Chapter 963: Setting the Array

Fairy Caiyi was very familiar with the place. Leading the way, she wove quickly between the poisonous algae. Qin Sang, finding no chance to slip away, had no choice but to follow patiently. Fortunately, the transformed demonic beasts had not grown suspicious of him.

Within Celestial Blossom Lake, there was no soil to be seen, only rotting poisonous marshes and thick layers of seed pods carpeting the ground. Soon, they reached the depths of the lake.

Because of the deadly toxins, few cultivators ever ventured into Celestial Blossom Lake to seek treasures. Along the way, they did not encounter a single soul, and the journey proceeded without incident.

At this point, the demons grew more cautious. Soon they came upon a round, rising hill.

Fairy Caiyi suddenly gestured for the group to halt, then darted alone into the algae. Her figure vanished for a short while before she returned, smiling. "The barrier here is unchanged from before; no one has disturbed it. This was once an ancient cultivator’s cave dwelling. Its treasures were long since plundered, leaving only an empty cave. The barrier remains intact enough to block out disturbances. We can set up the array here; there is no need to search elsewhere."

The demons brightened at her words. "Fairy Caiyi, lead the way then."

She nodded, guiding them up the hill until they reached its center.

"The entrance is right here." Amid their puzzled gazes, she pointed beneath her feet. With a wave of her hand, a gust like a sharpened steel cut through the thick layer of rotten algae, revealing the true surface of the hill.

Beneath the growth lay smooth, black stone, clearly man-made. As the decayed algae peeled away, wisps of black-green smoke seeped out, instantly sealing the opening.

Staring at the smoke, Fairy Caiyi’s tone grew solemn. "The poison below is far more potent than what drifts above. Even with the Thousand-Year Viper pill, do not let your guard down. The cave dwelling entrance lies underneath. The celestial barrier has already been broken by cultivators, so entering won’t be difficult."

She then placed several treasures at the entrance, making arrangements before signaling the others. Forming a circle, they slowly descended into the opening. The poisonous smoke rising from the decayed algae was no weaker than the mists of Purple Mist End.

Qin Sang felt his feet sink as he landed on the black stone floor. The smoke coiled thickly around him, cold and suffocating.

"Do it!" Fairy Caiyi snapped, her silken sleeve flaring. A burst of light flared through the smoke, accompanied by a resonant phoenix cry. A fist-sized phoenix emerged from her sleeve, wings spread, and slammed into the rock at the center.

Yuan Zhu and the others were not to be outdone. Each unleashed their methods, some even employing astras. Qin Sang maintained his Heavenly Demon Transformation form. With a sudden sweep of his wings, he thrust a powerful punch downward, sending an azure fist shadow crashing against the stone.

Their attacks landed nearly at the same time. The ancient barrier stirred. Dense runes surfaced on the stone, and the poisonous smoke, which was able even to corrode true essence, was instantly swept away by a strange force.

Then came a sudden tightening, as if they had all fallen into an endless sea of fog. The illusion lasted only moments before their strikes connected.

Boom!

The hill trembled. The marsh quaked as countless near-ripe seeds burst into the air, cascading down like a rain of flowers.

With a loud crack, the black stone split down the middle and folded inward, revealing a passage leading deeper within. The barrier broke, and Qin Sang and the others were released from its confinement.

"Go in. There’s nothing dangerous inside," Fairy Caiyi said as she took the lead into the passage.

The rest followed one after another. The straight corridor led to a heavy iron door. Once pushed open, it revealed a vast and majestic stone hall. Side chambers connected to its flanks.

Though the hall’s furnishings were long gone, leaving only decay, it was clear the place had once been richly adorned. Whatever treasures had remained were long since taken.

"Fairy Caiyi was right. This place is perfect," Gu Heng said with satisfaction. He looked around, then strode onto a raised platform. "No time to waste. Let’s set up the array."

He struck his Mustard Seed Pouch. Hundreds of streams of light burst forth, each carrying a treasure that floated into the air, nearly filling the platform.

The others leapt up and began arranging them under Gu Heng and Fairy Caiyi’s direction. The array was extremely intricate. Qin Sang lent his aid in silence, while secretly studying its structure.

Though he had some knowledge of arrays and barriers, this array baffled him completely. It was unlike any he had seen before, showing clear differences between human and demon methods.

With everything proceeding so smoothly, the demons were in high spirits, laughing and chatting as they worked. Qin Sang glanced at them, then asked Yuan Zhu at his side, "Daoist Yuan, once we complete the great king’s task, what do you intend to do?"

"I plan to leave Seven-Kill Hall—" Yuan Zhu replied.

The descendant of the Gui Che bloodline nearby interjected. "I, on the other hand, discovered a hidden realm here in Seven-Kill Hall. It may have ties to our demon ancestors. If you have no other business, why not join me in exploring it? After all the effort to reach the humans’ sacred ground, we shouldn’t leave empty-handed. I’ll take the first pick of any treasures, and the rest we’ll divide evenly. Plundering human treasures is also a service to our race."

Yuan Zhu chuckled. "So that’s why you didn’t give your all last time, Daoist Che. You were too busy hunting treasures?"

The Gui Che descendant only smiled in silence.

After a moment of thought, Yuan Zhu said, "If it truly is the residence of a demon ancestor, it would be no harm to take a look. I also have a matter to attend to, though. Let me think it over..."

Qin Sang chimed in with a vague response, neither agreeing nor refusing. Inwardly, he was relieved. Once the array was finished, these demons would split apart. Then he could slip away more easily, and even hunt them down one by one.

He would seize some of them and force out the secret of how they had transformed ahead of time. With that thought, his anxiety eased.

Working together, the embryonic form of the array soon began to form. On the platform appeared a grand array, with a square altar at its center.

The altar’s base was made of white jade, carved with images of renowned auspicious beasts: dragons, phoenixes, Qilin, Kunpeng, and more. Each figure was so lifelike it seemed ready to leap into the world.[1]

As the altar took shape, a mass of gray mist suddenly welled up from its summit. Subtle, inscrutable fluctuations stirred within the mist. At last, the array was complete.

Gu Heng and Fairy Caiyi descended to stand on either side of the altar, while the other demons spread out, encircling it in silence.

1. The Kunpeng is a powerful mythical beast that begins as a gigantic fish in the Northern Ocean and transforms into an enormous bird, the Peng, capable of flying for "tens of thousands of miles". ☜