Zhu Honggong fidgeted as he stood rooted to the ground. He was hesitating, truly reluctant to go out and meet his opponent.
Yu Zhenghai, on the other hand, seemed calm as though he was waiting to watch a good show.
‘Crying won’t solve the problem. If I can’t defeat them, I can always run away!’ With these thoughts in mind, Zhu Honggong coughed softly twice. He looked at the subordinate next to him and said, “Fight by my side!”
Perhaps, Zhu Honggong’s subordinate did not register Zhu Honggong’s words, or perhaps, the habit had been deeply ingrained in his mind, he said instinctively, “Gang Leader, quick! To the back of the mountain!”
“What do you mean to the back of the mountain? We’re going to fight!” Zhu Honggong said before he kicked his subordinate.
The two of them walked out of the stronghold.
Yu Zhenghai stood up calmly and trailed after them with his hands on his back. There was nobody inside the stronghold, and he was bored. It was better for him to head out and watch the happenings outside.
Just as Zhu Honggong’s subordinate had reported, the Righteous Sect’s flying chariot was outside of the Tiger Ridge, hovering several meters in the air.
The other gang members did not seem amazed by this flying chariot. Perhaps, it was because they had seen the Nether Sect’s flying chariot. In comparison, the flying chariot from the Righteous Sect was truly lacking. They were in completely different leagues.
Zhu Honggong looked up and shouted commandingly, “Brothers! Gather your courage! Those without cultivation bases should seek shelter. Those in the Mystic Enlightening realm and Sense Condensing realm, prepare the traps. Those in the Brahman Sea realm and above, assemble!”
With that, the Tiger Ridge members scrambled about to comply with the orders that had been given to them.
Yu Zhenghai nodded slightly as he surveyed the area. It was commendable that a minor gang like this had such countermeasures.
Rustle! Rustle!
The weeds in the forest around the stronghold parted, revealing many huge ballistae.
When he saw the ballistae, Yu Zhenghai walked with his hands on his back to Zhu Honggong and calmly said, “Old Eighth, I’ve underestimated you.”
Zhu Honggong chuckled. “Eldest Senior Brother, this is our base after all. We can’t do without some tricks up our sleeves. Otherwise, we would have been eradicated a long time ago.”
The ballistae were ready.
Zhu Honggong looked at the flying chariot in the sky and said spiritedly, “These ballistae will spell the doom of the flying chariot! Fire!”
The Righteous Sect did not even have time to speak before the ballistae were fired into the sky.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
The ballistae fired fiercely into the air.
The cultivators needed to conjure up a dense layer of energy around the flying chariot to protect it from these projectiles. Otherwise, the flying chariot would sink if the projectile breached the protective barrier.
Bolts that were as thick as a human’s arm shot toward their target.
The sounds from the ten ballistae resounded throughout the forest.
The expression of the cultivators around the flying chariot changed dramatically as they continued to maintain the protective barrier.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The cultivators’ protective barrier repelled the projectiles.
Zhu Honggong frowned. “They’re sure putting a lot of effort into this!”
The ballistae were usually effective against ordinary flying chariots. Even if they could not kill the cultivators, they could still scatter their enemies’ formation and sink the flying chariot. However, it was more difficult to use them against cultivators with profound cultivation bases.
“Again!” Zhu Honggong ordered. ‘Exhaust their Primal Qi!’
Naturally, more bolts were fired.
Meanwhile, the flying chariot was already upon Tiger Ridge.
Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!
Another volley of bolts shot toward the flying chariot.
The cultivators flanking the flying chariot unleashed their protective energies once more.
The bolts were repelled as halos surfaced on the protective energies in the air.
Onboard of the flying chariot, a deep voice resounded throughout Tiger Ridge.
“Zhu Honggong, as it turns out, you’ve been hiding here. You managed to escape from the Green Jade Altar previously. Let’s see where you’re going to run off to this time!”
Dozens of cultivators stepped out of the flying chariot and walked in the air.
“Gang Master! The ballistae aren’t working! Should we retreat?!”
“Shut up!” Zhu Honggong barked. His Eldest Senior Brother was next to him. How could he embarrass himself in front of his Eldest Senior Brother? He turned around and looked at Yu Zhenghai and said with a sheepish smile, “Senior brother, your junior brother is incompetent.”
Then, Zhu Honggong waved his arms and said loudly, “Octagon Formation!”
The other gang members echoed in response.
“Heaven, Earth, Wind, Cloud, Dragon, Tiger, Bird, Snake!”
“All are in position!”
“Activate!”
With Tiger Ridge in the center, a circle that was half-dark and half-light appeared. Outside the circle, eight different formations lit up.
Yu Zhenghai nodded slowly and praised, “Looks like Eighth Junior Brother isn’t too stupid. Indeed, Tiger Ridge’s geography is well-suited for the execution of an Octagon Formation.”
“You flatter me, Eldest Senior Brother!” Zhu Honggong who had been praised by his Eldest Senior Brother felt as though he was walking on air. After all, he was rarely praised in his entire life.
Yu Zhenghai spoke with his hands on his back. “The Octagon Formation is a Daoist Formation… It’s capable of muddling the Primal Qi in the surroundings; gathering it at the center and forming a surging stream. Any flying chariot that gets near it will certainly be brought down.”
“I’m always impressed by your vast knowledge, Eldest Senior Brother,” Zhu Honggong said.
Whizz!
At this moment, the flying chariot was right above Tiger Ridge.
The Octagon Formation was also completed.
The Primal Qi around them surged. The resulting gusts of wind stirred the cloud.
Under the effect of the Octagon Formation, the Primal Qi condensed into energy!
A huge vortex appeared above Tiger Ridge.
When an elder from the Righteous Sect saw this, he hastily cried out in alarm, “This is bad! It’s an Octagon Formation! Avoid it! Avoid it now!”
The flanking cultivators channeled their Primal Qi with all their might to move the flying chariot.
Yu Zhenghai nodded and said, “They’re not too dumb. They know when to run.”
“Eldest Senior Brother, why does it seem like you’re on their side?”
Yu Zhenghai smiled and said, “If you stall any longer, the flying chariot will be out of your Octagon Formation’s range. You’ll be wasting the Primal Qi your Formation has amassed over the years.”
Zhu Honggong understood what Yu Zhenghai meant. He stomped his feet and shot into the air above the Octagon Formation at lightning speed.
“Eighth Junior Brother… I know you’re in the Divine Court realm. Don’t hold back your strength!” Yu Zhenghai reminded Zhu Honggong with his hands on his back.
Under Yu Zhenghai’s watchful eyes, Zhu Honggong grabbed at the air and seemed to catch the energy in the air.
Energy surrounded the huge vortex.
Zhu Honggong successfully caught all the Primal Qi within the Octagon Formation.
“Nine Tribulations Thunderblast!”
The energy was tinged with the color of lightning.
Unlike Lu Zhou’s Thunderblast, Zhu Honggong’s Nine Tribulations Thunderblast was formed by condensing Primal Qi into energy and subsequently creating an illusion of lightning from the rapid friction of the energies!
“Interesting! Eighth Junior Brother, use the Octagon Formation and raise your Nine Tribulations Thunderblast to its full force!”
Zhu Honggong held onto the energy as if it was a dragon. He shouted, “Break!”
The flying chariot was struggling to free itself from the vortex.
Unfortunately, Zhu Honggong’s attack was already upon it.
“Scatter!” The flanking cultivators had no choice but to disperse and dodge the attack within the Octagon Formation!
Boom!
Zhu Honggong landed a hit on the flying chariot!
Energy flowed about turbulently, dancing in the air like snowflakes being scattered.
How could an Evil Sky Pavilion disciple with only a cultivation base in the Divine Court realm be a villain in his own right? This was the answer.
The several thousand of Tiger Ridge Gang members poked their heads out to look at the shocking attack. They were awed by the dazzling and magnificent display.
Without the protection from the cultivators’ energies, this attack damaged the Formation lines on the flying chariot.
Clack!
It cracked!
The flying chariot teetered precariously in the air. It had lost its mobility.
At this moment, the members of the Tiger Ridge Gang shouted in unison, “All hail the mighty Gang Leader!” They had never seen Zhu Honggong display such impressive strength. This attack had greatly boosted the Tiger Ridge Gang members’ morale!
Zhu Honggong stood within the Octagon Formation and spoke in a deep voice, “It’s not over yet. I said that I’m not a pushover.”
Meanwhile, the Righteous Sect’s cultivators quickly deserted the flying chariot when they realized it could no longer move.
