Chapter 1656: Trapping a High-Level True Immortal With Formations

When Hou Xingfeng died and Gu Yi failed in his schemes against Shang Xia, did Gao Qin realize she had been abandoned.

She had considered fleeing beyond the heavenly screen of the Spirit Luxuriant World or hiding in the Northern Sea Elysium. However, she quickly realized that the heavenly screen was sealed, and she didn’t dare to force her way out.

As for returning to the Northern Sea Elysium... Or the Eternal Palace or the Divine Capital Elysiums, Gao Qin knew that it would be completely pointless.

Especially after Shang Xia mysteriously defeated Gu Yi’s schemes, she suspected that the 3 great Elysiums would have likely switched alliances. Seeking refuge with her injuries would be no different from walking straight into a trap.

Despite the vastness of the Spirit Luxuriant World, Gao Qin knew that there was nowhere for her to go.

As she wandered casually around the border of the You Continent, she discovered that she had arrived at the border between the You Continent and the Bing Continent.

The Bing Continent was also under the influence of the Tongyou Institution, and because of its proximity to Youzhou, the Institution had a deeply entrenched presence there.

"Why have I come here?" Gao Qin was startled and quickly gathered her scattered thoughts.

She was not ignorant about the Tongyou Institution, and given the need for caution while in foreign territory, how could she accidentally step into the domain of the Tongyou Institution that covered both continents?

Even though her combat strength was severely reduced, she shouldn’t have let her guard down...

Gao Qin quickly focused and looked around, her brows soon furrowing. "An illusion?"

As Gao Qin reactivated her domain, the surrounding scenery was easily dispelled, revealing its true form.

She turned around suddenly and sent a punch at the nearby mountain.

Despite her injuries, her punch was still powerful, tearing through the surrounding void.

However, as the void shook, the force of Gao Qin's punch was dissipated, merely causing the mountain to tremble and a few rocks to fall.

At the previously empty mountain peak, a middle-aged cultivator with grey hair stood up. After staggering a few steps, he quickly retreated behind the mountain.

"Grand completion stage of the Martial Dipper Realm... Did my injuries already weaken me to such an extent that I can’t even fend off an illusion of someone in the Martial Dipper Realm?”

Gao Qin muttered to herself, then decided to retreat. However, she faintly felt as if she had fallen into a trap.

Out of caution, Gao Qin did not immediately flee but instead punched the ground.

With a thunderous blast, the ground, the mountain, and the surrounding void all trembled. Runes flashed as everything around her absorbed the force of her punch before fading away.

Gao Qin's expression grew serious, but she felt a strange relief as if a longstanding worry had finally settled.

Now that she had cast aside her last distraction, Gao Qin was able to calmly examine the grand formation that trapped her. She quickly discovered that the formation she had been trapped in had already reached the sixth rank!

It was no secret to Gao Qin that the Tongyou Institution had a rank six Formation Grandmaster.

The head of the Tongyou Institution's Formation Hall, Chu Jia, was known alongside Shang Xia as one of the two great rank six Grandmasters of the You Continent.

What Gao Qin hadn't expected was that Chu Jia's skill had reached such heights that she was able to set up a rank six formation capable of trapping her at the border between the You Continent and Bing Continent.

Although Gao Qin's strength was greatly reduced by her injuries, her divine soul and judgment abilities remained unaffected. Trapping her with a temporary formation was not an easy task.

After a short moment of contemplation, Gao Qin looked around and called out loudly, "Grandmaster Chu Jia, are you here? Greetings.”

Footsteps suddenly came from behind her, and as she turned around, she saw Chu Jia emerging from behind a hill. "Yes, I am. True Immortal Gao Qin, the situation is clear, your invasion failed and your schemes have fallen through. You might as well surrender.”

Gao Qin's figure disappeared from the spot, and when she reappeared, she was already close to Chu Jia. The runes flickering around were brutally torn apart by her last burst of strength, exposing Chu Jia completely.

She reached out to grab Chu Jia's throat, her tone cold. "You think I should surrender? You are not qualified!"

Even though Chu Jia looked defenseless, she wasn’t flustered in the slightest. There was even a mocking smile on her face as she looked at Gao Qin reaching for her.

Gao Qin felt a sense of foreboding but did not hesitate. She continued to grab at Chu Jia.

𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

Too bad for her, Gao Qin failed to catch the Formation Grandmaster as Chu Jia vanished from her sight.

At the same time, Chu Jia reappeared on a mountain peak nearby. She stood beside the middle-aged cultivator who had fled earlier when Gao Qin dispelled the illusion.

"Let me make the introductions. This is Yin Wanxiang, the leader of the Five Mountains Alliance in the Bing Continent. The reason we were able to lay down the formation so quickly is because of the institution’s longstanding preparations and the cooperation with Master Yin, a master of illusions." Chu Jia explained.

Yin Wanxiang nodded and smiled at Gao Qin, who was trapped in the formation.

"Heh!" Gao Qin scoffed with a mix of self-derision and reluctance, "A phoenix that has lost its feathers is inferior to a chicken, but you 2 think you can capture me? You’re dreaming!”

"How about with a few more of us?" Ge Qingzhu’s voice came from behind her as Dou Zhong and Zhu Nang appeared alongside him.

Gao Qin glanced at the trio with disdain. "What a joke. You’re just lucky I’m injured. Otherwise, who do you think you are?”

Dou Zhong snorted angrily while Zhu Nang patted his belly indifferently. Ge Qingzhu smiled and mumbled, "True Immortal Gao's cultivation and combat strength are highly praised even by True Immortal Shang. Under normal circumstances, we 3 indeed do not qualify to confront you. However, aren’t you also lucky he isn’t able to deal with you himself? In a clash between worlds, we all have our own side to stand on. True Immortal Gao, your way of speaking is somewhat inappropriate!”

Caught off guard, Gao Qin could only respond with a cold hum, choosing to ignore further conversation.

It seemed she had realized that the Tongyou Institution did not intend to kill her, and while trapped in the formation, Gao Qin did not seem resigned to death but appeared to be elevating her own worth through the ordeal.

The next second, everyone who had surrounded her seemed to receive an order as they left in unison.

Gao Qin felt an inexplicable panic, her previously calm and defiant demeanor flashing with a trace of confusion.

"Do you still have any relatives, disciples, or followers in the Essence Ming World?” A familiar voice suddenly came from behind Gao Qin.

She spun around, only to realize that Shang Xia's External Avatar had appeared behind her without her noticing. Cold sweat soaked her back.

"You..." Gao Qin looked suspiciously at the External Avatar, sensing a qualitative change in its aura. "Did your avatar grow stronger?!”

Shang Xia’s External Avatar smiled. "Thanks to Gu Yi, I was fortunate to survive, thus gaining a little benefit in the process."