Fang Hong, sitting to the side, spoke with a faint, mocking smile: "I heard that Nephew Mo was injured by Junior Brother Zhang. Is this true? If so, it seems Junior Brother Zhang’s cultivation is not to be underestimated. Why not have him join me in battle?"
Ge Shuo furrowed his brows and was about to speak, but Zhang Yan stepped forward with a slight smile, tossing the porcelain bottle in his hand upward.
Ge Shuo startled, reached out to catch it, and discovered there were actually five porcelain bottles this time. Upon opening them, he found over fifty Rejuvenation Pills inside—far beyond what a single furnace could typically produce in three days. Overcome with joy, he exclaimed, "Good! Junior Brother Zhang, I’ll record two merits for you this time!"
Without giving Fang Hong a chance to speak, Ge Shuo waved his sleeve as usual, sending Zhang Yan back to the Elixir Room.
Seeing Ge Shuo’s clear intention to shield him, Fang Hong snorted coldly but said no more.
After Zhang Yan was sent into the air, he performed a spell, gently shaking himself and leaving behind a fake body while he descended. Watching the fake body twist and turn its way into the Elixir Room, he chuckled softly, knowing Ge Shuo had not seen through the ruse.
In truth, this was largely because he had never shown any resistance before. To Ge Shuo, Zhang Yan had no reason to leave; every batch of pills earned him merits. As such, after sending him away, Ge Shuo paid little attention, his thoughts fixated on the final conquest of Perch Eagle Land, pondering what rewards the sect might bestow. Preoccupied, he failed to notice Zhang Yan slipping away effortlessly.
Taking advantage of everyone still being in the main hall, Zhang Yan used a concealment technique to leave the Flying Palace in just a few steps. Not long after stepping out, he saw five streaks of light shooting out from the hall, flying toward the Spirit Core Flying Palaces stationed atop the peak. In no time, all six Flying Palaces lifted into the sky, heading directly for Perch Eagle Land.
This time, Ge Shuo brought virtually every Xuan Guang Practitioner on Bamboo Island along, leaving behind only a hundred or so Ming Qi disciples and two or three Xuan Guang cultivators to oversee the island.
Additionally, some Ming Qi disciples were stationed on the eighteen islands of Nandang Lake. These locations, rich in spiritual energy, were valuable opportunities; the disciples knew they might never find such excellent cave mansions again should they return to the Mingcang Sect. Thus, they dedicated every available moment to cultivation, paying no heed to others.
Once Zhang Yan exited the Flying Palace, not a soul noticed.
Standing atop a mountain peak, he gazed toward Perch Eagle Land, pondering. If he had misjudged, it mattered little; the fake body could hold the charade, and he’d always have a chance to return to the Elixir Room. But if he was right, then Bamboo Island would surely face an assault by demonic cultivators. Still, with the protection of the Jingluo Formation Flag, there wasn’t much to worry about.
He smiled faintly, then turned and flew toward a hidden spot he had scouted earlier.
The six Flying Palaces advanced with overwhelming momentum, clearly intending to annihilate the demonic cultivators here in one fell swoop. Along the way, they made no effort to conceal their trail, heading straight for Xiaoming Peak, deep within Perch Eagle Land.
Encountering no resistance from demonic cultivators, their passage was smooth. About half a day later, they spotted an isolated peak rising dramatically, flanked on either side by two imposing smaller summits. Below lay a scenic inner lake, surrounded by winding rivers. The mountain range resembled a mighty eagle poised for flight. They knew they had reached Xiaoming Peak.
But at this moment, Xiaoming Peak was eerily silent, devoid of any demonic energy. The stillness puzzled everyone. They wondered, "Did the demonic cultivators here flee in fear of being unable to resist us?"
Ge Shuo, however, narrowed his brows, sensing that something felt too unnaturally calm. He was about to speak when suddenly, countless black winds erupted, stirring up rocks and sand as howling winds filled the air. Above them, dark clouds obscured the sun, plunging the world into darkness. Even with Ge Shuo’s eyesight, he couldn’t see beyond a hundred feet. In an instant, he lost sight of the other five Flying Palaces.
"Hmm? Could this be some kind of array formation?"
Startled, Ge Shuo quickly realized they had fallen into a trap. However, he steadied his mind. With the Spirit Core Flying Palaces present, he feared no tricks—the array would be powerless, even if a Nascent Soul cultivator orchestrated it. Still, noticing his subordinates showing signs of panic, he shouted, feigning disdain, "Fear not, brothers! These demonic wretches are out of tricks. It’s merely a trapping array—what harm can it do?"
Ge Shuo’s cultivation spanned centuries, and his keen sight quickly discerned that the formation was not a killing array but merely designed to confine its targets.
Reassured by this, the Xuan Guang disciples calmed their hearts somewhat.
This Upside-Down Chaos Array wasn’t a powerful offensive array, but its strength lay in its transformations. Every hour, it would shift its layout, disorienting Qi mechanisms and relocating positions. After several iterations, those trapped would completely lose track of their bearings.
Just then, a sudden clamor of battle cries erupted. In the distance, banners flew high as what appeared to be tens of thousands of demon soldiers charged forward. The sight caused everyone’s faces to pale, save for Ge Shuo, whose expression remained unchanged. After a brief moment of thought, he sneered, "Do not panic. It’s an illusion. However, I suspect some real demons are hidden among these phantoms. If you stay inside the Flying Palaces, you’ll be safe."
Sure enough, as the demon soldiers charged closer, furiously slashing and hacking, the prohibitions didn’t even stir. Relieved, everyone within the palaces let out sighs of relief.
A few Xuan Guang disciples noticed several demon soldiers whose appearances seemed distinct from the illusions—they were undoubtedly True Demons. Just as they prepared to strike, Ge Shuo barked out an order, forbidding anyone from stepping outside.
Hidden among the demon soldiers, Jin Tanggong observed Ge Shuo’s calm and unbreakable composure. Seeing himself powerless against the Flying Palaces, he thought to himself, "Ge Shuo is huddling like a turtle in its shell—I can’t do anything to him. It seems Miss Shan has engaged her opponents. Perhaps I should head there to check it out."
...(To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote with recommendations and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)