"What good could come out of that mouth of yours? All you want is to threaten me into handing over Chengyu, then make me kneel and be your dog." Zhang Chen sneered at Gu Mingyue’s words, deliberately mocking him.
Gu Mingyue hurriedly shook his head when he heard that: "Not so! The matter of Chengyu is, in the end, an internal affair of our Yellow Heaven Dao. Right now the outside is already sealed by a grand array set up by the Demon Race; they intend to refine all of us to death."
Gu Mingyue didn’t dare ramble on; this was not the time. He directly opened his mouth and laid out everything in one go.
Hearing this, Zhang Chen’s brows knit slightly: "You were just fighting and killing with me earlier, and now you suddenly turn around wanting to cooperate with me? Do you think I’ll set aside the grudges between us and team up with you?"
"Zhang Chen, you must put the bigger picture first. Together, we both benefit; divided, we’ll be taken down one by one by the Demon Race, and the only outcome is all of us being refined to death in Jinling City. Let’s not mention the grudges between you and me—right now, staying alive is the greatest goal." Gu Mingyue grew anxious at Zhang Chen’s words, thinking Zhang Chen was too young to understand the notion of the bigger picture and unwilling to cooperate with him.
Zhang Chen sized Gu Mingyue up from head to toe, then spoke after a brief contemplation: "If you want to cooperate with me, fine. But there is one thing you must agree to."
He had always intended to borrow the strength of the Yellow Heaven Dao experts in order to open the Innate Water God Array.
Most crucially, it wouldn’t be difficult for him to escape from Jinling City alone, but for Chen Ping, Zhou Qiucheng, and the others to get out, they would still need someone to coordinate with them.
"What is it?" Gu Mingyue asked.
"Open the Innate Water God Tomb and let Chen Sanliang out. Don’t think I don’t know—your Yellow Heaven Dao has long been secretly laying out arrangements inside that Innate Water God Tomb, transforming it into a kill trap specifically targeting Chen Sanliang." Zhang Chen looked at Gu Mingyue, his voice full of certainty: "Zhou sir luring Chen Sanliang into the Innate Water God Tomb with his words was very likely also part of your Yellow Heaven Dao’s covert scheme."
As Zhang Chen’s words fell, Zhou Qiucheng, who had woken up at some unknown point, spoke up to follow: "This plan was told to me by a certain noble in Jinling City. According to your deduction, thinking back now, that person should indeed have been from Yellow Heaven Dao."
Though Zhou Qiucheng’s face was pale at this moment, his whole person seemed renewed, with a strange new aura about him.
Gu Mingyue cast a glance at Zhou Qiucheng, his gaze flickering slightly. He only looked once and did not look again, because Zhou Qiucheng had already fallen into ruin and was not worth a second glance from him.
"Chen Sanliang crippled Zhou Qiucheng’s Great Dao and has become the enemy of scholars under heaven, yet you actually want to fish Chen Sanliang out of that Innate Water God Tomb. Aren’t you afraid people will jab at your spine in the future? What’s more, that tomb is filled with Weak Water—Chen Sanliang has likely long since drowned. What use is there in fishing him out now?" Gu Mingyue said, "It’s nothing but a waste of time."
Zhang Chen smiled at that: "What do the accusations of the scholars under heaven have to do with me? Chen Sanliang has not treated me poorly. After his death, I should at least see him properly buried, shouldn’t I?"
Hearing this, Gu Mingyue no longer argued the point, but said instead: "I can help you, but opening that Innate Water God Tomb is no easy feat. Even if the two of us are formidable, when it comes to opening that tomb, our strength may simply not be enough—we may not be able to open it."
"I don’t believe you don’t carry some means bestowed by the Great Virtuous Master. Besides, your Yellow Heaven Dao has long been secretly laying out arrangements inside that tomb. Don’t tell me you didn’t leave behind some backdoor to control the tomb. Saying this, I simply don’t believe you." Zhang Chen let out a derisive laugh.
Hearing Zhang Chen’s words, Gu Mingyue’s little scheme was exposed, and his expression turned slightly awkward: "I can at least give it a try."
Then he turned his head, sweeping his gaze over the ruins of Chongzheng Academy: "Right, where is the Blood Sea Array banner refined by our Yellow Heaven Dao?"
His eyes narrowed suspiciously at Zhang Chen, suspecting he had pocketed it.
Seeing Zhang Chen about to open his mouth to deflect, he hurriedly said: "If we can set up the Blood Sea Array, that will add another layer of strength in dealing with the Demon Race. Besides, that banner is not my personal property; it was refined jointly by the Great Virtuous Master and various Gao Zhen, at the cost of countless rare treasures our Yellow Heaven Dao dug up from tombs. If it falls into your hands, the Great Virtuous Master will never let it slide and will only bring you endless trouble."
"The banner is with me, but if you want it back, I can’t just hand it over. You’ll have to redeem it." Zhang Chen said.
Hearing this, Gu Mingyue sighed helplessly once more: "Where would I find treasures now to redeem it from you? Besides, you said that to break that Innate Water God Tomb we must use the Blood Sea Array—use one array to break another, nothing else will do."
A thought flashed swiftly through Zhang Chen’s mind: "That Great Virtuous Master is indeed a huge trouble, and I don’t wish to provoke him just yet. Besides, I should return the banner to Gu Mingyue. With the banner in hand, Gu Mingyue’s voice within Yellow Heaven Dao will grow stronger, and Huang Chao will be able to climb even higher. In the future, once Gu Mingyue reaches the summit, I’ll help Huang Chao take him down; by then I might have a chance to seize control of Yellow Heaven Dao, and won’t this grand array end up in my hands again?"
Of course, a mere grand array was nothing Zhang Chen truly cared about. After all, the Blood Sea Array was something he himself had spread, and the Blood Dao was still in his grasp.
Zhang Chen’s eyes fell on Gu Mingyue, a strange look flickering in them, and then he took out the Blood Sea Array banner: "Forget it, I’ll return it to you."
Gu Mingyue received the banner with a look of delight, a smile flashing in his eyes: "Let’s move quickly. We mustn’t wait for the Demon Race to be fully prepared. If we let them finish their preparations and then unleash a thunderous strike, we’ll probably be done for."
With the Blood Sea Array in hand, he felt much more at ease, and a surge of confidence rose in him out of nowhere.
The demon race has the Twelve Primordial Stars Grand Array; our own Blood Sea Array isn’t any worse, is it?
Zhang Chen nodded at these words, then turned to look at Zhou Qiucheng: "Mr. Zhou, please wait here for a bit. The two of us will be back in no time."
Zhang Chen’s Five Elements Escape Technique had a limit on the weight it could carry, and it was obvious that Zhou Qiucheng’s weight was outside that range.
As for shrinking someone with his Celestial Measuring Ruler?
The Celestial Measuring Ruler could indeed shrink a person, but their weight wouldn’t shrink. Although Zhang Chen had the Mountain-moving Technique and could bear Zhou Qiucheng’s weight, his Escape Technique couldn’t.
Most crucially, the Celestial Measuring Ruler couldn’t stay in an activated, running state forever. It required continuous nourishment from Innate Qi.
Innate Qi was far too important; Zhang Chen still had great use for it. There was bound to be a brutal battle later, and Zhang Chen needed to conserve Innate Qi.
After bidding farewell to Zhou Qiucheng, Zhang Chen followed Gu Mingyue to the Shen Family ruins. Gu Mingyue said to Zhang Chen, "If we want to get the Blood Sea Array running, we still need one thousand two hundred banner-bearers. I’ve already summoned the disciples of Yellow Heaven Dao to come here; let’s stay put for the moment."
Zhang Chen glanced at Gu Mingyue without saying much. Honestly, if his Nine Bends Yellow River Array’s coverage weren’t inferior to the Innate Water God’s Array, there wouldn’t be any need for all this trouble—he would’ve already broken the Innate Water God’s Array.
Before long, a group of people came running from the distance, led by Huang Chao, with Po Jun Star Zhao Lie behind him, followed by Yellow Heaven Dao cultivators all wearing yellow turbans.
"It’s you!!!" Zhao Lie’s eyes almost split open when he saw Zhang Chen; Divine Power rippled over his body, killing intent surging in his gaze.
"Yes, it’s me." Zhang Chen replied with a leisurely smile, "What do you intend to do?"
"I’m going to kill you!" Zhao Lie’s eyes were bloodshot.
"Enough, stop that noise! We’re all of the same sect—what grudge can’t be let go? Besides, we’re already like turtles in a jar now; where do we have the energy for infighting? If you want the demon race to refine you to death here, then by all means, kill Zhang Chen." Gu Mingyue turned to look at Zhao Lie.
At these words, Zhao Lie immediately lowered his flags and stilled his drums, turning his head to look into the distance. Only the bulging veins at his neck betrayed the anger in his heart.
"Let’s set up the array! The Innate Water God Tomb is also our final retreat. If we truly get routed, that Innate Water God Tomb might be our last sliver of vitality." Gu Mingyue said to Zhao Lie, "Nephew, the greater situation comes first."
As these words fell, everyone glanced at each other, then stepped forward one after another to receive array banners. Gu Mingyue then used Divine Techniques to guide them; in the next instant, the void twisted, and the Blood Sea Array rose once more.
With the Blood Sea Array rearranged, Gu Mingyue drew upon the array’s power and pressed it against the Innate Water God Tomb’s formation. In the next moment, the Innate Water God Array burst forth with blue radiance, constantly clashing with the Blood Sea Array.
For a time, blue and red opposed each other, sharply divided.
"The Innate Water God Array is too powerful. Even the Blood Sea Array can’t fully suppress it; we still need you to personally strike and break the Innate Water God Array!" Gu Mingyue shouted from atop the clouds.
Zhang Chen gazed at the Innate Water God Array, which had transformed into a sky-piercing pillar of light, and began rapidly deducing the array’s core nodes.
He held the Authority of Water Element; as long as he willed it, the Innate Water God Array in his eyes was completely unguarded and transparent. In the next instant, the Celestial Measuring Ruler in his hand swept out, twisting the void and directly warping open a passage through the Innate Water God Array. Zhang Chen stepped inside without the slightest hesitation.
Seeing Zhang Chen enter the tomb, killing intent flowed in Zhao Lie’s eyes at the side. He tentatively looked toward Gu Mingyue: "Martial Uncle..."
Gu Mingyue immediately guessed his thoughts and quickly shook her head: "No! That Twelve Primordial Stars Grand Array is truly formidable. Without Zhang Chen’s help, our chances of breaking the array and escaping are near impossible. Put aside the grudge between you for now; once we get out, you’ll have plenty of chances to settle the score, but today you cannot drag us down."
No matter how unwilling Zhao Lie was in his heart, he did not dare disobey Gu Mingyue’s orders and could only swallow his anger.
"Martial Uncle, do you have a plan for breaking out?" Zhao Lie asked Gu Mingyue.
Gu Mingyue shook her head, unwilling to stir up anything: "That Twelve Primordial Stars Grand Array is far too strong—it crushes Ten Thousand Techniques with sheer force. No matter how many schemes I come up with, I can’t break that array; it would all be wasted effort."