I stood at the prow of the spirit vessel as sea winds lashed my face, thick with the reek of sinister energy. Black Reef Island was clearly visible in the distance, its grey-black miasma churning and roiling across the water's surface like some colossal living beast. From within the fog came the faint wailing of ten thousand vengeful spirits — a sound so raw and harrowing it felt as though it would seize a man's very soul and drag it down into the dark.

"System, assess the formation's strength." I murmured inwardly, my hand tightening without thought around the Wave-Breaker Saber at my hip.

"Ding! Ten-Thousand Fiend Soul-Devouring Formation energy assessment: peak late Core Formation stage. Number of fiend-souls contained within exceeds one hundred thousand. Core node energy fluctuations are stable — estimated Nascent Soul-stage rogue cultivator manipulating it from the shadows." The system elder's voice took on an unusually grave tone. "Rookie, the situation is worse than anticipated."

My gaze fell to the bronze compass in my hand. Its needle spun wildly before settling with steady certainty on the north-eastern corner of Black Reef Island — where the fog thinned slightly, enough to make out the jagged silhouettes of several rocks jutting from the sea.

"The north-east corner — there!" I called out, voice cutting through the wind and reaching every soul aboard the spirit vessel.

Everett Li, jade folding fan in hand, strode quickly to my side, brow furrowed. "Friend Lu, the north-east corner may appear to be a weakness, but according to the ancient texts, a Ten-Thousand Fiend Formation's 'Fiend-Soul Vortex' is invariably concealed within precisely these deceptively calm areas."

Marcus Su added in agreement: "Exactly so, Friend Lu. We must proceed with caution."

I gave a nod and swept my gaze across the assembled cultivators behind me, all prepared and ready. "Fellow seniors, the Ten-Thousand Fiend Soul-Devouring Formation is a vicious thing. Once we are inside, you must stay close behind me at all times — no one acts alone."

"Understood!" The group answered in unison, their voices carrying a thread of tension beneath the steel of their resolve.

The spirit vessel eased toward the north-east corner. When we were still a hundred zhang from the fog, I thrust my hand up sharply. "Stop!"

The vessel halted at once, hovering above the water. I closed my eyes. The Tidal Sword Mark on my arm blazed to life, radiating a faint blue light. A thin tendril of perception spread outward from me, piercing through the grey-black fog until it reached the heart of the formation itself.

"The formation's eye… is beneath the tallest reef at the centre of Black Reef Island!" My eyes flew open, a sharp light flashing within them. "But we cannot strike directly at the core yet — we must first tear open a breach through the north-east corner!"

At that very moment the system's alarm blared: "Warning! Large concentration of rogue cultivator auras detected closing in from beneath the sea! Approximately fifty individuals — three at Core Formation stage, forty-seven at Foundation Establishment!"

"Just in time!" I let out a cold laugh. The Wave-Breaker Saber sang from its scabbard with a sharp ring of steel, its blade erupting in twin radiance — gold and blue. "Fellow seniors, follow me — we meet them head on!"

The words had barely left my mouth before I vaulted from the prow, streaking toward the sea's surface like a bolt of light. Almost simultaneously, dozens of rogue cultivators burst upward from the depths, sending foul, reeking seawater spraying in every direction. At their head were three Core Formation-stage cultivators. One wore a blood-red robe, his face covered in twisted fish-scale markings — a surviving Core Formation elder of the Baizhen Pavilion, the martial uncle of Scarlet. I had seen him once before, back at the Blood Scale Manor.

"Ethan Lu! You again, you little bastard!" The crimson-robed rogue cultivator recognized me, a flash of venomous hatred crossing his eyes. "Heaven's road is open to you and yet you refuse it — Hell has no gate and yet here you come forcing your way in! Today, you die here and rot!"

"Save it!" I bellowed, and brought the Wave-Breaker Saber sweeping forward in a single savage slash.

"Bane of Evil!"

A blade of gold-blue light tore through the air, carrying within it an overwhelming tide of righteous energy, aimed straight at the crimson-robed cultivator. The man's expression hardened — he dared not be careless. His hands flew through a sequence of seals and a torrent of black poisonous fog erupted from him, crashing into the blade.

Sssss —

The instant blade met fog, a grating, corrosive shriek filled the air. The poisonous fog dissolved inch by inch, and though the blade's force was diminished, its momentum held — it slammed into the defensive qi-barrier before the cultivator with full remaining power.

Clang!

A thunderous crash rang out. The man's defensive qi-barrier shuddered violently and a clear crack split across its surface. His face shifted — he had plainly not expected a single blow from a late Foundation Establishment cultivator to carry such force.

"Well struck, Friend Lu!" Everett Li's voice rang out from behind. His azure robes billowed as wood-element spiritual energy coalesced into a towering ancient tree, which came crashing down onto the other two Core Formation rogue cultivators.

Marcus Su was not to be outdone. Her crimson flame-whip traced a graceful arc through the air, blazing with searing heat, lashing toward the enemy formation.

End of Chapter 79: The Ten-Thousand Fiend Soul-Devouring Formation