Chapter 1486: Grand Formation of the Sages
Ever since the founding of the Sanctum of Sages many millenniums ago, this was the very first time that a student had laid their hands on the deputy sanctum head, as well as the first time that someone had utterly destroyed the Sanctum Head Hall.
If something like that could be pardoned easily, how would the deputy sanctum head and the elders keep students in line in the future?
"Zhang shi, what do we do now?" Seeing the huge array of elders and students floating above them and the Guardian Formation sealing the space around them, Chen Leyao's face paled in fright as she trembled uncontrollably.
Even though she had been through many battles as a genius of the Glacier Plain Court, this was her first time facing something as huge as this!
To stand singlehandedly against the entire Sanctum of Sages, this was unprecedented in history!
"What else can we do? Once we are caught, it will be impossible for us to save Zhao Ya!" Zhang Xuan shook his head.
The situation with Zhao Ya was far more urgent, so he could not afford to waste any time there. Not to mention, just by looking at the faces of Zhan shi and the others, it was apparent that he would be done in for good if he was captured.
Thus, he could not surrender. Otherwise, there would be no second chance for him!
Until he had met all three conditions, he could not show the Sanctum Head Token to the others, or else it would be considered forfeiting his right to succession. This was the rule that Sage Kui had imposed to ensure that each generation of sanctum head truly possessed the capability to lead the Sanctum of Sages to greater heights.
As such, it seemed like he had no choice but to fight it out.
Understanding this, Zhang Xuan turned his gaze to the already activated Guardian Formation and uttered softly, "Flaws!"
Following which, a book materialized in the Library of Heaven's Path. Tapping on it lightly, the knowledge within it swiftly flowed into his mind.
"Heaven Weaving Formation, grade-9 pinnacle formation... Truly formidable!"
The Guardian Formation of the Sanctum of Sages had been left behind by Sage Kui, and it had been enhanced by many sanctum heads over the years.
Every single generation of true sanctum head possessed the Eye of Insight, which allowed them to easily pick out flaws and resolve them. After many millenniums of improvement, the formation could already be considered as the crystallization of the wisdom of the top experts of the Master Teacher Continent. Of course, it still could not be considered flawless in the eyes of the absolute Library of Heaven's Path yet, but it was very close to that.
Zhang Xuan's eyebrows shot up. Only seven flaws. This must be the fewest flaws I've seen among higher grade formations...
But no matter how few flaws were in the Guardian Formation, that did not make the slightest difference to what Zhang Xuan was about to do.
"Inferno Qilin and Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast, I'll be counting on the two of you to defend against the lot of them and break this formation. I need to continue studying the Teleportation Formation!" Exhaling deeply, Zhang Xuan sent the information regarding the flaws of the Heaven Weaving Formation over to the two saint beasts via their telepathic link.
"Roar!"
Upon receiving the message, the two saint beasts roared furiously.
They had already known that that their master possessed extraordinary eyes at seeing things despite his young age, but who would have thought that he would actually be able to find so many flaws in a formation that was completely unfathomable to them?
Alone, these flaws might not amount to much, but when put together, they were confident that they would be able to shake its foundations.
On the other hand, seeing that Zhang Xuan was still busy examining the formation flags despite the warning that he had issued, Zhan shi narrowed his eyes threateningly. "Zhang Xuan, I acknowledge the strength of your tamed beasts, but before the Guardian Formation, they are nothing at all. I advise you take a good look at your current circumstances before making a decision..."
"Roar!"
But before he could finish his words, the Inferno Qilin abruptly broke free of its restraints, and with a deafening bellow, it thrust its massive hoof in a certain direction.
At the same time, the Netherworld Azure Dragon Beast glided along the ground as it dashed right into a certain building not too far away.
The core reason behind the strength of the Guardian Formation lay in the fortuitous aura that the Sanctum of Sages had accumulated over the many years, as well as the spiritual energy that had gathered in the area through the earth veins below.
The Inferno Qilin struck at one of the center points of the formation whereas the Netherworld Azure Dagon Beast crashed right into a spot where the spiritual energy drawn in through the earth veins accumulated, causing the spiritual energy to dissipate into the surroundings immediately.
With two critical strikes on its vitals, the incredibly powerful Heaven Weaving Formation swiftly deflated as if a balloon leaking air, losing the imposing might that it had commanded just a moment ago.
Hong long!
The energy that had frozen the surroundings earlier spurted out, falling right upon Zhan shi and the others.
"This... this is impossible!" Zhan shi uttered with his eyes widened in disbelief.
In the past several millenniums, the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe had attempted to attack the Sanctum of Sages thirteen times, but each and every single time, they had ended up fleeing without achieving anything. While it would be too much of an exaggeration to say that the Heaven Weaving Formation was unbreachable, still, there were few experts in the world who were capable of overcoming it!
And yet, those two saint beasts actually deciphered it so easily. How in the world did they manage to do it?
"Stop them!" Knowing that there was no use getting nervous, the person in the air flicked his wrist and thrust his palm downward.
Saint pinnacle battle technique, River Flipping Palm!
This was a move created by the Fourth Sanctum Head. It was a strike that descended from the heavens, wielding strength far beyond one's imagination. Augmented by the fortuitous energy that was billowing out from the ground, this technique could strike down even a Saint 9-dan intermediate stage cultivator in a single blow.
Unfortunately, his opponent was no Saint 9-dan intermediate stage cultivator but the Inferno Qilin.
Paying completely no heed to the palm, the inferno Qilin simply charged right into it, as if it was no threat at all.
Hong long!
The palm fell on the Inferno Qilin's head, but as if striking a Saint pinnacle artifact, it simply jolted Zhan shi's palm numb. The next moment, its head crashed right into Zhan shi's chest, forcefully pushing him away.
Sou!
Zhan shi's figure was sent flying, surging into the distance as if a shooting star.
"Zhan shi!"
Not expecting the Inferno Qilin to be so powerful, Elder Ge and the others hurriedly put their might together and charged forward to suppress it.
In response to their aggression, the Inferno Qilin roared furiously, and in the blink of an eye, its figure had already expanded to roughly forty meters tall. With this towering physique, it rammed right toward the group of elders.
Huala!
Tzzzzzz!
Elder Ge and the other elders were simultaneously knocked flying, and their brows and hair were charred black.
What was truly fearsome about the Inferno Qilin was not its hooves or tail but its body!
Tempered day and night by the Qilin Flames, its body had grown to become as strong as a Saint pinnacle artifact. Its ram would render even a Saint 9-dan cultivator powerless, let alone those elders.
"Is that really Zhang shi's tamed beast?"
"How could it be so powerful?"
"To outright defy and even utilize violence against the deputy sanctum head and the elders, does Zhang shi intend to betray the Master Teacher Pavilion?"
The students that had gathered around to spectate the sight were all flabbergasted by what they were seeing.
In their eyes, the deputy sanctum head, Elder Ge, and the others were figures far out of their league, perhaps invincible even! Seeing these figures standing completely helpless before a saint beast was something that they never could have dreamed off, and it seemed to shatter all of their previous notions of greatness of these elders.
But more important than that, to make a move against the elders of the Sanctum of Sages could already be considered an act of defiance against the authority of the Master Teacher Pavilion. No matter what, the Sanctum of Sages was still a subsidiary of the Master Teacher Pavilion and was protected by it. Did Zhang Xuan no longer want to remain as a master teacher?
"Damn it, damn it!"
While spurting large mouthfuls of blood, Zhan shi flew back to the Sanctum of Sages from the distance, and before reaching the area, he bellowed furiously, "Elders of the Sanctum of Sages, heed my command! Form the Formations of the Sages and subdue the Inferno Qilin together!"
Seeing how the Guardian Formation had been destroyed and the elders were falling from the sky one after another, Zhan shi could not take it any longer.
If he did not punish Zhang Xuan, the entire Sanctum of Sages would become a joke! As the deputy sanctum head, he could not allow the legacy of the organization to be destroyed under his leadership!
"Yes!" the elders replied resoundingly.
Following which, they swiftly scattered around to get into their positions. Putting their strength together, they formed something that resembled a fish net in the air.
"It's the Formation of the Sages..."
Chen Leyao's face paled in fright as she hurriedly turned to the young man before her, who was still busy trying to figure out how to make the Teleportation Formation work.
"Zhang shi, this isn't good. Run!"