Hovering in midair, Kong Xuan presented an imposing threat to Lifespan Dongfang and Lifespan Chunshen from afar.
“Flying? Above the Yellow Springs Sea? Isn’t he in the Upper Heavenly Palace Realm’s ninth layer?” Lifespan Chunshen turned pale.
“The consummation of the Upper Heavenly Palace Realm?” Lifespan Dongfang also blanched. As arrogant as he might have sounded earlier, Kong Xuan’s breakthrough completely disrupted Lifespan Dongfang’s thoughts.
“Humph! It’s fine if you don’t surrender. Your ritual array is useless against me! I’ll capture you myself!” Kong Xuan blurred into motion, charging straight at Lifespan Dongfang.
“Start the ritual array! Lifespan Chunshen, now!” Lifespan Dongfang’s face darkened.
Boom!
The two quickly activated a large rock on the island they stood on.
Buzz!
Suddenly, the surrounding Yellow Springs Sea erupted like a massive explosion, swallowing up both the island and Kong Xuan in a towering surge of seawater.
Amid this chaos, a hand materialized out of the Yellow Springs Sea and slammed into Kong Xuan’s palm.
Boom!
The palms clashed, sending the already chaotic Yellow Springs Sea into further turmoil.
Kong Xuan halted, surprise flickering across his face as he looked at a humanoid figure before him.
This humanoid figure, made of water from the Yellow Springs Sea, looked identical to Kong Xuan.
“What?” Kong Xuan’s face darkened.
They locked gazes—Kong Xuan still, his aquatic double equally immobile.
“Humph, a mere puppet thinks to block my path?” Kong Xuan’s expression turned frosty.
Kong Xuan flung out a six-colored divine light.
Bizarrely, the Yellow Springs Kong Xuan did the same.
Boom!
The two six-colored divine lights clashed, neither gaining the upper hand.
“Impossible!” Kong Xuan lunged forward, and an intense battle between Kong Xuan and his Yellow Springs double ensued.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Meanwhile, Lifespan Chunshen burst into surprised laughter. “Hah! Haha! Lifespan Dongfang, this ritual array is impressive! What is this, exactly? It’s not a lifespan ritual array, right?”
To think it blocked Kong Xuan, a consummate Upper Heavenly Palace Realm expert.
“I told you, it’s a ritual array set up by the shaman race’s first elder. I can only drive a tenth of its power, but that’s enough. As long as we stand on this island, we’ll be unbeatable!” Lifespan Dongfang said proudly.
Elsewhere, as Kong Xuan was locked in combat with his Yellow Springs double, the Mosquito Daoist and Long Shenying arrived. However, the chaotic laws in the skies above the Yellow Springs Sea and a bizarre force suppressed their flight, causing them to plunge into the Yellow Springs Sea.
“Is this a shaman race ritual array?” The Unborn Man, whose expression changed, also fell.
However, he threw a gigantic mountain into the Yellow Springs Sea, forming a large island for the Mosquito Daoist and Long Shenying to scramble onto.
Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!
Above the Yellow Springs Sea, the figures of the Mosquito Daoist, Long Shenying, and the Unborn Man formed from Yellow Springs water.
“Exact replicas of us? This ritual array is strange indeed!” Long Shenying exclaimed in surprise.
“I don’t believe they possess my innate talent. I’ll go first!” The Mosquito Daoist glared.
The Mosquito Daoist was about to move when a sudden voice halted him. “Wait! Don’t move!”
The Mosquito Daoist froze and looked at the sky. It was Gu Hai’s group landing on the island.
Buzz! Buzz! Buzz…
Clones of Gu Hai, Long Wanqing, Long Wanyu, and others appeared on the sea surface, formed from Yellow Springs water.
“Don’t move! This is one of the most powerful ritual arrays of the ancient shaman race—the Yellow Springs Self-Mirroring Ritual Array!” Long Wanyu warned.
“A shaman ritual array?” Gu Hai asked, confused.
“Yes. These Yellow Springs clones are fakes—No, perhaps real in a sense. They form from the intentions in your heart. If your heart is still, they’re useless and won’t attack. If you harbor intentions of attacking, they’ll strike back immediately, matching your strength. Their strength comes from within you, so if you attack, you’re essentially fighting yourself!” Long Wanyu explained.
“Ah?” the Mosquito Daoist exclaimed in surprise.
“If you don’t move, they won’t! Tell Kong Xuan to stop!” Long Wanyu said anxiously.
“Kong Xuan, stand down!” Gu Hai bellowed.
Deep in a frustrating battle, Kong Xuan paused momentarily but heeded the command and quickly retreated.
Buzz!
As he did, his Yellow Springs double mirrored his actions, also retreating swiftly. Soon, the tumultuous Yellow Springs Sea calmed.
This place was peculiar—the Yellow Springs Sea would create clones for each individual present.
“If this continues, it could drain a person to death. Truly a bizarre ritual array!” Gu Hai marveled.
The sea finally quieted, revealing Lifespan Chunshen, Lifespan Dongfang, and their party on the opposite island, with their own Yellow Springs clones.
“Lifespan Dongfang?” Gu Hai sneered.
On the other side, Lifespan Chunshen grew frantic. “What’s happening? Why did they stop fighting? Fight on! Lifespan Dongfang, you control the ritual array. What do we do next?”
“Hah! Why don’t you make a move? We won’t move,” Gu Hai chuckled.
Lifespan Dongfang’s face fell. “How do you know about this ritual array?”
“Is this all you’ve got?” Gu Hai mocked with a disdainful laugh.
“We’ll see about that! If you’re so tough, why don’t you come and get us?” Lifespan Dongfang retorted, his words seething with hatred.
Gu Hai was not a fool. He knew charging headfirst would just cause the Yellow Springs clone to retaliate. Instead, he gave a chilling smirk and waved his hand.
Rumble…!
The entrance to the Gu’s Immortal Firmament opened, and a massive force began drawing in the Yellow Springs Sea. Surging Yellow Springs Sea water poured into the Gu’s Immortal Firmament.
“Don’t worry. We will come to you. Once we’ve drained all this water from the Yellow Springs Sea, let’s see how you escape,” Gu Hai declared solemnly, his brows furrowed with concentration.
He had managed to consume a huge chunk of the flawed immortal firmament in the void not too long ago, but here in the Yellow Springs Sea, the task was proving much more difficult. It was as if some force was dragging the water back, resisting the absorption.
Despite the trouble, Gu Hai maintained an air of nonchalance.
Lifespan Dongfang’s face turned ashen as he watched this spectacle.
The ritual array is powerful, but without the water from the Yellow Springs Sea, it is nothing. If Gu Hai drains the sea entirely, we are doomed.
“We need to leave!” Lifespan Chunshen commanded the ghost kings.
Boom!
However, as soon as he tried to flee, a Yellow Springs clone of him appeared, blocking his path.
“Lifespan Dongfang, we can’t leave, either? What kind of ritual array is this?” Lifespan Chunshen complained bitterly.
Lifespan Dongfang was just as anxious, but he was also at a loss as to what to do.
“However, this lifespan ritual array is indeed formidable, capable of halting Kong Xuan. Surely, it can do more. Can’t you activate it to hold them back or at least let us leave?” Lifespan Chunshen asked urgently.
“I have no control over it. Once activated, I cannot stop it. Triggering the remaining ninety percent is beyond me. That old fool Jiang Lianshan didn’t tell me how!” Lifespan Dongfang admitted, worry creeping into his voice.
“Then just try it!” Lifespan Chunshen insisted.
“But what if—”
“What if?! Can it get any worse than this? If Gu Hai drains the Yellow Springs Sea, we won’t be able to escape!” Lifespan Chunshen urged.
“Fine, I’ll try. But—”
“No buts! Hurry up! How can I help?” Lifespan Chunshen asked anxiously.
“Activate this!” Lifespan Dongfang pointed to a ritual array diagram on a large rock. “We need to fully activate this ritual array!”
“Alright!”
The two acted almost simultaneously.
Buzz!
The ritual array diagram suddenly lit up. Simultaneously, the entire Yellow Springs Sea became as smooth as a mirror. A large, eerie ritual array diagram rose from the water, its yellow light glaring and blinding. Suddenly, the light gathered.
Boom!
A tremendous force pressed down on the Yellow Springs Sea, producing a powerful restraint that halted the Gu’s Immortal Firmament’s absorption of the seawater.
“Huh?” Gu Hai’s face sank.
“It worked! He can’t drain the Yellow Springs Sea!” Lifespan Chunshen exclaimed excitedly.
“However, we still can’t leave!” Lifespan Dongfang said with an unsightly expression.
The Yellow Springs clones remained, staring fixedly at their true bodies as if eyeing prey.
A ghost king charged forward, only to be blocked by its corresponding clone.
“They’re not letting us leave. What now?” Lifespan Chunshen asked anxiously.
“Your Reverence!” a voice cried out in shock from a distance.
“Huh?” All eyes turned to see Long Shenying’s Yellow Springs clone disintegrating.
“Meow! Long Shenying, what happened to your Yellow Springs clone?” Mao Tianyun asked in surprise.
In their state of shock, everyone turned to look at Long Wanyu.
“I’m not sure,” Long Wanyu admitted, shaking her head. Although she had heard of this ritual array, she was not familiar with the specifics.
Kong Xuan attempted another move, only to find the Yellow Springs clone engaging him in battle, blocking everyone’s escape.
Long Shenying then noticed something unusual. “Something’s wrong. My Blood Energy is fading?” he said in surprise.
His skin was emitting a faint mist of Blood Energy, which was being sucked into the Yellow Springs Sea’s ritual array.
“Same with Houqing. What’s happening to Houqing?” Houtu asked in shock.
Houqing looked extremely weak, but the zombie ancestor seed on his forehead was emitting a dazzling azure light, seemingly ready to fly out and enter the Yellow Springs Sea’s ritual array.
“Long Shenying and Houqing’s Yellow Springs clones are gone. That suggests this shaman ritual array doesn’t target zombies. They can leave the Yellow Springs Sea, but it’s absorbing the zombie’s Blood Energy. Does this mean the shaman ritual array is related to zombies?” Gu Hai speculated.
“That must be right!” Everyone’s eyes lit up.
“Long Shenying, the Yellow Springs Sea does not obstruct you; lead us out. Take down Lifespan Dongfang and his allies!” Gu Hai commanded firmly.
“Yes!” Long Shenying responded obediently.
Although he did not fully understand the situation, he was no longer constrained. Lifespan Dongfang and his team revealed their terror at this development.
“Lifespan Dongfang, what’s going on? I asked you to activate the ritual array, not to use it against us!” Lifespan Chunshen cried out anxiously.
“I don’t know what’s happening, either! I can’t control this ritual array!” Lifespan Dongfang confessed, his face gloomy.
“Your Reverence, I’ll lift this island from the seafloor and move it to the shore. We need to leave this ritual array. Please do not think of fighting!” Long Shenying said.
“Alright!” Gu Hai and the others answered.
Meanwhile, Lifespan Dongfang and his companions were like ants on a hot pan, painfully anxious. Just as Long Shenying was about to enter the Yellow Springs Sea, a disappointed voice from the shore interrupted him.
“Imperial Father, Gu Hai killed Eminent Grandfather. How can you serve under him?”
Everyone turned to see Long Aotian standing there, his face filled with disappointment.
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