dì yī qiān liù bǎi sì shí liù zhāng wǔ xíng hé yī
第一千六百四十六章五行合一
Chapter 1646: The Five Elements Combined
wú shēng wú xī
无声无息
Silent and unseen, a sudden burst of blue light illuminated the area. A faintly glowing figure appeared, though its face was indistinct. It resembled Jin Yi in many ways, performing the same move—a powerful punch aimed directly at Lin Xuan.
rán ér xià yī kè ， lán máng dà qǐ ， zhǐ jiàn líng guāng yī shǎn ， yī bái méng méng de shēn yǐng xiǎn xiàn chū lái ， suī rán miàn róng mó hú ， dàn shēn cái què yǔ jīn yì pǒ duō xiāng sì zhī chù ， yě shì tóng yàng de dòng zuò ， dāng xiōng yī quán ， cháo zhe tā měng jī guò lái le 。
然而下一刻，蓝芒大起，只见灵光一闪，一白蒙蒙的身影显现出来，虽然面容模糊，但身材却与金义颇多相似之处，也是同样的动作，当胸一拳，朝着他猛击过来了。
"Is this..."
“ zhè ……”
“这……”
Lin Xuan and his companions sucked in their breaths as they realized the Heaven Pillar Five Elements Formation could reverse an opponent's attack, and even mimic the moves exactly.
lín xuān děng rén dào xī le yī kǒu liáng qì ， zhè tiān gāng wǔ xíng zhèn jū rán kě yǐ fǎn zhuǎn rén de gōng jī ， ér qiě lián zhāo shì ， dōu yī mú yī yàng ， bié wú èr zhì 。
林轩等人倒吸了一口凉气，这天罡五行阵居然可以反转人的攻击，而且连招式，都一模一样，别无二致。
Jin Yi was particularly alarmed. He was just transitioning from old to new strength, making it impossible for him to change his move at the last moment. However, he still had a chance to counterattack. His figure spun around, and a golden shield appeared before him.
jīn yì shǒu dāng qí chōng ， gèng shì dà jīng shī sè ， cǐ shí cǐ kè ， zhèng shì tā jiù lì gāng jǐn ， xīn lì wèi shēng zhī shí ， xiǎng yào biàn zhāo ， yǐ cuò guò le shí jī ， dàn zhè bìng bù yì wèi zhe ， tā jiù méi yǒu huán shǒu zhī lì ， shēn xíng dī liū liū yī zhuǎn ， yí gè jīn sè de hù zhào chū xiàn zài le miàn qián 。
金义首当其冲，更是大惊失色，此时此刻，正是他旧力刚尽，新力未生之时，想要变招，已错过了时机，但这并不意味着，他就没有还手之力，身形滴溜溜一转，一个金色的护罩出现在了面前。
Bang!
pēng
嘭
The white, indistinct figure collided with the shield without hesitation. Jin Yi was sent flying several meters away, crashing into a large stone under the sea, looking utterly disheveled.
nà bái méng méng de xū yǐng háo bù yóu yù de zhuàng zài shàng miàn ， jīn yì dùn shí lián rén dài zhào de bèi jī fēi chū shù zhàng zhī yuǎn ， zhuàng shàng hǎi dǐ de yī kuài jù shí ， xíng mào láng bèi wú bǐ 。
那白蒙蒙的虚影毫不犹豫的撞在上面，金义顿时连人带罩的被击飞出数丈之远，撞上海底的一块巨石，形貌狼狈无比。
Lin Xuan and his companions laughed but also felt wary. This Heaven Pillar Five Elements Formation truly wasn't something to be taken lightly; breaking it would prove extremely difficult.
lín xuān děng rén hǎo xiào zhī yú ， yě dà gǎn jiè jù ， zhè tiān gāng wǔ xíng zhèn guǒ rán bú shì hú luàn chuī xū ， xiǎng yào pò jiě dà wèi bù yì 。
林轩等人好笑之余，也大感戒惧，这天罡五行阵果然不是胡乱吹嘘，想要破解大为不易。
"Could this formation really not be broken by sheer force?" Fairy Qingquan's eyes flashed with an unusual glint as she murmured aloud.
“ nán dào cǐ zhèn fǎ zhēn bù néng yòng qiáng lì pò chú ？” míng quán xiān zi yǎn zhōng shǎn guò yī lǚ yì sè ， nán nán zì yǔ de kāi kǒu le 。
“难道此阵法真不能用强力破除？”明泉仙子眼中闪过一缕异色，喃喃自语的开口了。
"Forcibly breaking the formation is possible, but only a Core Formation cultivator can do that. Based on my estimation, there's a ninety percent chance it would be an old hand from later stages, making such thoughts mere fantasies."
“ qiáng lì pò chú ， yě wú bù kě ， dàn nà yào dòng xuán qī xiū shì cái néng zuò dào de ， ér qiě jù lǎo nà tuī cè ， shí yǒu **， yào shì hòu qī de lǎo jiā huǒ ， wǒ děng shì xiǎng yě bié xiǎng le 。”
“强力破除，也无不可，但那要洞玄期修士才能做到的，而且据老衲推测，十有**，要是后期的老家伙，我等是想也别想了。”
Master Jin Hong's deep voice echoed in their ears. He had long studied this restriction and spoke with confidence.
jīn hóng dà shī hún hòu de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ ， duì yú cǐ jìn zhì ， tā zǎo yǐ yán jiū tòu chè ， shuō qǐ huà lái ， zì rán xiōng yǒu chéng zhú 。
金泓大师浑厚的声音传入耳朵，对于此禁制，他早已研究透彻，说起话来，自然胸有成竹。
"Master said that the Five Elements Combined could also break the formation. Please instruct us on how to do so. Time is of the essence; we shouldn't waste any more time here."
“ dà shī shuō guò ， wǔ xíng hé yī yě néng pò chú ， jiū jìng gāi zěn me zuò ， hái qǐng dà shī fēn fù ， suǒ wèi yè cháng mèng duō ， wǒ děng hái shì bú yào zài zhè lǐ dān gē shí jiān le 。”
“大师说过，五行合一也能破除，究竟该怎么做，还请大师吩咐，所谓夜长梦多，我等还是不要在这里耽搁时间了。”
Lin Xuan's calm voice resonated, and no one dared contradict him. With the treasure mountain right before their eyes, who wouldn't want to return home fully laden?
lín xuān dàn rán de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr lǐ ， tā zhè fān huà ， zì rán bú huì yǒu rén fǎn bó ， yǎn kàn bǎo shān dōu zài yǎn qián ， shuí bù xiǎng zǎo rì mǎn zài ér guī ne ？
林轩淡然的声音传入耳里，他这番话，自然不会有人反驳，眼看宝山都在眼前，谁不想早日满载而归呢？
The longer they stayed, the greater the chance of unforeseen events.
dài jiǔ le ， shuō bù dìng jiù huì yǒu shén me biàn gù 。
待久了，说不定就会有什么变故。
"Dear friends, there's no need to rush. I will set up this formation now to break through this restriction."
“ zhū wèi dào yǒu bù yòng zháo jí ， lǎo nà zhè jiù bù zhèn jiāng yǎn qián de jìn zhì pò qù 。”
“诸位道友不用着急，老衲这就布阵将眼前的禁制破去。”
The monk waved his sleeves, and a myriad of items flew out.
hé shàng yī biān shuō ， yī biān xiù páo yī fú ， jīng guāng sì shè ， cóng tā kuān dà de xiù páo zhōng fēi chū bù shǎo shì wù 。
和尚一边说，一边袖袍一拂，精光四射，从他宽大的袖袍中飞出不少事物。
"What..."
“ zhè ……”
“这……”
Lin Xuan's eyes narrowed as he showed some surprise. These were all tools for setting up formations—how could he not recognize them? Wasn't it enough to combine the Five Elements; did they need to play tricks like breaking a formation with another one?
lín xuān yǎn jīng wēi mī ， liǎn shàng liú lù chū jǐ fēn chà yì ， zhè xiē dōu shì bù zhèn qì jù ， tā rú hé huì bù shí dé ， nán dào chú le wǔ xíng hé yī ， hái xū yào wán yǐ zhèn pò zhèn zhè yàng de bǎ xì ？
林轩眼睛微眯，脸上流露出几分诧异，这些都是布阵器具，他如何会不识得，难道除了五行合一，还需要玩以阵破阵这样的把戏？
The others also showed curiosity but quickly regained their composure, as seasoned Separation and Union period cultivators. What was in their minds remained unknown.
qí yú zhī rén yě dōu lù chū hào qí zhī sè ， dàn hěn kuài jiù shén sè rú cháng le ， zuò wéi lí hé qī xiū xiān zhě ， zhè diǎn chéng fǔ hái shì yǒu de ， zhì yú xīn lǐ dào dǐ shì rú hé xiǎng de ， nà jiù zhǐ yǒu tiān zhī dào le 。
其余之人也都露出好奇之色，但很快就神色如常了，作为离合期修仙者，这点城府还是有的，至于心里倒底是如何想的，那就只有天知道了。
Master Jin Hong ignored everything, casting hand seals with ease. In just a short while, a small yet intricate formation appeared before them.
lǎo hé shàng duì zhè yī qiè shì ruò wú dǔ ， shuāng shǒu fǎ jué rú zhuàn lún bān dǎ chū ， kàn dé chū ， shú mén shú lù ， jǐn jǐn guò le yī zhǎn chá de gōng fu ， yí gè xiǎo qiǎo dàn què shēn ào de fǎ zhèn jiù chū xiàn zài yǎn lián le 。
老和尚对这一切视若无睹，双手法诀如转轮般打出，看得出，熟门熟路，仅仅过了一盏茶的功夫，一个小巧但却深奥的法阵就出现在眼帘了。
Lin Xuan's expression remained unchanged, but his mind swept over the formation to ensure it was correct.
lín xuān biǎo miàn bù dòng shēng sè ， mù guāng què àn zì sǎo guò ， méi yǒu fā xiàn bù tuǒ 。
林轩表面不动声色，目光却暗自扫过，没有发现不妥。
"Namaste"
“ ē mí tuó fó ”
“阿弥陀佛”
A deep Buddhist chant filled the air as Master Jin Hong raised his right hand, revealing five differently colored array flags representing Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth.
hún hòu de fó hào chuán rù ěr duǒ ， jīn hóng chán shī tái qǐ yòu shǒu ， wǔ gān zhèn qí chū xiàn zài le zhǎng xīn zhī zhōng ， měi yī gān ， jiē yǒu bù tóng de yán sè ， dài biǎo jīn mù shuǐ huǒ tǔ 。
浑厚的佛号传入耳朵，金泓禅师抬起右手，五杆阵旗出现在了掌心之中，每一杆，皆有不同的颜色，代表金木水火土。
"Dear friends, take one flag based on your elemental attributes. Follow my commands, and you will naturally break this formation," said the old monk.
“ zhū wèi dào yǒu àn zhào zì jǐ fǎ lì de shǔ xìng ， gè qǔ qí yī ， yī huì er àn zhào lǎo nà de hào lìng xíng shì ， zì rán néng jiāng yǎn qián de zhèn fǎ pò chú 。” lǎo hé shàng rú cǐ zhè bān de shuō 。
“诸位道友按照自己法力的属性，各取其一，一会儿按照老衲的号令形势，自然能将眼前的阵法破除。”老和尚如此这般的说。
"Oh"
“ ó ”
“哦”
Jin Yi was the most impatient. He had already risen from the rubble and took a white array flag without hesitation.
jīn yì zuì wèi xīn jí ， tā zǎo yǐ cóng luàn shí duī zhōng pá qǐ ， háo bù yóu yù de zǒu guò qù ， ná qǐ yī gān bái sè de zhèn qí 。
金义最为心急，他早已从乱石堆中爬起，毫不犹豫的走过去，拿起一杆白色的阵旗。
Lin Xuan and his companions exchanged glances, though they were somewhat doubtful. At this moment, it wasn't wise to say much more. They too picked up their respective flags.
lín xuān sān rén duì shì yī yǎn ， jǐn guǎn xīn zhōng yǒu xiē dí gū ， dàn cǐ shí cǐ kè ， yě bù hǎo duō shuō ， yě gēn suí zhe jiāng zhèn qí ná qǐ lái le 。
林轩三人对视一眼，尽管心中有些嘀咕，但此时此刻，也不好多说，也跟随着将阵旗拿起来了。
Although Lin Xuan could manipulate Five Elements Essence Energy, his primary attribute was Wood. He thus chose a green-colored array flag.
lín xuān néng gòu diào dòng wǔ xíng yuán qì ， bù guò tā píng rì lǐ biǎo xiàn chū lái de líng gēn shǔ xìng ， què shì mù shǔ xìng dì ， gù ér ná qǐ yī gān qīng sè de zhèn qí 。
林轩能够调动五行元气，不过他平日里表现出来的灵根属性，却是木属性地，故而拿起一杆青色的阵旗。
Holding the flag, Lin Xuan subtly released his divine sense and found no issues before feeling relieved. With his knowledge of formations, he could easily spot any tampering.
jiāng qí wò zài shǒu lǐ ， lín xuān qiǎo rán fàng chū shén shí ， bìng méi yǒu fā xiàn bù tuǒ ， zhè cái xīn zhōng dà ān le ， yǐ tā de zhèn fǎ zào yì ， zuò méi zuò shǒu jiǎo hái shì kě yǐ qīng yì kàn chū lái dì 。
将其握在手里，林轩悄然放出神识，并没有发现不妥，这才心中大安了，以他的阵法造诣，做没做手脚还是可以轻易看出来地。
Fairy Qingquan and Yanilu Lan reacted similarly. Despite their good relations, as cultivators, they didn't value loyalty or righteousness; betraying a friend was perfectly normal. They had to be cautious for both emotional and logical reasons.
míng quán xiān zi yǔ xiān mù yī lán de fǎn yìng yě chà bu duō ， jí shǐ wǔ rén píng rì lǐ guān xì bù cuò ， dàn xiū xiān zhě bù jiǎng jiū rén yì dào dé ， chū mài péng yǒu sī háo méi yǒu shén me qí guài de ， yú qíng yú lǐ ， tā men dōu yào xiǎo xīn yī xiē 。
明泉仙子与纤幕伊蓝的反应也差不多，即使五人平日里关系不错，但修仙者不讲究仁义道德，出卖朋友丝毫没有什么奇怪的，于情于理，他们都要小心一些。
Master Jin Hong observed everything but pretended not to notice, offering no signs of dissatisfaction.
ér zhè yī qiè ， dōu luò zài jīn hóng chán shī de yǎn lǐ ， míng zhī dào sān rén zài dī fáng zì jǐ ， tā què gù zuò bù zhī de shuāng shǒu hé shí ， méi yǒu sī háo bù mǎn zhī yì 。
而这一切，都落在金泓禅师的眼里，明知道三人在提防自己，他却故作不知的双手合十，没有丝毫不满之意。
"Alright, everyone, are you all ready? Now follow my method."
“ hǎo le ， jǐ wèi shī zhǔ ， kě dōu zhǔn bèi hǎo le ， xià miàn qǐng àn lǎo nà de fāng fǎ qù zuò 。”
“好了，几位施主，可都准备好了，下面请按老衲的方法去做。”
As the old monk spoke, he tossed several jade cylinders. Lin Xuan instinctively caught them and sank his divine sense into one.
lǎo hé shàng yī biān shuō ， yī biān yòu rēng guò lái jǐ méi yù tóng ， lín xuān xià yì shí jiē guò ， rán hòu jiāng shén shí chén rù qí zhōng 。
老和尚一边说，一边又扔过来几枚玉瞳，林轩下意识接过，然后将神识沉入其中。
Inside was a brief incantation, just a few hundred words at most, clear and concise with no difficult-to-understand parts.
lǐ miàn shì yī duàn jiǎn duǎn de fǎ jué ， liáo liáo liǎng sān bǎi yán ér yǐ ， bù jǐn jiǎn duǎn ， ér qiě qīng xī ， sī háo méi yǒu shén me nán lǐ jiě dì 。
里面是一段简短的法诀，寥寥两三百言而已，不仅简短，而且清晰，丝毫没有什么难理解地。
"Indeed, this is how to combine the Five Elements."
“ yuán lái shì zhè yàng de wǔ xíng hé yī 。”
“原来是这样的五行合一。”
Lin Xuan mentally memorized it. This technique might prove useful in the future when he could manipulate Five Elements Essence Energy.
lín xuān yòng xīn àn jì ， tā kě yǐ diào dòng wǔ xíng yuán qì ， zhè duàn fǎ jué ， yǐ hòu shuō bù dìng huì dà yǒu yòng chǔ dì 。
林轩用心暗记，他可以调动五行元气，这段法诀，以后说不定会大有用处地。
"Alright, dear friends, follow the incantation. We're about to break the formation."
“ hǎo ， zhū wèi shī zhǔ qǐng àn fǎ jué shàng zuò ， xiàn zài wǒ men kāi shǐ pò zhèn le 。”
“好，诸位施主请按法诀上做，现在我们开始破阵了。”
As soon as Master Jin Hong finished speaking, a spell was cast by Jin Yi's impatient nature. Lin Xuan raised his eyebrows and recited an ancient incantation, gradually channeling his essence energy.
lǎo hé shàng huà yīn gāng luò ， páng biān yǐ yǒu zhòu yǔ shēng chuán chū ， shì jīn yì nà xìng jí de jiā huo ， lín xuān méi tóu wēi tiāo ， yě yǒu gǔ piáo de zhòu yǔ shēng chuán le chū qù ， bìng kāi shǐ huǎn huǎn de diào dòng fǎ lì 。
老和尚话音刚落，旁边已有咒语声传出，是金义那性急的家伙，林轩眉头微挑，也有古朴的咒语声传了出去，并开始缓缓的调动法力。
In his dantian, the small lake beneath the golden core had turned green due to the Nine Heavens Phoenix Dance Technique. However, through various coincidences and events, he could freely switch his essence energy among Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth.
zài tā de dān tián qì hǎi lǐ ， yuán yīng yǔ jīn dān xià miàn de nà tán xiǎo hú ， yǐ wán quán biàn chéng le qīng sè ， guāng shì fèng wǔ jiǔ tiān jué bú huì yǒu zhè yàng de xiào guǒ ， dàn lín xuān yīn wèi zhǒng zhǒng jī yuán qiǎo hé ， yǔ qí tā de biàn gù ， kě yǐ ràng líng lì de shǔ xìng ， zài jīn mù shuǐ huǒ tǔ zhōng zì yóu zhuǎn huàn de 。
在他的丹田气海里，元婴与金丹下面的那潭小湖，已完全变成了青色，光是凤舞九天诀不会有这样的效果，但林轩因为种种机缘巧合，与其他的变故，可以让灵力的属性，在金木水火土中自由转换的。
The other three also performed similar actions. They raised their hands, pointing the array flags upward. The surrounding Essence Energy separated into five different attributes, rushing toward the corresponding flags.
qí yú sān rén yě shì tóng yàng de dòng zuò ， suí hòu wǔ rén tái qǐ shǒu ， zhèn qí xié xiàng shàng zhǐ ， zhōu wéi de tiān dì yuán qì ， fēn chéng wǔ zhǒng bù tóng de shǔ xìng ， gè zì cháo zhe duì yìng de zhèn qí ， fēng yōng ér qù 。
其余三人也是同样的动作，随后五人抬起手，阵旗斜像上指，周围的天地元气，分成五种不同的属性，各自朝着对应的阵旗，蜂拥而去。
A faint glow emanated from each flag as green light balls appeared in Lin Xuan's vision, initially like small pomegranates but gradually growing larger with the influx of Essence Energy.
guāng yùn zài zhèn qí shàng liáng qì ， suí hòu wǔ gè bù tóng yán sè de guāng qiú ， chū xiàn zài le shì xiàn lǐ ， kāi shǐ xíng rú zǎo hé ， suí zhe tiān qì yuán qì de yǒng rù ， què zài bù tíng de biàn dà zhe 。
光晕在阵旗上凉气，随后五个不同颜色的光球，出现在了视线里，开始形如枣核，随着天气元气的涌入，却在不停的变大着。
The one in his hand shimmered with a vibrant green hue, brimming with endless vitality.
lín xuān shǒu shàng nà kē ， qīng guāng pēn bó ， cuì lǜ yù dī ， kàn shàng qù ， chōng mǎn liǎo wú jǐn de shēng jī 。
林轩手上那颗，青光喷薄，翠绿欲滴，看上去，充满了无尽的生机。
Fairy Qingquan's ball was slightly larger since she had more Water Essence Energy at the bottom of the lake.
páng biān míng quán xiān zi nà kē ， què hái yào dà yī xiē ， bì jìng zài hú dǐ ， zuì duō de jiù shì shuǐ shǔ xìng yuán qì 。
旁边明泉仙子那颗，却还要大一些，毕竟在湖底，最多的就是水属性元气。
"Dear friends, ensure that all five energy balls are the same size. Each must contain an equal amount of Heavenly and Earthly Essence Energy. If they're not balanced, we might be blown apart by the storm generated during fusion," Master Jin Hong's deep voice echoed as he had read countless ancient texts to prepare for this.
“ gè wèi dào yǒu zhù yì ， wǔ kē yuán qì zhī qiú ， dà xiǎo bì xū rú yī ， lǐ miàn yùn hán xiāng děng de tiān dì yuán qì ， liàng ruò shì bù jūn ， bié shuō jiāng jìn zhì pò chú ， wǒ děng hái huì bèi róng hé shí suǒ chǎn shēng de fēng bào zhà fēi diào de 。” lǎo hé shàng hún hòu de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ ， wèi le zhè ge ， tā bù zhī dào fān yuè le duō shǎo shàng gǔ diǎn jí 。
“各位道友注意，五颗元气之球，大小必须如一，里面蕴含相等的天地元气，量若是不均，别说将禁制破除，我等还会被融合时所产生的风暴炸飞掉的。”老和尚浑厚的声音传入耳朵，为了这个，他不知道翻阅了多少上古典籍。
Lin Xuan felt a sudden realization but couldn't quite grasp it fully. Sighing, now wasn't the time for idle thoughts.
lín xuān tīng dào zhè lǐ ， què xīn zhōng yī dòng ， fǎng fú bǎ wò dào le shén me ， dàn yòu bù kě zhuó mó 。
林轩听到这里，却心中一动，仿佛把握到了什么，但又不可琢磨。
After much effort, all five managed to make their energy balls the same size, just as Master Jin Hong instructed. A slight imbalance could trigger an explosion.
tàn le kǒu qì ， rú jīn bú shì hú sī luàn xiǎng de hǎo shí jī 。
叹了口气，如今不是胡思乱想的好时机。
"Now begin fusion; together, quickly."
wǔ rén jiē shì lí hé qī xiū xiān zhě ， jiù jìng jiè lái shuō ， gāng gāng néng gòu chù mō dào tiān dì yuán qì ， jīng wēi cāo kòng míng xiǎn bù zú ， fèi le bù shǎo gōng fu cái zhōng yú jiāng wǔ gè guāng qiú de dà xiǎo biàn dé yí zhì le 。
五人皆是离合期修仙者，就境界来说，刚刚能够触摸到天地元气，精微操控明显不足，费了不少工夫才终于将五个光球的大小变得一致了。
The five simultaneously pointed their array flags forward. The light balls flew toward each other and merged in the center. But at that moment, a loud rumbling echoed in their ears...
Chapter 1646: The Five Elements Combined
Silent and unseen, a sudden burst of blue light illuminated the area. A faintly glowing figure appeared, though its face was indistinct. It resembled Jin Yi in many ways, performing the same move—a powerful punch aimed directly at Lin Xuan.
"Is this..."
Lin Xuan and his companions sucked in their breaths as they realized the Heaven Pillar Five Elements Formation could reverse an opponent's attack, and even mimic the moves exactly.
Jin Yi was particularly alarmed. He was just transitioning from old to new strength, making it impossible for him to change his move at the last moment. However, he still had a chance to counterattack. His figure spun around, and a golden shield appeared before him.
Bang!
The white, indistinct figure collided with the shield without hesitation. Jin Yi was sent flying several meters away, crashing into a large stone under the sea, looking utterly disheveled.
Lin Xuan and his companions laughed but also felt wary. This Heaven Pillar Five Elements Formation truly wasn't something to be taken lightly; breaking it would prove extremely difficult.
"Could this formation really not be broken by sheer force?" Fairy Qingquan's eyes flashed with an unusual glint as she murmured aloud.
"Forcibly breaking the formation is possible, but only a Core Formation cultivator can do that. Based on my estimation, there's a ninety percent chance it would be an old hand from later stages, making such thoughts mere fantasies."
Master Jin Hong's deep voice echoed in their ears. He had long studied this restriction and spoke with confidence.
"Master said that the Five Elements Combined could also break the formation. Please instruct us on how to do so. Time is of the essence; we shouldn't waste any more time here."
Lin Xuan's calm voice resonated, and no one dared contradict him. With the treasure mountain right before their eyes, who wouldn't want to return home fully laden?
The longer they stayed, the greater the chance of unforeseen events.
"Dear friends, there's no need to rush. I will set up this formation now to break through this restriction."
The monk waved his sleeves, and a myriad of items flew out.
"What..."
Lin Xuan's eyes narrowed as he showed some surprise. These were all tools for setting up formations—how could he not recognize them? Wasn't it enough to combine the Five Elements; did they need to play tricks like breaking a formation with another one?
The others also showed curiosity but quickly regained their composure, as seasoned Separation and Union period cultivators. What was in their minds remained unknown.
Master Jin Hong ignored everything, casting hand seals with ease. In just a short while, a small yet intricate formation appeared before them.
Lin Xuan's expression remained unchanged, but his mind swept over the formation to ensure it was correct.
"Namaste"
A deep Buddhist chant filled the air as Master Jin Hong raised his right hand, revealing five differently colored array flags representing Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth.
"Dear friends, take one flag based on your elemental attributes. Follow my commands, and you will naturally break this formation," said the old monk.
"Oh"
Jin Yi was the most impatient. He had already risen from the rubble and took a white array flag without hesitation.
Lin Xuan and his companions exchanged glances, though they were somewhat doubtful. At this moment, it wasn't wise to say much more. They too picked up their respective flags.
Although Lin Xuan could manipulate Five Elements Essence Energy, his primary attribute was Wood. He thus chose a green-colored array flag.
Holding the flag, Lin Xuan subtly released his divine sense and found no issues before feeling relieved. With his knowledge of formations, he could easily spot any tampering.
Fairy Qingquan and Yanilu Lan reacted similarly. Despite their good relations, as cultivators, they didn't value loyalty or righteousness; betraying a friend was perfectly normal. They had to be cautious for both emotional and logical reasons.
Master Jin Hong observed everything but pretended not to notice, offering no signs of dissatisfaction.
"Alright, everyone, are you all ready? Now follow my method."
As the old monk spoke, he tossed several jade cylinders. Lin Xuan instinctively caught them and sank his divine sense into one.
Inside was a brief incantation, just a few hundred words at most, clear and concise with no difficult-to-understand parts.
"Indeed, this is how to combine the Five Elements."
Lin Xuan mentally memorized it. This technique might prove useful in the future when he could manipulate Five Elements Essence Energy.
"Alright, dear friends, follow the incantation. We're about to break the formation."
As soon as Master Jin Hong finished speaking, a spell was cast by Jin Yi's impatient nature. Lin Xuan raised his eyebrows and recited an ancient incantation, gradually channeling his essence energy.
In his dantian, the small lake beneath the golden core had turned green due to the Nine Heavens Phoenix Dance Technique. However, through various coincidences and events, he could freely switch his essence energy among Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth.
The other three also performed similar actions. They raised their hands, pointing the array flags upward. The surrounding Essence Energy separated into five different attributes, rushing toward the corresponding flags.
A faint glow emanated from each flag as green light balls appeared in Lin Xuan's vision, initially like small pomegranates but gradually growing larger with the influx of Essence Energy.
The one in his hand shimmered with a vibrant green hue, brimming with endless vitality.
Fairy Qingquan's ball was slightly larger since she had more Water Essence Energy at the bottom of the lake.
"Dear friends, ensure that all five energy balls are the same size. Each must contain an equal amount of Heavenly and Earthly Essence Energy. If they're not balanced, we might be blown apart by the storm generated during fusion," Master Jin Hong's deep voice echoed as he had read countless ancient texts to prepare for this.
Lin Xuan felt a sudden realization but couldn't quite grasp it fully. Sighing, now wasn't the time for idle thoughts.
After much effort, all five managed to make their energy balls the same size, just as Master Jin Hong instructed. A slight imbalance could trigger an explosion.
"Now begin fusion; together, quickly."
The five simultaneously pointed their array flags forward. The light balls flew toward each other and merged in the center. But at that moment, a loud rumbling echoed in their ears...