Chapter 679: Three Months of Secluded Cultivation

BOOM!

The Profound Gang Rock Wall shattered. The balance of energy within the cave was broken, and the immense pressure of the Heavy Water spread out, surging back into the cave!

The entire Kan Palace Array Hub began to tremble violently.

Chen Cheng was already prepared. He leaped straight through the opening in the Profound Gang Rock Wall and entered a passage that slanted upward.

Following the light in the passage, he moved with nimble flashes. After ascending another twenty-odd zhang, his figure blurred and he shot out of the passage, arriving in an Ice and Snow Valley.

This Ice and Snow Valley was only a few hundred zhang in circumference and was filled with a dense concentration of Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi.

And the passage Chen Cheng had emerged from was, in fact, a deep well right in the center of the valley.

As Chen Cheng shot out, the Heavy Water also surged forth wildly, reaching all the way to the well’s mouth.

VMM!

Not far from the deep well, a massive stone—over a zhang tall and as thick as two arms could encircle, its surface faintly etched with complex array patterns—suddenly began to vibrate, releasing waves of icy-cold aura.

The Heavy Water that had surged to the well’s mouth was gradually frozen into extremely cold, solid ice, sealing the opening!

Only when the energy in the valley faintly reached a new equilibrium did the tremors everywhere cease, returning to tranquility.

Chen Cheng walked over to the massive stone and observed it closely, only to discover that it was actually formed from the purest Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi.

On the ground beside the massive stone, various complex patterns were drawn, faintly forming an illusory image of the Nine Palaces Locking Spirit Heaven and Earth Array together with the stone.

The massive stone corresponded exactly to the position of the Kan Palace!

Chen Cheng condensed transparent ice crystals under his feet, lifting his body to slowly rise. He then saw a small, diamond-shaped Jade Stone embedded in the top of the massive stone, faintly emitting the fluctuations of an Array.

“Is this the legendary Array Banner?”

Muttering to himself, Chen Cheng reached out and pressed his hand on the Jade Stone. He activated the energy within it, and the scene before his eyes abruptly changed. He could now faintly perceive the entirety of the grotto-heaven.

Then, waves of enlightenment flooded his mind, deepening his understanding of the Nine Palaces Locking Spirit Heaven and Earth Array and making him more proficient in controlling the Array Banner.

“So this is the Nine Palaces Locking Spirit Heaven and Earth Array. It truly is profound and mysterious!”

This valley was hidden deep beneath Lake Heart Island and connected to a subterranean Spirit Vein. By controlling this Array Flag Jade Stone, he could mobilize the power of the Kan Palace Array, covering the entire Lake Heart Island.

CRACK!

Chen Cheng snatched the Jade Stone into his grasp.

The massive stone instantly shattered, dissolving into streams of Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi that diffused outward, making the concentration of Primordial Qi in the valley reach an extreme peak.

The patterns of the Nine Palaces Locking Spirit Heaven and Earth Array erupted with rays of white light, and the patterns at the Kan Palace position, where the massive stone once stood, trembled even more violently!

Immediately, it released waves of tyrannical energy, causing the entire grotto-heaven’s Array to vibrate in response.

…

Lake Heart Island shook violently. The Cold Water Lake churned with massive waves, and the commotion was earth-shattering!

Two figures shot out from the central region of Lake Heart Island, flying at extreme speed toward its shores!

They were none other than Mu Qingfeng and Batulu.

Mu Qingfeng’s face was filled with shock and uncertainty, while Batulu was both startled and furious. As they fled at top speed, Batulu cursed:

“That bastard managed to break open the Kan Palace Array Hub! His strength is probably on par with Ji Lingxiao’s! Good thing he entered the Kan Palace Array Hub before we arrived. Otherwise, if we’d run into him, it would’ve been another vicious fight! How are there so many experts in this grotto-heaven?”

Mu Qingfeng didn’t answer, focused only on fleeing at maximum speed.

On this Lake Heart Island, that Young Master Xiu Chen had seized control of the Array Banner and could now wield the power of the Kan Palace Array.

Forget the two of them combined—even an alliance of more than ten people would be ruthlessly crushed!

The two of them fled at top speed until they reached the shore of the Cold Water Lake, only then letting out a sigh of relief.

Batulu gazed back toward Lake Heart Island, still indignant, and said:

“Brother Mu, you should have helped me hunt a few Martial Artists earlier so I could form my Demon Core. Then I, too, could have easily broken open the Array Hub. Why did we have to end up so passive?”

Batulu had not had much luck these past few days. Despite exerting a tremendous amount of effort, he had only managed to hunt down a single Pseudo Tier Six Demon Beast.

Outside, Batulu’s strength was comparable to a peak Tier Six Demon Beast, enough to completely dominate ordinary Puncture Realm experts. He was already very strong.

But inside this grotto-heaven, Batulu couldn’t use his Demonic Power, so his strength was greatly diminished. He was only slightly stronger than a Pseudo Tier Six Demon Beast that had fully formed its Demon Heart.

If not for his Pseudo-Spiritual Long Saber and the various Demon Cultivator Techniques he had cultivated, it would have been truly difficult for him to slay a Pseudo Tier Six Demon Beast on his own.

In fact, when Batulu first entered the grotto-heaven, his original plan was to hunt Perfect Martial Artists of the Organ Refining Realm and refine their vital blood to condense his Demon Core.

This was far easier than hunting Pseudo Tier Six Demon Beasts.

But who would have expected that after hunting just a few people, he would run into Mu Qingfeng.

Mu Qingfeng was a Puncture Realm expert. Although he was also suppressed by the grotto-heaven’s Array and couldn’t use his Innate True Qi, he had comprehended the True Intent of Heaven and Earth, and his mastery of it was quite profound.

The two fought a major battle that ended in a draw, and in the process, both of them exposed their whereabouts!

Mu Qingfeng, at least, could change his appearance and blend in with the Martial Artist alliances.

Batulu, however, could not. After all, no matter how a Demon Cultivator changed their appearance, they still exuded a Demon’s aura, which was impossible to hide.

“Brother Batu, be patient!” Mu Qingfeng said persuasively, casting a wary glance toward Lake Heart Island.

“Everyone in the alliances is as jumpy as a startled bird now; it’s genuinely not easy to hunt them. If one or two more of their Scouts are killed, they might stop sending them out altogether. In that case, even if we join forces, we won’t be able to kill anyone. That would be even more disadvantageous for you, Brother Batu. Why don’t you wait a few more months, Brother Batu? The grotto-heaven’s various Array Hubs will loosen on their own, and the people in the alliances will inevitably grow resentful of each other as they fight over the Array Banners. At that time, there will naturally be plenty of blood food for you to hunt, Brother Batu.”

Batulu suddenly spun around, his eyes wide as he stared at Mu Qingfeng. He made no attempt to hide his suspicion as he questioned, “Brother Mu, why do I get the feeling you’re just brushing me off?