The First Immortal of Destiny

Chapter 748 748: Reverse Engineering the Formation_1

Several days later, an extremely powerful demonic aura emanated from the foot of South Slope Mountain.

The demons within Chaotic Stone Stockade were so oppressed by this aura that they felt fear like cattle and sheep before a tiger, not even daring to step half a step out of the big array!

Shen Mo's spirit light flickered with Demonic Qi as he appeared in the sky above Chaotic Stone Stockade. He infused the Illusionary Mirror with Clear Spirit Qi, its surface reflecting the tiger-headed, humanoid great demon before him, while his Demon Slaying Sword Qi was poised to strike.

"Fellow Daoist Pei Yu, there's no need to be so nervous. I came here today to recruit you to take the fourth seat of power in my Hou Corpse Cave." The Tiger Demon King Shan Hao, treading upon a dim Demon Cloud, scanned Shen Mo and the Illusionary Mirror in his hand, then suddenly burst into laughter.

Hearing this, Shen Mo tilted the mirror away and nodded at the mid-stage Class V Tiger Demon.

The formidable strength Shen Mo had displayed eventually caught the attention of Shan Hao, the ostensible master of Hou Corpse Cave.

This great demon, a tiger who had achieved spiritual transformation, did not send troops to attack again. Instead, he personally came to recruit Shen Mo and all the demons in Chaotic Stone Stockade, offering rather favorable terms.

Given Shan Hao's strength and Realm, even if Shen Mo could unleash sword Qi at an Immortal Master's level using the Illusionary Mirror, he would struggle to contend with him. If Shen Mo dared to utter a word of refusal, the entire Chaotic Stone Stockade would likely be razed to the ground by this great demon!

Therefore, after some haggling, Shen Mo seized the opportunity to gracefully concede, agreeing to lead his forces in surrendering to Hou Corpse Cave.

From that day forward, Hou Corpse Cave, located at the foot of Five Dragon Mountain's South Slope, gained a new Fourth King, "Demon Lord Pei Yu." Along with him came tens of thousands of demons as fresh blood, replenishing the heavy losses incurred during the previous battle at Chaotic Stone Stockade.

This outcome was somewhat different from what Shen Mo had initially envisioned!

However, Fairy Pei Yu could advance to Class V at any time, provided she consumed enough blood food. This was far less critical than obtaining the array diagram for the God Slaying Array.

After surrendering to Hou Corpse Cave, Shen Mo subtly hinted to Shan Hao his willingness to lead his forces in conquering other demonic factions for Hou Corpse Cave. He hoped to use this opportunity to learn the methods for deploying and controlling the God Slaying Array!

However, Shan Hao remained highly wary of him. It wasn't just Shen Mo, who had only recently surrendered; even the Fox Demon intellectual Pei Wanchen and the Pig Demon Heisha, both long-standing members of Hou Corpse Cave, had not mastered this array diagram. Ultimately, because they had not been implanted with the Spirit Controlling Talisman, Shan Hao was unwilling to entrust them with the array diagram passed down by the Immortals.

Conversely, other demon generals who had been implanted with Spirit Controlling Talismans enjoyed Shan Hao's deep trust. He taught them the Creation Array and allowed each to lead their demonic troops on campaigns in all directions.

Observing this, Shen Mo settled for the next best option. When Shan Hao was drilling his hundreds of thousands of subordinate demons, using them to set up the big array and practice its formations, Shen Mo volunteered to serve as one of the eighty-one array cores!

The Tiger Demon King was, of course, more than happy to grant such a request and agreed without a moment's hesitation.

With Shen Mo's current attainments in the Array Path, even while positioned within the big array and unable to perceive its entirety, he could still deduce the complete array diagram of the God Slaying Array. He planned to do this by analyzing details such as its construction process, the interconnection of demonic auras within it, and the shifts in its tactical disposition.

「Green Cloud Cave.」

The Soul Refining Flag, shimmering with a blood-red light, floated beside Shen Mo.

Before him hovered nine mutant Class III Demon Soul Generals and over a hundred primal Class II Demon Soul Generals. Under his control, they began to arrange themselves in formations, much like a mortal army.

The key difference was that mortal armies could only form ranks and change formations on the ground. Demon Soul Generals, however, could maneuver in mid-air, adding vertical movement to the horizontal axes of front, back, left, and right. Consequently, even the simplest array deployment and drill were more than ten times as complex as those of mortal military formations.

Even though Shan Hao, the Tiger Demon, was not naturally adept in the Array Path, he had managed to master such complex formations. Shen Mo couldn't help but admire him for this, despite being on an opposing side.

Unlike ordinary demons possessing self-awareness, most Demon Soul Generals within the blood flag—aside from top-tier entities like Fairy Pei Yu, the Ghost Bride, Master Hong Jue, and about ten others—operated purely on the instinct to consume blood food and grow stronger. Suppressed by the Soul Refining Flag, they were exceptionally compliant for arranging the Creation Array.

Tiger Demon King Shan Hao, on the other hand, had to invest significant time drilling his demon soldiers to successfully deploy the God Slaying Array. As the scale of this big array increased, the difficulty of its deployment and execution rose exponentially, as did the time needed to achieve proficiency.

Hou Corpse Cave actually spent relatively little time conquering other factions; most of their efforts were dedicated to drilling their subordinate demons.

By using Demon Soul Generals as "array components," Shen Mo didn't need to invest extensive time and energy in practice drills. All Demon Soul Generals were under his mental command, allowing him to direct each one with a mere thought, as effortlessly as moving his own limbs.

FLAP! FLAP!

The blood flag whipped about as over a hundred Demon Soul Generals arranged themselves into exceedingly complex configurations in mid-air. Then, their auras abruptly linked, merging them into what seemed like a single entity.

The nine more powerful Class III Demon Soul Generals positioned themselves at the array's crucial junctures, serving as its array cores.

"HUP!"

Shen Mo shook the Soul Refining Flag and uttered a low command.

In the next instant, the Demonic Qi from the array-forming Demon Soul Generals surged forth. It was continuously drawn upon by this Creation Array, transforming into the wellspring of mana that powered the formation.

Soon, the Demon Soul Generals Array, its interconnected auras now unified, became enveloped in a dim demonic light. At Shen Mo's command, each Demon Soul General slightly shifted its position within the array. Pulled by the array's force, they coalesced and transformed into a moving Demon Cloud!

The Demon Soul Generals serving as array cores were only at the early-stage Class III Realm, yet the entire array could move with the speed equivalent to the escaping light of a mid-stage Spirit Sea Realm cultivator.

This array maneuvered for a while before Shen Mo recalled it. It then shifted its formation once more, exuding a murderous aura as it launched an attack against a late-stage Class III Demon Soul General that Shen Mo had just manifested.

Within and around the big array, numerous profound and complex runes flickered and interwove, while Demonic Qi surged powerfully.

Within the Demon Cloud, various phantasms such as thunderbolts, menacing weapons, flames, and chilling winds materialized—these were the external manifestations of the big array drawing upon the Demon Soul Generals' power and converting it into offensive capabilities.

RUMBLE!

In the blink of an eye, the entire big array clashed with the late-stage Class III Demon Soul General.

After about an hour of intense battle, the late-stage Class III Demon Soul General could not withstand the big array's onslaught. Its Soul General form was shattered, and it returned directly to the Soul Refining Flag.

Under normal circumstances, nine early-stage Class III Demon Soul Generals leading over a hundred Class II Demon Soul Generals simply couldn't defeat a late-stage Class III one. They would all be killed by it in short order!

But when arranged into the God Slaying Array, they can turn the tables and slay a late-stage Class III Demon Soul General...

This Creation Array is truly formidable!

Shen Mo mumbled to himself, then once again summoned nine Class III and over a thousand Class II Demon Soul Generals from the Soul Refining Flag, intending to attempt the deployment of an even larger-scale God Slaying Array.