Chapter 33: The Grand Array’s Trap and the Ancestor’s True Desire

Nearing the end of her lifespan, she had to carefully consider her affairs after death: demonic cultivators were to be slain whenever possible, while the sect’s important cultivators were to be protected at all costs.

Qi Ning swiftly retracted her hand, causing the sword light hurtling towards Zhao Shuyun to disintegrate, leaving only three streaks to pursue the two younger cultivators.

It was during this disintegration that Gu Yuhe finally grasped what was happening.

When the sword light dispersed, it did not scatter chaotically; rather, it disassembled in an orderly fashion, much like building blocks.

A core component remained under the cultivator’s control, swiftly reorganizing and reassembling after evading the attack.

Even when annihilated by external forces, the process remained the same.

“White Hair, when that sword light disperses, it can be detonated!”

Bai Jiaojiao instantly grasped the implication. Gu Yuhe struck once more, her sharp fangs ruthlessly tearing through the sword light.

This time, Bai Jiaojiao seized the precise moment, crushing another corner of the pagoda. An orange-red explosion engulfed their vision, perfectly detonating the sword light.

—Boom!

The two younger cultivators were flung more than ten li (TL Note: A traditional Chinese unit of distance, approximately 500 meters) away. Bai Jiaojiao immediately activated a spatial technique, rapidly fleeing into the distance.

“What splendid disciples!”

This was precisely why influencing his disciples was paramount; under Su Qin’s masterful guidance, these few disciples had rapidly matured, each now possessing the bearing of a Great Emperor.

Did anyone truly comprehend the immense value of a truly exceptional master?

Qi Ning, in no hurry, instead commanded her sword light to release Zhao Shuyun from the spiritual wood restraints, then supported her with a subtle spell.

She remained unconcerned with immediate pursuit.

Meanwhile, Su Qin had already made his escape, reaching the very edge of the barrier.

Gazing at the barrier, which still shimmered like a white mist, Su Qin folded his wings, then plunged downward in a sleek, streamlined dive.

“You vile demonic fiend, what insidious methods did you employ to corrupt my Azure Mystic Sect disciple to such a deplorable state?”

Qi Ning, naturally aware of Zhao Shuyun’s current state, could not help but marvel, wondering just how intense a ‘tide’ (TL Note: A Chinese slang term referring to sexual climax) one must experience to be left in such a shattered condition.

She, at least, had never managed to elicit such an effect herself.

A flicker of envy crossed Qi Ning’s face as she meticulously scrutinized Zhao Shuyun’s utterly captivating physique.

A slender waist that could be spanned by a single hand, thighs as plump and smooth as polished jade, translucent, delicate feet, and a faint, enchanting body fragrance that stole one’s very soul.

All of these, Qi Ning had once possessed.

Her unparalleled beauty, exceptional talent, and an unwavering Dao heart dedicated to eradicating demons and upholding justice… she had always presented herself to the world as a paragon of strength and allure.

As she eradicated demons and upheld justice, she advanced fearlessly, bathed in the admiring gazes of the world.

Yet, a single Soul Transformation tribulation lightning bolt had cruelly stripped her of everything.

The inherent fragrance of a saintess abruptly vanished, her peerless countenance began to show imperfections, and her body slowly transformed from that of a youthful maiden into a more mature, ‘mellow’ form.

The world’s gaze upon her shifted too; their eyes now regarded her no differently than any ordinary woman, devoid of the reverence she had once commanded.

Her appearance and scent, almost imperceptibly, became her most profound anxieties.

Qi Ning silently cleansed Zhao Shuyun’s body, then used gentle spiritual energy to form two protective ‘packages’, sending both back to the Azure Mystic Sect.

***

A sudden flicker of doubt arose in the demonic fiend’s heart; this woman, it seemed, was not in the least bit anxious.

Since entering the array, he had been meticulously tracking the time. Based on the previous records of the array’s behavior, only five minutes remained until the barrier closed, meaning he could undoubtedly escape right now.

Trapped!

Su Qin’s eyes abruptly sharpened. He beat his wings, halting his forward momentum, and stopped at the very edge of the grand array, manifesting his true demonic form.

Qi Ning offered a faint, disdainful smile, casually waving away the mist. Before them, the grand array’s barrier had, at some imperceptible moment, transformed into a shimmering curtain of water.

It was a veritable Water Curtain Cave Heaven (TL Note: A famous location from Journey to the West, implying an impenetrable barrier), severing all connection between the inside and the outside.

Su Qin’s divine sense could no longer penetrate the array, nor could he perceive the hundreds of thousands of blood beasts lurking within Silver Blossom Hall.

The grey orb suspended in the air emitted a low, resonant hum. From its core, it began to radiate an insidious gravitational pull outwards. Though faint, this force ceaselessly gnawed at the souls trapped within the array.

The refining of demonic souls had commenced, and the true master of this grand array was none other than Qi Ning, standing directly before him.

“Indeed, your assessment is quite accurate.”

A flicker of helplessness crossed Su Qin’s eyes. It seemed this battle was utterly unavoidable.

Qi Ning no longer bothered to conceal her power. The entire valley, responding to her will, began to transform violently.

Deep spring water surged forth from every Karst Caves like a rapidly rising tide. The Blood Bat, previously hidden underground, hastily ascended into the sky, while the Blood Master, flying too slowly, was submerged and ultimately devoured by the relentless torrent.

‘What viciously cunning battle awareness,’ Su Qin thought.

Su Qin felt a cold sweat prickle his brow.

This woman had utterly seen through the vital weakness of blood-path beast control. Her tactic of transforming the valley into a vast lake, thereby forcing the entire beast horde into the air, was nothing short of ruthless.

Blood beasts were inherently frail; to form a powerful array, they required immense numbers and extraordinarily precise positioning.

If the beast horde was too small, they could only form minor, insignificant arrays.

Furthermore, if the individual positions within the horde were not meticulously precise, a grand array lacking such exactitude would be utterly impossible to activate.

Su Qin had deliberately ordered the beast horde to lie dormant underground precisely so they could cling to the Karst Caves, ensuring their arrangement would be as precise as possible when forming the array.

However, if they were suspended in the air, even hovering, the slightest variation in wing beat strength or a subtle air current would inevitably alter the Blood Bat’s positions.

This effectively capped the maximum achievable precision.

Should the enemy also possess means of mass attack, the blood beasts wouldn’t even have time to evade, much less form any coherent array.

‘This battle awareness… it feels as though I’m sparring with a veteran player,’ Su Qin mused.

Su Qin, though secretly displeased, maintained an outward appearance of profound calm; within the confines of such a grand array, any display of emotion was utterly impermissible.

Qi Ning observed the demonic fiend, who met her gaze without the slightest evasion, and a subtle frown creased her brow.

“Insignificant scoundrel of the Demonic Sword Sect, how dare you meet this venerable one’s gaze directly?”

Her voice, tinged with faint displeasure, resonated through the air.

The vast, sky-darkening swarm of Blood Bat instantly faltered, as if an immense, invisible hand pressed down upon both Su Qin and the entire horde, forcing him to descend five meters.

‘The enemy faction must descend five meters and gaze up at this venerable one!’ Qi Ning asserted mentally.

Such was Qi Ning’s intention, and such was her action, for no other reason than to utterly crush the demonic fiend’s arrogant spirit.

In such a situation, any suppressive maneuver yielded immense returns, for even the slightest flicker of fear in her enemy would immediately signal her triumph.

The Immortal Slaying Array invariably prioritized psychological warfare above all else.

Qi Ning observed the demonic fiend’s reaction with a hint of anticipation, only to see Su Qin slowly lift his head, his eyes devoid of even a sliver of fear, instead blazing with boundless, surging demonic intent.

This was the essence of a demon: it could be annihilated, but it would never, ever be truly defeated.

A trace of surprise dawned on Qi Ning’s face. In the past, any petty scoundrel from the Demonic Sword Sect, when subjected to such pressure, would invariably lose their will to fight.

Yet this particular demonic fiend seemed remarkably different.

Qi Ning savored the observation, discerning a unique quality: the opponent’s obstinacy and fierce pride were unparalleled, yet utterly devoid of any superficial bluster.

This individual possessed truly grand ambitions!

Even Qi Ning could not help but offer an inward commendation.

So young, yet possessing such cultivation and temperament… he might very well alter the current state of demonic cultivators in the Southern Border, where none had reached the Nascent Soul (TL Note: A stage of cultivation) stage.

However, unfortunately for him, he had encountered Qi Ning, an ancient ancestor of the righteous path.

“Eliminating demons and defending justice is an inescapable duty for our generation!”

This was the very oath Qi Ning had proclaimed for the greater part of her life; she had even, at one point, instilled terror in the demonic cultivators of the Southern Border.

Yet, as her lifespan neared its end, after enduring the solitude of aging and fading beauty, and the world’s pitying glances, she gradually came to a stark realization: she was not, in fact, protecting the common people at all.

She simply reveled in the process of torturing and slaying demonic cultivators, you see.

She was going to die anyway, so why bother pretending any longer?

To be blunt, in her heart, all demonic cultivators were nothing more than damnable trash. She particularly loathed their arrogant and haughty demeanor.

To torment these demonic cultivators until their Dao hearts shattered completely, forcing them to prostrate themselves and confess their inherent ugliness, was, in her estimation, the greatest delight of her life.

With her lifespan drawing to a close, she no longer wished to concern herself with the etiquette of saints; she simply yearned to indulge her primal desires.

‘What a truly delicious prey,’ Qi Ning thought, her eyes burning.

Qi Ning’s eyes blazed with fervent intensity, wishing she could immediately witness the demonic fiend utterly collapse and weep.

This young man was more unyielding than any previous demonic cultivator, and her deep-seated desire to utterly crush his proud spirit had now reached its zenith.