Chapter 97 The Fisherman Reaps the Benefit? A Cunning Mantis Waits for the Cicada! (Bonus Chapter with Nutrient Solution) ...

Han Wuyue: "Gather everyone and set off for Wohu Ridge."

The ten people quickly flew towards Crouching Tiger Ridge.

On the way to Wohu Ridge, Song Yin recounted what had happened.

The group arrived at Crouching Tiger Ridge, but stopped around there.

Han Wuyue scanned the area from the air. “This place is not right. It’s different from when Huang Chong and I first came here. The Heavenly Spirit Fruit should be growing in the forest on this mountain below us, but it’s all bare and there are no plants to be seen.”

Huang Chong made a hand seal with his fingertips and cast a simple spell downwards, but the spell did not move when it reached the top of the mountain.

"Wohu Ridge has been set up with an array. To get in, you have to set up an array yourself. I am a magic cultivator, and I only know a little bit about arrays. I can't even be considered an expert, let alone an expert."

Han Wuyue was anxious inside, but her face remained impassive. She looked through her fellow disciples; they were all sword cultivators, then two alchemists and one talisman cultivator. The sect leader should send another disciple from the Spirit Array Peak!

Shi Heming wanted to step forward and try to break the formation, but before he could, he needed to figure out what the formation underneath was.

Song Yin caught a glimpse of Shi Heming's restless movements out of the corner of her eye, grabbed Shi Heming's arm, and gave him a wink when Shi Heming looked over.

Let's wait a little longer.

A commotion came from afar. Huang Chong spread his divine sense and said, "Someone else is coming. The leader is not a sect disciple. It seems that a group of rogue cultivators have gathered here."

The spiritual energy at Crouching Tiger Ridge below was frequently erupting, and all ten people in the high sky could feel it.

Han Wuyue: "There's a battle going on down there, but because of the formation, we can't see the specifics. Let's not go down rashly."

Five rogue cultivators flew over quickly, and upon seeing ten people in the air, they all stopped flying.

The leader of the independent cultivators stepped forward to talk.

"Fellow Daoists, why are you all standing up there and not coming down?"

Of the five rogue cultivators, only one was in the late Golden Core stage, while the rest were in the Foundation Establishment stage. Han Wuyue made her judgment. "An array has been set up below. None of us are array cultivators, so we are being kept outside."

The leader of the rogue cultivators noticed the three large characters "Xianxiao Sect" on Han Wuyue's identity tag at his waist, and a sense of vigilance immediately arose in his heart.

Among the remaining four rogue cultivators, a female cultivator stepped forward and said, "Brother Dong, I am an array cultivator. Let me give it a try."

After pondering for a moment, Dong Ge, the leader of the scattered cultivators, nodded almost imperceptibly.

Without saying a word, the female cultivator rushed straight down.

Song Yin and the others watched helplessly as the female cultivator, after descending to a certain altitude, vanished without a trace before she could break the formation.

A group of people waited upstairs for more than ten minutes, but there was no further movement from below.

The leader of the rogue cultivators, Dong Ge, frowned and took out a communication talisman to contact the female cultivator.

The result was obvious: the message disappeared without a trace.

Shi Heming searched his mind for the names and effects of various formations, and combined this with the spell he had just used and the people who had rushed down. Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck him, and he knew what kind of formation was below.

The Prisoner's Beast Trapping Formation is a fourth-order formation that can only be cast by a Nascent Soul level cultivator. Once set up, the formation allows entry but not exit; as the name suggests, anything that enters is trapped within it.

There were fluctuations of spiritual energy from the battle below. The female rogue cultivator was only at the Foundation Establishment stage, and she would likely face dire consequences if she went in.

Shi Heming: "Senior Sister Han, what is the strongest demon beast in Crouching Tiger Ridge?"

Han Wuyue: "When we came to investigate a few days ago, we discovered traces of a Nascent Soul level demon beast escaping."

For a Nascent Soul level demon beast to escape, there must be either a demon beast of a higher level than Nascent Soul or a cultivator of a higher level than Nascent Soul. Either way, it would be extremely disadvantageous for them.

"Brother Dong, what should we do? Should we go down?" one of the rogue cultivators asked.

The rogue cultivator Dong Ge gritted his teeth and said, "Next, we can't let Xiao Zhu disappear without a trace."

Song Yin and the others watched as the remaining four rogue cultivators all rushed down.

Wang Miao from Wujian Peak said, "Should we send a few people down to scout the situation? Judging from the current situation, perhaps the formation below will teleport people away, or it may just be a trick. After we go down, we will reach the vicinity of the Heavenly Spirit Fruit."

"No." Shi Heming directly rejected Wang Miao's suggestion.

Han Wuyue asked Shi Heming, "Why?" In fact, Wang Miao's suggestion was her plan, and in order to protect everyone's safety, she planned to go down and scout the situation first.

Shi Heming: "The situation just now made me recognize the formation below. It's a fourth-order formation that only cultivators at the lowest Nascent Soul level can set up. It's called the Prisoner's Beast Trapping Formation. Once we go in, we'll be trapped inside and unable to get out."

Only in, no out? Song Yin's thoughts raced. "Could someone have set up an array to lure people in, trapping them inside to fight monsters, so that the snipe and the clam fight while the fisherman benefits?"

"As Senior Sister Han just said, there are Nascent Soul level demonic beasts in Crouching Tiger Mountain. If people and demonic beasts are trapped in one space and both are injured, it will be a good opportunity for a third party to take the Heavenly Spirit Fruit."

Huang Chong: "Song Yin makes a good point, and I don't recommend sending anyone down either."

Han Wuyue: "We can't go in or we can't go out. Does anyone have a good solution?"

Song Yin parted her lips slightly and uttered a single word, "Wait."

"wait?"

Song Yin: "Let's find a place to hide and wait. Since the person who set up the formation is hiding in the shadows, why don't we hide in the shadows too? The formation only allows entry and not exit. Once the formation is dispelled, the third party can go and take the Heavenly Spirit Fruit, and then we can appear and steal it."

"They reap the benefits without lifting a finger, while we can also be the ones to profit from the chaos."

Han Wuyue looked at the others: "Is there any other way? If not, we'll do as Song Yin said."

The others remained silent.

Xiao Daiheng: "Senior sister, Song Yin's method is excellent, I support it."

Han Wuyue: "Huang Chong and I had already explored the surrounding environment. There is a Guyun Cliff near Wohu Ridge, which is just higher than Wohu Ridge. We hid on Guyun Cliff, and from that distance, we could observe every part of Wohu Ridge with our divine sense."

Everyone agreed and wanted to fly towards the lone cloud.

Huang Chong: "Wait, let's go back the way we came, and then circle around to Guyun Cliff. Since we're going to hide, we can't let the strategists in the shadows discover our tracks, lest the enemy see through our intentions."

...

In the dense forest not far from the foot of Wohu Ridge, four people were hiding in the trees.

"Why did those kids from the Immortal Cloud Sect come back the way they came?"

"I guess they saw Elder Mo's formation and didn't dare to go down, hahaha!"

"Stop laughing. Han Wuyue, who came in second in the sword cultivator competition at the Xuan Tian Tournament, is here too. She's a direct disciple of the inner sect of the Xianxiao Sect, and I bet the people around her are also direct disciples. They'll go back and say they're being cautious. Wait until they call their respective masters here, then let's see if you can still laugh."

"You're praising someone as timid as cautious. Our Ten Thousand Swords Sect is different; every disciple is brave and never a coward."

"Quiet down, quiet down, someone else is coming. By the way, have you all driven the demonic beasts into the formation?"

"One Nascent Soul level demon beast has disappeared, and the rest of the stronger ones have been captured."

The four stood scattered on the tree trunk, using the leaves to conceal their figures and their presence, so that no one passing by would notice them in the tree.

Some birds landed on the branches, while others landed on the four people's shoulders, their minds quick and alert as they looked around.

The sky changed from bright to dark, and then from dark to bright again, repeating this cycle for two days, but they did not see any trace of the Immortal Cloud Sect disciples returning.

Quite a few others arrived; some attempted to break the formation, some rushed in recklessly, and others, like the disciples of the Immortal Firmament Sect, lingered in the air for a while before turning back.

"The disciples of the Northern Continent Heavenly Stem Sect have all rushed in, why haven't the disciples of the Immortal Firmament Sect arrived yet?"

"I don't know, but I do know that the Heavenly Spirit Fruit will ripen today," said Elder Mo of Spirit Sword Peak. He had set up the formation, so he could naturally see everything happening within it. "However, there have been too many people coming these past few days. I suspect that the news about the Heavenly Spirit Fruit has spread throughout Jade Capital City."

"Elder Mo, what's the situation inside?"

Elder Mo: "The situation of those who went in is not optimistic. Many of the powerful demonic beasts have died or been injured. However, this situation is advantageous to us."

"Is someone inside trying to break the formation?"

"Yes, but they all failed." Elder Mo's tone carried a hint of pride. Although he was not a sword cultivator, he was able to stand out in the Myriad Swords Sect, which was full of sword cultivators, because of his superb array formation skills.

"When the time is almost up, dispel the formation and then go and seize the Heavenly Spirit Fruit."

At the summit of Guyun Cliff, Song Yin and her group each found an open space to sit down, and in order not to be discovered, they did not even light a fire.

Han Wuyue: "Four people rushed out of the woods at the foot of Wohu Ridge."

One sentence jolted everyone present awake.

Han Wuyue then said, "The formation disappeared, and I can see the forest on the mountaintop."

Huang Chong was the first to stand up, "Prepare to fight at any time to seize the fruit." He also used his divine sense to cover the top of Wohu Ridge opposite, which was shocking.

The scene at the summit can only be described as horrific!

Many trees were broken and lay scattered on the ground, and pools of blood stained the soil red. Among the fallen corpses were those of demonic beasts and cultivators.

The remaining cultivators were still fighting. Without the cover of the formation, the radiance of the ripe Heavenly Spirit Fruit was dazzling even in the daytime!

Song Yin followed behind the group, gripping her spirit sword tightly.

Han Wuyue said to the four Golden Core cultivators who were not sword cultivators: "Since you are not sword cultivators, your combat strength is ultimately weaker. Be sure to pay attention to safety. If you can't win, run away."

Wang Miao and Gan Zhirou were speechless. Was Song Yin's combat strength weak? Then who exactly was fighting on par with their senior brother, Shen Yuzhu?

Xiao Daiheng and Wu Jue glanced at Song Yin and Shi Heming, then glanced at them again, and then glanced at them once more. These two were capable of killing Nascent Soul cultivators, yet their senior sister said their combat strength was weak?

Song Yin, Shi Heming, and Lü Ziya indicated that they understood.

Bian Yuanling: "I have many magical artifacts, and besides, I am already in the late stage of the Golden Core realm. Add me to the list."

Han Wuyue: "Okay."

Shi Heming took out several stacks of talismans. "I also draw talismans on a regular basis. Each of you can have one stack of these talismans."

The others were stunned by Shi Heming's single move; they had never seen anyone take out so many stacks of talismans before!

Huang Chong: "On a side note, if I may ask, do you never fail at drawing talismans? How long would it take to draw so many?"

It wasn't a complete failure, but Shi Heming knew the success rate of other talisman cultivators in drawing talismans. After thinking for a moment, he said, "I'm the same as everyone else, but I was in seclusion before coming to Jade Capital City. These are the talismans I drew during those years of seclusion."

They didn't stand on ceremony and each took a stack of talismans.

Bian Yuanling handed Song Yin and Shi Heming each a storage bag, but Song Yin's storage bag was obviously more advanced and contained more things.

"These are all things Xia Xining asked me to give to you."

The two fell silent upon seeing the storage bag, especially Song Yin, who knew exactly what was inside.

A storage bag-shaped magical artifact? Sister, you're amazing!

Han Wuyue: "There are three Heavenly Spirit Fruits that will ripen in total. We aim for at least two and strive for at least three."

After saying that, they skipped the battle and rushed towards the Heavenly Spirit Fruit, including Xiao Daiheng and Wu Jue.

Song Yin: Holy crap, you Lingpo Peak sword cultivators are really fierce, you just robbed them by force!!

Song Yin asked the two sword cultivators from Wujian Peak, "Why aren't you going?"

Gan Zhirou said irritably, "We wanted to too, but it's all because of you!"

Wang Miao's tone was icy: "Our senior brother told us to take good care of you."

No wonder the two of them always look at me whenever they're together; it turns out it was Senior Brother Shen's doing.

Within the time it takes to say two sentences, the men below had all started fighting.

The disciples of the Heavenly Stems Sect, who had persevered through several days of fighting, felt an increased sense of pressure upon seeing the four newly appeared individuals. Three of them effortlessly trapped them all, while the remaining one calmly walked towards the Heavenly Spirit Fruit.

"Stop! Those are our Heavenly Spirit Fruits!" said a disciple of the Heavenly Stem Sect, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth as he withstood the attack.

"What is unclaimed belongs to the capable," Elder Mo, who was attacking them, said with a chuckle.

Just when the Wanjian Sect elders thought they had the Heavenly Spirit Fruits in hand, a figure darted out, bypassed them, and directly picked three ripe Heavenly Spirit Fruits.

Elder of the Ten Thousand Swords Sect: !

An overwhelming pressure was released.

"How dare you, you brat, steal my Heavenly Spirit Fruit!"

Han Wuyue withstood the pressure, and at the same time, she also released the pressure belonging to the Nascent Soul stage. The two pressures collided and fought against each other!

"Elders of the Ten Thousand Swords Sect?" Han Wuyue recognized the four people.

Huang Chong then landed next to Han Wuyue.

The elder of the Ten Thousand Swords Sect frowned: "So you've been here all along. All our scheming for days has been in vain, and today you've reaped the rewards! You're just two Nascent Soul cultivators, while three of us are Nascent Soul sword cultivators. Did you really think you could leave Crouching Tiger Ridge unscathed?"

"And us too." Xiao Daiheng and his men caught up and assumed attack stances.

"You're all sword cultivators? Very well, let me see whether your Immortal Firmament Sect's swordsmanship is superior or our Myriad Swords Sect's swordsmanship is superior. Don't go back to your master crying if you lose."

The situation was critical; the disciples of the Immortal Firmament Sect were actually at a disadvantage. Although there were four opponents, apart from Elder Mo, who was at the Nascent Soul stage, the other three were all Nascent Soul stage sword cultivators!

Song Yin stopped herself abruptly, called to her master Heming, and turned to leave.

Gan Zhirou scolded her in exasperation, "What kind of sword cultivator deserts in the face of battle! We sword cultivators will never back down, no matter how strong the enemy is!"

Sister, those are Nascent Soul stage cultivators, even more powerful than Nascent Soul cultivators. Didn't you see that even Han Wuyue, who always had a stern and expressionless face, became serious?

Song Yin: "I'm sorry, I'm a Dan Xiu."

Shi Heming followed Song Yin's rhythm closely, saying, "I am a talisman cultivator."

Gan Zhirou went berserk: "...Ahhh!"

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Author's Note: [20 small red envelopes will be given away in this chapter [kiss]]

I didn't expect the nutrient solution count to reach 1000 so quickly. Luckily, I stayed up all night to write the bonus chapter, and the word count is rounded up to 4000. [Sunglasses]

Song Yin: I am Danxiu. [Glasses]

A regular disciple of Wujian Peak: Say to your sword, what are you?

Song Yin: I am a Danxiu (a type of cultivator). [Pitiful]

Ordinary disciple of Wujian Peak: Aaaaaah! (Frustrated)

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[Empty bowl]