Chapter 43

Da Niu’s message was brief. He reported that a demon lair near Luoxian Sect had been destroyed and even attached a video as proof.

Han Luo watched the footage, but instead of feeling relieved, his unease only grew.

Mo Jiu was nowhere to be seen.

That bastard looked like the ultimate villain—cunning enough to set traps and possessing a transformation that made him ridiculously good-looking afterward.

Everyone knows that the typical cannon fodder in stories doesn’t get transformations.

And with a face that handsome, if he didn’t last at least a few more chapters, it would be a waste of the author’s effort.

As long as the big boss was still out there, Han Luo couldn’t rest easy.

Fortunately, Luoxian Sect’s grand formation was a seventh-rank array. Ordinary people couldn’t get in, and those powerful enough to bypass it wouldn’t even care about a small sect like theirs.

Still, destroying a demon lair should buy them some peace for a while.

“Damn it!” Han Luo cursed.

If only he could leave the mountain freely, he’d sweep through a hundred thousand miles around Luoxian Sect and root out every last demon. With his methods, those bastards wouldn’t be able to hide anywhere.

But there was no way.

Leaving the mountain was too risky now.

Besides, he had once vowed that unless the sky was falling, he’d stay within Luoxian Sect until he ascended to the Immortal Realm.

It was about time to go out and sharpen his skills again.

Cultivation had to continue.

Especially in the way of formations—mastering higher levels gave him a greater sense of security.

He left Luoxian Mountain through secret passage #6.

On Piaomiao Peak, Jiu Li’er sat under a cherry blossom tree, lost in thought.

It had been a month. She had already absorbed all the formation techniques they had studied together. Her senior brother should be done by now too…

But why hadn’t he come to find her?

Plucking a delicate blossom, she absentmindedly began removing the petals one by one.
“Senior brother will come today… senior brother won’t come… he’ll come… he won’t…”

Soon, only a bare stem remained, with a single petal left.

“Is he really not coming?” she murmured, her face clouded with disappointment.

A faint green light blossomed in her palm.

Miraculously, the bare stem grew fresh petals again.

Once all the petals had regrown, she started plucking them again.
“Senior brother will come today… senior brother won’t come…”

She didn’t know how long she had been at it when suddenly—

A transmission talisman flew in from the horizon and landed gently in her hand.

“Same place. Hurry.”

The moment she saw the message, her previously glum expression lit up like the blossoms in her hand.

“Quick, quick, quick!”

She dashed back to her quarters, freshened up meticulously in front of the mirror, then raced down the mountain.

At the foot of Piaomiao Peak, she looked around eagerly, but the area was silent, with no sign of Han Luo.

The message was definitely his voice. Besides, he was her only male friend in Luoxian Sect.

Just as she was starting to feel confused—

“Shh… shh… shh…”

A strange sound came from behind her. She turned around quickly.

Peeking out from behind a thick ancient tree was Han Luo, motioning for her to come over.

“Senior brother! Why are you hiding here?” she asked, running over with a bright smile.

Han Luo laughed awkwardly. “Oh, nothing… I was just wondering why Piaomiao Peak has such thick trees…”

Like hell I’m going to admit I’m hiding from that troublemaker Chi Xiao.

“Come on, let’s continue breaking formations.”

“Okay!”

And just like before, they resumed their work, studying and dismantling arrays to gain experience.

Ten days later.

The protective array of Piaomiao Peak was finally broken.

As for Wudao Peak, Han Luo had no intention of touching it.

That was his own hideout—it was too risky.

If Jiu Li’er somehow discovered his true identity, word would eventually reach Chi Xiao’s ears, and disaster would be inevitable.

To be cautious, the plan to break Wudao Peak’s formation was shelved.

“Senior brother, we’ve already broken the formations of four of the five peaks. Since we’re not going to Wudao Peak, how about we move on to the library?” Jiu Li’er suggested.

As a formation prodigy, her understanding of arrays had skyrocketed after digesting everything they had studied. She could now set up second-rank formations, which was far beyond her peers.

But more importantly…

Breaking the library’s formation meant she could spend more time with her senior brother.

“No, no.” Han Luo waved his hand mysteriously. “Actually, there’s another great array that could deepen our understanding of formations.”

Jiu Li’er tilted her head, thinking for a moment before realization struck.
“Senior brother… you mean the Luoxian Grand Formation?”

The Luoxian Grand Formation was the sect’s strongest protective array, designed by Sect Master Yun Wanli. It was a renowned seventh-rank array across the entire Eastern Region.

“But senior brother… it’s a seventh-rank formation. With our current understanding, we won’t even be able to comprehend it, let alone crack it.” Jiu Li’er hesitated.

Han Luo had considered that too, but then again, there was no harm in just looking.

After all, observing a seventh-rank formation was like watching an expert hundreds of times stronger than oneself in battle. Who knew? They might gain unexpected insights.

“Li’er, we’re just going to take a look, not actually break it. Besides, observing a seventh-rank formation only takes a little time. Who knows? We might learn something valuable.”

Han Luo had been curious about the Luoxian Grand Formation for a long time, but his lack of formation knowledge had always held him back.

Now that he could set up third-rank formations, it was time to experience the power of a seventh-rank formation firsthand.

Jiu Li’er thought it over and nodded.

She, too, was eager to see just how powerful the Luoxian Grand Formation was.

Gaining insights from such an array would undoubtedly benefit her future cultivation in formation techniques.

They set off to study the Luoxian Grand Formation.

The array was indeed a marvel.

Over the next few days, the two of them traveled across mountains and rivers, observing the formation from every angle.

Even just studying its intricacies left them in awe of the one who had set it up.

Especially for those who had already grasped the basics of formations, the Luoxian Grand Formation felt less like a mere defensive array and more like a masterpiece of divine craftsmanship.

One day, I’ll be able to create something this magnificent. Han Luo silently encouraged himself.

“Senior brother, let’s head back,” Jiu Li’er finally said.

She had gained significant insights during this period. Her previously shaky cultivation foundation had solidified, ensuring smoother progress in the future.

“Alright…” Han Luo nodded, ready to return.

But suddenly—

Without warning, Han Luo swept Jiu Li’er into his arms, cradling her delicate waist tightly.

At the same time, several speed talismans ignited beneath his feet.

Whoosh!

In an instant, Han Luo carried Jiu Li’er along a pre-planned escape route, rushing all the way back to Luoxian Sect’s bustling plaza.

When they finally came to a stop amid the crowded square, Han Luo was drenched in cold sweat.

“Huff… huff…”

“S-senior brother… w-what happened…?” Jiu Li’er’s voice was soft and trembling with shyness.

Han Luo glanced down.

“Cough… cough…”

He quickly coughed to cover up his embarrassment and gently set her down, stealthily withdrawing his hand from her waist.

Without saying a word, he crushed a black talisman in his palm.

As the talisman turned to ash and dissipated, he finally felt a little better.

Phew…

Taking a deep breath, he leaned close to Jiu Li’er’s ear and whispered three words softly:

“There’s demonic energy.”