The demonic cultivator army was shocked to find that a small sect like Yixin Sect possessed so many high-grade magical artifacts. In the first wave of attacks, they had lost more than twenty cultivators, a heavy blow that only fueled their anger. As Guo Xingyue and his companions descended, the demonic cultivators furiously followed them to the ground.
As soon as Guo Xingyue landed, he quickly formed hand seals, and streams of pale golden energy shot toward the core of the Golden Lock Killing Formation, activating it. The demonic cultivators who followed Yixin Sect's members were immediately trapped in a maze formation. After considerable effort, a dozen or so high-level Nascent Soul cultivators managed to break through the maze, only to find themselves caught in the Golden Lock Formation. Only a few quick-witted and powerful demonic cultivators managed to teleport away before the formation's trap fully activated. The rest were trapped inside.
Guo Xingyue swiftly formed more hand seals, sending the Yixin Sect disciples out of the formation before launching the full force of the attack. Golden beams of light shot out toward the trapped demonic cultivators, instantly cutting down nearly a hundred of the weaker ones. The air filled with screams of agony. Meanwhile, eleven Nascent Soul-stage experts remained in the formation, realizing they could not hold off the formation's power alone. They formed a defensive circle, supporting each other against the onslaught. The formation's attacks couldn't immediately penetrate their defense, but the remaining two hundred demonic cultivators were far less fortunate. As the formation's power grew stronger, more and more demonic cultivators were slain. Half an hour later, only the eleven experts remained, struggling to hold out. The rest of the demonic army had either been destroyed or had their bodies shattered, with some Demon Souls flying aimlessly, only to be swallowed by the surviving experts.
Guo Xingyue, though a former assassin, had calmed his heart after years of cultivation. Yet he knew this was a battle to the death—there was no mercy to be given. As long as he could weaken the enemy before stronger reinforcements arrived, he was willing to kill every last one of them. Seeing that the eleven experts were still holding on, Guo Xingyue quickly adjusted the formation, focusing all its attacks on one side. The concentrated strikes forced the demonic cultivators back, their defense beginning to crumble. The remaining experts scrambled to reinforce the weak spot, but Guo Xingyue swiftly redirected the attacks once again. After several maneuvers, the defensive circle was broken.
Sensing the danger, the demonic cultivators suddenly grabbed the shoulders of their comrades, linking themselves into a chain.
Demonic cultivators believed in the survival of the fittest, rarely caring about others' lives unless absolutely necessary. The strongest among them had already escaped the moment the formation was activated, leaving the others to fend for themselves. Those trapped within the formation had only banded together because they couldn't withstand the attacks alone. Now, with their formation broken, they were forced to take desperate measures. Demonic cultivators had the ability to devour others' cultivation, but they rarely transferred their own energy to others, fearing betrayal. Yet now, with no other option, they had to combine their power. As the chain formed, the leading demonic cultivator let out a thunderous shout and hurled his magical weapon forward with all his strength.
Seeing this, Guo Xingyue immediately realized their strategy. This technique was similar to the "Dragon Chain Technique" used in the martial arts world on Pangu Star, where the energy of multiple people was concentrated into a single point to break through a defense. He quickly redirected the formation's attacks to block their attempt, but the Golden Lock Killing Formation, though powerful, was not designed to be actively controlled. It lacked the responsiveness of the other two great killing formations. Guo Xingyue managed to summon part of the formation's power, enough to block the demonic cultivators' attack, but just then, several powerful forces outside the formation struck simultaneously. With a deafening crash, a crack appeared in the formation, and the demonic cultivators, linked together, seized the opportunity to break through.
Guo Xingyue sighed inwardly—though it was a pity they had escaped, he had still managed to wipe out the majority of the invading force. Only a dozen or so experts had escaped, a considerable victory. Now that the Golden Lock Killing Formation had been exposed, it would no longer serve as a trap. Guo Xingyue quickly deactivated the formation and calmly faced the twenty remaining demonic cultivators.
Though their numbers were small, each of the remaining demonic cultivators was a formidable expert. Aside from the eleven who had escaped the formation, now too exhausted to continue fighting, there were still twelve others, six of whom were at the Body Integration stage. The leader of the group, a pale man with white hair and a black robe, had reached the late Body Integration stage. None of the demonic cultivators spoke; they simply stared at Guo Xingyue in silence, their spiritual senses unable to discern his cultivation level. Each scan revealed only a blank void, leaving them all deeply unsettled.
Guo Xingyue remained silent, calculating how to lure these demonic cultivators into the Kan-Li Killing Formation. After a long standoff, the leader of the demonic cultivators finally spoke: "Who are you, and why have you slaughtered my men?" Guo Xingyue blinked in surprise. The demonic cultivator had spoken in perfect Cultivation Realm Common Tongue. (In truth, the languages of demonic and orthodox cultivators were the same, but Guo Xingyue had assumed they would be different.)