The one guarding the West position, True Master Meng only knew him as a Nameless Daoist. Since he could not discern the identity of the other party, he simply shook his head and refrained from looking further. Instead, he took a piece of jade and threw it into the array. Following this, he pinched his fingers together to calculate meticulously. The three True Masters, knowing he was detecting the Qi Mechanism within the array, did not dare disturb him.
After one ke, True Master Meng lowered his hand and said in a grave tone, "It is indeed the ’Four Symbols God Slaying Formation.’ Judging by the Qi Mechanism within, the portals of the array rotate and shift every two hours. Although not overly complex, to break the array, one would only have a sliver of a chance at the precise moment of the Yin-Yang transition each day. If we aim to break the array within three days, we can only attempt it with full effort."
True Master Sun said, "Senior Brother, why don’t we return to Bamboo Island and deliberate further?"
True Master Meng slightly nodded and waved his robe. The four True Masters soared atop their clouds and returned to Bamboo Island.
Once the True Masters had taken their respective seats beneath the Hua Gai, a child brought forth an offering table with fruits, vegetables, and fine wine, then lit the high incense. Amid the wafting Clear Qi, a faint, otherworldly fragrance spread. The child bowed respectfully and retreated to the sides.
True Master Yan cupped his hands in salutation toward True Master Meng and said, "Senior Brother, it is close to noon. Why not send the disciples under us to make an attempt?"
True Master Meng sighed and said, "It seems that is the only option."
This array’s four corners were the key to breaking it, but they were also the most perilous.
Once the array was operational, the guardians of the formation could combine the mana of the other three into their own, amplifying their power by severalfold. Even if several Cave Heaven True Masters entered the array and faced them directly, they would not withstand the combined strike of those four.
Thus, they could only rely on disciples unafraid of death to step into the array. By tracing the changes in the formation to reach the corners, though their fate would surely be extinction—both body and Dao would perish—so long as the magic artifacts they carried disturbed the operation of the array even briefly, it would suffice.
As soon as this fleeting opportunity arose, isolating the four array guardians from coordinating their efforts, the four True Masters could seize the moment to storm into the array and break it apart.
True Master Yan turned to a Daoist boy and said, "Go to the foot of the mountain and summon eight disciples to come up."
The Daoist boy obeyed and departed.
Moments later, eight disciples tasked with breaking the array arrived, riding a flying carriage to the peak. Upon alighting before the steps, they stepped forward to bow respectfully before the four True Masters.
In the two hours during which the portals shifted within the array, the exact working of the formation remained inscrutable to those outside. Thus, while these disciples claimed to enter to break the array, in truth, they were testing it. Their fate was destined to be death within the formation.
True Master Meng sighed faintly and asked, "Have the names of these disciples been recorded?"
A child stepped forward from his side, bowed deeply, and said, "Reporting to Teacher, all of their names have been recorded without omission."
True Master Meng nodded, casting a talisman into the foreheads of the eight disciples, and said, "This is the array-traversing technique I am bestowing upon you. Go now to the front of the formation and await. When you see the Spiritual Energy of the four corners—East, South, West, and North—fade, you may enter the array."
The eight disciples answered in unison, then each picked up their magic artifact and withdrew. Boarding the flying carriage, they headed toward the front of the formation.
Once they departed, True Master Meng contemplated and said, "Gui Congyao shall guard the Black Tortoise position, Luo Mengze the Azure Dragon position, Qu Yue the Vermilion Bird position, and the Nameless Daoist the White Tiger position. Currently, the Four Symbols circulate their respective Four Qi ceaselessly. Fellow Junior Brothers, we must first command our disciples to take Dharma Treasures and hold the Spiritual Mechanisms in check, severing the Evil Qi."
True Masters Yan, Zhu, and Sun cupped their hands together and said, "We will follow Senior Brother’s orders."
True Master Meng took out a small black flag and said to Qi Yuntian nearby, "Yuntian, take this Mifang Flag and head to the North position to seal the Qi Mechanism. If anyone within the array dares to act recklessly, I will come immediately."
Qi Yuntian cupped his hands and said, "Yuntian obeys." He stepped forward, accepted the small flag, and turned to depart. Moments later, a stream of Clear Qi flew toward the northern direction.
True Master Yan likewise summoned a handsome young Daoist and said, "Luo Qingyu, take this White Dragon Gold Lock to the Western position to seal it. Should there be any unusual movement, do not panic; I will be aware."
The young Daoist smiled faintly, cupped his hands, and said, "I will follow Teacher’s orders." After bowing, he departed to carry out his assignment.
True Master Zhu drew a Dharma Sword, shouting coldly, "Zhuang Bufan, take this Ruiyun Danfeng Sword to the East position to seal it!"
Zhuang Bufan dared not slacken. He stepped forward respectfully to accept the Dharma Sword, retreated several steps down the stone stairs, then soared into the sky as tunneling light, heading for the eastern position.
True Master Sun chuckled, raised his hand, and summoned Ning Chongxuan. He pulled out an ancient vine pot from his sleeve and said, "Chongxuan, carry this Five Thunder Pot to the South position to hold it. I suspect that old demon would not dare cause you trouble."
Ning Chongxuan stepped forward to take the pot, bowed deeply, and rose. In a flash, a green light shot straight toward the southern position of the perilous formation.