Chapter 28: Omega Sus

Lin Fan watched with anticipation, eager to see what other tricks Fan Jianqiang had up his sleeve. But as Wu Xingyun finished setting up the formation again and Fan Jianqiang excused himself for the second time, a figure landed within the range of the destroyed formations.

"Are they prepared?" the newcomer muttered, surveying the scene. "These formations are rudimentary, like the work of a small sect elder. They're only capable of killing a couple of novices who've just entered the Cave Heaven Realm."

He showed little interest and moved forward with swift, ground-shrinking steps. In just a few strides, he covered a mile or two, arriving at the edge of a massive crater where the dense forest had been obliterated. The faint smell of blood lingered in the air, and he frowned.

"Another formation?!"

He didn't approach recklessly but instead carefully observed the area around the crater. It didn't take long for him to spot the clues.

"The previous formations were ordinary. I could have broken them easily. But this one…"

He inhaled sharply. "The Seven Ultimate Killing Formation, the Endless Sword Formation, the Blood Sea God-Destroying Formation, the Fifth Trap Formation… These are all renowned, high-level formations! Even if they're simplified and incomplete, they're still incredibly powerful."

Thoughtful, and a little scared, the man continued. "What's more, the formations are intricately intertwined, layered within one another. The arrangement is so natural and well-hidden that even I might not detect it in advance. If triggered, I might not escape unscathed. Wu Xingyun, the Second Elder of the Moon Embracing Sect… Since when did she have such profound mastery of formations?!"

Liu Xun, a top expert from the Liu family with cultivation at the fifth level of the Mystic Finger Realm, swallowed hard. Despite his strength, he felt a deep sense of unease and fear.

The Liu family had extensive intelligence networks, and their initial target had been Fan Jianqiang. They had been closely monitoring him. While Wu Xingyun wasn't their primary focus, her interaction with an ordinary fortune teller had caught their attention. When Fan Jianqiang revealed his true form, the Liu family was quickly informed and sent Liu Xun to investigate.

However, he had arrived a step too late. From a distance, he had seen the massive shockwave erupting into the sky. Worried that Fan Jianqiang might have been killed, Liu Xun had rushed to the scene, only to find this astonishing display of formations.

He couldn't help but fall into deep thought. 'This is the Moon Embracing Sect's temporary route. They've set up formations to eliminate any pursuers. And since the two formations are so close together, it's almost certain that they were set up by the Moon Embracing Sect—either by Wu Xingyun or someone coordinating with her. But since when did the Moon Embracing Sect possess such capabilities?'

Liu Xun muttered to himself, "There must be more to this. I can't afford to be careless. If I trigger these formations, even I might not escape unscathed."

Just then, he noticed a group of cultivators approaching from the distance. They were wary of Liu Xun but not afraid. One of them called out, "The source of that explosion is here! It's not a fight between two people—it's an ambush. One side is dead, and the other has fled in this direction."

"I don't know what caused the conflict, but one side must have something valuable. If we chase them down, we might get our hands on it."

"Even if there's nothing valuable, hunting them should yield a decent reward. Let's go!"

The group quickly moved on, leaving Liu Xun behind. He watched them go, a sneer forming on his lips. "Hunters. Too bad their eyesight is so poor. They can't even see the danger in these formations, yet they think they can profit from this? They're just walking to their deaths."

After a moment, he took another look at the massive crater before continuing on his way. Sure enough, not long after, he heard another deafening roar, followed by screams.

Liu Xun smiled. "Just as I thought. Stupid."

But as he approached the scene, his expression shifted. "Huh?!"

"This… this isn't a formation! It's a talisman!"

He was stunned. "A mere talisman wiped out a group of hunters, including seventh- and eighth-level Cave Heaven Realm cultivators? The power of this talisman must be extraordinary…"

His smile faded as he surveyed the broken bodies and scattered supplies on the ground. But then, his expression brightened again. "Interesting. I'm in luck today. I didn't even have to lift a finger, and I've stumbled upon the wealth of an entire group of hunters."

With a wave of his sleeve, he collected all the supplies into his storage bag and resumed his pursuit.

…..

Meanwhile, Lin Fan and the others had already set off again when they heard another explosion and screams in the distance.

"What's going on?!" Wu Xingyun frowned. "Who's fighting back there?"

Fan Jianqiang, ever the instigator, chimed in, "Second Elder, didn't you set up a formation in that area?"

"No," Wu Xingyun replied, shaking her head. "That area…"

She suddenly turned to Fan Jianqiang, her gaze piercing. "You're quite the enigma, aren't you?"

"Huh?" Fan Jianqiang froze, then waved his hands frantically. "Second Elder, what are you talking about? How could I possibly have anything to do with that? Do you think my… uh, bodily functions could cause such destruction?"

Wu Xingyun didn't respond immediately but continued to stare at him with a deep, probing look.

'Yes,' she thought. 'He's someone who fits the eighth rule of the sect. How could he be judged by ordinary standards? On the surface, he seems harmless and honest, but there's clearly more to him. Otherwise, why would the Sect Master pay so much attention to him?'

Though she still didn't fully understand what made Fan Jianqiang so special, she was now certain that he was no ordinary person. It was like trying to comprehend the sect rules established by the Sect Master—mysterious and beyond her current understanding.

She kept her eyes on Fan Jianqiang until he began to squirm under her gaze. Finally, she looked away.

"This really has nothing to do with me," Fan Jianqiang said, spreading his hands. "I'm just a young cultivator who's barely entered the Condensing Yuan Realm. How could I possibly be capable of such things? Maybe some senior passed by earlier and left those traps?"

Wu Xingyun chuckled. "It's not impossible."

Her response left Fan Jianqiang feeling uneasy. 'Why do I feel like I've been exposed? But that shouldn't be possible. I've always been so careful. How could she start doubting me so quickly? Is she just that sharp?'

He glanced at Lin Fan, who remained calm and composed, and thought to himself, 'At least the Sect Master doesn't seem to suspect me.'