The Quest for Immortality - Chapter 358 (Patreon)

Chapter 358 The Battle Begins

The grand array was completed, and the battle to suppress the demon could begin.

Yet, when it was truly time for battle, all the cultivators in Tongxian City harbored doubts in their hearts.

Was the array really flawless? Could it truly kill Feng Xi?

Not just the common rogue cultivators, even Elder Yu Chengyi and the other Foundation Building cultivators were deeply worried.

But they dared not question Mo Hua.

First, they feared putting pressure on Mo Hua, and second, asking wouldn’t help.

There was no turning back now.

With the situation at this point and the array already established, they had no choice but to proceed with the plan to suppress and kill the great demon.

Throughout, Mo Hua remained calm and composed, his gaze serene.

As if this time, the great demon would surely die within the array.

This inexplicably calmed several Foundation Building cultivators.

Elder Yu Chengyi sighed inwardly. Despite living for over a hundred years and having experienced many trials as Foundation Building cultivators, they were not as steady as the young Mo Hua.

However, upon reconsideration, they realized that while they had weathered many storms, facing a great demon of such magnitude was indeed a first.

The array was still an array; since they didn’t understand it, they had to trust Mo Hua.

Not just Elder Yu Chengyi, all the cultivators thought the same.

The Five Elements Demon-Slaying Array was designed to trap and kill. To trap Feng Xi, they first had to lure him into the array.

This step was very dangerous, so only Foundation Building cultivators could do it, with Dao soldiers providing cover.

Among the Foundation Building cultivators tasked with luring Feng Xi, Mo Hua saw Zhang Lan.

"Uncle Zhang, you've reached Foundation Building?!"

Mo Hua was surprised.

Zhang Lan feigned nonchalance, but his eyebrows couldn't hide his pride, "Not bad, I just found some time to break through."

Mo Hua smirked. Found some time to break through... as if breaking through was as casual as a blind date.

Was breaking through to Foundation Building really that easy...

But he recalled Zhang Lan's earlier words.

For disciples of noble families, breaking through to Foundation Building was indeed not difficult.

Zhang Lan had previously halted at the ninth level of Qi Refining, partly to solidify his foundation and partly to avoid family troubles.

"Did you solidify your foundation well?" Mo Hua asked.

Zhang Lan replied casually, "Good enough, no need to keep polishing."

"So, now that you've reached Foundation Building, are you going back home to get married?" Mo Hua asked curiously.

Zhang Lan's face darkened, "Kid, can you talk about serious matters?"

Mo Hua chuckled, feeling grateful.

He knew Zhang Lan did this for the cultivators of Tongxian City. After all, having one more Foundation Building cultivator to deal with the great demon meant an extra force and an additional guarantee. Hence, he hastened his breakthrough.

Mo Hua silently noted Zhang Lan’s kindness, thinking:

"I must help Uncle Zhang whenever I get the chance!"

The plan to suppress the great demon was discussed before the array was completed; now it was just about finalizing the participants.

The next day, at dawn, the Dao soldiers began to gather.

Yang Jiyong stood on a mountaintop, looking solemnly at the bloody great demon in the distance.

After a while, another armored Dao soldier leader approached and said softly, "Brother, everything is arranged."

This man was Yang Rong, also a member of the Yang family and the leader of the Dao soldiers sent to support them.

Yang Jiyong nodded, still frowning.

The atmosphere was a bit heavy, so Yang Rong tried to chat with Yang Jiyong about some family trivia.

After some idle talk, Yang Rong asked curiously, "Brother, why did you only mobilize Yang family members this time?"

Applying for the transfer of Dao soldiers was usually at the Dao Court’s discretion. This time, Yang Jiyong used Yang family connections to transfer Yang Rong and others.

Moreover, not only Yang Rong, but all the Dao soldiers here had ties to the Yang family; either they were surnamed Yang, married into the family, or were indebted to the Yang family – they were all considered “one of their own.”

"I trust our own people." Yang Jiyong answered.

Yang Rong clearly didn’t believe him, "Brother, be honest with me, don’t lie."

Yang Jiyong glanced at Yang Rong, pondered a bit, and then said slowly:

"Fine, I’ll tell you, but you must keep it a secret, and make sure the others do too."

Yang Rong's expression grew serious as he nodded, "Brother, rest assured."

Yang Jiyong said, "I brought you here mainly to maintain confidentiality. Regardless of whether the array succeeds or fails in killing Feng Xi, do not leak any information."

Yang Rong looked troubled, "The construction of such a large array is hard to conceal..."

"It's not about concealing the array," Yang Jiyong explained, "It's about concealing the person who built the array."

Yang Rong was momentarily stunned, then asked, "Who built the array?"

When they arrived in Tongxian City, they were stationed near the great demon to prevent any incidents, so they had little contact with the city's cultivators.

They didn’t involve themselves in the array construction.

They didn’t understand array drawing either.

He only remembered seeing a group of array masters, among whom an imposing old array master stood out. As for who led the construction, he had no idea.

Yang Jiyong was about to answer but then shook his head, "It's better you don't know."

Yang Rong hesitated, not wanting to press further, but curiosity gnawed at him like a cat's paw.

Yang Jiyong’s serious tone indicated that this matter was indeed extraordinary.

"Brother, you need to tell me. Knowing what is confidential helps me keep it better. If I don’t know, I might accidentally spill something."

Yang Jiyong paused, "When did you get so clever?"

Yang Rong chuckled.

Yang Jiyong thought for a moment and decided to tell him, "In the past few days, have you seen a young cultivator?"

"A young cultivator?" Yang Rong was puzzled.

"With features as delicate as a painting, fair and handsome, clever and cute at first glance, but inscrutable on closer inspection..."

Yang Rong frowned in thought, then exclaimed, "Ah, that young cultivator following the old array masters."

"You have it reversed."

"Reversed?"

Yang Jiyong said calmly, "It's not him following the old array masters; it's the old array masters following him."

Yang Rong gaped, "No way..."

Then he connected Yang Jiyong’s words about "the person who built the array," and was stunned, "No way..."

Yang Jiyong ended the conversation there, just reminding him:

"Got it?"

Yang Rong was dazed for a while, then shook his head, murmuring, "Too terrifying..."

These days, even young kids could build grand arrays?

Yang Rong moved closer to Yang Jiyong and whispered, "Brother, this must not be known to the Li and Chang families."

Otherwise, they would stop at nothing to recruit him.

"That's why I used the Yang family connections to bring you here."

"But what if we can’t keep it secret?" Yang Rong was worried.

"No worries," Yang Jiyong said calmly, "As long as they don’t see it with their own eyes, they won’t believe it."

Yang Rong nodded.

He had seen it with his own eyes, but still found it hard to believe...

But since his brother said so, he would follow suit.

"And one more crucial thing..."

Yang Jiyong looked at Yang Rong and cautioned:

"During the attempt to kill Feng Xi, success or failure is unknown. If we fail, ensure Mo Hua's safety at all costs."

"Mo Hua..."

Yang Rong remembered the name and nodded, "Understood!"

Afterward, he looked at Feng Xi in the distance, sighed, and said:

"Such a huge demon, I feel scared just looking at it. Can we really kill it?"

Yang Jiyong said gravely, "No matter what, we must try."

He then sighed inwardly:

Hopefully, not too many will die this time...

The Dao soldiers here were mostly Yang family loyalists, many of whom had fought life and death battles with him. He didn’t want heavy casualties.

But they were facing a terrifying great demon.

In the state, great demons were invincible.

Even with the array, fighting a great demon was no easy task.

Yang Jiyong appeared calm but couldn’t help worrying inside.

After Yang Rong left, Zhang Lan soon found Yang Jiyong.

After reaching Foundation Building, Zhang Lan felt more confident, standing taller in front of Yang Jiyong.

They briefly discussed the plans to kill Feng Xi. As Zhang Lan turned to leave, Yang Jiyong called him back.

"Zhang Lan." Yang Jiyong called, paused, and then said hoarsely, "Don’t die..."

Zhang Lan paused, surprised, but responded sarcastically:

"I won't die. Don’t jinx me, you bastard."

Yang Jiyong's eyelids twitched, "I said don't die, not go die!"

Zhang Lan sneered, "Before a great battle, words are said in reverse. Your words make it sound like I'm going to die..."

Yang Jiyong's brief concern for Zhang Lan vanished, and he cursed:

"Damn you, you can’t spit ivory from a dog's mouth. My kindness is wasted on you!"

"You have kindness?"

"Gone, eaten by you, you dog."

...

After some mutual insults, they both fell silent.

Zhang Lan said,

 "Don’t worry. Mo Hua built the array. He wouldn’t do anything without confidence. Just don’t seek death yourself, and you should be fine..."

Yang Jiyong said nothing, but his mood lightened.

...

At dawn, they began according to plan, preparing to wake Feng Xi and lure him into the array.

Yang Jiyong acted first.

He raised his spear, fully concentrating his spiritual power into it. The spear gleamed with golden light, and with immense force, he thrust it towards Feng Xi's abdomen.

This was the Yang family's superior Dao technique—Radiant Golden Spear.

Even the mid-Foundation Building ancestor of the Qian family had been severely injured by this spear technique.

Where the spear struck, Feng Xi's abdomen was torn apart by spiritual power, leaving a deep hole. But in an instant, blood energy gathered, regenerating flesh.

Everyone was amazed.

Such powerful spear techniques and such formidable blood energy.

Facing such a strong great demon, killing it seemed almost impossible for cultivators.

Even if it stood still, letting Foundation Building cultivators attack until they exhausted themselves, they might not deplete a tenth of its blood energy.

But this spear did inflict significant damage on Feng Xi.

Feng Xi, in pain, roared ferociously, causing fear in all who heard.

It opened its eyes, pupils moving erratically, finally fixing on Commander Yang. In an instant, its hostility surged.

It stood up shakily, having refined blood energy for three months, now resembling a small mountain, radiating a strong bloody aura, and charged at Commander Yang.

Luckily, the demon was clumsy, its blood energy not fully refined, hindering its movement.

Yang Jiyong retreated while guiding Feng Xi towards the array.

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