Splitting the Heave

In the core region of the Mountain and Sea Fantasy Spiritual World. 

Bai Luming was trembling nonstop on the ground as his body curled up into a ball. His clothes were completely wet, and his hair was caked with mud. If no one knew that he was a reputable rank three formation master, they would mistake him as a sad beggar at the side of the road!

From his appearance, it was clear he suffered a lot. 

As he gasped for air, his disheveled hair hid his awkward expression.

“Hah… Bai Luming, I really underestimated you! It has only been a few moments since I reminded him and he disappeared!” Chu Jia’s lips were pressed tightly together and she started to activate the Triple Intent Lock on his body.

Sun Haiwei, who rushed over from the other stone chamber, glared at Bai Luming with killing intent leaking from her eyes.

“I… I told you! This has nothing to do with me! He ran around himself and left the core region!” Bai Luming gnashed his teeth in pain as he tried to explain.

“So you knew he left the core area…” Sun Haiwei caught on to his words instantly.

“Yes…” Bai Luming didn’t dare to hide the fact. After all, Chu Jia could easily see through his lies.

After all, the Fantasy Spiritual Pearl had the ability to replay what happened earlier. As long as they check through the footage after Shang Ke was done with the pearl, she would discover exactly what he had done!

Even without the pearl, she could still see his position in the Mountain and Sea Fantasy Spiritual World when Shang Xia disappeared. That was exactly what she did the moment she discovered his disappearance. She also activated the Triple Intent Lock then, bringing him to the state he was in.

“Why didn’t you stop him?” Sun Haiwei growled at Bai Luming.

Sweeping his hair to the side, he stared directly into Sun Haiwei’s eyes and snapped, “Why should I? Didn’t Young Lady Chu remind him after he stepped out of Shang Ke’s cultivation chamber?” 

“So you saw him leaving the core region with your own eyes! Even though you didn’t harm him directly, you chose to watch as he ran into trouble!” Sun Haiwei didn’t plan to let him off easy.

“Danger?” An odd expression appeared on Bai Luming’s face and a trace of mockery was contained in the smile that formed on his face. He didn’t bother with Sun Haiwei any longer and he turned to address Chu Jia. “Who would have thought that the Mountain and Sea Fantasy Spiritual World would shift at that moment? Young Lady Chu, would you have expected it to happen?” 

Chu Jia remained silent as Bai Luming’s gaze returned to Sun Haiwei. “The reason Young Lady Chu reminded him about the possible shifting of the Mountain and Sea Fantasy Spiritual World was because I told her everything I knew about the Coral Forest. With her talent and knowledge in formations, she couldn’t tell that it was about to shift! How was I supposed to know? Don’t you know that she’s better than me at these things?” 

Sun Haiwei was at a loss for words, but Chu Jia sneered at the side, “Even if this has nothing to do with you, all of us know that you’re plotting something behind our backs…” 

It was Bai Luming’s turn to be silenced. It was true that he had bad intentions, but he hadn’t started putting his plan into motion!

“Do you know why I got Instructor Gu to leave you alive?” Chu Jia asked.

When he looked at Chu Jia again, he noticed a bright smile lighting up her face. A bad premonition filled his heart. He couldn’t be more familiar with the smile. It was the same one he saw before he was trapped in the protection screen separating the Mountain and Sea Fantasy Spiritual World from the outside world!

Sun Haiwei was also shocked by her sudden question. When she recalled what happened in the tunnel when Chu Jia revealed a smile like that, she took a few steps back hastily.

“Isn’t… Isn’t it because you need someone to help you?” Bai Luming guessed.

Giggling happily, Chu Jia explained, “You can definitely be my helper if you’re obedient. In fact, I can even give you a recommendation to teach at the Tongyou Institution! After all, you’re pretty good at the art of formations. As long as you swear an oath never to betray us, everything is possible! You will no longer be part of the Rose Party and the Ouyang Family! Our Tongyou Institution will offer you our protection!” 

“Many thanks?” Bai Luming was a little confused by her revelation, but he knew that she wasn’t done.

“But if you still harbor evil thoughts…” Chu Jia continued. The grin on her face became wider and the gaze in her eyes changed. She looked at Bai Luming as though she was looking at a toy. “Have you heard of a Formation Spirit?” 

Bai Luming’s expression changed drastically. “Isn’t that… Isn’t that a forbidden art?! You’ll be despised by every single cultivator for sacrificing a life to create a Formation Spirit! You wouldn’t dare! The moment the news gets out, the Azure Origin World will go crazy! Not even Kou Chongxue will be able to protect you when that happens!” 

“Forbidden art?” Chu Jia giggled as though she had heard the greatest joke of her life. “Do you know what I plan to do? Do you really think I’ll turn you into a Formation Spirit?” 

Chu Jia found Bai Luming’s expression slightly amusing and she continued, “What are you thinking about? Of course I know that this is a forbidden technique. It’s frowned upon to create a Formation Spirit!” 

Before Bai Luming could heave a sigh of relief, Chu Jia’s expression darkened. “As long as I don’t let anyone find out, no one will be able to crucify me. Hmph… Do you think the grand formations of the various superpowers in the many continents of the Azure Origin World are made for decoration? How many formation masters lost their lives in order to become Formation Spirits to protect their faction… Even if anyone discovered the secret, they would say that those who died were enemies who came to pester them! After all, it’s not wrong to kill those who plot against you…” 

Bai Luming instantly understood her intentions. Sighing helplessly, he finally surrendered. “As long as you don’t turn me into a Formation Spirit, I’ll agree to anything! I’ll tell you anything you wish to know! Young Master Shang’s disappearance was an accident, and it’s not like he’s dead…” 

“Exactly. That’s why you’re still alive! If he’s dead, you would have been dead too. Senior Shang is about to break through to the Martial Extermination Realm… You know… Once I tell them that you were behind it, they won’t let you die easily! Even if I turned you into a Formation Spirit, they might think that it’s too easy on you!” Chu Jia tutted.

Bai Luming, who had barely recovered after being terrorized by the Triple Intent Lock by Chu Jia earlier, fell to his knees.

“Do you need me to tell you what to do? Hahahaha… Alright. Junior Sister Sun, let’s go!” 

She turned around to signal to Sun Haiwei, but she realized that her junior sister was completely out of it.

“Junior Sister Sun? What are you thinking about? Let’s go!” 

“Huh?” Sun Haiwei jumped slightly and she forced a smile. “Oh… Alright, let’s go…” 

…

“Huh? What sword technique is this?! It’s so weird!” A voice came from behind Shang Xia.

Turning around, he held his Delicate Jade River Sword in front of him before retreating slightly to open the distance between himself and the person who sneak attacked him.

“Martial Intent Realm!” Shang Xia revealed a bitter smile when he noticed the cultivation level of the person standing behind him.

He was facing a young cultivator who looked to be in his twenties, and his clothes were somewhat similar to what Shang Xia wore.

However, Shang Xia’s clothes had been soaked and dried countless times in the past few days, and it was already starting to get a little nasty. Shang Xia’s appearance wasn’t too good either.

Facing the Martial Intent Realm expert who had two other bodyguards beside him, Shang Xia couldn’t run if he wanted to!

However, the Martial Intent Realm expert raised his hands to stop his companions from turning Shang Xia into human bbq. “Relax. He won’t be able to escape. I just obtained a sword technique from the Zhu Family and I lack a training partner. This person’s sword technique is pretty unique, and he sent himself to me.” 

Shang Xia’s first thought was to escape, but after looking around, he realized that it wouldn’t be possible. He was trapped in the middle of a wasteland!

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Seeing several rock formations in the distance, he felt that it was possible to use them as cover to run away. However, the young man saw through his plan instantly. He gestured for the two cultivators to stand down before releasing a twenty feet long sword light towards Shang Xia.

“There’s no need to rush to leave. Your sword technique is really unique. Why don’t we exchange pointers?” 

Shang Xia blocked the sword light with a slash, and the two of them suddenly leaped at one another. They exchanged several blows, and Shang Xia was constantly forced back.

Even though the exchange between them looked tough, the young man was still able to speak casually while suppressing Shang Xia.

“You must be a student from the Tongyou Institution. With your cultivation, you should probably be in the upper division. You’re definitely not a nobody. I am Dongfang Mingyu. How should I address you?” 

Shang Xia remained silent and he released his strongest sword strike from the Flexible Sword Art. 

From the short exchange, they managed to understand each other’s sword technique.

The young man’s sword technique was forceful, and even though it wasn’t at the level of the Vigorous Sword Art, it managed to suppress Shang Xia.

All of a sudden, his sword techniques would change. It became fast and soft, and even though it wasn’t as smooth as Shang Xia’s Formless Sword Art, it gave off a sense of danger that he had never felt before.