Earth Fire Formation

"How many spirit stones can this spirit mine yield..."

Mo Hua looked around the sprawling tunnels curiously and asked.

Yu Chengyi replied, "This spirit mine isn't large. If fully mined, it should provide enough spirit stones for all the demon hunters in Tongxian City for about a dozen years."

"Is that a lot or a little?" Mo Hua queried.

Yu Chengyi chuckled, "It's quite a lot. It means good times for everyone for a decade."

A decade...

Indeed, that wasn't short, especially since he himself was barely a teenager.

But for cultivators, a decade was actually quite brief.

Time passed swiftly like a white horse galloping through a crack in the wall. For some cultivators, a hundred years could pass in the blink of an eye.

"How can we make these good times last longer for everyone..."

Mo Hua's brow furrowed gradually.

The spirit stones in the mine could sustain the demon hunters for a decade, but they could also elevate the Qian family to new heights.

If they seized the mine and mined the spirit stones, the Qian family could further dominate.

They would expand into alchemy and artifact forging, monopolizing trade in Tongxian City. All cultivators would have to bow to the Qian family.

Therefore, abandoning this spirit mine was out of the question.

Before long, the Qian family initiated a second wave of attacks.

This time, they didn't launch a full assault but focused on sneak attacks and harassment.

Night fell, the sky hazy. Suddenly, Qian family cultivators began their assaults.

Demon hunters suffered casualties and injuries. Just as they prepared to counterattack, the Qian family signaled a retreat.

This cycle repeated several times, incessantly disturbing them.

More and more demon hunters were injured, needing to remain vigilant at all times, their spirits constantly tense, everyone's expression grim.

Elder Yu simmered with suppressed anger but had no effective recourse.

Now they defended while the Qian family attacked.

They were reactive, forced to endure ceaseless harassment from the Qian family. Yet, any counterstrike dispersed the Qian family like a punch into cotton—frustratingly ineffective.

But with the spirit mine here, they couldn't leave; they could only endure the Qian family's constraints and suffer.

It seemed the Qian family aimed to slowly wear them down, like boiling a frog in warm water.

The demon hunters all wore solemn expressions.

Mo Hua also felt restless. Whenever he had a moment, he slipped to the mouth of the mine, gazing at the rugged mountains in contemplation.

After several days of this, Mo Hua suddenly had a flash of inspiration and sought out Elder Yu.

"Elder, I have an idea."

Mo Hua shared his idea with Elder Yu.

Elder Yu's eyes brightened but he hesitated. "Will it work?"

Mo Hua wasn't entirely sure either but said, "Why not give it a try?"

After pondering for a moment, Elder Yu conceded, "Let's give it a shot."

Over the next few days, Mo Hua continued drawing formations.

However, this time it wasn't the Golden Armor Formation but the Earth Fire Formation, combining seven runes into a complex formation.

This set of formations, found in Master Zhuang's "Introduction to Compound Formations Compilation," linked two Earth Fire Formations to enhance their power through overlapping formations.

Due to the core of these formations reinforcing spiritual power, this compound formation would create a greater impact than two separate Earth Fire Formations.

After completing the formation, Mo Hua handed it over to Elder Yu.

Using his spiritual awareness, Elder Yu sensed that Qian family cultivators still lurked around the mine like flies. He ordered the demon hunters to feign an attack first.

The demon hunters suddenly charged out, catching the Qian family cultivators off guard. Confused, they retreated without engaging in combat.

They adhered to their harassment strategy, avoiding direct confrontation for the time being.

The demon hunters drove the Qian family cultivators away.

Elder Yu swept his spiritual awareness around again, finding no Qian family cultivators near the mine. He then waved his hand.

Some demon hunters took Mo Hua's Earth Fire Formation and began deploying it in various corners of the mountain terrain.

Deep within dense shrubbery, beneath thick tree roots, among scattered rocks, and amidst soil mixed with fallen leaves and grass roots, in these hidden corners, Mo Hua deployed the Earth Fire Formation.

After finishing the arrangement, the demon hunters retreated back.

Mo Hua found a secluded cave entrance and lay low, waiting to witness the spectacle.

Unfortunately, the Qian family cultivators were too timid; after a brief charge by the demon hunters, they dared not approach the mountain for a while.

Bored, Mo Hua could only take out a book on formations and ponder over what other formations could counter the Qian family's assaults.

It wasn't until dusk that the Qian family cultivators regrouped and lay in wait at the foot of Nameless Peak.

The distance was too far for Mo Hua to see, but he could faintly sense movements with his spiritual awareness, indicating the Qian family was making a move.

Mo Hua knew the show was about to begin!

He put away the formation book, laid out a blanket on the ground, and took out dried beef, pine nuts, wild berries from his storage bag, and a bottle of his cherished osmanthus wine.

This osmanthus wine was sweet and refreshing, not intoxicating, and he rarely drank it.

Crunching on pine nuts and eating beef, Mo Hua looked down the mountain with eager anticipation.

Sure enough, before long, the Qian family started their operation.

Under Nameless Peak, Qian family cultivators gathered, led by a tall, burly man.

Around him were several Foundation Establishment stage cultivators, quietly plotting their nighttime actions.

"Tonight, let's show these demon hunters some colors!"

"We'll approach quietly as usual. Once we spot them, we strike without mercy. If they chase, we will pretend to retreat."

"But unlike before, this time, we won't really retreat. We'll wait for them to turn back, then hit them unexpectedly."

"After these days of attacks, they won't expect us to counterattack!"

"This surprise strike may not achieve total success, but it will surely weaken their morale significantly! In a few days, their spirits will be crushed, and we can slaughter them at will!"

"Our clan leader will surely recognize our merits. Once the Qian family seizes the spirit mine and expands further, our future prospects are limitless. Foundation Establishment is just around the corner!"

The burly man's words ignited everyone's spirits.

Some Qian family cultivators were puzzled, "Why did the demon hunters suddenly charge down during daylight?"

The Qian family leader waved his hand, "No matter. As long as we unite, their schemes are just clowning around!"

The Qian family cultivators nodded, their morale soaring.

Seeing this, the burly man began to divide the teams. Several waves of people stealthily advanced, suppressing their aura as they moved up the mountainside.

Everything proceeded as usual.

They had ascended like this before and assumed this time would be no different.

Until a Qian family cultivator stepped on something odd underfoot.

He felt a slight abnormality but hadn't had time to ponder what it was when flames suddenly surrounded him.

Boom!

The explosion of the Earth Fire Formation's flames was dazzling in the night.

Surrounding Qian family cultivators were blasted away, mostly scorched and bleeding profusely.

"Ambush?!"

"Where?!"

Qian family cultivators panicked, scanning their surroundings, but there was no sign of anyone.

"Don't panic!"

The burly man shouted, "It's just their dying struggle. Stick to the plan!"

The Qian family cultivators calmed down and continued forward.

But soon, their composure shattered...

Boom!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Explosions reverberated incessantly. The Earth Fire Formations exploded throughout the mountains, flames billowing like lotus flowers, one after another.

Qian family cultivators could only scramble amidst the flames, triggering more explosions...

The burly man stood dumbfounded, his expression bewildered.

What was happening?!

Where were these explosions coming from?

The burly man racked his brains but couldn't figure it out.

Watching Qian family cultivators wail amidst the flames and eventually scatter in retreat, the burly man knew it was over.

He had thought his plan foolproof, only to have it all blown away by these explosions...

A bitter taste filled the burly man's heart.

The clown, it turned out, was himself...

(End of the Chapter)