This unexpected turn of events caught Fang Lingkong and the others off guard, prompting them to hastily wield their magical artifacts.
Fang Lingkong activated the protective shield, and his Flying Sword soared into the air. Meanwhile, a small lantern at Chen Xingshan's waist lit up, and a Treasure Pearl flew from his hand. Li Huan quickly hid behind his senior brothers and sisters, also wielding his Flying Sword.
"Save me! Save me!" Amidst the sound of bones cracking, Zhang Jiu's shrieks echoed from within the mist. Fang and Chen exchanged glances, sending their Flying Swords and Treasure Pearls towards the source of the sound, heedless of potentially harming Zhang Jiu.
The Flying Sword, fiery red and radiating heat, sliced through the dense mist, revealing a snake's body, as thick as a water barrel and covered in dark green scales.
Seizing the opportunity, the green Treasure Pearl struck the snake's body with force, shattering several fist-sized scales with a bang. At the same time, a green smoke poured out from the Treasure Pearl, winding around the snake's body.
The Flying Sword sliced down, and the Snake Demon roared, trembling before sending Zhang Jiu flying towards the sword. With a blood-curdling scream, Zhang Jiu was cut in two. Using this moment, the Snake Demon slipped back into the mist, fleeing rapidly.
"That damned Snake Demon! It made me accidentally harm Junior Brother Zhang," Fang Lingkong said in anguish.
Chen Xingshan sighed, "Senior Brother, don't be heartbroken. Junior Brother Zhang was already entangled by the Snake Demon, with his bones shattered. You provided him with release."
The two conversed, while Li Huan busied himself, rummaging through Zhang Jiu's corpse to retrieve his Storage Pouch, which he prepared to present to Fang Lingkong.
Observing the shamelessness of the Shengyi Sect members, Lu Qian shook his head silently.
Suddenly, his Divine Sense tingled. Huh, why has the Snake Demon stopped?
As Li Huan gleefully held the Storage Pouch, a dark green sphere shot out from the mist behind him.
"Watch out!" Master Xuan Ji called out, but it was too late.
The dark green sphere struck Li Huan's back and splattered open, revealing itself to be a glob of liquid. Instantly, he felt an excruciating pain that tore through him!
Under the shocked gazes of the others, Li Huan screamed loudest, his body rapidly corroded and dissolved into a pool of sludge, with his magical artifacts and Storage Pouch reduced to scraps.
What a dominating poison! In the blink of an eye, Lu Qian clutched the Spirit Turtle Shield, ready to activate it, sensing that the Snake Demon truly fled away.
Has it entered the array?
"This... the Snake Demon's poison can shoot this far!" Chen Xingshan's heart raced uncontrollably, "It had never shown this ability before."
"Despicable creature!" Fang Lingkong gritted his teeth, having now lost two junior brothers. If they returned empty-handed, they'd surely face heavy punishment, now they could only forge ahead. He just hoped Master Xuan Ji could break the magical array successfully, otherwise, the responsibility... his gaze ominously surveyed those around him.
Master Xuan Ji, however, turned around, studying Lu Qian for quite a while, circling him repeatedly. Lu Qian asked, puzzled, "Why are you doing this, Senior?"
Master Xuan Ji stroked his beard, clapping his hands with satisfaction, "Good! Good!"
He uttered the word 'good' twice before moving back to the front of the group. Lu Qian frowned slightly, as Chen Xingshan approached, "Fellow Daoist Qi, don't mind him, that old man's temperament is very peculiar. By the way, why hasn't your senior sister returned yet?"
Lu Qian dodged the question, then after walking a few hundred steps, they heard Master Xuan Ji shout, "We've arrived; the edge of the Grand Array is just ahead."
Everyone gathered around, but still only saw a field of chaotic rocks. Only Lu Qian's Divine Sense reacted, making him ponder something.
Master Xuan Ji noticed Lu Qian's expression and grew even more delighted. He grinned broadly, "Once the array is hidden, it's invisible to the naked eye. Even the mountain mist is a result of the array's effects. Using stubborn thinking won't work; you need Divine Sense."
The last sentence was directed at Lu Qian, causing him to stir inwardly.
Fang Lingkong sneered, and Chen Xingshan quickly offered a smile, "Senior, please act quickly, break open the Grand Array so we can eliminate evil and avenge our junior brothers."
Master Xuan Ji ignored her, instead speaking to Lu Qian, "Qi the Kid, come stand beside me."
Lu Qian was puzzled internally, wary and defensive, clutching the Spirit Turtle Shield, as he stood beside him. But Master Xuan Ji merely chuckled, "Kid, watch closely."
Saying so, he brandished the green Command Banner forward.
Wind rose, mist surged.
The originally empty field suddenly revealed a dome-like barrier. Multicolored light flickered before them, and Lu Qian saw Spiritual Qi surging, pressing and friction within the array, emitting a deep buzzing sound.
"It turns out to be a Five Elements Array, but is it the positive Five Elements, anti-Five Elements, or Yin Yang Five Elements..."
Master Xuan Ji mumbled to himself, as a flash of light from his chest revealed two more Command Banners, one brown-yellow, one fiery red.
Lu Qian was startled, realizing this was different from his trickery with the Starlight Needle; Master Xuan Ji was genuinely wielding three magical artifacts.
Although he is at Late-Stage Qi Cultivation, even a typical Qi Cultivation Perfection cultivator can only wield two.
It seems his Divine Sense has peculiarities. Is that why he pays special attention to me?
Then they heard Master Xuan Ji speak, "Now, the array's state requires entering its interior for array breaking. Qi the Kid, accompany me inside to break the array."
Upon hearing this, not only Lu Qian, but Fang and Chen were also taken aback.
Master Xuan Ji then looked at Fang and Chen, "Don't blame me for not warning you two, this array appears to be a relic, autonomously operating. The Snake Demon only obtained a Token for easy access. Since the array doesn't need the Snake Demon to host it, as we enter to break the array, it could come out anytime. You two should mind your safety then."
Lu Qian calculated swiftly, just about to speak when Master Xuan Ji grabbed his hand, whispering in his ear, "Accompany me to break the array, you won't be short of benefits, Lu Qian."
This person actually knows my identity!
Lu Qian was internally shocked, but outwardly, he remained composed, simply nodding, "Defending the Dao is everyone's duty. Senior, I am willing to lend you a hand."
Master Xuan Ji laughed heartily, pulling Lu Qian, stepping into the array.
In an instant, Gold, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth Five Elements Spiritual Qi surged, radiating brightly. The two figures vanished immediately.
Fang and Chen looked at each other, unable to proceed, spectating outside the array with renewed focus.
Once inside the array, immediately, it isolated inside and outside. They saw Spiritual Qi shake, and a heavy, mixed-yellow Earth Spiritual Qi rolled over towards the two. Lu Qian was about to wield the Spirit Turtle Shield, but Master Xuan Ji restrained him, "Don't panic, kid."
He flicked the green Command Banner in his hand, and a vitality-filled Spiritual Light enveloped the two's bodies. As Earth Spiritual Qi encountered the green light, it swiftly dissolved.
The two stood unmoving, while the surging Earth Spiritual Qi seemed like a block of grease hitting a red-hot blade, being smoothly split in two.
Master Xuan Ji asked, "Do you know the principle behind this?"
Lu Qian was experiencing everything with his Divine Sense, understandingly nodded, "Mutual inhibition of the Five Elements, Wood overcomes Earth."
"Correct, Lu Qian, I indeed wasn't wrong about you," Master Xuan Ji said joyfully.
Noticing the elder had no ill intent, Lu Qian decided to ask straightforwardly, "How did you find out about my identity, Senior?"