It was precisely because of this that formation masters were so rare.
Every successful array master had overcome countless failures that had defeated others.
To become a Peak Rank-2 Formation Master while still at the Late Foundation Establishment Realm...
That achievement alone was enough to prove Qin Fenxing's monstrous comprehension.
The elderly array master couldn't help sighing.
"I've studied formations for over eighty years..."
"I only reached Mid Rank-2 last year."
"Young Master Qin truly deserves his reputation."
Qin Fenxing shook his head modestly.
"Senior praises me too highly."
"I merely had fortunate guidance."
Although he spoke humbly, no one believed his success came solely from guidance.
Without terrifying natural talent, even a Nascent Soul cultivator couldn't force someone into becoming a formation master.
Lin Sheng silently observed everything.
Within his mind, the Chip had already begun recording.
---
[New Individual Recorded]
Name: Qin Fenxing
Affiliation: Qin Family (Geng Feather Province)
Cultivation: Late Foundation Establishment
Profession: Peak Rank-2 Formation Master
Threat Assessment: High
---
Lin Sheng's eyes narrowed slightly.
Another monster.
It seemed this secret realm had attracted far more than merely the geniuses of Dragon Yuan Province.
Even neighboring Rank-4 powers had begun sending their own elites.
If this continued...
The competition within the inner region would become far fiercer than he had originally anticipated.
Meanwhile, Qin Fenxing slowly turned toward the ancient guardian formation.
His previously gentle expression gradually became serious.
His eyes carefully examined every rune.
Every damaged node.
Every fluctuation of Spiritual Qi.
After nearly half a stick of incense, he slowly nodded.
"The previous senior's judgment wasn't wrong."
"This was originally a Rank-4 Guardian Formation."
"However..."
"After countless years, many of its core nodes have collapsed."
"The current power fluctuates around Peak Rank-2."
The crowd immediately became excited again.
Someone hurriedly asked,
"Then can it be broken?"
Qin Fenxing smiled.
"It doesn't need to be broken."
"I only need to create a temporary opening."
"But..."
His tone suddenly became more serious.
"I cannot accomplish this alone."
Everyone immediately understood.
Formation breaking wasn't free.
Nor was it easy.
Qin Fenxing calmly continued,
"I'll require several Foundation Establishment cultivators to protect me while I dismantle the outer formation nodes."
"If anyone interferes..."
"The process will fail."
His gaze swept across the gathered crowd.
"So..."
"Who is willing?"
The moment Qin Fenxing finished speaking, silence briefly settled over the gathered cultivators.
Then—
"I'll do it."
A burly man strode forward.
He stood nearly two heads taller than most cultivators present, his exposed arms resembling forged steel. Every step he took left shallow footprints in the ancient stone, while the blood and Qi within his body surged like a furnace.
His cultivation was only at the Mid Foundation Establishment Realm.
Several cultivators frowned immediately.
"A Mid Foundation Establishment cultivator?"
"Is he joking?"
"We're about to face a Rank-4 guardian formation. Even weakened, this isn't somewhere someone at his cultivation should be boasting."
Before the criticism could spread further, an elderly rogue cultivator suddenly widened his eyes.
"Wait..."
"That physique..."
"It can't be..."
"The Iron Vajra!"
The surrounding crowd immediately became restless.
"So that's him?"
"The wandering body refiner?"
Another cultivator nodded solemnly.
"Don't underestimate him because of his cultivation."
"He cultivates an ancient body refinement technique."
"His physical body alone rivals Rank-2 High Grade yao beasts."
Several nearby Foundation Establishment cultivators immediately became interested.
Someone continued explaining.
"Not long ago, he encountered a Peak Rank-2 Black Venom Serpent."
"That beast's poison alone killed three Foundation Establishment cultivators."
"Yet the Iron Vajra ignored the venom entirely."
"He fought it head-on."
"Three hundred exchanges."
"And eventually crushed the serpent with nothing but his fists."
Many people immediately looked toward the burly man with newfound respect.
Martial cultivation...
Immortal cultivation...
Body refinement...
Different paths possessed different strengths.
Although body refiners rarely displayed overwhelming offensive techniques, their survivability was terrifying.
Especially against poison and direct physical combat.
The Iron Vajra merely folded his arms.
"I'll stand in front."
"If anything comes..."
"It'll hit me first."
Qin Fenxing smiled and cupped his fists.
"Thank you, Fellow Daoist."
With someone taking the lead, hesitation quickly disappeared.
One Foundation Establishment cultivator stepped forward.
"I'll help."
Another followed.
"So will I."
"I've fought formations before."
"Count me in."
Within moments, more than twenty cultivators volunteered.
Some genuinely wished to help.
Others simply wanted to establish goodwill with a direct descendant of the Qin Family.
Either way...
Qin Fenxing had obtained enough protection.
He slowly walked toward the enormous guardian formation.
Instead of approaching the center, he stopped before one of the damaged formation nodes along the outer edge.
With a wave of his sleeve—
Numerous objects floated into the air.
Formation flags.
Spirit brushes.
Spirit ink.
Jade rulers engraved with countless runes.
Several transparent crystals.
Even a few damaged formation plates.
The sheer variety immediately revealed the depth of his preparation.
Qin Fenxing slowly sat down.
Cross-legged.
Lotus position.
He closed his eyes.
The next moment—
His Divine Sense spread outward like invisible threads.
Rather than scanning the entire formation, it carefully entered the damaged node before him.
Tiny fluctuations immediately appeared throughout the surrounding runes.
The atmosphere became completely silent.
Nobody dared disturb him.
Even the Iron Vajra stood motionless before him like an unmoving mountain.
...
Not far away—
Lin Sheng quietly observed everything.
Unlike everyone else, his attention wasn't focused solely upon Qin Fenxing.
Instead...
He continuously observed the guardian formation itself.
Within his vision, countless notifications rapidly appeared.
---
[Formation Analysis Ongoing...]
[Energy Flow Detected...]
[Primary Spirit Vein Connection...]
[Connection Status: Severed]
---
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"So that's how it is..."
The guardian formation had once relied upon the secret realm's Spirit Vein.
That had been its true source of power.
Unfortunately...
Time was merciless.
The Spirit Vein connection had long since broken.
Now, the formation survived only through the enormous reserves stored within its own formation core.
Without external replenishment—
Every activation permanently consumed energy.
The Chip quickly continued its deductions.
---
[Alternative Method Calculated]
Option One: Formation Node Deconstruction
Option Two: Continuous Energy Exhaustion
---
Lin Sheng immediately understood.
Brute force remained possible.
If every Foundation Establishment cultivator present continuously attacked the formation...
Hour after hour...
Eventually, its remaining energy would be exhausted.
However...
He quickly rejected the idea.
By the time the formation finally collapsed, everyone would have depleted enormous amounts of Spiritual Energy.
Their combat strength would drop dramatically.
Anyone hiding nearby could easily harvest every exhausted cultivator afterward.
Compared to that...
Qin Fenxing's method was infinitely more efficient.
No wonder he chose to dismantle the formation instead.
...
Time slowly passed.
Twenty minutes later—
Qin Fenxing finally opened his eyes.
His fingers continuously formed complicated hand seals.
Formation flags flew into different positions.
Spirit ink transformed into glowing runes.
One after another...
The guardian formation's outer nodes gradually dimmed.
First...
One.
Then...
Three.
Five.
Seven.
Within twenty minutes, seven major frontal nodes had already been temporarily disabled.
Several cultivators couldn't help exclaiming in admiration.
"As expected of a Peak Rank-2 Formation Master."
"What terrifying control."
"The Qin Family truly deserves its reputation."
Qin Fenxing paid no attention to the praise.
Sweat had already appeared upon his forehead.
Formation breaking required astonishing concentration.
One mistake could easily trigger a backlash.
He immediately continued.
Another ten minutes passed.
Three more nodes gradually darkened.
Ten frontal nodes.
Exactly half.
Only then did Qin Fenxing slowly exhale.
His complexion appeared noticeably paler.
"The remaining nodes..."
"I'm afraid they cannot be dismantled within a short period."
He slowly stood.
"Ten openings are enough."
"The pressure upon the remaining formation has already become extremely unstable."
"As long as everyone enters through these weakened passages..."
"There shouldn't be any major problems."
Several cultivators immediately relaxed.
Many even smiled.
Finally...
The ancient sect ruins were within reach.
Countless inheritances.
Medicinal gardens.
Ancient scriptures.
Everything seemed only one step away.
Only Lin Sheng remained expressionless.
Instead...
His gaze slowly shifted toward the remaining active formation nodes.
The Chip rapidly performed calculations.
One after another.
Then—
A result appeared.
---
[Warning]
Residual Formation Energy: 48.3%
Remaining Active Nodes: 10
Estimated Energy Distribution...
---
Lin Sheng's pupils contracted slightly.
Something wasn't right.
Very wrong.
The remaining energy hadn't dispersed evenly.
Instead...
It had become concentrated.
The disabled nodes had redirected enormous amounts of Spiritual Energy toward the surviving ones.
In other words—
The guardian formation wasn't becoming weaker overall.
Its offensive capability had merely become... focused.
His gaze slowly returned toward Qin Fenxing.
The young formation master's breathing remained calm.
Too calm.
His expression carried neither excitement nor relief.
Instead...
It resembled someone whose calculations had proceeded exactly as expected.
At that moment—
Everything connected inside Lin Sheng's mind.
"He never intended to completely disable the formation..."
"He only needed enough openings..."
"...to make everyone believe it was safe."
The moment dozens of cultivators rushed through simultaneously—
The remaining active nodes would instantly bear the entire burden of the formation.
If calculations were correct...
Those nodes would unleash one final concentrated attack before collapsing completely.
The survivors?
There would certainly be some.
But...
Most of the cultivators here would likely die.
Meanwhile—
Who would benefit most?
Someone who understood exactly where the remaining active nodes were.
Someone who knew the true safe path.
Someone...
Like Qin Fenxing.
Lin Sheng's eyes narrowed imperceptibly.
"What a ruthless scheme..."
Whether Qin Fenxing intended this from the very beginning...
Or had merely decided to take advantage of the situation after discovering the formation's condition...
Only Qin Fenxing himself knew.
But one thing was certain.
If no one realized the truth—
The next few breaths would likely become a massacre.