Chapter 490 - 471: The World’s Second Sword Array

Chapter 490: Chapter 471: The World’s Second Sword Array

"Amid the brilliant river of stars, a man is but a grain in a boundless granary."

Bai Zichen murmured, feeling the vast Starry Sky Sword Intent.

’It wasn’t something I comprehended on my own, but something I inherited. There’s still a sense of detachment.’

’It might take decades, or even a century, before I can truly master it and make further progress.’

However, it was more than enough for Array Formation.

’In the most glorious era of the Taibai Sword Sect, all sorts of Sword Arrays emerged one after another... For the Star River Sword Array to be called the second-greatest, surpassed only by the Nine Heavens Ten Earths Demon Extinguishing Sword Formation, it couldn’t possibly rely on the sheer number of Flying Swords to win. If it were a matter of quantity, there’s also the Circulation Pure Yang Sword Array, which requires a full thirty-six Flying Swords to form.’

The Star River Sword Array used the vast Starry Sky Sword Intent as its foundation, transforming twelve Flying Swords into celestial stars. A Cultivator trapped within the array was equivalent to facing the heavenly bodies themselves.

Even a Divinity Transformation Great Power could not single-handedly resist twelve ceaselessly orbiting celestial bodies.

Of course, a Flying Sword was just a Flying Sword; it couldn’t compare to a real celestial star.

If a true Divinity Transformation Great Power were trapped inside, they could shatter the stars with a single strike and naturally break out of the array.

When the difference in power was too great, even the most profound concept behind a Sword Array was useless.

Otherwise, the Taibai Sword Sect, which possessed the Nine Heavens Ten Earths Demon Extinguishing Sword Formation, would not have had its Mountain Gate breached by the Outer Celestial Demons, ultimately perishing along with its foes.

Even if it could create its own space and trap all opponents in different dimensions...

...if the number and strength of the enemies within that space far exceeded the one controlling the Sword Array, the space would collapse, unable to be maintained.

The Supreme Qingwei Sword Box opened, and twelve Flying Swords flew out one by one, arranging themselves in a semicircle before Bai Zichen.

"You will be the eye of the array and command it entirely!"

Bai Zichen gave the Ziwei Dazzling Thunder Sword a light nudge. The position of the array’s eye was, of course, reserved for his Lifebound Flying Sword.

This position would bear the greatest pressure, so it naturally had to be handled by the strongest Flying Sword.

According to the True Understanding of Sword Dao, the Star River Sword Monarch himself had eventually gone through the Refinement of nine Lifebound Flying Swords, with only the remaining three being sustained by his True Essence.

For him, it didn’t matter which Flying Sword served as the eye of the array.

More importantly, the Star River Sword Monarch never had a Flying Sword as outstanding as the Ziwei Dazzling Thunder Sword—it was a crane among chickens.

After assigning positions to the twelve Flying Swords, with Moon Xuan and Splendid Youth—his two Tier Four Flying Swords—taking up the rear, the Sword Array slowly began to operate.

The Twelve Stars hung high in the sky, their light suppressing the sea of fire on Luofeng Mountain.

’All Twelve Flying Swords deployed at once. It’s a good thing I’ve already reached Nascent Soul, or I really couldn’t have managed this... Even so, I’m at my limit. If there were even two more Tier Four Flying Swords in the array, I probably couldn’t handle the strain, and it wouldn’t be able to operate.’

Since activating the Supreme Qingwei Sword Box, Bai Zichen felt his True Essence drain like a flood from an open dam for the first time, pouring out unstoppably.

The constantly accumulating consumption of True Essence was why, apart from the Taibai Sword Sect, no other Sword Cultivator in the Cultivation Realm ever focused on Sword Arrays.

Before the time of the Taibai Sword Sect, Sword Arrays usually required the combined efforts of several people to be deployed.

It was only when the Taibai Sword Sect burst onto the scene, becoming a brief but dazzling meteor in the Near Ancient era, that one peerlessly powerful Sword Array after another appeared in the Cultivation Realm.

Only with a Celestial Treasure like the Supreme Qingwei Sword Box did he have the foundation to deploy the Star River Sword Array.

"Hah!"

With a thought from Bai Zichen, the Sword Array enveloped a mountain peak.

The next moment, the thousand-foot peak was leveled, silently ground into dust by the Sword Array.

’So strong. It’s truly worthy of being the second-greatest Sword Array from the Taibai Sword Sect’s golden age... If I were the one trapped inside, I’m afraid I’d be completely helpless.’

Bai Zichen put himself in that position, and a chill ran down his spine.

The strength of the Star River Sword Array lay in the fact that once it was formed, the twelve Flying Swords became a single entity. There were no tricks to breaking it.

The only way was to overwhelm it with pure force and directly destroy the Array Flying Swords.

Without the foundation of the array, the Star River Sword Array would naturally cease to exist.

’The second-greatest Sword Array of the Taibai Sword Sect is, in other words, the second-greatest Sword Array in the Cultivation Realm. It’s only normal for it to have such power... However, the Star River Sword Monarch also warned that this array’s greatest weakness is its fear of Heaven-Defying Divine Techniques that can damage the Flying Swords. He once encountered a Cultivator who had a Flying Saber that specialized in destroying all kinds of Magical Treasures.’

Bai Zichen’s expression was grave; he wasn’t beaming with joy just because he had successfully formed the Star River Sword Array.

’Keep in mind, a Tier Three Flying Sword within the array can be used like a Tier Four Flying Sword, yet that Flying Saber managed to destroy three of them in a row. Just like that, the Star River Sword Array was broken without a fight. But I have the Ziwei Dazzling Thunder Sword, which makes things much better. If I encounter any strange Treasures or Divine Techniques that can corrupt Magical Treasures, I’ll just have it step up to take the blow.’

With great power comes great responsibility.

After all, the Ziwei Dazzling Thunder Sword was the toughest of the lot; he didn’t have to worry about it being damaged.

Even though it had only awakened to Tier Four, Bai Zichen believed it was impossible to even scratch the blade’s body, even when facing a Top-Grade Heavenly Spirit Treasure.

It was even possible that, under the stimulation of an external force, the Ziwei Dazzling Thunder Sword might grow even stronger.

"Halt!"

Bai Zichen raised his right hand and retracted it. The Star River Sword Array ceased to function, and the Twelve Stars that had covered the entire sky reverted to twelve Flying Swords, which filed back into the Sword Box.

’From now on, I should practice whenever I have time. With this Sword Array, even when the Qing Emperor Longevity Sword is on cooldown, I’ll still have a trump card to contend with a Great True Monarch... As long as I can find a Cultivation Technique that allows me to reach Divinity Transformation, and then cultivate to the Mid-Stage Nascent Soul realm, I can return to Black Mountain openly.’

At that point, he wouldn’t fear the Dragon Monarch, even if it risked angering the Moral Sect to hide its tracks, sneak into the mainland, and come looking for him.

He certainly couldn’t defeat the Dragon Monarch with the Star River Sword Array alone, but it would be equally impossible for the creature to defeat him.

It was an Outer Sea Great Demon, appearing openly in the mainland and attacking a Human Race Nascent Soul True Monarch.

If it caused a big enough commotion, it would be impossible for those Divinity Transformation Great Powers to not intervene.

’Always plan for the worst. For instance, what if a Demon Race Divinity Transformation master makes a move and ties up the Celestial Punishment Peak Master, leaving me to face the Dragon Monarch alone... Mid-Stage Nascent Soul should be enough. By then, even if I haven’t made any progress on the Time Path, I should have mastered the complete version of the Qing Emperor Longevity Sword, right?’

’Back then, the last Nascent Soul of the Fish Dragon Sect was able to slay the Nine-Headed Xuan Turtle with a single sword strike. If I use both of my swords, taking half the Dragon Monarch’s life shouldn’t be an exaggeration, should it? Unless a Tier Five Demon Monarch attacks me directly—then I’d truly have no way out.’

Bai Zichen’s heart sank. The situation seemed absurd, but he knew it wasn’t impossible for it to happen to him.

The importance of the Holy Beast Essence Blood to the Dragon Race was no less than that of the Demon Saint Pearl to the Qingqiu Death Sea—it might even be greater.

The former could help a single individual break through the Tier Five Celestial Chasm, while the latter could continuously help the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox clan purify their bloodline, aiding in their Transformation.

He was afraid the Dragon Monarch, in a fit of desperation, would realize it couldn’t get the Holy Beast Essence Blood and simply leak the information to a Tier Five Demon Monarch in the Outer Sea.

It all depended on how valuable the Holy Beast Essence Blood was in the eyes of a Tier Five Demon Monarch. If it was great enough, one might just break precedent for him—attacking for the first time in ten thousand years, and at a mere Nascent Soul True Monarch, no less.

’Thinking about it this way, it’s better to keep a low profile. Even after mastering the Star River Sword Array, there’s no need to appear on the Dragon Monarch’s radar... As long as I travel through the Central Domain without staying in one place, even if it wants to flip the entire chessboard, it will need to find the opportunity to do so first.’

Bai Zichen stood up and flew deeper into Luofeng Mountain.

’Since I’m here, I might as well explore this famous mountain.’

’First, I obtained a mass of Innate Nine Yang True Flame here, then I was granted the Starry Sky True Intent and successfully deployed the Star River Sword Array... This place is truly my Blessed Land. If I look around more, maybe I’ll stumble upon some other Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures.’

As he ventured deeper into Luofeng Mountain, Bai Zichen was surprised to see a peculiar creature on the ground: thumb-sized Fire Ants, dark red all over.

He hadn’t seen a single living thing since he entered, so he didn’t expect that these tiny Fire Ants would possess such astonishing vitality.

Moreover, the Fire Ants moved in swarms, with tens or even hundreds of thousands in a single nest.

Fortunately, they were merely tough-skinned and didn’t know any Magic. They only liked to gnaw on Fire Element Ore and rarely relocated. Otherwise, they could truly unleash an insect plague more terrifying than the so-called Five Great Strange Insects.

Just as Bai Zichen crouched down and picked up a Fire Ant to study it, his expression suddenly changed, and he looked up to the north.

Within his Divine Sense, a powerful aura was rapidly approaching.

Judging by its trajectory, it was heading straight for Luofeng Mountain, not just passing through the vicinity.

’Mid-Stage Nascent Soul! Is this a Cultivator who just happens to be coming to Luofeng Mountain, or are they coming for me?’

Bai Zichen rubbed his fingers together, crushing the iron-hard shell of the Fire Ant into a ball. He rose to his feet, his expression grave as he gazed into the distance.