Chapter 657 - 651: Hundred-Refinement Soul-devouring Array, Activate

After the Saint Child of Holy Light City stopped Yao Wuchen, he leaped onto the stone platform where Shen Haoran stood. He gazed at Shen Haoran with a smile, completely ignoring Yao Wuchen, who was standing to the side. Seeing this, the surrounding Martial Artists were all rather confused and began to murmur among themselves.

"What’s going on? Does the Saint Child of Holy Light City dispute the competition results?"

"I doubt it. Even Feng Miaoke has fallen silent. His performance earlier was stunning, yes, but it still fell short of Shen Haoran’s!"

As the crowd murmured, the Saint Child maintained a faint smile, quietly observing Shen Haoran.

"Saint Child, if you have something to discuss, let’s do it later!" Yao Wuchen’s brow furrowed slightly. He had met this Saint Child from Holy Light City on a few occasions, but every time, the young man seemed to completely disregard him.

"No, no, no, Hall Master Yao. If I don’t say this now, I’m afraid I’ll never get the chance," the Saint Child said, shaking his head gently, his expression exceptionally serious.

Seeing the Saint Child’s look, Yao Wuchen’s frown deepened.

"Shen Haoran, have you considered joining us? Honestly, your performance just now made me hate to see such talent go to waste. To successfully perform Alchemy and create a Seventh Grade pill—one that even formed a Pill Cloud—all within a single day... your future accomplishments will surely be limitless. I can provide you with a platform to become the most powerful Alchemist on this continent. How about it? Interested?" the Saint Child said to Shen Haoran with a faint smile. Although it was an invitation, the commanding tone in his voice was completely undisguised.

"Join you? What do you mean?" Hearing the Saint Child’s words, Yao Wuchen suddenly sensed something was amiss. He had also picked up on the commanding tone in the young man’s voice. He glanced quizzically at Shen Haoran, then back at the Saint Child, a sudden sense of foreboding creeping into his heart.

"Join you? To serve your master alongside you? I suppose that’s not out of the question. Why don’t you tell me who your master is first?" Shen Haoran said nonchalantly, a playful smile gracing his lips.

Hearing Shen Haoran’s words, the Saint Child’s eyes narrowed. He then said coolly, "Shen Haoran, I am extending a sincere invitation. Your talents would be a great help to me, so why not join us? As for my master, you will naturally learn of him once I have awakened him."

"And I am sincerely negotiating with you. Just tell me who your master is, and I’ll join," Shen Haoran said with an innocent expression, shrugging his shoulders.

At this, the Saint Child’s face darkened. It was obvious Shen Haoran was toying with him, and he knew it. "Shen Haoran," he said, his face grim, "since that’s your answer, then there’s nothing left to discuss. This is your only chance. If you let it pass, you won’t even get the opportunity to regret it!" With that, the Saint Child stared coldly at Shen Haoran, two wisps of black energy flickering in his eyes.

"Cut the crap. I know you plan to activate the Hundred-Refinement Soul-devouring Array today. And I know you intend to use the Qi Blood Power of every Martial Artist in Central City to awaken your master. So what are you waiting for?" Shen Haoran sneered, staring intently at the Saint Child.

"What are you talking about? What do you mean, ’use the Qi Blood Power of Central City’s Martial Artists’?" Yao Wuchen seemed to realize something and asked Shen Haoran in a grave voice.

Shen Haoran took a deep breath, fixed his gaze on the Saint Child, and said, enunciating each word clearly, "It means he wants to kill every single Martial Artist currently gathered here in Central City!"

Shen Haoran’s voice wasn’t loud, but those around him heard every word. Their expressions changed in an instant as they stared in disbelief at the back of Holy Light City’s Saint Child.

"Saint Child, is this true?" Yao Wuchen asked, his face grim as he looked at the young man. He didn’t think Shen Haoran was joking; this was a jest too grave for anyone to make.

"Hah. Saint Child? Are you referring to that weakling? This body is mine now, not your so-called ’Saint Child’!" Hearing Yao Wuchen’s question, the figure let out a sinister cackle. The warm smile on his face vanished, replaced by a savage snarl. He looked like an entirely different person.

"Who are you?" Yao Wuchen demanded, his eyes fixed on the drastically changed ’Saint Child’. A terrifying aura erupted from his body and bore down on him.

Yao Wuchen’s power was terrifying. Even Shen Haoran, standing to the side, was awed by the aura. It had definitely reached the Spirit Emperor Tier, and it was far more powerful than a mere Tier One Spirit Emperor. Under the pressure of Yao Wuchen’s horrifying presence, the very space around them began to warp.

And yet, even under the full force of Yao Wuchen’s oppressive aura, the ’Saint Child’s’ expression remained unchanged, as if the pressure couldn’t harm him in the slightest.

"Heheheh... You want to know my name? You are not worthy. Now, be good little sacrifices. It is your honor to become a part of my master!" the ’Saint Child’ cackled. He began to form a series of Seal Techniques, and the entire world started to tremble.

"Hundred-Refinement Soul-devouring Array, activate!" the ’Saint Child’ roared. On the stone platform, more than a dozen others began to weave the same Seal Technique as him. Moments later, dark clouds swirled overhead, and darkness instantly devoured all of Central City. The earth began to quake, and four enormous Stone Pillars slowly rose from the four corners of the city—the exact locations of the Four Great Clans.

After the four giant Stone Pillars rose, four crimson beams of light shot into the sky, swiftly converging in mid-air. Upon colliding, the four pillars of light shattered into countless specks of blood-red radiance that, in the blink of an eye, enveloped the entirety of Central City. The crimson light formed a massive cage, trapping every Martial Artist inside. A bizarre power quickly began to saturate the air.

"What is that? What’s happening?"

"I don’t know! That bloody light seems to be coming from the Four Great Divine Beast Families. Did something happen to them?"

"The conflict seems to have started over at the Medicine Hall’s Central Square!"

Cries of alarm echoed throughout Central City as panic began to spread.

"Dammit, what’s happening?" The Patriarchs of the Four Great Divine Beast Families stared at the giant Stone Pillars rising from their clan grounds, their expressions turning grim.

"Those are the Array Bases for an Array. They were built inside our clan’s ancestral tombs. I’ve seen the one in the Dragon Tomb before, but I was unable to destroy it!" Long Xiaotian, who was in the know, explained gravely. Hearing his words, the expressions of the other three Patriarchs changed dramatically. ’Someone infiltrated our ancestral tombs? And they even set up an Array Base inside?’

"Hahahaha! The Blood Moon Plan is activated! Master, welcome back!" The ’Saint Child’ paid no mind to the crowd’s shock, instead throwing his head back and laughing maniacally. The cage of blood-red light suddenly erupted in a blinding flash. A terrifying suction force descended from above, shredding the very fabric of space and revealing the pitch-black Chaos Space beyond.

"ROAR!"

An earth-shattering roar boomed from the spatial rift. A moment later, a colossal, blood-red hand abruptly reached out, gripping the edge of the shattered void. The terrifying sight assaulted everyone’s senses.

"What... what in the world is that monster?!"