"What just happened?" Ye Qingchen’s face was filled with surprise. All of this had occurred in the blink of an eye; it was over before he could even react. Just as he was about to investigate, Zi Xing had already fully recovered and was getting to her feet. He quickly leaped out of the pit and rushed to her side.

Seeing the lively and energetic Ye Qingchen, Zi Xing marveled at his extraordinary recovery abilities but still asked with concern, "Junior Brother Ye, what should we do next?"

At this point, Zi Xing was completely out of ideas and found herself hanging on his every word. Even she hadn’t realized it. She had always been the backbone of the team during excursions, both within her family and at the Central Celestial Academy. But now, after teaming up with Ye Qingchen, Zi Xing discovered that not only was her combat prowess inferior to his, but her judgment and analytical skills were also a step below.

Ye Qingchen smiled reassuringly. "Sister Zi Xing, just wait and watch the show. I will reclaim everything we’ve lost, bit by bit!"

Zi Xing nodded. Although she didn’t know how Ye Qingchen planned to get them out of their current predicament, his words calmed her nerves. She was also beginning to understand Xiao Xiao’s infatuation with him.

Just then, Feng Yuan came running from a distance. Seeing that Ye Qingchen and Zi Xing still had the heart for idle banter, he burst out laughing. "HAHAHA! I didn’t expect you to have killed all the Boulder Demon Apes already. But our Young Master Wang is kind-hearted! He was afraid you wouldn’t have enough points, so he specially had me bring you more Spirit Beasts. Why don’t you hurry up and thank him!"

Ye Qingchen and Zi Xing then saw what he meant. Following not far behind Feng Yuan were two Purple Lightning Breakthrough Civets, each standing about half as tall as a man. These Spirit Beasts were capable of matching a human at the Peak of the Martial King Realm. Their unpredictable attacks, coupled with their mutated Lightning Attribute, made them exceedingly difficult to handle.

As Feng Yuan was needed to activate the formation, Wang Teng had specifically instructed him to lure the nearest Spirit Beast. However, he had also warned Feng Yuan to only bring one to avoid unnecessary danger. But Wang Teng could not comprehend the depths of Feng Yuan’s hatred for Ye Qingchen. Although he knew Ye Qingchen was doomed, Feng Yuan wanted nothing more than to see him die with his own eyes—ideally, after Ye Qingchen begged desperately for his life. Therefore, disregarding all warnings, Feng Yuan had lured two Purple Lightning Breakthrough Civets, hoping to drive Ye Qingchen into a hopeless situation before Wang Teng and the others returned.

Ye Qingchen didn’t respond to Feng Yuan’s mockery. Instead, his gaze was fixed intently on the two Purple Lightning Breakthrough Civets. Seeing the grave expression on Ye Qingchen’s face, Zi Xing, who understood the civets’ power, grew even more nervous. Their reactions only made Feng Yuan swell with pride. He began to fantasize about Ye Qingchen being tortured by the two civets into a pitiable state, kneeling and begging him to spare his life. Feng Yuan decided then and there that he would reject Ye Qingchen’s pleas without hesitation, letting him die in despair in the jaws of the Purple Lightning Breakthrough Civets.

Unable to hide the excitement on his face, Feng Yuan strode resolutely into the trapping formation. The Purple Lightning Breakthrough Civets’ animosity was fixed entirely on him, unlike the Boulder Demon Apes, so they wouldn’t attack Ye Qingchen and Zi Xing. Feng Yuan’s plan was to enter the formation, escape as quickly as possible, and leave the two civets trapped inside, allowing him to reap the rewards with ease. But in his excitement, Feng Yuan failed to notice the cold smile that touched Ye Qingchen’s lips the moment he stepped inside.

The very instant Feng Yuan entered the formation, Ye Qingchen grabbed Zi Xing’s hand. Exploiting a weakness he had just discovered, he flashed out of the trap with her in tow. Immediately after, Ye Qingchen’s fingers flew as he formed a series of Seal Formulas, and the trapping formation began to change rapidly.

Feng Yuan was still being pursued by the two Purple Lightning Breakthrough Civets. He saw Ye Qingchen and Zi Xing escape but had no time for shock. His only thought was to get out of the formation as fast as possible, as he stood no chance against the two beasts. But no matter what Seal Formulas he tried, the formation remained unresponsive to his control; he couldn’t find the exit. By then, with their path obstructed by the formation, the two Purple Lightning Breakthrough Civets had caught up to him. Feng Yuan was forced to abandon any hope of breaking the formation and focus all his energy on fending off their attacks.

Standing outside the trapping formation hand in hand with Ye Qingchen, Zi Xing’s delicate, fair face was a mask of astonishment. She had no idea what had just happened, but in a flash, their roles had been completely reversed. She looked at Ye Qingchen with a puzzled expression, hoping for an explanation. He just smiled and said, "Actually, I’m also an Array Master."

Ye Qingchen didn’t say he was a first-rank Array Master, but in Zi Xing’s eyes, anyone capable of breaking a fourth-rank trapping formation had to be at least a fourth-rank Array Master themselves. She was once again completely stunned by him.

Combat abilities comparable to the Peak of the Martial King Realm, a sixth-rank Pill King, and at least a fourth-rank Array Master. Any one of these identities would be enough to brand someone as young as Ye Qingchen an unprecedented prodigy. Yet now, all three were embodied in him alone.

Is Ye Qingchen even human? How could one person possibly have enough energy to cultivate so exceptionally in so many different fields? And to think, such a remarkable talent was almost eliminated during the academy entrance exams. That Headmaster of Duanjin Academy, Wang Tong, must have had his brain kicked by a donkey.

Facing Zi Xing’s amazement, Ye Qingchen simply smiled and waved a hand. "Sister Zi Xing, now isn’t the time to discuss this. Let’s just enjoy the show. We can finally experience what it feels like to be the fisherman reaping the rewards."

Zi Xing understood his meaning and nodded with a smile. The frustration from having their points stolen had already lifted considerably.

Meanwhile, Feng Yuan, trapped inside the formation, was in dire straits. With his skills and the help of a low-grade treasure, he might have stood a chance against a single Purple Lightning Breakthrough Civet. However, facing a siege from two of them, he was completely outmatched. Still, Feng Yuan clung to a sliver of hope. As long as he could hold out until Wang Teng and the others arrived, he was sure they would save him.

Just then, another disciple from Duanjin Academy came running over, luring another Spirit Beast at the Peak of the Martial King Realm. The disciple was confused. According to the plan, Feng Yuan should have already led the Spirit Beast to Ye Qingchen and Zi Xing by now. So why was he fighting two of them all by himself?

The disciple shouted at him, "Brother Feng Yuan, stop playing around! Open the trapping formation and let me in!"