Chapter 233: Entering the Formation

Chapter 233: Entering the Formation

Jifen Mountain, Fog Forget Forest!

The forest was dense, with thick foliage and an odd landscape.

Fog often rose between the mountains, and once the thick fog set in, even taking just three or five steps into it, you would not be able to find your way back when you turned around.

Hence, it was named: Fog Forget Forest.

The meaning was: "See the fog, forget the way back."

Deep within the forest, a group of monks sat or lay in a huddle.

Torrential rain poured down on them, and the deep woods around them were drenched from the rain.

The group was nearing their limit.

Without this sudden heavy rain tonight, they’d be both thirsty and starving by now.

At present… their thirst had eased a bit.

But as a result, the hunger became even more intense.

One of them couldn’t help but look around, searching for something to eat.

Finally, his eyes fell on a young monk.

The young monk held a wooden bowl, catching a full bowl of water, and took a delighted sip.

Sensing the malice, he instinctively turned toward the source of the stare.

The senior monk who was looking at him forced a smile:

“Little brother… could you come with me, please?”

“Senior brother, are you so hungry that you want to eat me?”

The young monk thought for a moment, then stood up and went to his side, saying:

“I’m too small; my meat won’t taste good. Raw flesh and blood are never appetizing.”

“I… I…”

The monk was taken aback. He had thought that once the young monk realized his intention, he would be frightened or even report him to the master.

But to his surprise, the response was completely unexpected.

For a moment, he was rendered speechless.

But in an instant, the fiery pangs of hunger surged again, and the malice arose once more. Gritting his teeth, he said:

“Junior brother, I… I am really about to starve to death. Can you let me eat just one bite? Just one bite, please!”

“Alright.”

The young monk nodded and said, “But not here. If Master sees, he will scold you.

“Let’s go a bit further, just out of sight of Master, okay?”

"......You, you......"

The evil monk, hearing the young monk's somewhat innocent voice, was momentarily filled with panic:

"You... aren't you afraid?"

How could one face such a dangerous situation so earnestly?

This usually greedy junior brother of mine, was he even human?

"I am."

The young monk nodded, his face filled with timidity: "But master said that the Buddha once sacrificed his body to feed the eagle.

"I have been learning the Dharma from master since I was young, so naturally, I should follow the Buddha's example.

"Now that we have been trapped for a long time, even if there is a way to escape, I don't know if we can hold on until that time.

"I am about to starve to death soon.

"Perhaps in a short while, I will die.

"If I starve to death, you won't have any food and will also die.

"But if you can survive by eating my body.

"Then it would be my attainment of enlightenment."

Having said this, he put down the wooden bowl in his hands, pressed his hands together:

"Amita Buddha."

After finishing, he bowed again and picked up the wooden bowl, grinning at the evil monk.

This most ordinary of smiles left the evil monk speechless for a long time.

It was as if he had been frozen in place, before suddenly bursting into loud sobs.

He reached out and hugged the young monk tightly, and with strength that seemed to come from nowhere, he reached the old monk in just a few strides.

The old monk was sitting in meditation with his eyes closed, and upon hearing the commotion, he opened them.

He saw the evil monk kneeling before him, crying out loudly:

"Master, I am deeply sinful, deeply sinful!"

Master Red Cloud let out a soft sigh, reached out to pat the young monk's head, and then asked:

"What sin have you committed?"

"I... I wanted to eat my junior brother! I am deeply sinful, beyond redemption!"

"Did you eat him?"

"No... But I had the intention, I gave rise to evil thoughts."

"Can such a heart be eliminated?"

"It is eliminated now, my junior brother made me feel ashamed of myself."

"Evil thoughts have been eliminated, and compassion arises naturally.

"Now that you have realized this, you must hold onto this compassionate heart and never forget it."

"Disciple... disciple knows he was wrong."

The evil monk lowered his head, and though his face still bore a fierce expression, there was indeed a sense of peace and compassion after his enlightenment.

Master Red Cloud then shifted his gaze to the young monk and sighed softly:

"You must be starving, too?"

"Disciple is hungry."

The young monk nodded lightly.

Master Red Cloud looked into the distance and gently sighed:

"What time is it now?"

"It's almost half past the hour of the Ox."

A monk standing nearby, with eyes lowered, replied softly.

"It's about to come."

Master Red Cloud's brows furrowed slightly. "Every night, after half past the hour of the Ox, there is demonic music. All disciples, listen to my order: guard your inner heart and do not waver!"

"Yes!"

The monks sitting or lying around immediately responded with determination.

The young monk also nodded solemnly.

Master Red Cloud couldn't help but smile. "You don't need to..."

But as he looked up again, his long eyebrows lifted slightly.

"They have trapped us here because they want to wear down our physical strength, spirit, and will.

"If we let them succeed, we will fall into their clutches and inevitably become puppets in the hands of evil forces.

"We cannot sit and wait for death...

"After the demonic music today, all disciples follow me out!

"Either... vanquish the demons and monsters!

"Or... attain nirvana!"

All the disciples were fearless upon hearing this, as dying in battle was preferable to freezing and starving here.

Master Red Cloud lowered his eyes. They had fallen into this predicament not only because the people of Extreme Joy Heaven Palace had lured them into the trap using common people as bait, but mainly due to Lady Chà Yuán Jūn.

This person, possessing both yin and yang energies, held the magnificent Heavenly Attraction and Earthly Union Great Marvel Sutra."

However, the most important thing is that perhaps because that person has a special physique.

The techniques in the Painful Mantra for targeting weak spots during combat are significantly less effective against this person.

Relying solely on internal energy, I can't defeat them either!

Now, after ten days of deep contemplation, I am confident that I can break through that person's Heaven and Earth Great Harmony Sutra.

If I can take them down with me this time, the disciples behind me will finally have a chance at survival.

……

……

"The four girls are named after the cardinal directions."

On Jifen Mountain, Master Red Cloud has decided to vanquish the demons.

On the way to Jifen Mountain, Su Mo was learning about the people from Suspension Pot Pavilion for the first time.

The four girls carrying the sedan chair were named after the cardinal directions.

They were Dong Qing, Xi Bai, Nan Que, and Bei Xuan.

Clearly, these weren't their original names; they were adopted later.

Following this pattern, her name should have been Nan Zhu, but she found it unappealing and changed it to Nan Que.

However, Su Mo didn't inquire too deeply into these details.

He just occasionally glanced at the sedan chair.

Whenever Little Situ Taoist, who was eavesdropping with perked ears, noticed them, she would quickly pretend to be meditating.

As if terrified of being caught eavesdropping.

This left Su Mo momentarily speechless.

The girl no longer had the courage to join Su Mo on the perilous journey to Jifen Mountain and couldn't even meet his eyes.

She only dared to steal glances at him when he wasn't looking.

After experiencing such an event, although it was a matter of urgency at the time, it was understandable that Little Situ Taoist would react this way now.

Sensing the awkwardness, the four girls took the initiative to chat with Su Mo.

They explained that they each had unique backgrounds, but through a twist of fate, they received a great favor from Suspension Pot Pavilion and chose to repay it with their service.

Since then, they had been stationed at Suspension Pot Pavilion, specifically attending to Little Situ Taoist.

However, this kind of service was different from others.

For anything that Little Situ Taoist could do herself, they would not help but could only stand by.

And unless it involved life-threatening situations, there was no need to treat her like a delicate noblewoman.

In this regard, Su Mo somewhat understood.

Little Situ once said that since she was young, her three yin and three yang meridians were severely damaged.

Therefore, her legs are unable to move.

If everyone took care of every little detail for her, she might end up being completely dependent.

Not to mention the martial arts skills she possesses now?

"Speaking of which, the techniques of Suspension Pot Pavilion are indeed extraordinarily advanced."

Su Mo thought of how Little Situ had her acupoints sealed with ox hair needles, which greatly altered her appearance. This technique was far more ingenious than any disguise method.

After saying this, Dongqing smiled and said:

"That’s the Reversal of the Five Elements Needles, which not only alters your appearance but also has another remarkable effect..."

Though she had been speaking lightly, her brow furrowed as she continued.

The other three girls exchanged glances with her, seemingly a bit troubled.

Su Mo was about to ask further, but the words were on his lips, and he swallowed them back.

If it were something that could be said, it would naturally come out by this point.

Since it hasn’t been said, it’s probably not appropriate to bring up...

He smoothly changed the subject, casually mentioning their use of lightness kung fu. Within no time, over a hundred miles had disappeared beneath their feet.

Jifen Mountain—here we are!

The four girls, well-versed in the route, led them to a specific location.

Little Situ finally spoke, pointing ahead and said:

"This is it. As Master Huibian described, this area is known as Fog Forget Forest..."

Just as she said this, Little Situ’s voice suddenly halted.

It was unclear what she had thought of, but she shook her head and said:

"The evil cult members of the Extreme Joy Heaven Palace have set up formations in this forest...

"Using the trees as anchors and people as focal points, they manipulate the forces of nature, and with the terrain and poisonous smoke, create layers of danger.

"Without understanding how it works, anyone who enters carelessly will be trapped, vulnerable to their attacks.

"But this formation won’t stop me... Chief Escort Su..."

When she said this, she looked up at Su Mo, and though the words were spoken, her ears were completely red.

But soon, she had adjusted her emotions and said:

"Chief Escort Su, I'll guide you along the path, and you just need to exploit any weaknesses to take down the enemies.

"However, these people are always hidden within the formation, so it’s hard to say how many there are.

"If we fall into a group battle..."

"Capture the enemy by taking down their leader first!"

Su Mo immediately nodded and said in a low voice, "The enemy's forces are vast. If we get surrounded, things won't end well.

"Even if we're fearless, there might still be some slip-ups.

"Little Situ, once we enter the formation, you'll lead the way. Our first task is to find Master Red Cloud.

"Once we've regrouped with Master Red Cloud,

"our first priority will be to break out of the encirclement.

"After that, even if we face a siege, we can attack or defend as needed."

"However, there's one thing... once you step into the formation, remember to protect yourselves.

"If there are any experts, I'll take care of them!"

"Got it."

Little Situ and the four girls, East, South, West, and North, nodded immediately.

Su Mo's martial skills were clear from how he turned that ambiguous person to dust with just one palm strike outside the cave.

That person had chased them to the brink of despair.

If not for the fact that the pursuer had a mind to toy with them, they might not have even made it to Su Mo and would have met their doom.

With such a strong ally, acting rashly would only cause problems.

Seeing their agreement, Su Mo nodded and turned to Wan Zangxin, who had been silent until now:

"Wan, how are you holding up?"

"Quite well."

Wan Zangxin smiled slightly. "I was just thinking of joining Chief Escort Su to break formations, defeat enemies, and vanquish demons!"

"Good!"

Su Mo nodded. "Since that's the case, let's—"

Before he could finish, Little Situ quickly said, "Wait, wait!"

Both Su Mo and Wan Zangxin looked up at her simultaneously.

Little Situ took out a porcelain bottle from her bosom, opened it, and poured out several pills.

"Take one pill each; it wards off many poisons."

After distributing the pills, Little Situ said, "Though it's less effective against tricky things like 'A Night's Wind in the Small Tower.'

"But since all of you are skilled in martial arts, with this medicine protecting you, if you do encounter such tricks, as long as you hold your breath and retreat quickly, it should be fine."

Su Mo was somewhat puzzled. "If you had this, why did you… ahem…"

At this, Little Situ's face turned red, and she lowered her head in embarrassment.

"I... I was careless, that's all.

"Originally, I thought their techniques were hardly worth mentioning.

"Even without taking the pill in advance, I could have easily countered their schemes.

"But after taking such a hit, how could I afford to be careless again?"

Hearing this, Su Mo smiled. He had originally wanted to say something like, 'Reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles,' or 'Knowledge from books is ultimately shallow; only personal experience leaves a deep impression.'

But as the words reached his mouth, he worried that Little Situ might feel embarrassed.

So instead, he said, "In that case, let's enter the formation!"

Everyone nodded and immediately stopped talking.

Rescuing someone is like fighting a fire—after a quick discussion, they immediately entered the formation.

However, as soon as they entered, they heard a flood of seductive music.

It surged into their ears from all directions, front, back, left, and right within the forest.

At first, the sound was barely noticeable.

Like a veiled beauty, glimpsed now and then, stirring the heart.

Soon, the sound gradually spread.

It rose and fell, sometimes loud and clear, sometimes low and murmuring.

When the breeze was gentle, it whispered softly, winding and turning.

When intense, it roared loudly, like crashing waves!

Su Mo's brows lifted slightly:

"The Palace of Ultimate Bliss certainly knows its tricks. This decadent demonic music stirs the heart and soul, emanating from the formation in the woods, attacking towards the center.

"If you can't resist it, you'll lose your mind in no time."

As he spoke, he turned to look back.

To his surprise, only Wan Zangxin’s expression shifted slightly; his brows furrowed as he channeled his inner strength to shield his mind.

As for Little Situ and the others, although they heard the sound, they appeared confused.

Not only did they seem unaffected, but they also looked bewildered.

"Are you all okay?" Su Mo was stunned.

Little Situ immediately shook her head. After their previous conversations, speaking to Chief Escort Su had become much easier for her.

She said, "Chief Escort Su, what is this sound? It's quite strange, making one's heart flutter."

"That's it?"

"Yes, that's it."

Little Situ and the four girls beside her nodded simultaneously.

Su Mo forced a bitter chuckle. "It seems that the enchanting music of the Paradise Palace is not that impressive after all."

"This technique tempts the mind, but it only works by evoking past memories of the person and amplifying them with internal energy to achieve its effect. For those who have no such memories, this technique is utterly ineffective."

Pausing slightly at this point, he continued:

"Hmm, this enchanting music is aimed at Master Red Cloud. Little Situ, guide us on the path."

"Alright."

Without hesitation, Little Situ pointed ahead and said, "Move forward one and a third yards, then turn right three yards. There will be a tree. Behind the tree, someone is hiding!"

She did not use terms from the I Ching's sixty-four hexagrams to describe the directions but instead used simpler terms like forward, backward, left, and right, making it easier for Su Mo and Wan Zangxin to understand.

Su Mo glanced at Wan Zangxin and gave him a slight nod. Taking the lead, he stepped forward according to Little Situ's guidance and indeed saw a tree.

However, upon circling around the tree, Su Mo was slightly taken aback.

He saw a person from the Paradise Palace, dressed in a revealing outfit, sitting at the base of the tree. Despite the gentle rain, the person sat cross-legged with a hand seal formed.

His eyes were tightly shut, and his lips moved slightly, emitting faint sounds from his mouth.

Listening closely, one could discern that the enchanting music in the forest was composed of individual words and sentences uttered by the people from the Paradise Palace.

Bit by bit, it accumulated into a torrential stream, piercing through the rain and reaching everyone's ears.

What Su Mo did not expect was that this person was deeply absorbed in chanting the enchanting music.

Even when Su Mo was right in front of him, he remained unaware.

But the next moment, Su Mo realized this was not the case!

Although the person's eyes were tightly closed, the eyeballs underneath the eyelids rolled around chaotically.

Clearly, he knew of Su Mo's arrival but dared not open his eyes.

He shouldn't know who Su Mo was, so there was no reason to be afraid.

Then why... was he unwilling to open his eyes even when an enemy stood before him?

The more this was the case, the more Su Mo wanted to make him open his eyes.

Without delay, he gently patted the person's shoulder.

In an instant, force penetrated through, causing a soft crack from the shoulder bone.

Yet the person only grunted and continued to move his mouth, still refusing to open his eyes.

"This..."

Su Mo nodded slightly and patted the person's chest once more.

The slap had minimal force and was applied with great finesse.

It interrupted his recitation just right, making him pause.

The moment the sound ceased, the man's eyes snapped open.

His eyes burning with intense hatred, he glared murderously at Su Mo before blood gushed from his mouth and he collapsed, dead instantly!

"Well, I only gave you a light tap."

Su Mo was briefly at a loss for words.