Chapter 454: The Small Polaris Array

"Old Geezer, the appointed time has arrived, yet no victor has emerged. Looks like we’ll have to follow the usual rules once again."

In the sky, several Daoist figures flickered in and out of view, standing in formation on either side.

To the north, there were two individuals.

One was a burly, red-haired elder.

Standing atop the clouds, the red-haired elder exuded an extraordinary presence. His complexion was ruddy, his tiger-like eyes fierce and imposing, carrying a dominating aura as if he could swallow the heavens and devour the earth.

𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

His spiritual power was incredibly restrained, his entire being void of any discernible fluctuations.

Yet, unbeknownst to many, this red-haired elder was none other than the sect leader of the Cunyang Sect. He was not only the recognized leader of the righteous path but also acknowledged as the strongest cultivator in the Small Cold Domain!

And it wasn’t just him. The others present carried similar terrifying presences.

Standing beside the red-haired elder was a mysterious figure shrouded in surging demonic qi, their features completely obscured, revealing only a vague silhouette.

On the opposite side, three figures hovered.

At the center stood a lean old Daoist, clad in a flowing azure Daoist robe and holding a horsetail whisk. His demeanor was refined and ethereal, exuding the aura of an immortal. Confronting the red-haired elder, he showed no sign of weakness, yet his expression was grave as he silently observed the battlefields below.

Behind him stood two generals, their appearances eerily identical. Even their weapons and armor were exactly the same, making them look like twin brothers.

These five individuals were all Spiritual Infant cultivators.

For beings as elusive as Spiritual Infant grandmasters, to see five of them appear simultaneously was unheard of!

The red-haired elder was the one who had spoken.

The old Daoist withdrew his gaze from the battlefield, looking toward the red-haired elder. With a flick of his horsetail whisk, he coldly pointed toward the Golden Core cultivators' battlefield and said, "It’s only been five hours, and you’ve already been pushed this far back? Give it a few more hours, and we’ll annihilate your forces completely!"

The red-haired elder burst into hearty laughter. His voice, deep and resonant, clashed against the old Daoist’s words. "Old Geezer, you’re getting more shameless by the day. Do you really think the Small Cold Domain is this weak? If you’re not afraid of Sin Abyss seizing the opportunity to strike and severing your lineage, then by all means, come at me! I’ll entertain you to the very end! And when that happens, let’s see if you, an isolated old geezer, will still have the time to search for treasure in Ziwei Palace!"

"You!"

"Impudent!"

The two generals roared in unison, stepping forward abruptly. Their halberds pointed directly at the red-haired elder, their battle intent surging.

At that instant—

A thunderous roar resounded through the heavens. The red-haired elder’s aura erupted as his body suddenly exuded an overwhelming crimson qi that was pure yang and unyielding. The qi brimmed with absolute power, and his red hair danced wildly in the air, as if a celestial god had descended upon the world.

The mysterious figure beside him merely watched, seemingly treating the scene as entertainment.

Even without assistance, the red-haired elder single-handedly faced off against the two Spiritual Infant generals. His crimson qi surged wildly, shaking the heavens and earth, forcing the two generals to grip their halberds tightly, their expressions darkening under the immense pressure.

Towering over them, the red-haired elder looked down with disdain and sneered. "Where did these arrogant juniors come from, daring to bark in front of me? What’s the matter? Do you wish to challenge me first to settle this dispute?"

"Hmph! Red-Haired Geezer, after decades apart, your strength has grown even further! Stand down, both of you!"

The old Daoist sighed deeply, waving his horsetail whisk. A cascade of shimmering stardust fell upon the two generals, dissolving the crimson energy constraining them. He cast a long, meaningful look at the red-haired elder and said, "We’ll follow the same rules as before—Foundation Building, Golden Core, Spiritual Infant. Best of three rounds."

The oppressive crimson aura dissipated from the two battle generals. They exhaled deeply, exchanging glances filled with alarm before silently retreating behind the old Daoist.

The red-haired elder retracted his aura and nodded. "Good! The old rules—best of three rounds. The wager will be the materials for the array. The first round will take place at Zhitian Peak. You’d best make proper preparations, Old Geezer, lest you lack the necessary materials and fail to complete the array, missing the best opportunity to open Ziwei Palace!"

"No need for your concern. The Tianxing Alliance may not be rich, but we can still afford to construct a Small Polaris Array! Move out!"

Before the words had even finished, the old Daoist and his two generals vanished into thin air.

At the same time, the Tianxing Alliance’s Foundation Building and Golden Core cultivators received the retreat order. After a brief moment of commotion, they began to withdraw in an orderly fashion.

Watching the Tianxing Alliance retreat, Qin Sang finally let out a deep breath, feeling an overwhelming wave of exhaustion wash over him.

Without hesitation, he dropped into a seated meditation on the water’s surface, focusing on recovery just as many others did.

As he regulated his breath, Qin Sang’s gaze drifted toward the figures still lingering in the sky. Though no one had introduced them, he could easily guess that they must be the Spiritual Infant cultivators from both factions.

"I wonder if those two Spiritual Infant cultivators from Endless Valley are among them?"

Once the three Spiritual Infant cultivators of the Tianxing Alliance departed, Qin Sang fixed his eyes on the remaining two figures and muttered to himself.

He had never met a Spiritual Infant cultivator before. Even after all these years in the sect, he had never laid eyes on his own sect’s Spiritual Infant grandmaster—Dong Yangbo.

Who exactly are these two?

For three years, both sides’ Spiritual Infant cultivators have remained hidden, never showing themselves. Why have they suddenly gathered here?

Does it have something to do with that pillar of light?

Qin Sang’s gaze shifted toward the pillar of light, noticing that it seemed slightly stronger than the night before. However, the mirror-like surface at its end remained unchanged.

Let there be no major upheavals.

At least... not until I break through to the Fake Core Realm.

Qin Sang prayed silently.

The more great cultivators he encountered, the more powerless he felt. His desire to improve his cultivation became increasingly urgent.

At this moment, he was like a rootless duckweed, drifting helplessly amidst the tides of fate, struggling against overwhelming forces. One stroke of bad luck, and he could be utterly destroyed.

Only with true strength could he remain above it all, free to control his own destiny!

...

Once the old Daoist and the others had left, the mysterious figure let out a cold snort. "It seems that the Old Geezer still refuses to submit! If it were up to me, we would have long since committed our full strength to sealing off the Yuncang Marshlands, locating Zhitian Peak, and monopolizing the Elemental Star Stones. I’d like to see how they plan to enter Ziwei Palace without them!"

The red-haired elder slowly shook his head. "Daoist Tongyou, you may not be aware, but I’ve heard that Sin Abyss has been growing increasingly aggressive. If we push the Old Geezer too far, we risk forcing them into a desperate situation where they might recklessly bring in external threats. If they end up leading the wolves to the door, we won’t fare well either."

The mysterious figure was none other than Demon Lord Tongyou, the sovereign of the demonic sects.

A leader of the righteous sects and the sovereign of the demonic sects were not acting like mortal enemies; their conversation suggested an unexpected familiarity, even a sense of camaraderie.

"Sin Abyss..."

Demon Lord Tongyou murmured the name, then vanished in a flicker of shadow.

The red-haired elder glanced downward, his lips moving slightly.

A moment later, he too disappeared.

...

The vast lake waters had long since swallowed every trace of blood.

After an entire night of battle, nothing remained. Aside from the wounds on the cultivators’ bodies, there was no evidence that a war had taken place.

Qin Sang had yet to fully recover when he finally heard the order to sound the retreat. Exhausted, he dragged his weary body back toward the Thousand-Illusion Array of True Waters.

Upon entering the Chaotic Island Waters, Qin Sang dismissed his squad and was about to return to his cave dwelling to rest when he suddenly noticed something unusual. The Core Formation Realm cultivators had not dispersed. Instead, they were all heading toward Stargazing Island.

"Is something else happening?"

Recalling the mysterious pillar of light, Qin Sang felt certain that this matter was far from over.

Unfortunately, there was no one to provide him with answers.

Still carrying his doubts and unease, he rode the clouds back to his cave dwelling, sealed the barriers, and entered seclusion for cultivation, preparing for the next battle.