Chapter Ninety: The Netherworld Myriad Demon Formation

At the third watch of the night, the Immortal Venerable Xuanhuo, Murong Yan, and Ye Feng took advantage of the cover of darkness to fly above the Luoyan Ridge.

The Immortal Venerable stepped upon a cloud, while Murong Yan and Ye Feng each rode their precious swords. The cool autumn breeze brushed against them, bringing a chill that sharpened their senses. They shielded their eyes with their hands and peered downward.

Below, the Luoyan Ridge was illuminated by dim, hazy lights. Demon soldiers, clad in black, white, red, yellow, and green, stood in positions corresponding to the five cardinal directions—North, South, East, West, and Center. Each held blades, spears, swords, or halberds, moving with disciplined precision and ruthless efficiency.

These soldiers were led by five demon generals.

The general in black armor and a black helmet, riding a black steed, commanded the black-clad troops in the north. Standing six feet tall with a delicate and coy demeanor, he appeared almost like a female warrior, his pair of swallow-tail sabers dancing in a blur of cold, impenetrable light.

The general in white, riding a white horse, guarded the west. He was a short, stout man, five feet in height, with a bloated frame; yet, he wielded an eighteen-foot-long steel-pointed spear with supernatural agility and grace.

The general in red, riding a red horse, held the south. Standing nine feet tall with a sturdy, athletic build, he moved with the poise of a scholar, his fifteen-foot-long halberd swirling with ghostly, masterful precision.

The general in yellow, a foot-soldier leading the yellow-clad troops, held the center. Standing over ten feet tall and covered in feathers, he had two long necks topped with bald heads, and he swung a ten-foot copper staff that whistled through the air.

The general in green, riding a green horse, guarded the east. He was barely three feet tall, round as a ball, and possessed the face of a cat, wielding a pair of heavy iron hammers.

On a high platform in the center stood an old man in a purple robe, waving flags of black, white, red, yellow, and green. As he waved the colored flags, the corresponding troops would advance, strike, and clash. The five units moved like five colorful dragons, twisting and turning across the ridge, their constant motion resembling the spinning of a revolving lantern. They stirred up thick clouds of dust, and as the autumn wind howled across the ridge, the scene was ghastly, eerie, and terrifying.

"Brother Feng, what... what in the world is this?" Murong Yan asked, her heart trembling with fear.

"This... this is truly bizarre! How can there be such an intense chill? What kind of formation is this? I must return and consult my books!" Ye Feng shivered as a wave of icy air washed over him, his heart pounding in alarm.

"Feng'er, this is the Yin-Nether Myriad Demon Formation, an ancient tactical array. It is the most vicious kind, formed by channeling the energies of the netherworld and combining them with the demonic power of ten thousand demons. The netherworld represents Yin, and the demons represent evil; we humans possess the vital energy of Yang. When Yang energy meets this dark, evil force, they clash like fire and water. If our bodies are already weakened by this, there will be no need to fight," the Immortal Venerable Xuanhuo instructed, adopting the stern air of a strict mentor.

Ye Feng nodded repeatedly. "Thank you, Master. I have taken it to heart."

"Feng'er, I am assigning you a task. Once we return, whether through research or independent thought, you must provide me with an answer: how can this Yin-Nether Myriad Demon Formation be broken?" the Immortal Venerable said with a stern, solemn face.

"Yes, Master. I shall devote all my efforts to finding the solution and present a satisfactory answer as soon as possible," Ye Feng replied, bowing respectfully.

Just as they were speaking, the old man in purple discovered them. He looked up and shouted, "Immortal Venerable Xuanhuo, you have seen the formation I have laid out. What do you make of it?"

The Immortal Venerable ceased his lecture and replied in a booming voice, "Brother Purple Robe, you are indeed learned to have set up such an array. If I am not mistaken, it is called the Yin-Nether Myriad Demon Formation. Am I correct?"

The Purple-Robed Demon Venerable was stunned. He never expected the Immortal Venerable to see through his hard work at a single glance. If the formation were truly broken, where would he stand in the Demon Kingdom? Fear and worry flooded him, breaking him out in a cold sweat. Then, a thought flashed through his mind, and he grew calm.

*He is merely guessing,* he thought. *He doesn't necessarily know how to break it. Why should I fear him? Besides, the evil energy created by the combination of hellish and demonic powers is the natural nemesis of human vitality. How could a mere human break it? Even if he wants to, he will likely lack the ability.*

*Hmph! Since he is so smug, why not goad him into battle now so he has no time to prepare?*

Having settled on this, the Purple-Robed Demon Venerable straightened his posture and called out, "Brother Xuanhuo, you are indeed knowledgeable! I am impressed. Since you have such high insights, I look forward to you coming to break the formation soon. We shall see whose skills are superior!"

The Immortal Venerable laughed aloud. "Brother Purple Robe, are you trying to provoke me into an early battle? Since you are impatient, and I am as well, I accept! Within one month, I shall lead my righteous army to break your formation. Are you satisfied?"

Murong Yan and Ye Feng were alarmed and tugged at the Immortal Venerable's robes from behind.

The Immortal Venerable's words played right into the Demon Venerable's hands. "Brother Xuanhuo, a word once spoken is hard to take back! Come down, and let us strike palms to seal this vow!"

Murong Yan and Ye Feng pulled harder. "Grandmaster, you cannot go!" "Master, you've fallen into a trap!"

Ignoring them, the Immortal Venerable descended on his cloud, walked up to the Purple-Robed Demon Venerable, and raised his right hand. "Old demon, let us strike palms! When the time comes, just open your gates, and we shall come to break your formation!"

The Demon Venerable laughed and raised his own hand. "It is a deal!"

*Clap!*
*Clap!*
*Clap!*

The two struck palms three times, setting the deadline.

On the journey back, Murong Yan and Ye Feng were silent, harboring complaints in their hearts. They never imagined that even after thousands of years of cultivation, the Immortal Venerable would still be so hot-headed, letting himself be goaded into moving the date up by two whole months. With time so tight, there was no way to train soldiers or prepare equipment.

But they dared not speak. He was their elder; how could they criticize him? And what use was criticism now?

By the time they reached the camp, it was dawn. Before parting, the Immortal Venerable instructed, "There is little time left. Go and think carefully about how to break this formation, and present your answer to me by noon tomorrow!"

"I shall obey your command," Ye Feng replied, bowing.

After the Immortal Venerable left, Murong Yan complained, "Brother Feng, how can Grandmaster be like a child, letting that old demon trick him? He moved the date up by two months! And now he expects you to write a plan overnight! This formation is unheard of; who could solve it in such a short time? Isn't he being unreasonable?"

Ye Feng pressed a finger to his lips. "Hush!" He glanced at the disappearing figure of the Immortal Venerable before continuing. "Sister Yan, perhaps Master has a deeper meaning. Consider that our army is far from its base, and logistics are difficult; dragging this out would be disadvantageous. If we succeed early, it is a great boon for the country and the army. We must support him! As for me..." He looked at her with deep affection. "Do not worry about me. This is simply his way of being a strict teacher. I cannot fail him."

Murong Yan looked at him tenderly and brushed a stray lock of hair from his forehead. "Brother Feng, take care of yourself. Do not exhaust yourself."

Ye Feng took her small hand and comforted her. "Do not worry, Sister Yan. I have consumed the Immortal Herb of Vitality; my body is strong and will not break."

Feeling the warmth and strength of his hand, Murong Yan felt intoxicated by his presence and leaned into his embrace. Ye Feng, holding her, felt his heart swoon as he gazed at her bright, cherry-red lips and leaned in to kiss her...

Suddenly, the loud crow of a rooster startled them. Ye Feng hurriedly pulled away, helping her up with an apologetic look. "Sister Yan, it is late. I must focus on the strategy to break the formation. I must neglect you for now."

"I understand, Brother Feng," she nodded. "I will wait for you. I will wait for you to finish your task, to defeat the demons, and to spend a lifetime by your side."

...

The next day, the Immortal Venerable held a council. By noon, a soldier reported, "Vice Marshal Ye Feng requests an audience."

"Let him enter," the Immortal Venerable commanded.

Ye Feng strode into the tent. "Master, I have brought the strategy to break the formation. Please, offer your guidance."

"Present it," the Immortal Venerable ordered. Ye Feng handed over a large scroll of diagrams. The Immortal Venerable unfurled it, reading with a furrowed brow that slowly relaxed into a smile. Finally, he nodded repeatedly. "The child is teachable! Truly teachable!"

He handed the scroll to a soldier. "Hang this up!" Looking at Ye Feng’s bloodshot eyes, he added softly, "You have worked hard, Feng'er. Go and rest."

"Thank you, Master," Ye Feng replied before turning to leave.

Just as he reached the entrance, he heard the Immortal Venerable say, "Officers!"

"Here!" they replied.

"The night before last, your marshals and I observed the enemy's formation. It is the Yin-Nether Myriad Demon Formation, composed of five sub-arrays: the Crimson Gold Radiance, the Azure Wood Soul-Chaser, the Black Water Nether-Soldier, the Wind-Fire Glazed, and the Void Earth Delusion. It is exceptionally evil..." Ye Feng stopped in his tracks, listening.

"...Your Vice Marshal is truly gifted. Despite knowing nothing of this formation before, he devised a plan to break it in a single day and night. He is a talent the likes of which I have rarely seen in my life..."

Hearing the praise, Ye Feng felt embarrassed and scratched his head.

"Therefore," the Immortal Venerable continued, "I am assigning tasks to you all to ensure our preparations are complete."

"We await your command!" the officers cried.

Ye Feng could no longer restrain himself and turned back to enter the tent once more.