Chapter 1455 - Slapping Faces Repeatedly

The moment the Grand Unity Sect decided to wage war, a true nightmare would unfold.

The Heavenly Dragon Sect naturally had its own allies, just as the Grand Unity Sect had the Divine Alchemy Sect and the Giant Spirit Hall backing it. In terms of overall strength, the two sides stood almost evenly matched.

Once a full-scale battle erupted, however, no one would be able to look after anyone else.

If the Grand Unity Sect truly set its mind on killing Liu Wuxie, Elder Yan and the others could stall Zhuge Ming and Elder Jian while their remaining experts could focus entirely on Liu Wuxie, giving them a very real chance of taking his life.

"Cut the crap. How are you going to prove the effects of the array runes?" asked a planet lord. He had no interest in the looming war between the two sects, and he cared only about how effective the array runes actually were.

Countless forces had risen and fallen in the Indigo Bamboo Astral Domain, and everyone had grown accustomed to seeing legacies crumble.

The Indigo Bamboo Astral Domain had already watched many sects with over a million years of history vanish into dust.

The crowd dragged the discussion back to the topic of array runes, and even the Grand Unity Sect wanted to know exactly how they worked. If the array runes truly functioned as Lan Yu claimed, they would sweep across the Indigo Bamboo Astral Domain like a storm.

Anticipation lit up countless gazes. The Indigo Bamboo Astral Domain had many sects whose primary business was the construction of spiritual arrays, earning their income by setting them up for other forces.

The Comet Temple was the prime example; their mastery over spiritual arrays was renowned, and most second-tier sects in the Indigo Bamboo Astral Domain relied on them to construct their defensive formations.

"To test the effects, I'd like to ask someone to set up a spiritual array. Throughout this entire process, the Heavenly Dao Society wouldn't interfere," said Lan Yu. He knew that if the Heavenly Dao Society took part in setting up the array, the results would never be convincing.

"I'll do it!" An elder from the Comet Temple stepped out immediately. The surrounding cultivators hurriedly retreated, clearing out a wide area for him to lay down the spiritual array.

Liu Wuxie had not spoken a single word from the very beginning. He stood quietly and watched, even when the Divine Alchemy Sect tried to provoke him earlier, and his calm composure and mental fortitude left many people far behind.

"What an exquisite spiritual array." The Comet Temple's elder quickly located five array cores, planted the array flags with practiced ease, and took out several materials. In only two hours, he completed a powerful killing spiritual array, refreshing everyone's opinion of the Comet Temple once again.

"This is called the Nine Heavenly Demon Subduing Array, possessing power comparable to the pinnacle of the Void Realm. Everyone can give it a try for themselves," said the Comet Temple's elder, inviting the cultivators to step in and personally verify his claim.

Soon, two cultivators at the pinnacle of the Void Realm entered the spiritual array. As soon as they stepped inside, the formation activated, and nine illusory figures descended to surround them.

After several exchanges, everyone outside could clearly see what was happening within the array. The array's strength indeed matched the pinnacle of the Void Realm, which meant that if an Earth Immortal entered it, he could shatter the entire array with a single strike.

The elder of the Comet Temple controlled the spiritual array and allowed the two testers to exit. With that, everyone had a clear understanding of the array's power.

Since Lan Yu had claimed that the array rune could amplify a spiritual array's strength, it would have to raise the Nine Heavenly Demon Subduing Array to the Earth Immortal Realm.

If it failed to do so, the array rune would be proven to be meaningless.

"Go on," said the Comet Temple's elder, gesturing for Lan Yu to begin.

Lan Yu walked to the edge of the platform and began forming seals, guiding the array rune into the Nine Heavenly Demon Subduing Array. The moment the array rune fused with it, the spiritual array spun rapidly as the five cores shifted positions on their own, changing trajectories.

"This..." The Comet Temple's elder felt a chill seize his heart. It was unbelievable that a single array rune could forcibly alter the spiritual array he had just laid down. The other sects' array experts also stared, completely stunned.

"This is impossible! How can a mere array rune possibly change the entire spiritual array's layout? This is no longer the feat of an ordinary person, but an immortal!" The elder of the Absolute Frost Palace took a step back, disbelief written all over his face.

Constructing a spiritual array was not especially difficult, and modifying one was also possible. There were even many methods to enhance an array's power, but all of them demanded immense manpower and resources.

"You can test the spiritual array's power now," Lan Yu said, making an inviting gesture. He offered no further explanation, leaving the same two cultivators who had tested the array earlier free to step back in.

"I refuse to believe such a small array rune could change a spiritual array's power." The two cultivators who had previously entered the Nine Heavenly Demon Subduing Array did not hesitate and stepped inside once more.

The spiritual array immediately activated around them.

Thunderous rumbles rolled through the air, and a terrifying illusory figure appeared. It brandished a giant hammer and smashed it down with overwhelming force.

With a deafening boom, the two cultivators were flung out of the array, spraying blood into the air.

"Quick, retreat!" The nearby cultivators scrambled backward as the shockwave billowed outward, knocking those with weaker cultivation flat onto the ground.

The two testers were hurled from the spiritual array like broken kites and crashed heavily into the ground. The crowd could hardly believe that they had been defeated in a single exchange when earlier they had managed to hold their own for quite some time in that very same array.

The most shocked of all was the elder of the Comet Temple. He stared blankly at the spiritual array, wondering if this was still the Nine Heavenly Demon Subduing Array he had personally set up moments ago.

"What a powerful spiritual array! That strike alone was already comparable to the attack of an Earth Immortal," exclaimed someone from the crowd. They had retreated to a safe distance. Anyone with sharp senses could tell that the attack had reached the level of the Earth Immortal Realm.

Those from the Grand Unity Sect and the Divine Alchemy Sect fell into a dead silence, their faces turning grim. The very thing they feared most had become reality: the Heavenly Dao Society had actually developed something this outrageous.

At this rate, the Heavenly Dao Society might stand at the pinnacle of the Indigo Bamboo Astral Domain in as little as a year.

"This is unbelievable. Don't tell me that Liu Wuxie also created that array rune..." Many people muttered under their breath, knowing full well that everyone could trace everything in the Heavenly Dao Society back to Liu Wuxie.

They had long since investigated Bi Gongyu and the others and learned that they were all Liu Wuxie's disciples.

"Our sect's spiritual array is old and worn, and we don't have the resources to maintain it. We can't afford to hire any powerful Spiritual Array Master. If we can buy this array rune, it'll solve all our problems." Several elders from second-tier sects stepped forward, clearly expressing their desire to purchase the array runes.

They understood that this type of augmentation could only last for a limited time, and lasting even a few seconds at that level would already be heaven-defying. If they encountered a formidable enemy, a single explosive burst from the spiritual array could easily turn the tide and kill their foe.

"How is the array rune priced at?" The atmosphere grew heated as the array rune's effect finally faded. After about fifteen minutes, the Nine Heavenly Demon Subduing Array returned to its original state.

"Today is only a demonstration. As for the price, please visit the Heavenly Dao Society's shop in Mount Dragon City." They had no intention of setting the price here.

𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

Their goal was to make everyone visit the Heavenly Dao Society in person, and everyone could already foresee an endless stream of cultivators pouring into Mount Dragon City.

"Thank you, Senior Brother Lan, for your demonstration. Next, I'll also show something that I believe everyone will find interesting," Hu Shi said as he stepped forward, beginning to inscribe a strange rune in mid-air that left the crowd even more confused.

Everyone was still reeling from the shock of the array rune, and yet another type of rune appeared. This instantly made them wonder how many bizarre trump cards the Heavenly Dao Society had hidden away.

"What's this?" A voice called out from the crowd, and everyone's attention shifted toward the rune in front of Hu Shi.

"This is a blacksmithing rune. It can nourish the artifact spirit, and this meant that you wouldn't have to spend more resources to help your artifact spirit grow," Hu Shi explained. The blacksmithing rune did not possess explosive power like the array rune, nor was it as heaven-defying as the Golden Cicada Pill.

Artifact spirits usually grew at a painfully slow rate and devoured massive amounts of resources along the way.

However, Hu Shi had just claimed that they could do away with those resources and rely on a blacksmithing rune to foster the artifact spirit's growth, shattering everyone's understanding of cultivation once again.

"Are you kidding me? This has to be fake!" Many people could still accept the array rune's effect, but they refused to believe that an artifact rune could nourish artifact spirits.

Most people, however, fell into uneasy silence. Since Liu Wuxie could refine a sixth-grade spiritual pill that surpassed a seventh-grade one and create an array rune that altered an array's trajectory, they would hardly be surprised by another heaven-defying treasure from the Heavenly Dao Society.

"An enemy damaged my artifact spirit in a battle, and I'd like to know whether you can repair it," a disciple from the White Mist Villa said as he stepped forward and produced a longsword.

Just as he claimed, the artifact spirit within had fallen dormant.

As he spoke, he sent the longsword over to Hu Shi. This immediately focused everyone's attention on Hu Shi, including the cultivators from the Spirit Martial Astral Domain.

Hu Shi's hand moved smoothly through the air, and the blacksmithing rune hovering before him sank into the longsword. At the same time, countless strands of divine sense pierced into the sword as the Earth Immortal Realm experts tried to observe everything happening inside for themselves.

For a long while, the artifact spirit remained motionless, locked in its deep slumber as time slowly passed.

"

Hahaha!

I knew it! This is a fraud! Even the array rune has to be a trick, and they're completely useless," said a disciple from the Giant Spirit Hall, convinced that the Heavenly Dao Society had used illusions to deceive everyone. In his mind, nothing so monstrous could exist in the world.

Disciples of the Divine Alchemy Sect quickly joined in, stirring the crowd and urging everyone to condemn the Heavenly Dao Society.

"Liu Wuxie, you're a crook! You think your illusion can fool everyone? Let's see how you deal with this matter!" Zhang Li sneered. It had been two hours, and there was still no reaction from the artifact spirit.

The disciples of the two sects jumped about like monkeys, drawing openly disgusted looks from the surrounding cultivators.

"Look, there's a movement from the artifact spirit!" The divine senses of the Earth Immortal Realm experts had never left the artifact spirit, and they had sensed the first stirrings a moment earlier.

Shortly after, a violent aura erupted from the longsword, forcing everyone nearby to retreat several steps.

"It's awakening!" The White Mist Villa's disciple broke into a wide grin. The artifact spirit had been asleep for over a year with no sign of waking, and now it had finally roused.

He shared an intimate connection with the artifact spirit and could clearly feel the joy it was sending back to him.

"It can really nourish the artifact spirit! Can anyone tell me what's going on?" Many people clutched their heads in disbelief. No one understood better than they did that this was no illusion.

"Thank you, Heavenly Dao Society. Thank you, Young Master Liu," said the White Mist Villa's disciple. He retrieved his longsword and bowed deeply toward the Heavenly Dao Society's side.

A single blacksmithing rune had resolved the problem with his artifact spirit, and he knew he would remember this favor for the rest of his life.

The disciples of the Giant Spirit Hall and the Divine Alchemy Sect, who had just been jumping around earlier, now stood frozen with their mouths hanging wide open.

"How did this happen?" sighed one of the Divine Alchemy Sect's disciples.