Free Web NovelChapter 375: Chapter 231: Elder Jin Xuan (Part 2)
A fully deployed Tier Three Grand Array could cover an area dozens of miles wide, but due to insufficient manpower and a lack of need, it had been shrunk to a size of two hundred zhang.
Counterintuitively, an Array’s Defensive Power isn’t necessarily stronger the smaller it is.
The larger the area it covers, the more Spiritual Qi the Array Banners can draw in. Every Array has an optimal size for stability. The Seven Luminaries Demon-Slaying Array, for instance, is best when covering an area five li wide, which can easily accommodate over two thousand Demon Suppression Army soldiers.
Of course, an isolated array cannot hold out forever, so Yang Jing also planned to set up some Tier Two Arrays outside the Seven Luminaries Demon-Slaying Array for mutual support.
In reality, the best option would be two Seven Luminaries Demon-Slaying Arrays providing mutual aid. However, with the Nine Nether Profound Separation World Creation Array overhead, the Spiritual Qi within the Spirit Veins had been drastically reduced. If the two arrays were placed too close together, the Spiritual Qi supply would be insufficient. If placed too far apart, they wouldn’t be able to support each other at all.
"Fellow Daoist Lu, please use the Qi-guiding Dragon-shaking Array to channel as many of the surrounding Spirit Veins as you can to this location!"
Yang Jing pointed at the map.
This was a location he had carefully chosen for the Array Formation.
Beneath the ground was a stable plate of bedrock. During the previous attack from the Demon Sect Flying Boat, the Array here had been the least affected. Even the Heaven-shattering Earth-collapse Array had failed to shatter the rock layer below.
Lu Yuliang was a Tier Two Military Array Master, and of the six Tier Two Array Masters present, he was the most skilled. In terms of status, he even ranked above an ordinary Yu Hou.
When the shroud of Demonic Qi had first enveloped the sky, he had sensed this was no ordinary Array and had fallen into despair.
Seeing that Yang Jing remained calm, Lu Yuliang managed to pull himself together.
"I will obey, Minister. However, most of us Array Masters aren’t proficient in Magical Combat. We are extremely vulnerable to attacks from Demon Cultivators while dismantling and re-establishing the Arrays."
’This was his greatest worry.’
Three Capital City Commanders had died inexplicably at the hands of Celestial Demons, and his own Power was nowhere near theirs.
"I will ensure your safety."
Yang Jing said.
Hearing Yang Jing say this, Lu Yuliang immediately breathed a sigh of relief.
"Does anyone have any objections?"
Yang Jing’s gaze swept over the others.
"We will obey the Minister’s command!"
the others immediately replied.
Yang Jing nodded.
The Military Array Masters, knowing their work was a matter of life and death for everyone, immediately busied themselves setting up the Qi-guiding Dragon-shaking Array to channel the scattered Spirit Veins toward the designated defensive position.
Yang Jing activated the Golden Crow Pure Yang Mirror, releasing streams of Sun Divine Light to shield the Array Masters from above. Any Celestial Demon that dared approach would instantly have its form exposed by the light.
However, the mirror was only a Tier Two Spiritual Artifact, so the amount of Sun Divine Light it could release was limited. To actually harm an enemy, he would have to condense the Divine Light into a focused beam.
Yinjiao stood guard at his side. Meanwhile, Iron Head directed the Flying Boat, loading all the Demon Suppression Army soldiers from the defensive line aboard.
The hold of the Martial Might-level Flying Boat could carry five thousand people at maximum capacity, so accommodating the two-thousand-plus soldiers was an easy task.
Zuoqiu Feng took command aboard the Flying Boat to prevent the Demon Sect from seizing an opportunity to annihilate their entire force.
At this moment, all the soldiers were crammed into the hold. Though it was spacious, they huddled together out of anxiety and fear.
The sight of the brilliantly glowing Treasure Mirror above their heads slightly eased the Array Masters’ fear.
"Minister, under the Demon Sect’s Grand Array, the Spiritual Qi in the Spirit Veins has dropped by more than half."
Lu Yuliang said, his face grim.
’This is even worse than I expected.’
’This must be a Tier Four Grand Array or higher, because an Array below Tier Four simply cannot isolate the Spirit Veins.’
The Heaven-shattering Earth-collapse Array had merely used a trick—altering the terrain to temporarily disrupt the Spirit Veins.
"All we can do is our best and leave the rest to heaven’s will."
Yang Jing replied.
"Fellow Daoist Lu, go down and rejoin the other Array Masters for now."
Though Lu Yuliang looked confused, he immediately flew down toward the ground.
Yang Jing channeled his Magical Power into the Golden Crow Pure Yang Mirror, and the Sun Divine Light from the Treasure Mirror flared. A Red Yin Death Demon was instantly revealed in the brilliant Divine Light.
The Demon looked like a withered old man, his body wrapped in red strips of cloth. Cysts and festering sores covered his exposed skin, and he cradled an ominous-looking Demon Saber.
Lu Yuliang gasped. Only one Red Yin Death Demon might emerge from a hundred Green Yin Death Demons.
A Red Yin Death Demon was considered a Great Celestial Demon, equivalent in power to a human Golden Core Cultivator.
He hurriedly dove for the ground. The Array Masters setting up the Qi-guiding Dragon-shaking Array also fell into a panicked chaos.
This was a Golden Core Great Demon! It could slaughter them all in a single instant.
Pinned by the Sun Divine Light, the Red Yin Death Demon stared intently at Yang Jing. He had come on a mission, originally just to scout the Demon Suppression Army’s movements along the defensive line. He never expected these Cultivators to actually leave the protection of their Grand Array.
Death Demons are extremely sensitive to killing intent. Though he sensed a powerful killing intent radiating from Yang Jing, he didn’t pay it much mind.
’A mere Foundation Establishment Cultivator... could he possibly kill me, someone realms above him?’
Yang Jing summoned the Demon-Catching Tripod. ’This Red Yin Death Demon has a Demon Artifact,’ he noted. ’It must be a demon seed controlled by a Golden Core Demon Cultivator via Banishment.’
’If I were facing a Golden Core Cultivator or a Golden Core Demon, I would use Earth Escape and run without a second thought. But against a Celestial Demon... I’m confident I can hold my own.’
Not only was his Tier Three Demon-Catching Tripod a natural counter to Celestial Demons, but most of his own Talent Divine Techniques also suppressed them.
The Red Yin Death Demon grew furious when it saw that Yang Jing actually intended to fight him. But before he could make a move, Yang Jing struck first.
Seven Spiritual Light Chains covered in Demon Patterns flew out from the tripod, shooting toward the Red Yin Death Demon.
A clap of thunder echoed as Taixiao True Thunder, enhanced by True Martial Demon Vibration Power, manifested as an Azure Dragon. Though launched second, it arrived first. Ever since he had used the Golden Bone Technique to inscribe the Taixiao Thunder Prohibition and the Great Cave Thunder Prohibition onto his arm bones, these two Thunder Techniques had become his fastest attacks—even faster than his Five Elements Magical Sword.
The Red Yin Death Demon never expected Yang Jing to be so fast and was startled by the Taixiao True Thunder dragon that instantly materialized before him.
He hurriedly opened his mouth and spat.
A torrent of Crimson Yin Death Qi instantly condensed into a crimson bolt of Demon Thunder that blasted toward the Taixiao True Thunder.
Though this technique was simply a highly condensed mouthful of Crimson Yin Death Qi spat out at once and couldn’t be called a true Thunder Technique, its power was not the least bit inferior.
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An almost eardrum-shattering bang erupted. The lifelike Taixiao Thunder Dragon disintegrated into scattered arcs of lightning, while the Demon Thunder spat out by the Red Yin Death Demon vanished completely.
A look of disbelief spread across the Red Yin Death Demon’s face.
Before he could even process the fact that he’d been bested, the seven Demon-Catching Chains were already upon him.
The Red Yin Death Demon knew full well how these Demon-Catching Chains suppressed Celestial Demons. Daring not be careless, he flared his Demonic Qi and instantly used an Escape Technique, reappearing several dozen zhang away.
Before he could even recover, thunder suddenly cracked behind him. Yang Jing had used Thunder Escape to appear directly at his back.
The pitch-black Great Cave True Thunder condensed into a Great Cave True Thunder Demon-Subduing Net, instantly trapping the Red Yin Death Demon inside.
Empowered by the True Martial Demon Vibration Power, the Great Cave True Thunder was like red-hot chains searing deep into the Red Yin Death Demon’s body. The violent clash between his Demonic Qi and the Thunder Technique forced a shrill, agonized howl from his lips.
He was horrified to find that he was losing control over his Demonic Qi. He frantically swung his Demon Saber, trying to slash through the net of Great Cave True Thunder.
One Demon-Catching Chain shot through the net of lightning and wrapped around the Demon Saber. The others joined the net, binding the Red Yin Death Demon’s body.
The Red Yin Death Demon was aghast. After being completely bound by the Demon-Catching Chains and the net of thunder, he found his Demonic Qi was completely sealed. He was like a fish on a chopping block.
He struggled in a rage, but his efforts grew weaker and weaker.
The Wanhua Child released ten more Demon-Catching Chains, wrapping the Red Yin Death Demon up into a thick cocoon.
