Chapter 116: Chapter 114: Terrifying Killing Array Map
Ancient as time itself, the Azure Heaven is eternal!
And the Azure Heaven Killing Array was nearly as old as time, coexisting with the Azure Heaven itself.
But in a battle in the distant past, the Celestial Array shattered, its pieces scattering across the myriad realms. Now... the world had changed beyond recognition!
Since one fragment had appeared, there would surely be a second, and a third... who could say for sure?
As Jiang Jichen gripped the One Corner of the Sky Killing Array, an indescribable emotion welled up within him. The Soul Separation Sealing Technique that sealed away his past almost destabilized, and the memory Seal Talisman buried deep within his soul nearly surfaced.
’The ancient emotions contained within just this One Corner of the Sky Killing Array are this terrifying. I can’t imagine what Realm one would need to activate the complete Azure Heaven Killing Array.’
And this was, of course, the perfect moment to bring out the Azure Heaven Killing Array.
He had been fighting continuously, and even when he’d faced death several times, he hadn’t used it.
He knew that if he had used it then, he would have only killed some of his enemies, while the rest could have still pursued him with ease.
But now?
With all his enemies gathered before him, it was the perfect opportunity to strike. How could he possibly miss it?
This was also Jiang Jichen’s first time using the One Corner of the Sky Killing Array. He didn’t know how powerful it was, but he estimated that by channeling it with his Innate Third Realm Perfect Realm cultivation, he should have no problem heavily injuring a Minor Grandmaster. As for killing anyone below that level, it would be effortless.
The moment Jiang Jichen took out the One Corner of the Sky Killing Array, the black-robed elder, the Old Emperor, and the other Minor Grandmasters were suddenly struck by a sense of unease.
"Killing Intent!"
"Overwhelming Killing Intent!"
"Damn it, that’s a Life-killing Secret Artifact! He’s about to activate it!"
...
Minor Grandmasters, after all, had extraordinary perception and powerful senses. The instant Jiang Jichen began to activate it, the immense Killing Intent that erupted immediately alerted them, and they sensed a grave crisis.
Hearing the Minor Grandmasters’ words, the Spirit Cultivator powerhouses behind them didn’t hesitate for a second, preparing to flee the area!
But it was too late. The One Corner of the Sky Killing Array in Jiang Jichen’s hand activated. A sky-blotting Killing Intent suddenly descended from the void, coalescing directly into a terrifying Killing Array that descended upon them.
In that instant, Jiang Jichen felt nearly all of his strength and Blood Qi being drained away. The One Corner of the Sky Killing Array, which was etched onto a piece of Celestial Desolate Beast Hide, automatically floated up, merged directly into the void, and condensed into the most terrifying and purest form of killing intent.
At that moment, everyone felt the threat of death. It was as if they were on a Slaughter Battlefield; wherever the killing intent passed, all things turned to ash.
In that moment between life and death, they suddenly recalled Jiang Jichen’s mocking gaze and had a flash of realization. So, he had a Great Killing Artifact in his possession and had been waiting for this exact moment all along?
By now, even powerful Minor Grandmasters like the black-robed elder and the Old Emperor finally understood, but what could they do?
"Beneath the Azure Heaven, the Ten Thousand Spirits shall turn to ash! Kill!"
Jiang Jichen let out a cold shout, pushing the power of the One Corner of the Sky Killing Array to the absolute limit of what he could withstand.
"POP, POP, POP..."
Body after body exploded, turning into a sky-filling mist of blood. These elder powerhouses from the Noble Family Sects, normally so high and mighty, were now as fragile as ants before the One Corner of the Sky Killing Array. Their bodies burst apart, and their souls were pulverized.
Of course, Jiang Jichen gave "special attention" to the black-robed elder and the Old Emperor. But those two were indeed formidable; even while being the focus of the Ultimate Killing Array, they were only wounded, not killed. The other Minor Grandmasters, however, had their life force extinguished on the spot.
"Jiang Jichen, you whelp, you’re so ruthless!"
Within the Killing Array, the black-robed elder and the Old Emperor, both covered in blood, spoke with voices thick with hatred.
At that moment, the wide Ancient Street was filled with a drifting mist of blood. Over a hundred powerhouses had been caught, and not one had been spared. The scene was horrific and bloody. This was likely the greatest number of powerhouses to fall at once in the entire history of Cyan Moon City, and they had all been annihilated, body and Divine Soul alike.
Their bodies had turned into a mist of blood and Spiritual Power; their Divine Souls had become pure Soul Energy!
The distant onlookers who witnessed this scene were chilled to the bone, their faces ghastly pale. The terror in their hearts had reached its absolute peak.
Jiang Jichen was practically a reaper of powerhouses. With this single move, he had all but crippled the various Sects and Noble Families. Their Primordial Qi was gravely wounded—a truly devastating blow from which they would need an unknown amount of time to recover.
Just then, the power of the One Corner of the Sky Killing Array was finally depleted. Jiang Jichen then discovered that the mist of blood from the fallen powerhouses, along with the pure Soul Energy from their Divine Souls, had all been absorbed by the array fragment. This caused the Desolate Celestial Beast Hide to gain a slight luster, as if it were repairing itself. Moreover, the Array Map on its surface had become a little clearer; several Array Patterns that were previously broken had now reconnected!
’The Azure Heaven Killing Array can actually repair itself? This... is too terrifying!’
Jiang Jichen stared at the now slightly altered Desolate Celestial Beast Hide fragment in his hand, shaken to his core. At the same time, he had a faint feeling that the Azure Heaven Killing Array itself might very well reappear in the world in this lifetime.
At this moment, two figures caked in blood remained standing amidst the aftermath of the Killing Array. They were the only two people who had not been completely refined by the One Corner of the Sky Killing Array: the Old Emperor and the black-robed elder.
Jiang Jichen paid them no mind. He put away the Azure Heaven Killing Array Map, and his figure shot through the city gates. Little Skeleton followed close behind, and they quickly vanished into the distance.
In the same instant that Jiang Jichen shot through the city gates, a tiny speck of blood flew through the air and silently entered his body.
Atop the city wall, Qingya, having sent out the Blood-Saturated Old Cloth, finally breathed a sigh of relief as she watched Jiang Jichen disappear into the distance.
Just then, however, a cold, clear voice suddenly spoke up. "Helping him like that—aren’t you afraid of implicating the Flower Rain Sect?"
The speaker was none other than the long-missing Ouyang Xue. The aura she now exuded was even more pure and icy, proud and aloof. With her tall, slender figure, she drifted over gracefully, like an Ice and Snow Goddess strolling through the mortal world—immeasurably noble.
The Ouyang Xue of this moment was even more powerful, more unfathomable!
Qingya didn’t even turn her head, but she let out a cold laugh. "And what about you? My dear Ice and Snow Goddess, I heard you and Jiang Jichen have an irreconcilable feud. That was such a perfect opportunity just now, so why didn’t you make a move?"
Ouyang Xue tilted her head up proudly. "If I’m going to kill him, I’ll naturally do it when he’s in perfect condition. There’s no fun in killing him now!"
But Qingya just gave a sly, charming smile. "Is that so? I heard you made a bet with a certain someone... that if this someone were to surpass you in any Realm of cultivation, you would have to become his personal handmaiden. A *personal* one, at that!"
"Qingya, you witch! You... Fine! This young lady won’t stoop to your level. I’ll settle the score with you during the Heavenly Sword Academy’s selection tournament. Hmph!"
Ouyang Xue didn’t want to stay near Qingya a moment longer. After saying her piece, she stormed away in a huff.
However, she was thinking resentfully, ’That Jiang Jichen! If you hadn’t stolen my Yin Yang Spirit Pool, how could your Cultivation Realm possibly have surpassed mine? Just you wait! Once you fall into my hands, I’ll make you wish you were dead!’
...
Back on the Ancient Street, the two blood-caked figures—the Old Emperor and the black-robed elder—desperately wanted to give chase. But their bodies were filled with a terrifying Killing Intent, and they could only use their own Cultivation to resist it, slowly grinding it away. They were completely unable to move.
Besides, they were grievously injured; it was unlikely they could have caught up anyway.
As for the others lying in ambush, they had intended to look for an opportunity to strike, but the scene just now had scared them witless. Not a single person dared to make a move, and they could only watch helplessly as Jiang Jichen’s figure vanished into the distance.
By this point, Jiang Jichen had truly reached the end of his rope. Fortunately, he had obtained a large number of pills from the Foundation Establishment Realm expert, Cang Songzi. He now took out handful after handful of Qi Blood Pills and Primordial Spirit Pills, gulping them down by the mouthful.
He pushed his Source Character Qi Condensing Technique to its absolute limit, refining the medicinal power to repair his body and replenish his Blood Qi.
Of course, Jiang Jichen had also swallowed a good number of Third and Fourth Grade Condensing Spirit Pills. After traveling for some distance, he still looked physically broken and utterly miserable on the surface, but thanks to his formidable recovery abilities, he had in fact already recovered to twenty percent of his strength!
For the next stretch of the road, Jiang Jichen’s path was clear and unobstructed; he met with no resistance.
However, just as Jiang Jichen and Little Skeleton reached the exit of a mountain valley, they finally ran into an ambush.
Looking at the four people blocking his path, Jiang Jichen felt a little surprised.
The Grand Elder and Second Elder of the Jiang Mansion—he had expected those two. No wonder he hadn’t seen them attack earlier; they had been lying in ambush here.
It was the other two who truly surprised him!
One was an Elder Pharmacist he remembered seeing at Ice Dragon Valley. He was the one who had been shouting about taking his corpse to use in Alchemy.
As for the last one, Jiang Jichen would never have expected it in a million years—it was Zhang the Half-Immortal of Cyan Moon City!
