Chapter 677 - 677: A Vast Project

The original Blood Sect ruins were merely the size of a mountain range outside Blood Abyss City.

However, after the last major outbreak and rampant spread of the monsters within, the ruins expanded dramatically.

Centered around the Blood Abyss City region, the new Blood Sect ruins stretched west into the depths of the Blood-soaked Land and east to the Hengduan Mountain Range. An area spanning over two thousand li and encompassing nearly thirty cities was sealed off by the Five Directions Spirit Fire Array.

Countless humans from the Blood-soaked Land and Demon Beasts from the Hengduan Mountain Range were infected, turning into new Blood Corpses and Blood Beasts.

「Three days after their departure,」 the Flying Demon Beasts carrying the disciples of the Saint Extreme Sect arrived above the Blood Sect ruins.

The new Five Directions Spirit Fire Array was different from the Six Imperial Demon-Sealing Array previously established by the Blood Sect.

The Six Imperial Demon-Sealing Array not only had a small range, but it was also a Grand Array primarily designed to seal things in and prevent the monsters inside from breaking out.

That's why back then, Chu Qingyun and the others at the Martial Spirit Realm could take advantage of the Grand Array's weakened power to force their way in.

The Five Directions Spirit Fire Array, however, was a Guardian Array, with its primary purpose being to defend against external invasion.

Fortunately, this Array had just been established, so its power was still at its peak.

Furthermore, it was a prized treasure of the Talisman Puppet Sect, one of the three major sects in the Northern Domain. The Array's power was so immense that it was impossible for the monsters inside to break out.

The Flying Demon Beasts flew at an altitude of several thousand meters, ascending and descending according to their individual habits.

As they passed over the Blood Sect ruins, someone on the back of a Flying Demon Beast waved their hand, launching a blast of Primordial Power down at the Five Directions Spirit Fire Array.

Normally, the Array's seal was completely transparent and invisible.

But when the Primordial Power struck, fiery red streams of energy immediately converged at the point of impact, revealing a portion of the Array as it blocked the blast.

"According to the Inner Sect Elders, even a Martial Sect Realm expert would have to expend considerable effort to break through this Five Directions Spirit Fire Array."

"And as for the Martial Emperor Realm, unless there's a significant number of them, it's utterly impossible to break this Grand Array!"

Qi Hao remarked with some emotion, watching the Array flicker into view below.

'An Array like this… The Primordial Power from Martial King Realm disciples like us doesn't even make it tremble!'

"Qi, this Array is massive, but there aren't any Supreme Elders standing guard. Aren't they worried that experts from the Martial Soul Hall will destroy it?" someone beside him asked, confused.

Qi Hao frowned as well, seemingly just as perplexed.

Just then, Chu Qingyun spoke up. "Breaking the Array would only cause the strange plague to erupt more violently. It would destroy more of the Blood-soaked Land, and if it got out of control, I'm afraid even the Land of Hundred Dynasties and the sect territories would be in jeopardy."

"However, that isn't what the Martial Soul Hall wants."

"The members of the Martial Soul Hall were all once human Martial Artists. Therefore, their ultimate goal isn't to exterminate humanity, but to rule and conquer it."

"After all, if humanity goes extinct, the Martial Soul Hall won't be far behind."

Back in Great Xia, Chu Qingyun had served as a Dragon Guard and had numerous dealings with the Martial Soul Hall. He had even seen towns under their rule with his own eyes.

As a result, he had a much more thorough understanding of these matters than Qi Hao and the other Sect Disciples.

So that was it.

Qi Hao and the others nodded in agreement, finding Chu Qingyun's reasoning sound.

Before long, the Saint Extreme Sect's contingent of Flying Demon Beasts had crossed the expanse of the Blood Sect ruins and reached the edge of the territory.

This time, however, it was Chu Qingyun's turn to be surprised.

Along the perimeter of the Five Directions Spirit Fire Array, a black wall nearly twenty meters high had been erected, completely encircling the entire Grand Array.

The Five Directions Spirit Fire Array covered an immense area.

To build a wall around its entire perimeter was a project that could only be described as colossal!

What's more, near the area where the sealed passage was to be opened, a massive new city had sprung up. The city was immaculate, clearly having been constructed very recently.

"It's only been a little over a month, and they've already completed such a massive project!" someone exclaimed in amazement.

"Hmph, this was managed and constructed by the No-Life Gang under the joint supervision of the Northern Domain's Fifteen Major Sects. I heard they even roped in Martial Spirit Realm experts to do manual labor. With them working, of course it was built quickly!"

As they flew over the city, people began to guide their Flying Demon Beasts down for a landing.

Chu Qingyun and his group followed suit, flying directly into the city from above.

The new city had been built specifically for the Blood Sect ruins' Land of Trial, so the Saint Extreme Sect had already claimed a large district within it.

All the Flying Demon Beasts landed in this area.

After entrusting their Flying Demon Beasts to the sect personnel stationed there, Chu Qingyun and the other Inner Sect Disciples left the city in a great procession, heading straight for the Five Directions Spirit Fire Array.

Since it was a Land of Trial that had never been officially opened, the first group to explore it would certainly face the greatest risks. But at the same time, they also stood to gain the greatest rewards.

The number of treasures—like the Blood Crystals inside the heads of Martial King Realm Blood Corpses and Blood Beasts, forgotten Secret Manuals and Secret Techniques, or lost Storage Rings—was ultimately finite.

Those who went in first could make a fortune, while those who arrived late would likely only get the scraps.

The passage into the Five Directions Spirit Fire Array had not yet been opened.

However, when Chu Qingyun's group reached the edge of the Array, they found that many people from other sects, as well as numerous Martial Kings from the Blood-soaked Land, were already waiting.

Most of the disciples from the sects were at the Earth King Realm, with only a few at the Human King and Celestial King Realms.

The people from the Blood-soaked Land, however, were a more motley crew. Many from the Human King Realm had come to try their luck, and there was no shortage of those from the Earth King Realm either.

One thing was consistent, though: there weren't many Celestial King Realm experts.

Even the ones present were typically lower-level seventh or eighth-rank Martial Kings. Ninth-rank Martial Kings were practically nowhere to be seen.

This was because the Celestial King Realm represented the most crucial fighting force within the Martial King Realm, and its experts would not be mobilized on a large scale for trivial matters.

Moreover, ninth-rank Martial Kings were typically focused on breaking through to the Martial Emperor Realm and rarely went out on trials for the sake of finding treasure.

With so many disciples from the major sects gathered together, and with Martial Kings from the Blood-soaked Land mixed in, it was inevitable that all sorts of new and old grudges would lead to constant conflicts and disputes.

However, all these conflicts were limited to verbal altercations and mutual threats. No one dared to actually make a move.

This was because, aside from the Martial Kings, there were also Martial Emperor Realm Elders present, dispatched by the major sects and the No-Life Gang to guard the Blood Sect ruins.

And one of their tasks was to wait for the opportune moment in the Array's operation to open a controllable passage through it.