Chapter 165: True Luo Fire Cloud Formation

The figure in the sky wore a solemn expression, driving the spiritual power within to control the clouds beneath according to mysterious rhythms. At the same time, their spiritual power connected with the clouds, carving magical scripts with their mind to bear the rhythm and form incantations!

Meanwhile, the figure on the ground was far from idle. The moment the figure in the sky moved, their body shifted rapidly, hands dancing like flying in front of them to weave butterfly-like illusions. Guided by the circulation of spiritual power, fine, strange threads were engraved into the void, linked to their fingertips and swaying with the movement of their body.

Boom!

Just as both parties were occupied with their tasks, a muffled sound echoed across the firmament, and a figure suddenly appeared right at the center between heaven and earth.

The figure was dressed in purple, with a long beard fluttering in the wind beneath his forehead. He had a square face that naturally exuded an air of majesty, much like a leader!

After appearing, the figure looked up and down. Seeing that neither side was disturbed by his sudden arrival, he nodded in satisfaction.

"I truly wonder what is so formidable about this person that requires us to set up the True Luo Fiery Cloud Formation!" the figure thought to himself, though his hands did not stop moving.

Clapping his palms together and then parting them, he pulled out a purple sphere crackling and snapping with electric light!

"Since this person is still in the third tier, no matter how strong their cultivation might be, it can only go so far. Why go to the trouble of mobilizing such immense power?"

Raising his hand, he cast the thunder orb into the sky, where it landed right in the center of the gathering clouds and burst apart, shattering into countless miniature lightning bolts that scattered among the clouds.

Crackling and snapping!

The dancing electric light intertwined chaotically yet possessed an inexplicable rhythm, stringing together all the clouds that had previously been acting independently, binding them like a net!

Clapping his palms together once more without even lifting his eyes, the figure split off another thunder orb and casually flicked it down into the crowd on the ground, linking them together as well.

"We must remember that any one of us, if placed in this third tier, would reign as an overlord. Who would dare utter a word of defiance?"

Dividing his attention between two tasks, the figure used one part of his mind to guide the lightning-transformed radiance in operating and solidifying the formation, while the other part ruminated on the matter at hand.

"After all, we are existences of the fourth tier. Suppressing someone in the third tier should be effortless—why resort to such a massive formation?"

The figure was named Liu Dan, one of the pinnacle figures of the fourth tier, possessing a strength at the absolute perfection of the fourth tier of the Aperture-Infusion Technique.

The fourth tier of Peerless Island was dominated by three major factions: Gourd Mountain, Fiery Cloud Palace, and Azure Cloud Sword Sect. Liu Dan was precisely the leader of the Fiery Cloud Palace!

Logically speaking, given his strength, he should not be subject to the commands of anyone. Calling him an absolute monarch of the fourth tier would hardly be an exaggeration!

To live freely and untethered—how delightful would that be? Why labor and toil here to deal with some insignificant nobody still lingering in the third tier, and even deploy such a grand formation?

It was utterly humiliating just to speak of it!

Since when did he, Liu Dan, the Fiery Cloud Real Man, need to go to such absurd lengths to deal with a third-tier nobody? It was simply too disgraceful!

If he had a choice, he truly would not have come!

Yet, the truth was, he had come anyway.

Because he had no choice!

Having reached their level, especially after lingering here for so long, many truths had become painfully clear.

In the eyes of others, they were overlords and kings, but in the eyes of certain others, they were mere dogs!

Worse than dogs, even!

When that order had been handed down from above, he hadn't even dared to harbor the slightest trace of rebellion in his heart!

Everyone who practiced the Aperture-Infusion Technique was nothing more than a hound; they had to do whatever their master commanded. Did they truly have a choice?

A flicker of sorrow flashed through Liu Dan's eyes. He felt deep resentment. Had he chosen not to give up back then, although life might not have been as comfortable—perhaps even arduous—at least he would still have been his own master!

And now?

"What kind of existence is this anyway?"

Liu Dan let out a profound sigh. Suddenly, as if recalling something, he looked toward the cultivation pagoda below, a strange glint flashing in his eyes: "For this person to force us to go to such extraordinary lengths while still in the third tier, and even prompt such a direct decree from above..."