Chapter 189 - 185: Zhinan? Is That You?

Deep underground, Nan Zishi stepped onto the slightly damp earth, feeling a little nervous.

Wolf Day led the way, with Wolf Night and Xuan Jin protecting her on either side.

Outside, the mining area was teeming with cockroaches and rats, but beyond this large gate, it was spotlessly clean. There was nothing.

Even for a desolate cave, it had a strangely fresh feeling.

Nan Zishi had a sensitive feeling that they might have come to the right place this time.

The Antler Totem on Nan Zishi’s body glowed faintly.

"It’s here," the Beast God’s voice drifted out.

"Nan Zishi, it’s down below."

Wolf Day called out, "This way!"

Nan Zishi hurried over. After running for a long way, the entire underground mine suddenly opened up!

It was an incredibly vast underground cavern.

Larger than a football field.

An underground river flowed gently through the cavern.

Interestingly, although there was no light source, the cavern was still bright enough to see clearly.

And in the center of this massive cavern, a huge Ancient Sword was plunged into the heart of an exceptionally handsome, long-haired male.

His eyes were lightly closed, as if he were merely asleep.

Stunningly beautiful, yet utterly broken.

It was enough to make one forget to breathe.

The Ancient Sword, like a living thing, was drawing the physical power from his heart and channeling it into the ground.

Nan Zishi looked down and saw a huge Array spreading across the ground, flashing intermittently.

Nan Zishi asked the voice inside her in astonishment, "Is this body... yours?"

’Why does it feel so familiar?’

’Did I dream of this?’

’And why does my heart ache with panic for him?’

"Yes, it is,"

the Beast God’s voice sounded somewhat helpless and weary. "My physical body isn’t easy to seal. The High Priest used my own body’s power to seal it. He truly is a genius."

Nan Zishi grew curious about this High Priest.

The Beast God said gently, "Nan Zishi, take a close look at the Array. Does it seem familiar to you?"

Wolf Day gasped. "This is the Beast God’s physical body?"

After observing the Array, Xuan Jin said, "This is... The High Priest is drawing power from the Beast God’s body to suppress the Beast God’s body?!"

Wolf Day elaborated, "He’s using the Beast God’s own power against him to suppress his body. Given enough time, all the power in the Beast God’s body will be completely depleted until it vanishes."

Wolf Night added, "I may despise the High Priest for killing the Beast God, but as the only Nine-striped Beast Emperor in the entire Beast World, he’s undeniably a powerful and capable individual."

Nan Zishi started to step forward, but Xuan Jin stopped her. "Little female, we don’t understand this Array yet. Don’t go in."

Wolf Day also said, "Wait here. Wolf Night and I will investigate the Array first."

Wolf Night stepped into the Array. He accidentally trod on a part of it, and flames immediately erupted at his feet, forcing him to leap aside.

Xuan Jin understood Arrays better than Wolf Night. He looked down and observed,

"The strength of this Priest Array has been gradually weakening. The Beast God’s power has been seeping out, forming the Blood Stones and Beast Crystal Stones throughout the mine.

No wonder those Eight Pattern Priests have to come in and reinforce the Array during every full moon."

Wolf Day said, "I think the High Priest establishing this place as a penal mine was probably just a cover.

His real goal was to use the penal colony to justify the presence of the five Eight Pattern Priests, so they could suppress the Beast God’s body."

"Ah Ye, is there a way to break the Array?"

Wolf Night shook his head. "Brother, I don’t really understand Priest Arrays. Does anyone else?"

Wolf Day also shook his head. They had never studied Priest Arrays.

"I think Hu Bai understands them, but he’s not here. Xuan Jin, do you?"

"Only the basics," Xuan Jin said, still observing the Array. "But this Array is too profound. I’m afraid I can’t break it."

"We can’t just give up. I’ll try again!"

With that, Wolf Night stepped into the Array once more.

The Array suddenly flared to life. Countless vines shot up from the ground and entangled Wolf Night completely, growing frantically as if trying to bury him underground!

"Wolf Night!"

In his haste, Wolf Day also rushed into the Array. He grabbed Wolf Night with one hand and extended the claws of his other, desperately slashing at the vines.

Xuan Jin whipped his tail, and countless ice crystals shot past, slicing through the vines as well.

The Silver Wolf Brothers had a narrow escape.

"What do we do? We can see the Beast God’s body, but we can’t rescue it."

"It’s too late to call for Hu Bai now. The High Priest is probably already on his way to the mine."

This was truly their best chance.

If they missed this opportunity, there was no telling what other disasters might occur.

Just then, Nan Zishi, who had been silent all this time, suddenly stepped into the Array.

"Little female!"

Nan Zishi had a strange, a very strange feeling.

It was as if someone had once taught her Priest Arrays by hand; she felt like she could actually understand this Array.

’This feeling is so unfamiliar.’

’It’s just like back in Stone Village, after the confrontation with Fox Xin and Fox Zi, when I was able to easily activate the Priest Array to save Hu Bai.’

’These Arrays... I think I might know how to use them?’

"Female master, don’t!"

But Nan Zishi had already gone in.

Seeing her enter, Wolf Day, Wolf Night, and Xuan Jin followed her in.

Flames suddenly erupted at their feet, or vines shot out to bind them.

The males were extremely anxious, but they discovered that Nan Zishi was perfectly fine.

She moved through the Array like a little pixie.

She seemed to remember. If you stepped here, the Array would light up.

Nan Zishi stomped her foot, and the Array beneath it suddenly lit up.

Wolf Day, Wolf Night, and Xuan Jin stared at her in unison.

This part of the Array... if you rubbed salt on it, its energy would decrease.

Nan Zishi took out a bag of salt from her dimensional space and rubbed out one of the Array’s lines.

The Array’s brightness dimmed abruptly!

’It really works like this.’

Nan Zishi was bewildered. "Why do I know how to use Priest Arrays? An Array this complex can’t be explained by talent alone."

The Beast God, Lu Yu, replied in a clear voice, "It’s not strange. Do you want to know why?"

"Of course I do."

"I taught you myself, by hand."

Nan Zishi’s lips twitched. "...Beast God, for someone of your age, you still enjoy tricking little girls?"

Beast God Lu Yu: "..."

’Am I really that old?’

Nan Zishi decided not to overthink it. She looked at the entire Array and was suddenly struck with inspiration.

She started to run, scattering salt as she went.

The vicious Priest Array that had trapped the Beast God actually began to dim and fade as she dismantled it piece by piece.

Xuan Jin, Wolf Day, and Wolf Night didn’t even have time to be shocked.

They quickly ran to Nan Zishi’s side and stood with her.

Just like that, Nan Zishi ran to the very center of the advanced and intricate Array, and her hands closed around the pure black Ancient Sword!

The instant Nan Zishi grasped the Ancient Sword,

somewhere in the barren desert, the Black Dragon High Priest, who was still on his way to the mine, abruptly opened his eyes, which were as deep as dark pools.

"Who? Who dares to break my Array?!"

A black light flared in his eyes, and nine solid Beast Patterns appeared on his face!

The Nine-striped Beast Emperor, second only to the Beast God in the entire Beast World!

He reached out into the void with a dragon’s claw!

From within the Ancient Sword, a shadowy hand shot out towards her!

An unimaginable energy crushed down on her. Her skin prickled with pain, her bones trembled, and even the air seemed to whine under the strain.

Nan Zishi was stunned. She had no time to react!

The shadowy hand lunged for her eyes, and Xuan Jin, Wolf Day, and Wolf Night were too far away to help!

Lu Yu quickly gathered all his remaining power, preparing to protect Nan Zishi at the last moment!

However, just in the nick of time, the terrifying power stopped just short of Nan Zishi’s eyes.

A deep voice boomed in her ears.

"Zhinan? Is that you?!"

Nan Zishi was just as surprised. That voice... "Yi?"