The grand formation here seemed deliberately arranged, and at the center of the pollution source's bottom, a complex five-pointed star was engraved.
"This is my concern. Anyone capable of setting up a stage three pollution source must be stage three as well."
Yin Zhongxiu approached Yan Yu, clasped his hands together, and then a surging energy erupted from his body. Fine golden crystals clashed with the darkness. From his feet, the rocks began to crack.
"As long as it's not stage four."
Yan Yu drew his sword, and several powerful yet swift sword beams slashed towards the formation on the ground.
Clang, clang, clang, clang...
The sound of hard objects colliding echoed through the space. Yan Yu's sword energy struck the formation. The five-pointed star was as hard as iron, remaining completely unmoved.
"Young man, too hasty."
Yin Zhongxiu smiled and shook his head. A pollution source of this level required a gradual approach, starting from the outermost layer. Why rush to the center from the beginning?
Moreover, and more importantly, this was a formation. Both of them were ignorant of formations. Without knowing where the formation's core was, they could only break it down piece by piece.
"I know. I'm just looking for someone."
Yan Yu retracted his sword energy and began striking the distant rocks, dismantling the grand formation one by one.
"I thought someone would be ambushing here, to attack the moment you and I made a move. But I haven't sensed any fluctuations from anyone."
Yan Yu dispelled the frost from the surrounding space and said calmly.
He was a stage two swordsman, and naturally, a stage two esper. He also possessed multiple abilities, one of which was called Insight.
He could perceive everything within the range of his esper abilities, from the grand to the minute. In fact, if he had understood formations, he could have immediately located the formation's core and destroyed it with ease.
"I thought so too, which is why I held back."
Yin Zhongxiu showed an expression of shared wisdom, completely devoid of the imposing demeanor he had displayed during the meeting when reprimanding everyone. He gave Yan Yu a thumbs-up. Then, he concentrated, and with him at the center, all the surrounding rocks exploded simultaneously.
Boom!
Brilliant golden sand poured into the grand formation from all directions, then corroded and exploded, like a swarm of locusts. Yan Yu frowned, seemingly pondering how long he could withstand such an assault.
"Thump!"
The ground trembled. Even without looking, they could guess that the stone giant in the rear was engaging the Espers of the Demon Extermination Division.
But immediately after, there was no more movement from the rear.
The small mountain also disappeared.
As Yin Zhongxiu was on the verge of breaking through the defensive barrier, his heart tightened. He suddenly had a premonition of something ominous.
...
A young man wearing a jade ring on his finger stared ahead with a pale face. The stone behemoth had now transformed into a mountain of considerable height, and his good brother, Xing Lu, had become a part of it.
"There's definitely something wrong. Everyone, be on alert!"
Elder Tuoba shouted loudly. Simultaneously, his eyes turned crimson, and with him at the center, the temperature suddenly rose, and transparent heatwaves emerged in the surrounding space.
"An indiscriminate ability, aren't you afraid of harming your own people?"
Velitan stood atop the mountain. Beneath his wide black robe, his eyes held a hint of mockery.
He had long understood the people of the Demon Extermination Division. The only one he found troublesome was the stage three Governor. After investigating for so long, he still didn't know the specific nature of that person's ability, only that his weapon was a halberd.
Because of certain individuals, he now harbored a peculiar fear and reverence towards espers who excelled in close combat.
Fortunately, that guy was busy trying to break the formation he had set up.
Thinking of this, Velitan smiled eerily.
The sacrificial formation was something he had comprehended from the Heavenly Scroll, and the process was extremely difficult. Just to imitate its rudimentary form took him two full years.
Now, he had imitated three parts of the original formation's essence. It was unbreakable by anyone below the Lord level. He assumed that even if the Governor was powerful, he would be helpless.
"Everyone, do not resist."
Velitan stood on the mountaintop, then raised his staff towards the mountain below. A shimmering purple energy erupted from it, flowing downwards like ink.
"Next, you will be immersed in endless bliss. Even after regaining consciousness, you will be unable to break free."
"My name is Velitan. From now on, I am your Pope!"
Velitan grinned, laughing wildly, looking exceptionally terrifying.
Below, the Espers of the Demon Extermination Division also began to resist, unleashing a myriad of abilities. Elemental fluctuations were constant, and the space seemed to be distorted.
Tuoba Ningyi was completely red. His flames had already reached his eyebrows. With a fierce roar, the airflow and heatwaves in the surrounding space were ignited by a single spark and shot up into the sky.
The flame river flowing upstream met the spreading purple mist. The fire element raged violently, burning everything. It even scorched the abilities between heaven and earth. The purple ink was used by the flames as a ladder to climb upwards. The fiery red had already reached halfway up the mountain.
"Ability: Preach."
Suddenly, with a soft hum from Velitan, amidst the sea of fire in the space, the previously burned purple ink reappeared. It had somehow spread to the ground.
The attacks of the other Demon Extermination Division Espers were also all consumed by this purple substance. Then, without anyone noticing, the oil paint had crept onto everyone's feet.
In an instant, these Demon Extermination Division Espers were all controlled by Velitan's ability.
Velitan smiled. Preach was his stage three ability. Anyone who came into contact with this purple ink would be manipulated by him.
"Now, all of you are under my control!"
...
Yin Zhongxiu never believed that the pollution source in Xishan was naturally occurring. Coupled with the incident at Kang Village, he knew clearly that someone must be behind it, but he couldn't find out who.
That was why he took a risk, withdrawing protection from Fengqing Village, and letting that mysterious swordsman handle it himself.
Here, bringing Yan Yu to break the pollution source, and leaving the other ten people to deal with the aberrant ghosts, was also his stratagem – a plan to lure the snake out of its hole.
Knowing that someone was undoubtedly watching him from the shadows, Yin Zhongxiu had not revealed any anomalies. He had simply not used his full strength when breaking the formation, keeping some of his abilities reserved, enough for him to react at critical moments.
Yan Yu, being a sensory esper himself, was naturally not inferior to him in this regard, and even far superior.
Therefore, their initial study of the formation and the subsequent sword strikes were all a facade, a long line cast to catch a big fish. And indeed, the big fish had arrived.