Dragon King's Son-In-Law, page 384
She lowered her head with a smile, thinking that Hao Ren could be cunning sometimes.
Sure enough, the cultivators outside the valley looked at each other in alarm, afraid that their realms would be locked up again.
“Besides, I need 150 Core Formation Realm cultivators and 1,500 Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators. Sky Mountain Sect must bring them here in half an hour,” Hao Ren said.
Hearing the casual words of Hao Ren in the valley, the cultivators outside were stunned again.
“Herb King Master wants a great number of low-leveled cultivators from Sky Mountain Sect to come here. Is he planning to kill the main forces of Sky Mountain Sect through the hands of us, the Nascent Soul Realm cultivators?” they thought.
In the valley, Duan Yao was also looking at Hao Ren in astonishment, wondering what he was up to.
Ignoring her, Hao Ren began to kill time by practicing the fundamental boxing techniques of the East Ocean Dragon Palace.
Watching Hao Ren in bafflement, Duan Yao suddenly felt like he was very mysterious.
She had practiced martial arts from an early age and had solid skills. When she watched his powerful punches and kicks, she knew that Hao Ren’s strength wasn’t low.
However, she was only slightly surprised.
She returned to her work in the spiritual fields. Sky Mountain Sect was backed into a corner, and its fate was held in the hands of Ethereal Summit. Since it didn’t look like she was going to become a cauldron for dual-cultivation, she would bear the humiliation.
Only a moment later, the cultivator troops of Sky Mountain Sect descended onto Fifth Heaven from Sixth Heaven.
The 150 cultivators above mid-tier Core Formation Realm and the 1,500 cultivators at top-tier Foundation Establishment Realm lined up in the high sky above Ethereal Summit with anxious expressions.
Having seen Sky Mountain Sect’s group attack at Ethereal Summit, Hao Ren knew these cultivators were familiar with array formations and well disciplined. Like the soldiers of East Ocean under Zhao Kuo’s training, these cultivators wouldn’t run from powerful enemies in panic.
This was why Hao Ren thought of Sky Mountain Sect first when he considered repairing the array formation since Sky Mountain Sect had a significant number of disciplined cultivators.
“Congming, you are in charge of the outer range,” Hao Ren said to Zhen Congming.
“Ok!” With a snap of his fingers, Zhen Congming flew out of the valley on the black disk.
The Nascent Soul Realm masters thought Zhen Congming looked quite familiar since he resembled the legendary child thief who stole their spiritual herbs, but none of them dared to voice their suspicion right now.
Zhen Congming was going to build a powerful array formation named Seven Stars Eight Poles Array Formation. It had fewer variations than the previous Big Dipper Constellation Array Formation, but it was three times more powerful. If it was activated successfully, it could easily block the attacks from Nascent Soul Realm cultivators!
After Big Dipper Constellation Array Formation was destroyed, Zhen Congming was furious and decided to build a super powerful ‘turtle shell’ this time since he didn’t think Hao Ren could control array formations properly.
“You! Come here!”
Zhen Congming who was only at Foundation Establishment Realm ordered the Nascent Soul Realm cultivators to stand in the specific positions in the outer range of the valley.
Advanced array formations could use natural essence in the surroundings, and the Big Dipper Constellation Array Formation was an example of one.
Low leveled array formations needed spirit stones to power them, and an example would be the array formations at the Scroll Pavilion of Sky Mountain Sect.
The most powerful array formation would gather the cultivation strengths of ancient cultivators to keep it functioning for thousands of years. Since Zhen Congming couldn’t find a super master like his master Qiu Niu or a Soul Formation Realm cultivator to inject great amounts of cultivation strength, he had to find many lower-realm cultivators to do the same thing.
Releasing 100-year-worth of cultivation strength, the 15 Nascent Soul Realm cultivators would barely activate this ultimate array formation. After absorbing and storing 1,500-year-worth of cultivation strength, the array formation would work for 100 years.
The 150 Core Formation Realm cultivators and the 1,500 Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators worked as the array’s foundation, stabilizing the big array formation.
A couple of cultivators couldn’t finish such an ultimate array formation. Also, the lack of coordination among the cultivators would leave defects in the array formation as well.
Xie Yujia hid the dozen snow lion cubs in the cave and then opened the energy sphere, letting in the 150 Core Formation Realm cultivators and the 1,500 Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators.
In the middle of the valley, the spiritual herb fields were protected by wood fences so that the cultivators couldn’t trample them.
The golden shield flew around the valley and released 1,000 smaller shields which lit up the valley. The Sky Mountain Sect cultivators in the valley didn’t dare to make a move.
These low-realm cultivators were led by Ye Yan, the senior disciple of the Sky Mountain Sect Master. Entering the valley for the first time, he was surprised to see that Hao Ren was so young.
With tears on her face, Duan Yao didn’t feel any pleasure when she saw the cultivators of Sky Mountain Sect; instead, she stood by Hao Ren’s side.
Ye Yan, the future sect master, looked at Hao Ren up and down in secret and sensed no nature essence from Hao Ren.
“He can hide his realm so well! So powerful! He is indeed the direct disciple of Herb King Master!” Ye Yan looked surprised since he never imagined that instead of hiding his realm, Hao Ren had zero nature essence this week.
Seeing his former junior sister Duan Yao standing beside Hao Ren, Ye Yan felt regretful.
He had felt disgusted when he thought that Duan Yao would be taken as a cauldron by Herb King Master, whom he thought was an old man. However, seeing Hao Ren being so young, Ye Yan began to feel jealous since he thought Hao Ren took Duan Yao as a dual-cultivation partner.
“Junior Sister…” He blurted out.
Duan Yao turned her head and ignored him.
Hao Ren turned to look at Duan Yao and said, “It’s not easy to build an array formation. Since they are the disciples of your Sky Mountain Sect, you control them while I issue the orders.”
While harboring complicated feelings, Duan Yao looked at Hao Ren in surprise when she heard his words.
636 Life Is in Your Hands!
In fact, Hao Ren had kept her in Ethereal Summit so that she could control the cultivators of Sky Mountain Sect for him.
When he was leading the troops of East Ocean, he only gave them directions, and the generals understood his command and controlled the soldiers.
Hum! Hum! Hum!
Three light beams of different colors rose from three directions of Ethereal Summit.
Zhen Congming had buried different array disks in different directions. In the previous Big Dipper Constellation Array Formation, he had put the array disk, which was the heart of the array, in Hao Ren’s cave. However, he was using 15 array disks this time!
Some of the Nascent Soul Realm cultivators had studied array formations. They were surprised to see that Zhen Congming’s array disks were made of a material which they had never seen before, and the patterns on the disks were very complicated.
These array disks were probably the array formation devices left by ancient cultivators. The moment that they were buried into the ground, waves of intense nature essence rose.
When the 15 array disks were buried into the ground around the valley, 15 light beams of different colors lit up.
These light beams surrounded the entire Ethereal Summit. Meanwhile, the nature essence in the center of Ethereal Summit rose suddenly, and its intensity was as high as that of the rare locations on Sixth Heaven.
Standing near Ethereal Summit, the cultivators were astonished when they felt the change of the nature essence.
They had never seen such a big array formation which could change the nature, not to mention witnessing the building process.
Three of the brightest light beams connected with each other, creating a perfect triangle where each angle was 120 degrees and placed the center of Ethereal Summit in the middle.
Obviously, Zhen Congming had calculated the positions of the array disks carefully. Otherwise, they wouldn’t fit so perfectly with each other.
Hum! Hum! Hum!
“Up!” Stepping on the black disk, Zhen Congming flew into the high sky above Ethereal Summit and tossed out a perfect-tier spirit stone that was as big as a millstone!
The cultivators from Sixth Heaven had never seen such a perfect-tier spirit stone before!
Its overwhelming nature essence temped them, and they almost tried to take it by force!
The spirit stone was dropped into the center of the valley, and it was the spot where the three light beams connected.
Swoosh… The perfect-tier spirit stone reflected lights which activated the remaining 12 light beams!
Instantly, Ethereal Summit was full of dazzling light while 12 light beams connected with the three light beams in the center of Ethereal Summit, forming light joints.
In the circle around the Ethereal Summit, a huge triangle and 15 light beams appeared.
The reflections of the complicated light beams dazzled the surrounding cultivators.
The Core Formation Realm cultivators felt sick due to the vibrations of the humming sounds which signaled the imminent activation of the big array formation
The 15 light beams began to turn slowly.
The lights turned so fast that it seemed like the triangle was spinning by itself in the circle.
Hao Ren looked up at the high sky and saw different colors flashing continuously, more complicated than the neon lights in the city.
The Nascent Soul Realm masters had never seen such a complicated array formation either. They wondered who on earth this Herb King Master was and why he could build such an array formation.
Their awe for Herb King Master increased as they felt like even the Soul Formation Realm cultivators couldn’t get out of the array formation, not to mention the Nascent Soul Realm cultivators!
Hum!
The triangle lights and the 15 light beams spun for a while and stopped suddenly.
Some Core Formation Realm cultivators felt dizzy and fell to the ground, injured by only watching the spinning of the array formation!
The reflecting light beams formed exactly 150 big light spots and 1,500 small light spots!
Hao Ren pointed at Duan Yao by his side and said, “Tell the Core Formation Realm cultivators to stand on the big spots and the Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators to stand on the small spots.”
Waking up from her amazement, Duan Yao glanced at Hao Ren and then made some hand gestures in the air with gritted teeth.
As the daughter of the Sect Master of Sky Mountain Sect, Duan Yao had certainly practiced array formations. When she made the gestures, the 150 Core Formation Realm cultivators and 1,500 Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators took their respective positions.
Duan Yao was cautious with her hand gestures since the people under her control were all disciples of Sky Mountain Sect. If any mistake happened, the cultivators of Sky Mountain Sect would probably all die here.
Despite her determination to leave Sky Mountain Sect, she didn’t want anything to happen to these disciples.
Outside of the valley, the 15 Nascent Soul Realm cultivators placed their hands on the array disks at the order of Zhen Congming.
Instantly, these Nascent Soul Realm cultivators felt their nature essence pouring out from their bodies. Like a bottomless hole, this huge array formation seemed like it would suck out all their cultivation strengths!
The other cultivators near the array formation were suddenly knocked away by a violent force!
Seven Stars Eight Poles Array Formation was activated!
The sky changed colors while clouds swarmed over. The clear sky suddenly turned dark red!
In the valley, the golden shield didn’t dare to move freely in such a big array, and it entered Hao Ren’s necklace voluntarily.
Seeing this frightening sight, Little White also hid in its dog house.
Lu Linlin and Lu Lili stood beside Hao Ren, wary of any potential change in the array formation.
If any mistake happened in such a big array formation, all the cultivators would be severely injured or killed at its sudden collapse!
The 15 Nascent Soul Realm cultivators’ Taoist robes puffed up, showing that they had circulated their nature essence to the limit. If they weren’t careful, their bodies would be sucked into the array disks!
However, the situation was out of their control, and they couldn’t back out now.
In the valley, the 150 Core Formation Realm cultivators and the 1,500 Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators were releasing nature essence according to Duan Yao hand gestures, and they were sweating all over their bodies.
Any wrong step or beat probably meant death!
Hearing Hao Ren’s orders, Duan Yao’s smooth palms sweated profusely, afraid to make any mistake. After all, the lives of over 1,000 Sky Mountain Sect disciples were in her hands. If the array formation collapsed suddenly, these disciples would be the first to suffer.
Standing beside Hao Ren, Xie Yujia was also nervous, but she was surprised to see the disciples of Sky Mountain Sect moving in a disciplined way, following Duan Yao’s gestures closely.
“If Sky Mountain Sect didn’t offend Old Grandma, it wouldn’t have fallen so hard,” Xie Yujia thought.
She glanced at Duan Yao, thinking that this girl was quite skillful. Despite her bleeding wrists, Duan Yao was working steadily, afraid that any delay in her movements would kill these disciples of Sky Mountain Sect.
Calmly, Hao Ren instructed Duan Yao how to control the movements of Sky Mountain Sect disciples according to the changes in the lights and the scrolls Zhen Congming had told him.
Hao Ren and Duan Yao worked well with each other. Shorter than Hao Ren, Duan Yao looked petite and cute standing beside him.
The array formation that engulfed Ethereal Summit flashed while it entered the key stage. The 15 Nascent Soul Realm elders who were providing nature essence to the huge array formation were on the brink of collapse.
Zhen Congming used them as spirit stones which transferred out nature essence steadily, but only Nascent Soul Realm cultivators couldn’t support such an ancient array formation.
Seeing that the situation was getting worse, the Nascent Soul Realm masters had to spit out their essence blood and use their natal nature essence.
This would certainly consume their cultivation strength, but they had no choice!
The 15 Nascent Soul Realm masters spat out blood at the same time!
In the valley, the 150 Core Formation Realm cultivators and the 1,500 Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators found their steps getting heavier while they pushed the circulation of the array formation as if they were pushing a huge millstone!
The cultivators who were knocked away looked at the moving lights around Ethereal Summit in astonishment. Such an array formation probably only appeared in the ancient mystical realms!
The 15 Nascent Soul Realm cultivators felt their nature essence gushing out of their bodies, and even their natal essence blood was being sucked out. Just when the three Sky Mountain Sect elders thought they couldn’t go on any longer, the spinning lights suddenly closed.
Bang!
In the valley, the 150 Core Formation Realm cultivators and the 1,500 Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators dropped to the ground suddenly. Exhausted, they couldn’t remain standing under the sudden suppression of the array formation that was created.
Duan Yao exhaled deeply and turned to look at Hao Ren. Just as she was about to smile, she caught herself and turned to anger
The feud between her and Hao Ren would never change!
Not daring to linger in Ethereal Summit, the Sky Mountain Sect disciples rushed toward the entrance of the valley. With the exhaustion of their nature essence, Herb King Master could kill them with ease!
The array formation closed suddenly, forming a perfect spherical light shield. The white light shield reflected the blue sky and white clouds like a mirror.
Very soon, the array formation became steady and turned transparent as if there weren’t an array formation. Ethereal Summit looked mysterious with clouds surrounding it.
After losing 100 to 200 years of cultivation strengths, the Nascent Soul Realm masters hurried back to their respective camps to heal their injuries.
Although they had recovered their realms, they paid bloody prices. It would take them 100 years in seclusion to regain the lost cultivation strength.
Excluded by the array formation, the three small sects around Ethereal Summit weren’t covered by the light sphere. However, with their connections to Herb King Master, who dared to mess with them?
In the last few days, the sects on Sixth Heaven couldn’t find Herb King Master, so they tried to get on the good side of the three small sects as if they were the sects on Seventh Heaven.
With Ethereal Summit supporting them, the three small sects who were doing the trading of spiritual herbs and elixir pills on behalf of Ethereal Summit had become the most famous and important sects on Fifth Heaven.
With the completion of the big array formation, the three small sects stood straighter. However, they were more cautious as well since they would receive the first blow if Herb King Master were displeased with them.
“Humph! Humph!” Stepping on the black disk, Zhen Congming returned to Ethereal Summit, looking smug.
It was his first time creating such a big array formation, and he had done it successfully.
“How powerful is it?” Hao Ren asked him.
