Chapter 61: The Eight-Trigram Five Elements Golden Lock Formation

Under this strike, Old Black the Black Bear’s mind stirred with a thought.

He had seen Wang Liang from the pass, the dense purple aura surrounding him immediately drawing his attention.

Were it not for the memory of his responsibility, he might have long since descended to capture and devour Wang Liang.

Now, standing before Wang Liang, Old Black’s mind flashed with a single thought: it wouldn’t take long to eliminate this guy.

Once this notion took root, like weeds it grew wildly within Old Black’s heart, until he let out a roar and lunged at Wang Liang with his raised battle-axe.

Wang Liang had already been watching Old Black’s reactions when he halted. Seeing the charge, Wang Liang swiftly turned his head, guiding his bronze warhorse to gallop towards the formation.

Old Black was a defensive type; his movement could not match that of the Mountain Boar Whale.

Yet Wang Liang did not push his bronze warhorse to its utmost speed, instead dragging Old Black forward at a steady, unhurried pace.

Soon, they reached the spot where the formation had been laid out. At this moment, Old Black sensed something was amiss. He was no fool—jumping into such an obvious trap would be an insult to bear spirits everywhere.

Just as Old Black was about to turn and leave, a massive claw suddenly reached out from behind.

The claw seized the two-meter-tall Old Black and forcefully hurled him forward, flinging him directly into the formation.

Unlike when he had jumped in himself, Old Black landed face-first, triggering part of the formation’s power.

Before setting the formation, Wang Liang had discussed with the Master of the Distant Mountain Temple the necessity of controlling Old Black to defeat him.

Thus, the Master had deployed his most formidable array—the Eight Trigrams Five Elements Golden Lock Formation.

Though fundamentally simple, this array wielded the power of the Five Elements and Eight Trigrams to confine the enemy.

Lacking lethal force, it was instead the perfect means to conceal troops.

The thousand soldiers were there both to extend the formation’s reach and to blend seamlessly within it.

As the formation’s base, they could move only along the ground inside the array; unless two hundred or more were killed, the formation would remain unbroken.

The sixty-four players and experts previously mentioned were the key to the formation’s variations. The Master of the Distant Mountain Temple controlled their movements through command flags.

At this moment, the participating players found themselves immersed in a strange experience.

Before their eyes lay a vast fog, and each had received a specific target.

The Master’s sole instruction was simple: when a bubble-like object appeared before them, act according to its color.

If red, attack with weapons; if green, inject as much mana into it as possible—just transform the bubble to white.

The players understood this was a system simplification; otherwise, the theoretical complexity of the array would have overwhelmed them.

While the players’ tasks were simplified, the Eight Trigrams Five Elements Golden Lock Formation was anything but simple.

Once Old Black was forced inside, the nearby players and experts saw the bubble before them turn green, prompting them to rapidly infuse it with their mana.

As they did, numerous tree stumps sprouted around Old Black.

From all directions, the stumps thrust upward, pinning all four of Old Black’s limbs to the ground.

Old Black roared, struggling to rise, but a log suddenly fell from above, striking his head.

The blow knocked him unconscious, yet the log did not stop; more fell relentlessly.

Each strike landed precisely atop his head. Under the onslaught, Old Black’s eyes reddened.

He twisted his head, trying to dodge the increasing barrage of logs, but no matter how he turned, each log found its mark.

Finally, in fury, Old Black exerted his waist forcefully, lunging forward. To his surprise, he pulled his hands free from the wooden restraints.

Reaching out, he grasped for his black battle-axe lying nearby.

But just as his fingers closed around it, a white whip-like shadow flashed past, striking the axe and sending it flying.

Old Black had not expected this; he tried to muster strength to rise and reclaim his weapon, but the white whip already struck his face.

The blow felt as if a heavy object had collided with his head, its force clearly greater than the previous logs.

Old Black realized the attacker wielded strength no less than his own.

Crucially, he could tell where the logs came from, allowing him to mitigate some damage.

But the source of the white whip was unknown; he could only adjust his movements as it was about to strike.

This left him unable to deflect the attack’s full force.

Moreover, Old Black sensed the white whip was just the beginning; other attacks were surely coming.

His intuition proved correct.

Following the white whip, several long arrows shot forth, scattering around him.

Recognizing it as a test volley, Old Black clasped his head with both hands, bending his body forward to shield himself, turning his back skyward.

In the next instant, a hail of arrows descended, all striking the area Old Black occupied.

Had he not ducked, the arrows would have pierced his face.

Now, with his back turned and hands guarding his head, the arrows embedded in his back.

With a slight muscle twitch, Old Black caused them all to fall out.

He then grasped the wooden stakes pinning his legs, attempting to pull them free.

But at that moment, numerous weapons suddenly thrust from the surrounding mist.

Each weapon could strike a vital spot, forcing Old Black to defend desperately.

Amidst the chaos, the previously vanished white whip struck again, this time from behind, lashing Old Black’s back.

The blow tore open his flesh, leaving a massive bloody gash, and knocked him once more to the ground.