First, systematically erode Zhan Xiaoxiao's confidence, then provoke him with words; force him to act before he is fully prepared, yet seize upon his hesitation to suddenly unleash a massive blaze as a feint, driving him off the ground and into the empty air. Following that, use a water dragon to force him back, draining his Profound Qi; the water element immediately transforms into mist, enveloping the space, spreading confusion, and temporarily blinding Zhan Xiaoxiao!
Then, the assassin Steel’s earth power explodes violently, plunging Zhan Xiaoxiao deep into the earth. Meanwhile, using this window of opportunity, the narrator quickly sets up the grand formation, preparing to beat the drowning dog.
The Profound Heaven Maze Formation, as its name suggests, inherently carries the meaning of 'losing the way,' naturally making it a magical array focused primarily on illusion, capable of making any enemy trapped within completely lose all sense of direction, where every path taken leads only back in a circle within the formation. To put it plainly, everything seen by those within is merely an illusion, an array founded upon optical trickery.
Although this is merely an illusion array, it originates from the profound techniques within the Hongjun Tower, so how could it be treated lightly? This array differs significantly from ordinary formations because it does not rely on favorable terrain for its placement; instead, it requires mobilizing the primordial energy of heaven and earth to saturate the formation and sustain its operation.
The greatest advantage of this method is that, as long as the array planter possesses sufficient ability, the formation can draw continuous power from the essence of heaven and earth to keep running indefinitely. However, Jun Moxie’s accomplishments are still extremely limited; with his current attainment, this array can last for a maximum of three days and three nights.
If the Young Master’s strength were sufficient, this single formation alone could be enough to trap Zhan Xiaoxiao to death... Of course, while this array is adequate for dealing with Zhan Xiaoxiao, it would prove insufficient against those of a higher realm.
This is because the deeper one's Profound Qi cultivation, the more freely one can command the energy of heaven and earth. If someone could command more ambient energy than required to run this formation, the result would be disastrous, because using this array against them would have absolutely no effect...
For instance, if this formation were used against the Fourteenth Master of the Nine Hells, with Jun Moxie’s current skill, the Fourteenth Master could probably blast right through it with a single leap... This is a comparison between the relative and the absolute.
Although Zhan Xiaoxiao's strength surpasses that of Young Master Jun, it is insufficient to resist the formation, meaning he is helplessly trapped. For these three days, he can only sit trapped within.
However, the Young Master’s skill is still shallow, only able to hold the enemy for three days, and the ultimate goal of this engagement is annihilation. After successfully setting up the Profound Heaven Maze, confirming that Zhan Xiaoxiao could not escape, Jun Moxie immediately began setting up another array: the Nine Heavens Jade Pendant Thunder Summoning Array, connecting the array’s core to the Profound Heaven Maze Formation.
In reality, this second layer of the formation is the true killing move meant for destruction. As long as Zhan Xiaoxiao causes too great a disturbance within the maze, it will trigger abnormal fluctuations in the Qi of heaven and earth.
Once this feedback loop is established, immense thunderous power will gather from the heavens to deal with the scoundrel... To put it simply, the effect of this second array is an "artificial" Thunder Tribulation!
Although this Heavenly Thunder, which also stems from the power of heaven and earth, will cause the Profound Heaven Maze Formation to collapse faster, it will inflict maximum damage upon the enemy! Naturally, Jun Moxie didn't neglect the possibility of a definitive, one-shot solution, such as an ultimate weapon like the Myriad Tribulation Annihilation Array, where anyone stepping inside would be instantly blasted into ash by heavenly lightning within moments...
However, firstly, time was too short, and secondly, his own cultivation was far too low; he simply couldn't conjure such a thing yet... The dense white mist continued to churn and billow, its scope expanding steadily, gradually engulfing the surrounding forests...
Just then, the ground beneath suddenly began to shake violently, and huge fissures slowly started to appear on the surface! Jun Moxie’s gaze flashed, showing no surprise.
He remained silently suspended in mid-air, beckoning with his right hand. The Blood of Yan Huang quietly appeared in his grasp, like a peerlessly beautiful woman who had shed all her glamour, clad only in simple homespun cloth, utterly plain...
Zhan Xiaoxiao finally sensed a sliver of opportunity, for he clearly felt the soles of his feet touching the ground! This feeling of 'blissful' contact with solid earth nearly moved this Saint Venerable to tears.
However, at this moment, his mouth and nose were already sealed by ice, and his flow of Profound Qi was severed. Exchanging air was the most immediate necessity, and to breathe, he first had to shatter the ice encasing him...
With his feet grounded, borrowing external force, his Profound Qi finally surged back, sinking into his Dantian. He concentrated all his remaining strength and unleashed a supreme burst around his body!
With a sharp crack, the ice exploded outward along with the earth and stones! Though deep underground, he blasted open a small world around himself!
Zhan Xiaoxiao desperately sucked in two breaths of air. Although the underground air was damp, heavy, and foul, the sheer relief of being able to breathe again made the moist, fetid air seem as refreshing as a garden full of fragrant blossoms...
If this had lasted much longer, the Saint Venerable might truly have suffocated to death. Everyone needs to breathe; even a Saint Venerable powerhouse is still human and capable of dying from suffocation, which is hardly strange...
As for why the Young Master didn't continue suppressing Zhan Xiaoxiao with earth power? There was no choice; the limit of Jun Moxie's current earth power application was exactly that.
Furthermore, if a Sovereign expert like Zhan Xiaoxiao reached the final moment of life or death, they would inevitably self-detonate their physical body. If the Young Master suppressed him with earth power, he would certainly suffer a backlash.
With Young Master Jun’s current cultivation, facing the true death throes of a Saint Venerable head-on would, even if not fatal, result in severe injury. Since Young Master Jun already had a superior plan, he would naturally never choose such a disastrous course of action!
With this breath taken in, following its path through his system, Zhan Xiaoxiao suddenly felt his body fill with boundless strength again. Zhan Xiaoxiao roared, unleashing his signature ultimate skill without reservation: the Earth-Piercing Hand!
A person's given name might be wrong, but their nickname is never mistaken! Having lived for thousands of years, Zhan Xiaoxiao felt for the first time that his moniker was truly deserved—today was the day!
In the depths of the earth, what else could this move be but the Earth-Piercing Hand? Buried so deeply, Zhan Xiaoxiao inexplicably thought of another person: the peerless figure whose fame matched his own, the Heaven-Piercing Palm!
He wondered when that fellow would finally realize that his title was truly fitting? Perhaps he would only achieve it amidst the Nine Heavens?
If so, that fellow's fate would likely be even more tragic than his own... The Earth-Piercing Hand erupted, instantly shaking the stones and shattering the earth!
Zhan Xiaoxiao blasted his way upward continuously! At this moment, he had no idea how deep he had fallen, but he estimated it was well over a hundred feet!
Such depth, even for a Saint Venerable expert, made charging straight up in one go no easy task! Relatively speaking, turning in the opposite direction meant facing undisturbed soil and rock, making escape even harder.
Thus, he chose the path of least resistance: charging straight up along the route he had fallen. Jun Moxie watched the ground tremble and shake ceaselessly, the white mist in the air churning as if boiling, a cold smile touching the corner of his lips.
Come up quickly, he thought. A much grander feast awaits you here; savor the wonderful taste of the Thunder of Heaven striking your crown!
Indeed, with an earth-shattering roar, Zhan Xiaoxiao burst forth, wrapped in an avalanche of mud and stone, truly emerging "utterly and completely" from the earth. The instant he broke through the surface, Jun Moxie distinctly saw the great 'Earth-Piercing Hand' take a massive, deep, and heartfelt breath!
Then his body shot upward like a sky-rocketing firework! As Zhan Xiaoxiao ascended, he immediately realized he was still enveloped by the dense mist!
Moreover, the fog had reached its zenith; even his sight could not penetrate it, rendering him truly blind! His first thought was to immediately escape the area covered by this thick fog!
This was the enemy’s trap; to remain here was to risk peril within the enemy's domain! So, without further deliberation, he poured all his strength into ascending toward the high skies!
Once he could break past the range covered by the mist and reach a vantage point where he could see, he could discern his direction and seize the chance to flee! At this point, Zhan Xiaoxiao no longer harbored the slightest thought of 'killing that black-robed figure'!
It wasn't that he didn't want to, but that he dared not, and could not! How could such eerie and unfathomable techniques exist in this world?
He hadn't even seen the enemy's weapons or limbs before nearly losing his life! This experience was unquestionably the most perilous of his entire life!
Any rash action now could see him buried right here! Zhan Xiaoxiao's arrogance vanished completely!
But then he realized he was wrong! The previous incident was decidedly not the most dangerous moment of his life!
Because this moment was! Upon seeing the scene before him, Zhan Xiaoxiao nearly wept!
His eyes were wide open, his face etched with shock and disbelief! It was truly unbelievable!
As he rushed upward, the dense fog finally seemed to thin slightly, and he could vaguely make out objects outside. Yet, he wished desperately he were still blind!
Because, directly before his eyes, several brilliant bolts of lightning pierced through the thick clouds above him and were racing to strike his crown! Oh, my god...
Zhan Xiaoxiao froze almost completely in terror! As a Saint Venerable expert, he was long familiar with the Thunder Tribulation, that ultimate weapon.
But even a Saint Venerable, under the pressure of the Tribulation, remained merely an ant on the ground—perhaps a slightly stronger ant at best! Zhan Xiaoxiao had no time to consider anything; he immediately gathered all his Profound Qi atop his head!
The lightning struck with incredible speed, so fast that he didn't even have time to raise his hands to defend himself... Boom!
Zhan Xiaoxiao screamed in pain, his entire body paralyzed. The black hood covering his head instantly turned to ash, his hair ribbon completely vanished, and every strand of his long hair stood stiffly on end, curling upward, pointing directly toward the heavens!