his companion. His cultivation was far inferior, and he knew he could neither fight nor outrun them. Better to be sensible and compliant.

"Gentlemen, I am Zhang Qunbao. May I ask what guidance you wish to offer?" Zhang Junbao bowed respectfully to Ling Ren.

"Guidance? What guidance? We’re asking you—what are you doing in this godforsaken place?" Zuo Jiao's words were less than courteous. Ling Ren shot Zuo Jiao a glare but said nothing.

"My apologies, but may I ask why you, sir, are here as well?" Zhang Junbao countered.

"You..." Zuo Jiao was fuming, about to lose his temper, when Ling Ren stopped him. Ling Ren then spoke to Zhang Junbao with genuine courtesy.

"Fellow cultivator," Ling Ren began, "I noticed your anxious manner and lingering fear. Is there something dangerous in this place that has unsettled you so? I was curious, so I inquired. My name is Ling Ren, and this is Zuo Jiao. I beg your pardon for his earlier rudeness."

"Sir, you are too polite. I am merely passing through," Zhang Junbao replied. "But if you’re interested in what’s frightening around here, you might want to visit Mawey Star. There’s a terrifying ghostly creature roaming there now—just mentioning it makes my skin crawl. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll take my leave."

As he spoke, Zhang Junbao was already preparing to depart, but then he remembered something and turned back to Ling Ren. "Sir, if you ever go to Mawey Star, whatever you do, don’t use the ancient teleportation array. Remember, do not use it under any circumstances." Before his words even faded, Zhang Junbao had released a shuttle, leapt inside, and vanished in a flash.

"What… Young master, that fellow was truly rude! But his flying shuttle was stunning," Zuo Jiao said enviously. If Blood Demon were here, he would have recognized that shuttle, for it was originally his.

"Zuo Jiao, shall we go have a look at Mawey Star?" Ling Ren said as he released his own shuttle.

"But young master, didn’t that man just warn us about something terrifying over there? Should we really go?" Zuo Jiao felt uneasy. His cultivation was only at the late Nascent Soul stage, and seeing the fear in Zhang Junbao, who was only at the early stage, unsettled him further.

"If you’re so timid, perhaps you shouldn’t come out with me at all. Are you coming or not?" Ling Ren said, annoyed.

"Of course I’m coming! I’d lose my mind staying cooped up at home all day!" Zuo Jiao replied as he clambered into the shuttle.

...

Ling Ren piloted the shuttle and finally reached Mawey Star, heading straight for the ancient teleportation array. The battle there had raged for three days and nights, leaving chaos in its wake. Both sides were still locked in combat: cultivators wielded flying swords and magical treasures, launching attack after attack, while the ghostly creatures charged relentlessly or spat foul saliva. Those that could fly buzzed chaotically across the battlefield. It was utter pandemonium.

Ling Ren frowned as he surveyed the scene, pondering for a moment before producing a collection of items.

"Young master, that’s the formation you need for your tribulation! If you use it now, it’ll be gone!" Zuo Jiao exclaimed in shock upon seeing what Ling Ren had brought out.

"The situation is dire. I can face my tribulation later. Enough talk—help me lay out the formation. And remember, set it in reverse; we want to trap the ghostly things, not defend against heavenly thunder," Ling Ren instructed, handing Zuo Jiao half the formation disks.

"Yes, young master, I understand," Zuo Jiao said, taking the disks and hurrying off to set them up.

Ling Ren held a formation disk in his left hand and formed an intricate seal with his right, uttering a sharp incantation as he thrust the disk into the earth. He then quickly moved to another position and embedded another disk. Within ten minutes, Zuo Jiao returned.

"Young master, I’m done!" Zuo Jiao announced excitedly, having picked up some treasures along the way.

"Good. Do you see those five people ahead? Go inform them that I’m about to activate the formation. I’ll leave an exit here so the cultivators on the battlefield can withdraw. Go quickly and come right back," Ling Ren instructed. Zuo Jiao nodded and sped off.

Ling Ren then produced a formation disk the size of a large soup bowl—several times larger than the previous ones—and placed it atop a stone platform. He retrieved a dozen top-grade spirit stones and fit them into the slots on the disk. With a hum, the formation disk glowed pale green. Ling Ren began chanting, lips moving swiftly, then shouted and pressed both palms onto the disk. The green glow intensified, and all around the battlefield, the previously buried disks ignited, sending sixteen beams of green light skyward, curving and intertwining to form a dome that enveloped the battleground.

At the same time, Yi Mishui and four others raced to inform the cultivators within the battlefield, urging them to withdraw through the southern exit in the formation.

Finally, with Ling Ren’s selfless and tireless efforts, everyone was able to retreat beyond the formation. The ordinary ghostly things now could not breach the barrier. Any flying ones that escaped were immediately beset by groups of cultivators and swiftly reduced to piles of useful materials.

Even so, the wounded cultivators had little hope of survival, and those with weaker cultivation perished quickly. The ghostly things were simply too fearsome, now occupying the ancient teleportation array and refusing to budge. In particular, several of them towered ten to fifteen meters high, seemingly indestructible, though their movements were mercifully sluggish. The cultivators had no choice but to build walls and lay down further formations, effectively trapping the creatures. There was one small consolation: the area had become a hunting ground, yielding materials for the cultivators’ use.

However, during the formation’s setup, several flying ghostly things managed to pass through the ancient teleportation array to the connected array on another world. From the outset of the battle, Yi Mishui and his four companions had anticipated this and Wan Lilu had immediately sent word to his family to seal off the array leading to Mawey Star, as his clan’s foundation lay there. Unfortunately, they were a step too late, and a few flying ghostly things got through. Thankfully, it was only a handful—otherwise, the casualties would have been much greater.

Because of the ghostly invasion, Ling Ren was appointed leader of the Pegasus Alliance. Yet his own cultivation suffered greatly as a result, and he lost his precious tribulation formation as well.

...

During the meeting, Yi Mishui and the others recalled the events of a millennium past with deep emotion. Suddenly, Bai Jiegan spoke out loudly.

"Enough with the sighs! It won’t be long before we ascend automatically. We can no longer suppress our cultivation—let’s make a decision quickly!"