The Four Symbols God-Slaying Formation can draw evil energy (煞气) from all directions. If spiritual energy (灵机) flows uninterrupted and no external force interferes, the array can operate indefinitely, its power increasing severalfold.
However, if four True Artifacts are placed at four positions to suppress the array, external spiritual energy can be cut off, forcing the array to rely only on the mana of its guardians to function.
But if the array’s creators also possess four True Artifacts within the formation, then such arrangements become ineffective.
Yet, True Artifacts are rare treasures. Even the Mingcang Sect possesses only a few of them. The Three Pools Lake Demons are even less likely to afford a simultaneous use of four True Artifacts to bolster their array. Even possessing one would hardly be effective and might instead hinder the formation’s operation.
It was precisely based on this understanding that True Master Meng dared to let his disciples act freely.
However, the Three Pools Lake Demons seemed to have anticipated this. They never intended to rely on evil energy to run the formation and had long set the terms that, from the time the attempt to break the array began to when the formation ceased, the time limit would be three days. If the formation was not broken within three days, the Mingcang Sect would have to admit defeat.
For the mighty cultivators with profound powers, sustaining the array for three days was hardly a burdensome task, so they did not think much of it.
After about the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, the people atop the peak looked far into the distance. There, the spirit light at the four corners of the cloud formation suddenly dimmed, and shortly after, a child approached and reported, "Ancestor Master, the eight disciples have entered the array."
True Master Meng kept his eyes closed without speaking. Half an hour later, eight streaks of spirit light ascended to the peak one after another, transforming into eight talisman tokens that landed on his desk.
These were the protective jade tokens of the disciples. Now that the tokens had safeguarded their primordial souls, this indicated that none of the eight survived to exit the array alive.
True Master Meng had anticipated this outcome. His expression did not change. After briefly scanning the jade tokens, he moved his lips and interrogated the primordial souls within. After a moment, he nodded and said, "I now understand the transformations of the array over the last two hours. Child, summon another eight disciples forward."
Although the transformations of formations are endlessly complex, they all derive from the Nine Ancient Primordial Arrays. Once initiated, the general structure can be discerned, and the subsequent transformations within a specific time period inevitably adhere to these patterns.
However, this formation undergoes transformations every two hours. Each new attempt to breach the array requires sacrificing disciples’ lives to estimate its changes during that time.
If the Mingcang Sect were willing to send over a thousand disciples to sacrifice themselves systematically, this array would undoubtedly be broken. But doing so would destroy the sect’s foundation, and as a respected righteous sect, such conduct is utterly unacceptable.
When the child once again summoned eight disciples, True Master Meng cast a talisman into their sea of consciousness and then said, "I have conveyed to you all the changes within this array for the coming two hours. You will carry magic artifacts into the array. Under no circumstances should you be deceived by the sights within the array and lose your footing. If you manage to reach an array corner, ignore everything else—just leave the artifact behind. Do you understand?"
The eight disciples bowed deeply and replied, "Understood."
True Master Meng waved his sleeve and said, "Go."
Sitting again, he waited for another half hour. As the hour approached noon, eight streaks of spirit light ascended to the peak once more.
True Master Meng glanced at the sky, shook his head, and said, "The hour is past. Let us discuss it again at midnight."
Only during the daily transitions of Yin and Yang at midnight and noon do the guardians of the array experience a slight hesitation in their Qi Mechanism. At other times, flaws in the formation are even harder to detect.
Time flew by, and at midnight, the sixteen disciples who had tried to breach the array still failed to succeed.
The four True Masters remained in silent meditation. By noon the following day, another sixteen disciples again perished within the array, their primordial souls returning, but none successfully reached the array corners.
As the midnight hour arrived, after the preliminary tests by the first eight disciples, True Master Meng dispatched thirty-two disciples at once.
After patiently waiting for most of the hour, True Master Meng abruptly opened his eyes, and the other True Masters showed subtle reactions as well. He calculated with his fingers, let out a sigh, and said, "What a pity. One disciple managed to reach the Vermilion Bird Position array corner, but if my deductions are correct, this breach was deliberately left open by the guardians to lure us further into the array."
Shaking his head, he added, "If disciples succeed at two array corners simultaneously, even if it is a trap, it might still be worth attempting."
As expected, none of the disciples attempting the formation that day survived to return. Only their primordial souls, safeguarded by jade tokens, flew back to the peak. In the moonlight, dozens of firefly-like lights soared, casting a somber atmosphere over the crowd of hundreds of sect disciples watching from the island.
In these past two days, Zhang Yan had been observing coldly from the sidelines. Witnessing the scene, his heart was moved. "Without Great Divine Power and Great Dharma Power, immortality is ultimately nothing but an empty dream. They’re merely chess pieces under others’ control. Unless one becomes the player of the chess game, only then can one overturn the heavens with a flip of their hand and summon storms."
True Master Yan maintained a calm expression and said coldly, "Tomorrow is the final day. Senior Brother should make a decisive choice."
True Master Meng replied solemnly, "If we cannot breach the array by noon tomorrow, then midnight will offer no further chances. Alas, the array-breaking method I taught them requires holding firm to one’s Dao Heart and not being swayed by the illusions within the array, guaranteeing they would reach the array corners. These disciples know they will die, yet when facing the moment, fear still clouds their hearts, causing them to miss the opportunity."
True Master Yan’s tone remained frigid. "If their Dao Heart were truly steadfast, even with limited aptitude, their cultivation wouldn’t stagnate below the Hua Dan Realm."
True Master Meng slowly nodded and instructed the child, "Child, summon those three junior brothers forward."
Shortly after, three elderly cultivators with snow-white hair ascended the peak. They paid their respects to the four True Masters with merely a polite bow and no kowtowing.
These three were peers of the four True Masters. However, having reached the Peak of Hua Dan, they had failed to form Nascent Souls. Their lifespans were nearing their end, leaving them no choice but to seek release through combat and reincarnation to start cultivation anew.
True Master Meng stood and respectfully bowed. "Tomorrow at noon, I must trouble my three junior brothers to assist."
The three old cultivators displayed indifferent expressions. Having long seen through life and death, they returned the gesture with calm composure and said, "We will follow Senior Brother’s instructions."
True Master Yan suddenly turned his gaze toward Zhang Yan, his icy stare sweeping over him as he said flatly, "Zhang Yan, tomorrow you will join these junior brothers in breaching the array."
...(To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendation tickets or monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)