Chapter 270: Chapter 231: All Take the Stage

Skull Child chuckled maliciously, "The contract stipulated that I help you fight enemies, but it didn’t restrict my mouth. Naturally, I’ll say whatever I want. To be honest, I just don’t like you. Treasures belong to the virtuous, what kind of virtue do you have to deserve the Primordial Pearl? Fellow Daoist Lie, make sure to strike accurately later and seize the Primordial Pearl for yourself. That would make me feel a bit better."

Master Moyun cursed, "Bastard! You think I don’t know? You just want me dead so the vow will be nullified, and you can then snatch the Primordial Pearl. If I ever trust you again, I’ll be a damn fool!"

Skull Child was indifferent, "Next time, you’ll have to talk about that next time. Maybe this time you’ll become a dead dog first."

"You—" Master Moyun felt a surge of emotions, and suddenly, with a loud boom, something seemed to go wrong. The Spirit Vein trembled abruptly, terrifying him into shutting his mouth and concentrating fully on operating his secret technique.

Let Skull Child continue to spout nonsense; after all, the agreement signed this time was a thick one. Everything except his mouth was considered. Even if you don’t like me, you still have to obey and fight!

With this thought, Master Moyun felt considerably more at ease.

Outside the array, Master Fengfeng suddenly became intensely fervent, eyes widening in surprise. Following him, Hee Yangchen couldn’t help but mutter, "Primordial Pearl? The one that’s said to be a world unto itself and can hold all things?"

Master Fengfeng, filled with excitement, had a suddenly flushed face against his overly pale complexion, "Yes, the endlessly useful Primordial Pearl... It was the personal Spiritual Treasure of the former overlord of Cangzhou, Jichuan Profound Monarch. It vanished two thousand years ago with his fall, and now it turns out it’s hidden in Yuqing Mountain! So that’s why the spirit vein escalated this time, due to this treasure’s emergence!"

"Hee Yangchen, you’ve made a great contribution this time! And also Lu Qian who uncovered the Spirit Vein, I must reward him heavily!" With a flicker of his body, Master Fengfeng charged towards the Ten Extremes Ten Directions Grand Array, "Deliver the Imperial Decree to all subordinate sects. Shahe Gang must send three Foundation Establishment cultivators, and other sects two each, all to gather at Yuqing Mountain and await commands! Li Xingyuan must also bring Guan Xuan here. Within the mountain gate, leave two Foundation Establishment cultivators and elite disciples to guard it."

"Skull Child wasn’t wrong; treasures belong to the virtuous. I am the Lord of Chongming, supported by the people’s hearts, bringing grace to the county. Since this treasure has emerged in my Chongming County, it rightfully belongs to me!"

As he spoke, a translucent, lustrous, pale cyan long-feathered fan appeared in his hand.

This is a Magical Treasure, the Yin Yang Celestial Cyan Fan.

Master Fengfeng flipped his wrist, turning the fan to the yang side, pouring in spiritual power, and the spiritual pressure surged magnificently.

He swung it forcefully!

With a loud crack, a vast white cloud was torn apart. A giant tornado dozens of feet long roared towards the grand array, numerous cyan blades swirling within it like a compressed school of deep-sea fish.

With a thunderous crash, the storm bore down, fierce winds blowing painfully against everyone’s faces. Layer upon layer of brilliance on the grand array was torn apart but quickly flowed back to mend, rapidly restoring itself.

It was indeed the Ten Extremes Ten Directions Array. This array is a grand one formed by nesting ten small arrays. Separated, each of the ten small arrays only has the power of Foundation Establishment, but combined, they can withstand a Golden Core level attack.

If one person enters to break the array, they will initially face attacks from all ten arrays simultaneously, under immense pressure. Destroy one layer, and nine remain, breaking one after another until the grand array is completely broken.

Therefore, the best strategy for breaking the array is to gather everyone to break it together, each bearing the pressure of one layer of the array. But because there are ten small layers, it requires a considerable number of people, tying up much of the attacking force.

Thus, this array is quite troublesome; even if the attackers have an overwhelming advantage, it will take a lot of time to break. Furthermore, the Xuanguang Sect’s side currently doesn’t have the upper hand.

After probing a few times from the outside, Master Fengfeng stopped, standing expressionlessly in the air, waiting for the county’s forces to assemble here.

Skull Child’s mouth kept going, "Fellow Daoist Lie, is that all you’ve got? Why don’t you quickly come in to break the array! But I must remind you, you’re at Mid-Stage Golden Core, and so am I. Though Fellow Daoist Ao is at Early-Stage Golden Core, his poison skills shouldn’t be underestimated. Be careful, or you might end up paralyzed."

Master Fengfeng remained oblivious and quietly waited. The first to arrive, naturally, were Lu Qian and Nishang.

While flying halfway here, the Thousand-Mile Mirror lit up brightly. Yang Jiye sent a message saying that the Imperial Decree in the Divine Ship suddenly shook and delivered an order from Xuanguang Sect, requiring two Foundation Establishment cultivators to report to Yuqing Mountain.

Lu Qian understood, realizing that the battle had likely begun.

This Imperial Decree is actually a special kind of Communication Talisman, made of rare materials, capable of reaching a thousand miles, but can only be used once, typically in such urgent, county-wide orders.

Receiving the message, Lu Qian took a detour to find Nishang, and timing it just right, the two flew to Master Fengfeng.

"Yunshan Sect’s two Foundation Establishment Feather Scholars, following the Zhenren’s order."

Seeing Lu Qian again, Master Fengfeng was in a good mood, "You’ve made a great contribution this time. The Spirit Vein contained a treasure, which emerged and triggered the Spirit Vein’s elevation. The two Golden Cores in the array are here for that treasure. Join me in breaking the array, seize the treasure, and there will be substantial rewards."

Seeing his smiling face, Lu Qian bravely asked, "May I ask the Zhenren, what is the treasure?"

Considering Lu Qian would be participating in the battle, and there being no point in hiding it, Master Fengfeng explained further, "You’re not a native of this province, so you might not know. In the world, power and dominion over a region usually lie with sects. But over two thousand years ago, in Cangzhou, there arose a peerless genius of a Loose Cultivator with a Celestial Spiritual Root, quickly achieving the Primordial Spirit Venerable Position, known as Jichuan Profound Monarch."

"Jichuan Profound Monarch had supreme cultivation, dominant over all, managing to become the de facto overlord of Cangzhou as a Loose Cultivator."

"His most famous asset during his conquest was his personal Spiritual Treasure, the Primordial Pearl. It’s a top-tier Spiritual Treasure, said to be a world unto itself. Although it lacks a Spirit Vein and can’t generate its own spiritual power, in other respects, it’s nearly comparable to the Grotto Heaven of a Void Refining True Monarch."

"Jichuan Profound Monarch was incredibly talented but ultimately stood alone and was eventually besieged and killed. The Primordial Pearl’s whereabouts became unknown. No one could have imagined that after two thousand years, the Primordial Pearl would emerge at Yuqing Mountain!"

Lu Qian offered a bow, "Thank you, Zhenren, for enlightening me. It seems that the Zhenren’s profound merits and virtues are favored by the heavens, deserving of such a treasure!"

Master Fengfeng nodded appreciatively, smiling broadly.

As they spoke, Zhuang Qing from the Spirit Talisman Sect arrived with a middle-aged man of Mid-Stage Foundation Establishment, likely their newly hired Foundation Establishment Honored Guest Elder. Upon seeing Lu Qian, Zhuang Qing’s eyes lit up and gave a quick signal before paying respects to Master Fengfeng, then stood beside Lu Qian.

They had barely exchanged a few courteous words when four streaks of escape light approached from the horizon, the four Foundation Establishment Feather Scholars from Kong Family Castle and Shouzhuo Sect.

Patriarch of Kong Family Castle Kong Xingrong, Late-Stage Foundation Establishment, Second Elder Kong Lingde, Mid-Stage Foundation Establishment.

Shouzhuo Sect Leader Tang Gongcheng, Late-Stage Foundation Establishment, Grand Elder Ruan Zi, an Early-Stage Foundation Establishment female cultivator.

The four respectfully paid their respects to Master Fengfeng and then stood together, offering their greetings from afar to Lu Qian and Zhuang Qing.

While these six were paying respects, Master Fengfeng’s demeanor wasn’t nearly as cordial as with Lu Qian, merely giving a cold snort as acknowledgment.

Half an hour later, the furthest traveling Foundation Establishment cultivators from Shahe Gang arrived. Old friend Han Wen, at Mid-Stage Foundation Establishment, Vice Gang Leader Huangfu Zhuqing, at Early-Stage Foundation Establishment, and another unfamiliar, stocky Early-Stage Foundation Establishment individual.

Having paid respects to Master Fengfeng, Han Wen chuckled, his large belly jiggling, and greeted everyone jovially, as if he had great relations with them all.

He squinted his small eyes at Lu Qian and cupped his hands, "Sect Leader Lu, I was so busy with the gang’s affairs the other day that I couldn’t personally congratulate you on your Foundation Establishment. Please, forgive me."

Huangfu Zhuqing stared at Lu Qian and Nishang with animosity, standing far back without a word.

Also present was Xuanguang Sect Leader Li Xingyuan, accompanied by a Mid-Stage Foundation Establishment, who was addressed by Master Fengfeng as Guan Xuan, already there.

At this moment, in the small Yuqing Mountain area, three Golden Cores and eighteen Foundation Establishment Feather Scholars were gathered. All sorts of spiritual pressure soared into the sky, shattering the clouds above.