Chapter 520: Chapter 520

Magma erupted, the sea of fire billowing.

Although he was in a "realm" formed by the array, the pressure Zhouyang felt was no less than being in a real sea of magma, perhaps even greater.

In a real magma sea, with his strength as a Golden Core Stage Cultivator, there wouldn’t be many creatures foolish enough to trouble him.

But now, inside an array that might be a Tier Five High-grade Array, every moment brought fierce attacks from the array towards him.

A Tier Five High-grade Array, if controlled by a Golden Core Stage Cultivator, could easily kill a cultivator like Zhouyang at the early stage of the Golden Core.

Even now without anyone controlling the array, its power couldn’t be exerted more than sixty percent, Zhouyang still dared not take it lightly, employing all sorts of defenses.

The outermost defense had been replaced by a "Qianyang Celestial Fire Shield," which had a significant defensive boost against fire element divine techniques, while he still used the "Profound Turtle Shield" internally as a second layer of protection for safety.

He was somewhat better off; compared to him, Jiang Fengxian, though his cultivation level was two layers higher, was much more restrained by the fire element array, making defense even more strenuous.

The two of them defended against the various attacks formed by the array power while carefully observing the array’s situation to prepare for breaking it.

As Golden Core Stage cultivators, though neither of them were Array Masters, they were no longer as ignorant as low-tier cultivators regarding some array knowledge.

Zhouyang had spent hundreds of years with Xu Song, a Tier Five Middle-grade Array Master, and his nephew Zhou Guangxiang was also a Tier Four Array Master; during their interactions, he had asked about how to properly break out when trapped in a high-tier array.

According to Xu Song, if trapped in an array controlled by a cultivator, unless one is proficient in array mysteries, breaking out cleverly is impossible.

However, if in an array not controlled by a cultivator, even if unfamiliar with the array’s origins and not an Array Master, one can break the array by observing its operational patterns.

Generally, an array without control, once activated, will launch attacks according to fixed array variations.

These array variations have patterns to follow, and once the patterns are understood, the array can be broken by leveraging its operational rules.

"Since we’ve been trapped in the array until now, the array attack has changed three times, basically confirming there are only these five routine attacks. As for the array’s real killing move, conventionally, it’s either time-triggered, appearing after the array has operated for a certain time, or condition-triggered, activated after we’ve inflicted certain damage on the array!"

Within the array, while Zhouyang resisted the array power’s explosive fire attacks, he shared his observations, then turned to ask Jiang Fengxian not far away: "Fengxian, what do you think?"

"My knowledge of arrays isn’t extensive, but I think if it’s to test the cultivator’s strength when acquiring treasure, the array’s ultimate killing move should activate after the array is sufficiently damaged, so maybe we should focus on this aspect."

Jiang Fengxian solemnly expressed her opinion.

Upon hearing this, Zhouyang nodded in agreement with her view.

Then, after pondering briefly, he said, "In that case, we can use low-intensity attacks to find the array’s weak spot, then focus the force of spirit talismans to concentrate on the weak point, breaking out in one fell swoop!"

Jiang Fengxian slightly nodded, agreeing on the spot.

So the two began attacking various locations within the "realm" with flying swords while enduring the array’s onslaught.

The "realm" covered quite a large area, meaning it would be difficult for Zhouyang and the others to find a weak spot in the array.

And every moment they lingered in this "realm," their magical power consumption increased slightly; when the energy replenished by spirit stones fell far short of what was consumed, they would indeed be in danger.

Human power is sometimes limited, but the power of heaven and earth is infinite.

Arrays are a method of utilizing the power of heaven and earth, the higher the tier of the array, the stronger the power it borrows.

If they couldn’t break the array to stop its operation, how could human strength ever outlast the infinite power of heaven and earth!

To break the array quickly, Zhouyang also released a Tier Five Puppet Beast to help; an extra helper could not only help find the array’s weak spot more quickly but also help distribute some of the array’s firepower.

Of course, the cost of using a Tier Five Puppet Beast was significant; when operating at full capacity, it consumed one top-grade spirit stone every half an hour, and each activation required placing five top-grade spirit stones inside the puppet beast.

If Zhouyang hadn’t obtained numerous top-grade spirit stones from Song Qingyun and Wu Zidao, two Golden Core Stage cultivators, in the "Red Desert," he wouldn’t have dared to use the Tier Five Puppet Beast so freely.

Fortunately, Jiang Fengxian knew the high consumption of puppet beasts on spirit stones and offered to share half of the spirit stone costs.

Thus, inch by inch, after nearly three days, Zhouyang and Jiang Fengxian finally found a weak point in the array.

By this time, they had used up a total of three top-grade spirit stones each just to replenish their magical power, and even so, their current magical power level was less than seventy percent of their peak.

"This is the place; success or failure rests on this, we must give it our all!"

With a solemn expression, Zhouyang said to Jiang Fengxian, his tone very grave.

"Rest assured, Brother Zhou, I know what to do."

Jiang Fengxian also nodded with determination and then decisively activated the Celestial Phoenix Race bloodline, revealing her true form of human body with phoenix wings.

Upon seeing this, Zhouyang had no intention of holding back; he flipped his hand to take out three Tier Five Spirit Talismans and held them in his hand. Next, he activated the power of the "Qianyang Treasure Pearl" to enhance the "Qianyang True Flame," and a golden flame dragon, over ten feet long, roared towards the weak spot in the array.

At the same time, the "Jinghong Sword," "Mountain Shifting Seal," and "C Fire Thunder Bottle," three Tier Five Artifacts, also powered up under Zhouyang’s magical power, attacking the same spot.

Lastly, he activated the three Tier Five Spirit Talismans in his hand, supplementing with one final strike.

Earth-shattering explosions sounded in succession; utilizing their full strength, Zhouyang and Jiang Fengxian’s combined techniques would be unbearable even for a late-stage Golden Core cultivator.

The array trapping them suddenly faced such a fierce attack that one corner of the "realm" collapsed, revealing the white stone slab floor outside.

Zhouyang and Jiang Fengxian wouldn’t miss such a good opportunity and immediately rushed towards the breach.

However, just as they were halfway there, a thick purple-red fire pillar suddenly descended from the sky, striking Zhouyang, who was in the lead.

In an instant, Zhouyang’s protective "Qianyang Celestial Fire Shield" and "Profound Turtle Shield" were shattered and blasted away, sending him flying backward.

Jiang Fengxian’s delicate face changed dramatically, and she quickly stopped in her tracks to look at Zhouyang, her beautiful eyes full of concern.

"Cough, cough, I’m fine, not dead yet, let’s get out of the array first!"

Zhouyang stood up steadily, blood spilling from the corner of his mouth as he coughed up a mouthful of fresh blood. His face was charred black as he smiled at Jiang Fengxian, then once more gathered his strength and rushed out of the array.

This time, no abnormality appeared. The purple-red treasure mirror of the suppression array seemed to have exhausted its energy in the previous strike and could no longer pose a threat to those inside the array.

Once out of the array, Zhouyang saw directly in front of him the gates of the red palace, and the purple-red treasure mirror hanging above the door lintel was dimmed in spiritual light, trembling endlessly.

It was as if fate guided him, and he instantly stepped forward, reached out a hand, and grasped it into his hand.

Not having time to examine the mysteries of the treasure mirror, Zhouyang flipped his hand to suppress it and stowed it into his storage ring, then sat cross-legged on the spot and directly took out a fragrant Tier Five Healing Elixir, consuming it and starting to refine it.

The injuries on his body were evidently not as light as he had just claimed. The ultimate killing move of the Tier Five high-grade array was not so easily taken.

If not for the fact that he had the dual protections of the Qianyang Celestial Fire Shield and the Profound Turtle Shield, and a powerful physical body comparable to a Tier Five Demon Beast, he would very likely have perished on the spot.

Even so, his entire body was now burning with excruciating pain, as if he had been skinned alive, an indescribable agony.

And in Jiang Fengxian’s eyes, Zhouyang, whose whole body was charred like roasted coal, looked even more miserable than a skinned person.

She bit her jade lips tightly, looking at Zhouyang with eyes full of worry, her heart filled with lingering fear.

She dared not imagine what the outcome would have been had that strike landed on her instead.

Zhouyang taking that strike just now could be said to have indirectly saved her life!

At this moment, she wanted to thank Zhouyang but was afraid of disturbing him and delaying his healing, leaving her standing frozen in place.

Zhouyang, on the other hand, wanted to recuperate a bit longer, but he knew the area in front of the gates was not a good place for healing injuries. If other cultivators came to the "Ten Thousand Treasures Tower" seeking treasures and saw him in such a state, even those without initial thoughts of killing and robbing could very well develop such intentions.

Therefore, after slightly refining the elixir’s medicinal power to stabilize his injuries, he stood up and said to Jiang Fengxian, who was guarding him, "I am injured and cannot make a move; this task of pushing open the door and leading the way must fall to you, Fengxian."

He was concerned there might still be danger behind the red palace doors, giving Jiang Fengxian a preemptive warning.

"Naturally, if it weren’t for Brother Zhou blocking that strike just now, I might have perished within the array. Brother Zhou’s life-saving grace, please accept my bow as thanks!"

Jiang Fengxian spoke gratefully, immediately bowing deeply to thank Zhouyang for saving her life.

Upon seeing this, Zhouyang hurriedly reached out and grabbed her jade hand, helping her up, saying, "Fengxian, you are too polite. We are life-and-death comrades, not to mention that strike was originally aimed at me; even if it had truly targeted you, I would not stand idly by."

He spoke frankly, and Jiang Fengxian was even more moved by his words, not resisting in the slightest when he took her jade hand.

It was only when Zhouyang noticed and proactively released her hand.

She then came back to her senses, her face flushing, and with an unnatural expression, slightly lowered her head and said, "Brother Zhou, please step back; I will break open the door."

Zhouyang’s worries seemed somewhat unnecessary.

After Jiang Fengxian broke open the gates of the red palace, she did not encounter any more dangers, and the gains she saw beyond the door made him feel that his injuries were not suffered in vain.

In the courtyard behind the red palace doors, over a dozen rare high-tier spirit herbs were planted.

"[Golden Silk Green Moon Fruit], [Seven-leaf Purple Orchid], [Dragon Beard Grass], [Dragon Claw Jade Vine]..."

Zhouyang looked at the luminous spirit herbs in the courtyard, his face full of excitement as he named several of the spirit herbs.

The spirit herbs he called out were all extremely rare Tier Five spirit herbs, almost never seen in the outside world.

This trip, just these spirit herbs alone were worth the expense of the Tier Five Spirit Talismans they used to break the array, not to mention that there were surely other treasures stored within the inner hall.

"These spirit herbs won’t help me much; if you like, Brother Zhou, you may take them all."

Jiang Fengxian’s beautiful eyes swept over the various spirit herbs in the courtyard, and she quickly shook her head to indicate her stance.

"This, this isn’t right!" Follow current novᴇls on novelꜰire.net

Though Zhouyang sincerely wanted to collect all those spirit herbs, seeing as both worked together to find the treasure, it didn’t seem fair for him to take it all.

"There’s nothing wrong with it. I am alone; even if I obtained these spirit herbs, I could only trade them with other cultivators for items, or sell them in exchange for Spirit Stones. If Brother Zhou feels uneasy about it, just keep an eye out for items I might need in the future."

Jiang Fengxian smiled slightly, and her reasoning left Zhouyang with no room to refuse.

In fact, compared to her, Zhouyang did need those spirit herbs more.

Without exchanging more formalities, Zhouyang silently remembered this favor, then carefully picked all the spirit herbs and stored them in his storage ring.

After he finished picking the spirit herbs, the two headed towards the inner hall.

The doors to the inner hall were also tightly shut, but after testing them, they found no danger.

Zhouyang dispatched the Tier Five Tiger Puppet Beast to go ahead and open the hall doors, and the scene inside came into view for the two of them.

In the empty inner hall, there was a three-zhang tall statue of a Daoist, holding a Jade Ruyi, a treasure sword on its back, facing the sky, as if looking upwards.

In front of the Daoist statue stood a black wooden table, on it was a black wooden placard with the big gold-painted characters, "Master Xuanzhu Huo De."

Although in the current "Spirit Realm," Nascent Soul Stage cultivators were also given the title of "Zhenren," Zhouyang and Jiang Fengxian knew that in ancient times and outside the "Spirit Realm," "Zhenren" was the honorific only for Tribulation Crossing True Immortals.

Therefore, the Daoist statue in front of the hall was certainly an effigy of a Tribulation Crossing True Immortal.

And as Zhouyang knew, typically, only the disciples or descendants of the figure the statue represented would erect such an effigy as a tribute.

"So, this palace was built by the descendants of Master Xuanzhu Huo De?"

Zhouyang murmured to himself, his gaze shifting to the other three items on the offering table beside the black wooden placard.

These three items were a crimson jade scroll, a fire-red Jade Ruyi carved with a Qilin pattern, and a purple-red jade pendant.