Chapter 920
Chapter 920
The inner array is a contract resonance layer that establishes a direct link with the "Contract Pivot" seal. This layer needs to be constructed by Fu Shaoping using his own contract origin and the fragments of the "Contract Order" as its core, and is currently empty.
The entire formation covered an area of ten miles. The lines of the formation shimmered in the sunlight, blending subtly with the surrounding environment and exuding a grand, orderly, and purifying aura, resisting the evil energy spreading from the direction of the Burial Valley.
Outside the formation, the extermination team led by Liu Rushuang, Chu Hongxiu, and Bai Wuyai had already clashed fiercely with the Wanqi Alliance cultivators on several occasions.
The Wanqi Alliance cultivators seemed to have sensed the threat posed by the grand formation and continuously sent out small teams to harass and disrupt its arrangement. A fierce battle ensued in the miasma-filled valleys and forests. The Wanqi Alliance cultivators were fearless and skilled in evil magic and contract traps, inflicting considerable casualties on the extermination team. However, Liu Rushuang and her group were no pushovers either. Coupled with their familiarity with the terrain and their numerical advantage, they successfully destroyed several "Evil Gathering Formations" and "Blood Sacrifice Formations," killing many Wanqi Alliance cultivators.
However, the main force of the Myriad Alliance, as well as any potential Nascent Soul cultivators, have never shown themselves, like venomous snakes lurking in the darkness.
"The framework of the outer and middle formations is basically complete. We are just waiting for Fellow Daoist Lu to come and construct the inner formation and establish resonance with the 'Qi Shu' before we can try to activate the grand formation." Zhen Yuanzi said to Fu Shaoping, who had just arrived at the formation eye. His eyes were bloodshot, clearly indicating that he had expended a great deal of effort.
Looking at the magnificent array that was beginning to take shape before him, Fu Shaoping inwardly praised the efficiency and ability of the array masters from the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion. "Thank you for your hard work, senior. I will begin constructing the inner array now."
He walked to the reserved core position of the inner formation and sat down cross-legged.
He took out two fragments of the "Contract Order" and placed them in front of him. The dark gold fragment and the pitch-black fragment floated up, slowly rotating, emitting contract fluctuations of the same origin but with completely different properties.
Fu Shaoping closed his eyes and concentrated, releasing his Nascent Soul power and the essence of the contract without reservation! He moved his hands in the void, using his own true meaning of the contract as ink and his Nascent Soul power as a brush, and began to outline the contract runes of the inner formation.
Each rune embodies his understanding of the five true meanings of "fairness," "order," "protection," "purification," and "judgment," and serves as a bridge for him to resonate with the fragments of the "Contract" and the origin of the "Contract Pivot."
As he outlined the design, the inner array area lit up with a blend of pale gold and dark purple light, forming a complex contract array about three zhang in diameter. In the center of the array, two fragments of the "Contract Order" slowly descended and embedded themselves into the pre-set nodes.
"Om-!"
As the final rune was completed, the inner, middle, and outer formations trembled simultaneously! An invisible contractual fluctuation spread out like ripples on water, resonating with the entire formation!
The spiritual energy in the sky began to converge towards the grand formation, forming a small vortex. The evil energy permeating the vicinity was forced back and purified, as if it had encountered its nemesis.
"It's done! The three layers of the formation are initially connected!" Zhen Yuanzi was overjoyed.
However, at that very moment, something unexpected happened!
From the depths of the Burial Valley of Gods came a deafening roar! The roar was filled with savagery, madness, and endless resentment! Accompanying the roar, the thick miasma of evil energy in the valley churned as if boiling, and jet-black beams of evil energy shot into the sky!
Immediately afterwards, dozens of eerie crimson lights simultaneously shone from all directions around the Soul-Suppressing Plain! At each light, a sinister altar composed of bones and filthy blood appeared! On the altar stood cultivators from the Myriad Contracts Alliance with chilling auras, among whom three figures, like torches in the darkness, were clearly at the Nascent Soul stage!
"The Nascent Soul cultivators of the Myriad Alliance... have finally shown themselves!" Xing Yanzi's face was grim. "And... there are three of them!"
The leader was a tall man in a purple-black robe, his face shrouded in shadow. His aura was the most profound, clearly indicating he was in the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm! To his left was an old woman with a hunched back, holding a white bone staff, in the early stage of the Nascent Soul realm; to his right was a young man in brocade robes with a wicked smile, also in the early stage of the Nascent Soul realm.
"Hehehe... You juniors of the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion, and that brat with the 'Contract Token,' do you think you can stop my 'Myriad Contracts Alliance's' grand plan by secretly setting up this purification array?" The purple-robed man's voice was hoarse, with a metallic, grating quality. "Today is the day when the 'Contract Pivot' fully awakens, merges with us, and renews the covenant between heaven and earth! You... will all become the first sacrifices under the 'New Order'!"
As he spoke, the dozens of blood-red altars simultaneously erupted with dense blood light! The blood light intertwined, forming a massive "Ten Thousand Souls Blood Sacrifice Array" that covered the entire Soul Suppression Plain! Within the array, countless twisted vengeful spirits wailed and struggled, emitting a nauseating stench of blood and evil energy, which resonated with the evil energy deep within the Burial God Valley, jointly suppressing the newly formed "Three-Turn Purification Source Contract Array"!
"Oh no! They're trying to use a blood sacrifice to forcibly pollute and destroy our purification array!" Zhen Yuanzi exclaimed in alarm.
"All cultivators above the Golden Core stage, form a defensive formation! Prepare for battle!" Xing Yanzi shouted sternly.
In the camp, all the cultivators immediately sprang into action, forming battle formations and preparing for battle.
Fu Shaoping looked at the three Nascent Soul enemies in the air and the Myriad Souls Blood Sacrifice Array that covered the sky, his eyes cold.
"Junior Brother Lu, what do we do?" Liu Rushuang and the others retreated to the vicinity of the array's core, their expressions anxious. The enemy had three Nascent Soul cultivators, and with the aid of the Blood Sacrifice Array, their strength far surpassed their own. Although Fu Shaoping was a newly promoted Nascent Soul cultivator, the enemy had a mid-Nascent Soul cultivator!
Fu Shaoping took a deep breath, looked towards the direction from which the roar came from the depths of the Burial God Valley, and then looked at the newly formed purification array in front of him. He made a decision in an instant.
"Senior Zhen Yuanzi, Senior Brother Xing Yanzi, fellow Daoists," he said, his voice calm yet powerful, "Please ensure that you guard the Purification Array, especially its core and key points, for at least an hour! I will enter the Burial God Valley and delve into the sealed land of 'Qi Shu,' where I will directly activate the Purification Array's power to purify the evil energy from within and without! At the same time... I will try to hold off at least two Nascent Soul cultivators from the Myriad Qi Alliance!"
"What?!" Everyone was shocked.
"No! Junior Brother Lu, it's far too dangerous for you to venture in alone!" Xing Yanzi exclaimed urgently. "The valley is filled with malevolent energy, and there's also the evil consciousness of 'Qi Shu,' plus the Nascent Soul cultivators of the Myriad Qi Alliance..."
“This is the only way.” Fu Shaoping interrupted him, his gaze firm. “The purification array is complete, but it is suppressed by the blood sacrifice array here and cannot exert its full power. Only by activating it at the core of the ‘Spiritual Pivot’ can we launch a pincer attack from both inside and outside, achieving twice the result with half the effort. As for the Nascent Souls of the Myriad Pacts Alliance… they will not sit idly by and watch me enter the core; they will definitely try to stop me. Fighting here will affect the array, so it is better to lure them into the valley.”
He looked at Liu Rushuang and the others: "I entrust the Golden Core cultivators of the Myriad Contracts Alliance on the outer perimeter to you. As long as you hold the great formation for an hour, I will definitely be able to activate the purification power!"
Seeing that he was determined and that the situation was indeed critical, everyone had no choice but to grit their teeth and agree.
"Junior Brother Lu, take care!"
"Fellow Daoist Lu, be careful!"
Fu Shaoping nodded, no longer hesitating. His figure transformed into a pale golden streak of light, shooting towards the depths of the Burial God Valley, where the evil energy was most concentrated and the roars were loudest!
"Want to enter the valley? Stop him!" The purple-robed Nascent Soul cultivator sneered, transforming into two black shadows alongside the white-boned old woman, chasing after Fu Shaoping! Leaving behind the brocade-clad young man's Nascent Soul, he, along with the blood sacrifice array on the ground, suppressed and attacked the purification array and Xing Yanzi and the others. A great battle erupted on the Soul-Suppressing Plain!
All the cultivators, including Xing Yanzi, Zhen Yuanzi, Liu Rushuang, Chu Hongxiu, and Bai Wuyai, formed a battle formation. Relying on the newly formed purification formation (which, although suppressed, still had some defensive and purifying effects), they desperately resisted the attacks from the aerial blood sacrifice formation and the nascent soul of the brocade-clad youth, while also dealing with the Golden Core cultivators of the Myriad Alliance who kept attacking from all around.
Shouts of battle, the roar of spells, and the tremors of formations resounded throughout the heavens and earth.
Fu Shaoping, like a sharp arrow, shot into the evil miasma of the Burial God Valley!
Behind them, the purple-robed Nascent Soul cultivator and the white-boned old woman were hot on their heels.
"Boy, do you think you can escape once you enter the valley? The evil energy here is nourishing for us, but deadly poison for you!" The purple-robed cultivator sneered, raising his hand and unleashing a gigantic, purplish-black evil energy palm that slammed towards Fu Shaoping from hundreds of feet away!
Without turning his head, Fu Shaoping used the "Shadow Step" combined with his spatial perception to make his figure flicker eerily, dodging the giant palm. At the same time, he activated the "Purification Heavenly Stele Fragment," forming a pure halo around himself to purify and dispel the evil miasma that was rushing towards him.
"Purification power? Hmph, let's see how long you can last!" The old woman with white bones cackled, and with a wave of her white bone staff, countless pale bone spears materialized out of thin air and shot towards Fu Shaoping like a rainstorm! The bone spears were shrouded in curses and death energy, specifically designed to break through protective spiritual light.
"Contract Guardian - Shield of Judgment!"
Fu Shaoping gave a low shout, and a giant shield made of dark gold contract runes appeared behind him, blocking and shattering all the bone spears! The power of judgment flowing on the shield even rebounded along the connection between the bone spears and the old woman, causing the old woman to groan.
"Good lad! You've got some skills after all!" The purple-robed cultivator's eyes grew colder, his speed increased dramatically, and he instantly closed the distance. His five fingers formed a claw, carrying an evil power that could tear through space, as he grabbed at Fu Shaoping's back!
"Frost Soul Pact Slash - Ice Soul Return to Origin!"
Fu Shaoping turned and unleashed a sword strike! The icy blue sword energy, imbued with extreme cold and the true meaning of purification, clashed with the evil claw!
"boom!"
The shockwave exploded, propelling Fu Shaoping forward with even greater speed. The purple-robed cultivator swayed slightly, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. Although the opponent was only at the early Nascent Soul stage, the refinement of his true essence and the purity of his contractual power were not far inferior to Fu Shaoping's mid-Nascent Soul stage! In particular, the purifying power subtly restrained Fu Shaoping's evil techniques.
The three pursued one and fled the other, rapidly traversing the valley filled with malevolent energy.
The deeper they went, the denser the evil energy became, even beginning to coalesce into various twisted and malevolent creatures that actively attacked living beings. Fu Shaoping had to divert his attention to deal with them, slowing his pace slightly.
Finally, the familiar, enormous abyss appeared ahead—the Burial Abyss of Gods!
The Burial Abyss of Gods is now completely different from what it was back then. Thick, inky black evil energy spews from the abyss's mouth, mixed with seven-colored light, yet it has become murky and eerie. Most of the sealing chains on the abyss walls have been corroded into black, with only a few still flickering with a faint golden light, emitting a creaking sound as they succumb to the weight.
At the bottom of the abyss, the enormous, chaotic, and frenzied evil consciousness, like a giant beast awakening, exudes a suffocating pressure!
"Qi Shu... the evil consciousness has indeed fully awakened!" Fu Shaoping's heart sank.
Without hesitation, he leaped into the Abyss of Burial Gods!
"Chase!" The purple-robed cultivator and the white-boned old woman followed closely behind.
During their descent, countless tentacles, ghostly faces, and illusions formed from evil energy attacked the three of them relentlessly. Fu Shaoping, protected by a purifying aura, was able to withstand the onslaught. The purple-robed cultivator and the skeletal old woman, however, thrived in their surroundings, even actively absorbing some of the evil energy to replenish their own energy reserves.
A distance of a thousand feet can be covered in an instant.
The three landed at the bottom of the abyss, in that vast underground space.
In the center of the space, the nine-layered contract altar still floated, but it was now completely enveloped in dark evil energy! At the top of the altar, the dark golden crystal had mostly turned black, with only a faint golden light in the center still flickering stubbornly, as if it would be extinguished at any moment.
Inside the crystal, a massive "evil consciousness" composed of pure evil and chaotic contract rules is roaring and raging wildly, attempting to completely devour that golden light, fully control the crystal, and break free from its seal!
That is the evil consciousness of "Qi Shu"! It is also the power that the Myriad Contracts Alliance has been dreaming of controlling!
"Hahaha! Qi Shu's evil consciousness! We've finally waited for you to fully awaken!" The purple-robed cultivator laughed wildly. "Boy, do you think you can purify it? In this land of origin of evil energy, our power is inexhaustible, while your purification power, how long can it last?"
The skeletal old woman chuckled eerily, "Hand over the 'Contract Order' fragment obediently, and perhaps I can spare your corpse and refine you into a contract puppet!"
Fu Shaoping ignored their clamor. His gaze was fixed on the faint golden light at the top of the altar, the last pure source of the "Spirit of the Covenant," and the only hope for purification.
He formed hand seals, and his source core and "command" cores within his body operated wildly, attempting to establish a connection with that golden light!
"Use the covenant as a guide, call my true name! Fu Shaoping, I request the pure source of the 'Covenant Pivot' to respond! Activate the 'Three-Turn Purification Covenant Array' to purify the evil spirits and restore your original nature!"
His contractual power transformed into a pure golden beam, shooting towards the golden light at the center of the crystal!
"You're courting death!" The purple-robed cultivator roared in fury, attacking simultaneously with the old woman made of white bones! A purplish-black evil dragon and a sea of white bones, carrying destructive power, hurtled towards Fu Shaoping!
Fu Shaoping had to focus on defense, and the protective shield around him flickered violently as he simultaneously unleashed the power of "Frost Soul Slash" and "Contract Judgment" to counterattack.
"Boom boom boom!"
At the bottom of the abyss, a fierce battle erupted! The terrifying power of the three Nascent Soul cultivators clashed, and the aftershocks shook the entire underground space, causing the rock walls to collapse! The evil energy around the altar was also stirred up to become even more violent.
Facing two opponents alone, Fu Shaoping was immediately at a disadvantage. Although he possessed the power of purification to restrain them, his cultivation was ultimately a minor realm lower, and being in the source of evil energy gave his opponents a geographical advantage. He was quickly suppressed, sustaining multiple injuries that stained his robes with blood. (End of Chapter)