The assassins from Listening Rain Pavilion on Xiao Liang Mountain had returned, bringing with them a Formation Master assistant.
Formation Master Shang Boxiang stared at the Formation on Xiao Liang Mountain, his brow deeply furrowed.
"Fellow Daoist Yan, the Formation is wrong! The wind patterns within the Formation are complex, and the Qi flow rotates in a chaotic manner. It doesn't seem like an illusion Formation; it's more like a killing Formation, extremely dangerous. I can't break this Formation." Formation Master Shang Boxiang observed for a long while, then looked at Yan Zongli helplessly, indicating his apology.
"It must have been changed. This Disciple is not easy to deal with!" Yan Zongli said with a dark and gloomy expression.
Yan Zongli regretted taking on this task. He had originally thought that dealing with a Qi Refining Seventh Level Utility Disciple would be a piece of cake. Who knew, this guy turned out to be a formidable Formation Master, causing him to stumble the first time, forcing him to use a precious Second-Order Spirit Talisman to escape the illusion Formation.
This time, Yan Zongli swallowed his pride and invited a Formation Master to assist, believing he could break the Formation and complete the assassination mission with certainty.
Who knew!
The guy on the mountain was too cautious; he changed the Formation to include an even more powerful killing Formation, and now he was holed up on Xiao Liang Mountain, refusing to come out!
Yan Zongli was truly helpless against him!
"Fellow Daoist Yan, what are your plans next? Are you going to cancel this mission?" Formation Master Shang Boxiang looked at Yan Zongli, asking curiously.
"I can't cancel it! The employer paid a large sum of Spirit Stones as compensation, so this mission must be completed. I can only continue to wait! I refuse to believe he can stay cooped up on the mountain and never come down!" Yan Zongli looked towards Xiao Liang Mountain, gritting his teeth.
Formation Master Shang Boxiang fell silent, unsure how to persuade him.
Listening Rain Pavilion had always valued its reputation; once a mission was accepted, it had to be completed. Moreover, the employer had paid a large sum of Spirit Stones for it, so this order had to be seen through no matter what.
Unless they encountered a formidable character that even Listening Rain Pavilion could not afford to provoke, such as a powerful expert who could easily challenge those beyond their realm, or someone with a powerful background capable of overturning Listening Rain Pavilion, only then would Listening Rain Pavilion cease its operation.
"Fellow Daoist Shang, next, I plan to stake out this place. I won't attempt to break this Formation! Thank you for your assistance! We shall meet again another day." Yan Zongli looked at Formation Master Shang Boxiang, cupping his hands in thanks.
Formation Master Shang Boxiang nodded knowingly, then rose and departed on his sword.
Compared to a direct assault, a stakeout was much more arduous. If the target never came out, one would have to keep waiting indefinitely.
Yan Zongli's mission, who knew when it would be completed, so Formation Master Shang Boxiang naturally wouldn't wait with him.
...
Fifteen days passed in a flash.
Yan Zongli hid near Xiao Liang Mountain, hoping and watching every day, but he never saw the target appear, nor did he see any changes in the Formation.
Just then, a disheveled figure emerged from within the Formation.
Yan Zongli's spirits lifted, and he quickly gave chase.
The man was about forty years old, dressed in black, with a robust physique and a full beard, bearing no resemblance to the target.
However, Yan Zongli had been waiting bitterly at the foot of Xiao Liang Mountain for so long, at one point even doubting if the target was on the mountain. He urgently needed information from the mountain, so he acted without hesitation, pouncing forward to capture him alive.
"Who!" Pang Shixiong was scared out of his wits, swinging his fist to block.
His vision was immediately obscured by a cloud of white powder.
"Despicable!" Pang Shixiong felt a violent impact on his forehead, saw stars, and then his eyes rolled back as he fell unconscious.
When Pang Shixiong woke up again, his hands and feet were bound to a tree trunk. A sinister-looking old man was observing him with a chilling gaze. His weapons and Storage Pouch had been searched and placed aside.
"I ask, you answer. If you dare to utter a single lie, I will sever your lifeblood!" Yan Zongli played with a sharp dagger in his hand, his gaze sweeping over Pang Shixiong's lower body, speaking coldly.
"I'll tell you, I'll tell you. Senior, please ask whatever you wish, I would never dare to conceal anything." Pang Shixiong's anus tightened, and he nodded frantically.
"Who are you? How did you get onto Xiao Liang Mountain? What's the situation up there?" Yan Zongli asked, getting straight to the point.
"This humble one is Pang Shixiong, a member of the Xuan Wolf Gang. Along with two other brothers, I was entrusted by Qingxuan Sect Disciple Lin Qiuhai to go to Xiao Liang Mountain to deal with a Utility Disciple. Who knew, the mountain was laid with an illusion Formation, and the three of us were trapped in it for over ten days. I'm not very clear about the situation on the mountain!" Concerned for his happiness in the latter half of his life, Pang Shixiong dared not conceal anything and spoke truthfully.
Yan Zongli frowned slightly, believing Pang Shixiong's words. According to the information provided by the employer, before approaching Listening Rain Pavilion, he had indeed sought help from the Xuan Wolf Gang to resolve the issue, only turning to Listening Rain Pavilion when they failed.
It turned out that the three idiots from Xuan Wolf Gang had been trapped in the illusion Formation all along.
"How did you escape? What about the other two?" Yan Zongli continued to inquire.
"He let me out. He told me to buy a hundred reams of talisman paper and send them up the mountain, otherwise, my two brothers would remain trapped in the Formation." Pang Shixiong said with a face full of grievance, on the verge of tears.
It was too miserable!
They had been trapped in the illusion Formation for a full fifteen days, exposed to wind and sun, suffering from hunger, and enduring torment.
Now, they finally had a glimmer of hope for escape, but before they even got down the mountain, they were ambushed by a despicable old man. What terrible luck!
"Senior, please release me! If I don't buy the talisman paper and send it up, my two brothers will surely not survive!" Pang Shixiong looked at Yan Zongli with tear-filled eyes, pleading bitterly.
A man bleeds but does not weep, with a chivalrous heart. For the lives of his two brothers, Pang Shixiong couldn't help but shed tears, begging Yan Zongli to spare him.
Yan Zongli was unmoved, frowning as he asked, "He only asked you to buy talisman paper, nothing else?"
"Yes! I asked him, and that guy said he had plenty of food and drink and lacked nothing. Buying so much talisman paper, it seems he's learning to draw talismans!" Pang Shixiong quickly replied.
Upon hearing this, Yan Zongli was utterly depressed!
He had been guarding the mountain for fifteen days, and that scoundrel's vigilance was truly strong!
Even when he had a need, he wouldn't come down the mountain; he would entrust someone else to buy things.
It seemed he wouldn't easily come down the mountain!
"Senior, you also want to deal with the person up there, right! How about we cooperate! We can rescue my two brothers, and then we'll flatten Xiao Liang Mountain together." Pang Shixiong saw Yan Zongli's intention and quickly suggested.
Yan Zongli gave Pang Shixiong a cold glance. How could he cooperate with three idiots!
He wants to buy talisman paper, does he! Yan Zongli would never let him have his way!
Pang Shixiong still wanted to say something, but Yan Zongli stepped forward, and with a thrust of the dagger in his hand, it easily pierced into Pang Shixiong's heart.
Pang Shixiong's eyes widened, his face filled with disbelief, staring fixedly at Yan Zongli, unable to believe that he had died by his hand just like that.
After sending off Pang Shixiong, Yan Zongli pulled out the blood-stained dagger, wiped the blood off on his clothes, and turned to leave.
A moment later, a wooden puppet spider in the grass moved. Li Mu detached his Divine Sense from the sentinel spider, having 'seen' the entire scene through its eyes.
He never expected that old man to be so vicious and ruthless, killing people as if slaughtering chickens, with no emotion on his face. Li Mu was startled by him.