Chapter 346 - 318: Split into 2

Chapter 346: Chapter 318: Split into 2

「North City Gate.」

Chu Mu descended from the sky. He presented his Token and passed through unimpeded.

Upon entering the Inner City, however, he suddenly stopped.

He glanced back at the faintly shimmering Array Prohibitions, and understanding dawned on him.

The City Defense Array wasn’t fully active, but some of its Array Prohibitions were clearly in operation.

Among them, he could faintly discern the effects of an isolation Array.

But when he had left the city, the Array Prohibitions had been dormant.

"When was the City Defense Array activated?"

Chu Mu asked.

"Replying to you, Senior, the Hall Master ordered the City Defense Array to be activated right after you left the city."

A Longevity Sect disciple immediately responded.

Chu Mu nodded, lost in thought.

’So, everything that happened after I was lured out of the city has been isolated outside by the Array Prohibitions.’

The people inside the city still knew nothing.

He looked toward the Law Enforcement Hall, suppressing his original intention to go there.

’As an outsider, it’s best if I don’t get involved in the Longevity Sect’s internal affairs.’

Besides, Xu Changqing had just promised him an explanation.

But still... a Longevity Sect disciple Fallen into the Demon Dao...

Chu Mu found it hard to understand.

The benefits of being a Longevity Sect disciple were quite generous.

And in the Cultivation Immortal Realm, to fall into the Demon Dao was to make oneself an enemy of the entire world.

No one would do that just for a thrill.

’Forget it...’

He couldn’t be bothered to overthink it. Xu Changqing had already made preparations; all he had to do now was wait for the results.

Since the skulking coward had revealed himself, it wouldn’t be so easy to hide again.

"Zhao Changling, you’re courting death!"

Just as Chu Mu was entering the city, a sharp rebuke suddenly rang out.

Immediately after, a figure shot into the sky from the direction of the Law Enforcement Hall, closely followed by a chilling Flying Sword and the leaping form of Xu Changqing.

"You can’t escape!"

Xu Changqing’s expression was icy. With a wave of his hand, the Flying Sword that was already on the man’s tail suddenly accelerated, letting out a piercing sonic boom as it reached him in an instant.

"Xu Changqing, don’t force my hand!"

Panicked and furious, the man spread his hands, and an oval Cyan Shield materialized. The sword struck with a clang of metal on metal, and the man, seemingly dealt a heavy blow, plummeted from the sky.

But in the next moment, he shot back up into the sky and fled.

’It’s him...’

Chu Mu’s brow furrowed in disbelief.

The fleeing man was none other than the middle-aged Foundation Establishment Cultivator who had proposed sealing off Chu Capital and conducting a massive search during the meeting!

Furthermore, he was the Vice Hall Master of the Chu Capital Law Enforcement Hall, with a Cultivation at the Late Stage of Foundation Establishment!

As far as he knew, before Xu Changqing was transferred to Chu Capital, this man had been the top candidate for the position of Hall Master of the Chu Capital Law Enforcement Hall!

’A man like that is an inside agent for the Demon Cultivators? Fallen into the Demon Dao?’

’But based on the Magical Power fluctuations just now, it was pure Spiritual Qi...’

’Is he cooperating with them... for some other scheme?’

Chu Mu guessed silently. He didn’t step forward to help. With the Longevity Sect’s power within Chu Capital City, the man clearly couldn’t escape.

Chu Mu looked toward the city gate. As expected, the City Defense Array, which had only been partially active, was now swirling with countless, densely packed Array Prohibition Inscriptions.

In just a few breaths, these swirling Array Patterns transformed into crisscrossing Array Pattern Chains. With a muffled thud, a pale blue curtain of light descended from the sky, enveloping the entire Chu Capital Inner City.

From a distance, it looked as if a giant, pale blue bowl had been placed upside down over the Chu Capital Inner City, sealing it off from the outside world.

The man, unable to escape in time, was surrounded by Xu Changqing and several other Longevity Sect Foundation Establishment Cultivators who descended from the sky.

"HAHAHAHAHA..."

But at this moment, strangely enough, Zhao Changling’s expression was not one of alarm but of joy. He began to laugh maniacally.

"Xu Changqing, you shouldn’t have fully activated the Grand Array."

After his laughter died down, Zhao Changling said with a hint of mockery, "I have operated in this Chu Capital for decades. Did you really think I would let you control me?"

As he spoke, a barrier of light suddenly appeared. It was close by, yet it shot up into the sky and merged with the City Protection Array, completely splitting Chu Capital in two and sealing off both halves.

"Zhao Changling, what have you done!"

A Foundation Establishment Cultivator cried out in alarm.

"HAHAHAHA, what have I done? You’re about to see."

Zhao Changling laughed wildly and with a leap, vanished among the sprawling pavilions.

"Don’t even think about running!"

Several Foundation Establishment Cultivators instinctively rushed forward. A series of Attacks rained down, exploding against the light barrier in a brilliant display.

But in the end, these furious Attacks only left behind a series of thunderous booms.

When the roaring subsided, the massive light barrier remained as it was, completely unaffected. Not even the slightest ripple appeared on its surface.

One Foundation Establishment Cultivator tried to burrow into the ground, but after the light of his Escape Skill flashed, he remained right where he started. A metallic glint flashed across the stone ground and vanished.

"Stop chasing. The City Defense Array is a Tier Three Upper Grade Array. It seals off the inside from the outside, and even a Golden Core True Master would find it extremely difficult to break."

Xu Changqing’s voice was heavy as he stopped them, his face as dark as a stormy sea.

"What’s going on?"

Chu Mu descended from the sky, his expression also turning grim.

"That traitor must have stolen the control core of the Grand Array long ago. He used the opportunity of me fully activating the Array to seize control of it."

Chu Mu frowned and pointed at the barrier that had split Chu Capital City in two. "Is this also part of the Grand Array?"

Just as Xu Changqing was about to answer, everyone seemed to sense something and looked up at the sky.

Beneath the pale blue light barrier, a streak of emerald light shot across the heavens. Within it, they could faintly make out a green bamboo staff.

"It’s the Cyan Bamboo Staff! The True Master has made his move!"

"That traitor won’t escape!"

One Foundation Establishment Cultivator was overjoyed.

Chu Mu glanced at Xu Changqing and saw that his expression remained grave, showing no signs of relief.

His gaze shifted. The Cyan Bamboo Staff had already struck the pale blue light barrier that divided Chu Capital City.

The Cyan Bamboo Staff didn’t seem to carry much force, but the moment it landed on the light barrier, an earth-shattering BOOM erupted.

Ripples flickered across the light barrier as an emerald radiance filled the sky.

But when the emerald light dissipated, the pale blue light barrier seemed unchanged, save for a few faint ripples.

The next several strikes from the Cyan Bamboo Staff yielded the same result.

The attacks were mighty, but their effect... was minimal...

The expressions of the Law Enforcement Hall’s Foundation Establishment Cultivators visibly shifted from excitement to disbelief.

After several strikes, the Cyan Bamboo Staff hovered in the air, ceasing its Attack.

A few breaths later, the Cyan Bamboo Staff shot down and hovered before them. A human figure then materialized.

"Greetings, True Master!"

Everyone present quickly bowed in respect.

Chu Mu’s heart trembled, and he hurriedly bowed as well.

"There is no need for such formalities."

The figure flicked his sleeve, and an invisible force lifted everyone back up.

Only then did Chu Mu get a clear look at the True Master.

He had shoulder-length white hair and an ancient, wrinkled face. He wore an emerald Magic Robe with the bamboo staff hanging from his waist, exuding a transcendent aura...

"I have just emerged from seclusion. What is the cause of this matter?"

The old man asked, his gaze fixed on Xu Changqing.

"Reporting to the True Master, this matter..."

Xu Changqing recounted the events in detail.

When he finished speaking, the old man nodded slightly, a ripple passing through his cloudy eyes.

"From the sound of it, this boy has likely been plotting for a very long time."

"However, since he has revealed himself completely, his scheme will surely come to light as well."

"But this Array is the Tier Three Upper Grade Myriad Phenomena Creation Array. Now that control has been seized, even with my Cultivation, my power is insufficient."

"Changqing, do you have an Array-Breaking Technique?"

...