Chapter 402: Hunyuan He Luo Great Array

The great battle between Hou Yi and He Bo is the male protagonist's first fight scene.

Jiang Heng's special effects in this segment are abundant and dazzling, like a massive wave struck and turning into swords, spears, and halberds.

There is also water‑to‑ice control, then shattering the ice blocks; Hou Yi's several tribe members died just like that.

Even more dazzling is that He Bo Feng Yi can transform into a gigantic dragon over a hundred meters long, with whiskers and hair fully extended; under the sun each scale shines brilliantly, exuding great majesty.

Fortunately, Hou Yi is not helpless; he takes a black vine to bind Chang'e to his back and first rescues the tribe members one by one.

Then, using his exquisite archery, he blocks He Bo's assault and eliminates a few amusing little demons.

Moreover, when He Bo, in dragon form, flaunts his might in midair, a single arrow blinds his left eye.

The hundred‑meter‑plus dragon falls from the sky, rolling on the ground and crushing countless houses and trees.

Seeing Hou Yi fire several more arrows that strike the dragon's body, He Bo grows increasingly painful, rolls into the river, follows the current, and flees toward the sea.

Hou Yi wants to pursue, but Chang'e urges him back: "You earlier said we must be patient; if we truly kill him, how could the Heavenly Court be satisfied?"

Hou Yi, angry, says: "The demon race governs the heavens, the witch clan governs the earth; that was a mutual agreement. Now the Heavenly Court sends a great demon to occupy the water realm, seizing the witch clan's lifeline—this is a death sentence for us!"

The witches hear this and all wear expressions of indignation.

It is said that the barely‑escaped He Bo Feng Yi returned to the Heavenly Court and complained to the Heavenly Emperor, saying that Hou Yi shot out one of his eyes; had he not fled quickly, he would have died on the spot.

The Heavenly Emperor, upon hearing this, becomes furious and scolds He Bo for acting recklessly and disobeying his orders.

"I command you all: within forty‑nine days, refine the seals; will you treat it as wind in my ears? Beat me!"

After saying that, he orders people to whip He Bo harshly.

Bo Huang, the eldest of the Heavenly Emperor's ten sons, puzzled, later quietly asks the Heavenly Emperor.

The latter explains that he has comprehended a formation called the Hunyuan He Luo Great Array; as long as the mountain gods, earth spirits, and water gods he has appointed refine their seals, they can become regional sovereigns, able to mobilize the spiritual forces of mountains and rivers at will.

When that time comes, the heavens will have the Zhou Tian Xing Dou Great Array, the earth will have the Hunyuan He Luo Great Array; the ancestral witches will return, yet they will be trapped in a celestial net, unable to break free, and will gradually be killed.

Bo Huang, portrayed by Nie Yuan, listens with a face of surprise and admiration, hurriedly saying his father is profoundly foresighted, unmatched by anyone.

He also says that now He Bo is wounded by Hou Yi; if the Heavenly Court does not react, it will only provoke suspicion among the witch clan.

The Heavenly Emperor thinks this has some merit, allowing Bo Huang to give Hou Yi some punishment, but it must not spark a full‑scale war between the witch and demon races, which would ruin his grand plans.

He then tells Hou Yi's side to report the conflict with He Bo to the arriving Great Witch Xing Tian.

The latter is surprised: "How strange! As I've traveled, I've found many high mountains and great rivers occupied by great demons who call themselves mountain gods and water gods."

"Do they forbid me from entering the mountains or descending the rivers?"

Xing Tian, portrayed by Huang Xiaoming, shakes his head slightly: "No, they merely claim those places as their territory; they take no other actions."

"We here strictly adhere to the previously agreed strategy—patience first—and no conflicts have arisen!"

Hou Yi says: "In that case, this mishap appears to be He Bo's personal action?"

Xing Tian replies: "It should be. That one called Feng Yi has always liked to plunder young beautiful women and has a notorious reputation! Now that you shot out one of his eyes, it's just punishment deserved. Since the ancestral witches aren't present, let's allow him to live a bit longer!"

Hou Yi, upon hearing this, also thinks it appropriate.

He leads his tribe to live peacefully, warning them to stay away from the great river for now. Yet one day, while Hou Yi leads the tribe into the mountains to hunt, a tiger spirit claiming to be a mountain god blocks the path, saying it acts on the Heavenly Emperor's order, demanding Hou Yi sacrifice Chang'e to the Heavenly Court for atonement.

Hou Yi naturally would not take a tiger spirit lightly, but this so‑called mountain god can move rocks and shift trees, trapping a renowned Great Witch within the forest.

Hou Yi, astonished, is forced to expose the mountain god's location by feigning deception, then shoots an arrow that directly hits its throat.

Because the tiger has become a spirit, its whole body is treasure.

Hou Yi, angry that it trapped him and killed many tribe members, personally skins and tendons it.

Yet inside the tiger he finds a Mountain River Seal; squeezing it in his hand lets him clearly sense every spot in the surrounding forest.

"If every mountain god and water god possessed such power, where on the primeval earth would our witch clan have any foothold!"

Hou Yi immediately takes Chang'e to seek the Great Witch Xing Tian, who, upon hearing, is also terrified.

They promptly contact the other Great Witches; after a discussion they discover that the major mountains, rivers, and streams of the primeval earth have already been occupied by mountain gods and water gods appointed by the Heavenly Court.

If each possessed the ability of the mountain god Hou Yi killed, the ancestral witches would have no excuse; aside from the Great Witches, ordinary witches meeting them would be death! Meanwhile, the Heavenly Emperor, upon hearing Hou Yi killed a mountain god and seized the bestowed Mountain River Seal, is truly incensed and intends to send men to capture Hou Yi to the Heavenly Court for trial.

Bo Huang, the eldest of the Heavenly Emperor's ten sons, feels he failed to arrange things last time, voluntarily offers his assistance, and the other brothers eagerly request to join the formation.

The Heavenly Emperor sees this and consents.

Bo Huang then selects three brothers, leads five thousand flying raven troops to the mortal realm to capture Hou Yi.

These men are naturally no match for Hou Yi; they are beaten, spitting blood wildly, their feathers scattering.

Bo Huang, enraged, reveals his true Golden Crow form together with the three brothers, burning nearly half of Hou Yi's tribe's witches before fleeing in panic and then hurriedly flies away.

The Hou Yi tribe mourns across the fields; some blame Chang'e as a beauty bringing disaster, saying that if not for her looks attracting He Bo, the mountain god, and the Heavenly Emperor's son's covetousness, the tribe wouldn't have suffered so many calamities and deaths.

Chang'e hears this and weeps, her tears like pear blossoms in rain.

Hou Yi pulls her into his arms, tells the tribe that he will act alone and bear responsibility, so as not to involve everyone, and immediately departs with Chang'e.

The two go to the great mountain previously occupied by the Tiger Mountain Lord; because Hou Yi holds the Mountain River Seal there, he can influence the forest, and they quickly construct a simple thatched hut.

As the setting sun descends, the pair sit by the hut's window, gazing at the beautiful sunset, discussing the future.

"The few Golden Crows, angry and vengeful, suffered such a loss this time and will soon return for revenge!"

"We've hidden here; they won't find us that easily, right?" Chang'e asks with a worried expression.

Hou Yi sighs, "The demon race and the Heavenly Court have always regarded living beings on earth as weeds, never caring about their lives, only fearing those Golden Crows who disregard everything!"

Chang'e says, "But we've left the tribe; why should we care about others? As long as we two stay together, isn't that fine?"

Hou Yi pulls Chang'e into his arms, sighs, "But so many tribe members died because of you and me; how could we possibly ignore it?"

"You mean they'll come for revenge?"

Hou Yi sneers, "They certainly will!"

As they speak, the sunset at the horizon suddenly turns blazing red, and several Golden Crows fly out, causing the previously fallen sun to rise again to the sky's center, ten suns hanging in the air.

(End of Chapter)