Qing Ling looked at the nine Taiyi Grand Cultivators with displeased expressions and understood.
This was not a trap set for him, but rather they were here to trap Qu. He had merely been unlucky enough to stumble upon it, and then to be betrayed by Qu.
"Ahem," Qing Ling cleared his throat. "Fellow Daoists, I have merely intruded upon this place and have no intention of getting involved. I beg you to be magnanimous and let me go."
The nine Taiyi cultivators had formed a formation that even Qu, with all his skills, could not escape. How could he? Qing Ling absolutely did not want to be implicated unnecessarily.
"Fellow Daoist, since you have entered this place, it is your destined trial. Accept your fate!" the old man in the red robe sighed.
"Stop spouting nonsense! You two clearly know each other, and you appeared here coincidentally. Who knows if you're this fellow's reinforcements? Better to kill by mistake than let go!"
Qu, behind him, chuckled heartily. "And if we are? With the two of us joining forces, do you still think this mere Nine Extremes Star坤 Formation can trap us?"
"Hmph, arrogant! This formation would take even a Grand Unity Golden Immortal considerable time to break, let alone a mere Taiyi and a Golden Immortal!" a woman in green scoffed.
"If we can break out, where will the nine of us show our faces?"
Qing Ling turned around, glared fiercely at Qu, and then looked at the more amiable old man to the east. With a hint of respect, he said, "May I know your Daoist titles? I hope you will allow me to learn of your formidable reputations."
The old man heard this, opened his eyes, and looked Qing Ling up and down. With a sigh, he said, "Fellow Daoist, I apologize. This fellow is related to the secrets of our Nine Mountains, and he must be eliminated.
To capture this fellow, the nine of us spared no effort, spending several Yuanhui to lay out this plan, establishing this formation for a hundred thousand years, and then moving mountains and seas to improve the terrain, incorporating countless precious spiritual materials, before the formation was complete."
"Hmph, Mountain Lord Ju Ren, why waste so many words on this brat?" the woman in green said coldly.
"Alas, Cave Master Xu Mu, this fellow Daoist merely stumbled in. Even if he dies, let him die with understanding. It can be considered an effort."
"Superfluous," the woman in green glanced coldly and said no more.
Qing Ling's face did not show anger; instead, he smiled. "This is truly heaven-sent. Fellow Daoists, you do not know, but this person is my sworn enemy, someone I have wished to kill with my own hands for years.
When I first met him, I thought he had ambushed me, so I feigned compliance. Now, with the assistance of you esteemed Daoists, I no longer fear his malevolence.
I wish to personally exterminate this scoundrel. I never imagined I would have this opportunity today. I am willing to join forces with you esteemed Daoists to destroy this thief and contribute my humble efforts, thus fulfilling a lifelong wish. What do you think, esteemed Daoists?"
Qu was stunned upon hearing this. He had intended to draw someone into his predicament, but instead, he had implicated himself.
Woman in green: ?
Mountain Lord Ju Ren: ?
The other seven Grand Cultivators: ...
Qing Ling looked at the Taiyi Grand Cultivators with genuine sincerity. He even bowed to some of the Mountain Lords, saying earnestly, "I implore you, even if I must die, I want to witness this scoundrel die before me."
Mountain Lord Ju Ren hesitated, "This..."
The woman in green, Cave Master Xu Mu, also asked, "Perhaps we can let him watch from the side? He's only a Golden Immortal anyway."
Qing Ling couldn't help but smile. Since things had come to this, why not join them, become one of them, and test the formation's power first on the one who had dragged him into this mess.
Qu's smile stiffened, then he quickly recovered and said to them leisurely, "Do not be fooled by him. He is using a borrowed force to make us both suffer, and then he will reap the rewards.
This is a body of a congenital deity. Do not underestimate him, even if he is only a Golden Immortal. Even an ordinary Taiyi Grand Cultivator cannot subdue him."
Upon hearing this, the nine Mountain Lords all looked at Qing Ling with displeased expressions.
Qing Ling felt rage surge within him, "I f***ing hate him!"
Cave Master Xu Mu said coldly, "Since that is the case, let us capture them all directly. We have already trapped this fellow for a thousand years, and he likely has not much strength left.
If someone has trespassed today, perhaps more will follow, and that will be troublesome."
"Good, then let us end it today!"
"Fellow Daoists, let us act."
"Mountains and rivers without end, the star sea is infinite, rise!"
In an instant, the nine Taiyi Grand Cultivators rose simultaneously, standing proudly on a mountain peak. The ancient formation revealed its true form. The world became a single mountain, with countless stars swirling beneath it, like a slowly rotating galaxy. Stars were underfoot, and mountains were in the sky.
The infinite stellar river flowed, the power of the stars extinguished, and the immense weight of the mountains descended upon Qing Ling.
Even when he immediately released his Heaven-Veiling Rope, encompassing a portion of the sky, he was almost crushed.
Qing Ling looked back towards the center of the world. At the center of the mountain's base and the star river, stood a figure, treading the star river, with the heavenly mountain suspended above. The void was silent.
Qu, trapped within, couldn't help but speak, "Little friend, only by joining forces can we escape!"
"Dream on," Qing Ling refused outright. He dared not approach such an existence. "I would rather fight the nine Taiyi cultivators than have any dealings with you."
Such a powerful being was too mysterious and terrifying; he absolutely did not want any entanglement.
Qing Ling waved his hand, releasing Bai Fu, and nearly a hundred thousand puppets of various sizes appeared before him. This was all he had.
"Bai Fu, keep watch and be on guard for me."
"Yes, Divine Lord." Bai Fu stood attentively by Qing Ling's side, protecting him.
Qu, who was suppressed at the center of this formation world, chuckled, "A demigod leading a broken god, you two are quite a pair."
Qing Ling was unmoved. His divine sense instantly split into one hundred thousand. The hundred thousand puppets cautiously stepped into the vast starry sky, sensing every nodal point of the formation.
As each puppet passed a star, probing the surroundings, they seemed to truly be in the vast starry sky, detecting nothing.
Qing Ling frowned deeply, watching the mountain in the sky grow larger and the stars underfoot expand. He felt an increasing sense of unease.
Such a formation could not possibly have been created by a few Taiyi cultivators. It must have been a formation bestowed by a Grand Unity Golden Immortal.
However, there was no flaw here, and he had no idea where to begin. It was too silent. There were only the stars below and the divine mountain above. Without movement, there was no change. Without change, there was no cycle of life and death.
"Little friend, I will say this one last time. Only by joining forces can there be a chance of survival!" Qu said with a cold expression.
Qing Ling glanced at the powerful being and sneered, "You cannot even leave that one zhang of space, how can you break the formation?"
"Heh, the insight of an ant," Qu chuckled. "Even if I am trapped, ninety percent of this formation's power is suppressed upon me. If I can no longer bear it, then it will be your turn.
This place is devoid of spiritual energy. No matter how strong you are, if you are not a Grand Unity, how long can you last?"
Qing Ling's expression shifted slightly. He definitely could not withstand the suppression of this formation for long. After all, the combined power of nine Taiyi cultivators was equivalent to the earth veins and mountains of hundreds of millions of li. Which of the Primordial World's earth veins and mountains were ordinary?
If Qu were truly crushed into pulp, then when the hundred thousand divine mountains and endless stars descended upon him, even he would have no choice but to die.
Qu looked at Qing Ling and said, "Therefore, if I live, you live. If I perish, you also die!
We are both survivors on the same path."
Bai Fu chuckled and said, "No, it's the three of us."
Qing Ling raised his eyebrows and directly put him into his sleeve. Why should a child interrupt when adults were speaking?
Being on the same side as him would likely lead to a death without even knowing how.
Qing Ling always felt that Qu's origin was extraordinary, and his supernatural powers and wisdom were extremely formidable.
With such an ally, even if he sacrificed everything, he might still die a terrible death.