Chapter 870: Eighth-Rank Array Complete

"Wait… I'll state the terms later!"

"Let me ask you something first!"

He Ping, looking across the cage at the Peach Blossom Immortal, said: "I hope you will answer me truthfully!"

"Fine!" the Peach Blossom Immortaless crossed her arms. "Ask. I'll tell you everything I know!"

He Ping asked: "When I entered your guild, from the moment you handed me that seventh-rank Thunder Origin, until I was trapped by the Mahayana Emperor-level Tianyuan Thunder Emperor with his Imperial Artifact—everything unfolded too smoothly, too conveniently. It's suspicious!"

"I want to know: how did you know I'd come to your guild?"

"How did you know in advance that I needed the Wood Origin and Thunder Origin?"

He Ping stared at the Peach Blossom Immortaless, demanding an answer.

He thought of one possibility: someone had leaked information ahead of time!

Who?

Feng Wu?

Feng Wu is unlikely.

Luo Bingyao had already left; she's unlikely too.

Then it must be Hu Chen!

Could it be that Hu Chen is scheming against me behind my back?

"Hehehe…" the Peach Blossom Immortaless chuckled. "Actually, I didn't know you were coming to our guild. To be honest, it was pure coincidence!"

"We were planning to target you anyway!"

"Our original plan was to lure you here under the pretense of business negotiations, then capture you!"

"But we hadn't settled on a suitable excuse—you walked right in on your own!"

"Hehehe… it's that simple. That's just how lucky it was!"

"Do you believe me?"

The Peach Blossom Immortaless looked at him.

He Ping nearly spat blood: could this really be true?

He'd walked into the trap for no reason at all.

But since he was already captured, the Peach Blossom Immortaless had no reason to lie.

So it really was just coincidence.

"Enough talk!" the Peach Blossom Immortaless said. "You can't escape anyway. Just state your terms!"

"Hmm!" He Ping said. "My alchemy technique is unusual—I don't allow anyone to spy on me while I refine elixirs!"

"My alchemy technique also requires absolute immunity from any spiritual sense interference!"

"So if you want me to refine high-grade elixirs, you must surround me with a barrier that completely blocks spiritual sense!"

"For example, an eighth-rank Spirit-Blocking Array!"

"Otherwise, I won't be able to produce top-grade elixirs!"

He Ping didn't just want to block spiritual sense with the Treasure Basin's enhancement—he needed to merge with the Dao.

Once his avatar reached the peak of Void Refinement, he'd have to merge with the Dao.

Merging with the Dao isn't instantaneous—it requires a process.

What if someone saw him during this?

Wouldn't they rush in to interrupt him?

Right now, his avatar can cultivate insights within the magic treasure's space—but merging with the Dao can't happen there.

If both he and his avatar entered the treasure space, leaving only a lonely staff outside—what do you think would happen?

"Your demand is outrageous!" the Peach Blossom Immortaless said coldly. "Do you even realize how rare an eighth-rank array is?"

"I don't care!" He Ping said. "If you agree, my elixirs will flow endlessly!"

"For sixth-rank elixirs, I guarantee every batch succeeds, with at least six top-grade pills per batch!"

"For seventh-rank elixirs, I guarantee one successful batch out of two, with at least six high-grade pills per batch!"

"If you agree, set up the array. Three days later, you'll get the elixirs!"

"If you refuse, use your thunder to torture me—see if I'll break!"

"Fine!" the Peach Blossom Immortaless said. "You asked for it!"

"Don't blame me!"

With that, she rose and left.

Crackling…

Shortly after she left, silver lightning serpents slithered across the prison bars, coiling around He Ping.

He Ping lay on the ground, howling in agony.

But the howling was fake—he felt no pain.

This pain was less than a ten-thousandth of what he endured when fusing the Nine Heaven Mystic Fire.

Moreover, as the thunder struck him, he quietly siphoned it away, feeding it to Doushen Thunder.

Perhaps to teach him a lesson, the Peach Blossom Immortaless didn't return to the hall for three full months.

"Tai Xu Zi, give me back that seventh-rank Thunder Origin!"

The first thing the Peach Blossom Immortaless said upon seeing He Ping was demanding the origin.

He Ping yawned. "Why should I give it to you? Isn't this my payment for refining elixirs for you?"

"You—" the Peach Blossom Immortaless said. "Understand this: we're the ones holding you captive. What right do you have to make demands?"

He Ping, utterly unbothered, shrugged. "Then keep using thunder on me."

"I can endure this pain."

"And by the way—increase the thunder's intensity. This won't kill me."

"You—" the Peach Blossom Immortaless nodded in fury. "Fine, fine, fine… Tai Xu Zi, you win."

"We'll set up the array as you requested—today!"

The Peach Blossom Immortaless spoke through gritted teeth.

"Hmph…" she turned and stormed off.

Soon after, several array masters arrived and began setting up the array around He Ping.

The array enveloped both He Ping and the Imperial Artifact prison.

He Ping watched from the side, chatting with the array masters.

These arrays weren't simple—each master was proficient in at least seventh-rank arrays, worthy of being called seventh-rank array masters.

"Hey… Elder, did you make this array core?" He Ping asked an old man with white hair and skin like withered wood, pointing to the array's center.

The old man was at the eleventh layer of Body Integration.

"No," the white-haired elder shook his head. "Due to my cultivation level and spiritual sense, though I've studied eighth-rank arrays, I cannot construct one—or even forge the array core."

"This eighth-rank array core was taken from Tianyuan Thunder Emperor's Dao hall."

So this eighth-rank array disc was not crafted by this old man, but taken apart from the Daoist sanctuary of Tianyuan Leidi!

Damn, Tianyuan Thunder Emperor really went all out—he actually dismantled this for me?

Well I'll be, Tianyuan Leidi really went all out—he actually took it apart himself and gave it to me?

That means the array is legitimate.

Now, though confined in his prison, He Ping watched the array masters as they worked, silently studying, and openly asking questions when confused.

The array masters were willing enough, happy to answer his queries.

Still, they all wanted to know why he was imprisoned—but none dared ask.

Three more months passed, until finally, the eighth-rank Spirit-Blocking Array roared to life.

Thus another three months passed, and the eighth-rank Spirit-Blocking Array finally roared open.

Only thirty meters across—just enough to cover He Ping and the prison artifact.

Once the array was complete, the Peach Blossom Immortaless approached.

"Your demand has been fulfilled!"

"Now, refine your elixirs!"

"Two thousand years—no breaks. Four batches daily—can you manage?"

He Ping said: "Fine. Four batches daily. Prepare the materials in advance."

"Send me one month's worth of materials at a time. Come once a month to collect the elixirs."

"One month's worth of materials—just come once a month to collect your elixirs!"

First, set a chapter for now; four more chapters before 12 o'clock, Sunday, five updates.