Chapter 700

The next phase is setting up the array!

He Pingsheng took out several hundred supreme-grade spirit stones and other materials.

Zhou Qingmei then drew out the diagram of the 【Nine Radiance Return to Origin Celestial Star Array】.

Then came the array setup.

Because of its high level, the array required vast quantities of materials, and crucially, its coverage area was enormous, requiring additional auxiliary arrays to be installed.

Surveying, measuring, drafting—all of it.

The work was extremely complex.

Fortunately, He Pingsheng had plenty of hands.

There were two Body Integration cultivators: Zhou Qingmei and her doppelgänger.

There were three Void Refinement cultivators: Hao Cang, Ting Tong, and Long Yue.

There was also Hao Cang's doppelgänger.

With these people lending a hand, the array's progress moved swiftly.

One day, Qiao Huizhu arrived at He Pingsheng's Dao hall.

Beside her stood a woman with an identical face—no need to ask, this was Qiao Huizhu's doppelgänger.

"Guess…" Qiao Huizhu smiled at He Pingsheng: "Guess which one is me, and which is the doppelgänger?"

He Pingsheng smiled.

But outwardly, they were identical—impossible to tell apart.

Yet a slight sweep of spiritual sense could distinguish them, for Qiao Huizhu's doppelgänger's cultivation base was low—only Nascent Soul.

Nascent Soul peak, Layer Twelve.

"Why only Nascent Soul?" He Pingsheng frowned.

"Boring…" Qiao Huizhu pouted: "This doppelgänger wasn't created through normal methods—it was made from materials you gave me. If she's only Nascent Soul, what can I do?"

"But you don't need to worry!"

"Even Nascent Soul is fine—she has no cultivation bottlenecks, so she'll advance quickly. By the latest, within a hundred years, she'll reach Void Refinement!"

That was true.

Without bottlenecks or Dao obstructions to overcome, simply stacking spiritual power to break through physical barriers was still fast.

As they spoke, He Pingsheng's gaze turned playful; he stared at the doppelgänger for a moment and asked: "Senior Sister… is this doppelgänger entirely new?"

Qiao Huizhu's face instantly flushed crimson, then she stepped close to He Pingsheng, pinched his ear with her slender fingers: "You rotten junior brother… what filthy thoughts are you having now?"

"Let me tell you—impossible!"

"Even if she's my doppelgänger, it's still impossible!"

"Alright, alright…" He Pingsheng quickly begged: "Can't, can't—I was just joking, Senior Sister, don't take it seriously…"

…

Boom—

Two years later, beyond ten thousand zhang of the snow-covered, solitary Pine Mountain's volcanic crater, a vast hemispherical golden membrane erupted into the sky.

Half the celestial sphere rose into the void.

Upon the golden membrane surged a mighty force and pressure, radiating outward in all directions.

After two failures, the seventh-rank protective array of Solitary Pine Mountain had finally been completed.

At this moment, the opportunity emerged!

Within a radius of ten thousand li, countless beings turned their heads toward Solitary Pine Mountain.

They saw nothing else—only a hemispherical golden membrane, inverted like an upturned bowl, gleaming brilliantly under the sunlight.

"It's done!" He Pingsheng burst into joy.

"Yes, Young Master, it succeeded!" Zhou Qingmei gazed at her creation: "Failed twice, but finally, this time it worked!"

Hao Cang asked: "This is too conspicuous—should we shut it off?"

Ordinary mountain-protection arrays were usually kept inactive.

They were only activated during crises.

Because activation meant enormous energy consumption.

But Zhou Qingmei shook her head: "Our array doesn't need to be shut off—it can remain active continuously!"

The array's foundation used three hundred and sixty-five supreme-grade spirit stones.

Powered by supreme-grade spirit stones, the array required no shutdown—it could remain perpetually active.

The spiritual power it consumed was automatically replenished by the supreme-grade spirit stones, forming an endless energy cycle—unending and inexhaustible.

"We're safe!" Long Yue wiped sweat from her brow: "As long as no Mahayana Emperor-level cultivator comes, our sect is completely secure!"

"Not necessarily," He Pingsheng smiled: "Body Integration cultivators truly can't break through this array's defense—but arrays are static, while people are clever."

"I fear someone might slip in disguised as one of us."

If an intruder infiltrated the array and began slaughtering, there'd be nothing we could do.

"That's easy!" Long Yue said: "I'll have someone make identity tokens—every disciple of Solitary Pine Mountain gets one, engraved with their name and rank. Only those with tokens may enter or exit the array."

"The array has only one entrance—no token, no entry. Won't that work?"

Everyone agreed this was a good idea.

But He Pingsheng still shook his head.

Any rule has loopholes. Tokens are useful, but if someone truly wants in, they could kill one of your disciples outside, then impersonate them to slip in.

"Then this!" He Pingsheng thought for a moment: "Qingmei, you'll have to work hard again—set up a teleportation array here."

"The destination of the teleportation array is Zhu Que Imperial Palace!"

"Go tell Zhu Que's Holy Maiden—we wish to establish a direct teleportation link from Solitary Pine Mountain to the Imperial Palace. If disaster strikes, we can instantly teleport our people there!"

"Alright!" Zhou Qingmei said: "I'll go right away!"

Setting up a teleportation array was quick—even a fourth-rank array master could complete it, let alone Zhou Qingmei, a seventh-rank master.

"Next!" He Pingsheng said to Zhou Qingmei after completing the teleportation array: "You've been running around tirelessly—take some time to rest. You can also enter seclusion to contemplate Dao principles. In a few years, accompany me to Tian Peng Emperor Domain."

"The debt Tian Huo Divine Emperor owes us is long overdue for interest."

Originally, He Pingsheng had helped Tian Yao, yet she repaid him with betrayal!

Worse still, Bing Yi ambushed him at the gates of Youming Imperial Palace.

Later, Tian Huo Divine Emperor sent four assassins to kill him.

Fortunately, each time, He Pingsheng narrowly escaped.

But… I can't keep being passive, can I?

Can't I strike first and kill a few of your Divine Emperor's people?

At the very least, that wicked Tian Yao must die.

Yet before He Pingsheng could depart for Tian Peng Emperor Domain, the Tian Huo Divine Emperor's envoy arrived at Solitary Pine Mountain.

"Tian Jinpeng's envoy?"

He Pingsheng stared at the Void Refinement man before him, his eyes narrowing: "You mean Tian Jinpeng wants to make peace with me?"

"Precisely!" the Void Refinement man said: "Enemies are better resolved than prolonged. After all, we're all human."

"If we keep fighting, we'll only waste human lives!"

"Rest assured—the Emperor says: if you agree to peace, name any condition you wish."