Chapter 358: The Battle Commences
Chapter 358: The Battle Commences
With the grand array completed, the battle to suppress the demon could begin.
However, as the time for war approached, doubts arose in the hearts of all the cultivators in Tongxian City.
Was the array truly foolproof? Could it really subdue and kill the sealed demon?
Not only the ordinary loose cultivators but even the Foundation Establishment elders like Elder Yu were filled with worry and apprehension.
Yet, they dared not question Mo Hua.
Firstly, they didn't want to add pressure to the young array master, and secondly, even if they asked, it wouldn't change anything.
There was no turning back now.
The array was already constructed, and regardless of their fears, they could only grit their teeth and commence the plan to subdue the mighty demon.
Throughout, Mo Hua remained calm and composed, his gaze steady and his expression serene.
It was as if he knew, without a doubt, that the demon would fall within the array.
This unspoken confidence somehow soothed the nerves of the several Foundation Establishment cultivators.
Elder Yu sighed inwardly. Despite their advanced age and experience, they were feeling anxious, while Mo Hua, who was but a child, exuded an air of tranquility.
However, upon further reflection, he conceded that this was indeed the first time they were facing such a formidable challenge as a demon of this caliber...
After all, the grand array was just an array, and since they didn't understand arrays, they could only put their faith in Mo Hua.
Not just Elder Yu, but all the cultivators shared this sentiment.
The Five Elements Demon Subduing Grand Array was designed to trap and kill. To ensnare the sealed demon, they first had to lure it into the array.
This step was extremely perilous and could only be undertaken by Foundation Establishment cultivators, with the support and protection of the Dao soldiers.
Among the group assigned to lure and kill the demon, Mo Hua was surprised to find Zhang Lan.
"Uncle Zhang, have you reached Foundation Establishment?" Mo Hua exclaimed in shock.
Zhang Lan feigned nonchalance, but his eyes sparkled with pride as he replied, "Not bad. I managed to establish my foundation during my free time."
Mo Hua rolled his eyes. "During your free time"... It sounded like he had casually gotten engaged during his leisure.
Was reaching Foundation Establishment really that easy?
However, Mo Hua recalled Zhang Lan's previous words.
For a secular disciple, attaining Foundation Establishment was indeed not a difficult task.
Previously, Zhang Lan had halted his cultivation at the ninth layer of Refining Qi, both to solidify his foundation and to avoid the troubles that came with progressing further in a secular clan.
"Have you solidified your foundation?" Mo Hua asked.
Zhang Lan waved his hand dismissively. "It's good enough. There's no need to keep refining endlessly."
"Now that you've reached Foundation Establishment, do you have to go back for an arranged marriage?" Mo Hua asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.
Zhang Lan's face darkened. "Kid, can you focus on more important matters?"
Mo Hua chuckled and, at the same time, felt a surge of gratitude.
He understood that Zhang Lan's rapid progress was likely for the sake of the cultivators of Tongxian City. After all, in a battle against a mighty demon, every additional Foundation Establishment cultivator meant more strength and a better chance of success.
Mo Hua silently vowed to remember Zhang Lan's kindness and swore to himself, "In the future, I must find a way to help Uncle Zhang."
The plan to subdue the demon had been discussed and finalized before the completion of the grand array, and now, they were merely confirming the personnel involved.
The next day, as the sky darkened, the Dao soldiers began to assemble.
Yang Jiyong stood atop a mountain, his gaze fixed on the blood-colored demon in the distance, his expression grave.
Soon, another figure clad in armor approached—a commander of the Dao soldiers named Yang Rong.
"Big brother, everything is prepared," Yang Rong reported in a low voice.
Yang Rong was not only a member of the Yang family but also a commander of the Dao soldiers who had been reassigned to provide support.
Yang Jiyong nodded, his brow still furrowed in concern.
The atmosphere was tense, so Yang Rong tried to lighten the mood by striking up a conversation with Yang Jiyong about family matters.
After some small talk, Yang Rong voiced a question that had been nagging at him. "Big brother, why were only members of the Yang family reassigned this time?"
When requesting the reassignment of Dao soldiers, one could only rely on the Dao Court for allocation. This time, Yang Jiyong had pulled some strings within the Yang family to bring Yang Rong and the others to Tongxian City.
Moreover, not only Yang Rong but all the Dao soldiers who had been reassigned had connections to the Yang family. Some shared the Yang surname, while others were in-laws or had received favors from the Yang family in the past. They were all considered "insiders" of the Yang family.
"I feel more at ease with our own people handling this," Yang Jiyong replied.
Yang Rong clearly didn't buy it. "Big brother, come on, don't treat me like a child. Just tell me the truth."
Yang Jiyong glanced at Yang Rong and, after a moment's thought, slowly said, "Fine, I'll tell you, but you must swear to keep this a secret. Not a word of this must leave this place, including to the other soldiers under our command."
Yang Rong's expression turned solemn as he nodded. "Big brother, you have my word."
Yang Jiyong continued, "The main reason I requested your presence is for secrecy. Regardless of whether the array is completed or the demon is slain, you must not let any information slip out..."
Yang Rong looked troubled. "But building such a massive array is hard to keep secret..."
"I'm not asking you to hide the fact that the array is being built," Yang Jiyong clarified. "I'm asking you to keep the builder of the array a secret."
Yang Rong was taken aback. "Who built this array?"
Upon their arrival in Tongxian City, they had set up camp near the demon to prevent any unforeseen circumstances. As a result, they had minimal interaction with the cultivators of the city.
They had not been involved in the construction of the array and knew nothing about the intricacies of array formation.
He vaguely recalled seeing a group of array masters, the most notable of whom was an elderly array master with a distinguished air about him. However, he had no idea who was responsible for creating the grand array.
Yang Jiyong was about to speak when he suddenly changed his mind. "It's better if you don't know."
Yang Rong hesitated, no longer wanting to ask. However, his curiosity clawed at him like a cat's paw.
Yang Jiyong's solemn attitude indicated that this matter was indeed out of the ordinary.
"Big brother Yang, please tell me. If I know what the secret is, I can better keep it. If you don't tell me, I won't even know what I'm supposed to keep secret, and I might accidentally let something slip," Yang Rong argued.
Yang Jiyong was taken aback. "When did you become so clever?"
Yang Rong grinned.
Yang Jiyong thought for a moment before deciding to confide in him. "Have you seen a young cultivator around here in the past few days?
Yang Rong furrowed his brows in thought, then suddenly exclaimed, "Ah!" as he recalled.
"It's that little cultivator who was following a group of old array masters."
"You got it backwards," Yang Jiyong said calmly.
"Backwards?"
"It's not him following the old array masters, but the old array masters following him..." Yang Jiyong clarified.
Yang Rong's mouth hung open. "No way..."
Then, connecting it with Yang Jiyong's mention of the 'array builder', he became even more bewildered and exclaimed again, "No way..."
Yang Jiyong left it at that and didn't elaborate further, only reminding him,
"Now you understand."
Yang Rong was stunned for a while as he pieced things together, then shook his head and murmured, "This is too terrifying...
In this day and age, even such a young child can build grand arrays?"
Yang Rong moved closer to Yang Jiyong and whispered, "Big brother, we must not let the Li family and the Chang family know about this."
Otherwise, they would definitely try to win him over by any means necessary.
"That's why I used the Yang family's connections to bring you guys over."
"But what if we can't keep it a secret?" Yang Rong worried.
"It's fine," Yang Jiyong reassured him, "As long as they don't see it with their own eyes, they won't believe it."
Yang Rong nodded.
Even though he had witnessed it himself, he still found it hard to believe...
But since his big brother had said so, he would follow his lead.
"There's one more very important thing..."
Yang Jiyong looked at Yang Rong and instructed him further, "This operation to suppress and kill the sealed demon is uncertain. If we fail, you must find a way to ensure Mo Hua's safety."
"Mo Hua..."
Yang Rong remembered the name and nodded, "Okay!"
After saying that, he looked towards the distant sealed demon and couldn't help but sigh,
"Such a huge demon, just looking at it makes my heart palpitate. Can we really kill it?"
Yang Jiyong said in a deep voice, "Regardless, we have to try."
After saying that, he sighed inwardly,
Hoping that this time, not too many people would die...
The Dao soldiers who had come this time were all close confidants of the Yang family, and most of them were his brothers who had fought alongside him on the battlefield. He didn't want to see too many casualties.
But this time, they were facing a terrifying demon.
Within the state borders, demons were invincible.
Even with the grand array, it would still be extremely difficult to counter such a powerful demon.
Yang Jiyong maintained a calm expression, but his heart was filled with worry.
After Yang Rong left, some time passed before Zhang Lan found Yang Jiyong.
Having reached the Foundation Establishment stage, Zhang Lan's confidence had increased significantly. When he saw Yang Jiyong, he stood taller and prouder.
The two briefly discussed the plan to suppress the sealed demon, after which Zhang Lan turned to leave. However, he had only taken a few steps before Yang Jiyong called out to him.
"Zhang Lan," Yang Jiyong called out, then after a moment of silence, he said with difficulty, "Don't die..."
Zhang Lan's expression froze, taken aback by the unexpected words, but his mouth still spat out harsh words,
"I won't die. Don't curse me, you jerk."
Yang Jiyong's eyelids twitched, "I'm telling you not to die, not asking you to go die!"
Zhang Lan coldly snorted, "Before a big battle, people usually speak in opposites. The way you said it makes it sound like I'm about to die..."
The tiny bit of concern Yang Jiyong had felt for Zhang Lan instantly vanished, and he couldn't help but curse,
"You motherfcker, a dog's mouth really can't spit out ivory. I really was, feeding a dog with good intentions!"
"You have good intentions?"
"No more. They were eaten by this dog."
...
The two traded insults for a while, then fell silent.
Zhang Lan said, "Rest assured, the grand array was built by Mo Hua. He usually doesn't do things he's not confident in. As long as you don't seek death yourself, you probably won't die..."
Yang Jiyong didn't say anything, but his mood had lightened.
...
At Mao hour, everyone began to carry out the plan to wake the sealed demon and lure it into the grand array.
Yang Jiyong made the first move.
He held his spear horizontally and channeled all his spiritual power into it. The spear glowed with a brilliant golden light, and with immense force, he thrust it towards the demon's abdomen.
This was the Yang family's secret superior technique - the Golden Light Spear.
Even the Qian family's old ancestor, who was at the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, had once been severely injured by this spear technique.
Where the spear struck, the demon's abdomen was obliterated by the spiritual power, leaving a deep hole. However, in the blink of an eye, its blood essence gathered and regenerated the damaged flesh.
Everyone who witnessed this was filled with awe.
What a powerful spear technique, and what thick blood essence.
It was almost impossible to kill such a powerful demon with cultivators alone.
Even if they just stood there and let these Foundation Establishment cultivators attack it until they dropped dead from exhaustion, they might not be able to deplete even a tenth of its blood essence.
Nonetheless, this spear strike had indeed inflicted a significant injury on the sealed demon.
The sealed demon howled in pain, abruptly waking up and letting out a vicious roar that made one's blood run cold.
It opened its eyes, its pupils moving irregularly before finally fixing on Yang Jiyong. In an instant, the malevolent aura around it intensified.
It stood up shakily, the sealed demon that had refined three months' worth of blood essence now resembling a small mountain. It exuded a thick, bloody aura as it charged towards Yang Jiyong.
Fortunately, the pig demon was clumsy and its blood essence was not yet fully refined, making its movements awkward.
Yang Jiyong backed away, luring the demon towards the direction of the grand array as he retreated.
(End of Chapter)
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