A Sect from a Spirit Vein

Chapter 97 - 94: Array Breaking Together

That Spiritual Power Light Cannon, as thick as an adult’s embrace, flashed through the Grand Array without obstruction, then exploded directly atop Lotus Peak with rumbling sounds. The dense fog blocked the view, but faint sounds of buildings creaking and collapsing could be heard.

Zhang Shouchang’s face suddenly turned grim.

This Mountain Protection Grand Array did not activate its transformations to block enemies, nor did it raise the Array Light Shield. This meant that all ranged attacks would pass directly through the Grand Array, landing on the peak, with only minimal damage to the array itself.

What is this Yunshan Sect thinking? Allowing me to bombard them with ranged means without worrying about destroying buildings or injuring disciples. Could it be that they have all hidden inside the mountain? No regular sect would act this way. For instance, during every attack on Yuqing Mountain, the Zhou Family’s Six Harmonies Array was always sealed like a turtle shell, blocking all ranged attacks to prevent the destruction of the mountain gate.

The Third Elder felt heartache. This Lotus Peak would be his station in the future. If it’s damaged now, it’ll have to be repaired later.

The floating battleship attacked several more times, its rumbling waves echoing far and wide, startling the birds and beasts in the mountain, scattering them in fright. Yet, atop Lotus Peak, there was a deadly silence. The cultivators on Lotus Peak remained silent, allowing the beams to crash down and blast various buildings to dust.

Once the beams stopped, the mist of the array rolled as usual, unaffected.

At this rate, unless by chance it hits the array base or array map, it would be utterly useless.

Zhang Shouchang signaled to cease the bombardment, flew forward, and approached Lotus Peak. He shouted, "Fellow Daoists of Yunshan Sect, we have no deep hatred. If you hand over the remaining members of the Zhou Family and yield Lotus Peak, I promise not to pursue anything further and let you go on your way. What do you say?"

Still, there was only silence, with no response. Zhang Shouchang called out several more times, but got no reply.

He frowned, then shouted outrageously, "Fellow Daoists of Yunshan Sect, Lu Qian, Sect Leader Lu? I greatly admire your skills; talent like yours is rare. If you’re willing to join my Chaosheng Sect, I will not only let you have Lotus Peak but also Yuqing Mountain!"

If there were anyone alive atop Lotus Peak, they should respond this time, right? Yet, there was still no response of any kind.

An intuition struck Zhang Shouchang: was there actually no one on Lotus Peak? Had Yunshan Sect and Zhou Chao secretly fled long ago?

But if no one was there, then why bother raising the Grand Array? Was it merely to mislead others by leaving this entire Mountain Protection Grand Array here? It’s important to note that such an array, which recorded Foundation Establishment level transformations, is quite valuable in the marketplace, costing at least ten thousand spirit stones.

No matter what, Lotus Peak must be taken. To break this array, if it can’t be done from the outside, then it must be entered. With our force of 100 elites and three Foundation Establishment cultivators, how could we not break it?

Flying back, Zhang Shouchang, Qian Ruyi, and Wan An began to discuss.

Qian Ruyi, recalling his previous humiliation, eagerly wanted to avenge himself and vent his anger by capturing Lu Qian. Therefore, he volunteered, saying, "I have fought with that Lu Qian before. Although he has Foundation Establishment level array cultivation skills, he can’t sustain it for long. Let me and Fellow Daoist Wan enter first and try breaking the array. Sect Leader can assist from outside with the elite forces; surely it’ll be foolproof."

Wan An, having just joined the Chaosheng Sect, also wanted to make an impression and immediately agreed.

By now, it was dusk. Zhang Shouchang ordered all cultivators to return to the floating battleship to rest, leaving only a few to monitor the array. Everyone rested and adjusted their breathing; those in the Qi Cultivation Stage were given some food to restore their energy, preparing to break the array.

When the twilight faded and the moon’s first light appeared, the cultivators of Chaosheng Sect were ready and took to the air once more.

Qian Ruyi and Wan An exchanged glances, activated their Spiritual Artifacts, and shot up as escape light; within a few breaths, they had entered the array.

Zhang Shouchang led thirty selected Late-Stage Qi Cultivation practitioners, ready to assist at any time.

Upon entering the array, the two immediately sensed the eerie touch brought on by the mist. Their Divine Sense was suppressed within a range of one yard, and a familiar dizziness arose. Qian Ruyi quickly advised, "Fellow Daoist Wan, this mist is strange, and our sense of direction is already disrupted. We must not separate; otherwise, it’ll be hard to regroup."

Wan An nodded, his prized Spiritual Artifact being a large yellow umbrella. Its ribs were made of Spirit Bamboo, and its surface was neither silk nor cloth, emitting a yellowish glow, with floating clouds artistically painted, exuding a dynamic elegance.

Qian Ruyi had seen Wan An’s skills before, knowing this Spiritual Artifact is both offensive and defensive, and of a high grade, which made him somewhat envious. Thinking of his nearly shattered Cyan Simurgh Ring, he grew even more hateful of Lu Qian.

Just then, the spiritual aura inside the array surged, and suddenly there came a crisp sound of chains clashing. Twelve luminescent blue chains shot out like electric snakes, writhing and twisting toward the two.

"Don’t let it catch you!" Qian Ruyi reminded, his hand wielding a Flying Sword that shimmered with icy radiance, hurling hundreds of ice shards to slow the chains. Meanwhile, Wan An gave a soft shout, and his umbrella hovered in midair, spinning rapidly, while the clouds on its surface shifted and flowed, forming a dense whirlwind of Wind Blades that rushed towards the chains.

The clash of metal rang through the array as the twelve chains twisted together, lunging like a giant python to collide with the Wind Blade Tornado. In an instant, a large number of Wind Blades shattered into pieces, while the chains waved high in the air.

Seizing this moment’s hindrance, Qian Ruyi’s Dao Pattern trembled, frost condensing, and his Cold Ice Flying Sword gleamed with light, extending and expanding continuously until it reached a size of ten zhang. Taking a deep breath, just as he intended to slash at the chains with his Flying Sword, the chains suddenly slackened as if their strength had been withdrawn.

Before he could wonder, a low hum suddenly rang out, and Qian Ruyi’s face changed drastically. The mist before them swirled and rolled, as a mass of black thunderlight twisted and appeared, instantly striking toward Qian Ruyi!

Why is it always me?!

Qian Ruyi cursed inwardly, realizing he had only one use left of his Cyan Simurgh Ring. His figure flickered, and he slipped behind Wan An: "Fellow Daoist Wan, I have no Defensive Spiritual Artifact, so if you could please block it!"

Wan An snorted coldly, a Dao Pattern moved in his dantian, and his whole body suddenly radiated with light. Qian Ruyi only saw a flash before his eyes, and Wan An inexplicably appeared behind him again.

This was Wan An’s Dao Pattern, "Shifting Form," which allows one to burst with escape speed and change positions in an instant.

The Gui Water Divine Thunder was almost upon him. Cursing, Qian Ruyi had no choice but to brace himself and raise his ten-zhang-long Cold Ice Flying Sword, hacking toward the Divine Thunder.

With a thunderous roar, the black thunderlight undulated, swallowing up a large swath of mist and temporarily revealing the figures of the two.

This was the downside of a Death Array. Various transformations often cannot be initiated at the appropriate time, hindering close coordination, sometimes even interfering with each other.

Seeing the world outside the array, Qian Ruyi immediately activated his escape light, dashing straight out, followed closely by Wan An.

The two Feathered Scholars burst out of the array, and Zhang Shouchang came forward, astounded. He saw Qian Ruyi with blood dripping from his nose and mouth, his clothes utterly destroyed, his body covered in blood and tiny wounds. And the longsword he held had a crack running to its tip, looking extremely miserable.