The fairy forced me to marry into her family, so I retorted by throwing myself into the Pool of Fate

The following day, it was drizzling.

The sky was overcast and gray, like a piece of old, rotten cloth that could drip water if you wrung it out.

The market was shrouded in rain and mist, and the eaves and streets were all wet.

Water droplets trickled down the cracks in the tiles, making soft, pattering sounds as they hit the bluestone slabs.

At this moment, the cultivators from each area have taken their positions.

At the foot of the east gate wall, Mu Jizhou stood with his hands behind his back, with more than a hundred people behind him.

After yesterday's discipline, this rabble finally started to behave, at least they stopped whispering to each other while standing.

But upon closer inspection, clues can still be discerned.

Some people's hands trembled as they gripped the ritual implements, some people's Adam's apples bobbed, and some people's eyes darted around, constantly glancing behind them.

Raindrops pattered on their faces; no one spoke, and the atmosphere was somewhat oppressive.

Suddenly, a figure rushed in from outside the east gate.

The figure staggered, splashing water as it stepped through the puddles.

He was shirtless, with a foot-long gash on his back, the skin and flesh turned inside out, revealing the white spine underneath.

Blood gushed from the wound, but instead of flowing onto the ground, it transformed into threads that stretched outwards for several feet, penetrating deep into the rain and mist.

The cultivators at the East Gate were alerted.

"Who is it?"

"stop!"

"alert!"

Shouts rose from all sides, magical artifacts were unsheathed, talismans lit up, and a group of people scattered and surrounded the blood-soaked figure.

Some people had already placed their fingers on the talisman, waiting only for a command to activate it.

Mu Jizhou raised his hand and pressed it down.

"Quiet."

His voice wasn't loud, but the lingering power of yesterday's kick still lingered, and everyone immediately fell silent.

Mu Jizhou walked up to the figure, his gaze first falling on the back of the man.

A blood-red thread extended from the wound, plunging into the depths of the rain and mist, like a slender red rope, taut and straight.

Mu Jizhou followed the silk thread and looked into the rain and mist.

As the rain and mist swelled, a blurry outline gradually became clear.

The person stood out of thin air, stepping on the rain and mist, wearing a pair of black boots.

Above that was a pair of shorts, and above that, a blue robe with the cuffs wet from the rain, clinging to the arms.

Further up, there were no heads, only a skull.

His skin was white, and two green flames flickered eerily in his eye sockets in the rain and mist.

Mu Jizhou's expression changed, and he immediately took out a talisman.

With a surge of magical power, a beam of spiritual light shot into the sky.

"A skeleton!"

"They're here! They're really here!"

"..."

The cultivators at the East Gate were in an uproar and retreated in all directions.

Mu Jizhou didn't turn around, and said in a deep voice, "Everyone to your positions, and send messages to the people in charge of each side."

As soon as he finished speaking, the Mu family disciples behind him immediately took out communication talismans, and beams of spiritual light rose into the sky, spreading the message.

People in all directions of the market area who received the news began to move.

At the North Gate, an old man with a white beard suddenly stood up and slammed his hand on the table.

"Get on the wall, all of you, quick!"

His followers surged out in a rush.

Ximen, a middle-aged female cultivator holding a whisk, her face calm, turned to her son and said, "Take your brother and leave, leave now."

The boy was about to say something when she glared at him, shutting him up.

"Walk."

At the south gate, a shirtless, burly man carrying a heavy sword the size of a door sneered, "Damn it, they're finally here. If we had waited any longer, I would have grown hair."

The people in charge from all sides were either as excited as burly men or as somber as female cultivators, but none of them hesitated.

As the orders were passed down, the cultivators in each region dispersed under the leadership of their respective leaders and found their places.

Meanwhile, the array master Yuan Sheng sat in a small hut.

The room was small, and the walls were covered with dense array patterns that shimmered with spiritual light.

Before him was a stone platform, on which was embedded a millstone-sized array plate. The array plate had layers of light patterns, which was the main control of the Earth-Defending Tortoise Shell Array.

Yuan Sheng closed his eyes, his hands pressed on the array plate, and remained motionless.

His apprentice, Mu Heng, stood to the side, his face somewhat pale.

The young man's hands were trembling when he received the message, but after glancing at his master, he swallowed back the question that was about to come out.

Yuan Sheng opened his eyes and asked, "Scared?"

Mu Heng was taken aback for a moment, then nodded obediently.

Yuan Sheng's lips twitched: "Being afraid is the right thing to do. Only by being afraid can you survive."

After saying that, he pressed his hands down sharply, and the array patterns in the entire room lit up at the same time.

Inside another room in the market.

Mu Zhihe sat cross-legged on the futon, his magical power slowly circulating around him.

He had been adjusting his breathing, but upon hearing the noise, he opened his eyes and slowly got up.

At the same time, at the highest point of the market.

Mu Fangxu stood on the roof of a three-story pavilion, rainwater flowing down the eaves and hitting his feet.

He stood with his hands behind his back, his robes fluttering in the wind, his gaze piercing through the rain and mist, looking towards the east gate.

Two disciples of the Mu family stood behind him, one holding a communication talisman and the other holding a market layout map.

"Master, reports from all sides indicate that they are in position."

Throughout the market town, cultivators sprang into action.

Some ran around shouting, some lined up in formation, some climbed onto rooftops, and some retreated into alleys.

In an instant, the sounds of footsteps, commands, and the drawing of magical artifacts mingled together, making the entire market town feel like a pot of boiling water.

At that moment, Li Ping had just finished changing the bandages for Mu Ming and the other person.

Hearing the commotion, he frowned, turned around and walked out of the house, then leaped onto the roof.

He looked around and saw that all the forces were in place, but he did not see any skeletons.

Suddenly, a deep, rumbling sound came from underground.

The tiles slid down with a clatter, the windows rattled, and even the bluestone slabs at the base of the wall seemed to vibrate slightly.

The entire market town began to tremble, as if some enormous creature was turning over underground.

In the streets and alleys, someone cried out in surprise.

"An earthquake?"

"It's not an earthquake, it's a massive formation."

"The grand formation has been activated."

Before the words were finished, a beam of earth-yellow light shot into the sky from the direction of the dock.

The beam of light, about ten feet thick, shot straight into the sky, dispersing most of the surrounding rain and mist, and tearing a huge hole in the gray sky.

Immediately afterwards, a second light shone from the center of the market, then a third, a fourth...

One thousand two hundred array nodes were activated one after another, and beams of earth-yellow light rose and fell, as if someone had lit one thousand two hundred lamps on the ground.

The rays of light converged above the market, coalescing into an enormous yellow orb that hovered in mid-air, resembling a golden sun.

Immediately afterwards, the ball of light suddenly split in two.

Part of it fell downwards, transforming into a layer of earthen-yellow light that enveloped the entire market.

The light shield was thick and heavy, with tortoise shell patterns faintly visible on it, each piece of the tortoise shell shimmering with spiritual light.

The other part rose upwards, soaring into the clouds and eventually transforming into an enormous phantom of a black tortoise.

The black tortoise was entirely yellowish-brown, its shell layered like mountains, and its limbs hanging down like pillars of heaven. It perched above the market, its enormous body almost covering half the sky.

Compared to the light shield, this black tortoise is more awe-inspiring.

The cultivators everywhere looked up at the giant black tortoise, their eyes filled with shock.

"Is this the Earth-Defending Tortoise Shell Formation?"

"What a grand display!"

"Amazing! With this thing here, how could those skeletons still break through?"

"That's for sure. This formation is a high-grade second-tier formation; even ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators might not be able to break it."

"I knew it! The Mu family has been in business for so many years, how could they not have some wealth?"

The murmurs rose and fell, and the tense atmosphere from before was largely dispelled.

The fear on many people's faces faded, replaced by a sense of relief.

It was as if with this Xuan Turtle, the white bone skeletons could no longer break in.

These words drifted into Mu Jizhou's ears, and his lips twitched, but he didn't respond.

Ordinary people watch the spectacle, while experts see the intricacies.

The Earth-Defending Tortoise Shell Formation is indeed a second-tier superior-grade formation, but even a second-tier superior-grade formation depends on who is in charge and what kind of enemy they are facing.

Yuan Sheng was only at the seventh level of Qi Refining, and the main formation was already stretched thin.

And that white skeleton...

Yesterday he thought the other party was a Foundation Establishment cultivator, but after seeing the blood-covered man today, he no longer dared to think that way.

But he couldn't say it aloud.

Mu Jizhou took a deep breath and said in a deep voice, "Be on guard! No one is allowed to let their guard down!"

Just then, a low shout echoed throughout the entire market.

"Disperse!"

The sound was like thunder, making everyone's eardrums buzz.

It was Yuan Sheng's voice.

Before the shout had even finished, the Xuan Turtle in the sky suddenly raised its head, opened its huge mouth, and took a deep breath.

call.

The wind howled.

The thick rain and fog that shrouded the market seemed to turn into a flowing river, surging and rushing towards the turtle's mouth.

Countless water droplets flowed upstream, converging into a white torrent that poured into the turtle's mouth.

In the blink of an eye, the entire rain and mist were completely absorbed.

Sunlight streamed down, and although it was still a cloudy day, the view was no longer obstructed.

Everyone saw the white skeleton.

It stood a hundred feet outside the east gate of the market, wearing black boots, shorts, a green robe, and a skull.

Two green flames flickered eerily in his eye sockets, like two lanterns pulled out of the underworld.

Soon, someone noticed that something was wrong.

"It's growing flesh and blood!"

"How is that possible?"

Everyone was startled and stared intently in that direction.

Above the collar of the green robe, where there should have been a skeleton at the neck, a thin layer of flesh and blood had been covered.

The blood vessels, tendons, and muscle textures are clearly visible, as if they have just grown out and are still freshly red.

But it only reached the neck.

The skull was still just bones, and the will-o'-the-wisps still flickered in the eye sockets.

This half-bone, half-flesh sight is more unsettling than a pure skeleton.

"This body grew after the cultivator's life force was drained!"

"Yesterday, a cultivator was killed in the east; his body was drained of its essence, leaving only skin and bones. It must have been him!"

"It grows its body first, then its head. If it waits until its whole head grows out, it might become a living person."

"Did it come to the market to devour more vital energy to restore its head?"

"What kind of monster have we run into...?"

The crowd was buzzing with discussion, saying all sorts of things.

But no one got to the point.

Standing on the roof, Li Ping's gaze swept over the white skeleton, and his heart sank to the bottom.

These people only saw the flesh and blood growing, but no one thought that the fact that the flesh and blood could grow meant that the skeleton's strength was far greater than they had imagined.

Or rather, no one dares to think in that direction.

Li Ping subconsciously looked in Mu Fangxu's direction.

Mu Fangxu stood at the window on the third floor of the watchtower, also looking at the white skeleton.

His face looked terrible.

It wasn't fear, but a deep sense of powerlessness.

As if sensing Li Ping's gaze, Mu Fangxu turned his head and, from a distance of several hundred feet, shook his head slightly at Li Ping.

Li Ping understood what he meant and jumped off the roof.

Suddenly, a slight cracking sound came from above.

He paused, then looked up.

In the sky, the white skeleton moved.

It took a step, its figure vanished instantly, and when it reappeared, it was already standing in front of the phantom of the Xuan Turtle.

The phantom of the Xuan Turtle opened its massive maw and let out a silent roar. The patterns on its shell swirled wildly, and the earthy yellow light shone brightly, as if it were making a desperate last stand.

The skeletal figure raised its right hand, extended its pale finger bones, and gently tapped.

The fingertip landed on the center of the illusory image of the black tortoise's brow.

There was no loud noise, no explosion, not even the sound of wind.

The enormous black tortoise that had been hovering over the market was shattered.

Like porcelain shattering, cracks appeared on the tortoise's shell, which quickly spread and covered its entire body in the blink of an eye.

Then, the enormous phantom of the Xuan Turtle collapsed with a roar, turning into countless fragments that dissipated into the air.

Everyone was stunned.

In the sky, the skeletal skeleton withdrew its fingers and glanced down at the light barrier beneath its feet.

Then, with a gentle tap.

My fingertips landed on that yellowish-brown light shield.

Click.

A crack appeared on the photomask.

The cracks spread at a visible speed, like a giant spider web.

Then, the light shield shattered.

The skeletal figure withdrew its fingers, hovering in mid-air, quietly overlooking the entire market.

The emerald green will-o'-the-wisps flickered slowly in their eye sockets, as if selecting their prey.

A dead silence.

Everyone looked up at the white skeleton in the sky, their faces filled with disbelief.

Someone opened their mouth but couldn't make a sound.

Someone's hand was trembling as they gripped the ritual implement.

Some people's legs went weak, and they could only stand up by leaning against the wall.

Finally, someone let out a heart-wrenching scream.

"ah."

Then, the crowd erupted.

"Run!"

"Purple Mansion! It's definitely the Purple Mansion! What's the point of fighting now!"

"Make way, make way! Don't block the way!"

"I don't want to die, I don't want to die."

No one resisted, and no one was a fool.

By this point, who wouldn't understand?

That Earth-Defending Tortoise Shell Formation was a high-grade second-tier formation, which even ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators couldn't break. Yet, this white bone skeleton shattered it with just two fingers.

What kind of strength is this?

Foundation building?

impossible.

Foundation Establishment cultivators cannot achieve this level; only those at the Purple Mansion stage can.

For a Qi Refining cultivator to attack a Purple Mansion cultivator is not just courting death, it's practically offering themselves up as food.

Everyone is running.

The scattered cultivators outside the East Gate were the first to scatter, followed by those from the West Gate, North Gate, and South Gate, like a swarm of ants that had been splashed with water, running wildly in all directions.

The Mu family disciples stood still, their magical artifacts still in their hands, but their expressions were not good.

They looked at Mu Jizhou.

Mu Jizhou's lips twitched, and he clenched his back teeth tightly.

He wanted to draw his knife and shout, "You little bastards, don't run away!" but he opened his mouth and swallowed the words back.

The Earth Guard Tortoise Shell Formation couldn't even withstand two fingers of his strength; why send them to their deaths?

He glanced back in Mu Fangxu's direction.

Mu Fangxu remained standing on the roof of the pavilion, without giving any orders to intercept them.

Mu Jizhou understood what he meant.

He took a deep breath and whispered, "Pass it on, and don't stop them."

The Mu family disciples behind them were taken aback, and one of them hesitated and said, "But..."

"I said, don't stop me." Mu Jizhou turned his head, his eyes slightly red. "Run, it's better to die one less person."

Mu Fangxu stood on the roof of the pavilion, letting the rain pelt his body without moving.

He stared blankly as the cultivators below scattered and fled.