Chapter 247: Vanguard (1)
Emperor Dong Pan, the Arctic King, Niu Hao, Mountain Devil King, and the other peak powerhouses of the Middle Land turned to face Jin Ji at the same time.
The pressure of their stares caused Jin Ji to curse inwardly. That damned Qiong Sea King, why do you have to meddle in matters that don’t concern you?
Other than the Goldstone Penta Array, the only other known coordination array in the entire Middle Land was the Septet Ignis Array, of which both Great Jin and Fang Xia controlled several components.
Now that Fang Xia had not only revealed a new array but also agreed to relinquish the array flags of the Septet Ignis Array, coupled with the previous intelligence provided by Wan Liu, it was evident that the forces of Middle Land, particularly Daoist Wan Xing, Emperor Dong Pan, and others, saw the Cloudstride Sect in a favorable light. If Jin Ji were to refuse, he would provoke the ire of all the factions in the Middle Land!
But if he agreed? Once he surrendered the array disk, reclaiming it would prove difficult. And if he chose to retreat at a critical juncture, taking it with him was basically impossible.
"Jin Ji, don’t waste everyone's time, speak up," growled Qiong Sea King aggressively.
The Heavenly Rankers found this display entirely reasonable. As the top Archdemon and king of the ocean, Qiong Sea King naturally exuded a domineering air.
"Daoist Jin Ji, this matter is important," Emperor Dong Pan fixed Jin Ji with a stare.
All eyes were now on Jin Ji, awaiting his response.
"Fellow Daoists," Jin Ji's gaze swept across the gathering as he spoke, "I comprehend the gravity of this situation. However, the array disk of the Septet Ignis Array must be controlled by a member of the three holy sanctuaries of Great Jin. I believe it would be fitting for Daoist Zhao Xing to command the array disk."
He paused briefly before continuing, "Furthermore, I propose that Daoist Wan Xing take command of Daoist Fang Xia's Goldstone Penta Array. Also, after the battle is concluded, the array flags of the Septet Ignis Array must be returned to the royal family of Great Jin."
The gathering fell silent. All of them knew that Jin Ji was shameless. But this level of audacity was beyond anything they expected, leaving them speechless.
"Jin Ji, your shamelessness is truly beyond saving!" Qiong Sea King bellowed with fury. His massive draconic form rose, towering over the others. "Fang Xia’s array mastery is unmatched and the array disk and flags are all provided by him. It is only right that he leads the array."
"And you? Just a single array disk with no accompanying flags. What good is that? The fate of the Middle Land hangs in the balance, yet you’re here scheming and obstructing everyone. Do you take us for fools?" The Qiong Sea King's rage intensified as he turned to Zhao Xing, challenging him with a fiery gaze. "If Jin Quan were leading the array, I wouldn't say a word. But that old fogey isn’t even willing to fight, hoping to sit back and wait for the benefits to drop into his lap."
"If you piss me off, believe me when I say I’ll devour every last offspring of the Great Jin royal family, starting with Jin Cang." The Qiong Sea King's fury reached its zenith.
Hearing this, Jin Ji's expression flickered. Jin Cang was the current generation’s Emperor Jin. Jin Ji was all too aware that Qiong Sea King feared no consequences as the ruler of the South Ocean.
"Daoist Qiong Sea, I believe..." Zhao Xing attempted to interject, but was swiftly cut off by the enraged Qiong Sea King.
"I don’t give a damn what you believe!" Qiong Sea King thundered. "You three holy sanctuaries of Great Jin are always speaking of unifying the Middle Land. Yet, when the Middle Land is faced with a calamity, you persist in scheming and plotting. Unify my claw! It would be more fitting for you to give up your territory."
Qiong Sea King's fiery temper left the leaders of various factions stunned. No one had anticipated such a vehement display from the typically reserved Qiong Sea King.
More importantly, Qiong Sea King was in the best position to speak out. Firstly, as an Archdemon, he did not hail from the continents of the Middle Land and was not bound by its politics. Secondly, he possessed incredible strength, and was one of the most senior figures present. Even before Daoist Wan Xing's rise to fame, he had already established himself as the reigning king of the South Ocean. And lastly, he was a body refiner, and would not derive any personal gain regardless of who led the array.
Hence, Qiong Sea King's opinion was impartial in their view.
"Why don’t you name me someone from the Middle Land who surpasses Wan Xing and Fang Xia in terms of array mastery?" Qiong Sea King continued without missing a beat.
"Zhao Xing, do you think you can do a better job than Wan Xing at leading the array?" Qiong Sea King fixed his gaze on Zhao Xing.
The others remained silent, their eyes on Zhao Xing.
Zhao Xing smiled bitterly, reluctant to speak. He was confident in his abilities, but claiming to be better than Daoist Wan Xing? That was rather outlandish.
"Everyone, let's hear your thoughts." Qiong Sea King scanned the crowd.
It was then that Rong Le, who had remained silent the entire time, directed a question to Jin Ji. "Jin Ji, is it true that your father will not be participating in the battle?"
"He’s currently in seclusion, and unable to join the upcoming conflict." Jin Ji said.
Rong Le's tone remained measured as he continued, "Then, please hand over the array disk. Daoist Wan Xing will lead the array. Our intention is not to covet your treasure, but rather to secure the survival of the Middle Land."
“Exactly!” Niu Hao nodded in agreement.
"Daoist Qiong Sea, Daoist Rong Le, your proposals make complete sense," the Arctic King added his support. "Daoist Jin Ji, please hand over the array disk. Rest assured, once victory is achieved, the treasure shall be returned to you."
In that moment, representatives from the three holy sanctuaries of Great Jin - Jin Ji, Zhao Xing, and Hai Feizhang - found themselves standing alone in a sea of overwhelming pressure.
Jin Ji’s face turned visibly ugly. "Very well," he conceded, his voice laced with suppressed frustration. "I will hand over the array disk. However, I hope Fellow Daoists can make good on your promise, and return the array to me once the battle is won."
...
Soon, the peak powerhouses of the Middle Land reached a final decision. The Septet Ignis Array team would be made up of Daoist Wan Xing, Emperor Dong Pan, Niu Hao, Zhao Xing, Hai Feizhang, Rong Le, and Jin Ji.
Meanwhile, the Goldstone Penta Array team would consist of four late-stage Qi Sea cultivators, namely Fang Xia, the Arctic King, Bei Li, and Liu Junxing, as well as the sixth-stage Qi Sea phase cultivator Wu Nonghan.
Bear in mind, only qi refiners could control coordination arrays.
...
“Master, how was my performance?” Qiong Sea King's voice reverberated in Wu Yuan’s mind.
“Not bad!” Wu Yuan responded with a smile.
It was Wu Yuan who had orchestrated the collaboration between Qiong Sea King and Fang Xia to rally forces of the Middle Land, exert pressure upon Great Jin and compel them to relinquish their hold over the Septet Ignis Array.
This was precisely why Wu Yuan had kept his relationship with Qiong Sea King concealed all this time. Qiong Sea King was his hidden weapon. At critical moments, he could strike with maximum effectiveness.
Concluding their conversation, Wu Yuan turned his thoughts to the two arrays.
The Septet Ignis Array has more balanced stats, while the Goldstone Penta Array is optimized for offense, capable of unleashing devastating strikes. Both arrays are capable of matching a Golden Core Superior.
They would be relying heavily on these arrays for the upcoming battle.
However, this matter concerns the survival of the Middle Land. Jin Quan would rather lose ownership over the Septet Ignis Array than emerge from seclusion? Wu Yuan frowned slightly.
Though Wu Yuan had never met Jin Quan, he was felt a sense of unease toward the man. This was a figure who had shaken the Middle Land for 200 years.
He may be scheming something, but whatever it is, it cannot be worse than the destruction of the Middle Land. Wu Yuan shook his head slightly.
Compared to Jin Quan, the worm devil was the real threat.
The worm devil must be eliminated. The arrays will serve as our main offense during the battle. Unfortunately, there isn’t much I can do to assist them in that aspect.
However, qi refiners are weak at defense. During the decisive battle, it will be body refiners like myself and Qiong Sea King who will play a pivotal role.
Wu Yuan sat cross-legged on a jade platform, sending a thread of Soul Force into the hall jade and into the Middle Land Immortal Hall.
He focused the rest of his mental energy on cultivating.
I’ve just reached the third stage of the Communion phase. Making a breakthrough to the next phase before the battle begins will not be possible.
The cultivation of vital ether could only be done one step at a time. There was no way to expedite the process.
In terms of artifacts, I have the eldritch battle armor and a metal attritbue, eighth-stage spirit battle saber Fang Xia forged for me. I won’t be able to get my hands on any stronger artifacts. Even if I do, I doubt I’d be able to wield them effectively.
There are some ways to augment my strength in a short span of time. Firstly, the Teng Snake. Wu Yuan sensed the presence of the embryonic creature within his soul chamber.
The Teng snake egg had been consuming his vital ether for over a year. If not for the incubation of the Teng Snake, Wu Yuan would have nearly reached the fourth stage of the Communion phase by now. However, the birth of his lifebound eldritch beast promised to grant him an exponential surge in his overall combat power.
As for when exactly the long-awaited hatching would occur? Wu Yuan could not be sure.
Soon. Wu Yuan perceived the vigorous vitality pulsating within the Teng Snake egg. I only pray it will emerge before the imminent clash.
Secondly, the Domain stage. Wu Yuan attuned his senses to the profundity of the Land, and the majestic power contained within the Land. Years of cultivation had deepened his comprehension of this Dao. Now, he was just a hair’s breadth away from the Domain stage. However, breaking through that final bottleneck was also the most difficult part.
...
As time passed, Heavenly Rankers would occasionally materialize in the Middle Land Immortal Hall, conversing with Emperor Dong Pan, Daoist Wan Xing, and Fang Xia, exchanging ideas and formulating potential solutions.
These three individuals gradually emerged as the undisputed leaders of the Middle Land. Jin Quan could have stood beside them, had he so chosen. However, he opted to seclude himself when the Middle Land was beset by a calamity.
Wu Yuan, seemingly a mere bystander, actively communicated with Fang Xia throughout this period, proposing numerous suggestions from the knowledge he had acquired.
After six hours, the number of Heavenly Rankers gathered in the Middle Land Immortal Hall reached a startling figure of 70, many of whom Wu Yuan was seeing for the first time.
In the face of this crisis, numerous Heavenly Rankers who had been keeping a low profile, as well as new Qi Sea cultivators, had chosen to take a stand and fight.
...
The 70 Heavenly Rankers assembled in the Conference Hall.
Emperor Dong Pan came to the center. "Fellow Daoists, first and foremost, I am pleased to announce that 70 valiant Heavenly Rankers have already pledged to join the battle. This assembly represents the pinnacle of the Middle Land. Never before have so many Heavenly Rankers gathered in one place. However, we must remain grounded in reality. The battle that lies ahead is poised to be an arduous one, and sacrifices will be inevitable. Many Daoists here will fall."
The Heavenly Rankers listened quietly. The attendees were a mix of humans and Archdemons, though humans made up the majority. All of them had put aside past grudges, uniting to fight for the future of the Middle Land.
"Four hours ago, I received updates of the situation in the Huang Continent from Daoists in the Xi Continent, Nan Continent, Holy Continent, and Huang Temple, who recorded the scene with projection arts," Emperor Dong Pan said. “I’ve selected two projections that provide the best representation of the situation. Please observe.”
Swoosh~ Two light screens materialized in the air, drawing the gazes of Wu Yuan and the others upward. The first screen displayed a majestic mountain range, lush with greenery. Suddenly, the earth trembled and beasts scurried away from the mountain desperately.
“This is a mountain range in the northern region of the Huang Continent,” Emperor Dong Pan provided context.
Suddenly, the screen revealed a monstrous, black-scaled creature descending from the skies. Its four wings sliced across the land, reducing the beasts to mangled flesh with terrifying precision.
The colossal creature opened its maw, unleashing an invisible suction force that sent all traces of the dead beasts flying into its mouth.
Roar~ As the creature unfurled its wings and disappeared into the distance with blinding speed, the first scene came to an end.
"Just as Senior Wan Liu described, the massive bodies of these devil soldiers are designed to store the flesh and blood of their prey. They hunt tirelessly, delivering their gruesome spoils to the devil's lair." Emperor Dong Pan explained.
The atmosphere in the assembly turned grim. The large influx of flesh into the devil's lair would undoubtedly accelerate the growth of the worm devil, spawning even more soldiers.
“Let’s watch the second projection.” Emperor Dong Pan said.
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