Chapter 591: Chapter 373: You Understand Arrays Too?
Everyone on the clearing stood up and shouted in unison, "Greetings, Vice Hall Master!"
Wei Fan, however, shouted for Elder Zhou, his voice somewhat abrupt. Only then did he realize that Zhou Shen, this old man, was actually the Vice Hall Master of the Beiding Continent sub-palace of the Demon Hunter Organization.
Many couldn’t help but look at Wei Fan.
"Didn’t I tell you that Elder Zhou is the Vice Hall Master of the sub-palace?" Feng Hua inquired via voice transmission.
Not a word!
Wei Fan shook his head speechlessly. Although it wasn’t particularly embarrassing, it did reveal that he was a rookie.
"Greetings, everyone!"
Zhou Shen did not put on airs. Even though he was a Martial Saint, he courteously responded to the group of Territory Guardian War Generals.
His gaze swept over them, showing a satisfied expression: "Very good, after the summoning, I thought some of you would be scared and not dare to come, yet you all came."
Not a single person faltered, even after the Vajra Sect, which had produced Martial Saints, was completely wiped out, and even the powerful figures near the Vajra Sect’s vicinity had all perished. Those from the Holy Sect didn’t dare to come near to retrieve the bodies of their fellow disciples.
Such a terrifying event, yet none of these Territory Guardian War Generals backed down, which even surprised this Martial Saint.
"I give you all a promise that as long as I’m alive, none of you shall face any trouble."
Zhou Shen, with his hands behind his back, provided reassurance to everyone.
"Next, I will allocate you into groups. Your task is to provide power to the Eight Trigrams Sealing Demon Array, preventing anything inside from escaping. If the task is completed smoothly, each of you will earn fifty thousand merit points."
At this statement, many people looked invigorated; fifty thousand merit points was a considerable amount. To earn that much, one would need to slay five or six Ninth-Layer Demon Kings who weren’t on the bounty list.
Though dangerous, the Demon Hunter Organization was generous.
Zhou Shen produced a list and began calling names: "Feng Hua, Nether Fire, step forward!"
The first to be called were Wei Fan and Feng Hua, both using their Demon Hunter code names. Feng Hua’s code name was precisely Feng Hua, and Wei Fan didn’t know if this was Feng Hua’s real name or if he had always known Feng Hua as a Demon Hunter code name.
After both stepped forward, Zhou Shen called four Territory Guardian War Generals to stand with them. The Demon Hunter code names of these four were Crow, Golden Roc, Little Du, and Scar. Wei Fan sensed that these four all possessed the Martial King Ninth Layer cultivation, none from the Seventh or Eighth Layer were assigned to them.
"Your group will be at the center of the Eight Trigrams Sealing Demon Array. Nothing must go wrong."
Zhou Shen handed a big banner to Wei Fan: "You will lead, the others will follow Nether Fire’s command."
Wei Fan received the big banner, feeling an aura of Martial Saint. This banner should have been crafted by a Martial Saint.
Crow, Scar, and the others were puzzled looking at Wei Fan. He was obviously a novice, unaware that Zhou Shen was the Vice Hall Master of the Beiding Continent sub-palace of the Demon Hunter Organization, yet Zhou Shen entrusted him with this heavy responsibility, requiring those of Martial King Ninth Layer to listen to Wei Fan.
However, none of them dared to voice their doubts, as nobody was foolish enough to question Zhou Shen’s decision in front of this Martial Saint.
Soon, the remaining people were singled out and divided into seven small groups, along with them making exactly eight groups, each handling a big banner, matched according to their strength.
"This is Master Qu Qiancheng, I’m sure most of you know his name. He will guide you to your positions to set up the array banners, remember, once the Grand Array is activated, it must not be stopped."
Zhou Shen pointed to one of those who appeared with him, a middle-aged man with two curled mustaches.
Wei Fan hadn’t heard of this name, but he noticed that these Territory Guardian War Generals showed expressions of admiration upon hearing the name Qu Qiancheng.
"He should be an Array Master or something," Wei Fan thought.
He always knew that people with profound Array expertise and those skilled in alchemy held a high status in the Five Great Domains. If one’s expertise reached a certain level, even Martial Saints would treat them courteously, regardless of whether they were only at the Martial King cultivation level.
"Follow me, everyone!"
Qu Qiancheng soared into the sky, along with another person, heading quickly into the distance. That individual was a youthful girl with a remarkably delicate appearance, dressed all in green, likely Qu Qiancheng’s disciple or a junior associate.
Wei Fan and the others all ascended in pursuit.
"Xiao Rong, you shall guide them!"
Perhaps to test his junior, Qu Qiancheng did not guide the arrangement himself, instead letting the green-robed girl direct the setup.
"Alright, Grandfather!"
Xiao Rong took a deep breath, began gazing at the sky, and then examined the surrounding topography. After a while, she identified where the first array banner should be set.
"Is this the place, Grandfather?" she asked, somewhat expectantly looking at Qu Qiancheng.
Qu Qiancheng nodded contentedly: "Not bad, but given your understanding of the Eight Trigrams Sealing Demon Array, determining the position of the secondary banner shouldn’t be difficult. The challenge is whether you can locate the optimal central position."
Under Xiao Rong’s guidance, one group remained there, thrusting the big banner they held into the earth beneath.
Subsequently, Xiao Rong successfully pointed out the locations for the remaining six groups, leaving only the array banner in Wei Fan’s hand without a determined position.
"This is the optimal central position!"
Xiao Rong landed in the mountains, gesturing at a protruding rock.
Feng Hua, Scar, and the others instinctively followed, but Wei Fan remained still, as he knew the spot Xiao Rong indicated was not the optimal position for the array core.
This kind of formation, which requires alignment with the great terrain and momentum of the land, can have multiple viable positions for the array core. Finding the nearest location depends on one’s understanding of array arts.
"Do you understand formations too?"
Qu Qiancheng watched Wei Fan stay behind instead of following Feng Hua and the others, curiously eying the Demon Hunter codenamed Nether Fire.
Wei Fan raised an eyebrow: "Isn’t mastering arrays a compulsory subject for a Martial King?"
Qu Qiancheng was momentarily speechless because there was nothing wrong with that statement. All Martial Kings need to comprehend arrays, but how deeply they understand depends on personal aptitude. "So, where do you think the array core should be?"
Wei Fan gazed at the mountains, flew to a mountaintop, and thrust the array banner he held into the ground.
Instantly, the landscape surrounding the Vajra Sect changed, with the black aura in the air beginning to disperse.
"Is that really the best spot?" Qu Rong looked over in disbelief.
Although all Martial Kings need to study formations, it seemed ridiculous for someone who majors in arrays to be outdone by an amateur.
"Who is your master?"
Qu Qiancheng appeared surprised; the Eight Trigrams Sealing Demon Array was a unique formation of his own family, and outsiders couldn’t have come into contact with it. Even with the banners crafted, without a certain level of understanding, setting up the array would be impossible.
Even his granddaughter, Qu Rong, hadn’t found the optimal position for the array core. Without a renowned teacher, how could Wei Fan possess such proficiency in array arts?
Wei Fan shook his head, indicating he had no master.
His array skills were actually quite advanced, just that he had never had the opportunity to apply them. The power of formations did not manifest on his person.
"Would you care to study formations with me?"
Qu Qiancheng was moved; self-taught to such a level, surpassing his granddaughter who had been guided by his side all along. Learning from someone of his caliber promised limitless future achievements.
Scar, Golden Roc, and others looked enviously, knowing that Qu Qiancheng was the strongest formation master in the Beiding Continent, respected even by Martial Saint Zhou Shen. Becoming his disciple was virtually a leap to greatness.
Wei Fan glanced at Qu Qiancheng: "Not interested!"
Disappointed, Qu Qiancheng shook his head, understanding that Wei Fan’s ambition lay in the Martial Dao and not in becoming an array master. Though array masters were highly regarded by Martial Saints, they were still mere objects of respect. Should a Martial Saint want to kill an array master, it would take but a finger to end them.
"Everyone to your positions, initiate the array!"
He did not dwell further, nor did he forget their mission there.
Feng Hua, Scar, and the others flew over, standing in a circle around the spot where the large banner was thrust into the ground. The next moment, Qu Qiancheng produced an even larger array banner, emitting waves that connected with the eight embedded banners.
"Activate!"
He wielded the big banner, lifting his arm, causing the landscape to tremble, shaking the land within several tens of miles around the Vajra Sect. Following this, the buried banners emerged from the ground.
Wei Fan and the others took a step forward, their power crazily funneled into the banners. In an instant, a massive veil of light unfurled across the skyline, rapidly spreading to envelop the heavens, forming a gigantic Eight Trigrams design which shrouded the distant Vajra Sect gates below.
"This Eight Trigrams Sealing Demon Array is at least a Holy Array!"
Wei Fan was somewhat moved; as the grand array truly activated, the divine aura pervaded the air, swiftly purging away the black aura. He sensed that even a Great Demon at the Ninth Layer, if caught within the Eight Trigrams Sealing Demon Array, would not last more than a short time before being purified, leaving no trace.
This is indeed a legitimate demon-conquering grand array, specifically created to target demon fiends.
Of course, the key lies in the one who refined the array banners, unquestionably a Martial Saint level powerhouse, imbuing the battle with a Martial Saint’s divine power.
"Roar..."
Amidst the mountains, an indistinct roar echoed from within the Vajra Sect’s gates. Instantly, Wei Fan felt a bewildering sensation, which only dissipated when his golden primordial spirit opened its eyes.
He glanced over to see Scar and the others with glazed eyes, as if about to fall asleep.
"Wake up!" Qu Qiancheng’s shout jolted them awake. They couldn’t help displaying expressions of shock; they had nearly lost themselves to the sound.
"Such terrifying demonic nature!"
Qu Qiancheng looked grave; even with the Eight Trigrams Sealing Demon Array encompassing the area, just a faint sound from that thing almost caused the Demon Hunter Organization’s Territory Guardian War Generals to fall asleep. It’s no wonder so many powerhouses perished silently.
Encased in the glow from the large banner in his hand, he himself was less affected. He quickly pulled out several small banners, setting up another array around Wei Fan and the others.
"Do not leave this area under any circumstances!"
He instructed Wei Fan and his companions, also directing his granddaughter Qu Rong into the array, staying with Wei Fan and the others.
In the distance, Martial Saint Zhou Shen appeared, emitting radiant light like a divine mansion, vanishing into the Vajra Sect.
"Do not stop channeling power. If exhausted, replenish with elixirs and spirit crystals."
After instructing Wei Fan and the others, he took the main controlling banner and flew toward the Vajra Sect.
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