Chapter 551: Is This Reasonable?

The Eight Trigrams formation spans dozens of kilometers, advancing slowly with frequent adjustments.

Sometimes the aura rises slightly, sometimes it falls, fluctuating unpredictably, but overall, once the Jin Dan cultivators become proficient, the aura grows even stronger.

"My Dao of Array formation seems to have increased a little."

Jiang Ding silently sensed it.

Controlling a great array formed by over two hundred Jin Dan cultivators with his own strength, without relying on any treasure-grade array instruments, was a completely new experience for him.

Many inspirations and thoughts never before present burst forth in his mind, being recorded bit by bit in the lake of his heart.

The teachers often say that cultivating immortality is a path of practice, summary, and then practice again in an endless cycle; truly so.

"My lord, the Blood Cloud Eighteen Cavalry have begun to move, in the opposite direction to us."

"They have not scattered, and have also begun to form a military array."

"Senior Qian Division One, Kun Division One, Li Division One... step forward."

"Have they fled?"

Just as he could easily spy on the intelligence of the Blood Cloud Eighteen Cavalry, this temporarily established, all-encompassing organization known as the Sword-Bearer Order was also leaking everywhere, easily bribed by anyone.

The overall aura dropped by a small half.

Jiang Ding took command of the new array, and the speed suddenly rose, reaching a level exceeding that of the Blood Cloud Eighteen Cavalry by a margin.

The Taiyi Qingmu Xianzong must also possess related immortal techniques, but the cost would surely rise by more than tenfold.

Jiang Ding spoke to himself.

Jiang Ding issued the order.

Flying a military array is not merely dragging over a hundred people through the air; it requires coordinating the flight of a vast array area covering dozens of kilometers, while ensuring normal spellcasting and normal gathering of heaven and earth's spiritual energy during movement, containing a considerable degree of immortal technology.

In this regard, Jiang Ding had only seen a perfect solution at the immortal sects: warships and the like, which not only did not affect the array patterns at all, but even provided a massive amplifying effect with extremely high stability.

From within the One-Eyed Cicada, a voice sounded; moments later, multiple voices came to corroborate each other, along with images from multiple perspectives.

Individual flight and military array flight are not the same.

He immediately felt this was somewhat tricky.

If the price offered is high enough, perhaps a large number of personnel would even rebel.

"The slow speed of great array flight is an inherent flaw of arrays, which needs to be solved through special mounts or array Dao flight treasures."

For individual flight, one only needs to care for a single person.

Bai Mei True Person and other cultivators proficient in array control immediately advanced from the great array, treading the Great Dipper of the Heavenly Gang, chanting incantations, and following the guidance of the Eight Trigrams command flags before them to re-form a small Eight Trigrams Barrier-Breaking Array.

For instance, Bai Mei True Person had previously worked for the Blood Cloud Eighteen Cavalry; now he might even have connections with the enemy.

Secretly comparing the speeds of both sides, Jiang Ding frowned: "The numbers are double theirs, yet the speed is half as slow; the quality of the array's grassroots personnel is also inferior, and the relevant treasure-grade array instruments are lacking. These are the disadvantages."

"Yes!"

Of course, he could not have any loyalty to Dong Xue Liu Yun; he would help whichever side was stronger, and if one side showed signs of decline, he would kick them while they were down, always standing on the side of the victor.

"The rear guard, follow steadily behind."

"Yes!"

The cultivators at the rear respectfully replied.

Over a thousand li apart,

an army stood in formation, waving a blood-red flag, with killing intent filling the sky and heavy pressure weighing down.

Though there were only over a hundred people, simply standing there made it seem as if thousands of soldiers were shouting and charging, with a stench of blood assaulting the nose.

Looking closer, three people held a small blood flag, six held a medium blood flag, and thirty-six held a large blood flag; the blood flags shone with brilliant spiritual light, clearly all being at least low-grade treasures, refined over countless days.

At this moment, as the banners unfurled, blood light surged upward, blocking out the sun and moon, emitting an aura that made Jin Dan cultivators tremble.

The Blood Cloud Sub-Flags!

These were array instruments meticulously refined over a hundred years by the Blood Cloud Eighteen Cavalry, scouring the world for heavenly treasures; they were said to be able to form arrays to fight across realms, and even to swallow blood like a whale, growing stronger with every battle.

Legend has it that this was the great protective array of the ancient Modaoda Sect, the Blood River Gate; at its peak, twelve hundred earth-star flags, each a high-grade treasure with over sixty forbidden arrays, waved in the air, with numerous infant treasures stationed in the center.

When facing enemies, the blood light would spread for hundreds of miles, and the Blood River would naturally surge forth, rolling down; it was said that even if the Lu Xu Sect, the number one sect of that time, attacked with its entire force, they would remain unafraid.

The Blood Cloud Eighteen Cavalry had begun planning the formation of the Blood King Army a century ago, refining array instruments and practicing military arrays daily with bitter effort; only today have results finally appeared.

The members of the Blood Cavalry believed themselves invincible among Jin Dan cultivators and unafraid even of Nascent Soul cultivators.

"Why have they caught up in speed?"

"Their aura also far surpasses that of Jin Dan cultivators; this is impossible!"

Within the Blood Cavalry's military array, Hei Lou Cheng, the Fourth General of the Blood Cloud who was always the most skilled in military arrays and relied upon by Dong Xue Liu Yun, cried out in shock.

The scene before him shook his firm Dao heart, making it tremble uncontrollably, almost shattering.

Hei Lou Cheng was from a collateral branch of the General Heishi family; he had studied the systematic ways of arrays and military arrays, and was always proud of his array skills, believing that no Jin Dan cultivator in the entire General Heishi family could compare to him.

Ignorant and unenlightened wandering cultivators, even those with strength superior to his like Dong Xue Liu Yun and Tie Gu Jin Gang, he had always held in contempt.

But what was this scene before him?

A group of Jin Dan cultivators who had only temporarily gathered for a few months, who did not even know each other, with poor array skills, and array instruments where the strongest were merely top-grade magical artifacts in the form of Eight Trigrams flags, which were as good as nothing.

Such a group, with the same number of people, formed a military array emitting an aura that was even stronger than the one he had spent his heart's blood, vast amounts of heavenly treasures, and over a hundred years of refinement to create.

Is this reasonable?

Is there any justice in heaven?

This is completely unreasonable!

"This must be an illusion technique!"

"Yes, merely an illusion created by a clever treasure!"

The Blood Spear General Hei Lou Cheng felt he had uncovered the truth and said excitedly: "General, this sword cultivator from Master Tushan is indeed deeply skilled in the Dao of illusions, but these are merely trivial tricks."

"Please give the order, and we'll charge back. With the blood banner unfurled, we can surely crush them in a single strike!"

His mastery of military formations had always been the finest among the Blood Cloud Eighteen Riders, far surpassing the others, playing a tremendous role in past battles, and his prestige was long established.

Hearing this, quite a few showed a look of being tempted.

"It does seem that way…"

Iron Bone Vajra, born of a branch line of the Iron family, hesitated a moment before also speaking.

Unlike a loose cultivator, in his younger years he had likewise received training in the way of military formations. What was unfolding before his eyes completely violated common sense in the immortal dao—by all reason it should not be true.

"Charge back!"

With the two of them in agreement, the eyes of the rest lit up, and morale soared.

"Brothers… sigh."

Blood Flowing Cloud, his face lined with wrinkles, let out a bitter sigh. Without a word, he handed over five or six jade slips.

They showed nothing other than the scene of the Eight Trigrams Formation-Breaking Array shattering the myriad-li yellow sand prohibition grand array of the Scripture Pavilion—and from multiple people, from multiple angles, cross-checked against each other.

Clearly, in terms of loose-cultivator connections, he far surpassed the others; even without payment, there would always be someone to pass along word.

"Eight Trigrams Formation-Breaking Array…"

Black Lou Cheng took the jade slips, glanced through them, and his heart immediately churned like a river and sea, utterly horrified.

"What the hell!"

"How can there be such a person? Top-tier in the sword dao is one thing, but also top-tier in formations—which corner of the earth did this monster crawl out of!"

He immediately jumped up and down in a frenzy.

"Go, let's go, now!"

"My formations can't compare to his—I can't beat him at all!"