Lu Xuejing did not know exactly what danger lurked in Tianling Province. It was only through her conversations with her mother, Lu Xichan, that she sensed something amiss. Whenever Tianling Province was mentioned, her mother’s expression would turn cold and distant.
In the past, every time Chief Lu wore such an expression, it had heralded the coming of a bloody storm.
Could it be that the Myriad Immortals Alliance is already planning to kill the donkey after it has ground the grain?
A trace of doubt flickered through Li Fan’s mind.
If that were truly the case, it seemed far too hasty.
After the Soul-Locking Array had been completed, shouldn’t they at least put on a show and pretend to bestow rewards? Or was there some deeper, hidden reason at play?
No matter what, I cannot afford to go to Tianling Province.
Judging from what I witnessed at the Five Elements Grotto-Heavens, the Soul-Locking Array likely surpasses even the Dao Unity level in power. To risk my life when the situation remains unclear would be extremely unwise.
Moreover, if I simply wish to learn what is happening in Tianling Province, there is no need for me to go personally.
A faint, almost imperceptible glint flashed in Li Fan’s eyes as he settled in to wait at the Dao Transmission Plaza.
This was a mandatory transit point for anyone heading to Tianling Province. Most array masters who had received invitations would inevitably pass through here.
Sure enough, it wasn’t long before Li Fan spotted a suitable target in the distance: Le Wan, a Golden Core array master and one of the participants in the recent Soul-Locking Array competition.
Unaware of Li Fan’s presence in the shadows, Le Wan hurriedly activated a teleportation array, clearly eager to reach his destination.
Before he departed, Formless Killing Mechanism had already silently locked onto him.
Keeping to Formless Killing Mechanism’s maximum effective range, Li Fan followed from afar.
After nearly a full day of travel, Le Wan arrived at Tianling Province.
A massive Dust-Crossing Boat could be seen in the distance, hovering in the sky, with cultivators converging on it from all directions.
Le Wan’s face flushed with excitement as he approached the Dust-Crossing Boat.
Holding his black-and-gold invitation, he allowed a stream of light to sweep over him.
Passing smoothly through the protective barrier, Le Wan landed on the deck.
“Fellow Daoist Le!”
Several familiar voices called out the moment he arrived.
Le Wan returned the greetings one by one.
Many cultivators were already gathered aboard the ship, all of them familiar faces. In addition to the contestants from the array-construction competition, there were also numerous frontline builders and support cultivators who had rendered meritorious service during the process of implementing the Tianxuan Soul-Locking Arrays.
The Dust-Crossing Boat buzzed with lively conversation.
"The Tianxuan Soul-Locking Arrays are completed. Facing this fierce offensive from the Five Elders Council, it will show its power for the first time. For Chief Lu to invite us here to witness this ceremony is truly an honor for our generation.”
"Indeed. To finally witness the divine might of the Soul-Locking Array makes these years of hardship worthwhile."
“My only worry is that the Five Elders Council might lose their nerve and not show up at all. That would make all our preparations worthless.”
"Heh, don't worry. Knowing the Five Elders Council, they will surely believe we are bluffing like before. Little do they know..."
"Fellow Daoist, careful with your words!"
Amid the cheerful atmosphere, everyone waited for the arrival of the Five Elders Council’s cultivators.
It wasn't until ten days later that their target finally appeared.
Without warning, a beam of white light descended from the sky, falling upon a spot not far from the border of Tianling Province.
It locked onto a hidden cultivator who had been moving rapidly.
"So this is your Myriad Immortals Alliance's Tianxuan Soul-Locking Array? Doesn't look like much to me.
"All it does is reveal my position. What can you possibly do to me?"
Contrary to expectations, the man showed no panic. Instead, he halted and began hurling taunts toward the Dust-Crossing Boat in the sky.
Instantly, indignation swelled among those aboard the vessel.
"A mere Spirit Transformation cultivator dares to act so insolently?"
"Someone who dares to be part of the vanguard likely isn't as simple as they appear."
"Why hasn't the Alliance reacted yet? What are they waiting for?"
Seeing that the Myriad Immortals Alliance made no move in response to his provocation, the Five Elders Council cultivator snorted coldly.
In full view of everyone, he tossed an apricot-yellow array flag upward.
Muttering an incantation, one hundred and eight monstrous beasts of varied forms instantly flew forth from the flag. Their bodies seemed to be constructed of blue starlight, their ferocious visages touched with a hint of the divine.
"Is that..."
"The Minor Cyclic Heaven, Shifting Stars Array?"
Everyone aboard the Dust-Crossing Boat was naturally well-versed in arrays, and instantly recognized the array the Five Elders Council cultivator had deployed. Exclamations of shock rippled through them.
The one hundred and eight astral beasts arranged themselves in a perfect celestial ring. From their mouths spewed brilliant starlight that converged toward the center.
Where the one hundred and eight beams of light collided, a stellar gate slowly swung open.
Thousands of cultivators poured forth from the stellar gate in a moment, all wearing the battle robes of the Five Elders Council.
The pillars of light descending upon their heads from above further confirmed their identities.
"How could they just let them open a portal?"
"What's going on? What exactly are our people doing?"
"Everyone, stay calm. This must be a plan to lure the enemy in."
The Myriad Immortals Alliance's prolonged inaction in the face of the Five Elders Council's incursion caused an uproar aboard the Dust-Crossing Boat.
And the Alliance did not disappoint.
Soon, the Soul-Locking Array in the sky above began to make its move.
Within the thousands of light pillars pinning down the Five Elders Council cultivators, streaks of golden light suddenly appeared.
Extremely fine golden rays came speeding down along the pillars from the sky like sharp flying swords, aimed at the heads of the Five Elders Council cultivators, poised to behead them and put their heads on display as a warning.
Yet the Five Elders Council members showed not a trace of panic.
Just as the golden light was about to descend upon them, it was halted all at once, suspended in mid-air as if seized by an invisible hand. The golden light flared violently, emitting unwilling hums as it strained against the restraint.
Yet it could not move an inch.
"This..." A deathly silence instantly fell over the Dust-Crossing Boat.
Disbelief was etched on the faces of the young array masters as they watched the Soul-Locking Array's attack get stopped without effort.
Then, one by one, some of the cultivators seemed to grasp something. The color drained from their faces. Their eyes began to dart about wildly, as though every instinct was screaming at them to run.
At that moment, a low voice resonated across the battlefield.
"Eternal Heavenly Venerable One Mind, please withdraw. According to our agreement, you should not be here."
As the words echoed, Ji Hongdao’s figure slowly materialized.
He stood before the ranks of the Five Elders Council cultivators.
"Oh?" A silvery, bell-like laugh echoed between heaven and earth. "Is there any place under heaven I cannot go?"
Her voice could be heard, but her form remained unseen.
Yet every cultivator of the Myriad Immortals Alliance present wore expressions of dread.
"Eternal..."
"Heavenly Venerable?"
In stark contrast, the thousand-odd cultivators of the Five Elders Council didn’t show the slightest change in demeanor, as if they had long known the Eternal Heavenly Venerable would intervene.
All of them simply looked on coldly, their expressions eerily similar.
Li Fan, observing this scene from several provinces away through the perspective of heaven and earth, felt his mind reel with shock.
That voice... Senior Sister Zhao?