The sword the woman suddenly thrust was wreathed in strange lunar flames, a pale cyan fire. Though not as potent as the Twelve Holy Fires, in the hands of a master of her calibre, its power was still terrifying.
“Parlour tricks!”
The Ferocious Beast Demon King’s third head opened its maw, spewing dozens of round stones.
“Earth Spirit Prime Stones!”
Yuan Zun couldn’t help but exclaim, “This Ferocious Beast Demon King is cunning indeed. Earth Spirit Prime Stones can absorb any energy and convert it into pure spiritual energy, far superior to any spirit stone. That woman’s in danger!”
In an instant, the Earth Spirit Prime Stones absorbed the lunar flames completely.
The Ferocious Beast Demon King’s triumphant laughter echoed through the heavens.
“Hahaha, foolish woman, your death is certain today!”
“Not necessarily!”
The woman remained as composed as before, her moonlit aura flickering. Her figure vanished abruptly.
“Moon Shadow Divine Step!”
Her movement became ethereal, strikingly similar to Ling Xiao’s Cloud Dragon Divine Step, yet clearly her “Moon Shadow Divine Step” was faster, more versatile. Each shift was like teleportation, impossible to track.
“Don’t be too shocked. The gap in your cultivation makes their movements invisible to you, which is normal. When you reach their realm, their speed will seem slower, not because it is, but because you’ve adapted to it.”
Yuan Zun, ever the dutiful master, likely said this to keep Ling Xiao from losing confidence.
He needn’t have bothered.
Ling Xiao wasn’t one to give up easily.
The battle shifted to the Ferocious Beast Demon King’s pursuit, with the woman dodging and launching sneak attacks.
From this, her cultivation was indeed inferior to the Ferocious Beast Demon King’s. If this was her limit, she was likely doomed to lose.
Though Ling Xiao’s cultivation was lesser, his discernment was sharp, and he was confident in his judgement.
“Master, something’s off!”
Ling Xiao frowned.
“What’s wrong?”
Yuan Zun asked.
“Though I can’t analyse their true cultivation, their attacks suggest they’re evenly matched. Yet the woman’s clearly at a disadvantage. That’s not right.”
Ling Xiao analysed, “I suspect the Ferocious Beast Demon King set up some formation in Thousand Ghost Forest that’s affecting this fight.”
Yuan Zun stared at his disciple in astonishment, speechless for a moment.
This lad’s analytical skills were astounding to catch that.
“You’re right. I sensed earlier that a grand formation, the ‘Myriad Beasts Blood Refining Array’, is set up in Thousand Ghost Forest, on par with the ‘Plague Bone-Dissolving Array’. But the Ferocious Beast Demon King’s strength far surpasses the Plague Demon King’s, making this formation even more potent.”
Yuan Zun explained, “The Myriad Beasts Blood Refining Array’s terror lies in its use of tens of thousands of demon or ferocious beast cores as materials, combined with powerful divine inscriptions. Any living being entering Thousand Ghost Forest has their essence slowly drained, unaware.”
“No way, Master, I don’t feel anything?”
Ling Xiao asked, puzzled.
“Of course you don’t. The moment I entered Thousand Ghost Forest, I detected this array and took measures to shield you. Did you think you’d feel so at ease otherwise?”
Yuan Zun said irritably.
“That’s sinister. No wonder the Ferocious Beast Demon King said he’d prepared something in Thousand Ghost Forest. It’s this Myriad Beasts Blood Refining Array, right?”
“Exactly. The array has two modes. Normally, it slowly siphons essence, imperceptible to living beings. In combat, when activated suddenly, it’s terrifying, draining unprepared creatures dry and funnelling all energy to the Ferocious Beast Demon King. That’s why his combat strength surges. The more death and injury, the stronger he becomes.”
Yuan Zun nodded.
“That won’t do. That woman’s likely someone I know. I have to help her.”
Ling Xiao frowned, “Master, is there a way to break this array?”
“Impossible!”
Yuan Zun shook his head, “Even to break it, I’d need at least a day, and that’s with me doing it myself. By then, their battle would be long over.”
“I’ll try!”
Ling Xiao wasn’t sure he could help, but since she was a sect mate and a familiar face, he couldn’t stand by.
He wasn’t joining the fight, just breaking the array.
“Even I can’t do it, how could you? Fine, do as you like.”
Yuan Zun initially wanted to stop him but reconsidered. This lad often produced astonishing feats. Perhaps he’d surprise him again. Letting him try seemed harmless.
The sky battle raged on.
With the Myriad Beasts Blood Refining Array’s aid, the Ferocious Beast Demon King grew stronger.
Yet defeating the woman quickly wasn’t easy. Her movement was too elusive, her swordsmanship razor-sharp, making her a tough opponent.
Ling Xiao quietly activated his Mountain River Martial Soul. His eyes seemed to hold twin cosmos, swirling, with strange inscriptions flickering in his pupils.
The Myriad Beasts Blood Refining Array was formidable but only on par with the Plague Bone-Dissolving Array.
The Ferocious Beast Demon King could set arrays, but he was no master. Though functional, the array was riddled with flaws in Ling Xiao’s eyes, almost laughably shoddy.
To cover all of Thousand Ghost Forest, the beast used subpar materials, rendering the array’s structure highly unstable.
Even so, it was a decent array. Even a master like Yuan Zun needed a day to break it.
But Ling Xiao was an exception.
The Mountain River Martial Soul’s power surpassed Yuan Zun’s.
Coupled with Ling Xiao’s prodigious comprehension, after just an hour, a smile spread across his face.
“I’ve found the way to break it, but Master, I’ll need to borrow some of your strength. Even with the method, I can’t break it alone.”
Ling Xiao said to Yuan Zun.
“No problem. You’re my disciple, after all.”
Yuan Zun agreed readily, curious to see how Ling Xiao would do it.
“Good. Master, just keep channelling true essence into this array stone. Leave the rest to me.”
Ling Xiao instructed.
“Got it!”
After agreeing, Ling Xiao began.
Yuan Zun started pouring true essence into the array stone.
As the saying goes, a thousand-mile dam crumbles from an ant’s nest.
The Myriad Beasts Blood Refining Array had many flaws, but only one was fatal. Finding it was key.
