Chapter 719: Array against array, a desperate gamble (Seeking monthly votes)

Upon hearing this, Song Qingming nodded slightly and said, "Please rest assured, fellow Daoist. When I was studying array techniques years ago, I once saw this array recorded in a classic left behind by a senior of a sect."

"This Yin-Yang Eight Extremes Array is a very rare fourth-tier low-grade grand array. Its power is definitely far greater than what we just saw. In my opinion, this person's array technique is at most at the third-tier top-grade level. He likely just used a fourth-tier array disk to forcibly set up this array."

"That is why the power of this grand array is greatly discounted compared to a normal fourth-tier array; otherwise, it would be absolutely difficult for the two of us to resist it so easily."

"Although I currently have no way to break the array, I still have a third-tier top-grade defensive array in my hands. I have some confidence in dealing with the attacks of this array."

After speaking, Song Qingming took out the "Heavenly Dipper Five Elements Array" that he had just repaired not long ago.

"This is the Heavenly Dipper Five Elements Array? I didn't expect Fellow Daoist Song to have this array."

Seeing the array flags taken out by Song Qingming, Xia Mo, who was also a third-tier array master, recognized them at a glance, and a trace of joy flashed in her eyes.

The "Heavenly Dipper Five Elements Array" is a third-tier top-grade grand array with outstanding defensive capabilities. Even if a Nascent Soul cultivator were to strike, they could not break this array in one go. It is sufficient to deal with the Yin-Yang water and fire that just appeared.

As long as the array is set up properly and there are enough spirit stones, Song Qingming and the other could hide inside and hold out for ten days or half a month without any major problems.

With Xia Mo's help, it took less than half an hour for Song Qingming to quickly set up the "Heavenly Dipper Five Elements Array" in the cave.

After testing that the grand array was not greatly affected here, Song Qingming nodded with satisfaction and said to Xia Mo on the side, "I already told Huang Siyuan when I came that if I didn't send word back within seven days, she would immediately go to the sect to seek help."

"It is now the fourth day. As long as we hold on in the array for a few more days, when the sect reinforcements arrive, they will definitely have to retreat voluntarily."

"It's just a pity that I don't know how Fellow Daoist Wu and Fellow Daoist Han are doing now, and whether they have been trapped by the other party just like us."

"This old fellow spent more than a year here setting up this array to deal with us; he really went to great lengths. I also couldn't tell the background of these two people. Why would they take such a big risk to attack us when there is no hatred or grudge?"

When Xia Mo, who was sitting on the side, heard Song Qingming's last sentence, she suddenly asked with a serious face, "This old man's array level is so superb; he should be a somewhat famous person near the Fuyun Mountain Range. Does even Fellow Daoist Song not recognize this person?"

"To tell you the truth, although I haven't been in the Core Formation stage for long, I have some understanding of third-tier top-grade array masters around the Fuyun Mountain Range, and I have never heard of anyone similar to him."

"Moreover, this person looks like a rogue cultivator. As far as I know, there are currently no third-tier top-grade array masters of rogue cultivator origin in the Fuyun Mountain Range cultivation world, unless this person just came from another place not long ago."

"So, they might not be cultivators from the Fuyun Mountain Range side?"

Hearing the conclusion from Xia Mo's mouth, Song Qingming was silent for a moment before nodding and saying, "In my opinion, it is indeed very likely."

"However, I still feel that this matter is a bit strange. After they attacked Fellow Daoist He, they did not harm her life, but deliberately set a trap here waiting for us to deliver ourselves to their door. What is their purpose?"

If it were just about killing people and seizing treasures, attacking so many of us Jin Dan cultivators at once would be far too risky!

If we had hesitated just now and not entered, these fellows certainly wouldn't have been our match. Aren't they just asking for trouble?"

"You are right. Their purpose is indeed not that simple. Regarding the attack on Junior Sister He this time, I think their goal should be aimed at us, or rather, at a certain item on us." Xia Mo replied to Song Qingming with a thoughtful look.

"An item on us? Could it be aimed at you?" Song Qingming looked at Xia Mo on the side upon hearing this.

Seeing her eyes turn left and right a few times, she turned directly to look outside the ice wall and chose not to answer Song Qingming's question.

However, although Xia Mo did not say it directly, Song Qingming had already seen from her eyes that he had guessed correctly just now.

The reason why these people attacked He Mengxin was indeed very likely aimed at Xia Mo and the others. He must have accidentally gotten involved this time.

Thinking of this, some of the doubts in Song Qingming's heart suddenly dissipated slowly.

As an elder of the "Hundred Flowers Palace," He Mengxin's disappearance would inevitably lead to an investigation by Xia Mo and the others. The other party spent a year setting up this array here at "Yulong Mountain" just waiting for them to deliver themselves to their door.

This place is located in the Fuyun Mountain Range cultivation world, hundreds of thousands of miles away from the East Sea.

Even if the "Hundred Flowers Palace" knew that Xia Mo and the others were in danger now, they would be beyond reach and unable to provide timely support. The other party had calculated this point and carefully set up this trap.

Moreover, Xia Mo had just asked about the other party's origin, and Song Qingming had clearly informed her that the person might not be from the Fuyun Mountain Range cultivation world, so they were most likely from the East Sea.

There are many rogue cultivators in the East Sea cultivation world, several times more than here in the Fuyun Mountain Range. It is not difficult to find one or two third-tier top-grade array masters among them.

These people had long been eyeing Xia Mo and the others, and only attacked He Mengxin after following her all the way from the East Sea to Qinghe County.

However, although Song Qingming guessed that the other party's target was Xia Mo and the others, he did not know what the item was.

As a saintess of the "Hundred Flowers Palace," Xia Mo's net worth was naturally much richer than Song Qingming's, and the precious spiritual items in her hands were countless.

Just the third-tier top-grade magic treasures he had seen on her were no less than four or five pieces. The most precious one was the fourth-tier spiritual herb she obtained when she went to explore the Nascent Soul cave in the Yue Kingdom last time.

This is something that even Nascent Soul cultivators would be tempted by. If the other party came for this item, everything would naturally make sense, and it would be worth them taking some risks for it.

It's just that Xia Mo stayed in the "Hundred Flowers Palace" all year round and rarely went out to meet people. How these people knew that she had the thing they needed was unknown.

In this whole matter, the unluckiest one was Song Qingming, because he was inexplicably involved due to He Mengxin's disappearance, and ended up being trapped here.

However, Song Qingming came this time entirely on his own initiative, so he couldn't blame others.

Before setting off at that time, Xia Mo on the side had once tried to stop him. In the end, it was Song Qingming who insisted on coming, which led to him falling into the other party's trap together with Xia Mo and the others.

A few days ago, he had just learned the news that Song Xinyu had failed to form a Core, followed by He Mengxin's unexplained disappearance, and now he had run here on his own initiative and was trapped in a trap.

Thinking of this, Song Qingming shook his head slightly at himself. His luck had really been too bad recently; how could he encounter such unlucky things one after another?

Just as Song Qingming and the other were lamenting their encounter, on a platform above the mountain peak, the white-haired old man who had led Song Qingming and the others into the cave not long ago was carefully manipulating the two black and white array flags in front of him.

"Fellow Daoist Lu, how is the situation inside now? When can this grand array kill the two of them?"

Hearing the inquiry from behind, the white-haired old man who was operating the "Yin-Yang Eight Extremes Array" slowly turned around and said slowly to a mysterious person in front of him who was wrapped in a purple robe and covered most of his face:

"Hehe! Fellow Daoist Chen, don't be anxious. The treasures on this Hundred Flowers Palace saintess are really numerous. Even good things like the Profound Ice Bead can be taken out casually. It will definitely take some effort to kill her."

"However, you can rest assured. Now that they have fallen into my grand array, no matter how capable they are, they definitely won't be able to run out. It's just a matter of spending more time."

"Humph! This person has been appreciated by the sect's Nascent Soul Supreme Elder since childhood, so she naturally doesn't lack such magic treasures. Fellow Daoist Lu, as long as you can successfully kill them, we don't want any of the magic treasures on these two; they can all belong to you."

"Oh, I like to hear that! Since Fellow Daoist Chen has said so, you cannot go back on your word later." Hearing the purple-robed person behind him say this, a trace of joy suddenly appeared on the white-haired old man's face, and his whole spirit was also lifted.

Seeing this, the purple-robed person nodded calmly and said, "I naturally keep my word. You and I have already signed a divine soul contract; are you afraid that I will turn against you when the time comes?"

"However, now that things have come to this, I must also remind you that this place is not far from the Wei Kingdom's 'Xiaoyao Sect'. If we cannot kill them early, I am afraid that other changes will arise if time drags on."

"I spent so much time carefully planning this matter and finally managed to trap them all here. I don't want to end up with nothing and have worked in vain!"

"Hehe! Fellow Daoist Chen, rest assured. My Yin-Yang Eight Extremes Array, except for Nascent Soul cultivators, no one can resist the Yin-Yang water and fire inside for a long time."

"At most half a day, when the spiritual power of the magic treasures in their hands is exhausted and they have no other means, they will inevitably die in the end. Fellow Daoist, just wait patiently."

Just as the white-haired old man was talking to the purple-robed person, a ray of spiritual light fell from the sky, and another figure appeared in front of them.

This person was wearing a black ghost-head mask on his face, and his face could not be seen clearly, but his cultivation was not low. Like the somewhat mysterious purple-robed person, he was a late-stage Core Formation cultivator who had reached the ninth layer of Core Formation.

"Has it been handled?"

Seeing the person coming, the purple-robed person immediately stepped forward and asked with some concern.

The ghost-head masked person replied immediately upon hearing this, "Rest assured! It has all been handled. I let Qingfeng go to Funiu Mountain to keep an eye on it. As long as there is any movement from the Song family in Qinghe County, we will know in advance." Getting a positive answer from the ghost-head masked person, the purple-robed person nodded with relief and turned to look at the "Yin-Yang Eight Extremes Array" that was operating in front of him.

"All plans have been realized, and now only the last step remains. Heaven has suppressed me for a lifetime, but in the end, it did not abandon me. Do you think this counts as karmic retribution?"

Hearing the purple-robed person's words, the ghost-head masked person just looked at her quietly, but did not answer directly.

After a moment of silence, the ghost-head masked person asked again, "How is the situation inside now? Can we solve them all at once?"

Seeing the ghost-head masked person change the subject and mention the grand array not far away, the purple-robed person smiled softly, "Listening to Old Monster Lu, they won't last long."

"Once we kill them and get the item, we can return to the East Sea immediately. Once we condense the Nascent Soul in the future, we will have no more worries and can live a carefree life."

"If so, that would naturally be the best."

After the ghost-head masked person muttered to himself, he slowly walked to the side of the white-haired old man who was concentrating on manipulating the "Yin-Yang Eight Extremes Array." —— Half an hour later, the white-haired old man, who had been sitting on the ground controlling the grand array, suddenly opened his eyes with excitement, and a trace of joy appeared on his face.

"Hehe! The Profound Ice Bead is useless now. Let me see what other means they have!" The white-haired old man chuckled, reached out and picked up an array flag in front of him, and then danced it lightly in the air.

The grand array not far away, which was originally shrouded in a large mass of black and white energy, slowly became clear. Through this black and white energy, one could clearly see the large mass of ice wall where Song Qingming and Xia Mo were trapped in the array.

At this time, because the spiritual power on Xia Mo's "Profound Ice Bead" magic treasure was gradually dissipating, the ice wall that was resisting the Yin-Yang water and fire outside also gradually began to dissolve rapidly.

Before long, the entire ice wall shattered into a pile of ice dregs with a "boom" in the eyes of the white-haired old man and the other two.

Without obstacles, the Yin-Yang water and fire in the grand array, under the manipulation of the white-haired old man, immediately turned into two fierce giant dragons and pounced toward the location of Song Qingming and Xia Mo.

At this critical moment, five rays of golden light suddenly rose from the ground where the two were, and then turned into a golden transparent protective shield, covering the two of them inside.

After the Yin-Yang water and fire hit the transparent protective shield, they could not pass through the shield as the white-haired old man had imagined, but were blocked outside and could not touch Song Qingming and the other at all.

Seeing Song Qingming and Xia Mo standing inside the transparent protective shield with relaxed faces, the white-haired old man's originally excited face gradually became very ugly.

"Heavenly Dipper Five Elements Array, how is this possible!"

Seeing the white-haired old man suddenly look so shocked, the ghost-head masked person immediately asked, "Old Monster Lu, what's going on?"

Hearing this, the white-haired old man immediately explained to the ghost-head masked person on the side with a serious face, "If I am not mistaken, the array they set up inside is the third-tier top-grade Heavenly Dipper Five Elements Array."

"Didn't you say that the other party was only a third-tier low-grade array master? How could they set up such a powerful third-tier top-grade grand array in such a short time? Could it be that your intelligence was wrong?"

"What nonsense are you talking about? Xia Mo's array level is indeed only third-tier low-grade. I personally confirmed this not long ago, so there must be no mistake. Could it be... could it be that we underestimated that kid from the Song family?"

After the ghost-head masked person pondered for a moment, his gaze gradually turned to Song Qingming on the side, and a trace of regret appeared in his eyes.

"I did hear before that he was a dual cultivator of talismans and arrays, but I didn't pay much attention to it at the time. This kid is just a family cultivator who luckily succeeded in forming a Core, yet he actually possesses such profound array techniques. Today, I really miscalculated."

"Old Monster Lu, isn't your Yin-Yang Eight Extremes Array known as a fourth-tier array? Could it be that it can't even deal with this kind of third-tier top-grade array?"

After the ghost-head masked person sighed, he asked the white-haired old man beside him, hoping to get the answer he wanted from the other party.

Seeing the other party say this, the white-haired old man was immediately displeased, "My Yin-Yang Eight Extremes Array cannot be compared to a small third-tier top-grade array. As long as you give me enough time to break the array, it will naturally not be a problem."

"But now you can't wait and want me to break the array immediately, which is a bit difficult."

"This Heavenly Dipper Five Elements Array is the most outstanding defensive array among third-tier arrays, and its power cannot be underestimated. To forcibly break this array, I am afraid it will take at least half a month."

"No! Half a month is too long. Song Qingming is trapped in our array. If time drags on, the Song family will inevitably notice this matter. Once the Xiaoyao Sect sends reinforcements here, we will be in trouble."

"We must make a quick decision and kill them as soon as possible, so that you and I can get away as soon as possible. Otherwise, once the Xiaoyao Sect discovers this place and brings Nascent Soul cultivators to track us, we will all have nowhere to hide."

Hearing what the white-haired old man said, the purple-robed person on the side immediately rejected his statement and directly stated the consequence they feared most at present.

Seeing this, the white-haired old man paused and said, "Two fellow Daoists, it's not that I don't want to hurry, it's just that I didn't expect them to have such a powerful array in their hands."

"Otherwise, let's wait and see. Maybe in half a month, the Xiaoyao Sect won't react."

"Fellow Daoist Lu, we spent such a great price to trap them here, not to accompany you to gamble with our lives. I advise you not to say such lucky words again."

Seeing the purple-robed person getting more and more anxious, the white-haired old man also seemed a bit impatient, and directly shook his head and snorted coldly:

"Humph! I say, two fellow Daoists, do you think I don't want to solve this matter immediately and get away? But now that the other party is protected by the Heavenly Dipper Five Elements Array, relying only on the power of Yin-Yang water and fire, it is impossible to defeat the enemy in a short time."

"Unless the two of you can help go in and help destroy one of the array eyes of the Five Elements Heavenly Dipper Array, in that case, I will definitely be able to break the array in at most three days."

"Two fellow Daoists, rest assured, if they dare to come out to obstruct you after you go in, I can still manipulate the grand array to help deal with them, at least I can help block one of them."

"With two Core Formation peak experts like you attacking together, the certainty of destroying the array eye should not be low. It just depends on whether you dare to gamble with me again."

"This... this won't work. If we go in to break the array, once we fight them directly, there will be no way back." Hearing the white-haired old man's suggestion, the ghost-head masked person immediately shook his head.

"Fellow Daoist is wrong. As long as we can successfully kill the two of them, this matter will be considered successfully completed. The great path to heaven is right in front of us; what retreat do you need!"

Facing the white-haired old man's persuasion, the ghost-head masked person still shook his head, turned to look at the purple-robed person on the side, hesitated for a moment, and then gritted his teeth and sent a secret sound transmission to her: "This time we miscalculated, we didn't count on Song Qingming as a variable. How about we just forget it this time? You withdraw first, and we will find other opportunities in the future."

"Go back? Hahaha..."

"After carefully planning for nearly a hundred years, now we are only one step away from success. You are telling me to go back now; do you think I can do it?"

"Now I have less than a hundred years of lifespan left. This is my last chance to break through to Nascent Soul. Rather than going back and letting you watch me slowly grow old and die in the cave, I might as well die here today."

"Whether you want to go or not, I am determined to give it a try."

"Since there can only be one person who achieves the Dao, today it is either her death or my destruction."

Facing the ghost-head masked person's kind persuasion to retreat, the purple-robed person did not appreciate it at all, directly refused his kindness sternly, and then took out a flying sword magic treasure flashing with white light with a movement of spiritual light in her hand, and asked the white-haired old man on the side about the location of the array eye.

Seeing this, the ghost-head masked person, knowing that he could not stop the other party, sighed slightly, took out a golden spear magic treasure from his body, and walked to the side of the purple-robed person with a firm look.

Seeing the ghost-head masked person walk over, a trace of joy appeared on the purple-robed person's face. After the two of them asked the white-haired old man clearly about the several array eyes of the "Heavenly Dipper Five Elements Array," they flew directly into the grand array.

At the same time, Song Qingming and Xia Mo, hiding in the "Heavenly Dipper Five Elements Array," saw the Yin-Yang water and fire outside being safely blocked outside the array by the grand array, and the two of them gradually became relaxed from the slight tension at the beginning.

"Fellow Daoist Song, I didn't expect that in just a few decades, not only has your cultivation advanced by leaps and bounds, but your array level has also improved so much. It seems that you have encountered many opportunities in these decades."

Suddenly hearing the praise from Xia Mo's mouth, Song Qingming was slightly stunned and hurriedly replied modestly, "Fairy Xia is joking. My talent and aptitude are average. Being able to cultivate to this point is just that heaven has not treated me badly and my luck is better than others. There is no great opportunity."

"However, what the Fairy said is true. When I went to the Donghuang Kingdom cultivation world for training before, it did give me a lot of gains and insights in cultivation. Otherwise, with my aptitude, it would be absolutely difficult to break through to the late Core Formation stage."

"Oh! Fellow Daoist has also been to the Donghuang Kingdom cultivation world. To tell you the truth, if it weren't for the sect's Supreme Elder not allowing it, I would have long intended to go there to see. I don't know when I will have this opportunity. In this regard, I am a bit envious of Fellow Daoist Song."

After Xia Mo finished speaking, she couldn't help but sigh slightly.

Seeing this, Song Qingming hurriedly smiled and said, "Fairy Xia, as long as you successfully break through to the Nascent Soul realm in the future, you can go wherever you want. Why envy someone like me who has no one to rely on?"

Just after Song Qingming finished speaking, he suddenly saw a somewhat familiar figure appearing in the distance outside the grand array, approaching the grand array where the two were located in a sorry state, which made him, who was sitting on the spot, stand up with some surprise.

"Fellow Daoist Wu!" (End of chapter)