Chapter 399: Countermeasures
A few days later, a white light encompassed the empty lake and spread in a circle to the surrounding one hundred kilometres.
Seeing this, all cultivators below the nascent soul realm closed their eyes and didn’t dare to look directly into the pervasive light.
Fortunately, the phenomenon didn’t last for too long.
After ten breaths, the white light dissipated to reveal a transparent barrier around the lake.
"Did we succeed?" A formation master asked.
"As long as nothing unexpected happens, this formation is enough to keep the demonic qi from flowing to the outside world." Jiang Yue nodded and answered.
At the same time, the heavy stone that had been pressing on his heart dissipated.
Although Jiang Yue didn’t show it, the last few days were stressful.
This was not because he didn’t believe in himself and his abilities but because he worried the formation wouldn’t be arranged on time.
If, for some reason, the demonic qi started flowing out, all they could do was escape or hide in the ancient palace.
However, this was not a good solution.
After all, he and Yu Nianzhen were partly responsible for exposing the tomb to the Cangxing world.
If the demonic qi flowed out to kill mortals and unrelated cultivators, he and Yu Nianzhen would be stained with bad cause and effect.
"You have worked hard." Yu Nianzhen said and rubbed his husband’s hair.
"It’s necessary." Jiang Yue said.
"Let’s go back to the ancient palace. You can rest for a few days before thinking about the formation."
"Good."
After that, the two returned to the ancient palace and didn’t come out until three days later.
When they came out, they immediately received a summons from their masters so they went to the meeting place.
"We have seen the elders." The two greeted as soon as they entered the portable cave.
"Sit down." Yang Xu said and the two did not hesitate.
"Master, is something wrong?" Yu Nianzhen questioned.
"There is nothing wrong." Yang Xu said and turned to Chen Qing.
"In the past three days, several cultivators have gone down to investigate the situation." Chen Qing started and the two were immediately curious.
"What are the results?" Jiang Yue urgently asked,
"The results are good." Chen Qing smiled and then told them everything in detail.
"At first, we threw some demonic beasts to the bottom of the lake. However, demonic beasts have a natural instinct to avoid danger so they did not touch the formation. Since they didn’t touch it, the demonic qi did not come out and the demonic beasts were fine."
"Later, we sent down some berserk demonic beasts. Unfortunately, the demonic qi came out as soon as the beasts attacked the formation."
"This was expected." Jiang Yue nodded and then asked.
"What about the formation? How did it react to the demonic qi?"
"It glowed with a white light and the demonic qi could not get out." Chen Qing answered and looked at her disciple appreciatively.
"That’s good." Jiang Yue said and sighed in relief.
Although he believed in the formation he arranged, it was good to confirm his belief.
"Earlier today, a meeting was held and we made a decision." Yang Xu suddenly said.
"Master Yang, can you tell us?"
Yang Xu nodded and looked at Jiang Yue with a solemn look in his eyes.
"Formation masters can go down to study the formation. However, they must stay ten metres from the formation. Also, no one is allowed to unilaterally try to break the formation."
"What if someone has an idea?" Yu Nianzhen asked.
"If someone has an idea, they must warn the other formation masters and give them time to avoid it." Elder Song answered.
"The idea is good but it’s hard for many people to have one mind and one heart." Yu Nianzhen said and his eyes narrowed.
"There is also an illusion component in the formation. It’s hard to guarantee that someone won’t get fascinated and end up doing something stupid." Jiang Yue reminded.
"This matter was also considered." Chen Qing frowned as she said that.
Initially, someone suggested that the formation masters should go to the bottom of the lake one by one.
Each should have a limited time to study the formation and when their time was up, they would be replaced by another master.
In this way, if a formation master fell under an illusion, they would only harm themselves and no one else.
However, this method was too unreliable.
For one, it was difficult to manage the study time.
If a formation master had an epiphany or had an idea but was suddenly interrupted, the loss would outweigh the gain.
The matter of falling under an illusion was another problem.
It would be okay if one or two formation masters died after being fascinated.
However, if too many formation masters were lost, breaking the formation may become an impossibility.
In the end, the nascent soul realm cultivators could only come up with simple countermeasures.
"If a formation master wants to study the formation, they must have the improved isolation talisman." Chen Qing informed.
"Our lives have become so precious." Jiang Yue sneered in self-mockery.
"Everything is motivated by self-interest." Elder Song said matter-of-factly.
In fact, Jiang Yue wasn’t really bitter.
As Elder Song said, everything was motivated by self-interest.
If he and Yu Nianzhen were on the other side of the divide, he would also work hard to ensure that the available formation masters were safe.
After all, there was only a limited number of high-level formation masters in the Cangxing world.
If they all died, not only would the tomb remain unopened but the formation inheritance would probably be broken.
When that happened, it would be difficult to cultivate capable formation masters in the future.
Considering this, it was best to ensure that the current formation masters didn’t take unnecessary risks.
"Elder Meng has succeeded in drawing the improved isolation talisman?" Yu Nianzhen brought the topic around.
"Not only him. Ancestor Jin Bai of the Jin clan has also succeeded." Yang Xu answered.
"What about the quantity?"
"The quantity is low." Chen Qing said and slid two talismans to Jiang Yue.
Seeing this, Yang Xu and Song Ming also handed over two talismans each.
"Although level five talisman materials aren’t rare, drawing one talisman consumes a lot of qi and soul power. The BlueStar Treasures Pavilion has limited sales to two talismans for every nascent soul realm cultivator."
"Fortunately, you previously sold a favour to the young pavilion leader. Because of this, our sect’s elders had priority to buy the talismans." Chen Qing informed.
"How long can a talisman last?"
"Half a day." Elder Song said.
"Each formation master can take one person to protect their safety. These six talismans are enough for two people to survive in demonic qi for one and a half days." Yang Xu detailed.
"If someone doesn’t intentionally trigger the demonic qi, these talismans won’t be needed any time soon." Jiang Yue said.
"You mustn’t have the heart to harm others but you must have the heart to guard against others." Chen Qing reminded.
After her husband’s betrayal, Chen Qing learned a terrible lesson.
At this time, she felt the need to remind Jiang Yue to be careful.
"Don’t worry master, I will never be careless with my life." Jiang Yue said with a cold look in his eyes.
He and Yu Nianzhen had already died once.
Although the incident was because of their own stupidity, Jiang Yue had had enough of death.
No matter what, he wanted to protect his and Yu Nianzhen’s lives.
"I will take care of him." Yu Nianzhen suddenly said with a firm look in his eyes.
Hearing this, Chen Qing stared at Yu Nianzhen but didn’t say anything in the end.
Because of her experience, she felt that Jiang Yue should also guard against Yu Nianzhen.
However, Chen Qing was not stupid.
She knew the two had been together for a long time and their relationship was extraordinarily deep.
If she dared to say anything against Yu Nianzhen, she knew her disciple would undoubtedly turn his face.
Most importantly, she felt that she didn’t have the right.
Although she had mended her ways and was trying to get close to her disciple, their relationship was still estranged.
At this time, she had no face or courage to tell Jiang Yue to guard against his Taoist companion.
’I was bitten by a snake and I am now afraid of well ropes. I should trust my disciple’s vision. After all, he has always insisted on his own way and hasn’t been wrong so far.’ She thought and her heart lightened.
"You should make your preparations and go to the bottom of the lake as soon as possible." Elder Song said.
"We know, elder." Yu Nianzhen and Jiang Yue said.
After that, the two took the talismans and returned to the ancient palace.
Just when they were thinking about the preparations they needed to make, their communication tokens suddenly lit up.
