Chapter 668: Guarding the Array of Liyin Shenggu

Chu Bukian squeezed to the front of the Liyin Shenggu's disciple recruitment station, clutching the sect's token.

The elder overseeing recruitment frowned, but before he could speak, Chu Bukian handed him the token: "Senior, I wish to join Liyin Shenggu—preferably as an inner sect disciple or higher."

"Sect token?" The elder took it, glanced at it, and immediately paled.

The Liyin Shenggu sect token was more powerful than the sect master's own words—it could mobilize the entire sect.

That meant Chu Bukian could use this token to demand Liyin Shenggu launch an attack on another sect.

Now he merely asked for an inner sect disciple position—this request was as good as no request at all for a token like this.

The elder dared not decide on his own; he sent a message at once.

Less than half a stick of incense later, an old man with white hair and beard landed before Chu Bukian, studied him briefly, then seized the sect token in his hand.

"Elder Yu, this token was brought by him," said the recruitment elder, pointing at Chu Bukian.

Elder Yu nodded, examined the token repeatedly, then spoke to Chu Bukian:

"This is indeed the Liyin Shenggu sect token. You wish to become an inner sect disciple of Liyin Shenggu?"

Chu Bukian bowed respectfully, then said cautiously:

"Chu Bukian greets Elder Yu. I come from Xiadaoshen Sect in the Lower Divine Lands. Xiadaoshen Sect was wiped out overnight by enemies.

I have nowhere to go—I came here with the sect token passed down by my father, seeking only a sliver of survival."

Chu Bukian knew well that after joining Liyin Shenggu, they would inevitably investigate his origins.

Rather than let them investigate on their own, he preferred to speak plainly.

As long as they didn't know Ding Huan and Mo Changcan had joined with him, it would be fine.

Elder Yu paid no attention to Chu Bukian's words.

"You only wish to join the sect as an inner sect disciple?" Elder Yu tucked the token away.

No matter what Chu Bukian requested, once the sect token returned to the sect, it would not leave again so easily.

Chu Bukian's tone remained fearful: "My only request is to have a solitary peak for cultivation, under the sect's protection."

Elder Yu didn't care about Chu Bukian's request.

He had heard of Xiadaoshen Sect. That Chu Bukian possessed a Liyin Shenggu sect token and escaped the destruction of his sect, he was almost certainly the heir of Xiadaoshen's sect master.

As the heir of Xiadaoshen's sect master, he would surely seek vengeance for his sect.

To seek vengeance, he came to Liyin Shenggu only to cultivate and strengthen himself.

"Inner sect disciples don't have solitary peaks. Only true disciples do. With this token, you qualify to become a true disciple—but you must wait.

To become a true disciple of Liyin Shenggu, you must be recognized and taken as a disciple by an elder."

Elder Yu's tone was gentle, yet it doused Chu Bukian like a bucket of ice water.

What Chu Bukian wanted wasn't the title of disciple—he wanted a solitary peak for cultivation.

To have a sect elder take him as a disciple? That was impossible.

Elders from the Upper Divine Lands had eyes higher than the sky. How could they possibly accept a cultivator from the Lower Divine Lands as a true disciple?

"Actually, there is a way."

Elder Yu saw through Chu Bukian's thoughts.

With his status, coming to Liyin Shenggu, he must have secrets.

This Chu Bukian likely didn't want his secrets exposed—that's why he wanted a solitary peak.

"Please, Elder, enlighten me," Chu Bukian said quickly.

Elder Yu didn't hide it: "Liyin Shenggu's outer sect disciples are divided into three branches: Sect Branch, Elder Branch, and Defense Array Branch.

The Sect Branch consists of outer disciples recruited periodically by the sect—they rely on sect protection to cultivate and contribute to the sect, then strive to advance to inner sect or even true disciple status.

The Elder Branch consists of outer disciples placed by various elders—they have powerful patrons, so their placement after joining is predetermined.

The Defense Array Branch is stationed separately on the western edge of Liyin Shenggu, still within the sect grounds.

West of Liyin Shenggu lies the edge of the Great Star Wasteland, where divine beasts and unforeseen threats frequently attack the sect's protective arrays.

Since Sect Branch and Elder Branch outer disciples must undertake various missions, their benefits are inferior to those of inner sect disciples—solitary peaks are out of the question.

But Defense Array Branch outer disciples must constantly guard the array cores of Liyin Shenggu, facing constant danger, so they are granted solitary peaks.

Their mortality rate is the highest, and their cultivation time is relatively minimal."

"Relatively minimal cultivation time"? That meant no cultivation time at all.

Elder Yu revealing this much was already a conscientious elder.

Chu Bukian fell silent.

He knew well of the Great Star Wasteland—Liyin Shenggu was one of the few Upper Divine Lands sects that bordered it.

The Great Star Wasteland was not human territory—it belonged to the divine race.

To the divine race, the Great Star Wasteland was equivalent to the Dao Ruins for humans—a training ground filled with countless treasures.

Yet the areas bordering human lands were sealed off by supreme protective arrays.

Humans could not sneak into the true Great Star Wasteland to seek resources.

Logically, since the divine race sealed off the connection between the Great Star Wasteland and human lands, Liyin Shenggu should be safe, with no beasts, divine beasts, or unknown threats attacking the arrays.

But precisely here lay the problem.

To drive away sects bordering the Great Star Wasteland, the divine race periodically orchestrated beast surges to attack them.

These sects couldn't maintain constant defense against the Great Star Wasteland, so they recruited high-level outer disciples to guard the array cores.

That was how the Defense Array Branch came to be.

"Bukian, join the Defense Array Branch as an outer disciple—we need a solitary peak," Ding Huan's voice landed precisely in Chu Bukian's ear.

Chu Bukian immediately bowed deeply: "Thank you, Elder Yu, for relieving my worries—I am willing to join Liyin Shenggu as an outer disciple of the Defense Array Branch."

>

But I have several friends who have nowhere to go; I hope to bring them into the sect with me to train outside.

Elder Yu cast a surprised glance at Chu Bukian—he had made his position perfectly clear, yet Chu Bukian still chose to join the Outer Gate of the Defense Array Branch.

This is probably the easiest time the Divine Sound Valley has ever reclaimed its sect token.

"Very well. Since that's the case, I'll personally escort you to complete your entry formalities. As for your friends, they may come with you—they only need to abide by the rules for sect laborers."

Elder Yu paid no mind to Chu Bukian's mention of bringing in several people.

Even if Chu Bukian hadn't said anything, an Outer Gate disciple was entitled to bring in a few laborers.

…

Chu Bukian's entry into the Divine Sound Valley stirred not a ripple.

Elder Yu was efficient; within half a day, Chu Bukian arrived at Great Star Peak with Ding Huan, Mo Changcan, Chu Tianhua, Seeing Qu Yi, and Luo Huan'er.

In truth, as the conflict between the Divine Race and the Human Race intensified, the number of Outer Gate disciples in the Defense Array Branch had dwindled.

After all, guarding the edge of the Great Star Wasteland offered neither stable cultivation nor safe survival—why stay here?

According to the Divine Sound Valley's records.

Within the past thousand years, the Defense Array near the Great Star Wasteland had been breached twenty-three times; each time it fell, all Outer Gate disciples stationed there perished.

That meant it was breached roughly once every few decades.

As for minor attacks, they occurred almost every few days.

At this moment, in the main cultivation chamber atop Great Star Peak, the six held their first meeting upon joining the Divine Sound Valley.

Ding Huan spoke: "Based on what we now know, the five of us are assigned to guard one of the Divine Sound Valley's array cores.

This core is attacked nearly every few days, so this is our first problem to solve.

Otherwise, we won't even have time to cultivate—we'll be exhausted just fending off these constant array assaults."

"I'll handle the defense array…"

Mo Changcan spoke up immediately.

He was a Level Four Divine Array Master and believed he could resolve this.

Ding Huan shook his head: "If the defense array could solve it, no one would need to guard it. Besides, the Divine Sound Valley's defensive divine array is Level Seven—we can't even construct a Level Seven divine array yet.

Even if we could, it still wouldn't hold. This place is breached once every few decades.

I have some experience dealing with this—I once did exactly this, when I held back the Robber Immortal Beetles. No matter what comes this time, I believe I can still hold it off.

Changcan, you handle the setup of Great Star Peak's defense array and spirit gathering array. Seeing Qu Yi will assist Brother Changcan with these arrays—we'll likely be cultivating here for a long time.

Bukian, Tianhua, Huan'er—you three are responsible for rebuilding the cultivation caves here. Not only must you construct the caves, but you must also clear and prepare some farmland."

After the meeting, everyone took up their roles.

The first thing Ding Huan intended to do was not figure out how to defend the Divine Sound Valley's array, but how to break through the array on the side facing Great Star Peak.

His habit was to crush problems and troubles before they reached his doorstep.

He would never wait for the Divine Race to launch an attack on the Divine Sound Valley's array.

His plan was to leave from the direction of the array they guarded, enter the Great Star Wasteland, and eliminate the threats to the Divine Sound Valley's array from within the Great Star Wasteland.

But Ding Huan knew well: with his current Level Four Divine Array Master rank, he could not exit the Divine Sound Valley's Level Seven array.

Ding Huan decided to study the Great Array Art from the Three Thousand Great Dao near the edge of the Divine Sound Valley's array.

In truth, Ding Huan had long wished to study the Great Array Art, but its array dao concept was fundamentally opposed to the array dao concept he himself had cultivated.

To study this Great Array Art, he would need to spend a long time fusing it with his own array dao concept—a very troublesome matter.

(End of Chapter)