The realm master stood alone in the majestic temple, his voice a low rumble. “Haiz. Wu Yuan, if you had chosen the path of retreat, if you had refused to fight for the land that raised you, I must confess that I would’ve been slightly disappointed.”
“But by choosing to fight, the outcome is almost certainly death. I only hope…that you return alive.”
The realm master wasn’t concerned about the fate of the Middle Land. Having lived for countless years and witnessed the catastrophic disaster 100,000 years prior, what was a tiny Middle Land to him? In macrocosms, wars of catastrophic proportions often shattered entire worlds, claiming countless lives in their wake.
What truly weighed on his mind was Wu Yuan’s life. Should Wu Yuan perish, finding another suitable successor in the short term was practically impossible!
Yet as a spirit, his influence over Wu Yuan was limited to advice. The laws of the Fourth Eldritch Realm prohibited him from coercing Wu Yuan into any course of action.
…
The moment Wu Yuan departed the Fourth Eldritch Realm, he wasted no time, sprinting right back towards Cloudhill.
There’s no time. The Heavenly Rankers of various factions are still deliberating on the strategy. After that, we still have to learn the controls for the array.
It took time for one to learn and familiarize themself with the controls for the coordination array, it wasn’t something that could be achieved in a day.
Every moment is precious. Hordes of devil soldiers have already made their way to the surface. As we plan our countermeasures, they are wreaking havoc upon the land, ferrying flesh and blood back to the devil soil. This will fuel the growth of the worm devil, allowing it to develop at an unprecedented rate.
I must deliver the Goldstone Penta Array to Fang Xia as quickly as possible. We still need to select suitable late-stage Qi Sea cultivators to control the array with him.
The fifth-grade Heavenly Thunder Talisman was powerful, but it was a one-time-use artifact. It was the array that would be pivotal for their victory in the upcoming battle.
Whoosh! Wu Yuan sped up.
…
In the distant Wu Continent, a group of figures landed on the highest floor of the headquarters of the Wu Sect. Leading them was an aged man with a weathered face. He wore black robes and exuded an otherworldly aura.
“Wan Xing,” Emperor Dong Pan approached the group.
“Dong Pan, it’s been many years since our paths last crossed. I never expected a calamity to bring us together again.” Wan Xing smiled.
As the two peak powerhouses chatted, the Heavenly Rankers from the Wu Sect and the Starcom Consortium maintained a respectful distance.
“Dong Pan, have you devised any viable solutions?” Daoist Wan Xing inquired with a chuckle.
“With Senior Wan Liu unwilling to lend assistance, the only method I can think of is to employ an array,” Emperor Dong Pan replied. “During the battle at Cloudhill, the array employed by Great Jin was led by Jin Ji and a group of mid-stage Qi Sea cultivators. Its destructive power was no joke.”
“With Jin Quan or Fang Xia leading the array, along with the combined might of seven ninth-stage Qi Sea cultivators, we might stand a chance at infiltrating the devil’s lair and killing the devil worm,” Emperor Dong Pan proposed seriously.
“It seems our thoughts align,” Daoist Wan Xing nodded approvingly. “Have you managed to contact Jin Quan?”
“He has relinquished ownership over the hall jade,” Emperor Dong Pan sighed, shaking his head. “However, I have managed to communicate with Jin Ji, who revealed that Jin Quan is presently in absolute seclusion and cannot be contacted under any circumstances.”
“Absolute seclusion?” Daoist Wan Xing’s brow furrowed. “I’m guessing this Jin Quan is just afraid of death. Doesn’t he understand that there are no unbroken eggs under a collapsed nest?”
“We can’t force Jin Quan to participate if he refuses,” Emperor Dong Pan stated. “Jin Ji has agreed to join the battle and is willing to contribute the array, but he has two conditions. Firstly, he insists on being the sole leader of the array disk. Secondly, Fang Xia must return the six array flags currently in his possession to Great Jin after the battle.”
“This father and son.” Daoist Wan Xing’s eyes glinted with a hint of frost, unable to contain his anger.
Emperor Dong Pan sighed, understanding and sharing his frustration. Still, anger wouldn’t solve the problem at hand.
After a moment of silence, Daoist Wan Xing spoke in a low voice, “Dong Pan, prepare to contact Jin Ji and Fang Xia once more. We must attempt to negotiate. This array will be crucial in the battle against the worm devil.”
Emperor Dong Pan nodded in agreement.
…
Less than half an hour later, Wu Yuan, who had been sprinting without sparing his eldritch ether, returned to Cloudhill.
“Young Master,” Fang Xia greeted, approaching Wu Yuan. He had been waiting in the air above Cloudhill the whole time.
“Old Fang,” Wu Yuan nodded. “What is the current situation? Any news from Middle Land Immortal Hall?”
Wu Yuan had yet to enter the Middle Land Immortal Hall since he left for the Fourth Eldritch Realm.
For qi refiners, sending a thread of consciousness into the voidrealm wouldn’t hinder their actions in the physical world. With Wu Yuan’s powerful soul, such actions would have no impact on him whatsoever.
“Nothing significant happened,” Fang Xia stated, shaking his head. “A few Heavenly Rankers made suggestions, but they aren’t too effective.”
“I was pressured by Jin Ji to return the array flags I had seized previously,” Fang Xia continued, his tone tinged with annoyance. “He proposed that a group of ninth-stage Qi Sea phase cultivators join forces to wield the array.”
“Who will command the array disk?” Wu Yuan asked.
“Jin Ji himself,” Fang Xia replied. “According to Jin Ji, Jin Quan will not participate in this battle.”
“How calculative.” A chill flashed through Wu Yuan’s eyes.
None of them were fools. If Jin Quan was in control of the array, that was tolerable. But Jin Ji? Though he was an eighth-stage Qi Sea cultivator, how could he compare to the likes of Daoist Wan Xing, Arctic King, and others in terms of mana, arcane arts, and combat experience?
“Young Master, I’m worried that Jin Ji’s participation in the battle is merely a diversion, and his true intention is to reclaim the Septet Ignis Array’s array flags,” Fang Xia cautioned, shaking his head.
“Indeed,” Wu Yuan nodded.
“Young Master, is the realm master willing to aid us?” Fang Xia asked with a hint of anticipation.
“The realm master is unable to handle the worm devil either,” Wu Yuan replied, shaking his head. “But he has provided some assistance.”
“Take a look at this.” Wu Yuan turned his palm upward, and a golden array disk materialized in his hand, with four intricate array flags slotted into it.
The invisible pressure released from the array caused Fang Xia’s eyes to widen with awe. “An array disk?”
It appeared to be no ordinary one as well.
“Old Fang, this is a five elements array with metal as its core element. The realm master has specifically requested you to lead it. Take your time to learn its controls,” Wu Yuan explained.
“As for the Septet Ignis Array, I believe we should consult Daoist Wan Xing and the others. After all, manpower is needed to activate the array. Even if the three holy sanctuaries of Great Jin combined its forces, I doubt they can muster seven late-stage Qi Sea cultivators,” Wu Yuan said.
Fang Xia nodded eagerly, his excitement palpable as he accepted the array disk. Having immersed himself in the study of arrays for over a century and reached the Domain stage of comprehension, his understanding of array disks far surpassed Wu Yuan’s.
After a quick examination, Fang Xia exclaimed, “What an impressive array! With this array at our disposal, our chances of victory will vastly improve.”
“Old Fang, I’ll be entrusting this array to you. Take your time to decipher the controls. However, we must retain our ownership over this array disk.” Wu Yuan said.
“Of course,” Fang Xia replied with confidence. “When it comes to controlling arrays, is there anyone in the Middle Land who would dare challenge my expertise?”
…
Two hours later, a handsome, youthful figure clad in white robes materialized in the Middle Land Immortal Hall.
“This is Wu Yuan, direct disciple of Senior Wan Liu,” announced Daoist Wan Xing. “He has already reached the Communion phase and will participate in the upcoming battle against the worm devil.”
Wu Yuan cupped his hands. “Wu Yuan pays his respects to Seniors.”
His words immediately captured the attention of every Heavenly Ranker in the Conference Hall.
“Wu Yuan?”
“Isn’t he just 21 years old?”
“A 21-year-old Heavenly Ranker?”
“Heavens!” Every Heavenly Ranker was left astounded, grappling with the incredulity of Wu Yuan’s age.
He was by far the youngest Heavenly Ranker throughout the history of the Middle Land.
Wu Yuan smiled inwardly. After his hall jade was altered by the realm master, he was now able to assume multiple identities in the Middle Land Immortal Hall. The only issue was that Wan Liu and Wu Yuan could not be present in the Middle Land Immortal Hall at the same time.
“Wu Yuan?”
“Daoist Wu Yuan, it is a pleasure to meet you! Senior Wan Liu has mentioned you,” Daoist Wan Xing stepped forward with a thin smile, pushing down his tumultuous emotions. “A body refiner in his twenties, truly an extraordinary talent.”
“I also hold great admiration for Senior,” Wu Yuan responded solemnly.
A brief exchange of pleasantries took place. Though everyone was shocked by his age, any additional Heavenly Ranker was a good thing given the crisis they were facing. Someone with a strong background and exceptional talent like Wu Yuan was particularly welcome. Therefore, all the Heavenly Rankers showed great enthusiasm.
…
Eleven late-stage Qi Sea cultivators, including Emperor Dong Pan, Fang Xia, Daoist Wan Xing, the Arctic King, Jin Ji, as well as two late-stage Communion cultivators, Qiong Sea King and Mountain Devil King, gathered for a meeting at the front of the Conference Hall. These thirteen individuals represented the highest echelons of the Middle Land.
“Senior Wan Liu is willing to provide a powerful array comparable to Great Jin’s?” Fang Xia’s words sparked excitement among Daoist Wan Xing, Emperor Dong Pan, and the others. A powerful array was extremely effective in battle.
“Daoist Fang Xia, you have reached the Domain stage of Dao comprehension, ranking second only to Senior Wan Liu in terms of personal strength,” Daoist Wan Xing remarked. “You should be the one to control this array disk.”
“I concur. Daoist Fang Xia possesses great expertise in arrays,” the Arctic King agreed.
The rest had no objections.
The array disk was provided by Wan Liu, hence it essentially belonged to Fang Xia. With Fang Xia’s strength, it was natural that he would assume the position of array leader.
“I recall that Great Jin also possesses a powerful array,” Qiong Sea King suddenly spoke up. “The array flags are in Fang Xia’s possession, are they not?”
“Indeed, the array flags are with me,” Fang Xia confirmed.
Qiong Sea King continued, “I propose that Fang Xia hands the array flags to the other Daoists, and that Wan Xing leads the array.”
“In the interest of preserving the safety of the Middle Land, I am willing to relinquish the array flags,” proclaimed Fang Xia righteously. “Entrusting command of the array to Daoist Wan Liu is undoubtedly the most suitable course of action. I wholeheartedly endorse Daoist Qiong Sea’s proposal.”
“Mm.” Qiong Sea King nodded, turning his immense eyes to Jin Ji. “What say you, Daoist Jin Ji?”