Three thousand eight hundred years ago, the sage Shengyan Zhenhun appeared. To lead humanity against the formidable Orcs, Shengyan Zhenhun utilized his extraordinary wisdom to further refine this cultivation technique, ultimately forming the currently used Thunderous Coordinated Strike—expanded from a ten-person combination to an eighteen-person formation. By incorporating Oak Acorns, the energy intensity each person could withstand was greatly increased, multiplying the resulting power. This formation was passed down by Shengyan Zhenhun to the three generals of the Cangyue Group Army at that time: the ancestors of the Xia, Feng, and Han families. These three generals applied the formation in actual combat, achieving countless victories that greatly contributed to the founding of Cangyue. This is the origin of the current Grand Thunder Formation.”

“I hadn’t realized the Grand Thunder Formation had such a history,” Long Qi mused. “I truly wonder what kind of person Shengyan Zhenhun was, to create a formation as astonishingly powerful as the Grand Thunder Formation.”

“We’ll have plenty of opportunities to investigate that once we make it out of here alive,” I replied. “What concerns me more is: on what principle does this Grand Thunder Formation actually operate?”

“Simply put, it merges the distinct energies of the three professions—the Battle Qi of warriors, the magic of mages, and the Taoist arts of Daoists—to form a circulating, constant energy field. It’s equivalent to pooling everyone's strength together for mutual use. However, the exact method of channeling this power is known only to the three great families. Even if an outsider grasps the operating principle of this technique, without the correct method of execution, they cannot perform it.”

“If that’s the case, then the more people inside the formation, the stronger the combined power, correct?” Dong Guan asked curiously.

“Theoretically, yes,” Bai Ling confirmed.

“If we could increase the number of people in the Grand Thunder Formation without worrying about synchronization errors leading to failure, wouldn't the power attainable be limitless?” Jin Hong exclaimed.

“That is impossible,” Xia Ya interjected, having overheard our discussion. “The more people there are, the stronger the energy field naturally becomes, but the stronger the field, the more unstable it is. Even with identical synchronization rates, an individual’s tolerance has limits. Once it exceeds the body’s tolerance threshold, it will cause a self-detonation. The energy field generated by the current eighteen-person Grand Thunder Formation is already at the limit of what the human body can withstand, and this is only possible after consuming Oak Acorns. Without the acorns, the maximum is ten people.” Xia Ya sighed helplessly. “Our three families have attempted countless methods to improve this technique, but all have failed.”

“Is the purpose of consuming the Oak Acorns to enhance resistance to the backlash from magic, Battle Qi, or Taoist arts?” Jin Hong asked abruptly, seeming to grasp something.

“Precisely. Under normal circumstances, once inside the formation, the body cannot bear the excessive energy and suffers backlash, which results in being blown apart by the energy,” Xia Ya explained. “Therefore, we must consume Oak Acorns to increase our capacity to absorb energy.”

“Then what is the nature of the energy in the Grand Thunder Formation? Is it primarily magic, Battle Qi, or Taoist art?” As he spoke, Jin Hong instinctively glanced toward me.

“Energy nature?” I looked at Jin Hong in surprise. Almost simultaneously, Long Xin and Long Qi also reacted, trying to decipher Jin Hong’s intent.

“That depends on the ratio of Daoists, Warriors, and Mages within the formation. If there are more warriors, the entire energy field is dominated by the nature of Battle Qi. If mages are dominant, it’s led by magical power. As for Taoist arts, they are used to harmonize the chaos between Battle Qi and magic, allowing energies of different natures to fuse as much as possible without causing explosions or terrifying backlash.”

“I see, so the nature of the energy is completely controllable,” Jin Hong said, visibly excited.

“Correct. The nature of the energy can be determined by the proportion of professions within the formation,” Xia Ya replied, somewhat puzzled by Jin Hong’s excitement.

“Then, for those within the formation, if they don't actively channel the energy, is there any danger?” Jin Hong pressed on.

“No. If you are merely inside the formation and not channeling energy, there should be no danger. However, if others accidentally err while channeling, they will be implicated, because the entire formation is one entity. A single mistake by one person can cause chaos in the energy field or even lead to an energy explosion, resulting in death.”

“I think… perhaps we won’t die after all!” Jin Hong looked at me. “Xingchen, the rest is up to you.”

“What? You have a way?” Xia Ya stared at me, utterly confused. He was clearly bewildered by Jin Hong’s words, yet seeing Long Xin and the others looking at me with anticipation, he managed to ask in a trembling voice.

“There is a way,” I hesitated. “But I am not entirely sure if it will succeed.”

“What exactly is the method?” This time, not only Xia Ya, but even Feng Qingtian couldn't help but ask, having overheard the entire discussion.

“This is merely a hypothesis,” Jin Hong offered. “What would happen if everyone inside the formation were replaced with Mages?”

“That’s impossible,” Xia Ya refuted. “If the energy field consisted only of a single nature—magic—it would be impossible to form a circulating, flowing energy field. Only the convergence of Battle Qi, magic, and Taoist arts can establish that kind of circulating flow.”

“I understand,” Jin Hong said. “Perhaps we can modify the Grand Thunder Formation into a hundred-person, or even a thousand-person, Grand Thunder Formation.”

“What? Are you mad?” Xia Ya and Feng Qingtian were both shocked.

“Don’t be alarmed,” Jin Hong continued. “The reason your Grand Thunder Formation suffers backlash is that human tolerance is limited, and once exceeded, it leads to the destruction of the formation and death, correct?”

“Yes, that is correct,” Feng Qingtian affirmed.

“Then this is simple: if someone can solve the problem of the body’s tolerance limit, wouldn't that allow for the infinite channeling of the Grand Thunder Formation’s energy?”

“That sounds easy to say, but no one has ever succeeded,” Xia Ya said helplessly.

“Others might not have a way, but he does,” Jin Hong said, looking at me.

“Really?” Bai Ling looked at me, utterly stunned.

“Yes. If the nature of the energy field is dominated by magical power, I can give it a try.” Jin Hong’s theory was straightforward: utilize my Demonic Devouring Body’s inherent magic immunity to channel infinite magical power. Although I possess no innate magical sensitivity, meaning I can never learn any magic skills, I once successfully cast a Fireball using the Flame Ring during my time in Biji. Unlike normal skills, the Flame Ring is etched with a miniature magic array. With this array, even without sensing any magical fluctuations, I can easily cast a Fireball—and this is the only spell I can deploy.

However, due to my zero base magical power, the Fireball I cast is pitifully weak, sustained only by the supplemental magical power from the Flame Ring and my equipped magical gear. I am merely channeling the equipment’s reserves to cast the spell.

Jin Hong’s goal was equally simple: to use the massive amount of magic gathered by the Grand Thunder Formation as the source to fuel my Fireball casting. Simultaneously, because of my intrinsic magic resistance, there would be no concern about excessive mana overloading my body. In essence, the Grand Thunder Formation could provide any amount of magical power, and I could use it without fearing backlash.

Long Xin, Long Qi, and the others understood Jin Hong’s meaning and were overjoyed. Indeed, no matter how powerful the Yellow Spring Sect Master was, his defensive capabilities had an upper limit. And how strong would the magical power condensed by our five thousand people be? I couldn't even imagine it. Recall that the Grand Thunder Formation composed of Feng Qingtian and the seventeen others had already crippled the Yellow Spring Sect Master halfway. If the power could have been just a few times stronger then, instantly killing him wouldn't have been impossible.

“Do you truly have a method to resolve the magic backlash?” Xia Ya was aghast. “You must know, even Shengyan Zhenhun couldn't solve this dilemma!”

“In any case, we can try it out first,” I smiled.

“But even if you can channel all this magic, you are not a Mage and haven't mastered magic skills. How can you use these spells?” Bai Ling asked.

“You don't need to worry about that. I have this Flame Ring,” I said, reaching into my spatial pouch and retrieving the ring Yan Luo had given me at the Biji Inn. I immediately slipped it onto my hand.

“Fireball!” With a slight wave, a fist-sized fireball shot out, striking the ground. It only managed to sputter a few sparks; the earth remained utterly unmarked.

“Your Fireball is truly tiny,” Xia Ya, Feng Qingtian, and the others stared at the ground in shock, then looked at me with peculiar expressions.

Sigh. I lost face this time. Perhaps no one had ever seen a Fireball this small.

“The size isn’t the crucial part, is it?” Jin Hong said, clearly embarrassed. “At least it proves Xingchen can deploy magical skills.”

“Heavens, they plan to defeat the Yellow Spring Sect Master with a Fireball!” Big Baldy and the others were dumbfounded.

“It can’t be helped,” Jin Hong replied awkwardly. “Who told you Xingchen only knows this one skill, the Fireball?”

“And it’s a skill granted by the Flame Ring!” Xia Na meekly added.

“Well, I suppose if enough intense magical power can be condensed, even a tiny Fireball’s destructive force should be considerable, right?” Feng Qingtian analyzed solemnly.

“Theoretically, that is correct,” Xia Ya rubbed his head and gave a dry laugh. My previous demonstration seemed to have eroded their confidence. But this was the only path forward.

“Regardless, if you genuinely have a way to avoid magic backlash, the power of the Grand Thunder Formation could theoretically be enhanced infinitely,” Feng Qingtian said, his gaze toward me tinged with suspicion. Such a feat was too astonishing; they couldn’t fathom how I might avert magical backlash.

Xia Ya, after his dry chuckle, also appeared hesitant. Long Xin and the others began to feel uneasy, but seeing Xia Ya’s troubled expression, they guessed the reason. After all, the Grand Thunder Formation was the cornerstone skill of the three great families of the Vermilion Bird Alliance. If I were to participate in its improvement, it would inevitably mean learning the formation. No wonder he was so conflicted.

“At this point, we can’t afford to be overly cautious,” Feng Qingtian stated resignedly. “Besides, I will only teach him the warrior component control techniques within the Thunder Formation. Even if he learns it, he cannot set up a Grand Thunder Formation on his own.”

“Fine,” Xia Ya conceded, finding logic in the argument. After all, the Grand Thunder Formation required the cultivation methods of Daoists, Warriors, and Mages; all three were indispensable. All I would learn was the Battle Qi control portion of the warrior skill. Even if I mastered it, replicating the Grand Thunder Formation would be impossible.

Once he resolved this, Xia Ya relaxed. It wasn't that he was petty; the Xia, Feng, and Han families owed their dominance in Cangyue entirely to the immense power of the Grand Thunder Formation. For the three families, the Grand Thunder Formation was equivalent to a nuclear weapon—a singularly crucial existence. It was no wonder Xia Ya was so cautious.

“Let’s not waste any more time; Brother Feng, please teach him the Thunder Battle Qi first,” spoke a young disciple from the Han family. I didn't know his name, but it was clear he was an elite disciple. With Han Zhaolun and Han Yunxiao among the fallen, he was now the highest-ranking leader of the Han family. Among the three major families, the Han family had the most Mages, and arguably the highest quality. Their contingent made up at least half of the entire Mage Corps. If the refinement of the formation succeeded, the Han Mages would undoubtedly bear the heaviest load, making the younger Han disciples appear somewhat tense and eager.

“En!” Feng Qingtian nodded slightly. “Come with me.” Feng Qingtian stepped out of the main tent, near which many smaller tents were pitched. He led me into one of them.

..................................

The spacious tent held only Feng Qingtian and me.

“Before I teach you the Thunder Battle Qi, I need you to promise me that this cultivation method will never be shared with anyone else, not even your future children,” Feng Qingtian said with a grave expression.

“That goes without saying,” I nodded. “After all, this is the unique secret art of your Feng family.”

“Very well, let’s not waste any more time. We’ll start now.” Feng Qingtian began instructing me on the cultivation method for the Thunder Battle Qi.

In essence, the Thunder Battle Qi is a specialized Battle Qi manipulation technique required to complement the Grand Thunder Formation. It is similar to the Blazing Fire Battle Qi, but it involves distributing the internal Blazing Fire Battle Qi to form a circulating pathway for the energy. The starting point of the Battle Qi is located near the Dantian. Through mental intent, the trajectory of the Battle Qi is controlled to form a special layer of Battle Qi stronger than standard Body Protection Qi. The technique for controlling this energy via intent is quite simple: distribute the Battle Qi evenly around the body, much like an eggshell. If a comparison must be made, a Mage’s Magic Shield is quite similar, but a Mage’s shield is golden, whereas the light of the Thunder Battle Qi shifts unpredictably, resembling a rainbow-colored Magic Shield, yet its defensive capabilities are far superior to a Magic Shield or ordinary Body Protection Qi.

Furthermore, the Thunder Battle Qi not only serves to protect oneself but, once inside the Grand Thunder Formation, channeling it causes it to merge with the surrounding Thunder Energy Field. Simply put, besides protecting the physical body from harm, the Thunder Battle Qi also possesses the special function of converting the energy field within the Grand Thunder Formation into energy usable by the self. As for the underlying chemical or physical principles, I cannot fully decipher them; suffice it to say, following this specific channeling method generates Thunder Battle Qi. One uses the Thunder Battle Qi to sustain the Thunder Body Protection, which in turn converts the energy field within the Grand Thunder Formation, allowing that energy to be unleashed.

Even so, it took me a full week to master the Thunder Battle Qi proficiently. Feng Qingtian was greatly surprised by my comprehension speed, which made me feel slightly proud.

Concurrently with my study of the Thunder Battle Qi, Xia Ya and Han Yunzhen—now the acting leader of the Han family—were busy practicing with a Grand Thunder Formation consisting of nearly 180 individuals. Since they were all direct disciples of their respective families and already possessed foundational training, they only needed to adapt what they knew to perform the technique now to escape the current crisis.

Naturally, only those with profound cultivation were selected, requiring at least the Red Moon level of professional cultivation. Among them, Mages numbered over 120, Warriors about 40, and Daoists 20. The energy field formed by this group, with Mages making up the vast majority, was therefore dominated by magical power. While there was a desire to expand the formation to over a thousand people, for safety reasons, the number was temporarily capped around 180. However, the combined power of 180 people should be terrifying. Theoretically, the Thunder Energy Field coalesced by 180 individuals could be more than five times stronger than the original one led by Feng Qingtian’s seventeen members. I refused to believe the Yellow Spring Sect Master could survive being hit by that.

Additionally, since the energy was only being maintained in a continuous circulation—no one was actively channeling it—no unexpected incidents were anticipated. Nevertheless, everyone remained cautious, terrified that a single slip-up could cause the formation to collapse, resulting in mass casualties.

During this period, the remaining personnel took on defense duties. We didn't know why the Yellow Spring Sect Master hadn't pursued us further, but the Yellow Spring World remained a terrifying realm overrun by undead creatures. In just one week, we repelled three attacks from the Skeleton Legions. Each time, the Skeleton Legions were composed of high-level undead coordinated with Illusions for combined assault. However, having gained experience from previous battles, everyone was much better equipped to handle these accursed creatures. Facing attacks combining high-level undead and illusions, we now held a clear advantage, and casualties had dropped significantly. Frankly, the attacks by high-level undead and the Skeleton Legions could no longer affect us; in the Yellow Spring World, the only entity we truly feared was the Yellow Spring Sect Master. We could eliminate any number of other undead creatures.

Admittedly, this endeavor had cost us heavy losses, but every survivor was an elite, battle-hardened veteran with superior skills. With a new hope ignited, everyone’s spirit soared; the previous gloom had vanished from their faces.

By the time I finished my training and emerged from the tent, the 180-person Grand Thunder Formation was nearly ready. At the very least, it could sustain a high-intensity Thunder Energy Field. The rest depended on how I could utilize this energy within the Grand Thunder Formation.

Stepping out, thousands of eyes fixed on me simultaneously—the feeling was almost unbearable, as the fate of defeating the Yellow Spring Sect Master now rested on whether my so-called technique would work.

“Now, let us witness your specialized magic-resistance technique,” Feng Qingtian stated with solemnity.

“Then let us begin,” I walked confidently into the center of the training area.